Kentucky, 2012

ClydesdaleKevin · June 13, 2012, 06:41 PM

Got distracted at a huge thrift mall with lots of antiques in a town called LaGrange, so a lot of my projects didn't get done...but I found a couple of neat treasures! For those days when we have quiet tea by ourselves with no visitors, and are drinking right from the kettle as it were, I found an awesome plain white china cup with a gold rim for Patti, a matching MUSTACHE cup for me, with matching saucers, for a whopping 3 dollars...and the cups are mug size for a real cup of tea...LOL! I found Patti a little stuffed Tweety Bird dressed as Robin Hood, new with tags, for another 2 bucks (she loves Tweety), and a VERY high end set of poultry shears made in Germany for another few bucks. The ones that came with our Wolfgang Puck set sucketh.

I found Patti some Boylan's Creamy Red Birch Beer at a local market, her favorite. They only had 4 bottles, so I ordered 2 cases for her...lol!

Then I got the vinegar and whatnot at Wallyworld, came home and poured it in, and had tea with Patti on the porch with our new cups.

The new thermostat and ECO came in for the hot water heater this afternoon, so by tomorrow afternoon, the water heater should be back to new!

So besides my 30 minute workout today on the Nordic Track, that was what I accomplished today...it was a very good day!

Pretty soon I'm taking Patti out to dinner at a local restaurant called Scriber's Station...should be yummy!

Down to 235 lbs now, between the Atkins and the morning PT...That is very close to 30 lbs so far! At least 35 more to go!

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · June 15, 2012, 08:45 AM

So the hot water heater is all fixed! Flushing it out with the vinegar and replacing the ECO and thermostat switches did the trick.

I also got the BBQ grill mount all reenforced yesterday as well, with oak supports behind the sheetmetal. Good thing I have some woodworking skills though...there wasn't a straight angle behind the sheetmetal anywhere, and it took some creativity to do the job right and tight. I used all stainless hardware.

Then I took Patti out to the movies and dinner. We were invited to a special early screening of Disney's Pixar movie, Brave...and it was a very good film! Then we had dinner at a restaurant nearby.

All in all, it was a productive and fun day!

So this morning its another 30 minutes on the Nordic Track for my morning PT, then I have to finish building 4 ballistas. It won't be a long day at all, and if I have time, I'll do my weekly maintenance on the Nordic Track...basically just oiling the bearings with 3 in 1 oil, and wiping the wooden parts down with Old English.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · June 16, 2012, 07:39 AM

So the first thing I did yesterday was jump on the Nordic Track, of course. Then after breakfast and a shower, I decided to go ahead and do a very thorough maintenance of the machine. Had to unbolt the side boards to get to the roller bearings for oiling, but it was easy, and allowed me to get all the wooden parts very thoroughly with Old English. Even wiped down all the metal parts...took a while, but now that its done once very thoroughly, future maintenance will be a fast wipe down once a week with Old English, and a monthly oiling of the bearings.

The ballistas went quick, and I had them done and stained by 4pm.

Then went to the store and got marshmallows, snack bags, and dinner stuff.

Hopefully today and tomorrow will be a lot busier at faire than last weekend! Last weekend was pathetic.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · June 17, 2012, 07:53 AM

So yesterday was a craptastic day...a "passing" thunderstorm decided to just stop and stall right over the faire...for over 4 hours! I thought I was going to have to build an ark!

Then the sun came out around 2PM, but by then it was too late for a lot of patrons to come in through the gate, even though it was a "Father's Free" weekend with the purchase of a kid ticket. Today its more previously unpredicted thunderstorms, apparently all day...so this weekend is pretty much a wash...

Ah well....looks like I'll have lots of time to work on the RV this week!

Tuesday we are going to the Shelby County Faire with some of our friends, and are going to watch the antique tractor pull...lol! When in redneckville, do as the rednecks do, eh?

Then on Thursday we are going up to Louisville to the Good Sam Rally, a huge RV show and event...should be fun!

Kev

HandyDan · June 17, 2012, 12:54 PM

Sorry about the crappy weather. We could sure use the rain around here. The rain gets within a couple of counties of us then just disintegrates. Tractor pulls are fun! I go every year to the tractor pulls at the state fair in Missouri. They had a 7 year old kid driving one. I have never been to a rally but would love to go to one. They had one at Sedalia, MO (site of the State Fair) last year but I couldn't make it due to other obligations. Hope you have a great time. Love reading your posts. Keep them coming.

ClydesdaleKevin · June 18, 2012, 08:58 AM

Gonna be a busy and fun week! Today we are going to antique stores and thrift stores, tomorrow the county fair and tractor pull, Wednesday night its dinner at an old friend of Patti's house, Thursday its the Good Sam RV show in Louisville, and sometime this week I'll have to find time to build 50 catapults...but that will be easy, since all the parts are already cut out for them.

After coffee this morning, I'm hopping on the Nordic Track for 30 minutes and raising the setting to setting 3...then a shower of course, since its already bloody humid outside. Then off we go into town for breakfast and antiquing...yay!

Kev

RedneckExpress · June 18, 2012, 04:06 PM

Quote from: ClydesdaleKevin on June 17, 2012, 07:53 AM
When in redneckville, do as the rednecks do, eh?

Best way to find the real fun in an area is to follow the Rednecks

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DaveVA78Chieftain · June 18, 2012, 05:00 PM

Play, Play Play.

Hm? And here I thought this was a working adventure thread. :)rotflmao

Dave

RedneckExpress · June 18, 2012, 06:00 PM

Wasn't there something said about if you love you work you'll never work a day in your life? :p.

ClydesdaleKevin · June 19, 2012, 10:32 AM

Exactly! And it suits me well...I'm a burst worker by nature...give me a project, and I'll bust my hump until its done, no matter how hard the project or how long it takes. And I'll love every minute of it, provided I also get lots of time off for fun and play...lol!

So it seems that a hive of some sort of nasty black wasp has moved in somewhere under the RV. They have white tipped butts and hind legs...and are aggressive as heck!

And they are smart and elusive as well! I can't figure out where they live, since every time I grab the can of hornet spray, they dissappear! As soon as I get busy doing something else, like working out or cooking on the grill, they come back in force divebombing me! I've only managed to kill 2 of the buggers!

I'm thinking of fogging under the RV if this keeps up, nasty creatures!

So today I'm going to try to kill as many as I can before the county fair this evening. Grrrrrrr...at this rate, I might have to put the screenhouse up just to have a safe haven to work out in without getting stung!

Kev

HandyDan · June 19, 2012, 11:04 AM

So what would medieval people do to fend off the pests? You could summon King Arthur and his merry men to ferret the little buggers out and dash them to their end. Wait, that should have been Robin Hood. Maybe the Pied Piper could lead them out like he did the rats, or was that snakes? I have such a hard time with history!

ClydesdaleKevin · June 19, 2012, 12:38 PM

LOL Dan! Apparently just keeping the can of Raid within reach while I used the Nordic Track did the trick and they stayed away from me the whole time. But I did manage to observe them while working out, and it seems that the new nest is under the rig, right under the BBQ grill mount I reenforced last week...good thing I did the project when I did!

I'll still have to eradicate them though...gotta change the transmission fluid and filter next week, and its right near where they are flying in and out...hmmmmm...

I put a 3/4x2x4 piece of plywood under the Nordic Track today, and it made all the difference in the world with stability and level of the machine...sweet! Its just big enough so all 4 rubber feet fit securely on its surface, instead of sinking into the porch mat and soft ground underneith.

Gonna run to the hardware store for a 3/8 round router bit, then stop at some thrift stores, then put on the cowboy boots, jeans, and Stetson and blend in with the locals at the tractor pull.... :)rotflmao

Kev

HandyDan · June 19, 2012, 01:25 PM

Here it would be bib overalls and a John Deere cap. (I have a Ford tractor. The big boys don't even talk to me.)

JDxeper · June 19, 2012, 03:14 PM

Kev
I think the wasps would be hornets, so be alert they really sting.
JD

ClydesdaleKevin · June 20, 2012, 08:52 AM

So far the wasps/hornets seem more curious than aggressive, but I still can't have them living under the RV, especially since I have the trans fluid/filter project coming up, and its time to grease all the fittings too before our next trip. One of these evening really soon, I'm going to crawl under with a light and a can of hornet spray and see if I can find the nest and get rid of it.

We had fun at the tractor pull, then went to wallyworld and bought the new Sherlock Holmes, which is what we did last night...lol. Good movie!

Today, after the morning workout and shower, I have to drill out the catapult parts, sand them, and start assembly. Then this evening we are going to an old friend of Patti's house for dinner in Louisville.

Tomorrow is the Good Sam RV show in Louisville, which should be a blast! Not so much for the new RVs, but for the new RV gadgets they are always coming up with.

Kev

Froggy1936 · June 20, 2012, 10:46 AM

Be careful, Those buggers can be trouble Especially if you are on the ground . Make shure you have a couple cans of spray and test ea one to make shure they work . investigate after sunset when they are all inside and watch out for the falling wounded They fight to the death! Good Luck ! Frank

ClydesdaleKevin · June 20, 2012, 11:14 AM

Thanks Frank! My cat sleeps right under where they are nesting, and they don't bother him, but I'm not going to take any chances while working on the RV...they gotta go.

Slight change of plans for this evening...going to meet Patti's friends at a restaurant in Shelbyville, which to me is a better plan...not nearly as far as Louisville.

So for now I'm going to go get the small amount of materials we need for the catapults...hotter than hades today...then come home and work on small household projects until time to go.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · June 21, 2012, 08:59 AM

Dinner was fun...Patti's old friends are really nice folks. The restaurant had a lot to be desired though, Cattleman's. Had I been drinking soda, I guess I couldn't complain, since refills would have been free. But because I was drinking club soda, the idiots charged me 3 bucks a glass! Really? It comes from the same spout as the soda, without the syrup...yep, never eating there again!

So after my morning workout and whatnot, we are heading up to Louisville for the Good Sam Rally...its mostly indoors, which is a good thing, since its going to be in the 90s and humid again today.

I'm saving the catapults for tomorrow...and then next week I'm probably going to work on some indoor carpentry projects, like rebuilding my desk, reworking the cedar chest into a love seat of sorts, and installing the cabinet, plumbing, and electric for our eventual Splendide washer/dryer which we will hopefully purchase in New York this year.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · June 22, 2012, 09:14 AM

The RV Rally was fun! The nicest coaches there, in my opinion, were the new Winnebagos and Itascas...they have come a LONG way in design, cabinetry, and overall fit and finish.

But the really neat stuff was all the gadgets and new wingdings for RVs.

And we found the toilet we are going to buy when we get to New York! The Dometic 310, in bone color! Full ceramic bowl inside and out, and the way they designed the ball valve seal, you can replace it when it wears out without taking the toilet apart, or even off the closet flange! Awesome! And its only 150 bucks! Not only that, they sell a flange conversion kit for 50 bucks that allows you to use it on ANY flange, even ones set up for the Bravura style with the weird bolt offset. (Which, by the way, will allow you to convert the old style flange to any new toilet). Its definitely a winner in my book! Not only that, there isn't any hollow spot behind the toilet for dirt and dog hair and nasties to build up...its solid right to the floor with a foot pedal flush. Yep, we are definitely buying one in NY!

Lots of other neat gadget there too...from remote tire monitors, to a really neat trailer toad that also has a motorcycle carrier built onto the top of it (3500 bucks, but if you wanted to tow a car AND a Harley, its a pretty awesome design)...neat!

When we got home, I ran the dogs out in the field with a Chuckit ball thrower and the kind of balls the dogs can't pop...they slept like babies last night...lol!

So today after the Nordic Track and whatnot, I have to build 50 catapults to completion, then go out and get marshmallows and whatnot for the weekend. Then I'll run the pups again tonight...they really need the exercise!

Ah Kentucky...we don't make a lot of money here, but we have a lot of fun, and get a lot of stuff done!

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · June 23, 2012, 07:01 AM

It seems the wasp problem may have sorted itself out...we haven't seen a single one flying in and out from under the rig in a couple of days. It could be that they were just gathering mud and water from the puddle that was under the RV and has now dried out. Hmmmmmm....

I forgot to mention that at the RV show, there were 2 companies selling LED bulbs for florescent fixtures! Basically, they go right in where the florescent bulb would go...and then you rewire the fixture and bypass the ballast altogether. Estimated life of over 60k hours. And they come in bright white and a softer yellow as well. Prices ranged from 35 to 40 bucks a bulb though, for the larger bulbs like what we have in our ThinLites. We are definitely thinking about it though, especially for the 3 lights we use the most, especially the one right over the sink (we go through a LOT of bulbs!). We saved the business card, so if we buy a set, we'll let you all know how they perform.

So after my morning coffee and whatnot, I'm going to go set up the booth, come back and work out, shower, and get dressed in funny clothes...it should be a great day! 85 degrees, Steam Punk Weekend, and special guest performer Dr. Kaboom SHOULD make it a profitable weekend! One can hope!

Kev

RedneckExpress · June 23, 2012, 05:21 PM

Ah.... I do so ever love a good Steam Punk gathering

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ClydesdaleKevin · June 24, 2012, 06:51 AM

So it was a decent day yesterday. And its going to be hotter today, so we'll see what the crowds are like.

Patti and I have been talking it over, and we are seriously considering dropping this faire altogether. Plans are now in the works to get the RV ready for serious boondocking. 2 more batteries, 200 more watts of solar panels, a good charge controller and battery usage meter, all the interior lights replaced with LEDs, and the water transfer pump that I bought from Northern Tool replaced with a new Sureflo pump that will actually work...lol! A Splendide combo washer/dryer is also on the list.

This will enable us to boondock even more this winter, and will also allow us to save up money from Arizona and Muskogee next year, and instead of coming to Kentucky and not making any money anyway (the owner doesn't advertise worth a darn, and won't take any constructive criticism from anyone), we can go on another boondocking adventure in the summer up north! And see things like Mount Rushmore and other northern attractions in places that will be much cooler in the summer.

I like this plan, and it would make Patti very happy too...she's never been a big fan of this show in Kentucky, but we were both hopeful it would grow over time and become a better faire...but not with the bungling way the owner and his family run the place. We gave it 5 years...we think its time to move on and have more adventures instead.

It would just mean that instead of coming to Kentucky right after Muskogee, we would stay in Muskogee for another 2 weeks or so and build our stock for New York and ship the stock to Patti's son's house in New Jersey, where he can hold it for us until we get there. Then we would have over a month to get to New York, and we could take our time and see attractions and whatnot along the way, and also go out of the way to major attractions. Yep, the wheels are turning for a change of plans!

This week the weather looks like its going to drop into the mid 70s all week, so I'll be reinstalling the stock transmission cooler, changing the transmission oil and filter and pan gasket, and greasing all the fittings.

I'll also do some of my interior projects, but the first thing I'm going to do inside is install the cabinet for the washer/dryer, run the plumbing lines and drain for it, and the power line. Then it will be ready to just drop in the Splendide when we can afford it in New York. As a part of the project, I'll also modify the oak cedar chest we bought last year and make it a built in part of the new cabinet, dropping the top a little, and having some cushions made for it that will convert it to a small loveseat with cedar lined storage under the cushions.

This week I'll also have to do a significant sized run of catapults to start building up stock for New York...and that should eat up most of the week. The following week I'll be able to build in a new desk and chair opposite the love seat...a nice setup with storage...probably redo the floor under the dinette and stabilize the dinette table...and possibly have time to start repairing the 3 cabinet doors in the RV that need attention...in addition to building more catapults for New York.

Yep, we gave it a chance...more than a fair chance...but we think its time to say goodbye to Kentucky after the show is over this year. It will take a lot of scrimping and saving, and a lot of planning and prep work on the RV, but the payoff will be another great vacation every year.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · June 25, 2012, 09:13 AM

The weather report changed...again...and its going to be hot all week...actually, its probably going to be hot the rest of the show...doesn't matter though...I still have to get the transmission oil and filter replaced, grease the fittings, install the oem trans cooler back in place, and build a bunch of catapults for New York...its just going to be very hot doing it! Ah well...

So today after my morning PT and shower, Patti and I will go into town and get materials and the trans parts and fluid...have breakfast and whatnot...and take the rest of the day off. The rest of the week is going to be very busy!

And I'll still have to try to find time to install the washer/dryer cabinet and plumbing and electric, since I sure as heck won't have time for it in New York...lol! We'll just have to see how much time I have this week, since the other projects, including the catapults, are more critical.

I also have to troubleshoot and repair the power steering on the RV before we leave to NY. If I'm lucky its just a slipping belt...but I have a feeling the mechanic overtightened the belts and ruined the pump...we'll see!

I also discovered that MorRyde is located right over in Elkhart, Indiana, and they said they could raise the position on the back suspension for me and replace the 2 rubber bushings that are wearing, for less than 200 bucks...but I don't think we'll be able to spare the 200 bucks this year from this dying show...not unless the last 2 weekends are stellar....which is highly doubtful. If it all goes well though, we might make an appointment for after the show and stop there on the way to NY and have them do the work. Otherwise, we'll wait until next year and go there right after Muskogee to have them do the work.

I've got a lot of work to do in the next 3 weeks...then we'll have about 3 weeks off before NY starts. And by then, I'll REALLY need the vacation time!

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · June 26, 2012, 09:23 AM

So the work week plans evolved, as always. Today, after morning PT and whatnot, I'll be jumping right in on the catapults. Hopefully I'll get them completely finished in 2 days, leaving me 2 days to work on the RV. A heat wave is coming in for later in the week, so how hot it is will determine whether I'll be doing inside projects, or the mechanicals outside. Either way, projects will get done...lol!

I had a GREAT score at the local flea market yesterday. I found a 5 gallon gas can, circa 1980s, in near new condition. And its the first gas can I ever had that didn't leak, not even fumes...lol! Not only that, it doesn't have all the safety crap on it, it has a vent with a cap, and a long filler spout. I dumped 5 gallons of gas in the RV yesterday without spilling a drop, without having to use a funnel, and the way the can is shaped, every drop of gas comes out when tilted all the way up. SWEET! I'll be hanging on to this gas can, I tell ya! We didn't fill the RV before getting here since there weren't any gas stations along the way where we could get the RV in, so we are starting to fill it up with the gas can a little every time we go out. Well worth the 10 bucks!

Someone bought my old kilt, which helped offset the cost of the new one...so that made me happy too.

As far as the Nordic Track Sequoia goes, I'm seriously thinking of just stripping it for parts when the Nordic Track Medalist gets here. I could sell it for around 100 bucks, but just a set of new American made drive rollers with clutches go for that, never mind all the other rollers and pulleys and bushings. Eventually I'll wear those parts out on the Medalist, although it will take years, but it will be nice to have the parts on hand for when it eventually happens.

At one of the flea markets in town there is a person selling oak cabinet doors and faces, and he sells them CHEAP! 4 dollars a door, and they are nice panel doors neatly routered and joined. So after my catapult work today, I'm going to go back with measurements and see if any of the doors will fit my needs for my interior projects, like the washer/dryer cabinet and whatnot. I can't even get the raw oak for that cheap!

My weight was down to 231 this morning, and at this rate I'll be down into the 220s by the end of the month! I haven't been down into the 220s since I was IN my 20s... :)rotflmao

Okay, that's enough rambling...

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · June 27, 2012, 08:03 AM

All the parts are cut out for the catapults, so I'll be able to finish them up today after my morning workout and whatnot.

I SCORED at the flea market with new oak cabinet doors too! I found 2 perfect size replacement doors for under the dinette, since one is so warped it is unrepairable...it would crack right in half if I tried to straighten it. I also found the prefect size doors to replace the broken and battered and poorly repaired cabinet doors under the sink, which if I tried to repair would result in them looking crappy and full of wood putty because of just how badly the PO "repaired" them. I also found 2 doors that are just a little bigger than necessary for the washer/dryer cabinet I'll be installing, but cutting and inch off of them all the way around and re-routering them will be easy and look great. While I was at it I bought another single oak cabinet door for the desk I already designed and will be building...hopefully here, but before the winter...and found another perfectly sized door to replace the old CRT television in the dash with, turning the open space into a compartment with a door (which will eventually also have a radio/cd player installed into it with some gauges to make it a "hidden" door with a secret latch. Total for all the doors was 40 bucks! (Some of the doors were more money than others, 10 bucks each for the large doors, 5 for the ones under the cabinet, the rest were from 1 dollar to 3 bucks). These are solid oak raised panel doors, unfinished...I couldn't even buy the oak for that little! SWEET!

So after I finish the catapults today, I'll be doing inside cabinetry tomorrow and Friday, which works out great since its supposed to be almost 100 degrees those two days. I just couldn't pass up such a sweet deal on the doors, and its going to look awesome when its all said and done. Just replacing the damaged doors is going to make a huge difference cosmetically in the kitchen, and it will look very professional when they are all installed.

That will leave me next week and the following week to finish the cabinetry projects, attack the mechanical projects on the RV, and be ready to leave Kentucky in time to get to New York by the 21st, when the campground there opens.

My new Nordic Track Medalist should be here today according to the tracking numbers, although the monitor, shipped through the USPS, might not be here until tomorrow or Friday. If I have time I'll strip the parts off the Sequoia once the new machine is all set up and ready to go, or else I'll get to it next week. I'll be setting up my annual eBay yardsale next week as well...lots of neat stuff I have no use for going up, like gun parts, holsters I don't need anymore, a long bow and arrows, a viking axe, a b-stardo sword (combat ready, the real deal), etc. Time to clean house, as it were...lol!

Kev