It’s already been a week since we left yet, we are only a few hundred miles from home.  Our first stop was Hood River, Oregon, a beautiful little town nestled along the Columbia River.  Famous for its world-class wind and water sports,  when the summer thermal winds blow, it creates perfect conditions for kiteboarding, windsurfing, and wing foiling.  No wind this time of year, we are here to visit with friends and pick up some spiffy new kite equipment.

Connecting with friends

The best part is seeing friends, Michelle, who we’ve known for years moved here from Whistler when she married Travis, an avid sportsman and our kiting equipment connection.  While Tim was working on the truck, the kids & I met Michelle for a lovely afternoon walk, then a tour of her art studio classroom at the local school. Unfortunately Travis ended up needing surgery during our visit.  Just the day before yesterday, he was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and had to undergo an emergency appendectomy.  A few hours after regaining consciousness, he was back home on the couch to recover.  We’re relieved to hear he’s recovering well!

We stayed with Kat, Corey, and their daughter Scarlett.  Parked up next to their camper on their beautiful 1+ acre property.  We first met them during our time in Baja, Mexico, during the pandemic.  Also spending a week at their home the last time we passed through.   An easy going hard working, lovely people who opened their doors to us in a manner that reminds me of the Kiwi hospitality of New Zealand.  Scarlett is 11, the same age as Jaxie, all 3 kids got along great becoming fast friends and making slime.  Kat and Corey are the owners of York Riding Stables, a beautiful property with over 20 horses and 30 acres of land filled with trails, paddocks, and riding arenas.  They’ve worked tirelessly to transform the place, turning it from a rundown farm into a thriving business.  Scarlett is up there every day after school, helping with the horses, grooming, and riding.  It’s a family affair.  We’ve had the chance to enjoy the farm as well, taking in the peaceful surroundings, the kids were able to ride Ziggy, Corey’s massive horse standing 16 hand

New batteries

Borrowing Kat’s van, Tim drove into Portland to pick up 4 new batteries.  Two for the truck and two for the camper.  Like hot water tanks, they have a limited life span.  Not wanting them to die while in the middle of Ecuador or Bolivia, we opted to change them out now.  Dang they are heavy, each house battery weighs 160lbs.  I have no idea how Tim got them out on his own, but it sure took the strength of two men to get the new ones in.  Nothing being easy, the new truck batteries, more powerful than our last ones were also smaller.  Thus requiring a modification to their house to ensure they don’t fall out while driving.  

I was able to finely tune the camper, getting everything organized and in it’s place and pre-cook some meals so we’re eating well.  Jaxon is now fully set up with his online learning platforms.  Charley is yet to start, there seems to be a little lag in administration with the online school.  We do have both kids actively studying each day, they have each designed & customized their own learning schedule.  

In addition to the fun stuff, we’re also taking care of some logistics.  We’ve requested a spot on a cargo ship to transport Bruce, from Veracruz, Mexico, to Cartagena, Colombia.  If we’re able to secure a booking, that means the truck will need to be at port by December 9th, which is just around the corner.  To make that happen, we’ll need to put down some serious miles.  

A Fueling Fumble

Just one more stop in Oregon, we need to pick up some air and oil filters, and  hopefully a new fuel cap—because, well, we made a small, albeit comical mistake. While checking the fuel level in the dark last night, we used a measuring stick to gauge how much fuel we had left.  In our rush to get back on the road, we forgot to screw the fuel cap back on. Oops! Didn’t realize until we stopped for the next refuel.  Fingers crossed that Jim, a Unimog specialist we’re meeting tomorrow, has a spare fuel cap for us to buy. We’re hoping it’s a quick fix!

After a busy day of waiting around our kite gear arrived at 4pm, by the time we hit the highway it’s dark.  Keen to lay down some miles we drive for 3hrs. Pulling up for the night at rest stop just off the I-5, 20km outside Eugene, Oregon.   Nothing glamorous—just a noisy highway rest area—but we’re grateful for a place to park and get some rest. The kids fell asleep quickly.  Even with earplugs, the sound of traffic is hard to escape.  It’s an all-night, constant flow of cars, trucks, and semis.   

Looking Ahead

We are aiming our route in a general Southward direction.  The next few weeks will be full of travel, adventure, and no doubt a few more surprises.  

For now, we’ll take it one step at a time as we get into the flow of life and learning on the road.  Here’s to many more weeks of unexpected moments, new discoveries, and, hopefully, fewer fuel cap mishaps!

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our journey, next stop…Yosemite National Park!