Tag Archives: Airstream

Valentine’s Day Meetup

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Valentine’s weekend was coming up.  The trailer was in the shop in Los Banos.  Roxie was in Sacramento for the week helping her sister with some health issues.  What was the plan?

The trailer was done, Roxie was finishing up her week so many we should meetup somewhere?  I would get the trailer and take it to a campground.  Roxie would alter her path home to meet me.  Sounds like some type of romance/clandestine novel plot.  But it wasn’t.  We just enjoy getting out in our trailer whenever we can.  Since it was already half way between us why bring it home and then go out again.

I left home early on Saturday and headed to Toscano’s RV in Los Banos.  I had dropped off the trailer for its’ final round of warranty repairs before our standard warranty stopped and our extended warranty kicked in.  I got there a bit after 10:30 and went over the list, got a propane tank filled, bought a few items and headed out to a campground somewhere.  Not quite sure which one but I had a primary one in mind.  Roxie had left Sacramento shortly before I got to Toscano’s so I knew I had some time.

On one of our trips to/from the bay area we scouted out the San Luis Creek campground just off of CA152 in the San Luis SRA.  It was far off the main road and had electric and water.  That is where I headed first with some other alternate plans in mind if I needed it.  Luckily I did not.  They had a spot for us and it was not a double spot.  Yes!  As I got to the spot and started backing in I realized what an asset it is to have Roxie helping be back in.  I must have got in and out of the truck 5-6 times looking where I was going and checking clearances.  Roxie, thank you for your help.

I got setup and Roxie showed up about 20 minutes later.  It was very nice to see her after a week away and it was Valentines Day!  We exchanged gifts and cards (she reminded me about Valentine’s the day before, but didn’t need to) and then went out for a lunch/dinner at a local BBQ place.  Very good.  After you have been married 34 years it doesn’t matter the location, just the company.

Here is our campsite (#33):

AS1 AS2

That evening we just vegged out but I saw this on Facebook:

Ken1

Hmmm.  Mercey Hot Springs.  We had always wanted to visit there…

A supremely useful gadget

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I will start trying to blog about items that I have purchased that I really like, and also ones that I don’t.  This one is something that is well worth the investment.

When you have a trailer you need to connect it to your tow vehicle.  This is done with the hitch.  On our previous truck we had a Reese setup, I believe.  The hitch head was not too heavy.  However with our new trailer we have an Equalizer.  This hitch head seems much heavier, which is a good thing.  There also appears to be less places to grab it.  Here is it in our truck:

2015-01-11 15.16.19

 

 

The removal procedure is to unbolt the lock pin and remove the hitch.  The shank, the bar that inserts into the truck, is an easy place to grab but can be rusty.  There is no real good other, relatively clean, area on the hitch.  Therefore I have reverted to this:

2015-01-11 15.17.42

Ah, yes, a Costco microfiber towel.

This works OK but I look like an older man than I am carrying this hitch being bent over so the grease doesn’t touch anywhere.  What is the solution?  This:

2015-01-11 15.19.58

The HitchGrip!  If you go to their site, via the link to the left, they show an Airstream and an Equalizer hitch head!  That is purely coincidence.  The claw portion fits over your ball and grabs it.  You lift up and slide the hitch out.  It is very balanced.  You may also notice that mine is not really clean.  That is because I use it!

2015-01-11 15.18.10

Much nicer.  Still heavy but easier to maneuver.

I know they sell these at Toscanos RV in Los Banos.  I also see them at Camping World.  Run right out and get one now!!