2021 TD2 Post-Pandemic Adventure ................ "Get us outta here!"

Hello folks,

You have received this blog post because you were on our list from 2019, or we thought you might be interested.  If you wish to be removed from future posts, no worries, just let me know.

Well we are very thankful that we were in Hawaii (our snow-bird location) when the pandemic struck, as we ended up spending the entire 18 months there.  Thanks very much to Carol's brother Dave for allowing us to keep Thistle Dew Too (TD2) at his ranch in Nevada, and for kindly starting the engine and running the generator every month or two!

We left her there in anticipation of a 2020 Alaska adventure, but of course, that was not to be.  Then we figured, maybe a 2021 Alaska adventure, but even now, Canada is only allowing Alaskan residents to cross the border, and then travel straight through without "vacationing".  So that wasn't going to work for us.

Instead, after getting our vaccinations and waiting the 3 weeks to be fully protected, we flew back to Nevada, and have spent the past two weeks fixing up the RV, and having a nice visit with Dave and Susan.

Thistle Dew Too was in pretty good condition, but we had to extract some dead mice and a nest or two.  Then the water pump had a cracked sediment trap, and working on the pump was a bear, so I decided to remove it entirely, turn it around 180º, and replumb it.  Hopefully that will make any future maintenance on it easier to handle.

We also finally got around to pressure washing (on a light setting) the roof and exterior, and then Carol did the bulk of waxing and buffing, which really got rid of the oxidation of the 20 year-old paint.  She looks really good (and so does the RV ;-).  I also applied some Eternabond to the many places where roof sealant looked worn, and where older Eternabond seams were peeling back somewhat.  

When we weren't working on the RV, we got to take some local walks, test out some e-bikes, and check out some mountain trails in Dave's and his friend's side-by-sides.   Here are some preview shots:

After (left-side) ... and ... Before (right-side).  
No more paint oxidation, and even a glossy reflection 🤗

Out for a walk, and simply mesmerized by the sky and clouds

Dave and Carol are ready to roll (let's hope not literally 😬)

Please click this link to access the full set of photos for this first portion of our adventure.  As you move your cursor over each photo, you will see a descriptive title.

Our next step will be a short shake-down cruise, just to make sure everything is working OK, and to have a chance to fix whatever isn't.  This will be sort of a preview of where we will go with our son Greg, his girlfriend Katherine, and their dog Luigi at the end of June.