187…. 187 What?

Before bed it was raining, we slept and it rained, we woke up and it was raining, we left and it was raining, we drove in the rain.  I think there’s a 50 50 chance of rain.  50% chance it will rain and 50% chance that it won’t be dry.

It was mostly Interstate driving today.  375 total miles and only a few idiot drivers.  We got diesel in Cross Junction, VA for $2.09 and gas was $1.99.  That’s better than $2.39+ for diesel up North.  I jammed that fuel in the tank for sure.  Especially because we will set for a month.

Where’s the engine?

Harrisburg area…. Man was the Interstate crowded in Pennsylvania.  I forgot to make the phone call and let them know I would be in their state today and get off the roads.  My bust.

In Maryland it was a nice drive.  I think everybody was still asleep.

Which way do I go…..

the roads are getting smaller….

smaller…..yes….one vehicle stops and the other one crawls by…

and smaller….

They even got a lot smaller the last mile but no pics…

Home for August….it is so quiet.  How quiet is it?  It’s so quiet I think I heard the grass grow.

What is 187?  It’s my new weight and not wet.  In November I weighed 225 lbs.  This morning I weighed 187 lbs.  I’ve been trying to get under 190 lbs and into the 180’s for ever it seems like.  It must have been that Chinese Buffet that cleaned out my system.  I thought I would never make it during the Escapade.  After all, Escapade means meet friends and eat don’t it?  Next goal is to get into the 170’s.  Hitting the 200’s wasn’t easy, the 190’s wasn't easy nor was the 180’s.  It’s almost an hourly battle at times and evidently I’m winning most of the battles.  Hopefully I will win the war.

See ya………..

What A Way To Start A Morning

We pulled out of our site and parked to hook up the car.  A rear outside tire looked low which sometime means the inside tire is low which puts more pressure on the outside tire.  Thus a low looking tire on duals.  I laid down and kicked the inside dual tire.  It felt soft.  I went and got the tire gauge.  Both tires were OK.  We hooked the car up and left……almost.  The car tow bar would not lock on one side.  We stopped and I disconnected one side of the tow bar.  Carol moved the car a few inches forward and then backward then forward.  I got the tow bar extended & lined up and hooked up.  Then while double checking the hook up I noticed that the tow cable was in the way of the locking device thus it couldn’t lock into place.  I looped it another way and everything is OK now.  That’s the first time that the cable ever interfered with the locking of the tow bars.  A very freak thing for sure.  We’re still not off the fairgrounds.  We got into the RV ready to leave now.  We started to pull away but had a drag.  The car was in park and we went about two car lengths with the front car wheels locked up before we realized it.  We left skid marks.  Carol put the car in neutral and we took off finally.  But wait there’s more!  We couldn’t find the cat.  We stopped and the cat was found a few minutes later.  She changed her spot and didn’t tell us.  Finally we really get going down the road.  Wait there’s still more to come.  The cat evidentially didn’t like her new spot and threw up.  Carol got that mess cleaned up without pulling over.  Guess what?  That’s all folks….

We like Vermont route 7 south from Burlington.  Very nice area for 125 miles.  Then we hit New York.  It was obvious that we left a very nice area then drove into someone's  backyard that was not taken care for many miles and acres.   Night and day from our route 7 in Vermont.  New York 1-10 gets a 2 and Vermont gets a 10 for us.

We got fuel (Citgo) in New Haven, VT for $2.39.  It was an easy in and out with clean truck pumps.

Here’s some pictures taken on the move…

Double humper!!!!  He was too far away for a good clear picture and he was real…

We arrived at our Coast to Coast Park ($10) Rondout Valley Resort near Accord, NY 250 miles from the Escapade.  We got 30 amp & water.  It’s a very large destination type park.  Not a resort it claims to be but more of a family type campground.  We would return for sure.  Sorry, no pictures.

It rained later in evening and it rained and rained and rained all night long then it rained some more it even rained hard and some more.  We are setting on soft grassy ground…why not?  Who would have guessed it would rain after this morning.  Hey, it will wash away our adventurous morning, right?

Tomorrow we got about 375 miles which is a lot of Interstate and probably in the rain.  Today (Saturday) was a lot of other back roads.

See ya….

One More Day–kinda

Carol and I were way over due for going out for breakfast.  You know… once a year.

We went to Friendly's’. No not for an ice cream breakfast although that doesn’t sound too bad.  They actually have a normal breakfast menu.  Plus, during the week everybody gets 50% off their entire breakfast check.  Whoa….the hell with that 10 or 20% discount.  Go for the gusto and give customers 50% off the entire check.  Here’s Carol’s…  and mine..  total bill about $12 something!

We get back and it’s times to load Big Red, the Escapees tractor trailer.  Nobody was around.  Oh well., I would have just gotten in the way.  Then I walked around looking for trouble.  There was a pretty long line for the dump.  There was one for Smart Weigh but not as long at all.  Both lines were moving as well as could be expected.  Here’s Smart Weigh’s line…

We went over to the farewell coffee gathering.  I was surprised how filled it was.  We saw friends of course and said our goodbyes.  We even had a few people come up and said yes to my thoughts about the Chili Cook-off from yesterday’s blog.   And a few said it was for CARE so it didn’t matter.  I say again, big company money won.  This chili thing really needs to be rethought.  blah blah blah….

This was our last Escapade for a while.  We have decided after attending about 20-30 (can’t count that high) of them, we’re gonna take a rest from them.  Poke us, we are done.  Well, we say it now but it could change.  It’s not in any way based on the Escapade itself or those who run it.  We’re just not into it anymore for various reasons.  Maybe old age, health, money, been there done it attitude, or ……. a combination of it all.  If you are a RVer, full timer or part timer, attend the Escapade for one or two decades but attend.  Then you decide.  Don’t try to read into this or between the lines.  It is what it is. blah blah blah blah……

After a day of doing little things and staying out of the way we went to dinner.  Mark came along too.  We kept it very easy.  There’s a Chinese Buffet across the street that we thought we would try.  As it turned out, we all agreed that it’s probably among the best Chinese places we’ve ever ate at.  Fresh, hot and a large variety of items.  They had a new item…peanut butter chicken.  What the hell, we tried it.  It made you smack your lips for sure.  It was very different and pretty good.  

Tomorrow (Saturday) we head out.  We'll go about 235 miles and even made reservations through the Coast to Coast on line.  Then Sunday we got about 275 miles to Augusta, West Virginia.  We will sit at Carol’s brother family campground for a month.  Carol will drive down to the Baltimore area and visit with her Mom, usually for a week or so each time.

See ya…..

Somebody Turn Out the Lights

Carol started the day off instructing the line dancers again.  That was cool.  She didn’t mind getting up at 6 AM each day to be able to get to her area usually by 7 AM.  The class started at 7:30 AM.  I was her bag boy.  I carried her “stuff” because of her sore arm.  It was fine. 

During the day I did a few little chores for the Escapade staff.  “Gofer” stuff  was my job and I enjoyed it.

I caught Bob relaxing just for a moment.

Here’s Jim getting ready for the chili cook-off with Carol egging him on.

Oh no.  Who’s this couple.

And who’s this couple….. nice looking red heads.

The chili cook off.  People tasted the chili and gave a few bucks to the entrant who they think have the best chili.  Good but the best tasting chili DOES NOT WIN.  Sad.  Too me that’s just not fair to the tasters or the entrants who really tried making some good chili.  They don’t know/realize the whole story until afterwards. 

I don’t enter the chili cook off.  When big company’s enter their chili and then turn around and donate (CARE) a bunch of money to win - - -  it’s not a contest anymore.   It’s a tax deduction.  They bought it.  It has nothing to do with the chili itself.  Sorry, you know, I’m not sorry.  I just don’t play in games like that.   It should be called, “Show Me Your Wallet.”  Very few entrants try a second time.  The companies have arrived and the true SKP spirit has left.   Blah blah blah blah….

Next it’s the closing ceremony at 3 PM.  The house was full.  There were a lot of emotions on stage as Bob & Molly said Thank You to the staff and passed the reins over to Duane & Jean, the new Escapade Directors.

The new Directors chose yellow for the 2017 Escapade shirt colors.  They just wouldn’t pick my suggestion of orange.  I guess they thought it would interfere with the parking crew which is their safety color.

Wait,,,there’s more….  The big room emptied out and it was time to take “stuff” apart and box it up for transport back to Livingston, Texas.  It’s a lot of work to put “stuff” together and get ready for the Escapade and now it’s time to box it back up.  It was like a whirlwind  this happening.  The advanced special staff  and Hq staff worked hard and about 2 hours later the big stuff was ready to go on the truck.  More packing tomorrow morning.

The special advanced staff were tired.  Their job was almost done.  No wieners allowed.  I actually did physical work.  It reminded me of being in a tight military unit coming together to get a job well done.  It was OUTSTANDING!

Who’s Grey Water & Talent Galore

Carol started the day off with her line dancing crowd.

Our cat thinks it was pretty nice of Winnebago to put arm slots in their custom chairs for her.

We were in a local grocery store and these purple chips caught our eyes.  The real good ones are in Quartzsite, Arizona.

For those that don’t know me, I was joking about running my grey water under Mark’s RV.  I don’t have enough hose!

I sat in for most of Jim Koca’s seminar called “Living the RV Dream.”   I’ve seen a lot of so called speakers but Jim is among the best speakers I’ve seen.  That’s my personal opinion and is based on seeing many speakers, at least two…smile.  Go Jim !!!!!!  Good thing I don’t due seminars anymore.  I would hate to do a seminar in another room at the same time.  I would have to take my class and go watch his no matter the subject.

Tonight was Ham-O-Rama.  It’s a talent show.  It was originally called “Burnt Sulfur” many years ago.  Carol along with about 15 dancers got to do a dance among other talented people.  The star was the 88 year old man (Bob) line dancing up on stage with them and was pretty dog on good.

Cole sang and played the piano.  He’s good and it looked like he really got into his singing.  He san, “Hey Jude.”

Here’s Sky.  Not sure what he was doing with his camera phone.

Here’s Marilyn and Larry drawing tickets for free prizes attendees.  They did this each night during the Escapade.

And Mark was the Emcee.  Tux and all.

Tomorrow (Thursday) is the last day.  As usual, it is time to end and go forth and multiply.  I mean RV……..

See ya…

Ho Ho Ho Ho

Well, Carol starts her Line Dancing Class at 7:30 AM.  Yesterday she had close to 50 students.  Today about 40. 

Her star student was this 88 year old dancer.  He was a line dancer for sure.  He knew the steps and performed them.  Outstanding! 

Then Santa arrived.  All the women jumped for  Santa.  What’s up with that?

Molly

and Jan Mains.  When I went over he left immediately!

 

The NEW Escapade Directors Duane and Jean Mathes.  Names are spelled correctly.

Holy moley…. looks like the LA freeway.

We  p a r t i e d  till late.  At 4 PM Carol and I went over to Paul Evert’s Social.  We sat with Bill & Jan Mains and talked a lot.  Then it was the Escapee Life Time Member social sponsored by the Escapees.  That was fun.  Then we went to Mark’s area for dinner.  All the big wigs (except Kay) were there.  ALL the people from Livingston Hq were there that are here in Vermont.  It was a gathering they have each year for the Property & Sound people who really continually work hard during the Escapade.  It was real nice and a whole lot of fun.  Mark made some gumbo and we had white rice, dirty rice, corn bread, tater salad and a lot of desserts.  At 11 PM there were four of US left.  We concluded the party was over so we went home.

See ya…..

Real Shi……..

Time to get rid of some sh………  Here comes the truck.  Talk about having a shi…… job!  It was a nice new truck……it’s really a shi…. truck.  OK enough of the shi……. jokes……

Where in there somewhere.  Real nice green grass with no weeds.  I think the dogs really like the soft grass along with a few humans.  No flies or mosquitos.   

Here’s our Honda Element that we had before the Mariner.  We still miss it.  We sold it 5 years ago and I think it’s a 2005.  Very towable.  The new owners have a Prevost bus so it has a good home.  It was getting about 18 MPG compared to the Mariner’s 28 MPG.

I fixed and delivered Mac the Fire Guy and Johnny Goodrum the singer some Texas mesquite smoked BBQ pulled pork monster tacos.  Say that three times.  Mac saw me later and I think he fell to my feet.  He really loved the oversized taco.  I haven’t seen Johnny yet.  I usually prepare them in Quartzsite for him.  I will do it again tomorrow. 

Carol’s line dancing went over really great.  She had between 45-50 dancers.  The sound people really helped out with the sound.  She does this every morning at 7:30 AM for one hour.  Carol then continues afterwards for more experienced dancers for about a half hour or so.  Now I know why she was asked to be on staff.  Me….I’m the driver which is fine.

See ya…….

This & That

I got a picture of Carol & Lisa helping lay sound/video cables in the big room.

How big of room… this big of room.. and it was full for the opening ceremonies.

Here’s Johnny Goodrum.  He sings during the week outside.  He’s been singing at Escapees events for many years to include the Quartzsite social in January.  He’s located over at the RV displays.  Nice guy.  I fix him smoked pulled pork sandwiches whenever he does a show for the Escapees.  It doesn’t gag him too bad because he can still sing.  Nice shirt.

Here’s are rig (motorhome) before the rest of the staff came in.  Mark’s rig and red trailer is  behind us and Sky’s is all the way to the right.  Not crowded yet….. We run a hose of our grey water under Mark’s rig.  He thinks the smell is from the horse stalls next to him.

I had about a million people came up to me and said they read my blog.  Maybe it was just shy of a million people.  Thanks people, it is appreciated.  Now if they would all send me a few dollars we could get another rig.

Jimmy Travis was the night’s entertainment.  Damn he’s funny every time we see him.

My back is doing better.  I can walk, chew gum and even talk.  It just takes me a half of day to stand up straight.

Here’s a tid bit.  In November I weighed 225 lbs.  This morning I weighed 189 lbs.  I can lose another few pounds if I set on the toilet long enough.

See ya.