Our new ride

2014 Toyota Prius V Five.

Gone Fishin'

In Western PA, just hibernating.  Three days here, with nothing to do but walk fifty yards to the fishing pond.  Caught three fish Saturday and two more Sunday in a few hours.

 

Don’t think I reported on the successful tire replacement.  After stopping at two WalMarts, two RV centers and a tire place, I gave up and made it to the campground.  Driving without a spare is amazingly distracting when the spare you used, although it looks new, also matches the original camper color and might very well be the same tire put on the camper in 1988.  That’s almost 18 years ago.  How rotten is the rubber in that tire? 

 

After a decent night’s rest, I got to town, which had a huge WalMart Super Center, with a separate Tire/Lube section, and had four of the exact tire/wheel combo I needed.  I bought two to be sure that they matched and to eliminate any question about the tire that matched the blown one.  Putting them on, I found the disconnected brake connections to be a 10 minute fix, and a small bracket tied back onto the frame finished the job.  Given the way that tire exploded and wrapped around the axle, I was very happy.

 

Good cable TV connection, and a NASCAR race, and a couple hours making notes about the geneaology information I gathered, and it was night.

 

Maybe I’ll go into town today and connect to the world, and walk around a bit.  Maybe.

 

Terry sits in Philadelphia, visiting and awaiting my imminent arrival.

 

#END#

 

Disaster.....averted

It was a regular day, in the huge field they call a campground in the Amana Colonies, Iowa.  I was on the phone, talking to Terry, and had the computer in front of me, with Microsoft Streets and Trips running.  Microsoft Outlook was running.  Microsoft Internet Explorerm wasup with four or five tabs open.  And there was another Explorer with some other tabs open.  I had Word up and also Access.  Maybe Passport America Campground finder.  Those are the one’s I remember.  We talked, I listened and switched from window to window. 

 

As the conversation drew to a close, so did the activity on my PC.  Really drew to a close.  It stopped.  Completely.  Frozen with the so helpful egg timer.  The sand isn’t moving.

 

I waited.  And waited.  A long time.  Then, sure there was no sign of activity I would be messing with, I held the power switch down….for five seconds.  Five seconds is a long time to wait for the end of life as we know it.  If the worst happens, which we always expect, despite the best advice mankind can provide,  the computer will be fried.  Fried toast.  Fried eggs.  Fried is not good.

 

The best is OK, but there are so many not best possibilities that best is completely drowned out in the din of disaster.

 

OK…so the computer is off.

 

I notice the computer is hot.  Not a bit warm.  Not hotter than usual. Not, “Wow that thing can really put out some  heat”.  This is, “Hey, that could burn me” heat.

 

Aside…I have tried to kill a gnat flying over the keyboard and have hurt my hands three times on sure kills.  He/she is still hovering.  Anyone know what Raid does to a keyboard?  Ah Ha!  (Love those) I killed the bastard, and three more flew by in perfect formation!  It’s a conspiracy.

 

I think real writers must believe that there is an audience they are speaking to.  It is still very hard to write with an audience of one or two or three (Thanks for the comments guys.)  I just had a “Talking to myself” moment.

 

Back to my story…

 

PC is hot, and off.

 

I took it out into the record low temperature Iowa September.  Set it on the trucks hood until it cooled.  That took about 10 minutes in temps near 50.  Brought it in, plugged it in, and hoped.

 

The screen jumped at me, scrolling characters, in those “Things didn’t work out so well last time, would you like to be Safe this time” way.  Lots of choices, lots of information.  Before I could even begin reading, there was a box on the screen, reminiscent of 1980 programming, that said, simply, clearly, “Enter Password”.

 

Nothing more.

 

OK.  I know I am not into Windows.  Not yet.  This was before Windows.  This was the bowels of the computer growling.  This was some chip speaking directly to me through the lexan of the display. This was bad.  I knew that almost before I read the words.  There is no password here.  There is no here, here.  This is a place that the computer keeps to itself.

 

I hit the power switch to see if I could convince it to forget that it didn’t know who I was.  Back on, and the request for a password was there without the scrolling information.  Not to belabor the point, but I tried twenty combinations of startup with or without a key press, and was none the wiser.

 

Okay, I’ll play.  password, Password, PASSWORD, Admin, ADMIN, admin, administ  (only 8 characters available), Administ, ADMINIST, A135, a135, Toshiba, toshiba, TOSHIBA,TOSHA135,A135Tosh,A135TOSH,A135tosh…..

 

For about an hour.

 

Then I pulled out the Toshiba recovery disk.   As I suspected, it calmly told me that this wonderful little disk would help recover your computer.  First it would format your disk drive, completely removing all data you have, so please back up before using.  (Yes, you can hear what I screamed at the brilliant author of that bit – If I could back up….!!!)

 

I was desperate.  I stuck it in and turned the PC on.  “Enter Password”.  “Grrrr…”

 

As I am reading the small print on the recovery disk, I see a phone number.  What time is it in Azerbajan?  I dial frantically.  “Hi, Thank you for calling very much to Azerbajani Toshiba, sir.  How may I be of service to you sir if I may ask Sir, very much thanks to6 you?”  My computer broke! “Well, thank you very much for that sir.  May I place you on hold for a minute while I try to translate that into Hindi, sir, thank you, so very much, sir.”

 

After about 600 Thank you, sir’s and a half dozen sincere requests for permission to place me on hold for exactly one or two or (serious problem) three minutes, while he checked on a solution, he finally found a real answer!  The password is a randomly generated number requiring a reset by a technician.  OK, where is that technician?  You can send it in or drop it off.  OK, Bangaladesh…get a map up on your screen.  I am in Amana Colonies, Iowa, heading for Philadelphia.  Draw a line between those places and tell me what’s close.

 

Now, I know this guy has zero information on US geography, and all he understands is that entering a zip code or state will give him names of cities with service centers.  And he’s trying, really.  So I bend a bit.  I suggest Iowa.  All sites are in the wrong direction.  How about Illinois.  I swear he said Moline.  Perfect.  Where’s the Moline tech?  Moline?  Where is that , sir?  You just said Moline.  No sire, where is it, I’ll look it up.

 

OK…no need to belabor the Moline point.  No Moline.  Read the Illinois sites to me.  He reads 10 sites, and on my Southeastern United States AAA Map, I find Chicago, Peoria and one other.  But hot damn, Peoria is right on my way!  The mojo is back!

 

Flash ahead to today, the 13^th.  I got up really early.  It was dark!  Break camp and get in the truck to back up to the popup.  Turn the key.  CLICK!  That’s not the sound a truck makes when it works right.  Before my heart has restarted, I turn the key again, and it starts!   I didn’t even stop to think what that could have meant.

 

By 9:30 am I’m 150 miles away in Peoria and Kandy has the computer running like a jewel in less than an hour.  I am saved!  Off I go, eastward, and I won’t even talk about the construction all over Indianapolis, or the sign I saw too late that said “No Trailers In Construction Zone”.  I made it!

 

No WiFi here, but who gives a damn!  I’ll send this from somewhere.

#END#

 

 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.485 / Virus Database: 269.13.14/999 - Release Date: 9/10/2007 5:43 PM

Oy Vey

It’s Saturday the 15^th….and I’m OK.

 

But yesterday.  Oy vey is such a good phrase. 

 

So there I was, on I70, cruising along about 70 or so, and pulled out to pass something.  I must have been next to them, trying to accelerate, but the truck seemed to be having trouble picking up speed.  I started to pull back, glancing in the mirror, still slowing, eyes widening, smoke billowing from the left trailer tire, pieces of tire tread flying…

 

Luck is a good thing to have at a time like this.  I was on a straight road.  There was nobody on my right.  The shoulder was wide, and there was room to pull all the way off.  All things came together to allow a safe landing.

 

There’s nothing fun about changing a tire 6 feet from the roadway with big rigs zipping by at 75 mph.  But it went quick and in 10 minutes I was on the way.  Nervous, but on the way.  I called T to have her look up the nearest WalMart.  Three disconnects later we manage to communicate the location of the closest two stores.  I went to both, but no correctly sized tires.  I wonder if the spare is the original tire?  How rotten is the rubber?  How much air is in it?  Nervous.

 

I pulled into the campground as the rain began.  I was very efficient, not wasting a second outside and I had the camper up in minutes…As I was drying off and getting the inside squared away, the rain stopped.  Figures. 

 

This morning, after a nice hot shower, a call to the WalMart national number locates the nearest Walmart just 6 miles from the campground.  A quick call and I am told they have four tires and rims in the correct size.  I won’t count the chicks yet, but I am optimistic.  The damage from the tire wrapped around the axle appears to be one disconnected brake control wire and a disconnected pipe bracket.  Easy repairs.

 

There’s a fishing lake here, so I may be able to have a nice little vacation.

#END#

 

 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.485 / Virus Database: 269.13.14/999 - Release Date: 9/10/2007 5:43 PM

In like a lion

I know that's March, but the lion is roaring at me as we speak. The local weather station says 10 mph gusting to 21. I say 10 to 15 gusting to 30. I say that because the wind is trying to rip the canvas off the camper. The awning is up, and holding, but it is making a lot of noise and flapping like it wants to head south. The camper is bouncing around, abut it all seems to be holding. The weather page says the wind should die down this evening. Exciting.

I ran down Kolonieweg trail around Lilly Pad Lake which was almost completely covered with - lilly pads. About 55 minutes.

I'm back...

Oh, didn't know I was gone. I would have told you, but I was busy fixing the awning which blew down. now the wind has died down, and the awning is rolled up. Oops...wind back.... but quieter since the awning isn't making a fuss.

Wish I knew where the velcro was. I found a broken awning fastener and I have the velcro just for the replacement of that fastener, but where is it??? I have another day to search. Or a Walmart to get more.

Starting to work on organizing the geneaology info...and do a promised review of an RV park, and this blog, and wind watch.

Oh....forget all that. It's dinner time. A guy has to have priorities.

Drying out

The rain is gone because the cold front passed through. Of course they call it a cold front for a reason. Today in the 50's and tomorrow morning in the high 30's. Glad I brought the sweats and vest and coat and such.

I have no real plan today, which is the day I really have been waiting for.... maybe read something, or write, or rithmatic. Just sit in the sun when it warms up a bit. I am almost out of fresh food, so I may go to some local store. Or not.

There is so little time in the normal flow to just act on the spur of the moment. We have lots of choices, but they are always tightly confined within the constraints of taking care of the house, doing things we promised to do, getting to the place we said we would be.

I have paid for four nights here, and have spent two. So, within the constraint of 48 hours until I leave, I am unfettered. It is a nice place to be.

I'm thinking exercise. Not because i like it, but because I need it. Another constraint, but a very general one, and the house I carry with me needs some little bit of care, too. Lots of beautiful land around, and a couple of trails I can hop on. Don't know how much energy I will have, after weeks of sitting behind the wheel and in the libraries. We'll see. Then there is the laundry. Maybe tomorrow.

Cold, Wet, Cozy?

Made it from Topeka to Amana Colonies, Iowa yesterday. I arrived at an RV park with 450 sites on 60 acres! I am out in the boondocks, so far from everyone, I seem to be camping in the middle of nowhere. The bathrooms are a short drive or a very long walk away.

However, I have WiFi and TV and Electric and water. What more can I ask for! Sun maybe, but that may come in the next day or two. For now it's drizzle and 60's. I have the little heater from WalMart going and the place is toasty. It was 61 when I walked in a half-hour ago, and now it's 68.

The fridge was up near 50 yesterday after the drive, so I turned it to a colder setting. Of course, all the lettuce froze! Maybe I need to buy an Amana! The Amana Plant is, surprise, in Amana. It's a little village, and a big plant.

There are seven villages scattered among 26,000 acres of prime farmland: Amana village, East Amana, West, High, Middle, South Amana and Homestead ("It's called Homestead," it is explained, "because there weren't any 'Amanas' left."). In those villages are about 2000 people, and maybe a half-zillion restaurants.

They were a communal religious (not Amish and not Mennonite) society until 1932, when they separated the economic activity from the personal. Must have been caused by the teenager's music!

So what does an Asperger tourist do in a tourist trap? I drove through all the villages, walked the main street of Amana Village, went into the wolen mill and saw the computerized looms at work, tasted two beers at the micro brewery, read the plaque at the Millrace which produced power for the community, and came back to the camper for lunch.

After lunch, an Asperger tourist writes his blog, and reads the weather report.

It's so hot in here (73 degrees) I have to turn the heat down.

The next step is to slow down enough to grab a book and read a bit..... Maybe tomorrow.