090722 - Bellingham, Washington

7/22/2009
Bellingham, Washington

Joe and Penelope are two of the nicest people and most gracious hosts I know.
We have the pleasure of camping out in their driveway. Its 40 ft wide so we fit easily and it is very convenient and comfortable for us.

Today Danny had a great day. Penelope decided that he should have a bath, so she and Joe got out the soap and hose and towels set up on the rear deck. At first Danny was a bit shy and confused and huddled next to me as they tried to coax him over to the other end of the deck where Joe was holding the running water. Finally he walked over and as soon as he realized it felt good, he just stood still while he got the best bath of his short life.

So far he has behaved very well, being a good guest. Penelope fell in love with him at first sight and Joe took a little longer to warm up to him but finally admitted he is a great dog and has taken on the role of trainer, helping me to teach Danny some new commands. He was doing so well until we went on a sunset picnic to the park.

It was a real challenge for Danny to try and resist running up to and greeting all the dogs that walked by us. Joe offered to hold Danny’s leash for a while and try to teach him some restraint and the polite way of approaching strange dogs. He was doing fine until Danny spotted a big dog coming down the path before Joe could brace himself and as Danny bounded forward, Joe found himself bodysurfing on the grass holding onto the leash. Fortunately Joe managed to regain control quickly but it did take a minute or 2 for the look of surprise to vanish from his face, as well as Penelope’s and mine. Danny is one strong dog and could have easily fitted the nicknames of “Moose” or “Tank”.

We have enjoyed some wonder meals both at restaurants and at the dining room table prepared by Penelope.

The weather has beautiful and warm, but according to many locals, anything over 80 is considered a scorcher and drives people into frenzy. Good thing they don’t live in Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

090714 - Birch Bay, Washington

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Birch Bay, Washington

We are currently roaming around the northwest portion of Washington State in expectation of a rendezvous with friends in Bellingham next week.

Monday we spent the day having the Beast worked on and inspected for some rattling and suspension problems.
The good news is that the broken shower fixture was easily replaced and the rattling was a broken bolt on a heat shield at the exhaust that was also repaired.

The bad news was that the suspension needs work and the leaf springs should be replaced. The cost is supposed to be expensive and also only repaired by special shops. I will have to get more details on this problem.

We overnighted at an interstate rest area, which was very comfortable and safe. Danny enjoyed the natural setting and landscape to explore and decorate.

Birch bay is about 20 miles south of the Canadian border. As we drove along the bayside streets, we could see lots of people walking the beach at low tide, playing, running and exploring the wet beach alongside boats and floating orange ball moorings that sit beached, waiting for the returning tide to raise them.

We chose a small bayside restaurant with an outdoor deck. The weather was cool, high 60s, clear and calm. We tool our time ordering and enjoying a leisurely lunch accompanied by a local beer. After lunch, with a cup of coffee and a good book, I enjoyed the next hour. Danny is not much of a reader and I haven’t found a book he would enjoy so he just put his head between his paws and napped.

Returning to the Beast, settling into the captain’s chair, I turned the ignition key and was surprised with the sound of silence. Not a groan or strain or click or buzz: absolute silence. Not a light of any kind on the dash .

Surprise morphed into panic, which induced an adrenalin rush and increased circulation to the brain.

There is a security device with an ignition shut off switch. It was installed by the original owner but i never used it. Removing a small computer chip from its slot beneath the dash activates the control. In the past, it had been dislodged by Peter when he explored the under-dash area. I confidently reached down to confirm my suspicion and was disappointed to find the “key” chip securely in place. I began to picture the Beast on the back of a tow truck being taken in for repairs.

As I turned the ignition one more time in desperation, I spotted a small button on the dash, just above the steering column. I recalled that it had something to do with emergency starting, so I pressed it, turned the key, and still nothing.
I next tried holding it down while I turned the key, which was uncomfortable in an awkward position, but the engine roared to life. I was pumped.

After letting the engine run for about 5 minutes, I turned it off and tried to start it again and it worked fine. At that moment, I noticed that my headlights were on.

It all came back to me in a flash. Driving up the coast earlier it had been overcast so I turned on my headlights. When I parked, I forgot to turn them off.
I found out that the emergency button draws power from the auxiliary (house) batteries to the starter. Another close call that could have ruined an otherwise pleasant day but didn’t.

090702 - Tall Chiefs

Saturday, June 27, 2009
Tall Chief RV Resort
Fall City, Washington

This campground is part of our club membership so we’ll take advantage of the low rates and stay two weeks. I was surprised how good the roads were getting to this park. Usually, because they are out of the way, off the beaten track locations, the roads are old and rough.
About 30 miles east of Seattle, the park appears to be a forest and all the sites are surrounded by trees. It gives a great feeling of wilderness and privacy. Many other parks have the rigs parked so close to each other that you can look into each other’s windows. Our space is a little larger than most because it’s a handicap site and Danny has a large “private front yard” to roam (on a long lead) without bothering other campers. Unfortunately, all the sites are back-ins and there was nobody around to help direct me so I managed to knock down the handicap site sign. It was made of painted wood and I now have a foot long brown smudge on the side of the Beast. I will try to clean it off tomorrow.

The place is very spread out and although we are parked right next to the clubhouse, the pool, laundry and showers are quite a distance away. It looks like the little red scooter is going to get quite a workout here.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tall Chief RV Resort

The weather has been comfortable in the high 70s and no rain. Danny is trustworthy enough to let off his leash to run around a little and get some exercise. He likes to run up to people walking by then stop to be petted. He is good about keeping an eye on where I am and comes running back when I call him (most of the time). There is a “pet pasture” about an 1/8 of a mile downhill from our site. A large grassy area where Danny can run and sniff and P&P off leash. As we started to leave the area my scooter malfunctioned. It acted like there was either a short or bad battery, but I had just charged it up last night. Not being able to control Danny and push the scooter at the same time, I trusted him to stay out of trouble as I got more exercise than I planned on. As I neared our site, a couple of teenagers in a nearby camper walked by and immediately became Danny’s newest friends. They ran and played with him while I schlepped the *#@&* scooter alongside the Beast.

The next day, I started the scooter and it seemed to run properly, but being suspicious, I did not venture very far from home and sure enough, it quit again. This time I was on level ground and the push home was less laborious, but I decided it would be the last.
I disassembled it and stowed it away. My plans for it are not finalized yet, but I am not that fond of it so repairs are not my first choice. For now it will stay locked away like a crazy relative.