A Different Life II

[Lily&Me]

A small bit of trouble-shooting...the panel doesn’t seem to like the extension cord...and we’re in business.

The directions are pretty thin, but I googled “Renogy solar suitcase setup“ and found a short video from a camper who demonstrated and ended with “once the panel is connected, it will start right up”.

I removed the extension cord and, voila!

It couldn’t be easier to use. The little screen said my battery was at 12.3, about 24 hours after last electricity, which doesn’t seem too bad.

Can’t get the picture to load.

Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Quite the mechanic mcgiver you're becoming! Quite a lot to be said for desire and determination. [emoji2059]

[Lily&Me]

Yes, I was feeling quite accomplished.

Until I could NOT get one of the connectors apart to put it away... struggling, pulling with all my strength, digging out the pliers.

A good 10 minutes, sweat pouring off me. Nothing.

So I did what any woman alone in this kind of predicament would do...I flagged down the first pickup truck that came by.

In it was a nice young man who works for the forest service, who also struggled mightily to get this connection apart and had to get his own pliers.

But, he was eventually successful, quickly determined what the problem was and, of course, as quickly fixed it.

He asked where we were headed, and we chatted a bit, and of course I told him about HistoriCorps and gave him a brochure and business card.

Sigh.

Sometimes you beat back the dragon, sometimes you give up and find a knight.

And, I’m okay with that.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

We are in a NP campground til the 5th, where there is no CG signal but one at the end of the road out.

If I’m not posting, don’t worry, we are fine.

Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Love that you post ahead of time to keep us from worrying. Now that we know we'll just patiently wait for the occasional walk to the end of the road. Enjoy your fourth.

[Lily&Me]

I actually have to drive out, as it’s a couple of miles uphill.

I have hooked the solar up each day, topping the battery off, and but for the extension cord it doesn’t like it has been a great upgrade.

We are at a rather large NP campground, only half of which is open due to budget issues due to Covid, but closed loops are a great place to let Lily rip around a bit early in the mornings.

We are walking and crocheting and reading and cooking a bit.

Sleeping well at night, in the absolute silence.

Have seen several buffalo, and this morning a doe seemed to be looking for a handout...came very close to our site, just stood and looked expectant.

I did not feed her.

I forgot I had this little gizmo for checking coach battery capacity.

[Lily&Me]

After a week of dry camping, we have settled today into a full service, full hookup campground until Thursday.

Includes cable TV, so I will catch up on the news I have missed only just a little.

It has been quite warm, and shade at our site was minimal, so air conditioning feels like we are in the lap of luxury.

Lily is a happy girl.

No hot water on board, so since leaving home 12 days ago but for a couple of cold showers I have used the solar shower to wash my hair and a 2 liter bottle of water warmed in the sun for the rest of me.

Better than nothing, but the bathhouses are open here and a real shower is going to be wonderful.


Going to try to get the water heater fixed while we are here, also replacement filters for my rooftop AC...took them out to wash them the other day, and they started falling apart.


There seem to be plenty of RV’s and tent campers out there, on the road and in the campgrounds.

The bathhouse here is open, otherwise it will continue to be social distancing while traveling as a matter of course.

Nothing new and exciting going on. I read several books this past week, none of them remarkable but for going thru “The Gift of Fear” once again.


This sun hat hangs near my cargo door, and butterflies like to visit it when that door is open.

[Lily&Me]

Well, having spent a lot of time on google and the phone, I am unable to find an RV repair place near where I am that can look at the water heater issue, and so I then spoke with two mobile RV repair guys.

One charges $250, paid up front before he will even come out, the other said he could be out on Wednesday but would not answer the question of his minimal charge.

Ummm, no. I suspect it is a very small thing, and just can’t justify those high mobile repair costs.

I could live without hot water in my shower the rest of this trip, but it is a quality of travel life issue.

So, spoke with a gentleman in a neighboring site this morning about maybe someone in the campground who was handy and might be able to repair this for some cash.

He insisted on looking at it himself, and quickly determined the problem to be the sensor rather than a wire.

He did get the sensor back in place in its’ hole...which I had been unable to do for fear of blowing myself up...and zip tied one wire to the other in a position where it will light and work until I can get the sensor replaced...so far, no luck in finding one of those, tho he said if I did he could and would install it for me.

He told me to buy some “high heat RTV”, and showed me where to apply it to hold the sensor in place...which I purchased at Auto Zone and applied in their parking lot.

I now have hot water.

He absolutely refused any money, said “we’re all in this together“.

What a guy.


I met a woman a couple of winters ago who had bought herself a little travel trailer, but did not know how to back it up and had no intention of learning.

When she pulls into a campground, she asks someone to park it for her.

She also carries no tools of any kind, no spare bits and pieces, etc., staying openly that she doesn’t ever plan to be out in the wilds somewhere where there is no one else around, will simply flag someone down and ask them to fix whatever.

I was a bit stunned, and told her I did believe she should learn some basics and have some minimal self-help items, but she was quite adamant this is how she intends to travel.

Me, I don’t want to be the woman traveling alone who men are afraid will ask for help or for them to fix something.

Sometimes you’re stuck, tho, and need to ask for help.

I can’t do much in the way of RV repairs, but do try to help others when and where I can, so I guess I pay it back in my own way...which is probably all any of us can do.

Maybe I will gift his wife a crocheted dishcloth as a thank you, as I came across some very pretty cotton the other day.



I found about 10 miles from where we are staying a dealership that had cut-to-fit replacement AC filters, so we ran over there this morning, picked that up, then got them trimmed up and in place as well.

A productive day, thus far, and Lily has already had two walks.

Maggie

[rmkrum]

What a nice gentleman! It’s great you happened to find someone that was able to help and very skilled. They are out there...and yes, we are all in this together!

[Lily&Me]

Really, he was exceptional, and some would say in the right place at the right time to give that 10 minutes or so of help to me.

I’m working on a dishcloth.

Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

People helping people will never go out of style.

If traveling alone I would tend towards your style of "be prepared and capable".

They will really appreciate the thank you token because you took the time to make something even though he said it was all good.

Warm water, yippee!

[Lily&Me]

Yep.

I made up a pretty dishcloth and took it to them a bit ago when they got back from a day out on their motorcycle.

She is just as sweet as he, and loved it.

Glad I had picked up the yarn and was able to make it...funny how those things work out.

I had a list of things I needed to get done while here in a town and with good signal.

Only a few items left...

Maggie

[Mansderm161]

So glad you got it fixed. I was going to mention asking around the campground. I have found that the majority of campers are incredibly friendly people who will help if they can. If one wants to attribute my experience to an advantage by being a woman travelling alone, I gladly accept that. When I got my Airstream, one fellow commented to me that I would likely be snubbed by other non- Airstream campers at a campground, but that has not been my experience at all. Campers in general restore my faith in humanity. Safe travels, Maggie, and enjoy that warm shower!

[Lily&Me]

Hi Deb!

I’m glad to have it fixed, tho it is temporary and I need to find a replacement sensor...so far, no luck, tho I’m going to try to call Atwood today and see what they say.

You know, I think that not taking advantage of others was something drilled into me as a child, because I still carry that to the nth degree.

Plus, if you’re going to travel by yourself dependency on others should not be SOP.

In my opinion.

But when you’re stuck, you’re stuck, and people are usually glad to help.

But for the camp host the morning I couldn’t get the cap off my drain, who said he wasn’t on duty.

Tho a nice couple then came by in their truck and he was glad to wrestle it off for me.

After which I bought a set of strap wrenches so the next time I will be prepared.


I accidentally snapped at its base the power cord on my WeBoost the other day, but with the help of their customer service a replacement is on its way to me here at my campground.

Now that was one of my best purchases, ever, as it reliably strengthens a little signal into adequate signal.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I found these little WoodWick candles at WalMart the other day for $2.47 each, and they smell heavenly.

In plastic, which are lightweight and which I prefer to purchasing one time use glass, and the perfect size for travel.

I like to make my own, but also indulge in reasonably priced, commercially made.

[Lily&Me]

Randy at Dakota RV https://www.dakotarv.com/ helped me track down the thermal sensor needed for my Atwood water heater...I now know where the model and serial numbers are located ...then ordered the item from his supplier and will ship it to my home when it comes in on Monday.

Everyone I spoke with about this part, none of whom had it, said “call Dakota RV”.

He is a very busy man, but I got hold of him after about 24 hours and he stayed on the phone with me til he had the correct part identified...I had to go take a picture and text it to him...and ordered.

5 stars to Randy for great customer service!

In the meantime, neighbor Chris’ fix with zip tie is still holding, and should the zip tie fail before I get home I will know how to do it myself.


Chris and his sweet wife Patricia were interested in my HistoriCorps bumper sticker, then very interested in HC when we talked about it, so gave them a business card and brochure.


Not trusting my gauges, I decided to top off my propane before heading back into the wilds tomorrow.

Only 2 gallons used in 3 weeks, one solid week of that dry camping. Seems pretty good to me, tho of course I haven’t been able to use propane for hot water until just the last couple of days.


Partly due to clumsiness and partly due to carelessness, I broke the USB connector on my WeBoost charger last weekend, and that is an item I don’t want to travel without.

Called Wilson, and altho they don’t make this little guy any more the customer service woman I spoke with found the part and shipped it to me UPS second day.

It has just arrived, so everything on my in-town, to-do list is done.

It’s actually been a pretty full week.

Going to do laundry early and then head for the hills tomorrow.

It’s been a nice break here.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Laundry done up, a quick stop at Safeway...I always think Doug, “Gunsite” and Arizona when I see a Safeway store ...and we were on the road out of town early this morning.

However, we were not early enough to snag a campsite at three separate NP campgrounds.

All full, tho it is Friday on a beautiful weekend.

So, I decided the first reasonably hospitable place I saw to boondock, was going to pull in and snag it.

Up a NF road, then a side road, and we should be good til morning.

Not my usual thing, but I can see the paved road from where we’re at, so feel very safe.

[Lily&Me]

Spent a night in a fairground and last night in the city park in Lander, WY, which allows one to camp for free up to three nights.

Lots of little bitties settled in here by dark...nothing more than a parking spot with a bathroom and water, some shade, but clean, lovely and free.

Or, you can pitch a tent on the grass.

Needed to stay in town to go to the post office when it opens in a bit, as the afghan I’ve been working on is finished and will be off to its new home.


Lots of RV’s of all sizes on the road, lots of 1-800-RV4Rent, people getting out and about.

I read an article about the very long lines to get into Glacier in recent days, as the Park opened but the tribes have not.

It’s a mess.


HistoriCorps has opened only a couple of projects so far this season, a prerequisite being the coronavirus under control in the host state.

I am signed up for one later this month, but don’t know if I will get into another. As they have reduced the number of volunteers for each project this year, to allow for social distancing, there are fewer opportunities for everyone so I don’t want to be greedy.

May head toward home after it’s done to start the process for cataract surgery.

It needs to be done.

Stay safe out there.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I have finished both of these books, both excellent.

[Lily&Me]

We have discovered a new favorite place...Sinks Canyon about 10 miles south of Lander, the NP campground FCFS, with water and pit toilets.

Right up against the roaring, rushing Popo Agie River, whose sound drowns out any that might drift down from the limited road above.

We pulled in after the stop at the post office at about 9am Monday, just as a gentleman on a motorcycle with a little pop up tent pulled behind was getting ready to leave a spot perfect for us.

Meant to be.

A rather tight and narrow turn, he paused in his leaving and gallantly helped me back in.

What a beautiful place, a nice breeze and at almost 7000 feet elevation about 20 degrees cooler than in town.

Set the solar panel in the sun, and we were up and running.

We could walk across the river on a footbridge at the end of our site, and where Lily went down to the river each time we crossed.

There are a couple of trails each direction the other side, too, but I was too afraid of encountering a wild animal to go more than maybe a quarter mile down either.

But we wandered a ways up each, several times a day...it was beautiful and Lily loved it.

Lots of hikers and mountain bikers out there.

Everyone here seems to have at least one dog, rarely seen on a leash but accompanying their owners hiking or biking, and all very well behaved.


This is Lily on alert...acutely aware of dogs and animals she cannot see...her head lifts, ears perk up, a low growl comes from her throat...she will look at me like “do you smell that???!!!”

My sweet girl.