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Goodbye Brougham

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Katya Posted in RV life | Leave a comment

So we sold the Brougham, well rather traded. It was a sad day but much less so knowing it was going to a good home. Many people looked at it, a couple older men who wanted to live in it in their yards while they worked on their houses, a couple who wanted it for a mobile kitchen but found no way to get a full size fridge inside. One girl had been living in a warehouse with some people and decided to try in an RV in her friend’s yard instead – but she didn’t even care if it ran and didn’t have much money. After that, a few kids showed up wanting to use it for their band’s tour bus, none of them knew anything about cars mechanically so it probably wouldn’t have worked out very well since he did still need some work before he’s really treated hard again.

When I got an email from Rus, the new owner, I was actually excited about the Brougham’s future for a change. He offered a trade straight up for a 700cc motorcycle which unfortunately I was too short to ride. He just so happened to have a smaller motorcycle, a 1981 cm200T Honda Twinstar. Much more my size, physical and engine wise. The bike was worth a bit less than the Brougham, so he made up for it by sending a list of other things we could have to make up the difference. We ended up choosing an awesome Les Paul guitar (which Rus threw in a free Epiphone amp). My new bike also came with a helmet, harley gas tank (I could get fabbed on if I waned) and some nice leather saddle bags. I’ve yet to ride it more than a few hundred yards sadly so far, partly because I have no license. but now that we are out of city limits, It needs a new battery and I want some new tires before I go on a longer trip. I’m also still getting to know the clutch, though figuring it out quickly. Me and Ross have had debates over whether or not I should be down-shifting all the way to 1st but 2nd sputters out several yards from when I actually want to stop the bike, and neutral would just stop too soon – I’ll get it.

We bought a ramp (into the back of the truck) and after a couple interesting loads, I think we’re getting the hang of it. Its really steep but since the bike is only 300lbs and there’s 2 of us. As long as I can get a good run, it wont fall over and crush me. We also figured out how to strap the bike in pretty quickly, stiff enough to where you shake the truck if you try to move the bike but only half shocks down to allow the bike cushion. If you wonder how we figure all this crap out, forums and youtube for everything, even for the brougham. There’s so many things we wouldn’t have known if now for other people posting about it online somewhere. When you really don’t have anyone to ask, or want a consensus, that the way to go.

Rus was a good match for the Brougham because he both known about cars and fixing them and actually plans to use it – and in its natural environment, colder weather. The heater on that thing will keep anyone toasty, including people who just fell in frozen lakes if needed. For some places, when we were plugged in, we often just used a space heater and blankets, especially when we were sleeping – saved on propane and kept Chena from accidentally burning herself on the vents.

Of course, as always seems to happen when you buy a new car, he got home fine, 2 hours away in Mississippi, and on his next little jaunt, the alternator went out. We did get it used, as explained in a previous blog – it was a whole big ”stuck on Tonopah” ordeal, but we never had any problems with it so didn’t replace it for a newer one. Other than that it seems he has had many of the same problems we did when we got the Brougham, figuring out the electrical system and fixing mechanical quirks. We mostly did the big priority things like shocks, rebuilding the carburetor, new started etc and he got stuck with the little things we didn’t get to yet, like fixing the parking break (yeah it seems like a priority but somehow hadn’t been haha), and patching up a rusty hole in the floor.

With the Brougham gone, we were finally able to plan our escape from New Orleans. After we bought a ramp for the motorcycle, we finished up our work week and tried to make a run for it Friday night. An attempt which took over 4 hours of packing and preparing (we did live there quite a while) – just to end up with us having to stay another night. We had the truck all hooked up, animals in the car enjoying the A/C and just as Ross came back from the bathroom and we were about to leave, the trailer lights stopped working. Another 2 hours, with the neighbors help, was spent trying to troubleshoot the problem. I sat in the car with the animals looking up wiring diagrams and fuse box configurations while Ross and the neighbour tested all the connections between truck and trailer. The neighbour even pulled over his truck and hooked it up, which worked fine. We basically concluded that it must be a fuse or something on the truck side, and accepted out defeat. It was after 11pm and all the Walmart in town close at 11. The only other thing open would be a Walgreens, gas stations and bars. no fuses till morning. We hooked up the electricity, put the slide-out back out and headed off to a Denny’s for a garden burger before bed. Both of us exhausted and Denny’s being the first meal of the day for us both, we actually got to bed before 3am and rose at 7:30 the next morning to walk over to the parts store and get our fuse.

The drive was good and towing turned out to be surprisingly easy and comfortable with our nice new hitch. We had been worried about taking wrong turns or getting out of tight places but Ross was able to do everything just fine. After about 200 miles we stopped and got tires for the trailer, an ordeal that took about 3 hours of our day looking for a place that could get us in. We bought the tires at Firestone and took them to a mobile mechanic (Took them TO a MOBILE mechanic hah). He seemed a little pissed off, maybe about the heat (which was making me sick and the animals drowsy in the car) and after he changed the tires on one side of the trailer, he would let the hydraulic jack drop the trailer like a ton of bricks with no regard for the things inside of it. Its no wonder half my shit was on the ground when we finally got to a park. He may have also been annoyed that I took his photo but he dropped the first side before I had even gotten my camera out. Oh well, nothing broke.

The remaining drive to our semi planned destination kept us driving into the night. There were several parks along the way but this one was far from New Orleans and recommended by the neighbour who had helped us with the trailer lights. We kind of skipped over Mississippi, but we do have to come back this way, and did hang out in Gulf Port a couple times – so we didn’t completely miss out. We got into Oak Mountain Park around 10pm and had an interesting experience of trying to park the trailer in a spot for the first time.. in the dark. We are now about 4 feet too far to the left, giving us a less space out front than intended but a pretty good try given the circumstances.

Next blog will be photos from the park and more about how great this place is!

Last Days in New Orleans

Posted on July 29, 2010 by Katya Posted in RV life | 1 Comment

Planning to leave New Orleans is just like moving all over again. We don’t know anyone and we have a bunch of crap to get rid of before we can go.

Well most of it is crap except of course the Brougham, our home and/or project for the last 11 months. I would do whatever possible to leave it with some family or friends who can use it while we travel in the trailer till I can work on it more, but everyone I know is thousands of miles away. So we have to sell it due to the excessive costs of having an RV, trailer and truck – insurance, gas and possible extra costs at parks for being selfish hoarders…and I don’t have a drivers license.
Anyway, throughout our travels I have tried to take photos of the Brougham, most of them have Ross in them so I didn’t use those but what I had left over I made a video for its sale. I went into excessive detail with the craigslist add as well, going over every repair and addition I could remember to try to seek out people who actually give a crap about vehicles (as opposed to ads that say “74 dodge camper, runs and drives $####, mechanics special). So here is my sad sale video, well, stills made into a slideshow and put on youtube, with music from youtube’s music selection which is totally terrible.

Ross already sold the 5th wheel hitch, goose neck adapter plate (both came with the truck) and our hitch shelf and the only junk laying around outside now is the hitch shelf extension and adapter, and half of Ross’s extensive tool collection. We have no idea how moving and driving with the trailer will be, it hasn’t been moved since we bought it and neither of us have driven with a trailer this long. Truck and trailer together will be over 50 feet long and interesting to maneuver in.. or not maneuver in. Planing on how to pack things without them flying around while we drive, tomorrow.

Jude park has been really great to us. Even if we’re not the most social people, the owners, previous and present, have been really lenient about having the RV here and us staying so damn long. About 70% of the people here are men working locally, construction or otherwise, staying in older trailers and driving big trucks. The other 30% is a regular rotation of older couples you never see and people crazy enough to stay in tents in this humidity (usually they’re put in the very back next to the trailer shaking loud train yard). I guess when coming to New Orleans, staying close to town to party is better for most people than staying a little further, where you can see the swamps and armadillos in the state park.

Jude has a pool, which through the owners, has gone from bug infested mud puddle to clean, resurfaced and lit. It used to get used about once or twice a week by people who mustered up enough to bear the nastiness for a cool dip but now there is almost always someone in it throughout the day – or the hot tub next to it.

The only negative things, that I cant wait to have a break from, are the really cramped spots, with barely enough room to extend your awning (depending on who parks next to you) and the crashing train yard that I cant even go explore due to a massive poisonous snake filled wall of vines and barbed wire. Seriously.

The south itself is what has made it bearable to stay here so long. As much as I love the southwest, if this was Pecos, Texas, Id have driven off in the RV by now – even if only into a ditch or off a friendly canyon. The weather has been consistently interesting, storms, heat, humidity and always awesome clouds, and the fact that it’s one of the most interesting cities on the planet, has kept us fairly busy although with working weekdays, we don’t get out as much as I would have liked.

Hopefully these are the last few days, although we still don’t have a set destination (probably west Florida then west again?).

Susa and Chena’s Morning Walk

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Katya Posted in pets and travel | Leave a comment

Susa has been doing really well on the leash. I had put the harness on her a couple times in the house before finally jumping into the leash on her first visit to the vet. She was really good besides destroying my shirt at the sight of people, cars and especially a weed whacker. She sat in the waiting room and watched the other animals go by, not even flinching when a huge hyper dog went by. We don’t have a cat carrier but who needs them anyway when you have a leash cat! I’ve always wanted a cat that would walk on a leash. Shes got the leash part down, and she doesn’t struggle with it or freak out at all.. but the walking has actually yet to be seen.

Chena is as always adorable and unconventional. I got her into the habit of climbing on tables and walking on concrete walls in Argentina during walks at the park. Though once she went to jump onto a wall, unleashed, that had a 12 foot drop onto concrete on the other side. Now I make sure to keep a close eye. I guess I got into the habit of wanting dogs comfortable with height having had a wolf hybrid as a kid that would climb trees and a boston terrier as a teen who would walk up and over cars while we walked and balance on my wood fence. Plus I’ve always wanted to be in the circus (my own of course) so strange animals is kind of my thing.

May in NOLA

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Katya Posted in RV life | 1 Comment

New Orleans jumped right into summer. It seems like only a couple of weeks ago that we were using a wool blanket and keeping Chena close at night. Now almost without warning it’s over 80 every day, often with 80% humidity or worse. Today is nice though, bearable and the air isn’t as thick as it has been. The billboards on the freeway reflect the weather clearly. They were up the first hot day as if the billboard hangers were just waiting around a corner. One with a picture of Louisiana and the word “hot” next to it and a bottle of Tabasco that says “hotter”; Billboards for beverages “give HEAT the COLD shoulder”, ac repair, roach infestation… We had our first taste of a that a couple days ago when a 2.5 inch roach was hanging out on the counter while I played with Susa on the floor. Susa nearly went feral trying to help us catch it. It got under our couch and ran like lightning across the floor – straight for our bedroom. I’ve never seen a bug run so fast, or anyhing really. If it made it into the bedroom the chances of finding it amung dirty clothes, shoes and a multitude or gaps worsened our chances of catching it. As soon as it entered the bedroom I was committed to sleeping on a bunk bed. I grabbed Susa with the intention of letting her do what she so badly wanted to do, murder the bastard, but the roach paused just inside the door long enough for Ross to get a sneak attack and squish the hell out of it. Roaches are probably my least favorite bug on the planet so I spent the next 2 days convinced every black spot on the wall or brush on my arm was a roach. After living in Argentina wth roaches twice as big, I knew that havig a cat would be my savior as it was there. Instead of coming home to dead birds or mice, on the 11th floor with a massive balcony, I would return from a night out with friends to dead or mostly dead giant Roaches and my cat Gata proudly sitting next to them. I hope that’s not the case in the trailer with Susa but at least we have a cat for when it is the case. It was my own fault for the roaches in Argentina really because I kept my cat box on the balcony and therefore had to leave the door open. It worked out for everyone anyway because I never once saw one alive (inside at least).

With all the time not moving so much, I’ve started making some more time for crafts. Trying not to spend every waking hour at the computer though I certainly have enough work, projects and photography to occupy me for years. I bought pewter trays for necklaces and tons of jewelry stuff, though still having trouble perfecting the drying process of the epoxy on the trays, I can use my own photos or drawings in each. I also made a hideous little felt monster of which I hope to improve on soon but I mostly don’t have time till the weekend.

Susa and Chena suffer much from the heat and my crafts. Susa is often in trouble when my craft things are out because she cant keep her paws off them and Chena is forced to lay on the floor while I use the couch. When the AC is not on they pretty much just rest and wait for it to come back on. Once in a while the AC throws a switch so we don’t push it too hard. Yesterday the power got shut off outside because of a short or excess power usage (no idea what caused that except the AC) and we had to flip a switch at the source. Hopefully the AC holds out for us, this weather is mostly too much to bear alone, especially when we’re trying to work all week.

Rent is due tomorrow and it’s looking like we’ll be paying for another month. We didn’t want to be stuck here this long but don’t have much choice without a truck. I’m not so sure the people want us here too badly anymore though. There are several long term people here but I get the feeling with the combo of us technically being “stuck” and the Brougham taking up extra space (and looking funky parked out front like a car - or even in the back covered with a tarp), they are starting to get annoyed. I’m paranoid though, especially when it comes to what other people expect of me – so maybe Ross should just talk to them.

Picking up the trailer, Cajun style

Posted on March 24, 2010 by Katya Posted in RV life | 1 Comment

So we spent the entire day picking up the trailer and had a pretty great time on the way. We hired a guy off Craigslist who had a 3/4 ton truck and experience, pretty much all we needed. His name was Joey and he picked us up around 10am with his brother and wife; all friendly, no room for awkwardness allowed. Almost as soon as we left, getting on the freeway a woman was blocking a lane of traffic with a flat tire, Joey insisted they stop and change her tire while his brother directed traffic, finishing in about 7 minutes. They made $20 doing it but it was clear they were generally pretty decent people. The drive was supposed to be 60 miles but we took the scenic route, cutting across from the freeway to the highway Dehnam Springs was on, winding past country homes, and taking enough turns to feel we were going in circles. We didn’t worry much though, Joey had been driving these roads since he was 12 when his dad threw him in a semi, strapped wood blocks to the pedals and told him to drive 150 miles to Lafayette to drop off a load. Stories like that and others were the theme of the ride to the trailer, between harassing his wife for driving so badly (she was texting while driving and took pain pills before they left), and picking on his brother for taking her side.

(skip this paragraph for more trailer trip adventure or read on for a Joey Story) One of the especially hilarious stories, Joey and his former wife were traveling with his uncles carnival with a truck camper combo. While driving down the freeway on the way to a new town late at night, a Camaro hit him them from behind, tipping them onto two wheels, nearly causing them to roll. Doesn’t sound very funny? Wait theres more! The corner of the trailer they hit was the corner where the bathroom is and subsequently the black water tank full of poop, pee and toilet chemicals – all which was now covering the driver and passengers of the Camaro through their smashed out windshield and crushed hood. It gets better (or worse). The Camaro didn’t stop, it sped up with every intention in the world of getting the hell out of there (though I cant imagine how they stomached that decision covered in shit). When Joey and his wife gained control of the truck (his wife driving, him pulling on the steering to untip it), they sped up after the Camaro for a swirvy 80 mile per hour chase till the Camaro finally pulled over on a country road (maybe not the best idea after you’ve hit and run a Cajun in the middle of nowhere). Joey of course responded as any Cajun would, he walked over to the car with a gun, broke the driver window with the butt of the gun and held the gun to the drivers head. “You almost killed us you mother F$%&er and you were just going to drive away!” he yelled at him, then noticing everyone covered in shit and a small glass tray covered in white powder. “How much money you got to fix my trailer?!”, the guy had about $100, his passengers another $75 – probably not enough, not to mention the trauma of almost dying. Just as he was about to explode he noticed a rather bursting bag of white powder in the console. “I’ll take that too”. Remembering that he has a gun, is this a robbery or a reasonable transaction? Imagine someone almost killed you then drive away, and you happened to have a gun under your seat… hmm, yeah will depend on more than that. Anyway, they try to refuse (presumably because its not their drugs, but know they don’t have much choice in the matter) “if we give you this you could tell the cops”. Joey laughs “why the hell would I tell the cops about your damn drugs if I haven’t called the cops on your almost killing me” – they hand it over. As the transaction was ending and the gun was being put away, police lights were seen in the distance. Joey hurried to hide the bag of drugs under a rock while the guys in the Camero grew increasingly nervous and still covered in shit. As the cops drew closer, the driver of the Camaro said to Joey as if they were old friends “I really hope they dont search me, I got a trunk of this stuff”. The cop had received a report of a hit and run from someone else on the highway. He understood already who was the victim and who was the culprit but Joey got a sufficient payment for his losses and decided to help the Camaro driver out. “No sir there was no hit and run, we just followed them till they found a place to pull off the highway”. The cop kept insisting what he was told warranted a hit and run and that he would have to search the Camaro. “Look officer” holding out a wad of cash, “they already paid me for the damages and we were just about to settle up and go our ways”. Eventually this worked and everyone went home happy, although covered in poop, without a toilet or not having made a huge bust. The world went on with carnivals, drug dealers and country cops as it always will. Joey and his wife returned later, picked up the drugs and sold them to employees of the carnival who snorted it right before your kid got on their rides.

After this story and many others we arrived at the dealership (of manufactured homes), happily and speedily finished up the paperwork and had no issues hooking up the trailer. Those came later when just out of town we got a flat. The dealership, because they build manufactured homes, had about a million nails and staples in their lot and one of them was in the front left tire. We had noticed, annoyed there was no spare and Joey pissed he hadn’t brought one, we assumed it would either hold out or we’d stop and get some ‘Fix-a-flat’; unfortunately it did not and we were forced to drive on the shoulder of the highway for while, though luckily being within a mile of a middle of nowhere tire shop.

Doug runs to help a driver

a couple or rural LA kids at their dads tire shop

Everything couldn’t go perfect so I wasn’t too annoyed, more annoyed that we were using up these peoples time. Joey’s wife Tabitha was having trouble finding a ride for her daughter from school and Doug got several calls from a girl wondering where he was. During the drive I snuck in some audio recordings, video and photos(will post if I can). Partly because they were really interesting people but also because we’re so cut off from other people most the time, I’d probably record and spy on anyone we met at this point. Joey cant read, and aside from being a really nice guy who walked us through every single thing we might need to know about trailers and towing them AND telling us some of the best stories I’ve heard in a while, he is really racist though aware that he might offend others at least. Doug reminded me of my brother, the good parts of my brother; big, funny and tattooed. He seemed fairly smart, interested in technology and much less racist. Tabitha and I had some moments of “freakin men” to share along the road while she suffered through Joey’s criticism of her driving.

As a family they make pretty good money hauling junk cars, cutting down dead trees and picking up trailers for people like me and Ross and were completely genuine people. Growing up in Montana and Idaho, around hunting, racism, trapping and strong chauvinism they actually reminded me of where I’m from… so to speak. I am/do none of those things but I guess I’ve learned some level of tolerance of peoples faults. In short, I’d hang out with these people again, just like I’d hang out with my racist, hunting, trapping, chauvinistic step father again, not because hes my step father, because aside from people’s faults, they can still be pretty awesome people. The racist thing does suck allot though… it’s really ingrained down here too. The whole city of New Orleans is crime ridden, and no sociology statistics needed, the majority of the crime, and a big reason why there is so much racism against black people down here – is because most crime happens in poor black communities or involving black youth etc., especially after Katrina. That doesn’t forgive it obviously but its a peer and family driven belief that makes things like racism last so long over generations. Generalization builds fear and so on.. anyway. Doug got our number and claimed he’d call us for a house warming party which would be awesome. They spoke of banana, mango and strawberry moonshine – clubs on the bayou that rock the swamp at night and don’t do drugs anymore so it seems they’d probably make for a pretty interesting party. It’s really hard to express how animated and alive these people were – ill try if I can get any video off my phone ever.

We got homes (haha cause we have 2 for now!) at about 5:30pm, having not eaten anything all day, drinking one Gatorade and half a soda we were fairly exhausted. Joey made backing the trailer in look easy and they were parked and out of here in under 10 minutes. Too late to work, hungry and tired, we started to unpack the RV and didn’t eat till 9 (haha we’re dumb), we ordered a pizza, hooked up the TV and … I sat here for hours writing this blog while listening to cartoons.

Night!