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!
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