Wednesday Words

Been a quiet week for the most part. The park has been busier since Monday than it was all weekend. There are several RVs with motorcycles and when I took a quick trip into town I noticed several in front of the cabins here. In town the bikes were at all the hotels I passed...then I saw the sign. There is a bike rally this weekend....the roar and the rumble!

All my packages are here and tomorrow I pick up my new bicycle. I think my ankle is well enough to let me do a little riding....just hope my stamina will hold out. LOL! Reports to come...

The biggest news is my new adventure as an independent rep for SkyMed. I received my packet today and will start my training. I sincerely hope that anyone who might find a need for something like this or know someone that could use it, will send them to my website (photo to be added soon). And just a note...in September the rates will increase so now is the time to sign up!

Oh, one other piece of news. I am being interviewed for S-Life Magazine, a new publication for owners of Suzuki vehicles. I was contacted by the editor last week and we're doing email interviews. A freelance photographer is supposed to come up from Phoenix Friday afternoon to take a photo. Sure be interesting....I hope to get a PDF file of the article if it ever gets published.

I will be heading north next week, will be trying to get my air bag leak fixed as soon as possible. I don't need to be in Gillette, WY until June 25th so plenty of time. It's still snowing in many places on the way there but looking at the 15 day forecast for Gillette, it looks like it will be warming up. The big surprise is that there isn't going to be the heat wave I expected...and that's a good thing!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Take Two: Tourists, Transmission, Transportation & Tummy

Tonight will be a mish-mash of things....so sit back, put your feet up and, hopefully, enjoy.

First, the tourists....I think they must have flown in recently and were still really in a different time zone. I did close my window while they were getting ready to eat (traditional style....wives running around & cooking, guys drinking beer with their feet up). I noticed that shortly after dark all was quiet....and they were gone by 8:30 this morning. So whoever you are...my apologies for expecting the worst. You were good neighbors (Yes, they put the picnic table back where the got it...how many times does THAT happen with typical weekend/vacation campers?)

I thought I had posted about my transmission but guess I didn't get specific enough for some folks. The did replace the front seal but while in there they discovered some type of fitting/plug that was loose and tightened it. Needless to say, fresh fluid and filter change were done. When then did the 30 step inspection check, they mentioned the air filter should be changed soon. Since I knew I would be hitting some mountains over the next few weeks, I decided to have it changed. They did install my transmission temperature gauge (it ran under 200 all the way from Camp Verde to Williams) and I had them torque my tires again (since they had been pulled back in Tucson when I had my brakes done). Better safe than sorry... Anyway, no leaks currently...keeping my fingers crossed that we've licked this battle.

Now to the third T - transportation. (Well, it really is about bicycles but using four T words was more fun.) I got on the scales this morning and my weight is now 1.2# over my allowable maximum. I had already started cutting back on snacking, McD food and coffee with cream & sugar (which I do normally at McD). But I know I need to exercise...plus my arthritis is getting worse. I get really stiff after an hour in the car or sitting. I wake up with my neck & shoulders hurting. I go to be with my back & knees hurting, too.

Osteoarthritis is a catch-22. You need to exercise to keep the joints flexible and lubricated but it hurts to exercise. I am trying to walk every day but I know I will do much better with a bicycle. After reading that my friends Nick & Terry ponied up (see June 2nd blog) and got Trek Navigator bicycles, I knew it was time for me to get one as well. In an earlier blog I wrote about bikes and got a TON of wonderful input. The two bikes that stood out were the Trek Navigator and the Electra Townie.

I found two bike shops in Flagstaff and one of them was a Trek dealer (neither sold Electras). I drove over there this morning and ordered a Trek Navigator 3.0. Initially I ordered the 2.0 ($90 cheaper) but when they called the factory, they found none in stock. Since it's the change of the model year for them, there was no way I could wait. I then looked at the Trek Pure but after some thought and discussion with the guys in the shop, realized it wouldn't be as good for me in the off-road riding. So I rationalized that the money I got for selling motorcycle gear would pay for the bike, so I went for it. This is what it will look like...it's Willow Green.



Now for the final T - Tummy. Today was a good day...breakfast was vanilla yogurt with strawberries and a hard boiled egg. Lunch was a double fiber, whole wheat bread sandwich with sliced chicken breast. Dinner I cooked 1/2 box of Zatarain's Red Beans & Rice. When it was about half done I tossed in some of the shredded chicken. Delicious and filling at about 330 calories. Okay, I promise to NOT write what I eat every day....honest! LOL!!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Turned off and down flat....

Bet that title's got you thinking.....LOL! Started shortly after midnight Thursday (or should I say Friday). Getting ready for bed, I walked into the bathroom and the first thing I noticed was that my motion sensor nightlight didn't come on. I turned on the overhead and checked it out, thinking the bulb must have burned out. The bulb looked fine but I figured I change it out in the morning. Did my routine and headed to bed.

Hmmmm, my alarm clock wasn't lit. Okay, so maybe the bulb was okay and my power was off. Walked out to the living room and sure enough, the light was off on the TV. As I turned back to the bedroom to check the circuit breakers, I noticed the microwave light was still on. Stranger yet...

All the circuit breakers were fine but I flipped each one off and back on...no change. Okay, it's after midnight and it's COLD outside so figured it would wait till morning to try to figure out what was going on.

Morning came and as I did my morning bathroom routine (trying to do go into TMI here...LOL!) Still no power except the microwave...which made me think to see if the outlet over the sink had power. Plugged my cell phone into the charger and sure enough...it worked. Okay, so why would the microwave and the outlet over the sink work but all other outlets not? Back to the bathroom on a whim...pulled the nightlight and looked at the GFI. Sure enough...it was popped. Reset it and VOILA! Everything back to normal...

No idea why it popped (since all I had done was turn off my reading light and the TV before going into the bathroom), but at least now I know what to do if it happens again. So now on to the rest of my Friday morning....

One thing I had forgotten to mention about picking up my RV. I had asked the folks to check the air in all my tires as well as my air bag, just so I would be set to head north. They did and all should have been fine. As I worked to reset out all my dash/console items, once I had them in place I plugged them in. This included my Pressure Pro system. (I always plug it in at least 10 minutes before departing, giving the monitor time to pick up the readings.)

Next thing I know, one tire is alarming....it says it only has 55# (should have been 80). I go out with my tire gauge and sure enough, the tire is low. I go inside to see if they have a portable compressor and the owner assures me they did air up the tire and asks if I have a slow leak. They don't have a portable compressor and since I was in the middle of getting ready to leave, I opted to just air it up with my portable one even though I knew it would take a little time.

The trip up to Williams was fine except BOTH my inner duals alarmed at 92-94# (still need to find out why they are doing that - not sure what could be causing the pressure increase and have talked to the McFalls about it before). I stopped in a rest area for a break and they both settled back down to 82-84# and I finished the trip uneventfully. The outer dual that had been low stayed up just fine.

Fast forward to Friday morning....feeling cocky because I fixed my power issue without having to call in outside help, I step outside. Hmmmm, the coach seems to be leaning a bit more than it was when I checked in. Figured my air bag was the cause since it still has its own slow leak. Check it out and find it's not low by much but put some more air in. Still leaning....I glance down at the tire. Remember that outer dual that was low....well now it's all but flat. Sigh....

I call up to the campground office to see if they know of someone local that might be able to fix it (assuming I picked up a nail or something) or put on my spare if not. Turns out less then 1/4 mile away there was a shop. I called them and they told me to carefully drive it over. Sigh...have to reverse all the stuff I just did the night before to get settled. Figures....

So I drive over and they pull the tire. No sign of a nail or damage so into the tank it goes. Hmmm, no immediate apparent leak so they suspect it must be a small one. As they continue to search I wander into the attached convenience store and get a soda. When I come back out they have found the leak. It was at the back end of the valve extender....and only apparent when in the mounted position with pressure on the tire.

They call the local NAPA store and they don't carry the large extender that I need. But fortunately the shop mechanic found one on an old tire and it appears to be in excellent condition. They put it on and test it....no leaks and it's long enough (barely). They remount the tire and I ask how much. He hems & haws and says, "How about $15?". I reply, "How about $20 and you don't have to make change." He says, "If that's what it's worth to you....". Heck yeah it was!

I start to back up and something feels funny. Next thing I know it feels like I'm driving on a completely flat front tire. I pull back in. They know immediately what it is. There is something like a dowel that keeps the duals running together. Sometimes it isn't so easy to get it in place and aligned....thus my "Mister Toad's Crazy Ride" feeling. They quickly jacked it up again, took the tire off, realigned it and remounted the tire. We laughed as I told them they had just earned the extra $5.

Backed out...no problems....back to the campground and settled back in...again. See what fun this is? LOL!

The campground filled up to over 50% on Friday. Lots of trailers, a few fivers and one new motorhome. Definitely a lot of weekend campers....several of whom seemed to know each other and gathered in groups.

The motorhome pulled out this morning, sometime after dark a trailer pulled into the empty spot beside me, and the park has continued to fill up today. Definitely a different feeling than the campgrounds I was in last fall and early winter. Different place...different time.

Today has been a veg day, reading a good book and relaxing. It's 80, sunny and breezy. On Monday I plan to go out to visit the couple of boondocking spots that have been passed along to me...figure the weekenders will be gone then and I can better plan for a place to head to on Thursday. Just going to enjoy the weekend....

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Where did she go?

Sorry for being so MIA....life goes on. I've forgotten most of what happened since I last posted other than Memorial Day weekend. What beautiful weather we had in Camp Verde. I did get a new neighbor, a young family in a large pop-up with 3 or 4 kids (Think they arrived with 3 but left with 4?)

The wife came over then next morning as I was taking out my chairs & tables and apologized for the kids. She said they didn't realize what a quiet park it was....that they had the only kids. I told her it was fine, the kids were really well behaved...and they were. They played Frisbee, they rode their bikes, the whole family went riding, then they loaded up the two cars with all the bikes and fishing gear for a day trip. (I think that is when the extra child arrived...probably a friend for the son to keep him company.) It was really nice to see the parents out their playing with the kids, enjoying their time with them.

The day they were gone, I had a surprise visitor. I was sitting in the sun enjoying it and a book when something caught the corner of my eye. As I turned, I heard a buzzing sound...it was a scooter! It was my friend Ron, who was bus camping in a friend's yard in the Camp Verde area. I hadn't seen him since the Gypsy Journal Rally in Casa Grande last February. We sat and talked for several hours before he headed out to check on a boondocking spot on the way to Cottonwood.

Anyway, the weekend was beautiful and I enjoyed doing a little sightseeing and a lot of relaxing & reading. Come Tuesday I leave Rancho Verde RV Park (would definitely visit again - WONDERFUL park, the hosts are magnificent) and head up the road the couple of miles to HEFR (Hansen Enterprises Fleet Repair) where I will leave the motorhome for hopefully 2 days (one overnight).

Around 3 pm, after doing more sightseeing (left the camera in the RV, dang it!) and a little reading with a cup of coffee at McD's, I headed over to the Super8 where I had made a reservation. Got myself checked in and enjoyed a few movies on HBO, a change from reading. LOL! Around 4 pm I called to see if they thought they would be done sometime on Wednesday. It turned out that it was going to be iffy....there was a chance they might have it ready by 4:30 but couldn't guarantee it. Rather than pick it up late IF it was done, then find a place to park for the night since I wouldn't leave that late in the day, I opted to stay in the hotel a second night and pick it up this morning (Thursday).

So today I got up early, enjoyed a second LONG, HOT SHOWER, grabbed a quick McD breakfast and then headed over to pick up the Lily Pad. Got over my heart attack at the bill total, they did a lot and the quality of the work was obvious, and sat in the parking lot getting things squared away inside. Hooked up the car and hit the road about 11:30, headed back to Williams.

Ron had wanted me to come towards Cottonwood and try out the boondocking there but with the temps moving rapidly into the 90's again tomorrow, I opted to head to the mountains again. I'm back at the Canyon Motel & RV Park (where we had the motorcycle gathering) and have ordered my mail shipped here, a good reason to stay in one spot for a couple of days.

I will take the care and check out some of the boondocking spots I've seen mentioned and if I find one I like, I'll spend a second week here but boondocking.

Oh, remember my bicycle shopping ramblings? Well my friends Nick & Terry Russell have been doing the physical shopping and were having the same problems. In today's blog, Nick posted that they have found their bikes and ordered them. I know I'll keep looking out for one that will work for me as well.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Just hopping on through....

This has been a lazy week for me, a much needed lazy week. I've done a little sightseeing, a little visiting with the locals, a lot of reading and even more not much of anything. LOL! Thus no blogging till today....when it is pouring off and on.

Okay, I arrived on Monday and checked into the great little campground, Rancho Verde RV Park, here in Camp Verde. I would come back here anytime...the owners are wonderful, they work very hard to keep the grounds in tip-top condition. Always checking to see if anything is needed...I've seen them hand delivering mail rather than having folks come to the office. Nice!

Tuesday I pulled out and headed over to HEFR (Hansen Enterprises Fleet Repair - and yes, they DO pronounce it 'heifer' and have cow stuff scattered around the office). I met with the owner, John, we got the information from the motorhome and headed back inside. In a very short time John introduced me to Dave, the service tech who would be caring for my rig. He sat patiently listening to my tale of woe, asking questions and then went to bring in my rig.

While he was inspecting & evaluating, I talked with John about getting some new mirrors for the RV. Mine are manual, which is okay, except they keep vibrating to new and not so usable positions. That means stopping, adjusting and continuing. I'll never forgot coming into Tucson for the first time...my passenger side mirror was completely unusable. As I got off the exit I watched the light and kept saying, "Turn red, turn red, turn red.....". It did...I threw it into park, jumped out, ran around the front of the RV, adjusted the mirror, ran back, smiled and shrugged at the folks in the car beside me, jumped back in, shifted back into gear...all before the light changed. Phew! NOT something I like to do very often...

So, back to the mirrors. Several folks had recommended Velvac mirrors but I had never quite figured out what I needed when on their website. I told John what style I was looking for (built-in convex mirror on the bottom) and he set to work finding out what to get and where they might be available. Long story short....can't replace just the mirrors anymore. They've 'upgraded' their design and I would have to replace the arms as well. So my $500 mirrors would now be almost $1000. Guess I'll keep on jumping out and adjusting as needed.

The weather Wednesday was the best of the week. Monday & Tuesday saw temps in the low 100's. Yesterday and today it has rained off and on....just when you think the sun is out for good, it suddenly starts to rain again. I thought it would be a good day to do my laundry....seems like everyone else thought so, too. So I'll wait...LOL!

Today the park handyman came by to work on my storage bay...I heard him outside but I wasn't dressed yet (loving these sleep in till 8 mornings). After dressing I went outside and saw that it was open...and the lock didn't look new. Hmmmm.... Later I was on the phone and he knocked at the door and asked for my keys. He had managed to pop it and keep the lock! WHOO-HOO!!! I'll never jam the table in there again....LOL! Live and learn....

Okay....heading back to veg and read for a bit....enjoy the holiday weekend but remember the reason we have one. My heart goes out to those who have given their lives so we can remain free.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

PS. The frog photo was taken at my house in TN...couldn't resist it!

This 'n that and other stuff....

First, for those who read my blog at My Prime Years, my apologies for not getting your comments posted more quickly. Guess there was a Gmail disconnect because I didn't get notices and only by accident found about 10 backlogged comments. I actually publish my blog in two spots, My Prime Years and Froggilady. I do this as a backup...the blogs at Froggilady are actually stored at Blogger.com while the ones at My Prime Years are done with WordPress are on my own server. So there are always two sets of comments to deal with...I will try to remember to manually check the WordPress comments.

I did get moved to Camp Verde today...nice little campground. I had opted for the cheaper water & electric site since I knew I would dump before I left but when I went there it turns out that the trees would completely block my satellite....so I moved up to the main area and a full hookup spot. I still have trees to help shade but they are in the other direction.

It's hot...over 100 forecast for today and tomorrow. I ran the generator on the way down, both to keep the RV cool as well as give the generator it's monthly run. The trip was a little over 90 minutes and I made no stops. Getting moved out this morning wasn't too bad except for the heat. I dumped, unhooked, checked tires & airbags, put air in my left air bag, ran the engine for 10 minutes to check the tranny fluid, added the quart I had bought, checked again and it registered, set up the newest replacement Brake Buddy and headed out.

I checked under the RV when I stopped....a little dribbling but not major spot. Guess the shorter trip helped. Tomorrow I have an appointment at HEFR in Camp Verde and we'll see what they say. Whatever it is will be labor intensive, I already know that. LOL!

Have to say how much I love the ease of hooking/unhooking the car. The only hassle has been replacing the Brake Buddy twice. Both units had one of the silver clips break off the 12-volt adapter. Seems they had a problem with a batch of units....I managed to get two of them. Have to say that my contact at the parent company, Hopkins Mfg, has gone above and beyond to help. No hassle service and QUICK. Now if this one will just continue to behave.....

You knew it was coming, didn't you...today's defugalty. LOL! I have one very large storage back at the back of the motorhome. It goes in under the bed but that end is shallow, the outside end is deep. I use it to store all my chairs, tables, solar lights, Power Surge connector/adapters, laundry items and much, much more. This morning I was stashing everything in there, the last item was a little plastic folding table. You know the kind, they fold in half and are handy beside your chairs.

Well, I arrive and go to open the bin to get my Power Surge connector. It won't unlock...I keep trying. No go. I try another compartment, no problem. Hmmmm, what is up with this? The campground owner comes over and he tries it. Still no go. He offers to have the local handyman stop over. An hour or so later, he comes by. Same thing...he surmises that the table dropped down over the lock and is jamming it. Sigh...hoping that moving it tomorrow might dislodge it but I doubt it. Wednesday or Thursday the handyman will come back and drill it out, replacing it with another. Just what I need....another key to keep track of! Jeesh....

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Status Update & Contest Reminder

REMINDER! The contest entries must be emailed to me by midnight tonight, Pacific timezone.

Now, just a quick note for those that didn't see my comment on the previous blog or my Shout-Out. I am now at North Ranch SK Park in Congress, AZ.

After many emails back & forth with a SUPER helpful & knowledgeable SKP friend (SOCalToolGuy - Ray), it was determined that I should be able to carefully drive the 15 miles from Wickenburg to the RV park. The leak appeared to have stopped.

I contacted an SKP couple, Mike & Pat McFall, who are in the park and they came over to the gas station after church. Pat drove my car and Mike followed the RV. No leaks, no shifting issues, no slipping....all looked good.

I went to the Sunday night ice cream social (always a great place to meet folks at SKP parks). By the time I went to bed Sunday I had at least FOUR recommendations that B&B Automotive in Congress was a reputable place to take the rig to get evaluated.

I spoke with them this morning and they agree with Ray, the transmission probably overheated and spilled over due to the added load of the car versus the lighter trailer/motorcycle. With the warmer weather they have already seen several cases of this. I have an appointment at noon for them to look it over and I will have them drain & refill the fluid regardless.

When I leave I have a mountainous route to take in order to get to Williams. I will leave early and stop every hour to let things cool down. Fortunately it's only 115 miles to the campground. Not sure there is much else I can do...I don't want to tear up this transmission and until I add a temperature gauge for it, I have no way of knowing if it's overheating.

So, I will post any updates tonight...and once again, a HUGE thank you to Ray, Mike & Pat for going above & beyond and another one to everyone who has emailed, commented & shouted with thoughts, ideas, questions & encouragement. I'm way behind in emails but will get back to those I can (remember, if your profile isn't linked to an email then I can't reply to you). You guys ROCK!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Why does it happen on the weekend?

Things were going so well....I had vacillated between Payson, Campe Verde, Wickenburg and Congress - two campgrounds and two boondocking. Since the boondocking outside Wickenburg was at a higher altitude, that was where I finally decided to head.

I took US 60 - gorgeous route but glad my Brake Buddy was working. No photos...I was too busy driving. Around 1:30 about 20 miles north of Sun City, I pulled over for some lunch. Did a walk around, all looked good. Headed on to Wickenburg, about another 20 miles. I needed to get gas before heading to the boonies so I pulled into a Shell station on the south side of town.

As I walked to the back of the rig to be sure the hose would reach, I noticed a trail of reddish fluid under the RV. I followed it back to the front...first thought was transmission fluid because of the color, second thought was oil because I had an oil change done in Tucson and thought maybe the filter was loose (that's about as mechanical as I get). I checked the oil...the engine was warm enough I had to put on a glove. It was a quart low...I often have to add a quart now and then between oil changes.

As I finished pumping the gas and walked back to the front, the gentleman in the truck on the other side was peering underneath. There was now a large puddle under the engine and he thought it was transmission fluid. So I proceeded to check that...nothing showed. His son came out and he looked as well....said he thought it was probably either the front seal or the pump. Both would require the transmission to be pulled. Sigh....

I went in and told the manager that I needed to park on the side until the tow truck came. She said that was fine. Another gentleman came along and helped me put in two quarts of transmission fluid so I could pull it around the building and park it out of the way without seizing something.

I had called Coach-Net and after getting all the pertinent information she asked I wanted to hold for the technician or have them call back. Since my cell phone battery was getting low, I chose having them call back. Within 10 minutes he called and we went through all the particulars. Since it was Saturday afternoon he wasn't sure if he would be able to get someone to tow me to a place where I could stay in the RV. I told him I had no problem dry camping here until Monday morning.

He had to find the closest service spot and call me back. In less than 5 minutes he did just that...the closest service spot would be the Ford dealer in Glendale and they wouldn't allow me to stay in the motorhome over the weekend. So he will contact them Monday and call me to let me know who will come and when they will arrive.

In the meantime, I'm safe and comfortable...boy am I ever glad I have solar! My )2 Cool 12 volt fan is working wonderfully in combination with my fantastic fan, the car is unhooked and ready for any excursions, I have plenty of water, my tanks are all but empty, I have EVDO Internet & cell access...life is good.

Tomorrow is supposed to be over 90, that's the only downside (well, other than a BIG hit to my pocketbook). But I do have a full gas tank so I can run the generator for a couple of the worst hours. There is a nice park in town just behind the Bashas' Grocery store. I'll hit McDonald's for a breakfast splurge, take my coffee and a book and enjoy the park for a few hours. Other than that, I'll just try to not spend too much money...but I will see what Bashas' has to offer.

Monday will bring a new adventure...getting the Lily Pad towed. I have posted in the Escapee forum for anything I need to be aware of....any tips or gotchas to watch out for. At least it didn't happen while I was boondocking in the middle of no where with no cell phone access! LOL!!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Move 'em on, head 'em out Rawhide!

Quick update....been delayed once more the last two days. I ended up with a propane leak that had to be fixed. The Extend-a-Stay valve vibrated too much and loosened up - leak detector kicked in and turned off all my appliances but until I turned off the main valve, it continued to leak propane. Now that is an exciting moment when you open your door to the very STRONG smell of propane...NOT!

The other delay was getting up the next morning and discovering that less than 2 hours of sun have heated up the door lock enough that it once again is jammed. Several more trips from the mobile mechanic....he created the perfect support for the Extend-a-Stay valve so no more leaks (one can only hope) and he ended up completely replacing the door lock.

Since the weather forecast to the south appears to be for warmer temps than I like, I'm going to bypass the 2-3 days of boondocking and am heading to a Passport America park, Tombstone Territories RV Park. I plan to stay three nights, meet up with some friends, see Tombstone & Bisbee, then head northeast where I plan to boondock several nights in the Coronado National Forest. I should be blogging before heading that way...no telling if I will have Internet access then or not.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

PS. Thank you to Rawhide - the song and the series!

Let's see...where were we....

Let's see...where were we....oh yeah, I was leaving Tra-Tel and heading to Camping World to get my slow leaking air bag looked at. Been a few interesting moments since then....LOL!

Pulled out yesterday morning to head to Camping World....since the Brake Buddy 12 volt plug was broken and thus not set up, I watched my speed and braked carefully. Pulled out and got onto the frontage road and a huge OH NO crossed my mind. When I unhooked the Brake Buddy, I automatically turned the key off. Praying that I wasn't damaging the car, I slowed down more and more till I could find a turn off (one where I could get in and back out easily). Found a spot, jumped out, started the car, then turned it off to ACC as it was supposed to be. Some of this stuff is just counter intuitive for me....got to get my check list finalized with all this new stuff and print it out. Phew!

Arrived fifteen minutes early, found the locking pins I needed for the car side of the tow bar as well as a couple of spare linch pins (round snap pins that someone could maliciously remove while parked...figured I should have some spare ones). I may still need some padlocks, just been too busy to look into it further...added to the TO DO list. LOL!

So, the tech watches me unhook the car from the RV and put up the tow bar and cover it. Success! Unhitching seems easier than hitching....maybe because I'm so paranoid that I'll forget something. They headed off in the motorhome and I headed into the campground behind the repair facility, Beaudry RV Resort, to book one night there. Not knowing how long they would need for work, I wanted a place set for the night and possibly longer if needed. It's a VERY nice park but a bit pricey for my normal stays. (They have free Wi-Fi so I used that to download the 120MB Open Office, rather than eat up my Verizon bandwidth....heh, heh....)

After finding my alloted site, I headed back to the customer lounge to wait for word on my rig. Decided to give my youngest daughter a call, the time zone difference and her busy schedule with three little ones have made it hard to chat much. Managed to catch her....and got her bad news. On Sunday she and her hubby were doing some much needed yard work. She managed to mangle two fingers with the electric hedge trimmer. Over two hours were spent to put in 10 stitches due to the uneven cut pattern. She was really hurting and since hubby was heading out of town on business today, she couldn't take her Percocet. OUCH!! Anyway, we chatted for a bit and got caught up to date.

Just before lunch the tech came to find me....the couldn't find a leak on the air bag. They had filled it and sprayed it. There were some bubbles around the top where an L fitting screws in but other than the initial bubbles, there was no movement. Nothing showed anywhere else....plus, it was holding the air they put in. We decided to wait till after lunch to see if it lost any air. During this time I got on the computer in the customer lounge and contacted a local Brake Buddy dealer as well as the manufacturer. The local dealer wouldn't do anything since I didn't BUY it from him...but he would install the direct to battery connection. He told me to send the Brake Buddy back to the folks in TX where I bought it. Yeah, right....

So I sent in a request to Brake Buddy to find out how to get it serviced....after all, I had just bought it and only used it once. I explained all that had happened and the local dealer's response to me (without mentioning who it was). Lunch over, the tech found me again and said it was still holding air so he wasn't going to charge me anything (thank you!!!!) since they really didn't do anything. (NOTE: wondering now if it's because it was up in the air on a lift without the weight on the motorhome on the suspension - time will tell.) I drove the car up to my site, walked back and got the motorhome and headed to the site. Backed in, hooked up the power and not much else done when my cell phone rang.

It was Casey from Brake Buddy....after going through the whole scenario of what had happened, he opted to OVERNIGHT me a new unit (shipping out Tuesday) with a return label for the old one. Now that is service! Since I knew Tra-Tel accepted mail/packages, I gave him their address and called to let them know I would be back Wednesday for one night.

Had a nice peaceful evening....MUCH less dust here...very little, in fact....no trains going through all night long either. Of course I did hear a plane or two since I'm much closer to the airport here. Set the alarm to get up early to take the car to the aforementioned Brake Buddy dealer to see if I needed the battery direct connect done. They were really nice (maybe they felt guilty about their attitude yesterday...LOL!), tested my outlet and said it was just fine. So all my problems appear to be related to the actual Brake Buddy unit....Phew!

So, I head to breakfast and the proceed to Wally World for a few needed grocery items. Also found the perfect folding aluminum side table and a set of inexpensive hiking poles (yes, I AM going to do more walking and hope the poles will help me do more without aggravating my arthritis too much). Good prices, found all the food on my list, didn't get lost, didn't have to pay for the battery connect.....nice start to the day. I should have known....

Got back to the RV and the deadbolt lock won't unlock. I bang, I pull, I push, I berate it...nothing budges it. Wouldn't have been so bad except that I have yet to organize my keys since getting the car and selling the bike/trailer. I have the RV ignition key ring which also has the padlock & hitch/coupler lock keys on it. I have the key ring that I normally took everywhere with me...it has the deadbolt, the other door lock, the storage bin key, my Fire-Safe key and a couple of keys that I'm no longer sure what they are...oh and a recently added car key. They there is the car key ring that has only the car key and the deadbolt key. Toss in a key ring with only the car key on it, that's the one that will be in the ignition when towing. Then there is the SPARE key ring...it has all the duplicates. That used to travel in my purse since I really only had the motorhome.

Soooooo, yes, I need to go through these and have a set of everything on two rings, one for the car and one for the motorhome. But right now it didn't matter....the key(s) to the motorhome truck door were all INSIDE the locked motorhome. Okay, I have road service....I just switched from RV Roadhelp to Coach-Net and although I haven't gotten my cards yet, I had written down all the pertinent information (never knowing how important that would be).

I walk over to the campground office and get their street address, knowing that would be needed. I settle down in a corner of their patio and call Coach-Net and get a nice lady named Joyce. I explain my situation and the first thing she asks me is if I am safe. Finding out that I am, she gets all the pertinent information and tells me that I should see someone in 45-60 minutes. If I haven't heard from someone in a hour, then I should call back so they can check on it. We hang up and I go back to reading. About 10 minutes later my phone rings, it's Joyce again. She wants to clarify that if they open the drivers door so I can get it, will that be sufficient. I hadn't even really thought about it that way (thank you Joyce), but yes, it would be. I had anticipated paying labor & materials to get the lock out and fix out.

About 30 minutes after we hang up for the second time I get a call from the lock service, they are coming in the gate of the campground and wanted to find me. I go outside and they follow me to the RV (maybe 1/2 block away). He quickly unlocks the passenger door (for some reason it's easier on that side) and used the power lock to unlock the driver side (the passenger seat is full...). Then he took down all the information he needed - VIN, tag, driver license - I signed his ticket and we were good to go. Coach-Net just paid for itself!

So now I'm waiting for the mobile tech that adjusted my door to arrive late this afternoon to see what we can do. Yes, I can get in and out the driver door but that is just not convenient. It also means I lose the breeze coming in the side door. Sigh...never a dull moment!

Since I will now be here through Thursday, I am revisiting my travel plans. I have to be in Williams, AZ on May 7th. I've decided it makes no sense to RUSH up to northern AZ/southern UT when I would have to limit my time sightseeing. Instead, I will go a little further south and visit Sierra Vista, Bisbee and Tombstone before heading northerly to end up in Williams on time. I'll be doing a lot of boondocking and don't know when I will/won't have Internet so don't be surprised if I'm not blogging.

I will spend a couple of weeks in northern AZ/southern UT after May 18th...I'll already be in Williams and it makes more sense to do it that way. I will miss meeting up with friends who are camphosting at Arches but know we'll meet up eventually. I will also miss meeting up with other friends who are boondocking in various places in southern AZ, but again, I know we'll meet up eventually. These plans make sense for me....for now....isn't full-timing flexibility a WONDERFUL thing? ;-)

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Almost ready...

Yup, almost ready to leave the Tra-Tel RV Park. I've been here a month+ and although it has its positive sides, I am SO ready to move. Big move tomorrow.....NOT! Sigh....just headed down the road to Camping World where they will take a look at my air bag and see what needs to be done to fix it. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be a quick fix AND under warranty.

Today I caught up on laundry, washed all my throw rugs, mopped floors, dusted, put stuff away to get ready for travel AND (drum roll, please) hooked up the car to the motorhome, set up the Brake Buddy and went for a test drive. I learned two things....the motorhome definitely knows it's pulling something twice the weight of the trailer and motorcycle and that it is going to take some getting used to stopping this thing. The Brake Buddy needs tweaking....talking with some folks that have the same setup and that should help me fine tune it.

All in all, the test drive went well....and I did all the hookup stuff myself. Got a lot of things to add to my checklists now. LOL! Side benefit, got my generator monthly hour long run taken care of...good for another month.

Of course with the good there always seems to be a little bad.... First was when I pulled the 12 volt plug for the Brake Buddy out of the socket. One of the little spring clips that put tension on it popped out. Sigh....my mobile mechanic is going to fix it in the morning....I will contact Brake Buddy for a longer term fix. Second, my HWH levelers have gotten flakier...or maybe it's the operator. I managed to get them all down but by the time I visually confirmed they were down, they retracted. After 5 or 6 times in and out, I said screw it...it's only one night. I'll worry about that later...probably user error...oh well.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Thank you to Roadmaster...

Today was the day the car went to Camping World here in Tucson to get the newly ordered base plate installed. You'll remember that I was all excited about the fact that my new-to-me car already had a base plate....that is until I tried to order just the quick disconnect extensions for it. First I could get them, then I couldn't, then I could, then I couldn't....round and round I went with two service shops as well as Roadmaster. Finally I ended up just ordering the full base plate kit.

Five days and it would be in, the service appointment was set. I had gone from $140 for the part needed (plus shipping and some minor attachment pieces) to almost $700 for the parts and installation for the full base plate kit. Fortunately the installation was a flat rate, wouldn't matter if it took them 3 hours to get the old one off and 5 hours to put the new one on or two hours for the whole thing. One price...much more than I wanted to spend but it's not like I had a choice.

I arrive on time, have the parts from my new tow bar that I want them to install on the front and everything seems to be going along swimmingly....then the service guy calls me. Oh, oh....now what. After finding out where I was (in the customer lounge), he comes over to see me. I must have looked down because the first thing he said was that he had good news. Phew!

It seems that the base plate they told me they no longer made (the one on my car) was exactly the same as the new one. It also seemed that the quick disconnect extensions fit perfectly. Hmmmm.... So we all truck back to the Camping World service desk where the guys explain the situation to the service writer. He tells me that they can't separate the parts and will have to return the entire kit and order just the extensions (what I was trying to do from day one).

He then proceeds to call Roadmaster only to be told that the extensions are on a DO NOT SELL list. I groan....are we back to step one? He explains the situation, that they extensions in the full kit DO fit my existing base plate and that "the customer is standing in front of me". They have to escalate the issue and tell him they'll call back. I'm telling him that Roadmaster had better not make me regret not buying Blue Ox.....LOL!

The call comes in....I pay for the shipping, the extensions and a 15% restocking fee. That's fine with me....with the much lower labor costs I ended up saving almost $300!!!! WHOO-HOO! Happy camper am I.....LOL! Thank you to Roadmaster for coming through.

On a side note, I had been planning to blog about some of my thoughts on living "green" and some of the things I was doing to have less impact (or a more positive impact) on the environment. Since some folks hate stuff like this, others could care less and it applies to more than just RVers, I decided to start a second blog. I won't blog as much as I do here but if the topic interests you I hope you will visit once in a while. The blog is Newly Green.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

It was just a drop....

I woke to cool temps and an overcast morning. I figured it was a good time to test out my new California Duster, gotta love a black car in Arizona...especially with a construction site just behind my site. As I was starting out the mobile RV tech arrived and proceeded to get out his gear. Suddenly I noticed a couple of raindrops on the hood of my car. Hmmmm, I didn't think rain was in the forecast. Then it stopped...

He went to work on the first task, adding an Extend-a-Stay valve to my propane connections. This will allow me to use an external tank for emergencies and will also let me run an external propane device directly from the main tank. It was pretty brisk, so after moving my chairs & side table out of his way, I went back inside.

Hmmm, is that raindrops? I go out and sure enough...it's raining enough to see the spots. Lasted a couple of minutes and then, of course, the sun broke through.



Next he tackled my rear brakes...yup, going to need them done. I had heard squealing from the rear right and figured that was coming. But as soon as he had it off and we discussed his coming back the next day...due to iffy weather and needing to get parts, the sky decided to let loose. The wind picked up and it started to rain hard enough that I had to close the door and put up the small window awning.



So, it may never "...rain in southern California" but it sure can here in southern Arizona!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Just when you think everything is set....

Just when you think everything is set....something jumps up that messes it up again. LOL! Everything seemed to be falling into place...then reality just HAS to stick his BIG NOSE into things.



I got the title for my car and did all the necessary paperwork to get it titled and tagged in SD. Printed my stamp (I have a Dymo labeler that allows me to print stamps on the go...I love it) and got it in the mail. Chock one thing off my to do list...

First phone call of the morning was with the mobile repair service I had talked to the day before. I have a bunch of little things that need doing, hopefully none will become major, but regardless they can take care of them. So we set up for them to arrive Wednesday morning. Chock a list off my to do list...

Then I talked with a local RV parts & repair place seeing if they could order the bracket disconnects that I need for my Roadmaster base plate. Sure, no problem...they'll check with Roadmaster on the delivery timeframe and get back to me. Chock one more thing off my to do list...

This means I can place my order with PPL Motorhomes for my tow bar (on sale for $120 less than Camping World and shipping is only $20) and the new Brake Buddy Vantage with a free storage case (on sale AND free shipping). I'm assured they are both in stock and will ship quickly and be here by next week. Chock the last BIG thing off my to do list...

So I head out to get estimates on packing & shipping the custom motorcycle seat from my BMW (yup, got a buyer!!), grab an ice cream and coffee at McD's while I read a bit (strange but intriguing book by James Herbert...ONCE), then figure I owe myself at least ONE mall trip before leaving the area so I head across the street to the Tucson Mall. I browse a couple of stores, grab a new purse and checkbook cover at Penney's and then on the way out I see a real bargain. They have a very nice looking folding recliner, regularly $150 on clearance for $60. Oh my...I really wanted a folding recliner (will store in the back of the car) but have been loathe to spend $100+ and the cheaper ones at Wal-Mart, Kmart, etc. just didn't appeal to me. So I snapped it up and headed home feeling like the day had been VERY productive.

You knew it was coming, didn't you....the GOTCHA. While I was taking the chair out of the box my cell phone rang. Since it was an area code 520 number, I knew it was local and figured I should grab it. Remember the place that was going to order my parts for my baseplate? Well, seems like when Roadmaster went to process the order they called him back to find out which of one TWO types of 1011-1 base plates I had installed. So I described it to him...figures, I have the one that is discontinued and they no longer make any parts for it. Sigh... That means I need to do exactly what Camping World had suggested...buy a brand new base plate and have it installed. So tomorrow I call them to order the new base plate and schedule an appointment to get it installed.

Will I make it out of there on the 19th? Anyone want to place a bet? LOL!

Oh, thank you to EVERYONE who commented or emailed with grill cleaning suggestions. You guys ROCK! Now to get out grocery shopping for some nice chicken, fish and turkey!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Tough life....

I just took a peek at my home portal page where I track the current weather where family & friends live. Granted, it's two to three hours later in all cases except Denver but take a peek...



With highs in the mid to upper 80's, I am running the A/C in the afternoon but by 6:00 I can shut it off and open up the windows. Right now I will be in the campground until April 5th and then either move to local BLM land, if the highs don't stay in the upper 80's, or move northerly. I just hope I can get everything done that needs to be done so I can move north...

Right now I have appointments for the car to get the oil changed, get two new tires and get detailed. I have been thinking about what to get for a vanity tag....maybe POLIWOG? LOL! I still have to make appointments for the RV at three different places - Ford dealer for oil change and recall, Quality Bumper to get the tow setup done (will require the RV and the car) and either a mobile mechanic or LaMesa to get a short laundry list of things fixed. Why is it that just when you think you are simplifying things your to do list triples?

On a side note, last night shortly after the sun was down the coyotes started running the wash down behind the RV park. It may not be to everyone but it was like music to me....hated it when a train had to pick that time to come through and drown them out.

Hoping spring is truly just around the corner for those not enjoying the southern climes....

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Two steps forward, one step back...

That's how I feel lately...but at least that still means forward movement! For some reason my listing in Craigslist keep getting flagged and deleted....I just added it back again tonight. Jeesh! Not sure what's up with that....hoping to get some leads tomorrow when I call some of the motorcycle dealers, if not then I will start looking for some place that will take it on consignment.

Tomorrow I will complete the paperwork on my new-to-me car and I am really excited about that. Yesterday I tackled my motorcycle gear and got the keeper stuff down to one large duffel bag (from three). Some of the other stuff will be sold and some just given to friends that can use it. The remaining bag will go into the back of the car along with two crates/totes full of files. That alone will get some weight out of the RV (impacting both the back axle and the left side).

I donated a tote and large shopping bag full of "stuff" to the community room here at Tra-Tel RV Park. The rest of the office supplies that I am keeping are being moved inside, my camping gear will move inside and to the front while my large but lightweight extra bedspread will move to the rear behind the bed. I keep making adjustments to the front to rear and side to side placement of the heavy stuff while trying to reduce what I'm keeping.

I have yet to tackle inside...I REALLY have to cut down on clothes and that is hard for me. It's spent money and things that will have to be replaced at some point. Being on a fixed income, I'd rather keep what I can but the weight issue nags at me.

I will lose some weight when I move from towing the trailer to pulling a car flat (4 wheels down). I didn't realize that there is no tongue weight when you tow flat. I don't know how much that will gain me but it all helps!

I have a ton of things to get done in the next two weeks (actually less than that)...I want to get the car detailed to help protect it on the road. I'm getting two front tires for it, I could run a bit on the current ones but they're at that point where they will wear quickly. I want to get up to Moab and do some riding around the area so I figure I will get them while outfits like Discount Tires are close by.

I also will need to get two more tire sensors for my Pressure Pro tire pressure system and get out the book to reprogram the monitor. We all know how bad I am with manuals....LOL! I might just email Mike & Pat McFall and find out where they are and see if we might cross paths soon.

When my mail finally arrived, I found another recall notice for my motorhome...something about a wiring harness that needs to be replaced. I also need an oil change so will try to get both of those done before leaving Tucson.

Sorry if this is a bit disjointed...guess my mind is a bit disjointed right now....LOL! After SLAVING yesterday, starting my sorting procedure, I stayed up till almost 1 am and worked on email replies. Woke up at 7 am and got up before I fell back to sleep. I needed to do a few things before my RVing friends JoAnn & Ellie came to pick me up for lunch.

They are staying out at Doc Justin's Diamond J RV Park and had invited me to a leftover pot luck lunch. I first met Ellie when I was parked in Luling, TX. She and Karon came out to meet me since they were both blog readers. I had never met her husband Jim and I wanted to see the new GORGEOUS Tiffin Phaeton diesel pusher they just moved into. I last saw JoAnn and her husband Doug at the Gypsy Journal Rally in Casa Grande last month. We both attended the RV Life on Wheels in Bowling Green, KY back in the spring of 2006 and we both ended up delaying our move into full-timing.

The ride out to the park was breathtaking...I couldn't take my eyes off things long enough to bother taking any pictures. When we arrived at the park, Ellie noticed that Sandra was back home. JoAnn went over to invite her for lunch. Sandra is another blogger that I have followed for some time but we had never been in the same place at the same time. We were joined by Ellie's sister and cousin we are down visiting from Colorado for a week.

Lunch was delicious and I ate WAY too much...no need for dinner tonight. LOL! Got back and vegged the rest of the afternoon and early evening. I thought back over our conversations...we're all RVers, some full-time, some part-time. We're all from different parts of the country. But we all agreed about one thing....we're having a blast and we're living life to the fullest!

Here are the links to Ellie's blog, JoAnn's blog and Sandra's blog. Such wonderful folks, all of them...I feel privileged to know them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do....oh, and sorry for no photos. I took a couple but they didn't turn out too well so won't embarrass anyone by posting them. LOL!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Readers Ask (and make comments, too)

After I posted my solar setup, I received a lot of feedback, questions and comments. Some I could reply to but feel they might interest others, some I couldn't so they are posted here as well.

"I know that rigs & tires are different but do your front tires actually require 80#? My duals require 80# but only 60# for the front. I believe that 80# is the maximum. I guess if your rig is heavier than mine in the front that it could require more than 60#."
Guess I have to plead ignorance here, I am doing what the dealer who installed them told me. My rig is heavy (E-450 chassis) so that may be the difference.

"...how on earth do you remember all that you have to check,etc. before moving on?"
Well, I could lie and tell you I have my checklists all in order and use them religiously. Actually, they are a work in progress. The biggest thing is taking my time...I don't ever leave in a rush. I do forget things from time to time but so far, thank goodness, it's either been minor or caught quickly. Truthfully, checklists used each and every time is the RIGHT way to go.

"You could leave your frig on auto IF the outlet it is plugged into is NOT included as one that the big inverter feeds. If the inverter is connected to the main power line such that it is auto-switching and feeds all the circuits then you don't want it on auto."
In my case, the refrigerator will be run on propane unless I am hooked up to shore power. I have to be really careful since when you take the two-way off AUTO, no light shows that it is on gas. What happens is that if the propane goes off, then a CHECK light comes on. So I carefully monitor what I am doing and whether the refrigerator is keeping cold or not.

"How did they pull the 10 gauge wire down from the roof?"
I wasn't there during this process but I know they fished it down to the refrigerator. I was told that is the standard method.

"As a metal fabricator, RV'er and engineer I do not like how they mounted the batteries. I would revisit that whole arena sometime soon. The AGM's require only maintenance to keep the posts clean which can be averted with proper terminal paint found at Freightliner truck dealers. I would make a hinged, drop down tray for the batteries somewhere under the chassis that allowed periodic access yet, secured the batteries hard."
I'm assuming that this writer thinks the board is the only thing holding up the batteries. In fact the board was placed across the metal support to provide a slightly wider base for the batteries. They are fully supported by very strong, sturdy, welded metal platform. Thanks for the tip though!

"SIX batteries in a Class C rig? And 12 volt not 6 volt? It puzzles me. Most everything I've read recommends 6 volt batteries for their better deep cycle capabilities and longevity versus 12 volt. And SIX of them? Isn't that an awful lot of weight for your rig? I know most Class A's only have 4 6 volt batteries (like mine). Why did you go with so much?"
Yes, they are 12-volt batteries. I had intended to go with 6-volt for the added capability but they didn't have them. Yes, there is a fair amount of weight and yes, I am probably slightly overweight (well, the rig....okay, me too....LOL!) and am working on that. I have upgraded my suspension and am hoping that I can reduce some of what I am carrying soon. I have moved some of my heavier basement items into my trailer to help balance things.

"I love all of the detail with photos on projects such as this one. It provides a lot of information (especially appreciated by us gals who travel solo) to help understand what each "thing" is, how it works, what is involved with installation, and costs."
Thanks, I will continue to this when I can but HOPEFULLY this is my last big purchase. LOL!!

:Being able to boondock offers so much more flexibility in the RV lifestyle. And being able to camp in the "boonies" sometimes is what RVing is all about, IMHO. Campgrounds are nice at times but getting out in the desert or forest away from others is a whole different experience - slower paced, relaxing and beautiful. I much prefer looking at nature than at someone else's slideout or awning!"
Oh so true...it was hard to come into this campground even for a couple of days. But it's a small one and quite nice. I do enjoy not having to watch how long or when I run my TV or radio. But the more I boondock, the less I will be coming to parks and the more I will enjoy that. LOL!

"I could not copy and paste the comment of a friend of mine who I send your solar "blog" to... First of all, are you sure they are 12V and not 6V?... the batteries... He is VERY oncerned about all the weight on one side, the handling, the safety of driving... as above comments they should have been distributed throughout the chassis with equal lenght, size, wiring. The tilting mechanism... you will never use it, just extra weight... and $'s... Glad that you did not go with the original plan of two inverters which also did not make any sense."
This is a long one and here is what I replied to the writer:

1) Yes, they are 12 volt AGMs, they didn't have 6 volt ones
2) The handling is just fine...I've driven it several hundred miles without any issues but I will be getting it weighed next week. Remember, I do have air bags that I can use to help compensate for side to side weight differences but so far, no problams.
3) I've talked to at least a dozen folks about his problem with distributing them throughout the chassis and everyone looked at me like I was nuts so not sure about that one...
4) The tilting mechanism was no extra money, they tossed that in for free. There is almost no extra weight, they are aluminum and I doubt there is a pound total. I got them in case I am ever stuck in one spot for a long period and then if I could find someone to put them on, then I could get more sun if needed. Better than getting the flat mounts and never being able to tilt them.
5) I do have two inverters....the big one runs everything except the frig & air conditioner. During the day that is overkill if all I want to do is run my laptop (& maybe printer). I have a 400 watt that I can plug into my 12 volt adapter and run just the laptop. It was $30 from Amazon.com
6) I've discovered that everyone has their own opinion on what is best and there will always be differences between folks....I am confident in what I got and the work that was done. I did go over my budget by the extra $1k but this system will what I need and that's the most important thing.

So that's it for the latest Readers Ask...

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Where did she disappear to?

Yup, the best laid plans of men (and women) are set in Jell-O and mine have changed. I got up this morning with full intentions of getting out early to get gas and head to the campground in Bouse where I had reservations.

Things were moving along swimmingly until I started checking my tire pressure. My left rear outside dually decided to start spewing air out the valve stem. All I had done was check the pressure and next thing I know the stupid thing is SPITTING air at me! I took a bit but I managed to get the dust cap back on but I could still hear it hissing, although slower.

I headed to the SOLO campfire area to see if there was anyone who might be able to help me. One of the guys came over with managed to get it unstuck and I got enough air in it to be comfortable driving. I knew it would have to be fixed but at least now I could go get gas.

As I was finishing up putting things into place to move, my phone rang. It was Doug, a new friend I had made the night before at the final social hour for the SOLO gathering. He had ridden over on his vintage BMW from the Boondocker BOF area where he had been staying...he was a SOLO and needed to pay his dues. We chatted for a bit and he invited me to dinner and then we sat around the Boondocker campfire for a bit.

Anyway, we had a great evening and he knew I had planned to head to the campground in Bouse this morning although he had encouraged me to move to their area for the next week. Well, we chatted a bit and he convinced me to change my plans . He also volunteered to go into town with me to get gas, propane, fresh water and dump - all necessary to spend another week out. I opted to drop the trailer in the Boondocker area where I would be staying, making the trip into town a little easier & less traumatic.

Getting gas was easy, getting into The Pit Stop for propane, Water & dumping was a little more complicated. We approached it from the same side of the road and quickly got our propane. I paid for everything, a little over $23, and had to pull BACK out on to the main road to wait in line for the water & dumping. Seems like someone had let too many into the wrong line and things were badly backed up. We watched several rigs try to jump in front of us from the other direction but the staff quickly re-routed them (thank you!). Once we got to the dump, it was fast & relatively painless and we headed back to the Boondockers area. What seemed like forever turned out to have taken barely over an hour.



One advantage of moving over here is that one of the guys, C.B., had what was needed to replace my valve stem needle. That worked! Using Doug's air compressor we quickly added more air and it seems to be holding well and no longer sticking. Phew!

The rest of the day was spent chatting about my solar needs, where to go, what to get, when to do it....a fun afternoon. Tonight we went to dinner in Parker with friends of Doug's - Doc & Val. We laughed continuously all the way to Parker, listening to a Jeff Foxworthy tape that I hadn't heard before. Dinner was at a Mexican restaurant they had frequented before and it was very good. Half of my order is now in my refrigerator...the portions were HUGE! I ordered something I couldn't pronounce - it had shredded beef, refried beans, rice, guacamole (that got left on the plate there) and warm soft tortillas on the side. Doug had another dish that I forget the name of and I had a taste of it...also very good.

We came back, did the campfire thing again, laughed a lot more and then headed back to our rigs for the night. All in all a great day with good folks....oh, I almost forgot. I will be here till early February now...learning how to be a better boondocker and hopefully getting some solar capability!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Marathon TX to Deming NM

First, thanks to everyone who voted in the poll...no more pop-up window, I'll go back to the old way of just having it open in a new tab (or window depending on your browser). The good news is that the playing around with tables helped me figure out how to work with some quirks so now I think the overall format is better.

So, yesterday morning I got up in time to take some sunrise photos before hitting the road. Great start to the day....


Got everything unhooked and put away (much quicker when only staying one night) and headed west once again...still on US90. More great scenery, several hawks, deer crossing the road, many dead skunks (what's up with that?), some tumbleweeds, very little traffic but more RVs than the day before. I even had a Harley-Davidson semi rush to pass me to just slow down and stop in town...just a few miles down the road. Gave me a giggle.


Before I knew it I was crossing the border into New Mexico. I stopped at the first rest area to pick up a map and other info and snapped a few photos. VERY nice area and up to 24 hour parking permitted. Further down the road was another official Border Patrol stop...but they were just waving everyone through.


It was only another 85 miles to the Dream Catcher SKP RV Park in Deming, NM. I had called them earlier in the day to be sure there was ample pull-through parking. I arrived around 4:30 only to realize it was only 3:30 thanks to the change to Mountain Time Zone. Definitely not a very visual area like the park in Marathon, but it's always good to visit the SKP parks and visit other Escapees. I managed to snap a few sunset photos before buttoning up for the night (I didn't even hook up to the water due to the forecast low temps.)


I got all the clocks reset including the timer for the bedroom lamp and then tackled the DirecTV issue. I managed to Google the answer as to how to change the time display on the guide BUT it seems as though the actual broadcast times are tied to my billing address...Central Time Zone. So now my prime time TV starts at 6 pm and ends at 9 pm. That should help get me on an more morning schedule whether I like it or not. LOL!

Today I got up early but the sunrise wasn't worth shooting. I stayed in my night clothes until around 11 am when I finally decided to go take a campground shower. Pure heaven...20 minutes to lather, rinse, repeat as needed...a HOT, STEAMY 20 minutes. Sometimes a girls just gotta....

I did a little more reorganizing of stuff, mailed out some patches that had been ordered by women riders and a get well card to a friend who was just in a motorcycle accident (she's going to be fine but slow recovery). I spent about two hours sitting outside in the sun reading....then went for a walk....then read again. 60's & sunny, perfect day. Here's some photos I took while walking, including some tumbleweed for anyone who's never seen it.



As I was sorting through stuff, I found the wireless doorbell I bought at Home Depot and decided to test it out. The inside chime part I used Velcro on the back to attach it. It used 2 C batteries and no telling how long they will last so I wanted to be able to easily take it down. I searched for the right place to put it and found it - just over the valance beside the door. The best part is since the batteries make it heavy, setting it on the valance took the weight off the Velcro. The outside doorbell I put just underneath the entry assist handle (I'm sure it has another more real name but that's the best I can do....). Works great!


As the temperature was quickly dropping I started closing windows and as I went to close the front door I noticed two little Schnauzers walking past and barking. I hollered out, "Hey, I know those two dogs...". The lady walking them came back towards me and we laughed. It was Wanda, one of the Camp Hosts I met while at Branson. She and her husband Wallace are here now, he's cooking the Saturday breakfast in the morning. That's what I meant about feeling at home at SKP parks.

Next, since I was on an ambitious bent, I decided to cook dinner...honest! When I did my last shopping at Wal-Mart I had picked up a package of Tilapia filets, some boneless skinless chicken breasts and ground round pre-made burgers. I hadn't taken time to separate them for the freezer so did that. Well, the chicken was greasy and had a slight odor...out it went. Food poisoning is NOT something I want right now (or any time). I froze the rest, leaving out one fish and one burger. So tonight I had Italian green beans and a lean burger on whole wheat double fiber bread. YUM! Cleaned it up and went out to unhook the water for the night.

I currently plan to stay here through Monday. I've discovered that I need down time after several days of driving. I get tired, cranky and my arthritis bothers me, especially my hands (RVers death grip syndrome). It's quiet here, big changeover in rigs every day but this way I can easily do my laundry on Sunday night, dump & take on fresh water Monday morning in preparation for hitting Quartzsite on Tuesday.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna