The Itinerant’s Hot Tub

About 2001 we bought a hot tub for our new condominium in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Now in 2019 it’s at found our FreeLOAders acre in Florida.  But it’s been a long journey.....

It was one of those condo associations where everybody fights and we were soon looking elsewhere.  So we built a condo in Spring Lake, MI and had the hot tub moved there.  It’s a Sundance Spa by the way.  It was one of those associations where folks get along and the hot tub sat under our rear deck.

Times change and we soon sold that condo, calling the dealer and asking them to pick it up and store it for a while while we resettled.  Well, we eventually got a call telling us it needed to go so we had it moved to our business office yard in Marne.  Marne used to be called Berlin before the big wars.  The back of the highway sign says “we never heard of you either”.  (But they do have the old Berlin Fair, the longest continuous running fair in the US).  It sat outside there for some time.

So, years later our son put it on a trailer and moved it to Florida.  It sat with a cheap tarp over it in our yard on some 4x4 timbers for a few years.  If you know Florida, it is wet with lots of pests....termites, ants, spiders, frogs....mold, mildew....etc.  It had nasty water in it and all of the above when I decided it needed to go and seriously looked in it.

Well, last year, 2018, I put some pieces of PVC pipe under it and moved it over by our house using some 4x4 rails.  It was a one man job to roll it over!  I figured it was toast, but what the hell....I was planning on disposal.

So I spent $100 to buy some heavy 220v cable and hooked it up temporarily.  Filled it, turned it on.....and the damn thing worked!  We were amazed.  This was an abused stepchild abandoned to the woods and now we were soaking under the stars again!

A year later it still works great.  Digital controls, lights and all.  No, not perfect as some valves probably need replacement.  But what a joy oftimes for these old bones!  Maybe I’ll splurge for a new cover!  (Next year.....)

That’s my story and I’m stickin to it! 

Jim

Update 2020, it’s still working and we finally ordered a new cover.  We love having the tub.  With ozonator , i needs only a little bromine.  Can’t wait for the next fill up using the RO water!