New doors - Better than new! Almost

On Thursday we received a call from Scott the claims adjuster from GMAC. What great customer service after making the initial report to a deaf and dumb clerk in India. He said to go ahead with Roberson as they are on the GMAC preferred list of body shops.
With the doors off, we drove the motorhome over to Roberson's and met with Dave. He spent a lot of time looking over the damage. We then went over to parts where the parts man contacted Winnebago and determined only one of the doors was in stock. Dave said the other two doors would need to be fabricated by the factory. We will also need the bottom pan and the side panel along with some other parts. We left Dave to finish the estimate and forward it to Scott.

Friday I setup an open air RV body shop to fabricate my own doors.

Body shop

Talking to Blake

Explaining to Blake how the rock rolled into the MH

And presto! New doors.

New doors

We were able to find a green tarp which matched the paint perfectly. Looking down the MH you have a hard time even noticing the doors aren't the originals! Yes, I'm still in denial!

Ty Slept through the accident on Debbie's leather coat.

A Rock in the Dark (con't)

As Paul Harvey would say, "Now the rest of the story." Wednesday when we picked up the motorhome from the Freightliner shop it was close to dark. We discussed spending the night in the shop's lot because it's difficult to navigate in Port Susan due to the narrow streets and it's pitch black because there are no lights and there is heavy tree cover. We had decided to just pull into our lot head first for the night and then turn it around in the morning. When we got into Port Susan, as expected, it was dark. As I made a right turn onto our street, there was a sickening, crunching sound. I couldn't see what happened, but I had cut the corner too tight and hit an unseen rock that crunched three basement doors and the framing along the bottom. One door was just hanging by one of it's three hinges.

Here the hanging door has been removed

Closer look, the center door was jammed into the rear door.

The middle door damage

The next morning I called Roy Robinson who is a Itasca dealer and made an appointment for the afternoon for an estimate. Called our insurance company GMAC through Good Sam. Our claim report was taken by an 'English as a forth or fifth language' clerk. Everything had to be repeated several time by both of us but I finally made it through. That experience left me very concerned about dealing with my insurance company!

I had to take off two of the doors and unload the compartments before I could drive over to Roy Roberson to let "Dave" take a look. The rear door is damaged but is still usable.

Two of the doors removed

A Rock in the Dark

A lot has been happening up here in Port Susan since last Sunday where I left off watching football with a gentle rain falling on the roof. Well to continue, towards the middle of the third quarter the sun came out and since the Raiders had the game won, I went over to our shed and started pressure washing off the roof. I needed to clean off the moss that I had killed a week ago. Fortunately I just finished the roof when a seal blew out in the wand and the washer stopped working. Returning I found out the Raiders blew it in the last few minutes of the game. I started watching the 49ers but they looked like they were going to lose too so I quit watching. They won, who knew?

Monday we went up to Mount Vernon to the Freightliner shop to arrange to have the motorhome serviced. We setup an appointment for Wednesday. They said the M2 service is a seven hour job and with the generator service and engine service meant we would be without a home for the day and then some.

Tuesday we went to the Tulalip Casino for their buffet lunch. Tuesday is old people discount day.



There was a long line but we only had to wait around fifteen minute.



Later that evening we went to Stanwood to celerbrate Tonie's birthday at Jimmy's Pizza. We were early and Debbie found a quilt store and found some goodies. The guilt store takes up the whole building.



Wednesday we got up early and by 6am the motorhome was on the way to Mount Vernon. We dropped it off and then looked around Mt Vernon.




While we were site seeing Jim called from Gresham, OR. to let us know that Debbie’s mother, Bobbie was in the hospital there. When they arrived up here she had a really bad cough and went into Marysville to a drop-in clinic. The diagnosis was bronchitis and she received a prescription for the same medication she had been prescribed for a previous bout. We thought she was on her way to recovery when she left us, but apparently not, as the hospital was keeping her today for observation. We’ll hopefully learn more tomorrow.
We thought about seeing a show to kill some time and the theater turned out to be at the end of a mall which also had free wifi. We saw 'Righteous Kill' starring Al Pachino and Robert De Niro. It was about 5 out of 10. I had developed a headache so we stopped at a RiteAid. I got some aspirin and left Debbie unsupervised in the dollar store next door. I should mention it’s rained off and on all day, anyway this is the results.

Football day

Rich and LesAnn hosted a get together this week as they are leaving today for home in the Bay Area. Rich in the yellow hat and LesAnn sitting behind him. LesAnn's sister, Tracie is standing between them. You can see Debbie at the bill of Rich's hat an next to her is Debbie's mom, Bobbie and Jim standing behind her. They left Saturday morning to visit some friends living in Idaho. They planned to stop in Leavenworth on the way. Leavenworth is a tourist destination similar to the town of Solvang in California.

This is the other end of the group. Everyone brought snacks, which overflowed onto a second table, and their favorite libation.

LesAnn's sister, Tracie and Mike Wolf her husband were visiting from Coeur 'd Alene, ID. Mike retired from Concord PD maybe 20 years ago and went to work for a Law Enforcement agency in Idaho. I was great to see him again and catch up on what he has been doing all these years.

Debbie has been perfecting breakfast sandwiches and this is Sunday moring breakfast, while watching the Raiders beating the Bills (at half time). It's raining again so I guess I'll have to watch the next game too!

Jim and Bobbie Visit

This week Debbie's folks, Jim and Bobbie, arrived for a visit. They elected to stay at the brand new Holiday Express in Marysville instead of accepting my offer of throwing out sleeping bags for them in the back of our Jeep.
Monday we toured around area seeing the sites in and around Marysville. Upon returning to Port Susan it was time for a walk, BBQ'd steaks and Monday Night Football.

Jim, Bobbie, Debbie and Ty

Debbie, Bobbie and Ty

Debbie, Ty and Jim

Monday Night Football

The weather was mild and we watched TV outside under the stars. Ignore the people with coats and blankets, they're from Arizona!

Today we saw the new Tulalip's new hotel. Very large and impressive. Stopped at the best value around for lunch, Christiano's. You can have a very large salad and personal pizza for around seven dollars. We usually eat the salad and take home the pizza for dinner. Today we added calamari to the table and all of us were stuffed. At least until dinner when we re-heated the pizza.

Here is a quick picture story of some of our time in Victoria

We toured Craigdarroch Castle which was constructed in the 1890's as a family residence for the wealthy coal baron Robert Dunsmuir and his wife Joan. We were free to roam inside the castle. We're now reading a book on Dunsmur's very interesting life. He died a year before the castle was completed. His widow enjoyed the castle for many years.


I don't know the significance of this school myself, but it pointed out to me and I took this picture.


We had lunch in a upscale pub in the downtown area.


We also went to Buchart Gardens and they are indeed beautifull. We had dinner there on the porch.

Our table was on the porch on the right

Tomorrow we will be back in Port Susan

Victoria cont.

Here comes the Black Ball Ferry. The ferry turns around and we drive in the back. When we arrive at Victoria we drive out the front side door.

Black Ball Ferry arrives at Port Angles

The Ferry docks in the inner harbor of Victoria right in front of our hotel! Victoria is the center of government for British Columbia. Here is a shot of the parliament building, our hotel is just out of the picture to the right.

Inner harbor and Parliament Building

Of course the Empress Hotel is also on the inner harbor. After throwing Ty and our luggage in the room we walked over to the double decker tour bus in front of the Empress and loaded up for a quick city tour. Afterward we walked over to Nautical Nellies Restaurant & Oyster Bar and we both had Veal Oscar for dinner. Yumm. We also discovered a local beer called '1516', a Bavarian Lager which was great and we'll have to find a source for this beer when we get back home.

Victoria

We returned from Victoria late Friday Night after a great time there, and yes we stayed a day longer than planned.

Getting over to Victoria from Marysville required using two ferries. The first one, a Washington State Ferry, from Edmonds to Kingston and the other, the Black Ball Ferry, from Port Angles to Victoria. We made reservation for the Black Ball ferry for the 12:30 crossing and were instructed to arrive an hour early. Not knowing how the morning traffic would be or how crowded the Washington Ferry would be, I identified the latest three ferries that would get us to the next ferry, the Black Ball, on time and we shot for the first of the three, hey run about half hour apart. Well the traffic was heavy but moved fast and we were able to jump on an earlier ferry. Long story short we arrived at the Black Ball dock around 8:30am. At least we were first in line!

Here Ty checks the ferry's course

I will try to catch up on the rest of the trip tomorrow.

Off to Victoria

Debbie and I are leaving early tomorrow morning for Victoria, BC, Canada. We will be returning on Thursday late. There will be no updates to the blog until this Friday as were are leaving all our guns, tear gas, cell phones and computers here in the motorhome.

Back on the Net

Well Friday I decided to fix the Verizon data card. The antenna port is very fragile and became loose and wobbly from repeated plugging and unplugging. I used some silicone like glue to permanently anchor it to the data card. The glue took forever to dry and because of some voids, I had to re-glue a few times. Couldn't use it until it dried. In the mean time I ran some power to the cabinet where the router and amplifier are located and got rid of the extension cord draped across the windshield. Debbie has been so understanding!! Everything is working fine and Deb and I are back online. Hooray.

Saturday morning we went over to Arlington intending to have breakfast at Denny's. As we approached we notice a local restaurant across the street from Denny's and decided to give it a try. What a good decision. It was one of the best breakfasts we have had in a while. It has a long history in the area and the present owners and past owners even longer. If you are ever in the area give it a try.

Patty's Eggnest
2211 State Route 530 NE
Arlington, WA 98223

The weather has turned just wonderful, yes even better, with days up to 70 deg. and last night the three of us took a walk after dark and it was still warm out.

Butchart Gardens finally called and we have a reservation for a "romantic dinner" at a window table. We also decided to take Ty with us for fear he might forget where his box is or forget and scratch the furniture if left alone without supervision.

Today I has been football all day.

Yard Work

Not much going on today. Debbie finished embroidering CPD badges on shirts for Lloyd and Rich. We both worked out in the yard this afternoon. We cleared a lot of fallen limbs and tree stuff from the green belt bordering our lot. This evening we went over to Lloyd and Bev's for a visit and Debbie gave Lloyd his shirt. When we returned we had a nice bonfire burning some of the wood we had cleaned up earlier. Tomorrow Debbie and the girls, around eight of them, are going into town to pick out some material for a friendship quilt, whatever that is. There is a strong interest in quilting up here and it's not even snowing yet.

Last night I made reservations for a ferry ride to Victoria, BC and a hotel room for a couple of nights. We are going to Victoria on Vancouver Island next Tuesday and return Thursday. Wednesday we plan to see Butchart Gardens and have dinner there. The plan is to see the gardens in the daylight and then in the evening as the garden lights come on. No dinner reservation there yet. Their reservation number is voice mail which ask you to leave your number and they will call you back. So far no call but I'll keep trying.

Not Another RV After All

This morning Debbie and I decided to put off the acquisition of an RV until next year. We realized it would require a lot of work before we could leave it for the winter and I guess we just didn't want to spend our remaining time working. I think we just aren't ready to give up our perfect life style as yet. Anyway I called Travis and canceled our meeting which meant we didn't have a three hour plus drive, down and back, to Ft. Lewis. Since we now had the morning free each of us found something else to do with our time.

Some of us slept

And some of us worked

I got out my electric bike and went for a bike ride around the park. No pictures of the bike, maybe tomorrow.

And Still Another RV

Today the three of us drove down to Kent Washington, a little over an hour away, to look at another 5th wheel. It was parked in the back of a "cremation services" building and we found that Shawn, the owner, had lived in it for a few months. It didn't appear that the RV was connected to the business. Whew!! He was asking $6,800 for it. After we looked it over, we went to lunch to talk it over. None of us were really excited by the unit and in fact Ty slept through the RV examination and lunch. During lunch I called Brad to have him look up the value of the 5th wheel. He is not real familiar with any of this and on his first try came up with $2,600 and then $4,195. If we were right, which was questionable, the unit was way over priced. We returned and offered Shawn $5,500 as a starting point and he was firm on the price and said he would just keep the unit rather than drop the price, so Debbie, Ty and I left for home empty handed again.

I did a little yard work instead of taking a nap and while I was killing weeds Travis called. He owns an Alfa 5th wheel located at Fort Lewis and we made an appointment to meet tomorrow after lunch. While we're there we'll try to say hello to Bob Grimes, who also worked at Concord PD.

Labor Day

Today we're invited to the Morrison's for an afternoon Labor day dinner party.

And here everybody is before dinner at the Morrison's.

Waiting for the burgers

Cooking the burgers or Putting out the fire!

Come on everybody, let's eat!

Tomorrow we're going down to Kent to look at a 5th wheel. It's located at the guy's work place which he said is "K and D Cremation Services". O'great, I need to find out for sure what or how he used the 5th wheel!