We have slipped off to the hide out..... But not until after hijacking two of the grand daughters.... They are singing away in the lower level of this cabin as I type this....
My headlight repair on the hobby car lasted nicely until I turned on the headlights.. That was last Saturday night.. And WHAMMO the dash lit up like a christmas tree.... with error messages.......! But folks, you were supposed to fix it.....
Of course they couldn't get it back in to work on it again for a couple of weeks.... But some deeper questioning revealed that the problem wasn't working on the car, but rather they were out of loaner vehicles....
Hey, I can get by without being loaned a vehicle, just get it fixed.... So they took it in last Wednesday... Their computer told them it was the same part they replaced last time.... This time they checked the part out carefully and found it to be good... Well since it was brand new...
Gotta keep the car overnight....... and then yesterday it was decided to put an entire new headlight assembly in... Of course that has to come from somewhere else... Germany??
Well anyway we left town in a Ford, which only has a rattle in its seat... And guess what, it made it all the way to Lake Ozark.. Maybe I'll go ride the little moped...... If it will start, LOL.
The holiday traffic around the lake is zooming, and riding scooters seems like taking your life into their hands......
We have family coming and it will get hectic with 5 grands under one roof.....
Have a nice Labor Day........ If I don't get back to this tablet....
Retired Rod
Friday, August 30, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Butler, a town about halfway to Joplin
Al, my riding partner wanted to go South out of town to get out of the traffic, so we went down Antioch.. That was OK, until I didn't make one of the corners he took, and then he turned around following me...
He passed me and then went straight at the next corner.... except, I knew this was a dead end.... I kind of half heartedly followed... and he came to the end just as I suspected he would...
The big Honda is lot harder to get turned around than his scooter, so I found a driveway to get it done.....
Well back North to the last road East, and we thought we were good to go.... But, when we got to Metcalf, they had the road all blocked with road closed signs....
So we had to go straight.... and that curved around back to the North and into town again... Eventually we ended up in Belton, Missouri...
So then we took a back road South out of Belton, and missed our turn to Peculiar.. Don't ya just love the names of Missouri towns...?
Our road just evaporated into a dust road...... uh, not too good on a motorcycle.. So we turned around again going back North the way we came... This time we found the right turn..... LOL
Our day was steaming up all this time, and it was in the mid 80s by 9:30... Eventually we ended up on a frontage road that followed I 49, which is US 71 only with a new name... The frontage road went back and forth across the interstate switching sides.... Mercifully we made it to Harrisonville..... Got gas and I led us to the interstate and Butler.....
The restaurant was mostly nondescript on the Square of Butler, Missouri... Think big courthouse and businesses all around.... My camera on my phone doesn't work any more after it went swimming...
 |
| I thought the courthouse was ornate, so I grabbed this from the Romeo Web site. Of course they were taking pictures of the motorcycles... But note the brick streets.. |
We did this same ride the opposite way earlier this year when we ate lunch in Paola... We then rode to Butler just for the heck of it.... It must be about 160 miles in total...
When I arrived back here at the house, I was very hot.....
I wonder how folks can ride these cycles on the highway all day long when it is in the 90s.... Must be a bunch tougher than I am...... Romeo web site...
Retired Rod
Monday, August 26, 2013
A question and a ball game
First of all, lets answer Phil's question on the last post about the Mackinac Bridge in the current header photo... The Toll was $4 for cars, and was $5 per axle for motorhomes.... Busses and trucks are also by axle, but I don't remember now how much they were...
For the several days that we were in the Mackinaw City area, the bridge was full of activity that wasn't related to the traffic... This must have been an ongoing project as I wasn't able to see much progress... perhaps most of the summer.. They are painting the underside and the cables of the suspension bridge work.. The color is about picnic table green... The vehicles visible were power generators for both electricity and compressed air...
They had visqueen plastic tents over the areas that were being painted so that cars wouldn't enjoy a nice green coat of overspray.. Also there are specially made cherry picker style arms that reach out over the side of the bridge and then up underneath... I'm not certain what that ride would feel like more than 200 feet above the water... If you fell out, you would be dead from the impact with the water....
As far as the toll booths they are on the mainland north of the bridge... Since both sides of the bridge is the state of Michigan, you don't have customs or anything like that to deal with...
It has been rather hot here for this last week, as we have been in the mid 90s each day... That has caused a serious case of stay indoors here at our house... Really too hot for much of anything outside..
This weekend however, we have been attending my Grandson's baseball games around dusk... Saturday night it was at 8PM and tonight it was 7PM.. This is a parks and rec league here in Olathe.. It is organized, to the extent that they have teams and a volunteer coach....
This particular league plays until the kids have scored 5 runs, and then the inning is over... Outs are sometimes a mystery for 10 year olds, as they stumble catching the ball and tossing it to a team mate..... without dropping it....!
The game lasts 1:45 without regard who is up to bat... But by that time it is usually very obvious who the winner is... So far, it hasn't been us, but we just started this team and our opponents have been playing quite a bit longer...
It was over 90 when we went out to the park tonight, so that was steamy.. But as the sun set over the Western tree tops, the breeze came up and it was comfortable..
Caden has played 2nd base for the beginning pitcher, and then first base for the second pitcher. The second pitcher is the first baseman at the beginning of the game... Caden caught a line drive tonight that was off of one of the big kids bats.. It was on top of him so quickly that it startled him, but he managed to hang on and put the kid out...
My son Ben has also helped with the coaching and practices as well, as parents seem really reluctant to do anything these days.....
Retired Rod
For the several days that we were in the Mackinaw City area, the bridge was full of activity that wasn't related to the traffic... This must have been an ongoing project as I wasn't able to see much progress... perhaps most of the summer.. They are painting the underside and the cables of the suspension bridge work.. The color is about picnic table green... The vehicles visible were power generators for both electricity and compressed air...
They had visqueen plastic tents over the areas that were being painted so that cars wouldn't enjoy a nice green coat of overspray.. Also there are specially made cherry picker style arms that reach out over the side of the bridge and then up underneath... I'm not certain what that ride would feel like more than 200 feet above the water... If you fell out, you would be dead from the impact with the water....
As far as the toll booths they are on the mainland north of the bridge... Since both sides of the bridge is the state of Michigan, you don't have customs or anything like that to deal with...
It has been rather hot here for this last week, as we have been in the mid 90s each day... That has caused a serious case of stay indoors here at our house... Really too hot for much of anything outside..
This weekend however, we have been attending my Grandson's baseball games around dusk... Saturday night it was at 8PM and tonight it was 7PM.. This is a parks and rec league here in Olathe.. It is organized, to the extent that they have teams and a volunteer coach....
This particular league plays until the kids have scored 5 runs, and then the inning is over... Outs are sometimes a mystery for 10 year olds, as they stumble catching the ball and tossing it to a team mate..... without dropping it....!
The game lasts 1:45 without regard who is up to bat... But by that time it is usually very obvious who the winner is... So far, it hasn't been us, but we just started this team and our opponents have been playing quite a bit longer...
It was over 90 when we went out to the park tonight, so that was steamy.. But as the sun set over the Western tree tops, the breeze came up and it was comfortable..
Caden has played 2nd base for the beginning pitcher, and then first base for the second pitcher. The second pitcher is the first baseman at the beginning of the game... Caden caught a line drive tonight that was off of one of the big kids bats.. It was on top of him so quickly that it startled him, but he managed to hang on and put the kid out...
My son Ben has also helped with the coaching and practices as well, as parents seem really reluctant to do anything these days.....
Retired Rod
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Still in the car repair mode..
Back to the Ford Dealer today, I was able to pick up the Explorer.. It has a new fuel pump that was installed yesterday.... The letter explained what was wrong with the old one, but I lost the letter.....
But with all things fuel related, it probably boils down to the risk of fire... Burning up a car would be one thing, but burning up people in the car, would not be too warm and fuzzy for the Ford folks....
I wonder how many fuel pumps that would be.... Every Explorer sold since the new model..... Uh... I will bet there will be a bunch of tech's that get rather good at changing them out...
My son Chris was over here this morning, and we got into a long discussion about everything we could think of... a lot about computers and the newer stuff available.. But when we were finishing up with that, he gave me a ride over to the Ford Dealer.... That saved me from having to call the courtesy car driver and sit and wait for him to include me in his stops...
You wait for him to come get you, and then you ride on several more stops for other folks before ending back up at the dealership... I've found that if you seek this ride in the middle of the sleepy part of the afternoon around 2 PM there won't be a lot of others needing a ride... But Chris saved me from all of that...
Ya, and my rattling seat in the second row that I asked to be looked into wouldn't rattle for the technicians.... But the good news is............. we have three years for the rattle to make itself known under our warranty coverage..... My service writer said if its rattling, come get me so I can hear it..... That way they will know what they are trying to fix... Don't ya just love fixin cars..?
Oh, I ended up back over to Honda, to pick up some plastic wheel plugs.... Little 2 inch plastic disks that go into the wheels in the center.... The wheels have a hole in the middle so they will fit on tire changing equipment and also allow the axle nut to protrude... Ours fell out somewhere in Michigan... Not sure why... But they were covered under warranty...
And the gals at the dealership were passing out more food to customers..... I was fairly good this time and only accepted a small bag of pop corn.... That's my story and I'm sticking to it...! They might get a little tired of me stopping by for a sandwich every day........ LOL
We were in the mid 90s again today, which has kept me off of the motorcycle in the heat of the afternoon... The Goldwing develops a lot of heat from the side radiator vents and cooks me as a rider.... It comes back on your knees and legs from those vents in the silver part above the motor...
I have ordered side wing panels from two different vendors, but they were back ordered both times.... Late September is the expected delivery.. Of course by then I will have to move the deflectors so they blow the heat on me, in order to keep warm..... So I have had to cancel both of the orders....
Nothing else going on here.....
Retired Rod
But with all things fuel related, it probably boils down to the risk of fire... Burning up a car would be one thing, but burning up people in the car, would not be too warm and fuzzy for the Ford folks....
I wonder how many fuel pumps that would be.... Every Explorer sold since the new model..... Uh... I will bet there will be a bunch of tech's that get rather good at changing them out...
My son Chris was over here this morning, and we got into a long discussion about everything we could think of... a lot about computers and the newer stuff available.. But when we were finishing up with that, he gave me a ride over to the Ford Dealer.... That saved me from having to call the courtesy car driver and sit and wait for him to include me in his stops...
You wait for him to come get you, and then you ride on several more stops for other folks before ending back up at the dealership... I've found that if you seek this ride in the middle of the sleepy part of the afternoon around 2 PM there won't be a lot of others needing a ride... But Chris saved me from all of that...
Ya, and my rattling seat in the second row that I asked to be looked into wouldn't rattle for the technicians.... But the good news is............. we have three years for the rattle to make itself known under our warranty coverage..... My service writer said if its rattling, come get me so I can hear it..... That way they will know what they are trying to fix... Don't ya just love fixin cars..?
Oh, I ended up back over to Honda, to pick up some plastic wheel plugs.... Little 2 inch plastic disks that go into the wheels in the center.... The wheels have a hole in the middle so they will fit on tire changing equipment and also allow the axle nut to protrude... Ours fell out somewhere in Michigan... Not sure why... But they were covered under warranty...
And the gals at the dealership were passing out more food to customers..... I was fairly good this time and only accepted a small bag of pop corn.... That's my story and I'm sticking to it...! They might get a little tired of me stopping by for a sandwich every day........ LOL
We were in the mid 90s again today, which has kept me off of the motorcycle in the heat of the afternoon... The Goldwing develops a lot of heat from the side radiator vents and cooks me as a rider.... It comes back on your knees and legs from those vents in the silver part above the motor...
I have ordered side wing panels from two different vendors, but they were back ordered both times.... Late September is the expected delivery.. Of course by then I will have to move the deflectors so they blow the heat on me, in order to keep warm..... So I have had to cancel both of the orders....
Nothing else going on here.....
Retired Rod
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Service lane experiences
This was one of those days, where you begin wondering what you need to take care of today.....
Well that Ford car still has its recall notice sitting here on the table.... Lets go see about that.... So I was off..... Well right after I sat out in the car and re paired that cell phone that wasn't connected after last Monday's reprogramming...
Again it is some distance to the Ford dealership that I use for repair.... And once there, they were nice and accommodating... Willing to look for a rattle I have in one of the seats and order the parts for the recall...
So I needed a ride home.... And they called that fellow too..... So I had a seat to wait for the driver... Nice lounge with a TV but spartan... Coffee machine but no other offerings....
And as I sat there and thought about the three different car dealerships I have sought service help from this week, it was fun to contrast the service offered by each....
Warranty under my extended policy at the BMW folks had obtained a loaner car that was a 2013 twin turbo 5 door wagon... Replace the gas... we'll see you two days from now when its done..
At Honda, they got the parts in the next couple of hours... They had two ladies that were serving sandwiches and chips in the lounge along with an endless bottle of diet coke... I did wait a couple of hours, but they fed me for the entire time I was there... Oh, did we mention that there is wifi for your laptop...? But by the time I paid the bill, that was a really expensive ham and cheese on whole wheat....
And at Ford, they didn't even have bottled water..... only a coffee machine... The retired driver was assigned a 2010 Ford Flex wagon with three rows of seats... He told me that it was a used car they couldn't sell, so he got it.... I now has 110,000 city miles on it and looked quite worn inside... But he got me back home in quick time, and perhaps that's really all I needed...
In the Ford dealerships defense, I didn't purchase my car there, opting for a dealer out in Lee's Summit... But for warranty recalls, a dealer is a dealer...
The funny thing about this is that the Ford Explorer was the most expensive of the three vehicles repaired as the older bimmer was used....
But perhaps the bimmer's repair is the most expensive and that is why they can hand out loaners... But I also wonder if that isn't their way of getting you to drive a new model right along, subliminally implanting that gotta have a new one urge....
Retired Rod
Well that Ford car still has its recall notice sitting here on the table.... Lets go see about that.... So I was off..... Well right after I sat out in the car and re paired that cell phone that wasn't connected after last Monday's reprogramming...
Again it is some distance to the Ford dealership that I use for repair.... And once there, they were nice and accommodating... Willing to look for a rattle I have in one of the seats and order the parts for the recall...
So I needed a ride home.... And they called that fellow too..... So I had a seat to wait for the driver... Nice lounge with a TV but spartan... Coffee machine but no other offerings....
And as I sat there and thought about the three different car dealerships I have sought service help from this week, it was fun to contrast the service offered by each....
Warranty under my extended policy at the BMW folks had obtained a loaner car that was a 2013 twin turbo 5 door wagon... Replace the gas... we'll see you two days from now when its done..
At Honda, they got the parts in the next couple of hours... They had two ladies that were serving sandwiches and chips in the lounge along with an endless bottle of diet coke... I did wait a couple of hours, but they fed me for the entire time I was there... Oh, did we mention that there is wifi for your laptop...? But by the time I paid the bill, that was a really expensive ham and cheese on whole wheat....
And at Ford, they didn't even have bottled water..... only a coffee machine... The retired driver was assigned a 2010 Ford Flex wagon with three rows of seats... He told me that it was a used car they couldn't sell, so he got it.... I now has 110,000 city miles on it and looked quite worn inside... But he got me back home in quick time, and perhaps that's really all I needed...
In the Ford dealerships defense, I didn't purchase my car there, opting for a dealer out in Lee's Summit... But for warranty recalls, a dealer is a dealer...
The funny thing about this is that the Ford Explorer was the most expensive of the three vehicles repaired as the older bimmer was used....
But perhaps the bimmer's repair is the most expensive and that is why they can hand out loaners... But I also wonder if that isn't their way of getting you to drive a new model right along, subliminally implanting that gotta have a new one urge....
Retired Rod
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Richmond, Mo.
Richmond is point B on this map.. On the North side of the Missouri river..
Like we usually do, we met at the local McDonalds restaurant just North of my house and rode directly to the distant restaurant town on major highways... Just like we would if we were taking the car...
This included a lot of I 435 around our fair city.. And then the 210 highway out on the North side of the river...
We arrived and found that 40 or more bikes were already there...
The Mexican restaurant didn't open until 11 AM and didn't do breakfast, so a bunch of folks were lounging around under the shade trees on the East side of the property... When they opened the doors, they had a table set up for 40... All in one long table thru the center of the restaurant... We filled that and then had tables around the perimeter as well... I lost count at 50...
In the afternoon, it was 91 for the high temperature and we made our way back home along the South side of the river going back to a motorcycle dealer's show room in Blue Springs... We were looking for the 2013 Suzuki Bergman scooter that has been changed this year... No soap...... they didn't have one..
We did our usual hang out in McDonalds by the Mororcycle dealer for a couple of hours and finally returned home.... About 150 miles in all.... That seems short now, after some of the other marathon rides we have been on.... But with the afternoon's hotter temperatures, I was glad to be back home and find the air conditioning....
Before long though, we will be pining for these summer days, so we had better enjoy them while we have them...
Retired Rod
Like we usually do, we met at the local McDonalds restaurant just North of my house and rode directly to the distant restaurant town on major highways... Just like we would if we were taking the car...
This included a lot of I 435 around our fair city.. And then the 210 highway out on the North side of the river...
We arrived and found that 40 or more bikes were already there...
The Mexican restaurant didn't open until 11 AM and didn't do breakfast, so a bunch of folks were lounging around under the shade trees on the East side of the property... When they opened the doors, they had a table set up for 40... All in one long table thru the center of the restaurant... We filled that and then had tables around the perimeter as well... I lost count at 50...
In the afternoon, it was 91 for the high temperature and we made our way back home along the South side of the river going back to a motorcycle dealer's show room in Blue Springs... We were looking for the 2013 Suzuki Bergman scooter that has been changed this year... No soap...... they didn't have one..
We did our usual hang out in McDonalds by the Mororcycle dealer for a couple of hours and finally returned home.... About 150 miles in all.... That seems short now, after some of the other marathon rides we have been on.... But with the afternoon's hotter temperatures, I was glad to be back home and find the air conditioning....
Before long though, we will be pining for these summer days, so we had better enjoy them while we have them...
Retired Rod
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Howling Honda
Since I was working on cars this week, I decided to tackle the Honda CRV.... We pulled that one on vacation.... And the back end did a howling noise when we drove it in hotter weather.... ie, over 95 degrees.... And then the farther we pulled it , the more it seemed to make this noise... Like it had course tread snow tires on it...
We finally couldn't stand it and just towed it back home, never unhooking it from the coach... But Loyce and I went over to the storage lot on Sunday night in it and it still was making a bunch of noise from the back end...
The car is two years old, and replaced the 05 Ford Explorer we had previously... The Honda crv is the top recommended vehicle to be towed behind the motorhome.... But the price for them is over the top new now, up another 3K since we bought ours....
After thinking about what to do, I drove over to the dealership.. Knowing I was about to get the biggest price possible... But the service writer was more than helpful.....
We had to go for a drive and he wanted to drive..... He told me he thought the noise was our tires.... Back at the service bay he mic ed the tires and told me we only had between 3 and 4 thousandths left on the tread, and that the back one was wearing cupped.... making the noise...
Then he dropped the bomb, stating that the original equipment tires on the civic and the crv were cheaper and only got about 30K tops.. But we only have 22 K on the speedo.... But in the back of my mind, I knew we had pulled the rig at least another 10K...
And the back tires wouldn't know if the car was being pulled or driven.... well maybe in the bad weather when the 4x4 kicks in, but we never drive it in bad weather because we go to Az...
We had Continental tires, but he said the Bridgestones weren't any better.... Must be that Honda is calling the quality here, opting for the cheapest possible... He had to be really careful what he said.... you know not getting into trouble with the mothership, but still informing me that our tires really were shot... all four....
While up in Upper Michigan, I talked to a fellow that had a CRV like ours and a tow bar set up on the front..... Turned out he had a motor home and was pulling the car to Az as well.... And he got about 25 K out of his on the speedo with two trips to Az being pulled as well... Well that would be about 5 K more and we are right back to 30........
I remember Randy and Pam of the Road Runner Chronicles complaining about this too... Okay, okay, I give.......
The guy in Mich paid for the expensive Michelin brand, but checking with the dealership.... They were over $200.... times 4.... Bridgestone wasn't much better at $170...
But the dealer guy said they were having the best luck with Uniroyal at $137.. Yuck, I never liked them... But he convinced me that the company was now owned by Michelin and is their lesser priced line... Tires are now all made in China, so what we knew about them years ago is no longer the facts.... (They are probably worse..)
So given that we use this car mostly around KC as a grocery getter, and pull it other places behind the MH, we opted for the Uniroyals.... Oh and they advised me to change the oil in the rear differential... Every 20 K, so we were over on that... Another $69.. The oil is about $6 when you go get it at Autozone... But its stinky and yucky to deal with..
Oh, they checked the alignment and decided that the back tires were out by .08 of a degree.... Really.... how small is that.... ? Another $99.... Well maybe next time.... It was still almost $700 the way it was..... But the back end is quieter...
I should add here that we should have had the tires rotated every 7 to 10 K as the back ends of the Honda's are negatively cambered and tend to wear on the inside... Putting them on the front for the next 10 K tends to round out this wear as the front is more positively cambered.... Wearing the outside.... So I pay the price here somewhat early for neglecting the issue....
Oh, the brake fluid also needs flushed out too, at 25K... I'm not sure I have ever replaced the brake fluid in a car unless the cylinders shot craps.... Have you ?
Anyway I sat there all afternoon waiting patiently while they did the work.. Went in during the morning, and went back home while they had the tires delivered... Then went back at 2 for the installation returning around 5 PM...
Another day shot...!
Retired Rod
We finally couldn't stand it and just towed it back home, never unhooking it from the coach... But Loyce and I went over to the storage lot on Sunday night in it and it still was making a bunch of noise from the back end...
The car is two years old, and replaced the 05 Ford Explorer we had previously... The Honda crv is the top recommended vehicle to be towed behind the motorhome.... But the price for them is over the top new now, up another 3K since we bought ours....
After thinking about what to do, I drove over to the dealership.. Knowing I was about to get the biggest price possible... But the service writer was more than helpful.....
We had to go for a drive and he wanted to drive..... He told me he thought the noise was our tires.... Back at the service bay he mic ed the tires and told me we only had between 3 and 4 thousandths left on the tread, and that the back one was wearing cupped.... making the noise...
Then he dropped the bomb, stating that the original equipment tires on the civic and the crv were cheaper and only got about 30K tops.. But we only have 22 K on the speedo.... But in the back of my mind, I knew we had pulled the rig at least another 10K...
And the back tires wouldn't know if the car was being pulled or driven.... well maybe in the bad weather when the 4x4 kicks in, but we never drive it in bad weather because we go to Az...
We had Continental tires, but he said the Bridgestones weren't any better.... Must be that Honda is calling the quality here, opting for the cheapest possible... He had to be really careful what he said.... you know not getting into trouble with the mothership, but still informing me that our tires really were shot... all four....
While up in Upper Michigan, I talked to a fellow that had a CRV like ours and a tow bar set up on the front..... Turned out he had a motor home and was pulling the car to Az as well.... And he got about 25 K out of his on the speedo with two trips to Az being pulled as well... Well that would be about 5 K more and we are right back to 30........
I remember Randy and Pam of the Road Runner Chronicles complaining about this too... Okay, okay, I give.......
The guy in Mich paid for the expensive Michelin brand, but checking with the dealership.... They were over $200.... times 4.... Bridgestone wasn't much better at $170...
But the dealer guy said they were having the best luck with Uniroyal at $137.. Yuck, I never liked them... But he convinced me that the company was now owned by Michelin and is their lesser priced line... Tires are now all made in China, so what we knew about them years ago is no longer the facts.... (They are probably worse..)
So given that we use this car mostly around KC as a grocery getter, and pull it other places behind the MH, we opted for the Uniroyals.... Oh and they advised me to change the oil in the rear differential... Every 20 K, so we were over on that... Another $69.. The oil is about $6 when you go get it at Autozone... But its stinky and yucky to deal with..
Oh, they checked the alignment and decided that the back tires were out by .08 of a degree.... Really.... how small is that.... ? Another $99.... Well maybe next time.... It was still almost $700 the way it was..... But the back end is quieter...
I should add here that we should have had the tires rotated every 7 to 10 K as the back ends of the Honda's are negatively cambered and tend to wear on the inside... Putting them on the front for the next 10 K tends to round out this wear as the front is more positively cambered.... Wearing the outside.... So I pay the price here somewhat early for neglecting the issue....
Oh, the brake fluid also needs flushed out too, at 25K... I'm not sure I have ever replaced the brake fluid in a car unless the cylinders shot craps.... Have you ?
Anyway I sat there all afternoon waiting patiently while they did the work.. Went in during the morning, and went back home while they had the tires delivered... Then went back at 2 for the installation returning around 5 PM...
Another day shot...!
Retired Rod
Sunday, August 18, 2013
A better understanding
Maybe I should clarify the programming update of the Ford Explorer that we have... They send you an email and offer that the programs can be expanded... You don't have to do it..... Its just if you want the latest and greatest...
You don't have to copy the programs off of the internet either.... you can have them send you a USB memory stick... They are more than happy to mail it to you.... But if you are computer savy, you can download the files to your own memory device right on the spot...
And programming the car is totally automatic.... You just stick the memory device into the USB port where you plug in your ipod... While the engine is running... Just sit there and watch the thing do its work.... There is nothing for you to do.... Just watch...
And sending the info back to Ford when you are done, keeps them knowledgeable about what programs you currently are using.. Again, that helps them send you the proper letters about newer releases... Again that is your call as well...
Ford has taken its share of criticism for their Sync product, so as a marketing ploy they have taken to making sure all the older cars are reprogrammed with the latest stuff..... Chevy and Toyota and the others have not done this....
You do not get updates for these other brands to my knowledge.. Ford has also taken heat for their computers doing too much... Being too complicated and difficult to learn to run while driving.... They have declared that newer models will be simplified... Its by Microsoft, and most folks think PCs are too difficult too.... Or they wouldn't pay twice as much for a Mac....
JD Power and Associates have given their awards to GM rather than Ford because people feel this way... Of course for me, I want even more.... But then I run linux too... And have an Extra Class ham radio license.... So bring on the technical........!
So go buy a Ford and use what ever program they installed on the day they made the car.... Updating is optional.... Or buy a Chevy and use their program for that year and never get an update unless you get a new car...
So today I went and retrieved the hobby car from its dealer.... It had a new headlight controller installed and as part of the repair, they updated the software... This had to be done, so the headlight module would be recognized by the main computer that runs the car... They plugged the car into the repair computer and left it to do its thing overnight....
I haven't driven after dark to see if the headlights are fixed yet... But the error message is gone... But then so are all my radio presets, and the pairing to my cell phone... But the car is older and doesn't have a built in GPS screen and all those other toys, so perhaps its brains are smaller...
And the repair consultant said that the programs had never been updated since the car was new... He said the shifting might be a little different, and it might run a tad different too... All for the better, of course..........?
Otherwise I spent the morning on the riding lawn mower, buzzing all around our property.... Which is only a small city lot... I had the JD when we were in Des Moines... Up there we used it as a snow thrower... but here in KC we hardly get enough snow to warrant that process...
There was a motorcycle breakfast this morning at a popular cafe in Louisburg just south of us here... But with the understanding that I would be called to the car dealership mid morning, I opted to not go.... They were picking Blackberries at a local farm outside of town as the activity.... Some rough and tough motorcycle activity, wouldn't you know...... LOL
Retired Rod
You don't have to copy the programs off of the internet either.... you can have them send you a USB memory stick... They are more than happy to mail it to you.... But if you are computer savy, you can download the files to your own memory device right on the spot...
And programming the car is totally automatic.... You just stick the memory device into the USB port where you plug in your ipod... While the engine is running... Just sit there and watch the thing do its work.... There is nothing for you to do.... Just watch...
And sending the info back to Ford when you are done, keeps them knowledgeable about what programs you currently are using.. Again, that helps them send you the proper letters about newer releases... Again that is your call as well...
Ford has taken its share of criticism for their Sync product, so as a marketing ploy they have taken to making sure all the older cars are reprogrammed with the latest stuff..... Chevy and Toyota and the others have not done this....
You do not get updates for these other brands to my knowledge.. Ford has also taken heat for their computers doing too much... Being too complicated and difficult to learn to run while driving.... They have declared that newer models will be simplified... Its by Microsoft, and most folks think PCs are too difficult too.... Or they wouldn't pay twice as much for a Mac....
JD Power and Associates have given their awards to GM rather than Ford because people feel this way... Of course for me, I want even more.... But then I run linux too... And have an Extra Class ham radio license.... So bring on the technical........!
So go buy a Ford and use what ever program they installed on the day they made the car.... Updating is optional.... Or buy a Chevy and use their program for that year and never get an update unless you get a new car...
So today I went and retrieved the hobby car from its dealer.... It had a new headlight controller installed and as part of the repair, they updated the software... This had to be done, so the headlight module would be recognized by the main computer that runs the car... They plugged the car into the repair computer and left it to do its thing overnight....
I haven't driven after dark to see if the headlights are fixed yet... But the error message is gone... But then so are all my radio presets, and the pairing to my cell phone... But the car is older and doesn't have a built in GPS screen and all those other toys, so perhaps its brains are smaller...
And the repair consultant said that the programs had never been updated since the car was new... He said the shifting might be a little different, and it might run a tad different too... All for the better, of course..........?
Otherwise I spent the morning on the riding lawn mower, buzzing all around our property.... Which is only a small city lot... I had the JD when we were in Des Moines... Up there we used it as a snow thrower... but here in KC we hardly get enough snow to warrant that process...
There was a motorcycle breakfast this morning at a popular cafe in Louisburg just south of us here... But with the understanding that I would be called to the car dealership mid morning, I opted to not go.... They were picking Blackberries at a local farm outside of town as the activity.... Some rough and tough motorcycle activity, wouldn't you know...... LOL
Retired Rod
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Cleaning and fixing on the cars....
Where did these last few days go to?? Its been somewhat cool here and Wednesday and Thursday were rainy again... Good thing I did that big bike ride on Tuesday....
Lets see..... Thursday I went out to the garage and realized that the bike was literally covered in smashed bugs.... Wish there was a carwash for motorcycles..... Had to drag out the hose and the power washer to spray off those pesky mushy remains of winged creatures.... And a bucket with a bug sponge too.... Lots of soap and suds...
It seems to take longer to wash all the surfaces on the cycle than it does to wash a car.... And then as I was finishing up the clouds opened up and we had a downpour...
I rolled into the garage in the nick of time.....
Later that night after it was dry again, I rode over into DeSoto, Ks to go to a Gold Wing Club meeting.... I had never been to this before, and it was interesting... But this club has projects and officers and such.... I did pay my dues to the national club, and it seems that covers the whole thing...
But then I found out they have a 50-50 raffle at every club meeting.... So your really donating to the local dues when you participate in that.....
I did have the biggest tenderloin dinner that I had ever seen that night... Had to cut the thing into halves and bring one of them home.... It was quite good, but.......!
Today I was getting one of the cars worked on at the car dealership... Had to be there at 9 AM.... And of course the car quit displaying the problem right before I pulled into the garage... Really Mr repairman, it used to be doing this wrong thing......!
But now days, they have computers, and the error codes were stored right in its memory..... They called about noon and knew exactly what shenanigans it had been up to...
Its a problem with the headlights, which are computer controlled.. A control module is bad..... Luckily I have an extended warranty... And its covered.....
But late in the day, I also learned that the entire car has to have its computer reprogrammed... So they were keeping it overnight.... But they had provided me with a loaner car to drive in the mean time, and all I have to pay for is gas...
So then right after I learned this, I was reading my email and found a notice from Ford that our SUV needs its computer reprogrammed.... Two in one day? Now Ford doesn't do this for you.... They expect you to do it......! This is part of their Sync system... with programs written by Microsoft..
You get out an empty USB memory stick and plug it into your computer.... And of course, it didn't want to work on the Linux operating system machine... Remember it is by Microsoft... Have to use a Microsoft computer... I don't have a Mac to see if it would have worked there, so I can't vouch for that..
So on the PC, I went to the appropriate web site and downloaded the update... And it was a gigantic file too.... It appeared that the download was verified by the down loader for accuracy as well..
Once out in the car, I plugged in the USB memory stick with the engine running.... And then I sat there for about 30 minutes while it went thru the update routine... It rebooted about 4 times before I lost count, but eventually it said it was done... This rebooting process is frightening, as the whole screen goes completely dark for the longest time......
And now my phone is no longer paired with the bluetooth, but the radio presets are still there.... I didn't check about the GPS waypoints, but last time all this stuff was wiped...
Anyway, your not done yet as you have to bring the memory stick back inside and plug it into the computer again... Evidently the car writes some information about the completion on the stick....
So you go back to the Ford web site and read this back to them over the internet.... I had about an hours time in the whole thing.... But, it would take me more than a hour to line up a service appointment and deliver the car.... And then go get it again.. So I have just gone with the flow about Ford's software updates..
But please understand that newer cars now days have computers that rival any laptop... And they need these reprogramming sessions right along too....
I didn't even try to re pair my phone... That will be for a later date, when I have forgotten the stress of today's session....
Perhaps it is just me, but I worry that the thing will jump the track because of me, not understanding something and doing it in the wrong sequence... And if I mess the whole thing up, will the car still run after the Sync screen goes completely dark..? Will it get me back to the dealers anyway? Today was Friday afternoon, will I be without my car for the weekend or longer if it goes haywire...? I can't help but wonder if Ford has ever thought of these customer worries.....!
I didn't know what I was going to write about when I started this entry, and now it seems I have written a book.... I'll see ya next time....
Retired Rod
Lets see..... Thursday I went out to the garage and realized that the bike was literally covered in smashed bugs.... Wish there was a carwash for motorcycles..... Had to drag out the hose and the power washer to spray off those pesky mushy remains of winged creatures.... And a bucket with a bug sponge too.... Lots of soap and suds...
It seems to take longer to wash all the surfaces on the cycle than it does to wash a car.... And then as I was finishing up the clouds opened up and we had a downpour...
I rolled into the garage in the nick of time.....
Later that night after it was dry again, I rode over into DeSoto, Ks to go to a Gold Wing Club meeting.... I had never been to this before, and it was interesting... But this club has projects and officers and such.... I did pay my dues to the national club, and it seems that covers the whole thing...
But then I found out they have a 50-50 raffle at every club meeting.... So your really donating to the local dues when you participate in that.....
I did have the biggest tenderloin dinner that I had ever seen that night... Had to cut the thing into halves and bring one of them home.... It was quite good, but.......!
Today I was getting one of the cars worked on at the car dealership... Had to be there at 9 AM.... And of course the car quit displaying the problem right before I pulled into the garage... Really Mr repairman, it used to be doing this wrong thing......!
But now days, they have computers, and the error codes were stored right in its memory..... They called about noon and knew exactly what shenanigans it had been up to...
Its a problem with the headlights, which are computer controlled.. A control module is bad..... Luckily I have an extended warranty... And its covered.....
But late in the day, I also learned that the entire car has to have its computer reprogrammed... So they were keeping it overnight.... But they had provided me with a loaner car to drive in the mean time, and all I have to pay for is gas...
So then right after I learned this, I was reading my email and found a notice from Ford that our SUV needs its computer reprogrammed.... Two in one day? Now Ford doesn't do this for you.... They expect you to do it......! This is part of their Sync system... with programs written by Microsoft..
You get out an empty USB memory stick and plug it into your computer.... And of course, it didn't want to work on the Linux operating system machine... Remember it is by Microsoft... Have to use a Microsoft computer... I don't have a Mac to see if it would have worked there, so I can't vouch for that..
So on the PC, I went to the appropriate web site and downloaded the update... And it was a gigantic file too.... It appeared that the download was verified by the down loader for accuracy as well..
Once out in the car, I plugged in the USB memory stick with the engine running.... And then I sat there for about 30 minutes while it went thru the update routine... It rebooted about 4 times before I lost count, but eventually it said it was done... This rebooting process is frightening, as the whole screen goes completely dark for the longest time......
And now my phone is no longer paired with the bluetooth, but the radio presets are still there.... I didn't check about the GPS waypoints, but last time all this stuff was wiped...
Anyway, your not done yet as you have to bring the memory stick back inside and plug it into the computer again... Evidently the car writes some information about the completion on the stick....
So you go back to the Ford web site and read this back to them over the internet.... I had about an hours time in the whole thing.... But, it would take me more than a hour to line up a service appointment and deliver the car.... And then go get it again.. So I have just gone with the flow about Ford's software updates..
But please understand that newer cars now days have computers that rival any laptop... And they need these reprogramming sessions right along too....
I didn't even try to re pair my phone... That will be for a later date, when I have forgotten the stress of today's session....
Perhaps it is just me, but I worry that the thing will jump the track because of me, not understanding something and doing it in the wrong sequence... And if I mess the whole thing up, will the car still run after the Sync screen goes completely dark..? Will it get me back to the dealers anyway? Today was Friday afternoon, will I be without my car for the weekend or longer if it goes haywire...? I can't help but wonder if Ford has ever thought of these customer worries.....!
I didn't know what I was going to write about when I started this entry, and now it seems I have written a book.... I'll see ya next time....
Retired Rod
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Riding back and forth to the Lake of the Ozarks for the fun of it......?
Yesterday was Tuesday, and that meant motorcycle ride for lunch...
This is Jodi's Place....
The picture doesn't show the antique gas station that the building is attached to on the left.... It was remodeled as the kitchen...
And I thought I had made it without being in any of the pictures that were taken inside but no.....
But this picture of Roger and John has me facing away with the suspenders on behind John.....
Romeo web site has all the photos....
So while sitting there a further plan was hatched, to go ride on down to the lake place and pick up that lost suitcase.... And then return.... I know, we're nuts..
Anyway my friend Al is always looking for a way to ride farther than just the lunch..... Well...... it was farther anyway... about 155 miles each way....
We got home after 7:30 last night with many bugs smashed on the front of the old gold wing.....
And the blog was also a casualty last night as I just sat here recovering from the exposure of such a long ride..... That is a lot of outside at 70 miles an hour...
Retired Rod
The selected spot was Leeton, Missouri... This is exactly half way between our place in KC and at the Lake of the Ozarks.... So after returning to KC for the Gkids school session, it was right back down there for the lunch...
And then we determined that we had left a suitcase of clothes at the lake in our hurry to pack out Monday.... Ugh... How do these things happen....?
So I said it would just have to wait until we could return for Labor Day.... But, since Al and I were half way back down to the lake at lunch yesterday.......
The picture doesn't show the antique gas station that the building is attached to on the left.... It was remodeled as the kitchen...
And I thought I had made it without being in any of the pictures that were taken inside but no.....
But this picture of Roger and John has me facing away with the suspenders on behind John.....
Romeo web site has all the photos....
So while sitting there a further plan was hatched, to go ride on down to the lake place and pick up that lost suitcase.... And then return.... I know, we're nuts..
Anyway my friend Al is always looking for a way to ride farther than just the lunch..... Well...... it was farther anyway... about 155 miles each way....
We got home after 7:30 last night with many bugs smashed on the front of the old gold wing.....
And the blog was also a casualty last night as I just sat here recovering from the exposure of such a long ride..... That is a lot of outside at 70 miles an hour...
Retired Rod
Monday, August 12, 2013
Sneaking around......... and Peeking in....
Nothing much happening from the Lake here other than non stop playing with the girls.... They went swimming, and then Loyce took them shopping... Which included Dog Patch... Which is an arcade of games to suck up quarters....
We had home made pizza last night and sat out on the deck looking at the lake as it became dark.....
Today it is raining, and that is OK as we have to go back to KC this afternoon for a school function late in the day... They called it Sneak Peek..... What? What does that mean?
What ever happened to good old names for things like Open House....... See that's why I am the grandpa here.... I just don't understand modern times..... Sneak Peek??????
We're not sneaking anywhere, and I plan to do more than peek too..... Yep, getting old here...
Retired Rod
We had home made pizza last night and sat out on the deck looking at the lake as it became dark.....
Today it is raining, and that is OK as we have to go back to KC this afternoon for a school function late in the day... They called it Sneak Peek..... What? What does that mean?
What ever happened to good old names for things like Open House....... See that's why I am the grandpa here.... I just don't understand modern times..... Sneak Peek??????
We're not sneaking anywhere, and I plan to do more than peek too..... Yep, getting old here...
Retired Rod
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Returning to the Lake..
We managed to kidnap two of the grand daughters this afteroon, once I made hay out of the grass in our yard....
It was quite long after only a week, but I'm not certain there was a day when it didn't rain.. The yard was flooded with water under my wheels on the yard tractor as I splashed my way around the property...
Once that was over, we packed for the lake, as all that rain has caused some gigantic quantities of water to come down the Osage River, which is damed up to make this lake... The dam was closed in 1931so it is really old....
They wisely opened up all the spillway doors and let the water go right on over the dam... I'm not sure if there was ever any risk, but it wouldn't be good to wash out this facility... It wouldn't be feasable to rebuild this again, as there isn't enough generating capacity on this lake to warrent the cost....
Once we arrived here tonight, we headed for our favorite bar be cue of Bandana's... The kids are really big eaters now that they are older, and they demolished the big kids meals in short order..
I'm not sure what the plans are for tomorrow, but I'm certain I will be called upon to taxi drive something.....LOL
Retired Rod
It was quite long after only a week, but I'm not certain there was a day when it didn't rain.. The yard was flooded with water under my wheels on the yard tractor as I splashed my way around the property...
Once that was over, we packed for the lake, as all that rain has caused some gigantic quantities of water to come down the Osage River, which is damed up to make this lake... The dam was closed in 1931so it is really old....
They wisely opened up all the spillway doors and let the water go right on over the dam... I'm not sure if there was ever any risk, but it wouldn't be good to wash out this facility... It wouldn't be feasable to rebuild this again, as there isn't enough generating capacity on this lake to warrent the cost....
Once we arrived here tonight, we headed for our favorite bar be cue of Bandana's... The kids are really big eaters now that they are older, and they demolished the big kids meals in short order..
I'm not sure what the plans are for tomorrow, but I'm certain I will be called upon to taxi drive something.....LOL
Retired Rod
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Ema sings Taylor Swift....
The day was almost rain all day long..... We would go out do do something and get chased back inside... Our yard is very long because of all of this moisture, but it has only been 6 days since Ben and Caden cut it last Saturday...
The grand kids were over here this afternoon, and Caden suggested we go mow it again.... But it was just too wet... We would have had grass ball soup....
But tonight, we went to the presentation put on by a Taylor Swift music camp.. Our grand daughter Ema has been going all week as they learned some new songs and got ready for the stage presentation...
I tried to take some pictures, but they declared no Flash! And the kids were taught a lot of choreograph dance to go with the singing... And, that just made for blurrrrrrrrr... Ema did a solo on one song with four other girls each taking a verse...
They didn't have to do the whole song solo, but each had a couple of lines before handing it off to the next gal.... There was even one boy that was brave enough to join all the girls... He had a couple of songs where he sang opposite different girls.... But unfortunately they had his mic turned up too loud and he had a stronger voice than the gals too....
But it was cute beyond words... We were glad we attended... And we all went to a hand made ice cream place for waffle cones afterwards....
This grandpa gig sometimes is quite fun..... LOL
Retired Rod
The grand kids were over here this afternoon, and Caden suggested we go mow it again.... But it was just too wet... We would have had grass ball soup....
But tonight, we went to the presentation put on by a Taylor Swift music camp.. Our grand daughter Ema has been going all week as they learned some new songs and got ready for the stage presentation...
I tried to take some pictures, but they declared no Flash! And the kids were taught a lot of choreograph dance to go with the singing... And, that just made for blurrrrrrrrr... Ema did a solo on one song with four other girls each taking a verse...
They didn't have to do the whole song solo, but each had a couple of lines before handing it off to the next gal.... There was even one boy that was brave enough to join all the girls... He had a couple of songs where he sang opposite different girls.... But unfortunately they had his mic turned up too loud and he had a stronger voice than the gals too....
But it was cute beyond words... We were glad we attended... And we all went to a hand made ice cream place for waffle cones afterwards....
This grandpa gig sometimes is quite fun..... LOL
Retired Rod
Friday, August 9, 2013
Gray again......
We seem to be stringing several gray overcast rainy days together here in KC... Keeps the motorcycle parked and the cars in the garage.... So with no excitement, we turn to the computers and our latest reading...
So rather than bore you with a post about nothing, we'll catch you when something happens..... LOL
Retired Rod
So rather than bore you with a post about nothing, we'll catch you when something happens..... LOL
Retired Rod
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Cheddar's for a burger
We spent the day taking my riding partner's scooter to the dealer for an oil change and service... It was raining heavily in the morning so we had to wait for that to pass on thru...
And since we would be leaving his ride, I took the car... I ride two up with the grandson at times, but two adult male riders on a bike that already weighs in at a 1000 pounds, isn't safe with me as the rider...
When we arrived, we learned that they would just start right away, and it would be done by early afternoon...
So that is when we ended up at Cheddar's for their big half pound burger.... With cheese of course and a couple of strips of bacon.... But we shared one order of fries...
I'm not sure where the day went to, but he now has fresh service and we tag teamed across town over to the far side of KC in Missouri...
And tonight they say it will again storm during the night.... We've had that almost every night since we came back to KC....
Oh, by the way, I fixed the states traveled map on the side bar to include Michigan and Wisconsin.... These states are the ones we have RVed in during this most current ownership of camping vehicles... I didn't count the various trailers and motorhomes we had years ago.... So since 2007 these are the states we have traveled thru...
As an auditor for the CPA firm, we routinely worked in Minnesota and North Dakota, so I have traveled there but in a business suit and tie...
As the bookkeeper for the grain company, we had offices in Georgia and South Carolina but since that wasn't with the RV I haven't colored in those states either...
Uncle Sam took me to Alaska, and we have been to Hawaii for both business and pleasure too, but that doesn't count for the RV either...
About the only state I know for sure we haven't been in for any reason is Maine... But maybe that could be an opportunity!!!
Retired Rod
And since we would be leaving his ride, I took the car... I ride two up with the grandson at times, but two adult male riders on a bike that already weighs in at a 1000 pounds, isn't safe with me as the rider...
When we arrived, we learned that they would just start right away, and it would be done by early afternoon...
So that is when we ended up at Cheddar's for their big half pound burger.... With cheese of course and a couple of strips of bacon.... But we shared one order of fries...
I'm not sure where the day went to, but he now has fresh service and we tag teamed across town over to the far side of KC in Missouri...
And tonight they say it will again storm during the night.... We've had that almost every night since we came back to KC....
Oh, by the way, I fixed the states traveled map on the side bar to include Michigan and Wisconsin.... These states are the ones we have RVed in during this most current ownership of camping vehicles... I didn't count the various trailers and motorhomes we had years ago.... So since 2007 these are the states we have traveled thru...
As an auditor for the CPA firm, we routinely worked in Minnesota and North Dakota, so I have traveled there but in a business suit and tie...
As the bookkeeper for the grain company, we had offices in Georgia and South Carolina but since that wasn't with the RV I haven't colored in those states either...
Uncle Sam took me to Alaska, and we have been to Hawaii for both business and pleasure too, but that doesn't count for the RV either...
About the only state I know for sure we haven't been in for any reason is Maine... But maybe that could be an opportunity!!!
Retired Rod
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Back in the Groove.. And Mackinac horses....
Lunch today was at Gower. Missouri... That is about 15 miles South of St Joseph on Highway US 169.. We were here last year, but had a bigger crowd today...
Gower is point B on this map.... It was 66 miles up there, but that didn't seem like a nice enough ride, so we took a longer way home... Out thru Atcheson and then down to Lawrence... About 195 miles in all....
This town is quite small, and main street is several blocks from the highway, so it would normally be very quiet... That is until 60 or more motorcycles show up..... Don't look at me, my honda barely makes any noise...
I'm the guy in the lower left with the dark green shirt on... With my back to the camera.... My best side, LOL
As we usually do, we went on to the McDonalds restaurant in Atcheson for a cup of coffee.. I usually get diet soda, as the coffee is quite hard on the GERD syndrome... And yes I know that its bad for me.... We were there for a long time, as their AC was much better than the little restaurant in Gower..
Map letter D is De Soto, Ks where Grandpa's Old Ford Garage is located from the post we did from last fall......
Changing the subject, Brenda from up North in Canada, commented that I shouldn't be scared of a little horse poop.... And I'm not, but!!!
Perhaps a few facts should be provided to put things in perspective.... They said there were 550 draft horses on the island of Mackinac... And something like 350 people live out there... So there are more horses than people....
All of these horses live in an area of about the South two or three square miles of the island... And these horses aren't like the smaller horses we keep as personal riding animals.... They are Draft horses, like Percherons and Belgians... Each weighing around 2,000 pounds...
Our driver said that his horses eat a bale of hay and a five gallon pail of oats every day.... And what goes in must come back out...........! Times 550, in two square miles..... See, that is more than a "Little" horse poop... There were men and wagons running around whose full time job it was to shovel up the evidence....
Our three horse team that pulled us up the hill into the wooded area of the island were large Belgians, who the driver claimed were in excess of 20 hands high... That's almost 7 feet at the lowest part of the mane.. called the withers... Each weighing in at 2,300 pounds..
I walked up to the front of this team, and the tallest horse's nose was above my forehead...
The driver joked with us that this big fellow had a problem lately, in that he had bad diarrhea.... That made the people in the front two rows of the wagon seats jump for the exits........
Retired Rod
Gower is point B on this map.... It was 66 miles up there, but that didn't seem like a nice enough ride, so we took a longer way home... Out thru Atcheson and then down to Lawrence... About 195 miles in all....
This town is quite small, and main street is several blocks from the highway, so it would normally be very quiet... That is until 60 or more motorcycles show up..... Don't look at me, my honda barely makes any noise...
I'm the guy in the lower left with the dark green shirt on... With my back to the camera.... My best side, LOL
As we usually do, we went on to the McDonalds restaurant in Atcheson for a cup of coffee.. I usually get diet soda, as the coffee is quite hard on the GERD syndrome... And yes I know that its bad for me.... We were there for a long time, as their AC was much better than the little restaurant in Gower..
Map letter D is De Soto, Ks where Grandpa's Old Ford Garage is located from the post we did from last fall......
Changing the subject, Brenda from up North in Canada, commented that I shouldn't be scared of a little horse poop.... And I'm not, but!!!
Perhaps a few facts should be provided to put things in perspective.... They said there were 550 draft horses on the island of Mackinac... And something like 350 people live out there... So there are more horses than people....
All of these horses live in an area of about the South two or three square miles of the island... And these horses aren't like the smaller horses we keep as personal riding animals.... They are Draft horses, like Percherons and Belgians... Each weighing around 2,000 pounds...
Our driver said that his horses eat a bale of hay and a five gallon pail of oats every day.... And what goes in must come back out...........! Times 550, in two square miles..... See, that is more than a "Little" horse poop... There were men and wagons running around whose full time job it was to shovel up the evidence....
Our three horse team that pulled us up the hill into the wooded area of the island were large Belgians, who the driver claimed were in excess of 20 hands high... That's almost 7 feet at the lowest part of the mane.. called the withers... Each weighing in at 2,300 pounds..
I walked up to the front of this team, and the tallest horse's nose was above my forehead...
The driver joked with us that this big fellow had a problem lately, in that he had bad diarrhea.... That made the people in the front two rows of the wagon seats jump for the exits........
Retired Rod
Monday, August 5, 2013
Thinking about the trip...
For all you folks that suggest we move from Honey Bear Lane here in Overland Park, you just have to understand..... I am the RVer in the family and Loyce goes along, as long as we get to come home fairly quickly...
She Looooves her house here in OP, so moving won't be an option..... unless its by myself... So that's not even an option....
With that explained, it was an absolute dismal day here in OP today.... Dawned overcast and rainy and didn't let up all day... Gray and dank... And a look at the weather forecast is for more of the same almost every day next week.... I think I'll go buy a new rain suit for riding the bike...
Mid afternoon, I jumped in the SUV and drove over to the storage lot to retrieve a list of stuff that I (we) forgot to do.... Like throw out the now melted ice cubes in the fridge... It was a big bucket of water and was drawing moisture and making everything wet inside....
I had left the doors open to the fridge last night, but it was very dark by then so I never saw the cubes.... I reached up and turned off the switch and left.... And we forgot the cupboard above the TV... Cereal, chips and crackers.. Stuff like that... Mouse food, if left in there....
And my shoes that I ride the bikes with..... How do you forget your shoes....?
I was quite tired last night after three days and the Upper Michigan to KC drive... It turned out to be about a 1000 miles from the Soo area back here thru the UP...
I enjoyed this trip a great deal.... I think Loyce did too... It was her idea in the first place.... Two of her sisters had gone last year, so I think that played into the sales pitch a great deal...
I added the Shipshewana, Indiana stop thinking the Amish stores would be fun... But didn't understand that the big flea market was only on Tuesday... I assumed it would be later in the week... But then I don't think like the Amish folks.... Still, we got to do some of the regular stores there and then the RV museum in Elkhart...
The time in the KOA at Petosky, Mi was very enjoyable... A president's award KOA, had almost everything a campground would need, paved and clean... But it might not be for some folks that want an all outdoor experience like a COE park provides... Still they allowed camp fires and many folks just have to burn up several bundles of wood each night at $6.50 a pop..
And, if your worried about kids, this place had tons of those wild animals... and may not be for you. But still it was very pleasant.... Well managed and comfortable... And the pool and playground was a couple of blocks over.... They had a long term resident loop that was away from the main campground.. These sites rented by the month or year and had numerous park models on them... Fifth wheels sprinkled in mostly had wheel covers on them, and it might have been a rule..
We were talking about Mackinac Island as we drove home, reflecting on the experience out there.... First, I smelled horse poop for the next three days... It's everywhere...! And you can't walk around or ride a bike without getting it on you... It rained the day after we were there, and we could only imagine road apple run off...... I finally decided it was still on my shoes when we were up in the Soo park. I went and washed them at a laundry tub in the bath house... That helped...
But even with the poop, it is a very laid back experience to ride along at three miles an hour... Clip clop, clip clop........ The island is hilly and they rested the animals every little bit... But the drivers didn't rest... they talked on and on...
Our driver that took us out into the wooded part of the trails, knew a lot of the history and never stopped... It was quite interesting and I would have been complaining if he had not told us all of that... But I was glad when the final ride down the hill to town had a driver that just taxied us back....
Of course the in town experience was fudge shops and more fudge shops..... Did I mention T shirts..... and fudge shops..... Loyce went into a flag and what knot shop..... I was bored and sat outside in the street... That's when I got the picture of the UPS guy with his horse cart delivery....
Of course I wanted to rent a Honda 50 scooter.... But even that has a motor which is banned... People would probably run into each other, or hit a horse or something.....
So if you go, take plenty of money, and remember.... Do Not step in Yellow Puddles!!!!!
Retired Rod
She Looooves her house here in OP, so moving won't be an option..... unless its by myself... So that's not even an option....
With that explained, it was an absolute dismal day here in OP today.... Dawned overcast and rainy and didn't let up all day... Gray and dank... And a look at the weather forecast is for more of the same almost every day next week.... I think I'll go buy a new rain suit for riding the bike...
Mid afternoon, I jumped in the SUV and drove over to the storage lot to retrieve a list of stuff that I (we) forgot to do.... Like throw out the now melted ice cubes in the fridge... It was a big bucket of water and was drawing moisture and making everything wet inside....
I had left the doors open to the fridge last night, but it was very dark by then so I never saw the cubes.... I reached up and turned off the switch and left.... And we forgot the cupboard above the TV... Cereal, chips and crackers.. Stuff like that... Mouse food, if left in there....
And my shoes that I ride the bikes with..... How do you forget your shoes....?
I was quite tired last night after three days and the Upper Michigan to KC drive... It turned out to be about a 1000 miles from the Soo area back here thru the UP...
I enjoyed this trip a great deal.... I think Loyce did too... It was her idea in the first place.... Two of her sisters had gone last year, so I think that played into the sales pitch a great deal...
I added the Shipshewana, Indiana stop thinking the Amish stores would be fun... But didn't understand that the big flea market was only on Tuesday... I assumed it would be later in the week... But then I don't think like the Amish folks.... Still, we got to do some of the regular stores there and then the RV museum in Elkhart...
The time in the KOA at Petosky, Mi was very enjoyable... A president's award KOA, had almost everything a campground would need, paved and clean... But it might not be for some folks that want an all outdoor experience like a COE park provides... Still they allowed camp fires and many folks just have to burn up several bundles of wood each night at $6.50 a pop..
And, if your worried about kids, this place had tons of those wild animals... and may not be for you. But still it was very pleasant.... Well managed and comfortable... And the pool and playground was a couple of blocks over.... They had a long term resident loop that was away from the main campground.. These sites rented by the month or year and had numerous park models on them... Fifth wheels sprinkled in mostly had wheel covers on them, and it might have been a rule..
We were talking about Mackinac Island as we drove home, reflecting on the experience out there.... First, I smelled horse poop for the next three days... It's everywhere...! And you can't walk around or ride a bike without getting it on you... It rained the day after we were there, and we could only imagine road apple run off...... I finally decided it was still on my shoes when we were up in the Soo park. I went and washed them at a laundry tub in the bath house... That helped...
But even with the poop, it is a very laid back experience to ride along at three miles an hour... Clip clop, clip clop........ The island is hilly and they rested the animals every little bit... But the drivers didn't rest... they talked on and on...
Our driver that took us out into the wooded part of the trails, knew a lot of the history and never stopped... It was quite interesting and I would have been complaining if he had not told us all of that... But I was glad when the final ride down the hill to town had a driver that just taxied us back....
Of course the in town experience was fudge shops and more fudge shops..... Did I mention T shirts..... and fudge shops..... Loyce went into a flag and what knot shop..... I was bored and sat outside in the street... That's when I got the picture of the UPS guy with his horse cart delivery....
Of course I wanted to rent a Honda 50 scooter.... But even that has a motor which is banned... People would probably run into each other, or hit a horse or something.....
So if you go, take plenty of money, and remember.... Do Not step in Yellow Puddles!!!!!
Retired Rod
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Stuffy Overland Park
It was under 350 miles to get home, and you know how it is when you are close enough to make it in one day.... You go for it...
At first we thought we might hold up in Northern Missouri and clean things up a bit, but when we were that close, we just pulled into a roadside park and used the dump station before hitting the KC metro area...
We don't seem to have many good RV parks in this area, so finding a Dump Station around town is a challenge... But right at the Iowa line is the last rest stop as you are leaving... or the first as you are entering Iowa... It has a fairly nice pull thru...
Of course we had to load everything out of the MH and take it over to storage tonight right as is was getting dark.... Its such a bummer that we can't keep the rig here for a couple of days to clean it and put it to bed... The problem is that we can't open up the slides in the street out front... And therefore you can't do much in the way of work inside... Also washing the rig in the street seems to make the neighbors upset...
And we got a big long email from the HOA about having vacation toys in our driveways.... No boats, trailers, motorhomes... Not over night.... This place is stuffy.....
Retired Rod
At first we thought we might hold up in Northern Missouri and clean things up a bit, but when we were that close, we just pulled into a roadside park and used the dump station before hitting the KC metro area...
We don't seem to have many good RV parks in this area, so finding a Dump Station around town is a challenge... But right at the Iowa line is the last rest stop as you are leaving... or the first as you are entering Iowa... It has a fairly nice pull thru...
Of course we had to load everything out of the MH and take it over to storage tonight right as is was getting dark.... Its such a bummer that we can't keep the rig here for a couple of days to clean it and put it to bed... The problem is that we can't open up the slides in the street out front... And therefore you can't do much in the way of work inside... Also washing the rig in the street seems to make the neighbors upset...
And we got a big long email from the HOA about having vacation toys in our driveways.... No boats, trailers, motorhomes... Not over night.... This place is stuffy.....
Retired Rod
Friday, August 2, 2013
North Liberty, Iowa
Rolling down that highway.... putting the miles behind us... We left our site in the KOA at about 10:30 but had a tank full of gray water....
The dump was right in front of the main office, going the wrong way.... And pulling the CRV there was no way to turn around... Trees and no thru streets made it impossible without backing up...
I finally drove up the maintenance shed road and made a big swinging turn on the grass where they parked over flow campers... No one stopped me or said anything....
Once drained, again there was no way to turn around without going back to our site in the back and driving thru it to get back on the out road..... Whew.... All of these roads were gravel, and we were kicking up white dust all over the car....
So getting back on the road took about an hour after we left the site the first time.... We drove to Madison, stopping along the divided almost freeway like road for fuel at a truck stop...
Madison was a jamb of cars, stop and go... Turning from divided highway 12 to highway 151 caused us to sit in a dead stop hold up for 10 minutes.... But eventually we were rolling again...
We crossed the Mississippi river into Dubuque and again ran headlong into traffic trying to negotiate construction headed South along the river... They still had the traffic lights running even though there was no way for side traffic to come thru.....
Anyway we ended up here in North Liberty, Iowa.... A bedroom town North of Iowa City... Where I graduated from college.... Funny enough, we had a trailer house here in North Liberty when we lived here....
But the town is nothing like when we lived here before.... Everything is brand spanking new... The place is ten times the size it was, and hustle bussle is the new normal... It used to be a sleepy little berg where the traffic just zoomed on by.... Now that old highway is a county road and a new interstate carries the traffic to Cedar Rapids...
I knew that this RV park was here, but have never stayed here before.... Its only about 2 miles away from where our old trailer was parked.... But it wasn't here back then... That was 40 years ago...
After all day on the road we didn't even unhook the car to go into town..... And I doubt we will..... College alma mater and all....
Retired Rod
The dump was right in front of the main office, going the wrong way.... And pulling the CRV there was no way to turn around... Trees and no thru streets made it impossible without backing up...
I finally drove up the maintenance shed road and made a big swinging turn on the grass where they parked over flow campers... No one stopped me or said anything....
Once drained, again there was no way to turn around without going back to our site in the back and driving thru it to get back on the out road..... Whew.... All of these roads were gravel, and we were kicking up white dust all over the car....
So getting back on the road took about an hour after we left the site the first time.... We drove to Madison, stopping along the divided almost freeway like road for fuel at a truck stop...
Madison was a jamb of cars, stop and go... Turning from divided highway 12 to highway 151 caused us to sit in a dead stop hold up for 10 minutes.... But eventually we were rolling again...
We crossed the Mississippi river into Dubuque and again ran headlong into traffic trying to negotiate construction headed South along the river... They still had the traffic lights running even though there was no way for side traffic to come thru.....
Anyway we ended up here in North Liberty, Iowa.... A bedroom town North of Iowa City... Where I graduated from college.... Funny enough, we had a trailer house here in North Liberty when we lived here....
But the town is nothing like when we lived here before.... Everything is brand spanking new... The place is ten times the size it was, and hustle bussle is the new normal... It used to be a sleepy little berg where the traffic just zoomed on by.... Now that old highway is a county road and a new interstate carries the traffic to Cedar Rapids...
I knew that this RV park was here, but have never stayed here before.... Its only about 2 miles away from where our old trailer was parked.... But it wasn't here back then... That was 40 years ago...
After all day on the road we didn't even unhook the car to go into town..... And I doubt we will..... College alma mater and all....
Retired Rod
Fond Du Lac, Wi
We made it to this KOA South of Fond Du Lac today.. Where for $47 we have Water and electric on the most unlevel site imaginable. The voltage is too low to use the surge peotector and I may not get this little post uploaded.. With either Verizon or the park wifi..
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