Woke to no water this morning – cold snap during the night froze the hose. Wait a minute – this is San Diego – what’s with the temperatures below freezing???
Ah well, it back up to 63 and water has been running for awhile.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Santee Lakes, CA
We got a new refrigerator and a lot of annual maintenance work completed. But they are under staffed and it was a slow process. After twice having rescheduled, we were just glad to have it done. The new frig is nice!!
Finally to our winter space in Santee!!!! Boots was able to back right in. We have the stream out our back window and a very wide open space for our designated lawn, with a gazebo, picnic table, and big California Sycamore tree dropping leaves/sap everywhere.
Finally to our winter space in Santee!!!! Boots was able to back right in. We have the stream out our back window and a very wide open space for our designated lawn, with a gazebo, picnic table, and big California Sycamore tree dropping leaves/sap everywhere.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Valencia, CA
Finally, we head into Valencia / Newhall / Santa Clarita / Stevenson Ranch – whichever. It seems the Camping world is built on the intersection of these 4 towns. While the address is Newhall, the staff joke about how depending on where you are standing (retail store, repair shop, parking lot, sales area, etc.), you could be in a different city. Lucky for us, our GPS correctly finds the location no matter which city we enter.
We parked out in the lot last night so that we would be here bright and early for them to begin the work. With our solar panels, we have enough power to set up the satellite dish and read/cook before bed-time.
We parked out in the lot last night so that we would be here bright and early for them to begin the work. With our solar panels, we have enough power to set up the satellite dish and read/cook before bed-time.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Acton, CA
Finally, we get the truck back. This particular ford dealership (in Bishop, CA on highway 395) has the worse customer service of all of the Ford dealers we have worked with over the past 2+ years. Really, the truck was ready last night but because no one wanted to stay late, they left the paper work until this morning. If Boots hadn’t called, the truck and paper work would still be sitting on their site. As it was when she showed up, they still hadn’t processed the paper. She couldn’t just get the truck and leave. Boots had to go to the brand manager. He was quick (and loudly vocal) to remedy the situation.
We hooked up and zipped up to Acton, CA for the week-end. This is a much older park which has challenges in providing steady electrical power. They are working on improvements but the park is large and our preferred locations on the back hill is still challenged. Lucky for us we have a surge protector and another RV’er indicated a site that had not had any problems lately.
We hooked up and zipped up to Acton, CA for the week-end. This is a much older park which has challenges in providing steady electrical power. They are working on improvements but the park is large and our preferred locations on the back hill is still challenged. Lucky for us we have a surge protector and another RV’er indicated a site that had not had any problems lately.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Bishop, Ca
We are still in Bishop, CA but the part has arrived and they are busy working on the fix and test. We were supposed to be at the Camping World in Valencia / Newhall / Santa Clarita / Stevenson Ranch for some annual maintenance work; which had previously been scheduled in the Portland, OR area. So, we had to call them and reschedule for Monday/Tuesday next week; hopefully that will work.
Ruthi’s sore throat continues to bother her so she’ called the local “Call a Ride” to be transported to a local family health clinic to get checked for strep. Good news is that it isn’t strep and she lost 10 pounds on the “Sore Throat” diet. Bad news is she just needs to wait out the virus. Easier said than done – her throat feels like cut glass is at the back and very painful!
After the clinic, Ruthi bought some liquid Sudafed and Iubprofen at the pharmacy next door for easier medicine taking. Then she waited on the clinic front steps for the "Call a Ride" to pick her up and return her to the RV park. While she was waiting, an elderly gentleman pulled into the clinic parking lot and got out of his car. He shuffled ever so slowly up the sidewalk, in what looked like painful inch by painful inch movements. When he finally reached the clinic door it was locked. Ruthi apologized for not letting him know sooner that only the receptionist was in the office as everyone else had gone out to lunch right after her appointment.
The receptionist came to the door and let the gentlemen in find out what he needed. When he came out he asked Ruthi if she was waiting for a ride and offered to take her to the RV park. Ruthi had seen multiple "Call a Ride" vans go by without stopping, so she took him up on his offer. Then she joined him in the slow slow walk back to his car. If any of you have ever walked with Ruthi, you know she has more of a run gait instead of a walk as her normal pace.
Finally they got to the car and were putting on their seat belts, when the gentleman let her know that he was a serial killer but this was his day off. ruthi looked at him and said in as much seriousness as possible: "I may not run as fast as I used to but I can surely out run you!"
Ruthi’s sore throat continues to bother her so she’ called the local “Call a Ride” to be transported to a local family health clinic to get checked for strep. Good news is that it isn’t strep and she lost 10 pounds on the “Sore Throat” diet. Bad news is she just needs to wait out the virus. Easier said than done – her throat feels like cut glass is at the back and very painful!
After the clinic, Ruthi bought some liquid Sudafed and Iubprofen at the pharmacy next door for easier medicine taking. Then she waited on the clinic front steps for the "Call a Ride" to pick her up and return her to the RV park. While she was waiting, an elderly gentleman pulled into the clinic parking lot and got out of his car. He shuffled ever so slowly up the sidewalk, in what looked like painful inch by painful inch movements. When he finally reached the clinic door it was locked. Ruthi apologized for not letting him know sooner that only the receptionist was in the office as everyone else had gone out to lunch right after her appointment.
The receptionist came to the door and let the gentlemen in find out what he needed. When he came out he asked Ruthi if she was waiting for a ride and offered to take her to the RV park. Ruthi had seen multiple "Call a Ride" vans go by without stopping, so she took him up on his offer. Then she joined him in the slow slow walk back to his car. If any of you have ever walked with Ruthi, you know she has more of a run gait instead of a walk as her normal pace.
Finally they got to the car and were putting on their seat belts, when the gentleman let her know that he was a serial killer but this was his day off. ruthi looked at him and said in as much seriousness as possible: "I may not run as fast as I used to but I can surely out run you!"
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Independence, CA
Ruthi awoke to no power and hence no heat. The sun was charging the batteries (or so she thought) and heating up the rig. It turns out that after batteries die, they need to be turned off and then turned on again to begin the charging process. Once Ruthi figured that out, the solar panels did their work. It was going to take a while before the microwave would nuke the broth for her throat.
Boots had been informed that the part was not in, so there was another delay in the final fix to the radiator(s). So, we re-grouped and decided to have the rig towed back to a Bishop RV park so Boots, Ruthi and Karma could be rejoined with electricity (no sewer at this particular park – so we used our reserve tank of water and their showers/bathrooms).
The same guy who had towed the truck came back to get us with his boss’s 2004 Ford F350 pickup. While the boss is very into horses, she’s not that into dogs; so, Karma had to ride in her kennel in the RV. Karma was not pleased and having never ridden there she was a little freaked. Ruthi had forgotten to place one of the wheeled office chairs on the bed. That was rolling back and forth in the living room area making all kinds of noise we are sure. When we finally got to the park and were able to get Karma out she was in major stress mode. Lots of water drinking and wanting to stay outside unless we were all going in together - poor baby!
Boots had been informed that the part was not in, so there was another delay in the final fix to the radiator(s). So, we re-grouped and decided to have the rig towed back to a Bishop RV park so Boots, Ruthi and Karma could be rejoined with electricity (no sewer at this particular park – so we used our reserve tank of water and their showers/bathrooms).
The same guy who had towed the truck came back to get us with his boss’s 2004 Ford F350 pickup. While the boss is very into horses, she’s not that into dogs; so, Karma had to ride in her kennel in the RV. Karma was not pleased and having never ridden there she was a little freaked. Ruthi had forgotten to place one of the wheeled office chairs on the bed. That was rolling back and forth in the living room area making all kinds of noise we are sure. When we finally got to the park and were able to get Karma out she was in major stress mode. Lots of water drinking and wanting to stay outside unless we were all going in together - poor baby!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Bishop, Ca
Pulling out in the morning we went through Bishop proper and were really surprised by the thriving business along route 395 in the middle of town. There is a strong tourism business for the area – skiing and hunting. On our way South, the truck’s cooling system light came on. We were just North of Independence, CA (small small town). We called our road-side assistance number and eventually talked with a service representative (back at Ford in Bishop, of course). He was pretty insistent about getting us towed back to their facility. After the engine had cooled and the light was off we proceeded to Independence (it turned out to be less than a mile down the road), we checked at both (that’s right only 2) gas stations and they only had what we thought was an off-brand of anti-freeze already mixed with water at 50-50.
After more discussions with the Ford representative and Sheriff and California Highway Patrol, we decided that the best course of action was to have Boots go with the towed truck. Ruthi and Karma would stay with the rig on a side street. Our thinking being – how long could it take to check the radiators (yes, this truck as multiple radiators and 2 batteries) and flush/re-fill the tanks? Then Boots could return and we would again be off South. You know snow is coming to Northern and Central California and that is not in our agenda ever again!!!
Well, the radiator problem is not simple – surprise surprise – but it is covered by the warranty – some good news in all of this. It seems there was an internal leak and something was broken and needed to be replaced. They needed to order the part (from Detroit, we guessed). So, Boots got a cheap hotel room and Ruthi/Karma settled in for the night. Because the rig was left on a side street, the slides were not deployed. What that means was that there is no access to the TV, pots/pans, and bedding (blankets especially). Ruthi was only eating liquids because of her sore throat anyway so the batteries would heat the broth in the microwave and charge her laptop. What more did she need.
Boots was provided a tooth brush/paste, comb, etc. by the hotel staff and ate at a neighboring restaurant. Ruthi, on the other hand, bundled up in long pants, a long sleeve shirt, and socks with a pareo wrapped around her head and went to bed with Karma close by. It was a one-dog night for Ruthi. With solar power charging the batteries during the day and propane for the furnace, she thought she was in great shape.
After more discussions with the Ford representative and Sheriff and California Highway Patrol, we decided that the best course of action was to have Boots go with the towed truck. Ruthi and Karma would stay with the rig on a side street. Our thinking being – how long could it take to check the radiators (yes, this truck as multiple radiators and 2 batteries) and flush/re-fill the tanks? Then Boots could return and we would again be off South. You know snow is coming to Northern and Central California and that is not in our agenda ever again!!!
Well, the radiator problem is not simple – surprise surprise – but it is covered by the warranty – some good news in all of this. It seems there was an internal leak and something was broken and needed to be replaced. They needed to order the part (from Detroit, we guessed). So, Boots got a cheap hotel room and Ruthi/Karma settled in for the night. Because the rig was left on a side street, the slides were not deployed. What that means was that there is no access to the TV, pots/pans, and bedding (blankets especially). Ruthi was only eating liquids because of her sore throat anyway so the batteries would heat the broth in the microwave and charge her laptop. What more did she need.
Boots was provided a tooth brush/paste, comb, etc. by the hotel staff and ate at a neighboring restaurant. Ruthi, on the other hand, bundled up in long pants, a long sleeve shirt, and socks with a pareo wrapped around her head and went to bed with Karma close by. It was a one-dog night for Ruthi. With solar power charging the batteries during the day and propane for the furnace, she thought she was in great shape.
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