Monthly Archives: April 2021

4.2021 Random notes

APRIL 2021 NOTES

04.04- Easter Sunday & Makenna Clair Will is born to Abby& Michael

Mom and Dad, Abby and Michael, deliver a beautiful baby girl into the world.

 

 

 

 

04.05- Carla and I receive our second Covid shot.
04.09- Our coach has a great new look

Months ago we had the Diamond Shield removed from the front of the coach and this day the area above the windshield was repainted.

 

 

04.11-  Had the priviledge to meet Dalton.

Today we said goodbye to the family below. We never got to ask their last names, all we know is the father is Wally, Tracy, whom we never really met in person and Dalton an eleven-year-old who presents himself as a young adult.

 

 

04.17-Saying goodbye to Wildwood
Ever since March 2020 we have been alternatine, every two weeks, with TTO, Thousand Trails Orlando. Tomorow morning that comes to an end. We are planningto leave Wildwood tomorrow, Sunday, in the morning and travel 2-miles to Lazy Days. The coach has a couple of miner repairs that are needed. Our planis to stay overnight Sunday and Monday and then, if all the repairs get done, we go on to Vero Beach, FL. This will be a short stay, about seven-days, then on the 30th we move again to John Prince Park just a few miles from where Dennis lives.

Sunshine Travel TT RVP

04.29.2021-Sunshine Travel is a Thousand Trails Encore Property.
This campground is advertised as a Vero Beach Property, but actuality, it’s located in Fillsmere, FL.
 

It’s an Encore Property so it should be a better than average Thousand Trails  Campground. Trees, as you can see, abound everywhere. Above left is the view frm our coach.

 

 

Above (left) is a far view of the pool area located across from the mini golf range. You can see a poor picture of the pool area below. Suffleboard is also available. Below (right) are camp homes. These homes go from $35- 50,000 and higher depending on options. What’s really cool is that these folks get to live in this resort for $705/month not including electric (includes water and sewer) (FYI no or very, very low taxes and insurance. For people like us we live in our coach so we would have nothing to buy, just the rent so we would not pay any taxes.

 

 

Above (left) is another picture of the pool area. In the picture above (right) you can see our coach way in the background, but it is ours. There are also laundry facilities on campus at a resonnable price. Below is one of two gathering rooms. this area is also used for Bingo. 

 

 

Above (left) is the main entrance to the park. Above (right) is the camp check-in office. Below are pictures of the gathering rooms in the office building. This is also where you collect mail and collect your mail.

 

 

A descent but not terribly extensive library section with a nice selection of DVDs to view, at no charge. Books here, hard cover and paper-back, are available for all to take home and read and view at your convenience; Honor system prevails. Below (left) is a green area for future use.

 

 

The park is very full but not maxed out. Many of the RVs and coaches here are annuals; This park is their residence. It would be very difficult for me to dismiss this park as a future residence for when we decide to get off theroad, if only it was not in Florida and had a river or lake to hang a pole on alazy day.

Challenges of the last 4-weeks.

AMERICA IS BACK…

AND UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT…!

HAPPINESS is to have EVERYTHING,
you need.
NOT the need to have EVERYTHING.

We’re only HOUSELESS never HOMELESS.

4.25.2021

Could not believe it when I signed on that I had not written one entry for April. So, you must be asking where have you been for the last 20+ days. Just about 20-days ago we noticed the A/C unit in our coach was working but not doing much cooling. Our A/C unit concerns me from time to time. It still runs on Freon, a dinosaur product these days not to mention illegal as well. Second concern is the fact that it’s sixteen-years-old. My big fear has always been once the Freon eats its way through the cooling coils we’d have to buy new. Our fans were doing a good job but not great so it was time to call Disantis A/C. Disantis sent Aaron to look over the problem. He belayed our worse fears. True to A/C was not working but now: Why! Further examination determined the control board had “passed away.” Aaron’s next concern was would there be a part available for the unit. Replacement parts are the biggest challenge in the industry. So many parts are manufactured in foreign countries. We were lucky. We got the last one on the shelf of his biggest distributor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes! Scooty has her own personal fan, and she uses it generously. Carla and I envy her just lying there and soaking up all those breezes. However, we settled for enjoying our fan in our recliners. Back to the repair. The part was available and was shipped, only took five-days. It did arrive and Aaron came over and after one-hour had the A/C unit running cold and strong. The A/c unit we have is one of the best. It’s actually a residential unit. To our relief Aaron put my fears to rest on Freon. Should the Freon fail  a modification can be done to this unit to adapt it to the Freon substitute. As always it will be expensive but much cheaper the buying a new $6000 unit.

About mid-month we began tracking down RV tires. The perfect match for our coach is a Michelin tire. The 23580R22.5 GXRV is the tire for our RV, hopefully if available. From the model number you can see it’s specific of RV use. I then was in the hospital for a couple of days with no solution on putting our hands on four of these tires. The next day, after my release, we had to acquire tires. Amazon had only eighteen left. The trouble with this model is that Michelin only make a limited supply to meet the needs of the RV industry annually. Logistically Amazon was great on  price especially with free shipping. We’re having them delivered to Action Gator Tire for them to install the beginning of May. The cost of shipping was over 150 dollars a piece, so this was a big savings. Our tires still

 

Just after this was fixed I came down with symptoms that brought me to an Emergency care unit and they recommended that I go to the Orlando Health Hospital on the other side of town. I could do a blog on that experience by itself but it’s not worth the effort in typing it out. I was finally released and returned home thirty-six hours later. Carla and I have decided it was probably an electrolyte problem. So, it’ a little more exercise, additional banana, iron and adding a good multi-vitamin to my diet. Hopefully I’ll be around a couple more years, God willing.

Visit Connie and Sharon

04.22.2021- We visit with Connie and Sharon

 

Connie is family on Carlas’ side. They started part-time RVing a view years ago and are now on their third (I think) RV. Like many RVers they RV about 4-6 months each year. Each year they seem to get a little more aggressive in their vacation plans.

 

 

They travel in a coach and tow a smart car so when we get together I am compelled to try to uncover the back seat in the HHR. It never dissapoints, eventually I did redistribute all our junk and found the back seat…Awesome!

 

 

Today the girls wanted to expose us to The Taylor Cafe in West Jupiter, FL. The staff was excellent and the food was even better. It was an excellent place to talk and catch up on years past. The cafe grows a good amount of their herbs and vegetables. Below (right) is a picture of their RV. (Forgot the name-Entegra I think). It’s a C-Class style of RV.

 

 

Above are a couple of pictures of the inside of their RV. It was so surprisingly roomy, I was very impressed. This would make an ideal RV for a single camper, so spacious. They introduced us to their Food Ninja Air Fryer. After you finish using it, it folds up and you have your counter space back. Below (left) is Willow. The three of them travel very comfortably for quite a few months each year. Below is a closs-up picture of Connie and Sharon. They both enjoy “Diamond Painting” in their spare time.

 

Coach looks like new!

o4.06.21-Coach is now looking like new.

 

 

 

 

 

 For the last five-years the coach has had a type of psoriasis just above the front windows. By no means is this unusual. The coach is now ninety-five-thousand miles old; that’s a lot of wind going over the top of this vehicle. On its own the problem will not fix itself, it would require a repaint over this area. That’s where SAM the painter comes in. He’s an independent professional. He starts early and will try to finish the job the same day, within reason.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like all things, big and small, prep-work is essential.  Of the nine hours it took to complete the job seven were all about prep work. It’s getting pretty hot outside but still Sam carries on. Bbove and right is the first coat and an teasing of what the final product will look like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought I’d be happy just getting this mess below cleaned up but now we have a virtually new RV.

 

Awesome! Doesn’t this look like a brand new coach? Well, almost brand new.

 

 

 

Finally making plans

 

Partial 2021 travel schedule:

04.09.2021-Finally we’re beginning to make some plans
04.18-Lazy Days for two-days for minor repairs
04.20-Vero Beach staying at  TT
05.01.2021- John Prince park-Here to visit Dennis for a few days
05.03-Dennis’ Birthday
05.15.2021-West Springfield, Haymarket Farm 
05.22.2021-Laurel Lock RVP in Oakdale, CT visiting New London, CT.
05.28-Mohegan Sun Casino lot for 2 days.
05.31-Bernardston, Mass staying at Traveler’s Woods
06.14-Prowdy Beach RVP in Newport, VT-(14n)06.28
06.28-Crazy Horse RV in  Littleton, NH (14n)
The next 5 weeks are still undecided and open
08.16-Moody Beach, Maine (14n)
08.30-Thousand Trails in Rochester, MA. (21n)
 

Baby Makenna is Home

To open, please click on the link below;

Baby Mckenna Clair is home-4PDF

04.04,2021 An Easter Sunday Child.
Mom is Abby. I’ve spoken of her many times since the blog began in 2013. Very hard to believe when Abby came into our lives she was only sever-years-old herself. Michael is Makennas’ dad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see from the picture above right, neither one of them look to be much older that sixteen. Please click on the link above to learn a little more about this lovely child.