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.......