Plumbing Learning Curve

Sunday afternoon, I arrived in Kapuskasing, Ontario, and found a conveniently located dump station right on the main drag. I was very glad of this because I have to dump once a day. WHAT?! I can hear all the full-timers say. Well, I have very good evidence that the POs didn't do much research about RV plumbing systems.

Since I got Miranda, her black tank sensor has read critically full even after dumping. I finally shone a light down there and discovered that they committed two sins of RV toilet use:

1) they didn't use the right toilet paper;
2) they most likely left both valves open when on sewer hookups.

Yup, my tank was full of a solid wad of other people's human waste.

Just like Robin Williams in the movie 'RV.' If you haven't seen this movie, go rent it before continuing with this post.

So, I pulled up to the dump station fully cognizant that I was having this problem. This wasn't my first time dumping, so I felt pretty cocky. I made sure that the tank was full of water and then I got started.

I attached the hose and discovered that it was too short.

But the hose is extensible so I pulled a bit (lot) to get it to the drain.

Then I opened the black valve...

Not realising that I hadn't fully latched the hose to the drain pipe.

Sewage started to spray everywhere.

I had the presence of mind to slap the valve closed.

I sat there for a full two minutes laughing. I couldn't do anything else. Considering the foul mood in which I'd gone to bed and woken up, I was ecstatic to discover that I still had my sense of humour. There I was surrounded by other people's fecal matter and I could see how funny that was. I knew that I was going to be just fine and that Saturday's melt down was just a combination of too many stressors in one day.

Thankfully, the sewage stayed on the concrete pad that was on a downward slope to the drain, so I was able to just wash it all away without causing undue pollution.

When I was done there and had cleaned up, I completely filled my toilet to almost overflowing with water and drove off with the sensors screaming 'critically full'. By the time I pulled over an hour later, my tank suddenly claimed that the tank was just a third full. I suspect that the dried out muck is now sludge and that my next dump will allow me to flush it all away. Hopefully. :-)

So much fun. I want grand-children just to tell them these stories!

Just a Wave

I can't do justice to the last few days in the few minutes I have left online, so I won't try at this time. Pictures and stories will follow! Some of the highlights of the past few days:

-going 300ft underground into a gold mine;
-experiencing my first nights (note the plural) at Walmart;
-discovering just how bad are Miranda's sensors;
-dealing with the POs idiocy when it comes to RV plumbing;
-and a full recount of just how I inadvertently perfectly recreated a certain scene in the Robin Williams movie 'RV'.

For those wanting to follow me on a map, I left Val D'Or yesterday morning and overnighted in Kapuskasing, Ontario. I am presently in Long Lac and heading for Nipigon, several hours away hence why I can't take greater advantage of this great connection! Northern Ontario, for those who don't know it, is 90 billion kilometres long, so I have at least another two days left in this land of black spruce, granite cliffs, and clear lakes. I just wish the weather was better so I could enjoy it more.

All is well... and I still have my sense of humour.

More will come from further down the road! :-)