Grand Tetons

We pulled out of Thayne, WY about 8:30 for our 65 mile trip to the Tetons National Park.  The ride was nice & quiet with a lot of real nice views.  

  

 

A lot more tomorrow……..well worth the stop!

See ya….

Another Party

This party was a fund raiser for their water entertainment area.  They had ribs, beans, cole slaw, etc for $10.  They probably had about 125 people or so.  Take a water run off area and turn it into a water resort area.  They run electric boats on it and make a bar/cook out shaded area on the waterfront.

Plus they have electric flying devices.  Men and their toys for sure.

This evening we got all unhooked except for the electric.  I don’t like messing with water and sewer stuff in the cold mornings unless I have to.  It all collapses so easy in warm sunny evenings.  I think we got about 60 miles to go tomorrow.  Dog on, I won’t even have finished my first cup of coffee by then..

See ya…..

Alaska Again & Sign Of The Times

I backed up Carol’s computer.  What a pain in the butt this time.  Last time I just clicked on this or that and it went right to the external hard drive.  Not this time.  I farted with it for about a half hour and finally back up something that took an hour or so.  Mine I just hook up the mega hard drive and click a button and it’s done in a few minutes.  I’ve backed up all the programs and operating systems in both computers already.  Lesson learned there.

I’ve been working on our Alaska 2014 trip off and on.  I enjoy doing it.  I got two main routes.  At Tok we hang a left and go south or go straight to Fairbanks.  Each one has it plus and minuses. We’ve been the south route three times and the north route once.  I’m leaning towards the north route again.  So, I just completed doing the north route both in Streets & Trips and a day by day log.  These are only guide lines and will not be followed.  There’s a side trip in all this also.  The well known “Top Of The World Highway.”  That decision to go that route is made in Whitehorse.  Done it twice and it’s really not what it’s spoke up to be.  It’s more of the bragging rights than anything at least that’s what I think.  It can be very dangerous based on the weather and how many screw balls are doing it.  Tour buses run the route but I read somewhere that they will not be doing it after 2013 (?) due to the danger of the rapid changing road conditions.  It’s very simple decision.  Go late May or the first to second week in June.  Plus no rain the week before!  Other than those perfect conditions I wouldn’t even think about going again.  It’s just too dangerous for me….ooopps, got off on a tangent there.

Speaking of things.  Here’s a sign that we all wish we could post!

Here’s a cookout we went to the other evening.  Nice background.

They were aiming for the inner tube.  None made it.

 

Steaks…

In case you didn’t see these little things the first time..

Carol I split one and filled us both up along with the shrimp, bread w/olive oil, etc…..Then we had ice cream………bloated again……

See ya….

Fulltiming Do Over From The Beginning

Someone asked what we would do different if we started full timing all over.  Wow, that’s a bigee.  The old standard I wouldn’t change anything could be said but………

RV…if we already had a RV we would keep it for about 6 months to a year when starting out.  Then decide what we really wanted/needed.  I would only buy a used RV about 3-5 years old and a one owner from a that owner.  They all cost money to upkeep.  Also, it would be an upper quality one.  It would probably be a motorhome because the way we travel/move a lot.  We don’t set usually for more than a week or two then one time a year for about 2-3 months maybe.  Length would be difficult but probably between a 34 and 40 feet and probably a diesel for the net carrying capacity (NCC).  That would be our desires to do over.

RV Park Memberships.  We started out with a used Thousand Trails and Coast To Coast.  We would do that the same.  Maybe pick up Passport America and the Elks if money wasn’t too tight.  That would be our desires.

RV Clubs..Escapee Club.  We started without any and joined later.  Next time we would join the Escapees before full timing and become active in it immediately.  We’ve been FMCA, Good SAM, Newmar, Winnebago club members but we are Escapees.  That would be our desires.

We would want to go to a lot of seminars at rallies right away and even before full timing or even before buying a RV if we hadn’t.  That would be our desires.

Our first adventure was to go to Alaska and we started in that direction within 5 minutes of leaving the realtors settlement office in 2000.  We would do that the same.  It’s ALL an adventure.  That would be our desires.

We went to Quartzsite in January.  That was neat and have it done every year since our first year 2001.  We went by ourselves but now meet people (Escapees) out their and even have a bigger blast each time.  That would be our desires.

Bottom line…we wouldn’t change a thing…that would be our desires.

Shine Those Wheels

I’ve been working on shinning the Beast a little each morning.  The mornings are cool and a nice time to do that kind of work.  I’m using Aerospace 303 on the paint which I’ve never done.  It really “POPS” but it is a lot of work.  Goes on easy then I have to wipe it tell the streaks are gone.  I’ve done the lower side on the passenger side.  Today I worked on the upper side using the ladder.  Not hard work just takes time.  Using a wax or polish is really easier.  I want to see what happens when it rains and all that kind of stuff.  Then I will decide if I will use it again.  I hope to wax the windows before we leave.

I finished the passenger side.  Next was the painted overlap on the roof/side.  I started doing it but the overlap was screaming hot.  Another day.  Plus if I shine the other side I’m gonna wax it.  It’s easier…wipe on wipe off.

My wheels are really shiny again…yea.  It don’t take much to please me sometimes.

The Jeep looks new again.  I bucket washed it, Aerospace 303 the black plastic fender extenders and tires.  It really looks good.  Now, where are those trails around here?

Carol has been doing line dancing everyday at the Park Barn with members of the park.  She really likes that.

We were going to go bowling with Dave & Brenda and some friends of theirs but Carol didn’t want to.  She wanted to get some things done in the rig.  Oh well.

We walked around the park at dusk and it was still pretty quiet.  Most people haven’t returned to their lots yet.

See ya….

Fulltiming Milestone

Today we started our 14th year of being homeless and on the road full time.  This time 13 years ago we walked out of our realtors office.  We looked at our truck & 5th wheel and said,  “What the hell have we done now!”  Well, we have loved it ever since.  We don’t see any light at the end of tunnel and we aren’t looking for any light switches.  It’s been great and don’t even seem like 13 years of doing this.  It seems like about 2-3 years maybe.  Equipment has changed but our dream hasn’t.  Keep them wheels rolling to our next adventure.  Days or weeks of being lazy is an adventure.  Full timing is simple for us.  Are there problems along the way?  Sure there is.  It’s called life…deal with it as you go.

Today we got invited to a nearby house (big & fancy) party along with Dave & Brenda.  Being at a house party was a first for us other than being at relatives homes.  We didn’t know anybody except Dave & Brenda.  Most had small RVs but not not a topic at all.  They used the RVs to get from their summer homes to their winter homes.  It was nice and glad we went and met some new people enjoying a different type of life.

Down the road was where the party was at ..ooops, forgot their names.

This was their manicured party yard and cook out area.  Their house was just not in the picture…it was nice too.  Their toilets didn’t have foot pedals either.

Then we returned back at the RV park.  Here’s Dave & Brenda’s place.

Here’s a pic of the RV park’s get together place. Who ever built this is from Texas, it’s big.

It was a nice day to celebrate our fulltiming anniversary.

See ya…….

Here We Are, Where U Are?

  

Here’s Dave & Brenda’s site (50 AMP FHU) that we are staying on. Carol backed it in with no problem what so ever.

 

We went over Dave & Brenda’s for social hour.  Carol & Brenda had a good time yapping.  Dave & I were working hard on the world problems.

 

Then Brenda talked about not going on any cruises next year.  I wonder how she feels about that?

Just kidding…they are going to get a small unit and put it on their lot here and enjoy a slower pace.  They have over 20 years of full timing.  I think 10 years of it have been on cruises!

It got down to the mid 30s last night.  Love that Hydro hot electric.  The tile floors are nice and warm at least in most areas.  I turned on the Pressure Pro tire monitoring system this morning.  I had all sorts of alarms going off due to the low outside temperatures.  I do need to air up the rig tires about 10 lbs to bring them up to their correct actual carrying weight.  I know when we get out of this 6,000 feet altitude and cooler temps that I will have to bring the tire pressures back down.  That’s how I do it.  I rather the tires be a little over inflated for a short time than under inflated which causes the most common tire failure on RVs – UNDER INFLATION.  That’s a fact Jack!

Carol & I went for an late day ride around.

We had diner at this older drive in burger place.  They came and took your order, brought it out and hooked a tray to your window.  Then came back and took the tray and the trash away.  Not even a squawk box like Sonic.   How cool is that.  The food was OK.  It doesn’t take much to please me sometimes.  Keep it simple.

See ya…

Nice Drive

We pulled out of our site at the Air Force Base about 8 AM with about 330 miles to go.  Before we even got off base we met our first screw ball driver.  I’m in a left turn only lane and a bozo turns left with me from the right lane (straight lane only!).  Scared the boo out of me when I realized what he was doing half way thru the turn.  I almost ran into to him with my wide turn.  The bozo.  He heard my Bradley horns for sure.  I could have called the military police and had him issued a ticket but I wasn’t going thru the hassle for me.  Yes that is how it can be done aboard a base.  Rank rules! Anyhow….We headed north on I-84 to Pocatello.  Then I-15 to Idaho Falls, route 26 east to Alpine then route 89 south to Thayne, WY.  As soon as I pulled into the park I gained 5 pounds.  Here are some pics along the nice drive… the wind was at our backs and the fuel mileage was up all day.  It was a very relaxing drive.

 

First stop was Blue Beacon to get my free wash from their last screw up.  You know I think I’m gonna have to stop going to Blue Beacon.  For a free wash it was just OK.  Need I say more.

Near Idaho Falls we pulled into a big truck stop and got fuel for $3.86 a gallon.  That’s pretty good for Idaho and no additional charge for charging it.  I had 775 miles on the tank and took on 107 gallons.  I wasn’t even at a quarter tank yet.  I could have gone an easy 900 miles on this 150 gallon tank.

Do you want white meat or dark meat?

I wonder if the fire department had to buy this shell of an airplane to practice.   I wonder if they got burnt on the deal…..

Dave and Brenda Neil met us at the front office.  We followed them to their extra RV site and Carol parked the Beast (pics tomorrow).  We got set up and then went over to Dave & Brenda’s  friends for dinner.  Their went that diet.  It was so good..ribs, shrimp gumbo, crab soup and so on….  I think they do get togethers every two days.  We were informed of Wednesday & Friday meals. 

My laptop screen has a purple racing stripe in it now.  I’ve turned the computer off and on several times and it’s still there.  Oh well, I can read everything fine it just looks a little out of place.  I wonder if I can change the color of it.  I like orange and could live with that rather than purple.

See ya….

Sat Dish

We’ve had terrible sat dish reception for about a week now.  We’ve even moved the rig up three feet and then back about 6 feet trying to get the signal stronger than 50 percent.  We are right next to a tree and have had windy days causing the branches to move around.  We only got about half of our normal channels.  Well, I finally figured out what was wrong.  We had the Winguard wind up TV antennae up to receive local channels.  It turned out to be in the way of the sat dish thus the poor reception.  duh….. We had this same problem years ago put forgot about it.  I put the Winegurard antennae down about a 1/4 of the way and the sat dish reception came up to about 75%, yea……

Now I could watch NASCAR racing without the blurps and picture freezing.

I’m a happy camper and Carol is too.  She can watch all those weird old movie channels now.

I disconnected the water after putting about a 1/4 tank of fresh water in.  I put the sewer hose away too.  Now we just have the electrical to disconnect from tomorrow.  I took off the front windshield cover and cleaned the windshield of all of the collected dust.  We have 340 miles to go with two stops.  One is to have Blue Beacon wash the rig and the other is to get fuel at Love’s.  We will pay cash at Love’s to avoid their 6 cents or so to charge.  We got cash here on base at the local credit union bank thus no charge.

See ya…

I’ve Been Badgered

Is this guy badgering me or what?

Here’s 4 of the family of 5.  These guys were about 150 feet away from our site.  They played out and about for about 3 hours.  Notice the railroad tracks.

This little guy let me get up close with a 500m lens.   

Then while we were watching the wildlife show a coyote came in view.  I didn’t get a real clear picture.  He was about 150 yards away but I did have the 500mm lens.  Notice the railroad tracks again.  He was close to the badgers but was not interested at all.

I was shooting thru our tinted RV window and the camera just couldn’t focus quick enough.  He kept going down the tracks.  The badgers never saw him.

It’s been a nature call for sure around this base.

See ya…