The last few days have been really nice weather-wise. The highs have been somewhere in the 80s with plenty of sunshine. So it's been great to get outdoors and get some outside chores done around the homestead and yesterday Peggy and I jumped in the Chevelle and went for a cruise. We made a 70 mile loop with the windows down, the wind in our hair, and listened to the sound of a small block V-8 rumbling down the backroads of Mid-Coast Maine. It just don't get much better than that!
Today looks a bit more thunderstormy so I think we'll stick closer to home. Those indoor projects need working on too ... so today might be the day.
But tomorrow's weather is looking good again so we are planning on driving up the coast to Belfast to see what trouble we can get into with Darrell and Judy. We haven't been through Belfast in years so it ought to be a fun trip.
Nostalgia
Back in the summer of 1966 my family was living in the very small logging community of McCloud, California - way up north at the base of Mt. Shasta. We had recently moved there from the suburbs of Sacramento, California. So there I was - a 16 year old "big city" kid that had been transplanted to the backwoods. In the summer in our old Sacramento neighborhood we would go to the local swimming pool to cool off from the 100 plus degree temperatures in the California Central Valley. In McCloud we had the McCloud River.
The McCloud River is a typical mountain stream fed by the snow melt from Mt. Shasta and is really coooold - even in the summer. Cooling off in the river meant you didn't stay in for long or you would turn blue! The best place to go swimming was at Lower Falls, about 10 or so miles east of town near "Fowler's" a campground maintained by the state. I have included a picture of Lower Falls below as it looked in late summer a few years ago (Click on the picture for a better view). The amount of water going over the falls would be much greater in the late spring/early summer. Back in 1966 it had a large tree stuck in the Falls - with the root end up at the top of the falls and the "top" of the tree at the bottom of the pool below the falls. The shaft of the tree within the falls was really smooth due to all the water that had run over it removing all the bark. Soooo - not only did we have a large pool of really cold water to swim in - we had a natural water slide as well!
![]()
Alrighty then ... what have those Maineiacs been up to? Not much really - just living the retired life and trying to enjoy some summer weather - when it decides to happen!
We said our temporary goodbyes to Darrell & Judy Patterson on Wednesday when they loaded up their fifth wheel home and headed a bit further north up to Belfast. We hope to see them here again in Topsham when they head south again in a couple of weeks ... and you never know - we may decide to take a day trip to Belfast next week sometime to check out Darrell's ancestral home!
I did get Winne back into storage on Wednesday before the weather took a step backwards into spring bringing some cooler temps and rainy days the last few days. Who knows when Winne will next venture out? We have no firm plans for our next trip and we know we will be spending most of our time here at home over the next few months as we try to enjoy summer and fall in Maine - and get ready to greet our new granddaughter into this world come late September. We may get out for a short trip some time before winter - or maybe not. But Winne is ready to roll when we are!
Until then - we will do what us 50-Ten years old retired folks do:
1. Accomplish some of those chores around the house that have been put off for several years.
2. Enjoy watching our kids/grandkids live their lives (this can be pretty entertaining at times!).
3. Take a few naps.
4. Complain about the weather and politicians.
5. Take a few drives to enjoy the Maine countryside.
6. Enjoy turning 61 years old (my sister Marcie tells me I can't be 50-Eleven!).
That ought to be enough to keep us out of trouble ... for awhile!
Winnebago had a really good idea. Since you have all that hot engine coolant just circulating around in the engine compartment with nothing to do but cool the engine - why not put it to work? What could we do with it?
1. We can use it to heat up the air coming through the vents in the dash - just like in a car.
2. We can use it to heat up the water in the coach hot water heater so the fresh water will be nice and hot when the occupants stop for the day.
3. We can use it to heat the entire coach area through the floor ducts and registers when driving in really cold weather since the dash heater only heats the very front.
The folks at Winnebago decided to do all three!
See - these folks were really thinking! Yup - they were thinking right up to the point when they were deciding where to place the heat exchanger/blower assembly for that coach heater. Since they already had routed the engine coolant through the coach hot water heater - why not place the heater/blower assembly right behind the hot water heater and in a compartment that only a midget or a medium sized contortionist can maneuver? Of course access to the heater/blower is no problem for them. They simply remove the hot water heater to gain access since that adds at least 4 hours to the job and they get paid about $65 or more per hour when they do the work.
The other place where somebody dropped the ball was in the design of the blower motor itself. It seems they used a steel motor rotor attached to a plastic blower wheel and apparently the plastic part tends to move on the steel shaft until it hits the blower frame. The first thing you tend to notice as this failure starts to happen is the increase in noise level. Right about the time you start to get used to the noisy blower - it locks up and blows its supply fuse.
So that explains why some foolish Winne owner would try and save a few hundred dollars and repair this offending convenience himself.
Actually - if you are a wee bit handy with a few tools - and if someone is willing to tell you a few secrets - you can accomplish this job within a few hours.
Secret #1 - Removing the coolant hoses - Although you can access the coolant hose connections from within the passenger side wheel well, this only works well for small folks. The best way is to remove the "dog house" engine cover inside the coach and reach down to remove the hose clamps/hoses. In fact - I recommend cutting the hoses right at the heater core. The hoses are plenty long enough to reconnect later and getting those hoses off those connections after a few hundred heat cycles can be difficult.
Secret #2 - Now that you have the heater core hoses removed you're ready to remove the electrical connector to the blower. Unfortunately you can't get to it in the water heater compartment without removing the water heater and the access hole from the engine side is too small for it to come out that way. No problem - simply cut the three wires about 6-8 inches from the access hole on the engine side - you can splice them back together with some crimp connectors when you put it back together later. But one word of caution here - there are two yellow wires - be sure to mark one on both sides of the cut or you may end up getting a high speed fan in the low speed switch position - and vice versa!
OK - hoses are cut off - wires are cut - now for the fun part. There are three sheet metal screws holding the heater/blower assembly in place to the duct work. Two are fairly easy to access - the third is best removed by a contortionist with a small electric screwdriver. Once that third screw is out YOU'RE almost done with the hard part. Now you simply have to wiggle the assembly out from behind the hot water heater and take it to a nice workbench where you will work on it right after having at least one cold adult beverage!
Now that your attitude has been adjusted it's time to fix the blower. First step - remove the 1,000 or so screws holding the sheetmetal assembly together. Now that you magically have the blower in your hand - you will notice that the blower wheel will not rotate as it should. Now go get a small hammer. Yup - this is the highly technical part ... now take the blower and hold it with the wire side in the palm of your hand and locate the protruding metal shaft that is now pointing up. Applying a sufficient force - rap the shaft until it moves downward about 1/4." You will now notice that the blower wheel turns freely. At this point you can try and figure out a way to keep the shaft from moving within the plastic bushing - or you can do as I did - and simply put it back together - hoping for a few more years of operation before someone has to do this job again!
Now all you have to do is reverse all the steps previously performed and the blower will work just fine (until it fails again).
See - like I said - no problem - piece of cake!
Now I need to plan a trip in some really cold weather to enjoy my newly repaired coach heater. Right after a few more cold adult beverages.
Are you ready for Summer? Finally - tomorrow is the first day of Summer - the Summer Solstice. Summahtime in Maine and I'm actually going to be here to enjoy it - Yippee.
As you may have guessed - the sun is shinning and it looks to be a pretty nice day here today. Actually, the last several days have been pretty decent - we've had a few thunderstorms move through quickly - but nothing too bad.
We finished up our "Mini Maine Event 2011" visit with the Guilers and Pattersons on Friday and the Guilers made their trip home on Saturday. I think we all had a good time playing tourist, eating, visiting, and then eating some more. Definitely a fun week! The Pattersons will be staying here in Topsham through most of this week so I'm sure we'll get to play with them a few more times before they head north.
I managed to get Winne's roof scrubbed on Saturday and finished cleaning the outside yesterday so she is ready for her trip back to storage but not before she comes back home for a couple of maintenance items. So today I'll bring her home to her driveway parking position and see if I can remove the auxiliary coach heater that needs some attention. Unfortunately the folks at Winnebago installed that heater in a place where only a midget can go. Obviously getting my extra large body into that space is going to be a challenge. Stay tuned to find out if perseverance and guile can overcome stubbornness and my Mr. Fixit ego.
So ... in between a few household chores and a few Winne chores I plan on enjoying some nice weather and summahtime in Maine - sounds like a pretty good plan to me!
I know ... I haven't posted since last Saturday - but as usual - I have excuses. As is typical when I'm around Darrell Patterson, it's all his fault! It's actually not all his fault - we have another couple of RVing friends up visiting this week, Randy and Terry Guiler, so I suppose it's partially Randy's fault too! Notice that it isn't a bit Peggy, Judy, or Terry's fault. I'm a bit crazy but I'm no fool!
Needless to say - we have been plenty busy visiting, eating, playing tour guide, eating, and then visiting some more. We live such boring existences.
We suffered through some rather cool and dreary looking days last weekend and through Tuesday - but yesterday was down right beautiful and today is looking pretty gorgeous as well! So there will be no rest for the weary. We will be forced to go play play Maine tourist once again. This time it looks like we are off to Boothbay Harbor. More of the Maine coast and probably more seafood. Woe is me - woe is me!
Well ... I am sure you are all feeling appropriately sorry for me and my plight - so I will end this sad tale and finish getting ready to head out.
It is a tough job - but I'm glad to do my part!
It has been a pretty quiet week - finished with the backyard lawn repair - a couple of cruises in the Chevelle - and more Chevelle modifications. That pretty much sums up my week. This probably sounds kinda boring to many of you but I've sorta missed driving and tinkering on the Chevelle these past couple of summers. With all of our travel the last two summers - and then going back to work last year for part of the summer - the Chevelle has only been driven about 200 miles total in two years!
OK - I admit it - I'm a "car nut" or "motor head" or whatever other automobile enthusiast descriptor you want to come up with. I think it was part of my DNA from birth but was strengthened by growing up in California in the 50s/60s. Although I appreciate the newer technology and comfort in todays automobiles, I still find it fun to drive my 1965 Chevelle. Back when these cars were built you had to really DRIVE them. Especially if you got the "standard" versions with no air conditioning, no power steering, no power brakes, no radio (or an AM only radio at best), and a manual transmission. I challenge you to find a car today without all of these "modern conveniences."
Now before I go much further I have to "fess up." While my Chevelle did originally have an automatic transmission and factory air conditioning - I have also modified a few things over the years to "improve the experience." It didn't take long at all to upgrade to power brakes and steering, and while I was at it I might as well upgrade to disc brakes up front, a faster ratio steering box, and electronic ignition - right? Then there was the "Tunes" issue. That original AM/FM radio in the dash sure is a highly sought after option for this year make and model - but the non-stereo tinny audio left a bit to be desired - so the modern AM/FM/CD Player was added inside the glovebox and an automatic power antenna was added on the rear fender. If you are going to cruise to the sounds of the Beach Boys - it might as well be in Stereo and be coming from a CD. OK now I'm all set - I can pull into the local drive-in with my sweetie and listen to some quality tunes - but what about a semi-long trip? Whaddaya mean there's no cruise control? My ankle hurts from having to keep pushing on the accelerator! Alrighty then ... might as well add an aftermarket electronic cruise control system!
As you can see my Chevelle is exacty that - Mine! When folks ask me if it's "stock" - I like to tell them "it's built the way GM should have made it." Or perhaps more accurately - "It's built the way I would have built it back in 60s - assuming I had the money - which I didn't."
As for this week's modification - how about an electric fuel pump in series with the original equipment mechanical pump? Why would you do that? Well - I could go into a long technical explanation of how the modern "reformulated" gasoline evaporates faster than the old stuff making the car harder to start ... but the truth is ... because I'm a Hot Rodder at heart - always looking to make it "better." Sometimes it works - sometimes it doesn't. But how are you going to know for sure unless you try!
With that ... I leave you with the Possum Lodge Man's Prayer - it kinda sums up my week;
"I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess."
Well - I've gone and done it again!
This last February, while we were in Alabama, I decided to go against my better judgement and jump in at the forefront of technology and I upgraded our broadband internet capabilities to 1) take advantage of a lower cost internet plan and 2) give us the ability to obtain internet access at the higher "4G" speeds. All-In-All that experience has turned out pretty much as I expected. We suffered through some start up issues with the new modem and interfacing with our existing wireless broadband router - but all those issues appear to be sorted out and our broadband access is working pretty much like it was prior to the change - and we are paying about $17 per month less than before. We still do not get to take advantage of the higher 4G speeds here in Maine - but we will someday when the technology makes it to Maine. Until then we will just enjoy the lower cost.
About a week ago I received an email from the Verizon Wireless folks encouraging us to swap our home phone over to them using their "Home Connect" system. With the "Home Connect" system you get a new small tabletop device that is basically a cell phone that interfaces with your existing household phone(s). With this system - you keep your old home phone number, you can use the same physical phones (corded or wireless handsets) that you used before, and you can either pay $20 a month for unlimited phone service or $10 a month if you want to tie your "home phone" to an existing family shared minutes plan. Since our existing - wired home phone system was costing about $40 a month - and only included local and in-state long distance calling --- the decision to swap seemed like a no brainer. We get to keep our "home" phone number, our home phone system will continue to work pretty much the same as it did before, we gain unlimited calling, and it costs half as much! Not only that - but we can take it with us in the motorhome and have the same features there! I'm sure we'll find a few downsides - but so far ... the upsides sound likely to override the downsides - so we made the plunge. It will take a few days for the home phone number swap to be fully functional from our "old" provider (Fairpoint Communications) to Verizon Wireless, so until then we will be making outgoing calls on the new system and receiving incoming calls over the wires.
Remember when "Ma Bell" was the only option you had for phone service and the big and heavy plain black rotary dial phone was your only device option ... and that had to be provided by them!
We certainly have come a long way baby!
Wow - how did it get to be Saturday already? Didn't we just get done with Wednesday? Time does indeed tend to fly when you're having fun!
So what have we been doing for fun you ask? Well let's see ... I went to the dentist on Wednesday for a crown prep -- that wasn't really very much fun. I've spread a ton or so of topsoil around the backyard and planted some grass. Nope - that wasn't so much fun either. Peggy worked in the flower beds cleaning out weeds and planting a few flowers. She might have been having fun - she sure got filthy playing in the dirt! We did fire up the Chevelle the night before last and drove over to the Fat Boy Drive-In for a dinner of their world famous BLTs, Onion Rings, and Frappes - now that was fun! And yesterday Darrell and Judy stopped by for a visit and we had a nice lunch at the Railway Cafe in Richmond, ME. Those crab rolls were yummy and a visit with D&J is always fun.
I suppose "fun" is relative and where and when you find it. We have fun days traveling along America's highways seeing what there is to see and we have fun days just hanging out here in Maine visiting with family, friends, and simply enjoying each other's company. It really is just a state of mind.
Here's to having fun .... wherever you are and whatever your doing!
Every once in awhile you will run across a manufacturer/retailer who truly stands behind their product(s). I believe the folks who manufacture the Blue Ox line of RV towing products is one of those companies. I don't often (this may be the first time) go out of my way to sing the praises of a company I've done business with - but this case deserves my praise.
Ya'll may recall that two months ago, while approaching Oklahoma City, OK, the baseplate on our car (the part that allows our tow bar to be hooked to the car for towing) broke. Since the base plate is installed to the vehicle frame and is behind the plastic front fascia of the car - when it failed all of the front fascia was ripped off the car. Fortunately!!! - the car hit nothing when it broke loose from Winne and nothing else was damaged - including people! This all happened late in the day on a Friday.
On Friday night I e-mailed the Blue Ox Company (located in Pender, Nebraska) to see if they could help me locate a replacement baseplate. The next morning (on a Saturday!) a Customer Service Rep called me to see if she could help. She checked the inventory at the factory and could not find the correct replacement but she promised me she would start looking again on Monday. On Monday the CSR called to let me know that she had found a replacement in Austin, TX and was having it sent to a local RV Service Company that was a Blue Ox dealer. She then put me on the line with the dealer to make an appointment on Tuesday for installation, assuming the baseplate arrived. The new baseplate arrived on Tuesday as planned and the Blue Ox dealer installed the part as promised. I should note here that I was never asked to pay for the replacement baseplate and was told that I could submit a claim for the cost of the installation and the cost of repairs to our car. After having the car front end parts replaced I sent Blue Ox the broken base plate and also copies of the receipts for having the baseplate installed and having the car repaired.
I should also add that the original baseplate was purchased and installed in early 2006 and had been used to tow the Vue for right around 60,000 miles.
Yesterday I received a check from Blue Ox for the full amount of the car repairs and installation of the new baseplate.
Now I suppose I could complain loud and long about how, in my opinion, the original baseplate design was defective and how Blue Ox should have informed all users, and should have provided replacement baseplates - before a failure happened - and before damage to property and perhaps people happened ... but I won't.
I'm just going to be satisfied that the company did what was right after the fact. I haven't seen many that would.
Thanks Blue Ox.
