sailbad

Jim and Sandie, Welcome back to the "TRAILER HOOD"

Hello group and new friend IYQ whom we met at Terry Bison Ranch in Cheyenne Wyoming. (I wonder if the dryers have been repaired yet) We are now in Country Campground in the Amana Coloines in eastern Iowa for a couple of days. Lee, hope to hear from you, we miss you..

 

Slo Mozey (Jim & Jill)

Welcome to the group. There really are no leaders. It's like trying to herd cats. We are scattered all over the place.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDIE.

This must be the 39th? You don't look a day over 39.

Buffalo is one thing we don't have here. A bunch of cows and a horse or two, but no buffalo. I went out this morning and hauled a couple of hundred gal. of water for a neighbor. My "NEW" pump works like a dream. It's rigged to pick up power from the trailer plug on the truck. What a sweet deal. Set it up on the tailgate and read a book!

The weather folk are all excited. They think the monsoon season is almost upon us. I certainly hope so. The neighbor said that 20 years ago the grass here was knee high. Today as IYQ can confirm, it won't make it to the top of your shoes. She hopes the weather is in a 20 year cycle and that the tall grasses will return. So do I. I'd really like to see that.

Dave C.-- Do you know if that Los Alamos fire is North or south of town and which way is it burning (Southwest to Northeast I presume) I want to know what areas might be in the smoke plume. Did you get you plumbing all done?

From what I've seen on TV the fire started south of the town and lab. The fire people were able to get it to pass to the west. But it's still running north into Indian Lands. As far as the smoke, the weather folk are suggesting the monsoonal flow from SW to NE is supposed to be the more previlant direction for a while.

Don't be worried about the bears. Take someone along that's slower than you!

Ya wanta be carefull where you go in New Mexico. That fire near Los Alamos is still burning north. Over 200 miles consumed. It's got to be generating a lot of smoke. But there is a little rain in that area so it may be knocking that smoke down.

It's funny how it works. On the 5 o'clock news today the weatherman said that the changes in the atmosphere were indicating that the "monsoon" season should be starting soon.

At 5:15 the wind began to blow and by 5:30 it was starting to rain. It's been raining for a couple of hours now and it looks like it might stay a while. We need a lot of rain. New Mexico has had the worst drought in over 100 years. I hope this spreads over western Texas and Oklahoma. They need it too.

I had 770am radio on last night and just as I was falling asleep,I heard something about California had passed a budget. The commentator said they were going to close 7 or 70 state parks due to cost? I guess my mind was wandering. Any body else hear about this?

Finally a little rain! Not a lot. But at least enough to hold the dust down. It's the 1st measurable rain since Jan.04. Hopefully this is the start of something good!

Well, we're in the perfect spot at Seaside. However, our son spent last night at the emergency room. Evidently he ruptured the tendon that connects the heel to the calf of his leg while playing volleyball. Ouch! Now we're trying to decide whether we should just head inland and hang it up for the coast this year. We'll probably make a trip to Portland today and then a decision about moving ourselves after he talks to the surgeon. I guess I don't need to say what a fun time we've had this year with all the doctors and such.

Sorry to hear about your son. That is a painful and slow healing injury. Hopefully they will get him fixed up and on the road to recovery quickly.

I'm beginning to feel like Steve when he sat forever in OK and Jeri when she sat forever in the Phoenix area. We may never get out of Billings. We got the service work done, got the fridge working, took the rig in for the alignment today and they found a broken right rear spring. So now we have to try and get another appointment with the Workhorse people (so it will be covered under warranty) that we don't care for and who knows when we'll get the appointment. So here we sit. And you know how much I like sitting. Back to cleaning out cupboards.

Some days if you didn't have bad luck, you wouldn't have any luck at all. But on the other side, at least you are where you can get the spring repaired. May be a little blessing in disguise.

Now about that cupboards cleaning. Here at the tourist trap we have a class on that. We even provide the cupboards!!!!

That's what I could do..... Turn this place into a tourist trap.

Let's see, a pond with flying fish and a alligator. Then we could include an old southwest favorite, the Jackalope. I could put in a mine shaft with a couple of snattelrakes. Then I could put in a skeet range so the folks could sharpen up their skills before going to the "fishing pond". and I could put in a little train around the perimeter.

I'd need to add another RV hook up by the gate so IYQ would have a place to park while executing his duties as gate guard, parking lot attendant, ticket booth sales, guide, rock rental, and grounds keeper. We will need the rocks so folks can fill their pockets to help hold them down during windy weather.

I don't know, but they call me "Mister"!

Steve, take it from someone who has spent way too much time in Casinos, when they start calling you "Mister" put your wallet in your FRONT pocket and get out of there while you still have Bessie Bus.

Have "REALLY" enjoyed the last several days of windy weather here in New Mexico. Between the dust and smoke there has been no breaks. But Millie has been blown clean. She's ready to take her test for her private pilot's license. She's really good at getting her nose into the wind.

Lee, our little package spent the weekend "resting" in Albuquerque and has now jumped a truck and is heading my way. It will be here this afternoon. For the life of me I can't figure out how UPS makes money on deliveries to me. It's a 40 mile round trip.

The Casita is finally getting near the finishing point. This week I will install the washing machine and the propane guy will be here to install the dryer. Once they are in place all that's left is the shelves. Home base is almost complete.

The whole idea behind this location was to give myself a jumping off point to go enjoy the State and Federal park system in New Mexico and Arizona. But with this drought and wildfires I'm running out of options in both of these states. Most of these parks are closed because of the continuing fire threats. WE NEED RAIN!!!!!

I got tired of Twiddling so I did some Whittling this afternoon. I went out to get gas and decided to get a plate of riblets at Applebee's. The Gas station limited the gas sale to $75 so I have to top off the tank again tomorrow so I'll be starting out with a full tank. I don't see and sence in limiting the sale to $75. Anybody with evil intentions could just start it twice or three times. I could have too but I figure if they cut it off on me, I won't give them any more money I'll just stop at the next station and see if they do any better. Oh well at least it gives me something to grip about. It keeps me in practice. You guys in the PNW that are bragging about 50 and 60 degree weather. At that temperature I put my coat on. It's getting so I don't feel comfortable until the temperature hits about 80. Where I lived in NC the summer temperatures are mostly in the 70's. Now that sounds cold to me and I used to sweat when it got above 70.

 

Foofy I checked and I-90 is open all the way through. If it hadn't been I'd have gone up to I-94 the flood waters are starting to receed up there. In MN it doesn't make much difference the whole state is under water all the time anyway. They call it the land of Lakes. I call it one big swamp.

 

Dave C did you get my email and the package. Use the Gmail address the Yahoo one is still messed up. Are you still getting well smoked down there. To bad they don't rub a little BBQ sauce on you too.

Our package is currently "resting" in Albuquerque. But I'll have fun anyway. It's going to be Millie Flying Weather for the next 3 days. The smoke really came in last night. It was so strong I really thought of getting up to make sure the neighborhood wasn't on fire!

This afternoon I'll square up with the front Office and get the inside of the rig ready. Then sit here and twiddle my thumbs for the rest of the day.

Just as long as you don't whittle on those thumbs!!!

That fire is still not under control. Channel 4 reported 440,000 acres burned. The wind had taken the smoke away. But it was replaced by very stout winds and dust. Some days Ya just can't win. I did manage to haul a couple hundred gallons of water for a neighbor lady this morning. But the afternoon has been hiding under the a/c from the dust. Hopefully this weather pattern will break soon. New Mexico and west Texas really need some rain. We just don't need that swamp IYQ is stuck in. We need to warn him about sharp knives. Remember the last time?

CONGRATS MIKE AND DEB!! REMEMBER RULE#1. RULE 1. YOU ARE RETIRED. THERE ARE NO RULES.

The smoke is back. Millie wants Doggles. Between the wind the last week and the smoke, her little brown eyes are a mess. We both are washing eyes often. The good news is I managed to haul 4 loads of water today. 3 for me and one for a neighbor. I did find out that you cannot stuff 600 gal of water in a 550 gal tank. But other than a little overflow, there are no leaks. I don't know much about the fire. I haven't seen the news today. I hope the winds calm down so they can use the aircraft.

A Hensley is a real comfort in strong winds. I fell in love with mine when I had a TT. Well I said we had been lucky with the smoke. That ended this afternoon. Now the sky is a dirty gray haze. The news said the fire is getting close to Luna and those folks have been told to get ready to evacuate. They think the fire will cross into New Mexico tomorrow.

The good news for me is that my friend Mike came by today to help me pull the tank. Once we were able to get to it, the repair was easy. Love Eterna-Bond. It has been replumbed and will be filled tomorrow.

I have been really lucky with wind direction the last day or so. The smoke has been going to Albuquerque. They have had reduced visibility down to a mile in some spots. That fire, whipped by the winds, is still completely out of control so I imagine we'll see more of the smoke. But not today. We did have a spattering of rain yesterday. Just enough to mess up the windshield. It did knock down the dust a bit. We need a touch of that "monsoon" season they hope will show up around here.

It's a work day for me. The used 550 gal. water tank has been seeping and I'm chasing a small leak. Of course it's in the back of the tank, very low, up against the wall. So I have to drain the tank to move it. A friend suggested putting some type of food coloring in it to see if we could spot the leak. So, couldn't find food coloring but did find a large packet of Kool-aid. Ran the tank down to 70 or so gallons and dyed that water!!! Anyone need a bunch of diabetic Kool-Aid? It does not have the sugar added. Smells sort of funny though. It's been in there for about 24hrs. That should make the leak show up on the outside of the tank. Once I find it, I have the cure all for that puppy. A FULL roll of Eternabond. If it's good enough for a hard hat diver to use under water, it should cover a little leak in a polypropoline water tank!

COUGH!! HACK!! GASP!! SNEEZE!!

That huge fire burning in Arizona is filling our area with smoke!! Albuquerque is under some kind of air alert. You can't even see the mountains. And to top it off we are getting hot air out of the desert. Other than that, everything is fine.

Let me add...Happy Birthday Marsha

WELL!!!! Sneak off into a canyon with no wind while I've been teaching Millie to fly.

Glad you were able to hook up with the LOWs and had a good time. I guess you haven't carved up any more of your fingers. Your typing looks "NORMAL".

I don't think I could have made that hike at 7,000ft. I'm still having a workout at 5,000ft. Maybe I could harness Millie and teach her to pull!

IYQ'S E-MAIL HAS BEEN COMPROMISED!!!!!!!

I received 2 e-mails from unknown sources supposedly from "PATTER" both of which contained virus. Neither one were actually from Lee.

I did call and left a message on his phone this morning.