January 31, 2024

Unlike last January’s focused quest to prepare for Alaska, this January, we are spending time at the five-year mark of full-time travel to upgrade and reassess what we have. Who knew five years ago we would still be having so much fun! Speaking of fun, January was Larry’s birthday, so now we’re the same age again 😀. We celebrated the Polar Bear Party again at the SKP park (see January 2023 post about that event) and planned a February trip to Crested Butte with family.

Otherwise, we attended to the to-do project list we created in December. We took a trip to Tucson to rotate the tires at Discount Tire and visit an indoor-conditioned RV storage we had researched for summer 2024 storage of the Jeep and RV. The RV door lock on the Coachman was malfunctioning, but thankfully, Larry could troubleshoot it, talk to the company, and get parts to repair it. Ultimately, the lock needed replacement, but using a digital keypad has been so convenient that we felt we had gotten our money’s worth out of the first unit. A fellow SKP member was selling their extend-a-stay LP set-up, which Larry purchased and installed to make refilling our propane this winter much more accessible. Otherwise, we have to drive off the lot to fill our on-board propane tank, and with our solar panels on the roof tilted, we found the extend-a-stay did just what its name says.

We “dropped” the Ute by raising the four jacks so we could drive the RAM out from underneath. That allowed us to put on the tailgate, and Larry installed a tailgate camera he had purchased to replace the one he had relocated to the back of the Ute. We drove the RAM to the dealership in Sierra Vista to do the recall repair on the tailgate and grid heater relay, which didn’t take long. Larry’s research on the check engine light code revealed that he needed to replace the DEF pipe between the tank and injector. He ordered and installed the piece, though the pipe routing required some blind maneuvering from under the engine to get accomplished 😅.

Of course he dissected the old piece and found that it failed due to a loose wire!

He also purchased an Accutire MS-4021R tire pressure gauge and a tape measure for airbag inflation when we load and unload the Ute onto the RAM.

We had been looking for an enclosed utility trailer to store items in Benson and found Lowe’s had two trailers in Arizona, but only in Phoenix. With the Ute unloaded, we drove the RAM up to Phoenix, purchased one of the trailers, and stopped in Tucson on the way back to get a permanent tag.

Of course, Larry washed it and applied Griot’s Ceramic 3-In-1 Wax so it shone. The lock brackets needed adjusting to accommodate the locks we bought at Harbor Freight, which are more challenging to cut off.

The Ute got a great deal of attention from Larry as he worked on the following items:

  • Design propane fittings for Little Red Campfire and Coleman grill to use the same hose 
  • Reinstall the Truma water heater with a shorter base, new pex water connections, outside trim and caulk, design and install new display and sensor.  The display is on the far right on the wall.  

  • Install water seal for rear storage cabinets and ventilated mat for air circulation
  • Test swapping of new style ceiling lights from Hallmark
  • Design and install Intellitec water pump relay and add lighted switches to bath and outside shower.  This is genius as it allows you to turn on and off the water pump from multiple locations!
  • Install new handheld shower head with shut off 
  • Replace the white rear door window frame with a black one and seal 
  • Replace red Rotopax gas can with white Rotopax water container 
  • Research step for access to the roof at the bike holder location
  • Convert the rear closet from hanging storage to shelved storage and add light and carpet
  • Caulk seam at the bottom of cab over area
  • Research rear storage container attachments and level 
  • Remove and install new caulk around bins and rear bumper 
  • Develop a method to simplify the relocation of Pepwave between Ute and Coachman

I worked on patterning and making rear and front interior window covers for the RAM, interior window covers for the over-cab long window, and the two interior kitchen windows for the Coachman. I found a baby blanket pattern I liked for our grandson (due in May), modified the design, and knitted. 

Pumpernickel was due for senior bloodwork, and I found a house-call veterinarian to help with that. Larry was gone for that day in Washington, DC, finishing a project he’s been working on for over two years—more about that in another post! He made time to visit his parents gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery and it was stunning in the snow.

It turns out that Pumpernickel has a thyroid disorder that is common in elderly cats. Thankfully, he is accommodating about taking pills, so that is the treatment route we are on for now.  

I know we would rather travel and have adventures, but it does feel good to attend to tasks that have been waiting for a time just like this.

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“Less talking more doing”    Duca – Odd Life Crafting