Wanderin

We enjoyed spending some time with Jeri and Terry while we are here in Wauchula. They had to move on to see Harry Potter and I think the hectic pace of Wauchula was getting to them. LOL The old Jeep is going to get a lot of miles on it while we stay here for the month.

 

Not that I'm superstitious but we'll be eating the same thing today as we've eaten for the other Bronco playoff games. LOL.

 

GO BRONCOS!!!! Peyton who?

 

Travel safe everyone.

 

Jeff

Egads, Jeff. How old is that food you're eating? Be careful you don't get sick on it.

Wauchula certainly had a hectic pace. I understand the extra miles on the Jeep. You gotta get out of Wauchula because there isn't much there.

Perhaps, we'll see you back on the road. We're going to track down a Sonny's BBQ today because we're hungry for brisket! Put some more miles on that Jeep and come up and join us!

Linda - Terry's brother is an attorney in Virginia. He just called him. I'm not sure what you've negotiated with the insurance company but he said there are lots of things you can do. Don't give up yet. One is don't accept insurance until you've negotiated best worth. Get 3 bids and never settle for theirs but you may have done this or even asked for replacement vehicle. Also, add anything extra or new. Third, go back to trucking company for loss of usage plus. He seemed to think you could come out whole. They probably would settle out of court.

Well folks, as of today we are homeless. They have totaled the motorhome. Funny how your life can change in a matter of 5 minutes. We are going to be short about $20,000 on the loan so don't know what will happen there. Can't get blood out of a turnip!! We are headed to Virginia and daughters in Chesterfield. We will be looking for an apt. We may be looking at moving again next winter to somewhere in Arizona or Nevada. Possibly the Laughlin area.

 

This has been a stressful 3 weeks and now that it is settled we are okay. Just a little FYI, found out they have something called GAP insurance to cover the difference between the value and loan balance. If any of you out there are in this situation, you might want to check it out. Wish we had known.

 

Everyone take care and please be safe out there.

 

Linda and Ed

Just doesn't seem right. It was their fault and seems they should make you whole. So sad and so sorry for you. Can you refuse the settlement ?

Then there was the time we were at Rainbow Plantation when people were hooking up their trucks to their 5th wheels to act as anchors. We drove up to Montgomery ahead of that storm. Turns out a hurricane doesn't have to come very close to have major winds hit you. We even had winds from an East Coast hurricane come through the fairgrounds where we were in Celina, Ohio, for a Gypsy Journal Gathering. I never watched weather forecasts so much as while we were fulltiming.

 

Linda

I remember that one too. We were there with you and we dug in just hoping to make it through!!!

This afternoon we visited with Jeff and Tina. They're just down the road from us. And, of course, we talked about everyone else. We're getting back together on Thursday and will probably continue on with the conversation where we left off!

So it must have been the year before you joined us that we had 70 mph gusts. We not only pulled in our slide we repositioned during the night when the wind changed direction so we would be headed into it again. Broadside is NOT fun. Glad you are OK.

 

Linda

I remember that storm! The worst one we had ever experienced in the RV. Everyone brought in their slides, antennas down, nothing outside and faced into the wind. It was like riding a bucking horse!

I give up making plans. They are sure to be broken before you get anywhere. This morning I PLANNED to have breakfast in Lukeville at the border. It's only 5 miles down there. When I got there I found the restaurant was closing permanently. There was a lady in the kitchen getting it ready to lock the doors. So, I PLANNED to go back north 27 miles to Grandma's at Why. When I got there Grandma's was closed. She use to close on Sunday but changed it to Saturday. Oh well another 10 miles north gets me to Ajo so off to Ajo and finally got breakfast at Marsha's then went to Olson's grocery to stock up on food. While I was there loading up my cart, Cowgirl Margie snuck up behind me. We stood there talking about an hour. When I finally got back to Oragan Pipe it was after 1 PM. I wonder where the days go.

 

Lee. Go Panthers

It rained here today. Yup, warmed up enough to rain. Won't last, though. I think today was our traditional January thaw.

 

Linda

Well, beautiful day here. It was just perfect for a little bit of beach time. Tomorrow we're back on the road after two months in one spot!

Well, it wasn't raining here today. That's a good thing.

Tomorrow we move for the first time in almost 2 months. It's raining again here in south Florida will finish loading the Jeep in the morning. Will meet the other Florida Class Less near Bonita Springs for lunch on our way to Wauchula. The one good thing about being here is it doesn't get cold. The lowest temp. we've seen was Sunday morning at 46 degrees. Most mornings have been from 68-75 degrees. The AC's haven't got much rest so far this winter. You have to run the AC's because of the humidity. I'm sure we'll have some colder mornings when we move north tomorrow.

 

Travel safe everyone.

 

GO BRONCOS!!!!!! Peyton who?

 

Jeff

See you tomorrow at 12:30-ish. Safe travels tomorrow.

 

 

Time to get out the chalk and the jello. Graeme has set the date (March 19th) so we have an end date anyhow.

Sounds like you'll be heading home early. We'll probably be hitting Arizona sometime towards the end of April.

Organ Pipe is so gorgeous. It's been a long time since we were there. I love the Arizona cactus and if you can plan it right, blooming is beautiful. We loved the park in the hills outside of Tucson. Lots of cactus to wander through.

Driving all the way back to Lake Havasu is a mighty long ways. Nothing is closer?

You take care of yourself!! See you in April.

check my facebook page. Final estimate for repairs $39, 600.

WOW! Aren't you glad they are going to pay for this and not you?? And, that's only an estimate!

We will leave Q this morning bound for Yuma. Have really enjoyed our time with the Classless bunch. Missed those that didn't make it.

LIFE IS GOOD!!!

Freddy and Delcie

When will your travels find you back in Texas?

Those heading west remember to stop and see us. Jeri, we are not far from the Colorado River TT park. Still no news on a final estimate. Did you know that when a trucker is hauling a load the insurance coverage is different?? Just found that out this morning, so that is another delay. Estimate so far well close to $20,000!! He brought a tire guy over today to see about getting the front left tire off. Dragging along the concrete barrier has worn down the lugs and the posts.

Wow! That sure was a lot of damage! Maybe you can get a new fangled paint job too!

Sandi got her permanent orders and will be stationed in Pensacola permanently so her mom is flying down the end of March/first of April. We'll start heading west when she leaves but that'll be April. The Colorado River TTN is on our penciled schedule but I'm sure you'll be out of there before we get there. Keep us posted where you'll be. Hopefully we'll be able to cross paths.

My first night with the LOWs produced a lot of talking with friends I haven't seen in a couple of years. After Happy Hour we had a Spaghetti dinner. It was very good but not near as good as Steve and Carrol's. I should have my Spaghetti fix taken care of for a while now. Today I think I'll drive over to Blythe and see if I can find a Barber Shop. I'm beginning to look like I belong here. I'll stock up on veggies and fuel the Navion while I'm at it and be ready to head South the next day. The LOWs are having Roast Pork for dinner tonight but I think I'll beg off on that. I'm beginning to see a rise in my blood pressure from the salt in all the side dishes that go with all these main dishes I love. I'll just coast a few days and let things settle down. There were about 50 people at dinner last night. That's a lot of Spaghetti.

Well, stay off the salt. You may have a few visitors passing through your way this spring. The folks in the West will probably head East and those in the East may head West.

note the word I used... probably! We only use a pencil with a large eraser when we plan...

That's okay. We just changed even this month so plan to leave here a little earlier. I'm good with erasers.

I've got us routed with stops till mid June...what could go wrong with that?!!

Roger

In my world, just about everything would go wrong. I have us "in pencil" into April. However, I know a lot of erasing will take place.

Now you have me making plans for the year but the only thing I can come up with is to change my plans.

I change plenty of plans, as you well know.

I'm getting very low on fresh water. I may move over to the LOWs tomorrow and stay with them till the tank goes dry then head south and get some full hook-ups to restock for a night or two. I have credit for 20 days in Ajo but I sure don't want to fill the fresh tank there. Maybe I'll stop in Gila Bend one night and get water there. I'll eventually end up down in Oragan Pipe. I don't want to return to Deming until mid February.

February is not a time you want to return to many places including Deming or even Arizona. It's not that Arizona will be icy or stormy but getting there could be.

miss seeing everyone at the Q but will probably be there next season

That's a whole year from now! We're having trouble deciding where we'll be next month!

We have just had another first. While driving 10 west leaving Houston, we had a run in with an 18 wheeler. We were traveling in the far left lane (Ed was trying to pass this truck that was slowing down and speeding up). We were entering construction with a small lane shift, she didn't shift!! We were squished between the trailer and the concrete barrier. We literally chased her down (yes it was a woman truck driver!) Got her to get off at a Loves Truck stop where we proceeded to call the police. At first the policeman said it was our fault because the lane ended. (He thought it happened further away) We got him to follow us to where it happened and you could clearly see that the signs said lane shifting ahead. He then amended his report and said she will be sighted for failure to stay in her lane. Good news is, we were right up from Holiday World RV, we were able to drive here. We have a FHU site while we await the estimate, Winnebago to fabricate the needed panels for repair and the actual fix. Bad news, it looks to be about 6 weeks before I will get to hold my new granddaughter. I have posted pics on FB is anyone wants to see them.

Oh my! Certainly glad you are safe! It seems luck was on your side after the accident though. I hope she was cited for hit and run too!! Didn't she know she hit you? We had to run down a Canadian in a motorhome a few years ago that took off our mirror and kept on running.

Well here I am in Quartzsite. I tried to use the coordinates and the farther I went the farther the coordinate were behind me. So I went back to the LOW encampment and called Diane. She talked me in on the phone. Right back to where I turned around then back to the left which turned me around gradually until I was heading toward the camp. It ends up the coordinates were spot on, just a roundabout way to get to them. Oh well, I enjoyed the talking with Diane on the way in. I pretty much dodged the welcoming committee because I was feeling pretty bad. I took a short nap and got some warm fluids into me, cleaned up a little then went over to say high to Steve who came in shortly after I did. Then I came back to the rig and rested some more. When I awoke the second time I was actually HUNGRY. I haven't been able to eat more then a couple spoons full at a setting since New Years Day when this started. I cleaned up all the stuff in the frig that I had prepared then wasn't able to eat. It sure felt good to be able to eat again. I did the warm liquids again and cleaned out my bronchial tubes, put on my warmest jacket and joined the group at the fire. It sure was nice being part of the group again. I think I'm definately on the mend

Great!! Glad you made it! Now just enjoy yourself, get better and let the group take care of you!

Yeah, Jeri, I remember you wanting to plug into the "current bush"!! You do need to work out your solar panels though!! We will miss you guys this year, darn it all!!

I'm trying to think when we last used our solar panels ................ Walmart, north of Montgomery, Alabama in August or was it September? Well, you get the picture. It's been a while.

. Oh yeah, we are dry camping for a couple of weeks at Q, so we'll call this a "practice night" Steve

A practice night, Steve? I'm not sure I remember what dry camping is or if we'd be able to do it again. It's been a mighty long time and I kind of like plugging the little plug in and having everything work like it's supposed to.

I hope nobody puts a cork in my snorkel cause I'm going to be needing it. It rained most of the day and is forecasted to rain the rest of the week. Because Thursday is supposed to be the worst day I may just leave tomorrow which is supposed to be the weakest storm day. The Navion already is in bad need of a bath so it can't get much dirtier. I still have the sore throat and feel like I went through the Big Bang so it won't make much difference where I am. If It don't clear up by next Monday I'll go to the Doctor. I don't do anything except sleep which is OK because I don't want to spread this to others. So if I feel good enough to get this thing ready to roll in the morning, my next post will probably be from Deming. If it gets too uncomfortable driving I'll stop in Benson.

Sounds like you need a little warmth and rest to get over whatever you have. Sometimes those bugs are hard to shake. Arizona sure has had it's share of cold weather. Hope you get to feeling better soon. It's no fun to be sick.

Not sure about the shuffle board but I think Emerald Cove has all the rest plus mini golf and bingo. And meals. I miss staying there.

 

Linda

I do like Emerald Cove. I also like the Voyager in Tucson. I used to say - so many airports, so little time. Now I'm saying - so many parks, so little time. I guess we need to check them all out.

Happy New Year! I usually like to get on the road too after being in one spot for a while. However, I have to admit it sure is nice being still for a while. It just might have something to do with the people we are with and with the activities we can get involved in here. We've just about done it all here with the Hintons and Hyders --- shuffleboard, cornhole, pickleball, kayaking, the dogs, biking and lots of partying. Now, we just need to find a similar park in Arizona!

Jeff / Tina -- When you planning on attending the Tampa RV Show. We'd like to coordinate our visit the same you'll be there.