Tire Pressure Monitoring

One of the TPMS sensors on the fifthwheel. It will generate an alarm if the pressure drops below 110 psi.

For the last five years, since beginning our fulltiming adventure, we have used a Tireminder TPMS to monitor the pressure in the fifthwheel tires. It actually saved the rig from extensive damage 3 1/2 years ago, when one of the original equipment GoodYear Marathon tires started to disintegrate (we replaced the Marathons with heavy-duty commercial tires).

Naples

View from our site in Silver Lakes Resort

Update on the tire situation

The punctured inner dually, before removal from the truck

I had intended to repair the damaged tire, and use it as a spare until I replaced all six tires later in the year. I removed the offending self-drilling screw (see picture) and plugged the hole using a tire repair kit. I wanted to see if the tire was okay after inflating, and if it was, I intended to have a tire shop install an internal patch.

Close to Florida

We are making great progress on our relentless eastbound journey. So far it has been really enjoyable. The secret is to limit the daily distance, and make two-day stops some of the time

We had a nice two-day stop near Hammond LA, which is near the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, across the lake from New Orleans.

Wildflowers, Schnitzel and a tire puncture

Almost across Texas!

Three days were spent in the Texas Hill Country. We stayed at Cowboy Capital RV Park in Pipe Creek, about 15 miles from Boerne. The cost of our stay was $44, and it was a positive experience. Gerhard, the owner, greeted us warmly upon our arrival, and escorted us to a large pullthrough site. The park is very rural and has that "back to nature" look, but the utilities were good, and it was quiet and peaceful.

The Hill Country

The distance east-to-west across Texas, along Interstate 10, is about 880 miles (1400km). We are now at the 540 mile point, in the Hill Country northwest of San Antonio.

Into Texas

We have done about 1000 miles since leaving Rancho

After a one-night stop at Las Cruces, we got on the road and headed east through the city of El Paso. I usually get fuel when the truck is uncoupled from the fifthwheel, but today I made an exception, pulled into a Flying J and topped off with diesel at 1.69 per gallon. I had sufficient fuel to get to our next stop, but not enough to get to the Hill Country, where we will stay for at least 2 days. Flying J are easy in and out, with lots of room to maneuver the rig.

Benson to Las Cruces

Another 228 miles eastbound

We stayed in Benson for an additional day, making three days total. Thunderstorms and heavy rain passed through the area on Sunday, so we decided to take the extra day, rather than drive in the heavy rain. Also, I had some online business stuff to take care of (Ontario Automation Services).

Tombstone, Arizona

We left the rig at Benson I-10 RV Park, and drove 22 miles to Tombstone, which was a silver mining boom town in the 19th century. Those were the days of the Wild West, with outlaws on one side and sheriff's deputies on the other. The famous Earp brothers (Wyatt Earp) were on the law enforcement side in Tombstone during that era. The town of Tombstone is now on the National Register of Historic Places, and it has been preserved much as it was 150 years ago.

Day 2 Benson AZ

We are making visible progress across the map

We stayed one night in Yuma, which is known for its dry, desert climate, and amazingly, it rained for most of the night! Until about 9:00pm, there was the deafening sound of military jets taking off from the Marine Air Corps base just down the road. A plane took off every couple of minutes, probably doing night-flying training. The RV park was directly under the departure flight path.

On the road again!

After three wonderful months at The Ranch, we are finally rolling again. We left Aguanga CA, and traveled to Yuma AZ, a distance of 175 miles.

Preparing for the eastbound trip

We have been in Southern California for almost three months, and it has been another wonderful winter. We have enjoyed our rented lot in Rancho California Resort, and the weather has been warm and sunny almost the entire time.

It is time to prepare for our journey back. This year we will be staying in Naples, Florida for a week. It involves a 400 mile detour down the Florida peninsula, and it was a favorite annual destination before we became fulltimers. With diesel prices this low, it is quite inexpensive to cover the extra miles.