RV-Dreams Journal

June Financial Summary

June 2008 Results

Campground Fees $207.00 (6.90 per day) - Budget $450.00

We managed to keep our overnight stays at around $15 a night.  Then we had several nights where we had no cost.  Our site was comped during the Rally and we arrived at our workamping position earlier than expected. 

RV Clubs $0.00 - Budget $0.00

RV Insurance $0.00 - Budget $0.00

Propane $0.00 - Budget $10.00

Cell Phones $85.39 - Budget $85.00

Satellite Internet $0.00 - Budget $0.00

Note:  Satellite internet is no longer included in our regular expenses.  We now classify it as a business expense.  We paid $798 in December 2007 for all of 2008. 

RV Taxes/Registration $0.00 - Budget $0.00

Satellite TV $79.04 - Budget $75.00

RV Maintenance $0.00 - Budget $50.00

Diesel $686.87 - Budget $150.00

Well, when the budget was made, we had no idea that we were going to have to hustle over 1,000 miles from Branson, Missouri to Pagosa Springs, CO for our summer/fall workamping.  We hadn't taken the position when the budget was done, and we thought we would be traveling at our usual slow pace.  And of course we didn't expect diesel to be quite so high either.

We towed 1,474 miles in June and drove the truck an additional 74 miles while shuttling for canoe and hiking trips for a total of 1,548 miles.  We averaged $4.60 a gallon for diesel, $1.10 over the $3.50 I used to budget for the year.

Gas $330.02 - Budget $170.00

See above explanation for Diesel.  :)

We drove the Jeep 1,846 miles in June.  Of that, 1,479 miles was following the rig and 367 miles was exploring the local areas where we stopped.  Our average gas cost was about $3.94 per gallon, ninety-four cents a gallon over the $3.00 I used to budget for the year.

Truck Maintenance $0.00 - Budget $35.00

Jeep Maintenance $0.00 - Budget $20.00

Truck Insurance $0.00 - Budget $0.00

Jeep Insurance $0.00 - Budget $0.00

Truck Taxes/Registration $0.00 - Budget $0.00

Jeep Taxes/Registration $0.00 - Budget $0.00

Groceries & Dining Out $375.60 ($12.52 per day) - Budget $450.00

Our Groceries & Dining Out budget for 2008 is based on $12 per day per month for groceries PLUS $90 for dining out. 

We done good in June!  :)

Laundry, Clothing, Hair Care $92.28 - Budget $75.00

We had to replace some worn out shorts.  :)

Entertainment $128.27 ($4.28 per day) - Budget $200.00

Insurance - Health, Life, Umbrella, Etc. $1,133.48 - Budget $1,134.00

Monthly health insurance premium of $181 plus our annual life insurance of $953.

Medical & Dental Expenses $0.00 - Budget $50.00

Miscellaneous $146.60 - Budget $150.00

Emergencies/Budget Cushion $827.00 - Budget $500.00

Paid estimated quarterly taxes based on capital gains taxes we had to pay last year.  I'm pretty sure we won't have capital gains this year and we will get the money back in 2009, but we're paying the estimates just in case.

Totals $3,264.55 ($108.82 per day) for normal living expenses - Budget $3,104.00

Totals with Emergencies/Budget Cushion $4,091.55 - Budget $3,604.00.

Looking at the bright side as I tend to do, we were only $160.55 over budget on our normal living expenses even though we were almost $700 over budget on our fuel categories.

For a look at this year's numbers through June go to Our 2008 Actual Expenses. To see our budget month-by-month click on Our 2008 Budget.

On the business side, it took quite awhile to crunch the Rally numbers, etc.

For the month of June, we made a profit of $4,913.  Woo Hoo!  That certainly helped.  :)

Of that amount, $4,650 of it was in RV-Dreams.com.  Of that, we had a profit on the 2008 Rally of $3,824.  However, if not for our special 50/50 raffle that was donated back to us and a couple of sponsorships, we would have netted less than $2,000.  We need to do a lot better than that for future rallies.  :) 

Our business income & expense summary statement is now available at Our 2008 Business Financial Summary page.

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First Half 2008 Summary

Well, let's start with the good news.  For basic living expenses alone, we are $783 under budget for the first half of the year.  We have spent $15,483.53 so far which is an average of $2,581 per month.  That's just $81 over our goal of $2,500 a month for the year.  That's really good because almost all of our big expenses are loaded into the first six months of the year.

And since we are workamping July - October, which wasn't accounted for in the budget, we should come in well under our $30,000 goal in basic, normal living expenses.  :)

Now, the bad news.  We budgeted $6,000 for Emergencies/Budget Cushion.  With capital gains taxes from 2007, estimated taxes for 2008, our solar panels, and our additions to the Jeep, we are probably going to come in at around $13,500 in that category for the year.

I don't think we can make that $7,500 deficit up in our normal living expense savings.  But if we can make up half, we might just get the other half back in taxes next year (or at least a good portion of it).

The bottom line is it is again pretty clear that we can live comfortably on less than $30,000 a year ($2,500 a month), but $36,000 a year ($3,000 a month) sure provides some wiggle room for emergencies and upgrades to the lifestyle that aren't necessities.  :)

Another Busy Day - (Pagosa Springs, CO)

Doug & JoAnn got their first day off, so it was Linda & I and Karen and Glenn.

Linda & Karen continued their work on organizing the reservations system and getting Linda up to speed on upcoming guests.

Karen couldn't get her printer to work, so I started the morning figuring out that problem.  It's not my area of expertise, but I'm more comfortable with that than using tools.  :)

I then had to go to Cabin 3 and remind the family there that check-out time is 10:00.  They thought it was 11:00.

Cabin 4 had vacated, so I did my cabin preparation.  It was left in pretty good shape.  But the folks in Cabin 3 left the place a mess.

Linda started cleaning Cabin 4 while I went to work on Cabin 3.  There was food all over the floor.  They left watermelon rinds everywhere.  There was broken glass in the firepit.  The kids had popped several of those little plastic bottles of streamers and left them laying around outside - not good since it had rained.

And not only that, the family took the extra toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, kleenex, and more.  It had all been stocked two days before.  And since this was the second year in a row that they had canceled two cabins at the last minute, these folks will not be allowed back.  Unbelievable.

Check-in isn't until 3:00, but three of our four couples today arrived much earlier than that.  But they were all very nice and knew they were early.

Cabins 1 & 4 were together and they really were looking forward to using the firepit at Cabin 4.  I decided it needed to be spruced up around there, so I took a weedeater, a shovel, and a rake to the area.

I did a little more weedeating while Linda & Karen finished up Cabin 3.  Glen fixed two toilet seats and completed the other priority items on his list.

After lunch, I made a trash run and helped Glen dig post holes to put up our new V.A. Poma Ranch sign.  Two feet deep through the rocks.  It's been a long time since I've swung a pick that much.  :)

Karen showed Linda how to make an apple pie and pecan pie from scratch.  Lucky guests.  :)

The afternoon rain chased Glen & I inside.  I was back on the computer checking out long-range cordless phones.  Seems like the Engenius DuroFon is the way to go with a range that would cover a 3,000 acre ranch, but I don't think it is in this ranch's budget at around $500.  :)

I can't seem to find any middle ground technology, but something called DECT 6.0 phones seem to be the best of the consumer-type cordless models.  Those options are under $100.

The rain stopped and I went back outside to take some split wood down to Cabin 4's firepit.  I chopped a little more wood for Cabin 3 as well.

Linda did a complete hummingbird overview for one guest that was fascinated by the dozen or so hummers flying around and feeding at the Ranch House.

Much of my afternoon was spent talking to guests, telling them about the ranch, and discussing how Linda & I ended up here.  I'm not sure, but I think all four couples we have here now are about our age and none of them have kids.  So they are intrigued about our lifestyle.

We're working hard, but we're enjoying it.  It is an absolutely beautiful work environment and, again, the vast majority of guests are as nice as they can be.

And they are catching fish.  I'll be gettin' the fly rods out very, very soon.  :)

Tomorrow, Karen is going to Durango to pick up some items on the "want list", so Linda & I will be on our own with Glen.  But I think we've learned enough over the past few days to take care of everything.

Oh, before I sign off, Linda wanted me to advise everyone that has ordered cookbooks in the last week that they will go out on Thursday.  Sorry for the delay, but we've been quite busy, ran out of shipping supplies, and it's about 30 miles to the post office.  :)

Several folks have written in the Forum under a "Cookbook" thread that they have received their cookbooks and are enjoying looking through them.  Soon I'll have a place on the cookbook sales page where you can submit your best RV-Dreams Family Favorites cookbook recipe experiences.  That should be fun.  :)

Linda also wanted me to notify those that are waiting on bracelets that she will be working on them over the next few days.

And I'll be a little slow getting up the financials for June as well.

We've sure been busy, but it is by our own choice and on our own terms.  And it beats the heck out of that other alternative - that one that keeps getting farther and farther back in our rearview mirror.  :) 

Tour Of Poma Ranch & Surrounding Area - (Pagosa Springs, CO)

I forgot to mention yesterday that Arches National Park is in desperate need for Campground Hosts for July 8 - 30.  Both couples canceled.  So, if anyone is in any way interested, contact Annie Corson at Ann_Corson@nps.gov.  I know she sure would appreciate the help.  :)

On with the day.

Casual meeting at the Ranch House between 8:00 & 8:30 to set out the day.  We all wanted to get our bearings regarding the ranch boundaries, so we agreed we would do a tour after the two vacating cabins were cleaned.

Doug & I tried to position our cellular antenna and amplifier around the Ranch House to see if we could get any cell service at all.  We even put the antenna up on a pole and carried it to different spots.

Occasionally we could get one or two bars, but the signal would never stay consistent.  I'll call some cellular experts to see if there is anything else we can try.

Doug washed the golf cart while I did computer stuff.  Our laptop still got our wireless satellite internet signal from the porch of the Ranch House.  So I researched cellular options, got pricing on satellite internet (they only have excruciatingly slow dial-up here), and looked at long range cordless phones.

After the two cabins checked out, Doug & I did the cabin checklists and got the cabins ready for the ladies.

The gals worked on reservations and procedures until lunch.

After lunch, Doug stained the bathhouse door while I installed some software for Karen on her laptop and made some suggestions.  I think Linda & I would like to meet with the accountant in Pagosa to streamline some accounting and modify procedures for everyone's benefit.

JoAnn & Linda started cleaning the cabins and got one finished.  Then some weather started moving in, so we decided to take our tour before it rained.

All five of us hopped in the Jeep.  We took the Jeep off the main driveway to a place overlooking the Weminuche Valley known to Karen as Wedding Rock.

We didn't have much time as the rain was moving in quickly.

We listened closely as Karen gave us some history about her family's ownership of the ranch.

Her husband's family also lived in the valley for several years.

Back in the Jeep we didn't get very far before rain and hail started dropping on us.  That pretty much ended the picture taking for me, but JoAnn got a few more and posted them on their blog.

We drove to the western property line and turned on Mosca Creek Road.  We turned off that road to check out the Kid's Pond or Windmill Pond.  It's a productive little trout pond on ranch property.

Each year the two ponds, the one lake, and the three miles of the Weminuche River that runs through the ranch are stocked with trout.  This year's stocking will be in a couple of weeks.

As we went, I marked waypoints on the GPS to help create a map for guests.

Back on Mosca Creek Road, we started a drive up a ridge so Karen could show us the boundary between the ranch and the San Juan National Forest.  The National Forest can be accessed from several points on the ranch.  I'm sure Linda & I will be checking out that 20 or so mile National Forest road.

From Mosca Creek Road we got back on Piedra Road which is the main road to Pagosa.  Karen showed us that the property extends above Piedra Road to the top of a ridge.  And she showed us the eastern boundary in the valley.

Now we had a much better idea of the ranch boudaries.  That will be really helpful in letting our guests know where they can hike, hunt, fish, and ride horses on the property.  And we can tell them where they can access the National Forest without encroaching on private property.

We continued toward Pagosa for a mile or so and turned onto Williams Creek Road.  We passed the beautiful Williams Creek Reservoir and checked out several of the campgrounds in the area.  Karen showed us some of the hiking and horseback trailheads.

Wow!  I can't wait to get back on a clear day and take some pictures and do some hiking.  We and our guests will have lots of opportunities to commune with nature without going very far.

We also saw lots of large boondocking sites if you are brave enough and patient enough to bring your rig back here.  :)

Back at the ranch, JoAnn & Linda finished up cleaning the remaining cabin.  I went to the rig and started plotting points on a Google Map.

After returning to the Ranch House and having watermelon and ice cream, I called it a day.  A few hours later, Linda came home.  :)

She'll have to write her own Journal entries to explain everything she has been doing.  I told you she was obsessed.  :)

Tomorrow will be our first day without Doug & JoAnn as we start our normal schedule.  Also, Glen, the Ranch Foreman, will be back at work, so I'll probably be working with him on some projects.  We'll see how it goes.  :)

Lists & Procedures - (Pagosa Springs, CO)

Linda was awake at 3:00 am and up at 4:00 am doing checklists on the computer for the Poma Ranch.  She's got so many ideas running through her head to assist in the operation of the ranch.  It doesn't work, but all I can say is "Easy there Honey, Poma wasn't built in a day".  :)

This morning we all went over the checklists which tell us guys our steps to prepare the cabins for cleaning on days the guests check out.  I think Doug & I have the new procedures down.

Oh, Karen also showed us the operation of the EZ Beds she has for extra guests.  Wow, those things are cool!  Check out the videos on the website.

The ladies cleaned a couple of cabins, did all the laundry, and helped Karen get the Ranch House organized.  They worked their tails off again today.

We're hoping the harder work and organization up front will lead to things being a little more routine and easier as time goes by.

Doug & I then went to work on Karen's "list" for us.  Of course we all agreed we needed to get Linda's sign-off on the items.  :)

We organized the ranch's grills so each cabin has one.  We checked a couple of air matresses for leaks.  Doug did some more weedeating and weed killing while I worked on another toilet issue in the community bathhouse.

We put up some shelves in the ranch house.  That required me getting out my power tools and using my circular saw for the first time.  I had to read the instructions on how to install the blade and guide, but we got the job done.  The girls missed out on the amusing use of the saw.  :)

We have some more things on the list, but Doug & I ventured away from it.  We made another big trash run.  And we pruned bushes and trees all along the ranch road so guests wouldn't scratch their vehicles.  That was a little bigger job than we anticipated and we had a truckload of branches to dispose of.

Oh yeah, Doug & I attempted to replace an old toilet seat in one cabin.  But the rusty bolt and plastic nut wouldn't cooperate.  We were concerned that the replacement seat we found in a shed wouldn't fit, and we wouldn't be able to get the old one back on if we destroyed it in the process.  So logic overruled the attempted completion of that project.  :)

We were worn out again today, but made lots of progress.  Linda was still making labels for the laundry room after 5:00, long after the rest of us called it quits.  :)

She finally came home for dinner and fried up some potatoes to go with the ribs she put in the crockpot earlier.  We chowed down and had much less in leftovers than usual with that meal.  :)

Both Linda's parents and my parents are coming to the ranch in August, so we got them booked into cabins.  My folks are being chauffered by relatives that are accompanying them so they won't have to do that long drive by themselves.  Everyone seems to be looking forward to being here.

Linda and I then went for a walk up to Martin Lake here on the property.

It was pretty overcast this evening.  But I have a feeling you will see this view of the lake with gorgeous sunsets while we are here.  :)

Here is another view out toward the Continental Divide.

Well, we thought we could walk all the way around the lake, but that wasn't the case.  We ended up having to do three or four fence crossings and ended up bushwhacking our way through vegetation rather than backtracking around the lake.  "Another of your walks", Linda said with a familiar tone.  :)

It sounds like the lake hasn't been very productive for fishing lately.  But we might have to put the Foldcat on it and see if they are hanging out in the middle.  :)

And with our walk we called it a night.  One more day of all of us working together officially and then we will go on our regular 3 or 4 days per week schedule ... if Linda decides to give any of us a day off.  :)

We Got Right To It - (Pagosa Springs, CO)

Before we get started, I mentioned Photodynasty.com the other day for great prices on cameras.  Well, I did a little more research and it turns out they have a terrible reputation.  So I removed the link in the prior post and just wanted to let everyone know that I have not used them and would not use them based on the information I discovered online.  Sorry about that.  :)

On with the day.

We had a mid-morning "meeting" with Karen to discuss duties, schedules, etc. 

The porch of the Ranch House may be the best setting for a meeting we've ever had.  :)

We thought we were going to wait until the start of the next two-week pay period to start working, but realized we were in the middle of it.  The pay period started this past Monday.

Since we weren't going to wait until a week from Monday when the next pay period started, we voted to go ahead and all four of us work the next three days to sort of get oriented together.  And that way we will all get a full paycheck right off the bat (as paltry as it will be).  :)

On Monday we will start our regular schedule devised by Linda.  Linda & I will work Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and every other Tuesday.  Doug & JoAnn will work Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and the opposite Tuesday.

Our duties will morph as time goes on, but it looks like the girls will be doing reservations, callbacks, scheduling, check-out, check-in, linens/towels laundry, and making sure the cabins are clean and ready for the next guests.  The guys will help with getting cabins ready, clean firepits, cut grass, minor maintenance, and special projects under the direction of Glen, the Ranch Foreman.  And of course we will all do guest relations.

It's very much like a volunteer job that would require 3-4 days a week per couple in exchange for an RV site and perks like free propane and laundry.  But the work will be a little more strenuous and we will get paid $140 per couple every two weeks or about $1,500 while we are here plus tips.

Karen took Linda & JoAnn and showed them what she prefers to get each cabin ready.  Two of them needed to be cleaned today, so the ladies worked on that.

I actually fixed a running toilet - an old trick I learned as the son of a plumber.  :)  Speaking of the plumber, it's his birthday today.  Happy 86th Dad!!  :)

Doug and I cut grass around the Ranch House.  And Doug figured out the rolling weed eater and did some trimming around the RV sites and Ranch House.  He also fixed a screen on one of the cabins - and he has about as much maintenance ability as I do.  :)

I cleaned some coolers from a party last weekend.  Doug watered some plants and set up the lawn sprinkler.  And we emptied the trash cans at each cabin and Doug took the trash in the ranch truck to the new dumpster that was delivered today.  The dumpster is located by the tack house about a mile away from the Ranch House and cabins so it won't stink the place up or draw critters into the camp.

It's been a long, long time since I'd cut grass.  Pushing that mover up and down the hills wasn't easy.  Still, the old instincts came back - I was anal about having my lines straight.  And you want them cut in the proper direction so the other people can see the straight lines.  :)

Yes, we worked hard today.  Hopefully, we didn't set the bar too high on our first day.  :)  But you could see a wave of relief come over Karen as she immediately saw she had some good help.

Linda is already obsessed with getting this place organized and is spewing out ideas and writing checklists and procedures.  As Doug & JoAnn said in their blog, were are all, including Karen, now working for Linda.  :)

After calling it a day and having an easy dinner, we went for a walk.  Another view of the Ranch House.

Immediately behind the Ranch House is what we are now calling the Lodge.  It is a meeting place that can serve several different functions.  And the smaller building to the right of that is a bathhouse with a couple of showers.

Here is Cabin 1, the closest cabin to the Ranch House.

We are working on coming up with better names for each cabin, but in the meantime, they are numbers.  :)

Cabin 2 down the hill from Cabin 1 and in full view of the Ranch House.  It can actually sleep up to 12 and has a second floor where all the beds are.

Cabin 3 can't be seen from the Ranch House.  It's close to the gravel road but has great views.

Cabin 4 is tucked back into the woods a little more, but still has pretty good views of the valley and mountains.

There is no Cabin 5.  Where Cabin 5 would be is actually two full hook-up RV sites that overlook the valley.

Cabins 1, 3, & 4 each have two bedrooms and one bath.

Cabin 6 and Uncle Bill's Cabin (right next to our RV sites) are small, one bedroom, one bath cabins.  Cabin 6 is sort of the honeymoon cabin.  :)

There is a couple staying in Cabin 6 that are very intrigued about our full-timing life.  Linda & I spoke to them at length and gave them a business card.  They are nature lovers and claimed that our meeting today was "meant to be" by the time we left them alone.  :)

Around 7:30, we gathered back on the Ranch House porch for some ice cream and pecan pie.

And we weren't alone.  The chipmunks around here are huge and not very shy.  :)

In addition to all the chipmunks, we've seen a couple of marmots.  Fillmore spotted a porcupine yesterday.  Some of our guests saw an elk with calve this morning and there was a bear in camp a few days ago.

Yeah, I think this will be our kind of place.  A little manual labor sure won't hurt us, but the days off will certainly be wonderful for exploring this beautiful area.

Now, hopefully, we won't wear ourselves out in these first few days.  :)

 

Arriving At V.A. Poma Ranch - (Pagosa Springs, CO)

Another cool, upper 40s morning.

We wanted to get on the road early, but that didn't exactly happen.  It was after 10:00 am and then we had to wait at the dump station for awhile.

At the end of the park road, NM Hwy 95, we took a left onto U.S. Hwy 84 and headed north.  We made a quick stop in Chama to fill up the Jeep before continuing on Hwy 84 across the Continental Divide all the way to Pagosa Springs.  I was at 10 mpg at that time.

At Pagosa we took U.S. Hwy 160 through downtown to Piedra Road at the "top of the hill".  That hill climb on the west side of downtown made my mileage go down.  :)

Now the hard part.

Piedra Road is a bit narrow and rough at the beginning.  It's paved (but not smooth) for the first 6 miles and then it turns into a wider gravel road.

That first nine miles of gravel road is pure torture.  It is extremely washboardy and seemed worse than when we visited in May.  It was rattling my teeth in the truck though the trailer suspension seemed to handle it well.  I could only go 10 - 15 mph.

On one downgrade, I was in the lowest gear and the truck started to slide just a bit.  I quickly pinched the trailer brake controller slide to get the trailer brakes to grab a bit tighter.  That worked.

After nine miles on the gravel, we left Archuleta County and entered Hinsdale County.  The surface of the gravel road changed and became smoother.  We averaged about 20 mph from there - the last nine miles.  :)

It took us about an hour and fifteen minutes to do the 24 miles of Piedra Road and I've never used the brake controller more.  Whew!

So we drove a total of 92 miles and my 10 mpg shrunk to 9 mpg by the time we got to the ranch.

In spite of the roughness of Piedra Road, I have to say that the drive is spectacular.  Still, I was glad to see our home for the next four months - the V.A. Poma Ranch.

We had one more hurdle.  It was a tight turn onto a narrow bridge on the ranch road.  I had to back up a couple times to make it.

Finally, we arrived.  But the fun wasn't over yet.

We met the ranch hand/jack-of-all-trades Glen.  And then we went about the task of getting the trailer turned around in tight quarters so it was headed back out the drive.

Then I had to back it about 50 yards uphill between a shed, a cabin, and several trees to get it into our site.  And of course that wasn't just a straight line.  The angles were tough, and it took us an hour to finally get into place.

The two RV sites where we will be staying and working with Doug & JoAnn for the summer are basically just a clearing amongst the tall pines.  We had to get in first and hope that our satellite internet would work.  There was just enough clearance to the southern sky and we got locked on.  A big sigh of relief there.  :)

As we were getting set up, Doug & JoAnn (and Fillmore) arrived with their Montana.  After greetings and hugs, we suggested that they unhitch in the driveway from their F350 SRW and let me hitch up the F450 and back it up the hill into their site.

They liked that idea.  :)

With the Montana being a bit shorter and lighter than the Cambridge and the angle being easier, I was able to get them parked in about 10 - 15 minutes.

We are a little close together and the utilities are between the rigs.  So they had to run hoses and cords under their fifth wheel.

The good news is that their picture window and dining table are on the opposite side of their rig.  So their view is off into the woods rather than the side of our trailer.  :)

We both have 30 amp electric and sewer hook-ups.  But we are sharing a water spigot that only provides 30 psi of water pressure.  We think we are going to just fill our tank and use our pump for showers to get better pressure.

They will be able to use our internet connection, but neither of us can get cell coverage (even with our booster antenna and amplifier).  So if anyone tries to call on our cell phones and leaves a message, it may be a week or so before we know it.

There is a land line phone in the main ranch house.  And there is a cell signal on Piedra Road about four miles away if we really need it.

We're thinking we may try to set up our antenna and amplifier at the ranch house since it is not so sheltered by trees.  It may work, it may not.  At any rate, the best form of communication will definitely be by email the next four months.  :)

The rest of the afternoon we just spent getting set up and settled in.  We have at least a partial view, through the woods, of the valley and mountains from under our awning.

But as inviting as those loungers were, I wanted to get the windows washed so we could see the birds and wildlife.  There is a constant trill of hummingbirds all around.

We have seen lots of Broad-tailed Hummingbirds and some Rufous as well.  We may or may not have Black-chinned as we are just on the border of their range.

The other wildlife that seems to be more abundant than we expected are the mosquitoes.  That's not good.  :)

Our hostess and employer arrived and we chatted a bit.  We'll probably take tomorrow to get acclimated and then get to work over the weekend.

Knowing how much I love brownies, JoAnn had made a batch before they arrived.  So after we both got set up, we went over to partake and catch up a little.

None of us really has a handle on what we will be doing here.  I think it will be a combination of lots of things and we might have to organize ourselves, but we'll figure it out.

The only downsides I can see are the mosquitoes and having to take on that 25 miles of rough road for each trip to town.

On the positive side, it is beautiful here, there is little to no humidity, the temps are excellent, we are in the wilderness, it's very quiet, and we are close to good hiking, fishing, and off-road exploring.  And we are only dealing with six cabins of occupants at a time ... at the most.  :)

We've already interacted a little with the current guests and they are all enjoying the laid back atmosphere.  One couple is even considering full-time RVing, so I talked to them for quite awhile and gave them a card.  :)

There are certainly worse places to be and worse jobs to have for the summer.  :)

 

A Great River Trip Until ... (Los Ojos, NM)

It was in the upper 40s when we got up this morning.  It's starting to sink in that we are going to have chilly evenings all summer when we get to Poma Ranch at 8,000 feet elevation.  :)

Today, we were either going to hike the Rio Chama Trail or do a run on the Rio Chama in our Sea Eagle 330.

My only hesitation about the river run was the unknown.  I knew that it was 15 - 16 miles and had Class II and Class III rapids.  But there is no outfitter around here to ask, and I couldn't find a good map of that section of the river to tell us where the rapids appear.  I read that many of the rapids can't be scouted and have to be negotiated on the fly.

Still, Linda was up for the adventure and I preferred that choice over the hike as well.

We left the Jeep at our take out point at the North El Vado boat ramp near the end of Heron Lake State Park.  On our way to the put-in with the truck, we stopped at the Heron Lake visitors center to let them know we were doing the river trip.

We exited the park and made a quick run to the post office at Los Ojos.  Then we returned to the Hwy 95 river bridge over the Rio Chama.  There is a large gravel parking area and it is a designated put-in point (though there are no signs to that effect).

We got all our gear together, inflated the boat ...

put on our life jackets and took off from this point.

The river was running swiftly and there wasn't much time for photography.  But Linda did get a shot or two like these.

Though there was no one on the river with us, we were still sort of in civilization for the first few miles.  We could see fences and the occasional house.

We saw lots of birds and a large osprey nest as we floated.

Our first tricky area was a little spillway across the river.  I hadn't read anything about that.

We paddled hard to get to the easiest path over it and made it just fine.

There is a little suction created as you go over the spillway and it tried to suck the back of our canoe in, but we pushed through it.  It was a little unnerving and we are certainly glad we went to the edge and not through the middle where the suction would have been stronger.

We paddled on and started to see large cliffs along the river.

After going through a pretty section, I spun us around so Linda could get this shot.

It's a shame it was cloudy most of the day and our lighting wasn't particularly good.

I checked the GPS every once in awhile and the swiftness of the river was carrying us at about 4 to 4.5 miles per hour.  We didn't get on the river until about 11:30, but we would be off long before it started to get chilly.

At about the eight mile mark, we left civilization behind.

We went through several Class II rapids and got wet.  It was fun though and we dressed such that the cold river water wasn't bothering us.  We still carry our neoprene scuba boots for these river runs which really helps.

After we went through another pretty section ....

we pulled over to stretch our legs and drain the excess water out of the boat.

We had to do that again at about the eleven mile mark.  Here is the view downriver to the next section.

All the rapids look small until you are in the middle of them.  :)

Here's a nice shot back upriver.

We got back in the boat and enjoyed the scenery.  The canyon started to close, so the rapids were now coming more frequently with lots of large boulders in the river.

We got through several sections without a problem.  Then, about the 12 mile mark, we came to a dicey rapid that I would later find out was a Class III known as "Big Mama Chama".

As we had done with all the other rapids we got lined up to shoot through the gap.  And then it happened.

Rather than the flow of the water taking us around the huge rocks, this time we got blown sideways right into a large boulder.  It was the worst case scenario as we got pinned against the rock.  For the first time, we flipped.

I came up after going around one side of the boulder and then Linda popped up on the other side ... still with her sunglasses on.  She was holding on to my inflatable seat.

I was floating downriver fast and all our stuff was catching up.  I grabbed my paddle, both our hats, and the dry bag.

Finally, we came to a point where we could get to the bank and gather ourselves and the boat.  The boat still had Linda's seat in it and both sets of our flip-flops were still wedged inside.  The boat was still in perfect shape - man, we love that little thing!

However, we lost Linda's paddle.  That wasn't good.  And our dry bag wasn't dry on the inside.  Uh oh.  That means the camera, my zoom lens, my cell phone, and my wallet are all soaked.

But we were okay other than a couple of bruises.  And we had the boat and one paddle.  And it was a good thing we had the dry bag, because the Jeep keys were in there as well.  :)

We took some time on the side of the river to compose ourselves.  And we hoped the other paddle would float down.  It never did.

We got back in the boat and finished the rest of the run.  Linda felt handicapped without a paddle, and it certainly wasn't easy maneuvering both our weights into proper position with just one.

We had just a few lesser rapids left and then we made it into flat water.  The trip was just gorgeous, but we no longer were in the mood to enjoy it.  We just wanted to be done.

The last couple of miles in flat water with a little wind in our face and one paddle seemed to take forever.  We alternated paddling and finally reached the boat ramp.  According to the GPS, it had been a 15.8 mile trip.

We took extra time getting everything loaded into the Jeep.  There was a lot of "what could we have done differently?" talk going on.

Linda was concerned about being apprehensive on future river runs.  I was just angry that I let us get flipped and wanted to go back and look at that section and run it again.  But we were also happy the results weren't worse.  :)

We went and picked up the truck and got back to the campsite.  We set up a table and laid everything out in the sun to dry.

I laid a towel on the floor of the rig and emptied my wallet.  I should have taken a picture of the cash, pictures, and all the cards (paper and plastic) drying out.  :)

Unfortunately, the Nikon D40 is ruined.  Fortunately, the really expensive zoom lens seems to have come out okay.

Oh, and obviously, the memory card in the camera came out okay, so we didn't lose the shots we had taken before the flipping.  :)

Still not sure about my cell phone, but everything else is fine.

I've already been online pricing D40s.  They have certainly come down in price since I bought mine, and they are still getting rave reviews.  I found a couple for under $400.  They come with a small 18-55mm lens, but you can get an additional 55-200mm lens with it for about $150 more.  That's a deal.

By the way, I recently became aware of a camera that just came out this spring for those that aren't ready to go with a digital SLR and interchangeable lenses.

The Nikon Coolpix P80 looks like a small SLR and is a 10.1 megapixel camera with an 18x optical zoom.  Retail is a little over $300, but I've found a few online for well under $300.  If I wasn't completely in love with the D40, I would be considering that option.  :)

The good news is I still have my Nikon D70 as a back-up until I replace the D40.  Thought I'd try it out on another lovely sunset.

I emailed our friends Tim & Crystal at InflatableBoats4Less.com and told them I would need a new paddle shipped very soon.  They are super nice to work with and will answer any questions you have about Sea Eagle inflatables.  Plus their prices are lower than the Sea Eagle website.  :)

There is a new big brother to our Sea Eagle 330, the Sea Eagle 370.  One of the things about the 330 is it's tight for two people.  The 370 offers a bit more room and there are a few other upgraded features.

So, in conclusion, we had a great Rio Chama River trip until it was dampened (quite literally) toward the end.  But I'd certainly do it again - just a little more cautiously at Big Mama Chama.  :)

The Fuel Cost Question - (Los Ojos, NM)

Well, being at 7200 feet elevation, we have to get used to the cool evenings again.  It was chilly when we got up - in the low 50s.

Rain threatened and we just didn't get going very early.  Instead of getting involved in an outdoor activity where we might get soaked, we decided to just take a drive.

We went into the town of Chama to mail some cookbooks and look around.  It seems to be like so many small towns we see across the country - struggling to survive.

And it didn't help that the only grocery store in town collapsed under heavy snow this past February.  There is just an empty lot there now.

If not for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the summer tourists, I'm not sure that it would survive.

There are four or five RV parks in Chama.  We drove through a couple just to check them out.  The sites are very close together, but they didn't seem overcrowded because there were so many empty sites.  Maybe it's not peak season here yet.  Or maybe it's the economy.

On our way back to the campground we made a stop at Tierra Wools on the small village of Los Ojos.  It's not a place we normally would have stopped.

But it was interesting to see the looms and talk to the lady that dyes the yarn spun from Churro Sheep wool.  They use commercial dyes sometimes, but the more intriguing thing was their use of natural plant materials to create various colors.

The dyer explained what plants produce what colors and told us how she experiments to come up with new shades.  Linda really thought it would be cool to do that part - create dye "recipes" from natural ingredients.  :)

As I was talking to the lady that greeted us who was spinning wool into yarn, the fuel cost question came up as it relates to life on the road in an RV.  Whenever we talk to anyone that is not a full-timer, the fuel cost question arises.  So we hear this question just about every day, either in person or via email.

How is the rising cost of fuel affecting you as a full-time RVer?

My answer is that it is not affecting us as much now as it would had we still been working traditional jobs.  It's not that we are driving 12,000 miles a year as opposed to 40,000 miles a year while we were working.  That's part of it, but we had a lot more income to cover that difference when we were working.

The difference is this.  In our prior life our total expenses were much higher.  With the rising fuel costs and rising costs of everything else related to fuel, our salary increases, if any, would not have kept up.

We were on a 10 to 12 year plan to have "the number" in the bank to retire early.  That plan would have had to been extended due to rising costs and the diminished ability to save as much as "the plan" required.  That would have caused me great distress.

And the stress levels would have been going up for other reasons as well.  Since our business was greatly affected by real estate sales and mortgages, we would have been struggling to make a profit.  The company that bought our company would have been asking us to lay off people, and I'm not so sure they wouldn't have eventually gotten to us.

Losing our jobs would have really put a kink in that retirement plan.  There is nothing "secure" about job security anymore.

In the big pictures of our lives, we somehow decided to downsize ourselves rather than being forced into it.  That part wasn't even a conscious decision - we just wanted to travel and be happier.

No, we didn't know fuel was going to go to $5 a gallon and everything else would go up as well.  We didn't know we were selling our house at just the right time.  We didn't know that we were timing our exit from the real estate business just right.  We did know that the mortgage industry was going to collapse under the weight of its own greed, but we didn't know when.

My point is, even if by accident, we moved ourselves into a position that is better suited to withstanding inflation.  By having zero debt and by keeping our life expenses to more of a "survival" level, we have much more flexibility and no dependence on a career or corporate employer.

Yes, inflation is currently outpacing our investment income.  But, we don't have debt and thus there won't be any lenders breathing down our necks.  And we have the flexibility to reduce our expenses and we have the flexibility to easily find income to cover our expenses because they are relatively low. 

We don't need $50,000 or $100,000 a year jobs for this lifestyle.  Those are hard to come by and becoming harder and harder to keep.  But we sure can find lots and lots of lower paying jobs and it doesn't matter if we keep them.  There are more out there and they are all over the country.

Back to fuel costs.  We have been averaging about 5,000 miles a year with the RV.  With other driving when parked, we are averaging about 12,000 miles a year total.

We were averaging about $2.50 per gallon when we started three years ago.  At 12,000 miles at our lowest average mileage (10 mpg) that's $3,000 per year.  If fuel prices get to $5.00 per gallon, our expenses under the same average mpg double to $6,000.  It's not hard at all to make up that $3,000 difference by driving less, reducing expenses in other areas, or finding income.  Small sacrifices with the ability to maintain a pretty darn good quality of life.  :)

All I'm trying to say is that the rising cost of fuel definitely has an effect on all us full-timers.  But if the worst part is having to travel slower or volunteer somewhere to save money or get a low-paying part-time job, that ain't so bad.

In our prior lives, rising fuel and other costs would have meant our jobs would have had even more control over us.  It's sort of ironic.  When you are working for a company and your disposable income gets squeezed, the instinct is not to go out and find something else to increase your income.  The instinct is to hang on tighter to what you have.  That illusion of security wraps around us more tightly.

We've said it often.  That liberating feeling of becoming debt free and no longer being slave to a lender or a job is unmatched.  And, for us, coupling that with the freedom and flexibility of traveling around, living where we want, working when and where we want, and being together in body, mind, and spirit is a dream come true.

How are rising fuel costs affecting our RVing life?  They are an irritant, but in the overall scheme of things, it affects us less than if we were still two-car working commuters hanging on to careers and striving for a retirement "number" that keeps slipping farther into the distance.  :)

We'd much rather be in our current position.

But that's just us.  :)

 

The RVing Gas Station Laws & One Last Stop Before Poma Ranch - (Los Ojos, NM)

Since we changed to Mountain Time when we entered New Mexico, we woke up very early according to the clock.

But we were in no hurry.  We had planned to leave around 9:00 after the small post office attached to the Gladstone Mercantile opened.  We wanted to get the rest of our remaining hat and cookbook orders out.

So, if you purchased either a hat or cookbook online with a debit or credit card through Sunday night (6/22), your purchase has been shipped.  :)

Since I had little to do on the outside to get ready to leave, I filled up the Jeep while Linda packed up the inside.  Yikes!  That hurt - $4.29/gal.

Today, we opted for a 200 mile drive to Heron Lake State Park in north central New Mexico.  That would leave us with a short drive to Poma Ranch in Pagosa Springs, CO later in the week.

We took U.S. 56 west to Springer, NM.  That road from Clayton all the way to Springer is very nice.  In Springer I filled up the truck with diesel.  It was one of those rare times we've filled up with the trailer attached.

Fortunately, there was an easy in-and-out station.  Unfortuately, that was a $220 fill up at $4.89 per gallon on diesel.  Ouch.

Now, I've learned that there are three consistent laws related to fueling up while towing a large RV.

First, when you need fuel, the gas stations (at least the ones with easy access) are never on the right side of the road.  They always require making a left turn across traffic to get in and then a left turn crossing traffic again to get out and continue in the direction you want to go.  :)

Second, when you stop to fill up, the fuel is always cheaper at the next station.  Unless you attempt to go to the next station hoping it will be cheaper.  Then, the next station is always more expensive.  But that part of the law only applies if there actually is a next station.  :)

That brings us to the third law.  Passing stations in the hope of finding cheaper fuel or easier access down the road greatly reduces the existence of all stations past where your spouse told you to stop.  :)

Once again, laws one and two applied today.  The gas stations in the town of Springer were all on my left.  And the next station after fueling up was ten cents cheaper.

I have, however, learned not to mess with the third law.  I have come to accept laws one and two, but that third one is to be avoided if at all possible.  The potential consequences are just not worth the risk.  :)

Back on the road, we got on I-25 north for just a few miles before exiting.  We took NM Hwy 58 west to Cimarron.  It's a two-lane road that is reasonably wide but with no shoulders.  It looks recently paved, but it is still a bit uneven and bouncy.

At Cimarron, we picked up U.S. 64 west and drove through the beautiful Cimarron Canyon.  The road was wide but quite curvy.

Linda beeped in on the walkie-talkie.  "I can't imagine what the inside of the trailer looks like".  I responded "I was only thinking about the scenery and this lovely drive".  :)

We saw numerous people enjoying themselves along the mountain stream beside the road.  Suddenly, I started to resent this summer commitment we have made requiring us to travel more quickly than we like.

Once we get started at our various "jobs", it's never as bad as I think it will be staying put for so long.  But every time we rush to get to them, I get grumpy about the places we could have explored along the way if we'd had more time.  Today was no different as we passed through terrain that begged to be explored.

The twisty road was not intimidating to me at all.  It would have been three years ago, but no longer.  It wasn't as steep as I expected as we climbed to the town of Eagle Nest.

Eagle Nest looked like a cool place to stay.  As did Angel Fire.  But then the road got more twisty, narrower, and with soft or non-existent shoulders.  There were numerous 15 mph sharp curves.

It was that section where I was really glad Linda wasn't in the truck cab.  It wouldn't have been so bad if not for quite a bit of semi traffic coming in the opposite direction.  Most truckers shared the middle of the road, but there were a few that took the center and a little bit of our side around the curves.

At one point I stopped completely going up the hill.  I couldn't get over to the right without dropping the trailer wheels off the shoulder and the truck on my left was over the yellow line.  He missed us by an inch.

Linda said she let out a scream.  Again, fortunately, she was not in the truck.  :)

Once we got through the worst part, it was still curvy with a 30 - 45 mph speed limit all the way to Taos.  That section from Angel Fire to Taos wore me out.

We got through Taos without any trouble.  Linda had been dreading that, but it wasn't too bad.

We made a rest stop at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge rest area west of Taos.  We knew we still had some steep, curvy road to navigate on the last part of our trip.  That knowledge was courtesy of our "Mountain Directory for Truckers, RV and Motorhome Drivers".

Then we continued on U.S. 64 all the way until it intersected with U.S. 84 just south of Tierra Amarilla.  The drive through the Carson National Forest on 64 was very pretty.  The route was curvy with lots of climbs and descents, but the road was wide with good shoulders.

The truck struggled on many of the climbs, but we made the full 207 miles at 9.0 mpg.  That was in contrast to the 8.0 mpg we got yesterday with a change in elevation from the Oklahoma flatlands into a strong headwind the whole way.

Once we intersected with U.S. 84, we went just a few miles north until we turned left toward the state park at Los Ojos.

We passed the visitors center and turned into the road leading to the Blanco and Willow Creek Campgrounds.  Those are the only campgrounds with hook-ups.  There are seven other no hook-up RV camping areas around the lake.

We parked the trailer and did the Jeep tour.  Most of the sites in Blanco & Willow Creek are on the reservation system.  We didn't really see anything we liked in the Willow Creek loop.

In the Blanco loop we stopped and talked to the campground hosts.  They told us there were eight non-reservable sites or we could take an unoccupied reservable site on a night-by-night basis.  The fees are $14 (30 amps & water) plus $5 for our additional vehicle.

That extra $5 irritates the heck out of me.  I know why they have it, but I still hate paying it.

Or we could go to one of the other campgrounds for $10 a night plus the extra $5 for the Jeep.  Those sites have lake views, but may be trickier to get in.  With the little gnats attacking, Linda quickly opted for a site with hook-ups so we could keep the rig closed up if necessary.

We drove through and discovered only one non-reservable site left.  So we quickly recovered the rig and backed into our site as rain threatened.

All the sites in Blanco are pretty large.  Most will hold an RV and two extra vehicles or a boat.

We got set up.  The water pressure is excellent.  I did have to put up the cellular antenna and plug in the amplifier to get cell service.

I cleaned the front of the rig a little while Linda got set up inside.  Hummers were buzzing about, so she put up a feeder.

We managed to avoid the showers and Linda was relaxing after our harrowing drive on the curvy roads and a couple close calls.  She declined when I asked if she wanted to go to the visitors center.

She said I was in a funky mood and I guess I was.  It was the combination of passing up all that wonderful country without stopping for a few days, not being initially enamored with our site, paying the extra vehicle fee, and wondering if we should have looked at some of the no hook-up sites for a better "it factor".

I went to the center and picked up brochures on hiking trails and canoeing.  Here is a view from the visitors center.

Then I went to look at the other campgrounds to satisfy my curiosity.

The first three I came to had some awesome sites with lake views.  But I don't think we could have gotten into the best sites.  They were more suited to a truck camper or a small trailer or motorhome.

The other campgrounds were near the water, but they weren't pretty at all.  Also, they were much more exposed to the wind coming off the lake.  Now I was feeling pretty good about the site we selected and my mood was improving.  :)

I drove to the Rio Chama Trailhead.  The Rio Chama is responsible for both Heron Lake and the nearby El Vado Lake.  Therefore, a section of it runs between the two and there is a trail alongside.

Looks like it would be a neat hike.  Unfortunately, there is no place to put in a canoe and float down this section.  We could paddle upstream from El Vado Lake, but I think the flow is too strong.

Here is a view from the north boat ramp at El Vado which is accessed within the Heron Lake State Park.

We might launch a boat while we are here.  We definitely would if we were staying longer.

I didn't realize that El Vado Lake was smaller than Heron Lake.  Heron Lake has a no-wake boating policy and El Vado as no speed restrictions, so I assumed Heron was smaller.  We might ride over to El Vado Lake State Park and check out their campground for future reference.

I slowly drove back to our campsite taking in views of Heron Lake with the mountains in the distance.

Driving back through our campground, I looked closely at the sites.  Though none of them have views of the lake, they are huge.  And ours, even though it was the last non-reservable site available, is probably the most private of all.

We can't see neighbors on either side and there is nothing but scrub behind us.  Our fire pit is off by itself via a rock pathway down some steps from our pad.  We will have to take advantage of that while we are here.

I was feeling better and better.

Linda fixed a little tuna casserole for dinner in violation of the "no cooking on travel days" policy.  :)

She got in the Chat Room for awhile and we just sat back and relaxed.

We ended the evening with more colors from the sun setting below the heavy clouds that rolled in.  We can't see the lake from our rig, but we can see a mountain peak and the sun setting behind it.

It took awhile, but my mood finally came around.  How could it not?  :) 

 

Where Are We? - (Gladstone, NM)

I slept in the recliner last night since I was up late due to my earlier naps.  :)

Linda slept soundly in the bedroom with the noise of her little fan drowning out everything else.

I, on the other hand, heard the children that were up a little bit too late yelling.  And the numerous trains going through the town of Woodward.  And the owl hooting.  And the racoons fighting.  Yep, with the windows open and no white noise, the campground was not quite as peaceful as I first reported.  :)

Linda was up early and ready to go.  I was the one dragging my feet today.

But we did manage to get on the road by 9:45.  The plan was to make it to Clayton Lake State Park in New Mexico.  It would be about a 235 mile drive.

It seemed pretty simple as I printed out the directions and gave them to Linda.  She's the navigator in the Jeep since she can get ahead of me in the tricky areas and let me know where I'm supposed to be.

We stayed on U.S. 412 to Guymon, OK.  It was an inconsistently bad road.  The route from Guymon to Boise City, OK (U.S. 64 & 56) was consistently bad.  We had been warned, but going around it seemed too far.  So we suffered through.

Once we got to Clayton, NM we were supposed to make a turn and go about 10 more miles to the state park.  But we never saw any signs, and my navigator didn't see the details in the directions.

So we kept driving.  We were now on U.S. 56 headed west.  We had already said we would stop for the night in any RV park we found.  The road was good, so on we went.

Eventually, after going through a little storm with some strong winds, Linda needed gas.  We would stop at the next gas station.

Well, just before the running-out-of-gas panic set in, we made it to the Gladstone Mercantile after 284 miles.

There was only one problem.  Their electricity was out and the gas pumps weren't working.  :)

BUT, they do have four or five RV sites with water and electric.  Of course, the electric runs the pumps for the water, so there was neither electric or water when we arrived.  :)

The owner of the Mercantile told us we were more than welcome to just park in a large parking area out by the road for the night, or we could back into one of the RV sites and stay for free since the hook-ups were out of commission.

Not exactly an "it factor" location.  :)

But it would fit the bill for tonight and we could certainly boondock.

However, the electricity came back on so we took advantage of it.  We will offer to pay in the morning.

As we were settling in, Linda noticed that the movie The Long, Long Trailer with Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz was on TV.   We had never seen it and had been waiting for it to show up.  We hit "record" and watched.  I'm glad we hadn't seen it before - it's much funnier from our current perspective.  :)

It was interesting that there was a scene in the movie that very closely resembled our situation today.  :)

After the movie, I checked emails.  Hey, we have quite a bit of early interest in an RV-Dreams Cruise.

Regarding the possible cruise, I need to make a couple of clarifications.

First, it is not a planned substitute for a rally.  We have no intention of making it rally-like.  We are still looking at doing a 2009 rally even if we do the cruise thing.

The cruise is simply an additional way for the RV-Dreams Family to spend some social time together.  Just good people having fun in a different way.  :)

Second, we understand that a cruise is not financially feasible for everyone.  It's not financially feasible for us either.  Except for one little thing.

In the interest of full disclosure (as you have come to expect from us), we will only do the cruise if we get enough others to join us.  As organizers or "Tour Conductors" we can get a heavy discount on our own cruise fares if we can get a certain number of cabins sold.  From a personal financial standpoint, we wouldn't do this without that little perk.  :)

With the quality of the folks that read RV-Dreams, we feel that we can be completely up-front about things like that.  And it's not like the Tour Conductor program is a secret.  Anyone that can get enough people together can do it.  :)

So with those two points made, here is a link to a flyer about the RV-Dreams Family Cruise.  :)

For questions or more information contact RV-Dreams reader Beth Christie at Cruise Vacation Outlet.  Her email address is beth@CruiseVacationOutlet.com and her phone is 800-797-4635, extension 122.

In addition to trying to find a place for us RVers to park and a local pet hotel for the furkids, Beth has also offered to answer questions in the Chat Room one night if folks would be interested in communicating that way.

Well, that's about it.  Not much happening out here in the middle of nowhere.  Just trying to decide where we will be staying tomorrow and checking out a lovely sunset.  :)