Airplane tickets to Iowa purchased.
Wire transfer instructions and insurance in process.
Starting to contemplate long-johns and snow.
We're really doing this!
Guess what we did?
Well, it's semi-official. Today, I put a deposit on an RV. Haven't seen it in person, much less driven it, but it's the one we want. Fuel-efficient diesel. Leather interior (the better to keep up with dog hair). Lots of neat accessories. 2009. And a good deal. Here she is. We pick her up on, no less, my birthday at the end of the month. Yes, northern Iowa in January. I'm a classy gal. Lisa has spent her birthday in Paris, on a Caribbean cruise, at a 5-star hotel in Carmel Highlands, etc. But me? Gimme Iowa in the winter! But I digress. Here she is:
I'll skip the photos of the bathroom, but suffice to say that there's a toilet and shower behind the door you see in photo above. There's a nice vanity/sink OUTSIDE the bathroom, between that closed door and the fridge, which is nice. And above the cab, instead of a bed, there is storage and the TV, since we didn't need a bed up there. We were going to go with the non-cabover model (the Navion iQ), but learned that that extra storage and HEADROOM makes all the difference in the world.
I'll skip the photos of the bathroom, but suffice to say that there's a toilet and shower behind the door you see in photo above. There's a nice vanity/sink OUTSIDE the bathroom, between that closed door and the fridge, which is nice. And above the cab, instead of a bed, there is storage and the TV, since we didn't need a bed up there. We were going to go with the non-cabover model (the Navion iQ), but learned that that extra storage and HEADROOM makes all the difference in the world.
November 2008: Reflections on the Latest Trip (6400 Miles)
Time for brain droppings....
We returned the rig today. They found one tiny scratch (needs paint) and another dark spot on the awning arm (fixed by polishing). Ah, the difference between renting a new vehicle that they hope to sell one day and a 10-year-old workhorse (our Rialta last summer) that is intended only for renting. They're persnickety! We think one of the (many) trees we clipped in World Golf Village, in Morgan City, and our own home street may have been the culprit. Frankly, it's amazing there aren't more scratches. We had a time with the height. But it was fun.
Other random thoughts:
Remember that 5th grade math story problem that involved a bridge clearance and a truck that didn't fit underneath? (The solution was for the truck to let air out of its tires.) Well, we saw this problem for real in the real world. Almost literally ran into the stuck truck, whose cherry-picker crane-like rig had smashed into the overpass. Whoops. That would've added insult to injury.
Louisiana roads are now on our "worst roads" list. We realized we've driven through 21 states this year, and Louisiana takes the cake. Where else can the rough road actually make screws fall out of the A/C and cabinets?
Southern New Mexico just blew us away--we had no idea of the beauty around Alamagordo and environs. Must go back that way.
Our next trip won't involve a rental return date. There were a number of times on this trip that we said, "If we had time, we'd do X, Y, or Z." I'm thinking of the time in Eunice, LA, when every single person asked if we were in town for "the concert." Turns out there was a big Cajun music concert at this cool-looking Liberty Theater. Given that there were a number of things in that area that we couldn't do on Sat. or Sun., we could've stayed over Sat. night for the concert, hung out on Sunday, and then got our boudin and cafe sampling done on Monday!
Turn around when you pass something interesting, no matter how hard it seems in a big vehicle. We were so sorry to not get some Louisiana satsumas (we kept seeing the fruit-laden trees, but only a few road-side stands that we blew by) nor any New Mexico chile braids or pinon nuts. Gotta work on the fast stop or the quick turnaround for roadside stands.
People sure are nice. From the many folks on the View/Navion Yahoo! Group who gave us route advice, hot water heater fixes, boondocking strategy, and RV purchasing tips to the nice folks in Needles, CA, who invited us into their Thanksgiving feast. Wish we could've stayed around for Friday's turkey soup. Everyone was asked to bring a favorite vegetable (with broccoli mysteriously banned. Someone was "allergic." Right.) and then the leftover turkey was to be simmered in stock and served up Friday. Bet it was good. At any rate, if you start doubting humanity, hit the road. Nice folks everywhere. Can't forget the Florida Ford dealership who squeezed us in and gave us an oil change and safety check before we headed back, or the nice couple who gave us a tour of their Navion iQ and invited us to stay for cake. On and on....
And finally, we have to say how much we enjoyed seeing so many members of our families. Normally, we think of them as so far away. Living in California--with everyone else in the family in Central or Eastern time zones--makes us feel just millions of miles away. On this trip, we either pulled into their driveways (the Cason parents and the Ishams) or met up (with the Crawley parents) at a lovely location. It was as if no time had passed. We thank the Crawley clan for making time for us as we traveled back from Florida.
Think that's it for this trip's random thoughts.
We returned the rig today. They found one tiny scratch (needs paint) and another dark spot on the awning arm (fixed by polishing). Ah, the difference between renting a new vehicle that they hope to sell one day and a 10-year-old workhorse (our Rialta last summer) that is intended only for renting. They're persnickety! We think one of the (many) trees we clipped in World Golf Village, in Morgan City, and our own home street may have been the culprit. Frankly, it's amazing there aren't more scratches. We had a time with the height. But it was fun.
Other random thoughts:
Remember that 5th grade math story problem that involved a bridge clearance and a truck that didn't fit underneath? (The solution was for the truck to let air out of its tires.) Well, we saw this problem for real in the real world. Almost literally ran into the stuck truck, whose cherry-picker crane-like rig had smashed into the overpass. Whoops. That would've added insult to injury.
Louisiana roads are now on our "worst roads" list. We realized we've driven through 21 states this year, and Louisiana takes the cake. Where else can the rough road actually make screws fall out of the A/C and cabinets?
Southern New Mexico just blew us away--we had no idea of the beauty around Alamagordo and environs. Must go back that way.
Our next trip won't involve a rental return date. There were a number of times on this trip that we said, "If we had time, we'd do X, Y, or Z." I'm thinking of the time in Eunice, LA, when every single person asked if we were in town for "the concert." Turns out there was a big Cajun music concert at this cool-looking Liberty Theater. Given that there were a number of things in that area that we couldn't do on Sat. or Sun., we could've stayed over Sat. night for the concert, hung out on Sunday, and then got our boudin and cafe sampling done on Monday!
Turn around when you pass something interesting, no matter how hard it seems in a big vehicle. We were so sorry to not get some Louisiana satsumas (we kept seeing the fruit-laden trees, but only a few road-side stands that we blew by) nor any New Mexico chile braids or pinon nuts. Gotta work on the fast stop or the quick turnaround for roadside stands.
People sure are nice. From the many folks on the View/Navion Yahoo! Group who gave us route advice, hot water heater fixes, boondocking strategy, and RV purchasing tips to the nice folks in Needles, CA, who invited us into their Thanksgiving feast. Wish we could've stayed around for Friday's turkey soup. Everyone was asked to bring a favorite vegetable (with broccoli mysteriously banned. Someone was "allergic." Right.) and then the leftover turkey was to be simmered in stock and served up Friday. Bet it was good. At any rate, if you start doubting humanity, hit the road. Nice folks everywhere. Can't forget the Florida Ford dealership who squeezed us in and gave us an oil change and safety check before we headed back, or the nice couple who gave us a tour of their Navion iQ and invited us to stay for cake. On and on....
And finally, we have to say how much we enjoyed seeing so many members of our families. Normally, we think of them as so far away. Living in California--with everyone else in the family in Central or Eastern time zones--makes us feel just millions of miles away. On this trip, we either pulled into their driveways (the Cason parents and the Ishams) or met up (with the Crawley parents) at a lovely location. It was as if no time had passed. We thank the Crawley clan for making time for us as we traveled back from Florida.
Think that's it for this trip's random thoughts.
Friday, 11/28: Home!
Needles to Carmel Valley: 500 miles, 8.5 hours per my iPhone Maps and also in fact. We powered through today, with 2 quick gas/potty stops, and lunch served in the cab (a first). Reached home at 3:45 PM and unloaded everything except the clothes. Boy, howdy, do we have some dog hair to clean out. Next time...we take (and use) a vacuum. (We had tried to manage on this trip with a broom and shaking out rugs. Not enough horsepower in that for a shedding German shepherd.)
Home a day earlier than planned, but since all the CA state parks were full, we decided it was better to be in our own beds than in some generic, highway RV park tonight.
Can't wait till we can leave our traveling and camping tools IN the RV that we own. Planning to do some shopping on Monday when we return this rig.
Good night! I'll do one more summary blog....
Home a day earlier than planned, but since all the CA state parks were full, we decided it was better to be in our own beds than in some generic, highway RV park tonight.
Can't wait till we can leave our traveling and camping tools IN the RV that we own. Planning to do some shopping on Monday when we return this rig.
Good night! I'll do one more summary blog....
Thurs., 11/27: Happy Thanksgiving from Needles (on Route 66)
What a great evening we've just had, after a rather tedious driving day through AZ and desert CA. Some storms (heavy lightning early this morning), some rain, some clouds, some rainbows, but arriving at our campground today was just too much fun. These people know how to throw a party. BYOB and BYOplate, but what an enormous Thanksgiving spread. Turkey, Yukon gold mashed potatoes made from Washington state potatoes hauled down by Washington state campers, homemade whole wheat yeast rolls made by a Canadian lady who hauled down her own wheat (!), and on and on. We had a blast. Everyone knows that we're the overnighters with the German shepherd ;-) AND that we're the gals who made their reservation "online". (Apparently that's rare here.)
We have decided to make the final push to home tomorrow. About 500 miles, 8.5 hours (probably more like 10 given our stops). We tried to find an oceanside campground on the way home, but all the state parks seemed to be booked for the holiday weekend. And, we're ready for a dog-hair free bed. (Note to self for next trip: bring a vacuum cleaner.)
Here's the sunset:
We need to own one of these places....
We have decided to make the final push to home tomorrow. About 500 miles, 8.5 hours (probably more like 10 given our stops). We tried to find an oceanside campground on the way home, but all the state parks seemed to be booked for the holiday weekend. And, we're ready for a dog-hair free bed. (Note to self for next trip: bring a vacuum cleaner.)
Here's the sunset:
We need to own one of these places....
Wed., 11/26: RV "Resorting"
There's a new game in town when it comes to RV-ing. We had no idea. It's the RV uber-resort. The kind of place that has a concierge. Where the pea gravel (not just any old tacky rock gravel) is raked meticulously at each site. Where there's an outdoor fireplace and lounge area. Where the laundry room is also the library and a place you'd actually want to hang out (with a fitness room next door). Where the shower rooms are personal dressing rooms and are so clean you wonder if you're the first person to use them. Where you get a free USA Today and free breakfast. (You can't imagine how good toast tastes when you haven't been able to make toast for 3 weeks.) Our place last night in Las Cruces is a "destination resort" and a snowbird destination--folks are there for months. But we, as overnighters, were welcomed warmly and given card keys (card keys!) to access the various amenities 24/7.
Actually, this isn't really our cup of tea, but it was fun to try. Tonight, we're in a 55+ community (!) with 700+ sites (40 of which are reserved for us overnighters, who don't have to be 55+. Actually, no one asked me my age. Now, I'm wondering if I need to buy more expensive face cream and get my hair colored more regularly....)
It really is neat to learn about all of these alternative communities. The lady who checked us in said that she's a "Camp Host." We've seen these folks at state parks (they get free parking in exchange for helping check in folks), but never at a commercial park. Turns out that she and her husband started full-time RVing right when Katrina hit and drove up the price of diesel, making their dream unaffordable. So, they started hosting. The gig works like this: Work 1 week (mostly checking in late folks like us) and then 2 weeks off. Park gives you free hookups (water, electric, sewer, DSL) and free propane--everything you need to live. What a deal. Something to file away for future years. (I keep telling Lisa that if she meets an untimely end, I'll be a camp host in one hot minute--my favorite thing is hosting ;-)
At any rate, we're in Casa Grande, AZ tonight. We figured out last night that we should rejoin I-40 up in Needles, CA and head home, avoiding LA traffic AND the mudslides and bad weather down there. All we knew that we wanted to do today was to bag another National Park, which we did. Saguaro NP. These plants are amazing--so huge, so old, each one distinct from the next. Here's our favorite "girl" Saguaro:
The desert is beautiful. We toured the eastern part of the park, and it felt like driving through a botanical garden. I wish I had had a macro lens (yes, Jim, I will get one eventually) for the beautiful colors:
And here is a photo that I've sent our rental folks (who asked for photos of where we've been):
So, the BEST part of the day came tonight when we got settled and on email. We had no idea what we'd be doing tomorrow on Thanksgiving--thought we might eat turkey sandwiches in some state park, or maybe a pathetic turkey meal at a Denny's or Cracker Barrel. Here's the wonderful email we received tonight. Another reason we love RVing--the people are just great:
Hi Julie,
Thank you for choosing our resort for your overnight stay. Since you are arriving on Thanksgiving Day, I would like to invite you to our Thanksgiving Dinner that we will be having. We have social hour at 4:00 pm and Dinner is at 5:00pm. If you do not want to join us that is fine but I wanted to invite you anyway. Have a safe trip out here. Mary Bek, owner
Isn't life great?
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too. We are grateful to be out in this amazing world of ours, meeting amazing people, and appreciating all the people (that's you) and things that life has to offer.
Love,
Julie & Lisa
Actually, this isn't really our cup of tea, but it was fun to try. Tonight, we're in a 55+ community (!) with 700+ sites (40 of which are reserved for us overnighters, who don't have to be 55+. Actually, no one asked me my age. Now, I'm wondering if I need to buy more expensive face cream and get my hair colored more regularly....)
It really is neat to learn about all of these alternative communities. The lady who checked us in said that she's a "Camp Host." We've seen these folks at state parks (they get free parking in exchange for helping check in folks), but never at a commercial park. Turns out that she and her husband started full-time RVing right when Katrina hit and drove up the price of diesel, making their dream unaffordable. So, they started hosting. The gig works like this: Work 1 week (mostly checking in late folks like us) and then 2 weeks off. Park gives you free hookups (water, electric, sewer, DSL) and free propane--everything you need to live. What a deal. Something to file away for future years. (I keep telling Lisa that if she meets an untimely end, I'll be a camp host in one hot minute--my favorite thing is hosting ;-)
At any rate, we're in Casa Grande, AZ tonight. We figured out last night that we should rejoin I-40 up in Needles, CA and head home, avoiding LA traffic AND the mudslides and bad weather down there. All we knew that we wanted to do today was to bag another National Park, which we did. Saguaro NP. These plants are amazing--so huge, so old, each one distinct from the next. Here's our favorite "girl" Saguaro:
The desert is beautiful. We toured the eastern part of the park, and it felt like driving through a botanical garden. I wish I had had a macro lens (yes, Jim, I will get one eventually) for the beautiful colors:
And here is a photo that I've sent our rental folks (who asked for photos of where we've been):
So, the BEST part of the day came tonight when we got settled and on email. We had no idea what we'd be doing tomorrow on Thanksgiving--thought we might eat turkey sandwiches in some state park, or maybe a pathetic turkey meal at a Denny's or Cracker Barrel. Here's the wonderful email we received tonight. Another reason we love RVing--the people are just great:
Hi Julie,
Thank you for choosing our resort for your overnight stay. Since you are arriving on Thanksgiving Day, I would like to invite you to our Thanksgiving Dinner that we will be having. We have social hour at 4:00 pm and Dinner is at 5:00pm. If you do not want to join us that is fine but I wanted to invite you anyway. Have a safe trip out here. Mary Bek, owner
Isn't life great?
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too. We are grateful to be out in this amazing world of ours, meeting amazing people, and appreciating all the people (that's you) and things that life has to offer.
Love,
Julie & Lisa
Tues., 11/25: Dude on the Dunes
Feels great to have wifi and connectivity after being in the Roswell vortex yesterday where Internet connections faded in and out (probably depending on alien spacecraft arrivals and departures.)
This morning, I walked Nick at 5:30 in what must've been 20 degree weather. Gorgeous waning crescent moon hovering over the barely lightening horizon. But screw the beauty, it was COLD, so it was a quick walk.
After napping and waiting for the sun to rise, we had a wonderful, leisurely morning (our first on this trip). Had coffee and planned our way home. Went for an hour walk on a nature trail to get some exercise (and it was rapidly warming by 9AM). Then had the opportunity to make our first hot breakfast--sausage, eggs, and some of that killer beer bread from West, Texas. Camping does not mean roughing it.
Broke camp after everything thawed out at 10:30. Lisa tried her first on-board shower because the shower rooms at the state park aren't heated, and after discovering that our water hose was frozen, heat in the shower seemed necessary.
Wound our way through rural (and mountainous) NM: US 70 to Las Cruces. Stopped at such roadside attractions as the Billy the Kidd museum (we missed the Smokey the Bear one, but it was referenced in this place) and the state's first and largest pistachio farm. Check it out. We'll hold a contest for what you initially thought this was before you read that it was a pistachio.
Then we tooled toward new favorite sign of all time:
Road Closed for One Hour When Flashing
(picture of a missile)
Thank you, White Sands Missile Range.
Nick--our faithful shepherd--found his puppyhood again today when we visited our second favorite national monument (#1 still is Scottsbluff, NE)--White Sands National Monument. (His other name is "Dude", so this explains the title of today's post.)
Ranger says that we're welcome to take the dog anywhere, to run and play on all the sand dunes, and that RVs can handle all the paved and unpaved roads. By gummy, he was right. This is a GREAT park. The squeals of children "sledding" down the gypsum sand dunes was fun. Running around on the surprisingly hard surface was fun for us, too. Interpretive nature trails added some education to the whole play thing. What a surreal place (30 miles long x 10 miles wide, and yes, the park closes when missiles are tested).
Parking lot at the end of the 8-mile scenic drive. Love the picnic table shelters:
Can't believe how hard it was to remember that this was gypsum (which is pretty heavy and hard), not sugar soft sand as we had in Destin, FL, and not cold snow drifts like we grew up with (they plow the sand on the road like snow).
Tonight we're staying in Las Cruces, NM. Not as far as we'd planned to get, but worth the delay since we got to play in the dunes today. We'll write tomorrow about the kind of place we're staying. A 5-star RV resort ;-)
This morning, I walked Nick at 5:30 in what must've been 20 degree weather. Gorgeous waning crescent moon hovering over the barely lightening horizon. But screw the beauty, it was COLD, so it was a quick walk.
After napping and waiting for the sun to rise, we had a wonderful, leisurely morning (our first on this trip). Had coffee and planned our way home. Went for an hour walk on a nature trail to get some exercise (and it was rapidly warming by 9AM). Then had the opportunity to make our first hot breakfast--sausage, eggs, and some of that killer beer bread from West, Texas. Camping does not mean roughing it.
Broke camp after everything thawed out at 10:30. Lisa tried her first on-board shower because the shower rooms at the state park aren't heated, and after discovering that our water hose was frozen, heat in the shower seemed necessary.
Wound our way through rural (and mountainous) NM: US 70 to Las Cruces. Stopped at such roadside attractions as the Billy the Kidd museum (we missed the Smokey the Bear one, but it was referenced in this place) and the state's first and largest pistachio farm. Check it out. We'll hold a contest for what you initially thought this was before you read that it was a pistachio.
Then we tooled toward new favorite sign of all time:
Road Closed for One Hour When Flashing
(picture of a missile)
Thank you, White Sands Missile Range.
Nick--our faithful shepherd--found his puppyhood again today when we visited our second favorite national monument (#1 still is Scottsbluff, NE)--White Sands National Monument. (His other name is "Dude", so this explains the title of today's post.)
Ranger says that we're welcome to take the dog anywhere, to run and play on all the sand dunes, and that RVs can handle all the paved and unpaved roads. By gummy, he was right. This is a GREAT park. The squeals of children "sledding" down the gypsum sand dunes was fun. Running around on the surprisingly hard surface was fun for us, too. Interpretive nature trails added some education to the whole play thing. What a surreal place (30 miles long x 10 miles wide, and yes, the park closes when missiles are tested).
Parking lot at the end of the 8-mile scenic drive. Love the picnic table shelters:
Can't believe how hard it was to remember that this was gypsum (which is pretty heavy and hard), not sugar soft sand as we had in Destin, FL, and not cold snow drifts like we grew up with (they plow the sand on the road like snow).
Tonight we're staying in Las Cruces, NM. Not as far as we'd planned to get, but worth the delay since we got to play in the dunes today. We'll write tomorrow about the kind of place we're staying. A 5-star RV resort ;-)
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