Cloudy and mild. Happy Easter ? I don't think so ! It was a day of pretty difficult problem solving.
This morning I noticed ... HUH ? The water in the toilet bowl seemed ... discoloured. Oh, well ... must have been mineral laden water at the last place we refilled our freshwater tank, yesterday at the Flying J in la Grande, Oregon. As soon as I began to shower I realized ... UH-OH ... the problem is bigger than just minerals in the water. The water coming out of the shower head smells like ... diesel fuel ! ! ! The more
I showered, the more I realized that the water in the freshwater tank was contaminated with diesel fuel ! The Flying J in La Grande must be using a well for water, and there must be an underground fuel tank leaking diesel that is seeping down into the water table ! < sigh >
We used bottled water to brush our teeth. We moved out of the WildHorse Casino's RV parking lot and over to a gravel parking lot nearby. I opened the freshwater tank drain and allowed all the water in the tank to drain out. We drove over to the WildHorse Casino's Arrowhead Travel Plaza to refill with fresh water and dump our grey waste holding tank at the sani-dump station. I pulled over to the fuel islands and refilled Lanoire with diesel. I purchased a gallon of Lucas diesel additive, tax free ... AND ... using over five dollars of discounts accumulated on my "Rewards On The Rez" affinity card from buying diesel here about once per year. HA HA HA !
We returned to the RV parking lot to have lunch. As I washed my hands ...
< sniff sniff > ... I realized ... DARN ... the hot water tank was still filled with diesel contaminated water. As soon as we were finished having lunch we drove back to the gravel parking lot. I removed the sacrificial anode drain plug from the water heater and allowed all the contaminated water to drain out. < sigh > I reinstalled the sacrificial anode drain plug and ... hopefully that is the end of the problem. I hope ! Wish me
luck !
We parked in the RV parking lot ... yet again ... and spent the afternoon working on chores. Joanne did some cleaning. I downloaded and processed photos. The casino's Wi-Fi signal reached the RV parking lot so I was able to get online without having to go inside the casino. How nice ! I got a lot of online work done this afternoon.
Around 5 PM we went for a long walk, around the huge parking lot, then about a quarter mile down to the Arrowhead Travel Plaza. We checked out the Arrowhead Travel Plaza including the restaurant, laundromat, driver's lounge, and large convenience store, then walked back to our rig in the RV parking lot, checking out other truck campers along the way. At 6 PM we went into the casino to have Easter dinner at Traditions Buffet. Dinner was wonderful ! We chatted with the Canadian couple at the next table over who are on their way from their winter home in Palm Springs to their summer home on Vancouver Island. They are travelling in a very large Lance camper, very similar to ours.
How did I first know they were Canadian, you might wonder ? BECAUSE HE AND
I WERE THE ONLY MEN NOT WEARING BASEBALL CAPS DURING EASTER DINNER ! ! ! ! !
Monday ; Pendleton to Memaloose State Park & Rest Area near The Dalles, Oregon
Partially sunny and mild at Pendleton, becoming cloudy with light rain as we drove, cloudy and raining in the evening and overnight.
This morning we left the WildHorse Casino RV parking lot and drove the very short distance over to their Arrowhead Travel Plaza where we dumped our waste holding tanks, refilled with fresh water, and added air to one of the truck tires. We continued northwest on Interstate 84 ... all day. Shortly after leaving WildHorse Casino / Arrowhead Travel Plaza we stopped at Wal-Mart in Pendleton to refill our five gallon water jug ... and stock up on half price Easter chocolates. HA HA HA ! Not very far out of Pendleton Emma had a litter box "incident" requiring us to take the next available freeway exit, find a place to stop and park, and take care of the problem. Poor Emma ! Poor us ! ! ! < sigh >
When we stopped at a rest area to have a late lunch we received a telephone call from Elections BC. Joanne was "interviewed" and hired to work the upcoming provincial election in BC. I was "interviewed", but not ( yet ) hired. The interviewer left me with the expectation of being hired within the next couple of days. I remain hopeful. And now that we know when the election training dates are, we were able to finalize our return home schedule.
We drove to The Dalles, a small city along the Columbia River Gorge where our 95¾ year old friend Eilene lives. We are planning to have lunch with her tomorrow. We drove about ten miles or so beyond The Dalles to boondock overnight at Memaloose Rest Area adjacent to Memaloose State Park. GEEEEEZZZZZ ... what a busy, noisy rest area.
Tuesday ; The Dalles, Oregon to Indian John Rest Area / Interstate 90 Westbound Milepost 89, Washington
Mostly sunny and mild.
This morning we pulled out of the Memaloose Rest Area and into the adjacent Memaloose State Park to use their sani-dump station to dump our waste holding tanks and refill our freshwater tank. We had to drive west on Interstate 84 for a few miles to reach an exit that allowed us to get turned around and heading back east towards The Dalles. We arrived at Eilene's seniors' residence precisely at noon, as planned. We walked a few blocks to Momma Jane's, a laid back, family style restaurant that we've been to with Eilene before. On a nice weather day it's a pleasant walk from Eilene's residence to the restaurant. She still is capable of walking quite a bit at the rather advanced age of 95¾ !
We chatted with Eilene while lingering over a pleasant lunch, then walked her back to her residence. We said our goodbyes with the hope that we will see her again in November when we're southbound. We drove to Safeway and while I refilled with diesel at the Safeway Fuel Bar Joanne went inside the store to buy some celery.
Joanne wanted to try a slightly different route than we usually take. We crossed the Columbia River from Oregon into Washington right at The Dalles, then drove east along the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington side of the river along Hwy. 14. When we reached Hwy. 97 .... AHHHHH, the "home" highway ... we turned north once again. At Toppenish we turned northwest on Interstate 82. At Ellensburg we turned west on Interstate 90. About fifteen miles west of Ellensburg we stopped for the night at Indian John Rest Area. Yeah ... I have no idea where that name comes from.
We took Bo for a walk and a short obedience session in the grassy park like dog walk area, then Joanne and I went for an exercise walk around the perimeter of the rest area before going inside the camper to prepare supper.
Wednesday ; Indian John Rest Area to Omak, Washington
Mostly cloudy, mild.
This morning before we left the rest area I received a telephone call from Elections BC offering me a choice of two election day jobs. WOO-HOO ! Now Joanne and I both have election day jobs. And both of us have election day jobs that we've never had before, increasing our value for future election employment opportunities. I also received another request for a trailer towing quote. I have had five requests for trailer towing quotes since we left Yuma, Arizona ten days ago. None, however, has resulted in me being hired ! HMPH ... tire kickers !
Before leaving the rest area we dumped our grey waste tank and refilled our freshwater tank at the rest area's sani-dump station. We drove about five miles west on Interstate 90 to Cle Elum where we turned onto Hwy. 197 heading northeast. When Hwy. 197 merged onto Hwy. 97 we continued north. AHHHHH ... the "home stretch" on the "home highway" !
At the picturesque town of Cashmere we stopped at Liberty Orchards to stock up for the summer on Aplets and Cotlets fruit confectionary products, for ourselves and as gifts. We had a late lunch in their parking lot then continued north on Hwy. 97. At Wells Dam, a hydro-electric generating station on the Columbia River we stopped and parked in the Visitor Centre parking lot and I had a nap. We reached our destination for today, Omak, at 6 PM. We got parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot, our regular Omak "home", then while Joanne went shopping in Wal-Mart I walked across the street to use the free Wi-Fi at McDonald's. McDonald's ? HUH ? Didn't that used to be a Burger King ? I'm certain of that !
Thursday ; Omak, Washington, U.S.A. to Keremeos, British Columbia, Canada
Mix of sun and clouds, mild in the U.S., chilly in Canada.
AHHHHH ... home ! AND ... as an added bonus .... Emma is accepting her new home without much fuss and anxiety. We were expecting worse ... Emma hates change !
This morning we pulled out of the Wal-Mart parking lot in Omak and drove across the street to Omak Travel Plaza where we refilled Lanoire with diesel. Then across the street again to the big mall where Joanne went into Safeway to buy a loaf of bread and
I went into Burger King to use their free Wi-Fi to turn off our home phone number's call forwarding to our U.S. cell phone. Last stop before leaving Omak was North 40 Outfitters to refill a propane tank.
We drove north on Hwy. 97 for about an hour to Oroville. We stopped in the parking lot of the Prince's Center shopping mall to have lunch, then Joanne went inside Akins Harvest Foods to buy a jug of milk. We crossed the border from Oroville, Washington to Osoyoos, British Columbia about 2 PM.
Quickest border crossing ever. Four questions ;
- Where do you live ? ( Keremeos )
- How long were you away ? ( 171 days )
- What is the total value of all your purchases ? ( $664 )
- Do you have any alcohol, tobacco products, or guns ? ( No )
In Osoyoos we stopped at Buy Low Foods ( WHAT ? We need to stop at every grocery store in every town ? ? ? ) to buy some fresh produce. We drove west on Hwy. 3 to Keremeos with Bo getting more and more excited. He recognizes the smell of Lake Osoyoos and the Similkameen River. We stopped in Keremeos at the local insurance agency to register and insure the minivan. Bo became frantic during the fifteen minutes or so it took to drive from Keremeos to Riverside RV Park Resort. We arrived home about 4 PM.
It took me a couple of hours to "summerize" our park model manufactured home and get it ready for habitation again. Joanne moved food and other stuff from the camper to our park model before preparing a late supper. I got online and did some essential work, including retrieving and completing the online portion of election employees' training.
Our next door neighbours came by briefly to welcome us home. Quite frankly, when we left last fall we did not expect to see Gord alive again. When we returned home a year ago, a few days before he received his diagnosis of mesothelioma, he looked worse and was sicker than he was today ! When we left last fall he was undergoing chemotherapy treatments. The treatments seemed to have worked at slowing down his demise ! Good to see you again, Gord. You too, Marcie.
Friday ; Sunny and mild, a fairly pleasant spring day in the B.C. Interior.
As expected, today was a pretty busy day of "return home" chores. Just before lunch
I drove into town to pick up some prescription refills, renew our newspaper subscription, and buy a quart of oil for the minivan. Joanne continued working on moving stuff from the camper to the park model. I worked on outdoor / yard chores. We took Bo to the dog park. I went bicycling. Joanne did laundry.
In the evening Joanne did her online elections training course. I processed photos from the last few days of travel.
Saturday ; Frequently changing weather all day, from sunny and mild to cloudy, windy, and chilly.
Joanne spent the day in town, attending two election training courses. She will be functioning as a "spare" election official on election day, so must be trained for four different election official jobs. KA-CHING !
I worked alone all day. Well ... not all day. There was some nap time involved. HA HA HA ! I removed Elsie the camper off Lanoire the truck. A tough job when Joanne is helping, even more tough when doing it alone. I continued work on "return home" chores. After Joanne returned home we went to visit our neighbour / friend Jeanine who collected our mail for us all winter. We came home and had a very late supper. OH, BOY ... perogies with Crema Salvadoreña ! Joanne went to bed right after supper because she got up early this morning to attend training.
This past winter season we travelled about 10,000 km. ( 6250 miles ), not including the 3000 miles ( 4800 km. ) or so of driving Obie the SUV around Yuma and area. The lowest price we paid for diesel fuel was $2.359 in Yuma, Arizona on November 26. The highest price we paid for diesel fuel was $2.999 in Oakhurst, California on November 11.
DSK
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