2-July-11
Well hello there Dear Reader!! And Happy Canada Day!! We are sitting at the farm shuffling through some more of our old junk. And might I say, a lot of it is just that! I can’t believe the stuffs we hang onto “just in case”. O… guess I need to backtrack to where we last chatted.
So, we spent some time in Irricana, AB while Gary was working. He had picked up a 2 week+ job at nearby Crossfield and the campground was decent enough. I managed to keep the tanks empty and the water flowing while he slaved away. He actually took a job as a journeyman and was working his ass off on the tools. I hate to admit that I laughed a little bit everyday when he stumbled home. The physical labour definitely took its toll on him. The 2 weeks turned to 3, then looked like maybe another 1 or 2 and we decided to move a little closer to the job and hopefully a bit further from the trains! And off to Carstairs we went. After just about 6 weeks working like a dog, Gary decided it was time for a lay-off! It was a good run but I think he was itching for some fishing.
We headed up to Red Deer to get the axles checked and aligned if necessary (it was). While talking to the fellow there we found that in his opinion, any new trailer should get an alignment done before pulling anywhere. He feels that the manufacturers are clueless when it comes to that sort of thing. Something I’m pretty sure we will keep in mind the next time.
While we were there we decided to try to get in touch with Shane and Darlene and the boys grandparents. Well, the Carritts were out of town but we did get to see Shane and Dar and meet the most adorable Elena (15 mths). It was a great visit and catch up with them. They appear to be taking to parenthood quite nicely!! Elena already has her daddy appropriately whipped into shape!! LOL and Darlene looks as amazing as ever. Oh, and thanks for the jam!!
So, we had planned to head from there to the farm to visit Garys folks and our junk… but then I talked to Deb and Berry and of course our plans changed. We headed back out to Prairie Creek to spend some time with them and maybe toss some hooks at the water. We arrived the day before them and lucky thing we did! We had planned on staying on the south side of the creek as Deb and Berry were expecting all the kids to come out as well. When we arrived, I scooted ahead to see how wet it was. There has been an amazing amount of rain all through the southern part of the province and everything is so waterlogged! I think I am even developing webbed toes… Anyhoo, needless to say we couldn’t park where we did last year. I popped the jeep into 4wheel and had some fun in the mud!!! We decided to drive around to the north side of the creek and see what we could do over there. Well, we were able to park there but not down by the creek, we had to stop up the hill, just off the road. It’s a quiet road with little to no traffic. While we were figuring out where we actually wanted to set up 3 more trailers pulled up. Lo and behold!! It was our neighbours from last year there. Richard and Natasha are some amazing people!!! We said hello and how ya been and continued to park. We managed to get hold of our darling friends and redirect them to the new spot. Who knew how much it could rain!! The whole weekend was soaked. A little part of me felt bad for their kids in tents (a very little part hehe) but all in all, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.
Needless to say the whole 10 days or so that we were there, I think Gary pulled his fishing pole out once. The creek had so much runoff it was at least 3 feet higher that before and so murky even Jack didn’t want to swim in it!!!! So we just relaxed and enjoyed the peace and quiet.
I guess the lack of fishing motivated us to move on and head to the farm. We have managed to sort through a few things and move out some stuff we haven't touched since we moved in here. We did get the bits from the factory that they shipped out to us. So we now have a completely repaired unit. Or do we… while we were replacing a leaky tank valve we noticed that the one tank had a tiny little leak. Seems its just kinda wearing out near the valve. Not enough to have to replace but annoying none the less. We patched for now and Mr. Gary researched a better patch idea which we will do somewhere along the road. No real rush, it’s not like we are flinging poo into the wind or anything :P
This brings us to today!! Our niece, Tamara is out for dinner with the grand folks and us, so we will have a great visit with her to be sure! Maybe a bonfire and some required Canada Day drinkies!!
And there you have it Dear Reader. Another update, and might I say that I truly enjoy our little visits!! Love you, miss as always!!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Slacker poster Surfaces!!!!
21-May-11
Ahh Dear Reader, I am so glad you have stuck with me though all of my meanderings and whining! And I must say WOW!! I didn’t realize how long since I last updated you. So here we gooooo…
We headed to Jackson, CA for a Montana/Keystone RV rally, which we thought at the very least would be interesting since our Keystone issues seemed to be a popular topic. The rally itself was a good time. We got to see some familiar faces and meet some new friends too. Basically we were at a beautiful campground that is part of a casino just outside Jackson, CA. It was a good week. I have discovered that I love wine touring, but I think it may have been safer has Gary come with me! But really, who wouldn’t love a wine named Rapscallion?? I made a few purchases and was surprised that they were well received when I returned home! One of the guest speakers was a fellow from Keystone. I feel I have now met the ultimate RV salesman. What a twit. But as a rep of Keystone, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprized. Nuff said…
After our week there we had to head north to Pendleton, OR for our date at the factory. We made the trek in tandem with one of our favourite couples, Dave and Kelly. They were headed home after being in the south for the winter and were headed our way. So, we followed along and found some more great overnight spots. A casino one night (our first time in a casino parking lot) and then on the banks of the Columbia River. What a treat!
We decided to hit Pendleton early so we could scope out the place. It’s not very big, but I managed to get lost a few times (damned one way streets!!) so we found a little park near the Keystone factory and reviewed our list of repairs that we were told to bring. I was hoping that they knew what the main reason was for us to be there was. Well, um, ya… thumbs down to Ms. Kristy Anglemyer once again. We arrived with our list of 25 items that needed attention. Out of all that they knew of 3. So we parked the rig in their capable hands and discussed wtf would happen. It seems that head office (Kristy) forgot to mention that the side of our rig needed replacing as it was missing from the tire incident. Grrr but we said ok, what now? The guys in that shop were amazing, they took our list and went “Ok, we will have to order a lot of this but lets get the critical shit dealt with” They proceeded to talk with Gary about the front flex issue and were more than happy to have him there watching and questioning. These guys know their shit. Kudos to Lonnie, Delvin (aka Gummy Hair) and that other quiet guy. O and thumbs up to their boss Bob Payant who said “These guys will do whatever you need done” and walked away. It was impressive, they measured, sized up and ordered away! No questions asked, no run around, just good old fashioned customer service. I was in awe. So they had the rig for 2 days and repaired what they could and ordered what they needed to. It was going to be a week to 10 days for everything to arrive so we went out to the local casino that had a very nice park nearby. Found an awesome restaurant there and sat back to relax, knowing that we were finally getting shit done. We returned the unit when they called and said almost everything was in. the table top never showed and they sent some wring materials. But Bob told us that rather than sit and wait that he would simply ship it to us when it arrived. Which reminds me I should check on that! So having spent a lot longer in Oregon than we intended we planned our route home. Sadly, this meant not getting up to Washington to visit Dave and Kelly. But, I’m guessing they will forgive us and the offer will be there again another time!
So off we headed to the border! We kinda had a plan although we start with good intentions then, well… isn’t there some good somewhere paved with good intentions? We can claim a large stretch of that LOL! We only made it to Coeur d’Alene, ID. Not far but we did stick to our rule of avoiding travel on weekends! It also gave us a chance to make sure we had our list of crap to claim at the border. We did know that we would rather cross at Alberta, but B.C. was closer and out time was running out. Gary had picked up a job and we needed to find a campground nearish to it. Well, the border crossing was quick and painless. The guy misunderstood what Gary has said and when I approached the gate he asked for my papers, asked about Jack and told me to have a nice day. Well, when I went up to Gary as we headed in to pay our dues he asked for my claim forms. I told him I didn’t have any and he quietly said “go wait in the jeep”. And me, being the obedient (ROFLMFAO) lady that I am, waited in the jeep til he was done. Ok… fine… me and Jack went for a walk and wondered what was up. It wasn’t til we were about 5 miles up the road that he pulled over and explained that we were officially rum smugglers!! The guy thought Gary was claiming for us both. O well, we figgered that kinda paid for the extra charge that B.C. has on booze hehe. But at least now we know. Enter thru Alberta, even the border guy asked if we wanted to turn around and do that! I must say though, our border crossings have, for the most part, been uneventful compared to the stories that we have heard. I am sure though that the one time I forget to toss out that evil American lettuce, we will get strip searched.
So, home at last! Well, in country at least! What a beautiful drive! I guess after six months of beige desert, the Canadian Rockies are pretty amazing. It was nice to stop and get fuel and not have to worry if you have enough cash or if your credit card will work at the pump. A young kid came out, pumped our fuel as we lounged and watched, then went in after the fact and paid. A nice welcome home IMHO. So we continued on our trek. After a few miles, Gary pulled over, out of the blue. Great… his pressure pro said he was losing air in one of the trailer tires. We inspected the tire and found the leak. He jumped in the truck to back up a bit so we could repair it easier. By the time he got to the truck I noticed a second leak starting. Then, when he started to fixed the first a third started and the tire was bulging oddly! He told me to get behind the trailer in case it blew or did something equally odd. So I got a lesson in how to change a flat on the trailer. Upside… it was a beautiful day! Onward we trekked.
The park we stopped at was nestled in the mountains on the Alberta side of the mountains, what a view! We got their card and may have to take another look at the sites they are developing to sell. We spent most of the evening trying to find a tire shop en route to our destination. Since we had to get the tire replaced we opted to upgrade them all. So, we picked up one in Pincher Creek and headed to High River where the other 3 and an installer waited for us. Another wonderful day in our RV nightmare log! There was unusual wear on all the tires so we are going in to get the alignment checked and springs inspected and a bunch of other technical guy stuff done. I have been in contact with our friends at Keystone yet again. I did ask on facebook if getting the run-around was exercise. I’m guessing since all I got smart ass replies that the answer is yes! :P to you all LOL.
So we are now sitting in Irricana, AB. Small little town, but close to Crossfield where Gary will be working for the next bit. Andrew stopped in for a visit for Mothers Day. We had a great time, thanks again sweetie!
Last weekend was the infamous Sister Weekend. It was fun. Yup, that’s all you get to know about it this year lol.
I guess that catches us up Dear Reader! I do forget that when we are back in Canada our southern family and friends wonder what we are up to as well! I do promise to try to post more often. And I swear that that promise is better than the ones to post pictures!!
And so I wish you all the best Dear Reader, miss you, love you as always!!
Ahh Dear Reader, I am so glad you have stuck with me though all of my meanderings and whining! And I must say WOW!! I didn’t realize how long since I last updated you. So here we gooooo…
We headed to Jackson, CA for a Montana/Keystone RV rally, which we thought at the very least would be interesting since our Keystone issues seemed to be a popular topic. The rally itself was a good time. We got to see some familiar faces and meet some new friends too. Basically we were at a beautiful campground that is part of a casino just outside Jackson, CA. It was a good week. I have discovered that I love wine touring, but I think it may have been safer has Gary come with me! But really, who wouldn’t love a wine named Rapscallion?? I made a few purchases and was surprised that they were well received when I returned home! One of the guest speakers was a fellow from Keystone. I feel I have now met the ultimate RV salesman. What a twit. But as a rep of Keystone, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprized. Nuff said…
After our week there we had to head north to Pendleton, OR for our date at the factory. We made the trek in tandem with one of our favourite couples, Dave and Kelly. They were headed home after being in the south for the winter and were headed our way. So, we followed along and found some more great overnight spots. A casino one night (our first time in a casino parking lot) and then on the banks of the Columbia River. What a treat!
We decided to hit Pendleton early so we could scope out the place. It’s not very big, but I managed to get lost a few times (damned one way streets!!) so we found a little park near the Keystone factory and reviewed our list of repairs that we were told to bring. I was hoping that they knew what the main reason was for us to be there was. Well, um, ya… thumbs down to Ms. Kristy Anglemyer once again. We arrived with our list of 25 items that needed attention. Out of all that they knew of 3. So we parked the rig in their capable hands and discussed wtf would happen. It seems that head office (Kristy) forgot to mention that the side of our rig needed replacing as it was missing from the tire incident. Grrr but we said ok, what now? The guys in that shop were amazing, they took our list and went “Ok, we will have to order a lot of this but lets get the critical shit dealt with” They proceeded to talk with Gary about the front flex issue and were more than happy to have him there watching and questioning. These guys know their shit. Kudos to Lonnie, Delvin (aka Gummy Hair) and that other quiet guy. O and thumbs up to their boss Bob Payant who said “These guys will do whatever you need done” and walked away. It was impressive, they measured, sized up and ordered away! No questions asked, no run around, just good old fashioned customer service. I was in awe. So they had the rig for 2 days and repaired what they could and ordered what they needed to. It was going to be a week to 10 days for everything to arrive so we went out to the local casino that had a very nice park nearby. Found an awesome restaurant there and sat back to relax, knowing that we were finally getting shit done. We returned the unit when they called and said almost everything was in. the table top never showed and they sent some wring materials. But Bob told us that rather than sit and wait that he would simply ship it to us when it arrived. Which reminds me I should check on that! So having spent a lot longer in Oregon than we intended we planned our route home. Sadly, this meant not getting up to Washington to visit Dave and Kelly. But, I’m guessing they will forgive us and the offer will be there again another time!
So off we headed to the border! We kinda had a plan although we start with good intentions then, well… isn’t there some good somewhere paved with good intentions? We can claim a large stretch of that LOL! We only made it to Coeur d’Alene, ID. Not far but we did stick to our rule of avoiding travel on weekends! It also gave us a chance to make sure we had our list of crap to claim at the border. We did know that we would rather cross at Alberta, but B.C. was closer and out time was running out. Gary had picked up a job and we needed to find a campground nearish to it. Well, the border crossing was quick and painless. The guy misunderstood what Gary has said and when I approached the gate he asked for my papers, asked about Jack and told me to have a nice day. Well, when I went up to Gary as we headed in to pay our dues he asked for my claim forms. I told him I didn’t have any and he quietly said “go wait in the jeep”. And me, being the obedient (ROFLMFAO) lady that I am, waited in the jeep til he was done. Ok… fine… me and Jack went for a walk and wondered what was up. It wasn’t til we were about 5 miles up the road that he pulled over and explained that we were officially rum smugglers!! The guy thought Gary was claiming for us both. O well, we figgered that kinda paid for the extra charge that B.C. has on booze hehe. But at least now we know. Enter thru Alberta, even the border guy asked if we wanted to turn around and do that! I must say though, our border crossings have, for the most part, been uneventful compared to the stories that we have heard. I am sure though that the one time I forget to toss out that evil American lettuce, we will get strip searched.
So, home at last! Well, in country at least! What a beautiful drive! I guess after six months of beige desert, the Canadian Rockies are pretty amazing. It was nice to stop and get fuel and not have to worry if you have enough cash or if your credit card will work at the pump. A young kid came out, pumped our fuel as we lounged and watched, then went in after the fact and paid. A nice welcome home IMHO. So we continued on our trek. After a few miles, Gary pulled over, out of the blue. Great… his pressure pro said he was losing air in one of the trailer tires. We inspected the tire and found the leak. He jumped in the truck to back up a bit so we could repair it easier. By the time he got to the truck I noticed a second leak starting. Then, when he started to fixed the first a third started and the tire was bulging oddly! He told me to get behind the trailer in case it blew or did something equally odd. So I got a lesson in how to change a flat on the trailer. Upside… it was a beautiful day! Onward we trekked.
The park we stopped at was nestled in the mountains on the Alberta side of the mountains, what a view! We got their card and may have to take another look at the sites they are developing to sell. We spent most of the evening trying to find a tire shop en route to our destination. Since we had to get the tire replaced we opted to upgrade them all. So, we picked up one in Pincher Creek and headed to High River where the other 3 and an installer waited for us. Another wonderful day in our RV nightmare log! There was unusual wear on all the tires so we are going in to get the alignment checked and springs inspected and a bunch of other technical guy stuff done. I have been in contact with our friends at Keystone yet again. I did ask on facebook if getting the run-around was exercise. I’m guessing since all I got smart ass replies that the answer is yes! :P to you all LOL.
So we are now sitting in Irricana, AB. Small little town, but close to Crossfield where Gary will be working for the next bit. Andrew stopped in for a visit for Mothers Day. We had a great time, thanks again sweetie!
Last weekend was the infamous Sister Weekend. It was fun. Yup, that’s all you get to know about it this year lol.
I guess that catches us up Dear Reader! I do forget that when we are back in Canada our southern family and friends wonder what we are up to as well! I do promise to try to post more often. And I swear that that promise is better than the ones to post pictures!!
And so I wish you all the best Dear Reader, miss you, love you as always!!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Pokey Bloggin'...
28-March-11
So Dear Reader, where were we last… oh ya, Joshua Tree. So we found some awesome BLM land right outside the park itself and proceeded to set up camp. The place was perfect and if you’re looking to go cheap then this is the spot! Staying in the park itself might be appealing to some, but honestly, why pay to park somewhere with no services for $15+ a night when you can be literally 20 yards from the park for free! We had a nice little spot with a tree. Trust me… a tree is a big deal! And to our surprize in our tree was a nest of 2 sweet little hummingbird babies. They were only a week or so from flying when we parked so we got to watch then getting fed and loved everyday. What a treat that was. Then, we enjoyed them taking their first flights and trust me, that was special! Funny how you get attached to little things around you. Even the Mama didn’t mind us peeking in and getting some amazing pictures and video. An awesome treat for us. So, we spent close to 3 weeks in and around Joshua Tree. We scooted around the park and found some fun trails, got lost… (or so I felt). Hopefully I can get some pictures sorted out and posted here or on facebook.
We did a day trip down around Saltan Sea and saw some interesting towns. Apparently we went on the wrong side to see Slab City, but I know we will be back and it will be there.
Gary spent a lot of time working on his remote solar lift system thingy and I think it‘s actually looking promising! He’s got a video on his facebook page I think… o and um, I’ll get one up somewhere near here too…
So after almost 3 weeks near the park, we decided it was time to move along. We took the scenic route and drove the road through the park and headed to Barstow, CA. Spent a couple days at a KOA and cleaned up. We didn’t see much around there, if there is much to see LOL We wanted to spend more time but when we went to pay for a couple more days were told we had to leave as the park was booked solid the next day. Not the same story we got when we checked in… KOA got an email from me and I await (haha) a reply.
Since we didn’t have any immediate plans we decided to head to Death Valley early. And let me say, the weather it threw at us was definitely death worthy. Our first day it was above 90F. The next day was in the 80s with winds over 40 mph! then more wind. We had it with the wind so we headed out and drove through a snow storm!! Like I said an appropriately named park for sure. We did tour around the jeep trails and down through the salt flats. It was very different, it looked like dirty snow drifts but was just salty crusty drift things. Worth seeing and worth going back, maybe once more. We did find a great BLM spot that I would rather have stayed at, so next time!!
So off we went trying to get away from the wind. We weren’t exactly sure where we headed other than towards Bakersfield…ish… We did have an idea of a park near Mojave, so we punched that in and thought we’d play it by ear as to how we felt. Needless to say, after driving though the Death Valley mountains in snow and rain, the park with full hook-ups was certainly enticing. We arrived to the neat little park and paid for a week and settled in. Funny how a week with services and cable TV can seem like an RV Hilton! We had spent most of the last 2 ½ months boon-docking so this seemed like heaven! Not having really looked into much for the area, we just spent some time cleaning and organizing and staying out of the cold wind. It wasn’t much fun to say the least. The weather just wasn’t being very cooperative, so indoor activities prevailed.
With our week in Jackson, CA for the Montana rally creeping up, we thought we would see what was on the other side of the mountains. So here we are just south of Fresno between Kingsburg and Selma. Selma looks like an interesting little place. The park…ooo the park! LOL Nothing overly special but it has GRASS!! And for those of you who are chuckling over my excitement over California grass… I mean LAWN not weed :P It’s warm and sunny with just enough humidity to be pleasant. I’m hoping that this weather stay with us until we head to the border.
So, that’s us, updated, for what it’s worth LOL And with that Dear Reader, loving you and missing you as always xox
So Dear Reader, where were we last… oh ya, Joshua Tree. So we found some awesome BLM land right outside the park itself and proceeded to set up camp. The place was perfect and if you’re looking to go cheap then this is the spot! Staying in the park itself might be appealing to some, but honestly, why pay to park somewhere with no services for $15+ a night when you can be literally 20 yards from the park for free! We had a nice little spot with a tree. Trust me… a tree is a big deal! And to our surprize in our tree was a nest of 2 sweet little hummingbird babies. They were only a week or so from flying when we parked so we got to watch then getting fed and loved everyday. What a treat that was. Then, we enjoyed them taking their first flights and trust me, that was special! Funny how you get attached to little things around you. Even the Mama didn’t mind us peeking in and getting some amazing pictures and video. An awesome treat for us. So, we spent close to 3 weeks in and around Joshua Tree. We scooted around the park and found some fun trails, got lost… (or so I felt). Hopefully I can get some pictures sorted out and posted here or on facebook.
We did a day trip down around Saltan Sea and saw some interesting towns. Apparently we went on the wrong side to see Slab City, but I know we will be back and it will be there.
Gary spent a lot of time working on his remote solar lift system thingy and I think it‘s actually looking promising! He’s got a video on his facebook page I think… o and um, I’ll get one up somewhere near here too…
So after almost 3 weeks near the park, we decided it was time to move along. We took the scenic route and drove the road through the park and headed to Barstow, CA. Spent a couple days at a KOA and cleaned up. We didn’t see much around there, if there is much to see LOL We wanted to spend more time but when we went to pay for a couple more days were told we had to leave as the park was booked solid the next day. Not the same story we got when we checked in… KOA got an email from me and I await (haha) a reply.
Since we didn’t have any immediate plans we decided to head to Death Valley early. And let me say, the weather it threw at us was definitely death worthy. Our first day it was above 90F. The next day was in the 80s with winds over 40 mph! then more wind. We had it with the wind so we headed out and drove through a snow storm!! Like I said an appropriately named park for sure. We did tour around the jeep trails and down through the salt flats. It was very different, it looked like dirty snow drifts but was just salty crusty drift things. Worth seeing and worth going back, maybe once more. We did find a great BLM spot that I would rather have stayed at, so next time!!
So off we went trying to get away from the wind. We weren’t exactly sure where we headed other than towards Bakersfield…ish… We did have an idea of a park near Mojave, so we punched that in and thought we’d play it by ear as to how we felt. Needless to say, after driving though the Death Valley mountains in snow and rain, the park with full hook-ups was certainly enticing. We arrived to the neat little park and paid for a week and settled in. Funny how a week with services and cable TV can seem like an RV Hilton! We had spent most of the last 2 ½ months boon-docking so this seemed like heaven! Not having really looked into much for the area, we just spent some time cleaning and organizing and staying out of the cold wind. It wasn’t much fun to say the least. The weather just wasn’t being very cooperative, so indoor activities prevailed.
With our week in Jackson, CA for the Montana rally creeping up, we thought we would see what was on the other side of the mountains. So here we are just south of Fresno between Kingsburg and Selma. Selma looks like an interesting little place. The park…ooo the park! LOL Nothing overly special but it has GRASS!! And for those of you who are chuckling over my excitement over California grass… I mean LAWN not weed :P It’s warm and sunny with just enough humidity to be pleasant. I’m hoping that this weather stay with us until we head to the border.
So, that’s us, updated, for what it’s worth LOL And with that Dear Reader, loving you and missing you as always xox
Monday, March 14, 2011
Better Late than Never!
02-Feb-11
Let me guess… lol tired of me apologizing for late updates and lack of photos? Lol Well, then I won’t do that now! The slow posts have mostly been due to the lack of anything exciting going on.
We spent almost a month in Huachuca City, AZ waiting on repair work. While we were there we got new brakes and drums and a fridge recall done. We did a bunch of geocaching and a lot of relaxing. Much as we wanted to see a lot of the area, we had to spend most of our time close to the phone and the dealer in case parts came in. Somewhat disappointing, considering there is a lot to see in that area. I guess the upside is we have a few more winters to visit!
We did get over to Tombstone and poked around some. Interesting little tourist trap! The Birdcage was the highlight for me though. It is the only original building left in town and still boasts some original billboards and other unique items. It still has the original bar and organ even. A nice touch in a place that really doesn’t offer much more than over priced re-enactments and fake store fronts.
We did have a nice visit there with Dick and Jackie, and enjoyed lunch with them. Poked around town and watched Dick take some great pics! You need to check out their blog (hehe) and there you can see some of the great places we have been and many that we hope to get to!! http://talesfromthedriversseat.blogspot.com/
We left Huachuca and headed west towards Yuma. Over nighted at the John Wayne RV park. Kinda had to because of its name J
Got to the BLM land outside Yuma, just over the CA border and parked for awhile and enjoyed the nice weather. We didn’t get to see as many people as we intended while we were there. Terry and Gail stopped out for a nice afternoon visit. It was great to see some hometown faces for a change! We poked around Yuma a bit and did a day trip to Los Algodones with Robbie and Alice. We broke down and finally bout one of the beautiful stained glass windows for the 5er. I didn’t think we would find something that we both would like but lo and behold we did!!
So after our near 2 week stint in Yuma it was time to head out again. Back to Quartzsite for the Circling of the Montanas. We got there a bit before rally time and enjoyed some smaller happy hour visits. It was fun to not be the newbs this year! Normally there’s a group that arrives early and gets the location set up and so on, this year was no different. However, a couple of folks from our group decided to check with the BLM office as to how some people were allowed to over stay the 14 day limit. This had been overlooked by the officer for the area as a courtesy to some of the rally groups, “don’t ask, don’t tell” was pretty much how it went. But I guess when you point out that this might not be right, well then it gets back to the book time for everyone. As no one was immediately aware of all the commotion, a lot of us that had arrived early to help out the wagon master also had to leave before the rally was over. We did manage a mini circle in town and drove out for a couple of happy hours. But it just wasn’t the same…
After all the rally stuff was over and we got bored with Q, it was decided to check out some new territory-ish. We headed out to Lake Alamo for a week near some water. Again we did a lot of relaxing and some exploring. Found a few good spots for some great boondocking next time we are in the area. Jack enjoyed his daily swims and defended us from the evil burros. We found some fun trails and poked around for the week then decided it was time again to head out.
Which found us outside Parker, AZ. A couple miles past Earp, CA, BLM land again! Met some nice people from Alaska and extremely unusual couple that live in a tent. I think Gary appreciated them more than I did. They thought he was a genius!! I know it would be easy to say, “well, the economy has hit us all pretty hard” but then theres just lazy people who are happy to have an excuse to be slackers to the extreme. So, after 10 days there it was time to find some new neighbours!
We headed down the road a bit and spent a couple nights at Lake Tamarisk Desert resort. Got cleaned up and took a day to scout out our next boondocking spot. We are now parked just outside the Joshua Tree National Park. Did some peeking around for the usual stuff. Once I know there’s drinking water available close I can settle down better. The park has a station about 5 mins from us so all is good! Fresh water, garbage bins and dump station for when we are ready to leave. There is a lot to see around here, besides the park itself. I’m hoping we take a trip to Slab City and see what its like. Saltan Sea is just south of us as well. We have a few weeks to explore. Our next scheduled event isn’t until March 30 for another rally in Jackson, CA. then off to the factory to get our rig fixed!
So hopefully I get this uploaded for you to peruse soon Dear Reader! And until next time, love you, miss you as always!
Let me guess… lol tired of me apologizing for late updates and lack of photos? Lol Well, then I won’t do that now! The slow posts have mostly been due to the lack of anything exciting going on.
We spent almost a month in Huachuca City, AZ waiting on repair work. While we were there we got new brakes and drums and a fridge recall done. We did a bunch of geocaching and a lot of relaxing. Much as we wanted to see a lot of the area, we had to spend most of our time close to the phone and the dealer in case parts came in. Somewhat disappointing, considering there is a lot to see in that area. I guess the upside is we have a few more winters to visit!
We did get over to Tombstone and poked around some. Interesting little tourist trap! The Birdcage was the highlight for me though. It is the only original building left in town and still boasts some original billboards and other unique items. It still has the original bar and organ even. A nice touch in a place that really doesn’t offer much more than over priced re-enactments and fake store fronts.
We did have a nice visit there with Dick and Jackie, and enjoyed lunch with them. Poked around town and watched Dick take some great pics! You need to check out their blog (hehe) and there you can see some of the great places we have been and many that we hope to get to!! http://talesfromthedriversseat.blogspot.com/
We left Huachuca and headed west towards Yuma. Over nighted at the John Wayne RV park. Kinda had to because of its name J
Got to the BLM land outside Yuma, just over the CA border and parked for awhile and enjoyed the nice weather. We didn’t get to see as many people as we intended while we were there. Terry and Gail stopped out for a nice afternoon visit. It was great to see some hometown faces for a change! We poked around Yuma a bit and did a day trip to Los Algodones with Robbie and Alice. We broke down and finally bout one of the beautiful stained glass windows for the 5er. I didn’t think we would find something that we both would like but lo and behold we did!!
So after our near 2 week stint in Yuma it was time to head out again. Back to Quartzsite for the Circling of the Montanas. We got there a bit before rally time and enjoyed some smaller happy hour visits. It was fun to not be the newbs this year! Normally there’s a group that arrives early and gets the location set up and so on, this year was no different. However, a couple of folks from our group decided to check with the BLM office as to how some people were allowed to over stay the 14 day limit. This had been overlooked by the officer for the area as a courtesy to some of the rally groups, “don’t ask, don’t tell” was pretty much how it went. But I guess when you point out that this might not be right, well then it gets back to the book time for everyone. As no one was immediately aware of all the commotion, a lot of us that had arrived early to help out the wagon master also had to leave before the rally was over. We did manage a mini circle in town and drove out for a couple of happy hours. But it just wasn’t the same…
After all the rally stuff was over and we got bored with Q, it was decided to check out some new territory-ish. We headed out to Lake Alamo for a week near some water. Again we did a lot of relaxing and some exploring. Found a few good spots for some great boondocking next time we are in the area. Jack enjoyed his daily swims and defended us from the evil burros. We found some fun trails and poked around for the week then decided it was time again to head out.
Which found us outside Parker, AZ. A couple miles past Earp, CA, BLM land again! Met some nice people from Alaska and extremely unusual couple that live in a tent. I think Gary appreciated them more than I did. They thought he was a genius!! I know it would be easy to say, “well, the economy has hit us all pretty hard” but then theres just lazy people who are happy to have an excuse to be slackers to the extreme. So, after 10 days there it was time to find some new neighbours!
We headed down the road a bit and spent a couple nights at Lake Tamarisk Desert resort. Got cleaned up and took a day to scout out our next boondocking spot. We are now parked just outside the Joshua Tree National Park. Did some peeking around for the usual stuff. Once I know there’s drinking water available close I can settle down better. The park has a station about 5 mins from us so all is good! Fresh water, garbage bins and dump station for when we are ready to leave. There is a lot to see around here, besides the park itself. I’m hoping we take a trip to Slab City and see what its like. Saltan Sea is just south of us as well. We have a few weeks to explore. Our next scheduled event isn’t until March 30 for another rally in Jackson, CA. then off to the factory to get our rig fixed!
So hopefully I get this uploaded for you to peruse soon Dear Reader! And until next time, love you, miss you as always!
Friday, December 10, 2010
blah, blarg and bloggin'
10-Dec-10
I must apologize for my lack of posting Dear Reader! Things have been a bit busy. When we last talked we were in Nevada. Since then we have put on a few miles and had some amazing *coff* adventures!
We made plans to meet up with Alice and Robbie in Quartzsite and then head off to a couple of new spots. While we were traveling I noticed a lot of smoke from one tire. We stopped and Gary noticed that one brake was overheating big time! We took it easy and limped to Q. Once there Gary proceeded to check all the brakes, well, turned out they were leaking grease and not working at all. Then one that was overheating was the only one working! So after a few phone calls we made arrangements to get them fixed. That all went seemingly smooth, Keystone picked up the tab and so off we headed for Franklin Roosevelt Lake in Tonto National Forest, kinda notheastish of Phoenix. We spent a week there with Alice & Robbie and another friend Steve. Needless to say a good time was had by all!
We were invited to Silver City, NM to spend Thanksgiving with Bill & Mary, Alice’s sister and hubby. On the road there I was in my usual follow the Montana down the hiway position, when all of a sudden one tire FLEW off the trailer! Bits of trailer siding soon followed!! Not sure exactly but somehow the one tire that had the hot brake broke off some of the bolts and took a side trip! So in a little town called Safford, AZ I went in search of a new hub. The trailer damage was mainly cosmetic, thank god! After trying a few places, a nice kid at NAPA tried a small horse trailer fab shop. To my surprize they had exactly what we needed! I went and picked up Gary and off we went to get the new hub. We had a couple of nice people stop and see if we needed help but thanks to Alice and Robbie we had made some calls and were set. After a couple hours getting the new hub on and finding food and fuel, we decided that Silver City was only a couple hours from us… so off we went… in the dark… to somewhere new… like we swore we wouldn’t do… again. So finding SC wasn’t too bad but finding the park was a little more tricky! We managed to finally find it, and what a find, a cute little park, reasonable rated and away from trains and freeways even! So, while we were there Somebody spent a lot of time tearing apart the brakes and see just exactly wtf happened. Over greasing coupled with bad seals seems to be the ultimate culprit. I feel safe now that he has torn it apart and fixed it for now…
So we had a wonderful time in New Mexico, but we needed to leave… it snowed! Not much mind you, but enough to scare us away lol! We will definitely go back, we need to see more of the area.
So off we went westward! We both have wanted to see Tombstone, so we headed out. We ended up near Sierra Vista, AZ. It’s a fairly central spot for most everything we want to see. We are at a park just outside Huachuca City. Quiet and reasonable rates. Our stay here has become more extended than intended. After some talks with the Keystone factory, our contact there wants the axels replaced asap! When we inquired as to where the nearest repair facility might be, she asked how close to R.V. City we are. Well, it’s about 300 yards in front of us lol. So we have been talking to them and are getting new axels and springs, as well as a fridge recall fix, and most likely the siding fixed on the rig too! It’s nice to meet a decent repair facility that actually seems to have a clue! I wish I had more exciting news and adventures to share, but seeing as we have been fairly sidetracked by getting the 5er repaired.
The end is in sight now lol hopefully I will have something more fun to share with you before too long Dear Reader and I thank you for reading on with us! Until next time, love you and miss you as always!
I must apologize for my lack of posting Dear Reader! Things have been a bit busy. When we last talked we were in Nevada. Since then we have put on a few miles and had some amazing *coff* adventures!
We made plans to meet up with Alice and Robbie in Quartzsite and then head off to a couple of new spots. While we were traveling I noticed a lot of smoke from one tire. We stopped and Gary noticed that one brake was overheating big time! We took it easy and limped to Q. Once there Gary proceeded to check all the brakes, well, turned out they were leaking grease and not working at all. Then one that was overheating was the only one working! So after a few phone calls we made arrangements to get them fixed. That all went seemingly smooth, Keystone picked up the tab and so off we headed for Franklin Roosevelt Lake in Tonto National Forest, kinda notheastish of Phoenix. We spent a week there with Alice & Robbie and another friend Steve. Needless to say a good time was had by all!
We were invited to Silver City, NM to spend Thanksgiving with Bill & Mary, Alice’s sister and hubby. On the road there I was in my usual follow the Montana down the hiway position, when all of a sudden one tire FLEW off the trailer! Bits of trailer siding soon followed!! Not sure exactly but somehow the one tire that had the hot brake broke off some of the bolts and took a side trip! So in a little town called Safford, AZ I went in search of a new hub. The trailer damage was mainly cosmetic, thank god! After trying a few places, a nice kid at NAPA tried a small horse trailer fab shop. To my surprize they had exactly what we needed! I went and picked up Gary and off we went to get the new hub. We had a couple of nice people stop and see if we needed help but thanks to Alice and Robbie we had made some calls and were set. After a couple hours getting the new hub on and finding food and fuel, we decided that Silver City was only a couple hours from us… so off we went… in the dark… to somewhere new… like we swore we wouldn’t do… again. So finding SC wasn’t too bad but finding the park was a little more tricky! We managed to finally find it, and what a find, a cute little park, reasonable rated and away from trains and freeways even! So, while we were there Somebody spent a lot of time tearing apart the brakes and see just exactly wtf happened. Over greasing coupled with bad seals seems to be the ultimate culprit. I feel safe now that he has torn it apart and fixed it for now…
So we had a wonderful time in New Mexico, but we needed to leave… it snowed! Not much mind you, but enough to scare us away lol! We will definitely go back, we need to see more of the area.
So off we went westward! We both have wanted to see Tombstone, so we headed out. We ended up near Sierra Vista, AZ. It’s a fairly central spot for most everything we want to see. We are at a park just outside Huachuca City. Quiet and reasonable rates. Our stay here has become more extended than intended. After some talks with the Keystone factory, our contact there wants the axels replaced asap! When we inquired as to where the nearest repair facility might be, she asked how close to R.V. City we are. Well, it’s about 300 yards in front of us lol. So we have been talking to them and are getting new axels and springs, as well as a fridge recall fix, and most likely the siding fixed on the rig too! It’s nice to meet a decent repair facility that actually seems to have a clue! I wish I had more exciting news and adventures to share, but seeing as we have been fairly sidetracked by getting the 5er repaired.
The end is in sight now lol hopefully I will have something more fun to share with you before too long Dear Reader and I thank you for reading on with us! Until next time, love you and miss you as always!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Fade to Beige..
10-Nov-10
Hey there Dear Reader! Hope all is good where ever you are! Things are good here. We managed to get out of the cold and into the beige. We left Montana and headed south after 2 days in Dillon. We made another long haul to Fillmore, Utah… I know I have issues with that state but after another 6+ hr drive I figgered I should get over things. I found out that you just need to be in Utah during the right hours and they do have rum there after all!! LOL and you have to try really hard to buy it all if your in the right town :) So we spent a couple of wind down days there deciding where to next. We did say we wanted to boondock as much as possible this year but we also wanted to find somewhere new. We exhausted many routes and then decided on a state park called Red Hills outside St. George, UT… well… we aren’t there… we drove to where the directions said but hmm no exit. So we pulled into to town and got fuel. While there I decided to ask the nice young lady at the counter where it might be, she gave some vague directions that may have taken us there… but she admitted she want really an outdoorsy sort, so she might be wrong! LOL So, while I was talking to her Gary claimed he found it on his nav-bitch. Well when we got to where she wanted us to turn, hmm, not sure if the jeep would have fit thru the underpass let alone the 5er! So we scrapped that idea and decided to just go back to Valley of Fire and figger out where to go from there. I was trying to explain the Overton, NV area near Valley but “Somebody” didn’t recall anything about any BLM land there… or should I say here, where we are sitting now! As we were leaving the little town of Overton, stocked and ready to go nowhere in particular, my radio came to life with this voice saying “ O hey lookit all the rigs parked there! Must be BLM!!! Wanna just stop here?” So with a heavy sigh I agreed. Seems some people need to see things to remember they told you it would be a good idea hehe.
So here we sit.. Til our next adventure!!! And now Dear Reader you are all up to date! Loving and missing you as always!
Hey there Dear Reader! Hope all is good where ever you are! Things are good here. We managed to get out of the cold and into the beige. We left Montana and headed south after 2 days in Dillon. We made another long haul to Fillmore, Utah… I know I have issues with that state but after another 6+ hr drive I figgered I should get over things. I found out that you just need to be in Utah during the right hours and they do have rum there after all!! LOL and you have to try really hard to buy it all if your in the right town :) So we spent a couple of wind down days there deciding where to next. We did say we wanted to boondock as much as possible this year but we also wanted to find somewhere new. We exhausted many routes and then decided on a state park called Red Hills outside St. George, UT… well… we aren’t there… we drove to where the directions said but hmm no exit. So we pulled into to town and got fuel. While there I decided to ask the nice young lady at the counter where it might be, she gave some vague directions that may have taken us there… but she admitted she want really an outdoorsy sort, so she might be wrong! LOL So, while I was talking to her Gary claimed he found it on his nav-bitch. Well when we got to where she wanted us to turn, hmm, not sure if the jeep would have fit thru the underpass let alone the 5er! So we scrapped that idea and decided to just go back to Valley of Fire and figger out where to go from there. I was trying to explain the Overton, NV area near Valley but “Somebody” didn’t recall anything about any BLM land there… or should I say here, where we are sitting now! As we were leaving the little town of Overton, stocked and ready to go nowhere in particular, my radio came to life with this voice saying “ O hey lookit all the rigs parked there! Must be BLM!!! Wanna just stop here?” So with a heavy sigh I agreed. Seems some people need to see things to remember they told you it would be a good idea hehe.
So here we sit.. Til our next adventure!!! And now Dear Reader you are all up to date! Loving and missing you as always!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Crossed Over
2-Nov-10
Greetings Dear Reader from Dillon, MT.!! So I guess it is officially vacation time! LOL I know some of you may kill me for that comment, but I welcome your arrival! The more the merrier I say!
Since we last spoke some changes came about. We aren't headed to Oregon as we were expecting. Turns out they couldn’t get us in until the end of January! Well that just wasn't a viable option for us. Gary talked with a person from Keystone and explained all that was going on with the rig and told her we would get back to her with a more reasonable date for us to come in. He took some time and went over where the issues were, did some measuring and with his expertise and wisdom realized its not as critical as we thought. It does need to be repaired but we aren’t going to blow apart or anything! So we hit the road from Kelowna to Creston for a couple days.
We wanted to spend some time here to look at some lots that were for sale there. After driving on the Crowsnest hiway though...*NOTE TO HIWAY BUILDER GUYS!!! 2 words GUARD RAILS!!!!* OMFG the road was fun *puke*. some snowy, icy and foggy patches added to the glorious unprotected curves that tumble hundreds of feet to the snowy trees... I was so happy when we dropped down to some normal levels with normal plunges of a few feet IF you managed to hop the GUARD RAILS. So ya, not sure if that’s a road we want to drive every year! So we will continue to look at lots maybe Saskatchewan isn’t so bad after all! LOL at least they have good fishing *wink*
After spending a couple days in Creston we decided to hit the road and cross the border. Our grand intentions were to get up early for the long haul to Dillon, MT. Well, hehe, I guess you know us right Dear Reader? We managed to get to the border just after 10 pst. Which meant out 7 ½ hr drive wouldn’t get us here til about 8pm mst!! The border crossing was quick, I was first in line and Gary was first in the oversized lane. Lol there was only 1 other person at the border. After they peeked in the fridge and told me my pomegranates were acceptable we were on our way. Beautiful drive but loooong. And soon it was later than we wanted it to be. So much for our rule of never driving at night again! At least we know this route and knew where the park we wanted is. I think that made it easier to manage. So we found ourselves back at Southside RV park! We decided rather than try to another long day we are spending 2 nights here and will (I swear) get up early for our haul to Fillmore, Utah. I plan on buying my rum here in Dillon since I do not trust Utah to have any!!
We also finally signed up for Skype, our name is judyandgarym so look for us there! Easier there than anywhere as we are only taking texts on the phones while we are down here. Barring any tragedy with you Dear Reader, our phones are off.. Emails, texts, facebook notes are the best way to get in touch!!
And now your as up to date as I am Dear Reader! Loving and missing you as always!
Greetings Dear Reader from Dillon, MT.!! So I guess it is officially vacation time! LOL I know some of you may kill me for that comment, but I welcome your arrival! The more the merrier I say!
Since we last spoke some changes came about. We aren't headed to Oregon as we were expecting. Turns out they couldn’t get us in until the end of January! Well that just wasn't a viable option for us. Gary talked with a person from Keystone and explained all that was going on with the rig and told her we would get back to her with a more reasonable date for us to come in. He took some time and went over where the issues were, did some measuring and with his expertise and wisdom realized its not as critical as we thought. It does need to be repaired but we aren’t going to blow apart or anything! So we hit the road from Kelowna to Creston for a couple days.
We wanted to spend some time here to look at some lots that were for sale there. After driving on the Crowsnest hiway though...*NOTE TO HIWAY BUILDER GUYS!!! 2 words GUARD RAILS!!!!* OMFG the road was fun *puke*. some snowy, icy and foggy patches added to the glorious unprotected curves that tumble hundreds of feet to the snowy trees... I was so happy when we dropped down to some normal levels with normal plunges of a few feet IF you managed to hop the GUARD RAILS. So ya, not sure if that’s a road we want to drive every year! So we will continue to look at lots maybe Saskatchewan isn’t so bad after all! LOL at least they have good fishing *wink*
After spending a couple days in Creston we decided to hit the road and cross the border. Our grand intentions were to get up early for the long haul to Dillon, MT. Well, hehe, I guess you know us right Dear Reader? We managed to get to the border just after 10 pst. Which meant out 7 ½ hr drive wouldn’t get us here til about 8pm mst!! The border crossing was quick, I was first in line and Gary was first in the oversized lane. Lol there was only 1 other person at the border. After they peeked in the fridge and told me my pomegranates were acceptable we were on our way. Beautiful drive but loooong. And soon it was later than we wanted it to be. So much for our rule of never driving at night again! At least we know this route and knew where the park we wanted is. I think that made it easier to manage. So we found ourselves back at Southside RV park! We decided rather than try to another long day we are spending 2 nights here and will (I swear) get up early for our haul to Fillmore, Utah. I plan on buying my rum here in Dillon since I do not trust Utah to have any!!
We also finally signed up for Skype, our name is judyandgarym so look for us there! Easier there than anywhere as we are only taking texts on the phones while we are down here. Barring any tragedy with you Dear Reader, our phones are off.. Emails, texts, facebook notes are the best way to get in touch!!
And now your as up to date as I am Dear Reader! Loving and missing you as always!
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