Whew. I've been lots of miles since my last post.

Thursday, I went to the parts store.

Rian had called asking me to take one of the travel trailers to De Leon. While he has sleeping quarter in his pulling transporter, with running water and operational toilet, there is no shower. I told him I would check on the travel trailer Krl and I had taken to the Brownwood reunion. When we returned home, I heard the fan on the air conditioner speeding up and slowing down, then I heard it slow to a stop. I walked in and turned it off. I knew that it needed some further research, but I didn't put it high on my list, especially when I may not need it for South Texas or the seasonal work.

I dropped the inside cover and filter from the roof mounted a/c unit. I reached into the unit and turned the fan. While it initially seemed heavy to turn, it freed up. I removed my hand and turned the a/c switch to high cool. Nothing. I reached in and spun the fan, and watched as I turned the switch on. The fan immediately stopped. For what ever reason, the fan motor had grounded it self. Instead of the fields and armature spinning the fan, it stopped it.

So, I called my RV man. They were extremely busy, but they did have the fan motor. I ran by and picked it up. $201.

Thursday morning I took the travel trailer to the parts store and backed it in the bay. I crawled up top and began removing the cover. While I was hoping for a quick fix, I had one bolt on the cover that was turning. I was able to place my had through the cover, but never could get a wrench to hold it well enough to get the nut off, so finally I took a hack saw and cut the bolt.

I should have done that to begin with.

My Rv man told me they could do this in an hour and half to two hours, he figured I could do it in two hours. I ran thirty minutes over. But by the time I got through, I was soaked with sweat. It was hot in the top of the shop.

Chris and I left the parts store headed for the peach and melon festival, just after one. Rian had come by with the truck and trailer, but left prior to us being ready to go. He did have a stop in Abilene, and I decided I needed to stop by the house and shower and change clothes again. When Chris and I got on the road again, we were just east of Abilene when I called Rian. Ironically, he was two miles behind us.

I don't get in a big hurry pulling the travel trailer, and it fit pretty well with the truck Rian was driving. We arrived in the pit area, and Rian began delegating. He and his buddy Andy would begin unloading the pull tractors while Chris and I set up the travel trailer.

Rian had brought two gas powered generators to power the living quarter in his transporter and the travel trailer. We fired them up to begin the cool down process, and began getting ready for Rian's competition.

The peach and melon festival tractor pull was in their second year in their new venue. It is a double track facility that is pretty nifty. They ran the Outlaw classes on one track and ran the TTTPA classes on the other.

On Thursday night, they were almost two hours late getting the show started because the Outlaw laser (they use for measuring) would not work. As it turned out, Danny O. had taken my laser and they ended up using it until a prism could be found for theirs.

Rian's econo rod didn't run very well, but the big question mark was whether his pro mod would make a pass without breaking something. He had sure been snake bit. Our goal was to drive off the track under its own power.

While driving tentatively, he laid down a good pass, and drove off the track.

All of us were relieved. Now he could begin working on maxing the performance.

I left Rian, Chris and Andy about twelve thirty and drove back to Abilene. I walked in the house about two in the morning.

Rian called me and told me the power plant kept tripping the breaker on the travel trailer, so all three of them were going to shower in the travel trailer, but sleep in the transporter.

Turned out Friday the water pump in the travel trailer went on the fritz, so the best laid plans did not yield the desired results.

Rian's vehicles ran much better Friday night. I didn't go and I haven't seen the tapes, but they tell me he had a really good pass with his pro mod until he had to chop the throttle to stay in bounds. He moved up several spots in the standings.

Saturday morning he was checking his filters and found cuttings in his Oberg. Bearing material. He decided he would not run Saturday and risk hurting his motor more. He called me and we made alternate plans. I left Abilene at one, and was back in Abilene by four thirty, having retrieved the travel trailer in the mean time. That allowed Rian to get back to Lubbock, hopefully in time to go to the reception for one of the other assistant principals daughter.

Crazy thing is, when I got home, I plugged the travel trailer in and turned the a/c on and it worked flawlessly. the problem may be with the generators. I haven't looked into the water pump problem yet.

I have been so sore and so dehydrated from the last three days. Friday I mowed. Kat wanted to help, but found it wasn't as much fun as she thought. It is amazing to me how many strips she could leave. I don't know if she doesn't pay attention or if she is just kin to her Meme!

If I had known how much gatorade and water I would have consumed this weekend,I would have bought stock in those companies!

I hope I can get rested up and re-hydrated quickly!

Have a day and a week!

FATHER, rescue me!