Quiet, at last

Reading in the woods

From the banks of the Columbia to Curlew Lake, Chewelah, Missoula, and (finally) Placid Lake SP, Montana. Good road and great weather.

Along the top of Washington and Idaho we stopped to see sister Sally, and Terri (and Jim), the breeder of Jamie and Peaches. Sally brought us a most excellent lunch while we moochdocked near the city park.

Missoula has great vibes, despite the folks camping next to us at the KOA. The canines enjoyed the dog parks and we relaxed a bit. On our way out of town we stopped at Cabela’s for a wee bit of clothes and gear. We also stocked up on dark roast pods at City Brew.

We camped at Placid Lake last year and decided on four days this time. Large sites, quiet, the lake, and dog swimming. Also just one or two bars of mobile. Life is good.

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Day 2 – Daroga State Park

A 5 Star Park

After a stop at the Sprinter shop in Lynnwood for some needed scheduled maintenance, we detoured around the fire on US 2 and are camped in one of the nicest state parks we’ve ever seen. Wide sites, quiet and scenic.

We did some rearranging of the canine supplies after breakfast and a nice mile stroll to check out the beach. Peaches was really on point as we came closer to the water.

On the Road Again

We departed home yesterday, connecting with the PT-Coupeville boat and onboard in fifteen minutes! The Ferry Princess was shining on us.

We stopped in Burlington for a quartermaster task, then found a nice RV park in Bothell. Pull-through amongst the primarily Class A’s and fifth wheels. Wonderful place to stay while in Seattle.

Coupeville Ferry

We’re now waiting for some maintenance at the Sprinter service shop in Lynnwood, then over Snoqualmie Pass to Ellensburg for tonight. My RLS requires serious task balancing, so we’re taking it easy this trip. Our Tollers, Jamie and Peaches, have fallen right into their travel mode and are so well behaved.

The Other Ocean

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We are camped on the Atlantic Ocean in York Harbor Maine. I realize I’ve been terribly deficient in posting our trip. The days have been tiring and what computer time I’ve had has been taken by the work that helps us by the diesel for the trip.

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Highlights have included a visit to my dear friend Joanne in Las Cruces NM. She and her late husband Steve were mentors of this very wet behind the ears lieutenant at Hamilton AFB CA, my posting between pilot training and the pipeline for Vietnam. San Francisco, Napa Valley, and flying all over the world made those days idyllic. Joanne and Steve made them memorable. It was hot in New Mexico, but manageable for a touching base after 50 years!

We next visited relations in the Clarksville TN/Guthrie KY area, my aunt Sue and cousins John, Glenna and Martha. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch hosted by my cousins and got caught up. Martha gave us a collection of letters my Dad and his sister Emily and brother Jim had written home to my Granddaddy Keith during World War II. Quite a treasure to explore when we return. home.

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Amherst MA was our next destination. We have friends who have 325 acres of preservation farm and hearts of gold. Alas, Kevin drove himself to the hospital the a=day before we arrived, but he’s home now and seeing his doctors. There are a couple of favorite places we enjoy: Henion Bakery, where Dave still remembers us from our last visit and serves wonderful coffee and baked goods; and Flayvors of Cook Farm, with its creamery ice cream.

We traveled to the other side of Massachusetts to visit friends in Falmouth. Bill and Joyce invited us to join them for Mothers Day dinner and then escorted around the area on Monday. Great people we wish we had in our neighborhood.

I’m writing this 100 feet from the ocean near York Bay, Maine. Cool and just a little breeze. The boys have had some real grass to walk on as well as a little beach. Tomorrow we head for New Brunswick, crossing at Calais, then a ferry from St John to Digby, Nova Scotia the next day. We will be visiting the land of the origins of Tollers!

 

 

Day Two – The Dark Side

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The Dark Side traffic

Our second day was a real challenge. The warning lights we ended the first with hadn’t disappeared, so we called MB in Lynnwood and headed north. Traffic was terrible, hence my attribution “The Dark Side.” The drivability reduced to full “limp mode” four miles south of the dealer, so we were lucky in the stops and goes.

Scott at Mercedes-Benz was an angel. He had received my message that we were on the way in and was ready for us. Four hours later we were back on the road. A rear wheel sensor was replaced at no charge. We ordered in some Thai for lunch and scores of folks wanted to pet the red and white puppies.

We drove a short way to Dash Point SP for the night rather than trudge through Tacoma traffic and had a decent drive to the KOA in Cascade Locks today. The rig is cruising as it should.

Kinnon and Jamie are a joy to travel with, calm and polite with each other. We’ve been getting pics of Allie and it’s obvious she’s have way more fun across the street than putting up with the Tollers!