Off the Grid

The Rockhound State park, near Deming, NM, was full (no surprise), so Theresa searched for other possibilities.

Not impressed with last years Little Vineyard RV resort, a wider search spans revealed several viable options. Since Passport America came through the previous night, Theresa looked at those first. One was called LoW-HI RV park, which in further research was the Loners on Wheels - Headquarters International (a singles membership club). Maybe that was not quite suitable for the couple of almost 40 years. Yet another intriguing park, Hidden Valley Ranch, boasted it was 10 min off 1-10 but well worth it. Hummm ... sounds good so Theresa called to see if they had any openings. She was informed yes they had openings and did indeed take Passport America making the full hook (50amp) up rate $12.81. WOW that is the lowest rate to date for full hook up, could it be too good to be true? Theresa then asked for directions and was informed of a right turn off of a hwy and there would be a sign followed by a short gravel road with road signs every mile(humm how many miles). She also was assured that the roads were smooth and suitable for the big rig with a toad. With that reassurance the hook was set for this slight deviation from the safety of I-10.

The exit was made off I-10 with a left turn heading north from Deming. The first sign for the park was a slight right off hwy 180. The next sign was after a cattle crossing and said 7 miles to HVR and it promised it would be worth it... Within feet the road turned to gravel. Kevin's throat tightened up a bit as the road was just wide enough for the RV, there were no places to make a U-turn and there is no backing up with the toad attached. There were one or 2 oncoming trucks that would slow to pass as the drivers gave a farewell wave. Kevin could not go over 15mph on the washboard surface to keep the gravel from pelting the RV and the Toad. It felt like entering a remote dessert zone that even Walter White would think was too remote to set up his mobile lab.


The dead cow in the field seemed to be the first omen of doom. It was soon confirmed by a 'Open Range' sign that looked like the Mafia had done target practice on it in prep for the Valentines day massacre.

With every mile marker it seemed to be another chapter right out of a Stephen King novel, where strange and bizarre things happen to folks venturing out in scarcely populated spaces and encounter a different bread of humanity or odd phenomena.


The mile markers counted down as a Red roof was finally spotted with a entry arch marking the entrance to Hidden Valley Ranch (it does exist!). Next the arch was a grave with boots sticking up to welcome those that pass.

Kevin was warn to a frazzle, so Theresa went to the office to check in. The Passport price was indeed a whopping $12.81, with another $2 for internet (there was no Verizon service).

ATT service was non-existent as well so this was truly 'off the grid'.

The wind made the 45 degree temp feel like 32 so the hatches were battened down with plans for the furnace and movies via DVDs tonight.

With weather conditions constantly evolving in Texas and beyond, Kevin turned the Satellite antenna on to let it begin the search process in an effort to get a weather channel. Surely in this wide open space it will find a signal in the sky. Kevin looked at the advanced settings and entered the current Zipcode. Then he unplugged the satellite receiver let it sit for 20-30 min, then plugged it all back in. To his delight service was found! He had been battling this all last year and has had unhelpful guidance from both Direct TV and Wineguard technicians, so after much experimenting the past year he is now confident he has found the correct procedures when in transit.

Kevin braved the cold to plug in the engine heater late in the evening so that there would be no delay in the start tomorrow. As he looked up, he so impressed with how bright and distinct all the stars were that he went in to pry Theresa from the warmth of the coach to share the night sky. Orion (and all his belt) as well as the Big Dipper were well defined with the absence of any city lights for 100's of miles. It was spectacular!

Anticipating at least 1.5 hours to get back onto I-10 (vs the advertised 10 min), it will be an early start tomorrow with a destination of Balmorea State Park in TX.

2015 Catchup and Hemet Extraction

Kevin's new hobby!

As if he needs something new to spend his time and (her) money on, Kevin brought not 1 but 3 remote controlled airplanes to 'play' with in Hemet. Last year he scouted out a model airplane field just a few miles from GVP. On calm (wind that is) mornings he will leave the RV between 8 and 9 AM and not return until around noon. He as successfully completed take off and landing many times with each plane and for the most-part all the planes have come back relatively unscathed. He has had to bend the landing gear back into their proper position several times, and only ran into a fence post one time after one of the many rough landings. Kevin had always wanted to get his private pilots license, based on his landing skills it is a good thing for all that he never accomplished this goal.

The planes live in the Jeep leaving no room for any other storage nor dog transport. If Zin needs to be transported she squeezes into the passenger leg area requiring Theresa to be careful not to catch Zin's tail in the door as she wedges herself into the only remaining area. The fragile planes are safe and secured in the entire back (rear seats down) space, while the passengers in the jeep are squished into their seats much like passengers on an airline.

Hemet Cycling

Kevin and Theresa were able to bike with the Diamond Valley Vellos a few times in Dec & Jan, however the group proved to be too fast for Theresa's speed. Kevin stayed with her and the two would bring up the rear and generally find a short cut or alternate path to keep with the group.

Theresa did venture out and ride a 26 mile mountain bike trail around Diamond Valley Lake one morning while Kevin was flying his planes. It was very scenic, relatively flat and not very utilized. She did manage find the only water on the entire loop so came back splattered with mud.

RVers are really nice folks!

Seems everywhere Kevin and Theresa stop or stay they meet some very nice folks with lots of great stories. Their neighbor at GVP, Woody, would stop by around 4-5pm with his beverage in hand and chat for a bit. He was a X-shop teacher, who lived in Southern Cal for a bit as well as Montana. He an his wife had been one of the first folks to take up residency in the park. Sadly his wife died after a second stroke had left her paralyzed. Woody is 80 years young and was recovering from Open heart surgery.

Several other folks were introduced via Zin... as she frequented the doggy park several times throughout the day as well as folks who would walk by her as she sunned outside the RV. Tucker (owners Jude and Tim) was one of the first to be introduced. Then there was Diego, who remembered Zin from last year and they picked up right where the left off as they chased each other around the confines of the dog-park. Lexie as well as many others were also in attendance at the weekly 'Bark & Wine' social. Zin loved meeting all her new friends!

Theresa's Mom's move back home!

At the end of January, Theresa's Mom was very ready to return back to her home from the Assisted Living Facility. Once home her mom quickly returned to most of her prior activities such as exercise class, crafts, and even playing golf. She is not able to drive her car but Dorothy(Theresa's sister) got her golf cart working again and she was able to drive that to her functions.

She is moving around very well and will use her cane and walker if needed. Her speech however is still an issue. She has finished with the Speech Therapy for now. Her condition is called Apraxia http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/ApraxiaAdults/ and is a result of the stroke. The ST has helped and she is dealing with it by writing down what she is trying to say or showing others what she wants/needs. She is making it work. Kevin, Theresa and all the family is just in awe of her Mom's determination and continue to be amaze at her recovery!

Pickle ball 

Theresa and Kevin did not get to play as much pickleball as they would have liked but they did sign up for a fundraiser Tournament held at the Park. There were two divisions one for the men and one for the women. Each person played with a different partner for 5 games. The individual with the most wins and scored points was the winner. It was an interesting way to run the event and seemed to work out just fine. Theresa and Kevin each had 1 win and not very many points, so nowhere on the leader board :( However, they did enjoy the chance to play and meet others from the park.

Visitors

In early Feb Kevin and Theresa got an email from Scuba & RV buddies from NC, Ron & Tracy Clanton, that they would be in the area and would like to be able to come to GVP for a visit and tour the park. It was great to see familiar faces and spend some time chatting about RV plans for 2015. After all it was Ron and Tracy that got Kevin and Theresa into this RV in the first place... It's all their fault! Hopefully some of the future adventures will be together!

RV (Repair Vortex)

Theresa was enjoying using the recently repaired dishwasher in the RV for about 1 month until it started to run continuously trying to drain water. As she discovered the water was in the basin below the machine and therefore would not drain. She had to mop it up with a towel to get the machine to turn off properly. After several calls to some of the mobile service providers, one agreed to come out and have a look. Brad from EMT RV gave it a valiant try but was unable to diagnose what was wrong. Kevin has added this item to the list of repairs to be looked at back in FL at Alliance.

Theresa also arranged to have the holding tanks cleaned out so that #1 the indicators would read accurate levels and #2 there would no longer be a horrible, awful, foul, disgusting smell permeating the entire inside of the RV when the tanks are full.

Hash run in San Diego

The annual AGM for the SDH3 (drinking club with a running problem) was held on Feb 15th. Kevin and Theresa extended their stay to be sure they were able to attend this event. Any former GMs (including Kevin, AKA Rambyte) were recognized as well as the new mis-management announced. There was a eagle, turkey and walking trails. Theresa (AKA Mainframe) accompanied her friend of old, Bumps, on the 3 mile walk so they could catch up a bit while Rambyte took the high road and ran/walked the 4 mile Turkey trail. At the On In there were several hashers from the past including InUenDo, Cat, Deep Throat, Poppins, Irish Cream, Game Boy, Bed Post, Shane, Interloper, Jock, Low Impact, Chicken poop, Pigeon, Soggy Buns, LaBoof, … and of course Dogfish had trays and trays of meat and other delectable delights for consumption!

In addition to the aging Hashers, (though they showed little evidence of that) there were a noticeable amount of young fresh blood running and continuing the craziness that is the Hash. Even a dad with his 2 kids, one in a baby jogger brought back memories of Rambyte pushing Pinhead(Kassel) with Squealer(Kiehl) running close behind! The Hash lives On On!

Visit to San Diego

Kiehl met up with his parents for one last day in Fallbrook at Dorothy's. Kevin and Kiehl did dueling quad copters and Theresa and Kiehl discussed plans for his upcoming nuptials in October.

Several last hugs were exchanged and then Kiehl was back to LA and Kevin and Theresa headed into SD for the hash run (see above).

After the Hash the two headed to La Jolla to stay at Raps (hash name) for the evening. Rap graciously offered to host a get together the next evening for all those who wanted to see the 'Bytes' while they were in the area.

Rap had just completed a 100 mile bicycle ride in Palm springs the previous day and suggested Grilling some steaks for the evenings meal... Kevin and Theresa had no arguments with that!

The next AM, all three marched thru the mansions of La Jolla Farms to a trail down the cliff to Blacks Beach. Blacks Beach is named for the color of the sand and is noted for its surfing and nude sun bathing. The trio was 3.5 miles into the walk when Kevin got a call from his Mom which triggered the turnaround point and march back up a paved live guard road to the top of the cliff. The top of the cliff was the notorious 'Torrey Pines' as in golf course and Glider port as well as home to UCSD??? All familiar stomping grounds to Kevin and Theresa 20 years ago! Thank goodness not much has changed in this area.

Kevin and Theresa also made a excursion to RoadRunner Sports for some new running/walking shoes and socks! They were both fitted by the Shoe dog and had custom inserts made to form fit their tired feet!

On to the party! Rap concocted her house favorite margaritas as folks arrived. The latest adventures, dramas and tribulations were shared as all the old friends reminisced mutual past experiences and good times. It was great to see everyone again. Many thanks to Rap for being the ultimate host!, and for bringing the Smit's extended family back together one more time.

The next morning was started with another hike down to the beach, this time La Jolla Shores.

3.7 mile, half up hill, was enough for the party weary couple. Then it was time to load up and make the trek back to Hemet for a few last days at GVP.

Hemet Extraction

After 2.5 months at it's stationary address, the Smitanic was prepared for it's inevitable departure. Theresa spent 2 hours cleaning the BBQ Grill so that it sparkled, Kevin rearranged all his planes, as well as found room for all the buckets of RV, biking and required paraphernalia for the trip. How will it all fit??? Closets, under bed, every cupboard, as well as all the basement storage was packed to the hilt! All counter tops were cleared of anything that would not stand the moving earthquake that was to ensue as the Smitanic rolled down I-10. All drawers and sliding Doors were locked and secured. Any obstacles in the way of the slide-outs were put up on the bed or sofas.

Kevin stopped at the office to confirm our departure and reserve the same spot for later this year when the Smitanic plans to return in October in time for the wedding!

On Thursday, Feb 19th, the Smitanic lifeline of water, power, sewer and cable were disconnected and stowed without any missteps. All was ready for the exit stage left....

Woody stood by to witness as the Smitanic made a sharp right out of site 921 and circled the parks roads so the Toad could be hooked up for the trip East. Let's roll!

Quartzsite

The rock-haven of Quartzsite was the first destination. After all, Kevin and Theresa were members of the local Yacht Club (really a restaurant/bar) which demanded a revisit. To vary and reduce expenses an alternate RV park called Dessert Gardens RV park was selected as they offered Dry Camping (no hook up) for $10. After reconsidering a need for electric hook up an upgraded site with full hook up was chosen for the night for $30, so much for economics. Now in Mountain time one hour lost in the first day left little time for much other than a meal at the Yacht Club, some down time and preparation the for the next days trek. Notable missed attractions in Quartzsite would be the Oasis Bookstore that a GVP resident said not to miss. Presumably the proprietor is naked... well maybe next time.

Picacho Peak

In planning the destinations for the East trip back to FL, Theresa looked at state parks that were not to far off the I-10 route. Picacho Peak seemed an interesting park that offered camping as well as lots of hiking trails. The online reservation site showed the campground was completely full for the weekend... bummer. The Sams Club site however showed another campground with in .5 miles that had plenty of openings. Done deal.

Theresa drove for the first hour and then swapped with Kevin so he could navigate thru Phoenix and into Picacho Peak which was equidistance between Phoenix and Tucson.

Theresa paid for 2 nights so that the parks hiking trails could be explored the next day at their leisure. :)

The trail selection was limited to one moderate 6 mile trek and one very difficult (gloves recommended) 4 mile trail. Zin opted for the moderate trail with the plan to turn around if things got unsurmountable. Equipped with rarely used hiking boots, hiking sticks and enough water for the three, Kevin, Theresa and Zin embarked on the upward leading trail lined with dessert flowers and giant cacti as far as one could see. The views were breath taking as the trail wound higher and higher in elevation. Large wooded ties were placed on the trail as steps ascended up the slope. At the base of the perpendicular rock cables were placed to help ease the steep climb, then dual cables lined what looked like a ladder up the rock. Zin called it at this point thinking she could get up but the decent would not be very safe as she had no way to grip the cables :)) Theresa led the way back with Zin wedged between her and Kevin at the back. The return trail seemed long as the seldom warn boots where wearing blisters and old knees ached with the steep decline. With the 5.5 mile trail complete the team was rewarded with Dairy Queen! Yes this is Zin's favorite :)

Showers, dinner and updating this blog were on the agenda for the evening as well as planning the next days journey. Deming, NM perhaps where there is a winery to visit :)

Winding down 2014

Assistance Please!

Soon after the arrival it was time to move Theresa's mom, Helen, to an Assisted Living facility in Hemet. It has been a big adjustment for her and for all the family. Hopefully she will get into a pattern and it will feel more like home.

As part of helping Helen adjust to the new facility Theresa, Dorothy, and Kevin moved some of Helen's personal items into the new facility. In addition, Kiehl & Madison came to Hemet for a day and helped get their grandma's room ready for her arrival.

Once Helen had settled into the new facility Kevin and Theresa drove in to LA for Xmas Eve with Kiehl, Madison, and her family, see pictures. In LA the Smit's were able to hike up to a scenic peak in the heart of Brentwood , made Christmas cookies and enjoyed Xmas Eve dinner with Kiehl and Madison's family!  Way Fun. Nothing better than family at Christmas.

Christmas morning Kevin and Theresa drove back to Hemet to spend Christmas day with Theresa's Mom and her family. They did the drive in 1 ½ hours. The route normally takes from 2 to 12 hours depending on LA TRAFFIC. WHY DOES ANYONE LIVE HERE?
Theresa's Mom's was able to escape for Xmas day and spent it at her home with Theresa, Kevin, Dorothy (Theresa's sister) and Dorothy's kids and the newest (great) grandson Oliver. See pics here.

The day after Xmas, Theresa and Kevin got a call that Theresa's Mom was on the way to the ER. It was learned that she fell in the bathroom and had a gouge in her head. Kevin and Theresa made it the the ER before Helen was admitted into the system. This gave Dorothy a chance to arrive from her home in Fallbrook, CA to also be there for her mother. Dorothy has been a Nurse her entire adult life and understands the ins and outs of an ER. CAT Scan and X-rays were ordered. Helen remained in the ER hallway as all beds were occupied. Actually Kevin and Theresa counted no less than 6 open beds while Helen lay in the hall way. Cat Scan of her head and Xrays of her hip came back OK and after 3-4 hours in the ER She was moved to a bed long enough to be cleaned up (she was covered with blood from head to toe), and then able to return back to the Assisted Living. Kevin and Theresa drove Helen back to the Assisted living facility. Dorothy spent the evening with Helen in her room to ensure all was good thru the night and into the next day. Helen was bruised from head to toe as if she had participated in a kick boxing contest.

Helen was moving around the next day just fine and even wanted to partake in the morning exercise class. What and ANIMAL. She still has trouble speaking, but can write, read and understand most of what you tell her. She is still going to Speech Therapy so she is hoping for more improvement. “Crossing fingers”. Helen recognizes that what she is communicating is not the words she is hearing in her own head. This continues to frustrate her as she says: “one time good, then not”.    or   “CRAZY”.
 
On the RV front ... 

The RV was long overdue for a wash & wax (this event also included the Toad (Jeep) as well :). Kevin had been building a repair list of items that needed attention as the couple traveled from east to west across the US. He had made calls to mobile a RV repair company to get on their very busy schedule in Hemet. The repair list continued to grow as one of the slide-outs had both bolts bust somehow when moving the slide in and back out for the washing/waxing and it was not able to slide back in. This was then added to the repair list that included: a drawer that won't close, Awning would not close, Holding tank sensors not working, Satellite TV not working, Front Passenger Tire pressure valve stem leaking.....on and on. After Xmas the mobile RV team came out and took care of most of the items on site. Slide now works, Drawer is fixed, tire valve repaired, awning was adjusted (lesson learned... never fully extend the patio awning), and to Kevin's surprise the suggestion of unplugging the satellite TV, wait 20 min, then plug back in fixed that as well.

These guys get a 5 gold star rating!

In addition, with the lower temps (hovering around freezing at night) the propane needed filled so Zin and Theresa could stay warm! There was a mobile propane service that was called out and within 5 min the tank was filled. LIFE IS GOOD!

On a side note.... Kevin had been noticing the RV was getting hard to start when it sat more than 2 days in a row as it made its way across the US. With this information gnawing at him he attempted to start the RV after two and a half weeks in site 921 in GVP to see how well the RV would start. Wa Wa Wa wa wa w ….ah. Let it rest, try again. Wa Wa wa w...a.

Let it rest, try again. Wa wa w...a. Let it rest, try again. Wa....a. CRAP.

OK try axillary start. This is a BRILLIANT switch that calls into play the 4 house batteries to assist the Two Chasse Batteries to start the RV.

Nnnnn..... NOT.

CRAP!

Kevin's next move was to pull the Jeep up next to the RV and connect jumper cables between the Jeep (the toad) and the RV to see if he could jump start the RV. Positive to positive, Negative to Negative (red to red, black to black). COOL ready to try. With the Jeep running and feeding life giving electrons to the RV, Kevin climbed into the RV. Key was placed into the ignition, Key turned one click, dash board lit up, buzzers began to sound, lights went thru the normal elimination followed by each one slowly going dark. The only lights expected to remain on were: Park Brake, Wait to Start (heating the engine block), Low Air (air brakes and suspension air bags needing to get to proper pressure). Slowly each light darkened. Time to turn the key one more notch. WAA.. WAA.HMMMMMMMMMM. Started! Kevin leaped out of the RV, Diesel purring at 900 rpms. Jumper cables carefully removed to ensure the contacts did not inadvertently touch before all contacts were safely secured. Jeep was moved back into its proper parking spot. RV was left running for 20 minutes, charging chasse batteries.

Kevin will need to seek additional insight into the need for new chasse batteries, or what it might be that is draining 3 yr old batteries. Add this to a New List of repair items. RV = Repair Vortex!

GVP - Golden Village Palms RV Resort, a RVers (mostly Canadian) Vacation Mecca 

There is so much to do here and Kevin and Theresa want to partake much more than the previous year! To date only a few facilities have been explored including:

Signed up for a Doors tribute band concert in Jan, attended the welcome reception, played pickleball with Kiehl & Madz, used the jacuzzi a few times as well as the work out room. Walking the park perimeter is 1 mile so that will log about 3K steps on a Fitbit. Most days the 10K goal is met, but with the low temps and other priorities there are some missed days.

Kevin got the bikes off the jeep and got them road worthy. The chains have been sitting out in the elements for over two months and look like they are made from old junk yard iron. Fully Rusted and red as North Carolina Clay. Kevin used all forms of lubrication known to man kind. He was concerned with the effects of mixing multiple flammable oil type lubricants to break the chains free from the frozen state. Finally got to take a 10 mile ride on the mountain bikes pulling Zinfandal(dog) in the dog trailer. That was enough for a bit of a shakedown. Hopefully the miles will expand as the temps increase. The couple had to take two days off to recover from this 10 mile strenuous bicycle ride at a 10 mph pace. Kevin has also located a group that rides from Hemet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9 am. The group is a no drop style ride, they also have nicknames for each of the riders (sounds like Thorns N Roses). They have a blog that is written after each ride and they post the route and pace of that days ride. The pace of the group is currently a little too aggressive for Kevin and Theresa who have been off of the bicycle and sitting in the comfort of the RV for far too long.

Kevin has located a remote control air field and has pestered a guy in the RV park that works on remote airplanes to get any of the 3 planes he brought with him in the air. Kevin has been practicing on a RC trainer computer program for months now and is anxious to make it real.

He has been seen in the RV park flying his Quad Copter.

Looking forward to 2015

New Years there will be a family gathering as Theresa's sister Mary Jean will be here and hopefully Kiehl and Madz can visit as well.

Consider this blog as the Smit's Christmas card to you as there will be none in the (e)mail this year.

May 2015 be one of Joy, Health, Wealth, Peace and Good Being.

Make a Difference every day.

You have arrived!

As time to part was of little concern on Saturday, Kevin and Theresa discussed the need for a mandatory gem stop, to secure yet some more local memorabilia. However the first priority was a Breakfast stop to experience additional local color. Once Breakfast was consumed they headed out to secure some of the Gems and Rocks that are the attractions of Quartzite.

Quartzite still has an active gold mine. Rock Hounds still roam the hills to unearth other gems and petrified wood. They then sell these to tourists. Some of the rocks are polished and some are left in their natural state. Still others are cut and set into jewelry.

The team drove up and down both sides of Quartzite to find the best ROCK/Gem site to visit. They quickly discovered that there are no/limited Shops. All the vendors are located in the dozens of roadside Flee markets that line the side roads. The Morning was still early and the prior evenings rain storm had all the flee markets tables still covered in tarps. Beside each tent and table was an old RV, Trailer, 5th wheel that clearly had not moved for years. This is were old RVs go to rest and provide shelter for the Flee Market vendors.

Eventually after several loops around Quartzite the team landed at a local Gem shop were the owner was a long time resident and well known rock hound and jeweler. He even had a rock museum were his most important finds were displayed but not for sale.

Kevin and Theresa spent more than an hour with the Rock Hound learning all about the various rocks of the area and how they are prepared for jewelry or polished as individual stones that may later be set into jewelry. A couple of eye catching pieces were purchased and happy holiday was wished to owner upon leaving. It was now time to prep for departure.

In preparation for the trip, the Jeep was lined up with the tow bars. Simultaneously as this
procedure was being performed, connections were made with the friendly neighbors. They were Canadian's (as it seems most of the Rvers were all Canadian's). He was a retired Fire Chief. He and Kevin hit it off as if they were long lost friends. Both Kevin and Ron (the Canadian) were equally concerned about the Patio Awning and the concern that it still may deploy at highway speeds even with the bungee cords attempting to hold it in place. Ron the Fire Chief confirmed that if the gut says something is not solidly correct you must deal with it before it creates yet a more disastrous end. This is the same training that Kevin has come to appreciate as a technical SCUBA diver. You MUST address each potential problem and resolve it completely before it compounds into a life threatening situation. With the confirmation that more is required to secure the Patio Awning, Kevin sent Theresa up the ladder to Lash the Patio awning down with rope to lash it down. Theresa is the best for this challenge as she is far more steady on the ladder and she understands how to tie a proper lashing. Kevin has failed in every attempt to learn the art of knots and lashings. He always ends up with a slip knot no matter his attempt to do a bowline or other type of lashing. As thew neighbors continued to chat is was discovered that Ron and his wife will also be at GVP in Hemet in Feb. A Pickleball challenge was made as safe travels were wished. Small world! RVers are just so friendly!

A convenient Pilot gas station was just before the entrance to 1-10 so that was the first stop. Filler 'er up!

As I-10 was entered only 11 miles from the CA border, there was a large industrial plant to the north west near Blythe. Theresa google-wikipedia-idiot-ed-it to discover it was an experimental solar farm! CA needs all the energy it can get so this was an amazing structure.

At mile marker 1 of Arizona Kevin and Theresa spied a road sign they remembered from the prior years trip. It announced the names of a couple of their best friends from the college days at Iowa State. The sign was Erenburg - Parker. This immediately reminded Kevin and Theresa of Dave Parker and Bob Ehrenburger, two individuals that Kevin and Theresa spent a lot of time together during the college years.

Once into California , even more renewable energy was observed as the team approached Palm Springs. There were wind farms that stretched in the valleys as well the hilltops! These massive structures had expanded in population since the last year! They seemed to multiply and stretch far into the distance.

As the route threaded into Beaumont, the Idlewild and Big Bear mountains were unveiled with a bit of snow frosting on the very peaks. The previous days/nights storms had left Snow at the highest elevations and very green pastures beneath and very clear blue skies far above. This was most dramatic as the Smitanic made it's final decent into the Hemet Valley!

One more right turn and “Destination is on your right!” was announced by the GPS as the entery in to GVP (Golden Village Palms) was made. 

Just like meeting an old friend, it seemed like everything was as it was left! This place was full of excitement and energy that will be leveraged for the stay. It was an immediate reassurance that this is such a good fit for the winter's stay!

Zin required immediate relief so that was a priority. On the return to the RV some new folks were greeted and introductions were made. More RV tips were gathered as well as pending pickleball challenges.

Dinner was with Theresa's mom at her rehab Facility along with sisters Dorothy, Carol and Bob. Theresa's Mom is doing great moving along without a wheel chair ,just a walker. Her speech is still not completely understandable, but every now and then there will be a phrase that makes it all make sense.

The hope is to meet up with Kiehl and Madz on Thursday :) As well as line up RV repairs for drawer, awning, satellite TV and a wash and wax for the RV.

The bikes have been extracted from the Jeep where they have rested for the last 6 weeks, and are in need of much attention as well.

There may not be any posts until after the holidays so Kevin and Theresa wish every one a very Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years!

Gem in the desert

The Penultimate day was planned to be about 280 miles to somewhere on the West side of AZ.

In the last days in Benson, AZ, another RVer stopped by when Kevin was playing with his new toy, a Quadcopter. He introduced himself as Ron and handed Kevin his 'card'. (Kevin & Theresa need to make some cards so that they can share this blog and their contact info as they meet folks). Ron shared several RV 'secrets' with Kevin.

Use Armourall on the awnings to make them hold up better, this was from his experiences from surviving a tornado in Savannah, GA. His wife was hunkered down in the bedroom with her rosary and he and Freddy (the dog) where up front to witness the spectacle. His truck had $7K damage and his RV was all fine. Even the plastic sunroof on the shower was fine. He did have to shovel off the 4-6 inches of hail on his slide-out covers.

Magnets can be used to attach the external sunshades to the front and side windows vs snaps . Ron elaborated on how rare earth magnets are very powerful and can be used thru the double pain windows to hold the shades. Also it makes putting the shades up and bringing them down a non-snap (he-he). (As Kevin unsnapped ours 3 of the snap grommets busted... magnets will be on our improvement list.)

As we left Butterfield RV Resort there were safe travel wishes to Ron, Loree and Freddy.

Before the couple were able to exit the park Kevin noticed that the Break Away cable indicator was not illuminated on the Break Buddy System. This suggested to him that the break buddy had not been fully configured. The RV was parked just inside the gate of the park to resolve the issue. Kevin and Theresa worked together to once again initiate the Break Buddy (Tows remote breaking system) set up. The results of this second attempt resolved the issue and the Simitanic was ready to truly shove off to ports west.

Kevin had heard from one of the other RVers that Quartzsite was a mecca to RVs. Mostly for boone-docking or dry camping. Boone-docking is where your RV is self-sustained...no hook up! Any power is via generator, water is via a pump from the onboard tank and any waste goes in the holding tanks. For the one night stand and upcoming weather this would not be suitable tonight so any of the other RV Park accommodations would be the preference.

As the route headed West, Kevin prompted Theresa to consider Quartzsite as the nights destination. The weather was hovering over LA and heading East. The winds were picking up and Kevin was feeling its push and pull in between semis and any bridge or mountain range.

Time to pack it in! Theresa called a 'resort' in Quartzsite to see if they had open spaces. No Problem! Just come on in! Was the reply. As the town was approached several RVs were spotted randomly in the desert looking like a Breaking Bad episode!

Once checked into the Holiday Palms Resort, the winds were gusting even stronger. As the set up process unfolded Kevin noticed the patio awning was pulling away from the side of the RV. As part of the days departure efforts he had noticed the same issue and had nudged the awning into its completely stowed position. Apparently the awning had defied his attempts to stay in place and with the bouncing of the roads and strong winds the awning had again started to deploy rather than stay in the closed position. Theresa fetched the ladder, Kevin found several small bungee cords, climbed the latter and once again forced the Patio Awning back into its properly closed position. He then wrapped a couple of the bungee cords around the arms of the awning in hopes that this will keep the awning from deploying while headed down the roads on the last full day of travel. This is one more item to add to the RV list (RV = Repair Vortex). This was completed and Kevin finally rested after his 6 hours of practically non-stop driving!

No cooking tonight, is was time to find some local color! After some investigation Theresa found just the right spot.... the Quartzsite Yacht Club! It had a interesting history and even offered happy hour!

This was a classic local color type place as the server Samantha, offered to get ice for Theresa's wine! All the old salts filled the place and left no table empty. Kevin and Theresa decided it was their duty to join the Yacht club! The membership gave them a T-shirt, hat, and certificate as well as entry into any other Yacht Club... What a deal!

Tomorrow will be the last day of driving in to Hemet, CA. Before leaving there will sure to be a stop at a local 'rock' shop to get a sample of the areas gems!

Step up to the plate!

That's what you do when life throws you a curve ball. Several fine folks staying in the park, who were met on Monday, are doing just that and in grand style!



One Canadian lady named Sandra is camping in a 40 foot rig all by herself. She is a single mother and raised three children. She bought the rig so that she and her sister(Who had just lost her husband) could travel together. However her sister passed away one month before they left.:( Sandra often hooks up with other RVers in a group called RVillage.com.




Her next stop is Texas to take care of folks who are coming back from missionary assignments in Mexico. Her work involves glamorous things like cleaning toilets and laundry and any other assignment. 
In talking to her, Kevin was spouting out his 'bucket list items' including events such as Pumpkin Chunkin and Sturgis Motorcycle Ralley and Burning Man. Sandra mentioned she is a motorcycle rider in Canada and still rides a motorcycle. Kevin was impressed with this and even more impressed when she declared that when she was 17 she was the queen of Sturgis! AWESOME! Sandra I hope you read this and know you are truly an inspiration!

Another gentleman that Kevin struck a conversation with, is hear by himself with his wife back in Pennsylvania. His wife is preparing with their daughter for a soon-to-be second grandchild. He is here to get cancer treatments for his the third relapse. He's very excited about his doctor and the treatments that he's receiving. The treatments are the same that his twin brother received however his twin brother passed . The treatments seem to be working for him so he's excited about that. He is in a toy-hauler that helps him transport his three wheeled motorcycle. He enjoys tooling around on that when he's not in treatment.

Yet one more Canadian gentleman pulled in with his fifth wheel late in the afternoon with his double axle fifth wheel. He strolled over after he got all set up to share that he had a tire blow-out as he was heading to TX with his new fifth wheel. After he changed it with his spare and got back on the road then the second tire on the other side blew out. He ended up replacing all four tires. In talking to some locals they pointed him to a place/person that was able to hook him up with new treads. He was needless to say very relieved to be finally in a campsite but the day had it run its toll on him. His advise was immediately replace factory tires with brand new quality tires!So much for the carefree RV life! RV = Repair Vortex

On Tuesday there were a few meetings to attend to in the morning and then off to visit the Kartchner Caverns State Park

It was only two exits away and a short drive off of the main freeway. The reservations required you to be there one hour prior to tour time, so that left time to watch a video and look at a lot of the displays in the Discovery Center about the cave. The story was amazing about how the cave was discovered and kept secret for 14 years until it was made a park so that it could be protected.

The discovery of the cave required crawling through a hole that was equal to the opening of a clothes hanger. The two collage students who made the discovery must have been very skinny and agile. Not something that Kevin nor Theresa would even attempt in there current age and state of fitness and mobility :)

The tour was amazing It guided us through the cave careful not to touch any walls nor ceilings. The 'decorations' of stalactites and stalagmites were impressive. The main cavern spanned the area of a football field. Entering the 'Throne Room' the tour sat down and experienced a light/music display that featured one of the showcase formations named Kubla Khan. It stretched five stories high, it was quite colorful and still 'alive' as drips of water still graced it to add more to it's minerals structure.

Kevin wished he had his scuba gear when the cave was full of water so that he could go exploring. Theresa, however was thinking she was brave just to enter the cave with this tour! No cave diving!




After the tour a quick lunch was consumed before heading on the 2 1/2 supposedly mile trail that went up and around the mountain above the caves.

The views of the mountain ranges were spectacular. The shrubbery and cactus were not in bloom but one could see that the blooms must have been quiet colorful.

Everything seemed to have thorns, thistles or something that would be poisonous or poke you as if to say 'don't you dare touch me, I'm doing my best to survive here!'

There is also campgrounds attached to the park and was noted as a potential stop on the return trip.

If you find yourself looking for an AZ destination, this one is not to be missed!

Back at the RV park in Benson where the Smitanic was parked, The park observatory red lights were lit up around 6pm, meaning the scheduled viewing session was a go! Six attended and were able to see a few constellations, a nebula, star clusters, Uranus, and Andromeda. Mars was hidden by some cloud cover so that could not be viewed. The observatory is a unique feature of the park an not to be missed!

Wednesday was wash-day. Theresa loaded up the laundry including linens and towels and Kevin helped her haul the loads up and get them started. While the wash cycle was going Theresa was able to go to the work out room and get her 30 min 21DayFix routine done, then put the 3 loads into dryers and head to the shower facilities. The RV has a nice shower, but there is limited hot water and limited grey water holding so showers are very short. Theresa took her time and enjoyed a nice long hot shower!

More inside cleaning of the RV was in store. Theresa has been revitalizing the cherry woodwork with an Amish secret product that Kevin's mom gave him. It is the best ever and gave all the dull woodwork a new glow.

It will be nice to have a clean RV for the Hemet arrival!

PS. One more bit of park rumor.... they say that the reason the trains blow there whistles several times as they pass Benson is that one of the train engineers has an X-wife who lives there and this is a unified effort to irritate her.

PPS. Kevin may run for Park Mayor soon. He meets and greets everyone and gets the scoop as he strolls thru the park several times a day.

It's a bright, bright sunshiny day!

The skies were picture perfect as the AM sun cast shadows on the rich browns and reds of the Franklin mountains just west of El Paso,TX. Kevin could see very Clearly Now and there were no obstacles in his way (see song reference :).

The ship made an early launch at 8:30 with an immediate fueling stop. Exiting that it was open roads with very little traffic and only a few tumbleweeds rolling across the freeway to cause any interest.

The destination was 250 miles on I-10, Kevin was so possessed and obsessed he completed the entire drive in 4 hours non-stop, passing thru 2 state borders and into Mountain time zone! Theresa offered to take a turn but was promptly turned down not to mess with the groove, so she continued knitting.

 The Butterfield RV Resort, just 30 miles east of Tucson, AZ, claimed to be '3 Time Arizona Park of the Year'. Reservations were made here for 5 days as plans were to stay off the road and do a little work from here before making the final 2 day push into Hemet, CA. One of the unusual features of the park is that it has it's own observatory!

Since such and early arrival was made Theresa had made an appointment with the Tucson Apple store to get Kevin's iPhone repaired (see early post on how that happened). That meant another 1 hour drive (one way) into the city past the University of AZ, up Skyline Dr to the La Encantada Mall. The repair was scheduled for 5pm so that would leave time for dinner and maybe some Xmas shopping :)  The Apple store was packed as usual, but with an appointment the priority was escalated (at least that is what they make one think). Since Kevin had Applecare on his iPhone the repair would only be $79 and they would just be replacing the glass front of the phone so no data or back up/restore would be needed. Yeah!

The evening temp started out at in the 60's, but as the night progressed it dropped well into the low 50's. Several times in the night windows that were left open were closed in hopes to keep some heat inside the RV. An unpublicized feature of this park (as every other RV park) is that it is located adjacent to a highly utilized railway track. Trains not only roared by but insisted on blowing the whistle just as they passed the park. This was an hourly occurrences all thru the night, so only snippets of uninterrupted sleep could be accomplished. Perhaps ear plugs were in store for the following night or maybe folks just get used to it...

Monday thru Friday will be focused on work, provisioning, following up on family calls and maybe some site seeing. The park observatory is a must and then there is also the Kartchner Caverns and Tombstone near by.

Friday will be the penultimate travel day, the finish is in reach.