I'm sailing away
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ArtW
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I gotta get some foam like that, and I also have my 'basement' under the bed, not a good design for winter
jimindenver
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Happy Anniversary Queen! It's wonderful just being able to say that to you both. We are both learning because while I have boondocked for decades, I have never been out when it was in the teens or cold this long.
Art, the foam isn't as good as closed cell but it still makes a world of difference.
So far none of the propane shops are answering. No shower for me unless I get that hot rod installed.
Art, the foam isn't as good as closed cell but it still makes a world of difference.
So far none of the propane shops are answering. No shower for me unless I get that hot rod installed.
ArtW
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Jim, HEB exchanges tanks for like $15
jimindenver
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Ok before the name sticks 
I installed the hott rod in the water heater today. At 400w it's going to take some time to heat up the tank but time is something I have.
Thank you for the compliment Queen. As a old country boy I learned to look at what I had first before buying something new.
Right now I am using the hot plate to make a batch of green chili posole. I would usually use the solar oven to do it but it was either set up the solar oven or get a shower.
I installed the hott rod in the water heater today. At 400w it's going to take some time to heat up the tank but time is something I have.
Thank you for the compliment Queen. As a old country boy I learned to look at what I had first before buying something new.
Right now I am using the hot plate to make a batch of green chili posole. I would usually use the solar oven to do it but it was either set up the solar oven or get a shower.
Every Road Leads Home
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In my travels I've always had the most luck with Ace Hardware on Sunday's for propane filling. Some only offer exchanges but a lot fill tanks too.
jimindenver
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I spent most of my time putting in the hott rod and making posole. The posole was great and I pass the sniff test.
The hott rod had the water hot enough for a shower in a few hours. I ended up taking one well after it was up to the high temp I had set it at hoping to use less hot water and more cold stretching it out some. Boy did it stretch it out. I had my shower, then shaved, and then filled the wash tub for dishes. The hot water was still too hot to stick my hand in even after all of that.
The green chili posole was great, I gave half to a neighbor that has been nice all week. Offers to pick up anything while in town, help moving things, he even came and checked up on me the day it was cold and he hadn't seen me come out of the trailer. Said he had heard of people using those funny heaters and ending up dead.
Here is how I make the posole. Before someone says "you are doing it wrong", it's just the way I do it.
put 1/4 cup of oil in a pot and heat being careful to not smoke it.
Peel and chop up a medium onion. add to pan and sweat it while you prepare the rest.
In the easy version I use 1 can of diced jalapenos drained and a can of diced green chilis drained and added to the onion.
Cube two larger thick pork chops or similar of any pork, beef or chicken, add to pot and brown.
season to taste. I use salt, lemon pepper, garlic, cilantro, and oregano.
Drain one can of hominy either yellow or white and add.
Drain one can of stewed tomatoes and add.
Add water or chicken broth to cover, bring to a boil and then low simmer for 3 or 4 hours until the meat is fork tender.
The usual garnish is oregano, red chili flakes, chopped onion and tortillas.
The hott rod had the water hot enough for a shower in a few hours. I ended up taking one well after it was up to the high temp I had set it at hoping to use less hot water and more cold stretching it out some. Boy did it stretch it out. I had my shower, then shaved, and then filled the wash tub for dishes. The hot water was still too hot to stick my hand in even after all of that.
The green chili posole was great, I gave half to a neighbor that has been nice all week. Offers to pick up anything while in town, help moving things, he even came and checked up on me the day it was cold and he hadn't seen me come out of the trailer. Said he had heard of people using those funny heaters and ending up dead.
Here is how I make the posole. Before someone says "you are doing it wrong", it's just the way I do it.
put 1/4 cup of oil in a pot and heat being careful to not smoke it.
Peel and chop up a medium onion. add to pan and sweat it while you prepare the rest.
In the easy version I use 1 can of diced jalapenos drained and a can of diced green chilis drained and added to the onion.
Cube two larger thick pork chops or similar of any pork, beef or chicken, add to pot and brown.
season to taste. I use salt, lemon pepper, garlic, cilantro, and oregano.
Drain one can of hominy either yellow or white and add.
Drain one can of stewed tomatoes and add.
Add water or chicken broth to cover, bring to a boil and then low simmer for 3 or 4 hours until the meat is fork tender.
The usual garnish is oregano, red chili flakes, chopped onion and tortillas.
jimindenver
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Me too.
As I said, that's the easy version. I prefer to buy my chilis fresh and roast, skin and deseed them myself. I have used the frozen, better than canned, not as good as fresh.
Other long version items are soaking the hominy, fresh tomatoes, fresh garlic and herbs. It's worth it for a big batch, the easy version is enough for two people. That and my freezer doesn't hold much.
As I said, that's the easy version. I prefer to buy my chilis fresh and roast, skin and deseed them myself. I have used the frozen, better than canned, not as good as fresh.
Other long version items are soaking the hominy, fresh tomatoes, fresh garlic and herbs. It's worth it for a big batch, the easy version is enough for two people. That and my freezer doesn't hold much.
jimindenver
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So does this mean you don't wanna help make tamales?
jimindenver
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Switch it to Tequila and we will talk.
jimindenver
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Yesterday was one of those days start to finish.
It has bugged me that I have been so close to the cranes and hadn't gone out to shoot them. I knew better than to try it at 19* but yesterday morn it was 30 and I loaded up the cameras to be out there at first light. Now I know why Doc kept insisting I be careful with my feet in the cold, because I don't know they are cold until it's painful. I spent the next three hours with them in a heating pad and my back cramping.
Once I warmed up I loaded the tanks in the truck and put the address to the propane place in the phones GPS, it promptly sent me 15 miles in the wrong direction. Luckily I only went 5 miles before deciding to head back to town and hit the second place on the list which only fills tanks on Tuesdays and Thursdays after 2. Would they know of where to get propane then, of course not. So I started looking for the first place, saw a ACE and pulled in. While I was looking at the map my buddy from the campground pulled in and his phone showed it just down the street in a Conoco, I now have propane.
After that I went to Walmart for more food, couldn't find a place to get my hair cut, ate Chinese and came back. My buddy came out asking if I found the propane, I said yes and thank you for helping me find it. Then he said it would be nice if we had water. The owner was gone and forgot to turn it on. I offered some but he said he'd wait, it never came on.
Knowing I would be leaving I started packing up. It was early enough that I considered leaving last night but while I was researching to next leg of the trip the wind came up and up, and up. My little weather station said the gust were up to 27 MPH with a average of 22. It was a fun night and I am glad I didn't hitch the truck up for a dawn departure.
So I'll be out of here as soon as breakfast and the morning pills settle in. I've decided to cut across on US 60/87 instead of dropping down to I-10 and then back up again. It will be a long day but I hope to pull into the Q tonight.
It has bugged me that I have been so close to the cranes and hadn't gone out to shoot them. I knew better than to try it at 19* but yesterday morn it was 30 and I loaded up the cameras to be out there at first light. Now I know why Doc kept insisting I be careful with my feet in the cold, because I don't know they are cold until it's painful. I spent the next three hours with them in a heating pad and my back cramping.
Once I warmed up I loaded the tanks in the truck and put the address to the propane place in the phones GPS, it promptly sent me 15 miles in the wrong direction. Luckily I only went 5 miles before deciding to head back to town and hit the second place on the list which only fills tanks on Tuesdays and Thursdays after 2. Would they know of where to get propane then, of course not. So I started looking for the first place, saw a ACE and pulled in. While I was looking at the map my buddy from the campground pulled in and his phone showed it just down the street in a Conoco, I now have propane.
After that I went to Walmart for more food, couldn't find a place to get my hair cut, ate Chinese and came back. My buddy came out asking if I found the propane, I said yes and thank you for helping me find it. Then he said it would be nice if we had water. The owner was gone and forgot to turn it on. I offered some but he said he'd wait, it never came on.
Knowing I would be leaving I started packing up. It was early enough that I considered leaving last night but while I was researching to next leg of the trip the wind came up and up, and up. My little weather station said the gust were up to 27 MPH with a average of 22. It was a fun night and I am glad I didn't hitch the truck up for a dawn departure.
So I'll be out of here as soon as breakfast and the morning pills settle in. I've decided to cut across on US 60/87 instead of dropping down to I-10 and then back up again. It will be a long day but I hope to pull into the Q tonight.
Jim, it's getting pretty crowded here. If you come in late when it's dark you might want to stay in the big area right before the turn onto the dirt road that leads to the RTR site. You'll be able to take your time and find a good spot in the morning. There's still plenty of room but it's hard to see much at night.
jimindenver
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I got here but not until midnight. I pulled just into the area and will look in the morning.
Don't listen to Queen, I showered. Even if I hadn't you wouldn't need me to stay that far away.
May I just say HOLY CRAP! This is tighter than any campground I have been in. (four in 30 years)
I would have been here earlier but first the antenna wouldn't lower, so I had to dig out the ladder. Then my buddy at the campground came over to chat. Then I stopped to tell the owner I was leaving and to check that I had paid. He wanted to chat too and brought the conversation around to one we had had the other day. He had said he wanted to get out of there and I told him that there are lots of people that would gladly trade a full hook up site for hosting the place. Today he said he liked the ideal but he hadn't met anyone he thought he could trust until now. I said that's great. He said yeah it is and I'm looking at him. He wants me to come back and so it and it's certainly not a volunteer position. We shook on it and I return in February. So much for retirement that is if you call showing people to their sites, collecting the money and a small bit of cleaning work.
I owe it all to Cindi for suggesting the place. Thank you.
So I took the southern route because I felt more comfortable with the being able to get gas. Plus Queen got me thinking about fresh chilis and here better to get them than Hatch, NM. The GPS said 8 hours, IT LIED! I left at 11 am. It did feel good to get some dirt under the rig again.
Don't listen to Queen, I showered. Even if I hadn't you wouldn't need me to stay that far away.
May I just say HOLY CRAP! This is tighter than any campground I have been in. (four in 30 years)
I would have been here earlier but first the antenna wouldn't lower, so I had to dig out the ladder. Then my buddy at the campground came over to chat. Then I stopped to tell the owner I was leaving and to check that I had paid. He wanted to chat too and brought the conversation around to one we had had the other day. He had said he wanted to get out of there and I told him that there are lots of people that would gladly trade a full hook up site for hosting the place. Today he said he liked the ideal but he hadn't met anyone he thought he could trust until now. I said that's great. He said yeah it is and I'm looking at him. He wants me to come back and so it and it's certainly not a volunteer position. We shook on it and I return in February. So much for retirement that is if you call showing people to their sites, collecting the money and a small bit of cleaning work.
I owe it all to Cindi for suggesting the place. Thank you.
So I took the southern route because I felt more comfortable with the being able to get gas. Plus Queen got me thinking about fresh chilis and here better to get them than Hatch, NM. The GPS said 8 hours, IT LIED! I left at 11 am. It did feel good to get some dirt under the rig again.
