Monrovia, Maryland: Quick, Which Way To The Warm Weather?

We left Phoenix last week to make our way (slowly) back to Maryland. Along the way we stopped in Tulsa to see our oldest son Christopher and his lovely bride Rachael. As always, it was great to see them. Also great were the temperatures in the mid-60's; in fact, the day we left the forecast was for 70 degrees.

On Wednesday we drove from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Jackson, Tennessee, a distance of 486 miles. I've driven that distance in a single day in a car many times however it's a little different in an RV. Really need to pay attention to keeping that big rig between the lines; especially fun when an 18 wheeler blasts by, blowing you onto the shoulder.

On Thursday we did it again, driving from Jackson, TN to Wytheville, Virginia. Except, as we drove across the Tennessee border into Virginia, we hit snow showers. Can you believe it?

Mary Lynn's immediate response? -- "Turn this RV around and go south until we find warm weather" said in a rather severe tone. Actually, she said that repeatedly as I tried to find a way to get all the snow off of the wipers.

We stayed at a campground in Wythevile and woke to about an inch of snow this morning. The roads were a mess so we purposely started late before driving from Wytheville to our home in Monrovia, Maryland.

Strong, gusty winds made the trip interesting however we arrived safe and sound around 6 pm this evening. Feels good to be back in a 'full sized' house again. I opened the refrigerator and just stood there staring at the luxury of space. Wow!

Mary Lynn kept caressing the dishwasher; so much so that if the dishwasher was alive I'd be worried.

See Ya!

Tulsa, Oklahoma: Slowly Headed To The East Coast

We are now in Tulsa, Oklahoma visiting our son Christopher and his new bride Rachael. This is the first time we've seen them since the wedding in late July and we are having a great time.

As you may remember, we spent a few days in Albuquerque, New Mexico before heading east on US 40. We left Albuquerque, travelling east and then stopped for one night in Amarillo, Texas.

Albuquerque was great and we will definitely go back. We explored several museums and a portion of the Torquoise Road however there is a lot more to see in New Mexico. We need to get to Santa Fe, Taos, and Roswell at a minimum. Santa Fe and Taos have some of the best scenery available in the west along with lots of Pueblo's and art galleries.

I would like to follow the torquoise Road out to Madrid, the small town highlighted in the film "Wild Hogs".

And Roswell is famous as the home of Area 51, believed by some to be the site of an alien spaceship crash back in the 50's.

Oh, and there is Los Alamos, where the atomic bomb was developed in great secrecy during WW II.

They (they being Texans) say that everything is bigger in Texas. Just outside of Abilene, Texas there is a field of the large windmills. These windmills, which are massive devices for generating electricity, are becoming increasingly popular throughout windy areas of the US.

Well, we drove for over 5 minutes alongside this massive Texas windmill farm. Mile after mile of windmills. The largest windmill farm we've seen to date. And of course it was extremely breezy with lots of wind gusts. This always makes driving the RV interesting, to say the least. You have to really focus to keep the RV in the appropriate lane, especially when an 18 wheeler passes you or you pass them. Fun!

Today we attended church with Christopher and Rachael before watching the Redskins Vs Dallas football game. Rachael had rented the large screen TV room at their apartment complex to celebrate Christopher's birthday. We had a great time despite the Skin's losing to Dallas. Oh well.
We'll be here in Tulsa until Wednesday when we'll once again point the RV towards the east coast. We should get to Maryland on Saturday/Sunday. Just in time to get everything ready for a Thanksgiving Feast with many of our relatives.

See Ya!

Albuquerque, New Mexico: Getting Frisky In Albuquerque -- Enchanting

We are now in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The city of Albuquerque is tucked into the base of the Sandia Mountains which makes it beautiful however that's not what makes it so special.

No, what makes it special is the quality of the light which is an incredibly pure blue and has an almost mystical quality. At night the clear air causes the city lights appear as 1000's of individual points of light that sparkle and twinkle with the mountain faintly visible in the background. Absolutely beautiful.

This afternoon we had time to go the the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center which represents all of the Pueblo's located along the Rio Grande River. The museum was interesting however it is really just an excuse for the gift shop, which displayed many very expensive carvings and bronzes.

How expensive? So expensive I warned Mary Lynn not to touch any of the items the same way I used to warn the kids not to touch when they were young. There were items in the gift shop selling for over $25,000 dollars.

Not your average trinkets and trash here, no sirree. The gift shop offers beautiful paintings, bronzes, jewelry, pottery and massive stone carvings of the same quality as the items on display in the museum.

Fortunately, we have no room in the RV for new items, expensive or otherwise! Even more fortunately both MLA and I were able to avoid breaking any of the items for sale (or the non sale exhibits for that matter).

MLA said it best. The museum was a good museum however the museum should have been free and they should have charged for touring the gift shop. The museum's policy of not allowing any photographs (not even in the gift shop!) was very disappointing, and as a result I cannot share with you the beauty of the Indian artifacts.

After touring the Pueblo museum we had enough time to squeeze in another museum and MLA was nice enough to go with me to the museum that caught my eye: The Rattlesnake Museum.

You can take photos as long as you do not use the flash. Fortunately the displays were very well lit and I was able to get a few good pictures.

This place should be called a Zoo rather than a museum since it has the largest (their claim) collection of live rattlesnakes along with a good number of (live) spiders, lizards, tortoises, frogs and scorpions. Basically almost any reptile that has a potentially lethal bite or sting is on display.

I was able to identify the rattlesnake MLA almost stepped on in South Dakota as the Prairie Rattlesnake, which is found in one of the largest geographical territories of any rattlesnake. In fact, this snake's range includes parts of Mexico all the way up into a small portion of Canada. Pretty impressive.

The displays at the Rattlesnake museum are really large aquariums with lids attached, although the lids looked like they could be a little more securely locked in place. In fact, the fear of one of these little buggers having 'escaped' made it impossible to wander around the crowded exhibits without carefully looking around. I was constantly scanning for an 'escapee'. The ad for the place said they had rattlesnake t-shirts "To Die For" however I didn't see anything I really liked.

We also explored some of Albuquerque's old town, which is home to many, many art galleries along with lots of stores that cater to tourists including lots of turquoise jewelry, Indian artifacts and clothing.

The picture above shows a couple of tortoises getting frisky. A tortoise may be slow but the fella above was quick enough to catch her. What he lacked in speed he more than made up for in enthusiasm. Every 10-15 seconds or so he would thrust so hard I thought he would knock the large barrel that serves as their home right off the table. I mean, it was very impressive.

Of course, it was MLA who discovered this pair in a back room; she found me and drug me back to see all of he commotion. Too funny.

See Ya!

Apache Junction, Arizona: Another Day In Paradise or Remote Party With Best Friends

"Another Day In Paradise" is a great way to describe today except I've used that exact wording far too many times. Not that it's not true, both now and in the past, however you'd think I could be just a little more imaginative. Sounds so much like a Jimmy Buffet song... which it is.

Before I jump into other ways of saying " Another Day In Paradise" I want to tell you not everything is perfect when you are traveling around North America. No, not by a long shot.

Tonight a number of my closest friends were getting together for a party at Bill & Tamara's house in Northern Virginia. When I received Tamara's invitation about a month ago I realized we would still be in Arizona.

Enjoying the incredible sunshine and warm weather during our search for the perfect spot to spend the winter, but I digress.

Reluctantly I told everyone Mary Lynn And I would be unable to attend the party.

However I could not forget about the get together so this evening I called Skip who I knew would be there. He passed the phone around and I was able to speak to Bruce, Patrice, Bill, Peter as well as Skip.

How incredibly great was it to hear every one's voice?

Well, you know how it is with people you have a special connection with -- no matter how long it's been since you last spoke to that person, within seconds you pick up the thread of friendship and continue as is you had just spoken to each other earlier this week. Amazing.

Wish I could have been there to see & talk with everyone. Really need the scientists to get cracking on the Star Trek tele-transporter; I'll be the first in line to have one installed in my RV. You see, as much as I miss my friends and family, I cannot imagine not having experienced this last year of travel throughout the US (and a small part of Mexico).

And there's still so much more we want to see. That is, if we can make the money hold out. Having your 401K become a 201K in the time span of a few weeks is no fun at all. I've been practicing for my next job by saying "Would you like fries with that?". Again, I digress.

Back on point -- I truly miss my friends and family. Makes you realize just how many blessings we have -- hopefully it also ensures I cherish those relationships all the more.

Today we skipped the French Toast breakfast offered at the RV Resort. Instead Mary Lynn and I went to the local Harley dealer "Superstition Harley Davidson". They were having demo rides today and I wanted MLA to see the 2009 Ultra Classics. Not that we have any plans (or money) to buy a new Harley but hey, if they need people to put miles on these brand new motorcycles, I'm willing to sacrifice my time and skills to the cause.

Except they didn't have a 2009 Ultra in the demo pool. All they had was the Screaming Eagle version of the 2009 Ultra, which is the high performance version of a standard model. So I was forced to demo a machine with an even bigger motor, lots of trick performance parts, and a custom paint job. I told you not everything is perfect here in paradise...

Harley's are known for their unique pattern of vibration and I'm happy to report this 2009 Screaming Eagle Ultra maintains that rich legacy. What an incredible ride. Only thing missing was the louder sound that helps ensure people know you are there. There's a reason motorcycle riders say "Loud pipes save lives". MLA loved it (almost) as much as I did.

I looked like a good fiend of mine, John G., who could not wipe the smile from his face for several years after his retirement... I will probably need to go riding again (soon) to maintain the smile.

I know. Maybe I can get a job with Harley taking all their new toys around the country and showing people how to enjoy themselves on a Harley...

The rest of the day in paradise consisted of laying by the pool, using said pool to cool off, and then using the hot tub to warm up, followed by watching a little football, a nap and an excellent dinner.

Topped off with the call to my friends back East, it was perfect (other than Penn State losing). Now if I could only find my 'shaker of salt'...

I am a lucky man... See Ya!

Superior, Arizona: Boyce Thompson Arboretum

Ever look back on something you did or said about a topic and realize all you really did was show your lack of education or ignorance on that topic?

Well, it happens to me -- too often -- you'd think I'd learn to keep my mouth shut or at least temper my remarks. You'd think that but you'd be wrong.

Today was another such example of having to stretch my little mind in order to understand a topic I thought I understood. In the past few months I have made comments describing the desert terrain we traveled through that day something to the effect of "nothing there but scrub bush, cactus and sand". Beautiful in it's own way but not a lot there or so I thought.

Today Mary Lynn and I decided to head out into the desert east of where we are located towards Florence and Globe, two towns that have survived if not thrived since the days of traveling by stagecoach.

Taking the Harley we followed a beautiful, newly re-surfaced highway into the Superstition Mountains, eventually entering the Tonto National Forest. Just before reaching Superior, Arizona we stopped at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum which is dedicated to preserving Arizona's natural beauty. In fact, the botanical gardens there have plants from arid regions all over the world.

Founded 80 years ago by William Boyce Thompson (at the time the third richest man in America due to his silver mining interests) it houses botanical gardens full of plants, butterflies, hummingbirds and migratory birds.

The variety of shapes and sizes of cactus is truly unbelievable. There were hundreds of different species from all over the world. You should see how many different varieties of the Agave plant there are in that garden; no wonder there are so many different Tequilas produced.

MLA and I spent hours wandering through the different exhibits which are spread over 320 acres. I'm sure we only saw about 25% of the exhibits and I know we'll go back.

Back to my original point about showing my ignorance (lack of education, if you will) regarding the desert botanical environment. The time we spent there today underscored a truth I have known for some time: the more you learn about a topic the more you realize how little you know.

You'd think I'd be able to remember this simple truism. Maybe one day...

In any case, we had a terrific day of riding the Harley, exploring the incredible variety of plant and wildlife the desert has to offer and we capped it off by attending a Mexican Dinner when we returned to the RV park at the end of the day.

Hopefully I'll continue to explore topics I think I already understand or know about... hopefully!

See Ya!

Apache Junction: Presidential History In The Making

The sunset tonight seemed especially appropriate for the election of a new President of the United States with it's soft hues of red, white and blue.

Retirement in this day and age does not remove you from the normal pressures of living. The economy, world events and politics is just as important as ever. In some ways it's seems even more important since retiree's have the luxury of time to follow these issues as deeply as you wish. There's simply no escaping the issues of our time given the pervasiveness of the Internet and access to media.

Only a few miles up the road from where we are staying, Senator John McCain is anxiously following the results of voting all across America. He is, of course, hoping for a miracle to occur that will allow him to become President of the United States. While the popular vote has tightened, he has an uphill battle to win the 270 electoral votes necessary to win the actual election. While McCain is 'hoping' for a miracle I learned early in my working career "Hope Is Not A Strategy".

I mention this because we are on the outskirts of Phoenix in Arizona, which is McCain's home state. To me, the number of people working to overturn McCain in his home state tells the real story. I don't know if Obama can carry the entire state of Arizona, where McCain has been their Senator for over 20 years, but clearly Obama has made huge inroads in McCain's backyard.

My personal opinion is the world is watching to see if we will elect Obama, a man they feel has roots all over the world. And only Obama has the potential to significantly improve the standing and reputation of the US in the world community, something we sorely need.

Did either candidate talk to the real issues that most concern those of us in or near retirement? Nope.

Did either candidate talk about how they will provide health insurance to the millions of US citizens that currently lack coverage? Nope.

And did either of them spell out how, given the situation with the US (& WW) economy, how they would pay for all of their campaign promises. Nope.

So, regardless of who wins, the back pedaling will start immediately. And that's too bad.

As we travel around this great country we are struck that, in addition to an amazingly beautiful country with tremendous natural resources, the people of America are what really make her special. So much better than our reputation in the WW community. So much better than our opinion of ourselves.

Will Obama be able to transform the excellence brought to getting elected (better fundraising, better strategy, better advisers, better endorsements, better engagement of younger voters and all minorities, etc) into excellence in governing?

This country deserves the best leadership available from public and/or private sector. It remains to be seen if our next President will be able to forge the necessary alliances to get something meaningful accomplished. We can only hope he does.

God Bless America.

Apache Junction, Arizona: Arrived Meridian RV Resort

Only a hop, skip, and a jump away from Casa Grande are the towns of Mesa, Apache Junction, and Gold Canyon. Hard to tel where one stops and the other begins by any means other than the signs.

We put Casa Grande in our rear view mirror around 11 am and by 1 pm we had not only arrived in Apache Junction, we were completely set-up and ready to rock. We grabbed a quick sandwich and then headed over to the activity complex for a $1/bowl Ice Cream Social. Nice....

The pool here is pretty small and unfortunately not set-up for water volley ball. Despite some aches and pains in my legs from playing so much, I already miss it!

There is a lot to explore east of this area in the area of Globe, AZ, still home to the 'Old Wild West'. We'll probably spend a few days exploring there and some on the national forests in the area, including the Tonto National Forest.

A good friend has recommended we get to Bisbee, AZ, which is southeast of Tucson, close the the border of Mexico. Not sure if we'll get there this week, might have to wait until we are back in the area in January through March.

Speaking of staying the winter here in Arizona.... After two weeks in Casa Grande, AZ, both MLA and I mentioned to each other how good it felt to get back on the road. Got us to thinking what is it going to be like staying in one place for 2-3 months. Despite all of the activities I'm a little concerned about how much I miss travelling from spot-to-spot.

Right now we think we'll be back in Arizona by mid-January, probably attending the events at Quartzite. They have a huge RV show, a rock & mineral show, and an auto show around that time. Supposedly Quartzite grows to over a hundred thousand people during that time; it's normally less than 10,000 people. Very excited about seeing all of that; MLA is not as excited since it means 'dry camping' on BLM land for two weeks. There's a group of Tiffin owners getting together that we hope to join up with.

On Jan 28th we would head to where ever we will spend the next two - three months. Maybe we break it up a bit just so we are not in the same place for such a long time. RV Full timers who have been travelling for a couple of years tell us that at some point you want to spend more time in one place.

Maybe so, but we are not at that point yet. The main advantage of staying for a month or longer is you get a break on the price, which can be substantial. On the other hand, once you go to a monthly fee structure you have to pay your own utility bill, primarily electric. Your electric bill is included in in the weekly rate.

In any case, felt great to pack up and get on the road today. We'll be here a week and then start working our way back East. Next stop where we will spend more than one night is most likely Albuquerque, New Mexico.

See Ya!

Casa Grande: Palm Creek Visit Comes To An End

Today was our last day at Palm Creek. We have been here for two weeks and really enjoyed ourselves. We had hoped to stay another week however that did not work out so tomorrow we load up the RV, attach the Toad, and put Casa Grande in our rear view mirror.

We'll only be moving about an hour away. We are going to Meridian RV Resort in Apache Junction or maybe it's in Mesa. It's close to the border of these two towns so I'm not exactly sure. What I am sure of is the people here have been great to work with so far. Very friendly and helpful.

These are the two finalist for where we will stay the winter. MLA's leaning towards Meridian since it's a good bit less expensive; I'm leaning towards Palm Creek due to the activities. We'll know more after spending a week at Meridian.

Today I was able to wash the car and then helped MLA do laundry at the North pool. Pretty cool to be able to go swimming and read in the sunshine as we wash and dry our laundry. Finished the wash with just enough time to grab a quick bite followed by another great afternoon of water volley ball. MLA cooked a great pasta meal and just before sunset I went out to snap a few photo's of the sunset.

While tomorrow is a travel day it's such a short distance we should have plenty of time to do a little exploring, at least of the RV Park.

See Ya!

Palm Creek RV & Golf Resort: Financial Trouble In Paradise?

Whenever I mention I retired in June 2007 I am almost always asked if I miss work. The best answer I can give is both yes and no.

Yes, I miss the people, the interactions, the speed of business and the feeling of making a difference & of getting results. I miss helping people develop their skills , seeing them grow into stronger, more capable team members that make bigger and bigger contributions. And I miss seeing them (and myself) well paid for their efforts. Very rewarding and lots of fun.

And no, I do not miss the 'same stuff, different day' aspect of work where you know what you are doing based on the specific time of the year and month. The end of October, well it's closing business for the end of the fiscal year, working hard to get orders in by SAB cut-off dates for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, etc. Nor do I miss working on the same issues that you worked on previously that remain unresolved.

So as we travel around the country and see the inner workings of various businesses I can't help but evaluate what they could do better to make their business more efficient and more profitable. After all these years of being focused on results and constant improvement, it's just second nature.

So when I see the RV Resort we are staying in turn away business it makes me wonder what on earth they are thinking. Apparently a new manager has been brought in to make the park profitable, something it has been unable to do for the last several years.

Now, I won't pretend to understand all the in's & out's of this park's business (or any other park's business for that matter) however I do understand empty sites are missed opportunities to bring in revenue.

Just like the hotel business. Yes, they'd like to get $150/night/room however they are willing to settle for less rather than let the room go empty. Better to discount the room to $100 or even $75 dollars than have it be empty and bring in $0. Just basic economics.

Why do I bring all of this up you say?

Well, today, MLA went to the office to extend our stay here at Palm Creek for another week and had talked about making reservations for us to spend a couple of months here this winter. She had a coupon good for another week at a reduced rate. The resort is at best 50% full and yet they told her she could not use the discount coupon. Why, oh why would you turn business away even if it's not 'full' list price?

Mary Lynn, not being one to suffer fools (except me) or to have companies refuse to honor their word, went and made reservations at another park. So on Monday we move to another RV Resort rather than continue to spend money is this park. And she did not make the reservations for a couple of months this winter.

My only hope is that she is not so frustrated with this resort refusing to honor it's coupon that she decides we will be staying somewhere else this winter. I'd like to come back but MLA is hesitant to do business with organizations that don't do what they say they will do. Can't say I blame her... Like all of us she wants to feel she is being treated fairly and with respect.

We'll see; depends on how much she likes the park we are going to next week. A park that we never would have experienced if we had not been 'pushed' by Palm Creek RV & Golf Resort.

See Ya!

Casa Grande, AZ: Driving On Empty

Mary Lynn thinks I should share with you part of the fun we had the other evening on our drive back from Yuma.


Last Monday, after spending the afternoon in Mexico we went back through Yuma headed for Casa Grande, which is about 3 hours away.

We passed an RV dealer and noticed they carried Tiffin motor homes, so we stopped for about half an hour to look at the RV we want to get some time in the future. The Allegro Bus is a little longer than we have now however it seems a whole lot bigger on the inside. Very cool.

Anyhow, the sun went down as we were driving east leaving in its wake a beautifully clear night with almost no moon. Lots of stars visible as we traveled through the desert that is almost entirely empty. I mean really empty; 180 miles of open desert with only one or two small towns along the way.

MLA & I became totally engrossed in looking at and enjoying the stars as we discussed how different things are in Mexico. Next thing I know the car's fuel alarm lights up telling us we had 16 miles of gas left before we changed from a motorized vehicle into a very heavy paper weight.

Normally, if this happens you simply get fuel at the next exit, which according to our GPS was 14 miles away. Okay, 14 miles to go and 16 miles of fuel; close but doable. And that's what I confidently told MLA.

Except when we arrived at the exit 14 miles later, there was no gas station. According to the GPS we now had to go 5 miles to the next exit with the fuel range reading 2 miles of gas left. I had already slowed down from the posted speed limit of 75 to 60 mph. I now slowed down to 40 miles an hour, trying to make the gas last as long as possible. I put on the emergency blinkers to keep from being rear-ended by the (fortunately) sparse over-taking traffic.

Of course, Murphy's Law (anything that can go wrong will go wrong) continued to reveal itself. We finally make it to the following exit only to have the GPS tells us to turn right and follow that road for another 3 miles! And the mileage range is now showing 1 mile's worth of fuel left in the gas tank. This road was completely dark; not a street light anywhere in sight. Nor could we see any lights that might mark a gas station. Still, all we could do at this point was hope the GPS was correct about there being a gas station 3 miles down the road.

Oh, and by the way, the road was under construction. There was absolutely no place to pull over. I mean no place. The road bed next to us was at least 1 foot lower than the road bed we were on. Great.

So I immediately began my defensive strategy. I told MLA I forgave her. To say she was shocked is an incredible understatement. When she finally recovered her ability to speak she asked me why I was forgiving her. I explained she was the navigator and as such, she was responsible for the directions AND for keeping track of our fuel situation. Amazingly, she did not hit me or yell at me...

By now the gas gauge showed empty and the mileage range had been on zero for over two miles. We still had a mile to go. Both of us were sweating bullets with the vision of running out of gas and blocking the only travel lane on a pitch black road. Yee Haw!

Of course, as we got closer to the intersection we could see the gas station on the other side of the street once you went through the light. And of course the light turned red well before we arrived at the intersection. Our car's engine stuttered a few times just to make it interesting however the stoplight turned green and I was able to coast into the gas station.

Our CR-V has a 16 gallon fuel tank and I put 16.4 gallons into the car. Don't ask me how we made it, I don't know. I do know that MLA forgave me immediately for 'forgiving' her when it wasn't her fault. What a gal!

In any event, we are talking now and MLA is taking her responsibilities as navigator much more seriously. And I'm helping her with those responsibilities, nice guy that I am...

See Ya!

Casa Grande, Arizona: Trip Planning And Cost Vs Comfort

While continuing to enjoy sunny 90 degree weather in Arizona, Mary Lynn and I have begun planning our return to the East Coast. We are planning on spending the holidays in Maryland with three of our four children. Distance from Casa Grande to Maryland is approximately 2500 miles.


There are several options for travelling to Maryland, staying for six weeks, and then returning to Arizona right after Christmas. Travel with our dog is one complication, so is the fact that the RV is now our home and has everything we need to live & travel comfortably.

Option A is fly to Maryland, rent a car for six weeks, and then fly back to Arizona. On the plus side:

1. travel time is minimized
2. less expensive than driving RV.

On the negative side:

1. pay to store our RV, car & motorcycle here in Arizona
2. rent a car for six weeks - $$$
3. limit what we take from our home (our RV) back to Maryland
4. unable to stop and see our son & daughter-in-law in Tulsa
5. cannot get RV serviced at factory in Alabama

Option B is to drive our car back to Maryland. On the plus side:

1. have our own car while back in Maryland
2. less expensive than driving RV since car gets better mileage
3. able to take a little more 'stuff' on trip to Maryland
4. can see son & daughter-in-law in Tulsa for a few days

The negatives are:

1. pay to store RV & Motorcycle in Arizona
2. a lot of time 'cooped up' in car
3. pay for hotel room every night
4. have to eat all meals out
5. cannot get RV serviced at factory in Alabama

Option C is to drive the RV to Maryland. On the plus side:

1. stay in our own house
2. eat most meals in RV
3. have our own bathroom/bedroom while traveling
4. all of our 'stuff' is with us
5. can see son & daughter-in-law in Tulsa
6. can get RV serviced at factory in Georgia

On the negative side:

1. diesel more expensive than gasoline
2. RV gets lower mileage
3. must 'winterize' RV while in Maryland

Estimated costs are:

1. Option A: $2000 (airfare, car rental, vehicle storage, meals)
2. Option B: $1800 (Gasoline, vehicle storage, meals, hotel)
3. Option C: $3000 (Diesel, winterize RV)

All in all, we could save $1200 if we drive the car, if we are willing to be 'cooped up' in the car for 4-5 days each way.

Another way to put this is it will cost us $1200 to travel in our RV home, with all of the comforts with which we are accustomed. That works out to $120/day to have our own bed each night, our meals in our own kitchen, and anytime access to our own bathroom.

So far our experience with travelling by RV has shown that just about everything involves trade-offs. Which RV you buy, what type of RV, how far you travel, where you travel, etc. all involve trade-offs involving time, comfort and money. Trip planning is no different.

So now Mary Lynn and I have to weigh the trade-offs and make a decision with the normal trade-offs of money, time, and comfort.

All that being said, we are really looking forward to seeing our friends and relatives when we get back East.

Until next time - See Ya!

Gasa Grande, AZ: Yuma Explorations Completed

Yesterday we explored several possible RV Parks in Yuma where we might spend the winter. Yuma is usually a few degrees warmer than anywhere else in Arizona during the winter so it has been on our list from the beginning.


The US Army's Yuma Proving Grounds are also located there. This is where the Army tests their weapons systems including tanks and big artillery. We passed through this facility on our way to check out an RV resort which is located at a dam site on the Colorado River.

There was a display of tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery pieces along the road. I figured I would examine them and get a few pictures on the way back from checking out the RV park. Great plan except MLA wanted to go a different route on the way back. And now you and I have to suffer without having pictures of dusty Army equipment siting in the desert. Just because MLA wanted to see different scenery on our trip back to Yuma.

It pains me to admit the alternate route she had us take was very nice, taking us through a variety of date farms. Dates grow in certain varieties of palm trees. They hand down on long stalks just under the canopy.

Of course, over the years these palm trees get quite tall. Apparently workers cover these branches of dates with white bags so you end up with huge groves of tall palm trees that look as if someone has hung up their laundry, albeit only their white laundry.

When you are in the desert and get near a source of water, such as the Colorado River, you are presented with some beautiful and sometimes unbelievable sights.

You travel for miles in the desert, surrounded by sand, rocks, cactus, and scrub brush. You round a corner and suddenly you are presented with an incredible sight: large plots of lush and dark green lands growing all manner of crops. Long, neat, perfectly formed rows of earth berms, plants on top of the berm and water trickling in the low area between the berms. Beautiful.

All of these crops only made possible by large quantities of water provided y many small dams along the river.

When we drove to Yuma on Monday the wind was blowing and a layer of sand obscured the view of distant mountains. Dust devils visible here and there. Along the highway we saw a number of Saguaro cactus that appear to be dieing, the lower portions look like they have been eaten away either by animals or disease. Never did figure it out however it's painful to see these magnificent cactus being destroyed -- not all of them but certainly a large number of them.

All in all, a fun day in Yuma and in Mexico. Did we make any decisions about an RV Park for the winter? Well, we didn't find any park in Yuma that beats where we are currently staying. We'll keep looking however I'm leaning to return to the park we are staying in right now.

See Ya!

Algodones, Mexico: Put Some Ohmm-paw Back in Gran-paw -- Viagra Sold Here

I was told you could buy any dental, optical, or medicine just over the border in Algodones, Mexico, and they weren't kidding. Everywhere you go in a four block area you are bombarded with hawkers trying to get you to buy their wares or willing to recommend someone else.

It started with us driving just over 3 hours from Casa Grande to Yuma. Then you go one exit into California, turn South and two miles later you are at the border. We parked on the US side and walked over.

You should have seen the look on Mary Lynn's face when I parked the car and said get out; we're walking over the border into Mexico. It took awhile for me to convince her it was a lot easier than driving into Mexico, fighting for non-existent parking spots, and then taking the car back through US Customs. Basically this is because vehicles have many 'nooks & crannies' to inspect. Consequently a car is subject to a much longer inspection. This means the line of cars waiting to re-enter the US is quite long. Not to mention you need special insurance for driving in Mexico.

I finally convinced her and we were across the border and into Algodones within two minutes.

This border town specializes in meeting the medical, dental, and optical needs of US seniors. Many of these seniors are on fixed budgets and have little/no insurance. Heck, even with insurance some medicines are obscenely over priced.

Even before you are across the border you see the sides of the buildings in Mexico advertising complete offerings of dental services at unbelievably low prices. Many of the dentists are US trained; some live in the US and commute over the border to take advantage of the lower operating/insurance costs.

It seemed that every dentist office also hosted an optician on-site who could sell you glasses that would be ready for pick-up within an hour or so, including an eye exam. Lowest price we found was $40 for basic frames. They'd even recommend a restaurant to grab lunch in while you waited.

MLA does not particularly like the verbal assault that takes place as you walk down the streets. Several times I had to remind her that she was in charge and could simply say "No, I'm not interested". And as good a bargain hunter that she is, I had to keep reminding her that no one pays the first or second price offered by the vendor; every thing's negotiable. In fact, it's expected and built into the pricing. She likes to comparison shop based on price and that's tough to do when nothing is marked.

That said, the pharmacies were pretty well run. All you had to say is what medicine you were interested in and they would quickly produce both the medicine and the prescription for that medicine, all at a very low price. I've talked with several people staying at various RV parks here in Arizona that have purchased medicines in Mexico and have found the medicine to be effective as well as extremely low priced.

MLA & I get almost all of our prescriptions mailed to us (by US companies) at a great price. With us travelling all over it's easier than moving prescriptions from town to town. However I do have one medicine which is incredibly expensive -- in the US. In Mexico it was less than 20% of the cost in the US. Wow!

Also available over the border is low cost alcohol. MLA and I don't drink much however about once a month MLA likes to enjoy a margarita so we picked up a bottle of Tequila and a bottle of Grand Marnier. That's almost a year's supply for MLA unless she invites the neighbors over...

The best was hearing a few of the hawkers out front of the pharmacies trying to lure the tourists in by saying something to the effect of "Put some ohmm-paw back in gran-paw -- Viagra sold here". Too funny.

In addition their are vendors selling jewelry, leather goods, straw goods, stained glass windows, and a huge variety of gaudy lawn ornaments, usually some form of pottery that's been hand painted in bright colors. Everything you can imagine. Unbelievably (to me) people were buying this stuff like crazy and then lugging it back across the border.

I saw one women struggling to carry a huge turtle about the size of a kitchen trash can as we started through US Customs. Turns out she had several of her friends carrying other pieces of pottery across the border for her.

Not our thing however she was ecstatic with her 'bargains'.

See Ya!

Casa Grande, Arizona: College Football, NFL Football, and Water Volleyball

Great day Saturday capped off by watching the Penn State/Ohio football game. It was played at 8 pm EST so here in Arizona it started at 5 pm. That was nice -- I miss a lot of the games since they start (relatively) early for west coasters.

I mean, a 1 pm EST start time means the game starts here at 10 am. Somehow that's just too early to curl up on the couch and start watching college football. When I was 'back east' I could at least spend the am hours getting errands/chores accomplished before starting to watch football at 1 pm.

As it was, I had to make sure I finished playing Water Volleyball and was back at the RV by 5 pm.

In any case, Saturday's Penn State/Ohio game was exciting to watch. Almost a little too exciting at the end, when it looked as if Ohio would score in the last few minutes. Penn State ended up winning, which is the team I was rooting for. That means Penn State is still unbeaten!

Sunday was another Water Volleyball day. Have to get my fill since tomorrow (Monday) we will driving to Yuma and then cross the border into Mexico.

See Ya!

Casa Grande: Wine, Cheese & The Friday Night Comedy Club

Another day of errands and water volleyball followed by a little entertainment this evening. The entertainment was a comedy show with a couple of comedians from the Phoenix area.

The wine & cheese cocktail party was a chance to meet some additional resident of the RV park; tonight we sat at a table with two Canadian couples that have been coming here for the last few years. Very nice people and a lot of fun to talk with. Always entertaining to get the low down from people who have been here for a while.

After the wine and cheese we adjourned to the ballroom to listen to the. Not great however not bad. One of them is actually a Phoenix policeman; the best part of his act was when he started talking about some of his experiences 'on the streets'.

One thing I will say about this RV resort. They get things done, and done early. The wine and cheese started at 4:30 pm and the comedy show started at 6 pm. And it was over by 7:20 pm.

So not really a comedy night. More like a comedy evening or even a comedy late afternoon. By 7:30 the lights were out and almost everybody had returned to their RVs. I mean this place starts early and finishes early.

I could make a few comments about all the 'old' people needing to get to bed by 9, etc. however I'll let you make your own jokes. The truth is the folks here are active, energetic and very friendly. Not a lot for the blog update other than to let you know MLA & I are having a great time.

Love to all!

See Ya!

Casa Grande, Arizona: Wash Day For Harley & Tiffin

This morning I was able to wash 3 sides of the RV and the Harley before the wind blew up. Not wanting the spray to hit the RV next to us I called it quits, leaving one side for tomorrow.

It's pretty funny because if you approach the RV from the South, it shine and sparkles like new. If you approach from the North, that side is still covered in dirt and grime.

Tomorrow I plan to get up early and go play 'pickle ball'. Don't know much about it however everyone I've talked to says it's both fun AND addictive. Two people on each side and you play with paddles and a whiffle ball on a court about 1/4 the size of a tennis court. Sounds cool; I'll let you know.

After another afternoon of Water Volleyball today I had a chance to explore the park a little bit more. Today I 'discovered' the softball fields and the area reserved for flying remote controlled airplanes.

They have so many activities and most are priced pretty reasonably. The woodworking shop is huge with every imaginable tool. Costs $1 per hour to use the wood working shop. I would like to build a few shelves for the cabinet in the bathroom and a pill out drawer/shelf for the cabinet under the sink. It's an irregular shaped space so building that drawer should be a lot of fun.

Mary Lynn is excited about the lapidary room. She could see tumblers and all kinds of devices to cut, grind and polish gems. If you have been reading this regularly you know we have been lugging around about 25 pound of gems/rocks since we went gem hunting back in June/July. Now she'll get to start converting the raw material into gems. Very cool.

Up until November 3rd (2008) you can reach us via a land line at: 520/876-7421. This should ring directly in our RV.

See Ya!

Casa Grande: Water Volleyball Championship

My face is sun burnt. My toes are raw from scrapping on the pool bottom. My muscles are sore. My fingers ache from hitting the ball. And I barely made it back to the RV before a nap overtook me.


In other words: What a perfect time I had playing in the Water Volleyball Championship games today.

OK, OK, it wasn't really the Water Volleyball Championship game or even the play-offs. In fact, today's games were just part of a daily Water Volleyball competition that takes place at the main pool here in the RV resort.


OK, it's not really much of a competition. You can hit the volleyball an unlimited number of times. In fact, the same person can hit it repeatedly until they get it over the net.
The only real rules seem to be don't hit it out-of-bounds and don't let it hit the water. Otherwise, all is fair.

Water Volleyball takes place after water aerobics but before Happy Hour. And of course the card games start right after happy hour.

Tonight was Poker night however I'm in no position to lose $10 after seeing what happened to the stock market again. Every body's 401K looks more like a 201K.

In any case, MLA read and relaxed at the pool while watching me make a fool of myself. In fact, today was mail day for us. You can see MLA opening our mail sent to us by our mail service. Every week or so we get a shipment and it's like Christmas (except for the bills of course).

All in all, I feel great. Despite having played water volleyball for just over two hours, I can't wait for tomorrow.

See Ya!

Casa Grande, AZ: Living The Good Life At The Pool

Today marked the first full day of our two week stay at Palm Creek RV & Golf Resort. First thing we did was explore the small town of Casa Grande. Nice place. Small enough to get around easily yet big enough to support 3-4 grocery stores: Safeway, Walmart Super center, Fry's, etc PLUS a shopping mall on the other side of the freeway with a couple of popular anchor stores. AND I found a sushi restaurant about ten minutes from here - most excellent.

MLA found one of those stores that combines all the ingredients you need for a meal you cook at home. You can assemble the ingredients yourself or simply grab a complete kit out of the refrigerator. She's happy -- super easy to put together and the price is reasonable.

We spent the afternoon doing laundry -- the laundry holds at least 20 machines and just happens to be next to the pool. To be more correct I should say MLA did laundry and I made sure the pool was working correctly. I did plan to help her fold however I was so engrossed in the book I was reading I didn't hear her say the clothes were dry. Is that a great book or what?

Weather has continued same as the last few weeks -- hot during the day and cool at night. Very nice.

We plan to do a few more activities tomorrow and I hope to get the RV washed (finally) sometime this week. Many places do not let you was the RV so I have been really wanting to get it clean and sparkling again. I'll have to work on one shady side at a time. Surface gets too hot otherwise not to mention it's too hot to work in the direct sun.

I mentioned Kasey and Jenna had been 'rear-ended' by a young diver on the way to the airport when they came out to see us two weeks ago. Well, Jenna's back has been giving her a fit. The Doctors say her muscles are so tense they have her spine in an "S" shape. They have given her muscle relaxers but so far no joy. The Doctor ordered a back brace which she will have to wear for a week. Of course, she won't be able to work for another week and she is worried about the impact on her job. With the economy you don't want your place of business to see they can 'get along' without out you.

She and all of our family and friends are in our prayers. We feel very blessed to be able to do what we are doing. I know we worked hard to get here however lots of people work hard and not all are able to enjoy travel the way we are.... Oh well, someone has to do it.

The toughest part is taking the first step of telling yourself you deserve it and then ignoring the 101 reasons why you shouldn't travel or it's not the perfect time to travel, etc. You simply have to leave home/your comfort zone, etc. and get started.

Hope to see you on the road...

See Ya!

Casa Grande, AZ: Luxury Living At Palm Creek RV Resort

On Monday we moved to Casa Grande. Mary Lynn found a "buy one week, get one week free' special at a very nice RV resort, The Palm Creek RV & Golf Resort. This is one of the places we are considering staying this winter so it gives us a chance to see what the resort is really like before committing for a couple of months.

Monday evening we had dinner with Newt W., who was my boss when I retired from HP. Newt's a great guy and it was a lot of fun getting caught up with him. He's pretty inquisitive by nature and we spent a ton of time discussing life on the road in an RV. In turn, he updated us on how things are going at HP.

Considering the economy, things are going pretty well. I let him know he and the rest of his extended HP team have 18 months to get the stock price back up to at least $50 per share. He told me he'd 'get right on it'. In any case, really great to see him and hear about his family.

On Friday we spent half the day at a huge open market in the Apache Junction area plus explored several RV campgrounds. The market calls itself a swap meet however everything is new. Absolutely huge; fours rows of stalls, each about a 1/4 mile long. It just went on forever.

On Saturday we drove to Casa Grande to see the resort where we are now located. Couple of great pools, spas, and every imaginable activity you can think of: Golf of course, tennis, pickle ball, lawn bowling, shuffleboard, all kinds of card games every night, bingo, and classes on silversmithing, lapidary, stained glass, computers. Plus lots of aerobics and water aerobics every morning. Organized trips, dances, parties, etc. And, there are a number of motorcycle owners in the park that frequently get together for rides around here and into the mountains. Too cool.

While in Casa Grande we have several trips/activities we would like to accomplish. A day trip to Yuma and Algodones, Mexico is a definite. Plus we'd like to explore the Arizona State Fair, the Case Grande Ruins, Tucson, and some local parks. Maybe even take a trip down to Rocky Point, Mexico, which is on the Sea of Cortez, about 3-4 hours away. I've never seen the Sea of Cortez so that would be really cool.

Wow! Lots to see and do, just the way we like it.

See Ya!

Gold Valley, Arizona: At Home In The Wild, Wild, West

Busy day today in the Wild, Wild, West. Not sure why I feel like it's the Wild, Wild, West. At least not in this day and age. Previously, 100 years or more ago? Absolutely, this was the epi-center of the Wild, Wild, West.

We are still camped in the Usery Mountain Regional Park at the base of Usery Mountain. The mountain's nickname is "Scarface" due to an exposed rock wall visible for mile around. Apparently a portion of the earth slipped/dropped exposing a section of rock 100 feet tall and half a mile long. Very distinctive look which you can just make out in the photo above.

Ever wonder how places get their names? I do. Sometimes a place/mountain is named for someone as a honor or after the person who 'found' it. I put that in quotes because it is almost always an insult to the Native Americans who had lived in the area for generations and never realized the place was lost. Or that it needed a name other than what they had called the place/mountain for centuries.

In any case, white settlers did rename this mountain and the story of how this mountain came to be called Usery Mountain is a little strange. Turns out Usery Mountain is named for King Usery. No, he was not a real king, that was just his first name. King Usery was cattleman in the 1870's who was a having a tough time making ends meet just by raising cattle. So he and a buddy named Blevins decided to supplement their income by robbing the Globe-Mesa stagecoach. The take? Two bars of silver.

When the stagecoach driver reported the robbery, was able to identify both the the robbers as Usery & Blevins. Someone else had seen King Usery digging near a swampy area. The silver was soon recovered and Usery & Blevins arrested. Usery was sentenced to seven years in jail. After serving two years he was pardoned by the Governor of Arizona. Who knows why he was pardoned.

Even stranger than a pardon after two years was the fact that the mountain was named Usery Mountain after King Usery. Maybe naming mountains after stage coach robbers was a tradition of the Wild, Wild, West. I don't know. In any case, it makes for an interesting story.

Last night, securely camped at the base of Usery Mountain, we slept with the windows open and were rewarded with caresses of cool air all night long. Cool and warm at the same time. You need to run the air conditioners all day to stay cool as the temperatures reach the mid-nineties. They can call it a dry heat however it's still hot....

In the evenings we turn off the air conditioning to take advantage of the quickly dropping temperatures. The air here is fresh and clean -- really delightful. Last night that fresh air swept through the RV replacing the air that had been conditioned all day. I imagine that's what the air is like in heaven -- cool, gentle and refreshing.

Today we looked at several possible RV Resorts in the Apache Junction area and found one we really like. So if we decide to stay in the Phoenix area this winter, we will probably stay in the Apache Junction section. Apache Junction is the eastern most part of Phoenix (at least for now); about 35 miles from the Phoenix airport. Phoenix just keeps growing and growing.

We also want to look at two other parts of Arizona: Case Grande, Arizona is about an hour south of Phoenix and Yuma, Arizona, which is about three hours southwest. Yuma s very close to the border of Mexico. In fact its only about ten miles from Yuma to the town of Algodones, Mexico.

Algodones specializing in providing goods and services to Americans at extremely low prices. Many retirees cross over the border to buy prescriptions, eyeglasses, and have dental work performed for prices that border on unbelievable. All you need is a passport. Drive over in the morning, do your shopping and you are back in the states later that afternoon.

Some of my prescriptions, even with insurance are expensive and the insurance company only lets me get enough for 30 days at a time. Of course, with all of our travels, every thirty days we are not only in a new location, it's usually a different state as well. That means getting the 'new' pharmacy to call the 'old' pharmacy to have the prescription transferred to the 'new' location. Which of course becomes the 'old' location thirty days later. Takes forever and the pharmacies are continuously making mistakes.

So, being able to buy a years worth of prescriptions at better prices than I pay with insurance sure sounds appealing. And yes, I know the pharmaceutical companies in Mexico are not regulated by the FDA. However, after the meltdown of the financial systems/markets, having US Government oversight is not quite as reassuring as it once was. And many people have had their Mexican supplied pharmaceuticals tested and they passed with flying colors.

In any case, we'll check out Yuma and Case Grande. There are a couple of nice resorts in each location. Then we'll have to decide where we want to spend January through April.

But you know, compared to the snow and ice back east, it's hard to go wrong with any of these choices.....

See Ya!

Apache Junction, AZ: Just Blowing in the Wind

Last night we dropped Kasey & Jenna off at Sky Harbor for their flight back to Maryland. They had a 'red-eye' flight leaving at 11:55 pm which, after a transfer in Atlanta, put them into BWI around 9:30 am.

After such a great week of having the girls here and taking them to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and camping in the Sonoran Desert, it was really sad too see them leave. However, all good things must come to an end, at least until retirement ;) .

Today we took it easy, transforming the RV back to 2 person living. The RV can easily sleep 4 (or more) people however it really is best suited for two. The temperatures have started to climb here and today we got to a high of about 95. That said, it was very comfortable in the shade, especially since there was a slight breeze blowing.

OMG. Last night I thought the wind was going to blow the RV over onto its side. It started around 11 pm and just got stronger and stronger. It woke me up around 2:30 am and I sat up for a while, trying to figure out if there was something I could/should do to help the RV 'weather the storm'. It sounded like the wind was going to rip the covers off of the slide outs or blow the air conditioners off the roof. I did lower the TV antenna however everything else was as buttoned down as I could make it.

So, after listening to the wind for about an hour, I went back to bed. This morning everything was fine and no damage to the RV. A couple of chairs overturned outside was the total extent of the damage...

Today, MLA and I relaxed and enjoyed the beauty of the desert. The campground we are in is mostly deserted, only about 25% of the sites are occupied. People are normally pretty careful when selecting a site to pick one away from people who are already set-up.

Tomorrow we will begin our search/evaluation of a campground/RV resort to spend the winter. There are many, many RV resorts here however most are mobile home parks that keep a few sites set aside for RV's. Apparently there is a tax break/advantage if you rent space to RV's. Many only pay lip service to the RV rentals, shunting them aside in the less desirable sections.

Some RV resorts really are oriented to RV'ers. So the challenge is to find an RV Resort that welcomes RV's, has lots of activities, great amenities, warm weather and is not in an area with lots of traffic. We have narrowed down our search to about 18 resorts, mostly in Mesa, Casa Grande, and Yuma.

We'll explore the one here in the Phoenix area first, then move to Case Grande, about an hour away, followed by a move to Yuma, which is another two hours away. Wow! I'm exhausted just thinking about it all....

See Ya!

Usery Mountain Regional Park, Arizona: Camping With The Snakes & Scorpions

Before we left Camp Verde this morning we drove over to Montezuma's Castle, which is a Federal Monument. Once again our $80 National Park Annual Pass let the four of us in without additional charge. Saved another $20 on this trip. That's over $100 dollars in savings on this trip. Wow - what a bargain if you are traveling and planning to visit just a few national parks and/or monuments.

Montezuma's Castle was originally thought by early settlers to be of Aztec origins, hence the name Montezuma's Castle. Even though it was soon proven that the Aztec's had nothing to do with it's construction, the name stuck.

Today it's a very well preserved example of the cliff dwellings built by the Sinagua. It's essentially a 20 room, four level apartment building that was built in stages. Built high on a south facing cliff, under a large under hang, it could only be entered via a series of ladders. These ladders could be quickly pulled up into the dwelling for protection.

The Sinagua were a farming based culture, using water from nearby Beaver Creek to irrigate their crops on small patches of level land. There were several of these buildings in the area. One of them was about 300 yards further west along the cliff however it was destroyed by fire right around the time the Sinagua abandoned the area around 1500 AD.

No one is sure why they left: Drought? Disease? Enemies? We'll never know for sure. What we are sure of is these people were skilled builders and farmers who clearly planned to be here for a long time to come and built the dwellings accordingly.

All in all, very cool.

After exploring Montezuma's Castle we headed south to Phoenix and, 2.5 hours later, arrived at Usery Mountain Regional Park. This is a county camping facility with the campsites spread throughout a high mountain desert location. We have water and electric however there is no septic so we'll have to move the RV every 3-4 days and dump the gray & black tanks. Small price to pay for such a beautiful location.



It's about 30 miles from downtown Phoenix and Sky Harbor Airport. Late tomorrow evening the girls leave to go back to Maryland. It has been so much fun having them with us for the last week. We have seen and done so much, laughing our way across many of Arizona's best known sights.

Can't tell you how much we will miss them...



Tomorrow we plan to go Indoor Sky Diving. Hopefully we can get in a few 'jumps'.

See Ya!