Places We Have Called Home In 2020

Home Is Where We Park It:  Grand Canyon Railway RV Park, Williams, Arizona 

June 16, 2020

Temperature 78 Degrees at Williams

Travel Day

Lessons Learned On The Road

Our New Home.

This morning was a bit of an odd one for both of us.  Normally, we’re up and at it anxious to get on the road.  However, knowing that the drive was just a bit over 2 hours and that check-in  at the new RV park was around 1 pm we saw no need to leave before 10 am.

So we took our time.   We watched a murder mystery movie we had taped and just sat back and relaxed.

We rolled out of the park at 10:09 am – close enough to our scheduled departure time for us to give ourselves a high five.

Our original plan was to take Route 66 as far as we could go.  We knew from our previous travels on Route 66 that the road was two lane, in good shape and fairly level.  I decided, however, to take Route 40 because I also knew it had several really, really long hills that had to be ascended.  I needed to know, now, before we went much further how Elvira  would handle the mountains.  No time like the present to find out.

How was the trip?  The traffic makes it obvious that the world is beginning to open back up.  In addition, Route 40 in spots was no winner.  It was rough and full of pot holes.  The wind also made the trip very interesting.  It was blowing from the side and gusting so hard at times that you had to really hang on.

About those mountains.  We both noticed almost at the same time how different they are from what we saw in Congress and Kingman.  The mountains around here are full of green trees!  No more cactus.  They’re also really, really high.

How did Elvira take to the mountains?  I had the new

Scan Gauge installed and set to monitor just the water temperature and the transmission temperature.  So what did I discover?  The temperature along the way was in the mid 90’s  I learned that when going up a mountain that  if I didn’t try to race to the top of the hill, if by downshifting I kept the RPM’s to around 2000 or 2100 I could keep the water temperature at 197 and the transmission temperature at 195.  The longest mountain we climbed today was 10 miles with a grade between  5 and 6 percent and I had no issues whatever.   I’ll sleep better tonight knowing this.  We’ve come up 3,400 feet and the temperatures have dropped by over 20 degrees!  What a pleasant surprise.

Soon enough we were at our exit, then in downtown Williams. One more turn and there it was.

That’s the sign we were looking for because it pointed the way to the office for check-in at our new home.

Time to register.

This operation is first class all the way.  Wide and long slots for parking while you register.  Easy in and easy out.

A general view of the park.  The typical paved football field with designated slots in which to park your toy.  It’s clean, well taken care of, the roads are easy to navigate and the park is completely full.

Our new home for the next week.  The site is paved, fairly level – which we really don’t have to worry much about anymore – and more than long enough for Elvira and our car.

The utilities are right where you need them to be which made hooking up a breeze.

Our day on The Road of Retirement has come to an end.  It’s been another fantastic day in so many ways.  We had an easy trip with no surprises.  I learned some valuable lessons about Elvira along the way.  We have a great home for the next 7 days.  The temperatures are oh so nice and moderate.  We’ll get some sleep tonight and then go exploring tomorrow.  Truly, we are two of the most blessed and fortunate people living today.

Thanks for joining us today. We always appreciate having you with us and we especially enjoy your comments.  Until tomorrow when we’ll be at our new home.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and it’s two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

 

Places We Have Called Home In 2020

June 15, 2020

T minus 15 Hours

Temperature 91 Degrees

We’re Getting Ready to Go

The time to go is just about here.  We’re excited and glad to be back on the road again.  Yet, on the other hand we’ve grown comfortable with just being in one place.  All the more reason to get up and go.  That after all is why we live in a house with wheels.  We still very much believe in our motto: to explore as many new states as possible. . .to boldly go where we have never been before.

We’ve already finished a number of pre-road practices.  Barbara has organized the kitchen and living room.  We’ve put a number of items away already.  I’ve checked and adjusted the tire pressure for both Elvira and Little Graybeard.  The awnings are in and properly stowed.  The front window and wiper covers have been removed and stowed.  The tanks have been dumped, connections capped and the slinky stowed.  Since we’re not leaving super early tomorrow we can wait to  finish the rest of what we need until then.

The rest of the day

we played Mexican Train.  Finished, we packed everything back in the tin box they came out of.  Oh yes, once again I believe I could almost hear them crying Please don’t put us away!  Don’t worry my friends soon enough and you will be back out.

Lunch and supper were leftovers from the past several days.  No need to go making a mess of the kitchen once it had been completely cleaned.

That’s about it for our day on The Road of Retirement.  Oh, about that new griddle – the plug doesn’t get hot.  You want to know what we had for breakfast?  Eggs over easy and sausage.  I also had a small glass of V-8 and a nice cold glass of ice coffee.  Delicious and filling.  Time to go since I need some sleep before tomorrow’s drive.

In closing, we can definitely say this since as I continue to proclaim we are two of the most blessed and fortunate of all people.

Thanks for stopping by today. We always appreciate having you with us and we especially enjoy your comments.  Until tomorrow when we’ll be at our new home.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and it’s two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

 

Places We Have Called Home In 2020

June 14, 2020

T minus 1

Temperature 89 Degrees

Christmas In June, Worship At Our Home Church In Colts Neck, NJ

Learning to Keep Elvira Cool

Everything But The Kitchen Sink – And Oh So Delicious 

Once again we began our day by worshiping at our home church in Colts Neck, NJ.

Pastor Scott started a sermon series last year entitled Through the Bible.  Over the past year he has delivered messages from various books of the Old Testament.  Today he finally reached the New Testament and the lesson for today was on the birth of Christ.  Hence, we had a Christmas In June worship service.

From last year during one December service the choir performed For Unto Us A Child Is Born.  The video of that performance was played again today.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Using this verse, several members of the congregation delivered prerecorded and scripted homilies on the meaning of the verse.

Pastor Scott then delivered the morning message in which he

reminded us that Jesus is the light of the world and His light continues to shine in the darkness of our present day world, and the darkness will never overcome that light.  It was a wonderful way to begin yet another week with a message of hope and reassurance that in the end God will make all things right.

Regarding the rest of our day.  I’m slowing finding ways to help the A/C  keep the inside of Elvira cool and comfortable during the heat of the day.

This is our A/V cabinet and during the middle of the day with the sun directly on the roof it can and does – per my laser temperature gun – get upwards of 110 degrees in this cabinet.  The solution?  Today we found a way to mount a box fan below but aimed toward the cabinet with the breeze from the fan blowing inward.  Immediately, the temperature dropped to below 85 degrees.  I believe we’re on the right track.

Another problem area has turned out to be the area directly behind our cabinets on the drivers side.  For lack of a better description, behind the cabinets is a trough like area about twelve inches deep and six inches wide.  Again using my laser temperature gun I’ve discovered temperatures as high as 115 degrees in this area.  The solution?  Same as before, the box fan tilted upward and blowing into that area.  Once again, I saw the temperature drop to around 85 degrees.  Yup, on the right track here as well.

I’ve also learned more trick.  We have a front and rear A/C.  The front unit can and will keep the living room cool and comfortable on its own.  But it will also run continually.  How to prevent this?  The answer is to also use the back A/C but – and this is important – it must be set for several degrees cooler than the front one.  If the back one is set at the same temperature as the front one it will click off too soon since the bedroom is such a smaller area than the front.  So, set it a few degrees lower than what the front is set for and it will continue to run and help cool the front as well as the back.  I’m learning.

New toy.  Not for me – well in a round about way I guess you can say I’ll benefit from it – but for Barbara.

Barbara has been using a Griddle that many, many, many years ago she picked up on clearance for five dollars at Walmart.  Today, after she finished using it she said to me feel the plug and the wire.  Oh yea, it was really warm.  In the garbage went the old one.  Home from Walmart came the new one.  No sense taking chances.

We also came home with enough provisions for a good two to three weeks.  Meaning, we will not have to worry about staples and meat while we’re on the move for the rest of the month.

This dear friends is Barbara’s latest Crock-Pot meal which I’ve proudly dubbed Everything But The Kitchen Sink.  Into the pot went plant based butter, hot sausage, onions, green pepper, jalapenos, tomatoes, and giardiniera (which is spicy pickled vegetables).  When we arrived home and I opened the door to Elvira oh what a wonderful aroma floated out of the door.  The dish did not disappoint.  It was absolutely delicious!  My comment to Barbara was simply This is a definite keeper!

That was our day on The Road to Retirement.  The time has finally come, now,  for us to begin putting things away in preparation for getting back on the road.  We find that if you sit too long in one place – like we have been doing – so much more stuff gets pulled out.  Now, it’s time to find places for it all.  I’ve already started outside.  Why, I really have no idea since we’ll probably not leave here much before 10 am on Tuesday.  I just guess I’m getting restless.  I’m so looking forward to the open road again.

I just had to throw this one in!

We sure enjoyed your company today. We always appreciate having you with us and we especially enjoy your comments.  Speaking of comments, thanks for the tips on traveling through Wisconsin.  I’ve added them to our 2021 itinerary.  Until tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and it’s two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

 

 

 

Places We Have Called Home In 2020

June 13, 2020

T minus 2

Temperature 84 Degrees

All Clean and Spiffy Inside and Outside

Yup, missed a day.  Just being lazy.  Today, though, well here we go.

We’ll be there Saturday at 7:30 am.  Guess what?  They were actually here this morning at 7:15 am!  They, meaning the gentleman who were going to wash and detail Elvira.  Since washing your own rig is prohibited in the park you need to find someone to do it.  The park takes an adverse view of one using their water for such things.  Thus, these gentleman bring their own water with them.

They first did the roof then they began to work on the rest of Elvira.

They hand wax and buff from bow to stern.

Three hours later they were all done.  If you ask me the old girl really looks good.

While they were working on the outside we went to it on the inside.  We vacuumed and washed the floor.

The kitchen sink and counters got scrubbed as did the dining room table.  We then emptied the hutch and vacuumed the girt off of it and scrubbed it as well.

Then we went and got ourselves all cleaned up.  Showers for both of us.

That does it for our day on The Road of Retirement.  It was an absolutely beautiful day.  The temperature did not get out of the 80’s and there was a strong wind blowing all day.   The bottom line being we could leave the A/C off and open the windows and enjoy the breeze. So it is we continue to travel along, hand in hand, singing our song.

A closing thought.

Thanks for stopping by today. We always appreciate your company and your comments.  Speaking of comments, thanks for the tips on traveling through Michigan.  I’ve added them to our 2021 itinerary.  Until tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and it’s two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!