Wandering Sagebrush

Tonight’s Yard Art

Snow Foxes

I’ve experienced excellent customer service from Garmin. Give them a call and talk through the issues you’re having.

If you don’t travel with an InReach or similar device, the following incident that occurred here in Northeast Oregon is a great example of why you should consider doing so. In addition to reporting an emergency, family and friends can also alert you to emergencies at home. — TREE FALLING ON CAMPERS’ TENTS LEADS TO FATALITY AND SIGNIFICANT INTERAGENCY RESCUE EFFORT UNION & WALLOWA COUNTIES — (Release from Union County Search and Rescue) In the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 14th, 2023, a party of eight rafters was camped along the bank of the Grande Ronde River approximately 5 miles downstream of the confluence of Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers in Union County when the top of a large dead tree fell and landed on two occupied tents, impacting and injuring three people. The tree was approximately 14 inches in diameter and broke some distance off the ground, impacting the occupants of the tents with extreme force as it fell and broke into pieces. One of the campers, a 61-year-old male, sustained very severe injuries, with a 54-year-old woman in the same tent sustaining injuries to her legs. A 23- year-old woman in an adjacent tent sustained a head injury that was likely prevented from being fatal only by a camp chair near her head that was crushed and reduced the force of impact. Despite valiant lifesaving efforts immediately initiated by the other members in the party, the male’s injuries ultimately proved to be fatal. While members of the group delivered first aid to the three injured parties, they also activated the emergency function of a Garmin InReach device, which resulted in a notification being sent to the Union County 911 Dispatch Center. The Garmin Emergency Response Center passed messages between the reporting party on scene and 911 dispatchers, and also provided the precise location of the incident. As information about the incident was progressively gathered and relayed to 911 dispatchers, Union County SAR was activated, and the La Grande and Elgin fire departments were notified of the medical emergency. Due to the remoteness of the accident site, which is most easily accessed by 15 miles of river travel by boat, the Union County SAR incident commander immediately requested a hoist-capable helicopter from the Oregon Army National Guard through the Oregon Emergency Management SAR Coordinator, and also requested mutual aid from the Wallowa County SAR swiftwater rescue team. During this time the La Grande Fire Department (LGFD), in coordination with SAR, arranged for an over-flight of the area with Life Flight Network. A local Life Flight helicopter immediately responded and attempted to transport LGFD paramedics to near the patients, but could not find a suitable landing zone near enough to the incident and had to return. While the Life Flight helicopter was performing its initial recon flight, a combined team of Union County and Wallowa County SAR swiftwater rescue technicians and LGFD paramedics responded to deploy down the Wallowa River from Highway 82 at Minam. This team then floated the 15 miles down the Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers to access the patients, reaching them approximately 2 hours after entering the river. At approximately the same time as the arrival of the SAR team on-scene, the Life Flight helicopter was able to return to the area and identify a suitable landing zone approximately 1.5 miles downstream from the accident location at an area known as Pine Bar. Due to tree canopy too dense to hoist patients by National Guard helicopter directly from the scene, the SAR initiated transport of the two surviving patients by boat to the landing zone at Pine Bar, and during this time the National Guard Blackhawk medivac helicopter also arrived on-scene from Salem. At approximately 11:30 am, both patients were transferred from a SAR raft to the two medivac helicopters and subsequently transported to hospitals in Lewiston, ID and Walla Walla, WA, with LGFD personnel flying with both helicopter crews to the destination hospitals. The interagency water rescue team then escorted the remaining members of the camping party and the body of the deceased approximately 22 miles down the Grande Ronde River to the nearest take-out at Powwatka Bridge in Wallowa County, where they were met by additional SAR team personnel and funeral home staff. This remote incident presented a tremendous amount of logistical challenges that were mitigated and overcome only due to the professional competence of those responding and the excellent interagency cooperation that we benefit from in Union County. The La Grande Fire Department, Union and Wallowa County SAR teams, Life Flight Network, Elgin Fire Department, sheriff’s office patrol deputies, and the Oregon National Guard personnel all integrated seamlessly to effect a rapid deployment of resources and efficient rescue on the ground, but at the same time many other agencies were assisting behind the scenes. Throughout the incident, a sheriff’s office patrol sergeant was positioned on a ridge above the river to function as a contingency communications relay, a Bureau of Land Management river ranger was in frequent contact with the incident commander (IC) providing detailed descriptions of the area and photos, and several U.S. Forest Service staff were also maintaining contact with the IC and assisting with preparations for contingency rescue plans if that became necessary. Sheriff Bowen and the management staff of Union County SAR offer our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased, wish a speedy recovery to those injured, and express our incredible gratitude to our partner agencies and dedicated SAR volunteers who leave their homes, jobs, and families to respond to incidents.

Fire Owl

Herd Bull

Airborne

I mentioned that I was an aircraft electrician in an earlier life. I too prefer a master switch on the negative side. Here’s why… In my first squadron, right out of AE A school, I was sent out my very first job, to change a torn terminal cover on a battery bus bar (24VDC). I removed the rubber terminal cover and proceeded to apply wrench to nut so I could slip the cover over the cable. Suddenly… there was a bright flash of light, accompanied by the sound of a stick welder. The wrench touched the airframe and became a wonderful conductor of 24VDC straight to ground. Luckily, the wrench didn’t stick to that rib, but it did leave a very small divot, and I needed a change of skivie drawers. I don’t remember if we were taught to always disconnect the power source before working on power systems, but we probably were, and common sense should have made me do so. I suspect I was just an excited 19 year old LCpl who was elated to get his first solo job, and didn’t stop to think. To this day, I always pull the negative lead before turning a wrench on a DC system. The chances of grounding a wrench are real.

It actually was my bride’s hair dryer, although I wish I also had a heat gun. Thanks for the kind words! Without humor we’d all go insane.

Bill, thank you! I had not seen that style of switch, I was thinking along the lines of the big red Perko style.

Mike, thank you. Location is exactly why I’m being lazy. Plus the Ollie is so new (and elegant) to me that I’m hesitant to drill holes for cable routing and mounting screws. I don’t understand why RV builders don’t provide a master switch for all circuits. Even my Northern Lite has one parasitic circuit with the switch off. The Airstream has several.

I’ve noticed a couple of threads about installing a battery master switch, so I assume that for some reason Oliver decided not to include one. If there is, I haven’t found it. There are times when I’d like to have all power off, with no parasitic loads. In my first career, I was an aircraft electrician and have (had?) the skills to install a master switch, but as I’ve aged, I’ve become plain old lazy. I’m thinking about simply disconnecting the negative lead from the battery bank. Am I missing anything? Thoughts?

Success, third time did the job! Previously I had been trying to twist the sleeve, but there was simply too much glued surface to break it loose. After heating, I inserted a large common screwdriver blade between the fan housing and the black sleeve. Twisting the blade in a couple of spots provided enough linear force to break the bond.

I’m seeing some great wildlife photography! Thanks for sharing! Here are a few more.

John, thank you! I also spoke with Mike at Oliver Service this morning.. He suggested trying heat again, and if that failed to carefully cut the black plastic off, and replace it with a new sleeve. That’s a duh moment for me, why didn’t I think of it? It’s a nice morning down here. Sun on the mountains, mountain goats in the spotting scope.

Well, sugarfoot! ☹️ I pulled the fan housing and discovered the hose is glued to it, and as the wall flange is equally stuck, I assume it too is permanently glued. I guess I have two options, either replace all of the connected parts, or maybe cut the hose and add some kind of a connector. Has anyone pulled the wall flange to see how it’s connected to the trailer vent tubing? My assumption is there is another flange on the closet side (and I haven’t yet looked). TIA

Early this morning I set the spotting scope up on the back porch and was delighted to find 9 mountain goats browsing high in the Elkhorn Mountains. There were 5 adults, 2 smaller that appeared to be yearlings, and two very small kids. That was followed by 2 nice mule deer bucks in the sagebrush south of the house. Both will be at least 4 points, and I suspect one may be the big guy from last year. Here’s a shot of several that hung around last year.

On the Nature’s Head YouTube video, I noticed the vent tube disconnected from the upper portion of the head. The previous owner always set that piece to the side when emptying and cleaning the hopper. Unfortunately, the vent hose is weapons grade tight to the fitting. The power wire disconnects as advertised. Not wanting break anything, I thought I would see if anyone on the forum knows the secret handshake and has dealt with this. Gentle heat? Bigger hammer? Thanks in advance!

We picked up our used but well loved Oliver on Sunday, spending the night at Camp Roadrunner, Mark and Sally’s place in Central Oregon. The Trailer was spotlessly cleaned, and ready for us to take possession. Mark spent all afternoon ensuring that we knew and understood the systems, and care and feeding of the Roadrunner. Thank you Mark and Sally! The following day we started towards Northeast Oregon, spending the night in the Ochoco mountains, making it a short travel day. We’re home at Fort Sagebrush today, thrilled with our Ollie. Next on the agenda is taking it to Oregon DMV to get the title and registration in our name. I do need to add another flat 4 trailer connection to the truck to accommodate the lights on the caboose storage box. We are thrilled!😊

Frank, that is exactly the type hitch vault I was looking for, thank you! When the TV is connected, I’m not too concerned, but it gives me nervous twitch to leave a disconnected trailer when boondocking. We use the Megahitch vault on the Airstream.

Any recommendations for a hitch lock to use on the Bulldog hitch? I see collar style, but I’m curious if there is anything else that is more effective.

Thank you! The camera my system uses is adjustable up and down, it’s similar to this.

I have a Voyager back up camera and monitor that I use with my truck camper. The Ollie we are buying doesn’t have that option, and I’d like to have one. Cameras are available for the system, and I am thinking about placing one on the rear cargo box, with the ability to move it to the spare tire cover. Power would be from the running light circuit. Has anyone located their camera there? Thoughts?

We have a home in Rockaway Beach, about 15 miles north of Tillamook, and I must admit that the brie and bagettes at the Blue Heron are worth the time to stop, as are the cheese curds at the Tillamook Creamery.

You took an Airstream into Chaco? You’re a braver man than I.