Classes of 2008 and 2009

[Wanderin]

I haven't been the most vibrant kid on the block today, Not feeling too good and all I wanted to do was sleep. I did lay on the bed most of the day but didn't sleep. This evening I went into town to get some fly swatters for the LOW SLAB and had dinner while I was there. Yes I ate alone tonight. Last night I took two of the gals with me and they insisted in setting there and talking politics. I finally told them if they were going to talk politics I was leaving. They got the idea right fast because they would have had to walk home (21 miles)if I left without them. I think it will be the last time I take those two anywhere. If I knew somewhere I wanted to go I'd hit the road for a couple of weeks and maybe get out of the rut. Right now I can't think of anywhere that would be any different than right here. I've concidered going to Borrego Springs for a week or so but even that don't sound worth the effort.

 

I'm thinking a change of scenery might do some good. Borrego Springs isn't far from where you are. At least it's still warm and who knows what mischief you could get into there.

[Striper]

I haven't been the most vibrant kid on the block today, Not feeling too good and all I wanted to do was sleep. I did lay on the bed most of the day but didn't sleep. This evening I went into town to get some fly swatters for the LOW SLAB and had dinner while I was there. Yes I ate alone tonight. Last night I took two of the gals with me and they insisted in setting there and talking politics. I finally told them if they were going to talk politics I was leaving. They got the idea right fast because they would have had to walk home (21 miles)if I left without them. I think it will be the last time I take those two anywhere. If I knew somewhere I wanted to go I'd hit the road for a couple of weeks and maybe get out of the rut. Right now I can't think of anywhere that would be any different than right here. I've concidered going to Borrego Springs for a week or so but even that don't sound worth the effort.

 

Oh Ya a change of scenery is called for here. So jess hook up and head up into the PNW for a while. The "Brisk" weather we are having will get you moving right quick.

 

Joe

[Wanderin]

Oh Ya a change of scenery is called for here. So jess hook up and head up into the PNW for a while. The "Brisk" weather we are having will get you moving right quick.

is

Joe

 

Sorry, Joe. I think Lee needs to head to Casa Grande. He's needed here and the change of this scenery would be good for him. Linda Sands just showed up and is having a few issues with her solar. IYQ is an expert so we were talking about him. I wonder if his nose was itching (or is it the ears that itch when people are talking about them?). Toni is offering spaghetti and the rest of us are offering someone else to talk to, dinner companions and someone to make sure he stays out of trouble. So, come on down IYQ!!! We'll work on making you more vibrant!

 

PS ... forgot to add that we'll also get you some cranberry juice!

Edited December 9, 2012 by Wanderin'

[sandsys]

I hate to ask for help but am glad Jeri did it for me. I have four 95 watt solar panels and the equivalent of four 12 volt AGM batteries and I can only run one day and two nights on them. Something is wrong. Lee, if you'd be willing to come help figure out what I sure would appreciate it. I'll even promise to stay put until you get here.

 

Linda Sand

[Wanderin]

I hate to ask for help but am glad Jeri did it for me. I have four 95 watt solar panels and the equivalent of four 12 volt AGM batteries and I can only run one day and two nights on them. Something is wrong. Lee, if you'd be willing to come help figure out what I sure would appreciate it. I'll even promise to stay put until you get here.

 

Linda Sand

 

I think our dear friend needs a change of scenery too.

[Sandie & Jim]

IYQ - how can you possibly pass up an invite like that. Jim and I might even slip on down that way if you were there. (Now that doesn't mean that we won't come down anyhow.)

Edited December 9, 2012 by Jim & Sandie

[IYQ]

I hate to ask for help but am glad Jeri did it for me. I have four 95 watt solar panels and the equivalent of four 12 volt AGM batteries and I can only run one day and two nights on them. Something is wrong. Lee, if you'd be willing to come help figure out what I sure would appreciate it. I'll even promise to stay put until you get here.

 

Linda Sand

Your 4 95watt panels are only capable of producing about 12.6 amps at this time of year when the sun is at such a low angle. Then because it gets dark so early it can only produce that for about 4 or 5 hours while the sun is at it's highest arch in the sky. That only adds up to about 80 Amp hours of power per day that you can produce at a maximum. The amount of power going into the batteries decreases as the batteries charge. Which means only about half that power actually gets to the batteries. Just one DC incandescent light bulb uses about 2 to 2.5 amps that means that if that one bulb was burnding for 20 hours you would use all the energy the solar system produced during the day. If it were two bulbs it would use the energy in only 10 hours and so on. The TV will use it all in just a few of hours. Add to that the water pump and all the control and monitoring gadgets in an RV and your out of power in no time. The blower in a furnace uses about 8 amps. It alone would kill the batteries overnight. Your computer uses much more power than you think. Especially when it's both charging it's battery and running at the same time. If you use it at night use it on it's own battery then charge it the next morning. If you have a large inverter to power all your AC plugs, it uses about 4 amps even when nothing is plugged in. If that inverter is on and you forgot to turn the frig to GAS instead of AUTO. The frig would use about 20 amps all the time it was running. Using Solar Power requires a lot of conservation and especially not using anything that heats. Then if you like leaving lights on at night they need to be switched to LED lights which only use about 1/10th the power of an incandescent light. And above all, remembering to turn switches off as soon as you get done using that circuit. Depending on how you use your electricity, operating for one day and two nights sounds just about right for a 380 watt system. I have a 540 watt system and I use about 40 to 50 Amp Hours a day and I have all LED lights and a Blue Flame Heater that doesn't use any electricity. I do use my Microwave for cooking and making Coffee. It uses about 165 amps while running but I only run it for about 3 minutes while fixing dinner and a minute and a half to make a cup of coffee in the morning. All the microwave cooking only adds up to about 15 to 20 amp hours of power per day.

 

Do everything that is power hungry in the morning, like charging the batteries in your phone and other devices. Likewise with things that have motors that you use on AC from your inverter. This uses up some of the excess power from your panels and don't take your batteries down so much. Then about noon start going easy on power use so that the batteries will be full to deal with the long nights.

 

I haven't been feeling very good for the past few days so I'm a little afraid to leave here right now. Some of our members said they were going to Q in January. I do plan on trying to get up there for that meeting and then again in February down at Sidewinder Road.

 

If you have either and amp meter or a dc volt meter in your system, you can tell if it's operating properly just by watching the meter. Your charging voltage should be about 14.3 volts but when the battery is low it will be much less. As the battery charges the voltage will rise untill it reaches full charge at 14.3 volts. Then the controler will switch to float charge, which will only be about 13.2 or so to maintain that level. When you first get up in the morning the panels won't be producing a charge voltage so the meter will read the battery voltage directly. Fully charged batteries will read about 12.7 to 12.8 a half discharged battery will read about 12.2 if it's not being charged or discharged at the time of the reading. You should never take a battery down lower than half charge. It will shorten its life quickly.

Edited December 9, 2012 by IYQ

[dlcarsonak]

IYQ

 

Thank you for the Solor lesson. I know you didn't write it for me. I read over your shoulder and got some good information. I am looking into solor. It is hard to get true information.

Hope to see some of you people in Q about January 2013.

 

D and I are in "The Ranch" (SKP park) at Lakewood, NM.

[IYQ]

I moped around here all day mostly sleeping then went to happy hour and that's about the size of my day. I'm beginning to think that there is something around here causeing me to feel washed out all the time. (I know it can't be age.) It would cost me about $500 extra to come over there to Casa Grande for a week. I'm temped to do it if I can pry the money out of my wallet. I wouldn't be able to do much while there but if I snapped out of my daze I'd know that it's something here that is effecting me, especially if it returned when I returned here. How long do you guys plan on staying there at Rovers Roost? I'd probably loose my site here that I just got all fixed up with all the amenities. OH Well. Dream old man.

[Wanderin]

I moped around here all day mostly sleeping then went to happy hour and that's about tuhe size of my day. I'm beginning to think that there is something around here causeing me to feel washed out all the time. (I know it can't be age.) It would cost me about $500 extra to come over there to Casa Grande for a week. I'm temped to do it if I can pry the money out of my wallet. I wouldn't be able to do much while there but if I snapped out of my daze I'd know that it's something here that is effecting me, especially if it returned when I returned here. How long do you guys plan on staying there at Rovers Roost? I'd probably loose my site here that I just got all fixed up with all the amenities. OH Well. Dream old man.

 

We paid for a month so will be here close to that month. I think our checkout date is the 8th. However, will be heading to Portland over the holidays. I'll be gone about the 19th or 20th to the 27th and Terry will be gone from about the 21st to the 25th or 26th. Toni and Doug will be here until after New Year's. Now Linda has paid to Wednesday but said if you headed this way she would stay longer. Hopefully, she'll fill you in with a comment later. Toni may clarify her info too. Keep us posted. We want you to feel better.

Edited December 10, 2012 by Wanderin'

[IYQ]

We paid for a month so will be here close to that month. I think our checkout date is the 8th.

When are you planning that January stay in Q you were talking about when you were there last month. I just got a note from Denise asking it I planned on coming to Q in January. Which I do.

[Wanderin]

When are you planning that January stay in Q you were talking about when you were there last month. I just got a note from Denise asking it I planned on coming to Q in January. Which I do.

I think we had talked about it during the Big Tent. That's a big I think. We'll probably be down in "Q" middle of January or maybe even a week before that. Golly I'm probably the worst at making plans and keeping them. I think we were talking about Yuma about the first week in February.

 

Help me out ... someone!!

[Guest coldsmoke]

we will be in Q by mid january

or mabe a little earlier

mike and deb

 

ps. i will have a few comfort bottles for lee

[Sandie & Jim]

I think we'll be heading over to Q about the 10th of January. I really need a different view out my window. I figured we'll move to Yuma after the big tent and spend about a week down there.

Edited December 10, 2012 by Jim & Sandie

[Onthego]

Mike and Deb were at a gun show this weekend in San Antonio so we weent to see them and the show. There was a blood drive going on there so Tina and I decided to do it. We hadn't had lunch but went ahead anyway with the donation. Afterward went inside to see Mike and Deb. Tina sat down for a few minutes because she felt light headed. We started to walk around the show and hadn't walked 100 ft. when she said she felt weird and passed out. I caught her before she crashed and let her down to the floor. Well we spent the next couple of hours with EMTs and back on the blood bus for them to monitor her until she felt well enough to go home. She doesn't remember much. We stopped for a Whataburger on the way home and she rested the rest of the day. She's ok this morning guess we'll do the shopping today we were going to do yesterday.

 

We plan to leave here after Jan. 1 sometime and go to Big Bend NP on our way to Q. Will be good to see everyone again. I can't believe we've set in one place as long as we have. Safe travels.

 

Jeff

[sandsys]

Lee, If you are coming to Casa Grande I am staying. I want to see you get better. And, if you feel up to it, I'd like you to look at my energy audit stuff and tell me if there's anything more I can do. The site I am in is available until Frebruary but I can't afford to stay here that long. Then I plan to go to Phoenix just long enough to see my brothers and stock up on some stuff. Then I'll head up to Parker where I can have full hookups for an average of $32 a week. I'll come to Q when everyone else will be there if I can figure out how to have enough power to do that. Right now I have to use my alternator every other day to recharge my batteries. Jeri & Terry have offered to share their generator with me if I need it.

 

Linda Sand

[palamine]

Mike and Deb were at a gun show this weekend in San Antonio so we weent to see them and the show. There was a blood drive going on there so Tina and I decided to do it. We hadn't had lunch but went ahead anyway with the donation. Afterward went inside to see Mike and Deb. Tina sat down for a few minutes because she felt light headed. We started to walk around the show and hadn't walked 100 ft. when she said she felt weird and passed out. I caught her before she crashed and let her down to the floor. Well we spent the next couple of hours with EMTs and back on the blood bus for them to monitor her until she felt well enough to go home. She doesn't remember much. We stopped for a Whataburger on the way home and she rested the rest of the day. She's ok this morning guess we'll do the shopping today we were going to do yesterday.

 

We plan to leave here after Jan. 1 sometime and go to Big Bend NP on our way to Q. Will be good to see everyone again. I can't believe we've set in one place as long as we have. Safe travels.

 

Jeff

 

Sorry to hear about Tina's episode and hope she is better now.

 

[[HUGS}}

[palamine]

I think we had talked about it during the Big Tent. That's a big I think. We'll probably be down in "Q" middle of January or maybe even a week before that. Golly I'm probably the worst at making plans and keeping them. I think we were talking about Yuma about the first week in February.

 

Help me out ... someone!!

 

You've got everything right according to me. We are here until the 2nd of January and then to Quartzsite until after the show. I think we thought we would have the "reunion" at Pilot Knob after that about the first couple of weeks in February. After that we are coming back to Casa Grande for another month.

[Wanderin]

Freddy and Delcie Prather .... where in the world are you? We never hear a sound from your way. Give us a toot!

[Striper]

Lee, I've got a really good supply of Cranberry Juice built up. Only problem is that it's up here and your down there. Dang if I have to drink all of it myself I'm gonna be one very happy guy. (where's that drunken smiley when you need him)

 

Jeff, you need to take better care of Tina. Hope she's over whatever and back up where she can keep you in line.

 

Jeri, your worse at keeping a schedule than I am.

 

Oh Well, I'll just look at the temps online and think about all of you down there turning BROWN while I'm up here RUSTING.

 

Joe

[donf888]

Finally made it out of Texas. Boy, I travel slow! Am at Dreamcatcher for a couple nights. Need to spend some time reading my vehicle manual. Finally found the windshield wiper control and the hood release. No, not at the same time. I was NOT trying to use my wipers to get rid of an open hood and anyone who says otherwise lies.

 

Linda Sand

 

Wow... sorry we missed you; we were there for Friday night music & Sat b'fast, then left. Woulda loved to seen the new rig! We were/are anxious to get our new "closet" (in Mesa) organized for winter season usage -- plus, get to Calif for Christmas.

 

(IF you do go to Q, we'll stop by there on our way to Calif -- gotta hit Temecula for 2 g-kids, then be in SJ by 12/?!?.)

 

Cheers (from Mesa),

 

-Don

Edited December 10, 2012 by DonF

[Freddy & Delcie]

We are gate guarding with a oilfield frac crew, we will be through in mid Jan. and plan to start West then. Will probly miss Q but plan to be to Yuma by early Feb. Looking forward to seeing everyone. This job is 24/7 and one of us has to be here at all times. Ed and Lyn are gaurding for a different company in far SW Tex. Sure wanting to get on the road again. See ya';; in Feb if all goes well.

[Wanderin]

.... I caught her before she crashed and let her down to the floor. Well we spent the next couple of hours with EMTs and back on the blood bus for them to monitor her until she felt well enough to go home. She doesn't remember much. We stopped for a Whataburger on the way home and she rested the rest of the day. She's ok this morning guess we'll do the shopping today we were going to do yesterday.

 

 

Jeff

So sorry about that. It's a wonder they let her go before they checked her out but glad Tina is doing OK now.

 

 

 

We are gate guarding with a oilfield frac crew, we will be through in mid Jan. and plan to start West then. Will probly miss Q but plan to be to Yuma by early Feb. Looking forward to seeing everyone. This job is 24/7 and one of us has to be here at all times. Ed and Lyn are gaurding for a different company in far SW Tex. Sure wanting to get on the road again. See ya';; in Feb if all goes well.

 

WOW. You sure have a busy year planned. I thought you were retired! It'll be good to see you in February and we'll certainly be looking forward to it.

[sandsys]

Mike and Deb were at a gun show this weekend in San Antonio so we weent to see them and the show. There was a blood drive going on there so Tina and I decided to do it. We hadn't had lunch but went ahead anyway with the donation. Afterward went inside to see Mike and Deb. Tina sat down for a few minutes because she felt light headed. We started to walk around the show and hadn't walked 100 ft. when she said she felt weird and passed out. I caught her before she crashed and let her down to the floor. Well we spent the next couple of hours with EMTs and back on the blood bus for them to monitor her until she felt well enough to go home. She doesn't remember much. We stopped for a Whataburger on the way home and she rested the rest of the day. She's ok this morning guess we'll do the shopping today we were going to do yesterday.

 

We plan to leave here after Jan. 1 sometime and go to Big Bend NP on our way to Q. Will be good to see everyone again. I can't believe we've set in one place as long as we have. Safe travels.

 

Jeff

Wow! I thought they monitor you after giving blood before they let you leave. But, I've never donated so I don't really know. Glad she eventually turned out OK.

 

Linda

[ccsimpson]

12/9 to 12/13 at Sumter Oaks in Busnell. Been here several times. The park is pretty full. Want to stay for the Thursday night dinner. The food is always good and there are such nice freindly people here. Of course we had to hit the big Monday flea market. I get in trouble everey time I go!!

Carol