Yuma Lakes RV Resort

Where Are We Today

Yuma Lakes RV Resort

Today we woke to the ending of the Super Blue Moon solar eclipse. 

End of Solar Eclipse

Today was departure day for us and George and Suzie. They were up and ready to roll out at 7:30 a.m. We weren't going far, so took our time getting ready. At 10:00 a.m. we said our goodbyes to Deb and Tom and headed on our way. Our destination was Yuma Lakes RV Resort near Yuma, a short 1 1/2 hr drive south on Hwy 95. This route we have taken many times, was a leisurely drive, and to keep with my road rating, I put this at a 7.5 until about 30 miles outside of Yuma, where I drop it to a 6 for about 10 miles, then back to a 7.5.

Sun Rise

Arriving just before noon, it wasn't long and we were checked in and set up. The rest of the day was a good old lazy one.

Macerater/ RV Waste Pump

My replacement macerater arrived yesterday morning, I got it wired and made sure it would attach without breaking the wing clips off. Didn't need to use it as we would be able to dump our tanks once we arrived here at Yuma Lakes. So down the road it will get tested and definitely get a good use back home at "The Ridge"

Looking towards Quartzsite from the desert.

Overhead drone shot of our spot in  the desert.

That's it for tonight, hope you all had a great day. Until the next time, take care and be safe. As always, comments are welcome.                                             

Blogger Fest 2018

Where Are We Today

As promised, here are the drone pictures that I took at Bloggerfest  today. Unfortunately the video didn't work for some reason . Feel free to use the pictures for your own blog. I take the pictures with my drone for my personal use and for you if you wish to have them, they are not sold or given to anyone for that purpose. 

Nice gathering of 22 people

Don't run away Ken

It was a great gatering and nice way to spend an afternoon. Thanks everyone who attended. Until the next time, take care and be safe.

 

Spill My Stuff

Where Are We Today

In my last post, I talked about our " Blue Boy" ( which from now on I'll call our honey wagon, because ours is really grey, not blue) and how I was making it easier to dump without spillage.

RV Waste Pump

I also ordered a macerator or RV Waste Pump from Camping World, which arrived promptly by UPS. After following the instructions for wiring, I went to attach it to the trailer dump connection ( this a four pin twist on devise) all four clips on the RV Waste Pump snapped off.

Getting it wired 

The air got blue for a few seconds and that was the end of that. The next morning I sent an email along with pictures to Customer Service at Camping World stating what I had done and asking for advice as to getting it replaced. Within a couple of hours, I received an email from them apologizing for any inconvenience, and stating they were sending another email with a prepaid UPS shipping label. When it is picked up by UPS and the tracking number shows it is transit, they will send out a replacement within 2-3 business days. My return was picked up Friday morning on the 19th of January, so I am hoping that on Monday, I will have notice that the new one is on its way.

All four clips snapped off

On Saturday we attended the Quartzsite RV show, a must when you are here,  the thousands of people who make up the jostling, elbow knocking, people standing in your way crowd and organized chaos that goes along with any event like this, man you got to be in your glory.

Old generator

Last year when we went to the show, yes we came back for a second time, we found items that we would like to have for our RV, one being a new generator. The one we have is a Champion 3500 watt construction generator, you know, the noisy one. After looking at several over the past year, that would fit the criteria that we set for our needs, we planned and saved to purchase a new one this year. The Champion 3400 inverter generator is what we bought.

New generator/inverter

The gentlemen at the Champion booth, said they would get it ready for us by taking it out of the box, putting in the oil and a little gas to make sure it ran. When we were ready to pick it up, we just had to drive the truck along the outside of the fence and they would lift it over to us and right into the back of the truck.

Bringing it over to the fence

In the back of the truck ready for home

While that was being done, we walked back into the big tent to browse some more. We bought one more item for the trailer, that being a new outside light. Our friends Pat and Rob, showed us theirs last year and we thought it was a good idea. The light acts as a outside light or motion sensor light. When you first turn it on it acts as the motion sensor light, turn the switch off and back on it acts as an outside light.

New light

Today I installed that light on the trailer. It works well and gives off a good bright light.

Removing the old

Applying sealant around the new one

All done

There you have it, and as Ken and Shirley said, I was to get on the ball and do a post to satisfy their curiosity.

When the new macerator comes in and I have it up and running, I will let you all know.

We had a bit of excitement  for the second time in the last two weeks, as police, sheriff, fire rescue and ambulance raced to the back of LaPosa South LTVA, don't know what happened, but they left without flashing lights.

Quartzsite police on their way out

Ambulance on its way out, no flashing lights

Fire rescue on its way out

Thanks for following along, welcome and read all comments, until the next time take care and be safe. 

New light works great, Good Night

 

Changing Things Up

Where Are We Today

Quartzsite Arizona

To start this post a  self analogy is in order. I have never been one to buy dirt cheap, but have always wanted to buy the best and biggest I can, to be clear, not the best and biggest that there is. I always keeping in mind the financial side of the purchase.

Now having said that, this post is about how I wanted to make our " Blue Boy" better. When I bought it, I wanted the biggest one that I could get under the above criteria. The reason for that, was that the waste tanks on our 5TH wheel trailer are quite large, 75 gallons for the grey and 50 gallons for the black.  The bigger the " Blue Boy " the less trips to the dump station, thus the 45 gallon ' Blue Boy " that I purchased.

Hose and valve attached

After assembly, we never had a reason to use it until we were in the desert last winter. The first time we used it and headed off down the bumpy road to the dump station, the end cap would vibrate off and we would be scrambling to recap it, before we had  nasty spillage on the road. With a little ingenuity, we found away to keep the cap on for the rest of the time down here.

All coiled up for storage

I have notice this winter, " Blue Boys "with a dump valve on them, ours doesn't have one. My plan was to remove the hoses on ours and attach a dump valve, then hoses, and we would be all set. Low and behold the outlet nipple on our " Blue Boy " is an odd size and no dump valve will fit it. As many of us have down here, we find away to make things work.

I purchased a dump valve that can be attached to the existing hose and fittings that came with our " Blue Boy" and rattle down the road with no fear of spillage. In addition, as many of our fellow RVers have done, I have ordered a macerater, so that when it arrives next week, I can put the " Blue Boy " in the back of the truck and pump the waste into the tank, drive down the road to the dump station and dump.

Many different ways to get water, some use containers, I use a bladder and some bring their rigs. What ever works best for you. 

That was part of day, while Pat was doing the laundry, I purchased the valve. When we got home, I put it all together and will test it out tomorrow.

Today was also a day to top up our fresh water, an easy task, that I took care of this afternoon. Following that it was some reading, snoozing and Happy hour.

Hose from the bladder to the pump and from the pump to the trailer.

Hope you enjoyed your day, as we did, until the next time, take care and be safe.

While I BBQ, Pat takes Clemson for a walk.

Sunset

Glowing sky

Good night.

Leave a comment if you like, I do read them.

 

My Point of View

Where Are We Today

Quartzsite

Another day in the desert, no projects to speak of, just my point of view on the day.

Sun popping over the mountain

 Not long after 7 a.m. we were both up ready to our day. After some blog reading, I said to Pat that I would go for a walk with her this morning, yes I am feeling alright. So off we went, back to the edge of "The Magic Circle", then headed in a westerly direction towards the front of the LTVA.

We came upon some nice open areas that we will remember for the next time we are here. As we walked we both took pictures of things that interest us, landscape, mountains and cactus.

Pat tying her shoes for a walk

There's the shadow guy waiting for her to catch up.

Looking towards Quartzsite

Love the shape of this old Saguaro Cactus

 After about an hour we were back to our spot with a couple of kilometers on our FITBITS. Breakfast was in order then dishes and a shower for me.

The rest of the day was taken over by laziness, reading and enjoying the bright blue cloudless sky.

There is a birds nest near the top

Clemson spent a good part of the day in his tent, in the shade.

 Happy hour happened at our place, while it was more like 2.5 happy hour, filled with good friends, great conversation and laughter. Cool air was setting in and the sun was making a nose dive for the mountains, so we said our goodbyes as everyone headed for home and start supper.

(Clockwise) George, Pat, Deb, Tom, Len, Brenda and Suzie

End of another day the setting sun said.

That shadow guy looking to east as the sun lights up the mountains.

Meatballs and spaghetti  squash on the BBQ

 Supper tonight was spaghetti, mine cooked inside, Pat's  and the  meatballs, cooked on the BBQ. For dessert, we had rhubarb pie that Pat had made early today.

While I was BBQing, Pat took the little guy for a walk.

Good night from the desert in Quartzsite

After the dishes we both sat to write these words that you so kindly read. Thanks for taking the time to read my point of view, until the next time, take care and be safe. Look forward to reading your comments if you care to leave one.

 

Quartzsite, Projects and A Walk

Where Are We Today

Quartzsite, Projects, & A Walk

We arrived in the desert at Quartzsite on Sunday January 7th /18 and will be here until the end of the month. Pat keeps you up to date on our daily activities at Patsy, so you know what we have been up to, she lets me write about my little projects, so here I am.

Back in 2016 when we purchased our satellite dish and programming, we got a PVR, two standard receiver boxes, satellite dish, portable tripod stand and coax cable. The installer said we could have 50 feet of cable free, two for the PVR and one for the first box, the second box we weren't going to use right away so I didn't get any for it.
  

The three original grey cables

The second standard receiver was going to be used between the TV in the bunky and one in the basement storage of the 5th wheel. I didn't get the TV for the trailer until last summer. When I installed it, I thought I had a 50 ft. piece of coax to use, turns out it wasn't 50 feet.

The shorter black one is the one I had and the other black one is the new 50 ft one

The other day I went into Satellite Advantage and picked up a 50 foot piece of coax and proceeded to install it along with the 3 original cables. To my surprise it wasn't the same length as the originals. After getting out my 100 foot tape measure, I discovered the originals were more like 65 feet long.

Today I went back to Satellite Advantage and got another 15 feet of coax cable and a connector to make everything the same length. Back home I had it all installed and looking neat.

The white one is the 15 ft that I added to the 50 ft. black one to make them all even

The other day, George, from Our Awesome Travels, was in buying a handle for his new heater. I asked him to pick me one up to, has we have the same heater. It only took a few minutes to install it and Pat is happy as she can pick it up and move it easily when sweeping the floor or wanting to get into the cupboard that it sits in front of when it is in use.

Drilling some pilot holes to attach the handle.

Handle attached and now easy to move around.

As you know, Pat likes to walk and is often up and out before I get up. This morning we were up together and I said if she would wait until after I made a quick trip to town, I would walk with her. She agreed and we went for about an hour after I got back from town.

Extreme solar  power here in the desert.

4860 watts of solar panels, he can run that window air conditioner.

Walking towards the front of the LTVA area.

The rest of the day was relaxing, reading and some social time with the neighbors at happy hour.

Sun setting on the suite tonight.

Sun shining on the mountains to the east

Another shot looking east at sunset.

Hope you had a great day too, until the next time, take care and be safe.

Comments are read faithfully each day, so thanks for making them.