Winter Vacation, 2016-2017

[CapnDirk]

Hey Kev:


Spent part of my first honeymoon at Old Tucson!  Can't believe how small that jail was that they filmed John Wayne in.


Have film of the wife on the boardwalk when two gun slingers came up to her, put their arms around her from both sides, drew their guns, waived them at me, and said "take all the time you need"   

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Old Tucson was a blast!

We drove the last 110 miles or so on back roads from Tucson to Gold Canyon, AZ to wait for the Arizona Renaissance Festival to start...and are safe and sound at a nice campground called the Arizonan on Hwy 60, less than 3 miles from the Faire.  Although we might be moving along to a cheaper campground in a week!  This one is bloody expensive at 277.00 a week!!!  Yikes!  What makes it worse is that for some reason the Faire postponed opening until February 11th, and since they won't let anyone on site until 2 weekends before the Faire begins, that would mean we would have to pay for 3 weeks at 277.00 a week.  Yikes! 

Maybe another boondocking adventure is in order while we wait...lol!

Kev

[CapnDirk]

$277 a week!


Jesus, you could buy a motorhome on that kind of money!


CapnDirk who dreams of warm Arizona days from the minus freezing north and a motorhome that now has a dead furnace.   

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Looks like we'll be staying here until the faire opens (Patti really likes it here), assuming the Arizonian RV Resort will let us upgrade to the monthly rate, which comes out to 657.00 plus electric.  Even though we won't be here for quite a month in total, if we pay for 3 more weeks plus the 3 extra days it would come out to 957.00!  I would really love to save that 300 bucks...lol!

Lots to do on the cheap around here too.  Yesterday we went to some really neat flea markets in Apache Junction...and sometime this week we'll be going shooting right down the road at a BLM land that allows it.

Keep your fingers crossed for us guys, that the office lets us upgrade!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Change of plans!  And it looks like it is going to be a 2 week boondocking adventure! 

The Arizonian is BOOKED, as is every single other local RV park in the area (unless you want to spend one day here, 2 days there, etc. at 45 bucks a night and up)!  Apparently the snow storms are driving all the snow birds south in record numbers!

The nearest RV parks that have space available are over 60 miles away!  And the local national parks and state forests, with one exception, are booked...the nearest Tonto National Park campground being 70 miles away.

I did find a place to stay without moving every couple of days though, at the Lost Dutchman State Park, about 7 miles from where we are.  It is beautiful, the sites are paved and level...and it is the most expensive State Park I have ever heard of at 20 bucks a day, no hookups, and absolutely no discounts!

It is still our cheapest option (to stay put without breaking camp every day or so) unless we travel 70 miles or so.  So Lost Dutchman it is!  We leave here to the state park on Wednesday...which also happens to be Patti's birthday!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

[legomybago]

The winter rates and population is only going to get worse over the next years....with all the baby boomers rving. Still looks like fun!!

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Solar panels are cleaned, genny checked and started, battery water checked, water tanks filled, drinking water acquired, tires and fluids checked, and the laundry is working as I type this.  We'll be able to pull out of here early tomorrow morning, and then drive the short distance to the Lost Dutchman, all ready to boondock!

Kev

[M & J]

Fuel, you forgot fuel. And propane. Snacks, beer....

[CapnDirk]

Fuel, you forgot fuel. And propane. Snacks, beer....

   


Kev.  Any survivalist from someone in the parking lot at Superbowl to someone in the wilderness would know that.  We are here to save you!   
Keep em coming Kev.  Your posts take the edge off of working on this thing in sub freezing temps when the electrical problems seem endless.


Is there such a thing as RVing vicariously through someone else?   

[ClydesdaleKevin]

LOL!

We are all settled into our campsite at Lost Dutchman State Park, and the views are amazing!!! 

Solar is charging the batteries right now as I type this, and the meter is reading 15.1 volts.

Should be a very pleasant and relaxing 2 weeks!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

It sure is pretty here at the Lost Dutchman State Park!  I went hiking with the pups yesterday, and we made it most of the way to the top of the steepest trail.  Dang I'm fat and out of shape...lol!  We'll keep trying!  My goal is to reach the summit before we leave here in 2 weeks!

Solar charging has been going very well...but they are forecasting clouds and rain until Wednesday...and then clouds and rain until Sunday.  Looks like I'll be going down to Tractor Supply today to buy at least a 60 amp battery charger.  Our Boondocker Powermax converter is rated at 100 amps, but it is way too far away from the battery compartment (about a 20 foot run) and the wires are WAY too small to be efficient (they don't look any larger than 10 gauge, maybe 8 gauge, to me), and it takes hours to charge off the generator the way we are set up right now.  While at the Arizona Renaissance Festival I plan on rebuilding our dinette, and while I'm at it I'll build another cabinet under the dinette to house the pure sign inverter we've been hauling around, and then relocate the Powermax Boondocker to the same cabinet...which is pretty much right over the battery compartment.  And use the heaviest gauge wires that will fit in the terminals of the converter.  But for now, in order to run the genny the least amount of time, I'll actually save time and gas money if I buy a 60amp charger and run it right off the genny and right at the batteries.

Sure is pretty here!

Kev

[HandyDan]

Sounds like a plan.  We are looking forward to an ice storm and could be making use of the generator, too.  I hope it isn't as bad as they predict.  Have fun looking for the Lost Dutchman.  I hear he has a pretty nice gold mine hidden somewhere. 
Dan

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Well, I couldn't find a charger that I was willing to pay for (cheapest ones that would actually work were around 150 bucks and up)...so I figured that I'd just start the genny if I needed to.

And even with the clouds, the batteries fully charged!  Same thing today, even with the rain.

Day number 4 on solar power, and we haven't had to start the genny once!  Outstanding!!!

Kev

[CapnDirk]

That's pretty good Kev and has my interest.  Have you posted anything on your solar setup I can look at?

[DRMousseau]

DANG IT!!!!


Maybe it's jus my winter doldrums and dreamin',.... but for some reason I got an itch now to get my sluice and pans out and venture to nearby local stream for an hour or two!!!

[M & J]

Here you go Capt. Dirk. I think he posted others but this seems to be the main thread.

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,6809.msg31156.html#msg31156

[CapnDirk]

Thanks M&J  that is a good read.


With all the components involved maybe Kev could do a flowchart/building block kind of layout when he gets bored.      Like panels get input to this gizmo, then branches into these things kind of deal.  Just thinking out loud. 

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Well...it was SO dark and rainy yesterday that at the end to usable sunlight of the day...around 5pm...my volt meter was still only reading around 12.3 volts, which was where it was at at the beginning of the day.  Meaning that there was just enough sunlight to keep up with the small amount of power we were using, but not enough to fully charge the batteries.

So on went the generator for 3 hours, which brought us up to a full charge.  Once I move the Powermax Boondocker close to the battery compartment and use the thickest gauge wires I can, I should be able to charge the batteries fully from 12.2 volts to 12.7 volts in about an hour instead, since it is rated at 100 amps.

Today me and the pups are going to go hiking again...and maybe we'll hit the summit of that trail!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

I took the pups on a hike today up the Siphon Draw trail.  We made it almost to the top, over 4000 feet...but the climb got too technical.  I would have had to climb the last bit using my hands as well, and then I wouldn't be able to hold the leashes.  They wanted to go though!!!  Silly pups!

I took a lot of beautiful pictures of the view, so I'll post them up here when I get a chance.

Kev

[CapnDirk]

In my best Sargent Preston voice....  "On you huskies" 

[ClydesdaleKevin]

I went on a LONG hike with the pups today...over 7 miles.  That will teach me not to bring the trail map with me.   D:oH!

Kev

[joanfenn]

And does Patti enjoy all the peace and quiet when you are gone?  She needs a break also.

[DRMousseau]

Maps???
Oh YA! I remember them!!! I got 'em on this app now, with my compass app!


Uhhh,... oh, oh.


Seven miles ya say, huh,...

[boohoo222]

I love following this saga, we want more