Bryce Canyon National Park, Day 1

With the time change we slept in and got a late start on our visit to Bryce Canyon National Park. The weather also figured in to our late start; it was 27 degrees overnight and a little nippy in the morning so we just waited until it warmed up a little, which it did to the low 60's. The advantage of staying in Bryce Canyon City is that you are so close to the park and that you can easily go back to the park the next day. And with the Golden Age Passport we save the $25 entrance fee.

As usual our first stop was the Visitors Center where we saw the film and toured the museum. Our first stop after the Visitors Center was the Lodge of Bryce Canyon constructed by the Union Pacific Railroad between 1924-1927, the only lodging available inside the park. This architectural style was used by railroads for lodges across the American west with the encouragement of the National Park Service. By now we were getting hungry and eating at the Lodge has come highly recommended and we can see why. We had a tough time figuring out what to order but we settled on a grilled veggie wrap for Jo and a portobello mushroom sandwich for Bob. Both were excellent and we would like to eat there again. Here is a photo of the Lodge.



Then we took off for Sunrise and Sunset Points. This part of the country is so beautiful. We just walked along the trail and took pictures, leaned against the railing in amazement and sat down and pondered what a great life we have on the log benches along the trail. Time really flies by when you are having as much fun as we are. Before the photos a little bit about how Bryce Canyon was formed, and is forming to this day.

Bryce Canyon is unique in that it is not a "real canyon" carved by flowing water, but rather a giant natural amphitheater created by erosion along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, part of the Colorado Plateau. Water is the active ingredient here, but in the form of "frost-wedging" and chemical weathering.

For two hundred days a year the temperature goes above and below freezing every day. During the day, melt water seeps into fractures only to freeze at night, expanding by nine percent. Now as ice, it exerts a tremendous force (2,000-20,000 pounds per square inch). Over time this "frost-wedging" shatters and pries rock apart. In addition, rain water, which is naturally acidic, slowly dissolves the limestone, rounding off edges and washing away debris.

The erosion exposed delicate and colorful pinnacles called hoodoos that are up to 200 feet high.The geological hoodoos formed from wind, water and ice erosion of the river and lakebed sedimentary rocks. The red, orange and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views. It is the uniqueness of the rocks that caused Bryce Canyon to be designated as a national park.

Here are some pictures from Sunrise and Sunset Points.



 

 

 

Next we visited Paria View Point. Here are some photos from there.





We are in a spotty internet area right next to the National Park so all the photos from Bryce Canyon will be uploaded to Flickr.com later, probably when we get to Salt Lake City.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

In Bryce Canyon City with new truck bed cover

We were able to get the new truck bed cover on Monday so we got up Tuesday morning and headed to Ruby's Inn and Campground in Bryce Canyon City right next to Bryce Canyon National Park. It was 151 miles and took us about 3 hours. It was one of the more scenic drives we have been on while towing the Cameo. We love Utah and Northern Arizona.

We did have to deal with a time change due to the wacky Daylight Savings Time. Like an old Indian said, "only the white man believes that if you cut off the top of a rope and put it on the bottom that you will end up with a longer rope".

It sure was nice having the low profile truck bed cover again because the frame of the old one made it difficult to get into the truck bed to set the hitch and attach the breakaway cable and power cord. The cover also lies flat while motoring down the road and does not flap around like the old one.

If you are ever in the Page Arizona area we recommend Liberty Auto Works. They got us in the next day for the auxiliary fuel tank since we were travelers and worked us in on the same day the truck bed cover got there so we could leave the next day. Plus the work they do is top notch.

Page is a great area and even though we lost a day and half to for the truck and a day and a half to bad weather we still did a lot. If you have been following our blog you have seen what great scenery we were able to jamb into what time we had left. We plan to visit Bryce Canyon National Park while here and we are sure there will be great photos there also.

Here is the route we took.


View Larger Map

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Dam Overlook Trail

There is a short but steep trail, luckily there were steps and a railing, that take you down from the parking lot right off of Highway 89 to a very scenic overlook of Glen Canyon Dam.

Here is the first part of the trail and railing looking backwards.



Here is a view of the Dam as you proceed along the trail.



Here is a view of Glen Canyon as you get closer.



Here is your reward, a spectacular view of the Dam.



Just another beautiful trail in an incredible part of the country.

Photos from this trail and the Hanging Garden trail have been uploaded to the Page Arizona set on Flickr.com. We have so many they ended up on page 2 of the photos.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Hanging Garden

Currently in Page AZ (Low 50 Sunny High 64)

 

This is truly a hidden spot that is not well known. We asked at Dennys after we had breakfast and neither the Manager nor three of the servers knew anything about Hanging Garden. The guide said it was near the dam so we drove looking for signs. Seeing none we went into the Visitor Center to get directions which got us to the parking area. For the first part of the trail there are a couple of signs that indicate you are still on the trail. After that you are on your own. We stumbled and fumbled our way and eventually found the Hanging Garden, called that because there is green foliage growing on the side and top of a rock lodge overhang in the desert mesa. There is a spring nearby which supplies the water for this oasis to survive. Glen Canyon had a lot of these areas but some of them succumbed to the rising waters of Lake Powell.

 

The trail is about 1 1/2 miles over loose sand, packed sand, sandstone and small rocks. The trail is fairly level until you reach the oasis and it gets a little steeper as you ascend to the rock ledge overhangs. This is a fairly new trail created by the Park Service so that is why it is not that well known. As you can see in the photos there was some bad weather heading our way and we wondered if we would finish before we got rained on.

 

Here we are on the trail:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the "Hanging Gardens"

 

 

 

Now we are on our way back:

 

In the area there is also a paved/unpaved road to the back of Glen Canyon Dam. We got a couple of pictures here but the wind started picking up and we were certain that we were going to get wet. There was the smell of rain in the wind but it turns out the rain just skirted by us.

 

The colors were amazing today as it alternated from sunny to cloudy back to sunny making the scenery even more amazing.

 

 

 

 

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Housekeeping and other things

As you may recall we decided to head north out of Goodyear AZ on our way to Canada in June for Bob's fishing trip. We were trying to avoid tornado alley during what was forecasted to be a bad spring for tornadoes and severe weather. It already looks like a good idea just a couple of weeks into the trip. We would have been traveling through Oklahoma yesterday if we were on our original schedule and there were storms there the last couple of days and even some tornadoes. We realized we might get some snow but we decided snow was better than tornadoes.


Well we got some snow flurries here yesterday!! It was amazing watching the outside temperature, started out at 37 when Bob got up and climbed to 40. Then we saw 37 and some snow flurries, then it ticked down to 36 on the way to 33. Now it was the spittin' wet snow that did not stick but we did have snow. Once it quit the temperature started ticking back up again to the high in the mid 40's. We will look at the road conditions on Monday to make sure we can travel on Tuesday to Bryce Canyon City Utah which got 4 inches of snow.

Other housekeeping notes; we realize we have not been keeping our flickr.com site up to date with our photos. So photos have been uploaded to flickr for Goodyear AZ which includes a roadrunner, some sunsets, Estrella Mountain Regional Park, a farmers market by the lake and Spring Training, Goodyear AZ Flickr set.

Photos have also been uploaded for Prescott Valley AZ which includes Watson Lake and Jerome, Prescott Valley Flickr set.

Photos have also been uploaded for Page AZ which includes Glen Canyon Dam and Bridge, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Point Marina, Wahweap Marina and area photographs, Page AZ Flickr set.


Now some notes on the area. Lake Powell is the second largest man-made lake in the USA, only Lake Mead is larger, but you really won't find the scenic driving tours around the lake here. That is because until the Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960's there was absolutely nothing here. There are marinas and other areas where you can go sit by the water and read but it is all part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area which means that you will pay to get closer to the lake. Having the Golden Age Passport allows you free entry which saved us a lot of money this trip. The best way to see the area is by boat tour which we will do the next time we are in the area, boat tours and snow just did not seem like a good idea.


Finally we saw this photo of an Alaskan fishing sign at a restaurant here in Page and it pretty much says it all. We have no plans to incorporate jokes in our blog all that much because we know of others that do a much better job than we would. The 'Wednesday Funny' from Kenny and Angela at RV Life is Good always gives us a laugh as does the 'Groaners Corner' that The Bayfield Bunch usually puts at the end of their posts. They do a much better job than we could of finding some funny things, this just caught our eye.

Till next time,


Bob and Jo

Horseshoe Bend

A very scenic place just a few miles from Page Arizona, Horseshoe Bend is the name for a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River, known locally as "King Bend". It is about 4 miles southwest of Page and about 5 miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam. It is about a 3/4 mile hike from the parking area just off of US Route 89. The first part of the hike is pretty steep in loose sand. Walking uphill in sand is not fun or as one lady said when we were on the trail, "walking on the sand is not all its cracked up to be is it?". Here is the picture of the steep hill looking back to the parking lot.





Once you top the hill here is your first view of Horseshoe Bend.





The next part of the trail is also sandy and rocky, Jo had to stop a couple of times to get sand out of her shoes, and its length is about 5x the first climb but thankfully not as steep. Horseshoe Bend is viewed from the steep cliff above. According to Google terrain maps, the overlook is 4,200 feet above sea level and the Colorado River is at 3,200 feet above sea level making it a breathtaking 1,000 foot drop.


Here are some photos of Horseshoe Bend:





 

 

If you are ever in the area this is one beautiful place to see!


Till next time,


Bob and Jo

Auxiliary fuel tank and other things

We were able to get our truck in the shop to look at the auxiliary fuel tank. When we had the truck repaired while we were in Goodyear after we dropped the fifth wheel onto the truck bed they had to remove the tank and reinstall it. Turns out when they reinstalled it the feeder hose got crimped. A new hose and problem solved, end of story right, well not entirely.

While underneath the truck they noticed that the bracket for the fifth wheel hitch was misaligned and there were some loose wires. Got all that fixed and Bob picked up the truck and noticed the backup sensors weren't working. Turns out the loose wires were now even looser to the point of being disconnected. This was fixed and Bob was on his way home, and that is the end of the story right, well not exactly again.

With a pizza in tow for supper Bob headed back to the RV park during a bad wind storm, so bad that Jo thought seriously she should stow the satellite dish. The wind was so strong that our truck bed cover got ripped off at one of the corners and started flopping around. One of the support rods bounced across the road so Bob scrambled to the other side of the road and picked it up. He rolled up the cover and limped back. After supper we discovered that the latch had broken at one corner and that the flapping in the wind had caused the cover to almost pull completely out of the end bracket. We were able to thread the cover back onto the bracket so it would roll up better.

This truly has been the truck cover from a very warm place. When we dropped the fifth wheel onto the truck bed the truck cover that we had was damaged beyond repair so a new one was needed. When Bob picked up the truck back in Goodyear after all the repairs were done he immediately noticed a different cover, it wasn't even the same brand. Since we did not want to take delivery with not all the repairs right we kept using the rental car and they kept the truck. About a week later we went to pickup the truck again and the cover was still wrong, same brand but different model. We got a low profile one because we read that they were less likely to go flying in the wind. By now were past the 30 days for the rental car allowed on our insurance but the repair place was picking up the extra days so we agreed to take the truck and turn in the rental car. When they got the next one in and installed it Bob got a rental car for the day but it still was not the right model. What came next was weeks of them getting the right model in but there was always something wrong with it; from too short to ripped cover. By now we are getting closer to when we were planning to leave. What we worked out with the Insurance company was we would get reimbursed when we put on a new cover. We could use the existing cover for trade-in or sell it on craigslist. We planned to do this in the KC area in September since we would be there for a month.

With a damaged cover though now we need a new one. The repair place that worked on the fuel tank is able to get the correct cover and with expedited shipping we will only have to spend an extra day here. The Insurance company will pay for the expedited shipping (since we could only extend our stay at our site here one day), along with the cover as well as the repairs on the fuel tank and hitch bracket and wiring. So money wise we are OK and our schedule is flexible to allow us to stay a little longer, but it was a little hectic dealing with the cover all these months and with the wind storm. The only definite plans we have this year is Bob's fishing trip in mid-June in Canada where he is meeting some friends from where he used to work, and some medical appointments back in Goodyear AZ.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Driving around Page Arizona

We drove around yesterday to acclimate us to the area. Page Arizona started out as a town for the workers on the Glen Canyon bridge and dam projects in the late 1950's. Until that time there was nothing here due to the remoteness of the area.

Looking to control and harness the power of the Colorado River this location was selected for a dam. But first they had to build a bridge because it was a 200 mile journey from one side of the canyon to the other.








Actually first they built a footbridge from one side to the other. The video in the Carl Hayden Vistior's Center shows the footbridge better, the bottom was a chain link fence and the sides were chicken wire. The width was 7 feet across and about 1200 feet long. Seeing the workers walk on this unsteady footbridge sent chills up and down our spines.
















The footbridge allowed workers to get from one side to the other so they could begin building the bridge. The bridge allowed the heavy equipment to go from one side to the other saving 200 miles each trip.

















Now they could build the dam, a concrete arch dam with a crest length of 1,560 feet. It contains 4,901,000 cubic yards of concrete. The dam is 25 feet wide at the crest and 300 feet wide at the maximum base. It is 710 feet high, only the Hoover Dam is taller by 16 feet of all the USA concrete dams. Construction started in 1956 and was completed in 1963, the first electricity was generated in 1964 and the dam was dedicated in 1966 by Ladybird Johnson. It took until 1980 for the lake to reach full pool. The power generation is a maximum of 1300 megawatts with normal operations between 600-800 megawatts.

Here is a photo of the dam and bridge together.

This is an amazing part of the country and we are going to enjoy exploring the area although today the truck is in the shop who is looking at why the auxiliary fuel tank is not draining to the main fuel tank. They had to remove the fuel tank when we had our repair work done on the truck bed when we dropped the Cameo on the truck. When they put it back on they must have done something wrong. We should have checked this while we were still in the area, oh well another lesson learned.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Diesel Milestone (again)

We utilized some trickery to 'avoid' paying over $4 for a gallon of diesel again but our trickery just ran out. We last paid over $4 in May 2011. We eat out a lot and since Fry's Grocery Stores offered 4X points on gift card purchases and since you can use Fry's points to lower the price of diesel we have been buying just enough gift cards and groceries to get us below the $4 milestone. Or should we say millstone?

The 4X was a limited time only offer plus we have left Fry's country so now we are on our own. We just paid $4.239 at a Chevron north of Flagstaff yesterday.

So far it is not too much of a millstone but if this keeps up we may have to adjust our full-timing lifestyle. Notice we said adjust and not end. We still plan on full-timing but an entire year in Arizona, winter in Goodyear as usual but then higher elevations like Flagstaff for the summer, to save on diesel is one thing we are considering.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

On the move again - to Page AZ

We feel like we are somewhat getting back into the swing of moving every once in awhile. The cats got a little spooked when Bob was doing his outside tasks yesterday but just like travel days they recover pretty quickly. One of our tire pressure monitor sensors quit working so we will have to call TST when we get settled in Page.

We got up and had cereal for breakfast and then prepared for departure to the Lake Powell Campground in Page AZ. It is about 225 miles which is a little bit more than our desired 200 miles or less but sometime you have to go a little farther to get to a campground. Here is the route we took:


View Larger Map

We had a good news bad news kind of trip. The bad news first; our auxiliary fuel tank wasn't draining. We pulled off the side of the road and took the cap off in case there was some back pressure preventing the fuel getting from the auxiliary tank to the main tank. That did not work so we had to stop and get fuel. Luckily we were able to find one north of Flagstaff before we went into the dead zone between Flagstaff and Page. We will have to get the tank looked at while we are here in Page. The good news is that the faulty tire pressure monitor sensor started working while on our trip today.


While in Page we plan to explore the Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Recreation Area.


Till next time,


Bob and Jo

Jerome and surrounding area

We got up yesterday with grand plans; breakfast at the Mile High Grill in Jerome and then sightsee in town and the surrounding area. We would end the day back at the Mile High Grill for a burger. The drive from Prescott Valley to Jerome on Highway 89A is very scenic but a narrow road with lots of switchbacks with mountains on one side and sheer dropoffs on the the other side of the road. We got our first up close view of snow this year as there was still some snow on the side of the road near the summit at 7000 feet. We were on this road about 20 years and let us tell you it is sure different in a Ford F-350 dually than in a rental car :-)

Why the Mile High Grill you ask? Our blogging buddies Jim and Sandie from Where are the Dixons Today said the best burger they have ever had was at the Mile High Grill, even better than In-n-Out and 5 Guys in that order so Bob just had to try one. Why for breakfast you ask? We checked some of the other restaurants in the area and the menu at the Mile High Grill looked the best. It was a good choice; Bob got the chimichanga breakfast burrito which is a breakfast burrito with sausage, egg, potato, carmelized onions, black bean, cheese and green chiles deep fat fried and then covered with salsa verde (green salsa). Their green salsa is a combination of tomatillos and green chiles and it is excellent as is the burrito. Jo got baked oatmeal and fruit and it was also excellent. What both meals were also is huge which will figure into the rest of the story. Since we did not have a cooler we decided to finish all we could from the meals which we did.

As we were walking around Jerome it began to hit us, that sick feeling you get when you have eaten WAY too much, that feeling that kinda drags you down, well we had it, Jo worse than Bob. We figured if we drove around some it might help so we headed towards Cottonwood and the Dead Horse State Park which was kind of a disappointment. After Watson Lake Park we guess our expectations were way high. For what it is it is an OK park with fishing in lagoons, river access, trails and camping. We drove to the lagoons and sit on a bench and walked around the lagoons hoping we would start feeling better.




Here is a picture of one of the fishing lagoons.














Well it did not work so we decided to call it a day leaving the Jerome State Historic Park, the Tuzigot National Monument, the Verde Valley Railroad Depot, and other sites for the next time. This early departure and the sick feeling in our guts also meant no hamburger from the Mile High Grill. We don't eat meat on Good Friday so Friday is out and if you have ever been to Jerome you know there is hardly any parking and we had trouble finding a place on a Thursday so we don't want to fight the weekend traffic. The close proximity to Goodyear means that we should be able to stop again in the area either on the way to, or from, our winter location, so we will be back.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Watson Lake Park

When we checked in to the Fairgrounds RV Park in Prescott Valley we asked where was the best breakfast in the area. The one recommendation was Blue Hills Cafe in nearby Dewey so that is where we headed yesterday and we are glad that we did. The Blue Hills Cafe offers home cooking and lots of it. Bob got steak and eggs with hash browns and a biscuit and gravy. The hash browns were a little different than most but great. In fact Bob commented they were very similar to the potato cakes that his Mom made from leftover mashed potatoes. The biscuit was huge and the gravy was excellent. Jo got raisin french toast and she commented it was the best french toast she has had in awhile.


We next went to Watson Lake Park which is conveniently located about 4 miles north of downtown Prescott and about 12 miles west of our park. Watson's water surface is about 380 surface acres and is distinguished by its sky blue calm waters surrounded by granite boulders that are the beginning of the Granite Dells.


We should have brought our birding book and binoculars as Watson Lake is an Audubon endorsed bird watching area where you can spot hundreds of bird species including eagles and pelicans. We also should have brought Judy of Travels with Emma for her bird photography skills. The granite boulders were amazing, in fact mountain rescue groups train in the area.


Here are some photos of our day at Watson Lake.

Till next time,


Bob and Jo

Lost GPS Signal

Or should we say lost without a GPS signal :-)

We just decided to drive around Prescott Valley and Prescott to acclimate ourselves with the area. We thought about hitting a Wal-Mart if we saw one but we just wanted to see the area. We had Bob's smartphone and a Chamber of Commerce map so we left the Garmin GPS in the Cameo. We like having a backup because sometimes the phone can find stuff the Garmin cannot but we thought he map was our backup, big mistake :-(

The Chamber of Commerce map was horrible, we found this out when we trying to find the church for Holy Week Services in Prescott Valley. They put big icons where things are located but that obscures the fact that two streets do not intersect. So we put down the map and used the phone's navigator which usually works pretty well. Notice we said "usually" because after it found the church we headed about 10 miles to Prescott. About half way there, GooJill (what we call the navigation voice on the phone vs. Jill for the Garmin) notified us that she had lost the GPS signal. We had 5 miles so we figured she would reacquire the signal shortly. As we got closer and closer this just did not happen.

We were heading to the Sweet Potato Cafe so Jo got out the trusty Chamber of Commerce map. We have not gone old school like this for a long time and we were out of practice. We might have been able to easily get to the place if it was not such a horrible map because we eventually got to where it should have been on the map and it was a Shell station. By this time we needed a necessary break so we calmed down and looked at the map again and then decided to call and ask for directions. Bob does not think he has to turn in his man card because we tried hard before asking for directions. He calls it one of those times you have to put on your big boy pants and git-r-done. We call the restaurant and guess what it, it is closed on a Tuesday, on a freakin Tuesday. We have run into restaurants that were closed on a Monday so this is the first we have seen that is open Wednesday-Monday.

Luckily we had been on just about every road in the area so we knew the way back to the highway to get us back towards Prescott Valley. We were getting hungry so decided to just stop at a place that looked nice. Lo and behold we saw the sign for Zeke's Eatin Place which Bob remembered is on his list for the area. We pulled into the parking lot and guess what, it is also closed on Tuesdays. Well Red Lobster is in the same parking area so we just drove over there. We know we said no chains this visit but this was unusual circumstances. With a chain you know what you are going to get and you can count on the hours of operation. Besides we have not been to this years Lobsterfest.

After a tummy filled with good lobster and shrimp we headed back looking for the Wal-Mart that we did see on the way when we spied a Costco that was packed on a Tuesday afternoon. We guess all the restaurant workers that have the day off use the day for shopping at Costco. We just found out that Costco has some of the best fresh produce you will find anywhere and we were wanting to get the fresh Butternut Squash. It comes already cubed and we just put a little olive oil in a zip loc bag and toss the squash around and roast it in our convection oven and its so good, plus did we mention it already comes cleaned and cubed.

Well we did not see Wal-Mart on the way back to the Fairgrounds RV Park in Prescott Valley, turns out it was across the street from Costco so our attention was drawn away from that side of the road.

We are heading out again today for the jungle of Prescott and Prescott Valley area but this time we will have our Garmin with us. Bob rebooted his phone and if that does not work we did see a Verizon store on our travels yesterday but that could be anywhere since we were all over the area :-)

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

First trip in 5 months - to Prescott Valley AZ

We had quite a time getting ready for our first departure in 5 months yesterday. The day before we leave Bob takes care of most of the stuff outside except for the power and water. After 5 months we had a lot of stuff taken out and left outside and all that (chairs, new bbq grill, new sign and post, picnic table cloth, etc.). You noticed a lot of 'new' things which makes packing for the first time an adventure. We also got a new under the bed plastic container that fits nicely in the truck bed but with all the other new stuff it had to go in the back seat along with the chairs in their bags. After checking the lug nuts and airing up the trailer tires and dumping and putting away the sewer hose the outside stuff was done.

Yesterday was also a relearning experience as we have not stowed everything inside for travel in awhile. Let's just say that this involved spilled coffee and spilled water from the automatic cat waterer and took a little longer than normal but we just took our time and did not get too rattled.

JJ was so cute, he saw what was going on and as soon as we had finished the bedroom and put the slide in he went up to the bedroom. Sandra and Tiger were having nothing of that so JJ decided he wasn't going to be the only one there so he can back downstairs. That was when Bob picked him up and then the girls were taken to the bedroom and the door closed. It was the first time traveling for them in 5 months too.

After we got everything done inside the slides went in and we went outside to disconnect power and water and then hookup the truck. We removed the rotochoks and did our short drive with the front big foot levelers just above the ground so we would not repeat the dropping of the Cameo onto the truck like we did last summer. All is well and we took off for Prescott Valley about 108 miles away. We have found that after a long stay a short trip is always best. It was a little windy but we have seen worse especially this time of the year. The Ford with duallies handled it with no problem. Here is the route we took.




View Larger Map

Now that we are here we have a lot of things to see and do. This part of Arizona is really neat and our location is excellent. We knew it was convenient for sightseeing (Jerome 15 miles, Prescott 15 miles, Sedona about an hour, Grand Canyon 2 hours, etc.) and a lot of cool places to eat but did not realize it also had the comforts that we were used to in Goodyear. Within easy driving there is a Costco and a Sam's and of course a Wal-Mart Supercenter, grocery stores like Albertsons, Frys and Safeway, a Harkins Theater for a rainy day, and chain restaurants like Olive Garden. We plan to be here a week and don't plan on any chain restaurants but it is nice to know that they are in the area.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Getting ready to leave

We have spent almost 5 months at our winter location of Destiny RV in Goodyear AZ and cannot believe how fast the time has flown by. When we started full-timing we had no idea that we would stay any one place for this long but the winters here are so nice, plus it is great to recharge after spending 7 months moving every week or two. Those 7 months provided us with a lifetime of vacations but as October rolled around we were pretty much ready to be back here.

We also realized that we have not been blogging as much as we do on the road but that is to be expected. Our big days here are eating breakfast out and going to our home away from home - Wal-Mart, or other shopping. We did some sightseeing while here but mostly spent it enjoying the weather and the good restaurants and some of the park activities.

We are making sure we leave here with a pretty good pantry and other supplies. We like the Viva paper towels so got a bunch of those today along with cat litter and some stuff for the pantry. We also made sure if we could we got our prescriptions since that is sometimes fun while on the road. We usually end up in places with a Wal-Mart so we can restock along the way. Bob will put everything up outside the day before we depart but there is more here than normal since we have been here so long.

Bob is scoping out our travels and it looks like another great year. We will spend time near Prescott AZ then Lake Powell then Bryce Canyon National Park then Salt Lake City. We will add Idaho as a state and stay in Idaho Falls. Also adding Montana we will stay in West Yellowstone and visit Yellowstone National Park and then in Billings. There is another stop in Montana and a couple in North Dakota (adding that as a state visited also) that have to be figured out then it is in to Canada for Bob's fishing trip. After Canada we will spend the summer on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. We will stop in Iowa and the KC area in the fall and then back to Goodyear AZ for the winter in early November for an appointment.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Rally Year (sorta)

After two and a half years full-timing we have never been to a big RV Rally. We had plans for the 2010 Escapade in Elkhart Indiana but recovery from surgery delayed our trip. All the other time our travels just did not put us close enough to a rally and we always had something going on that interfered with our getting close enough.

This year was going to be different. The Good Sam Rally was in Phoenix last week and we went on a day pass to check it out. Then there is the Carriage Travel Club's Texas National in April in Amarillo Texas which is directly on our path from the Phoenix area to the Kansas City area. Finally, this years Escapade is in September in Sedalia Missouri which we thought about attending as we get back to the Kansas City area in the fall after our summer along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

With the exception of the already attended Good Sam Rally we are afraid this year might be a bust again rally wise. As we posted earlier the forecast for an unusually stormy spring has caused us to change our travel plans leaving the Phoenix area. We are bypassing tornado alley which has caused us to cancel out of the Carriage Club Texas National and our plans to spend a month in the Kansas City area in the spring. With so little time in the Kansas City area this fall we are probably not going to the Escapade either except for maybe a day trip.

Oh well there is always next year,

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Full-timing with 3 cats - JJ the computer cat

Living in a small space leads to our cats finding interesting places to sit or sleep.

Here is JJ working on our blog, and we bet you thought it was Bob or Jo that did all the blogging.

Here is JJ worn out after trying to figure out the new tablet.

 We have really enjoyed having our cats with us as we full-time, just another example that it is best to make your full-timing home as alike your old sticks and bricks as you can.

Till next time,

JJ

March Madness!!

Bob is going to spend the next four days immersed in March Madness (NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament). Again this year all four games are on different networks (CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV). A few years ago when we had DirecTV in our old sticks and bricks Bob signed up for "Mega March Madness" from DirecTV which was basically the same thing but you had to pay for the option plus you were at the mercy of CBS who sometimes switched games so the same game may have been on all four channels. This happened enough to be annoying.

With the four networks on DirecTV and all in HD Bob can control which game he watches and catch all the exciting endings which is bound to happen. Bob finds himself cheering for the underdog even though it may damage his bracket. It will also be nice this year as his alma mater, Iowa State, is in the tourney for the first time since 2005.

Another good thing about being in Arizona in March is that the idiotic daylight savings time does not go into effect here. What that means for March Madness is that the games today and tomorrow tipoff a little after 9:00 a.m. local time which means Bob won't be up after his bedtime tonight because he gets to do this all over again tomorrow.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Change of Plans

We have a change of plans, instead of coming through tornado alley (TX-OK-KS) to the Kansas City area in what is projected to be the worst tornado season in a number of years we are heading straight north from the Phoenix area into Utah, Idaho and across Montana and North Dakota and then up into Canada for Bob's fishing trip in mid-June. We know we still have a chance for tornadoes but going from tornado alley where it is almost guaranteed to a chance seemed like a good idea, plus we get to see parts of the country we have never seen. We also know that we may see cooler temperatures and maybe some snow but that is much better than tornadoes. We "plan" to be in the KC area in mid-September for about a month. We love the full-timing lifestyle and plan to do it as long as we are able but we have learned the one thing you really cannot control is the weather. This way we won't be controlling the weather but maybe, just maybe, changing our odds.

2012 Spring Training

As we learned from our previous visits to the Cactus League Major League Baseball can be fun again! We saw the Kansas City Royals play the Texas Rangers. The sky was blue and the temperature was in the low 80's so it was a little warm in the sun for us. Lucky we were able to scoot into a shady portion and enjoyed the game. This is how MLB should be, you park right across from the stadium paying no parking fees and the admission fee is reasonable. Concession prices are a little higher than they should be but hey you paid no parking and the tickets were cheap :-)

Having said all that some parks in the Cactus League do charge for parking so it will probably just be a matter of time before the Cactus League is also overpriced and no longer a fun, fan friendly event.

Till next time,

Bob & Jo

Thought things would be different when full-timing

We really thought things would be different after we started full-timing and a lot of things are. We are seeing great places and meeting new friends while connecting with old friends and family. But unfortunately one thing is still the same; it still takes about 3 trips to the RV/hardware stores to get everything figured out for a DIY repair.

The first two years we owned our RV we were under a bumper to bumper warranty so Bob just sat and watched as the work was being done. We are now past the warranty period so Bob is now the RV tech. We started having toilet problems, the seal in the tank was causing slow foot pedal action and it was starting to leak around the seal. Replacing the seals went pretty good considering that the instructions said there would be four (4) mounting bolts for the tank to base. Turns out there were only two (2) but it took a phone call to Thetford to confirm that.

With the toilet back together with new seals and bolted to the floor so all is well right, not quite. Turns out there were two problems with the seal and the foot pedal and Bob only fixed the seal. To fix the pedal the arm had to be removed, all of this could be done with the toilet still attached to the floor which was good news. Taking the arm off of course was harder than it was supposed to be. Then there was a drive shaft that had to be pulled out and the excess grease removed from the shaft and the hole. But this just could not be accomplished even with a phone call to Thetford and a lot of grunting. So fine, put it back together and deal with it the next day. The arm snapped right back on with a convincing click, that is until you used the foot pedal and it fell off. So it was off to the RV store to get a new toilet. We wanted to get the exact model so the hookup would be easier but of course that model was not in stock at the RV parts store.

Now Bob tried to make sure that he had enough parts to finish the job. Of course the water supply for the old toilet would not align with the new one so with three plastic couplings and a 1/2" plastic tube and a new toilet Bob headed home, but first he stopped at Ace Hardware for a flexible hose to see if that would work. Turns out the shortest hose available was still too long for the small space behind a RV toilet. The next trip to the RV parts store was due to the fact that the cramped spaces made a tube length that put the two plastic couplers back to back with no way to pry them apart. If they leaked Bob did not want to find that out AFTER the store was closed thus having no toilet for the overnight period which Bob visits a few times. Bob got there moments before the store closed.

Turns out the junction did not leak and the toilet was installed with no further incidents but it still took three trips to complete the job. Funny how some things never change.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Where are all the Sci Fi fans?

We just watched our DVR'd 'The Big Bang Theory' and in it Sheldon listed what he knew best, outside of Theoretical Physics of course. The list included; Star Trek trivia, Star Trek: Next Generation trivia, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine trivia, Star Trek: Voyager trivia, and model trains. What struck us was that he failed to mention Enterprise (or Star Trek: Enterprise) trivia. That series was very good but only lasted four years due to low ratings. We wondered then what was wrong with so called Sci Fi fans.

Now we are wondering the same thing when a great show like 'Fringe' is having ratings problems. Take the best of the weirdness of X-FILES and combine it with a dual universe that allows each actor to play multiple roles so you get great acting, great stories from JJ Abrams, an all around great show.

So give the show a chance, we bet you will like it.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Wickenburg has the most polite kids

We went to Wickenburg Arizona yesterday for Gold Rush Days. It was another great day and the weather was wonderful so the place was packed. There was no parking to be found. We lucked out when we were going down a dead end road to turn around and a car stopped to talk with us. She saw the Missouri license plates from Bob and Wilma's car and was expecting to meet some people from Missouri at Gold Rush Days and wondered if they drove out to her place. We said we were looking for parking and she offered a spot in front of her house which we readily agreed to. A little further walk but it was a space at last, thanks Beth!

By this time we decided to skip the parade and walk through the vendors for awhile. Jo ending up buying a purse but we mostly just gawked. Now to the kids, we ate at the Saddle Club's BBQ event and there were kids of all ages helping out, either serving or busting the tables. We never met kids, and we mean all of them, that were so polite. It was yes sir, yes ma'am, can I help you this that? It was incredible. The food was also really good, BBQ beef, chuckwagon beans and cole slaw.

After lunch we walked through the rest of the tents and saw some stuff we might have been interested in if we had still been living in a sticks and bricks. It was so liberating to be able to say that was really cool but have no inkling to buy it, full-timing just saved us some money yesterday!

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Got our first spam

Once we turned off word verification we got our first spam message ever. We still have approval set for comments so will keep that for now and catch the spam that Blogger misses.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Just turned off comment verification

Blogger changed the verification for posting comments to a very hard to read two word system. We did not know that it was even set for verification but we just turned it off.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

Full-timing is a numbers game

Continuing the full-timing theme which we started in our last posting, "To full-time or not to full-time" we got to thinking that full-timing is really a numbers game. By now you have heard the old adage that the RV can entertain 6, feed 4 and sleep 2, well that got us thinking. Since this not a sightseeing post there will be no pictures.

Living in an RV full-time is a numbers game. Having items that can accomplish multiple things allows you to pack more of the stuff you need to really make this lifestyle just like living at home but a home where you park it.

The key number for full-timing has to be 'multiple', we know not really a number but if you can take things with you that can perform multiple duties then you begin ahead of the game. First on that list has to be Dawn Detergent which can be used for dishes, black tank maintenance and makes a great addition to your presoak arsenal for laundry. Second on the list has to be our Cuisinart Griddler which we use to make pancakes, paninis, and a flattop grill for bacon and eggs. Finally, no RV or home should be without a crock pot which can be used for soups, casseroles, meat dishes and desserts.

For a lot of reasons though the all time favorite number with respect to full-timing has to be "2".

After over two years of full-timing we have come to realize that "2" works real well in the wardrobe department. Come to think of it maybe it is only Bob that feels "2" is a good wardrobe number : ) He has two pairs of jeans, one that he wears until way past it should be washed and so it goes into the laundry. Then he wears the other pair way too long to. This goes for dress pants, dress shorts, and bum around shorts. He has "2" pairs of tennis shoes but for different reasons. One pair is for when it is wet outside and he needs to take them off immediately while the other pair is for inside and nice weather.

"2" also works for the pantry. Face it there are some things you just don't want to run out of but you also can't store "2" of everything. This pantry system makes sense for items that you use everyday like Kleenex, distilled water and toothpaste and other item that are used daily and can justify the space they take up.

Other nnumbers of note:

200 - we like to travel about 200 miles each day. When we started out we thought our target would be 250 but have come to like the shorter trips.

65 - when traveling our maximum speed is 65 mph for a lot of reasons but mainly for the tires, 65 mph is the safe speed for the load that we are towing.

10-2 - and we don't mean Dr. Pepper. On travel days we like to leave about 10a and arrive at our destination by 2p avoiding rush hour traffic.

30 - we would like 30 minutes notice for guests, with three cats some dehairing is always needed.

So as you can see "2" has worked real well for us and is our favorite full-timing number, even if we have "2" cats too many. But the best overall use of "2" comes when we are asked this question, 'how many people does your RV sleep', we smile and answer that it sleeps "2"!

Till next time,

Bob and Jo

To full-time or not to full-time

We have seen on various forums the question come up as to whether or not a couple should consider full-timing in an RV so we thought we would offer up some hints to help in that decision. It will not cover which type of RV because there are so many options there and that is best left up to the couple. Just make sure you are happy with the layout of the RV after reading this article and make sure it has plenty of storage. The real key to have fun full-timing is to take what you like about living in a home with you on the road, albeit a much smaller home.

First and foremost both of you must want to at least give it a try for a good length of time, at least 2 years. The first 6 months to one year you will be questioning your sanity but just give it time, it is an adjustment just like anything else. For us we had plans of downsizing and RV'ng winter and summer. Then we realized we could just postpone the purchase of the downsized home and try full-timing. It was one of the best decisions we have made.

Secondly you need to realize that all the 'stuff' that you have accumulated over the years is just that, 'stuff'. It is amazing how liberating it is to be able to live with just the small amount of 'stuff' that you can bring with you.

So you have made the decision to full-time and to get rid of most of your 'stuff' now you need to make the RV seem like a home. We break that into major categories.

Water pressure; get a good water pressure regulator that does not cut down on the water flow. We got the Watts 263A which is one of the best you can get. We also put an aerator on the faucet in the kitchen.

Long showers; you may not be able to take as long of showers as in your old sticks and bricks but with some planning you can take a pretty good one. With a good showerhead like the Oxygenics Body Spa you get great pressure that feels like a home shower that does not use that much water so that the 10 or 15 gallons of you hot water heater will go a long time. Then just wait between showers for the hot water heater to recover. A good tip is that it will recover faster if you have both the propane and electric turned on for the hot water heater.

Laundry; we recommend getting a washer and a dryer or a washer/dryer combo and doing the laundry in your new home. It may be smaller loads but you will find that a benefit of this lifestyle is that you will probably have less laundry to do. We have a combo and just do laundry while we are watching a movie or television. If you already use a laundromat then disregard this suggestion as it will be an easier transition if you do things as if you were still in your home.

Speaking of television; if you like to watch TV then get a good satellite dish, we have an automatic dish on the roof, and also bring the comfort of home and get a DVR. Full-timers can also get a waiver and get what is called Distant Network Service from Dish or DirecTV which gives you the east coast or west coast feeds of network television. This way you won't miss your favorite shows. DVR'ng your shows will also allow you to extend your sightseeing adventures.

Speaking of sightseeing; if you love to travel and want to see more of the USA but don't like the hassles of airline travel then full-timing just might be for you. We have been full-timing for 2 and 1/2 years and have barely scratched the surface of what we want to see.

Take it easy; try to go no more than 250 miles in one day and then stay there for a week or more to get recharged for travel. When we absolutely have to be somewhere fast we still only drive 200-250 miles and stay for 2 nights.

Hookups; for the first year always get full hookups (electric, water and sewer) and try to get 50 amp electrical whenever possible. With 50a you can run what you want when you want it and not have to worry have tripping breakers. Save boondocking (no hookups at all) for the second year of your trial.

Full-timing is not for everyone but if you do this you will make it your personal experience. For us having to take short or worse yet, Navy showers is too much like camping. When we lived in our home we had a laundry room so we brought that with us. The same goes for television watching. And don't get us started on hookups, boondocking is not for us in fact we consider 30a electrical to be too much like camping.

We hope that we have helped those that might be considering a move to full-timing because we would love to see you on the road sometime. One of the best things about this lifestyle is the great people you will meet.

Finally the best advice we can give to full-timers heading out for the first time is that the first thing you should pack is your sense of humor because you will need it, especially for the first 6 months.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo