Interesting and Funny Things We've Seen or Learned...So Far!

The Great Idaho Potato Tour spotted in Washington state on tour. Is it real?  Check out the link if interested; we got a kick out of following it. The tour celebrates the potato, of course, but also raises money in small towns for businesses and non-profits.  And I bet you didn't know...if you're ever in Boise Idaho looking for an air B&B, yup you guessed it, you can stay inside a giant Idaho Potato House! We are having fun, and you just never ever know what will be on the road with you!

I really like looking up things connected to the phase "I wonder what..." Here is an example. For miles and miles we saw poles with orange striped paddles just standing out in fields with nothing besides

nature to keep them company. Well, once in a while some fencing, but you know how snotty fencing can be... John wondered what they were. Lo and behold, they mark high pressure gas lines and point down to mark the spot where one is not, and I mean not, to dig. I found this stock photo of what happens if they are disregarded. Wow. 

Boat and Hay Shrinky Dinks! If you remember Shrinky Dinks, you lived through some tough and happy times! but a boat shrink wrapped?  And just...how? I love searching things we wonder about; and come to find out you get special plastic and use a hot air gun. This is not as fun as the Dinks. Also, it comes in blue. 

But wait! We also saw shrink wrapped hay; and the real name is baleage.

So.... Hey! How the heck does that get done? It took me a while to find out; there was lots of information on why to do it to reduce moisture and extend profits. And to do it...you get a hay wrapper attachment for your tractor! Yup. Who knew. 

I discovered as I went deeper, that there is quite a controversy about the amount of plastic used; no good solution for recycling has been found as far as I could determine. The best folks can do right now is to reuse the plastic, and there is a lot of it as it takes six layers to secure a bale. 

So here I sit typing my clever little "what the heck is that we see?" blog post...and I realize that what I see are examples of gnarly and prickly life dilemmas. Choices and consequences. Ah... This fits in with our thoughts on just how much gas and other resources we are using on this trip for pleasure. Ah...

Things We Have Learned from Others and Experience

In a camper, cover the sink and use it as storage when rolling along. 😄

To extend the life of traveling bananas; wash off the ripening spray and dry well; then cover the stem with a wet paper towel. I tried this on two we had; but they were fairly well "gone" so trustworthy data is still pending. 

If you have a camper with seatbelts in the back, use them to secure what is stored on the benches. Otherwise, everything, and I mean every little thing, will hit the floor, guaranteed.

When heading into California...eat up all that fruit or you will have to relinquish all those scrumptious Washington cherries and any oranges that don't declare their birthright. We knew this and forgot!

When searching for a laundromat on route, make sure it's still there, that it's open, and if any other interesting things are around. We lucked into a gem. John scored one of the best smoothie bowls ever when we stopped for laundry...Mountain Berry Bowls! 

Pack some postcards, or get some on the road, and postcard stamps. Many folks have housed and helped us along the way and deserve a thank you...before I forget to. You know what I'm talking about!

You never know when you might need...things. I packed the pockets of a hanging jewelry holder and hung it in the closet. And sure enough, we needed a band aid, matches, super glue, etc. Vindication!

Use a checklist every time you leave a site; just do it! There are stories to tell here that will forever be untold. 

Some of the most delightful places we have camped have been from the advice of others and just pulling in to see if there is room. Honestly. Harvest Hosts and The Dyrt are excellent apps for finding one-night boondocking options. Thanks Hannah!

And when reading those RV campsite reviews on the web, be sure to check the dates; some are years old. Things ch ch ch change. And David Bowie and Queen are favorites on the play list. 

When traveling with library books (yes, he does), make sure they are eligible for auto renew. 

Although Waze and Google Maps are owned by the same company (don't get me started), Waze is on a mission to get you there, and will actually find alternate routes. I say, go with Waze on long cross-country trips, 

Don't count on your little dog to catch and consume all the flies that hitch a ride in your RV, even though he will try, and try, and try. I do wonder what that fly we picked up in Montana will do in Oregon...oh...