Aluminum Propane Tanks

Today I ordered two 7.1 gal. (30 lb) aluminum propane tanks to replace the two 5 gal. steel tanks that are standard on the Sport 17. I figure they are going to look a lot better than the ugly white tanks now being hidden by the cheap plastic tank cover, so I'll probably not even use the cover. And with the additional propane on board, I can go 40% longer before refills.

Source: VintageTrailerSupply.com

Airstream Life Magazine

A friend bought all the back issues of Airstream Life magazine and I had a chance to look through about six of them today. They are filled with useful info and neat stories, so I ordered the complete set of back issues today. Get yours at AirstreamLife.com

Wanted: Bigger, Longer Airstream

Wanted:

Airstream, new or used, 25' or 27',

pano windows front and rear,

Flying Cloud,

preferably west of the Rockies.

If used, must have non-smoking, no-pet history,

and in like-new condition.

Please reply directly to

FastMikie@Gmail.com

for immediate reply.

 

Thanks for passing the word.

TomTom iPhone test run

I needed a GPS Navigation system for the new truck, and after doing some research decided on the TomTom iPhone app and car kit. It took a couple of hours to download the app and maps, and the car kit will be shipped in a week +/-.


I took my bike in for some minor repairs and decided to give the new TomTom iPhone app a test run even though I didn't have the car kit yet. The results were better than anticipated. It synced with Bluetooth no problem, worked at the same time as the music was playing from the iPhone, and muted the music when a turn announcement was being made, and even came back online after a phone call in the middle of the trip.


So far, so good...

Truck Improvement Project

Base Vehicle:
2010 Toyota Tundra 4x4, Double Cab, 5.7L V8, TRD Off Road Package
Purchased new in November 2009 from Toyota Carlsbad

Goal: Customize the vehicle to serve the following purposes:

1. tow an Airstream 25FB trailer (GVWR 7,300 lbs. nose 800 lbs) comfortably and safely.
2. carry camping supplies and equipment in support of the Airstream trailer, including a 200 lb. generator, bike, and kayak along with hoses, extension cords, ropes, chairs, mats, tools, survival stuff, spare parts, etc
3. be home on extended remote camping trips, beyond the range of an Airstream.
4. do it all in low key style to create a visual presence which might be easily overlooked. On close inspection it is clearly an extraordinary vehicle, everything very well thought out and executed with high quality materials and workmanship.

To Do List

• Lower 2" front, 4-5" rear (Tundra Racing Drop Kit and Air Spring Kit Toyota Escondido installation?, check for warranty, air spring kit, price.
• Hitch - mate to the Airstream
• 20" wheels/tires (freeway cruiser tires, not low profile tires)
• Step bar (Running boards) - stainless steel (Nasta Tundra Parts Store)
• Pedals - sport covers
• Grille - Carriage Works Billet Grille (autoanything.com) , or similar
• Locking gas cap (on order at Toyota Carlsbad 4/24/2010)
• Sun visor extension, driver's side
• Window shade, driver's side
• Sun visor tint for windshield
• Turn Signal Side Mirrors (Muth)
• Cargo Tie-downs (Core Trax), in black
• Cold Air Intake system (K&N)
• Exhaust tip, stainless steel, (link)
• De-badge
• Smoked tail lights

Done:

• Connect iPhone via Bluetooth for tunes and communications
  
• Remove dealer license plate frames and temp registration holder
  
• Load 6 discs into CD changer
  
• Review Owner's Manuals
  
• Program Garage Opener
  
• Remove headrests in rear seats for better visibility
  
• GPS - TomTom/iPhone
  
• Notify Insurance company
• Spray-on bed liner
• Brake controller (Prodigy) by Abe Hernandez
• SnugTop Shell, Super Sport model
• BedSlide
• Secure Generator to Bedslide (Roberto Mendez)
• 1000w Inverter for truck bed
• Install roof rack bars
• Storage bins (milk crate style, black plastic)
• Bike rack for BedSlide (Hollywood)
• Recall fix (accelerator pedal recall) - Toyota Carlsbad
• Specialty plates installed (MIKE 101)
• Generator, running on propane
• Wireless entry remote control, custom programmed

Resources recommended so far:

• Abe Hernandez Phone 760-802-3238 or email abe2u@cox.net
• Toyota Carlsbad - where I bought the Tundra, see Kevin Edge and John Sanders

Airstream Social Scene: First Encounter

And so it was in the fullness of time that I went out among other Airstream owners, members of the Wally Byam Caravan Club International (WBCCI), as they are found in the wild, camping with their Airstreams.


The WBCCI is highly segmented with regions, chapters, etc. I am a member of the San Diego unit, which had a joint rally with the Orange County unit, at Guajome park, a campground east of Oceanside, CA. The draw for me to attend this meeting was food. A big Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and all the trimmings. Even hermits like me have a tough time turning down a great meal.


This was my first time camping out with other Airstreamer peeps, and after having the opportunity to meet some of them I pronounce them as "good people". Nice people, and very willing to help a newbie like me. For example, the unit president Joe Thomas stopped by on Sunday morning to check up on me and gave me some helpful suggestions on my tow hitch. His wife Anne made one of the delicious turkeys. And I finally met Bill Wright, and his lovely wife Kathy, who I have been wanting to thank for his email suggestion that I visit Kirk Creek campground just south of Big Sur. He and Super Don Snyder are fellow flyers, but with the distinction of being fighter pilots, and kept me fascinated with great stories. And there was Bev and Lowell who are probably in contention for the title of Nicest People on the Planet... the list goes on, and I could name some others, if I remembered their names.


It was one of those social situations where the New Guy (me) meets about 50 new people at once! It's madness, of course...


I got to rig my hammock between a very handy tree and my tow vehicle roof rack, and spent a deliriously happy Saturday morning gently swinging and soaking up some warm sun. A walk around the campground revealed absolutely zero other hammocks. How can this be? Possibly because there is a campground rule against tying ropes around trees. I need to figure a way of rigging a hammock with one end tied to the Airstream. Are you listening, Airstream Inc.? They are selling "lifestyle", right? What says "relax" more than a hammock in your campsite? It seems that if you are selling "relax" at $50-100 thousand a copy, you could afford to throw in an eyelet for a hammock rope/carabiner.

All in all, it was a successful adventure. I got out among the people, had a great meal, got hammock time, discovered a new place... Life is Good.

New Tow Truck

The engine is still warm as the new tow vehicle rests in my parking spot, recently placed there by the Toyota truck salesman.  The specs:

2010 Toyota Tundra (half-ton pickup truck), Double Cab, 4x4, 5.7L V8 engine, 6-speed automatic, with TRD Off Road package, Tow package, Cold Weather package, Bluetooth, Backup camera, power heated mirrors, 10 speakers + subwoofer, power 8-way bucket seat, power sliding rear window...

Need to add:

Navigation system (portable)

Security system

20" wheels/tires
Bed rug
Bedslide
Camper shell
Brake controller
Tow hitch.  (Hensley?)

Wooden canoe for the roof

Source:  Toyota Carlsbad, Kevin Edge salesman, knowledgeable and professional.  Strong truck experience, gave me a good deal.  I got the zero percent 5 year loan, so the truck was delivered to my home and I never paid a cent for it.  No down payment, no first month, nothing.  Wow!  America!

Tow capacity: 10,300 lbs.
Payload: 1,640 lbs.
Bed length: 6'
Seats: 4
Power: 381 hp @ 5,600 rpm
Torque: 401 ft. lbs.@ 3,600 rpm

Now all I need is something to tow.
Something shiny, rounded.
A pod, a home, a retreat.

Change is in the air

The Airstream Adventure is 4 months old and I have been learning at a fast clip.


1. The Sport 17 model pulled by a Toyota FJ Cruiser has been a good PROTOTYPE, a test bed, a learning experience.

2. The next Airstream, coming soon, will build on what has been learned, and extend the adventure to the next level.

3. Currently looking for a 23 to 25', maybe 27' Flying Cloud, new or very good condition used. This requires a bigger tow vehicle and currently looking at Toyota Tundra 5.7L V8 crew cab with a SnugTop camper shell covering a Bedslide carrying the Yamaha generator.

4. This leaves me with two Airstreams and two tow vehicles, and the obvious choice would be to sell the smaller of the two rigs, and I would be open to offers.

5. But the entrepreneur in me figures that I could rent the Sport, and if I were going to go to all the work of renting the Sport, then I'd probably want to rent the Flying Cloud as well to maybe even make a profit, which I am feeling a growing need to do.

6. The Sport has been left pretty much in original condition, but the new Flying Cloud would be modified considerably to fit my particular tastes in woodwork, lighting, electronics, materials, etc. This may even make it more rent worthy for high-end applications, but that is beside the point, which is to create a personal space which could eventually become a full time home.

7. If I am going to be making significant changes to the new Flying Cloud, then it would probably be best to get a used one and build it up rather than paying for all the stuff that would be changed out.

8. An alternative to this would be to get a new shell, with bed and dinette/sofa never installed in the first place. Then there wouldn't be a bunch of drilled screw-holes for mounting the unwanted furniture!

9. Whichever way I go, the tow vehicle will have a canoe on top.

There are many options, many opportunities!

Future Trips: Wooden boats: canoe & kayak trip to plan

I'd like to head north to Big Bear Lake, CA, just north and east of Los Angeles, to check out some canoes and kayaks at North Shore Trading Company (link).


On the way, it would be good to stop in Corona, CA and meet Andy Rogozinski, the owner of Inland RV, the Airstream repair facility featured in the current issue of the Airstream newsletter.  Seems like a regular guy.

Following along with the boatman's holiday theme, I'd definitely like to head a lot farther north and check out the custom wooden kayaks built by Joe Greenley at Redfish Kayaks.  A good time to go would be late July, 2010 for the West Coast Wooden Kayak Rendezvous. 


Meanwhile, I ordered the book

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking 

I doubt I'll learn how to paddle a kayak sitting in my chair reading a book, but maybe I'll learn something useful...

Condiment packets, as few as you want!

On my last excursion to Big Sur, I started running out of stuff in the refrigerator and bought a sandwich from a local gas station / convenience store. When I got back to the Airstream I realized that I sure would like to put some mayo on my turkey sandwich, and maybe some mustard too, but I didn't have any in the refrigerator... it didn't occur to me when I was packing for the trip, probably because of the big sizes I keep at home and the limited space in the Airstream refrigerator.

That's when I got the idea to pick up some of those little packets of ketchup, mayo, mustard, and soy sauce the next time I saw them when I was out and about (rare for a hermit).


The solution came to me a few days ago when I was looking through Amazon.com for such packets, but they only sell them in quantities of 200, and that's way too much for just me. However, there was a "sponsored link" to Minimus.biz where they will sell you as many or as few as you want. They came by Fedex this morning. What a score!


Click here for the Minimus.biz link!

Toyota FJ Cruiser as camper tow vehicle

Being a total novice to camping of any sort, much less Airstreaming, I had no idea what tow vehicle I needed, so I asked my friendly Airstream sales rep, and he suggested I get a Toyota FJ Cruiser.  Let me share with you some of my experiences with this choice:


1.  Great looking vehicle.  I like the aggressive stance, and the lines of it.

2.  Nice riding vehicle.  Much more civilized than I expected from an off-road 4WD.

3.  Poor gas mileage.  I haven't measured it, but the stock FJ, not towing, is poor, and towing an Airstream it's worse.

4.  And now for the biggest problem I have encountered with it:  You can't open the rear hatch very far at all when you are hooked up to your Airstream because the spare tire hits the electric tongue jack.  The I can open it is about 8 inches or so.  Even after I moved the spare tire to the roof rack, tied down with a ratcheting strap, (photo above taken before this) the door opens a lot more, but not fully as it still hits the tongue jack.  The only solution to this is to un-hitch the trailer and pull the FJ forward a foot or so.  That seems a reasonable fix, but many times when I'm at the beach for just the day, unhooking and hooking up again seems like more work than necessary.

5.  With only a 5,000 lb. tow capacity, its perfect for my 3,500 lb. Airstream Sport 17, but there's no way I'd feel good towing a trailer the next size up.  And since I'm looking at the Sport as a prototype learning experience before I jump in with both feet and get a 27 footer, it looks like I'll be trading in the FJ for something like a Toyota Tundra pickup.



But it sure looks great, doesn't it!  And, with the spare on the roof, it looks even more gnarly!

Adventure!

An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.

An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered.

G. K. Chesterton  

(attitude is everything)

I want, I need, I lust...

When I get where I'm going, wherever that is, even if there is no water nearby, it seems that I still want a wood canoe.


Even if I never get it in the water, I would still like one of these in my home, either on the wall, or even on the floor, just to admire the craftsmanship, to sit in occasionally, and dream.

This is only 13' long, perfect to put on the roof of the tow vehicle.  I think it would look so fine going down the road on some great adventure.


Here's the link for more info.

Road Trip #1: Day 5, Big Sur!

Today almost never happened, and I wouldn't have had much of a story...


I was well rested and looking forward to my final thrust up the rugged coastline to legendary Big Sur.  The road between El Capitan and Big Sur gets progressively more challenging, and the last 50 miles are downright treacherous with a trailer.


I have played with very fast cars on this road many times.  Never with a trailer.  But I was ready for it when I woke this morning.  In fact, I was looking forward to the challenge.


I made the many preparations to break camp and prepare for travel.  One of the very last things to be done went seriously wrong and almost cancelled the day.  A part of the tow hitch went missing, and of course I had no spare part.  There were no such parts available at the camp store.


Do I really need that part?  Not absolutely, but without it the trailer will be more effected by gusty winds and swaying.  And gusty winds can be expected on this stretch of road through the mountains.  For the road to Big Sur, I want every advantage I can get.  I called two RV parts businesses nearby, but it's Sunday and they are closed.


I could wait it out here and get the part in the morning.  So what if I lose a day, right?  Normally, yes.  But my schedule (reservations) say that if I miss tomorrow then I miss Big Sur completely and I have wanted to stay at Big Sur ever since I first passed through the place more than 30 years ago.  If I want to stay there on this trip, I need to leave now, without the part, and without the added safety the part brings to the towing experience.


What was previously going to be a very challenging drive is now going to be off the charts challenging.  I was not looking forward to this at all, but then I was not looking forward to missing out on Big Sur.  This is one of those Go-NoGo situations, and I have had my share of those as an aviator.  The final decision usually comes down to Confidence...


So, I went for it!


This stretch of road is spectacular.  I love it, I love it, I love it!
There was lots of fog blowing up from the sea below, crossing the road at an upward angle and continuing to climb into the trees and the mountains and into the low clouds.  Fascinating!


I refueled at Ragged Point although I really didn't need gas, but I am magnetized by Ragged Point.  The name draws me!  I have stayed at this place many times over the years when I toured this road in Ferraris, Jags, Corvettes, etc.   I wanted to hang out and stretch a bit, but parking the rig was going to present challenges so I didn't stick around to savor the memories.


The road from Ragged Point to Big Sur is the best driving on the planet.  I loved every second of it, even towing the trailer.  In fact, the much slower speeds expanded the time to appreciate even more the beauty around every turn.


After getting parked in a grove of ancient redwoods, I headed out to a nearby pub for some fish and chips and a pint of Guinness (amazing, even here in Big Sur!).  Next door to the pub were a few tourist shops, and in one of them I spotted a hammock which was calling my name...


I have had in my mind since day one that a hammock is an essential piece of kit for the Airstream lifestyle.  Well, every lifestyle, actually.  It is my belief that a hammock is an essential part of life and there should be one wherever you (I) go.  It's embarrassing to admit, but in the 2 months I've had the Airstream I have not found my hammock.  I have searched, and in every case found the hammocks to be lacking.  And now, right here in Big Sur, is this hammock calling to me.  Great colors, all cotton... SOLD!


Back at the Airstream I stow the hammock in the closet, thinking I'll get to figuring out a way of rigging it later -- another day's project for sure.


I made a cup of coffee, and settled down, but the hammock was still calling to me.  I removed the hammock from the bag, and was impressed with how well made it is, and for only 20 bucks!  There's not enough room inside the trailer to lay out completely, so I take it outside and that gets me thinking and looking for where I could hang it.  There only one low branch anywhere nearby, sticking out of a redwood stump.  The other end would have to be the roof rack on the tow vehicle, so it could work out if I had a lot of rope.  And then I remember that I might have what I need in an emergency kit I keep and, YES!  The kit, put together about 15 years ago and never used, has a coil of 120' of a really interesting military surplus green natural fiber rope!


I whip out my Marine Corps Kabar knife from World War II, and it cuts through the rope like butter.  Maybe too easy, I think.  The knife is not that sharp, so maybe the rope has some rot from being so old.  Caution!


I cut two sections of rope and hung the hammock in less than 10 minutes, probably closer to 5.  I lowered myself into the hammock and stretched out completely and relaxed and the wonder of it all struck me:  Big Sur in a hammock!  Just doesn't get much better than this.  I took a few photos with the iPhone in my pocket, and a video, but can't upload because there's no signal.




I enjoyed my time in the hammock immensely, smiling the entire time.  Admittedly, I got pleasure out of the thought that I did something improvised with a knife and rope and achieved one of my primary objectives for this Airstream.  What impressed me is how everthing just flowed...


The rope has been in that emergency bag for many years, waiting for some purpose.  The knife was an impulse buy, in my previous life of conspicuous consumption, at least 15 years old, and never used!  That knife and rope have waited a long time to meet the hammock, and what a beautiful thing they did when they finally got together, and it all flowed so naturally.


I moved through each phase of the job with a general idea of what needed to be done and improvised along the way.  However, my moves were so fluid, so flawless, that anyone watching would think I had done it a thousand times before.  I was like a big jungle cat, moving deliberately without any lost energy or mis-steps.  Today I was a tiger.


The night among the big trees was silent and peaceful.  I could not have been happier!

Road Trip #1: Day 4, Santa Barbara, CA (El Capitan State Beach)

I headed out before breakfast to find the Pacific Ocean, El Capitan State Beach, to be specific.  More of a hike than I expected but it's always a reward to arrive at the sea.

In fact, it was an excellent hike.  There was a nice fog and it seemed to want to rain but couldn't quite make it.

I ran out of bananas and a few other items are running low, so I was forced to make a supplies run into the nearest town, Goleta, 13 miles to the south.

It's Saturday night, and there's a live Rock 'n Roll band playing in the canyon just over the ridge.  It occurs to me that if those sounds were coming from another camper nearby, it would be a nuisance, but since it is so far away, and a live band, it is not only acceptable, but fun!

The park's Wi-Fi is FUBAR so I use the iPhone to connect for email and check out the route to Big Sur, using Google Maps satellite/hybrid views to see what's ahead.

The RV park is big and sterile, with paved parking pads and all the conveniences, but lacks the one thing I want:  the beach.

Tomorrow:  Big Sur!

Road Trip #1: Day 3, Santa Barbara, CA (El Capitan State Beach)

I had a great sleep - No Buzzing Refrigerator Fan!

The Airstreamer next door (23' International and Chev. Tahoe) confirmed the fan problem.  Says he disconnected his fan months ago.  It was driving him crazy.  How could Airstream build, and its dealers deliver, such a flawed product?  But then, I suppose I have been a perfectionist so long and I should expect mediocrity as a best case scenario.     This is the sort of quality you might find in a 1950 Schwinn bicycle.  I know, I have one.  It may be that Airstream has been coasting on their reputation for a long time and has never really needed to compete to survive.

Breaking camp went easy enough, and the drive to Santa Barbara was simple.  Actually it was north of Santa Barbara, and north of Goleta, to a place called El Capitan State Beach... an RV park called OceanMesa.

The farther north, the more fog.  And now, parked in the new camp, the "ocean view" I wanted is just a wall of white.

In the afternoon I had a good phone meeting with a Protégé, proving out the concept of doing business from the road is possible as long as you have a phone or Wi-Fi connection.  This was a key experiment planned for this trip: to see how well a mentoring session can go without being face to face.

Think of me as fog and tree...
Think of me when the fog slips through the trees.
I am that moment when fog feels tree and tree feels fog.
What is their first reaction?
What can they know of each other - they are so different
and have so little time together.
The fog is just passing through,
but the tree is happy to stay.
I think they are happy to see each other, like old friends,
familiar with each other's ways.
One wanders, one waits.
In need of each other,
a story without end.


Think of me as fog and tree.

Road Trip #1: Day 2, Malibu, CA (I killed the Buzz)

I woke at 7:11 AM after a decent night's sleep.  That is, after I got myself pointed up hill.  The parking spot is supposed to be level, but either that's not exactly right, or the bed is unlevel, or the cushions are weird, or something, but my body was sensing something not quite level, and I confirmed it with my iPhone.  It has an app called "Carpenter" which displays a very sensitive bubble-level.


Last night was the first test of the "Travasak" bedding system, and it seems to work OK, but it's quite bulky.  I could probably use a smaller size.


In the middle of the night, I thought I had gone suddenly deaf.  The refrigerator stopped buzzing (briefly).  It has been making that awful sound since I have known it (a couple of months).  And now, without any action on my part, it had gone silent.  Sublimely silent!  What the heck is that all about?  I am at once happy and curious, but also sleepy, and sleepy wins.


The buzzing is there when I wake up, but then, suddenly, it goes quiet again.  And so I have come to expect intermittent behavior from a previous constant.  I guess I'm learning, but I'm not sure what!


Another observed oddity, this one positive, is that this morning I did not even think about using the computer (email, news, comics, facebook) while having my coffee.  Instead, I opened the door and went outside into the fresh air and watched the waves.  And I picked up my pen and notebook.


I like the idea of staying an extra day (one full day) in a new place.  It gives me some time to relax and get a feel of the local vibe.


I clean the floor with a tiny whisk brush and sweep the debris onto a small Post-It note slip.  It's good stretching exercise as well as cleaning, and we all know how Virgos love clean.  (They love the fact of clean, but not necessarily the work of cleaning.)  The floor is, of course, very small, so it's not much work.  How small?  That got me curious, so I measured it and it comes to about 27 sq. ft.  which seems like a big number for such a tiny trailer.  That's just floor space, where you can actually put a foot.  The actual enclosed space inside the trailer would be about (14x6=84sq. ft).  It's interesting that my condo is about 15 times the size (1250 sq. ft.) but I don't feel very cramped at all.  Yet.


The space seems a lot bigger when the door is open.


The unused parking spaces here are all groomed with a fresh and orderly raking each day.  A nice touch.


Beethoven plays as I write.
The buzz stops again!
OK, now I'm awake and curious, so I launch an investigation.  I turn battery power off and remain on shore power, figuring it might be the inverter.
Beethoven without the buzz is suddenly more beautiful, but soon the buzz comes back, telling me it's not the inverter.  It's got to be the refrigerator, but I'm not sure what I can do about it.


So I move outside and for the first time deploy my patio tarp to cover the parking spot dirt with a green space which mimics a lawn and gives depth to "My" domain.  I move the tow vehicle to fully open the 7'x15' tarp then park it with left wheels over the edge, keeping it in place.


Next, I deploy a low folding chair.  The color is a lime green which literally Screams against the very different dark green of the tarp, but I let it go.  Somehow I am just too relaxed to care.  The chair decides to test my calm and prefers to stay folded when I prefer to have it unfolded.  It's one of those cheap aluminum frame things, and I know it will soon break anyway, and I have already resolved to replace it with a quality wooden one which sits at a normal height.  Revenge is sweet.  I will not get angry, I will get even.


Eventually I get it to allow me to sit in it, and, fully reclined, soak up the morning sun.  It's barely past 9 AM.


At long last, I am feeling brave enough to attack the awning.  I have put off this chore long enough.  I wanted to see the awning procedure demonstrated one more time before I tackled it, because I remember there was something important that I should NOT do, but exactly what escapes me now.  There are multi-jointed arms and springs and detents and all manner of gizmos to deal with but I ignore them all and simply tie the grab-strap to the rear wheel of the tow vehicle.  Hopefully, I will not drive off and cause great damage to the awning, trailer and my reputation.  I take an iPhone photo of my new patio room outdoors and send it up to facebook.  Only then do I check my email for the first time this morning, even though I have no interest in any of it.


About mid-day the temperature climbs to 82 and I start up the air conditioner for the first time for a nice cool breeze and fix my first meal of the day: some oatmeal (McCann's Irish), with sliced banana, and have a relaxed breakfast on my patio in the shade.  Life is good.


The afternoon evaporated in blissful indolence.


The weather station (brought it from home) goes spastic, showing 131 degrees.  It's probably the corroded contacts, the ones I didn't clean very well when I changed the batteries a few weeks ago.  This will be a good project for later, but right now the weather is Perfect.   There are low lying clouds off shore, waiting for the cool of evening to roll in and blanket everything in a soupy fog.  That would be nice.  Foggy in the morning, foggy at night, sunny in the middle, and my day's a delight!

All around me the RV people putter with their Stuff.  This is the background music of the passing days in an RV park. The neighbors all seem to want to be alone, just like me, and that's surprisingly refreshing.

Gray water tank is half full, so I need to empty or go without a shower in the morning.  Deal with it now, and stay ahead of the curve.  Did I mention that the water outlet in the Airstream is lower than the RV park sewer inlet?  And since water seldom goes uphill except in the Bible (Red Sea parting episode), this is an unpleasant chore.  There should be a pump, or is that just too obvious.  Duh.  Why is this entire camping this so Primitive?  Didn't we send men to the moon?  Yes, they wore diapers, but you get the idea...

I have found it!  The noisy buzz was the refrigerator fan.  It is very quiet from the outside, but the hard mount and hollow cabinet sure do make it a lot worse.  So I disconnect the fuse, and now the sweet sounds of the surf are much more enjoyable.

One improvement of minor note, I have removed the cosmetic valance over a window blind which was installed improperly at the factory so that it interfered with the control rod operation.  The Quality Control manager must have been sick when my unit rolled off the final assembly line.

And, finally, a decorating note:  I cut up some west coast campground maps and scotch-taped them to the ugly white vertical surfaces for a big improvement.  Better color and educational too!

Road Trip #1: Day 1, Malibu, CA

The "Morning Of" went well enough, a flurry of activity, of course, but it seemed to go without any major problems.  I was just hoping that I wouldn't get 100 miles down the road and realize that I forgot something essential.  I hate when that happens!


In its first real test, the Garmin GPS in the Toyota FJ Cruiser works well enough to get me where I need to go, in spite of several disconcerting audible messages that advise me that it has lost its satellites.


The drive went smoothly enough, and I soon pulled in to a commercial campground in Malibu, on the legendary Pacific Coast Highway, right across the street from the Pacific Ocean.   Some first impressions:


Electricity!  Real electricity, not from batteries, but the good old fashioned stuff right out of the plug waiting by the parking space.  An inexhaustible supply, no generator needed, no battery recharging needed.  Just like home!  I can charge my computer/iPhone/iPod and listen to music and microwave food and use the air conditioner all at the same time without blowing a fuse.  This is truly civilized living!


Wi-Fi.  I can use the computer for email instead of using the mini screen on the iPhone, and it's a lot faster too.


Water!  Right out of the hose, an unlimited supply, so I can take a real shower without being concerned about running out or overfilling my gray water tank.  However, the trailer's water outlet is lower than the park's inlet.  And, from what I learned as a child, water doesn't go uphill.  What is this all about?  Didn't Wally B. start this camping stuff like 70 years ago?  How can it be that the Airstream is designed with such a low water outlet?  How can it be that a campground in Malibu (USA) decided to build sewer inlets higher than an Airstream outlet?  I guess I'm just going to have to get used to the idea that outdoor types don't spend very much time thinking about such details.  Probably a plethora of mesomorphs involved in this camping thing.


View.  A great 180-degree white-water view of the Pacific.  I have a front-row seat (parking spot), precariously close to the edge of the hill.  I chock the wheels for the first time.  Sure, the spot is level, sort of, but the idea of some kids coming along in the night and pushing the trailer over the edge is unsettling.  (I'm remembering my own mis-spent youth.)


Weather.  Perfect. 74 degrees, clear.


Cost.  80 bucks per night!  Yikes!   That seems high to me, but it's probably a lot less than any hotel I might find in Malibu.  And I know where the sheets have been...


Cons.
1.  The traffic noise during the day all but obliterates the sounds of the surf.
2.  No Sunsets!  That was a huge surprise.  Malibu faces south, and is cut of from sunset views by some mass of land to the west.  Total bummer!  How do these people survive without sunsets?
3.  No Pool Table.  Actually, there is a pool table, but it is closed after 6pm when the campground store closes.  It seems obvious that these people are not pool players.  It's probably just as well because the table is in a semi-outdoor spot, so the table and equipment is almost certainly FUBAR due to the ocean salty humidity.


Late at night, the traffic noise decreases until there are moments, some lasting almost a minute, where there are no cars at all, and the sweet sounds of the surf can be heard.  Big, clean waves roll in and crash on the beach with the sound of thunder.

There is a buzzing sound coming from the refrigerator area.  It will not stop unless I turn off all electricity,  and of course then the food will spoil, so that's no solution.  It is not at all conducive to sleeping, and of course it completely spoils the natural sounds of the surf.

Road Trip #1: The Night Before

I've been wanting to get out of town on a decent road trip, but all the details of trying to make schedules and reservations was just too much for me to deal with so I finally did what has worked so many times in the past:  I delegated the details!

One of my favorite sayings: "I delegate, therefore I am."

I simply charged my assistant Carol with making it happen.  I gave her the final destination (Big Sur) and the duration (about 10 days) and asked her to research the campgrounds and see if she could make reservations for me along the way there and back.  Many days of planning and preparation all come down to "The Night Before", an auspicious time if ever there was one.

I reflect on the other epic journeys in my life, all of which began with their own Night Before and Morning Of.

As always, I'm a little bit nervous, but also feeling confident and strong.

Nevertheless, I updated my Will.

I make last-minute piles of supplies and equipment, and tire myself out, finally getting to sleep and  dreaming of Grand Adventure in the morning.

Generator blues...

Hired a professional electrician to check out why my Yamaha 2400 generator will not start the Airstream air conditioner even though other Airstream owners claim that it works for them.


Still don't know why it works for others, but we know that it will never work for my Airstream air conditioner because it draws more juice to start than the generator puts out.   The unit needs 48 amps to start!  However only 24 amps will run everything simultaneously.  That's good to know.  So if I got a generator that put out 3,000 watts continuously it would cover normal operations, but still not start the air.