Big Horse Brew Pub-Horsefeathers and Servicing the Van

The primary reason for visiting Hood River in October is that my annual physical checkup is due, and yesterday I drove up to the clinic to give a blood sample, so they could measure how well I am doing. 

During the afternoon I decided to do something about the van needing servicing, and I know that I have neglected it for a few months, and parked next to a Oil Can Henrys here in town, prompted me to get it done now.  Once the van was directed into the garage by the service guy Keith, he started checking all of the fluids that I haven’t paid any attention to at all, and the service guy down in the pit was draining and checking stuff.  The two of them were shouting mumbly stuff rapidly back and forth between them, and each of them repeated the rapid mumble that the other had just said.  I think that it made sense to each of them, but from inside of the van, I could only catch a word here and there.  It seems that the oil was old and black, and the engine needed to have a cleaner put in the loosen the gunk.  The van has nearly 100,000 miles and it needs a more special oil now.  Keith enthusiastically showed me the different colored oils and goo’s that were in the vans various reservoirs, and how a couple were happy, and a couple really needed attention.  The transfer case got its oil changed, and the rear differential actually got washed out and the oil changed.  It seems that pulling the trailer is hard on several systems in the van, and the colors of the oils really are a strong indicator as to how hard something is working.  The Oil Can Henrys experience cost was $256.64 yesterday, and after comparing service experiences with other RV owners, this seems to be in line for a one ton truck. 

Our Son, Matthew came by yesterday evening, and we all went out for dinner at the Big Horse Pub-Horsefeathers downtown in Hood River.  Their old building was built on a steep hillside, and it must be four stories tall, and the restaurant is on the top floor, and the dining area has a super view of the downtown area, and the Columbia river beyond.  Matthew, Anne-Marie and I sampled a few of their brews, during dinner, and we each have our favorites, mine being a coffee infused oatmeal stout. 

During our travels across the States, we visit many attractions. and quite often when visiting  with the guide, owner, waiter, employee, or other tourists, we become the attraction, when the discussion turns to us with the question “Where do you live?”.  People all over the US are interested in doing what we are doing, when they become retired.  There is so much to see and do in any town, most every community has at least a weeks of exploring, and most have many weeks worth of exploring around them.  The problems that Anne-Marie and I have are remembering what State an attraction was in, and what month or year we were there, it seems to all run together.