tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68058119308541379672024-03-24T23:09:31.454-07:00BY CHANCETHE TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES OF DAN AND PATTY CHANCEDANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.comBlogger1402125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-47127820695437436872014-03-14T05:20:00.000-07:002014-03-14T05:20:34.463-07:00ADIOSThe ritual of spending a few minutes posting on this blog, or often, much more time in front of the computer each morning, is coming to an end. It's been almost exactly 5 years since this electronic journal began, and I've accomplished what I set out to do. The documentation of our travels, the home improvement projects, the time behind the badge, and glimpses into our daily experiences, has given our kids a multi year window into our lives. That was my primary motivation when this all began, and with the yearly publication of a book, our 3 boys and grand child now have a written, pictorial record, that will stand the test of time.<br />
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Thanks to all who have followed our sometimes crazy lifestyle. This decision has been in the works for sometime now, and it wasn't taken lightly. Going back to a part time job these past few weeks, punching an early morning time clock, has brought this subject back to the forefront. So, with some regret, the daily posts have come to an end. I'm certain there will be occasional updates, particularly when we're back in the motor home, or when some other event is noteworthy, but for now.......it's adios. <br />
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<br />DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-25504402719533525052014-03-12T05:24:00.001-07:002014-03-12T05:24:19.660-07:00DRIVING DIFFERENT MOTOR HOMESI officially became a "driver" yesterday morning at La Mesa RV, when I returned to work. Still teamed with a more experienced driver, I was told by the transportation supervisor to start driving. The big move of remaining RV's, from the fairgrounds back to the dealership was completed yesterday, and I drove 6 different motor homes, one of which was a gas powered class A. <br />
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It has been a lot of years since I last drove a gas powered class A motor home. Our last gas rig was a 98 Bounder that didn't stay in the stable very long. Due primarily to a lack of power, it was replaced by our first diesel powered rig, a 2000 Discovery. <br />
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Most all of the gas rigs today, are built on the Ford chassis, with a V10 engine. The first motor home I drove yesterday, was a 34 foot, gas powered Tiffin class A, and even though the V10 Ford engine has more power than the 98 bounder, it's still nowhere near a diesel. Then, there's the difference between the ride of a gas RV, versus a diesel chassis. The diesel is much more stable, and with the engine in the back, it's a lot quieter. <br />
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At some point farther down the road, I thought that we might downsize to a gas motor home, but after driving one yesterday, I'm not so sure that's ever going to happen!DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-76944813223298371992014-03-11T05:05:00.001-07:002014-03-11T06:45:05.848-07:00 BACK TO WORKWith the quick trip to Georgia now in the rear view mirror, I picked up several gallons of paint yesterday, in preparation for the job of matching the new tractor port with the rest of the garage. Painting the roof extension by hand, is not a good option, so I checked into renting an airless paint sprayer. With the rental cost somewhere around $75 - $100 a day, I decided to check out the cost of purchasing a sprayer. I found a Wagner airless pro sprayer on ebay for just under $150, so it will soon be added to the tool collection. <br />
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It's been close to a month since Coast to Coast Carports put up the RV shade cover, and still no word on when they're going to return to finish the job. I sent them an email before leaving for Georgia, along with pictures of the anchor bolts that were installed incorrectly, but no reply as of yesterday. How this company stays in business is beyond me.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Because the hole wasn't drilled deep enough into the concrete, washers were used to tighten the bolt. Two of the 8 anchors were incorrectly installed this way.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">Last night, Patty took a recipe out of <a href="http://www.gypsyjournalrv.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Miss Terry's new cookbook</span></a>, available through the Gypsy Journal link, and made pizza. It was delicious, and there were no left overs for breakfast this morning, as I get ready to go back to work at La Mesa RV.</span> </span></div>
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DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-16491667775212519012014-03-10T07:54:00.000-07:002014-03-10T07:54:50.039-07:00CHANGE IN PLANS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue;">My Grand Daughter, and my Grand Dog yesterday morning in front of the fire.</span></div>
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Yesterday was supposed to be a day of relaxing, and watching the Las Vegas NASCAR race on Mike & Amy's 70 inch big screen TV. That is........until Marc checked the flights for today, the day we had planned on flying back to Arizona. All of the flights were booked solid, so he started checking to see if there were any open seats on yesterdays flights. He found a couple of flights from Charlotte, N.C. (about 170 miles from Augusta), to Phoenix, that were only a little over half full. That was the good news. The bad news was that the flights from Augusta to Charlotte were sold out. Since we had plenty of time to get to Charlotte, we decided to rent a car, and take a short road trip.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">56 more miles to Charlotte, N.C.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">When we got into the Charlotte airport, after dropping off the rental car, we discovered that we might possibly get on an earlier flight that also had a bunch of empty seats. We just made it to the gate, getting on a U.S. Air flight that left a little before 6pm. We chased the sun, touching down in Phoenix a little after 7pm. There were still 3 more flights from Phoenix to Tucson, but yep, they were either sold out, or close to being sold out. We decided not to risk being bumped from all 3 flights, so we waited in line (last picture) for the rental car shuttle bus, and rented our 2nd car from Avis. We stopped for a quick bite to eat in Casa Grande, IN N OUT of course, and we were back home around 11pm. about an hour quicker than we would have been, if we had made it onto that last flight from Phoenix to Tucson.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">Even though the return leg of our quick trip was a bit hectic, it was all worth it. Getting my two boys together, and seeing Mike & Amy's beautiful new home for the first time, as they say, was priceless! </span></span></div>
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One last footnote - I've resisted the temptation to upgrade to a smart phone, but after this trip, I might be having second thoughts. Marc's Iphone allowed him to quickly check the flights for available seats, and with his preferred status at Avis rent a car, he reserved a car in Phoenix while we walked through the airport. When we got to the Avis desk, we avoided the long line, going directly down to the car. On the way home, the Interstate 10 traffic alert signs started flashing "Highway closed at Warner Rd, use alternate route". Just as we hit the stopped traffic, Marc used the GPS feature on his phone, and we exited the freeway, taking city streets around the huge traffic jam. Yep, I might just have to enter the 21st century, and get rid of my dumb phone!DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-44653608339947808762014-03-09T06:15:00.000-07:002014-03-09T06:15:27.490-07:00A FATHER, SONS PROJECT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue;">Amy and Mike just before we all stuffed ourselves.</span></div>
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Just like the old man, Mike, along with Amy's help, cooked up a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, & pancakes yesterday morning. We needed the fuel for a small concrete project that we tackled later in the day. <br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Laila found a temporary new pet near Uncle Mike's woodpile.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">My two sons, Mike and Marc.</span></div>
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In the desert, these plastic foundations under air conditioning units, only last a few years. This one is still in good shape, but it was beginning to slant downhill, and it was only a matter of time before it started to deteriorate. Marc and I came up with a way to raise the units off the ground without disconnecting anything, pour concrete underneath, then set it back down on the permanent foundation. We did this under Marc and Chandra's two air conditioners last year.<br />
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With two jacks and some lumber, we carefully raised the A/C unit off the ground. Once in the air, some digging underneath prepared the area for the wooden frame. Mike became the designated concrete mixer, and after eight 80 pound bags, the new foundation was on the ground. I did some finishing, and edging work, and except for removing the wood, the project was done in just a few hours.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">We thought we might have to get another bag of concrete, but the 8 bags finished the job, with just a little bit left over.</span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;">This woodpile is primarily from the downed trees we cut up a couple of days ago.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">A view of the back of Mike & Amy's beautiful new home on 2 acres.</span></div>
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Mike just had this 24' x 36' structure built to protect their boat. He had it built big enough, so that another large vehicle, like a motor home or trailer will also fit underneath. <br />
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Once the work was out of the way, we took it easy for the rest of the day, watching some racing on the tube, and enjoyed some BBQ'd steaks later in the afternoon. The weather warmed to 70 degrees, so it was time to ditch the long pants, and get back into shorts. Today is our last day here with Mike and Amy, and we've thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Tomorrow, Marc has to figure out the best route for us to fly back to Tucson.DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-46163627876766838682014-03-08T07:47:00.001-07:002014-03-08T07:47:39.460-07:00FIRST DAY IN GEORGIA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3l8kavNO47BVhTxjfDWM08vvwgHurXvfnPkurBjciOpOOlQ3sA4FF5X6inZRHTGwLd4PkQipjx53Zd0uK-aJIH6RKk0tKk1jjVdN-TNQ3gRWBcRe7p0LPbr_ze3zPxVeeElKuVd5KJwYW/s1600/dscn5447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3l8kavNO47BVhTxjfDWM08vvwgHurXvfnPkurBjciOpOOlQ3sA4FF5X6inZRHTGwLd4PkQipjx53Zd0uK-aJIH6RKk0tKk1jjVdN-TNQ3gRWBcRe7p0LPbr_ze3zPxVeeElKuVd5KJwYW/s1600/dscn5447.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I thought I had more pictures to post, but they mysteriously disappeared from the camera. I suspect the SD card slipped partially out of it's slot, and the photos didn't get saved. Mike, Marc, and I cleared some downed trees from the recent ice storm that did a lot of damage in this part of the country. Fortunately, Mike & Amy's house escaped any damage, but others in the area were not so lucky. We used the little tractor and trailer to move the cut wood over to the wood pile, and Laila was having fun riding in the trailer.<br />
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I refer to Mike and Amy's beautiful German Shepherd as my "Granddog". Tige (pronounced Tiga), has all of the protective qualities of a German Shepherd, but is mellow enough to allow Harley to eat out of the same bowl. This is Amy's baby, but I told her to watch out, because I might just steal him if I thought I could get away with it. <br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Harley, just hanging out.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Sarah, is the other kitty.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">Today, the boys and I are pouring a small concrete slab under the air conditioner condenser outside, to replace the current plastic base. We did the same thing at Marc and Chandra's house, and as long as we can safely lift the unit, without damaging the copper line going to the house, it should go smoothly. Notice I used that famous word "should". Stay tuned.................. </span> </span></div>
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DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-71177447443407073972014-03-07T07:54:00.000-07:002014-03-07T07:54:02.853-07:00ACROSS THE COUNTRY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuz6f9DCVqGCZHWwTSSYQiqHgslLMzEpUkiTW2BclbVvCMBuWrSiYYjfJmECJg3MYoWzOQSdVlBWazkFc2ABOkYkrELiSZxoJdS4jSINB9FKmzldn_4Pa7Mv2HB4tEEm6ib2Kz1SkqehS/s1600/dscn5429.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">We lucked out on the Phoenix to D.C. flight, sitting all together.</span></div>
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I picked up Marc, and Laila yesterday morning, for an early morning, 7am flight from Tucson to Phoenix. Flying standby is always an iffy thing, but Marc had previously checked the passenger lists, and everything looked pretty good. We got on a U.S. Air flight from Phoenix to Washington D.C., where we caught another U.S. Air flight down to Augusta, GA.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Missing a few days of school, Laila did some homework on the long flight.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Landing at the nations capitol.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">Mike was waiting to pick us up at the Augusta airport, after darkness had already set in. We went from a bright sunny sky in Tucson, to a cold, rainy evening in Augusta, but it was great to see Mike, despite the 35 degree temperature. When we got back to the house, big hugs were shared with Mikes wife Amy, where we scarfed down some pizza, and visited late into the evening. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">The Washington Monument from our aircraft, as it taxied into the terminal.</span></div>
DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-58095807654293617132014-03-06T03:30:00.000-07:002014-03-06T03:30:26.345-07:00FROM WARM TO COLDThe high temperature today in Tucson is supposed to be 80 degrees. The forecast for Augusta, Georgia, is 41 degrees. Marc and I will experience the difference, as we're flying back east this morning. Our connecting flight goes through Washington D.C., where it's supposed to be even colder, with a predicted high temp of 35 degrees today. I guess I shouldn't whine too much, but what the heck, I'm going to anyway! The dreaded long pants, and the even more extreme jacket, will be part of the attire for the next few days. Yep, we Arizonians are spoiled, no doubt about it.<br />
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We're both looking forward to a visit with Marc's brother Mike, and his wife Amy, before we return to the desert on Monday. Mike's third deployment to Afghanistan begins next month, and he's scheduled to return sometime in August. <br />
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Because Marc works for the largest regional airline (Skywest) in the country, we both fly free, but it's standby. In other words, if the flight is full, we don't go. The flights from here to Phoenix, Phoenix to D.C., and from D.C. to Augusta all look pretty good, so hopefully we'll get there sometime this evening. <br />
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<br />DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-20959971119317980422014-03-05T04:48:00.001-07:002014-03-05T04:48:25.157-07:00MOVING MOTOR HOMESIt wasn't much after 7am, when the big move began. As I mentioned previously, part of the training process for new drivers at La Mesa RV, is spending the first week or so with another driver. I spent yesterday with Ken, learning how to inspect, and move motor homes out to the fairgrounds, the location of La Mesa's RV show this weekend. Two drivers were assigned to vans, the method of transporting drivers back to the dealership. <br />
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Except for a couple of breaks, we kept up this round robin, starting first with the Class C motor homes, and finishing the day with the moving of several Class A gas motor homes. I'm not sure how many rigs got moved, but it was probably somewhere in the neighborhood of about 60. We'll continue this process today, with the show starting tomorrow. When La Mesa last did an event at the Pima County Fairgrounds, they sold 30 something rigs, so it seems as if the logistics of this big move of inventory is well worth their effort. <br />
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Hey Nick and Terry. While waiting for the van to take us back to the dealership, I saw you guys pull into the fairgrounds, but didn't have time to walk over and say hi. Tell your idiot neighbor that the world doesn't revolve around just him! DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-77833201384670206922014-03-04T04:18:00.001-07:002014-03-04T04:18:33.870-07:00BACK TO WORKWhen I walked in the door at La Mesa RV's transportation office yesterday morning, I discovered that I wasn't the only newbie, starting his first day of work at this large RV dealership. I was introduced to a fellow named Milford, who it just so happens, also worked as a transit bus driver at the Grand Canyon, during the same time period that I did. We hadn't seen each other since early September of 2012, when after two summers of driving buses at the canyon, I said goodbye to the millions of annual visitors. It is sometimes indeed a "small world". <br />
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Milford and I spent most of the day with a couple of other drivers, who oriented us to various aspects of the job. One of our mentors was a retired airline pilot who flew 747's, and the other was a retired Army Command Sergeant Major. That is of course, after we filled out another stack of forms, each about 1/2 an inch thick. I thought for a moment that I was buying another house!<br />
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The day passed quickly, and before I knew it, 4:30pm rolled around, time to punch out on the computer time clock for the second time. Today, at 7am, most of the 30 something drivers, including myself, will start moving RV's out to the Pima County Fairgrounds for a weekend RV show. This process will be repeated in reverse when the show is over. I think this part time job is going to fit pretty well, especially with the flexibility to still do some traveling in our own motor home.DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-37749550640359883302014-03-03T05:06:00.000-07:002014-03-03T05:06:35.138-07:0034 YEARSWhen Patty and I started our journey together, we were both single parents, living in Los Banos, CA. We were acquainted through our jobs, hers as an Emergency Room Nurse, and mine as a C.H.P. Officer. My work brought me to the E.R. frequently, either as followup with an accident investigation, or occasionally, with drunk drivers for a blood sample. When we married in early March of 1980, we became a blended family, and despite some challenges, we raised three boys, David - hers, and Mike & Marc - mine. We are both extremely proud of all three boys, who have made their way into this competitive world, each with successful careers. We quietly celebrated our wedding anniversary with a replication dinner of the first meal that Patty cooked for me, way back when. It's been a great ride, and it's not over yet.<br />
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We had a visit from our friends Tom and Barb Westerfield yesterday afternoon, who were staying just up the road near Casa Grande. We first met Tom & Barb a few years ago, when we joined the FMCA Golden Spike RV Chapter. They are full time RV'ers, living in their motor home, and it was nice to visit with them for a few hours. We'll see them again in Southern CA next month, when we travel to the next Golden Spike Rally.<br />
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I'm up a little earlier than usual this morning, as I return part time to the work force. At 8am, I'll be punching the time clock at La Mesa RV, doing several days of orientation, prior to becoming an RV driver for the company. I have a feeling that driving motor homes will be a whole lot less stressful than my last job of driving buses full of tourists at the Grand Canyon. DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-70727922338210553342014-03-02T07:46:00.001-07:002014-03-02T07:48:21.229-07:00FINISHED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Except for a coat of paint to match the garage, and a darker trim color, the tractor port is finished. I put up the last 20 boards yesterday, just before the rain started to fall. <br />
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The next order of business was a quick trip over to the fairgrounds, where a gun show was taking place this weekend. A few years ago, you didn't hear, or see people waiting in line to buy ammo. That's not the case today! The demand for guns and ammunition hasn't subsided, and I suspect it won't, until the political assault on the 2nd amendment is defeated. Unless, or until the voters wake up, and get rid of the politicians who think they know what's best for everybody, that's not going to happen anytime soon.<br />
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Marc and I are making last minute preparations for this weeks trip back to Georgia, for a short visit with his brother Mike, and wife Amy. As I mentioned a week or so ago, Mike is headed back to Afghanistan for the 3rd time next month. His role as a civilian intelligence supervisor, is much the same as what his job was before retiring from the Army as a Warrant Officer. With the current administrations recently announced cuts to the military budget, I can't help but think that Washington's priorities are beyond screwed up! Sure, there's a lot of waste in all of the federal budget, and it should be trimmed. But, cutting the military to pre-WWII numbers in this dangerous world, while throwing taxpayer money away on so many other wasteful programs like Solyndra, is just plain incompetent. Like Mike Huckabee so aptly suggested yesterday, "why not cut Air Force One, instead of an Air Force fighter squadron"?<br />
<br />DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-68177048878252946552014-03-01T06:44:00.002-07:002014-03-01T06:44:37.824-07:00A CAT IN A BOX<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSEvfpiRf7ULVxv4VWJweCM1aT3nIX3r9SLW5wVqcjFxyxUXR-H7wwPoXLoBpziG09t35nTqTPxCLRen_2NuNG4k8HNI87kUUcqAuH6oQtYFcb4crr6-b3Mg6ZwXSCmyHjmqjvsS5GeG7/s1600/dscn5419.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Give a cat an empty box, and it will most surely find a way to get inside.</span></div>
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Yesterday was kind of a day off from home improvement projects. Patty and I did make a run into town, where I picked up enough boards to finish the south wall of the tractor port, and we also hit Wally World for a few things. <br />
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At 1pm, I had an appointment for a D.OT. physical, which extended my commercial drivers license medical certificate for another 2 years. I start the orientation process this Monday at Tucson La Mesa RV, and will punch the time clock for a couple of weeks before being put on their schedule. As I understand it, the scheduled work will be once or twice a week, and everything else will be on call. When they have big moves of RV's, like an RV show, then they call in a bunch of drivers for a day or two. We'll see how it goes, but I think this very part time gig, with lots of flexibility, will fit nicely into my wheel house. <br />
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<span style="color: blue;">The finished product, regarding the new electrical, and water hookups.</span></div>
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Now, if Coast to Coast Carports will ever get back to finish the building, I can get the county to sign off on the final inspection. Until then, I've got a 98% finished structure, that I've only paid about 20% of the total price. I did finally get an email that said they're trying to schedule me into a future run to our area. Yea right, I think I've heard this before!<br />
<br />DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-85523410208674558552014-02-28T07:49:00.002-07:002014-02-28T07:49:42.354-07:00A COUPLE OF SURPRISES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just about sunset time, I noticed some movement out in the front yard. When I looked closer, I saw several Javelina's walking toward our driveway gate, near the neighbor's house. There were about 15 of the little critters, and they just kept coming. Is a group of wild pigs called a herd, a pack, a gaggle, or what? Whatever the proper name is, that's the most we've seen near the house, and the first time during daylight hours. That encounter was actually the second surprise of the day.<br />
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Earlier, I made an unscheduled, quick trip to my local dentist, due to a cracked tooth. His diagnosis was not what I wanted to hear, but I kind of already knew that an extraction was the only possible solution. Faced with a gap between teeth, that would only be slightly visible, I pondered 3 possible remedies, as I drove to the second quick appointment of the day with an oral surgeon. #1 - Fill the gap with a bridge, and crowned teeth on both sides. #2 - Have a partial built that would have to be taken in, and out. #3 - Fill the hole with a titanium implant, that would later be fitted with a crown. There was actually a fourth option, and that was to do nothing.<br />
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I decided on the third option, which was done in a matter of about 1 hour. The good news is that in about 2-3 months, when the jawbone grafts firmly to the implant, my regular dentist will be able to do a normal crown, and the teeth on either side will be undisturbed. The bad news is my dental insurance doesn't cover implants, and yesterdays decision was a pretty big hit on the bank account. If I had the power for one "do over" in my life, it would be to start out with better teeth. Since that's not possible, I guess I'll be happy with no more dental surprises, at least not today!<br />
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<br />DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-79113454107700166062014-02-27T07:21:00.000-07:002014-02-27T07:21:24.949-07:00NEW ELECTRIC & WATER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The idea of placing a 50 amp electrical plug, and a new water faucet near the left side of the motor home, began well before I did the two concrete footings for the metal building. The one inch electrical conduit, and the half inch water line have been buried for several months, and now that the new building is standing, it was time to install the new plug, and the new faucet.<br />
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I removed the old 50 amp plug near the electrical panel, and when I had the new wires pulled through the conduit, I started connecting them on both ends. Once the wires were connected to the breaker, and to the new plug, I then had the new motor home electrical service right next to where the cord comes out of the RV.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">The old 50 amp plug is now gone, with the smaller pipe on the right, leading down, and over to the new plug.</span></div>
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I extended the water line about 15 feet from near where the new electric plug is located, to be closer to the city water connection on the motor home. Routing the PVC pipe up to where the new faucet is located only took a few minutes, and with the pipe secured to one of the building support posts, it was ready for use. After these pictures, I added a bracket for the hose to be coiled around, and this project went into the history books.<br />
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It's been over a week since the Coast to Coast installation crew left, not completing the construction due to a missing panel, and not having the right equipment to install all of the concrete anchors. When they left, I was told that they would be returning to finish the job within a week, but I should have known that wasn't going to happen. I did receive one phone call from Arkansas, asking how the installation went, at which time I reminded them of the missing panel, and informed them that the building wasn't anchored properly. An email day before yesterday has so far been unanswered. I'm going to call them this morning, and give them about another week before I drill the new anchor holes myself, and give them a bill for my labor, the use of my tractor, my two ladders, and my drill that they used to install less than half of the anchors. Thank goodness the quality of the building is good, because Coast to Coast's service is anything but. The longer this drags on, the cheaper this building is becoming, and even though I don't like any debt hanging over my head, I'm actually looking forward to the battle that looms on the horizon, regarding final payment. DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-23261629333149591462014-02-26T07:18:00.000-07:002014-02-26T07:18:18.562-07:00WOOD AND WIRE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Those were the two things I played with yesterday. The day started with putting more wooden boards up on the south wall of the tractor port. There are 5 sections between the support posts, a total length of almost 50 feet, and I had enough of the boards to finish 4 of them. The fifth is framed up, and ready for about 20 more boards. Then, the only thing left to do, will be to paint the new structure.<br />
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I thought about leaving this south exposure open, until I saw how much sunshine made it's way into the parking area. During the summer months, when the sun is higher in the sky, it wouldn't be quite as bad, but now, the area will be shaded for the entire year. When I fence in the area between the driveway gate and the garage, it will be this same wooden style, and the two will blend nicely together.<br />
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When I ran out of boards, I switched from my carpenter hat, to my electrician hat, and started the process of moving the 50 amp electrical plug. It's current location is pretty close to the new RV shade cover, but on the wrong side of the motor home. Several months ago, I dug a trench, and buried the electrical conduit, and a new water line, that runs from near the house, over to the the left side of the RV shade cover. <br />
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The first step was to unravel the 4 wires, stretching them out on the front patio, so that it would be easier to pull them through the new pipe. I then put the fish tape through the pipe from where the new plug will be, and connected the tape to one end of the 4 wires. Pulling the wires under the motor home, over to the left side was quick and easy. <br />
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It's almost inevitable, that even though you think you have all of the parts and pieces for a project, once you get into it, there's always something missing. That was the case yesterday, and a quick trip to the hardware store got me the missing pieces to the puzzle. I was in such a hurry, that I drove off without my wallet, not realizing that I had left it behind until I pulled into the hardware store parking lot. Now what? Do I turn around, driving 10 miles back to the house for my wallet, or, do I go in the store and plead stupidity, hoping for a solution that doesn't require a 20 mile round trip to retrieve my cash and credit cards. <br />
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I did the later, and the folks at ACE Hardware allowed me to get what I needed, stating "just pay for what you get next time you're here". If they had the selection, and the prices of the two big boy home improvement stores, I would certainly spend my dollars with the local guys. Their slogan "Ace is the place of the helpful hardware folks" is indeed very true at my local store.<br />
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DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-18220286769534735092014-02-25T07:04:00.000-07:002014-02-25T07:04:55.610-07:00DRUG TESTINGWhen I first started driving tour buses in Alaska, about 10 years ago, I was required to be drug tested as a condition of employment. My subsequent driving jobs at Glacier National Park, and at Grand Canyon National Park also required drug tests prior to driving public buses. Yesterday, I formally signed an acceptance offer of part time employment at La Mesa RV, and once again, one of the conditions of employment was a drug test. Today, pre-employment drug testing is nothing unusual, and is part of the hiring protocol for many businesses. If you drive for compensation, it's almost a given that you will be required to take a drug test before going to work.<br />
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After filling out more paperwork, and signing the acceptance offer at La Mesa RV, I drove over to a lab, and did what I had to do. The difference between this experience, and the others, is that the sample is tested instantly, and there is no waiting for the results. Over the years, the system of testing has changed, primarily to stay one step ahead of the folks trying to beat the system. I won't go into the details, but the lab person shared some of the ways that people try to avoid having their own urine tested. We both agreed, it's a lot easier to just be drug free, instead of coming up with these elaborate schemes to avoid a positive drug test.<br />
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The main point I'm getting at is this...........A pre-employment drug test in this day and age is nothing out of the ordinary, and you don't hear about ACLU lawsuits against private companies for invasion of privacy, regarding drug testing. It's pretty simply. If you want to go to work for a business that gives you a paycheck, and they require a drug test, you either submit, or you go on down the road. It's your choice. Why is that so different than the short lived Florida requirement for all welfare recipients to be drug tested. When a federal judge issued an ACLU lawsuit injunction against Florida's requirement, citing a possible violation of the 4th amendment against unreasonable search and seizure, I have to wonder what happened to common sense. Why is it OK when you actually work for a business, and they require a drug test, but it's not OK for the state to drug test people who get something for nothing, by way of the generous taxpayers? Something is wrong with that picture, and I just don't get it!<br />
<br />DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-74719521819672553822014-02-24T07:49:00.000-07:002014-02-24T07:49:17.689-07:00A NEED FOR SPEED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's about 100 miles from Tucson to Phoenix, location of the 2nd stop on the National Hot Rod Ass'n (NHRA) Championship Drag Racing tour. The old Firebird Raceway has been renamed Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, and along with the new title, we saw a few other changes, some good, some not so good.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Two funny cars, after the burnout.</span></div>
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I picked up Marc at 8am, and if we could have made the 100 mile drive to the drag strip at the same speed as a top fueler, it would have only taken us about 16-17 minutes. Since that wasn't possible at a speed of 75 mph, instead of a dragster's top speed of 325 mph, we arrived at the racetrack a little before 10am.<br />
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This was my first opportunity in about 8 years, to attend the Phoenix drag race, due to a conflict with the Tucson Rodeo, which Patty and I always worked. Even though it's been a number of years since we were a part of the NHRA traveling road show, there's still a few people that we know, and it was fun to see some of those folks. Jim Maxie, who heads up MainGate's operation at Phoenix, and who was in charge of our gig at the Tucson Rodeo for a number of years, provided Marc and I with Sunday tickets, along with a parking pass. <br />
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<span style="color: blue;">The timing scoreboards reflect the speeds attained by 2 Fuel Funny Cars, on a typical side by side race, in just 1,000 feet of racetrack!</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Erica Enders-Stevens is the first female Pro Stock Driver to win an NHRA Drag Race.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">Back in 2005, while living in Lake Havasu City, we got a call from MainGate in Indianapolis, asking us to work their new merchandise trailer at the Phoenix drag race. They hadn't hired permanent workers for this trailer yet, and we were available to help them out. The merchandise was for one of the first female pro stock drivers, Erica Enders. During the course of that weekend, Erica spent some time in the trailer signing autographs, and we got to know her, along with her dad Greg. Erica started out in the Jr. Dragster program, and was the subject of a full length feature film entitled "Right on Track", released in 2003. </span><span style="color: black;">In 2011, she broke the national pro stock speed record, traveling over 213 mph in the quarter mile, and in 2012, Erica became the first female pro stock driver in NHRA history, to win a national event, at the Chicago race. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">She remembered Patty and I, not only because that was the first race where she had her own merchandise, but she reminded me that it was also the first race where she qualified to race on Sunday. Erica is just one of many people involved in drag racing, that we became acquainted with, and it was fun to chat with her yesterday.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Erica (red car) won her first round race, but lost in the second round.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Marc, from our vantage point at about half track in the grandstands.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Everybody's trying to take pictures of .....................</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">this guy - Jesse James, husband of Alexis Dejoria, driver of the Tequila Patron Fuel Funny Car</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">During the warm up of Alexis' car, Marc and I got a good dose of Nitro, which I guarantee, will clear up any sinus congestion, in just a matter of seconds! It's always fun to watch the newbies, who have no idea what happens to the eyes, nose, and throat, when the exhaust fumes from a nitro engine reach your body. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Yep, we salivated over the new Corvette, just like most everyone else.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">It was a fun day, filled with lots of noise, power, and incredible speed. The fact that a motor vehicle can go from 0 to 325 mph, in a little over the length of 3 football fields, is almost impossible to comprehend. Yea, I'll admit it, I'm a gear head, with a need to experience a lot of speed! I got it in spades yesterday! </span></span></div>
DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-91594612935573681102014-02-23T06:32:00.000-07:002014-02-23T06:32:30.954-07:00CLOSING IT IN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue;">The six, 45 degree support post braces are now in place.</span></div>
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Before painting the new structure, one of the last things I have to do, is the incorporation of a wall, with what will eventually be a fence out to the gate. A trip to Lowes yesterday morning, started me off with most of the lumber I'll need to close in the south side of the tractor port.<br />
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Picking out fence boards, is more of an art, than a science. Even though I thought I was pretty careful in trying to choose straight boards, when placing them next to each other, the not so straight lumber stuck out like a sore thumb. While filling in the first gap between support posts, there were only a couple of boards that were too crooked to use.<br />
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As this wall progresses, it will stagger down, following the same levels of the block wall. It was about 4pm when I finished the first panel, and that was enough work for the day. <br />
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Diana left on Friday, and we enjoyed having her stay with us for most of the week. She and Patty had time to catch up on everything, and they spent a lot of time visiting, shopping, and exploring some new attractions here in the Tucson area. <br />
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Today is race day! I'm picking up Marc this morning, and we're headed for the NHRA Drag Race in Phoenix. Can't wait to hear those 10,000 horsepower, nitro engines come to life!DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-33080381436221406662014-02-22T07:13:00.000-07:002014-02-22T07:13:38.939-07:00FROM BULLETS, TO BEAMS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Marc and I met at the gun firing range near the fairgrounds, yesterday morning. He recently sold his dirt bike, and part of the compensation included a couple of new guns that he wanted to fire. I took a couple of my 40 caliber semi autos, one of which I had never fired. We spent about an hour at the range, before he headed off to work, and I went into town, to take back the defective shingles to Lowes.<br />
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There's a few reasons why I prefer Lowes over Home Depot. First, and foremost is the 10% discount given to military veterans. Most of the stores will accept a copy of your DD214 (discharge paper), even though their actual policy requires a <u>retired</u> military I.D. card. It's helpful if you miniaturize, and laminate your DD214. Over the last 6 months, I've saved over $400 with the military discount. Oooops, I think I just disclosed how much $$ I've invested in home improvement projects!<br />
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Yesterday's return of the damaged 9 shingles, is another example of how Lowes customer service is excellent. I didn't ask for, but got credit for an entire bundle of shingles, value, a little over $25. On top of that, they replaced the 9 damaged shingles. Net result was a free bundle of shingles. Those are just a couple of examples why I prefer Lowes over Home Depot. I'm sure each store has it's individual pluses, and minuses, but the store I frequent, treats me pretty well.<br />
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When I climbed back up on the roof, it only took 5 more shingles to finish the job, before I started screwing down the aluminum flashing. With the upper edge of the metal tucked back under the garage shingles, and the lower edge screwed down to the new roof, the transition from the garage, to the tractor port is now water bullet proof. <br />
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One of the last construction components for this new structure, is to reinforce the beam holding the downside of the roof. These 45 degree braces are probably overkill, but with them installed on all 6 support posts, there won't be any issues of a sagging beam.<br />
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I cut all 12 of the support braces, but only had enough 5 inch long, 3/8 inch screws, to do 3 posts. When I finish that job today, I'll start the partial side enclosure, before painting every thing. Now that the roof is done, I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel!<br />
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DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-13249109372427736832014-02-21T06:44:00.000-07:002014-02-21T06:44:06.271-07:00ROOFING 101<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I started to cover the new roof, there were 20 bundles of asphalt shingles on the pallet. Each bundle contains 22 individual shingles, and I should have had enough to finish the job, but I came up just a wee bit short. <br />
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<span style="color: blue;">This picture shows the progress at the point where 12 bundles of shingles are nailed down.</span></div>
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With the possibility of some rain next week, I wanted to get this done. When I climbed back up on the roof yesterday morning, I had 9 bundles nailed down, a little less than half way to the finish line. Due to the sometimes windy conditions in our area, I decided at the outset, to use 6 roofing nails per shingle, as opposed to the normal 3 or 4. This takes a little longer, but I shouldn't have to worry about any shingles flapping in the breeze, during our next "Vail Gale".<br />
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The girls were gone most of the day. They did some shopping, then visited Sabino Canyon, a popular public attraction. When they returned at around 4pm, I had just climbed down off the roof. What should have been a complete covering of the roof with new shingles, turned out to be an almost covering. The last bundle had been on the bottom of the pallet, and about half of those shingles were twisted, and unusable. A trip back to Lowes today, and I'm sure they'll replace the damaged shingles.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">This is the small area left to be covered.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">When the last shingle is nailed down, I have 50 feet of 10 inch aluminum flashing to screw down, where the new roof meets the old roof. That will seal the transition between the garage and the tractor port. With that completed, the only thing left will be to finish the 45 degree beam supports, then a coat of paint. When finished, total shingles nailed down = 440. Total nails hammered = Approx. 2,640. </span> </span></div>
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DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-75084065823063918952014-02-20T06:12:00.000-07:002014-02-20T06:20:31.991-07:00WORKIN FOR A LIVIN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw6ZgvqoBtIpI24Uhj3zJCZ3JDbJ0oP9zh7X1dIFir6SP-5GJf1hFAwlb3a69ETCyQ_bM1WN3vaybJYf5WCJ2vbTE2-O3Di_nWslZcC0a6JeSyEQXU8BEaAetyTwMwOY7KRULQ-4hylA5/s1600/dscn5356.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Our Snoopy has become an equal opportunity lap cat.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">It's been a couple of months since I submitted an application with the Tucson La Mesa RV dealership, to be one of their part time drivers</span></span>. Yesterday, I kept a 1pm appointment, to take a driving test, then I accepted their offer of employment. I still have to be drug tested, before doing a two week orientation, when they have new drivers shadow another driver. Then, after getting familiar with their operation, I'll be put on the schedule, to work an average of one day a week. When they have big moves, like an RV show, they call in most of their drivers to shuttle the rigs from point A to B. </div>
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Not that I have a lack of things to do, but, this will give me an alternative activity, and provide me with an opportunity to drive a variety of motor homes. Returning to punching a time clock wasn't exactly on my radar, but, I think it will be something that I'll enjoy. Having the flexibility to take off in our motor home, with just a notice to La Mesa that I won't be available, makes this part time gig even more attractive.</div>
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Marc, Chandra, and Laila came out for a smoked pork loin dinner last night, and with all of the other stuff that Patty and Diana fixed, nobody was left hungry. The carrot cake was to die for! Unfortunately, I overcooked the pork, and even though it was tasty, it was too dried out. The biggest problem yesterday, was I had to take the meat out of the smoker before it was done, then I later tried to finish cooking it in the oven, where it lost much of it's moistness. Next time, it will get finished in the smoker, then go right to the table.</div>
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While the kids were here, Marc set me up with a fantasy NASCAR league, that he and his brother Mike are participants. Thanks Marc for doing the computer time, and thanks Mike for paying Dad's $25 entry fee. After one NHRA Drag Race, the old man is already leading the kids in that fantasy league. Game on boys!!</div>
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DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-40546161512580042014-02-19T07:05:00.000-07:002014-02-19T07:05:10.922-07:00IT'S DONE! .. .. ALMOST<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The three man crew was back at the house around 7:30am, and by noon, the building was almost done. They still have to return with one side panel, and they need to finish drilling the holes into the concrete for the anchor bolts. After burning up their one heavy duty drill, they used my 1/2" Craftsman drill to get several anchors installed, but there's still about 10 more holes to drill. Drilling into concrete isn't an easy process, but with a better masonry drill bit, and a hammer drill, it shouldn't take them long to finish the job.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">One more side panel needs to be installed at the right front of the building.</span></div>
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When the installers left, I picked up a few metal screws that were under the new building, and parked the motor home in it's new shaded area. It seemed like it had taken forever to get to that point.<br />
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I knew the side panel tan color wouldn't perfectly match the house, but it turned out to be pretty close. My next step will be to pull the electrical wires through the underground conduit that I had previously put in the ground, and then install a 50 amp plug on one of the metal supports, near the left rear tire of the motor home. I also have a water line near that area, that just needs a faucet installed on the end. <br />
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With the dark brown trim in place, I think the building looks pretty good, and with top center, and side bracing, it should be much more sturdy than the last metal building we had in Lake Havasu City.<br />
I still have to figure out the best way to shade the afternoon sun from shining directly on the rear of the motor home. In Havasu, I came up with a drop down fabric shade, but with the more severe winds, I'm not sure that's going to work here. <br />
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With all of the activity going on around here, I neglected to mention that Diana Rush arrived for a visit, day before yesterday. She had driven down from their winter home in Lake Havasu, and left Bob to babysit the two dogs. Diana & Patty call themselves the "Ya Ya Sisters", and they've been buddies for almost 20 years. Yesterday, they did some running around in town, then, drove out to the Desert Museum. <br />
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While they were gone, I worked on the roof of the tractor port, and am pretty close to having about half of it covered with shingles. By 4pm, my old body said "enough", and I gave up for the day. <br />
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I got a call from the transportation director at La Mesa RV yesterday, informing me that they had an opening for a driving job, was I still interested? I reiterated the fact that we do travel frequently in our motor home, and as long as they were OK with that, yes, I still wanted to be one of their part time drivers. I have a 1pm appointment today, to finalize the paperwork, and take a company mandated driving test. Gee, I wonder if I'll be able to pass the test?DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6805811930854137967.post-68230859971149458682014-02-18T07:17:00.000-07:002014-02-19T07:07:07.897-07:00IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING<br />
When the RV shade cover delivery didn't happen as scheduled on
Sunday, my anger, and frustration was over the top, to put it mildly.
Pounding roofing nails into the shingles on the new tractor port for
most of the afternoon, served as an outlet for my growing exasperation
with Coast to Coast Carports.<br />
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As soon as their offices opened yesterday in Arkansas, I was on the phone, and the conversation was pretty one sided - I talked, and they listened. I told the supervisor that their no show, without even a phone call, was the last straw, and if the building didn't show up by the end of the day, I was finished with them. If they didn't know, they were about to learn the true meaning of "I'm your worst nightmare"! She said she would find out where the crew was, and call me back within the hour. The return call was prompt, and I was told the building was on the way, after they put me ahead of two other jobs. I'm thinking to myself, is that like the check's in the mail? While I was at an 11am dental appointment, Patty called, and said the building had arrived, and there was a question about where to place it. I told her to tell them that we've waited for months, they can wait until I get home.<br />
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The three man crew was already laying out the bottom frame rails when I arrived, and except for a short food break, they worked nonstop until well after the sun went down. In talking to the leader, I discovered that Coast to Coast's problem is a lack of reliable labor. The crew that was supposed to deliver and install buildings for the Phoenix/Tucson area was fired a few weeks ago, and it's been a game of catch up for these guys. They began this run from their base in Gallup, N.M., with 7 buildings, and because ours was the biggest, it was supposed to be the last one to be installed. As subcontractors, working on a 10% commission, he said this run would net him a little over $3,000, and he was responsible for all of his expenses, including labor for two guys. That disclosure might have something to do with Coast to Coast's labor problems. <br />
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Based on Coast to Coast's track record up to this point, I was more than just a little apprehensive, particularly, regarding the quality of the product, and installation. After watching the guys work, and after taking a good look at the materials, my fears about an inferior product were set aside. This building will be much stronger than the one we had built in Lake Havasu City.</div>
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By mid afternoon, the frames were up, and the roof panels were starting to go on. With the help of my tractor, one of my ladders, my heavy duty drill (their big drill burned up), and my portable spotlight, work continued until about 7pm.<br />
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During the unloading of the trailer, it was discovered that they were one side panel short, and they would have to bring, and install that panel on their next trip. I called Arkansas to tell them that the building wouldn't be completed due to a missing panel, and that there was no way that I was paying them the full price. When it was suggested that I pay 75%, I told them I was only going to pay 25%, and if they wanted the majority of their money, they would have an incentive to come back, and finish the building in a timely manner. Now that most of the building is up, instead of them being in control, I now have the hammer, and I must admit that it feels pretty good!<br />
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The building should be finished by noon today (except for the one panel) and there's finally a level of satisfaction, to get to this point. If my latest twist in luck holds out, the motor home will have a covered parking place by the end of today. The last hurdle will be to get the county to sign off on the final inspection.<br />
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In some ways, I'm sort of a pack rat, and in other ways, I like to keep things organized, rather than having to sort through piles of stuff. When the garage was finished, instead of hauling away the scrap lumber & siding, I kept most of it behind the garage, stacked neatly of course. So far, I've used some of the scrap lumber for concrete forms, Quartzsite firewood, and yesterday, I got out my table saw, and cut enough of the extra siding to finish the fascia board at the bottom of the roof. <br />
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First, I had to trim the ends of the 26 roof joists, then put up the newly cut fascia siding. When that was done, I finished the metal drip edging, before starting to nail down the asphalt roof shingles. During my last trip to Lowes, I purchased 20 bundles of shingles, enough to cover 700 square feet, a little more area than this new 14' x 48' roof. When you have a nail, or staple gun, laying down shingles goes pretty fast. When you're pounding roofing nails one at a time, it's a very slow process. Nevertheless, I layed down 3 bundles worth of shingles, before calling it a day.<br />
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So, what does the opened gate have to do with my tractor port project you say? Early yesterday morning, I opened both sides of the gate, anticipating the arrival of a large truck, or trailer, loaded with the RV shade cover building. To make a short story long, the only vehicle that passed through the gate yesterday was Patty's Jeep, as she was going to, and coming from the grocery store. Yep, I was way too optimistic in my comment yesterday, because Coast to Coast Carports was a no show, and not even a phone call. Can you believe it!! How in the world does any type of business keep their doors open with service like this? This was the last straw. There will be no more rescheduling, and no more empty promises. Unless they're here today, with a reasonable explanation why they didn't show up yesterday, I'm done. You can bet the phone line will be burning up between here, and Arkansas, as soon as they open for business at 8am our time. Stay tuned................. DANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03195383904794231975noreply@blogger.com0