How time flies when you're having fun!
Time to catch up on our travels. We did finally manage to squeeze everything into Rikki; even a comfy bed for the princess (yet another use for a dog crate if you break it down and put the lid inside the base). And, after a rather short sleep, we hit the road early Monday morning. Both truck and trailer were performing well so off we went, heading south to Victoria to begin our 2015 road trip from Victoria, BC to San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. We've had several requests from regular RVers as well as sailors who have taken to the road as a way to get down to their boats, for some information on our route and stops along the way. The notes hereafter will provide an over-view of our daily journey with a few comments about places we've stayed.
Monday, Sept. 14th
Arrived Victoria 0900 hrs for the 1030 Coho Ferry. Given our experience last year, we weren't looking forward to meeting this years version of 'Lurch the Border Guard' and we were greatly relieved when our officer for the day turned out to be friendly, polite and a genuinely nice guy. Phew! The ferry trip itself was uneventful and, after exiting the ferry in Port Angeles, we sailed through the last check point with similar ease.
Our first stop was to a company we'd discovered called Port Angeles Package Receiving. This place provides a great service. We were able to order boat things from the US and have them shipped directly to Port Angeles, where they were stored until we could pick them up. Their location is only a few blocks from the Coho Ferry Dock and if you check out the road map first (like we didn't) you'll learn that their address (on E. 1st.) is a one-way street. Just drive straight ahead when you leave the ferry parking lot, head up to E. 1st St. and turn left. You'll find it easily. Their website is www.ShipIt2PA.com and it's worth a look. Next stop - Bainbridge Island to pick up our new anchor ...and then we were free to continue on our way.
We spent our first night at the Little Creek Casino Resort and Campground in, you guessed it, Little Creek, WA. This is a great spot for an over-nighter. The pads are flat cement with grass on both sides and full services. The facilities are clean and well maintained. It's a typical casino rv park without much vegetation... but the sites are just fine and most are pull-thru which is very nice when you're in travelling mode. There are several restaurants in the Casino complex and there's also a pool and hot tub which RV guests are welcome to use. There is some traffic noise as it's quite near the highway, but it's not that bad, particularly for a one or two night stay. This site is on the Passport America list and it cost us $17.50.
Tuesday, Sept. 15th
Up early and on the road, we headed to Hayden Island in Vancouver, WA where we had pick ups to make at West Marine and NW Inflatables. With the last of our cargo on board, and having concluded that northern California was still burning fiercely, along with some parts of Oregon, we decided to head east following the same route we took last year. Off we headed, driving along the southern edge of the Columbia River, a comfortable drive and a lot more pleasant than the I 5.
You may recall a story last year about running out of gas along a long and lonely stretch of road? And the guy who drove out to us with a jerry can of gas...enough to get us back to the nearest gas station? Well, that was a small dot on the map called Arlington. Quite coincidentally, that is where we had chosen to spend Tuesday night; at the Port of Arlington Marina & RV Park. We didn't realize this was one and the same place until we arrived, but it kind of felt like visiting an old friend and we were pleased to be stopping for the night anyway as it was almost dark. The RV park turned out to be full but for a whole $9 we were welcome to dry camp in their overflow lot (the parking lot of the adjacent boat launch) and so we did.... even sat out under the stars and enjoyed a night-cap before hitting the pillows. To be truthful the highway and train noise in the area is pretty loud, but when you're enjoying an, almost free, over nighter in your cosy little Casita... and you're road weary as well..... the noise just doesn't seem to matter. We had a good night and enjoyed the stay.
An aside re: Life Happens... This is the point where our journey gets a little complicated. Three things happened. The first is that Miss Sophie wasn't as comfortable as normal and we had begun to suspect the return of her bleeding ulcer (caused by heavy meds after her amputation). She'd been on anti-biotics again for a weak kidney infection and it looked like her ulcer was acting up. That wasn't the problem. The problem was we were running out of the prescription meds we were using to treat her. There weren't exactly a lot of vets around and, when you have a special creature like the princess... well it's a very long story to try and explain to a stranger. I'm sure you understand what I'm saying here. It's also very expensive. While we were communicating with our vets at home to come up with a solution for Sophie, I received a message advising me that the little spot on my lip did indeed need to be excised and it should be done sooner rather than later. Hmmm. I'd kind of been ignoring that whole thing because it did seem quite minute and unlikely... and it's very important to get this cargo to Mexico if we are to salvage our cruising season... much over-due I might add. And lastly, Rikki (the truck) was rapidly approaching his need for his first (8000 km) service and not every Dodge dealership had a good reputation for service. So here's what happened....
Wednesday, Sept. 16th
Luckily we hadn't driven so far east there was no way back. We turned ourselves around and headed west, not quite as far as Portland, but to the connection with a highway heading south. When faced with a choice of airports between Salt Lake City and Reno... well, we chose Reno. We know the area, there are lots of RV places, and we're just not all that hepped up about Utah. Our journey south took us through beautiful, scenic, rural farm and ranch lands. It also took us up into forests of pine and back down into fertile valleys. It was very picturesque and we will come back here one day and slow down to explore the many historical sites.
I should take a minute here and acknowledge that, as you already know, these past couple of years have been rather... well... 'busy'. I believe we have become rather proficient at changing directions when needed to meet the challenges. Phrases like "keep your eye on the prize" and "don't sweat the small stuff" and "live every day"... these are all very meaningful for us and help us keep going.... Some days are a little more trying than others, but our light is still burning brightly... so here's how it's unfolding.
We drove south and stopped in Bend, Oregon at the Riverside Veterinarian. Friendly staff and an accommodating Vet allowed us to wait for a FAX from home and they then prepared Sophie's meds for us. Back on the road, we headed south to La Pine, Oregon and stopped for the night at the Riverview RV Park; a great little place with a friendly manager, grassy sites with gravel pads, friendly neighbours, clean washrooms and showers, even a laundry. This is an older park but very well maintained. Sophie was so impressed with the grass lawns and walking trails she was quite prepared to move in and stay. But, game as usual, she was up and ready to roll when it was time. We actually stayed an extra day here as, when we woke up it was pouring rain and no kind of weather to be driving in. We also needed some planning time and good thing we stayed as it took most of the day to sort out our next destination, airplane tickets, and a rental car... all necessary for my return to BC. Our plan morphed into the scenario where I would return to BC for a few days and Kathy and Sophie would maintain the status quo on the road, starting with taking Rikki in for his 8000 km service at the Carson City Dodge Chrysler.
Friday, Sept. 18th
On the road early, we continued south towards Reno and our destination of choice the Sparks Marina RV Park in Sparks, Nevada. This is another of those cement pads all lined up RV parks. It has a small pool, tidy grounds, and security. Turns out there's a nice park for walking at the marina next door... and, it's 11 minutes from the Reno airport.
Saturday, Sept. 19th
Kathy dropped me at the airport at 0730 and I carried on with my journey home by air. She grabbed some groceries and headed back to the trailer. My journey home was uneventful in some ways and memorable in others. I'm not used to travelling on my own having been blessed with wonderful travelling companions over the years... and, all these new fangled electronic gadgets that rule our lives now... well, let's just say I haven't kept up with the times as much as I should have. I'm not very comfortable wandering into an airport with all my info on my laptop... a new to me laptop, requiring turning on and connecting up before I can even begin to find the info to tell the counter staff. Fortunately for me, it was so early there were no line ups and a very nice young woman called me forward, took my passport, and voila! knew everything about me including my travel plans. Phew! It was that easy. I'm sure she thought I'd only been let out for the day, and had wandered away from my handler... but I escaped before she could call security..and moseyed on my way :-) My first leg was from Reno to Seattle and on that journey I had the pleasure of sitting next to a very nice woman. She was travelling from Reno to somewhere outside Seattle to see her elderly mom... We talked, we laughed, and we told stories... we touched on the preciousness of moms and we talked about life... and end of life. We shed some tears and we moved on. It was a great connection and, what seemed like 5 minutes after leaving Reno, we arrived in Seattle and bade each other farewell and good luck.
My next leg, from Seattle to Victoria, was short and pleasant. I had the only empty seat on the plane right beside me! Budget Car Rentals, in the Victoria Airport, were very accommodating as well and, although I had thought I'd have to wait until 1700 for a car, they found one for me after only about 20 minutes. I won't bore you with the details of this fancy little Ford Focus.. except to say that pushing buttons blindly while you drive isn't perhaps the wisest course of action... Blasting oneself with full force maximum air conditioning, whilst trying to change radio channels... and driving... well, quite distracting I must admit.
OK, so here's where we're at. I'm safely ensconced back at home and will have my little 'situation' dealt with tomorrow. Kathy's in Reno drafting out her driving plan for the next few days... Our plan is for Kathy to continue 'moving the cargo' south, planning routes that pass by airports... And, I will meet up with her as soon as I possibly can...hopefully by weeks end.
So, for now... that's our news. Hope all is well with all of you.... enjoy the cool when you can. Adios for now... CJ
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Sunday, September 13, 2015
One more sleep !!
Can't believe it! Just one more sleep and we're "ON THE ROAD AGAIN". Excited? You bet we are. Even Miss Sophie senses a change in the air (and I don't mean the cool nights and falling leaves.. boy can Garry Oaks ever shed!).
Rikki is loaded and Lucy's about to be. Today is the day for packing up our clothes for the two week road trip, loading the fridge and making sure we have all of Sophies paraphernalia. By the way... PS may be old (fourteenth birthday tomorrow) but she has passed all the Vets tests with flying colours. She's a little bit slower than she used to be. Life on one leg isn't all that easy. I tried jumping on one leg myself the other day... I won't tell you what happened. Go ahead and try it for yourself.
Anyway, we are packed. Arrangements for the house are complete. Everything's been done that could be done... and if we've forgotten something it will just have to sort itself out. We'll be on the road and travelling south. Speaking of the road trip, we're going to set up a side-bar blog called RV Sites. We'll keep an accounting in there of the sites we visit and our impression of them. Several of you have been asking about that and even I have to scroll back to double-check where we stayed and if we liked it. A side-blog will save us all time.
I'll be reporting in as we travel but just as an over-view (for those who like to know), our intended route is as follows. It's a short one, and you'll see why. Tomorrow (Monday, Sept. 14th) we plan to take the 1030 Coho ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles. Once safely landed on US soil, we pick up some things we've ordered from a receiving house in Port Angeles and then carry on to Bainbridge Island where we pick up our new anchor.
Short aside re: anchor: Rocna anchors are the current rage and they are fantastic. I spent some considerable time studying all the new fangled (and expensive) anchors as we wanted a really good 'second' anchor (we're very happy with our primary which is a Delta 35). Anyway, while Rocna is one of the very best you can get... for holding power, etc.... the Mantus did even better in the Practical Sailor (and other) tests. As well, this anchor can be disassembled and is, therefore, much easier to stow. So, contrary to my usual cautious and staid self... I have decided to purchase a Mantus and we pick it up tomorrow. Will let you know how it does when the time comes. Back to the route.
We will over-night about 1 1/2 hours south of Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island and have a reservation at the Little Creek Casino/Resort. It sounds pretty nice and it is a Passport America site which means our fee is 1/2 price... and we like that. So for $17.50 we shall enjoy a good site with a nearby/on site Bar & Grill. How good is that for the first night on the road? Tuesday, Sept. 15th we head south to Hayden Island, Vancouver, WA. where we pick up a few more things we've ordered and then we're free to carry on our journey.
This is where the plans gets shortened. If you've had occasion lately to check out a map of the wildfires burning in Washington and Oregon, you'll understand our dilemma. And so, our plan is to take a look at the map on Tuesday morning and decide whether to head east, following our path of last year, or south along the Oregon coast for a while. The map last night causes me to believe we'll be able to head east (which is the preferred route for us on the way down). We can do the Oregon coast on the way back. But we shall see, and make the final decision when we are sure we know where the fires are. For now, we will just take it one day at a time.
That's it for now. I must get back to packing. It's early o'clock on the day before "Adventure 2015" begins. To say we're excited is an under-statement... but we've still some things to do... so ta ta for now. Take good care of yourselves, enjoy the fall weather, and stay tuned. CJ
Rikki is loaded and Lucy's about to be. Today is the day for packing up our clothes for the two week road trip, loading the fridge and making sure we have all of Sophies paraphernalia. By the way... PS may be old (fourteenth birthday tomorrow) but she has passed all the Vets tests with flying colours. She's a little bit slower than she used to be. Life on one leg isn't all that easy. I tried jumping on one leg myself the other day... I won't tell you what happened. Go ahead and try it for yourself.
Anyway, we are packed. Arrangements for the house are complete. Everything's been done that could be done... and if we've forgotten something it will just have to sort itself out. We'll be on the road and travelling south. Speaking of the road trip, we're going to set up a side-bar blog called RV Sites. We'll keep an accounting in there of the sites we visit and our impression of them. Several of you have been asking about that and even I have to scroll back to double-check where we stayed and if we liked it. A side-blog will save us all time.
I'll be reporting in as we travel but just as an over-view (for those who like to know), our intended route is as follows. It's a short one, and you'll see why. Tomorrow (Monday, Sept. 14th) we plan to take the 1030 Coho ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles. Once safely landed on US soil, we pick up some things we've ordered from a receiving house in Port Angeles and then carry on to Bainbridge Island where we pick up our new anchor.
Short aside re: anchor: Rocna anchors are the current rage and they are fantastic. I spent some considerable time studying all the new fangled (and expensive) anchors as we wanted a really good 'second' anchor (we're very happy with our primary which is a Delta 35). Anyway, while Rocna is one of the very best you can get... for holding power, etc.... the Mantus did even better in the Practical Sailor (and other) tests. As well, this anchor can be disassembled and is, therefore, much easier to stow. So, contrary to my usual cautious and staid self... I have decided to purchase a Mantus and we pick it up tomorrow. Will let you know how it does when the time comes. Back to the route.
We will over-night about 1 1/2 hours south of Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island and have a reservation at the Little Creek Casino/Resort. It sounds pretty nice and it is a Passport America site which means our fee is 1/2 price... and we like that. So for $17.50 we shall enjoy a good site with a nearby/on site Bar & Grill. How good is that for the first night on the road? Tuesday, Sept. 15th we head south to Hayden Island, Vancouver, WA. where we pick up a few more things we've ordered and then we're free to carry on our journey.
This is where the plans gets shortened. If you've had occasion lately to check out a map of the wildfires burning in Washington and Oregon, you'll understand our dilemma. And so, our plan is to take a look at the map on Tuesday morning and decide whether to head east, following our path of last year, or south along the Oregon coast for a while. The map last night causes me to believe we'll be able to head east (which is the preferred route for us on the way down). We can do the Oregon coast on the way back. But we shall see, and make the final decision when we are sure we know where the fires are. For now, we will just take it one day at a time.
That's it for now. I must get back to packing. It's early o'clock on the day before "Adventure 2015" begins. To say we're excited is an under-statement... but we've still some things to do... so ta ta for now. Take good care of yourselves, enjoy the fall weather, and stay tuned. CJ
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Recreating Shannon...
It's occurred to me that we seem to be working much harder and at a more furious pace than should ever have to occur when pursuing a 'fun' activity. And, as I sit here at some ungodly hour with a cup of luke-warm old coffee, slogging away at yet more paper work, organizing, filtering, updating, recreating... well, it's becoming quite obvious that we've immersed ourselves in activities leading to the re-creation of our beloved Shannon. I know we willingly let her go, cast her off into the arms of another (who promised to care for her as we had).... Yet, here we are with our "new to us" boat - slaving away to produce in a few months, the results of over a decade of labour in preparing Shannon to become her wonderful little self.
So, you might ask, what exactly are you doing? How is it that instead of having time to peruse the cruising guides and learn more about the areas you'll visit... how is it that you have no hours left in your days, nor have you had for a very long time? What is it that you're trying to do and why? I shall try to explain and perhaps in the explanation I will find answers to my own questions.
First off, once you've had a boat you have begun the process of selecting exactly the right radio, the right anchor, the right radar reflector and the right life-vest... you've become opinionated as to which piece of what equipment is the best for you and your crew. And that's just after one boat. Shannon's Spirit is our sixth proper yacht... and we have formed all of those opinions mentioned over and over, and over again. There's no arguing with us now. We know which heaters we like and which fans. We know which anchor and how much rode lets us sleep at night and, God help us, we even know which electronic alarm system we want to monitor said anchor.
So, as we sit here anticipating life with our 'new' boat Shannon's Spirit. we seem to be determined to recreate all the good things about Shannon (and there were many). That, my friends, coupled with the complexities of paperwork required to gain entry to the US and to Mexico for two adults, one three-legged dog, a far-too-new pick-up truck and a very cute Casita trailer... well that is what is keeping us up at night and slaving all day.
Some of the projects we've taken on, and that I'll report on later, include: a slim-line book case (just like the one in Shannon) which will be situated against the forward bulkhead in the forward cabin ... the wall the door used to cover when it was open... (said door has been removed to make room - just like in Shannon); a nice, new curtain is ready to provide privacy when needed for the forward cabin; the port side hanging locker will be converted to a set of shelves (newer Catalina's already have drawers here) for our clothing; a strong slide-out will be installed below the navigation station for the Engells freezer; a new Y valve will be installed in the heads system, allowing the switch from 'out' to 'tank' from inside the heads (as opposed to outside and behind a cupboard door); a shiny new two burner w/oven propane stove will replace the old CNG (converted to propane but without the safety features) stove and it will be accompanied by two new composite propane tanks mounted on SSpirit's hips (eg: outside the pushpit, one on either side); and the ships navigation equipment will be expanded to include an 802 SSB radio and a VHF MATRIX (AIS & VHF) radio. Each of the projects mentioned involve several sub-projects. For instance; the propane tanks need to be mounted some how and that requires the creation of suitable brackets or mounts. The parts for these brackets are currently sitting on my work bench waiting for assembly. The wood for the book case is awaiting pre-drilling and painting. Two barge boards (to which we lash the jerry cans) are also awaiting the paint brush but at least they're already cut and drilled... oh yeah, I still need to find the hardware for them. So you see how it's going. Two steps forward, one to the left, two back, two more to the right and maybe you're a little ahead when you recalculate (ha! caught you mapping out the steps!!).
Enough already! Kathy came up with a precious saying yesterday and I've adopted it as my mantra.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE!! I'm sure she heard it from someone else... but it's perfect for our situation. THIS my friends IS the PRICE we pay for SAILING IN PARADISE. And, we love it.
We shall persevere and we shall succeed. Miss Sophie is very excited about standing on top of her favourite rock in the world. It's on the beach at Isla San Francisco. AND, we're really looking forward to sharing this beautiful anchorage (and others) with good friends Sue and John who will be joining us for at least the first portion of our cruising season. Heck, they've even volunteered to come down to San Carlos early and help us prep the boat. It's all good... and we're pretty pumped about it so stay tuned.
I hope all of you have weathered the BC drought and are looking forward to cooler and wetter temperatures. I wish you all a good September. Thanks for sticking with us as we begin our travels south to the good ship Shannon's Spirit. Talk to you soon..... CJ
So, you might ask, what exactly are you doing? How is it that instead of having time to peruse the cruising guides and learn more about the areas you'll visit... how is it that you have no hours left in your days, nor have you had for a very long time? What is it that you're trying to do and why? I shall try to explain and perhaps in the explanation I will find answers to my own questions.
First off, once you've had a boat you have begun the process of selecting exactly the right radio, the right anchor, the right radar reflector and the right life-vest... you've become opinionated as to which piece of what equipment is the best for you and your crew. And that's just after one boat. Shannon's Spirit is our sixth proper yacht... and we have formed all of those opinions mentioned over and over, and over again. There's no arguing with us now. We know which heaters we like and which fans. We know which anchor and how much rode lets us sleep at night and, God help us, we even know which electronic alarm system we want to monitor said anchor.
So, as we sit here anticipating life with our 'new' boat Shannon's Spirit. we seem to be determined to recreate all the good things about Shannon (and there were many). That, my friends, coupled with the complexities of paperwork required to gain entry to the US and to Mexico for two adults, one three-legged dog, a far-too-new pick-up truck and a very cute Casita trailer... well that is what is keeping us up at night and slaving all day.
Some of the projects we've taken on, and that I'll report on later, include: a slim-line book case (just like the one in Shannon) which will be situated against the forward bulkhead in the forward cabin ... the wall the door used to cover when it was open... (said door has been removed to make room - just like in Shannon); a nice, new curtain is ready to provide privacy when needed for the forward cabin; the port side hanging locker will be converted to a set of shelves (newer Catalina's already have drawers here) for our clothing; a strong slide-out will be installed below the navigation station for the Engells freezer; a new Y valve will be installed in the heads system, allowing the switch from 'out' to 'tank' from inside the heads (as opposed to outside and behind a cupboard door); a shiny new two burner w/oven propane stove will replace the old CNG (converted to propane but without the safety features) stove and it will be accompanied by two new composite propane tanks mounted on SSpirit's hips (eg: outside the pushpit, one on either side); and the ships navigation equipment will be expanded to include an 802 SSB radio and a VHF MATRIX (AIS & VHF) radio. Each of the projects mentioned involve several sub-projects. For instance; the propane tanks need to be mounted some how and that requires the creation of suitable brackets or mounts. The parts for these brackets are currently sitting on my work bench waiting for assembly. The wood for the book case is awaiting pre-drilling and painting. Two barge boards (to which we lash the jerry cans) are also awaiting the paint brush but at least they're already cut and drilled... oh yeah, I still need to find the hardware for them. So you see how it's going. Two steps forward, one to the left, two back, two more to the right and maybe you're a little ahead when you recalculate (ha! caught you mapping out the steps!!).
Enough already! Kathy came up with a precious saying yesterday and I've adopted it as my mantra.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE!! I'm sure she heard it from someone else... but it's perfect for our situation. THIS my friends IS the PRICE we pay for SAILING IN PARADISE. And, we love it.
We shall persevere and we shall succeed. Miss Sophie is very excited about standing on top of her favourite rock in the world. It's on the beach at Isla San Francisco. AND, we're really looking forward to sharing this beautiful anchorage (and others) with good friends Sue and John who will be joining us for at least the first portion of our cruising season. Heck, they've even volunteered to come down to San Carlos early and help us prep the boat. It's all good... and we're pretty pumped about it so stay tuned.
I hope all of you have weathered the BC drought and are looking forward to cooler and wetter temperatures. I wish you all a good September. Thanks for sticking with us as we begin our travels south to the good ship Shannon's Spirit. Talk to you soon..... CJ
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Homeless no more....
There is a certain age, I think, when being homeless has its attraction. Yup; free of debt, free to roam, no worries related to maintenance, repairs, insurance, garden care, and all the rest of the responsibilities that come with home ownership... Well, that age is a whole lot younger than we are now! We Capricorns seem to require a certain amount of dirt under our feet and all that goes with looking after that domestic patch. We simply start to disassemble without the weight of responsibility to keep us grounded. And so, as most of you already know, and after 9 months of so-called 'freedom', we made the leap back into home ownership; and we're glad we did.
We found a home (basically a rancher with a half basement) on a nice sized lot and in a quiet neighbourhood not far from where we used to live. We're still about half way between town and the marinas in Maple Bay and we're very happy with the situation. The following photos are provided as per your requests. We hope you approve of our selection.
And now, as summer marches firmly towards fall, we must focus on our preparations for the upcoming cruising season in Mexico. Yes, we're heading back... to the good ship Shannon's Spirit. She's waiting for us to come and finish her renos in time for the start of the sailing season. We'll be driving down and carrying those materials we need for her restoration... and we're looking forward to spending the winter exploring the coast of the Baja and all it has to offer.
We will stay in touch as we drive south (RVers still want to hear about places we like and don't like) and we'll share our stories of our explorations of the Sea of Cortez... as they occur. So please stay tuned.
Adios (for now). CJ
We found a home (basically a rancher with a half basement) on a nice sized lot and in a quiet neighbourhood not far from where we used to live. We're still about half way between town and the marinas in Maple Bay and we're very happy with the situation. The following photos are provided as per your requests. We hope you approve of our selection.
And now, as summer marches firmly towards fall, we must focus on our preparations for the upcoming cruising season in Mexico. Yes, we're heading back... to the good ship Shannon's Spirit. She's waiting for us to come and finish her renos in time for the start of the sailing season. We'll be driving down and carrying those materials we need for her restoration... and we're looking forward to spending the winter exploring the coast of the Baja and all it has to offer.
We will stay in touch as we drive south (RVers still want to hear about places we like and don't like) and we'll share our stories of our explorations of the Sea of Cortez... as they occur. So please stay tuned.
Adios (for now). CJ
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Ode to a truck...
Those of you who know me well know how much I've loved and treasured Chuck (the truck) over these past 16 years. He's served us well since the day in 1999 when I picked him up all shiny and new. With nary a complaint he has pushed up and over mountains, soldiered on through deserts and ranch land, humped and bumped over old logging roads to hidden fishing lakes and, in these last few years, he has put his heart and his pistons into pulling our trailer (TT Lucy) and carrying a huge load of gear to and from Mexico. Kathy, myself, and even "the Princess" owe a great debt to this little Ford Ranger that just 'kept on going' despite the major tasks we signed him up for.
I can even report he has quite a following. I have been approached by more than one stranger asking if "this was Chuck" and inquiring after his health and well-being. Seems he's made quite an impression on you blog followers over the years. At times I've even thought of contacting the Ford Company to see if they wanted to use him as a poster guy. Anyway.....
With some sadness we realized this past year that Chuck was tiring and, with the vision of what would happen if he was to break down in either the US or Mexico, we decided to take a look around at some possible new generations. "No sweat" we thought, "we'll just take a look". Well, my gawd... it's like 'just going to look' at a litter of puppies!! Soooo, to make a long story short, we went, we looked, we bought, and we think we got a pretty good deal.
And so, without any further discussion, let me please introduce...
Rikki....
2015 Dodge RAM 1500 4 WD w/5.7 l Hemi, Quad Cab
Now I'll admit he looks a bit like 'bling'... and we'll have to figure out how to dress him down a bit before we hit the southern border, but oh my he's beautiful; and, he pulls like a team of Percherons. Towing payload is 10,000 lbs... and we'd pretty much have to load Lucy up with gold ingots to weigh her down that much.
Oh yes, and for those who want to know... "why the name Rikki??" Well, it's because Rikki loves Lucy of course... :-)
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Catching Up...
Howdy folks, 'tis little ol' me... checking in, to say hello and that we hope you're having a good summer so far. Yes, the heat has been exhausting... and yes, we too are worried about what this lack of water is doing to our planet in general and our neighborhood in particular. When one considers the number of forest fires burning, the oppressive heat, and the pestilence (eg: bugs) that are reproducing like wild fire and starting to cause problems for the farmers et al.... well it would be easy to understand if some of the religions convinced we are going to self-destruct very soon... might be feeling pretty smug right now.
But we shall persevere. We shall become experts at micro-drip systems, heat pump / air conditioning machinery, and insulation installations... and we will do what we can to reduce the impact of our footprints as we go about our daily business and adventurous way of life. And so it goes...
Now then, down to business. We have so much to tell you... and don't want to bore you in the telling. After much consideration, rife with acknowledgements that we have been very poor at sharing photographs with you, we have decided to bring you up to date one short vignette at a time. Kathy has some marvelous video of the Princess she wants to share. And, well ... I have a confession to make about dear old Chuck (you remember him.. Chuck the truck). True confessions will follow. And, yes, for those of you who have been asking... we will pull together some photos of our new digs. At least the heavy work is now done and our home is shaping up. Finally, we will move smoothly to the plans and preparations for our upcoming sojourn back to Mexico and the SV Shannon's Spirit.
So, for starters... let me turn this over to Kathy who will walk you through some of the ways our little wonder is dealing with her new life.
Hi folks. It's been 7 months since we arrived back in Canada and our almost-14 year old pup went through her rear leg amputation surgery. Looking back at the videos of Sophie which we posted back in December, I realize now that I must have been feeling kinda sappy and exhausted at the time (have to admit that the musical accompaniment might have been just a bit much!). Well, life is pretty much back to normal now and she is getting around just fine. While she tires more easily these days, she's as excited as ever to get out on the local trails or down to the beach and has settled right back in to life aboard when out sailing with us. She even joined us on a little sailing race last month and quickly adapted her technique for hanging on while on a starboard tack... with her chin hooked firmly over the cockpit combing!
So.. I thought it was time to give you a look at how far Sophie has progressed since those early days post-surgery.
Here are a few clips of her doing some of her favourite things, out-and-about around Maple Bay:
Sophie On Canada Trail - Day 18 - Clip 1 from Kathy Mulholland on Vimeo.
Sophie - 3 1/2 months post surgery - walking near home from Kathy Mulholland on Vimeo.
Sophie - 4 months after surgery - out for a walk from Kathy Mulholland on Vimeo.
Sophie - 4 1/2 months after surgery - on the beach from Kathy Mulholland on Vimeo.
But we shall persevere. We shall become experts at micro-drip systems, heat pump / air conditioning machinery, and insulation installations... and we will do what we can to reduce the impact of our footprints as we go about our daily business and adventurous way of life. And so it goes...
Now then, down to business. We have so much to tell you... and don't want to bore you in the telling. After much consideration, rife with acknowledgements that we have been very poor at sharing photographs with you, we have decided to bring you up to date one short vignette at a time. Kathy has some marvelous video of the Princess she wants to share. And, well ... I have a confession to make about dear old Chuck (you remember him.. Chuck the truck). True confessions will follow. And, yes, for those of you who have been asking... we will pull together some photos of our new digs. At least the heavy work is now done and our home is shaping up. Finally, we will move smoothly to the plans and preparations for our upcoming sojourn back to Mexico and the SV Shannon's Spirit.
So, for starters... let me turn this over to Kathy who will walk you through some of the ways our little wonder is dealing with her new life.
Hi folks. It's been 7 months since we arrived back in Canada and our almost-14 year old pup went through her rear leg amputation surgery. Looking back at the videos of Sophie which we posted back in December, I realize now that I must have been feeling kinda sappy and exhausted at the time (have to admit that the musical accompaniment might have been just a bit much!). Well, life is pretty much back to normal now and she is getting around just fine. While she tires more easily these days, she's as excited as ever to get out on the local trails or down to the beach and has settled right back in to life aboard when out sailing with us. She even joined us on a little sailing race last month and quickly adapted her technique for hanging on while on a starboard tack... with her chin hooked firmly over the cockpit combing!
So.. I thought it was time to give you a look at how far Sophie has progressed since those early days post-surgery.
 |
| Hanging in her new back yard |
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| Showing off her new blanket (a present from her friends Diesel, Shep and Spice "the cat") |
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| Life is good |
 |
| Catching a nap on a windless sailing trip |
Here are a few clips of her doing some of her favourite things, out-and-about around Maple Bay:
Sophie On Canada Trail - Day 18 - Clip 1 from Kathy Mulholland on Vimeo.
Sophie - 3 1/2 months post surgery - walking near home from Kathy Mulholland on Vimeo.
Sophie - 4 months after surgery - out for a walk from Kathy Mulholland on Vimeo.
Sophie - 4 1/2 months after surgery - on the beach from Kathy Mulholland on Vimeo.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
No, we haven't dropped off the planet....
Hello everyone,
You could be forgiven for thinking we'd taken wing and flown off to some uncharted place.... somewhere that doesn't understand currency, mean dogs, paper work, home inspections, renovation challenges, that water 'always' runs down hill... even if your house is in the way (no we didn't have a flood), and somewhere without communication and technology. Sorry I haven't written for a while.
We have been busy; very busy. It feels like we work from dawn till dusk... but we are slowly moving forward, toward the place where we can dust ourselves off and carry on enjoying life, sailing, gardening, and just plain hanging about with our friends. Sounds marvelous doesn't it? We think so.
You know we bought a house and moved in on March 2nd. From then until May 5th we have been living on plywood floors and using our camping chairs and dishes (with a few additions here and there) and a borrowed blow-up bed; and we have had workmen (painters, plumbers, floor layers) in and out of the house much of the time. While that sounds rather uncomfortable, it's been pretty good. We've had a chance to get to know the house and property better and to make wiser decisions re the priorities of the renos' we had hoped to complete. Suffice to say by May 5th we had a fantastic drainage system in place, new carpets and flooring, fresh paint on the walls and a few changes to the gardens and yard completed; and we now sit surrounded by boxes of gear we hadn't sorted before packing up the old house. It's amazing how much 'stuff' one (or two) can collect over a life-time... and it's crazy how some things (that look like absolute garbage to someone else) can feel like such treasures of days gone by. Like Dosey. Oh, never mind, I expect you've all got a stuffed pink cow you nursed through years of your childhood.... You know what I mean.
Like all of life there have been some celebrations and some trials over the past couple of months. One of the neat things that occurred is the retrieval of our little dinghy... the one that we bought in 2005 and then carried aboard Shannon all the way from Victoria to the Sea of Cortez in 2011. During that trip it sat semi-inflated, lashed to our bow, while I scrambled over it.. jumped on top of it.. abused it in many ways... yet he was still there, ready to go when we arrived in La Paz. 'Dobbey' as he was named (after the famous house elf) served us well during our explorations of the Sea. The first year we left for the season he was deflated and shoved into Shannon's not-so-spacious interior. The second year he was deflated, wrapped up and tied up with rolls of shade cloth and yards of line... and then strapped onto Shannon's cabin top. Then, to add insult to injury, he was dragged off Shannon, lashed onto the top of Chuck (you remember Chuck the truck) and driven north, back to BC, where he was then unceremoniously dumped into the workshop/garage of a good friend who didn't mind keeping him for us until we found a home. Well, we picked up the little dinghy last week and carefully unwrapped him in our back yard. I'd figured he'd be crispy and cracked in most of his folds....but, no, to our grand surprise he unfolded very well. While scrubbing him off (he was covered with wind dust and road dirt) I did hear a tiny hissing and discovered one small pin-hole on the port side rear pontoon. That is the ONLY one discovered so far and Kathy has already done a fine job patching it up. This morning we're taking him down to the water in preparation for a short outing on Mojo. I must tell you I am very impressed with this staying power. In case you're interested, the dinghy is a 2005 Aquapro 8'6" with an aluminum bottom. You've seen photos of it on the blog and I can tell you that, so far, it has handled up to a 4 hp, 4 stroke Yamaha outboard with no difficulty. It's also a delight to row as the aluminum hard bottom has a good keel to it and, overall, it's quite light to carry.
Princess Sophie is doing well. She is definitely getting older..sleeping more and less inclined to play with her toys... But, she is healthy, she is happy, and she's really enjoying her yard, her short daily walks, and of course...most of all... her garden chair. Kathy and I are also well, albeit a little tired with all the unpacking.
Tomorrow, all going well, we're going to take a few days off and go 'floating' on Mojo. Probably not far, but the change of pace will be great. Oh, did I mention? The little ship Mojo was actually together enough to participate in this years Sail Past for the Maple Bay Yacht Club. She was a long way from the prettiest ship there, but she strutted her stuff, enjoyed a brisk sail around the bay and managed to pass the Commodore's platform without hitting it and with a sharp release of the jib, a snap of a salute, and a sound retrieval. What she lacked in looks, I believe she made up for in performance.
I hope you are all doing well and enjoying early summer. I know we are and we count ourselves lucky that we are into our new home and already looking forward to a full summer. Take good care out there. Enjoy, and 'live' every day.
CJ
You could be forgiven for thinking we'd taken wing and flown off to some uncharted place.... somewhere that doesn't understand currency, mean dogs, paper work, home inspections, renovation challenges, that water 'always' runs down hill... even if your house is in the way (no we didn't have a flood), and somewhere without communication and technology. Sorry I haven't written for a while.
We have been busy; very busy. It feels like we work from dawn till dusk... but we are slowly moving forward, toward the place where we can dust ourselves off and carry on enjoying life, sailing, gardening, and just plain hanging about with our friends. Sounds marvelous doesn't it? We think so.
You know we bought a house and moved in on March 2nd. From then until May 5th we have been living on plywood floors and using our camping chairs and dishes (with a few additions here and there) and a borrowed blow-up bed; and we have had workmen (painters, plumbers, floor layers) in and out of the house much of the time. While that sounds rather uncomfortable, it's been pretty good. We've had a chance to get to know the house and property better and to make wiser decisions re the priorities of the renos' we had hoped to complete. Suffice to say by May 5th we had a fantastic drainage system in place, new carpets and flooring, fresh paint on the walls and a few changes to the gardens and yard completed; and we now sit surrounded by boxes of gear we hadn't sorted before packing up the old house. It's amazing how much 'stuff' one (or two) can collect over a life-time... and it's crazy how some things (that look like absolute garbage to someone else) can feel like such treasures of days gone by. Like Dosey. Oh, never mind, I expect you've all got a stuffed pink cow you nursed through years of your childhood.... You know what I mean.
Like all of life there have been some celebrations and some trials over the past couple of months. One of the neat things that occurred is the retrieval of our little dinghy... the one that we bought in 2005 and then carried aboard Shannon all the way from Victoria to the Sea of Cortez in 2011. During that trip it sat semi-inflated, lashed to our bow, while I scrambled over it.. jumped on top of it.. abused it in many ways... yet he was still there, ready to go when we arrived in La Paz. 'Dobbey' as he was named (after the famous house elf) served us well during our explorations of the Sea. The first year we left for the season he was deflated and shoved into Shannon's not-so-spacious interior. The second year he was deflated, wrapped up and tied up with rolls of shade cloth and yards of line... and then strapped onto Shannon's cabin top. Then, to add insult to injury, he was dragged off Shannon, lashed onto the top of Chuck (you remember Chuck the truck) and driven north, back to BC, where he was then unceremoniously dumped into the workshop/garage of a good friend who didn't mind keeping him for us until we found a home. Well, we picked up the little dinghy last week and carefully unwrapped him in our back yard. I'd figured he'd be crispy and cracked in most of his folds....but, no, to our grand surprise he unfolded very well. While scrubbing him off (he was covered with wind dust and road dirt) I did hear a tiny hissing and discovered one small pin-hole on the port side rear pontoon. That is the ONLY one discovered so far and Kathy has already done a fine job patching it up. This morning we're taking him down to the water in preparation for a short outing on Mojo. I must tell you I am very impressed with this staying power. In case you're interested, the dinghy is a 2005 Aquapro 8'6" with an aluminum bottom. You've seen photos of it on the blog and I can tell you that, so far, it has handled up to a 4 hp, 4 stroke Yamaha outboard with no difficulty. It's also a delight to row as the aluminum hard bottom has a good keel to it and, overall, it's quite light to carry.
Princess Sophie is doing well. She is definitely getting older..sleeping more and less inclined to play with her toys... But, she is healthy, she is happy, and she's really enjoying her yard, her short daily walks, and of course...most of all... her garden chair. Kathy and I are also well, albeit a little tired with all the unpacking.
Tomorrow, all going well, we're going to take a few days off and go 'floating' on Mojo. Probably not far, but the change of pace will be great. Oh, did I mention? The little ship Mojo was actually together enough to participate in this years Sail Past for the Maple Bay Yacht Club. She was a long way from the prettiest ship there, but she strutted her stuff, enjoyed a brisk sail around the bay and managed to pass the Commodore's platform without hitting it and with a sharp release of the jib, a snap of a salute, and a sound retrieval. What she lacked in looks, I believe she made up for in performance.
I hope you are all doing well and enjoying early summer. I know we are and we count ourselves lucky that we are into our new home and already looking forward to a full summer. Take good care out there. Enjoy, and 'live' every day.
CJ
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