10-31JAN26 - Sultan, WA (completion of our interrupted RV trip🙃)

Saturday AM, 10JAN, start long drive in Toad back to house in Sultan, WA; over eight hours later pull into driveway in typical Seattle area winter rain☹ Then spend couple hours trying to figure out why gas stove won’t light; why water won’t come on; and which smoke alarm battery is dead and now beeping; etc.  Finally get the important things working and to bed.

Sunday busy, busy – going thru three months mail (almost all junk); cleaning up downed trees from wind storms that occurred; rescheduling medical; mowing small part of backyard to ease walking thru very wet tall grass; etc; etc.  Monday run lots of errands.  Tuesday Corrie works on veggie garden area.  Dan continues cleaning tree debris out of front yard area.  Wednesday sunny weather, Dan continues removing tree debris.  Verizon down apparently nationally.

Thursday Verizon internet back.  Progressive adjuster report on our RV is in – looks like tow truck damage caused RV issue?  So repair still not authorized until resolved; but shouldn’t be long.

Saturday, 17JAN, before lunch we head to Mukilteo, WA, to catch the ferry to Vashon Island to catch grandson Jaxson’s soccer game.  Great sunshine and views of Mt Baker and Granite Mountain from ferry.  At game we meet daughter Rebecca, and grandsons Jaxson & Mason who we haven’t seen for three months.  Lots’ of hugs.  After game back to ferry and home, again great mountain views.

Monday cold and sunny; not much done.  Dan mows frozen grass for first time in his life.  Tuesday medical visits or both of us; not much else done.

Wednesday, 21JAN, in the morning we get word from Progressive Insurance that our RV drive shaft damage will be covered.  Call to Mercedes Benz of Medford, OR, and they say repairs will be done end of work day tomorrow.  And the routine maintenance we wanted will also be done.  Quick packing, throw the bags and dog into the Fiesta and off we go.  Drive to Clackamas just outside of SE Portland and get a dog friendly room at Renaissance Inn (unfortunately dog friendly rooms are not friendly priced!!!)  Dan encounters almost hurricane force winds while walking for takeout at Taco Time (news says wind was gusty to 55mph plus).

Thursday AM on I5 South to Medford Mercedes.  Make stop at K&R Drive In, just off I-5 for great burgers and shakes.  There is no roadside advertising for this place, we took Exit 148 for Rice Hill looking for Subway, and there was K&R.  Turns out they take pride in being open all year even in terrible Pacific north west mountain weather and with no indoor seating or restrooms.  Then back on the road to MB in Medford.  Mercedes mechanic had RV out for test drive and paper work done by closing time 530PM.  Since we won’t drive at night, plug RV in and hope to hit the road tomorrow.

Friday AM discuss couple of issues with final bill with service representative.  Finally heading home on North I-5.  Again warning lights on dash intermittently come on and off for couple of short times on parts of the drive (but we film it this time to show to Mercedes).  Decide to stop short of Portland to avoid Friday afternoon bridge traffic-jam across Columbia River into Washington.  Then get up in morning and skirt around city on North I-205.  Check into RV park we stayed at once before South of Portland (Wilsonville, OR).  Great upscale dinner at Oswego Grill.

Saturday AM back on I-5/I-205 around Portland hoping to be home early afternoon.  Some heavy traffic by Olympia, thru Tacoma, and Renton “S” curves.  But we make good time and no warning lights on dash.  Park the RV in driveway, go inside and veg-out.

Sunday, 25JAN; not much done but unload RV.  Then Dan takes RV into Monroe to fill up propane tank.  For almost a month we have encountered below average temps as we traveled home (often near or below freezing).  So we used a lot of propane, and were almost on empty. 

On the trip we could have run our electric rooftop AC/heat pump for heat.  But around freezing it is not efficient and runs all night.  Yes, our RV spots for the night always include electricity in the cost.  But the best roof units are not quiet and the noise is annoying all night long.  And the RV still stays at 64 or so even with roof heat.  But the propane furnace quietly kicks on, easily heats to 68 and kicks off.  Much quieter and not running all night.  That evening we watch 🏈🏈SEAHAWKS beat the RAMS for NFC Championship and on to the Super Bowl🎇🎆

Monday starts with medical imagining tests for both of us, and doing stuff in the heated comfort of our house during continued freezing weather.  Tuesday Corrie has girl’s day out with Jan Formisano.  Dan spends morning finishing our list of “extra” expenses incurred while RV was at Medford Mercedes Benz, OR.  We are seeking reimbursement from Progressive.  To end the day Dan empties RV non-essentials from our three month trip. Thursday, 29JAN, Dan goes to bi-monthly lunch gatherings of CG Academy Classmates of the Class of 1974.  This luncheon was at Cheesecake Factory.

Saturday, last day of January, the Pitre family (daughter Rebecca, husband Raymond, and grandsons Jaxson & Mason) come by for a visit in the AM before Mason’s soccer team.  After a short visit we all head to Due Cucina Italian.  A straightforward counter-serve operation dishing up pasta & sides.  And then to Salt & Straw for “craft made” ice cream.  With full bellies, it was off to Mason’s soccer game.  After the game Pitre’s headed home to their home in Silverdale, and we to ours in Sultan.