This morning, I awoke with a shock around 4, the enormity of yesterday’s events and the gamble I took finally making a full impact.

If I’d been turned away at the border yesterday, that would have been it for me regarding the US. Good luck ever coming in again, even for a day trip. But I did make it in for an extended period of time, with my rig, and as a pre-retirement age full-time RVer with no stable source of income. I set one hell of a precedent. Next time I want to go in under similar circumstances I can say that the folks in Sumas, WA, felt that I posed no threat and also proffer the paperwork yesterday’s agents told me to have on hand for future crossings. I opened the gateway to future American adventures and suddenly started a new chapter in my full-timing life. I expect that border crossings will always be difficult, at least until I retire, but this precedent is an excellent step for me and a good note on my file.

So, I awoke to the smell of the sea, bright blue skies, and a radiant sun.

I’ll pause here to say that I’m within Blaine city limits, about fifteen minutes from Pacific Border RV Park. I spent four months living on the border with Blaine and never once set foot in the town! Kind of funny in a way.

For the first time in months, I bounced out of bed. I hadn’t realised how much my fear of crossing the border with the rig had been weighing me down. I spent the morning puttering around, walked to beach, and fiddled with my fresh water hook ups; not managing to get a leak-free set up.

Being forty-five minutes away from Camping World and having never been there, I decided it was time to go!!! I hit the road around two, enjoying the drive down I-5. It reminded me of being in coastal Maine, except that the ocean was on the wrong side.

Camping World was awesome!!! Sure, it has a lot of the crappy products you can find at Canadian Tire and Walmart, but they also had better quality options, plus tons of gadgets. I found a much higher grade of water hose, but, like all water hoses, it had crappy fittings. I ended up stopping at True Value on the way home and getting better fittings, which were easy to install. I also found the fluorescent bulbs that I needed for the light fixture under my sink, something I have been hunting for for months. I’ve missed it so much!

I got in and installed my new water system: house-grade pressure regulator, brass quick connect, new hose, and a new high-grade washer at the city water intake on the rig. For the first time in two and a half years I hooked up my water and did not have to swear! Hooking up fresh water has always been the most onerous part of RVing and it is now much easier.

Tomorrow, I will make it a point to go for a long walk with my camera. I picked a great spot to hole up for a month!