Two Penny Travels

Getting the Truck Ready

We have spent the summer here at Jojoba Hills. It is now getting hotter, and there is family to see back up in northern CA. So it is time to get the truck ready to pull the rig out and travel.

Our first effort this summer was when we had to rebuild the tranny. We had a check engine light that kept us from passing a smog check, and when we took it in to clear the check light, they found the tranny needed a rebuild! It was not what I expected.

The check light is now off. But when we take a trip into town the Air Conditioning blows warm air. So we took the truck in to get the AC working. They found that the O-rings were probably the originals and were flat, so there were leaks that drained the fluid from the compessor. Then when they took the tube off to fix the O-rings, they found three pin-holes that were very near leaking. So it is a matter of replacing the whole tube. We pick the truck up today.

When we get the truck I am taking it up to Maximum Diesel in San Jacinto to get a new set of batteries and wiring harness. Russ said I had the original 10-year-old batteries still in the truck, and they were shrinking from old age. Time to rejuvinate them.

We do expect to have the truck in good working order in time for our departure on 9/13 for our trip north. It will be good to see some of the family again.

In the meantime, I am still working on the website www.prudentrver.com, so go by and see what is new.

sam

Patio Bird Watching

Watching the birds as they visit our patio is a delightful activity in the evening here at Jojoba Hills. We have a couple of feeders: one for larger birds with millet, and one for the goldfinches with thistle.

Sometimes an even larger bird comes along, such as a scrub jay, and he will stop and pick out the sunflower seeds and corn. The bits that drop to the ground below are quickly scavanged by the quail.

At this time I have to refill the feeders every three or four days. We really do have a large flock to handle here.

sam

Life in the Desert, Sort Of

We are staying at our basecamp this year, at least so far. It is really pleasant. We live in the high desert of southern California, near the base of the Palomar Mountains, and the humidity stays low (at least so far). Even when the temperature gets into the 90s, we are still comfortable.

Of course, that will change later in the year. In August the monsoons will start to come in more and more frequently, and the humidity will rise. It will get muggy, and the thunderstorms will start to form. That will be the time of the fires (though we have already had three around us this year).

But for now, it is a really pleasant time. We are living the life in the desert.

Sam, the Prudent RVer