Bailey

We have a difficult time getting a mobile RV company to come to check on our on-going power issues. Seems this time of the year they prefer to skirt RVs.  Skirting an RV: putting material around the bottom of the rig to keep its nether regions protected from the cold.       

Example: 

One of the companies Allan calls (who do not have any openings) suggests Mirel’s On-Site RV Repairs.  Mirel agrees to come, arrives at the agreed time on November 16th.  We’re so relieved to have found someone.  He checks the power at the post, puts his meter on Bailey, Allan comes inside to allow him to work.  Next thing we see he is loading up his truck.  Allan goes out, yes he’s packing up as he doesn’t feel comfortable troubleshooting the electric reel.  The guy that recommended him did say if he didn’t know how to repair he would not.  We are happy he didn’t persist and potentially mess up more but we still aren’t fixed.

Next up, November 20 –Happy Camper RV Services

Vern set about determining the power issue and confirmed the issue is with the power reel.  Poor guy, working in such tight space.   These parts are the culprits:

Even I can see how scorched these are.  Long story short, these are proprietary parts to the reel manufacturer in the States.  No distributors in Canada.  We have no choice but to order and wait for it’s arrival.

Happy we dodged a fiery bullet!   This is the only smoke we want to see Never gets old!

My Mom always looked forward to Friday the 13th thinking it brought good luck.  Today it brought another snow day.

And another grand prize  🙂     

Tonight I collect on my race win dinner.  My choice is L’Isola Bella Bistro  It’s still snowing but Allan insists on doing the dinner pick up.

Their mascot…

      Finish the evening by the fire.

Life ain’t fair, thought we’d come West as it would be warmer.

So far, the jokes on us! 

Then there is this:  Kelowna snow days: 2   Newmarket: 0

Nov 10th – Wake up to  top 2 are Bailey’s basement,                                    bottom one is inside.  A little nippy!

Nippy cause our heat isn’t working

And more snow…

The shoveller is not amused!

The park sends Dave in 007 to check our electric post.

Dave replaces everything he can and still we pop.  He’s done all he can, we now have to get an RV electrician – if the problem ends up being at the post the park will pay, if not we do.  Taking guesses on who’s issue this will end up being.  Allan hooks us up to 30amp for now.

High tailing it down South is sounding better and better.

Today’s adventure will be a walk through the Spion Kop hiking trails.

Our GPS takes us through a subdivision, up, up we go park to this view.  We examine the map We decide on the easy trail

Off we go up a hill, next hill is very steep, next a steep down hill.  Slipping and sliding as we are wearing our, not so new, translates to not much tread left, running shoes.  Sliding down the hill makes me think this was a crazy idea without hiking boots.   Why would they send you through such life-threatening,  (OK, may be a slight exaggeration)  terrain to get to the easy loop?? 

Back we go, luckily arriving with our limbs intact. 

Another look at the map. 

“You are here” then the killer Connector…  WAIT there is parking by the Raptor Loop – should have parked there.  Next time!!

Happening across the street, this guy has no fear of heights We’re out of here for now!

We’ll try this again another day, for now…     

Hang around the park day.  This is the rail trail behind the park where bears have been spotted, not by us, we are yet to see any wildlife.

We did spot this fellow       he’s friendly enough

   🦇 🎃 👻  Trick or treating time! 👻 🎃 🦇

An eve that will be remembered! 

   Fireball      Remembered for sure!​

We should have taken more photos but were too excited and rushed home with our treats!       Best Halloween!!

We choose correctly!  We weren’t sure whether to leave Victoria on Thursday or Friday, decided Thursday thereby dodging a snow bullet.

    We wake up to…   

The Coquihalla Pass didn’t fare as well. “The highway has been shut down in both directions on Friday morning due to commercial vehicles spinning out.”

We would have been caught up in that.  I’m still freezing thinking about it

333p still snowing   

  The plan was Bailey would NEVER see snow.  Not working so well.

What to do on a snowy day?  We’ve been having shower drainage issues.  Today is a good day to tackle that. 

Step one, remove the culprit from this small space beside the bed

                               Done!  Well at least it’s out.  Should have taken a photo of Allan’s mangled hand, scratches, scraps, blood.  He did win this fight.   Replacement valve on order.

So much excitement today, our heated hose arrived!                        

 

 

 

We get an early start learning for the trip here that it is a long travel day.  We arrive at the ferry a little before 8a.  We are surprised – thought the next ferry was at 9 nope good news it’s at 8 and we’ll be on it!  Great start to the day.

       Not crowded at all, glad we didn’t make reservations as to reserve is an extra $17. Just 2 ferries passing in the day! 

We thought we’d have coffee & breakfast waiting to board, now we think (we know) we won’t find any on board but we’ll try anyways. Yahoo, the Sitka Coffee is open.  We get our coffee and breakfast sandwich while enjoying this view.  Photos taken within minutes of each other.

Time to disembark     

On the road again!Back through the snow shed 

 Hoping to only see snow on the beautiful mountain tops

Use of chains not required today.       

       Getting closer. Such a beautiful day.

Snow on the side of the road is OK 

            A bit more snow here

Super steep runaway lane.  I shudder thinking of the trucks that must use it. Sunshine for the entire day, doesn’t happen often!

Almost home…

 

 

We’re starting the day in the hot tub.  Pour our coffee but we’ll want a second cup.  They have a glass carafe, don’t want to bring that out so… “MacGyver” it and use            their martini shaker 🙂   

Side note:  Better in theory than practice!  Burnt my fingers doing the pour.  Worth the burn for the hot tub burn!

It’s not Megan’s birthday till Sunday but we have to head back tomorrow so we’re celebrating today.

Gift = Skylight Frame So much fun, anyone can send you a photo.  We thought it would be especially fun now so Kyle could send photos.  

Melonie is working so we play a game of crib waiting for her to come home

 

 

Yes we let Megan win!

 

 

 

Megan selected Il Terrazzo for dinner.  An excellent choice

Should have done food photos 🙁

                  Our fire goddess! 

 

 

Today is search for next Winter’s campground day.

There’s one in Victoria we’d fit in but it is crazy expensive, the one that is reasonably priced is much too cramped.

We head up north to see what’s cooking…

First stop Living Forest Oceanside Campground & RV Park. Understand the living forest name now.  Trees en masse, translates to lots of falling leaves and worse than that sap on Bailey.   The roads are all very tight & tree-y, not Bailey friendly.  Not too sad Living Forest didn’t work out, cause next stop…

Jinglepot RV Park & Campgrounds.  Jinglepot, Jinglepot hopefully you are for us!! Love the name!   Sigh, this park is even tighter than the last one.  Perhaps we’ll end up back on the main land next winter.

Driving back, we see a sign for Rondalyn Resort.  Not sure why it didn’t make our list so believed we ruled it out based on their site information.  I say, “we’re here – let’s check it out”.  We are pleasantly surprised, it’s not squished looking and the road is paved.  Their mascot! There are 2 sites available, we check them out.  They are both very nice, we choose the one at the end of the road, (our current spot at the beginning of a road taught us).  This park permits wood fires!  The only issue is, the by-laws state you may only stay in the park for 6 months.  We need 7, OK we’ll find a 2 week park at either end of our stay.  Motor homes like to motor.  Normally you book your stay, here you must complete an application form. We’ll do that when we get back to Victoria.  

Allan and Megan build us a delicious dinner.  Mel & I supervise.

                  Then the moment we’ve been waiting for!!The thing I miss the most since selling our home.  Hot tubbing!

Meet Molly, this is Melonie, Megan’s sister’s sweetie.  Melonie and Molly are staying with Megan while Kyle is deployed.  So many ““s

 

Finding the paperwork we need was surprisingly painless.  We now have the balance of the day to map out tomorrow’s campground visits and of course we must head to Big Bad John’s for a pint.  We were going to walk around Victoria but it’s a gloomy, windy day so cut it short and just walk around the block.

Heading back to keep Molly company. 

It’s nice to have a quiet, uneventful day for a change 🙂