01-01JAN26 - Various (stranded in medford, or)

New Year’s Day, Thursday, on the road early driving West I-40 to Ash Fork, AZ.  Pretty good day of driving, sixty MPH for 400 miles in 6.5 hours.  Discovered new gas stations starting to show up on interstates – called ONE 9 truck stops; name comes from CB-lingo Breaker 1-9 (ie Channel 19 on your CB radio).

These are new, smaller, stations owned by Pilot/Flying J.  Apparently aimed at smaller truck fleet owners who don’t benefit from full size truck plazas.  One 9 diesel prices are forty cents less (and in AZ if you fill up with diesel at car pump island you save eight cents more than at the already cheap semi -truck islands).  We will definitely keep an eye out for these stations down the road🙃  Spend the night at very small KOA in Arch Fork, AZ.

Friday on West I-40 to Barstow CA; enter into CA at Needles, CA, and stop to refuel – Big Mistake!!  Half the gas stations on the one “main” road are out of business.  And the two at end of main street have no room to maneuver and barely can handle cars, let alone RVs.  After couple of close calls with street traffic, got RV & Toad into a station to fill-up on diesel at $6.20 a gallon!!!☹️ 

Make it to Barstow and stop at Wally Mart for groceries.  GPS has wrong address because this is brand new store and maybe just opened?  Merchandise boxes everywhere, to be opened and shelved by new staff.  Very confusing layout compared to all other Walmarts, and the gas station still not done.

Then heading to another KOA for the night.  We come to sign saying road closed?  But no detour route signs?  Finally call KOA and ask road closed what now?  There answer is - go back to highway and to next exit and backtrack on closed road!  We ignore their directions and finally make it.

Interesting KOA, large, wide sites; but many sites have been subdivided in two.  One half for RV and car; and other half for fenced patio area.  Look to be for long, long, term rental.  Fingers crossed, because park is surrounded by off road area and these sites are rented by ORV owners☹️   But everyone well behaved and all quiet by 10PM.

Saturday AM short drive to Bakersfield, CA.  Steep descent thru Tehachapi Mountains during heavy downpour; setting up camp in rain no fun.  Park is a working orange grove (pick all u want).  Rain finally ends mid-afternoon and sunshine.

Orange Grove RV Park | Bakersfield CA RV Resort & Campground

Dinner at Pyrenees Café serving Basque style meals.  Back in 07MAR2015, we ate Basque food at Wool Growers Restaurant, also in Bakersfield.  Pyrenees definitely a local bar hangout (the kinda local, dive bar, Dan and fellow Coasties hung out in back in the day).  In fact we thought this was a “wrong choice”, but waitress immediately directed us to entry to main/quieter dining room.  As their website says;  Bakersfield now boasts the largest collection of Basque restaurants in the United States, with the Pyrenees Cafe being a pillar amongst them. These establishments carry forward the traditions of their ancestors, offering a time-honored Basque food experience to their visitors. Customarily, meals at the Pyrenees Cafe are a multicourse feast, served family style at long trestle tables. Guests typically start with the 'set-up,' a generous spread of bread, soup, beans, salsa, pickled tongue, vegetables, french fries, and spaghetti. The hearty entrees include lamb, chicken, and seafood, or the special entrée of the evening, epitomizing the rich culinary culture of the Basque people.

Corrie went with the butter nut squash ravioli and Dan had oxtail stew.  Good food; with too many leftovers.  Then back to RV to watch Seahawks beat San Fran.

Pyrenees Cafe

Meanwhile, from 01- 04, January, the Pitre’s (daughter Rebecca, husband Raymond, Grandsons Jaxson & Mason) started the new year by skiing and boarding at Mt Hood, OR.  While in Oregon they also visited the last remaining BlockBuster in the USA/World.

Sunday 04JAN (grandson Jaxson’s b-day) we are back on the road and soon on North I-5 which we will drive all the way to Seattle, and home.  We soon run into heavy rain and traffic (not fun).  Original plan was to stop south of Sacramento; but rain forecasted again for tomorrow.  So we pushed thru to Woodlawn, CA, and found a spot at Yolo County Fairgrounds RV (where we spent one night back in MAR2015).

Monday wake-up to no rain and mild weather; back on North I-5 soon run into heavy wind and rain☹️  Check of National Weather Service shows same forecasts for next two to three days over north I-5 corridor in CA, into Oregon.  And in addition, the Cascades around Mount Shasta will have wind gusts from 45 to 60 mph! 

Now what do we do??  Dan remembered fairly new casino right off I5, near Redding, CA, that had nice RV park.  Found the address and we made reservation.  Checked into Rolling Hills Casino RV Park, Corning, CA, waiting for better weather.  Once again we discovered our “players cards” from years ago are no longer recognized by casino’s present operating software.  And two more new cards added to our collection.  Make small contribution to gods’ of chance and back to RV to do laundry.

Tuesday no rain and overcast; decide to do some sightseeing and shopping.  First stop was a store we visited way back 11APR2009 called the Olive Pit.  A business devoted to many food items (and some kitchen utensils) all based on locally grown olives (or olive wood).  Dozens and dozens of different stuffed olives; oils, jams, jellies, dips, sauces, etc.  This time Dan got a jar of chipotle stuffed olives; then we had lunch in their café.  Mostly burgers and sandwiches, but their milkshakes either have olive oil or balsamic vinegar in them.  Dan tried the lemon shake with olive oil.  Quick stop for groceries; then off to find a roadside attraction of world’s largest olive, not impressive.

Olive Pit - Gourmet Olives, Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, and Wine

Back in the Toad to Sierra Nevada Cheese Co in Willows, CA.  With all the road closures in the area, Dan called earlier and asked if they were open?  They said yes and no problems with roads.  THEY LIED!  Route on car GPS took us to closed roads; google GPS on phone said roads blocked and gave detour.  Detour was dirt roads through acres and acres of olive groves; no signage but clear blue lines on phone.  Eventually we lost traction because of slickness of dirt/clay road.  Luckily we got car turned around and called it a day; NO cheese☹

Back to RV to recuperate from our adventure and take shower.  Best showers we have run into while RV’ing.  You go to casino clubhouse you get basket with towel, wash cloth, shampoo, rinse, body gel and private room with instant hot water.  After shower off to the casino to donate more money.

Wednesday, 07JAN, mostly spent on prep’ing for tomorrow’s departure.  First thing done is to get replacement bulb for RV low beam light.  Failed a week ago and doing daylight driving no hurry to fix.  Now going into mountains with snow possible, time to fix;.  While in town Dan also gets groceries and goes back to Olive Pit store.  Not to get more olive stuff but to get Sierra Nevada Cheese we failed to get yesterday (Olive Pit carries a few of their cheeses).  Then laundry, dumping tanks and readying Toad & RV; dinner at Casino’s “Whiskey Wednesday” night (no whiskey consumed).

Thursday AM fuel RV at casino gas station and hit North I-5.  About an hour into drive what appears to be red problem light that says “brake” starts flickering on tach dial; and another light saying “park brake” on speedo?  Call to MB USA connects us to tech support.  They will not discuss situation, and we make safety decision to have tow truck take RV to nearest MB dealer (Medford, OR!!)

Tow truck shows up and starts hooking up RV and we (plus rocket) jump in toad and drive straight to MB of Medford.  Two hour drive thru mountains of north California; get to MB dealership.  Go out to get something to eat; back to MB and tow truck is there backing RV into one of the dealership’s dedicated RV spots.  Because of large numbers of RVs based on Mercedes Sprinter Chassis -  more and more dealerships are adding RV hook-ups for electric, water and even sewage for RV’ers stuck while diagnostics/repairs being made.

Friday AM head into Service reception area; technician makes initial inspection of underside of RV.  Then comes into reception and delivers BAD news.  Appears the drive shaft flange to differential connection is badly damaged; along with support bracket for drive shaft; damaged wiring harness & e-brake cable.  Initial estimate is differential is sealed unit and entire differential needs replacing after new unit arrives from Germany!!!

After recovering from shock, its phone calls to our extended warranty insurance, and to our “auto insurance” for our RV.  Extended warranty won’t cover because damage not caused by failure of the differential.  It was caused by accident/casualty.  Call to Progressive and they open claim and will cover it under Comprehensive.  Give claim number to service department and learn that our differential not sealed, parts available in USA, and estimate is now $2.5K unless more damage found.

Parts probably here Monday; insurance adjuster here Wednesday.  Repairs done when Progressive claim check cut.  Plan now is to stuff Toad with all we need, drive back to our house and not stay in the RV in the parking lot.  We will secure RV in MB parking lot and drive back home to Sultan, WA, tomorrow.

01-31DEC25 - Houma, LA (🎄🎅merry xmas🎅🎄)

Sunday make preps for tomorrow’s departure from Sharon & Tim’s in Keene, TX; flush black water tank; fill propane tank and grocery shop.  Then Mexican for dinner with Tim & Sharon, and more reminiscing.  Back to RV for another near freezing night.

Monday (first day of December) hit the road to Houma.  Most of drive on I-20E to Shreveport, LA, and the KOA we stayed at 23NOV on the way to Sharon and Tim’s last time.  Approaching Shreveport, we drove thru heavy rain for half hour.  Check into KOA and heavy rain follows us there.

Tuesday AM back on the road, mostly on I-49S straight to Lafayette.  No rain but, freezing temps and wind.  Get to Joe’s rental house driveway and set up camp; decompress from the drive and Nori restaurant for takeout.

Wednesday, 03DEC, not much done but defrost RV frig for first time (heavy ice buildup on cooling coils in the box).  Remove all food and turn off.  Eventually place small space heater on bottom shelf to speed process.

 

Then head to Joe & Bethany’s to babysit granddaughter Coraline for first time.  So that Bethany and Joe can attend an HS award ceremony for step grandson Noah for his achievement as first year swim team member at recent State Championship.  Corrie kept Coraline entertained while Dan got to watch latest Disney/Pixar release ELIO (two thumbs up).  Back to the RV to await approaching rain squalls tonight/tomorrow.

Thursday awake to minor rain, but quickly changes to couple of squalls with high winds and heavy rain.  Late afternoon we head to Joe & Bethany’s to visit and Corrie to make dinner for everyone.  Turns out they are setting up x-mas tree and decorating it (we help). After dinner step grandson Noah calls and says tranny on his used truck doesn’t work.  Joe heads out to see what the story is (has to come back to get car carrier trailer with rain squalls blowing thru).

Sunday AM, 07DEC, back on the road with RV & Toad to Biloxi, MS.  Why?  To connect with some great friends Jim Van Sice & (wife) Clarke.  They were north of NOLA to visit their son, Wade, and we tried to connect with them there.  But couldn’t make it work.  So Plan B was for us to set up camp somewhere on I-10E to intercept then on their drive back their home in South FL. 

So we will set up camp at Keesler AFB FamCamp in Biloxi and pick a spot in Biloxi to meet-up.  Drive thru NOLA not bad since it is Sunday AM.  Sadly east NOLA still looks like it has never recovered from Katrina☹ 

The Air Force Family Camp wasn’t in best shape at out last visit years ago and has declined since!  After parking the RV we head to only non-smoking casino in Biloxi (The Palace).  Donate a little money to the gambling gods and then try their buffet at $30/person.

Monday meet Van Sice’s at Mary Mahoney’s for lunch and reminiscing.  Great time, specially since they picked up the tab🙃   They continue their drive home in south FL, and we go back to RV to do nothing.

 Mary Mahoney's | Three Generations of Diners Can't Be Wrong

 Tuesday 09DEC before lunch Corrie drops Dan off at Café New Orleans in D’Iberville, MS.  Where he meets CGA Classmates and friends, Ron Borison(L) and Dan Henderson(R), for impromptu lunch and BS’ing about CGA, post CGA and family.  Meanwhile Corrie visited retail businesses in the area.  Back at RV we spend rest of day doing laundry and prepping for tomorrow’s departure.

Wednesday AM get RV and Toad all hooked up to hit the road to Houma and discover 12V cigarette lighter plug for Toad supplemental braking system is broken☹  No way to repair, so means more caution while driving.   Back to Joe’s rental house in Houma with no problems,  Joe and one of Bethany’s nephews Connor working on backyard fence installation.  Early evening over to Joe & Bethany’s house for dinner.

Thursday AM Joe arrives with Conner and continues working on installing fencing cedar planks (Dan assists).  Corrie runs errands; fence (except for gates) done.  Corrie makes spaghetti sauce and we take to Joe & Bethany’s for dinner.

Sunday, 14DEC, we head to Costco in NOLA.  Recently Dubai Chocolates have been talked about on TV, cable, streaming, etc.  We discover that Costco has four different types – one made in Dubai, one made in Turkey and two made in USA.  We went with Dubai (tastes good, not sure what all the fuss is about).  Temps dropped 20 degrees overnight, supposed to drop more tonite.  

Monday Dan builds temporary gate to back yard of rental house.  Now Rocket can be let loose and not walked on lead all the time.  Then Dan goes into Houma to view the City's X-mas display based on the child's book "Cajun Night Before Christmas".

Tuesday still very cold but not below freezing.  Dan heads to Kenner outside NOLA and had lunch with Frank Paskewich(L) and Ron Branch(R); friends and CG co-workers during Dan’s last CG assignment in New Orleans (2001-04) before retirement. Corrie stayed home (in the RV).

Thursday AM, 18DEC, off to Houma Christian School for Coraline’s pre-school x-mas pageant.  Today is twenty degrees hotter than yesterday and sunny.  So now RV AC is on.  Dan starts working on fixing brake buddy, finds problem and should be fixable.

That evening five of us (Corrie, Dan, Joe, Bethany, Coraline) head to Houma Town Square to see holiday lights and art display (was supposed to have artificial snow every 15 minutes but that is Friday & Saturday only)☹

Friday (happy anniversary) nice weather, not much done.  For our 44th Anniversary we go to Cristiano’s Ristorante.  Upscale Italian restaurant that opened back in 2000 when we lived in Houma (still excellent).

Saturday not much done; went to cinema for 3D showing of latest Avatar movie (Fire and Ash).  Good (but not as good as first Avatar movie, but better than second); too loud - too long – too expensive.  Good thing we saw second Avatar movie on TV, otherwise some things in third movie don’t make sense if all you have seen is first movie (IMO).

Meanwhile back in WA state, 20DEC, grandson Jaxson had first wrestling tournament of the school year.  For some reason Jax had to wrestle at one weight division higher.  And against an opponent who had won dozens and dozens of matches.  Jaxson was significantly behind on points, but pinned his opponent in closing seconds🙃!

Monday, 22DEC, entire family (Joe, Bethany, Lily, Noah, Coraline, and us) in two cars head to Celebration in the Oaks, at New Orleans’ City Park.  As per their website  -- 

City Park’s largest fundraiser, Celebration in the Oaks, is THE New Orleans holiday tradition. This incredible light festival has enchanted Park visitors since the 1980s and is vital to the Park’s maintenance, care, and beautification year round. Make memories with your loved ones in City Park this holiday season.

Last visited DEC2016 with Rebecca and grandboys.  This time parking horrendous, no signs, no attendants directing traffic.  First car line we get in is for drive thru traffic only (not us).  Then parking found one mile from walk-in gate (still no signs).  Excellent x-mas light displays but no clear indication(s) of which path to take, or what building to enter.  Maybe last time for us to visit☹?

Celebration in the Oaks

Tuesday, 23DEC, not much done.  Corrie bakes two pies and makes her sausage stuffing for the “Xmas eve” gathering of the Chiasson’s at June and Tee’s house.  Wednesday at lunch time, we head to Tee and June’s for their family gathering.  The day before Xmas is when June & Tee (the parents), their children and grand children get together; exchange gifts between families.  And eat throughout the day on all the wonderful food prepared yesterday and today (mainly by June).

Thursday, Xmas day, late morning over to Joe & Bethany’s to exchange gifts and watch Coraline open her presents.  Christmas day is when the individual Chiasson families exchange gifts within their immediate family at their houses.  Dan helps Joe put up last gate section at rental house and then Joe grills steaks for dinner.

Meanwhile back at the Pitre's house in Silverdale, WA.

Friday spend most of day prep’ing RV and buying groceries for tomorrow’s departure to our home in Sultan, WA.  Corrie helps Joe with some minor paint touch-up and staining in rental house.  Takeout dinner from BNB café.

27DEC, Saturday AM, hook Toad to RV discover the “other” 12volt plug on Even Break system is kaput☹ Then head to Joe, Bethany & Coraline to say our good-byes.  Next stop is u-haul facility to get RV propane tank filled.  Five and half hours driving to get to KOA in Shreveport, LA, we left 01DEC.  During drive we learn Dan’s sister, Sharon, is at local ER with broken wrist.

Sunday fuel up RV and jump on I-20W into Texas to visit Dan’s sister Sharon and husband Tim in Cleburne, TX (remember we spent turkey-day with them last month).  After four hour drive we set up camp at an almost new RV park, and head to Sharon and Tim’s.  Sharon’s right wrist is immobilized in a cast that starts behind here knuckles and goes past her elbow.  So Corrie and Tim cooked up spaghetti dinner.  After dinner we headed back to RV to for forecasted high winds and low/low temps.  Disconnected water and plugged-in small portable heater in addition to RV's propane furnace.

Monday AM Dan takes Corrie to Tim & Sharon’s, so she could ride with Tim as he made Meals on Wheels delivery (he volunteers once a week).  Dan heads back to RV to begin prep’ing for tomorrow’s departure.  Couple hours later we all head to Chaf-in Restaurant for breakfast/lunch.  It is an over 100 year old restaurant still in business.  Nothing outstanding about the cooking; just good, reasonably priced meals (like chicken fried steak with three sides for $11.99).

Then back to Sharon & Tim’s and reminiscing while Corrie prepared new recipe of lemon, angel food cake mix, lemon bars.  Early evening back to RV and try to get all the preps done for early departure tomorrow.

Tuesday AM immediately on the road and seven hours of driving to Big Texan RV Ranch in Amarillo, TX, where we stayed back on 03OCT.  Set up camp and off to Big Texan Steak for dinner again.  This time Corrie doesn’t “lose/leave” her phone in the gift shop😊

New Year’s Eve Day early start I-40W into New Mexico.  Only drive for three plus hours and pull into our selected RV park in Stanley, NM.  No one in office, and no one visible outside parked RV’s.  Finally get answer calling business number; directed to empty spot and owner will be there shortly.  Ask for code for bath room and get text with code.  Only one unisex BR for camp; and it is worse than any out-house! 

We leave (2 hours wasted) and take next RV park down the interstate.  Very beautiful wooded location but pretty dormant because of this is slow, slow, season.  Bathrooms clean but other facilities/buildings closed.  Looks like a very quiet New Year’s Eve.  Not even local fireworks heard.🎆