Blog Posts

Assaults on My Batteries

9/5/2020

...and other technical stuff

After my return from Red Rock, I had no further trips planned for about three weeks. Time to schedule a look at the cooktop in the camper. Earlier this summer, we were using it and flames started shooting up from a place where flames shouldn't be. I can make do with a campfire, the microwave, and my electric skillet, but obviously the stove needed to be checked. I took it in to a dealer in Davenport and they reported back that a burner needed replacing, but it would take a couple of weeks to get the part.

Meanwhile, this week I made a short trip by car to spend a couple of days with my friend Joanie at her house north of Burlington. We had a great visit but when I got ready to leave my car wouldn't start--dead battery. So we two old ladies both had to get our manuals out to even figure out how to prop up the hoods (I know, I should have known this) but we managed to get jumper cables hooked up and my buggy started. I hopped in immediately and made it home, but an hour later it wouldn't start again. I know the battery is quite old so called the Ford dealer and they promptly came and got it, put in a new battery and changed the oil. So my little kiwi colored Escape is road worthy again.

The next day I called the RV dealer to arrange to pick Agatha up that afternoon and bring her back when they had the part. My friend Letha graciously agreed to take me over and we milled around looking at gadgets while we waited for them to bring Agatha up. Finally they came back and said it wouldn't start--dead battery. Now that battery is only three months old so I went with them and discovered they had left the radio on. They finally got it jumped and once again we hit the road and made it home. It still starts this morning so I think the radio was the problem.

As if these technical problems weren't enough of a challenge this week, I had ordered new rope lights for my deck. The previous ones dated back to the building of the pergola in 2006 and had given up the ghost. The lights were here when I got home Thursday so Friday morning I went out to install them. Got out the ladder, put up the new brackets, snapped in the lights, and hooked up an extension cord that runs over the top of the pergola to an outlet on the side of the house. Plugged them in and nothing. Tried a couple of other cords but still nothing. Finally I took the lights back down and brought them in the house to plug them in. They don't work. Aaaargh.

Today I plan to do some reading and writing and hope my Kindle and my computer don't blow up.

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Making New Memories, Reliving the Old

8/19/2020

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For several years, we have been coming with a large group to Howell Station campground below the Lake Red Rock Dam near Pella at State Fair time. Several in the group had grandchildren showing animals at the fair and would drive up to Des Moines from here. Last year, this trip was the last time Butch successfully towed the trailer. He even rode his bike a short distance and participated in all of the gatherings. A month later he had started a steady decline of balance, speech, eating, and memory problems resulting from the whole brain radiation treatment he had had in the spring. But we made a lot of wonderful memories here--biking, hiking, campfires, trips to Pella and the Tassel Ridge winery.

So it has been bittersweet to return this year, but all in all, a wonderful trip. First of all, the weather has been fantastic. Chilly mornings, pleasant days with wonderful breezes, and cool nights. There is no state fair this year and we are missing some regular members of our group. But my long time friend Joanie agreed to join me and we make pretty good camping buddies. We agree politically and have similar likes and dislikes. We are both 77 but neither of us has fallen out of bed or tripped on the steps. Our group is still not sharing meals because of the virus, but so far Joanie and I have had pork chop sandwiches with coleslaw and sweet corn, brown sugar chicken and rice salad, and last night shrimp boil packets cooked over the fire. We have done a couple of hikes and of course made the requisite trip into Pella to the quilt shop and the bakery.

We have had a campfire every night beginning with a beautiful sunset. Last night we had a special treat with a concert from Ken on his guitar. I had a rough moment when Ken broke into "Working Man," Butch's favorite song with memories connected to our trip to Ireland ten years ago. But the choice was much appreciated because it seemed to make Butch a part of our campfire circle.

Today is another beautiful day. We will probably do some hiking and biking; maybe play a few games. Tonight, although we have not been sharing food, Vince and Letha will do a fish fry and we will each bring along our own sides. One of the few drawbacks to this campground is very poor internet. I am having trouble adding any more pictures, so I'd beet upload this if I can!

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That Was The Week That Was

8/16/2020

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And we're glad it's over, although the ramifications will be around for a long time. Remember that show from the early 60s? It focused on political and social satire, and although there's still plenty of targets in those areas to provide fodder for such a program, this week Mother Nature would have to take her fair share of hits. Because, besides a heat wave in the southwest and east and wildfires, Iowa and other Midwestern states got clobbered by a derecho (inland hurricane) on Monday. Crops and homes destroyed, trees toppled, and loss of power for almost a half million people across the state--some places for days. The photo above is one of hundreds posted of damage. Those were grain bins.

Unlike a hurricane, this thing had no warning. I was leaving Backbone on Monday morning to come home and checked the forecast. There was mention of "thunderstorms around" in the afternoon so I decided to get going early just to avoid unloading my camper in the rain. I mean, thunderstorms in Iowa in the summer are no big deal, right? I came by Cedar Rapids about an hour before the storm hit. With sustained winds of over 100 miles an hour, I have no illusions of what would have happened if that had hit my camper broadside. The storm was moving at 70 mph and arrived at home less than an hour after I parked.

I got off easy with minor damage and we only lost power for 12 hours. But with estimates of possibly a third of Iowa's crops being lost, and reports of every street in Cedar Rapids sustaining damage--not to mention similar issues in Des Moines, Iowa City, the Quad Cities and almost every small town in between, it is going to be a long time before things are back to any semblance of normal.

So I am reverting into my practiced response to the rest of 2020's dubious gifts--the pandemic, and the loss of my husband, aunt and several good friends. I will run away. This afternoon, several of us will head to Red Rock near Pella for four days. Camping not only offers me the renewing blessings of nature, but people to talk to in a relatively safe environment.

As after each trip, I have completed a couple of repairs/improvements to Agatha. I replaced the bulb in the outside light with a correct one and reglued the strip on the step. I also washed the underside of the awning in preparation for a couple of fixes there. Brother-in-law Ken put a bike rack on the back for me. And my favorite kind of fix: the storage compartment latch that was stuck decided to start working again!

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Learning from the Wilderness

8/9/2020

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Friday with the Glampers: We spent the morning making 'stone leaves using quick-set cement. Mine was not so good but the plus side is that I now know all of the things I did wrong. So not a total loss, right?

After lunch, we went for a 'stream hike'. We donned water shoes and old clothes and drove to the lower part of the park where a trout stream wends its way to the Maquoketa River. Betty and Ann had selected a section that looped around an area with a parking lot so that we didn't have to walk back upstream to get to our cars when we were done. I was very appreciative of this bit of foresight by the end. My shoes were old sandals with rubber soles that would have been fine had they also been designed to keep the sand and rocks out. I have several nicks on my feet from small rocks that got under the straps. But it was a beautiful walk and something I would do again with better shoes.

Supper was a baked potato bar and after the walk and all those carbs, I got a good night's sleep. Saturday morning I opted out of the kayaking and decided instead to do what I thought was a short hike around the campground to the road. It was two miles. Beautiful, but it put me down at the bridge with a very challenging climb back up the hill. By that time, a two and a half hour nap was in order to be ready for an amazing potluck supper. Afterwards, of course, a campfire and the glow of Sandy's chandelier.

Daryl, one of our 'manpers', taught me something else. My outside light has not worked since the second trip. I took the bulb in to get a new one so that would get the right one, right? However, it didn't work. Daryl checked it out and I found out that there are single contact bulbs and double contact bulbs. Mine was a single and I had bought doubles. So I will remedy that. This morning a sudden rainstorm cancelled other plans. Most of our group as well as the rest of the campground began the flurry of dismantling and packing up. Shortly after noon, a real downpour decided to hurry the process. I will spend a quiet afternoon and evening with some reading, writing, and a little TV. Tomorrow, back to the real world.

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Everybody Needs a Backbone

8/7/2020

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The Midwest Glampers July event is being held at Backbone State Park which is celebrating it's 100th birthday this year. The area's unique geologic features makes it obvious why it was chosen as Iowa's first state park. I arrived Wednesday when the only other Glampers here were the 'Traveling Teardrop Sisters' from Des Moines, Betty and Ann. However the campground was pretty full--unusual for mid-week except for the year of the Covid. We spent a quiet evening Wednesday and opted for an early night.

Yesterday morning I did some writing and hiked the Lake Trail. The trail has a lot of ups and downs but for the most part is hard packed. For the few slopes with roots or loose gravel, I was glad I had my trusty walking stick.

During the afternoon, the other Glampers arrived. For supper I shared a crockpot of beef stroganoff with Sandy and Shelly. Sandy got an upsetting text from her daughter that her 23-year-old granddaughter, who has Covid, was being rushed to the ER with low oxygen. She was much relieved later to receive word that the granddaughter was sent back home as her symptoms had improved. Scary times.

We finished off the evening with a campfire at Jackie and Harry's site. Jackie even provide marshmallows with chocolate inside (!) for roasting. And we were treated with a shooting star. This morning Sandy will direct a craft activity making stone leaves and this afternoon we will do a 'stream walk' in one of the trout streams in the lower park. Supper will be a baked potato bar.

As I said, the campground is quite full, and I have enjoyed watching families playing games, throwing a football, and heading out with fishing poles.

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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

7/31/2020

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After several camping trips drenched in sweat, I am sitting here this morning with a sweatshirt on and a blanket over my knees. I love it! Yesterday, we began the day with a hike around the lake. The breeze was wonderful and we especially enjoyed the wildflowers in bloom along the causeway (known as The Old Dam Trail in my youth). Much of the path was shady and the spillway was, as usual, spectacular.

After lunch, it was a trip to town for Marcia, Harlan, and me. This was a chance for them to see some sites they had never experienced before; particularly a grade school I went to, now the county sheriff's department and jail, and my high school, now a church. Perhaps there's a message there somewhere? We also explored some local shops and visited the Rustic Brew. Our big disappointment came when we looked for the ice cream stand that Carole and I had visited the day before only to find that it had disappeared! It was an actual cone, just big enough for one person to dispense yummy cones. It was also on wheels and now had moved on. So it was back to the Rustic Brew for ice cream sandwiches.

For supper, we dined on burgers, salmon, hash browns, and some delectable sweet corn Marcia had picked up in town. It was a beautiful evening to sit out and enjoy the sunset. I also used my new bee awning lights, which are very cute except for all of the poor bees being upside down.

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The Odyssey Continues

7/29/2020

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A week at home gave me time to work on some repairs and upgrades to Agatha. It's the old story of one step forward and two back. Or maybe five back. I added a handle to the bathroom door to make it easier to open. The small recessed latch is not a very good pull. So far it hasn't fallen off and is doing the job. I reglued the rubber strip on one of the steps only to have it come loose again three days later. I glued it again and it is still holding. Then with the help of YouTube, I tackled lubricating the awning. It makes a harsh grinding noise when opening and closing. The job was messy and not at all successful. Back to the drawing board. Finally, I ordered seat covers for the captains chairs but they were too small.

So, small steps. Yesterday I made my longest drive yet to my old stomping grounds, Beed's Lake State Park near Hampton. I have a favorite site, a pull-through with shade near the lake. Unfortunately about twenty minutes after I arrived, a small motorhome pulling a storage trailer took the site between me and the lake and completely blocked my view. Of all the nerve. But they were evidently just passing through because they left at 6:30 this morning.

A classmate and friend, Carole, came out for a visit in the late afternoon and then I warmed up one of the leftover meals I had frozen and brought along. You can get lazy when you're alone. But I supplemented it with a slice of wonderful fresh bread that Carole's husband Marv had baked and a corn salad I had made from fresh sweet corn. As usual at Beed's, it was a lovely sunset and worth a walk to the dam.

Carole and I made plans for a downtown visit this afternoon so I can see what's happenin' in my old hometown. This should have been our 60th class reunion this summer, but like everything else, the corona virus quashed that.

Sometime this afternoon, my old co-worker and friend, Marcia, will arrive along with her husband. They will be spending a couple of nights on their way to northwest Iowa. I appreciate the slightly lower temperatures although it sounds like the humidity will hang around, but will definitely have to get in my traditional walk around the lake. Meanwhile, another cup of coffee with some veggie pancakes and cherry coffee cake will meet my immediate needs.

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Staying Cool

7/18/2020

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...Or trying to. After two days at Sugarbottom, I said goodbye to friends and headed by a circuitous route to Lake MacBride where about 20 or so of the Midwest Glampers are gathering for the weekend. My site was a challenge but Betty and Ann were already here and helped me get parked. Friend Ginge joined me and we had a good supper of grilled salmon, fresh sweet corn and broccoli slaw while others arrived. However I had to earn my supper. Ginge talked me into an afternoon walk. I should know better because she walks a lot and I swear this was 16 miles. (She says not.) SO after a little evening visiting, I was ready for bed.

Friday dawned warm already and my sore knee and legs excused me from most strenuous activity including a hike to the dam. We watched some of the Glampers work on macrame chairs and prepared ourselves mentally for supper--a seven-Dutch oven spread. The offerings included beef roast, roasted chicken, two potato dishes, mixed garden veggies and apple cake.

This morning, three of us who missed the hike to the dam yesterday decided to get it in early. The spillway that joins Lake MacBride to the reservoir was lovely at that hour. Back in time for a shower and more cast-iron cooking: two breakfast casseroles. We did a little food prep for the potluck this evening and a little reading and napping. The heat has been relentless and although the heavy woods provide quite a bit of shade, they also block what breeze there is. Last night we got back to my camper to find the AC off--along with the outlets and microwave. An inspection of my power post (not easy because it is down a slope surrounded by poison ivy) revealed that the the post switch had slipped down. I turned it off and back on, only to have it do the same thing about twenty minutes later. This time Ginge held the flashlight while I used duct tape to keep the switch on. So far it's working, which is a good thing, because although I reported it, no one has come to work on it.

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A Sweet Spot

7/15/2020

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The last couple of weeks have included some big events for me: four days at West Overlook on the Coralville Reservoir with friends, a visit from my daughter and her husband from West Virginia, a haircut (!), and decals for my new rig, Agatha. Now I am at Sugarbottom Campground, also at Coralville. Butch and I camped here several years ago and intended to return but never did. I am just here for two nights and my friends originally chose campsites close to the water.

However, two weeks ago we were notified that water was going to be too close, as heavy rains necessitated raising the level of the reservoir. So we abandoned the sites in the foreground of the above photo and opted for sites a little higher up. As it turned out, we could have kept the original sites, but where we are is fine. The shower houses are unusual here, made up of individual full bathrooms. The only drawback, in my eyes of course, is that there is only one hook.

Wednesday was a gray day with occasional sprinkles. We played a couple of games of Back Up 8 and then took a road trip to Lake MacBride State Park where I will journey today for a Glamper weekend. The campground is not far from here as the crow flies but due to the rambling shape of the reservoir is about a 25 minute drive. We checked out the site I reserved, and although it is described as "level" on line, it appeared that I would need some extra lift for the back of Agatha so when we returned the Ottaways loaned me some extra boards.

The evening was a strenuous one. After attempting to solve the political and medical situation in today's world around the campfire, we entertained ourselves watching two lighted buckets change color and trying to synchronize them. There also was the challenge of keeping the dog's leash untangled. The sunset wasn't very visible from our site but the reflection in the east was stunning. And so to bed.

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A Happy Accident

6/29/2020

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A month or so ago I was notified that several people I know were going to be camping at West Overlook campground on the Coralville Reservoir this week. By that time, all of the sites down by the lake were taken so I picked one in a small loop at the top of the hill. There are just five sites on this loop shaded by huge old pines and overlooking a wooded ravine. It is absolutely lovely.

I managed to back Agatha in without rolling down the hill, and with friend Bob's help, got her somewhat level. I am very grateful for the AC (and the shade) since the forecast for today is 90 with high humidity and the rest of the week doesn't look much better.

Last night, two other couples who ended up on this loop shared their fire for grilling and we polished off our meal with watermelon, ice cream bars, and cookies. One cannot have too many desserts when camping. We had a nice visit after and I had a great night's sleep. It's a dog's life.