Shake down Trip

Trip Start Jul 07, 2008
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3
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Trip End Jun 07, 2009


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Where I stayed
Washington State National Forest Campground
KOA
(Leavenworth hotels)

Flag of United States  , Washington,
Sunday, August 17, 2008

It was our shake down trip. We left Corvallis heading to Washington. There friends were going to come with us for support. I was so proud, I got hooked up and I remembered everything. I'm heading down the highway and a man in a truck full of stuff to go to the dump beckons to me frantically. I roll down my window, "your step is down". Oh dear, oh geez, okay I didn't remember everything. Pulling off an exit I stop and put up the step. Okay, now I'm shaking, I no longer feel quite so secure.
By the time we get to Leavenworth it is dark. We pull into the KOA and it looks like we've just come into a bad kept trailer park. The man leads us to our spot. Not only is it so small the neighbors have to move their picnic table. It has a bolder the size of Manhattan coming out the side of it like a giant wart. "I am so not backing into that spot" I tell him. "Umm, well it is the only spot available." he says apologetically. Now I'm just about yelling, " I made reservations for this??" I am not feeling very understanding. Much to my surprise I seem to have an aptitude for backing in and I make it into that spot Our view from the KOA, unused Rv's
Our view from the KOA, unused Rv's
 .
In the morning things didn't look better, and they smelled even worse. Turns out we were parked near the leaking septic. For two days I couldn't move, I was just too unnerved. Is this what I was going to find when we headed out on the road?
By day three I was I was ready to get the heck out of there. We took a scouting trip to see what was out there. We found a national park campground, no hook ups, no septic but it was on the edge of a river and it was absolutely beautiful.
We stayed there with our friend Joel, he left and Nellie joined us. Close to the last day my brother Christian stopped by to spend a couple of days. I had my only personal cheer leading squad helping me get on the road. We had so much fun, feeding squirrels, making new friends and playing in the freezing cold lake.
I started to settle down and realize okay, I think I may be able to do this.
ADVICE: Okay, there is nothing like being the new kid on the block to attract RV'ers who want to share advice. And boy was I willing to listen. I got all sorts of pearls of wisdom.
After two weeks it was time to head back. We went back to Corvallis to finish packing up our condo and get it ready to rent.
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