Escaping the Snow

Lighthouse in Crescent City, California

It turned out to be a really good idea that I stayed an extra night at the 7 Feathers Casino Resort's RV park. I used the time to get a little more organized before moving on. I spent several hours staying warm and cozy in the RV park's laundry room, getting a new batch of scarves ready to sell on eBay. I also did laundry and used the pool and hot tub again.

My second night out, however, was really, really cold. My propane heater still doesn't work (although my friend Dan says maybe the igniter just needs to be taken out and cleaned, so I will try that) and I had to sleep in multiple layers of clothes under lots of blankets. So when I woke up in the morning, I was really ready to head to California!

I went into Canyonville to pick up a space heater for nights when I'm hooked up to electricity. Both the guy at the hardware store and the folks at the natural foods store told me I would really, really enjoy driving Highway 199 to Crescent City, because the area is so beautiful, especially in the Smith River park areas. They were really nice people, but I think they underestimated the fear an inexperienced motorhome driver might experience while negotiating those hairpin turns in the driving snow. I was too busy being careful to enjoy the view very much. But, truthfully, I wasn't terrified--the snow was sticking to the road only a little bit at the various summits and passes, and the road was completely clear at lower elevations.

Driving down into Crescent City was kind of like a deliverance, though. The sun was shining a little bit and the ocean was so beautiful. I checked out the town a little bit and saw lots of expensive RV parks near the water. I decided to go north to the Lucky 7 Casino where they offered free RV parking. No hook-ups, but it was warmer here, so I knew I could handle it. I had some difficult moments getting my lights working--I still don't understand which switches do what--but eventually got that sorted out by trial and error. I also bought batteries for my Coleman lantern so I'll still have light even if I get totally confused with the house lights again.

To get free parking, I had to be a customer of the casino, so I played bingo at the Lucky 7 last night. I had no luck at all, but I met some very nice local folks. I told the cashier that I was fairly inexperienced at these complicated casino bingo games, and would she please seat me near some players who would help me out. So I played alongside Buster, a very nice and somewhat quirky guy who lines his part of the table with his lucky trolls before he plays.

I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up this bingo habit. So far I have not won a cent at the casinos. I haven't lost much, either, because I never risk much. But I do get tempted by oddball things, such as a slot machine I saw the other night that was called "Dolphin Treasure." My mind immediately went to, "Well, I have a Dolphin, and I bet I'd win on that one!" Yeah, right.

This morning, I headed south on Highway 101 and found out that I had not managed to escape the snow, after all! But again, it wasn't as bad as some driving situations I've been through in the past. Right now, I'm in Oreck, about midway between Crescent City and Eureka, at the really pleasant Palm Motel and Cafe, where the 80+ year old proprietor, Martha Peals, still makes homemade pies every day. Jerry, a friendly guy who lived in Eugene for many years, handles the front of the cafe and invited me to use the wifi here. I stopped in for breakfast, but I'm definitely taking a piece of Martha's pie with me for later in the day!

The post office is right across the highway, so I'm going to get some stuff mailed out while I'm here. I've sold four scarves on eBay so far during my travels, which is really good considering I haven't worked very hard on my eBay business for the past few weeks while getting ready to leave. I'll get them mailed out as quickly from the road as I would have had I remained in Eugene.

My next task while I'm online is to see if there's an affordable place with hookups where I could stay tonight. After several cold nights, I'd like a warm one, preferably with wifi so I can get that next batch of scarves listed on eBay. I have a couple of campground memberships, so I should be able to find something.

Sonja seems to be adjusting. She still doesn't enjoy traveling, but she's beginning to understand that this is her lot in life for the time being.

My First 36 Hours As a Full-Time RVer

The Guppy at Pacific Yurts in Cottage Grove, OR

My cat Sonja and I slept in my 1982 Toyota Dolphin for the first time the night before last. We were parked on the street in front of my neighbor Chris' house in Eugene. I couldn't get the pilot light started on the propane heater, but I have a down comforter and I was warm enough. I did get the stove to work, and using that took the chill off the air a little, too.

Yesterday morning, I went back into the house I'd been renting to clean the fridge and bathroom, and had a farewell breakfast with Chris at the Monroe Cafe, and then we were off! Kitty in the cabover, me in the driver's seat.

First stop was my friend Jean's house to return some tapes and leave my mom's costume jewelry with her. (Jean knows jewelry! She's going to remake some of it into brooches for my sister and me, and she says some of it might be salable, too.)

Then we headed down the highway, looking for adventure, and got it, in spades. The next stop was the very first rest stop that we came to on I-5. By that time, a few things had shifted and flown around in the back of the Guppy, so I stopped to survey the situation. No major damage, but Sonja must have been surprised and upset when I started driving, because she had peed the bed. Fortunately, only the top layer, a duvet cover protecting my down comforter, got wet, so I stripped it.

Then Sonja managed to escape the RV--my worst nightmare! My very first rest stop and the cat is gone! However, the rest stop had lots of big trucks and was very scary, so Sonja stayed under my rig and I was able to grab her. She spent the next hour or so caged in her stroller. Later I let her out and she rode in the cabover again.

As I was leaving Eugene, the wind picked up a lot. I felt unsafe on I-5 and used the less busy and less exposed-to-the-wind Highway 99 whenever I could. That's how I happened across Pacific Yurts just south of Cottage Grove, which is a lovely place to stop if you ever happen to be in the neighborhood. They've got several demo yurts set up in a beautiful park-like setting with picnic tables. I wandered through the gorgeous yurts and found myself coveting them, since life in the motorhome was already a little complicated.

The next stop was actually a series of stops at the thrift stores that dot Highway 99 throughout Roseburg, Oregon. I found several scarves and nice pieces of vintage yardage and had coffee at The Daily Grind.

Then we headed to 7 Feathers Casino in Canyonville, where I had reservations at the RV park. It's a lovely place! Right on a creek, which the Tribe has made viable for salmon again. All brand-new facilities, including an indoor pool, hot tub, and gym, and of course the casino with lots of food and entertainment choices. I took myself out for a terrific Valentines Day date--buffet and bingo!

Last night, I posted on FaceBook how completely satisfied I was. Then I went to bed, where I quickly discovered that the top layer of bedding was wet again. Of course, I suspected Sonja first, but the liquid was odorless. I felt the Indian bedspread I had hanging above me like a kid's fort, and it was wet, too. There was a leak associated somehow with the vent that's over the bed. But it was the middle of the night and I didn't feel like investigating it, so I moved my bedding to the spare bed and tarped off my mattress so it wouldn't get wet.

Sleeping on my extra bed is not pleasant. (Any of you who were thinking of coming to visit me along my travels, please take note!) It's basically a small bench with some foam cushions on top. Fine for a nap if you drift off while reading, but not really a place to get a lot of shut-eye, except maybe if you're small and flexible, neither of which describes me. But I did manage to get some sleep, and then woke up to a light dusting of snow on the ground this morning.

Today I looked at weather reports online and talked to some of my neighbors in the RV park, and I decided to alter my itinerary. I had planned to head straight down I-5 towards Sacramento and do a little camping in the Sierra Nevada foothills before heading to the Coast. But there may be a lot more snow in the Siskiyous and up in the Sierra Nevadas, and I'm not on this trip to spend time in the GD snow. So I'm going to take Highway 199 from Grants Pass, Oregon, to Crescent City, California. It will be wet and cold on the northern California coast, but at least it shouldn't be snowy. Highway 199 might be somewhat treacherous (part of it is hairpin turns), so I am staying at least one extra night here at 7 Feathers while I size up the weather situation.

So today I have figured out the cabover leak and done laundry. The leak appeared to come from a screw hole that was missing a screw. I didn't have a screw of the right size, nor was I sure that just replacing it would solve the problem, so I duct-taped the heck out of it. And, just to be certain, I also covered the entire vent with plastic (I'm an artist, so I travel with drop cloths). Have tie-dye duct tape, will travel!

I still cannot get my heater to work and will have this checked out somewhere along the way. Other than that, things are going okay again now. I'm going to use this unexpected down time to get some scarves listed on eBay. The laundry room is warm and has lots of light and an ironing board and a table where I can take photos. I'm also going to take full advantage of the swimming pool and so on. Heck, maybe I'll decide to stay another night! By the time I got my AAA and Players Club discounts, it's pretty inexpensive to stay here. I have reservations for a State Beach in Santa Cruz on the 21st, so there's no hurry.