Packing up

I am trying to get things ready so I can leave tomorrow morning. One of the svc techs at the campground came down to make sure I knew how to empty the tanks and close everything up. The gate on the kitchen waste tank was broken, so another tech came and fixed it. I have been so fortunate to have decided on this CG because they have been super. I will also try to hitch up this afternoon before dark, as I will sleep easier knowing that I only have to circle the rig a couple of times to make sure everything is secure.

It was really cold this morning and is much cooler today than yesterday, with gusts of wind making it less comfortable to be outdoors. My mom is turning over in her grave because I'm suffering from bronchitis yet I go out without wearing a hat, my jacket unzipped, etc. Sorry mom.

I had planned to do the laundry today, but took care of it last night. It didn't take long using 2 washers & 2 dryers, and I'm good to go for another couple of weeks. It cost me $6, and at that rate the total will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 a year. It would take me several years to recoup the cost of a washer & dryer in the rig, and besides, a laundromat is a good place to people watch. Last night there were 3 Mexican guys doing their laundry, and as always, I find that Mexicans & most Central Americans are cheerful people, so I always feel happier around them. When I carried my laundry outside and got into my truck, I saw the three of them watching out the window, probably admiring my truck!

I'm going to go fuel up and when I come back home I might allow myself the luxury of a mid-day nap. This RVing gets to be hard work!

LATER:
Brant (from the CG Svc) came back because I mentioned that I have never been able to find the electric breaker panel. I had even called Nu Way and spoke to a rep who said it was on the right coming in the entry. It isn't - what is there is the genny control switch. So the rep said it could be in one of the storage bays but I still couldn't find it. Brant came in and found it in about 2 seconds flat - below the fridge. He also found that the breaker for the microwave was pulled; he reset that and I now have a usable microwave! Then he tried to figure out why my water heater only works when the turned to propane, and not electric. He found the switch under the sink, but turning the electric on caused it to smoke so he quickly turned it back off. That will be an item I'll have to ask Nu Way to fix when I get to Sacramento. The rep told me there is a Nu Way dealer/svc in West Sacramento, which will be convenient.

Again, I can't stress how fortunate I have been to have stayed here for a week. In that time I have learned so much about the 5ver and so many little problems have been solved.

I didn't end up hitching to the truck after all. I have stowed most of the items inside the Rv, and all I will need to do in the morning is to make coffee, walk the dogs, pull in the slides, hitch up, and then do two or three walkarounds to make sure I've done everything I need to do. I'm usually up at 7 am, so I should be able to get on the road 2 to 3 hrs later. I'm sad to leave but can't wait for new horizons. I've planned my tentative mileage & overnight stops for the first 3 days out. I probably won't post tomorrow night as I will likely stay at the Flying J in Fairview TN. I just couldn't find a suitable CG in the area, but there might just be one when I get there. The next two nights will be spent at KOA campgrounds, in N. Little Rock and in Rockwell OK. (near OKC). A woman I correspond with, also a solo, agrees that finding a suitable place to camp is really more difficult than you might think. For one thing, you have no one to talk it over with or to look up the campground websites, books, etc. You sure can't do it while you're driving; seeing a sign for a campground usually doesn't tell you how far off the interstate it is, whether they have pull thru spaces, accept pets, wi-fi, etc. If you have a navigator then that person can check it all out, call the CG and so on. So in essence every cloud has a silver lining, and every silver lining has a cloud. I AM REALLY KEYED UP ABOUT THE NEXT STEP - WISH ME LUCK!