Cowboys and Pioneers Lessons Learned

July 2016
Lessons Learned:
*When you go to Best Buy to get battery for your small camera and of course they don’t make that battery any longer but you can buy it on Amazon but you are not where you can get it sent to you by Amazon because you are on the road…, so you buy a new small camera and next day realize they do not tell you it does not come with a memory card and so you have to go back…urgggg BUT the guy tells you about a really great steakhouse in Greeley and that was worth the trip back.
*When in Greeley, CO eat at Cattlemen’s Steak House.
*When going to the Cheyenne Frontier Days park in the park’n ride and take the school bus and be dropped at the ticket booth…or like us pay the nice lady $10 to park in her front yard and walk 9 blocks to get to the gate to buy your ticket. It was walking back in the heat that made those buses look really good.
*Frontier Days are a lot calmer than they used to be, but wait we were there in the daytime and everyone says it is the nights that get rowdy.
*If you are looking for a great looking cowboy Frontier Days is the place!
*There are two kinds of wagons the pioneers took across the country The Studebaker and the Conestoga  Conestoga was a lot better suited for the trip due to it’s angled sides for better storage and rain repelling with a suspension system that made for a better ride over the very bumpy land. We took a day trip in the Conestoga with a delightful driver Ben (taking a year from college before going to grad school) and two outriders Calista (granddaughter of owner of company who in 4 years hopes to go to Texas A & M to be in the Corp) and her friend Barb (senior in HS who has committed to the Army and will go to boot camp right after graduation). All were very good with the horses and good company. Ben gave a great history lesson along the way.
*If going on a wagon ride remember your pillow for sitting on wood bench. (glad we did)
*The smell of prairie sage was FABULOUS, like really wonderful
*When hauling a wagon up steep incline remember to stop and rest the horses often.
*Our wagon went in the same ruts that were taken by those going on the Oregon trail in the 1800s and as you look over the prairie you can see the trails left by the wagons, livestock and people.
*Did I tell you how wonderful the prairie sage smelled….
*Watching fire report for Wyoming so we don’t head that way. See you down the road with more lessons.

Is It New Tow Car Time?

Living in a Rectangle 2016
Lessons Learned:
*Greenley, Co is a nice simple college town with a lot of car dealerships so when li'l red’s (small truck we tow) ABS light came on and the break lights would not go off, we needed a solution. Options: (1) go to one of the many car dealers and get a new something (2) disconnect the battery every time we stopped (3) get Nissan dealer to look at it even though they had a two week appt wait time.
    **we go to Jeep dealer and there is promise there  **we go back to RV and disconnect the battery so the break lights will at least go off **we call the Nissan dealer and ask about what if we just show up, can they work us in?
    Outcome: **Jeep dealer had the perfect fit **we were still disconnecting the battery **so David goes to Nissan dealer to start a sit in, good news two hours later they work him in and miracle of miracles, the tech guy had they same problem with his truck and new exactly how to fix a very small knob on the break pedal, so $50 later we are not buying a new Jeep or continuing to disconnect the battery. All is good.

More lessons to come, but this one was fun.

Living In A Rectangle continues

Living in a Rectangle 2016
Lessons Learned:

*If you might go to Canada you might need a passport…opps left them at home, no Canada this trip.
*Turkey, Tx is the home of Bob Wills, King of Country Western Swing  and there is a museum of course
*Irrigation lines are longer than we remember and stretch a long path through the crops
*Quitaque, Tx is pronounced Kit-ta-kway and is one of the most mispronounced names ever
*Quitaque is the home of Jimmy Ross, President Lions Club International 2006-2007.
*Looking forward to a burger in Palo Duro Canyon State park, call to see time they close, 7pm get there at 6:35…they stop serving burgers at 6:30, darn, but concession stand at the show had sloppy joe, so all was OK that at least we did not get too hungry.
*Show at Palo Duro Canyon is never cancelled no matter rain, snow or anything they will tell you, well, until we attend and it is cancelled due to a freakish storm that showed up and set the lighting off everywhere, so after an hour delay they cancelled the show. Of course everyone was saying this never happens. Good News we get tickets that are good for life to see the show. Now to decide what to do with them (1) come back next night (2) leave them to someone in our will (3) auction them on eBay (4) give to a charity for a silent auction item….hmmm chose to come back next night. Super show and no rain!
*Headed to Dodge City, more lessons to share later.

Living in a Rectangle starts for 2016

Living in a Rectangle 2016
Lessons Learned:
*No matter if they put in a new electrical converter or not, if the ground wire is not connected it will not work.

*A return trip to dealer this AM put our departure a few hours behind but all is well when it works…we had, at last. a refrigerator that worked.

*Loading The Rectangle is like moving into a tiny house, well actually it is a tiny house.

*When one starts early to pray for someone to house sit, God always delivers. Wonderful person will enjoy our home, feed Miss Kitty and keep the home fires burning.

*Texas Hot is Hot, glad to be heading away from the heat

*When driving and trying to drink from a 20oz Yeti one may have a problem seeing. Just saying.

 *Vernon, Tx is a nice first night stop. Far enough to do the shakedown and then reload what shifted, rocked and rolled.

*Just as we thought Direct TV did not work as they said it would. And of course customer service only answers till 4pm. for the RV division we need. Good thing we have an outstanding antenna so can enjoy TV to relax a bit with watching Doc Martin.

*Never underestimate the power of AC, ahhhh

Living in a Rectangle - Weekend Quickie

Lessons Learned:
*First State rally with Newmar Kountry Klub was a good experience
*I35 RV Park near Waco is great
*Quick weekend trips are very refreshing
*The fixes on the coach seemed to hold, bathroom plumbing did not fall out (always a plus)
*Being on the road makes you get your “sea legs” steady again.
*All groups are the same no matter why they gather - always looking for volunteer leadership
*Newmar owners are very friendly
*Tech talk is always popular
*Tech has their ways, owners have their ways…all could be correct
*If something has happened with the coach, never fear someone else has had it too
*Murder Mystery evenings are fun
*Never believe a murderer
*Trip to Magnolia Silos on the list now checked off (bought nothing)
*Kolaches are yummy (as we all know)
*Leaving the group for a day to see your son get a Master’s degree is worth 6 hours on the road
*There is excellent Italian food in Commerce, Tx
*Hearing door steps dragging on concrete is not what one wants to hear
*Retuning home still feels nice and Miss Kitty was there to welcome us

Living in a Rectangle: Final Lessons Learned (at least for this trip)

*It is an eye opener when you realize you are only tasting wines you might like no matter how much they tell you "you will love this one, no really people who don't like sweet wines love this one"...No really I do not want to taste it, thanks.
*One sees and is amazed at how many big, no, I mean really big logs float down the Mississippi River.
*Tug boats are fun to watch. A glass of wine helps to make them fun to watch.
*One is amazed at how one does not see any big logs floating down the Arkansas River.
*When I am inside driving into place The Rectangle being given hand signals by Mr.D and those hand signals should have some meaning for me and I begin to laugh as all I can see is "the hand jive"....All meaning is lost through tears of laughter. (Note: does not make the one outside so happy.)
*The most important thing when building and playing in the fire is the "poker stick".
*Life in The Rectangle is not the same when the coffee maker stops working.
*Who knew you have to "burb" your Keurig coffee maker ?? It worked and my machine now works great. Thanks internet for the answer to my problem.
*Guys just talk better hanging over the bed of a pick up truck.
*Returning home is always bittersweet but having great friends staying in your home and leaving it not only well kept but with wine, cheese ready to snack and chocolates on the pillows as you climb into bed... makes coming home just sweet.
*Starting the week in your home church makes worship comfortable with hugs warm and welcoming.
*When does one start to plan the next "run away from home?"....Well now is a good time because being together 24/7 is a lot of fun.
MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL

Living in a Rectangle: Lessons Learned

*People will chase down roads they would not normally go to find that winery...and there are a lot of country roads to go down.

*Celery with peanut butter is a tried and true snack that makes you feel you ate something healthy

*Virginia has a lot of old universities like Sweet Briar, Longwood University, Randolf University, University of Virginia, Mary Baldwin College and a lot of community colleges

*A lot of Presidential libraries, homes and birthplaces are in Virginia

*Virginia wine is different especially the ones made by the Bulgarians

*Virginia Mexican food is different more like well not sure what one would call it

*A pocket door that falls off its runner is a crooked pocket door

*Listening to classical music while moving down the highway is peaceful and makes the country side more beautiful.

 *North Carolina has the best rest area bathrooms ever

*The guys swapping motor-coach stories about the fix it lists for their unit is a fun way to pass time in RV parks

*Sand gets almost everywhere in a short period of time.

*Welsh ponies travel too and stay in RV parks

*And before WiFi we???

*The top ten things to do in any area normally has at least one cemetery on it

*Temperature changes from cold to hot are just a few hundred miles apart

*The crock pot is handy for sure an almost must have