No Destination : hoyden and two dogs hit the road full-time

[nikonron]

If you get the small one, they're pretty compact. I keep mine in the bin under my side dinette. It should be about $80.00 Ron

 

[hoyden]

Oof. That's a little much for my unemploymed self right now But I'll keep it in mind for when I do regain employment.

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[hoyden]

Unless this proves to be more of a fix than it seems right now. Then Mr buddy will be a new guest

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[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

What the neck is a sail switch? I read abt that in Wandering Sagebrush's links too.

Have stove! If it isn't fixed I'll hafta hightail it south!

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The sail switch is a little "flag" type thing in the fan side.If the fan isn't blowing hot air after a short period it will shut
off the heater. It seems they can get dirty and stick.
Frank

 

[nikonron]

Stay unemployed, not a bad life! Ron

 

[hoyden]

Oh, yes, he did check the sail switch!

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[hoyden]

If I can find a way to become independently wealthy, I'll be happy to stay unemployed! :-D

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[ski3pin]

If I can find a way to become independently wealthy, I'll be happy to stay unemployed! :-D

If you find out how, don't tell anyone........................except me.

 

[hoyden]

Hahaha! It's a deal :-D

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[kmcintyre]

Sounds like you've narrowed down any other possibilities. It's a cheap part too!

Good luck!

 

[PaulT]

Search for "atwood rv furnace sail switch" and you will find videos & discussion.

The blower must blow air in sufficient quantity to keep the furnace at a safe temp while burning propane. The sail switch responds to the air stream by moving sufficiently to operate a switch that tells the controller circuit that there is enough air movement to safely open the propane and ignite the gas.

If the switch fails to operate within the time delay allowed, no go and no heat. The videos & discussion may give you ideas on what to look for.

Paul

 

[hoyden]

I have succeeded at one of my goals admirably: I not only don't know what day of the week it is, but also unsure of the time. I crossed a time-zone, but since some of my clocks changed and some didn't and my truck one is manual, I'm a little uncertain what time I got out of bed this morning. Yay!

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[kmcintyre]

I have succeeded at one of my goals admirably: I not only don't know what day of the week it is, but also unsure of the time. I crossed a time-zone, but since some of my clocks changed and some didn't and my truck one is manual, I'm a little uncertain what time I got out of bed this morning. Yay!

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That's a true sign of retirement!

 

[Bseek]

I have succeeded at one of my goals admirably:

And many more to come, although I know you were being facetious about that one. I am sorry that things have been tough (and cold) for you, but you will work it out and be victorious. We enjoy hearing about your path to freedom. Keep on truckin'.

 

[hoyden]

Hi Bseek! No facetious at all! I'm happy to have lost track of time. It makes for much more relaxed days/nights.

Just found out that part didn't come in today. I mentioned that I might go into town for WiFi, and Jeff (I think he's the service manager) said, "oh, we have WiFi" and I'm all hooked up! Woot!

Also, my furnace is still under warranty!

So, all in all, this could be much worse.
I have wifi, electric hook-up, water availability (spigot outside), an outside trashcan, a little portable heater, and WiFi.
I have food, dog food, and coffee.
Low of 45 tonight.
Not too bad.

 

[hoyden]

On loneliness, being alone, and community

(ice storm. Jan 2017. Carbondale, Illinois)

A dear friend of mine in Carbondale who works in hospice and I were talking about the nature of loneliness. I find it somewhat ironic that I have felt far less lonely since I took off on this road trip alone than my last two years in Arizona.

She talked about the loneliness of dying people and how nothing external seems to help someone who has that particular heartache. She told me about a man in her hospice care who has just about everything you think that one would need stave off loneliness: family around him, good friends who bring food and care. But his wife had died some years prior. He pined for her and nothing could replace that specific companionship and so he was engulfed in loneliness missing his wife. Family and friends brought temporary solace, but they were no replacement.

(safe. 2017. Tamaroa, Illinois)

I find it surprisingly easy to not be lonely while traveling. Internetz helps, partially because I can stay informed and connected through social media, but also because I have friends and acquaintances all over the U.S. If I am feeling lonely, likely I know someone within an easy drive and I can schedule to visit. Perhaps I'm lucky in that - I've lived a life with a lot of variety and tend to be fairly social. It seems that on the road, one can be about as social or hermity as one wants. There are lots of social RV groups and meetups (there's some large gatherings right now in Quartzsite, Az) and a lot of networking.

(Sign in yard of house across the street from the duplex I lived in 3rd, 4th, 5th grades.. 2019. Urbana, IL. )

At some point the body gives and traveling becomes more and more difficult. What to do when that happens? I've thought a lot about the possibility of getting older alone it scares the crap out of me. There is no "cure" for loneliness, but the proximity of friends and good family can help. Various friends and I have talked about creating an intentional community so that we can help each other and be physically close to each other as we age. I know that this is happening in a lot of places already. We each need to have a "3am person" - someone that you know you can call at 3am for help and they will be there for you. For a number of years I've fantasized about having a few acres of land, and friends put their tiny homes there. We each have our own living spaces, but easy to visit and be each other's "3am person".

Perhaps part of this road adventure for me is to find where I might want to have those acres, or look for that kind of community. I know that the reality is that you can't really just go out and bump into the right combination for you, but there are definitely people and places that 'click' when you come upon them.

 

[Ted]

I enjoy the puns in Whazoo's trip reports, the art telling the story in Milt's, and everything in Ski3pin's reports. But most of all, I really like the thoughtfulness and self reflection in yours. It seems like it is as much a diary as it is a trip report. Thank you for sharing so much with us.

 

[nikonron]

Did you get the furnace repair completed? Ron

 

[hoyden]

Ted: Thank you so much! That means a lot to me!

nikonron: The furnace is FIXED! It was the igniter!
But had/am having some issues with the RV place and some money.... will update on that once it's resolved. Ugh.

Since I was only about three hours from my mom's place, I went back there (Carbondale) to have a little more visiting, repair mom and step-dad's (10') gate (their dog can sneak under, so I'm installing some thick rubber mat 'skirt'), and weather /map looking. Lotsa bad stormy weather in the direction I have been considering heading. Tornadoes! Eep!

Will post a new write-up and picssoon!

 

[hoyden]

I have been remiss in my posting duties!

After I left Carbondale, I headed a little north to Springfield, Illinois to visit some friends I hadn't seen since around 2005!
We had delicious eats and indulged in :
The Great Negroni Debate:
Vodka, Gin, Bourbon

I think I liked the vodka one best, and my friend Wade liked the gin one.
Or, the vodka or gin for after lunch, and the bourbon version for after dinner.

I talked my friend into being a tourist with me, and we went to the Abe Lincoln Museum (across the street from the Lincoln Library)

IT WAS GREAT!

Of course, growing up in Illinois for the most part, I had a lot of schooling about Lincoln. In grade school, we even traveled to Springfield to rub Lincoln's copper nose for good luck! This time, I got to do the full historical tour, complete with a couple of short interesting movies!

We visited the gift shop and saw some fun things like this book

and this t-shirt (I bought one)

I think he impressed upon me so much as a kid because I kinda related to his childhood. Not that I was raised in a 300 square foot log cabin, but that he was an outsider who was also a voracious reader. I guess apart from that, we were pretty dissimilar.

I almost got this magnet, but worried it'd get knocked off my camper fridge and disappear, so I took a pic instead.

On the walls framing the walk through the entrance turnstiles is artwork done by local grade and high schoolers. This one really impressed me.

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
~ Abraham Lincoln

This is just inside the entrance to the museum. To the left there is his boyhood - a walk through the log cabin and his young years through to his arrival in Springfield and his early political career.

The center back is one of the two theaters, and to the right you can see the White House. The walk takes you from his childhood, up through the White House years, and on to his death.

Beware, John Wilkes Booth lurks around those parts.

I couldn't get a great picture with my cell phone, but there was a crooked hallway decorated with words and cartoons from his critics. It was similar to a fun-house with angles all askew. Very well done!

Yikes!

After all that excitement, we went to Obed and Isaac's Microbrewery & Eatery,
had dinner and a:
Taste test: French vs Campfire smoke
French won. (and I still prefer the peaty single malts)

His dogs and my Argos were very glad to see us.
Or to see us open the door to the yard for them.