Locked IN our rig at Big Bend!

We drove across from Seminole Canyon and arrived in the small town of Sanderson, TX.  There we stopped at a little grocery place called Aurora's Fruits and Vegetables.  The owner introduced herself to us and asked our names too.  So polite.  We started loading up her counter with things we needed to replenish our stash.  We were warned by blogger friend Barney OFM that groceries were hard to come by and a premium price as we got closer to Big Bend, and this was the place to stock up.  So we did... the essentials like bottled water and toilet paper were both high on our list!   Also we got extras of things we already had but figured on 2 weeks worth of stuff to make us comfortable.  We asked if she had potato peelers, as ours mysteriously disappeared after Steve peeled potatoes one day.  I assume it went out rolled up with the peelings into the trash.  This lovely lady Aurora, went back in her kitchen and GAVE us hers for FREE... no charge!  She said she had an extra on hand.  What service!  We paid and left with our arms full, and smiles on our faces.  No tourist-gouging there!

We also topped off our diesel fuel tank, and filled up at Sanderson Propane on our big bulk tank that our motorhome has built in.

NOW we were good to go....

Off we went to Big Bend.  On Barney OFM's advice, we made it in to Stillwell Store and RV park for our first night.   http://stillwellstore.com/

As we pulled in to the parking lot, we shut off the motorhome and tried to get out the door...  It seems the extreme heat shining on the passenger side of our motorhome has caused our door lock to stick again!  (we know it does this when parked facing the hot sun)   The deadbolt lock gets caught behind the black trim that expands and the bolt won't slide back.  Steve had to slide open a window and JUMP out of our motorhome....  He tried the key on the outside and it wouldn't work.  I unscrewed the lock from the inside and disassembled it and then between the two of us, we were able to open the door!     Whew...  and the 90+ degree heat was blasting down on us as we were working it too.

The temps were in the low 90's and I sure needed that AC blowing on me BAD!   So we signed up for a 50amp site and had both of those air conditioners cranking out joyful coolness in no time flat!

I must say, I had such a peaceful night's rest and totally enjoyed having a full service site hookup, that I am content to stay right here and day-trip around the park!

Steve don't seem to think so... but we will see who wins?

Tuesday morning we slow moving, as I still seem quite weak yet... not sure what is going on, but I best not overdo it.  We decided to take an afternoon ride around the park a bit.. .we drove down our road 2627 all the way to the end at the Rio Grande and saw Mexico on the other side.  A nearby rancher came out on his dirt bike to chat with us while we were down there.

Then we drove back up to the Stillwell and past and down into the park... we drove around the large basin area and did a bit of rubberneckking.   I took 132 photos.. and we drove 137 miles.  Not too bad, that is one photo per mile!   I will only punish you with a few .....   how about 10?

 *this one is my favorite*

DANGED TOURISTS! 

Words can not describe all we had seen today.... 

nor can the pictures capture it.   All I can say is WOW! 

We are heading over to the Stillwell museum for some 

live music tonight... ! 

Leaving Seminole Canyon and heading to Big Bend TX

We spent two nights at the Seminole Canyon state park.  I was still a bit under the weather yet yesterday so we hung around the park for one more night. I didn't want to travel further west in case we needed to head to the ER in Del Rio.  Sometimes my stomach don't handle digesting right since the surgeries, and I need a good batch of IV medicine to make me right again.  I have some pill forms along for under the tongue, but sometimes that isn't enough.  I didn't know if I could make it through the night without going in to the ER.  It was touch and go.... but I am alive!  LOL

Glad that we did stay an extra day, because fellow Blogger Barney Old Fat Man stopped by!   (he sure ain't old and he sure ain't fat--- but that is his blog name!)  http://ofmadventures.blogspot.com  It was so good to meet him in person, as we have read each others blogs for a while and knew each other's back story.  With a big hug from me, and another that I delivered to him from fellow blogger Gypsy...  http://gypsy97.blogspot.com/ we went in our rig to sit down and confab a while.

Barney is a good buddy of a fellow blogger we met up with out at the Slabs 2 years ago... Billy Bob.  http://billybobsplace.blogspot.com  So we all knew people in common and nobody has turned up to be an Ax Murderer yet, so i guess we are safe. eh?

Barney is just chock full of information on the Big Bend National Park, and he suggested I take out a notepad before we began looking at maps.  OH MY!  I filled up four and a half pages of legal paper pad of notes!!!!  He gave us all the ins and outs and what fors and what nots...   I think we are well informed for what is coming up in the next part of our journey.  Wish we could spend weeks or months there, and sure we won't see it all.  If you have any doubts...  just google Big Bend Park, TX and see how big it is???

Steve and I both enjoyed the stories and information and sure wished we could have stayed together longer.  I started up some lunch stuff but Barney had to get going.  I was fading fast and needed more time to rest.  So I crawled into bed about 1pm and slept till 3... then Steve said he was gonna head out on the guided tour of the pictographs in the caves with the rangers... so I went back to bed!   I slept on and off most of the evening, and managed to eat a little cereal and some crackers.  Took a shower and went back to bed again.  I must say, I had a restful night and feel much better this morning.

Here is what I missed out on from on Steve's canyon tour with the Rangers.  The pictographs in this park are probably the oldest ones known to the entire area.  Steve is getting pretty good at taking pictures now.  Soon we might have to get him his own camera?

We are at about 1800 ft elevation, so the temps are warm during the days .. in the 80s  but at night it drops fast.  Last night was the only night we didn't need to turn on the heater.  Here is Steveio relaxing after his hike with a nice cold Abita beer!  (take note, Eric... it's his LAST one)

I did manage to feel up to a walk after a while, and we caught some sunset shots... but with no clouds to reflect on, it's hard to really see the colors.

This is a Yucca plant and a close up of the flowers.  They are swarming with bugs all sticking to the strong smelling blossoms.

This is our parking spot in the "primitive" area of the Seminole Canyon State Park... not too bad for "primitive" eh?  Cement patio, nice table, hook for a lantern, firepit (but a burn ban is on)  and it's nice and quiet here.  The upper loop with electric and water has about 10-20 campers a day pulling in and out.  Here in this loop it's only been one besides us.  But the heat is rising and we are thinking we might spring for an electric site when we get to Big Bend at Stillwell Store.  I think I need it, plus if we leave the dogs all day in the motorhome while we are out sightseeing, it's best if they have a cool place.

We just dumped our holding tanks and topped off our water supply here at the park... and are on the road heading west on Highway 90. Hills are getting higher and things are getting greener. The sky is all pure blue with a few wisps of clouds to the west.  We love driving WEST in the mornings... no sun in our eyes... and driving EAST in the evenings.  We should have gotten an earlier start because it's a day with no wind at all.   (yesterday was blustery)

Going to stop in Sanderson to get groceries and fuel before heading on into the park.  (suggested by Barney OFM)

Driving now through flat flat desert... got a few more clouds building up into clumps.  I began singing that song "A Horse with No Name"... seems to fit!

miles traveled so far  2071 miles

(this blog is now posted at 4:30 in afternoon once we got to Stillwell Store RV park, I slept most of the way from Seminole till we stopped for groceries in Sanderson, and now as we got to the edge of  Big Bent.... will post more later) 


.

A whole 25 miles???

Yup.   That is it for today!

Can you believe it?

We left the Amistad National Park Rec Area (spur 406) this morning about 10 am after one more walk looking at the sheep.   A local farmer must have a grazing contract with the park to let his sheep come across the fenceline.  They took off running once they saw the dogs, so I am sure they are used to being chased!   Of course, our dogs are on leashes, but all it took was one sight of them to make these little woolies head for the hills, and the protection of their guard donkey.

While at Amistand, we also met a couple from Australia who had their VW bug flown here to tour the USA in!  They started with a tent they said, but later added this device which is a roof rack that unfolds into a tent with an upper chamber for sleeping.  They said it was too cold on the ground, but we didn't ask how they heated the tent inside either.

Shoutout here to Eric... we shared two grapefruits with them, and they were very grateful for fresh produce for a breakfast treat.   Steve had a lot to talk about with them, because when he was a teenager, his first car was a VW bug of this same year!

Finally we packed up and hooked on the Tracker.  I was not feeling quite up to snuff, so we settled on a shorter travel day to another recommended park just up the highway.

Half an hour later, we settled in at Seminole Canyon State Park.  It's a nice lovely park right near where the Pecos River joins the Rio Grande.  The canyons are spectacular and the desert view is great.  From our rustic site ($8 a night)  this is our view:

(playing with the panoramic setting on my tablet)  

The park charges a per person fee of $3 each in addition to the camping fee, but they do not charge a vehicle admission fee, nor a higher price for out-of-state-ers... (Wisconsin State Parks do both)    So we didn't mind the per person fee, as it all evens out in the end, right?

We are in the primitive campsites without hookups, but there are sites with water and electric for a higher fee, but we are fine without them.   The only other camper in the whole loop was this neato rugged camping truck.  It was like a solid trailer on a big flat bed truck with high clearance for desert running.  Dualie wheels and extra on board propane tanks make it look rugged.  There were 2 solar panels on the roof and one of the top of the truck too.

Within an hour, they packed up and left... so we were alone in our loop. 

Like I said, I wasn't feeling well, so I laid on a lawn chair with a pair of binoculars while Steveio took a long walk down the canyon.  He met up with some other folks and a dog, and the rangers were going back and forth, so he was safe walking there.  We are close to the Rio Grande, but the opposite bank is 100 feet up.  I think if anyone wanted to cross from Mexico, they would choose an easier portage?  LOL 

He took along my camera and took photos.... so these are his shots: 

I think he did pretty good! 

and here he is, 

six miles later... 

tuckered out

yes, he had water,

his bear spray,

his map,

his sunscreen

and 

his hat! 

I relaxed in my lawn chair for a while, and then went online for a bit.  There is free wifi in this park, so we don't have to worry about our tablet router signal jumping to a mexican tower again.  

I played lazy bones for the afternoon, and skipped lunch to snooze a bit. Not sure what is blooming, but both Steve and I have been sneezing a lot.   It wasn't my flowers in the rig... these have been going strong since delivered in the snow and cold of Wisconsin for Valentine's Day over two weeks ago!   I hauled them out to the motorhome on the 20th when we left Wisconsin. So again they got slogged out through 3 below zero weather to get put in the motorhome sink for travelling.  At each stop, I take them out and set them on the table.   Today may be their last useful day, as I think the dry desert air is taking it's toll......

We grilled up some good tenderloin steaks from that little meat market in Wausau (we are down to 4 steaks left in our freezer Paula!)  and I added some veggies, wine and soft music.  Ahhhh another elegant dinner in the desert!

Afterwards we took a nice long walk... first with the dogs, and dropped them back off at the motorhome to rest.  Then just Steve and I walked around the campgrounds and for a bit on a nature trail.  It was nice, but I am still not up to snuff, so we came back and took it easy for the evening.  Not sure if we are staying here another day yet, or heading towards Big Bend?  We will see... plans made in JELLO!


And a special heartfelt condolences to our friends Sharon and Fred.  They lost her father today... and we are feeling so sad for them.  It has been a long long struggle with cancer and he is finally at peace.

Brake job day in Del Rio

We found a signal tonight at our campsite further north of Del Rio, so with the help of my Wilson Antenna Booster, we are able to get on line!

With all the great help from our Safari group friends, and Ralph Andrews who knows these rigs inside and out... we were able to do a brake job, while on the road!

Steve got some of the lug nuts loose while at the campsite, but decided to drive the whole motorhome into Del Rio to a tire place to get the rest loosened. They kindly offered their empty back lot to park in to do the work!  The nice guy named Travistino (sp?) came around back with his service truck and loosened up the last few lug nuts for us.  Look at this Big Boy Tool!

 The charge???  $5.00.... yes.... $5.00!   (I gave him a $10 tip and said to buy lunch)



Then we went to work.  First we had to jack up the motorhome on the front leveling jack till the tires cleared the ground.  We stacked up heavy wooden planks under the axle in case the front jack gave way.  Never hurts to be safe.  Then Steve was able to remove the driver's side tire and get to the brake system.

He removed the top retaining plate which the bolts came out easy enough. Then he was able to remove the tensioner spring.

He tapped lightly on the "keeper" pins?  Not sure what they are really called, but that is what Steve calls them.  He used a hammer and a tip of a chisel to lightly tap them loose and slide free.

Next he used a very large C clamp to compress the caliper cups and was sure to open the top of the brake fluid reservoir to let out any excess fluid from compression.

Steve said to note in the picture on the left, his reinforced top of the shock absorber mount that he repaired after it broke last summer.  He super duper welded it and made it even better than before. Steve noticed in New Orleans on Eric's rig, his has been repaired too.  So it must be a common problem on Safari's with the Velvet Ride?

Back to the brake job-----  Now he could take out the pads from the caliper.  They almost fell out into his hands.  The caliper itself looks good, but needs some rust removal along a few edges.

OH MY>>>> LOOK AT THESE!   

Guess we needed new brake pads, eh?

The rotors appeared to be in very good shape, so we were lucky to do this pad replacement job now, and not later when they would have become more worn and damaged the rotors.

Once he got the brake pads out, he took them with him.  He hopped in the Tracker and went over to NAPA on the north side of Del Rio where our new ones had come in on the truck an hour before.  Amazing--- we ordered them at 4pm yesterday and they were on a truck ready for us to be picked up by 8am the next morning.  What good service!

Here is the part number that NAPA used after cross referencing the numbers we got from Mel, John and Ralph.   Steve was told the pads are actually the ones made by Bendix for the Ford Truck braking systems.  That is good to know too.

Steve matched them up at the store, and they were a perfect fit!   They cost $130 for both front wheels, and he also bought a bottle of Copper Never Seize for $10.   Soon he was back at the motorhome and ready to get to work.

Out came the rest of his tools and he set to work.  It was fairly warm in the low 70's so his brown overalls were needed for protection while he worked, but soon got hot in the sunshine.

Before reassembling any of the brake parts, he used the generator to power up his grinding tool.  The wire cup brush took off any excess rust and cleaned up all the parts nicely.

I was the gopher and the wheel turner and the tool hander and the picture taker! 

Then he dabbed the brush of Copper Never Sieze on each piece that needed it, including the keeper pins (if that is their name?)

When assembling the caliper unit back together, you have to be sure to get these two metal discs in the right place inside of the cups before setting the pad into place.  You need three or even four hands to do this, especially if you keep the brake line attached like Steve did.

He gently tapped the keeper pins back into place and also coated the saddle groove they rest in with the Copper Never Seize too.  Once the whole caliper assembly was together, he was able to slide it back on over the rotor disk and bolt it all into place.  He even put the Copper Never Seize on the bolts that held that retaining bracket in place too.

Now.... he did the same thing to the passenger side as the driver's side... both front brakes were serviced.  What a job!  In a parking lot in a desert city with all his tools on board. What a guy!   See why I keep him around?

It was time to put the tires back on, and lower the jack a bit till the tires were snug to the ground.

Bit by bit, he tightened up the lug nuts with the torque ratchet to 170 ft pound as high as it will go.  After we drove it around to the front, the nice guy Travistino tightened them up to spec 500 ft pounds with his torque bar on air ratchet.   Steve estimates it was about a two hour job to do both front brakes. We saved a LOT of money by doing it ourselves.

Now my job was to bring the man a nice cold glass of lemonade!   

After he was all done, he was ready for a shower, by golly!   So he took one, right in the parking lot in our motorhome.  In the meantime, I stopped back around front to the office of the tire place and thanked them for the use of their back parkinglot to do our brake job. They smiled and said no problem. I talked with the owner a bit, a nice woman, and gave her $30 to order some pizzas or donuts or something for the three guys who work there. With a nice wave from Travistino, we were on our way!


I ran a shipment out to the post office of the things I sell  (I tell ya, my work never takes a vacation)  and then I ran the poor Tracker through a car wash and picked up a can of freon for the Tracker air conditioning system.   It needed a recharge, so Steve took care of that before we left the lot.

Once back on the road, I raced ahead of him, going north on Hwy 90 in the Tracker while he followed slower and stopped for a fuel up... $3.99 a gallon to top off the tank with only 25 gallons.  As we head further west, we don't want to be stuck being too low on fuel.  I drove up past the visitor center to the northern part of Amistad National Park Recreation Area to the furthest north campground of the park.  I went ahead to make sure it was on a good road and a good campsite was available.  I called back to Steve on the cell phone as he drove north and gave him the go-ahead to keep coming.

And.....  The brakes work just fine!  Wheeeeeee

I will post more pics of the great campsite we have in the desert and our cool new Australian neighbors in tomorrow's blog.  This one is getting tooooo long!

Might be OFFLINE for a few days

MIGHT BE OFF LINE FOR A FEW DAYS... 

WE ARE SO CLOSE TO THE MEXICAN BORDER 

THAT OUR TABLET AND CELL PHONES 

KEEP JUMPING TO THE MEXICAN TOWERS.  

WHICH CAN RESULT IN ***HUGE***  DATA PLAN CHARGES!!! 

I talked to Verizon this morning after our tablet said:

"WELCOME TO MEXICO" 

LOL

So they said as long as we do NOT go into Mexico, they will credit us on our bill for any overages right now, but we will turn the tablet off, which is our router for the internet.  So far the phones have not jumped, but we are not going to use them unless needed.

So might be a few days of no communications or blogs.. sorry!