whyKnot resting

The last day in Pictou was spent taking care of my water system and the tanks.This is something I never had to deal with while living in an apartment and I've been becoming more aware of how much water I'm using.

The fresh water tank holds 95L, the grey water tank (sinks, shower) 122L , and the black water tank (toilet)  102L

I have a panel in the kitchen where I can monitor the levels of the tanks as well as of the propane (37L tank) and battery power (2 batteries in coach area).The truck engine and solar panel keep the batteries topped up.

It takes some planning to deal with the tanks when not staying at campgrounds:

Carrying a full tank of fresh water gives me many days of water but is also very heavy, resulting in poorer gas mileage.

The other tanks need to be emptied when almost filled and there isn't always a place that has a dump site (check on-line or ask at RV stops). Some places provide free dumping service

 eg the Irving gas station where I had to pull up to the site, move the heavy lid, take out my sewer hose , attach it to my black tank outlet, then open the tank with a lever and let it drain. Then then open the grey water tank and drain that through the same hose, rinsing the hose in the process. Put the hose away, replace the cover , then flush the toilet a few times to get some water in the black water tank and add the appropriate solution of waste digestion and tank cleaner.

Luckily this doesn't have to happen more than about once a week depending on usage.It makes me want to conserve as much water as possible.

Oct 20 and temps down to about 4C. I had the furnace on during the night and was keeping an eye on the propane (used for furnace, fridge when not hooked up, hot water heater and stove).

The fall colours continue to be beautiful although less colourful in Pictou as it's on the harbour.

More visits, and the next day I left for Bedford near Halifax after getting my flu shot and a 6mo vacation supply of medications.

Health care is an issue when going to the US for a few months and I have extra travel medical insurance for the time I will be there.

Catch up with Helen in Bedford and parking on a residential street near her as could not park in the parking lot.I think they call that "stealth parking". No one seemed bothered by me doing that as I was beside an empty lot.

I'm loving having my little home to sleep in  while visiting friends.

I had an unexpected challenge when i couldn't find my medication.

After searching high and low, I remembered I had left the pill bottle on my bathroom cabinet and realized it had probably fallen into my garbage can below. I had disposed of my bag of garbage in Helen's dumpster the night before. Well, nothing to do but hope to check it!

So, off we went for some "dumpster diving" and luckily were able to recognize the bag in question. Going through that wasn't pleasant but my bottle of pills were there and sealed. A good handwashing and several wipes to clean the bottle did the trick. 

Helen won't forget this visit!

The lesson for me from that experience is to make sure everything is secure before driving away! I feel like I'm still at the kindergarden level for RV living.

On the 23rd I drove on to the south shore of Nova Scotia in the countryside near Shelbourne to stay with another great friend for a few days of rest before the big journey south.  The rain began and became quite heavy, resulting in a small leak at the edge of my slide-out...not an uncommon problem but needs to be fixed. 

The drive was wonderful with the beautiful colours.

It's now Oct 25th and the rain finally stopped today. There was flooding in many areas so it's good I got here when I did.

It's been wonderful to just be in one place again for a few days to catch up on e-mails (yeah for being able to get her wireless internet!) and hook up to electric. 

Today I helped her clear a path through the forest after a fun walk to the shore. She carried bear spray which I've never seen before but a good idea since there is a bear living in the area and that she has seen from distance.

I have an appointment in Halifax on Oct 28th to get an oil change 

(I've driven well over 6000km) and get the RV checked over, including repair of the leak).

Time to organize the kitchen cupboards and thern do some reading.

Ahhhhh, the RV life!

Is whyknot a mountain goat?

It was with some apprehension that I began my journey to Cape Breton with its beautiful mountains.
Would my RV make it up those steep inclines? Would my brakes hold going down the other side?
It was a perfect fall day with sunny sky and about 20C, vibrant fall colours.
The road was busy with tourists, many stopping for photos, and on their way to take part in the Celtic Colours festival of music and dance.
I couldn't take the Englishtown ferry due to the overhang on the back of my RV so that meant an extra drive via St Ann's. whyKnot drove up smokey mountain without the slightest hesitation and the lower gears helped me gently drive down the other side.
Lots of twists and turns, past Neils Harbour and Cape North,finally arriving in Bay St Lawrence and the Jumping Mouse Campground.
How good it felt to be "home" and reconnect to  family and friends!
Then the work began of emptying some boxes I had stored there and the decisions about what to take and what to leave behind, how to decorate the RV (not much wall space for pictures)
Another fabulous turkey dinner followed and we celebrated with some champagne, keeping a bit for christening the RV the next day after a thorough wash.
The odometer now had 85000km on it, meaning I had driven 6200km since Sept 24th when I left Calgary. Yikes!
The Cabot Trail certainly lives up to its reputation as a tourist attraction and the fall colours make it even more appealing.
I left on Oct 15, met a friend in Port Hawksbury, then on to New Glasgow where I met more music friends ,finally parking at Walmart as was too tired to drive any further. I managed to get the Mcdonald's WiFi and watch a movie.
Internet access is difficult to find and something I need to sort out.
The next day I did some errands and had dinner with another good friend. I'm very fortunate to be loved by so many people!
Off to Pictou, NS and free parking at the docks.
My time in Pictou was busy with appointments, swimming at the pool, and catching up with even more friends.One of them offered their driveway and electrical hook up for my use.
When not hooked up, I can use my batteries and the solar panel helps but there are limits.
I've been trying to sort out the water and waste tanks and was amazed to learn how much water I've been using. In an RV, you have to be much more sparing with water as it doesn't take long to empty the fresh water tank. Even a brief shower uses several gallons. I became aware of how much water I wasted while living in an apartment.
How to dump my grey water tank (from shower, sinks) and the black water tank (from the  toilet)?
I found out some gas stations have dump sites and had to drive to New Glasgow, first to one station to fill up with fresh water then to an Irving station to dump the grey and black water tanks.They did not charge anything but I know some places have a fee for this.
The RV felt heavy with a tank full of fresh water (25 gal).
It will take a while to learn how long the tanks will last before needing to take care of them and where to do that.
The temp dropped last night to about 4C with rain most of the night and there was a lot of moisture inside my windows.
I have to be careful to keep the interior dry, to avoid mould developing.
At this time of year, I've had to have the furnace on during the night. Because this RV is not winterized, there is little insulation and it cools off quickly. The furnace heats it up well and it feels nice and cozy.
Tomorrow, I'm leaving for Halifax and perhaps drive along the south shore.
Hopefully the weather will remain above 0C

Cabot Trail, Cape Breton

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whyknot all packed up

It's been a busy week of driving and packing.
Getting out of Ottawa was a challenge due to road work and lane closures. Slow going at about 10km/hr gave me time to think of how grateful I am to have this opportunity to see so many of my family and friends. I also wondered if going so slow would give me better gas mileage.Someone told me that 80km/hr was the ideal speed for saving on gas and keeping it between 2000-2500 rpm's was good. I noticed a bit difference between 80 and 100km/hr but am aware of impatient drivers behind when going less than speed limit. I used to be one of those! so now I just pull over and let them pass.
I got as far as Quebec city and a small RV park near the highway.
I had stopped at a tourist info near Montreal and the woman there was very helpful, giving me maps and telling me about a new by-pass of Montreal. That place also had free water hook up and dump site for RV's. 
I'm learning to pay more attention to the tanks in my RV and plan where to get water or dump my waste water. RV parks have all those facilities but when staying at rest stops or walmart parking lots, those options aren't available. I think truck stops do have services that you can get for a fee eg showers, etc.
It was such a pleasure by-passing Montreal as that used to be my most stressful part of the journey heading along the 401.
I kept wondering where the city was and did see the occasional subdivision, but mostly it was farmer's fields and a few factories.

The next day, I drove to Fredericton for a joyful reunion with dear friends there. How I love having someone cook for me! (they are fantastic cooks)
all along my journey east, the fall colours developed more and more. In New Brunswick I felt like I was driving through a Group of 7 painting, every turn an exquisite visual feast.
The next day, my journey continued south east past Moncton to Truro NS. Going through the toll booth was easy. I've had to pay a few tolls but minimal cost as I'm often considered a car or else pay per axle and I have only 2 compared to more for the big trucks.
I usually avoid the toll roads as they are often heavy with fast moving traffic.

In Truro, I stopped for a great dinner at "Smitty's", getting a special senior's rate. Getting older has its perks!
Some shopping and carry on to New Glasgow. I was too tired to keep driving ,so stayed at the Walmart parking lot. Staff there were very pleasant and I felt secure staying there as it is well lit, has security cameras and staff that work all night.
It was now Sat Oct 11 and drove to Pictou NS where I lived before moving into my RV. 
Stopping at another friend's place, I reconnected to another friend. .Lunch and catching up was good.She is another traveling free spirit.
I picked up some boxes of things I had stored there.
Where did all these things come from?? It's amazing how many things I've accumulated over the years and how seldom I've actually used some of it. The RV is giving me a chance to live more simply. It has meant letting go of many things but I'm loving having less things to keep track of.It has also felt good to give so many things away to others who could really use them.
That evening I discovered my driving skills had improved when I managed to pull into the driveway of my previous neighbours  who feel like family to me. whyknot was a little nervous as she/he (not sure what my RV is yet) just fit almost exactly.
I arrived just in time for turkey dinner (ahhhh, more wonderful food!) It was festive with some of their family and friends there.
We have so much to be thankful for and Thanksgiving is a good reminder of that.
The next day, I drove to northern Cape Breton and that, my friends, is another story!

RV there yet?

Driving through familiar areas is much easier and I made good timing.Catching up with family and friends has been
fun.
On I drove from Kitchener to Toronto then Kingston and finally,a stop in Ottawa. The drive has been relaxing and I continue to learn more about my RV. I've done a good job packing my things but using towels between dishes to keep them from rattling is not going to work. I'm sure there are some racks that can be used for easy access to everything.
Then there are the batteries.I wonder just how long I can be without hook-ups?

Hooked up at a campground. whyknot enjoyed the even pad after some of the uneven places I've parked. I got some plastic "levellers" which I need to learn how to use.
This morning I discovered the furnace isn't working and will check my manuals to see what I can do. In the meantime, wear a warm sweater.
When I was in Toronto, my son, Dan, gave me a GPS which has been extremely useful.I can drive anywhere now without having to spend hours studying a map or stopping at tourist info for help.The next piece of equipment will be a back up camera.
The fall colours continue to develop and tomorrow I'm heading to Quebec. I'll need to stop at a campground to fill up my water tank and also dump my grey and black water tanks. My next planned stop is some friends in Fredericton NB and that's about 10hrs from here which is too long for one day.

A quote I found, written by Walt Whitman:

" Light-hearted, I take to the open road.....healthy, free,
the world before me.......The long brown path before me, leading me wherever I choose."

whyKnot sharing

It's now Oct 5 and experiencing a good rest after so much traveling.
Due to some concerns about getting back to NS before the weather becomes too cold, I had changed my plans from taking a scenic route to the more direct interstates.Continuing on Hway 94 in Wisconsin,south to #90/39 into Illinois to La Salle and east on #80, I was able to bypass Chicago, thanks to the helpful info from a truck driver.The traffic was very heavy, mostly with semis.
Finally, past Chicago into northern Indiana and back to Hway 94 through Michigan to Detroit and the peace bridge into Canada.
Just before customs there was a sign indicating cars one way, trucks the other.Is whyknot a car or a truck??
technically I'm in a truck (what else would a V10 Ford be?)
I found myself sandwiched between huge semis waiting to go through customs and realized I'm not one of them. A kind trucker informed me my RV is a car in this situation and helped me get to the front of the line to the customs booth.A few brief questions and I was happy to be back in familiar Ontario.
It had been raining all day and by now night had descended.
Getting through Windsor was a challenge, particularly since I didn't have a GPS yet. I spent the night at my friend Sharman's place about an hour later and had a very good catch up visit. Then east on the 401 for a quick lunch and more catching up with the Weilers before stopping for 2 days at my brother Tony's place in Kitchener.
After a much needed rest, I'm heading to Toronto today......
The weather continues to be quite cold (approx high of 13C today).
The beautiful fall colors have been developing as I go east. It's my favourite time of year. 

whyKnot getting to know you

It's been quite the learning curve ,fun, sometimes uncertainty, always loving my new journey and this faithful rig.
I've been traveling east via northern US as have never done this route:
Highway 2 through Montana with gentle undulating hills reminding me of ocean waves, prairie scenery with vast grain fields and rare trees, the big sky.
 Sometimes I wanted to name the road "the way of the crosses". for m,any miles, there were hundreds of little white crosses in memory of those who have lost their lives. I once counted 12 crosses in 25 miles. Why so many? The road didn't seem dangerous but I was concerned. While stopped at a museum and tourist info, I was invited for pie and coffee as they were celebrating "thrashing" season. The grain harvest was mostly finished and it was a good year. I asked about the crosses and was told that most were young people driving while intoxicated, on drugs, or suicidal. Most of the accidents happened at night and the crosses were erected over several years. it was very sad.
The grain fields were a beautiful golden, yellow colour with areas of green, red, or brown mixed in. Autumn is such a beautiful season.
There were train tracks along much of the highway with frequent long trains carrying containers ( makes a lot more sense than having each container hauled by a semi on the road) or , more often, oil from the oil fields in northern Montana. I passed several of these fields and was told later that the oil was produced by fracking. A local explained how it's not nearly as dangerous as many people think, that there are already cracked rocks in the earth and all they do is create more cracks so that the oil can pool easily.
He said this work was done a couple of km below the surface and that they have not experienced any adverse effects.
It's always valuable to hear both sides of an issue in order to make good decisions.
That night (Sept 27) I stayed in Harlem, Montana. It wasn't as exciting as I expected!

On into North Dakota and as I headed east, more trees became visible and sometimes I could see small mountains on the horizon.
I camped at small campgrounds, a truck stop and at a  walmart parking lot. Campgrounds are good for hookups and wifi. The other choices are free but no hookups. I need hookups only about once a week to fill my fresh water tank and dump the grey water ( from sink or the shower) and black water tank (sewage).I can use my batteries for electricity (the solar collector helps) and the propane for heating and cooking.
My RV has a monitor panel to show me how much battery power I have, how much liquid in each of my tanks and how much propane I have. I also have smoke, CO and propane detectors which are a great safety feature along with my fire hydrant.
After filling with gas at one truck stop, I moved the RV out of the way so I could have my lunch. Suddenly the propane detector went off. I smelled some propane and went outside, opening all the doors. It kept going off so I got worried and called the roadside assistance. The tech there told me these detectors are very sensitive and could go off parking too close to a big rig which I had done.
I then went to move the RV and noticed that I had also parked right beside the propane dispenser at the gas station...daaaaahhh!!
It was fine after that.
Driving so far every day means I have to fill up daily and it has been an adjustment to fill such a large tank. Luckily gas is much less expensive in US, costing between $3.19 to 3.45 a gallon so far.
I haven't figured out my gas mileage yet.

The hookups took a bit of learning. At the first campground, I couldn't find the electrical outlet and had to get someone to show me. I also tried to fill my fresh water tank but had some problems.
I then remembered that I had 2 water inputs and it worked with the other one. I must find out the difference.
The owners manuals have come to good use so far!

The best source of information have been the truck drivers.
They have been very helpful and gave me many tips on best roads to take, the bridges to watch out for ( whyknot is 12ft high and some bridges have less clearance)

2 days ago, while parked at a Walmart, I got a memory foam to put on my pull-out couch so that sleeping is more comfortable.
Initially I had wanted a permanent bed but found that style of RV had much less room inside for the same length. making up the bed at night is not a big hassle and I'm loving having extra room.

Yesterday, I reached Wisconsin and found a very nice campground: "Stoney Creek" in Osseo. 
What a pleasure it's been to have wifi and laundry facilities!
Today I hope to get to Michigan and then get back to Canada via Detroit. I'm late leaving here so will probably have to stop before I get there.

A big problem has been the phone. Roaming charges are $1.75/min
I was so eager to get on the road, I didn't have time to sort out the phone. I'll do that before I head south in late Oct.
I had expected to use pay phones, only to discover they are becoming very rare due to everyone having cell phones.

whyKnot is handling extremely well on the highway.
Now to have some lunch and hit the road.

ps not sure how to post the photos yet.....