Is that a diesel motorcycle sir?
"Is that a diesel motorcycle sir" Thought it odd hearing those words coming from the young gas attendant fella at a Shell station in Goderich Ontario a few days ago. I had just rolled in on my motorcycle & topped up my gas tank. I generally run regular gas in the bike & about every 4th tank or so I fill it up with Premium. To-day I decided on premium, so by-passed the regular nozzle & without looking, reached for the premium nozzle on the other side of the pump & filled er up!! I said to the young fellow, "no, this is a gas motorcycle, to which he kindly replied, "well, you just filled up your motorcycle with diesel fuel......sir." ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!! There it was, right on the pump beside me....DIESEL. Well, to say I could feel my stomach sliding right out from under me would be putting it mildly. What a huge feeling of frustration & anger I had with myself. (not to mention embarrassment) Just taking things for granted & not paying attention to what I was doing again!!!!
Wheeled the bike around the corner of the garage, slunk out of sight & got the owner's manual out of the saddle bag. Tried to find out if there was some kind of a gas tank drain valve. Couldn't find anything. Even got down on the ground & had a close look for some kinda valve or something. Suddenly dawned on me that if I had a hose I could probably siphon the diesel fuel out right out of the tank. No hose at the gas bar so walked across the large parking lot to a Canadian Tire store at the far corner. Got me a siphon hose with a plunger thingy on it & headed back. The young fellow at the gas bar fetched me a big white 5 gallon plastic pail. The siphon didn't work well because the siphon part was a solid plastic tube so wouldn't bend well to get down into & around the bottom of the bikes tank. Back to Canadian Tire for a second time & got a 3' section of flexible gas rubber hose. Should have done that in the first place because this hose worked perfect except for one little thing. No suction plunger on this one so I had to use my mouth to start the diesel fuel flowing. Diesel fuel in my mouth, up my nose, in my beard down my chin, on my pants & all over my shoes. The bucket I was draining it into tipped over at one point so I had quite a mess of diesel fuel going on all over the place. Moved the hose around in the tank making sure I got as much fuel out as possible & by the time I was done I had about 3 gallons of diesel fuel in the 5 gallon plastic pail. Probably another half gallon on the ground & another half gallon on me!! Pushed the bike back out to the gas island, DOUBLE CHECKED THE GAS PUMP & re-filled my tank with V-Power Premium....GAS!! This whole ordeal lasted about 40 minutes but luckily ended well. If that young sharp eyed gas attendant hadn't noticed my mistake I would have rode out of there with a tank full of diesel fuel & promptly ruined my motorcycle engine. That would have been a major repair!! I thanked him & insisted he take $20. Probably should have given him another ten for not laughing at me & calling me a dummy. He didn't want to accept the $20 but I pulled rank on him using my superior age factor. Truly a nice kid. Next stop was the car wash to hose down the diesel infested motorcycle & the last stop of the day was home to hose down the diesel infested & somewhat embarrassed human!!!!
Can you imagine if I had rolled in there with our gas powered motorhome, did the same thing, & pumped in probably 60+ gallons of diesel fuel. There are some things in life just not to be imagained!!
RE: The first time you met your spouse!
It was back in 93 before the computer dating age was so popular & besides, I didn't even know what a computer was anyway. Put a rather simple add in a dating column in some local newspapers. Over the next couple of months or so I fielded a bunch of phone calls & got up enough courage to actually date some of the ladies. One caller in particular had a nice voice. Talked a lot & finally agreed to meet in a coffee shop between our towns which were about 40 miles apart. I arrived at the coffee shop early & got a seat overlooking the parking lot. A beige Topaz drove in & a good looking blonde stepped out. (I've always had a big weakness for blondes) Thought to myself, "oh boy oh boy" I hope that's her.........and it was. Been to-gether now for 15 years & married for about 8 of them.
RE: Stories about people you know.....
I wrote the article awhile back for CARP's 50+ site when the topic was, "Famous People I Have Met." (first let me say that I have never met any famous people but I've seen a few) Out came my pen & paper & once again I reached back through my memory banks & what's left of my brain data to see who was all there. This is what I managed to retrieve from the maze of cobwebs...........
ME & QUEEN ELIZABETH
I think it was sometime in the mid fifties & I was probably ten years old or so when I first saw the Queen of England. It was a fleeting glimpse as she & the Prince of Whales passed by in an open car on William Street, Stratford Ontario Canada. But, I was sure she saw me. Afterall, I was a young 10 year old boy with a big imagination so why wouldn't she have seen me. The roadside was jammed with throngs of cheering people as far as I could see & the Queen of England had just become my friend. It would be another 45 years or so before the Queen & I would lay eyes on each other again.
Canadians will recall some of these next names.............
I remember seeing our then Prime Minister, John Diefenbaker when I was a small boy in public school. He stopped in the village of Tavistock Ontario where I grew up & gave a speech by the town's water fountain. I related this story to a friend of mine from Tavy & he said, well don't you remember Pierre Elliott Trudeau coming through town a few weeks later doing the same thing. Alas, I didn't. Must have been one of those days I was playing hooky.
In 1967/68 I was a doorman/car jockey at a then posh Tower Hill apartment building at the corners of St. Clair & Spadina Ave in Toronto. The president of the Canadian Cancer Society lived there & one night held a big entertainment function. Myself & another fellow doorman were at the big front glass doors as the limousines rolled up. We smartly stood at attention & swung open the doors for Princess Margaret & Lord Snowden. I remember how she glowed as she walked by with all her jewels on & how handsome Lord Snowden looked. Later that evening 4 of us had to move a heavy piano from a hallway into the suite where the party was going on because pianist Peter Duchin was playing. There was a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player there that night as well but not sure who it was. Might have been Carl Brewer.
Sat at a table next to Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot in a little Halifax coffee house back in 1966. I was in the Navy at the time. His career was just in the process of revving up & he was playing there. I remember their table was pretty "lively!!" Saw him once more after that in concert at The Center In the Square in Kitchener, Ontario. I think it was sometime in the eighties.
Saw rompin Ronnie Hawkins at the Stratford Coliseum in the early 60's when he was a really wild & crazy guy. Some members of his band went on to form, "The Band" who in later years backed Bob Dylan.
While living in Stratford Ontario back in the 90's I drove for a company called, The Stratford Airporter taking people to & from Pearson International Airport in Toronto. I drove singer & harpist Loreena McKennit several times as well as another lady from a Canadian group called, Farmer's Daughter. Actors from the Stratford Shakespearian Festival frequently traveled as well. Bill Needles, Martha Henry & Rod Beattie were a few of the travelers.
Saw Johnny Cash & June Carter at Toronto's Ontario Place as well as Tina Turner & Cindy Lauper. Been to concerts in Toronto by, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, ZZ Top, The Eagles, & Neil Young. Saw Roberta Flack on stage at the Festival theater in Stratford. Listened to Moe Kaufman playing, The Swinging Sheppard Blues in Stratford as well.
Back in the 70's & 80's there was a well known stage actress at the festival in Stratford by the name of Pat Galloway. Before moving to Bayfield in 02 I did a lot of grounds work for Pat & her husband Barnhard at their home near St. Marys Ontario. Really, really nice down to earth people. Fellow stage actors William Hutt, Douglas Chamberlain & Douglas Campbell would sometimes be there. In Pat's heyday we heard that there were some pretty lively parties on their estate with various in town Hollywood actors popping in.
Well, I've got a little long winded again here haven't I.
Oh yes, about me & Queen Elizabeth & our second meeting. I think it might have been in the summer of 1998. The Queen was in Stratford again & I heard she would be heading off to Woodstock, Ontario in early afternoon. I knew that I may never see her again so I hopped on my motorcycle & headed over to a spot out in the country along highway 59 just a few miles north of Hickson Ontario. Nice open spot & no throngs of people this time. Finally, the normal traffic going by ended. No cars at all. Waited & waited & then one car went by & few minutes another one followed a few minutes later by another one. This went on for about 5 minutes. Had I missed her?? Then I saw the convoy of cars coming fast. First one, two or three & then there she was & she was sitting by the back window on my side of the road. Light blue outfit with a matching blue hat. I was standing beside my motorcycle as I waved. No mistaking it this time, she looked right at me, but alas, there was no recognition in her eyes from 45 years before. Whoooooooosh, the car was by in seconds & she was gone..................... And that was my little story of, Me & Queen Elizabeth:))
Now, don't you wish you had gone & vacuumed the floor, washed the car or done something constructive instead of sitting here reading all this:((
RE: A Universal Greeting when on the Highway
Maybe some clever design type person reading this forum could design a catchy logo or come up with a furry little RV critter to park on the dash. Remember Gumby, or how about those stuffed Tazmanian Devil creatures a few years back. They stood about 7 or 8 inches tall & had a big toothy scowl. Imagine that coming down the road at ya on somebody's dash. Or what ever became of those big plastic waving hands that you could suction to your dash. How about a big Canadian Moose Salute, but that's gonna require you to take both hands off the wheel. Don't know what the moose salute is?? While in Quartzite AZ this past winter, out of frustration, I moose saluted the old north wind one day, so if your wondering what it is............check it out here :))
http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/56IMOOSESALUTEDTHEOLDNORTHWIND Scroll about a third of the way down to photo album number 56. The last photo in the album is my moose salute to the winds of Quartzite...........
RE: Are you changing your RV life because of the cost of gas?
We are remaining optimistic so are continuing with some small renovations on the rig & have just renewed our insurance for another year. We will get the motorhome serviced in the fall & hopefully hit the road for the southwest sometime in late October. At the moment we are seriously considering lightning our load by selling our house & renting a small place in the country in preparation to possibly full timing by the end of next year. Hard to make sound decisions in a shaky economy but the thoughts of sitting in the house looking out the windows on a desolate winter landscape for years to come, waiting for the grim reaper to show up at the door....IS NOT AN OPTION!!!!
RE: 8.1 Chevy in a Workhorse chassie- new question
We have an 8.1 Workhorse in our 33' Damon Challenger towing a Hyundai Santa Fe & I agree 100% with othertonka. If I see hills coming up I slip out of cruise control & ease my foot into the gas & take charge of the coach until we're on level ground again. Works great, no jarring downshifts & no problems. Had to learn it the hard way though!!
RE: Organizing Storage Bays
It was about a year ago now that I started from scratch to organize the motorhome bins. I picked up a 3 ring binder & a package of small stick-on numbers. Started on the passenger side & numbered the bins all way round. As I loaded each bin I recorded the bin number & contents in a 3 ring binder. P in front of the number meant passenger side & D meant driver's side. I had to do it this way to make my life more simpler. I get very upset with myself when I can't find things so my bin inventory list has come to my rescue over & over. No more stumbling around in the dark & rummaging through bins to find stuff. Check my book first...aha, bin #14 for the doggy's pooper scooper bags. However, there is a down side....forgetting to keep the inventory list up to date. I'd send you some pictures but I can't remember which bin my camera is in & I've misplaced my inventory book.........again!!
The gas tank or air line ticket
Out of curiosity this morning I googled up a local travel agency & punched in the numbers for a 2 week all inclusive trip from Toronto, Ontario to a major hotel (Tropicana) in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico begining January 02 of 2009. Price of ticket was $1,359 plus $277 in taxes. Having flown before I know that is just the start of the "add-on" charges for this little thing & that little thing, etc. etc. Pretty soon there isn't even any point of putting your wallet back in your pocket anymore. I would much sooner put that money into the gas tank of the motorhome, go where I want, stay as long as I want, & do what I want. No driving to the airport in a snowstorm & then driving home in another storm two weeks later again. And then spending the next 8 or 9 weeks on the end of a snowhovel with some vague & fading memories of sitting on a beach for a couple days somewhere. Hmmmm, just thought of something. Was that price for one person or two & did it include return air fare? Oh well, whatever!! Gotta go mow the lawn...........beats shoveling snow!!!!!!!!
RE: Odometer readings are faded & hard to read
I think your right about the faulty instrument cluster problem. I checked back through my re-registration vehicle history papers & found out the previous owner had replaced that odometer in July of 05. My next step will be to find a Damon dealer in the area & go from there. Thanks....:)
Yes, we have an 8.1 Workhorse. The coach model is 329 & I've ammended our signature & made it a bit clearer.... Thanks.
Odometer readings are faded & hard to read
We have a 2003 Damon Challenger motorhome. It's been sitting for about a month & when I started it up this morning I noticed that the computerized odometer was difficult to read. Numbers & letters were faded & patchy, much like something coming out of a printer with near empty print cartridges. I let the engine run for about 10 minutes but the problem didn't seem to resolve itself. Reminded me of a calculator with very weak batteries. Wondered if anyone else has had this problem......Thanks.
RE: AIR COMPRESSOR FOR TIRES
I did a "Google" search & was unable to find that 150 psi 120 V Sears air compressor people have recommended. Do you suppose it has been discontinued or have I just missed it.
RE: AIR COMPRESSOR FOR TIRES
Thanks for the feedback on the compressor. Seems to be some legitimate doubt about it's capabilities so I have decided to return it to the store. Luckily I hadn't even opened the box. Any suggestions for a good reliable type of air compressor to carry on board?
AIR COMPRESSOR FOR TIRES
The Canadian Tire Store here in Canada is advertising an air compressor this week which happens to include a nailer/stapler thingy. Tried to include a picture but didn't work. Am wondering if this would be acceptable for keeping the tires on our Class A motorhome tuned up if necessary plus blowing out waterlines for winterizing. I'm not good at understanding tech stuff so I've included the unit's specs below. On sale for $199.00..... Thanks.
Includes two-in-one brad nailer/stapler
No tank required - air is stored in tubular frame for a more compact, lightweight unit
Protective coating reduces temperature and noise, and protects against rust and damage
High output: 5.1 CFM @ 40 PSI; 4.1 CFM @ 90 PSI
1-gallon, 2 peak HP motor
Pump does not require oil, which means reduced maintenance
30% lighter than traditional compressors with the same high output
125 max PSI
Exclusive to Canadian Tire
RE: Why do you prefer a Class A over a 5 wheel?
We have had 1 travel trailer, 2 Class C's & one fifth wheel. Prefer the motorhome overall for many reasons.
-when weather is cold we all arrive at our destination toasty warm. No going back & opening up a freezing cold trailer anymore.
-physically, it's much easier to hook/unhook a toad than it is a trailer. Can unhook in under a minute & hook up in about 2.
-the toad tracks inside the motorhomes tracks so no big wide sweeping turns to get the trailer around a tight corner.
-no more jerking & bucking bronco rides & no more clunky squeaky & scary sounds coming from hitch assemblies.
-our dogs are far more comfortable & have room to wander around while traveling.
-sitting higher is a huge advantage in heavy traffic & the panoramic view out the windshield can be spectacular.
-we have solar power but it's re-assuring to have the onboard generator.
-our sewer pipes are all enclosed now & not hanging out in the wind underneath.
-waaaaay more bin storage than we have ever had before.
-our 33' motorhome length is very maneuverable & compatible with small spaces. Always surprises me where I can wiggle that rig into.
-I like the stability & solid footing of 6 tires plus 4 automatic jacks.
-if you have forgotten to close something in a motorhome (fridge door, cupboard door, etc.) you are immediately aware of it & can promptly secure the situation. No nasty surprises like you would find in a trailer at the end of a day.
-on downhill steep grades I like the thought that the main weight is under me & not behind me trying to push me into oblivion. Never liked the idea of the 5th wheel trailer coming through the cab in event of an accident.
-I could go on but I think everybody else pretty much has all the bases covered:)
One thing in defense of fifth wheels though.......best floor plans & lots of interior space.
RE: Motorcycle - am I crazy??
Never rode a motorcycle in my life until I was 49. Took a motorcycle course at a local college & have been on the road ever since. I am now 63 & loving my third bike, a 2002 Honda Shadow Aero 1100. First bike was a 650 Suzuki & second bike was an 84 Yamaha Virago 750. I wrote a little blurb in our blog on Sept. 16/07 about my first day on the road with the bike entitled, Motorcycle.... First Experience.
http://thebayfieldbunch.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
RE: Where do I connect my sat receiver
Wow, John, I must say I wish we were parked near you !
We spent all winter trying to figure all that out... never did.
I'm pretty sure we have Type 1 in our 03 Damon Challenger.
However, we could never figure out how to do what you just described.... it is very frustrating being tech. challenged .
Are you sure you wont be in souther Ontario this summer ???
free place to park.......
Kelly
RE: Top ten reasons you still go RVing despite the price of fuel
-It satisfies our primal urge to forage for new adventures.
-We love the quiet solitude of boondocking in the southwest.
-It's a welcome reprieve from stressful neighbors back home.
-We waited a long time to begin our RV dream & we're not going to quit now.
-RVing is more personally rewarding than sitting around in the stick house.
-A campfire & an endless starry sky overhead.
-Mountains, canyons, lakes, rivers, desert & lots & lots of Saguaro cactus.
-don't have to feel guilty about not working every day.
-we are over 60 now so the clock is ticking!!
-want to do this now while we still have our health & can enjoy lots of hiking, biking, & rock scrambling.
-RVing, coupled with a love of photography & writing has given me a great reason to just get out there & go..............
