Spring please
This winter has been the most challenging since moving to Portland. The weather has been contributing to our slow start to this years adventuring. We were greeted with an ice storm early December which was followed a month later with a snow storm that dumped ten inches of snow in Portland.
The city shut down for a week with temperatures hovering between 20 - 32 degrees. It’s rare to find a shoveled sidewalk since most people don't own a shovel for the once a year one inch snow fall. I used our dustpan to remove snow from the steps so Wiley would tolerate going out. The sidewalks became packed down and turned quickly to thick layers of ice. My Sorel boots worked wonderful the first couple of days but as the snow turned to ice they were useless. Those metal spikes for the bottoms of shoes seem like a white elephant gift, but are sctually practical. I broke down and ordered a pair but they arrived a week too late. I am prepared for next year!
Having grown up in the Midwest, it was a strange site seeing cars and busses driving around the city with chains for a solid week. The streets were the quietest I have ever seen. The first few days it was easier to walk the street than the sidewalk. Nights were lively with adults and kids playing in the snow. So much snow art could be found throughout the city.
By the third day of work from home, I was restless and needed to get to the office. I rummaged through our Minnesota bin to find the essentials, snow pants, mittens, hat and the warmest coat I own. I hobbled on the snow and ice covered side walked to my bus stop. Pro tip, the schedules are never right with bad weather. The TriMet app will say one minute till arrival and the bus never shows. I have concluded the city is filled with ghost buses. When the bus actually does arrive it was so packed the driver would not pick up anyone else. So I started walking towards the next stop. Lucky for me, the next stop one person got off and I was able to hop on. Chains can be noisy and vehicles should only go a maximum of 25 mph. On the bright side it makes for a scenic commute across the Burnside Bridge.
Exactly a month later we reserved a site at Cape Lookout State Park for our first R-pod adventure of the year. The temperatures were promising highs in the 50’s which felt quite warm after the chilly January weather we had been experiencing.
Removing the cover was much easier than expected. Mike, thinking ahead, bought a pump to fill the tires. We added a few belongings for our one night stay and we were quickly on the road. The R-pod isn’t that large but requires extra attention and being alert in traffic.
We came across a few challenges on our first R-pod adventure. Our first discovery was the battery no longer holds a charge. The battery is five years old so that is not much of a surprise. The second surprise came at Cape Lookout State Park. They have incredible RV sites with water hook ups, electrical and sewer dump at each site. We took this opportunity to fill the tank with water. While organizing the bedroom, I peaked in the bathroom and saw a steady stream of water flowing down the drain. The pipe connection at the base of the toilet was spraying water. Thinking back on it we forgot to use the pressure value and may have just had too much pressure causing the water to spray. We'll need some further investigation. I swear that toilet has it out for us.
The rest of the weekend went smooth. On the ride home we did find one minor hiccup that the sewer water cover had fallen off during our drive back and had been bouncing as we drove. Now the cover won't stay on due to a few prongs busted off. Easy fix though - we'll just need to order a replacement.
I have to say, I am proud to have Mike as my partner. We have an ability to work through the unexpected together without fighting but rather laughter. Seriously he is the best.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osOqt43iPqE]