ourbusandus: 2007

Monday, December 24, 2007

Looking at the windows that have already been tinted

Carefully measuring the film to the window

Merry Christmas, everyone!! I didn't plan on waiting so long between pictures, but, when we finally left Fontana to head for the desert, we had such lousy reception on our aircard at Sidewinder, that I just didn't post anything. We are now at Lake Mittry, in Yuma, and believe it or not, for those who have been here in years past, we have an excellent cell signal and we are getting broadband on our aircards! So, now I can post pictures and tell you what we've been up to. We did get our windows tinted before leaving Fontana and the bus looks really good! Right now, Ron has been doing some wiring, (boring inside stuff), so unless he does something that is good for pictures, I won't be posting pics for awhile. Ron did wire up the lights in the bathroom and the living room, though. We have activated the composting toilet and except for a few glitches, it seems to be working fine. We did find out that the one bank of solar panels that we had tilted was putting out far fewer amps than we thought they were and that is due to the shadows cast by the two swamp coolers up there. So, now, Ron has to figure out what he's going to do about that. I suggested that maybe he just has to hoist the offending panels up higher to clear the obstructions, hey, it sounds simple to me! Also, Ron plans on making the facings for the cabinet shells he's already built at the wood shop at the Army base, since it's so close to us. We hope to be able to stay here at the lake until January 10th, but, we'll see. Technically, we can stay here only 10 days per calendar year, so that should mean 10 days in 2007 and 10 days in 2008, right? So, if we can stay, we will, then, we may head up to Eherenberg with the Boondockers for a few days until the bus rally starts in Quartzsite. Hope to see many of you in Q!

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

I forgot to mention that the tank with the large holes in it is the 100 gallon gray water tank and the other one is the 100 gallon fresh water tank. Remember, we will have no black water tank because we have the composting toilet. Ron also wants to get all the windows tinted while we're up here, so we may have that done at the end of the week. I think that will really make the bus look different.

Here are the tanks all ready for the plumbing to be attached

Another view of installing the fittings

Drilling the first hole for the new fittings

Our new floor in all 3 bays, with the tanks inside the back bay

Looking at the newly re-painted bottom half of the bus

You can't really tell in this picture, but, the visors are all shined up. Also, the metal has been painted.

Wednesday, December 5

The work that Oscar was doing on the bus is finally done, but, we are still here in Fontana. Today, Ron laid out the fittings for the holding and fresh water tanks to see where they are all going to fit, then, he drove down to have them installed on the tanks. You'll also see that the whole bottom half of the bus has been re-painted and it looks pretty nice. Oscar also shined up the rear visors, as well. We're hoping to leave sometime Monday to head down to Oceanside to Camp Pendleton, but, time will tell if we make it or not.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

The cargo bays are getting all new sheet metal, wood and linoleum

Wiring the AC main breaker

The breaker boxes, on the right is the 12 volt, on the left is the the 110.

This is the closet area of the bathroom, but, I'll only get the front half of it

This is a shelf Ron put up near the eyebrow window, I thought it would be a good place to put a plant

Another view

This is what the bus looks like with all the visors on it

November 29, 2007

Hi everyone! Well, we finally got our computer back this week, so I can finally post some more pictures. We've been here at the Fontana Elks Lodge since the end of October while having the work done on the bus. We can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, the bus should be done, but, we're going to hang around a few more days because our friend, who is going to be bringing his bus over there tomorrow, is going to help Ron with our holding tanks. They are going to be marking out where the new fittings are going to go on the tanks. That shouldn't take too long and then after that, we plan on heading down to Camp Pendleton Marine base in Oceanside. They have a real nice wood shop there and Ron wants to finish up the cabinets in the bus. I also want everyone to know that my ankles are doing well. I can walk normally now in regular shoes and that is the greatest feeling there is. Now, on with the pictures...

Monday, November 5, 2007

If you look closely, the top visor is now done, solid all the way across, compared to the first picture

He's almost done, looks pretty snazzy doesn't it? Now all we need to do is give the bus a much needed bath!

What it's going to look like from the side

The rear sun visor getting installed

Here I am with my boot on, if you click on the picture, you can see it better

A better picture of the solar monitor and the inverter controller

November 5

In just a few days, my computer is going to go bye bye to the computer doctor. Somehow, the hinge on the lid of my laptop broke and the monitor is starting to split apart. So, I am going to try and have Ron take as many pictures as he can, so I can post them, before I have to send it away. Here are a few right now. I also have a picture of me with just the one walking boot on. Just picture me with two boots like that and two crutches, man, I was a mess! But, now I'm fine, I have both feet back in regular shoes and am getting around fairly well. Now, on with the pictures...

Friday, November 2, 2007

Solar monitor and inverter controller

Charge controller wiring completed

Wiring up the Blue Sky 3024i Solar Controllers

November 2

Hello all! Well, here we are already, in a new month! The end of the year is not that far away. I am doing very well, my two feet are back in regular shoes, my walking boots are a thing of the past. I do have a picture of myself with my one boot on, maybe I'll post that another time. After I got out of rehab, I stayed one night in the rig, then we drove south to Florence, which is on the coast, to stay with friends. I had a nice little house to get around in, which was good for me. While we were there, Ron helped our friend Frank, put up sheet rock on their room addition and get it ready to paint. Frank helped Ron wire the solar panels on the bus to the inverter. We left Florence on Friday, October 26, to head south. We had some Boomer friends to help us drive the rigs down. We got into Fontana, Ca on Monday afternoon and set up in the same Elks lodge we were in before we went up to Oregon for our summer jobs. The bus is over getting some unfinished work done on it. As that work progresses, I'll be posting it on the blog. The pictures going up tonight will be the wiring done in Oregon.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

October 9

Hi Everyone, well, I am finally out of rehab and back home. I am doing well and am walking pretty well with my walking boots and crutches. I keep hounding Ron to take pictures of what he did while I was in rehab, but, he doesn't want to take any pictures right now, because there is too much stuff in the way. I may have to wait until we get back down to southern California for any pics to be posted. So, be patient, maybe I can post some other pics on here. We are currently in Florence, OR, staying with friends. I have another doctor's appointment on the 16th, we hope to leave around the 20th for points south.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Now that I'm not on heavy pain medication and have my mind back, I will try and post pics as soon as Ron gives them to me, that way, the time won't get away from me like it always seems to do.

The cabinet shell where the sink will be. Notice the angle by the fridge, so we won't have a problem opening it.

This is what it looks like from the living room. There will be a counter between the back of it and the stove.

This is my new seat which was just mounted the other day. If you will look closely, it looks a lot like a theater seat, notice the drink holders..

As you look at the two pictures I just posted, you'll see a concrete square right next to me. That is what my ankles twisted on and then fell down in a hole about a foot or so. Not a pleasant day for me at all...I really need to pay attention to where I am going...

Here's the EMT taking off my shoe to apply the splint and ice. In the previous photo, maybe you can see how far to the right my foot is facing...

Here I am laying around, taking it easy. My hand is up there not because of the pain but to keep the sun out of my eyes

Saturday, September 22

Hi all, sorry it has taken me awhile to get back to posting pics. I had a little mishap last week in which I managed to fracture both my ankles and dislocate one of them. Fortunately, it happened while I was working in the park, so it's all covered under workman's comp. Now that I am up and running again...er, or should I say up and hobbling, I will again be posting pics. Many of you already know what happened, but, for those few of you who didn't get the word, I am doing okay. Fortunately, I didn't have to have hard casts put on, I have weight bearing as tolerated walking boots on both feet. I am now in an old folks home for rehab where I may stay from 1 to 2 weeks. I have to learn to walk on crutches and negotiate stairs so I can once again climb into the motor home.

Poor Ron has been running back and forth twice a day to visit with me, so hasn't gotten as much work done on the bus as he would have liked, but, he has gotten some things done which I will post tonight. I also am going to post a couple of pics of me lying down on the job, which were taken right after my accident. My shoes are even still on.

A Boomer friend of ours, Bruce, may be coming up to spend this next week with him, so maybe between the two of them, they can get more stuff done before we leave here. Ron's last official work day is tomorrow, Sunday, so after that, he will have all kinds of time on his hands to work on the bus.