Home Again, Jiggety-Jog...

When we last posted, (not counting the fabulous Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup win), we were leaving Cabela's in Wheeling. We stopped that night at a campground just off I-68 in Maryland. That allowed us to fill in another state on the Express-side map, (conveniently ignoring the fact that we crossed the PA border about a mile and a half... their mailing address is Flintstone, Maryland!).

Prompting our stop was I-68 itself. Mountains. If this trip taught us anything, it's that the Express needs a new radiator. We boiled the coolant once between Wheeling and the campground (which was just past Cumberland). We figured to let it rest overnight for the remaining climbs before the descent into Virginia.
We were only about 125 miles from the site of the ASFA II now, and we got an early start to take advantage of the cool morning. We were halfway up our second climb of the morning, the transmission had dropped to 2nd, and our speed to 30mph when there was a loud "BANG!!", followed by a rhythmic "bang-bang-bang-bang...." etc. Margaret, believing I am all-knowing said "What was that?". Proving I knew a little something, I replied, "Uh, nothing good". We kept climbing, the temp didn't rise, and other than the noise we kept rolling until we could get to an exit.

Being prescient, we had decided to finally renew our RV road service plan about 5 days earlier, (it had expired last November). Fortunately, there was cellular service at this particular remote exit, so I called them up and told them what had transpired: After getting out I went around to the driver's side where the noise was the loudest, got down, and was hit square in the face with pulsing hot air mixed with oil. It was coming from the back cylinder, where the spark plug used to reside. Half of it was hanging uselessly from the wire, while the rest was still in the cylinder head. It just decided to blow up. Inspecting the remaining pieces, it appeared it had worked itself loose over the months since we'd had the plugs replaced last August.
Had we been in a normal part of the country, where roads are flat, we could have driven it, but the road service determined this..

...was the wisest option. We'll try to post some video in the future to show why I couldn't disagree. And they were paying anyway.

But the fun was only beginning! The tow truck company was located up in Pennsylvania, about 45 miles away. The road service folks, in their infinite wisdom, tucked away from the realities of the world somewhere out in Phoenix,
decided "Bill's Auto & Truck" in Hedgesville, West Virginia was the place to go. "They're only 17 miles from where you are now", the road service tech told me. Not even as the crow flies was it that close! 60-some miles later, we were parked on a rural two-lane, at the foot of the steepest driveway I've ever seen. It was 20 degrees if it was 1. I drove the car up to the garage, where a hand-written sign on the window proclaimed, "Closed today for doctor visit. Sorry for the inconvenience".

This was more than a little confusing, as the road service people had talked to "Bill", and so had I. He was expecting us. I wanted to call him and find out WTF? what was going on. But there was no cell service. Big surprise.. look up Hedgesville, WV on a map sometime... the garage is up in the hills, 5 miles west of the town. I returned to the wrecker driver who stated the obvious: he couldn't pull the RV up that driveway.. and he couldn't turn around with the Express attached.

I kept trying my phone, and finally found that if I stood up on a stone block next to the driveway, and held my head perfectly still, facing in a northwesterly direction, I could manage 2 bars! First I called the road service folks and told them, as civilly as I could manage, that this was bullshit. If the truck had towed us up to PA to his garage, we'd be back on the road already. Next I actually got hold of "Bill", who told us about an alternative driveway, (not unlike an alternate universe) right next to the steep one. It's actually a "road" which showed up on my map program. We explored it, and I wasn't crazy about its possibilities either.

At this point, the tow driver said he had to go. So there the Express was left, on the side of the road, in the hopes that Mr. Bill would arrive soon.

Margaret drove off towards Hedgesville to do business at the post office, get gas in the car, which was nearly empty, and to try and get a better signal with which to speak to Bill, the mystery mechanic.

About a half hour after the tow truck left, Bill arrived in his vintage Ford Escort.. (popular item.. his neighbor was driving one as well!). Here is where things speed up; finally! Bill decided he could do the work right on the roadside as long as I turned the rig around so his legs wouldn't hang out on the road. He didn't have the right plug, or wire, and couldn't find one locally, but he had acceptable substitutes, which he magically modified. We fired that sucker up, as Charlie Daniels would say, and I swear it sounded better than it did before the explosion. The bill was $40. The tow was covered. We were on the road by 3:30, and got to Morven Park in Leesburg, VA way before dark!

It's now more than ten days later, we're back at the Holiday RV Park in Michigan, with the II and the Saluki National Specialty under our belts, and nowhere to go for over three weeks, and frankly, we can use the rest.

We'll post some pictures from the II and such in subsequent posts.. Meanwhile, I'll be searching the internet for a suitable radiator... it's got to be installed before we make the brutal drive to Lompoc, CA in July!

Uh... Thanks!.... Somebody.

I owe somebody a big "Thank You". Wish I knew who. This very outrageously colorful item of headgear arrived with our weekly mail forward.

Let me back up a bit and explain how our mail works.

Full time RVers, like Margaret and I, get to pick where we call "home". Pretty cool, huh? After a lot of research, back in 2003, we chose South Dakota. Thousands of other RVers call South Dakota home, as well, for a lot of reasons, but mostly because there is no state income tax, no vehicle inspections, and vehicle insurance rates that rank among the lowest in the nation.

Where there are incentives like that, there are numerous businesses that sprout up to cater to people like us. One such place, in the tiny town of Emery, SD, is My Home Address, Inc. When you send something to us by USPS, that's where it goes. It gives us a street address in the community that allows us to get driver's licenses, vehicle registration, voter registration and more. For all intents and purposes, were South Dakotans! Unlike many of the people who use this service, we actually stop in from time to time and pick up our mail in person. That lets us go to the bargain hot lunch at the Senior Center, and meet and chat with our "neighbors".

Usually once a week we call Ron at My Home Address and tell him where we'd like that week's mail sent. And that's where we came in...

Last weeks mail delivery came in two packages.. one Priority Mail envelope, containing all the bills, and checks, and magazines, and other flat stuff. and a small box. The box had the hat, in a plastic bag, and nothing else. No shipping notice, no notes. Just the hat.

The folks at My Home Address had to obliterate the original address and return address before they put their address label on it, so the original return address is mostly unreadable. I can make out the last three letters on the first line: "son", (maybe "sson"), and the last digit of the zip is "5" (maybe "45", maybe not).

So there it is... somebody knows about my checkered military past, and sent an appropriate gift. If someone doesn't fess up here, it will forever remain a mystery. But thanks... whoever you are. I wore it at the MGA trial this past weekend.

Forward.. Into the Past.

Let me digress briefly. Yes... of course the WalMart gas station with the refueling alien was Roswell. We spent that night in Tatum, NM. The town has free full hookups behind the community center. A nice touch. Last time we stayed there.. a couple years ago.. it was Thanksgiving week. We got invited into the center for the town's annual potluck Thanksgiving dinner! We have a soft spot for Tatum.

The next night, we stayed here:

Where is it? Nearest major city will do. (Todd can't play).

Proof-readers Wanted

Have you stopped beating your wife?

The following confusing poll arrived today with our regular Trailer Life Directory Technical eNewsletter:

We Want to Know

Do plan to RV more or less in 2008

than you did in 2007?

Yes

No

Thank you

Hare-Brained Express Tour '08 Hits the Road

After a relaxing week spent parked at friends in the Houston area, the '08 "tour" logged its first 250 miles today. We're now parked in the RV parking section of that special hell known as a dog show. (Yes ma, I'll wear my galoshes!). Lucky for us, we're not here for the show, of course, we're here for the fun stuff! There's also a lure coursing trial as part of this show, so that's where we'll be tomorrow and Sunday. Glen Rose, Texas. One of these years, while we're here, we'll get over to the Dinosaur Valley State Park. It's supposed to be real cool.

Before we get too far from Richmond, I need to mention something I've let slide a bit recently: Food. We ate at two "Tex-Mex" joints and had barbecue from two places. Of the four, the Swinging Door Barbecue was the best. I like a place that keeps your options to a minimum. Pick a meat, pick a side, and order ya up a Shiner Bock. Or two. I ordered the Super Combo, choosing ribs, brisket, and turkey. "Vegetables" were cole slaw, beans, and potato salad. Check the menu... they were all beyond good. I loved the ribs but, considering the fact I'm not big on turkey as a barbecue item, this was the best I've ever had. Pecan wood smoked and oh, so tender. It was all good.

Today, at the suggestion of our hosts, we stopped on the way to Glen Rose, at Dozier's Meat Market and Barbecue in Fulshear. Sent Margaret in to get some goodies for the fridge; she outdid herself, bringing back pepper bacon, brisket, turkey, smoked sausage, and.... venison! We had cold brisket on bread as we drove, so a more detailed evaluation will have to come later, after we've heated some up and enjoyed it proper!

BLOG UPDATES:

Just need to point out a few new, and revised items on the sidebar. We've removed the AAWC March trial from the shooting schedule, because we found an excuse to stay in New Mexico an extra two weeks. Lure coursing and oval racing in Mountainaire! Looking forward to that. Beautiful location. We looked at some property there a couple of years ago. We'll also be checking out a friend's 40 acres near Deming. One of these years we'll go to New Mexico and not come back. That's the plan, anyway.

See the kinky new counter? Now we can see at a glance, how many are looking at the blog right now, and what country they're in. It's hosted in France. Click on it and see the other fun things they have. There's also a world map, with dots at the very bottom of the page.

And here's a "bleg".. (a beg on a blog): I've brought back the Google ads. I can't tell you to click on them, because that would violate the Google agreement terms, but there are some things on this blog that would help us out greatly if they got opened. Nobody says you have to look at 'em. And that's all I'm going to say about that. The tip jar is gone.

And I don't think I mentioned it on the last go-round of blog "freshening" but if you look almost to the bottom of the sidebar, you'll see the return of our old friend. We're almost down to a year, say hallelujah! Can I get an "amen"?!?!

This, That, and the Other Things

This is known as catching up on the odds and ends.

First, I want to tell you about a fun new group that Sally Papin at Windyglen has started up... (and foolishly made me a moderator of!). It's an old fashioned photography club, and anyone can join, (except for those lonely, or bored, young girls who have recently been sending me emailed invitations to look at their pictures). It's called CanineFoto_Boneanza, and you can just go to the link and join up, or you can email me and I'll send you a personal invitation to avoid the red tape. Any (or no) skill level is welcome, as is any equipment level... there's even a member who claims to have made a pinhole camera out of a pumpkin! Join the fun.. this weekend's project is "feet". Run with it. No pun intended.

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Restaurants and food- Well, we've stumbled on another jewel and, unfortunately it's one most of you will never get to unless you come to a BGCC trial near Columbia, KY. It's a bit out of the way, north of town on Hwy 55. It's a Mexican place called ...and it was surp.. no, stunningly good. Jalapeno's good. (If we haven't mentioned it before, Jalapeno's is our favorite Mexican restaurant in Lexington, KY.. we just stopped there the other day, in fact). When Steve said it was "better" than the other Mex place in Columbia I didn't expect much. What we got were Shrimp and Chorizo Nachos, and a plate of shrimp enchiladas... and the shrimp in both entrees were anything but.. shrimpy. Huge, perfectly grilled, tasty. And, as if it weren't perfect enough, it's all 15% off, all day on Wednesdays! I wish I could tell you I enjoyed it with a perfect margarita. Sorry folks... we'd have to travel 40 miles to Lebanon, or 75 miles to Bowling Green to partake in that, or any, alcoholic beverage. As one unaware couple at the trial found out when they inquired about finding the wine section at the IGA, "alcohol is for sinners!" (Insert appropriate ominous music here)

Our other find on this recent trip was during the trials at Old Fort Niagara in New York: Probably the best prepackaged marinade we've ever tasted. On Saturday night we parked the RV along with a dozen or so other folks at a house out in the country. Our host prepared about 40 chicken breasts to go with a potluck dinner on the deck. The number one question from most everyone who wasn't from the area: What is that marinade? Well, it's no secret now, it's Chiavettas. And Margaret picked up 4 gallons of the stuff at Sam's Club on the way out of town. We did discover later that if you marinade say, pork chops in it, and then you get invited to dine on something else that night, and you get back to the pork chops about 3 nights later? The flavor may be a bit too intense for your palate. Just a personal anecdote there. ;)

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Woes- A bit of our Karmic lustre seems to have worn thin lately. Some wear and tear is beginning to show on the Express. We had to have a mobile repair guy come out to Columbia while we were there to help get our rear view monitor to work, and our steps to retract when the ignition is turned on, and to find out why the front air conditioner (in the humid, 90 degree Kentucky Summer) was only putting out a gentle breeze. Then, when we thought we were leaving Kentucky, we suddenly lost almost all our power on the first gentle grade. Flashers on, get to the shoulder, creep up to the crest and over, then everything was fine again... until the next hill. We stopped, called our very good road service provider, found that the only place that could even look at us within 60 miles was 15 miles back down I-75... the way we'd just come. So it was off to Piles Chevrolet, (imagine the joke opportunities lost because it's not a Dodge dealer... think about it) in Williamstown. Two days and 9 bills lighter, with a new fuel pump, we finally left Kentucky. But not before we dunked the Nikon D200 camera and lens into the dog's water bucket; an event too painful to even go into the details here. It is currently undergoing extreme drying in a home made dehumidifier...

CW says to not even try to power it on for at least 10 days. Of course we didn't read the CW until we'd already broken that rule. It may be toast. I may be able to dry out fruit with this thing if it doesn't work out for the camera. :(

Life on the road. Usually it's fun.

LUNCH So Good It'll Make You Weep...

OK... We gotta stop eating like this.

We're resting up after Silkenfest. Spending a couple of nights at the Pin Oak Creek RV Park in Villa Ridge, MO. Several of the Silken folk had somehow discovered The Hawthorne Inn during their specialty. They didn't say it was good or bad, just that it had a bar, and when the specialty was over, many of them needed a drink.

Well, this place is in Union, about 5 miles from the campground. Margaret needed to go to the post office, so we decided to have lunch there. What can I say? We keep bumbling into just the very best places. (So far, we've been lucky enough not to stumble into a place so bad I need to blog it... but believe me, I'll do it when it happens!).

Just plain outrageous presentation for lunch- (I'll have to start taking the camera to meals.. again, almost too pretty to eat). I had Grouper Diablo... a large grouper filet broiled and topped with a delicious scallion sauce. Margaret had Macadamia Mahi... yeah a Macadamia Nut crusted Mahi Mahi, smothered with a pineapple mango chutney. Both had shells in a creamy sauce on the side, and a really good dinner salad. Atmosphere was quiet, with dark wood, belying the fact that it was in a brand new strip plaza, in a very brand new commercial area of what was obviously not too long ago a quiet country village. Even the college across the road looks brand new. A well stocked bar, which we'll have to try the next trip.. (Margaret always talks me out of booze or wine at lunchtime.)

Tonight we'll be eating at Super Smokers,because the road goes on forever, and the party never ends!

WTF??

April 3, 2007 Interstate 45 near Huntsville, TX. (Where they do the needle thing... I hear the Texas legislature is considering the death penalty for jaywalkers. And down the line, they may want to also kill people who wear stripes with plaid, or polyester.) The wildflowers were blooming, the weather was downright hot.. and humid. The sun was shining. Ahhh Spring!!

April 5, 2007 Weidmann Park, Valley Center, KS. Hmmmm.

April 11, 2007 Kellogg RV Park, Kellogg, IA. There's a disturbing pattern developing here. Can you see it? Remember that cute little lamb picture from March 31... that was supposed to signify "March goes out like a lamb". Apparently, that lamb had another agenda, because once he went silently into the barn, he apparently transformed himself into Hannibal Lector!

This has already been a record-breaking Fall/Winter/Spring for us, weatherwise... this latest bunch of white precipitation will just assure that the record is never broken. So there is a plus-side, I guess: It will never be this bad again.

Right.

Park in the Suburbs...

...Drive into town, in a real "town" car. Shot On Site at "The Ranch" Escapees RV Park, Lakewood, NM.

John Crean, 1925 - 2007

Surprisingly, I actually knew who John Crean was before I saw the news on the Fleetwood website this morning. He was probably the most important, influential person in the history of the recreational vehicle industry. Because we love our Bounder home, I thought I'd post the link to the eulogy by Eldon Smith, the current President and CEO of Fleetwood Industries.

Here's an excerpt:

As an inventor and innovator John was unparalleled: a Venetian blind mechanism in the 1940s, an innovative manufactured home in the 1970s and the Bounder motor home in the 1980s.
The Bounder motor home revolutionized the design of motor homes throughout the industry. Put very simply, what John did was raise the floor of the motor home. This provided bus-like storage below the floor, and allowed for more functional floor plans and operational features. John developed this motor home with the help of a drafter, and one of our prototype assemblers, in his workshop at home. Within a few years the Bounder motor home was the best selling motor home in the country . . . 90% of the motor homes sold in the country today contain most of the unique features John put in that first Bounder unit.

I feel like I should put a black stripe around the Express. RTWT