Uh Oh ..... Motorhome Repairs

The BIG "R" word ..... repairs!!!  You KNOW how my record goes with that ... maybe just a tad better than my cooking.  This rig has four years of bumping and grinding down the highway, so I've been expecting things to start showing up.

There was a sadness as I drove South yesterday along the Coast Highway.  How could you not want to stay here forever?  I definitely felt like I was missing a lot along the way by not spending time in my usual haunts.  I thought I might stop and get some halibut and chips in Newport, but all the parking was taken up.

It wasn't going to be a long drive ... three hours or so ... but I left early anyway.  THAT means meeting up with these guys all along the road.  With sections barely wide enough for a pickup, I held my breath every time one of the big guys came along.  There's lots of trees being hauled on the roads this time of year.

Autumn has come to the coastal areas ... 45 degrees at night required a trip to the living room to turn the heat up.  

With no traffic other than the big trucks, I was in Depoe Bay in no time.  The waves have picked up making spectacular displays when they hit the rocks.  I think a trip back to the Devils Punchbowl may be in order.  

I arrived in Florence Oregon to the smiling faces of the Elks Camp Hosts.  They have upped their rates to $25 a night.  Apparently more and more people are retiring and hitting the RV road.  Dixie in Tillamook said they took in over $20,000 for their lodge this year.  

Those motorhome repairs?  Probably my own fault for overloading the drawer, although something better than a 3/8 inch screw might have been used.  These drawers are VERY long at three feet, and very HEAVY since they are made of solid wood.  The frames the tracks are installed on are a measly 1/4" x 1" and couldn't withstand the weight.  The wood split and the screws fell out, as did the drawer when I opened it.

I've been traveling for two days with the drawer sitting on the floor.  Time to get it fixed ... like I would have any idea how to do THAT!!!  But having watched Mr. Tom Westerfield, Instructor of all things Wood Shop, repair a cupboard door I broke, I figured to give it a shot.  I glued the pieces together ... not that that will help, but it looks nicer ... and got some longer screws.  There is actually almost two inches of wood to screw into.  

With this new handy dandy clamp to hold the pieces together until it dries, it should be in good shape to install LONGER screws so I can reinsert the drawer.  Maybe ... hopefully .... I'm not going to hold my breath ..... this will work.  I think I'll unload the heavy stuff in the drawer just to add icing to the cake.

Today is the Saturday Market in Old Town Florence.  I'm not really sure if it's still going on since it's so late in the year.  If not, there are lots of nice shops to visit, including my favorite kitchen store.  With lots of beach areas, I should be able to get in a little more kite flying too.