RE: My dog is starting to look like me
My older dog, Maggie, and I do look alike. We both have grey muzzles.
She's nearly fifteen and still runs like the wind, hunts, points and retrieves, plus she's part of my soul. Here we are taking a short break from hunting prairie grouse miles from the nearest road out on the remote high plains:
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee263/Birddogman_photos/South%20Dakota%202010/9-29-10-Maggieandmetakingabreak.jpg
I can only hope to be half a good a person as she is.
RE: Question re oil change on diesel with low miles
Thanks for the input, folks! To answer the questions, I drive for at least an hour when I take it out for a run and I run the generator (also diesel) at the same time under load. I think that should be more than enough to get everything fully warmed up and any moisture burned off.
I started to do this after I had the alternator seize up and tear the main belt. I was told by the Cummins people that this happened because of disuse.
The warranty is no longer in place, so I don't need to meet any of those requirements.
The refrig is always on to keep a few beers cool. I do run the A/C in the summer (dash air, too, when I'm driving the MH for "exercise" in warm weather) and the furnace in the winter. I haven't thought about heating up the hot water with the burner as "exercise" - why should that be done? I keep the MH plugged in and the charger on float. Anything else like that I may be missing?
Question re oil change on diesel with low miles
About 18 months ago, my wife suffered a major stroke (after 35 years of MS) and can no longer even sit up unaided, let alone perform any of the ADL's (activities of daily living, like toileting, dressing, feeding, etc). Overnight, I became an involuntary and utterly unappreciated 24/7 caregiver. Previously, I used my Class A's primarily as mobile upland bird hunting lodges and the dogs and I would travel the country (wife wouldn't go) during the bird seasons living and working out of the MH.
My current Class A is a diesel. As a result of my relentless nursemaid duties, it hasn't gone anywhere since its last oil change and state inspection at the dealer last August, except to be driven every month or so for "exercise". I doubt I've put 1,000 miles on it in the past year. I want to keep it in good shape in the fervent hope that somehow, someway the dogs and I will be able to go back to hunting/traveling in it.
Here's my question - when I take the MH to the dealer to be inspected, is it really necessary to get the full oil change and annual maintenance as if it had been driven for 10,000 or 15,000 miles in the past year, as would have been typical?
I know if I ask the dealer, the answer will be a resounding "Yes, it needs the oil change, etc." I'm hoping to hear from knowledgeable folks who don't have a financial stake in the matter.
I thank you in advance for your input.
RE: where do you over night?
Birddogman...
I was wondering if we should ask if we pick some of these places...(obviously not truck stops, walmarts)...have you ever been kicked out?
I think that was a lot of my questioning...I can find places we will fit but can we get away with it...assuming we are doing this at night.
If I was going to stay at a Walmart, I would ask because I understand that is the protocol (but have never done it so I don't really know). The places I overnight on the road do not require asking; or there is no way to find someone to ask.
Interstate rest stops are meant just for that. Sometimes they have "no camping" signs, but I've never been asked to leave - I'm not "camping", I'm just "resting".
I pay my "rent" at the truck stops by buying diesel there, just like the truckers. No asking needed.
Never been "kicked out". A couple times when near urban areas, we have had scumbags try to panhandle or otherwise bother us, but I made quick work of that.
One thing I forgot to mention because it is a destination for me, not just a stop on the road, is the western federal lands, BLM, National Grasslands, etc, etc. It belongs to you - you can camp there. The only real problem is getting to it. Obviously, you must be careful with a big MH not to get stuck, high-centered or damage the undercarriage - I run the route first in the Jeep to check it out. For example, the dogs and I spent a couple weeks on this prairie lake miles and miles from anywhere - never saw another person - hunting all day, every day and cooking up the day's bag over a campfire at night under the stars with no light pollution and no sound but the wind and coyotes.
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee263/Birddogman_photos/South%20Dakota%202010/9-24-10-the20gaugeworkedwell.jpg
RE: where do you over night?
All sorts of places. I do this to save time when traveling from one destination to another, not to save money (can afford campgrounds). Just don't like the time and hassle of having to go miles off my route to find a campground, checking in, getting to an assigned site, etc, etc. Never overnighted at a Walmart, but have stayed at lots of commercial truck stops:
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee263/Birddogman_photos/Trips%20and%20Places%202010/4-20-10-FlyingJ-1.jpg width=400
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee263/Birddogman_photos/Trips%20and%20Places%202010/4-20-10-FlyingJ-2.jpg width=400
Lots of Interstate rest stops:
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee263/Birddogman_photos/South%20Dakota%202009/10-21-09-Onthewayhome-Iowatruckstop.jpg width=400
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee263/Birddogman_photos/South%20Dakota%202009/10-21-09-Onthewayhome-roadweary.jpg width=400
The ones in Ohio are especially nice and even have hook-ups (for a few $):
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee263/Birddogman_photos/South%20Dakota%202009/Dakota-2009-10-4-09-Ohiocamponthero.jpg width=400
Also lots of just oddball place, like an unused church summer camp in the fall:
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee263/Birddogman_photos/South%20Dakota%202009/Dakota-2009-10-4-09-MN-campontheroa.jpg width=400
You name it. It's just a matter of being a little inventive. Never had a problem I couldn't handle. In the morning, I get up and I'm usually ready to go right away, no checking out, driving miles to get back on the road, etc.
