Rockin' and Rollin'

Just a quick update....I'm staying here in Huachuca City area until Friday morning due to the high winds. The wind today was supposed to be in the 30-35 mph sustained with gusts higher than that. More of the same tomorrow... It's also so dry...my wood flooring (installed in FL) is separating. I guess that's better than if it were installed out here and in the east it started buckling. LOL!

I spent the day working on a newsletter for the Escapees SOLOS BOF. The due date always sneaks up on me....LOL! But now it's done for another two months. I also spent time organizing the stack of RV related paperwork/manuals I have. I still have a bunch more to go through and then I have to get Quicken up to date. That has to be done before my tax appointment in Denver in June.

Because of the delay here, I am taking the eastern route to Williams since it saves me close to 200 miles. That route is a little over 500 miles so I have plenty of time to make it before my event starts.

Speaking of that, I heard today that the fires in the Grand Canyon area are 60% contained. Not so in NM where as a friend reported in her blog today. Scary....I don't think we've seen a fraction of what is to come this summer.

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

Ghost Towns & The Town Too Tough To Die

I woke up early, enjoyed a quiet breakfast while I watched the birds tackle the refilled bird feeder. Then I read a few blogs, answered a few emails and finally got out on the road around 10:00. Off to sightsee for the day....intentions were to visit Tombstone and Bisbee.

First stop ended up being a visit to my first ghost town, Fairbanks. My friends Gary & Judie had mentioned this when we met in town the other day. Gary said it had been let go quite a bit and the last time he was there most of the buildings were closed because they were unsafe. There was a hiking trail if I felt up to it. Well he was right...the little "barn" was the only building that you could enter and after a short hike I turned back before I found the river. Figured my time was better spent heading into Tombstone. But hey, it was my first ghost town....LOL!

First stop in Tombstone was the famous Boot Hill Graveyard...everyone posts the same photos so here is my composite of some of the more interesting signs.



After that I drove around the main part of Tombstone and finally parked in a public parking lot not too far from downtown. I really enjoyed myself. The weather was perfect, the crowds non-existent and the working folks great to chat with.



I ate lunch at Big Nose Kate's Saloon...felt a little strange ordering "Kate's Breasts" which was a delicious grilled chicken sandwich. The drawing was over the bar and I suspect it was supposed to be of Kate.



I ended up buying a small desert watercolor done by a local resident and a new felt hat...yes, something will go OUT since I am bringing something in....LOL!



On my way back to the RV park, I stopped to take some photos just above the San Pedro river...you can see all the green trees (I think maybe Cottonwood?) lining the river.



Got home around 4:00 to find the bird feeder empty. I settled into my chair and watched them come and snatch up the bread crumbs I scattered (rather than filling the feeder so late in the day). I noticed that my neighbor to the east had a storage bin open and remembered the time I had opened one on the driver side, forgot it was open and had it pour that night. LOL!

Sometime after 6 I noticed a gorgeous sunset, something I hadn't seen here before. I grabbed my camera and took a few shots. As I came back to my site I noticed that my neighbor's storage bay was still open so I headed over to let them know. As I was telling the lady about it, I looked down at her little dog coming down the steps. In shock I had to ask if that was "Surely". It was...turns out that my blog friend Pepper, who is traveling with her mother as well as Surely, was my neighbor! They are here for a month. Small world....it was so great to meet for the first time.




Oh, you're right - I never made Bisbee. Maybe I'll extend one more day and see it tomorrow!

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

Sunday....a day for the birds

With windy conditions, a sinus headache & a good book to finish reading, I opted to sit back and enjoy the birds visiting my new birdfeeder. I barely caught a little hummingbird, I saw a ladderback woodpecker (I think), some finches, mourning doves, Gambel's quail, some type of sparrows maybe...not all are in photos (doves & Quail).

I hope some of your true birdwatchers can help identify them (if you do post a comment with the type of bird, please number them starting at the top left with number 1. Thank you and hope you enjoy. Oh, the first two you'll have to look close to see the little hummingbird across the street from my site.

Some shots are decent, some not so decent but wanted to show you the wide variety of birds that arrived within 15 minutes of my setting out the feeder. This morning they arrived even earlier...LOL! Going to get this posted and then will sit outside eating breakfast before heading out sightseeing.

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

Just Because.....

Just because I don't need a reason to, I'm holding a contest. All you have to do is send me the name of and link to my new blog for "green" RVers - please be sure to put CONTEST in the subject. Email me (NOT comment or Shout-out) your answer by midnight Pacific Time Zone, May 5th. Here's a hint, go to my profile to get my email address.

I'll put all the names in one of my gazillion hats and choose the winner. The prize is "The Loop" (paperback) written by Nicholas Evans, author of "The Horse Whisperer".

Here is a synopsis of the book:

"...a breathtaking story of love, family and man's relationship with the natural world, set against the epic grandeur of the American West. The story surrounds wolf biologist Helen Ross who comes to the ranching town of Hope, Montana, to protect the wolves from those seeking their destruction."

It's a mystery, action, romance novel all wrapped into one. I couldn't put it down! [Side Note: THANK YOU to Bess McBride whose blog yesterday prompted this idea!]

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

Photo & Location Catch Up

It's late, I'm tired, the blog is behind....so what else is new? LOL! Here are some photos I took while at Beaudry RV Resort a few days ago. Nice park when not packed...don't think I'd want to be there then.

I did get OUT of Tucson yesterday morning. The mobile tech showed up at 7:45am to install the new deadbolt and double check the propane leak. After he left, I took my time to get the new Brake Buddy installed (it worked) and left the park around 10:30.

The drive south to Huachuca City wasn't much more than an hour but when I finally got to the park, Tombstone Territories RV Park, and got checked in and set up, I was beat. My fibromyalgia was in full flare and I was exhausted and in pain everywhere. Most of the time it's under control but I think the combination of the stress from the last week+ and the short nights for 3-4 days merged with the windy drive south just pushed my body over the edge. I vegged all afternoon, even taking an hour long nap. I felt much more like myself this morning.

Today I went into Sierra Vista, had a nice breakfast, did a little shopping and got my haircut. Once done with that I managed to meet up with Judie & Gary who live in the area. They are RVers and we have been in email contact for close to 12 years. Judie was the one who mentored me in the early days of my husband and I looking into RVing. I learned so much from here and it was an amazing experience getting to finally meet! We chatted for several hours, and then I headed back to the park. Tomorrow I plan to head out to do some sightseeing in the area.

The park is very nice....and not crowded this time of year. Very clean, large sites, great amenities (pool, hot tub, two laundry rooms, several shower/bathroom areas, pool table and more). Lots of places to hike, tons of birds and I saw my FIRST jack rabbit! I tried to snag a photo but he was too quick.

Here are some photos of the park here:




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

Move 'em on, head 'em out Rawhide!

Quick update....been delayed once more the last two days. I ended up with a propane leak that had to be fixed. The Extend-a-Stay valve vibrated too much and loosened up - leak detector kicked in and turned off all my appliances but until I turned off the main valve, it continued to leak propane. Now that is an exciting moment when you open your door to the very STRONG smell of propane...NOT!

The other delay was getting up the next morning and discovering that less than 2 hours of sun have heated up the door lock enough that it once again is jammed. Several more trips from the mobile mechanic....he created the perfect support for the Extend-a-Stay valve so no more leaks (one can only hope) and he ended up completely replacing the door lock.

Since the weather forecast to the south appears to be for warmer temps than I like, I'm going to bypass the 2-3 days of boondocking and am heading to a Passport America park, Tombstone Territories RV Park. I plan to stay three nights, meet up with some friends, see Tombstone & Bisbee, then head northeast where I plan to boondock several nights in the Coronado National Forest. I should be blogging before heading that way...no telling if I will have Internet access then or not.

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

PS. Thank you to Rawhide - the song and the series!

Let's see...where were we....

Let's see...where were we....oh yeah, I was leaving Tra-Tel and heading to Camping World to get my slow leaking air bag looked at. Been a few interesting moments since then....LOL!

Pulled out yesterday morning to head to Camping World....since the Brake Buddy 12 volt plug was broken and thus not set up, I watched my speed and braked carefully. Pulled out and got onto the frontage road and a huge OH NO crossed my mind. When I unhooked the Brake Buddy, I automatically turned the key off. Praying that I wasn't damaging the car, I slowed down more and more till I could find a turn off (one where I could get in and back out easily). Found a spot, jumped out, started the car, then turned it off to ACC as it was supposed to be. Some of this stuff is just counter intuitive for me....got to get my check list finalized with all this new stuff and print it out. Phew!

Arrived fifteen minutes early, found the locking pins I needed for the car side of the tow bar as well as a couple of spare linch pins (round snap pins that someone could maliciously remove while parked...figured I should have some spare ones). I may still need some padlocks, just been too busy to look into it further...added to the TO DO list. LOL!

So, the tech watches me unhook the car from the RV and put up the tow bar and cover it. Success! Unhitching seems easier than hitching....maybe because I'm so paranoid that I'll forget something. They headed off in the motorhome and I headed into the campground behind the repair facility, Beaudry RV Resort, to book one night there. Not knowing how long they would need for work, I wanted a place set for the night and possibly longer if needed. It's a VERY nice park but a bit pricey for my normal stays. (They have free Wi-Fi so I used that to download the 120MB Open Office, rather than eat up my Verizon bandwidth....heh, heh....)

After finding my alloted site, I headed back to the customer lounge to wait for word on my rig. Decided to give my youngest daughter a call, the time zone difference and her busy schedule with three little ones have made it hard to chat much. Managed to catch her....and got her bad news. On Sunday she and her hubby were doing some much needed yard work. She managed to mangle two fingers with the electric hedge trimmer. Over two hours were spent to put in 10 stitches due to the uneven cut pattern. She was really hurting and since hubby was heading out of town on business today, she couldn't take her Percocet. OUCH!! Anyway, we chatted for a bit and got caught up to date.

Just before lunch the tech came to find me....the couldn't find a leak on the air bag. They had filled it and sprayed it. There were some bubbles around the top where an L fitting screws in but other than the initial bubbles, there was no movement. Nothing showed anywhere else....plus, it was holding the air they put in. We decided to wait till after lunch to see if it lost any air. During this time I got on the computer in the customer lounge and contacted a local Brake Buddy dealer as well as the manufacturer. The local dealer wouldn't do anything since I didn't BUY it from him...but he would install the direct to battery connection. He told me to send the Brake Buddy back to the folks in TX where I bought it. Yeah, right....

So I sent in a request to Brake Buddy to find out how to get it serviced....after all, I had just bought it and only used it once. I explained all that had happened and the local dealer's response to me (without mentioning who it was). Lunch over, the tech found me again and said it was still holding air so he wasn't going to charge me anything (thank you!!!!) since they really didn't do anything. (NOTE: wondering now if it's because it was up in the air on a lift without the weight on the motorhome on the suspension - time will tell.) I drove the car up to my site, walked back and got the motorhome and headed to the site. Backed in, hooked up the power and not much else done when my cell phone rang.

It was Casey from Brake Buddy....after going through the whole scenario of what had happened, he opted to OVERNIGHT me a new unit (shipping out Tuesday) with a return label for the old one. Now that is service! Since I knew Tra-Tel accepted mail/packages, I gave him their address and called to let them know I would be back Wednesday for one night.

Had a nice peaceful evening....MUCH less dust here...very little, in fact....no trains going through all night long either. Of course I did hear a plane or two since I'm much closer to the airport here. Set the alarm to get up early to take the car to the aforementioned Brake Buddy dealer to see if I needed the battery direct connect done. They were really nice (maybe they felt guilty about their attitude yesterday...LOL!), tested my outlet and said it was just fine. So all my problems appear to be related to the actual Brake Buddy unit....Phew!

So, I head to breakfast and the proceed to Wally World for a few needed grocery items. Also found the perfect folding aluminum side table and a set of inexpensive hiking poles (yes, I AM going to do more walking and hope the poles will help me do more without aggravating my arthritis too much). Good prices, found all the food on my list, didn't get lost, didn't have to pay for the battery connect.....nice start to the day. I should have known....

Got back to the RV and the deadbolt lock won't unlock. I bang, I pull, I push, I berate it...nothing budges it. Wouldn't have been so bad except that I have yet to organize my keys since getting the car and selling the bike/trailer. I have the RV ignition key ring which also has the padlock & hitch/coupler lock keys on it. I have the key ring that I normally took everywhere with me...it has the deadbolt, the other door lock, the storage bin key, my Fire-Safe key and a couple of keys that I'm no longer sure what they are...oh and a recently added car key. They there is the car key ring that has only the car key and the deadbolt key. Toss in a key ring with only the car key on it, that's the one that will be in the ignition when towing. Then there is the SPARE key ring...it has all the duplicates. That used to travel in my purse since I really only had the motorhome.

Soooooo, yes, I need to go through these and have a set of everything on two rings, one for the car and one for the motorhome. But right now it didn't matter....the key(s) to the motorhome truck door were all INSIDE the locked motorhome. Okay, I have road service....I just switched from RV Roadhelp to Coach-Net and although I haven't gotten my cards yet, I had written down all the pertinent information (never knowing how important that would be).

I walk over to the campground office and get their street address, knowing that would be needed. I settle down in a corner of their patio and call Coach-Net and get a nice lady named Joyce. I explain my situation and the first thing she asks me is if I am safe. Finding out that I am, she gets all the pertinent information and tells me that I should see someone in 45-60 minutes. If I haven't heard from someone in a hour, then I should call back so they can check on it. We hang up and I go back to reading. About 10 minutes later my phone rings, it's Joyce again. She wants to clarify that if they open the drivers door so I can get it, will that be sufficient. I hadn't even really thought about it that way (thank you Joyce), but yes, it would be. I had anticipated paying labor & materials to get the lock out and fix out.

About 30 minutes after we hang up for the second time I get a call from the lock service, they are coming in the gate of the campground and wanted to find me. I go outside and they follow me to the RV (maybe 1/2 block away). He quickly unlocks the passenger door (for some reason it's easier on that side) and used the power lock to unlock the driver side (the passenger seat is full...). Then he took down all the information he needed - VIN, tag, driver license - I signed his ticket and we were good to go. Coach-Net just paid for itself!

So now I'm waiting for the mobile tech that adjusted my door to arrive late this afternoon to see what we can do. Yes, I can get in and out the driver door but that is just not convenient. It also means I lose the breeze coming in the side door. Sigh...never a dull moment!

Since I will now be here through Thursday, I am revisiting my travel plans. I have to be in Williams, AZ on May 7th. I've decided it makes no sense to RUSH up to northern AZ/southern UT when I would have to limit my time sightseeing. Instead, I will go a little further south and visit Sierra Vista, Bisbee and Tombstone before heading northerly to end up in Williams on time. I'll be doing a lot of boondocking and don't know when I will/won't have Internet so don't be surprised if I'm not blogging.

I will spend a couple of weeks in northern AZ/southern UT after May 18th...I'll already be in Williams and it makes more sense to do it that way. I will miss meeting up with friends who are camphosting at Arches but know we'll meet up eventually. I will also miss meeting up with other friends who are boondocking in various places in southern AZ, but again, I know we'll meet up eventually. These plans make sense for me....for now....isn't full-timing flexibility a WONDERFUL thing? ;-)

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

Almost ready...

Yup, almost ready to leave the Tra-Tel RV Park. I've been here a month+ and although it has its positive sides, I am SO ready to move. Big move tomorrow.....NOT! Sigh....just headed down the road to Camping World where they will take a look at my air bag and see what needs to be done to fix it. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be a quick fix AND under warranty.

Today I caught up on laundry, washed all my throw rugs, mopped floors, dusted, put stuff away to get ready for travel AND (drum roll, please) hooked up the car to the motorhome, set up the Brake Buddy and went for a test drive. I learned two things....the motorhome definitely knows it's pulling something twice the weight of the trailer and motorcycle and that it is going to take some getting used to stopping this thing. The Brake Buddy needs tweaking....talking with some folks that have the same setup and that should help me fine tune it.

All in all, the test drive went well....and I did all the hookup stuff myself. Got a lot of things to add to my checklists now. LOL! Side benefit, got my generator monthly hour long run taken care of...good for another month.

Of course with the good there always seems to be a little bad.... First was when I pulled the 12 volt plug for the Brake Buddy out of the socket. One of the little spring clips that put tension on it popped out. Sigh....my mobile mechanic is going to fix it in the morning....I will contact Brake Buddy for a longer term fix. Second, my HWH levelers have gotten flakier...or maybe it's the operator. I managed to get them all down but by the time I visually confirmed they were down, they retracted. After 5 or 6 times in and out, I said screw it...it's only one night. I'll worry about that later...probably user error...oh well.

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

Thank you to Roadmaster...

Today was the day the car went to Camping World here in Tucson to get the newly ordered base plate installed. You'll remember that I was all excited about the fact that my new-to-me car already had a base plate....that is until I tried to order just the quick disconnect extensions for it. First I could get them, then I couldn't, then I could, then I couldn't....round and round I went with two service shops as well as Roadmaster. Finally I ended up just ordering the full base plate kit.

Five days and it would be in, the service appointment was set. I had gone from $140 for the part needed (plus shipping and some minor attachment pieces) to almost $700 for the parts and installation for the full base plate kit. Fortunately the installation was a flat rate, wouldn't matter if it took them 3 hours to get the old one off and 5 hours to put the new one on or two hours for the whole thing. One price...much more than I wanted to spend but it's not like I had a choice.

I arrive on time, have the parts from my new tow bar that I want them to install on the front and everything seems to be going along swimmingly....then the service guy calls me. Oh, oh....now what. After finding out where I was (in the customer lounge), he comes over to see me. I must have looked down because the first thing he said was that he had good news. Phew!

It seems that the base plate they told me they no longer made (the one on my car) was exactly the same as the new one. It also seemed that the quick disconnect extensions fit perfectly. Hmmmm.... So we all truck back to the Camping World service desk where the guys explain the situation to the service writer. He tells me that they can't separate the parts and will have to return the entire kit and order just the extensions (what I was trying to do from day one).

He then proceeds to call Roadmaster only to be told that the extensions are on a DO NOT SELL list. I groan....are we back to step one? He explains the situation, that they extensions in the full kit DO fit my existing base plate and that "the customer is standing in front of me". They have to escalate the issue and tell him they'll call back. I'm telling him that Roadmaster had better not make me regret not buying Blue Ox.....LOL!

The call comes in....I pay for the shipping, the extensions and a 15% restocking fee. That's fine with me....with the much lower labor costs I ended up saving almost $300!!!! WHOO-HOO! Happy camper am I.....LOL! Thank you to Roadmaster for coming through.

On a side note, I had been planning to blog about some of my thoughts on living "green" and some of the things I was doing to have less impact (or a more positive impact) on the environment. Since some folks hate stuff like this, others could care less and it applies to more than just RVers, I decided to start a second blog. I won't blog as much as I do here but if the topic interests you I hope you will visit once in a while. The blog is Newly Green.

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

An Easy Dozen....

I get nothing from these links (only if you click the Google ads or use my Amazon link before ordering from anything from there...hint, hint....LOL!), but thought they might be of interest to my readers. I LOVE bargains! (and I wonder why my rig is overweight...) Hey, why shouldn't I help you spend your money. ;-)

1. 44x28' Roll-top Aluminum Table - $39.97
   
   
2. 2 pk Anti-Shock Hiking Poles - $29.97
   
   
3. Columbia band clothes - various items/prices including the UV protection
   
   
4. Coleman Collapsible Storage/Organizer - $22.99 great for the back of your toad
   
   
5. Tool Logic Credit Card Multi-Tool - $9.97
   
   
6. National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America - Fourth Edition - $12.95
   
   
7. Self-Priming Siphon Hose Set - $23.90 (I got the two different sizes, one for water & one for gas use)
   
   
8. 3 cup & 4 cup Flat-Out Containers - - remember, lifetime guarantee with Tupperware
   
   
9. Space Saving Folding Funnel - $.99 (I ordered three of these)
   
   
10. Flexible Cutting Sheets - $1.35/ea (you KNOW how expensive these are in stores)
    
    
11. Tea for One sets - nice selection of under $20 Tea for One sets as well as regular tea pots, mugs with lids, tea bags/loose and more. (Mine is on order....working on more tea, less coffee & diet soda)
    
    
12. Solar Pathway Markers - $34.99 great for the edges of your door mat
    

One quick side note....I had purchased that small Reynolds vacuum sealer that has been on the market for a while now - had seen several folks post that they had one and liked it. I used it for the first time this week when I broke up the chicken & burgers into small packs. Worked like a charm! Definitely a good purchase. You should be able to find one at Wal-Mart or any large similar super store or grocery store. I will keep you posted on the freezer burn issue...that's the REAL test. LOL!

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

More From My Readers....

While I sit here watching the service guys bleed my brakes, try to get some wires out from behind my dash (for my old GPS that I want to use in my car and for my Sirius that I want to be able to move between vehicles), work on my hydraulic jacks (one has decided to not drop down anymore - lazy thing...LOL!) and then do an annual service on my A/C (which has probably NEVER been cleaned)...I figured I'd do a quick blog replying to some comments and questions from readers.

"My Minnie Winnie is also an E450, just like yours. We probably don't have the same brand of tires but for my 19" tires it is 60# in the front, with a maximum of 80# for the duals. Actually, you should weigh each tire position and consult the manufacturer's recommendations for the particular weight at that location. Mine handles better with 60# than the 80# the local Ford mechanic increased them to."
After getting weighed at the RV Life on Wheels, I am now using 80 in the rear tires and 75 in the front. I am overweight, especially in the rear, but am working diligently to correct that. I hope to get the rig weighed again here shortly.

"With the Nuvi, you should be able to touch MENU and then touch the sat signal strength indicator, it should then show you accuracy, elevation, position of sat's and all sat signal strength."
This was in response to my complaints about missing features on my Nuvi as compared to my older Quest II. If I go to Menu/Tools/Where Am I, then I can see the elevation. Not something you should be doing while driving...the Quest displays it on the screen. Oh well..at least I can find it. LOL! Thanks for the help.

"You have probably ordered already, but although you can handle the 25# portable break system now, there will come a time you may not be as strong or you could just strain your arm temporarily. The Roadmaster seems like it could prove valuable. I also wonder if you should sell the Suzuki would having that brake system on it help the resale value?"
Yup, already bought the Brake Buddy Vantage system (proportional braking). I realize that lifting it may become an issue at some point but since my car IS older and there is always the possibility of needing to upgrade at some point, the portable brake system makes more sense. Unfortunately, have the setup on the car for the Roadmaster Brakemaster wouldn't increase it's resale value. So both for convenience and current outlay, the portable system made more sense. (And keep following along...that's how we all learn!) Thanks for reading and commenting...

"Have you cropped your bird photos or are you able to get those full framed photos with your camera system?"
Yes, my bird photos were cropped. They were all taken with the 10x zoom on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at a very high resolution (3264 x 2448) so I can crop them. They are over 1MB each.

"Did you know that you can buy (probably from Camping World & other places) a hose that lets you connect one of the refillable propane bottles to a grill that is made for the disposable bottles? And they have refillable tanks that are smaller than those standard ones so are easier to carry & haul around. Get one of those, then just keep a disposable as a backup if the other runs out when you need to use it."
"Got my hose last week at Lowe's (nice low price) and am still looking for a reasonably priced tank. I can find plenty of 20# ones for around $35 but that is just too big & heavy for me. I really want the 5# one but they seem to run $55-60. Yikes!

"You will have to let us know how that little grill does with chicken, especially drumsticks & thighs. I just can't seem to get decent chicken from the grills I've had - from the big one to the little one and they have all had tops that close which the one you just got doesn't have. I just don't seem to be able to turn them down low enough to decently cook the chicken and get it done in the middle and not burn the outside."
Ah, I already knew the secret for that one...from many years of watching hubby do this. You parboil the chicken for 20 minutes then cook it on the grill till it's browned the way you want. The parboiling cooks it, the grill then sears in the flavor (butter, BBQ sauce, whatever you use).

"Question re: the California Duster....I imagine it could be used to keep the solar panels clean. Ours sure got dusty in the southwest.. Do you put it in water or always use it dry.."
You MUST use it dry...it actually contains wax that's impregnated into the fibers. I don't think that would be a good idea for the solar. I know that mine will need washing soon...been in the desert too long. But first have to find a park that will let me and then need to be sure I have an extension long enough to reach it from a side ladder (I don't do rooftops). So far I do like it on the car...seems to help repel the dust a bit as well.

"I saw that very same solar light in WalMart's clearance aisle for $17 last week. No shipping & handling needed."
Say, you want to pick up two of them for me and I'll pay you the S&H? I have checked here and they don't have them. Mine actually blew off the table and broke (I have semi-glued it precariously back together). Sigh...

"We use Grand Central and love it. Since we can't get cell phone reception at our home, I have GC set so that when someone calls us on the GC phone number, it rings both on our landline phone and on our cell phone. That way, no matter where we are, at home, at the beach, on the road, I can answer the calls."
Oh yeah, rub it in...the BEACH....LOL! Seriously, nice to hear that it works so well.

And thank you to Tina who called my voicemail to test it out...she came through loud and clear. I love having voicemail alternatives!

Speaking of alternatives, I did find one more FREE incoming fax site - Fax Digits. I actually like it better than eFax because they email you a PDF file, no special software needed!

"By the way, that external propane outlet, I hope they did not sell you the kit! I think it has gone up to $150+/-. I just got the gizmo itself and the RV guy made me a hose as long as I wanted to!"
Nope, all I got was the valve and it was around $25-30 if I remember correctly. Still have to get the hose though...

One last side note...following the intrepid example of my fellow RVers, I have added a little Shout-Out space on the right. As long as it's used (and not abused), I'll keep it. So far I'm the only one who has posted...give it a whirl!

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

Free (or almost free) helpers while traveling

I use a lot of helpful sites while full-timing, sites that let me do things conveniently and efficiently. I am often referring folks to them so thought I would toss them all in a blog and maybe some of them will help others. I use all of these.

faxZERO.com
This site allows you to send up to two free faxes of up to three pages each once a day. The faxes can be PDF or DOC files or you can type a text message to be sent. If you need to send more then two in one day it's $1.99 per fax (paid through PayPal). Same for sending a fax for more than three pages...for $1.99 you can send up to 15 pages. I have used this several times and it has been WONDERFUL and much cheaper than hunting up a spot to send a fax. FAQ here.

eFax.com
This site has three plans and they are compared here. I use the free version and have used it off and on since their early years. In order to read the free fax attachments that are emailed to you, you will need to install their free eFax Messenger program. There aren't a lot of choices out there for free fax sending. Most require a fee for the faxes or they require you to join (for pay) another type of service offering to get the free faxing. I have had documents sent to me this way, printed it out, filled it in, scanned it in, printed out as a PDF, and sent back using faxZERO. eFax help.

FaxDigits.com
I am adding this site because I had signed up for it quite a while back and just rediscovered it. I like it better than eFax because they email you a PDF file, no special reader or other download needed. They offer unlimited incoming faxes but on the free plan they don't store them for you. Read the FAQ.

mail2web.com
Many of us use web-based email addresses or access our ISP email via their web interface. For those that don't have easy access to their email when not at their own computer, mail2web offers a great way to get to your mail. You can set up your own personal page and store multiple email accounts to check (this is what I have done). One other NICE feature about mail2web - someone sends us that HUGE attachment and it locks up our mailbox because of its size. I go into mail2web, read the message, delete it and my incoming mail is now back working. More info.

SimpleVoiceBox.com
Yes, most of us have cell phones. Yes, most of our cell phones have voicemail. No, our cellphones don't always have service. So how can you be sure you stay in communication with family & friends? I set up a free SimpleVoiceBox account. I tell my family & close friends that if they can't get to me via my cell phone and it's urgent, then leave me a voicemail at 641-715-3900 x6315069 (my SimpleVoiceBox number and extension). Go ahead, leave me a message (I will remove the number in a couple of days and use a fake one). Here is the FAQ.

GrandCentral.com
A newer offering is one from Google - GrandCentral. Currently in BETA testing, you can sign up for your number now. They advertise; "One number that rings all your phones. One voicemail box, all your messages in one place." Many features....time will tell how much I will use it, but hey, the sign up is free and I already use a TON of other Google stuff.

MyWay.com
Okay, so you have all these neat new sites bookmarked. Your computer dies and you need to get online at the library. How do you remember all the sites you need to check? What about your favorite forums and other sites?

I use a personalized MyWay portal page (my home page - sample below). I have local newspapers from home bookmarked on the left, followed by weather in areas of interest to me. I have my news sources in the middle, on the right the only advertising they use is a small Google box of contextual ads and under that I have a HUGE list of all my favorite sites.

This makes it very easy if I need to use another computer, I just log into MyWay.com and I'm set. But even on my computer it makes it easy because I can click to all my favorite forums, check weather, find out sunrise/sunset times, all my favorite sites - from one page. In addition, I have my TV listings for the stations I watch the most at the bottom of the page, nice quick overview to see what's on. It's all very customizable, even the color scheme. Read the FAQ.

I am sure other portal sites (Yahoo, ISP home pages, MSN, etc) all offer something similar. I just happen to like the clean interface and minimal ads offered by MyWay.

IrfanView
The best freeware around for image/graphic manipulation. I have used this program for over 10 years now...I love it so much that I recently sent in a small donation to help in the continuing development. I can't begin to tell you all that it can do, you need to learn as you go (I'm still learning). The basics we all need are the ability to resize the dimensions of an image (width x height), optimize the file size of .jpg photos (I use 85% optimization most of the time), crop the edges of an image, flip it horizontal/vertical, rotate it to the left or right.

In addition you can save as many different file types, open many different file types, crop out the INSIDE of an image, adjust the colors, reduce the colors, change to black & white, make a negative image, save a GIF with a transparent background, auto adjust photo colors, and so much more. I keep finding new things all the time. You do need to remember to check for updates from time to time, there is no auto-update procedure. Once downloaded and installed, be sure to download and install the plug-ins as well.

pdf 995 ~ CutePDF Writer ~ PDF reDirect
All three of these provide you with a free and easy way to create PDF files. They install a printer driver and all you do is choose that as your printer. Sweet! Each offers a slightly different way of saving the file, some have more options, some have PRO (paid) options. I have used all three and have opted for the pay version of CutePDF & PDF reDirect. Over time I had some Vista issues with CutePDF so I almost exclusively use PDF reDirect PRO now. But for most folks, the free version is all you need. Try them and keep the one YOU like best.

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

Widgets, Gadgets & Organization

Hello, my name is Donna and I am addicted to gadgets. LOL! It used to be high-tech gadgets...I was always a first adopter of new technology. As I've posted before, I've lost my technological edge.

No, nowadays it's the simple things that catch my eye. Things that make the RV life easier or help me stay organized. I no longer get all the catalogs but I remember the names: Harriet Carter, Lillian Vernon, Walter Drake, Dr. Leonard's, Vermont Country Store and Carol Wright's Gifts to name a few. They're all online now and I find myself perusing their new arrivals, clearance and sale pages WAY too often. LOL!

So here, in no particular order, are some things I have found. Some I bought and use, some I plan to buy, some I just thought might interest other RVers.

The first little gadget is a set of two ice cube trays that I found at Miles Kimball...I wanted covered ones to help contain water spills until they freeze. I love these! Unfortunately they are no longer available but I found some larger ones here and here. Here is the photo from Miles Kimball followed by a photo of my freezer. You can see one tray in the center top - just fits in depth and perfect for one person who doesn't use a LOT of ice but would like to have some on hand. EDIT 4/18/08: These little covered ice cube trays are back!

Now a little organizational tip. I was constantly fighting things falling out of my freezer...being a solo I break up packages into smaller ones and the plastic bags are, well, slippery. I know you can buy refrigerator bars to help keep things in place but they are a pain in the neck. Often they pop out when you least expect it and in my case, that can be dangerous. My freezer is over my head. I had read a blog about using plastic storage containers and thought that was a great idea. So I measured my space and figured out what combination of sizes I needed to look for in plastic bins.

While in Quartzsite, I lucked out in a dollar store. I had bought these bins before, they're often used to store CD's. Four of them fit perfectly (and the lids are stored away with my spare plastic shoeboxes). No more bags falling on my head when I open the door! They were about $2.50 each, if I remember correctly.

The next item is a larger purchase, dollar-wise, but it has worked out so well that I plan to get a second one. It's a solar light from Harriet Carter. It's lightweight, plastic and meant to be mounted on a wall or a post. BUT, it sits just fine on a table which is where I have it. You saw it along with my rechargeable lantern and my heavier metal-glass solar lantern that I've had since I started out (actually, I started out with two but one fell on the ground when I opened a bin and it shattered).



I plan to order another because the light from this is amazing! It only needs a couple of hours a day to charge and it puts out a nice bright light for hours. I'll use it as a backup inside when I'm boondocking. One thing I really like about it is that it has an off-auto switch so you can turn it off when not in use, saving the battery power (I have no idea how long they last but would rather not find out. LOL!)

The next item is one I have used since Mike & I first went RVing...later they were utilized in the back of our cars. I stared with two black ones, found two heavier duty multi-colored ones at Big Lots, one of which was eventually broken. Oh, what am I talking about? Sorry...folding crates! Lightweight and easy to store...great for laundry, groceries, inside storage bays, "stuff" stored when you move, etc. They come in several sizes and colors....I am order one more multi-colored one from the same manufacturer as my other one. Here is one source, here is another and one more here.

Another item that I bought and have used a couple of times is a set of covers for a picnic table and two benches. They are made for a standard size table/benches and have elastic edging but since not all tables/benches are standard, it's good to have some extra clips to hold them in place. Harriet Carter and Dr. Leonard's both have them on sale and an up-scale version is offered at Camping World.

As always, check prices in more than one place as well as compare shipping costs (and return policies). For example, Camping World offers the ever popular folding step-stool for $12.22 ($8.99 if you're a President's Club member) while Harriet Carter has it for $15.98. I found the solar light going for as much as $42 in other places, Harriet Carter had the lowest price.

I know I have missed some of my favorite gadgets....I'll try to remember them for next time around. Hope ya'll have fun shopping!

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

It was just a drop....

I woke to cool temps and an overcast morning. I figured it was a good time to test out my new California Duster, gotta love a black car in Arizona...especially with a construction site just behind my site. As I was starting out the mobile RV tech arrived and proceeded to get out his gear. Suddenly I noticed a couple of raindrops on the hood of my car. Hmmmm, I didn't think rain was in the forecast. Then it stopped...

He went to work on the first task, adding an Extend-a-Stay valve to my propane connections. This will allow me to use an external tank for emergencies and will also let me run an external propane device directly from the main tank. It was pretty brisk, so after moving my chairs & side table out of his way, I went back inside.

Hmmm, is that raindrops? I go out and sure enough...it's raining enough to see the spots. Lasted a couple of minutes and then, of course, the sun broke through.

Next he tackled my rear brakes...yup, going to need them done. I had heard squealing from the rear right and figured that was coming. But as soon as he had it off and we discussed his coming back the next day...due to iffy weather and needing to get parts, the sky decided to let loose. The wind picked up and it started to rain hard enough that I had to close the door and put up the small window awning.



So, it may never "...rain in southern California" but it sure can here in southern Arizona!

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

Just when you think everything is set....

Just when you think everything is set....something jumps up that messes it up again. LOL! Everything seemed to be falling into place...then reality just HAS to stick his BIG NOSE into things.

I got the title for my car and did all the necessary paperwork to get it titled and tagged in SD. Printed my stamp (I have a Dymo labeler that allows me to print stamps on the go...I love it) and got it in the mail. Chock one thing off my to do list...

First phone call of the morning was with the mobile repair service I had talked to the day before. I have a bunch of little things that need doing, hopefully none will become major, but regardless they can take care of them. So we set up for them to arrive Wednesday morning. Chock a list off my to do list...

Then I talked with a local RV parts & repair place seeing if they could order the bracket disconnects that I need for my Roadmaster base plate. Sure, no problem...they'll check with Roadmaster on the delivery timeframe and get back to me. Chock one more thing off my to do list...

This means I can place my order with PPL Motorhomes for my tow bar (on sale for $120 less than Camping World and shipping is only $20) and the new Brake Buddy Vantage with a free storage case (on sale AND free shipping). I'm assured they are both in stock and will ship quickly and be here by next week. Chock the last BIG thing off my to do list...

So I head out to get estimates on packing & shipping the custom motorcycle seat from my BMW (yup, got a buyer!!), grab an ice cream and coffee at McD's while I read a bit (strange but intriguing book by James Herbert...ONCE), then figure I owe myself at least ONE mall trip before leaving the area so I head across the street to the Tucson Mall. I browse a couple of stores, grab a new purse and checkbook cover at Penney's and then on the way out I see a real bargain. They have a very nice looking folding recliner, regularly $150 on clearance for $60. Oh my...I really wanted a folding recliner (will store in the back of the car) but have been loathe to spend $100+ and the cheaper ones at Wal-Mart, Kmart, etc. just didn't appeal to me. So I snapped it up and headed home feeling like the day had been VERY productive.

You knew it was coming, didn't you....the GOTCHA. While I was taking the chair out of the box my cell phone rang. Since it was an area code 520 number, I knew it was local and figured I should grab it. Remember the place that was going to order my parts for my baseplate? Well, seems like when Roadmaster went to process the order they called him back to find out which of one TWO types of 1011-1 base plates I had installed. So I described it to him...figures, I have the one that is discontinued and they no longer make any parts for it. Sigh... That means I need to do exactly what Camping World had suggested...buy a brand new base plate and have it installed. So tomorrow I call them to order the new base plate and schedule an appointment to get it installed.

Will I make it out of there on the 19th? Anyone want to place a bet? LOL!

Oh, thank you to EVERYONE who commented or emailed with grill cleaning suggestions. You guys ROCK! Now to get out grocery shopping for some nice chicken, fish and turkey!

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

There's always a first time....I did it!

First time? Did what? Got you curious? LOL! Well, some of you may remember my blog about grills some time back....being back in a campground where everyone loves to torture me with the smells of cooking got me thinking about a grill again. Now that I have the back of the car for extra storage. So I ordered the Coleman Campers Grill from Wal-Mart and had it shipped directly here.

Some assembly required....oh, boy. Well it was easy except that I couldn't get it to light...rather than get frustrated (actually I was), I let it sit another couple of days. Decided that maybe the propane bottle was empty....I've had that happen, had one go dry (or bought it that way). So today I picked up another bottle, determined to try it out. The hamburger I had thawed out to cook previously was ready and waiting.

I swapped out the bottle, tried it again. Nothing. Took the new bottle off...heard it POP and smelled a little whiff of propane. Okay...now it's just that things are new. Screwed it back on....tried again....it lit....it went out....it lit....it went out....it lit and I twisted my arm unnaturally backwards pushing in on the regulator knob as I twisted it to high. Talk about awkward...first you have to do two things with the left hand to get the stupid butane torch to light (they seriously need a line of NON-childproof lighters for us seniors), then you get to do two things with the right while you anxiously watch for the burner to light and alternately pray that it doesn't explode in your face (did I mention that I don't like flames or gas? LOL!).

But I did it....well, at least got the grill lit. Now to the second first, I cooked my hamburger. Yup, that was a first for me....I've never grilled (propane OR charcoal). That was always the male domain. Burger was done perfectly and a sense of accomplishment accompanied my full stomach.

Of course then I realized I was going to have to clean the grate....there HAS to be an easier way than trying to clean it in the little kitchen sink. Jeesh! Not going to work well when boondocking...I know my late husband just left it after cooking and then burned it off when he heated the grill the second time. That might have been okay in a stix & brix world, but carrying a dirty grill around in the back of my car doesn't hold much thrill for me.

Oh well...here are some photos of my car, my new little metal frog for beside my step, my dinner grilling and some of the wildlife that I've managed to snag in photos. Enjoy!

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

Another weekend passes...Another week arrives...

Been several days since I blogged....been busy sometimes, sometimes not. LOL! Yes, I took an entire day off and just sat outside and read, then came in and watched movies. Nice breather. Today I went to dinner at the Blue Willow with friends Ellie & Jim and JoAnn & Doug (who brought along Tinka & Rick whose blog I follow but had never met). Such great folks....check their blogs for photos, I forgot my camera. Ooops!

Tinka/Rick are at the Montana Rally with JoAnn/Doug and they'll be there till Thursday when they head out. Ellie & Jim are leaving in the morning for their home in Colorado Springs. Cold and snowy...brrrr...but sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do (Jim has a dental appointment). JoAnn/Doug will meet up in June with Ellie/Jim at the RV Dreams Rally in Branson. I had planned on attending but due to gas prices and having to be back in CO immediately following, I opted out. I hate it since I will miss meeting more friends but once again, sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do.

The trailer sold on Friday....I feel like an elephant has been lifted off my back. Last thing to do will be cancel the insurance on it and it will be nothing but a memory along with Squirt. Sigh...

This week will see my getting what is needed for towing Polliwog (my little Suzuki), or at least getting it ordered. I'm nervous about going with Blue Ox because there is only one recommended installation service here in Tucson...and they have never ordered/installed the adapter plate that would be required to work with my current Roadmaster baseplate. I can go all Roadmaster but will pay about $500 more. Nothing comes easy....

I also need to find out if my Roadmaster Brakemaster air brake system is functional. If it is, then I just need what they call a second car kit, the "stuff" that goes on the car end. If not then I have to decide if I want to do the portable brake system (awkward, cumbersome but less expensive AND transportable to a different car) or the Roadmaster Brakemaster Hydraulic brake system (more expensive, more installation time/money, top of the line and very little for me to do each time, more money to move to another car). Decisions, decisions....I hate the thought of having to spend several hundred dollars if I bought a new car but I also dislike having to heft around the 25# portable braking systems. Anyway, I'll let you know tomorrow night what I've finally ordered...I'm doing as much research as possible tonight.

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