Roughing It Is Overrated

Yes, we're at our home base in Teague, Texas. Actually, we reside in an RV Park when we're here, but are near our daughter and three granddaughters. In fact, the youngest is 7 weeks old and a little darling. I think this one may actually look like her Mommy.

We got the new (to us) motorhome to Texas without any further problems. That is, once we got out of Orlando, FL. We bought this rig in Fort Myers, got as far as Tampa and spent about 4 days at Camping World/Lazy Days getting the front step fixed. We knew there was a major problem with it but the techs at Camping World in Fort Myers assured us that the strengthened it and fixed it all up. I guess the mold in the carpet should have told us to look closer. As it turns out, we almost lost the step... which would have meant an nasty fall for whoever was on it at the time.

The previous owners of this rig never fixed anything. The front door had been leaking for a long time. While we were in Fort Myers they caulked it when we saw the water coming in. Had we looked under the bottom step's rubber runner we would have seen a mass of rotted wood. And many ants had set up residence there as well.

So Camping World in Tampa was not happy that the rig was allowed to leave the shop at the other store in this condition. It was a liability for sure. So, Tampa store called Fort Myers store and Fort Myers agreed to do the right thing and pay for the step to be reengineered/rebuilt. This time they used sheet metal. Let me tell you, this is now a SOLID step!

On the way to Tampa Bob noticed that he was constantly overcorrecting with the steering. So we asked Lazy Days if they would do a front end alignment.

They said they would love to but they told us but they were covered up with Workhorse recalls. Then the service advisor told us they don't even do the alignments on their high end coaches ($400k-500k+)themselves. They actually send them to JOSAM in Orlando.

So we got to thinking, our Travel Supreme Select 42DSI was about a $500k unit when it was new so we should probably take it to the same place Lazy Days takes theirs to. Plus, we purchased 8 brand new tires and wanted to make sure they wear well.

So next stop, Orlando. Good thing too... both front tires were toeing out. No wonder Bob was constantly over correcting! The dual axle needed some alignment also and the tag axle was just fine. Now we could start out for home and not have to worry about "should we get it aligned or not."

Everything happens for a reason I always say and in this case, getting the step fixed in Tampa led us to one of the best alignment businesses in the world. Big truck owners come from all over just for the JOSAM alignment services.

Goes to show you, we can all learn something new every day.

When I met Bob on the Internet in 1997 (before eHarmony, Match.com, or anything like that) in my first email to him I told him I like to Rough It Smoothly. Since he worked for an RV dealer at that time I figured he'd know what I meant. That's also the hook that got me to answer his personal ad... he worked for an RV dealer at that time.

Little did I know that we'd eventually be living in a luxurious coach like this one. I love the washer/dryer combo unit. I did 3 small loads of laundry today. Plus, my drawer dishwasher. We purchased a Fisher/Paykel at Lowes and had Camping World install it.

It is so nice to have squeeky clean dishes again... and Bob can now recover from dishpan-hands. Yes, I do the cooking and so he does the dishes. Only now the dishwasher does them.

I know many people, my sister included, say we don't camp, we "RV." And perhaps they are right. However you want to look at it, I just love Roughing It Smoothly and I always will!

Happy & Safe Travels,

Vicky & Bob Heron (Capt. Jack & Jesse James)

How to work & live wherever and whenever you choose!

Excitement Can Be Exhausting!

It's so hard to realize that just a month ago we were in Moab, Utah. Also a month ago today our 10th grandchild was born, Lily Marie Courtney. We've only seen her for five days before we had to head down to Florida to pick up our new home.

We are full time RVers and love the lifestyle. We start to feel antsy when we've been sitting still for too long. Now as we're headed into year #3 we decided we needed bigger accommodations and more amenities. Sooooooo Bob got online and started his quest for an diesel pusher in our price range that could meet our needs for a dual living area, washer & dryer on board and a dishwasher. It did not take him long to find it!

So we set up the deal while we were in Moab. Next we came home to Texas to see our new granddaughter Lily, Corynn, and Katelyn for about five days and off we went to pick up our new home in Fort Myers, Florida.

The new rig (to us) is a beautiful 2004 Travel Supreme Select 42 foot diesel with a 500 Cummins and 6 speed 4000 series Allison transmission. Now I'm no expert on engines & things mechanical, but I do know this will handle any mountain travel we want to do with ease.

We added eight brand new tires to replace the original tires, and a drawer dishwasher. We both love this touch and will really enjoy it when we're working on park guides throughout the year. I cooked a full meal tonight and it was so nice to just wipe things off and load them into the drawer, turn it on and voila... clean dishes.

We did have to make some repairs, but that was to be expected with a six year old model. But this was a very high end coach in it's day. Unfortunately, Travel Supreme is one of the economic casualties in the RV industry.

Last Tuesday we left Camping World in Fort Myers and thought we were on the way home. Unfortunately, we made it as far as Tampa and pulled into the Camping World at the Lazy Days RV center. If you ever get the chance to be near Tampa, stop by and see the Lazy Days complex. Since we were having some repairs done, we were treated to all the ammenities offered by Lazy Days. Free breakfast & lunch, morning paper, shuttle service and very friendly & smiling faces. It was a treat.

I must say that Camping World in Fort Myers did a lot to give us a good coach. They put in two brand new inverters and 10 new batteries. Yes, this is an all electric coach so it takes a big battery bank. I especially love the large GE Profile stainless steel residential refrigerator. Finally, room to put food and I can even put it in warm without taking the fridge hours to recover. Again, what a treat. I won't miss the LP gas nor the RV refrigerators with all their problems.

Tonight we're at the Sherwood Forest Encore Resort in Kissimmee, FL. Early tomorrow morning we're going to get the wheels all aligned and the whole suspension inspected. Bob has to do a lot of correcting in the steering. Lazy Days suggested we take our rig to Josam Frame & Alignment in Orlando. Since we've spent a fortune on eight new tires we decided this would be a good idea to protect our investment. Plus, when I start driving it I want it to steer easily as does Bob.

Hopefully, we'll be headed home to Texas tomorrow afternoon. We'll keep you posted.

Vicky & Bob Heron (Capt. Jack & Jesse James)

How to work & live wherever and whenever you choose!

Holy Cow... Let Me Get Through This Alive!

That particular thought/prayer did cross my mind a couple of times Friday night. You see, we went on a guided Jeep tour in the Sand Flats Recreation Area just outside of Moab, Utah.

Our tour guide was the infamous Dan Mick. I must admit I'd seen his signature white jeep, with yellow to orange gradient striped outlines, around town and wondered what made this tall, bearded mountain-man-looking tour guide so revered in this valley community.

Over the course of the next 5 hours we discovered why his reputation was larger than life. When it comes to crawling along the rocks and fins stretching out like fingers & legs all around Moab, this guy is king!

In the picture above where I'm taking a picture through the windshield you see the black streaks on each side of the rock crevice... that would be Dan's own Hell's Gate climb. No one else can lay claim to this steep climb (as we went up I was plastered to my seat by the incline) or has the kahunas to try it!

When I saw that looming in front of us, I had a serious discussion with God!!!

The picture of the Jeep reflecting in the pond is way up high on the slickrock formation. It was getting to be sunset and the scenary was full of reds, blues, pinks and yellows. The rocks and the sky all blended together.

I've enclosed a video of Dan taking me straight up a rock ledge then turning around and going down. Then he backed up the ledge as another jeep full of onlookers cheered him on. As I said, he is a legend in these parts!

There are many good tour companies in Moab and I highly recommend you use one of them when you come to Moab. If you want a white-knuckled trip... see Dan!

Till next time,

Vicky & Bob Heron (Capt. Jack & Jesse James)

How to work & live wherever and whenever you choose!

Such A Beautiful Sight... Well Worth The Climb!

We've been in Moab, Utah since September 6th. This is our second year creating guest guides for three parks here. It's much easier the second time around. The business people recognize you and you develop a friendship.

Some get bolder and kid around with you. It certainly makes the day go faster and makes the time spent here feel more personal. It's starting to feel like a home away from home.

However, as full-time RVers, home is wherever we park, so everyplace starts to feel a bit like home.

Saturday was a beautiful day. Mid 80's so we went hiking. We went to Gear Heads a couple of weeks ago and bought Camelbaks. A red one for me and blue for Bob. They are a backpack with a water bladder in it. Ours each hold 2 liters of water. A tube comes out of it and over your shoulder. It has a mouth piece that you just put into your mouth, bit down slightly and drink. These things are essential for the high desert... like her in Moab.

So Saturday we went to Arches National Park. Last year when we came out here we went to many of the easy hiking places in Arches. We saw the Windows Arches, Turret Arch, the Three Gossips, Balancing Rock and so much more. We drove by the Fiery Furnace fins... they are awesome. You can hike down in those but they highly recommend you go with a ranger since you can easily get lost. It is a very strenuous hike also. I think we'll just admire them from a short distance.

We did not hike out to the famous Delicate Arch last year because we didn't bring enough water. They recommend a minimum of 2 liters per person (and more wouldn't be a bad idea). It's a 3-hour round trip hike and you go up over 500 feet in elevation. About half of it is walking on slick-rock formation and that is very tricky to come down on. There is no real trail once you get on the slick rock. The only guidance you have is to follow the rock cairns. We got off the trail a bit one time.

We set out with our full Camelbaks and began our quest to the famous Delicate Arch. The reason this arch is so striking is because it used to be a fin. AND IT IS HUGE! It was so funny as we were almost to the top where we could be near the arch, people on the way down kept saying "You're almost there!" They'd say, "It's just around the corner."

If you've done this trek you'd know, these people understand. By the time you get up there you are hot, tired, just plain exhausted. But just like childbirth, as soon as you see this amazing wonder, you forget all the torture you want through to get up there. Oh yes, I ran out of my 2-liters of water on the way up. (Note to self, next time bring more water!!!)

In the pictures above, if you look at the very bottom of the arch on the right you'll see two people at the base. They look like a couple of specs. The second picture is of Bob and me. We're standing on a ledge. That's why the Arch looks so much smaller. Seriously, we are about a grain of sand compared to this behemoth! It is awe-inspiring.

I'll be honest with you... I didn't know if I was going to make it all the way up. It was upper 80's to 90 and close to 5000 ft high and I'm very much a flat lander! I found that out in Ruidoso, New Mexico last year. We were also wearing our Sketcher Shape-ups shoes and they were definitely not the right shoes for this hike. (Note to self, get hiking boots before doing this again!)

Would I do it again, you bet! But next time I think we'll do it later in October when it's a bit cooler. Next year we want to hike through the Devil's Garden. That's where the huge Landscape Arch is and the fallen Wall Arch. There is so much to see in this park. If it's not on your bucket list, it should be. Both Devil's Garden and the climb to Delicate are considered strenuous hikes.

When they say that believe them!

Oh yes, the mountains you see in the back ground are the LaSal Mountains. It's a small range and one of the youngest, but Mt. Peale is a respectable 12,747 (or so) feet. We saw snow up there in those mountains just before we left last year. The picture you see here with the snow capped mountains is taken from the City Market parking lot in the Moab valley (city). It was beautiful.

I hope you enjoy these pictures. If you want to see some spectacular sights, go see the National Parks, and please included Arches National Park. And allow more than one day, it's a very large park.

If you've been to Arches, let me know your favorite thing to see!

Vicky & Bob Heron (Capt. Jack & Jesse James)

How to work & live wherever and whenever you choose!

Good To Be Back In Utah!

We arrived in Moab, Utah on Labor Day. Staying at Arch View Resort for the 1st third of our stay here. It's so beautiful in this part of the country.

On the way into town I swear I saw things I did not see last year. It is awe-inspiring. We're in Site 72 again this year... a premium site with a bird's eye view of Arches National Park. And just like last year we can see "the Windows Arches" out our windshield. Sunsets are breathtaking from our vantage point.

We even have the same neighbors on our right as we had last year. They have a Hurricane Class A motorhome with a white Jeep toad, a trailer with their 4-wheeler and two bicycles. As they were setting up camp Bob was talking to them and discovered they were our neighbors last year. They stayed 2 weeks last year and loved it so much that they're staying 3 weeks this year. Don't blame them a bit!

Last night we went to one of our favorite attractions, the Bar M Chuckwagon. The evening starts out with an old-fashioned shootout (played by the owner Alan Brown and two of the musicians). Then we all mosey inside and settle down to a chuckwagon style cowboy meal. Then the entertainment starts and this is the highlight of the night.

Last night there were two bus tours who came to the see the show. One was a group from France and the other was a senior group from San Diego. All had a great time.

Alan & Valerie Brown own this western establishment that consists of gravel floors and long rows of picnic tables. Alan does all the cooking while Valerie is off working in town as a Century 21 real estate agent. Alan & Valerie are joined by two other musicians who sing and one plays base guitar while the other is a wizard on the steel guitar.

These four people harmonize like angels... it's beautiful. They also inject humor with jokes and skits between musical numbers. I even got on stage with several others and tried to make the toy lasso go in a perfect circle. How did I do? Let's just say I don't plan too make a living roping anything. I'd stink at it :-)

We enjoyed their music so much that we bought one of their CDs. We played it in the car on the way to the laundromat and it was just like being at the show. They even included some clever jokes at the end.

We couldn't wait to get back here. It is the highlight of our year. The only problem we had this year is an 18-wheeler kissed the side of our RV right outside of Amarillo, TX. We didn't feel that much, but our driver side mirror was ripped off and the slide topper on our bedroom slide was ripped off. All things considered, it could have been much worse. Bob calmly kept us on the road and unharmed. The semi kept on going. I don't think he even know it happened.

We have our insurance through Good Sam Club and they are being wonderful. They are doing everything they can to make sure we get things fixed as quickly & painlessly as possible. Thank you Good Sam!

These are the last three park guides we'll be working on this year. We have a new granddaughter who will be making her grand entrance into the world on or before October 10th. We won't be there. First time I'll miss my daughter giving birth. But, I plan to make it up to her just as soon as we get back!

And of course, we'll have to get the RV ready for next year's adventures while we're back in Texas.

If you've been to Moab, let me know your favorite watering hole, adventure or just your favorite thing you enjoy in this diverse destination. I'd love to hear from you!

Vicky & Bob Heron (Capt. Jack & Jesse James)

How to work & live wherever and whenever you choose!

Man... Where does time go?

Summer is almost here and we have worked five parks so far this year as we settle into our second year as AGS Reps. Even in this tight economy, this is still the best job to have as a working full-time RVer.

We've talked to some workampers as we travel along and several have expressed an interest in what we do. I guess we like it best because there are no long term committments, we don't clean toilets, and there is no back-breaking work or lawn upkeep.

We got a glowing testimonial from Laurie Scott at Pavilion RV Park in West Monroe, Louisiana. They are such wonderful people.

We picked up a wonderful local winery (Landry Vineyards) in West Monroe to participate in their guest services guide. They make wonderful Blueberry Merlot wine & jelly. Plus they also have a summer concert series on their property and plenty of room for RV parking. I highly recommend you stop there if you're going through West Monroe. And spend a night with the Scotts at Pavilion RV Park.

We just finished two parks in southwest Louisiana and it was very sad down there with the Deep Horizon oil disaster. Shrimp season didn't even get to start this year. And now the marshes are getting gunked up with that wicked crude stuff. Many of the restaurants that normally advertise in our guides were worried that they could not even keep the doors open if this keeps up.

We sure keep them in our prayers and hope things don't get to bad for the gulf coast residents, businesses and wildlife.

On a different note, last November we went to the Escapees RVers' Boot Camp at Rainbow's End in Livingston, Texas. We learned a lot of valuable things about RVing safety. Tire safety, fire & life safety... but the thing that thrilled me the most is how to quickly and easily defrost my RV refrigerator & freezer.

Normally I would have to carry around about 4 styrofoam coolers so I could unload the entire thing and put a pot of hot water in it to defrost the ice. It would be a royal PAIN! Plus, it took hours of my time and I have much better things to do, believe me!

During one of the presentations the speaker said the easiest way to do this job is to purchase a small, portable fan with a clip on it to clip onto the refrigerator doors or shelves.

First, empty the freezer contents into the refrigerator. Next turn off the fridge power & turn on the fan, directing the breeze to the back of the freezer. Almost instantly it begins to melt the accumulation of ice clinging to the sides and back. Depending on the amount of ice, this part should only take about 15-25 minutes.

Once finally thawed, mop up all the water in the bottom of freezer and wipe down sidewalls and top ceiling of unit.

Now, put everything from the freezer back into the freezer and shut the door.

Next, clear the area in front of the cooling fins so the air flow can get to them. Position the fan so the air flows on these fins and shut the door as much as possible. Again, depending on the amount of ice that has accumulated, this step only takes about 30-45 minutes.

Once all the ice has melted put removed items back into the fridge. Turn it on and shut the door. In a few hours the temperature is back down to where it was before you started... or cooler now that you've removed all of this ice.

This is so much easier. I now defrost my refrigerator about once a month instead of a couple of times a year and my unit works much more efficiently! This was my favorite take-away from the bootcamp.

If you have any handy tips you'd like to share with other RVers, send them to me by posting a reply to this post and maybe I'll post it here in the near future. And thanks a lot :-)

Vicky & Bob Heron (Capt. Jack & Jesse James)

How to work & live wherever and whenever you choose!