Monday morning and 3 weeks left to first trip

Our first trip with our trailer and truck is soon to be on. Last week I got my trailer towing licence, and right after that Polly started packing the trailer with all the dishes, and pots and pans. We have started buying what we think we will need during the trip, I start off with an impact gun to make sure if we have a flat I can change it fast with less effort, also a multi tester in case we have electrical troubles. Poly is buying a Malita coffee pot and filters so we have a dependable coffee start to our day, and a step stool to acess the top cupboards. I have to put a tool kit together, and will over the next couple weeks. Our trailer and truck will soon fill up our goods, and we will be on our way before we know it.

We hope to make one camp trip before we leave the island, but still not sure we will make it. I took the trailer to CP Auto in Duncan Friday to give it a check up on some of the major components Brakes, Propane system, and the slide mechanism.  There were a couple problems, and will be finished today for sure says the Trailer technician. One valve for the fridge, and one for the hot water tank, and so it starts, trailer repairs...

We leave on our trip on the 11th of September on the Coho ferry out of Victoria harbour for Washington state. Our 21st anniversary is on the 10th, so we plan to celebrate in Victoria the evening before we leave, as we can park our rig at the ferry terminal over night, and catch the first ferry in the morning. Celebrating our anniversary is dinner and a few drinks, and maybe a few dances, if we can find a pub with some music Thursday evening. Will be fun anyway, we can make a party out of most anything, as Polly and I have much fun with less.

I have started planning which towns, and campsite possibilities we may stay in, as we have to have some idea of when we will have to move from place to place as we make our way to San Francisco. I am shooting at 3hr drive trips so far, and 2 night stays in each campsite. We may find we can travel further, and stay longer in the final camp spot, but for now will work with this.

Joining Passport America, or/and Good Sam Club is something we are most likely going to do, as we will get some good discounts with membership.  Got Polly checking this out today, should have much info when I return from work tonight.

Friday again

Bosco and I went for a walk around the country block yesterday evening, and on the way I had thoughts about how it will be on our adventure. I am used to this walk, I know what expect next as well being close to our family living on this island. I think I am ready to move on and see more of this land, but am questioning whether I will miss what we have?

Familiar places, people, smells, sights and just comfort in where we are will be a test. Next month on our tester trip will help me make adjustments, but I will keep checking how I am feeling about leaving, and what I might miss, and what I can do to help check this as I go.

Friday again, and off to the cabin for the weekend after work tonight. Looks like will be a fun weekend with friends, fishing, joking, eating, and drinking possibility, likely too much!

Will be fun for sure. I will try to make this weekend just a little more controlled, I don't want to feel shitty next day while fishing... Good luck Brent! LOL

Busy times this summer

Was a fast weekend, as I worked till 12pm Friday night, then Saturday we went to Port Alberni for Don and Bev's 40h anniversary BBQ.  Was a fun time, but Polly and I were not prepared for the cold as clouds came in, and we had shorts and a shirt Brrr...

We saw many people that we expected to see, and a few we didn't expect. Like  a reunion for me, as most of the people I grew up with, and were very close to me. Penny and Dax came with us, and we saw each other on and off during the evening. Dax was shy at first, then 1/2 way through the night he got on the trampoline with others his age, and away he went. Many children were there, and full of energy. Was fun just to watch them.

We left at 10:30- 11pm, was just time to get out. Cold had got to us, and party was winding down, beer pong was brought out, not for me. Brandie, who hadn't drank brought us home.

Sunday  morning Taxi! We got the truck from the now quiet party, and off to Swale Rock cafe for breaky. Love this place, best breakfast in town in my opinion. Homemade jam, real grilled potatoes, not deep fried, and bread baked in house. Now to Memeres, and call Dan for a trip to MacLean's Mill, steam machines will be there on display. Also the logging show will be in action.

Dan and I head to the mill in his cool 50's yellow Chevy pickup truck, with some clouds in the sky, but all went good. We got a good show at the logging demonstration, yard the logs with a steam donkey and wooden tower, load them onto an old Hayes logging truck with flat head powered wooden heal boom. We saw many steam powered tractors, as well as the steam powered saw mill that was such a beauty to behold. Like to watch as they break down a log slowly, all with less than half the man that used to work in the mill.

All in all a great weekend with old friends, and a few new ones. Port Alberni is a wonderful place to visit, especially when you have family and friends there that you love, and enjoy spending time with.  

Licence failure and my response.

Wednesday July 22nd  I had an appointment with the driving instructor in Duncan which I had booked since the trailer hitch was installed in May. I need a class 7 licence to tow our trailer as it is over 4600kg. I have been for a couple drives with Wayne, the man we had bought the trailer off of, as well as hooking up, and un-hooking the trailer, and studying the pages I had printed from the driver training site that told me how to do a walk around pre-trip inspection. I sent most study time on the pre-trip, and not much on the driving. I wasn't prepared for the actual driving test. I thought I knew how to drive this truck and trailer around, and would pass as I saw myself as a consciences driver, and this thought process was what made me think I would pass without a problem.

Well I didn't pass, and I was surprised. I was angry that the instructor took me for a drive in the down town area, I didn't plan to be circling in the down town area as my plan was to go from campsite to campsite off the highway with ourtrailer. I just wasn't prepared for what he expected of me. I cut corners at intersections, which I thought ok as no car was in my way, I thought if I need the room it was the way to make the turn. I didn't signal when he said pull over here and stop. I didn't look in my mirror often enough. I just didn't think I would fail.

At first I was just blaming the examiner, and had a few days of being pissed off about what I saw was an examiner that wasn't doing his job properly. Now after I've calmed down, I have looked at the test marked paper, I see where I went wrong, and realize that I have to practice more, and will make better use of the time I have to do a few more drives around Nanaimo, as this is the next place I will take my test. I should have tested sooner, as I just took what Duncan had for test times, that was a mistake. I should have driven more too, but even that wouldn't have made me better, as I thought what I was doing was ok.

Yesterday I was still upset, and on our early morning walk Polly heard it the whole way. What a dufuss I am for believing I was right, and the examiner was wrong.

My learning from this is I am not as good a driver as I think! Good for me to know. I think I'm pretty smart, (maybe not) now to use these smarts to move forward and get on with getting the licence I need to continue with our plan to see North America.

Thanks Polly for listening to my ranting yesterday. She tried to get me to see where I was wrong, but I wasn't listening. I will learn from what happened, and will practice driving with the trailer to do what is expected in the next test.

Oh we picked up a portable Coleman BBQ yesterday in Victoria for our trailer. Looks like a good one, Polly likes it. Will try it out today, and plan to hook it to the trailer propane plumbing.

Friday again

Plans for the weekend are head out after work today to our cabin, picking up or grandchildren Jayden and Taylor in Port Alberni. We will get a few unfinished jobs done, and of course fish for some of the best salmon we can find. Oh and if I was to ask Taylor, to swim all day!

Off to work now, weekend ahead.

Tuesday already, BBQ went good

Polly and I had a fun time getting ready for the BBQ. We were busy all morning, and afternoon till 4pm. Then we sat and waited for people to make their way here. The rain came and went during the day, but we never thought to cancel, we knew it would work out one way or the other. First came Barry and Branwin, then the yard started to flood with people, and it started. First people were standing all around, and meeting each other, then John said "do you want our stand up canopy?" Ahh. Ahh,Hmm yes ok that would be nice. So off we went next door to get the fold out canopy out of John's RV.

Wow that went up nicely, and it covered the table, and a big area 10x10' "Oh that looks good, now it won't rain for sure" I say, and it didn't till most had left, and even then it was just a short sprinkle. People were talking and meeting each other, and Polly and I were doing the same. Chairs were setup outside the canopy, and all found a place to sit and yak. Claudette and Americo showed up and that was so nice to see them, now the appy's start.

 Polly starts cooking the prawns, and does this ever go over good, appys that were brought were put out  people were happy to have a few of these delicacies to start on. Polly wants to wait for Chris and Barb before we start, but finally she gives the go ahead, and I start on the salmon. Well I notice right away that as I had asked for, Americo brought a sockeye all cut up and marinated, so on that goes, and beside me is Polly cooking the Cod, with her light batter, and on goes the rest of the salmon I had marinating. Funny how when we get into it the time just fly's. All the sudden I'm on the last piece of salmon, and Polly is finishing off the cod. Everyone is happy with the spread, they all brought a salad, or desert and dinner was on. People kept coming up to me while we were cooking saying wow was this ever good, Love the Salmon, Love the Cod! Thanks was heard often. Polly and I were full, full of happiness, as we do like to see people mix and have fun and enjoy good fresh fish. I say to Polly at one point that "it would be nice to have our grand kids here to acknowledge them as the catchers of the fish" and also I think to show them off to the people.

Funny, when I start to write about our grandchildren it brings a tear to my eyes, Love em I do, proud of them too. Was a fun year this year at the cabin, and will be remembered for life by all of us.

I notice Polly rounding the fence, and heading down the street with a plate of food, Joan had gone home early, and Polly was making sure she had a dinner. Gee I love that girl! Polly I mean...

After dinner has been consumed, and people were calmly talking Polly says to me "we should make a toast to Marlene", and I say ok lets, so Polly made a toast, and we all raised our glasses, and toasted Marlene, and there was a quiet for a short while. Was good to remember Marlene as she would have been here if not for dying the week before. I will miss her.

Slowly couple by couple, person by person, make their way back home, but not empty handed as Polly make's sure all that leave have some of the left over salmon, or whatever they want that we have left. Always more food than needed, as Polly never wants to see not enough... LOL

Now we are down to the final few that usually are left, Polly and I, John and Carol, Barb and Chris, and Claudette and Americo. The rain starts and we move under the cover, and talk till the cool air finally gets to us. J&C leave, they have to let their dog Carley, out. We all clean up the rest of the food, and go in the house, and talk and drink a little more. The cab comes for C&B and now just 4 of us Polly says we can't go to bed till 12am, as she has to put breakfast in the Crockpot!

Ok so off to the trailer to play a few games of Poker, turn up the tunes and away we go. Funny how the end of the night we have been using the trailer as or final place to be. We played till 1:30am, and I made a beer spill on the carpet! First one, and all Polly says is better you than me!

Was a fun night, and all went well. May be the last one, as next year we expect to sell in the spring, and off we go. I will miss this place.

Tester trailer trip went good, BBQ today!

Wayne and I went for a trip to Duncan Thursday so I could get used to towing the trailer, and also get used to hooking up and taking off the trailer. I learned some more, thanks to Wayne showing me what to do as I about the jobs. There is allot to remember when hooking up the trailer, I have now started a list that I will add to as time goes on. Same for when unhooking, I will make sure these lists are continuously updated as I do now for the cabin list we have for packing to go the cabin.

The trip to Duncan was good, not a problem when traveling on the highway, but entering and leaving is where problems can happen. I turned off at the Canada avenue exit, and that went good at the roundabout, but judging how much time I will need to excel once I enter traffic again is something I will have to get used to. Canada avenue is narrow in some places, especially when there is a left turn lane beside straight through lane, trailer just fits inside the lines.

Next learning is when making a right turn off the road into any driveway, you have to judge carefully how wide to go and how tight I can turn, as the trailer could contact the truck cab. Do not want to hurt either of my babies!

Parking the trailer afterward in the same place in our RV park was difficult as there is another RV there now, and a boat in my way, again good for me to learn how to get around a problem.

All in all was a good experience, and will be ready for the drivers exam on the 22nd. Have to practice the walk around checks yet.  

Today is Saturday, having a BBQ with Neighbours and Friends, should be a fun day, will get to know a few neighbours from close by, and a few new neighbours in our small community. Looking forward to tonight, GTG as have much to do today.