07/05/2021
A lot has happened since I wrote the last blog so I will do my best to account for for them.
If you recall, in that blog, I described what was going to happen regarding taking the Eagle to Georgetown to purchase the new RV. As with all of the best laid plans, things just did not work out as planned but the end result was still the same. I got up early (for me) knowing that we had a busy day ahead of us. As usual, Sandy took me and Mikey on our early morning walk around the park meeting and barking at a few other dogs along the way. Mikey has now picked up Sandy’s bad habit of barking embarrassing me even more than before. I am always very apologetic and most of the other dog owners understand as their dogs sometimes may well have started it.
We had a quick breakfast and then I drove to Malone Diesel to pick up the truck. I paid my bill, collected the mirror trim and hooked the car up to the truck. This time, it went much quicker as I am getting used to the different steps involved. I unhooked the car and parked it with her permission in my neighbors lot as she was away and I knew I needed space to hook up the Eagle. First though, I finished unloading the last of what I could put under the tarp in the hope of lessening the amount of transfer work BJ and I would have to do in Georgetown.
Then I focused on hooking up the 5th wheel on the truck to the Eagle but had all kinds of problems as the unit on the truck was jammed and would not release no matter what I did. It took me about 45 minutes of sweating and cussing under my breath before brute force released the clamp. After that, the unit hooked up in no time at all and we were ready to roll. This little incident brought home to me the reason we were going to make the trade. We had a 4:00 o’clock appointment but I knew we were going to be late. So much to do and so little time.
BJ’s original plan was for us to meet at the Valero Gas station on 130 so we could drive up together but somehow, I could not find it and so finally she said we would meet at Crestview. She must have passed me along the way as she arrived first calling to find out where I was. We eventually met up and I took care of the paper work signing my life away yet one more time while BJ looked after the dogs who had to make the trip as their only home was getting sold out from under them. By then, it was already getting late and all of the Crestview employees went home leaving us to work on transferring everything and I mean everything. It was close to 10:00 pm before we were all through and drove out of the Crestview parking lot. Before I drove off, I took one last look at the Eagle and the truck, both of which had served me well in the short time that I owned them.
The trip home was uneventful even though it was the first time in driving this particular rig. I don’t like driving at night any more than I have to as the glare from the oncoming lights bothers me a bit. The eyes are just not what they used to be. One thing I noticed was that I knew when a big rig was coming up behind and passing me as the RV would sway about a bit as the air currents reached us. After the first time it happened, I was prepared and made the adjustments as needed. It was totally dark when I arrived back at the campgrounds so I opted to pull in to the site just for overnight. I was able to hook up the power chord and water to give us some comfort and after taking the dogs on a short walk, we all went to bed. I didn’t even try to make it just opting for a couple of covers and a pillow.
And so on June 26, 2021 we spent the first night of many in our new home.
Morning came as it always does and I unhooked the water and power and then backed the RV into the site. Making sure it was where I needed to be, I pushed the button and watched in amazement as the unit quickly levelled itself. So much easier than the Eagle that took time and effort using wood blocks and required getting out of the truck several times. I noticed that the front wheels were actually off the ground and decided that I would play safe and put blocks under them to give them some support. So, I pushed another button and the jacks automatically retracted and I drove forward enough to place the blocks and then back to get up on them before pushing the button that automatically levelled the rig. This time, the wheels were supported and I went about the business of installing the wheel chocks and hooking up the water hose, power cable and finally the sewer hoses which this time, required an additional hose which luckily I had. In my mind, that particular ease of setting up was enough to warrant trading in the Eagle especially when we do hit the road.
That was eleven days ago and in that time, I have spent many hours going through all of the stuff that I had taken out of the Eagle and put under a couple of tarps outside. The new RV, named Eagle Two, is somewhat smaller than the Eagle both in length at 27 feet versus 33 feet and the amount of storage space and I really wondered just how much I would ultimately be able to keep. It turns out that the life saver in all of this from my perspective is the large area over the cab which is set up as bunk beds for kids but has turned into my own personal storage area. It now contains several large plastic containers of stuff that I would like to keep. I have to be careful not to exceed 350 pounds which is what the area is designated as the maximum amount.
It is hard to believe that my whole life is now wrapped up inside of Eagle Two. All of my personal belongings of a lifetime are here. A lot I gave away and a lot more ended up in the junk pile of value to no one other than myself for whatever misguided reasons. The passing years and differing interests account for a lot of that. Time has a way of changing ones outlook.
Written 07/05/2021
Check out my old blog at https://pondblog2011.com
Is it Eagle Two or Harold? I have to add that moving all of the things from one RV to another was a very lengthy process. Down the steps, across the way, up the steps, back down the steps, across the way and up the steps to get another arm full. A million times! For at least three hours. It was exhausting and I’m not 85.
To be truthful, BJ did most of the work as she tirelessly moved load after load. I was in Eagle Two trying to find places to put it all, not very successfully, I might add. Thanks BJ.
It was a long and tiring process but made much easier thanks to BJ