Unexpected gift surprisingly fun
Avid tent campers Gloria and Mel McCuddin were not exactly looking for a recreational vehicle.
“I really never wanted one,” said Mel, a retired truck driver and full-time artist. “I’ve always camped in a tent and thought that was just fine.”
Gloria, on the other hand, became curious about RVs about a year ago.
“Once I started reading about them in ‘Wheel Life,’ I began noticing them everywhere,” said the retired elementary teacher. “We love to fish, and I thought an RV might make it be more comfortable, especially in cooler, wet weather.”
But Gloria didn’t hold out much hope.
“I knew we would never buy one,” she said. “Mel seemed content with his tent.”
Then, a couple of weeks ago the McCuddins got a surprise. When they returned home from a short trip out-of-town, there was a 17-foot travel trailer parked in their driveway.
“Without letting us know,” said Gloria, “my brother had pulled his 1978 Nomad up from Oregon and simply gave it to us.”
It seems Lou Sprague had purchased the trailer a few years back and wasn’t taking it out much.
“He figured we could get more use out of it, so he signed it over to us as a gift,” said Gloria. “It’s just like him; he loves giving people things.”
Then what?
“I didn’t know anything about trailers,” said Mel, “so I took it over to Bell RV in the Valley and told them to check all the appliances and make sure everything worked.”
Bell RV’s inspection covered the electrical, gas and water systems; including checking for leaks and testing all the appliances.
“The refrigerator is the main concern in the older rigs,” said Jack Watts, Bell RV service manager. “If the rig is only worth $1,500,” he said, “it doesn’t make much sense to purchase it and then have to turn around and spend $1,000 on a refrigerator.”
The McCuddins’ fridge was fine, but the inspection did reveal a few problems. Apparently the pipes had frozen one winter and were jury-rigged back together. “It looked like spaghetti down there,” said Mel, “so that had to be replumbed.”
A gas leak in the water heater was discovered, and the burner was replaced. Other repairs included sealing the seams on the roof, installing new weather stripping on the windows and fixing the running and taillights. In addition, the wiring on the McCuddins’ 1999 Ford F-250 was adapted to tow the trailer.
Each step of the way, someone from Bell RV called the McCuddins with updates and cost estimates.
“We bill out at $70 an hour,” said Watts. “Depending on the rig, we estimate the initial inspection to take about 90 minutes. Then we call and tell them what we found. If there’s a problem, we tell them what it is and they tell us whether to proceed or not. We leave that up to them.”
Once the Nomad’s repairs were finished, Watts walked Mel through all the systems, including how to light the stove, furnace and hot water heater.
The McCuddins’ bill came to about $1,000. “I didn’t think that was bad at all,” said Mel, “considering all the work they did.”
Time for the shakedown cruise
“Our maiden voyage was down to Lyons Ferry Park on the Snake River to do some fishing,” said Mel.
The park, located 8 miles northwest of Starbuck, Wash., on SR 261, is a favorite fishing spot for the McCuddins. “We’ve caught catfish and steelhead out of there,” said Mel. “Unfortunately this trip we just pulled in a few whitefish.”
They may not have caught the fish they wanted, but the trip was a success.
“It was a lot of fun, and there’s lots of room in it,” said Gloria. “We kept a running list of things that we will take on our next trip — basic things like a pail for carrying water, a camping stove for cooking outdoors on warm evenings and a lantern for the picnic table.
“We’re going to keep it simple,” said Gloria, “just like we do with our tent camping.”
For more information
• Lyons Ferry Park has a large day-use area and 49 overnight sites at $17 a night. While there are no hookups, there are water spigots available throughout the park, restrooms, showers and a dump site. For a closer look at park amenities, go to www.clm-services.com or call (360) 902-8844.
The park officially opened to the public yesterday and reservations are being accepted through Oct 31. You can take your chances by just rolling in with your RV, said campground host Yvonne Baron. “But, right now we only have about a dozen spaces left for Memorial weekend.”
All advance reservations must be made through ReserveUSA. Contact them online at www.reserveUSA.com or by calling toll-free (877) 444-6777.
• Bell RV is located at 15020 E. Sprague Ave. and can be reached at 928-2400.
Wheel question
Now that warmer weather is really here, and with the recent astronomical jump in fuel prices, are you’re considering shorter trips closer to home this summer? Where would you go within a four-hour drive?