Phaeton Got A Boo-Boo

Okay, I guess it is time to fess up about why we are in Red Bay, AL. at the Tiffin service center and not still in the Pacific northwest enjoying the scenery. 

Just as we got to Corvallis, Oregon in May, we pulled into a service station to fill the motorhome with diesel.  In doing so we determined that the pumps were not really set up like we prefer so we decided to make a turn into another station just next to the first one.  Unfortunately we got too close to a concrete pillar when trying to make the turn and did quite a bit of damage.  Luckily no one else was involved and we were not hurt…except for the Phaeton. 

We limped along for a few miles to make it to the park we were going to stay at until we needed to be at our summer job in Alsea, OR.  Contacted our insurance company and they had someone out there within a day.  We decided that we would rather have someone just patch us up so we could make it through the time we needed to be in Oregon and then get back to the Tiffin service center in Alabama to have the end cap replaced and the bay doors replaced. 

The adjuster had a service tech at our site with 24 hours and he worked for most of three days getting us patched up.  I have to say it is not pretty but it did the job and got us mobile again.

I have to say that Progressive insurance company has been right there for us and treated us very well.  Guess whose rates are going up?

So, instead of going up into Washington state for several weeks after we completed our stint in Oregon we decided we had best head directly for Alabama.  We did take our time and made several stops along the way to visit with friends but we pretty much kept the coach on a direct route to Alabama. 

Washington…well, another time. 

Moving on.

Jumping Ahead, Falling Back

Chester, Illinois

 

As I have been pretty remiss about keeping up with my blog, I am going to just jump out there and try to get my act together.  But I warn you there is not going to be any rhyme or reason to the order in which I post.  So here goes…

After leaving Oregon on August 1 we made our way east and south with Red Bay, Alabama being our final destination.  Once we arrived in Missouri we found an RV park in Perryville and parked ourselves for several days.  From there we took a day trip to visit with friends Nelda and Jim Pogue who were volunteering at a state park about 60 miles west of Perryville.  It was so good to see them again and we enjoyed a great lunch of Mexican food at a local restaurant.  Good food and good friends…doesn’t get much better.  Thanks for the day Jim and Nelda.

On Monday we headed east across the mighty Mississippi River into Chester, Illinois.  Chester is the birthplace of Elzie Segar, the creator of the Popeye characters.  This is a picture taken from the visitor center in Chester looking back over the Mississippi into Missouri.

Bob at the Popeye statue at the Welcome Center…see Eleanor, we did put the Welcome Center to use.

Chester is a small town but well worth the visit.

As most of you know, we normally winter in southern Alabama in Fairhope which is located on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay.  There are 3 couples that live in Chester, IL that also winter at Coastal Haven RV Park.  Steve and Linda Egge invited us to their home along with the Millers and Saunders for a wonderful evening meal.  Linda Egge had made delicious Italian beef with several great side dishes and a fabulous desert, Linda Saunders (Spider) had to-die-for cucumbers and onions and Eleanor Miller provided an appetizer…a dip with chips that we all loved…there was not a smidgen left.  Thanks ladies for a wonderful meal.  A special thanks to Linda and Steve Egge for having us in their lovely home…it was so nice to see these great folks again.  Linda E. showed us her landscape quilt that she recently finished as well as her Women of the Bible quilt.  I have no idea why I did not take pictures of these beautiful quilts.

The guys had a good visit out on the patio…from left to right, John Saunders, Steve Egge, Steve Miller and Bob.

And the ladies ate in the dining room.

Eleanor Miller, Linda (Spider) Saunders and our hostess, Linda Egge.  Thanks again for a great evening…and we are off to Kentucky…Go Wildcats!

Moving on.

June 2012 Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

 

Headed southeast from Alsea down through Eugene to Crater Lake National Park…about a 3 1/2 hour drive so we had a long day.

History lesson…A massive volcanic eruption 7700 years ago left a deep basin in the place where a mountain peak once stood. 

Centuries of rain and snow filled the basin, forming a deep blue lake whose waters are of unmatched color and clarity.  It’s the deepest lake in the United States.

Crater Lake is 4.54 miles across (minimum) and 6.02 miles across (maximum)…1943 feet deep at deepest point…holds 4.9 trillion gallons of water…tallest point on rim is 1978 feet above lake…lowest point on rim is 507 feet above lake. 

Why is the lake so blue?  Other colors of the spectrum are absorbed.  Blue wavelengths are scattered and seen by human eyes. (It is the most beautiful blue…at true blue not the blue/green of the Caribbean.) 

The island that has formed in the lake is called Wizard Island.

The volcano, Mazama, is not extinct…hello! 

As we were at a higher elevation the temp was much cooler…46 degrees…they get 533 inches of snow each year.  It was a beautiful day.

The Wiz was so excited to learn that an island had been named after him.  The Wiz has been placed in our care for one year by the Escapees in Summerdale, AL and goes everywhere we do.

We drove through this really cute area called Union Creek…wish we had had time to do more than just take a couple of pictures.

Moving on.