Our History with 5th Wheels

 

We started looking at 5th wheel trailers in 2000 at a county fair. We were short on Bucks after Building our house. Well we shelved that idea for six years. Then came a Heart Attack in 06 for me, well we decided Why Not.

  

We started out with a new 2005 29 ft. Cardinal. I lived in the unit near a job site while working away for home. Then three years later we moved up  to a  2010 37 ft. Jayco Designer we had this unit built to our build sheet. This trailer was a great one too.

2009 was our first year as a SnowBird we got to Texas only to wake up to this. We had a great time in this trailer traveling all over the country. Well maybe not all over the country.

 

Me and my buddle's loved the extra room in this unit. Blackie and Yogi were both seasoned travelers too.

We were getting ready to roll out again for Texas for the Winter of 2012 when I stopped at an RV Dealer near the house. Bad move on my part as they had a Mobile Suite trailer. Trouble in River City yep we we were spell bound with this unit. We I did some shopping on the net. This is where I shine at the sport of Buying stuff, I just love to see a better deal. I always go back to the original guy to give them a second look.

Well four day/z till we roll out for Texas and we pulled the pin on a new Mobile Suite a 2012 38 ft. This baby is a Gem too.

We toured the country with this beauty and really got a lot of looks as it is the cream of the Crop in RV’s.

Well almost (can you see where this is going ??) Yep we stopped at the local dealer and they had a new floor plan. (that’s not good) Well I tried to cut a deal but we were too far away. turned out to be a good thing too. I went back to inter-net and shopped. I had some dealers build us a new Mobile Suite the way we wanted it. Well as I kept adding I moved up to DRV’s Best an Elite Suite built our way. Well as today we haven’t received the new rig, but I did see it at the factory. Yep I got some pictures but they don’t do this Cream Puff justice. The Factory Sales Rep had to wipe my face a couple times  as I was drooling. We look forward to picking up this Beauty in March.

 

The pictures I took don’t do the rig justice but here’z one and Yep she’z a Beaute.

YOUR GLASS ……. HALF EMPTY or HALF FULL ???

 

Well as we go thru life some times our glass is half full and at times half empty. I have run into a Lot of People that their glass is Half Empty as they couldn’t be Happy with a Loaf of Bread under each Arm !! I have been there too, but always have tried to find the Good Things out of everything, well some times that Ain’t easy either !!!

 

There have been times when I have struggled with my decisions in Life. I’m looking back at Life in general, I can say I have been blessed. I have talked to people that have said Wow you had a tough life. (Mother died when I was 14, Dad got sick & disabled when I was 15, life was tough as a teenager, Then came  Viet Nam (PTSD) and the effects of Agent Orange, Diabetes, Heart Attack.) Problems raising children (well one) Trying to be a good Dad and Husband was tough too. Working to provide for my family wasn’t easy as work dried up in Chicago in the Eighties. Driving 75 miles one way or more for work was pure hell on Illinois roads, but I did it. I was always Happy to come home to family.

Marti has worked 31 yrs. at Jewel Food Stores and managed a house. I will always remember the day I came home to ask Marti How was your Dr. Appt. ?? Her answer was I GOT CANCER !!! I was devastated as I wasn’t ready for that. I thought our life was over. I didn’t think my Ticker could take it. well Marti beat the Devil Cancer only to come back FIVE Times. Well nobody has the outlook as Marti, she tells me We’ll Get By !!! and we have Thanks Honey  

I Now look at all these as Bumps in the Road. When I retired or got Laided Off after 40 yrs as an electrician.  I turned a Bad thing into a Good thing. I said to Marti we need to turn a Bad Thing into a Good Thing and with the Help of God we did. We have truly are Living our Dream.

Yes My Glass is Half Full !!!!!     

GUS the Cat here and …. I LOST MY BUDDY YOGI

 

I lost my Best Friend Yogi, when I adopted this family Yogi welcomed me in. Wow that guy is big too, I used to play a lot with him, I would ambush him when he came out of the Bathroom. Yogi taught me a lot, a couple times I was a slow learner. I didn’t know that Yogi’s Food was Yogi’s Food. I learned that a couple times when he carried he around with my Head in his mouth. Yogi always shared his bed with me too. I sure miss the big guy too. I’m going to have Popa finish this Blog.

Yogi Loved the Snow. We were in Texas when both him and Marti got sick. Well Marti took a fall while walking and tore a rotator cuff. Marti will need surgery to fix the tear. We came home from Texas to get Marti repaired. Yogi was having trouble going into the RV stairs and getting into the truck. We knew that his hips were getting old. While in the RV park Marti took Yogi for some nice walks. Yogi was is heaven to pee on all the trees. Yogi quit eating or really slowed down and we knew something was wrong. We called the vet when we returned home I was hoping for the best !!! The news wasn’t good as Cancer had taken over. Then the Vet wanted to give him extra meds to help him thru the Holidays. That wasn’t fair to my Buddy, Yogi was truly Man’s Best Friend. I sure miss him !!!

 

Yogi tolerating Gus Again. Yogi was one gentle boy.

 

Yogi loved everyone, as Jan said Yogi Never Met a Stranger !!!!

Yogi loved the water too, not just a pool either as he love lakes and oceans too.

Well I’m sure that Yogi is up in Animal Heaven. I know his Pals were waiting for him. Blackie the cat, Scarlet MJ’s dog and his Buddy Bruno Mark’s dog.  

Well I guess you  can see we really Loved Yogi !!!  We hope we brought a good life to a Shelter Dog. Yogi you gave more Love to me. I Thank You my Buddy. I miss you so much !!! Until we meet again You’re a Good Boy Love you Popa and Grammie

WINTER TRAVELING of 2013 & 2014 NOT !!!!!!!

 

Well here goes, our winter traveling started out S L O W and from there got Shorter  !!! We left late as I needed to see my Cardiologist then a Stress Test. Well there went a week. Yogi needed his teeth cleaned, there was another week. We got out then we had a slide issue with the trailer. We got to Metropolis Il. the bedroom slide didn’t want to work. I thought Wait this could be a Long Winter. we decided to come home. a week later we were off to the factory well (Twin Lakes RV Service) as good as the factory. Maybe that was good too. ( you will see later ) Ok three weeks later we finally leave.All Signals GO.

We cut our trip short as we were going to Memphis and Lynchburg then threw Ala. and Louisiana. I scraped that route so we headed for Texas. We stopped in Little Rock Ar. I wanted to tour Clintons Library. Well from the Campground it was a mile walk. Well my back said no to that walk. The next day we headed to Fort Worth Texas. we met friends Phyllis (Mom) & Jim  we were in a COE park (Cheap) we spent Thanksgiving with them then on to Hondo Texas.

Ok here’z the deal Marti was walking Yogi and the two of them loved it. well all that changed the Monday before Thanksgiving as Marti took a Fall. The poor girl landed on her right shoulder. Well we thought a burse, in a couple days her are turned Black n Blue. Well Marti figured this ain’t getting any better. We found a good old Country Dr. heck he spent two hours plus with us. Like I said Country Dr. The X-Rays showed the shoulder has three fractures at the bone for the rotator cuff. Well lets get an MRI next crap that showed a Tear in the tendons.

The next Friday we started home Yep we started rolling on Friday the Thirteenth we got home Monday the Sixteenth. Then we had to clean out the trailer. All the food, clothes and most of the stuff. Normally we leave all the stuff in. I wanted to clean it all out as we ordered a new trailer. Yep same brand but we moved up to their best line of units. I heard that our unit will hit the line on the 14th of January. I heard a week plus to build the off to the paint shop. I guess then back to the factory for stuff. We will take delivery in Knoxville Tn. from RVs4Less. I’ll just bet they will be Happy to say No More Changes !!!

Well that’s it for us for now.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!

Hey does anyone know where my Snow Shovel is ???     

………….FINALLY …………..GONE !!!!!!!

Well we really did it this time with all signals go. The Mobile Suite is working fine too. We drove to Caruthersville Mo.some 430 miles and stayed at a casino Cheap Marti lost 9 Bucks I didn’t gamble !!

We rolled out in the morning for Little Rock Ar. We  stayed in the City park Pass Port America also Cheap. I wanted to see Bill Clinton’s Library. My back wasn’t up for the walk so we passed Dam.

We rolled out the next morning to Fort Worth Texas to a COE Park yep Cheap too. we are here a week, then down toward Austin Tx, for a week. We are spending Thanks Giving with our RV Friends Jim & Phyllis. We are going to Alaska with them too.

Marti & I wish you all a Happy Thanks Giving Day  

………..VETERANS DAY ………2013

Well we started out with a slow Veterans Day today. I thought about how our Great Country has Sold Out to Big Business. What is Veterans Day like any other Holiday a SALE !!!!
We were ready to roll south but we wanted to get the kids a new TV so I stopped at Best Buy. Well my day changed after that, I got a note on my windshield of the car. I thought another ad, I looked around and No other Cars had it. Wow it was raining but I opened it up. The note read
Dear Veteran
Thank You for your Sacrifice and your Courageous Contributions to Peace and Freedom.
Your efforts are not Forgotten,
A Grateful Citizen
I have Never had this happen, when the Tears in my eyes were gone I sure had a Dam Good Living for the rest of the day.
I can say I’m Proud to be an AMERICAN time have changed from when I got home from Viet Nam over 40 years ago.
I was glad we went shopping !!! Thank You Grateful Citizen !!!!

AND WE’RE OFF…… WELL MAYBE NOT !!!!!

 

I Had my stress test and some what passed. We got the all is good from the Doctor. Ok we roll out Tuesday the 29th of October finally. We wanted to go to Metropolis Illinois. I wanted to see my Twin Brothers home yep Super Man. Well we got into the state park filled up with water and parked. Now just level up ok push the button, everything goes good. OK now push the sliders out, Crap the problem slide isn’t happy and won’t slide out, OK I’ll talk to it, Ok now I’ll try talking nice. I finally get the slide out and the others go out no problems. Ok everything is good, well in my mind I keep thinking will the slide come back in ??? We bed down for the night I slept like a Baby.

Wed. I’m up early thinking will this slide go back in or ??? we had a nice morning talking about this Great life. Both still wondering about the slide. OK I tell Marti let’s try the slide, I didn’t want to do it. Well just like I thought we got Problems. O’Crap well now what, I have Marti work the controls and I pull on the slide. We got it back in that only took an Hour.

Marti asks what we gona do now ?? she really knew the answer. Go Back Home. We did have a nice ride to the bottom of the state. I was not Happy but I figured ………. OK WAIT ….Marti doesn’t have her Cancer back, I got the Ok from my Doctors. Life could be a lot worse. Ten years ago I would be Puking, Today I rethink our Life and the Little Things Really don’t mean Crap. Just a wiggle in the life’s road.

We got home Wed. called around to Indiana to Twin Lakes RV Service and to DRV the Factory. I got returned calls and then I thought lets Trade Up. I know I got to be Nuts, Ya I Know !!!

Just bet we could get some good MPG’s with this guy. Just don’t think my back would like this one.

We toured our Local Dealer Thursday and back Friday. Marti and I have decided to up grade to a new model Yep the same brand. I priced new units on the net and got some different pricing WOW. There pricing was all over the board too. Our local dealer was high too and was too proud of their unit. I think they may see Snow on that unit. We did get the Sales Pitch too. Come on Wayne Help me out. You got to come up with your price NOPE !!!! Well no new unit Friday, funny how they told me We’re trying to help you get back on the road. That’s true too but at the cost to my Wallet !!!

Notice the Dishwasher now that’s real Ruff in it !!!

Saturday I called the Factory to see when we can get in for service. We will be waiting on Monday to hear word on when they can get us in for service.I will stay out with the trailer and I want to be in on the decisions  about the problem and the fix. I’m hoping Monday I’ll get a call on when to come back in.  

Monday we will be getting some quotes on the new unit. I’m sure hoping I don’t have to stay home and buy a Snow Shovel. Wait I’ll use Old Yeller.