Thank YOU, Followers

To those of you who are following this blog and / or leaving comments, a hearty Thank YOU.   Please accept this Orchid as my smiley face, my big, purple eyed, bearded smiley face.

I am still suffering from technical challenges with this blogging endeavor.  I have not figured out how to make comments myself!  I used to be able to do so.  Some setting or other thing is preventing me from commenting or replying.  Never the less, I hope to stay in touch with those wishing to do like wise, to be informative and interesting, and to not overload you with bottomless photos or diatribe.  Just keeping it simple.

Your comments go straight to my email.  I read them all.  It is just one more way to proof the process and make sure the blog is content managed.  Comments are not automatically rolled into the blog.  If it is of personal nature, I keep it to myself.

Happy December! 

Winter Haven

Arrived safely at our winter palace!  A quick shot from my phone.  Our concept is to have a piece of property and 'home' to be at during the winter.  Not that the RV is not 'home', but for the price of parking it between two other RV's for 6 months, we can have our own little place to garden and relax.

I also have to do some upkeep on the RV.  So while we may not be traveling and blogging about the sites, I will likely be writing about the roof project, awning project, electrical project...etc.  And there will be the day trips or other excursions in Florida this winter.  I even hope to meet some online blogger's and RVer's during the winter.

Safe travels...

Mobile Minute

Sitting at a rest area in South Carolina.  Stopped for dinner, TV, computing, sleep and on the road again upon waking.  This is one of two travel days from VA to FL.  Got a late start this morning.  Seems the converter and related electronics are not charging the house battery nor controlling 12v in the house properly.  Could not get the slides in.  Between a 12 jump to the house battery and the generator, I finally got them in.  So after a departure about 1230p we made it not quite half way, something less than 400 miles.   Rode time went well.  Hope to arrive home tomorrow before sunset. 

Gloucester Point, VA (Now Yogi Bear)

Gloucester Point Family Campground, Virginia.  We stayed here after selling our house.  It was our first RV experience as a couple.

We owned the RV for a year, but due to unforeseen circumstances, never used it.  It just sat, waiting for the day to go into action.  Suddenly, with two weeks notice to move out by the home buyers, it was a life raft.  All has gone well.  We had to learn  on the fly.  We still are not bonafide RVers.  We have not traveled far, nor have we hooked up the toad.  So tomorrow begins the first real journey, the one to our next home.  An 800 mile trip in the RV with the toad should round out the experience nicely.  But we have learned we can live together in this small place and it feels like home!!!  All the systems work.  We were pounded by a few storms, all weather tight.  I have had some hiccups with some of the systems due to my lack of knowledge, but they were all adapted to.  I upgraded a few things -- shower, TV's, etc -- and learned the limits of other components.  All in all a positive experience. 

About the campground...I think it is average.  I need to go to one or two rating sites and give it a better defined set of qualities.  It is a large place; grave roads and RV sites; short term / long term and seasonal areas; some well wooded sites, some open; lots of mosquito's.   We were in the Pined Woods Section (long term) and I did not like the pine trees dropping stuff all over the place and RV.  The open sky section ( my preference) is not long term.   The campground is just across the York River from Historic Yorktown, giving it easy access to the historical area extending to Williamsburg and Jamestown via the Colonial Parkway.  /The campground has its own boat launch and dock, with a charter boat and kayaks for leasing.  Fishing is big here.  It has a nice bath house and pool area, if a bit small.  The laundry room has been torn down while here for a foundation up remodel.   Management is making some changes that prompted MANY seasonal users to leave.  A Yogi Bear has been erected, an apparent affiliation change coming.  Rates are low for the area... $500-$1300 being the range for a monthly rate.  Most campgrounds in the area are at least $250 weekly, minimum.  The staff has been very nice, what little contact we have had with them.  The area is very quiet.  It is off the main highway by 5 minutes and the back roads are narrow, a challenge with oncoming vehicles.  This campground would be considered lower budget for this area, but clean and well managed.  There are others in the area comparably priced and not as nice.  There are several moderate to high end facilities too, for a price. 

The KEY --  this area is worth seeing!  Plan on a two week stay -- minimum -- to enjoy all Hampton Roads has too offer.

Bump In The Night

Actually, I was up at 0150am.  BAM, something hit the bottom of the RV, or was it someone in a compartment?  Out of bed to check...what is that light doing on already??? How did the shade over the door window get messed up?  Hey, its early in the morning and all of this is hitting me at once and I would rather be sleeping.  Did I mention it is COLD.  YUK.

So my brain slowly began clicking through the probabilities.  Wife went out earlier, left light on....over extended shade.  Take shade down.  Unroll and release broken end to re-attach.  Re-roll shade.  Re-install same.  Working good.  Light off.  Now what was that noise?  Must have been an animal, maybe looking for a warm place to nap.  Note to self...check in daylight.  WHOA, look at that!  FREEZING outside.  More notes to self -- propane low, water line unprotected -- time to GO!

Yes, I already made that note to myself.  Next year the arrival date for Florida is on or about November 1.  No more of this 30F night / 50F days stuff.  This RV will be where it is warm.  This year was a transition time; plans and goodbye's had to be accomplished.  However,  next year I hope  to start working the plan - year round warmth.  Only one more day of this cold and then the big pull out on Monday.

So it is after 5am now.  Nope, could not get back to sleep.  Still making notes to self in brain and sleep would not return for a while.  So I got up to read and blog.  Perhaps you have been there too...sleepless in Virginia.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving...my favorite holiday.  Why?  Well, first and foremost it is an opportunity for me to consider God's place in my life, and to exercise THANKFULNESS.  When my life looses it proper perspective, I can reflect on His unchanging nature, character and love.  Life brings change and challenge, sorrow and joy, setback and victory.  There is a truth in life, from generation to generation, that connects it all together -- now and in eternity.  Jesus.  In Him we have faith, hope and love...and a cause for thankfulness. 

It seems that at this time of year people stop and consider their blessings.  Family and friends reconnect.  People actually PRAY, and in a reflective moment experience the reality that 'the best things in life are free.'  I look forward to spending time with those I love today, sharing our spirit of thankfulness and the warmth of each others love. This is a special day is America.  Others may celebrate in different ways.  May we all discover ways to be thankful every day and treat others as we wish to be treated. 

As your mind and spirit ponder another sunrise on the ocean of life, may you find yourself thankful.  May you experience a truly blessed Thanksgiving!

TV Upgrade Project

Out with the old, in with the new.  For images of the process of replacing the front and rear TV's, look at the photo album (password is shadow).  Step one, remove the old TV sets.  These are the old tube type, big and heavy.  Amazingly, just a few screws to remove and the old sets were loose and removable.  Your situation may be different :)  Then some rough opening and other sizing considerations.  I went to Walmart with the measurements.  As it turned out, Vizio had a set that fit each location pretty well.  These are not high end TV's, but they are a new generation of LED sets, very thin and light weight.  So I thought I would give them a try.  Some reviewers comment on poor sound quality, and I think it is just average.  But the picture is really very good. And at some point I may get a surround sound system as an add on.  But for the space I use them in....they are working out fine as is. 

The rear TV is now a 22" LED HDTV.  It fit really well INTO the old slot left to right.  It was plenty big for the viewing area of the bedroom, and I did not have to create an outside the cabinet mounting process.  I basically set it on top of the DVR box, secured by brackets to hold the top in place, and the weight of it to hold in onto a padded strip at the bottom.  The base strip establishes the viewing angle, recessed about an inch from the bottom of the cabinet frame.  I build a DVR box below it, and it now houses a DVD Recorder / VCR combo --- Direct TV seems to not want me to have Satellite service --- see my other post on the antenna servicing these TV's.  I was going to stain the box to match the oak cabinets, but decided a black box would look good with the electronics and be a better match. 

The front TV is now a 32" LED HDTV.  I debated the install options. The rear TV fit inside the cabinet nicely.  But because I wanted a larger unit up front, it would not fit inside the existing cabinet.  Rather than take the cabinet apart and perform carpentry resolutions beyond my skill level....I mounted it on a typical wall mount bracket.  The bracket is attached to a 1x10 board screwed into place, with mounting base attached.  The TV bracket is attached to the rear of the unit and they inter lock for mounting.  The DVR box fits below.  Again, I painted the box black to match the electronic devices.  The bracket allows pivoting for viewing angle.  The DVR box now houses a regular DVD player for movie watching.

Direct TV?  Maybe some day.  I did some final wiring adjustments and now have very nice HDTV to both TV sets with my over the air via the crank up JACK antenna, and I am very pleased.  Do I miss some of my old stations --- ESPN, HGTV, BRAVO, and others --- yes.  On the other hand, free TV is good quality, and should foster extra time for other activities.