Jinx & Wayne

We live full time in a 2006 Carriage Carri-Lite 36KSQ. We travel quite a bit. Carriage (the old ones, not the one's called Carriage now sold by Northwoods) are solid and very comfortable to live in. Be sure to have it fully checked out if you are thinking about it. Even the most solid RV's can be ruined by poor maintenance. Also, appliances and equipment can just wear out.

You said it in a nutshell. It is spiking across the nation. I'm of the opinion that most places will be equally bad. I think the primary question is whether the place I am going is likely to allow me to be comfortable while maintaining the necessary safety precautions. By safety precautions I mean distancing from others, masks, hand washing and avoiding being indoors for more than a few minutes where others are or have been present. If SoCal allows for that, why not? One caution - is it an area where natural disasters are likely? Fires and hurricanes can put you in jeopardy if you have to go to a shelter. We left Florida for Maine in July for that reason. It looks like SoFL may get its first significant storm this week. We are heading back slowly. I would look for areas that have grocery shopping either by pickup or delivery. In many places there is no reason to go into a grocery store. Delivery is more expensive than pickup, but has the flexibility to chat online with the shopper regarding substitutions and the like. About the cheapest grocery pickup is Walmart. Either way you shop online ahead of time and pay by card. No contact with anyone is involved other than parking outside and identifying yourself to the employee who brings out the groceries. I have them put it in the back of my pickup, but a car trunk works too. For others stores we only patronize those with curbside pickup. Areas that have outdoor activities that you can enjoy while maintaining safety procedures can go a long way toward maintaining your sanity. For us walking, biking and golf top the list. For golf we found a course that does not require us to go inside to check in. We mask in areas close to others, but do not mask on the golf course or when hiking or biking in open areas. At Acadia NP this summer we stuck to the carriage paths and avoided narrow trails because the park was very busy and the folks there had mixed ideas about safety. The highest risk activity we have is laundry. We try to pick mid-week times when it seems campground laundries are used the least. We try to be the first ones that morning. We swoop in and load the machines, and set our watches. When they are done we go back and load the dryers - set watches. Swoop in and stuff it into the baskets. Then back to the rig to fold it. It may be a little more wrinkled, but we keep our total indoor time down to under fifteen minutes. Both of us do this chore; that cuts the exposure time in half. We are not waiting by the machines, regardless of what the signs say. For us campground activities are at the bottom of the list this year. No bingo, poker, dinners or the like. No clubhouses or doubles pickleball (outdoors but too much proximity and hard breathing, at least for doubles.) Maybe next year. Travel safely. Let us know what you decide.

You've had dogs before so you are likely pretty good at training. Even so I recommend How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With I'm a bit envious. I lost my Lab in December but am not ready to take the puppy plunge yet.

Since we've been RVing we've been in the eastern half of the country. Covid put the brakes on this year's western travel. Before that I've been in every state (although Alaska's visit was confined to the view from the drop door of a C-141 medevac flight on the ground in December at 2:00 am.) I've lived in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Hawaii, Florida and California. I visited most of non-communist Europe when stationed in Germany, and I've been to a few places in Asia. The Caribbean was confined to cruise ports with the exception of travel in Mexico. As a kid we camped our way across country between New England and California several times (tent and car, not RV). Jinx has traveled extensively in the US having been to all states except Alaska. Her family RV'd. We cruised the Caribbean together and we met at Ft. Riley, KS (both vets.) The adventure continues.

Amen. When I was in my teens and 20's sleeping on the ground in all weather for Uncle Sam was an adventure. I've lived in a remote trapper's cabin in Maine in winter, hiked 1000 mile of the Appalachian Trail and bicycle camped across the Northwestern US. Now I'm 70. Parts hurt that once did not. I get cold more easily. C-rations and campfire cooking are less appealing. A good bed, comfortable furniture, a full kitchen (I'm the cook) and even TV entertainment are much appreciated. That is especially true since we are in this full time. Life is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Our needs vary from person to person and our individual wants and needs change with the years. I'm not convinced that selling the fiver for a popup is a good idea. Wayne

Start with basics. Are you getting enough propane to the appliances? You have an older rig (as we do.) The average life of a regulator is 10 years. Gas lines gum up. Before you start buying parts and appliances have your local RV tech do a drop test to determine whether your gas flow is adequate.

We installed WiFi Ranger. That gave us good security, easy secure connection to campground WiFi and easy on/off VPN for more secure transactions. WiFi Ranger user manual

Bingo. Bigjim, you are spot on. We've been full time for over two years and have used the mail service for two years+. I ALWAYS use email to set delivery and ALWAYS check the confirming email. I'm trying to determine whether this is likely to be a continuing problem.

We used email not phone. We got confirmation from Escapees that the package would be sent Next Day FEDEX. Despite that it was sent USPA 1st class. I don't way any way to catch that mistake.

dogyard, Thank you. I hope to be at next year's Escapade, but time will tell. Maybe we will see you there.

Bill, Thanks again. I'm taking your suggestion and going down I-87 thru NY

Chalk sticks. (Headslap to my forehead). Thank you.

Last week our absentee ballots came in to Livingston. I set them for Fedex overnight on 10/12. Instead they were mailed standard 1st class which takes 6-7 days for delivery. As a result I am forced to stay in Vermont an extra 4-5 days. Has anyone had similar issues? I am asking because if this is common I need to find another mail service.

For me the phrase I is GOALS. Get Out And Look, Stupid. It is written on my checklist Folks, I know how to back up using mirrors, cameras, GOALS and a checklist. I've been doing it full time for a couple of years. I'm glad all y'all know how, too. The question was not about how to hookup. I'm not looking for lessons or advice on how to hookup. I don't use the tire alignment marks as a substitute for mirrors or cameras or GOALS or a checklist; I use tire alignment IN ADDITION to those things. For me having marks to line up tires makes hookup faster and more pleasant, particularly in bad weather. Don't do it if you don't want to do it. The question was ideas about how not to permanently mark the concrete in campgrounds. Apparently, you are as stumped as I am. So tape it is. Thanks. Remember GOALS.

Thanks. You are absolutely right about Hartford/West Hartford being a horror - crummy roads, left exits, poor signage and heavy traffic. My plan is to take 91 to Meriden and 691 to 84 which should avoid the worst of Hartford. I will probably do it Sunday which helps. I will look at the NY option. I also agree that the Delaware WG is a nice ride from Matamoras to Stroudsburg. Do you have any info about the actual pavement conditions on US-7?