May 5, 2017. From Our Home to the Home of Lincoln.

May 5, 2017.  From Our Home to the Home of Lincoln.  So, we saddled up Harvey and departed this morning.  This evening, we are at the home of Lincoln, Springfield, IL.  We are on the first leg of a three day drive to Mackinac Island, MI.  Tomorrow night will find us somewhere along the west side of Michigan.

Harvey's right tail light stopped lighting on our trip home from Texas in January.  Before leaving this morning, I removed the cover and tried to remove the bulb so I could replace it.  The bulb was stuck in the housing so I did what I do.  I got a pair of needle nose pliers and tried to turn the bulb to release it from the housing.  The pliers slipped and I broke the bulb.  I wasn't sure I would be able to find another without the number which was printed on the bulb.

I was wrong.  I told the guy at the auto parts store the year and make of Harvey and he sent me down an aisle where I found the bulb.  In the parking lot I again removed the tail light cover and inserted the new bulb.  It worked and I was smugly proud of myself.  Annie, less so.  She wondered how I had broken the old bulb to begin with.

As we pulled away from the auto parts store, the refrigerator began to beep.  I drove a few blocks, then stopped at the HyVee parking lot.  We reviewed the manual and concluded the problem was likely a bad fuse.  We replaced the fuse, then got on the interstate.  Ten minutes later it began to beep again.  We tolerated it for about 30 minutes, then it stopped as mysteriously as it began.  Our guess is that the house batteries were low because Harvey has been in the cave for the last three months.  Driving on the interstate recharged the batteries so the fridge would run without beeping.  There has been no beeping since.

We set up at Double J Campground and settled into our comfy chairs.  Suddenly, the LPG alarm began to blare and screech.  Annie Farkley jumped about three feet into the air, screaming more loudly than the propane alarm.

So, out came the manual again as we tried to discern the cause.  I didn't smell gas and couldn't figure out why the alarm.  Annie read that you are supposed to open the door and windows of the RV to allow the substance which triggered the alarm to dissipate.  That's what we did and it worked.  The alarm stopped and hasn't alerted since.  I have no idea what set it off.

So begins our spring trip in Harvey the RV.  It seems that we have these little problems every time we leave home with Harvey.  At least we didn't have to spend a day at the repair shop.  Yet.  Keep your fingers crossed.

I found some more old barns for you.  The school depicted above is Hannibal High which is where I attended in 1961-62.  Somewhere I have a picture of myself standing on the front steps as a gangly 15-year-old youth.  Gangly, I am no more.  Portly and slightly past middle age is a better current description.

Goodnight.