Category Archives: Alpine Coach

RV Caravans

The day started off cold with light drizzle yesterday. We had to run the heat pumps – it was 58 degrees in the coach when I got up. It remained overcast and breezy for most of the day. The sun came out in the late afternoon, but the thermometer never rose much above 60.

Donna spent most of the day working at her laptop. I puttered around, handled a few tasks online and wrote the government a check for my second quarter estimated taxes. Grrr.

Around 2pm, Donna and I went for a walk. We walked on the bike path and crossed the 6th St. Bridge over the Sun River. Today I want to get my bike out and ride the bike path down River Drive. I’ve been gaining weight since I hurt my neck in Mesa. I need to ramp up my physical activity. I don’t believe there’s any magic or mystery when it comes to weight loss. The equation is simple – increase your activity and decrease your intake. It works every time.

When we arrived at Dick’s RV Park, it was almost full. There are two caravan groups here. They are both run by a company called Adventure Caravans. RVers enroll and pay a fee to join the caravan.

One of the caravan groups is following the Lewis and Clark Trail. They started in St. Louis, Missouri. They arrived here on Monday, their 26th day on the road, and pulled out yesterday. Adventure Caravans organizes the route. They make all of the campground reservations. They have tour buses that take the group from the campground to various points of interest along the way. They have social gatherings most evenings and some meals are included. This caravan tour finishes in Warrenton, Oregon after 46 days on the road.

The other caravan is just starting out. Dick’s RV Park was their meet-up location. They spent a couple of days here, going through orientation and preparing their rigs for travel through the Canadian Rockies to Alaska. They’re pulling out as I type this. This caravan lasts 59 days. Adventure Caravans provides staff in two motorhomes – one that leads the group and another that follows. If anyone has a problem or mechanical breakdown, the following staff stops and helps them. The cost of this tour for two people with a motorhome is $8,895.00.

I think we’ll continue to see the sights on our own. Donna and I don’t get too excited about guided tours. We prefer to move at our own pace.

Yesterday, I rode the scooter over to Albertson’s grocery store and bought a fresh wild Copper River sockeye salmon filet. Donna topped it with a mixture of mayonnaise and fresh-dried dill from her mother’s garden and I grilled it on foil. Donna sauteed vegetables and pierogies on the side. It was a great combination!

Sauteed veggies and pierogies

Sauteed veggies and pierogies

Copper River sockeye salmon with dill

Copper River sockeye salmon with dill-mayo

Today, the weather guessers are calling for high temperature of 80 degrees with a chance of a thunder shower this afternoon. Other than getting out on  my bicycle, I don’t have any plans for the day.

Mumbro Park

My last post left off with us arriving at Mumbro Park on Saturday afternoon. We took a tour of the compound. Bob added another bunkhouse since the last time I was here. Presumably, it’s for the grandkids as it had a sign proclaiming it as the Kid’s Cubby.

I was filled with memories of the magical times I’ve had here. We walked around and I told Donna stories. I was so preoccupied, I didn’t take many pictures. We looked for the keys to the cabin, but couldn’t find them. I found the back window unlatched and climbed in. Once inside, I read the cabin instruction manual (for visitors) and realized we didn’t search the right area. After I unlocked the cabin from the inside, Donna found the keys!

Main cabin at Mumbro Park

Main cabin at Mumbro Park

Once inside, I retrieved the keys for the outbuildings. Shirley asked me to check all of the buildings. We walked over to The Annex, which is the bunkhouse I always slept in during hunting season here.

The Annex

The Annex

Bob added a wood-burning stove to heat the place. Back in the ’90s, we had to rely on long johns and a good down sleeping bag.

Behind the cabin is a wood-fired sauna. Bob built it the second or third year I came here. I did some of the work helping him frame the door – Bob always had a task for us. I wish I had more pictures of the place. To use the sauna, you build a fire in the special stove. After an hour or so, the sauna is very warm. Lava rock sits on top of the stove. You ladle water on the lava rock and the sauna fills with steam. After a long day hiking in the woods, the sauna is heaven.

While we stood outside the sauna and I described to Donna how it works, we had a visitor. A long-tailed weasel came out from under the sauna. He stood upright on his hind legs and looked at us as if to inquire, “Who are you and what are you doing here?” He scurried over to some building material nearby and ducked into a section of three-inch pipe. The opposite end of the pipe was next to where we stood. He poked his head out of the pipe, confident in his safe position of cover and looked us over again. Then he ran off, under The Annex and down into the aspen patch behind the cabin.

Long tailed weasel - Google file photo

Long tailed weasel – Google file photo

Bob has a number of bird houses on the property. There were tree swallows and bluebirds flying in and out of the houses. A few of them seemed curious about our coach and flew up to the window, hovering briefly before turning away.

Coach from in front of the cabin

Coach viewed from the front of the cabin

On Sunday morning, Donna and I hiked up the ridge on the south side of the cabin. It was a steep climb and we felt the 5,900-foot altitude. We followed game trails created by elk and deer criss-crossing the ridge. Eventually we made it to the knob on top and came to a small clearing. We talked quietly while hiking, hoping to spot deer or elk. I told Donna to look for a shape or color that looks out of place, or movement. That’s how you spot game animals in the woods. You’re not likely to find a deer or elk standing in the open. But you might see a part of the animal. When you see something unusual, stop and study it. It might be a leg or a flickering ear or an antler. Then you realize there’s an animal concealed, waiting for you to pass.

As we began to hike back down, Donna spotted something. She found an antler shed by a buck mule deer.

Donna's mule deer antler find

Donna’s mule deer antler find

We continued down the steep ridge. We didn’t see any deer or elk. At one point I thought I heard a cow elk calling, but we weren’t able to locate the animal in the woods.

At the bottom, near a spring, Donna grabbed my arm and stopped me. She said look at that bird. It was a ruffed grouse, right on our path. Donna has a good eye for this stuff.

Ruffed grouse near a spring

Ruffed grouse in center of photo, near a spring

The hike up and down the ridge took about two hours. We had lunch back at the coach, then walked down to the pond and fished. The pond is called Maude’s Pond – I don’t remember the story behind the name. The pond is stocked with trout. The last time I fished there, I had to hide behind a tree to bait my hook to keep the fish at bay. We didn’t have that problem this time around. Donna and I were skunked without a bite.

View of Mumbro Park from Maude's Pond

View of Mumbro Park from Maude’s Pond

At first, Donna wanted to keep the antler she found. Later, she decided to add it to the pile of antler finds at the fence corner.

Pile of shed antlers

Pile of shed antlers

As incongruent as it may seem, on Sunday afternoon I fired up the generator, dialed in the Dish satellite receiver and watched the Formula One race. As nice as it was to be off the grid, I can still enjoy my race programming!

On Monday morning, before we we left Mumbro Park, Donna saw a yellow-bellied marmot cross by The Annex and climb on the fence post to sun himself. He relaxed there for awhile, totally unaware of us watching him from the coach. Later, Donna walked to the highway (about one and three-quarters of a mile). There’s a narrow gate at the end of the road and a sharp left turn which could be a tricky exit for a 40-foot coach. She came up with a plan for how to get out without any mishaps. It worked out fine and we were soon on our way up US89. I expected an easy drive of 80 miles or so to Great Falls. I knew we had to make a tough climb up King’s Hill, but other than that it should’ve been easy.

After we descended from Kings Hill, the terrain changed. We left the forest behind and were driving through rolling hills. This is cattle ranch country. The wind picked up and became a fierce cross wind. It was a tiring drive.

When we finally made it to the junction of US87, there was a rest area across the two-lane highway. I needed a stop. Directly in front of us, the parking area had a sign that read “exit only.” I thought I had to go right to enter the rest area. I turned right and found out I was wrong. Now we were heading east when we wanted to go west to Great Falls.

Some of the two-lane highways in Montana stretch for many miles between towns or side roads. I wasn’t happy about heading east toward Lewistown, many miles away. After 10 miles, we found a truck repair shop with a large dirt lot. I pulled in and turned around. All the while, I was fighting wind gusts and the added 20 miles was a real downer. But Donna and I agreed that the best thing to do in these situations is to remain calm and patient until the right opportunity to correct things appears.

We made our way west on US87 and Nally (our Rand-McNally GPS) guided us to Dick’s RV Park where we’ll spend the next two weeks.

Dick’s RV park is situated on the west side of Great Falls, next to the Sun River. The Sun River joins the Missouri River less than a mile from here. Outside of the park entrance there’s a paved bike path. The path becomes the River’s Edge bike trail. It follows the Missouri River for 26 miles east through half a dozen parks, ending at the Rainbow Dam.

Yesterday, Donna rode the bike trail. While she was out bicycling, I rode the scooter to town. I made a stop at a grocery store (Albertson’s) and an auto parts store. I needed cleaning supplies as I intend to wash the coach while we’re here.

Clouds formed in the afternoon and we had brief thunder showers. This morning, it’s drizzling rain. The forecast calls for a cloudy day with a high of 65 degrees.

 

 

 

White Sulphur Springs

I haven’t posted since Friday. I think this was my longest lapse. I had good reason – we were off the grid completely for the weekend, no Internet or cellular service. Throw in a couple of travel days and there you are. I’ll have to break the update into a couple of posts or it will be too long.

On Friday, Donna rode her bicycle into Yellowstone National  Park. She rode all the way to the Madison campground and back – a round trip of 28 miles. On the way, she had a close encounter with two bison, one on either side of the road. She had to ride between slow moving cars to shield herself. She rode through most of the turn-outs and view points. In one turn-out, she spotted a bear across the river. It was a black bear. Despite the name, black bears come in a variety of colors. They can be blond, cinnamon, chocolate or jet black and every shade in between. This happened to be a sizable cinnamon colored black bear. Donna snapped a photo with her cell phone.

Cinnamon black bear

Cinnamon black bear

When Donna returned from her ride, we walked into town. It was lunch time, so we stopped at the Taco Bus. It’s an old Bluebird bus converted to a Mexican diner.

Taco Bus

Taco Bus

Inside the Taco Bus

Inside the Taco Bus

We ordered enchilada verde plates and dined al fresco at a table in the sun, next to the bus.

We wanted to walk through town and wander through some shops, but thunder clouds suddenly appeared. The weather in the mountains can change very quickly. We walked to the grocery store, bought a few goods and quickly returned to our coach. We didn’t want to be caught out in a downpour. I loaded the scooter and Donna’s bicycle in the trailer.

Saturday was a travel day. We did the usual routine and hit the road by 10:30am. We headed north on US191 through the Gallatin Range.

US191 along the Gallatin River. Snow covered peak in the background

US191 along the Gallatin River with snow covered peak in the background

We had two goals for the day. Our first stop was at the WalMart in Bozeman. We stocked up on groceries there. We dry camped at this WalMart last year. I also filled our fuel tank in Bozeman.

From there we drove east on I-90 past Livingston to US89 north. There wasn’t much traffic on US89. We enjoyed the scenery and amused ourselves by counting the antelope and deer we saw along the way. Our next stop was White Sulphur Springs. I told Donna about the motel and spa there. They have hot mineral water pools there. For a fee, you can soak in the mineral water.

I used to come to this area every year in late October and spend 15 to 20 days hunting big game in the Little Belt Mountains. While we were in the area, Jim Birditt and I would make a couple of trips to White Sulphur Springs to do laundry and soak at the spa. In late fall, it can be very cold here. Jimbo and I always soaked in the enclosed pool.

Things have changed. The enclosed pool is the same, but they’ve added another outdoor pool with jets. The water in the pools comes from natural hot springs. The pools are different temperatures, ranging from 96 degrees to 105 degrees on most days. They completely drain the pools every night and allow the springs to refill them.

Board indicates temperatures of the pools

Board indicates temperatures of the pools

Donna enjoying the jets in the 102 degree pool

Donna enjoying the jets in the 102-degree pool

Murals on the walls of the pool area

Murals on the walls of the pool area

Before we left West Yellowstone, I was able to reach a dear old friend on the phone. When I used to hunt big game in Montana, we stayed in a cabin north of White Sulphur Springs. Bob and Shirley McBride own about 160 acres of land within the Lewis and Clark National Forest. It’s not uncommon for land to be privately held within public land areas. This is known as checkerboarding. In some areas, every other section is privately held (a section is nominally a square mile or 640 acres). Most of the private sections were originally railroad grants to develop the west.

Bob McBride is a Montana native – I think he grew up near Big Sky. He has an engineering degree and was commissioned in the Navy as a Seabee officer. I don’t think there’s anything that Bob can’t fix or build. When he bought the land, there was an old cabin on it. It wasn’t much of a cabin really – just walls without a roof. There was no floor and the interior was full of cow manure. Over time, Bob rebuilt the cabin, then started adding buildings. He built a log barn. He built a bunkhouse called The Annex. The Annex is where Jimbo and I slept on our hunting trips. He built a wood-fired sauna.

Bob always had a task for us when we came out there. He was always building or working on something.

When I talked to Shirley, she said we were welcome to come out to the cabin. No one was there and she didn’t expect anyone to come while we camped there.

We drove north from White Sulphur Springs about 15 miles. I haven’t been in this area since the 1990s. A few things have changed, but it’s not too different from what I remembered. I found the dirt road that leads to their land. I pulled off in a turn-out on the opposite side of the road. I wanted to walk in first and make sure I could get our rig through the gate. The road is tight and as you enter from the highway, it immediately turns 90 degrees to the left, followed by a 90-degree right turn through a gate.

I decided to go for it. But, I had a problem. I couldn’t turn around from the turnout we were in. The two-lane highway was too narrow and didn’t have a shoulder. I had no choice but to drive north in search of a suitable turnaround. I wasn’t feeling too good about it. I couldn’t remember much development until the town of Neihart, 21 miles away.

Eight miles later, I saw a motel on the left with a parking area the encircled the building. We were able to turn around and head back to the cabin. With some careful maneuvering, we entered through the gate. The first thing we saw was an antelope walking in front of us. I couldn’t believe it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an antelope here, only deer and elk.

The road to the cabin

The road to the cabin

The two-track dirt road meanders through a couple stands of pine trees. We barely fit through a few spots. A mile in, we came to the gate marking the entrance to Bob’s property.

Gate at east end of Mumbro Park

Gate at east end of Mumbro Park

The compound with the cabin is called Mumbro Park. I don’t remember the story behind the name. We passed through a few gates on the way in. I told Donna the rule – if it’s open when you come through, leave it open. If it’s closed, close it behind you.

The cabin sits nearly two miles in from the highway. It’s totally remote. No cell service, no Internet connectivity, no electricity. The kitchen in the cabin has a spring-fed sink with good water. Other than that, there’s no plumbing. Everything is heated with wood-burning stoves and there’s a big old wood-burning oven and stove top.

I turned around in front of the barn and parked in a fairly level spot.

Parked in front of the barn

Parked in front of the barn

We couldn’t hear anything but the sounds of nature. There were tree swallows and blue birds flying around us. The view out our windshield was amazing. I took Donna on a tour of the place. That will be in my next post.

Windshield view

Windshield view

 

 

 

Yellowstone National Park

We unloaded the scooter yesterday and rode into Yellowstone National Park. Our America the Beautiful pass allowed us entry without paying the daily fee ($20 for motorcycles). Shortly after entering the west entrance to the park, we were in Wyoming following the Madison River.

I saw a couple of photographers on the side of the road and pulled into the next turn-out. We saw what they were photographing – there were elk across the river. We saw a few cow elk and yearlings. Then I saw the smallest calf I’ve ever seen. I guess I haven’t spotted elk this early in the spring before.

Cow elk

Cow elk

Cow and calf

Cow and calf

At the Madison Junction where the Gibbon and Firehole Rivers join to form the Madison, we turned right and headed south to the geyser basins. We stopped at the Lower Geyser Basin and walked around the boardwalk loop. The colors are amazing. The water in the geyser pools is so clear, you can see every detail of the bottom. There are pools that reach deep into the earth and the water becomes blue.

Blue water and brown/orange deposits

Blue water and brown/orange deposits

Darker blue in the deep pockets

Darker blue in the deep pockets

The mineral content and organic materials create different colors.

Minerals and organic matter combine

Minerals and organic matter combine

Many colors

Many colors

There was a pool of clay that was bubbling and boiling. Mud spouts were thrown a few feet into the air.

They call the bubbling clay Artists Paint Pot

They call the bubbling clay Artists Paint Pot

The steam coming out of fumaroles had a slightly sulphurous odor.

We continued south and climbed to the Upper Geyser Basin. The traffic was fairly light – I’ve always come through the park in the summer before. At the peak season, the traffic is unbearable. We were told in town that we are here at the right time. Next week, the crowds arrive. Having said that, I still had to pay attention and ride with caution. People driving in the park lose all sense of the rules of the road. If they spy wildlife, they will suddenly brake and hang out the window with a camera.

At one point, a pick-up truck pulling a trailer suddenly braked to a stop in front of us. A bull bison was walking on the side of the road, Donna was getting uneasy as the bull headed straight at us, eight feet away. I accelerated around the truck and got out of there. We had a few more episodes like that during our day in the park.

We rode up to the visitor center to see Old Faithful spout. Old Faithful blows every 60 to 110 minutes. The park rangers predict the next spout based on the strength of the last eruption. We arrived at 12:45 pm. The next spout was predicted at 1:13 pm. We found a seat on a bench and ate the lunch Donna had prepared as we waited for the show. Even though it isn’t peak season, there were many people at the center.

People waiting for Old Faithful to do it's thing

People waiting for Old Faithful to do its thing

The first time I saw Old Faithful was in the summer of 1966. My grandparents took me to Yellowstone on our way to visit relatives near Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Old Faithful always makes a couple of false starts, shooting water and steam a few feet into the air intermittently. Then she blows with a roar.

Showtime!

Showtime!

Old Faithful at full power

Old Faithful at full power

In the square mile of the Upper Basin around Old Faithful, there are 150 geysers.

On the way back down, we stopped at Fountain Flat Drive. We hiked on the Sentinel Trail. There were bison everywhere we looked, including some very large bulls. Bull bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. They are the heaviest land animal in North America. We saw a herd with calves grazing in the sun.

Buffalo herd with calves

Bison herd with calves

At one point, we had to leave the trail as a bull came walking toward us. Bison are mostly docile, but they are wild and unpredictable. Bulls have been known to charge when people approach too closely.

A large bull bison

A large bull bison resting in the sun

On our way out, along the Madison River, we saw a yearling elk feeding in the grass.

We had fine weather all day, with clear blue skies and comfortable temperatures. I could see clouds forming in the west though and the forecast called for thundershowers after 3pm.

Upon our return, I could see a few scattered thundershowers around the RV park, but it didn’t rain here until after 7pm – just as we sat down to eat dinner outside.

More scattered thunder showers are forecast for this afternoon. Tomorrow we’ll head north. I have a stop planned for a couple of days, north of White Sulphur Springs, Montana. We’ll boondock on Bob and Shirley McBride’s land by their cabin.

The Road to West Yellowstone

We’re at the Buffalo Crossing RV Park in West Yellowstone, Montana. Here’s how we got here.

We pulled out of the Salt Lake City KOA on Tuesday. I stopped at the Pilot/Flying J Travel Center and topped off our tank with 52 gallons of diesel fuel. From there, we hit I-215 and merged onto I-15 which took us past the Great Salt Lake all the way to Idaho Falls, Idaho. We took a break at the welcome center after we entered Idaho. We picked up a free Idaho road map there. I like our GPS, but I still like to have paper maps as well.  We had crosswind from the west most of the day on the 215-mile drive.

Northern Utah was wide open and the traffic was light. The speed limit in rural northern Utah was 80 miles per hour! Donna didn’t see the first speed limit sign and didn’t believe it when I told her it was 80 mph. A little while later, she saw a sign and snapped a photo.

Speed limit on I-15 in northern Utah

Speed limit on I-15 in northern Utah

We weren’t traveling anywhere near 80 mph. I stayed in the right lane with the cruise control set to 62 mph. I posted about tire pressure and tire failures before. Another cause of tire failure is excess speed.

Most trailers, including cargo trailers, travel trailers and fifth wheel trailers, are equipped with tires designated as “ST” type tires (Special Trailer). ST tires have higher load ratings than passenger car (P type) or light truck (LT type) tires. However, ST tires are rated at a maximum speed of 65 mph. Many people do not realize this and tow at speeds that exceed the tire’s rating. This can cause the tire to overheat. Over time, an overheated tire will fail. It may take hundreds of miles, but it will fail. Most people will blame the tire for the failure because they don’t understand the design limitation.

Our cargo trailer is equipped with load range C, ST type tires. I may exceed 65 mph momentarily to complete an overtaking maneuver on the highway, but I don’t drive at sustained speeds over 65 mph. The tires on our coach have a H load rating and a maximum speed rating of 75 mph.

We often see vehicles pulling trailers blow past us at speeds in excess of 70 mph. We also see boat, cargo, and RV trailers on the side of the highway with tires blown out. Tire Rack® has an excellent article about trailer tire load and speed ratings here.

On Tuesday afternoon, we pulled in to the WalMart parking lot in Idaho Falls. Donna phoned ahead and secured permission for overnight parking. We found a level spot on the southwest side of the lot. Donna shopped for groceries. I bought some real beer, not the 3.2 stuff they have in Utah. While Donna was shopping, I returned to the coach. The wind was blowing at 25 – 30 mph from the west. The coach became engulfed in a dust storm. Dust came in an open window and every crack or crevice it could find. I moved the coach to another spot, out of the direct path of dust blowing from a field.

Yesterday, while Donna slept in, I had breakfast at the Subway shop in WalMart. Donna was still recovering from her trip to Phoenix and needed a few hours of extra sleep. We pulled out of WalMart a little past 10am. We merged onto US20 and drove through farm land.

North of Ashton, Idaho, we quickly gained 1,000 feet of elevation and entered the Caribou – Targhee National Forest. Road construction slowed us down through a couple of sections in the national forest. We could see the Teton Mountains to the east, in Wyoming, at times. It was beautiful country. The leaves on the aspen trees were a pretty shade of green against the darker evergreen trees.

We pulled into West Yellowstone just past noon yesterday. For a town with 1,300 residents, it’s a hopping place. Tourism fuels the economy. There are hotels, restaurants, two grocery stores and bars. Of course it also has the obligatory tourist traps with collectibles and T-shirts. The Chamber of Commerce has a large parking lot with bus and RV parking. Tour buses stop there throughout the day.

When we drove up to the chamber parking lot, we were confused by the Buffalo Crossing RV Park sign in front and the RV parking. We pulled in and parked. We didn’t see an office for the RV park. We saw the RV park with RVs in it to the south, but we couldn’t access the park from the lot we were in.

We pulled back out on the road and drove past the IMAX cinema and found the RV park entrance. There wasn’t any signage. All afternoon, after we set up, we saw other RVs make the same mistake as us. They need to put up a sign at the actual entrance.

View from the drivers side of our coach as we set up

View from the driver’s side of our coach as we set up

It was raining off and on as we were getting settled in. The temperature was in the 40s. Later, around 5pm the sun came out as the skies cleared. It warmed up to the 60s as predicted. This morning we have blue skies and abundant sunshine. Donna and I are going into Yellowstone National Park on the scooter and plan to do some hiking there.

Bernoulli’s Principle and Your RV

When we checked in at the Salt Lake City KOA, we were warned about high water pressure. They told us that the water pressure can run up to 120 psi here. Our escort told me a couple of horror stories of hoses blowing up like balloons and plumbing leaking inside of coaches.

It’s not unusual for municipal water companies to run high pressure through the main water supply lines. Sometimes it can be as high as 200 psi! They need high pressure to supply high rise buildings or other elevated  dwellings. Building codes require inline water pressure regulators to prevent lines from bursting, causing damage and potential for injury.

WalMart, RV Stores and some RV parks sell cheap brass restrictors that they call regulators. This is very misleading and somewhat dishonest in my view. I noticed our neighbor hooking one up when he pulled in today and I thought I should post something about it.

Our neighbors "regulator"

Our neighbor’s “regulator”

Back in 1738, a fellow named Daniel Bernoulli published a treatise called Hydrodynamica. In this publication, he gave us Bernoulli’s Principle.

Without going into fluid dynamics equations, I’ll give a simplified explanation of why these restrictors should not be called regulators. Bernoulli tells us that when a fluid flows through a restriction, velocity of the fluid increases. When velocity increases, pressure decreases.

The brass restrictor in the photo above provides restriction in the water supply to the RV in question. When a faucet or shower valve is open and water is flowing into the RV, the restrictor causes the velocity of the water to increase as it flows through the restriction and the water pressure drops. So far, so good, right?

I see two problems with this set-up. First, the restriction reduces the amount of water coming into the coach. The flow rate may not keep up with the demand at a shower head, for example. This is an inconvenience.

The second issue is more than an inconvenience – it’s a recipe for disaster. When the faucets and shower valves are closed, water no longer flows through the restrictor. No flow, no Bernoulli Principle. Pressure will equalize on both sides of the restrictor. Now you have unregulated static water pressure. Whatever the pressure is on the input side of the restrictor is equal to the pressure on the output side. The plumbing inside the RV is at full main pressure until water starts to flow again. Not a comforting thought as you lock up your RV and head out for the day.

What’s needed is a proper pressure regulator, such as a Watts regulator (also called a water pressure reducing valve). This is what’s used on residential plumbing. The Watts regulator is a true regulator. The pressure will remain at the specified setting, regardless of flow. It also doesn’t restrict the volume of water. The 3/4″ Watts regulator that I use can flow over 30 gallons per minute with the pressure cranked down to 25 psi! I keep mine set at 45 psi.

3/4" Watts pressure regulator

3/4″ Watts pressure regulator

The drawback to the Watts set-up is cost. You can get the restrictor type for about $12, but remember, it doesn’t protect your plumbing when the water isn’t flowing. I think I spent about $80 for a residential watts regulator and fittings (I posted about it here). To me, it’s worth it, because I know I won’t have my plumbing blown out by excessive pressure.

While Donna was out bicycling yesterday, I brought the ladders out. I used the smaller ladder to debug and clean the windshield. The Brillo Bug Scrubber has become a new favorite product. It cleans bugs off glass effortlessly.

I used the big ladder to climb onto the roof. I lubed the gears on the TV antenna (it was getting almost impossible to crank up and down) and checked the holding tank vents. The way the vent covers are attached and caulked into place, I couldn’t inspect visually. I probed the vent tubes with a long plastic zip-tie and didn’t find any obstructions.

When Donna returned, we emptied the contents of the refrigerator and freezer into coolers and turned off the unit to defrost it. RV refrigeration isn’t frost-free. We have to perform this task every few months. Donna says it’s a great excuse to clean the refrigerator.

I prepped the trailer for travel. Everything is set, I only need to load and tie down the scooter this morning.

Last evening, Donna prepared blackened Baja fish tacos for dinner – one of our favorite dishes. They were so good!

Blackened Baja fish tacos

Blackened Baja fish tacos

After dinner, we took a walk through the park. We talked with a couple that are on their first extended RV trip. They’re new to RVing and are having a blast. I’m starting to feel like an old hand when I talk to people who are just starting out and have many questions that I’m able to answer.

We saw a couple of interesting rigs. The first was a fifth-wheel trailer and what made it interesting was its size. It couldn’t have been more than 20 feet in length. It’s the smallest fifth-wheel I’ve seen. I bet it’s really maneuverable.

Compact fifth wheel rig

Compact fifth-wheel rig

Then we came across something totally unique. It was an old Mercedes Benz truck chassis converted to an RV. We met the owners and talked with them briefly. They’re from Austria. They started their adventure in Buenos Aires, Argentina and have made their way to the US. Their trip will take them to Alaska. Once they reach Alaska, they’re undecided on what to do or where to go next. I didn’t get their names. Between their rudimentary English and my pidgin German, we barely communicated.

Mercedes Benz truck chassis

Mercedes Benz truck chassis

Mercedes Benz RV conversion

Mercedes Benz RV conversion

We’re moving out this morning. We plan to stop overnight in Idaho, somewhere between Pocatello and Idaho Falls. Tomorrow, we’ll set up in West Yellowstone, Montana. I may not post for a day or two, depending on Internet access and time available.

 

 

A Beautiful Day

Donna sent me a text message at 12:49pm yesterday, telling me she boarded the light rail at the airport. I walked out to the rail stop on the corner of Redwood and North Temple to meet her. She had a great trip to the NAPO conference in Phoenix, but she was exhausted by the long days and short nights while she was there.

We talked for awhile and caught up on each other’s activities. I told Donna that playing guitar every day while she was away really helped. I even remembered how to play a few songs I haven’t played in over a year.

I watched the Moto GP race while Donna unpacked. It was an epic race. I won’t spoil the outcome. We decided to have take-out for dinner. Donna phoned in an order to a Chinese restaurant called East Sea. It’s about five blocks away from here. I rode the scooter and picked up our dinner, which we enjoyed outside at the picnic table.

After dinner, we took a walk through the RV park. I noticed a guy with a travel trailer at the dump station. His trailer tires looked low. I don’t like to interrupt anyone’s routine when they are setting up or dumping tanks, but I felt like I should mention the low tires. The guy said he would make a stop when he left the park to fill the tires.

I’ve mentioned it before, but I’ll repeat it again. Low tire pressure is the number one cause of tire failure. When tires are under-inflated, the sidewalls are subject to excess flexing which causes heat to build up. The overheated tire can lead to tread separation or sidewall failure – this means a blowout.

When it looked like the guy was finishing up at the dump station, I walked over and told him he could stop at my site on the way out. I offered to fill his tires with our Porter-Cable portable compressor.

He stopped by. I checked his trailer tires and found them inflated to 30 psi. This is very low, they should have been inflated to 50 psi. Driving down the highway at 30 psi surely would have caused a tire failure. We’ve seen numerous trailers on the side of the highway with blow-outs during our travels. I can’t help but think that many of these were avoidable, with proper tire maintenance.

Today is Monday and I have work to do. Sometimes it’s hard for me to keep track of the days. Clarke Hockwald (What’sNewell) calls Monday first Saturday. Tuesday is second Saturday and so on until Friday become fifth Saturday. Saturday is just Saturday and Sunday is Sunday to mark the week. This is too complicated for me to keep up with. I have enough trouble without numbering the days.

I’ll begin preparation for travel today. I need to go up on the roof and check our plumbing vents. The gray water tank drained a little slowly when I dumped it yesterday. There might be an obstruction in the vent. Then I’ll check the tire pressures and adjust if necessary. The windshield and mirrors need to be cleaned. We had a few raindrops the other day, just enough to mess up the mirrors. Then I’ll start loading the trailer.

The weather yesterday was near perfect with the temperature in the mid 70s, light wind and clear skies. I think it was the best weather day we’ve had in Salt Lake City. Today, the heat will return as the forecast calls for a  high temperature of 89 degrees.

Tomorrow, we’ll pull out of here. First stop will be the Pilot/Flying J fuel station I checked out on Saturday. Then we’ll head north on I-15. There are three Super WalMarts between Pocatello and Idaho Falls, Idaho. We’ll probably choose one them for an overnight stay and restock our food supplies while we’re there. On Wednesday, we’ll check in at the Buffalo Crossing RV Park in West Yellowstone, Montana. This park is a few hundred yards from the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park. We plan to stay there for three nights and make a couple of day trips into the park.

Riding with the Wind

I’ve been running both air conditioners non-stop the last two days. It’s been unusually warm, with the temperature reaching the upper 80s. There’s also humidity as scattered thunderstorms form in the late afternoon. We’ve only had a few stray rain drops here in the park, but I heard thunder and saw rainfall in the area. Yesterday, a nearby storm cell created wind gusts that rocked the coach for several minutes.

Today, the forecast calls for a more seasonable high of 77 degrees. I have windows and the door open this morning. Maybe I can give the air conditioners a break.

Yesterday, I rode the scooter out of the park, five miles north on Redwood Road. I wanted to check out the Pilot/Flying J fuel station. I’d like to to fuel up the coach when we leave here on Tuesday. I was told there was road construction by the station, so I wanted to check the area before driving the coach there. After checking it out on the scooter, I don’t think it will be a problem to stop there for fuel.

I’ve been using an app from the folks at Technomadia, called State Lines. It gives me useful information on various laws and taxes in each state. One of the things I look at, are fuel taxes. If I know we’ll be driving through a state with high fuel taxes, I’ll fuel up ahead of time. Here, in Utah, the tax on diesel fuel is 48.9 cents per gallon. When we reach Montana it will be 52.9 cents. When we head west from Montana I’ll buy fuel in Idaho where the tax is 49.4 cents per gallon. If I wait until we reach Washington, I’ll pay 61.9 cents per gallon in taxes! This app helps me to plan fuel stops.

After I reconnoitered the fuel stop, I went out on my mountain bike. I rode the Jordan River Trail again. I had a tail wind on the ride north. Along the way, I saw a group of people canoeing the river. I don’t know if it was an organized tour or just friends and family. There were about a dozen canoes together.

Canoes on the Jordan River

Canoes on the Jordan River

Canoeing down river looked fun. I wondered if they were going to pull out downriver or if they planned to paddle back upstream.

When I reached the moto-cross track, I was surprised at the lack of activity. No one was out on the track. Then I saw why. They must have read my last post about the dust being kicked up! There were two water trucks spraying water on the track to keep the dust down. The motorcyclists were taking a break as the track was being prepared.

Water truck in the center of the photo

Water truck in the center of the photo

After enjoying the tailwind on the ride down the river, I expected to battle the wind on the way back. I was pleasantly surprised. The wind died down for most of the ride back. The lack of wind made the ride easier, but it also meant swarms of gnats formed along the river. I rode through countless flying insects. I tried not to breathe through my mouth as they bounced off of my face. About a half mile from the park, the wind picked up again.

Later, after I showered and washed a load of laundry, I took a stroll through the RV park. The evening air was beginning to cool. The late afternoon was hot and muggy. I met a couple of guys from Canada. They were on their way back after buying a truck in Arizona. Not just any old truck, but a 1964 Chevy K10. The truck was in excellent condition.

1964 Chevy K10

1964 Chevy K10

It had a custom cap on the back and an auxiliary fuel tank. The guy that bought the truck told me he had a 1964 C10 at home and found the K10 online. The C10 is a rear-wheel drive truck while the K10 features four-wheel drive.

This morning, I’m taking advantage of the  great wifi here at the KOA. I’m downloading the European coverage of the Moto-GP qualifying and race at Mugello, Italy. I’m looking forward to Donna’s return this afternoon.

Our plan is to pull out of here on Tuesday. Our next destination is West Yellowstone. We’ll stay there a few days and explore Yellowstone National Park.

 

 

 

Jordan River Trail

Salt Lake City is a bicycle-friendly place. In addition to designated bike lanes on many of the roads, the city also has a series of paved paths. Some of these paths are multi-use, meaning that some sections are shared with pedestrians or inline skaters.

To the east and north of the city, the Bonneville Shoreline Trail provides a hiking and mountain biking path, currently over 100 miles long. It’s too far from here for me to take the mountain bike on it.

Yesterday, I rolled out of the park on my mountain bike. I rode up the street to a small park, called Cottonwood Park. I found the Jordan River Trail there. This is the multi-use path that Donna rode on Tuesday. Once I was on the path, I came to the narrow, wooden bridge that Donna told me about. It’s just wide enough for a single rider to cross.

Bridge on the Jordan River Trail

Bridge on the Jordan River Trail

As the name implies, the Jordan River Trail runs alongside the Jordan River. As I traveled north, the path mostly stayed on the levee on the east side of the river. It crossed over wooden bridges to the west side in a few sections.

The banks of the river have trees and lush vegetation. It was pleasant riding in the shade of the trees. There were a lot of birds on the trail and in the trees – robins, doves, magpies, finches and mallards in the river. I saw a large turtle sunning himself on a log in the river.

Jordan River Trail on the east bank

Jordan River Trail on the east bank

The trail crossed the river as it ran through the Rose Park Golf Course, then it crossed back again on a wide, wooden bridge.

Along the way, the path crosses a few city streets. Most of the crosswalks are controlled. You stop and push a button on a post and within seconds, the traffic is stopped by stop lights. The traffic is held for about 15 seconds, allowing you to cross safely.

North of the golf course, I came up to a boardwalk over a wetland area. The boardwalk had a sign restricting its use to vehicles under 10,000 pounds and no horses. The boardwalk was well-maintained and easy to cross on my mountain bike. I imagine it would be a little bumpy on a road bike. The boardwalk curved to the right after a quarter of a mile and rejoined pavement.

Boardwalk section on the Jordan River Trail

Boardwalk section on the Jordan River Trail

Another mile or so up the trail, I saw a sign indicating that I was entering the Chevron Section. I’m not sure what the significance of this is. As I rode along, I heard what sounded like off-road machinery. I continued onward and came upon a moto-cross track.

The Jordan River Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area was on the west side of the river. There were several riders circulating on the motocross track. I stopped briefly to watch them fly over the jumps and slide through the turns. The track could’ve used a visit from a water truck – they were kicking up a lot of dust.

Moto-cross by the river

Moto-cross by the river

Flying Moto-crosser

Flying Moto-crosser

I rode on until the trail became the Legacy Parkway Trail and turned around. The ride back was easier as the wind was in my favor. It seemed like the ride north was on a slight incline, but it must have been the wind. The Jordan River flows to the north along here, so an incline doesn’t make sense. The round trip ride took me about an hour and twenty minutes.

I had visitors last evening. Brett Miller and his wife, Cheri Alguire, came to the park. I last saw them when they visited us at Mission Bay RV Resort in San Diego (see this post). We’ve kept in touch as they prepared to hit the road as full-time RVers. They actually completed the move into their 5th-wheel RV on Monday, but had to leave it at the RV park in southern California on Tuesday to attend a conference here at the Salt Palace.

We drove downtown in their new Ford crew cab to a restaurant called Sala Thai. I love Thai cuisine. We ate family style and ordered pad tai with chicken,  drunken noodles with pork and pad phed with seafood. Served with a bottle of Singha beer, it was delicious. Brett and Cheri unexpectedly picked up the tab! Thanks again!

Brett, Cheri and me at Sala Thai

Brett, Cheri and me at Sala Thai

The warm weather returns today. The weather guessers are calling for a high of 88 degrees. I think I’ll leave the mountain bike in the trailer today. Maybe I’ll take the scooter downtown and kick around.

 

Coffee Snob

I’m really particular about the coffee I drink. I prefer the bold flavor of dark roasted coffee, such as Italian roast or French roast. One of my favorite coffee beans is harrar, from Ethiopia. It’s been several years since I’ve had harrar though – it’s hard to find.

We converted from grinding our own beans and using a drip coffee maker to the Keurig K-Cup® system a few years ago. Donna did some work for the marketing firm that was promoting the product. They sent us a Keurig coffee maker. Over time, they sent us a few different machines.

We have one in our motorhome. It’s very convenient. It’s clean, doesn’t take much space and it’s a fast way to make a cup of coffee. We usually stock up on K-Cups® at Costco. We buy Kirkland Signature® French roast.

Last week, while we were in Heber City, our K-Cup® supply was dwindling. Heber City doesn’t have a Costco. There is a WalMart there. While shopping at the WalMart, Donna bought some K-Cups® in case we ran out. The selection at WalMart was limited. Donna bought Folgers Gourmet Black Silk® dark roast coffee. Sounds pretty good, right?

My idea of dark roast coffee and Folgers definition do not match. Their coffee is acidic, like most light-roasted coffee. When coffee beans are roasted, many of the starches are converted to sugar. Dark roasting at temperatures near 400 degrees fahrenheit, carmelizes these sugars, giving a sweet, smooth flavor. The dark roasting process also causes the bean to expand, decreasing its density. The result is a lower caffeine content in the brew.

Yesterday, the only coffee we had on board was the Folgers. Two cups of that had me jittery. It’s not dark roast. The caffeine content was higher than I’m used to. For me, this stuff wasn’t enjoyable.

I was on a mission yesterday to find dark roast K-Cups®. I looked up Costco and found one about five miles from here. I mapped out the route and rode the scooter there. The Kirkland Signature French roast comes in boxes of 100 cups. I bought two boxes.

The boxes are too big to fit under the seat of the scooter. In anticipation of this, I brought along a plastic bag. I emptied one of the boxes into the plastic bag. Now I could fit 100 K-Cups® under the seat. The other box went into a cloth shopping bag that I hung between my knees. Good to go. This morning, I’m enjoying good coffee!

I took a different route back to the KOA from Costco. I wanted to explore. The route I took wasn’t interesting though – it was mostly industrial. At one point, I was stopped at a railroad crossing. The train was so long and moving so slowly, I shut off the scooter engine and waited. After five minutes, the freight cars on the train began bumping and jolting with loud banging sounds. The train was coming to a stop. I couldn’t see either end of the train.

There were several parallel train tracks at this crossing. A pair of diesel-electric engines sped down one of the tracks in the same direction of the train. A few minutes later the freight cars jolted again. The train started moving back in the direction it came from!

I thought this would be a long wait. The train began to pick up speed. As I looked down the track, I realized what was happening. When they stopped the train, they must have switched to another track. They disconnected cars and split the train. The engines I saw coming by were now connected to the back half of the train, pushing it back the way it came. They were clear of the crossing after a couple of minutes. The logistics of train transport boggles my mind.

Yesterday, the temperature topped out at 92 degrees. We had partly cloudy skies and I heard the rumble of thunder in the distance. It didn’t rain at the KOA, but the wind picked up in the afternoon. I moved Donna’s plants inside and put away the table cloth, before the wind relocated everything.

I practiced guitar inside the coach. I plan to play guitar every day while Donna is away. I’ve been lax about practicing.

Today, they’re calling for partly cloudy skies and cooler temperatures. The high should be in the upper 70s. I have tentative plans to meet up with our friends, Brett Miller and Cheri Alguire for dinner. They’re here for a convention and they’re about to begin the full-time RV lifestyle.