Four days in Bakersfield

March 21 through March 24th:

Dear Reader, this is a post to remind me of where we've been and what we've done, strictly for journal purposes.  Not very exciting reading, but serves to let me know for future reference.

We were originally heading to Bakersfield for an overnighter at the popular Orange Grove RV Park but  life had other plans.  On the drive over Highway 58 our motorhome started acting up again (this happened once before); cutting out, jerky shifting and it continued on, gradually getting worse.  So as luck would have it we ended up at the Cummins Diesel Repair. As it was near closing time they parked us with full hookups and said they would get to us first thing in the morning.

Right on schedule they took us into the bay and started going over the possibilities of just what was causing our problem.  It didn't take long.  Clogged fuel filters due to getting some bad gas.  They were soon replaced and we were good to go.

Oh no, not so quickly.  By the way there is a recall on your air compressor and we need to replace it. That turned out to be one giant task.  They had to remove the air filter, the water pump, and the hydraulic pump just to get to the compressor. This was a 2 1/2 day project and necessitated us finding things to do during the day as we couldn't go into the work area or be in the coach. We dined out at all the fast food chains which were conveniently located nearby.  We took our Kindles with us and read a bit.  One day we drove up to Lake Isabella, a beautiful drive.

Finally we were done.  The fuel filter replacements were the only items we had to pay for.  The major task of replacing the air compressor was free for us, just time spent.

We're now ready to head out and continue our travels to Pismo Beach for a meet-up with the family,
Just another blip when life has other plans for you.

On to Tucson for a month of "fixings"....

We have committed to staying a month here at the Bar J RV Park, one of our favorite "proper" MH parks at a monthly rate of $425. We have full hookups, a patio with a builtin BBQ stand, and our own Saguaro.  Directly behind our site is one of the several washing machine rooms that provide free washes with lots of clotheslines with which to dry.  With a steady, warm breeze blowing you can't beat it.

Our motorhome is entering its 16th year so we expect systems to fail, need repair, or replacement. Such was the case with our old Sharp Micro/convection combo. We were lucky to find one in the catalog at Home Depot, a Sharp Carousel, with the exact same dimensions as the old one.  Our friends provided the name of a very reliable handyman.  Keith showed up right on time, dismantled the old one, and quickly had the new one installed.  Price for labor - $50, which we thought was very reasonable.

The new Sharp Carousel Convection/Microwave oven.

Lucky for us our interior cleaning service, Kyle of Benson Carpet Cleaners comes to Tucson. He shampooed and Scotch Guarded carpet, upholstery, and ceiling plus a couple of area rugs. I'm sure we off-loaded gallons of Borrego dust and sand.  Our little home is now back to her beautiful old self.

Next on our fix-it agenda was the mechanic from RV MD who came by to install a new heat sensor for our Magnum Inverter.  The inverter tech not only installed the heat sensor but also replaced all the battery cable connections for our 6 battery house bank which were so corroded, even though Howard periodically cleans them. Now we should be in good shape power-wise, unless of course, the batteries have lived their life!

Otherwise, life goes on as usual,  We visit local friends and go for short walks in Tucson Mountain Park.  I say short because, like the motorhome entering advanced age, my back is steadily getting worse and walking and standing are very painful.  But still we need to keep pushing.

That's all for now, folks!

Chilling in Borrego, cheers with new friends, hikes, repairs, & dumping for fun~~

The New Year brought a deep chill, as in below freezing temps, and our mountains were topped with snow.  It was a beautiful sight to behold, and happens every few years, but by late afternoon we were bundled up and huddled by a fire, or inside.  Our oh so efficient Wave 6 catalytic heater kept us warm and toasty, running on low throughout the night.

Our new friends, Heather and Dan, have entertained us non-stop.  Heather loves to cook and invited us and friend, Richard, who camps out over at Peg Leg, for a New Year's feast of spiraled ham, mashed potatoes, carrots, and just baked white buns.  We brought a salad and there was lots of good red wine to last the evening. The sun was out, though the temps were dropping. They have a great little set-up outside their small toy hauler; comfortable table that will sit 6, gas barbecue and fireplace.  Very cozy indeed.  We did say goodbye just as the sun was setting to go home and catch the last quarter of the Oregon Ducks beat Florida State in the Rose Bowl game.

Richard, Heather, Dan, Lynda, Howard

Spiraled ham, mashed potatoes, carrots, homemade white buns, & salad...Delicious

On a trip into town one day we had to take a detour to check out the Breceda sculptures, a drive we do every year.  They never cease to amaze me and were even more impressive against a background of snow on the mountaintops.

Prehistoric camel

The dragon

The padre and his dog

In an effort to get off our lazy behinds and shed unwanted pounds, and with a lot of inspiration from young friends who are fitness nuts, we're trying to walk or run an hour a day for 6 days a week, and do some strength training a couple of days. Now bear in mind, we're working up to this!  They use a simple pulley system by TRX Training and the basic equipment would work fine on the motorhome, suspended from the ladder, and not take up much space, ridding us of the hand weights and other paraphernalia we haul around.  We're also reading the book Younger Next Year, which has actually been recommended by several friends.  Hey, we'll try most anything to keep doing what we're doing and love, for a few more years.  So on that note, we headed up Coyote Mountain for a two hour hike!

Up the rocky, steep slope

We nod at the deadly serpent but we have higher goals.

Over by Henderson Canyon,looking west...

 We get a TRX demonstration!

The car was due for maintenance and the motorhome needed the generator serviced, so Howard went into Tito's Auto Repair, talked to Tito, and felt comfortable having them do the work.  We had not been there before, but had received recommendations.  The car went in yesterday and attention to every detail was thorough and complete and we felt the price was very fair.  Today we took the motorhome in for generator's oil change and replaced the oil, fuel, and air filters.  Again, efficient and thorough.  From there we headed up to the Anza Borrego Desert State Park to use their facilities, dump and water, which we do every 10-14 days, and for the $7 price of admission, we get a day use pass to park, have a picnic, and enjoy a hike to the Palm Canyon.  Today since we were later in the day, we just parked and had lunch and got to say hello to friends, Tom and Carolyn, who had just arrived.

The State Park for day use

Parking for a picnic or a hike...

We rounded out our week with temps warming back up into the mid 70s, clear blue skies, and basking in the light of a full moon.  Life is good, indeed~~

A home for the holidays~~Anza Borrego Desert

But not without a glitch:

Way back in September, when leaving Charbonneau Corp of Engineers Park, we noticed a fluctuation in our voltage causing the alternator light on the dashboard to flash on and off.  Cummins Northwest in Pendleton was right on our way, heading south on Highway 84 in eastern Oregon, and we were able to schedule an appointment to get it checked out, figuring with the age of the MH, mileage, etc., it would probably need a new alternator.  All power systems checked out fine and we were told it might be a loose wire (like finding a needle in a haystack) or a faulty gauge.  

When preparing to leave the Orange Grove RV Park the other morning, and still idling in our site to get the air pressure up, the light came on and we lost power completely.  Dead as a door nail...nada. We knew it wasn't the batteries or the alternator, so Howard pulled out our wiring diagrams and proceeded to trouble-shoot as far as he could.  He finally narrowed it down to the ignition assembly but at this point we had to get help. 

There are only a few mobile repair facilities in the Bakersfield area and we fortunately found Don at Price's Truck Repair.  Don was out within a half hour of our call and within 2 hours, aided by a phone chat with a Country Coach tech and a quick trip to Cummins Pacific for a part, found and fixed a faulty solenoid in the ignition relay.  Labor ~ $200, solenoid ~ $30.  By then it was too late to get on the road, but we did have a chance to visit the grocery store for a few staples to tide us over for a few days until we settled into "our spot".

Our home for the holidays:

This is the same site we were in last year.  We absolutely love it.  The only thing wrong with this picture is no jeep!  The views are panoramic, the sunsets brilliant, the internet seems better than in year's past.  We are happy campers!

We have no plans nor schedules  We'll stay as long as it feels good, and leave when the time comes.  But for now, this feels like a great place to call home!

Fun and service in Yuma...

Okay, I'm not a big fan of Yuma per se; the winter crowds and traffic, the somewhat lack of visual appeal... But, it is a most convenient location in which to get motorhome service and repair work done at a reasonable price. Winding down an almost 10,000 mile road trip and with 150,000+ miles on the odometer, we wisely scheduled appointments to get our innards checked.  

Over the course of the last several months our Atwood hot water heater had ceased to function on the electric cycle and the propane is noisy in close quarters.  Howard called Atwood and they had a couple of repair facilities in Yuma.  After checking out a few reviews, we scheduled with Hilco RV Service & Supplies.  Now this is a funky little shop but don't let looks deceive you. They have been in business since 1979 and know their stuff, especially refrigerators and hot water heaters.  Jerry was not pleased that the unit was buried in my closet floor but with the aid of a flash light checked all he could.  We had already tried the reset as suggested by Atwood. 

He gave us rather dismal options; live with it, or he would have to disconnect all the electrical, gas and water lines, drain, and possibly remove the tank to replace the heating element, if needed. He couldn't say how long this would take, but we would be without water and propane. BTW....it is very cold in Yuma!  Let's do it..

Long story short, after all was drained and disconnected, and he could get a better look inside (from the outside), Jerry came in soaking wet and mumbling something about it can't be this easy. Poking his head and flash light back inside the closet floor muttered, come here and look at this mess!  I told him that if there was a rat's nest involved, no way, but he assured me all was clean.  There had been a meltdown of a wire and switch that manually lets you disconnect the electric. Howard did not even know it was there much less ever used it.  So just like that, Jerry removed the mess and bypassed the switch, checked out the circuits, replaced all the paraphernalia, filled the tank, and we were done.  But not before he completely checked out the refrigerator and used the air compressor to clean out the dust and cobwebs!  We were then connected to their power and invited to spend the night.  Highly recommend!

The other service appointments were far less dramatic and pretty routine  We returned to 
Yuma Diesel, as they are Cummins engine specialists, for lube, oil change, air filter, etc.  The fan belts had been replaced in Duluth at the Cummins dealer.  No problems found, engine steam-cleaned, and we were done in a couple of hours.  This should hold us for another 15,000 miles or so, and we will return!

On the lift at Team Ramco

Next we're off to Team Ramco to spend the night for our Allison transmission service scheduled the next morning. Howard was very impressed when he called and talked to Flash, the manager, and we continued to be throughout the entire service process.  Our overnight parking was on their lift, plugged in to the electric, with just enough room for our slide.  All the paper work was completed that night and we were given a key to the gate and the office where rest rooms and showers were available. They drained and refilled our TranSynd synthetic fluid, expensive as all get out, replaced the filters and said we're good for another 50,000 miles!

We all fit nicely in the Pany's driveway

Now for the fun part!  Our friends, Beth and Chris, have a winter home in Yuma and not only invited us over to park in their drive-way for the night, but prepared us a fine dinner as well. Chris is the master of duck a la rotisserie and Beth provided sous chef duty fixing all the tasty sides.  Photographing food ranks high on my list, next to the actual eating, but an evening spent with good friends and good food, priceless!

Chris wore his special "Duck Call of Duty" T-shirt for the occasion

Almost done

Beth provides all the tasty side dishes

Delicious bean salad, colorful and healthy

Baked acorn squash with butter & cinnamon could be dessert

Putting it all together with bread from Julian Bakery

Duluth, MN...The Greatest Lake experience

We arrived in Duluth for a couple of days of rest and stayed a week.  We have location, location, location...plus our timing is good.  The gray skies turned to blue, the clouds puffed and billowed, and temps were mostly in the 70s.  We are well pass the season of heat and summer crowds (and bugs), and well before the winter's freezing blizzards.  Ahhh...Autumn approaches.

Here we are at Lakehead Boat Basin

 

What we see from our site!

Nighttime views are nice also...

We fell in love with the city, especially our area which is centered around, first and foremost, Lake Superior, the greatest of the Great Lakes, with major tourist attractions like Canal Park and the Duluth Ship Canal and Aerial Lift Bridge within easy walking.  We are staying at the Lakehead Boat Basin which has 30 RV sites, 12 with full hook-ups at $39 per night, and 18 with water and electric for $34...where we are.  Our view looks out at the marina, the bridge, and across to the Duluth Hills. The parking is nothing fancy, just asphalt parking lot style, but very accommodating for easy access to many attractions.  Did I mention views:

The gigantic Alcoma Navigator in motion at the Aerial Lift Bridge

We walk a quarter of a mile to the bridge and across to Canal Park with its impressive Maritime Museum and Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center.  The shipping schedule for the day is posted and each ship as well as its size, history, and cargo announced as it approaches the canal's entrance.  A horn-blowing sequence sounds as the bridge closes to pedestrian and car traffic and the bridge's 390' span lifts vertically 130' in about 3 minutes. This occurs 25-30 times per day in busy traffic season.

The Paul R. Tregurtha is the largest of the Great Lake freighters at 1,013' in length!

The Lake Superior Maritime Museum & Corps of Engineers Visitor Center at Canal Park

We took a break at Little Angie's for mojitos and chips, also in Canal Park

We chose to walk but there were other options...

After days of driving with little or no daily exercise, we are drawn to the Duluth Lakewalk Trail; 4 miles of pathway tracing the shores of Lake Superior and fronting downtown Duluth, with the fascinating lure of a working port with foreign and domestic traffic arriving almost hourly.  This becomes our daily morning routine, sometimes returning in the afternoon.

Just after leaving the marina...

...and crossing the Aerial Lift Bridge

Along the Lakewalk Trail

By the shore of Lake Superior

Looking downtown

The Aquarium by Bayfront Park

More docks & marinas

Another good option, though we didn't

And looking back....

...and looking back

Looking across at Canal Park

But this is our crossing, over and back, up and down, even under!

We did other things, occasionally.  Howard rewired the electric connection between the jeep and MH.  It came loose while driving and one end of the plug was shattered.  We were forced to wash windows as we couldn't see out of them from all the road grime.  We bought a new Blu-Ray at the very best Best Buy to replace our very old DVD player that died in the middle of Breaking Bad.  We were "this" close to buying a new touch screen, notebook/tablet, with Windows 8 and a super fast processor.  It's on hold for the time being as we explore wants vs needs.  We shopped for granddaughter Christina's upcoming 7th birthday....

This girl has style...and is truly missed by yours truly!

We found the very famous Great Harvest Bread Company and visited it many times with delicious rewards.

We drove around town and admired the early 1900s architecture of homes along Superior Street...

Duluth offers up a lot of history.  From the arrival of Europeans and the French fur traders, the period between 1650 and 1850 saw the establishment of the American Fur Company, then rumors of copper mining began to circulate, and locks and channels were constructed in the East allowing large ships access to the area.  

With the opening of the canal at Sault Ste. Marie and the coming of the railroads, Duluth became the only port with access to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  For the first half of the 20th century the city boomed with lumber, grain elevators, cement plants, and shipyards.  An influx of immigrants arrived. 

The 1950s supposedly brought an economic downturn when high grade iron ore gave out; ore shipments from Duluth harbor being the most important element of the city's economy. 
And with the decline of the city's industrial core, the local focus shifted to tourism. 

From all we have seen of the many cargo ships arriving daily, and the obvious magnetism for tourists, this City is doing very well.  There is a wealth of things to see and do, a multitude of shops and restaurants. It's just that we don't always play tourist.

We left today, Monday, and have stopped at the Duluth Cummins Truck Center.  Howard decided it was time to replace the fan and serpentine belts. They'll also hook us up to their computer for an engine diagnostic. If all goes smoothly, we should be cruising through Wisconsin, continuing our Highway 2 journey as far as Michigan, and more of the Great Lakes.

If anyone reading this blog has suggestions for places to see and things to do along our route, we would be greatly appreciative for your help. Until the next time, and do keep in touch!