On the road

What a change in lifestyle for the Wilsons!

Before, our daily existence consisted mostly of television, internet, hobbies, meals, sleep, and pet interaction.  Suddenly our motorhome arrived, and we sprung into constant action.  First there was the party to organize, with all the details that involved.  Afterward, we had to make our stick and stucco home ready for the time we'd be away. Then the motorhome had to be prepared to be our domicile for the next four months.  What kitchen tools should we take along?  How could we keep up with the television shows we love?  How would I be able to watch the 49ers disappoint me once again?  What sort of internet access would we have on the road?  Which clothes to take?  How many ball gowns?  Suit, sports coat, or tuxedo? How would we transport our bicyles?  Hundreds of decisions to make. 

And not a lot of time to make them.  Since the motorhome arrived two months later than promised, we didn't have the luxury of a shakedown cruise - staying in compgrounds near the dealership for a few days to pinpoint what didn't work, so we could have the service department fix any shortcomings.  Time was critical, because it was important for us to be in New England for the color changes, and the leaves wait for no one. 

So we did the best we could to make the ship ready for a long voyage.

Saturday, September 3, is launch date, if we can get it all together.  Not much sleep, up early, rushing like maniacs, loading up all our supplies and equipment, finding places for everything.  Finally, at two o'clock, we feel that we've done all we can.  Deep breaths.  Make sure everything is secure.  Stow the satellite dish.  Retract the leveling jacks.  Bring in the slideouts.

Uh .. problem.  The big slideout won't come in.  It makes feeble attempts, but I can't get it to slide into the closed position.  That will not do.  You can't drive down the highway with your bedroom and dining room sticking out into traffic.  I call the dealership, but the service department is closed, and the salesman has no solution.  Will we be stranded before we even get started?

I try everything.  It seems obvious that the available battery power isn't quite enough to do the job.  I turn on the onboard generator and plug in shore power from the home circuit.  Nothing works.  The system doesn't allow the engine to be running when you retract the slideouts, but as a last attempt I start the engine and let it run for ten minutes or so, in hopes of boosting battery charge to the max, then shut it off and run back to the controls - and the slides magically retract.  Whew!

We get through the driveway gate and hook up the tow vehicle and are on the road - although much later than planned.  We arrive at our first night's campground in Redding after dark but manage to find our assigned space.  I figure out how to hook up electricity and water.  Everything is new.  Everything is a challenge. 

With the temperature useasonably hot, we decide to head for the Oregon coast.  Nancy finds a campground near an Indian casino in Oregon as an intermediate stop.  The casino itself is not appealing, but the campground is high end - beautiful landscaping and facilities, with lots of expensive motorhomes.  Then it's on to a campground in Coos Bay, Oregon.  More often than not, it's necessary for me to run the engine for a while to boost the batteries enough to get the big slide to come in.  This is not confidence-inspiring as a permanent coast-to-coast solution.  Luckily, the dealership from which we bought the motorhome has a branch in Coburg, Oregon, which is on our proposed drive path.  The people there couldn't be nicer, and the technicians get right on the slideout problem, raising the cutout amperage feeding the slide motor, and it seems to work.  Fingers crossed.  They also dealt with a couple of other minor problems, and they let us stay on their lot overnight, hooked up to electricity, for free.

With the tension of so many uncertainties and so much to learn, up to this point the motorhome lifestyle has been as much work as fun.  We feel that we need a vacation.  So we make reservations for a couple of nights at a very nice RV park in McMinnville, Oregon - in the heart of the Willamette Valley wine country.  The only hitch is that our GPS - which is specific for motorhomes - tries to save us a few miles by sending us on a ferry.  By the time we realize what GPS girl has in store for us, we are in a long line, and we see a big truck up ahead dragging butt as he enters the ferry, sending up sparks.  This does not appeal, so we make a U-turn and take a more conventional route. 

We're now relaxing in our second day at the McMinnville campground, and we can take a deep breath.  It's swell here.  RV life is good and getting better - we think.