Return trip

First trip with the RV went well, did find things I need to fix and or change. However all in all I was happy with the way things worked. If this was a movie we would have dark music at this point. The day I returned to the farm/house was interesting and very informative. I left the RV park at first light around 7:20am, went to a Denny's about 4 miles down the road and had breakfast, went and fueled up and hit the road for a 50 mile return trip. About 30 miles down the road I heard a loud bang and the whole rig started to shack. I guess my old truck driver came out of me because I knew I had just blown a rear tire. Took the RV out of cruse control, and slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road to take a look. ( put on 4 ways but found out thems is not working ... OUCH!!!!! ) Lost all thread on outer duly driver side rear. Could have been worse, at least it did not lose any air.. After checking the rest of the rig, I decided to drive to the closest exit with something at the exit that I could pull into for safety. Ended up going another 4 miles before I found what I was looking for and pulled off the interstate.

Now all is going to be a matter of calling AAA and have someone sent out to change the tire for me so I can get down the road. HA!!!!!!!! I have had AAA off and on for years, this is the first time I have ever called road side for anything guess what happened. Once I told them it was an RV ( even a small one like mine ) I was told I was not covered. I tried to explain that I had a spear and all I needed was someone to change it for me. The people at AAA did not want to listen, would not even call someone for me and let me pay.. I had to find someone on my own to get the job down. All I can say is I was glad I had not had a true breakdown someplace that my computer could not get a signal, then I would truly have been FUC**d....

As things turned out I found someone in less then 30 min, and the bad tire changed out at a cheap cost of $25.. Then I went to Wills Point Tire and replaced my bad tire for a new tire that is now my new spear...

Motto of this trip is AAA sucks BIG time, I will never renew again, and anyone that is reading this that has AAA I strongly suggest you call them and find out what you have for coverage....

Anyway now back at Ranch RV home.....

First Tioga RV trip

Today is the first road trip with the Tioga. Need to name her, just have not thought of anything good yet. Had breakfast and a cup or two of coffee in the RV, then went in the house to check on things before packing her up and hitting the road.

This first trip is more of a test run to see how and if everything is working and what I may be missing. Sad to say the weather is not on my side and it is overcast with showers. Spencer seems to have found his spot during the drive he spent it in my lap sound asleep :)

Stopped at a Wal Mart to pick up a few things and noticed a flat screen TV for $150.00 could not walk away it was the last one... Also picked up a cheap coffee maker for $8.00... Unfortunately I forgot coffee filters and coax cable.. Set up the coffee maker using paper towels for now, and watching DVD on the TV...

Took Spencer for a walk after all was set up and came across a very nice path set aside for the dog walk. Most of the photos on the page taken during the walk. Would have been a lot nicer if it had not started to rain about half way back. So now the RV smells like a small wet dog.. LOL...
With the rain and all I guess I will spend the night watching DVD's, reading, and playing on the internet... Tomorrow I will see what things look like before I commit to anything..



Day two of shakedown trip.

Did nothing but watch movies, read, play on computer and walk Spencer. Weather is more rain so nobody is about...

Spencer did try to make a friend, but he/she did not want anything to do with him...

Test out RV

Today is the day I test out the RV, going to spend the day in it and see if I have what I need. This means staying inside as if I am living in it. Will have my dinner and snacks, play on the computer and read, not to mention playing with Spencer... If all goes well will then spend the night and test out the bed to see if I can sleep in it without too much trouble.

Next thing will be to take it on the road to a park for a night or two as a true test of how comfortable I will be living in it.. It is now about 98% packed with all my gear so it is just a matter of how things work out and what I find I am missing. Hope the next update is from a park that I am camping at..

Christmas 2010

It is Christmas 2010 in Wills Point Texas. Things I am thankful for this year. First thing that comes to mind is my friends and Family, I may not be as close to my family as I could be but at least I still know someone is they if needed. Next I have to be thankful for still having a job, I may not be as happy with my job this year as I was a few years ago, but have to be thankful for having a job in this current employment. Next is my health I will be 57 in 2011 and I can still do a job that most folks over 40 could not. Not to mention most young folk would not want to do.. LOL....


The last but not least item I say thanks for is the animals in my life, it is great to be loved regardless of what I say or do.. I can be in a bad mood and know I will be forgiven...

Working on RV

Been working on moving things into the RV, and fixing up minor problems. So far this is what the place looks like. Will post a few photos every few days just to show what is going on... Also posting our Xmas photos what we have of them that is... LOL..

RV made it to the farm...

Well picked up the RV, but not before getting lost for an hour or so looking for the place. Been to the place three times already then today could not find the place today... Drove all over town until we lucked out and found the place.


Now we did the walk around of the unit to see if everything was working and how it worked. The man doing the instructions was not letting me skip anything, even when I told him I knew about it or did not care.. Then it was to the office to sign papers and turn over the rest of the money :(.....


It was now time to start the drive home, but first I need to get fuel only 1/4 tank. Lucky for me a gas station was just across the road so it was an easy drive... Unfortunately a problem was found with the gas tank, filled it to about 1/2 and then it started to leak like Niagara Falls. So back to the RV place to see what the heck was going on... Man could not find the leak at the shop, had to go back to the station with one of the men and pump in fuel to show the leak. So back to RV shop again and get a new hose for the fuel tank... Back to gas station for a third attempt at filling the tank... YES!!!!! it held....

Now on the road to get the RV back to the farm.... Rest of the trip went well with the exception of some trim coming off the RV never to be seen again.. LOL...

Stopped at Denny's for dinner and pulled into the farm around 7pm and done for the night..

Looking for an RV

Hi, well I have spent the first five days in Irving Texas looking around for a class C rv to travel in when not working. Found one and hope to pick it up later today, then post some photos of it as it is, and then as I fix it up to suit myself.. This is the first thing I own complete on my own in almost six years, WOW!!!!!

Looking for the rv was an adventure in and of itself, first thought about doing this a year or so ago, started looking online six months ago. Was not until the last break ( two weeks ) that I really started to follow up on what I might want. Sometime I thought a Van ( class b ) would be enough then I thought about how to store things once the farm was sold. Also gave a passing thought to a class a rv but do not like that sometimes it is hard finding a place to park it. So it is a class c , Tioga 27 foot RV that I choose to go with. The finale pick was between the Tioga or a Toyota, The Tioga has less problems and things that I will have to fix ( I hope ) then the Toyota did.. So now we will see what happens once I get it back to the farm and can give it a really good looking over, just hope I do not find too many surprise items to fix.. If it is ready I hope to take it on the road for a test drive between Jan 1st and 8th....

Back From Thailand

Well folks ( whoever reads this ) just back from Thailand and lots of work. This last trip was last min. and atotal messgetting to the boat. The boat was already 2/3 of the way to Australia when the job for Thailand came in. I had my tickets to fly and was called from the office just hours before the flight to standby and not fly until new arrangements, and flights could be done. With my normal luck that meant checking my phone and email every 3 to four hours for three days.

Once the boat was turned around and a port was picked out for crew change we were flown to Singapore and back to the boat. Then it was hanging out at Port Singapore for a few days

waiting for new Visas to go to Thailand. Had to make my own passport photos to send along to

the office to apply for the visa.. Looks more like a prison photo then a passport, but it was good enough to get my visa... LOL...

Once we got to the waters off Thailand it was all work 12 hours a day for three plus w

eeks

. Gear went out slow and had to be recovered many times to fix and correct errors and

problems. Even the gun ropes broke and had to be recovered and new ones made. Then just to top things off it was the rainy season so it was

either hot and humid or hot and raining... Best part of this job so far was when crew change came around and I was able to just relax with the crew for a few hours before heading home..

Wish I had more photos of Thailand to post but can not take photos from a Chopper , bus or airplane. But this is what I have, including the sunrise and crew photos taken form the boat.

Enjoy... I am now back in Dallas looking at purchasing my first RV....

On my way to Singapore Again.....

Okay folks, after some problems with scheduling flights I am on my way back to Singapore for crew change. Currently in Dallas waiting for my flight to Germany, then I change airlines and head to Singapore... First I was to fly out this morning at 0630 that fell through at 2300 last night and I was rescheduled for 1620 this afternoon.. Just hoping The airport FRT in germany is easy to get around in because I still have to get my boarding pass when I get off for Singapore.. Time will tell.. Now 1415 in Dallas.... Next update when ever...

Been a long time from last post

Since my last post I have traveled in the RV to several places. Started posted more on facebook then here because I got lazy. But if you know my email then you can find me on facebook and see all the photos you have missed.

I have been assigned to the boat Western Patriot after the shutdown of the Snapper. Notice I do not us the word new.... That is because this boat is as old and in about the same shape that the Snapper was, gun deck may be worse.... First time out on it I went to Columbia ( at least that is what my passport tells me ). Got to see airports and a hotel before going out to the boat for five weeks of unbelievable work. Airports and airports on the way home.

Second time out it was to Singapore airport and we sailed to Indonesia for the job. Once again I got to see Airports and a hotel ( sorry two hotels ). First couple of weeks we got the gear ready for the job the sat and waited for a week to get clearance. Once cleared it was off to work not that we did not work in port.. Had to stand Pirate watch, as the photos show we are well trained in this.

Coming home I got to see three airports before landing in Dallas, took 28 hours in the air and 20 hours sitting around to get back... ( easy ) ready to relax for at least three weeks but found out we are scheduled back on the boat on Nov 15th, got off Oct 27th... I do not see how that come to 3 weeks but then I do not work in the office were math can be changed to say anything...

This next trip is to Australia so I will get to see that airport... Travel for work is not a lot of fun.

Wishing I could find a way to travel and still enjoy it, I know I am missing so much..

Good night, I will try to do better in updating my blog in the future.

new Boat at least to me

Just finished a five week trip on the Western Patriot, a streamer boat. This was my first trip ever on a streamer and let me just say if every trip is like the last..... it is a shit lot of work..Not to mention the learning curve I am once again looking at.. Also my first trip outside the USA to join a crew for work.

First had to send in information to get a work visa for Columbia.. Not a country I was hoping to go to. then found out when I get there the visa was not done and I had to turn in my passport just before going to the boat...

I do facebook to update things on a daily or weekly segment. But one thing that did happen worth putting here was at the end of the trip we went through the Panama Canal, the video attached was taken by one on the crew members ... I think it is a good show of what it is like..

Nice Day

Yesterday was a good day. Went to a softball game in the morning to see Kay's Grand daughter play. I think between us, her dad, and other grandparents we may have embarrassed her just a bit. ( nah... can not be done )

Then had a good lunch at a China buffet before doing some shopping for things to repair the RV ( lens cover for a light, new headlight, new vent parts ) then off to get food and drinks resupplied. Found some good salmon for dinner in the near future.. Then back to the Rv and rest before going to dinner at the other grandparents place.

I enjoyed the dinner and visit, could not believe she made Yams just for me because the other night when I requested them at a restaurant I was disappointed when they were out. So had a meat of chicken and Yams, then an after dinner drink as we all sat around the fire talking. All in all a very pleasant day.

End of the road ( for this trip )

Well as the saying goes all things come to an end. So too with this RV trip. We are currently in IONA Idaho, just outside Idaho Falls. I will be flying into Dallas DFW on July the 10th so that I can head down to Columbia South America on the 13th to join with my new boat/crew on the 14th. That will be a whole other story I am sure... For one thing I am going into it with less then a joyful feeling. This post will be of my five favorite photos of the trip that is ending.. Not in any special order.. Hope you find them as interesting as I do.

RV travels after Ft Benton

Lets see after we left Ft. Benton we changed directions south to get out of another major storm. Headed to Wy and then to Utah and now in Nevada.. Not much to tell really, we drive most of the day then make camp and stay inside the RV. have not been to a tourest place of interest since leaving Benton. Today however had to be the longest drive with nothing to look at.. Utah from Salt Lake to the Nevada State line is nothing but lots of nothing... All photos tonight are of Utah and Utah only..

Leaving Fort Benton MT

Woke up to rain and cold weather today, not what you want to drive in. After walking the dogs and checking the weather forecast we packed up the RV and hit the road hoping the forecast was going to be right and it would clear by late morning.

Sometime around 10am the rain stopped and we had semi clear skis. So was able to get some photos of the road and what was along the way. Needed to get some supplies for both us and the pets so when a Wal Mart came along we pulled in and stopped. Went in and picked up what was needed, and came out to rain. Storm had caught up to us. Turned around and went back into Wal Mart for lunch ( Subway ) to wait out the worse of the rain.

Once back on the road we made our way to our chosen camp area for the night. We will stay overnight in the dirt lot of a small restaurant called the 4B's off I-90 in Deer Lodge Mt... We have no hookups so internet is battery run only... Might be able to recharge at McDonnell's later tonight or tomorrow morning.. For now enjoy the photos of today's drive.