Red Echo

August 22, 2007

desert preparation complete, sort of

All my stuff is packed. I have bins, chairs, boxes, a table, an electric skateboard, and assorted loose camping gear all sitting out in the front yard where the cargo trucks will pick them up tomorrow.

When I get back from Austin I will run another load of laundry, repack my suitcase, add some big fluffy blankets and a bunch of pillows, and throw it all in the RV*.

I did not get the legging lights finished before the workshop yesterday, though the work I got done went quickly enough that I am totally sold on the new light-swatch design. I have talked myself out of bringing all the parts to Austin and working on them in my hotel room – I’m going to have enough work work to do in my off-hours already. I am still, however, entertaining the fantasy that there will be a few free hours on Saturday, between coming back from Austin and leaving for Burning Man, that I can spend whacking LEDs together.

Time to check the laundry and then pack my suitcase. Two days in Austin working on company strategy and REALbasic development planning, then back home Friday night…

oh, yeah. it’s like flying down the hill on a pair of skis, too fast to stop without crashing, carving left, right, left, paying total attention to every bump and curve because hitting it just right is the difference between staying on track and wiping out…. fast fast fast what a rocket this life is and do I ever love it.

*I am not camping in said RV, merely travelling in it. Rest assured, loyal fans, I am as hard core as ever. Well… sort of… unless you count the huge tent, with its table, chairs, lights, drawers, welcome mat, and full-size foam mattress…

3 Comments

  1. No satellite dish & generator !?!?!?!?!?
    How’s a guy supposed to work without internet conections and power ?
    Or post to his blog ?

    I’m still working on the satellite for our new travel trailer but the generators a sure thing :)

    Comment by norm — August 22, 2007 @ 3:29 pm

  2. Hah. Well, yes, I’m afraid it’s going to be a pretty dry couple of weeks here on redecho, but hopefully the great heap of Burning Man pictures will make up for it when I come back.

    Our camp is actually going to have about 12 kw worth of generator capacity *and* a satellite phone – but there’s no way I’m bringing along any computer I might ever want to use again. You never really get all the dust out…

    how long a trailer? have you looked at the Honda EU2000i?

    Comment by Mars Saxman — August 22, 2007 @ 10:54 pm

  3. 26 feet … sleeps 8 quite easily. We borrowed a 2000i for a week and it’s a nice suitcase style unit.
    Quiet and pretty darned fuel efficient. Seems to run forever on a couple gallons of gas.
    I’m also looking in to getting solar panels installed on the roof along with additional batteries and an inverter.

    This would be significantly more costly but a lot more environmentally friendly
    But large solar panels are expensive and so far it seems I’d need several installed (3 seems about right) and a pretty large bank of deep cycle 6v RV batteries to get any sustained usage.

    The generator has certain advnatages in that regard and I can use it to power some stuff in the house IF I really need to.
    Living way out in the country has certain disadvantages :)

    Comment by norm — August 23, 2007 @ 11:00 am