And A Year Or So Later...........

Bedroom done!  Living room to go!

With any luck, there will be no "surprises" when we lift up the living room carpet!

Flowing Lake County Park, Snohomish, WA

A nice county park with boating, fishing, swimming and, yes - CAMPING!  There are rental cabins, tent spots and RV spots with hook ups.  This is only 20 minutes from home for us, so we took a little drive out to see what was there.   My only regret was that I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the roped off swimming area/playground; they were mowing and I didn't want to get in the way.  Also, I missed getting a photo of site D3; it would accommodate a large rig, a boat and a car.  Site #15 was also pretty bit (see that photo below).  You can check on rates and other information by clicking here: Flowing Lake County Park, Snohomish, WA

         This is spot # 15.

The 100 Day Challenge: Day #14 Hot Air Ballooning in Snohomish, WA

I have been posting my 100 Day Challenge pictures on my other blog, Betsy's Blah Blah Blog, but I thought I'd share this morning's picture here as well.  If you are ever visiting Snohomish, WA, you will learn the area is famous of antique shopping, skydiving and hot air ballooning.  The hot air balloons often take off from a big grassy area near our home.  I was hoping to catch the launch today, but I was about a block away when I heard the whoosh.  I got a few decent pictures though.  The company that owns this balloon is The Balloon Depot .

The 100 Day Challenge: Day #12 - Thousand Trails Thunderbird

We've all explored campgrounds or seen photos of places that look like wonderful places to set up.  I have one of those places just 15 miles from home.  Mind you we have yet to camp there, but I have been out to explore Thousand Trails Thunderbird Preserve in Monroe, WA many times.

The camp ground is split into 3 areas.  The main area with the full hook ups, the bath house, pool, and family lounge is on the south side of Ben Howard Rd.  The other two areas are on the north side of the road, and offer views of the Snohomish River.  These sites offer water and electric only.  There are port-a-potties available, but regular bathrooms, showers, etc., are in the main campground area.

I'm a "view person".  I have wanted to bring our 5th wheel out here for a long time.  The spots are back-in only (in fact all the sites in the campground are back ins), and we have a nice view window out the back of the rig.  These spots along the river would offer great sunrise views (my favorite), bird watching, and so on.  Once our rig is repaired (or we buy a new one, which ever comes first), this will be one of our first stops.

I didn't take any pictures of the rest of the campground, sorry.  Just pictures of future views for my dream board.

RV Show at the Evergreen County Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA

We are probably a year away from buying a brand new rig, but we do spend a lot of time looking at floor plans and checking out different 5th wheels.  There are so many brands, and so many levels of quality.  What we have determined is that if we are going to full time it for 5-10 years (that's the current plan anyway), we are going to want what we want.  While cost is important, it will not be a deal breaker.

Right now we have a 2005 NuWa Hitchhiker II LS.  We love the floor plan and are looking for something similar but with a W&D connection that isn't crammed into the bathroom.

For whatever reason, the dealers did not bring the "new" fifth wheels to the show.  I guess the newest models won't be arriving until June.  Some of the sales people we talked to said they had new rigs at their permanent locations, and we should stop by and see them there.  For the ones we talked to that actually listened to what we were looking for, we will be stopping by at some point.  For the ones that didn't listen, and just wanted to push whatever they had on hand, well, we won't be your customers.  Your loss.

We've narrowed down our major front runners to Forest River, Arctic Fox and DRV.  The Forest River models at the show were not the top of the line, and the ones that were there were used rigs, more than a few years old with floor plans that were no longer available.  Arctic Fox said their new rigs would be coming in this June.  We will be following up with them then.  I'm one of those people that can read reviews and become educated about the quality of the finishings, but I really need to see it and get a feel for it before I can make a decision.  DRV did have one rig there that I liked.  If I ordered from the factory, there might be a few things I'd see if we could customize.  Like I said, if I'm going to live in something full time for 10 years, then I am going to want what I want.

Here are a few pictures I took of the DRV Mobile Suites rig.  I think this was a 2014 model (or maybe even a 2013).  The inside pictures did not turn out as well as I would have liked, but they will do.  At least it did have the rear window that we want.  We would take out the couch and put in swivel recliners, so we can enjoy the view.

Not the best show I have ever attended, but it was free for us with comped tickets from the sponsors website and the parking was free.  The other plus was I got in half of 10,000 steps for the day climbing in and out of the various rigs!

Our rig is still in the state of disrepair.  I praying for a June finish date.  In the meantime, if I can't be camping, I can certainly be dreaming about our next rig!

Tip Toe Through The Tulips

Today Kim and I made the 40 mile drive up to Skagit County, WA to visit the Tulip Festival in the LaConner/Mt Vernon area.  This has been on my bucket list for many years.  If you are in Western Washington in late March or early April, this is definitely worth a visit.  There is a Thousand Trails RV Park in LaConner, and one in Bow (about 10 miles north).

And I found this lovable guy in amongst the red tulips.

And I found this as well

Who leaves a shoe in the middle of a muddy field?  We won't even talk about the pair of underpants I saw (but didn't photograph) in the mud.

Until next time.......

Maintaining Two Blogs - Time For A Hiatus

Why do I have two blogs? That's the question I often ask myself.  It certainly isn't to produce income.  I've never mastered that, and it really isn't a motivating factor for me.  I had started my other blog, Betsy's Blah Blah Blog , back when I first retired.  I started this blog - RV Virgins - when my husband and had purchased a used 5th wheel trailer and were beginning our road trips.  Then grandkids happened, and we found ourselves traveling less, and babysitting more.  We are still traveling less, but now we are babysitting less as well.  We aren't quite ready for full timing, but we are spending more and more time thinking about it, and preparing for it.  This last month I have been digging through boxes and boxes of things I packed away after my mother passed away.  It is time that all this "stuff" finds a new home where someone will enjoy it.  Our list of things to fix, repair, upgrade, paint, etc.,  is growing and growing as we prepare to think about putting the house on the market.  The weeds are growing and growing; why is it that my green thumb only applies to weeds?  Kim continues to poke away at getting the trailer ready for what now looks like some summer time traveling, at least in Washington and Oregon.  I'm a little antsy, but there is nothing I can do about it.

As you see, I do have a tendency to get side tracked.  As I was saying, I'm trying to decide why I have two blogs.  One is to share RV experiences.  And one is for other stuff....thus the blah blah in the title.  So as I have little to say about RV experiences for the time being, this blog will be on hiatus until we are on the road again.  I appreciate all of you who have read and perhaps enjoyed our posts.  I hope to catch up with you again sometime.

If you are interested in keeping up with the goings on in our lives, my painting, recipes, spiritual topics, rants and raves, please do stop by to visit Betsy's Blah Blah Blog.

Wishing you pleasant journeys!

Ch-ch-ch-changes......

The older you get, the easier it is to recognize that you are pushing too hard to make something happen.  And that is where we find ourselves this week.

Our lives were getting back to "normal" (whatever that is).  Our daughter and her two sons (ages 4 and 2) had been staying with us.  She had sold her home, and had made arrangements to rent a duplex near us.  The landlord had said it would take a month or two to get the unit ready to rent.  It just made sense that our daughter and the boys should move in with us.  Well, two months turned into nine.  The boys were thrilled.  As Sam Levinson once said, "The simplest toy ever invented, one even the smallest child can operate, is called a grandparent."  After about six months, the adults, however, looking forward to having some space to themselves.  But, I digress.  The kids moved into their own place last week, and we are working at getting back into our normal routines.

Kim has been working hard to fix the leaks, and replace the wall areas that had signs of wood rot.  He is making progress. His expectation was to get the bedroom fixed, replace the carpet, put the bed, the dresser and cabinets back in.  We would head south for a few months, and then come back and he would tackle the living room slide.  My expectation was that it would all be done before we left.  I was disappointed, but trying to be understanding.  We had rescheduled trips to the Wine Ridge RV resort in Pahrump, NV and the River Lodge Resort in Parker Dam,CA four times.  I had planned various routes and stops, depending on travel dates, more than a few times.  We were both looking forward to getting out of the rain in the PNW.

Then, as they say, $hit happens.  Kim wasn't as far along with the repairs as he had hoped.  We got a fabulous quote for removal of a huge tree in our yard that has needed to come down for a few years as long as the work was done within 60 days.  We have windows that needed replacing.  Dental work that needs doing.  But the thing that made us really rethink our plans was that the daycare center that the grandsons go to is closing in less than a month.  It is a scramble to find decent day care at any time, but in the middle of the school year, it is almost impossible.  We just didn't feel we could leave until other arrangements had been made for the boys' daycare.  

So for many reasons, we have chosen to change our plans again.  I knew it was the right thing to do because both Kim and I immediately felt a sense of relief. So much to do....so much more time.  It's a good thing.  It will be even a better thing if we have warmer weather and reduced rain here in the Seattle area!

Saying Goodbye To Parenthood

And I'm crying my eyes out, darn it!

I feel quite different from most RV bloggers whose adventures I read about.  I do not hike. I do not ride bikes.  I don't even socialize very much.  I do, however, watch a lot of TV.  I do this not because I consider myself lazy, but because I really enjoy the medium.  Many people I know are big fans of going to the theatre for movies or live performances.  I prefer to stay home and watch things on TV.

This year we are seeing series finales of quite a few of my favorite shows.  We've said goodbye to Sons of Anarchy earlier this year.  Last night, it was Parenthood.  And yes, I'm a sap; I cried throughout most of the episode.  Such touching moments they were able to capture.  And Max Burkholder, the actor that has played Max, a young boy with Asperger's Syndrome, deserves an award for his performances.  It was a lot of dialogue done in monotone with a straight face, and he captured his character in an outstanding way.  I will miss this program.

Also to say goodbye this season will be The Mentalist and Justified.  So far this season, I've found The Mentalist to be boring.  It is like they lost their original writing team, and have now just taken the easy way out.  I've been able to easily predict what is coming, and I do hate it when that happens.  Now Justified, on the other hand, is looking to give us a great final season.  We are only two episodes into it, but I've enjoyed them both immensely.

I do, however, take great pleasure in knowing that there are many RVers out there who will be enjoying TV this weekend - whether in their own rigs, in the clubhouse, or in a local bar/tavern.  Of course, I'm talking about the Super Bowl.  So I will end this post with a shout out to all the 12ers around the country - GO HAWKS!

Hair Care On The Road

Disclaimer:  This is most definitely a chick-post.  Men may want to read for informational purposes only.

When we first bought our 5th wheel, my hair was somewhere between my elbows and my waist.  I most often wore it up on my head with a clip or bunched up in back with a scrunchee.  I'm not a girly-girl.  I hate messing with my hair or fussing with makeup.  Sounds perfect for life in an RV, right?  Well, the problem came my long hair started clogging up drains.  And the next problem occurred when I would get out of the shower.  Why is it my DH always had to be heating water for coffee or tea at the same time I was blow drying my hair.  Yep, you guessed it.  We dealt daily with pop goes the circuit.  Our breaker box is under the refrigerator.  Not easy to get to (at least if you have arthritis in the knees), and hard to see.  So there was always mumbling going on about the situation.  The solution was easy.  The next year, I just cut my hair off, really short.  No hair dryer needed.

This worked very well for awhile.  And then I went to the dermatologist.  She pointed out that I had a precancerous lesion on the top of my hair.  She burned it off - it happened so fast I wasn't sure what she was doing - and told me I needed to be sure to wear a hat when I was outside. But, but, but, but....I don't look good in a hat when my hair is short.  I don't necessarily look good in a hat when my hair is long either, but at least I look better.

As our departure south has been put off due to RV repairs, I decided to grow my hair out.  It is now chin length.  Hopefully it will get to the length where I will just need a bang trim and some shaving around the neck during the time we are gone.  I've always heard that a good haircut is the key.  So here is a plug for my niece, Opal Fitzpatrick, at the Ola Salon in West Seattle.  Best hair cuts I have ever had.  She is also a very talented colorist.  Anyway, I've been discussing with her about what to do when we are on the road.  What terminology do I use so the stylist knows what I want.

It brought up the discussion of how to choose where to get your hair done when you are on the road.  Is it trial and error?  Do you ask other women in the campground?  Do you pick the cheapest walk in place just to get it done?  Curious minds want to know.

We will see how long I am able to maintain my new do.  While I don't think drain clogging will be an issue, there will be time added to my "getting ready" routine, which already takes longer than DH would like.  And we will be going back to "pop goes the circuit" I'm pretty sure.

Do you think this is a silly topic for a blog post?  Perhaps it is.  Perhaps I am making much ado about nothing.  Or perhaps I'm just trying to be the good wife and traveling partner, keeping things easy for the guy that does most of the work.  Or perhaps I am just a tad more vain than I think I am.

As always, comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Thousand Trails, K/M Resorts, and RV Park Reviews

Yesterday I received a number of posts from a representative of K/M Resorts and other "anonymous" posters about an entry I had made a few years ago.  The posts I received yesterday addressed comments made from visitors to my blog about experiences with K/M Resorts as well as Thousand Trails resorts.

I'm not complaining as obviously people found their way to my blog and that is good.  (This blog is not a money earning venture - LOL - I think I have made about $25 total from two blogs since 2008.) What puzzles me is why they choose to respond to posts that are more than two years old.  They were not responding to me but to other people who had left comments.  It just struck me as odd.  Or were they just not paying attention to the dates.  Who knows, but I approved the posts because I like to share not only my own opinions, but those of others as well.  I just ask that the posts be kind and respectful.

Today I renewed our zone membership with Thousand Trails.  When we bought the TT Zone Pass last year, we took advantage of the "buy one zone, get one zone free" special.  When I called about renewing, I wanted to make sure I was getting the same deal.  I'm happy to say that I was.  We've looked at upgrading to a different plan.  I'm looking for those memberships that offer 2-3 weeks per park with no time out.  I'm not interested in the free rental cabins or free memberships with ROD or RPI.  We've been exploring buying a "used" membership.  If you are reading this and have any experience with it, I'd love to hear from you.  For this year anyway, our plans are to explore as many of the TT parks in Washington, Oregon, and California as we can.  If we enjoy those experiences, then maybe next year we will upgrade.  Time will tell.

For those K/M Resort fans, I'm thrilled for you if you like their parks.  I was not impressed, and there were not enough parks for the money I was paying.  That was the basis for my decision.  Nothing against K/M at all.  I just prefer the options that TT offered at this point.

Here's a question for you - When did RV Park Reviews change the look of their website?  I find it much more difficult to navigate now.  I'll get used to it, but sometimes I wonder if businesses shouldn't just hired "normal people" consultants to see what they like.  What seems like an improvement to a programmer may be just plain confusing for the normal Joe/Joanne.

And that's my two bits for the day.  Have a good one!

Trip Planning and Packing

Well, I'd love to say I was already packing for our upcoming (fingers crossed) trip down to some warmer weather.  I'm just thinking about packing.  Because I have taken up painting, I now have an easel, paints, brushes and canvases to pack.  I've learned from many full-timers that if you take along something new, you have to leave behind things you've taken before.

I will be leaving behind some books to start.  Considering I have most of my books on my iPad, this is not a big deal really.  What I will have to watch is the hard cover/paper back books I usually carry around on the subject of writing fiction.  Somehow, I have collected quite a few of these books over the years, and I admit that I have really written very little since I started writing a mystery a few years ago.

I've learned I don't need to pack around every DVD I might want to watch.  I have no problem finding things to watch on TV.  We have only camped in a few spots where we could not pick up a satellite signal, and most of those spots had campground provided cable.  We will probably bring along the Boardwalk Empire series that we have yet to watch, and my personal favorite, West Wing.

I have a tendency to bring more pots, pans and kitchen gadgets that I have ever needed.  And more canned goods than necessary.  Therefore, I will be giving serious consideration to watch what makes its way from the house into the rig.  Honestly, we mostly grill our meat and steam our veggies for dinner.  I'm not inclined to try new recipes while on the road.  Seriously, how many pans do I really need.  I hate to cook in general, and I really don't like cooking on the gas stove in the rig.  I save my experimenting for at home.  And speaking of new recipes and experimenting, I posted a recipe for turkey, bean and corn stuffed peppers on my other blog, www.betsysblahblahblog.blogspot.com  I thought it was great.  Nothing I would make on the road, but pretty tasty.

However, my biggest category for overpacking is clothing.  I have always packed for every conceivable situation or weather condition.  But, just like at home, I wear the same favorite clothes, and the rest just hang in the closet.  Do I really need to pack funeral appropriate clothes or fancy occasion clothes in the RV?  If I should find myself needing them, it makes much more sense just to go buy something to wear.  My "northern" clothes consist of jeans or sweats, a tee shirt and sweater with crocs or sneakers.  My "southern" clothes are shorts and a tee shirt, or a sun dress, with flip-flops.  One fleece jacket, one rain jacket, and one pair of rain boots should be more than enough for emergency weather situations.  My husband will be so excited if I can accomplish this.  If I start now to think about what I really want to wear, and plan accordingly, this should be a goal I can easily reach.

All of this because I've taken up painting.  And speaking of painting, here's my most recent:

I think I've come up with the main stops for our trip this spring.  We will be spending a week at the Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes in Menifee, CA.  Then off to the River Lodge Resort in Parker Dam, CA.  The next stop will be the Wine Ridge Resort in Pahrump, NV.  And we will wind up the trip at Thousand Trails Palm Springs (fingers crossed we will be able to get reservations there).

When you head south from Washington, anytime between November and April, you just never know what the weather will be like.  The Siskiyous could be clear and dry, or covered in snow.  We won't know which route south (I-5 or 101) we will use until we leave.  I have stopping points planned for each route.  Our trip back north will be toward the end of April.  I'm hoping we will be able to explore some of the Thousand Trails campgrounds in northern California and in Oregon on the way home.  At some point, you just have to get home.  For us, it will be because of property taxes and yard work.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things go as planned.  I've rescheduled this trip so many times.  It's not yet January 31st, so as our agreement goes, I am not yet able to nag my husband about when he will get to working on putting the rig back together.  Sometimes I just have to check to make sure my tongue is not bleeding.  Here's to an on-time departure!