D-17, Monday, June 8, 2009 Kay began packing clothes—and the closet is still full! Go figure.

D-16, Tuesday, June 9, 2009 Kay drove into Mountain Home and paid, in advance, for licenses for one of the cars and one of the boats due while we’re on the trip.  She is also still packing clothes. Donald printed calling cards to give out while on the trip, and printed maps of travel legs for first week, to Great Falls, MT, where we meet up with the caravan. We have stops in Nebraska City, NE; Valentine, NE; Custer State Park, SD; and Garryowen, MT, before reaching Great Falls. Also, Donald finished a spread sheet outlining each day of the trip, where we will be, and phone numbers to reach us.

D-15, Wednesday, June 10, 2009 Kay made reservations at pre-Great Falls, MT, stops. A return call from 7^th Ranch RV Park was fortuitous in as much as our reservation date was incorrect by almost a month. We’ve stayed there before, and they made the change with no consequential problem. Kay also emailed several RV parks in Alaska to make arrangements for our mail to be forwarded there; consequently, we’ll get mail in North Pole (Fairbanks) and Skagway. We’ve pretty much gone paperless with email statements and use credit cards, bank drafts, or bill pay to pay bills. Kay also called our insurance company to lower the motor home deductible while we’re traveling; we’ll change it back when we return. We drafted an information paper for kids and friends using the house in our absence with info on security system, utilities, etc. Donald began getting fishing rods, reels, and other equipment ready for packing.

D-14, Thursday, June 11, 2009 Our good friend, John Simank, secretly left a part we needed to repair the downstairs commode; Donald did the repair, removing another item off his list. We rearranged items in the coach, removing things we would not use, or had not used the last year, including DVDs, miscellaneous papers, cooking utensils, and cookware. Kay has cut back so much, we have several cabinets and storage areas that are completely empty. Two new Ross fly reels arrived today, and Donald spent the evening winding backing and 8 and 9 weight fly lines onto the reels, respectively.

D-13, Friday, June 12, 2009 We drove to town today to take care of pre-trip financial matters. Upon returning home, Donald changed the oil and oil filter in the motorhome, switching to Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil and oil filter, supposedly good for up to 15,000 miles; wonder if 10,000 miles would be pushing it? He finished just in time as a huge thunderstorm struck, dropping almost 3 inches of rain. Kay called our credit card companies to alert them of our travel plans so they will be aware of when and where we’ll be making credit charges.

D-12, Saturday, June 13, 2009 We cleaned and waxed the motor home. Just after we began, Kay noticed a new-born fawn down the driveway. As I began to look, the fawn and its twin noticed us and ran with hind ends going everywhere towards us as fast as their spindly legs would carry them. The motor home was parked in a space surrounded by retaining walls on two sides and the basement garage in the other. We were at the back in a 4-foot space between the retaining wall and motor home when were heard them coming. First one, then the other, came beside the motor home in a 3-foot wide space, making the 90 degree turn with legs going ever which direction, almost knocking us down as they rounded the corner at the back of the motor home, rounding the other corner between the motor home and the basement garage, and heading off to where they started. They had no fear of us, but were running and jumping all over the place as only newborns can do. Donald yelled for Kay to take cover in case the doe was coming to protect them, so Kay ran for the garage while Donald was seeking refuge wherever he could find it. Fortunately for us, the doe was contented to watch her fawns frolic about (we believe she herself was a twin we “befriended” a couple of years ago, and has hung out around the house since). It was almost too much excitement for us.

Anyway, back to the wax job. The day started cool, but soon got really warm. A clean and wax job turned into several minor repairs and other odd, but much needed, jobs. However, after all was said and done, the motor home looked great. Now, all we lack in getting her ready is applying protectant to the decals (Aerospace 303), cleaning and preparing the windows and windshields, checking air in the tires, and hooking up the Saturn. In other pre-trip preparations, Donald packed most of his clothes today, with Kay’s help. We’re nearly ready. We could probably be ready to go in a couple of hours if we had to, but won’t leave until June 25.

D-11, Sunday, June 14, 2009 We are completing packing our clothes and personal belongings in the motor home, and Donald finished up the journal for this week. We attended Sunday school and church today for the first time in several weeks. We both have been sick several weeks leading up to the annual Quetico Provincial Park, ON, canoeing, camping, and fishing trip, then missed two Sundays for the trip itself. The music was particularly good today, and Jerry Webb, our stand-in preacher, did a great job as usual in Sam’s absence. It was good to be back.