More Friends……

Today we started to get ready for Quartzsite by going to Wal-Mart.  Hey, you need “stuff” while out in the desert.  We also got some buckets and plates for Mark & Dortha for the SKP Social next Wednesday/Thursday.

When got back I went for a nice 50 mile bike ride.  Temps were in the low 70’s with a heavy overcast like rain but didn’t.  It was still cool with a strong normal Yuma wind.

A tour bus turned over in a lettuce field.  I went by it and boy did they have the emergency vehicles, police and even helicopters there.   I think one person got seriously injured.   This big bus was trying to turn around in a farm field and just rolled over in soft ground….duh.  It was some kind of Agriculture Tour.  I would have never taken a very large tour bus out into a planted field on an obviously muddy dirt road…duh then try to turn around…duh…..idiot!  blah…blah….

The bike ride was nice.  I ended up going on about 5 miles of dirt road and only met one car.  It was dry and I did about 20 MPH.  The heavy bike really didn’t care for it.

I got back and loaded the bike on the trailer for the second time…..that was exciting because I was committed and a little off center on the board.  It all worked out.

We then went over Tom & Judy Tillery for dinner.  They got a real nice fixed up lot in the Foothills here in Yuma.  Very similar to Dan & Jenny’s place that is nearby.  Their long time friends of Larry & (opps I forgot) were there also.  We had a great time.

Tomorrow we head for Qsite about 90 or so miles north.  Being so close we will get everything ready in the AM.

See ya….

Coffee, Ice Cream Anyone? Plan B Modified…

Yesterday we got to talk to Gary & Mary Olson.  We went to Alaska together back in 2011.  We had a great time.  Well, they need assistants to work with them at the Escapade in March.  We have now volunteered to help them.  What’s funny is that we suggested them for their current Escapade job a couple of years ago and now we will be working for them.  It all comes around.  Can you say coffee?  We will be helping out with the making and serving.  How does trucker coffee sound?  What about Ice Cream too?

Today was military I.D. day.  We had to go to base and get Carol’s military I.D. updated.  A bit of a hassle to get on base even with proper I.D.  Our car was not registered for a base sticker or a temporary pass.  We walked on base from the temporary pass parking lot which was the big hassle to get.  We only have to do it ever so often.  No bigee.

We got back and I was pooped & sore from the walking so we spent the nice day at our site.  I cooked some more cow on the barbie and it was pretty good.

We got a call from our daughter with her college graduation date.  It will be the end of May vice June. 
So we will modify our jello plans with no problem.  Afterwards we will now probably go ride the Durango Train in Colorado.  Carol will be able to scratch it off her “Want To Do List.”  This means we will probably be in Livingston part of June/July before heading mid northeast for the Escapees Boot Camp in TN in late July.

See ya………..

WHO…WHO…..WHO…..

The day started with a hoot with a Who, who, who.

And ended with the normal AZ sunset….

and a lot in between.

Let’s see… the RV wash guys came out and did a great job.  They washed and hand waxed the RV and threw in the washing of the Jeep for a $99 special.  If you get down this way give them a call – Sam’s Mobile Washing at 928 550-2028. 

Then we had a mobile RV repair guy came out to replace the switching station for our TV/sat/theater, etc.  Of course everything was working fine when he arrived.  He took down all the information and $45 for the call.

Produce is a bigee here in Yuma.  Here Romaine lettuce is being picked. 

Picked lettuce is on the left and unpicked is on the right.

Here’s our temperatures…..blah blah blah…..

You believe I didn’t get any bike riding in on this warm day?  I did managed to get to the Harley dealer and buy a plug and play device for the bike.  I installed it (plugged in) and it works great.  This device makes my rear turn signals running lights and stop lights.  My rear end lights up now…….does yours?

We cooked some old cow out on the barbie.   That was nice but it was an old cow and a little chewy.

We moved our vehicles earlier so the wash guys could do their jobs.  I moved them back in our now TIGHT  spot.  This RV park is so open and we’re so boxed in.  We thought about moving…..nah…..you should here the noise between two RVs echo when I start that Harley.  It really needs to get warmed up several times a day.  Blah…blah..blah….

Another action packed day tomorrow.

See ya………..

WHY !

Plenty of sites here….

Plenty over here.

A fifth wheel moves right next door to us and one right behind our butt.  What’s up with that?

I went for a 50 mile bike ride after I backed the bike up which is hard to do in gravel.  I couldn’t find reverse.  Normally I would just drive out but can’t because I forgot to take off the RV magnet on the side of our RV.  Blah..blah….

See ya….

RV Friends Of Years Ago Reunited

It’s 8 AM…. do know where Dennis & Carol are?   Cracker Barrel…Carol’s favorite breakfast place.

From there we headed to the Yuma Flea Market.  It’s pretty big.  Oh no, there was a Harley dealer along the way.  Just stopped for a quickie.  Carol stayed in the Jeep while I got my quickie.  Ahhhh, what a relief.  But they don’t open for another 1/2 hour.  Onward….

Then we continued on  to Yuma’s biggest flea market.  It’s pretty organized.  It’s asphalt or cement and covered.  The wind wasn’t too bad but still pretty cool being early in the morning.  Carol got some stuff and I got just one water filter cartridge.   It’s a coconut shell activated carbon block filter.  It was $5 bucks which I thought was pretty good for any block filter.

Back at the ranch I got ready to ride the horse and go for a little ride…..  Maybe I should refer to the Harley as a Hog vice a horse.  Nope…not going riding in the fifties and windy.  I want to enjoy a ride not put up with it.  Maybe tomorrow.

Now for Dave & Brenda Neil’s for dinner.  They also invited some RV friends of ours that we kinda lost touch with.  It’s been probably about 8-10 years since we’ve seen most of these people.  They still all hang out together and we’re the ones that wondered off.  From left to right here’s Hank, Monica, Judy, Brenda, Tom, Dave, Ginger, Barry and me.  Carol took the picture.

Oh, Dave and Brenda bought a park model/lot at KOFA here in Yuma and of course we are in it.  They’ve been in it 2 days.  They haven’t owned a non moveable home in 22 years.  They plan to continue to do a lot of RVing but when they come to Yuma for a couple of months a year they will call this home and store their motorhome.

On the way back to our home with wheels we stopped at Walmart.  We got some milk, water, beer and rum.  They had my Milwaukee's Best Ice beer which I like.  I also got my Captain’s Morgan Black Spiced Rum.  Carol got the sober stuff.

See ya……….

Long Drive – 22 miles

Very unusual that we left about 11 AM for our next travels.  I can’t remember ever leaving that late.  We usually leave about 7-8 AM.  We had 22 miles to drive today to our next park.  Carol drove the Jeep towing the bike/trailer.  I drove the RV and of course had nothing behind me.  Couldn’t tell the difference.

We checked into Yuma Lakes and got a nice big site.  A tree was in the way of the satellite.  We called the check in office and said just to pick a site and call them back…..no problem.  We had a lot of choices to chose from which made it difficult.  Too many choices.  We picked one that is just about as far as you can get in the park and still be in the park.   At $10 bucks a night with RPI for a FHU 30 AMP it’s hard to beat.  We shortened our stay here to leave Friday vice Saturday. 

We have no neighbors within reach…yea……  If I’m outside enjoying doing nutin, drinking beer and eating boiled eggs nobody can hear me make loud guy noises.  No not that noise…just grunting noises of course…..

I got the bike unloaded with Carol’s help with no problem what so ever.  This was the first time the Harley was ever off loaded and tested only once with the old Harley.   I like that prior planning stuff that comes out right.  I put the cut down windshield on.  I had the windshield cut down one inch just before we left Livingston and never tried it.  The top of the windshield was right in the middle of my eyesight.  It needed to go up or down so I had it cut.  I haven’t really tried it out yet.  I put the saddlebags, windshield bag along with the sissy bar bag all on.  Don’t it look nice?

The small trailer fits well and is easy to handle empty.

As the day went on we realized we should have gotten a site that faced the other way.  The sun hits us on the driver side all day and we don’t have any shades on that side.  Oh well……

It was a little nippy outside so we stayed in most of the day.  I watched the two NFL football play off games.  Go Baltimore Ravens!   They were the under dogs and won.

We use to own a pet store on Greenmount Ave. in Baltimore city just a couple of blocks from the stadium where the Baltimore Colts played and called home.  The Colts moved out of state.  So we have a little tie to the Baltimore team now called the Ravens.

We also use to live in Washington DC (military active duty) so we have ties to the Washington Redskins.  We use to live near Pittsburgh (Connellsville) too so we have ties to the Steelers……blah blah…blah…. and so forth.

See ya………….

2008 Polaris RZR Side by Side ATV

I will probably be putting my 2008 Polaris Rzr 800 toy on Craig’s List in February.  It will help pay for part of the Harley.  It will read something like “2d owner (both over 65), doors, full metal underbody, winch, lights, heavy duty roll bar, wide wheels/tires, 4 point safety harness, cover, includes trailer and more.  1st $8K cash. 936 933-0074”.

I will even sell it to a friend meaning it runs good with no problems.  If it don’t sell, it goes back to Texas with us some how.  These things been on Craig’s List (2008) starting about $8K with hardly in real options like this one has much less with a trailer.  Give me a call if you know someone that might be interested.  Better yet…have them call me.

Last year we did 15,931 miles in the RV.  We did go to Alaska that accounts for about 6,000 miles.  The most we paid for fuel in the U.S. was in Shelby, MT in May at $3.99.  The lowest we paid was in Yuma just last month at $2.85.

The RV wash guys were a no show.   I set up another appointment with them for next Tuesday 10-11 AM.

See ya…………………

First Day Of The Rest Of The Year

It’s 34 degrees as I type this at 5 AM.   what’s up with that?  Well, no rain for the next 10 days…that’s nice.  And it’s getting up to 70 degrees next week.

Wiped down the Harley again and covered it for now.  It’s just too cold and windy to really enjoy it.  Even though I wiped down the Harley it was in the sun at the time and still cold & windy. That baby is real shiny now. I covered it because the RV wash guys are coming and it’s easier to cover it than to move it. Won’t take it off the trailer this Saturday maybe Sunday after we move to our next campground, Yuma Lakes.  We got a week there but might move to Quartzsite earlier, not sure yet.

I played with the HDMI 4X4 Matrix switching station for our TVs, Direct TV and theater system. I’m pretty sure it’s the problem by a process of elimination of each component and cables.  It looks expensive.  I went on line and couldn’t find an exact one.  Something to work on for sure.  I might take it apart to see what makes it tick.  As suggested by a blog reader I disconnected all the input cables.  Then I hooked each one, one by one.  I hit pay dirt.  If I only hook up one particular TV I get it.  Everything else must remain unplugged.  I had TV the rest of the day and night.

Carol says the water here tastes heavy….okkkkkkk.  I tried to lighten it with all these outside filters but it didn’t do the job.  I guess we will be buying water at Wal-Mart.

We didn’t do nuttin we didn’t want to do today.  I went outside for a very little while today and went back in.  No setting out or cooking out. 

See ya…………….

Every Day Is A New Day

We were on the road by 8 AM with about 275 miles to get to the California border and our next campground Pilot Knob.  In Eloy, AZ, exit 208, across the street of the Pilot, I got our wheels shined.  $5 a wheel and it took about 20 minutes.  I’ve been coming here for about 7 years or so.  Your wheels can not have that plastic coating on them.  They have to be shineable.

We then picked up the I-8 in Casa Grande towards San Diego.  Earlier we just had a strong side wind.  Now it changed to a head wind and rain off and on.  Yes, the shiny wheels and motorcycle are dirty again.  Here are some pics……         

In Yuma we tried to get into Fry’s for Diesel at $2.75 but it was all jammed up real bad.  We went to Flying J across the street and it was  10 cents more and drove straight to the fuel pump.  Next was propane.  That was a mad house too.  The guy said this all started last week and hasn’t let up.  He had no reason why all of a sudden a mad house.  It’s due in part to the normal pilgrimage of snowbirds but he said this was unusual.  Maybe it’s the cheaper fuel prices.  Propane was $2.29 a gallon.

50 amp full hook up for $11 with AOR membership.

I got mobile wash guys coming out Friday for a wash and hand wax of the RV and Jeep (just wash) for $100.  Hey, at $100 bucks I just got to do it and we do every year.  True we are going to dusty Quartzsite but that’s just dust and can be wiped off or a light quick wash.

Our HDMI 4X4 Matrix switching device for our TVs has just about had it.  Comes and goes.  Does anyone know anything about these switching devices?  Where’s Bob Pinner?……….

On our trip here we lost the license plate for the bike trailer.  I tighten things real good and usually too tight.  It’s really hard for me to believe that this tag just fell/blew off.  Anyhow, Mark K is bringing me another one from Texas next week.  I talked to DMV in Livingston and they said he could pick it up for me.  That’s cool.

Even though it’s New Year’s Eve we watch a few specials and hit the rack by 9:30 PM.  Everyday is a new day for us.

See ya…….

Nope…. It Ain’t Gonna Work

Dog day morning…

Free breakfast at the KOA Campground.  No we didn’t have to set thru a seminar.  But we did have to buy a RV from Lazydays then you become a member of the Crown Club.  That entitles you to free meals especially down at their Tampa location.  Long way to go for free meals.  Here we have to ask, just about beg, for a coupon meal.  I don’t like that part.  We already have two meal tickets so that’s all we really need.  Breakfast was very good especially the free part.   

It’s a regular restaurant with a bar on the opposite side here inside the KOA campground. You can tell it won’t be open in the long run.  Just not enough people and their prices are a little high like at KOA (Keep On Adding).

Then to Lazydays Service in person. I talked to their service department. I wanted them just to look at a couple (2) items on our repair list (6) and get prior approval. It would take them 10 minutes at the most. No deal.  We’re not waiting over a week to see if an item(s) is under warranty. We assume they are..! We made another appointment (March) with our time schedule that fits our schedule better. We’re out of here tomorrow.

Next was to the Davis-Monthan AFB and check out the Family Campground…  They have 50 sites available so if we want we can move over there for  $20 50 AMP FHU a night.

Then to the base commissary for a few things that we really didn’t need. Along the way we passed the Air Forces plane graveyard.

On the way back to the KOA behind Lazydays we stopped at La Mesa RV across the street.  I figured what the hell and talked to them about our Winnebago which they carry.   We told them we bought it in Lazdays Tampa and weren’t happy with their workmanship here with Lazydays Tucson.  They said no problem what so ever.  Since my gut was saying NOPE IT AIN’T GONNA WORK at Lazydays we made an appointment with La Mesa for March.  We’ve had them work on our rigs in the past with good results.  Don & Sharon speak high them also.

So we are back to Plan A kinda.  We head for Yuma tomorrow.  We wonder if there are any parties or any kind of gathering going on for New Years.

Here’s my two honeys…..one can bite you in the butt and the other can make it sore.  Neither are real good.

They have lemon, orange and grapefruit trees here at the KOA and we took advantage of the lemon trees.  Carol made some real nice lemon juice.  She said I was too sweet and the lemon juice would fix me.

I spent 1/2 hour cleaning the Jeep.  1/2 hour on the RV wheels just cleaning the dirt off. 

Then 1 1/2 hours wiping down the Harley.  Chrome is either dirty or shiny.  It’s now all shiny.  Of course we just heard that our route we will take is expecting rain.  Oh well…..deal with it…..again.

So we shall see what we will see down the road tomorrow.

See ya………….