Pineapple Express in Northwest!!

[kdmac]

What an adventure this has been in a short four days! My husband and I said our sweet, tearful goodbyes on Sunday morning at 7:30, he went off to church and I planned to finish some packing and pull out for the last time from my wonderful place on Camano Island (he will be staying in the house and I will hit the road with the new TT) It has rained so much with this Pineapple Express warm moisture up from the South Pacific, it happens periodically in the Northwest. I figured I would have trouble getting out of the backyard where the trailer was being loaded. So, he comes home from church at 1:30 and I am still in the yard, only the truck is up to its axle in slimy clay mud....stuck with a thirty foot trailer hooked on to it. I will spare you the details but between him, myself, the neighbor and two trucks we finally got it out. It was four hours later and everything was covered with thick sticky mud. We washed everything and then said our sad goodbyes again as I headed out. We had three days of pouring rain, and warm temps with this Pineapple Express, the rivers flooded and it all happened so fast the road crews and police didn't know of all the "water on roadways".So, in the pitch dark on a side street in Stanwood on my way to the freeway there it was the Pilchuck Creek over the road as I went around the curve, I slammed on the breaks and slid in to the water a ways and then realized It was only about a foot deep and I could see the yellow line about 20 feet out. the water wasn't moving so I went through it and got to the other side with no problem. I made it to Millersvania St Park by Olympia and set up for a rain-filled, gusting winds and thunder for two days....left there this morning and am now at Nehalem state park on the Oregon coast, pouring rain, I am soaked to death....so, I figure I may just continue on down to Arizona; a change in plans. Sorry, No pictures yet, I've been too busy to dig out the camera. BTW, can anyone with a weight destributing/sway bar hitch tell me if the creaking and popping will ever subside....the dealer told me it would make that noise but I sure don't like it. Pedestrians give me strange looks...it's loud and obnoxious. I was told not to grease anything until 500 miles later, hopefully greasing will relieve it.

[flick4411]

Geesh, I couldn't read fast enough to find out you didn't go swimming...whew! Please please be careful with those "puddles." We all know how that story can end. I hope you can finally drive far enough south to get out of the Express. My family is up there and say they are growing fins and gills. But you're right, every few years the La Nina does this--keeps you all warm and damp in the NW. I wonder if that's what's causing all the seriously cold weather back here in VA. hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....

Take it easy, I hope the sway bar quits groaning soon...nothing like a noisey worry...

Li

[BirdbyBird]

Hope you find some dry weather soon...... The adventures seem to already be coming your way.....

[Liz]

More campfire stories coming our way. Sorry for the damp start, but glad you're safe. Be careful, and there's fair weather ahead.

[mtngal]

Good idea to head south, get ahead of that storm! Seriously, take care. And keep us posted of your progress!

[VickieP]

Kd, I'm glad you made it safely on your way. Sorry to tell you, but the cracking, groaning, etc. will continue with the sway bars. It's the friction that helps to keep the TT from fish tailing around back there. Make sure that you don't over tighten it though, just hand tight and remember you have to remove them to back up. Enjoy your journey and keep us updated!

[snowball]

what part of Arizona are you going to? Hopefully we will be able to meet up
we are in Quartzsite
have a safe trip and yes be careful... it been years since we pulled a tt and seems like
to me it was noisy but don't remember it being that noisy
and enjoy the trip
sheila

[kdmac]

Thanks all for getting back to me. It means alot when you are all alone and you get some connection with folks.

Yikes' VickieP, you mean that embarrassing noise is permanent...oh well, guess I will have to get used to it. I appreciate the good word on taking off the sway bar before backing up, I knew that, but say I didn't..... you would have saved me alot of grief; thank you.

Snowball, I am headed to Quartzsite if the weather on the Oregon coast doesn't improve in the next three weeks. I wanted to be here on the ocean to enjoy the seal lions, otters, and walks on the beach, and enjoy the power of the ocean while I start my new life, fully realizing that it's winter and wind and storms will be happening....but this relentless rain hour after hour, day after day pouring like mad wasn't part of my game-plan. Will try to tough it out. But if I do head out I planned to go to Quartzsite so let's get together, I would like that.

[Bethers]

I think you can honestly feel that things are going to just get better - after such a muddy, rainy, yucky start. You're lucky you didn't have damage with all that mess. So glad you are safely out of the mud and hopefully, soon, the rain!

You'll be traveling pretty close to some forum members - might get to meet a few if you're interested and they are available and read your post.

[avalen]

what an exhausting start, but glad you made it out of there, hopefully with no
damage discovered later on. If you make it down to Arizona, I'd be happy to
meet up with you somewhere along the way, I'm in the Scottsdale area but
other places are as close to me as a tank of gas in my little car.

[Nasoosie]

Wow, KD, you had quite a traumatic start to your new life! But now it's all uphill from here, or, I should say, level going to one hauling a TT! Keep us posted, and, when you can, show us some pics of where you are and what you're doing. Happy trails, and may you be braver than I am when towing!

[bluepinecones]

Sorry about the nasty start but since you overcame it, you are well on your way to new adventures. Dig that camera out for us as soon as you can. We enjoy sharing your travels whether rain or shine.

[OregonLuvr]

I am on the N CA coast right now and the weather yesterday and today is gorgeous. Chilly this morning but sun is out. BUT....the news said we are in for about 5 days of heavy rain, YUK. I work the next 5 nights then get to head home to my house in Southern Oregon for Christmas. They are predicting the need for chains in the higher elevations so if your heading south I would stick to the coast route for the next week or so.

Have a safe trip or just stay hunkered down for the next week LOL

Karen

[mitch5252]

Holy Smokes - Let the adventures begin! YIKES. Just know it'll get better!!

I have an Equalizer W/D anti-sway hitch and the noise makes me nuts.
I grease all the parts (as recommended by the manufacturer) and the noise goes away.

I can also back up with my bars connected.

I have no experience with any other type of hitch.
Heck, I hardly have any experience at all.

..

[dayspring39]

Kd so glad things are better what a way to start... when we had anti sway bars on our small tt we backed... not sure why you cannot maybe it is a newer version this was in the 80s...
Stay OUT of the water... not a good thing to go through it ever...
Kathleen