August 26, 2004

August 26, 2004

DAY 70

 

 

Happy Anniversary, Harvey ! We bought Harvey the fifth wheel trailer 1 year ago today.

That was a sunny warm day in Ottawa as I recall. Unlike here today !

This was probably the most unpleasant day we've had so far on this journey. A very cold day with heavy rain, and plenty of Murphy's law.

When I got out of bed this morning, and started to walk out of the bedroom, I wondered why it seemed as if I was climbing a hill ! I went outside to discover that the front jacks of the trailer had busted through the wet, soft driveway, and sunk. The front of the trailer was almost resting on the ground, and the jacks were sunk a couple of feet down into the driveway. It was a cold, wet job to get the trailer raised, get the truck underneath and hitched, and move the trailer. Now there are 2 huge craters in the Danelak's driveway that I'll have to fix before we depart in a week. The lesson learned here is that I will never again lower the front jacks of the trailer without putting 2 foot sections of 2 x 6 lumber underneath the jack pads to spread the weight over a larger surface. I thought a driveway would be strong enough to support the trailer just resting on the little foot pads of the jacks. Evidently not ! ! !

By the time I got the trailer raised and repositioned, changed into dry clothes, made a few quick phone calls, and ate a really fast lunch, we were already late for our date with the little nieces to go to the Children's Museum. We rushed over to the Carlson's, picked up Lorri and the girls, and off we went for an afternoon at the Children's Museum. What an interesting place. I'll bet it would be even more interesting if Uncle Dan didn't have a splitting headache all afternoon. By the time we finished there, took the girls for a snack / early supper, and battled rush hour traffic back to their place, we were running late for our planned evening chores of taking the trailer to dump the holding tanks, buy some trailer maintenance parts, and weigh the rig.

It was after 6:00 P.M. by the time we got back to the trailer. We prepared everything for travel, and hitched up ... in the cold, heavy rain. Drove to Transcona Trailer Sales with me feeling like the top of my head was going to explode like a volcano. Bought the range hood fan motor to replace the burned out one, then drove next door to GNR Camping World to use their free dump station, and shop for more parts. Headed back, stopping to buy diesel just before we got to the truck weigh scales at the commercial truck Esso station on Hwy.1 at Hwy. 59. I wanted to get the truck and trailer weighed with the truck full of fuel, and the trailer full of fresh water, with the holding tanks empty. Joanne strenuously objected to doing this weighing job tonight as it was getting late, we were already soaked, it was getting colder and windier, the rain was getting heavier, etc.. Did I listen to her ? NOOOOO ! ! !

I weighed the truck and trailer attached, then weighed them again detached. I have needed to know these weights for a year ! Now I finally have them ( along with a pissed off wife ). We sure did get cold and wet !

We got back to the Danelak's at dusk. I had to back the trailer off the road, onto the driveway, down the long driveway backwards, halfway around the driveway circle backwards, and into position totally blind, relying on Joanne's guidance by walkie-talkie. It was too dark, and my mirrors were too wet, for me to see anything. Kind of like flying IFR.  She did a great guiding job, but was drenched . By the time I got the water and power connected, so was I. Our very old rain ponchos need to be replaced. It was after 9:00 P.M. by the time we changed into dry clothes ( again ), returned a phone call to Shirley Johnson, and sat down to a supper of canned stew. Joanne used the 2 cans of stew we keep in the cupboard for an emergency. I guess tonight qualified.

DSK