DAY 2
Week 1
MIDDLETON (Idaho, USA) to NORDMAN (Idaho, USA)
Thursday June 22nd, 2006
TODAYS MILEAGE – 515 miles or 829 kilometres
TRIP MILEAGE – 537 miles or 864 kilometres
Well, it's Day 2 of this lunacy called travel, hopefully life finds you all as fit as a fiddle.
Jax was 110% correct when she said that I should have taken the Man Pad for a spin with the Trailblazer attached. I hooked the car dolley to the motorhome and then reversed the Trailblazer onto it, as directed with the wankers at the RV mege-store. How would I know how to tow a vehicle on a dolly???
But hwy, I'm just a busted arse diesel mechanic who wouldn't know his arsehole from his armpit - according to some people. 
I was fanging down the freeway and as soon a s I hit a crosswind the Trailblazer would jiggle all over the road like the chins on a Jenny Craig reject. I'm thinking the weaponheads at the RV joint know what they're doing, so it must be something I've done. I put up with this until Baker City (Oregon), about 110 miles (177 kilometres), before deciding that it WAS something I done - I listened to those idiots. I took the car of the dolley, turned it around and drove it on so that the front wheels were on the dolly. Guess what!! Bada-bing, the problem was fixed. But this was not going to be the end of the dramas with the Trailblazer and the dolley.
I headed West through the hills and dropped down into the plains surrounding Pendleton (Oregon). A quick right turn and I was headed North to Walla Walla (Montana). As you can see by the photos, the field were awash in color from budding crops and wheat reaching for the warmth of the sun. Pretty cool. I was going to do a winery tour in Walla Walla, but none of them impressed me on the drive through.
I got to Dayton (Montana) before having to fuel up and boy howdy, what a momentous occasion that turned out to be. Worldwide, all people of Middle-Eastern and Arabic extraction are openly rejoicing in the streets due to their new found revenue source. I feel that by the end of the trip there will be lush PGA standard golf courses, strategically placed throughout every barren or arid desert on the planet, just from fueling up the Man Pad.
I head another 202 miles (325 kilometres) up the road and have to make a big left turn onto another road. As I look out into the mirror, to make sure I have enough clearance going around the corner, I notice that looks like the tie down strap is not on the drivers side tire of the Trailblazer. I pull over to check it out and sure enough the tie down strap was gone. The tire had also jumped the location pad on the tow dolley and was hanging over the front of it. An hour and a half later, I got it on the road again.
But no, that wasn't the end of it. I took a road that one of the locals at Priest Lake (Idaho, USA) said would take me to a campground. Instead he sent me on a dead end street at 11:30 at night with no way that I could turn around a unicycle, let alone the "Caravan of Conquests" that consists of the Man Pad, the tow dolley and the Trailblazer all hooked together.
It had been a long day and seriously, I was so tried, worn out and frustrated that I nearly cried. Yeah, I know - Fitzy the big tough rugby player is turning "house poof" and now has to turn in his man badge for a man purse. PIG'S ARSE I say to that. I unhooked everything, turned it all around, hooked it all up again and was on the road in 45 minutes. Get that up ya, you feminazi's!!!!
Totally pissed off with not being able to get a camping spot at Priest Lake - who knew you had to book a site 6 months in advance??? I headed on up the road. Here it is 1:18AM in the morning, on a dirt road, in country where every second sign says you're in "grizzly & black bear" country and I just happen to a flat spot, off the road, so that I can end this day with a beer and a whine!!
Anyways, time to check the eyelids for holes.
• MIDDLETON ~ 1988 Fleetwood Southwind 34' Class A (Idaho, USA)
• PENDLETON (Oregon, USA)
• PENDLETON ~ 1988 Fleetwood Southwind 34' Class A (Oregon, USA)