Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Training A Newbie

I'll do anything to stay out of the refrigerator.  That includes taking the Jeep for a bath, which I finally did yesterday.  I think it's been about six months.  I hope they don't mind all the Arizona dirt from the undercarriage.  The soaps they use can be rather entertaining.
I was just hoping the brushes didn't remove something important.  In the end, I drove away from Prime Shine Express with a pretty clean vehicle, ready to off-road again.
Then it was off to friend Diane's house.  She and her husband purchased a trailer similar to this one from an older gentleman who showed them absolutely nothing.  Basically, it's been a tent on wheels.  There's been no cooking, no showers or even using the bathroom.  Like most, it is good for storing clothes and sleeping in.
Unfortunately, her husband recently passed away and she wanted to be able to use it as intended.  She has absolutely no experience at all ..... none!!  So first off, I showed her the most important feature ... the bathroom.  I explained all about keeping water in the bowl and how to flush it.  

Next was how to hook up the water hose to either a tank or as a city connection.  She had no clue.  Yes Diane, you DO have a tank that you can fill with water and use along the way.  From the size of this bathroom shown here, I doubt there will much shower taking.
Funny thing though, I couldn't find the water tank.  At long last I suggested we tear the bed apart.  Sure enough, underneath was her fresh water tank.  We hooked up the hose after I explained all about sanitizing the tank.  I made sure she took copious notes on her phone.

Uh oh ... all the water that went in, came right back out.  The old guy had left the tank valve open.  More scrounging around until we found the shut off valve.

Lastly, and most importantly, we discussed dumping both the black and grey tanks.  I think the black tank is maybe 20 gallons.  I was a little afraid to unscrew the cap because the valve was stuck in the open position.  Before I could do that, water began dripping from around the valve where I had flushed the toilet to see if THAT worked.  

Finally, I held my nose and released the cap.  Just a little water escaped.  That's great, but the stuck open valve needs to be the first repair done, and done immediately.  More note taking.

At long last, I think she has a grasp on the operation.  Not really, but she will learn by mistake.  If you see a grey pickup truck pulling a small white trailer, run the other way.  She has never pulled anything in her life, let alone driven a pickup truck.

This morning I'm headed off into the wild blue yonder, praying and PRAYING the snow coming yesterday has stopped.




13 comments:

  1. Nice to get your Jeep all cleaned up after the desert dirt. That is a cute trailer and nice for one person. We have met rv'ers who have no clue as well. Never used their, stove, oven, toilet, shower, furnace (bigger rv;s). They use a toaster oven, electric kettle, electric hot plate and electric heaters. Seems like such a waste.

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    1. Exactly! Maybe they are afraid to use it like intended, or afraid to deal with the dumping part.

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  2. They are called six pack trailers because you could only put six things in them
    That's actually a pretty cute little trailer ,, with a sit down shower no less
    I hope somebody's patient enough to teach her how to back up in a campground
    but then again if you tell her to bring a I am a dumb blond wig when she goes to park in a campground by her self all the guys will come running out to help
    I tried that dumb blonde wig once but it didn't work for me ,,, must've been the beard
    But the sign that said free beer worked like a charm

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    1. Hahaha ... she doesn't even NEED the wig. She already IS blonde, although a pretty smart one!! You are right though ... men will come running to help her, but just in case, I'll tell her about the free beer sign! LOL

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  3. Everyone has to learn sooner or later but hopefully she does it without incident. Wise to get all the Valves serviced before she uses it.
    Be Safe and Enjoy your own adventure.

    It's about time.

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    1. I can't imagine why he left the black tank valve open. Probably just forgot to close it. Now it will have to be replaced.

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  4. Sounds like your friend is in for an adventure. One we all learned with trial and error.
    Okay, lets talk eating Keto for a second not that I am an expert far from it but I try. First there is not enough sweetener, in my opinion, to change the taste of Lily's chocolate chips but they do have a place in recipes. Second google either or both of these sites for some good recipes of all kinds. Kyndra, Peace, Love and Low Carb (You can also sign up to get recipes in your email) and Cooking Keto with Kristie (She even demonstrates some of her recipes on You Tube. Plus, she has three cookbooks out there you can purchase on Amazon if you are so inclined.) Also, she does have some good information about the whole balancing of carbs, fats, and protein. Good Luck.

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    1. P.S. I would not ever tell anyone else how to eat Keto. We all just have to put together the information and do what, in our opinion, is right for us. These are just two sites I found helpful.

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    2. I will definitely check out the cookbooks. Yes, I have to agree, those chips are pretty awful. I think every person does their diet the way that fits them ... there's no one size fits all.

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  5. I've been reading your blog for a long time. With your sweet tooth and all your events that include food, I don't think Keto is the thing for you. Keto is about teaching your body to burn fat instead of carbs then doing it forever. Once you stop doing Keto, your body goes right back to burning carbs. I am unable to see you doing Keto forever. I think portion control is a better bet for you. Why waste your efforts on something you are likely to resent since it will take away nearly all of your favorite foods?

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    1. That's a very good thought Linda. Isn't that the way of all diets? Go back to your original habits and you are doomed. I'm hoping at some point I won't be wanting those sweets any more, like giving up cigarettes. You still have the occasional craving, but mostly it goes away. We shall see.

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  6. I applaud your friend Diane. Years ago I worked with a woman that had the smallest Class C motorhome I had ever seen. One day I made a comment about the size of the MH. She explained that she was widowed at a very young age and she had 2 little boys that wanted to go camping. So she bought what she felt comfortable driving. I'm sure with just 2 little guys she felt safer sleeping in the MH than in a tent. You are a good friend to help Diane. Elva Shannon

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    1. Smart lady ... driving is the biggest part of it. Diane is pretty adventuresome, so I'm sure she will do fine. It just takes time to get used to things in an RV.

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