Brians Bus Adventure: Starting to get cold

Third visit to Enoree

Monday, October 5, 2009

It rained all last night and was a drizzley wet day today. I stayed in and read. Rain is my kryptonite. I would be fine except I have most of my stuff sitting out in it under big blue tarps. I thought South Carolina was experiencing drought problems?? Mother Nature is a cruel mistress.

I do like being out here so much more than the 'urban' camping I had been doing for the past several months. Peaceful and free.

Ok, quick catchup. I arrived here Wednesday night. Oscar, my beefy gray cat, escaped the bus and I couldn't find him before I left. He either hopped out at BiLo on Woodruff or at the Library in Mauldin. I spent several hours searching and calling for him at both places. I will continue the search when I return.

I parked on a different part of the property in my quest to find the perfect combination of sun and levelness, with convenient access to work site. I put my front two tires up on blocks to help level it out. Not perfect but good enough for government work.

I saw my first deer since I have been here. I about made him my hood ornament. I was driving down Browning (name of the road property is on) Wednesday night around 9pm. He was standing right in the middle of the road, front paws on the left lane, back paws on the right lane. He was looking down the road, AWAY from me. Then he turns his head sees me, experiences that whole deer in the headlights thing, and I guess the sound of me hitting the air brakes woke him from his stupor because in about three bounds he was out of the road, over a fence and into the darkness of a field.

Being organized is suppose to help with efficiency but everytime I return here I spend a whole day unloading and organizing so I can work. And even then I still scramble around looking for a do-hickey or a watch-a-ma-callit. But at least I have a place to look for it. And I don't have a lot more building to do on the bus, if you don't include my whole bathroom, plumbing, tank installation stuff. Storage space is almost completely done. I just need a few things that I am really hoping to find on craigslist or through friends. I will put a wish list on here and if anyone has something on the list they don't need I will be more than happy to take it off your hands and put it to good use.

I have found a type of solution for electricity and entertainment. My solar panels are pretty weak as far as solar panels go at a modest 45 watts. This is barely enough to charge my two half depleted 105amp/hr marine batteries on the brightest, longest summer day. It is downright worthless in the rainy, shortened days of fall. So my computer usage is limited. But my rechargeable 'AAA' and 'D' batteries that power flashlights and LED lights last for a week easy. So I picked up some books from the library, which I don't know why I didn't think of before. The library, it isn't just for internet anymore... I was looking at the three books I got and had to laugh to myself because they represented my eclectic tastes in all things in life. I got 'Cell' by Stephen King, 'Jack' by Jack Welch (autobiography of retired GE CEO), and 'Battle Ready' by Tom Clancy (biography of General Tony Zinni). I have already finished Cell, I figured I would start with some brain candy fiction before getting down to the main courses of real peoples lives.

Turned out to be a pretty good trip. Got some progress. I will detail it more in the next post , I have tons to do with this internet access right now. Oscar is still missing. I am still looking.

Ok here's the part everyone likes...pictures.

Cold enough to see my breath