Wednesday, November 20
I did a boo-boo. I thought I’d be able to keep it a secret, but it looks like I have to fess up.
It starts with the 12-volt system in the Best Little Trailer not working. No power comes out of either of the outlets. The tiny, green indicator light for the antenna doesn’t come on. Ditto on the tv. It may be a burnt fuse.
Well, since I’m in one of my depressive episodes at the time that I discover this, I don’t attempt to fix the problem. All I need to send me over the edge is a dadburn fuse replacement fiasco. Anyway . . .
In order to charge my laptop, phone, camera, and air card, I use my two small inverters, plugging them into the two cigarette outlets in the Perfect Tow Vehicle.
Okay, no big deal, right?
Well, I don’t go anywhere for a couple of days, simultaneous with clouds hanging over our campsite like a big ol’ tarp. Because the sun is covered in clouds, I don’t see much point in tilting the solar panel.
You know where this is leading . . .
The crew and I wake up, and we’re happy, happy, happy. We take a walk, eat breakfast, loll around, and then . . . “Let’s take a little ride into Quartzsite.”
I turn the ignition key. Click-click-click. I turn it again. Click-click. Son of a . . . ! Dead battery!
I do what I usually do when presented with A Problem Involving A Motor Vehicle. I walk over to my camp chair, sit down in it, and wait for a miracle.
A few minutes later, a red Volkswagen drives up the lane and stops. A man gets out, along with a big, bouncy, black and tan dog.
“Hello, Sue!” the man calls. Hmm . . . must be a reader of the blog.
It’s Lefty (aka Norman in the comments section) and his dog, Betty, both from New Jersey. They’re camped in Quartzsite in their Class A.
Of course, Bridget and Spike go into a barking frenzy.
Sweet Betty tries her darnedest to be friendly, offering invitations to play. Bridget bares her teeth and snarls. Spike hops around, growling and barking, with his fur up. Betty looks at Bridget and Spike, bewildered.
No matter what playful gestures Betty makes, the crew is convinced she’s a threat. Disappointed, Betty gives up, walks over to the “yard” in front of the BLT, and deposits a huge poop (sorry, no photo). Touche, Betty!
Lefty and I enjoy the usual conversation that RVers engage in. I tell Lefty about the PTV’s dead battery and he offers to return to his RV to get his jumper cables.
He comes back in a few minutes and hooks up the cables.
The PTV still won’t start. Lefty crawls under the engine and taps the starter. Still doesn’t start.
“Ya’ know, Lefty? I think the battery is so low on charge that it needs a slow charge for a few hours at least.”
Lefty and I round up a wandering Betty. We say our goodbyes. “Thanks for trying, Lefty!”
I’ve learned my lesson.
The solar panel is tilted at a 45 degree angle (photos were taken previously). I only charge things when the engine is running.
The sun comes out and shines on the panel all afternoon (my miracle!). By four o’clock, the PTV starts!
I’m waiting for two replacement connectors to arrive in Quartzsite from Amazon. Yes, the connector that was put on while in Lone Pine, California, slipped and hit the pavement. I think this is the third time that’s happened.
I’ll replace that connector and then deal with the 12-volt outlet problem. If I can’t fix it (a likely event), I’ll take the BLT down Dome Rock Road to RV Lifestyles and ask them to figure it out. I refuse to worry about it.
One thing you gotta’ give Arizona, the sunrises and sunsets are spectacular.
With the short days and long nights of winter, the crew and I have been going to sleep earlier than usual. That means I wake up well before daybreak. I wait for the glow that creeps through the window over our bed. It’s my cue to pull on my Bear Paws, grab my camera, and run outside.
Isn’t an Arizona sunrise a wonderful way to start the day? Follow it up with a cup of fresh-perked coffee and life is good, very good.
And isn’t an Arizona sunset a great way for a day to come to a close?
The crew and I sit outside to watch the clouds turn shades of pink, coral, and orange against a blue sky.
The colors disappear and the night chill arrives.
“Time to go in, guys.”
Thank God, the PTV starts!
rvsue
NOTE: I want to share an excerpt from the 11/20/13 post of “Travel with Jean and Skip” that gave me a chuckle.
“We knew that RV Sue was staying up the road from us, but we didn’t see her. A funny thing happened a day or two before we left Dome Rock Road. I was walking along the road with Sophie and Louie, when a red pickup passed us, stopped, backed up a few feet, the man driving yelled out the window, RV Sue? I said nope, he says are you sure?, and looked at the dogs …Sue has two Rat Terriers that are white in color and way bigger than our Boston Terriers. I said I’m sure and kept walking he looked puzzled and started to say something else but we just kept walking and he finally drove off.”
The crew and I met Jean and Skip and their canine crew at Borrego Springs last winter. They’re presently camped on Ogilby Road near Yuma. Click the link above to see their blog!
MY SINCERE THANKS TO EVERY RVSUE SHOPPER!
Earthing Starter Kit
Victor Electronic Rat Trap
Weber Liquid Propane Gas Grill
PowerShred 17 Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder
Pentax K-Mount DA 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 ED SDM Interchangeable Lens
AeroGarden Classic 7-Pod with Gourmet Herb Seed Kit
“REAR VIEW MIRROR”
On Memorial Day of this year, 2013, the crew and I watch a modern cattle drive on our way to a reservoir where Spike takes a soak.
“Green fields, small towns, and a cattle drive on the way to Mill Meadow Reservoir, UT”
