08/31/17 - This morning left at 8 am since I could not sleep.  I had slept on the couch because it was very warm and I had a little more breeze than in the bedroom so I heard more noises during the night.  I also decided to travel much earlier since it is cooler in the morning than in the afternoon and I would sit out the heat in the afternoon.  Sharon and Dave told me about a large gravel parking lot behind a Best Western in Kettleman City, CA so that is where I am parked this evening.  I have a semi truck next to me that was here before I was and just recently a truck towing a car is on the other side of me but they are not in the truck so I think they just parked it for the night.  I had a good traveling day.  Off to bed soon.  Not sure whether it will be the bed or the couch but will be quieter than Walmart.  It is still very warm ad the sun is down so hopefully will cool off soon.  Off to bed

08/30/17 - This morning, I left the truck stop around 8 45 am.  I still had almost a half tank of gas so decided to drive for a while before filling up which turned out to be a mistake since the gas was a lot higher.  Oh, well, what can one do?  I then drove a while again and stopped and had lunch at a rest stop.  Since I still had some small passes to go over some traveling was very slow but the motor did not over heat.  When I was almost out of the mountain area the outside temperature rose from 88 degrees to 104 degrees!!  I just drove about 50 to 55 miles an hour and the motor did fine.  It took me 8 hours to drive my 300 miles.  I must state tho that I did waste about 45 minutes for lunch because I was just tired from driving.  The sun has gone down so now it is starting to cool off.  When I got to the Walmart in Willows, CA it was 101 degrees.  When I started out this morning, I drove through a lot of smoke from the northern California wild fires.  At one time, we all drove with our lights on because you could not see very far in front of you.  I took a picture from the rest stop and you can not even see the outline of the mountains in the background.  I will attach a picture but the picture really does not do justice to how bad the smoke really was.

08/29/17 - I got everything put away, refilled the water tank and left Dave and Sharon's house at 9 50 am.  Today was a very driving day.  Everything went really well.  I got to the Walmart in Roseburg, Oregon, to learn that the city of Roseburg does not allow any overnight parking. There were signs every where "No Overnight Parking".  I thought about taking my chances but then a police car came and cruised the area. So I decided to go in and ask a manager just to make sure  and he informed me that they will make me move later.  There were quite a few homeless people in the parking lot and  one came over in front of me trying to beg money from motorist leaving Walmart.  He informed me that about 9 00 pm the police will come around and make everyone leave.  So I left because I knew of a truck stop about 8 miles down the road so that is where I am for the evening.  Almost dark so will be playing on my phone for a while and then off to bed.

08/27/17 - On 8/26, we met Mike and his family for a picnic at the lake.  He has a boat and after lunch, we went for a ride around the lake.  Here is it very popular to put a large tube between the boat and ride the waves created by the boat.  I just rode in the boat.  We had a lot of fun.  I have attached a picture of Audrey and Sharon riding the tube

                                         Sorry, it is hard to see Audrey and Sharon
                                             Lake Lawrence, Yelm, Washington

Today, Sharon and I went to Walmart and did a little shopping and the rest of the day was very quiet.
Off to bed

08/23/17 - On 8/21, I went early for Mexican food and then over to the baseball park at the school to watch Sharon's granddaughter practice since they have formed a new fall team.  It was interesting to watch.  Her granddaughter Audrey is really athletic and does quite well.  She will be a freshman in high school and just tried out for the junior varsity volleyball team.  They have been doing a lot of practicing.

8/22, Sharon had her 3 year old granddaughter, Alena for the day.  We went to the lake for awhile to pass time.  There is a playground there, a little sandy beach area, Canadian geese.   We then went to pick up Audrey from volley ball practice and they were both here until their Dad came to pick them up.  We then went and got some chicken and steak fries for dinner.

Today, I wrote a birthday card, did some crocheting and just spent the day with Sharon and Dave. Was a very quiet day.  I did try to see if  I could get in the reserved space in San Diego a couple of days earlier but they are really full so that is not happening.  Took care of a toll bill that I got when crossing the Ohio River.  It was $7.00.  My phone conversations are rather short since the reception here is very, very limited but did get three of them in today.  Off to bed.

08/20/17 - Today, I went with Dave, their son Michael, his wife Jolena, daughter Alena to Seattle airport to pick up my friend Sharon, wife to Dave and Michael's daughter, Audrey.  It is alittle over an hour to the airport but we got into some construction so was longer than that but after we picked them up, we stopped off for lunch at Olive Garden.  Sharon and I sat out on the patio and had a great chat.  It was a good day and I am off to bed.

8/19/17 -  On 8/18, I got gas and left the truck stop at 10 00 am.  Soon after I was on the road it got really, really windy so I slowed down to 50 miles per hour.  It took awhile to get out of the windy valley but it then got better.  I had plans to stop a little earlier for lunch since it was the only rest stop before I went through a long mountain pass and there was nothing on the pass or after the pass.  I had planned to hook up the GPS at lunch time since my drive consisted of I-90.  Well, to my great dismay, the rest stop was closed so I started to look for a truck stop and did stop at one but there absolutely was very little space to hand out so on I went.  Got off at another exit but traffic was horrible so decided to go on again.  I had been munching on some chips and crackers so hunger was not the issue.  I was tired of driving and I needed to hook up the GPS.  I did remember what exit to take off the I-90 so got on Route 18 and what a traffic mess.  It was two lanes and I don't know what happened but very, very busy.  I did not know if I was even going the right way so finally found a small cut out in the road and parked.  I called Dave to see if he had any suggestions regarding the route since the GPS was taken me all over the place.  He did not answer so knew I just had to trust the GPS.  I then got on I-5 and that traffic was backed up for miles.  It took 45 minutes to go 13 miles.  I then exited and that two lane road was also backed up for as far as I could see in front of me and between me.  I finally got through that mess and then started on smaller roads.  I finally got to the road with their address but it was at a Lake Lodge and I could not see a road that was marked and the GPS was telling me we were at our destination which was not true.  I made a right since it looked like a tiny street because going left looked like someone lane to their house and I did not want to get stuck.  Anyway, I soon found myself at a very small cul-de-sac and all I could do is try to make the u-turn.  What a mess.  I first had solar lights out by the front and missed the one by inches and then next was the mailbox.  The car was all twisted up from the turn so I put the RV in reverse for just a few inches since it did not involve the car and sure enough, I was able to clear the mailbox but I hit some small leafy branches with the mirror but no damage at all.  I was very lucky.  Anyway, I stopped to ask someone at the Lodge and sure enough to the left was a street!!.  I finally found Dave at 5 03 pm.
We visited for a minute and then decided where to park, got electricity and leveled the RV.  I soon learned from Dave that there is no satellite service and internet was very hit and miss.  So if I don't respond that means I have no internet.  It is very sporadic.  Plans are to be here until 8/28.

Sharon, (his wife and my ex-employee) will return tomorrow from California.

8/17/17 - On 8/9, Onita and I got up very early and headed or Missoula which is about 50 miles since she had cataract surgery scheduled on the one eye.  After surgery, we went to Walmart to pick up my meds, to the bank so I could deposit a check, then lunch at Chipotle's before heading back to Corvallis.  Onita did extremely well with her surgery and now only needs reading glasses.  Stan was off for the day but had alot of errands to run.  In the evening, he started a fire in the pit and we had a nice time.

I need to blog about every other day, because my dates are all mixed up so I will just write what I remember.  One day, Onita took me around to see some of the area and we went to Lake Como and a typical western town named Daly.  They have a great candy/fudge store so of course I had to get some.  One night we stopped off a assisted living place and visited Stan's mother.

8/16, Onita and I went to pick up her mother-in-law and got her hair cut and she needed some items from Walgreens before we took her back in time for lunch.  I was sitting outside waiting for  her, when a gentleman yelled and here was a rather large buck walking down the street.  What a sight.  When Onita and I were leaving, we saw a doe and she slowly walked across the parking lot in front of us, crossed the street and here come two fawns and started to nurse right in the middle of the street.  I never saw anything like it.  I said my goodbyes since Stan leaves early for work.

Today, I got up at 7 45 am and started to put things away.  Onita had to leave at 9 am so I went in to say my finally good bye and thank you.  I left Corvallis at 10 00 am.  I had excellent traveling even though I had to good through several mountain passes but with extra knowledge the motor never over headed.  I am so thankful for a good traveling day.  Since I gained an hour,  also drove an hour extra so now tomorrow won't be so long.  I am at a Love's truck stop in Ritzville, Washington.  I need gas tomorrow and of course since I crossed the Idaho border it has increased 35 cents per gallon!!
Off to bed

08/17/17 - My previous post had the wrong date on it so will write a correction.  8/6 was Sunday and we went to church and Onita made a great Sunday lunch.  We sat out on the patio and had a great visit.

08/08/17 - 8/6, I wrote two circle letters and drove to the post office to mail them.  Also, found a Walmart to fill some medications, worked on getting my refund back from the old insurance on the RV and finally got that done and they will put it back on the credit card which is great.   Onita was gone in the morning since she is activities director for a senior home.  We then had lunch together, sat out on their back patio having a good visit until all of a sudden both of us noticed some action along the patio doors and it was a MOUSE!!  Of course, we both screamed and it ran into a corner.  Onita decided she was going to see if she could find it when it ran into the barbecue grill!!  When her husband, Stan came home we asked him to take care of it and he did see it in the barbecue but we then had some dinner and I do believe he forgot about it.  Oh, well, I am off to bed.

Today, Onita will be at the senior home from 1 00 pm to 4 00 pm so I am doing some computer work, crochet and just take it easy.  It is finally getting a little warmer.  The mornings are really cold but then it does warm up.  Today, the air quality is really bad because of all the forest fires that are burning around them!!  I am going to sit out on her patio and read and play on my phone.

08/05/17 - This morning, I put the gallon of coolant into the radiator and a little in the overflow bottle.  My nephew, Jeremy told me to only fill the overflow bottle to the cold mark and so I did that.  I got everything put away, and left around 9 30 am for Corvallis.  I had 162 miles and one mountain pass to go through.  This mountain pass was not as steep and so climbing was better.  The engine temperature did perfectly so I have decided it was not my engine yesterday but the culprit was the driver!!  I learned a valuable lesson.  So today, I settled my emotions a little and I had a good trip.  The GPS did take me through the town of Missoula and they had some construction and the lanes were a little tight but I made it.  My first cousin, Onita has informed be there is a much easier way so when I leave I will do that and not the GPS.  I got to Onita's house about 1 00 pm.  I took off the car, then she guided me in to the spot that she wanted me to park while I was here.  She went to finish mowing the lawn, and then I leveled the RV and did a few more things to settle in and we decided to do a late lunch.  I have left overs to eat so I took them over to the house, warmed up the food and we had lunch.  We then sat outside and chatted.  We both needed showers so got that done and then watched a little TV and chatted until a little after 9 00 pm.  I came back to the RV, set up the TV, made tea and will be off to bed.  I am so glad to once again be off the road for a while.

08/04/17 - This morning I left Hardin, Montana about 9 30 am.  I had about 277 miles to the Walmart in Butte, Montana.  I drove a while and then stopped for fuel and I had been munching on some chips along the way so decided to drive to the second rest stop.  It was rather warm outside and I was going up hill when all of a sudden the temperature gauge went up between normal and hot.  Much hotter than it had been running all this time.  I was scared because it would not come down and of course I was many miles from an exit but did find a little bit of an turn off so stopped there on the incline so see what was going on.  My little coolant tank in the back was overflowing and I could not figure that out since it was fine before I left.  I then had some coolant in the trunk of the car so decided that I needed to put some in the narrow black container that Aunt Ada and I had done before when I had the huge leak. It must have always been cooled down when we did it.  Well, there was an angel there because I decided to open that and later learned from my nephew Jeremy that it was the actually radiator and as soon as I released it a tiny bit, all kinds of things started to come out of it and the pressure was huge.  Anyway, I did not get burned but had stuff all over my shirt, pants and some evidently on my face because I could taste it!  I let it finish and then lots of steam came out so I waited awhile until no more steam and poured the coolant in, closed everything up, and started out again.  I drove much slower because I had been cruising at about 64 miles per hour.  I went down to 50 miles per hour.  I had about 15 miles to the rest stop and the temperature gauge held at the first mark.  I then had lunch, tried to settle the nerves and took off again.  I drove 55 miles per hour and the temperature was doing well.  I had 72 miles to the Walmart in Butte, Montana.  My scheduled stop for the night.  After leaving the rest stop, I stopped at a Flying J to buy more coolant in case I needed it because I had no idea how much I had lost when it exploded all over the place on the hill.
Things went OK until I started to climb again because I had the continental divide to go over but I was lucky because there was a semi truck who also was in trouble and we made that long climb together at 25 miles per hour.  The temperature did climb to normal but did not go beyond that on my climb.  I made it safely to Butte.  Tomorrow morning before I leave, I will add some more coolant just to make sure the level is good.  I checked the map but could not let if I had any more passes to go through but my first cousin Onita seems to think I might have one more.  I will just plan to drive very slow and also it is suppose to be cooler tomorrow as well.  Jeremy did let me that the outside heat of 93 degrees probably did not help it as well.  Off to bed.

08/03/1 - I had the alarm set for 8 00 am but was awake at 7 30 am so got up soon after that.  I had done quite a bit yesterday to get ready for the travel day today.  My neighbor was very kind and helped hook up the car and I was on my way at 10 00 am.  Since I decided to stay on interstate 90 it would be 50 miles further so I knew it would be a long day.  When I started out it was extremely windy so I traveled at about 48 miles per hour for quite a while.  I then drove out of it so was able to drive at 60 miles per hour.  When I stopped at a rest stop for lunch, the wind was completely gone so I was able to do 65 miles per hour.  Since there is no Walmart in the area, I am spending the night at a Love's truck stop.  It is really big and has a lot of parking.  I was early enough to choose my space and I went to the end of the parking lot so I could park horizontally instead of vertically since I can't back up with the car.  I thought I was totally going to be by myself but now quite a few truckers are coming in and they are getting closer and closer to me but I am still at a great stop.  So traveling went very well today.  I am in Hardin, Montana (the eastern side of the state).

08/02/17 - On 8/1, I did a few things around the RV getting ready to hit the road.  I got a text from Sharon, inviting me to her house for a steak dinner.  I accepted and met at their house around 6 00 pm.  The dinner looked absolutely wonderful and my first bite of steak was definitely too big and did not chew well enough because the next thing I knew had the hiccups and then soon I excused myself to the bathroom to puke it up.  Some pieces came up but no all so I sat at the table for awhile to give it time to move down.  For some reason, I create alot of saliva so then I am off the the bathroom multiple times since the saliva can't go anywhere but up.  I was so embarrassed.  It was horrible.  They were so kind.  Anyway, we visited, I constantly ran to the bathroom and after about two hours, it finally moved down and I was able to enjoy a few bites of pasta salad, cucumber slaw and two more bits of steak.  What a disastrous night.  Sharon was so kind and wrapped everything up and I took it home.  What a way to end my visit with them!!

Earlier this morning, we had a thunderstorm, rain and horrible wind.  It shook the RV and of course I could not sleep until it was finally over with around 2 30am.  Today, I had some of Sharon's food for lunch, did more work on the RV to get ready for tomorrow since it will be a traveling day.  Went to the office to thank everyone and say "goodbye".  At the time of this writing, we are have terrible wind again.  It says on my weather app that it is 21 miles per hour but it feels like 50 miles per hour!!  No storm, just horrible wind.