Today is our last full day at this park before we move on tomorrow. We are only travelling about 30 miles to Southgate RV Park in Fayetteville, and I would not have moved if this park had been able to accommodate us. But needs must and we are still close enough to the Jeep if and when it eventually is repaired and drivable.
We went out for the morning walk with Sandy trying to make friends with a couple of smaller dogs walking their owner. There was not a lot of activity around the park, but we managed to cover a half mile before returning to Quatro. Incidentally, yesterday, I walked 2.3 miles what with the back and forths to the laundry room.
After breakfast, I worked on the blog and then made some phone calls. The new tow bar is in, and I asked if it could be delivered which they agreed to do. I do not need it yet as the Jeep is still in the shop but good to have it available when the time comes. Now, everything depends on the Jeep and if they can get it running although that does not stop us from moving tomorrow.
I worked on the usual preparation work that we routinely do when we move. Things like folding the outdoor carpet and putting it and the corresponding weights that I use to hold it down into their respective places. Sad that the weights I used to use when I worked out all of the time are now used to hold down the outdoor carpet. Oh welI… I also did some of the small things like taking the covers off the tires and removing the chocks which are just a safety precaution although on some sites that slope a lot, they are a necessity. Now, all we must do outside is disconnect the hoses and electricity, lower the jacks, and pick up the levelling blocks and we will be ready to go. The gentleman from Scotty’s RV stopped by and delivered the new towing arm. He took the old one away with him for which I was incredibly grateful as it was just taking up space and adding weight. I left the new one in the box, not having any use for it until the Jeep is repaired.
I went back inside to work on the blog and could not find my glasses anywhere. Prior to this, I had bagged up the trash ready to take it to the dumpster the next time we go walking. I searched and searched and, in the end, had to go through the bagged trash, piece by piece just in case. Needless to say, it was not in any of those bags, and I was glad to finish with that disgusting job but still did not have the glasses. I turned the RV upside down looking in every conceivable place and as a last resort, looked in the new trash bag that I had put up after discarding the full ones and there they were. Somehow, I had managed to knock them off the countertop and into the trash bag. Lesson learned, put them somewhere safe next time.
The RV is ready to move with everything put away and the last of the usual outside work will not happen until we do the actual move. All the restraining bars are in place in the cabinets except for the refrigerator, only a 2-minute job and what little is left will happen when we pull in the slides. It sounds like a lot of work but after a couple of trips, I have learned what is likely to move around. On one trip, the refrigerator door popped open, and cans and stuff were rolling around all over the floor even under my feet as I drove. As I could not pull over, it stayed like that for the rest of the trip. Incidentally, one thing I have discovered when driving an RV is that rest stops or just places to pull off the road are very few and far between even on the Interstates and major highways. In a town unless it is a large store with a big parking lot, pull off places are even harder to find. You cannot exactly parallel park a big RV into a normal parking place on a street especially if towing the Jeep and as I have learned at my expense, cannot back up at all while the Jeep is connected.
I finished writing as much as I could and we went out for the afternoon walk heading to the dumpster on the way with our large bag of trash. Glad to get rid of that one after having to sort through it looking for the glasses. Never knew how disgusting my own trash can be…Back at the RV, we sat outside and listened to an Audiobook for about an hour before going for yet another stroll around the park. This is, after all, the last evening walk we will take here. I did a couple more things around the RV before we stopped for the day and went inside for the usual evening meal.
I had a very restless night due to both of my feet and ankles itching up a storm. I noticed that both dogs have been bothered a lot by whatever is biting them, and the damn bugs have now turned their attention to me. I have not seen or felt the bites as they happen, but they itch like crazy afterwards. We used to call those bugs, “no see ‘ems” as they are invisible to the naked eye, but they are very annoying. Probably chiggers. I eventually dropped back off to sleep after treating the affected areas with cream and powder which helped a lot. Consequently, I woke up late and it was almost 10:00 am before I crawled out of bed.
We wandered around the park and covered about a half mile. It was quiet out and the working people were back earning their dollars after yesterday’s Holiday. We did not meet a single person or car which is unusual. Well maybe not as we were much later than normal. Back inside of Quatro, following the normal breakfast and coffee, I sat and read emails and responded to a couple and then turned my attention to the RV and the Jeep. I was hoping that following yesterday’s Holiday, I would have heard something more on either, but I ended up having to call both insurance contacts to see if there is any news. In both cases, nothing positive, just the standard “I will get back to you”. I called the contact at the Jeep place, and he told me they had installed the new batteries and it still would not start. They are still checking. That decided me and I went outside and put the wicker couch and table onto the carryall and strapped everything down.
I noticed that my tenting neighbors were taking down their tent and as I watched, they put up a brand new one that was larger than the original. I walked over to chat and noticed that it had two doors and I playfully joked, “His and Hers” and they responded with “Us and the Dogs”. Makes sense for the dogs to have their own space as all they appear to get along well enough making it much easier to manage. Thinking about it, I must take my hat off to this couple who are prepared to spend money to look after their furry friends even to the extent of buying a new tent. At least they show some responsibility.
I decided to do laundry as the bag was full. I loaded everything out and walked the 200 yards to the laundry room and used two washers. Thirty-five minutes later, I walked back and put the clothes into two driers, one of which sounded like it was on its last legs. Hope it lasts long enough to dry out the clothes. I walked back and then had to face the difficult task of making the bed. The difficult part is in reaching the top to fold everything down, but it went well this time, much to my relief. At least, I can get around this bed even if I do have to step up about 18 inches to do so. The step is to accommodate the storage areas underneath the RV. Small price to pay as changing the sheets and remaking the bed only happens about every two weeks. Incidentally, I am glad I do not have a wife or a significant other as the bed, a short queen size just about accommodates me and the dogs and there really is no room for someone like a partner. The dogs have two thirds and I have a third. At least, that is how is seems when I wake up. Makes sense I guess, a third of the bed each. Of course, I am still the boss but only in my mind…It is amazing how much room, two little dogs can take up. It does not help that Mikey insists on sleeping so close that he touches me. That is until he gets too hot, then he moves away. I walked back over to the laundry room and folded the laundry, put it in the bag and made my way back to Quatro where I put the clean and folded laundry into its proper places. Some things I can do well, and laundry is one of them. Other things, not so much. Who said it was women’s work?
Back in Quatro, I settled down to write waiting for it to cool down just a little bit before heading out for that last walk of the day. We wandered around as we usually do not in any hurry unless Sandy smells something interesting then she makes a beeline for it, dragging the both of us reluctantly behind her.
We sat outside for a while listening to an Audiobook and had one burst of excitement while doing so. A big yellow Labrador suddenly appeared barking up a storm, but it was not interested in my dogs. Rather the noisy ones across the street. Just in case, I hustled mine inside the RV before the owner managed to catch his dog. He was full of apologies and mentioned that his dog has found out how to get out of the RV. Smart dog. With no harm done, I let my dogs back out and we continued to sit outside until almost 8:00 pm then we adjourned back indoors for the usual evening meal and television.
This is how much the hill slopes and the site are all at different levels.
I slept like the proverbial log having dropped off to sleep in the middle of watching a soccer game, the evening before. No idea why I was so tired as we had not done anything physically different than usual. The dogs too were tired and made no effort to get up even after I did. They usually go with me to the little bathroom as they know they get a lot of petting when I am sitting on the john and tend to take full advantage of my temporary immobility by demanding lots of attention. Incidentally, not a lot of room in there when I am alone, and you can imagine how crowded it gets with the three of us.
We went out for the morning walk around the park and as is our usual custom, covered a half mile. I noticed that the tent dwellers that came in yesterday, have already moved on. They did not stay long. Our other tent dweller with the two large dogs and three small puppies, are still here. I can see the dogs where they are attached to the outdoor table and the puppies frolic and play, barking and squealing and are very amusing to watch. It must be extremely difficult to camp, in a tent, with two adult dogs and three puppies. How do you keep them secure so they do not escape while inside and it must be awfully crowded in such a small space. Tent camping is so different than what we do. I did it a lot in my much younger days starting when I was a Boy Scout and later as an adult with various friends and sometimes, even girlfriends, but I would not want to do it now. Way too old and I like my creature comforts too much. Besides that, the ground is hard to sleep on even with an air mattress and it has creepy crawly things on it. Incidentally, only one of my three wives liked to camp, the last and the youngest. The other two preferred the comforts of four walls and a roof and a real bed with a soft mattress. Maybe that accounts for my love of this camping life.
This is our last week here as we travel out this coming Thursday. At least Quatro is drivable, and we await news of the Jeep although tomorrow is a Holiday so we will not hear anything until Tuesday at the earliest. I am hoping that I will be able to pick up the Jeep on our way out of town as we head to Southgate RV Park in Fayetteville on Thursday. It is only a 30-mile trip, and we are booked in for a month while we try to get our business with the car and RV, sorted out.
I had some things to do in the RV like repair the small wooden file cabinet that I carry around with my life’s worth of “important” papers. Stuff like my will and insurance information and that sort of thing. It is not a big cabinet and is one of those self-construct units which came in a myriad of parts and pieces requiring assembly which was not a problem for me. It is wedged behind the passenger seat and when we travel, I need to put a couple of bungee cords around it to stop the drawers from opening. Needless to say, I forgot on the last trip and when the file drawer slid open with the heavy files inside, if forced the front off the unit requiring the repair that I did today. Of course, the drawer is loaded with no more room and I cannot find anything when I need it which, thank goodness, is not very often. Incidentally, it will not fall off again as now it has four, inch and a half screws holding it together. Gotta remember the bungee cords next time we travel.
With the repair done, I tidied up the RV and settled down to write again as it was still early afternoon and not yet time for walkies. Actually, we do not have set times except for morning and evening and are more governed by the amount of shade to keep cool as we walk. Even so, a couple of circuits and I start to sweat longing for the air-conditioned comfort of Quatro. Mikey is like me and is always ready to head for home, but Sandy will go and go until she gets tired. Then she flops down where she is to rest for a couple of minutes. No amount of coaxing and cajoling will get her to move until she is ready. Mikey and I just look at each other when she does this and his look says “Women” although in her case it is “Bitch” … He loves her though and we all get along great although we both acknowledge that she is the boss.
My thoughts turned to the fact that it is almost Fall. The plan is to head back to Henly in Texas to winter out and I have a spot reserved there for December 1st. We plan on staying at the next campground for a month as we try to get the Jeep problems sorted out and then move on this time heading South as the cold weather will follow us back to Texas. When I lived in upper New York State after I and my family first came over to this country in 1967, it was not uncommon for the first frosts to arrive towards the end of September, and I certainly do not want to be caught driving on icy roads. I looked it up and the Farmer’s Almanac says that the first frost might arrive in Arkansas by mid-October. If I had to, I could scurry back into Texas in a hurry. That is, if the Jeep is fixed and towable.
We went out for the afternoon walk and wandered around for a bit. I noticed that there was camp stuff at the campsite recently vacated by the overnight Tenters and wandered over to see what was going on. At first, I thought that they had left stuff behind and would be coming back for it but that really did not make a lot of sense. Then as I investigated further, I found a large cage that contained four very young kittens that could not have been much more than a few days old. I moved the cage into the shade wondering what I should do. Not having any other course of action, I left a message with the Camp Manager.
The kittens worried me enough that I kept a close eye on them and happened to be standing by the cage when the Tenters from further down the street pulled up and explained that they were moving sites for various reasons and that the gear and the kittens were theirs. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, I chatted to the lady of the house (tent) for a bit, and she said they were moving because of lack of shade and muddy conditions. She had brought the mother cat with her and put it in the cage with the kittens. I went back to Quatro and placed a call into the Park Super to let her know it was a false alarm. In the course of the next 30 minutes, the Tenters had moved everything over and were all set up.
Thankful that it was one less thing for me to worry about, the kittens not the Tenters, I did some chores around the RV and then we sat outside and listened to an Audiobook which was so good that we stayed out until almost 8:00 pm before going back indoors and settling in for the evening.
Monte Ne RV Park, Rogers AR, Day 12 Monday 09/05/2022
They are repairing the utilities on this site.
I slept well only waking once for the call of Nature and dropping straight back off to sleep. We got up at our “normal” time of 9:00 am and wandered around for a bit. Returning to Quatro where we went through the usual breakfast and email procedures before settling down to write. I wrote for some time and worked on some pictures before posting a couple of the blogs and then went outside to do some work, or so I thought.
We are pulling out of here on Thursday as per our original plans now that the awning is fixed, and the coach is drivable, and the plan is to carry the wicker couch on the carryall as we usually do only this time, it is now hooked onto the RV. I got to thinking just as I was about to load the couch that maybe I should wait at least a couple more days in case I may hear back about the Jeep repairs. If they fix it so that it runs, then I will stop by the Jeep Dealership that is doing the work and hook it up to Quatro. A lot depends on if the new tow bar comes in although, at a pinch, I could still us the old one for the 30 miles to the next site. If we go this route, then the carryall will go onto the back of the Jeep where it usually is and the wicker couch onto it. If the Jeep is not ready, then the carryall will stay on Quatro, and we will carry the couch on it. The availability of the Jeep is the unknown factor here.
With that line of thinking, I decided that there is no point in doing anything until I get more information, hopefully tomorrow or at the latest, Wednesday. Without having to attach the Jeep, we can be ready to go in about 30 minutes and there is no point in taking the carryall off the RV until I know what the plan is. A lot of ifs, buts and maybes. Still, life would be very dull if it was always straightforward. Would be nice though…
Even though it was earlier than we normally go out, we went walking the park and chatted to a couple of the residents. With today a holiday, nearly all of them were home and some were outside either working on their RV’s, sitting around or even cooking on the grill. The smell of cooking meat wafted through the air, not unpleasant at all. Certainly, made the dogs do a lot of sniffing. We got back and sat around outside listening to an Audiobook for an hour or so and watched people come and go until I decided that we should walk again. Sandy was all for it, Mikey, not so much but he came along anyway not wanting to miss out or to let Sandy have me all to herself. We wandered around and stopped to talk to a gentleman that was up on the roof of his RV fixing it before heading back. So far, we have covered 1.5 miles for the day and it is early yet…
Back inside, I wrote about today’s happenings, but it was still early, one of those days when time passes slowly instead of whizzing by as it usually does so we went out for another walk. This was just a short one and at the end we covered the 2 miles we were aiming for. The rest of the evening was spent in the usual fashion, and I watched as my two favorite teams, Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion won their respective games. Very satisfying indeed.
It rained hard all night and into the early afternoon before easing off. I decided, “to hell with it”, and rolled over and went back to sleep getting up at 11:00 am. It was easy to do that with the sound of the rain on the roof. After viewing the awning damage, all I wanted to do was to bury my head in the sand and the pillow was the next best thing. I crawled out and we went out for a quick walk before returning for breakfast.
I started researching trying to find someone to repair or replace the awning on the RV and after several different phone calls managed to find Scotty’s RV located in Rogers. I called them and a mechanic came out to look exclaiming, “That I have never seen one damaged like this before”. Of course, he hasn’t. Mine had to be one of a kind. He took measurements and left saying they would be in touch.
My next move was to call the front RV office to explain that I did not think I would be able to move out on the arranged date because of the problem and I was not expecting it to be repaired immediately.They very graciously said they would work with me. That is a relief as now the deadline is not as important. Then, I called the next campsite, Southgate RV Park in Fayetteville and explained the situation with them. Again, they were very helpful, and our reservation has been pushed back to whenever we can move.
I received a call from Scotty’s RV to say they had a used unit in stock. If we agreed on the price, they would send the mechanic back to install it which of course, I quickly said yes and about 30 minutes later, three of them showed up and started work. They took about an hour while I sat inside and listened to the noise of the drill as they worked away. Eventually, they had it repaired by replacing the bent arm with a good used one they had in stock. I got a break on the price accordingly but what the heck, new, used who cares as long as it functions properly. It is a used RV after all! Just as they finished, it came on to rain but this time, the awning was in with no fear of any damage to it.
I was impressed with their service and called Scotty’s RV back to see if they had a Blue Ox tow bar to replace the one that I damaged. They did not have one in stock, and I got them to order one which should be here next week. On top of that, they will drop it off for me. Cannot ask for better service than that.
I received text messages from where the Jeep is located, and they informed me that they are working on diagnosing the problems but think that both batteries will need to be replaced which, incidentally, are $400.00 apiece which includes the installation. I told them to go ahead with the repair and asked them to check out the suspension at the same time. Things are finally coming together. Meanwhile, I had to call both the campsite we are staying at and the new one we are moving to and go back to our original arrangement meaning that we will leave here on the 8th of this month. That is, unless something else comes up.
It came on to rain and I mean rain. It just fell out of the sky in torrents accompanied by loud thunder. No wonder everything is so green here. We just snuggled up inside Quatro feeling much better about the world.
Oh yes, the awning was cranked in when it rained. Not making that mistake again. I always pulled it in when there was any sign of strong wind but I did not think about heavy rain which built up and the additional weight is what caused the awning to collapse.
Monte Ne RV Park, Rogers AR, Day 10 Saturday 09/03/2022
This road is the main road in the park and continues in a big loop. Quatro is the 4th RV on the right. The lots on the left are only partial hookups with no sewer connection and are used by tent campers.
Back when I was a working man, many years ago, I always looked forward to Saturdays as it was a day off from the tedium of the 9-5 jobs that I had. Well, more like 7:30 am to 4:30 PM but you know what I mean. Nowadays, Saturday is the 7th day of the week and no different for us than all the other days in the week, month and year. The only time we are governed by the date or time is on moving day and the very occasional doctors’ appointments which only happen when we are back in Texas. This Saturday is not going to be any different than the rest of the week. Well, maybe that is not entirely true as yesterday we had the awning repaired and hopefully will never have to do that again. I do miss not having the Jeep as I am tied to walking this park. I am also trying hard to stretch my remaining food supply and such until we get the Jeep back, whenever that may be. At least, it may give me a chance to clean out the freezer by eating the food in there. Same is true of the multitude of canned foods. I will not starve but will be drinking my coffee black. I may even have to eat the couple of cans of sardines…
We walked around the park not seeing a single soul and managed to cover a half mile before returning for breakfast followed by the usual trashing emails and writing in the blog. Compared to yesterday, today will be very quiet, I hope…
Following breakfast, I sat and answered a couple of emails before turning my attention to the blog which usually takes a couple of hours a day. A lot depends on if I am caught up or writing out of memory which is not so good anymore and I really have to think about what happened if it is more than a couple of days ago. No such thing as instant recall unless it happened twenty-five years ago and then there are no memory problems. Well, OK, maybe still some…
I watched as a couple pulled into the tent sites across the street and quickly and expertly, set up their large tent. They had obviously done this before and had a system worked out both doing their assigned things but working as a team. Quite a difference between their form of camping and ours. Even so, we probably both have a bond with the same love of the outdoor lifestyle. Mine just has a lot more creature comforts and air conditioning. Then again, my old bones would not do well sleeping on the ground.
I busied myself with things I was looking up on the computer and spent quite a considerable amount of time on that research before the dogs reminded me that it was time to go out for the evening walk. We wandered around the park as we usually do and even though there is no great distance, it is quite a workout going up the several hills that lead from the bottom road to the top one. These hills are short and pretty steep, and we have usually raised our air intake by quite a bit by going up them. Coming down is much easier of course except the blacktop is covered in rain washout which includes of lots of small rocks and stones that tend to skid out from underfoot. I am especially careful going down as I do not need to go ass over tip and hurt myself. The dogs have no problem in either direction but then again,they have four legs and a tail and are much lower to the ground.
Back at Quatro, we sat outside with a seltzer and listened to Audiobooks for a while before adjourning back inside for the usual evenings repast.
I slept well and woke up at 9:00 am feeling very refreshed. and we went out and walked around the park. A couple of cars passed us, and we waved our “Good Morning” greetings but other than that, it was quiet. We returned to Quatro for breakfast and then, I settled down in front of the computer to do the usual thing, trash emails, answer a couple and then write the blog.
I turned my attention to the Jeep as currently, it is in somebody’s AAA parking yard because apparently, the place I wanted it to go for repairs is full and they are not taking new customers. Wish I had known that from the start. My insurance agent for the Good Sam insurance company called me to pass along what I needed to do in order to get the Jeep to where it needs to go. I spent the next 2 hours on the phone getting either answering machines or automated messaging before finally reaching a real live person who was more than helpful. Oh, I forgot to mention that I did get one other live person who redirected me to my original starting place. Back to square one and so frustrating.
I got a couple of calls from the tow truck driver who was heading to where the Jeep was located but nothing since then. I do know that they are not able to start work on the Jeep until the 13th of the month and by then, we will be in Fayetteville at our next camp spot. All I need is for the Jeep to run so it is useable and towable. We can worry about the aesthetic repairs later. I was so frustrated that I grabbed one of my tiny bottles of white wine and consumed it in no time flat. The bottles only hold 9.5 fluid ounces, not much more than a couple of mouthfuls so no big deal drinking so early…
We went out for a walk around the park. It had cooled off and there is rain in the forecast and the clouds had moved in. We wandered around trying to avoid any confrontations which we succeeded very well. Back at Quatro, we sat outside for a while listening to an Audiobook, one of Jack Ryans stories, which although a bit far-fetched is none the less, entertaining. The skies darkened over, and the first drops of rain came down. We hustled back inside just in time before it came on to rain very hard. Still, we did not care as we were all snuggled up inside in the dry. Just as I wrote this, the awning collapsed under the weight of the rain. Something else to work on when it dries out. Always something in this RV life.
I made a bunch of phone calls to help with finding the location of the RV and then called AAA to get them the information to transfer it to where it needs to go. I received a couple more calls from the Tow Truck driver asking for more information. With this out of the way, we adjourned back inside of the RV for the evening. It continued to rain hard for most of the night.
I got up early knowing that today was going to be a busy day. We went out for a walk around the park and met our Neighbor with the noisy dogs and we stopped to talk for a bit. One of them had wandered off and he was trying to find it. He seems like a nice guy. We moved on with our walk before returning for the usual start to all our days.
I got a phone call that the tow truck was on the way and before long, there was a knock on my door, and I went out to greet the AAA Tow Truck driver. We chatted for a bit, and he got to work trying to get the Jeep started. After trying everything he knew, he gave up and called for a tow truck. He left and about an hour later, a tow truck pulled up, this time a flatbed truck whose intentions were to load the Jeep up onto it. In order to do this, the tow driver had to put the Jeep transmission in neutral just as I do when I am towing, but because the engine would not start, was unable to do so.
He worked for a bit trying different things and then made the call, this time for a bigger tow truck. He left and an hour later, the third tow truck showed up. This was a little bigger unit, but he still went through the same routines as the other two drivers. He had no better luck than those other two so eventually, he hooked the Jeep up behind his truck and off he went. Before he left, we took off the carrier that is sort of permanently mounted on the back of the Jeep which I use to transport the wicker couch and chair.
After he was gone, I took the Blue Ox towbar off the RV and will need to find a place to dispose of it as it is bent and useless. I hooked the carrier back onto the RV as we will be moving in a few days and need both a place to carry the unit plus something to carry the wicker couch. I will need to buy another Blue Ox towbar before we move from our next site although I do have some time to do that. We are booked in for a month at a place called Southgate RV Park in Fayetteville so that hopefully, the Jeep will be repaired in that time.
With this done, we headed back indoors out of the warm sun to write for a bit, as we wait for the outcome at the repair place which will not be today.
We got up early, a little after 6:30 am as we had that 10:00 am appointment with the RV Shop. I wanted to allow an hour for the drive which I considered would be sufficient which meant leaving here around 9:00 am. Needless to say, the best laid plans and all that resulted in leaving at almost 9:15 am. Still, we made good time, and the journey was uneventful until the very last turn, and I took the wrong road and added a couple of miles to the journey by circling around. Very frustrating to pass your destination and can’t get to it because it is on a different road. The thing is that with an RV, you cannot just change your mind and drive any old were. You must have a plan.
I finally arrived and we got the business taken care of in about 30 minutes. I carefully turned the RV around and we headed back to the RV Park. The drive back was uneventful, and we made good time (didn’t I say that already?) and pulled into our site. While I was setting up, another RV pulled into the site next door. While I was out re-connecting everything and putting the outside area back in place, the camp manager stopped by and asked me to move my car out of the spot I had left it while we were in town as it was in a new not yet arrived, campers’ space. While she was there, I mentioned my run in with the dogs and she tut tutted and made a beeline for their camp. I moved the Jeep to where it is out of the way only for it to die completely after I parked it. Nothing worked, no instruments, no lights, no nothing. The Jeep was completely dead. It looks like I will need to make some calls.
I eventually finished the set up as it is easy if you have a system, and we took a short walk just so the dogs could stretch their little legs. Mine too, I guess as I can always use the exercise, before heading back inside where it was a lot cooler. The humidity was high making for it to be sticky outdoors.
Back inside, I put the pork tenderloins (for me) and chicken drumstick meat (for the dogs) on the indoor grill, and everything cooked while I continued writing and catching up. Multi-tasking at its best. I wrote until the meat was cooked and then we went out for the final walk of the day making sure to stay away from the area those other dogs are in so as not to get them started or the owner in trouble.
I got up late and it was almost 10:00 am before I rolled out of the sack. I must have been tired to sleep so late. The dogs made no effort to get up so they must have been just as tired as I was. We wandered around the park enjoying the shade as the sun was already hot and we covered around a half mile. There were a few people sitting outside or cooking breakfast. There are a lot of full-time residents here and some of the RV’s are showing their age. Not trashy looking but more like not aging well. There are also several that do not look occupied and are just sitting there. Maybe weekenders with permanently parked RV’s. Many sites are doubles with RV’s parked nose to tail, each with their own separate hook ups but not a lot of space from your neighbors. Our site is one of those except that currently, there is no one else in the other spot. The park is built in layers on the side of a hill and the sites have been bulldozed out and levelled. From where we are parked, the lowest RV, which is four rows down the hill, I can just see the top of their roof. Must have been fun parking some of them as they are mostly big 5th wheels or coaches that are no longer driven. Still, once they are parked, that is where they are going to stay. Not like us, constantly on the move. Well, we would be if it were not for the pending repairs which is currently an unknown factor.
On our drive down to the lake yesterday, I passed a storage area that had a Class A sitting in it which looked OK from one side. When I drove back, I could see that it had tremendous damage to the other side with the entire side torn away and furniture and mattresses poking out of it. Wonder what the story is behind it. Maybe, I don’t want to know…
I contemplated going into the nearest Walmart’s but decided against it as it is Sunday and I want to combine trips and visit the Jeep dealership at the same time. I also need to stop by Camping World and make an appointment to get the estimate to repair Quatro, so it looks like I have something to do for a couple of days, next week. Not really the sort of things I want to do, though.
We went out for another walk-about covering the roads that are our trails. At least, it is decent walking most of the time. When we came back, we sat for a while just enjoying the outdoors and listening to a Jack Ryan story on Audiobooks for about an hour and then went walking again. It is still a bit humid, and I managed to sweat up a storm even though we were in the shade most of the time. Altogether, we covered 1.5 miles and have brought out distances up by quite a bit than from the last campground.
I was looking at a posting on RV Blogger and it just happened to be about the Blue Ox tow bar which is the one we have. I found it interesting because I met some of the same problems that they described. I could not resist and had to add my five cents worth in their comment section.
The rest of the evening was spent in the usual fashion, food all around and then watching my two favorite football teams, English style, win their respective games.
Monte Ne RV Park, Rogers AR, Day 5 Monday 08/29/2022
Lots of imagination
We did the usual morning thing, sleeping late, walking the dogs and then breakfast before settling in to read the emails with the usual results. Amazing the stuff some people write and expect others to actually read. I got bored with it all and decided to go into Camping World in Lowell about a 6-mile journey. They are the ones that will assess the damage to the RV and maybe do the repair. Another reason to take the car in first was to see what sort of a trip it would be for the RV. As it turned out, it was uneventful and quite straightforward with no fear of road closures or narrow twisty lanes. I found someone in authority that could help me and set up an appointment for tomorrow. I also inquired about a Blue Ox towbar to replace the damaged one on the RV, but they do not carry them in stock and will have to order one from the Manufacturers which will take about 3 weeks or so, something else to add into our plans.
I drove over to the nearest Walmart’s, another gigantic store, and wandered around although I pretty much knew what I wanted as I had a list! I stocked up on wine just in case we end up in a dry county. Heck, you never know. Prior to that, this Walmart’s has a hairdresser and much to my delight, I was their only customer and sat down in the chair. My hairdresser was a sweet young thing who did her best to cut it just how I wanted it although it is hard to screw up a short back and sides and trim the sideburns, please. She kept me amused for the fifteen minutes she took to cut it and I made sure that I left her a good tip not only because my hair was short(er), but she obviously enjoyed her work.
I paid the bill and walked out to be confronted by a passing rain shower accompanied by loud claps of thunder and by the time I had unloaded my cart, I was soaked even with poncho on that I had grabbed from the car. The drive back was very slow and luckily the wipers were working although it was so dark, that I inadvertently opened the sunroof to let in more rain while I was fiddling around and then couldn’t figure out how to close it. Incidentally, the suspension on the Jeep is nonexistent and I could feel every bump and stone in the road. It absolutely poured down and it was a slow drive back as it was almost like driving at night in the rain.
By the time we arrived back at the campground, it had stopped raining, thank goodness although, by then, I was already soaked. I got plenty of help unloading the groceries as usual and just as I was getting ready to take the dogs walking, two large dogs came running up barking up a storm. I at once put Sandy and Mikey back inside of Quatro and turned to face the two dogs, both large and aggressive and very noisy. We had a bit of a confrontation, and they made several passes at me as though to bite before eventually, turning tail and running off to a different part of the park. By now, the owner who had just moved into the tent camping area showed up and managed to collect them taking them back to his area. We had a bit of a shouting match, but he really doesn’t have a leg to stand on as all outside dogs have to be always on a leash. I feel sorry for the dogs as all they have is a large tent and the car and they ended up in the car. If Management finds out, he will be asked to leave after being given a warning. After all, they cannot afford to have dog attacks as they could get sued.
We went out for that last walk of the day and made sure to walk in the opposite direction to the other dogs just in case they might be loose. I managed to cover a couple of miles with the added walk around Walmart’s. At least here, we are getting in our mile plus more on a regular basis. Back in Quatro, it was the usual meals and entertainment although I did go to bed a bit earlier knowing that I needed to get up early for that 10:00 am appointment
This view shows how hilly it is here. The RV looks half buried but is just on a different level.
I had a sleepless night caused by the anxieties of the trip and damaging both vehicles and finally crawled out around 9:30 am. We strolled around the park which has a series of interconnecting roads that crisscross and encircle the many permanently parked RV’s. It is hilly and the walks are both up and down some pretty steep inclines. The main roads are paved so walking is easy. The entire park is surrounded by forest and there is a stream at the bottom but as far as I can see, no trails leading down. Back in Quatro, I made us breakfast. Mine was eaten by me and the dogs ignored theirs. Funny, but as I age, food is just a necessity and not really something to be enjoyed. Now, that first cup of coffee, a whole different story.
I sat and wrote for a while to catch up and then decided to bite the bullet and get down to contacting Good Sam, the insurance company that I just changes to less than 3 weeks ago. They are going to love me and probably, my rates will go up. I got all my information together in one place, hopefully and dialed the number and then spent the next hour and half on the phone talking to different Reps. We collectively, got it all sorted out and they have the claims and are working on them. It took a while for them to understand that there are two claims both involved in the accident, one for the RV and the other for the Jeep. Now all I can do is wait for instructions as I will have to drive the RV to the nearest RV Shop to get it inspected and the damage assessed. The shop is about 6 miles away so not too bad.
By the time this was all over, it was time to go out to the office both to pay my fees and check for mail. They have a different system for mail as it is kept in a small building outside of the main office and you go in and find your own. Mine was not there so maybe more problems. Incidentally, the office was closed for the day at 4:00 pm so it will have to wait until tomorrow.
We went out for another walk around the park and managed to cover 1.5 miles for the day. It is much nicer walking with so many trees and so much shade although the terrain is bit challenging. Still, all good for the cardio and that is why we walk as well as exercising the dogs. Back at Quatro, I messed around and unloaded the wicker couch and the large mat from the Jeep and set them up outside of the RV, but the sun shone on them, so we sat in the folding chair in the shade for a while before adjourning back inside for the usual evening meal and entertainment. Incidentally, the TV has good reception here.
Monte Ne RV Park, Rogers AR, Day 3 Saturday 07/27/2022
We crawled out at the usual time and then went out walking the roads, mostly in the shade. What is great about this park is that it does have plenty of shade. Lots of tall trees covered in foliage. We wandered around before returning to Quatro. Instead, of at once making breakfast, I chose a break from the norm and went out to do some work on the Jeep trying to make sure that the damage does not impede the steering or that the tire does not rub against the frame. Incidentally, the warnings are going nuts telling me the hood is open and that one of the tires is low on pressure and a couple of other things. There is nothing I can do for the hood as it is closed but bent and I checked the tire pressures all around and they are OK. I tried to raise the body as the Jeep is designed to do for rough terrain, but it does not work now either. Pity as this would have given me more tire clearance. Satisfied that it was as good as it will get until it is repaired, I drove to the office to pay for my Reservations and managed to negotiate a bit longer for a total of two weeks stay. Depending on how the Insurance claim goes, I can probably get to stay longer if needed. If I do go forward with the body repairs to Quatro, I will need to stay in a Motel but for how long is the question. I am hoping that if I can find a repair shop for the Jeep, I can rent a car for local transport. I’m thinking that I will probably need to be closer to a larger city for both repairs to happen.
I drove back to Quatro but before that, took the road leading to the lake which, incidentally, is extremely rough and pot holy. There was not a lot to see so I drove back to Quatro and parked the car. I realized that I had forgotten to ask about the mail I was expecting and called the Office and was answered by Kinsey. When I inquired, she said she would get back to me which she did by delivering the mail to my door. I thanked her profusely and she went on her way. Most of the mail was junk except for two letters from Good Sam with my insurance cards which I had been waiting for.
Finally, we got around to breakfast and coffee before settling down in front of the computer. I had taken a whole bunch of pictures on our walk around and spent time in getting them ready for print enlarging the ones of the vehicle damage for a better view. I posted the blog, so it is up to date remembering that because this is the weekend, Saturday and Sunday are posted together to prevent the actual blogs getting too far behind. If I really need to bring the posting dates closer, then I double up and post Friday/Saturday and Sunday/Monday as two separate blogs. I can easily spend several hours a day writing and posting pictures. More if I need to work on the pictures in Lightroom.
I did some research to find the nearest Jeep dealership with a view to getting an estimate to repair mine. I can live with the damage to Quatro as it does not affect anything except appearances, but the Jeep is a different story. I worry that the tire will rub on the frame and cause a blowout and the right front light no longer works. Luckily, the turn signals work, sort of. I found a dealership that is 9 miles away so maybe I will take a drive this coming week.
I also worked on RV Trip Wizard to see if there are any other RV Parks within this area but could not find one that is close which does not help in my planning. More on this, later.
We went out for another walk and altogether covered 1.5 miles around the park and mostly in the shade. I need the exercise more than the dogs given how young they are at least, compared to me, 86 years versus 30 or so for them in human terms. Several of the campers were outside either sitting and talking or cooking and eating their meals and the aroma of cooking food filled the air. I am not much of one for preparing my meals outside probably because I am not a big meat eater although many vegetables can be cooked on the grill. Still, it is a lot of work for just one person. When I sit outside, it is usually with a cold drink and listening to an Audiobook story.
We adjourned back inside of Quatro for the rest of the evening, and I fed all of us before settling down to watch a couple of English Premier League Football games. It is a little frustrating watching recorded games as in most cases, the score has already been posted elsewhere and there is no way of avoiding the already posted results. Still, that does not stop me from enjoying the superb skills that many of these players have with a ball at their feet and the magic they weave as the ball is passed from one to the other. Football, with a round ball, does not usually end in big scores and many games end 0-0, a tie with no extra time for a winner. There is no play until a result unless it is a cup game or something similar that must have a winner for the competition to progress to the next round. Regular league games end as the score shows at the end of 90 minutes. Many Americans find the game boring mostly for the above reasons and that you can only challenge the other players in a strictly controlled way, with the feet. It is just not violent enough for many of them to watch. Maybe because I not only played until I was 72, I also coached both Adults and kids and in my earlier years, was a top-class Referee which makes me a little biased as I understand the subtleties of the game.
Technically, we awoke still at Branson at the Ozark Country Campgrounds but today was moving day. We went out for a walk after getting up at 7:00 am. I did not know that time existed, but it was nice and cool outside. We wandered around and said “Hi” to several people including the Hispanics waiting for their transportation. Sandy was in 7th Heaven with so much attention. I said “Goodbye” to several of the Camp Staff who had been very pleasant to us during our month of extended stay.
Back at Quatro, the little white kitty was making a fuss so I gave him the entire can of food so he can remember us. Try as I might, it is a Ferral cat and although getting much braver at the end, was not going to tame down in the little time we had spent working on him. Maybe, other campers will feed him and gentle him up.
I fed the dogs and myself and worked on the blog for a bit posting yesterday’s writings along with some pictures before turning my attention to the move which we have down pretty well now. Things went as they should and as usual, the last job was to hook up the Jeep. It too went well, and one camper walked by and commented that I had saved the hardest for last to which I agreed. We finally left the camp around 11:00 am, a bit later than planned but it is only a short trip of a little over 110 miles to Rogers. AR.
Most of the trip was simply fine with a few mountainous hills to negotiate in both directions, up and down. The RV handled well, and we made good time until we hit Rogers. Then, everything went wrong. I was following the directions on RV Trip Wizard until in the small town of Rogers, it turned me down a street that was completely blocked with construction. The Trip Wizard was not to know that of course. One of the workers came over to chat about it and said that I would have to unhook the Jeep and turn around going back in the same way we came in, which we did. He did not offer an alternative route to the RV Park, and we had to rely on the phone and Trip Wizard which at once sent us down another dead-end street. This time, we were really stuck as the road ended in a dirt track that also ended in a garbage dump. There was nothing else for it but to turn around which I tried with the Jeep still attached. Big Mistake. The Jeep jackknifed into the rear corner of the RV and both vehicles sustained damage. I thought I heard air escaping from the Jeep’s front tire which would have meant, changing the tire for the spare but upon inspection, the tire was still inflated. I disconnected both vehicles and eventually was able to get the RV away and facing in the right direction. This was not the classic 3-point turn as taught by driving instructors. No this was at least a 10 or more point turn as I went forward and then back just a few feet at a time. I eventually got the monster turned around and back on level ground and then drove the Jeep up to reattach it after a very thorough inspection and bit of body work, yanking on the fiberglass and framework to clear the tires and turn space.
If this was not bad enough, the next set of instructions sent me down a road that had a turn circle at the end which of course, was just not large enough for the RV which does not have a good turning radius. Nothing else for it but to unhook the Jeep, again and then turn both vehicles around and re-hook them. A couple of the owners came out to watch, wondering as I was, what the hell I was doing on their street. Eventually, the program got it right and we ended up on a decent highway for the last few miles. Altogether, I hooked and unhooked and then rehooked the Jeep 7 times in a few hours not counting when we did arrive at the campsite that added, one more time. It was hot and humid out and the sweat ran off me.
I pulled into the Monte Ne RV Park to be met by Cristen who led me to the new campsite which was long. It is really a double site meant for two RV’s parked end to end but currently, we are alone with enough space away from any neighbors on the one side and the park road on the other. We sat for a while after setting up which did not take very long before going out to walk the park for a bit, returning to sit some more.
What a day. I am really mad at myself for damaging both the Jeep and the RV and it could have been avoided by disconnecting the Jeep. Instead, I chose to try to drive my way out and caused all kinds of problems. It is a funny thing, but I had been having thoughts that something was going to happen on this trip. Maybe a premonition but of course, I had no idea what it might be.
I sat and wrote until 7:45 pm before feeding the dogs and then myself. Prior to that, I took a shower and changed clothes glad to get out of the dirty, sweaty things that I had on. The TV reception is good, and I was able to watch my current ongoing crime show, Cold Case.
