Thursday, June 09, 2011

DAMN!! And an Important Tip for Travelers

corndog
We needed some groceries so we decided to give one of the local Fairbanks Fred Meyers stores a try. Dee does most all of the actual grocery shopping. My primary job is to check out the magazine and book section, inspect the bakery/doughnut departments and pick up any specific item I am tasked to locate. I do my job pretty well.

This time I was on a mission to get some clam chowder in the deli. Our friends, Jerry and Nancy, raved about Fred Meyer’s chowder. Unfortunately there was no clam chowder this day. There was NO soup with meat in it! What’s that all about?

BUT, as I was strolling and inspecting I came upon one of my favorite delicacies – CORN DOGS! And they were going fast, so I go two. Both for me as Dee hates corn dogs. She was to fend for herself. I got my dogs and headed back out to the motor home to enjoy my lunch.


So there I was sitting at the table with my two corn dogs and a can of A&W Root Beer, diet of course, which is my beverage of choice. I was dipping my first dog in a pile of mustard, which by the way is the absolute best condiment for a corn dog. I also had Marty Robbins playing on the iPod, just for the ambiance.

When, WHACK, a sharp bang startled me. Jaxon leaped off the couch and ran under the table. I gathered my composure and started looking around to see what had happened. At first I thought someone had shot the motor home, but I could see no new bullet holes in the walls. Then I saw it
Trek Window Chip-2
A big chip in the windshield. Right dead center to my field of view on the driver’s side. DAMN! A guy had been mowing grass about 100 feet away and his tractor threw up the rock.

I calmed Jaxon down and headed into the store to talk to the manager. He grabbed a camera and an incident form and we headed back out. Here he is inspecting the damage.
Trek Window Chip-3Trek Window Chip
I think he had done this before as he was prepared with a store sticker to put on the window to show the relative size in the photo he took. Notice Jaxon in the window keeping an eye on things. I believe he looks a little pissed! Anyway, to make a long story short, the Manager was very accommodating and Fred Meyer’s will replace our windshield. I think I will wait until we are back in the lower 48 to get it done as who knows what else might happen on this trip. I had some concerns about glass damage from the roads/trucks etc. up here so to have this happen in a parking lot was quite unexpected.


NOW for the tip to travelers, especially those of you coming to Alaska:
DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT, eat corn dogs in your RV,
when parked in a Fred Meyer’s Parking Lot.

                              Corndog on Stick

2 comments:

Wayne Clark said...

I like the corn dog / windshield story. It would be best to wait until you're out of Alaska to repair it. Several friends of mine who have driven and ridden the roads of Alaska -- both by car and by bicycle -- talk about the airborne rocks on Alaskan highways.

BTW, I'm on the same side of corn dogs as Dee!

Nancy said...

Fantastic blog!! Interesting and funny stories, excellent photography and those unique personal touches. We are enjoying every post. Glad you two went to Chicken early, before the rains wash out the road. But sorry you couldn't get the clam chowder at Fred's. Maybe later. Take care.
Nancy and Jerry