For now we'll just post the text, and add pictures later. Soon we hope to figure out how to put our photos on line using Picasa, and add a link to this blog.
Well, we are on our way in the "new" rig!
On the way back from Mexico in the spring, in Mesa Arizona we found a "new" motorhome; a 2002 32 foot Itasca Horizon with a Cummins Diesel engine in the rear. In motorhome parlance, a "Diesel Pusher". We had frequently commented that a 32" diesel pusher would be ideal for us. 32 feet being the largest we could conveniently park at home, and the largest rig we would be comfortable driving in Mexico, which doesn't have a lot a spacious RV parks! 32 feet is small in the diesel pusher world, most are 36 feet and more.
Though we had been happy with our previous rig, a front engined gas model, a 29' Triple E Commander, we had managed to put 100,000 kilometers on top of the 80,000 that were there when we bought it. As we knew that we wanted to continue this travelling lifestyle, we felt we should start looking for something newer.
We started looking on the internet, and spoke with dealers in Canada while in Mexico during the winter and began looking on the RV lots in the USA on the way home. We specified a gas class A, no more than 34 feet, preferably 32 or less, 2006 or newer, and a price range. A dealership in Mesa Arizona (near Phoenix) had our dream rig.
The freightliner chassis, air brakes, and exhaust brake, and the 300HP turbo Cummins and 6 speed Allison transmission all make for a very safe, reliable and comfortable vehicle. The two slide outs are a huge bonus! We can walk from front to back without tripping over the dogs!
The night before we left we met with a few friends for dinner in the Prairie Inn Pub, then went home and carried on packing etc until 1:30 AM! Forgot to set the alarm, but woke up only half an hour later than hoped (7:00). As we had planned to have breakfast at a restaurant across the street from the ferry terminal, it was beginning to look that the only ones to get a decent breakfast would be the dogs as we needed to be back inside the terminal by 9:30!
At 7:50 Art turned the key on the motorhome, but the engine just kept cranking away. It was a bit cold, and hadn't been run is a couple of weeks, so Art plugged the power cable in and turned on the engine block heater. 8:50 still no joy, and as we had to be in line by 9:30 to keep our reservation, Art phoned Gill (who had already left in the car and by now was having a leisurely breakfast in the Swiftsure Restaurant) to come on back home, he was looking for a mobile mechanic!
He eventually located one who could some over, but he showed up with out the service truck, a can of ether was not effective (and NOT to be used on our motor!), and away he went. Art called BCAA for a tow, then started to find a place to have it towed to! Gray Line Bus Company agreed to look at it when we finally got it there, then phoned back a few minutes later to say they would like to send out a service truck. I Agreed, as the tow truck was in Sooke, at least an hour and a half away and still on another towing job.
The mechanic arrived, listened to the attempt to start, and wanted to check battery voltage, which apparently can be critical to the engine monitor module, which wont let the engine start if everything isn't right. Battery voltage was fine, but while watching the mechanic, Art noticed a small cable that he had disconnected a few weeks previously while servicing the batteries, and looking for a mysterious current drain. He hadn't reconnected it, as everything appeared to work fine with out it. He asked the mechanic if they would wire that module directly to the battery, and he replied that they just well might! Reconnected, the engine fired instantly, though there was a bit of black smoke from all the unspent fuel from previous attempts!
Called out to Gill, threw the dogs in, cancelled the tow truck and off we went, Art arriving at the ferry at about 1:30 to be told that we were on the wait list, but should be able to get on. Art phoned Gillian to tell her to forget the few things she was stopping for (check the lottery tickets and mail a letter) and come directly to the terminal; she was only 5 minutes away.
As the ferry loaded for the 4 PM sailing, Art and the motorhome got on quite quickly, but he noticed that the tracker was still well back in the line. From the cafeteria though, as he nursed his coffee, was relieved that he couldn't see the tracker in the lot, and Gillian arrived soon after, being almost the last car loaded!
Customs was no problem as usual: Gillian was asked "where are you going", and when she replied "Mexico" was waved on with "Have a good trip"!
Just outside the terminal we stopped on the street to hook up the Tracker to the motorhome and left Port Angeles at about 6:30PM. We had planned to be in Wilsonville (Portland) by this time! We stopped at a Rest Area in Washington State for a break and a late supper, and arrived at the Wilsonville Camping World at 1:30 AM.
We were soon inside the CampingWorld shop to have new window awnings installed as well as new "slide-toppers" (kind of like awnings, but act as a roof for the slide outs). The old toppers were badly torn, and we added window awnings on the driver's side to help keep us cool in Mexico. This all went well, and we left later that afternoon to get Art some breakfast and Gillian some lunch. We found a Sheri's Restaurant, our Mexicana waitress helped us practice our Spanish and insisted we drop in and meet her parents on our way north to Puerta Varrata in the spring! We also had to do our grocery chopping for all the things we couldn't bring into the US of A from Canada; citrus fruit, beef, potatoes, carrots, dog food etc etc. As it was too late to head east for a campground, we went back to Camping World's parking lot after they had closed, to spend the night there, planning to leave in the morning when the rush hour diminished a bit.
While hooking up the car that evening ready to depart in the morning, I (Art) met the people parked next to us, and as we introduced ourselves, I said you're Peter Simpson? you're Ian's brother! The surprised look on Peter's face told me I was right. His twin brother Ian is a paramedic I worked with for many years. I had actually met Peter himself several times. Not only him, but I had met his wife Val some years before! Small world. Peter and Val are on their way to Mexico, first trip, first RV!
Back in the motor home we heard the dreaded beep-beep-beep ; the low battery voltage alarm (this alarm had plagued us for months, as we had no idea what it was. It seemed intermittent, sometimes would keep us awake at night! We eventually realized that the alarm was notifying us to very small changes in battery voltage! If the voltage got too low it was quite persistent. (yes Derek and Jacqui--we finally figured it out!!!!!) So Art went out to start the generator. Some time later the #$&@ alarm went off again! No battery charging!! Art had a quick look but couldn't find any obvious problem, so set up the separate battery charger to run from the generator. Next morning at 8:AM Art was at the service desk, and was able to get a 9:30 appointment. This of course meant disconnecting the car, and taking the bike rack off the car so we could get the dogs in the back! Chained the bike to a tree.
The tech seemed to get things working, reported that it was charging from the "shore power" and the generator at 79 Amps!
They offered to do a vehicle check at no charge, so free is good! They found a small air leak that appeared to come from the left front suspension air bag. As this is supplied from the same air system that operates the air brakes we thought it prudent to have it seen to. By now it's 10:30 on Friday morning. A few phone calls to the Freightliner agencies found one in north Portland willing to have a look, but they didn't book appointments. First come first served. So! Get the bike on the car (dogs inside--bike and rack will have to come off to let them out of the car.) North again about 20 miles to Freightliner. Parked the rig, they said they would get at it "possibly by this evening"! Noticed that the batteries were still a bit low, so started the generator-- NOT CHARGING! Phoned CampingWorld, were told to bring it in Monday. Unload the bike and chain it to a bench (hope it's still there!) and headed off to explore Portland, find a campground if it proved necessary, and to get Art's breakfast--at 2:PM. Another Sheri's was just down the road!
Found the RV park very close by, only one highway exit and a couple of miles from the Freightliner shop. Made a reservation for later that day and had the GPS find a park where we could walk the dogs. We spent a very pleasant afternoon along side the Columbia River, where the old US Navy docks used to be. All long destroyed.
While there we got a phone call from Freightliner--the rig needs a new air valve, don't have one in stock, but would have one Monday at 10:00 AM ! Back to the shop, picked up the rig (left the bike chained to the bench) and here we are in the RV Park. Nice place, not too expensive, good power (batteries are charged!)
So here we sit. Fortunately the weather is not too bad, mostly sunny, but frequently a cold wind. No rain as yet. Sunday we will do the laundry and Art plans to more or less vegetate. We'll see what Gillian has in mind! Dinner is on the table. time to quit for the day.
Well that's better--Scallops, sauteed peppers and mushrooms and brown rice, a glass of wine and now a "wee dram" of Scotch Whiskey! before bed!
You can track our progress at http://map.findu.com/va7rv-12 This page will keep our last reported position for 10 days.
This should be fairly reliable in the USA, but in Mexico we will be relying on the International Space Station to relay the GPS/Ham Radio signals to the internet. The ISS has to be in the right place at the right time (and so do we!), and the crew not too busy.
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