As I ponder the possible subjects for the last of my 366 daily snaps of the year, and Paul considers the first of his for tomorrow, we find ourselves reflecting in the final hours of 2012.
This was a year that didn't exactly go as planned. (Do they ever?) Instead, our travel itinerary was shaped by Bullwinkle's faulty heat pump and our ongoing efforts to get it repaired. Two largely unproductive trips to Forest City are definitely among the lowlights of our year. But, discovering our new favorite repair facility (That's DM Mobile RV Repair in Loveland, CO. Love 'em!) was an unexpected and welcome treat. Our now trouble-free moose has made us happy campers, indeed!
A silver lining in our unexpected Summer travels in Colorado was two one-month stays in lovely Gunnison. We hadn't planned to spend any time this year in our most favorite town. But, it turned out to be the perfect spot for us to stay cool with our crippled heat pump while the temperatures at lower elevations sizzled.
As fun as it was to revisit familiar places, we also enjoyed exploring some wonderful new-to-us spots. We rang in 2012 on the north shore of Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain, where our Cajun neighbors redefined good home cookin'. (Yum!) We spent the next two months at lovely Bella Terra, our new favorite RV park, just north of the beautiful white sand beaches of Gulf Shores, AL.
Along the way, we had the great pleasure of meeting some wonderful people this year. We're sure we'll leave out somebody, but here's the best our collective memories can muster. We enjoyed our first-ever meetings with Tricia and Keith, Norm and Linda, Don and Gloria, Kim and Christi (whom we had fun catching up with again earlier this month in Oklahoma), Larry and Kathy, Ken and Ruth, Courtney and all the good folks at Bella Terra, Mike and Mo, Terry and Randy, Marti and Paul, Loralie and Lee, Carrie and Bill, and have we mentioned Don and Mary Ann of DM Mobile RV Repair? At our first-ever Escapade, we met more great people, including Sam and Donna, Angela and Kenny, Len and Phyllis, Sylvia and Glenn, Ginger and Jesse, Marcia and Joe, Cathy and Bud and Angie and Greg, just to name a few. Our most "small-world" encounter occurred in Kansas City when we met our park neighbors Heinz and Theresa. Turns out Heinz lived around the corner from us when we were kids!
One of the best things about this mobile lifestyle is reconnecting with fellow travelers we already know. 2012 was a year of many fun "meetups" with friends, including Karla and Eric, Darryl and Judy, Mike and Peggy, Chuck and Anneka, Lisa, Tony, Tez and Rick, Gary and Francile, Steve and Cathy, Deb and Rod, Craig and Anne, Fred and Sharon, Karen and Arvin and family, Doug and Nona and Bill and Linda. Of course, the Escapade provided a wonderful opportunity to exchange hugs with friends Bob and Molly, Donna and Keith, Dortha and Mark, John and Bridget, and Ken and Cindy. Two very impromptu gatherings reconnected us with some California Winnie friends: We literally bumped into Rod and Gaila in the waiting room at the Winnebago Factory Service Center (We've spent way too much time there!); And, an early morning Facebook exchange resulted in a fun meetup in the middle of Kansas with Bill and Linda, who spent a few days parked nearby in Salina. Our most recent reconnection was just a couple of weeks ago with locals Mike and Sandy. What a treat to spend time with y'all!
As we celebrate with dear friends tonight we'll raise a toast to our friends new and old, near and far. Thank you for making 2012 a most memorable year. We wish everyone a safe, happy and healthy 2013.
Cheers!
My Daily Snaps
We put our Christmas decorations away this afternoon. It's a pretty quick and easy task, really. Everything loads up nicely into one small plastic tub. Just before I closed the lid on this job, I snapped a photo of our packed away holiday decor. With that snap, I realized I have just one - count 'em, ONE - photo left.
A year ago today, during a day trip to New Orleans, Paul spotted an interesting item in a gift shop. It was a photo album with 366 sleeves - one for each day of the year. That little find planted a seed that sprouted last New Year's Day, as I made a commitment to take a photo every day in 2012.
My "rules" were simple. My daily photo didn't have to be a masterpiece. Actually, it didn't even have to be good. It just had to be. Any basic snapshot would be just fine. For consistency, I decided on a 3x5 horizontal format. I'd use whatever camera I had in my possession. To keep myself accountable, I created an album for my daily snaps on Facebook, where any friends who were interested could see my work. I knew I wouldn't always be able to post my photo on the day it was taken. So, I gave myself permission to post the pics whenever I could. But I would take one every day.
I have a long list of projects I've launched on New Year's Day with the intention to keep them going throughout the year. Like most humans, my new habits usually faded away within a few weeks. One year I had a goal to meditate for at least 10 minutes daily. That lasted a record 110 days! Needless to say, the goal of doing anything beyond life's necessities for 365 consecutive days remained elusive.
For the first two weeks of this year, my daily snaps were a direct reflection of the day's happenings. On Day 15, I couldn't think of what to shoot. So, I grabbed a cat. I told myself I wouldn't take too many photos of our two cats this year. And, as it turns out, our furry friends were the subject of the day just 17 times. (Not bad!)
Most of the photos are a glimpse at the scenery or events du jour. It's a wonderful, visual journal of the year. Family and friends were the second most popular subject, with about 30 or so photos. I posted 20 daily pics of our moose in various locales. That's just a few more photos than the cats! My beloved husband was the next most popular subject, with a dozen or so photos of him doing all kinds of things. Our travels this year traversed 17 states, but only four state welcome signs became a picture of the day. Though I've never been one to photograph food, I was desperate enough on six days this year to shoot something on a plate. (And, those are some of the worst photos of the year!) For every food shot I posted, I managed to snap an equal number of photos where alcohol was the star. (And, the booze shots look so much better!)
And, what was my least photographed subject? That's easy. Me! Just one shot is a self portrait. And, that depicted me as a burned out blogger! With the exception of a few group shots with family and friends, the rest of the year, I've been behind the camera. And, that's how I like it.
There were days when it was tough to pick a photo, because I had so many beautiful ones from which to choose. Other days evoked a few moments of panic to take a shot before we headed off to bed. (That's usually when I snapped a cat...or Paul!) But, every day I remembered my assignment. I didn't miss a single day. (And, I can safely say I will not miss tomorrow!)
And, what has this diligent exercise taught me? I've learned that interesting composition and beauty can be found at Home Depot, the post office and the grocery store. I've learned that when you take photos at Walmart, nobody notices. Actually, very few people ever notice anywhere. I've learned that fluorescent light really sucks. But, you can snap a decent photo in it, anyway. I've learned to always have a camera with me. (I hope I always will.) And, that an iPhone has a decent camera! I've learned to see the world in a 3x5 landscape photo. It's an interesting point of view! I've learned that posting a snap a day means its easy to fill a hard drive with photos. And, when you delete photos in iPhoto they're not really deleted (and are still taking up space). I've learned that when you take photos of a cat, most of them will be blurry. If you try to shoot two cats at once, you are guaranteed they'll all be blurry. I've learned that if you take photos every day, it's easy to find pictures for your travel blog. (But, it doesn't make it any easier to keep said blog up-to-date!) Most of all, I've been reminded that I am married to a very patient man. The collective time that Paul has had to wait this year while I've focused in on everything from produce to peonies has spanned many hours. Thanks, Dear!
Tomorrow, I'll close out my year of daily snaps. It's been fun. Will I do it again next year?
Nope. I've decided to give my shutter a break and channel my creative juices in other ways. This year was pictures. Next year will be words. I'll write every day. And, I might just do it in this here blog. I still have a day or two to decide.
Meanwhile, I'm passing the torch to Paul. He's decided to take on a Daily Snap project of his own next year. I'm not really sure how it will take shape. But, I'm excited that we'll have a visual journal of the coming year, just as we have of the one coming to a close. I hope he has as much fun with his project as I have with mine. And, I promise to be as patient and supportive as he has been.
With a new year just around the corner, what creative project are you ready (and willing) to tackle?
A year ago today, during a day trip to New Orleans, Paul spotted an interesting item in a gift shop. It was a photo album with 366 sleeves - one for each day of the year. That little find planted a seed that sprouted last New Year's Day, as I made a commitment to take a photo every day in 2012.
My "rules" were simple. My daily photo didn't have to be a masterpiece. Actually, it didn't even have to be good. It just had to be. Any basic snapshot would be just fine. For consistency, I decided on a 3x5 horizontal format. I'd use whatever camera I had in my possession. To keep myself accountable, I created an album for my daily snaps on Facebook, where any friends who were interested could see my work. I knew I wouldn't always be able to post my photo on the day it was taken. So, I gave myself permission to post the pics whenever I could. But I would take one every day.
I have a long list of projects I've launched on New Year's Day with the intention to keep them going throughout the year. Like most humans, my new habits usually faded away within a few weeks. One year I had a goal to meditate for at least 10 minutes daily. That lasted a record 110 days! Needless to say, the goal of doing anything beyond life's necessities for 365 consecutive days remained elusive.
For the first two weeks of this year, my daily snaps were a direct reflection of the day's happenings. On Day 15, I couldn't think of what to shoot. So, I grabbed a cat. I told myself I wouldn't take too many photos of our two cats this year. And, as it turns out, our furry friends were the subject of the day just 17 times. (Not bad!)
Most of the photos are a glimpse at the scenery or events du jour. It's a wonderful, visual journal of the year. Family and friends were the second most popular subject, with about 30 or so photos. I posted 20 daily pics of our moose in various locales. That's just a few more photos than the cats! My beloved husband was the next most popular subject, with a dozen or so photos of him doing all kinds of things. Our travels this year traversed 17 states, but only four state welcome signs became a picture of the day. Though I've never been one to photograph food, I was desperate enough on six days this year to shoot something on a plate. (And, those are some of the worst photos of the year!) For every food shot I posted, I managed to snap an equal number of photos where alcohol was the star. (And, the booze shots look so much better!)
And, what was my least photographed subject? That's easy. Me! Just one shot is a self portrait. And, that depicted me as a burned out blogger! With the exception of a few group shots with family and friends, the rest of the year, I've been behind the camera. And, that's how I like it.
There were days when it was tough to pick a photo, because I had so many beautiful ones from which to choose. Other days evoked a few moments of panic to take a shot before we headed off to bed. (That's usually when I snapped a cat...or Paul!) But, every day I remembered my assignment. I didn't miss a single day. (And, I can safely say I will not miss tomorrow!)
And, what has this diligent exercise taught me? I've learned that interesting composition and beauty can be found at Home Depot, the post office and the grocery store. I've learned that when you take photos at Walmart, nobody notices. Actually, very few people ever notice anywhere. I've learned that fluorescent light really sucks. But, you can snap a decent photo in it, anyway. I've learned to always have a camera with me. (I hope I always will.) And, that an iPhone has a decent camera! I've learned to see the world in a 3x5 landscape photo. It's an interesting point of view! I've learned that posting a snap a day means its easy to fill a hard drive with photos. And, when you delete photos in iPhoto they're not really deleted (and are still taking up space). I've learned that when you take photos of a cat, most of them will be blurry. If you try to shoot two cats at once, you are guaranteed they'll all be blurry. I've learned that if you take photos every day, it's easy to find pictures for your travel blog. (But, it doesn't make it any easier to keep said blog up-to-date!) Most of all, I've been reminded that I am married to a very patient man. The collective time that Paul has had to wait this year while I've focused in on everything from produce to peonies has spanned many hours. Thanks, Dear!
Tomorrow, I'll close out my year of daily snaps. It's been fun. Will I do it again next year?
Nope. I've decided to give my shutter a break and channel my creative juices in other ways. This year was pictures. Next year will be words. I'll write every day. And, I might just do it in this here blog. I still have a day or two to decide.
Meanwhile, I'm passing the torch to Paul. He's decided to take on a Daily Snap project of his own next year. I'm not really sure how it will take shape. But, I'm excited that we'll have a visual journal of the coming year, just as we have of the one coming to a close. I hope he has as much fun with his project as I have with mine. And, I promise to be as patient and supportive as he has been.
With a new year just around the corner, what creative project are you ready (and willing) to tackle?
White Christmas
When it comes to the kind of Christmas Bing Crosby was always dreaming of, we're batting .500. On this, our fourth holiday season on the road, we were treated to our second white Christmas!
We settled into our holiday spot in the DFW metroplex nearly two weeks ago. Mother Nature has treated us to pleasant temperatures and clear skies. We enjoyed one balmy evening catching up with friends Mike and Sandy of Phannie and Mae fame. But, as Christmas came closer the forecast changed. Reports of a possible very rare white Christmas had folks around here buzzing with excitement.
Shortly after we arrived home from Christmas Eve festivities with our dear friends Mary and Tracy and their family, we heard the rumble of distant thunder. In the wee hours of the morning, we were to treated to a very Spring-like thunderstorm. The very welcome rain continued through mid-morning. Then, things started to change. The gentle pitter-patter on our roof sounded different. It sounded frozen! Suddenly, the roof was silenced. A quick glance outside confirmed our diagnosis: A rare North Texas snow!
The storm was over by early evening, dumping an inch or two of the white stuff. It was just enough to bring a little cheer without making the roads too treacherous. (Though, traversing slightly icy streets is not a skill mastered by most North Texans!) By midday on this Feast of St. Stephen, the combination of sunny skies and near freezing temperatures have caused most of Mother Nature's Christmas decoration to disappear. What timing!
We wish all of our readers a wonderful Christmas week. We hope your holiday season is filled with rare and wonderful delights. Enjoying this rare White Christmas with special friends, ours certainly is!
We settled into our holiday spot in the DFW metroplex nearly two weeks ago. Mother Nature has treated us to pleasant temperatures and clear skies. We enjoyed one balmy evening catching up with friends Mike and Sandy of Phannie and Mae fame. But, as Christmas came closer the forecast changed. Reports of a possible very rare white Christmas had folks around here buzzing with excitement.
Shortly after we arrived home from Christmas Eve festivities with our dear friends Mary and Tracy and their family, we heard the rumble of distant thunder. In the wee hours of the morning, we were to treated to a very Spring-like thunderstorm. The very welcome rain continued through mid-morning. Then, things started to change. The gentle pitter-patter on our roof sounded different. It sounded frozen! Suddenly, the roof was silenced. A quick glance outside confirmed our diagnosis: A rare North Texas snow!
The storm was over by early evening, dumping an inch or two of the white stuff. It was just enough to bring a little cheer without making the roads too treacherous. (Though, traversing slightly icy streets is not a skill mastered by most North Texans!) By midday on this Feast of St. Stephen, the combination of sunny skies and near freezing temperatures have caused most of Mother Nature's Christmas decoration to disappear. What timing!
We wish all of our readers a wonderful Christmas week. We hope your holiday season is filled with rare and wonderful delights. Enjoying this rare White Christmas with special friends, ours certainly is!
Cummins Coach Care
We're nearly 500 miles south of Kansas City, and our personal economic stimulus program continues! On this most auspicious day (12-12-12) we have plunked down another serious wad of cash to have the window shades I've lusted after for years installed in our moose. The good folks at MCD Innovations here in McKinney have been a gem to work with. We appreciate their Texas hospitality. We'll give you a full report on our moose's Christmas gift after we get settled in our holiday spot.
Meanwhile, we wanted to share a story about another great service experience. (We could get used to this!)
These days, Kansas City is the closest thing to a home base for us. So, it's really no surprise that nearly every visit to our old stomping grounds involves a stop somewhere to care for our moose on our way in or out of town. There are a lot of systems in our rolling home. And, they all need regular maintenance. Unfortunately, said maintenance is needed on varied schedules. So, it feels like there's always something on Bullwinkle's "to-do" list.
We've been on a mission to find a service provider we can rely on in Kansas City. We have our local mobile guys we love, but they provide no chassis service. The local Freightliner dealer will happily do chassis work, but we've been far from impressed. Our dream of finding a one-stop service shop we could trust has gone unfulfilled. Until now.
Cummins, the makers of Bullwinkle's 400-horse powerhouse, has created an RV service center (actually, several of them) that is designed to provide bumper-to-bumper maintenance and repair. There are currently 45 Cummins Coach Care facilities located across the country. We are fortunate that one of them is located at Cummins Central Power in Kansas City, a mere 20 miles from our home park. After making this wonderful discovery, we booked an appointment to coincide with our planned departure out of town.
The afternoon before our appointment, we headed north of the Missouri River with Rocky 2 in tow. No, we wouldn't normally go to the time and trouble to hook the squirrel to the moose for such a short drive. But, this seemed like the perfect time to tow our new Jeep on its maiden voyage. We're so pleased to report Rocky 2 tows like a dream!
When we arrived at Cummins Central Power, we were instantly impressed. Parking was easy, and just steps away from the Coach Care service desk. We were greeted by Chris, who was warm, courteous and professional. If you've ever taken your coach to a "truck center" you already know this is a rare combination! In most truck places, the last thing they care to see is a motorhome. But, here we felt quite welcome.
Chris directed us to the coach parking area, where we set up and settled in for the night. We were delighted not to have to face rush hour traffic for our morning appointment. This extra touch of hospitality was most appreciated. In the morning, Chris gave us a call when they were ready for us. When we dropped off the moose, Chris said he'd need a couple of hours. And, when we returned two hours later Bullwinkle was out front waiting for us. (Another rarity!) Chris gave us a full report on the service work. Everything checked out great. One item we asked them to check, a pesky leveling jack, needed to replaced sooner or later. Based on our positive experience, we decided sooner was better. A part needed to be ordered, so we extended our Kansas City stay and returned to Cummins a few days later. The work was completed promptly. Our time in the spacious, clean and comfortable waiting area flew by. Chris completed our extended warranty paperwork with a smile, and graciously offered us another night in their parking area, which we accepted. We got a fresh start in the morning, and Bullwinkle was one happy, trouble-free moose.
When it comes to moose maintenance and repair, we've had some real horror stories. What a breath of fresh air to find places like Cummins Coach Care and MCD Innovations. Gotta love it!
Meanwhile, we wanted to share a story about another great service experience. (We could get used to this!)
These days, Kansas City is the closest thing to a home base for us. So, it's really no surprise that nearly every visit to our old stomping grounds involves a stop somewhere to care for our moose on our way in or out of town. There are a lot of systems in our rolling home. And, they all need regular maintenance. Unfortunately, said maintenance is needed on varied schedules. So, it feels like there's always something on Bullwinkle's "to-do" list.
We've been on a mission to find a service provider we can rely on in Kansas City. We have our local mobile guys we love, but they provide no chassis service. The local Freightliner dealer will happily do chassis work, but we've been far from impressed. Our dream of finding a one-stop service shop we could trust has gone unfulfilled. Until now.
Cummins, the makers of Bullwinkle's 400-horse powerhouse, has created an RV service center (actually, several of them) that is designed to provide bumper-to-bumper maintenance and repair. There are currently 45 Cummins Coach Care facilities located across the country. We are fortunate that one of them is located at Cummins Central Power in Kansas City, a mere 20 miles from our home park. After making this wonderful discovery, we booked an appointment to coincide with our planned departure out of town.
The afternoon before our appointment, we headed north of the Missouri River with Rocky 2 in tow. No, we wouldn't normally go to the time and trouble to hook the squirrel to the moose for such a short drive. But, this seemed like the perfect time to tow our new Jeep on its maiden voyage. We're so pleased to report Rocky 2 tows like a dream!
When we arrived at Cummins Central Power, we were instantly impressed. Parking was easy, and just steps away from the Coach Care service desk. We were greeted by Chris, who was warm, courteous and professional. If you've ever taken your coach to a "truck center" you already know this is a rare combination! In most truck places, the last thing they care to see is a motorhome. But, here we felt quite welcome.
Chris directed us to the coach parking area, where we set up and settled in for the night. We were delighted not to have to face rush hour traffic for our morning appointment. This extra touch of hospitality was most appreciated. In the morning, Chris gave us a call when they were ready for us. When we dropped off the moose, Chris said he'd need a couple of hours. And, when we returned two hours later Bullwinkle was out front waiting for us. (Another rarity!) Chris gave us a full report on the service work. Everything checked out great. One item we asked them to check, a pesky leveling jack, needed to replaced sooner or later. Based on our positive experience, we decided sooner was better. A part needed to be ordered, so we extended our Kansas City stay and returned to Cummins a few days later. The work was completed promptly. Our time in the spacious, clean and comfortable waiting area flew by. Chris completed our extended warranty paperwork with a smile, and graciously offered us another night in their parking area, which we accepted. We got a fresh start in the morning, and Bullwinkle was one happy, trouble-free moose.
When it comes to moose maintenance and repair, we've had some real horror stories. What a breath of fresh air to find places like Cummins Coach Care and MCD Innovations. Gotta love it!
An Exceptional Month
We're wrapping up our month in Kansas City. Any way you look at it, it's been pretty exceptional.
Here in our old hometown, it's been a month of family, friends and food. Yes, we're pretty sure we've consumed more calories this month than usual. Many more. In addition to the big food-focused holiday, we celebrated my double-nickel birthday. (So, I no longer have to worry about getting carded at "senior" RV parks!) We met a "kid" from our childhood neighborhood who grew up to be a fulltime RVer just like us. I started and finished a quilt for a soon-to-be grand-niece. (Or is it great-niece?) We purged ourselves of a couple of tubs of stuff we deemed no longer essential to our life on the road. That felt good! And, I didn't post a single ditty to this here blog. Until today.
Hey! We've been busy!
It's been an exceptional month for our finances, as well. Without a doubt, this has been the most expensive of the last 36 months we've spent on the road. (November 2009 was bigger. We wrote a big check for a big moose that month.) In November 2012, we've given the local economy some pretty healthy boosts.
Here's a quick look at our big "cha-chings":
* New Jeep
* New baseplate
* Transplanting our auxiliary braking system
* Registration renewal for the moose
* Sales tax and registration for our new squirrel
* Two not-covered-by-insurance dental checkups
* A new crown (In my mouth. Not on my head.)
* Moose maintenance at Cummins Coach Care (But, the "camping" was "free"!)
As you can see, we're definitely spreading the wealth around. Add it all up and our total expenses for the month are about ten times our typical monthly spending.
That's right, I said "ten times".
A "10x" month could be a budget buster, for sure. Fortunately, we've planned for months like this. We had to. Why? Because months like this happen.
Yet, it's months like this that some folks seem to forget about when they tackle the question of "How much does it cost to be a fulltime RVer?" It can be easy to estimate the basic expenses, such as accommodations, fuel and food. Lots of people total those up and declare fulltime RVing a cheap way to live. (Of course, we busted that myth here long ago!) But, sooner or later, we all have to deal with (and pay for) big stuff.
It's easier (and seemingly cheaper) to focus on just the typical monthly expenses of living on the road (or anywhere, for that matter). But, the cold hard truth is that there are months that are atypical. It might be just one month every year or two or three. But, it will happen. Guaranteed.
Toads need to be replaced. Tires, too. Sometimes, so do engines. And, aging bodies need things like crowns, and knees and hips. And, all of those things cost money.
Did we need to replace our eight-year-old squirrel with a brand-new one? Of course not. But, that Jeep wasn't going to last forever. Sooner or later, it needed to be replaced. That's just the way machines are.
Is the point of this post to evoke sympathy for us having a pricey month? Absolutely not! The point is exceptional months happen. Our message is how very important it is to plan and budget for them.
We're sure glad we did!
Here in our old hometown, it's been a month of family, friends and food. Yes, we're pretty sure we've consumed more calories this month than usual. Many more. In addition to the big food-focused holiday, we celebrated my double-nickel birthday. (So, I no longer have to worry about getting carded at "senior" RV parks!) We met a "kid" from our childhood neighborhood who grew up to be a fulltime RVer just like us. I started and finished a quilt for a soon-to-be grand-niece. (Or is it great-niece?) We purged ourselves of a couple of tubs of stuff we deemed no longer essential to our life on the road. That felt good! And, I didn't post a single ditty to this here blog. Until today.
Hey! We've been busy!
It's been an exceptional month for our finances, as well. Without a doubt, this has been the most expensive of the last 36 months we've spent on the road. (November 2009 was bigger. We wrote a big check for a big moose that month.) In November 2012, we've given the local economy some pretty healthy boosts.
Here's a quick look at our big "cha-chings":
* New Jeep
* New baseplate
* Transplanting our auxiliary braking system
* Registration renewal for the moose
* Sales tax and registration for our new squirrel
* Two not-covered-by-insurance dental checkups
* A new crown (In my mouth. Not on my head.)
* Moose maintenance at Cummins Coach Care (But, the "camping" was "free"!)
As you can see, we're definitely spreading the wealth around. Add it all up and our total expenses for the month are about ten times our typical monthly spending.
That's right, I said "ten times".
A "10x" month could be a budget buster, for sure. Fortunately, we've planned for months like this. We had to. Why? Because months like this happen.
Yet, it's months like this that some folks seem to forget about when they tackle the question of "How much does it cost to be a fulltime RVer?" It can be easy to estimate the basic expenses, such as accommodations, fuel and food. Lots of people total those up and declare fulltime RVing a cheap way to live. (Of course, we busted that myth here long ago!) But, sooner or later, we all have to deal with (and pay for) big stuff.
It's easier (and seemingly cheaper) to focus on just the typical monthly expenses of living on the road (or anywhere, for that matter). But, the cold hard truth is that there are months that are atypical. It might be just one month every year or two or three. But, it will happen. Guaranteed.
Toads need to be replaced. Tires, too. Sometimes, so do engines. And, aging bodies need things like crowns, and knees and hips. And, all of those things cost money.
Did we need to replace our eight-year-old squirrel with a brand-new one? Of course not. But, that Jeep wasn't going to last forever. Sooner or later, it needed to be replaced. That's just the way machines are.
Is the point of this post to evoke sympathy for us having a pricey month? Absolutely not! The point is exceptional months happen. Our message is how very important it is to plan and budget for them.
We're sure glad we did!
Post-Vacation Life
Our "vacation" month in Arkansas is in the books (but not yet completely on our travel blog). We hit the road early Saturday out of Hot Springs for the long haul to Kansas City, where we arrived an hour or so before dark. As we traversed the 435-mile route, we passed near the two other places we had stayed during our visit to the Natural State, and then some. When we left Kansas City in mid-September, it took us five days of traveling over a six-week period to cover essentially the same distance we did in one day on the return trip.
Ugh!
It felt like we were coming home from vacation. You know the feeling: Squeeze out every ounce of vacation fun you can until the last minute, then catch the very last flight or hit the road for the long, mind-numbing ride home.
And, like those first few days after a vacation, we're a bit overwhelmed as we've gone back to "work" on the long list of "to-dos" we need to accomplish during our one-month stay here in our old hometown. In these first three days, we've shopped for a few essentials: new Keen sandals; fabric for a baby quilt the resident quilter needs to make this month; a new recliner and a new Jeep.
Yep. Rocky has been replaced.
After an unsuccessful effort to find a replacement Euro-recliner for our moose Monday morning, we took a swing by a highly recommended trailer place to see if they could handle the tasks involved with a new toad purchase. We have a high-dollar auxiliary braking system that would need to be transplanted from the old to a new toad. And, of course, any new tow vehicle we might decide to buy would have to be outfitted with a baseplate. After spending a few minutes with the manager at Croft Trailer Supply, we were confident they could do the job.
It just so happens that Croft is just a mile or so from a Jeep dealer we visited last May. So, we just had to stop by. Less than 24 hours later we became the proud owners of a four-door 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. The most important phrase in that last sentence is "four-door". Our squirrel was more than fine for the two of us. But, anytime we were transporting four, two of us (and one of them was always the resident writer of this blog) had to fold our bodies into that tiny, narrow thing that resembled a back seat.
I won't miss that! From here on out, every passenger will have his or her own door, and plenty of legroom. Hallelujah!
Of course, there's a bunch more stuff that makes our new Jeep extra nifty. There's a ton more space, a new and improved engine, smooth but still Jeepy ride, running boards, three-piece roof and a groovy navigation system. But, most importantly, it has four - count 'em, four - doors. Yeah!
Was it sad to say so long to our dear Rocky? You betcha! That dandy little squirrel has been our moose's sidekick since the beginning of our RVing adventures. After spending most of his early life in the comfort-controlled climate of a garage, Rocky lived life for the last three-plus years fully exposed to the elements. He endured heat, cold, rain and a brutal Christmas blizzard. He happily followed Bullwinkle for more than 30,000 miles from coast to coast to coast, and then some. He cruised along sandy beaches, climbed the red rocks of Moab and splashed through Spring streams in Texas Hill Country. And, he never, ever complained.
We wish our old squirrel the best in his new life in or around Kansas City. This is a great part of the country to live in and explore. We know he'll love it.
Meanwhile, we have lots to do this month with our new Jeep. By the time we head south in a month or so, we'll have him all decked out for his new assignment to fall in behind our moose. Bullwinkle will have a new buddy.
We've checked the pedigree of our new Jeep. And, guess what? Turns out he's a squirrel, too!
What's his name? Well, cue the movie theme music. It's....
Rocky 2!
Here's hoping the sequel is as good or better than the original!
Ugh!
It felt like we were coming home from vacation. You know the feeling: Squeeze out every ounce of vacation fun you can until the last minute, then catch the very last flight or hit the road for the long, mind-numbing ride home.
And, like those first few days after a vacation, we're a bit overwhelmed as we've gone back to "work" on the long list of "to-dos" we need to accomplish during our one-month stay here in our old hometown. In these first three days, we've shopped for a few essentials: new Keen sandals; fabric for a baby quilt the resident quilter needs to make this month; a new recliner and a new Jeep.
Yep. Rocky has been replaced.
After an unsuccessful effort to find a replacement Euro-recliner for our moose Monday morning, we took a swing by a highly recommended trailer place to see if they could handle the tasks involved with a new toad purchase. We have a high-dollar auxiliary braking system that would need to be transplanted from the old to a new toad. And, of course, any new tow vehicle we might decide to buy would have to be outfitted with a baseplate. After spending a few minutes with the manager at Croft Trailer Supply, we were confident they could do the job.
It just so happens that Croft is just a mile or so from a Jeep dealer we visited last May. So, we just had to stop by. Less than 24 hours later we became the proud owners of a four-door 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. The most important phrase in that last sentence is "four-door". Our squirrel was more than fine for the two of us. But, anytime we were transporting four, two of us (and one of them was always the resident writer of this blog) had to fold our bodies into that tiny, narrow thing that resembled a back seat.
I won't miss that! From here on out, every passenger will have his or her own door, and plenty of legroom. Hallelujah!
Of course, there's a bunch more stuff that makes our new Jeep extra nifty. There's a ton more space, a new and improved engine, smooth but still Jeepy ride, running boards, three-piece roof and a groovy navigation system. But, most importantly, it has four - count 'em, four - doors. Yeah!
Was it sad to say so long to our dear Rocky? You betcha! That dandy little squirrel has been our moose's sidekick since the beginning of our RVing adventures. After spending most of his early life in the comfort-controlled climate of a garage, Rocky lived life for the last three-plus years fully exposed to the elements. He endured heat, cold, rain and a brutal Christmas blizzard. He happily followed Bullwinkle for more than 30,000 miles from coast to coast to coast, and then some. He cruised along sandy beaches, climbed the red rocks of Moab and splashed through Spring streams in Texas Hill Country. And, he never, ever complained.
We wish our old squirrel the best in his new life in or around Kansas City. This is a great part of the country to live in and explore. We know he'll love it.
Meanwhile, we have lots to do this month with our new Jeep. By the time we head south in a month or so, we'll have him all decked out for his new assignment to fall in behind our moose. Bullwinkle will have a new buddy.
We've checked the pedigree of our new Jeep. And, guess what? Turns out he's a squirrel, too!
What's his name? Well, cue the movie theme music. It's....
Rocky 2!
Here's hoping the sequel is as good or better than the original!
We're On Vacation!
We really are!
And for those of you who are interested in where we've been, please visit Bullwinkle's Travels. For the first time in an eternity, our little travel blog is just about up to date. Enjoy!
Lots of folks look at what we're doing and think we're on a perpetual vacation. Of course, that's not true. As much as we love this lifestyle, and believe us we do, much of our time on the road is spent dealing with everyday life.
But, for some reason, Arkansas feels different. Since we left Missouri, we are free of any and all obligations for the first time in a long time. (It's all been fun, of course. But, an obligation is an obligation!) Arkansas is pretty. It's laid back. It's fun.
We loved Hickory Creek COE Campground in northwest Arkansas. It was relaxing. It was quiet. It was a great place to chill.
Now, we're 120 miles or so south. Here at Mount Magazine State Park something is different. The campground is small. Just 18 sites. We're sharing the highest point in the state with a splendid lodge just a few minutes away that is home to a fabulous restaurant (where we had breakfast this morning) and a most comfortable lodge with sweeping views where we sat and soaked up free wi-fi to take care of some important business this morning.
We like it here. But, we're just starting to understand why.
Sure, it's all nice. But, there's something else. Sitting here for just over 48 hours, we're starting to get it. This spacious site in the woods feels extra homey. It's quiet here. With no satellite and limited cell service, we're wonderfully disconnected. Yet, civilization, complete with cloth napkins and cheerful waitresses is just a one-mile hike or three-minute drive away. The sweeping views are breathtaking. The hiking trails are fantastic. We feel truly blessed to be here. We are, in the words of our favorite vet in Gunnison, chillaxin.
Finally, we got it.
It feels like we're on vacation!
Actually, in our three years of life on the road, most days have been fun. But, the days that feel like "vacation" are few and far between.
There's just something about this place.
It's special.
Actually, I'm not going to spend much more time attempting to explain this. Either you get it, or you don't.
And, if you do, you should put Mt. Magazine State Park on your "to do" list.
Enough said.
Meanwhile, we are lovin' our vacation!
And for those of you who are interested in where we've been, please visit Bullwinkle's Travels. For the first time in an eternity, our little travel blog is just about up to date. Enjoy!
Lots of folks look at what we're doing and think we're on a perpetual vacation. Of course, that's not true. As much as we love this lifestyle, and believe us we do, much of our time on the road is spent dealing with everyday life.
But, for some reason, Arkansas feels different. Since we left Missouri, we are free of any and all obligations for the first time in a long time. (It's all been fun, of course. But, an obligation is an obligation!) Arkansas is pretty. It's laid back. It's fun.
We loved Hickory Creek COE Campground in northwest Arkansas. It was relaxing. It was quiet. It was a great place to chill.
Now, we're 120 miles or so south. Here at Mount Magazine State Park something is different. The campground is small. Just 18 sites. We're sharing the highest point in the state with a splendid lodge just a few minutes away that is home to a fabulous restaurant (where we had breakfast this morning) and a most comfortable lodge with sweeping views where we sat and soaked up free wi-fi to take care of some important business this morning.
We like it here. But, we're just starting to understand why.
Sure, it's all nice. But, there's something else. Sitting here for just over 48 hours, we're starting to get it. This spacious site in the woods feels extra homey. It's quiet here. With no satellite and limited cell service, we're wonderfully disconnected. Yet, civilization, complete with cloth napkins and cheerful waitresses is just a one-mile hike or three-minute drive away. The sweeping views are breathtaking. The hiking trails are fantastic. We feel truly blessed to be here. We are, in the words of our favorite vet in Gunnison, chillaxin.
Finally, we got it.
It feels like we're on vacation!
Actually, in our three years of life on the road, most days have been fun. But, the days that feel like "vacation" are few and far between.
There's just something about this place.
It's special.
Actually, I'm not going to spend much more time attempting to explain this. Either you get it, or you don't.
And, if you do, you should put Mt. Magazine State Park on your "to do" list.
Enough said.
Meanwhile, we are lovin' our vacation!
100 Lasted 8!
We are tucked in our very rustic spot (with full hookups) at Mt. Magazine State Park, the highest point in the state of Arkansas. It's a small park with spacious sites that are woodsy and wonderful and cool and there are a zillion hiking trails. And when we're ready for a fine meal or a nice place to hang out, there's a reportedly beautiful lodge just around the corner. Internet and cell services are sketchy, and satellite is a most probably not.
It should be a nice, relaxing week!
Tonight we're celebrating an important first around our rolling home. At Hickory Creek, which we left this morning, we went eight whole days on 100 gallons of fresh water!
Yahoo!!!!
I'm the first to admit my general preference for a place to park this moose is a spacious slab of concrete with quality 50 amp power, full hookups and screaming wifi. But, every now and then we like to rough it. We'll go without sewer or water. We'll scale down to 30 amp. We'll park on gravel, grass or dirt.
It's fun!
For a few days.
Such was the case when we checked into Hickory Creek. We had good 50 amp at our lovely back-in site. No sewer. And, no water. But, no problem. We filled our 100 gallon fresh water tank on the way in. And, we were only roughing it for four days.
But, about Tuesday we decided that we liked Hickory Creek so much we wanted to stay a few more days. Our site was available, so we extended our stay until Sunday. A total of eight days. All was right with the world. Of course, we'd be using water like there was no tomorrow. Our fresh water tank read "two thirds". Suddenly, if we wanted to save ourselves a trip to the closest fresh water hose, we needed to conserve.
Our waste tanks were not the issue. They are huge. Together, they hold at least 25% more than our fresh water tank can. Our issue was running out of fresh water. And, while a trip to the water hose wouldn't be a great big deal, it would be a bit of a hassle. We decided to take on the challenge and see if we could make it.
We're not well versed in the art of water conservation. We own a couple of paper plates, somewhere. We love to cook. And, when we do we hardly give thought to how many pots, pans and dishes we dirty. We enjoy wine with most meals from genuine glass. No throwaways for us.
So, these last four days we've been careful. We've cooked almost everything on the grill. We ate out for lunch. We took navy showers. With our fresh water meter on "E" for the last two days, we started to wonder if we could make it.
But when the time came late this morning to head for the dump station before we hit the road, we realized our achievement. We were fed, watered and freshly showered. And, we had made 100 gallons of water last us for eight days. Every flush. Every wash. Every anything that required water.
We did it!
Tonight we're loving that we don't have to think about this anymore. We don't really miss the hum of our water pump. Tonight we made a big pot of spaghetti that cooked it a large pot of water. No worries.
Nope. We don't miss it. Not at all. But, now we know something we didn't know before. When it comes to saving water, we can do it.
Yeah! Of course, this week we do have to get by on just 30 amp. And, there's the whole lack of cell and internet thing.
Yep. We're still roughing it. But, we love it!
It should be a nice, relaxing week!
Tonight we're celebrating an important first around our rolling home. At Hickory Creek, which we left this morning, we went eight whole days on 100 gallons of fresh water!
Yahoo!!!!
I'm the first to admit my general preference for a place to park this moose is a spacious slab of concrete with quality 50 amp power, full hookups and screaming wifi. But, every now and then we like to rough it. We'll go without sewer or water. We'll scale down to 30 amp. We'll park on gravel, grass or dirt.
It's fun!
For a few days.
Such was the case when we checked into Hickory Creek. We had good 50 amp at our lovely back-in site. No sewer. And, no water. But, no problem. We filled our 100 gallon fresh water tank on the way in. And, we were only roughing it for four days.
But, about Tuesday we decided that we liked Hickory Creek so much we wanted to stay a few more days. Our site was available, so we extended our stay until Sunday. A total of eight days. All was right with the world. Of course, we'd be using water like there was no tomorrow. Our fresh water tank read "two thirds". Suddenly, if we wanted to save ourselves a trip to the closest fresh water hose, we needed to conserve.
Our waste tanks were not the issue. They are huge. Together, they hold at least 25% more than our fresh water tank can. Our issue was running out of fresh water. And, while a trip to the water hose wouldn't be a great big deal, it would be a bit of a hassle. We decided to take on the challenge and see if we could make it.
We're not well versed in the art of water conservation. We own a couple of paper plates, somewhere. We love to cook. And, when we do we hardly give thought to how many pots, pans and dishes we dirty. We enjoy wine with most meals from genuine glass. No throwaways for us.
So, these last four days we've been careful. We've cooked almost everything on the grill. We ate out for lunch. We took navy showers. With our fresh water meter on "E" for the last two days, we started to wonder if we could make it.
But when the time came late this morning to head for the dump station before we hit the road, we realized our achievement. We were fed, watered and freshly showered. And, we had made 100 gallons of water last us for eight days. Every flush. Every wash. Every anything that required water.
We did it!
Tonight we're loving that we don't have to think about this anymore. We don't really miss the hum of our water pump. Tonight we made a big pot of spaghetti that cooked it a large pot of water. No worries.
Nope. We don't miss it. Not at all. But, now we know something we didn't know before. When it comes to saving water, we can do it.
Yeah! Of course, this week we do have to get by on just 30 amp. And, there's the whole lack of cell and internet thing.
Yep. We're still roughing it. But, we love it!
Texas Absentee Voting
In case you couldn't tell, Election Day is just around the corner.
Don't worry. This post isn't about trying to persuade you to vote one way or another. (We can hear the cyber sigh of relief!)
Rather, this missive is a quick lesson in absentee voting as a Texan. (So, if you're not a fellow resident of Rainbow Drive, you're officially excused from class. If you're in search of more interesting reading material, may we suggest you click on over to Bullwinkle's Travels? We've been busy bringing that neglected travel blog up to date...almost.)
A couple of years ago, as the United States prepared for the 2010 census, Escapees sent mailings assuring us that we would be counted. We never were. With the approach of this year's general election, we looked for absentee voting instructions to arrive in the mail from Escapees. They never did. So, we took matters into our own hands. It's one thing to miss being counted every 10 years. But, when it comes to exercising our constitutional right, we aren't going to let anything get in our way. And, we want to do what we can to help our neighbors with this process.
We submitted our requests for absentee ballots today. The process took longer than it should. With hopes that we can save our friends a few minutes, here are some step-by-step instructions.
1. Get/Check Your Voter Registration.
If you're not already registered, do it now! The deadline for registering to vote in this year's general election is October 9th.
To register, Complete a Voter Registration Application online. You must print and mail this form the voter registration official in your county. This form must be received prior to October 9th.
In Livingston, the Polk County official is:
Tax Assessor-Collector
Marion A. "Bid" Smith
416 N. Washington
Livingston, TX 77351
If you are registered, find your Voter Registration Card. It has an expiration date, but if that date has passed, don't worry. Your registration is probably current. To check the status of your registration, go to the Voter Information Search page. Enter the essential info and the site will tell you your status.
Don't put your registration card away just yet. You'll need it in a minute.
2. Print and Mail an Application for Ballot by Mail
Click here to open a PDF of the application.
Complete Page 2. Your completed application must be received by the early voting clerk no later than October 30th.
Provide all of the information requested. Here are a few helpful hints.
Before you fill in your address in Box 2, check your voter registration card. Print your address exactly as it appears under your name on the card.
In Box 3, fill in the mailing address where you want your ballot to be mailed. So, think about where and when you want to receive your ballot.
In Box 6, check "Expected absence from the county" as your reason for voting by mail.
In Box 7, check Address outside the county. (The address you provided in Box 3 needs to be outside Polk County.)
In Box 8, enter a date when you can receive mail at the address in Box 3. Remember, your completed ballot must be received by the early voting clerk (not postmarked) no earlier than October 27th and no later than 7PM on Election Day, November 6th.
Mail your completed application to the Early Voting Clerk in your county.
In Livingston, the Polk County Early Voting Clerk is:
County Clerk
Schelana Walker
P.O. Drawer 2119
Livingston, TX 77351
Your completed application must be received by the early voting clerk no later than October 30th
3. Watch Your Mail and Vote!
Don't worry. This post isn't about trying to persuade you to vote one way or another. (We can hear the cyber sigh of relief!)
Rather, this missive is a quick lesson in absentee voting as a Texan. (So, if you're not a fellow resident of Rainbow Drive, you're officially excused from class. If you're in search of more interesting reading material, may we suggest you click on over to Bullwinkle's Travels? We've been busy bringing that neglected travel blog up to date...almost.)
A couple of years ago, as the United States prepared for the 2010 census, Escapees sent mailings assuring us that we would be counted. We never were. With the approach of this year's general election, we looked for absentee voting instructions to arrive in the mail from Escapees. They never did. So, we took matters into our own hands. It's one thing to miss being counted every 10 years. But, when it comes to exercising our constitutional right, we aren't going to let anything get in our way. And, we want to do what we can to help our neighbors with this process.
We submitted our requests for absentee ballots today. The process took longer than it should. With hopes that we can save our friends a few minutes, here are some step-by-step instructions.
1. Get/Check Your Voter Registration.
If you're not already registered, do it now! The deadline for registering to vote in this year's general election is October 9th.
To register, Complete a Voter Registration Application online. You must print and mail this form the voter registration official in your county. This form must be received prior to October 9th.
In Livingston, the Polk County official is:
Tax Assessor-Collector
Marion A. "Bid" Smith
416 N. Washington
Livingston, TX 77351
If you are registered, find your Voter Registration Card. It has an expiration date, but if that date has passed, don't worry. Your registration is probably current. To check the status of your registration, go to the Voter Information Search page. Enter the essential info and the site will tell you your status.
Don't put your registration card away just yet. You'll need it in a minute.
2. Print and Mail an Application for Ballot by Mail
Click here to open a PDF of the application.
Complete Page 2. Your completed application must be received by the early voting clerk no later than October 30th.
Provide all of the information requested. Here are a few helpful hints.
Before you fill in your address in Box 2, check your voter registration card. Print your address exactly as it appears under your name on the card.
In Box 3, fill in the mailing address where you want your ballot to be mailed. So, think about where and when you want to receive your ballot.
In Box 6, check "Expected absence from the county" as your reason for voting by mail.
In Box 7, check Address outside the county. (The address you provided in Box 3 needs to be outside Polk County.)
In Box 8, enter a date when you can receive mail at the address in Box 3. Remember, your completed ballot must be received by the early voting clerk (not postmarked) no earlier than October 27th and no later than 7PM on Election Day, November 6th.
Mail your completed application to the Early Voting Clerk in your county.
In Livingston, the Polk County Early Voting Clerk is:
County Clerk
Schelana Walker
P.O. Drawer 2119
Livingston, TX 77351
Your completed application must be received by the early voting clerk no later than October 30th
3. Watch Your Mail and Vote!
Remember, your completed ballot must be received by the early voting clerk (not postmarked) no earlier than October 27th and no later than 7PM on Election Day, November 6th.
That's it! Hope this helps.
Pooped!
We've come a long way from Loveland. It's been far too long since we've checked in. At long last, we're dusting off our long-neglected blog. We've been busy!
We traveled across Kansas in the heat and humidity. We're so pleased to report that our heat pump is working just fine. (Thanks again, Don and Mary Ann!) We enjoyed time with family in Salina and spent 10 days in Kansas City celebrating a big birthday and taking care of some health care business. With that activity behind us, we headed down Highway 50 to Sedalia to attend our first Escapade.
An Escapade is a rally for members of the Escapees RV Club. These days the club hosts an Escapade once a year. We've been meaning to attend since we hatched the idea of becoming fulltime RVers. It only took us four years to make it to one! But, when our calendar synced up perfectly with this year's festivities in Sedalia, we made it a date.
When we arrived last Saturday we were instantly met with familiar faces. Fellow fulltiming friends John and Bridget Hatch were just inside the gate working on the parking team. John led us to our parking spot, which was right next door to fellow fulltimers Mark and Dortha (whom we hadn't seen in forever!), two doors away from Donna and Keith and their pretty new motorhome, and just across the road from traveling buddies Molly and Bob, who are in their second of three years serving as Escapade directors.
Molly and Bob are a very special couple who have dedicated their tremendous talent and energy to Escapees. We saw them several times during this incredibly busy week, and they were always smiling. They recruited an amazing staff and volunteers to make this event a success. And, it showed. Successfully navigating five or six hundred RVs in and out of a fairground, and facilitating the education and entertainment of 1,100 attendees for a week is a monumental task. Molly, Bob and folks did it all with a smile.
That said, we can attest that Molly and Bob can do some arm twisting -- of the friendliest kind, of course! While we visited with them in Utah last Summer, they asked if we would present an informational seminar at this year's rally based on our special report we posted here on the blog last year. And, of course, we said we would. Somewhere along the way, Molly charmed me into signing up as an event photographer, too.
My photography duties were tons of fun! Seriously, I think that's one of the best jobs at an event like this. I was assigned a golf cart, radio and a badge. With all that and my camera in hand, I could literally go anywhere! And, I did. Within a few hours of landing at the fairground, I was shooting all over the place. From the start of the opening ceremony on Sunday afternoon until yesterday's closing festivities, I snapped my way in and out of almost every seminar, the vendor's marketplace, the chapter and special interest room, craft area, an RV show, many socials, a chili cookoff, pet parade, two nights of Branson-style entertainment and the Ham-O-Rama talent show. Yep. I captured hundreds of smiles this week.
Wednesday morning, I parked my camera for an hour when Paul and I presented our seminar, The Myths of Fulltime RVing. Our session was the third of seven presentations that were part of the Escapade's first-ever "Fulltiming 101", a series designed for people who are planning, considering or starting life as fulltime RVers. We had a wonderful audience. They looked so good, of course, I took their pictures! Everyone was engaged, participants asked great questions, and we received wonderful feedback. Though we were a bit nervous about it all, (It's been years since we've stood in front of a room!) it was great fun. We were honored to participate in this new program. If we helped give a few folks something to think about, then it was all worth it.
Between shooting and processing photos and preparing and delivering our seminar, we didn't have much time left for socializing. But, we were delighted to meet some fellow blogging friends for the first time. Kenny and Angela were parked just a few rigs away. We've been meaning to meet up with them every time we're in Kansas City. It was great to finally meet them. Whizzing along in our cart, we spotted Glenn and Sylvia's rig and stopped to say hello. It was so nice to actually meet these Facebook friends face to face! We dropped in on a fun happy hour at Sam and Donna's place, where we able to sit and visit a bit with these good folks and Kenny and Angela. They introduced us to fulltimers Len and Phyllis, who definitely did their part to stimulate the Sedalia economy. (Thanks, y'all!). We also met fellow fulltimers Jesse and Ginger briefly along the way. We're thrilled to move their blogs to the "Bloggers We've Met" section of our blogroll.
We've also enjoyed catching up with our dear friends Steve and Cathy, whom we last saw during our quick stop in Lincoln early this Summer. It's always good to see them, and it was a special treat to have them in the audience for our seminar and share one of their fulltiming mantras: "Your expenses may vary!" (So true!) We look forward to meeting up with this fun couple in our Fall travels.
After this morning's "Get Away Breakfast", a steady stream of RVs left the campground. With hugs, handshakes (but mostly hugs) and "See Ya's", many of our fellow Escapees hit the road out of Sedalia. Others are sticking around here through the weekend. We were originally planning on heading out today. But, a pretty stiff wind was blowing from the direction we would be going, so we opted to sign up for another night. We'll head south with the wind mostly at our back tomorrow.
We didn't really need an excuse to stay. But, we'll take it. Besides, after this fun and busy week, we must confess. We're pooped!
We traveled across Kansas in the heat and humidity. We're so pleased to report that our heat pump is working just fine. (Thanks again, Don and Mary Ann!) We enjoyed time with family in Salina and spent 10 days in Kansas City celebrating a big birthday and taking care of some health care business. With that activity behind us, we headed down Highway 50 to Sedalia to attend our first Escapade.
An Escapade is a rally for members of the Escapees RV Club. These days the club hosts an Escapade once a year. We've been meaning to attend since we hatched the idea of becoming fulltime RVers. It only took us four years to make it to one! But, when our calendar synced up perfectly with this year's festivities in Sedalia, we made it a date.
When we arrived last Saturday we were instantly met with familiar faces. Fellow fulltiming friends John and Bridget Hatch were just inside the gate working on the parking team. John led us to our parking spot, which was right next door to fellow fulltimers Mark and Dortha (whom we hadn't seen in forever!), two doors away from Donna and Keith and their pretty new motorhome, and just across the road from traveling buddies Molly and Bob, who are in their second of three years serving as Escapade directors.
Molly and Bob are a very special couple who have dedicated their tremendous talent and energy to Escapees. We saw them several times during this incredibly busy week, and they were always smiling. They recruited an amazing staff and volunteers to make this event a success. And, it showed. Successfully navigating five or six hundred RVs in and out of a fairground, and facilitating the education and entertainment of 1,100 attendees for a week is a monumental task. Molly, Bob and folks did it all with a smile.
That said, we can attest that Molly and Bob can do some arm twisting -- of the friendliest kind, of course! While we visited with them in Utah last Summer, they asked if we would present an informational seminar at this year's rally based on our special report we posted here on the blog last year. And, of course, we said we would. Somewhere along the way, Molly charmed me into signing up as an event photographer, too.
My photography duties were tons of fun! Seriously, I think that's one of the best jobs at an event like this. I was assigned a golf cart, radio and a badge. With all that and my camera in hand, I could literally go anywhere! And, I did. Within a few hours of landing at the fairground, I was shooting all over the place. From the start of the opening ceremony on Sunday afternoon until yesterday's closing festivities, I snapped my way in and out of almost every seminar, the vendor's marketplace, the chapter and special interest room, craft area, an RV show, many socials, a chili cookoff, pet parade, two nights of Branson-style entertainment and the Ham-O-Rama talent show. Yep. I captured hundreds of smiles this week.
Wednesday morning, I parked my camera for an hour when Paul and I presented our seminar, The Myths of Fulltime RVing. Our session was the third of seven presentations that were part of the Escapade's first-ever "Fulltiming 101", a series designed for people who are planning, considering or starting life as fulltime RVers. We had a wonderful audience. They looked so good, of course, I took their pictures! Everyone was engaged, participants asked great questions, and we received wonderful feedback. Though we were a bit nervous about it all, (It's been years since we've stood in front of a room!) it was great fun. We were honored to participate in this new program. If we helped give a few folks something to think about, then it was all worth it.
Between shooting and processing photos and preparing and delivering our seminar, we didn't have much time left for socializing. But, we were delighted to meet some fellow blogging friends for the first time. Kenny and Angela were parked just a few rigs away. We've been meaning to meet up with them every time we're in Kansas City. It was great to finally meet them. Whizzing along in our cart, we spotted Glenn and Sylvia's rig and stopped to say hello. It was so nice to actually meet these Facebook friends face to face! We dropped in on a fun happy hour at Sam and Donna's place, where we able to sit and visit a bit with these good folks and Kenny and Angela. They introduced us to fulltimers Len and Phyllis, who definitely did their part to stimulate the Sedalia economy. (Thanks, y'all!). We also met fellow fulltimers Jesse and Ginger briefly along the way. We're thrilled to move their blogs to the "Bloggers We've Met" section of our blogroll.
We've also enjoyed catching up with our dear friends Steve and Cathy, whom we last saw during our quick stop in Lincoln early this Summer. It's always good to see them, and it was a special treat to have them in the audience for our seminar and share one of their fulltiming mantras: "Your expenses may vary!" (So true!) We look forward to meeting up with this fun couple in our Fall travels.
After this morning's "Get Away Breakfast", a steady stream of RVs left the campground. With hugs, handshakes (but mostly hugs) and "See Ya's", many of our fellow Escapees hit the road out of Sedalia. Others are sticking around here through the weekend. We were originally planning on heading out today. But, a pretty stiff wind was blowing from the direction we would be going, so we opted to sign up for another night. We'll head south with the wind mostly at our back tomorrow.
We didn't really need an excuse to stay. But, we'll take it. Besides, after this fun and busy week, we must confess. We're pooped!
Day Care
Reluctantly, we made our way from Gunnison yesterday to Loveland. We arrived in the late afternoon at DM RV Repair. Owners Don (The "D") and Mary Ann (The "M") welcomed us and graciously offered a space for us to hook up the moose and get a good night's sleep before things really got going this morning.
Today's forecast in Loveland wasn't pleasant. The forecast highs were into the upper 90s. On a day when our moose was expected to go hours without AC we were faced with an important challenge: What to do with our cats?
Anyway you looked at it, the outlook for any being to survive, much less thrive, in our rolling home today was poor, at best. With temps in the upper 90s and the Front Range sun a blazing, the mercury inside an AC-less Bullwinkle was projected to approach or top the century mark.
And, life inside our mighty Jeep didn't look much more promising today.
So, today, we looked for alternatives.
After a quick online evaluation of feline day care facilities, today's winner became obvious. It was five minutes away, the folks were oh-so-pleasant when we called in to inquire, and they had space available today for our feline friends to hang out in cool comfort today.
Done deal.
So, after checking in with the good people who had the power to restore cooling power to our moose, we crated up the cats for their first-ever kitty day care experience.
We drove up, met the lovely people, handed over our critters and asked ourselves this question.
What parents in their right mind would hand over their nine-year-old children to complete strangers?
Scary!
The good news is it all felt right. With clear kitty parent consciences we headed out to kill way too much time in Loveland.
We went to Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond, and Smashburger (Yum!) and Super Cuts and TCBY and JAX (a place we'd never heard of) and Kohl's and we even checked out our egress out of town tomorrow.
Yes, we were definitely killing time. And, when it comes to that we don't do it very well.
We went back to the shop and checked in on our progress. Things were moving slowly. But, they were moving.
With our pick-up deadline looming, we checked in with our tech. Everything was coming together. By 6 o'clock, everything would be wrapped up. We made a quick dash to the vet center to pick up our babies before the magic hour of six. They seemed happy, well, and a bit wiped out. We so wish they would answer our many questions about how their first-ever day of day care went. Alas, they can't. But, based on their desire to rapidly devour dinner and hang out with their parents, we're assuming it all went well.
At just about six, our heat pump was in place. With an inside temp of 98 degrees, our magical technician Don gave us the go ahead to fire things up. Within 30 minutes, the temp was down to the low 90s. Within an hour, we were into the low 80s. The cats were happy and so were we.
Both compressors are firing. The temperature is dropping. The cats and peeps in our house are definitely happy.
It's been 14 months since our heat pump worked properly. It's been a long, ugly journey. Maybe someday we'll tell the whole ugly story. But, tonight we're just appreciating what we have.
Our heat pump works. Finally.
Kudos to Mary Ann and Don of DM Mobile RV Repair in Loveland for wrestling the "Heat Pump From Hell". At least one Winnebago dealer and folks at the factory couldn't conquer this beast, but DM did. We're so grateful for their skilled craftsmanship and warm hospitality. For all and any of our RVing friends passing along the Front Range, is you need service, these are definitely the folks to call. We're so glad we did!
Three cheers for Coleman, the manufacturers of our heat pump. You folks get a bad rap that isn't always deserved. Thank you so much for stepping up and honoring your factory warranty long after many others would have passed. We really appreciate how you've gone the extra mile.
We have nothing, and I mean nothing, good to say about Winnebago Factory Service through this ordeal. Y'all screwed up. Plain and simple. Enough said.
Finally, after nearly 14 months we have a heat pump that actually works. And, we're so happy.
And, our cats have had their first taste of day care.
Tomorrow, after three completely unexpected months in Colorado, we're heading to Kansas.
Wahoo!
Today's forecast in Loveland wasn't pleasant. The forecast highs were into the upper 90s. On a day when our moose was expected to go hours without AC we were faced with an important challenge: What to do with our cats?
Anyway you looked at it, the outlook for any being to survive, much less thrive, in our rolling home today was poor, at best. With temps in the upper 90s and the Front Range sun a blazing, the mercury inside an AC-less Bullwinkle was projected to approach or top the century mark.
And, life inside our mighty Jeep didn't look much more promising today.
So, today, we looked for alternatives.
After a quick online evaluation of feline day care facilities, today's winner became obvious. It was five minutes away, the folks were oh-so-pleasant when we called in to inquire, and they had space available today for our feline friends to hang out in cool comfort today.
Done deal.
So, after checking in with the good people who had the power to restore cooling power to our moose, we crated up the cats for their first-ever kitty day care experience.
We drove up, met the lovely people, handed over our critters and asked ourselves this question.
What parents in their right mind would hand over their nine-year-old children to complete strangers?
Scary!
The good news is it all felt right. With clear kitty parent consciences we headed out to kill way too much time in Loveland.
We went to Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond, and Smashburger (Yum!) and Super Cuts and TCBY and JAX (a place we'd never heard of) and Kohl's and we even checked out our egress out of town tomorrow.
Yes, we were definitely killing time. And, when it comes to that we don't do it very well.
We went back to the shop and checked in on our progress. Things were moving slowly. But, they were moving.
With our pick-up deadline looming, we checked in with our tech. Everything was coming together. By 6 o'clock, everything would be wrapped up. We made a quick dash to the vet center to pick up our babies before the magic hour of six. They seemed happy, well, and a bit wiped out. We so wish they would answer our many questions about how their first-ever day of day care went. Alas, they can't. But, based on their desire to rapidly devour dinner and hang out with their parents, we're assuming it all went well.
At just about six, our heat pump was in place. With an inside temp of 98 degrees, our magical technician Don gave us the go ahead to fire things up. Within 30 minutes, the temp was down to the low 90s. Within an hour, we were into the low 80s. The cats were happy and so were we.
Both compressors are firing. The temperature is dropping. The cats and peeps in our house are definitely happy.
It's been 14 months since our heat pump worked properly. It's been a long, ugly journey. Maybe someday we'll tell the whole ugly story. But, tonight we're just appreciating what we have.
Our heat pump works. Finally.
Kudos to Mary Ann and Don of DM Mobile RV Repair in Loveland for wrestling the "Heat Pump From Hell". At least one Winnebago dealer and folks at the factory couldn't conquer this beast, but DM did. We're so grateful for their skilled craftsmanship and warm hospitality. For all and any of our RVing friends passing along the Front Range, is you need service, these are definitely the folks to call. We're so glad we did!
Three cheers for Coleman, the manufacturers of our heat pump. You folks get a bad rap that isn't always deserved. Thank you so much for stepping up and honoring your factory warranty long after many others would have passed. We really appreciate how you've gone the extra mile.
We have nothing, and I mean nothing, good to say about Winnebago Factory Service through this ordeal. Y'all screwed up. Plain and simple. Enough said.
Finally, after nearly 14 months we have a heat pump that actually works. And, we're so happy.
And, our cats have had their first taste of day care.
Tomorrow, after three completely unexpected months in Colorado, we're heading to Kansas.
Wahoo!
Feliway!
While the peeps in our household have been basking in the splendid isolation of Gunnison (and, it is awesome), it seems that one of our furry friends has suffered some stress.
Our boy kitty has been in a state for the last three days. And, this state has involved a periodic piddle where he shouldn't. When it comes to boy kitties and piddlin', we've learned over the years that it's important to get these things checked out ASAP. So, today we did.
This morning, we made an afternoon appointment at Tomichi Pet Center here in Gunnison. We loaded up the offending cat and headed off to the unknown (to us, anyway) vet. We received a warm greeting, and after a short wait were escorted to an exam room. The friendly tech and wonderful vet were both Kansas natives. So, we knew we were in good hands.
With just about all of the possible physical maladies ruled out, the vet suggested that the problem might be behavioral. Actually, she surmised, it sounded like the issue might be territorial. It seems our alpha kitty might just be marking his territory at the threat of passing deer, dogs, cats and whatever other wildlife might pass our way.
And what does one do with such a territorial kitty? The lovely vet suggested Feliway. I had read about it over the years, and was a bit skeptical. But, as the doc explained the science of it all, it suddenly made sense.
Feliway mimics feline pheromones, which are the things all kitties spread around a place by scratching, rubbing their faces (and occasionally piddlin') here and there. These pheromones make a kitty's place "theirs". Once everything is appropriately marked, a kitty can kick back and relax, knowing that they have fended off an intrusion by any passing animals. A few sprays of Feliway are supposed to get the job done for any resident kitties, which makes, scratching, rubbing (and occasional piddlin') unnecessary. With their territory artificially marked, resident kitties can get straight to the business of kickin' back and relaxing.
We gave it a shot.
Thirty bucks and five strategically placed sprays later, we were absolutely dumbstruck. Our kitties were calm, cool and collected. They were definitely kickin' back and relaxing.
Actually, our newfound vet has a great word for it. They were "chillaxin'".
Truth be told, we all were.
We know it's early. But, so far so good.
Three cheers for Feliway!
Splendid Isolation
For not being anywhere near where we'd planned to be, we really couldn't ask to be in a better place. Gunnison is simply great. Have we mentioned lately how much we love it?
We really do.
We went Jeepin' yesterday with our friends Karen and Arvin and their grandsons. Our route was Alpine Road, which took us on an amazing and incredibly scenic ride high into the mountains above Curecanti National Recreation Area. It was awesome!
One of the treats of our arrival back here in Gunnison was a chance meeting with a couple of folks over there on our blog roll. When we pulled into the park Saturday, the manager looked at our rig and said, "Hey! There's another one of those here." As we drove to our spot we couldn't help but notice a 2009 Tour with the exact same paint scheme as our moose. With a different floor plan, it was Bullwinkle's fraternal, rather than identical, twin. Our first thought was it would be fun to meet our Winnie kin. Our second thought was how much we lusted after their healthy heat pump. (But, I digress!)
Sunday night we were sitting outside enjoying the evening. A menagerie-walking couple came our way. There were two dogs, two cats and a familiar face. "We've come to meet the other Tour folks," they announced. As we shook hands, I was flipping through the visual rolodex in my mind. I tried my best to identify this familiar face. After the handshakes, we moved on to introductions.
"I'm Carrie," said the familiar face I couldn't place. With a name, I instantly made the match.
"I know you!" I exclaimed.
Carrie Barton is a blogger we've followed for years. Back in 2010, we tried to hook up in Texas Hill Country, but we weren't able to connect. We exchanged a few emails, but lost track as we got back to the business of living. What a pleasant surprise to have this chance meet up here in Gunnison! We exchanged pleasantries and made plans to catch up later. We look forward to getting to know Carrie and her husband Bill better and comparing Winnie stories. (Perhaps somebody should warn them...)
Tonight, we met up with Carrie, Bill, Doug, Nona and our neighbors for a park happy hour. The special guests of tonight's gathering were Dave and Susan, local experts in hiking, biking and 4x4 trails in and around Gunnison. (There are many!) Dave and Susan have lived in Gunnison for some 15 years and are obviously in love with their hometown. They told us about the all of the "can't miss" trails around town. (Suddenly, we have a long list of places to visit while we're here!)
As they gushed about all that is good about Gunnison, one of the things they pointed out was how, unlike all of those "popular" destinations along I-70 across the Rockies, Gunnison is quiet. This favorite town of ours has all of the scenery (and then some) of places like Breckenridge and Aspen, but with a fraction of the the folks.
Dave had a name for it. "We call it splendid isolation."
That's it! Those two simple words so perfectly capture what we love about Gunnison! It's beautiful. Yes, in fact, it's splendid. And, it's far from the beaten path. To get here, you need to be willing to traverse a healthy mountain pass or two. As the crow flies, I-70 isn't all that far. But, if you weren't born with wings, that busy interstate is seemingly a zillion miles away. In that way, it's isolated.
But, in this lush green valley between these mountain passes lives a community of friendly people who simply love living in the mountains. They're friendly. They're welcoming. They're wonderful. And, for a few weeks this Summer and last, we have the wonderful privilege of calling them our neighbors.
Yep. We love it here.
Turns out this lovely local couple who provided us the perfect description for our favorite place has made some exciting history of their own. Dave is an elite mountain biker who has competed (and won) against the likes of Floyd Landis and Lance Armstrong. (Who knew?) And, tonight, as Dave bragged on is wife, we learned that Susan competed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. She won a bronze medal in Women's Mountain Biking. (How cool is that?) She brought her medal along to share with us all. She was so gracious!
After all of the congratulations, we shared a few minutes talking with this Olympian from Northern California who has happily made her home here in Gunnison. Over the years, she explained she's learned to live with and come to love the brutal winters here in the mountains.
Maybe we could, too!
We really do.
We went Jeepin' yesterday with our friends Karen and Arvin and their grandsons. Our route was Alpine Road, which took us on an amazing and incredibly scenic ride high into the mountains above Curecanti National Recreation Area. It was awesome!
One of the treats of our arrival back here in Gunnison was a chance meeting with a couple of folks over there on our blog roll. When we pulled into the park Saturday, the manager looked at our rig and said, "Hey! There's another one of those here." As we drove to our spot we couldn't help but notice a 2009 Tour with the exact same paint scheme as our moose. With a different floor plan, it was Bullwinkle's fraternal, rather than identical, twin. Our first thought was it would be fun to meet our Winnie kin. Our second thought was how much we lusted after their healthy heat pump. (But, I digress!)
Sunday night we were sitting outside enjoying the evening. A menagerie-walking couple came our way. There were two dogs, two cats and a familiar face. "We've come to meet the other Tour folks," they announced. As we shook hands, I was flipping through the visual rolodex in my mind. I tried my best to identify this familiar face. After the handshakes, we moved on to introductions.
"I'm Carrie," said the familiar face I couldn't place. With a name, I instantly made the match.
"I know you!" I exclaimed.
Carrie Barton is a blogger we've followed for years. Back in 2010, we tried to hook up in Texas Hill Country, but we weren't able to connect. We exchanged a few emails, but lost track as we got back to the business of living. What a pleasant surprise to have this chance meet up here in Gunnison! We exchanged pleasantries and made plans to catch up later. We look forward to getting to know Carrie and her husband Bill better and comparing Winnie stories. (Perhaps somebody should warn them...)
Tonight, we met up with Carrie, Bill, Doug, Nona and our neighbors for a park happy hour. The special guests of tonight's gathering were Dave and Susan, local experts in hiking, biking and 4x4 trails in and around Gunnison. (There are many!) Dave and Susan have lived in Gunnison for some 15 years and are obviously in love with their hometown. They told us about the all of the "can't miss" trails around town. (Suddenly, we have a long list of places to visit while we're here!)
As they gushed about all that is good about Gunnison, one of the things they pointed out was how, unlike all of those "popular" destinations along I-70 across the Rockies, Gunnison is quiet. This favorite town of ours has all of the scenery (and then some) of places like Breckenridge and Aspen, but with a fraction of the the folks.
Dave had a name for it. "We call it splendid isolation."
That's it! Those two simple words so perfectly capture what we love about Gunnison! It's beautiful. Yes, in fact, it's splendid. And, it's far from the beaten path. To get here, you need to be willing to traverse a healthy mountain pass or two. As the crow flies, I-70 isn't all that far. But, if you weren't born with wings, that busy interstate is seemingly a zillion miles away. In that way, it's isolated.
But, in this lush green valley between these mountain passes lives a community of friendly people who simply love living in the mountains. They're friendly. They're welcoming. They're wonderful. And, for a few weeks this Summer and last, we have the wonderful privilege of calling them our neighbors.
Yep. We love it here.
Turns out this lovely local couple who provided us the perfect description for our favorite place has made some exciting history of their own. Dave is an elite mountain biker who has competed (and won) against the likes of Floyd Landis and Lance Armstrong. (Who knew?) And, tonight, as Dave bragged on is wife, we learned that Susan competed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. She won a bronze medal in Women's Mountain Biking. (How cool is that?) She brought her medal along to share with us all. She was so gracious!
After all of the congratulations, we shared a few minutes talking with this Olympian from Northern California who has happily made her home here in Gunnison. Over the years, she explained she's learned to live with and come to love the brutal winters here in the mountains.
Maybe we could, too!
Our Colorado Summer
One of the items on our fulltiming "bucket list" is to spend one entire Summer in Colorado.
Little did we know this would be the year.
Our bucket list plan was (and still is) to purchase a Colorado State Parks Pass and traverse the state, visiting as many of its wonderful state parks as possible. But, this Summer, we've found ourselves in Colorado dodging wildfires, driving from one RV technician to another, and making not one but two trips to our favorite high-altitude town to cool off.
That's right. We're back in Gunnison! And, that's right. Our heat pump still isn't fixed!
The good news is it soon will be. There is light at the end of our heat pump "tunnel". When this year-long saga is over, we may tell the whole bloody tale. Or, we might not. The bottom line is a replacement heat pump is making its way from Wichita to Loveland.
Meanwhile, it's hot on the Front Range, so we decided to head back to Gunnison to chill (literally and figuratively) for awhile. We'll swing back through Loveland and have the new unit installed in a month. On or about September 1st, we'll make our way across the plains of Kansas in one cool moose. We can't wait.
The even better news is we have gifted ourselves another month of Summer in a place we absolutely love. It's not the Colorado Summer we planned. But, it'll definitely do!
Little did we know this would be the year.
Our bucket list plan was (and still is) to purchase a Colorado State Parks Pass and traverse the state, visiting as many of its wonderful state parks as possible. But, this Summer, we've found ourselves in Colorado dodging wildfires, driving from one RV technician to another, and making not one but two trips to our favorite high-altitude town to cool off.
That's right. We're back in Gunnison! And, that's right. Our heat pump still isn't fixed!
The good news is it soon will be. There is light at the end of our heat pump "tunnel". When this year-long saga is over, we may tell the whole bloody tale. Or, we might not. The bottom line is a replacement heat pump is making its way from Wichita to Loveland.
Meanwhile, it's hot on the Front Range, so we decided to head back to Gunnison to chill (literally and figuratively) for awhile. We'll swing back through Loveland and have the new unit installed in a month. On or about September 1st, we'll make our way across the plains of Kansas in one cool moose. We can't wait.
The even better news is we have gifted ourselves another month of Summer in a place we absolutely love. It's not the Colorado Summer we planned. But, it'll definitely do!
Distractions
Our Summer plans are disintegrating before our eyes.
We made the drive from Gunnison to Monument, on one of our worst travel days ever, to learn the news from a highly recommended technician that our AC system has a refrigerant leak. The leak, so we've been told, is the result of a shoddy repair in Forest City. But, we're reserving judgement on that, for the moment anyway.
One of the things we've learned about AC units and technicians is there are a few who do refrigerant work and most who don't. And, as luck would have it, our Monument tech was amongst the most. With a refrigerant leak, we needed to find somebody who does that type of work. With the help of our AC unit manufacturer, we found a qualified tech in Loveland, just a few miles from where our Summer Colorado adventure began in Fort Collins. Last week, we called for an appointment.
The earliest we could get in was next Monday, the 23rd. Our travel itinerary had us in northwest Montana meeting friends about that time. But, it's Summer and it's blistering hot, especially in most of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. For the health and well being of ourselves and our cats, we have to get this thing fixed. So, we took it.
The repair is expected to take two days, and that's if everything goes smoothly. With our luck, of course, it'll take longer. So, with plans to meet another couple of friends a week later in Montana, we bagged that reservation, too.
Wahhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After a couple of nights in a really overpriced and quite crummy campground north of Monument, we decided to head somewhere fun while we waited. We went south to Colorado Springs and landed at Garden of the Gods Campground. We had stopped for a few days here last August after we left Gunnison. We had AC troubles then, too. So, we were thrilled to nab one of the shady spots in the iffy park. Since our last visit, the place has been purchased by a resort company with a dandy reputation. And, reports were they'd already made some notable improvements in their newly acquired park.
We nabbed one of the "Executive Premium" spots for the first few days. We enjoyed a level site with shade, plenty of space, a poolside view, wifi and cable. It was quite nice. The one drawback was this park seems to be in one of AT&T Wireless' black holes. Our iphones and air card were rendered worthless.
As soon as we realized we had considerable time to kill before our service appointment, we made a request to extend our stay. Our fancy site was not available after Sunday night. But, we were welcome to move to a "regular" back-in site for the duration of our extended stay. We made the short move Monday morning. We were pleased to find that the site had plenty of shade, which would aid our crippled AC. The real bummer was the site had no cable. The shady tree blocked our rooftop satellite. And, the park wifi decided to take a nose dive. With no TV or wifi, we were disconnected from the world.
We put up our over-the-air TV antenna and did our best. We tried to get by. Really, we did. But, the truth is, we need to be connected! So, yesterday, we decided to take matters into our own hands.
Our first stop was Camping World. We had thought about making this purchase for awhile, but we decided now was the time for us to acquire a portable satellite dish and tripod. We brought the thing home and Paul started on the "some assembly required."
It's important to note that all that has been required of us to get satellite reception to date is to park the moose with a clear shot at the southern sky and push a button. Magically, our rooftop antenna searches the sky for the right satellite and locks on. We turn on the TV and it works. Simple as that.
This portable dish exposed us to an unknown world! Suddenly, terms like Elevation and Azimuth were important. And, we didn't have a clue.
But, first, we had to connect the dish to our receiver. That was the beginning of one long wild goose chase! There's a convenient "portable satellite antenna" jack in our electrical bay. The question was where were we supposed to connect our satellite receiver? Two calls to Winnebago and an extensive search of the guts of our motorhome eventually revealed that the other end of the portable satellite antenna cable was plugged into a mislabeled jack. (Arggh!)
In the middle of this adventure, we decided we needed to rectify our wifi-less situation. So, today, we made a trip to the Verizon store and purchased a 4G mifi device to replace our aged 3G router and AT&T air card. With smoking hot wifi returned to our rolling home, we conducted extensive online research on how to point a satellite antenna. Lots of people do it, every day, so we knew we'd get it, eventually. But, we had the added challenge of a stone wall and a few trees. It wasn't the best environment for a couple of portable satellite newbies to take a shot, but we stuck with it. With the help of a nifty app, several you tube videos and a helluva lot of patience, we eventually got it. Our signal finder screen filled up with numbers over the 80s, and we had TV!
Hallelujah!
With wifi and TV, all is right with our world. But, what we're most grateful for is how these two special projects have been most welcome distractions from our ailing AC.
All will be well in our rolling home soon. Meanwhile, we're soaking up all of the wifi and satellite we can!
And, we haven't a clue how the rest of our Summer will actually shape up.
We made the drive from Gunnison to Monument, on one of our worst travel days ever, to learn the news from a highly recommended technician that our AC system has a refrigerant leak. The leak, so we've been told, is the result of a shoddy repair in Forest City. But, we're reserving judgement on that, for the moment anyway.
One of the things we've learned about AC units and technicians is there are a few who do refrigerant work and most who don't. And, as luck would have it, our Monument tech was amongst the most. With a refrigerant leak, we needed to find somebody who does that type of work. With the help of our AC unit manufacturer, we found a qualified tech in Loveland, just a few miles from where our Summer Colorado adventure began in Fort Collins. Last week, we called for an appointment.
The earliest we could get in was next Monday, the 23rd. Our travel itinerary had us in northwest Montana meeting friends about that time. But, it's Summer and it's blistering hot, especially in most of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. For the health and well being of ourselves and our cats, we have to get this thing fixed. So, we took it.
The repair is expected to take two days, and that's if everything goes smoothly. With our luck, of course, it'll take longer. So, with plans to meet another couple of friends a week later in Montana, we bagged that reservation, too.
Wahhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After a couple of nights in a really overpriced and quite crummy campground north of Monument, we decided to head somewhere fun while we waited. We went south to Colorado Springs and landed at Garden of the Gods Campground. We had stopped for a few days here last August after we left Gunnison. We had AC troubles then, too. So, we were thrilled to nab one of the shady spots in the iffy park. Since our last visit, the place has been purchased by a resort company with a dandy reputation. And, reports were they'd already made some notable improvements in their newly acquired park.
We nabbed one of the "Executive Premium" spots for the first few days. We enjoyed a level site with shade, plenty of space, a poolside view, wifi and cable. It was quite nice. The one drawback was this park seems to be in one of AT&T Wireless' black holes. Our iphones and air card were rendered worthless.
As soon as we realized we had considerable time to kill before our service appointment, we made a request to extend our stay. Our fancy site was not available after Sunday night. But, we were welcome to move to a "regular" back-in site for the duration of our extended stay. We made the short move Monday morning. We were pleased to find that the site had plenty of shade, which would aid our crippled AC. The real bummer was the site had no cable. The shady tree blocked our rooftop satellite. And, the park wifi decided to take a nose dive. With no TV or wifi, we were disconnected from the world.
We put up our over-the-air TV antenna and did our best. We tried to get by. Really, we did. But, the truth is, we need to be connected! So, yesterday, we decided to take matters into our own hands.
Our first stop was Camping World. We had thought about making this purchase for awhile, but we decided now was the time for us to acquire a portable satellite dish and tripod. We brought the thing home and Paul started on the "some assembly required."
It's important to note that all that has been required of us to get satellite reception to date is to park the moose with a clear shot at the southern sky and push a button. Magically, our rooftop antenna searches the sky for the right satellite and locks on. We turn on the TV and it works. Simple as that.
This portable dish exposed us to an unknown world! Suddenly, terms like Elevation and Azimuth were important. And, we didn't have a clue.
But, first, we had to connect the dish to our receiver. That was the beginning of one long wild goose chase! There's a convenient "portable satellite antenna" jack in our electrical bay. The question was where were we supposed to connect our satellite receiver? Two calls to Winnebago and an extensive search of the guts of our motorhome eventually revealed that the other end of the portable satellite antenna cable was plugged into a mislabeled jack. (Arggh!)
In the middle of this adventure, we decided we needed to rectify our wifi-less situation. So, today, we made a trip to the Verizon store and purchased a 4G mifi device to replace our aged 3G router and AT&T air card. With smoking hot wifi returned to our rolling home, we conducted extensive online research on how to point a satellite antenna. Lots of people do it, every day, so we knew we'd get it, eventually. But, we had the added challenge of a stone wall and a few trees. It wasn't the best environment for a couple of portable satellite newbies to take a shot, but we stuck with it. With the help of a nifty app, several you tube videos and a helluva lot of patience, we eventually got it. Our signal finder screen filled up with numbers over the 80s, and we had TV!
Hallelujah!
With wifi and TV, all is right with our world. But, what we're most grateful for is how these two special projects have been most welcome distractions from our ailing AC.
All will be well in our rolling home soon. Meanwhile, we're soaking up all of the wifi and satellite we can!
And, we haven't a clue how the rest of our Summer will actually shape up.
Year Three
When we started, we thought we'd be done by now. Our original plan was to travel the country for at least a year, perhaps two, maybe as long as three.
Yes, it's been that long!
That fateful day, July 7, 2009, the idea of living on the road for three whole years seemed pretty extreme. By then we were sure we would have seen it all. We were certain we'd have found a place we'd rather be and other things we'd rather be doing. This crazy idea of living fulltime in a small box on wheels couldn't possibly keep us entertained for more than three years.
We got that wrong!
In the three years since we left the last place we called home, we've traveled 29,323 miles and parked our moose in 147 spots in 35 states of just one country.
We haven't seen it all. Far from it.
And, where would we rather be? We don't know! We think it might be a smallish college-town somewhere west of the Mississippi someday. We'll know it when we find it. But, for now, the place we park our moose is the best place for us to be.
What would we rather be doing?
I'm still amazed that I haven't "worked" in three years and I'm still a fully functioning human being. For a couple of recovering workaholics, we have adapted quite well. For what would we trade exploring our country while we hike, bike, geocache and meet wonderful people?
We don't know.
And, what's the entertainment factor these days living in this box on wheels?
Year Three has been particularly challenging for our moose. It ended as it started, with a problematic heat pump. In between, we dealt with big problems with our refrigerator and ceiling, and pesky maladies with our satellite radio, TV antenna motor and sleep number bed. Add in regularly scheduled maintenance and it seemed like we spent much of our energy this year on Bullwinkle's care and feeding. Our fingers are crossed that next week we'll get the heat pump taken care of and our moose will be ready to roll for a trouble-free year.
While these troubles have tested our patience, our sense of adventure (and humor) remains intact. And, it's all still pretty darn entertaining.
These first three years have exceeded our expectations. We've had the great privilege of seeing amazing sights, meeting interesting people, reconnecting with family and old friends, making new ones, learning lots and dealing with the highs and lows of life on the road. And, we're not done.
Today, we start Year Four. We didn't think we'd be here. But, we're sure glad we are.
Yes, it's been that long!
That fateful day, July 7, 2009, the idea of living on the road for three whole years seemed pretty extreme. By then we were sure we would have seen it all. We were certain we'd have found a place we'd rather be and other things we'd rather be doing. This crazy idea of living fulltime in a small box on wheels couldn't possibly keep us entertained for more than three years.
We got that wrong!
In the three years since we left the last place we called home, we've traveled 29,323 miles and parked our moose in 147 spots in 35 states of just one country.
We haven't seen it all. Far from it.
And, where would we rather be? We don't know! We think it might be a smallish college-town somewhere west of the Mississippi someday. We'll know it when we find it. But, for now, the place we park our moose is the best place for us to be.
What would we rather be doing?
I'm still amazed that I haven't "worked" in three years and I'm still a fully functioning human being. For a couple of recovering workaholics, we have adapted quite well. For what would we trade exploring our country while we hike, bike, geocache and meet wonderful people?
We don't know.
And, what's the entertainment factor these days living in this box on wheels?
Year Three has been particularly challenging for our moose. It ended as it started, with a problematic heat pump. In between, we dealt with big problems with our refrigerator and ceiling, and pesky maladies with our satellite radio, TV antenna motor and sleep number bed. Add in regularly scheduled maintenance and it seemed like we spent much of our energy this year on Bullwinkle's care and feeding. Our fingers are crossed that next week we'll get the heat pump taken care of and our moose will be ready to roll for a trouble-free year.
While these troubles have tested our patience, our sense of adventure (and humor) remains intact. And, it's all still pretty darn entertaining.
These first three years have exceeded our expectations. We've had the great privilege of seeing amazing sights, meeting interesting people, reconnecting with family and old friends, making new ones, learning lots and dealing with the highs and lows of life on the road. And, we're not done.
Today, we start Year Four. We didn't think we'd be here. But, we're sure glad we are.
A Long Lost Draft
It's Anniversary Eve at our house. Tomorrow marks three years since we began our great RV escape. As we're wrapping up our stay here in Gunnison, we've been reflecting on the year just passed, and the two before that. Perhaps some of these thoughts will make their way to a celebratory blog post tomorrow. Or, maybe they won't. Who knows?
While reminiscing over blog posts from our third year, I found one unpublished post from exactly halfway through the year. Reading the words brought the day clearly into my memory. It was a day we'd rather forget, but can't quite seem to. It wasn't funny then. But, with the passage of time, at least one of us can laugh about it now.
With hopes that you will, too, here's the long, lost draft.
After three years, this ride is anything but routine!
While reminiscing over blog posts from our third year, I found one unpublished post from exactly halfway through the year. Reading the words brought the day clearly into my memory. It was a day we'd rather forget, but can't quite seem to. It wasn't funny then. But, with the passage of time, at least one of us can laugh about it now.
With hopes that you will, too, here's the long, lost draft.
January 8, 2012 - Mandeville, Louisiana
Keyless
Yesterday marked a milestone, of sorts. It was two-and-a-half years ago yesterday that we started on our fulltime RVing adventure. Can you believe that? And, just about the time we thought we might be getting the hang of all this, the RVing gods and goddesses threw us a curveball.
The biggest item on our agenda today was dumping our tanks. And, not being one to dwell on the most mundane of tasks associated with RVing, I thought there was no way that would become the topic of today's blog post.
I was wrong!
It's been eight days since we checked into this sewer hookup-free park, so we were definitely ready for a short trip to the dump. After lunch, we readied the moose for travel. All that was left was to start the thing up and pull up the jacks.
But first, we needed to pull in the slides.
Our nifty Winnebago is equipped with a keyed Master Slide Room Control Switch. With the key turned to "On" you can open and close the slides. When it's turned to "Off" you can't. Simple as that. Since the day we took delivery of our moose, the key has sat safely in the lock, ready to turn at will. Today, when we got ready to roll, the switch was set to "Off" and the key was missing.
We were going nowhere.
In a rapidly escalating panic, we looked for the missing key. It was nowhere to be found. One of the things we've done while we've been parked here is some pretty extensive housecleaning. And, one possibility we considered was that the very small key got knocked out of the lock and swept up by the vacuum. Sure, the possibility was remote. But, we locked in on that scenario and didn't let go. After looking in every nook and cranny for the still missing key, we resigned ourselves to the reality of calling Forest City first thing in the morning and hoping a working key would arrive here before we leave next Saturday.
But, first things first, we had to dump.
New friends Tricia and Keith came to the rescue. They offered up their very handy dandy rolling waste tank for our use. As Paul went about the task of dumping the moose, 35 gallons at a time, I searched in vain for the still missing key. Finally, I set about the task of getting the moose out of "travel mode" and putting everything back in its proper place. Just as Paul was finishing up his fourth trip of toting some 300 pounds of fluids, I focused my attention on the keyless lock. It's something I look at every day. I asked myself when was the last time I had seen the key in the lock.
The answer came to me in a flash.
I had seen the key in the lock just a few hours earlier! One of the first steps in our pre-travel routine is to lower our TV antenna. As I always do, I had removed our "Antenna Minder" card that is clipped to that key and placed it in a cabinet overhead. I went to the cabinet and pulled out the day-glo orange card on a chain. Attached to the clip was - you guessed it - the key to the master slide control switch. Keep in mind, I've made this same move about 100 times. Never before has the key come out of the lock. Never.
Argghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After my exhausted husband returned the portable tank to our new friends, the four of us gathered outside the moose for a well-deserved happy hour. Over our first drinks, we recounted the events of the day and enjoyed a few laughs. Keith summed it up perfectly when he said, "You know, I was going to ask if after awhile this stuff all becomes routine." We burst into a round of hysterical laughter.
After two-and-a-half years, we don't think so.
After three years, this ride is anything but routine!
Blogmania
My fingers are cramped. My eyes are crossed. My neck is stiff. My little Mac is practically smoking.
But, here's the good news. Bullwinkle's Travels is up to date!
Our poor little neglected travel blog is back amongst the living. Since we landed here in Gunnison a week or so ago I've written 17 posts. Seventeen! They span our travels over the last three months from South Carolina to Colorado. We've really been moving! Now that our travelogue is all caught up, I'm committed to stay on top of it all. It feels great to have our travels documented. Someday we'll really appreciate it. But, it turns out quarterly updates are too much work!
And, what's my reward for this blogmania? I'm treating myself to writing a post here. With no pictures to deal with or travel details to chronicle, this blog is a breeze.
Back when we were making our very preliminary travel plans for this summer, we were so tempted to return to Gunnison. We spent six weeks here last summer and fell in love. Actually, we've declared it our favorite town, to date. But, we told ourselves we didn't want to fall into the routine of returning to favorite and familiar places, just yet. We want to keep exploring uncharted territory. Fort Collins was sitting there on the Front Range waiting to be explored. And, we were so ready. Finally, we decided to spend a month exploring Fort Collins. Gunnison would just have to wait until next time.
So, when the High Park Fire smoked us out of the town we were so ready to explore, it didn't take us long to decide where to go instead. We sat in Denver for a day or two and considered the possibilities for a nanosecond. After the crazy travel adventures we've had for the last few months, we were more than ready to return to this town we love.
It's so good to be back. We really like it here. It's pretty. People are friendly. Most of the time, it's cool. But, the same weather system that is making the High Park Fire a toughie has settled in across most of Colorado. It's unseasonably warm. It's windy. We've had way too many sunny days in a row. (And, at 7,700 feet, the sun is searing!) Still, it's cooler here than most places in this sizzling state. So, we're not complaining.
And, just to make things interesting, our moose has thrown us an old familiar curve ball. For 16 days after leaving Forest City, our heat pump hummed like a champ. Monday, our #2 compressor stopped coming on. Again! Several phone calls later we have an appointment after July 4th with a service tech who is highly recommended by our AC manufacturer. So far, we've been impressed with them. Our fingers are crossed that our detour back over Monarch Pass will be short and sweet. Meanwhile, we can get by just fine with half an air conditioner here.
Last year, in the midst of air conditioner woes, we came to Gunnison to escape the heat. This year, we're so glad we just so happened to be here. We'll get back to the business of exploring soon enough. For now, we're gonna keep our blogs up-to-date and have some fun in our favorite town.
But, here's the good news. Bullwinkle's Travels is up to date!
Our poor little neglected travel blog is back amongst the living. Since we landed here in Gunnison a week or so ago I've written 17 posts. Seventeen! They span our travels over the last three months from South Carolina to Colorado. We've really been moving! Now that our travelogue is all caught up, I'm committed to stay on top of it all. It feels great to have our travels documented. Someday we'll really appreciate it. But, it turns out quarterly updates are too much work!
And, what's my reward for this blogmania? I'm treating myself to writing a post here. With no pictures to deal with or travel details to chronicle, this blog is a breeze.
Back when we were making our very preliminary travel plans for this summer, we were so tempted to return to Gunnison. We spent six weeks here last summer and fell in love. Actually, we've declared it our favorite town, to date. But, we told ourselves we didn't want to fall into the routine of returning to favorite and familiar places, just yet. We want to keep exploring uncharted territory. Fort Collins was sitting there on the Front Range waiting to be explored. And, we were so ready. Finally, we decided to spend a month exploring Fort Collins. Gunnison would just have to wait until next time.
So, when the High Park Fire smoked us out of the town we were so ready to explore, it didn't take us long to decide where to go instead. We sat in Denver for a day or two and considered the possibilities for a nanosecond. After the crazy travel adventures we've had for the last few months, we were more than ready to return to this town we love.
It's so good to be back. We really like it here. It's pretty. People are friendly. Most of the time, it's cool. But, the same weather system that is making the High Park Fire a toughie has settled in across most of Colorado. It's unseasonably warm. It's windy. We've had way too many sunny days in a row. (And, at 7,700 feet, the sun is searing!) Still, it's cooler here than most places in this sizzling state. So, we're not complaining.
And, just to make things interesting, our moose has thrown us an old familiar curve ball. For 16 days after leaving Forest City, our heat pump hummed like a champ. Monday, our #2 compressor stopped coming on. Again! Several phone calls later we have an appointment after July 4th with a service tech who is highly recommended by our AC manufacturer. So far, we've been impressed with them. Our fingers are crossed that our detour back over Monarch Pass will be short and sweet. Meanwhile, we can get by just fine with half an air conditioner here.
Last year, in the midst of air conditioner woes, we came to Gunnison to escape the heat. This year, we're so glad we just so happened to be here. We'll get back to the business of exploring soon enough. For now, we're gonna keep our blogs up-to-date and have some fun in our favorite town.
A Taste of Fort Collins
I must admit that when we decided that our travels would take us through the midwest this Spring, I was a bit apprehensive. The chances of running into nasty Spring weather somewhere along the way were high. We did have one night of severe storms in Kansas City. Then, there was that nasty day of gale force winds in western Nebraska. Not too bad. Along the way, I told myself I'd breathe easier as soon as we got to Colorado.
Yeah, right.
The first night we spent in Fort Collins (Was that only Wednesday?) was quite celebratory. We'd made it across The Great Plains. We'd avoided tornadoes and the like. Even though we arrived a day late, we got right with the Fort Collins vibe. Fellow fulltimers Deb and Rod had arranged a tour at a favorite local brewer, New Belgium. It was quite the informative and tasty tour. (So much so that a 12-pack of Somersault landed in our refrigerator the next day.)
That first evening, we caught up with anytimers Craig and Anne, whom we last saw in Kansas City last Fall. They're on their way to Michigan this Summer. We felt so lucky that our paths crossed at the same campground in Fort Collins. As we headed to bed after our meeting with these friends, we checked the weather. We were under a tornado watch.
Great!
Storms skirted to the west of us. A hundred miles or so to the south, my brother's family was subjected to a storm that dumped hail at their place for two-and-half hours and stacked the icy stuff up in inches. Thankfully, Fort Collins was spared.
The next day, Craig and Anne hit the road. We took advantage of our first down day in a long while and took care of some much-neglected domestic duties. By late afternoon, the moose was sparkling inside. And, we were under another tornado watch.
Joy! Joy!
With a watchful eye on the radar, we tracked a tornado and hail-producing storm that passed just to the east of us. I checked the map. No, we were not in the midwest. Instead, we were snuggled up against the front range of the Colorado Rockies.
Yesterday afternoon, we made plans to meet up with Deb and Rod at Taste of Fort Collins, an annual Summer event that showcases the food and drink of Fort Collins.
As we headed out of our campground, we noticed a plume of smoke in the foothills to the west. On the way downtown, I checked my phone for news. The fire was on the local sheriff's radar. It was just 20-acres with no structures in danger. It was 10 to 15 miles away. We decided not to worry.
Shortly after we met up with Deb and Rod, we were keeping an eye on the sky. The temperatures were climbing into the mid-90s. Not only was it bloody hot, but the innocent plume of smoke was now towering over the center of town. After an hour or so of meeting Deb and Rod's kin and sampling the best Fort Collins could dish out, we decided it was time to go home to cool off and keep an eye on the fire.
A quick check after our arrival revealed the blaze had grown to 200 acres. It was all 10 miles and a couple of hills away. We wouldn't worry, but we'd definitely keep an eye on it all.
By the time the local news did their 10 o'clock thing, the fire covered 8000 acres. Winds were expected to kick up through the night. The good news was the temperatures would be cooler. The bad news was it was going to be windy.
I was jolted awake at 3 o'clock. The wind buffeted the moose from every which direction. We rocked and rolled. All I could think about was the fire in the nearby foothills. Wide awake, I checked online news sources and twitter. #HighParkFire became a lifeline. In the darkness, I couldn't see a thing. But, on twitter I could "see" it all. An hour or so later, I read that the county sheriffs were evacuating a neighborhood that sounded like it might be nearby. I tracked the route on Google Maps. The evacuating neighborhood was a drive of only four miles. A mere 10 minutes away. As the crow, or burning ember flies, it was probably only three miles. And the winds outside were screaming.
I didn't sleep.
Instead, I waited for daybreak. At just past 5 o'clock, I looked outside. A thick column of brown smoke floated above our campground. Sirens wailed in the distance. Stuff that looked like snow fell from the sky. I quickly realized it was ash.
I so wanted to get the heck outta there!
Instead, I checked the news and monitored twitter. By the time Paul was up, things looked a lot better. The sun came up in a cloak of smoky red. But, the wind shifted and blew the smoke to the north. Fort Collins was blessed with clear blue skies on this sunny Sunday morning. The billowing smoke stayed to the west and north.
My sleep-deprived mind went into information-gathering mode. The latest info on the fire was that it had grown to 12000 acres. There was zero containment. Winds were erratic. The afternoon forecast called for gusty winds in Fort Collins coming from the direction of the fire. There, on the northwestern edge on town, it looked like we might be in for a nasty afternoon and another sleepless night.
It was time to get the heck out of there.
I checked with the office to see if we they would hold our site for a few days. I also asked what would happen if we chose not to return. As they had explained when we checked in, they would simply convert our stay to the daily rate and refund the rest of our monthly fee. I let them know we would be leaving and we'd stay in touch.
The next question was where to go. We wanted to be away from the foothills, not drive too far and go to a place we knew. If we loved it, all the better. Within a few minutes we agreed on today's destination: Cherry Creek State Park in Denver. We'd been there nearly three years ago and enjoyed our stay. At 90 miles or so away from Fort Collins, it was more than a safe distance from the smoke and fire. With several walk-up sites open for the next few days, it would be the perfect place for us to land and eventually plan our next move.
A couple of hours later we landed in this beautiful urban park. As we monitored the news of the fire all afternoon we were affirmed that we had made the right decision. Currently the fire has covered 20,000 acres. Containment is a goal for some time in the future. Neighborhoods are being evacuated. Fort Collins is engulfed in thick, choking smoke.
Our prayers are with those who have evacuated their homes in the foothills. Several of them sought refuge in our Fort Collins campground. We pray for their safety. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the firefighters who are wrestling this blaze. We're also praying for rain.
We are so grateful to be more than a safe distance from it all. When your home has wheels, there's no reason to wait for an evacuation notice. Instead, we left in the light of day, under blue skies, on our own terms. We are so grateful.
We have our spot here for the next three nights. We will monitor the news of this conflagration. Then, we'll decide what to do. We might return to Fort Collins, the town we were so eager to explore. But, we only got to have a taste. And, we might head somewhere else.
We hope you'll join us in saying a prayer. And, stay tuned.
Yeah, right.
The first night we spent in Fort Collins (Was that only Wednesday?) was quite celebratory. We'd made it across The Great Plains. We'd avoided tornadoes and the like. Even though we arrived a day late, we got right with the Fort Collins vibe. Fellow fulltimers Deb and Rod had arranged a tour at a favorite local brewer, New Belgium. It was quite the informative and tasty tour. (So much so that a 12-pack of Somersault landed in our refrigerator the next day.)
That first evening, we caught up with anytimers Craig and Anne, whom we last saw in Kansas City last Fall. They're on their way to Michigan this Summer. We felt so lucky that our paths crossed at the same campground in Fort Collins. As we headed to bed after our meeting with these friends, we checked the weather. We were under a tornado watch.
Great!
Storms skirted to the west of us. A hundred miles or so to the south, my brother's family was subjected to a storm that dumped hail at their place for two-and-half hours and stacked the icy stuff up in inches. Thankfully, Fort Collins was spared.
The next day, Craig and Anne hit the road. We took advantage of our first down day in a long while and took care of some much-neglected domestic duties. By late afternoon, the moose was sparkling inside. And, we were under another tornado watch.
Joy! Joy!
With a watchful eye on the radar, we tracked a tornado and hail-producing storm that passed just to the east of us. I checked the map. No, we were not in the midwest. Instead, we were snuggled up against the front range of the Colorado Rockies.
Yesterday afternoon, we made plans to meet up with Deb and Rod at Taste of Fort Collins, an annual Summer event that showcases the food and drink of Fort Collins.
As we headed out of our campground, we noticed a plume of smoke in the foothills to the west. On the way downtown, I checked my phone for news. The fire was on the local sheriff's radar. It was just 20-acres with no structures in danger. It was 10 to 15 miles away. We decided not to worry.
Shortly after we met up with Deb and Rod, we were keeping an eye on the sky. The temperatures were climbing into the mid-90s. Not only was it bloody hot, but the innocent plume of smoke was now towering over the center of town. After an hour or so of meeting Deb and Rod's kin and sampling the best Fort Collins could dish out, we decided it was time to go home to cool off and keep an eye on the fire.
A quick check after our arrival revealed the blaze had grown to 200 acres. It was all 10 miles and a couple of hills away. We wouldn't worry, but we'd definitely keep an eye on it all.
By the time the local news did their 10 o'clock thing, the fire covered 8000 acres. Winds were expected to kick up through the night. The good news was the temperatures would be cooler. The bad news was it was going to be windy.
I was jolted awake at 3 o'clock. The wind buffeted the moose from every which direction. We rocked and rolled. All I could think about was the fire in the nearby foothills. Wide awake, I checked online news sources and twitter. #HighParkFire became a lifeline. In the darkness, I couldn't see a thing. But, on twitter I could "see" it all. An hour or so later, I read that the county sheriffs were evacuating a neighborhood that sounded like it might be nearby. I tracked the route on Google Maps. The evacuating neighborhood was a drive of only four miles. A mere 10 minutes away. As the crow, or burning ember flies, it was probably only three miles. And the winds outside were screaming.
I didn't sleep.
Instead, I waited for daybreak. At just past 5 o'clock, I looked outside. A thick column of brown smoke floated above our campground. Sirens wailed in the distance. Stuff that looked like snow fell from the sky. I quickly realized it was ash.
I so wanted to get the heck outta there!
Instead, I checked the news and monitored twitter. By the time Paul was up, things looked a lot better. The sun came up in a cloak of smoky red. But, the wind shifted and blew the smoke to the north. Fort Collins was blessed with clear blue skies on this sunny Sunday morning. The billowing smoke stayed to the west and north.
My sleep-deprived mind went into information-gathering mode. The latest info on the fire was that it had grown to 12000 acres. There was zero containment. Winds were erratic. The afternoon forecast called for gusty winds in Fort Collins coming from the direction of the fire. There, on the northwestern edge on town, it looked like we might be in for a nasty afternoon and another sleepless night.
It was time to get the heck out of there.
I checked with the office to see if we they would hold our site for a few days. I also asked what would happen if we chose not to return. As they had explained when we checked in, they would simply convert our stay to the daily rate and refund the rest of our monthly fee. I let them know we would be leaving and we'd stay in touch.
The next question was where to go. We wanted to be away from the foothills, not drive too far and go to a place we knew. If we loved it, all the better. Within a few minutes we agreed on today's destination: Cherry Creek State Park in Denver. We'd been there nearly three years ago and enjoyed our stay. At 90 miles or so away from Fort Collins, it was more than a safe distance from the smoke and fire. With several walk-up sites open for the next few days, it would be the perfect place for us to land and eventually plan our next move.
A couple of hours later we landed in this beautiful urban park. As we monitored the news of the fire all afternoon we were affirmed that we had made the right decision. Currently the fire has covered 20,000 acres. Containment is a goal for some time in the future. Neighborhoods are being evacuated. Fort Collins is engulfed in thick, choking smoke.
Our prayers are with those who have evacuated their homes in the foothills. Several of them sought refuge in our Fort Collins campground. We pray for their safety. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the firefighters who are wrestling this blaze. We're also praying for rain.
We are so grateful to be more than a safe distance from it all. When your home has wheels, there's no reason to wait for an evacuation notice. Instead, we left in the light of day, under blue skies, on our own terms. We are so grateful.
We have our spot here for the next three nights. We will monitor the news of this conflagration. Then, we'll decide what to do. We might return to Fort Collins, the town we were so eager to explore. But, we only got to have a taste. And, we might head somewhere else.
We hope you'll join us in saying a prayer. And, stay tuned.
Second Attempt
When it comes to arriving at our first Summer destination, we have to try again. You see, we were on the road bright and early (for us, anyway) yesterday and left our comfortable overnight spot in Sidney, Nebraska, headed for Fort Collins, Colorado. The plan was for an easy 150-mile day and an arrival around noon.
That was the plan, anyway.
All was well as we headed west. We were counting down the mile markers as we got closer to the Nebraska-Wyoming line. You see, we're not big fans of Nebraska. Never have been. It took us nearly three years to pass through the Cornhusker state on our fulltime RVing journey. There's a reason for that. Now, our two nights this week in Lincoln made for a fine stop. The state capitol is interesting, and we enjoyed a tasty dinner with friends Steve and Cathy, who were passing through their old hometown. And, that's about the nicest thing we have to say about Nebraska. We couldn't cross the state line soon enough.
The day's forecast called for a Wind Advisory in the western edge of our least favorite state. And, we learned long ago not to travel in those. The advisory went into effect at noon, so we were on track to pass through the area long before that.
About 10 miles west of our starting point, the breeze started to kick up. Our moose handles quite well in the wind. And, it did just that for the next 20 miles or so. Then, the breezes became gusts. The gusts became hefty sustained winds. Soon the hefty winds were accompanied by moose-battering gusts. All of this was hitting us broadside.
Blowing dust blocked out the blazing sun. In a dim brown haze, visibility became sketchy. The moose rocked and rolled. The wind pounded on his streetside slide until it literally roared. Paul checked his mirror. Our big ass slide topper was flapping in the gale force wind.
Shit.
With that, Paul piloted a maneuver that involved pulling off the highway long enough for the topper to retract. Then, he'd ease back on to the interstate and move along at a slow speed until the topper unfurled again. He then made another move to the shoulder. Meanwhile, I was checking my iExit app for an exit - any exit! Here in godforsaken western Nebraska the exits are few and far between. But, one with no services to offer came upon us about three miles down the road. We pulled off on the side of the ramp and sussed things out.
The wind had to have been blowing at 50 mph! We ate a bunch of flying sand as we checked things out. A local stopped and asked if we needed help. We assured him we were fine and he went on his way. We quickly determined there was nothing we could do. We needed to find a safe and level spot to park. If it we could park the moose pointing east, he could block the incessant wind while we took a closer look. According to iExit, there was a rest area about a mile back to the east. We had been so focused on the wind and flying topper that we hadn't noticed. So, we headed across the highway and back east on the interstate. Within a minute we saw the rest area. Within two we saw that it was closed.
Pisser.
With 10 miles to the next exit in the direction from whence we came, we held our breath as Paul wrestled the wind and maneuvered through the flying dust. Once again, we heard the familiar roar. This time, our curbside slide topper was flying! Both of these toppers are equipped with anti-furl devices. But, this wind was simply too much. With worries that our two curbside awnings would be the next to go, I kept my eye on them both and said a prayer to the patron saint of calm seas.
With one topper flying, we pulled off at the exit and parked near two motorhomes that were waiting out the storm. We recognized both from our park in Sidney. They were having the same kind of day we were! The two men in the group had unhitched a toad and scouted for a campground. Within minutes, they returned and we hatched a plan with our new friends. There was a campground a couple of miles away. The good news was we didn't have to get back on the interstate to get there.
We were the tail end of a motorhome parade that passed through downtown Kimball, Nebraska. It must have been quite a sight. Of course, it was too darn windy for anyone to be out! We made our way to a former KOA on the east side of town. There was plenty of room at this place where the park owner says he usually only gets one RV in a day. Yesterday, he hit blowing paydirt! By mid-afternoon, there were six or eight rigs in the place.
The wind howled all afternoon. We weren't where we had planned to be. But, we were safe. We are so grateful for the help of our fellow motorhomers for helping us find our way in the windstorm.
By evening, we were able to put up our ladder and suss out the slide topper. It's a bit tattered, but otherwise fine. We were lucky, indeed.
This morning, the winds are calm here in western Nebraska. But, they won't be for long. This afternoon's forecast is calling for more wind, thunderstorms and hail.
No worries. We'll be on the road by 8 am. It looks like smooth sailing to Fort Collins this morning. Wish us luck on our second attempt.
That was the plan, anyway.
All was well as we headed west. We were counting down the mile markers as we got closer to the Nebraska-Wyoming line. You see, we're not big fans of Nebraska. Never have been. It took us nearly three years to pass through the Cornhusker state on our fulltime RVing journey. There's a reason for that. Now, our two nights this week in Lincoln made for a fine stop. The state capitol is interesting, and we enjoyed a tasty dinner with friends Steve and Cathy, who were passing through their old hometown. And, that's about the nicest thing we have to say about Nebraska. We couldn't cross the state line soon enough.
The day's forecast called for a Wind Advisory in the western edge of our least favorite state. And, we learned long ago not to travel in those. The advisory went into effect at noon, so we were on track to pass through the area long before that.
About 10 miles west of our starting point, the breeze started to kick up. Our moose handles quite well in the wind. And, it did just that for the next 20 miles or so. Then, the breezes became gusts. The gusts became hefty sustained winds. Soon the hefty winds were accompanied by moose-battering gusts. All of this was hitting us broadside.
Blowing dust blocked out the blazing sun. In a dim brown haze, visibility became sketchy. The moose rocked and rolled. The wind pounded on his streetside slide until it literally roared. Paul checked his mirror. Our big ass slide topper was flapping in the gale force wind.
Shit.
With that, Paul piloted a maneuver that involved pulling off the highway long enough for the topper to retract. Then, he'd ease back on to the interstate and move along at a slow speed until the topper unfurled again. He then made another move to the shoulder. Meanwhile, I was checking my iExit app for an exit - any exit! Here in godforsaken western Nebraska the exits are few and far between. But, one with no services to offer came upon us about three miles down the road. We pulled off on the side of the ramp and sussed things out.
The wind had to have been blowing at 50 mph! We ate a bunch of flying sand as we checked things out. A local stopped and asked if we needed help. We assured him we were fine and he went on his way. We quickly determined there was nothing we could do. We needed to find a safe and level spot to park. If it we could park the moose pointing east, he could block the incessant wind while we took a closer look. According to iExit, there was a rest area about a mile back to the east. We had been so focused on the wind and flying topper that we hadn't noticed. So, we headed across the highway and back east on the interstate. Within a minute we saw the rest area. Within two we saw that it was closed.
Pisser.
With 10 miles to the next exit in the direction from whence we came, we held our breath as Paul wrestled the wind and maneuvered through the flying dust. Once again, we heard the familiar roar. This time, our curbside slide topper was flying! Both of these toppers are equipped with anti-furl devices. But, this wind was simply too much. With worries that our two curbside awnings would be the next to go, I kept my eye on them both and said a prayer to the patron saint of calm seas.
With one topper flying, we pulled off at the exit and parked near two motorhomes that were waiting out the storm. We recognized both from our park in Sidney. They were having the same kind of day we were! The two men in the group had unhitched a toad and scouted for a campground. Within minutes, they returned and we hatched a plan with our new friends. There was a campground a couple of miles away. The good news was we didn't have to get back on the interstate to get there.
We were the tail end of a motorhome parade that passed through downtown Kimball, Nebraska. It must have been quite a sight. Of course, it was too darn windy for anyone to be out! We made our way to a former KOA on the east side of town. There was plenty of room at this place where the park owner says he usually only gets one RV in a day. Yesterday, he hit blowing paydirt! By mid-afternoon, there were six or eight rigs in the place.
The wind howled all afternoon. We weren't where we had planned to be. But, we were safe. We are so grateful for the help of our fellow motorhomers for helping us find our way in the windstorm.
By evening, we were able to put up our ladder and suss out the slide topper. It's a bit tattered, but otherwise fine. We were lucky, indeed.
This morning, the winds are calm here in western Nebraska. But, they won't be for long. This afternoon's forecast is calling for more wind, thunderstorms and hail.
No worries. We'll be on the road by 8 am. It looks like smooth sailing to Fort Collins this morning. Wish us luck on our second attempt.
So Cool
We never knew how much we could love the sound of our #2 air conditioner/heat pump compressor coming on.
It's really cool!
You see, until yesterday it had been dead for nearly a year. And, trying to cool a 40-foot motorhome on a warm day with just one compressor doesn't work so well. Or, actually, at all. But, today we are back in business!
After a full-filled adventure touring more small Iowa farm towns than we care to count, we arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska, to a lovely campground recommended by friends. With a cloudless sky, the temperature was in the mid-80s. The western sun was beating on our Imax window. The temperature inside had climbed above 80. We knew exactly what to do.
We cranked it!
We set the thermostat south of 75 and listened. Our uber-dependable #1 compressor came on in flash, as it always has. Coolish air began to flow from the air ducts. About two minutes later we heard a long-forgotten sound. The #2 compressor kicked on.
Halleluiah!
With both compressors humming, the breeze coming from the ducts was down right chilly. Within a half hour, the inside temperature had dropped to a very pleasant 74 degrees.
We're so happy!
In all our giddiness, we want to take a moment to explain a couple of things.
First, we want to answer Mike and Sandy's question about the manufacturer of our heat pump: RVP. I'm not really sure what the letters stand for, but I think it's the RV Products division of AirXCel. This Wichita-based company has been making Coleman Mach RV air conditioners for 45 years. We're so grateful that this fine Kansas company honored our two-year warranty on their product, even after two-and-a-half years. They are definitely good folks!
Second, for many years - until 2010 or 2011 - Winnebago put RVP "basement air" units in most, if not all, of its Class A coaches. What makes basement air different from most RVs is there aren't any compressors on the roof. They aren't exposed to sun, hail, wind and the like. With no compressors on the roof, there's no water dripping off the roof either. The inside ceilings are higher, which is important when the average height of the people in your rolling home is about 6 feet. The whole thing is quieter. After all, it's tucked away in the basement. Of course, because the heat pump is located in the basement, it does take up the space of a Class A basement bay. (In our case, it's a fair tradeoff, provided the whole thing is working.) This thing residing in the basement is actually basically a small residential heat pump, and it's nothing like most RV rooftop air conditioners/heat pumps. So, not everybody can work on them. Actually, some Winnie owners have had success by calling residential heating and air conditioning service companies. There are definitely tradeoffs.
When Winnebago introduced its first units with "roof air" a couple of years ago, the Winnie community was buzzing. Rumors filled the online forums. They declared that RVP was going out of business. Others said they were no longer supplying parts. Still others actually started having roof air units installed on their Winnies. It was all pretty crazy.
Through all of this, we think the trademark Winnie basement air has gotten a bad rap. The folks on line are quick to declare these units as poorly designed and inefficient.
We beg to differ.
Having owned a couple of Winnies with basement air, there's at least one thing we know. When the basement air is working, it rocks! When we shopped for our first moose on a 105-degree day in central California, we remember how quickly the basement air cooled things down on the lot. Our salesman joked how easy it was to spot a Winnebago in an RV lot on a warm day: It was the one all the salesmen were sitting in. We would certainly agree.
Here's another thing we've learned about basement air. When it's not working, it's kinda hard to tell. Since all the business is happening in the basement, and controlled with the flip of one switch, it can be tough to know if both compressors are firing. As was our case, we operated for the longest time thinking things were operating as designed. It sure seemed like it, anyway. When the outside temperatures climbed and the inside temperatures didn't keep up, it was easy to just blame it on an inefficient system.
And, that's just plain wrong.
For our Winnebago friends, we have a word of advice. If your basement air isn't keeping up, please have it checked out by a skilled, reputable dealer. This brilliantly designed system actually works quite well in most situations. Now, if you find yourself in blazing sun on a 120-degree day, chances are it won't be able to keep up. But, short of that, if you're firing on both compressors, you should be good. There's no reason to have somebody start carving up your roof to install an extra air conditioning unit. Really.
And, about those rumors about RVP going out of business, they're not. About those rumors that they're not supplying parts, they are. In our case, they were willing to manufacturer a part they're no longer supplying. It took awhile, but we got it. When we talked to the good people at RVP, they couldn't have been nicer. They said they wanted to take care of their customers. By taking care of our issues after our warranty expired, they literally put their money where their mouth is.
As a couple of folks happily chilling in the mid-70s, it's all so cool!
It's really cool!
You see, until yesterday it had been dead for nearly a year. And, trying to cool a 40-foot motorhome on a warm day with just one compressor doesn't work so well. Or, actually, at all. But, today we are back in business!
After a full-filled adventure touring more small Iowa farm towns than we care to count, we arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska, to a lovely campground recommended by friends. With a cloudless sky, the temperature was in the mid-80s. The western sun was beating on our Imax window. The temperature inside had climbed above 80. We knew exactly what to do.
We cranked it!
We set the thermostat south of 75 and listened. Our uber-dependable #1 compressor came on in flash, as it always has. Coolish air began to flow from the air ducts. About two minutes later we heard a long-forgotten sound. The #2 compressor kicked on.
Halleluiah!
With both compressors humming, the breeze coming from the ducts was down right chilly. Within a half hour, the inside temperature had dropped to a very pleasant 74 degrees.
We're so happy!
In all our giddiness, we want to take a moment to explain a couple of things.
First, we want to answer Mike and Sandy's question about the manufacturer of our heat pump: RVP. I'm not really sure what the letters stand for, but I think it's the RV Products division of AirXCel. This Wichita-based company has been making Coleman Mach RV air conditioners for 45 years. We're so grateful that this fine Kansas company honored our two-year warranty on their product, even after two-and-a-half years. They are definitely good folks!
Second, for many years - until 2010 or 2011 - Winnebago put RVP "basement air" units in most, if not all, of its Class A coaches. What makes basement air different from most RVs is there aren't any compressors on the roof. They aren't exposed to sun, hail, wind and the like. With no compressors on the roof, there's no water dripping off the roof either. The inside ceilings are higher, which is important when the average height of the people in your rolling home is about 6 feet. The whole thing is quieter. After all, it's tucked away in the basement. Of course, because the heat pump is located in the basement, it does take up the space of a Class A basement bay. (In our case, it's a fair tradeoff, provided the whole thing is working.) This thing residing in the basement is actually basically a small residential heat pump, and it's nothing like most RV rooftop air conditioners/heat pumps. So, not everybody can work on them. Actually, some Winnie owners have had success by calling residential heating and air conditioning service companies. There are definitely tradeoffs.
When Winnebago introduced its first units with "roof air" a couple of years ago, the Winnie community was buzzing. Rumors filled the online forums. They declared that RVP was going out of business. Others said they were no longer supplying parts. Still others actually started having roof air units installed on their Winnies. It was all pretty crazy.
Through all of this, we think the trademark Winnie basement air has gotten a bad rap. The folks on line are quick to declare these units as poorly designed and inefficient.
We beg to differ.
Having owned a couple of Winnies with basement air, there's at least one thing we know. When the basement air is working, it rocks! When we shopped for our first moose on a 105-degree day in central California, we remember how quickly the basement air cooled things down on the lot. Our salesman joked how easy it was to spot a Winnebago in an RV lot on a warm day: It was the one all the salesmen were sitting in. We would certainly agree.
Here's another thing we've learned about basement air. When it's not working, it's kinda hard to tell. Since all the business is happening in the basement, and controlled with the flip of one switch, it can be tough to know if both compressors are firing. As was our case, we operated for the longest time thinking things were operating as designed. It sure seemed like it, anyway. When the outside temperatures climbed and the inside temperatures didn't keep up, it was easy to just blame it on an inefficient system.
And, that's just plain wrong.
For our Winnebago friends, we have a word of advice. If your basement air isn't keeping up, please have it checked out by a skilled, reputable dealer. This brilliantly designed system actually works quite well in most situations. Now, if you find yourself in blazing sun on a 120-degree day, chances are it won't be able to keep up. But, short of that, if you're firing on both compressors, you should be good. There's no reason to have somebody start carving up your roof to install an extra air conditioning unit. Really.
And, about those rumors about RVP going out of business, they're not. About those rumors that they're not supplying parts, they are. In our case, they were willing to manufacturer a part they're no longer supplying. It took awhile, but we got it. When we talked to the good people at RVP, they couldn't have been nicer. They said they wanted to take care of their customers. By taking care of our issues after our warranty expired, they literally put their money where their mouth is.
As a couple of folks happily chilling in the mid-70s, it's all so cool!
We're Attached
If you want to get an idea of the current status of your relationship with your life on the road, we have a suggestion.
Leave your rig for a few days.
This is our last night in Forest City, Iowa. We're so pleased to report that. You see, we've spent a lot of time recently in this tiny town in Northern Iowa, which is the home of Winnebago Industries. We were here back in April for a stop we hoped would be quick, but wasn't exactly.
Let me explain.
Among the maladies our moose has suffered over the past year, one of the most annoying (if you don't count the cooling unit going out on our refrigerator) has been our heat pump. We noticed its poor performance about the time we landed near Zion National Park last June. The daytime highs were well into the 90s, and the bright sunny skies provided more than enough solar gain. Our trusty basement air tried to keep up. But, the best it could deliver was inside temps in the low to mid 80's. (Yep, that was fun!)
As regular readers might recall, we made a worthless beeline to Salt Lake City last Summer to a Winnie dealership that was more interested in screwing us than actually solving our problem. Through the heat of the season we finally made our way to Kansas and had our regular maintenance guys check it out. They tightened a few connections and called the problem solved.
They were wrong.
We quickly realized our vital HVAC system was still not up to par. We decided then that the best way to work through this problem was to take the moose back to its roots. But, the earliest we could do that was sometime this late Spring or early Summer.
The good news in this part of the story was that our heat pump repairs would all be covered under warranty. (Thank you, RVP!)
Now, let's pause on that part of the story and tell you about yet another chronic problem.
During the first winter we had our big diesel-powered moose, we noticed a problem with one of the eight or so panels in the ceiling. It buckled. We documented the problem during our stop at a dealer in Texas Hill Country in Spring 2010. During a stop in Forest City that October, we spent four nights in a hotel as the trusty technicians took our bathroom apart (because it spanned the faulty ceiling panel) and did their best to repair the faulty ceiling. But, within a couple of months the problem reappeared.
We were left with one really ugly ceiling. And, we were out of warranty.
Then, one day, we got a survey in the mail. Winnebago wanted to know what we thought about our not-so-new purchase. They asked. So, we told them. Having dealt with a couple dozen problems in the first couple of years we owned this new, improved moose, we weren't very happy. And, we let them know.
At the end of the survey, Winnebago asked if we would like to have someone call us to discuss the survey. We said, "Absolutely!" As much as we were eager to discuss our dissatisfaction, we were pretty sure the request would go unanswered.
We were wrong.
Bright and early one morning in August 2011, Paul's phone rang. Forest City was calling in response to the survey we had completed. The early morning conversation spanned more than hour. Along the way, Paul expressed his displeasure with all the things that had gone wrong with our motorhome. Chief among them was the damn buckled ceiling we had had unsuccessfully repaired nearly a year earlier.
"We'll take care of that," said the reassuring voice from Iowa. "How soon can you come see us?"
We were in Colorado that late Summer. And, believe us, Forest City isn't a place you want to visit during the winter. We said we could be there in the Spring. And, they said that was fine. We made an appointment for April, and made this stop part of the great Spring Moose Maintenance Tour. We asked them to address our two major problems: our faulty heat pump and our buckled ceiling.
By the time we met our Spring date in Forest City, yet another problem had developed. Our satellite radio wasn't working. When we met with our service tech early that April morning, we explained the new problem. He agreed to take a look. The AC guy was lined up to check out the heat pump. Together, we focused our attention on the big, ugly problem at hand: the ceiling. As our talented tech evaluated the problem, he offered up the lowest impact solution, which would not involve deconstructing our bathroom for a second time. Even though it would mean we'd be in a hotel for a night, we decided it was worth a shot. We headed off to nearby Clear Lake and the technicians went to work.
The diagnosis for the heat pump was serious. A part needed to be manufactured to make the repair. The good news is the manufacturer was willing to make the repair under warranty, which expired a half a year or so ago. The bad news was the manufacturing would take two weeks.
We were out of our moose just one night. When we returned the satellite radio was repaired, at a cost that was double MSRP (That still irks us!). The quick fix of the ceiling was complete. Nobody was terribly confident that it would "stick". But, like I said, it was worth a shot. Besides, we would be back in a month.
After a fleeting month in Kansas City, we found ourselves back in Forest City on Tuesday...with a buckled ceiling. When we checked in bright and early Wednesday, we sized up things with our trusty tech. Our heat pump parts were in. But, this ceiling thing was going to take some time. Within a couple of hours, we got the official word. We would be out of our moose for a couple of nights.
We were escorted into the service bay to pack a couple of bags. Then, we headed to nearby Clear Lake to spend the next two nights in a now familiar hotel. Between the four of us, we managed to get very little sleep during our stay. Two of us did manage to find a few things to do in that quaint little town until, at last, we received the call we'd been waiting for this morning.
The moose was done.
With that extremely good news, we made our way back to Winnie town. Just before 1:00, our two favorite service techs actually managed to sneak our 40-foot moose right up behind us and surprise us as we stood in the parking lot. (How did they do that?) Paul saw the moose first and exclaimed, "It's here!" I did a 180-degree turn, raised my arms and let out a cheer to our two trusty techs. They rock!
Over the next few minutes, these two talented technicians explained the work they had done. Based on what they said, this ceiling is never coming down again. Never. Ever. And, we were assured that our heat pump is all good to go. With temperatures that are expected to dip well into the 50s tonight, we'll definitely have a chance to put our new, improved heat pump through its paces. It all looks very good!
The cost for these latest repairs, if you don't count our hotel: zero dollars.
The heat pump was covered by the manufacturer. (Again, thank you RVP!) And, the not-ever-again-buckling-ceiling was covered by Winnebago. Amen! With that, our moose is good to go.
And, did I mention how much we missed him? We were away for just a couple of nights. But, by the time we had the moose parked and set up in the Winnebago Vistor's Center lot, we felt like kissing the tile we walked on. The cats made a beeline for their favorite napping spots. Our boy kitty burrowed in our familiar and cozy bed linens. Our girl kitty cozied up with a couple of stuffed moose on the sunny bench in the bedroom. Within minutes our sleep-deprived kitties were down for a well-deserved nap. And, we were both breathing a big sigh of relief. We're definitely attached!
For the first time in almost a year, our moose is whole.
Ahhhhhhhh! That feels good!
What feels better is being here in this little box on wheels. It was just a couple of days, but we really missed it. It's official. We're attached.
Right now we're thinking, "Who needs a house?" Not us!
Starting tomorrow, we'll be back on the road. We're gonna point this new, improved moose west. We can't wait to see what we might find along the way.
Tonight, as the sun sets behind the place where Bullwinkle was born, we are giving big thanks to the good people of Winnebago for getting our moose back in shape and rekindling our spirit for life on the road.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you!
More soon from the road.
Leave your rig for a few days.
This is our last night in Forest City, Iowa. We're so pleased to report that. You see, we've spent a lot of time recently in this tiny town in Northern Iowa, which is the home of Winnebago Industries. We were here back in April for a stop we hoped would be quick, but wasn't exactly.
Let me explain.
Among the maladies our moose has suffered over the past year, one of the most annoying (if you don't count the cooling unit going out on our refrigerator) has been our heat pump. We noticed its poor performance about the time we landed near Zion National Park last June. The daytime highs were well into the 90s, and the bright sunny skies provided more than enough solar gain. Our trusty basement air tried to keep up. But, the best it could deliver was inside temps in the low to mid 80's. (Yep, that was fun!)
As regular readers might recall, we made a worthless beeline to Salt Lake City last Summer to a Winnie dealership that was more interested in screwing us than actually solving our problem. Through the heat of the season we finally made our way to Kansas and had our regular maintenance guys check it out. They tightened a few connections and called the problem solved.
They were wrong.
We quickly realized our vital HVAC system was still not up to par. We decided then that the best way to work through this problem was to take the moose back to its roots. But, the earliest we could do that was sometime this late Spring or early Summer.
The good news in this part of the story was that our heat pump repairs would all be covered under warranty. (Thank you, RVP!)
Now, let's pause on that part of the story and tell you about yet another chronic problem.
During the first winter we had our big diesel-powered moose, we noticed a problem with one of the eight or so panels in the ceiling. It buckled. We documented the problem during our stop at a dealer in Texas Hill Country in Spring 2010. During a stop in Forest City that October, we spent four nights in a hotel as the trusty technicians took our bathroom apart (because it spanned the faulty ceiling panel) and did their best to repair the faulty ceiling. But, within a couple of months the problem reappeared.
We were left with one really ugly ceiling. And, we were out of warranty.
Then, one day, we got a survey in the mail. Winnebago wanted to know what we thought about our not-so-new purchase. They asked. So, we told them. Having dealt with a couple dozen problems in the first couple of years we owned this new, improved moose, we weren't very happy. And, we let them know.
At the end of the survey, Winnebago asked if we would like to have someone call us to discuss the survey. We said, "Absolutely!" As much as we were eager to discuss our dissatisfaction, we were pretty sure the request would go unanswered.
We were wrong.
Bright and early one morning in August 2011, Paul's phone rang. Forest City was calling in response to the survey we had completed. The early morning conversation spanned more than hour. Along the way, Paul expressed his displeasure with all the things that had gone wrong with our motorhome. Chief among them was the damn buckled ceiling we had had unsuccessfully repaired nearly a year earlier.
"We'll take care of that," said the reassuring voice from Iowa. "How soon can you come see us?"
We were in Colorado that late Summer. And, believe us, Forest City isn't a place you want to visit during the winter. We said we could be there in the Spring. And, they said that was fine. We made an appointment for April, and made this stop part of the great Spring Moose Maintenance Tour. We asked them to address our two major problems: our faulty heat pump and our buckled ceiling.
By the time we met our Spring date in Forest City, yet another problem had developed. Our satellite radio wasn't working. When we met with our service tech early that April morning, we explained the new problem. He agreed to take a look. The AC guy was lined up to check out the heat pump. Together, we focused our attention on the big, ugly problem at hand: the ceiling. As our talented tech evaluated the problem, he offered up the lowest impact solution, which would not involve deconstructing our bathroom for a second time. Even though it would mean we'd be in a hotel for a night, we decided it was worth a shot. We headed off to nearby Clear Lake and the technicians went to work.
The diagnosis for the heat pump was serious. A part needed to be manufactured to make the repair. The good news is the manufacturer was willing to make the repair under warranty, which expired a half a year or so ago. The bad news was the manufacturing would take two weeks.
We were out of our moose just one night. When we returned the satellite radio was repaired, at a cost that was double MSRP (That still irks us!). The quick fix of the ceiling was complete. Nobody was terribly confident that it would "stick". But, like I said, it was worth a shot. Besides, we would be back in a month.
After a fleeting month in Kansas City, we found ourselves back in Forest City on Tuesday...with a buckled ceiling. When we checked in bright and early Wednesday, we sized up things with our trusty tech. Our heat pump parts were in. But, this ceiling thing was going to take some time. Within a couple of hours, we got the official word. We would be out of our moose for a couple of nights.
We were escorted into the service bay to pack a couple of bags. Then, we headed to nearby Clear Lake to spend the next two nights in a now familiar hotel. Between the four of us, we managed to get very little sleep during our stay. Two of us did manage to find a few things to do in that quaint little town until, at last, we received the call we'd been waiting for this morning.
The moose was done.
With that extremely good news, we made our way back to Winnie town. Just before 1:00, our two favorite service techs actually managed to sneak our 40-foot moose right up behind us and surprise us as we stood in the parking lot. (How did they do that?) Paul saw the moose first and exclaimed, "It's here!" I did a 180-degree turn, raised my arms and let out a cheer to our two trusty techs. They rock!
Over the next few minutes, these two talented technicians explained the work they had done. Based on what they said, this ceiling is never coming down again. Never. Ever. And, we were assured that our heat pump is all good to go. With temperatures that are expected to dip well into the 50s tonight, we'll definitely have a chance to put our new, improved heat pump through its paces. It all looks very good!
The cost for these latest repairs, if you don't count our hotel: zero dollars.
The heat pump was covered by the manufacturer. (Again, thank you RVP!) And, the not-ever-again-buckling-ceiling was covered by Winnebago. Amen! With that, our moose is good to go.
And, did I mention how much we missed him? We were away for just a couple of nights. But, by the time we had the moose parked and set up in the Winnebago Vistor's Center lot, we felt like kissing the tile we walked on. The cats made a beeline for their favorite napping spots. Our boy kitty burrowed in our familiar and cozy bed linens. Our girl kitty cozied up with a couple of stuffed moose on the sunny bench in the bedroom. Within minutes our sleep-deprived kitties were down for a well-deserved nap. And, we were both breathing a big sigh of relief. We're definitely attached!
For the first time in almost a year, our moose is whole.
Ahhhhhhhh! That feels good!
What feels better is being here in this little box on wheels. It was just a couple of days, but we really missed it. It's official. We're attached.
Right now we're thinking, "Who needs a house?" Not us!
Starting tomorrow, we'll be back on the road. We're gonna point this new, improved moose west. We can't wait to see what we might find along the way.
Tonight, as the sun sets behind the place where Bullwinkle was born, we are giving big thanks to the good people of Winnebago for getting our moose back in shape and rekindling our spirit for life on the road.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you!
More soon from the road.
Moose Issues
We made it out of Kansas City bright and early this morning. Our travel day was a tad windy, but otherwise uneventful. Tonight we're 350 miles north -- and about 20 degrees cooler -- returning to a place we recently left: Forest City, Iowa. Bullwinkle is tucked in a skinny spot here at Camp Winnebago. Our fingers are crossed that a couple of chronic issues will be resolved within the next couple of days and we'll be heading west to enjoy some obligation-free exploring.
It's been awhile!
Winnie buddies Mike and Susan raised an astute observation in their most recent comment. They're wondering how much of our recent evolution has been sparked by moose issues. We've shared more with these two than we've let on here on the blog. After all, they were witnesses to -- and fantastic helpers with -- our leaky wheel bearing a year ago in Moab. And, we've kept them posted about our moose's maladies since.
They raise a good question. When the place where your rolling home was built starts to feel like home, it can start a couple of weary fulltimers dreaming of a sturdy stick and brick place. But, we all know those have their problems, too.
It's really hard for us to separate how much of an impact, for example, living with half a heat pump for a year has had on our yearning for a home base. With this stop, we are wrapping up a Moose Maintenance Tour that has dominated our Spring travels. (Yes, there are places we'd rather travel to than Gaffney, Moscow and Forest City!) We started this fulltime RVing journey with an intention to explore new, exciting and beautiful places. When we're not doing that, it's easy to think about finding a new, exciting, beautiful place to live. Add to all that the fact we've spent the last month in our "home" park. That dumpy, tight, gravely park may be convenient, but we find it increasingly depressing. When we actually lived in the Kansas City area, we always had a comfortable home and a lovely lawn. So, it comes as no surprise that we tend to miss all that when we visit our old hometown.
Back to Mike and Susan's comment. We are keeping an eye on the real estate market. Of course, where it goes from here is anybody's guess. Prices have been so low for so long we just can't keep ourselves from looking. It's too tempting!
Meanwhile, we'll focus on getting Bullwinkle back in shape this week. We are so looking forward to getting back on the road and doing what we love to do: Explore this beautiful country.
Wish us luck!
It's been awhile!
Winnie buddies Mike and Susan raised an astute observation in their most recent comment. They're wondering how much of our recent evolution has been sparked by moose issues. We've shared more with these two than we've let on here on the blog. After all, they were witnesses to -- and fantastic helpers with -- our leaky wheel bearing a year ago in Moab. And, we've kept them posted about our moose's maladies since.
They raise a good question. When the place where your rolling home was built starts to feel like home, it can start a couple of weary fulltimers dreaming of a sturdy stick and brick place. But, we all know those have their problems, too.
It's really hard for us to separate how much of an impact, for example, living with half a heat pump for a year has had on our yearning for a home base. With this stop, we are wrapping up a Moose Maintenance Tour that has dominated our Spring travels. (Yes, there are places we'd rather travel to than Gaffney, Moscow and Forest City!) We started this fulltime RVing journey with an intention to explore new, exciting and beautiful places. When we're not doing that, it's easy to think about finding a new, exciting, beautiful place to live. Add to all that the fact we've spent the last month in our "home" park. That dumpy, tight, gravely park may be convenient, but we find it increasingly depressing. When we actually lived in the Kansas City area, we always had a comfortable home and a lovely lawn. So, it comes as no surprise that we tend to miss all that when we visit our old hometown.
Back to Mike and Susan's comment. We are keeping an eye on the real estate market. Of course, where it goes from here is anybody's guess. Prices have been so low for so long we just can't keep ourselves from looking. It's too tempting!
Meanwhile, we'll focus on getting Bullwinkle back in shape this week. We are so looking forward to getting back on the road and doing what we love to do: Explore this beautiful country.
Wish us luck!
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