Albuquerque, New Mexico – Day 1

Mary remains at home in California tending to medical issues.

Yesterday I drove the motorhome the about 50 miles from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The motorhome is now parked at the Sandia Casino about 10 miles north of Albuquerque. I usually do not park at casinos, but I’ve met up with some friends who are here.

I was in Albuquerque for about three weeks earlier this past spring. There are somethings that can only be found in Albuquerque in New Mexico such as a Costco, a Workhorse Chassis Dealer for the motorhome and the only good used book store in the state. I expect to be in the area for a few days.

There are better than 100 RV’s parked here because of the annual balloon fiesta. Here are some views from the parking lot…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

I always like to show the view from the dinette window. My friend Randy’s trailer is on the left and his friend Laurie’s is on the right…

Stepping outside on the passenger side you can see the casino in the background…

A 180 degree panorama of that side…

A view to the rear shows the Sandia Mountains in the background…

The balloon fiesta headquarters are a few miles south of the casino and since the fiesta ends today, they had some fireworks last night to celebrate the ending. My camera has a fireworks setting but I’m still so new to my camera I couldn’t remember how to find it, so I shot the following photos in the night setting. In addition you should really use a tripod for fireworks but I was too lazy to get it out. These photos are hand-held. This is the first time I’ve shot fireworks with my new camera…

Enjoying good friends and fireworks is another joy of a full-time RVer!

 If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

So Clean You Could Eat Off The Floor…

In my many years on the road I’ve managed to get to a few garages along the way…but none as clean as this one.

My first stop when arriving in Albuquerque, New Mexico a few days ago was at Advantage Automotive. The motorhome had an ABS light that would not go out after starting the engine and this is the only Workhorse Chassis repair facility in the Albuquerque area.

Not only is the shop clean, but they are also very knowledgeable and nice people. A rare combination to find in an automotive garage.

Let me show you this place…

The exterior…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view...

The reception area and customer waiting room…

The workshop area…

James, the owner, worked on the motorhome personally…

Sharon and her husband John ( not shown) will greet you when you arrive…

According to their business card…

Complete Auto, R.V. & Truck repair. Specializing in Air Conditioning, Electrical and fuel Injection Systems Diagnosis and Repair.

They are conveniently located at 511 Piasano, NE, near the intersection of I-40 and Juan Tabo. Their telephone number is (505) 298-4996.

Here’s their website link…
http://www.advantageautorepair.com/

If you are a regular follower of my Blog, you’ll know I rarely recommend anything. I only do it when someone or something is exceptional.

If you should happen to need servicing on your vehicles while in the Albuquerque area…I highly recommend them to you!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

It Appears More Adjustments Will Be Necessary…

Yesterday I departed the Moose Lodge #2241 and went to the Workhorse Chassis repair facility about one mile away. The ABS light on the motorhome would not go out. I had such an interesting experience there that I want to cover it in a separate Blog entry real soon.

In yesterday’s Blog entry I indicated I was moving to VFW Post #401 near the airport where I’ll be meeting Mary one week from today. The proximity to Interstate Highway 40 at the Moose Lodge made it far too noisy for sleeping.

I arrived at the VFW Post in mid-afternoon and got settled in…

The locals tell me that Albuquerque ranges from 5,000 feet in elevation at the Rio Grande River valley to 7,000 feet on the eastside…which means it’s a little difficult to find a level parking spot. After surveying the VFW parking lot this was the levelest spot I could determine and settled in. However…all is not ideal.

The first thing is the weather. Albuquerque temperatures are at near all time highs. Yesterday at 84 degrees it was really hot! The forecast for today is 86 and tomorrow is 88. YUK! Which means I need to leave all the windows and vents open.

About 150 feet behind where I’m standing when I took the above photo is a busy four lane city street which gives off a substantial amount of noise.

But…here’s the real problem. To the left of the trees in the above photo is commercial storage facility. The VFW Post itself is in an industrial business complex. All this means I’m in a commercially zone area and not a residential zone. Last evening/night…in the commercial storage area to the left…there are apparently two young “musicians” and I use the term very loosely. They apparently are very dedicated and I’m told by the locals practice every night from 6:00 PM to after midnight. Last night they quit at 12:30 AM. There’s only two…one plays a bass guitar and the other plays the drums. Their “music” sounds very angry…hard/acid rock?…and they play it at full amplified volume! Not a good thing for an old guy like me!

So, what am I going to do about this situation? I don’t know at this moment. I really like the fact that the VFW Post is within locked security gates at night…so I’ll try to figure out something that will allow me to stay here.

A little later this morning I’ll survey the parking area on the other side of the building and see if I can find a spot that will somewhat move me away from the volume of the road noise and the “music”.

Have I ever told you I really do not like being in big cities? I’m sure I have! If I didn’t have to meet Mary one week from today…you can be bet I’d be a loooong way away from here!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

I’ll Be Making Some Adjustments…

hopefully later today.

I arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico yesterday on a Sunday morning at 10:00 hoping for light traffic. The below map from the visitors center shows that Albuquerque has two intersecting Interstate Highways forming, more or less, a big plus (+) sign in the middle of the city. I-25 running North to South and I-40 running East to West…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view...

I must admit I was truly surprised at how much traffic there was on a Sunday morning. Sure glad I didn’t decide to come in on a weekday!

I settled in at Moose Lodge #2241 shown as #1 on the map….

This is the view out of the dinette window…not bad for a large city…

It was difficult to find a relatively flat piece of ground in the sloping grade of the parking lot. The reason I chose this location is because it is very near to the only Workhorse Chassis (the kind on the motorhome) repair facility in the area. You might remember a couple of weeks ago when I entered Truth or Consequences that the ABS light came on…

I stopped at the local Chevrolet dealership there…but their three different diagnostic scanners would not communicate with the Workhorse Chassis. Hence my current appointment at the only Workhorse Chassis repair facility in the Albuquerque area at 9:00 AM this morning. Hopefully by noon the ABS light situation will be rectified and the Anti-Locking Brake System will be working properly.

So…what adjustments am I talking about. If you look at the above Moose parking lot photo once again…

On the far right side of the building you can see a sound barrier wall. Directly on the other side of the wall is eight lanes of a very busy Interstate Highway 40. The sound barrier wall really doesn’t work. The parking lot is VERY NOISY FROM THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT! Get the picture? Trying to get some sleep last night was a real nightmare! Pun intended! It’s interesting to note that on the left side of the above building…just on the other side of those trees…is a KOA Campground where folks are paying $46 a night and listening to the same noise I had last night.

So, what to do? Yesterday I took the Bronco and did some scouting of the area. One of the places I went to is VFW Post #401 shown as point #2 on the map…

it’s located very near the airport where I’m scheduled to meet Mary one week from tomorrow. It’s situated in an industrial complex with a locked gate at night and quite quiet for being in a large city. Once the ABS light is fixed…hopefully today…I’ll be moving over to the VFW Post. The Commander there said there’s no problem with a long-term stay.

The only potential glitch with moving today is the Workhorse Chassis repair facility might not have the parts to affect the repair. If that’s the case…I’ll play it all by ear.

A few days ago when I was camped at South Monticello Campground on Elephant Butte Lake…I mentioned that the quiet there was almost deafening and that I would be wishing I had some of that quiet here in Albuquerque. I was so right!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

WORKHORSE CHASSIS

Planes, Trains and Automobiles…whoops! I believe that is a movie.  Its trucks, tractors and motor homes that took up our day.  The Workhorse Chassis assembly plant, to be specific.You couldn’t ask for more congenial people. Carol and Terrence, with great courtesy, allowed us to inspect the Workhorse Chassis Assembly Plant here in Union City. Most of their tours are groups of kids, or company reps.
Our Motor Home has a workhorse chassis. We are so pleased with the power we have going over hills towing our “toad” we were curious about the difference between the Workhorse and those we saw at the Fleetwood plant.
(No pictures are allowed inside.)
We found a union shop with a considerable number of women working the line, more older workers, and a much less intense attitude. It was nice to see happy faces that could take a moment to smile at you.

Every chassis has a “birth certificate” with every part, when and where it was placed, by what team of workers, on a computerized  sheet that follows that chassis by Vin number, and two other numbers, so that if something goes wrong, it can be traced and replaced. For instance, if  you lose your keys, a new one can be made for you. Workhorse can diagnose any part with its computer. I guess that is standard to the industry now.

I learned the difference between a drive shaft and a shock and a catalytic converter. Seriously!
I learned that machines can boil away every bit of moisture inside a metal tank to prevent it from fouling fuel. We watched a vacuum that sucks so hard it can detect any minute leak in a metal joint. Everything here is quality. Testing and retesting. They have a “return” line should any test fail, it goes on the return line for more testing and a fix, before it is ever driven off the floor. Then, when it is driven out of the plant, it is rechecked and inspected again to make sure nothing is loose and that tires are still working in concert.

Workhorse Chassis has a case full of awards for safety and excellence. I may not be very mechanical, but I was impressed with excellence and that was visible throughout the plant.

Harter Park, Union City, Indiana

Jim says:

On yet another hot and humid day, yesterday we drove the motorhome about 50 miles south to Union City, Indiana. We are parked in Harter Park, a city park with electric, water and dump station at no charge. The parking area is at the edge of the park. Today we take the Workhorse Chassis Factory Tour and Workhorse apparently has an arrangement with the city to allow their visitors to park here.

Right across the street is a VFW Post where I went to cool off in their air-conditioning while the motohome’s air-conditioning was getting down to a livable temperature. A couple of cold Miller Lites and a bite to eat got me back into a better mood. Because it was another hot and humid day, I spent most of my day inside the air-conditioned motorhome reading. Mary, who stand the heat better than myself, actually took a bike ride around the park and declared it a very beautiful park. In the evening we watched another movie.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
My three books may be purchased at http://www.lulu.com
Just enter Jim Jaillet in the search box.

Adams County Historical Museum, Decatur, Indiana

Jim says:

Yesterday was a scorching 92 degrees so Mary and I spent most of the day hiding out in our air-conditioned motorhome reading, napping and watching a movie. When did leave for about an hour to go to the Adams County Historical Museum, a stately old mansion with lots of historic relics from this area.

Because we are running ahead of average daily use on our Verizon Air Card, you only get one photograph today of an iron-wheeled tricycle.

Here’s the Adams County Historical Museum where you can see more photos…
http://www.adamshistorical.com/

Today we’ll move about 50 south to Union City, Indiana where tomorrow we’ll attend a Workhorse Chassis Factory Tour, We have a Workhorse Chassis on our motorhome.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
My three books may be purchased at http://www.lulu.com
Just enter Jim Jaillet in the search box.