Spreadsheet

Now that we don’t have the RV Driving School anymore our expenses have changed.  I have set up a very detailed spreadsheet to watch our money go out of our pockets.  We did this back in 2000 and 2001 to ensure we could live out here full timing.  Yes we could and have.  Since then we started working doing something we enjoyed and even getting paid sometimes.  I will try and give a little report on our full timing lifestyle expenses each month.  Hopefully this will helps some wannabees with their planning.  Others to compare theirs with ours…I know I have.  So far this month our biggest expense has been fuel (over $1,100).  Second is food (groceries/dining out) at about $450.  And third is RV Repair/Replacement parts at over $500 (batteries).  All of these figures are high.  Fuel because we moved from Texas to Arizona.  Food is high because we have been eating out more than often like a lot more.  Then we needed house batteries.  All are controllable and could have been reduced/not purchased one way or another.

Sunday, NFL playoffs, Ravens, 49’ers, big TV, food, see ya………….

The Big Tent

We were there for the opening of the first day of the Big Tent Event here at Quartzsite.  Wow, it hasn’t been this crowded in many years. 

We had to park in a special parking space. It had a bunch of white lines in our space and we fit fine.  Only three rows away.  It was belly button to *&! hole.  Why in the hell people bring dogs to these events have always made me wonder why.  I was almost at the point of asking a few but the traffic was too much.  It’s cruel to the dog and other people.  You want to carry your mutt in a bag across your chest – fine.  But why a medium/large dog on a leash in a high traffic area beats the hell out of me.  Who’s gonna clean up if the dog takes a dump?  I know who will probably step in it.  You just can’t fix stupidity and down right lack of concerns for others and the dog.

Anyhow we did a trip up and down all three isles then around the outside one time.  I got two special water disconnects and a Spartan hubcap.  If you order a hubcap from Spartan it cost $35.  I got one here from Spartan and it was $22.  Same hubcap.  Carol got a do hickey that hangs on a chair for $6 .  It looks like a $15-20 device.  We left then immediately.  It was getting more crowded in the tent along with more animals. 

We went back to the Beast.  It was very very very very very very very windy. Sun didn’t come out until after 1 or so then I wasn’t sure if it was the sun.  OK, one not real good day but a OK inside day.  It did hit 70 degrees.

Gary & Mary Olson stopped by to visit.  Damn I thought they couldn’t find us.  They followed us all over Alaska and we couldn’t shake them.  They’re staying with the Moan & Groan Club (Tiffin) nearby.  Fun couple… they will come over early next week after the Tiffin group throws them out.  While they were here we had our first official arrival, Tom & Pat Wither.  They have been coming here for several years via new Tiffins but they keep buying them so they can make it here.  They now have a 42’  Farton.  They too are planning to go to Red Bay and are hoping it makes it – just funning – kinda.   Nice Tiffin.  I like teasing people who have any type of RV.  Oh Gary & Mary have a Tiffin Allegro Bay or is it a Tiffin Allegro Bus. Great guys all of them……

Steve O’Bosky sent me an email saying that he would stop by and take a look at our  Motosat sat dish.  He’s the man when it comes to these things.

See ya……………………

Peace & Quiet

Well, we started off about 8:30 AM.  We hung a left out of our spot at the SKP get together and headed for the dump/water station down the road a couple of miles.

Water & a dump was $20.  Plenty of water fill and dump stations which are separated.  Water fill in one area and  dump stations in another.  Very convenient for when it gets crowded.

 

If you wanted to flush your black water tank it would cost you an additional $3.  Quartzsite has become a money hungry tourist city.  The vendor said it was the city as he put the $20 in his pocket – no receipt.

Next we headed for Satellite Advantage which is located across the street from La Mesa RV.  We arrived and I confirmed that he would buy our MotoSat sat dish for $400.  An hour later I had it ready to lower off the roof.  Paul, the owner, got on the roof and took a look at the sat dish.  He said that a $60 part was broke and didn’t wanted to mess with fixing it.  I reinstalled the dish/cables and it took another hour.  He gave me some Dicor caulk to reseal some holes.  We then left for OUR AREA down at MM 99.5 which is about 5 miles south of Qsite.

Wow…..peace & quiet in the open desert.  We will just wait for you all to come.  Follow the signs that say WHEELS N KEELS and you will run into us.  Hope they keep the signs up.  We will put up our small orange  survey steaks about Tue or Wed.

 

  

It’s now 3:30 AM and it’s damn quiet.  It got into the 70’s yesterday and night in the low 50s.  This just might be the best weather in a long time. I got my shorts out…yea……

See ya……

Another Action Day

We started off with going to the Q Town Cafe with Ed & Sandy for breakfast.  They know how to make big omelets.  Then we returned to the SKP area where we are parked.  Shortly after that the gathering started again.

 

Santos was the entertainment today.  Here he is getting his do wop singers.

During all this Steve O’bosky came over and found a boo boo in my datastorm.  It’s all fixed.  Tomorrow will tell.

 

Before all this and after breakfast Carol had her Line Dancing at Desert Gardens.

Victor and Tarre Schrubs bought a new rig but first had to remove a few things off the road.

 

Quartzsite even got a visit from MetLife.

See ya……

A Wow Day

At 4:30 AM the cats will set around the heater with me while I do this blog.  The heater goes out and they are gone back to bed with Carol.

We decided to go to the Escapees Quartzsite breakfast.  We arrived about 7:30 AM for the 8 AM breakfast.  We know when it’s food and Escapees you have to arrive early or you don’t get a good seat.  We were right.  It ended up to be 34 people of which most stay here for the winter.  The food itself was good and the friendships were even better.

We went back to the Beast and got ready for the Escapees Quartzsite (1-3 PM) gathering which was at our front door.  I broke the big camera out and took about 175 pictures.  Here are a select few.

Entertainment..

Joe being a bad boy…..

It’s a long dog day….

Here’s Tommie Sue trying to get away from the birds..

Afterwards a few of us went into town and had $1 tacos down at Rice Ranch.

That was it for this fun packed day.  Another big get together tomorrow.

See ya………….

Days Are Becoming a Blur

I missed a day as some of you know.  I will try to recap but these days are starting to become a blur.  I’m glad I haven’t been drinking.

I think we went to La Mesa RV for a free pancake breakfast with Denny & Susie.  Don’t remember if Ed & Sandy came.  Afterwards Carol & I went to Paul Evert RV.  We wanted to go tease the salesman.  Hey, for years they would harass us when ever we were just looking.  Now I harass them. The tables have turned.  We looked at several rigs with two salesman following us around like lost puppies.  The one we liked the most was a 2006 Executive 44 footer.  They’re bringing a coach down from Fresno Friday they said we might be interested in.  So, Friday we wonder over there again and disappointment them again.  They just haven’t made the perfect coach with that real big bedroom yet.  At least we haven’t found it yet.

Then came the social hour for us early arrivals at the Escapees get together area here on BLM land.  Maybe about 30 or so people so far.

Then it was Silly Al’s  time.

This is a place where a group of us visit every year several times and we have a blast.  We do everything from karaoke (not all) to oink, oink to the new weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.  We also eat fantastic pizza and some even have a beer or two or three or four plus.  I just had water.  I wasn’t in the mood to drink.  It was fun as you can see.  We will return and even have more fun as usual.

  

It’s 11 o’clock.  Do you know where your parents are?

See ya………..