7-22-2017

7-22-17 Priest Lake

370 miles

It's getting more difficult to find a camping spot at Priest Lake. We attempted reservations 6 months in advanced and there was one spot available for the week we wanted, and it was at Reeder Bay.  Turns out it is an excellent spot, but there was exactly one spot to choose.  Mom and dad will be here today, and Aunt Yvonne will come to visit as well.  We always forget something on these long trips, and this time we forgot sleeping bags for the boys. We took them out of the camper a couple of weeks ago for a trip Lorena made to Oregon to see her folks, and they never got put back in.  We did have the boys pack a couple of blankets each and it’s really warm here, and we have an extra full size sleeping bag so it’s not a big deal. Still, of all the things to forget.

The truck is using a lot of oil.  Took a quart in Moses Lake when I filled. I haven't check it since we got here though. Common problems with this engine are plugged PCV system, worn valve guides (sleeves?) and just plain scored cylinders. I’ll tear apart the PCV system when we get home.  If that's not it, I’ll replace the guides this winter. I'm not hopeful it’s the guides.  The oil dip stick tube is really loose.  Maybe there's some blow by there?  Because it spent its whole life hauling the camper and towing a big boat it’s most probable that the engine is just worn out.  The previous owner advertised 135,000 miles.  Its either very hard miles, or it’s actually 230,000 miles.  These engines are hardy beasts though.  For what we do it should have several years left in it.  

7-25-17

Dad says we stayed at Reeder Bay once when I was very young. This would have been when we were pulling the camp trailer with the Chevelle. I don't remember this place though. Mom and dad are going to watch the boys so we can have an early anniversary dinner at Elkins.  There are float planes flying in and out of the bay here. I think they are going to Elkins for breakfast. Must have made a dozen approaches. Looks like fun. 

7-29-17

We took the camper up to Muskegon Lake to pick huckleberries on Wednesday. It handles the forest service road a lot better than I expected.  It was slower than the suburban though.  I can pretty easily do 35mph in the suburban.  25mph was best speed that felt safe with the camper.   The berries were on pretty good.  Another week and it would have been even better.  Enough for a couple nights desert and pancakes for the week.  Mom and Dad’s truck broke down on the way back home yesterday.  They made it about a mile and a half from the campground.  The alternator belt broke.  Dad had AAA tow it home.  

7-30-17

Spent the night at Mom and Dad’s last night.  Left early today to get home before traffic was really bad and maybe miss the worst of the heat.  The air conditioner does not work.   The truck did well.   We are getting 8.5 - 9.5 mpg.  It pulled up the Vantage hill at speed (60mph) the heat gauge went up to about 2/3 but held steady there.  It was about 100 degrees outside.  The strangest part of the trip is that the engine stopped using oil.  I think i have it figured out though.  The guy who was helping sell the truck took it to a shop and had the oil changed.  They used 10-30, the recommended weight.  The old man gave me 10 quarts of oil, so I have been using that to top off.  It’s Chevron 15-40. I’ve put enough in to basically qualify as an oil change.  It likes the heavier oil.  A friend at work said something about Chevron oil and long lipid chains and how it works better than most to stop oil consumption.  Mental note: use Chevron at 15-40 from now on.  More research is needed.   If this is the fix it basically means the engine needs a rebuild.  It’ll be fine for quite a long time for how we will use it though.