Four Months In

 So, this post doesn't have a great deal to do with rv'ing, but is mainly an update on our somewhat chaotic life in the last four months. 

On July 4th, as we returned from our Spring trip, California greeted us with drought, smokey skies, and hot weather.

Our reason for returning to these conditions was that the manufactured home that we ordered in January was scheduled for delivery the first part of August, and we needed to prep for it.

The first order of business was to move the motorhome off of the pad it has been using for years, remove some of the concrete pavers from the patio we spent days building a few years ago, and finalize the relocation of the electrical service to a "farm panel". That meant excavating the underground utilities and routing the electrical to the proper locations.

In comes the excavator! Our friend and neighbor, Justin, is a vital part of a large excavation company that builds roads, installs underground utilities in subdivisions and commercial developments, and so has access to equipment on weekends. We're paying retail rates, but Justin is kind enough to devote part of his weekend to our project from time to time. 

And the digging commences! We have decided to have the house placed as close to the ground as possible to minimize entry issues, so the foundation area must be excavated to a depth of 21 inches. It's surprising how much dirt is generated by a small excavation!

In anticipation of the foundation crew arriving, we chalked out the perimeter and piers.

It's still a hot summer here in Cali, and the air conditioners have been running 24/7. One decided to quit. A check of the system revealed a bad starting capacitor, which happened to be buried under a bunch of wires in one of the motorhome roof-top ac units.

Online we go, only to find that most suppliers were out of stock. The available parts were priced anywhere from 40 to 80 dollars, but we found a plumbing and heating supply house that had a generic version for $8! Bought two.....Problem solved.

Needing a bit of a break, the local family got together for a Saturday playing in Silver Lake. Our son's dog, Atticus, loved the water, but couldn't get up the nerve to go swimming. As Son, Grandson, and Daughter paddled around the lake, Atty kept up along the shore!

Along about the middle of August, we're still waiting for something to happen with the foundation for the house, and we're starting to get bored. That's unfortunate, 'cause when I get bored, I spend money. We have a plan to go with friends to Moab in early October with our side-by-side UTV's and since there wasn't anything else happening.....

"Buddy" lost some of his clothes while some new lights were installed and maintenance done. He's back together, so we're ready for Moab!

In late August, the Caldor fire erupted nearby, eventually burning 200,000 acres on the West Slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains, heading toward Lake Tahoe. It displaced 100's of people and destroyed thousands of houses and outbuildings. We helped out where we could with people staying in their RV's in any available parking lot or on private property. Many local churches made space available and provided support for families and pets. A neighbor who is involved with horses opened up a pasture for short term stays, providing transportation and support. We felt extremely fortunate to only have to deal with smokey skies.

During this busy time, Bob showed up with his mini excavator to dig footings and piers for the house foundation. Glad to see some progress!

A week or so later, Jim, Collin, and Juli arrived to begin the formwork.

Halfway there! Steel rebar is almost done.

Ready to pour concrete!

Cummins provided the engine for the motorhome, and a recall developed, something to do with the fuel supply. We thought we should have it fixed.....so a trip to a Cummins dealer in Sparks, Nevada was in order. A very nice shop with friendly staff and competent techs got us done in a few hours, and they allowed us to stay overnight before heading home.

The back lot was absolutely filled with huge diesel engines for the mining industry in northern Nevada.

When we returned from out short "vacation", the concrete crew was setting up to pour.

With concrete trucks waiting in the street. The first truck driver was new at his job and got lost trying to find the job site. That put everything behind schedule except for the concrete that had been swirling around in the drum for a 1/2 hour too long. It was ready to set up as it came down the chute!

We were surprised a day later by the early arrival of our vinyl plank flooring. An online supplier provided the flooring at a substantial savings over local outlets, and delivered right to our door!

Foundation poured and ready to set a house on it!

The house arrives!

The second half is waiting in the street.

It's amazing what can be done with a few pieces of wood!

Now for our first look at our new home!

So, by the end of September, we had a home....almost.

On September 30, we left our new home behind and headed east with the Can Am in tow headed for Moab and a late summer run on slickrock. The second day we were surprised by a check engine light on the motorhome. It turned out to be a DEF system failure (which is all too common on post 2016 diesel engines....don't get me started). The Cummins engine dealer in Elko diagnosed the problem late on a Friday afternoon, and provided pertinent info to Spartan Motors (the motorhome chassis manufacturer and the responsible party for emissions systems). Monday morning, Spartan sent out a new part via overnight delivery. We didn't let the down time go to waste, however, and set out exploring the backcountry around the city.

The Cummins shop offered to let us park in their parking lot, with an electrical hookup, but we elected to move to an adjacent rv park. The weather was nice, if a little cloudy.

After repairs were completed, we elected not to continue our trip east, and backtracked to Winnemucca, Nevada. The rv park we chose had nearby access to offload trails, so we signed up for four nights so we could enjoy some of the reason we were out on the road! During the first night, a storm blew in with beautiful skies.

We started our exploration on the Bloody Shins Trail into the mountains. This area is dedicated to off highway vehicles, although we saw several pickups and hunters on the trails.

Rising above Winnemucca, we stopped for a view of the valley.

Getting a bit farther up the mountain, we came across a valley with natural water flowing from springs. The Aspens and Cottonwood trees were loving it!

Late fall colors were everywhere.

We stopped for lunch in a grove of huge trees. It was a shady, quiet place to chill for awhile.

The leaves were just beginning to fall, leaving a colorful pattern on the ground.

The next days were spent continuing our travels in southeastern Winnemucca. 

Now and again we would stop for a break, maybe a snack, and to enjoy the view and the quiet of the high desert.

Donna was well protected by a helmet, goggles, and a gaiter to cut the dust.

Near the rv park, in a small residential area, this tree was celebrating it's survival of the hot summer!

One last look at the expanse of the valley that Winnemucca sits in.

Ok, what do you see in this rock formation? Monkey? The hood ornament from a 1954 Pontiac?

When we woke up on departure day, we discovered that snow had visited us overnight. Not much around us, but the hills nearby were dusted.

We stopped in Verdi, Nevada for the night, and the snow continued to fall.

Back home, we found that the crew had completed joining the two halves of the manufactured home and filled in the exterior siding.

Turns out we have a bit of excess dirt to remove!

Two days and 8 dump truck loads, the dirt was gone and the prep for patio repair was begun.

A dear friend brought us an astounding welcome home gift! Made from a pumpkin and succulents, it's a great addition to our lives!

A week after the dirt was removed, and plans were made to start outside work, the weather gods decided to try to end the west coast drought all at one time. As I write this, nothing much has been done the last week except watch the weather. We're in the middle of an "Atmospheric River" that promises to drop 3-5 inches of rain in 36 hours! We've spent most of the day monitoring drainage ditches on the property and hoping for the best. We'll see how we survived tomorrow!

Thanks for enduring this post. We'll try to update more frequently as time progresses.