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We Have Squirrels!

I know that your first thought is literally we have squirrels in The Burrow but that is not the problem. I mean squirrels, as in, distractions.

We need to do laundry (because we are COMPLETELY out of clothes). But we will just wear dirty ones. We can’t miss those Roosevelt Elk.

Need to go pick up groceries? – Dinner is now boiled carrots, a can of tuna and ice cream. The sea otters, or sea lions (we aren’t sure which), will be playing in the lagoon at 7:00 PM. And we certainly cannot miss that.

Organize our departure route through possibly treacherous mountain passes? Are you kidding? We might miss the Sea Lion Caves.

And to top it all off – it does not get dark here until near nine o’clock at night. Arrrghhh!

This has become a particular problem in Oregon because, as we are finding out, they have been hiding their glorious state. There are countless outdoor adventures, huge variety in delicious foods, and stunning scenery — but unlike our beautiful Florida and recently visited California — it is not overrun with tourists. Plus, you are not even allowed to pump your own gas here; that is the gas attendant’s job. Who cannot get on board with that?

Squirrels are rampant here in Oregon. We both agree it is one of our favorite states to date and can’t wait to show you as we explore more of this delightful surprise.

For now though, it’s off to have a private picnic on a secluded beach. We have squirrels. And it’s a blast.

Always grateful. 👫

RV travel with your pet

It’s the dog!!!

Joey the Labrador poses in back of buckboard wagon — Joey poses at fairgrounds

Yes. The RV emergency is the dog. But today, the phrase “it’s the dog” is a good thing.

We returned from an early mountaintop visit, where we must go for all things electronic to function, and Ken and I proceeded to load the RV for heading out. Now, our usual routine is for me to secure the inside while Ken secures the outside. This morning was no different but what was different was the smell in the bedroom.

It was faint but I thought, distinct. That electronic burning smell. It seemed to be getting stronger near the floor.

No alarm was sounding but knowing I had three fur babies to get to safety if there was a problem prompted me to insist on some action before there was a fire and we all burned to a crisp.

I made Ken aware of our impending death in my usual fashion. That is, to pound on the window nearest his head and scream there is a problem. Ken immediately came in and started trying to puzzle it out while I unloaded cat carriers and prepared to abandon ship. Thinking we could all die in a blaze at any moment, I made Ken shut down our electric.

With all in readiness to leave The Burrow behind, we tried, by process of elimination, to figure out what could be happening. We agreed there was an odd burning smell. And it was centrally located on the back floor. But what? We checked everything we could think of. The smell didn’t seem to be getting worse, but neither was it better.

We hunted. We looked. Ken checked things. We sniffed. And we couldn’t pin down a thing.

Should we stay or should we go now?

Ken convinced me, reluctantly, we should proceed with our preparation to roll out so I shooed the animals from the bedroom to finish locking it down in there. The smell seemed better. The electric was off which only confirmed my worst fear.

Imagine my surprise when, as I got to the front of the RV, the smell came back. Sniff, sniff. Sniff. I think it’s coming from the couch. Is it? Could it be? Huh?

Ken was consulted. Sniff, sniff. Yes I believe it is. It’s the freaking DOG.

Relief

Joey the yellow Labrador plays on CA beach — **Joey on CA beach**

After some discussion, we realized Joey had been running and playing for over an hour in a forest that had burned sometime in the past. His paws were where the burning smell came from. We confirmed that the inside of Armadillo (the Jeep) smelled the same, I was so relieved. The RV emergency was over.

So, happy, happy, we don’t lose our home in an electrical fire today. I’m thrilled to say, while patting the big, goofy lug,…….It’s the dog.

Joey the yellow Labrador at Fort Morgan, Alabama — **Our boy Joey at Fort Morgan, Alabama**

Always grateful. 👫

Visit Yosemite National Park from Fresno to Sonora, CA

“Where am I goin’?
I dont know
Where am I headin’?
I ain’t certain
All I know
Is I am on my way”
Paint Your Wagon

Our Visit to Yosemite National Park

Gold rush towns, waterfalls, lazy rivers underground gardens and apple cider. It was all included in our visit to Yosemite National Park.

Ken and I discovered that we like moving slowly. That is, moving The Burrow only a couple hours drive at a time. It’s calming and less stressful to everyone onboard our rolling home.

So, we haven’t moved more than a couple hundred miles from the Southern Sierra (our last post). But the natural wonders, history-rich gold towns, outdoor adventures and jaw dropping beauty just keep multiplying. At Forestiere Underground Gardens, an orangery (yes, it really is underground) in Fresno, we saw what one man’s intelligence, tenacity and will-power can accomplish. By carving out tunnels, with only hand tools, he managed to create a cool pre-air conditioned home and was on his way to creating an underground inn. We took a ride on Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, an authentic mountain steam train that at one time hauled logs from the forest.

Being There

Now we are positioned a mere 6 miles from the entrance to Yosemite National Park. Though it requires a 5 mile trip up a mountain to get cellphone service, we couldn’t have enjoyed ourselves more.

The magnificence of Yosemite is apparent within a few miles of your entrance. Grandeur is the one word that comes to mind. Half Dome; The Ahwahnee Lodge; Bridal Veil Falls are all so photographed and seem so well known until you are standing there. Then it occurs to you. No picture painted with watercolors or words, oils or chemical solutions can ever capture what you are seeing.

Armadillo has had a chance to stretch here as we did a little mountain crawling out in the woods. It’s kind of like going on an unfamiliar fair ride for the first time. Stomach clenching but fun. And grabbing a few of the sweet blackberries blanketing the woods, hoping a bear is not nearby to mind. That’s up there on my list of heaven.

Time to Relax

This is a second visit to Yosemite for us. But 30 years ago we only had time to rush through the park like tourists at Disney World. Today our campsite is on a crystal clear, lazy stretch of river. We may float down it a few times or sleep in the cool shade on the bank. Maybe we’ll get energetic and go slide down the falls into the rainbow pools. Maybe take a hike or open the bottle of organic apple cider that we picked up at a local orchard, Indigeny Reserve, and drink the whole thing (it does go bad very quickly-really it does-or so we have been told). Whatever we choose for today, I know it will be just right because it’s really, really hard to go wrong here at Yosemite. Always grateful.👫

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A quick note
Just a few days after we left, the Ferguson Fire closed down Yosemite National Park. Please keep all those who are fighting to save our national treasure in your thoughts.

Say “Thanks” to a Farmer.

The Pacific Northwest has been all we expected and more. Forty miles of towering redwoods give way to massive four-story high dunes in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

A little glimpse and I almost forget that we aren’t home.

The Pacific Northwest has been all we expected and more. Forty miles of towering redwoods give way to massive four-story high dunes in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. A stroll along the docks in coastal towns like Florence, Oregon, where you can snag fresh tuna, salmon and Dungeness crab from the fishing boats. Meadows abound with majestic Roosevelt Elk. A giant cave filled with sea lions and pristine, secluded beaches, all made it hard to leave for new play places.

Through the magnificent Columbia River Gorge we traveled to eastern Washington/Idaho where the views were vast rolling hills of wheat as far as you can see. It was harvest time, the end of summer and we watched as the farmers worked until evening’s last light to get the wheat harvested. The setting was so peaceful, we kept saying “let’s stay just one more day”.

We did finally move on to experience the “weirdness” of Portland. Downtown is overflowing with historic buildings, restaurants and breweries all waiting to be tasted or explored. From the largest bookstore in the country to those Voodoo doughnuts, Portland did not disappoint.

Ken and I are having the time of our lives out here traveling. It is exciting to see new things and to explore areas of the country that are so different from Florida. But while exploring the differences, there are moments; a shaded trail; a glimpse of a palm tree out a restaurant window; a farmhouse, when I forget that we are thousands of miles from our home state. There is a little “oh!” moment, a jolt of homesickness when the realization hits that it’s not home we are seeing.

These are small moments of sadness scattered throughout the joys we experience daily. But the small moments are overshadowed too by our commonalities. We travel the backroads and see differences but many more likenesses. From the fishermen and farmers, the RVers and campers, and the moms and dads, whom we all share the goals of love and happiness, health and safety, and it is a comforting realization.

Say “thanks” to a farmer today.

Click here for our latest video of Oregon:
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Always grateful. 👫
h

Sequoia National Forest Trail of 100 Giants

🎶🎶 On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
Here we go, on the road again
Like a band of Gypsies we go down the highway
We’re the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turnin’ our way
And our way is on the road again
I just can’t wait to get on the road again
🎶🎶
Willie Nelson

It’s one of my favorite Willie Nelson songs and couldn’t be more appropriate to how we feel today. We are off again and our first stop is Sequoia National Forest and the Trail of 100 Giants.

Exhilarated to be Moving Again

June was a tough month for Ken and I. Our last post mentioned that we were sick and within a couple of days of that post Ken was hospitalized with pneumonia.

Being seriously ill in an unfamiliar city is a frightening situation to be in. We managed to get through it, through the one hundred thirteen degree tempertures, the lousy RV park that we were stuck in (oddly though, our next door neighbor was Robbie Knievel), our bikes being stolen and the inability to do very much while Ken recuperated.

It’s been eye opening and inspired a few RV projects (stay tuned for a YouTube project vlog). Now we’re moving again and ready for the joy of new experiences.

Sequoia National Forest

Giant Sequoia trees in a line on the Trail of 100 Giants — Giant Sequoia Trees

Before we begin the new, we are revisiting one of the best. We’re back in the Sierras, home to those beautiful giant sequoias. This time we are exploring the Sequoia National Forest and Trail Of 100 Giants where Joey was able to come along with us. The reward is that even on a holiday weekend the crowds were less and we could take a slower pace. Kern River Brewing Company was a delightful find for lunch where we had a great conversation with a young lady traveling in her van for four years. Oh, to be young again. It was a wonderful way to spend Ken’s birthday.

It was absolutely hilarious that we had to stop for cows among hairpin turns and drop-offs down the side of a mountain but the cows seemed non-plussed about it. Enjoy.

Always grateful.👫

Healthcare on the Road

Life happens.

As much as I would love to post about another stunning National Park visit or fabulous meal in a chic new city, the reality this week is less exciting. It is however, reality, no matter where you live. But healthcare on the road is a little more difficult to manage.

Stress Catches Up

We’re sick. Not only, like most our age, ongoing medical issues that we routinely monitor but one of those mysterious maladies that put you to bed. We suspect the stress of last week’s wheel situation left immunity low.

We still have to deal with the same issues even though our healthcare is provided while we are on the road. Our doctors didn’t follow us on our trip. A return to South Florida for routine tests required some schedule juggling and a few plane flights to get us both home for our necessary appointments and provide a care giver for our fur babies. And Ken still had to go to urgent care in Las Vegas after our return.

A lot of extra effort was required to make this all happen but it worked. For that I’m happy.

Have a Mobile Healthcare Plan

My point to all this is…..have a medical plan. Do your research and make decisions about how to manage your medical care while traveling. Some questions to ask..

Janet in a wheelchair — Torn ACL forces Janet into a wheelchair

Some Questions to Ask

Does your credit card or RV insurance offer additional protection in an emergency?
How will you handle annual, ongoing and routine care?
Where will you get your prescriptions filled?
Will you need travelers insurance if your itinerary includes Canada or Mexico?
Where will you go for an emergency?
If you are traveling with your pets, who will take care of them if you are hospitalized?

It will be time well spent to do your research if you are considering a lengthy RV or car trip.

You Can do This

We are loving our new life (most days). There are plenty of hacks, apps and electronic helpers in place to make a mobile lifestyle do-able even with special medical circumstances. Make an advance plan and know how you will deal with ongoing or sudden issues.

Don’t be daunted by health care if traveling will make you happy. Being happy is a big step toward mental and physical well-being.

Always grateful. 👫

RV Repair Failure

Pull off the road NOW! The tire is about to go.”

This is not what you want to be screaming into a radio as you start the last leg of your itinerary. And this wasn’t simply a flat tire. No, nothing as simple as that. We had the flat tire the day before. This was much worse. This was a serious RV repair failure that left us shaking in our boots.

One of the problems with RV travel is finding reputable companies when you need work done on your home. This incident was a hard lesson. We are safe. Thank goodness. But we will never let anyone touch the wheels of The Burrow again without checking their work before we pull out. This RV repair failure nearly cost us our home, our pets and our lives.

A rear tire sheared off the lug bolts of the Bigfoot as we were traveling down a busy Interstate 15 between Barstow, California and Las Vegas. We think but cannot prove it happened because of loose lug nuts. We had just had a tire replaced and pulled out of the shop. Had only traveled about 15 miles down the road.

Our Lucky Day

Had just a couple of things been different, we might have had a different outcome. We were not towing Armadillo, which was fortunate. And, we were using two-way radios that allowed rapid communication. Ken was able to move off the road as the first wheel came off — that went flying into the desert — and stopped just before the second one could come off the axle. The tow truck driver suggested, since we had been so lucky that day, that we run out and buy lotto tickets.

We will learn from this very frightening experience and I hope that by sharing, you will too. Check the torque on the lug nuts. Check tire pressures. We are considering installing cameras inside and out for when we must leave our home in someone else’s care. We have to live always on guard. Or, as in this case, guard against putting our lives in danger from malfeasance. Unfortunately, that reality continues even with our new RV lifestyle.

Be aware

This blog post is not meant to frighten you but to make you aware and help you to avoid a serious roadside emergency.

Bitsy and Butter were incredibly frightened but settled down after we moved into a hotel. And, after I quit shaking like a leaf, it was nice to be pampered for a few days with unlimited hot water, breakfast every morning and someone else to clean the room.

We found a couple of quirky little things to do in Barstow while we waited for parts from Los Angeles. Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch on Route 66 was pretty neat and Calico Ghost Town was well, eerie.

We are especially today….Always grateful. 👫

Tag: RV life

We Have Squirrels!

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