My First Garage Sale!

Portland, Or: June 26-27, 2015

I’m on a roll!

Before selling the Greyt Escape, I had to empty it completely.  That’s a little bit like moving a another whole household into my already not very big home.  So, things are a bit cluttered.  Time to get rid of the excess.  I’ve never done a garage sale, but I jumped at the chance to participate in a neighborhood sale (for $7, the association provides signs, publicity, and put my house on the garage sale map).  There were about 50 sales going on in my neighborhood, over 135 (!) in a nearby neighborhood.

Luckily, I enlisted an experienced garage sale friend to help me out.  She had lots of tips on set up, tagging and strategies.  It would have been very chaotic (and lonely) without her help!

Of course, it HAD to be the hottest weekend of the year (expected to break records)

The first day was very, very hot.  We started setting up at 5:30 am to beat the heat.  Buyers started showing up exactly at 7am (when we had advertised our start).  The day was very busy but mostly a lot of fun.  Some good natured haggling, none of the nightmare stories I’ve heard about aggressive professionals looking for bargains that they plan to resell.  It was pretty easy to tell the pro’s but they were all very polite.

A ton of stuff sold - so I figured it was worth the sunburn and exhaustion!

A friend's easy-up was a godsend in providing some shade!

Partway through the second day, we were getting goofy.

The second day was a lot slower - but thankfully, not quite as hot.  But between the heat and not selling as much, we decided to cancel the 3rd day.

Crazed bunny killer wielding a super-sharp cleaver (all 3 items fortunately sold separately shortly afterwards)

First Portland Paddle of the year

18 June 2015, Portland OR

Washougal Recreation Area

A short 20 minute drive from my house is the Washougal Recreation Area and Wildlife Refuge.  There is a several mile quiet, protected channel on the North side of the Columbia river – no wind and not much current.  A little breeze, lots of sun and lots of birds!  So, it was a very enjoyable paddle. 

My friend Kip – all along the dike above her, there are purple martin nesting sites (they look like bleach bottles hung on a TV antenna).

 

So hot I had to undo my life jacket!!

Portaging the boats up/down from the parking area was not easy!

Off the car (a short car, but still over our heads), up and over the dike, across a big picnic area field and then down to the beach – even with the set of wheels that I have for the kayak, it was a workout.  After our paddle, we were just beginning the struggle to get the boats back on Kip’s car when a young (tall and strong) man offered to help.  Kip started to say no, but I broke in with a resounding “Yes!!  thank you so much”.  He picked up the boats and pressed them up over his shoulder onto the racks without any strain AT ALL – easy peasy.  It was very welcome help – if a bit humiliating.  It’s a drag getting older!

My driveway seems very empty

June 17, 2015; Portland OR

Completed the sale of the Greyt Escape

After many inquiries and a few trailer tours, the right people appeared.  Bill and Ellie have been looking for awhile and after a long visit, a tour around the neighborhood to see how it towed with their truck – they decided it was ‘the one’.  I was delighted for them (and me) and hope that they have as much fun with the Greyt Escape as I have had.

I've never seen the trailer from this perspective - trundling away!!

Wow, it's really gone!

A few minutes ago, I went out into the driveway to get something I thought was in the trailer - oh, wait - the trailer is gone!

I’m sad but also getting excited about the new trailer – only EIGHT more months to wait!!  Hopefully, my friends won’t mind me mooching space in their rigs for summer camping.

The Party’s Over–Escape Owner’s Rally, 27-30 May 2015, Osoyoos BC

Nk’Mip Resort, Campground and Winery – great place on the lake for a gathering!

The resort has grown every year I’ve been here.  In addition to the resort, winery, restaurants and really, really good cultural/visitor center and trails, there is a massive, very well appointed campground. 

The older section has large trees which offer shade, and one loop backs onto the lake. 

The newer section is adjacent to the vineyards with new trees but not much shade yet.

I get to see cactus blooming twice this year!

Being a desert micro-climate, Osoyoos is one of the warmest spots in Canada and comes complete with cactus and rattlesnakes.  End of May and the cactus is just now blooming here.

All good things come to an end.

5 days of fun re-connecting with old friends and making some new ones at the rally.  I’m sure that I’ll connect with some of them during the year on my travels.
The end of this rally also marks another ending – this will probably be my last trip in the “Greyt Escape”.  After 8.5 years and over 30,000 trailer miles, it’s time to upgrade to a trailer that more closely matches my needs for the way I’m camping these days.  Sad and exciting all at the same time.