The last few days, we have been cleaning and packing the 5th wheel, hooking up the hitch and prepping the Jeep for carrying the kayaks to Lake Wenatchee State Park for 2 months of living under the pines while we volunteer in the park for our 3rd season
We got underway around 10:30 AM and quickly got separated in traffic on Highway 16 with Sonny ahead. Our Jeep has had front end issues since we got it in 2012. We've been to Les Schwab countless times and spent a chunk of money to find out why it goes into the Death Wobble at very unpredictable times, yesterday being one of those times. The front end shakes so badly that I can't hold on to the steering wheel and must bring the vehicle to nearly a complete stop which is very hard to do on the Freeway with big tractor trailer trucks on your back bumper. The first time, I got to the teeny, tiny breakdown lane and traffic went around me but then, how was I going to get back up to speed to merge in?? Luckily, there was a break and I made it, only to go into the Death Wobble once again 2 miles down the road. The breakdown lane this time was smaller than the first one but there was an exit so I managed to limp off I-5 in Fife, only 5 miles from the Les Schwab store. I was shaking like the front end. I wanted to burst into tears but managed to hold it together while explaining to the counter guys what was going on. They tried to be comforting and assured me they tightened the loose bolt they found so I could continue on to Wenatchee. I thought I could since we really wanted to use the kayaks but decided that I would pray I could get the Jeep back over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and home without the Death Wobble. I was blessed to make it home and started off again in the Mustang though it took quite a while for my insides to settle down. Traffic through Tacoma was stop and go to Federal Way. It was clear to the Pass but in Easton, there had been an accident so the backup was several miles long. I stopped in Cle Elum to get gas and coffee. The lines at the pumps were long with no directional focus. Big rigs, trucks and boats, cars and bikes. When I finally got my turn after the Canadian girls who had couldn't use their debit card at the pump, I suddenly realized that Sonny always puts the gas in and I didn't pay much attention to that event. I couldn't find the gas cap release button so I had to pull out of line and text Sonny for answers! Duhhhhhhh. Talk about a helpless old girl! You just push on the cover and, voila! it opens. 2014s don't have actual gas caps. I was pretty miserable by then but got back on the road for Leavenworth and another gas station with no line. I arrived at camp around 6:30 PM. Sonny had been here 3 hours and had the campsite all set up so I could just melt into the chair.
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| Sonny is making a pulley to lift the kayak rack up on the Jeep |
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| Lifting the 5th wheel hitch into the truck bed |
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| We are ready to go! But I didn't get very far.... |
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| Stop and go traffic in Easton for several miles |
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| And it was quite warm. By the time I got to Cle Elum, it was 100*. |
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| These young boys were flirting with me earlier during the slowdown since I was driving the Mustang. Apparently, it was the car and not driver that was impressive. They made a woods pit stop and were running back to their Bronco when the traffic moved. |
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| Once on the Eastern side of Blewett Pass, the forest fire smoke became visible. The news today said one plume was 30,000 feet high. |
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| Another view of the Chiwaukum Fire that has burned 12,000Acres about 10 miles from our campsite. |
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| This was the wait line for the "Follow Me" truck through Tumwater Canyon on Rt 2 where the fire had been intense a week ago. The air was hazy and smelled of smoke. |
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| It had been quite an eventful day for me. Sonny kindly had a whiskey ready for me to go with my Cheez-it treat. |
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| Today is Friday and it's my birthday! Sonny made my favorite breakfast- veggie, cheese and sausage scramble. With the warm, dry weather, we were able to eat outside.
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| A selfie as we start work. We were at the boat launch at 6 AM to help with parking but the fishermen were sleeping in today so the Ranger turned us loose till we got the Arrival/Departure list. |
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| Campers often leave decorations on the table. |
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| This log has interesting holes for the squirrels to use. |
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| A child created this little pine cone cabin. |
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| The birthday cinnamon bun and iced latte at Anjou Bakery |
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| It was a hot day in town. There was a nice breeze at the lake and then a storm blew in with 15-20 mph winds. The beach emptied pretty quickly. No rain to help the fires, however. |
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| Hard to see this map but the fire is within the red and black lines. |
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