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September 26, 2009, a Saturday
Grande Prairie (WalMart) to N of Grande Cache, Alberta, Canada
— RV repair in Grande Prairie, then back on the road
Had my normal breakfast. Prepped the RV to move. I took a look at the exhaust pipe that the road service guys cut short yesterday, and it's exiting about 4 in (10cm) from the tire sidewall — not good. Unhooked the Jeep. We left at 9:58 with me in the RV with J following in the Jeep.
To Kal Tire, Grande Prairie, at 10:06 to get a new tire and have the RV worked on. (You may read about the damage that occurred to the RV when we blew a tire yesterday.) I also asked them to cut off the exhaust pipe further away from the tire. We left at 10:25.
We went to the Grande Prairie Visitor Center, which is practically across the street, at 10:28 to use their free WiFi. The visitor center is a nicely-designed modern building, and there were several tables and chairs at which we could sit with our laptops. I worked up some blog entries. We left at 12:30 and went ...
To Tony Roma's, which is between Kal Tire and the visitor center, for lunch around 12:32. I had the Chicken Jack & Bacon sandwich and J got Riblets. My sandwich was dry. We left around 1:30, and returned ...
To the Grande Prairie Visitor Center at 1:33. I worked up another blog entry. I called Kal Tire at 3:15 to find out the status of the RV, and it was just about ready but the spare wasn't back in place yet. I did some work online while waiting for the RV. As we were about to leave, one of the women working at the visitor center invited us to help ourselves to the food that had been prepared for a group of German tourists. They had plenty of food, and offered us the "leftovers." We made to-go plates of the bison sausage, potato salad, and potato chips. We left around 3:48.
We went to Kal Tire at 3:50 to pick up the RV. We settled the bill, then I went outside to look at the RV. They did a great job cutting off the exhaust pipe so it ended far away from sensitive parts and was even pointing down. I pulled the mud flap back down that had gotten caught on a brace when the wheel was flapping around. I also examined the damage to the inside of the wheel well. Nothing was going to fall off, but water and debris could get up inside what used to be a sandwich panel at the front of the wheel well. We hooked up the Jeep to tow and left at 4:26.
We stopped at a Husky gas station in town to fill up the RV and Jeep. We left at 4:49 and took Alberta-40 south out of town.
We stopped around 6:35 to check out a potential boondocking spot. The RV was making an odd clunking noise, and it seemed to be related to the tire rotation. I had J pull forward slowly while I listened outside the RV, and the noise was coming from the right-rear hub. I took off the hubcap to check the lug nuts, and two of the eight lug nuts were loose enough to turn by hand! Only one was nice and snug. I tightened all of the lug nuts, then put the hub cap back on. We continued down the road at 6:51.
We stopped at a nice large boondocking spot at 7:05, and there was an odor of forest-fire smoke. :( We stopped a little later than usual because I wanted to get as far down the road as possible yet not have to find a boondocking spot in the dark. (Sunset was about 7:41 there.) J jumped right into the shower, then I showered while J fixed dinner.
Had dinner around 7:20 of the bison sausage, potato salad, and chips from the Grande Prairie Visitor Center. The potato salad was very tasty! I think it was made with red potatoes, with the skins still on, and some dill — mmm.
J looked at the invoice from Kal Tire, and they recommended checking the lug nuts after 100-150km (62-93 mi). I had discovered the loose lug nuts after going about 89 miles (143km) — just about right. :) I had some Asbach Uralt while processing images for the blog entries I made today, then took the blog entries live.
To Kal Tire, Grande Prairie, at 10:06 to get a new tire and have the RV worked on. (You may read about the damage that occurred to the RV when we blew a tire yesterday.) I also asked them to cut off the exhaust pipe further away from the tire. We left at 10:25.
We went to the Grande Prairie Visitor Center, which is practically across the street, at 10:28 to use their free WiFi. The visitor center is a nicely-designed modern building, and there were several tables and chairs at which we could sit with our laptops. I worked up some blog entries. We left at 12:30 and went ...
To Tony Roma's, which is between Kal Tire and the visitor center, for lunch around 12:32. I had the Chicken Jack & Bacon sandwich and J got Riblets. My sandwich was dry. We left around 1:30, and returned ...
To the Grande Prairie Visitor Center at 1:33. I worked up another blog entry. I called Kal Tire at 3:15 to find out the status of the RV, and it was just about ready but the spare wasn't back in place yet. I did some work online while waiting for the RV. As we were about to leave, one of the women working at the visitor center invited us to help ourselves to the food that had been prepared for a group of German tourists. They had plenty of food, and offered us the "leftovers." We made to-go plates of the bison sausage, potato salad, and potato chips. We left around 3:48.
We went to Kal Tire at 3:50 to pick up the RV. We settled the bill, then I went outside to look at the RV. They did a great job cutting off the exhaust pipe so it ended far away from sensitive parts and was even pointing down. I pulled the mud flap back down that had gotten caught on a brace when the wheel was flapping around. I also examined the damage to the inside of the wheel well. Nothing was going to fall off, but water and debris could get up inside what used to be a sandwich panel at the front of the wheel well. We hooked up the Jeep to tow and left at 4:26.
We stopped at a Husky gas station in town to fill up the RV and Jeep. We left at 4:49 and took Alberta-40 south out of town.
We stopped around 6:35 to check out a potential boondocking spot. The RV was making an odd clunking noise, and it seemed to be related to the tire rotation. I had J pull forward slowly while I listened outside the RV, and the noise was coming from the right-rear hub. I took off the hubcap to check the lug nuts, and two of the eight lug nuts were loose enough to turn by hand! Only one was nice and snug. I tightened all of the lug nuts, then put the hub cap back on. We continued down the road at 6:51.
We stopped at a nice large boondocking spot at 7:05, and there was an odor of forest-fire smoke. :( We stopped a little later than usual because I wanted to get as far down the road as possible yet not have to find a boondocking spot in the dark. (Sunset was about 7:41 there.) J jumped right into the shower, then I showered while J fixed dinner.
Had dinner around 7:20 of the bison sausage, potato salad, and chips from the Grande Prairie Visitor Center. The potato salad was very tasty! I think it was made with red potatoes, with the skins still on, and some dill — mmm.
J looked at the invoice from Kal Tire, and they recommended checking the lug nuts after 100-150km (62-93 mi). I had discovered the loose lug nuts after going about 89 miles (143km) — just about right. :) I had some Asbach Uralt while processing images for the blog entries I made today, then took the blog entries live.