While I enjoyed my journey across the
middle eastern and western US, I'm glad to be back in Colorado because most everywhere else I've been since leaving here in late May
has been too hot for my liking. I enjoyed the trip to Durham with
Greg and Chris and I enjoyed seeing my good friends in NC and TN. I
thoroughly enjoyed the week in IL while I was taking the RV
maintenance training and seeing the Winnebago factory. The homes in
the Abundance Ecovillage in Fairfield IA were lovely but I don't want
to live in the middle of corn fields AND hot summers. So, I made my
way back to CO as quickly as possible and plan to hang out here or
westwardly at least until the fall.
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| Abundance Ecovillage - Fairfield Iowa |
I had a bit of engine trouble with the
Navi crossing Kansas. Acceleration was a problem again similar to
the experience going up to Pike's Peak however, I wasn't climbing a
steep grade. I limped in to a gas station/truck stop in WaKeeny KS
and asked if there was a mechanic who worked on diesels. I was
directed to a small auto shop off the interstate. They guessed that
it might be the fuel filter even though they had no computer system
to run diagnostics on the Mercedes engine. It was a relatively
inexpensive fix and luckily, it worked.
The next day, still in KS, it happened again. While I was at the mechanic the previous day, I Googled the problem and read about a product that helps to clean out fuel
injectors in diesel engines. So, I went in search of an auto parts store (turns out most small towns have them) for the product to give it a try. Otherwise I'd be driving 40 mph max towards Denver.
I found it, poured it in the fuel tank and thankfully it worked too. Auto parts man said it may have been bad diesel. Since I'm close to one of the few Mercedes dealerships who service Sprinter RV's with Mercedes engines, I've scheduled time for them to take a look at the Navi's engine on Tuesday. Me and the service writer are on a first name basis and I have him in my contacts.
I found it, poured it in the fuel tank and thankfully it worked too. Auto parts man said it may have been bad diesel. Since I'm close to one of the few Mercedes dealerships who service Sprinter RV's with Mercedes engines, I've scheduled time for them to take a look at the Navi's engine on Tuesday. Me and the service writer are on a first name basis and I have him in my contacts.
Sometimes I question my choice to buy a
used RV (especially when I was stalled out in WaKeeny KS) and one with a Mercedes engine. Honestly, I don't think RV's
are attractive inside or out. I knew I would want to
refurbish one the way I wanted it and wouldn't paint the walls for instance if I had
bought a new one. I wouldn't have bought one new. They're way too
expensive and a depreciating asset.
When I saw them being built at the
Winnebago factory and walked through some new ones, it didn't make me
want a new one. I don't like the decals, the shape, the color
choices nor the layout in most of them but knew that an RV would be a
mechanism to get me from point A to B and that I have been able to
do.
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| Pikes Peak RV Park - Manitou Springs CO |
Now that I've been exploring Tiny
Houses again and see how much they cost compared to RV's and realize
they are transportable, I wish I would have considered one of them
rather than the Winnebago. They've got personality, warmth and
charm.
Check out this video of a young couple
who traveled the US in a tiny home they built themselves.
Tiny House, Giant Journey
There is a Tiny House manufacturer in
Colorado City and I hope to tour their facility this weekend.
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| Tiny House Showroom in Colorado City CO |
I also found a Tiny House hotel called
WeeCasa north of Boulder in Lyons that I plan to visit.
Check it out at
WeeCasa
I like the trend towards smaller homes
and would love to find a Tiny House intentional community in a
beautiful setting. Thus allowing me to refine my quest for a simpler
life.
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