Summer 2009

8-2-09
Summer is almost over and we have not traveled anywhere.
I am running out of work on the motorhome pretty soon.
Yesterday I installed an electric heater element in the water heater.
This went smooth until there was a leak. I had to remove the element again. This time I forgot to open one of the hot water faucets and at the last turn the element flew out from the pressure and I got wet. Luckily the element did not hit me.
Inside the motorhome I had to install a switch with a light, so I know when the heater is on.
When we in the desert, and I use the inverter, I have to be sure that the water heater only runs on propane, otherwise the batteries would be empty in no time.
This was the last important project.
Today I started on installing gas filled struts to one of the solar panels. Since this motorhome has no ladder I have to raise the panels from the ground.
Ron, one of my WIN friends designed this system, and Barbara sent me instructions and pictures.
I changed a door latch per instructions and after some trials was successful.
An extended paint roller pole, without the roller, activates the latch. A 5/16 eye bolt installed on the panel, is used for pulling the panel down again, to the latch.












8-3-09
Today we took the motorhome to the beach. It is a four mile drive.
I arrived at the beach five minutes before 5:00 AM. There is no parking between 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM.
Since I want a spot near the grass area I have to get there early.
Doreen had told me that she would come along that early.
When I woke her up at 4:15 AM, she looked at me with one eye and told me she would come later by car. She promised me that she would make some potato salad and bring it for lunch. That got her off the hook.
I went back to bed after setting up the motorhome.
It turned out to be a beautiful day. Doreen did some knitting and we read the paper.
I went swimming and had a chance to try out the outside shower on the motorhome.















8-4-09
This was a hot day for us. We took the motorhome to Corona to have the new shower door and the right rear, outside molding installed.
Corona is a hot place, it was over 100 degrees F.
When the molding was installed I noticed that the bottom eight inches were not grey, matching the adjoining parts. When they ripped off the old part, I thought the did this to see how they had to paint it.
They threw it away and I was riding around with duck tape covering the area.
I was not coming back, seventy miles for a small paint job. The dealer called a mobile painter, he came in a van with all his painting equipment. He did a good job, matching the mating parts.
I did not have to pay for the shower door and the molding, this I requested before buying the rig.

Morgan Road Block Party

7-25-09
Today we had our annual Block Party.
We had it again at Jean Sinclair's house, since she has the most tables and chairs.
This is the last year though at her place. Next year a younger couple will take over.
The food was good as always. I feasted on Doreen's Shepherds Pie, it is one of my favorite meals.
In the morning I did some work on the motor home, and we went to the Shanty Shakers breakfast in El Cajon. The Shanty Shakers are the Southern California chapter of the Escapee Camping Club. The back up camera is installed now and so is the under the sink water filtration system. I put in a separate faucet for that.
We are ready to roll now, but have to wait for one of Doreen's doctor appointments and going to Corona for the new shower door and the large molding on the rear of the motor home.

Balboa Park

7-19-09
I am still not doing any traveling. Buying the new motor home ruined our schedule.
The solar panels are working now. The second panel is hooked up incorrectly.
Doreen's son came to the house and he played with it for a while.
We decided to bypass the diodes. As soon as I get together with the WIN's I copy the hook up from one of the members.
I had color coded all the wires from the controller to the batteries and solar panels, but did not do it for the panels, because it was so simple. It is not simple anymore.
I feel stupid. It worked on two motor homes and I could not get it right on the third one.
I removed the heavy TV and installed the LCD TV we had in the old motor home.
There was some wood work involved. I was able to match the wood around the TV very close with the cabinets.
The CB is now installed too. I had to remove the driver seat to get under the dash.
The driver door on the C class was very handy.
While I did this I also installed wires for the back up camera monitor. This is my next project.
On the 4th of August we have to go back to Corona to have the new shower door installed and the large corner molding on the back of the motorhome.
While the molding is off I can use this space for 12 volt wires for the camera. There is a light in the last storage bay and I can hook on to that.
Today we went to Imperial Beach for the US Open Sandcastle Competition. There was no parking available within five blocks of the beach. All the spaces along the streets and parking lots were taken. We went around several times but it was too early for somebody to leave.
Next year we will come real early and make sure we get a spot.
So we stopped at Balboa Park in San Diego, and went to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, to the Imax Theatre, to see " Wild California". It is a film about surfing, skydiving, snow boarding, climbing the Redwoods and other real California actions. The photography was fantastic.
Before the show we had walked in the park and also stopped at the Orchid Show.



















On the way home we stopped at El Indio Mexican restaurant.
We met Ron Johnson and his wife and grandson there. I had not seen him for 14 years.
When we stood in line I was sure I knew that person, so I asked him whether he worked for Convair. He was a supervisor on the F&G line on the MD-11. Later on he moved to the advanced cruise missile. It was wonderful to see him again. We shared a table and talked about the past and about what we are doing now. He is a mail carrier now.

Convair Camping Club Picnic 2009

7-7-09
We had our club picnic at San Diego Mission Bay.
Arlene and Howard, the hosts for this outing, served bratwurst with all the trimmings.
The weather was very good. Some of us actually had to wear sweat shirts because of the ocean breeze. Everybody had a good time. Some members, who do not camp anymore,
came and it was fun to talk to everybody.
We had the gazebo for shade.













Howard was cooking bratwurst on two grills.






















We had some excitement. Doreen thought that somebody took her hand bag. We looked all over the place. There were some strangers nearby. Finally somebody got up and there was the white hand bag with the brown handles. Doreen had moved from our chairs to a picnic table for a while. When she came back to the chair she did not bring her hand bag.




















Here is Bill checking out the dessert.









I am still working on the new motor home. I have the solar panels mounted and the four house batteries installed. Unfortunately the controller shows 13 volts and the charging light is on, but the amp meter is at zero.
To make sure that the batteries are full and it is therefore not charging, I turned on the microwave oven. That draws a lot of current from the batteries. The amp meter still was not moving.
I was really frustrated and wanted to accomplish something. So I removed the toilet and cleaned it and installed a new rubber seal. The bowl did not hold the water.
The Purple Heart organization is interested in my old motor home. If they take it and sell it, the money will go to wounded soldiers.

Independence Day 2009

7-4-09
Another 4th of July. Since the new motorhome is not ready for a trip, and Red Beach at Camp Pendleton was not open for camping, we celebrated at the club house.
The hamburgers were good and this time the committee had bought some bratwurst.
There was plenty of food and talking to the neighbors was fun too.


















In the morning I worked on the motorhome. Yesterday I had mounted the solar panels on the roof. Today I brought the wires inside and cut a hole for the controller and mounted it. It is not easy for me to cut a three inch by six inch hole in the beautiful wood interior.
Nothing bothered me on the other two motor homes. The Coachmen motor home is almost new inside.
San Diego Trailer Supply had the rig Wednesday and Thursday for installing the leveling system and reworking the hitch. They did a good job on the hitch. I gained another three inches.
When I came home and went up the driveway I did not hit the cement with the rear of the motor home.
Last week I removed two three speed fans from the old motor home and installed them on the Coachmen. Then I installed the vents in the old rig.
This was a messy job. Removing the sealants was not easy. Two of my fingers suffered too.
I had bought 1 1/2 inch aluminum angle material for mounting the solar panels, since I could not remove the brackets from the old motorhome.
When I got home and was realizing that I just paid $ 70.00 for material, I bought a new putty knife and worked at it again. This time I was successful.

Convair Reunion

6-27-09
A brave young lady tried to organize a General Dynamics-Convair Reunion. Unfortunately the flyer she sent out per E mail did not get spread around. People rather send chain letters nobody wants.
We had fun though. Tooling and Manufacturing Engineering was well represented.
Lake Poway is a wonderful spot for a get together. The weather was just right.
It was wonderful seeing some of the people.














Gary Price seems to talk to the BBQ. He was cooking something.

San Diego County Fair

Tuesday the 16th we went to the Fair.
Since I am cheap or thrifty, we choose this day because it was the two dollar entry fee day. There were a lot of other cheap people, too many. To top it off, it was kids free day.
The fair never changes. Besides the animals there is always the Vitamatic guy selling his juice making devices.
The wood working clubs have always beautiful displays. It was a tiring day.













One has to be patient to get in the place. We stood in line for a long time.
We got to ride a double decker bus to get back to our car. The advertising on the side of the bus was from England. Doreen felt at home a bit.

On Thursday the 18th I took the motorhome to Santee to National Spring. They installed new springs in the back. It raised the motorhome two inches, I had expected more.
Chappy and Dottie picked me up and we had breakfast at a restaurant. After breakfast we took Dottie home and I went with Chappy to Kaiser. He had his eyes checked. I drove him home since he had his eyes dilated.
Doreen came to Santee to meet us for lunch at Home Town Buffet. The four of us had a wonderful meal and a good conversation.
Doreen went home after lunch and Chappy brought me back to the motorhome.
The job was completed at 3:15 PM. I called San Diego Trailer Supply and asked them whether I could come over for measuring the height of the motorhome for installing the jacks for the leveling system.
They were busy but could accommodate me the next day at 9:00 AM. Instead of going home and fight the Fair traffic on I-5, I went to the Elks Lodge in El Cajon and stayed there during the night.
In the morning I went back to National Spring and asked them whether they could do
better. They informed me that it would change the handling of the vehicle if they would raise the back more.
At 8:30 AM I arrived at San Diego Trailer Supply. They measured for installing the jacks and told me that they could change the attachment for the tow bar. They will cut out 2.5 inches.
I will remove the swivel skid wheels and install the solid steel wheels, which gains another 1.5 inches. This means a total gain of six inches.
Next Wednesday I will bring the old motorhome to San Diego Trailer Supply for removing of the HWH leveling system.
The rear jacks can not be used on the new motorhome. Higher capacity jacks have to be installed.
I took off already the solar panels and need some time to install them on the new motorhome.