Lots of miscellany....

First, thank you to everyone who had commented, 'shouted out' and sent emails with good wishes for Stu and I. It is really appreciated and I made sure Stu read them as well.

Few miscellaneous ramblings & musings for today.....

Thought I'd pass along a great blog named "Tyler's RV Tips" - written by Mark Polk's son when he was six. It's fun reading and oh so true...out of the mouths of babes.

On Sunday some blog reading friends, Mike & Janna, rode over from their home about 70 miles away to meet me. They arrived on a gorgeous Honda Shadow (hope I'm remembering that right) and after introductions we sat and chatted for over an hour. It's always great to meet new friends, especially ones with so much in common. They hope one day to be able to travel with a toy hauler but settle for simpler travel now. Turns out we have mutual friends, Ellie & Jim and Doug & JoAnn, definitely a small world. They were all in the same park in Tucson last winter...Mike & Janna left before I arrived and visited though.

Speaking of small worlds, turns out the husband in the rig parked beside me was one of the folks that worked on my solar installation last February in Quartzite. In these photos, he's the one in the plaid jacket working on my battery installation. He thought I looked familiar as did my rig. When he came in to pay for an additional night, the campground owner mentioned that his was the rig parked next to mine. When he went back he looked up and noticed the solar and it all clicked. We both got a good laugh out of that one!

We've had several wildfires in the area recently, one to the north of us was put out fairly quickly. A new one started two days ago close to Townsend, MT, about 50 or so miles from here. We could see the huge plumes of smoke over the ridge and have been keeping up to date with the news since the wind comes from that direction. We had a severe thunderstorm alert yesterday but all we got was wind...not a good thing. The temperature has dropped from 90 to the 70's and we are due a rain tonight or tomorrow. Hoping it comes and helps the firefighters put out the wildfire.

Keeping busy in between work days by finishing up the boxes of stuff to be shipped to Maryland as well as what I will be giving to my daughter in Denver. I can't leave anything liquid inside so there are a lot of open items (cleaning, laundry, etc.) and well as the contents of the pantry, refrigerator, freezer that will get passed to her. Since she's setting up a new household post divorce, it will come in handy. She will also be the recipient of my car so I don't have to worry about putting it on consignment. One less thing to worry about.

Last major item is 4 totes full of paperwork - receipts, instruction books, etc that I have to go through. I'm way behind in entering things into Quicken so once I've sorted & tossed what I don't need, then will spend a couple of days getting Quicken caught up to date...just in time for a tax appointment. LOL! It never ends....

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Widgets, Gadgets & Organization

Hello, my name is Donna and I am addicted to gadgets. LOL! It used to be high-tech gadgets...I was always a first adopter of new technology. As I've posted before, I've lost my technological edge.

No, nowadays it's the simple things that catch my eye. Things that make the RV life easier or help me stay organized. I no longer get all the catalogs but I remember the names: Harriet Carter, Lillian Vernon, Walter Drake, Dr. Leonard's, Vermont Country Store and Carol Wright's Gifts to name a few. They're all online now and I find myself perusing their new arrivals, clearance and sale pages WAY too often. LOL!

So here, in no particular order, are some things I have found. Some I bought and use, some I plan to buy, some I just thought might interest other RVers.

The first little gadget is a set of two ice cube trays that I found at Miles Kimball...I wanted covered ones to help contain water spills until they freeze. I love these! Unfortunately they are no longer available but I found some larger ones here and here. Here is the photo from Miles Kimball followed by a photo of my freezer. You can see one tray in the center top - just fits in depth and perfect for one person who doesn't use a LOT of ice but would like to have some on hand. EDIT 4/18/08: These little covered ice cube trays are back!





Now a little organizational tip. I was constantly fighting things falling out of my freezer...being a solo I break up packages into smaller ones and the plastic bags are, well, slippery. I know you can buy refrigerator bars to help keep things in place but they are a pain in the neck. Often they pop out when you least expect it and in my case, that can be dangerous. My freezer is over my head. I had read a blog about using plastic storage containers and thought that was a great idea. So I measured my space and figured out what combination of sizes I needed to look for in plastic bins.

While in Quartzsite, I lucked out in a dollar store. I had bought these bins before, they're often used to store CD's. Four of them fit perfectly (and the lids are stored away with my spare plastic shoeboxes). No more bags falling on my head when I open the door! They were about $2.50 each, if I remember correctly.

The next item is a larger purchase, dollar-wise, but it has worked out so well that I plan to get a second one. It's a solar light from Harriet Carter. It's lightweight, plastic and meant to be mounted on a wall or a post. BUT, it sits just fine on a table which is where I have it. You saw it along with my rechargeable lantern and my heavier metal-glass solar lantern that I've had since I started out (actually, I started out with two but one fell on the ground when I opened a bin and it shattered).



I plan to order another because the light from this is amazing! It only needs a couple of hours a day to charge and it puts out a nice bright light for hours. I'll use it as a backup inside when I'm boondocking. One thing I really like about it is that it has an off-auto switch so you can turn it off when not in use, saving the battery power (I have no idea how long they last but would rather not find out. LOL!)

The next item is one I have used since Mike & I first went RVing...later they were utilized in the back of our cars. I stared with two black ones, found two heavier duty multi-colored ones at Big Lots, one of which was eventually broken. Oh, what am I talking about? Sorry...folding crates! Lightweight and easy to store...great for laundry, groceries, inside storage bays, "stuff" stored when you move, etc. They come in several sizes and colors....I am order one more multi-colored one from the same manufacturer as my other one. Here is one source, here is another and one more here.

Another item that I bought and have used a couple of times is a set of covers for a picnic table and two benches. They are made for a standard size table/benches and have elastic edging but since not all tables/benches are standard, it's good to have some extra clips to hold them in place. Harriet Carter and Dr. Leonard's both have them on sale and an up-scale version is offered at Camping World.

As always, check prices in more than one place as well as compare shipping costs (and return policies). For example, Camping World offers the ever popular folding step-stool for $12.22 ($8.99 if you're a President's Club member) while Harriet Carter has it for $15.98. I found the solar light going for as much as $42 in other places, Harriet Carter had the lowest price.

I know I have missed some of my favorite gadgets....I'll try to remember them for next time around. Hope ya'll have fun shopping!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Tucson RV Life on Wheels

Busy, busy, busy...have barely had time to read emails, never mind replying to them and needless to say, the blog has been at the bottom of the priority list. Several things to catch up on:

Garmin Nuvi GPS updates
- Garmin is snail mailing me software for routing on the computer....FREE. Now why didn't they just put it in the box? (Thank you to those who helped me find out about this.)
- When following a route it will display my current speed if I go to an alternate screen. Aggravating but at least it's there.
- Still haven't found elevation (grrrrrr) or direction. Wouldn't you think any GPS would show you what direction you are heading? BIG aggravation

Missing Mail
Well, the package DID show up in Bouse on Monday. But the Postmistress was out till Wednesday and she was the only one who could authorize a one-time mail forwarding. Called on Wed and she was out till Thursday. Called today and she promised to get the package on it's way to Tra-Tel RV Park where I will be staying until at least the package arrives.

Inverter/Generator/Air Conditioner issue
Not sure where I left this in the blog...I learned on a very hot day while outside Yuma that my A/C would no longer run on the generator. I also had three complete shut-downs when running the microwave at night with the generator on. Discount Solar tweaked the inverter settings, raising the high incoming voltage limit from 130 to 135 (maximum for safe usage). I haven't had a change to test it out yet since I've hardly been in my rig all week.

They also tried to troubleshoot the A/C issue and ended up deciding that it was an A/C problem. I needed a new relay or maybe the thermostat was bad. Fast forward to my 2 nights in the Gila Bend campground. Plug into shore power and just for the heck of it, I try the A/C. Works just fine....not a blip. Hmmmm.....

So I arrive at Pima Community College for the RV Life on Wheels conference (after fighting Sheila who kept insisting that I needed to get back on I-10 which was impossible due to construction). I was early so people were only trickling in, other than the instructors who were already here. Met with my friends and got to talking about the issue. They informed me that Greg Holder of AM Solar (who is the most highly recommended solar person I know of, from multiple sources) was here from his home in OR and suggested I talk to him.

Turned out that he was parked just across from me but with all the hullabaloo going on around me, tons of old friends coming by and new folks introducing themselves mixed in with registration and orientation, I didn't get a chance to talk to him until after his Boondocking Class on Tuesday. He thought it was one of two things....the easy fix would be if my inverter was set too high for the low voltage side and that when my A/C kicked in, the generator power dropped low enough to kick off the inverter.

So he told me I needed to check the setting....brave soul that I am (NOT), I dug out the book and actually managed to get to the place in the menu to read all the settings. Turns out that it could only be set down by 5 points...and after trying the A/C with the generator again, no go. With the inverter running, it worked.

This means that there should have been a sub-panel installed that would isolate the A/C from the inverter. About a $500 item at initial install time....much more expensive to go back and retro. But he said that it wouldn't hurt the inverter to have it enabled along with the generator and since the generator would be charging the batteries, it shouldn't hurt them to run this way. We agreed that I would try it for a couple of months (hoping to NOT need the generator for A/C for a while though) and if I felt it was a problem, I'd schedule an appointment for late summer/early fall to get it retro-fitted.

Needless to say, I will be sending a letter to Discount Solar. I feel this should have been done or at a minimum I should have been offered the option to have it done and the reasons behind it fully explained to me.

Bike Issues
Once again, something new jumps up and bites me in the a$$. Jeesh....just before Nick & Terry stopped by to say hi, I had opened up the trailer and peeked in to be sure all was okay. Well it wasn't.....the bolts holding the chock to the floor had vibrated completed out and the chock was loose. The bike was leaning to the left with only the tie-downs holding it. Nick & Terry helped me unload the trailer, back up the bike so I could put the chock back together, get it strapped down again and reload the trailer.

I have been thinking for some time whether to keep the bike or move to a car. This was kind of the clincher. Looking back over the last 5 months, I have done almost no sightseeing. It has been too much of a hassle to unload/reload the bike for short stops, weather also makes a difference and I have had help with the loading/unloading every time and STILL had problems.

Factor in that I've never truly bonded with the BMW.....don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful bike and it rides really well. But I guess I'm a cruiser (read...HARLEY) gal at heart. Now, if there was any way to keep a bike AND get a 'toad', I would do so. But financially it's not going to happen. I need the funds from the sale of the trailer & bike to pay for a car.

So today I listed the bike and trailer in the Tucson Craigslist and I will stick around to sell them. This weekend I will be looking at a 2000 Suzuki Grand Vitara, loaded. It used to be a toad and needs a good home. The price is right as are the options so if it's in good condition and runs well, I may be able to offer that good home. LOL!

Tomorrow I will post about the conference itself....it has been wonderful. In the meantime, our last night here the sky EXPLODED with color to the west and the full moon shone to the east. Here are a few shots to enjoy.



Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Readers Ask (and make comments, too)

After I posted my solar setup, I received a lot of feedback, questions and comments. Some I could reply to but feel they might interest others, some I couldn't so they are posted here as well.

"I know that rigs & tires are different but do your front tires actually require 80#? My duals require 80# but only 60# for the front. I believe that 80# is the maximum. I guess if your rig is heavier than mine in the front that it could require more than 60#."
Guess I have to plead ignorance here, I am doing what the dealer who installed them told me. My rig is heavy (E-450 chassis) so that may be the difference.

"...how on earth do you remember all that you have to check,etc. before moving on?"
Well, I could lie and tell you I have my checklists all in order and use them religiously. Actually, they are a work in progress. The biggest thing is taking my time...I don't ever leave in a rush. I do forget things from time to time but so far, thank goodness, it's either been minor or caught quickly. Truthfully, checklists used each and every time is the RIGHT way to go.

"You could leave your frig on auto IF the outlet it is plugged into is NOT included as one that the big inverter feeds. If the inverter is connected to the main power line such that it is auto-switching and feeds all the circuits then you don't want it on auto."
In my case, the refrigerator will be run on propane unless I am hooked up to shore power. I have to be really careful since when you take the two-way off AUTO, no light shows that it is on gas. What happens is that if the propane goes off, then a CHECK light comes on. So I carefully monitor what I am doing and whether the refrigerator is keeping cold or not.

"How did they pull the 10 gauge wire down from the roof?"
I wasn't there during this process but I know they fished it down to the refrigerator. I was told that is the standard method.

"As a metal fabricator, RV'er and engineer I do not like how they mounted the batteries. I would revisit that whole arena sometime soon. The AGM's require only maintenance to keep the posts clean which can be averted with proper terminal paint found at Freightliner truck dealers. I would make a hinged, drop down tray for the batteries somewhere under the chassis that allowed periodic access yet, secured the batteries hard."
I'm assuming that this writer thinks the board is the only thing holding up the batteries. In fact the board was placed across the metal support to provide a slightly wider base for the batteries. They are fully supported by very strong, sturdy, welded metal platform. Thanks for the tip though!

"SIX batteries in a Class C rig? And 12 volt not 6 volt? It puzzles me. Most everything I've read recommends 6 volt batteries for their better deep cycle capabilities and longevity versus 12 volt. And SIX of them? Isn't that an awful lot of weight for your rig? I know most Class A's only have 4 6 volt batteries (like mine). Why did you go with so much?"
Yes, they are 12-volt batteries. I had intended to go with 6-volt for the added capability but they didn't have them. Yes, there is a fair amount of weight and yes, I am probably slightly overweight (well, the rig....okay, me too....LOL!) and am working on that. I have upgraded my suspension and am hoping that I can reduce some of what I am carrying soon. I have moved some of my heavier basement items into my trailer to help balance things.

"I love all of the detail with photos on projects such as this one. It provides a lot of information (especially appreciated by us gals who travel solo) to help understand what each "thing" is, how it works, what is involved with installation, and costs."
Thanks, I will continue to this when I can but HOPEFULLY this is my last big purchase. LOL!!

:Being able to boondock offers so much more flexibility in the RV lifestyle. And being able to camp in the "boonies" sometimes is what RVing is all about, IMHO. Campgrounds are nice at times but getting out in the desert or forest away from others is a whole different experience - slower paced, relaxing and beautiful. I much prefer looking at nature than at someone else's slideout or awning!"
Oh so true...it was hard to come into this campground even for a couple of days. But it's a small one and quite nice. I do enjoy not having to watch how long or when I run my TV or radio. But the more I boondock, the less I will be coming to parks and the more I will enjoy that. LOL!

"I could not copy and paste the comment of a friend of mine who I send your solar "blog" to... First of all, are you sure they are 12V and not 6V?... the batteries... He is VERY oncerned about all the weight on one side, the handling, the safety of driving... as above comments they should have been distributed throughout the chassis with equal lenght, size, wiring. The tilting mechanism... you will never use it, just extra weight... and $'s... Glad that you did not go with the original plan of two inverters which also did not make any sense."
This is a long one and here is what I replied to the writer:

1) Yes, they are 12 volt AGMs, they didn't have 6 volt ones
2) The handling is just fine...I've driven it several hundred miles without any issues but I will be getting it weighed next week. Remember, I do have air bags that I can use to help compensate for side to side weight differences but so far, no problams.
3) I've talked to at least a dozen folks about his problem with distributing them throughout the chassis and everyone looked at me like I was nuts so not sure about that one...
4) The tilting mechanism was no extra money, they tossed that in for free. There is almost no extra weight, they are aluminum and I doubt there is a pound total. I got them in case I am ever stuck in one spot for a long period and then if I could find someone to put them on, then I could get more sun if needed. Better than getting the flat mounts and never being able to tilt them.
5) I do have two inverters....the big one runs everything except the frig & air conditioner. During the day that is overkill if all I want to do is run my laptop (& maybe printer). I have a 400 watt that I can plug into my 12 volt adapter and run just the laptop. It was $30 from Amazon.com
6) I've discovered that everyone has their own opinion on what is best and there will always be differences between folks....I am confident in what I got and the work that was done. I did go over my budget by the extra $1k but this system will what I need and that's the most important thing.

So that's it for the latest Readers Ask...

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

She tiptoes into the room....

Shhh, quiet....maybe no one will hear me sneak in and I can get a couple of blogs posted before they notice! Yes, I'm way behind and that means some neat things have already escaped from my swiss cheese brain. Sorry....that's what happens when two forces collide - no Verizon aircard reception and having a good time!

The trip from Quartzsite to Ajo was uneventful. A stop at the Super Wal-Mart in Buckeye where we stocked up on food & other stuff and a stop at Holt's Shell in Gila Bend where got gas, fresh water and dumped our tanks. We pulled into the boondocking area outside Ajo about 3:30 pm. Once we figured where I should park for the best sun, I did a few little things to fix what had bounced once too many times coming in on the washboard roads and headed over to the 4:00 pm social hour. Poor Doug paid the penance of living in a trailer...much more set up work (did I mention how happy I am with my motorhome?).

The next couple of days followed a nice routine...running around town seeing the sites (and predictably forgetting my camera which I really missed when we saw a beautiful rainbow). A nice walk in the desert terrain produced the first non-sunrise/sunset photos. I even took one of the first wildlife I encountered in the desert here...you'll have to look close. We walked up a wide wash, easily envisioning it filled with rushing water in flash flood.



We got back in time for me to nab some good sunset shots showing the sun's red-gold reflection on everything around us. To the south it looked like it was raining and that made the golden glow even more precious.



It's been really cold at night, as low as 30-31 several nights. My heater has gotten a work out and it's working well. The days are sunny and sometimes brisk, especially after 4:00 when the sun starts down.

I heard from a friend who lives in Quartzsite that the winds there took down part of the big tent on top of the classic car show....she wrote me this on the 3rd:

"Both of the ends went down but the main section is still standing, and being yanked out of the ground. Everybody was evacuated before the ends went. All of the little tents on the north side are down though. The tent company that erected it are on their way to help get it tied down again so the cars from the Cruise In can be taken out. Hopefully none of the vehicles were damaged bad."



"The other that went... we were making the loop thru town, and right in front of us a vendor tent just picked up, went upside down and landed on top of a "really nice" pickup truck. Abut 50 people just came out of the woodwork to help those folks. IT was really great to see. I'm pretty sure that every vendor in a tent now has been shut down. The wind is outta the south, and it's just not pretty."

EEEEK! Sure am glad I moved a little further south.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna