Jigsaw puzzles have been a favorite pastime for many members if our
family, and you always hope all the pieces are still in the box, and that the finished product will match the picture on the front of the box. If a piece or two is missing, solving the puzzle can take much longer to complete.
The last couple of months, we have been living in the midst of a puzzle of how to get the A/C system in Little House to work exactly as it should. Every time that we think the missing piece has been found, that turns out not to be the case and the search continues for the missing link.
Our last post (Friday evening) was written on a hopeful note once again, and sadly, the rainbow we thought we saw was fleeting. Once again, the same problem reared its ugly head on Friday night. More work was done yesterday at our site, and today Little House spent most of the day in the service bay, after more phone calls involving American Coach, the A/C company and the power system personnel, including once again replacing the rear A/C unit. And once again, the problem returned. So we're back at square one and a new plan of attack will have to be planned.
As with all rainy days, there are also moments to be enjoyed. We've had the company and support of our new friends Kathy and John, and JF and Carolyn who are also working through their own repair issues. We've enjoyed sharing time together as we get to know each other better.
Our life on the highways and byways of America.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
MARION, NC: Rain and Repairs
Late yesterday afternoon, we got the call to the post......I mean the call to bring Little House to the service center by 8 A.M. today. We woke up to earlier-than-expected rain, not the most pleasant conditions for departure chores, but at least it wasn't storming, and we easily made the appointed time.
Our day was spent in the lounge/cafe area, using our computers and talking to our new friends, now numbering 4, whose rigs were also in the work bays. We took a break and went to the post office to pick up some mail, then resumed our wait along with our friends. About 4:30, we got the word that not only had the A/C related work been done, other items had been addressed as well. The jobs completed included brand new current version control circuit boards for everything that touches the A/C and Power Management Systems - the rear A/C and heat pump, front A/C, and Power Shed relay board. Also a brand new thermostat and A/C control panel, new thermistors (ambient room temperature sensors), freeze sensors in each A/C, and probably a few other items we don't even know about. A few other minor repairs were also completed including replacement of a fog light that was on back order for 2 months, a worn slide wiper was replaced (a rubber strip that wipes the side of the slide as it is moved in or out), a control unit that controls the turn signal and other safety lights on the car when it is in tow, and a condensation drain line for the front A/C was cleared. That brings all of the work items from our purchase agreement up to date. Now we will sit here a few days to make sure the A/C doesn't have a relapse!
The day was still rainy and foggy, but we felt there was a rainbow at the end after all. The 6 of us celebrated our individual repairs by going to dinner together in Black Mountain, NC at the Black Mountain Bistro (our third visit in 3 weeks). Now we'll start the testing of the repairs for several days to make sure everything is working as designed. With lots of rain in the forecast for the days ahead, it's a good time to just stay put for little while longer.
Our day was spent in the lounge/cafe area, using our computers and talking to our new friends, now numbering 4, whose rigs were also in the work bays. We took a break and went to the post office to pick up some mail, then resumed our wait along with our friends. About 4:30, we got the word that not only had the A/C related work been done, other items had been addressed as well. The jobs completed included brand new current version control circuit boards for everything that touches the A/C and Power Management Systems - the rear A/C and heat pump, front A/C, and Power Shed relay board. Also a brand new thermostat and A/C control panel, new thermistors (ambient room temperature sensors), freeze sensors in each A/C, and probably a few other items we don't even know about. A few other minor repairs were also completed including replacement of a fog light that was on back order for 2 months, a worn slide wiper was replaced (a rubber strip that wipes the side of the slide as it is moved in or out), a control unit that controls the turn signal and other safety lights on the car when it is in tow, and a condensation drain line for the front A/C was cleared. That brings all of the work items from our purchase agreement up to date. Now we will sit here a few days to make sure the A/C doesn't have a relapse!
The day was still rainy and foggy, but we felt there was a rainbow at the end after all. The 6 of us celebrated our individual repairs by going to dinner together in Black Mountain, NC at the Black Mountain Bistro (our third visit in 3 weeks). Now we'll start the testing of the repairs for several days to make sure everything is working as designed. With lots of rain in the forecast for the days ahead, it's a good time to just stay put for little while longer.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
MARION, NC: Feels LIke Fall!
Yesterday (Wednesday) we drove about 20 miles to Andrews Geyser, located in the hills above Old Fort, NC. There's a lot of history surrounding the geyser (see the link) and it's also in the middle of Civil War battle sites.....all of this in pretty rugged country, but now easily accessible by today's paved roads.
This carved stone bench definitely needed some cushions!
The geyser drains into this mountain stream by the side of the park
The promised cooler weather arrived last evening and we sat outside until dark. Kathy and John (fellow campers) stopped by for a visit and we made plans to go to to dinner tonight.
We may have some A/C work done this afternoon, service schedule permitting. We have no departure plans as of now since we will want to make sure everything is working as it should before we leave. The dealership is continuing our free camping since we are still dealing with a Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) problem.
This carved stone bench definitely needed some cushions!
The geyser drains into this mountain stream by the side of the park
The promised cooler weather arrived last evening and we sat outside until dark. Kathy and John (fellow campers) stopped by for a visit and we made plans to go to to dinner tonight.
We may have some A/C work done this afternoon, service schedule permitting. We have no departure plans as of now since we will want to make sure everything is working as it should before we leave. The dealership is continuing our free camping since we are still dealing with a Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) problem.
Monday, July 14, 2014
MARION, NC; A Familiar Place
Yesterday (Sunday), Little House rolled down the mountain on I-40 between Swannanoa and Marion to bring us back to Tom Johnson's Camping Center.
This morning (Monday), we checked in at the service center with a small list of additional items for them to check, and found out the ordered parts for the A/C work had not arrived yet. So we'll be stationery for awhile as we wait for service. Kathy and John, who we met during our last stay, are still here, so tonight we all went to dinner at Fatz . We informed our server that it was Kathy and John's first Fatz experience and we were treated to samples of Fatz's signature Calabash Chicken and also received free desserts.
We're looking forward to the promised cooler temperatures later in the week, as well as having more work done on the RV. Meanwhile, we'll just enjoy life in our now-familiar campsite and get better educated watching UNC-TV, the only TV channels we receive.
This morning (Monday), we checked in at the service center with a small list of additional items for them to check, and found out the ordered parts for the A/C work had not arrived yet. So we'll be stationery for awhile as we wait for service. Kathy and John, who we met during our last stay, are still here, so tonight we all went to dinner at Fatz . We informed our server that it was Kathy and John's first Fatz experience and we were treated to samples of Fatz's signature Calabash Chicken and also received free desserts.
We're looking forward to the promised cooler temperatures later in the week, as well as having more work done on the RV. Meanwhile, we'll just enjoy life in our now-familiar campsite and get better educated watching UNC-TV, the only TV channels we receive.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
SWANNANOA, NC: Time to Say Goodbye
The last 3 days have been like the previous 4 - lots of talking with our friends, enjoying our spot on the side of the mountain, happy hour every day, and more great meals at Mikado Japanese Steakhouse, Athens Pizza, and Outback Steakhouse.
This is our spot in the campground - Site 45 - at an elevation of 2660 feet.
The view from our campsite.
Another awesome sunset.
It has been a wonderful week in a beautiful part of North Carolina, shared with great people. Tomorrow, we'll head down the mountain and east on I-40 as we travel back to Tom Johnson's Camping Center in Marion, NC for more work on the rear AC/ power system problem. Future plans will be made after the puzzle is solved.
This is our spot in the campground - Site 45 - at an elevation of 2660 feet.
The view from our campsite.
It has been a wonderful week in a beautiful part of North Carolina, shared with great people. Tomorrow, we'll head down the mountain and east on I-40 as we travel back to Tom Johnson's Camping Center in Marion, NC for more work on the rear AC/ power system problem. Future plans will be made after the puzzle is solved.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
SWANNANOA, NC; Our Mountain Spot
This post was started on Monday, July 7, and never got published. Hope you don't get lost before the end!
How nice it is to have a different location to put in the post title!! More on that in a minute. First we have to catch up since the last post.
While sitting in the service center lounge on Friday, we spent some time talking with another couple (Kathy and John) from the Raleigh area who are almost full-timers.
Saturday morning, which was cool and breezy, we took a walk along the river to check out potential fishing sites and ended up at Kathy and John's campsite where we spent another hour talking. Yesterday afternoon, they stopped by our RV and suggested we all go to dinner at Black Mountain Bistro in Black Mountain about 20 minutes away. We enjoyed a delicious dinner on the outside patio, and after returning to the campground, toured each other's motor homes. They have a 2014 Winnebago gas-powered 39 foot Adventurer. They'll be at TJ's until July 23 so we hope to spend some more time with them when we return there on the 20th. Meeting and getting to know those that you meet certainly adds to the RV experience.
Yesterday morning (Sunday) , we took our time doing our departure chores. We only had to go 23 miles west on I-40 to to reach Mama Gertie's Hideaway Campground in Swannanoa, NC Our site is #45 at the top of the map and at the highest point of the campground! The sites to the right , and in front, of us on the map are not completed yet. The elevation rises as you go from the bottom of the map to the top.
.
We have a level gravel site with full hookups, free cable tv and free fast WIFI. Did I mention the view is beautiful? We enjoyed our late lunch outside while enjoying the surroundings and the peace (except for the hum of the A/C's. We'll hope to have some pictures in future posts. By this evening, it was breezy and very cool, and the sunset was inspiring. One other couple arrived today.
Monday- We made a grocery run to Ingle's ( a grocery chain) just down the mountain. Ingle's Markets remind us of Publix with many specialty items and good customer service. The couple that are the campout planners arrived today. The six of us in our group gathered for happy hour at 4:30. Mike and Katie went to dinner with us at the Black Mountain Bistro in Black Mountain where we ate on Saturday. This time we ate inside, and the food and service was great again.
Tuesday - We went to lunch with Mike and Katie to the Veranda Cafe in Black Mountain, another good place to eat. Black Mountain has lots of shopping and dining opportunities set in a quaint mountain town setting just a few miles east of Swannanoa where the campground is. Another couple arrived in the afternoon, and we had another happy hour gathering. By the time that was ending, rain showers were moving in so everyone headed to their RVs.
Today, Wednesday, the eight of us went to lunch at Papa's & Beer, a Mexican restaurant in eastern Asheville, which is just west of Swannanoa. The food was very good and the portions large. We took the scenic route back to the campground with a stop for some fresh peaches along the way. Another couple in our group arrived today. Now it's time for another happy hour!
How nice it is to have a different location to put in the post title!! More on that in a minute. First we have to catch up since the last post.
While sitting in the service center lounge on Friday, we spent some time talking with another couple (Kathy and John) from the Raleigh area who are almost full-timers.
Saturday morning, which was cool and breezy, we took a walk along the river to check out potential fishing sites and ended up at Kathy and John's campsite where we spent another hour talking. Yesterday afternoon, they stopped by our RV and suggested we all go to dinner at Black Mountain Bistro in Black Mountain about 20 minutes away. We enjoyed a delicious dinner on the outside patio, and after returning to the campground, toured each other's motor homes. They have a 2014 Winnebago gas-powered 39 foot Adventurer. They'll be at TJ's until July 23 so we hope to spend some more time with them when we return there on the 20th. Meeting and getting to know those that you meet certainly adds to the RV experience.
Yesterday morning (Sunday) , we took our time doing our departure chores. We only had to go 23 miles west on I-40 to to reach Mama Gertie's Hideaway Campground in Swannanoa, NC Our site is #45 at the top of the map and at the highest point of the campground! The sites to the right , and in front, of us on the map are not completed yet. The elevation rises as you go from the bottom of the map to the top.
.
We have a level gravel site with full hookups, free cable tv and free fast WIFI. Did I mention the view is beautiful? We enjoyed our late lunch outside while enjoying the surroundings and the peace (except for the hum of the A/C's. We'll hope to have some pictures in future posts. By this evening, it was breezy and very cool, and the sunset was inspiring. One other couple arrived today.
Monday- We made a grocery run to Ingle's ( a grocery chain) just down the mountain. Ingle's Markets remind us of Publix with many specialty items and good customer service. The couple that are the campout planners arrived today. The six of us in our group gathered for happy hour at 4:30. Mike and Katie went to dinner with us at the Black Mountain Bistro in Black Mountain where we ate on Saturday. This time we ate inside, and the food and service was great again.
Tuesday - We went to lunch with Mike and Katie to the Veranda Cafe in Black Mountain, another good place to eat. Black Mountain has lots of shopping and dining opportunities set in a quaint mountain town setting just a few miles east of Swannanoa where the campground is. Another couple arrived in the afternoon, and we had another happy hour gathering. By the time that was ending, rain showers were moving in so everyone headed to their RVs.
Today, Wednesday, the eight of us went to lunch at Papa's & Beer, a Mexican restaurant in eastern Asheville, which is just west of Swannanoa. The food was very good and the portions large. We took the scenic route back to the campground with a stop for some fresh peaches along the way. Another couple in our group arrived today. Now it's time for another happy hour!
Friday, July 4, 2014
MARION, NC: Happy Fourth of July!!
Today has started bright and cooler and promises to be a great day for a holiday!
Since the last blog post, there's been more attempts at fixing our A/C Power Control System (PCS) problem with no success. A new plan of attack was tried yesterday which led to a possible solution with some new parts to be ordered to "convert" the Air Conditioning to use a thermostat from a different vendor. The original design of the coach uses devices from at least 5 different manufacturers to control the power distribution and some of the loads on the system. These all have to communicate with each other over a data network and changes to any one component could require options to be set, or even new software requirements, in other components.
Yesterday the timer that was installed to prevent the A/C compressor from starting back up abruptly after shut down was removed since it did not function as expected. Since the timer was removed the A/C is exhibiting yet another wrong condition - it now seems to not even be under the control of the PCS. The differences have been documented and sent to the service manager who is handling the repairs.
We will make our trip to Swannanoa on Sunday, return here on July 13 and see what develops at that time.
Over the last week, we both felt the effects of a stomach virus, so that put each of us off our feet at different times, but we're both fine now and thankful to be so.
When Little House in not in the shop, we're enjoying computer time, ham radio and life in general. The campground started filling up yesterday in advance of the holiday weekend. The dealership is closed today, and on limited service tomorrow, so most of the campers here are recreational.
The weather has been hot, with rain and thunderstorms almost daily. However, there is no rain in the forecast for today. Today is "free fishing" day in NC (no license required) so Hank may walk over to the river and wet a line.
Happy Independence Day to all!
Since the last blog post, there's been more attempts at fixing our A/C Power Control System (PCS) problem with no success. A new plan of attack was tried yesterday which led to a possible solution with some new parts to be ordered to "convert" the Air Conditioning to use a thermostat from a different vendor. The original design of the coach uses devices from at least 5 different manufacturers to control the power distribution and some of the loads on the system. These all have to communicate with each other over a data network and changes to any one component could require options to be set, or even new software requirements, in other components.
Yesterday the timer that was installed to prevent the A/C compressor from starting back up abruptly after shut down was removed since it did not function as expected. Since the timer was removed the A/C is exhibiting yet another wrong condition - it now seems to not even be under the control of the PCS. The differences have been documented and sent to the service manager who is handling the repairs.
We will make our trip to Swannanoa on Sunday, return here on July 13 and see what develops at that time.
Over the last week, we both felt the effects of a stomach virus, so that put each of us off our feet at different times, but we're both fine now and thankful to be so.
When Little House in not in the shop, we're enjoying computer time, ham radio and life in general. The campground started filling up yesterday in advance of the holiday weekend. The dealership is closed today, and on limited service tomorrow, so most of the campers here are recreational.
The weather has been hot, with rain and thunderstorms almost daily. However, there is no rain in the forecast for today. Today is "free fishing" day in NC (no license required) so Hank may walk over to the river and wet a line.
Happy Independence Day to all!
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