Cross Anchor, Rain & Progress

I kept a log while on the bus this last time so I didn't have to rely on my memory to write this blog.

Sept 13

Running around today I left Walmart where I had camped and went to Northern tool to do a little shopping to see if they had something to help me make a ladder out of the aluminum poles Britt's mom had given me. After finding no success there, but picking up a new hacksaw, I went to Home Depot to buy the wood for cabinets along top shelf. Unfortunately the wood was $20 a sheet and I got two sheets. Then I picked up wood conditioner and supports for the cabinets. My bill was $60. I only had $20 left of the $300 I accumulated in the past 3 days. And I still had to buy more groceries and gas. I decided on groceries since I knew I had enough fuel to get to Spartanburg. I bought 36 eggs, two pounds of deli meat, hot dogs and buns, and two pounds of cashew halves. A couple of days before I had purchased smoked sausage, cheese, yoohoo drinks, 2 boxes of cheese nips, bag of pepperoni and 3 bags of kettle cooked potato chips. Oh yeah, and a case of bottled water.

After Home Depot I went to Britt's to get the floor rugs and ice, and completely forgot to fill my 5 gallon water jugs with nice clean chlorinated city water.

When I arrived at my home away from home in Spartanburg, I decided to park where my bus could get more light during the day so I could mount the solar panels to the roof without losing precious daylight. I pulled out the trusty swingblade Sandra had given me and made a bus sized clearing in the tall grass. Then I moved my bus onto it. I then unloaded enough stuff that I could walk freely from the front of the bus to the back. I am tired now. I swung that swing blade for just 15 minutes but I have blister developing already. My hands have all the coarseness of a 6mth old baby girl. Maybe I exaggerate, I do have callouses where my fingers meet the palm but my inner thumbs are still tender.

Tomorrow I finish unloading. One of the first projects will be to get those solar panels installed on the roof.

Here I get wise and put on some gloves (and Rambo/Karate Kid Headband).

This is my Unibomber hairstyle, it is all the rage in Cross Anchor.

Sept 14, 2009

I installed solar panels today. Finished up around 2:30 pm. Found out that installing them flat I only get good sun until 4:30 pm this time of the year. I could probably tweak out a couple more hours if I made them movable and able to tilt, but that would require more engineering than I am willing to do right now. I have them where they are permanently mounted and I should be able to drive with them up there. I unloaded a few more things. And then went to my neighbors to retrieve ice bottles I had left with them last time I was here and to refill water jugs.

Set up Hammock.

Sept 15, 2009

Here comes the rain again...it isn't just a Eurythmics song for me. It is pouring rain outside, right after I unloaded most of the rest of my stuff. I am getting the feeling that I am a real life testament to Murphy's Law...if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. Luckily it gave me an hour warning with thunder rolling in the distance. I covered everything with tarps that are not all that water proof, but it was all I could do. I still love being in the bus when it rains, but I do wish I could coordinate the timing better. I will spend the rest of the evening making plans for tomorrow and measuring cuts and deciding paint colors. Maybe I will just sit back for a while and enjoy the cool breezes and the sound of the rain hitting roof. Thunder is sounding raucous, hope lighting doesn't hit my new solar panels...My batteries have enough juice to let me have a late night of watching movies on my laptop. Hmmm, I am liking my rain day more and more. I can blow off work with no guilt and enjoy living. I still have a great selection of food and snacks. Life is good.

A River runs through it (my camp)

A good time to work on keeping digital journal.

Sunday Night(a week later)

The rain has thrown off my whole week. The day after my last entry I got some work done but was hit by unexpected showers before I could put tarps over all my work. Pieces of wood I had cut and painted got saturated by the rain. Wood I had stained and planned on putting polyurethane included. I am kicking myself for not being more prepared. This has been the wettest week thus far since I started this mobile lifestyle. Must be because of the season change. Two of the days I saw 3+ inches of rain. A few days I was seriously bummed out because I thought I had planned so well, I had ample food and supplies. I didn't even feel like reporting on what was going on because I never saw the silver lining to my predicament. It feels as if this week was wasted. But I still have food for a few more days and although the wood is drenched I feel as if it can dry out enough I can get some work done, as long as I take care to keep the forecasted rain from spoiling it yet again. My nearest neighbor, Mark, has allowed me to charge my batteries at his place since my solar panels are worthless in this weather. I also restocked on ice, washed some dishes and even gave Nala a bath at his place. I am ok with the rain and its obscene randomness. Midnight rainstorms don't surprise me any longer and I have learned to keep everything covered or on the bus unless I plan to work with it immediately. This has caused quite a mess on the bus and even with carpets in front of the door dirt and red clay is tracked in by me and the pets. One step forward, two steps back but I still haven't lost sight of my goal. I must admit severe frustration at things beyond my control. At least the weather is cooler. I am reserving the last of my generator fuel for powering tools.

Ok the last week was great! After the rain finally stopped I was able to get some work done.

Here is my cat lying in a wet patch of red clay cleaning himself.


A little section dedicated to the insect wildlife...

Fireants...major problem. I kill them with extreme prejudice. Here are some of their tiny corpses.


As I was removing the tarps I found several giagantic spiders (I prefer snakes to spiders). I am not sure if it is the female that is larger but I gingerly lifted all future tarps. Plus my work boot of choice is flip flops. I have even developed distinct tan lines as evidence. But kicking through the grass with those on and the godzilla spiders creeping about always keeps me on my toes.


Mrs. Spider?

Another spider

My working shoes


I call this next insect the pit bull bee. I have never seen anything like it. He was on my bed one morning. Unfortunately he died shortly after these photos were taken. I suspect he got into the poison I sprayed on the bus to kill/prevent fireant infestations.





I got cabinet facings built for upper shelves to make storage a little more organized up there. I don't have a pic right now of the final hunter green paint I used on them.
Before Pic

Prepainted Pic


I am heading back to Cross Anchor today or tomorrow morning. I am eager to get back to finish up most projects. I also just like camping out there. It is just awesome to be away from it all. I am also ready to get on the road soon. Weather is cooling off, work conditions should be optimal.

Friends and the Future

I have been in a reflective mood this weekend. I am really really thankful for the friends and the different help they have provided. The littlest things, like Britt letting me come over and use his internet connection to post to this blog and take care of a few other online business things. He also lets me use his freezer to freeze aquafina bottles and milk jugs so I can have long term ice in my cooler, and he lets me charge all my various batteries, from my AAA to Power Tool battery (which coincidently Britt is loaning me his Lithium powered Drill and batteries) to my two 12 volt deep cycle batteries. Plus occasionally he lets me do my laundry. He's not the only person, Charles Bordner has also surprised me with his helpfulness, Laundry, Employment, long distance road side assistance to name a few of his stellar qualities. I am surprised, because although I considered these guys friends they were the normal friends you have in adulthood. We were there for each other but none of us ever got really tested by the other. Nobody had to get bailed out of jail at 3am for dui or give up a kidney to save a life. The only favors asked were small, helpful gestures...can you help me move something heavy, can I borrow your trailer that you aren't using to pick up some wood from home depot. Only since I have moved into the bus have I realized the full generosity of my friends. I couldn't have even gotten this far without their help. They reschedule plans to help me out. I unwittingly put them to the test and I am pleasantly surprised to discover that I am indeed a good judge of character. Even Britt's girlfriend Eli (Elizabeth) has dumbfounded me with her generosity, that is totally above the call of duty. My old friend DJ, who is a tried and true giving spirit, continued to be so even though I haven't been totally worthy. I am such a lucky guy. I wasn't really volunteering to be a burden to those I knew when I made this decision but not one of them has ever made me feel like I was putting them out when I called and needed help. I just hope one day I can be there when they need me, even if I have to drive cross country to do it. Who knows they might need a kidney one day.

Britt & Eli


Charles

Britt & MeDJ


I am looking forward to this coming trip back to Spartanburg. I helped Britt's mom, Sandra, clean out her shed today and she gave me several hundred pounds of stuff for the bus. I got great old wood that you can't even buy in the stores anymore, I got paint, I got tools, I got floor rugs, I got a coffee table, I got aluminum poles I am going to use to make a ladder to attach to the back of the bus. After this trip, all I will need to do is install plumbing. I like the way my life is going, I don't have to wait till the end of November to be thankful, I am sincerely thankful every day. I'll have new pictures to post when I get back.

Yesterday I was Stranded

I experienced my most uncomfortable moment yesterday. My bus broke down on Pelham rd. More than likely it ran out of gas, which seems like a trivial problem but isn't on a diesel powered vehicle. My first issue was that I was awoken yesterday morning by the police. Friendly enough guys once I met and talked with them. But being brought out of a blissful sleep by thunderous pounding on different doors of my bus (seems they didn't know which door was my front door, as my side exit door was pummeled first) gives one a jolt of energy. Seems one of the tenants of the fairly deserted parking lot I chose to 'camp' in was uncomfortable with my bus being parked there. The officers directed me to the nearest Walmart-where it was ok to 'camp'. I knew this already but wasn't wanting to explain the finer details of changing it up.
After I get everything situated I head out and within 100yds of leaving my bus dies. My gas gauge needle was flirtatiously dancing on the white line of 'E'. I've been there before. I have at least 5 more gallons to go. Nope. I didn't. And my cell phone was out of minutes. And I was out of money. and I wasn't sure it was just an out of gas issue. So I went to the library about 95 yds away and called an old friend, DJ, who came to my rescue with a can of his best unleaded. Clearly DJ hasn't followed my blog or he would have understood that my 8.2L Detroit Diesel only drank big boy juice. But he drove me to a gas station and filled my 5 gallon can up with the right stuff. But when we returned, poured diesel in, it still wouldn't start. DJ had to run, so I was left alone again. I changed both fuel filters, never done that before on any vehicle. Oh I forgot to mention that I am in the middle median of a 4 lane rd...just where I want to be doing mechanic work. The changing of fuel filters didn't work. I went to library and researched diesel engines not starting. I learned, and had been told previously, NEVER let it run out of gas. I like to learn my lessons the hard way. Long story shortened...a spray from a can of ether (isn't that what hospitals used to anesthetize patients with?) shot into the air filter did the trick. It is suppose to be a two man job, one shooting the ether the other turning the key. I would spray the ether and then run to the front of the bus and hop into the drivers seat and hit the ignition. First two times I got optimistic grumbles from the engine area, third time I really sprayed that air filter and it cranked right up. I was very very happy. But in the 6 hrs I was stranded in the middle of the road I had plenty of time to think and question what I was doing. For the first time fear crept into my thinking. I started off when the bus originally died in my usual optimistic attitude...this sucks but I will figure it out...that gave way to what am I going to do, no mechanic would work on it where it sat, a tow truck would cost $200 and I had no money anyhow. How did I get myself in this jam? But tragedy was averted as usual. But I chalk it up to another lesson branded into my brain. And with a 1972 bus it is only a matter of time until the next mechanical breakdown happens...but I am not sweating it because I will figure out a way to fix it...I always do.

My test run at roughin' it

I have been away for a little while on a mini trip into the wilderness. It was not really wilderness in the true sense as I had friendly neighbors about a quarter mile away who allowed me to refill my 5 gallon water jugs and make ice bottles in their freezer to keep eggs and hot dogs cold. But I tried to restrict myself from using those resources. I did take them up on a baked chicken dinner mid-week. It was delicious.
A guy I barely knew,Jason, allowed me to park on his land to fix up my bus. Evidently he liked my blog and he had some land that wasn't being used. In exchange I would clean up some of the leftovers of a mobile home that had been on the property. Jason is really great guy and has gone above and beyond being helpful. He even let me forage a few things out of a mobile home he keeps on a part of the land. I have a sink to install thanks to that and a set of drawers. Huge helpful items to me.
On this trip I was able to test out my new solar panels. They worked great! Not bad at all for 45 watt solar system. It took all day to recharge my two type 29 deep cycle batteries. And it was a hassle moving those big, heavy, cumbersome batteries in and out of the bus everyday. On my next visit I am going to mount panels to the roof with hardware I picked up. Then I will run wiring down into the bus. Here is a pic of the panels. They are 3ft by 1ft each.
This is the regulator that takes the solar energy and sends it to my batteries. It is showing 12.9 which means my batteries are about topped off.

These are my batteries wired in parallel to increase the amp/hours (versus wired in series, which increases voltage) Positive to positive and negative to negative with 2 gauge wire (very thick)


On my first day there, as is turning out to be typical for me, it rained. I have been waiting for a time and place to work on the bus and when I get there the rains come. No rain for the previous 3 weeks. If your area is experiencing lack of rain, invite me over, I'll bring some with me.

Before I left I snapped this shot of Oscar in his favorite viewing place. He rides down the interstate sitting up there, but the stop and go in town traffic test his balance a little too much. Make sure to wave at him if you pass us on the road.
Nala took advantage of the overgrown field to hunt something. I would only see her tail and part of her back roaming around. Whatever it was she liked it, she wagged her 'happy dog' tail when she stopped. Rabbit? Field Mice? baby snake? I'll never know.
This is a picture of 3 jobs under way. My front storage cabinet is on the saw horses, my freshly painted cabinet doors are rear left and the battery base/drawer shelf is center right.

This picture shows my shower/bathroom tent in the background. The main point of this photo is to capture my increasing carpentry skills, notice the miter cuts in the corners. I feel that home built RV doesn't mean it has to be totally rough.

Below is what as a kid we called a 'cow-killer' ant. This thing is over an inch long and moves about fast. Its abdomen actually has fine hairs on it. I think I will call it the woolly mammoth ant.
This is Mark and Brock (Tiffany, Mark's wife was absent), They are the very neighborly people who visited and allowed me to restock on water and ice.
This was my typical breakfast the first few days. egg burritos, toastchee crackers and mountain dew. By the end of the week it was peanut butter burritos and water. I will have to make better food plans.


Here is a picture of a small bonfire I made to burn my trash. I used extra wood laying around from previous mobile home pieces. You can also see my solar shower bag hanging in bathroom, as well as 'country time' toliet (old lawn chair and bucket). I am wearing clothes. And I couldn't wait until dark so I justified that being in the shadow of the trees warranted lighting the fire.

Another interesting big ol' bug. Where were these things when I was doing elementary school bug collections.

"Damn paparazzi, I said NO PHOTOS"
These are the drawers that I harvested from the mobile home that was on bottom half of the land. I set them on top of the battery case I built. Miss Priss is testing for structural integrity.


I painted and re-installed pantry doors. I also made a cup holder pantry above it.


This is my front storage area. I had to wait to install doors until I restocked on door hinges..

Here is a picture of the beds. Solid comforter is mine, striped is Nala's and Oscar's.
View to the back of the bus.