Paul Alton MBA

We started the month in Burnaby, BC having arrived a couple of days ago.

The point of this trip to BC was three-fold: Enjoy a quick trip to my hometown; check on my sisters and any needs I can help them with; and checkout a volunteer opportunity on Quadra Island. The trip could be short or long depending on the needs we encounter and our ability to help.

Burnaby doesn’t need us. Onward to Powell River.

Wednesday morning, I got up and did a walk around the village in Burnaby in the drizzle. After breakfast we visited with my sister, Sydney, a bit and headed off for coffee and scones with an old boss in Kitsilano. I texted his wife that my cold was over, but I still had a nasty cough. They may want to reschedule.

They did.

The text replay came in when we were not that far off. We drove around a bit in Point Grey with my reminiscing about my misspent youth. Then it seemed like a good idea to show Juanita where the grandkids had enjoyed ice cream summer 2022. The chance to have some ice cream at the Guiness Record holder for number of varieties of ice cream might have been a factor as well.

The map app directed us to Casa Gelato in Vancouver East but noted “it may not be open”. The app was truth. Closed until one. Probably wouldn’t make our ferry reservation if we wait. On to West Vancouver and the T&T in Park Royal. Not as good a buffet as the one off the Lougheed, yesterday, but it was quick.

Onward to Horseshoe Bay and the ferry line-up. We parked next to a couple of Tesla’s in the ferry line. Wonderful vehicles and technology. Not suitable for our driving patterns or our winter climate but a great city car in Vancouver. If you’ve ever seen videos of a lithium battery fire you may not want to be on a ferry with one, but I digress. Onto the ferry. Walk around and around to complete my step goal. Pick up some brochures for local attractions to put in the back seat and read a few weeks too late to benefit from any information they have.

The ferry docks. We join the road race between ferries. Onto the next one. Steps done we stay downstairs and visit.

Judi and her daughter, Janice, were waiting for us ay Judi’s house. We ate. We visited. The next day we did more of the same. I tackled a few items she had on her chores list. That took an hour. Obviously not needed longer term here, either. We visited with our best man, Claudio and I did a quick repair to a toilet for him. He’s not as mobile as he used to be. At one time he would have had no hesitation tackling a toilet valve replacement. A few wrong moves ago and their instantaneous negative physical feedback have made him jumpy to jam himself into awkward spots. I understand. You should see me still walk on ice like a geriatric fawn after a spill about five years ago.

On Saturday we headed to Vancouver Island. We obeyed the signage and parked close to the car in the line in front of us. Its parking brake had locked on it. It couldn’t start. After some shuffling we boarded the ferry. The weather was rough. There had been some doubt the ferry would sail. It did, but it took a circuitous route to Comox to minimize its exposure to the wind and waves. I walked around and around the ferry. It’s smaller than the Horseshoe Bay ferry so fewer steps per circuit. With the motion of the boat from the waves the pedometer app showed me as doing heroic climbing. 27 levels for the day!

We drove to Campbell River. The camp director of a Christian Camp on Quadra Island was in Campbell River getting winter tires installed.  We coordinated by text to board the same ferry to Quadra Island. WE visited in the passenger lounge until it was time to dock. There were expectations that this might be the last ferry until the wind died down. The camp had applied to be a SOWERS project. He had been at other camps which were SOWER projects and recognized the value their volunteers can bring. I came with clothes and work boots to pitch in if there was anything that could be done. It quickly became apparent the camp is a phenomenal facility with no shortage of work that I could do and that would be beneficial to the furtherance of their mission. Nothing much we could help with this week though.

RVICS, another Christian RV volunteer group, has accepted them as a project. The camp likely won’t become a SOWERS project. Some of the requirements from SOWERS are beyond the camp’s budget. The distance to the camp might prove daunting to a lot of potential volunteers. It’s a long, expensive trip by ferries.

The director followed us to the ferry which was running again. We visited until it was time to board. Wonderful person. Great ministry. Maybe we’ll be back. There are more opportunities than life or health span.

On the ferry from Quadra Island to Vancouver Island we used their web site to book the next one from Vancouver Island to the lower Mainland. We had time to stop for fish and chips in Qualicum Beach before carrying onto the ferry terminal in Nanaimo. Again, with enough steps in for the day, we stayed downstairs.

We arrived at sister, Syd’s place about eight.  

We drove uphill against the time change from Daylight Savings ending and the change between BC and Alberta. On the road by six stopping in Hope for gas and breakfast. Is that redundant? Then for gas and lunch in Valemount.

We got to Rebekah’s in Edmonton just after they had left for the evening service. I went for a walk in the dark until I had my steps in for the day. This, like drinking water and eating lots of fibre tends to structure your day.

Monday, we ran errands.

We went to Canadian Tire and bought a well pump. The one I use to fill the water system has worn out. In our time back home after the October job ended, I changed the pressure switch but the problem was that it just isn’t developing pressure anymore. Time for a new pump.

I dropped Juanita off at Costco and took the car for its first oil change. Wow. 12,000 km comes quickly when you’re having fun. I walked to Costco while they were servicing the car and collected steps there until they texted that the car was ready.

Then I drove out to the job site near Redwater and picked up a safety award that had arrived after I finished there. By the time we rana few more errands it was time to go to Fort Saskatchewan and watch the auditions for parts in the annual Missoula Children’s Theater. They choose kids, assign roles on Monday. They rehearse them all week and put on a full-blown play on Friday evening. Then they go to the next town on their schedule. Rinse repeat.

Tuesday, we went home, arriving within minutes of our dental appointments. The rest of the month was spent puttering at stuff that needs doing before we go south for the winter.

Toward the end of the week, I installed the pump. I wasn’t looking forward to doing that job in the crawl space and then realized I could install it in the old water tank building. We can pump through the old tank. Removing the old pump can be done next summer. Future Homer’s problem.

Not much to write about this week.

We did more puttering. I cleaned up my work bench. Haven’t seen it since last year.

We helped celebrate Ernie’s birthday. I got the impression he didn’t want to be reminded of turning 50 but might be slightly pleased so many friends and family showed up to remind him..

We installed a video doorbell. I get a ding on my phone every time we go through the front door.

More puttering. More focussed than last week’s puttering. We plan to leave Friday morning. Wednesday we removed the filters from the water system after stocking up with water with some jugs and a plastic garbage can in the bath tub. Nica style.

I bought some half price seeds at the hardware store and sowed some greens and radishes in a covered bed. Doesn’t seem right to be sowing stuff at -10 degrees. I moved my phone to Moscow time to do tomorrow’s Wordle. I noticed it is one degree warmer in Moscow than Meadow Lake. It’s definitely time to go south.

Thursday morning, we flushed the water lines right after lunch and then carried on puttering at things I’ve had months to do but always found something else to divert my attention.

Friday – November 24 Meadow Lake, SK to Moosomin, SK

Awake at 4:53

Woke Juanita, got up at 4:55 and turned off the 5 a.m. alarm before it rang. Breakfast, empty toilet, add RV antifreeze to the bowl and the sink and tub drains. Load the car and drive out the gate and lock the gate. Sounds quick. We were rolling away from the gate at 6:18. A better start than last year’s 9:45. You can learn things from past failure, I’m told.

We drove to Breakfast Saskatoon and picked up breakfast menu items at McDonald’s and took them to granddaughter, Sonja’s apartment. Granddaughter Sasha was visiting there for the weekend. After breakfast Juanita carried on visiting with Sonja and Sasha. I walked around the block for about half an hour getting in my steps and keeping an eye on our parked car. Homeless people smash car windows if there is anything visible that looks worth stealing. Sonja once made the mistake of leaving here portable tire pump on the back seat. Cost a new pump and a new window. Gained experience.  

We’re pretty sure that driving long distances with no cars or buildings makes the car think it has lost its sensors and become mildly neurotic. Just to make sure and test assumptions we pulled over outside of Saskatoon and carefully cleaned all the sensors and cameras. There was one I didn’t know of, but learnings always good. Isn’t it? Well, maybe learning people will smash your window for a twenty dollar pump isn’t good learning. Useful maybe but not good.

In Regina we stop to visit with Stephanie Carlson at a Tim’s. Larry is under the weather and stays home. On the way out of Regina we divert to the Costco and pick up the rest of the daily 10k steps. Heading east we pass the White City Co-op gas station and double back for a fill-up and a quick car wash to get the last of the grid road mud off.

Arriving a little after dark at Moosomin we debated parking near a plug in. It was borderline cold enough to need plug at -8 C.  In room around seven surprisingly tired. Set alarm for five (awake), and six (heading out of room.

Saturday, November 25^th – Moosomin, SK to Fargo, ND

Awoke at 4:53 shut off 5 am alarm and got up.

Made coffee. Showered. Finished in bathroom and started getting dressed before waking Juanita about 5:30

We were carrying our stuff across the parking lot to the idling car when the 6 am alarm started on my phone.

We drove East on the Trans Canada Highway stopping for breakfast  in Brandon at McDonalds and the Flying J in Headingley, for gas.

It was a nightmare following GPS directions in the dark around Winnipeg last year on the way home. This year we went the more traditional but longer route around the city. We tried a minor shortcut suggested by Google maps. It turned to gravel almost right away so we backtracked and ignored further suggestions until we were on the Pembina highway.

The border crossing took about 15 minutes. Less than a minute a car. Last year was well over an hour

Major time gains today versus last year 1) didn’t stop in Portage la Prairie 2) didn’t stop in Winnipeg for lunch 3) no significant delay at the border.

Arrived in Fargo a little after 2pm on dry highways compared to last year in rush hour, in the dark and a snowstorm. We checked into the hotel before going to Costco for steps and Walmart to buy deli salads.

I set the alarm for 5 to get up and 6 to be on the road.

Sunday, November 26th – Fargo, ND to York, NE

I woke to snow and turned off the alarm before it rang and went back to bed. Not quite the rush to get on the road in the dark in the snow. It doesn’t take long for a light snow to be dealt with so we were still in the car by 6:18 and hit a nearby drive thru for breakfast. McDonald’s USA still offers scrambled eggs so a few fewer carbs than a breakfast burrito from McD’s Canada.

Then it was out onto icy roads fighting strong, gusting crosswinds. Not as traumatic as last year on this stretch. No cars off in the snow drifts. No exploded travel trailers lying upside down in the median. Still tense driving but doable. We stopped at the Summit truck stop for a pit stop and the Sioux Falls Flying J for same plus gas. By Sioux Falls the roads were clear and dry.

We followed the freeway around Sioux City. I am always so grateful for that completed road work after multiple trips towing our fifth wheel through the construction congestion and cars merging out of nowhere on blind corners. We waved at Little Sioux on our way past and decided we could wait to eat until Omaha so didn’t stop at Missouri Valley. We did a bunch of steps at Costco in Omaha. The inventory and gift card selections are slightly different than Fargo. Know your market.

After checking into the hotel in York we went to Walmart, finished the step count for the day and bought deli salads for supper. The local McDonald’s opens late in the mornings. We bought some microwavable croissants for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Monday, November 27^th – York. NE to Ardmore, OK

We ate our breakfast croissants in the room, getting on the road at quarter after six. We bought coffee at a McDonald’s drive thru in Concordia, Kansas. The highway was clear and dry, but off to the sides were signs of a recent major snow. Occasionally the two-foot-deep remnants of that storm showed tracks from vehicles that had gone off the road. Enough time had passed that those had all been towed away. There were few signs left by the time we got on the Kansas Turnpike on the south side of Wichita. The toll taker at the end of the turnpike said her animals had loved the snow.

Then we were in Oklahoma.

We had lunch at a Braum’s in Guthrie, the former state capitol of Oklahoma. After our salads we did a bit of walking around with our Braum’s ice cream cones. There’s more to life than salad. South of Oklahoma City in Norman we found a Costco for steps.

Most Motel 6’s are okay. With the room price and a drive thru breakfast you aren’t better off economically than a Choice Hotel with a full breakfast. If you want to be on the road early, however, you have to skip the Choice hotel breakfast so we often stay in Motel 6’s. They’re usually clean enough and safe enough. The Motel 6 we checked into in Ardmore was clean to the extreme. The check in person was friendly to the extreme. The whole thing was slightly off brand. I can live with that.

We drove around the historic downtown area in the fading sunlight before going to Walmart for deli salads for supper and breakfast croissants for tomorrow’s breakfast.   

Tuesday, November 28^th – Ardmore San Antonio, TX

Shortly after six we were on the road and stopped at a McDonald’s drive thru for coffee a few towns down the road. There was construction on the freeway where it crossed into Texas. The semis were trying to play bumper car in the constricted area between the jersey barriers. We didn’t cooperate and avoided getting smushed. One managed to express its displeasure by flicking a rock at us. First rock chip on the new car’s windshield. Life on the prairies being what it is, probably won’t be the last chip. After wending our way past Dallas Ft. Worth on 35W we stopped at a Buc-ees for cheap gas and to potty like a rock star. I walked around their expansive retail section to get some steps in.

At a nearby Starbucks we used their wi-fi to find a glass shop. The rock chip was so big the glass shop offered no guarantees for the fifty buck repair but said if the windshield cracks from the chip they’ll give us fifty bucks off a windshield replacement. I did a few steps around the building while they worked. It looked a little better after their efforts.

Back on the road at Waco to exit the interstate for the toll freeway around Austin. Nice. It ends up on I10 east of San Antonio. After lunch at Taco Cabana at Seguin we carried on to exit on 1604 loop to go to Costco. We used to use 1604 loop it to get from I37 to I10 when towing rig to avoid the always under construction, crazy San Antonio freeways. 1604 seems busier now.

After the step count at Costco we headed for our hotel. San Antonio freeways are awful. Freeways are built then they get used. Then they get used too much and they are expanded. To make room for the expansion they squish everything together to make room to do the do-over. Lanes are displaced. Old lane markings are ground off leaving rows of divots. Temporary lanes are marked with temporary paint. The work takes longer than planned so the temporary paint becomes faint. Nightmare. After a few near misses and a near hit we got to our hotel. There are ways to avoid San Antonio. Next time…

We stroll across the parking lot to the Cracker Barrel next door for a light supper and call it an early night.

Wednesday, November 30^th – San Antonio, TX to Harlingen, TX

The Quality Suites Hotel offers a full breakfast. We take our time eating, getting on the road about 8 to arrive at the Way of the Cross training center in Harlingen a little before noon. After unloading our car into the motor home we head to the warehouse office to say hi.

There is no 12 volt power in the motor home. I track down Byron and he meets me at the staff motel to give me my tool boxes which include a digital volt meter. Back at the coach I start with the batteries. Lots of volts there. I check fuse boxes and panels etc. for a couple of hours. Then I find the switch near the front door that switches the coach batteries from “store” to “use”. That was easy. Once you knew.

With power we can turn on the fridge and start it cooling. That usually takes a while to reach temperature so shopping will not include for items that absolutely need to be cold or frozen. Just coolish until tomorrow. Also with power we have an annoying beep from the Carbon Monoxide (CO) monitor over the bed. It is hardwired. If I don’t turn on the propane or run the engine there is no potential source of CO. On our way grocery shopping we stop at an RV parts store. I took a picture of the monitor but not of the model number. I don’t know enough to order one. I know enough to know they don’t stock the right one.

All settled in. We’ll show up for chapel and to help at the warehouse/food bank tomorrow.

Before going to bed, I order a hardwired RV CO monitor on line. I’ll buy a battery powered one tomorrow at Home Depot to keep us safe until the ordered one comes in and I install it.