Lou Schneider
Site Team
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2005
- Posts
- 13,224
It's been an interesting couple of days.
A couple of weeks ago, I made arrangements to visit Las Vegas, meet up with some work friends I hadn't seen since I retired last year, and take in the annual NAB broadcasters trade show. I would combine this with getting my Sunnybrook trailer out of storage in Mojave and tow it to Las Vegas for the week before putting it in my permanent home base in Pahrump.
Good news: On a previous day trip to Las Vegas, I found a nice RV park on Boulder Highway that would rent me a space for $87 a week plus electricity. Kings Row RV and Mobile Home Park is an older family run park that's now about 2/3 RV spaces, 1/3 older, well kept mobile homes.
If you ask for 50 amp service, you'll be put in the newer front section, which is a densely packed parking lot. But I only need 30 amps, so I got a pull through spot in the 200 section which was originally laid out for singlewide mobile homes. Each space is staggered end to end, with RVs at either end of the spaces, so there's lots of room between the RVs. The park is well kept and secure, a real gem.
Bad news: While crossing the desert on Sunday, my truck's air conditioner went out in 100 degree heat. I remember thinking it couldn't be that hot, as I was drinking water but not perspiring.
When I got to the park, I checked in at the office but found I didn't have enough energy to unhitch and set up the trailer. So I plugged into electricity, took a cold shower and sat under the air conditioner for an hour before summoning enough energy to get into bed.
I spent the next 18 hours there, rousing only to drink more water and pee.
Good news: This morning I was feeling better, so I turned on the water heater to take a shower.
Bad news: That stupid Atwood tankless heater I've been meaning to replace. The flame is only supposed to come on while the water is running, at the end of the shower I turned off the water but the flame stayed on. Before I realized what had happened, it melted a solder joint in the copper tubing and water poured out all over the place.
Good news: There's a major RV parts store just up the street, and they had a new Atwood 6 gallon gas/electric water heater at a good price. I was going to replace that tankless pile of $#!!% anyway, so what the heck.
Bad news: As I was finishing up installing the new water heater, I needed a couple of plumbing adapters. OK, Lowe's is about a mile up the street, I'll run up there and get them. On the way back I stopped in a Circle K and filled the tank on my pickup. That's when the starter decided to die.
Good news: Good Sam sent out a tow truck, it got there within a half an hour. Meanwhile I went inside the store and got an Icee and some chips to munch on while I waited.
My truck was towed to a diesel repair shop just down the road, they'll work on the starter and AC tomorrow. After dropping off the truck, I walked to the Enterprise rent-a-car place next door and got a reasonable rate on a car for a day or two.
Just as I got back to my trailer, my friends called. They were supposed to drive back to Los Angeles this evening, but at the last minute they decided to stay overnight and drive back in the morning. So we met up in a restaurant and had an enjoyable time catching up with each other.
Now for my dilemma ... with luck like this, should I play the lottery or not?
A couple of weeks ago, I made arrangements to visit Las Vegas, meet up with some work friends I hadn't seen since I retired last year, and take in the annual NAB broadcasters trade show. I would combine this with getting my Sunnybrook trailer out of storage in Mojave and tow it to Las Vegas for the week before putting it in my permanent home base in Pahrump.
Good news: On a previous day trip to Las Vegas, I found a nice RV park on Boulder Highway that would rent me a space for $87 a week plus electricity. Kings Row RV and Mobile Home Park is an older family run park that's now about 2/3 RV spaces, 1/3 older, well kept mobile homes.
If you ask for 50 amp service, you'll be put in the newer front section, which is a densely packed parking lot. But I only need 30 amps, so I got a pull through spot in the 200 section which was originally laid out for singlewide mobile homes. Each space is staggered end to end, with RVs at either end of the spaces, so there's lots of room between the RVs. The park is well kept and secure, a real gem.
Bad news: While crossing the desert on Sunday, my truck's air conditioner went out in 100 degree heat. I remember thinking it couldn't be that hot, as I was drinking water but not perspiring.
When I got to the park, I checked in at the office but found I didn't have enough energy to unhitch and set up the trailer. So I plugged into electricity, took a cold shower and sat under the air conditioner for an hour before summoning enough energy to get into bed.
I spent the next 18 hours there, rousing only to drink more water and pee.
Good news: This morning I was feeling better, so I turned on the water heater to take a shower.
Bad news: That stupid Atwood tankless heater I've been meaning to replace. The flame is only supposed to come on while the water is running, at the end of the shower I turned off the water but the flame stayed on. Before I realized what had happened, it melted a solder joint in the copper tubing and water poured out all over the place.
Good news: There's a major RV parts store just up the street, and they had a new Atwood 6 gallon gas/electric water heater at a good price. I was going to replace that tankless pile of $#!!% anyway, so what the heck.
Bad news: As I was finishing up installing the new water heater, I needed a couple of plumbing adapters. OK, Lowe's is about a mile up the street, I'll run up there and get them. On the way back I stopped in a Circle K and filled the tank on my pickup. That's when the starter decided to die.
Good news: Good Sam sent out a tow truck, it got there within a half an hour. Meanwhile I went inside the store and got an Icee and some chips to munch on while I waited.
My truck was towed to a diesel repair shop just down the road, they'll work on the starter and AC tomorrow. After dropping off the truck, I walked to the Enterprise rent-a-car place next door and got a reasonable rate on a car for a day or two.
Just as I got back to my trailer, my friends called. They were supposed to drive back to Los Angeles this evening, but at the last minute they decided to stay overnight and drive back in the morning. So we met up in a restaurant and had an enjoyable time catching up with each other.
Now for my dilemma ... with luck like this, should I play the lottery or not?