A Superior Friend

Thursday August 25, 2011
Jim & Mary’s RV Park
Missoula, Montana

 

It was a solar kit morning.
As you know, David bought a 45 watt
solar panel kit from Harbor Freight. 
We’re hoping they will keep our house batteries
topped up while we are boon docking.

 

But of course we aren’t boon docking so
there really is no way to fully test this theory until
we are and Harbor Freight will be miles behind us
by that time. 

 

Anyway.  Step #1, read the instructions.
Check!

 

 

Step #2, set up the panels.
Check!

 

 

Step #3, Wires attached.
Check!

(green wires, hard to see here)

 

 

Step #4, Hook up controller to test the light bulbs.
Check!

 

 

Step #5, monitor the readout.
Check!

 

Voltage with cloud cover.

 

Voltage with full sun.

 

So far so good!!
Future posts will have updates.

 

In the afternoon we drove 60 miles or so
to visit with a long time friend of David’s,
Jacque Becker at her homestead 2.5 miles
up a dirt road outside Superior, Montana.

 

Jacque is our heroine – her log house is
OFF THE GRID.

 

 

 

Neat front door.

 

 

Behind these 3 very wonderful antique
5 panel doors is the hydro-electric control center.

With 8 golf cart batteries.

 

 

The water for the power comes from a year
round spring dammed here up stream of the house
by Jacque and a couple of dedicated friends.

 

 

She heats with wood.

 

 

And has wood cook stove, a propane gas cook stove,
a propane refrigerator and some gas lights
although her hydro has never failed her.

 

 

She’s maintained and upgraded the house
on her own for over 25 years.
A real shero we think!

 

In the early evening she took us to
her little town, Superior Montana,
where we had a quick bite to eat
and went on to the annual Shakespeare in the park
presentation of The Merchant of Venice.

 

 

This traveling cast from Montana’s
Shakespeare in the Park, whose home base is
Bozeman, were costumed primarily in modern dress. 
I didn’t think that detracted at all from the production. 
The actors to a one were excellent.

If you are familiar with the play, perhaps you
will recognize some of these scenes and
characters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a wonderful afternoon and evening with
a very long time friend.
Thanks for a great time Jacque!