Once we’re settled on The Mountain, when we have shopping to do (other than provisions and hardware available in Yellville and Flippin), it’s likely that we’ll make fewer runs to Harrison and more trips to Mountain Home. The latter is closer and, as if catering to our needs, also has Harbor Freight, Lowe’s, Home Depot and more.
Fluffing up the new-to-us fifth-wheel and moving our possessions out of the motorhome requires certain items designed to transport, store, clean, repair, operate and, yes, personalize. Today saw us in Mountain Home to pick up some of what’s necessary.
We came straight back to The Mountain with our haul and put some of it to work, stowing other items for other days. Most of what we’ll need to sustain the fifth-wheel ultimately will be appropriated from the bus, and we’ll shift that materiel over from Harrison in due course.
Though we didn’t set any records today, we got a little stuff done. We’re striking an easy pace, as usual. We won’t create pressure that needn’t exist.
As we comb through the 14-year-old rig, its age is apparent. It wasn’t cared for the way we’ve cared for Ernie or the Bumper Bunker. The exterior finish is oxidized, and the graphics are cracked and faded. Hinges, locks and mechanisms are sticky. The utility hookups need freshening-up and just ordinary attention.
The word I’ve used before is “tired.” It’s definitely that, but its bones are good and there’s no obvious delamination. The interior has a stale, closed-up air, nothing alarming.
It needs a good cleaning.
The floor plan is spacious and the appointments are comfortable without being “too much.” Like the motorhome, it has basement storage, though maybe only one-third as big.
Despite the thoroughness of our pre-purchase inspections, sooner or later we’ll trip over something we missed. There will be unexpected problems beyond the inherent challenges of living off-grid.
It goes with the territory.
Still, the longer that Deb and I spend in and with the rig, the more convinced we are that we made the right choice. We’re happy to say that this, for the time being, is Home.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB