My Grand Adventure

Nov 5th is my planned departure date. I’ll be leaving Oregon traveling to Quartzsite for the winter. I have my space reserved full time now. What the advantage is you get to leave your rig in place without storage costs (mininal savings). It does save the extra gas costs, so it’s probably sixes. As mentioned my newer rig is a 5th wheeler. Still no vehicle to move it with but there are movers in and around Quartzsite who move it for a fee.

Pictures of the exterior & floor plan. I’ve removed the furniture since it only contains a new refrig & queen size bed, (I will replace the mattress).
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My planned route, I will be staying first in Elko NV. Second is planned for Mesquite NV.
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You have a great set up.
I want to be able to travel and see some of the great national parks. Camp by lakes. We shall see what the future holds.
 
Liberty said:
Roadwarrior...just wondering, have you ever read John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley?
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Got the book on Tues, already about 1/3 of it read. It is somewhat dated but mirrors things I've experienced. He was a great writer, almost like being there. He has been an enlightenment for me, gave me reason for my wanderlust. I have always enjoyed the solitude of the open road without having to cater to the wants & needs of my traveling companions. My wife is passive, but somewhat demanding. 'Do we need to go there? Can you stop here? I don't like to just drive.' A dog is the answer. No complaining, only conversation is when I think out loud. My problem with my age & balance, taking it on a lease to do their thing.

I can travel for hours without stopping (I do try to make pit/stretching stops frequently). My only requirements are my coffee/gas & getting something to eat every 4-5 hours. I travel by a road map but not adverse to changing direction if needed.

Two of my favorite TV shows from the past were 'Then came Bronson' & 'Movin On'. Michael Parks, Will & Sonny were my travel guides. 'Route 66' was during my teen years & never got into that as much.
 

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Roadwarrior said:
Got the book on Tues, already about 1/3 of it read. It is somewhat dated but mirrors things I've experienced. He was a great writer, almost like being there. He has been an enlightenment for me, gave me reason for my wanderlust. I have always enjoyed the solitude of the open road without having to cater to the wants & needs of my traveling companions. My wife is passive, but somewhat demanding. 'Do we need to go there? Can you stop here? I don't like to just drive.' A dog is the answer. No complaining, only conversation is when I think out loud. My problem with my age & balance, taking it on a lease to do their thing.

I can travel for hours without stopping (I do try to make pit/stretching stops frequently). My only requirements are my coffee/gas & getting something to eat every 4-5 hours. I travel by a road map but not adverse to changing direction if needed.

Two of my favorite TV shows from the past were 'Then came Bronson' & 'Movin On'. Michael Parks, Will & Sonny were my travel guides. 'Route 66' was during my teen years & never got into that as much.
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Glad you like the book. Thought you would. Its interesting how travel styles are so varied. Picking the right travel companion can be a career...lol. I'm the same way about using a road map. This spring, we were coming back home from South Padre Island, and came up on the outskirts of H-town (which we drive through,) and all at once the GPS took us off the road. Hey, grabbed my trusty map and directed Jim where to weave in an out of the back streets to get back on the freeway. Seems they were still "building" it and the GPS thought the entrance ramp was there when it wasn't.

Lots of 5th wheeler's on the beach and in RV parks in South Padre Island. Often referred to as the "winter Texans". Lots of C & W music and get together nights.

Enjoy, huh!
 
Always been an egg eating person, from early childhood to present. Even ate them during the 50's, 60's & on. At times my cholesterol did raise a little (200+) I never worried about the effect on my health. I was able to control it by cutting down on the snack foods, never natural saturated sources. Last fall '18 my cholesterol was 204 of course my PC wanted me to take statins, which I refused. I decided to quit buying into the hype of the dangers of eating eggs. I'm type II (too many visits to Micky D's, but my A1C is 5.0) take a minimal dose of insulin along with metformin (managed quite well thank you).

I started eating 4 eggs @ noon every day, total 28 eggs a week. I kept that up for the next 6 months. Coming back in April '19 I went and had another physical along with a CBC. I admit to a little nervousness about my egg intake. When the results were in my cholesterol count was at 167 (A1C still good). I then told my PC that I had been on a tear eating eggs as often as I wanted. Only thing he said was 'Well I guess you don't need the statins'.
 
Roadwarrior said:
Always been an egg eating person, from early childhood to present. Even ate them during the 50's, 60's & on. At times my cholesterol did raise a little (200+) I never worried about the effect on my health. I was able to control it by cutting down on the snack foods, never natural saturated sources. Last fall '18 my cholesterol was 204 of course my PC wanted me to take statins, which I refused. I decided to quit buying into the hype of the dangers of eating eggs. I'm type II (too many visits to Micky D's, but my A1C is 5.0) take a minimal dose of insulin along with metformin (managed quite well thank you).

I started eating 4 eggs @ noon every day, total 28 eggs a week. I kept that up for the next 6 months. Coming back in April '19 I went and had another physical along with a CBC. I admit to a little nervousness about my egg intake. When the results were in my cholesterol count was at 167 (A1C still good). I then told my PC that I had been on a tear eating eggs as often as I wanted. Only thing he said was 'Well I guess you don't need the statins'.
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That's too funny! My mother always swore eggs were just plain good for you, period, end of conversation for her.
 
The thing I learned about a Type II diet was that processed fat is bad, real fat is ok. I can also eat the same thing for months, years. I found that my diet with complex carbs is really somewhat inexpensive. I have a large bowl of oatmeal /w cinnamon, honey, whole milk every morn. Only old fashioned rolled oats the quick have all the good stuff taken off. Cheap, for lunch 4 eggs scrambled /w a diced pork chop small amount of real cheese, none of that fake cheese. Avocado, unsweetened applesauce or 2 kiwi fruit for a side. Cheap, for dinner I usually have a couple of chicken breasts fried in real butter, turkey burger or ground beef. Sides are usually a cup of steamed sweet potatoes, cup of canned low sodium beans, brussel sprouts or riced veggies.

20 oz coffee in with meals, for late night I have a bag of pop corn (made in a brown paper bag for 2 min in the microwave), /w melted real butter. Again cheap. Coffee is inexpensive I use a little whole milk to lighten it but that's a usual day. Plenty of potassium, B-12, get my Vit D from my daily walks in the SW AZ sun. Very seldom eat out. Saves on tips. Being Asperger helps.
 
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Finished the book, somewhat dated since it was written in the late 50's but very informative. Gave me meaning to my travel ventures. Things change but in some respects they stay the same. I'm not as observant as him but I felt like I was there riding along with him & Charlie. I've read the 'Grapes of Wrath', 'Of Mice & Men' & 'Cannery Row'. Seen the Movies. Great writer.
 
Roadwarrior said:
Finished the book, somewhat dated since it was written in the late 50's but very informative. Gave me meaning to my travel ventures. Things change but in some respects they stay the same. I'm not as observant as him but I felt like I was there riding along with him & Charlie. I've read the 'Grapes of Wrath', 'Of Mice & Men' & 'Cannery Row'. Seen the Movies. Great writer.
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He was a Pulitzer Prize Winner back in the days when you could relate to one. Know what you mean about "riding along with him"...felt the same way when I read it. Loved the night with the gypsies.
 
Next book purchase is going to be 'Blue Highway' another book about travel venture. It's author just recently was divorced, lost his job & moved on. I also watched a movie about discovery called 'Find Me' streamed via Amazon Prime or Netflix, whatever, good movie. Both movie & John's book helped to reassure me that what I was doing wasn't too extreme but necessary for my aged health.

Diet, was having minor stomach problems, self-diagnosed determination was 'lactose intolerant' quit the dairy. Changed to original powered creamer for my coffee, oatmeal,,,etc. After a month I realized my problem never cleared but added a new one, heart burn. Because I'm obsessive I was using the powder on everything. Went back to more moderate whole dairy, heart burn cleared up. Something said I should believe some of what I read about nutrition & accept the authors when they say, 'Stay away from the non-dairy vegetable oil based creamers, Not good for you.

Next issue, in my OCD mind I have conjured up another gotcha issue. You can buy a canopy in various sizes, the most popular is 10 x 10, which I have. Then you buy a camping rug, carpet whatever to keep the dirt & bugs out of your rig. They come in various sizes also, but seem to be lacking the 10 x 10 size. It just doesn't compute in my mind. Not unlike the age old issue of the 8 hot dog buns vs 10 wiener packages.

It is too long & not wide enough to cover the area of the canopy. I like things at right angles, no wasted overhang, drives me nuts just trying to get it aligned right. The canopies are $80+ the rugs run about $70 with a handy carrying bag. They are seamed for folding which creates uneven edges, tripping me in my thoughts.

I came up with a solution of sorts. When trying to find an outdoor carpet for our deck we went to Home Depot, had them cut an 8 x 12 piece to match our deck area outside. Cost $36, hmm. Why couldn't I do the same for my canopy. Maybe $45 for a 10 x 10 piece. No handy carrying case but doesn't require the monumental effort to try to make it fit in the bag again. Roll it, tie it, mark it with a 'B' & throw it under my rig for baby & me.
 
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Roadwarrior said:
Next book purchase is going to be 'Blue Highway' another book about travel venture. It's author just recently was divorced, lost his job & moved on. I also watched a movie about discovery called 'Find Me' streamed via Amazon Prime or Netflix, whatever, good movie. Both movie & John's book helped to reassure me that what I was doing wasn't too extreme but necessary for my aged health.

Diet, was having minor stomach problems, self-diagnosed determination was 'lactose intolerant' quit the dairy. Changed to original powered creamer for my coffee, oatmeal,,,etc. After a month I realized my problem never cleared but added a new one, heart burn. Because I'm obsessive I was using the powder on everything. Went back to more moderate whole dairy, heart burn cleared up. Something said I should believe some of what I read about nutrition & accept the authors when they say, 'Stay away from the non-dairy vegetable oil based creamers, Not good for you.

Next issue, in my OCD mind I have conjured up another gotcha issue. You can buy a canopy in various sizes, the most popular is 10 x 10, which I have. Then you buy a camping rug, carpet whatever to keep the dirt & bugs out of your rig. They come in various sizes also, but seem to be lacking the 10 x 10 size. It just doesn't compute in my mind. Not unlike the age old issue of the 8 hot dog buns vs 10 wienies packages.

It is too long & not wide enough to cover the area of the canopy. I like things at right angles, no wasted overhang, drives me nuts just trying to get it aligned right. The canopies are $80+ the rugs run about $70 with a handy carrying bag. They are seamed for folding which creates uneven edges, tripping me in my thoughts.

I came up with a solution of sorts. When trying to find an outdoor carpet for our deck we went to Home Depot, had them cut an 8 x 12 piece to match our deck area outside. Cost $36, hmm. Why couldn't I do the same for my canopy. Maybe $45 for a 10 x 10 piece. No handy carrying case but doesn't require the monumental effort to try to make it fit in the bag again. Roll it, tie it, mark it with a 'B' & throw it under my rig for baby & me.
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Funny, while I was reading your post, thought of the same thing, like have a piece cut.
Love Home Depot...we have a Lowe's closer to us and there is a big difference in the two of them.

Think it would be fun to "invent" and get clever about what you need for your specific uses. That would be part of the fun for me anyway. Hub is an electrical engineer and even though we've been retired for a couple years, he's still thinking up modifications of stuff. Keeps your mind open and receiving, which has to be good for what ails you.

Do you have a specific area for your books? A shelf that doesn't tip or move too much when "moving" along the roads?
 
Liberty said:
Do you have a specific area for your books? A shelf that doesn't tip or move too much when "moving" along the roads?
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To answer your question. I have nothing to move my 5th (a Suzuki Vitara is rather small). The 5th will be set up permanently or until I pass on a space in the SW AZ desert. I'm not a book saver like my wife & daughter. Once read, move on. I have ample indoor storage area but the only thing I will keep on the shelves will be my movies. As for the carpet piece my wife was easily able to fold & lift the 8 x 12 piece into our Mini for transport home, should be no problem for a 10 x 10 piece to be moved to AZ.
 
Travel by hot air balloon?
TV show on disasters-guy intends to use his hot air balloon to travel from Calif. to Colorado, which would require several stops and several days.
Give it a think: crawl into a balloon, build a fire (? Propane Tanks ) no steering wheel, at the mercy of the wind. no, no, no!
Our balloon man, of questionable judgment, got into high winds, blew him into a radio tower...Fortunately, he was able to climb down the
650 feet tower.
I question those that place themselves in jeopardy, intentionally or unintentionally?
Opinion: you can't cure stupid!,
 
Getting ready for the trek, today went to the PC for an ear exam (decided to add a flu shot also). Most of my adult life I have dealt with hearing loss, it's a heredity thing along with my career choice exposure. I have had some trouble dealing with minor depression, so without resorting to meds I decided to try a different route - hearing aids.

Today I discussed it with my PC then scheduled an appointment with the hearing department at Costco. They're not cheap but are manageable through their audiologists. My father had hearing problems only he shopped at yard sales for his, he would buy a new ear plug & battery. For me I wanted a place to take them for repairs, batteries & such. Especially something that inserts into your ear.

Got my 'FlowBee' last week, checked the package but won't use it until I need, which will probably be sometime in Nov.

Read the recommended book by John Steinbeck, 'Travels with Charley' & got the other one ordered 'Blue Highway'. I have another one on my shopping list at Amazon will wait until Nov to order it.

Update

Little crises yesterday, I spilt coffee on my Amazon Firestick remote. Quit working, wouldn't respond to clicks. Dried it out as best I could then sat it on a paper towel without the batteries. Left it for 12 hours. Decided to order a new replacement from Amazon, spent $28 just to get a remote. This morning I tried it again, darn it worked. Too late to cancel the order but can send it back through Kohl's, they offer free packaging & returns to Amazon. Found that out last month on an order I needed to return. Easy peasy, the customer service rep at Kohls was very helpful. The charge was reversed on my CC within days, no cost for me. I will probably wait a week or so to return the remote.

I was able to download a free app to simulate a remote on my smartphone to change channels last night but it takes some getting used to. It will do in a pinch.
 
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My wife of 50 years whom I love & respect has one little aggravating flaw that has been a point of contention between us. Me being a Type II diabetic with diagnosed Asperger & her with her heart condition that is controlled with meds are in a power struggle. I can freely eat complex carbs, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, eggs, almost all fruits/veggies & most lean meats. I follow a pretty strict diet. She was told many years ago that wine could be a healthful addition. So we have our individual diets that we pretty much follow day in & day out. The other thing I learned from my study was that whole dairy products were much better for a diabetic than the skimmed fake sugar added in the 2% & below.

I don't drink alcohol or sodas at all but do frequently have a cup of coffee w/ half n half throughout the day. I use a lot of 1/2 n 1/2, in my coffee on my oatmeal,,,etc. Last week she was going to the store for her supply of wine, asked me if there was anything I needed, cream & eggs I replied. She scoffed told me I'm drinking too much. I make the most in my retirement, pay all the bills, give her what's left over from my pension. Brought me one half gallon of cream & one 18 pack of eggs. I eat 4 eggs a day, drink upwards of 5 20 oz cups of coffee daily, pay for everything. She carried in 2 boxes of wine, I'm a little worried that it is becoming a problem but never confront her.

I pointed out the quirk of her shopping, once again making her mad. So yesterday I was running low on all my supplies & noticed I barely had enough cream for the day. It was raining a deluge outside, not uncommon in the PacNW. I mentioned that we were getting low on cream & should go the store, guess what? It became my problem. Not my lack of planning, it was because I drink too much whole dairy. We have plenty of room in the fridge for 2 boxes of wine but not 2 half gallons of 1/2 n 1/2. I had to get my rain gear on, drive to the store. Yep! I stocked up on cream & eggs. Both are cheap, one box of wine will buy me a week's supply.
 
What great adventure. Always wanted to try some of that lifestyle. It never happened. And what great stories you will have to tell. I wish you good luck and happy traveling.
 
Just had a brilliant plan for my new-to-me 5th wheel. The bed in the master BD is a queen. I've never seen the mattress, my daughter whom is setting up my space reports that I should give some serious thought about replacing the stained mattress at some point. The previous owners removed the love seat sofa, chair arrangement & dinette set leaving a 12 ft x 5 ft plus a space in the rear open. I was going to buy 2 recliners for me & guest to watch tv. Best I could come up with were approx $250-300 each. The queen mattress would be $300 - 500 for a possible total of over $1,200 or more & still have nothing to sit on to watch TV.

I could eat on TV trays, no problem. The bed I've found on Amazon delivered is $682, it's an electric adjustable twin bed /w 10 inch memory foam top, not unlike the bed I use in OR. I would be looking at a total of less than $1,000 with free delivery. I wouldn't be packing more furniture than I could possibly use, adding things I could trip over in the night. I live alone in AZ & only have my daughter visit occasionally to watch TV. I eat all my diabetic meals alone & being OCD I keep a tidy home. Most of my activity is outdoors under my canopy with the AZ sun. Been doing that for 3 years in a 19' travel trailer. I would also get a 5% discount, I have Prime & plastic.

I have had back trouble all my adult life, the adjustable bed is a blessing.

Being somewhat deaf (result of my 53 year long career), I have to read subtitles on movies. I am getting a hearing aid on Sat the 28th but that's not the complete answer. I dislike subtitles so what I have done is transferred (copied) all my personal movies to my hard drive which holds TB. I also have an external one that has the same capacity (1 TB). I have transferred nearly 500 now & can watch them either on my laptop or with the help of an HDMI cable watch them on my TV hoping that my hearing aid fits the bill I should be able to do without the subtitles. The laptop is great alone with ear phones but if I have company then I want to be able to show them on my TV.
 

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RW--do you suppose you might be satisfied with a mattress topper for your existing bed? That would be a less expensive way to go and then you can buy the recliners. :D Also, there are earbuds for use with newer TVs available at Walmart or Amazon; that might be a solution for you to hear the TV.

We need to buy new tires for our RV...ugh. We like traveling in the fall; seems like there aren't as many people to deal with at the campgrounds then.
 
Good thoughts, only problems with the topper is how to hold it on. I'm a little unbalanced so making a queen size bed is difficult. I had a twin size before and the topper kept sliding off the mattress. I couldn't get around it very well in the 19 footer to put on fitted sheets. Good thought though, I had thought of that, but since the mattress is stained & I'm OCD the stain will work on my mind. The cheapest recliners on Amazon are probably not very comfortable since I can't try them out. At least with an adjustable bed I have somewhat of an idea how it feels. Twin sheets & blankets are cheaper than Queen. King is out of the question.

My TV is a newer ROKU & should work with most Bluetooth ear phones, I'll probably buy one when I get to AZ, I have the wired one I use with my laptop. I should be able to watch videos but because of my hearing I started the capture of movies years ago & have quite a library of them. All on my HD that can be hooked to the TV via HDMI cable. Only problem there is the subtitle track that is non existent. I do have all the Ken Burns(Baseball,Civil War, Dust Bowl, Corps of Discovery, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson,,,among a few other series-Band of Brothers-Hell on Wheels-Taxi- Godfather- Lord of the Rings,,,etc. in sets.

I only want a second chair for guests or where I can eat off a TV tray. I plan no table or chairs, keep it open for my getting around. Also my bath is up, so that is why I've adopted a hand held urinal for night time. Don't want to take a tumble at 3 AM. I will be closing the stairway with a curtain to help with the heating of the Kitchen-dining-sitting rooms - use an electric dairy barn heater, cheaper than propane & more controllable.
 
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Sounds like you're thinking it through. I agree about not buying a cheap recliner without being able to test it out; that might end up being a not-so-cheap mistake. I'd buy a folding chair for guests and myself a nice comfy recliner. :D Good luck with your new purchases.
 
Things I learned over the years especially with my retirement plans. I found I was overbuying everything. Burdening myself with unneeded toys, equipment & perceived needs. My van dwelling days began with a bang, spent nearly $1,500 on trappings that I thought I couldn't live without. I have nothing to show for those days, downsized, donated, trashed & pretty much relieved my self of all. I moved onto a small travel trailer, soon had more pots n pans,,,etc. than a moderate sized restaurant needed.

After two years lugging those things around I minimized my needs. It's surprising what you can do without. My diet has changed drastically since I was diagnosed with Type II. Went back to basics eating healthier, leaned & cheaper. Only go to a restaurant once or twice a month. Exercise consists of walking upwards of 2 miles a day, 45 min daily. At 74 that's ample. My equipment is 2 canes, gives me mobility & balance for a small cost, no expensive gym equipment or for that matter haven't needed a gym membership, during inclement weather walk the mall.

Entertainment is either reading, watching movies or documentaries. My tech needs are spartan, I had the career opportunity to gain extensive knowledge & adapt it for my personal requirements. I make do with a smartphone (not too sure if even that is needed) a 6 YO laptop & an 8 YO TV, my autos are a 15 YO Mini (<40K miles) & a 20 YO Suzuki (<90K miles). I'm a people watcher, can sit on my porch or travel around taking in the sites. I watch people & their actions. I'm frugal, have adequate income & can't motivate myself to make more.

I DON'T HAVE FOMO!
 
Building upon my point about computing. My wife & I have a standing card game once a week with 3 other senior ladies we've become friends with. Last week one of the ladies, a semi-retired mental health professional asked my opinion about a flash drive OS to revive older laptops. She said she had 2 units that she used in her business. One won't power up, I suggested to remove the battery, then trying powering it up with the power cord connected. Usually works indicating that the battery is defunct. The other has a old OS that no longer is supported, probably has XP or less, should power up but has trouble with ancient software. I told her she should be able to download the files to a flash drive she wants saved.

Next, she showed me the ad for a flash drive installed OS that can be used to circumvent the operating system installed on a non-functional laptop, which can be powered on to access setup through the BIOS, thereby allowing the USB port to be flagged as the primary boot device. The cost was $35, she wanted to know if that was a good deal, well my answer was if you are going that route then you can download your own preferred Linux distro, (there are more than a thousand to choose from) install it on a boot-able USB flash drive & run it 'stand alone' for only the price of an 8 GB flash drive (cost < $5). It is the same concept but someone (the advertiser) wants you to pay for their time. I guess once again my frugality gets in the way of convenience.
 

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