RVers Boot Camp

I was in and around Boot Camp today.  Here’s Mac The Fire Guy giving his hands on fire display.  It’s a crowd pleaser and gets everybody's attention.

While that is going on Mark cooks hamburgers and dogs.  Here’s Jim watching.  I don’t think he will wait much longer.

Then after all this one more class and then a campfire to end the night.  All is well.

Although this is Saturday’s blog I prepare it on Veteran’s Day (Sunday). Saturday was the Marine Corps Birthday. ooooooooooooh rahhhhhhhhhhhh.

See ya…..

Just Another Good Day

My hands aren’t burning anymore from the hot peppers.  That’s a good way to start the day with normal feelings in my hands. No hang over from the drinking that’s good.  I woke up that’s real good.  I think today will be another good day. 

I filled up the Jeep, 15.8 gallons, and it was $3.09 a gallon. Maybe below $3 next fill up?  Keep on coming down.

Things are all ready starting to work out for the Thanksgiving Dinner like in getting volunteers.

I hung around the Boot Camp classes today for awhile.  Carol & I are the first official retired people from the Boot Camp.  Another retired job. 

They'res about 75 attendees.  Filled to the brim.

Here is Jim & Lisa Koca.  Their the Escapees HOP Directors, RV Show Directors, Seminar givers,  Smart Weigh people.  She’s retired but he isn’t quite there yet.

Boot Camp had a 7:30 PM get together at the big campfire.  About 30 or so students showed up out of the 75.  It was a long day for all of them.

Butt & Oppps I Did It Again - Volunteered

When I got up at 5 AM this morning my hands were still burning from the jalapeño peppers but not as bad.  I guess Carol will have to help me in the bathroom…smile.

Today a BUNCH of us ended up at the La Colona Mexican Restaurant for lunch.  What a noisy bunch - we all had a good time.

Little Mexico it seemed like.

  

Now it’s time to get going for dinner.  Pull the pork out and wrap it up for a slow cool down in the cooler for about 4 hours.  It just sucks up the juices doing it this way and even gets more tender.  Then cut up the smoked ham from a previous cooking and onions for the ranch style beans.  They will be heated up in a cast iron pot.  Get the skinless boneless BBQ chicken thighs ready to wrap up in tin foil and cook on the grill.  Hopefully they will just fall apart.  Get the jalapeño poppers out and into the smoker.  Carol is making cole slaw and I think we might have some tater salad in there some where.  The invitees will be bringing desserts.  That will be interesting.

Well, everybody showed up, all 14 and too many to name other than saying the Boot Camp staff.  The biggest hit was the smoked pork.  Second was the beans with the smoked ham.  Way down the list was the pepper poppers.  They were just too friggin hot.  Not the stuffing but the peppers themselves as it turned out.  Me and Mark probably ate more than the entire group put together.  The smoked pork more than made up for the popper failure.

The get together lasted about 2 1/2 hours which was about right.  No pics due to me drinking rum & coke, Margaritas and Mark’s beer. It took me and Carol about 15 minutes to get straighten up after everyone left.  We had plenty of volunteers but some things work quicker without giving direction to volunteers.  We chose to decline all offers but appreciated them.  Getting the food in the frig and freezer was a the big event.  It all went in but I don’t know where it is other than the in the big white frig.

Here’s a variety.  We had a moped, a motorcycle, a Smart car, a van, a 4X4 blazer, Mariner, Jeep, and a couple more so our driveway was filled.  I think we had a party.  Not to many beer cans in the yard but I think I saw a few Depens and pill boxes maybe even a cane out there.

During the day I went and did something that might come back and bite me in the butt.  I (& Carol) VOLUNTEERED to organize the Thanksgiving Dinner here at Rainbow’s End.  What a stupid thing to do.  I was the only one holding my hand up so it was by default.  That includes cooking enough turkeys for 150-200 or so people.  I’ve only ever cooked one turkey in my entire life.  Maybe I can cook TV dinners.  Tomorrow I will check out the campground’s kitchen here and see what kind of equipment I have to learn to work with.  This will be interesting.  I need volunteers, friends and foe to share the failure and mean the success.   I can’t believe we are doing this, oh no!   HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

See ya…..

Hurricane Sandy, Veterans

I got emails asking why I haven’t mentioned the northeast/Sandy disaster.  Well, I think it’s all been said at least 100 times over and will continue for weeks and even months.  We were in Livingston for the aftermath of Katrina.   It’s action that’s needed in these disasters and not verbiage.  I say put the federal government (military) in as direct support to establish temp housing, food, & clean up.  Do it big & for a short term (30 days) and things would get done a lot quicker.  The military has been establishing temporary bases for centuries.  I’ve taken part when the military was working without red tape and was told to get the job done.  It was breath taking what they could do.  It made the hair on my arms stand up in what they could accomplish in a short time period. They have all the experience, not the state or local government.  Communities would have time to get it together with the state & local government who could then take it from there.  That’s where I want my federal tax dollars to go.  How about for the people and by the people and to protect.  That’s my two cents worth.

Now what to get into today.

I’m still prepping for tomorrow’s cook out for the Escapees Boot Camp instructors.  The jalapeño pepper poppers are all ready.

That’s about 10 dozen of them little suckers.  I was told I should wear gloves handling that many peppers.  I have to learn the hard way.  Damn, my hands burnt for hours.  These little suckers are HOT!  I don’t think I will go the bathroom for a couple of days. They’re ready to go into the smoker tomorrow. 

Then it was time to work on the 11 lb pork butt.  It’s ready to go into the smoker now and it did.  It will cook for about 20 hours or so.

Mac the fire guy arrived along with his wife (opps forgot name).  Here’s they’re 2002 American Tradition and it has 200, 000 miles on it.

Then Neil and Pat arrived from California in their Airstream Class B.

George & Valerie, the new owners of the RV Driving School arrived today.  They’re staying on our lot.  They will be doing seminars at the Boot Camp this weekend.  Pictures later.

Veterans - I gave a copy of my DD214 to the Escapees Office.  A DD214 is a discharge paper showing you were in the military and honorably discharged.  In my case it was 21 years of active duty. The Escapees is giving 10% off to all Veterans on merchandise and their Escapade Rally.  Hey, 10% is 10%.  I don’t normally bring out my DD214.  It has a list of my personal awards and a couple of them are eye openers that I won’t mention other than saying I was combat promoted while in Viet Nam.  I was in the Wrong place – wrong time!

Yesterday’s blog.  I thought I would get some negative comments about why I voted.  Not one.  I was really surprised. I got only good comments and I thank you all. 

Never Voted

Get this.  I have never voted in my entire life.  But…today I voted.  I spent over 20 years on active duty and served in Viet Nam.  I felt it was my right not to vote if I chose not to.  I never saw/heard a candidate that I felt I could trust to do the right thing.  Why this time?  I said a long time ago if Colon Powell ever ran for President I would vote for him.  He never did and his time has past.  The night before election day I saw him endorse a candidate in his opposite party.  That in itself says something.  I was first in line at 7 AM to vote this morning and did so. Carol was second.  No lines….

Life continues on…

We then went to the Court House Cafe for breakfast.  It’s next to the court house…duh.  We had eggs, taters, sausage, toast & coffee ($1) for a total of $11.  That beats Cracker Barrel even splitting a breakfast there. 

Then we went Lowe’s to get some rope lights for the mobile porch.  Now it will be lit the whole 50 feet.  While there this tool box jumped out at me and I don’t think I could live with out it.

It was $50 on sale plus I got 10% after showing my military I.D.  Anyone with a DD214  or military I.D. can get the 10% off everything at Lowe’s except clearance items.  Neat.

I will put my old BIG HEAVY one in the barn along with some other accumulated hand tools.  Some I will take to Congress, AZ for our shed there.  Remember we only have a large shed on an empty lot there and not even electric yet.

On the way back from Lowe’s I saw a gas station gas at $3.09 & diesel $3.68 on the corner of routes 190 & 146 in Livingston.  I wonder what it will be like next week after the election today.

Newmar called me later in the day.  They wanted to let me know they have gone over all my pictures, repair invoices and their engineers feel that the Beast is good to go and will stand behind their RV.  That’s a statement I hope not have to challenge.

See ya…….

Newmar Again

Our big automatic awning has stopped working as of yesterday.  It’s retracted but that’s it.  Some clicking noises when I try to move it.  This is the awning that Newmar reinstalled and the fabric worn noticeably from there to here.  It looks uneven compared to before.  I told them that something wasn’t right.  they agreed to replace the fabric.  I called them and said now the awning won’t move and it might be the motor burnt up from the binding.  We just about got into a pissing contest when he said that they were only replacing the awning fabric as goodwill.  I told them they call it goodwill I call it poor workmanship.  I offered to take it to a Newmar dealer about 60 miles away and he said no because they authorized the local dealer to do the work.  I guess we are at a stand still until the local repair facility looks at it AGAIN.  This is why people go the legal route.

I got a cast iron pot.  I love cast iron cooking stuff.  The only problem is that you need a crane to lift it. I’m gonna cook hu some special beans with ham and onions…gooood.

I got tables and chairs out of the barn and ready for set up.  I will set them up Thursday morning.

I really don’t think the job done on the seams is that good.  Those are round headed screws sticking up with air pockets around them.  What do you think?

Wayne & Beth, our neighbors, are back.  They went to a Chapter 10 rally.  They didn’t bring their Tiffin back because it broke down about 125 miles away.  Some type of transmission problem.  Tiffin – I aren't saying nothing.

OH, Oh…At the Escapees social hour the park manager spoke.  He announced that there would be no Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinners at the activity center this year.  He said they don’t have anyone to prepare the meals.  There goes many many  years of traditions.  Sounds more like a cut back of hired help to me.  The activity center was always filled with participants at these very special occasions and especially for those that were traveling.  Maybe an email from you to Escapees Hq would change their minds.  I don’t have an email for Escapees HQ.  Try clubbusiness@escapees.com since this has to do with tradition where the Escapees Club started here in Livingston, TX.  Go ahead..just a quick note of how disappointed you are if you are. 

NOW GO VOTE!!!!!!

See ya…..

Sheeeeeeeee’s Backkkkkkkkkkk!

Carol’s airplane arrived about 15 minutes early last night and I was about 20 minutes early so it worked out fine.  When we got back she looked around and I failed of having a messy bachelor pad.  She said it looked good.  Us geographical bachelors know if you give us a day or two we can straighten up anything.

As she put her markings all over my bachelor pad today, I went back to my normal guy things like grills.  I brought out the the Big Gas Grill III Sport Grill by Camp Chef.  The 3 burners on this thing are enormous. 

Here it is out of darkness of the barn ready to set up.  It took a wagon to make it a one trip.

And the set up.  Then the cleaning.  The last time I used this was in Talkeetna, Alaska last year with the Loosey Goosey Gang.  I did some deep fried fresh halibut using tempera.  No problem keeping the cooking oil hot!

The canvas cover on the bottom left is the griddle.  The grill box lifts off and the griddle sets on two burners.  This thing is bad to the bone.  That’s my little Weber on the deck to the right. 

I will be smoking a pork butt, grilling some BBQ buffalo wings, doing some beans and baking some sausage/cheese filled hot peppers for my little cook out for the Boot Camp Instructors this week.  Carol is going to make some of her cole slaw and maybe some tater salad.  This is what I like to do, cook for get togethers.  I fed about 75 people with my pulled pork twice so far.  Once for Boot Camp in Gila Bend, AZ and once for our gathering in Quartzsite, AZ.  It’s easy to dish it out if you have prepared before hand and have servers.  It’s pretty basic, nothing hard to do, just time to prep and money to buy the stuff.  My time is free.

NASCAR – real good race.

I grilled some skinless, boneless chicken breasts (healthy stuff) on the Big Daddy grill and Carol cooked up some veggies for a nice dinner.

Oh, the porch awning on the Beast has stopped working.  Thank goodness it’s closed. I told Newmar and the repair shop that the motor was binding.  Well, it has bound up for sure now.  Hello Newmar, I need an awning motor and installed and I ain’t saying please!  The saga continues……

See ya…..

RV Lot Costs

Today I figured up what our lot in Livingston cost us a year.  It has about $5 a day fixed cost (insurance, taxes,sewer,water,etc.) per year without electric.  Then when we are here the electric is about $7+ a day.  You might figure that is only $12 a day.  True if we stayed here 365 days a year.  This year we will have stayed about 115 days. So $7 (daily elect) times 115 days is $805.  Now add the $5 a day fixed costs time 365 days equals $1,825.  Add them together for a total of $2,630.  We stayed 115 days for a daily cost of about $23.  Did I confuse you? I am a bean counter like a lot of full time RVers.  I will do our other RVing costs as time goes on.

It friggin rained here ever so hard and for a long time.  No leaks.  It was warm out so I got on the roof and helped mother nature wash the roof.

Today I just tidied around the mobile to make it look pretty for Carol.  I will go down to Houston tonight to pick her up at the airport.

See ya……………

Solar Panel Rewiring Again

Here’s what it looked like outside at 9 AM.  Sun isn’t out and the wet fog was in.  I know the roof is slippery even though it has slip proof textured walkways.   I decided to wait.  Bosses orders too!

At about 10 AM I went up on the roof to install the wiring for the solar panels.  I raised three panels and started.  It was easy but just time consuming.  When I removed the wiring I marked each wire and connector twice.  I’m not for one figuring out which is hot and what’s ground.  Some of these wires/connectors aren't’  the same colors and connect in different places.   I still have to straighten and caulk down the wiring.  Probably tomorrow.

I finished at the batteries with the main hook up to them. I went inside the Beast and checked the solar controller.  Looked good.  I disconnected the 50 AMP shore power and checked again.  Looking good!   I’m going to leave the panels tilted up for now.  I’m so glad that I didn’t let Newmar rewire the panels.  For some reason I think I might have had more problems.  I got hot & sweaty up on the shiny new white roof.  It pooped me out.  I might have to go to Popeye’s for a late lunch and did.  I got their fried crawfish.  Now that there is good for crawfish fast food joint in Texas.

Yesterday we almost broke some temperature records.  We got close to the 89 record.  The humidity is starting to rise but it’s still pretty nice.  Next week we are suppose to go down to the low to mid 70s which are normal for now. 

Speaking of next week.  I’m planning a cook out (smoked pork) for the Boot Camp Instructors that will be here for Boot Camp.  I got a nice 11 lb pork butt that I will start smoking the day before.  I will also BBQ some Buffalo wings on the grill to tease the hungry bunch.   I think that there might be some home brewed beer and margaritas.

I did two loads of wash today.  Yes, I’, becoming domesticated.  You can always spot a fulltimer on the road.  They’re clothes are more wrinkled than they  are.  That’s unless you are looking at Walt Gunn.  His wrinkles has wrinkles.  Smile Walt……

Since Carol is do back tomorrow night I will start straitening up “my stuff”  inside the mobile today.  I guess I will just put it (throw it) in my half of the barn, the lower half.  Carol says nothing about my man cave, the 1st floor of the barn.  I’m a RV parts hoarder and love it.  I don’t hall this “stuff” around now.  I can store it and even more.  Once a year I look through it and see if I should take anything with us.  It’s like I rotate my “stuff.”  It’s not neat but it’s my “stuff”.  I like having a lot/barn to do that with.  Carol is the same way but neater.  I would take a picture of her upstairs but it needs sweeping and she wouldn’t want me to take a picture in that case.  The shed to the left is her gardening stuff shed.

If you are a full timer and have a lot with a shed on it, it’s like so cool.  If you don’t, then relatives are good places too.  That is the ones that don’t move a lot.

Our Fuel Update.  Same station here in Livingston, TX - Nov 8, 2011 diesel was $3.62.  Jan 5, 2012 diesel was $3.57.  We arrived back 9 Oct, 2012 and it was $3.79.  Yesterday it dropped to $3.69.  Alaska June 2011 diesel was $4.33.  Right now it’s $4.29.  Bottom line -   Fuel appears to be coming back down.  We all know it goes up very fast and comes down oh so slow and never where it was before.  I would say that fuel is just about where it will be “normal” this time round. 

In 2011 we traveled 17,000 miles.  In 2012 we have traveled 14,000 miles.  I estimate in 2013 we will be around 7-8,000 miles.  One reason is that we don’t have the RV Driving School anymore.  And two it’s more expensive and our income has not gone up and even down.   I think we (mainly me) are enjoying our longer stays more.  Carol has always enjoyed them.  The roses are starting to smell a little better.  BUT, the adventure to travel on America’s Roads is still there by all means.  Enough of rambling on.  Starting to sound like Walt….smile Walt.

See ya…….

Newmar Srews Up Again

I was setting at the repair shop at 8 AM to get the new awning.  We went over everything and we were on the same sheet as Newmar.

About noon the repair shop called me.  Newmar sent the wrong friggin awning.  I called Newmar and they had already received a call from the repair shop.  Newmar had found the error and the next awning will be out next week.  This time I won’t move the Beast until after the awning has been pulled out of it’s shipping container and verified it’s the correct one.  That’s my bust for thinking they would be a little careful with the handling of this situation.  I screwed up thinking that.

Now, do I move our “stuff” back into the Beast or wait.  I’m waiting……

LUNCH.  I’m still eating pulled pork.  I’m starting not to like it as much.

Since we are having nice warm weather here I decided to install the electrical for the solar panels tomorrow.  Today I got prepared which meant I collected the wiring, fasteners, tools, etc.  I also tilted 3 of the 4 panels up so I can get get behind them for the wiring.  I only have tilt brackets for three.  I only raise 2 panels when collecting solar sun because if I raise the front 2 I block the rear 2.  I usually only raise them at Quartzsite.

DINNER.  Still eating pulled pork but I put in a soup this time.

See ya…………