Sparta in Mexico.

The other day a Mexican battleship sailed by at a safe distance from the coast.
And very near the beach a smaller landing craft with a team of Mexican Navy personnel passed by inspecting with binoculars carefully the land.

Yesterday a small single engine military plane came over real low obviously inspecting anything suspicious.

This must have to do with the war against drugs.

It is true that frequently so-called “pangas”, the kind of boat local fishermen use, pass by obviously not fishing.
They go at a distance not very close to the coast and hurry from the south to the north and back.
This is new.
There have always been occasionally “pangas” fishing in eyesight of El Triple and it could be seen how nets were put out, lobster traps and fishing lines.
But these “pangas” hurrying up and down is probably a different story.

In other parts of Mexico a true drugs war is going on where local rival gangs got angry and threw five cut off heads into a bar.
Therefore the attitude at El Triple is to mind only the own business.

This is the 15th day of the 2nd period of retreat.
The effects of the deprivation are becoming noticeable.
Pure feelings of being elated whirl in the heart like a fresh and cooling wind.

This is also because the problems making life in the Fuso Szulc unpleasant have momentarily disappeared.
The attachment of the camper box to the Fuso chassis is something that will be looked at again on the next trip to town.
The problem with the water pump and the Seelevel Tankmonitor threatening to set the Fuso Szulc on fire is solved.
The pump operates now without the Seelevel Tankmonitor and an e-mail was received from Don Shapansky:

“Michel:
We have discussed this problem with our engineers and we think the trouble is also related to the draw the pump makes on the circuit.
We will replace the console with a new one and include a relay to be installed to operate the pump without stress on the console.
Let us know where to ship the parts and we will also prewire the relay as much as possible with a schematic included as to how it is to be installed.

Donald J (Don) Shapansky
Garnet Technologies Inc.
Granbury, TX 76049”

In about 10 days, due to supplies getting too low, a trip to the town of La Paz will be made and the parcel from Don Shapansky picked up to install a brand new and more sophisticated Seelevel Tankmonitor.

Right now, after 15 days in the boondocks, supplies are still more or less OK.
There are of course no more papayas, melons and mangoes.
But still enough apples, oranges, vegetables, cheese, toasted bread and margarine.
Still enough fruit juice, drinking water and propane.




By the day the life becomes more ascetic and Spartan-like but this process of simplification is appreciated.
Because it is very nurturing to sit on the terrace and to enjoy the view in peace and harmony.







.

Terrific terrace.

In all the years time has been spent at El Triple, Baja California, Mexico, the RV in use has always been parked at exactly the same spot.

It is where now the Fuso Szulc is proudly showing itself.



This spot became so popular because it has this incredible view of the Pacific Ocean while having some protection for the often-strong north-western winds blowing.

Over the years a terrace has been built and each retreat magically it extends.
Some driftwood is found or the idea is born to make the terrace larger and soon some square meters are added.

It is here that books are read and the siesta is enjoyed.
With the magical view and the protection against the wind.

This is all what a person needs.
Just a peaceful and simple location to breathe and be happy.





.

Making things right.

That is all very well to publish on a blog a list of inventors.

This happened yesterday and during the post-siesta beach walk there was reflection about this inspiring initiative.

And it was realised that all the inventors presented to the fervent and loyal blog readers were male...

This, of course, is unforgivable.
Have there not been female inventors?
Well?

Hedy Lamarr (November 9, 1913 – January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born actress and communications technology innovator.

Though known primarily for her great beauty and her successful film career, she also co-invented the first form of spread spectrum, a key to modern wireless communication.

Mária Telkes (1900 - 1995) was a Hungarian scientist and inventor who worked on solar energy technologies.


Telkes is known for creating the first thermoelectric power generator in 1947 and the first thermoelectric refrigerator in 1953 using the principles of semiconductor thermoelectricity.

Maria Skodowska-Curie (born Maria Skodowska; November 7, 1867 – July 4, 1934) was a physicist and chemist of Polish upbringing and, subsequently, French citizenship.


She was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity, the first twice-honoured Nobel laureate (and still the only one in two different sciences) and the first female professor at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about female inventors, click on

http://inventors.about.com/od/womeninventors/Women_Inventors.htm

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The saga about the Shurflo Extreme Series Smart Sensor 5.7 water pump and the SeeLevel II Tank Monitor has come in what looks like the final stages.

The conclusion of Don Shapansky of Garnet Technologies Inc., the manufacturer of the SeeLevel II Tank Monitor, is that something has caused excessive draw that exceeded the capacity of the circuit inside the Monitor.
Don suspects the excessive draw was because of the way the water pump was grounded.
This is the first time, Don says, this particular problem has occurred.
They have made over 10.000 of these switches in 5 years and never there was this problem.

The solution is in three steps.

• Step one is to ground the water pump in the proper way.
• Step two is to disconnect the water pump from the SeeLevel II Tank Monitor as its circuit board is burned out and connect the two wires twisting them together.
• Step three is to buy, once out of the current boondocks and back into town, a 12 volt 15 amp + switch and have that installed.

Step one and two have been performed.
Step three in about 10 days.

The last issue to resolve is that the SeeLevel II Tank Monitor has to be replaced.
The front is burned and black and melted and the numbers showing when checking the level of the tanks cannot be seen anymore.
Who is responsible and is going to take care of getting a new SeeLevel II Tank Monitor into the Fuso Szulc?

Besides all the annoyances, aggravation, puzzlement and the fear experienced when the Fuso Szulc almost went up in flames, the positive side is the involvement of several persons solving this problem.
Most importantly Don Shapansky of Garnet Technologies Inc., the manufacturer of the SeeLevel II Tank Monitor.
Thanks, Don: great service!!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about the Seelevel II Tank Monitor, click on:
http://www.rvgauge.com/








.

What do you want to be invented ?

This is a beautiful morning fit to look back at history and admire some of the men from the past:

Like Alessandro Volta.


Count Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta (February 18, 1745 - March 5, 1827) was an Italian physicist known especially for the development of the electric battery in 1800.

Or Alexander Graham Bell.


Alexander Graham Bell (3 March 1847 - 2 August 1922) was a Scottish scientist, inventor and innovator.
Recognized as an eminent scientist and inventor, Alexander Graham Bell is most often associated with the invention of the telephone.

And Alfred Bernhard Nobel.


Alfred Bernhard Nobel (October 21, 1833, Stockholm, Sweden – December 10, 1896, Sanremo, Italy) was a Swedish chemist, engineer, innovator, armaments manufacturer and the inventor of dynamite.

Or Blaise Pascal.


Blaise Pascal (June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662) was a French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher.
Inventor of the (early computer) mechanical adding machine.

And Guglielmo Marchese Marconi.


Marconi (25 April 1874 - 20 July 1937) was an Italian inventor, best known for his development of a radiotelegraph system.
Unfortunately a fascist later in life as well.

Or Heinrich Rudolf Hertz.


Heinrich Rudolf Hertz (February 22, 1857 - January 1, 1894) was the German physicist and technician for whom the hertz, an SI unit, is named.
He devised a transmitting oscillator, from which electric waves were made to radiate.

And Louis Pasteur.


Louis Pasteur (December 27, 1822 – September 28, 1895) was a French chemist best known for his remarkable breakthroughs in microbiology.

Or Michael Faraday.


Michael Faraday, (September 22, 1791 – August 25, 1867) was an English chemist and physicist (or natural philosopher, in the terminology of that time) who contributed significantly to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry.
He was the founder of the science of electromagnetism.


And Samuel Morse.


Samuel Finley Breese Morse (April 27, 1791 – April 2, 1872) was an American painter of portraits and historic scenes, the creator of a single wire telegraph system, and co-inventor, with Alfred Vail, of the Morse Code.

All these men used their heads and came up with great inventions influencing the existence of humankind.

These days we live in a time we still need great inventors.
Although we as humans have become sophisticated in many fields, some issues we continue to struggle with because no proper inventions have been made yet to stop those issues bothering us.

Fervent and loyal blog readers are invited to send in their suggestion what would be the great invention everybody is waiting for.

Like the total worldwide eradication through genetical manipulation of the mosquito.
That this useless and dangerous animal dies out completely.

We are also waiting for a way to store energy in a better way.
Now we need batteries that are heavy and inefficient.
Please, a device as small and light as a matchbox containing at least as much energy as a truck battery.

Mobile phones that can communicate directly with each other worldwide for free.

Ice-cream that cannot melt.

What would the fervent and loyal blog reader welcome as a life improving invention?






.

Dinner at Denny's.

At El Triple the sole inhabitant keeps strictly to a rigorous dietary regime of feeding.
Consisting of minimum amounts that are low in calories and high in vitamins and proteins.

With this specific awareness of food and health and consequent feeding habit, it is fascinating to learn how other people handle the necessity to eat.

To respond to the necessity to eat, in towns, there are restaurants.
Today we focus on one in particular.

A chain of restaurants in the USA called “Denny’s”.


It is America's largest family-style restaurant chain in terms of market share and number of units.
The Denny's brand consists of 1,545 restaurants, 521 of which are company-owned and operated and 1,024 of which are franchised/licensed restaurants.

A hungry person can buy a dinner at Denny’s for $ 9,99 (7,20 Euro).
It consists of three courses: an appetizer, a main dish and a dessert.
This is an unbelievable low price for a dinner in a restaurant and we may wonder how they can make any profit.
But they do!
In the second quarter of 2007, Denny’s profit was $ 11.5 million.

However, part of Denny’s profit probably will go now to the Green family from St. Louis.

The Green family, 15 members of them, decided in November 2003, to all go and have a bite in the local Denny’s restaurant.
Quite a party to invade a restaurant.

They probably had not enough just having one booth.
Probably the staff of the restaurant even had to re-arrange some tables to comfort the big party.

It is not known yet how the Green family entered the restaurant.
Were they polite and respectful?
Or were they loud and cheering?

Whatever the situation was, the 15-member family was served by one waiter, so the story goes.
Quite a job.
Serving everyone a glass of cool water.
Taking the orders.

But according to the Green family, the waiter ignored them.
While he did attend other patrons of the restaurant.

Obviously there was interaction between the waiter and the 15-member family.
What the Green’s said to the waiter is not known.
But they claim the waiter used racial slurs.
The Green family is African American.
They say themselves: “We are a black family”.

What did the family do after this experience?

They went to a lawyer who sued Denny’s.
And after 4 years there is a verdict.
Each member of the Green family gets $5,000 in compensatory damages and $35,000 in punitive damages.
$ 600.000 goes into the pockets of the Green family.
Good appetite!

"It's not really about the money,” says family member Charles Tart Sr.
“We don't want another black family or our children to have to go through what we went through".


Denny’s has fired the waiter and is considering now appealing the verdict.
They should.




.

Champagne and heroin.

The temperature of the water of the Pacific Ocean is considerably higher compared to the weeks before.
This means that bathing has become an ultimate pleasure performed a few times a day.

Yesterday a bathing session became noteworthy.
What is called “a champagne moment”.
Coming out of the water and walking towards the belongings on the beach, a pelican flew by.
It saw the humanoid coming out of the ocean where itself dives into in order to catch fish.
The pelican changed course and made a sharp turn to the right.
Flying now straight on a course towards the humanoid.
Somehow the pelican had developed a curiosity to see what was coming there out of the ocean.

And it must be confessed, bathing at El Triple takes place without wearing any clothes.
It also must be admitted that after more than a month at El Triple, living healthy, eating little, exercising a lot, the humanoid is deeply tanned, slim and in excellent shape.

It always will remain a question whether this was what arose the curiosity of the particular pelican.
It could be.
Any the way, the flying trajectory of the pelican was now straight at the naked and tanned person on the beach and rather quickly it became clear that a crash would very likely occur.

Just to inform the fervent and loyal blog readers: a pelican is a big bird.
And has a sharp hook at the end of its long beak.
Nobody wants that to penetrate any part of the body.



Usually pelicans are very shy animals.
They stay away from humans.
They watch them but preferably while flying by at a safe distance.
Therefore the performance of this sympathetic pelican was very, very unusual.

Being naked no manual was on hand to check what exactly to do when a pelican flies straight at a person.
And it was hard to understand.
Why was the pathetic pelican doing this?
It was difficult to believe it confused the person on the beach with a tasteful sardine to swallow soon.

Being totally Zen these days, except when thinking of the continuing water pump problem, the destiny of dying due to a collision with a kamikaze pelican was fully accepted.
While the insisting flying instigator continued its fatal course the arms were spread doing a perfect imitation of a bird.
This genial action was by intuition.
By impulse as if this was the thing to do.

So now we have a pelican, acting like an idiot, flying straight onto a humanoid while that person acts also like an idiot by pretending to be a bird.
Oh, those things that happen at El Triple!

Many smart fervent and loyal blog readers have already figured out that it did not come to a dramatic collision with the long beak of the pelican driving like an arrow into the right eye socket of the poor human and leaving from his left ear resulting in two dead creatures on the beach for the vultures to eat already waiting in the dunes.
If this had happened there would not have been exactly a posting on the blog today.

The pelican, already labelled sympathetic, at the very last moment, changed course and veered away.
A strong stream of air was felt on the face.
And a “zzzzoooooffff” sound.
That is how close the encounter was.
But what a good pilot!

This is what is called “a champagne moment”.

The same day though a “heroin moment” was experienced.
Based on the advices of Donald Shapansky of Garnet Instruments Ltd, Mr. Chip Haven, the best expert in the USA concerning expedition vehicles and several concerned loyal and fervent blog readers, the way the water pump was grounded was changed.
The wooden panel around the place where Santek Trailers had mounted the grounding was cut away.
The grounding put back but now tight against the metal of the steel beam of the camper box.
This gave such an enlightened feeling.
Believing that now the water pump would work properly and that the danger of the Fuso Szulc going up into flames was over.







But soon a cold turkey was experienced.
The landing back into reality after having been in heaven.
A faucet was opened and no water came out.
The problem had not been solved…

One of the expert advices was to take off the ground from the frame of the camper box and connect it to the chassis of the truck.
The true place of ground.

This morning when water was needed, again nothing.
But becoming more and more smart, while the faucet was opened, the water pump was checked outside to see if it was actually running.
It was not and this is good news.
The switch on the Seelevel Tank Monitor to the “on”-position, the faucets turned open and the water pump not working.
It means that the problem has nothing to do with the flow from the water tanks to the water pump.
And that it might very well be that the ground the water pump has now is not effective enough.
Therefore this morning the ground will be disconnected from where it is attached now and re-routed to a ground on the chassis of the Mitsubishi Fuso truck.
To see if the “heroin moment” wants to come to an end.







.

Attacked by flying monsters.

These days are with extraordinary weather.
There is a high pressure above this area of over 1010 millibar.
This means blue skies, hardly any wind and a temperature of about 31 degrees Centigrade (87 F.)
While people in the town of La Paz, on the east coast of the peninsula, are suffering of weather too hot and humid, at El Triple it is paradise.
Nice, warm weather while nature is green and full of flowers, tan is getting deeper and deeper with an occasional dive into the warm ocean.



Of course the daily semi-marathon changed due to the meteorological circumstances.
With no wind to cool and temperatures at that time of day of over 30 degrees Centigrade (86 F) the body refuses to do what it can when it is cooler and windier.
But that is OK.
It is understandable and peacefully accepted.
Same distance is made but partly running and partly fast walking.

After the hurricane and the beautiful weather now one consequence is that there are many more insects.
The combination of the rainfall and the plants and flowers flourishing.
During the day it is not so noticeable but in the evening, when in the Fuso Szulc cooking the daily meal and the light is turned on, millions and millions of insects come to visit.
The screens in front of the many windows and of the door are full of all kinds of mini monsters with wings.
Many manage somehow to get inside and at the end of the evening the Fuso Szulc interior looks like a sanctuary for insects.
Hundreds and hundreds of them are crawling on the ceiling, circling the lamp, walking the walls and dancing on the table.
There are small black ones who like to creep between the body and the chair and bite.
That is pretty irritating.
However, in the morning those small black ones and many others are all dead: they all seem to have a short life span.
And this is the great thing of the nightly visits of the colonies of insects.
In the morning the interior of the Fuso Szulc is full with dead corpses and before anything it needs cleaning before breakfast, writing in the journal and starting to work on the MacBook Pro computer can begin.
This means that these days the Fuso Szulc is spic and span every day and this is very much enjoyed.

Meanwhile the problem with the water pump and the overheating of the Seelevel monitor has still not been solved.
It has been reported to Santek Trailers and to the Canadian manufacturer of the Seelevel monitor Garnet Instruments Ltd. requesting advice what to do.
From Santek Trailers no response but a most friendly person with Garnet Instruments Ltd., Mr. Don Shapansky, has become very involved.
This is a great thing that there are people who are concerned and helpful.

According to Mr. Don Shapansky of Garnet Instruments Ltd., the problem is caused by inadequate grounding of the water pump.
A research has been made to find out how the water pump is actually grounded.
And this was found:


The ground cable goes to a wall covered with a wooden panel.
A self-tapping screw goes through the wall and into the steel frame of the Fuso Szulc.
It means that the end of the ground cable of the water pump gets ground through the screw.
The eye of the ground cable itself is not touching the steel frame.
It touches the wooden panel.
Mr. Don Shapansky of Garnet Instruments Ltd advised to focus on this method of grounding.
With a volt meter the ground cable has been measured and result is zero volts.
This means that the grounding should be adequate.
But meanwhile the water pump continues to work in an erratic way.
Frequently, when switched on, no water comes from the faucet.
And if the water flows in high volume it overheats the on/off switch on the Seelevel monitor.

This morning an experiment will take place.
The ground cable of the water pump will be disconnected.
Next, the wooden panel at that particular location will be cut away.
To re-install the ground connection of the water pump but now touching 100 % the steel frame.

This idea from Mr. Don Shapansky of Garnet Instruments Ltd concerning the ground cable seems to make sense because before the Fuso Szulc was first equipped with another water pump.
That water pump worked erratically as well and it was believed it had to do with the pump and the tubing.
But now that the new water pump demonstrates the same trouble, and as it is wired in the same way, Mr. Don Shapansky of Garnet Instruments Ltd suggestion might have suggested the key to an adequate and effective solution.

This is highly anticipated because now, each time when the water pump is being used, there is this slight feeling of fear and panic that fire might break out as it did before.






.

Flowers flourish.

The recent hurricane Henriette has been bringing a lot of rain.
This has been good for nature.

At El Triple the landscape is desert like.
Super dry and everything in hibernation waiting for better times.
For rainfall.

Last year this happened and this year again therefore climate change is good for El Triple.

The whole landscape has changed now.
It turned green.
What looked before the hurricane like dead brushes and plants, now they have leaves and look gloriously alive.

And suddenly the plants are getting flowers.
Brilliant, beautiful flowers.

















.

Truckers trapped.

On January 1, 1994 the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed between Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The agreement is better known by the name of NAFTA.

It’s objective is to promote the free trade between the three countries.

But from the beginning the USA did not permit trucks from Mexico to cross into their country.
As this was in violation of the agreement a NAFTA arbitration panel ruled that the USA was violating the agreement.

Until now Mexican trucks are still not free to deliver or haul goods in the USA.
An amazing situation.

Fortunately the Bush administration has been trying to do something about this.
They developed a pilot program to start soon where during one year Mexican trucks can enter the USA.
However, the Mexican trucks and their drivers will undergo rigorous safety checks, including a 39-point, front-to-back inspection of their trucks and drug testing for the drivers.

Last night in Congress there was a vote on this Bush initiative.
75 Senators were opposed.
23 were in favour.
The Mexican trucks continue to be banned to enter the USA.
The violation of the NAFTA-agreement also.

This is an incredible situation.

"I think it's a very serious matter when two countries come together and agree to do something and then one party doesn't fulfil its obligation." said John H. Hill, head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
“The USA has no credibility calling on other countries to meet their obligations under trade agreements if we refuse to keep our own." said Thomas J. Donahue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The reasons given by the opponents of having Mexican trucks come into the USA is safety.
Mexican trucks are considered not to be safe enough.
Of course this is simply a false excuse.
The real reason, although obviously not publicly stated by the politicians, is protectionism.
Fear of loosing jobs and business.

Last night on an ABC radio talk show a 59-year-old man called in and explained he worked in the Los Angeles harbour.
If Mexican trucks were allowed into the USA, ships would unload in Mexico, where it is cheaper, and Mexican trucks would next deliver the containers in the USA.
Taking away jobs in the Los Angeles harbour and jobs in the trucking industry.

This is exactly the core of the problem.
On the one hand free trade is promoted and looked for.
But there is a restriction.
It must not be to the disadvantage of the USA.

This is a short-term view with negative long-term economic effects.

If Mexican harbours and truckers are cheaper, capitalism dictates that the solution is not protectionism.
The solution is to become more competitive.
Protectionism results in stagnation and eventually economic decline.

The current situation will not change easily.
President Bush has stated that he will veto the blocking of his proposal.
But because of the large majority opposing, this will not work.

Meanwhile the American economy stagnates, its international reputation continues to be damaged, an international agreement continues to be violated, the Mexican Government complains, the bilateral relationship with that country gets more strained and hundreds of Mexicans are blocked of making a decent living.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about NAFTA, click on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement

To learn more about the vote in Congress to block Mexican trucks into the USA, click on:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-trucks12sep12,1,4157828.story?ctrack=1&cset=true







.

It is painful.

Well, how is the mood today?
After this disastrous day yesterday?

Has it been possible to find out what is causing the Seelevel II monitor to catch fire?
Is the Lacrosse wireless weather station working properly now?
The squeaking and moaning of the floor, was it found where it needs better attachment to the frame?
And the ventilator of the Fantastic Fan, broken for the second time and not working anymore, is it cooling and refreshing the bathroom again?
Presumably nothing was done to the problem of the attachment of the camper box to the chassis of the truck?
And any progress in the communication with National Seating about the noisy Fuso seats they sold?

It is with nostalgia that the Lazy Daze is remembered.
It was limited in where it could go, but where it went it was without any problems.

There are two reasons why issues with the Fuso Szulc are not very much appreciated.

The first and most important is that the objective is not to have to spend time solving and managing technical problems with the Fuso Szulc.
The purpose of having the Fuso Szulc is not to simply travel around and has that as the major event with all with what it comes.
The Fuso Szulc has been designed, created and ordered to be built to serve a specific purpose.
To be able to go to particular locations where more conceptual and other photography can be made.
That, fervent and loyal blog readers, is the relevant and essential purpose.
Any technical problem needing attention, takes away time and energy of what is much more important.

This set up makes it more complicated to quickly solve a technical problem.
Because many fervent and loyal blog readers will know that an effective solving of a technical problem depends partly of the mental state one is in.
If one is really interested in a technical problem, even fascinated, the attention and concentration will help tremendously to quickly find a solution and fix it.
But if one is not interested to begin with, even deeply annoyed a problem occurs, not very likely the technical problem will go away easily.
In this case it is a matter of giving up the original ambition and replace it by the one forced upon.
A very difficult exercise especially when being temperamental and fanatic about something else.

The second reason issues with the Fuso Szulc are not appreciated.
Yesterday a research was made in how the water pump was grounded.
This meant taking down all the tarpaulins covering the Fuso Szulc against the northwestern wind.
Getting underneath the Fuso Szulc.
And lots more of physical activity.
This results in pain.
Caused by the scoliosis.
Mean and strong pain.
In general the scoliosis is under control.
But it requires a certain regime of activity.
Specific physical actions are to be avoided in order not to suffer pain.
As long as this regime is respected, life is a party.
But when forced to be physical active beyond what is allowed, the price to pay is high.

Pain is a bad thing.
Not only is it horrible as an experience, but it tends also to influence the mood.
It is hard to feel happy and content when experiencing strong pains.
For which a technical problem can be responsible.
And therefore deeply hated.

In spite of everything, after some serious attention, the Lacrosse wireless weather station is working properly again.






.

The Fuso Szulc on fire.

Because there are clouds this morning, the new technical challenges of the Fuso Szulc confronted with are accepted as the source of a bad mood.

Life is simply not a non-stop party.
There are moments of exhilaration.
And moments that things happen making even a sane and balanced person swear like a sailor.

Last night the Fuso Szulc almost caught fire.

While cooking a beautiful meal of pasta with tofu and veggies, suddenly a strong smell was noticed.
The odour of burning plastic.
Immediately resulting in a feeling of panic.
Of hurry to quickly and promptly find the source of this horrible smell.

It was the panel of the SeeLevel II tank monitor on fire.
Rapidly the fire was stopped.


Great.
This is supposed to be a new challenge while it is experienced as a bad pain in the neck.
Feeling pissed off and annoyed and irritated and inflamed.
This morning is specially reserved to feel those emotions.

Besides all the emotions, what needs to be done is find out what is causing this problem.
There is a huge resistance to get involved in that.
In the end, it is a brand new and costly expedition vehicle not purchased to spend time fixing it.

An e-mail was sent to Garnet Instruments Ltd.
The manufacturer of the SeeLevel II tank monitor.
Receiving a prompt answer: they believe that it is a problem with the wiring.
That the ground cable the SeeLevel II tank monitor should have is not well connected.

Good luck.
How to find out what is the ground cable and where it goes?
All wires are behind walls and in floors.

It is believed that the catching fire of the SeeLevel II tank monitor is related to the water pump.

The water pump has been demonstrating erratic behaviour.
When switched on, on many occasions no water would come out of the faucet.
Switching the pump off, with a switch on the SeeLevel II tank monitor, and switching it on again would make the water pump work again.
And on many occasions the water pump would be running like mad while no faucet was open at all or water pumped out from the tanks.
A photographer knows everything about photography but in this case is no expert in these kinds of technical problems.
Suspicion is though that it might be a problem of the water pump not properly grounded.

Another problem still to be solved is the inadequate mounting of the camper box to the chassis.

Another new issue is also bothering.
One of the floor plates has come loose and when walking on it cracks and squeaks like walking in a ghost house.

To confirm the cluster theory, it can also be reported that the Datastrom Satellite System has slowed down to a snail pace of 2KB per second and that the Lacrosse wireless weather station is refusing to work properly.

Time to have a dive in the cool Pacific Ocean and leave there the bad mood and all the troubling and annoying Fuso Szulc issues.

Mystical things happening.

Away from the turmoil life is when in a city, living it in a most simplified way, in retreat camping at a deserted location near the ocean, the way life likes to work becomes more clear.
It is like opening a machine to discover how it actually works.

Often it has been stated that life is a mystery.
But in fact this statement expresses something else.
It says that the mystified person has been unable to discover the way life likes to work.
Funny enough, persons who have been able to solve part of the many mysteries of life are called “mystics”.
A mystic is a woman or a man who manages to find the truth beyond the intellect.

Being a simple-minded photographer and not a mystic at all, nevertheless, yesterday things happened beyond the intellect.

Here at El Triple rarely people show up.
Before the hurricane, during the three weeks in retreat at El Triple, only one person came by and that was arranged.
Besides the sweet and helpful friend, during 22 days nobody was seen.

Now the second retreat is in action and it is day 4.

After the simple but nutritious lunch always a walk on the beach is made of one hour and a half.
One day to the north, next day to the south.
Yesterday it was to the north and the tide was low.

Because of the hurricane the waves of the ocean have been very big and strong and carried away a lot of the sand from the beach.
This makes rocks exposed at low tide.
On those rocks oysters are living and Mexicans come to hammer them off.

While peacefully walking suddenly a voice from behind said: “Hola”.
Quickly turning around, in total surprise, a Chevy 1500 4x4 pick up truck was right behind with 4 Mexican men looking to harvest oysters.
Very friendly fellows who wanted to know how far they could get without being obstructed by too many rocks.
A chat and off they went after their oysters.

Coming back to the camp at El Triple two men were spotted walking on the beach of the long bay in front of the Fuso Szulc.
They were in a Chevy Suburban parked on the other side of the dry riverbed.
Exactly like one year ago when Jeff Knaus, the new owner of all the land north and south and east of El Triple, came by.
The two men saw the return of the photographer and came to the Fuso Szulc camp. Sure enough, it was Jeff Knaus with a friend.
Coming to inspect his property.
After a nice chat they returned to the beach and their vehicle.

Some time later, reading Luis Alberto Urrea’s book called “The Hummingbird’s daughter”, a car arrived at El Triple.
A blue Ford Explorer with a winch mounted at the front.
Four men came out and two approached the photographer.
It was Mario.
The man Cosme, the friend working as a guard of La Ballena, the resort to be, had been talking about.
It is believed Mario works for a contracting company that will build the resort for Jeff Knaus.
A chat with Mario and off they went.

These, as attentive loyal and fervent blog readers will have noticed, were 3 meetings with people in one afternoon.
For weeks nobody shows up uninvited, and suddenly there is a conglomeration.
A cluster being pressed together.
An intensification of events like as if they were attracting each other.

Is this simply an example of coincidence?
Yes, it is, in case one likes to believe that.
Or is it the structure of the matrix of events?
The mystic will confirm this as positive.

Things happen in clusters and we don’t know why.
Or not yet.

But what we do know is that the clusters can only be observed and realised after they have been taking place.
In retrospect for which a certain level of awareness is needed.

But never we can observe the cluster while it is happening.
For example, if an event takes place and we think that very moment it might be the first of a series creating the beginning of a cluster, it is not going to happen.
A cluster is beyond the intellect.
Where El Triple is.








.

A fishy fish.

Before to return to El Triple, the last night in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico, was dinner in a very fancy restaurant called “Las Très Virgenes”.
It is considered the best restaurant in town and probably also the most expensive.
Located near the main square of La Paz in a refurbished older Spanish colonial style townhouse with an open courtyard and kitchen.
For the guests appreciating a good glass of wine, there is a well-stocked air-conditioned wine cellar.

One wall of this restaurant is made look like it is only half finished.
A broken window and crack in the walls, bricks and plaster falling out.
An extravaganza of the interior decorator.
Coming into a whole new perspective as the day before was an earthquake.
It looked like the restaurant had suffered serious damage and had not managed yet to have the bricklayer come by to have it fixed.

The dinner was with two friends working in the hospitality industry in Baja California.
Both highly intelligent, up to date and aware.

It is one of the ultimate pleasures in life to dine while having fascinating conversations with nice friends.

One of the topics was the question why people who practice a religion often feel they need to convince others to follow their believes.
The question why they cannot simply be happy with their religion and not be imperialistic about it.
Live and let live.

Jihadism became the subject of conversation.
Considered the sixth pillar of Islam originally understood by Muslims as a struggle to improve one’s self and society.
But over time Jihadism has become a concept that says to conquer the world and turn it into one big Islamic state whether peacefully or by force.

However, on the other end is the Christian Fundamentalism trying to impose their believes on the rest of the world as well.
They practise a similar thing like the Jihad of the Muslims and this is resulting now in major worldwide conflicts.
Politics getting mixed with religion.


The other effect is societies becoming introvert and monolithic.
The population made to believe the country is attacked and needing to be protected.
Justifying regulations in conflict with the Constitution like checking on phone calls and mail and locking up civilians without trials while torturing them for years.

Meanwhile the fish was served in the beautiful restaurant and one of the friends asked the waiter if it was fresh.
Because the day before had been the hurricane and the fishermen had been unable to go out and fish.
“Yes, it is fresh”, the waiter replied.
He was asked if the fish was of today then?
“No, it is not”.
Weird: fresh fish but not caught today and even not the day before.
Probably the waiter meant the fish was fresh from the freezer?

Living in a time where religions and political systems limit the freedom to live as one would like, the next question discussed between the friends was what to do about it?
Shut up and suffer and simply have it happen?
Or to refuse to be muzzled and in spite of possible consequences always continue to have the attitude to speak out without fear?
This is a very fundamental question and each individual has to give an answer.

One of the last guests to leave the restaurant, because the fascinating discussion had been taken a long time, the bill was asked and paid.
A hefty bill because restaurant “Las Très Virgenes” is expensive.
For the price of one meal three others can be ordered in the nearby popular restaurant “Los Fargos”.

Standing outside the restaurant to walk to the respective homes suddenly the waiter came running out of the restaurant.
“Sorry but we forgot to put this bottle of wine you had on the bill”.
An innocent bystander might have thought the customers had been trying to leave the restaurant without paying.
An extra 280 Mexican Pesos ( 18 Euros / 25 $ ) had to be paid.
The waiter got money and went into the restaurant to look for change.
This took a long time and when checked it turned out no change was available.
The waiter was asking the cook and the other people working there if they could change a 100 Pesos bill to return the customers their change.
It was a rather embarrassing situation.

Exactly like the current geopolitical state of affairs.







.

Four wheel driving.

It was a most exciting trip to drive to El Triple.
This because after the hurricane the roads were partly washed away.
Reaching destinies was only possible for the brave and well equipped.

Going to El Triple means that the Fuso Szulc is heavily loaded with supplies.
The water and propane tanks filled up.
Food for 21 days.
Fruit and vegetables.
Fruit juices and soymilk.
Toasted bread, margarine, cheese, marmalade, raisins, and cereal.
A heavy loaded truck is harder to have negotiate difficult dirt roads.

One rule though negotiating difficult dirt roads is to go slow.
Second important rule is to get out of the truck to inspect first extra difficult terrain before to drive on it.

For most part of the road to El Triple the Fuso Szulc was the first to show up after the hurricane Henriette of last Tuesday.
This is a reason for extra caution.
When no tracks can be seen of cars already having been driving on the road, one cannot be sure the road is actually negotiable and open.
And the last thing one wants is to get stuck out in the boondocks with a heavy loaded Fuso Szulc.
If that would happen digging out is no option.
In any case, no digging helps when stuck in the mud.
Only a 4x4 tractor could possibly get a heavy vehicle out of mud.

On the road to El Triple there were many situations that the four-wheel drive system had to be activated.
And in one situation even in combination with the low gear.
Twice, advancing had to be stopped because the front wheels were going too deep into the mud.
Up till the front axle.
But each time it seemed to be piece of cake for the Fuso Szulc to get out.

Often, when a deep dip in the road needed to be crossed there was the option to stay on drier ground by using the left or right bank.
But in many cases those banks were obviously in an angle.
To the left or to the right.
And sometimes so steep that it was feared the Fuso Szulc might roll over on its side.
The Fuso Szulc is relatively high and has the weight of 6 solar panels and the Datastorm satellite disk on its roof.
There is a maximum to the angle it can take before to collapse on its side.
It is unknown what that angle exactly is and there is no ambition to test it and find out.
When a bank looked steep, the middle of the road was kept and the Fuso Szulc plunged in the water and the mud.

The Fuso Szulc simply has a fantastic four wheel drive system that includes limited slip differential, an invention made in 1932 by one of the contracting companies in Germany of Ferdinand Porsche.
Those deep dips were crossed like blowing comfortably the nose in a large handkerchief.

Possible visitors getting at El Triple now will wonder how the heck the Fuso Szulc got here as the roads are like in hell.
The answer is simple.
The Mitsubishi Fuso FG 4x4 is a very well built truck with an excellent four-wheel drive system.
Who needs a Mercedes Unimog ?

At El Triple not much has changed because of hurricane Henriette.
It can be observed that lots of rain came down here and nature is slowly turning greener now.
The ocean has dumped some uprooted trees and a cactus on the beach.

After a most exciting and fantastic week in La Paz it is back to the simple and solitary life.
Because of the almost impassable roads, more far away from civilisation than ever.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about limited slip differentials, click on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_slip_differential







.

Ironing it out.

Another day in La Paz.
Another mechanic.

Somebody with little Mexican experience would think that the workshop of the mechanic visited today was in fact a place where recently a major explosion had occurred.
Or a place where a gigantic magnet had drawn to it anything metal.
Car wrecks, car parts and anything else to help the impression a local war of destruction had just ended.

Seeing the workshop it could not immediately be concluded that cars were fixed there.
It could be that cars were taken apart and than put together again but in a way a confused and disoriented mind would do.

All this is a false and wrong impression.
In fact most Mexican mechanics are highly skilled and have a high reputation for being able to intelligently repair any kind of mechanical problem.

Like Chaim.
A very simpatico mechanic who quickly made clear that to make reinforcement in the U-framed chassis was a job he could not do this particular day.
Too busy with other jobs.

To Chaim it was explained that more important was to put rubber between the U-bolt and the chassis, as this was believed to be moving and causing the friction noises.
Chaim made a young mechanic available and together this job was performed.

Together underneath the Fuso Szulc working hard.
Not an easy job.
Meanwhile chatting.
Raul was an 18-year-old boy working as a mechanic for one year before to go to a school to become an engineer.
He spoke highly of his father who owned a lot of land in tourist areas like Bahia Concepcion in Baja California.
Contrary with the bonanza going on, the father was not selling his properties and keeping the land for his sons later.
“My father is a good man”, Raul said respectfully.

Once the rubber was in place, the Fuso Szulc was moved to another spot, as welding was needed.
One of the arms holding the protector plate of the gearbox was broken.
Moving the Fuso Szulc, exactly the same noise of metal fighting was heard.
The rubber between the U-bolt and the chassis was not the solution to the problem at all it turned out.

Chaim, the experienced mechanic, had the bright idea to drive the Fuso Szulc in circles while he was running next to it to locate exactly where this noise was coming from.
This is how he found out what is the issue.
It is not the springs of the Mitsubishi truck: the Kearny Mesa Truck Centre Fuso is as perfect as it always has been.
It is not the U-bolts holding the camper box to the chassis.
It is the two metal blocks welded to the bottom of the camper box resting on the tops of the chassis.
In fact the whole camper box is moving caused by the pivotal system in the back.
And this movement makes the metal blocks scrape and glide on the chassis.

Chaim got two metal square blocks and welded them to the side of the metal blocks underneath the camper box and sticking low against the side of the chassis.
To stop the gliding movement of the box sideways.

Next, a new test-drive was made and although the movement sideways was now completely blocked, the movement of the camper box forwards and backwards still caused the noise and the friction.

Chaim slightly loosened the nuts of the U-bolts and the noise and friction was gone.

This is the permanent solution according to Chaim.

But the feeling about it is not comfortable.
The solution personally preferred is to replace the two metal blocks between the camper box and the chassis by two large rubber blocks they use on the back of truck bumpers.
And attach this again with the U-bolts.
All movement and friction will then be absorbed in the two rubber blocks.
However, Chaim doesn’t believe this is an option.
He believes it will make it worse.

The agreement has been made to see now how it holds.
Tomorrow is the return to El Triple using the probably heavily damaged dirt roads asking a lot of the Fuso Szulc.
If there are hardly any noises anymore and the U-bolts and its nuts stay in place, Chaim was right and things will be left as they are.
If not, in three weeks a return to his workshop is agreed upon.






.

On the way to heaven.

Driving through the town of La Paz, Baja California, Mexico, early in the morning after the class 1 hurricane Henriette had battered it the night before.
There was relatively little damage.
Some trees uprooted.
Streets full of garbage.
Some deep pools.
But that was it.

In the course of the day, meeting inhabitants, the people were relieved.
The winds of Henriette had not been too strong but fortunately she had dumped a lot of water.
Because La Paz is depending for drinking water of rainfall, like the regional agriculture and the raising of cattle, now some more prosperity can be expected.
The hurricane therefore, at least in La Paz and its region, has not been a bad thing at all.

Nonetheless, there was disruption.
North of town is a deep river bed with no bridge and this now blocks all traffic except for buses and trucks.
No passenger car could go to the USA or to the tourist resort of Cabo San Lucas.

People living in suburbs north of town were also stuck.
They couldn’t go to their jobs or businesses in town.

But this is a temporary problem.
Soon the water level will be down enough for all traffic to go anywhere they want.

The good news was that the mechanic booked to work on the Fuso Szulc was open and ready to do his job.

He got under the Fuso Szulc and had already prepared a square steel block to put in between the U-formed chassis.
However, Mitsubishi has placed inside the U-form of the chassis all kinds of cables, tubes and pipes and there is no room to put anything there.
This is rather paradoxical because in the Mitsubishi manual it is indicated. even with a drawing, to put support inside the U-shaped chassis.
What kind of joke is that to tell to put support when there is no room?

The solution seems to be to make a steel piece, also in a U, and slide that, with its back to the outside, inside the U of the chassis.
The booked mechanic could not do this job.
But because nothing is a problem in Mexico, he called a friend, who is a mechanic as well, but with more sophisticated tools.
Unfortunately, that friend had a funeral and was not available.
But mañana for sure.

This delays solving the issue with the Fuso Szulc another day.
But it is not really a delay.
It is simply how things go.

The roads to El Triple are not passable anyway.
Most will be washed away or deep river beds block filled with water too high.
The roads need time to be able for adventurers to cross them again.

And staying in La Paz, with all the friends, is a fabulous privilege and pleasure.
Deeply enjoyed and getting involved in all kinds of events and activities.

But nevertheless, there is an itching feeling to wish to return to El Triple.
Not so much to be there.
But the need is strongly felt to work more on the conceptual photography.
To create again as if it is the last time possible before to go to heaven.






.

A beautiful hurricane.

Yesterday it was still possible to get outside, as rainfall was light and the wind moderate.
At 8 o’clock the appointment with the mechanic was honoured to fix the issue with the connection of the camperbox to the chassis of the Fuso Szulc.
But the mechanic had decided not to work this day that the full force of the hurricane Henriette would hit the town of La Paz.
In half an hour the Fuso Szulc was back where it had spent the night.

Meanwhile by the minute the wind and the rain were intensifying and soon the streets of La Paz were turning into canals.
Most shops and restaurants were closed and people were looking for shelter in their own houses.

Having safe and warm shelter, it was like a situation in a film or a book.
Eight people in one place forced by nature to spend the hours of the storm together.
An American-German couple from Munich, Germany.
An Italian couple from Rome, Italy.
A French couple from Paris, France.
And the sweet and helpful friend, now also very generous.

Situations of emergency and disaster fraternises people.
It makes the social interaction more intense.

Therefore soon two tables were put together in the large and beautiful hall and enjoying drinks the international group of persons got to know each other better.

While outside the wind and rain battered the town, inside there was a wonderful time experienced.

Food was brought to the table and shared.
And an inspiring conversation took place covering subjects like President Bush’s visit to Iraq, the level of innovation of the politics of President Szarkosy of France and the likelihood of a returning to power of Silvio Berlusconi.

But as it grew darker outside, the conversation became more personal.
What was the role of the ego in life?
Should a psychotherapist, charging a high fee saying it is to motivate the client to be highly involved, not give half of that money to Amnesty International?
Why has life become so expensive in Europe?

Fascinating subjects because no final answer or conclusion can be reached.
Emphasised by the last question to discuss put on the table by the sweet and helpful friend:
Why do fish not taste salty?

It was decided to all see a movie.
With a beamer projected on a movie theatre size.
It was the 2002 film “Frida” by Julie Taymore starring Salma Hayek about the life of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

Several of the audience had already seen this film but it is such a good movie that it was a privilege and deep joy to see it again.

While watching the film a new earthquake rocked La Paz.
A heavy one with a magnitude of 5.0 on the scale of Richter.
The doors opening to the beautiful garden were rambling like ghosts trying to get in to swallow the group of friends into oblivion.

Now the hurricane Henriette is heading for the mainland of Mexico.
La Paz has no more rain.
Just wind and dark skies.
A new effort will be made to see if today the mechanic is willing to work.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about last night's earthquake, click carefully on:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/us2007gxak.php






.

Follow who ?

The mind could be seen as a cabinet with many drawers and shelves.
In each place something is stored.
In one of the places of the cabinet there is these days a feeling of regret not being at El Triple now that soon the hurricane Henriette will torture the beloved location with strong winds and torrential rains.
The rational mind knows that it would be foolish to be there now but the romantic section expresses a different sentiment.

It is like something will take place that must be experienced to honour the unification and harmony that exists between El Triple and the frequent inhabitant.
Not to leave it alone.
If that would result in perishing due to the hurricane at El Triple, is an ending to life in one of the most beautiful ways.
Compared to a fatal car crash or a terminal disease.

It could be imagined that more people understand this principle, recognize it and feel attracted to it.
It could be envisaged that a group of those persons find each other and decide to go to a location like El Triple knowing a serious hurricane will come to the place.
That together the hurricane is experienced knowing damned well it is a matter of life and death.
But also knowing it is a win-win situation.
Or the persons die and find peace and harmony in ending life in that specific way.
Or one of the most exquisite events possible in life will have been experienced.
As of then life will never be the same anymore.
Either the person is dead, and that is rather a change.
Or the person has been going through a most extreme experience influencing the life to follow drastically and endlessly.

This is of course a way of thinking by many considered as one of a lunatic.

Like Jim Jones was.
Born in Lynn, Indiana, USA he created a church called “Wings of deliverance”.

After an investigation into the church for tax evasion, Jim Jones moved with 1000 members of his church from San Francisco to Guyana.

A country in the north of South-America.
It seems that in the religious community of Jim Jones in Guyana, conveniently called “Jonestown”, human rights violations were taking place resulting in a fact-finding mission by US Congressman Leo Ryan in November 1978.
This eventually resulted in a well-known event: a mass suicide of 909 inhabitants of Jonestown.
When in Guyana it was learned that the location of Jonestown is closed by the Guyana Government for visitors.

But to go to a place like El Triple knowing a hurricane will strike to experience either survival or death could also be considered not as the idea of a lunatic but as an enlightening proposal.

Like Jesus has been making:
"The Son of Man must suffer many things.
He will be rejected by the older Jewish leaders, the leading priests, and teachers of the law.
The Son of Man will be killed.
But after three days he will be raised from death."



Jesus continued to say to his potential followers:

"If any person wants to follow me, he must say 'No' to the things he wants.
That person must accept the cross (suffering) that is given to him every day, and he must follow me.
The person that wants to save his life will lose it.
And every person that gives his life for me will save it."
Luke 9:21-27 (ERV)

This is a rather an all or nothing proposition just like the El Triple everything or nothing proposal and Jim Jones final instructions.
Working only if one is to believe in that illusion.

It would be rather provocative to compare the offered illusions by Jim Jones, the ones by Jesus and the El Triple concept.

That is why a low-key non-messianic existence in the safety of La Paz is preferred momentarily.








.

Earthquakes, rain and a hooker.

The National Hurricane Centre predicts that hurricane Henriette will make landfall exactly where is El Triple.
This is supposed to happen tomorrow.


What a tremendous luck to have escaped where will be dramatic devastation soon where the last 3 weeks were spent.

Is this karma, instinct or simply coincidence?

Last night with the sweet and helpful friend in La Paz the film “Hero” was watched.
The 2002 film made by Zhang Yimou.
Of course afterwards the film inspired to have a profound exchange of opinions basically about life.
And exactly this subject of karma and instinct became one of the main topics.
This was also inspired by the fact that while watching the movie two new earthquakes (4.2 magnitude) trembled La Paz.
Not knowing if the 5 earthquakes in the last 2 days were only a preparation for this one and only devastating earthquake to destroy La Paz completely, or that they were just small, playful and harmless shakings of the earth, it was realized that karma, predestination or instinct was coming into the picture.
Were we to have lives in which the approaching hurricane and the earthquakes would climax into the most dramatic experience imaginable as a logic conclusion of the series of events?
The cluster theory ruling?
Like if we were people peacefully living in 1906 when on Wednesday April 18 at 5.12 a.m. an earthquake destroyed San Francisco and killed over 3.000 people.


It is all about the inability of human beings to understand what the matrix of reality they live in means for the near future.
This to the contrary of animals that are more closely connected to their instincts, not having the option of thinking and not being dazzled by rational contemplations.

Meanwhile the Fuso Szulc had been left in the care of Don Raul.
Because in La Paz it is very warm the two large roof vents were left open.
During the night, sleeping in a beautiful and air-conditioned room, at about 3.30 a.m., the sound of rain woke up the peaceful sleeper.
Opening the curtains tropical rainfall was turning the street into a long canal.
It was realized immediate action had to be taken to go and close the roof vents of the Fuso Szulc.
Not finding an umbrella, dressed in a T-shirt and shorts only, the impressive house was left and the sensation was experienced to run in the deserted La Paz streets in the middle of the night in the heavy pouring but warm rain.
Within two minutes the rain had soaked the running person as after a dive in a swimming pool.

Turning a corner a hooker was standing there under a canopy.
Looking in surprise to this crazy running guy in the pouring rain.
Shouting “Not tonight” and this was not because the most urgent matter of closing the roof windows had priority.
For her and the runner, there would never be a tomorrow.

Of course Don Raul was deep asleep.
And the gate to the property where the Fuso Szulc was spending safely the night locked.
Meanwhile the amount of rain falling was causing serious devastation inside the Fuso Szulc.
One roof window is exactly above the bed and nobody wants a Tempur Pedic mattress costing a fortune to get soaked and lost forever and ever.
The metal door was banged.
“Don Raul, por favor !!!”.
Bang, bang, bang.
Yell, yell, yell.
Every minute lost in waking up Don Raul had more rainfall go into the Fuso Szulc.
Eventually it was decided to climb the high fence in spite of a dangerously barking dog on the other side.
When on top of the fence, wet like a fish, panicked like a hunted deer, thinking again about karma and instinct, Don Raul appeared.
Naked but for a short as men wore in Paris in 1934.

“Don Raul, so sorry but please open the gate before the Fuso Szulc has become a swimming pool”.
He opened the gate, another run to the Fuso Szulc, fumbling with the keys to open the door because of the high level of adrenaline speeding through the veins, and the roof vents could be closed.

More apologies to Don Raul.
He will get an extra 50 Pesos today for all the trouble.
Walking back the rain had become less.
It was in fact a thunderstorm: not yet the hurricane.
That is for tomorrow.

Turning the corner the hooker had gone.
Maybe hopeful for tomorrow.

The hell out of here.

Because the north-western wind blowing almost every day at El Triple hits the Fuso Szulc in the side making it shake and rock and roll, stabilizer jacks have been put under the camper box frame on both sides.
No matter how strong the wind, the Fuso Szulc is not giving an inch.

This afternoon a peaceful lunch was enjoyed inside the Fuso Szulc.
Eating the daily 4 slices of toasted bread.
Two with cheese, tomato and honey mustard.
And two with blueberry preserve.
To drink a glass of soymilk.
Reading the book “La Storia” about the emigration of Italians to the United States.

Suddenly, the Fuso Szulc started to shake.
Moving in all kinds of directions.
Immediately there was a feeling of surprise.
There were no strong winds or gusts.
And it was realized that the Fuso Szulc was solidly supported by stabilizer jacks.
But then, in split seconds, it was realized it had to be an earthquake.

That frightens.
Because it is unknown how bad it will get.
But soon while sitting in the chair being tossed around it was realized that not easily the Fuso Szulc would be turned over.
That it was a relative safe situation to experience an earthquake.

It lasted about 20 to 30 seconds and it was all very weird.
It made realize what a tremendous forces had been unleashed that it could make a large part of this world shake.

Next concern was a possible tsunami.
If that earthquake had been under the ocean in front of the Fuso Szulc, likely a tsunami would follow.
Strange fantasies and imaginations resulted of how an enormous wave would hit El Triple devastating everything in its way.
A close eye was kept on the ocean.
If the sea retreats extremely it is the moment to start running to the highest point in the vicinity because the devastating tsunami will follow shortly.
But fortunately the ocean remained calm and peaceful.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.3, had happened in the Sea of Cortez, on the east side of Baja California.


Later in the afternoon the camp was broken down.
Not by the earthquake but by the nomad himself.
Everything cleaned and stored in preparation of the journey to La Paz on Sunday.
While reflecting on the last 3 weeks at El Triple.
What an extraordinary time it has been!
Peace, harmony and balance found again.
Physically exercised into a much better shape.
Lots of new work made with very promising results.
And four major events:

• The lunar eclipse
• The disconnection by Motosat from the Internet
• The earthquake
• The visit of the friend from La Paz

What a paradox!
Three weeks of peaceful retreat in solitude at El Triple and in retrospective it must be concluded it was a most exciting time.

But now it is time to go.
Henriette develops from a tropical storm into a hurricane.
It has already cost the life of 6 people in Acapulco.
It is expected to pass right in front of El Triple.

Better get the hell out of here and find shelter in the peace of La Paz.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about the earthquake, click on:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2007gtbe.php









.

Holding tight.

The morning can be spend as usual.
But this afternoon has to be devoted to breaking up the El Triple camp.
A task taking approximately two hours.

Meanwhile the tropical storm Henriette that might develop into a hurricane heading this way is approaching.



The matrix of existence shows its beauty again to have Henriette’s approach coincides with needing to go to La Paz.

One of the issues to give attention to when in La Paz is the way the camper box is attached to the chassis of the Mitsubishi Fuso.
This is an issue that is playing for some time now and obviously it still not as it should be.
As of the time the camper box was attached to the chassis with U-bolts there are those sounds coming from underneath like metal fighting.
At Kearny Mesa Mitsubishi Dealer it was believed the springs are responsible for these noises and they were oiled.
Because these noises continue it is now believed they are more related to the U-bolts holding the camper box to the chassis.

In the manual of Mitsubishi Fuso it was discovered that the U-bolts are not attached in the proper way.

The chassis is a piece of metal in a U-form with the opening on the side.
Around this goes the U-bolt but obviously the forces squeeze the U-form of the chassis.
Therefore Mitsubishi recommends filling up the space of the U-formed chassis with a wooden block or a metal pipe.
So that the U-form cannot bend due to the forces of the U-bolt.
A mechanic in La Paz will have to take a look at this issue.
It is an easy job if not for the fact that inside the U-shaped chassis Mitsubishi has put all kinds of cables and pipes.
Some genius will have to come up with ideas how to get around all that.
And for that Mexico is the best place.
What also needs reflection is the fact that Santek Trailers has installed the U-bolts with the nuts on the groundside.
Not on the top like we can see in the official drawing of Mitsubishi.
The question is if that matters.
Once spacers have been installed it will become clear if the lack of them was responsible for the strong sounds of metal fighting.