A Family Emergency and our new Escape

[JStelly]

Originally Posted by Karl@Escape

Hi John,
We have used a storage facility in Lynden for a couple of customers, they usually want a one month commitment. Happy to send the details if required. Your 5.0TA is safe and sound here in Chilliwack, come back when you are ready.
Karl

Thanks Karl. I found one in Bellingham with the same one month commitment. We will be there Friday unless my father has a setback. Hope to see you then.

[JStelly]

We took a chance and flew to YVR yesterday. We are at the Hampton Inn in Chilliwack awaiting our orientation at 11:30 this morning. Although in a slow decline, my father is stable enough for the time being to make the trip.

We found a storage facility in Bellingham so the plan is to take delivery this am, spend two nights at a KOA in Burlington (Lynden KOA and NAS Whidbey Island are full), store the trailer beginning Sunday, drive to Seattle and fly back to Houston on Monday.

The planning under difficult circumstances has been interesting but we are making it work.

[JStelly]

My first camping trip in 1962. This is a photo of my father and younger three brothers. They rented a 13ft trailer with no air conditioning and took a week long camping trip in Texas in the summer! My father was 27 and mother 26. They had four boys at the time! Me age 7 and three other sons aged 5,3, and 1. How adventurous!

[cpaharley2008]

Good luck.....

[Mary F]

Originally Posted by JStelly

My first camping trip in 1962. This is a photo of my father and younger three brothers. They rented a 13ft trailer with no air conditioning and took a week long camping trip in Texas in the summer! My father was 27 and mother 26. They had four boys at the time! Me age 7 and three other sons aged 5,3, and 1. How adventurous!

So cool! Best wishes on your journey.

[JStelly]

We took delivery of our new 5.0 yesterday! It’s quite a trailer and we really love to roominess and storage. Our orientation was scheduled for 11:30am and although we started a bit late we were done and out by 2:45pm. The border crossing had a 2 hour wait! We followed Paul and our trailer and bypassed most of it and cut in to use the ReadyLane/Nexus and we were on the road from Bob’s by 3:45. We are camped at the Burlington KOA and spent the day unpacking, organizing and visiting our temporary storage facility in Bellingham.

Sunday is move to storage then on to Seatac for a flight on Monday morning as planned. Back in Texas and per his wishes, my father is going home this afternoon. He will be in hospice until....

[h2owmn]

Don't forget to turn off the battery switch. Safe travels to you.

[JStelly]

Absolutely! I expect us to be back in about three weeks. We'll see.

[jkoenig24]

Can you go with another person who is capable enough to drive back to Houston? You could then complete the purchase and, once across across the border, you jump on a plane and, driver #2 can leisurely and safely complete the drive.

[Koi-Kid]

Hey John,
First good luck on your adventure back down here to Texas. The suggestion on having a second driver to take over and finish driving your rig back home if you get the "Call" again. Would be the winning suggestion.
I know it has to be tough sitting on the edge.


When we moved from Northern Okla 6 years ago I had a friend drive the other moving truck down to Texas behind me. We had bought him an airline ticket to fly home the next day. It all worked great except for the blowout on his truck about 2/3 of the way down and took 3 hours to get the road service guy there and another hour to change the tire.
Luckily we were on the scenic route HY-281 and not the interstate. We also found some shade up the road a couple hundred feet & had plenty of cold water in my pickup that my wife was driving.



I love your B & W photo you posted! Figure you were taking the picture since your 3 brothers look the age and no one 7 years old in the photo. I can remember going to a cabin when we were kids about that same time frame and the folks bringing a box fan along because there was no A/C in the cabin or in our car or even our house in 62', think it was 65' when they finally got an air conditioner.


See we are all spoiled now with all the nice creature comforts we have thank goodness.


Drive Safe & enjoy your new toy.
Marsh

[JStelly]

Thanks to everyone for the ideas, kind words and support. Sadly, after a courageous battle against lung cancer, my father passed away on Sunday, August 25th. Luckily, I was able to spend some quality time with him in the week prior. Services are tomorrow and Friday.

Next Wednesday we are flying back to Seattle and will begin the long trip back to Texas. Highlights will be stops at NAS Whidbey Island and Custer State Park.

[cpaharley2008]

So sorry John.......my condolences for your loss.

[amirie]

Sorry to hear that John.
Glad that you were able to be there with him at the end.

Safe journey back home with the trailer..

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by JStelly

Thanks to everyone for the ideas, kind words and support. Sadly, after a courageous battle against lung cancer, my father passed away on Sunday, August 25th. Luckily, I was able to spend some quality time with him in the week prior. Services are tomorrow and Friday.

Next Wednesday we are flying back to Seattle and will begin the long trip back to Texas. Highlights will be stops at NAS Whidbey Island and Custer State Park.

Hi: JStelly... Sorry to hear this news!!! Life is a journey and every trip comes to an end. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Ginger]

So sorry about your dad. In similar situation.
Our children are in Friendswood. Perhaps our paths will cross. Several other Escapes in the vicinity

[Donna D.]

I'm sorry for your loss John. May you find solace in your memories.

[Mike G]

A bittersweet, sad time for those he leaves behind, but it sounds like a much happier time for him now that he's gone home. May the peace that passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds.

[Gori]

Originally Posted by Mike G

A bittersweet, sad time for those he leaves behind, but it sounds like a much happier time for him now that he's gone home. May the peace that passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds.

Amen. Spoken like one who knows. Those that return home to the Spirit World never tell me that they wished they were back in the bad boarding school of the earth plane. No matter how young or old when they left, and no matter how they left.

Peace & Blessings

Gori

[mimie]

I am so very sorry, what a time it has been for all of you.
Wishing you a safe journey - may the trailer and the world it opens to you help your heart, as you travel along.

[brightday]

Originally Posted by Mike G

A bittersweet, sad time for those he leaves behind, but it sounds like a much happier time for him now that he's gone home. May the peace that passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds.

Yes, though it's never easy to see our loved ones go. Much sympathy for your loss and praying that you travel safely back to Houston!