13 October 2013

Finished a few logging odds and ends in the morning, then, with Perry following in the Tacoma (almost to his demise, but more on that later), drove Dolores back to Fern Lake in the afternoon.  Left the Kubota, trailer, and assorted logging paraphernalia in Calais, as I will be going back there to continue logging in another 10 days.  The battery which is supposed to start the RV was, of course, completely flat after sitting for six weeks, even disconnected.  The two coach batteries (which can be used, in extremis, to start the RV) were also hurting, having provided electricity to Dolores all that time with only 3 hours (on average) of recharging each day from the Storm King portable generator. But, with the generator pumping in electrons, the coach batteries were convinced to turn over the engine just enough for it to start.  Whew!!!!  Retracted the living room slide-out, which stuck (and almost stalled the RV engine) while still sticking out 6 inches.  Did everything I could think of (including cursing it fluently and repeatedly), but the *#%$^!!! thing wouldn’t come all the way in.  Gave up and secured it with the emergency retraction winch and straps (which also didn’t work to seat the slide-out) so that the slide-out couldn’t go out again while I was meandering down forthcoming highways and byways.  Suffice it to say that Dolores did pretty good going downhill, but OMG did she ever labor going up even the tiniest incline.  Took Frenchman’s Hill on I-89 at 45 mph in first gear, with the engine positively screaming!  As I was accelerating as hard as I could away from the stoplight in Shelburne (‘cause there’s a long uphill leaving town), some bozo made a left turn across the stopped traffic in the oncoming lane… right in front of me, obviously having no concept of how long it takes 7½ tons of barreling RV to stop.  Slammed on the brakes, laid on the horn, and almost T-boned the idiot!  Perry, caught unawares, almost rear-ended the RV.  Had to pull over three times during the trip to let the looooong line of cars behind me continue on their way at the posted speed limit… which Dolores was just laughing at.  When we stopped in Middlebury to put $125 into Dolores’ gas tank, forgot that the RV batteries were sick and turned off the ignition.  Came very close to having to call AAA before, on their last gasp, the batteries agreed to cooperate with the RV engine once again.  Double whew!!!!  Perry said that I had ‘bout gassed him to death with the toxic fumes Dolores was emitting all afternoon.  (I had wondered why he was following so far back.) Three hours and 100 miles after leaving Calais (⅓ of which was on an Interstate highway!), we parked Dolores in her usual spot at Fern Lake… and Black Label has rarely tasted so good!