Putting out small fires

I once had a relatively expensive meal in Edmonton. I was in the city for a national fencing tournament, which means I was on a budget, and I was with a group of other fencers from Ontario. We were wandering around looking for a place to eat, price conscious, but also hungry. And since nobody had a smart phone back then, we just finally picked a place that seemed decent, even if it was a little pricey. It turned out to be a great time. The food was really good, we all had our fill, and we chatted with the manager who brought us a new shot he was trying out. So, even though it was expensive, I was happy with the experience. A long introduction to say that I have mostly figured out what was wrong with my camper not charging and that it cost me money but that I am happy with the outcome.

As you may know, the battery on my camper wasn’t charging from the truck, but was charging when I plugged it into an outlet. This has resulted in a couple of cold nights where I didn’t want to run the power-draining heater, so slept in my wool base layer. Through a bunch of trial and error, and consultation, I figured there was likely a fuse gone in the truck. This morning, I called a GMC dealership and they said they would take it in right away.

Arthur and I patched off there as quickly as we could. Side note, both Arthur and the camper itself are a big draw in places like that. I chatted with a couple of the mechanics about the camper while some other guys were working on the truck. For his part, Arthur drew everybody’s attention.

The head mechanic took a lot of time to explain what he thought was going on and what I should do about it. I was right that a fuse was blown, but the exact cause of that is still unclear. I have another appointment for tomorrow morning with a camper dealership. This process has cost me a few dollars, but it was worth it to have the full attention of a knowledgeable professional, who also happened to own a truck camper.

Short update on where I am: Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Longer update on where I am: after a short ride in the morning yesterday, I went into town nearest Palo Duro. And as much as the canyon was picturesque and a lovely place to spend a few days, the town was flat in every sense of the word. My plan had been to spend a few hours, send some emails, then hunker down for the night and head to Albuquerque in the morning. But, since my website wasn’t working and I was getting a bad vibe from the town, I called an audible and hit out on the interstate.

It was a good decision. I got into town here before it was too late, and have had all day to deal with the myriad issues I have to resolve. After three days of running after me, Arthur is pretty quiet today. I hope he rests up, tomorrow is another riding day.

wes