Well that was .... interesting.

Got to the guy's place, Taylor took me over there, couldn't find the keys. He had parked it off his property on the side of the street.  No worries there, it's all country and country roads, not much traffic.

After locating the keys, it fired right up, albeit running rough. Took off hoping it would make the 20 mile trip and get this over with.  Well, first off, the brakes were working but not all that great.  I'm guessing a master cylinder leak from the way it was acting. 

But, they worked enough to stop it, just had to make sure you had plenty of room before any stop signs.  

Then, the roughness got worse. Sounds like a bad exhaust manifold gasket.  Unlike new vehicles, I'm pretty good with determining what's wrong with old stuff.  It probably had bad fuel in it as well.  

Any little hill? And I mean even the slightest upgrade?  It would start bogging down.  Like, bad. 30 mph on a 55 mph, 2-lane highway.  Fortunately, no traffic besides Taylor was behind us.  The situation got worse and worse, tho, to the point I was lightly feathering the gas pedal to try and get it to keep going.  My thoughts turned towards: Gee, I hope I won't have to be calling a tow truck out here.  

I dunno, but i was committed, there was no turning around. Some cars car up to us on that 2 lane highway but not until we were near the end of the road. They were stuck maybe a mile and a half and then it spread out to 4 lanes.  No one flipped me off or honked so I guess we were all good there, lmao.

Originally going to take it home, I decided against that.  Every time I had to stop the thing wanted to die.  Way too many turns and lights to go home, I just drove it straight to the property, parked it behind the shed and left for home.  

I think whichever route I take - selling it or renting it - it's going to get parked behind the shed.  I'll just need to run a water line closer than what the nearest one is. Not a huge deal, dig out where it's buried and there is a valve underground, add a short stick of pipe, a T, 2 sticks out of the T, cap off one end and run a 90 up above ground and get a spigot on it.  I'm going to try to situate it tomorrow, I'm done for today, that adventure took it out of me, I was quite apprehensive about it breaking down and having to deal with the aftermath.

It does, however, handle quite well.  And the power steering works quite well on it too.  I certainly wouldn't take it on a road trip without fixing the power and braking issues, obviously, but driving it wasn't bad.  

The only other thing that = got me = was the steps.  I pushed and shoved on them and I couldn't get them to go in.  I had no idea that these were/are automatic steps. When I opened the door at the park to get out, the steps came out by themselves.  I don't know what triggered them to go in? Perhaps the ignition? 

I feel like I want to try renting it first after I make sure everything works and the thing is cleaned out.  It needs aired out badly.  A musty smell in there from being closed up all the time, it needs a good dose of fresh air and maybe some air fresheners in it.  I'll have to measure the area for the couch area and see how long of a couch I can put in there.  

That was my excitement for the day.  I will reposition it tomorrow, hook up the electricity and start trying to turn things on.  The AC came on, need to run it and see if it's going to blow ice cold or just cool.  Just cool?  I can either have a pro come look at it or, with those old ones, you can just pump freon in it through fittings they used to put on the things. Put a can in it and see if it gets colder. If it does, then just run the ac for a few days and see if it holds.  

As for the rest of the day? Well, I was going to talk to the tent guy but Taylor had to go home - I wasn't going to try to make her wait anyway.  She's going with a friend to the movies this afternoon.  I actually might go back over there and hook it up to electric today. I know the ac comes on and the refrigerator and freezer works.  

I just needed to sit here in my room for a bit and recompose. It was extremely hot in that thing, I don't know if the coach ac works and I was too busy trying to keep it running to find out.  But even if it did work, I wouldn't have turned it on anyway for as bad as the thing was running.  It would just drag it down even more.  Plus I couldn't get a temporary tag for it - I tried.  And I was just afraid I was going to have to go through an  afternoon long ordeal trying to get it to the park.  

It kind of messed with my head a bit. But, whew! It's over with, I've got it there, I don't have to worry about it now.  Yeah, I think I will go back over there. I'd take Addler but it's way too hot to be going for a walk. 

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She is occupying the shed again. This time over 2 hours.  I went to meet the brother. He's in his 60's from his appearance.  The tent wasn't actually in direct sunlight, it just appeared that way from the angle I was at the other day.  There's a breeze blowing today so with the breeze and start sweating it's tolerable. Not optimal, but a person can deal with it if they have to.

Except her, apparently.  So, now I'm going to have to get even more blunt.  I spoke to the brother that we are going to have to discuss this situation because she is driving away people who want to do laundry. It doesn't take that long to charge batteries.  If after what I said to him doesn't do anything, then it's just going to be face to face either stop hanging out in there or you can just find another place to go to.  

The AC. I plugged in the RV, the ac came on, I felt cool air coming out, figured I'd leave it on and come back later. 
Which is what I did, probably spoke with the brother for 45 minutes - yes out in the heat. Came back, the ac was off. Blown circuit breaker? Not on the shed.  It was still on.  So, either the AC is bad and needs repaired or replaced or who knows what.  I am going to have a service guy come out and take a look.  If it needs replaced, that will be a bummer. If it can be repaired, that would be ok.  Those things aren't cheap and it wasn't part of this plan.  I was looking at everything. Carpet and a couch.  Figure out why some of the 12 volt lights aren't coming on.  The refrigerator works, the toilet works, there isn't much to it to have to work. I didn't try out the stove, I don't know if it has propane in the bottle and I was boiling hot by that point.  

Plus it's getting late in the day.  Which reminds me, I forgot to bring the card home of the guy that is mobile RV repair. He fixes/replaces ac units.  He really fixes anything if it's fixable.  I don't know what he charges for a service call or hourly but a few people in the park have had him out, well 3 now that I think of it.  

Whatever the case, I'm going to get AC in there one way or the other. I could always put a large window unit in. People do it all the time, one of my guests has 2 of them on his rig.  Again, not optimal but it will cool an RV down nicely if you get a big enough one and can place it where it can blow throughout the rv.  The other guy has one in the rear window and in the front side window.  They run all day long.  I don't know how much that is costing me in electricity, but it's probably jacking that bill up nicely. 

They aren't as efficient as the newer roof mounted AC's.  

They have a huge tent out there.  They have their own beds in it but they are not sleeping in separate tents.  That must get a little - strange.  I mean, it's getting down into the mid 70's at night, that's not terrible. Not great, but not terrible. 

 The guy was refreshingly honest.  This is what's wrong with it. The Motorcoach that is.  Minor stuff. I think the AC might have issues but if that's it, I'm good.  The thing is pumping out cool air but not supercool air. Now, is it that the thing just needs to run for awhile after not being used? Or is there something wrong with it? Well, I'll find out when I get to the park, plug the RV in and fire up the AC and just leave it run.  The compressor is working - it was 100 degrees and there was cool air coming out so at least that's a good sign.  Those older units usually have fittings to pump in freon.  

I mean, I inspected that thing pretty good.  The bedroom, the shower, the toilet room, it's old school cooking with a propane gas stove and stove top - oh well! I used to like cooking like that but it also means having to refill propane tanks periodically. Pretty sure the water heater is also propane. That can actually be upgraded to electric inline version, but why would I want to do that?  Uh, well, to keep people from complaining.  One thing to cook with propane, it won't use that much, but to keep a water heater going? I've been there and done that.  

These are all things I need to ensure are in working condition and I reveal that upfront/ Yup, it's propane cooking and water heating.  If you don't want to have the water heater on all the time, you can use the shower in the amenities shed. I don't remember how much propane it uses to keep a small tank hot all the time. I think I was using hot water pretty frugally - referring back decades ago when using a travel trailer.  Same thing here, different layout.  

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Started that yesterday.  Thursday morning. 

Trying to get  a temporary tag to move the thing 20 miles.  Texas online system won't even acknoledge the VIN number on the title.  I may just drive it bac without one and make sure someone is following me. It's almost all 2 lane highway and the unit does, indeed, have a license plate on it. Just not current.  I get it to the park I'm not driving it anywhere else.  

I've put up on my business Google and Facebook account about the fact that I will be having one available to either rent or sell on payments.  I've had one person interested so far, she wants to see pictures. Fair enough, but I'll be taking my own pics instead of using the ones on the ad.  

Anyway, I was going to pay for a ride over there this morning, folks here are busy, but I had second thoughts. I really want someone to follow me back in case something goes wrong with it. The man said he drove it from another place to his house and it was a bit of a distance so at least I have some confidence that it will make the trip - but still.  I don't think the lady driving me for pay over there would want to do that or if I asked her to, she would probably ask for more money.  I'm thinking maybe wait until James gets home from work and have him follow me home. If something happens, there are at least some tools available to try and fix it. This thing has a 454 in it, I believe, carbureted.  This is stuff before computers were installed to run vehicles or just around that time.  

This is something I have some expertise in, actually, I used to work on vehicles all the time until computers took over everything and I just flat gave up on it.  

Well, the couch is missing out of it. The guy says he has it but it would need a covering put over it, it's not in great condition.  I think I need that couch, it was made specifically for that unit.  Maybe get it reupholstered if it doesn't cost thousands of dollars. Otherwise, find something used on Marketplace and stick it in there.  It kind of needs a couch/sitting area.  It also appears to be missing a small, fold-out table. Nothing I'm going to replace. You can buy small tables cheap, if someone wants one in there they can do that themselves.  

Dang. The guy has "a" couch but not the original one that came out of it.  Probably trashed the original owners must have chucked it.  I am finding jacknife couches for reasonable prices on Facebook marketplace, I'll just have to go with one of those. Or a regular sleeper couch, the foldout style.  

The only thing is used couches are difficult to buy on the internet. The pics never really show cosmetic issues with them, you have to go see them in person. Another deal where I wouldn't want to drive too far to see one considering that possibility that a pic online isn't really showing what it looks like in person. 

Well whatever. I'll deal with that after I get the thing parked on a lot.  I am looking and there are some available in my town. Needs to be a sleeper bed in case more than one person want it, ie: a mother with child or small family.  

Ok this thing is diverting my attention away from issues that need to be dealt wtih.  Namely, these tent campers.  I told them to NOT have their dog in the shed at all anymore.  So what did the guy do? Left the dog in the bathroom with the door shut.  Someone went in, found the dog and returned it to the dude, the lady was off property.  I contacted her about it, she tried to tell me the dog was not in the shed but was with her brother. Uhh, no, I have a video of it, lady getting the dog out of the  bathroom.  She tried to get around it but with video proof, I don't have to have any other evidence.  

These people.  The dude just now texted me back after I tried to contact him yesterday about getting some work done. They are not staying their for free.  I already told her that if they aren't going to work, they need to pay the rent retroactively.  She directed me to the brother.  Like, why should I have to go chasing these people down?  The tent? It's not under the trees, they put it out in direct sunlight!

I clearly don't think like these people. With as hot as it is, one would think that putting the tent under shade would be the way to go.  Perhaps they don't stay inside the tent during the day and use the shaded area for - existing - during the hot parts of the day.

I have been getting more and more direct with them as each incident occurs. At this point, it's follow my rules or get out of my park. It's really that simple.  She isn't hanging out in the shed for hours on end now. She's in there an hour charging a large batter to run a fun at the site and recharge their phones.  They have some money because she has a car and drives it every day.  They have phones, those aren't free for monthly service, well I guess the government gives out phones.  Probably disability or something like that.  

I'm going to keep on her about finding a job as well. I don't want them sitting back there endlessly with no hope in sight to do anything about their situation. She can go find a job, there's PLENTY of them in town.  She has an address to use - my park - she has a phone and she has access to a shower and laundry.  She has transportation, there really isn't anything else.  Life sucks sometimes, I've been in poverty, I know what it's like.  It's not fun.  You take the steps you need to take to get yourself out of poverty.  It's why I"m considering going back to trucking. I'm not going to sit around forever wondering if I'll have enough money to pay bills and live my life.

Screw that. I'd rather work a regular job and have a reliable income.  

The dude finally texted back something beyond gibberish.  He said ok, but I thought it was the trails you wanted done? No, that isn't priority, I need the lots plowed up. I have a machine.  He replied "cool".  LMAO. Ok then.  I just need to go over there and get into their personal space and discuss this whole situation.  I am a person that tries to help people, but I have parameters and rules for such things. Reasonable rules, nothing dictatorial.  It's why I set them out to her before they ever moved in.  She ignored them and then I had to get direct with her.  I wish for their sake it was fall, the temps would come down. Instead, we have 3 months of hellish heat in our way.  

If the guy does enough work, I can slip him a little - not a lot - extra cash.  If he doesn't do anything, they're gone.  She won't even lift a finger to help keep the damn shed clean, but the brother might - might - have a different mindset.  

Ok, Taylor is on her way home. I presume she means that she can take me to the coach. I hope so, I'd like to get this over with.  

G'day