DATELINE: Sunday, September 5th Eugene, OR

Yeah, I know.  Same place as last night.  We couldn't continue the journey without reporting last night's debacle.  Apparently it is going to be one of those kinds of trips...

We fall into bed after our eventful goings on of yesterday...we're drifting toward peaceful slumber when the Tourbus or some creature in residence therein goes, "CHIRP!" - just like that - all little but urgent!  It is followed by nothing but frogs croaking from the lake at our back door and once again we're headed for sugar plum dreamland when the Tourbus or the aforementioned creature hiding in it goes, "CHIRP!"

Our eyes simultaneously spring open and glaring at each other we declare, "WHAT WAS THAT?!"

Now, I'm reluctant to admit this but we had to go through several more cycles of this before we decided that a definitive action was going to be necessary if any sleep were to be possible.  Barry hauls himself out of bed and begins the rooting around process of determining the source of our insistent visitor's "CHIRP!"  Not at any point do I move from my place under the covers as a proactive measure of defense against the possibility that we've picked up an avian stowaway.  Sans hearing aids and most articles of clothing Barry makes quite a site as he crawls and creeps around the motorhome determining the source of the intermittant "CHIRP!" 

We finally agree, mostly because it has been that kind of day that it must be the carbon monoxide detector notifying us of our imminent demise.  This necessitates the second trip of the day to operation manuals for the Tourbus and a trek outside to the tool box to retrieve the necessary tools to stop the infernal "CHIRP!"  Now, I will admit here that I was drifting in and out of sleep at this point safe in the knowledge that the only deadly thing afoot (or awing) in the rig was some carbon monoxide and not a winged avenger threatening to flap me to death. 

After much grunting and tool clattering (which I mostly dozed through) Barry has the CO detector out of the wall and declared unfixable.  GREAT!  Resigned to our fate we decide to turn off all the gas valves and open windows.  That accomplished we drift back towards peaceful slumber.  Minutes tick by, frogs are croaking, Barry's breathing has deepened, and the Tourbus declares, "CHIRP!"  "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!?" 

The Offending Device

This time, upon further investigation we discover the smoke alarm flashing its little red low battery warning and "CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRPING!!" its way into to our psyche.  Let's just say that thing got yanked right off the ceiling in short order and peace was restored. 

Tourbus Captain With His New Toys!