Peace On The Road
MUD
December 15, 2004
As we sit here near Rochester I cannot help but wonder, “WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I DOING HERE?” We have been in a little snow, a little sunshine and a whole lot of rain. Actually I don’t think that there has been many inches of rain, it is mostly that it comes down intermittently a large part of the day. In Colorado after it rains it dries out before long when the sun comes out. The sun does not shine here for long each day and therefore it does not dry out.
The campground we are staying in may be only one that is open year around in the Rochester area. It is not primitive by any means, however it is also not set up for LARGE rigs like this Vectra. I have the largest unit in the whole park. There are a couple that are thirty-something feet in length and may have a single slide. I am forty foot and have three slides. I would not be surprised if I weigh as much as two tons more than anyone else here. Most of the sites are grass with a graveled drive. They would be great for a small trailer. Unfortunately this Vectra sinks in deep in the sod.
Just before Thanksgiving I had to leave my site for a day. It rained most of the day. I got back to the campsite and was trying to park after dark. I got into a location that seemed to be acceptable. I activated the automatic leveling jacks and poked ten-inch diameter holes in the ground. I pulled the jacks back up and got some 2x10’s under the jacks and activated them again. This time it leveled with the two left wheels off the ground. The front tires I don’t mind, but the rear wheels are the only things that keep the rig from moving. I accepted the one rear wheel off the ground until it was daylight on Thanksgiving Day. Crawling in the mud I was able to get some boards under the wheel so it would have some contact with the ground. The biggest problem I had was the foot of the front jack slipped off the hydraulic piston. The foot has two very heavy springs attached to it. These springs pull the cylinder up to its resting position. I had to get out my bottle jack and push the cylinder up with it. Of course I have to put something into the hole under the end of the cylinder where I need to set the jack. And the top of the jack is not shaped to fit the round end of the cylinder. To make a long story short, I was able to get the foot back on the piston and I got the Vectra leveled.
I had another repair day scheduled for December 7, 2004. I knew the propane was getting low and hoped it would last till I had to move for other reasons. We got back to the Vectra late on the 6th, and the inside of the rig stunk. For those of you who have used all the propane from a tank, you would have recognized the odor. The propane tank was totally out. Once again, in the dark of the night I had to move the Vectra, go get propane, and then relocate in the mud and snow and dark. On the 5th we had gotten an inch of snow, which actually made it easier to park. Just back into the area that did not have snow. So far, so good. The 7th started out with sun at dawn ad deteriorated into rain all day long. Just after sundown I got back to the campsite. As I backed into the location I had been in, the Vectra slid sideways like it was on ice. I tried moving forward and it slid further sideways. When I got stopped I was four inches from taking out the electric pole, a 4x4 standing up about four foot high. Also I was inches from ripping out the sewer pipe with the rear wheels of the rig. I was in trouble. I went down the night office and asked the night manager, Chuck, if he could come help me somehow. Just the night before he was the one that left his house to get me propane. He had some more wood and brought it to the site. By using the leveling jacks to lift the left rear wheel off the ground we were able to get some boards under the wheels. Chuck laid a short “board road” forward from the wheel. I was able to drive forward without substantial damage to anything except the ground. Right now the left rear wheel is a couple inches off the ground. The right rear wheel is very solid on the rocked driveway. Tomorrow I will get something under the left wheel so that I have good traction on both sides. Before I do that I think I should get a scuba suit just to work in the mud. And I sure need to get a couple of 2x10s cut into 18” lengths.
We got an e-mail that the tow plate for the Jeep has arrived in Denver, so we can head that way soon. We will stay here at least through the 15th. Our daughter, Damita, is directing, costuming and playing a role in a musical production at her church. There will be five performances and of course someone in this family would like to see them all and I cannot say that I object. We might stay until the final performance on the 18th, then it is only a short time till Christmas. I don’t have to be anywhere at any time, so I have no real idea of when I will be coming back to Denver. I still would like to spend part of the winter where it is warm.
This is now the 15th. It has been snowing, light fluffy stuff. And it is cold outside. My microwave/convection oven, which failed because of the water that came into the coach, is in some repair shop here in Rochester. I still do not know when it will be fixed. Like so many business’s they are in no obligation to give any indication of schedule.
Ever since I purchased the Vectra, I have been told, numerous times, that the paperwork required to get license plates would come in the mail. I finally demanded an answer to when I would get it, or whom I needed to call to get it. I was then told that the paperwork was sent to the treasurer of Minnehaha County at the end of last October. Thank you very much. Tell everybody except me. I could have had plates on the coach already. With next day mail and a couple of phone calls I should have plates in a few days. Christmas sounds about right the way my time is going.
Till Later This Is Doug Of
PEACE ON THE ROAD
MUD
December 15, 2004
As we sit here near Rochester I cannot help but wonder, “WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I DOING HERE?” We have been in a little snow, a little sunshine and a whole lot of rain. Actually I don’t think that there has been many inches of rain, it is mostly that it comes down intermittently a large part of the day. In Colorado after it rains it dries out before long when the sun comes out. The sun does not shine here for long each day and therefore it does not dry out.
The campground we are staying in may be only one that is open year around in the Rochester area. It is not primitive by any means, however it is also not set up for LARGE rigs like this Vectra. I have the largest unit in the whole park. There are a couple that are thirty-something feet in length and may have a single slide. I am forty foot and have three slides. I would not be surprised if I weigh as much as two tons more than anyone else here. Most of the sites are grass with a graveled drive. They would be great for a small trailer. Unfortunately this Vectra sinks in deep in the sod.
Just before Thanksgiving I had to leave my site for a day. It rained most of the day. I got back to the campsite and was trying to park after dark. I got into a location that seemed to be acceptable. I activated the automatic leveling jacks and poked ten-inch diameter holes in the ground. I pulled the jacks back up and got some 2x10’s under the jacks and activated them again. This time it leveled with the two left wheels off the ground. The front tires I don’t mind, but the rear wheels are the only things that keep the rig from moving. I accepted the one rear wheel off the ground until it was daylight on Thanksgiving Day. Crawling in the mud I was able to get some boards under the wheel so it would have some contact with the ground. The biggest problem I had was the foot of the front jack slipped off the hydraulic piston. The foot has two very heavy springs attached to it. These springs pull the cylinder up to its resting position. I had to get out my bottle jack and push the cylinder up with it. Of course I have to put something into the hole under the end of the cylinder where I need to set the jack. And the top of the jack is not shaped to fit the round end of the cylinder. To make a long story short, I was able to get the foot back on the piston and I got the Vectra leveled.
I had another repair day scheduled for December 7, 2004. I knew the propane was getting low and hoped it would last till I had to move for other reasons. We got back to the Vectra late on the 6th, and the inside of the rig stunk. For those of you who have used all the propane from a tank, you would have recognized the odor. The propane tank was totally out. Once again, in the dark of the night I had to move the Vectra, go get propane, and then relocate in the mud and snow and dark. On the 5th we had gotten an inch of snow, which actually made it easier to park. Just back into the area that did not have snow. So far, so good. The 7th started out with sun at dawn ad deteriorated into rain all day long. Just after sundown I got back to the campsite. As I backed into the location I had been in, the Vectra slid sideways like it was on ice. I tried moving forward and it slid further sideways. When I got stopped I was four inches from taking out the electric pole, a 4x4 standing up about four foot high. Also I was inches from ripping out the sewer pipe with the rear wheels of the rig. I was in trouble. I went down the night office and asked the night manager, Chuck, if he could come help me somehow. Just the night before he was the one that left his house to get me propane. He had some more wood and brought it to the site. By using the leveling jacks to lift the left rear wheel off the ground we were able to get some boards under the wheels. Chuck laid a short “board road” forward from the wheel. I was able to drive forward without substantial damage to anything except the ground. Right now the left rear wheel is a couple inches off the ground. The right rear wheel is very solid on the rocked driveway. Tomorrow I will get something under the left wheel so that I have good traction on both sides. Before I do that I think I should get a scuba suit just to work in the mud. And I sure need to get a couple of 2x10s cut into 18” lengths.
We got an e-mail that the tow plate for the Jeep has arrived in Denver, so we can head that way soon. We will stay here at least through the 15th. Our daughter, Damita, is directing, costuming and playing a role in a musical production at her church. There will be five performances and of course someone in this family would like to see them all and I cannot say that I object. We might stay until the final performance on the 18th, then it is only a short time till Christmas. I don’t have to be anywhere at any time, so I have no real idea of when I will be coming back to Denver. I still would like to spend part of the winter where it is warm.
This is now the 15th. It has been snowing, light fluffy stuff. And it is cold outside. My microwave/convection oven, which failed because of the water that came into the coach, is in some repair shop here in Rochester. I still do not know when it will be fixed. Like so many business’s they are in no obligation to give any indication of schedule.
Ever since I purchased the Vectra, I have been told, numerous times, that the paperwork required to get license plates would come in the mail. I finally demanded an answer to when I would get it, or whom I needed to call to get it. I was then told that the paperwork was sent to the treasurer of Minnehaha County at the end of last October. Thank you very much. Tell everybody except me. I could have had plates on the coach already. With next day mail and a couple of phone calls I should have plates in a few days. Christmas sounds about right the way my time is going.
Till Later This Is Doug Of
PEACE ON THE ROAD
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