Getting Back in the Saddle

Digital Capture at Fox Run RV Resort and Campground

Bessie, the name I have given the Escape travel trailer,  has been in mothballs for almost 2-3 months.   I arrived April 8, 2014, after driving almost 5,000 miles from Houston, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska.  I proceeded to live 3 more months in the 19' trailer with three dogs.  I have been spending the last three months trying to get the house in order, working with the help of a lady who is an organizer.

Now I think I am ready to take a couple of closer trips before the weather gets too cold.

-arr

Otter Falls

There was at least an inch of snow on the ground when we woke up this morning-it is still snowing though lightly.   18°F.  Remember the old saying, "Don't eat yellow snow?" I find myself pushing fresh snow on top the babies urine stains.  I do pick up their dookie.  We slept very well considering we were right on the Alaska highway.

My goal for today was to try for the Alaska border.  I drove in snow all morning and into early afternoon before the sun came out.  It really slowed the plan down.  I got to Whitehorse thinking I would stop there, but for some reason I did not like the place and moved on.  Then I reached Otter Falls...

Otter Falls Truck Stop is run by a couple of wonderful young ladies.  Not a lot of people staying there, but a lot of people were there to take advantage of 24 hour gas, RV parking, laundry, showers, food and country store.  They did not have water or dumping available yet, but for CAD 20.00 you got a pull through slot with 30 amp connection.  

Took a shower,  ate dinner, then started petting Baby Boy-and we both fell asleep.

You arey family.

Watson Lake

Trying to see how close I can get to Whitehorse.

What a day!  Beautiful.  Scary.  Sunny.  Cold and wet.  My beautiful Hummer got her windshield chipped today.  She's taken a beating and kept on humming like a Timex.  When I get to Anchorage I am going to have to give her some tender loving care.  No cell service most of the day.

The Alaska Highway is more like Patterson Road back home-or what was my home.  A two lane road in just about the same condition.  This is a highway in name only.  You can drive for a couple of hours and not see anything moving.  While my experience has not been as bad as some of the stories I've read in books, you do need to watch your gas.  I have a full tank's work of gas in the trailer-just in case.

Well didn't make it to Whitehorse.  After twelve and half hours + time out for gas and bathroom breaks for me and the babies, I made it to Watson Lake.  Drove through Toad River (visited the Toad River Lodge) , Muncho Lake, Contact Creek Lodge and now Watson Lake where I gassed up.  I asked the nice young man where I can find an RV park.  He told me everything was closed but that I could park on his property and he'd give me a power hookup.  I am using his wireless to write this.

As you all know, I am a cynic.  Coming up on leaving, I kept hearing how I should not be talking to anyone.  Only stop at Flying J or Loves.  Be afraid, be very much afraid!!  I have learned otherwise.

This trip has shown me that there are a lot of warm and generous people out there.  Like the lady who helped me back out of a dead end street at 12:30 at night.  The truck drivers in Edmonton with huge tats on his head who gave me good advice on where not to go.  The owner of Northern Lights RV Park who showed me how to service my trailer.  Countless little things that made this jump off a cliff not as bad as it could have been.

Today I also saw
* Buffalo
* Caribou
* Wolf
* Moose
* Mountain Goat(??)

What do you do when you are driving down the road and in the middle of it is a buffalo?  Nothing he is big and heavy and can do what he likes!!

Northern Lights RV Park

NLRV  was another park...

Grounds ..... Really nice.  All snow enclosed.

WiFi       .....  A little slow but useable.

Bathrooms ..... A real treat, they are clean and private.  Takes looneys

Laundry .....  Good.

Helping Hands ..... Priceless, they showed me how to add water and clean tanks.

Over All ..... 4.8 out of 5.

Good Nite

Dawson Creek

Thoughts

The Hummer H3 is very definitely not a speed demon when pulling my 19'  trailer.  Some of the weather we ran into (me and the babies) has been pretty downright scary.  Snow on the ground, snow drifts across the highways, snow coming down so hard you can't even see in front of you with the wipers going as fast as possible.  You wake up covered in snow

I now realize that I  had no idea what I was getting into.

After taking a much needed rest yesterday, we woke this morning to 3°F weather outside.  At that temperature, the babies don't want to stay out, and one's hands start to tingle in a couple-three minutes.  The cold is bitter and cuts through you like a knife.  Everything task takes longer to get done: hitch the trailer, connect the power, connect the chains, do a walk around, verify lights are working, etc.

Glowing Embers

Glowing Embers was a really nice place to stay.  

They were not fully open yet, but they did everything they could to make things comfortable for an old man with three doggies.  First time I saw a shower that was coin operated.

Grounds ...... Good

WiFi .....        Great!

Bathrooms ... Good. Clean and neet-though communal.

Laundry ... Good.

Today

Don't judge a book by its cover.  This morning I want to the local Husky for gas, propane and breakfast.  I met a couple of old truck drivers-deep wrinkles, looked like mean-ass bikers. The talkative one had a huge tattoo on his bald head, earrings, etc.  Some of the nicest people I've met in a land full of nice people.  He did say that I should be good through Whitehorse at least. So, I girded up my loins and off I went...

Well Sethie wants to get to sleep and so do I...

Johnson's Corner

Tucumcari, New Mexico (Route 66)

Just the name "Route 66" brings nostalgia.  While my brother and oldest sister were born in California, I was born in Chicago.  I can remember, in the dim recesses of my mind, making that drive.  The last time my Uncle was driving (my brother and sister were here by then.)  

I did take some detours on old Route 66 and was amazed by the decay.  I saw some motels that screamed "Bates Motel!"  I will add some more images as I get time.

My Office

I wanted to be able to set up a place to work.  I have needed to do some work in Houston, Anchorage Alaska, on projects I am working on for client, and in case I needed to sign papers in regards to the sale of the house.  So here she is.

Route 66

I drove

Wichita Falls

The first leg of my adventure-the first day's drive was to get to Wichita Falls, since Amarillo was really out of reach.   I needed to get used to driving long distances and wanted to get used driving while towing the travel trailer.  I found myself being hypnotized by the road a couple of time and needed to pull over.

Note to self:  Need to read up and create a morning safety moment.

After having to take care of family issues and the house all week, I am finally on my way. 

Image by Patty

Saw this accident and it really woke me up.

. 

Stayed at the Wichita Falls RV Park.  The people were friendly, the bathrooms were clean and private.  They have an open dog run with fire plugs.  I came in late at night and had no problems getting in and set up.  I would visit them again.

First Night's Good Sleep

No images today.  Busy in Spring trying to build a Microsoft Server 2012 and get it running with a multiuser version of Peachtree.  The things you do for family.  Done.

Took the babies to their Dr. for international health certificates and Rabies certificates.  Done.

The moving company came and picked up everything last week. So I have been sleeping on the floor with Sethie.   Now that we have a man-cave and I am not getting up stiff.  Sethie likes it too.  Done.

Sethie has been having some issues.  With the people at the house for so long, then the packers and movers, he's hyper vigilant.  He comes down the stairs and looks around the corner to see if anyone is there.  Then I broke down and boxed his kennel.  He did not want to come inside.  I finally figured it out and we are almost back to normal.  Done.

Brought Travel Trailer Home

They hooked the trailer's braking assist system so the trailer can help stop me.  They added the anti-sway bar.  There was some concern that the spare tire on the Hummer would interfere with the trailer but these guys at Terry Vaughn RVs rocked.  Thanks Ron and all!!

I received an orientation on the trailer.  Bought other accouterments I needed ( like very special toilet paper ) and off I went on my way home.  On the Sam Houston, they charged me more going, than I paid coming because of the axles. 

Found it??

Yesterday, we drove up the I-45 and exited 2920 ( near El Palanque ) and found Terry Vaughn RVs closed.  Before we got the lunch place, we were already looking at travel trailers I could pull with my truck.  Today I visited and a long talk with Ron. These people are very knowledgeable and certainly understood that I was green!!!

I looked at four different ones, and settled on this one.  Large enough to not be claustrophobic, but small enough to be comfortably pulled by the Hummer.

External View

The most important room ( for me ) in this project is the bathroom.  Angel does not squat over an open pit.  I love to say that camping is a hotel without room server.  This one has a tub, though probably more suited to Tattoo ( from Fantasy Island ) than for me.

Bathroom with tub/shower and toilet

Queen sized bed and bunk beds too.  Found some great sheets for the bunk beds. I think I have an idea for the queen size school.

The Taurus is Gone.

Raining cats and dogs today.  So I went to Arandas for a little "Huevos Divorciados.  Why does it always come back to food?

For the first time since 1999 there is no green Taurus parked on the property, and it won't be coming with me in Alaska. The Grand Prix was picked up yesterday.

Within Sight of the Finish Line

Today the movers came by to assess the work they will be doing. They figure 11,000 pounds and 3 days to pack and stack.  The Grand Prix will be picked up on Thursday so I have to burn more fuel. You must have less than a quarter tank of gasoline.

Juan and crew are almost done with the house.  Saturday they start putting carpet in.  Monday we sign papers for sale of house. Wednesday I hit the road?

Send an email to my guy about the 2014 Coleman Trailer.  Want to see what kind of deal I can make. Need to see where I can get some roof racks for the car. Trying to locate a Firestone in Seattle] so I can get studded tires.

Travel Trailers...

Went travel trailers shopping today.  Trying to find a trailer I can pull and is large enough for me and the babies is daunting.  Then I have to figure out how to drive it, find the accouterments to make life easier, like 15 amp, 30 amp, 50 amp connections... And learning how to get rid of the waste.

26' Travel Trailer, almost new.

This one is the front runner right now. 2013 with that new trailer smell.  It's 26' and can be pulled by the Hummer H3, I have been assured.  Will talk more with the dealer.

iPhone 5 pano of front of trailer. 

The thing I like about this design is that it has bunk beds that can be folded up so I can get the kennels in place.  It will be a little cramped but Seth will most likely want to sleep in bed with me.  I just give him a bone to chew on and he'll drift of too sleep. 

Bathroom with toilet, sink and shower.

The most important room in the trailer.  When I go to California, my brother and I alway go walk-about.   Heading into the Eastern Sierra mountains range.  He has trained me to get up early, eat, and do my duty.  Then off we go so we don't have to squat on the side of the road.  This puppy has a  good sized bathroom with shower.

More coming soon!

The House and Front

Going to really miss this house.  I've been living there since it was built in 2003.  It is on a cul-de-sac, the neighbors have always been great.  Tyler and Sydney lived and passed on there. The only place the babies and Seth have ever known as home.

Juan has the front almost finished.  He moved the antique rose bush (150 years old) to the front door. Need to water the plants daily since he moved some of them. We need to fertilize, mow and put red mulch and we are good to go!!

The Master Bedroom

The master bedroom is large and needed some work - remnants of Ike, and the house settling.  It took him a couple of long days but he got everything fixed and painted.  They are coming on the 10th to inventory and they are talking the 12-14 to pack and ship.

My non-stop alarm system. Connected via phone with its own radio and battery.  Cut my cable, phones, electrical it will still work.

Since then he has patched and painted the laundry room, the guest room (I'm sleeping in that one right now.  I will have to ask him what paint he is using.  When he painted the downstairs, the fumes were so bad I had to lock myself and the babies in the master bedroom with the windows open.  This time there are no problems. 

My Hummer H3

While Juan and his peeps are feverishly working inside of the house...

I took a quick run picked up this baby-a 2010 Hummer H3.   It is all wheel drive with 4WD and 4WD Low.  It has OnStar, and I've added a Kenwood Navigation/Sound systems and even an access point. And it is all integrated. That rocks!  

I look like an old bum.

I thought this did not happen here.

I will be driving with the family to Alaska.  The plan is have the babies in the truck while we pull a travel trailer.  We only stop off at RV parks that have the important amenities: wireless, cable, power, showers-and of course a dog run.  We can run amok in the runs for while, get fed, then run amok for a little more. Then, when it is time, we all pile into bed together to sleep.  I can see that life is good.

I am Alaska

ConocoPhillips Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska

Yesterday was my last day in High Performance Computing after almost 14 years on the Houston campus.  Today, I am officially owned by ConocoPhillips Alaska.  I am excited and looking forward to a wonderful time.