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[maki2]

Pulled into a Kaibab forest camping spot just outside of Williams thatb I had thought about staying in over a month ago. Not as much solar during the day as I like but it will do for a few days or maybe even 14 days. The wind gust are likely to be 30mph on Thursday which is why I chose a wooded site. I will hardly feel those gust here. Nice cool breeze this evening but of course likely to be quite chilly after the sun goes down and downright cold when I get up in the morning. I will lower the popup roof tonight and maybe even put up the insulating window blankets.

Just relaxing this evening thinking about making some dinner. But it seems a shame to mess up the cleared off counter. One of the benifits of the work of pacing things away for moving day is a lot less sitting out. clutter out.

I will drive into town tomorrow and go to the post office, get my gallon water jugs filled and maybe even do laundry.

On the way from Flagstaff to Williams I took a detour off I 40 to drive for a while on old route 66. It was very pleasant driving through the countryside at a lower rate of speed with next to no other traffic on the road. I could use a lot more driving hours like that while pulling my little Vintage trailer.

 

[Malamute]

Pulled into a Kaibab forest camping spot just outside of Williams thatb I had thought about staying in over a month ago....


On the way from Flagstaff to Williams I took  a detour off I 40 to drive for a while on old route 66. It was very  pleasant driving through the countryside at a lower rate of speed with next to no other traffic on the road. I could use a lot more driving hours like that while pulling my little Vintage trailer.

 I hope you get to see more of it. I drove and rode on sections of Rt 66 when I lived in Flag, I didnt really appreciate its history at that point, but would love to spend some time exploring it again in the Az sections, with camper rig and bike/sidecar/dog. 

 Billy Connolly did a fun trip through the US on Rt 66, he rode a 3 wheel thing the entire length, and looks like he had a blast the entire way. Its a 4 part, this one I think has the Az section  towards the end, though it may be in the next segment.


[video=youtube]http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwdAF7ECndo[/video]

 

[travelaround]

Route 66 is one thing in America I've been wanting to experience, either alone or with a caravan.

Nothing much happening here. Glad you got a nice campsite, Maki.

Back to my books.

 

[abnorm]

Well we have a bit of a GTG here in South Central Oregon

Doug and Paulette have been traveling with Merry (not a CRVL member)

JacqueG and Brad/66788 have joined us in the forest............

It's cold and wet here.............Tomorrow it's Brad's BACON Breakfast !

 

[user 30781]

I've been working on raising my credit score for the last year and a half after not having had any credit cards for a long time. With only one card and a relatively low balance, I was able to get it up pretty good but seem to be stuck there no matter what I do. So I figured adding another card would help.

You know how when you're on Amazon it tells you if you apply for a card you can get a $70 gift card if approved? Well, instead, if you Google "Amazon Visa card" it takes you to Chase Bank and THEN Amazon and you get a $150 gift card if approved.

 

[maki2]

That is because Amazon is not a bank. It is an online retailer.

 

[maki2]

Feeling tired this last week. Most likely because I have been not been eating as much which is typical when it gets hotter outside. That is Ok as I do need to lose weight. Just wish for more energy for getting more done in the way of finishing the build, chores and for having more fun too.

Not that hot today or tomorrow but low 90s coming for next week. I am not sure if this spot will get enoghh solar but I did come back from the store around 9:30 am to a 100% charge. I do want to get a second solar panel to put on top of my car that matches the output of the one on the tra iler and then make a long cable to go into a 2 into one fitting for my house battery. That way I can have more options. In camp sites where positioning the trailer is not optimal for solar. One of these days when budget matches up with being in a place for easy package delivery that will happen. But most li kely not until this fall.

My solar panel does need to be washed. It got some spotty rain over in Flagstaff that gave it a baked on dust coating. Guess I had better to it, that will help a lot.

 

[Cammalu]

I need Maki as a designer. Can’t get her to come East.

 

[B and C]

I haven't been on in awhile

Staying at a friends place in Idaho helping with some of their projects and doing some work on the van. You know, van's are never finished

Going to go camp on the Snake river (need a water fix) over the weekend and be back for an appointment on Wednesday to replace a leaking pinion seal and then to an RV place Thursday to get my 120V and 12V heating elements for the fridge replaced. Both original as far as I can tell so not bad for a 21 year old RV. I need the 12V for when driving and figured while they we in there. Then it will be onward to ...

 

[jacqueg]

That would be lovely!  My daughter is in the process of moving from Point A to Point B in Oregon.  She wouldn't let me come visit and live out of my van in Point A because she said it wasn't safe.  I think I'll have better luck pushing my case when she's all settled in Point B.  So I'd be coming down pretty close to where you are.

Hey, it's a date!

 

[nature lover]

Hello nomads. After pulling the bumper away from the tire, I drove the van to a friends farm in Berks county pa. I needed help with things that shifted in the “tree Incident”. Turns out everything shifted forward from 1/2 to 2 inches depending on how I had it fastened down. Lots of repairs to make. The biggest repair is me. I haven’t been to the doctor because I’m certain I don’t have broken ribs, but I sure have a sore chest. I can’t move very well to do all this work I can’t lift anything or bend over so again if it wouldn’t be for these friends I’d be lost. So I’m spending the night in the recliner in their house with AC, call me spoiled. This morning I felt things were getting some better but now after moving around a bit it’s still sore. My favorite camping spot up in Tuscarora mountain is reserved for me starting today for another week. In the shape of me and I don’t dare to be up there alone. So here I am with a family that’s very good to me but they don’t make or drink coffee. I hope I service. God bless the nomads everyone of us.

 

[VanFan]

The biggest repair is me. I haven’t been to the doctor because I’m certain I don’t have broken ribs, but I sure have a sore chest. 

Good to hear from you!  I've been a little worried.   Don't know if broken ribs are the biggest possible concern.  It would make me feel much better if you would get checked out for other possible issues.  Being selfish here, but if you can manage it...

In any event, we do care.

 

[maki2]

I need Maki as a designer.  Can’t get her to come East.

Talk to Abnorm, I am not going East and my design time is all booked up.

 

[maki2]

Csmilla ..You are likely using thinking about remodeling your trailer as a pressure relief valve from your and John's medical issues and upcoming surgeries But it is not working for me as a pressure relief.

In fact it is the opposite. My son is going through a dangerous phase in his revovery treatment for acute leukemia, an issue with having developed blood clots from a PICC line relocation and now needing to be on blood thinners while at the same time having low plalette counts. That means I am feeling worried about him and not sleeping well. There is no way I would travel further East away from him this year or even have the mental or physical energy to take on any extra, non essential work right now.

 

[user 30781]

.  This morning I felt things were getting some better but now after moving around a bit it’s still sore. My favorite camping spot up in Tuscarora mountain is reserved for me starting today for another week. In the shape of me and I don’t dare to be up there alone. So here I am with a family that’s very good to me but they don’t make or drink coffee.

I hope you feel better soon!  I hurt myself early last year, was positive it was at least one broken rib because it hurt so bad but I got an x-ray and it wasn't.  Was pretty sore for about a week and then all of a sudden it was better.  I'm glad you have friends to help.

 

[travelaround]

Difficult year for so many here! Good to see you Nature Lover. I too wish you'd visit a clinic or even just have a chat with an advice nurse to see if there's anything you should be aware of.

Heart goes out to Maki... it wasn't that long ago that it was my son in deep health trouble.

Wanderingsoul - I have both those credit cards. The Amazon Store Card had a ridiculously high interest rate. I do use it but always pay it off within a month. I use it so I can get 5% back on every purchase. The Chase Amazon Prime card I've had about ten years now. The interest rate is a little lower than some of my other cards I've had, that I no longer use. I use it for all my van related purchases, like gas, smog test, whatever... so I'll have a record of all those expenses in one place.

 

[user 30781]

Wanderingsoul - I have both those credit cards. The Amazon Store Card had a ridiculously high interest rate. I do use it but always pay it off within a month. I use it so I can get 5% back on every purchase. The Chase Amazon Prime card I've had about ten years now. The interest rate is a little lower than some of my other cards I've had, that I no longer use. I use it for all my van related purchases, like gas, smog test, whatever... so I'll have a record of all those expenses in one place.

Yes, the interest rate is outrageous but I will be using it sparingly and paying it off before the due date every month.  Mostly I was surprised that if you apply for the card this way you get a $70 gift card.  If you apply for it that way, you get a $150 gift card.

 

[travelaround]

Too bad I can't apply again!

We got rained on today in the Klamath River Valley. More rain expected from now until Monday.

Nice to have a place to sit here in comfort to read books.

My daughter bought a big canvas yurt-type tent..... looks roomy.

 

[maki2]

Another day brings new problems to solve. I need to do a field fix on my popup top mechanism. It worked fine when I rebuilt it in Seattle but the Arizona heat has shrunk the lower woof frame just enough so the ends of the X brace lift are rubbing into the fiberglass roof. Yesterday the nylock nut at the center cross bar had come off and I saw the paint worn off the roof. Same thing on the other side although the nut had not yet fully backed off. I will have to put in temporary wood bracing on the inside of the traiiler to hold it open so I can file the ends of the X brace bars for clearance. I don't need to remove a substantial amount of metal. It is a spring loaded mechanism so when I take the bolts off those lower ends the popup roof will want to collapse which is why I have to put in temporary braces.

Yesterday I was so tired that I could not see how I would manage the fix working solo in the field. But this morning it did not look too difficult once I realized I could put temporary wood braces from inside the trailer.

So glad I purchased that adjustable height scaffold to bring along. I knew it was going to be needed for working on the roof and solar panel as well using it for a table and work bench. Also glad I have extra wood, extra screws and some decent quality metal files along. But I think I will wait until tommow to do the modification as today has strong wind gust predicted. Time to do some work on Etsy store stuff today and go to town to ship out orders.

My next door neighbors is a three generation family camp group. One travel trailer and a bunch of tents and hammocks. Fortunatelely they are very quiet and gone off exploring most of the day to the lakes and town stuff so the young children and adults are worn out and go to bed early.

I expected this area to be even busier than when I was here last month but instead it has far more empty camp sites. Maybe they are all up closer to the Sourh Rim of the Grand Canyon. I will take a day trip up there next week to look over the free camping and take a peak at the canyon if my energy comes back.

 

[user 30781]

Nice to have a place to sit here in comfort to read books.

My daughter bought a big canvas yurt-type tent..... looks roomy.

A cozy place to read is a blessing.

That tent is pretty cool!  I had a couple friends in North Idaho living in yurts and another with not one, but two geodesic domes on their property.  The first one was a smaller one to live in while they were building the large one.  He explained the geometry and 'frequency' of them but I didn't understand it.