24/7 Chat About Anything

[Sofisintown]

The rain has been on and off all day today.
I gave up on my lofty carpentry plans for the balance, and I packed it inside
I'm painting that countertop  and the cabinets until they are pretty and shinny :shy:
I have a lot of leftover polyurethane from another project.

 

[nature lover]

It’s been another hot humid day in PA. We had several days of low humidity and temperatures in the low 80s gorgeous weather. But we seem to be paying for it today and the next few days. Hey it’s August it’s supposed to be hot. I’m back at the farm pond camp again. This has been my main site although I have three others. I’m still building, tearing out, rebuilding, remeasureIng, replanning, rearranging et all. Cost and time to build were way under estimated. I desperately want to get the eastern Kentucky but I don’t know when I’ll get out of here. Now working on a battery box for my house batteries, 122 ah each. Hope I can keep them going until I can afford the better batteries.They are lead acid maintenance batteries so I need to have a sealed Box and vent. I have my solar panel, A dokia 150 watt portable. My iceco refrigerator is running great little freezer compartment down to zero. The weakness of the system is a stupid cigarette plug that Has to be just in the right position or it doesn’t connect proper. They gave me the cover for free because it was back ordered for so long. It took over a month and a half to get here but it is a nice little fridge. It’s got the Danfoss Compressor with five year warranty. If the quality of the mechanics as good as the quality of the exterior to look including the stitching on the cover it’s going to last a long time. Don’t let the grass grow under your feet. God bless the nomads all of them.

 

[travelaround]

I have an iceco fridge too. Left it at home this time and brought just an ice chest as this trip will be short. Iceco fridge is what I normally use in my kitchen now. Gave away the big fridge.

Anyhow, arrived in North Idaho today. Left Carl at his skoolie and hope tomorrow he'll get it roadworthy for the 800 mile trip back south. I have half my storage in the van already and will get the rest, maybe tomorrow in this van or his skoolie which has a lot more room.

 

[maki2]

I have an iceco fridge too. Left it at home this time and brought just an ice chest as this trip will be short. Iceco fridge is what I normally use in my kitchen now. Gave away the big fridge.

Anyhow, arrived in North Idaho today. Left Carl at his skoolie and hope tomorrow he'll get it roadworthy for the 800 mile trip back south. I have half my storage in the van already and will get the rest, maybe tomorrow in this van or his skoolie which has a lot more room.

Sounds like you made good time getting there

 

[B and C]

Two drivers and one vehicle, one can go far and fast that way. This is what we did on our two week vacations.

 

[travelaround]

Sounds like you made good time getting there

We arrived yesterday afternoon. In less than 24 hours I had my storage packed into my van. PACKED. Room left on top of bed and not much else. And Carl got his battery and made appt. For tires and serpentine belt replacement. I promised to follow him home then he breaks the news to me that he will drive 40 to 50 MPH the whole way.

 

[travelaround]

Two drivers and one vehicle, one can go far and fast that way.  This is what we did on our two week vacations.

I didn't ask him to drive. We stayed at a tiny rest area 4 miles north of Fox, Oregon. My 2nd time to sleep there. I slept in the van and he slept on a picnic table. About 5 miles before getting there we saw 3 young mountain lions cross the road.

 

[travelaround]

8 pm here and I'm in bed. That's how my day went. Things are not ship shape. Some boxes are in a jumble it seems. I am too tired to care right now. I am happy to have good internet. I'm reading a book.

 

[maki2]

Headking back across Puget Sound to Seattle tomorrow. Business stuff to take care of. Change to my own mailbox that will do forwarding. Might see if I can get my vehicle tabs for next year before I leave the state to make one less thing to deal with on the road.


Good weather, sunny but reasonably comfortable with a breeze. Going to do more resorting of bins of stuff to compaact what is in the car and trailer. Hate doing it because the bending and lifting is hard on my back. Looking forward to being able to get into more of a minimalist phase in 2021.

 

[nature lover]

89° in PA weatherman says it feels like 96 because we have 60% humidity. Major thunderstorm watch for this evening. But I’m dry and got a fan running. Doing better than you Californians. I’m still dealing with problems from the hospitalization. UTI infection probably from catheterization. Since they caused it I think I should get a discount. They disagree. By the end of next week I’ll have everything I need and then a week of installation and I’m finally off. Never thought it would take this long. See you on the road again. God bless the nomads, everyone.

 

[desert_sailing]

Tucked away in the LCV and we are finally getting some of the heavy forest fire smoke.

What started out as haze in the sky this morning is now down to telephone pole level and the smell is heavy.

 

[travelaround]

Resting in the shade on a hot day. Just talked to Carl and he said bus could be ready to go in the morning ... hope so.. still waiting on tires.

 

[Qxxx]

Tucked away in the LCV and we are finally getting some of the heavy forest fire smoke.

What started out as haze in the sky this morning is now down to telephone pole level and the smell is heavy.

The 2 big fires near SF are approaching 400,000 acres each now with little containment. And the 3rd one near Santa Cruz is almost 80,000 acres now. The air quality northeast of CA has been steadily getting worse over the past few days.
https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents
https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow/

Incident Web doesn't show any major fires in west or central OR, so that's good.
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

That fire near LCV is 100% contained now.

 

[travelaround]

Sf bay area now getting an experience unexpected in that area. I was born/raised there, and never any fire threats. My oldest son still lives there. Pacifica.

So I'm once again squeezed into my bed in a van full of boxes etc. And the atmosphere is claustrophobic.  I will so appreciate the room in the van when I get to unload.

Carl.. travel companion of the moment, still is waiting to get tires. 1800 dollars for 4 new ones. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[Qxxx]

Sf bay area now getting an experience unexpected in that area. I was born/raised there, and never any fire threats. My oldest son still lives there. Pacifica.

Checking the CA fire situation this morning. The August Complex up towards Redding has blown up to near 200,000 acres now.
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6983/

The Bay Area hasn't had such close in fires, and the current ones are finally starting to be contained, but the area around Clear Lake has burned about every year over the past 5, including the 450,000 acre Mendocino-Ranch fire in 2018. Bad place to live.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendocino_Complex_Fire

 

[VanFan]

B&C:  Thinking of you re Laura.  Be safe.

 

[B and C]

^^^ Thanks.

I guess the power company decided to remind us what it is going to be like without power. With no weather in the service area, we had a 10 minute blackout.

Gas shortages and generator shortages abound. We do have an 8k watt contractor generator that we will be running. That will get old fast! A neighbor has a whole house generator run off natural gas and it is loud too. Air cooled engine running at 3600 RPM's is annoying to say the least and two out of sync?

At least the gen will run the A/C in our little addon and the fridges/freezer. We should even be able to have internet! Time will tell. We have 35+ gallons of gas on tap.

 

[travelaround]

Heading south now. Skoolie is as ready as it is going to get. Waiting for him here at Walmart. Taking same route south... 395 in Oregon... Recommmended.

 

[VanFan]

At least the gen will run the A/C in our little addon and the fridges/freezer. We should even be able to have internet! Time will tell.  We have 35+ gallons of gas on tap.

Glad to know you have a gen set-up and gas.  Water, too, I'll bet.  (If only a/c would run on Steno .  Much quieter!)

 

[VanFan]

Just checking in with well-wishes for all of you as you travel or hunker down!