ON TO TUCSON

One of Arizona's finest doing his/her job.

The drive from Lake Havasu City to Tucson is one that we've done many times. Leaving home this morning at 9 am, we pulled into the Desert Diamond Casino parking lot, south of Tucson, at a little before 3 pm. We had a prearranged plan for Marc, Chandra, and Laila to meet us at the Desert Diamond, where the kid transfer would take place, and where we had dinner.

This was our first visit to the Desert Diamond, and as Casino complexes go, this is a pretty good one. There was a good crowd pulling handles, ooops, pushing buttons on the machines, and the buffet was better than average. After dinner, we said adios to Marc & Chandra, and watched a little TV before we all crashed.

Parked at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson.

Tomorrow morning, we'll hit the super slab westbound for San Diego. Our reservation at the Pio Pico Thousand Trails is for a week, and hopefully, we'll squeeze in a whole bunch of new adventures, starting with Sea World. I have no idea what kind of internet signal we'll have, so at the very worst, I may have to take the laptop to the rec center. I guess I'll find out when we get there.

DESTINATION SEA WORLD

But first, we're driving to Tucson to pick up our Granddaughter Laila, then it's westbound and down for the San Diego area. Laila called us yesterday afternoon, I think more for reassurance that we were indeed coming to pick her up. When I told her we would be there tomorrow afternoon, she wanted to know where we were going. I told her it was an Easter week surprise, and that she was really going to like our destination. After a few more questions, the conversation moved onto a different topic.

This trip to San Diego with our Granddaughter has been in the works for awhile, and at 6 1/2 years old, she is at an age where traveling with her Grandparents in the motor home will be more meaningful than if she were at a younger age. This adventure was discussed quite some time ago, and you were right Mom, Laila was probably a little too young back then. But, after our recent, one week cruise in the Caribbean, it's not hard to see that she's at the age where not only will she enjoy trips with Grandma & Grandpa, but we'll also better enjoy the time with our Granddaughter.

We'll be parking the motor home at one of our Thousand Trails membership RV parks for the next week. This particular park is located near Jamul, which is about 30 minutes east of downtown San Diego. It should be a good base for several adventures in, and around the San Diego area. Stay tuned...........

BLOG BOOK 2011

The inception of Travel By Chance, goes back to March of 2009. That's when I decided that an online journal would be a great way for our kids, and close friends to keep up with our travels & adventures. We were only a few weeks away from a 5 month, 12,000 mile loop around the U.S. and Canada, and chronicling that journey with a blog seemed like a good idea.

It's now 3 years later, and my morning routine of writing about something, not necessarily a travel adventure, has taken on a life of its own. Often, I have to get a bit creative, and my post topics have a wide range, from the not so politically correct subjects, to the latest and greatest in the RV world.

When I discovered that it was possible for the blog to be made into a book through Blog2Print, I didn't hesitate to have that first year of electronic posts made into a traditional, hardcover book. Each subsequent year, I've done the same, and the book for 2011 just arrived.

As the frequency of my posts have increased, so has the thickness of each book, and it's subsequent cost. I have 4 books printed each year. One for us, and one for each of our 3 boys. The last two books for 2009 & 2010 have been held until Christmas, but I think this year, we'll distribute the new books fairly quickly. In fact, we're taking the one for Marc & Chandra with us, when we leave for Tucson tomorrow morning.

The permanence of our blog in a hardcover book format is undeniable, and when we're long gone, a small window into our lives will exist for many generations to come.

THE LAST BOAT DAY

With a lot to do the next couple of days, we decided to pull the boat out of the water yesterday. Even though we rented this slip for the entire month of March, we didn't get the boat into the water until we got back from the Gypsy RV rally in Yuma on the 9th. We're also missing a few days on the back end of the month, but it was still worth the cost, at least from the standpoint of convenience.

Our boat use this year was mostly around the island and in the channel. We didn't venture any farther south than Havasu Palms, and we didn't go north into the river toward Needles.

At noon, the channel was almost empty of parked boats.

With Spring Break starting to wind down, and the fact that it was only mid day, I thought we had seen the last of our Spring Break party action. Almost nothing was happening in the channel, but when we cruised past the Nautical Resort on our way to the boat ramp, we discovered this large crowd of Spring Breakers just getting the party started. Judging from the Colorado banner, I think it's safe to say these kids were from one of the colleges in that state.

I suspect that later in the day, this party probably got going pretty good. After we cruised through the Nautical Cove, we headed back to the marina, and put the boat back on the trailer. By mid afternoon, I was finished cleaning it, and with the cover back on, it was parked in the back yard for a few more weeks.

When I head for the Grand Canyon in about 5 weeks, the boat and two trailers will spend the summer under the RV shade cover. By the time we get back from the upcoming Easter vacation with our Granddaughter, the winter will just about be gone, and our transition back to the Canyon will be at hand.

Today, we'll be busy repacking the motor home for our Friday trip to Tucson, where we'll pick up Laila for a week. Should be fun spending most of the time in the San Diego area, where Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, and several other attractions will be on the agenda.

FINISHED

At least once a year, and more than once during most years, the motor home gets a complete wax job. I'm not talking about any spray on, wipe off wax. This is the real deal, where you rub it on, let it dry, then wipe it all off. I've been a fan of Mequiars products for a long time, and have always been happy with the results.

When you add up all of the square feet on the outside of a 40' motor home, you'll probably come up with about 1,000. That's a lot of rubbing, not to mention how many times you have to go up and down the ladder. It's quite a job, and I usually work at it for a few hours over the course of several days. Yesterday afternoon, I finished with this project, and always feel good when it's done. In just a few weeks, our house on wheels will be parked at the Grand Canyon for the summer, and short of a cover, or garage, a good coat of wax is the best protection against the summer sun.

Last week, I waxed both the jeep and the pickup, so now, I don't have to worry about any of the vehicles for quite a few months. Today, the boat is coming out of the water, and when I get it back to the house, there will quite a bit of cleanup involved. I think that I'm about waxed out however, so, most likely after it gets cleaned up, the boat cover will go on, and that will be about it.

On a different note, I spoke with Nancy on the phone yesterday, and it seems that she' having one helluva time getting her new motor home registered in CA. I won't go into the details, but her blog Kissack Adventures chronicles the misadventures with that most wonderful of public agencies - The California DMV. Hang in there girl, perseverance will eventually pay off!

IT TAKES ALL KINDS

The big swap meet at the London Bridge shopping center was our destination yesterday, where we stumbled across this character, along with his dog, and his burro. His name is Howard West, and as best as I can tell, his story is that he's walking around the southwest, trying to raise $4,000 to save his 40 acre ranch. According to a story in the local paper, his property is somewhere in Nevada, between Las Vegas and Carson City, and I never learned why his acreage is in jeopardy.

I didn't speak with Mr. West, as he had people lined up to either buy one of his books, or just to chat with him. Conversely, there was no one waiting to pet his dog, so I took advantage of the opportunity to say hi to the guardian of the wagon.

If you set aside this guys story, and looked at his rig from strictly an entrepreneur's perspective, he didn't miss a beat. He had a donation can under where the dog was sleeping, and another donation can on the left rear tire of the wagon. Judging from the wad of money in his front shirt pocket, he wasn't doing too bad with book sales, and/or donations to his cause. I gave up a $5 in support of his animals.

I peeked in the back of his wagon, and he had most all of the basics. A little food and water for his animals, a sleeping bag, and a few other essentials. I'm not sure this lifestyle would be a fit for most people, but can you think of a better way to simplify your life? Sleeping under the stars, and the most basic of transportation (your feet). It can't get much more basic than that!

We're counting down the days until we pick up our Granddaughter Laila (this Friday), and take her in the motor home for a week. She doesn't know where we're going, but she does know that she's spending her Easter vacation with us. I don't know who's more excited, she, or Grandma & Grandpa.

CHP MEMORIES

Not too long after I transferred from the Santa Cruz area office, to the Los Banos office in the mid 1970's, the CHP was in the process of establishing two specialized accident investigation teams. One team would be based in the northern part of the state, and the other team would cover the southern half. These teams were to be known as M.A.I.T. (Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team).

The need for much more comprehensive investigations, relative to those very serious incidents where multiple deaths were involved, was well documented. Often, the State of California was the recipient of wrongful death lawsuits, and it was vitally important to cover all of the bases during the initial investigation. The lack of a full investigation often left the state wide open for damages, and when millions of dollars were at stake during a civil trial, a flawed, or less than complete investigation was fuel for a good plaintiffs attorney's case.

My desire to enter this very specialized field was an ongoing, mostly self educational process. My Area Commander, George Edgerton (See #14 Captain George) was a graduate of U.S.C. and he was one of the few members of the CHP who had entered this arena of being an expert in the area of accident reconstruction. I think George recognized my intense desire to improve my expertise beyond the average training, and he became my cheerleader when the CHP announced that they were forming the two M.A.I.T. Teams. He had previously sent me to the CHP Academy for a one week class in determining speed from vehicular skidmarks. His recommendation to the Division Commander that I be considered for the northern team, I'm sure, carried a lot of weight.

When I traveled to Fresno for a series of interviews with not only the CHP brass, but also with some leaders of the Dept. of Transportation (CALTRANS), I knew that I was competing against several of my peers, who were well qualified. The interviews were exhaustive, lasting for several hours, and to my surprise, included copies of many of my previous accident investigations. When I left Fresno, I felt like I left a positive impression, however, I had no idea
what to expect.

It was a couple of weeks later that I got a radio call to return to the office from my beat on I5. Captain George was waiting for me, and as I sat in his office, he gave me the news that I had been selected as a member of the Northern M.A.I.T. Team. I remember thinking that the news was both exciting, and a little bit scary. In a sense, it was kind of like a city cop going from patrolman to homicide detective. I was entering a new world where I would be working alongside engineers from CALTRANS, specialists from our motor carrier division, and other experts in their respective fields. I had a lot to learn, and I was eager to jump in with both feet.

There were 9 other Officers selected to the northern team, and 10 selected for the southern team. These positions were on call only, and all of us remained assigned to our specific areas, continuing with our normal shifts, and responsibilities. When an incident occurred that met the criteria for activation of the team, one, or more of us would be called away to work the investigation. A typical team consisted of a CHP SGT, one or more CHP Officers, an engineer from CALTRANS, and a motor carrier specialist. The general criteria as I recall for team activation was 4 or more fatalities, unless a commercial vehicle was involved, then it was two fatalities. The team was often called by cities to due an impartial investigation involving a city police vehicle, where injury or death had occurred. We even got calls to do departmental, in depth investigations into CHP shootings, and other sensitive incidents.

My first investigation as a M.A.I.T. member was the rollover of a farm labor van that was transporting 16 farm labor workers. 5 of those workers were killed, and most of the other 11 were seriously injured. This accident occurred on state highway 99, south of Fresno. That investigation lasted several weeks, and as accidents go, it was relatively simple. One vehicle involved, and excessive speed was the main causative factor. When all of the disciplines submitted their investigations, including the human, environmental, mechanical, historical, and vehicular dynamic factors, the report required a 3 ring binder. I even took aerial photos of the accident scene from one of our fixed wing CHP aircraft.

I worked on several M.A.I.T. investigations over the next few years, and my expertise in the field of accident reconstruction grew by leaps and bounds. One of the perks of being on the team, was the periodic, specialized training at the CHP Academy in Sacramento.

In the mid 80's, I transferred to the Sonora Office in the Sierra Nevada foothills. At about the same time, the CHP had decided that each Division needed it's own permanent M.A.I.T. team, and that the on call approach was going to be a thing of the past. When the invitations to apply for the permanent position went out, I reluctantly declined to apply, because it would have meant a relocation to Division Headquarters in Fresno. I had just transferred to an office that took about 20 years of seniority to get into, and I still had one son in high school. My charter membership in an elite CHP society came to an end, but it was a great ride.

SOLAR SYSTEM UPDATE

End of day 3/21. Consumption

End of day 3/21. Generated

I've taken the meter readings for the last 3 days, and to say that I'm pleased with our new residential solar electrical generating system would be the classic understatement. The entire experience with Esmay Electric, from the initial sales process with Mike, to the interaction with owner Greg Esmay, to the flawless installation by the two man Esmay crew, has been a totally positive process. My conversations with the city building inspector, and with the Unisource (utility Co.) inspector, reinforced my decision to go with Esmay, out of several other choices for residential solar systems. Both inspectors had nothing but good things to say about Esmay, and without naming names, they said there are other solar companies that don't deserve to be mentioned in the same conversation with Esmay. Whether you believe that I totally did my homework, or just lucked into a great company, is something that I'll let you decide. The bottom line is that I will highly recommend Esmay Electric to anyone thinking about having a solar system installed on the roof of their home.

End of day 3/22. Consumption

End of day 3/22. Generated

The series of meter photos show 3 full days of both energy consumption by us, and the amount of energy generated by our solar system. The difference in kilowatt hours at the end of the day, represents the number of excess kilowatt hours that we have sent to Unisource. In other words, the difference is the number of kilowatt hours that has been placed in our so called electric bank account. As long as the the REC. hours (kilowatts sent to unisource) is greater than the DEL hours (kilowatts consumed by us), then we have a credit, and a ZERO energy bill.

End of day 3/23. Consumption

End of day 3/23. Generated

At the end of the first day of meter readings (3/21), we had generated 10 more kilowatt hours than we consumed. At the end of the second day of readings (3/22), our electric bank account was up to 22 kilowatt hours, and by the end of the third day (3/23), our credits were up to 30 kilowatt hours. So, for the last 3 days, our system has been generating approx. 10 more kilowatt hours per day than we have been consuming. Before I start jumping up and down with total excitement, our air conditioning and heating system have not run during these last 3 days. When the heat sets in before we leave, I have no doubt that running the A/C will probably balance the consumption and generation a little more evenly. There are also those cloudy days when the system doesn't operate at full efficiency. So, I'll only jump up a little bit, and exclaim that this adult toy is really very cool! The prospect of no electric bill for like ever, is pretty darn exciting! Now, if only I could come up with a way to eliminate those charges at the pump for gasoline and diesel.

LUNCH ACROSS THE LAKE

When we picked up Bob & Diana yesterday, we discovered their unique way of leaving the dogs when they're gone. They put Boo (white) and Buddy (black) in the garage, with the rear hatch of their car open. The dogs are perfectly happy inside the car while Bob & Diana are gone, and it's their way to secure the kids, rather than leave them in the house, or outside in the back yard.

After cruising through the channel, and under the London Bridge, we headed west across the lake to the Casino at Havasu Landing for lunch. The restaurant is small, but what a great view of the lake, and the city sitting on the eastern shore. We had to wait for a table, and the food was slow coming, however, the sandwiches and burgers were not bad. Thanks Bob & Diana for picking up the tab.

Havasu Landing is part of the Chemeuwavi Native American Reservation, located on the CA side of Lake Havasu.

The para-sailing boat was testing the chute with a weight, then later, we saw these two girls being pulled around the lake.

After lunch, we rode down to Copper Canyon, where there's always something going on. Another party was getting cranked up, and as usual, there were the steady stream of kids climbing up, and jumping off the 40 foot high rock.

With one more cruise through the channel, we headed back to the marina, and parked the boat. We only have a few more days before it will be time to pull the boat out of the water, and put it in the backyard for awhile. One week from today, we'll be picking up our Granddaughter Laila, and taking her in the motor home to the San Diego area for a week. Then, after we return, it will only be a few more weeks before Patty will be taking her trip to Paris, and I'll be heading for the Grand Canyon. Lots of happenings coming up!

Speaking of up, do you think that the back of bikini bottoms can get much higher?

More channel action.

BACK TO THE LAKE

I started washing and waxing the motor home yesterday, and by 2pm, that was becoming more and more like work, so we put a few drinks in the cooler, and headed down to the marina. As soon as we pulled the boat out into Thompson Bay, we noticed this huge crowd of spring breakers in a controlled access area of London Bridge Beach. Rockstar Energy drink was obviously the sponsor, as they had EZ ups & banners everywhere. There was a live band, and the kids looked like they were having a good time.

It's a good thing this boat was on the beach because with that many people inside, it may not have gotten very far on the lake.

After checking out the big Rockstar Party, we cruised into the south channel, and parked across from the daily spring break party. We sat there for awhile, watching the boats cruise by, and enjoying the really good weather of 80+ degrees, and virtually no wind.

Later, we cruised through the channel, taking in some of the party action, then headed across the lake to Copper Canyon. There's usually something going on over there, and if nothing else, it's always fun to watch the kids jumping off the big rock.


When we got into the canyon, I watched this guy get ready to jump, and when he did take the leap, it wasn't just a jump into the water. He did a front flip off the approx. 40' rock, and fortunately, landed feet first.

If you click the above picture to enlarge, you'll see that this guy is upside down, and half way through his front flip.

On the way back from Copper Canyon, we cruised around the island, and noticed this gathering at one of the RV parks. Thinking that this might be another spring break party, I idled into the cove only to discover that it was a large group of seniors, doing their version of what the kids were doing on the other side of the island. I guess you might call this "Geezer Break".

We cruised through the channel one more time before putting the boat away, and I took this shot of the London Bridge from it's north side. It was another good day on the lake, with lots of things to see. Today, we're picking up Bob & Diana, and taking the boat across the lake to the Casino for lunch.

DRVING MISS NANCY

With our winter storm system long gone, and clear sailing ahead, Miss Nancy set a course for CA in her new motor home. After we had our morning coffee, and a bite to eat, Nancy backed out of our yard, with the first destination being the Love's truck stop at I40 and Hwy 95. I rode with her one more time, for a last 20 mile tutoring session, while Patty followed in the Jeep. At Love's, she topped off her diesel tank, we said our goodbyes, and we watched Nancy drive her new house away. She called later in the day, letting us know that she made it home OK, and that she was relieved to be parked in her driveway, after a 500+ mile drive.

Nancy handled her new motor home like a pro, quickly adjusting to the feel of controlling a large vehicle.

The last step in the activation of our new residential solar system was the installation of the 2 new meters by the Public Utility - Unisource. At a little after 12pm, the new meters were plugged in, and we were officially making electricity. The shot below, shows the solar meter after the system had produced it's first kilowatt hour.

By the end of the day, when the sun had set over the lake, we had produced 15 kilowatt hours of juice, and we had used a total of 5 kilowatt hours. Hey, that's 10 in the bank! I just checked the meters, and last night, we used up those 10 hours, so we're just about back to square one. Hurry up Mr. Sun, I like putting stuff in the bank!

I'll know more today, but I think our system will produce 20-25 kilowatt hours on a full, clear, sunny day. That's 500-750 hours per month, and our usage runs between 500 to 800 kilowatt hours each month. So, maybe this investment will indeed pay off, and we'll lower our electric bill to almost nothing. I feel like a kid with a new toy!

The meter on the right is the solar meter, showing the amount of kilowatt hours produced by the system. The meter on the left measures the amount of juice we send to the grid, and the amount we consume.