RV TRIP to ALASKA  - Some last minute preparations to the RV and then we are off on our  ALASKA  ADVENTURE ...
We' re scheduled to leave in a week, and it certainly would have been less stressful to have gotten started on these things much earlier, BUT the rainy weather hung around Salem,OR , longer  than  usual this year. ... We couldn't get started on the new carpet for the RV until we had a dry work area in the carport, in which to do our lay out and cutting. 
 
Mechanically:  Our older motorhome, with it's big ol' Dodge 440 engine, seems to be in pretty good running condition and should get us thru Canada and then on to Alaska. 
The front brakes, brake lines, and tires  were replaced, so I think we're in good shape there . ... We put in new batteries. ...
The front fuel pump was extremely noisy so Ron replaced it ...  Also,  there was an electrical issue which caused the engine to miss and hesitate, but he found the broken wire in a plug-in and was able to get a used plug replacement from a nearby junk yard. ... Ron hates doing mechanical work, but is aware of how much money he can save us by doing some of the simpler mechanical jobs on the RV. ... Replacing the fuel pump was not very difficult.
He then took the RV to have the oil changed in the engine and also the Onan generator. ... When he got the "old girl" back home and started up the generator, it sounded real smooth. ... Then suddenly it quit !! ... My heart sank as I thought 
"OH NO"  something else to deal with, and time is getting too short . ...  Around this time of year, it takes 2-3 weeks to get an appointment to service or repair your RV ... Well; Ron checked to see if the generator was getting fuel and found that 
IT WAS NOT ! ... After pulling out the sliding tray, he saw what the problem was ... It seems that the guy that changed the oil had pinched the gas line when he shut that tray !! ... What a relief to have found that simple answer. ... The generator is working fine now. ... We hardly ever use it but we can't head for Alaska without the generator in working order.
What's that old saying ??  "If you want something done right, Do it yourself " !!

NEW CARPET For The RV:  I had REALLY wanted to put down vinyl or Pergo floor but the metal plates crossing over the floor made that an  impossibility. ...
 In checking around to have someone install the new carpet in the RV, we got a big shock when the first guy we went to, wanted $2800. !!!  But that was because he was gonna charge us his, RV repair shop, rate of $80. an hr . ... That being out of the question, I got hold of a regular carpet installer. ... He wanted $600. to do the job. ... Even though we knew it would be alot of work to install the carpet around the "doghouse" area in the RV, we still felt like that was more money than we wanted to pay. ...
In his earlier years, Ron had layed a little bit of carpet in remodeling some mobile homes and houses, so he decided to lay the carpet in the RV himself. ...  After alot of cutting and measuring,  he stapled the carpet around the outside edges of the plywood floor.  The staples hardly show.  The job is almost done, but Ron will not be able to get  finished before we take off. ... His knees and back took alot of stress. ...( OH the joys of getting older ! )... He has left the "doghouse" area until we get back. ... But the floor sure looks good. ... The old carpet was the original moss green shag from 1978, so the RV feels so fresh and clean now. ... Now I'll hate to see it get dirty. lol ... I figure it will be dirty and muddy at times, at the campgrounds or other places we stop on this Alaska trip, so I bought some runners to help keep the new carpet clean.

Shopping:  I have decided to stock up the RV with as many groceries etc. as possible, for 2 reasons. ...  We will be gone for several months and stores probably will not be as convenient as here at home. Also, we don't have a sales tax here in Oregon and I know they do in Canada and ALASKA. .... We're towing the car, so I 'll have lots of room for extra stuff. ...
 I found the cutest thing.  called  "Liddle Griddle", made by Presto. ... It's the first time I've seen a griddle so small, and the only place I've ever seen it, was at  Bi-Mart, which is where I bought it . ... I figure it will fit good in the RV.  ... Since it is electrical, I will use it when we're parked and hooked up so I can cut down on the propane usage. ... I also bought a single electric burner for that same reason. ... I didn't want an electric skillet because they all seem to be too big and awkward for my little RV kitchen sinks.

We are movie buffs. ... So I have stocked up on DVDs. ... Being Christians, we  prefer  Good Wholesome Movies ...
 One of the challenges when we travel, is finding the good old family movies on TV. ... We don't have a "dish", and the channels are limited with hook ups at most campgrounds. ...  Click above to see some of my selections.