We would never be caught driving any distance without our Good Sam Emergency Road Service. When we lived on the road for almost two years, that service came in handy on so many occasions. So we never take an RV trip without it. Other things we would never go without on an RV trip include:
1. cell phones
2. credit cards
3. some cash
4. extra blankets
5. pillows from home
6. space heater
7. Ethiopian spices
8. laptops!
9. vegetarian soy pepper steaks
10. digital camera and video camera
11. travel guitar
12. Sprint Aircard and all other home office equipment
13. all the chargers for all of the equipment
14. favorite cutting knife
15. toiletries
16. extra water jugs for flushing toilet and taking showers while boondocking
17. chocolate!
18. Carry pouch that contains the following: License plate number, vehicle registration info, health insurance info, Good Sam Emergency Road Service number, emergency contact info.
Here are the things we consistently seem to take too much of:
1. clothes – we always pack too many things that we don’t wear
2. food – we always seem to drag along too much that we don’t eat
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Our Mobile Office
Settling back into our routine was relatively easy since we hopped back into our regularly scheduled life during a hectic time in our work schedule. We didn’t get a chance to mourn the loss of our trip freedom. When the work dust began to settle, we were able to devote more time to figuring out how we wanted to plan future trips. We decided that we are going to be snowbirds during the upcoming 2008 winter season. This means we must have a completely operational mobile work unit.
When thinking about mobility, the most important aspect for us is internet access. While we would like to have a mobile internet satellite unit on top of the rig, it is not currently an option. We don’t want to be stuck at Flying J parking lots or spend time seeking out coffee shops. In lieu of seeking out other WIFI enabled businesses along our route we chose to purchase a Sierra Wireless Aircard, 595U through our Sprint cell phone service. For $50 more each month, we are supposed to have high speed internet access by plugging the card into the USB port on either of our laptops. We tested the Aircard on multiple RV trips already, and have had successful connections about 65% of the time. We hope this will improve. Thankfully, when we do have a connection, it is good enough for us to get done what we need to get done.
Our office equipment is minimal. The most important tools we have are our laptops. They are perfect for an RV because they take up little space; can be hooked up to the battery to recharge, and are easy to transport. We also have a small Hewlett Packard printer and a standalone scanner. Two cabinets above our dinette can hold paper and other office supplies. There is a basket on each seating bench that holds pens, staplers, etc. And that’s about it for the mobile home office.
When thinking about mobility, the most important aspect for us is internet access. While we would like to have a mobile internet satellite unit on top of the rig, it is not currently an option. We don’t want to be stuck at Flying J parking lots or spend time seeking out coffee shops. In lieu of seeking out other WIFI enabled businesses along our route we chose to purchase a Sierra Wireless Aircard, 595U through our Sprint cell phone service. For $50 more each month, we are supposed to have high speed internet access by plugging the card into the USB port on either of our laptops. We tested the Aircard on multiple RV trips already, and have had successful connections about 65% of the time. We hope this will improve. Thankfully, when we do have a connection, it is good enough for us to get done what we need to get done.
Our office equipment is minimal. The most important tools we have are our laptops. They are perfect for an RV because they take up little space; can be hooked up to the battery to recharge, and are easy to transport. We also have a small Hewlett Packard printer and a standalone scanner. Two cabinets above our dinette can hold paper and other office supplies. There is a basket on each seating bench that holds pens, staplers, etc. And that’s about it for the mobile home office.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Oregon Bound
The day we left Laughlin, we were still unsure of our route back north. The trip down I-5 had scared us. However, we took our chances and ended up rolling uneventfully along the highway. We stopped for the night at a Flying J Travel Plaza in the middle of California.
The next day, we were greeted to a beautiful, hazy morning. We left the Flying J and continued north into warm and sunny weather. Life was good.
Then the smell arrived as we approached Harris Ranch in Coalinga, aka Cowschwitz. This overpopulated, smelly cattle feedlot is just a sad reminder of American’s overconsumption of animal products. Passing it only breaks my heart knowing the fate of all the poor, defenseless cows preparing to be someone’s dinner.
The Win River Casino in Redding, California was to be our home for the night. As we drove towards the casino, I got a funny feeling that we had been on this road before. Sure enough, right when we pulled into the casino parking lot, it was obvious we had stayed there one time before, about five years earlier while full-timing. We were able to open the windows and let the warm air inside before heading inside the casino for some food and distraction.
The next day, our drive was calm. We drove through the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area and past Mt. Shasta without a hitch; the snow had long melted from the highways.
However, the sun was short-lived that day. Twenty miles from the Oregon border, thick, gray clouds gathered over the Siskyou Summit, welcoming us back home.
The next day, we were greeted to a beautiful, hazy morning. We left the Flying J and continued north into warm and sunny weather. Life was good.
Then the smell arrived as we approached Harris Ranch in Coalinga, aka Cowschwitz. This overpopulated, smelly cattle feedlot is just a sad reminder of American’s overconsumption of animal products. Passing it only breaks my heart knowing the fate of all the poor, defenseless cows preparing to be someone’s dinner.
The Win River Casino in Redding, California was to be our home for the night. As we drove towards the casino, I got a funny feeling that we had been on this road before. Sure enough, right when we pulled into the casino parking lot, it was obvious we had stayed there one time before, about five years earlier while full-timing. We were able to open the windows and let the warm air inside before heading inside the casino for some food and distraction.
The next day, our drive was calm. We drove through the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area and past Mt. Shasta without a hitch; the snow had long melted from the highways.
However, the sun was short-lived that day. Twenty miles from the Oregon border, thick, gray clouds gathered over the Siskyou Summit, welcoming us back home.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Laughlin or Bust
It was obvious. Our Quartzsite 2008 trip was a bust. From the generator issue that took us away from town for a week, to the biting cold winds and rain. There was only one thing left to do.
Fly (or, in this case, drive) our Little Snowbird arses to new location.
We left Quartzsite in the dust as we headed north to the small gambling town of Laughlin, Nevada.
We’ve been to Laughlin countless times, and have always loved to visit. Laughlin has always treated RVers well. You can boondock in many of the casino parking lots and the buffets are reasonably priced.
The Tropicana Express hotel had $19.95 per night rates, and we jumped on it.
We stayed for five nights, subsisting mainly on 2 for 1 buffet coupons at many of the casinos.
While there we witnessed the shortest Mardi Gras parade ever.
Stood in multiple, long buffet lines
And, of course, gambled!
The time went by too quickly though, and before we knew it, we had to head back to Oregon.
Fly (or, in this case, drive) our Little Snowbird arses to new location.
We left Quartzsite in the dust as we headed north to the small gambling town of Laughlin, Nevada.
We’ve been to Laughlin countless times, and have always loved to visit. Laughlin has always treated RVers well. You can boondock in many of the casino parking lots and the buffets are reasonably priced.
The Tropicana Express hotel had $19.95 per night rates, and we jumped on it.
We stayed for five nights, subsisting mainly on 2 for 1 buffet coupons at many of the casinos.
While there we witnessed the shortest Mardi Gras parade ever.
Stood in multiple, long buffet lines
And, of course, gambled!
The time went by too quickly though, and before we knew it, we had to head back to Oregon.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Sweet Darlene’s Ain’t So Sweet
The second full day the folks were exploring Quartzsite for the first time, the weather was cold and windy. It wasn’t nice enough to walk around, looking at vendor tents and such. We figured we would pass some time and let the day warm up by going out to breakfast. We headed to one of our favorite restaurants in town, Sweet Darlene’s. Since we got there after 10am, there was plenty of parking to be found in the lot. We thought this was a good sign. Attempting to dine at that popular restaurant during prime hours would have resulted in an excruciatingly long wait.
We went inside to discover the restaurant less than half full, found an empty table in the far corner underneath a heating vent and waited for our waitress. She came and told us that she needed to get the orders at a larger table real quick and that she would be right back with us. Each time she passed, she said she would bring us something- menus, coffee, water. Yet each time, she forgot. She did end up bringing us coffee after 15 minutes, but forgot to bring the creamer. By the time our coffee was cold, she came back to take our order. We reminded her that we’d been given no menus. We asked her to get us fresh coffee too because we couldn’t drink it without the cream. She brought back cream and fresh coffees, served up with a sudden attitude, then left again, never to return.
We drank a few sips of our coffee, and then finally decided this place wasn’t quite working out for us. We went up to the register to pay for our coffee and a woman walked up to cash us out. She stood vigil behind the cash register, careful not to give any of us eye contact.
My father opened up his wallet. “We need to pay for four coffees.”
There was a long pause in the conversation as my father pulled out two dollar bills and some change.
“You could use some more help,” he declared.
“No,” said the cash register woman, “it’s just that those two big tables came in.”
She didn’t look at my father as she said this. She just opened up the cash register and held out her hand to take his money.
“Well,” said father, “little tables count too.”
The woman at the cash register slowly counted his change, still avoiding anything remotely resembling eye contact.
“I’m never coming back here again,” he said, hoping for some kind of apology.
She closed the drawer, and still not looking up from the cash register said, “That’s fine.”
And so, that marked the end of an era. We won’t be going back to Sweet Darlene’s because our little table didn’t count. We found another restaurant where our little table did count, and after breakfast, walked back into the cold, windy afternoon to see how we would spend our day.
We went inside to discover the restaurant less than half full, found an empty table in the far corner underneath a heating vent and waited for our waitress. She came and told us that she needed to get the orders at a larger table real quick and that she would be right back with us. Each time she passed, she said she would bring us something- menus, coffee, water. Yet each time, she forgot. She did end up bringing us coffee after 15 minutes, but forgot to bring the creamer. By the time our coffee was cold, she came back to take our order. We reminded her that we’d been given no menus. We asked her to get us fresh coffee too because we couldn’t drink it without the cream. She brought back cream and fresh coffees, served up with a sudden attitude, then left again, never to return.
We drank a few sips of our coffee, and then finally decided this place wasn’t quite working out for us. We went up to the register to pay for our coffee and a woman walked up to cash us out. She stood vigil behind the cash register, careful not to give any of us eye contact.
My father opened up his wallet. “We need to pay for four coffees.”
There was a long pause in the conversation as my father pulled out two dollar bills and some change.
“You could use some more help,” he declared.
“No,” said the cash register woman, “it’s just that those two big tables came in.”
She didn’t look at my father as she said this. She just opened up the cash register and held out her hand to take his money.
“Well,” said father, “little tables count too.”
The woman at the cash register slowly counted his change, still avoiding anything remotely resembling eye contact.
“I’m never coming back here again,” he said, hoping for some kind of apology.
She closed the drawer, and still not looking up from the cash register said, “That’s fine.”
And so, that marked the end of an era. We won’t be going back to Sweet Darlene’s because our little table didn’t count. We found another restaurant where our little table did count, and after breakfast, walked back into the cold, windy afternoon to see how we would spend our day.
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