#193 DOWNSTREAM CAMPGROUND, RIVERDALE ND.

Back at Fort Peck one of my Bulldog Motors for the RV failed and I ordered a new one. It would be available to pick up in the town near Downstream.

I had it sent to a US post office. In the past, they’ve had an issue handling deliveries from UPS and FedEx. For whatever reason, this post office was very friendly. They were closed when I got there which of course kind of sucks. I walked around back and saw somebody taking a little breather or something or maybe she just noticed I was back there.

We talked about my package and that I had hoped it might be there. I asked if so would she allow me to pick it. She was so friendly she said I've got it right here and it is not a problem at all. I’m glad to give it to you, glad I could be helpful, and no we don't have any conflict with FedEx or UPS. I wondered if it had something to do with the small-town mindset in that we can't afford to be so fussy because we're out in the Great Plains where things need to get done. We don't have as much time for bureaucracy out here which was a very pleasant and refreshing thing. I went on towards the campground and now I could spend a little time installing my electric motor so I can lift the unit and down properly again.

When we checked in it was dusk and as we started backing into the RV site it was dark. I struggled for a few minutes because I couldn’t see what was going on way back there in the dark. Several of my new best friends walked over and helped me get my rig backed in safely by directing me. I love the kindness of strangers. Every time it happens I will thank everybody and somebody will say we've all received help and we always offer it. I do too. It seems to the way of the RV crowd.

After I got the awning from the salvage yard back over towards Culbertson it's so big is 21 ft it had to go in the middle of the living room, I didn't have too many options about that.

I wanted to install it as soon as we got still so I did this at Downstream Campground.

It was a Corps of Engineers campground and I remember as we approached, I saw a Spillway. It was dry as a bone so I guess it was the dry time of year or something.

Savannah helped me remove the old awning tube. I took both down towards the dumpster. I threw the old one away and cut the new one to the proper length and installed it.

I would accept six months later that it was never the right tube. I had wanted it to work so bad after all that had happened in the junkyard at Culbertson.

After I got ready to put the motor in it, I noticed the motor wouldn't fit. The mechanism that operates/ actuates is like a 3-prong thing on the end of a motor it was incompatible. I took the motor and the mechanical actuator and my truck to an area away from everybody. I knew I was going to make a lot of noise. Using the truck generator I did some grinding to shape it into a new and better part if you will, a functional shape.

I was pretty proud of my abilities to do a little machine shop work with nothing more than a grinder.

The next problem is the motor was too thick to fit inside the awning tube. The biggest reason why all this was happening is the awning I bought was from an old-school RV which is probably 20 some years old. They had changed the design over the years. At a glance, it all looked identical and was made by the same company, just not very compatible.

Now I'm trying to grind the interior and crush the interior to allow the motor to spin inside and turn. When I was finally finished it did work but only barely. For the next 6 months anytime we operated the awning I would have to help it with the channel locks. India would operate it from the inside while I added torque with the giant channel locks standing on a six-foot ladder.

The next day the three of us went on a nice hike following the river on our left. I will have to look it up but I am almost positive was the Missouri river which of course is kind of sentimental because this would be the route that Lewis and Clark were taking.

We ended up at kind of a small pond and I remember doing a little fishing don't think I caught anything. It was always fun to try and we just kind of enjoyed being out there, being outdoors. I rode my bike a bit as well. When it was about time to check out Bert was nowhere to be found. We walked all over the place shaking a container of food trying to tease him to appear. I assume sometimes he gets fed up with moving every two days. We looked for an hour or more with no luck. Every time something like this happens I wish I had bought a radio cat collar but have not. We were all back at the RV and I looked 5 feet away and saw some tall grass. I walked over and looked and there was Bert. I picked him up and we were then able to leave. I resented that he was laying there ignoring us hiding in the tall grass sort of laughing at us all that time.

We’re getting close to Fargo North Dakota now. I'm feeling a little bit bothered about that. Fargo is where we decided to buy her the bus ticket home. When she said she wanted to go home I had to be okay with it because she’s a legal adult. There was no plan just a desire. If there were boarding houses in our era we could have set that up. There are not. I guess there’s air BnB long term. I didn’t know what to do. I have a friend who I’ve done electrical work for over the years named Dominic. I knew his daughter was away at college. I asked if they could board her for about 2 or 3 months till we got back home and he said sure. I was pleasantly shocked. I’ve told him over and again how nice it was for him and his wife Tammy to be willing to help with Savannah. I mean what a stand-up kind of guy.

It will soon be time for Savannah to go which means she’s grown now and she feels capable but it's kind of sad to see her go because she's our little girl.

Downstream campground

Phone Number:

Information: (701)654-7411

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude): 47.48222, -101.42611 47°28'56"N, 101°25'34" W