18.10.01-2 Home repairs

No matter where a person lives, home repairs are a fact of life. Every time I get work done on MT, I hear the comment from the service provider something to the effect of “ your broken system (water pump, in this case) is working hard because you are a full - timer - these things were not designed to be lived in”.

Well, I know lots of people who DO live in their RV’s full time, and they agree with me:

THE BENEFITS:

-Variety of scenery (natural world)

-Variery of home town services (groceries, entertainment, etc)

-less stuff to carry, manage and clean

-focus on outdoor activities 

-easy to meet(and change, if necessary) your neighbors

OUTWEIGH THE DRAWBACKS

-continuous logistics planning (where will I park next?)

-how can I fix what is broken while still having a place to live?

I know, this is a short drawback list, but honestly, it is how I felt about my lifestyle.

 I like it - the drawbacks are few:)

So back to my needed repairs….

One morning, about half way through my stay in Silver Falls, I discovered water running OUT of my city water intake spout 

(the place where I normally add water INTO my fresh water holding tank by hose from the campsite water spicket). 

Not good!  I stopped the bleeding by turning off the water from the campsite water spicket 

so no new water would come into MT to fill the holding tank and overflow on the other side. 

Fortunately, I had an idea about what the problem was because the same thing happened last October when I was in Newport at South Beach State Park. That time I called a mobile RV guy to come take a look. He diagnosed a faulty water pump, ordered a part and came back 10 days later to install it. Problem solved.

Unfortunately, I could not locate a mobile RV guy to come to Silver Falls in a reasonable time at a reasonable price.   I knew I was driving out toward Salem in three weeks and I knew how to manage an acceptable work-around until then…. Leave the city water intake source turned off, and use the fresh water in my holding tank (which was now completely full).  Not a bad workaround, and I survived my last three weeks just fine by turning off the water pump (easy access to the on/off switch near the kitchen sink) when I was not running water, and I started taking showers in the bath house in the cabin loop. 

During my final week at Silver Falls I made a lot of phone calls to RV repair shops in Salem.  I was thinking Salem was the place to get drive in work done because it is a good sized town midway between Silver Falls and McMinnville - my ultimate destination. I had a couple options that I thought would work and booked three different date/location appointments but none were perfect ( date too far out, inconvenient location, shop not too helpful on the phone.....).

The issue for me is timing since I need a place to live while I get the repair done.  If they were busy, or had to order a part, I would either need to leave it overnight, or make two trips, and Salem is not far from McMinnville, but not exactly convenient, and moving one mile is as much work for me as moving 1000 miles - everything inside needs to be securely stowed while I’m driving, plus, I need to hook up the Jeep and tow it along so I have wheels once I’m out of MT. You see why this aspect of my lifestyle is on the drawback list. 

Finally, I did a google search in the McMinnville area and found “That Trailer Guy” who was conveniently located on a major two lane highway not far from my intended overnight parking or from Eric’s house. AND they could see me on October 1 - the day I pulled out of Silver Falls so I did not have to move twice on the front end of the repair. 

Best case scenario!  I pulled in at the appointed hour, 11AM after my 90 minute drive from Silver Falls.  They were courteous, had helpful suggestions - I learned more about my systems while I watched the repair.  They completed my water pump AND put in a new water temperature thermostat so my water would get hotter - all while I waited!  Happy happy Denise!

I spoke with Eric while I was at the shop. Baby Mateo is now four days old, they are getting settled and still in transition, with Lupita there to help, so staying overnight at their house was not a good option. 

Instead, I drove to Champoeg State Park, another place on my list of possible hosting spots that I wanted to check out anyway. It is only twenty miles from their house.  I got a camp host complementary campsite for two nights.  Exciting!  The place was fall color pretty

and I took a nice bike ride on the park’s bike path along the Willamette River before heading in to McMinnville to spend the evening at Eric’s house. They received dinner from a friend, so all I had to do was hold baby Mateo for an hour or so 

while Eric and Lupita did house chores and Clau continued to become acquainted with motherhood. Great visit and a short drive back to my home at Champoeg.

BUT!!!!  In the morning I awoke to discover I had no inside electricity. I went out to look at the electric fixture in the same utility cabinet where the water pump is housed. I touched the electric box and it sparked and smoked.  Scary!!!! I turned off the electric power source ( something I should have done BEFORE I touched the RV end of the cord).  Then I called That Trailer Guy back, described my situation and got permission to return there again.  

Best case scenario - a repeat of yesterday!! It was an easy fix for Matt - That Trailer Guy. He rewired the electric box in MT while I waited, and only charged me 30 minutes labor.   Happy happy Denise. I left a really nice review on his business google search:)

Now I had another housing challenge. I had already forfeited my comp night at Champoeg by pulling out for more repairs, and could not park in Eric’s neighborhood, so I paid the full price night fee of $46 at Old Stone Village - the same RV park where I have a $495 monthly rate reservation of during November. It is only five miles from Eric’s house. Flat, sunny, full hookups, internet, site available for drop ins. Happy happy Denise!

I had time relax and do much needed paperwork at home in the afternoon. Then I gathered my items to bring dinner to the newborn house, and spent another newborn-watching evening with the family. Yeah!

Tonight’s drive home was even shorter - back to Old Stone Village on the outskirts of McMinnville. Very near the hospital where Mateo was born. Very near That Trailer Guy in case something else breaks-which I’m sure it will!  It’s always something. One of the things on the “Benefits” list is the joy of finding new local services. Here in McMinnville I’ve already got a good hospital and RV repair guy. Happy happy Denise:)

18.08.01-09.30 hosts and park staff

I’ve already mentioned Bob - another host who showed me the ropes of cabin cleaning, but more importantly was a hiking partner on the park trails on not too busy days in August.

Chonteh is a seasonal park ranger who lives in a small cabin in the park. She and I quickly became acquainted by sharing food, beverage and conversation at each of our houses.  

She took me out for bluegrass music in Stayton early on in August.  

And we also went out with Bob and another seasonal ranger, Larry, for drinks and conversation on a Saturday night in Silverton. 

At the end of August, the hosts and Ranger Carly, the host coordinator, all went out for pizza dinner in Silverton. 

 I was still getting acquainted with the other hosts at this time, so it was a lot of “where have you hosted before?” and “where are you going next?” with pizza and beer. 

When Bob left for Arizona for the winter, his spot was filled by Larry and Vicki. I enjoyed working with them on cabin cleaning

and getting to know them when they invited me to their house for dinner once and to watch football games on their large screen TV and comfy living room.

In early September there was a host appreciation breakfast at The Old Ranch - an old barn that has been converted to group guest facilities.  Here I am with my new cabin cleaning buddy Vicki. 

Most of the attendees were current hosts, but some new faces came if they were close enough to drive in for a morning of breakfast burritos and fruit with award presentations by our ranger coordinator Carly

And a game of Silver Falls Jeopardy.

By mid September, Chonteh and I were ready for a different type of evening visit, so we drove into Salem and shared a flight of ciders with dinner at 1859 Cider.  

We learned they were having street music on Friday night, so we went back, but this time invited another seasonal ranger, Larry, to join us. 

There was a bit of rain by mid September, so the park lifted the campfire ban and the hosts started having evening campfires in the center of our host camp circle. Here is the entire group 

on a night we decided to go out for dinner in Sublimity 

because the month was coming to a close and half the group was getting ready to move on to other places at the end of September.  

On the last Saturday night a group of us went to Silverton to Mac’s to listen to live blues from Curtis Salgado. 

My cabin cleaning buddy Larry was alone because Vicki went home to visit her family in Minnesota. He was missing her cooking:)

Sad but true, this stint in Silver Falls was finally over for me and four other hosts in the host camp circle. We had one final campfire 

with conversation and guitar music by Chad. 

I believe there will be a reunion next year because everyone is currently scheduled to return next year. Same time, same place. Until we meet again, enjoy your journeys!

Terry and Becky from Illinois

Harry and Ann from Montana.

18.09.26-28 It’s a Boy!

The weather during my last off duty period was sunny at Silver Falls and sunny at the coast. I decided to take a road trip to Newport to see my old stomping grounds. 

I left Silver Falls after cabin cleaning on Wednesday the 26th and drove to McMinnville. Lupita had arrived from Cancun several days earlier and I wanted to say hello to her, and see how Clau and Eric were doing since it is now only 8 days short of the Oct 3 due date. 

Clau and her mom had been shopping, washing baby clothes and planning Lupita’s sewing projects. She is making mattress covers, diaper covers and bassinet bumpers. 

We all went out to dinner that night and Returned home for a quiet night. Clau’s doctor appt today reported she was 3 cm dialated but the doctor said to make another prenatal appointment for next week anyway.  She made the appointment, but believed the contractions she was feeling tonight were different, than the Braxton Hicks contractions she had been feeling since around the time of her baby shower two weeks ago.

In the morning, took off as planned for Newport despite the fact Lupita reported Clau was having contractions and Eric had decided to stay home from work today to be with her. Very exciting for them, but I was still on the October 3 game plan. 

My trip to Newport was good. It was a lovely day at the North Jetty where I went to commune with the sea at the entrance to the Newport fishing harbor.  

Mike and I have spent time in the general area over the years and in this particular spot in 2014.  It is one of “our places” where I let fly his ashes in a beautiful display of his spirit ascending to heaven last year. 

While I was reminiscing about this place and my memories, I received What’s App messages from Eric and Lupita telling me they were heading to the hospital. 

I met a camp host friend from last year for Happy hour after I was done at the beach.  I forgot my phone in the car, and was telling him about the baby coming and he said “ go get your phone, you won’t be happy until you do”. So out I went to receive the message It’s a Boy!  I called Eric and cried for joy when he said Hi Grandma!  

I learned the details, Mateo Elika Tomczak was born at 4:50 PM after only 90 minutes in the hospital - all their preparations helped them enjoy the early stages of labor at home and while they were not LATE to the hospital, they couldn’t have waited at home any longer, and by they time they arrived it was too late for any IV or pain control which Claudia did not want anyway. 

I stayed in Newport overnight in my Jeep on my friend’s host site as planned, then drove to the hospital on Friday the 28th to meet Mateo.

24 hours old. What a joy:)

I took Lupita home late on Friday where we spoke Spanish over a late dinner of rice and beans they had cooked earlier and we both crashed at the apartment while Eric stayed with Clau at the hospital for the second night. Then in the morning I took Lupita back to the hospital for one more peek at Mateo 

before heading home to Silver Falls for my last two days of duty. 

18.09.01-26 Side Trips

Silver Falls State Park is a large forested park located on a two lane highway through the foothills 15 miles from the closest supply town in either direction on Highway 214. It is a destination park - not really on the way to anywhere else, and definitely off the Verizon reception grid. The park provides an internet connection so if I need to make a call I can use Skype or Facebook messenger, but only when I’m at my site. Point is, it is remote and during my on duty days I stay at home and enjoy the experience of being here.  But on my two off duty days, I plan ahead to visit with family and friends outside the park……..

August 8-10:  I already wrote a stand alone post about my car camping experience with my friend Terri. 

Aug 15-17:  This was my 2nd trip to McMinnville to visit with Eric and Claudia. I got to sit in on their weekly “Baby Boot Camp” appointment where they are learning the science of pregnancy and skills to support a best case scenery delivery experience.  

Aug 22-24: I drove to Camp Sherman near Sisters and Bend to visit with Kathy and Rod. 

They have been friends since we met then while camp hosting in Newport in 2014. That was the year the Giants won their 3rd World Series and Kathy and Rod hosted us at their Airstream Trailer a could time for game watching because we did not have a TV at that point. 

This year I am close to their house, so drove up for a couple nights. We went to see Mama Mia-Here  We Go Again at a theatre in Bend, because it was too smoky from forest fires to be outside one day. The next day was beautiful and we took a hike through the forest in her neighborhood along the Metolius River. 

Aug 29-31:  This was the only off duty period I did not leave the area. Instead, I did a major house cleaning and prepared for a Labor Day weekend visit to MY house from Eric and Claudia.  I unhooked MT and drove around the block just to keep all the moving parts happy. Then I rearranged my stuff inside so I could offer them the bedroom while they were here for three nights.

 I took a work break one afternoon before they arrived and bought myself a huckleberry ice cream at the park’s café. 

 While they were here we had a visit from Jeff, one of Eric’s friends from high school.  The two of them went on a major hike to the top of one of the Three Sisters peaks. Clau and I took it easy at home and the three of us went for a hike to see Upper North Falls.

Sept 6-8:  I drove 140 miles south on 1-5 to Sutherlin OR where I met my friend Jacqui half way for a two night visit.   Jacqui was the USCE ranger who hired us to host at Martis Creek Lake in Truckee for two seasons. 

We’ve kept in touch and now she is retired and full-timing in her fifth wheel. 

On our full day together we drove o Elkton to meet Pat and Keely midway from their campsite for lunch and wine tasting one afternoon

Pat and Keely were also hosts for Jacqui at Martis Creek. We never worked together since the park was small and supported only one camp host, but we always overlapped for a few nights and have a good bond together with Jacqui. 

Sept 13-15:  this was my third trip to McMinnville. Clau and Eric were hosting a baby shower in a nearby park for their local friends.

It was a great experience for me because I got to see another of Eric’s friends from high school 

and meet their new local friends from the birth yoga class and their Spanish speaking social group. Muy bien!

Sept 20-22:  this break period was unusual in that I took two different day trips. 

First was a bike ride through a county park along the Willamette River in Salem. For exercise and cell service business. 

Next was a real estate visitation day in the McMinnville area - just to see what is out there.  One idea I have brewing is to buy a house that Eric and Clau could rent from me - but I did not see anything I needed to pull the trigger on this time, and they are VERY sidetracked with the impending birth of baby.  We’ll continue to keep an eye on properties. 

Sept 26-28:  this is a very exciting three day period and deserves it’s own post. Stay tuned!  Baby time!!!!!