Back on the road....

Reporting in from the Wal-Mart parking lot in Hope, AR - the hometown of Bill Clinton. Been an interesting day.....got a late start after gabbing with the campground hosts, my just moved in yesterday British lady duo and another couple who are camp hosts in training. (I am SOOO bad with names....going out on a limb here, the camp hosts were Kris & Jim and the trainees were Wanda & Wallace). I passed out my card to everyone, asking them to keep in touch.

So it was at least noon before I left the campground....forgot to write the time and my starting mileage. But I did remember everything else...I think....LOL! Anyway, I had almost 3/4 tank of gas, the sun was trying to peek between the clouds as I started out. I headed south on Hwy 65 which switches between four lane divided highway and two lane. It winds up, down and around the mountains in southern MO and northern AR....would have been awesome on the motorcycle but in the RV I took my time, pulling over to let others pass when possible.

I'd forgotten the sore neck, tight arms and hurting hands that come with 5+ hours of driving, I was quickly reminded as the first hour or so was quite windy. While my suspension upgrades have virtually eliminated my side to side sway, there isn't much that can be done for the nice broadside we RVers present to the wind.

The road got really rough around Little Rock....rough enough that I worried about what might be happening to the motorcycle in the trailer. I had to drop speed to decrease the feeling of being shook completely apart. Egad but I hate rough rider roads like that....

Stopped and got gas....stopped an ate....was making decent time but I knew it would be dark before I got here to Hope. I had to make one more gas stop or I would be in jeopardy of the generator not working. Pulled into a Love's, already dark now, and if there had been decent parking would have stayed there. No room so headed the next few miles south to Wally World.

This is where it got interesting....once again Microsoft Streets & Trips turned me the wrong way. I guess I really need to upgrade tot he newest version. Anyway, I turned around in an empty parking lot and then saw a Waffle House beside a strip mall. I pulled in fully intending to pull through into the strip mall after getting directions. NOT!!! No way through unless I was driving a four wheel drive vehicle...

So I made a rather feeble and quite humbling attempt to back up the trailer to turn around. After several minutes and several tries, I had the trailer completely jack-knifed. Shut it off, went inside and got quick directions from the waitresses (just had to continue back the way I came...but past the Interstate). Then proceeded to ask in a loud voice if there was anyone in there capable of backing up a trailer. Several blank looks, then one waitress pointed outside and said he can, if you want me to ask him.

We both walked outside and explained the situation. Really nice guy, looked over the situation, climbed in and within 2 minutes had it aiming back out for me. He loved the backup monitor...

I managed to find the Wal-Mart, not the best situation. The parking lot is under construction and less than half of it is open. There is a low clearance barrier, which I cleared easily and a no semi's sign. I pulled in and stopped in the very front, along the side. This is the furthest away from the entrance and no one wants to park here. I'm under construction security lights which I like.

I went inside, grabbed a cart and headed to customer service where I asked if I could stay, telling her I was parked out of the way and would be leaving early in the morning. No problem! I picked up a few food items that I needed, another bottle of Protect-All so I can clean up the trailer as well as the RV, new valve caps (just cheap plastic ones) since mine are shot, 12 volt light bulbs so I could replace one that had burned out, a couple of books and a spare 30 to 15 amp adapter that was on clearance.

So, will head to bed in another hour or so and be on my way in the morning. Plans are to make it all the way to Livingston....just hope they have a pull-through spot open or else I'll be asking for help backing up again! LOL!

The strangest part of the day was constantly missing BoBo....I've never traveled in it without him.....

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

Interesting RV For Sale

If anyone has ever seen the show, RV Crazy, you will remember one of the featured rigs named "Draco". Well, I've heard that due to personal circumstances it is now for sale. This is a true one of a kind RV - meant for any type RVing you'd like, but definitely good for chewing up those back roads where many of us fear to tread. It will be sold at this January's Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Hey, you never know...this might be the perfect rig for you or someone you know!

Quick side note...back on the road today. Will hit the Escapees park in Livingston hopefully tomorrow afternoon, stay a day or two then on to the San Antonio area where I will 1) get new tires and 2) stay put for a month. More later!

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

Bits & Pieces

This will be a somewhat disjointed blog today....lots of little bits & pieces to mention. First and foremost...for you RVers (and riders) out there...check your tires! Why?

Read this blog from one of my friends, Nick Russell (full-timer & rider), for the definitely gory details. Makes you think twice.....I already knew I would need a rear tire on the BMW very soon but his tale reminded me that I need to get new tires on the motorhome as well. They have a lot of tread left but the sidewalls (at least on the four I can see) are showing signs of dry rot. I don't know the condition of the inside rear tires nor the spare but based upon age, I will probably end up replacing them all (to the tune of probably $2000 or so....EEEEK!).

Next are two more blog mentions that are somewhat related in their themes:

• Three Things I Learned From Full-timers
• Lessons learned from full-time RVing

Both are excellent and will help non-RVers better understand the call of the lifestyle. I've marked both to read over again from time to time.

The final blog mention is a touching one, it speaks about the folks we consider lost...but are they really? Maybe they are getting it right and we're the lost ones. Randy Gets the Story

Some other bits....had a productive day (read, no two hour nap taken). I got the insurance set on the motorhome, motorcycle and trailer. I had talked to Foremost at the Escapade and gotten some tentative quotes. It was time to finalize and activate them. I was still covered under State Farm but since the house was sold, even though I was paying for the homeowner's I might have had a problem trying to collect if something happened. Full-timers insurance covers not only your contents (personal effects) but liability for accidents that might befall visitors.

Then I made the call to State Farm to cancel all my coverage. This was harder than I thought...I've had coverage with them since I first left home at age 18. All my cars, motorcycles, and houses have been covered by them. But they don't offer any type of full-timers insurance so it was a must.

The campground is probably 95% occupied with the HOP here. They brought in two buses this morning to take them on their adventures. When they returned this afternoon, I was tired just thinking about their busy day.

Almost forgot, got up this morning to no water....looked at the outside thermometer, this was about 7:45am, and it was only 27 degrees out there! Figured the hose had frozen since I hadn't disconnected it...the freeze was totally unexpected. I had water from my tank so that was okay. I took a walk to 1) get a little exercise and 2) to see if I was the only idiot to have their water hose connected last night (I wasn't). Snapped a pic of the geese in Turkey Creek - all headed the other way....LOL!

click to see larger image

Tomorrow is laundry and pack things up in the RV day so that I can head out Saturday morning. Plans call for me to head to the Escapees Livingston, TX park, Rainbow's End, for a day or two, then on to my "home" for the month of December - Luling, TX. Found what looks to be a nice park (good reviews) with everything I need - laundry, pull-throughs (already booked), free wi-fi if I have problems with Verizon (which has been an issue the last couple of days so right now I'm on the last two hours of my 24 hours purchased from Tengo Internet, the provider here), as well as close to the BMW dealer in San Antonio and two good sized Camping Worlds.

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

Another day in Missouri....

It's Tuesday...okay, so I had to look at my Vista gadget sidebar to know that. LOL! The weather continues to be cool, got up around 8am and it was in the mid-30's. Moved up to 41 in an hour but the fog was also rolling in. I took a few photos when I went for my morning walk.

Click to see larger photo














As the fog started lifting I snapped a couple of new shots of The Lily Pad, too. You'll notice the new windshield cover that I got from Camping World. Works great...much better than the curtain that Velcros behind the seats - opens up the living area much more. I took the reflective silver sunscreen that I did use on the windshield and moved it to the back window where it fits very nicely. That is the emergency exit window (don't worry, the sunscreen easily pulls right out) and is pretty much useless otherwise. This helps keep the cold out and warmth in. Added to the effects of the three vent insulation pads I added, I do find it's been easier to keep the RV warm.

Click to see larger photo






Yesterday was a productive day....found a local walk-in clinic where I could get my bloodwork done and new prescription updates. After that I headed to Wally World to get the Rx filled. It's not a Super Wally but it was attached to a little mall so I wandered it while I waited for the prescription. Found a neat leather outlet and picked up a small tote bag and a matching purse ($4.99 each), not in leather but in a Route 66 tapestry print. For that price......

After that I stopped in a salon and managed to get a haircut. Looks like it'll do okay except for a small spot where a cowlick got cut a little short. Oh well, it'll grow. LOL!

Today is supposed to make the upper 50's so I'll dump my tanks, take on fresh water and move some stuff to the outside storage bays....like the canvas bag that holds some of my motorcycle trailering stuff. It also help two boxes of emergency flares which are now in the trash. Why? Well, it seems as though I might have mistakenly left the storage bay open and a few items on the ground two nights ago....before it poured. That's what happens when you stop in the middle of something to chat with a neighbor and forget to do a walk-around before buttoning up for the night. Live and learn....LOL! Everything else dried out but the flares were both quite old and now wet so I trashed them.

It's now warmed up to almost 55 so I hooked up the fresh water again and dumped my tanks. I keep hoping the sensors will start working better....added some Calgon & detergent (for the black tank) before leaving Elkhart, hoping the ride down would help slosh things around and clean them a bit. But they're still reading off so will add them again before I head south the end of the week.

The Escapees here for the Branson HOP have been arriving all day...some are trying out several different lots before settling on one that works. I expect we'll be all but full by this time tomorrow.

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

Guilty as Charged....

Guilty of not setting my alarm clock and sleeping till I wake naturally...

Guilty of not only not knowing the date but often what day it is...

Guilty of not hating having to use a laundromat because it means I can sit, read and people watch...

Guilty of forgetting where I put this and that, but that's okay because I find the other thing while searching...

Guilty of taking time to look around, noticing and appreciating the little things...

Guilty of eating out less because I'm comfortable at the picnic table outside, watching nature and neighbors while I eat what's on hand...

Guilty of forgetting birthdays and sometimes even holidays (sure glad there are e-cards)...

Guilty of daydreaming, listening to my iPod, watching holiday movies, reading, writing and doing what I enjoy when I want to...

Guilty of not letting problems/issues/obstacles stress me anymore...

Guilty of taking time to meet new folks and chat with them when I know there are more productive things I could be doing...

Guilty of living life and loving it...

Are YOU guilty?

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

Escapees Turkey Creek RV Park

Took a few shots of the park and inside the new Activity Center here at the Escapees Turkey Creek RV Park in Hollister, MO. Nice park, just my sized....small!

Click on any photo to see a larger image.


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

Readers Ask....

Round two of "Readers Ask"....and just a reminder, if you want a personal reply to your thoughts, you need to email me through my profile rather than post a comment. Thanks!

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I am interested in how they took care of your Coach battery charging issues (multiple fixes) since I have problems similar to those you described.

They actually found several issues. The first was that the solenoid that allows the coach batteries to be charged properly (and also allows them to assist starting the engine when that battery is dead) had a wrong connection on it. That was corrected so that 1) the coach batteries now charge from the generator, shore power or the when the engine is running, and 2) the coach batteries now work properly with the use of the emergency start button. They also moved my LP gas detector back onto the coach batteries so it wouldn't drain the engine battery while sitting.

The last was the cause of the intermittent issues. Seems as though there was a 50 amp fuse/breaker at the converter (under my bed). It would intermittently stop working, preventing the coach from having power from the batteries, even when they were charged. They replaced that and VOILA! Everything seems to be working properly now...knock on wood.

Why did you chose South Dakota for your mail forwarding?

For me the decision was made because I had yet to purchase my RV and SD offered a 3% excise tax that was MUCH cheaper than either TN (where I physically was at the time) or TX, the other state I was considering. I discounted FL because I already knew that auto insurance had skyrocketed in the last few years thanks to the hurricanes. The other thing that helped in the SD decision was no emissions inspections required.

It did mean that I had to travel there to get my drivers license but since it renews on my birthday (September), traveling there in five years won't be that much of a hardship. Lots to see there during the summer/early fall.

The things that seem to come into play when making a home base decision are often:

• personal income tax (or lack thereof)
• tax on Social Security or pensions
• cost of vehicle registration (including any "special" taxes or assessments)
  
• cost of vehicle insurance
  
• vehicle inspection requirements
• ability to establish an address acceptable for voting
• any personal impact on health insurance (for those not on Medicare)

Some other things to consider are:

• estate taxes
• online or mail renewal of vehicle registrations
• online or mail renewal of drivers license
  

For further information on this you can read my two part article (written about 10 years ago but still applicable): Choosing a Home Base State and the associates Resources page.

Now choosing a mail forwarding service after you have chosen your home base state means researching the companies in your chosen state. Some things to check out are:

• Basic costs (whether you choose short term or long term is up to you)
• Any added fees on top of actual postage
• Will they send special mailings besides your regular shipment and if so, what are the fees
• Will they filter out junk mail and if so, what are the fees
  
• Do they offer registration assistance and if so, what are the fees
  
• Do they provide an actual street address and if so, will it be accepted for voter registration
• When are they open & available and do they have multiple methods of contact
• Do they maintain emergency contact information for their clients
  

Call and talk to the folks, get a sense of them and their business style. Sometimes that may tip things in favor of a business with a higher price...you need to feel comfortable dealing with these folks. They are often your life line to the "sticks and bricks" outside world.

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Okay, enough serious stuff for today....time to bundle up (still in the 30's but sunny), take a walk and maybe snap a few photos.

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

Happy Thanksgiving From the Road

Happy Thanksgiving from the road to all my family and friends! I am headed the last 70 miles south to the Escapees park in Hollister, MO where I will have a nice Thanksgiving dinner with other campers. I have a huge apple and a slightly smaller pumpkin pie in my car, waiting to be enjoyed (my contribution).

I have much to be thankful for....

• Loving family
  
• Supportive friends
• Good health
• Ability to live this wonderful RV lifestyle
• ...and much more

Enjoy this day and remember the blessings you do have in your life.....

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

What's that white stuff?

Woke up around 7:30 this morning and took a peek out the window. YIKES! It was snowing and blowing....winds of 20+mph with a temperature of 29. I not only had to carry out my suitcase and my laptop, but three boxes of "stuff" that I had picked up at my mail forwarding company yesterday (did combine the nine boxes into those three though....that's why I carried them inside). Oh, and I had to get gas.....EEEK!



Some of you wonder about my having a South Dakota address. As a full-time RVer, I don't have a home base...since I don't own a home. That means I need to establish one so that I can register and insure my vehicles, get a drivers license and register to vote. That is where mail forwarding companies come into play. While not all cater to full-timers due to their specialized needs, there are quite a few that do.


The company I use is My Dakota Address, run by Terri Lund. It's located in the SE corner of SD in the town of Madison. Terri has taken care of registering all my vehicles, getting the tags & titles to me as well as answering all my questions.

I arrived around 11 am on Tuesday. Terri was on the phone but as soon as they put her on hold she bustled around getting my mail and all my packages. By the time I had returned from the car, she was off her call and able to chat a bit. When I asked where I got my drivers license, she reached around and handed me the application that I needed to fill out (yes, I could have done it there but this way she could answer any questions for me). Then she gave me directions...in nice weather it would have been walking distance.

I headed there next....in less than 15 minutes I was walking back out the door with my South Dakota license in hand. Now THAT is service!

I got back on the road and headed south, still a decent day for driving. I ended up stopping somewhere around Percival, IA, completely exhausted from the emotional turmoil of losing BoBo, the extremely long driving day yesterday and then another day of full driving. I had hoped to make it further south but opted to stop.

Then I woke up to the snowing & blowing.....I thought it would stop as I proceeded southerly. NOT! It got worse....sometimes a wintry mix, sometimes heavy snow. I stopped in St. Joseph, MO and picked up a few things at Home Depot (still working on using up those gift cards), Target and two pies at Wal-Mart for Thanksgiving tomorrow at the park with the other Escapees.

I stopped just short of Springfield, MO, in Bolivar. It was almost 5pm, getting dark and once again I was beat. All day I kept thanking my lucky stars that I wasn't driving the Lily Pad through that weather. The temperature stayed between 29-31 until after 3pm when it finally hit 33. I worried about ice on the roads and rarely did the speed limit (most other drivers were also cautious). I decided I didn't want to push the last 70 miles, arriving into Hollister in the dark when I'm still unsure of my directions to the park. At least I can see where I am in the morning.

Lastly, I cannot thank you all enough for all your thoughts, wishes, support, hugs, emails and posts. It HAS helped... I think it was the suddenness that really hit me, so unexpected. One of my blog readers posted something that made it a bit easier:

"As it was, Bobo surely couldn't have known what was about to happen, since dogs can't really think into the future, or know that something's about to happen because they've heard about it happening to somebody else.

All he could have known was that he was having one of the peak experiences of a dog's life - getting loose and running as fast as he could wherever he wanted to go! And the next moment he was in heaven, just as though he had run straight there."

That is exactly how I will picture that moment from now on...

Once again.....from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU ALL!!!

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

Today sucked.....

For a day that started out so nice, it went steadily downhill.

First sign that the day was going down the tubes was seeing two MAJOR one vehicle accidents. One was a semi, looked like the driver fell asleep...you could see where he drifted off the road and the rig was still there and it had obviously rolled at least once. The other was another large truck...couldn't tell what kind as it was upside down...could just see all the wheels (like a big dumptruck/cement truck size). I'm sure there were injuries in both of them.

Next was getting a bit off-track and wasting about 20 miles till I find my way back to where I should have been. Normally getting lost is no biggie but I knew that I was in for 10 hours of driving as it was...

But those were the minor downers.....trying not to cry now. At a rest stop BoBo got loose (slipped out the door before I had a firm grip on the leash) and got hit by a car. He had already stopped breathing by the time I got there....I then proceeded to throw up. I hope I never see something like that again. The lady driving was almost as hysterical as I was but it wasn't her fault. He had no fear of cars (I mentioned that to friends once) and he darted right in front of her. There was a truck driver who lived in the local area and he offered to take BoBo to his farm and bury him.

Not going to do any more pets....just not meant to be. Every time I think of him laying there, I start crying. Today sucked!

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

Hollister, MO

Yup, you read that right....we finally left Elkhart, IN after getting our laundry list of work completed and hit the road. The weather was perfect, if anything it was too sunny since I was driving west.

The first night we stayed at the Effingham, IL Wal-Mart. When I first pulled in, this is a BUSY exit with a lot of stores, hotels and restaurants, I noticed a lot of tractor trailers parked at the far end of the parking lot close to the gas pumps. I parked close to them but not in their midst. There were posted signs about no overnight semi parking as well as security camera notices. I went inside and confirmed that RVs were welcome overnight, then picked up some more frozen foods and fruit. Later that night another Class C pulled in beside me but they were gone by the time I got up.

The next day brought us into Branson....leave it to me to take the wrong exit (one too early) and found myself driving through the center of town. EEEEK! I finally saw a good place to pull off and call the campground to get better directions. They took me the long way round but it meant I got to avoid driving back through town (and that was a GOOD thing). The rest of the ride was gorgeous and all I could think of was how great it would be on the motorcycle.

Today was perfect for what I needed to do....clean the inside of the Lily Pad. Time to shake all the rugs, sweep & mop all the floors, open the windows and let in some fresh air. Went through a couple of the storage bays and found some little things I had been looking for, did several loads of laundry and then I was so beat and achy that I took a LONG, HOT shower in the campground shower. Then I attended the Sunday night Ice Cream Social. Chatted with some nice folks and one lady came over and asked if I was the motorcycle lady from the SKP forums. I told her yes, and she got all excited. I'm used to that from the motorcycle forums but this was a first from the SKP forum.

The campground isn't large but it's well kept, and everyone is very friendly. I don't know the statistics but I suspect at least 50-60% of the folks staying here are Escapees (and it could be higher). I dug out my camera but have been so busy that I didn't take any pictures yet. The trees have lost most of their leaves so I had no problem getting a satellite signal. I opted for a pull-through spot even though all they had was 50 amp and it's a couple more dollars daily. Backing up was not an option....not at the end of a 300+ mile day and getting lost in Branson with a gazillion tourists doing 2 mph due to the crowds.

Tomorrow I'll get the rental car and head to SD to get my driver license and pick up my mail. I will be back late Wednesday. The park is doing up a turkey and those who sign up for dinner bring a dish. I signed up to bring dessert since I can pick something up on the way back from SD. So I'll be getting STUFFED with new friends....one more thing to be thankful for.

Not sure how long I will be here...depends on the weather. Right now the forecast temps drop on Wed and Thurs (hi 44, low 28). If it looks to improve next week (which it doesn't right now), I'll stay a bit longer and get in some riding. If not then I'll be heading to TX....just no idea where in TX though. JELL-O plans....

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

Head 'em up, move 'em out

Head 'em up, move 'em out....Rawhide!
Can you say FINALLY? Actually, I can't complain...I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. Today I found out what that reason might have been....

To recap, I arrived here at Master Tech RV, Elkhart, IN on the afternoon of October 29th. I had a pretty extensive list of things to be addressed - some maintenance, some repair and some upgrades. I had hoped to be out of here that Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Totally unrealistic based upon my "list", but hey, you've got to have hope!

After parts delays, unexpected broken parts, additional upgrades added to the list, part change-outs and last minute emergencies...knock on wood...I should be leaving in the morning after paying my bill (assuming I don't have a heart attack at that point ).

Here is a brief list of what I had done while here:

1. Engine oil change
2. Generator oil change
3. All fluids checked
4. Coach checked for caulking, done as needed
5. All lights checked & bulbs replaced as needed
6. Water leak into one storage bay fixed
   
7. Trickle battery charger mounted in engine compartment
8. Coach battery charging issues resolved (multiple fixes)
9. LP Gas monitor relocated to coach battery power
10. Windshield wipers installed (I already had them)
11. Screen door springs installed (I already had them)
12. Hot water heater flushed
13. Clear 90 degree sewer adapter installed
    
14. Dometic refrigerator recall work done
15. Marked wastewater tank valves so I know which is black & which is grey
16. New side door latch installed
17. Remanufactured leaf springs installed
18. Broken suspension add-on part replaced (something added before I bought it)
    
19. Bilstein shocks installed all the way around
20. Rear air bags installed
21. Water leak into furnace compartment fixed (last night's emergency - no heat - shorted out the circuit board)
22. New water pump installed (unable to repair leak found while researching the water in the furnace compartment)
23. Got the rig washed & waxed (done in downtime while waiting for parts)
    

Phew...I think that's everything...needless to say, not looking forward to seeing the final total tomorrow but this should HOPEFULLY take care of most things. (Note to self: test generator in morning before leaving.)

Yesterday afternoon two of the guys helped me move the rear of the BMW back to the center and redo the tie-down straps. I also took on fresh water (now somewhat depleted due to todays water pump work) and dumped my tanks. I added Calgon to both tanks plus some detergent to the black tank. Hoping that will help clean the sensors while traveling the next few days. I'll get a full hookup site in Hollister, MO so it will be easy to dump. If still not registering correctly, will add them again.

Soooooo, the plans are to pay my bill, hook up the trailer and hit the road...hopefully no later than 10am. I hope to make Effingham, IL where I plan to stay in the Super Wal-Mart there which also gives me a chance to get some more groceries (fruit, lunch meats & frozen veggies & meals). The second day should get me to the SKP park in Hollister, MO (just outside Branson). Sunday will be a day of rest...well, after the laundry is done and BoBo is bathed.

Monday morning I will pick up the rental car (Enterprise) and head immediately to Madison, SD. I should be able to make it in one day since I stop less often in the car and can drive longer (and faster). Tuesday I will meet my mail forwarding folks, pick up my mail, then head over to get my drivers license (boy, do I need a haircut...oh well ). Wednesday finds me back on the road to Hollister.

Because it makes more sense to keep the car for a week, I can do a bit of sightseeing without pulling the bike out of the trailer. Thanksgiving will be a quiet day of reflection, missing my family but enjoying my newfound life on the road.

Not sure exactly when I will leave Hollister and head to Texas...also still not sure where in TX I will be heading. I know a lot of folks in the Dallas/Houston areas and I know of several nice and reasonably priced campgrounds around the Frio River in Hill Country & a bit further south. But I also have a friend who is over in Big Bend and would like me to come that way and do some riding together (although some of the dirt he rides is more than I want to tackle on 2 wheels - he has a sidecar).

So for now, the next two weeks (now till the end of December) will be spent traveling to Hollister, MO and then to somewhere in Texas.

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

Belated Veteran's Day Thank You

I am a day late but after several discussions today, I wanted to post my thank you to all who have served - past, present and gone to a greater reward. Yesterday was Veteran's Day, today is the Federal Holiday. Government offices, banks and post offices close as well as the occasional other business or school.

Like most of my generation, our fathers and grandfathers probably served and sometimes mothers as well. My father and mother both served in the Navy, both my grandfathers served as well (I'm assuming Army since I don't remember anything different). My husband(s) served Navy, Air Force, Army and Marines (one served twice, two different branches). My son and oldest daughter both served in the Army and were activated while in the Reserves. I guess I always expected that today meant something to everyone.

Today I found out that's not necessarily true. I spent time talking with a business owner, a retired doctor and several other folks of my age, and all were surprised that today was a Federal Holiday.

Then I had an interesting discussion with a man probably about my son's age. He was a veteran and was visibly disturbed that veterans seem to be getting less and less respect, even in this turbulent time. He felt that all veterans should have the holiday off....paid....as a thank you. He goes out of his way to say "thank you" to others who serve.

As I perused my forums and blogs yesterday and today, only one blog that I follow mentioned the holiday. In the RVing forums, one had a thank you thread....it was in a veterans folder. Two others....nothing. Yet in at least six motorcycle forums there were multiple threads and messages thanking our service men and women.

Stop and think....where would this country be if not for them? I, for one, don't want to consider that option....thank you all!

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

What's my rig?

I spent a little time this weekend uploading photos of my motorhome (The Lily Pad), my little companion (BoBo) and my motorcycle (Squirt) and his home (The Chariot). Using Photobucket I created some slide shows for each one.

So, if you want to learn more about my traveling circus, check out the new My Rig page. (Note: I will update the slideshows with new photos as I take them.)

The highlight of the weekend was shopping for groceries at Wally World. Ahhhh, the joys of yogurt, milk, salad fixings, veggies, fresh meat and fruit! My freezer is only half full though, I had no idea how much room there was, so wanted to be careful.

I've been busy working on client websites but this week I hope to spend some more time on my own. My site for women motorcycle riders, I Ride My Own, has about a gazillion links updates that need to be done, as well as half a gazillion reader stories to post. The site has been sadly neglected and I look forward to reworking it completely. Afraid this will take priority over blog updates so bear with me!

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

My own personal drive-in….

Haven't updated since there was nothing much new. They've been working on my suspension but the final hold-up was the air bag system. It's now here and HOPEFULLY all will go well today with the rest of the work and I'll be out of here tomorrow.

The last two nights have been spent nestled in the Lily Pad inside the facility. Upside? Nice and cozy....especially when it dropped to 30 last night. Downside? No satellite television. Sure am glad I have a huge stash of DVDs. The first night I watched Disney's "Cars", "Ice Age" and "Bug's Life".

"Cars" made me nostalgic for the west since it was set on Route 66 and was a play on the old towns of the 1950's and 60's. Diners, neon lit motels and quirky friends....gotta love it. Factor in the beautiful scenery, albeit in cartoon fashion, and it made me yearn for the west.

Last night I watched "Dreamkeeper", a Hallmark made for TV production. I'm not sure when I ordered it or even why, unless I had seen a promo for the show. It was breathtaking, educational, heartbreaking and heartwarming....three hours long, I will watch this again. If you haven't seen it and have any affinity for Native American folklore, this is a must see.

I'm missing my favorite prime time shows, can't TV what the satellite can't "see", but in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter. Just keep your fingers crossed that the Lily Pad is standing firm and tall on all legs come morning. Oh, and that her water pump leak is fixed as well (yeah, I know, it's always something!).

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

Lessons along the way....Setting a routine

As most of you know, I have full-timed before.....the difference was that my husband took car of all the maintenance, repair, driving, etc. That means I have a lot to learn and have been doing so since I started researching going full-time and even more so since I picked up The Lily Pad.

So what is today's lesson? Routines and setting them. No, not the routines like getting up and brushing your teeth while the coffee brews or watching/reading the morning news while you eat breakfast. These routines are things you don't encounter in normal house living.

I knew about checklists and have been developing my informal list of things to do before leaving - I have horrors or driving off with my power or water still hooked up, or worse yet with my trailer hookup only partly done or forgotten. I haven't done the setup side yet, instead I seem to do things as they occur to me but will once the final (or somewhat final) departure list is done.

I know there are maintenance things that need to be done on a regular basis and I'm trying to get a handle on that. There are the things we expect with any vehicle - fluid & filter changes, for example. But those also apply to my generator. Toss in checking the water level in my three batteries. Oh, and now I have a motorcycle that is water cooled. There are things that need greasing, packing, spraying, measuring, wiping, waxing, cleaning...you get the idea.

I discovered this weekend that there are things I need to do every day. That may be overkill but I know that this is a case of better safe than sorry. In this case it's my monitor panel...I tend to look at it every couple of days, when I think about it. This is where I can check my tank levels - fresh water, grey & black tanks, battery level and propane. Previously I was pretty good about checking the black & grey tanks but kind of slacked off because the probes don't seem to be really working (not a big surprise since they are notoriously unreliable). Since I am on shore power, I tend to not check the battery level very often either.

I was watching the fresh water level since I don't really know my tank size - I've been guesstimating 20 gallons. I carry fresh water for drinking and it has stretched pretty far. One morning I noticed it was low and got the guys here to fill it for me. I need to watch how quickly I go through it now that I'm traveling (okay, so what if I'm not moving....).

The last light on the panel is for propane, needed for the stove & oven (which you already know I don't use - in fact I have never lit it), my water heater (which I heat up before a shower or around 4pm when it's still warm outside and it takes less time to heat and lasts till time to wash my face & brush my teeth for bed) and my heat. The nightly temps have been down into the 30's for a while now and even though I turned the heat down to low-mid 60's at night and off during the day, Saturday morning when I check the panel......yup, on empty. I went outside and checked the actual propane gauge and it read empty as well.

Panic time? No, I probably still had some propane in the tank but I didn't want to run it completely dry not knowing if that hurt the system in any way. The good news is that I have a great little Honeywell space heater (I had picked it up on sale at Wal-Mart last spring). Saturday was a gorgeous day, warm enough to sit outside and read so I opened up my storage bins and pulled out the heater, still in the box. My neighbor in the RV next door (the one who woke my Sunday morning asking if I had power), brought over another in case I needed it.

Well, I survived the weekend, got my propane refilled and learned another lesson. Check the monitor panel daily - twice a day if something looks like it's getting low.

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

Don't sweat the little stuff....

First update, still in Elkhart. I've opted for some suspension upgrades to the Lily Pad that will help the handling. The parts will be here on Monday and I should be on my way by Wed or Thurs. Looking at the weather forecast I've once again changed my plans. Instead of heading to the Escapees park in Hollister, MO, I 'm going directly to the home park in Livingston, TX. Besides the weather there is also an Enterprise rental office within a couple of miles of the park. So once the rig is parked, I will rent a car and BoBo and I will speed northerly to South Dakota to visit my mail forwarding service, pick up my mail and get my drivers license, then back to Livingston for a couple of weeks. That gives me time to decide if I will stay there longer or head over towards the Hill Country for the month of December.

Now, back to the title subject. I follow many blogs (probably too many) but since most folks don't update every day, I manage to keep up (once again thank you to Google Reader which allows me to categorize the type of blog as well as quickly see which ones have updates to read). Today an online friend posting an interesting blog - What Ifs.... It really hit a nerve with me. Anyone who knows me, knows I am an inveterate planner and worrier. I remember telling my husband before we were married that he would never have to worry...that I did enough for both of us.

Over the last year I have gotten better at going with the flow......not letting the little stuff bother me. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and sometimes that reason may not be apparent to us for quite some time. I've been working hard on trying to simplify my life, working towards a calmer existence where I can truly savor each day and the adventures they bring.

RVing is a huge step in that direction and the What Ifs.... blog got me thinking. I'm having a hard time NOT planning my itinerary, not planning my stops, not managing my life. Why? Why do I have to be so in control? Being a Type A personality is an identity I 'd like to shed but it looks like it will take some time, done in baby steps I think. People tend to see me as adventurous but I know that I'm really not....in my mind I wouldn't be doing all this planning if I were truly adventurous. I'd drive until I wanted to stop, then find a place to do just that. LOL! I worry about power, I worry about water, I worry about gas....yup, there's that word WORRY again.

I need to find a happy medium, get away from X miles a day to X stopping point and move towards a more relaxed pace, enjoying the sites along the way and stopping anytime I see something of interest. Reminds me of when I started my motorcycle trips. I was into day three and realized I hadn't taken a single photograph. While I was enjoying looking at the scenery, I wasn't recording it. Looking back I'm glad I finally started recording it because now, three years later, it all seems surreal until I review those photos. Then every site, every smell, every view, every experience comes flooding back.

In his blog, Michael talks about dreamers. I remember being more of a dreamer until the realities of life, family, responsibilities took precedence. Now I have time to dream again....I just have to let myself. Hopefully reading blogs like his, Ara's "The Oasis of My Soul" and a few others will help me make that transition.

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

Bits and Pieces

Several quick notes today:

1. You may have noticed that the Frappr map is back! It seems as though Frappr was bought out by Platial.com and it was taking time to move everything over. I'm not sure they are completely done since I am unable to edit my own pin. Once I leave here I will delete it and re-add it to this map and others I am on.
2. Frappr photo size - someone posted that they were unable to add a photo. That may be due to the changeover, not sure. Here is a link to the Frappr FAQ on photos if you have questions.
3. I have added my email address to my profile. If you have a question and want me to answer you, you need to email me directly. If you post a comment I cannot email you back and if I post a comment back I have no way of knowing if you will ever read it. So please feel free to email me and I will reply as I have time (please be patient ).

Okay, housekeeping notes done.....the RV is coming along. The coach batteries were dead again, they are now recharged and we will see how they do. Frustrating that nothing definite can be pinpointed except possibly my hitting the switch at the wrong time. I'm going to see if they can come up with some way to put a lid over it that I will have to move to disconnect the batteries (it's located in a spot where it's easy to accidentally hit it).

The guys working on the Lily Pad have been great....very patient. It's beginning to look like we might get the bulk of my list accomplished with two full days left. While they have a reputation for good work but being slow, I think giving them a deadline with my items prioritized is helping.

A couple of rigs left today but another arrived. I think we are at 4 or 5 staying here. All very nice folks, enjoy chatting with them. All are couples except the gentleman from Washington state with the little Min Pin.

I wanted to take some photos but never got around to digging out the camera today. I love my new camera but it's overkill for basic little shots like this. I think I will put a cheapie little digital on my Xmas wish list. Something small, easy to fit in a pocket but no real extras. Currently when I move into the customer lounge I have my laptop bag, BoBo and a tote bag with my purse, magazines, a book, and for BoBo a small bowl for water, food, a chew toy & rawhide, water bottle, bagel and a snack for me. Hard to add a large camera bag to that mix and made more cumbersome because I can't leave BoBo alone so every trip in or out, he accompanies me.

The weather is turning colder with a low forecast for 38 tonight but tomorrow night it's 32...glad my heat works well! Daily highs are dropping from the mid-60's to the mid-50's. Winter is approaching this are and I need to get moving for sure.

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

Readers Ask.....

I often get email encouraging me on my travels, congratulating me on my journey, offering advise or suggestions and telling me how much they want/hope to do the same someday. Along with the latter there are often questions so every once in a while I will answer them here. (Note: often there is no email address for direct replies)

Did you have any second thoughts when things got down to the wire?

Once in a while I would wonder if I was doing the right thing. It was obviously a major change and since I am not mechanically inclined, I worried about maintenance on my vehicles. I just had to remind myself that the house would have the same issues....roofers, painters, plumbers, electricians....none of those come cheap either.

It was harder to leave my little town and my wonderful neighborhood. My neighbors have been the absolute best. If I had to live in a town again, I would definitely look towards Sparta.

What's it like, emotionally, when you're first out on the road? Is it exciting/euphoric, or a little letdown for the first few days, or like you can't quite believe you're actually doing it?

This is one I will address again further down the road. For now I get to look back at my first three trips. I think terrifying and exhilarating are the two words that come to mind. The driving definitely fits the first and the knowledge that you are actually DOING IT fit the second. I now have a total of about 12 days (between 3 trips) in my home so harder to pin things down. Looking back at the two years my husband and I full-timed (while still working), the euphoria may have tamped down a bit from early levels but for me it never went away.

Fulltimer blogs often mention the feeling of freedom that you have living in a rig vs. a house. But RV's have problems and need maintenance too. Do you think, so far, that it's easier/more freeing to deal with an RV than a house?

This kind of comes back to my first question. To me the freeing is the freedom of being able to do what you want, when you want and go where you want. Since I am not mechanical, the need to have others work on my "home" is still there. But so far it seems easier to get recommendations on good service folks for the motorhome than it did for the house.

Got a question you'd like to see answered? Email me or post a comment and you might see it posted here in the future. Thanks for taking time to read!

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

Naught turns nice....

The day passed quickly albeit starting way too early for me. Once the shop opened I moved into the customer lounge with BoBo, his food/water & toys, some magazines, a book and my laptop. There were already three folks in there. One I met last night, a gentleman from Washington state traveling with his little red Min Pin named Missy. (She once again proceeded to let BoBo know that SHE was the alpha dog!). The other couple left shortly afterward, headed out for a day of sightseeing and by 10 am the lounge was quiet - well except for the two house dogs that arrived. Winston is a English Springer Spaniel, still a puppy by the looks of his feet. Gorgeous but very laid back. Chewie is an older pup and looks to be a Shih Tzu. I'll try to take some photos tomorrow.

I worked on the computer, read, walked BoBo and just generally relaxed until closer to closing. During the day there was a myriad of folks stopping in, BoBo protected me and the sofa admirably from them all. LOL! Between being in protect mode and playing with Winston and Chewie he had a full day.

After walking around the yard and talking with the others here, I realized that if I could get the Lily Pad moved to the end of the building with my right side exposed (no rig), there was an excellent chance I could get my satellite dish working. The owner of the last rig at the end moved his car to the other side of his motorhome and I moved down to the empty spot. I have to run off 15 amp here but figured that shouldn't be an issue for anything I am doing.

Plugged in, turned on the dish, listened to it whine - grind - chirp - whirl, then stop. Came back inside, turned it off and turned on the TV. VOILA!!!!! It worked.....so now I can keep up with my prime time shows. I missed Heroes last night and tried to watch it online. Way too slow and choppy so gave it up.

Several things got done to the rig, the most noticeable to me is getting the closer put on the screen door. I had bought it but couldn't figure out the instructions so asked them to put it on. It's SO NICE to have it close behind me...I still have to latch it but I know BoBo won't push on it enough to get out (unless I left him with the door not latched). At least I can now get out the door without worrying about it staying open. Minor item to most but combined with a working TV, it made my day!

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

All for naught....

The morning started out slowly, with me sleeping in until 9 am ET (my body is still in central time zone). That meant getting on the road at 11 am ET after all was said and done. Since I knew it wasn't a full half day trip, I wasn't really concerned. The sun was out and it was warming up quickly from the low of around 34-35.

The trip was uneventful except for a panic stop that threw my little table and a few other things towards the front of the coach. I will now use the tote with all computer stuff in it set across the legs of the table to keep that from happening again. There was a gas station I could easily pull into after the stop so I quickly set everything back up again and proceeded onward.

If I hadn't been pressed for time I would have stopped to take some photos. With the sun and the trees in high color I hated missing the shots. One gas stop and another to eat and I pulled into Master Tech RV Service in Elkhart, IN around 3 pm (ET). They helped me unhook the trailer and get setup in a spot with power. There appear to be at least three other rigs with folks staying in them, already met one playmate for BoBo. Plus I have broadband level access with my Verizon aircard!

Here comes the "for naught".... thanks to their metal building behind me and tall motorhomes to either side I have NO satellite reception. None, nada, zip, zero, zilch... Guess I will be doing a lot of reading unless I can get them to move me to another spot tomorrow. LOL!

They have my laundry list of woes, wants & wishes - all divided into have to, need to and want to. Whatever isn't done by Friday night will have to wait till I get further down the road. I'm burning time here in the north when I need to get south.

Well, think I will see how many magazines I can clean out and then dig out a DVD or two to watch. I need to be up at 7 am ET so they can get an early start on my work.

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

Few Blog Changes Made

Quick note....my Frappr map is gone. All the member entries were lost (and not just on my map, many other suffered a loss) so I sadly removed it. Sorry! If I can find a replacment I will try it again. I loved the visual representation of where everyone was located.

I also removed the clock on the right...took too much time to change it. Instead I have a little text blurb that will give you a rough representation of where I am, what the time zone is and where I will be heading next.

As soon as I finish my cup of coffee I will be heading north to Elkhart. We survived the cold night and all seems to be intact. Now just hope all the tires held their pressure! Will post again tonight.

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

Sunday - the good and the bad

I slept well, ignoring the fact that I'm actually in Eastern time zone since I will be in Central again next week and for the winter. It's too much of a pain to change all the clocks, computer, watches, direcTV, etc. Guess I'm just lazy....LOL!

The sun was shining and it was supposed to warm up to the low 60's....but tonight's forecast is for freezing even here. GULP! Hoping the freezing temps last too short a time to impact me. I will have the heat running and will disconnect from their water faucet. My water tank is under the sofa, right next to the main heat run so it should be fine.

I started off by checking the TV to see if my local channel feeds were working. I had spent almost 30 minutes on the phone with a real nice lady in Utah named Marie while her supervisor turned on the feeds, or so he said. This morning still not working so as soon as BoBo had his walk (and checked out the little ponies stabled behind us), I called again. Got another nice lady, she did "something" and told me to give it 15 minutes. I waited an hour, nothing again. Another call, I'm still being very nice & considerate since I know from the Escapee forums it sometimes takes an act of Congress to get this done. This one wasn't so good....while the lady tried to be patient to me, she didn't know what she was talking about and after several times telling me it would take 11-14 weeks after they received back the paperwork she wanted to snail mail to me....I said thanks and hung up.

Make another cup of coffee and dialed again. Got Paul this time and he listened to my tale of woe, understood immediately what I was trying to do and spent about 10 minutes trying to get it done so he wouldn't have to transfer me to the Mobile Services department. He gave up and with an apology to me for not being able to help, transferred my call. I got Laura, my direcTV angel! Once again I explained what was up in less then 10 minutes she had me working! Now as long as I'm stationary and the DVR is on, my favorite shows will be recorded (got them all set up). Only took four phone calls and over an hour cell usage (the reason I opted to do it over the weekend when my air time is free). Thank you to both Paul and Laura as well as Marie. It was wonderful talking to all three of you.

My old DVR was a Tivo box and the software was like an old shoe, very comfortable and easy to use. The new DVR is not since direcTV and Tivo have parted ways. I find the new software much more cumbersome, some things taking multiple steps to do what took one on the old box. But I'll get used to it....eventually....it's not like I have a choice. LOL! The downside is that the installation is only set up to allow me to record one program. There are a couple of times when I have two shows on at the same time. That took a little thought until I realized that I have both the east and west coast feeds of the major networks. So, one show is scheduled to record from the east coast feed and the other from the west coast. I just have to remember to NOT turn off the DVR when I go to bed.

By now it was warming up nicely outside so I proceeded to open all the bins and do a bit of organizing. I pulled out my Husky Jump-starter unit, dug around till I found my good tire pressure gauge (which will be stored in a handier spot now), checked the air in my tires and just as I suspected the front driver side tire on the Lily Pad was very low as were both trailer tires. Using the instruction book I easily added air to all three tires with the Husky. I love it! Made what could have been an ugly chore...a breeze! Once done, I plugged it into the outside outlet on the RV to recharge the internal battery. EDIT: It looks like Husky has replaced the model I have with this one.

Now the not so good news, while the compressor was inflating the tires, I decided to open up the trailer and see how the motorcycle fared. Not so good....guess the tie-downs weren't done well enough and the back of the motorcycle has shifted to the right at least 6" and one of the tie-downs was loose. I fastened it back down as best as I can, not much else I can do until I get where I have help. Everything will have to be unloaded before I can even attempt to back it out and since it's crooked, I prefer to have help in back it out. One more adventure....not sure if the way it was tied down caused the problem or if my tie-downs are faulty. UGH!! Keep your fingers crossed that the bike wasn't damaged and that I can make it to Elkhart without too much more movement in the trailer (Maybe getting some air in the tires will help? I have no idea...)

The campground is nice and I availed myself of a LONG HOT shower....right now my shower has a ton of "stuff" sitting in it and since I am not hooked up to sewer, figured why not use the facilities. They have a nice laundry room with some fitness equipment, fire rings for all sites, a pool (closed for the season), tons of pull-through sites, little log cabins scattered through out and lots of trees & paths to walk BoBo. Yes, it's pricey and not in my normal budget but there didn't seem to be many campgrounds in this area, especially ones easy to get to with plenty of pull-through sites. So for two nites I've enjoyed it.

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

The Lily Pad is on the move!

The day started off wrong....oh so wrong....with the guys at the satellite dish install shop showing up at 5:30 am and waking me out of a sound sleep (that I had been enjoying for ONLY a few hours) as they came in to pick up tools for an early install. Wouldn't have been so bad except for the garage doors they DRAGGED open. LOL! Never did fall back to sleep completely so at 7:30 crawled out of bed and got dressed.

After walking BoBo we headed over to my friend Herb's house where my bike and trailer were stored. I did a pretty slick job of backing up to the trailer, if I do say so myself), by using the backup monitor. Herb made me a badly needed cup of instant coffee and then we headed out to hitch up the trailer.

First things first....test the lights. Hmmmm, problems already. One directional appeared, at first, to have a burned bulb. Further investigation showed that the directionals were reversed as well as one not working at all. Herb opened the non-functioning one up and we found it full of water. Turns out it's a sealed unit that you replace, not just the bulb. Good news is that it's a standard item at all truck stops. Fortunately for me Herb is quite the handyman, he switched the wires at the plug and then proceeded to drill drain holes in the bottom of both rear lights (the right one was dry).

I headed on my way, nervous about the trailer following behind me like a lovestruck puppy. Since there was a truck stop within a couple miles from Herb's house, I headed there to get the bulb unit replacement (and what do you know, there was also a McDonald's there <g>, can you say COFFEE?). The cashier let me take the unit out to be sure it would fit (it did and it worked), I went back and and got a second one for a spare (just have to remember what bin/tote holds the other spare bulbs...<g>).

Finally got on my way, never wrote down the starting mileage or time....so much for tracking this part of the trip. Maybe I'll just wait till I leave Elkhart....LOL! The trailer pulls nicely, I really don't know it's back there. If anything, it helps me better judge where things are in relation to the rig. I even managed to pull up far enough to get gas. Speaking of gas, I am definitely using more with the added weight of the trailer and the final weight of the RV.

The weather was okay, swapping sun with clouds and misty rain. The temperature was in the 60's most of the day. I am now in a KOA just outside Indianapolis and will stay one more night. It's pricey but comfortable and with the lows in Elkhart forecast for FREEZING Monday morning, will wait the extra day. Only supposed to be mid 30's here early Monday. I need to continue organizing the "stuff" sitting in bags around my bed as well as figure out how to use the compressor I have to air up all the tires. The front right looks a little soft and both trailer tires do as well. So, once the sun comes up and warms it a bit tomorrow, I'll find my tire gauge, pull out the instruction book for the Husky Jump-starter unit and see how much trouble I can get it. LOL!!

Oh, the electrical problems continue with variations....the steps have stopped working completely. Yesterday when I got ready to leave they stayed halfway out, like they did on my first trip to Indiana. They eventually retracted completely but there was a clicking sound (like a relay) for several hours. That has stopped....but I'm sure it has something to do with it. The other interesting thing came to me when I realized that even though nothing works off the coach batteries, the car radio was still working when I was driving and it IS connected to the coach batteries. That gave me a thought.....I wondered if the other things (lights, outlets, etc) worked when the engine was running.

Next rest stop I tried it out...yup, everything worked. I could even start the generator. So I am guessing that when the engine is running, the solenoid that connects the engine and coach batteries is open (for charging purposes) and that lets me use them. Engine off, solenoid closes and nothing works (thanks to the flaky disconnect switch).

Oh, the other discovery is that if the hard-wired carbon monoxide detector is turned off, nothing on propane will fire....discovered that on Thursday night when I turned on the heat. Lots more to learn.....you definitely remember the ones that "catch" ya!

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

No more stix ‘n brix

For the first time in many years, I no longer own a sticks and bricks house. The closing today went fine (my Realtor let me know) and the funds will be in my bank account on Monday. I had to rush a bit this morning to get out, had stuff from the bedroom - bathroom - living room to transfer. Some of it is still in a muddle....stuffed in bags, totes, etc....but I will eventually get it all sorted out. LOL!

My satellite dish didn't arrive until almost 1 pm so spent all afternoon waiting on the installation (along with my new radio, DVR & DVD player). Everything works well, few inconveniences like having to keep the cabinet door open while the sat/dvr is running but I can deal with that since I only have to flip a switch to hook onto the satellite. They also ran the wires for my Sirius radio and antenna, no more cables dangling all over the place!

I'm sitting in the installers parking lot, hooked up to their power for the night. It was dark when we got completely done and since I had to clean up what they had done (boxes left behind, some Styrofoam from drilling, cabinet needing to be repacked so it worked for me) as well as still deal with the totes/bags I stuffed into the RV from the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Gonna take a bit to resettle things.

Can't wait to get service...right now my steps aren't working and I can hear a ticking sound that just doesn't stop. I know it has to do with the damn battery disconnect switch that is flaky. The repair folks suspect the relays on the switch are bad.

Will pick up the bike & trailer in the morning and head north. Because my batteries seem to think they are always disconnected, I have to stay in a campground instead of the Flying J or Wally World or no power, no tv, no water, no toilet, no heat! Now off to figure out where on the route to Elkhart I will stop tomorrow night.

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

Weather....not Whether

In the last week I have read blogs and forum posts from RVers dealing with tornadoes, extremely dangerous high winds, flooding rainstorms and now the fires in California. While many think to themselves that RVers have it made, they can just pick up and move when the weather gets bad, sometimes the weather is TO BAD to move. I am glad I have my weather radio with battery backup, it will be very useful on the road.

Courtesy of NASA - fires as of 10/21/07

For those interested, please follow along with these camp hosts in the area of the San Diego fires. My heart is breaking for everyone out there....the destruction and devastation is heartrending.

EDIT: Just had some RVing riding friends post in the Escapee forum...they made it out just barely.

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

Winding Up & Winding Down...

What a week....the house is getting emptier with more and more things being sold and picked up. I still have some things to deal with, but for the most part I only have borrowed and not-yet-picked-up items left. Even the office is pretty bare.

Speaking of the office, I still have to resort the couple of totes of "stuff" into the RV. That is what I will concentrate on the beginning of the week. I know I am keeping too much "stuff" but at least half of it are consumable items (from my buying-on-sale habits). Once they are gone, I won't carry such a stash of those things (toiletries, canned goods, paper products).

Same thing with paperbacks, carrying too many but I will be leaving many along the way as I read and travel. Now books in general....not sure where I will end up there. I have several (too many) campground books, several (probably not enough) RVing books, and a few computer related books. I also have three laptops...my old one that needs internal cleaning before I can sell it, my newer notebook-mini that needs to get repaired before it's considered stable (grrrrrrr) and my newest that I use the most. Toss in the printer, labeler (can print stamps & labels and I love it), external backup and my wireless router for my new Verizon USB Aircard. Toss in paper, pens/refills, envelopes, paperclips, stapler/staples and a lot of other assorted and sundry office supplies....needless to say, I am sure some of this is going to get culled out over the next month or two.

Yes, my Verizon Aircard arrived and it works fine....albeit definitely slower than my DSL. But once I am traveling I will hit areas where it will be faster, remember, I'm in a rural location. I'd love to have satellite Internet but just can't justify having both. I'll try to keep my big downloads (Vista updates, etc) confined to when I have access to outside Wifi.

I sold both my older digital cameras and upgraded to a newer Canon Powershot S5 IS. I even splurged and ordered two filters for it and eventually may try a lens or two. I have a lot to learn, will be playing with that for quite a while. So far I really like the camera and look forward to trying it out on the road.

Still waiting to hear on the final closing date on the house and if I can sign before heading out, thus no firm departure date yet. My target was/is October 20th but if I can't sign the paperwork first, I may be forced to stay (easier than trying to predict where I will be for next-day service). Keeping my fingers crossed that I will hear Monday or Tuesday and that I can leave on Saturday. I have two recalls I need to get taken care of, some general service work and maybe an add or two (thinking about air bags for rear of the motorhome).

So, things are winding down in general here but winding up in preparation for hitting the road!

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

Saturday night's alright for......grilling

It was the smell that got me.....first BoBo, my little pup, started going to the door to the deck, his nose sniffing the air. Then when I took him out for a walk I noticed it....hard not to, I think the humidity made it cling to the air.

I was suddenly flooded with memories of days past, warm summer nights, family & friends, picnics, fireworks and July 4th, children's laughter, fireflies, good music.....amazing what the smell of burgers on a neighbor's grill can bring to mind.

A grill is something that has been lurking at the back of my mind. I haven't owned one in several years, Mike did all the grilling and when he could no longer eat regular food, owning a grill just didn't seem too important. Add to that the fact that I almost never used a grill myself, that was always sort of the man's domain.

While I love the smell and the taste of grilled foods be it burgers, hot dogs or chicken, I wondered if I would really use one. I read all the forum posts with interest, everyone debating the best grill, the best size, the best cooking method (gas or charcoal). For small the winner was the throw-away versions sold at Wal-Mart. For taste the winners tended to be way too large for my needs (and storage space).

I have pretty much resigned myself to using my small George Foreman grill outside, even though the taste wouldn't be the same. But that doesn't stop me from reading the posts about new grill discoveries. Recently I read about a smallish (24"x15"x6" and 20 or so pounds) propane grill. It's the Coleman InstaStart PerfectFlow Portable Grill. Looks like it would be perfect for folks with minimal storage space, still a bit too large for me though.

Another favorite for those with space to spare is the Coleman Road Trip Grill. It has its own stand so it's great for those times when there is no picnic or other table available. You can even order wheeled carry case for it....high tech! ;)

I did come across what looks like it would have been perfect....shame that they appear to have gone out of business (or aren't producing it anymore). Neat little grill, EZ-Grill, that folds flat for storage, yes, it's charcoal but how can you beat under four pounds and folds flat? LOL!
EDIT: A friend sent me a couple of links to other portable grills so I wanted to add them here. Grilliput Portable Grill and Grill4All

So it's back to the George Foreman and maybe finding some nice campground neighbors that notice when I'm drooling......

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

The Vagaries of Cars

I was sitting in my little corner of the local McD's enjoying my morning coffee and yogurt when I noticed a young couple pull in with an older car. It had "stuff" loaded on the top and covered with a blue tarp. While the lady came inside, the gentleman opened the hood and peered intently at the engine. Wiping his hands as she came out and handed him a drink, they talked for a minute.

I didn't see the resolution but when I looked back they had left. It got me to thinking about some of the cars I have had in the past. At one time I referred to as the lady with the disposable cars since it seemed as though most didn't last more than a year in our household.

There are a few standouts though, those cars whose personality, quirks and/or idiosyncrasies will forever have a special spot in my heart and memories.

The most memorable with a little Kharman Ghia that I bought, I don't remember what year it was but it was OLD and TIRED but it had personality. I mean what other car would honk its horn every time you made a right hand turn? LOL! My husband of the time had no sense of humor though, he eventually disconnected the horn (to my dismay). But the car got back at him eventually. We had gone fishing and on a washboardy dirt road, it's revenge was felt. A large bump and he was suddenly sitting about a foot lower in the car. We got out to take a look...the seat had actually fallen through the rusty floorboard and was sitting on the frame of the car. I laughed but he didn't think it was so funny. Ahhhhh...revenge.

Another car I remember well is my little Ford Falcon convertible...who can resist a car who has to get gas at every fourth oil stop!

Then there was "George", an old GMC pick-up. He managed to survive a can of roofing tar tossed at him, an attack with a tire iron (hey, anyone can get a flat tire, it wasn't his fault), and a cracked engine block repaired with some type of sealer that we were told was used by the egg industry to help protect them during shipment. I have no ides, all I know is that it worked! George was like a family member and when it came time to find him a new home, my brother took him in for many more miles.

My first ever new car was a Volkswagen Beetle, sort of a hunter green and named most appropriately Schultzie. He might have blustered and huffed at times but he was like a favorite old uncle who looked and sounded stern but slipped you candy when your parents weren't looking.

My favorite of all was a 1959 Austin Healey 3000 [6] that I got for $500. It was about 13 years old and a bit worse for the wear. The wheels were spoked and often I'd go out and find another spoke broken. The side curtains (window) were plastic (vinyl, fiberglass or something but NOT glass). When in rained I had to roll up my pant legs to keep them dry from the water coming up through the floorboards and put a towel over my lap to protect them from the water dripping down from between the convertible top and the windshield. This was also the car that gave me the unique experiences of dealing with no brakes (thank goodness for the emergency brake between the seats), a tire blow-out at 50 mph and losing first and third gears. But that car had heart and I will never forget it!

So, got any special car memories of your own?

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

Plaxo & Frappr Map [updated 9/24]

I should be packing, sorting, tossing STUFF but got messing around on the computer (it's over 90 outside) and decided to do some general email address clean-up. I use Mozilla Thunderbird for my email client (if you are still using Outlook Express with all it's security holes, you might want to give Thunderbird a try...it's free, too).

Anyway, I found a way to synchronize my Plaxo information and my Thunderbird address book. Neat, I thought. Unfortunately a couple of things happened....Plaxo ended up with a bunch of email addresses that got automatically added to Thunderbird just by virtue of my sending an outgoing message. (THAT option is now turned off....) This meant that when I sent my update contact email from Plaxo, it went to a lot of folks that it shouldn't have. Hmmmmm.....

Next mistake, I thought I had found a neat little solution for mapping, a concise way for me to visually see who was in an area that I planned to visit. So the first note went out about Google Maps. Turns out that the owner is the only one who can add to Google Maps (thank you to the first person to notify me about this). So I deleted the map and started playing around with Frappr Maps. I hadn't used them in a LONG time so messed up the first two times I created a map.

I think it's set the way I'd like it now. If you just scroll all the way to the bottom of this page, you will see the map. I have added myself and will change my location as I travel, that way everyone can see where I am (as long as I have Internet access). Anyone who knows me can add themselves to the map by clicking the ADD YOURSELF button. Enter a name I will recognize (I have to approve all new pins so that the map doesn't get spammed with folks I don't know), enter a fake email address if you want (I am the only one who can see it, but I did a fake one since I didn't realize it wouldn't be shown) and chose the appropriate pin (if you have RV space or not or if you are an RVer yourself). NOTE: Several new additions to the map came without a name, even though I approve them they don't show. If you added yourself and don't see your pin within 48 hours, PLEASE add yourself again, being sure to add a name first.

I don't know if this will work but figured it was worth a try. It will only be as good as the information entered. So we shall see....thanks for giving it a whirl!

For those who got the Plaxo note for the first time, you are NOT required to join Plaxo, you just need to enter the information you want me to see (email, phone, address, etc). For those who think they need to download something then I suspect you may have Java turned off...I think Plaxo uses that (or else Flash and you may not have that loaded). Worst case, just email me your information and I will update it. I do really like it because if you DO join, anytime you make changes on your information, I see it automatically (and vice versa). Handy....

Okay, enough techno babble for one day...here's to continued communications!

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

The final decision is made.....

Well it's done....the last major decision is made. I've found the trailer for my motorcycle (used) and will pick it up, with a friend's help, on Tuesday. It's a single bike trailer, enclosed, already set up with a chock and d-rings and it's lightweight.

The trailer is made by Chariot Trailer out of Tampa, FL. The price is right, the options on it are right, the quality is right....I think you get the picture. The model is the Cycle Shuttle 10-6. Here are some photos of it.

Since it is fiberglass and waterproof, I don't want to put any holes in the sides (or top). I wanted to be able to store my motorcycle gear in it since 1) there is no room in the motorhome and 2) I need to keep the weight down in the motorhome. After much discussion with the current owner as well as doing some Google searches, I came up with what I think is a good solution.

I plan on getting a couple of large wheeled duffle bags. The ones I am looking at are 40" x 16" x 17" and hold 2,240 cubic inches (200.5 liters). While they weigh over 11 pounds, that won't make a difference since they are on wheels. They are still lighter than some type of trunk, tote or toolbox.

They will sit flat on either side of the motorcycle, strapped to the d-rings to secure them. When I need to move them, I just wheel them out of the way (or out of the trailer). Inexpensive and practical solution!

So now I can concentrate on putting "keeper" stuff in totes that the kids will pick up this weekend (along with my living and bedroom furniture). They are in for a shock....right now the count is 13 totes with at least 2-3 more before they get here. Six of those are the LARGE size. I begin to see why some folks have sheds or small storage units. LOL!

My time is numbered........

1. Friday (21): haircut, more packing/moving/storing
2. Saturday (22): final tote packing for storage
3. Sunday (23): kids arrive, move furniture/totes while I watch the grandkids, go out to eat & visit a bit
4. Monday (24): more packing/moving/storing
   
5. Tuesday (25): pickup new-to-me motorcycle trailer, learn how to use it (oh my, another adventure)
6. Wednesday (26): final tote packing for storage (any leftovers that I will take to Atlanta with me)
7. Thursday (27-29): pickup rental car, head to Atlanta for 3 days to babysit the grandkids
8. Sunday (30): head home - rest & recuperate
9. Monday (1): return rental car, run any other errands as needed
10. Tuesday (2-7): tackle office (oh my!!)
11. Monday (8-12): clean up all final loose ends, get rid of furniture that's left, donate "stuff", take care of closing stuff as I can, change addresses, forward mail, schedule house cleaning....

See? Busy, busy, busy......LOL!

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

Ten Ways You Know You're Ready.....

How you know you're ready to move into your RV full-time...

1. You have to keep taking clothes out of the RV to the house each day.
2. You wish you had DirecTV in the RV.
3. You can't remember which cabinet has what...and realize you don't care
4. You spend more time in the RV than the house.
5. You want to spend your nights in the RV even though the bed is smaller, the mattress is older and you hit the walls when you turn over.
6. You clean the floors in the RV daily....you figure you'll clean the house floors when it's empty.
7. You run the A/C in the RV and not in the house.
8. You start to realize how few dishes you really need daily.
9. You make your daily coffee in the RV...and sit there to enjoy it.
10. You are marking the days off on the calendar, counting down the days till you FULL-TIME!
    

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

Home in name only.....

Well, I'm back home....at the house, that is. I won't bore everyone with the details but had some electrical issues with the RV, go them resolved and still seem to have one more left. At least I know a lot more now than I did when I left.

The Lily Pad is now plugged into the house and I have spent the last several hours starting to sort through all the new items I bought, finding a home for them, reorganizing my totes & storage, and re-evaluating my clothing choices (dark is good...think muddy puppy paws ).

Still no final word on the house closing, we're hoping for the first or second Friday in October but it's all predicated upon the third buyer down the chain (and could be further down but that's all I am aware of). Keeping my fingers crossed!

BoBo did really well last week. As I said, he loved all the other animals and got to play quite a bit with several other little dogs (and us owners got to play untangle the leashes for our exercise). Speaking of exercise...I did so much walking last week that even with a couple of food splurges I lost 2.5#. Wow! Now to keep the momentum up....maybe won't be walking quite as much but I did notice that I wasn't as short of breath when walking BoBo up the hill by the house.

I am still trying to find the best, for me, motorcycle trailer. There are so many options and so little time. I like the idea of the swivel trailers that track with the tow vehicle....makes backing up easy. I like the idea of all the storage offered by enclosed trailers. I like the lighter weight of the all aluminum trailers. I like the trailers that are low to the ground without the steep ramp angle. I like.....well, you get the idea.

As much as I would love to go the carrier/lift route, my RV won't handle that. One thing I did at the Escapade was get my motorhome weighed by the RVSEF folks. They weigh each axle individually as well as each side. I was well under my overall weight limit but my rear axle was within a couple of hundred pounds. That said, I did have a full gas tank and half full grey & black water tanks (had no time to dump beforehand even though they recommended that). My front axle had lots of room to spare so I will be seeing what I can move forward in the storage bays. My rear was well balanced side to side with the front a little light on the driver side (I have three cabinets still empty on that side ). I will get it weighed again sometime after I start full-timing.

So, I will continue plodding along....sorting, tossing, packing, selling, donating as much as possible in preparation for that final trip out of the driveway. The office is the worst part and I am leaving that till last...yeah, I know, I'm the queen of procrastinators! LOL!

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

Escapade Tuesday Check-In

Made it to Goshen, IN with one issue...my coach batteries died overnight when I went to leave the Flying J. After finally getting my step to come back in...after it VERY slowly went out and then came halfway in, I got back on the road. Made the check-in deadline with room to spare, got parked and set up and plugged into shore power so my frig would get working again (not enough power to fire the propane for the frig).

At that point all I wanted to do was rest....LOL! But had to do the rest of the setup, met two solo guys who THOUGHT they were going to sit and relax and got them to help me with water filter hookup. Nice guys....have met a lot more of the SOLOs folks and am definitely having a good time as well as learning a lot.

I did get the solar power battery guy to check my batteries and they aren't charging. We're not sure why so have an appointment on Friday with the loacl RV Tech (they have a vendor booth and have been booking appointments...they were booked until Friday when I talked to them Monday early afternoon. Wow!!!

Anyway, wanted to let everyone know all is well and we're having fun (and BoBo loves all the new dogs he's meeting).

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