Frozen water pipes and everything...

The magnitude and full impact of the flood created a domino affect that went on for weeks.

The sidewalks stayed frozen for days

Not only did we have to remove our skirting and relocate, but our water pipes froze one last time.  It was all our poor water filter housing could handle and it cracked in two pieces.

I ordered a replacement and that lasted all of a month before cracking again.  This time, I went to Home Depot determined to either rip the whole thing out or replace the housing with something cheaper.  I found it!  A household water filter that cost $20 with all the trimmings instead of $45 for just the bottom portion.

We also decided that when the weather went below 10 degrees, we would shut off the fresh water and empty the pipes so it wouldn't and bust something again.

Well, my mom came to visit and in my rush to get out the door, I couldn't figure which way to turn the bathroom sink off.   I hoped for the best and left.  When Bill and I got back that evening, water was gushing out from under our front door.  Literally pouring out by the gallons.  Evidently, I guessed wrong.


After shutting the water off (I couldn't figure out why someone hadn't spotted it and shut it off for us.  They had done so in the past over something very stupid...), we mopped up everything we could.  But the sub flooring was wet and mushy for days.  We were scared that there had been permanent damage.  Luckily, they dried out and became as solid as ever (though not as flat...).  Thankfully, we came out fine and survived that mishap.

Then, the water filter broke again, this time it cracked at the top where it's screwed into the lines.  I used the replacement I had and fixed it up good. 

Creek flooded right to our doorstep.

How I longed for growing green things and mild weather to replace the cold...

One last bit of impact we had from the extremely cold temperatures in February.  It got so cold that our fridge stopped working.  The coolant in the back couldn't function correctly. It took about a week of good weather before it started up again.

In the end though, spring came and brought new life and fresh hope!

Wintering at Clear Creek in 2013

 Going into the winter, we knew deep in our gut that it would be brutal.  We had planned (or hoped that it would happen) on being in Houston for the winter.  But, alas it was was not to be due to internal politics (that never happens...). 

 With much trepidation and faith that we would survive, Clear Creek RV Park became our semi-permanent abode until May 2014.

Right away, we knew it would different from any other winter we'd ever experienced.  The flooding that occurred in September (while the kids and I were in Indiana) only happened once in a century. 

Notwithstanding the very small space we now inhabited as an active family of five (~250 square feet), the outside temperatures fluctuated into the very cold rapidly.  We combated that by creating red-neck skirting using inch-thick styrofoam and white duct tape.  I regretted the ghetto look, but was grateful for the ten degree increase internally.  We first connected to an electric only spot and then were able to move to a full hook-up.  That meant removing and re taping the skirting.  Very tedious.

 Our spot backed right up to the creek.  It was a beautiful spot.   And not much foot traffic behind us due to the cold temperatures. 

We figured that we could handle November, December and probably January.  But getting through February would be our challenge.

The skirting and a heat lamp underneath helped keep the floor warm.  We properly winterized our water hose and kept two electric heaters running at all times. One in the front and one near our bedroom.  We maintained an ambient internal temperature of 65 degrees during the day and about 55 to 60 at night.  With layers of blankets and bundled up in warm pjs, our family did just fine. We frequented the rec center next door and tried to get the kids outside playing with the rv neighbor kids as often as possible.  We made several good friends!

Bill wearing his X Wing costume in the Golden parade!

The creek froze over by Thanksgiving and we settled into surviving (and hopefully thriving) through the winter.  We had the kids involved with Awanas and by December, Bill had started a pilot program creating training videos and other digital media related stuff for his work.  This was his big chance to create a position within the governmental department he worked for doing the stuff he was most passionate about.  We were very excited about this opportunity and about the places (hint, hint) that it could take us.

Little did we know about the extreme challenges that were ahead...

Winterizing

Now that winter is officially upon us, there are certain things one must address while living in an RV.

Unfortunately, our new rig doesn't include a polar package -though it is a tad warmer then the Jayfeather.  And the fresh water tank had mold.

My temporary solution to the water (since we still hadn't properly winterized the hose), was a 7-gallon water tank from Walmart.  I could attach a hose during the day to wash dishes and cook, then drag it inside at night so it didn't freeze.  This worked for a couple weeks.

Then Bill finally had a couple days where he could look at the hose.  Wouldn't you know it -he got it working.  Now I have running water that doesn't freeze at night.

We open the cabinet doors, under the sinks, at night to keep the pipes warm and set the thermostat to 60 degrees.  Since electricity is at a flat rate, we run a ceramic heater in each bedroom, during the night, and in the main room, during the day.

In doing so, we've managed to stretch a thirty pound tank for two weeks instead of three days.

Bill put bubble wrap over the windows in the living room and then covered them with plastic to cut down on the cold.  We still have to insulate the bedrooms and get a skirt attached.  But at least the we stay toasty warm at night and during the day (have to wear socks and a sweatshirt...) and have running water.  Plus space.

I have had visions of warm apartments and second guessed myself.  But apartments are cold- at times- too and twice as expensive.  My trailer sits twenty feet or so from Clear Creek and I am surrounded by mountains.  I can walk to the rec center, along the creek and to the library.  Bill drives fifteen minutes to work, as opposed to one hour. And we love Golden.  The colors.  The ambiance.  The financial freedom in our budget that we haven't seen in over ten years.  And the hope of a debt-free future.

I no longer take running water, warmth and comfort for granted.  I may be inconvenienced at times (having to use a laundromat for the first time ever) and have to deal with nuisances (like less pantry space), but I also have simplified my life. Pared it down to the essentials.  Cut out the extraneous stuff that somehow collected in the corners. 

And know that come spring, the cold will be a distant memory.

Water Woes

So the one thing I hadn't done yet was connect the fresh water hose to the city water.  Since most of our camping was either boon docking or just shore power, we used the fresh water tank exclusively. 

But now that we were truly settled, I envisioned running water all winter long...  then the first cold spell hit and all my pipes froze up.  Including the fresh water tank.  Dag-nabit.  What is a girl to do?

We filled up all the empty pitchers and water bottles before bed.  One for the toilet and one for cooking the next day.  This was a fine temporary solution.  But I was determined to get my water straight from the tap.

You can't truly appreciate things like running water until there is none...

A quick look around the campground confirmed that at the very least, I would need insulation.  On further research, I discovered heat tape.

I needed a good hose, heat tape, electric tape, pipe insulation, Teflon tape, some new washers (just in case) and some way to keep the spigots on both sides insulated.

First attempt:  I got the heat tape on the hose, duck-taped the heck out of my insulation and then attached the hose.  It occurred to me, half way through my preparations, that I should have op-tested the hose first.

Shrugging my shoulders, I continued to plow through the winterizing part.

Then I did everything I was told to: wrap Teflon tape around the spigots and make sure there is a tight seal.  Some water leaked around the connection to the RV, but I used some fancy tape and figured it would hold.

After a couple days, I noticed water spurting out of a seam half-way down the hose.  Upon further inspection, I noticed that the whole length of insulation was sopping wet.

I unhooked the hose and refilled the fresh water tank.

I tried again.  With new stuff even.

Nothing.

Will try again later...maybe.

Finally figured out the hose situation.  And then broke the check valve (which is the fresh water connection) because of too much pressure.

Replaced it (ordered part from Windish RV), reconnected hose and also added a pressure regulator (extra hose piece that slows the water pressure down from the spigot).  Also had to cut off the end of the hose and replace it with a sturdier brass end.

So after much trial and error (and several weeks later), I finally had a working hose which lasted through freezing nights and snowy days!