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Old 07-13-2011, 02:05 PM   #41
prairieschooner
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The fan in the picture looks like it was added at some time. It looks like a "computer" type cooling fan. You say that it is controlled by a thermostat? This could help increase the performance by helping with the vent. I am interested, could you get a picture of the thermostat.
Still, I prefer 70 degrees!
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Old 07-13-2011, 03:08 PM   #42
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The picture is of the lower fan that I must manually plug in to run. It is the upper fan that is controlled by a thermostat. Here is a picture of what I am calling a thermostat. It is set to come on at 105 degrees right now. It also controls a fan in the through storage compartment that will vent heat generated by the Norcold refer.
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Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
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Old 07-14-2011, 03:06 AM   #43
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ok but I am not sure how a temperature controlled switch in the bay would help with the refer. I am sure that it would help with the refer in the bay though. I will have to do some poking around now.
thanks for the pics
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1982 Newell 38' (built before #1) 6V92 DD, 5 Speed Allison, 12.5 KW Kohler, Couch used to make into a Bed but I fixed it!
https://newellshowcase.com/thumbnails.php?album=214
2007 Yukon, 1981 CJ7 Laredo, 2002 Honda CRV, 1955 Thunderbird, 1952 Pontiac Sedan Delivery, 1952 Ford 8N, 1958 Airstream, 1959 Glasspar 16' Avalon, Cabin in the Woods........what will I work on next
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Old 07-14-2011, 06:51 PM   #44
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Steve, the switch in the refer bay turns on the upper chimney fan automatically when the air temp inside the bay gets to a certain temperature. It works well in combination with the lower fan. I had installed something similar to this on my class C Tioga motorhome, and it helped a lot. The two fans I installed were solar powered, and so were on whenever the sun was out, whether or not it was hot. I can see the quantifiable difference on a hot day with and without the fans on. The switch in the bay is set at 105. I'm sure the temp inside the chimney gets hotter than that, but the low threshold in the bay, which when closed, and sun is hitting the door heats up quite quickly inside, and, therefore turns on both fans (the one venting the bay, and the one helping vent the chimney. It's what I would call a pro-active setup.
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Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
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Old 09-02-2011, 02:11 AM   #45
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It's been a couple of months (almost) since I wrote here.....we are now within 29 days of Elaine's official retirement....we are no longer talking in terms of months, or weeks, but now DAYS until we escape the workaday vortex of our lives. I have been reducing my time spent in the "office" to a couple of days a week now. It has been hard for me to start the "withdrawal" process. For a number of weeks I struggled with feelings of guilt, remorse, etc. about not "being" in the office 5 days a week. When you have been doing something for 40 years week after week it is hard to change that habit. Intellectually I understand that it is not necessary for me to be physically in my office every day anymore, but psychologically it was a struggle. I felt like a slacker, to use the term from "Back To The Future" by the principal, Strickland. Today I can say I don't feel those feelings anymore, and I no longer feel like a "slacker"....haha! My business is under control, my customers are happy, and could care less where I physically am when I speak with them over the phone. They just want to know that I am solving their problem, or answering their concerns about their insurance, etc.

Now, I get up in the morning with my wife and see her off on one of her last days "on the job" and then call my office to check for voicemail, check my e-mail, and then the FAX queue. If there is nothing awaiting my attention then I spend time reading a number of "fulltimer" blogs, read some political articles, and then work on the latest mountain bike I've bought to take apart and sell on Ebay. My last bike I bought and parted out was a 2003 Trek Fuel 9.8 (most of you will have no idea what that is, but Richard may) which I bought on Craigslist for $300, and sold part by part on Ebay for $900. I keep looking over my shoulder to see if someone is there saying "you can't do that!", but there is no one there, and my PayPal account continues to grow.....very cool to make money at something that gives you a lot of pleasure, and provides many buyers with a bike part they need at a reasonable price....win, win for sure.

Elaine and I spend about 10 hours a week, combined, cleaning the cabins and preparing them for occupancy the next weekend. We've settled into a nice routine that does not seem burdensome, and gives us some options when we are on the road to do some workcamping in other locals we may choose to spend a few months enjoying. This has been a great experience, and in the process we have made some new friends with quality people. The County of Riverside has treated us well, and provided us a great place to live, and we are truly grateful for this opportunity!

We are thoroughly enjoying fulltiming, and completely consider our Newell to be our "HOME" now. I love waking up in the morning realizing I am waking up in my Newell. Our two roof A/C's have worked marvelously this summer. We have most often only had to run one at a time, because with two on I get a brain freeze...

We have been going on bike rides of varying length almost every weekend lately.....two weeks ago we embarked on a 45 mile tandem ride, and had a blast. Last weekend we rode, together, up to the top of Mt. Rubidoux and then on to breakfast at a local popular breakfast spot in Riverside, and then home...about 10 miles. Three weeks ago we did a 27 mile "trike" ride on our Terra Trike tadpole trikes on the Pacific Electric trail. The main thing is we are riding on a regular basis, at least once a week, and getting more seat time on the bikes....whether it be 10 miles, 27 miles, or 45 miles, we are getting out and doing it, which is a big change. It will only get better when Elaine no longer has to show up for work.

Well, that's my story. Life if good, and the future holds untold adventures yet to be experienced. We are on the threshold of a brand new life.
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Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
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Old 09-02-2011, 02:25 AM   #46
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Good to hear all is well.
Cindy is in her third week of retirement, still waking up too early, but hey, the coffees ready when I get up!
Yes, it does take time to truly enjoy retirement. Been through most of the mixed feelings, now watching Cindy go through it. Counting the months until we hit the road in the spring, but we will spend 2 weeks diving in Bonaire next month. Then might take a few weeks to see the leaves change after we get back. After that, who knows?
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Old 09-02-2011, 03:30 AM   #47
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That is great Clarke. I hope you and Elaine have as much enjoyment with the freedom of fulltiming as Georgia and I did for over 10 years.
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Old 09-02-2011, 12:43 PM   #48
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Hey Clarke:

Great Posting of the process that many of us will/or have experienced. Thank you. Congratulations to you and Elaine. I'm sure that you will have the Champagne ready, following her last day. You two raised 5 children, each of whom is very proud of your accomplishments and now each of them are going to be very happy as they hear of your adventures. What you are about to experience on the road is what Forest says is no accident. This planning began at least 30 years ago. Now it becomes reality. I think that the greatest thing about being retired is the freedom of time and choices that can be made. A wonderful time in life and one that I wouldn't want to trade. A 45 mile bike ride may be a little bit extreme, lol, but I am just leaving on a twenty mile training run. I run my 57th marathon in three weeks, this one in Germany. Crazy, yes, but the choices that each of us has is so fulfilling. Life is good and we hope to host you and Elaine in Colorado, as soon as you can get here. I might even save some of my honey do's, just so that you can feel productive, when here. lol. Enjoy counting the days to the end of September and may the two of you have many great years of continued prosperity, happiness, good health and safe travels together.

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Old 09-03-2011, 09:17 PM   #49
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David, I think the warranty on your knees is only good for 60 marathons....lol. A 45 mile bike, to me anyway, seems a little less extreme than running a marathon, but that's just me...haha! This past October Elaine and I rode 110 miles over two days from Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA down to San Diego, and then took AMTRAK back.

I can see the tension draining from Elaine day by day as she winds down to September 30th.....27 days to go!

Going to celebrate my grandson's 11th birthday today, so it's all good.
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1982 Newell 36’ DD 6V92 TA
2002 Thunderbird Retro
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
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Old 09-29-2011, 03:39 PM   #50
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Well, we are no longer counting weeks, or days, but now down to hours. At precisey 5pm tomorrow, 9/30/2011, Elaine will no longer be a "working girl". October 1st we start the next countdown until we pull up anchor and set sail for new frontiers...I know, I'm kind of mixing metaphors here. Nevertheless, on October 1st it will be approximately 93 days until we depart Rancho Jurupa Regional Park. Tomorrow will mark the end of our 8th month fulltiming in our Newell, and what a wonderful 8 months it has been!

We have begun to sift through our "stuff" again, this time the trailer is our focus. I moved a bunch of stuff that was in the trailer, but not being used, to our office warehouse for storage this past week, and we will continue to further "slim" down. Come January 2nd we will need to be able to put the T-Bird in the trailer. What we still have is manageable, and we will be installing wall cabinets shortly which will hold a lot of what is now sitting on the floor. The rest will go into storage, or be given away.

The weather here continues to be cooler than normal. September temps have been in the mid to low 90's, and down in the high 80's often. We had 3 100 degree days this month (September), but again low 100's. The feel of Fall is in the air, and we have not been running the A/C as much, and then it's only on for a few hours as opposed to all day as it was in August often.

We woke up this morning to "low voltage"....around 30 volts. It must have happened around 5:15am, because the clock was still on then, but 15 minutes later the clock was off. I got up and turned off the stand by power for both TV's, the satellite receiver, automatic coffee pot, and unplugged the computers and cell phones. And, finally, switched the fridge over to gas. Right now we are running off our small Honda 1000w generator....cheaper to run than the Kohler....about a gallon of gas every 5 hours, or so.

OK, that's the update from the Hockwald's for September.......93 bottles of beer on the wall, 93 bottles of beer....take one down, and pass it around, 92 bottles of beer on the wall....
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1982 Newell 36’ DD 6V92 TA
2002 Thunderbird Retro
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
2 Terra Trike Tadpoles
Intense 5.5 mountain bike
ALBUM: https://newellshowcase.com/thumbnails.php?album=213
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Old 09-29-2011, 04:40 PM   #51
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Full timing? We are half-timing. It's a compromise I've reached with my wife. Four months in Indio in the winter, one month in northern Michigan in the summer & some odds & ends here & there. Could be the best of both worlds. At least it's my world and when home I'm always tinkering with the Newell or planning a trip. Lately, I'm online with Newell Classic. And that's pretty good too.
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Old 09-29-2011, 05:10 PM   #52
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Barry,
We will be at motorcoach country club from Dec.25 until Jan 4. Envious of your 4 months! Until kids are out of school it will be a dream!
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Old 09-29-2011, 09:45 PM   #53
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Thanks so much for each of you sharing your experiences. While "full timing" during the summer is fun, I'm very envious of your chance to share fall on the road. No more big crowds, you get to enjoy the warm days & colder nights (Campfires!). Soon you'll be cycling off those A/C's for the last time! Please keep all the great updates coming!

Mark
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Old 09-29-2011, 11:18 PM   #54
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Quote:
Originally Posted by afrench45 View Post
Barry,
We will be at motorcoach country club from Dec.25 until Jan 4. Envious of your 4 months! Until kids are out of school it will be a dream!
Hope to be that way also... along with Ron Skeen... however we have not secured lots yet.... any good deal you know about?
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Old 10-01-2011, 07:51 PM   #55
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Hey Clarke, happy hour yet?
Tell Elaine congratulations.
Cindy and I are sitting in the airport on Curacao waiting on our plane to Bonaire for 2 weeks. Life's great!
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Old 10-02-2011, 01:26 AM   #56
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Happy hour right now....haha! Enjoy your fortnight in Bonaire!
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1982 Newell 36’ DD 6V92 TA
2002 Thunderbird Retro
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
2 Terra Trike Tadpoles
Intense 5.5 mountain bike
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Old 10-02-2011, 03:03 AM   #57
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Congrats Clarke and Elaine!!

Woohoooo Let the fun begin for BOTH of you!

Looking forward to seeing you this spring!

Pam
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Old 12-02-2011, 02:33 AM   #58
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OK, we are now about 60 days from pulling up anchor. I have been in communication with an authorized representative of AM Solar who will most likely be installing our solar charging system in early February after we leave our host duties and hit the road. Installing the solar charging system is a big part of our travel plan, which will enable us to dry camp as often as we wish, thereby keeping our overhead on the road low. With rising diesel prices this installation becomes even more important.

Winter, and that is a relative term in Southern California, is here......our electric heaters have been coming on at night, which means it's getting into the high 50's at night inside the coach, which means it's getting into the low 40's outside, if not into the high 30's on occasion. We've had record Santana winds the past 24 hours, with gusts of 100mph in the San Gabriel Valley last night. Fortunately we live in Riverside, a long way from there, and only had gusts in the 50mph range last night. Had to crank down the satellite dish last night, and switch over to cable feed (Time Warner). The window awnings, and main awning are stowed, and everything not nailed down is in the trailer (garage to us).

Getting more excited by the day...the next 8 weeks will go fast!
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https://whatnewell.blogspot.com
1982 Newell 36’ DD 6V92 TA
2002 Thunderbird Retro
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
2 Terra Trike Tadpoles
Intense 5.5 mountain bike
ALBUM: https://newellshowcase.com/thumbnails.php?album=213
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Old 12-02-2011, 02:55 PM   #59
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Solar will be great Clarke. Looking forward to some day checking it out. I love the option on my coach. Heck you might as well load the top of the trailer if you're alright on weight.
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Old 12-02-2011, 02:59 PM   #60
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Do you know what Solar Panels and Regulator that will be installed?

It was a bit windy up here the last couple of days and we got a little snow as well. 30's wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't the high. We are off to Earp just outside of Parker, AZ just before Christmas. I am not looking forward to a white Christmas!
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1982 Newell 38' (built before #1) 6V92 DD, 5 Speed Allison, 12.5 KW Kohler, Couch used to make into a Bed but I fixed it!
https://newellshowcase.com/thumbnails.php?album=214
2007 Yukon, 1981 CJ7 Laredo, 2002 Honda CRV, 1955 Thunderbird, 1952 Pontiac Sedan Delivery, 1952 Ford 8N, 1958 Airstream, 1959 Glasspar 16' Avalon, Cabin in the Woods........what will I work on next
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