Frigid January

 

Back in the Frigid Northland..... -5F

It is that time of year when we are happy to be at our winter lilypad.  We do get some cool nights in Tucson, but 40F seems okay, considering this morning it was 45F warmer here!  With bright sun it will be downright balmy this aafternoon,

To give the interior heat a boost in the morning I make and bake scones.  Very easy.  It is important to have heavy cream.  I mix the flour and dried fruit with the heavy cream, roll into a ball, flatten into a 6 inch diameter circle.  Then cut into 8-segments, sprinkle cinnamon sugar and bake at 350F for 25 minutes. I can sprinkle before cutting or after. 

After breakfast, we took a walk and sat in the resort courtyard.

There are always honey bees in the area.  The citrus trees and flowers attract them. On occasion there will be a swarm, but we simply avoid them.  

A walk at the Saguaro National Park - East to relax and work off a few calories

For dinner I marinated a steak from Dickman's Meat & Deli, then on to the BBQ.  Yellow squash and a baked potato as sides.  If we have coleslaw or a big salad with lunch, we skip a raw salad at dinner.

And freshly baked Marie Callender Razzleberry pie for dessert. Bake at 400F for about 70 minutes; G prefers a browner crust. Great with vanilla bean ice cream.

Sunsets are usually pleasant. 

Escaping Winter, 2021-2022

 

Saguaro National Park - East, January 14, 2022

Our trek to our winter lily pad was delayed for a variety of reasons.  

Long Island Sound, viewed from Connecticut

After a trip to the east coast, we retrieved the Roadtrek only to find that in our absence we had made a political donation; Thieves, or to use the woke term, a "disadvantaged person" had stolen, er, "appropriated" the catalytic converter.

While getting the Roadtrek repaired, we packed and prepped the condominium for winter. We run the furnace at 65F, put insulation in the kitchen window, shut off the water and drain the lines, etc. During checkout of the gas furnace in the condo, it wouldn't ignite. We needed to get that operating, and with time short available I hired a professional.  He attributed the issue to a failure of the electrical “sparker” which ignites the pilot. He didn’t have the part, a kind of “spark plug” but contacted his office to get a quote and determine availability. He also suggested that I consider a total furnace replacement, for no other reason than furnace age. Not something I was excited to do in November as winter was approaching; besides, we were supposed to be elsewhere. 

I decided to run my own diagnostics as I waited for the proposals. I concluded the issue was not the “spark” but was the pilot gas valve, which was not opening on electrical command. I determined the valve was good and the source of the problem was the “Intermittent Pilot Ignition Control”. I went online and purchased one for $98. It arrived the next day and I installed it. That solved the problem.

Was it a good use of my time? I think so, as it 1) Solved the problem for a total cost of $218 including the professional’s time, 2) Saved us the $8,500+ for a new furnace and 3) Allowed us to promptly leave for our AZ winter location. I remotely monitor the condo, and interior temperature has been a steady 65F ever since.

Condominium weather January 23

Condominium Ambient Conditions, January 23

We did eventually get into the Roadtrek and headed to the Southwest, arriving December 8, 2021.  The trip was very relaxed.  The weather was the best we have encountered since we began travelling this way in 2014.  Mild daytime temperatures, low nighttime temperatures 40-50F and easy traffic.  We avoid the cities.  

Sunset, December 8, 2021

Travel to the winter base, 2020-2021

 

 

 

 

A trekking update. I’m happy to say that our trek to the southwest was uneventful and pleasant. This was in part due to our preparation, and mild weather. 

We plan several routes in advance. At this time of the year, we monitor 10-day weather forecasts along each route. We then pick the most favorable route and a window of opportunity for our departure, bearing in mind that as we approach December the weather will degrade. 

We have trekked in fall with temperatures as low as about 5F and camped overnight under those winter conditions. In addition to the heat-pump and propane furnace we carry a small supplemental electric heater and an electric blanket. If electricity is unavailable I have used the gasoline generator. 

This trek was not one of those winter experiences. In fact, weather wise, this was one of our best fall trips.

 Covid-19 remains an issue and a reason for caution while traveling. Because of this we weren’t on a sight-seeing trek. In past, pre-covid treks if the weather allowed we’ve taken our time at a leisurely pace. We could spend a few days in a location and explore before moving on. No fall festivals this year. This year, we took a very direct route, avoided some major urban centers and did the distance in less than 3-1/2 days. Each day was 500-600 miles. The road conditions were excellent, low or no headwinds and the posted speeds up to 80 MPH; I traveled with prevailing traffic via interstates. We were up before dawn, then 10 hours or so of travel with frequent, brief stops to stretch and walk, etc. There was not a lot of time for the internet beyond essentials such as weather and route planning. However, G read the headlines to me as we traveled. Each night we looked at the next day’s route, decided if reservations were necessary, etc. Some RV locations are popular, even today. 

The weather was wonderful, 50-70F and sunny during the daytime until New Mexico. We did experience a mild freeze overnight in Amarillo, TX and again in Lordsburg, NM. We were prepared for this. In October I had winterized our Roadtrek 210P. This is a straightforward procedure, which drains the fresh water system and fills the lines, P-traps and so on with about 2 gallons of a special, potable anti-freeze. The purpose is to avoid potential freeze damage to the fresh water system during winter storage. We carried additional water in containers within the heated coach compartment. In fact, our 210P has a second, internal fresh water tank and it is rated for brief periods as low as about 15F if the hot water heater is “on” and the coach heated. But I’ve found it convenient to winterize the entire system if below freezing weather is expected while traveling. Doing so avoids a stop for "emergency" winterizing if the weather changes for the worse.

 We did use the showers at the campgrounds and some have individual, locked showers. We carry sanitizing wipes, isopropyl alcohol 70% and hand sanitizer, etc. Protocols vary in different states, but we do use masks, etc.

 We dined on food we carried, but in the morning we did stop at McDonalds for coffee, etc. G likes the oatmeal. In one state only the drive through was open and we walked up to the drive-through to avoid hitting the overhang. At another carryout was available. Some counties allow restaurant dine-in. It is a constantly changing situation.

 At Lordsburg, we were very comfortable overnight. We had a mild freeze and a nearby rig experienced an overnight fresh water system stoppage because they had not prepared for low temperatures. This can result in inconvenience as water can’t flow through frozen pipes. Under extremes it can result in damage.

At dawn I disconnected the electrical and we continued west. About 3 hours later we were at our winter destination.

If circumstances allow, we'll be taking some short treks in the winter months. Otherwise we'll be taking frequent hikes at the Saguaro National Park, Sabino Canyon and so on.

 

 

Original material Roadtrek210,blogspot.com

 

 

Winter Trek - Part I, 2500 miles

2550 miles to escape the cold

We had been lingering in the midwest. It is always difficult to say goodbye to family, friends and acquaintances. Departing also means acknowledging the end of summer and the impending arrival of winter. But then a nasty, early winter storm appeared in the weather forecast and it was time to move on.

We assessed the weather patterns and I chose to travel a greater distance to avoid ice, sleet, and snow. So we packed and travelled a more southerly route. This included segments we had never taken before and it opened up some new possibilities. So we did our trip research and made overnight reservations about every 500 miles.

We both like to do some exploring,  but freezing weather was predicted along much of our trek. So we opted to dispense with most of the sight seeing this time.

There are always surprises
We drove to I-65 and headed south. We didn't change our direction until we reached the Gulf of Mexico.

At Biloxi, MS we stopped at the Gulf Shores RV Resort. We arrived just before sunset on November 11, took a short walk on the beach and headed to dinner.

Sunset November 11

The resort is adjacent to a Waffle House and that was a call for Pecan Waffles. Resort stayers get a discount which was a welcome benefit. We split a waffle which was delicious.




The weather front caught up to us overnight, so there was some rain, but mild temperatures, thanks to the Gulf waters. We took another stroll along the beach before departing the next morning.

Biloxi Beach - very quiet morning

Ready to depart Biloxi

About two hours later we were crossing the Mississippi River

Baton Rouge, LA - Mississippi River

Lots of oil refining, chemicals and storage

It wasn't long and we were in Texas:

Our first night in Texas was at a private, family run campground we've spent time at previously.  We had a reservation and checked in. We were advised to disconnect our fresh water hose before retiring because there was a freeze warning. All well and good, we have experienced this many times. Then I asked "What about the bathrooms?" I was advised that all water in the campground would be turned off and the bath rooms locked as of 8:00 pm. 

Well, that was a new experience!  I've never been in a campground under a freeze warning where all of the fresh water services were shut down because of a freeze warning.

We have added this to the list of questions to ask when making reservations.

We dined at the Mexican restaurant across the street and had an excellent meal. LOL!

At Lucy Tequilas - "the Jared"

The night was uneventful and the low temperature was 33F. LOL!

Continuing on, we trekked to our next stop.

We spent a night at a KOA in Van Horn, TX. We've been at that campground before. Near freezing weather was predicted, so we put Reflectix in the windows. Our feathered neighbor didn't seem happy with the prediction. Freezing weather in this part of Texas is unusual in early November.

After a restful sleep, we got up early and prepared to continue.

Van Horn Texas at Dawn

The next morning we entered New Mexico.

Shortly thereafter we were on the downhill run and at a rest stop in Arizona.

This trek was different. We usually like to take our time and smell the roses. This trek we decided we wanted to avoid nasty weather and really cold. So we chose a route that accomplished that.

We made a few notes and hope to visit Biloxi again, in nice weather.

Our major goal was accomplished and we have arrived in our winter lily pad.



Original material:  https://roadtrek210.blogspot.com/