Corning, California: Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.
Rain pelted our motorcoach all night Saturday in Eugene, and we had to hitch-up in a deluge. While putting the Jeep through her 12-step towing procedure Sunday morning, there was a loud CLUNK noise when I put the disengaged transmission into PARK. I did not like that sound, so reversed the process and completed the twelve steps again. Same CLUNK. Hmmm. The wheels turned as My Driver pulled forward and everything seemed normal, so we started our journey south.
When DT shut down the engine at our overnight stop, we could hear a noise coming from the rear of the motorhome. Something was whirring, like a really loud refrigerator. The noise ended up being the OTR air conditioner (something we have never used in the 13 years of owning this bus and we have no idea/can't remember what the On The Road Air Conditioner does. How could we have inadvertently flipped that switch? Then we noticed the bedroom ceiling lights were on. Then we noticed a sconce light near the dinette was lit. Lights above the two recliners were on. Neither of us turned on any of these lights. We had a glitch. Or a ghost.
We checked-into our campsite at 7 Feathers RV Resort. After all the shenanigans, I insisted we check that the car still had a working transmission. We unhitched in the pouring rain. I had planned to test/drive the car to the truck stop to fill the gas tank. After grabbing my wallet from inside the bus, my eyes partially shrouded by the hood of my rain jacket, I walked smack-dab into the corner of the bedroom slide, whacking my forehead HARD. Holy Heck, did that hurt! I was seeing stars, and I’m not talking George Clooney.
On the positive side, the car ran normally. However, the lines to fuel at the low-price Native American casino truck stop were way too long, so I returned to the bus and spent a rainy afternoon needlepointing. My Driver watched golf on television. It was nice to just relax after four busy days at Historic Hayward Field - not to mention all the oddities of our day. A quiet evening, an early night and we left Canyonville early this morning, hoping to reach the next Native American casino RV Park in time to play golf. One of us was bound to get a hole in one, right?
By the time we crossed into California, the sun was shining! As soon as Dave turned-off the engine at Rolling Hills RV Park we noticed a few odd lights were on AGAIN! (I have a funny feeling this entire issue is related to my sneaking suspicion we need new house batteries.) The moment we were plugged-in, DT headed over to play golf. I decided to stay in. Why? Winds were gusting to 30mph... and I needlepoint.
As I was prepping dinner, DT phoned from the links asking if I could see the fire? What fire? Dave said it looked as if the RV Park may have been on fire! It was just a bad angle from the golf course, but there WAS a huge fire in a field across I-5 from the casino. It seemed to have started directly across from the casino/hotel and spread quickly south along the interstate. As I wrote above, the winds were raging.
After a few hours, the fire seemed to be out. I do not recall any structures in this area, but maybe a billboard burned? Helicopters stopped flying over the area, and the smoke dispersed. It is so hot and dry in California. Be careful, people!
While My Driver was driving on the golf course, I was roasting cherry tomatoes and garlic as a test for our convection oven. As suspected, the oven is not reaching the temperatures requested (I bought an oven thermometer in Eugene.) Dang.
Dinner tonight was a bit easy. Boiled ravioli from Trader Joe, with sauteed Chicken Artichoke sausage - served with roasted asparagus spears, topped with tomatoes roasted with garlic and tarragon.
This was a wonderful dinner! Seeing family tomorrow in Sacramento, where you know we will have even more wonderful dinners.
Until my next update, I remain, your jinxed correspondent.
RV PARK: Rolling Hills RV Park - in Corning. Basic pull-through gravel sites with full service. This park is best suited for campers with their own bathroom facilities as the bathhouse is quite a walk away from the campground. There is a casino with many restaurants, a travel center with discounted fuel, concert venues, a hotel and a very good golf course. We are paid $50 to camp. Green fees were also $50 (late afternoon rate).
I love Oregon. Always enjoy the drive through either on hwy 5 or on the coast. Dry Calif is another story.
Your bus interior light situation is curious……figured it out?
What project are you needlepointing on? Haven’t picked mine
up in several years. Goes in spells for me.