This morning started with rain in Seaside. Maybe the weather was telling me it’s time to move on…
We took Highway 101 into Astoria, where we drove across the huge Astoria-Megler bridge and into Washington.
Things were going fine until we got close to Seattle. I hadn’t paid enough attention to the routine and we ended up taking I-5 through Seattle (at lunchtime), rather than taking I-405 to bypass Seattle!
After spending the last month on nice two lane Highway 101, I was not ready for the stress and traffic of 10 plus lanes on I-5. It was freaking miserable. I’m still trying to let down from the drive.
After the drive of misery, I was ready to write off all of Washington state. Horrible traffic, gas at $5.59 per gallon. But once I got off the highway, I started to see gas around $4.67. (How can they charge almost a dollar more on the highway?). And Rasar State Park is gorgeous. The camp sites are nestled among Douglas fir, red cedar and hemlocks. So, maybe Washington isn’t all bad.
Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow, so that will let me test my improved tarp hanging system. I originally hung my tarp with hook magnets on the painted van roof (I put a plastic bag between the magnet and the van to try to reduce scratching). But a good gust of wind can pull the magnets off the van.
One day, by accident, one of the magnets touched the galvanized steel strut that is the base for supporting the solar panels and it stuck to the strut like it was welded on. I have to put on gloves or use pliers to take the magnet off the strut!
Anyway, I ordered more roof mounting brackets from Amazon (which Taylor was kind enough to bring to our get together) and I mounted another strut to the front passenger side of the van. Now the whole tarp is supported by magnets on galvanized steel struts. Let’s see if the magnets blow off now!
Another advantage of the new piece of strut is that I could also use it for mounting a real van awning if I ever decide to buy one. And, I already have the roof mounting brackets, so I could add another strut on the driver’s side of the van if I decide to add more solar panels to the van…
Leave a Reply