Roll Call - Fall 2015

[WheelEstate USA]

Where are you? Heading to warmer places?

We've traveled the Oregon Coast all summer and now in (Humboldt County) N Calif, making our way south. Thinking of taking the coast all the way to San Diego.
Looking to be at Quartzsite/Yuma the first of November.

 

[ramblingvanman]

With the proximity of winter, I have decided to stay in Florida until "Marchish". When is the best time to start putting out feelers for next year's gigs? I would be most interested in paid camp host gigs out west, with paid rv park gigs a somewhat distant second choice, again out west. I could also be interested in Amazon in Texas or Nevada next year. I am sending away for my HS diploma now( I graduated over 30 years ago and they want an actual copy of the diploma or transcript. Crazy man.)

 

[Almost There]

I'm just under two months from leaving out of here in Ontario. I've still 3 months worth of work to do to be free...sigh! But, I'm outta here done or not done...

First stage of the trip after I get to Nashville TN is to enjoy the Natchez Trace Parkway and Trail. I'll drive some Parkway, hike an in and out on parts of the trail and make my way south.

Once I hit the gulf coast I'll head slowly westbound  arriving in Quartzite sometime between Xmas and the start of the RTR.

 

[B and C]

Still stuck in the S&B until Jan. 4th   My last day of a paid job though (retiring)
The Roadtrek will be pointed out the driveway and as soon as I get home, we are hot footin' to the RTR and should arrive on the 6th.  It is a long drive from Hempstead, TX. 

After that the plans are in jello :-/

Brian

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Cngrats on the retirement B&C
See you at RTR.

 

[Sameer]

Mr. Pico and I will head South the first of November. Heading to Yuma and the Great Desert. Hope the time goes fast....If I never see another pine tree...that will be just fine!
I will be so happy to be home in the Great Desert!

 

[akrvbob]

With the proximity of winter, I have decided to stay in Florida until "Marchish". When is the best time to start putting out feelers for next year's gigs? I would be most interested in paid camp host gigs out west, with paid rv park gigs a somewhat distant second choice, again out west. I could also be interested in Amazon in Texas or Nevada next year. I am sending away for my HS diploma now( I graduated over 30 years ago and they want an actual copy of the diploma or transcript. Crazy man.)

The CampGround Hosting company I worked for goes to the Big Tent in Quartzsite with the specific goal of being totally done hiring when it was over. If there is any way you can get to the RTR you will almost certainly get a job. If you can't, start calling and emailing by January 1. Last year there was a bunch of companies hiring at the Big Tent, the most I've seen.

They can't hire until this season is over and they know who's coming back, then it's the holidays and they are all tired from the busy season. Start calling the first of the year.

Amazon in Nevada no longer uses workcampers. Very few do any more, out west it's just Dallas. If you came to the RTR, Amazon has had a booth at the Big Tent in the past.

Bob

 

[GotSmart]

Where are you? Heading to warmer places?

We've traveled the Oregon Coast all summer and now in (Humboldt County) N Calif, making our way south. Thinking of taking the coast all the way to San Diego.
Looking to be at Quartzsite/Yuma the first of November.

Halloween is harvest season in Humboldt.  Stay safe and watch the news for fire warnings. Highway 1 is a beautiful drive.  I would like to take it again.  First I need to be able to use my left leg again.  The infection I picked up using the shower in Ehrenberg has somehow destroyed my knee.  Probably because of the diabetes.   I hope to make it to RTR, but might be stuck in Missouri for a while longer.  

I want to move back into my van just to get away from my kids!

 

[DannyB1954]

I live in a warmer area, (near Las Vegas). Not well prepared to go anywhere this winter/ spring. Thinking about next summer and where/ how I will go. Every battery in my RV seems to be shot, (two for cranking the diesel, two for the house. I used reverse osmosis water to service them last week, but it may have still been too alkaline. I would try to dump them and put in new acid, but they are all over 5 years old, so I don't know they are worth saving.

 

[akrvbob]

I'm in Flagstaff, AZ where the weather is just about perfect. It'll get progressively colder and when the desert is cool enough, we'll go south to Quartzsite/Ehrenberg.

Like Sameer, I love the desert and I really look forward to getting back to it. But, next spring I'll be just as anxious to get back to my beloved mountains with their huge pines.

What a life where there is constant change to things I tremendously love! As soon as I get tired of one, it's back to the other!
Bob

 

[GotSmart]

I live in a warmer area, (near Las Vegas). Not well prepared to go anywhere this winter/ spring. Thinking about next summer and where/ how I will go. Every battery in my RV seems to be shot, (two for cranking the diesel, two for the house. I used reverse osmosis water to service them last week, but it may have still been too alkaline. I would try to dump them and put in new acid, but they are all over 5 years old, so I don't know they are worth saving.

http://www.thehybridshop.com/contact/locations/ted-wiens-las-vegas-nv/

Look into this.  It might be worth doing to save a few hundred $.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

John...hope that knee gets better soon.

Yeah Bob, I'm sorta tired of watching lumber grow for a while

 

[missnout]

Now this is why I am using the user name "missnout", I pray my place sells soon. I hope your leg heals soon as well.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I have family obligations through the holidays, then take the first good weather opportunity to head South.  Route and timetable undecided as of now.  My plan is to make it to Southern Arizona in January.  But, I am comfortable in temps above freezing, so if I find something interesting along the way...

Don't know if I will make it that far west but any of you around Quartzite in February or March?

Bummer on the knee, GotSmart.  Hope you are ambulatory soon :exclamation:

-- Spiff

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Spiff...Lots of us hang out in the area after RTR. We have to be in Tucson in April for my VA medical so we stay thru March but others will be around into spring.

 

[DannyB1954]

http://www.thehybridshop.com/contact/locations/ted-wiens-las-vegas-nv/

Look into this.  It might be worth doing to save a few hundred $.

Their reconditioning service is for hybrid cars. Their site says "The conditioning process begins with removing the nickel–metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack from the vehicle." I have the old fashioned lead acid. From what I can gather from youtube, there is no real fix for a lead acid battery. A few tout using Epson salts. This does aid in the transfer of electrons at the expense of quicker self discharge. I am looking into Lithium batteries. The prices of them are dropping.
http://www.amazon.com/Lithium-Phosp...45&sr=8-2&keywords=Deep+Cycle+Lithium+Battery    This one doesn't have a lot of amp hours, (26 to 35), but a couple of these should hold me over until the prices drop. Especially if I add solar. I do have a generator and just use the battery for reading lights and an hour or two of TV. In a year or two they will be cheaper most likely. I can add more then. If they last 2000 cycles, I won't have to replace in 5 years, just add more to them.

 

[Suanne]

I'm making plans to be a snow bird again this winter. Currently I'm in the PNW at our sticks-and-bricks and researching if/how I want to increase my solar power capacity this winter, leaning toward a 100w suitcase system. I may spend a month in the southwest from late October until mid-November for a couple of family events; those plans are still in jello tho'.

 

[akrvbob]

Suanne, my camp is lonely without you!

Oh, by the way, I've still got your rug you left behind in Moab! I'll have to wash it before I give it back.
Bob

 

[Suanne]

Ah ... yes, and I miss sharing a camp with you too Bob!  I'm sure looking forward to being with my tribe again.  And, no worries about washing the rug ... tho', for the life of me, I can't remember a rug I left behind.   :huh:

 

[rvwandering]

We'll be slowly heading south in about a week. We're going to follow as much of old Route 66 as we can - from Chicago to Santa Monica. Once we hit California I'm not sure where we'll spend the winter but we'll be at the RTR. Looking forward to seeing everyone!