Georgia RV Park - Commerce, GA Mar 26 - 27

Paynes RV Park, Theodore, AL - Sunday, March 26, 2017
Morning 67 Degrees, Wind NNW at 1 to 4 Mph, Humidity 90%, mostly cloudy.

The morning started nice, sunshine after a rainy day yesterday. We were on the road at nine moving to the interstate ten headed for interstate sixty-five to Montgomery.

Capital City RV Park - Montgomery, AL
Afternoon 81 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 59%, partly cloudy.

A nice drive thru the country but more traffic than I expected for a Sunday. Later I realized that there were spring breakers going back to school. Buster stopped for diesel fuel ($ 2.489) and after one hundred ninety-two miles we are in the RV park.

There was a shower here while we were away from Buster but we did not have rain where we were.  


Capital City RV Park - Montgomery, AL - Monday, March 27, 2017
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 98%, overcast.

Buster got going about nine again as today we loose an hour while driving, eastern time zone.

Georgia RV Park - Commerce, GA
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 4 Mph, Humidity 61%, partly cloudy and then rain.

We traveled northeast on interstate eighty-five until Atlanta where we took the belt I 285 around the east side continuing northeast on I 85. Traffic was heavy but moving at highway speed until our exit for the first slowdown. interstate eighty-five north of Atlanta was heavy traffic also with one full stop brake check. Two hundred fifty-six miles for today’s trip arriving at three o’clock.

We are having a good experience with the Blue Ox Karguard, Tan Jan is cleaner when we are done towing for the day. It is easy to use after connecting the towbar you just stretch it over the top and install two pins.

Paynes RV Park, Theodore, AL Mar 25

Pioneer Acadian Village R.V. Park Breaux Bridge, LA - Saturday, March 25, 2017
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind SW at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 72%, mostly cloudy.

After getting up this morning the rain started and came down hard for a few minutes before letting up. The rain had stopped when I was ready to start my outside work in getting ready to roll. Yesterday I had purchased a new drain hose and wanted to place it in the compartment where I store that hose. Opening the door the hinge came loose from the wall. Making it worse was the support actuator that normally holds the door up was now pushing the hinge edge of the door out away from Buster holding on by the last front screw as the door actuator is back. I was able to get the door actuator disconnected and a screw in the hinge to hold for now and reattach the actuator.

I have pictures of the Karguard, in the stored position on Buster and the installed over the towbar position.

Paynes RV Park, Theodore, AL
Afternoon 76 Degrees, Wind SW at 5 to 23 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast.

Two hundred thirty-six miles total trip today mostly interstate ten and interstate twelve to avoid New Orleans traffic. But there was traffic in Baton Rouge east of the Mississippi river bridge and “weather”. A heavy downpour with some hail pellets taking the traffic down to a crawl for a few miles before gradually easing up (rain). There was more rain showers during our drive today but not as bad as that. We finished up early afternoon settling in for the night.

Pioneer Acadian Village RV, Breaux Bridge, LA - Mar 24

Houston West RV Park Brookshire, TX - Friday, March 24, 2017
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind NNW at 4 to 8 Mph, Humidity 87%, partly cloudy.

We got Tan Jan hooked up to the towbar and moving to the interstate by nine-thirty to continue our trip east. A short ways down the interstate we found a Camping World to pull into to look for a replacement mirror. They did not have a replacement but I was able to get a “make do” stick on convex mirror, this removes the “blind spot” on my left side.

Pioneer Acadian Village R.V. Park
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind S at 4 to 17 Mph, Humidity 58%, mostly cloudy.

Traffic was heavy going on thru Houston, slowing in some places where vehicles are trying to change lanes and make an exit then it picked back up to speed. Only one place did we actually stop for a very short time. Having the “spot mirror” back to view the side made for an easier drive today. Bumpy road leaving Texas and into Louisiana, some places are nice but the cement joints in most places keep the road bumpy and noisy.

Buster arrived here about three in the afternoon after two hundred and sixty miles today. Buster backed into a nice quite spot here for a nights rest.

While in San Antonio I had a lot done to get Buster ready to travel and another year of full time living. Oil and filter change for the engine and the generator. The gray water holding tank was leaking when the level in the tank was about half full the leak developed, it needed a new clamp. The vent fan above the living area was repaired. Bed room slide out topper replaced. Right slide out water leak repaired. Kitchen faucet replaced as we had a leak when we used it (not when it was off) and the handle would not stay up it was always loose and coming down closing the water off, when the water pressure was low. I replaced the shower faucet and the hose/sprayer. The bedroom air conditioner was ordered and replaced. The grip outside the door, needs parts ordered.

We added a Blue Ox Karguard, it goes over the top of the towbar to prevent rocks and debris from getting up onto the car from the road between Buster and Tan Jan. Road grime on the car is reduced so far we are happy with the operation.

Karguard rolled up 

Texas RV San Antonio, TX - Mar 23 -24

Texas RV San Antonio, TX - Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Morning 65 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 92%, overcast.
Afternoon 83 Degrees, Wind SE at 4 to 10 Mph, Humidity 52%, mostly sunny.

We were out of Buster by eight o’clock so that they could work on Buster. After breakfast we took a ride up interstate thirty-five and stopped at Buc-ss”s gasoline & continence store, gas $ 1.899 yes I topped Tan Jan off. A little further on the other side is Camping World the other stop I wanted to make for a new shower head. They are rearranging the store it is a mess but we were able to locate the shower head. Another mission accomplished so our list is now very short. Now try and slowly roll back south on the interstate. Good time to give Tan Jan a wash. Tomorrow we head east, Buster’s work is done.


Texas RV San Antonio, TX - Thursday, March 23, 2017
Morning 66 Degrees, Wind ENE at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast.

The last thing we added was a Karguard from Blue Ox. Goes over the towbar to protect the car being towed from rocks and debris coming up from the road.c we also had the propane tank topped off.

Houston West RV Park Brookshire, TX
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind SE at 4 to 18 Mph, Humidity 50%, partly sunny.

Buster hit the road about ten thirty winding our way to interstate ten east with signs that there on the roadside was a Buc-ee’s ahead, I decided to make the stop, we are early why not. I packed Buster’s tank full of diesel ($ 2.199 a gallon).  We continued east finishing up with one hundred sixty miles behind us.

While on interstate ten after getting around the city and headed east we got flagged by a passing car that there was a door open. Yes we pulled over to check our doors (compartments underneath) and there was one open that I closed and latched.

On the drivers side there was a convex mirror, it fell off while driving. Looks like the double back tape gave up the glue. I will try and get a replacement tomorrow.

Texas RV San Antonio, TX - Mar 21

Texas RV San Antonio, TX - Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Morning 57 Degrees, Wind SSE at 2 to 5 Mph, Humidity 89%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 9 Mph, Humidity 52%, mostly sunny.

We were up and out of Buster early so they could work on Buster. The bedroom slide out topper is replaced oil change on engine and generator done and the kitchen faucet is changed. The kitchen exhaust fan is working now. New air conditioner arrives tomorrow.

We were out eating early breakfast and lunch latter. We also got work done on Tan Jan, cracked windshield, (rock damage) we had a ten o’clock appointment that we were able to move up to nine o’clock and contact the insurance company and the windshield is replaced at no out of pocket cost to us. Then to Discount tire and had a tire monitor replaced, now that cost sixty dollars plus tax, that is off the list. Then my wife needed a new firm pillow so into Kohl’s that was right there an another accomplishment. After lunch we had time to waist before going back to Buster, so off to Walmart to walk around awhile. Interesting that after entering the store we went different ways but ended up in the same spot latter at the opposite end of the store. Getting back to Buster my wife had her bags and went in finding empty shoes there she thought someone was inside working so she put her bags on the chair and we left for a while longer. Returning later I was first to go in and the shoes were still there only thing is no one was inside Buster, they were my shoes. She had put them on the drivers chair but now they were on the floor on their side.

Buster & Tan Jan at Texas RV

Texas RV San Antonio, TX Mar 18 - 20

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, March 18, 2017
Morning 60 Degrees, Wind SSE at 4 to 7 Mph, Humidity 92%, overcast, fog.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind SE at 2 to 9 Mph, Humidity %, mostly sunny.

Slower today Saturday, only frack and pipeline work and the pipeline workers went home early afternoon. Regular shift changes for the frack crew. Cleaning up around Buster preparing to move tomorrow. We move off our “spot” for the new guard to have the “spot” to park.

Busters replacement

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, March 19, 2017
Morning 59 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 4 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast fog.
Afternoon 8 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity %, sunny.

It was a lot of work for me to finish picking up and getting Buster moved. The best part was there was a problem in side at frack with no sand trucks running in and out the gate. After shift change the gate was quite so all my attention wasa on my work getting moved. The replacement guard arrived while I was still getting ready to move so they just had to wait on me. I pulled up and backed Buster up the hill parallel to the road, just for overnight parking. We sat with the replacement explaining all that is going on at the gate for the rest of the day. Buster sat there with the generator on for power and air conditioning. Late they got the problem solved and work resumed and sand trucks started again.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, March 20, 2017
Morning 60 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 6 Mph, Humidity 93%, mostly cloudy.
We were there to help with the shift change (waiting for daylight)
Buster moved from the gate just before nine rolling slowly out the dirt road filled with pot holes. Once we got to the paved road I pulled Buster over to connect Tan Jan to the tow bar. Buster turned onto the interstate highway headed north.

Texas RV San Antonio, TX
Afternoon 88 Degrees, Wind ESE at 3 to 4 Mph, Humidity 35%, partly cloudy.

In Pearsall buster got a drink of diesel fuel ($ 2.299). I knew I could pull in easy with the car connected. On to San Antonio a total drive of one hundred thirty three miles. Traffic on the service road getting off the interstate was stop and go for a mile getting thru a traffic light. We arrived here at noon and went to lunch. After lunch we made an appointment for Tan Jan to get the windshield replaced. Cracked from rocks.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Mar 11 - 17

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, March 12, 2017
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind ENE at 3 to 8 Mph, Humidity 92%, overcast.
Afternoon 64 Degrees, Wind SSE at 3 to 6 Mph, Humidity 75%, mostly cloudy.

Nice slow Sunday only the frack shift changes and deliveries of chemicals and sand.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, March 13, 2017
Morning 53 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 3 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast, misty.
Afternoon 69 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 80%, mostly cloudy.

Mail & milk, went to Asherton and Carrizo Springs for the mail and milk shopping. Preparing to leave the gate in a week. Part of the preparation is using supplies on hand thinning down our stock of supply. Mail was sent for the last time here and next month we will be relocated in the free world, free from a gate.
 
Pipeline work and other projects are having a larger crew coming on site working today, o it is Monday yes everyone is coming back and new ones starting up busy day.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Morning 50 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 92%, mostly cloudy fog.
Afternoon 74 Degrees, Wind S at  to  Mph, Humidity 47%, mostly sunny.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Morning 52 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 7 Mph, Humidity 91%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 75 Degrees, Wind SE at 7 to 13 Mph, Humidity 50%, mostly cloudy.

Two average days gate wise, but I am picking up and getting ready to roll. We leave next Monday for San Antonio and get some work done on buster at Texas RV Supply. The bed room slide out topper needs to be repla and the air conditioner need professional help.  


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, March 16, 2017
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 7 Mph, Humidity 91%, overcast.
Afternoon 81 Degrees, Wind SSE at 2 to 16 Mph, Humidity 58%, partly sunny.

More flex pipe delivered today for the pipeline project. Fracking and sand continues.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, March 17, 2017
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind SSE at 5 to 7 Mph, Humidity 91%, sunny.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind SSE at 4 to 13 Mph, Humidity 45%, sunny.

Busy day with vehicles coming in before the weekend, deliveries and crew shift change.
Sand trucks just keep coming and going. I went to the Walmart for a prescription got back to Buster checking it and finding there was only half the product requiring a return trip to correct the problem. There were cattle coming as I i returned from Walmart stayed away from the gate and went  up the road to the west.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - March 7 - 11

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Morning 65 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 94%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 71 Degrees, Wind E at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 94%, overcast, rain.
 
Busy day with sand trucks and other projects now working on the ranch.

Sand Truck coming in 

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Morning 60 Degrees, Wind E at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 64%, overcast.
Afternoon 72 Degrees, Wind S at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity %, partly sunny.

Pretty much done with the front two lighter area on Buster’s front, clearing off the diamond shield. Looking good as the color is brighter and clear. With the old diamond shield cracking and getting dirty under the surface it made Buster look old and tired.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, March 9, 2017
Morning 65 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 6 Mph, Humidity 94%, overcast.
Afternoon 80 Degrees, Wind SSE at 11 to 23 Mph, Humidity 80%, overcast, rain.

.25 inch of rain and mud as that mud sticks to your shoes like glue. All the work is continuing at the frack with shift changes twice a day. The other work like the piping job slows down with the weather.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, March 10, 2017
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 94%, overcast.
Afternoon 75 Degrees, Wind SE at 5 to 28 Mph, Humidity 94%, rain then partly cloudy.

More rain .125 inch plus mud I have to avoid going to the car or around Buster. Walking to the gate is not bad as the road drains to the sides, yes it is dirt but it is not sticky mud like the side area where we are parked. Working in this wet weather is very tiring with everything outside wet.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, March 11, 2017
Morning 62 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 4 Mph, Humidity 95%, overcast.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind ENE at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 77%, mostly cloudy.

Rainy day drainage

Morning and afternoon entertainment, cows coming down to Buster’s area walking and eating there way to and from Buster.

Only frack crew shift change in and out morning and night.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Mar 1 - 6

Busters Gate Catarina, TX  - Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind NNW at 4 to 10 Mph, Humidity 91%, partly cloudy.
Afternoon 80 Degrees, Wind ENE at 11 to 22 Mph, Humidity 22%, partly sunny.

Another busy gate traffic day and sand trucks. We have the piping and welders again working at the frack pad. There are others coming in for a pipeline from the well pad running across the ranch. Surveyors plotting the route for the pipeline, mulching machine clearing the pipeline route.

Sand Truck coming in 

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, March 2, 2017
Morning 48 Degrees, Wind NE at 7 to 9 Mph, Humidity 44%, partly sunny.
Afternoon 70 Degrees, Wind ENE at 9 to 23 Mph, Humidity 13%, partly sunny.

Busy day all over the ranch. The fracking stopped during the early morning before I was up, so there were no sand trucks running in and out the gate. Reconfiguring and wellhead valve changes kept our gate traffic busy all day.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, March 3, 2017
Morning 52 Degrees, Wind NW at 3 to 6 Mph, Humidity 44%, overcast.
Afternoon 68 Degrees, Wind SE at 6 to 11 Mph, Humidity 41%, overcast.

 Another all over the ranch busy work day and nine truck loads of flexible pipe arrived at the ranch gate for the pipeline. These were large spools sixteen hundred feet long on each spool. The frack pad was busy with re-configuring trucks for the next phase of the frack and piping with welders.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, March 4, 2017
Morning 56 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 82%, overcast, rain.
Afternoon 61 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity 75%, overcast.

A little over an inch of rain starting last night and continuing into the afternoon today. The frack restarted today late morning with sand trucks showing up at the gate before noon. It was later in the day before they were coming back out. Sand was last delivered Thursday filling the sand towers in preparation for the next operation at the well pad.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, March 5, 2017
Morning 60 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 94%, overcast.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind S at 4 to 9 Mph, Humidity 74%, partly sunny.

Cattle coming to Buster from the east

Nice slow Sunday with only the frack operation working today. Entertainment arrived this morning, cows showed coming from the east visiting Buster’s left side then went back where they came from.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, March 6, 2017
Morning 65 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 4 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind S at 4 to 15 Mph, Humidity 72%, partly sunny.

Morning entertainment after the shift change was over we had cattle coming from the west down the road to our location. There were at least a couple on the south side (narrow atrip) but most on the north side (wide grassy). A few were back and forth across the road getting some eating from both sides. We did have sand trucks and other vehicles coming and going slow thru the area where the cattle were.

They seemed to spend a long time here at Buster as my wife had left in Tan Jan to get a few things from the store. The cows were sniffing around like dogs smelling everything even our chair sitting in front of Buster. I had vehicles coming in while they were here and I was keeping the gate closed while they were in the area. One of the calf’s tried tugging at the plastic bag on top of the garbage can so I made a noise to scare it away, it worked. Then they were gone walking on down east of Buster’s left side and it is not even nine o’clock.

Busy work day with workers coming in for piping and pipeline work after a weekend off.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Feb - 24 - 28

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, February 24, 2017
Morning 60 Degrees, Wind NNE at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 93%, sunny.
Afternoon 87 Degrees, Wind NNW at 14 to 23 Mph, Humidity 9%,sunny .

Up extra early for a quick trip into Laredo Lowe’s. I was there by six fifteen and picked up a new portable air conditioner (14,000 BTU). Our other one broke something on the blower. I had to rework the opening in the window board I use for the exit air duct. The hose for this new unit has a larger diameter hose and the fitting is an oval shape where the other one was round.

Portable Air Conditioner

I was able to get that done between vehicles coming and going from our gate while my wife went to sleep. I had the new portable air conditioner up and running in an hour and a half.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, February 25, 2017
Morning 45 Degrees, Wind NE at 5 to 6 Mph, Humidity 69%, sunny.
Afternoon 68 Degrees, Wind SE at 12 to 15 Mph, Humidity 28%, sunny.

Other than the frack continuing and piping crew in today. I am still working on Busters front hood removing the diamond shield adhesive. It is a slow process removing the adhesive. The actual plastic comes off fairly easy. The adhesive varies as to how much the sun has dried or aged over time.

Sand Truck

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, February 26, 2017
Morning 53 Degrees, Wind ESE at 5 to 9 Mph, Humidity 81%, overcast.
Afternoon 79 Degrees, Wind W at 6 to 8 Mph, Humidity 40%, mostly sunny.

No piping or welders today and the fracking continues. Chemical tanker trucks, chemical container, diesel fuel tanker truck. And sand trucks in and out all day.

My work on Buster continues removing the adhesive is a long time process. The two lighter colors are looking good across the front now.

Buster looking good up front

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, February 27, 2017
Morning 63 Degrees, Wind variable at 1 to 5 Mph, Humidity 93%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind variable at 0 to 1 Mph, Humidity 43%, mostly sunny.

Typical Monday heaver traffic and sand trucks coming and going day and night.
Our portable air conditioner is working very well keeping Buster cool. With that running the front foof air conditioner only comes on part time in the higher ambient temperatures otherwise it is off. Thasat is important to is as the roof air conditioner has a higher noise level when it is operating.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind variable at 1 to 2 Mph, Humidity 91%, overcast.
Afternoon 88 Degrees, Wind SE at 7 to 14 Mph, Humidity 39%,partly sunny.

Fracking continuing with sand trucks coming and going day and night. Other areas of the ranch are getting above average activity during the daylight hours. Here we are the end of the second month of the year already as the year seems to be going fast.