[WaltBennett]

We're at the half way point of our three month trip, and I've never had one that had more things break! Started out just after leaving VA and driving around Chicago heading for WI, when our water heater tank broke. Replace that at a one week stop in Minnesota. Then the CAMCO 50 amp plug pulled apart and shorted out tons of stuff inside. Blew three surge protectors (thank the good one I put them on all the important outlets!) and our microwave (may be repairable, but I'm not going to work on that until back home). Had to replace our DISH receiver as well - it was on a surge protector, but I suppose they are way too sensitive. Next thing was our truck alternator failing - quick fix in a little town on the way to Fargo. Got to Fargo, but still hadn't figured out all the power issues and it was over 90 degrees. Picked up a portable room AC that worked well enough to keep the dogs and wife cool and not complaining (much, anyway). Got our picture taken at the ORIGINAL wood chipper (it's at the visitor's center), figured out the power and got the 15k AC working again. Life seemed to be back to somewhat normal.

Spent a few days near Spokane when we found out my wife's debit card had been read by a 'skimmer' while she was checking out at a Walmart. They got her checking account, savings and dipped into her automatic loan accounts as they were all linked. Took a few days, but her Credit Union made it all good again - had her swearing in her sleep!

Glacier was uneventful. Even drove the Going to the Sun Highway both ways with our F350 full-length bed, crew cab dually and didn't kill anyone! Then came Tacoma and our thermostat decided to totally lock up. Popped the fuse and put it back several times, but it would not come back to life. Found out the hard way that the same one is not made anymore, and no one had the newer version available. To top it off, we tried driving around the Olympic Pen. on the 'scenic' route (couldn't see anything due to wildfire smoke) and a logging truck threw a 2" or so rock into our windshield! $250 and a new one in one day, but . . .

We had to get back on the road, but in less than a week will be in Silverton, OR for a week, so I ordered a new one from Amazon and it'll be waiting for us there. We're at Little Creek Casino (nice place to spend a couple of days) west of Olympia and running that portable AC again. Next is the OR National Guard's Camp Rilea on the Pacific for three, then Silverton and then back home by way of South Dakota, Cody and a few other places (but NOT Chicago!). I wonder what else can go broke!