Thurs Day 5

Thurs Jan 15 Day 5  Still lots of fog or mist all the way to Bakersfield

Temp went down to 39 F last night but was up to 43 by 9:30 AM and doesn’t feel as cold as at home.  We have a long way to go so I wanted an early start today. Finally got away out Willows Walmart at  9:45.  Down I-5 to Lodi, (south of Sacramento), where we pulled into a Flying J for gas & lunch at their Subway.  Off hwy at 38945 @ 11:45, gas finished at 12:00 (48 gallons) & away at 12:20 and on over to Hwy 99 to Bakersfield.  The hwy is in terrible shape with lots of construction road narrowing.  On one such narrowing I was beside a semi rig and the road suddenly had cement barriers right up to & on the side lines making it really narrow.  Of course there was a bang as my passenger side mirror connected with something on the truck.  It didn’t break the glass or anything, just pushed it in so I couldn’t see out of it and Sheila couldn’t straighten it from inside.  It was a while before we found a wide spot to pull over so I could go outside & straighten the mirror out.  There was a mark on the outside of the mirror frame but other wise no damage.  So far the score is: me 2, Sheila 0. (Sheila says she’s not going to drive anymore so we can keep it that way!)  We arrived Orange Grove RV and are parked in the orange trees, I already picked a half dozen from the tree beside us. In at 39200 miles @ 4:50 PM. 

The latest “problem” to surface is our hot water heater, again, It started to make a clunking noise if the hot tap was turned on full.  OK if you turn it on slowly but then it decided to not give me any hot water at all, turn on the tap & nothing comes out.  The cold works just fine. I will have to have it looked at tomorrow.

Distance -  374 miles, on road time 5 hrs 30 mins

Wed Jan 14 Day 4 lots of fog around, more than on all previous trips down I 5

Out 7 Feathers @38533 miles @ 10:55 and arrived at the Fred Meyer and Home Town Buffet area off I 5 exit 27 at 12:20 @38606 miles.  I got a 1 year Tracphon card with 400 minutes as well for $99.00 (and no tax in Oregon).  Plus buying it at Fred Meyer gave me a bunch of points on my Fred Meyer card which I could use on gas, then over to Home Town Buffet for lunch after which I filled up with gas at the Fred Meyer station & got 20 cents a gallon off so my gas was $1.90 a US gallon. Good Deal all round.  We headed out at 1:50 to I 5 & up the Siskiyou pass to the summit at 4310 ft at 2:20 then down the 7 mile 6% grade hill entering CA at 2:25. We pulled into a rest area at 3:10 to change to Sheila driving !!!!!!   On the road at 3:15 and finally stopped to change back to me driving at just after 5.  Sheila drove for 1hr. 45 mins, she didn’t hit anything and did a great job.  We finally pulled into the Walmart near Willows CA at 38826 miles at 6:10. We went across the road to Nancy’s Airport Café for one of their great meals.  We had enough leftovers for another small meal, (mine was a senior special).  

Distance – 293 miles, on road time 5 hrs 40mins.

Here is where I connected with the other car's rear fender.  The sun was coming directly from that corner and my sun visor didn't cover the area. Just surface damage to me, it will probably wash or wax out.

DAY 3

Tues Jan 13 Day 3

Up Up & Away - - almost.  We pulled out of Camping World Burlington at 38095 miles at 0920.  At 1:55 we stopped at the Flying J in northern Oregon @ 38354 & filled up for $2.009 a gallon. The instruments said it would be 580 miles to empty.  We stopped at their Subway & split a foot long and a drink, plus we got 60 cents off with my Flying J charge card and didn’t even have to charge it, we paid cash. We left the station at 2:50 the straight down I 5 to Seven Feathers Casino RV Park.  We arrived at 5:35 @ 38533 miles. We covered 179 miles in 2 hrs 45 minutes that’s an ave speed of 65 mph, no bad for a giant brick wall going up & down hills and passing trucks like crazy.

I suppose I have to mention one minor incident while going through Seattle.  I was approaching the express lane entrance driving into the bright sun which came between the sun visors and was hitting the mirrors and the window.  I started to move over and there was a minor bump and I barley touched a car in the lane beside me.  We pulled over & exchanged insurance details Very minimal damage, mostly some minor paint scrapes on her car on the rear fender. I haven’t had time in daylight to check out the RV. It was on the hwy side in Seattle and I forgot at the gas station and it was dark when we got camped again.  

Day 2

Mon Jan 12 Day 2

Had RV in for the water heater check at 8 AM.  They finished and I am waiting for Sheila to call to say she is on route and for Ken to call re meeting for lunch.  In RV I went down to Fred Meyer 10:20 to 11:20. Sheila phoned about 11:30 to say she still had lots to do and might be on route by 2 PM.  Ken phoned to say he was an hour & a half away.  Ken arrived about 1:00 & we went to lunch.  Sheila phoned about 3:30 to say she was almost ready to go.  Ken left for Trader Joes in Bellingham to get Kerrygold butter and Sheila arrived just around 6 PM.  Needless to say we are at Camping World for one more night.

Day 1 - I head for Campingworld

Sun Jan 11 Day 1

Away from home @ 1:55 @ 38023.  Bren only as Sheila is staying to  finish up some stuff, letters, watch TV etc.  I arrive bdr 2:40 @ 38046, but got sent to Agi inspection for my declared eggs.  When the inspectors returned they said they couldn’t find the eggs, I thought I had forgotten to put them in. So finally clear bdr at 3:15, so a 35 min crossing.  Arrived Camping World 4 PM @ 38091. Set up in back lot on power. 

Distance covered 68 miles.

Jan 11, ready to head south

Here we are Jan 11 ready to go.  Bren, at least, Sheila will stay one more night at home & meet me at Camping World where I am getting a minor job done early Monday morning.  Ken will be on route back from his gaming in Seattle and will hopefully meet me for lunch, Sheila too if she gets there in time. We are only about an hour south of the boarder so it's not that far to drive. Then it's off southbound.