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Nov 2
We are now at or winter vacation property.
We spent a week in Laughlin, NV (had to take some pain meds there as the kidney stone thing didn't let up completely)
 and then a week in Quartzsite, AZ and then headed toward Benson spending a night half way.
2 miles from the Mescal exit off I- 10 a back lower storage door on he motor home came open and was protruding in the passing lane
so drove with flashers on  to our exit with right wheels on the shoulder.
All the roads and time driving and we have this happen just two miles from home.
It was locked but came open anyway.
No damage, Terry just slammed it shut.
It's where we carry the power cable so nothing flew out.
Now to unload (like as in Terry ) and get settled in our house.
Time to unwind and get the hot tub set up to relieve the stress of driving this monster machine.
With all the suspension upgrades it is much easier to drive but still work.
After driving down HW 101 Oregon coast and then US 20 inward from the coast on some of the most winding and curvy roads
you would not want to even drive a car, I drove this machine and survived, so now feel I am qualified to drive just about anywhere.
OH and the MH ran just fine and did everything it was supposed to do. No issues at all.
The best part is the brake exhaust when going down hills just turn it on and no need to even touch the foot brake peddle.
Then downshift going up hills and it holds the speed great. Just keep the RPMs up and all is well. 
Drove up and over Donner Pass on I - 80 and on to Reno without a hitch. 
This is a keeper. It's like flying a 747 hang on and just go for it and keep it pointed in a straight line.
And the guy who bought our 5th wheel told me when he got it, it exceeded his expectations. What could be better then that.
Now to think about going back camp hosting either at the last spot or look for other places next year OR maybe off to Alaska.
Who knows, now that we have driven this MH from here to Idaho and then to OR coast and CA, NV and back feel it is well made
and good for more great adventures.
I did get a Warranty at 4K$  for 4 years on on the mechanical MH parts.
As a replacement Cummings engine can cost 30K$  so need insurance.




 


Sept and Oct 2018
t was time to say good by to Blackfoot Reservoir and our friendly moose heard and
get on our way after camp hosting for the summer.
September 20 was the day to head out on our slow journey to Eugene, OR
The BLM stops collection of money on the 15th and is shutting down the water on the 19th.
Leaving on the power. They left it on  last winter.
The campground never closes as it has a boat ramp and ice fishing later on.
After here we are heading slowing across Oregon to Eugene to get work done on the MH.
New design of trailing arms  and new improved 4-Bag Ride Enhancement Kit.
The company that does it is owned by the former engineers who designed the original MH.
They have come up with better handling ideas.  Another $6K for all that.



Scott Park on the Snake river just south of Mountain Home OR
Free boondocking


Above pics are places we stopped as we crossed central OR on HW 20 heading to Eugene.
Took HW 20 to Bend and after Sisters HW 126 to Eugene.
We use www.freecampsites.net and http://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com
to find boondocking sites.



I had made reservations at the Lane County RV park just outside of Eugene, OR
Afer we got there on Wednesday and we found out the air bags had not arrived yet. We had to just stay calm and wiat. a
couple of days later they showed up and we made an appointment for Monday to get the work done.
Well it took tilll Tuesday afternoon to finish up the job.  Driving out of the shop I discovered and ABS warning light
didn't go out after starting the enjine so had to go back and get them to see what was wrong. They picked their  brains and finialy had us
and the manager take the MH to a big truck repair shop they work with and get the code reading on it to determine
 what trouble code it was throwing. On the way to that place the warning light went out and the reader told us all should be well now,
While they were working on it the couch battery had to have gone low causing the  error code.
So we were now off to the coast later in the afternoon.
Had no more problem with that since.



Nice pull-thru but not good for DirecTV sat dish. We had to run a coax through the trees to a clearing on the south side.



This is where we had the upgrades done to the MH.
Praire Road Automotive
Let me say I have never met a bunch of finer people to deal with. They treated us like family.
Now ther is a story as to why they did the work.  Source Eng was to do it, as they make the parts, 
but their shop is being rebuilt and Jim the owner got his friend that ownes Paire Drive Auto to to the work
which they had never done before. He led them through how to do the work.  Just think they replaced the trailing arms,
 all air bags and shocks on a big motorhome.




When we got to Eugene Terry noticed one tow dolly wheel strp was wearing. Not good. 
I found replacements in town and we went and got them. They have not shown any wear.



While waiting for parts we went to the Saturday farmers market in downtown Eugene.
 It was pcked and looked to us most people come for the food.



From Eugene OR we headed right over to the coast to Winchester Bay and stayed right on the docks with dry camping for $107 a week.
We have a big generator and solar so no problem.
There is a very fancy commercial RV park also on the docks but they want about $280 a week.



DouglasCounty RV park on the docks



From our base on the docks we went on day rips both north and south on US 101.
The followig are just radom pic, not in any order of what we found. We had pretty good weathr with only a day or tow of rain or fog.



Port Orford OR
Welcome to Port Orford... the oldest town on the Oregon Coast and the most westerly in the 48 states.
We are a working fishing port, with an active - and talented - art community, and a great place for visitors who
want to enjoy spectacular natural beauty without the crowds.
Theylift the boats out of the bay.





Bridge heading into North Bend OR

























And going south into California we drove through theredwoods.
We did take a day trip through Newton B Drury - Redwood Scenic Parkway
Like the site sez drive through a tunnel o ftrees -- stop and wander among the giants.

Goming off the coast we took HW 20 (would never take this again) across CA and up and over Donner Pass to Reno and headed south on HW 95 toward Las Vegas.
As we have taken this route many times we dedided to take HW 6 over to HW 93 and go down HW 375 called the Extraterrestrial
 Highway close to Area 51.  Spending the night in Rachel  NV and again free camping at the famous Little A'Le'Inn
From there onward south. I don't like driving through Las Vegas so we headed around Lake Mead on North Shore Road and
spent the night at Government Wash, Yep free. That way we could emerge south and go through Boulder City and then south
on US 95 again to Laughlin, NV where we are now for a week.




They have a weekly rate, starting at $109.00, and receive two complimentary buffets tickets.
This 700 site RV Park is packed. as the snowbirds are heading south.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED
I have to say I have learned much about driving a diesel pusher motorhome.
Sure it's big and is more like flying a 747 than a truck and 5th wheel but the exhaust brake makes handling
going down hills a breeze. Don't even need to apply brakes and the extra power going up hills is so cool.
 The big thing is to keep up the revs by down shifting.
Now that I have driven down the OR and CA coast and inland on HW 20 on some the the most
challenging roads you would ever find, I feel I can handle most anything with this motor home.
It doesn't hurt that the entire suspension has been replaced to give me the compentence that on tight corners
 and scary situations that I have solid handling components under me.

A little update on a facebook post I did.
Sunday 10/21/18 while in Laughlin in the RV park that we have booked for a week.

When in central CA for a nights stop at free parking a a cosino I came down with a kidney stone problem and went to the local ER.
While traveling, never met an ER we didn't want to stop at, esp late on a Friday night. Yep, a painful kidney stone
(this time a large one .5 X .7 cm came to visit). We are at Lakeport CA at Sutter Lakeside Hospital Staying in the motorhome at the local casino  parking lot for free. Going to stay an extra day now that I have to get meds at Safeway. The only place that dispenses narcotics. CVS doesn't handle that anymore. The good news is today no pain (last Saturday)  so will not be taking the Oxycodone (Percocet) and to think the co-pay was only $6.05 for 29 pills. But will have it if needed. Sure don't want to have to take that stuff.

Well today I woke up with much pain (must be passing another big stone) and knew I needed some relief, so broke down and took a Oxycodone pill.
Let me tel you I can understand why people get hooked on this stuff. I got warm all over and in a little while felt no pain. I also took the anti nausia pill that you put under your tongue. This stuff is serious medicine.
Strange feeling. That was at 11 AM and now at 7 PM no pain and not feeling any after effects.



I need to get to feeling better as we have buffets to go to and get out and about.

After here in Laughlin we are headed to of course Quartzsite for a few days before we had back to Benson and see what is left of our winter vacation property. Not to worry as our good neighbor has been taking care of it for us all summer. What we would do without him, I don't know.