It's all about the sun!

I woke up early because I needed to be at Discount Solar by 9 am. The good thing about getting up early is actually SEEING the sun rise. It was beautiful yesterday morning.

I got the the shop about 15 minutes early, after a short defugalty with my inadvertently leaving my front door unlatched (happens when you exit one door, fully intending to re-enter that door but get side tracked and actually enter the driver's cab door...LOL)

They got us right in and we went through my requirements again. When I initially set up the appointment I was going with two Kyocera 130 watt solar panels. After much thought & discussion that day, I went with three since the additional labor was only $50 if done now. Since then I had decided to add another 64 watt panel if there was room...I would only be slightly over my budget and since I would be saving labor charges, it made sense.

They got up on the roof and laid out a plan for the three panels and possible location for the fourth, smaller one. We went inside to discover that there were no more 64 watt panels, there was a 55 watt and while they were measuring it I asked about the 80. We went to the showroom and they were all sold as well (that's what happens when you get your solar at the end of th Quartzsite show rather than before). While we were discussing the option of adding the 55 watt panel, one of the salesman broke in and said he had one 80 watt that had been saved for someone, no money down, no name, no phone number. Turns out the owner had been asked by someone he knew to hold it...he checked it out and released it to me. (Yes, I need a bumper sticker that says I AM A POWER PIG)

So the final panel setup was four Kyocera solar panels - three 130 watt panels (7.4 amps each) and one 80 watt panel (4.5 amp).

Next battle was the batteries. I had ordered six AGM 12 volt batteries, IF we could find room for them. I was sure I could easily fit four but again, Power Pig at work here. We opened the various compartments on side of the rig and they started measuring. At the same time we discussed where my inverter and Solar Boost controller would go. I opted to add the tilt mounts (more money) so if I am parked for a longer time and need them tilted, I have the capability (if I can find someone willing to go up on the roof & do it...and someone to undo it later...LOL!)

In the end they managed to fit five of the batteries in the battery compartment and one in the next storage bin where they also mounted the controller and inverter. Now the work started....one on the roof mounting the panels, one doing the batteries, both of them involved in pulling the wiring and one more doing the supervising and the final inverter wiring and setup.

I took a lot of photos as the day progressed, here they are and then I'll outline my final setup for you.

Inside the Store

Measuring the 80 watt Panel



Battery Setup



Installing Solar Panels, Tilt Mounts & Sealing Roof



Inverter/Charger, Solar Boost & Remotes


Last night I mostly charged my laptop which was almost 100% depleted. This morning I ran the TV, DirecTV DVR, the microwave for less than two minutes, my laptop, the water pump, the water heater and catalytic heater...just as the sun was coming up. I could see a small charge coming in and that meant only 8 amps were going out. I was impressed!

Here is the final setup:

• 3 Kyocera 130 watt (7.4 amp) Solar Panels
• 1 Kyocera 80 watt (4.5 amp) Solar Panel
• 4 Sets of Tilt Mounts (tilt to either side of the rig)
• 6 Lifeline AGM 12 volt Batteries
  
• Blue Sky Solar Boost 3024i 30 amp Charge Controller with remote IPN
  NOTE: can piggy-back another of the same controller to handle more solar panels
• Prosine 2.0 Inverter/Charger with remote panel
  2000 watts pure sine wave with 4500 watt surge capability
  Remote temperature sensor - mounted on battery in storage compartment (unvented)
• 10 gauge wire from panels to junction box
• 6 gauge wire from junction box to batteries
• 300 amp T fuse
• 50 amp bullet fuse

It is set up so that the batteries will charge from the generator, shore power, the engine alternator or, of course, the solar panels. It's a really slick setup and I am VERY pleased with it, the folks at Discount Solar here in Quartzsite and the job they did. Final tab including all wiring & cables (which can't be accurately calculated until the actually start running the wire), labor & sales tax was $6122.75. As I said, expensive but I should never need to add anything more to this system and it will let me boondock and use my television and computer in a way that works for MY lifestyle. Campgrounds are going to be infrequent stops...more for doing laundry (now I'm glad I have a LOT of clothes with me) & taking that long, hot 30 minute shower. LOL!

Now for a couple of Readers Ask questions (remember folks, I can't email reply to your comments unless you log in and use an email address - so the best way to get a reply is to email me directly if you have a question):

"I am confused: you talked about getting a solar oven, and now you say it will be an all day job. Are you getting solar panels on the roof to charge your batteries? I don't see how a solar oven could be an all day job."
Sorry for the confusion. The Solar Oven is a free-standing item that you sit outside in the sun. Check out this link to better understand how you use it. My installation was for a full solar system so I can have power without using my generator (or plugging into shore power). Feel free to email me with more questions.

"You could leave your frig on auto IF the outlet it is plugged into is NOT included as one that the big inverter feeds. If the inverter is connected to the main power line such that it is auto-switching and feeds all the circuits then you don't want it on auto."
You are right. If you have solar you do NOT want to use the refrigerator on electric. My is an auto-switching one so it now is set on GAS and will not switch usage when there is 110 volt incoming power.

"Did you steal Tioga George's heater?" (tongue placed firmly in cheek)
No, but that sure might have been a shot he posted at some time! My shower is full of water bottles for the most part...LOL!

"I don't know where I'd put a heater, so I guess I'm stuck with the furnace!"
That's why I got the legs to put on mine. I have no place to mount and and with the quick-disconnect added, I can get it completely out of the way when I'm not using it (any place you have a little storage room). When I'm using it, thje 7' hose lets me place it where it's convenient - in the living area facing me or down the hallway or closer to the bedroom/bathroom area.

One caution to anyone considering a catalytic heater...because they require oxygen to run (just like we do), you must leave a window slightly cracked to allow more oxygen to enter your RV.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Boondocking - The Lily Pad gets ready

I've mentioned boondocking in some previous blogs and forgot that some folks might not understand the term. So first, in the most basic terms, boondocking is camping without hookups. That said, some consider any overnight stay without hookups as boondocking. Others insist that it's only boondocking when you are in the middle of the "boonies". Regardless, it's a way to save on campground fees. For some further information try "Boondocking—Making It Work" by Paul Bernhagen and "What is Boondocking?" by Bob Wells as well as Boondocking.org.

For me it will be the ability to park in the boonies as well as other dry camping spots, thus saving me considerable money on campground fees. But this doesn't come cheap....not if done right. I've been fortunate to be able to spend a week with a wide variety of folks who boondock, sometimes weeks on end. I've learned much more about what I can and can't accomplish with the solar setup I am getting. I already knew that my microwave & A/C were off limits but I've also learned about replacing my reading lamp (40watt Halogen bulb) with a small fluorescent light. I've learned that having a small but bright LED light at the front & back of my rig will help me locate it in the dark.

I've learned the difference between a converter and an inverter. I learned about controllers aka regulators. I've learned about different size inverters and what they will run. I've learned that I need to keep my refrigerator on propane rather than auto so it doesn't pull down my batteries. I've learned that a catalytic heater won't use any electricity like my big furnace (and my space heater) and uses less propane than my big furnace.

At the big tent I found a great price on a Olympian Wave 6 catalytic heater as well as the legs that you attach to make it a portable unit (allowing me to move it from the living area during the day to the bedroom/bathroom area at night/morning). Here is a photo I found on the internet...mine looks just like this except I don't store it in the shower, I store it in the cockpit area (mine is a step-down) and keep it covered with an old pillow case to keep the dust out (much cheaper than the $25 color they sell for it....LOL!)

Next step was finding someone to install a propane shut-off valve & quick disconnect as well as the hose to allow me to move it around. Yesterday I had an appointment to get that done as well as get a 12 volt outlet (cigarette lighter) installed close to the door where my desk will eventually go. That will allow me to run a 400 watt inverter for my laptop during the day, rather than firing up the large inverter. Here is a photo of the shut-off valve with the quick disconnect and one of the 12 volt outlet mounted at the top of the stairwell.





Tomorrow is my solar installation which will take pretty much all day. I will write about my setup once it's done just in case there are any last minute changes. I'm getting excited!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Who said it doesn't rain in the desert....

It started raining during the night and continued for most of the day. There were a few glimpses of the sun but not many. Yesterday was nice so I used the good weather to re-sort some of the stuff in my storage bins. I cleaned out a shopping bag full of stuff and took it to the Boondockers Social Hour and got rid of all but one thing. WHOO-HOO! Oh, and I have two bags over-full with books & magazines to take to Paul at the Reader's Oasis. Still need to get Doug inside the store so he can get a better flavor of it.

Today was paperwork day...I've been putting off sorting through three large stacks of paperwork, receipts, etc so today I tackled that. Made some great headway, shredded a bunch of things and tossed out a bunch more unneeded paperwork. Next still will be to get my finances updated in Quicken...that will be an entire day all by itself. Ugh....but must be done.

The cloud and rains produced a spectacular sunset vista....and as a reader posted on a previous blog, I never get tired of them! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do...

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Another lazy day in Quartzsite...

Not really. Today started out with breakfast at Sweet Darlene's. Formerly housed in a tent, now in a steel building with communal style eating arrangements. We arrived in a group of 7 and found seating at the very end of a table...perfect!

The restaurant was really busy and we knew it might be a while before we ate but since we were in good company....no problem. I decided on a Western Omelet...well, at least until the waitress came and announced there were no omelets today. Sigh...okay, figured I'd go with my second choice the higher calorie option, French Toast. Most everyone else went with either the special or pancakes. (Yup, I'm still the oddball...LOL!)

When it arrived I was pleasantly surprised to see it done with Texas Toast (very thick slices of bread). It was delicious....I managed to eat all but one final half slice and passed that along to whoever was interested. Several tasted it and all pronounced it as tasty as I had said. (Guess the communal eating went beyond just the table arrangements....).

From there I accompanied Doug to visit the Reader's Oasis bookstore (he had never been), but it was closed for restocking. We then headed to the Post Office so I could drop off some mail and then back to the hardware store for a final chat with the person who was going to install my propane connections. After talking with him, both Doug & I were not comfortable with him doing the work. I called my local friend Marty and asked about alternatives. We settled on using RV Lifestyles here in town.

Next stop was the ATM at the bank across the street....I never saw such a complex & SLOW system. It was taking everyone at least twice as long as normal....the line was long but I finally got my cash and we left.

A short stop back at the rigs to catch up on emails and a few other things, then we headed to the neighboring town of Bouse. Doug was having a telescopic lens shipped to a store there and the UPS tracking showed it should be delivered today. When we arrived UPS hadn't come yet so we drove around town a bit and checked out some of the historical areas. Then we hit an on-going auction for a while where the smell of hot dogs made us realize that we had skipped lunch. So it was back to the store to see if the package had arrived (it had) and then next door for the Friday special - All You Can Eat Fish & Chips. Delicious!

We got back before the social hour was over so did some visiting and I became an OFFICIAL boondocker BOF member. Back to the rig where another gorgeous sunset caught my eye and at 7 pm we headed back to the campfire till 9 pm. Soon I am going to have to stop having so much fun and start getting caught up in back emails, website work and personal paperwork. LOL!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Life at its best and its worst....

What a day....woke at 3 am (and 4 am and 5 am and 6 am) to rain starting & stopping. Nothing serious but enough to change my sleep pattern. I finally rolled out of be at 7:30 and grabbed a shot of what should have been sunrise.

Doug came over around 9 am, we chatted for a bit, ate some breakfast and made plans to hit the local solar vendor that many were recommending. The night before he and Doc had laid out what should be a good working solar environment for me and we wanted to get a quote from these folks.

We visited them and got what we felt was a fair quote and set an appointment for next Wednesday. It will take most of the day for the installation and on Thursday the system will start charging and I will enter a new way of boondocking.

From there we got diesel in the truck, grabbed a quick sandwich and hit a couple of little auto parts stores trying to find a decent quality, flush mount 12 volt power outlet (cigarette lighter style).

Nothing found, we continued over to the main event. I wanted to see if the better quality roll-up tables had arrived as well as check out the catalytic heaters (running the big furnace is counter-productive to the energy efficiency of the solar lifestyle ). Doug wanted to talk to the SHURflo pump folks. After parking what seemed to be 2 miles away (even though attendance was much lower than my last visit), we headed in to see if we could locate our vendors.

On the way there I managed to find a LARGE table full of hats! Yup, still searching for a good mesh hat for warmer weather. I managed to actually find one that fit close enough to satisfy me and looked decent enough to buy. Continuing into the tent we wandered a bit and it felt to me that the vendor I wanted was on the midway outside so we took the next exit. Voila! There was the one I wanted. The tables still weren't what I was looking for but I did find the catalytic heater I hoped would work. If it was too large, I could bring it back and exchange it for the smaller one. I then asked the salesman if he happened to know where the SHURflo vendor was. He did...since it was their space as well...we headed there and Doug got his questions answered.

Time to head back to the truck but as we passed an ice cream stand....who wanted a real dinner anyway! LOL! Super double scoop (one flavor or two) ice creams cones hit the spot and we got to sit a bit and rest our legs before the last stretch of walking.

The final stop was at Herb's Hardware where we managed to find a 12 volt outlet that would work (so I can get a small inverter to run my laptop during the daytime), a cap for my trailer ball and a small bottle of Gorilla Glue. But the best part was locating a young gentleman who will come out to my rig and install the shut-off and quick-connect for my catalytic heater.

A quick trip to the campfire for social hour where I continued to really enjoy the Boondocking group. They have made me feel very welcome and I look forward to many more good times with them. Finally back to the rig where I snapped a couple of sunset shots.




Shortly after returning from the social hour, my cell phone beeped that I had voicemail. Strange since I never heard it ring but that seems to happen out here, sometimes it never rings for me but goes right to voicemail. Anyway, my good day was about to go bad.

The call was from my youngest brother in Florida. One of my cousins and her family live in the same town...and everyone also rides motorcycles. On his way to work this morning, her husband was killed. The details aren't important but he was not at fault. A co-worker was just behind him and was almost involved as well. This was not the way to end what had been a good day.

As I said, today was life at its best and its worst....Tim, you will be sorely missed. I know you died doing what you loved, riding, but we are left here without your shining presence. DTFR...forever. What a ride it's been...

Folks, tell your loved ones how much you care about them....you never know when the final moment will occur.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Where did she disappear to?

Yup, the best laid plans of men (and women) are set in Jell-O and mine have changed. I got up this morning with full intentions of getting out early to get gas and head to the campground in Bouse where I had reservations.

Things were moving along swimmingly until I started checking my tire pressure. My left rear outside dually decided to start spewing air out the valve stem. All I had done was check the pressure and next thing I know the stupid thing is SPITTING air at me! I took a bit but I managed to get the dust cap back on but I could still hear it hissing, although slower.

I headed to the SOLO campfire area to see if there was anyone who might be able to help me. One of the guys came over with managed to get it unstuck and I got enough air in it to be comfortable driving. I knew it would have to be fixed but at least now I could go get gas.

As I was finishing up putting things into place to move, my phone rang. It was Doug, a new friend I had made the night before at the final social hour for the SOLO gathering. He had ridden over on his vintage BMW from the Boondocker BOF area where he had been staying...he was a SOLO and needed to pay his dues. We chatted for a bit and he invited me to dinner and then we sat around the Boondocker campfire for a bit.

Anyway, we had a great evening and he knew I had planned to head to the campground in Bouse this morning although he had encouraged me to move to their area for the next week. Well, we chatted a bit and he convinced me to change my plans . He also volunteered to go into town with me to get gas, propane, fresh water and dump - all necessary to spend another week out. I opted to drop the trailer in the Boondocker area where I would be staying, making the trip into town a little easier & less traumatic.

Getting gas was easy, getting into The Pit Stop for propane, Water & dumping was a little more complicated. We approached it from the same side of the road and quickly got our propane. I paid for everything, a little over $23, and had to pull BACK out on to the main road to wait in line for the water & dumping. Seems like someone had let too many into the wrong line and things were badly backed up. We watched several rigs try to jump in front of us from the other direction but the staff quickly re-routed them (thank you!). Once we got to the dump, it was fast & relatively painless and we headed back to the Boondockers area. What seemed like forever turned out to have taken barely over an hour.

One advantage of moving over here is that one of the guys, C.B., had what was needed to replace my valve stem needle. That worked! Using Doug's air compressor we quickly added more air and it seems to be holding well and no longer sticking. Phew!

The rest of the day was spent chatting about my solar needs, where to go, what to get, when to do it....a fun afternoon. Tonight we went to dinner in Parker with friends of Doug's - Doc & Val. We laughed continuously all the way to Parker, listening to a Jeff Foxworthy tape that I hadn't heard before. Dinner was at a Mexican restaurant they had frequented before and it was very good. Half of my order is now in my refrigerator...the portions were HUGE! I ordered something I couldn't pronounce - it had shredded beef, refried beans, rice, guacamole (that got left on the plate there) and warm soft tortillas on the side. Doug had another dish that I forget the name of and I had a taste of it...also very good.

We came back, did the campfire thing again, laughed a lot more and then headed back to our rigs for the night. All in all a great day with good folks....oh, I almost forgot. I will be here till early February now...learning how to be a better boondocker and hopefully getting some solar capability!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

This & That & The Other Thing....

Today was shopping day....time to hit the RV Tent show. My RVing friend Sally, who also rides, picked me up at 9 am and we headed into town. I had a few things I wanted to look out for - a metal folding table (the kind where the top rolls up, the legs fold up and it all stores in a bag like the chairs in a bag), the solar oven, the Escapees table (where they were selling Lifetime Memberships for a limited time), more brass quick-connects for my water hose and a Solar Oven.

Took a quick snapshot of the tailgate on the pickup in front of us...another blog I read recently showed a tailgate made of PVC pipes and painted. Here is the other extreme...solid chrome!

As everyone has said, if it's not at the RV Tent Show, then it's not available. Pretty accurate I would say...definitely an experience. There is something for everyone...big rig or small, motorhome or trailer, part-timer or full.



Besides the people, there were pets galore. Dogs were carried, carted, walked, strolled and backpacked but the best were these two gorgeous Macaws enjoying the sunny day.



I never found the table I wanted (there is a very nice one on sale at Camping World right now but I'm not sure I can get a place for it to be shipped to before the sale ends), I tried on a dozen or more hats but since I wear a small it's very hard to find one that fits AND looks good, picked up several small items, some fleece gloves and some some knit gloves with rubber bumps to help tighten/loosen things (like the water hose, sewer hose).

The big item ended up being the Solar Oven. Early in the day we spent quite a bit of time chatting with the Campfire in a Can folks...very nice product. By the end of the day my choice was either the Campfire or the Solar Oven...that was a no-brainer. The Solar Oven won and I'm really excited to use it. By the way, they were baking an apple pie in the oven while we were there...the smell was amazing! We kept hoping to get a slice....LOL!

Oh, I also got a decorative item....a metal frog wall hanging cut out using a blow torch. The detail is amazing...as was the guy doing the work.



By the time we left, Sally and I felt like doing what we had seen this little guy doing earlier in the day!



On the way out we saw one of the new little Smart Cars that many RVers are considering. Not only was it cute, but they had the PERFECT vanity plate!

Full Moon Over Quartzsite

Just a couple of photos taken at sunset tonight...busy day today and tomorrow. Wednesday is moving day...only 30 miles...to Bouse, AZ and the Desert Pueblo RV Resort where I will stay for a week.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

My kind of town....Quirksite, AZ

Ahhh, I think I am falling in love with Quartzsite or Quirksite as we renamed it today. I went to breakfast (that became lunch due to the long wait) with three lady rider friends. Two of them live locally, one in Sun City; two used to RV, one still does. Time passed quickly as we caught up as we waited and then ate. After that they took me on a tour of the area.

The first stop was the Reader's Oasis owned by Paul Winer. The store is new but not the merchandise. It's well stocked with magazines, books, and an assortment of music & video selections....all used and there are several spots you can pick up something free (books, magazines). For me the biggest thrill was finding an old issue of RV Companion magazine. I was a part-time columnist, initially covering health topics (Healthy Trails) and later on topics interesting Baby Boomers (like motorcycling). I also designed and maintained their website. One of the issues featured Quartzsite and had my column covering the March of Dimes Bikers for Babies charity run in Ft Pierce, FL.

Now Paul is not your average bookstore owner....not by a long shot. In fact Paul is probably world famous....for being the Naked Bookseller. He typically wears three socks, loosely defined. On really cold days he might have a long sleeved shirt or jacket as well. I had seen several photos in blogs lately, all featuring the blog owner with Paul. The first one had him wearing three red socks. Well, today was mesh day....oh yeah! Needless to say I had to get my picture taken with Paul as did my friend from Sun City. (Don't enlarge the photo if you are easily offended....)



While it's fun to talk about the quirky side of Paul, he does have another more serious side. In 1995 Paul and his wife Joanne lost their daughter Celia at age 8 1/2. Joanne calls Celia her miracle baby....first because she was conceive and second because she survived a birth weight of 1 1/4 pounds and 12" long.

After Celia's death, Paul and Joanne wanted to do something to give back to the community that helped them, a community that Celia loved. They petitioned the town for an area where they could establish a botanical garden in Celia's memory. They worked tirelessly to make that dream a reality and today it stands as a loving memorial to not only Celia from her parents, but from many others. Joanne says it best, "What started out as a small nature trail has grown over the past 6 years into a mosaic of beauty, like a patchwork quilt made by many loving hands and hearts."

Here are just a few of the photos I took there....there are memorials to family, friends, other loved ones including pets. Quite a moving experience. There is also a little miniature old west town, Adamsville, and other items of historical interest.








I hope you will take the time to read the full story behind Celia's Rainbow Garden and visit it when you are in Quartzsite.

For those who wonder how long I will be here, I am moving to the Desert Pueblo RV Park in Bouse this Wednesday morning. I'll be there a week before going back to Augie's Quail Trail RV Park in Gila Bend for another week.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Addicted to Dust

Yes, I made it to Quartzsite and I have been having a ball, thus the lack of a blog for several days (well, that and boondocking with limited generator time).

Harvey and I took a slight detour on our way to Q and hit a Super Wal-Mart. It had been a while since I had stocked up and my list had been growing. We got on I-10 East for 4 miles and got off in Buckeye, AZ. This had to have been the largest Wal-Mart I have been in to date. It had everything I needed and more....LOL!

We hit the road and found our Escapees SOLO folks around 3 pm. Everyone had a good laugh at my looking for "pull-through" parking. Needless to say, we could pretty well pick our spot. Nicely level, far enough from other rigs so my generator wouldn't bother them and was good to go. Well, except it was COLD...much colder than I expected thanks to the wind (we had been fighting it for about the last 50 miles of driving).

There is no way to remember all that has gone on so I will hit the highlights, thus far, in list form:

1. Had Hobo Stew* with the other members of the Full-Time Graduating Class of 2007. What a wild, wonderful, wacky group of folks. The stew was DELICIOUS! Wish I could have spent more time with them but they are 12-15 miles away on the other side of Quartzsite. I know I will see many of them on the road over the next year or two.
   *Take whatever meet, canned goods, etc that you can find, mix it all together and simmer for as long as it takes. Then you've got Hobo Stew. Some of the best ingredients are beef, sausage, chicken, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, carrots...you get the idea.
   
2. I've eaten in a couple of local restaurants, courtesy of several friends.
   
3. I've seen every variety of camper - I won't even attempt to name them all but wow, what a variety - types, styles, brands, sizes, classics, homemade and more.
   
4. I've had my first (and definitely not my last) meal cooked in a solar oven. What a wonderful way to cook. I see one of these in my future....much easier and cheaper than using a conventional oven. YUM! With the prices in propane rising and the cost of using my generator to run the microwave, this would actually be a cost effective item (and would would involve healthier eating).
   
5. I got out to meet some of the local folks - dinner time at The Yacht Club. Great people, love the quirky flavor here (yup, I'm definitely a fan of quirky). Convinced me that I need to exercise more to get my back, hips & knees back into the groove of dancing. Good band, too!
6. I've seen beautiful sunrises and sunsets...photos to follow...almost every day.
7. I've met other RVers who also travel with a motorcycle as their "toad".
8. I sat in front of, behind, beside, all around multiple campfires - moving as needed to lose the smoke and keep my voice! (Someone asked if that was why my nickname was Froggi...)
9. I've learned that I have to remember to turn off my propane heater for the day or in 4 hours my generator won't charge the batteries enough to keep the heater firing all night long....even when set at 60 degrees.
10. Solar is definitely in my future....but I am much more comfortable boondocking than I expected and that is a good thing!
    

Here are some random photos taken so far....



As a friend posts in his blog....I am having TOO MUCH FUN!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Deming, NM to Gila Bend, AZ

It figures, Sat & Sun nights the forecast in Deming was for lows in the 20's. Both nights I unhooked my water and carried my water filter inside for the night. Both mornings it was well above freezing. So of course I didn't believe the forecast for last night...and left the water hooked up. Mistake! Frozen solid....LOL! Fortunately a couple of daylight hours and judicious use of a hair dryer let me turn the water off so I could unhook (thank you to Jeff for that reminder). Since I didn't want the storage bay full of water, I stuck the hoses and water filter in the kitchen sink.

I did get to meet Jeff & Suzanne, Two Hams in a Can, this morning. What wonderful folks!! I could have chatted with them forever but unfortunately I had to continue getting ready to hit the road. I look forward to seeing them again and finishing our conversation.



Since I was already a day late in heading to Quartzsite, I decided to brave Tuscon and take the direct I-10 route. I hoped to make Gila Bend for the night but if traffic slowed me down too much, then I would stop just north of Tuscon.

Another SOLO had contacted me about heading to Q and we planned to meet up somewhere along the way (if possible). He had been staying in Benson so once he passed through Tuscon he called and gave me tips on getting through there quickly. I stayed close to the speed limit, closer to 70 than my normal 60ish, figured one gas tank with poorer than usual mileage wouldn't kill me. LOL! The trip was pleasant, the scenery just outside Benson was wonderful (so I love rocks, can you tell?). I also fell in the love with the saguaro forests....I look forward to seeing them close up!

Again, most shots were taken through the windshield while driving but a few were taken in a rest area before I got to Tuscon. I also passed a couple of interesting vehicles on the way, the motorhome ended up in the same park and I took a clearer shot.





I caught up with Harvey in Gila Bend where we both checked in to Augie's Quail Trail RV Park. This is the spot where I have a reservation for month later on. (I think I'm going to like it....quiet, convenient, super staff and nice views.) Harvey got here a bit before me and forewarned the folks that "Froggi Donna" would be arriving shortly and asked them to save a spot close to his. I got registered and was setting up when Harvey popped on over. After spending time chatting with Harvey, I managed to dash out and snatch one sunset shot. Phew!



Tomorrow is an easy 140 or so mile drive to Quartzsite...all we have to do it FIND the other SOLOs....LOL! For the next week I will be pretty busy with both the SOLOs and the Full-time Class of 2007 so probably won't get to blog every day. Just know I'm having FUN!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

If the rig's a rocking....

...then it's too windy outside! It was windy when I went to bed and windier when I got up. Initially I had planned to leave today but opted to stick it out one more day in hopes the wind will die down.

Yesterday was a quiet day....I did laundry, exchanged a couple of books in the campground library and did a little packing up inside the RV. Before I knew it 6:oo had rolled around - my favorite Sunday time of day when in an Escapees park. ICE CREAM SOCIAL HOUR!

This is my third SKP park and I have yet to miss out on this treat...a nice sized chunk of ice cream for a paltry 75 cents. I've been able to get Butter Pecan every time! For anyone who has never attended one of these, it is accompanied by park announcements. Beyond that it's park (and host) dependent. At Rainbow's End in Livingston, they asked for introductions from new arrivals and those leaving the next day. Since I fit both, I opted out...don't two positives make a negative? Oh, do I have that backwards...LOL!

Since there were a lot of new folks here at the Dream Catcher, I bit the bullet and did an introduction. As they rounded the room, a couple stood and introduced them selves, Paul & Connie, and then he mentioned his Escapee forum name - TopSweep. I let out a huge squeal and had to run over and give him a huge hug. We've followed each other's blogs for a while and chatted a lot on the forum as well. (As soon as introductions were over, I went back and gave Connie her hug as well.) Hope you'll visit their blog, A Breath of Fresh Road.

Well, we chatted long enough to get kicked out of the kitchen activity area so they could lock up. From there we headed to their rig, IDK, and I got to meet Allen (or is it Alan, we never discussed spelling) their new companion who replaced Addie (who went back home). Paul snapped a photo of me with Allen, I expect it to show up when I least expect it. Anyway, we chatted another hour or so and could have probably gone on all night except they also planned to leave today.

Today I caught up on some personal web site work in preparation for some upcoming client site redesign. I also replied to a bunch of emails and did a little reading. It was too cold to sit outside but since the sun comes into the front door so for a while I sat on the steps inside the RV, just enjoying the sun.

Early this evening I got a note from two other Escapees that I've chatted with for close to two years....Jeff & Suzanne, Two Hams in a Can. They arrived today for a week....I was already in my night clothes so we're going to meet in the morning before I leave.

Ya know.....it just gets better every day!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

What a difference a day makes....

Yesterday started out warmer than expected (was in the mid-30's at 7 am) and warmed very quickly to the mid 60's, perfect for sitting outside reading, talking a walk, doing pretty much nothing but enjoying every minute. I took a couple of sunrise photos but this is my favorite...sunrise over the Lily Pad. Followed by a quickly snapped sunset photo, almost missed it.

Last night was forecast for mid 20's but at 7 am it was 40. Overnight clouds had moved in, keeping it warmer but at almost 11 am it's still in the mid 40's with much more breeze. Last night the sneezing started and it's continued into today with a stuffy nose for an added side effect. I suspect it's allergies since I feel fine. I thought the clouds would add to the sunrise colors, not so.



Back to yesterday - started on a nice note - a hot breakfast! (It was $2.50, not $2 as I had reported yesterday.) Hot scrambled eggs and homemade biscuits...since I skipped the sausage gravy, I opted for two biscuits. YUM! I sat across from two very nice gentlemen (appeared to be brothers) and we chatted about RVing and motorcycles. The older of the two talked about riding a motorcycle in Tunisia many years ago (I think that was the country he mentioned). He got a flat tire and ended up getting the owner of a bicycle shop to jury-rig a solution. Nice folks...

Later in the afternoon I had some surprise visitors, Russ & Glynna. We visit some of the same forums and they follow my blog. Russ got to break in the door chime...worked great! We chatted for at least an hour, covering a lot of different topics. I tried to convince them to attend the upcoming Gypsy Journal Rally in Casa Grande. I know I'll see them on the road again someday, great folks!

While talking to them I remembered that I saw my FIRST LIVE Road Runner when I was traveling from Marathon to here in Deming. I was so excited....it brought back memories of the first wild coyote I saw. (Remember, I was raised on Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner cartoons ).



My coyote sighting was in 1989 or 90, I think. I was working for Unisys out of NYC (but we lived in Rochester, NY). I was up for a promotion to a wholly owned subsidiary based in Thousand Oaks, CA. If I got the promotion I would work from home and travel to consulting engagements, it was a new division within the company and they had three openings. They flew me out to Los Angeles and my husband used frequent flyer points to accompany me. We planned to do some sightseeing while there.

It was a day filled with interviews....the head of HR, the person who I would report to, another division head, the vice-president and finally the president of the company. Things were going well, it was now late afternoon and we were sitting in his office overlooking the hills behind the building. Suddenly I saw what I took for a small dog....then I realized it was a coyote! I gave the president a laugh as I excitedly asked him if that was really a live coyote!

Well, tonight is the ice cream social...plus I plan to do laundry and just generally get ready to head out in the morning. I will dump my tanks and refill my water this afternoon, no telling how cold it will be in the morning.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Marathon TX to Deming NM

First, thanks to everyone who voted in the poll...no more pop-up window, I'll go back to the old way of just having it open in a new tab (or window depending on your browser). The good news is that the playing around with tables helped me figure out how to work with some quirks so now I think the overall format is better.

So, yesterday morning I got up in time to take some sunrise photos before hitting the road. Great start to the day....

Got everything unhooked and put away (much quicker when only staying one night) and headed west once again...still on US90. More great scenery, several hawks, deer crossing the road, many dead skunks (what's up with that?), some tumbleweeds, very little traffic but more RVs than the day before. I even had a Harley-Davidson semi rush to pass me to just slow down and stop in town...just a few miles down the road. Gave me a giggle.


Before I knew it I was crossing the border into New Mexico. I stopped at the first rest area to pick up a map and other info and snapped a few photos. VERY nice area and up to 24 hour parking permitted. Further down the road was another official Border Patrol stop...but they were just waving everyone through.


It was only another 85 miles to the Dream Catcher SKP RV Park in Deming, NM. I had called them earlier in the day to be sure there was ample pull-through parking. I arrived around 4:30 only to realize it was only 3:30 thanks to the change to Mountain Time Zone. Definitely not a very visual area like the park in Marathon, but it's always good to visit the SKP parks and visit other Escapees. I managed to snap a few sunset photos before buttoning up for the night (I didn't even hook up to the water due to the forecast low temps.)


I got all the clocks reset including the timer for the bedroom lamp and then tackled the DirecTV issue. I managed to Google the answer as to how to change the time display on the guide BUT it seems as though the actual broadcast times are tied to my billing address...Central Time Zone. So now my prime time TV starts at 6 pm and ends at 9 pm. That should help get me on an more morning schedule whether I like it or not. LOL!

Today I got up early but the sunrise wasn't worth shooting. I stayed in my night clothes until around 11 am when I finally decided to go take a campground shower. Pure heaven...20 minutes to lather, rinse, repeat as needed...a HOT, STEAMY 20 minutes. Sometimes a girls just gotta....

I did a little more reorganizing of stuff, mailed out some patches that had been ordered by women riders and a get well card to a friend who was just in a motorcycle accident (she's going to be fine but slow recovery). I spent about two hours sitting outside in the sun reading....then went for a walk....then read again. 60's & sunny, perfect day. Here's some photos I took while walking, including some tumbleweed for anyone who's never seen it.



As I was sorting through stuff, I found the wireless doorbell I bought at Home Depot and decided to test it out. The inside chime part I used Velcro on the back to attach it. It used 2 C batteries and no telling how long they will last so I wanted to be able to easily take it down. I searched for the right place to put it and found it - just over the valance beside the door. The best part is since the batteries make it heavy, setting it on the valance took the weight off the Velcro. The outside doorbell I put just underneath the entry assist handle (I'm sure it has another more real name but that's the best I can do....). Works great!


As the temperature was quickly dropping I started closing windows and as I went to close the front door I noticed two little Schnauzers walking past and barking. I hollered out, "Hey, I know those two dogs...". The lady walking them came back towards me and we laughed. It was Wanda, one of the Camp Hosts I met while at Branson. She and her husband Wallace are here now, he's cooking the Saturday breakfast in the morning. That's what I meant about feeling at home at SKP parks.

Next, since I was on an ambitious bent, I decided to cook dinner...honest! When I did my last shopping at Wal-Mart I had picked up a package of Tilapia filets, some boneless skinless chicken breasts and ground round pre-made burgers. I hadn't taken time to separate them for the freezer so did that. Well, the chicken was greasy and had a slight odor...out it went. Food poisoning is NOT something I want right now (or any time). I froze the rest, leaving out one fish and one burger. So tonight I had Italian green beans and a lean burger on whole wheat double fiber bread. YUM! Cleaned it up and went out to unhook the water for the night.

I currently plan to stay here through Monday. I've discovered that I need down time after several days of driving. I get tired, cranky and my arthritis bothers me, especially my hands (RVers death grip syndrome). It's quiet here, big changeover in rigs every day but this way I can easily do my laundry on Sunday night, dump & take on fresh water Monday morning in preparation for hitting Quartzsite on Tuesday.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

How to see things....

Well, since some viewers aren't liking my handy dandy method of using pop-up windows for viewing larger photos (and I'm not happy myself, I love the pop-up but also get irritated with having to scroll back down after closing the window), I'm posting a poll to get a consensus on what method the majority prefer. (Now keep your fingers crossed that this works!)

How do you prefer large photos to open?

Current method using a pop-up window

Open in new browser window (or tab)

Put medium size image in blog (no large view)

Put large size image in blog (no thumbnail)

other

View Results simplepolls.com

If you choose OTHER, please type your idea in the little box! Thanks...

More tonight on my trip yesterday and the park I'm currently in - Dreamcatchers SKP Park in Deming, NM.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Marathon Motel & RV Park - Marathon TX

I headed out before 9 (an early start for me) but had been awake since around 6 am. It was cold....33 according to AccuWeather and inside it was 57. Brrrrr....fired up the generator, turned on the heat and crawled back into bed till it warmed a bit.

The entire day was spent on US90 and what a wonderful drive it was. To some people the scenery is boring and bland. To me it shouts with passion....I love seeing what time and nature control, land that refuses to give in to the whimsy of man, refusing to be tamed. Since there were few places to stop when the scenery was worth a photo, the majority of these were taken out my windows while driving so forgive me for the quality. LOL!

Oh, and excuse the odd spacing...tried using HTML code to create a table so I could put two photos side by side and it seems to want to leave a LONG blank. Will keep working on it.

[click any image to see larger photo]

I had a new experience today...around Del Rio (a much larger town than I anticipated) I went through a border patrol check. My first thought was wondering if I was crossing into Mexico highway 90....LOL! Two nice young ladies, one with a gorgeous German Shepherd, asked me a couple of questions and sent me on my way. Guess I don't look very threatening...good thing I wasn't wearing leathers, showing off my tattoos and sitting on my old Harley.

I pulled into the Marathon Motel & RV Park about 3:30. It's a Passport
America park and is $12.50 for the night. Plenty of time to get set up, take some photos, get online, go for a walk, take some sunset photos and then enjoy the communal fire while I chatted with some folks from Washington state who are also new to RVing.

[click any image to see larger photo]