Early this morning around 7:30 AM we left our Free camping spot in AVI Casino to deliver our MH to the RV dealer in Mojave ,5 miles away for our 8 AM appointment. Logic told us the maintenance for our Hydro Hot system would be 3 hours because they charge a flat rate of 300.00 and their shop rate is 105.00 an hour and I'm sure they would not want us to know that they could do it in 2 hours. We did leave our cell number and off we went to check out the sites and sounds of Laughlin some 10 miles away.
As we drove by the Riverside casino we noticed about 50 RV's parked in the parking area and they looked to us, as if they had been there for days if not weeks, since most of the tow vehicles where disconnect and most had their chairs all set up. I did a quick U-turn and drove in to inquire and luckily I spotted an older ( someone older than me ) gentleman outside his MH so I stopped and ask if it was free to park here. Apparently I did not phase the question to his liking because , not only did he tell me it was free to park but he continue on with a dissertation about Mr Laughlin , the owner of the casino and why he build a fence around area. Jumping in with another question, before I got the history of the USA, and thinking about passing thru here another time, I ask how long can you stay. He started naming people , like Pete over there has been here about 6 months, and Brett, over there, has been here for about 2 months. I got the picture, so I thanked him as I slowly moved the car, hoping he would stop talking.
The Riverside casino looked like a great place to park overnight so we decided that we would move to the Riverside once we got our MH back. After selecting a good spot to park the MH, we went to the Mall, mainly to check out what was on the show this evening. However, it developed into a window shopping outing for Carroll. I got bored waiting so I found a shoe store and found a pair of shoes that I needed since I threw a pair away in Yuma.
Around noon we received a call that our MH was ready so we picked it up and returned to the Riverside where we found a good parking spot where we could get out early next morning without bothering anyone. As mentioned yesterday , our slide still would not operate but for one night ,it is not a problem. Then we went to the 4 PM show " Whiskey, Tango , Foxtrot " For 6.00 it was worth the price.
After supper we went to the casino so Carroll could donate her preverbal 20.00, so the free camping , with no services,actual cost 20.00.
About 8 PM I did a walk-around just to see if there were many Canadians in the parking lot. I seen a couple from BC sitting outside so I stopped to talk. I notice a card in there windshield with a date on it so I ask why since it was free to stay. Apparent when they arrived a few days ago they were told to move to the back row; then they were told they had to sign in, which they did. I guess the Security guard had a shitty day so he picked on a Canadian. Then they told me they had their tow bar stolen right in the parking lot. After they parked , they decided to move to another area and they left their tow bar against a light standard. Fifteen minutes later they returned to pick up their tow bar and it was gone. However, they are stuck in Laughlin until their insurance company replaces the tow bar and all the necessary connection for the car at a cost of 2500.00. They hope to be on their way in 3 or 4 days. Even a casino parking lot is not always safe from thieves. cheers
Saturday, 19 March 2016
Friday, 18 March 2016
Travel Day
We you are pulling up stakes to leave, it usually is a fairly simple operation. You pack up the last few items, Carroll ensures that nothing is left on the counter that will fly around. You pull the MH out on the street, hook up the car and " Bob's your Uncle " and away you go. Not so dam fast for the Eslers
First I had to return the WiFi router to Time Warner (TW). TW is not open on Saturday or Sunday so my choice was to return it Friday at noon ( which was not an option ) or early Monday morning. TW opens at 7 AM so I thought if I arrived by 6:55 I would be first in line. Unfortunately, so did 25 other Snowbirds who were returning their routers or TV receivers. I actual arrived at 6:40 AM and I was 9 th in line. The guy, first in line brought a chair and was asleep at the door.
Once inside I had to wait 30 minutes to be served and there was at least 50 people behind me. As I drove back to the RV park I was thinking that we would on the road by 9 AM and it would be a nice easy drive to our intend free overnight parking at a casino near Mojave. Our MH appointment is for 8 AM on Tuesday.
When I got back to the MH, Carroll had the slides in and all I had to do was to start the MH, raise the jacks and pay the power bill when the office opened at 9 AM. However when I turn the key to start the MH the batteries were dead; not even a "click click". So I put the charger on the batteries known full well that it would probably take an hour or so to charge up the batteries . I then paid the power bill and on my return to the MH I noticed a friend who swapping some B.S. with a neighbor and I ask if they had some jumpers cable. Bob, a retired farmer from Montana , had a set and as he says; I never leave home without them. Bob also used his brand new Super Duty, 350 Ford to jump the MH and it started right away. Whenever you have a problem it always attracts others who seem to want to bask in your misery, so there was a few onlookers, but they mean well.
Now we are ready to leave but we do not connect the car as I need propane and to top up the fuel. I get to the propane station but I do not want to shut off the MH and they can not fill the propane on a MH that is running so I will get propane down the road. Then I got to Fry's which is a grocery store that has a gas station. Since we have spent 300.00 on groceries we get 30 cents off a gallon. However getting into a pump with diesel is not easy as those dam car owners seem to think a MH is as easy to maneuver as a Smart Car. I did manage to get my cheap fuel but getting out of the place was not easy as two other MH with a vehicle in tow were trying to maneuver into the outside pumps , much like I was. Once the MH moved up I was able to sneak by, but now I had to go thru the parking to get out and those dam senior don't give you much help.
Carroll actually waited for me at a truck stop down the road so that we could hook up the car. Finally about 10:30 we got on our way. Since we did not have breakfast we stopped at Parker some 2 hours down the road for lunch. I don't like the twisty roads and small towns in AZ so at this point I cross into CA which takes us to the Casino near Mojave where we will get the MH maintained tomorrow. When you cross from AZ to CA you go thru a Fruit Inspection station. They are checking for Citrus fruit only and we always make sure we don't have any. They usually take you word, when you say that you don't have any.
We arrived at AVI casino and they have a "gravel Pit" for us, who are looking for a free place to overnight. The place is fairly full so I worm my way around looking for a good spot and I dam near removed a guys awning. Carroll says I missed it by a foot. As it turns out the RV belong to friends who had just left Yuma a week earlier. All that called for a beer, Cheers
First I had to return the WiFi router to Time Warner (TW). TW is not open on Saturday or Sunday so my choice was to return it Friday at noon ( which was not an option ) or early Monday morning. TW opens at 7 AM so I thought if I arrived by 6:55 I would be first in line. Unfortunately, so did 25 other Snowbirds who were returning their routers or TV receivers. I actual arrived at 6:40 AM and I was 9 th in line. The guy, first in line brought a chair and was asleep at the door.
Once inside I had to wait 30 minutes to be served and there was at least 50 people behind me. As I drove back to the RV park I was thinking that we would on the road by 9 AM and it would be a nice easy drive to our intend free overnight parking at a casino near Mojave. Our MH appointment is for 8 AM on Tuesday.
When I got back to the MH, Carroll had the slides in and all I had to do was to start the MH, raise the jacks and pay the power bill when the office opened at 9 AM. However when I turn the key to start the MH the batteries were dead; not even a "click click". So I put the charger on the batteries known full well that it would probably take an hour or so to charge up the batteries . I then paid the power bill and on my return to the MH I noticed a friend who swapping some B.S. with a neighbor and I ask if they had some jumpers cable. Bob, a retired farmer from Montana , had a set and as he says; I never leave home without them. Bob also used his brand new Super Duty, 350 Ford to jump the MH and it started right away. Whenever you have a problem it always attracts others who seem to want to bask in your misery, so there was a few onlookers, but they mean well.
Now we are ready to leave but we do not connect the car as I need propane and to top up the fuel. I get to the propane station but I do not want to shut off the MH and they can not fill the propane on a MH that is running so I will get propane down the road. Then I got to Fry's which is a grocery store that has a gas station. Since we have spent 300.00 on groceries we get 30 cents off a gallon. However getting into a pump with diesel is not easy as those dam car owners seem to think a MH is as easy to maneuver as a Smart Car. I did manage to get my cheap fuel but getting out of the place was not easy as two other MH with a vehicle in tow were trying to maneuver into the outside pumps , much like I was. Once the MH moved up I was able to sneak by, but now I had to go thru the parking to get out and those dam senior don't give you much help.
Carroll actually waited for me at a truck stop down the road so that we could hook up the car. Finally about 10:30 we got on our way. Since we did not have breakfast we stopped at Parker some 2 hours down the road for lunch. I don't like the twisty roads and small towns in AZ so at this point I cross into CA which takes us to the Casino near Mojave where we will get the MH maintained tomorrow. When you cross from AZ to CA you go thru a Fruit Inspection station. They are checking for Citrus fruit only and we always make sure we don't have any. They usually take you word, when you say that you don't have any.
We arrived at AVI casino and they have a "gravel Pit" for us, who are looking for a free place to overnight. The place is fairly full so I worm my way around looking for a good spot and I dam near removed a guys awning. Carroll says I missed it by a foot. As it turns out the RV belong to friends who had just left Yuma a week earlier. All that called for a beer, Cheers
Minnesota Breakfast
Sunday 13 March
Our friends Barb and Dick are from Minnesota and Dick just loves biscuits and gravy for breakfast, however he usually only has it for breakfast once a week. I have made fun of this menu food for breakfast for years and I always called it a " Heart attack on a Plate ". I must admit, when I see it served and "Wolfed " down by those sitting near me, I truly believed it would hasten a heart attack.
Dick has had enough of Vince and I making fun of "Biscuits and Gravy" so he and Barb invited ( almost insisted ) that we ( Carroll, me , Vince and Lynda ) come for a Minnesota Breakfast which will include Dick's recipe for Biscuits and Gravy and he guaranteed that we would like it.
The breakfast not only included Dick's B and G but Barb had baked a huge platter of " Sticky buns", a casserole of " Wife Saver " and a mixed fruit bowl for desert.
Dick's B and G includes chopped Italian sausage and I must admit it tasted great as did the others. I had a second helping. I would not want to eat it often as I'm sure it can not be the best choice for your health, but neither is a Hot Dog. Would I try it again, yes , especially if Dick made it.
Since we are leaving tomorrow we ( mostly me ) spent the afternoon packing up the MH. It seems that taking things out of the storage area takes less time then repacking it.
We have had trouble with the slides not going in or out so we hope they work tomorrow. We are heading to Mojave ( Bullhead City) to have some maintenance done on the hot water system. Cheers
Our friends Barb and Dick are from Minnesota and Dick just loves biscuits and gravy for breakfast, however he usually only has it for breakfast once a week. I have made fun of this menu food for breakfast for years and I always called it a " Heart attack on a Plate ". I must admit, when I see it served and "Wolfed " down by those sitting near me, I truly believed it would hasten a heart attack.
Dick has had enough of Vince and I making fun of "Biscuits and Gravy" so he and Barb invited ( almost insisted ) that we ( Carroll, me , Vince and Lynda ) come for a Minnesota Breakfast which will include Dick's recipe for Biscuits and Gravy and he guaranteed that we would like it.
The breakfast not only included Dick's B and G but Barb had baked a huge platter of " Sticky buns", a casserole of " Wife Saver " and a mixed fruit bowl for desert.
Dick's B and G includes chopped Italian sausage and I must admit it tasted great as did the others. I had a second helping. I would not want to eat it often as I'm sure it can not be the best choice for your health, but neither is a Hot Dog. Would I try it again, yes , especially if Dick made it.
Since we are leaving tomorrow we ( mostly me ) spent the afternoon packing up the MH. It seems that taking things out of the storage area takes less time then repacking it.
We have had trouble with the slides not going in or out so we hope they work tomorrow. We are heading to Mojave ( Bullhead City) to have some maintenance done on the hot water system. Cheers
Saturday, 12 March 2016
Carroll Needed a haircut
Carroll decided she should get her hair cut before we head home. Her hair Salon is located in the Sun Vista RV Park and it seems to be the Salon of choice for the Senior crowd. The hair dresser is a male about 50 years old and owns two Hair Salons with his Mother.
Carroll says he is extremely busy and he suggested to his Mother that he should open on Saturdays. She apparently Vetoed the idea as she did not want to work on Saturdays and she said that most of their customers are Senior so the can schedule their hair appointments during the week.
Today was extremely hot and was over 90 F by early afternoon. We spent the afternoon sitting in the shade , begging for a breeze and seeping on a cool one. After supper the temperature did drop slightly and we got a most welcome breeze. That breeze started to increase and the cool temperature was very welcome until I thought I heard one of our chairs tumble over. So about 9 PM I went outside side to check and " Holy Moly " we were having another dust storm. All our windows in MH were open so now we have a layer of dust on ever counter. Also, I had left the trunk open in the car so it too is full of dust. Most of the neighbors' were scrambling to get their awning in before they left for good.
The wind died down during the night but the north wind brought in a " Cold Front" if a temperature of 72 F is considered cold. Today is another beautiful day. cheers.
Carroll says he is extremely busy and he suggested to his Mother that he should open on Saturdays. She apparently Vetoed the idea as she did not want to work on Saturdays and she said that most of their customers are Senior so the can schedule their hair appointments during the week.
Today was extremely hot and was over 90 F by early afternoon. We spent the afternoon sitting in the shade , begging for a breeze and seeping on a cool one. After supper the temperature did drop slightly and we got a most welcome breeze. That breeze started to increase and the cool temperature was very welcome until I thought I heard one of our chairs tumble over. So about 9 PM I went outside side to check and " Holy Moly " we were having another dust storm. All our windows in MH were open so now we have a layer of dust on ever counter. Also, I had left the trunk open in the car so it too is full of dust. Most of the neighbors' were scrambling to get their awning in before they left for good.
The wind died down during the night but the north wind brought in a " Cold Front" if a temperature of 72 F is considered cold. Today is another beautiful day. cheers.
Cell Phone
10 March
As most of our friends know, we are not cell phone savvy; in fact , we are cell phone illiterate . Anyhow I picked up the phone this morning and attempted to call Time Warner to ask about returning my router on Saturday or Monday.
Actually I wanted to know the office hours so I could be first in line. This office is the only one I recall that has around 100 people lined up ahead of you. I can't figure out how everyone has time to spend an hour, just to return a router or pay their bill.
Anyway, I dialed Time Warner and the phone says that your time expired on the 7 th March. OH Shit; now we have to go downtown to AT&T to pay for another month which will cover us until we get home. They would like me to do " Auto Pay " but I seen that "Movie " before and if the overcharge me , it will take months to get my money back, hence the reason I pay monthly. Apparently TW sent us a msg advising that time was running out but we did not notice it.
On the way home from town , we dropped into see Ken and Carol Jangula. They are heading home on Saturday, mainly because it is too hot for Ken. I believe he had a Heat Stroke once and he just can't handle the 90 F temperature. Cheers
As most of our friends know, we are not cell phone savvy; in fact , we are cell phone illiterate . Anyhow I picked up the phone this morning and attempted to call Time Warner to ask about returning my router on Saturday or Monday.
Actually I wanted to know the office hours so I could be first in line. This office is the only one I recall that has around 100 people lined up ahead of you. I can't figure out how everyone has time to spend an hour, just to return a router or pay their bill.
Anyway, I dialed Time Warner and the phone says that your time expired on the 7 th March. OH Shit; now we have to go downtown to AT&T to pay for another month which will cover us until we get home. They would like me to do " Auto Pay " but I seen that "Movie " before and if the overcharge me , it will take months to get my money back, hence the reason I pay monthly. Apparently TW sent us a msg advising that time was running out but we did not notice it.
On the way home from town , we dropped into see Ken and Carol Jangula. They are heading home on Saturday, mainly because it is too hot for Ken. I believe he had a Heat Stroke once and he just can't handle the 90 F temperature. Cheers
Wash and Wax the Motor Home.
We are leaving Yuma and slowly heading north on Monday so it is time to give the Motor Home (MH ) its' annual Wash and Wax. However, it will not be done by me. Sergio, is one of the many local firms that make a living by washing (and Waxing ) Park Models and RV's. Sergio, usually has 5 workers who actually swarm you MH. They start by 3 guys cleaning the roof while the other 1 or 2 guys scrub the tires and the wheel rims. After the finishing the wash they wipe it dry and then start into the waxing and polishing, which takes another 1/2 hour. Sergio always returns to check the job and to make sure you are happy. If you are not happy, he will call his crew back and will do what ever is necessary to make his customers happy. The price is 120.00 and they will throw in a car wash for free. If anyone in Med Hat can meet that price , I'll be glad to have it done at home.
We spent the afternoon watching curling and sitting outdoors in the shade ( it is about 85 F ) trying to keep cool and along comes our friend to invited us for supper. They also invited some mutual friends. Apparently they have too much food and need to get rid of it before leaving. They have a park Model so they can not take it home, unlike us who have a good size freezer in the MH.
After a wonderful meal we played cards and not to brag , but we men , Kicked Ass. Cheers
We spent the afternoon watching curling and sitting outdoors in the shade ( it is about 85 F ) trying to keep cool and along comes our friend to invited us for supper. They also invited some mutual friends. Apparently they have too much food and need to get rid of it before leaving. They have a park Model so they can not take it home, unlike us who have a good size freezer in the MH.
After a wonderful meal we played cards and not to brag , but we men , Kicked Ass. Cheers
Friday, 11 March 2016
Strawberries.
The strawberries from California finally arrived in late Feb. ( they don't grow strawberries in this area ). They are at least a month late due to the cold , rainy weather in in CA. The first box of 3 pints was 11.00 but they have now dropped to 8.00 so obviously there is now a better supply. The strawberries are sold at a roadside "Wagon" so we went to pick up another batch before we leave. This area also has several other fast food vehicles, one which is a Taco Truck. Since they serve Shrimp Tacos for 1.75, we could not pass up the opportunity so we stayed for lunch.
Since the Brier ( for those who do not know what the Bier is Men's Cdn Curling Championship " is on now, so we spent the afternoon watching the Curling.
In the evening , our friends the Ziglos dropped by to see if we wanted to go to the show as the wanted to see " London is Falling". It is a great show and I strongly recommend it. It is about the Terrorist taking over London and Kidnapping the US President. After what happen in France it may not be far fetched. Cheers
Since the Brier ( for those who do not know what the Bier is Men's Cdn Curling Championship " is on now, so we spent the afternoon watching the Curling.
In the evening , our friends the Ziglos dropped by to see if we wanted to go to the show as the wanted to see " London is Falling". It is a great show and I strongly recommend it. It is about the Terrorist taking over London and Kidnapping the US President. After what happen in France it may not be far fetched. Cheers
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