Day 118, Thursday, November 30, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 15

My iPhone Mount

Thursday, November 30, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 15, 0 Miles, 3,253.8 Towing Miles For the Trip

I started on the first (and I hope the most difficult) project, mounting the 5" fence post for storing my folding ladder under the trailer. Because the trailer fiberglass shell hangs a little below the trailer frame, I had to add a spacer - a couple of 2"X2"s. I don't have any power saw or my hand saw with me - there is a limit to how many tools I carry. Did you ever try to cut a 2"X2" with a 32 TPI hack saw? Don't - it takes forever. Anyway, bolting (actually machine screwing) the wood blocks to the trailer frame took most of the afternoon - drilling holes into the frame over your head isn't much fun. I find the older I get, the more difficult it is to crawl around under the trailer (particularly on Quartzsite gravel). A job that would have taken less than an hour at home with the proper tools, a creeper, etc takes forever out here in the desert.

At least it was a nice day to work outside. Lots of cloud cover to keep the sun away, but warm enough for short sleeves. I was only down 20 amp hours after toasting a bagel for breakfast, and even with the clouds, the panels put them all back by sundown.

I'll finish up the storage tube tomorrow, and start on the radio antenna. I did get one other thing done. I've been looking for a good way to mount my iPhone at the head of the bed since I like to use it as a tuner for internet radio. I already have a USB/lightning cable run between the position & the radio and have been balancing the phone on the window crank. It works until the alarm goes off; the buzzer shakes it off the crank, which unplugs it. Since the alarm goes off to remind me when to take my eye drops, it goes off a lot! So, I found a mount that looks like it will work.

Dinner was a Tri-Tip roast grilled outside, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. It is a cut rarely found in my home town, so I only get to cook it here, or while traveling in the west.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 117, Wednesday, November 29, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 14

Wednesday, November 29, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 14, 0 Miles, 3,253.8 Towing Miles For the Trip

Hard to believe I've been here two weeks!

Today would have to be called "Super Shopper" day. I headed out early for the Lake Havasu City Lowes to pick up my 5" X 5" PVC fence post that I will attach to the back of the trailer & use to store my folding ladder. As long as I was heading to the "Big City", I also made a bunch of stops, knocking off most of the items that were on my shopping list. I even found a 12V DC FM antenna amplifier. I don't know if it will help, but the reception I've been getting on the trailer's FM radio has been terrible. I tried replacing the short outside antenna supplied with the trailer with a longer one, and it didn't help. I added a 4' piece of wire run between the antenna and the refrigerator vent housing & it helped, but I still can't pick up the stations the radio in the Escape 17 did, and both have the same specifications. The truck radio is a little better, but I definitely was spoiled by the excellent radio in the RAV4, and the one I installed (using an amplified antenna) in the 17. We will see if the amplifier helps.

I now have a bunch of projects - the ladder storage fence post, the FM antenna amplifier, and adding the tilting hinges to the roof top solar panels.

I got a call from my son while wandering around Lake Havasu City and the water heater is in & working. They also discovered that the upstairs zone valve failed, so they will replace it in the morning. All in all, an expensive project!

By the time I got back to Quartzsite, it was 4:30, and I didn't feel like cooking dinner. I tried a new (for me) restaurant, The Mountain Quail Cafe. It had been recommended to my by a cousin of the owner last year at either a campground or rally, but I never managed to get there. Very good food. A bit more expensive than Sweet Darleen's, but I have to say, better quality. A fresh salad with excellent honey mustard dressing, and either fresh or frozen corn with my chicken fried steak. The vegetables at Sweet Darleen's are canned...

Until Tomorrow -

Day 116, Tuesday, November 28, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 13

Tuesday, November 28, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 13, 0 Miles, 3,253.8 Towing Miles For the Trip

After breakfast I headed to RV Lifestyles, one of the larger RV dealers in Quartzsite, to order the part for the awning. $20.08 including shipping. I hope it is the right part - the awning model numbers copied from the paperwork packed with it didn't seem to mean anything to Dometic, so they "think" they are sending the correct part. On the way back I stopped at a couple of the LTVA offices & traded in some books for new ones (well, not so new, but new to me).

I got a call from my son - Lowes left a message on my answering machine in Oswego that my order was in. I called the Lake Havasu City Lowes, and they did have the order. Even though I gave them my cell number to call when it was ready, they used my home number. At least they didn't send the fence post to Oswego! The end caps sent by UPS are also in, so I'll pick it all up tomorrow. Kyle also told me he still had not heard from the heating people to schedule the replacement of the water heater. I called, complained, and they now promise it will go in tomorrow. I hate doing things by remote!

I've mentioned the things I like about Quartzsite, so it is only fair to include those I don't. Just after dinner, the wind picked up enough to start blowing the Quartzsite "sand" (actually dust) around. It starts with the mountains to the east disappearing (they are the furthest away). The ones to the west start to dim (this time, unlike other times, they didn't also disappear). I quickly closed up the trailer, but some dust always makes it inside. For what ever reason, my combined smoke/CO alarm went off. Since the smoke side is photo electric, you would thing it would be the dust that set it off, but for what ever reason, the alarm indicated excess CO. Since I wasn't burning anything but the refrigerator, and that is sealed from the rest of the trailer, I'm not sure what the cause was, but eventually I got tired of it and took out the batteries. They went back in this morning & it remains quiet! This is the third time this has happened, usually with a sudden change in the weather.  I may look for a replacement tomorrow.

This morning there were mostly blue skies, but anything that was horizontal outside had a layer of dust on it. Since the solar panels are cranking out close to their usual amount & the batteries were full by noon, I didn't climb up on the trailer to wash them. While the dust isn't anywhere near as bad in the trailer, there is a light coat on the laptop monitor.

Dinner will be the second batch of chili. There is also one in the freezer for the future.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 115, Monday, November 27, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 12

Stone Art (Not Mine)

Monday, November 27, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 12, 0 Miles, 3,253.8 Towing Miles For the Trip

After my usual walk for coffee to the 76 gas station (I believe I misnamed it as an ARCO station in a previous post) I ate breakfast, then read for a bit. Cooler than the last couple of days, and windy. I checked out what I need for parts to repair the awning - a right end cap. I'll try one of the Quartzsite RV shops to see if they can order one. Being a Dometic part, it shouldn't cost much more than the trailer!

After lunch, I drove to the Road Runner grocery store for supplies to make a pot of chili. They had everything I needed, although I realized once I got back to the trailer that I didn't have any cilantro. Well, it is OK without it, after all, I'm camping!

I ordered a birthday present for my almost 10 year old granddaughter from Amazon. For some reason, I couldn't get them to put a gift card in with the item I purchased, so I'll have to do that as a separate card. They have a wonderful email animated card, but I don't have her email address (if she has one).

I did have to sit outside at the stove while it cooked because the wind blew out the flame when set low enough that the chili simmered rather than boiled. I wandered over to an art piece someone made next door. Very impressive work, by someone that had too much time on their hands.

Dinner will be what else? - Chili. There will be enough for tomorrow, and at least one meal in for the freezer.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 114, Sunday, November 26, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 11

My Very Open Site

Sunday, November 26, 2017 - La Posa West, LTVA, Quartzsite, AZ, Day 11, 0 Miles, 3,253.8 Towing Miles For the Trip

Another quiet day in Quartzsite. After my walk for coffee, I made bacon & French toast for breakfast. A nice morning for sitting outside, although by afternoon it was in the mid 80's, and shade was necessary. I've mentioned before that I preferred the old manual awning with arms because you could tip it to change the angle, both to adjust shade & for water to run off in the rain. The new one on the 21 is electric, with no side arms. It just goes out & in.

Well, just before dinner I discovered another reason for disliking the new version. I had the awning out all afternoon providing shade, but when I ran it in, the guide on the front side that forces the awning header into position as it closes missed the plastic guide and broke. It jammed the awning partially closed, which involved some back & forth & using the power off & on switch to unjam. While I got the awning closed, I will have to guide it by hand every time I close it unless I can come up with a way to attach a new guide. I suspect it could be a warranty repair, but that would mean hauling the trailer somewhere and finding a place to live. Maybe this summer at home. I really liked the old technology!

I got a question about Quartzsite at the escape Facebook page, and posted a photo to show how much room there is around my site. Of course that could change at any time. The BLM requirement is that there be at least 10' between RVs. Most people leave far more room when they park in an area that already has an RV, but as the place fills, they do get closer & closer together. Mid January, during the big tent show, it gets really crowded, but for now I have lots of open space.

Dinner was a couple of grilled cheese & peanut butter sandwiches. For those that find that a bit strange, I can only say try one. Go light on the peanut butter or you will have a drippy mess, but the combination is good!

Until Tomorrow -