Memorial Day... 2010

Another Year gone by. A tough and difficult year.

Heidi and I lost a small fortune... a big fortune for us... getting out from under that house... My Step Father, an Old Soldier, passed just a few days before Memorial Day last year... We endured our own, personal, separation last summer... It's been a three steps forward, two steps back sort of time...

Many Days, I think... "Damn! Why does it need to be this hard?"... Like many folks... I get down... I get tired... I get weary... and I want to quit... but I can't. To do so, would be to Dishonor those men... Who endured so much more... and whose sacrifices were so much more painful... and...

...Were those men... Who NEVER, EVER... Quit. They kept going...

When the fear choked them... They Kept Going... When the grief and horror brutalized their souls... They Kept Going... When they knew... it would be their last day...  They Kept Going.

They... Kept... Going...

How can I... How can We... Do any less?

I wrote this some time ago... A friend I showed it to told me I should share it... Maybe this is the time... Maybe it will give some sense of how a lot of Old Soldiers see the world around them... and the true price of our Freedom.

The Beast Arrives Today

They crouch alone in a muddy hole
Surrounded by a shattered and smoking earth
Waiting on a Brutal Beast
They hold their rifles in iron grips
Silently Peering into the dark

The word is out...
The Beast arrives today
These warriors scared,  fear death as any man
They'd choose, if they could
To put it off to another day

But, the oath they took
and the Honor that drives their Souls
Holds them still and silent
They ache to go, to leave this place
But, running just ain't their way

The breaking dawn reveals a fearful beast
Scared men of iron rise from their holes
With Fear in their chests and Rage in their eyes
Courage carries them forward
To scream their final battle cry...

The Battle rages fierce
Warriors fight and fall
Their Hearts lay shattered on the smoking field
Their bodies torn and broken
The Beast consumes their souls

Many years come and go
The old soldiers' eyes snap open in the dark
His chest pounding, the echoes of screams, the stench of fear
But he lays in a silent room... his wife breathing by his side
It's only the Beast... as another dawn arrives

He survived that final battle so many years ago
A choked back sob is the only sound
In his Soul The war rages on
He crouches in a hole waiting on a brutal beast
... and fears each coming dawn

Take Good Care
Brian

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An Announcement of Sorts... My Own Lil'... Back to the Future...

I've let slip a time or two... I think... that I've had an uncompleted ambition... for many years...

A long time back... I came home from the Army... I'd left a shy, quiet, loner of a 'regular' kid... (one gal told me she didn't recognize me that couple of years later... didn't remember me even talking before I left!)

...I came home a hard drinking... angry... brawling... wild eyed... rodeoin'... loner of a Kid... pretty much shakin' his fist at the world...

Luckily, I survived those early years... and it was all luck... 'cause I sure wasn't makin' any effort to! But all that "stuff" just set in there... stewin' and cookin'... and that old "Stew", simmerin' away... was the biggest part of last years' tribulation...

Well... Back in those days... I'd "Had a Dream"... and that Dream... never died... it lives today...

Heidi agrees... I don't believe she truly understands, Don't know that anyone but the fella livin' in my head can... but she agrees... It's time that I chase down that Old Dream... for once and for final... and get it done...

So... if you're curious... 'bout what that is... click over to my other blog... for "The Rest of the Story!" :o)

Take Good Care
Brian

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RV Repair and then It's Back on the Road Again...

Heidi an' Buck are entered in an Australian Shepherd Club Trial down in Kiowa... and I'd promised to haul the rig down... so she don't have to shuttle back and forth 'tween the fairgrounds and a motel in Castle Rock...

Onliest problem bein'... the fact that the belly of the rig has been hangin' open for a couple O' weeks... while I procrastinated... and watched to see if my RV Black Tank Repair was gonna be a winner...

That and the weather gettin' in the way any time I seemed to even think 'bout gettin' out there, moving flimsy panels of insulation and such around!

I'd managed to get most of the insulation put in place the other day... and created an Access port while doing that... to allow easy access to the dump valves for any future replacement/maintenance those RV Dump Valves might require...

Truth is though... since it's been the black tank I've been workin' on... I didn't even think about the grey tanks' valve... Hmmm... good idea... just not enough of it! :o) the grey tank valve is just to the other side a touch... I can access it though this port... just not as easy as planned... so, I'll need to go back some time... and add a second Access point... I'll likely just wait until such time as I need to replace that valve... Kind of a dumb mistake... OOPS!

Anyway... I cut the dump valve access port, and built a plug to fill it... as I was installing the fresh RV Belly Insulation.

So... Yesterday morning I went to installing the belly pan pieces I got cut and ready, just after I finished installing the insulation... Cut and installed the Cover Plate over the Access Port...

 ... and then used one can of some rubberized undercoating, as a test to see if it'll work OK... to do a good seal on that Moisture Resistant tile floor underlay I used for the new Belly Pan...

It wasn't until some time later... that Heidi discovered that juuuuust maybe... I don't tell time to well.

When she got home from her pre-trip errands... she asked me; "How long have you had your hat off?"...

"Uhhhhh... I don' know... fifteen, twenty minutes maybe."

Well... apparently it was some lil' while longer'n that... 'cause 'bout seven thirty last night... after we pulled in here at the fairgrounds an' got set up... I sat down to test the flavor of a Land Shark Beer... Taking my cap off to enjoy the moment...  and she said something like; "Oh My God! Your head is Fried!" :o)

So... using my high grade math... I ciphered up this equation; Take one furless head... subtract the shelter of a cap... add the warm caress of an early summer sun along plus the occasional lack of good sense = a Cooked Brain Pan! :o)

It does have its' uses though... No need for a flashlight... just take off your cap an' a soft red glow lights up ever'thing... and with that Red Light... you don't hurt your night vision none!

Take Good Care
Brian

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A Foggy Morning... and a Sunny Day

Weatherman says it's partly cloudy... Hmmm... looks like a total, foggy, overcast morning to me... but what do I know, I ain't a meteorologist... right? :o) Guess Cowboy Bikers and Weathermen have a difference of opinion as to what constitutes... SUN!

Sometimes I write stuff here... that even makes me stop and wonder... "Am I, 'thout knowin' it, tee total Nuts?" :o)

But then... I get feedback/comments like I got from yesterdays post... and I know, for sure an' for certain... I'm followin' the right path. Maybe trip and stumble here an' there, get scuffed and  battered... but most generally... We're on the right road.

It makes for a Sunny Day, no matter what the weather outside is doing.

Headin' out this afternoon on a three day circle to an Agility Trial down to Kiowa, Colorado... out on the plains... east of Castle Rock a bit... Not enough twisters 'round here! :o)

Trouble is... I've not got the rigs belly buttoned up yet from the tank repair. Finishing up that task is first on the agenda for this morning... then a visit to a dump station as we roll south... likely timing it to roll through Denver... Right at the peak of rush hour!

Leaving both Star Motorcycles here... without those beauties distracting me... maybe I can get a lil' work done while Heidi an' Buck do their Agility Trialing thing... a friend of Heidis' read my "Great Western Novel" this past week... and made some Good criticisms/suggestions... so... she's left me with a bit of a re-write to polish it up and make a better story out of it...

Seems... those a lil' too close to me, that I've had read it... might be a bit reticent to offer much in the way of hard, Criticism. Hmmm... must think I'm a fella with to fragile an ego, to endure such barbs huh? :o) ... actually... it's pretty cool that I've got folks around me who think that way... and give a damn about it!

anyway... maybe I can get started on that job... sitting in the sun in Kiowa!

Take Good Care
Brian

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Let's Just Go on and Go... If we're goin'...

 Remember Ol' Gus sayin' that?

Sold the House... and had a new, tight lil' budget sketched out... It would be a squeeker and take just a few more months of prep/repair work... but it would fly...

Then, of  'course... that damn Murphy fella ups and lets us know... he's got other plans... again.  :o)

Broken bits... confusions... and employers runnin' scared and cuttin' hours (eliminating a necessary part of that "squeeker" budget)... just as their sales and traffic start their normal summer boom??? which makes a dumb mountain cowboy stop an' scratch his head...

Just about the time we started spending a lil' bit... to get things ready on our "Leaving To Do List"... and deal with "Old Stuff"... The cash flow into our vast coffers... slowed to a trickle... Wow... Now That was unexpected.

Right... Kind of like the wind in Wyoming! :o) ... Totally unexpected! ;o)

The "Recovering Economy" ain't showin' itself in our pockets yet... so... Heidi and I are thinkin' along the lines of Cowboy Up! ...

Translated... that's sayin' ... "Let's just Go on and GO... if we're Goin'!"...

We're danged close to pullin' that trigger too! ... Only thing holdin' things in now... are some time commitments that'll hold us 'round here till the first part of August... then what happens, is anybody's guess!

We'll start makin' a lot of small circles 'till then... 'till Ol' Murphy gets used to seein' us pullin' out... and then... one time... we just won't come back! :o)

The thing is this... life was too short, when I was 20, to set around waitin'... and it's a lot shorter now... The rig ain't ready, we're knocked back to a lot less truck, that we'd really like to make some changes on... but that costs dinero! and that dinero's not there, at least for long...

There's a whole passel of reasons why - lots of folks would tell us; "It won't work"...

I've been told that my whole damn life... "You can't do this... You can't do that!"...

Well guess what boys an' girls? ... Phooey! I've heard all that junk, that only keeps people scared, for too damn long... and to quote those Cross Canadian Ragweed fellas... "I'm sick an' tired of bein' Sick an' Tired!" :o)

I'm ready to get back to Livin'! and Livin' well... I'm weary of surrendering to the "Wise Council" that has me runnin' scared all the damn time... I've only got one word for all those Naysayers...

Keep it to yourselves... or my boot is gonna give ya'll some Cowboy Motivation!

Ok... so I can't count...

Just consider that a blessing... with little mathematical ability... you can't know that you're broke! :o)

We've pretty much made the decision... and when our promises to a few folks have been fulfilled... Paint our Wagon... GONE!

We ain't got what we'd prefer... but we've got each other... Good Friends, and Faith...

Faith that we can deal with whatever comes along... one way or t'other

So... right soon... it's gonna get... Right Western! ... and folks are gonna claim; "That boy has done rounded the corner and plumb lost his mind!... and drug that poor woman with him!"

Guess what?... she's not gettin' drug... she's pushin'! :o)

Take Good Care
Brian

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Installing the Belly Pan

Got started on the new RV belly pan this morning. Both panels are cut and 'bout 95% fitted... hopefully I'll get 'em screwed in place tomorrow.

Once they're in place I can do the undercoating to seal it up.

Got the access port cut in as well. I'll likely build a whole page on this RV repair in the next week or so.

Time to go make the donuts...

Take Good Care
Brian

BP Might Not Be Able To Fix A Nasty Leak...

... But, Cowboy Bikers Can! :o)

Been a while since I did the patch on the RV Black Tank... I've let it sit "uncovered" since that repair was done... Wanted to make sure it was for sure and for certain Patched before I sealed the belly back up.

Filled that tank back up, over the last couple weeks... for a solid "Test" of my fiberglass repair skills... so far I'm not embarrassed.

So, I started sealing things back up yesterday. Went to Home Depot and picked up some rigid, foil backed insulation to cut into place... and a couple sheets of a moisture resistant Luan Plywood to use for a new belly pan... along with a rubberized, spray on, automotive undercoating to seal it up well, once it's in place.

The old, plastic pan was cracked and broken in a few spots, so time to replace it... and I just have never liked the plastic... in this application...

Putting in the insulation, I started to deal with something that is a problem, to me... access to that dump valve. The way the factory did the belly, that valve is buried under the belly pan. That makes you have to remove the whole dang belly pan... all over again... if you have problems with the valve...

So, in the interest of reducing the "blue smoke"... if that should happen... I cut a hole in the new belly insulation, and a "plug" of insulation to fill it, for an access "Port"... to that Valve. When I install the Belly Pan Wednesday or Thursday... I'll Cut a hole in it, to match the one in the insulation... with a Cover "Plate" to install over the Access Hole. Whatever happens, I'll be able to get back to that valve pretty easily...

... which will actually be pretty soon...

What with having to use that tank, immediately... I never had the opportunity of having an empty black tank long enough to replace the valve like I wanted to... so... some day soon... when the tank is dumped and empty... I'll pop that access open... and put in a fresh RV Dump Valve... in the meantime... I have the parts stored in the rig...

... and I better not dawdle much getting the thing buttoned up... We're supposed to haul to Kiowa Thursday afternoon. Heidi and Buck are scheduled for a dog trial starting Friday Morning...

This will be the first test of the "Repaired" truck... we'll see what a difference they make in its' "Under Load" performance...

... then a few more odds and ends... a lil' more "Budget Remodeling"... to fit the new "Economic Landscape" (spelled; whittle here... tighten up there...)

... and we're gonna shake rattle and roll... We're both, Heidi and Me... just ready to go if we're goin'...

Hell... after watching the big shots embezzle billions... and get bonuses for their efforts... rather than jail time... Heidi and Me? ... are startin' to feel a bit like Jesse James and the Dalton boys!

I'm wonderin' why we're tryin' so hard to protect our 'commitments', to the same crooks that ripped us and ever'body else off, when they obviously don't have the same 'motivation' to hold their end up...

It's kind of the attitude of; "Hell... let 'em find us!" :o) hmmm.... maybe I should write 'em an' tell 'em; "Sorry... your investment in "Cowboy Derivatives"... just didn't pay off!" :o)

Take Good Care
Brian

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Another Lesson for me... About Getting Life Put into Perspective...

Just south of Estes Park... as you roll up the highway from Nederland... We passed there yesterday, is a place called St. Malo.

Now... I'm not what I call "Religious"... I'm one of those that sees such "Organized" doin's as another form of politics... but... I am what you might call a believer... and in possession of a Spiritual Faith...

So... when I see a place like this, it has a way of stirring some pretty strong feelings and thoughts... for a crusty Ol' geezer any way.

Then... when I get home, I find an email from a reader of my noise... her name is Colleen.

Want to talk about humbling?... Lordy... I've whined and groused 'bout the whuppin' Heidi and I have taken the past couple years... long time readers know of the "Tribulation" we fought through last summer... and continue to work our way through...

But... we're still making ends meet... though our income has been whacked hard... we have managed to get out from under some significant debts... without straight up "Losing" things... and we're making progress...

Hey... I've got that shiny Red Motorcycle to hang a grin on my face when I need one... and I've got a bunch of the best friends a man could be blessed with... so, poverty stricken we ain't...

Colleen and her Husband Wesley, The Crawfords... have seen the heartbreak of the past few years, up close and personal as well. Some harder than Heidi and I... I'm thinking... and they haven't quit either.

So... after all their difficulties, when Colleen writes to me and says;

"I'm finding a lot of joy reading your stories and learning from you about remodeling an RV. It makes me want to pick up writing in my blog again.  I started a homestead blog and got discouraged because I had dreams of acreage and a real home.  I quit writing, but I see how fun you've made your site, and I want to pursue the micro homestead plans again.

Thank you.  You're a blessing in tough times."

Wow... What can I say? It's truly kind of a scary thing though... to know that there are some folks that are looking to me a bit... Hoping to maybe find at least a lil' relief from some of the burden this world can hang on a person.

Really puts things in sharp perspective... Like a brick... layed firmly up along side my head! Makes me stop a lil' longer... with each word I write... thinking about how "Other" folks are going to hear what I'm saying... 

I thought, way back when I started this site, that the story telling and "Yarning"... might could be some fun... I never had any sort of an idea how much responsibility it can take on... That a lot of people were actually going to listen... and act, on anything I had to say; and That has been the unexpected reward. It's gained me a sense of inspiration and purpose that was maybe lacking a lil'...

Now... I just have to keep it from swellin' my punkin' any more!... I'm already wearin' the biggest helmet they make!

So, with the Boss watchin', to make sure I don't say something Too Mule Brained... even for a puss gut Ol' Buster...I'll keep on spinnin' my tales here... Hopeful that folks can either learn something useful, from the things I figure out... or... learn what Not to Do... from, the things I Don't Figure Out! :o)

... and I go along, knowin' that if I do start to wander off the trail a lil' too far... here and around me... there's a goodly number of people that are gonna start pokin' me to wake up and pay attention!

Take Good Care
Brian

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A Quick Catch-up from the last three days...

When we went to climb on the bike, Thursday morning... it started raining... not a good omen... so we fiddle farted around for a bit... hoping it would quit... and when it seemed to... we jumped on an' split the wind.

Headed out on that good Ol' favorite... Hwy 14, runnin' through Poudre Canyon...

It was tryin' early in the canyon, and the sun finally took over, 'bout half way up to Cameron Pass...

'twas still a mite cool at the top... and Heidi was glad I think that I advised her to put on the bibs and the silk longhandles!... Pulled into Walden to take a late lunch at the Rock River Cafe in the Antlers Inn... I don't believe we've ever ate there before...

Cheapskate me... we usually got a candy bar an' a soda at the shell station! :o) ... but I'll tell you... the chow there was first rate...and the outside don't do the log and stone interior justice...

After lunch we kept on west, past pasture after pasture of cow herds... droppin' their Fresh Calves...

It's the springtime that makes all the rest of the dust and struggle worth the effort, back on the Ranches... Nothin' makes a man happier than a field full of fresh, healthy, jumpin' an' buckin' calves! :o)

... Continued on up over Rabbit Ears pass... the sun was strong up there!... enough to let me see herself... makin' another attempt to swipe my Raider!

It's a good thing for me... she can't get it off the side stand! :o)

Spent the night in Steamboat Springs... Had our Anniversary supper at the Ore House Steakhouse on the East side of town... goooood food!

Got up Friday to sunny slopes! Got our fuel for the first run... figurin' to roll down Hwy. 131 and then catch 24 down through Leadville...

Steamboat sits in just about the prettiest basin you're ever gonna see... but I was so busy gawkin' at the purty... I plumb forgot to take any pictures of it! Pitiful excuse... ain't it?

South of there, around Yampa... ain't too awful hard on your eyes either... Hay meadows just waitin' on summer!

But, back to that Figurin'... You'd think a fella like me would learn to quit figurin'... as many times that such schemen' has left tooth marks on my sittin' parts! ... got as far as the top of the ridge north of Wolcott... where there's somebody that has set up a "Zip Line" enterprise...

They've got a series of Zip Lines, back and forth across a lil' canyon that runs back into the slope... and had a half dozen or so folks... zippin' back and forth, from station to station, across that lil' canyon...

Can You can just see the guy... above the two cars in the lower left of the pic? or... the "Zipper" in the center of the next one?

... Heidi claims she's got lil' interest in such doin's...

But... anyhoo... this right here... or at least, right behind where I was standing, is where our day changed a lil'... as we were pullin' in the Overlook... to have our look... the ground was all humped up and pot holed...

Not sure why what happened... happened... but our balance was off... my foot slipped on the uneven ground and The Red Raider... leaned over hard on the left drivers foot peg...

Didn't know anything was seriously wrong... till we stopped for fuel, 10 miles on, in Eagle... and that peg... which seemed a lil' out of position... snapped right off!... when I tried to push it back to where it should be...

Uh.... OOPS!

Now... don't know how many of you ride a scooter... but let me tell you... runnin' 50 miles or so, back up the Interstate... to a Yamaha Dealer in Silverthorne... who claimed they were willing to sell me a peg off a New Bike sitting in their showroom... becomes an exercise in endurance! :o)

Didn't know it was that hard to keep your foot off the pavement! :o)

But, let me tell you, Mike at Silverthorne Power Sports took care of me! let me have a peg off a brand new bike... to keep me on the road... Awesome!

By that time, it was gettin' on toward late in the day... and since Heidi was gonna have to be down to the store, 'bout noon-time on Saturday, we decided to can Leadville... and head east on I-70 for a while... Turning back north on Hwy 119, and Landing in Nederland for the night.

Now... as far as Motels go... The La Quinta in Steamboat... has it all over the Best Western in Nederland... especially when you add in the fact that La Quinta squeezed forty fewer bucks out of this Ol' Cheapskate!

But... we sat out on their lil' deck for a while... sippin' a Mikes Hard Lemonade and listenin' to the Hummingbirds zippin' up an down the creek...

Saturday Morning we strapped our gear on the bike in the morning wind, under a blue, clear sky, and cruised our way to a breakfast Egg McMuffin' at Mickey D's in Estes Park...

Part of the canyon wall dropped on the road, just south of town overnight... so we had to detour over through Glen Haven... Really tough, I'm tellin' you... can't run down through the beautiful top end of Thompson Canyon... Have to run over through the maybe prettier Canyon that holds Glen Haven... :o) to get down out of the mountains... and our current "Home".

But... all good things must end... so 500 miles later... we're back on the Prairie... east of Fort Collins... schemin' our final, permanent... escape...

OK... that wasn't a real "Quick" "Catch-up"... but you weren't really expecting it to be that-a-way... were you?

Take Good Care
Brian

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HIGH passes and a Raider Motorcycle

Got a late start waiting on the rain to stop. Rolled out Poudre Canyon and over Cameron pass to take lunch at the River Rock cafe in the Antlers Inn in Walden. Then on over Rabbit Ears pass to Steamboat Springs. Last night we had our Anniversary supper at the Ore House... so... the most expensive "eating " day in a while! :-) Today, we're heading for Oak creek, Leadville, Frisco, and wherever else we find ourselves. 

Take Good Care
Brian

Steamboat... and Points Beyond

55 degrees and overcast... but the Weatherman promised a good day... so, shortly, we'll strap our warbag on the Raider... climb on that Big Red, Road Burner, Cruiser Motorcycle and Tour the other side of the Mountains for the next couple of days...

Today, the 20th of May, two thousand an' Ten, is our 31st Anniversary... I'll let Heidi thank all the folks that carried her through the Tribulation last summer...

Me?... I've got Terry, Lacee, Evin, Maggie, Rachel, Mo (My Angel Army!) :o) How lucky can one man be... to have an Army of beautiful Angels carryin' him along... pretty dang Sweet!

...and... and Danny and Don... You guys too! :o) ... you all know just how Treasured you are to this Ol' Buster...

So, anyhoo... We're sort of plannin'... depending on the road... to roll up through Poudre Canyon, over Cameron and Rabbit Ears passes, to Steamboat; then turn south... to somewhere like Winter Park... and end up Friday night maybe back on this side in something like Central City or Blackhawk...

We've got to be within range of the Store so Heidi can get there by Noon on Saturday... The thing is... we generally set off with a rough plan... but don't know which way we'll end up goin'... till we look back and see where we went!

Hell... wouldn't surprise me to find ourselves clean out in Glenwood Canyon should I get some sort of a wild hair ticklin' my throttle hand! :o)

The posts for the next couple days... will likely be a lil' shorter... composed an' mailed from that fancy, hot shot Droid Smart phone of mine... uh... we'll see for sure now... how that'll work out! :o)

It's time!

Take Good Care
Brian

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Up in the Ski Areas... They call this the MUD SEASON...

'Round here... we're mostly just starting to rip off a string of...  $%@#!!! &%@$#%!!! $@#%$!!! ... Blue Smoke! 
 
... if we talk about it at all...

Mud... Mud... and ... yup... more, slippery, slimy... sink to your ankle when you drop off that last step, heading for the bike... MUD! aaaarrrrrrgggghhhhh!

How am I gonna run from a Twister... on that Hot Rod Red Motorcycle... when she's Stuck in the Mud!? I tell ya folks... that is one Hell of an asphalt burning Motorcycle... but what she Ain't is a dirt bike. :o) Got home last night... sloggin' through the ... Stuff, went to make the lil' turn where I park her... and all she'd do is keep on going the way she already was...

Gonna take both of us to push that big beautiful Red Head back enough to clear a way to ride her back out... when the ground firms up enough to roll on it!

... and then Heidi wants to know; "What 'bout me? What do I do if You bail out runnin' from a twister?"

Huh? ... whatcha mean? ... YOUR bike is settin' right there! :o)

Guess I'll run the Cummins today... and hope the weatherman is right... and that the sun is comin' out in the morning... so we can ride out for our 31st anniversary scoot!

Ever'body close your eyes for 17 seconds an' repeat after me... No more rain... No more rain... No more Rain... for just a lil' Bit! :o)

Oh yeah... 'most forgot... the work I had done on that Ol' truck seems to have done some real good... The valves were 'way out'... and the lousy lift pump they used on those years was replaced with a FASS lift pump... Same as what all the Hot Rod Performance diesel boys use... Here's hopin' that's the end of 'it'... for a while.

You could tell right off, as soon as I fired it up, that it was stronger and smoother. The fuel consumption is much improved... The real test will be over Memorial Day when we make our first haul with the new parts.

 Till then... I'll just wade through the $%#&@! Mud!

Take Good Care
Brian

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"Road Friends" can sometimes be...

...Kind of an Odd Sensation.

A couple of days ago, "Froggi" Donna sent me a note, wondering what our schedule would be... as they'd be rollin' by... and had a desire to "meet up"...

So... last night, soon as I got free from the Hardware Store... I rolled back to the fiver... Heidi got geared up, and we climbed on that Red Raider, and rolled down to the Wal Mart in Timnath... to meet up with Froggi and Stu... of 2 Taking a 5th.

Since they were only making a stop for the night, their bikes were loaded up and tied down in the back of that big Ol' Escalade  fiver of theirs, so we just strolled 'cross the parking lot to the "Subway" in Wally World and sat for an hour or so... makin' acquaintance.

... and that's when the "Kind of an Odd Sensation" struck me...

Here we were, Heidi an' me... talkin' with Donna an' Stu... and it was like we were havin' a conversation with Old Friends... That we'd never met before! :o) ... kinda strange... and pretty awesome!

The folks there at Subway, apparently have families they wanted to get home to... and we finally got the message... when they went to rattlin' the gates, and started lockin' us in! :o) ... so we strolled back over for a quick tour of their rig... and a couple more hours of jawin'.

Heidi finally got through to me that it was "Time that maybe we should get goin'"... Uh... Froggi an' Stu... got an up close an' personal demonstration of my ability to polish the blarney stone! ... :o)

Heidi took the obligatory pic... I'm gonna have to remember to carry a dang tripod!... for all the laughin goin' on... don't know why I look like such a grump!... must be tryin' to keep up my "Image" I guess :o)

Hopin' they hadn't been wantin' to hit the rack early! I wonder if their ears are still sore this morning?

... I happened to glance down at the lil' clock in the speedo of that Fancy red Machine on the 30 mile ride home... and that sucker claimed it was 11:30! :o)

Lots of laughs and good stories, and a really fine night... but, I'll let Stu tell ya'll 'bout the "Thong"... :o)

hmmm... just what the "RV world" is... or should be, all about... and what this Ol' globe could use a good bit more of these days... I know I can!

Take Good Care
Brian

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Pick up the Truck from Its' Repairs This Morning

We'll go by and pick up the '99 this morning. It was gettin' a new lift pump, do some work on adjusting the top end, and with 24 valves up there... I guess there's plenty to adjust... and I had a fuel pressure warning light added.

That'll come on if the fuel pressure to the injector pump ever drops below 6 lbs. ... Hopefully, allowing me to back out of the throttle, and avoid injector pump damage...

I'm pretty sure this work will deal with the lack of power under load we found on the way to Denver a couple weeks ago... and... with a mite of luck, doing the maintenance on the valve train will also add some power back, as well as have a good affect on the fuel economy, which I've seen as unusually thirsty, on this truck.

... and then... later in the week... Like Thursday Morning, Heidi and I are planning to take off for a couple of days... Climb on that Raider Motorcycle and roll through the Rockies to Celebrate our 31st Anniversary... which, considering all the events of the past year... and past few... is pretty remarkable...

It looks like the weather is going to cooperate... keepin' my fingers crossed... at least that Raider is quick enough to outrun the Storms! :o)

hmmm... I forgot all about that... I didn't mention the "Storms" 'round here the other day... did I? ... guess I only done that on that Facebook stuff...

Well... here's what that's about...

There was I think, five, Funnels like this lil' one, over about 30 minutes... one of which (and I missed the pic... my battery died!) just about hit the ground... all southwest of us... and aimed... right straight... at my nose!

But the good looking one, the one I believe did hit the ground... was this guy... the "Big One"... 'bout a half mile north of the rig...

Kind of fun huh? :o)

So... whad-a-ya-do? ... they say... "get in the tub in the bathroom"... somehow... I just don't think that's gonna do me any real good... in a Fifth Wheel! :o) ... so I just stood on the porch of our 'Landlords' modular... and took some pictures... at least folks'd be able to know what happened to the goofy Ol' Biker Cowboy... at least if they could find the camera! :o)

Take Good Care
Brian

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Workamping... Workers on Wheels... Making Ends Meet... and Even a Lil' Beadwork!

Well... progress toward rehabilitating our whupped up on finances... is either goin' real slow... or it ain't movin' at all! :o) ... I tried to draw a chalk line 'round it a few days ago... so I could see... but the rain an' snow has done washed that away...

Aw well... what's new huh?

The truck has been in the shop for a couple days... diagnosing the lack of power under load that became apparent when we hauled to the Agility Trial in Jefferson County... and they found what appears to have been the problem... another dang Fuel Pump...

I swear, I must put out some sort of a "Vibe"... that Eats Diesel engine fuel pumps! ... this makes number 5 on three trucks... 'course... two of the rigs had a lil' age on 'em... and the '06 never lost one... but still ... if the dang rigs didn't pull like a train... I think I'd go back to horses!

So... with another dent in our piggy bank... we're looking into how we'll ride out the winter... once we ride out of here! ... (which is planned for not that awful far into the summer)

... We've pretty much agreed that though the website income is steadily and slowly growing, and Heid's Bead Store continues to roll along... there's still a "Hole" in the piggy bank that needs pluggin'... so we'll hunt up a Winter Camp... where we can add to the pot... and live a good life at the same time...

Started puttin' out "Feelers" to that end... we should have plenty of time... it's quite a while till October or November! :o) ... something fun and not "just another grindstone", is the goal... leave it to a beggar to be picky, right? :o)

And Now... a minute for a lil' blatant commercialism! :o) ... Girls! are you a Bead-a-holic? Check out the Free Bead Projects Keriann (our daughter and one of our Top Design Wizards) has put on the Bead Cache site! ... especially the newest one, the "Rocker Chic Necklace"... I believe it's designed by Dawn... and the website work was done by Keriann... it may be a bit of "Commercialism"... but, at a price of  $$FREE$$... you won't really complain... will you? :o)

Pretty awesome gals we've got in the store Huh!? :o)

They've still got a lot of work to do with the site, and the store, as always :o) ... but if Beadwork is your interest or passion... they've got the skills and knowledge to set you off in the right direction! I'd tell you how many combined years of Beadwork they all have collected in that store... but that's the kind of information that'd likely get me whupped on.

Well... many "Miles to go before I sleep"... so I better get to 'em...

Take Good Care
Brian

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Colorado Raiders in Wyoming at the Egg and I...

Kind of a mixed day yesterday... pretty cool and feelin' kinda... Blah... in the morning... we still wanted to make a long ride on the Raider... so we did!

Got geared up in the morning and made another loop up to Cheyenne. Late breakfast at the egg and I... where they were surprised we we riding... "A little Cool isn't it?" :o) I love it when we're doin' something where most others fear to roll! :o) ...

... and to tell the truth... if you've got the right gear... it ain't too cold! ... and that's COOL! :o)

Few weeks back I bought some jeans up in Cheyenne... washed 'em twice... wore 'em once, and they started to split a seam... so we rolled that Big Red Motorcycle 'cross town, and swapped 'em out... and then run back out of the snow in Wyoming... headed for Loveland...

The gal who taught Heidi in her Motorcycle Training class this past weekend had some Touring/Cruiser coats Heidi wanted me to look at... We'd been looking at leather, but this coat was an excellent price, with really nice style, and plenty of hard armor built in... so now, She's got most of her gear...

Gloves, helmet, Boots and jacket... just need to decide on pants/chaps or maybe bohn armor...

Left out of Loveland and took a loop up behind Horsetooth reservoir... started to roll up past Stove Prairie... thinking we could drop off into Poudre Canyon, and come back around that way... but, wouldn't you know it?... started raining a lil' bit... that didn't mean much to me... but up ahead it sure looked like that rain was turning over to snow... so I exercised my "feminine side"... (that's when a fella uses some discretion) ...  :o)

... and just turned around to stay out of that weather...

I don't think Heidi shares my perception of the Fun you can have, yet, in finding out just how much you can endure :o) ... I'll leave that for another day...

end of this day, we'd covered a bit over two hundred miles through 36 degree on up to 50 something... snow and windy in Wyoming, to warm, with all our gear in Horsetooth... and muddy coming back up the road to the trailer...

That seat we had made for Heidi proved it's worth... the old one, she was uncomfortable in not much more that twenty miles... yesterday, sittin' on the custom seat... she was still grinning... and more miles left in her...

Little things, that don't seem to add up to much all alone, seemed to pile up throughout the day... and in the end... turned it from a Blah start... to a pretty fine, comfortable, day... and that's the best.

We just got to get better at snappin' pictures when we're on the Bike!

Take Good Care
Brian

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and the winter drags on...

They say it's spring... don't guess you can tell... from the looks of things around here... on the 12th of May...

Was 44 degrees when I rode in yesterday... don't know when I came home... outside of the rain was pourin' down... the road was soggy... until I got to the last three miles...

... which was first gear, feet ready to come off the pegs... wallowin' around in the mud... just to get home... Last night... it turned to snow for much of the night...

James is tryin' to clear his glass to head out to his job... I had to park the Raider over in front of the house, behind his truck, last night... 'cause too much mud to get to the fiver... You can see her, hiding under her cover, just behind his truck...

The road this morning... will be deeper mud than last night, and the end of winter can't come too soon...

The Raider will stay hidden under her cover today...

Springtime in the Rockies, along with winter, may appeal to other folks... it's starting to wear a mite thin, with me.

Take Good Care
Brian

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Good RV Tank Monitors... Something I wish the RV Manufacturers would Use as Standard!

Does your RV Tank Monitor System work as unreliably as mine?... Those lil' electrodes they have poking into the tank work fine... till you're 'bout 1/2 way through the first trip... and you realize... just how "off" they are...

Our fresh water monitor measures in about thirds... only it doesn't tell you... when you're gonna drop from 1/3... to "Damn! I need more water to get this soap off me!" ... in the shower... :o) ... and the Black Tank... That sucker reads full... when I know... for sure and for certain... that I just dumped it... an hour an' a half ago...

The only thing left to do on that... is grab a lil' flashlight... and gaze down the .... "Pipe"... yeah... Talk about "Lovely Western Views"...

Wouldn't it be nice to have a system... that the sensors can't corrode and go inoperative?... and sensors that told you what's in the tank of interest... by % points? rather than thirds, or quarters? Well, I believe I found one...

It ain't cheap... after market... but the cost would be inconsequential... for the Manufacturer to put 'em in when they build the rigs! The one I think I've found, that will do exactly what I mentioned is about $350 bucks regular... but they're on sale right now... or supposed to be... for something like 25% less...

The outfit is called Garnet Technologies... and they have a division that builds See Level Gauges. I believe, even though it puts another Ding in my budget, I'm gonna put in their system.

Their system uses sound waves (as I understand it) to measure the fluid levels... without anything penetrating the tanks... so the corrosion of the sensors is eliminated... and they have several that measure in %... from 0 to 100! Sweet! That's as accurate as I need!

I still have the belly opened up, have to replace the valve yet... and wanting to triple check my crack repair on the tank... so... it seems like the perfect time to go about installing an upgraded RV Tank Monitor system... while I've got all those tanks exposed...

So... If ya'll are weary of RV tank monitors that are nigh on to a second cousin to useless... you might look into installing one of these See Level systems... It'd be one more stress removed... if you know, exactly, what kind of "Supplies" you've got on hand!

Take Good Care
Brian

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Heidi and Motorcycle School

Like most of you know... I'm a lil' bit in Love with Motorcycles... The way I see it... the Big RV, the fifth wheel... is a vehicle that makes the Lil' RV... bein' my Motorcycle... shine a lil' Brighter!

Seems to me, having such a place to bunk, makes settin' up in an area, for a season, a whole lot cheaper... an important consideration, for a poor mountain cowboy... who's tee total "Gone"... on Motorcycles! :o)

Anyhoo... Heidi decided last fall, after a whole lot of years of no interest... that she should ride too... Uh... OK...

She wanted to know, what I thought... and I have to say... I refused to answer the question... and I wasn't bein' rude... The thing here is this... Riding a Motorcycle is a really personal thing. and let's face it... "Things" can happen... If one of those things should happen... I don't want to be the guy who talked, anybody, into climbin' on a scooter... and splittin' the wind...

That choice, and that motivation, boys an' girls... has got to come from the person who's butt is gonna be keepin' that motorcycles saddle from gettin' dusty!... and NOT 'cause they got Talked into it by anyone... no matter how good their intentions... and especially NOT by me!... no matter how much I love the Freedom of the Road... On a Motorcycle.

So... That said... I familiarized her on my Old Bike, "Slick"... last fall. I thought it would be better if she had a little rubber on the asphalt under her belt, before she took a class... but some folks learn better from "Neutral" people, rather than "Family"... but the weather and other stuff got in the way of 'class' just then... So it had to wait till this spring.

She signed up with Abate of Colorado for a class they had at the local community college this past weekend.

Started out with a Thursday night "classroom" session... and then moved to the parking lot all day Saturday and Sunday... I guess Saturday was a lil' tough...

 

Truth is, they had 'em tryin' to master the "Slow" stuff... and I'd have to say that balancing as "Slow as you can go" is maybe one of the toughest skills to master... and I don't believe much of anyone can learn that in a weekend... but she hung tough and Sunday afternoon... got her "Ticket"...

She just has to go down to the state now and pay her $$$ money for her Permanent Motorcycle endorsement... kinda cool...

Hmmm... while she was finishing her Motorcycle Training Class... I put my knees in the wind up Poudre Canyon... again... uh... it was kinda cool up there too! :o)

Take Good Care
Brian

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So Long to the RV Sewer Saga...

... I Hope!

Ran... or Rolled... up to the local Ace yesterday morning... wind crankin', as is usual... and swapped out for another package of Epoxy. Got a different variety this time, that wasn't in stock the other day, made specifically for ABS plastic...

Hmmm... maybe the Boss was watchin' out for me, after all, one more time?

Anyhoo, took it back to the rig and went to work... I decided to cut the fiberglass cloth into a few smaller pieces, to be easier to deal with, in the wind...

... rather than try to work a long piece around the pipe... with epoxy drippin' and glass cloth flappin' ... and blue words a flyin'!

Outside of the fact that there really wasn't quite enough epoxy in a single tube to do the repair as I wanted... it came off pretty well.

I just slopped the epoxy on around the fitting on the RV Black Tank, where the cracks were, then pushed the pieces of fiberglass cloth into that layer of epoxy... and spread the remaining epoxy over the top to seal it all...
I'm gonna get another tube, as soon as they restock... to put another layer of epoxy over the top... that's where it ran a lil' short...

Seeing as we'll still be parked here for a bit... I'm gonna leave the insulation off, and check the repair for a bit... just to make sure it's a done deal...

But... four bucks for the epoxy... something like $3.50 for the fiberglass tape... a lil' bit of gas, rollin' back and forth to deal with that damn Murphy fella... is a whole lot better than a couple hundred for a whole new RV Black water tank... not to mention the ordeal of replacing it... if you do it yourself... or the $$$ an RV shop is gonna hit you for... if They have to go muckin' out your sewer system! ... so if you have a crack or two... just fix it! :o) ... just remember... this is one job NOT meant for Duct Tape!

That and, as it turns out, I was holding my ears wrong, when I was trying to get the handle off the new valve. I was bein' just a mite to gentle... didn't want to screw it up, if I needed to return it... so I was holding the shaft of the valve in 'padded' pliers so I wouldn't mar it and make it "Non-returnable". Turns out... chuck the padding. Hold the stainless steel shaft directly in the pliers... and forget that nonsense that my ol' kiester has the ummmphhh left to scratch stainless steel! :o) ... and the handle comes right off...

... so all that's left is to pump the tank tee total dry and empty,. Unbolt the old valve, which is not holding real tight anyhoo... and bolt in the new valve...

Then... pick up the replacement insulation, and some material to put in a new belly pan (the old is a lil' cracked here and there... so I'll replace it too)

But... not today... supposed to climb into the 70's... so I'm gonna climb on Red ... and put my Knees in the Wind!

Take Good Care
Brian

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Sometimes a Fella has to Step Away from it.... and Kick a Pig...

I keep lookin' back to see if I'm draggin' an anchor... nuthin' there but space... but dang!... this is gettin' old...

No other leaks that I can find, but right around the tank fitting... the valve don't seem to leak... but I'm going to replace it anyway... I've had a few guys tell me they've seen some last 9 years... uh... this one is nigh on to ten, so, as long as I've got it all took apart, I'll replace it...

Rode through the rain, up to another Ace Hardware, just down the road... in this area, that "Just down the road" means... 'bout 12 miles one way... Wanted to pick up the repair 'stuff' I'm gonna use. Some epoxie, of the right type, and some fiberglass cloth for re-enforcement...

Got back to the trailer, sanded and prepared the area, and then went to mixin' epoxie... uh ... nope!

Sheesh!... push the double cylinder... and the epoxy comes out one side... and the hardener is supposed to come out, in equal amount... from the other side... unless... it's hardened up inside, already.... aaaaarrrrrghhh!

Deep breath... don't curse... don't break nuthin'... just... chill Ol' man...

Heidi gets back from her errands... with the replacement valve... I have to remove the handle, to put on the extension that's required to reach the valve, in it's intended, remote, installation location... and that handle won't budge!...

Uh.... stifle the urge to choke... something! aaaaarrrrrrgggghhhh! and aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhh again!

This simple, easy, put the epoxy in place, place the fiberglass cloth and re-coat with epoxy... swap out the valve... and you're done! is gettin'... not so simple!... 

I swear, it's like pushin' a rope! I'm startin' to believe I'd have better luck throwin' cotton balls at the wind!

So... this morning... with the sun shinin'... I'm gonna go haul propane, pick up a new part for the Raider... find a pig to kick... and settle my brain pan a mite... I crawl under there in the mood I'm in right now... and ya'll might could hear about it on the news;

"A Colorado Geezer spontaneously detonated this afternoon while attempting to make sewer repairs on an RV. Authorities are investigating... A state official, speaking anonymously, stated "There is really very little left to search, for the evidence of what occurred. We've never seen anything quite like it! Witnesses said one minute he was there... and then Boom!"...

..."The official did say that there is no danger to the general public, and that the affliction is an aberration, and is not, we repeat, is not, contagious."

... while I'm haulin' propane, and the other chores... I'll get some fresh epoxy... see if there's 'another' valve... or if I'm just holdin' my ears wrong... and work at gettin' back to the things I Want to be doin'...

So... hopin' you're doin' what you want to be...

Take Good Care
Brian

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More Fun in the Sun...Tank Repairs Continued...

So... got all the belly pan removed... and the insulation... Yuck... That stuff, you could lift it all, new, with one hand, right?... twas all I could do to heave it into the dumpster on this place... was a mite bit saturated... Sweet!

Then, went to inspecting for where the leak is... and of course... everything is dry... not a drip to be found... got in there with a flashlight... Just like on CSI! :o) looking for evidence... and there is none... as in Zero sign, that anything came from the fittings on the top of the tank.

Looking at the flange that mounts the tank, it's all clean and un-marked... That much "Leakage" could not come around that flange, and leave no sign... so the leak ain't on the top... so that's a good thing!

Down below... there are two spots of concern... one is the valve to the black tank... and the other is the fitting, that the valve fits into, that is cemented to the tank...

There is a thin crack around that fitting seam... it's dry, but there is some white residue, showing where something has flowed, from that crack... my guess there is, that if the tank is full, the weight is able to put enough pressure on that crack, to open it up, and allow it to seep.

The second is a rusty bolt on the valve... and a very faint sign of old leakage from the valve itself... faint, but there...

So... my plan is to replace the valve and repair that crack... and that's the difficulty... 'cause of the way they go together, and how closely they are fitted in, it's not a simple take out the old and put in the new... I'm gonna have to get a lil' clever I think... to be honest... my 'clever muscle' is feeling poorly lately.

Though nasty... it would sure be better to have found a 'wet' leak... rather than having to just guess at things... I don't like the idea of repairing what I Think is leaking... putting it back together... and then finding out I missed something...

So, I'm thinking pretty hard, of filling the empty tank with clear water... just to put the weight in it, and see if it will reveal the failure point for sure... putting clear water in an empty tank, will allow me to just pump it back out and water the prairie after the test :o)

More fun today... at least the weather is better than they were talking about a couple days ago... so, it's time to get back at it..

Take Good Care
Brian

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Leak Repair continued... 2nd Attempt Today... To Start Removing the RV Belly

The wind howled most of the night, the rig shakin' and shudderin'... and is finally low... I don't go in 'till one thirty, again.... lost tools are found... and the driver battery is charged... So... one more run at peeling the belly skin and insulation of the Fiver... to access the tanks and prepare for a repair of the Black Water Tank...

In all the years we've owned one rig or another... I've never had to get into this particular fix... so I'm not tee total sure what I'll find... with that in mind I picked the brains of a couple folks I know... hoping to get a lil' advice... and a leg up...

Mostly what I got was; "Well, it could be this way... or that way... or something completely different."... grrrreeeaaat.... Truth is, there are several ways the tanks are put in... and none of the RV manufacturers seem to have a consistent way of doin' it... so until I get there... there's just no way of knowin'... what's there.

Then... the actual black water  tank repair... another crap shoot... without it leaking... as I'm lookin' at it... finding the actual location of the failure might be tough... I'm hoping for something obvious and clear... but not holding my breath... well, except for as I'm pullin' that dirty insulation out! :o)

How to do a reseal/repair is another what if. Some thought I might be able to succeed at sealing in place... though I've got to say, most I've talked to... hemmed and hawed around... and finally let out the idea that deep down... they thought the only way, would be to remove the existing tank... and simply replace it...

... geeze... I'm really hopin' to avoid that... a simple leak should be simpler... shouldn't it? :o)

... and last... the RV Repair guys I spoke to thought the job was maybe a 6 or 8 hour, pain in the kiester endeavor... so...that makes it a couple of days for me! :o) ... and since... not knowing what the actual problem is... the "parts" aren't sitting here waiting... so that'll likely add some time to the fix...

Fun times people! Fun times!... makes me miss muckin' out barns and corrals! :o)

Of course, as is the "Murpy's law" routine... it's supposed to rain/snow this Thursday/Friday... I better make sure I've got plenty of coffee in the cupboard.

I suppose... it's better here,now... than parked on the beach somewhere... right? :o)

Guess I better get dressed, and get to this latest RV Repair...

Take Good Care
Brian

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Starting The RV Black Tank Repair... Today...

 What fun... nothing like mucking out a barn to shine up a day... likely... mucking out an RV Waste tank will be as great a Shining Time...

Back at our semi-boondocking 'camp' North of Nunn... Today, the sun is shining... and I don't go to 'work' till one thirty... so I'll start peeling off the RV belly pan this morning... 'cause Thursday, it's supposed to be raining... or snowing... again...

We're keeping the bathroom door closed, with the vent cracked... 'cause the 'perfume' coming up from underneath is rather... objectionable...

Not sure what I'll find. I know the belly insulation is contaminated now and will require replacement... the unknown part is just how the RV Black water tank is connected up... and where it failed... What I figure is likely, is one of a couple possibilities... the first ones being that either or both of the pipes into the tank; the vent pipe and the waste pipe itself... from the toilet... are attached to the tank, with screws and seals... and one or both of those seals are faulty, at the top of the RV waste tank... allowing the 'aromatic' fluid to escape into the belly of the fifth wheel... when some dumb 'buster'... tried to stretch his dumping out... a mite too far...

The second is that there is a sealed union of some sort... somewhere else, in the main waste pipe itself, from the RV toilet, that has dried out and is allowing the leakage.

The third, which I don't believe it was that full! is that the seal of the toilet itself, to the floor, is the culprit... since there is no sign of any leakage, inside, other than that fine aroma... I'm not betting on this possibility...

... and the fourth would be some variety of alien, ABS eating, mongoloid vermin infesting our Fifth Wheel... that are eating my sewage pipes...

... so I'll pull that belly pan off... with a pistol handy :o)

anyhoo... I'll start pulling the RV Belly Pan and insulation this morning... and see what I find...

Something I need to consider, is one of the Electronic RV Tank Level Monitors... with everything stripped out from under... I'll never have a better opportunity to replace the pretty poorly performing RV factory gauge system... with one of the high tech systems that are 'corrosion' proof... I'm seriously lookin' at this outfits systems... for RV Tank Level gauges.

The fly in the ointment there, of course... is a poor man's budget... another couple of hundred bucks... for the sort of outfit I'd want... but... I'd have to do all the belly strippin'... again... down the road... if I wait...

So... guess I have till the end of the week to decide... just what I needed just now... another decision to have to make... :o)

Take Good Care
Brian

Return to the Home page of goin' RV Boondocking
Visit my "Ribbon of Highway" Blog on the Lil' sister to this site, Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road

Share your experiences, Boondocking on Freedom Road with us!
... Your RV Destinations
...  Your Custom RV
...  Reader's RVing Tips
...  Reader's RV Recreation Activities