Homemaking

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A Different Sort of Boondocking

Today, I start boondocking in HOT weather. Thankfully, there is a nice breeze, so with the cross ventilation and roof hatches open, the rig is comfortable. The cats are fine and I put an ice cube in their water, which Neelix in particular appreciates (lick, lick, lick, lick).

It was a busy morning. I got up late (8:00), so by the time coffee and morning tasks were done, it was almost 9:00. I cleaned out the shoe cupboard, a task I didn’t feel capable of taking on yesterday. Then, I hauled out the crazy long garden hose and the tank wand washer to clean out the black tank. Then, I recleaned the toilet room. Note to self, hose down the tank BEFORE cleaning the toilet room! By the time all that was done and the rig was packed, it was about 11:30, so I headed up the hill where Teri was already waiting for me.

Here’s the rig in the FHU pull-thru spot:

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You exit by driving over the grass. The spots are level!

I keep forgetting to show a repair I did to Miranda while on the beach. During my summer in Lethbridge (yes, almost two years ago already!) I broke the catch for the wet bay door.

One of the reasons I was so slow to replace it is that I knew I’d need putty to do it. When I picked up putty for the new window frame, I got a two-pack of catches at the same time.

So to recap, I broke the catch in 2011, bought a replacement a full year later in 2012, and replaced it about nine months after that in 2013. I tend not to do projects until they become pressing. 🙂

It was actually a difficult repair since I couldn’t reuse the existing screw holes but still had to position the catch to hold the door without impeding its opening all the while covering the existing screw holes. I also had to psych myself into making holes into the shell, even if they are well sealed. I used way more putty than necessary!

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Now here’s the rig in the dry camping spot on the edge of a HUGE open field:

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Teri was great about making sure I was happy with my spot. My requirements were full sun for the solar panel, nosing in so that my view in the back is the field, and a clear view from the office window. The spot she originally planned for me met none of those criteria.

The downside to this spot is that I had to put the passenger side on levelers and if it rains more than 1/2 inch, I have to move to a different location as this area will get very mushy. I was not put at the other location because it’s right by a busy road and the pads are super not level. I’m thus far happy with the spot, but suspect that I may need to back up a little to keep the solar panel happy.

For $5, I can use the laundry facilities ($1.50 to wash, $1.00 to dry; very reasonable) and the garbage dumpster. I am also allowed to run the engine if I need to (quiet generators are also okay). I have paid for 10 nights up front, so I’m definitely here till at least the 28th at noon.

I don’t know yet when I’ll be going into San Antonio. I have a social engagement Thursday and will likely be busy  tomorrow, so perhaps Friday. I can’t wait to see the Alamo!

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Two Months of Ground Oyster Shells

WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fighting the dust on the beach was a losing battle. I gave up, satisfying myself with a daily cursory sweep of the broom and passing of a Swiffer cloth over surfaces.

Since I’ll be getting a shower tonight, it seemed such a shame to go to bed in a dirty rig. So as soon as the laundry was done, I set to work with the shop vac, a bucket of sudsy water, and Pledge Future.

The rig was otherwise spotless, so there was a minimum amount of moving stuff out of the way needed to vacuum and wash the rig from the ceiling down to the floors and then add the Future to make them shiny.

Soon as I finish my deliciously icy cold beer, I am heading for the shower. I don’t plan to get out of it until I look like a prune!

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Port Lavaca to Von Ormy

OMG IT’S ABOUT 100 DEGREES IN SAN ANTONIO!!!!!!!!!!!!

With that out of the way, it’s been a good day so far. I went out shortly after my last post to hook up the truck. I’m getting better at gauging the distance I need to park it from the RV, but I always manage to not be quite straight and have the passenger side at the right distance to hook up while the driver’s side is a bit short.

Once I was hooked up, I discovered I have three minor Miranda repairs to make.

The first is with the windshield wipers. The pump is working fine, but the fluid is just shooting out from under the dash. I’m hoping I’ll find the hole or bad connection in the hose easily.

The second is to check the fuses for the turn signals. I put on the four way flashers to make sure the truck blinkers were working, and nothing. I tried the turn signal, nothing. I jiggled both and eventually got the left blinker working and the four way flashers, with the right blinker coming after several more jiggle. I really hope that this is just a fuse issue!

Like when I left Campbell River, my house stairs refused to budge. All I had on hand to lubricate them was was WD-40, so I’ll make sure to get some white grease next time I’m out shopping. Or maybe I can find some of that Move-It Croft had…

First stop was gas, which was painless since I could circle around the building to get out. Even better, the pump handle had a catch that meant I could wash my windows while the gas was pumping.

It was a smooth drive into Port Lavaca, where I got propane. Another easy in and out except for the bad driveway. Surely they know someone with a grader? Propane was CHEAP, $42 to fill the on board tank!

The first part of the drive was familiar since I had to drive through Goliad (which is still under construction). Traffic got moderately heavier from Kenedy (not a typo) onward, but it was nothing too bad and most drivers were courteous.

From the 410 bypass, it was an easy drive to Von Ormy and the Hidden Valley RV Park, where I was greeted by the wonderful Teri.

Hidden Valley is the best deal in San Antonio for boondockers wanting to stay more than just a night or two since they offer dry camping for just $5 a night! I found the campground through freecampsites.net. My FHU spot tonight is costing me $30.

Even though I was 15 minutes early for check in, Teri greeted me warmly. She had a packet of information for me and spent time showing me around downtown on a map, highlighting the best places to park and where to catch public transportation. I was told by L to avoid driving into San Antonio, but with Teri’s instructions, I know I can get to cheap parking easily, so I don’t see any reason not to go in with the truck.

It is SUPER hot today, so I have the AC blasting, but it’s supposed to go right back down tomorrow. Talk about perfect planning!

I have to move around noon tomorrow. Teri showed me the two possibilities and the setup will be just fine. I’ll post pics at some point after I’ve moved.

Now, I need to start on my rather ambitious list for the day. The laundry is a trek and a half, so until that’s done (about half an hour left), I don’t want to get started on anything else. After that, the vacuum cleaner is coming out! 🙂

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Securing Things For RV Travel

Okay, so I sort of lied this morning in that I am thinking about departure, but not in an, “OMG THERE’S SO MUCH TO DO!” mode, rather in a “Let’s see if I can make this departure thing even easier” mode.

I’m going around the rig and putting things where they belong. Whatever else is out is stuff that I would put on the bed in the back or in one of the sinks when I travel. I eliminated the sink storage by adding storage near the bathroom vanity and with a new kitchen cabinet.

The study isn’t too bad, really. I rearranged my overhead cabinets (AGAIN) to eliminate the basket on the desk and the computers go into their cases and storage place on travel day. All that was left were the keyboard, which is destined to always travel on the bed, and the garbage bucket, which fits neatly on one corner of the desk and usually remains there during travel:

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Why bother coming up with a way to secure it? It’s light, so if it moves, no big deal, it won’t damage anything. But what if I forget to empty it before I take off? Why not eliminate having to think about it?

All it took was a cup hook:

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Incidentally, this garbage bucket is a good example of a multi-use item since I use it to hold my cleaning solution when I wash the cabinets or the floors.

Getting the inside ready for departure is at most a 10-minute deal now and I think I can cut that down even further with added tweaks.

The next challenge is the kitchen cubbies. I put some non-skid material under them, but still have to figure out a way to keep the drawers from opening without running the unit or making it fiddly. At this point, I’m thinking bungee cords, which is not ideal, but I’m tired of having to turn the unit around to face the wall when I travel, especially since I usually forget to do that and have a mess on my hands when I arrive. I tried to eliminate them from the kitchen, but they are just too useful and so I am left with finding a better way to make them work in travel mode.

A good home is never done…