Wednesday, March 31, 2010

pictures – finally!!!

I found a patient friend to show me how to do this, so now you get to see some pictures of our new rig.  I hope you are interested. 

new rig new rig 2
new rig 3
Proud owners
Isn’t this pretty awesome – I get to drivenew rig 4

new rig 5

This is how we look on the road.

Monday, March 29, 2010

On the way home

We are in Deming, only a 180 mile trip today, but we are both tired, and there are so many things to learn about this coach, it is frustrating.  The TV is the biggest issue I guess, but on the trip today we lost the generator muffler somewhere.  But since we probably won’t need the generator the rest of the trip, it can wait. 

I want to tell you a little more about Los Algodones, Mexico where we went with Bill and Lesle while in Yuma.  Most on the road RVers know about it, as they come here every year to get there new glasses, teeth fixed, and I am not sure what else is there, but walking into the row of doctors and opticians is like walking into a circus of vendors, hawkers of medical services, and who know what else.  Every one speaks English, and they all take dollars instead of pesos.  I have yet to meet anyone who was not satisfied with their $250 crown, root canal, implants or false teeth, and they get the work done in one or two days instead of visit after visit and weeks of time.  It really is a busy place, especially after 10:00am when the liquor stores open.  So those in the know get their appointments done early, shop in the maze of vendors (which I didn’t find all that cheap, but boy do they haggle) get to the pharmacia and get almost any drug you want really cheap without scripts (except narcotics – they do require scripts for that, but I am told that for the asking, a pharmacist will write one for you if you bring a empty bottle) 

Then the RVs leave the Yuma area like rats off a sinking ship.  The road north is naught but RVs, and the parks and free BLM land empties out. So we are all heading north, slowly, hoping the snow is done, and the roads clear.  Of course for many home is where you park it, so it is all a question of semantics where you call home.  For most, it is a visitation to the northern relatives, and heirs whose inheritance we are spending.  And loving it.

I have received some pictures of the new rig, but I don’t yet know how to get them here.  So be patient with me.   

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Here I go – solo

I thought you might like to hear some about where we are camped today.  We have been here since Tue and will leave tomorrow.  We came here to meet up with new friends from Colorado – sort of.  They are full timers and have family in Co, so will be to see us this summer, and are members of the Colorado chapter of Escapees.  The are retired military, so invited us as their guests to R&R here at the Yuma Proving Grounds.  This is a large military base real estate wise, as large as the state of RI, But not so much personnel.  This is where they train for Afghanistan, disarm explosive devices (I called them IUD’s but somehow I don’t think that is correct).  The terrain is similar to Afghanistan, but this desert changes quickly from north to south. 

Wed we walked across the border into Mexico for Bill (our friend here) to get some dental work done.  There are probably hundreds of dentists and pharmacias right there on the border who give good service and very cheap prices.  Also opticians and glasses can be obtained cheap.  His new crown only cost $250, where as at home it would have been $800 or more.  Lesle got new glasses for $35.  I guess I should have taken advantage of some of that.  There were lots of vendors there of course too, ready to take the American dollars, and we bought some stuff.  Not sure they were real bargains.  Most go there for liquor purchases, and to visit the Casino on the American side.  We had lunch there.  It is a busy place, and quite well known among the RV world as a place for some medical care, and most visitors to this area come here for that reason. 

On our way here from Lake Havasu the desert floor was covered in green grasses a foot tall.  Not so tall here, but green nevertheless, and just ready to pop.  10 miles south of here is the salad bowl of the south west.  Miles of Lettuce and tender veggies growing, and being harvested now.  Water everywhere!!!! Fields flooded and canals full.  There has been an abundance of rain down here this year, so things are popping all over. 

Our new rig seems smaller than I had thought it would be, but oh so much more convenient and comfy.  David hasn’t figured out the TV satellite system yet, but we have cable here.  I think the TV will have to get professional help when we get home.  I think storage problems will work out as we get rid of things we needed in the old rig, but don't need here.  It is a dream to drive, and hopefully I will get to drive some. 

Tomorrow we head for Benson, one night, then to Deming NM for two nights maybe, then Albuquerque one night then Raton one night, then home.  Of course we will monitor the weather.  I am looking forward to seeing Russ and Kari and Baby Gavin in May, but haven't heard definitive plans yet. 

Oh we have so much to learn.  I am overwhelmed by all the new ways of doing things, and all the amenities on this rig.  So I guess taking on blogging right now is an escape of sorts.  But it makes up for the cumbersome bulk mailings, and you can look if you want to, and won’t have your in box all cluttered up with my chattering.  I think you can feed back from the blog page, so I look forward to hearing from you.  Soon as I can I will learn how to use the camera, so I can send recent pix.  The one of Us on the page was taken on the Panama Cruise last year.  We don’t seem to take many pictures.  Just lazy I guess.  That needs to change. 

Map picture

Friday, March 26, 2010

This is my second try at this

So I will show you my son and grandson who are coming to visit in May, after we get home and continue getting settled in our new rig.

SOOOOOOOOO greetings from Yuma AZ. We are now one week in our new rig. We are exhausted and recuperating here where the weather is wonderful, and our friends from Colorado are next door. They are retired military, and we are on an Army base where training is done for the troops going to Afghanistan. It is an interesting place.

But my main interest tonight is learning to use this thing, and then letting folks know it is here, and I will try to write – maybe not daily, but often enough that if you wonder where I am, you can go here and find out what is happening. I appreciate your feedback and comments. It feels good to hear from you after you have visited here, makes me feel important.

Gavin_044

Gavin when he was just a baby. He is now almost one, getting around and about to take his first airplane ride in May coming to visit Grandma and Auntie Lani.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

First Post - Yuma Az

I am just learning how to do this. Watch me grow.