72

January 16, 2021

Temperature 59 Degrees

I’ve heard so many good thing about this book.  It has such good reviews.  Now, it is my turn to find out for myself.

I’m starting tonight.  It has 701 pages and the print is rather small so I believe this one is going to take me awhile to get through.

But, I have no where to go.  It’s been too chilly outside to really do anything.  So time to read.

Thanks for checking in with us today.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her 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

76

January 14, 2021

Temperature 69 Degrees

Some of My Favorite Stuff

We’ve come to that point were one day just seems to blend into the next.  We’ve made small trips here and there mainly inorder to replinish our storehouse.  We’ve taken a walk or two here and there.  But that is really it.  I’m really anxious to get back on the road again.  April 1st can’t come quick enough.

Today I though I would share with you some of my favorite stuff.  Apps, gadgets, etc that over the last three years I’ve come to rely on and would not be without.  I’m sure not everyone will agree with my list, and that’s OK.  Take a look and see what you think.

Trip Planning

RV-Specific GPS – when we first started traveling, we used a regular GPS which we moved between the car and the rig.  But after a couple of close calls, we purchased an RV-Specific GPS.  You input your vehicles weight, height, width, and length.  It is easy to use, convenient and plugs right into the 12v cigarette lighter.  It has already proved its worth by warning and then detouring us around several low bridges.

RV Trip Wizard – this is my go-to trip planning app as it combines various important and useful functions into a single interface. While all of the features of this program can be found in various standalone apps, just the convenience of having them all included in a single package – including Campground Reviews – makes it hands down my favorite trip planning tool.

Google Maps – who doesn’t use this app.  The big downfall I find with it is that you can only have ten separate waypoints.  Yet, I use it on a regular basis.

Mountain Directory West and Mountain Directory East – it is the west directory that I use the most. The Mountain Directory books tell you where the steep grades are, how long they are, how steep (%) they are, whether the road is two lane, three lane, or four lane, if there are escape ramps, switchbacks, sharp curves, speed limits, etc. With this information, one can know ahead of time what a pass is like and make an informed decision about whether to go over or around

Truckrouter.com – this is a free app available for mapping routes and it is awesome. This application allows me to enter the type of vehicle, number of axles, routing preferences, etc, in order to provide a map with the best available route based on the selected choices.  I’ll use this to compare the route that Google Maps will give me to make sure there are no hidden surprises.

The Next Exit – we keep this book handy as we travel since it contains the most complete and accurate composition of U.S. Interstate Highway exit services available. You’ll find a thorough exit-by-exit listing of every service you will need while traveling: gas, food, lodging, camping, shopping, and much more.

Site Setup

Hughes Power Watchdog Electrical Management System –the Watchdog is a surge protector on steriods.  It is definite step up from a simple surge protector and we believe it is a must.  It protects against high and low voltage, accidentally plugging into a 220v outlet, reverse polarity, AC frequency and open neutral.  On the front of the device is the face of a large bulldog, which lights up white when the power is good, and red when it’s not. There’s also a 2-digit error display that tells you in number codes what is wrong.  The Watchdog has already protected us from several instances of high voltage.

Water Pressure Regulator – as we’ve traveled around, we’ve found campground water pressure all over the map.  We’ve found some campgrounds at 20lbs while others have been as high as 100lbs or more.  The important thing to remember is that most RV’s cannot handle more than 50 or 60lbs so a water pressure regulator is a must.  I’ve used a number of different water pressure regulators that you can usually buy at Amazon.  None of them really work that well.  Finally, over a year ago I built my own from products you can purchase at Home Depot.  It comes preset at 45lbs but can be adjusted if necessary. It has proven to be extremely reliable and is still the one I use today.

Hose Splitter or Y Water Connector – I think that this this is one of the handiest gadgets to have because you can connect your coach water supply to one bib and still have a separate bib to hook up another hose for, well, just about anything.  Make sure you get one that allows you to turn each bib off and on separately.

Bubble Levels – I’ve used just about all the gadgets around for determining if one’s rig is really level.  However, today I have just two small bubble levels by the pad in my rig that deploys the leveling jacks.  One is set up so I can see if I’m level side to side, the other is set up so that I can see if I’m level front to back.  The point is if you have an RV refrigerator you need your rig level.  So, find something that works for you and use it. Besides which having your rig level will keep you from rolling out of bed at night!

Jack Pads – this is primarily for those who have leveling jacks.  I discovered very early on that you don’t want to just deploy your jacks without something under them. If you do, well you may find someday that your jacks are stuck in mud and you can’t get them back up – at least not without a lot of effort.  So, do yourself a favorite, use jack pads under them. You can purchase specific products made for this or as in my case I use simple wooden blocks.

OK, for now that’s my list of some of my favorite stuff.  What about you?  What do you have that you consider absolutely necessary?  What is it that you cannot do without?

As the sun sets behind the trees I’m going to call it a night on The Road of Retirement.  We had another wonderful, absolutely normal day.  We sat in the sun on our patio, we read a few more chapters in our books, and just enjoyed the day and each others company.  How blessed we are in every way.  Thank you Lord for the life you’ve given us to live.

Thanks for checking in with us today.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her 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

78

January 12, 2021

Temperature 61 Degrees

Sticker Rules

I’m sure we’ve all seen them, those state decal maps of the USA that go on the side of one’s RV.

This is ours from our last three years of full time travel.  You start with an empty map and as you go along you add state after state to the map.  Sounds simple enough, right?

But there is an ongoing debate. . . when do you get to get to put a new state sticker on yur map?

However, it seems there is not a consensus in the RV’ing community as to when a sticker can be applied for each state.  If, like us, you are taveling as a couple the chances of having differing opinions is going to increase.

Well, let me offer some possible state sticker rules for your consideration.

You get to put a new state sticker on your map when:

1. You drive through a state in your car or truck.  You don’t stop, or even slow down, you just zip right on through.
2. You left your RV behind, went to a new state and spent a night there in a hotel or maybe a night with some friends.  I bet this is the way some RVer’s get to add Hawaii to their map!
3. You drive through a state in your RV.  As with your car you don’t stop, or even slow down you just zip right on through.
4. You drive through a state in your RV, pull into a rest area and take at least an hour nap.
5. You drive through a state in your RV, pull into a rest area and put boots on the ground to go to the rest room or to get a candy bar from a vending machine.
6. You entered a new state in your RV and visited something unique that only took an hour to two to see but then you moved on.
7. You entered a new state in your RV and spent at least one night there while on your way to your eventual destination.
8. You entered a new state and it was your destination state where you spent at least two or more days.

So which of the above do you follow to put a new state on your sticker map?

May I suggest the following:  it’s your RV, your life and your map so do what you want!  Adopt one of the above, mix and match, or write your own unique rule.

What do we do?   We decided early on that in order to put a new state sticker on the map requires that we spend at least one night in our RV in that state.

So what else did we accomplish today?  Other than crafting rules for a state sticker map?

We did some shopping and I purchased some flowers for Ms. Barbara.  It was definitely time to spoil her a bit.  Other than that we each had a book to read and we played some Mexican Train.  But not much more.   Working outside was out of the question because the day was raw, rather cool and overcast from dawn to dusk.  It definitely wasn’t Florida weather today.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement.  One day has begun to just blend into the next.  We have one more major project to accomplish regarding Elvira but that won’t happen until the end of March.  Until then we’ll just make the most of each day as they come.  We hope you are doing the same.

Thanks for checking in with us today.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her 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

80

January 10, 2021

Temperature 55 Degrees

Morning Worship at our Home Church

Exploring Our Options

On a cold January morning in Florida I can’t think of a better way to greet the day then this.  I’m all wrapped up in my robe, sitting in my chair, cup of coffee in hand and the sun on my one shoulder.  Oh how good life really is.

We began our Sunday morning with worship at our home church in Colts Neck, New Jersey.

Scott began our service with the call to worship.

Our first song.

The Bell Choir provided our special music.

Scott’s message this morning was from Luke 12:1-7.  He spoke of how he would love for God to come down and make all things right.  He went on to say he doesn’t know why God will not.  Yet, he said we can be confident of this Everytime we get knocked down, everytime the darkness of this world seeks to overcome us, God says to us ‘Do Not Be Afraid for I Am With You’.  He finished by saying we can be sure of this because even as we know that His eye is on the lowly sparrow, even more God’s eye is always on us.

Our closing song.  Such beautiful and reassuring words.  What a wonderful way to start a new week.

Worship over we decided to get out and go for a ride.  We have been down in the Bushnell area twice now but never realized until now just how many RV parks are in the immediate area.  Plus, many of them have specific permanent home sections.

This is one of those parks.  We had discovered it while surfing the net.  If you didn’t know it was here you would never find it.  It is tucked away at the end of a remote county road.  They had both an RV section and a permanent home section.  There were also a number of permanent homes for sale with a wide variety of prices.  We decided to investigate.

A couple of pictures of the front permanent home section.  The whole area is very neat and well taken care of.  The grass is mowed and there is no garbage, old cars, etc at any site.  In addition there is great spacing between each unit.  The units here vary from 5th wheels, mobile homes and manufactured homes.

This is a new 2 bedroom 2 bath modular home for sale.

Across the street was another similar home but used.

This is a new 3 bedroom 2 bath.  Unfortunately, none were open for inspection but that’s OK since we were only window shopping.  This is, however, one of the parks that we will be keeping an eye on in the years to come.  If, that is, we do decide to live in Florida when we come off the road.

This is the RV section in the back of the park.  It too is spotless.  The sites all have concrete pads, they appear level, and there is excellent spacing between the sites.  This is someplace in the future we would definitely consider staying at for the winter.

Our day trip over we returned home.  I settled in my chair for an afternoon of football play offs.  Ms Barbara settled in at the other TV for an afternoon of HallMark movies while she did laundry.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement.  We had a wonderful afternoon of dreaming about the future.  We have no idea as of yet where we will actually settle down or when.  But, we believe now is the time to begin to put together an exit plan even though we are still several years away from executing it.  Until then we’ll continue to roll on from state to state.

Thanks for checking in with us today.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her 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!