Rough Landing in Wrangell

We finally boarded the ferry in Ketchikan during a dense fog alert.  We had decided early on that it would be wise to book a cabin since we would be traveling overnight.  We found our cabin, and it was freezing inside.  Unfortunately, we discovered that there was no way to change the thermostat.  I was so tired and cold that I slept in my clothes to try and stay warm.

The Cabin Was Serviceable, But Cold

A Foggy Welcome to Wrangell

When we docked in Wrangell, we were curious to check our refrigerator and battery monitor.  We had left the refrigerator on battery power as a test of our new batteries.  During the six to seven hours of the trip we had used less than ten percent of our power.  Great!  That solves the problem of what to do with our food when we have to shut off propane on future ferry segments.

Our elation over the refrigerator soon turned to despair as we exited the ferry.  Tim drove the RV up the steep ramp, and we heard a terrible noise when he crossed the lip of the ramp onto the pavement.  He pulled into a parking space, and we got out to assess the damage.  The tanks seemed to be ok, which was a relief, but the door to our utility compartment was jammed shut and would not open.  Great, just great.  Not what we wanted to deal with in Alaska (or anywhere else for that matter).  We contacted the ferry personnel and informed them of the damage to our RV.  After a long wait, they began to fill out the paperwork.  We will have to file a claim with the State of Alaska, which should be a fun process.  NOT!

I Can't Believe the Lip Between the Ramp and Pavement Caused Such Damage

The manager of the Wrangell ferry terminal was extremely helpful.  Since we had no idea where we might be able to get a temporary fix in the tiny town of Wrangell, she called around, and John at Sitkine Auto Works told us to come right over.  Another terminal employee asked his friend to guide us to the shop, and we followed him through town.  We really appreciated the way in which these folks went out of their way to help us.

As John began to evaluate the damage, we knew we were in good hands.  There was more damage than we had originally suspected, and even the hinge was bent.  With a bit of brute force, many knocks with a hammer and a bit of Alaskan ingenuity, John had our door working.  It’s not pretty and the door will need to be replaced, but the fix should get us through the summer.  That’s important since that compartment is where our sewer hose and propane fill are located.  The most shocking thing is that John charged us only $50.  Many things may be more expensive in Alaska, but that was the lowest hourly rate we’ve ever paid for auto service. 

We Were in Good Hands Here

Why Won't the Door Open Any Farther?

It was early afternoon before we finally made it to our campground.  We are staying at Alaska Waters RV Park.  The campground is little more than a parking area for seven RVs, but it has full hookups and fast Wi-Fi and is nicely maintained.  There are even pots of pretty flowers at the base of each utility post.  Some of the other campgrounds in Wrangell may be more scenic, but this one serves our needs, especially since it is within walking distance of downtown.  An added bonus is that we were able to use an Alaska TourSaver coupon to get one free night.  A bald eagle also frequents a Sitka spruce tree next door.

All Alone at Alaska Waters RV Park

Alaska Waters is an Alaska Native business and is the same company that operates the Stikine River wilderness jet boat tour that we will be taking on Thursday.  A van will pick us up at the RV park and deliver us to the boat ramp.  It will be convenient not to have to move the RV and find parking downtown.

Back to Our Old Stomping Grounds

Tim and I arrived in the Loveland, Colorado, area on April 4 for a two-week stay.  When we lived in Estes Park, we often ventured down the mountain to Loveland for shopping or other errands.  Loveland is a convenient location for us now since it is close to doctors and dentists (we still have to them somewhere), Tim’s siblings and nieces, our favorite RV repair shop and our storage unit.  We knew it would be a hectic two weeks, but we had no idea just how busy it would be.

Our main purpose was to take a look at everything we were carrying in the RV and the car and decide what could be left behind as we travel to Alaska.  We had decided some time ago that we would leave the car at Tim’s sister’s house since it made no sense to drive two vehicles all the way to Alaska.  That meant, however, that we would lose all the extra space in our “garage,” as we sometimes call the car.  Everything we would need would have to fit in the RV. 

It’s amazing how much stuff we had that we rarely used and could easily leave behind.  It seemed to take forever, but we finally were able to make those decisions and rearrange and consolidate all of our possessions into the RV.  We had traveled that way before, and we knew we could do it again.  We also had to purchase a few items that we knew we would need, including insect repellent, rain boots and a good sun hat for me. 

Everything that we weren’t going to carry with us had to go into our storage unit, or trash can.  We also had to reorganize the storage unit to make room for my collection of historic railroad posters.  Tim’s niece had been “storing” them for us on the walls of her apartment, but she would be moving this summer and would have no room for them.  With a bit of creative organization, we were able to cram everything into storage.  Phew!

With the RV a bit “lighter,” a little routine maintenance and a few upgrades were in order.  DM RV Repair in Loveland does great work, and we have been taking the RV there ever since we found them several years ago.  While we were at The Rally, we had purchased several LED bulbs to replace our fluorescent bulbs, and DM was able to install them for us.  They also serviced the generator and hot water heater and checked out our air conditioner that did not seem to cool as it should.  A little bit of investigation revealed that the louvered vents were not properly connected to the AC duct, thus allowing much of the cold air to flow into the ceiling, not the coach.  New vent covers had to be ordered, and we had to return on our last day in town to get that straightened out.  We may not test the AC too much in Alaska, but at least we’ll be ready.

We spent one day in Estes Park attending to routine doctor and dentist visits, and that turned out to be the day it started to snow.  Although we are certainly used to April snowstorms in Colorado, we had really hoped to avoid them!  No such luck!  Even Kitty went to the vet to have her teeth cleaned on the same day.  Now we all have pearly whites.

We did make time to schedule several visits with family.  One day we drove to Denver to do a little shopping at REI, one of our favorite stores, and to have dinner with Tim’s niece and her fiancé.  Unfortunately, we will miss their wedding later this month, so we definitely wanted to spend some time with them.  We also were able to have a lively lunch with Tim’s brother and his wife and daughter.  We had used his brother’s address for several of our Amazon deliveries, so it was like Christmas for us when we got together.  On our last Sunday in town, we drove to Fort Morgan to spend the day with two of Tim’s sisters and nieces.  We had a wonderful day at his sister’s house.  I can’t believe that I forgot to take photographs.

Our plan was to leave Colorado on April 17 and begin our long drive to Alaska.  We had reservations in Oregon beginning on April 24, and we planned to spend a week there for some exciting upgrades to the RV.  This would give us seven days to leisurely make the drive across country, as well as give us two days in case of weather delays.  We were not expecting those delays to occur even before we left Colorado!  Once again, a major snowstorm hit the West, and although we didn’t get too much where we were, Wyoming was slammed.  Interstate 80, which was our planned route, was even closed for most of a day.  So, we extended our stay in Colorado and relaxed for those two days.  Thank goodness we had that flexibility.

Good-bye Texas, Hello New Mexico and Arizona

After more than two months in Texas, we finally left the Lone Star State on February 17, 2015.  We had planned to visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park after our stop in Van Horn, but the weather was not cooperating, so we decided to save the park for another time.  The interstate was the only reasonable way to travel, so we braved the traffic, including the craziness that is El Paso.  Luckily, I had read about a more agreeable loop around the city, which turned out to be a very smart detour. 

Texas Was Great, But It Was Nice to Cross into New Mexico

Our destination for the night was Las Cruces.  Tim was happy to be back in New Mexico and to have easy access to green chilies, one of his favorite foods.  Getting his chili fix was a top priority.

We had a mission while in Las Cruces.  For longer than I care to admit, our electric sofa had been making a grinding noise while being lowered to its position as a bed.  For those who are not familiar with our RV, we have a sofa at the rear of the RV that converts to a king-size bed.  When the sofa/bed would not revert to the sofa position, we knew that we finally had to deal with it.

Luckily, we found a mobile RV technician in Las Cruces who was able to fit us into his schedule.  We were envisioning having to replace the motor and/or gear box and were preparing ourselves for a costly and time-consuming repair.  Larry from Larry’s RV and Marine Service arrived right on time the next morning and determined that it was an easy fix.  Who would have guessed that a bit of grease would solve the problem.  Wow!  That was a huge relief.  Larry was so professional and so good at figuring things out.  We would highly recommend him.

We took advantage of our stop in a large city to visit Walgreen’s and Walmart.  It had been more than a month since we had been to one of the “big” stores, and there were a few things that we needed.  Errands complete, we were ready for an adventure. 

We left Las Cruces and drove into the mountains toward Silver City, New Mexico.  It was nice to get off the interstate and onto a more peaceful state highway.  We had picked Silver City because it was supposed to be an interesting small town and a good base to visit Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.  It turned out to be a great choice.

We checked into Rose Valley RV Ranch, a great campground with a Western theme.  The campground’s location in Silver City was perfect, and we were amazed that a private campground had so much character, as well as so much space and privacy between sites.  Although we would have enjoyed hanging around the campground, we had other plans.

We drove to Gila Cliff Dwellings the next day on the Trail of the Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway.  This winding, mountain road passes through the Gila National Forest and offers wonderful views of the surrounding wilderness.  The Gila National Forest actually includes the first designated wilderness area set aside by Congress in 1924.

Winding Our Way through the Gila National Forest

Panoramic Views from the Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway

Crossing the Gila River

The road ends at Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, a park that provides a glimpse into the homes and lives of the ancient Puebloan people who lived in the Mogollon area more than 700 years ago.  These people built a village within five of the natural caves of Cliff Dweller Canyon, and these cliff dwellings can be visited today.

As we hiked up the path to the cliff houses, we caught our first sight of the natural caves, which are located high above the canyon bottom.  Tim and I were fortunate to join a tour led by a wonderful volunteer, who helped us think like an archeologist (Tim didn’t let on that he is an archeologist!).  Why did the ancestral people come to this area, and why did they construct their dwellings in the caves?  Why did they leave after only a few decades?  There are many theories, and it was thought-provoking to ponder the possibilities.  Walking among the ruins and contemplating the culture that flourished there was so inspirational.

Our First Sighting of the Caves in Cliff  Dweller Canyon

What a Location for a Home

 

Cliff Dwellings Were Built into the Caves

How Amazing It Was to Walk in the Footsteps of the Ancestral People 

We also spent some time at the visitor center where we met the park’s superintendent.  We were amazed to find out that Gila has only two paid staff.  That’s nuts!  How can a park function that way?  One answer is with volunteers.  It seems as if volunteers virtually run the place, and they seem to be a very dedicated bunch of folks.  We were impressed.

The next day we left Silver City and headed back to the interstate on our way to Arizona.  What a dramatic view as we drove down from the higher elevation of Silver City and encountered the wide expanse of desert before us.  You may be wondering why we were moving at such a rapid pace, when our stated preference has been to spend up to a week at each destination.  The answer is an easy one.  We had registered in January to attend an event in Phoenix and had only a short time frame to get there. We had not figured on working at Fort Davis for two weeks when we originally planned our timetable and route.

Good-bye New Mexico, Hello Arizona

Tim and I stopped for the evening in Willcox, Arizona.  Although our campground was bare-bones, its saving grace was pie.  Yes, pie.  The owner bakes pies, and we placed our order for rhubarb, one of my favorites.  We also found Girl Scouts in town selling cookies, only the second cookie opportunity we had found this season.  We were certainly fixed for sweets.

There's Always Room for Pie

A Detour on the Way to Arkansas

A look at the ten-day weather forecast convinced us that we could leave Buckhorn Lake Resort on Tuesday, December 2 and head toward Arkansas.  Since we would be gone for only two weeks and would be moving at a much faster pace than usual, we decided to travel with just the RV.  We could store the Subaru at Buckhorn since we would be returning there on December 15 for a month-long stay. 

It was just like old times with the two of us driving in one vehicle. Although Kitty seemed a bit confused that I had appropriated her seat, she ultimately decided that my lap might be a good place to take a nap. 

Texas is a big state, and it would take us almost 500 miles and two days to reach Arkansas.  The skies were overcast when we left Kerrville, and the traffic was surprisingly light, even as we made our way through Austin.  It was an uneventful day, which was a good thing.  The highlight was a stop in Bastrop for lunch.  Bastrop is a very cool historic town, and I would have enjoyed spending more time there.  Alas, we were on a mission with Arkansas as our priority, and we pushed on to Franklin, Texas, before stopping for the evening.

Just when it seemed like Wednesday would be as uneventful as our first day, things started to get interesting.  The dreaded check engine light came on again.  I remained calm and checked to see where the closest Sprinter service center was located.  Luckily there was one in Tyler, just about 50 miles away.  We had no choice but to make a detour and drive directly to Tyler.

The folks at Mercedes-Benz of Tyler could not have been nicer.  “No appointment, no problem.”  “Of course we can fit you in.”  After our last visit to a Freightliner dealer, we were happy to be escorted to a nice waiting area again.  Everyone was so friendly, including the other customers, and Kitty received much appreciated attention.  The problem turned out to be the same as last time – the EGR coolant temperature sensor.  Since we had driven only 1,400 miles since the sensor had been cleaned, we agreed that it should be replaced.  We don’t want this to keep happening. 

The sensor had to be ordered, and it wouldn’t arrive until the following morning.  Luckily we could adjust our plans and stay in Tyler overnight.  Our plan was to spend the night in the dealer’s service lot since there was an electrical hookup, but the lot was not level, and we decided to move to a nearby campground.

We were up bright and early to get back to the dealer before 8:00 am.  The part arrived, and the work was completed by 10:00 am.  Our extended warranty even covered a portion of the cost, which was great. Although not in our plans, our experience in Tyler could not have been better, and we are optimistic that we won’t have to deal with this issue again.

We left Tyler to continue our trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where we planned to spend a few days.  We weren’t sure we’d make it the entire way because of the detour to Tyler, but we pushed on.  We finally left Texas behind and after crossing into Arkansas stopped in Hope for lunch and a visit to the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site.  This relatively new unit of the National Park Service preserves the simple house where Clinton lived with his mother and grandparents during the first four years of his life.

President Clinton's Boyhood Home

We had a nice tour of the house and learned a bit about the future president’s early life in Hope.  I never knew, or had forgotten, that Clinton was not his original surname.  Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe, III, after his father, who had been killed in an automobile accident three months before his birth.  Clinton’s mother later remarried, and he assumed his stepfather’s name, although he was never adopted.  Clinton legally changed his name when he was fourteen years old. 

Learning About Bill

Our visit to Hope was a quick one since we wanted to reach Hot Springs before dark.  We made it.  Although our original plan was to stay at the campground run by the National Park Service, we instead checked into Catherine’s Landing, a destination resort.  Are we getting spoiled by these fancy private resorts?  I know that Kitty is loving it.

Amenities at Catherine's Landing

"I'm Not Going Down There"

"This Is a Good Spot"

Camouflage Kitty

"I Told You I Was A Rock Climber"

Kansas City, Here I Come

As I mentioned in the last post, Tim had been casually following the fall baseball season with the idea that since we were headed south along the Missouri River, and Kansas City happened to be on the Missouri River and the Kansas City Royals were doing very well in the American League Playoffs, it would be a wonderful experience to attend a World Series game in Kansas City.  Of course, he would have to root for the Royals. Well, Kansas City did win the American League Pennant.  Tim casually mentioned his idea to me, and I was all for it.  After all, how many times do you have the opportunity to go to the World Series?

A quick dash down the interstate from Council Bluffs had us arriving in Independence, Missouri, in the early afternoon of October 22, just in time for Tim to take a nap before leaving for Game 2 of the World Series.  We had picked Independence because of its proximity to the stadium, but the city is also close to Kansas City and the other sites that we thought we might visit.

The very friendly owner of the RV park where we were staying hooked Tim up with a couple who also had tickets to the game.  When Tim introduced himself, they invited him to ride with them to and from the game.  RVers really are a friendly bunch.  Tim made it to Game 2, and the Royals won 7-2.  Of course the home fans were ecstatic, and he was, too.  (But, the San Francisco Giants did win the series.)

A Sea of Blue

A New Royals Fan

It wasn’t all fun and games while we were in town.  We also had to take care of a “check engine light” that popped up on the RV on the way to Kansas City.  Luckily, Kansas City has two service locations for Sprinters.  The Mercedes-Benz dealer was booked for the next week, but the Freightliner dealer offered to squeeze us in on Friday.  It was a very early morning for us, and we arrived at Freightliner before 8:00 am.  I think that must have set a record!

We shared the drivers’ lounge with the big rig truckers and couldn’t help comparing it to the Mercedes waiting areas we’ve become accustomed to. Although this lounge didn’t have free cappuccino and cakes, it did have a washer and dryer.  I guess I should have brought my laundry.  Luckily, the issue with the engine was minor, and the RV was back in tip-top condition for just $150.  We were out the door by noon.

Independence, Missouri, was the home town of President Truman, and we paid a visit to the Harry S Truman National Historic Site.  On our tour of the house, we learned about Truman’s life, as well as his political legacy.  The “Summer White House,” as it was called, is preserved just as it was when his wife died in 1982, ten years after her husband’s death. We have visited several presidential homes during our various travels, and I find that they help me get a real sense of the man behind the president. Truman lived a very simple life, and his Midwestern values are apparent in his home.

Harry S Truman National Historic Site

Walking with Harry

Independence capitalizes on its most famous citizen, and other sites connected to Truman are scattered throughout the city.  Our favorite was Clinton’s Soda Fountain, the site of Truman’s first job.  We enjoyed sitting at the counter and watching our milkshakes being prepared. Yummy!

Sampling History at Clinton's Soda Fountain

There are quite a few museums throughout the country devoted to telling the story of the historic westward trails.  Although I had just visited the center in Council Bluffs, I decided to check out the one in Independence while we were there.  The National Frontier Trails Museum chronicles the history of five of America’s western trails – Lewis and Clark, Santa Fe, Oregon, California and Mormon trails.  Independence was a starting point for several of these trails, and the museum tells the story of the challenges and heartbreak faced by pioneers through artifacts, diaries and hands-on activities.  The museum was worth a visit.

Tim and I also ventured eastward a bit along the Missouri River to Fort Osage National Historic Landmark.  The site on which Fort Osage was constructed overlooks the bends of the Missouri River and was first observed on June 23, 1804 by Lewis and Clark as a likely spot for a fort. After the expedition William Clark, acting as the Indian Agent for Upper Louisiana, established the fort in 1808 as a trading post with the Osage Indians.  Reconstruction of the fort was begun in 1948, and an impressive education center was opened in 2007. 

A Fort on the Missouri River

Fort Osage National Historic Landmark

I'd Rather Sleep in the RV

I also broke down and bought a new camera during our stay.  My old camera had a few issues, and I wanted one with a longer zoom.  Although I love to take photos, I’m not a serious photographer and have no desire for a sophisticated DSLR camera with multiple lenses.  A good quality point-and-shoot that will fit in my purse is more my speed, and that’s what I got.  So far, I’ve been happy with it.

The weather was crazy during our week in Independence with temperatures in the 80s.  It was hard to believe it was almost Halloween. I knew it would be cooler by the end of the month, but still pleasant.  We didn’t feel compelled to head south just yet.