27-FEB-2011
Snow
Not only did I wake to some snow in the mountains, but later in the day it dropped flakes around on the things I left out.
The last week has seen little progress. There were those couple of days, of just getting myself sorted out (now that I was alone I had to start thinking about things like . . . maybe I should eat at least once today). Hell, I had to go through all our food stock just to find out what was here. It's not like Tuff didn't go through a detailed verbal list of what she was leaving . . . it's just that was, at least, two realities ago.
There was that one where we were driving that "too close to the ground" little personal transport . . . and waiting on the side of the road for the flat-bed . . . the motel on the colorado . . . the fixing it . . . ,
and then there was the "this is a second chance to get anything that I forgot when we left" day back at the Oasis.
There was another day in the little thing running back to Tucs, and after all that I'm suppose to remember what food is in the "She Beast" . . . not likely. I'm someone that needs to re-evaluate my surroundings constantly . . . so I went though the whole food stock.
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Once I was sure that there was enough tea and chips, I took off to retrieve the "Draggin' " from the Babylon compound. It had all my tools in it.
Getting both of these Mech Monsters comfortable in the Dry Dock took a bit of time as well.
Now that I was ready to start on some "exploratory surgery", and find out what was ailing the "`Beast", some winter storms move in.
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I'm now watching a few flakes that settled on the cab-over rack and wondering what things I've left out that shouldn't be snowed on.
05-MAR-2011
Office Art
This last week has been mostly about getting some tanks filled w/ fuel.
It's not like being able to run down to the nearest fuel station and fill up. I need to find some place that stores mech fluids, make sure that it's NOT just a mud mix of anything that they need to get rid of (which means I spend some time "socializing" to feel out the situation and see if I trust the person). I then have to get the `sketer to the tank. Sometimes (often) that means backing into the back lot of some mech-yard that's loaded up w/ customers transports waiting for repairs . . . long wheel base truck, short wheelbase trailer . . . want to try it?
So far no damage to anything :)
~~
I need to do this so that I can can have full tanks on both the rigs. Tuff's, so that I can troubleshoot the fuel issues which require driving it around waiting for it to start acting up . . . while hoping that it doesn't . . . knowing that it could in another mile, . . . or 5, . . . or 20, . . .
Mine, so that I can keep scavenging fuel and filling her tank from all that troubleshooting 8-|
09-MAR-2011
Think she's starting to like him
After hours of scavenging fuel the "She Beast" gets her fill. This will let me see if the latest fuel system tweaking has solved her issues.
The plus is that I meet some "Hot Rod" guys that were embarrassed for me about my transfer pump, they didn't think that it should take hours to pump a 55gal drum.
I may get some help with creating a new, and improved, transfer pump (can it really be both?).
11-MAR-2011
Looking down on the city
I ran the city streets for some time and then headed up the pass. I had no problems till the trip back down.
The trip back to the Dry Dock was a bit unpleasant with no power, and thinking that she might demand some rest time at any moment keep me on edge.
I did get her back and tomorrow will go the next step in fuel system troubleshooting.
12-MAR-2011
50 gal tank
Today I disconnect and pull the tank out. I then pull the in-tank pump to check that.
After finding a hose that was "not really" tight, I replace the factory clamp with one that I can adjust and tighten it to what feels like tight enough.
I also move the height of the pump in the tank to keep it a couple inches off the bottom (something that I later learned is just going to run me out of fuel sooner. I originally was thinking that it would keep it out of any bad stuff in the fuel)
22-MAR-2011
A couple weeks ago this man, hiding in the shadows of his laths and drill presses, and his band of mis-fits, figured they could hammer me together some kind of transfer pump that would put my latest purchase to shame.
With information from pioneers in the field, a small block chevy oil pump, and some basic mech tools, . . . a few false starts, and they were on it.
22-MAR-2011
Not too bad for some guys in a dark, back alley, garage.
And it does put the last pump to shame.
Now if I can just get some hose strong enough to NOT collapse under the suction of pumping.
22-MAR-2011
Turn the lights on in that little "Back Alley" shop and your eyes are filled with the works of art that these guys make in their "spare" time.
