Wrapping up and moving on..

This is our last night in the Smithfield KOA. I know that a lot of full timers don’t get enthusiastic about KOA campgrounds but I will say that this has been a completely nice experience… right up to the tornado.

With a monthly rate of $450 + elec (.14/kwh) it has been within acceptable limits for the circumstances. Smithfield, NC is not my idea of a destination unless one wants to spend many days cruising the Outlet mall. Merrily’s Truck driver training class was the justification and the cost was very reasonable to make that happen.

Now, it’s back to Raleigh for a few days to get some med stuff done, a few RV repairs (like finding where the gasoline is leaking from when the generator runs) and finish my RV tools sorting/stocking project which I left unfinished to come down here. Although I did not do much tool work down here, I did find a few things that I had previously thought I would not bother putting in the RV which would have been very helpful.. no, I didn’t mean a chainsaw…. I could have rented one if I had really been motivated to use it.

I got a full PM done on Clifford this morning. First time he has had his oil changed since 2004 (but that was only 12,000 miles ago). I get a regular oil analysis done at Blackstone Labs and they have said it was still ok so no harm, no foul).

I also had the Speedco mechanic plug replug the connector on the fuel temperature sensor that I have been getting some occasional error codes from for the past couple of years.

Interestingly, the codes have stopped (likely dirty contacts on the plug) and my mpg has jumped up 2.4 mpg.  We will see if it holds. The sensor is located on the cap of the rear fuel filter and I cannot reach it from above nor get under the truck to get to it from below. The mechanic said he was happy to replug it a few times to clean the contacts. If the codes start up again, I will just replace the sensor but at $69 I am not ready to Easter-egg it just yet.

Katie had a big seizure yesterday morning while I was heading out to get the PM done. Merrily called and I had to abort that project and return. Katie has not had one that lasted this long (2 hrs.) in over a year. She was on day 35 of no seizures.  We suspect it might have been the heartworm meds I gave her the previous day as we have previously seen seizures happen within a couple of days of her getting meds.

After the R&R (repair and replenish) in Raleigh, we are off to West Virginia and then Denver! We are really looking forward to that.

ttfn