The Best Laid Plans...

...are subject to change!

Our plans to escape from Kerrville have gone through the wringer today. And, we're blaming it all on a bunch of cowboy poets.

With plans to leave Kerrville on Friday, our first destination was a week in Alpine, TX. I looked up the RV park we planned to stay in there and gave them a buzz. I asked for a week starting Friday.

"Uh, we're not going to be able to do that," said the voice from Alpine on the other end of the line. "Everybody needs to be out by Wednesday."

Why?

The 25th Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering! That's why!

Apparently, this is Alpine's big gig. And, as a result, all the parks are booked for an extended weekend. No problem, I thought, we'll just flip Alpine and Big Bend and everything should work out just fine. Well, no. Not really. We can't get back to Alpine until Monday, which would mean 10 days in Big Bend and.... Suddenly, this was feeling like work!

So, we went back to the drawing board. The result was a completely re-worked plan that has us in Santa Fe when the weather is pleasant and Zion when things might be a bit too warm but definitely better than we originally planned. And, of course, we'll still make our date with John and Sandy in Moab.

The net result is an itinerary that has us enjoying some of our favorite parts of the Southwest when the temperatures are much more to our liking. And, what's the price of this new, improved plan?

A couple more weeks in Kerrville!

We were told our site would be occupied by another lucky Buckhorn camper on Friday the 18th. So, I went to the office to see if there was a spot we could move to and accommodate our new, improved travel plans. Much to my surprise, it seems the future residents of our site had cancelled their reservation. So, this cozy space is ours for the duration.

We thought we'd be leaving March 1st. After further discussion, it looks more like March 8th. We are oh so relieved that we've given ourselves the gift of more time to get the stuff done that we need to do before we hit the road. Besides, the weather is getting pretty darn nice around here. After the cold we've endured, we're ready for some well-deserved payoff!

So, it looks like our stay here in Kerrville, which was originally planned to be one month, will somehow extend to three. Is that magic, or what?

Ya know what? We think we're finally getting the hang of this fantastic lifestyle. To be able to go when we want, or kick back when we don't is simply fantastic.

More soon from Kerrville.

Last Week

Spring has returned to Hill Country. The sun is shining and the temps are predicted to soar into the 70's for the foreseeable future. Figures. We're leaving Friday!

While we were soaking up some Vitamin D on a long walk this afternoon, we found ourselves lamenting that this is our last week here at Buckhorn. As much as we'd love to hang around and enjoy some of this lovely (at long last) weather, we want to get to Big Bend before things get too warm. After that, we have the Southwest to explore. That said, we're very mindful that we're down to our last few days here. Before we set off for the Texas outback, there's much we need to do. We a few items left on our to-do list, plus we need to do some serious stocking up. (At Big Bend, we'll be 100 miles from a Wal-Mart!) As we ticked through our list, we faced the reality that our remaining days in Hill Country are bound to fly by.

How our perspective has changed!

Here we are thinking the six remaining days in our stay just aren't enough. Looking back a bit over a year-and-a-half ago, a six-day stay at an RV park would have been sheer bliss. We would have relished every moment away from the work-a-day world. During our sunny afternoon walk, we remembered how hard we'd work to clear a work day so we could get away and extend a typical weekend to a three, count 'em three-day holiday.

That powerful flashback has us pledging not to wish this last week away. Instead, we'll relish the remaining time in this beautiful spot and long-awaited weather.

It sure beats working!

Imagining

One of the things that's been on our "to-do" list during our stay here in Buckhorn has been to check out "The Club". Said club is a long-term lease community designed for Class A motorhomes that sits adjacent to Buckhorn Lake Resort. After two months of hanging around here, we finally got around to checking the place out yesterday.

It's lovely. There's a lot to like about it. On our "pros" list is having a home base where our motorhome would be welcome and that we wouldn't have to worry about when we decided to pull out and be gone for months. The casitas, as they're called, are gorgeous. But, it would be more accurate to call them homes. The neighbors seem great and each place is beautifully designed and well constructed. Like we said, it's all lovely. We could easily see ourselves moving in. (Really, it's too easy!)

At the top of the "con" list is the whole long-term lease thing. We'd buy a home but not own that land upon which it sits. Now, that's a head scratcher! And, when the time comes when we're looking for a home base, we'd like to rest the moose under cover, and that's not happening here. Plus, as much as we love Hill Country, it's a two-day drive to family and friends in Kansas City, at best. We'd like to be closer, but not too close, if you know what we mean.

This has all been a very healthy exercise in imagining. Truth is, we're not ready to find a home base, just yet. But, when we are, we'll be able to compare and contrast any place we consider to a really pretty spot we're mighty fond of in Hill Country.

Tanks!

Here at The Great RV Escape we do our best to entertain, inform and help our readers. Yesterday’s post prompted several requests for the “recipe” for the new stuff we’re dumping in our tanks. We didn’t mean to hold out on y’all. Really, we didn’t!

First, we want to give credit where credit is due. Debbie and Sandi from All-Pro Water-Flow here in Kerrville know everything you need to know about your tanks. Check out the company website for a helpful list of tank tips. If you are in Austin, San Antonio or anywhere in Hill Country and have a tank that stinks, leaks or just won’t flow, give ‘em a call at 210-858-8180. (TGRVE has received no compensation for this unsolicited review. So, rest assured we’re giving you the straight poop here!)

Of course, the folks at All-Pro suggest every RV owner gets their holding tanks cleaned every year. While that sure wouldn’t hurt, after watching these wizards work we would strongly encourage any buyer of a used RV to have a professional tank cleaning toot-sweet. You have absolutely no idea what’s hiding deep in the bowels of your rig. And, if you did, you wouldn’t want it hanging ‘round for long!

What are the biggest mistakes RVers make that foul up the works? Debbie and Sandi had the quick answers:

Mistake #1

Flush anything other than septic-safe toilet paper. That sounds pretty straight-forward to us, but these ladies are building a successful business on this common pooper blooper.

Mistake #2

Don’t flush enough water. Water conservation has its place, but if you want to keep your black tank trouble-free, keep your foot on that pedal just a bit longer every time you flush.

Mistake #3

Ignore your gray tank. When it comes to keeping tanks clean and fresh, the black tank gets all the attention. But, truth is, gray tanks are the leading cause of tank odor. As much as we’d love to think the only thing that drains to the gray is soap and water, we all know that’s just not true. Over time, that other stuff can collect and create quite a stink.

Now, we won’t ask for a show of hands, but is anyone guilty of any of those common errors?

We’ve used this space to lament about our one-ply life. And, our bathroom sink drains to our black tank, so it’s easy for us to keep that vast vat hydrated. But, when it comes to ignoring our gray tank, we plead guilty.

That’s where the recipe comes in, straight from the good folks at All-Pro. They say this tank treatment is designed to keep your gray and black tanks clean and odor-free.

You’ll need:

48 oz Pine Sol cleaner

1/2 cup Calgon bath beads

1 gallon jug

Water

Instructions:

Pour the Pine Sol in the jug. Add water to near the top, leaving just enough space for the bath beads. Mix thoroughly. Add the beads and shake, shake, shake until they dissolve. Pour 8 oz into your average black tank. Gray tanks get 4 oz. Add more if needed.

Pretty simple stuff, eh? We all know the cleaning power of Pine Sol, right? And, if you’ve ever been taken away by a Calgon bath, you know how slickery you feel when you get out of the tub. Why not combine the two and put those powers to work in your tanks? Besides, you’ve never really smelled fresh until you’ve mixed the essence of pine and ocean breeze!

This simple concoction is economical, too. We picked up the cleaner and bath beads at Walmart for about $6. A gallon of the pistachio-colored stuff will provide us eight treatments. (We have two gray tanks.) When it’s time to refill, we’ll just need to invest another $3 on the Pine Sol. We have enough Calgon to last awhile.

So, there you have it.

And now, a word from our lawyers.

This publication is for informational purposes only. Opinions expressed herein should not be construed as advice. The particulars of any person’s concerns or circumstances should be discussed with a qualified recreational vehicle technician and/or health care professional prior to making any decision which may affect the health and welfare of that individual and any person or recreational vehicle under his or her care. Pine Sol Brand Cleaner is manufactured by the Clorox Company. Warnings: Eye and skin irritant. Harmful, if swallowed. Do not get in
eyes. Avoid prolonged or repeated skin contact. For sensitive skin or
prolonged use, wear gloves. Avoid contact with food. Eyes: Immediately
rinse with water for 15 minutes. If irritation persists, call a
physician. If swallowed: Do not induce vomiting. Drink a glassful of
water. Immediately call a physician. Skin: Rinse with water. Keep out
of reach of children. Do not use or mix with other household cleaners.
Keep away from heat, sparks and open flame.
Calgon Ultra-Moisturizing Bath Beads are distributed in the United States and Canada by ILEX Consumer Products Group. Warning: Filled by weight. Contents settle during packaging and shipping. For adult use only. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes. If contact occurs, flush with water.Bottom line: Anyone who is harmed by the information or product provided have only themselves to blame. If you’ve read this far, Tanks a lot! Y'all come back now, ya' hear?

Super Sunday

We just finished watching the big game. We didn't really care how things turned out. We have friends and neighbors who are Packers fans, so we cheered them on. Mostly, we wanted a good game. And, we got what we wanted.

Besides the game, there were a few other things that made this day super. First off, the sun was out! And, we loved that. We soaked up the sunshine while we made a Walmart run and a stop for some tasty pre-game burgers.

At Walmart we picked up the essential ingredients for our new tank care regimen. Our friends Gary and Francile arrived Friday and yesterday discovered their waste tanks were plugged. They called on the services of a most helpful and informative local tank cleaning service. Before long their tanks were squeaky clean and we learned a lot on our friends' dime. We were glad to hear we are doing things right as far as our tanks are concerned. The one recommendation the tank cleaning gals offered was a recipe of Pine Sol and Calgon Bath Beads that should keep the gray and the black smelling fine and slickery clean. This afternoon, Paul mixed up this super simple concoction and dumped it in our freshly dumped tanks. So far, so good!

The most super part of our day was Paul working his magic on our flapping slide topper. As you might recall, earlier this week we got hit with a 56 mph wind gust that pretty much spent our driver's side topper. Paul called a local Carefree tech who expressed confidence that he could take care of it. But, it would be Monday before he could come out. Over the last few days, our imaginations ran wild and we had prepared ourselves for a repair that would range from $100 to $1000.

With this morning's sunshine and warmer temperatures, Paul decided to climb a ladder and get a closer look. Within minutes he snapped the 20-something-foot spring rod back into its c-clamp and the topper sprang back to life.

Yeah, Paul!

With big bucks saved, we were ready to whip up some snacks and kick back and enjoy the game. We're not true cheeseheads, but like all Green Bay fans, we're thankful this turned out to be a pretty super Sunday.

Sleeping In

When you wake up to find it's 16 degrees outside and the wind chill is a number you'd rather not think about, there's only one thing to do. You sleep in.

Now that it's nearly noon, we're well-rested and moving around just a bit. But, the big headline for us today isn't the weather. It's our boy kitty. You see, the real news is that he slept in, too.

Cats have amazing internal clocks. For years, our two kitties have known exactly when the clock strikes six. Whether it's AM or PM, that's when they've been fed. And, these kitties need feeding times. If we let them free-feed they'd eat us out of house and home and each weigh 30 pounds. After years of clockwork feeding, our boy kitty recently got out of sync.

We don't remember exactly when it happened, but it may have been back in October or November. We were crossing time zones and came off Daylight Savings Time. And, if that wasn't enough to screw up the poor boy, we spent four nights in a strange hotel where he never really slept. By the time we landed in familiar Kansas City, our boy kitty thought it was completely normal to wake up in the wee hours of the morning and demand to be fed.

When a cat wants to be fed at 3:00 in the morning, they can get pretty creative, and loud. Call us enablers, but after several sleep-deprived nights we caved. We decided that satisfying an out-of-sync feline was worth the risk. Of course, before we knew it, we were feeding the beast at 2:30!

Some quick research revealed that this is not an unique problem. We found some common sense instructions for resetting our boy's internal clock. The basic idea is that when the kitty makes a meow in the wee hours, he gets put into isolation. Our problem, of course, is we don't have a separate room to isolate a cat. The bathroom was a candidate. But, it's too close to our sleeping quarters. And, an isolated kitty tends to cry. Besides, there are times when we need to use that room in the middle of the night!

We chose his crate as the place for solitary confinement. As tempted as we were to park it in the Jeep, we placed it in our rolling home as far away from our bed as possible. At his first peep, one of us scooped him up and into the crate he went. Over the last few weeks, we made steady progress. Yesterday morning the cat was practically putting himself in his crate around 5:00. We could almost hear him say, "Yeah. I know the drill!"

This morning, our boy kitty started to stir around 4:30. We remained motionless (The cat isn't the only one being trained here!) as I said a silent prayer to the patron saint of out-of-sync felines. With the pre-dawn chill providing added incentive for everyone to stay under the covers, he walked up to the head of the bed and sat silently next to me. With my eyes still closed, I reached out to pet him and he laid down. He started to purr.

Next thing I knew, Paul was asking a question.

"Mary, did you feed the cats?"

"Uh, no..." was my groggy reply as I felt the fur of our still sleeping boy.

Paul glanced at the clock.

"It's 7:30!" he exclaimed.

At last! Weeks of training and an Arctic blast have started to pay off. Setbacks may still lie ahead. But, it looks like we are on the right track.

At the very least, we just had our best night's sleep in weeks!

Windy

We just passed a blogging milestone. This is post #501! Boy, somebody around here is sure long-winded! It's hard to believe I've written that much. And, harder to believe people actually read all this hot air!

Speaking of wind, we've had more than our share. We found ourselves on the very southern tip of The Great Blizzard of 2011, aka, Snowtorious BIG or (my personal favorite) the Blizzard of Oz. While we are hundreds of miles south of the snow and ice, we got a not-so-healthy blast of wind and cold.

Yesterday's high was 70 degrees. But, we knew it was coming. Last night's forecast called for a chance of storms late with temps dropping to something near freezing after sunrise.

Mother Nature had other ideas.

About 1:30 everybody in our house was jolted awake by a sudden gust, which we later discovered clocked in at 56 mph. Power was knocked out for a second or two. Chairs, tables, bikes and anything not tied down went flying. And the temperature tumbled 20 degrees in a matter of minutes. After that first gust, the winds settled down to something in the 30 mph range. Eventually, a few raindrops fell. Later, they sounded like ice pellets. Within minutes, our household was back to sleep.

In the morning light, we surveyed the situation. Thankfully, the precipitation failed to accumulate. Only our grill was standing in the same place it was last night. Although disheveled, all of our outdoor belongings were present and accounted for. We were most curious about the temperature. Our remote thermometer read 36 degrees. Bullwinkle's thermometer read 25. Our money was on the moose's reading. The big question was, where was the outdoor thermometer? Obviously, it was in a place that was 11 degrees warmer!

As Paul stepped out in the frigid air to restore order to our site, he went in search of the thermometer. He found it on the ground under the back end of the moose, some 40 feet from its proper place! He also noticed our driver's slide cover flapping in the breeze. We're hoping it's nothing serious. We'll have it checked out tomorrow. Meanwhile, we'll keep our gloved fingers crossed!

Today's temperatures never made it to freezing, and they're not expected to until Friday. The overnight lows are supposed to drop well into the teens. With Paul's chili in the crockpot and a Kansas basketball game on tonight's agenda, we're all set. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone north of us taking the brunt of this storm. Here's hoping our peeps in Kansas City and surrounding areas stay safe, warm and dry.

Meanwhile, here's to our next 500 posts. We'll do our best to keep the wind to a minimum!