We had originally planned on leaving Timber Valley today, but we started having trouble with our big awning and called Tom to see if he could come out to fix it, so decided to stay another day. Then we realized that staying another day would mean we'd have to try to find space at our next location during a busy holiday weekend, so we ended up paying for another five days, leaving on Monday...that way, most of the weekenders should be leaving to go back home for work and school.

As it turns out, Tom didn't have the mechanism needed to fix our big awning...the locking mechanism doesn't work and won't allow the awning to stay out nor will it lock when rolled up. The entire locking mechanism needs to be replaced...it can't simply be taken apart to replace the defective part...and it would be about two weeks before the needed part would arrive. We didn't want to hang around Sutherlin that long, so we've decided to wait until we get back to Quartzsite and have RV Lifestyles order the part and do the repairs.

Because the awning won't lock when it's rolled up, we were worried that it might unroll as we drive down the road, so Earl used duct tape to tape up the leading end of the awning so that air can't penetrate when we're moving. One of these days...when we find a place selling them, or we're someplace where we can order one...we'll get an RV Awning Clamp. Normally, we wouldn't need one, but if we ever have problems with the locking mechanism on the awning again, it will be a nice item to have.