Time Out In Madras

Low and Behold, "Green" battery pack pulled SAM's tush & ME up that 5 mile 6% canyon road in one hour 10 minutes without a whimper. All the time, "red" sucked up solar panel electrons. Upon arrival in Madras, "red" stood at 39.9 volts - her maximum. Now "Green" gets her turn with the solar panels...God, I am so proud on SAM...she does all I ask and hardly even a whimper.

Upon driving to Madras, 15 miles from Kahneeta (Warm Springs), I took a motel room for the night. Will spend a few minutes to repair/remodel "red"s 36 volt AC charger. Believe the interal FAN has given up the ghost...for some days now, it has been protesting upon startup. If necessary, I can bypass "red"s AC charger and modify "Green"'s charhger to chargte both (one at a time). Will mean some rewiring & quick disconnects, but can be done...it will then be a copy of my "red" and "green" input into the motor drive controller, so should work just fine.

And 5 months ago, before Bob showed me the magic of electricity, I didn't know which end of a wire electricity came out of...now I know it comes out BOTH ends...no wonder I was confused.

After dropping the Van/Trailer off at the motel, I hitch hiked back to SAM in Kahneeta. Shawn. a supurb American Indian recently moved to Madras from interior Montana to take a job at Kahneeta Casino (jobs are also scarce in central Montana),gave me a ride and shared his recent life hardships...leaving family to get a job...and upbeat attitude about one day retiring and perhaps taking a walk, too.

Shawn dropped me off at 8:30 AM. As I walked into the first Madras intersection at 12:00 noon, Shawn yells at me from his pickup truck..."hey, Bruce...you made it"...and whaddya think, We're just a flash in the pan...of course SAM & ME made it...Oh, and thanks for the ride this morning...your welcome...stay safe & I'm already following your blog...Hi Shawn...and thanks again.

Stopped in at Les Schwab to get SAM's tire pressure checked as I have done at three prior Les Schwabs. All checked OK. Then they asked if I would like a NO FLAT tire...you betcha. The 20" tires they offered did not fit SAM's rim. The 16" front tire fit perfectly...so now SAM has a NO FLAT front tire...yippie.

One more worry off my mind.

Since it didn't rain today, I have taken some pics, which I will download and attach to this blog...if I can figure out how to do it. Drat...cannot find the connector.
Will down load later. ((OK, tis now tomorrow morning...let's see if pics load...))

Tomorrow n SAM & ME are off to Redmond, Oregon -or thereabouts. In 2 days, hope to be at Son, Thomas' home. Kyle, my Granddaughter, graduates from High School on Thursday. Will arrange our walk to attend...means walking into the 4,000 foot high Central Oregon Desert (125 miles of NOTHING 'cept rattlesnakes & sagebrush...no gas station, no stores, no water...kinda bleak, huh?).

Then will drive on with Motorcycle & SAM in the trailer to Burns, where Monica, my Daughter lives. Will retrievwe the piano I gave her years ago for Granddaughter Jessica, and will drive it in the van back to Son, Ronald, (In Federal Way) whose Son (my Grandson) Thomas is graduating from High School on Saturday week. Thomas is a "natural" with ANY string instrument...give him a violin, guitar, base, piano...without instruction, he simply plays...so, Grandson Thomas gets the ebony black Wurlitzer piano. Whew...follow all that?

Then drive back to 4,000 foot Central Oreegon Desert where SAM entered the trailer. At that spot, SAM & ME will resume our walk...not missing a single step to Key West.
Would not want Guiness to accuse SAM & ME of cheatin.