The 3rd Time Isn't The Charm...So Far

Friday May 16th, Wellington, CO

Today was the day our biggest and most ambitious adventure would finally get underway. We've been planning trips to the Oregon & Washington Coasts for last 3 years. In 2023, we made it to Spokane before wildfires forced us to turn around. Last year we got as far as Sacramento when my Mom developed complications from surgery and ended up in the ICU. So we aborted the trip and I flew back east to be with her. This year we changed things up, hoping to change our luck. Instead of traveling in September, we are doing the trip in the spring. We added two weeks to our itinerary so we can visit North Cascades National Park, Mount Rainier and generally spend more time in each location. We expect to be on the Rhoda for 5-6 weeks.

We’ve been packing, preparing and anticipating this trip for ages. We went to bed early last night so we could leave early this morning. Before the alarm sounded, we were jolted awake by wind so intense it felt as if the house might blow off its foundation. The wind was so loud, our little dog Gizmo howled along with it. Trees were bent over and the air was filled with swirling dust. It was clearly not optimal weather for safely towing a 26 foot travel trailer. The weatherman on the early local news assured us that the wind would diminish during the day. So, we waited. And waited. And waited.

Finally, as noon approached, the wind died down. So we jumped in the truck, hitched up Rhoda and headed out. As we drove north, the wind began to get stronger and stronger. A few miles from the Wyoming border, an electronic sign warned of restrictions and possible road closures ahead due to high winds. With Rhoda beginning to sway behind us, We decided to pull off the highway. As luck would have it, there was a KOA just three miles ahead in Wellington, CO.

The lovely woman in the office called the KOA in Rawlins, WY where we had planned to stay the night and was told that I80 was closed to vehicles under 20,000lbs. Since Rhoda is a diminutive 7,600lbs, we could go no further today. We would be spending the night in  Colorado, 2 and a half hours short of our destination.

We set up our campsite and while Jamie cooked dinner, I got to work figuring out how to make up lost time. We have to stick to our schedule because we will be staying mostly at State Parks which are so popular, I had to book reservations 6 months ago. Consulting our trusty road atlas, I figured we could get back on track if we changed our route and added an extra hour of driving for each of the next two days.

The forecast promises mild wind tomorrow morning so we’ll get up and out early. Wish us luck. Hopefully we’ll get to Coalville, Utah tomorrow night and to Winnemucca, Nevada as planned on Sunday. Good night from our crew…on the Rhoda.