Town of McCarthy, AK

7/24/17 – Departed Copper Center for the beginning of the trip home.  Drove for 10 hours and stopped for the night in one of the many pullouts you find all along the roads in Alaska and Canada.

7/25/17 – More power driving, made it about 150 miles short of Dawson Creek.  Do some laundry, charge batteries, Dump Tanks and fill water and hit the road tomorrow as we continue thru British Columbia.

7/26/17 – The push continues.  Looks like there is a fire somewhere along highway 97 and the detour took us out of Prince George on the Canadian Highway 16 to 5 South. More than 150 miles out of the way.  Prince George South on the 97 would have been much easier and a better road. I think this is the fire that was causing all the haze up in Alaska.  It got dark (imagine that) because we are farther South, and driving along the 16 in the dark was too hair raising because of all the animals.  We pulled into a Rest Area that we could not turn around in and had to unhooked to the Jeep.  With bear spray in one hand and flashlight in the other, we unhooked, turned the coach around and dry camped for the night.

7/27/17 – off again early got started on the 16 and guess what? Another rock hit! Of course it wasn’t on my side with the other one, it is on the passenger side, so I get to replace both sides.  The problem is I don’t think the insurance covers both.  $500 max.  Jimmy Martin checked on the price for me and the windshields will be $1208.00 shipping, but not installation. Hit US border at about 7:00 PM and we were pulled into secondary due, to having tomatoes and avocados. They confiscated them and off we went.  It was a pretty hard day, so we pulled into Bellingham KOA for the night.

8/1/17 – Departed Mt Shasta and headed for Sacramento to see Ricky and Marie.  Haven’t seen them in ages and it was a great two day visit.  Ricky is going to retire in 3 years and they are looking for a MH to buy for their retirement adventures.  We spent some time looking online and found one they liked. Low and behold it is in Alpine CA which is about 15 miles from where we live in Pine Valley.  We promised to look at the coach for them and give our recommendations.  Sad goodbyes as we continue to head South and home.

8/2/17 – In Hanford now about 3 hours from Sacramento to see the family there before we wrap this trip and get back home. We got here early in the afternoon and checked into the Fairgrounds which is our favorite spot on Hanford.  $25 a night, now $30, 50AMP and full hookups.  We are the only ones here besides the Camp Host.  Headed off to Benny and Diana and Brook, Benny has a pool and it is 108F, but it was great seeing them as well. After a swim, we hung out and talked for awhile and then back to the coach for some rest.

8/3/17 -Linda headed off to see her Aunt Katie with her sister Gloria and then looked up an old friend Keta.  I once again stayed home to hold down the recliner.  BBQ a Benny’s and we cooked some of the salmon and halibut we caught in Homer. Good time catching up, and Benny has agreed to take the next trip with me to San Felipe Mexico.  We will go down in the off season, September or October and scout out a place to stay.  It is about a 5 hour drive from SD.

8/10/17 – Happy Anniversary! 43 years have now passed since Linda and I were married.  How she has put up with me that long is hard for me to understand.  I could not have had a better life partner than Linda who has withstood the many hardships of our military life. As we are now fully retired, I look forward to making the rest of our lives together as rewarding as I can.  Thanks for all you have done for us and our family, I love you deeply Linda and look forward to an extended life with you.

Progressive came thru! After we got back I called and described the three windshield hits and that it was a split windshield.  I fully expected them to pay for one and charge me for the other.  Well, because we haven’t had a windshield claim in so long, there was no deductible and they would replace both.  Installer brought the new glass to the house and changed them out in the driveway.