tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81828164027726352712024-03-14T03:47:43.351-05:00Beaver TravelsThis is my first try at Blogging so here goes.Beaver Driverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03807640683530248791noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8182816402772635271.post-71255265279064861252012-08-22T14:43:00.002-05:002012-08-22T14:46:28.124-05:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIUNcT8eCFJYc5NFDFKuO0IAbvQ5kehD6UUFnXElKQ1pCL5myMB41Uq83BMa7Tgu5vSOk9w76uE_0YBcPsTszcGT9DlJOicm8El8PEp7rHuFAjIZVoFiYb4vnsEGNeo86m-gP2dfR1P8/s1600/20120816_102203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIUNcT8eCFJYc5NFDFKuO0IAbvQ5kehD6UUFnXElKQ1pCL5myMB41Uq83BMa7Tgu5vSOk9w76uE_0YBcPsTszcGT9DlJOicm8El8PEp7rHuFAjIZVoFiYb4vnsEGNeo86m-gP2dfR1P8/s320/20120816_102203.jpg" width="240" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forney Transportation Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHj3-_0xSnb12vvRpM4m6krq9slQsWQeyhLbPUH8BVgAgklfL8YphA3wuOZiDab3gtNRfQLX_lF3hrG_oFoYuDd9ZPB0tspZRkXjmAsH93iegP9Ujv7t9fQ3ctGb7qwHEtJ553g-q84WY/s1600/IMG_0158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHj3-_0xSnb12vvRpM4m6krq9slQsWQeyhLbPUH8BVgAgklfL8YphA3wuOZiDab3gtNRfQLX_lF3hrG_oFoYuDd9ZPB0tspZRkXjmAsH93iegP9Ujv7t9fQ3ctGb7qwHEtJ553g-q84WY/s320/IMG_0158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Estes Park</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant Easel, Goodland Kansas</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ftBPT7dQLJr2YpgxEZeWBGoksGmLuit-Y5ARqA_RVKvbMNTH-HFaxu5j5BgQE1B3cpph6pllvyEGa8s3jFkh7b3RO8A3SLy2ssbRrOa9B3Mkof7lXEWT0WmRmPmb18sYabbvBHbMg7c/s1600/IMG_0255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ftBPT7dQLJr2YpgxEZeWBGoksGmLuit-Y5ARqA_RVKvbMNTH-HFaxu5j5BgQE1B3cpph6pllvyEGa8s3jFkh7b3RO8A3SLy2ssbRrOa9B3Mkof7lXEWT0WmRmPmb18sYabbvBHbMg7c/s320/IMG_0255.JPG" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpture Garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial to the Lockerbie Pan Am flight 103 Bombing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forney Transportation Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLX5Ssj960nbkNyrNwS7JcCwpNcGUpn4evZiLWtBwkraXVbI4ZWGaRQbmAcZ64IEGDvRLre3pzmmXFbhOfNl6wJCDIgvDwcpoqmooOGmYDx7TLCN4Xo60RfHDQlyQSMRDOMWrYJjeqwNQ/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLX5Ssj960nbkNyrNwS7JcCwpNcGUpn4evZiLWtBwkraXVbI4ZWGaRQbmAcZ64IEGDvRLre3pzmmXFbhOfNl6wJCDIgvDwcpoqmooOGmYDx7TLCN4Xo60RfHDQlyQSMRDOMWrYJjeqwNQ/s320/IMG_0153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky Mountain National Park</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Here it is August 2012 and we finally hit the road on the 8th. First stop was Wakeeney Kansas at the KOA Kampground. Not a bad place and reasonably priced but also not a place I would want to stay very long. Next day we got on I-70 to Limon Colorado, that's when the trouble started. The motorhome wouldn't get above 60 and it seemed like we didn't have any power. We stopped in Goodland and put some oil in the engine since it was down a little bit. This helped for a little while so we limped into Limon. Took the MH to a diesel service place and they recommended we change the water separator and fuel filter. Seems we got a load of bad fuel and plugged both. We checked in at the local KOA. The next morning we got back on I-70, the MH ran like a champ and we made Denver in short order. Got on I-25 north to Fort Collins and the KOA there. This KOA was not as reasonable as the first two, over $50 a night. Yeah yeah I know, tourist country. So we did the tourist thing, visited with friends and family. While there we got tired of the first step into the MH and went shopping for a new step. We found one at RV America in Loveland and arraigned to have in installed that Wednesday. The night before I moved the MH back a little to get all for tires on the concrete, when I parked it again wife noticed we had a leak under the front by the jack. We went to the store and got kitty litter and put that down on the leak. The next morning we took the MH to the dealer and asked them to check the front jack for leaks. About an hour later they came back and said the jack was just fine but that we had a leak from the fuel tank, the leak was diesel fuel. I asked if it was fixable and they said maybe. Went to parts, they couldn't find a tank for that year so they called Monaco who said they could build one for $1800 plus shipping and would take about 8 - 12 weeks. Well we couldn't stay here in snow country while the snow flew, brrrrr. Went back to the mechanic and said I would really appreciate them fixing the tank since the cost and time was prohibitive. We arraigned to put the MH in the shop the next Monday and dropped it off Saturday. We then got a motel room for the week. This isn't what we had planned when we went fulltime. In the mean time we were doing the tourist thing around Colorado. Estes Park (where we saw elk in the middle of town), Boyd Lake State Park, Sculpture Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Garden of the Gods, Seven falls, the Edelweiss restaurant, the old house from when I lived in Colorado Springs and the school I attended, Cheyenne Canyon, the Air Force Academy, and the Forney Transportation Museum. Now we will wait for the good news that the MH is fixed and we can get back on the road before the snow times come.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHPHgzEEF3avjisgf62BcXQb4OZzy7TznLAhtlaojvj7v_kH7TGrdA1te9N420vAuYCwTZx_pjnLyUsk6YtDTGf1UFcvuzqDpaMEH0ppJgx9rBPgy42AOaqrUsR1pivtdQLCUj_dBtas/s1600/IMG_0358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHPHgzEEF3avjisgf62BcXQb4OZzy7TznLAhtlaojvj7v_kH7TGrdA1te9N420vAuYCwTZx_pjnLyUsk6YtDTGf1UFcvuzqDpaMEH0ppJgx9rBPgy42AOaqrUsR1pivtdQLCUj_dBtas/s320/IMG_0358.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">US Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Beaver Driverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03807640683530248791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8182816402772635271.post-66685498298097578172012-02-04T07:43:00.000-06:002012-06-10T09:51:02.191-05:00Well it's 2012. This is the year we hit the road. There's still a lot to get done. The houses are getting ready, new renters in the rental and a trip planned in March to Livingston, Texas. Going to get new drivers licenses, tags, starting mail forwarding service, and establishing residency at Rainbow Park. Then the arrival of our grandson, with lots of grandparent time. In August we will be heading northwest to Loveland Colorado to visit family, then on to Lake Shasta California to visit with an internet friend and fellow military brother. Camping on the lake and taking it easy for a couple of days will be the ticket for us. After Shasta we will be heading for Eureka California to visit Pat's family and more kicking back and relaxing. After a week or so we will head down the coast toward San Francisco and doing some touristy stuff. Next we go south and homestead somewhere between Los Angles and San Diego for the winter. For Christmas we plan to fly back to Kansas to visit with family for a couple of weeks and see the little fella, our new grandson Noah and the rest of the family.<br />
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In the mean time we are working on the house getting it ready to put on the market and getting our affairs in order for the move to Texas. <br />
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Will update more later.<br />
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2/17/12<br />
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The bathrooms are done, woohooo.<br />
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New vanity top and tile floors.<br />
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</a>Got a real estate agent coming in to give us an appraisal, both for how much we could sell the place for or renting it. Three weeks till our trip to get tags and DLs in Texas.<br />
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Update 24 Feb.<br />
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Went to trial load the trailer and found a problem. I was doing this to determine how much room I would have in the front of the trailer with the motorcycle in it's designated position.<br />
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<img alt="100_2167.jpg Trailer" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Motorhome%20Stuff/100_2167.jpg" width="320" /> </a><br />
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While loading the Suzuki the right ramp broke. The 'L' bracket that
fits into the lip on the back had not been welded everywhere it should
have been.<br />
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<img alt="100_2551.jpg Broken ramp" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Motorhome%20Stuff/100_2551.jpg?t=1330118870" width="320" />
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<img alt="100_2555.jpg Broken ramp" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Motorhome%20Stuff/100_2555.jpg?t=1330118870" width="320" />
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I sent an email to the manufacturer along with these pictures (5 in all) and received a response almost right away. The owner said: DANG ITTTT!!!! and that he would be having a chat with his folks. Also said that I would be hearing from another boss soon. I took both ramps to a local welder and had him fix the broken ramp and then weld all the points of contact on the 'L' bracket. Cost $20. Will not be asking for reimbursement from the manufacturer.<br />
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Doing another test loading Sunday the 26th.<br />
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Update 26 Feb.<br />
<a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Motorhome%20Stuff/2012-02-26152931.jpg?t=1330292208" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="2012-02-26152931.jpg Test loading 26 Feb 2012" border="0" height="320" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Motorhome%20Stuff/2012-02-26152931.jpg?t=1330292208" width="240" /></a><a class="menuTrigger" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8182816402772635271" id="zoomedLink" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Click to zoom out.">
<img alt="20120226_135101.jpg Test loading 26 Feb 2012" height="320" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Motorhome%20Stuff/20120226_135101.jpg?t=1330292370" width="240" />
</a>Finally, got the Suzuki loaded today. Then I got the bike up on the trailer. It was fun since the truck only weighs 4700# it kind of jumped around a little while going up and down the ramps, which held BTW. I was a little worried about the motorcycle ramp and had Pat watching while I rode the bike up the ramp onto the trailer. She said there wasn't a bit of deflection while the ramp took the full weight of me and the bike, woohoo. I saw once the bike was up there that I had plenty of room for tying everything down. Found the tie down points on the front of the Suzuki so there's no problem there, I have plenty of distance for the bike to be strapped down. I am also going to be able to take my grill, now I am in heaven since the grill will fit on the ramp and I will be able to load it without having to pick it up. Life is good sometimes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkefhRRjf_5Q5WvNY90oHaLpI-HCQSvEBmNLPiUUYs4Rflgpkm4EvG8DnEytuHQZGzjeNSitULv18xlcN8Sr3hCZeakovNj_sT4nYGoqvav8xlQaDMGhEXswb-TfSPWlVsK3Kifi4hZ0/s1600/100_2561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkefhRRjf_5Q5WvNY90oHaLpI-HCQSvEBmNLPiUUYs4Rflgpkm4EvG8DnEytuHQZGzjeNSitULv18xlcN8Sr3hCZeakovNj_sT4nYGoqvav8xlQaDMGhEXswb-TfSPWlVsK3Kifi4hZ0/s320/100_2561.JPG" width="320" /></a> March 2, 2012, we are on the road. We go to moms and load up the Suzuki and bike. Strap everything down and then do five or six walk around checks of everything, straps, ramps, trailer tires, ball and receiver. Finally I'm satisfied everything is in order and we head south, stopping by the house to pick up some last second stuff we might have forgotten, of course there were. We finally hit the road seriously and off to South Haven and the free I-35 to Oklahoma City which we get to about a little after noon and get set up in the Famcamp on Tinker AFB. We'd been here before so we new where we needed to go. First unload the Suzuki, found the first issue, the front straps had loosened some during the trip. Need to find a better way to do this, ah ha, put on the parking brake dummy. Well we unhook the trailer and settle in for the night, tomorrow we go to visit son and his significant other in Chickasha. The next morning we make the trip to visit son and have lunch with him and SO. The next morning we are back on the road southbound to Dallas and I-45 toward Huntsville, TX. However since we're not in any big rush we stop in Fairfield and the Primrose campground for the night. This is a nice campground for the night. The sites are wide enough for the motorhome and the trailer. <br />
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The next morning we get back on I-45 and go south to Huntsville and get on Texas 190. We pull in to Livingston a little before noon and get set up at Rainbows End and Escapees.<br />
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The site is nice but there is no WiFi or cable TV. Oh well, we can do without that for a couple of days since we're here for tags and DLs. So into town we go for lunch and schedule inspections for all four vehicles for the next morning. The Chinese restaurant left a lot to be desired for me. That evening we dined at a Mexican place that also left a bit to be desired. The next morning at the inspection place I was talking with the folks there and they recommended we try Mamma's. Well the next morning we did just that, now this is what I'm talking about, real food. This place is great, a real down home kind of place with good food and plenty of it. Anyway after breakfast we go down tot he tag office where I find out that I had brought the truck title instead of the motorhome title, bang head against nearest brick wall and yell stupid repeatedly. Call daughter and ask her to go look in the office to see if that dang blamed title is laying there. A couple of hours later daughter calls and sure enough it was right there. Daughter gets it in the mail since we now have mail service with Escapees and a real Texas address, we are residents but not Texans (according to the lady at the drivers license office anyway). Well we knew this was going to take a couple of days so we take off and go to Galveston. Little did we know that next week was "SPRING BREAK" and all the campgrounds would be booked up for the entire week. So we get online and look for somewhere to park for the week, not on Galveston Island. Called a place in La Marque (La Mark), they had room for us so we head north, after plugging in the coordinates into the GPS liar thingy. Well the GPS thing got us right to the campground, I apologized to it and went to check in. This campground had received not so good reviews but we decided we would take a chance, I'm glad we did. The new managers had been on the job for about three weeks when we got there and they were busy cleaning the place up and doing repairs. I was happy. We had cable TV but the WiFi just wasn't strong enough to reach our spot. Well we weren't there to watch TV or get on the internet, we'd heard about Galveston so we thought we would go see it, and we did. We went to Walmart, where else. Yep, we went to Walmart. Our fridge had died in Oklahoma City where we bought a cooler, well that didn't keep the meat we had frozen so we were shopping for a compact fridge. Walmart came through for us. We got a 3.7 CU fridge which did the trick, now we could go do the touristy stuff.<br />
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We did the Duck Tour, we had done this in Branson and really enjoyed it. We should have sat in the lower tier seats, oh well live and learn. We did find a couple of different areas to go explore during the Duck Tour, old town for one.<br />
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In Old Town there was a tall ship, I love tall ships.<br />
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Since parking was not free and we had heard the fines were a little on the stiff side we didn't dawdle very long.<br />
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One day we decided we would go north to the Houston area, I wanted to see the USS Texas BB35, located next to the San Jacinto Monument and battlefield.<br />
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It was one of those dreary overcast almost wants to rain kind of days.<br />
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Well on the way we took a detour to the Houston Space center.<br />
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No, we didn't take the guided tour. Maybe next time.<br />
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So on to Houston. We had decided to visit the Downtown Aquarium. That was fun, noisy, crowded, and dark but a ton of fun.<br />
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This place was worth the trip.<br />
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What a day, we had a blast. Back home we go, satisfied in our touristy doings.<br />
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What I couldn't believe was that on the island of Galveston we could not find a restaurant that served crab, for less than a weeks wages anyway.<br />
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We did manage to get over to the Texas Aviation Museum, next to the Moody Gardens, I was not impressed. I didn't even take any pictures of the place. I'm an airplane freak, I love airplanes. This place left a lot to be desired, especially at the price we paid.<br />
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Well fun time was ending and we took off and went back to Livingston so we could get our Texas residency stuff completed. Stopped by the mail box and picked up the mail and down to the tag office and then drivers licenses. Other than waiting in line it was really simple to get done. Next morning we go back home.Beaver Driverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03807640683530248791noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8182816402772635271.post-27688195947647760172011-07-31T11:59:00.000-05:002012-02-04T07:26:40.280-06:002011So far this year we had planned a trip to Branson, MO for June to take advantage of a discount rate at the Escapees park in Hollister but had to cancel that because at my last physical my PSA went through the roof. Went to the Urologist and he did a biopsy. Two of twelve samples showed cancer, 5% in each of the two. That means that there was a 99% chance that the cancer could have been missed, guess I got lucky in that respect. I have prostate cancer, both the non-aggressive and aggressive kind. I'm starting to feel unlucky now. Doc recommended we remove the prostate. Scheduled surgery to remove the prostate, no luck there, Doc found a lymph node with cancer and removed it, it was sent for analysis and came back positive. Talked about it with Wife and doctor and decided to do radiation therapy. Also decided that some form chemo was in order so I now get a Lupron shot every four months. Now I have hot flashes, yes I now know how women feel during menopause, not fun. Wife found a great OTC medication, supplement really, that works wonders. 85% reduction of hot flash effects, it works. As of this writing I have five more radiation treatments to go and another Lupron shot.<br />
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Applied for VA disability back in March, after the biopsy results came in, still waiting for approval.<br />
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On a better note, I'm still positive about my prognosis and feeling ok even with the hot flashes, incontinence, and other side effects. Ordered and bought a trailer to haul the bike and Suzuki after the radiation treatments are done, we are going up to Iowa the middle of August to take delivery and bring the trailer home. Now we have to decide if we are going to Branson or move our residency to Texas with trip to Livingston. Still have time to decide, October is the cut off, that's when the tags and taxes are due here in Kansas. We will be parking the motorhome at the house so we'll have somewhere to live while we get the house ready to sell or rent.<br />
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Well it's Feb 2012 and I thought it was a good idea to update this. We now have renters in the rental and our neighbors behind with the first refusal on our primary residence. Our daughter is pregnant with our second grandchild, a boy that is going to be named Noah Alexander that is due to make an appearance the end of May.Beaver Driverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03807640683530248791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8182816402772635271.post-86879117742103846212011-07-26T05:12:00.001-05:002012-02-04T16:33:14.441-06:002010 Oregon trip<span style="color: purple;">Decided a trip to visit fam</span><span style="color: purple;">ily was in the cards this year I took off for Germany. The plan was for 21 days. Booked the flight and off I went. I hate flying commercial and after this trip I hate it even more. Flights delayed, not enough time between flights, lost bags, etc. Finally made it to Dresden, without my luggage. Brother and Sister in Law picked me up and away we went. First stop St. Hubertus-Klause, brothers restaurant for some real food, schnitzel with potatoes and asparagus. Yum. </span><br />
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<a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Europe%20Trips/Germany/2010%20Trip/DSC00085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="DSC00085.jpg Market square" border="0" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Europe%20Trips/Germany/2010%20Trip/DSC00085.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: purple;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;">Then a nap. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;">After nap head back to restaurant for dinner. More good food. We then head out for visits with the rest of the family, nephew Peter and family. Down the street we go to Peters house.</span><br />
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<a class="menuTrigger" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8182816402772635271" id="zoomedLink" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Click to zoom out."> <img alt="b56a.jpg Senftenberg" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Europe%20Trips/Germany/b56a.jpg" width="320" /> </a><a class="menuTrigger" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8182816402772635271" id="zoomedLink" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Click to zoom out."> <img alt="100_0842.jpg Nephew's Home" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Europe%20Trips/Germany/2010%20Trip/100_0842.jpg" width="320" /> </a><span style="color: purple;"> </span><a class="menuTrigger" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8182816402772635271" id="zoomedLink" title="Click to zoom out."> </a><br />
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<span style="color: purple;">Beautiful house and yard. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;">Getting late so up to my room for a good nights sleep.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;">Next morning breakfast and the surprise:</span><br />
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<img alt="DSC00205.jpg Balloon ride" height="300" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Europe%20Trips/Germany/2010%20Trip/DSC00205.jpg" width="400" /><span style="color: purple;">A balloon ride across the countryside of Germany. I was in heaven.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;">That was the first two days, the rest were just as exciting. I visited Prague, Budapest, Terezin, Dresden, Berlin, and Regensburg among others. Follow the link to my 2010 Germany for many more pictures:</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">After my return to the states it was time for that road trip to get the water heater replaced. We packed and away we went. It took us three days to get to Portland Oregon where we stayed for two days before heading south to California.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">The new water heater/furnace installed we took the MH to a dealer to have the oil changed and the radiators washed. The engine had been having some cooling problems and we decided that needed to be fixed before we tackled the hills again. Got the MH serviced and south we went. First night was just south of Portland in a very nice park but the next morning we headed for the coast.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">This is definitely gorgeous country. I could live here. We stopped at the mandatory tourist places, we were after all tourists, like Seal Cave.</span></div>
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Spent a couple of hours here watching the seals. We had parked the MH at a very nice park in Florence and took the truck up US101 for this one. The only not good thing was the Mexican restaurant we ate in, the food was not up to our standards. They didn't have salsa and chips, no con queso, and to top it off NO BURRITO! </div>
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<span style="color: red;"> </span> <img alt="000_0139.jpg Florence, Campground" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Oregon/000_0139.jpg" width="320" /> The next morning we took off southward headed for Eureka and Pat's family. We arrived mid afternoon and got settled in at the park.</div>
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We planned to stay for only two days but extended for another. Brother in Law, Greg, and I went south a ways to a car show being held in Fortuna (sorry no pictures, forgot camera). After we got back Pat, Greg and I drove down through the Redwoods and played a bit by the river skipping rocks. <a class="menuTrigger" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8182816402772635271&postID=8687911774210384621&from=pencil" id="zoomedLink" title="Click to zoom out."> <img alt="100_1901.jpg In the Redwoods" height="300" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/California/100_1901.jpg" width="400" /> </a><a class="menuTrigger" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8182816402772635271&postID=8687911774210384621&from=pencil" id="zoomedLink" title="Click to zoom out."> <img alt="mikegregriver.jpg In the Redwoods" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/California/mikegregriver.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
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We made better time than we had hoped and crossed into Wyoming before night fall.</div>
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Found a campground and settled in for the night.</div>
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<img alt="000_0181.jpg Campground, Elk Mountain" height="300" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Wyoming/000_0181.jpg" width="400" /> On to Larmie and the big hill. That was not fun, the engine continued with the cooling problems. Have to get that fixed when we get home. Made it up the hill and into Nebraska we went, stopping in Sidney at a Cabella's park.<a class="menuTrigger" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8182816402772635271&postID=8687911774210384621&from=pencil" id="zoomedLink" title="Click to zoom out."> <img alt="100_1902.jpg " height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Nebraska/100_1902.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<a href="http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/14447494.jpg" id="main-photo" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="The Great Platte River Road Archway - 1600 x 1039 pixels"> <img alt="The Great Platte River Road Archway" height="325" src="http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/14447494.jpg" width="500" /></a> Ever onward we made Kearney and stopped at the Great River Road Arch.<a href="http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/14447494.jpg" id="main-photo" title="The Great Platte River Road Archway - 1600 x 1039 pixels"> </a></div>
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View all my pictures at: http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/<br />
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</div>Beaver Driverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03807640683530248791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8182816402772635271.post-13512014964308607612009-10-12T12:56:00.012-05:002012-02-04T16:18:53.715-06:002009 Going east<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>May</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Escapade, Sedelia Missouri</i> <span style="color: #274e13; font-size: small;">School is over for the summer time to pack up and hit the road. First stop, Sedelia Missouri for the Escapees rally, Escapade. Leave about 0900 and head north. Arrive Sedelia about 1400. Check in and get parked. Hook everything up, put the slide out, level, put up the TV and hook it to the dish box. Woohoo, we have TV. Go to pavilion to get our goodie bag. To late, everybody went somewhere else. Go out get something to eat and go back to camp and survey our surroundings. It's been raining and things are kind of squishy. Yuck. Found out we have no hot water, crap. Look at things, check circuit breakers, nothing. Open box in bay and find fuse blown. Go get another fuse, blown again. Well crap, looks like bath house showers till we get back home. Next morning get up and go get our goodie bag, new shirts, and other goodies like a battery operated hand held fan, how cool is that. Go back into town, Walmart, buy a bunch of things and head back to camp. On the way we find a Hardees, oh boy, mushroom Swiss burger, it just doesn’t get any better than this. Get home and eat, yumyum. Go outside and meet new neighbors. Chat for a while. Still raining, that light misty stuff that sinks in to the bone. Back inside, sit back and relax. Evening comes and we go to the opening ceremonies, I win one of the raffle prizes. A new road atlas, coupons, and some other stuff. Next day we go to the vendor area and look around at all the neat things, Pat buys microfiber dish rags, towels, mops, scrubbers, and, and. I get one of those cool weather vane black tank vents and have it installed the next day. Gonna get another one for the gray tank. While the installation in being done Pat goes back to the vendor area to look some more and I forget all about her not knowing where we are. She calls but my phone is inside and I don’t hear it. About the time the installer is done here she comes, not a happy camper. She found our spot though. Neighbors come to meet and greet, we chat for a while and arrange to go out for dinner that evening, Applebee’s. Had a good dinner and chatted, back to the campground and check out their Country Coach, very nice. Wednesday we drive south to Branson. Gonna see Yakov Smirnoff. On the way we stop and look at some motorhomes, Fleetwood’s. Not bad. Get to Branson a little early so we drive around and walk around Branson. Go check out a campground, Turkey Creek (<a href="http://www.escapees.com/parkpages/Turkey%20Creek/park17.asp">http://www.escapees.com/parkpages/Turkey%20Creek/park17.asp</a>). Very nice.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Missouri/Turkey20Creek20Entry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Missouri/Turkey20Creek20Entry.jpg" vr="true" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: small;"> Looks like a nice place to spend a few days when we can. Drive around the lake and do the touristy thing until show time. Watched the and laughed and laughed. Yakov is great. Did the handshake thing, picture thing, chat some thing. Time to go back home. Stop in Springfield for dinner, Ruby Tuesday’s. We like this place. Back north we go. Time to go back home. Stop in Springfield for dinner, Ruby Tuesday’s. We like this place. Back north we go. Get back, still raining. Bummer. Get up and go to the vendor area again and just look around. Meet people I have met on the forum. Meet up with neighbors and make plans to go to Bingo that evening. Went to Bingo, didn’t win a thing, oh well, normal for me. Next morning we get ready to leave for the east. No so east with all the rain that has been coming down, the ground is soaked and we get stuck about halfway out of the spot. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Missouri/IMG_7650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Missouri/IMG_7650.jpg" vr="true" /></a><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: small;">Call the insurance company road service. While on the phone with them a tow truck shows up, I go over and ask how much to pull me out, $100. Yep, taking advantage of people stuck in the mud. Things start looking up, I’m still on the phone with the road service folks when I ask a couple of key questions. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Missouri/IMG_9617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Missouri/IMG_9617.jpg" vr="true" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: small;">Seems the tow truck honors the same tow plan that the road service offers, how cool is that. Get hooked up and out of the mud we go.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Missouri/IMG_9597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Missouri/IMG_9597.jpg" vr="true" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: small;"> Hook up the truck and we’re on the road again. </span></span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">East bound on I-70, headed for St.Louis and Scott Air Force Base for the night. Get to campground, it’s a little tight but I manage not to hit or break anything. Since it's late and no one had reserved the spot we picked out, handicapped but thought we would take a chance since there was another one next to us.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Nice campground that could use some updating but since we were only staying the night we could live with it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">June</span><br />
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<span style="color: #bf9000;">Morning comes way to early in the day, get up, make coffee and have breakfast. Pull out of spot and hook up the truck, on the road again, this time headed for Ohio. Get on Illinois 4 north bound to US40 at St. Jacob where we get back on I-70 toward Indianapolis going trough Terra Haute. Pick up I-74 to Cincinnati and our home for the next few days. I thought I-70 was rough, I-74 will rattle your back teeth loose. Drop speed to 55 and really slow down for bridges. Get to outskirts of Cincinnati and look for Hollaman RV to see if we can get the water fixed, they are backed for months and no one there knew much about the Hurricane system, bummer, guess it's the shower house for us for the rest of the trip. Back on the road heading north to find the campground. Cedarbrook Campground </span><br />
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(<a href="http://cedarbrookcampground.com/default.aspx">http://cedarbrookcampground.com/default.aspx</a> ). This place is great. It's in the middle of town but you wouldn't know it, it feels like you are way out in the boonies. The campground roads and entrance is a little on the tight side but the spaces are plenty big enough to park a 40' motorhome and towed with enough room left on the access road, and wide enough to put out the awning with room to spare. Met some other veterans doing a yearly civil war reenactment thing, a train robbery. I was invited to tag along but decided to pass. <a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Ohio/100_0422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Ohio/100_0422.jpg" vr="true" width="200" /></a>Met a very nice electrician that gave us his opinion on putting a ceiling fan in the bedroom.</div>
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We drove around the country side and down to downtown Cincinnati and Covington Kentucky, </div>
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we wanted to visit the aquarium in Covington but the $25 per person price was more than we were willing to pay since a yearly pass was only $37. Thought we might ride the "Ducks" but a look at the weather convinced us it wouldn't be a good idea to be out on the water during a storm. So we walked around the boardwalk and visited a nocturnal creature display that was fun but over rated. </div>
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And yes, it rained and thunder boomed. What is it with all this rain? On the way back to the campground there was a tornado warning, in Ohio??? The tornado missed the campground so we still had our home. During our driving around we found a nice state park and thought we would come back and stay a night. We stayed in the Cincinnati area for three nights before heading north to Dayton. Had a bit of fun at Wright-Patterson AFB, couldn't find the gate to enter the base for over an hour.</div>
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<a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Ohio/WPAFBCampground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Ohio/WPAFBCampground.jpg" vr="true" width="200" /></a> When we finally got in we took a wrong turn and ended up back off base and had to turn around and go back on the base. Finally found the campground and learned that the only spots were in the overflow area, the host told us to go look and if we liked it to pick a spot and get settled.<a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Ohio/WPAFBShowerhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Ohio/WPAFBShowerhouse.jpg" vr="true" /></a> <a href="http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=162&Itemid=38">http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=162&Itemid=38</a> </div>
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We found a great spot right behind the shower house, it just doesn't get any better than this. The only thing we didn't have was sewer, no biggie, we could dump when we left. Wright-Patterson is the most disjointed base I've ever been on, to get to the shopping area you have to go off base and then back on base in a different area. Pat needed to check her email so we went to the base library where we had heard they had WiFi, well the library was closed so we went over to the commissary (military for grocery store) to get dinner. Also visited the BX (military for Walmart). While there we saw a vendor with rugs on display, now we wanted to do some remodeling in the MH so we wandered over and found a rug we both liked very much, after going through a few others and picking out three that appealed to both of us, the vendor allowed us take two rugs back to the motorhome to see if they would fit and looked like they would match our stuff. We bought the smaller one and it fit perfectly when we installed it back at home. I took off one day for a visit to the Air Force museum. Got about half way through when Pat called to say she wasn't feeling well so home I go. The next day Pat was feeling better so we both went to the museum, she had a blast looking at all the old and new planes that have been in the Air Force inventory. She said it made a difference me being there to explain a lot of the history and other tid bits of the planes. Back at the campground we got ready for our trip back to Cincinnati and the state park, Stonelick State Park, we found it during our last time there. So off we go back to Cincinnati. <a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Ohio/100_0463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Our%20Travels/Ohio/100_0463.jpg" vr="true" width="200" /></a></div>
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Got to the park after negotiating some narrow roads and low hanging tree branches checked in and picked out a nice spot. <br />
<a href="http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/stonelck/tabid/789/Default.aspx">http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/stonelck/tabid/789/Default.aspx</a> </div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">After our stay in Cincinnati we head back west toward home. First stop Scott AFB, which was full up but the time we got there. Had a bunch of fun getting out of the campground, one of the units on base was having an awards picnic. Seems everyone drove themselves there and parked along the access road, way to tight for a 40' motorhome and towed to get out. Walked over and inquired about the owner of the cars that were preventing us getting out. They were good sports about it and three people moved their cars and we made it out and back on the road headed west to St.Louis. Saw signs for the Casino Queen and the RV Park. <a href="http://www.casinoqueen.com/rv-park.aspx">http://www.casinoqueen.com/rv-park.aspx</a> Found the Casino Queen casino and the Good Sam campground. A nice campground even if a little pricey for a casino campground. Nice large sites and a small convience store where you check in and out, though the hours of operation are a little short, 8am to 8pm.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">After checking in we got all hooked up and decided we would go over and donate some money to the casino, which is what we did. Pulled out the next morning and headed home, making it by early afternoon. All in all a very good trip, even without hot water.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">After settling down back at home I took the MH to Adventure RV to get the water heater fixed. They replaced the fuel pump but that didn't fix it, $740 and still no hot water. guess I'm going to have to figure this thing out for my self in the spring of 2010. So we started to do the floor in the motorhome, rip out the old carpet and get the floor ready for the new one. But first we found a leather sleeper couch that matched our other furniture and bought it, which resulted in a trip to Arizona to get it. Took son in law along for company and as he hadn't been in the west before he really enjoyed the trip. So, back home and the work begins.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">The old stuff, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">The old couch,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><a class="menuTrigger" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8182816402772635271&postID=1351201496430860761&from=pencil" id="zoomedLink" title="Click to zoom out."> <img alt="Before3.jpg Before" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Motorhome%20Stuff/Before3.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Started on the ripping and tearing and got all the old carpet out and the floor cleaned up. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Here is what we ended up with,</span><br />
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<a href="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Motorhome%20Stuff/CopyofMotorhome003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="CopyofMotorhome003.jpg Remodeled" border="0" height="240" id="fullImage" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/Bandit_23CE/Motorhome%20Stuff/CopyofMotorhome003.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000;">Doesn't this look a whole lot better??? </span></div>
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<br /></div>Beaver Driverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03807640683530248791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8182816402772635271.post-40970942849545397232009-10-08T10:25:00.003-05:002011-07-30T23:37:45.183-05:002008 Mexico, our out of country trip.<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mexico <span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: small;">Plans were done and we were off. Loaded up and headed out west bound. First stop Wichita to pick up Daughter and Granddaughter. Off we go, US54 west bound. First night Tucumcari. Stopped in at the Mountain View campground, no a bad place to stay for a night. Next morning get on I-40 west bound for Santa Rosa and pick US54 again. Next stop Alamogordo and Holloman AFB, where we found a very nice campground. </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: right;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178&Itemid=38">http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178&Itemid=38</a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJwcPmVtPkZHUlLN0G5U4haFrf-V1kzQ4FQI0zDUEx-xO54YJVJ_RxUB2Co_DIGq13Q7ZOU8iKGnFpAuuRjQkUG8LIxSEdBFqOUGPwoLb02vN_-8m83pVrhOYZA7dJpoa2_UWOm0u3S0/s1600-h/Holloman1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJwcPmVtPkZHUlLN0G5U4haFrf-V1kzQ4FQI0zDUEx-xO54YJVJ_RxUB2Co_DIGq13Q7ZOU8iKGnFpAuuRjQkUG8LIxSEdBFqOUGPwoLb02vN_-8m83pVrhOYZA7dJpoa2_UWOm0u3S0/s200/Holloman1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Fe8JnGE-BD7psYcXJKDZMALHQGapZt3VoDShL05Snh7q6PekZcWDmrT86dN-Xb3k_21-XANwKDid7TXBIGCQJbqgx-HjkkT2_ShhQ1EffLgPMY6pGO8JbIY5Dcuj6K0cj0DPw2B8zGk/s1600-h/Holloman+AFB.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Fe8JnGE-BD7psYcXJKDZMALHQGapZt3VoDShL05Snh7q6PekZcWDmrT86dN-Xb3k_21-XANwKDid7TXBIGCQJbqgx-HjkkT2_ShhQ1EffLgPMY6pGO8JbIY5Dcuj6K0cj0DPw2B8zGk/s320/Holloman+AFB.gif" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130;">Took a small side trip to El Paso to see the old homestead, the place has changed so much we couldn't find it. Next morning back on the road west bound on US70 to Las Cruces. Climb the mountain and then down the other side. Got through Las Cruces ok and got on I-10 west bound. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">Next overnight facility, Ft. Huachua, by Sierra Vista. Very nice campground with views of the mountains. Planned to spend two days and three nights here. It rained each day in the afternoon. One morning Pat stepped out side to find a very large tarantula, it was BIG.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=38">http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=38</a> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQKy9bM5NugGJE4WOhABlpcMU6wny-vAiye7p17leoJtL84Gd6cPz7GWRVzC60XQb4lcdw6FFb5BNoNdsLAZZ1Sqj8y4zCT4BrnfMNPSGwIqyLiW1za9GcHcJf6N0sQarqsJ98YZm3Lk/s1600-h/100_0185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQKy9bM5NugGJE4WOhABlpcMU6wny-vAiye7p17leoJtL84Gd6cPz7GWRVzC60XQb4lcdw6FFb5BNoNdsLAZZ1Sqj8y4zCT4BrnfMNPSGwIqyLiW1za9GcHcJf6N0sQarqsJ98YZm3Lk/s200/100_0185.JPG" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">Granddaughter and I paid a visit to Tombstone, she loved it. Watched a gun fight, popped in to just about every store and had lunch at a nice little restaurant. Spent almost the entire day doing the tourist thing.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBAY45JHodb5G3e55Iq-Bhf0RypZcrwg0U8YJUIO5j5Yat1ZYWfLXwuqJjaqb3yZHUCBcMVv3Ot2NFaZBPAURt1tN2CyfDxJ2_LAmIuDiZJ0lnAu4q3UDm8xViuWl-pbWgEVKKo9TW0U/s1600-h/100_0188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBAY45JHodb5G3e55Iq-Bhf0RypZcrwg0U8YJUIO5j5Yat1ZYWfLXwuqJjaqb3yZHUCBcMVv3Ot2NFaZBPAURt1tN2CyfDxJ2_LAmIuDiZJ0lnAu4q3UDm8xViuWl-pbWgEVKKo9TW0U/s200/100_0188.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5daWKd41vM5oiECALrc496mD-POY2XsO1MIuo8_dL_gEuMA22Lf6cJOzL-CEqx06eXcQXg7YnF3BkU1oNCEudtfLbH3XszfwPGjc_am-LoazzBraL_PxD8lWzlGoNj5fzplRK0nVNMc/s1600-h/100_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5daWKd41vM5oiECALrc496mD-POY2XsO1MIuo8_dL_gEuMA22Lf6cJOzL-CEqx06eXcQXg7YnF3BkU1oNCEudtfLbH3XszfwPGjc_am-LoazzBraL_PxD8lWzlGoNj5fzplRK0nVNMc/s200/100_0194.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">Here is where it got a little on the bad side. The morning we left I got in a hurry and forgot a couple of things, like taking the truck out of first gear and unlocking the steering wheel. Here is what happens when the above things are not done:</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTepqLufUhYK4h-1eQ_mM8jcPRWMaKhcd9KbM2hkTrjIOjdo_x37EOGLngFm-TFLnVaLaJ-twxgpU5kj_sXRYu2m_GzHpcrB7PJuueO76fNoxP4tVA0GRkISulFLRfjZEQrSU3M-h1RRQ/s1600-h/100_0120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTepqLufUhYK4h-1eQ_mM8jcPRWMaKhcd9KbM2hkTrjIOjdo_x37EOGLngFm-TFLnVaLaJ-twxgpU5kj_sXRYu2m_GzHpcrB7PJuueO76fNoxP4tVA0GRkISulFLRfjZEQrSU3M-h1RRQ/s320/100_0120.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">Don't do this, it's expensive. Called the insurance company to arrange transport for the truck to somewhere for repairs, found a Chevy dealer in Sierra Vista. Then found out the Chevy dealer is not on the approved list for the insurance company. Took two weeks for the adjustor to get to Sierra Vista and do the "how much are we going to fix and what will it cost" thing. All this was done on the cell phone from Mexico. Finally got that done when we returned to Sierra Vista where I found out that we had gotten a new adjustor. Felt like I was on a merry-go-round. Got the approval for the repairs, was hoping for a total... Oh well. Got the estimate for repair time, "this is going to take a while". This was July, I got the truck back in September.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">Back on the road bound for Nogales and the border crossing. That was fun. Got in the wrong lane, should have taken the 'bus' lane. Where were the signs??? Finally got through and entered Nogales, Mexico and found that I had made a very big mistake. There were cars everywhere and no descernable traffic lanes, cars were going helter skelter this way and that. To top it off the road was under construction. An hour or so later we got to the southern edge of Nogales and onto the highway. Will not do that again. Headed south on highway 19 toward Hermosillo, 170 miles away. The roads are not bad but there are sections that will jar your teeth and loosen joints. The good thing? Diesel fuel is only $2.20 a gallon, we had been paying up to $5 a gallon. The people are very friendly and helpful. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJQnembyGjRtNmB_wLm0YwMOmw4Ajb7IvD3Txt-wWmylcCxUC20svVB7Fx5CQRtE8ocPa78CxsppDVv3IZTb_IYAbRmAZieLwfD9OWZcIOblx8O3S25D_NuIVK66OWbNEoaujHMQH4pM/s1600-h/100_0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJQnembyGjRtNmB_wLm0YwMOmw4Ajb7IvD3Txt-wWmylcCxUC20svVB7Fx5CQRtE8ocPa78CxsppDVv3IZTb_IYAbRmAZieLwfD9OWZcIOblx8O3S25D_NuIVK66OWbNEoaujHMQH4pM/s320/100_0207.JPG" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">Arrived in Hermosillo about 3:00pm and checked in. There is a real difference between Nogales and Hermosillo. No tourists for one. Slower pace of life. And not dirty. Went to Walmart. Got learned in enough Spanish to be able to get around and know what I'm buying at Walmart. The parking lot at Walmart was a lesson in pragmatism, each line of parking spaces was covered. Now how neat is that???</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpYN8ZpVlYeOV5hIZ4HjRLfIIc-jxlJqviXGZFep1_Q9ynwMFQ11RosXjXakK2qiYtqaoZzPaXM-9sx0hG0EGnV4Eif1J4mEiw-F69SrZbViZ-xOE6c3KMk7WABFRVV8znv99Fogjy50/s1600-h/100_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpYN8ZpVlYeOV5hIZ4HjRLfIIc-jxlJqviXGZFep1_Q9ynwMFQ11RosXjXakK2qiYtqaoZzPaXM-9sx0hG0EGnV4Eif1J4mEiw-F69SrZbViZ-xOE6c3KMk7WABFRVV8znv99Fogjy50/s320/100_0201.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">Eleven days later we leave and head for home. Back up the highway toward Nogales. Got stopped at a Mexican Army checkpoint, Pat and Daughter thought the two cute soldiers that inspected the motorhome were "hotties". Good grief. They were impressed with the rig and looked in every cupboard and closet and any door that opened. Back on the road. Got to the border. This part was no fun at all. Big mistake going through a border crossing that was this busy. It took us three and a half hours to get through. First the inspected the inside, we had to get out and stand at the side of the building, then they did the mirror thing underneath, then they brought in the dogs, then they sent us to get X-Rayed (which took two trips around the compound mingling with the big trucks), then to agriculture inspection where they went through every opening again. All they found was one grilled pork steak in the freezer, I was surprised the dog didn't find it. Finally got cleared to continue our trip. Stopped at the KFC in Nogales, AZ and had supper. Hmmm hmmmm good. North bound to Tuscon and Davis-Monthan AFB. <a href="http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=38">http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=38</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXlOqP4yNPg3qfXTDBYqn1YYiwKoJepMU6zXeXLow-csCIPp_66ygp-kR64eDr49-SJ7LNn9Po6VKdIVkU-6-EgkCBHU3l-DiDf9YvfCWSTHwDc0XFMBwe_VZhR0UHUUliX-qECxc3Pg/s1600-h/davis-monthan_rv_sites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXlOqP4yNPg3qfXTDBYqn1YYiwKoJepMU6zXeXLow-csCIPp_66ygp-kR64eDr49-SJ7LNn9Po6VKdIVkU-6-EgkCBHU3l-DiDf9YvfCWSTHwDc0XFMBwe_VZhR0UHUUliX-qECxc3Pg/s320/davis-monthan_rv_sites.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130;">Definitely not a good day. Got to the campground and registered then over to the spot. While pulling in, a very tight spot by the way, I managed to rip out the water spigot and ding the water heater exhaust pipe. The campground now had a water feature fountain. Go back to the office and call the emergency phone number. While talking to the campground manager, whose wife had passed away that morning, the camp host shows up. I offer my condolences to the manager and hang up to deal with the host. Get out the insurance papers, registration, and ID card. Do a lot of paperwork and finally get settled in to a different spot. Next morning I take Pat and Daughter to the Tuscon airport, they had had enough and decided to fly home. At the airport I had a conversation with the rent a cop who told me I couldn't park where I did. Now anyone that has ever been to an airport knows that a 40' long, 8.5' wide 13' high motorhome can't be parked just anywhere. I parked in the "deliveries" spot. This rent a cop didn't think this was a good idea since the spot was marked for "deliveries". Duh! I pointed out to him that I was making a delivery, my wife and daughter. He was not impressed. I told him to call the cops and disengaged. The airline folks had by this brought the wheelchairs and were wheeling to two of them into the terminal. Granddaughter and I boarded the motorhome and left. Never did see any cops. Sierra Vista here we come. Spent four hours at the Chevy dealer and was informed that the adjuster had arrived and done his thing. Talked to the adjuster and was informed that the truck would be repaired. Ok. Back on the road. Next stop, White Sands Missile Range campground. Not shabby for an overnight stay. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71oboniW-0VPi4MKmMYsX0hNiUJ3gge-3xwmvtvcQpCv8xTOYeahITHTDFgvhBYo9i4QNZJMdum_OUzmtOaIex5bYyTJJjU5DvPmX0-NqsuL30TFHAc-V26OlWsxRTmR0V21png124iA/s1600-h/White+Sands+Missile+Range+camping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71oboniW-0VPi4MKmMYsX0hNiUJ3gge-3xwmvtvcQpCv8xTOYeahITHTDFgvhBYo9i4QNZJMdum_OUzmtOaIex5bYyTJJjU5DvPmX0-NqsuL30TFHAc-V26OlWsxRTmR0V21png124iA/s320/White+Sands+Missile+Range+camping.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuALUF9S_STBKMAqgpl9XCnX1lei-hkbwA3WanuKUUk7-HZcjZt4RejQy-J3i4gde92WPRMX7hpEvo3K3Ev7vI7CXahyiMIMNrn0bd1E1jSDo5NwhDGpBmpVBvlPLgAQMw2Ib2vuW_-A/s400/White+Sands+Missile+Range.jpg" /><span style="color: #4c1130;">Next morning we head out for Tucomcari and the same campground we stayed in on the way down. Left Tucomcari and made it home that evening.</span></div>Beaver Driverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03807640683530248791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8182816402772635271.post-67892147784640781602009-10-07T16:48:00.004-05:002011-07-30T23:22:29.387-05:002008 Where we went<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><b><i>First trip </i></b><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: small;">March 2008, spring break. Loaded up the motorhome for a short getaway. Decided to visit Oklahoma City. The drive down I-35 wasn't bad, a little rough, a little construction, a little mixmaster through the interstate system of Oklahoma City and then a lot of confusion finding the truck gate at Tinker Air Force Base, <a href="http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178&Itemid=38">http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178&Itemid=38</a> , only took three hours and I asked a lot of people how to get to the campground. Very nice campground. Did the set up thing, oops, found a water leak. Seems I had a busted heat exchanger for the hot water system. Oh well, take showers at the bath house. Next morning off we went into Oklahoma City to visit the Murrah building, the OKC bombing site. <a href="http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/">http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/</a> , I think everybody should visit this place. What with the water situation, the weather, and a not feeling well MiL we packed up and went back home. All in all, a good first shake down cruise. Found some problems that needed fixing and learned a few things about motorhoming.</span></span></span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><b><i>First real trip in our new to us motorhome</i></b></span> </span><span style="color: #783f04;">In June 2008 we took off for Wyoming and the Escapees Escapade, our first rally. We left fairly early, bout 0900 or so and headed north. We made Hastings Nebraska before dark and set up camp. Ate at a local watering hole, not bad. Next morning back on the road going north toward Grand Island then west on NEB highway 2, stopped off and looked at the old house in Cairo, and made it to Alliance. Set up camp and went to Walmart, don't know why we didn't do this in Hastings, must have been to tired I guess. Next morning going north. Stopped at Carhenge, very interesting. Back on the road heading north, down hill with a tailwind, got 36 MPG. Pretty cool huh? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwe8I5N_OScggMflYE15PlQyFgSbzWivGxljBBo2kLDVkiZb50ynC8eg3WjEr3UiK_CYVPt2s3wMrPROXiOyzoICKs-UdPIOqik_kyy51wFmMJkZ6iCoZWr5x88M6cxZGdhBfrhKMyzKQ/s1600-h/100_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwe8I5N_OScggMflYE15PlQyFgSbzWivGxljBBo2kLDVkiZb50ynC8eg3WjEr3UiK_CYVPt2s3wMrPROXiOyzoICKs-UdPIOqik_kyy51wFmMJkZ6iCoZWr5x88M6cxZGdhBfrhKMyzKQ/s320/100_0171.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Crossed the South Dakota state line and got a nice surprise. Buffalo headed in for supper, way cool. Had to stop and take a couple of pictures. </span><span style="color: #783f04;"> </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fa2SorKUeHfQtpoQhOcsbXFToj_WBQtAKqJwPq8r2KKMkFjjSmdM_U1-Ia-L-y1zth6MYQcoj1HUvE2hPSMNzT7kWe4ZVmgQhxvc0uxEupqfUOON7mEKsa1hsZYh2WSbgyzYOlvIw3g/s1600-h/Devils+Tower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fa2SorKUeHfQtpoQhOcsbXFToj_WBQtAKqJwPq8r2KKMkFjjSmdM_U1-Ia-L-y1zth6MYQcoj1HUvE2hPSMNzT7kWe4ZVmgQhxvc0uxEupqfUOON7mEKsa1hsZYh2WSbgyzYOlvIw3g/s320/Devils+Tower.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Pulled in the brand new campground not to far from Devils Tower in Wyoming and set up camp. <a href="http://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm">http://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm</a> Had dinner in the restaurant there and had a view of the tower. Tried to call home, not up here. Drove down the mountain till we got a signal. There we were on the side of the road with every car stopping to see if we were ok. Talk about a fun evening. In the morning we were off to Gillett and the rally.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.ci.gillette.wy.us/special/visitors.html">http://www.ci.gillette.wy.us/special/visitors.html</a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45mG_MKOI1rqSe0z5POjmub0dPd1EjYw0Ymu-lHNeW2RV5c2CZZ5ywYmKUNUQQL4Vd4aWQgkk_kNsgs7uY_VtjQKN9vZokHDxBbPKJ-ccr4uphErbhy5CxB8jFzJVT8Fk0dkNi430LII/s1600-h/100_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45mG_MKOI1rqSe0z5POjmub0dPd1EjYw0Ymu-lHNeW2RV5c2CZZ5ywYmKUNUQQL4Vd4aWQgkk_kNsgs7uY_VtjQKN9vZokHDxBbPKJ-ccr4uphErbhy5CxB8jFzJVT8Fk0dkNi430LII/s320/100_0173.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><b><i><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">The rally</span></i></b> <span style="color: #990000;">Got our parking place, kind of tight but doable. Hooked up everything, electric, sewer, and water. Didn't know that the fresh water tank didn't have a "I'm full switch". Went into town to get something to eat and when we got back there was a lake where we parked. Luckily one of the neighbors shut off the water before everything floated away. Got everything setup the way it should be and went to the pavilion to check in and get our goodies. Signed up for the Motorhome Defensive Driving Course, and wandered around looking at RV stuff. This could get expensive so we controlled ourselves. Back to the camping spot and had dinner. I had signed up for RV Boot Camp so away I went Thursday morning, back to school. During the ten days were were attending the rally we met some very nice folks and exchanged email addresses, now where did we put those things??? The only bad thing that happened was the TV antennae broke which I got fixed fairly quick and getting a signal for the puter. A wonderful ten day first long outing.</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><i> </i></b> </span></div>Beaver Driverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03807640683530248791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8182816402772635271.post-60075966583742293482009-10-05T14:56:00.016-05:002011-07-30T23:31:11.769-05:00How we got started<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Hello, my name is Mike. I am married to the most beautiful and smart woman in the world, Pat. We have three furbabies, Becki (Toy Poodle), Jazzi (Yorkshire Terrier), and Lexus (Toy Poodle), two offspring, Mike Jr. and Amanda, and one Granddaughter, Jenah Noel. We currently live in south central Kansas but plan to become houseless by the end of 2012. I am retired from the US Military (U.S. Army/U.S. Air Force), and Civil Service (U.S. Air Force, DLA, and DCMA). Combined I have a little over 38 years of service. Pat is an Educator at the local school teaching fourth grade. She will be retiring in 2012 with 30 years of service.</i></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCoOHoAs0fs23eRUugw0uSN1QPJUgQ3AyOkilZqep1oSjmNcr025SCtjzH0-RdFldaIQ4UkYzuAwemz_aZ07Rb-9EcECapJmzkAO2ra2suOJp15upVhY4u69IUeeQse8ceG09-KCfxKY/s1600-h/Wedding+Day+1973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCoOHoAs0fs23eRUugw0uSN1QPJUgQ3AyOkilZqep1oSjmNcr025SCtjzH0-RdFldaIQ4UkYzuAwemz_aZ07Rb-9EcECapJmzkAO2ra2suOJp15upVhY4u69IUeeQse8ceG09-KCfxKY/s320/Wedding+Day+1973.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Yg2wtT7fjuC-gMYtGzZ-Pb7hQUlf4ZAYER-TVPNPvZ-QHfJczedIjtsH83gOCYEphLhq-tSruBIRPNVlJSyOIbcd3I8FQYCXKvFxEDpaW6ZNSFNybT0xl8iSK3sU59XeU6XASM1QmR0/s1600-h/1968ChevyVan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i></i></span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Way back in 1973 my girlfriend, Pat, and I bought a 1969 Chevrolet C10 van. It had a dinette, Coleman Stove, ice box, and a bench seat along the side that converted into a bed. This van would qualify as a class 'B' motorhome today. </i></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>In November of that year we decided to get married, this picture was taken on our wedding day just before we took off on our honeymoon to Paris. We never got to Paris, didn't like France, and ended up going to Luxemburg, Belgium and then back to Germany. We traveled and camped in this quite a bit over the next year or so seeing a lot of the German coutrysiide and sights. </i></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWHNSp-0xCNxRbLdNRGGB-LcNC846DbOQjAAJaWYGgk6p5coIkWDgZtbGfjswLHGABX6LKcV_PylhwnxQ9TjCRucgyS5dEkq0TOBAMqK2kPHoVwE0zKpjNZ-sq85ZIKm4qtkhJsmpwjY/s1600-h/PICT0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWHNSp-0xCNxRbLdNRGGB-LcNC846DbOQjAAJaWYGgk6p5coIkWDgZtbGfjswLHGABX6LKcV_PylhwnxQ9TjCRucgyS5dEkq0TOBAMqK2kPHoVwE0zKpjNZ-sq85ZIKm4qtkhJsmpwjY/s320/PICT0032.JPG" /></a></div><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">2001</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Bought a big motorcycle and started touring. </span></i><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">2003, built a trailer to pull behind the motorcycle. Started doing some real touring. Oklahoma, Colorado, South Dakota, Arkansas, North Carolina, Missouri, and all the states in between.</span></i></div><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Skip forward to 2005. I started to look at retirement and thought I would see what was out there in the RV world. Information overload. We looked at many many RVs. We would travel to far away places and look at RVs. Finally we settled on a class 'A' motorhome. Gas or Diesel??? I wanted diesel, she didn't want the noise. Out we go looking at class A motorhomes. She wasn't impressed with the gas coaches and so we settled on a diesel. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">2006. We start looking on Ebay. Very good resource BTW. We drove to Houston over the Christmas break and visited PPL motorhomes. Again, information overload. We spent the day there looking at what must have been every know brand, size, and shape of diesel motorhome. None met the criteria. Off we go to north Houston, Best Pre-Owned RVs. Great people. They let us walk through just about every diesel motorhome they had. I liked them all she wasn't all that impressed. Back home and Ebay. I retired in September 2007. Still looking, having decided we would be buying after New Years. Found one in Mesa AZ. Drove down in February and looked, nope, not the one. I had hired a guy to do an inspection, well that didn't work out. I asked if he would be willing to drive around and look, he was willing and away we went. Found a 2000 Beaver Contessa and a 2001 Safari Panther 455.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Liked them both. The Beaver was 40' the Safari was 42'. That extra 2' looked a little imposing, I had doubts about getting this beast into some of the campgrounds we hoped camp in. Looked some more, nothing to compare with the two already found. Decided to sleep on it and head home in the morning. Got a call from my inspector, he had Blue Booked both units, both were under Blue Book. O boy. Heading home up near Payson Pat called, I told her about what I had found and asked if I should go back and look some more, I had the dealers email photos home so she said no come on home and we'll talk about it. At home we looked and looked at the pictures, and Ebay, and talked and talked. She didn't like the monkeys on the dining chairs of the Safari so that one was out. We talked some more. She asked which one I liked better. I said the Beaver. The rest is history.</span></i><br />
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</div>Beaver Driverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03807640683530248791noreply@blogger.com0