meerkat, leaf springs, quick link
and snow
and snow
Last month The El Paso Times had a headline I forgot to mention.
“El Paso Zoo will name a cockroach after your ex and feed it to their meerkats.” What‽
“A horrible ex is pretty much like a cockroach—hard to get rid of and always trying to crawl back in through any space. Which is why the El Paso Zoo is offering the perfect tribute to bad exes everywhere on Valentine's Day.”
El Pasoans are encouraged to name a cockroach after their insignificant other through the Quit Bugging Me event, which will be marked on Feb. 14. And it's free.”
Participants watched their cockroach fed to the meerkats, either on the zoo’s Facebook Live or on the website. Some went to the zoo and possibly sang La Cucaracha while watching the feast. The meerkat exhibit was decorated with the first name and last initial of all the submitted exes. I would have liked to been there to watch the people. Probably would have heard some choice comments. Way cool.
Finally got smart about the electric brake connection. I knew it was dumb to just connect it to where I hook on the Nash’s safety cables. I drilled a hole in the bottom of the bumper and now connect the cable with a Quick Link. The hitch assembly bolted to a vehicle, have been known to fall off. Granted, it’s rare, but it has happened. Nothing is attached to the bumper so it will stay in place. Just playin’ it safe.
At the end of February, I was at my last state park of the winter, before heading up to Timberon, when I had an unpleasant surprise. As I went to kick a wheel chuck under a back tire of the Nash, I noticed a broken leaf spring. Bummer. I looked at the other back leaf spring; it was bent and looked mighty close to breakin’. Guano. I took measurements and had an auto shop order new leaf springs for all four wheels.
The weak axle leaf needed to be braced so I picked up a length of ½”x1” steel flat stock at Tractor Supply. Took me 20 minutes to hacksaw two lengths to use as supports. Sandwiched the leaf and clamped it together with three C clamps. I pulled over three times during the 20-mile drive to the shop to check on the C clamps. The curbside tires were 1” apart while the street-side tires were 3” apart; not good. I was SO thankful as I pulled into their lot. Really ready for no unexpected expenses in 2019. Hope all goes well for the next couple of years—nice and mellow.
br> It was warm enough towards the end of February to hang the window cage back up. M&M shot right out the window to scope things out.
This has been a good winter in the parks. Even during the last week, I lucked out and met a nice couple from Minnesota, Terry and Nancy, traveling in a Tab. Shortly after they pulled out, an acquaintance I met awhile back pulled into the same site across from me. Richard full-times in a Roadtrek and travels with his cat Maisy (not sure of the spelling). Had some good conversations.
I generally find more of my kind of people set up in a site without hookups. Not always, but a good deal of the time. Makes sense to me.
In the NM DMV, I noticed a sign on the wall, “Good morning…Let the stress begin.” I would imagine it reflects the workday for those people. They must get more than their share of grief. I told the lady that I liked the sign; she smiled and I thanked her for her heip that day, which brought another smile.
Shortly after I pulled onto my Timberon property it hailed, then snowed a bit. 48 degrees in the Nash when I got up. That, apparently was warm. The following morning’s inside temps ranged from the upper 30s (could see my breath) to the mid-40s. Yesterday it was a balmy 51. If I had an RVer’s mindset, this would be unacceptable. But to my way of thinking, it’s no big thing.
This is what it looked like out the back window the first morning. I had to dig out the ladder and sweep snow off the solar panels. I had been having day temps in the 60s and 70s down in the parks. Kind of a setback. Even more snow dropped four days later. Had two days when I pretty much had to keep the Wave 6 lit all day. Don’t think I’ve had more than a handful of days like that. Last year, one of my two favorite people up here said that it would probably be best if I not get back until April. Guess she was right.
The ball is in your court. Pick it up.
February sixty minutes sixty years—1800 minutes
February Triple 18—upper: 1800; core: 1800; legs: 1800
exists elsewhere in the universe
is that none of it has tried to contact us.
Calvin & Hobbes
RVwest article ‘Following a Free Spirit’
RVwest article ‘The Spaces Between the Places’
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Comments
Met a couple at Caballo Lake in a Nash 23C. I think it was 2014/5, and they too had leaf springs break. They had 3 out of 4 go at the same time.
After reading your account I got down on hands and knees to look around my underbelly. So far, so good. Still worries me now.
Are you finding a milk paint color you like?
Have a great summer up on the land. Hope you can get that grass seeded and it rains enough for it to get started.
Rob