The Adventure South / Susanville stop Friday

  Today, Friday, we took a mini trip.  We drove 60 miles south on hwy 395 to just north of Hallelujah Junction.  Just before the exit I turned into a driveway and visited a private business that sells wheels, suspension parts and springs, and axles.  While I was there I loaded a brand new axle complete with hubs and brakes, into the back of my truck.  Another hour of driving and it was back in Susanville and waiting to be installed.  By the end of the day the trailer was ready for the road.

 

 
    All that is left to do is to settle up the bill with the tow company.  Brian, the owner of the shop, and I spent about 3 hours talking to various insurance customer service personnel to try to explain the event.  For people who do this for a living, they did not seem to have a clue about RVs and what they entail.  It can't be that difficult if they would do studying, or reading, or maybe, RVing. 

Label

I found this label on a nick-nack in gift store in Canby.  Does it seem odd to you? 

 (Read all of the tag.)

The Susanville Interment or Day 3

Another day here in S.  The shop got the nut off the rear wheel using a huge air gun and then a chisel.  Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the axle was serviceable.  So the hunt for a new one was launched.  Brian, the owner of Susanville Towing knew a guy.  After much measuring and conversation Alan said that he had one.  Randa and I are driving almost to Reno tomorrow to pick it up.  We are getting an axle with conventional bearings so they can be checked yearly.  The trailer came with Never Lube sealed bearings.  Never lube?  Right !  That is why we had the problem.

This is the Dexter Never Lube bearing that failed ..




Then, as added fun, the truck started to leak anti-freeze.  So after some hunting, I found a diesel shop that had time to replace it today.  I guess it was good timing as we were going nowhere today anyway.

The Adventure Day 4

    Susanville

Today is the day we could have been driving into the parking lot of  our destination, Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  But alas, we are still here in Susanville.  Hopefully, today the trailer will be retrieved from it's lonely location out by the prison and brought to the shop to start the repair process.  I will feel much better to have it near by again.  (Of course not as good as when we are rolling down the road again! )  The drama of repair will be next.

     Yesterday was spent mostly in our motel room watching the tube.  Did you know that Hallmark channel showed continuous Christmas movies without commercials all day long ?   We did enjoy a couple of Cary Grant movies on TCM.  I really miss my own DVR and the movies and sports that I have saved. 
 
     We did have our own Christmas here.  We both had set aside a few presents to open on the road so we enjoyed ourselves in spite of our location.  We were happy to be safe and warm and together.   I hope you and your family had a happy and safe holiday. 

The Adventure South, "Trouble Ahead"

   We left La Pine a lot earlier than the day before.  Lots of rain but the miles went by.  Fuel in Klamath Falls. Yummy burgers in Merrill.  Cruising through Alturas, Ca.  We began the lonely miles south hoping to stop somewhere near Reno.  About 40 miles out of  Susanville, there is the Secret Valley Rest Area.  A welcome stop after so many miles of nothing.  As we pulled in we both heard a screeching noise from the trailer.  Coming back from the bathroom I noticed that the back wheel of the trailer on the passenger side was discolored.  It looked a lot different than the other wheel.  I figured it was brown because of the road debris we encountered, namely pumice, so I thought I would wipe some of it off.   I touched it and the wheel was HOT !!  Trouble was here.  I figured it meant either brakes or wheel bearings. Both we not what I wanted to have happen.  However, the next minute I thought, "What if we hadn't stopped for a rest?  Even bigger trouble would have occurred."
Even now I shudder to think about it.
   Now what to do.  Driving further was out of the question.  I have Good Sam Towing so I called them.  I received an immediate response on the phone, but the wrecker took longer.  Because of the height of the trailer, they claimed they could not put it on a flatbed truck.  It would have prevented future problems but the story would not be as interesting.  Instead they sent someone "to repair the vehicle."  Of course that was not going to happen.
   Art, the wrecker driver worked hard and long; jacking and chaining up the axle and removing the wheel.  So, ready or not, we had to start the trip into Susanville with a three wheeled trailer.  We drove nervously down the mountain at 20 mph with the wrecker behind us.  The song "Three Wheels On My Wagon" playing in our minds.  About 8 miles out of Susanville, the longest of the leaf springs broke on the single tire.  Another long stop, more jacking, more bracing, more chains.
   We finally ended up 6 miles from Susanville in a wide spot in the road where the trailer is still parked waiting for Wednesday when the tow facility has a full crew.  Randa and I and the boys are in a motel in Susanville safe, dry and warm.  We are not sure how long the repair process will take so we are trying to be patient.   Stay tuned. 

The Adventure South Begins Day 1

    Our trip to Arizona is about to begin.  We have been loading for several days, but the last few days were pretty hectic.  "Did you put in the computer?  How many these do we need to take?  Do you have enough jeans?  The list was long.

    Finally, out trip began on Saturday.  We headed out at 11:30.  Much later than I would have liked.  As I driving through the neighborhood, I noticed that the trailer brake was not engaging. The digital reading was there, but the brakes were not applying.  So we turned around and went back home.  The called a local shop, Millars, and they said to bring it in.  I drove over and within an hour, it was fixed.  For No Charge.  How about that?

    So by 1:30 we were actually "on our way".  The weather was a question.  Rain was coming in the afternoon so we were anxious to get over the mountains before the snow made the road impassible.  I prefer driving over Willamette Pass.  The road seems better the actual up and down thing takes less time too.  But Santiam Pass is further north and thus, closer.  So I choose to go that way.  The pass was open with just spots of ice so by 3pm we were over and down.  Through Sisters, Bend and heading south on Hwy 97, we started thinking about a rv park to spend the night.  Cascade Meadows just north of LaPine.  As we were checking in, the manager asked if we had eaten.  I said no.  He informed us, "We are having a potluck tonight so come over after you get set up."  So we did.  Ham, scalloped potatoes, yams, buns and some friendly conversation.  Santa even stopped by to talk to the 6 kids that appeared at the correct time. 

   We went to bed satisfied and happy.

Observations on a Walk

Houses.
   The boys love to walk.  They would do it a dozen times a day if I was game.  As it is, they get at least 3 but most days 4 walks a day.  Around dawn, early afternoon, 5pm and right before bedtime
 (8-9pm).  So I get to see my neighborhood a lot.  To the east is a neighborhood being built and occupied as I write this.  When the dust settles there will be more than 150 new residences.  We walk in that area right now and the changes are dynamic.
    If we go any of the other directions the homes are established and occupied for over 15 years in some areas and longer in most.  I have walked by every home in the neighborhood many times since we returned from the coast.  First of all, they are all nice, well-kept structures.  But the difference is in the vitality.  Some places are alive.  Lit up. People coming and going.  Cars in and out.  Yards nicely landscaped.  And, in season, decorated in Halloween attire, or Christmas lights and objects.  I love the colored lights or the white lights adorning the neighborhood.
    Then there are the dead houses.  Not many, but there are several houses in the neighborhood that show no sight of occupation   If there weren't cars in the driveway, I would not think anyone lives there.  I have a house nearby that I have seen a light in the window only once in 2 1/2 months.  I know there are people in there because their vehicles move, but otherwise....

Mornings from the past

Observations on a walk - Dawn

Actually the boys and I were out before dawn.  Not hard in December with the late arrival of the sun.  The sky was getting lighter in the east as we braved 27 degrees in the first walk of December 5th, 2018.  The moon was glorious; red with a sliver of white about 15% above the horizon.  Up and to the right a short distance as the morning star, actually Venus, shining as the brightest object in the sky.   Check it out tomorrow when you get up.  In the SE sky. You can't miss it.  Then the moon will be coming up a little later then today, but still should be worth a view.

Dawn is a fabulous time to be out in the world.  Quiet.  Dark, but getting lighter by the minute.  It is fascinating to be a part of the dawning time.  The light comes on so gradually that it is difficult to measure and if you are not paying attention, it's "all-of-a -sudden", light out where it was dark a few minutes ago.  It is magical.

Observations on a Walk

     Walking in the dark. 
Now that winter is close, there's more darkness than light.  That means dog walking in the dark.   Night walking at Cape Blanco State Park meant almost feeling my way around the campground.  Dark was REALLY dark.
   
Darkness in the city?  Not so much.  Add city light, street lamps, porch lights and traffic, darkness is not dark.  Pollution of the darkness is quite evident.

Lunch

Is this what is meant by a happy meal ?

Driveways part2

   So when you park your car in the driveway or garage in which direction do you choose?  I Don't know about your area, but around here there is a lot of folks who park their vehicles facing towards the street.  Some even in their garages.  I might look cooler to have the car facing out but , to me, it puts the exhaust fumes into structure rather than outside.
      Maybe military training causes them to back in.  Maybe business.  I remember that Pennzoil taught it's drivers to back our trucks into a spot when you first arrived, so unloading was easier and leaving was safer than backing out later.
     Forewards or backwards, which one are you?