Winter Wonderland

May 13, 2008 in Williams, AZ

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

Where was I?

Where the heck was I when the USPS announced a postage increase? Obviously my head has been in the sand here in the deserts of AZ. I had NO idea! If it weren't for someone mentioning it at breakfast, I would never have known. Wow!! Guess I need to visit the local Post Office and pick up some "filler" stamps.

The rally is over and what a wonderful time I've had. Too much food, too much laughter, too much fun......NAH! Never too much fun......

We had an interesting start to our train ride to the Grand Canyon. We were supposed to be picked up in shuttle buses for the short ride from the park to the train depot. First announcement was that we were delayed by 30 minutes. The 30 minutes came and went and we noticed lots of cell phone work on the part of the campground owners and our rally hosts. Next thing we hear the train whistle and said folks shouting, "Stop the train! We've got to stop the train....."and with phones at full alert....they somehow did exactly that.

Long story short...the owner and driver of the shuttle bus company had emergency quintuple by-pass surgery and with the short staff, they just couldn't make it. The campground owners managed to make history....getting the Grand Canyon Railway train to STOP at the road crossing beside the campground. First time EVER..... They hurried us aboard and got us settled as quickly as possible so they could get moving.

Photos and the rest of the story tomorrow....

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

Was it something I ate?

Had barely gotten to sleep last night when I woke with a HORRIBLE case of heartburn...got up, took a pill and went back to bed. Couldn't sleep on either side, had to put my head up, felt terrible. Finally fell asleep around 4am, back awake at 6, back to sleep till a little after 8. Not near enough sleep... Got up, hit the bathroom....okay, so now things appeared to have gone south.

Spent the day feeling lousy, ate some plain yogurt, 1/2 bagel and a little soup. Visited with several folks who stopped by. Took a 2 hour nap. Got the last two Pressure-Pro sensors put on the car. Read some emails & forums....replied to a few. Got a ton more advise about the transmission. Ran a low grade fever. Rested some more.

What a day....apologies to those waiting for email replies...it may be a few more days. In the morning I head to Williams, AZ for the Escapees Grand Canyon HOP. I am caravaning with another couple so if I have mechanical problems, I won't be alone. Oh, and as soon as I'm settled I'll be doing the drawing for the contest winner. Thanks to all who entered!

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

Status Update & Contest Reminder

REMINDER! The contest entries must be emailed to me by midnight tonight, Pacific timezone.

Now, just a quick note for those that didn't see my comment on the previous blog or my Shout-Out. I am now at North Ranch SK Park in Congress, AZ.

After many emails back & forth with a SUPER helpful & knowledgeable SKP friend (SOCalToolGuy - Ray), it was determined that I should be able to carefully drive the 15 miles from Wickenburg to the RV park. The leak appeared to have stopped.

I contacted an SKP couple, Mike & Pat McFall, who are in the park and they came over to the gas station after church. Pat drove my car and Mike followed the RV. No leaks, no shifting issues, no slipping....all looked good.

I went to the Sunday night ice cream social (always a great place to meet folks at SKP parks). By the time I went to bed Sunday I had at least FOUR recommendations that B&B Automotive in Congress was a reputable place to take the rig to get evaluated.

I spoke with them this morning and they agree with Ray, the transmission probably overheated and spilled over due to the added load of the car versus the lighter trailer/motorcycle. With the warmer weather they have already seen several cases of this. I have an appointment at noon for them to look it over and I will have them drain & refill the fluid regardless.

When I leave I have a mountainous route to take in order to get to Williams. I will leave early and stop every hour to let things cool down. Fortunately it's only 115 miles to the campground. Not sure there is much else I can do...I don't want to tear up this transmission and until I add a temperature gauge for it, I have no way of knowing if it's overheating.

So, I will post any updates tonight...and once again, a HUGE thank you to Ray, Mike & Pat for going above & beyond and another one to everyone who has emailed, commented & shouted with thoughts, ideas, questions & encouragement. I'm way behind in emails but will get back to those I can (remember, if your profile isn't linked to an email then I can't reply to you). You guys ROCK!

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

Why does it happen on the weekend?

Things were going so well....I had vacillated between Payson, Campe Verde, Wickenburg and Congress - two campgrounds and two boondocking. Since the boondocking outside Wickenburg was at a higher altitude, that was where I finally decided to head.

I took US 60 - gorgeous route but glad my Brake Buddy was working. No photos...I was too busy driving. Around 1:30 about 20 miles north of Sun City, I pulled over for some lunch. Did a walk around, all looked good. Headed on to Wickenburg, about another 20 miles. I needed to get gas before heading to the boonies so I pulled into a Shell station on the south side of town.

As I walked to the back of the rig to be sure the hose would reach, I noticed a trail of reddish fluid under the RV. I followed it back to the front...first thought was transmission fluid because of the color, second thought was oil because I had an oil change done in Tucson and thought maybe the filter was loose (that's about as mechanical as I get). I checked the oil...the engine was warm enough I had to put on a glove. It was a quart low...I often have to add a quart now and then between oil changes.

As I finished pumping the gas and walked back to the front, the gentleman in the truck on the other side was peering underneath. There was now a large puddle under the engine and he thought it was transmission fluid. So I proceeded to check that...nothing showed. His son came out and he looked as well....said he thought it was probably either the front seal or the pump. Both would require the transmission to be pulled. Sigh....

I went in and told the manager that I needed to park on the side until the tow truck came. She said that was fine. Another gentleman came along and helped me put in two quarts of transmission fluid so I could pull it around the building and park it out of the way without seizing something.

I had called Coach-Net and after getting all the pertinent information she asked I wanted to hold for the technician or have them call back. Since my cell phone battery was getting low, I chose having them call back. Within 10 minutes he called and we went through all the particulars. Since it was Saturday afternoon he wasn't sure if he would be able to get someone to tow me to a place where I could stay in the RV. I told him I had no problem dry camping here until Monday morning.

He had to find the closest service spot and call me back. In less than 5 minutes he did just that...the closest service spot would be the Ford dealer in Glendale and they wouldn't allow me to stay in the motorhome over the weekend. So he will contact them Monday and call me to let me know who will come and when they will arrive.

In the meantime, I'm safe and comfortable...boy am I ever glad I have solar! My )2 Cool 12 volt fan is working wonderfully in combination with my fantastic fan, the car is unhooked and ready for any excursions, I have plenty of water, my tanks are all but empty, I have EVDO Internet & cell access...life is good.

Tomorrow is supposed to be over 90, that's the only downside (well, other than a BIG hit to my pocketbook). But I do have a full gas tank so I can run the generator for a couple of the worst hours. There is a nice park in town just behind the Bashas' Grocery store. I'll hit McDonald's for a breakfast splurge, take my coffee and a book and enjoy the park for a few hours. Other than that, I'll just try to not spend too much money...but I will see what Bashas' has to offer.

Monday will bring a new adventure...getting the Lily Pad towed. I have posted in the Escapee forum for anything I need to be aware of....any tips or gotchas to watch out for. At least it didn't happen while I was boondocking in the middle of no where with no cell phone access! LOL!!

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

On the move....already adapting....

The day started off perfectly...cool & sunny. I took my time getting things packed up, nice to have a park with a noon checkout time for us folks that like to sleep in a bit. LOL! I stopped at the office to get propane and pay my electric ($9.10 for a week, not bad since I ran the A/C quite a bit). Told them I'd be posting a positive review in RV Park Reviews....I check that site any time I'm looking at campgrounds.

Hit the road around 10:30, stopped in Willcox and got gas ($3.43/gal unleaded) - $90 worth. UGH! Headed north with the intention of trying to find a boondocking spot just south of Safford in the Coronado National Forest. I had used Google Earth to look at the area and THOUGHT it might work out. Well, it looked good on paper....my first warning was a sign that said no vehicles over 40'. The second said the same but pointed out a turn around area just ahead. I decided to pull off to the side and recheck my maps & Google Earth. I also posted a quick notice in the Escapees Forum to see if anyone had any input that might help.

After watching several vehicles head on, I thought I'd give it a try. Yes, I could have unhooked the car and gone up there but was worried about leaving the motorhome parked in the turn around area...hate to come back and find it towed away. I made it up to the entrance where there was a wide pull-off. The bicyclist I had seen riding was paused there and I got out and asked if he was familiar with the local area. He was and we chatted. He strongly advised against going in much further...there was a campground by the next ridge, definitely no further than that. I didn't want to pay a campground for the night and that combined with the tight, twisting road with multiple 10-15 mph hairpins, I opted to head back down.

I knew I had several options...there was a Wal-Mart in Safford that was supposed to allow overnight parking and worst case, it was only about 80 miles to the Apache Gold Casino just outside Globe, AZ. Soooo...I headed to the Wal-Mart in Safford where there was supposed to be overnight parking. Being Friday it was busy-busy-buys. I tried two spots..that was when I noticed the No Overnight Parking signs. Since it was only 3pm rather than try to find out if that was true, I opted to head to Globe where I am now dry camping at the Apache Gold Casino (free - the RV Park dry camp, $5 night, was full).

There was only a travel trailer at one and and a truck camper at the other end of the free (dirt) area. I parked about 20-25 feet from the travel trailer, pulling forward enough that the car was also in the dirt. About an hour later a 30-32' Class A pulls in on the other side of me...opposite direction, not straight, angled in towards me, the front end less then 10' from my rig...and his door exactly opposite my door. Jeesh....if he had just pulled up completely the other way, his door would have been opposite my car and we BOTH would have more privacy. Plus, now that they have headed into the Casino, their dog is unhappy. Hope that stops soon....even worse, when they come back I expect the generator to be fired off. Oh well, it's only one night...

The trip from Safford north to Globe was a pretty one but the winds seemed to pick up a bit. There were a lot of pullover spots, some even with trash cans and some with semi-trucks parking in them. I pulled into one when I felt drowsy...and it also gave the folks behind me time to pass. Definite difference between pulling the trailer/motorcycle and the car. Glad I have the Brake Buddy for the downhill grades.

Still working on where I will head from here...trying to get more information on boondocking in Payson, otherwise I may opt to go through Show Low instead.

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

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

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

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

Exhausted, Depleted, Worn Out and Sore, But...

I'm exhausted, depleted, worn out and sore, but it's been a pretty productive day. I'm back on the up till midnight and sleep till eight schedule (strange since I'm in Pacific time zone here in AZ). It's still cool when I get up and today was the first day I haven't had errands to run first thing. So I tackled the last totes of clothes that needed to be sorted. I had two totes in the back storage bay and 4 totes (two different sizes) in the cabover storage up front.

Ruthless, yes, I became ruthless...no more sentiment. A few things got held aside for my lady riding friends (motorcycle shirts) but 85% of the rest went to the community center donation table. So now I am down to two of the smaller totes and all four of the large totes are empty!

I have very little stuff around the bed and what is there is lightweight. The two heavy file boxes have been moved to the car and the three totes of office supplies are 90% gone with the rest moved to the left cabover area. The tote with camping stuff has been emptied with the backpacker tent for 2, ultra-light sleeping bag and self-inflating mattress pad are in the car...they will probably be sold as well.

Next I tackled the stuff that came out of the motorcycle saddle bags, tank bag and trailer. I wanted the trailer empty in case I found a buyer (no, that is NOT going well....sigh). Some things will stay with me, in the car, until I meet up with a group of lady rider friends in May. The two large rolling duffel bags have been divided with one for my gear (can't part with everything, might get a chance to ride sometime) and one for what I will sell/give away to friends. The other is empty and inside my large suitcase. All three are now in the back of the car along with the seat I need to sell, the custom one from my BMW.

I guess I need to note that while I was only 700# overweight overall, the rear was more than 1300# over while the front was way under. The right had more weight than the left, thus my attempts to lighten the right rear and move what I could to the left front area. For example, the large bottle of windshield washer fluid was moved from the right rear storage bay to the left front storage bay. In addition I will lose weight when I no longer have the tongue weight from the trailer & motorcycle. I didn't realize that towing flat (four wheels down) means no tongue weight. Phew....every pound helps! All in all, I feel very positive about the changes I've made and the weight shifting I have done. Now to get the rig weighed again to see how well I have really done.

Oh, what I didn't note was that while I was emptying out the rear storage bay I got sidetracked and decided to clean some of the worst crud off the left front side of the rig. I had used a duster to clean off the worst of the dust but inadvertently got it wet and thus the dust smeared on that side. I've ignored it since I left Bouse but with the micro-cloths & Protect-All so close at hand, I decided to clean it up a bit. Of course you KNOW how that goes...no, I didn't clean the whole thing but I did do the entire left side (only as high as I could reach) and it looks SO much better. Well, that made me feel guilty about how bad the trailer looked, and here I am trying to sell it. Yup, tackled that as well.

So now it's after 6pm and I am whipped....the bad thing is that my bed is covered with little things that need to find a new home in the RV....maybe I'll just sleep on the couch tonight. LOL!

In closing, here are two sets of sunset photos....note the color difference. Amazing skies even here in the middle of the city!

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

Tough life....

I just took a peek at my home portal page where I track the current weather where family & friends live. Granted, it's two to three hours later in all cases except Denver but take a peek...

With highs in the mid to upper 80's, I am running the A/C in the afternoon but by 6:00 I can shut it off and open up the windows. Right now I will be in the campground until April 5th and then either move to local BLM land, if the highs don't stay in the upper 80's, or move northerly. I just hope I can get everything done that needs to be done so I can move north...

Right now I have appointments for the car to get the oil changed, get two new tires and get detailed. I have been thinking about what to get for a vanity tag....maybe POLIWOG? LOL! I still have to make appointments for the RV at three different places - Ford dealer for oil change and recall, Quality Bumper to get the tow setup done (will require the RV and the car) and either a mobile mechanic or LaMesa to get a short laundry list of things fixed. Why is it that just when you think you are simplifying things your to do list triples?

On a side note, last night shortly after the sun was down the coyotes started running the wash down behind the RV park. It may not be to everyone but it was like music to me....hated it when a train had to pick that time to come through and drown them out.

Hoping spring is truly just around the corner for those not enjoying the southern climes....

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

Two steps forward, one step back...

That's how I feel lately...but at least that still means forward movement! For some reason my listing in Craigslist keep getting flagged and deleted....I just added it back again tonight. Jeesh! Not sure what's up with that....hoping to get some leads tomorrow when I call some of the motorcycle dealers, if not then I will start looking for some place that will take it on consignment.

Tomorrow I will complete the paperwork on my new-to-me car and I am really excited about that. Yesterday I tackled my motorcycle gear and got the keeper stuff down to one large duffel bag (from three). Some of the other stuff will be sold and some just given to friends that can use it. The remaining bag will go into the back of the car along with two crates/totes full of files. That alone will get some weight out of the RV (impacting both the back axle and the left side).

I donated a tote and large shopping bag full of "stuff" to the community room here at Tra-Tel RV Park. The rest of the office supplies that I am keeping are being moved inside, my camping gear will move inside and to the front while my large but lightweight extra bedspread will move to the rear behind the bed. I keep making adjustments to the front to rear and side to side placement of the heavy stuff while trying to reduce what I'm keeping.

I have yet to tackle inside...I REALLY have to cut down on clothes and that is hard for me. It's spent money and things that will have to be replaced at some point. Being on a fixed income, I'd rather keep what I can but the weight issue nags at me.

I will lose some weight when I move from towing the trailer to pulling a car flat (4 wheels down). I didn't realize that there is no tongue weight when you tow flat. I don't know how much that will gain me but it all helps!

I have a ton of things to get done in the next two weeks (actually less than that)...I want to get the car detailed to help protect it on the road. I'm getting two front tires for it, I could run a bit on the current ones but they're at that point where they will wear quickly. I want to get up to Moab and do some riding around the area so I figure I will get them while outfits like Discount Tires are close by.

I also will need to get two more tire sensors for my Pressure Pro tire pressure system and get out the book to reprogram the monitor. We all know how bad I am with manuals....LOL! I might just email Mike & Pat McFall and find out where they are and see if we might cross paths soon.

When my mail finally arrived, I found another recall notice for my motorhome...something about a wiring harness that needs to be replaced. I also need an oil change so will try to get both of those done before leaving Tucson.

Sorry if this is a bit disjointed...guess my mind is a bit disjointed right now....LOL! After SLAVING yesterday, starting my sorting procedure, I stayed up till almost 1 am and worked on email replies. Woke up at 7 am and got up before I fell back to sleep. I needed to do a few things before my RVing friends JoAnn & Ellie came to pick me up for lunch.

They are staying out at Doc Justin's Diamond J RV Park and had invited me to a leftover pot luck lunch. I first met Ellie when I was parked in Luling, TX. She and Karon came out to meet me since they were both blog readers. I had never met her husband Jim and I wanted to see the new GORGEOUS Tiffin Phaeton diesel pusher they just moved into. I last saw JoAnn and her husband Doug at the Gypsy Journal Rally in Casa Grande last month. We both attended the RV Life on Wheels in Bowling Green, KY back in the spring of 2006 and we both ended up delaying our move into full-timing.

The ride out to the park was breathtaking...I couldn't take my eyes off things long enough to bother taking any pictures. When we arrived at the park, Ellie noticed that Sandra was back home. JoAnn went over to invite her for lunch. Sandra is another blogger that I have followed for some time but we had never been in the same place at the same time. We were joined by Ellie's sister and cousin we are down visiting from Colorado for a w