On the Road, the sunny road and 50's memorabilia

Well we arrived in Decatur, IN at some very late midnight hour last night, or is that this morning?  A long drive  but with the madman at the wheel of his new diesel, intent on persevering, pushing onward toward the goal!  I did not realize Decatur in one day was  the ultimate goal, but it turns out he was looking to beat his  best time even venturing onto I 80 south east to Gary, IN an area we usually avoid. I dozed off on the couch about 10:00PM, enough for a day.  Something happens to Jerry behind the wheel of the coach and actually all previous motor homes, and truck  campers.  He loves to drive and he just keeps at it.  Many years back on a caravan to Calgary, Canada with friends we talked about how he and another man became boars behind the wheels, just driving on.  Not sure if we meant "bores" but we laughed and decided Road Hogs fit, years before Wild Hogs, the movie.  I have said many times that in another life he must have been either a long haul truck driver or pony express/stage coachman.  He absolutely loves driving.  Me, not so much, but I can keep myself entertained with my Blackberry and other gadgets.  Advantage to the coach travel  is my frequent potty calls do not have to rely on the driver pulling over. 

We went 558 miles yesterday over 14 hours, of which only 10 hours and 27 minutes were moving, one hour lost to time change as we transitioned  into the  Eastern zone, 45 minutes to refuel, 5 minutes at a rest stop,  23 minutes at Madison, WI Camping World where himself loves to shop, 1 hour and  20 minutes to dine!  The rest of the time he was behind the wheel, eyes ahead.  I cannot sit still that long, so it is a good thing to be able to get up and down and around!

About his shopping escapade; I waited inside the coach because I have seen enough of the insides of Camping Worlds to last me the rest of my years; I feel the same about Cabela's  and other stores of the like.  This trip Jerry was intent on procuring some special vent covers sold nowhere else to his specifications. He also picked up a belated  birthday present for himself, a new shower head for the coach shower.  I liked the old one just fine, but he did not.  However, after my morning shower today, the old one has been reinstalled as I complained loudly that I did  not appreciate standing in a shower with a hose turned onto me.  He had showered first and commented that it was "forceful", which must be the understatement of the month, so far.

Our coach has a tile floor in the bath and in the kitchen  and dining area, just fine with me, but himself wanted matching carpet runners for the tile, which he found on sale at Camping World.  Another $33, unnecessarily spent to me, but I have abdicated any hope of curtailing his expenditures on this coach.  When at home, I purchased an additional decorative pillow for its sofa, he thought that not needed.  The sofa is  creamy colored  leather and I like the  pillows adding color and felt one more was needed.

So yesterday's purchases  leave us $461 poorer of which  $268 was  for diesel fuel which was the first fill up since our  return trip from AZ when we filled up in Des Moines, IA.  Most often we dine at home, but we did  get out  to dine at an Iron Skillet in Remington, IN whilst deciding whether or not to press on to Decatur.  Why did we have that conversation?  He already knew what he was planning, but took a break to indulge in a steer burger while I feasted on shrimp alfredo with ziti pasta.  Here in the Midwest where food is too plentiful and the cooks are all excellent  makes it an experience! 

We stay free here in Decatur at the Fleetwood Factory RV ground, a perk for Fleetwood owners in the area.  It was nearly full last night when we pulled in but nearly deserted today.  Jerry wanted a factory kit to mount the front license plate but after waiting around for an hour, decided to forego that. 

Today we lunched at Arnold's a Decatur, IN landmark, a 50's burger joint.  My favorite there is the old time cherry coke which I do not even  try diet style, instead reveling in the only authentic  cherry cokes  today, made just as I enjoyed them in my adolescent years in PA. The burgers are some of the best in the country and they make their own potato chips.  Health food!   There is ever so much stuff and  genueine 50's collectabilia inside, that one really feels back to the  50's  especially while moving to the original rock n roll music played.  We will not be here next week, May 14th  when they hold their car hop auditions, yes they really do.  Not just anyone can be a skating car hop at Arnold's. Foiled again,  I never worked as a car hop yet always thought that would be fun as a teenager. I would be unlikely to pass the age requirement for the auditions; I wonder how they get around that but it is hearland, Decatur. Anyone who gets to this area should experience Arnold's. 

I am curious  and must learn where the waitresses buy their saddle oxford shoes that all are wearing.  Oh I loved those shoes. I recalled  being a teeny bopper with a new pair when the game was to purposely step on our toes to scuff up our new whites.  One boy tried to do so to my  new shoes, but I responded swiftly  by hitting him upside his head with a book I was carrying and knocked him to the floor.   Another boy witnessed this and said, " Patty, you killed him!"  "No I didn't but if he ever tries that again I will!"  I was telling Jerry this story today in Arnold's and he shook his head; he marvels that I have friends today after all these years in PA who are glad to see me when we are home, next stop.   I said that word got around and no one ever  tried to step on my whites again!  No shy retiring violet was this girl!  By the way that was the same boy I pushed into the waste basket in 8th grade then grabbed him by his hair and out came a handful.  One would have thought he'd have known better thanto mess with Patty Lou; Robert Baldridge was his name and I believe he is dead.  No I did not kill him! 

 On to visit friends this afternoon.

Front counter at Arnold's Decatur, IN

 

Home Again Shortly and then off again (Click here for Story tellers)

This has to be a tale of words, as I did not take photos of this episode.  We just returned  from our quick trip of five days west to Utah where Jerry thought he had found the upgrade diesel motor home that he has had his eye on over  the Internet, on the lot of General RV in Draper.  I had finally resigned myself to his "needing" a diesel for longer trips which God alone knows when we will be taking the way  life seems to change our plans.  Nevertheless when we got there and saw it, I had an instant dislike to the interior layout and to the colors.  I guess I was expecting to be wowed as I was in November 2007 when we got our current and then new Southwind, upgrading from our old one which we'd bought used and which had many miles logged between CA and MN.  Jerry  had negotiated for the new Southwind over the Internet too, with an RV dealer in Arizona, but this time it just did not work.  As he said, "well you can't win all the time."

We knew that we did not want the two sofas this Providence had but figured that could be easily changed out, or one sofa could be replaced with two Euro style recliners. That  would turn out to be a more cumbersome and costly project than we anticipated.   The coach was really more for a traveling family than two empty nesters.  As I sat on one couch, I looked at the to me wasted big floor space and lamented the lack of kitchen storage although it came with a dishwasher.  Now at home the dishwasher is a must have for me, but on the road in the RV not so much.  The dishwasher has been the first appliance added when we remodeled kitchens in CA, preceding a stove or oven.  But in the motor home, it replaced areas I  now enjoy in our Southwind for storage.  Besides I cook differently in the RV.

The gold tone carpet was not at all to my liking and I began to  figure that would mean a visit to the factory in Decatur, IN to redo as the carpet trim is under the dashboard and up the stairs as well as  along the sofas to the back bedroom.  But the bedroom had the most heinous of all to me--a bedspread of a burnished drab gold  taffeta like  fabric with hundreds of tiny tassels hanging all along the bottom.  Oh NO!  That would have to go immediately!  The RV salesman gasped when I remarked that it looked like it belonged in a whorehouse!  He tried to tone that down with, "well maybe a casino."  No, to me it was typical brothel furnishing!  I've watched  Miss Kitty on  Gunsmoke, and old westerns, I recall the decorative bordellos!

I  did not like the small step down from the bedroom to the hallway either.  I figured on my multiple nightly bathroom calls, I'd forget about the step which we do no have in our current motor home, and end up falling on my kiester at best and breaking my nose at worst! I wasn't saying too much because I could not  tell if I was just being too picky, finicky, ornery,  or was tired from the quick two days we'd spent on the road driving  the 1360 miles.  While Jerry has to have been a long haul truck driver in another life, he loves the road and driving, I have never been good on the road for long miles.  At least in the motor home I can get up and down but there is something about sitting confined as the miles roll by that will get to me.  I read, I use my Blackberry and I work puzzles and write, still I am fidgety.  So I sat on the edge of the sofa and said a quick prayer adding to those I'd had going  through out this process,  "well God, I don't know what to think but I don't think I like it. Now what?"

Jerry had determined a diesel is necessary for more power, towing our  vehicle and climbing some of the hills and mountains   and he has decided a larger motor home will have better liveability.  His first reason was quite comical in that he wants a bigger bathroom shower, saying he   bumps his shoulders on the shower walls!  Now he is not a big guy and that made me laugh.  Although when I do see the bigger Euro style showers in these  bigger motor homes, I admire those too. 

After he looked around and in and out he took a long look at the gold carpet and  shuddered as he said to me, " I don't know about this, what do you think?"  I told him I flat  was not impressed with decor and layout, I prefer the kitchen dinette across from the stove/sink in the kitchen area and for sure I did not want two sofas that made into beds.  We calculated  it would take another $20,000 to get interior and decor changes and realized that besides the $$big bucks we were going to fork over for this one and  trade ours  in as well (which by the way they already had a buyer on hold for) it was just not something we wanted to do.  He liked the model and the engine and does not want a 2010 as there are  emission additives/standards  that are not to his liking. He knows mechanics after a lifelong career.  But he admitted that he did not like the interior either and said, "the carpet has to go..." So it was a no go on the 2009 Providence.

The RV dealer showed us another model , a diesel, a 2010 and with the layout we wanted.  But that is not the model Jerry wants.  He knows mechanical things very well and will not be sidetracked  from what he wants in engines and horsepower.  All that is most  boring to me!  Nor will he deviate  from Fleetwood , as he is impressed with their service and quality.  So we left, feeling a bit disappointed but relieved. 

It was back home and  back to square one for Jerry. We plan a couple months  trip to Alaska next year, GLW%CDR. (*)  We spent five days on the road, drove 2,791 miles, used 361.8 gallons of  gas at $971.18, spent $41.50 for food, $49 for overnight RV fees, and $4.08 for some oil he added as it needed an oil change which he did not want to do  if we were trading it in.   I do love having our food available for a quick bite to eat and even in the  evenings after a day on the road.   As I said, I think he wanted to go for a ride!  Or, maybe it was the travelin' bears who were complaining that they had been confined to quarters for a couple months.  That's it, we agreed, the Bears wanted a ride! 

Now we have a few days to clear up and repack to get back to PA where my 92 year old uncle Carl is failing somewhat.  He no longer is walking  after falling in his room in the assisted living center.  Although he was checked over at the hospital and found nothing broken or damaged, he is using a wheel chair.  His doctor had  him admitted for tests and found no physical reason for him not to walk.  However the nurse & hospital social worker told me he may not walk again.  His doctor wants him to get intense therapy at the Skilled facility and they have classified him as risk of falling.   I am blessed to know the  doctor, nursing facility as well as the  folks at the assisted living center where he has been.  We've spent so much time in PA last year that I have a handle on all of that.    But this is the next step.  We'd been planning a PA trip to winterize his home which I could not get cleared and sold yet this year.  It's always something, as RoseAnneAnnaDanna said!  At least I have friends to see in PA.

If you wondered (*) GLW&CDR= Good Lord Willing and Creek Don't Rise, which waters in many rivers  out west and Midwest are quite high now from rains! And that's my true life story, life as we are living it for this week.  Click here to go to the Story teller site and read others.  Or click above on  my title to this post which will direct you there. 

 

So our first Motor Home Rally comes to an end; it was a fun different experience here in Gillette, WY sponsored by Fleetwood Motor Coach. Over 800 from all over the country gathered. We would attend another depending where it would be held. But I will not volunteer again. There is enough to do. We met many fun folks and some not so fun. Here are some of my observations:

People are funny. Today at the feedback session for the Fleetwood owners of Class A's many complained and wanted features that are available. Their problems were that they purchased cheaper models (Bounders) and wanted deluxe features which we enjoy on our Southwind and others do on their Pace Arrows, Revealations, etc.

People who do not drink wine should not be in charge of selecting the wine for cocktail hours. I was horrified to find the cheapest wines being poured from a box. There are many drinkable box wines., but what did these people offer? Chablis and Burgundy by Inglenook! Rot gut! I would not even cook with that. Who has ever heard of Chablis in this day of Chardonnay & Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc?

People cannot read. Though it was clearly advertised as a women's RV driving school for $65, men enrolled too. Some then argued about the cost which was supposed to be prepaid with registration. That was quite an experience for me. Driving a 40' diesel; primarily spending 2 hours backing up through S curve maneuvers again and again. This was my first ever experience behind the wheel and I had to back up! I, who will drive 10 miles out of my way to avoid backing up my SUV! My instructor was a nice gal from Applegate, CA who drives school bus in Rocklin, CA. Small world. I did it though and never hit a cone! The point was to use the side convex mirrors.Not for nothing was this course called Boot Camp! Me, I just want to go forward! That was not the deal (or should I say ordeal). The instructor said if you can back up the rest is easy. Well for perspective, our motor home is not a diesel, so the air brakes were another story; engaging and releasing the parking brake was a challenge in itself. My 91 year old uncle Carl got quite a kick out of hearing about my experience! I had to hear and was expected to absorb a lot about mechanical functions, which glazes my eyes over. Rolls right over me like water off a duck's back! The instructor said, "well it's good to know." I said, "Not for me. That's Jerry's job." She said "He might need help sometime." I assured her it would not be from the likes of me. I explained that I married a man with technical mechanical expertise; it has worked for me for 42 years and I intend to not mess with success. Besides I just don't get it, have 10 thumbs, and think the way to fix anything is with a hammer. BTW she showed us how to check tires with a hammer--that was my favorite part. I inherit hammeritis from my grandpap; use a hammer! Steve and Jerry would shudder when they saw me with a hammer in my hand. Give it a good pound, that's my philosophy! I left with a whole new respect for Jerry and other good RV drivers. It is not something I'll want to take over; leave the driving to him!

We met Norm and Gordy from Vancouver, BC. They were long time friends, traveling together because one's wife had just returned from an Alaskan cruise and didn't want to go on this trip. We learned that Gordy's wife has Alzheimers an his son is battling cancer. He is carrying a heavy load. Norm wanted to get Gordy away for relief and relaxation. Then he asked if I would send Gordy a card later on simply saying something like "Gordy it was good to see you at the rally! Hope you come to another one!" And Norm said, "please don't sign it! It will drive him nuts!" You get the idea they were fun! Gordy had never heard of sloppy Joe's, so that was all new to him. While he educated us about octopus and how they grow very large before they breed.

Jerry was in his element talking to all the technicians and honchos from Fleetwood. Fleetwood has filed Chapter 11 and of course many RV owners are concerned. But we learned the motor home division has been purchased by American Industrial Partners a investment type firm which only buys up companies who mfg. and do business in the USA. They have holdings in firms which mfg. school buses, trucks, etc. Sounds like a good direction for Fleetwood. Remains to be seen where corporate headquarters will be. Good chance it will remain in Dectur, IL. Not a snowball's chance of CA as those attendees from CA hoped. What company in their right mind would venture to CA with heavy taxation and over regulation? Those who remain in CA know nothing else and cannot understand it. Years ago I heard "mediocrity knows nothing above itself." That's CA.

It has been a week where I almost fully escaped from geriatric worries. One series of phone calls regarding my aunt from the hospice care which set me into motion prevailing upon her good neighbors to help out. But otherwise I did get a break. This must be the purpose of vacations. Renew & refresh.

We heard tonight that the Rally is on the web at RVbusiness.com Check it out.

We looked at many (some more some less expensive than ours) motor homes in the exhibits, for sales, and I did not see one that I liked any better than ours. I think our decor inside and out is just perfect. Our layout is better than most. Jerry found nothing to stimulate any upgrade or trade up desires either. So Hooray for contentment with what we have. Here"s to more miles ahead....roll on!

We are in Gillette, WY at the Fleetwood Rally

If you have followed me on Facebook, you have had the day by hour update of our travels. So here we be with about 800 (by tomorrow) other Fleetwood, motor home owners at the first ever Fleetwod sponsored rally. And we learned that this Fleetwood sponsored event is despite Fleetwood being in bankruptcy. But, an investment company from New York, American Family has bought the motor home operation. And a kind bankruptcy judge agreed to allow
Fleetwood to continue to sponsor this event!

We made our reservations in January and thought, we have never been to one, always wanted to..so. Keeping our fingers crossed that life does not toss in more of those flying monkeys that seem to upset and twist our plans.

We drove through South Dakota and I don't remember it ever being this lovely and green and lush. We have been through this area before, but this trip was notable. Crossing the Missouri River was breathtaking--that is how it must have struck the early pioneers. Yet today wonderful bridges span the crossing enabling us to drive over the clear blue waters. Breathtaking. Why travel across the world when we have such magnificent sites here in this country? How many have seen these wonders?

How in the 1800's with covered wagons did they cross these rivers? Driving through this area restores my sense of wonder about our American western heritage and history. Last night we stayed in a pasture set up for RV's by a local SD rancher, outside Wall, SD. Electric hook ups only but that beats Wal-Mart or the road side rest, and the cost $5! Quiet and we rested before heaving onward to our destination this morning. We were the only RV there despite seeing many on the roads. Maybe they went on to the Black Hills and opted for a more luxurious setting. It worked for us.

Near Ellsworth AFB there is a lot of growth and expansion from when we were last in this area--maybe 5 years ago. And Rapid City, SD has grown tremendously! Lots of new housing.

Gillette, WY is an area of contrasts. Mansions dot the hillsides here and there. And downward, trailer homes, modulars run down. Yet continue along and there are huge developments of what looks like thriving tract homes. Neighborhoods in growth. This is the west at it's best, no mistake. Wide rolling lush green hills, cattle grazing, and horses. Moreover, this is coal country and we noticed many train box cars loaded full of coal headed eastward to produce energy. Many individual solitary oil wells too are pumping that black gold from the ground.

Tomorrow we will be engaged in helping register arrivals and directing traffic of motor homes o appropriate parking spots. Motor homes are packed tightly here at the Camplex, a magnificent area with several RV sites. In addition there are horse barns (hey it's WY!) and rodeo arenas, a horse racing track circles another area and huge buildings where the vendors will exhibit all we would want in the RV world and more. The city of Gillette has all one could want--Wal Mart, gas stations, restaurants of any kind, etc. And it is 5 miles from here.

Today I learned something very exciting! I'm registered to take the women's RV driving school! So this eve at a gathering the women were all a twitter! "Are you taking the driving school?" "Yes I am." "Do you know we are going to drive a Heritage?" " A what?" I ask. "You don't know what a Heritage is?" "No I sure do not, I barely know what we have.." So the talk goes I learn that the Heritage is the TOP of this Fleetwood line. A coach worth about $900,000! So I say, "Well if they teach me well, I'll just drive it on back home!" Imagine me driving a nearly $1 million dollar vehicle! Now Jerry who breathed a heavy sigh of relief that I would not be driving our coach at this school has turned a bit green with envy. He knows what a Heritage is and just looks at me! Maybe he wishes he had signed up for the women's RV driving school!

Now this eve I am off for a lap around the complex. I wish we had brought my trike but I will be on foot! After we take some photos, I'll post.