Mixed emotions

The mind works in mysterious ways. One day it's filled with thoughts of adventure, "fun" and everlasting bliss. The next day, the skys are filled with black clouds of doubt, displeasure and uncertainty. Today is one of those days.....it sucks.

When I arrived back in Deming, my mind was filled with thoughts of grandiose adventures. Climb'n mountains, bike ride'n, swak'n golf balls....stuff like that. Putting another year of doctor appointments behind me. Having my back looked at (MRI) and possible surgery. In only three days, those thoughts are shot all to hell. I got to make other plans.

Have ya ever had to wait for a mechanic what was gonna be here yesterday??? I'm a impatient man and waiting is not one of my most exciting daily routines. Especially when my mind is filled with "what the hell am I gonna do now". Yes I'm talk'n bout the brakes on "Sally da house". That's all I can think of. Everything else is on back burner until I am confident I can stop this thing at the next red light on the way for a doctor appointment. I refuse to drive down the road a hunnert mile a hour with no brakes.

Why don't I take "da house" to a repair place and get the brakes fixed? Well, I'll tell ya why. There is simplicity in the brake system, I can do it myself as well as any repair facility. Or I can get my neighbor mechanic to climb up under there an' do it. With my supervision of course. I understand perfectly well how the brake system works. But I don't understand how it can be broke one day an' not broke the next. That's why I spend hour after hour Googl'n stuff. At this point, I'm almost certain....I said almost, that the hydroboost brake booster is going out. All arrows point in that direction. Now where the hell can I purchase a hydroboost unit for a 2003 Workhorse motorhome?

Sorry for all the talk bout brakes an' stuff, but that's all I got on my mind.

Walmart today???? Maybe.  

Piddle stuff

Yesterday weren't all that bad. I piddled round do'n stuff, none important or worthy of the written  word. Just a day of "do'n nuttin".

The first thing I do was to move "Sally da house" a couple feet to the left so the awning could be put out....correctly. Ok, here's the deal, the brakes work just fine. How comes??? I try them with the engine run'n an' with it off. The brake pedal would not bind up, stick or nuttin like that no matter how hard I push on 'em. I'm think'n I got a problem deeper than what I was expect'n. More on that as diagnosis and inspections unfurl. In simple terms, gotta go take a look see under "da house".

I sit on "da porch" for a bit. Break out a big screwdriver an' take my Weber grill apart. Remember them little fold out table thingamagigs what I burn slap up? Well I grind all them melted plastic bubbles off the surface an' straighten 'em. Ain't like brand spank'n new, but it looks much better. In the process, I got me a big ol' blister on my thumb where I was testing the super hot temp of a piece of angle iron. (Angle iron was used on top of the grill grate to protect further melting of the table thingys while I softened the plastic to straighten). "Duh Billy Bob, that's hot". Didn't take me long to look at that piece of angle iron. Ya ever pull a cast iron skillet full of cornbread out a hot oven without a mitt? Boy howdy I done that a few time in my life. Still ain't learn a thing bout fire an' hot stuff.

Put the remains of that beef stew soup out for the cats. I ain't eat'n that stuff. It done turn green. Well, the cats ain't gonna eat it neither.....it still there this morn'n. Maybe the birds will. Sadie Mae even turn her nose up to it.

Speak'n of Sadie Mae. She knows she is home. Spend half her time over at Wayne's house....git'n free food I betcha. First thing she do every morn'n is go knock on his door....then go for rides on the golf cart. This goes on all day long until Wayne finally calls it a day.....locks her ass out. Wayne loves Sadie Mae an' Sadie Mae loves Wayne.  

Dumped a bunch of air out my bed last night. Ahhh, that feels much gooder. I sleeped till 8:30 this morn'n. Only had me one leg cramp last night, an' that was at 8:30 this morn'n. But it were a good'un.....I mean to tell ya. Didn't think I would ever get that thing out. As I stated many times before, there ain't no amount of bananas in the world or no amount of mustard is gonna fix my leg cramps. It's gonna take fix'n my back. Nuff said!!!

Well shoot, what I gonna do today. A Walmart run is needed, but don't know that I'm up to one. I remember a time I would never turn down a trip to Walmart. Some of ya may remember. Got me a "to do" list started. Damn, I'm gonna be here a long time. Just little piddle stuff to keep my mind off negative thoughts ya know. No projects.

That's all I got. Laters....

Hands throwed in the air

This is not a good start for a new day. I may say something I'll soon regret....."so make it short Billy Bob".

So what went wrong yesterday for such a long face this morn'n?

Well, the first thing, I put my awning out. "Sally da house" is too close to "da porch" so it's just hang'n out there in the air flap'n in the breeze. A good gust of wind could rip it slap off the side of "da house". Oh Oh, what as that bang'n an' slam'n? It's the awning silly boy. The wind done pick up one end an' slam it against the wall. I spend 10 minutes get'n that thing untangle an' roll back up.

Neighbor Mark was all excitis bout work'n on my brake problem. He climb up under there an' look see stuff. Take some pics too. Wanna see one???

This is the "bell crank" what I suspect is causing the brake pedal to not return to the up position after apply'n a hunnert pound of brake pressure to come to a stop. 

 This is the "hydroboost" brake booster. Seems easy enough to replace if necessary. But.....Mark walked away, says...."I'll see ya in a couple days". Ok, so I don't need no brakes for bout a month or so. That ain't the way I look at it, I need brakes NOW! If'n ya say ya gonna fix something, fix it. Don't say "I'll see ya in a couple days". I git impatient ya know!!!

Then I set up my Weber grill. Bend' down under the back slide out to get it out of the compartment...I get pissed off an' start throw'n stuff. That sucker is heavy. Needs to be stowed in a easier place to get to. Then I go to "that jeep" an' drag that heavy propane bottle to "da porch". "It weigh too much Billy Bob, ya gonna hurt your back". I did. Hurted the rest of the evening an' them damn leg cramps most the night.

So there ya see why the old Billy Bob is feel'n like crap this morn'n. Oh....did I mention the TV? Where are all the "good" stations what was here last year? They gone, replaced with "crap" nobody gonna watch. Sheesh, I don't even have PBS or Create. Ended up watch'n a Mexican/Italian movie last night. Boy howdy was I ever excitis.....not.

So here what I need to do today. Move "da house" over two feet so I can put the awning out....all the way, an' tie that sucker down. Hook up a light on "da porch" so's I can sit out there sip'n up a cup after dark. Damn I love my "da porch".

Then, I'm gonna go outside an' trim that "devil plant" (bird of paradise). Even though it ain't mine no more an' I'll only be here bout a month or so, it needs trimmed. Maybe pull that big ol' over growed bush out the other end of the cactus garden. Therapy ya know.

Ok, I'm on with my day. Hope it's a good'un. 
 

Arrival Deming New Mexico

There's not much to report on this morn'n....it's just another day.

Before departing the New Mexico Travel Center, I crank up the engine an' check my brakes. They seem to be working fine just sit'n still. Go'n down that big ol' hill towards I-10 proves that to be a wrong assumption. I'm stomp'n hard on the brakes an' using a toe to pull the pedal back up when I need to go. This was the last time I had to use brakes until I arrived in Deming at the off ramp. Oh wait.....the Border Patrol Drug station. Yup, gotta stop there too.

When I pull into the "mom an' pop" rv park, it's look'n pretty good. Weeds ain't over a foot or two high. Holy cows, somebody clean up Billy Bob's old camp'n site.

So's I back "da house in, right next to "da porch". Old "pesky neighbor" Wayne show up an' we sit on "da porch" jaw'n....bring'n back many wonderful memories.

Damn I love my "da porch". Look just like the day I build it....with a litttle wrinkle here an' there, weathered a bit, solid as a brick shit house. I would sit on this porch any day of the week rain or shine.

The cactus garden has growed up out of control. I planted all them cactus an' stuff out of love for desert plants. But they need some attention. Grass growed up what ain't supposed to be in a cactus garden, cactus plants 6 feets tall, some plants way too big.....they gotta go.

My "devil plant" Bird of Paradise is turn into a huge bush. Trim'n required.

This is one beautiful plant when it's all dress up with blooms.

Back to the brakes.....neighbor Mark loves to work on automotive stuff. He ask me if'n it was OK if'n he took a look see. Well hell yeah it's OK with me....I ain't crazy ya know. More on that later.

The high desert, 4300 feet, is do'n a number on my breathing. But that's nuttin new for me. Does it ever time I return to Deming. Bout a week, I be good to go. Back an' hip ain't in too bad a shape this morn'n. I was expect'n a restless sleep last night....it weren't, sleep pretty darn good.

Weather....boy howdy, was it ever hot yesterday....an' gonna be again today, 96 in the shade. But i got AC right? You betcha. But.....last night I thought I was gonna freeze to death. Got down to something like 64 degs. Ya cain't beat that with a stik can ya? Predicted temps for next week.....lower 90's an' mid 60's at night. Sound good to me.

I think that's it for now. More to come.....laters.

Whoa hoss....brake problem

 
Yesterdays most stressful adventure was find'n some gas for "Sally da house" to continue her journey west. All of that was taken care of within an hour after pulling out of a wonderful Texas rest area/rv park. And to think I stayed up half the night in worry I would die along side the road with a empty tank.

Ok, we made a second fuel stop in Van Horn to top off the fuel tank. 28 gallons were added, cheap shit 86 octane. Went to the truck stop where I received my citation an' pull up between two big ol' trucks....out of sight an' out of mind. After a nice lunch, we was on the road again.

I cain't take this no more, I got to pull off an' get me some relief. My brakes are failing.....what the hell??? More on this later.....

I hit El Paso right at 4:30pm. Oh lord, it's bumper to bumper an' I'm do'n a hunnert mile a hour (60). I push on the brakes hard, an' then harder, we ain't slow'n down. Well, we were, but get'n awful close to that car in front us. More on this later.... For the next 20 mile or so, it was regular ol' slow an' go, sometimes 50 other times 20. Arrived at the New Mexico Information Center RV park right bout 6pm with a sore right leg from push'n that brake peddle.

Ok, the brakes. Ya see, when I push on them, they are hard to push an' ya gotta pull the peddle back up with your toe....what means ya ain't gonna stop in a short preferably safe distance. I was think'n vacuum brake booster, but "Sally da house" don't have a vacuum brake booster (internet search). What it do have is a hydroboost doomaflochie what runs off the power steering pump. Maybe that's what it is? Further google search reveals a little device called a "bell crank" or something like that. This device has caused RV'ers all over the country to have the same problem I have. There's a fix. It's up under the front and needs a grease job. More on this later when I crawl my ass up under "da house" an' take a look.  But not today.

Ok....Now what the hell??? I push the start button on the Onan generator. Lights start flash'n on the switch. It's a fault code. I get it run'n an' turn on the AC's....both of 'em. Two minutes into the cool down period, Onan stop run'n. This ain't good "cause it's hot in "da house". I piddle with it, crank up an' turn on ONE AC. Another project to checkout in Deming.

I sleep good last night once the temp got into the 70's. Before that....it was misery....little fan blow'n 87 degs air on me at 10pm. Back and hip didn't feel too bad last night. Felt good this morn'n. Although, climbing in altitude (3900 feets) does make it harder to breath.

I ain't in no hurry to crank up an' finish my trip to Deming. It's still quite cool here (79 degs) at 10am mountain standard time.

Refill my coffee jug, down a alka seltzer, swaller a aspirin....let's hit the road. "Sadie Mae, git in "da house"". 

Updated......Low fuel warning

There weren't no adventures, no close calls, nuttin unusual happen yesterday to write about. Just a steady 60 mile a hour cruise westward.


Well, here I am, just sit'n here 30 miles from the nearest gas station. There damn well better be a gas station in the next little town, that all I got to say bout that. Ya see, I was do'n some figger'n in my head...."I should be able to make it to Van Horn on what gas I got". I pull off in Fort Stockton. I cain't fit into that station or that one neither. There's one over there I can fit into. I pull up to the pumps....."what the hell"? They got plastic bags on the nozzles. They ain't got no gas.The only exit from this station is the I-10 ramp....what I get on.
The lower the gauge got, the more figger'n I did....."I need gas now". I'm get'n nervous.
This morn'n, after a miserable night of worry, I'm 80 miles to Van Horn an' according to my calculations, "it's gonna be a close one" if'n I cain't fuel up in Balmorhea or some other little hick town along the way. I'm talk'n....I could get by with just 2 or 3 gallons.
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Afternoon update....

I stop in Balmorhea  an' buy me up some gas. Get back on I-10 an' lay back like a big shot, not a worry in the world. I got me enough gas to make it to Deming. Whoa there bucco, you said that back up the road a piece....remember?

Arrived at my designated gas station in Van Horn right bout 12:30 oclock. Put me another 28 gallon in the tank (hunnert dollar bill). Now I'm sit up here at that truck stop where I got a citation a couple year ago. As I entered town, the city proudly display a "no overnight camping" sign. Dirty bastards.

Tomorrow I may tell ya why you should never worry bout petty stuff. Like run'n out of gas. YIKES, run'n out of gas ain't petty....that some serious shit.

Yikes, don't stand on the ants

We sit'n in the shade at Junction City Park in, believe it or not, Junction, Texas. I had a hard time find' the place 'cause all the instructions to get here was on my laptop. "Well shoot Billy Bob, just fire up the internet an' everthing be fine". NOT!!! There ain't no internet anywheres close to Junction. But anyhows, I had wrote down the "back road" I was supposed to turn left on....2169. Ok....there was three 2169's, start'n 20 miles back up the road a piece. I says....Grrrrrrrrrr, "how I gonna turn around on a narrow road like this one". I managed. Then there was the next 2169. Nope, not this one neither. Finally.....I'm camp'n. Nice quiet little park. Fount me a spot next to the river under a couple pecan trees.

Not the best view in the world, but what the hell, it's free. Maybe I stay here two days? Read on.

The first thing I do is get out an' look my camp'n sight over. "Pull up bout 20 feets be fine". OUCH, I stand'n on a ant mound. Them suckers is bite'n the shit out me me. I pulls up the designated 20 feets, sit on the couch doctor'n my poor ol' ant bited feet. Brew me up a new pot of coffee an' lay back to relax from a tiring an' miserable day.

7pm....HOLY CRAP, it's a hunnert degs in "da house". 89 to be exact. Nice little breeze blow'n, lets sit outside for a bit. Hey, is that a pecan lay'n over there on the ground? I love pecans. I goes over an' pick it up. OUCH, I stand'n on another ant mound.....hunnerts of them little black critters. And them little bastards are crawl'n up my legs, bite'n the crap out me. Mind ya, these ain't good ol' "fire breathing" Texas fire ants, they just regular ol' black critters....with alligator teeth. Back to doctor'n up my feet an' ankles. Man, them suckers done bite me a hunnert times. Fifteen minutes later, Ahhhh, that feels sooo good. In case ya wanna know, Equate Pain Relieving Cream, from Walmart, works wonders for ant bites. Same stuff I use on skeeter bites.

It's 8pm. I'm sit'n on the couch eat'n up a peanut butter jelly sammich an' a cup of ice cold milk.....dunk'n that sucker ya know. I got sweat run down my cheeks....it's hot in "da house". Fire up the generator, set thermostat on 37 degs....Ahhhh!!! that feels soooo good.

Bout this time, I'm cooled down, lay'n back on the couch...got my little 12 volts fan blow'n on me (generator off), I'm relax'n. 10pm the dreaded leg cramps start. Ain't talk'n bout no little sissy leg cramps, these things are serious, both legs at one time. Hurt like all holy hell.

By 1am I make it to the bed. Leg cramps die down an' I get me some sleep. 3am....Now I got me some belly rumbles, a quick dose of alka seltzer.....damn, I need sleep. Another hour by the wayside, back to sleep by 4.

I get up at 9am.....yup, I was sleep'n pretty darn good. I done decide I ain't stay'n here another day....too damn hot. That little car is gone. But in it's place is a big ol' box truck....block'n my departure. RV'ers know ya cain't back up when ya got a "toad" hook up. 

Crank up "Sally da house right at 11:45. How the hell am I gonna get out of here? Last resort would be unhook "that jeep" and back out. Maybe if'n I make a hard left I can miss that tree on the left an' not hit that truck on the right. I walk's out there....yeah, I think I can do this. "Billy Bob, you good....had a foot or two to spare".

2pm....I'm down the road a piece, put a hunnert dollar in the gas tank....put cruise on a hunnert an' let 'er eat. Should hit Ft. Stockton and beyond long bout supper time. If'n I got it all planed right. Spend the night at the rest area an' be all refreshed for the next day of travel to the rest area just across the border of Texas in Anthony.  That's the plan anyhows.

In case ya wonder'n, no I ain't enjoy'n this trip so far. Sit'n in that chair up there driv'n down the road for two hours at a time, my back is kill'n me. I'm bout out of alka seltzers an' I still got a long ways to go.