Get Your Engine Running…..

I started out like gang busters.  I started buy draining the oil in the little RV generator.  While that was draining I went and got some oil for it.  Plus I found a label on the Honda bike that said to use 91 octane so I filled up gas can with the high octane stuff.  Came back and put the new oil in the generator and started it up.  It don’t have an oil filter and takes 1.6 quarts of oil.  While it was running I filled the Honda cycle up with the 93 octane.  It really liked that high octane gas.  It idled better.  I wouldn’t think it needed high octane gas.  If you stop and think back in 1981 wasn’t normal gas starting out at 89 octane and went up to I think 96 at Sunoco.  The generator is happy with its new oil.  The air filter was fine.  Maintenance wise we are ready for the big trip to Alaska.  The packing of the inside will have to wait for March when we return from California.  Then back to California and North to Alaska.

With the new air compressor I blew off the leaves on the little RV.  What an easy job.

Let’s see, my Rand McNally GPS stopped working again.  Mark fixed it last time.  This was different and I figured out it was the connection at the GPS.  So I unplugged it and stuck a screw driver in the thing and just gave it a small twist.  It works now….

In the afternoon I decide to take the Honda Trail 110 for a ride.  19 miles later it’s doing fine.  It still needs a little work but it’s OK at this point.  I cruised at 50 mph until a small incline.  It holds steady for the most part at 45-47 mph.  That is way more than enough.  Now I need to get Carol on it and see how they both do.

It’s now 4:45 PM and it’s friggin pouring down rain.  Glad I wasn’t on the motorcycle for sure.

It rained cats & dogs until about 8 PM.  Then the dog and cat fight was on TV, Trump & Hillary.  I think they both lost…..blah blah blah blah blah……is all I heard.

See ya…………

Oil Everywhere

Carol fixed me breakfast this morning.  It must be my birthday and I forgot.   Maybe I’m still asleep and dreamed it.  In any case, it was good.

Here’s the results of Mark installing the LP connection inside the little RV.  This is just below the stove.  The blue device you see is the turn off valve.  Plus it’s a quick connect.      

Today was change the oil day and pump air.  I started with the simple oil change first.  The Honda Trail 110 cc bike.  I moved it up on the trailer so it would be easier to get to.

It took 1.2 quarts.  No oil filter.  That was easy.  Then I aired up the tires to their max capacity.

Next was the little RV oil/filter change.  No problem.  I crawled underneath the front end.  I even fit.  I couldn’t roll over but I could breath.  No mess except for the little splash out of the oil pan when I first opened the drain valve.  I replaced the oil and filter with Ford products.  I checked the air and all the tires were OK except the front.  I pumped them up to their max because of the weight (Honda) I will be carrying up front.

Another day I will change the generator oil.  No oil filter and it takes 1.6 quarts of oil. 

I had already drilled the carrier hitch for the Honda.  I painted it and moved it all back about 5 inches towards the bumper.  Looks a lot better and safer now

Toys, toys, blah, blah, blah……

Not a bad looking motorcycle for being 31 years old.

I installed the 2 inch ball and a different hitch for the trailer.  I wanted the trailer slightly higher in the front because of the weight it will be carrying.  Sometime in the next month Mark will load his BMW 650 cc on it.  Then I will load the Harley on it.  Then we will weigh the trailer and see if Mark can tow it.  If he can tow it, he will tow it one way and me the opposite way to where we go (Luckenbach 21 Oct – Betty’s RV Park 27 Oct).

I got all the “stuff” that I’ve been using in the barn.  Not put away,  just in the barn.  I will have to put it away another day.  Theirs room for the Harley and the Honda. 

That new 10 gallon air compressor for home use is really nice.  Can’t really take it in the big RV and no real need to.  The big RV has its own compressor that goes up to about 100 psi.  I just have to remember to put the air hose back in it that I’m using now.

Another retired day.

See ya…………….

Fun Work Day

Mark came over in the morning.  We (he) installed the new carb that I got from Amazon for the Honda Trail 110 cc bike.  After a few adjustments the Honda started running and starting better.  It ran OK before but now it even runs better.  Mark wants it to run even better yet so he’s gonna order some more parts.  I said go for it and I would pay for them of course.  He really likes tinkering with the little bike.  He had one a few years ago.

Next we moved the newly purchased 2009 trailer behind the little RV and hooked it all up.  All the lights work and we got it and the hitch height we wanted.  We tried different ride heights with the variety of hitches I had accumulated over the years. We will load his antique BMW and my antique Harley up on the trailer another time.  We will then tow them to the Luckenbach American/European bike show next month.

Afterward playing with the trailer we (Mark) tackled the job of installing a propane quick connect with a turn off valve inside the little RV.  Ed Kruty did our install in the Winnebago a couple of years ago.  It’s worked fine ever since.  We like the efficiency and being noiseless is really nice.  Mark like ED made it look so easy with the good tools he had.  They weren’t Harbor Freight type tools like I normally have.  Now that I have an inside LP connector I have to find a heater.  My Mr Buddy won’t work because its a high pressure heater and it’s a low pressure connection.  We got a propane heater in the Winnebago  rig but it might be too big for this little RV.  Something to work on before Alaska.

After all this work we sat out on the porch and smoked some little cigars that Mark brought with him.  They were OK  but we both liked the cigars we got up in Maryland a couple of months ago.  Mark left to go work on his BMW.  We just might go bike riding tomorrow.

Next was for me to straighten up from all the work we did.  That means I took all the tools that I had and just piled them inside the barn.  I will straighten them up in another day.  It was getting to humid.

Next was Walmart.  It’s not a productive day unless we visit Walmart.  Carol needed some stuff and I needed some special synthetic motorcycle oil plus a 2 inch hitch ball.  the all I have is only 3,000 lbs.  I wanted a  more margin of safety so I got a 6,000 lb hitch ball.  The oil was $7 bucks a quart and the hitch ball was $4.88.  I will do the oil change and install the hitch ball another day.

We stopped at Taco Bell so Carol could get her Chalupa (sp?) Supreme.  Next we stopped at Popeye’s and I got a fried shrimp sub.  We got back home and enjoyed our little dinner together then watched some TV.

It was a productive fun day.

See ya……….

Yea It’s Friday

Yea, it’s Friday.  Oh, I thought I was still working and it’s the end of the week.  Now everyday is Friday and I don’t work and thus don’t get paid.  Really love retirement.  Seems like I very seldom get caught up on everything.  I get close ever once in a while in a blue moon.  Of course that’s true even when I was young (two years ago?).  As far as being caught up for a full timer, I think the list isn’t nearly as long but usually pretty important.  Blah, blah, blah……..

I went to What A Burger early (7:30 AM) this morning.  I got a biscuit & gravy plus a coffee for $2 bucks.  Hard to beat that.  Then on to DMV.  I got the 6X10 trailer titled/tagged so it’s legal.

When Carol returned from line dancing we headed for Woodville.  On the way I stopped at the Indian store and got my Mom 2 cartons of smokes at $36 each.  She’s at the age if she wants to smoke – let her smoke.  Then we stopped at Elijah's for lunch in Woodville.  Their food is really outstanding.  I had catfish and Carol had chicken and dumplings.

Next was to visit my Mom.  She was very alert and up beat.  Seems like she is getting better from her last medical episode of a few months ago.  That resulted her moving from an assisted living home to a nursing home.  She is in the right place.

Carol and I went to the nursing home office to check in.  I got several overdue pharmacy bills.  What a racket!  We have to wait a couple of more months to apply to Medicaid for her and resolve all this BS.  Blah, blah, blah…..

I had a rain check for NY steaks from the local grocery store from over a week ago.  I figured it was time to check it out.  I picked out some real good looking steaks and went to check out with the rain check saving $3 a pound.  I got about 6 pounds.  After about a 5 minute wait of them relabeling the steaks (6 of these babies), I checked out, no problem.  We split one for dinner.  Oh my!  They evidently put out the cheap cut meat when it’s on sale.  This steak could almost be cut with a fork.  Oh yea……

Well, we have filled up our house freezer in the mobile and the house freezer in the RV.  We are done with pork butt, chicken, steaks, pork chops, beef franks and some other stuff.  Wow, did we fill them up fast.

Don’t know why I got these little light bulbs below here if their still here when this is publish.  Maybe the blog has an idea……

See ya…..

Getting It Done

I looked up the weather for the next two weeks here in Livingston.  Starting Monday and continue on thru September and a week into October (how far I looked), the temperatures are suppose to be in the 80’s and even the low 80’s.  Now we are talking about some good weather.  I guess Fall means falling temperatures along with the leaves which are already starting to fall.  This roof was cleaned yesterday.

Next was to get back to drilling on the front of the RV.  Where’s Ed & Denny when I need them?  I had two holes drilled but they need to be drilled out more with the new bits I got.  They didn’t work – too small.  I got the right size, 1/16, at Tractor Supply and all is fixed now and even painted.

Next was the roof vent cover.  I know the Fantastic Fan company says it will cut down air flow by covering a vent but I got a whole bunch of air flow so that won’t matter.  I need to have a vent open when it rains in hot weather plus if we’re not in the RV with the vent open it will now be OK.  Their brackets couldn’t be installed so I just caulked the hell out of it.

Since I got this extra 200 lbs (motorcycle) hanging off the front bumper I wanted to air up the front tires to 75 lbs. That’s what the book says and we know the book is always right just like a RV/car salesman.  Well, I tried.  My air compressor machine of about 7 years decided it was retiring and stopped.  I tried fixing it last year when it started going bad.  Well, I got an extra year out of it.  I went to Tractor Supply, Walmart, Lowes, auto store and ended up getting one from Tractor Supply.  It’s a 10 gallon and not for traveling with – too big but not huge.  It was on special what ever sales gimmick that is.

Carol’s Mariner needs an oil change.  No problem.  Walmart it’s $20 and that will be another day.  I checked yesterday. 

Now I want to change the oil in the little RV.  I’m gonna give it a try – not today.  I haven’t changed the oil in a vehicle in decades.  I got all the stuff – Ford synthetic blend oil, Ford filter, oil pan and an oil filter wrench.  Now I need to loose another 20 lbs so I can fit under the RV.  This oil change will wait a while longer too.

Wait, there’s more!  I’ve been trying to buy a 6X10 wood plank open trailer for almost two years now.  It has been for sale the last couple of months for $800.  I stopped by and offered her $500.  She tried to negotiate for more and I was very firm on $500 and she gave in.  The trailer will replace my little 4X6 trailer for sure.  The 6X10 trailer is easier to load the big Harley on to and safer too.

Plus at Tractor Supply I got this 6 ton bottle jack for $20.  My 1 ton just isn’t getting it.

So I got a lot of “stuff” done today.  Tomorrow will be to get the trailer registered.  This will be an adventure for sure.  The small town atmosphere has left this DMV as far as I’m concerned.

See ya…….

What Time Is It Kids?

It’s Wednesday, grocery shopping day.  Carol wanted to go to Walmart so we went to Walmart.  She got what ever she wanted and I’ve forgot what I got.  We did stop at H.E.B. grocery store where I got pork butt for $1 a lb.  Got the limit which was two.

Back at the lot I decided to work on the front motorcycle carrier on the little RV.  My objective was to move the thing closer to the RV by moving the hitch closer.  The square piece that goes into the receiver needed to be moved inward more.  That means drilling a new pin hole.  I got out my tools and two drills and three batteries later I had the required holes.  One problem.  Their too small.

Rest of the day was fiddling around doing nothing special.

For dinner I made some hamburgers.  Haven’t had them for awhile so why not.  They were good too. 

Later that evening, $44 bucks for two drill bits at Lowe’s.  One will be going back if one works.  We shall see.  Since H.E.B. is next door to Lowe’s I stopped and got another two pork butts.

When I got back to the lot it was too dark to do any drilling plus the batteries were still charging.

We watched the new TV show Designated Survivor .  We liked it and it’s on our hit list to watch it again on Wednesday nights.

See ya……………..

RV Wash & Rain Of Course

By 7 AM I was out the door and getting the little RV ready to move and wash.  I unhooked the elect and moved the slide out in.  Really not much.  I moved it from underneath the RV Port to just outside the port roof.  The little RV roof needed a cleaning more than anything and I wanted to stand up when I washed it.  I washed the roof then the entire rig to include the awning.  I finished up about 9 AM.  The down pour of rain came 15 minutes later.  Dog on it.   It stopped about 10 AM.  10:30 I was out washing the little RV again.  Mainly I wanted to get the leaves off of it.  The roof was so slick! How slick was it?  I had to spray where I was going to put my feet or I would slip on the leaves.  So, I sprayed them off the roof.  Then I had to do the sides of the RV because that’s where the roof leaves went.  Hey, just being part of an RVer.  All finished and parked back under the roof.

See this wheel.  I took the wheel covers off because I don’t want them on for the Alaska trip.  They would hold dirt, can’t check the air with them on, etc.   Anyhow, I’m trying to figure out to fix all these scratches from the wheel covers. I can paint a ring around the outer edges, maybe orange.  I can buy chrome rings at about $75 or so.  Don’t care for that.  Or just leave them alone which I don’t like the look.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, enough said……

See ya……..

Everybody Likes Spam–NOT!

$4 bucks for this drawer catch is just too much.  Enough said

While out and about I got these two 1X6X6 boards for the Harley trailer.  Why?  So my feet can touch something while going up the ramp on the bike.  Improvise….

Next was lunch.  Which one?I guess it will be the Hot & Spicy… just cut it up and cook them on the grill.

Now I did say cook them.  This is the way I like them and I ate them all.  I only eat them burnt.  Other wise I hate them.  They are so Goooood burnt!

Last night we had a guest visitor at our grill.  It likes the grease.  The animal has been here before and then tracks that grease on to the table then a chair then the floor.  We think its a possum.  Hey, I know some people are messier.

Here’s where the cigar butts go.

The cat’s daytime area when it’s not so hot. 

Hey, where’s everybody at?

Frank & Gloria King took us out to dinner.  We choose a little Chinese buffet on the edge of  town.  It’s hidden and you must know where it’s at basically.  The food was good and the company was outstanding.  We will get together some more hopefully.

See ya…..

Planning

I started the day planning to do nothing.  In other words just about a normal day lately.  I usually have a list to look at but didn’t even do that.

I started off by going outside and seeing all the tools that were slung about under the carport from working on the 110 Honda.  So I gathered all the tools in a box and put them in the garage.  Didn’t sort thru them to put them away.  Just gathered them and put them in the garage.  As a matter of fact, I put the box of tools next to the tools I had out for the Harley.  Honda is metric and the Harley is American tools.  I will sort them out and put them in the big tool chest another day that I don’t plan to do anything.  Then I had to sweep out the carport to make it look pretty.  Next was to put the Honda in the barn with the Harley.  No sense it sitting out.    One problem.  The garage was a mess and it wouldn’t fit.

Next was to at least to straighten the barn so the Honda would fit.  But first I had to clean up the oil spill from a few days ago.  You ask why didn’t I clean it up when I made it.  No need/desire to when it happened and it is a Man’s Cave and it wasn’t going anywhere.  Done that.  Then had to move “stuff” around and even threw some stuff in a box to take to the dump another day.  Finally everything fit.

This all happened between 7-9 AM.  After that it was to hot & humid.  It might have been the hottest day so far for us since being back.  By the heat of the day our temp gauges said 94-96 degrees and the humidity was up there too.  Being outside for more than 15 minutes doing anything means you were going to be soaking wet from sweat.

NASCAR…. good race…….

I made reservations for the Luckenbach motorcycle rally in October.  It’s gonna be a blast. http://www.harvestclassic.org/ It’s 300 miles away and starting on a Friday morning.  I made reservations for a nearby state park for Thursday night.  Now I have to ensure the Honda and Harley are running good.  Plus I have to get the motorcycle trailer and the front bike hauler ready that way there should be no problems.  Famous last words ain’t it.  Hey, it’s five weeks away…plenty of time.  Oh, yea.  I got to get the little class C ready…wash the roof, install a roof cover vent, change the oil/filter, and what ever else…..

Carol fixed a pork loin, rice and mushroom soup in a crock pot for dinner.  Boy that was good.

I tried working on some Loosey Goosey Alaska files but the computer said they were missing.  Great…..now what….Mark……maybe he can find them when he’s here next time.

See ya…..

The Harley Ran

We went to CARE for breakfast this morning.  We met Frank & Gloria King there.  They’re volunteer workers at CARE.  We had a nice talk and brought each other up to date on our happenings.

Next was off to Woodville to see my Mom.  Our arrival surprised her.  We were going to be back in Livingston towards the end of the month but got back early.  Mom’s memory is a little better and she was in a good mood.

We got back to Livingston a little before lunch.  I figured it was time to let the Harley out of the barn.  I got it out and went for a short and sweet run of about 20 miles around town.  That was real nice.  The old Harley ran like a trooper and didn’t miss a beat.  The Love Bugs were out and they don’t taste too bad.

Later that evening Mark came over.  We sat out later and smoked our cigars.  The weather was almost bearable being so humid.  Glad we had real cold beer to help us get thru it.  Seems like we all will be busy come the middle of Oct to the middle of Nov with “stuff.”

All is calm……

See ya…..