aadler: (Smurf)

Bits of this and that: Under the cut. )

And that’s it for now. Tune in later for the next pulse-pounding episode.

aadler: (RV)

So, Tuesday (two days ago) we had a thing with a tornado.

Less than dramatic. )

aadler: (RV)

When I made my RV summary post six months ago (here), I thought I’d covered most of the spread of what’s out here. Sure, there could be occasional oddities: teardrop trailers (minor subcategory of travel trailers) or homemade campers (likewise subcategory of camper shells) or converted vans (vestigial versions of the Class B type), but those were variations, not entirely different types …

Then I saw the horse trailer with living quarters (here), and a day or so ago there was yet another unanticipated appearance.

It’s been over ten years ago now, but I drove an 18-wheeler for a while. One of the main parts of a semi tractor is the ‘fifth wheel’, the connector that a particular part of a trailer hooks into when you back the truck in properly. In the RV world, ‘fifth wheel’ refers to a type of towable, which connects in a way similar to — but not quite the same as — the fifth wheel on a semi tractor. I even took a quick look at the connector on a fifth wheel trailer, wondering if the two were compatible … and, no, the connection on the RV trailer was smaller than the one on a freight trailer, so I really didn’t see them working together.

Wrong. Pulling into our current campground was a semi tractor pulling a fifth-wheel RV. And an internet search shows that the tractor connector can be modified to work with the connector in a fifth-wheel trailer.

So, yet another new one. Wonder how many other possibilities I just haven’t considered yet?

aadler: (RV)

As I mentioned the other day, I still maintain a solid curiosity regarding the different types of RVs, and the different lifestyles of the various practitioners. My keenest interest is in the Class B type, the ‘camper van’. (Some of those are actual converted vans, but in general they refer to something built on a van chassis for the express purpose of being a small RV that someone can live in.) I can’t wish for one myself, because there is no way Susan and I could manage in a space that small — our current Class C, one of the less roomy of such models, is enough for us but only just barely — but I’m fascinated by the very fact of living and traveling in such compact circumstances.

Last month, I happened to be out walking when one such arrived and backed into its new slot, and I stopped long enough to make some quick inquiries. The driver and his wife were pleased to answer my questions, and even invited me (unsolicited) to look inside. I did my best to keep it brief, but promptly went back to tell Susan about my encounter. Shortly thereafter, seeing that they were setting up a screen tent so they could sit outside in the shade, I prevailed on Susan to go out for a ‘walk’ of her own, just so she could meet them.

They welcomed us. For some reason the immediate conversations were between me and the wife, and Susan and the husband. And, for some reason, the issue of politics came up between me and the wife (call her Jeanne). We had already established that the two of them were from Ottawa, and Jeanne and I skirted very delicately around the edges, both of us cautious about broaching subjects in which we might find ourselves in emphatic disagreement.

The husband (call him Jerry) got a phone call, however, and stepped around back of the van to carry it out privately; Susan joined Jeanne and me, and after a few minutes of discussion among the three of us, we managed to establish that this Canadian couple was surprisingly conservative in their outlook, in contrast to the continuing leftward tilt of those who keep remaining in charge of that country’s governance. Since they were here visiting the U.S., they were quite interested in getting our take on the political climate of this country, and we were more than happy to offer our opinions.

Keep in mind: Susan and I are SO conservative, I have met exactly one person in my entire life that I knew for a fact was more conservative than I am; it was refreshing and welcome to find ourselves in animated discussion with a couple who not only didn’t disagree with us, but avidly wanted to know what we thought. And their primary concern was to how great was the likelihood we saw of an actual civil war here.

(I told them that I was less worried about that than I used to be … but that a little vigilante action here and there wouldn’t surprise me, as voters got fed up with seeing our laws systematically violated, and Antifa types attacking Tesla dealerships began discovering that AR‑15 trumps Molotov cocktail.)

We eventually went back to our own rig, and then the entirety of the following day was taken up with … with something else that I’ll use a subsequent post to cover. The following morning, when we woke, the space of our Canadian neighbors was empty; as it turned out, however, they had just taken their vehicle to visit a nearby state park, and returned in the afternoon. And, while we were still debating whether to go call on them again — uncertain as to whether we would be imposing, even though our previous visit had been so rewarding — they came to call on us in our own space. That was perfect, we invited them in and talked happily for a few more hours, and traded email addresses when they were finally ready to leave.

We’re Facebook friends now as well, and I’m not ruling out the possibility of visiting them in Toronto next year. It was just nice overall, and VERY unusual for me of all people to voluntarily initiate social contact.

Sometimes, things just work out.

New sight

May. 4th, 2025 09:31 pm
aadler: (RV)

Even though Susan and I have been full-time RVers for coming up on three years, I’m still fascinated by the aspects of the life outside our own experience. As an example, we’re the typical retired couple trying out a different lifestyle; when I see an RV family, kids and all, I do have keen interest on how they make that work.

More usually, I take periodic walks around wherever we’re staying, just to see how many different types of rigs are there. (I provided a breakdown of the basic types here.) Over time, I thought I’d seen all the standard types except the pop-up camper … which is understandable, as that is more suited to, well, camping, rather than long-term occupation.

And then I saw something I’d never even considered, but that made sense once I spotted it: a horse trailer, with living quarters in the front end. That’s clearly a useful set-up, for people who travel with horses, but seems like a lot of extra space to tow around with you when you aren’t transporting horses. (Which these folks don’t appear to be. I mean, that would become apparent pretty quickly.)

So, surprises still make themselves felt. And there was another one, even before that, which I’ll go into within the next few days.

aadler: (RV)

Over the last month Susan and I were in New Mexico, I was checking weather reports and trying to balance our travel schedule so we would arrive at our current location 1) in time for me to keep a couple of medical appointments, and 2) after the projected low temps were high enough for us to be solidly into spring weather.

We hit it pretty much perfect. )

aadler: (RV)

Susan and I started working our way back east not quite a week ago, making our progress by driving a day and then taking a full day to rest before driving another (that works out to two nights at every place we stop). Alamogordo and Santa Rosa NM, then Shamrock TX, tonight and tomorrow at Happy Acres RV Park in Shawnee OK. Wednesday we should arrive back at our ‘home base’ for medical appointments; we’ll have been away a full five months, which is the longest we’ve been gone since we started the RV life.

After that … well, different things to work out, but there are plans in progress. Don’t think we’ve forgotten the new grandchild due to be born in China in July or even late June; we already have approval to be there for the event, where before the idea was to show up after Mei-li had taken a little recovery time. So, we could be in place for as little as three months before jumping off again, this time internationally.

It’ll go as it goes, then. Just wait to see how things turn out.

aadler: (RV)

We made it into Deming at just about the time the cooler weather passed, so lately the temperature highs have been in the 70s and the overnight low stays above freezing. That’s good enough.

I dealt with the issues previously detailed in this post. There was an RV repair shop highly recommended in the area; I checked there, found that the main guy was pretty much swamped with work, but he asked for photos of the fan that needed a new roof vent cover, and — on hearing about the electrical problem I’d had on one side — recommended that I check the ground fault switch.

On returning to our rig, 1) I found that resetting the ground fault switch settled our electrical issues, and 2) while photographing the exterior of the fan mounting, I saw that installing the vent cover was a matter of removing/replacing a few screws. When I got the photos to the tech, he identified the cover needed and said he had one in stock. As I told him, “You’re so good, you did away with all the work I’d have brought you!” Bought the new cover, put it on after Susan and I got back to our RV, and that was that.

After the amount we’d had to spend on repairs last week, it was nice to be able to make a fix for less than $80.

Today, we made it back to Mass for the first time in weeks. We’ll see what comes after that.

aadler: (Smurf)

As it happened, we chose not to stay that long in Tombstone, despite that it was our original destination and, in other circumstances, we might have remained there the entire winter.

Okay. Why, then? )

Road woes

Jan. 31st, 2025 03:38 pm
aadler: (RV)

Susan and I started off early Thursday morning, finally heading for Tombstone. We didn’t get far. )

aadler: (RV)

Minor issues over the last day or so.

Personal trivia under the cut. )

Here we are, then. The plan is still to get the driver-side cab window repaired Wednesday, proceed on to Tombstone on Thursday, and settle there for a bit to get the other things done. At least a month, is the current plan, perhaps longer.

So, let’s see how that goes.

aadler: (RV)

Susan and I had planned a two-day trip to (finally) get us to Tombstone. We made our first stop at a place where we’d stayed before, in Wickenburg, Arizona. As it happened, however, while backing into the assigned space, I rolled down the driver’s-side window to check my alignment …

… and it wouldn’t go up again. The window motor was still in operation, but the window itself wouldn’t move. I covered the window (with a towel the first night, then subsequently taped a garbage bag over it) to keep out the cold while we were parked, but I wasn’t about to try and drive several hours down Interstate highways with the window stuck open. The regulator for the window drive had to be special-ordered, and the mechanic told me he wouldn’t be able to get me in until next Wednesday. Susan and I had contentedly stayed a week in Wickenburg before, so it was just a matter of extending our plans.

It’s beginning to get a bit comical, though. We started off in November with the specific plan of spending the winter in Tombstone, and we haven’t made it there yet. Furthermore, despite my having told them in advance not to do so, the VA has sent yet another of my prescriptions to the place in New Mexico were we stayed before, so I’ll need to go there to pick it up.

Wickenburg is nice. Not a hardship at all. It remains to be seen, however, whether we’ll ever get to Tombstone before it’s time to head eastward again for previously scheduled medical appointments.

aadler: (Travel)

So, tomorrow Susan and I leave the Las Vegas vicinity, RV news )

Family news )

Travel news )

Things change, and not all changes are good. For us, though? lately? It’s pretty much all been good.

aadler: (Moray)

Some months back, Susan and I traded in our Honda CR-V for a Toyota Camry; the reason was that the Honda was an all-wheel drive, which couldn’t be towed except on a full trailer, and the idea was that we could buy a tow dolly for the Toyota, to pull behind our motorhome so Susan could ride with me. More below. )

aadler: (RV)

I’d put in a call to the VA back in my ‘home’ state, because one of my medications (metoprolol) had run out; I got a call back explaining that it had been canceled because I was already on one beta blocker (carvedilol) and it wasn’t advised to have two at the same time.

Okay. If I’m not supposed to have the both, it’s better that the first one ran out. It makes me wonder two things, though. 1) Why was I prescribed two in the first place? 2) Is it possible that the two, together, might have something to do with the palpitations that disturbed me a month ago?

***

We’re still looking at moving over to Tombstone after this week, but all the weather forecasts show lower overnight temperatures there than here. Still better than we’d be looking at if we hadn’t headed west back in November, but I’d rather we were in some place where the temp doesn’t ever get down to freezing.

Finally, I put a pan on the gas burner tonight, and didn’t notice that a potholder had stuck to the bottom till the potholder caught fire. I didn’t react quickly or well, though I might have done better if the danger had been more dire; as it was, I moved things around till I could pour a bit of water on it to put it out, and that was that. Susan was calling for the fire extinguisher during this process, and I judged (correctly) that it wasn’t necessary to go that far, but overall her instincts were better than mine.

So, another day in paradise.

aadler: (Committee)

We had a few issues while our son was in Vegas. Details under the cut. )

aadler: (RV)

Our plans to proceed to Tucson got delayed while we waited for already-ordered medications to arrive at the spot where we were camped. Read more... )

aadler: (CalvinGrump)

Susan and I only had another week remaining at our current location, the intention being to go on to Tombstone for at least another month. That’s now being revised, however. The odd palpitations I mentioned about three weeks ago returned, and held on even longer this time; still not the same symptoms I experienced in my prior cardiac events, but enough to unsettle me.Details follow. )

So, we’ll just have to see how things go.

aadler: (RV)

I already mentioned, I know, that Susan and I opted to remain in our current location for a full month (at least). Quite a few other people like the place as well, it’s highly rated and they have a number of permanent residents. At the same time, the city itself seems to be a quite popular destination or pass-through point. I was told that there are 13 different RV parks inside the city limits; I myself found 15 listed on the internet, and I had already seen that four of them — including our current spot — sat in a row on the same stretch of highway/main street. (And a fifth one directly across the street, and two more at more separated points on that same street.) And we can’t seem to go anywhere without seeing an RV parked someplace or passing by.

Hey, I like it here. No surprise other people might as well.

In other matters, Susan and I not only attended a Thanksgiving gathering at the park’s clubhouse, we got separate calls from our daughter (Ireland) and son (China). Our socializing quota has been met!