The Refrigerator is Getting Cold!

Spring Crocus

I arrived at Camping World at 7:50 this morning, and was the first one in the shop.  It took a bit longer than they thought but at 1:00 I was on my way home with a refrigerator that was cooling.  The main section is just starting to cool, but the freezer is down to 12°F and falling.  I know the main section doesn't start to cool until the freezer settles, so things are looking good.

I finished packing food, cameras, and everything but the stuff for the fridge (you know, I think I said that a couple of days ago, but there always seems to be last minute stuff). Time to cancel the newspaper, and make final decisions on where I'm going.  My first stop will be in Binghamton to visit with my often times traveling companions, Don & Anne.  After that I'm heading towards Mammoth Cave National Park, but will need to find a couple of stops along the way.

So, it looks like I'll start daily postings.  I don't expect too much in the way of daily photos for awhile, at least until I get to Mammoth Cave, but you never know!

Till next time -

Good News / Bad News

Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, UT

The good news is the cooling unit for my refrigerator has arrived at Camping World.  The bad news is is is going to be a bit longer before I can head out - the first available time block long enough to pull the refrigerator, install the cooling unit & put things back together is Wednesday morning.  They now estimate it as a 4 hour job.

Had an interesting thing happen over the rain storm the other day. Looked out at the trailer & the lighting strip I added under the awning was on.  Now I know I didn't turn it on so I went out & checked.  The switch was in the off position, but filled with water.  Enough got inside the switch to short out the contacts.

So, yesterday's project was to pull the upper refrigerator cover (where the switch is mounted) and change it to one that has a waterproof cover.  Hope that will do the trick. Unfortunately, with the current weather forecast,  I'm going to get the chance to find out - rain is predicted for the next couple of days.  On top of that, the overnight temperature is predicted to go down  27°F Friday night.  I guess I'll need to plug in the trailer & run my electric heater...

Till next time -

Still Waiting

The 7th Annual Clean Sweep

While I'm waiting for Dometic to send the new cooling unit I was able to shoot some photographs of the 7th Annual Clean Sweep here in Oswego.  Every year around Earth Day a group from the city & college get together and spend an afternoon cleaning the banks of the Oswego River & Lake Ontario.

This year it was organized by the Oswego chapter of RSVP, an organization I have been working with for a number of years.  Over 300 members of the local & college community collected hundreds of bags of trash.  For more photographs, check my "Clean Sweep" pages.

After shooting the photographs, it was back home to post the web pages.  While part of me wishes I was on schedule & in Cedar Key, FL today (particularly because it is a dreary 41°F outside), the weather report for that part of Florida last night didn't look all that good. Actually, a quick look a second ago was better - partly cloudy & 70°F.  Oh well, I'm stuck here!

Till next time  -

I'm Now a Grumpy Old Man!

Oswego Lighthouse

I'm still here in Oswego over a week after the planned departure date. Still waiting on parts to fix the broken refrigerator.

I can't fault Camping World - for what ever reason, Dometic decided that even thought the techs at Camping World determined that the cooling unit was bad they sent a replacement heater.  When the techs asked why Dometic's answer is they have had problems with the heating units and they need to try that first.

So, today I hauled the trailer down to Camping World, they replaced the refrigerator's heater, and it still doesn't work.  Repair by substitute isn't all that practical when it takes a week or more to get each part! 

Now Dometic says they will send out a cooling unit either later today or on Monday.  That definitely rules out the Townsend, TN "egg" get together, and will probably shorten the number of days I can stay in New Mexico before the heat is so bad I need to move north.

There are not that many parts of the trailer I can't fix my self; in fact I probably could have replaced the cooling unit, but since it is under warranty I have to have a dealer do the work.  Am I frustrated?  You bet! Still, better here at home than on the road.  

I guess I will have to get a couple of the projects here at home done.  I kinda put them off since they would be out-of-sight for 5 months, but now that I'll be here for the better part of a week (at least) I don't have an excuse.

By the way, I did get a chance to take the trailer to the dump to get it weighed.  If nothing else, it points out the difference between "Dry Weight" (listed at 2100 lbs) and the real world.  With full propane, 1/3 fresh water, empty grey & black tanks & packed with everything except the stuff going into the refrigerator it hits the scales at 3020 lbs.  Hitch weight is 340 lbs.

Till next time - 

Cooling unit on Tuesday!

Mustard Field, Kalispell, MT

Things are looking up - Camping World tells me the replacement cooling unit will be in either Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.  If it is early enough to get have it replaced on Tuesday, I might even make part of the Tennessee Rally. Of course, things don't always go as planned, but I'm hopeful.

I'm going to weight the trailer again now that it is packed.  I checked the tongue weight - a little high, so I'm going to have to move some stuff from the front to the back.  I'll have a better idea of what I need to change after getting both weights.

Till next time -