I plugged in the truck cable and ran the truck. Electricity ran to the outside lights of the camper but didn’t do anything to the interior. I flicked the fuses. I pressed the electricity reset. Nothing. I couldn’t look it up on utube because I didn’t have wifi or cell beyond one cell line which allowed me to text the dealer and let him know my situation and ask for advice, knowing I’d get an answer in the morning at earliest
I was delighted to have the manual bar to ratchet down the happy jacks. I”d worried about that as there was no power for them. Having tested I could lower them I was relieved.
It wasn’ that cold. A chill wind but just sweater weather. I used the toilet but without a water pump I had to use a Nestle bottled water to flush. I climbed back into bed. I was cozy with the comforter and Hudson Bay blanket. I slept till 730. I thought of coffee and Macdonald’s breakfast. I could have gone for a morning hunt but decided I just wanted to get back to civilization. I’d forgotten to bring my generator and thought I could buy one. I could buy new batteries. I could even drop off the camper and go home.
I manually lowered the happy jacks. I unloaded the gear from the Honda 420 Rancher ATV. I loaded the ATV onto the trailer. I tied everything down. It was comforting to load the dog into the truck and start her up. I love my truck. I drove off with the Argentinian 20 gauge over under and the Ruger stainless steel 30:06 rife. I road hunted back to the high way. It was something.
When I put the rifles in to the camper to drive onto the freeway I found that there was a dim light happening from the overhead and the refridgerator was showing numbers. I’d later realize I’d have to turn the propane on again. I did and fridge was working .In Hope I tried to buy a little generator. Say 500 or a 1000, something small I could stow in the camper. All they had were 2000 or more, no different than what I had and had left at home by accident. I almost bought batteries but decided to wait. It looked like everything was working fine. I’d bought some fuses and a crimper at Lordco along with more flashlight batteries. I still didn’t have water so I pulled out every fuse and checked it. The water pump worked. Don’t know what I did but it all worked now.
I decided to head to Harrison Lake. That was in number 2 zone so bucks and grouse were open. I don’t get much holiday and needed a break so figured I’d continue on. Mistake.
Somewhere between Lordco and camp I hit a bump and the whole camper smashed down. I didn’t know what it was . But there was significant damage to the back corner either front the jack catching, it was up higher than the truck under carriage or just from the smashing up and down. The back stay had come off so it wasn’t held down,
I camped by the river. A nice spot. Unloaded the ATV and packed it for camping. Madigan was in his glory, jumping up on the seat and waiting there till I was ready to go, guns and packs and spare gas all loaded. Because I had this fear the day before that someone would break into my camper I bfought my laptop iPad and iPhone along with ny passport and vaccine I’d in the bag with me. I tied it onto the back of the ATV.
Sadly the place I ‘d wanted to hunt which I’d hunted in spring was closed. They had a gate up and sign, active logging. So I drove onto the other logging road. It went right up the mountain and huge ravines were cut to stop flooding. I saw 4 grouse. 2 and 2 more and they all flew up into the trees and from there further. Madigan liked all the action.
I rode right up to the top and has the most spectacular view of Harrison lake. On the way down I saw another grouse and this one I bagged. Madigan is not ‘with it’ regarding grouse. I had to unleash him from his tangled two point tie downs. So the bird had stopped flopping around . I said ‘where is it’….‘git it’….and he didn’t know what I was talking about. I showed him the bird and he stepped on it before looking down and getting really excited, We’d come across a couple more grouse that ran into the ditch but he wasn’t leaving the road except to follow me. I did but having had to untie Madigan and get the gun, that one was long gone.
I used the spare gas before heading down. No deer . No bear. But lots of fun. Back at the camp I filled the tank and the spare tank and we headed out again, north.
I came across a logging trail which led into lots of bush …I drove through Wisteria/lilac bushes and vines. I got down into a river bed in dense woods and bush looking for a place to turn around. I finally did. Night coming on and worried I’d get lost. Thankfully I found my way back to the road. I hea ed off full speed on this wide open logging road, almost a gravel highway. The ATV did 60 km /hour on the flat. I checked one short trail and then saw the river. Magnificent. I was heading up another short trail when I realized my bag with my laptops and passports was gone. It had fallen off. It was dusk already. I retraced my steps at high speed and thank you Jesus! Hallelujah!, I found it in the deep bush muck I’d struggled through. The handle on the bag must have caught on something and pulled the bag out from under bungee cords. Thank you Jesus!
I was ecstatic. It’s like those nights when I don’t get game but God helps me find my way home. Here was a find better than that. I just thought of all the trouble and cost I’d have losing my computer and passport and vaccine passport. I was trying to keep it safe taking it with me. Like those times I hide things for safe keeping then can’t find them when I return. I really felt God was taking care of me.
It was dusk. I saw more grouse but they were running full blast , I had 2 grouse now though. I ‘d found my way out of the deep bush. I had found back in and found my lap top and passport. Against that was a damaged camper I hope insurance will cover some of.
Along the ride back a guy shouted . I thought I was trailing something or something was wrong. Turns out this guy camping with friends are camped on the side of the road. He says, “I just wanted to ask if you had any cocaine. But with a dog I guess you don’t. We came to party and ran out of stuff.’ I don’t know what having a dog has to do with cocaine but he had the idea that guys with dogs didn’t do cocaine. He had a girlfriend and buddies.
“No don’t have any cocaine,”. I carried on on the ATV. I prefer natural highs.
When I got back to the camper, once again, No electricity.
I’m sitting here in the relative warmth. It is warmer down by the lake than it was up at Coquahalla Summit. It’s really quite balmy. I’m glad I found the candles. I’d also charged up this iPad off the battery pack.
The refridgerator is cold. There’s still ice in the freezer. I took out the bread , some drinks and the left over 2 smokies. I put the grouse in the freezer. The latest one’s not even cleaned .The English weren’t big on cleaning right away. I’ll let it unthaw later.
I’d thought to do the morning hunt but think I’ll probably do as I am doing mostly these years, using the last day to pack up and travel,. I’m not far from Chilliwack. I’m good at packing up. I’m not bothered by anything like I was once, I just go about tasks and solve the problems as they arise. I don’t catastrophize or even focus on the negatives. It’s just a challenge. I feel when things go wrong like I ‘m back alone on the boat and have to fix it so I can go onl. The camper had been pretty reliable with some little glyches but this is a major day with damage to.
The grouse are probably $1-2000 each. What an adventure!. This weekend seems like weeks of a holiday. Getting to the tops of mountains on an ATV and seeing the magnificent views is incredible. All the quadding it high concentration and high risk up in the cliffs. It’s all chiropractic in motion. Looking for deer, scoping hills, enjoying Madigan’s company. Seeing the joy he takes in everything. So much excitement. From Thursday night to Saturday night it was a rush with one event after another and so much action.
I’m looking forward to getting back to the ‘norm’ of work. I don’t hunt again till October and by then Far Out RV should have fixed the camper electricity. I’ll have to take it in to Frazerway. They make them so will do a good repair. I’d not been off the grid without my generator this year. We’ve been staying in sites with electricity. I think the actually batteries may need replacing or the in-house charger generator or the truck cable connector is faulty too.
I’ll not forget my generator any time soon.
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