Our RV Adventures

Our day really started today when we headed out about 1:30, on our way to Brand’s for the afternoon. Going through Columbus, we got gas (for $2.19. So far the cheapest I’ve seen is $1.98. $2.64 for diesel) and then made a stop at Wal-Mart to pick up our prescriptions. But that didn’t work out  One of the two pharmacists was out sick so the other one had to close the pharmacy while she went to lunch. And guess when her lunch period was? So I’ll have to run back down there tomorrow to pick them up.

We got to Brandi’s a little before 3, and after getting our Landon hugs, Lowell and I got to work.

A couple of weeks ago, the power in a bedroom and the adjoining bathroom went out at their house, both lights and wall outlets. I had looked at the problem a couple of weeks ago, but didn’t have any tools with me. But today I came prepared.

Since Lowell already knew that a number of the labels on his circuit breaker panel were incorrect, we started there by taking the cover off the panel and checking the output of each breaker with a voltmeter. And no luck there. They were all good.

Normally the way these things are wired up, one hot wire (black) comes from the breaker panel and then loops to each outlet and switch in a daisychain.. So a break anywhere along the line will knock out everything below it. The problem is figuring out which device is first in line, next in line, and so on.

And as was the case here, sometimes you just have to pick a place and start opening outlet boxes and switches, and testing them. In this case, the seventh time was the charm. When we took the cover plate off the 4th outlet (one on each wall) in the room, and then pulled the outlet itself out of the wall box, the lights came on for a few seconds. Got it!

These outlets and switches have a quick connect feature that allows you to just strip the wire and push it in a hole on the back of the outlet. It suppose to lock in like sticking your finger in one of those Chinese finger traps. But in this case it was broken and the wire would not stay in. So I just used my needle-nose pliers to bend a hook on the end, and tightened it down under the old-fashioned screw terminals. Slower to hook up, but more reliable.

Our job done, we all headed right down the street to Little V’s Vietnamese Bistro for our usual delicious meal.

On the home front, my new transfer switch came in, which I’ll probably install next week, and I’m going to have to do an electrical repair of my own here in the rig. The last fluorescent tube has died in the ceiling fixture in the hallway, and, as I did the bathroom, I’m going to replace the tubes with two small LED strips. Cheaper and brighter.

More tomorrow.

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Thought for the Day:

Actual Houston Lawyer’s Ad

 

 

 

 
His name is Eric Dick.

I’d hire him.

adsfadf

Finishing up yesterday’s road trip, about 3pm we headed out on the 2 hour trip down to Alvin, Texas to attend the Alvin Opry Christmas Show. But our first stop was at the Kelley’s Restaurant to meet our friend Maria for dinner. We always allow extra time there because they get really busy on Friday nights, and this time was no different. But finishing up dinner, we got to the Alvin Opry a little after 7pm, just in time for the 7:30 show.

It was really great catching up with all our old friends, and meeting new ones. But the show was even better. But besides all the great Christmas songs and music, the highlight of the show for us was John Mark Davis. Here’s what I wrote about him last year.

John Mark is the full-blooded son of a chief of the Adai Caddo Indians of Louisiana, and has performed all over the country. He has opened for Mark Chestnutt and Tracy Byrd, and was offered a slot opening for Dwight Yoakum, but due to a prior obligation was unable to accept.

He was also twice an award winner in the Nashville’s Music City Song Fest, and really knows how to work a crowd and keep you entertained. He’s also know for his hilarious versions of Kaw-Liga, Running Bear, and Please Mr. Custer.

You can go here and download for free, or listen to one of John Mark’s songs oh his website.

It’s hard not to like a guy who sings ‘Running Bear”, complete with pow wow dancing and war whoops from both him and audience. And in the background, the band is singing, “Um Chucka Lucka, Um Chucka Lucka, Um Chucka Lucka . . .”

Politically correct, John Mark is not.

After a great night, we finally got home about 12:15am after I made a stop for coffee since it had been a long day.

As far as today, after coffee this morning, I checked in with Randy next door to see how his battery situation was going. Found out that so far the power converter is still keeping the batteries topped off about 12.8 volts. Tomorrow when we’ll have more time, we’ll take the converter offline and see how the batteries handle some load from the coach.

But today, we wanted to do some tourist things, so about 1pm we made the 30 minute trip west to Schulenburg to visit the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum. We visited, or rather, I visited here in March 2007 on our very first RV trip in our CruiseAmerica rental Class C.

Since it was a ‘toy’ museum, Jan wanted to stay out in the RV and finish packing things away for our 3 week trip out west. So she never saw it.

But they have added a new building since then and I knew that Jan would want to the see the restored 1800’s family home next door, we were back here again.

The Stanzel brother’s Victor and Joe, were pre-eminent in the model aircraft world from the late 1920’s until the early 2000’s when the last brother died.

The Stanzel Company started out making ‘ornamental’ (i.e. non-flying) aircraft models that were sold to nearby cadets and collectors. Stanzel models were known for their absolute attention to detail, and proved to be very popular.

Later in the early 30’s they started selling their planes as kits with 11 different models available. In fact they were selling so fast they had to expand their production and hire more people. . . . in the Depression.

A few years later they were building full-size aircraft and rocketship rides for fairs and carnivals.

Next up was a tour of  a mockup of their factory.

The center display was another carnival ride that the company was working on when the last brother died.

 

This is an injection molding machine that was used to make the many small plastic parts used on the models.

 

At the peak of production, the factory employs over 170 people, and made every part of their many products, including printing and cutting the boxes for the products. Nothing outsourced to China here

Next up was Jan’s favorite part, the restored Stanzel family home right next door.

Originally built in the mid 1800’s, it has been restored and furnished as it was in the 1880’s.

Miss Lillian, our guide, has worked for the family for years, starting out in the factory.

The kitchen with the coal-burning stove and the dry sink.

The bedroom with the rope bed.

And of course the obligatory chamberpot.

This is a quilting frame for large quilts.

The baking and food preparation area.

And an old time washing machine and a bath tub. All near the kitchen since the water had to be heated on the stove.

The Stanzel Museum is a fun visit, especially if you owned some of their toys over the years as I did. And even better, unlike some private museums, it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to visit. Just $4.00 for adults, and $2.00 for seniors. Nice!

There are a lot of other museums around town, but for some reason Jan didn’t want to visit this one.

You’d think she didn’t like the accordion, or something.

Next up, we turned around and headed back up TX71 almost to La Grange. We had passed Timeless Texas Classics a number of times, but this was our chance to stop and visit.

As the sign says, they will sell you a restored auto, restore yours, or sell you parts from their own bone yard out back.

We were warmly greeted by Lance Herrington, the owner., and given the run of the place. As long as we didn’t touch anything.

The sign says that “Buttons and Buckles scratch. So please do not lay on these cars unless you are NAKED!”

Then in smaller letters underneath, it says, “And FEMALE!”

Sounds like he’s serious.

This is his personal T-Bird that he bought new over 40 years ago, and he still has it. But it can be yours for a price.

$300,000.

Sounds like he really doesn’t want to part with it.

This is a rare 1963 Falcon Sprint Convertible. Not that many were made, and not that many survived.

 

 

And this Ford Fairlane Victoria can be yours for only $36,000.

 

Another rare beauty, this is a 1963 Thunderbird Sports Roadster. Only 455 were made, and it’s NOT for sale.

 

This is a 1946 Ford Deluxe Delivery Van, complete with the fabled Flathead V8.

 

As you can tell, Mr. Herrington is partial to Fords, especially Thunderbirds.

If you like cars, you’ll like this place. And even better, it’s free.

Our last visit of the day was to a Texas icon, one of the most famous places in Texas history. Storied in books, plays, movies, and songs, everyone in America knows exactly what you’re talking about.

And, no, it’s not the Alamo. And it’s not the Houston Astrodome.

This is the former location of the one and only . . .

Chicken Ranch, i.e. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

It’s not much to look at now. In fact, there’s nothing to look at now. In 1977, four years after the place closed, two Houston lawyers bought the place and moved the building and the furnishings to Dallas where it reopened as a restaurant with the former madam, Miss Edna, as the hostess. It closed the next year.

Seems like Miss Edna was better at running a whorehouse than a restaurant, because in its heyday in the 50’s, it was making over $3.5 million a year, with each of the 16 girls averaging over $2000 a week in today’s dollars.

You can read more about the history of the Chicken Ranch here. It’s an interesting read. I think my favorite part is the helicopter that the Army supplied to ferry soldiers to and from the place. Your tax dollars at work.

Tomorrow afternoon we’re driving in to meet Brandi, Lowell,and Landon. And of course,eat dinner at Little V’s Vietnamese Bistro. Can’t miss that.

Finally, I received confirmation the other day that Jan and I will be giving our seminar on gate guarding at the 54th Escapade in Tucson, starting March 8th. Called “Gate Guarding for Fun? And Profit”, it will cover everything from how to get started to how to survive on the gate, the do’s and don’s, and what to expect.

I don’t know the day and time yet, but I’ll  let you know.

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Thought for the Day:

“There are no great men, just great challenges which ordinary men, out of necessity, are forced by circumstances to meet.” – Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey

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