April
The last day of March the crew and I continue our journey northward through eastern Nevada.
The main street through Ely, Nevada
We make our home in the almost empty Ward Mountain Campground. From there we explore Ely and the surrounding area.
We go to the railroad depot and museum.
Bridget and Reggie have fun at nearby Cave Lake State Park!
At the town park I photograph the action at the pond.
At an elevation of 7,300 feet in April we’re playing Russian roulette with the weather .
Sooner or later, it’s gonna’ happen, and it does!
Our camp at Ward Mountain Campground — The blue mat froze!
The next leg of our journey takes us to the majestic Ruby Mountains!
I can’t begin to explain the impact of seeing these mountains. The beauty overwhelms me.
One of the most memorable, scenic drives of our vagabonding life!
South Ruby Campground — The crew and I get out to walk around and choose our site.
We find the perfect spot to relax and view the valley and mountains.
This is a very remote area of Nevada.
No internet, no phone, no groceries, no propane, no gas. Except for a climb through Harrison Pass in order to post on this blog, I limit our travel to close to camp in order to conserve gas. It’s a long way to the next gas station!
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
The crew and I break camp and travel around the southern end of the Ruby range.
We come upon a herd of wild horses!
Further along we stop to watch cowboys round up cattle!
Our camp for the night is South Fork State Recreation Area.
The weather is very warm while we’re here. Bridget, Reggie, and I relax under the shelter. I watch the birds on the reservoir. A camper next to us catches a few, nice trout.
The campground at South Fork Reservoir, south of Elko, Nevada
Into Idaho we go!
Salmon Falls Reservoir, west of Rogerson, Idaho
We choose the best site at Lou Drexler Campground. Very few campers here, mostly overnighters.
Lou Drexler Campground at Salmon Falls Reservoir
Spring is in the air!
A robin nests under our shelter. The crew plays in the grass among dandelions.
Reggie enjoys the traveling life.
He understands that home is wherever we are. Bridget and I watch him as he happily plays with his toys.
We watch as the reservoir is stocked with trout.
Lou Drexler Campground — A lovely, peaceful place to call home.
View of the reservoir from our campsite
Our last camp in April is at Three Island Crossing State Park!
The park is located along Interstate 84 at Glenns Ferry, Idaho.
This is the second time we camp here — shady, cool, lots of grass, and showers!
“Well, crew, where shall we go in May?”
rvsue
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Teeheee…
OK Shirlene, I have this visual of you sitting on your keyboard like a hen waiting for her egg to hatch 🙂
How did you know I had a hen? 🙂
HELLO BLOGORINOS….#1 okay, sorry but I can’t help it.
First again! 🙂
CONGRATULATIONS, SHIRLENE! YOU’RE NUMBER ONE TODAY!
It’s the little things in life that amuses us so much.
You think you will ever get to Pahrump.?
Hi, Alan… I don’t know if you’re talking to me or to Shirlene. As for us, Pahrump is a possibility. I want to travel through the western side of Las Vegas, see Red Rock Canyon, go through Pahrump, Death Valley . . .
Well I was talking to Shirlene. But you’ll do. You can actually boondock on the east side of town. There is an area that always has a few campers in it. Typical NV scrub desert with the mountains to the east. They have some snow on them right now. North of the town on 95 is the Great Sand Dunes that has camping but it is also an ATV spot. West towards DV there is a lot of desert but I didn’t see much boondocking.
just a heads-up about Death Valley. absolutely no phone or internet anywhere through that area. We had a belt go out, and our hood was up as we fixed it (he THANK GOODNESS) had an extra. Cars went wizing by the whole time, and not one person stopped. I thought that was odd. Neat area though 🙂
Yes, the possibility of engine problems is something to consider.
Oh my goodness! My husband and I always stop for fellow travelers when they appear to have car trouble. Being out in the middle of nowhere and needing help is a scary feeling and we know that.
Showoff!!! 🙂
Maybe I could claim the #2 spot!!!????
Sorry Anne, I almost mentioned you in my first post, but I did not want to rub it in..I promise tomorrow you can be #1!
LET’S HEAR IT FOR ANNIE IN OREGON! SHE DIDN’T MAKE NUMBER ONE!
Yeah for Annie!!! And Alan …. Sue “will do”? I’m rolling on the floor!!
Loving the look back….I must have missed the last photo…what a great shot of the deer!!!!
Thanks, Betty-Shea. That photo was taken as we drove along the Ruby Mountains. A lucky shot through the window of the PTV– what an amazing day that was!
my resolution is to get out my maps and mark your route starting with the last 2 posts.
we pick up our trailer in May (bumped up from July) and it’s starting to get real.
Well, Mary (CO), if your experiences turn out anything like ours, what turns real for you soon will then turn unreal as you travel this incredibly beautiful country! Exciting to think about, isn’t it.
Wow Sue! I remember those posts like it was just yesterday…time goes by so fast the older we get…I remember the trip into Idaho as my daughter had just moved there and I was so happy to see the area. AND then you posted the trout pictures, well that got my attention…I was not able to fish too much last year and my fly pole nearly leapt off the wall looking at those pictures. This year we are definitely going to go fishing in the High Sierras… Those pictures of the mountains in the distance, one of my favorites, that is when I started looking at Nevada in a whole new light. My what a big world there is out there to see…I can hardly hold down my job, I am so anxious to get out there and have a rolling home…no more anchors for me! Thank you for the look back, once again!
Oh and I don’t mind being #1 again…ha!
It was fun to have the varied places of Nevada simultaneously surprise me and the readers of this blog. The month of April held several memorable “scenes” as well as outstanding camps.
I can imagine how anxious you must be to roll those new wheels down the road! You are going to LOVE it, Shirlene!
🙂 🙂 🙂 Happy, happy, happy Sue!
Shirlene: Do you ever fish at Rock Creek in the High Sierras? Off 395 between Bishop and Mammoth. Great place and used to have a wonderful little pie place called “Pie in the Sky.” Not sure if it’s still there.
Hi Cynthia, we usually fish up at Big Pine, 8 miles up at Upper Sage Campground…But we are having more and more trouble trying to get our favorite camp site as each year there are more and more people who have discovered our little hide-away. We usually do not go beyond Bishop, as that is already a 5 hour drive for us…but someday when we do not have to return home, I will look forward to those places…I hear Toms Place is also good. I will remember Rock Creek, thanks for the suggestion.. 🙂
We have a “Pie in the Sky” place, but it is a pizza place. gosh they have some strange pizzas.
Loving these year in reviews!
I’m glad, Chris! I’m enjoying the memories, too!
Sue, what great memories you are sharing with us armchair travelers. Can’t wait to follow in your footsteps to some of your favorite places (don’t worry never when you are there). And as usual great photos of the crew and places.
Thanks, Lisa W. There are so many gorgeous places to discover in the West. I’m happy to share what I’ve found so far!
I’m almost at the top of the list! Normally I’m toward the bottom of the list. I read the entire post too! I love the photos of Ruby Mountains area. One day I will venture around those Ruby Mountains while touring Nevada scenic byways and hidden gems.
Hi, Monica-CA…. Oh, the Ruby Mountains *sigh*… I want to go back there. If it weren’t for the lack of internet I’d go there and stay for several weeks. I know now that one should carry cans of extra gasoline and lots of other supplies. Do go and see them, but go prepared!
Been reading for a long time. First time commenting. I am thinking of rving for awhile. Money is a big issue. I have zillions of questions.
I LOVE reading about your journeys, Sue!
I see snow on your rig! Are you able to keep the BLT really warm inside? I would need to be able to keep a temp of 68-70. Is that possible?
Thanks, Sue and all the blogorinos. I guess I’m one now, too!
HOORAY FOR VAL GAL! SHE’S A BLOGORINO!
Welcome! Ask all the questions you want. It seems that every question readers ask has been on the mind of more than one.
Yes, I can keep the BLT warm to 68-70 when it goes down into the low 30s, even high 20s. However, I usually don’t, preferring to bundle up instead. In order to achieve the level of warmth you want, you’d need to anticipate the temps dropping and warm up your trailer beforehand and then keep the heater on all day and night. If you don’t pre-heat the surfaces inside your rig, the heater has a hard time catching up. (I’m talking about relying on solar power and using a catalytic heater like a Wave 3 or Mr. Buddy.)
I’m happy you love reading my blog. Thank you for riding with us. If you have any money questions, feel free to ask. I’m not shy about revealing my finances.
Thanks, Sue! That’s valuable info. That’s one more step towards doing it.
This is all a bit scary. I love travel and nature, but I also like low stress and at least basic comfort.
Hi Val and welcome,
You say you like travel and nature, low stress, and comfort. One consideration is that maybe you don’t “need” to boondock (it’s not the best fit for everyone). RV parks often have pretty decent monthly rates, and then you have all the conveniences at your fingertips. Meanwhile you can still travel (in rig, tow vehicle, or towed vehicle) out to see the local sights. I believe this is more or less the style traveling that Alan (Pahrump) does. I bet most of the time he sees more of an area than I do due to taking the time to see each area to the fullest (meanwhile coming back to the rig/RV park each night).
At an RV park you have hookups. With hookups, you can run small electric heater(s). With those, you can keep it as warm as you like (possibly making it even warmer by adding in the RV furnace or a catalytic heater).
I “have” to boondock, because I like to be away from people. But I’m used to fairly “primitive” living and am fine that way.
I just mention this as the boondocking style is just one way to travel.
Good point, Pen. I tend to think in boondocking terms. Lots of folks enjoy RV park travel. It costs a bit more, but if electric heat is important, it’s the way to go. That and state parks with hookups.
I’m similar to you in that way (I love my boondocking!), but if I liked the “Alan style” (park at a base, enjoy the comforts, and explore from there), I have noticed that many decent looking RV parks have really reasonable monthly rates. And too, one could combine.
I did a variation of that my first “out and about” winter when I boondocked part of the year and then in the heart of winter, stayed in New Mexico state parks and used the hookups to run an electric heater (Annual pass $225 plus $4 per night). Most state parks are a bit pricy for me and don’t have longer term rates (but they are usually much woodsier).
(Of course New Mexico is quite a bit colder than southern AZ — a bit too cold for me without hookups (day 40’s, night 20’s a fair bit of the time).
Welcome to the gang of Blogorinos Val!
Thanks, Shirlene!
One more thing to add about warmth in your rig…. You can help by being careful with elevation. I could’ve avoided that snowy, cold camp by not going to Ely so early in the year, for example.
That is a good point. Thanks!
I will share the welcome. It seems that a lot of us “lurkers” have decided to dive in lately and share our enjoyment of Sue’s blog, crew and followers. Remember that when you ask questions, you get answers for all of us – even the others who read and remain silent. Thanks!
Thanks, Phiesty!
Welcome Val! There is an article about fulltiming in the January 2016 issue of MotorHome (starts at pg. 58) that you might find helpful. It’s pretty general, but addresses some of the fundamental issues.
Thanks, Cynthis. I’ll try to get hold of that article. I’ve read a few articles in places in the past. They seem mixed about how warm you can be. Some are toasty, others not so much. It doesn’t warm my little heart when I hear about people scraping ice off the windows. Some people don’t mind that, though.
Welcome Val. Always room for another blogorino.
Welcome, Val!! 🙂
Welcome to our world!! You will find the worlds nicest people here as well as a wealth of information on boondocking….
Holiday preparations and pressures at work have made it hard to participate in fun stuff – but I do sneak a peek here now and then. I’m loving these looks back at the year. And I’m glad you’re getting heavy traffic on Amazon. I haven’t held up my end this month. 🙂
Hope the rest of the year is everything you want it to be.
Suzette
Thank you, Suzette (TN). I hope you find time to step back from the pressures to relax. Wishing you a happy holiday season!
Wow! You blogorinos are serious . . . seriously fast! I barely stepped away for a meeting and Whammo!
No slackers here, Renee! 🙂
Definitely no slacking with this blog! Well, after returning from lunch, I went back through and enjoyed reading it. We live in Meridian, just West of Boise and stop over at Three Island Crossing on our RV trips East. It’s a nice place during the week. Not so many people, but a holiday weekend! Whoa! Not doing that again. I don’t like that packed in feeling. We passed through Ely heading south from Twin Falls, into Jackpot (past Rogerson and that reservoir that I’ve wondered what it was like, but now I know. Thank you!), past Wells, and down to Ely. We stopped over to see Great Basin on our way to Albuquerque to see my MIL. I love the vastness of the desert range. Others will say there is nothing between Twin Falls, Idaho and Idaho Falls, but on the contrary, I see a lot. Beautiful pictures, thanks for reposting so that newbies like me can enjoy.
Hi Rene, my daughter just moved close to Meridian…off Fairview and Eagle. Wow, Meridian is sooo much like Irvine, California…but really enjoyed going to The Village, wonderful place… love your neck of the woods…enjoy the snow you are getting..My daughter will be coming home on Tuesday, but she is sad that she is leaving the snow for 80 degrees at the beach next week… how crazy is that, but then again she was raised at the beach…Boise in now her home.
Small world, Shirlene. We used to live in Boise, on the bench above Capitol Blvd, but moved out to the “country” to Meridian so we would have a place to park our RV. Now we have subdivisions around us, but we still love it out here. Especially since I can look out by studio window and see our RV and daydream of where we will take it next! The Village is indeed a nice place. Beautiful architecture. We had a good amount of snow yesterday, but it was too warm to stick. We are expecting snow today through tomorrow but it hasn’t started yet. Safe travels for your daughter. Merry Christmas to you!
🙂 Same to you and your family Renee. When my daughter and son-in-law bought their home the one requirement was RV parking….so they have a home with an RV pad right next to the house for mamma! So you know where I will be in the spring and fall…and everywhere in between.
What a good daughter – and son in law!
There’s also a discount rate for seniors on weekdays at Three Mile Crossing. I think it’s Monday through Thursday.
There’s never “nothing” between Point A and Point B when traveling!
Yes, you are right, discount Monday through Thursday. My husband and I both commented that we’re not sure what we like best, the journey or the destination! I’ll definitely lookup these sites you stayed at especially since it looks like our fifth wheel will fit.
Every campground in this post has sites big enough for a fifth wheel.
Thank you!
Twin Falls, Boise, are near and dear to my heart – lived in both towns…..makes me homesick when I think of the beautiful country there
Nope!
These photos remind me of all the places we WERE going to visit as we trailed along behind you. We got sidetracked by our hasty retreat home. Hopefully we will be able to get to some of those great fishing holes either this spring or early next fall depending on the weather. Thanks for the memories!
You’re welcome, Kathy and Gil from Wapato, WA!
I remember when you were following us and then made a dash for home. These places are best kept for when you can settle in and enjoy them anyway. I hope you are loving wherever you are right now!
Your photos bring such clarity to your journey and have opened the eyes of many to the diversity of the county. I do not care where you are, there is always beauty to be seen. Sometimes I think it is attitude that determines our enjoyment. Of course having your crew must really help to keep that attitude setting on happy and content.
So true, Phiesty in Utah — The crew give me laughs every day. And yes, beauty is all around us. It’s a pleasure to share what I find.
? love the look back at 2015! So far my favorite 2 events were finding Reggie and finding the joy in wild hot springs! Hot Springs is the main thing I miss about Truth or Consequences NM! Specifically, Riverbend Hot Springs because it was so beautiful to be outside soaking in the warm water watching the Rio Grande River flow by! We really love and miss that!
Our warm weather ends tomorrow night as the expected low temp will go from 73 to 37 degrees! We have had the a/c on all week!
Our thoughts are with you Sue, give Bridget a big hug and tickle Reggie’s tummy from us! ? Love y’all!
Those are special memories for you, I know. You and Chuck were so kind to show me T or C, take me out for a birthday dinner (Happy Birthday song played on the bagpipes!), and encourage me to go to Quartzsite. I met more good people at Dome Rock when we camped there together.
The cold weather is about to hit Florida! Stay warm!
Love you, too.
Good picks for your favorites. I think I share both of them too, although I enjoy so many of our adventures with Sue.
Greetings from Minnesota! Our high today is 27 degrees. The high tomorrow will be 20 degrees, but the weatherman is talking low 30’s for next week. Heat wave in time for Christmas! I have now been full time rv’ing for 4 months. Thank you Sue for all of your beautiful photos! I want to see everywhere that I can go next year. Such an inspiration! I am getting my solar panel system installed the end of June right after I retire. Then I can go anywhere! Yippee!
Yay for solar! Good plan, Chris… I take it you plan to live in your RV through a Minnesota winter. I’m sure there are many who are interested how it goes.
You’re welcome re the photos. I’m happy they inspire you to go to WARM places. 🙂
Yes, I have to stay in Minnesota for the winter. I read up on rv’ing in the winter cold (my rv dealer told me that you can’t rv in the winter). I did the extra insulating recommended (skirting and some extra insulation panels on the inside) and added the Wave 8 heater. I did shut down my water lines and winterized them. I am fine with my composting toilet and taking showers at the rv park facilities. So far I am warm and cozy. I’ll let you know how it goes.
I figure that after this, wintering anywhere else will be a breeze!
You’re receiving fabulous training, Chris! I admire your resourcefulness and strong spirit. What rig do you have?
I have a 37 foot 5th wheel trailer. This is my first experience with a rv and I may have gone a little large. It is very comfortable and homey though. I figure that if I don’t like traveling with it, I can always trade it in on something else.
Chris, I was dragging a 34 footer for many years and finally retired it to a spot at a lake lot in the Adirondacks that we own.We got a Class C and will embark on our snowbird adventures on Monday until April.
It depends where you go but I got tired of heading west on I-70 over the Rockies towing a 34 foot beast.I think that our Class C will be a better fit for us.
You cannot beat the comfort of a big rig like yours though, but I would avoid I-70 like the plague.I go west on I-20 or I-40 now.
What is bad about I-70? Is it too steep or curvy?
It is just nervewracking to me.My rig was not a 5th wheel and tended to wobble too much.The downhill grades were just too tough for me and after about 7 or 8 times, I am quitting I-70 between Denver and Utah.
I-70 goes thru the high mountains. It can snow any time of the year and mud slides are common also. Also all the rest stops are actually off the highway in towns and if you are pulling a large rig are a pain to get to and back to the highway.
Alan,
I hear you on those “you have to exit, find them, get turned around, and then back on” type of rest areas. Ugh! I’m all for exploring, but when I’m on the Interstate, I really prefer the ones with their own off/on ramp. Seems to fit the general style of the Interstate better. I’ve gotten so I just don’t even stop at the former type (if I can figure out soon enough in advance that it is that type).
(Bonus points to the ones that have dump stations!)
Chris,
I think you are smart to just abandon the water system for the winter. I read of people who don’t, and it sounds like (for me at least) it’d be a constant worry. The pipes freezing, heat tape starting a fire, etc.
I lived in north woods cabins for years, so I’m used to the jug at the sink and the outhouse. Maybe not as luxurious, but no worries either! (Plus, making the trip to the outhouse showed me some amazing night scenes that I would never have seen unless I “had” to — northern lights, lovely stars, moonsets, etc.)
Yes, I didn’t want to worry if water lines or tanks were freezing up. I had heard that tank heaters weren’t great in the deep cold and that heat tape on the hoses can fail. Plus people were talking about putting space heaters in the basement compartments to keep tanks from freezing and I would rather keep the space heaters up by me!
I’m making my second batch of a broth chicken noodle soup I just love & thought I’d share what I did. So simple and so good. I really like Lipton dried chicken noodle soup so I took some celery stalks with leaves, chopped them up & put in pot of water. Added a bunch of shredded carrots and a finely chopped whole tomato which I blanched and peeled. Added pepper and tsp Knorr dried tomato bullion w chicken flavoring. Boiled until veggies tender & added soup mix. Yum! Liked this so much I even had it for breakfast!
This definitely is soup weather! I’m sure your soup is delicious. Thank you for sharing how you “built” it. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your recipe! Easy to fix and so comforting! 🙂
Sounds GREAT! I will have to try it. Thanks for YOUR recipe!
In my second batch I added healthy shots each of bloody Mary mix & Worcestershire—- even better!
The photos in review are beautiful today – I forget how gorgeous Nevada can be. Love the photo of Reggie killing his baby and the deer flying ove the fence. My New Years resolution is to go back through all your posts and inventory where you’ve stayed. Now that hubs and I are totally (as opposed to partially) retired, we will have the time to take longer trips and visit some of those places. I don’t think we’ll ever full-time; the grandkids would flip out, we have an elderly relative we have to check on regularly, and I’m too much of a home nester. But it’s wonderful to have your routes and stops available to plan our trips. I don’t think I’ve ever said it Sue, but thank you for sharing your journeys with us. I know blogging is time-consuming and you are giving us a huge gift by letting us tag along with you. Merry Christmas to you and the crew!
You’re welcome, Cynthia from San Clemente, and Merry Christmas to you and your husband!
Also congratulations on reaching full retirement. I wish you many, many years of fun, relaxation, and new experiences.
Hi Sue, crew, and “family”,
Isn’t the review posts theme fun? I’m really enjoying this , Sue. Ok…please forgive me for the following question. I’m still stuck on the idea of getting a 21 ft TT ’cause I know myself and if it will be my only home for several years I don’t think I will be comfy in anything smaller. So….if I want to camp in the older state and federal park campgrounds where spaces are short…could I pay for TWO spaces…one for the TT and one for the vehicle? With senior discount, most would still be pretty inexpensive. Is this a crazy idea? How hard would it be to find adjoining camps? Can I boondock ok with 21 ft + vehicle in most locations? Please be honest with your comments.
Congrats to all the blogorinos who are about to take to the road and begin their travel lifestyle. INVU!
Merry Christmas and Happy 2017 everyone!
thanks,
CateW
Um… What about 2016, cate? 🙂
I’m not sure I can give you a good answer to your questions. Will 21 feet fit “in most locations?” Well, the PTV and BLT are 34 feet when hitched together. There have been camps where we fit into a space with only inches to spare. That would mean your travel trailer will fit, but your tow vehicle would have to be unhitched and parked sideways. Not a big deal if you aren’t driving between a series of one-night camps. There are a few — very few in my experience — campgrounds where we didn’t fit. These were good for tenters, car campers, van campers, truck campers… Usually they are very old campgrounds.
As far as boondocking, can you with a 21 ft. trailer? Yes! It depends upon the road in, whether you want to pull your trailer through it (ruts, high points, scratches, rocks, tight turns).
You’re only 5 feet longer than the PTV/BLT (assuming your tow vehicle is about 17 feet). You might be wider and taller which would be a factor on some roads. Not something I’d be concerned about. In other words, not a deal-breaker on the rig you have your heart set upon. 🙂
Yes, you can pay for two spaces. Sometimes a space is not long enough, but it is wide. In that case you park your tow vehicle beside your travel trailer and you don’t have to pay for an extra vehicle.
I say get the smallest rig you will feel comfortable in. Sounds like you’ve determined that to be 21 feet. You can go to wonderful places with that!
I think that what would limit you in a lot of cases (of the cases when you were limited at all, that is) would be having the space to get your trailer into the spot. In other words, the maneuvering room for the tow vehicle, and the angles you’d have to make with it in order to get the trailer into the site. Also just getting around the loops in small campgrounds. For those times, having a second space for the tow rig wouldn’t help.
When I’m towing my boat/trailer I’m around 50′ long. I can think of very few times when I could negotiate the loops, plus get the trailer backed in, but then NOT be able to park the tow rig on the same site (remembering that it can go crooked, crosswise, doesn’t have to be level, etc.). Much more often the problem is that I can’t get around certain corners on my way in, can’t get turned around, or (most often) can’t get the trailer backed into a given site because there is not enough room to maneuver the tow vehicle in the ways needed to get the trailer into the site.
I’m not saying that a 22′ travel trailer is going to limit you hugely (maybe some of the small California Forest Service campgrounds), but just that when you ARE limited, I think having a second site for the tow vehicle may not solve the problem.
I’m also not sure but that it might not be well received in places where there are rules such as “you must occupy the campsite on the first night.” I have also been to places where they did not allow sleeping in your vehicle (back when I had a station wagon for quick trips) and I had to put out a “fake” tent. That might get old.
I think I would just figure that if I wanted a 22′ trailer, I would just accept that I could not get it in everywhere. I think you wouldn’t be limited in that many places anyway.
My husband & I moved up this year from a 17′ Casita to a 21′ Passport Ultra lite. The difference is phenomenal for two people. While we loved, loved, loved the Casita, we are much happier with the increased space and amenities of 21′.
I don’t know how two people can live in a Casita. You must be so much more comfortable in the 21 feet.
I’m not surprised that the two of you are much more comfortable in your new larger rig. Nice to hear.
Knowing myself…I just need a little more room to stretch out, and I plan to have a dog or two to share the road so we will all be happy.
Safe and pleasant journeys to you both,
CateW
Hi cateW,
My husband and I full-time in a 19 foot Airstream and pulled it with a full sized Chevy Suburban for years. We found two things about having a rig that total size…
1. When making reservations we always gave the size info as the total size (as if the travel trailer was the size of the total of trailer and truck). That way we always had a good fit.
2. Some campgrounds will *say* they do not have a site large enough but when they think you will not stay there *suddenly they do have a nice site*. I don;t know why that is but I guess they always want to have at least one longer site unoccupied as a back up site or something.
It is also good to remember that Sue and many others like to have a certain kind of nice site… We tended to go more with size of site and weren’t that concerned with views or privacy issues. It is all a mater of taste and whether location within a general area for us…near a town, city, water, grocery, etc. Keeping your fridge out of the direct sun during summertime does become important though.
So bottom-line, you shouldn’t have any problems with a 20 foot and town vech except on very rare occasions during holiday weekends or extreme peak seasons in parks that are very popular. During those times you would have those kind of problems regardless of your total rig size. Hope that helps.
Hi PamK,
Sorry that I didn’t see your response until today (12/21). Thanks so much for the good advice about giving the total size instead of each unit separately when booking res.
Peace and privacy is important to me so will boondock when I can (also to save $$) but there will be times when just having a place to call home will be the priority whatever the “view”.
Appreciate your helpful thoughts,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
CateW
Hi Sue and Crew!
I am loving your 2015 Travel Recap! Following the weather is always crucial, I know, but your snow capped Casita picture with your poor frozen mat made me shiver! Loved the picture of Reggie and Bridget with the green grass and dandelions. Anxiously awaiting that time of year again. Camping back and forth for a few weeks around T or C for the necessity of having ready access in January to the storage facility in Elephant Butte. Yup, storing the Vintage “Peanut” while I drive with Lily to Texas to pick up my new, to me, Casita. Then putting the “Peanut” on the market. The “Peanut” would be an awesome weekend camper rig but full timing in her for the past almost two years is getting to be a bit much. Finally tired of using post office boxes and friends addresses so I signed up for America’s Mailbox and gave your name as referred by….I think you get something for that! Hopefully they will know to give whatever it is ($25 ?) to “RV Sue”…lol Have been loving your blog for some time now. You are a true inspiration and a genuinely nice person to share your journey. Thank you so much.
Hi, Sealarkesmiles,
Thank you for mentioning me to America’s Mailbox. That’s very thoughtful of you. I hope you are pleased with their service.
You have a clever plan for switching out Peanut for a new Casita. Gosh, how exciting it will be when you and Lily take off for the Casita factory in Texas!
I appreciate you sharing the logistics of upgrading while full-timing. Very helpful!
As for the snowy Casita photo, we were warm and cozy inside. I’m glad you are enjoying the year in review.
Hi again,
Actually the Casita (not yet named) is pre-owned by couple who have kept her in immaculate care and condition. I believe that most Casita owners do. She is a 2010 17′ SD. My personal feeling is that more care was put into manufacturing in general even 5 or more years ago.
America’s Mailbox was mentioned to me by many over the past two years as an option for me but I like you best! 🙂
🙂
Sealarkesmiles,
Forgive me if you have already shared this but it you did I must have missed it. (busy time of year for me) But what specifically was it that made you decide to retire Peanut? Thanks
Hi Rick,
We are primarily looking for some more ‘modern conveniences’. She is so sweet that I doubt she will be retiring, that is for sure. There are a few SOTF members interested in her so I am hoping she has many more traveling years to enjoy. Thanks for asking!
How “homey” the street in Ely looks. Beautiful horses but I’m holding out for those cow photos! I must be the only blogorino who is not a traveler but I really enjoy reading about it through your adventures. Strange as it seems, I find being semi-retired enables me to live my life as if each day is an adventure to do what I choose to do. I see and experience Dallas a lot differently now than when I was teaching. My new words to live by are now – I’m 70 and I can OR I’m 70 and I don’t have to! Works equally well either way. Hope HRS and Reggie have their own memory page of last year. 🙂
Uh, that’s HRH. Auto correct strikes again.
HRS works… Her Royal Specialness. Ha!
well Susan, I dont travel much anymore either…
we made the trip to Virgina in June to see
a grand daughter graduate from high school and
it nearly killed me…..ugh…Im 71 and dont get
around much anymore so I live thru Sue’s blog….
chuck
Chuck,
TX to VA is a long trip!
Going to Graduation must have been wonderful once you got there…a special time.
We have a friend who is 73. He started using a *dog ramp* to enter and exit his MH. Says it made all the difference in the world to him, having not to negotiate those RV stairs. He also uses a mobility scooter which he keeps under his awing. He travels once a Winter to AZ and then back to GA for the summers. He hires a *driver* for those trips. He said he gets his drivers from the RV transport ads and checks them out good. That might be an option for more travels for you too. Geez, I know we all have to retire from RVing at some point…we are in out mid 60s…hate the thought of giving up *the lifestyle* someday. You must miss it bunches! When we have to give up the road, we will miss it something awful too.
You’re not the only reader of my blog who is not a traveler. My sister Pauline in Mississippi has not desire at all to RV and there are others, by choice or by situation. I’m glad you enjoy traveling with us.
Good points about retirement. You don’t have to leave home to realize how wonderful it is. Enjoy!
A memory page for the crew . . . hmmm…
Oh yes! Please! A memory page for the crew would be wonderful!!! 🙂 We love it when Miss B and Reggie Man have their heart-to-heart talks!
Agreed!
A wonderful quality about your blog is demonstrated in this post.Whether it’s the awe of majestic grand mountains or joy of a robin’s nest, you let things affect, touch and matter to you, and so all to us. Instead of saying “I saw this, and this, and this…”, as if you’d accomplished a goal and the journey is just about getting to each place…. You savor where you go and what happens while you’re there- enough to be overwhelmed by ones beauty, notice the people, enjoy the animals at the next, feel the peace at another. All of that then slows us down and takes us to a better place inside. It may appear that is all because you retired from your previous profession and so have time at your disposal. In fact, it’s a choice you make with what you want that time to mean and feel like, for you ,for the crew , for us.
Gosh, weather, I don’t know how to respond. If that’s what is going on in my blog posts, I am very, very pleased. I’ll say thank you and read it again because your words make me feel so good! 🙂
To see it from a readers point of view, when you can spare a few minutes you could try something. Put the post “Hastings cut-off to South Ruby Campground-Gorgeous ” on your screen and walk away. Relive an afternoon at work mentally then read the post. Slowly, as if you’d never seen it before( Don’t proof read looking for errors as if it’s your writing) just let the flow and content sink in.
I see what you mean. Quite a ride, quite a read. 🙂
“Hastings Cut-Off to South Ruby Campground — gorgeous!”
P.S. I can’t help but read with an eye for errors. I noticed I had the elevation of Ely posted as the elevation of Ward Campground. There’s about an 800 foot difference. I fixed it.
“I fixed it.”
LOL, once a math teacher always a math teacher. 🙂
Weather is spot on when she picked this post. It was a pivital moment in deciding to go out on my own to see places. When you kept repeating How Beautiful it reminded me of the feeling I got when driving by myself to Kentucky to see the World Equestrian Games in 2010. I’ve been in Florida for 50 years and as a flatlander was taken aback by the Smokies. I decided I wanted to get that feeling again and remembered how well I did on my own on that trip. And how much more I enjoyed it by myself, being able to determine my schedule and stay relaxed. Thanks Sue 🙂
Well said, Weather.
I agree Sue, those mountains with Snow are so Fantastic to re see,, hem, may be we’ll head thatta way this spring after seeing my VA doc. waiting for my map books to get here so’s to start planning this next years big trip and this time there’s no hurry to get anywhere,,, have a great day and thanks for the great memories,,,,,,,,, rusty
You have a great day, too, Rusty. One of the fun things to do during the winter months is dream and plan for travels when spring arrives. Yes, it’s best when you can mosey along . . . .
This morning was the coldest yet! 28 degrees over here. I thought of you and prayed you were warm.
Hugs to you and Lady Piper!
For some reason our outside remote temp gauge quit working yesterday, but it was 37.16 degrees inside at 05:45 this morn and rose up to 61 in an hour,,, well I hope I fixed the draft for sure today,,, the camper must of shrunk this past summer,, found gaps in the front of the lower box at the sides and corners,,, filled them with foam today,,,,, I now feel a draft commin’ from the door,, I think I’m gonna look for a door for a trailer, with frame in all in 2016 and get her real tight for next winter,,,,,,,, rusty
Rusty,
Some models don’t show the temp if it’s lower than 32 degrees.
Lady Piper will keep you warm!
Cin and Jules,,, This model is supposed to read the temp down to – 40 degrees and the battery is good,,,,, I think it’s just old and needs to be replaced, like tossed out in file cabinet # 13, the trash… ,, ;>( LOL,,,,,,,,
This is to all the experienced rv folk. With Christmas around the corner, what is the best present that you got for your rv or something that you would love to get? I would like to get some kind of GPS navigator. How many of you use those?
Chris, I would like one of those also, I have been told that the Garmen tells the height of the bridges and tunnels along the selected route…for me, that would be very important since I have a satellite dome on the top of my rig… I als0 would like a TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) that would let me know if my tires get too hot are or too under inflated…wow..I guess I better be really good, these are not cheap for Santa…but I am sure that I will get all things needed from Sue’s Amazon link..ha!
I was thinking about those tire monitoring systems, as well. I wonder how well they work?
Well I have a 35 foot class A, and I know that they are a life saver….it will help prevent blow outs which is quite dangerous in a 35 foot floating home! Check out the videos, they are pricey though.
Here are two tire monitoring systems…
At the low end: Wireless Tire Pressure Monitoring System STEELMATE? LED Display Cigarette Lighter 4 Sensors Bar Psi Tpms External Sensor Car Accessories DIY Tire Gauge
At the high end…EEZTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System – 10 Sensors (TPMS)
There are more, priced in the middle of these two.
I have the feeling I am going to be at the higher end since I will be having 10 wheels to monitor. But thank you for the information and the links Sue, you know I will buy through you…we are family!
Chris, I have a Garmin street and road system–never use the darn thing. I like studying maps more than being told when to turn or merge. I would love to have a handheld system for logging in the coordinates of some of the more remote campsites I stumble across and want to return to at another time. I know Garmin and Magellan make ’em but I only need something very basic and thus less costly. The bells and whistles drive up the cost and don’t impress me.
Audrey
I’m with you, Audrey. I have a Garmin app for my iPad and most of the time don’t like to use it. Distracts me, isn’t always right, I prefer maps, etc. The one time I do find it handy is when I’m towing through a large city. There it is usually accurate, and can tell me ahead of time when I need to be three lanes over or etc. Otherwise, I’ll take maps and, as it is called in boating, my “Mark 1 Eyeball.”
I have tire pressure monitoring on the car and it works great. With the cold we had last winter, I lost a couple of lbs in the tires and my signal lite came on. I was out and about, so stopped in the local tire palce and they pumped them up for me. You have to drive a block or so after filling for it to register the fill. I have a Hyundai.
As for the Garmin Shirlene is referring to, it is the one they sell for the truckers to keep them out of sticky situations in their rigs.
We use a Rand McNally GPS designed specifically for RVs. Since ours is almost 33 feet, plus a tow vehicle it’s really nice to have sufficient warnings to tell you to get in a different lane for an upcoming turn.
Also, (this is the second time today I’ve mentioned Motorhome magazine – no, I don’t work for them), the January 2016 issue has the 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards for favorite RV products. There are a lot of good ideas in there. Shirlene: the winner for tire-pressure monitoring systems was TireMinder, followed by HawksHead Systems, and then Truck System Technologies.
Something fairly inexpensive … I ordered my husband a nifty flagpole directly from Flagpole Buddy in San Diego, so he can fly his American and NRA flags (when we are stopped, of course!)
Thanks for the ideas. I love to know how people who actually use the products like them. The companies love to tell you how great their product is, until you read the reviews, and find out that they aren’t so great.
Our friends got us a Coleman Road trip propane grill that uses the little bottles and folds up.Big enough to cook 4 steaks for company.Use it constantly and it has held up for 7 years of snowbirding and summers at our Adirondack camp.
Safe to assume that you have your full set of Benchmark Atlases?
I just bought my first one. It is for Arizona. Will definitely be getting more. I love looking at maps and dreaming of going there.
If you bought from here, thanks, Chris! (I don’t know if I ever thanked you.)
I have been trying to buy through your website when I order from Amazon. Just one way to thank you!
🙂
I bought my first Benchmark (through you, Sue). It’s for Washington. I’ll get familiar with that then buy more to scout out all the western states. Exciting stuff!
I appreciate that, Cheryl O.!
One note, Chris: If you want a good/similar map for a state that doesn’t have a Benchmark available, you might like to try a Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer. I generally prefer the Benchmark, but they are only available for limited states, whereas Delorme has most (all?) states. Also occasionally, the Delorme will have a better (for me that means larger) scale. Also available on Amazon 🙂
Thanks for the heads up!
That’s a fun question. What’s on my wish list right now? Hmm, as I think about it most of what I want is things I almost have to do myself, like sewing a good set of curtains, mounting solar panels (I have ground panels now), ripping out carpeting in favor of hard flooring, etc. So I guess I want a crew of elves! But okay, let’s say what would I like from the Amazon elves 😀
1) Farberware Classic Stainless Percolator (never tried perked coffee, but Sue makes it sound so good and plus its nostalgic as my parents perked coffee in the morning).
2) Wave 6 heater to replace Wave 3.
3) Outdoor mat like Sue’s (only maybe the 6 x 9 size for packability).
4) Helinox Sunset Chair (tried a friend’s — ooh comfy, as long as I have a little footstool) (I have had a different Helinox chair in the past, the Chair One, and they are very long-lived, lightweight, and packable).
5) Hella Turbo Fan to replace an ages-old one that has developed a rattle (I love marine fans as you can aim them right on you and they only draw like a quarter of an amp).
6) Ambient Weather WS-21 indoor-outdoor thermometer. I like this variant because I don’t really “need” humidity, and this one therefore displays one indoor and two outdoor temps, plus max min (displayed all the time). I’d prefer it with just one outdoor temp, but they don’t have one like that that shows the max/min temp all the time. I’m sure I can find a place for a third probe though.
Fun question. Now where is Santa? 😀 😀
Ditto on most of what you want. I’ve been looking at Mr. Heater Buddy. Seems people get either the Wave or the Buddy and when they upgrade they stick with what they have…like Android and IPhone. lol I’m going to take look at that thermometer, there are so many different kinds to choose from.
I’ve had both the Little Heater Buddy (the upright one that uses one cylinder and looks sort of like a sunflower), and the Wave 3. I can at least give you my thoughts.
1) Odor:
I noticed a slight “burning combustible fuel” smell with the Buddy. No smell at all with the Wave. I have a really good nose though (which is sometimes annoying!).
2) Fuel
I ran the Buddy on the disposable green canisters. Plus is it’s easy to move around. Minus is they are expensive. Too, I have a large built in propane tank, so it was purely an extra/unnecessary cost for me. The Wave runs from the main tank (but a Buddy can be modified to run from a big tank; and a Wave can be adapted to use disposable cylinders).
3) Heat
The Buddy is 3800 btu, so more powerful than a Wave 3, at 3,000 btu (but less than a Wave 6 which is 6,000 btu). The Buddy had no low setting; the Wave has a half setting (which I hardly ever use).
The Buddy is not a catalytic heater, so it does heat the air a bit more, and is not as dependent on one sitting and facing it. OTOH, sitting in front of the Wave is really cozy, as it is radiant.
The Buddy is great for just grabbing and moving around. The Wave (since I have it on a hose to the main tank) is movable, but not quite as handy. I think the Buddy is tippier.
All in all I prefer to use the Wave, but I do have a “built in” propane tank. I keep the Buddy as a backup. It’s easy to fire up just in case I run out of tank propane, the Wave breaks, or whatever.
All i want for Christmas is a solar system. Miss having lights in my trailer -especially with these long nights, and the ability to charge my computer without having to find a place to hang out for 4 hours to do it!
So Chris(MN), is that an alias for “Kris Kringle”? ?
You found me out!
Shall i look for my solar system under my trailer Friday morning? ?
Hi Sue!
I’m pleased to see that you included the elevations of some of these campgrounds. It helps me to determine if/when I choose to visit the area. Somehow, the pictures give a better clue to the climate than reading about it in a description or seeing the elevation on a map. It is the Ruby Mountains that changed my mind about exploring Nevada and I now have a serious interest in discovering this lesser known part of the state. Thanks for the looks back. It’s fun!
Audrey
Hi, Audrey,
If you do plan a trip to the Ruby Mountains you might want to include Lamouille Canyon which is on the other side, the western side of the mountains. We didn’t go there because April is too early, the roads into the canyon aren’t open yet. I’ve heard it’s beautiful and there is a campground.
Elevation is very important. I know I’ve said that a million times. Anyone used to being a flatlander, like I was, tends to think more about latitude regarding temperature, and less about elevation.
In the West, you can drive an hour in any direction and change the air temperature dramatically, depending upon up or down. You probably know this. I use the elevations shown in my Benchmarks (next to mountains and towns) to help me plan our travels. I’m like you… I love studying maps!
I’m glad you find these recaps of the year fun. I do, too!
(writes Lamouille Canyon, NV in Discovery Destinations file)
Got it! Thanks.
Audrey
Hello Sue & crew & Bloggerinos too,
I may be late for today’s blog but must complement you Sue on your outstanding photos. You must have an artistic background. Just beautiful!! We have been reading your blog for almost a year now & this is our first comment, better late than never?
Thank you for each day you share with us ?
You’re welcome, JAZZQUELINE. Welcome to this group of friendly blogorinos, of which you are now officially a member. I’m very glad to see you here!
Thanks to you and the other part of “we” for reading my blog. And thank you for the compliment on my photos.
Welcome, Jazzqeuline!! 🙂
Welcome JAZZQUELINE,
Where do you hail from?
We (as in “he & me” are from Bend, OR) we leave each year around Feb 1 for parts unknown in the SW for 3-4 mos. we’re chomping at the bit right now!!!!??
Bend in the summer, unknown in the SW for the winter. Pretty much sounds perfect to me. Welcome.
Thank you, happy to be here???
I’ve been to Bend once to go mountain biking. Love the area. I didn’t spend much time in town, though. lol I’ll be back…for sure.
Hi Cheryl, So glad you enjoyed Bend. It’s a place like no other, and we love it dearly, but at our age we MUST have warm sunshine more often, after all how much more time do we have left on this beautiful planet. Carpe diem ( seize the day ). The wilderness calls us each year & we’re compelled to follow as long as we dare. Just like RV Sue, enjoying every nuance of our beautiful earth… We must go ?
Thank you Denise, it’s great to join the notorious Blogerinos will post some more next time
Welcome Jazz…nice to see you here..stay with us it will be fun….. 🙂
Thanks shrene, we will. Lovin this life on the road this will be our 8th year & plan tone out 6 mos ❗️❗️❗️
Welcome Jazzqueline. We learn a lot here and have fun doing it.
Sue and her beautiful photos, make you feel like you live there with her and you can just reach out and play with Bridget and Reggie.
Yes, totally! I’m there with all three, when I receive each post. I love each one of them. Thanks?
Hi, Sue,
This summary post has just about everything…..the Ruby Mountains, wild horses, a waterfront campsite, a lush, green campsite, the lovable and cute Crew, and to top it off, a flying deer! Wonder if she was practicing liftoff to help Santa this year?! That has to be one of the handful of photos where a disclaimer is in order to explain that the picture is not doctored or altered in any way…just like some of the spectacular sunrise and sunset shots that where you have captured the magical light. Thank you for the trip down memory lane….it really does not seem like that long ago.
Hope you, Bridget, and Reggie are staying warm! Sending you and the adorable Crew hugs from me and my adorable Gracie pup! 🙂
How could I forget?!! You also included a handsome cowboy – THANK YOU!! 🙂
Thank you, Denise… You say the nicest things. I hope you and Gracie pup are warm and sleep well tonight!
DesertGinger….I left you a note on the previous post. Sending you a hug!! 🙂
Thanks Denise
Chris in mn. Just a little advice you probably already know & are doing.
we have a 5th wheel just a foot longer, so basically the same size, we learned
Not to travel after dark . We always plan on being off the road before the sun goes down. That’s just too much rig to stop quickly if you can’t see what’s in the road ahead of you. We were traveling on 1-70 yesterday & spotted a large piece of steel in the middle of the lane. We were almost hemmed in by semis but made it safely
Around it because of the few extra minutes daylight gave us. Frightening to think
What could have happened if we hadn’t spotted it. Also if you’re going to winter in
the extreme cold use heat tapes, & a non freeze water hose. Good luck to you & happy times .
Thanks! Keep sending me tips. I am new to all this and trying to learn as much as I can.
I love your pic of Reggie kicking up his rear legs…cute! All your pics are so enticing to explore. I’ve been exploring places around Washington recently and have had no idea of all the places to stay at besides a national or state campground. I’ve never looked at the Benchmark atlas’s and I want to get one for the PNW. Your pics of places in Idaho gives me more ambition to explore around there, also, since I lived in Buhl when I was a toddler. My family camped in northern Idaho when I was young.
Anyway, here’s my question to O’Blogorino’s: does the Benchmark show the BLM lands to camp on? I looked at them on Amazon, but can’t tell if this is so.
Yes, Benchmarks show all the public lands… BLM, national forest, wildlife refuges, national monuments… The areas are colored.. yellow for BLM, green for national forests, and so forth. That feature is what makes the Benchmarks outstanding, in my view. Also show the campgrounds the crew and I visit.
Hi, Sue and crew –
I always enjoy your blog. Thank you. Those photos of the Ruby Mountains are wonderful. Very impressive. I hope to have a chance to see them some day.
Merry Christmas :0) I commented late on the last post.
Happy Trails.
I saw the other comment… I hope you see the Rubys some day, too! Merry Christmas!
April? The reservoir getting stocked with trout was April? Where did the time go? And I’ve always loved the Lou Drexler Campground view photo. Looks like a painting!
That photo was softened by sunset “pinking.” I like that one, too, which, of course, is why I included it in the review!
well Im up at 3am and an hour later I see ya snuck
another post in on me…..HA!
I love seeing these pics from back at the first of the
year….makes me realize even more how much you
are enjoying the sites and sounds of camping pretty
much where ever you want….
that picture of the trout being stocked reminds me
that they are doing that in Texas right now and
the 2 closest ponds to me will take place in January.
there is a limit of 5 in each park but I do make a nice
supper with 5 for me and the wifey….gut them then
put butter garlic salt pepper on the inside then wrap
in tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes
and talk about melting in your mouth…..
back in the 80’s we drove the road from Vegas to Reno
just to see what it was like….interesting but slow going…
thanks again for your great blogging…there is none better.
chuck
Hi, chuck,
You receive my posts at the weirdest times! Oh well, I’m glad you’re here…
Your baked trout recipe sounds delicious. It’s good that the limit provides you both with enough for supper because I know you want to cook them when they’re fresh.
We haven’t traveled the road from Vegas to Reno — I think that’s the Extra-Terrestrial Highway. We won’t go there in 2016, maybe the following year.
Thanks again for another great compliment, chuck… You and wifey have a super day!
Well, the outside thermometer is reading 19 this morning and the inside one is reading 67. Tonight is supposed to get down to 9 degrees. I have an elderly aunt who believes that I am going to freeze to death staying in the rv this winter. I am doing my best to prove her wrong! Ha ha! So far, so good.
You are one tough person! (I was going to say “tough gal” but with the name of Chris, you could be a “tough guy.” )
No doubt you are doing everything possible to stay warm to prove your auntie wrong. Wearing a knit or wool hat to bed will help, if you can sleep with one on.
Gee, 9 degrees is awfully cold. If you can keep the interior temps in the 60s it won’t be too bad., but that will be difficult to do, I imagine. I’ll be thinking of you and wishing you warm when I wake up in the night!
Yes, I am a girl. I always get irritated when I get mail or phone calls assuming that I am a guy. However, it is true that most (but not all) Chris’s are guys. Maybe I should put a little heart on top of the “i.” Not.
I was 99 percent sure you are a girl!
I am 100% sure.
LOL!
Hi Chris, 67 degrees inside, in the winter, in an RV….Sounds like you are doing everything right…My daughter lives in Idaho and that is the temperature that she keeps her very nice house….good job, no worries as long as you stay inside! Come out to the West, we will be glad to have you! 🙂
I am coming next year! I bought my first Benchmark Map for Arizona and will be getting more. I am trying to pick up all the tips that I can go from you all! Thank you for all the inspiration!
Agreed! I’m in Arizona and it’s not 67º inside 😀
still nothing in my email to notify me of current posting. sigh resubbed for the third time. put it in my favorites on the puter but usually read on phone or tablet
we will see. clikking on all the boxes . see if we get any follow up now going back to see what comments i missed on the last one. sighing again
Hi, Joyce,
It looks like whatever is blocking email notifications is happening at your end, meaning there isn’t anything I can do to fix it. Over 5,000 visits to my site every day and you are the only one who has mentioned a problem with being notified.
Have there been any changes regarding your email or security that would cause the settings to be changed? Have you added a device? Try to recall if there were any changes whatsoever (no matter what) involving your electronic devices prior to the start of this problem. That may give you a clue toward what happened and where to look to fix it.
Maybe there’s a reader who can help us figure out what caused this all of a sudden. In the meantime, if you click on your favorites and check here at least once a day, you won’t get behind on posts or comments. Lots of folks do that anyway because they don’t like getting the emails.
BLOGORINO ALERT! Does anyone have a suggestion for Joyce how to fix this?
This is not a suggestion for how to make the e-mail notification work, but rather an alternative. I subscribe to Sue’s blog via RSS (otherwise known as a feed reader). Whenever she posts it pops up in my feed, and I can read the post there, or, click on it and it opens in my browser (where I can also read/reply to comments).
It’s a great way to keep track of various blogs (presuming you read more than one). Of course we know which is my favorite 😀
I’ve been having the same problem for months. I accidently unsubscribed once, have since then resubscribed a couple of times; never getting a notification again. Haven’t changed anything in any software….
I’m sorry that happened, MaddyND. If you haven’t already done so, check your email settings, firewall, etc. I’ve found that “things” can change with automatic updates and whatever goes on unbeknownst to us without us doing anything.
JOYCE . . . .Security settings too high. Add (the incoming email address) to the “allow” list.
http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/pets-in-sweaters/
OMG! #26 was a hoot!
I am amazed they got a sweater on a cat. My Aby would shred me if I tried such a thing. And if I got it on him he would just lie on the ground immobile.
Have you seen that you tube video of the cat in the harness?
Alan,
My little Sadie (Cat) wears sweaters and also has a winter coat, a puffy one like the hiking jackets. When she was a kitten we trained her on a lead and also put sweaters on her. Now it is old-hat to her and she really does like them. I know I did kinda train her like I did my dog, lol, but it worked. I think cats are pretty smart and will do what you ask of them if you get them used to it early enough. My Flickr photos of her show her in both her sweater and with her lead 🙂 I swear I think she knows they make her look soooo cute!
No, I tried putting Scamper in a harness and he didn’t like it but wouldn’t fight it. But when I attached a leash he just dropped to the ground and refused to move. I tried attaching it pivot basically staking him out. He was out of the harness in 5 minutes. I train all my cats when kittens to walk with me and they do so willingly. They love going for walkies and tag along readily, but at their own pace.
Joyce I always have problems of some sort after an automatic systems update. Have you physically re signed in again to receive updates from
sue? Hope it’s that simple.
BTW blogorinos our toilet is clogged. Hubby won’t be in till later, I’ve been peeing in the trash can. Lol I Googled it & saw lots of suggestions to pour boiling water
Down the toilet. I was going to try it but I don’t know how to turn the
Water off to the toilet. I know sue & others I’m really going to learn to be self
Sufficient. I promise ! Anyone had success with the boiling water idea ?
Water turn off should be to the back of the toilet near the floor.
Nancy, I assume you’ve tried using a plunger to see if you can unclog the toilet. If not, try it. Otherwise turn off the water at the toilet (on the wall below and behind the toilet) and wait for help. There are many things to try but boiling water will only add to the volume of material needing flushing.
Where are you located?
Is there water coming up in the tub or shower? Plunge it…like you mean it! Refrain from opening your mouth when this procedure is performed!
If it’s coming up thru the tub or shower…..it’s a clog in main sewer line. Snake is the solution. Hopefully you have a “clean out” access area.
Best of luck
Nancy, using boiling water is not a good idea if your toilet is porcelain. The temperature difference could cause your toilet to crack–then you have an even greater problem!
Audrey
Often there will be (as already mentioned) a shut off right behind the toilet near the floor. It may be an oval-shaped handle that you turn like an outside hose faucet handle. If not, you can probably just turn off your water pump entirely, which will also turn off the water to the toilet (presuming you are not hooked up to water at a campground; if you are, you can unhook it).
I have read to be careful with a plunger, because if the vent is clogged you could “explode” the black tank due to excess pressure. If the vent is not clogged, then I don’t think it could hurt anything, although that might depend on your system. Probably a “gentle” plunge is fine in any case. Some clogs will resolve once they “soak” for awhile.
Are you using a really plush (read: hard to dissolve) toilet paper? That can contribute to clogs. There is special RV and boat toilet paper (of course!) but I once did a test where I took a single square of various toilet papers and put each one in it’s own jar of water, shook it up, and waited X amount of time. The RV and boat toilet paper dissolved very well of course. BUT, Scott Tissue did just as well. This was the “old fashioned” single-ply Scott Tissue (that used to come in a single large roll wrapped in paper, remember that?). Now I think they also have plush two-ply variants, so you’d have to read the label, but they still do make one-ply as well.
Oh I thought she was in a regular house
Actually after re reading it….if it was a rv the sliding hatch opens to the black tank. Ollie Ollie oxen freeeeeee!
So meh thinks it’s a stick and brick house.
Just had a thought. You’ve all heard the old expression “treated like a dog”. It occurs to me that whoever uses that term doesn’t know about Missy and her little charges, Bridget and Reggie. The term now can be used to demonstrate GREAT treatment.
When I took my poodles to the groomer last week, the groomer said that when she dies and wants to come back as one of my dogs….We all could say the same about the Crew! One remarkable dog owner is Sue!
I’ve always been a animal lover and my folks were before me, when I was young we had a live in housekeeper/baby sitter that we called “Aunt Julie” (a real treasure). She always said of my folks the same thing your groomer said to you. “When I die, I want to be reincarnated as YOUR (mom and dad) dog(s)”.
Well to all who gave suggestions thank you so much. The toilet is fixed , I’m glad
I didn’t try the boiling water never thought about it cracking a porcelain toilet. Come to find out we have an internal flush hose connection at the docking station outside. Hope this makes sense, found out the water turn off to the toilet is there too. I’m slowly learning. I’m ashamed to say I’ve been one of those women who has always relied on him for anything. Came straight out of my parents house, married at 17 right out of high school went to college together & been together for
47 years. But it’s time I learn. I’ve never even pulled the 5th wheel. But I’m going to learn. Thanks again to all who tried to help me.
Ok Nancy, time to put on those Big Girl Pants and take care of those things…you have plenty of encouragement here and as you found out, lots of knowledgeable people..If I am ever stuck somewhere I am calling Pen!
Amen to that !
Good for you, Nancy. Sounds like you have a great partnership, which is wonderful; but I totally support your goal to also learn to do things solo. Even if you don’t usually, why not have the skills!
Sue,
Well miss Sue-E-Que, what a wonderful life you have created for you and your crew. Each year brings something new, places, people, critters, and characters. It is hard to think that I have been following you for more than a year now. Makes me pleased to see all those recaps of the places *we* traveled to together thru cyber space. 🙂 And in thinking back I can’t help be giggle at some of the lurkers and hanger-ons you had to deal with in the past year too! Yes, not so funny at the time BUT they did add some funny times to read about just the same. Like the lady with the electric coffee pot when her generator-thingie wouldn’t work, too funny. And that guy who brought out his *Get-tar* and thought he could sing but couldn’t hold a tune…I can still hear him singin’ at the top of his lungs, lol! And then that jerk who parked in front of your rig and didn’t even say hello…but went fishin’ and left his truck there!!! Nerves of steel you had not to push his truck into next week…
Well, I had to mention some of the funny-to-read happenings along your journeys, that’s what makes it so perfect…love that it is so real to life…and a wonderful life it is (even with those little bumps). Well, Tis The Season…”It’s A Wonderful Life”, indeed! 🙂
OMG! I almost forgot about Generator-Man!!! I’m certain he is STILL clueless or uncaring about the noises he leaves in his wake! Now every time I hear a loud generator I think of that guy and call them Generator-Man, lol. Again funny to read about him but here’s hoping you never come across him or another like him again 🙂 Oh well, just thought I’d add some spice to all those memories too.
Here’s to a FAB 2016! Our motto: We don’t need NO stinkin’ RESERVATIONS! Total Freedom is The Way We ROLL! 🙂
Hi Sue,
Would you fix my earlier posts to read Pamela K. instead of Pamela K. in GA please. My computer settings know to disallow location tracking and when I put the *in GA* at the end it caused an unexpected error to alert me about that. Sorry, so I will continue to go by Pamela K.
Thanks 🙂
Catching up after a couple of very busy days – I’m involved in a new business venture – hope it works out.
Regardless, I’ve really enjoyed your re-caps, Sue. Those mountains are so beautiful.
This blog has been all over the place with topics and new folks. How fun!
Take care, everyone!
It is fun when new people jump in here! I hope more will join us and those that appeared for the first time won’t disappear.
Every time someone makes a comment, my blog is enriched and that means it’s better for everyone!
Best of luck with your new business, Applegirl…
I passed the test today. It was 10 degrees last night and I kept the rv at 68 degrees. Now I believe that I WILL survive the winter and not freeze to death like my old aunt worried about!
CONGRATULATIONS, CHRIS! 🙂