As we worked our way south, we headed over to the Oregon coast. First stop: Florence, Oregon. Our expectation was to spend a couple of days there…a few quaint shops, some good restaurants and Dunes along the ocean for walking.
The universe had a different plan for us. Almost from the moment we checked in, it began raining. At first, interspersed with moments of bright sun. Moments just long enough to get us started on a walk, at which point the rain would start again. No worries, we were staying in the marina, which had an RV area and was steps from the boardwalk and downtown, So we just confined our walks to short hops around the town.
For once, an ACCURATE Forecast
But, beginning the second day, HEAVY RAIN, and HEAVIER WIND. The latter up to 60+mph at times. We planned to leave to head southward, but decided that the combination of the wind and the rain would make that drive quite unpleasant at least, if not dangerous. I think I would have pressed on if it was ONLY raining, or ONLY windy. But put the two together and the fact that we still had over a week to make it to the bay area, which would be two days driving if pressed, screamed STOP. The RV park was not full, and not expensive, so we extended for a couple of additional days.
The folks who run the RV Park at the Marina said the rain WILL let up…in MARCH!!!
As our path south was for the moment weather-inhibited, suggestions were made by several of our west-coast friends. All of these involved crossing the Cascades east-bound to the center of Oregon and then proceeding south on I5. The same weather that was producing rain and wind on the coast was much milder inland. HOWEVER, it was also producing A LOT OF SNOW and blizzard conditions in some of the passes we would have to traverse on the way south. We made the call: stay put in Florence until the weather abates, then stay on Highway 101, which is tempered by proximity to the coast all the way south.
We do NOT want to encounter ANY snow in the bus.
During our stay in Florence, we had the time to take care of some online and family business. All the while the bus was rocking in the wind – so much so I considered taking Dramamine!! Seriously…and we weigh 30,000 lbs! Glad we did not try to stay on the road in such conditions.
Sez it All!
After one day of torrential wind and rain, the weather improved. Well, only in Oregon would 30mph winds, fog and drizzle represent an IMPROVEMENT. But it was improvement enough for us to move on, so we did.
We drove about 4 hours South to Crescent City, Ca. The drive along the Oregon coast is SPECTACULAR. The beaches, surf, rocks, etc. Not such great weather conditions for a walk on the beach, though there were plenty of places to pull off and do so. Visibility ¼ mile at most in persistent drizzle. But still, possible to get the flavor…coming back at a sunnier time seems important.
Tale of Two Days…
We arrived in Crescent City, and found an inexpensive RV spot in a County Park right on the water. Really, one of the best places we have ever stayed…surf, water, seals – right outside the window. They said the Lighthouse was right off shore, but we could not see it – too foggy. The fog horn was quite apparent, though, and soothing in a nautical way.
…The next Morning!
The next morning dawned bright and sunny, and we could actually SEE the ocean. Tide was out, people were digging Clams. There is a state park nearby with a hiking trail in the Redwood Forest, and there is a nice bike path that runs right by our RV. AND, the weather forecast: Nothing but sun for several days!!
We decided on the spot to extend our stay in Crescent City!
And good thing we did. The weather became absolutely SPECTACULAR. We rode our bikes for several miles up and down the shore. We walked through the Redwood forest at a nice little State Park.
We walked out on the sand at Low Tide. The lighthouse revealed itself. The seals became visual, not just a sound track in the mist. We even rode our bikes to Walgreens and got Flu Shots. Such is Life, on the road!
Some of you may be getting the wrong idea about the pace and focus of our lives in retirement. It may seem that we spend our days making repairs to the bus, with only occasional interruptions of reliability (and sightseeing and enjoying life on the road).
You would be right to come to this conclusion based on our blog posts, which are framed by our “adventures.” But, that’s the deal: What fun (or interest) is there in documenting the mundane? I have often said that travel is way better the more things go wrong!
To a point, of course, but we have not reached that point yet!
Still, I thought I would make a post that could at least put all the other posts about mechanical issues into perspective, just in case you were worried about us.
In some ways, the bus is not unlike our 100+-year-old building in Chicago. It is vintage, well-built and in need of ongoing maintenance. Things need to be maintained in our stationary home, too (which rent $$$s and our property manager currently (usually) cover)! UNLIKE our building, though, our current aged domicile bounces down the road for a significant portion of its life – what could go wrong with that? It is actually NO WONDER things need to be fixed and maintained aboard RV WHERE YET!
The truth is, I have always needed a project to keep me out of trouble. In former days, it might have been tinkering with fish tanks, building or improving our home, maintaining the plants and irrigation system on the deck or even (if severely pressed) working on client computers and software. The bus, rolling to-do list that it is, has merely supplanted all these other kinds of projects.
I appreciate his concern, which has turned out to be severely misplaced!
Our friend and accountant, Howard, worried when I retired that I would be bored silly with “nothing to do.”
And we DO INDEED spend significant time and sometimes significant $$$$ maintaining our “home.” A “Good” repair is one that costs less than $1,000 and takes less than a day. Most of the repairs are like that…needing some time and noodling and greasy wrenching, but not that much money. Some repairs even manage to expand our circle of friends…to include eager Bluebirders who are always willing to help.
I am not quite at the point of hoping something will break so we can meet someone, but the connection is not lost on me.
In fact, you might even say that bus mechanical issues are a direct conduit to meeting cool people. Peter from Courtenay and Pat from Olympia are perfect examples of folks whom we know well, now, only because we needed to fix something. Who knew that the bus was actually a sort of online dating service? Post a problem and several people propose solutions and offer to help.
So, what does Liz do while I am wrenching to keep us on the road? Well, she worries about the cost (she IS the Secretary of the Treasury). She worries about imposing on new friends – people whom we have never met who take us in, help us fix things, and ask nothing in return. And, she is mastering Knitting and planning to take on Quilting. The ratio these days is about 25:75 worrying:Knitting.
And, my new mechanic friends often have wives and/or significant others who seem to enjoy Liz’s company (or possibly are just sympathetic and able to commiserate?). She also enjoys biking and hiking (which we do together) and running (almost daily, 3-4 miles) in new places with new scenery, from mountains and Redwoods to Seals and Crabs.
And, for the record, it is not just the Vintage Bus that has mechanical issues…we have had a few with the 2013 (barely out of warranty) Clown Car. I have eluded before to the CC’s hard, and probably short, life. It is dragged behind the bus, eating dust and spray and sometimes almost disappearing in potholes. Yet, we expect it to fire up and take us where we need to go on a moment’s notice. Which it almost always does!
One day, the CC’s Oil light came on as we drove to the grocery store. We actually found a Smart mechanic…a miracle in a small Oregon Town since there are in fact no actual Smart dealers between Des Moines and Portland! He diagnosed the problem as the plastic outside-facing-end of the Oil Sender – broken by a rock, pot-hole or other road hazard. The problem is, a replacement part could not be had in less than a week…and the town was not THAT interesting!!!
So, I took a pic of the broken part and found a mechanic in the SF Bay Area – maybe 5 minutes from our first stop there! — who was willing to get the part and make an appointment to install it.
In the meantime, the CC was 100% tow-able, and even drive-able. The issue this sensor-failure presented was: If there were to be an ACTUAL oil pressure issue we would not be warned and would probably brick the engine. Only an issue when driving, not towing, and not “likely” in any case. So we could get to SF no problem and we confined ourselves to short drives, like to the grocery or other errands until the repair was complete.
Believe it or not, the modern CC is actually harder to get serviced than the vintage BB! I cannot do anything myself because it needs special tools and diagnostics for all the damn computers (vs. the bus, which has no computers or limitations on things I cannot tackle save tools and the ability to lift it off the ground).. There also isn’t a community of Smart Car Curmudgeons, willing to get dirty and help, like for the Bluebird. And there are not that many Smart dealers or mechanics (double entendre possibly intended) in the world, apparently (whereas any diesel mechanic, or truck shop can and will gladly work on RV WHERE YET…once I convince them it is not really an RV).
We had about 10 days to get from Olympia to San Francisco, so some stops were in order. The first was in a town called McMinnville, Oregon. Peter had mentioned that Howard Hughes’ “Spruce Goose” now lives there at the Evergreen Aerospace Museum, and that sounded cool.
This was a one-off monster, built entirely from wood. SO, unusual in the same way as the Martin Mars Water bomber. And kinda turning this leg of the trip into a “large, old, unique aircraft pilgrimage.” We sort of thought McMinnville would be a waypoint on the way to the coast and southward.
McMinnville RV SPot
When we got to McMinnville, we found a great RV Park. This was right next door to the Aerospace museum, so quite convenient!
Evergreen Aviation Museum
And the museum…WOW. This was absolutely HUGE (I guess it would have to be to contain the enormous Spruce Goose). Two gynormous hangars/buildings. And spectacular. On a par for sure with the Smithsonian and the Dayton Air Force Museums that we have been to previously.
The Spruce Goose was…well I don’t know what to say exactly. “Albatross” might be a good adjective…because it metaphorically implies odd-ball, un-useful and LARGE WINGSPAN. It is hard to convey fully the size of this plane. It is not hard to convey how completely impractical it was…hence the reason only one was built and it flew only once.
The museum itself is a fantastic place. It was created specifically to house the Goose, which lost its home in Long Beach when Disney decided to no longer host this artifact. The son of the founder of Evergreen Air put together a package to buy the goose (for a nominal $250k) and move it (for upwards of $5M). Then they fully restored it and built a museum around it. And along the way accumulated a fantastic collection of other aircraft, rockets, missiles, spacecraft etc.
Flying Carpet or Man-Blender?
I was especially impressed with the range of helicopters, including a suicidal-looking helicopter-platform for a single individual. It was billed as a personal “flying carpet.”
It looked to me like a man-sized, open-air blender. YIKES.
Craziest Water Park EVER?!
Next to the museum is the world’s only water park featuring a real 747 (a retired Evergreen Air Freighter) as part of the water features. The water chutes emerge from the sides of the plane, which appears to be taking off from the roof of the building.
You cannot make these things up!!!
But before we could even go to the museum, we had to convince the RV Park to let us stay…they don’t allow RVs older than 15 years.
Some of our fellow Bluebirders, who almost all drive buses older than 15 years, have said they prefer parks with such up-front, up-tight, dare I say “racist” age restrictions. Because it makes it clear where you would NOT want to stay. Maybe a Trailer-trash corollary of what W.C. Fields said, “I would not want to [stay in] belong to a club that would[n’t] have me…” Personally, I prefer to press the issue and become ambassadors for “Vintage.” A fine line between “pressing” and encouraging firearm use, I realize…
I explained to the lady on the phone that we were not only vintage…but also fully restored. They asked to see pics of the bus, and I sent a couple which I keep on my phone for just such contingencies. I did NOT send selfies of the occupants because at that moment I was still wearing grease-covered ratty-jeans from the repairs made in Olympia! Anyway, they happily relented, and they even put us in a spot right next to the entrance, so apparently not worried about scaring off newer vehicles.
As ambassadors for lost causes like Vintage RVs, I now need to get to work on the “Aggressive Dog Breeds” discrimination we also run into in many parks. No Pits, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, etc. This kind of makes me angry, because in my experience one is more likely to be bitten by a yappy, little inbred poodle hybrid(not to pick on poodles generically) than by, for example, our best and missed friend and German Shepherd, Heddy.
Or, put another way, dogs are not by nature aggressive…some just have cretin-owners. But, since we at present do not have a dog of any breed, we’ll save this Jihad for a later date.
McMinnville Wine Walk
We discovered there is a lot about McMinnville to like. It is the very HUB of the Oregon Wine industry. There are tasting rooms for 19 Vineyards and for 7 craft breweries and all of these are in a walkable area in the restored downtown. If you widen your circle just a few miles into the countryside, there are perhaps a dozen more.
McMinnville Brewery
WE EXTENDED OUR STAY by a day to accommodate this epiphany. Unfortunately, we discovered that many of the WINE Tasting rooms were closed on Tuesday and Wednesday; however we found a Brewery.
Unfazed, friend Dick Stubbs informed us of Lemelson Winery nearby, which WAS open and whose owner went to law school with Tyra. It was not walkable, but when it comes to Wine Tasting, I am happy to be the designated driver.
At Lemelson we tasted, purchased a couple bottles and then toured the facility. They are very proud of their entirely gravity-fed production system. Their t-shirt slogan: “Gravity Flows, Pumps suck.” The wine geek (not meant to be derogatory…I am, after all, a Strategic Geek) explained that Pinot Noir juice is quite fragile…he claimed it can be “injured by pumping…” I find that hard to imagine, but I am not in a position to question.
And the fella at least has good roots…His last domicile before McMinnville? Wrigleyville in Chicago…Lakewood and Addison. In other words, we could have hit his apartment with a stone from our deck. Odd convergence, don’t you think? To be born in WILMETTE and end up working in WILLAMETTE.
How, one wonders, are Presbyterians Harvested, anyway?
We also discovered that McMinnville has a bit of a “freak” component. For example, in the early part of May each year, there is the McMinnville UFO Festival. Apparently, this area has a very high incidence of UFO sightings…and always has…since even before Marijuana became legal. This festival celebrates this, with a parade and with kids dressing up like Halloween.
Since we never really “planned” to come to McMinnville, I would characterize this stop on our “tour” as a fantastic accident. Unplanned, fascinating and inspiring us to keep moving in hopes of finding other happy accidents.
As with most of the BB issues we have faced, this one was easily rectified with Pat’s (a willing and expert host’s) assistance and more than a bit of wrenching. But also as usual, the fan problem looked simple but turned out NOT!
And, what a surprise; I was part of the problem!!
I had not fully under-stood how to tighten the belt – thought it could not be tightened so needed to be replaced. Since it needed to be replaced, we were going to put a double-belt on, which both Peter and Pat thought should have been the case to begin with.
Clutch Bracket, Repaired!
However, in removing the belt, we discovered a bracket holding the fan clutch had completely separated, and the clutch was being held ONLY by the wires that activate it.
This WOULD HAVE FAILED, probably pretty soon. And when it failed, the now-loose wires could have caught in something and/or started arcing and caused a fire. YIKES.
Had we just tightened the belt and gone on our way, we would not have discovered the “real” and hidden problem!
FORTUNATELY, Pat is as adept with a welder as Peter, so the bracket (and the slightly-frayed wire) was quickly repaired.
As we reassembled everything, we installed new, Heavy-Duty belts and retensioned all of them. And we installed a second belt for the Fan.
The local auto parts store actually had the right bearing in stock, and they were open on Sunday!!!
Pat decided the Fan Bearing was a little “grindy” so we replaced it. We even added a manual fan switch – both Peter and Pat were surprised we did not have one and it was an easy add with everything disassembled. I even found that there was a pre-drilled hole in the dash, covered by vinyl only, for such a switch.
Could it have been forgotten at the factory?
While I did a lot of the actual “work” on these repairs, Pat got pretty dirty, too. And, Pat’s expertise was on full display. For example, reinstalling the bearing for the Fan. Getting the old one out was no problem – bang it with a hammer! But doing the same for installation would likely damage the new bearing. Pat’s solution: Put the bearing in the freezer and heat the fan. The contraction of the bearing and the expansion of the socket caused the thing to drop right into place, and then stay put when temps equalized.
During our work, one evening we were offered a homemade chili dinner prepared by Pat’s friend Kelly. YUM! We took Pat and Kelly to Sunday brunch at a local place overlooking one of Olympia’s marinas. Then the next night we took a break and went to a Sports bar to watch the Cubs.
We should have joined the club so as to dull the disappointment.
This sports bar was interesting. LOTS of cars in the lot, but no one in the bar. Turns out the bar has a “Private Club” upstairs. There you can smoke (tobacco or Marijuana…the latter being legal in Washington State) and drink. THAT was where all the people were! Unfortunately the Cubs lost…we should have joined the club so as to dull the disappointment.
From Olympia we headed South – with the fan purring along. Well, Roaring…nothing purrs on the bus. Destination (Eventually) the SF Bay Area with Approx. 10 days to get there and hoping to avoid the awful fires in Sonoma and Napa. It seems we have been stalked by fire all summer. In fact, it seems our visits to California are always coincident with events of biblical proportions. Last spring it was torrential rain and flooding. This fall, Fire. Frogs next?
I am somewhat happy that we have no first-born…the natural plague-progression.
The drive back to Victoria was relatively uneventful. Same Twists, turns, narrowness, steepness and potholes as the outbound leg. A little less traffic, though, (it is after Thanksgiving), which is not a big deal for us, but it is good for international relations to have a shorter line of cars stuck behind us on the inclines. This time we DID manage a stop at Sproat Lake to see the Martin Mars Water Bombers. Which turned out to be a bit of an adventure…
There are no “official” signs directing one to the planes…it is a business, not a museum. We did see one sign – to a Pub that advertised “Home of the Mars Bombers.” Sounded promising, so we followed the road in the direction the sign pointed.
Had we gone down that hill in the bus, we might still be there.
The road soon devolved to something very unsuitable for the Bluebird. A subsequent sign to the pub pointed down a steep gravel hill. I decided to walk down and make sure that bus could a) get down and b) turn around and get back up. What I found was a small marina, and the pub, which was closed. Probably for a long time. More importantly, the Mars Bombers were BARELY VISIBLE, all the way across the lake. We felt more than a little mislead!
Martin Mars #1
After returning to the main road, I stopped to research the issue further. Dr. Google surfaced the company name that runs the planes and I called them. They no longer have tours or a museum, but they said we could see the planes pretty close up from the fence line. She gave me the address: 9350 Bomber Base Way. We easily arrived there…and the planes were parked undergoing maintenance.
Martin Mars #2
Signs CLEARLY restricted getting close, but I asked a guy in the parking lot if I could come in to take a Pic. He said sure. I am really glad we persisted…seeing these marvels up close…even in a state of partial disassembly…was pretty cool.
Welcome to Victoria!
We had mentioned to the Chandlers that our arrival in Oak Bay (near Victoria) would be “Cocktail-hour-ish.” They said they had not managed (yet) to rent the driveway to someone (anyone) else, so would roll it out for us again. This offer was even after having a week to consider just what it means to have a bus in their yard! Maybe it is because they knew we were going to be leaving SOON…
We had one full day to spend with the Chandlers, and Liz took the opportunity to visit Gera’s Hair Stylist. The ladies planned an entire day around this (According to Gera, “Its all about the hair”), culminating with drinks and dinner at the marina in Victoria.
Liz cuts my hair and I prefer my drinks at a pub!
She did mention that Chuck has a barber where drinks are served at the shop…however “Its all about the hair” does not extend to MY hair.
We developed a bus issue on the way from Tofino to Victoria. Phone discussion with friend Peter suggested that it could be a loose engine fan…very dangerous. So in Victoria I decided to swing the radiator and check.
I have never met Rob, but he was willing to drop what he was doing to help out.
Peter, in the meantime, had called fellow Bluebirder Rob Robinson (who lives in Victoria) and Rob called me to ask if I needed any tools or help. I said until the radiator was off and I had a look at the fan, not much to be done.
Once I got a look at the fan, it was apparent that the issue was not a loose fan, but rather a loose belt driving the fan. It did not appear that this was the ONLY issue, so more investigation was needed. After conferring with Peter, the conclusion was we were safe to get back to the states and all the way to Olympia, WA.
Why Olympia? Pat lives there, of course. ANOTHER Bluebirder who I have never met, and has a full shop, lots of tools, knows his way around a Bluebird—his is about the same age as ours and, most important, said ABSOLUTELY bring it by…we’ll fix it up.
This seemed prudent because, frankly, Chuck Chandler is an ACCOUNTANT…his driveway and “shop” are, shall we say, less well stocked with big heavy wrenches and air-tools. And, unless the bus needs help with a Business Valuation, Chuck’s knowledge and skill would not be valuable in these particular circumstances.
It therefore seemed NOT a good idea to start any kind of project…even one that seemed simple since Bus Projects normally turn out to be anything but. And because the terrain is flat and the weather is cool heading towards Olympia…minimizing the need for the fan…it seemed the risk was small.
So, basically, we were handed off from one helpful Bluebirder to another to another. Meeting each for the first time and each was just concerned that we address whatever issues are keeping us from being foot loose and fancy free.
Actually, I think his “mistake” on the plates was a ruse and investigative technique. He asked where we were from…I think wanting to make sure our answer was consistent with our plates.
Leaving Victoria included all the usual angst about the ferry logistics. This time, though, we had to clear customs before getting on the ferry (an added step). We found the Ferry Terminal, queued up and waited. The US Customs agent came to the bus and gave us the business. At first, he seemed to mistake our license plates for BC Plates…and he was prepared for a whole new level of “curiosity.” But when he realized we were from Illinois, that was pretty much the end of the questioning.
The Ferry Ride was uneventful. When we arrived in Port Angeles, we again showed passports and the Border Patrol decided we needed an Agricultural Inspection. We were not singled out…this was being done for all the RVs and trailers on the boat. We were directed to a curb and asked to wait. Eventually, an officer came on board and poked around. He asked about rice…we showed him a couple of Mason Jars with MAYBE 2 cups total. He said he would let it go because we were FROM the USA and probably bought it there (we did). The concern is rice from India, which can have bugs.
The agent added the Green pepper to a little baggie of similar dangerous items…a couple of lemons and an apple confiscated from other RVs.
The agent also tossed the fridge…and confiscated….wait for it…A GREEN PEPPER. Well known instrument of terrorist destruction. That was it. Everything else, including a package of cheese, mushrooms and the potentially devastating pepperoni were allowed to remain.
Now, I know that agricultural products are a source of concern. In past border crossings, we have been given a pass…I guess because its our house, and we have the normal stuff in the fridge. We are not large-scale importers of contraband Citrus. But I get it…we try NOT to shop for groceries in the week before a border crossing, so the fridge is generally pretty empty.
We hope the green pepper did not suffer. Perhaps it was offered a starring role that evening on the agent’s pizza?
After leaving the border crossing, we started south, towards Olympia and Pat’s tools and expertise. Safe in the knowledge that the suspect engine fan and belts would not be called upon much on the flatter terrain and in the cooler weather.
Pat and Dan Assume The Position!
We made it to Pat’s without any fan-related drama. We were directed to a place in front of the garage (where the tools are) and next to Pat’s Bluebird. Then we got out and introduced ourselves.
Seriously…this guy welcomed a broken bus and total strangers to his yard “for as long as it takes.”
Our days in Tofino passed peacefully and relaxingly in zen-like calm. Wind was calm, too, and it hardly rained. Tofino “natives” (i.e. those with actual Canadian Passports) say this is rare. We took advantage of both, though.
Morning Coffee on the Beach
The RV park has free Starbucks Coffee in the morning…perfect for a walk on MacKenzie Beach just yards (ooopps, meters) from RV WHERE YET. And in the evening, Sunsets are magnificent from the beach. In between, there is a nice bike trail all the way into town in one direction and out to Cox Beach in the other.
The latter is a surfers mecca and there were a LOT of folks out there doing whatever it is one does at a surfers mecca. Sent a Pic to our friends Tillman and Susanna, surfers from Colorado (what???!!!), who said something to the effect of “WOW, BIGWAVES!! Is the water cold?” Since everyone was wearing full-body, neoprene condoms, I assume so, but have no first-hand knowledge.
Our bike riding also included a stop at Tofino Brewing Company. We had already sampled their wares at our two Cubs Viewings, but we thought we would go straight to the mother-lode. There we discovered a taproom operating under a manufacturer’s license. Meaning, they could serve only ONE PINT/DAY/PATRON. This allowed us to have a flite of 4, but not of 5. No prob. I had the Kelp Stout previously! The Double IPA was tasty! And, the Bar Tendress did disclose that her memory was quite suspect and there also might be a shift change…in case we wanted to come back later.
Big Daddy’s Fish and Chips
We also found local tradition “Big Daddy’s Fish and Chips.” This is a Food Truck that has become so popular that they added a dining porch! Sue from Courtenay exclaimed that these were the best F&C anywhere. I am sure F&C are like Chicago Pizza…everyone has their favorite and thinks you are an idiot if yours is not the same. But we don’t have the time or inclination to do extensive research, so we took Sue’s word and suggestion and visited Big Daddy.
After the Thanksgiving holiday, the RV park cleared out so fast we thought there might have been a tsunami warning!! Good thing there wasn’t because there is NOWHERE one can go within 30 minutes of where we are that is significantly above sea level. There is apparently a major subduction zone just off shore, according to locals, so a warning would give minutes to escape. Since it takes 15 minutes to air up the bus, our escape would be Clown-Car-Only even if it was possible. Happy to have beaten the odds.
Liz is already inside!
As a result of the mass exodus, and our stay extending 2 more nights, we had our choice of satellite-friendly sites where we were able to watch Cubs games. Also a good thing, because the Secretary of The Treasury would not authorize additional trips to town for these events no matter how die-hard a fan she is. Never mind the thought of actually paying Primo-Tofino Prices for the chance to watch the Bears get their new rookie QB killed for the first time. The Hawks were on, too, in Trono. The Satellite got a workout Monday!!!
Hmmm…what is Liz Thinking at Ucluelet?
Tuesday, our last in Tofino, was projected to be a little showery. So we decided to drive down to Ucluelet, which is a fishing (and now tourist) village south of Tofino. Another place hard to spell…so most people just call it “Ukee.”
Back to normal after our dose of Unfriendly Canadians, we were again absolutely smothered with Canadian Generosity.
It is becoming clear to me that the Clown Car has a hard (and possibly short) life.
We had a leaky tire (AGAIN) on the Clown Car. Not too hard to understand why: When we are towing the CC, it is hard to dodge potholes. And some that hardly register on the bus are like the Grand Canyon to the CC. Anyway, in an effort to fix this, we stopped at a Kal Tire (like a Firestone or Goodyear store). They were booked up full putting on winter tires and selling chain, but not wanting to turn us away, they said they would squeeze us in somehow. We thanked them for this…and walked to Walmart and Home Depot to take care of some necessities.
Now THAT is an unexpected exchange rate!!
In less than the 2 hours it took us to solve a couple bus issues at Walmart, they fixed the flat (an embedded screw, not a dented rim!) and rotated the tires. FOR FREE. After squeezing us into their full schedule, they would not accept payment of any kind.
On the way to Tofino, we planned stopped in Courtenay, BC to visit Peter and Susan…folks we met at the Casper Eclipse Rally. They have a Bluebird also, and have been EXTREMELY helpful in consultation on our Vancouver Island adventures. Peter also offered invaluable local wisdom about tire chains, hikes and taprooms, and Susan offered Liz technical assistance as well — to be discussed later!
Not that the Chandlers and others didn’t or couldn’t offer lots of great suggestions. The difference is, Peter and Susan have a Bluebird and know where to drive it and park it and enjoy the process.
Speaking of…It’s absolutely AMAZING how friendly, generous, helpful and accommodating fellow Bluebirders are (and especially Canadian ones…to no one in RV WHERE YET’s surprise). To be sure, it could be sympathy and shared adversity – the challenge of keeping our old buses on the road. It could simply be that the folks willing to do this share the same sense of adventure and outgoing personality (or the same mental defect).
This generosity takes many forms. Local knowledge about what to see and do in their hometown or area is a given. Mechanical knowledge…the fact that ANY and EVERY problem we could have with RV WHERE YET has already been dealt with by others, who have published this online (with pictures) and will answer their phone if clarification is required. There are MANY stories of an owner jumping in their car to deliver a spare part 500 miles to another whose ‘Bird is broken and then helping to install it (whatever “it” is). Sometimes, the generosity is in the form of a short-term hookup and “stay as long as you want…” And while staying, feel free to use tools, shop, compressor, laundry, etc. etc. etc.
We have so far been only the beneficiary of joining this community, we hope we can be worthy of such generosity by reciprocating in whatever ways we can (HEY BLUEBIRDERS…Wanna place to stay while seeing the Cubs? Complete with the Best Burrito in the USA?).
Mount Washington Meadow
Since Courtenay is a town we have to pass through twice on the way to/from Campbell River and Tofino, and Peter has an RV parking spot which he graciously offered to us as a stopping point (see above comment on Bluebird Generosity), we spent a couple days there. To get there, Peter recommended Highway 19A –the coastal road.
Now, we have been recommended quaint coastal roads before (e.g. Chuckanut near Anacordes, WA), ones that had we taken them, we might still be stuck there. But since Peter drives a bigger Bluebird than ours, we thought this would be both scenic AND safe! And he was right, on both accounts!!
Dinner overlooking the Marina in Comox
In Courtenay, Peter and Susan proved to be Hosts with the Most. Gracious, fun, and hospitable. Took us to their go—to pub, cooked us steaks, guided a couple walks/hikes…even to a surprise birthday/cocktail party for a new friend of ours…Dave.
And, while in Courtenay, Peter helped me change the Alternator in the bus. This died less than a half an hour from his place. Seriously…we would have been stranded, but instead, we happened to be planning to visit and nearly on the doorstep of one of the most knowledgeable Bluebird guys around.
And to be more clear about who helped whom, Peter diagnosed the issue, then secured a rebuilt Alternator (CA$235) from a local source, then we removed the old and installed the new (I did help with the getting dirty and skinning knuckles and swearing part). And while we were at it, welded some nuts and tightened belts. Not our belts, of course, since we ate WAY TOO WELL, but the bus’. If I needed another example of Bluebird Generosity, this was it for sure.
While the menfolk were geeking out in the Bus’ engine compartment, Liz discovered that Sue was an EXPERT Knitter. Liz has been dabbling at this, and now she had some EXCELLENT COACHING. They spent hours in the endeavor (at least they said that is what they were doing…). Sue imparted directly knowledge of patterns, counting, stitches, yarn, needles and all manner of woolen technology. Including where all the best Yarn shops are…not only on Vancouver Island, but all over the west coast of the USA. As I write this, Liz is sitting in the bus, in Tofino, in the rain, creating all manner of Knit-things.
But as promised by Peter, no problems navigating any of it.
The drive to Tofino was 50% routine and 50% adventure. About 4 hours in total from Courtenay, the road changes drastically in about the middle. It becomes curvy, hilly, narrow and pot-holed. Sometimes all at once. At one point there is an 18% grade, and at many points very narrow tight turns – and meeting trucks at these will raise your blood pressure, for sure!!!.
Hoping to see this…
We planned to stop in Port Alberni, on a fjord/lake/Hell-I-Still-Don’t-Know-What-to-call-these-things (this one is fresh water, but subject to tsunamis!?!) in the middle of the island. Peter recommended this visit as Sproat Lake is the base for the huge Martin Mars amphibious water-bombers that are used to fight forest fires. He said that despite this awful fire season, the Mars were never used. Could it be the end of the line for these beasts, relegated to legend like a Canadian Nessie? Sounded like a worthwhile side-trip.
Problem was, it was pissing-down rain so we decided to try to hit this highlight on the way back from Tofino.
It was Canadian Thanksgiving while we were in Tofino. Also the Chicago Cubs Playoff Games on TV. Our RV park was way too beautiful in a tree-studded way, so no way to get Satellite reception. Not to worry, we found a couple places in town where we could sit at the bar and watch the games.
I have to say, asking a bar in Tofino to put on baseball is nearly as strange to the natives as asking for Hockey in the Deep South. In both places, they don’t really understand, but they smile (A LOT) and accommodate!
Not sure how much they were enjoying the game, but we sure enjoyed their company!
One difference, though. In Tofino, the “locals” (i.e. hospitality workers) are usually from farther away than we are. One game we enjoyed with a Dutch guy on the left and a French guy on the right (both off-duty bartenders/waiters/kitchen help) and an Aussie Bartender.
Canadian Thanksgiving
Canadian Thanksgiving seems a lot like USA’s version. The one holiday that has not been corrupted with commercialism…the need to decorate, send cards and buy presents (for people who expect them), etc. The only requirement is to enjoy the company of family and WAY TOO MUCH FOOD. Our favorite holiday in the States, and we are looking forward to spending it with our families later in November.
After Tofino, we head back to Victoria where we will see how the Chandlers REALLY enjoyed our stay if there is/is not a new sign at their driveway – “NO RV PARKING.”
From Victoria, we travel back to the USA by Ferry to Port Angeles. On October 13. Friday. Hmmmm. IS this wise?
We left the Chandlers in Oak Bay, grateful in the extreme for having such wonderful and generous friends. They, I am sure, were also grateful — to have the bus out of their yard!! So far they have not retracted their invite to stay again before we leave back to the States. See my first statement about having wonderful and generous friends!
Our campsite overlooking Browns Bay Marina
Our next target was Browns Bay Resort, which is about 10 miles north of Campbell River. Campbell River is about half way up island. Vancouver Island is HUGE…way bigger than one imagines. Half way up island turns out to be the better part of 4 hours driving! If you go past Campbell River there is…not much else!
Brown’s Bay is a MAGNIFICENT place, with EXCELLENT accommodations overlooking the Bay/Sound/River/Inlet/???? (I am gonna have to learn what to call these things). At the bottom of the hill, a marina, and in the marina a floating restaurant – with an excellent breakfast on weekends. And a couple of resident seals in the area.
The only problem with this place: we were able to get satellite TV, which means we were able to watch the Bears on TV. Ugggh.
While at Brown’s Bay, we enjoyed a variety of activities. One day, a hike of about 6 miles in total to an overlook of Ripple Rock in the Seymour Narrows Shipping channel. This is the site of the Largest Non-Nuclear Explosion ever…as in worldwide!!! As in EVER. I mean, we are in Canada. Not very near anywhere in particular. Canada has no enemies to speak of. Far from any wars. Obviously, there is a story here!
Sure enough…
It seems there was an underwater rock formation that is smack-dab in the middle of the Discovery Channel, used for shipping. Not even 3 meters deep at low tide, and creating massive eddies and whirlpools when the tide moved past (very fast at the narrows). A VERY dangerous situation — 20 large and hundreds of smaller vessels had sunk after encountering this hazard. Engineers had tried for years to remove, explode or otherwise eliminate, to no avail.
Ripple Rock Explosion Story
In 1955, a solution was envisioned. Dig a tunnel under the Channel and up into the outcropping. Load that tunnel with an explosive similar to Dynamite. A LOT of dynamite. 1,400 tons. After three years of tunneling, in 1958 the explosives were detonated. The resulting channel is now deep enough for even the large cruise ships that currently ply the Seymour Narrows on the way to and from Alaska from Vancouver.
Unfriendly Canadians…very hard to imagine, much less experience!
While on our hike near Ripple Rock, we did finally discover UNFRIENDLY Canadians (which is really NOT an easy task). What a relief…everyone here is SOOO friendly it was starting to wear on us!
We needed us some surly!
The unfriendlies emanated from a beehive that Liz stepped on (naturally, she was leading on this particular stretch)! Immediately after which she started screaming and careening back down the rocky, steep trail – pretty much over and through me. Liz has had a severe reaction to bees before, so we were a little worried. But as it turned out, in this case and with these bees, she was more likely to be killed by a broken neck incurred during her rapid exit! A few red, painful welts did develop and were the only lingering effect.
Rotarians, At it Again!
We made several other excursions during our time in Brown’s Bay. One to Campbell River. Nice coastal town where the Rotary has created a great little walking trail and the town has reconstructed the waterfront, all by the ferry terminal.
And, we found a Microbrewery…Beach Fire Brewing Company. Seriously…we happened upon it, not even looking for it. If fact, our target was the local Dairy Queen, which we did make it to AFTER the Brewery (for dessert!).
Anyway, we enjoyed a tasty flite and heard about the brewing business from the perspective of the first Craft Brewer in Campbell River. They said their initial task was education…apparently the locals think of Corona and Labatt Blue as Premium “Craft.”Getting them to try a Stout or Sour or, eeeagads, a Double Black IPA, was not happening, at least not at first. So they started with some nice, lighter styles. I think they were genuinely pleased to have customers who actually asked to try their Stout!
We also spent some time organizing the new Bike Rack we acquired to hold the new bikes we also acquired. No place in Campbell River had any kind of bike cover…or even a BBQ cover we could press into service. One place suggested a Motorcycle cover…which seemed like a great idea. Walmart stocked one and it is perfect for the task.
And finally, we researched the issue of Tire Chains. Not really wanting to, but with road signs advertising the legal requirement after October 1, we thought we should consider our options. Our friend, fellow Bluebird Owner and soon-to-be-host Peter from Courtenay, BC said we would never want to actually USE tire chains…if the weather is that bad we would certainly stop and wait. (Roger that!) He said he drives south in January and carries chains, but he has never used them. If he did, he said, it would ONLY be to get to a safe place and wait out the weather. We understand there are similar legal requirements in Washington, Oregon and California. SO it seems we should do SOMETHING.
Considering we hope to never need them…
We went to a truck place in Campbell River, and the fella at the desk showed me “real” chains. That is, chains that are meant for real trucks (our tires are the same as a Real Truck, so would be the appropriate chains) and for drivers who plan to (must) drive in conditions demanding chains. These are HUGE, and heavy. Some have studs on the links and look like medieval weapons.
Considering we hope to never need them, we asked what other options there might be. He suggested Tire Cables…much lighter-weight and smaller-to-store than chains. Usable for emergencies and makes one legal when chains are required. That sounds like just what we needed.
Of course, he did not stock them and no one else in Campbell River did either. Peter assured us that we will not see snow anywhere on Vancouver Island Before 13 Oct. (and the RCMP would be very unlikely to hassle us about not having chains). So, when we return to the states we’ll see about acquiring Cables.
After a planned brief visit to Courtney and friends Peter and Susan, our next stop will be Tofino, on Vancouver Island’s wild west coast. This is a place where the winter season rates are as high or higher than summer because people go there to see wild pacific storms crash onto shore.
As long as there is no snow involved, because we don’t have chains!!
