Every day is a gift and the last ten days have been Christmas. Gracie and I went to Julie’s Monday evening to do laundry and watch Dancing With the Stars. I tried a new recipe for chili (not that good), but it was fun to experiment. Tuesday Julie picked up pizza and breadsticks and we watched the elimination. The dogs are all adjusting, and Gracie seems to enjoy visiting her new friends. She must feel like Gulliver in the land of Lilliputians, with five little dogs who together do not equal half her weight..
Thursday I joined my nephew Bruce and his boys for spaghetti-o-rama, a Thursday night tradition. The spaghetti was good, and getting to know my grand nephews and Bruce as an adult is wonderful. They live in a very neat apartment only a mile from the campground. Friday Gracie and I walked to downtown Lebanon to explore and buy some postcards. I found the Golden Turtle Chocolate Factory and did some damage to my normally good eating habits with chocolate walnut fudge. It was so tantalizingly good. As a bonus, we ran into a couple from the park, also walking, who advised us of a shortcut through the cemetery back to the park.
Saturday Julie and I took Mackenzie, Julie’s granddaughter and my grand niece, on the historic train in downtown Lebanon that chugs out to a farm where we petted animals and trekked through a corn maze. Mackenzie will be ten on Tuesday, and she is a lovely, well-mannered, wise-beyond-her-years child. It was a glorious fall day, the apple cider was fragrant, and the fresh winesap apples I bought are incredible.
Sunday Julie, Mackenzie and I went to see Disney on Ice at the Nutter Center. The performance, in true Disney fashion, was lavish and fantastic, and the skating breath-taking. We stopped at a Logan RoadHouse to eat on the way home, and introduced a delighted Mackenzie to the tradition of eating peanuts and tossing the shells on the floor.
I have had bouts of being overcome by happy tears when I realize how close I came to never getting to enjoy the pure fun, good times, beauty, companionship, and family.
Julie’s husband, Terry, is an over-the-road trucker, and he was out of town, so I fixed salmon and quinoa in the Goose for Julie and me while we bridged a 20-year absence with laughter and conversation. Julie and I were married to brothers; both are now ex-husbands. We have been through harrowing times together dealing with difficult men and raising sons, and have a bond like soldiers who have seen battle together and survived.
Friday Julie finished up early at work and gave Gracie and me a tour of the surrounding countryside. Lebanon is an adorable town. I expected Mr. Rogers, in cardigan and sneakers, to be waving from a porch near the historic train station. There are lots of little antique and curio shops in the historic downtown I look forward to exploring. Julie lives in Carlisle, about 20 minutes away, in a large house in a neat community surrounded on all sides by cornfields and train tracks. We picked up excellent Chinese food and introduced Gracie to Julie’s five little dogs. There were fewer skirmishes than we anticipated.
. Saturday my nephew, Bruce, who I haven’t seen in almost 20 years, and his girlfriend Amy fixed a wonderful lunch of potato soup and seven-layer salad. I met his beautiful sons Braden and Chase. Sitting at the dining table with family was almost overwhelming.
We picked up the returning Terry after lunch. I had not met him before, but Julie had described him in terms that led me to expect an unassuming, affable, easy-going pet lover. I was not disappointed. He was easily in accord with Julie lending me their Durango so I have transportation during the day.
Sunday Julie and I went to a gigantic indoor swap meet, Trader’s World. Whimsical statues of wild animals, with an emphasis on towering giraffes, decorate the acres of shops. We wandered around for three hours, looking a lot and buying a little. Then we escaped to Olive Garden for lunch. It’s perfect fall weather, in the mid 70’s with a light wind. At almost 9:00 at night I still have every window opening airing the Goose out and filling it with the wonderful smell of fall.
I had forgotten how many shades of yellow, orange, and red there are in the fall colors. Just when I think I’ve never see anything as beautiful as a tree decked totally in fluorescent yellow, there’s another in a red so crimson it glows almost purple. I didn’t realize how much I miss the changing seasons.
At several spots along the highway there are signs supporting gun ownership like the old Burma Shave Signs: He tried to do a violent crime/I had a gun/He did the time. If it is peace you seek/Do not take guns/From the Meek.
The rest stops in Indiana prohibit overnight parking! Do they think it’s better to have a sleepy driver on the road? We pulled into a WalMart parking lot in Shelbyville, Indiana. I only have about 100 miles to go, but I don’t want to get in so late I’m hooking up in the dark. So we spent the night in the parking lot. Bless WalMart for their corporate attitude towards RVers.
It rained again. I think it has rained every day except two. Okay, Universe. Have we not made up for 16 years in the desert? I can’t check into the RV park until 1:00 pm, so we took the morning easy, hoping the rain would lighten up.
I am planning on visiting my sister-in-law Julie for a nice long stay, maybe 21 days. The park has a reduced rate for longer stays, and I’m ready for a break. I was researching my projected next stop to see my cousin in State College, only to discover that the KOA in State College charges $61 per night! Sorry, Karen—it may be a very brief visit! Or I may head south after Ohio and catch the Pennsylvania friends and family after winter is over. It’s fun being totally free.
I made it to Cedarbrook Campground in Lebanon, Ohio by 1:30, and am parked in a beautiful spot surrounded by orange and yellow trees and dozens of squirrels, and the sound of acorns rolling off the roof. I hesitantly put out the slide. I hope I can get it back in. I did some housework and reorganized a bit. Julie is coming over after work. I’m safe and I’m with family. Living the Dream.
After a night at the service center, a new alternator and rewiring everything that burned (and $800) we were back on the road. I said I would give a shout out to the Auto Truck Center. They are open all night and weekends, and because their bread and butter is semis, they have everything in stock and enough personnel to get the job done. They are in Cedar Rapids, IA, (www.autotruckcenter.net). The Goose is running great. The nice Indian man at the BP station pointed out that the 89 proof was cheaper than the 87, and I think the Goose likes it better. Then he gave me $1 off on my Blimpie’s sandwich at his shop next door for lunch! I am so impressed by the rest stops. We stopped in one in Iowa that had about 12 tables under shelters scattered about a perfectly groomed lawn, and a walking trail for dogs. We encountered big lime-green hard-shelled fruits on the ground by the hundreds, called hedge apples. I think Gracie thought they were over-sized tennis balls until she discovered they tasted nasty. We stopped in another rest stop in Illinois (Spoon River) to eat lunch (the Blimpie’s sub), and again enjoyed a wonderful walking trail on crunchy fall leaves across a covered bridge, up steps to a hill top viewing station. The colors of the leaves and the wildflowers are magnificent. I have captured these scenes in my memory for peaceful places to return in thought when the going gets tough.
I was tempted to park for the night, but I’ve been three days without a hot shower. So we spent the night at the Yogi Bear Jellystone Camp in Goodfield, IL. It is by far the most expensive park I’ve stayed in ($38), so I charged everything I own: Kindle, LapTop, WiFi, Cell Phone, Plasma TV, even the DustBuster. I showered twice and colored my hair. Checkout isn’t until 2:00, so we’re kind of lounging about, ready to take another walk and eat lunch before we hit the road. It’s 72 degrees and the fall colors are amazing. The park is decorated for a Halloween celebration they are having this weekend, and since most of the RVs are monthly residents ($500 plus utilities) they are all decked out for the celebration as well. I’m getting my money’s worth!
Today I was stranded by the side of the road somewhere in Iowa for four hours. Every truck that went by shook the Goose and made my heart pound. Let me digress.
The rest stop was fine—it was quieter than some of the RV parks I’ve stayed in. It was raining again when we left. I think the universe has decided to make up for all those years I spent in Arizona. It has rained eight of the last eight days I have been on the road, except when it was snowing.
Minnesota was all fields of corn. Pheasant season is supposed to start this week, and I had hoped to spot some of the magnificent, vibrantly colored birds. My dad used to hunt them, and give me the feathers to play with when I was little. We always had pheasant for Thanksgiving and turkey for Christmas when I was growing up. No luck.
We stopped at a WalMart for groceries. I found a couple CDs in the bargain pile—Janis Joplin, John Denver, and Jim Croce. Dead artists go cheap, I guess.
I stopped for lunch and gas at the Iowa welcome center. Gas has been reasonable since I got off the West Coast, between $3.22 and $3.36 per gallon. I saw some nice fall foliage, and a Pennsylvania Dutch (hmm . . .probably Iowa Amish) symbol on a barn.
I was cruising, letting Gypsy guide me (not paying attention to where I was), listening to Janis wail, when Gypsy announced, “Powering Down.” Then the needle on the alternator went into the red and the Goose died. I barely got her off the side of the road; she doesn’t coast much.
I called AAA RV service. Of course the first question was “Where are you?” and I had to reply, “I don’t know.” The nice girl at the call center tried to figure it out by where I had been. She guessed wrong, which ultimately didn’t matter because the first truck dispatched broke down. I posted my dilemma on Facebook and my sister-in-law called.
Julie’s solution was genius: “Go to your GPS, go to Attractions, and find out where the nearest fuel is.” I’m four miles from the Brandon (population 311) Kwik Mart, which puts me on I-380. I’m found!
It was getting dark, so I turned the generator on to power all the lights in the Goose so we didn’t get hit by one of the semis that was making the Goose shudder. If I’m going to waste all this gas to power the generator I decided I might as well fix dinner and watch Dancing With the Stars.
Above the stove is a panel of lights for the status of the two holding tanks, fresh water, LP, and batteries. I have gotten in the habit of checking it often. Wait--batteries are back in the green! I tentatively shut all the accessories and turned the key. The Goose is alive. I quickly turned it off.
When the tow truck driver arrived, we decided he would follow me into Cedar Rapids (30 miles) and when he knew everything was okay would take the lead to get me to the repair place, where I am now, which is open all night. So I didn’t have to be towed and they are going to check out the charging system. Even when things go wrong, they go right.
Thursday morning was clear and cold. Utah is amazing. The salt flats are like an unfinished paint-by-number where someone forgot to paint in the water. You would swear there should be water there, but it’s just miles of sand, ripples and all. The Great Salt Lake looks so out of place. Most bodies of water have the ecological niche to match, but the salt lake looks like it was dropped in.
Snow again in the passes. Baby has taken to curling up in my lap while we’re traveling. My own little lap warmer. Gracie sits in the passenger seat until she gets sleepy, then naps on the couch, right behind me.
We spent the night in a WalMart parking lot in Evanston, WY. I picked up some CD’s to fill out our sparse music collection as well as a few groceries. We woke to snow on the ground, Gracie’s first introduction to snow. She was not impressed. It was easy driving Friday except for the wind. Wonderful scenery: majestic mountains, wide fields of grain, and antelopes in fields along the road with their white butts up in the air. Somewhere I passed the continental divide. The Goose was pulling hard, but we made it.
Friday we stayed at the KOA in Douglas, WY. Park was lovely, with an enclosed dog area. There were lots of bunnies huddling under the RVs for warmth. Gracie doesn’t chase small animals, thank goodness. It’s really chilly, and I’ve seen more rain in the last week than I saw in 16 years in Arizona.
Saturday was the most inspiring, incredulous day so far of my journey. My only regret about some of the items on my bucket list is that I can’t share them with Gracie. Not that she would care, but it means more to me when she is there. It’s hard to explain, but because she was with me for so much of the bad circumstances of the past two years, I feel she is a part of me. So I was looking forward to the Crazy Horse Monument and Mt. Rushmore, but a little sad, too.
At Crazy Horse, I asked about RV parking and was told to take a ramp at the edge of the parking lot to the bus parking on the upper level. I maneuvered around and as I stepped out, there was the face of Crazy Horse above us! Obscured from the regular parking lot by the visitor center and observation deck, it is clearly visible from the upper parking area. I went to the visitor center, watched the information video, picked up a few items, and returned to the Goose to fix lunch and look at the monument with Gracie.
Then at Mt. Rushmore, incredulously, the same thing happened. The long RV/bus parking area was nearly empty and provided a perfect view of the monument. After I went to the visitor center, I took Gracie for a walk under the watchful eye of Abraham Lincoln, with George Washington in profile. Despite the biting wind and rain, it was a perfect day.
We spent the night in a rest stop outside of Wall, SD. This morning we went to Wall Drug. It’s a cute little tourist stop of shops and entertainment. Back on the road again. South Dakota Black Hills (they really are black) and badlands in the fog and rain are behind us, we crossed the wide Missouri and we are in the very corner of Minnesota. I think we’ll spend the night in the rest stop here. The weather is wonderfully mild—I put the winter coat and gloves away, and shouldn’t have to run the heater tonight.
The Goose started fine this morning, but I discovered the banging sound in the wind last night was the light above the back-up camera, hanging by only its wires, hitting against the back of the Goose. So I climbed up the ladder on the back of the Goose and taped the hanging lamp back into its socket. The duct tape doesn’t look so great, but it works.
The first part of the journey Tuesday morning was Chamber of Commerce Oregon—rocky mountain streams through craggy mountains and twisty mountain roads from one charming town to another. There was even a sign to watch for big-horn sheep (although I didn’t see any). Then I slipped onto another planet.
The mountains were devoid of anything but shrubby vegetation. The roads angled up the mountains. The Goose could barely get to 35 miles an hour at times. The peaks were the highest I’ve ever been, each one topping the previous at 6120 feet and 6240 feet. Between the peaks miles and miles of shrubby vegetation. No signs of life anywhere. I saw maybe two or three cars per hour. There were highway signs to watch for burros and horses, but that was wishful thinking. Somewhere Oregon became Nevada.
The driving was hard. The road was two-lane and narrow. For hours there was not even a place to pull over. Finally a rest stop! Two picnic tables and an outhouse with no running water. When I finally was on a real highway I stopped for the night in what I will officially call the worst park so far, in Battle Mountain. It was tucked in behind the truck stop, so there was noise from the trucks all night. Somehow I didn’t notice the train tracks across the street when I checked in. The showers and bathroom were in the truck stop, a hike across the parking lot. The RVs surrounding mine? Let’s just say I was glad I’ve got Gracie.
It was cold, really cold Wednesday morning. The front heater and defroster don’t work, so I have to pull over frequently and wipe the windshield. After one such quick wipe, I noticed there was snow on the tops of the mountains in the distance. It’s been raining for three days, so I wasn’t all that surprised. And then in the mountains of Nevada, I was in a snowstorm. Snowplows and everything. The Goose handled beautifully in the snow. After more road construction, more fogging and freezing, I pulled into a KOA in Wendover, on the Utah line. Time for a hot shower, heat, propane, and a good night’s sleep.
Back to Salmon Harbor. There’s a problem with the repairs to the Goose. When I hit the cement post, I bent something in under that will not straighten out, so one of the doors cannot be easily reattached. We ran out of time on Friday, so I checked back in to Salmon Harbor so we could take another look at things Monday.
Bad news--it’s rainy and chilly. Good news—the Goose does not leak and the heater works fine.
No way to fix the door on the storage unit. The aluminum cannot be straightened out because there’s nothing to brace a jack against. The piece can’t be removed and straightened because the only way to reattach it would be welding and there’s so much fiberglass and plastic it would go up like a flare. So I loaded the new door into the bay that was repaired and I left with a big gaping space in the side of the Goose.
I said good-bye to Jayleen while she snuggled under the covers with her kitty, and woke my neighbors Don and Karen (sorry!) to say farewell and left about 9:30 am. It rained the whole way on the Redwood Highway. Not nice to find out the heater (off the engine) does not work and therefore the defogger does not work. And the gauge says the battery is not charging. I was going to stop for repairs in Grant’s Pass, but there was a line of people waiting at the service desk. The Goose starts fine, so I kept going. The rain didn’t stop until Klamath Falls.
I was going to keep going until I found a rest stop, but I saw a sign for an RV park about 6 o’clock and pulled in. I drove 300 miles today, and that’s about my limit. I’m just outside Lakeview, Oregon. It was cool and pleasant when I pulled in and fed and walked Gracie, but now the wind is whipping so hard the whole vehicle is rocking, and it just started raining. I hooked us up, but decided not to put the slider out. Dinner was salmon, brown rice and vegetables. No television reception, so I’m missing Dancing With the Stars. Between worrying about whether the Goose will start tomorrow and the wind I don’t think I’ll get much sleep tonight.
I think I’m on the way to Mount Rushmore.
