New Tires

Last weekend, we broke the bank putting new tires on the Suburban. The old ones were looking sorry and worn, and with a hot 4,000 mile drive ahead of us, we concluded new tires were a must. I picked up a set of Open Country AT's at Les Schwab in Walla Walla. Les Schwab has 400 stores throughout the western United States and gives incredible service. Flat repair and tire rotation are free, as are air checks. There really was a Les Schwab (he died May 18 of this year). He was a self-made man who built a successful business and was known as a great employer. His story is quite interesting.

After getting the Suburban tires, I took a look at the trailers on The Palouse Caboose and began to get nervous (they looked like the original tires that came with the trailer, which would make them 30 years old). So, this morning it was time to hook up the Caboose and head out to Les Schwab for new tires for the trailer.

We are now T minus 5 days and counting for departure.

Repairs and Additions - May 25 - June 10, 2007

Following our return from Idaho, I discovered having working marker lights is a legal requirement. The marker lights on the Palouse Caboose were covered with the ubiquitous silicone caulk, so I tore them out, removed the caulk (paint thinner softens it up nicely so it can be removed more easily with a razor blade) and installed all new lights purchased at L&G, the local True Value hardware store. First time testing, 10 of the 11 lights worked (vs. 2 of 11 before). Investigation showed I'd forgotten to fasten down the ground connection on the non-working light, and we now have 11 of 11 working lights!!!


Next we added a Shademaster bag awning, purchased from interwestsports.com, in Bountiful, UT. Installation was easy, using the awning rail already installed in the Caboose. Unfortunately, we didn't have room to open it out, so pictures to follow in a later post.

Shakedown - May 18-20 - Plummer, ID

After all the work removing roofing tar, silicone caulk (much yet left to remove) and checking systems, we were ready for our first camping trip in the little trailer, which is now named the "Palouse Caboose." We set out Friday, May 18, for Heyburn State Park, at the South end of Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho. The Caboose towed like a dream, and we arrived at the park around 6:00 pm. After selecting a relatively secluded site, we proceeded to set up and cook dinner and settle in for the night. Although it got down into the 40's that night, we were warm and cozy in the Caboose.

Saturday was windy, and we didn't get to use the canoe. Also, Erika, our 9-year old, forgot to pack any long pants, so it was off to St. Maries for clothes shopping. This is a picture of the door of a bar we came across in St. Maries. You might guess St. Maries is a logging town. The wind came up that afternoon and we didn't have a chance to use the canoe

Saturday night, we had light rain all night long. The new roof vent we installed appeared to work fine, and did not leak. There was, however, a slight leak that came through the curbside cabinet and down the window pane, soaking the curtains. We believe it was caused by pooling on the roof near a seam that is still sealed with roofing tar. Time for more Dyco 20/20!

The biggest frustration of the trip was not knowing where anything was. Our old car camping routine of using Rubbermaid tubs did not work. Next trip out, we'll try to get as much as possible loaded into the trailer.

The trip back home along Idaho 95 down to Moscow was beautiful. The Palouse country this time of year is just stunning, with the wheat fields green and beautiful.