Raften
Northern Calfornia
Senior Member
Joined: 01/27/2003
View Profile
|
Just a few days till we load the TC and head to MI for a Thanksgiving family reunion. My putting off doing truck and camper care all summer is rearing it's ugly head but I am getting things done.
Yesterday I got around to dropping the fuel tank to remove a paper towel that got into the inlet. Since I will be buying diesel for the trip it would have been painful to slowly put fuel in ever time we needed it. The way I put biodiesel in it was no problem.
I decided to retire my big cat heater and get a Wave 3 but am having second thoughts about its heat output. It does not impress me in our overnight temps now so I know I'll not be happy going across I80. I'll have a fully charged battery at the end of each day so running the forced air heater will be not problem but I'll have the big cat stowed somwhere just in case. Got my trusty Honda 2000 as a failsafe charger.
Not going to be a happy trip in one aspect as my Cattle Dog Judy died of kidney failure last week. She loved road trips and I'll miss having her big eyes peering from the back seat and the swipe of a paw on my arm now and then to let me know she is there. My other Cattle Dog is still with us but he is old also and does not enjoy road trips as much. I think he misses Judy as much as I do, he is pretty low key right now.
Of course my fuel pressure gauge waited till yesterday to fail so I'll have to replace that as soon as a new one gets here. Fluids change today in motor and tranny if it isn't raining. Also got around to putting a see thru port in the top of my water tank as I know we will need a good idea of how much water we have left.
We will be traveling for a month so hope the bad weather holds off but can't expect that in November. Once we leave the midwest, heading for the southwest.
|
LabMan1945
North Central Maine - God's Country
New Member
Joined: 02/23/2009
View Profile
 Offline
|
Raften, Sorry to hear about your loss of Judy. Been there/had that happen more than once, the last time being about 1 year ago just as I took off on a short trip. Fortunately we both have/had a "back-up". I'm starting to look for a second as being without a traveling companion just will not cut it!
Good luck on your trip and I hope the weather cooperates!
Grant
Dodge 2500 CTD.
Northstar 850SC
Constant companion - Scoter - Black Lab (better than most people)
|
Raften
Northern Calfornia
Senior Member
Joined: 01/27/2003
View Profile
|
Thanks Grant, after all the dogs over the years is still does not get any easier does it. Right now I am thinking no more dogs but I always seem to find a old Cattle Dog that needs a good home for the final years. Gets pretty expensive sometimes and now that we both are retired those med bills might be too much. Who knows, I might end up working part time telling people how to fix things in a home improvement store so I can help my old dogs.
Filled my truck today with the pump running full tilt, been a long time since I have done that. By the way, biodiesel, which is a powerful solvent will not break apart a Bounty paper towel.
Jim, who is hoping for good weather in the next month.
|
sleepy
Oak Ridge,Tennessee
Senior Member
Joined: 04/07/2003
View Profile
|
I'd vote for moving thanksgiving to the 5th of July... I hate COLD weather for travel.
Have a good trip, let us know where and how you are. If you leave MI and go down I-75 please consider stopping by... we are 18 miles west of I-75 and 14 miles North of I-40.
We'll plug you up to 30 amps and take you to dinner.
2003 Lance 1161,/slideout/AGM batteries/255W Solar/propane generator/Sat dish/2 Fantastic Fans model 6150/AC/winter package
AirFoil, Trimetric, LED lights
2003GMC K3500 LT/Crewcab/duramax diesel/allison/dually/4x4/OnStar/front reciever mounted spare
|
B. BOOMER
lost somewhere in america
Senior Member
Joined: 07/10/2004
View Profile
|
Raften so sorry for your loss - no it never gets any easier, yet remember the joy they bring no matter how briefly ... and in return the pure happiness and comfort that you have given them back.
As to biodiesel -- at the rising price of diesel again - we may all eventually be going bio "down the road"  {diesel owners that is  }
|
|
|
B. BOOMER
lost somewhere in america
Senior Member
Joined: 07/10/2004
View Profile
|
Raften wrote: By the way, biodiesel, which is a powerful solvent will not break apart a Bounty paper towel.
say maybe you could do one of those Bounty paper towel commercials to make some extra doggy cash
another option: Check with veterinary schools in your state to see if they offer discount services to the public. You can find a list of veterinary schools in the Education section of the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) website, avma.org.
you may also be interested in this site Australian Cattle Dog Rescue
"Happy Tails"  Boomer
|
~DJ~
Boise, Idaho
Senior Member
Joined: 05/10/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
|
Raften wrote:Thanks Grant, after all the dogs over the years is still does not get any easier does it. Right now I am thinking no more dogs but I always seem to find a old Cattle Dog that needs a good home for the final years. Gets pretty expensive sometimes and now that we both are retired those med bills might be too much. Who knows, I might end up working part time telling people how to fix things in a home improvement store so I can help my old dogs.
God Bless You!!! 
I am sorry for your loss, I know how bad it hurts.
Have a safe trip.
2010 F150 Super Cab XLT 5.4 4X4 Short Box
2010 18' Springdale Rugged Terrain
1988 Nortstar 8' pop up TC
Honda 2000
26th Marines RVN 69-70 Semper Fi
M-14 was the only Woodstock I saw in 1969.
|
LabMan1945
North Central Maine - God's Country
New Member
Joined: 02/23/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
Raften,
You are correct when you say it never gets any easier. I am a retired Veterinarian and have seen MANY clients/friends/acquaintances lose valued four-legged companions. Many have said just what you did about no more dogs and I always commented "I'll see you soon with a new pup". Over 90% of the time they returned within 6 months when they discovered that the love and companionship a good dog gives far outweighs the pain of loss.
Have a safe trip to MI.
Grant
|
skipbee
Glen Arm,Md. 21057 USA
Senior Member
Joined: 10/29/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
Someone suggested that getting a new pup following the passing of a long loved one will "capture the spirit of the one that passed". It may help. I always feel so lucky to have had the friendship of a loving and faithful pal. The life span issue we must accept. He does not wish you to suffer.
Love to all,
skip
skipbee
2004 F350 Diesel CC SRW 19.5" Rikson W/T 4WD
2005 Lance 1121 with a little less of everything
12' Porta-Bote alongside
All that glitters is not gold. All who wander are not lost. JRR Tolkien
|
Raften
Northern Calfornia
Senior Member
Joined: 01/27/2003
View Profile
|
About the no more dogs, yes I know what you all mean so I will qualify it with no more young dogs. I am at a age where a puppy would out live me and I don't want to have that dog go thru what I have rescued dogs from in the past, many months at the pound. Judy's owner died like that and she was on the list to be put down when I found her. She was the best Cattle Dog I have ever known and I am glad she had the last years with me. There I go again, my eyes tear up when I think of her, still hurts pretty bad. I still have Beau for awhile but he is not a one person dog, he likes everyone and is in his element at things like our twice a year fishing club campouts. Everyone knows him and he is your best friend if you have food. Judy on the other hand would never leave my side.
We will be leaving pretty soon but I can't for the life of me understand how you folks that up and leave for a few months do it. I keep finding things that I think need to be taken care of before heading out. The place where I was going to leave my boat fell thru so now I have to scramble to find a new place. AND, my wife and I are currently in negoations about my bringing my RC sailplane along. It has a wing span of six feet that breaks down to three feet but still a large package in a TC. There have got to be great places to soar in the desert areas where we will be hanging out on the way home. Something tells me it will stay home unless I carry it on top of the TC. I guess I could put the wings on and get some lift to help the mpg. LOL
|
|
|
