Hi All - Still Alive and Kicking

[ellenw]

It's been a crazy, fun autumn and winter and I've fallen behind on reading all your wonderful posts, much less responding. I've set a New Year's goal to get caught up. Right now I'm just concentrating on General Talk (cuz that seems to be where a lot of the fun happens) and I'm up to October 20. Nan just went to her son's wedding, Donna (and Maggie) are having some cold feet about her exciting purchase, Ava's Jack has just arrived, Maggie made us all drool with her Peach Dump Cake, and Tina and Liz are still two of our stabilizing forces.

So you see - I haven't really missed that much. I'm just a little delayed.

Tucker and I accidentally did some dry camping overnight at Farragut State Park (North Idaho) in November in mid-30-degree weather -- got there and discovered the power was off throughout the huge park -- and then another 3 nights (with power!) in Boardman Marina RV Park (Oregon) along the Columbia River over Thanksgiving. Now Joy is winterized and in her storage bay. I hope to go visit her this weekend and take her out for an hour of generator exercise. Note: I read that running the air conditioner, even in the winter, is a good way to put a load on the generator. I'm not sure I can bring myself to sit there in an air conditioned coach for an hour, even WITH a bottle of wine. And still successfully re-park her and drive back home. We'll see.

I've missed all of you, but I'm still following your adventures!

[Bethers]

Hi Ellen. If its cold out, you could bring and run an electric heater instead of the AC.

[ellenw]

That would work just as well? Super!

[Bethers]

That would work just as well? Super!

You just want to run the generator with a load on it. So anything that pulls amps. You could vacuum, run a hair dryer, oh, lots of things.

[Carolinagal]

Glad to see you back with us Ellen, so glad you had such a busy and hopefully fun time while gone from us. Got a chuckle out of running AC in freezing weather, that is our first thought though, as its easiest to think of and turn on, when running gen. How do I know this? Because I live where I had to run my gen in freezing weather and AC always seemed easier but hauled the heater out or some appliance, turning a switch for AC is easier

Glad to have you back and if you do catch up on ALL the reading here, let me know how you managed it ok? I have tried and just gave up and thought ok, will go from today Good Luck !!

CArol

[Nasoosie]

Welcome home, Ellen! Nice to hear from you! We missed you!

[BirdbyBird]

definitely easier than running a sweeper... I vote for the cube heater but that isn't hard for me because I never take mine out of the rig and it is stored were it can be retrieved easily. That is Ohio for you. Have missed you Ellen. I enjoy hearing your laughter that sings through the keys. Hopefully you can find enough escape trips to keep your travel spirits fed.

[Redwahine]

Hi Ellen, so nice to hear from you again. Haven't heard from you since just after boot camp. Glad to hear you've been out with Joy and Tucker Can't wait till we meet again.

[avalen]

thanks for checkin in but don't sweat catching up, if you just read the opening post or two on morning coffee, you'll be caught up in no time. Welcome back

[mtngal]

Hi Ellen! Glad you been having fun in your beautiful rig!

[Liz]

Welcome back, Ellen!

[monik7]

That would work just as well? Super!

You just want to run the generator with a load on it. So anything that pulls amps. You could vacuum, run a hair dryer, oh, lots of things.

Thanks for the great tip Beth. I'm planning on exercising my generator tomorrow and had planned to sit in my car at the storage while the AC ran. Your idea is much better. Thanks again!
Sandi

[Redetotry]

Welcome back Ellen we've missed you!

[Dawn309]

Welcome back Ellen. Have missed hearing your voice since Boot Camp too.