The trip from Redding to Merced was very nostalgic for us. In addition to coming this way to visit with Jennifer, Daniel and the kids in Modesto, we spent time on both Highway 99 and I-5 running back and forth from San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Pedro to home (Oregon) while we were in the Navy. We got to know these roads quite well.

Going past Modesto we took extra special looks to see what had changed and what we remembered. Even though it’s been many years since our last trip this way, it was very familiar. The big difference for me was the traffic. The freeway past Modesto is very much like LA now, not the way I remember it. All 32 lanes were just creeping along through the city as all the participants competed for the best lane to get just a tiny bit ahead of everyone else. We just plugged along in the slow lane and made it through a couple of minutes behind them watching the game unfold. Kept me busy. Max wasn’t impressed. Diane weathered that storm well.

Once we reached Merced the GPS led us away from the freeway to 3600 Wardrobe Ave. On my honor, that’s a place. We were given site #11 and it was not difficult to get parked and set up. The only problem was, that after all that driving with the dash A/C keeping us cool, once plugged in, the roof air would not function. In my heat induced ignorance, I could not figure out what was going on so I looked for help in the form of an RV repair service. The first guy I talked with was on the East Coast somewhere. He connected me to a more local source and I was able to secure a tech for next Tuesday. Since the A/C didn’t work, and the temperature here is running in the 100’s, and we would be long gone by Tuesday, I begged and pleaded for a spot for tomorrow. He granted my wish and I agreed to pay whoever showed up $274 to take a shot at fixing the problem.

At this time Diane was out shopping for dinner so I was left to my own devices. The deal was done.

Then, I had an epiphany. My mind zoomed into a closeup view of an annoying little switch on the panel next to the door that is easily bumped on the way out of the bus. I quickly went to it and clicked it and everything worked, like magic! The switch is a battery cut out that terminates power to everything in the overhead, like all the lights. Some of that missing DC current powered the control panel that allows one to control the A/C.

I quickly called Xavier, the guy who made my appointment, back and cancelled the tech visit. Then I turned everything on high and took Max for a walk. Diane showed up shortly thereafter and we had dinner.

Another issue was my ongoing battle with the Dish. I couldn’t find a good location on the ground where it could ‘see’ the satellites. If I hadn’t lost the roof ladder extension, near the Rogue River, I could of put it on the roof where there was unrestricted access to the entire sky. I figured that I could borrow a step ladder from someone, but Diane suggested we go to Home Depot and just get one. So, we did that.

With the ladder I got the Dish on the roof but no matter how many times I reset the Dish, it just wouldn’t work. Ultimately, Diane said try broadcast channels so I did. We got plenty of them so Diane made a decision that instead of fighting with the Dish at every stop, we just to broadcast channels until we get to San Diego. Then, if the Dish doesn’t work, we will just replace it and I can have the old one to dismantle to see how it works.

With that directive my life on the road became far simpler. Life is good.

Right now it’s 0715 in the morning of the sixth day and Max is pleading to go outside so I’m stopping.