San Antonio--Part One

(Somehow I first titled this post Albuquerque! Hope I didn't mess anyone up!)

So now we had some time to catch up on  a few things: laundry for one, and a few minor maintenance items.

Both of the bedside lights had developed intermittent switches and were very fussy to turn on and off so we went looking for replacements. We couldn't find the right ones but later we found a couple at Radio Shack that will do for now. They'll just need a little work with the soldering iron.

Also the shower is coming loose at one edge. Hopefully a good sealant will be enough. A proper repair would entail dismantling the whole thing and that is not going to happen--at least not this trip!

And the towbar is being difficult. One of the sliding arms isn't sliding which makes hooking up awkward. We have had trouble like this before and it should be a simple fix; just a matter of flushing out dust and dirt and adjusting a tensioning bolt.


Art got the galley fan working Thursday. We came in and found it running! We had left it open but it hadn't been running when we left a few hours before! Closing and opening the vent a few times caused the problem to return. Removing the screen and fan and giving the interior of the switch several shots of cleaner and flicking the switch leaver up several times in between each shot seemed to do the trick. The spray residue was quite dirty at first but eventually ran clean. Its been working fine since. One down!


Friday

The morning didn't start well. Art took his milk from the fridge and poured it onto his porridge and it came out in lumps! UGHHHH! A check on the expiration date showed October 20th! Fortunately there was a fresh carton in the fridge and five minutes later he continued his breakfast.

He later he tackled the towbar only to find that even with the tensioning bold completely backed off the inner arm was very tight. We have a diagram of the towbar workings on the computer but looking at it didn't provide any inspiration. Next was a phone call to Roadmaster's Tech Support in Vancouver Washington. Vinnie suggested that Art would have to take the arm apart and clean a bushing with fine sandpaper.

While Art was starting to dismantle the arm Gillian came out to say that the vet had called and that Tia had a urinary tract infection and that we could come and pick up the lab report and also a special diet.

So back to the same part of town again--on the way stopping at Home Depot (again) to pick up the fine sandpaper (Art thinks there might be a sheet of 1000 grit near the bottom if the tool bin but that would entail trying to get everything back in again!) and once again at a Radio Shack we spotted on the way, to see if they had a switch for the bedside lights. As noted at the beginning he found a couple that will do.

Then to the vet.  The lab report showed no stones or crystals, but there was occult blood and high white and red cell counts which seem to indicate an infection. The vet stated that we should have another urinalysis done in ten days to ensure that the antibotics are doing or have done their job. We decided that we would stay here rather than risk running into problems halfway through Mexico. We'll take a sample in the afternoon of Monday the 12th and should have the results back on the 13th.

So we have booked into the RV Park here until the 14th.

Tonight the RV Park served diner! Lasagne, veggies, salad and ice cream with a large assortment of toppings for desert. A pretty good deal for $7.00





Saturday

We seem to still be on PDT or at least MDT, waking up at 9:00 AM or later. Texas is on Central Daylight time. This morning it was 9:20 before Art crawled out of bed. Perhaps when we change to Central Standard Time tonight we'll get more in step with the locals. Art is looking forward for the $5.00 Sunday breakfast tomorrow: all you can eat pancakes or waffles with sides of bacon, eggs, toast hash brown, and coffee and wouldn't want to miss it!

After breakfast we tackled the shower. It seemed to go OK. A table knife wedged under the door seems to be holding the side in place until the caulking cures over 24 hours.  Only time will tell.

Next job on the To Do List was the towbar. It did not come apart as easily as the tech had described. Not too surprising as in order to take it apart the parts that wouldn't slide had to! A little gentle persuasion with a 2 pound hammer did the trick.

Now to clean it. The tech had suggested very fine sandpaper but cautioned not to take too much off. So Art set to work using 600 grit "wet or dry" paper. Eventually he rigged a power rotary sander using an electric drill for power and a 9/19 deep socket padded with layers of masking tape to increase the diameter.

He also buffed the inner arm with a piece of the same 600 grit to smooth of some rough spots probably caused by rock chips in Alaska back on our Round Continent trip a few years ago.

It took quite a while (600 is pretty fine!) but eventually the inner arm would move though the bushing without a lot of force. Reassembled, a bit tricky getting the nylon spacers in, Art tried it out. It worked, but was still tight. However it was now lunchtime, followed by nap time for Art as Gillian took the dogs to a near by park.

When Gillian and the dogs returned Art tackled the towbar again but this time things went a much faster as he had already figured out the procedure. And of course all the tools were at hand. Reassembled, it seems to be working fine. Now, to put all the tools and stuff away!

Three down. Perhaps the bedside lamps tomorrow. Or perhaps not.

As we were getting ready to go the bed an alarm went off in the 5th wheel next door. And again. And again etc etc etc. Art and another neighbour went over to see what was going on. It was the propane detector. Since there was no propane in the rig at all, the owner finally cut the ground wire to silence it. It turned out to have been caused by a low battery in the trailer. The owner seems to have no idea how to look after an RV. The grey water tank has been leaking onto the pad for a full day now with no interest in fixing it. He said he is leaving soon any way.

Sunday 

3:00 AM is not what we had in mind by waking up a little earlier this morning.

We were roused by the sounds of rolling thunder and the pitter patter of rain on the roof. Gillian awoke with a start--The Jeep! We had taken the vinyl windows out and replaced them with netting to make it cooler for the dogs in the hot sunny days. They're not watertight though! We donned a minimal of clothing and dashed out into the dark and wind. So far the rain was light. It was quicker to tarp than find and install the vinyl windows in the dark. Just as we finished the clouds opened up and we were both soaked through by the time we got back to the motorhome door.
 
We woke again to sunshine at a more reasonable time and were even in to breakfast shortly after the 8:30 start time. Pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, English muffins, a huge selection of topping and sauces, and of course coffee. We enjoyed a very nice breakfast and the company of some of the other campers.

The day passed quietly, the most energetic thing undertaken was Art's 10 K ride on his electric bike. The battery charge indicator barely  dropped to 75% on the flat straight road and that only on the slight inclines. One house that he rode by had a dog warning sign posted and as he approached Art could see a large alert German Shepherd watching, tail wagging. As he rode past the house a large Basset Hound ran along the fence keeping pace and barking furiously. The Shepherd gave a few half-hearted woofs. Art had never seen a Basset Hound so excited or move so quickly. It was quite funny. 

The rest of the day just drifted along. We both got some reading in and not much else.

The owner of the trailer next door did leave late this morning with a friend but left the still leaking trailer behind. A complaint to the park office resulted in a note being attached to the door but since he isn't home it won't have much effect. Not a nice thing to look at from the dinette window. (End of rant!)


A nice pasta dinner using up some already cooked chicken breast, a glass (or two) of wine, and the TV finished our evening. We watched a new to us episode of New Tricks (one of our favourites) which ended on a surprising note; it could even be a sign of the end of the series.  :-(   We checked with Mr Google and we are partially correct: It was the last episode for one character and it seems the show will run only two more seasons, 2012 and 2013.


And no, the bedside lights didn't get done, other than a trial spray with contact cleaner.