FanStory.com
"My Life"


Prologue
Meeting Jim

By aryr

The story of my travels.....

There seems to be some interest in my life on the road. Hi, I am Alie and my husband is Jim, we have a 10 year old lab mix (mostly lab with a touch of dalmation and whatever) as of 2018 and a 13 year old small maine coon, again as of 2018. Both are rescue animals.

I met Jim years ago before I retired. I was actively working as a RN in North Carolina. My contract with the hospital was to do seven shifts on and have seven shifts off (12 hour shifts). This gave me the chance to go back to Canada to visit family if I wished. I do not think they allow this anymore, it is more commonly four shifts on, a couple off, then three on or something like that. On my time off if I did not travel home, I would work in the ER or Same Day Surgery rather than my normal ICU.

During one of these days in ER, Jim came in with a work injury that required suturing (stitching). I had everything set up for the doctor, suture tray, the site was cleaned, local anesthesia ready. Jim noticed an accent immediately and wanted to know where I was from, how long had I been in the USA. After the doctor was done the questions were a little more personal, but not offensive. Basically, would I be interested in allowing him to buy me a coffee in the cafeteria as a thank you. I explained that it was my job to provide his care and the coffee was not necessary. He insisted, and I arranged my lunch break with the other nurses. We had thirty minutes.

We talked about Canada, my ancestry (being Native American Indian and Wiccan), his work (he co-owned a boat building company). When my time was up he asked if I would think about getting together again and gave me his business card. I made no promises.

It was four days later that I called him and agreed to having dinner, but only if it was dutch. Reluctantly he agreed. So, we decided on a place for the next evening.

Over dinner the conversation continued as before and then he asked if I could teach him more about Wicca. I told him I would have to think about it and would let him know. I had taught classes both on line and in person, but usually from coven referrals. About two weeks later I agreed to instruct him.

Once I had the honor of teaching a catholic priest, who of course, had no intention of converting but did want to know more. Ironically this came about after I attended a close friend's wedding and he saw my pentagram and advised me I really shouldn't be there. Of course, I tend to use laughter in difficult situations, so I simply told him, 'Well, I didn't burst in flames, so I guess we were okay.' A month later, my friend asked me if I could contact him, which I did, and he asked about learning more. I agreed on the stipulation that then when he attended the basic class he did not wear his collar and that we would not refer to him as 'Father'. Surprisingly he agreed, taking it off and putting it on in his car. He was attentive, he participated (because we never pushed people beyond the basic level, this was just an information group). At the end he was pleased with what he learned.

Anyway, Jim learned the basics, which left him a little more at peace with who I was. We met on and off for a few months and then started the dating process, then came marriage.

Because he had not converted and been initiated, and because I did not wish a church wedding, our choice became the local Justice of Peace or Las Vegas. Las Vegas it was. We had a drive thru wedding, we literally were driven in a limo (the provided service) up to a drive thru window and were married by a minister and a witness stood at her side. We wore matching t-shirts, jeans and flip flops. We treated ourselves to an Elton John performance at Caesar's Palace. And had a great four-day weekend in Vegas. (Oh, if you decide to try this, be aware that you need to apply for your license the day before and early in the morning as it gets super busy and no guarantees..)

Now Jim did have an eight year old daughter, who visited every other weekend and shall remain unnamed.

We bought a small house, he continued to build boats- the 34 foot ocean fishing boats, and I continued working in the hospital for a few years before I switched from ICU to hospice. A fantastic, educational move. I continued to work until 2013, when I chose to retire. With the economic decline at that time, and the business failing, Jim suggested full time RVing. We thought about it and decided to go for it.

We put the house on the market, had several yard sales, got the 5th wheel camper ready and headed for Texas. We had spoken to an agency about oil rig gate guarding.

To be continued......


Chapter 1
Wicca

By aryr

Before I get too involved in my life of travel, I guess I should explain a little more about my background.

I was born many, many, many moons ago (I think that's enough manys). It was a long time ago. I am Canadian by birth, YEA! CANADA! I am per my blood work and heritage considered to be 70% Native American Indian. A full blood father and a maternal grandmother of mixed blood.

Now the bad part of this was that I was unfortunately, yet fortunate to be of the last to be claimed by the government for redirection.

I am being polite. I have learned over the years that conditions did not change in the USA for a few more years, so I was lucky to be one of the last back home.

Regardless, it was determined that I needed to be declared a 'christian', yet not given choices. Before I was allowed to enter school, I had to be baptized and accepted by a church. I was baptized when I was born, because the priest at the Catholic hospital did not think I would live long. 'Boy, did I surprise him!'

Anyway, since my mother had been raised as a catholic, thus the hospital choice, I became a devoted Catholic. Mass every morning before I went to the public school. Our community was too small for a catholic school. I fondly (not) remember having to wear dresses with long sleeves and a lace head scarf. Hey, I even learned Latin, so I could understand.

Fast forward a few years. At sixteen, I left home to discover the world. After the restricted years, I wanted to be able to learn more about and claim my heritage.

Fast forward a few more years. I had been working for some time as an ICU Registered Nurse and decided to make the transition to the USA. During the immigration process, 'imagine my shock', when I learned that there was no recognition regarding the religious beliefs of Native American Indians. So, I began my search, I needed something that understood and accepted who I was. Sure, I could have just gone with Catholic, but in my heart, I was a Native American Indian.

I investigated everything out there except voodoo, it just didn't feel right to me. Catholics, I knew about, so I checked out Lutherans, Baptist (there are several types), Methodists, Jehovah Witnesses, Buddists etc. The list goes on and on.

Then, quite by accident, I learned about the Wiccans; even more interesting was the fact that it was an accepted and recognized belief or religion for Native American Indians, according to the US requirements. How ironic.

The roots that I learned were so close to the beliefs of the Indians, that I felt at home. And I found peace.

It was a few more years before I moved to the USA, but I had found myself and I could live with that.

Do we believe in God? We believe in a Creator.

Do we pray? We give thanks daily for that with which we have been blessed.

Do we work spells and magic? We work with natural energies that surround us, and if others think that is magic, so be it.

Our mandate is simple- 'If it harm none, so mote (let) it be.'

Sort of sounds like the golden rule, I remember the elders of the tribe teaching us before we were school age: 'do onto others as you would have them do onto you, but they added just do it first.'

One other thing about being Wiccan, is that I do not pray to, nor worship satan, he is an unknown to me.

In all the years that I have been Wiccan, I have learned that there are bad apples in every basket in life. I look for the good in people and situations. I am just me!

Now that is enough about Wicca, on with my adventures.


To be continued......



Author Notes Please know that I understand that not everyone will be pleased with this chapter, but it is part of me, of who I am. But also know that it is not my intention to insult nor intimidate anyone. If you want to know more about Wicca please send me a message.


Chapter 2
Gate Guarding

By aryr

It was an adventure of its own kind. I had retired from nursing with the plans of not working. But this was ideally a two-person job, so of course I volunteered for the night position. Besides it was something that broke the boredom that sets in after the initial freedom of retirement.

There was still a steady flow of trucks coming in and out over night, but it was about a quarter of that of the day and evening. During that time, there were land owners, all kinds of representatives, people hoping for jobs, everything. Which reminded me of the hospital.

Quite frankly, I was tired of people in masses, after many, many years of doctors, technicians, business reps etc. I always enjoyed providing care for my patients and teaching family members regarding their discharge care or consoling them when they lost a loved one. Many a year I worked the night shift just because of that. People were just as sick and had just as many needs but other than ER and ICU, we didn't have all the testing and rush of people. People who ironically didn't really care about the family member but wanted to put on a great show and be a total pain in the #@% to staff. Now back to gate guarding.

Regardless of my occasional feelings to this new life, it was still an adventure. We were able to watch calves born basically across the road, saw wild boars, cougars and small bears. Hey, I even learned why ranchers put donkeys in the cattle fields. Apparently, they (the donkeys) do not like or tolerate coyotes who do not like the donkeys, so it is a win win situation for protecting the cattle.

Because the manager liked our job performance, he requested that we follow his oil rig to new sites for drilling. This was a compliment and we enjoyed a year and a half of doing so until oil prices dropped, drilling dropped and all related jobs.

This entire adventure took place in the beautiful state of Texas, if you have not visited, then do so.

It is so much more than vast areas of tumbleweeds, there are hills and valleys, rivers and the gulf coast. The trees are plentiful even if they are spaced out. The cowboys and girls are amazing to watch. There is so much to see.

But I also need to say that the whole country is beautiful in its own way from coast to coast, from the southern to northern bounty. Each state has its unique beauty.

...........to be continued.

Author Notes Check out more about gate guarding life in the short stories I posted.


Chapter 3
Poop Happens

By aryr

Now given the fact that I do have a few years on Jim, he still unfortunately has to work since he can not collect his pension or social security. So, work he does.

Once again, I found myself able to retire as in not work, stay at home, do nothing if I wanted to. Ironically that wasn't going to happen, well at least not fully.

Jim really wanted the adventure of being a full time RVer, and secretly I enjoyed that lifestyle. So, he began his job search again. Damn government got us twice now. First the boat business and then the oil business.

I was thinking just the other day that my life had a distinct pattern. My sister was older than I was and by the time I was four she had her first child. I learned the skills of changing diapers. This talent expanded in the next few years to the loveable aunt to several nieces and nephews with their diapers and barf, all for free of course. Then for a couple of years I earned money babysitting for other people, and with the circus. My accident took away four years of my life of babysitting but not the circus, my family just worked with me.

When I recovered I decided with the help and guidance of some of my tribal elders, that I wanted to become a nurse. Now I was cleaning up poop, barf and blood. I never thought of it at the time, but a pattern was growing. I enjoyed my career immensely. I loved caring for those in need, for their family members who shared that caring, and for the ability to teach them along the way. Along the way I became an instructor, an ICU nurse and then a hospice nurse/administrator. I never minded the patients and their close family but did find the well-wishers, the goody two shoes, some of the doctors and testing techs to be annoying.

The student nurses and medical students really wanted to learn. I got to play a part in a program change for the medical students. The last part of their first year, they were to be partnered with a seasoned RN, whatever we did, they did. They learned to clean patients, changed beds, change dressings, take out staples or sutures, put in NG (nasogastric tubes), give bedpans and enemas to name a few. They became assistances to the nurses for three whole months. Sorry but I digressed again.

Somewhere along the way, I got my first of many cats and later a dog. After I met Jim, I discovered he had a different theory regarding litter boxes and walking a dog. I was elected to do the litter box changes. Only after a neighbor's dog had dumped several times on our yard, when we still had the house, did he fully understand the concept of cleaning up. But still to this day, I do the litter box, clean up pet barf, and bag doggie droppings unless he walks her. In that case he makes sure he finds a ditch. The camping parks make it mandatory to clean up after pets. (smile and giggling)

So, the long and short of this rant is that I seem to have been destined to clean up the nasties. Perhaps that is why I have always had the attitude that 's**t happens, and I carry a big shovel.'

To be continued (no more nursing stuff or poop)


Chapter 4
The Start of Surveying

By aryr

Jim found a new interesting career. He became a traveling gas line/meter surveyor. I know, everyone is saying 'what'? Basically, this is a job that was ideal for us as travelers.

Correction, for him, I was retiring. In the summer months most of the surveyors travel north to the upper parts of the USA, I did say most. Some do remain in the southern part because of year long work. The northern parts can only be done when the ground is not frozen.

This is a walking job, so if you have back, knee or breathing problems, it may not be for you. Originally it was a job for retirees who wanted to work for a few months, make a little extra then enjoy the rest of the year. It is now changing to a collection of older and younger people.

The local gas company contracts with the company Jim works for, regarding whatever lineage needs to be covered. This whole system is apparently regulated by the federal DOT and requires regular checks- businesses are done yearly and residential or housing is done every three or four years, depending on the state.

The surveyor walks the main line and up to each house meter, which are inspected for leaks. They use a piece of equipment called a 'sniffer' that detects natural gas. It is super sensitive and if a tech has to walk through a field that is full of cows and their droppings, the alarms are constantly going off and the poor tech has to determine if it is a line leak from the ground or a dropping. There is a scale used by each company as to what to called in for repair and what not to. Oh, the tech is required to remain at the site until the repair crew gets there, if it is a bad leak.

Okay, so Jim starts on site for three weeks in good old Mississippi. He actually walked and worked with another tech who trained him. Then he is turned loose. The first year we did mostly areas in Mississippi.

Let me tell you a few things of interest in Mississippi, from what I have seen. The mosquitos were bad. The crime rate was considerable in some areas, where the locals encouraged having a gun not only in your vehicle but on prominent display. There are no lottery sources, there is no lottery. So, plan on trips out of state if you desire tickets. But they do have lots of casinos. Some campgrounds are great, and others are, well they just are.

While I am talking about campgrounds I will divert for a few moments. When you are planning an adventure for vacation in your camper, pre-check the available campgrounds. You don't have to stay in an expensive one with all the bells and whistles. If you have children a pool is nice, but expect to pay for it in the nightly, weekly or monthly rate. Also consider how long you are going to stay-sometimes it is cheaper or more economical for you for example to pay the weekly rate even if you are only staying five or six nights. In the parks that are lacking in pool and playground areas they tend to make up for it because of the nature that surrounds them. Oh, always know which county you are in, you never know when you have to call 911 and they will ask for campground address, your site number and the county. I only know because I called for a lady two campers away from us, when she fell and broke her leg.

Okay back to Jim and surveying. After two years he was promoted to field supervisor, which meant he had a crew working under him. It was a step up the ladder.


Chapter 5
Insurance

By aryr

We had the pleasure of moving to a few places in Mississippi. Our next area was in Oklahoma for a short duration of two months. We managed to go to three campgrounds, but did discover that according to their thoughts, a campground ranged from a gravel parking lot with the hook ups and nothing else to an area with a playground, pool etc. Oh, and some did not allow big rigs like ours since they are concerned that the weight of the truck would damage the road.

Once again there was a casino on every corner.

FYI- we do have a big rig, actually it is a converted semi, you know the tractor trailer type truck. The hitch on the back is strictly for 5th wheel campers not for tractor trailer beds.

While we were gate guarding we had to make an emergency trip back to North Carolina for a family death. During the drive there, we were almost in an accident involving a drunk driver. Before the big rig we had a dodge dually that was great for pulling in all terrains, but as we learned, horrible for stopping. Poor Jim was literally standing up with his foot on the brakes to stop. We had burned the brakes on the camper and had cut them with flying debris from this idiotic drunk driver. She flipped her vehicle through the median and into the oncoming traffic. Except for bruises and a small cut, she was unhurt. Not so for two other drivers. (of course the nurse in me stepped in)

Anyway, we decided we needed more stopping power, thus the rig. The converted semi as in the big things that used to pull tractor trailers was the way to go. The nice part is that because it is converted, and we are not hauling tractor trailers, we did not have to have a CDL driver license according to our domicile state requirements. Oh, I almost forgot- when you are going to be a full-time RVer, which means you no longer have a sticks and bricks home, you need to pick a state that you will call home. You then set up a mail forwarding service, get your driver license and have your vehicles registered and insured. Ask a lot of questions, do your research, it will be an important step.

For example, we chose South Dakota. Our main reason was that there were no state taxes. Now they do have what they refer to as tire tax, so you pay that above and beyond your registration and of course your insurance. I do believe it is something like $4.00 per tire.

The other thing that is important is vehicle insurance. When doing a policy for your camper, check with your agent if there is a replacement value clause. This can save you money down the road. Last year, when we literally broke our camper going through road construction, it was a god send. When I had originally signed up for the policy, there was one of the check spots that was for replacement value and would cost me $54.00 a year. I thought it was a great buy, so went for it.

When we broke our camper, it meant that instead of getting a cheque from insurance for what the camper was worth (after all the depreciation) we got a cheque for what we paid for the camper. On that note, when a construction sign indicates a speed limit- go even slower. And when it involves bridge construction and there is a before and after 'bump' sign, be aware that it could be more than a bump. After crossing the bridge, we had at least a ten-inch drop from the bridge to the road surface. That was enough to bend the frame even at a speed of fifteen miles per hour- thus a new camper/ home on wheels.

To be continued........


Chapter 6
Clothing

By aryr

Now back to Oklahoma. This is definitely an interesting state. As in all of the states there is an immense history regarding the Native American Indians.

However, first I would like to address a couple of questions that arose from the last posting. The tire tax is something some states put in place and other states don't, we still have to pay vehicle insurance, on all driven vehicles and on the towable camper. A CDL is a 'commercial driver license' which is required by tractor trailer trucks, buses, anything commercial including taxis- it is additional educational to a regular driver course, there are lots of rules and regulations for commercial drivers- such as the weight they carry, how many hours they can be on the road behind the wheel- I think it is 14 hours and then they have to stop for 10, annual medical check-ups etc. I am not sure if your country has such restrictions- I watched a program a few weeks ago about a triple towed grain truck that had to do a 500 mile round trip in 24 hours. Wow. The cat and dog travel in the rig with us, the rig and the camper are separate and when we hitch up it is a similar hitch to a semi and tractor trailer connection.

I do love the questions that readers ask, and I will definitely try to answer them, if I don't know the answer I will say so and then add in the information if someone provides it.

Okay, Oklahoma. There is an abundance of rugged terrain, with sandy stretches and tornadoes. There are several states that tend to have large numbers of tornadoes. Oklahoma and Kansas are two of the prominent ones.

As I was mentioning there is a large Native American Indian influence, but as well there is an equally large cowboy population. The whole ranch thing- cowboys, horses, cattle. One thing I have noticed in areas such as this, there also tends to be a profound amount or number of snakes- yuk I really dislike snakes of any kind and if they are poisonous, then I am afraid they become dead. Yes, I am aware that in some states, they are considered to be endangered species and it is illegal to kill them. In that case, it is me against them and they will die. Sorry.

I enjoyed the artifacts, the museums related to the cowboy history. I never knew that there were so many different cowboy hats, boots etc. And each one had a specific purpose. There were hats worn when herding cattle, different than those worn for social occasions such as church or gatherings and dates, or those for shopping. We, of course, treated ourselves to one hat each and one pair of boots each. After all, we do have limited storage space. I love them and wear mine at least twice a week, regardless of where I am. Jim wears his boots more frequently than his hat.

Speaking of which, when one becomes a full time RVer, it is good to establish some rules or guidelines. Such as -if you haven't used it in six months it is time to get rid of it. Unfortunately, this life style is not for those who think 'what if' or 'just in case'- you do not have the room. Another good one is -if you get something new you have to get rid of something old. Now, I am much better at this concept than my husband. I decided that I wanted an air-fryer rather than cooking with hot grease/ oil, this does of course take up a little space, much like a toaster oven, so when I got it, I got rid of a bra that I had been planning to. My poor other half has not clued into the fact that I have a shopping bag with old bras and panties, clean of course, that I use for this purpose. When I got my cowboy hat and boots, I got rid of one bra and one pair of panties, smart thinking on my part. While Jim got rid of pair of shoes he was a little tired of and a baseball cap. Life can be interesting.

Our wardrobes consist of what I refer to as a dress up outfit each and a funeral outfit each with appropriate shoes. Thankfully I am not a shoe collector. Jim actually has more shoes than I do. The rest includes three pair of shorts and jeans, Jim has about ten t-shirts and I have five pull on tops and five t-shirts. We each have four long-sleeve pull on types. Jim has a couple of sweat shirts. Light weight jackets and winter coats round out our items.

Every person has their preference for storing clothing, towels, sheets. It all depends on how much space you have, there is no right or wrong way. Some things I roll, some are folded and stacked up, others are folded and stacked front to back in a drawer. It is up to you. I have learned that I do like rolling my sheet sets, that way I get the complete set. Oh, fyi, we do have a king size bed as well as a full-size bed sofa.

We may live on wheels, and our home follows us down the road, but we do have room. Of course, we don't have a tub, but we do have a large shower, as well as an apartment size washer and dryer. And our kitchen is a galley type which is big enough for one (me), but I have a dishwasher and a full size two door fridge with the freezer across the bottom. The dinette table will sit four easily and can be extended to seat six. Our living area has a large TV and electric fire place (there is a tv in the bedroom and one outside). Jim has his own built in desk area and I just go where ever I please with my laptop. A lot of times that means I am outside at the picnic table under the awning. Generally, I would say it would be like living in a one-bedroom apartment, except we move it around.

To be continued.........


Chapter 7
Oklahoma

By aryr

One of the campgrounds in Oklahoma was great, costly but great, and consisted of about 100 sites. We were able to rent the spot on a monthly basis, a little pricier than some but within reason. However, what we did not expect, probably because we had never experienced it, was that we had to pay a power deposit, also monthly. They simply deducted the electricity used each month from the deposit and we then paid for it. This was the first park that charged separately for the site and the electricity. The nice part was that they returned any unused portion of the deposit to our bank account the day we pulled out.

The other two were the gravel parking lots with the services. The first was a bare bones park. Fenced in, about forty sites, and just enough space between sites to put the slides out. Dogs apparently ran free and every time I took Sallie out, I was accompanied by three pit bulls and a lab mix. Thankfully they were not aggressive, just a lot of sniffing. Now anyone who owns a dog knows that they do prefer to do their business on grassy areas. In this situation it meant that I had to take her outside of the park and let her walk in the ditch while I walked the edge of the road. The other thing we learned from this park was the need for locked caps on the vehicle gas tanks. Because of the rig we only have to put diesel fuel in about once a month, unless we are travelling between sites. We knew it was getting close to time per the gauge, however when we filled it, there was about thirty gallons of fuel missing. Back at the camp site, we discovered a few drippings that confirmed that someone had siphoned the fuel. Guess what? We now have lockable caps on both tanks.

The second park was also a gravel parking lot, but it was set off the road, not fenced in, and I had a dirt road that I could walk the dog on. Again, it was about forty sites. I am thankful the two cats were indoor and at the best just looked out the screen door.

One thing we try to do when we are in an area for about a month, is to check out the museum or if there is a tourist attraction, either one or both. Jim works Monday to Friday, so we have the weekends off. Oh, the other thing we have learned is to ask the locals where to eat or watch the parking lots.

"Hi, can I ask you a couple of quick questions? Are you from this area?" the one guy nodded, "Great, can you suggest a place to eat around here?"

"Yep, I was born and raised here. What kinda food do y'all like?"

"How about Steak, Mexican or maybe Chinese?"

They will eagerly provide you with some possibilities and probably ask you where you are staying and comment on the campground. They will even tell you places of interest to visit. Oh, and this is important- don't try to mimic their accent. We once saw a guy try it, he was in Oklahoma and from Florida. The people he was talking to saw through it immediately. The directions they gave him was to the local McDonald's- not that there is anything wrong with it, but he and his family wanted a full meal type place. I think the children would have preferred the big M. And yes, people do have different accents from different states. I still have mine and I moved from Canada twenty some years ago. Most people think I am from Idaho or Ohio. (smile)

Did I mention that there were casinos? Yes, I know I did, but I wanted to tease you a little. And for the record, we do not go into every casino we see. I think in the years we have been full time RVers I have gone into three, maybe four and only one of those was twice. If we do go into a casino it is with a preset amount to spend and when it is gone, that is it. I have been lucky enough to make three to four times the amount I take in, where as Jim loses his. But that is life. Besides I feel like I am supporting my fellow Native Americans.


To be continued..........



Chapter 8
Back to North Carolina

By aryr


From Oklahoma, ironically, we went back to Jim's home state of North Carolina for a two to three-month assignment. It felt familiar, yet it felt different. At this point Jim was still doing single assignments, which means there was only one surveyor in the area- him. Although in Oklahoma he did work for about three weeks with someone who had been trained at the corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia. He joined Jim just for hands on experience.

Back to North Carolina-he was actually assigned to our old hometown. So, we were able to visit old friends and family members. It was interesting because we were seeing the world from a campground rather than our former house.

In areas that are affected by hurricanes and flooding, do not stay in a coastal park during that season. You will be evacuated without a refund or your camper will be stuck there and probably suffer water and storm damage. You will not be able to access it. We had a little storm in NC, that dumped about four inches of water on the ground, which did not soak in for two days. Have you ever tried to walk a dog with a plastic shopping bag taped on each of its legs? Trust me it is an adventure you take at least four times a day. And if you can find the droppings, you will have to reach through the water. And if you don't have rubber boots you will be in flip flops in yukky water. Oh, the joys.

Now, before I forget, we attempt to go yearly, to one of the three big rig rallies, that are a week long. There is a large one in Hutchinson, Kansas in October. We had tried for three years to make it to that one and finally did so last year. There is another in Crossville, Tennessee in April, we made that one two years in a row and the third is in Caldwell, Idaho in June- usually the Father's Day weekend. These are for big rigs owners, but there are other educational and entertaining rallies all over the country at various times of the year. Check them out.

At one such rally, I learned to make homemade whiskey, a rather interesting talent. At another I dabbled in painting- pictures that I gave away as Christmas gifts- I will never be a Rembrandt but they were something I did. There is always something of interest for the ladies-how to use a convection oven correctly, folding ideas, open house tours for newbies and wannabes, craft ideas.

I usually set aside a couple of hours a day to do 'stone readings' or 'card readings', which people find interesting. This is one of my hobbies that I continue to do and have several followers, since I do offer and managed to do them online. Of course, my other hobby is FanStory. I enjoy reading, reviewing and writing.

I knit and crochet as well. I like working with stones, so I gather, crush, pack in tiny vials and sell quartz crystals. The other thing I enjoy is baking and making candies-Jim is gluten sensitive, so I make all of our baked goods, homemade Reesie cups and various barks. Me- mmmm, I avoid a lot of these for health reasons. But I do have hobbies to keep me busy.

For those who are interested I do attempt to answer questions in the next chapter from reviews, so here goes one. In most cases we are connected to a power source in the park. When we are travelling the camper is connected to the truck, both have battery sources if needed and, I think the camper batteries will run for 24 hours without hooking to an electrical source. During travel times only, the fridge runs off the batteries. We do have a small generator we use if we absolutely have to stop over-night and a park is not available. Yes, it is noisy, since it is on the back of the truck and the bedroom in the camper is in the 5th wheel hitch area. In our former camper, the fridge was operated on gas when electricity was not available, not so with this one. In most cases the parks provide both 50 and 30 watt services, we tend to go with 50 watts, we do have a converter box that allows us to use 30 watt if that is all there is. I cheat and let Jim deal with all that lol. Our agreement is he deals with outside stuff, although I did have to learn just in case, and I deal with the inside stuff. Yes, I know the fridge is inside, but the power is an outside system.

While I think about it, there is another insurance that you all need, if you become full time RVers- I know it is available in the USA, Canada, I believe Mexico and some countries in Europe. It is a policy that in the event of someone in your camper being involved in an accident or serious illness, such as heart attack, this company will fly you and your camping family back to your home base, as well as your pets. Then they will arrange to have a bonded driver bring your camper to your home base. If you are interested, I will provide the contact information via a private message.

Okay back to the rallies- the men tend to get together and discuss 'men things' such as campers and big rigs. It is interesting that if they open the hood to their rigs, then every man in the park will congregate around that truck and solve the issue.

Whew, now I can return to North Carolina, well actually I am done there.

To be continued........


Chapter 9
The Falls at Christmas.

By aryr

He (Jim) was then directed to Gadson in Alabama- we were able to secure a site at Noccalula Falls. If you ever get to go there, please do. The park is across the river from the park of the same name. This stay was about five months and we were given a worker rate which was good. There is not much to see in the area other than the park.

It was over Christmas, so they decorated the parks- miles of lights and decorations. There two small trains, the type used in amusement, that one can ride around the park on- it takes about forty-five minutes. Going around the various decorations and displays. There is a small zoo with 'Sheila' the lion, some camels and other smaller animals, some of which are part of the petting zoo. We did the train trip two different days, one of which was three days before Christmas and it had snowed, so we thought it would be great to ride through the snow. We visited the park once without using the train, just walking around, that was a great five hours. It was cold but definitely not a Canadian cold. We could see all the activity across the river from our camp site, it was interesting to watch people walking and the train rides. It was exciting to sit at a campfire with a dusting of snow and see the Christmas lights across the river.

Another interesting aspect of the park was the water falls where the Indian Princess Noccalula died- sorry I can't remember the story, but there was a fantastic statue. Oh, and there were hiking/ walking trails from the campground ranging from one to fifteen miles. Pantygynt kindly provided the story-The legend of Cherokee Indian Princess Noccalula dates from antiquity in the regions of northeast Alabama, U.S., where the Cherokee nation once thrived. According to legend, Princess Noccalula was the beautiful daughter of a powerful Cherokee chief and was deeply in love with a brave from her own tribe. Despite her wishes to marry this young warrior, she was promised by her father to a Creek Indian chief who had more bounty to offer for her hand. Her lover was banished from the tribe, and Noccalula was forced to ready herself for the arranged marriage. On the day of the wedding she allowed herself to be arrayed in ceremonial attire and obediently but reluctantly attended the marriage feast. In the midst of the merrymaking, Noccalula quietly slipped away and wandered through the forests of her childhood, coming eventually to the beautiful waterfall near her tribal home. Rather than subject herself to a loveless marriage, she jumped from the precipice near the falls and ended her life on the rocks below.


Now about Alabama, it is rather hilly. Poor Jim daily complained about walking up and down mountainous hillsides. Long grass, weeds, climbing over downed trees, all the critters that live there as well as the slipping and sliding. Each day he came home, he was either dirty or wet and muddy.


Chapter 10
Fate blessed us.

By aryr

Our next travel took us to Louisiana, to be precise, New Orleans. Now that is an interesting city/ area. Mind you we were there ten years after it was hit by Katrina and there were still areas that had not been recovered. We learned a lot about the city itself- the French influence, the Spanish influence were very prominent. In fact, the city was divided into the two parts. Since our travel there, unfortunately many of the statues were dismantled. They were an interesting part of the culture and of the tourist attractions. Oh, and the food was fantastic, there are so many options.

We were there about three months and spent every weekend discovering something new. We visited the 'Mardi Gras' building, where they constructed the floats for the parade as well as costumes and some were for sale. We, actually arrived on the Sunday before Mardi Gras ended on Tuesday, it was exciting to see some of the parades and activity.

We also found the building they used to film the series 'NCIS-New Orleans' and from a distance got to see some of the filming, it was great. I guess it is obvious we are fans.

That area has a variety of campgrounds available, from the pricey, fully loaded to the bare bones type. We had planned to stay at one on the west side of NOLA= New Orleans Louisiana (LA), since Jim would be surveying the west side with another couple of workers. Unfortunately, the park we had made arrangements with had someone over book, so there were no sites for a couple of days. We were advised to call back in two or three days.

I like to think fate intervened, since we were able to find a park on the east side which required a weekly payment. I called the first park on the Tuesday, to advise them of our situation and was promised a site for the next weekend. It meant that Jim had to drive forty-five minutes to work then home each day.

Not long after that call, there was a weather alert- an unexpected tornado cut a path through the west side of the city. It destroyed, all but one camper and two cars. Most of the people were at work of some sort, but the news showed animals / pets either trapped or wandering around aimlessly. There were homes along its path that were either destroyed or severely damaged. Per the news reports-three people died and several were injured. We were safe, due to fate and circumstances.

Part of the work that Jim does, includes travelers who can go to disaster sites and survey for gas leaks- Jim was there for this one in 2016. In 2017, a crew was sent to Houston for the flooding.
There are some hazards to his job. I guess beyond the weather/ flooding concern, one has to remember falls, bug bites, snake hazards, being hit by drivers not watching for surveyors walking, as well as road hazards when moving from one park to another.

So far, Jim has broken his wrist, that was in New Orleans, seen several snakes but never bitten, has dealt with as field supervisor broken bones, breathing problems, emergency surgeries, flipped campers during travel- it is never ending.

When Jim broke his wrist he was working, his suggestion is that if a curb area looks wet, be careful, it could be covered with a slime that is common to Louisiana and Mississippi. It is slick and causes slips. Of course, he was on the opposite side of the city. He did call.

"I slipped on that $@%t that covers the curbs. I will decide when I get home (to the camper) if it's a bad sprain or if I broke something. When I went down I tried to protect myself with my hand. Just in case I do have to go to emergency can you call about a rental car, it would be a little much driving the rig to the hospital. Oh, and find out where the closest one is."

When I got off his call, I started my calls. None of the rental services offered to pick up, so that meant that I would have to drive the rig. Which by the way I can do, and yes, it is a manual, but I can manage all ten gears, if needed. This was before we had a second vehicle and one of the major reasons for one.

We were three sites from the owner's camper so off I went in search of taxi information.

"Hi, I was wondering if you can recommend a taxi service that can pick me up here and drive me to Enterprise, so I can rent a car. One second, Jim is calling again."

"There is no car rental that offers a pickup service."

"I am about a third of the way home, there is really something wrong with my right hand, I can't shift gears with it. It's a bitch shifting with my left hand."

"Okay, I will get a rental and take you to the hospital. Do you want to park somewhere, and I will find you?"

"No, I'll make it home." And he hung up.

Now back to the two owners.

"What happened to him?" the one asked. So, I quickly explained.

"First, call him back, I know how to manage a manual rig and you can follow me in the old pickup, get him and take him to the hospital and I'll bring the rig here. You can use it as long as you need to. It is old, it is beat up, but it works. It looks horrible, it is yours to use."

I called Jim back and explained but he insisted on getting home.

When he got here, he haphazardly parked the rig, got in the pickup and we were off. It was a short trip to emergency. He had broken his wrist. It was a clean break, so they set it in a brace with instructions to see the orthopedic doctor as soon as possible. When I call the next morning, he got an appointment in an hour. He confirmed it was a clean break and put a cast on, I wanted a pink, we got blue, darn. He had to return in a week, then in six weeks and then they switch the cast to a four-week adjustable brace.

I remember the morning after the emergency department visit, he was befuddled about keeping the arm dry when he showered. Remember I was a retired nurse, so it was easy coming up with a solution- a garbage bag. After the doctor visit, I went to Walmart for a quick trip. You see I remembered they had umbrella bags, which were great for covering a broken limb. I spoke with the manager who agreed that I could have ten, each one if used carefully can be last up to six or seven showers. Pull it over the arm or leg and using a head band secure the top, then fold the bag over the head band to keep it dry. The other option is to tightly tape in place.

It was cute, that when I returned to the store a week later there was a laminated note at both of the doors, above the umbrella bags. "It has been reported that these bags are also great for covering casts while showering. Help yourself."

We were directed to a new location two weeks into the four, but he was provided with great instructions.

To be continued .....


Chapter 11
A Promotion

By aryr

The new assignment took us back briefly to Greenville, North Carolina. It was a rather short stay, less than a month. It involved a special assignment that hadn't been done during the regular job.

We were able to visit old friends and family members that lived in the area. The East Carolina University (ECU) is home to both medical and nursing courses as well as a multitude of other options. There is also Pitt Community College which offers nursing and all sorts of courses. It is interesting that when the University first came to be, the town of Washington (little Washington according to the locals) was asked about being the university's home. Little Washington is about a 20- minute drive from Greenville. Anyway, the forefathers/ city council declined the chance because they did not want to be overwhelmed by students. I am now thinking they wish they had accepted. When that assignment was done, we were off once more.

This adventure took us to Atlanta, Georgia. Jim has a sister who lives a short distance outside of Atlanta. It was nice for him being able to visit her. We, meaning her and I, acknowledged each other. She is a staunch Catholic, which is a good thing for her. But she saw me as the enemy, so rather than ruin visits constantly in debates, I sat silently. She was and always had been interested in what Jim was doing. Being the older sister, I guess she felt she had to be protective of him as well. Her two sons enjoyed my company and we talked for what seemed like hours about various things. Most of the time it was about school, their sports activities and what they planned for college. She had become a widow a few years back, so Jim was sort of a substitute father figure for the boys. He checked in on them via phone on a regular basis and they both knew they could call at any time for either of us.

We found out only after we arrived in Atlanta that Jim was being promoted from an ordinary walking technician to a field supervisor. He was there for training. He learned about various spread sheets, payroll documentation, audits where he would walk an area that had been walked by a tech, evaluations when he would walk with a tech, observe and correction any errors noted. He would have a crew working under him. He wasn't a project manager with a specific area, but he would move around supervising the projects and reporting to the manager responsible for that project.

I think I may have mentioned this but here goes again. The company sends techs and supervisors to the northern states during the late spring, summer and early fall months. Basically, if the ground is not frozen, they can successfully survey.

After about a month of training, Jim was advised that he would be going north to replace a former supervisor. There have been many times that he has voiced he wished he was still a walking tech. His phone never stops from 6 am to 10 pm, with requests for supplies, the need for a new walking map or just to bitch about something. If he isn't taking calls from techs, then he is on conference calls or doing related computer work. I think I liked it better when he was walking a line. He was away doing what he liked.

So anyway, we were off to Bismarck, North Dakota. We actually made the drive over Labor Day weekend. It was exciting for me because we would be about three hours from Canada, not that I got that far.

Jim was to supervise a cluster of five states- North & South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and west Minnesota. He called each tech and introduced himself, asked about supplies and informed them that when the project manager, the person who was the next level up, showed up in a couple of weeks, they together would be out to visit everyone. He failed to mention that they would be doing company evaluations on everyone. This was supposed to be a surprise, as were the audits.

The techs were spread out over the five states, so when the manager arrived, they rented a vehicle and took off. They were gone a week. I had the rig if I needed anything. This way they could arrive unseen. It was difficult to try to sneak up on someone in a bright red semi with the hood and doors decorated with yellow flames. We have been places where children approach us for pictures of them in front of the truck.

The park we chose to stay in was about 15 miles from the city of Bismarck. It was surrounded by fields of crops that belonged to the owners. It was a self- serve park, meaning that the owners were not on site. You went to the assigned site and paid via cash or check into their locked deposit box. I believe there were 42 sites half of which were 30 amp and the other half were 50 amp. There was a building with showers/ restrooms on each side and a small laundry room in the middle. Wifi was free and that was it. It was rustic but very comfortable.

Most of the other campers were single men who worked the oil pipeline. Sometimes there were three to four men per camper. Of the 42 sites I think about 30 were oil workers, there were about five sites that were for overnighters and then those that consisted of couples, but most of the wives worked with their husbands. Not me, though.

We arrived at the park when things were peaking over the oil pipeline. It was interesting to note that the protesters were camped out on privately owned property. The property was not anywhere near the proposed pipeline. Even more interesting was the fact that at least 80% of the protesters were not Native American Indians, but they did have one horse. No sacred burial grounds were involved. They stopped traffic on the road and frequently asked for support or handouts. It got to the point where they had national guards and military posted at road blocks to prevent more from showing up and local law enforcement were arresting those that became violent. Ironically when everything was done, they packed up and left, leaving behind all of their garbage for the property owner to clean up; this was costly. And even though they claimed the pipeline would cause land damage, they managed to pollute a small river going through the land. I sometimes wonder if they ever considered that the line was actually a replacement line for one that had been buried there ages ago. Or did they remember that clothing, cell phones, computers, tires, plastics (lots of bottles and cups left behind) etc were all byproducts of oil or petroleum. People really do need to think before they protest.

One of the interesting facts that we learned the first week in October was that 98% of the parks closed on November 1st. And the 2% that stayed open jacked their rates enormously and closed their public restrooms/showers/laundry. They provided water for your tank fill up, which meant you rationed your water use weekly. Thankfully sewers were open.

The local company for utilities (gas is considered a utility) had a contract for May 1st to Oct 31st. That first year for Jim as a supervisor took us to the Monday before Thanksgiving (late November). Thankfully although it got cold the first week of November, the ground remained thawed and there was no snow until the day after Thanksgiving. Whew.

To be continued.......


Chapter 12
Teaching

By aryr

This is a clarification and follow up to some questions that came through. That is the nice thing about doing this. I can add information where it is needed or in this case asked.

When I spoke of 30 or 50 amp service, this is in reference to the amperage that the campground has available for the electrical needs of campers. Some campers use 30 amp only while others use 50 amp; but one can buy an adapter allowing either one. The only concern is that you will be restricted to the number of heat sources when on 30 amp. For example, I could not have the electric fireplace on while I was cooking nor the dryer, basically I only had one major heat source.

The other question was in regards to what Jim actually does. He started out as a tech for the company. Natural gas lines are buried in the ground. The techs use a piece of equipment which is called a 'sniffer.' Please do not ask me the technical question about how it works-lol. I do know it is powered by compressed gas, which means that each tech has to have tanks weighing in about 75 pounds to use when the sniffer needs filling, this way they only carry about five pounds. They do however have to store it either in their vehicle or in the basement compartments of their camper. When the pressure within it is low, it has to be replaced, which is part of Jim's job. The individual companies provide a map of the gas lines and each meter. The tech is responsible for walking the line with the sniffer that detects leaks and inspects each meter for leaks. They are also able to spray a combination of water and liquid detergent on the meter and the leak will create air bubbles. The tech does not repair any meters, they simply report the leak and the individual companies send out their crew to fix and repair. With Jim being a field supervisor, he oversees the techs that work under him.

From North Dakota, just ahead of the snow, we went south. We made a couple of overnight stops but eventually ended up in Conroe, Texas which is about 15 miles from Houston, Texas. Since I was on Medicare, I had to decide whether we were going to travel North Carolina for our medical visits or choose a new MD in Texas. It was an easy decision. Jim had an assignment in Houston, so to take a minimum of a week to travel to NC and back was pushing our luck. I found a new MD and a new eye doctor, so we were both able to get appointments before we relocated again.

Houston is an interesting place and very, very busy. It was nonstop traffic, twenty-four hours a day. I love the variety of shopping, the entertainment sources and the museums. The space museum was fantastic. Fortunately for us, we had been in Texas while on the oil rigs as gate guards. A different area in Texas but still Texas. When they say that things are bigger and better in Texas, it is definitely true, at least the bigger part.

There are tons of camping parks, from luxurious to basic. We were at a mid ranged park. One thing I noticed was even the basic parks were relatively high class when compared to other states.

Jim was not only a field supervisor now, he had also been trained to instruct new groups of techs. So, for three months he taught the classes for two weeks then supervised their work performance for two weeks. Then he had about a month where he organized and set up that local crew. It was a great time for him. He had great teaching skills when he was building boats and it carried over to his new career. Sometimes, when there was not a local office with a conference room, he would arrange to use the conference room at whichever park we were staying at. That was generous of the park.

A few things were stressed for the job was first and foremost stay hydrated. You may think that there is a breeze and you are only walking but the sun can be brutal. Initially he would recommend Gatorade but discovered it had a high sugar content which played havoc on the system, so he switched to Propel which was user friendly.

The next thing was to have over-the-ankle-waterproof boots- one walked in everything- tall grass, mud, water, rocks etc. You never knew when you were stepping into a boggy area or a water hole up to your hip. Jim suggested to the techs that, when walking in areas that were did not have sidewalks, they pull their socks over their pant legs to prevent ticks. It was also a great idea (mine) for the techs to take a picture of their work badge and store it on their cell phone. One has to present their identification if asked and if you have lost it, then you can't work legally. It takes at least a week to get a new one from Georgia. In the southern states and, especially, in the summer months, one should wear a floppy hat rather than a baseball cap, which does little for sunburned ears.

It is helpful if they can watch where they are walking for things like rocks they can slip on, water bogs, wires, snakes and other hazards. Now mind you they are also using their sniffer and either a paper map in a plastic baggie to protect it or a tablet that is loaned out by the company. Drivers are also a huge hazard, they just zoom along in their own world. Not even pretending to see the florescent yellow vest the techs are required to wear.

He also became certified to do certain legal checks to permit the techs to work. There are three different types and each local company has their particular requirements before a tech can be contracted under them.

He was rising up in the company and very proud of himself for doing so, and so was I.

To be continued ......


Chapter 13
Food, more food.

By aryr

Our next travel took us to the Frog City Campground, which was close to Lafayette, Louisiana. It was not an overly large park, close to Highway 10, which meant an easy access.

We met with another field supervisor (who shall remain nameless) promoted at the same time as Jim. In fact, he started his training as a tech about a week after Jim, so they were taught and trained by the same person in Mississippi. Every time I say that or type it, I remember from school the trick to do so correctly. M, i, double s, i, double s, i, double p, i and you are never wrong.

Okay back to the story. They were to provide the basic two week training class and then walk with and supervise the new workers. Success was a given.

After this task was completed it was decided that the two of them would also fill in for some of the tech work. This meant that they would each go out and walk an area. They did this for a couple of months. It was their way of helping the new techs out, they could walk faster and knew the equipment so well.

With everyone staying at the same park, it provided some interesting evenings and weekends. Most of the new techs were single men, so it seemed like there was a nightly congregation for beer drinking. Every other weekend we would all have a potluck dinner. It was ironic that these meals consisted of pork n beans, Kentucky fried chicken, tubs of potato salad, rolls and whatever I chose to cook, which was usually meat of some sort and a gluten free dessert. One weekend, I just got some takeout ribs and store cookies. From the looks I received, one would have thought I committed a serious crime.

There were lots to see in the area. We visited the Tabasco plant and gardens. In the gardens there were flowers everywhere. The gentleman who established Tabasco, E. McIlhenn and his son Ned had been gifted a large sculpture of Buddha- a fantastic centuries old statue. Wild peacocks roam the grounds as do other amazing birds. Tabasco was founded on a salt island named Avery Island. The whole process was both interesting and entertaining, so much so that we went back for a second visit while we were in the area as well as again the next year.

That first Christmas, family received gifts purchased at the gift shop which was rather large and contained everything imaginable made from or related to Tabasco. The second year we also ate at the restaurant on site, yep bottles of Tabasco everywhere, and so many different flavors.

I also had the opportunity to enjoy and experience crawfish eating. Not a big item back in Canada at the time. Jim had told me the proper way to eat a crawfish and I wanted no part of it. Anytime it meant that I was supposed to snap off a head and then suck the brains out was not my idea of a meal. Now of course you were also supposed to eat the meat of the rest of the body, but not me.

Apparently, Jim was pulling my leg. I saw a couple a few trailers from us with a table covered with these amazing little things. The gentleman asked if I would like a taste, which I declined.

"No thanks, you go ahead and enjoy. I am not partial to sucking brains out."

"Oh child, you don't have to eat the heads if you don't want, my wife here, doesn't but she sure likes the rest of it," he laughed, and his wife chuckled, "come here and I will show you how it's done."

He explained that the crawfish was snapped just behind the head, which in my case would be discarded, then he showed me how to pull out the meat and enjoy it.

Jim was in for a surprise when he got home, actually I waited two days, until it was Saturday and a non-potluck weekend. Then I announced that I would like to go to a local, hard to find crawfish shack. It was literally in the middle of nowhere and if you didn't have someone tell you or show you how to get there, you were then lost. For anyone in the area, message me and I will tell you how to get there from where you are. After a couple of months in the area, I definitely learned where things were, lol. It was called 'Hawks'.

We arrived, and I casually commented on the number of people with disposable nonlatex gloves on. Then I noticed the plastic bibs. This place was prepared for messy eating. Now I do have to warn you that five-pound platters of crawfish looks like a lot but when it is shared between two people it really is not. You can order your side like boiled potatoes, corn on the cob halves and rolls. Given that only two days ago I was shown how to snap and eat I was an expert. Jim however had not had any for several years, in fact before I met him, so he was rusty. When we were finished our meal, I confessed and told him of my lesson, he was just glad that I had learned and enjoyed the experience. Crawfish are like mini lobsters.

The other place that was enjoyable was in a town called Scott, the diner which was only open Monday to Friday from 5:30 am to 2:00 pm for breakfast, their daily lunch special and fantastic burgers. Of course, they have other things but to us it was the last two that were impressive. Wednesday's special was my favorite: a one-inch thick deep-fried breaded pork chop with coleslaw, rice, red beans and Texas toast. Jim to this day has a Dixie burger with fries. The burger has grilled onions, cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato their chipotle mayo, it is divine. He is willing to suffer the next day from his celiac intolerance. Thank goodness it is a once a year experience, but they are both oh so delicious.

Okay now I am hungry. So is Jim after I read this to him. So, since we are in the area and it is New Years Eve, we decided to go up the road to a local crawfish place, not Hawks but I am sure it will be great.

Have a Happy New Years and blessings to all for 2019.

To be continued..........


Chapter 14
Rain, rain, go away

By aryr

I have to smile, as I sit here on New Years Day, the first of 2019, and discuss with Jim where we have been for New Years since we started being full time RVers.

The first two years we were gate guards on the oil rig sites, so we of course, worked through the holiday as we did every holiday during that time. Then we were at Nocculala Falls in Alabama, followed by Country Place RV Park in Conroe, Texas, then Jones RV Park in Atlanta, Georgia and finally Cajun Palms in Henderson, Louisiana. We have experienced all sorts of weather but managed to greet the new year with smiles. It was not only a new year but also a new adventure.

So, on January 2, 2019 we moved from Henderson to Minden, Louisiana. Actually, it is a small town called Dixie Inn. Minden is where the post office is listed. It has a little bit of everything, Walmart, DQ (Dairy Queen), Pizza Hut, a couple of Mexican restaurants, lots of churches and even an H R Block for taxes. It is only seven miles from Dixie Inn. Of course, it had rained December 30th, 2018, rather heavily, sprinkled on the 31st and 1st, becoming heavy on the 2nd and today the 3rd.

If anyone has been in the extreme south of the USA, ie Louisiana, Mississippi, some parts of Texas in their winter months, you all understand that winter is the wet season. Wet means it rains to some degree ninety-five percent of the time. Usually a heavy, cold rain which creates mud and dogs do love puddles and mud. At least she (the dog) has learned over the years that she has to be rubbed down and dried when we bring her from her walk. She has spent so much time since we started this adventure on a leash that when on the rare occasion, she is allowed off leash she just sits next to us. Then again, she is my service dog, so of course she stays close to me, in protection, in duty.

Jim is helping out another field supervisor for a couple of months, so I will be here at home with the cat and dog, while he ventures out into the cold wet, swampy areas. Thank goodness, this is the alligator hibernating time as well as the snakes, so it is one less worry for me.

We have recently acquired a tiny little 'Smart' car, which until we can drop off the four-wheeler, that Jim currently tows behind the camper, I drive. So that means a converted semitruck that is 23 feet long, a camper that is 44 feet long and a four-wheeler trailer that is 13 feet long. Little old me in the car with the cat is just under 9 feet. Eventually we will tow it behind the camper. The only state that we definitely know we can not triple tow in is California, with their 65-foot total length. Yes, I know we are a smidgen over without the four-wheeler but they sort of look away at a couple of inches. In that case I would simply once again drive and follow. Oh, the adventures of being on the road.

To be continued.......


Chapter 15
Disaster

By aryr

I am back with the next entry. Most of December was at a premium campground were we enjoyed a great Christmas and a wonderful New Years. January 2nd brought us to just outside of Shreveport, Louisiana. I do believe the park was about twenty-five miles from the city, which was actually split by the river- Shreveport on one side and Bossier City on the other. The little community of Minden was only six miles away. The park itself was bare bones, full hook ups, laundromat, two shower/toilet rooms.

We were there for three weeks before Jim's return trip to Houston for the camper repairs, which took the week. You guessed it, another week in a hotel with the dog and cat. Finally, we made it back to the campground. Trust me it was the best of the best, the others we saw I was afraid to stay in during the day and Jim was concerned about doing so. Now of course, I always check prior to going to a state about the gun laws and shooting invaders.

Two things I noticed- the road seriously need repair (will get back to that one shortly) and there was a lot of rain, every day there was rain. Sometimes just for a couple of hours in the morning or overnight and other times for days on end. For three months I wore my rubber boots when I went out, the first time I wore normal shoes I was in shock.

Then in late March disaster struck, remember those bumpy roads, well one Saturday morning, I woke with a stiff neck/kink, over the next seventy-two hours it progressed from a stiff neck to shoulder pain and numbness in my arm. The kind of numbness one has when a foot or leg has gone to sleep and is waking up. Off we went to the Minden hospital, where they were unable to do any imaging but gave me a shot for pain and to relax muscles. They also provided a week worth of pills for both and a referral to a neurologist in Shreveport. The next day I called and arranged an appointment in nine days. I saw the PA who prescribed low dose prednisone twice a day for five days- a real treat for my diabetes and physical therapy twice a week. I had two weeks to wait for the MRI, then a few days to see the neurologist.

Because I had had a laminectomy (neck) twenty years ago, there was a concern about new damage and I jokingly ask if I could sue the state because the roads were so bad. The doctor laughed and shook his head 'no'. I gradually saw a slight improvement with the therapy.

Then a second disaster. Jim decided that he needed a visit to an urgent care for sinusitis and he was correct. However, when the nurse gave him his IM needle of cortisone, she must have hit either a nerve or a vein, he got up off the bed and passed out. Needless to say, he called me because they were preparing to stitch up his lip, I got the call since I was waiting in the car with my pillows. I managed to drive us home, all eighteen miles. Then the next day we went to a dentist, then an orthodontist, because of a loose tooth. At least we now have deductions for taxes next year. lol.

Back to me, the MRI showed regular wear and tear, but no new damage and I was advised that eventually things would get better. As I sit here, two months and two weeks after the initial stiff neck I have regained the almost normal use of my arm. I still have tingling in my index finger and the next one, but it is less than I started out with. I used a tens unit and neck traction, but I did have a script for PT if needed. We relocated to Georgia late April and I managed the drive here by doing it over three days instead of one long, long day.

Jim in the meantime, survived his stitched lip, the tooth has settled and through all of this he even taught a class of new employees while in Louisiana. We have had enough adventure for a couple of months.

(Next entry will be about our Florida visit for his daughter's college graduation)


Chapter 16
College is Done.

By aryr

We were off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of oz... Darn, wrong adventure. This new trip took us to the wonderful city of Orlando, Florida.

Our goal was to bear witness to his daughter, the only daughter, graduating from college with a BA of Business Administration. Now I do have to back track a little, when she moved to Florida and she was then ready for college, her plan was for marine biology, but then she met a young man and plans changed. Oh well.

We had allowed for several days for this new adventure. Time to reunite with family etc.
Now let me tell you about Florida traffic, first there are the snow birds, you know those people who travel south during the winter months to avoid the snow. Then there are the people who are road demons, going in and out of lanes and hey why not just go from the extreme left lane to the turn off ramp. And did I mention the snow birds.?

Regardless, we were there for the time allowed. We stayed at the KOA and this time we avoided the pool. Sorry, children were everywhere.

The graduation ceremony for her group was held on a Thursday at nine am, apparently there were daily nine am and two pm groups over the five days of Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Good planning on the school's part.

Now of course, we got there about an hour before and when all was said and done, the family and friends took up two full rows of seats and I believe there were at least fifteen per row. And for your information, it involved a lot of walking to get there. Heaven only knows where we parked, but we walked and walked. Fortunately, we didn't have to drive the semi, it was parked at the hotel where my sister-in-law was staying.

The ceremony started precisely at nine am and continued for three hours, but she did graduate, and we were all proud.

There were some scary moments beforehand and we were not even sure if she would get to attend the services.

About a month before, she was admitted to the hospital with small blood clots in her brain. Apparently, this had been going on for a while and she just fluffed it off to slight dizzy spells. The long and short is that her blood work was way out of whack, she has a small hole in her heart and a screwed up aortic valve.

Fortunately, her boyfriend's father was close to a neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, so off she went for an even more intensive checkup.

They finally figured out what was wrong with her and provided her with suggestions that she will have to follow for the rest of her life. She just turned twenty-one.

So now, she is off to Spain, where her boyfriend is from and his parents live there, we expect to hear wedding bells soon and we are so very proud of her.

Back to us- after the services we headed to the Gainesville area of Georgia for a new work project for Jim. Me, I just get to sit at home in the camper and watch others drive in and out. There is a humungous fishing pond, but I do not fish.

They did have an event for July 4th, on the last Saturday of June, I believe it was the 29th. Initially I thought the office staff were joking when they said the little town two miles away closed down to attend. But they were right. There were approximately four thousand people in attendance, above the full campground. It was loud, the fireworks were from nine to eleven pm and it was close to two am before everyone departed. Sunday morning the staff were cleaning up the park. With that many it was surprisingly clean.

At this point, we are still here, but from what I understand we will be moving elsewhere in a couple of weeks. To a new adventure... (smile).

To be continued.......


Chapter 17
Going Across Country

By aryr

We remained at the park for a couple more weeks, while Jim finished the contract in that area. The parks we stayed at in Georgia were not bad, the state park was isolated and tight fitting, after that the location was great, except I really hated climbing a hill to get to either mail, laundry or the dumpster. The next one was an old KOA, with very narrow site, but hey the dumpster was just across the road, lol.

Then we relocated about four hours away, to the area south of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The reasoning was economical. The business was not doing as well as Jim and Kevin thought it would, and while there was enough work for one of them, it meant one would be without income. That was us, unfortunately. At least my pension saw us through. Jim started looking for something else, since most companies were interested in contracts next year in the late spring or early summer.

Most of October was spent with Jim searching for and filling in applications online. Then he got a call of interest from the other side of the country in Phoenix, Arizona. During this call, he was asked if he would mind flying out to Arizona for a face to face interview, at their expense. They called back later that day to advise him that his flight was booked for that Friday. Today was Monday. So off he went on Friday. He called when he was on his way back to the airport, that they had all agreed and he would start the contract on November 4th. This meant that we would leave the RV park in Georgia on Monday the 28th of October and he would be ready for work on the 4th.

In the meantime, his sister, who lives near Macon, Georgia, invited me to a luncheon that was a breast cancer event the day before he flew out. Since we had gotten off to a rocky start I agreed and drove the two hours each way. It was very educational, and I did learn a lot about the emotional side of having breast cancer. Ironically, when she was stricken, it was me that she directed all her questions to. That broke the ice between us.

Before that, because she is a staunch Catholic and I am Wiccan (pagan), she didn't feel I was worthy of knowing her. Oh well.

I was equally impressed when she asked me to house sit and watch over her 15 year old son a couple of weeks before. Everything went fine. Do you know how long it has been? I hadn't been children watching since I took on the challenge of home schooling the grandchildren in my late 40s. This boy was courteous, understanding, even if he did vape. Of course, I did my nursing talk about it still being a chemical in his lung. Fortunately, while I was there, there was a somewhat local death related to vaping. Boy, did he change his mind.

Anyway, we were off going across the country. The first day-Monday- we traveled as far as Shreveport, Louisiana, we had stayed at that particular park before, so they were familiar with us and we with them. Gravel parking with a hint of grass. But there was a Mexican restaurant next door. Yeaaa, I didn't have to cook. It was a long day, I believe it was 10 hours on the road. We traveled through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and most of Louisiana. And they still hadn't fixed the roads in Louisiana, at least in the big truck I wasn't beaten to death by the bumps and rough roads.

The next day Tuesday, included travel for the rest of Louisiana and a good deal of Texas, we were following I-20. Thankfully it was an eight hour day. The park was easy to find and get into. Again, it was gravel with a hint of grass. Sallie of course loved the idea of pooping on the grass.

Wednesday took us the rest of the way through Texas to mile zero which put us 1/2 mile from the New Mexico border. The previous two days had been long but uneventful. Today however, the four-lane highway on our side was blocked by a five car pile-up. Nothing moved for almost an hour then four lanes were diverted to a single lane. That was a 2½ hour delay. Thank goodness we were not the cause. Did I mention that the semi that we tow with is 28 feet long, the camper is 44 feet long and we towed a smart car which is about 10 foot long? First time towing the little car, since the whole trip was about 1900 miles, and it was decided that it was a long way for me to drive. Whew. We stopped after nine hours. This park as well was gravel but the site was humongous. They also had a dog park which was right next door to the kiddies park, separated with a chain link fence.

Thursday, took us the last leg of Texas, through where we were traveling in New Mexico and into Tucson, Arizona. Things were definitely brown, beige and mostly dirt and cactus/cacti/cactuses. I have learned that much - lol. Another eight hour day. This time we stayed at a fairgrounds, and the site was dirt. We had a tree that blocked our satellite, so no TV that night. We did go to a restaurant recommended by a friend. Another night I didn't have to cook. (smile)

Friday was the day we finally arrived at the campground which was about 30 miles from where Jim would work.

To be continued..... more tomorrow.


Chapter 18
Arizona

By aryr

We pulled into the park just after lunch time, I think they were a little surprised to see how long we were. But they found room for us. This would be our home for a while, the middle of nowhere called The Wild West Ranch and RV Resort.

Apparently, the land that the park is on -- and from the sound of it-- much more, was once owned by the actor, John Wayne. When he died it was made into smaller lots that were sold. From what I understand, it was he who originally established the campground and RV resort. There is no pool and the club house is being renovated. It is located in the middle of nowhere. Lots of dirt, dried out tumble weed and sage bushes. I haven't seen a lot of wildlife but people on the first row (outside row) have reported seeing snakes and I have heard coyotes at night. When I walk Sallie at night before going to bed, I make sure I have a bright flashlight. Oh before I forget, Arizona does not do a time change so sunrise is about 6 am and sunset is around 6 pm, and because there are no towns close, at night it is pitch black.

The closest city is about 13 miles away but has Fry's which is equal to Kroger or Dillion, a large Walmart, and shops and restaurants galore. Just before reaching the city there is an enormous Harrah's Casino. After all, there is a high Native American Indian community throughout Arizona. Perhaps one day I will venture to the casino, just not today.

I think I am adjusting to the brown and beige bleakness of the area, the only color I have seen is when there are colorful blossoms on the tops of the various cacti. There are a couple of fields on the way to town that are a vivid green, I have no idea what is growing but it is a refreshing green. I have seen fields and fields of cotton but from what I understand it is not profitable to grow since they have to buy the water.

Cattle yards seem to be a big thing here. When we go to the city we pass a large one with at least 500 head and if we go the other way to a different city we pass five yards with at least 1000 head of cattle at each one. One almost prays for the wind to not be in the direction of the park.

One thing I have definitely learned over the years, even before being a full time RVer, is the ability to distinguish the different poop smells. I can say most emphatically that chicken poop is the worst of the worst, and the flies that seem to go with it tend to swarm. And they bite. Causes me to shiver.

For two and a half days we had a fairly constant rain, but it did not cause flooding in the park. The sky was dark with clouds and, in the distance, we could see lightning, but thunder seemed to be ever present. Jim did report several streets in Chandler were flooded. The Phoenix News reported massive flooding in various areas. I guess we just lucked out. From what I understand they did not get near the expected rain during their wet season-June to September.

Now that the rain has stopped, I can get to be back to the dirt, beige and brown of life thus far at the park.

One thing that is nice is that the laundry room here is always clean, as are the showers and restrooms. I use the laundry when I have sheets, full laundry, towels etc. Otherwise I use my washer and dryer. If I did the heavy loads I would be washing and drying all day.The office and general store have a good supply of snack foods, beer and wine of various kinds.

Well for now I will leave you to enjoy the sun. Thanks for coming to the ranch lol. Happy trails.

To be continued...


Chapter 19
Chicago, Chicago

By aryr

On Sunday, June 28th we said good bye to the Wild West Ranch & RV Resort just south of Maricopa, Arizona. For most of May and all of June we had been in the triple digits, the highest temperature being 112 and from what I understand it was only going to get hotter.

Unfortunately Jim's job was not as he was promised, every step forward he took three steps back. The position was to grow the company, which he tried. However when one of the three owners had great visions and a plan, the other two, a son and father team, could not get past the idea of working out of the dash board of their trucks. This is apparently how they operated before getting an office. The two of them zeroed in on the high dollar invoices, not realizing that the tiny jobs were what kept the company afloat. So after eight months and broken promises, Jim had had enough, we were once again off to the beyond.

As I said we left early Sunday morning and traveled a long day to Utah. Just 60 miles short of our destination, half way up a six percent hill, we blew the turbo in the semi. The tow truck came from an hour and half away, I guess when we do something big we do it bigger. After hooking up the semi which is about twenty eight feet and the camper which is another forty four feet, we were on our way. First we had to go ten miles up the road to a small community so we could circle a block, then twenty miles to the last community, where someone could not only get the part but could work on it in the campground. Meanwhile, I followed in the Smart car. The repair guy and the tow truck guy were great.

Sunday night, we spent at the campground with, of course, the dead semi attached to the camper. It certainly wasn't going anywhere. Monday, the repair guy called for a new replacement turbo. Now I am not mechanically inclined, but from what I understand, is that it is not good if the tiny little shreds of metal get in the engine. So everyone crossed everything, hoping that nothing had impaired the engine. Fortunately, the engine was clear. Dale, the repair guy, gave Jim the okay to flush, wash down and hose out all the lines. This way, it gave Jim something to do and allowed Dale to continue on other jobs. We were able to pick it up by eight Tuesday morning. So we left around six thirty to travel the 70 miles to where we had planned on stopping for Sunday night. When we returned, Dale was fifteen minutes out. He was ready to work on it. The new turbo was installed, the engine turned over, yeaaaaa, we were successful.

Within an hour, we were on the road again. We had let our friends know that we would not be there for Monday night and possibly Tuesday night. They were in the middle of nowhere in the mountains of Colorado. I know it was out of our way, sort of, but we hadn't seen them in a while. So we called and told them we were on our way. They were six hours away.

Let me tell you, I have never seen hills and valleys such as these! Up and down, up and down. The cliffs dropped off about a foot from the road, and it was at least twenty to one hundred feet to the bottom, if not more. We finally got there around seven pm. Maurice had cooked supper, and Ginny was so happy to see us. We visited until midnight. On Tuesday, they took us out to the old homestead and the little town of Yampa, then after lunch we toured most of their land, 350 acres. We reminisced on memories.

On Thursday morning, we left and headed for Nebraska, on Friday we were in Iowa, and Saturday we made it to Portage, Indiana. Jim will be reporting Monday morning to south end of Chicago.

We are here for about three months. Stay tuned for our next adventure/ road trip.

Author Notes Our adventures continue.


Chapter 20
This Time-North Carolina

By aryr

Okay, once again we are on the road. Oh, sorry for the picture change, I couldn't resist, lol. We still have the big red truck with yellow flames which is actually a converted semi, so really big. We still have our 44 foot home on wheels and of course our daily driver-the smart car.

Jim's last assignment was the second week of December. He had to take the company truck and go from Indiana to Denver, Colorado to help with a project that got behind. He was gone a week and a half, thankfully he took the company truck from Chicago and they paid for his hotel stay while there.

He called whenever he had chance to-a total of 85 times, early morning, when it snowed which was all day while he worked, lunch-I think he got tired of making his lunch or rather cooking for himself lol and in the evening at least three times. And here I thought I was going to get a break when I stayed in Indiana. Not likely.

Now we are off to North Carolina, somewhere near Greensboro. When we lived here it was near Greensville NC, so this is somewhat new to me. The best I got was when I went home to Canada which meant getting on I-95 and going north.

So here we are. In the middle of nowhere. I think the closest town which has a grocery store is about five miles away if I was a crow and could fly, but I have to drive so it's a twist and a turn a few times to get there. I do believe we have to go about ten miles. Hey they have a couple of restaurants, a beautiful Christmas tree, a post office and a bank. Oh they also have two gas stations. Amazing, everything I need.

The unfortunate part is that Jim has to use the smart car for work, so my day is spent by myself at the campground with the other working campers, the owners, their horse whom I can once a week feed carrots to. This means I can catch up on my writing. Look out world.

Ahaaa, now when I go grocery shopping, dear old Jim has to come along. I can drive the big rig but we had to take an important part in to have it repaired, the drive was an hour away, then we have to go back to pick up the part. So for now the truck doesn't work.

I honestly like the isolation, it is a wonderful quiet time for me. I can enjoy the peace and quiet for about a month and a half then back to Indiana until April when we head to Bismarck, North Dakota.

Until the next adventure.


Chapter 21
North Carolina

By aryr

Three weekends ago, Jim and I decided to travel some of the back roads of North Carolina. So, we climbed into our little Smart car and took off on our adventure.

Now as a reader, you have to understand that we had one sunny day since we got here on January 10/21. We have had rain each day or night and sometimes for several days. The daytime temperature was between 29 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit which is roughly -1.7 to 2 degrees Celsius.

As we traveled, we noticed that we went over several small bridges that covered everything from a small sized creek to a larger stream. About every three miles we crossed a bridge. There were indeed a lot of creeks, Jim joked about having to walk back up to the bridge to cross over.

We were gone about three hours and were able to see a variety of homes. From farmhouses to newer constructions. We also saw several under construction, with all the rain we have had, I think there might be water damage. However, it is just my opinion.

The most amazing thing we saw was an albino donkey/mule and three albino piglets. Lots of cows of different colors, the same with horses and donkeys. I did notice that the dogs remained on the property rather than chase cars.

Our adventure was just that, an adventure. Until the next time...


Chapter 22
Mud

By aryr

On Saturday, February 27th Jim was instructed to move to Greensville, South Carolina. Well, he was actually called on the Wednesday before. Any way we were on the road again.

When we had gotten to the site on January 10th I was concerned that the tires on the camper had sunk in the mud, then when the back tires on the converted semi began spinning, I truly knew that we were stuck. The week before we were to move, I saw the owner putting a lot of gravel into the now empty site next to ours and asked it we could have some in our site. We were willing to shovel it into the tracks. Unfortunately, I had been under the impression that we would be going north in about a month.

Anyhow, that was wrong. Of course, it rained overnight on Friday, but then, when had it not been raining. On Wednesday I had advised the owner that we would be leaving on the Saturday.

We were still stuck in the mud, lol. The owner was nice enough to provide a tow out, we just needed to get about 4 feet to be free, then the semi could pull us free. He arrived on a golf cart to check out the situation and agreed that it would take the tractor to pull us out. Unfortunately, the tractor didn't start, so we were left with an older Ford pickup truck. Jim reassured me that the older trucks had the get up and go. So, as I stood in the mud watching the camper, the trees on both sides and the power box, we successfully became dislodged from the mud. Now all we had to do was hook up the car and get on our way.

It took us about three and a half hours to get to our destination. The new park had promised me a pull thru. When we got there, it wasn't a pull thru but was a back in. So, we unhooked the car and I actually parked it in the neighbor's drive.

It was an end site and directly across from it was a pile of black dirt and a large puddle. After four tries, Jim could not back into the site. He had to maneuver the camper around a post at the entrance to the site and make sure the front of the semi did not clip the power box across from the post. Meanwhile he was hoping not to get stuck once again in the mud.

Once on the main road into the park, he called the number provided and left a detailed message about his attempts. Then he called other parks in the area, most were booked up until either the end of March or May. Finally, we found one, and when we got there it was great. NOT A SPECK OF MUD, LOL.

In three weeks we head on the long trek to South Dakota, where we will handle our MD appointments, then off to North Dakota for his work.

Now all we have to worry about is the amount of refund from the park that we couldn't fit into. Perhaps all, perhaps half.

Well that's it until our next adventure...

Author Notes Our ongoing adventures.


Chapter 23
Warm Then Cold And Windy

By aryr

Well, as I said, we made it out of the mud, thank the Goddess. Oh and before I forget, we did get refunded the whole amount at the park we couldn't get into. The new park was nice enough to let us wash the truck and the camper. This way we could get rid of the mud caked on. After three weeks we were on the road again. This time we were headed north.

Unfortunately, the truck part (an ECM) we got in North Carolina, proved to be faulty and acted up when we were on our way to Nashville, Tennessee. We limped into the park, our power source in the truck would decelerate then come back on. So we did make it to Nashville. We were spending three days there, so that gave us time to have the truck checked. Regrettably the guy there had the truck for a whole day and didn't touch it, although he said he did. If he had he would have noticed a loose wire. So once again we limped down the road.

Our next stop was in the middle of nowhere in Missouri, the truck continued to do its thing. We finally made it to Sioux Falls, South Dakota on the evening of the 24th of March. We had made arrangements to do our MD visits there, since was our domicile, and our bank were there. Jim had called the trucking company to see about getting the ECM programmed. After two hours they called back to advise us that it was a dud. After $4000.00 dollars a new one was put in and it worked wonderfully. Now of course, I was on the phone to the company in North Carolina and was told that I could send it back that they did have a full warranty. When I explained that it was faulty to begin with and I would call the credit card company, I was told to do what I felt was needed and they were cutting ties with us. We shall see.

On Sunday, March 28th we pulled out for Bismarck, North Dakota. With the converted semi, the 46 foot camper and the itty bitty smart car it only took us six hours. We pulled into our favorite park and were greeted by ten new employees and about ten that will be here a little later (there are old employees who did not have to be here early).

So now we are back to the land of windy and although not freezing at night it will be shortly, water is on but with a caution to turn it off at night, if the campers do not have heated water hose (which we do).

Definitely another adventure, until the next time, be safe.

Author Notes Safe travels whether a full time RVer or just going to work or shopping.


Chapter 24
From North Dakota to Montana

By aryr

Okay, two days ago in the rain, it being Sunday, we travelled from Bismarck, North Dakota to Billings, Montana. The rain continued to increase just as we were about to cross into Montana. We found an RV park the other side of Billings, 32 miles to be precise. After initially setting up we took the Smart car into Billings to pick up a much-needed piece of equipment so we could charge it overnight.

Jim's former worker was not all that reliable and thankfully decided to quit rather than botch the job up further. Well, enough said about that!

When we arrived at the RV park, where we had stayed before, a couple of years ago, we were surprised that the park had accrued more animals.

Last time, the dog was still here, but was now an indoor dog due to the fact that he was now blind. I remembered the owners telling me not to pet his head or face because that I believe would definitely be trouble for me. The other dog died last year; he was older than this one and I think this one is about fifteen now.

There are three park cats-two adults and a small grey kitten. I think someone took in the kitten, but the two adults roam free. Also, there are two black cats that tend to roam as well. They and a third cat, which I have not seen, belong to the camper in the first spot in the third row. The smaller black cat is called Binkz and the larger one is called Savage and he likes to climb-fences, roof tops and trees.

We are in the fourth row about half-way down but you can't miss the camper, which is a lengthy one at 46 feet, nor the tiny little white Smart car or the large converted semi with which we tow. The Smart car we call 'Little One', the truck is called 'The Big Assed Red Truck' from the previous owner and is red with custom yellow flames. The camper is just home for us.

We have a fellow worker in our row but the third one down. They are in a coach with a towed car. Then after the 31st of October, since the KOA in Billings will close one other couple will move to the first row for a few days.

Now according to the park owners they did have two goats but now only have one. He is rather large, chocolate brown in color, very friendly and just wanders around the park. His condo is fenced around in the back yard where he goes at night. He goes by the name of 'Mert', I think originally they had a male 'Mert' and a female 'Gert', now it is just 'Mert'. He answers to his name and seems to trot up to you. Yesterday, he was lying on his mat outside the office when he decided to chew on my clogs; the strap bolt caught his attention, lol. The owner said that because he only had lower teeth and they were really short he could still nip one. Fortunately, he became not interested a short time after he discovered them.

Thank goodness it is cooler because the park is also known for rattlesnakes and several notices are around if one is walking in the long grass. Whew!!!

Okay, until our next adventure...

Author Notes Our ongoing adventure as we travel. We have been from Florida on the east coast to Maine, the central area from Texas to the northern states, Arizona and New Mexica and who knows where when we finish this project.


Chapter 25
Montana to South Dakota

By aryr

Well, hello again. Our next travel begins-from the other side (32 miles to be precise) of Billings, Montana we had to backtrack to the Highway split off to Sheridan. (90 East)

While in Montana we did a short trip to Pompeys Pillar which is a national monument to the travels of Lewis and Clark, the museum was closed for the season, we were able to walk around the area. Jim even climbed the stairs to where Clark chiseled his name in the rocks. Once again, we were warned about rattlesnakes but Jim figured it was cool enough for them to be hibernating.

We travel through Montana which consisted of rolling hills, cows-lots of them and distant snow cover mountains. Montana does have the Bad Lands though.

Next, we were crossing the magic line into Wyoming, sometimes if there is no sign I really haven't any idea where we are. Now Wyoming is pretty much the same as Montana just rockier with more hills, still lots of cows and a few horses. They both have a fair number of oil drilling and Jim explained the several sites of natural gas. Although the country was beautiful and even though we didn't stop except for restroom breaks it was basically the same.

Off in the distance we did pass by Devil's Tower, we had made a trip there a few years ago and I do remember writing an article here about that.

Our travels then took us out of Wyoming and into South Dakota-our pretend home state since we are full time RVers on November 6th. We went through Sturgis, Deadwood and Leads which we had visited a couple of years ago. Let me tell you, any of these places during bike week was amazing, we were once long term RVers in Deadwood, there is a pre-week, the week of and a post-week. I have great respect for those bikers. To travel that distance was remarkable. Many years ago, I was a biker, lol.

Our final journey was to an open campground called 'Happy Holidays' just on the outskirts of Rapid City, South Dakota. There were not many which were open, like many in states where snow falls, they close because of water freezing and bursting pipes.

On Sunday morning we treated ourselves to breakfast (November 7th) so we headed off to the Denny's we were familiar with, only to find it closed as in wood on the windows. So, we ventured to a Perkin's. Yes, they do have wonderful desserts on display while we waited to be seated. We were the third couple and our wait was about ten minutes. Yes, I am diabetic but I do treat myself at least once every six months, shhhh, my A1C was done last month so this is a cheat month.

Jim will have to travel back to Bismarck, North Dakota to turn in all of the equipment he collects after we are done here in Rapid City, South Dakota and for meeting of some sort. That will be Wednesday and he will take the semi on his journey, stay overnight then after the meeting will travel back. Me- I will stay in Rapid City with Tabitha. I do believe that on Friday, November 12th we will be off to Medford, Oregon. I have no clue as to our journey there but will let you know shortly after we arrive.

Our travels will continue...Jim, Alie & Tabitha


Chapter 26
Time in North Dakota

By aryr

Between the summer of 2016 and until now we have managed to visit and see some rather interesting stuff in various places. Right now I will zero in on what we have managed to see in North Dakota but not specifically in order, lol, but work related.

The Enchanted Highway was created by a farm family and consists of massive displays about five miles apart. The start of this highway is Geese In Flight (154 feet wide and 110 feet tall). All of the structures are made of scrap metal. These magnificent creations consist of Geese in Flight, Teddy Rides Again (in memory of Teddy Roosevelt), Pheasants on the Prairie, The World's Largest Grasshoppers, Deer Crossing, The First Farmers (a Son, the Father and the Mother in their finery) and Fisherman's Dream. The display finishes in the town of Regent with a motel converted into a castle and a Knight fighting a Dragon. It was so enjoyable.

Our next visit (we actually did two separate days) was to Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer apparently arrived in Dakota Territory in 1873 to prevent attacks by the Lakota Sioux Indians on the survey railroad workers. He and his wife, Libbie lived there for about three years. Custer died in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The home was rebuilt and presents some of the original items. Also nearby was one of the 'On-A-Slant Indian Villages occupied by the Mandan, the Hidatsa and the Arikara from about 1575-1781.

We also visited Fort Mandan which was part of the Lewis Meriwether and William Clark expedition to follow the Missouri River to the coast, a total of 3,700 miles. The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Washburn ND provided a great deal of educational and entertaining items. This was very interesting. The Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site was truly amazing, this was again occupied by the Mandan and Hidatsa people. It was here that Sakakawea lived, she was a young Shashone girl. This site was also a trading area for local tribes and hunters.

We saw the Hague Iron Crosses in St Mary's Cemetery (Hague 1885-1915). The entire cemetery was filled with constructed iron crosses. Some included hearts, others with swords and the area was chained in to allow walking visitors. Of course we stopped in the village at Hague Cafe for authentic German/Russian food, which was yummy delicious.

On one trip we were able to see, we were actually able to walk in, St. Mary's Catholic Church and the stained glass of Mary crushing the head of a snake. The Marquis de Mores and his wife Medora donated this window for the kindness she was met with by the sisters when she had to stay in Bismarck ND a fair distance from Medora which they founded in 1885.

Another time we saw Nord Park and the famous bomb. In Napolean there is something in the giant shape of a baseball. The bomb was deactivated and the Nord's originally thought to use it as a gas tank, then decided if it was painted to look like a baseball it could become of use to the public. Thus Nord Park.

We also visited the Prairie Bells Grotto near Linton, ND. Sometimes people just need a moment of prayer, a roadside shrine. This was accomplished by Mr. Vetter, he started out putting up a tower then found the bells (there are four) and decided to do a grotto. Very much enjoyed and ringing the bells.

Years past we got to visit the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site used in the Cold War. A site near Cooperstown was made into a museum. The reminders of the furniture used and the menu was fantastic. Oh by the way, the actual missile site was miles away and had been dismantled. We got to travel 50 feet below ground in the pit black darkness. Then we got to see where the Minuteman sat in front of the control board.

Now, of course, nobody could forget Salem Sue, she is a 40 foot tall Jersey cow with horns and teats on top of a high hill. She is the marker to watch for New Salem.

On a different trip, where Jim was actually working/walking as a line surveyor, I got to travel along for three separate days. We went to Garrison and saw the posted Wally the Walleye which is 28 feet long and weighs in at 820 pounds. Apparently, Garrison, Minnesota was in competition before 1980 Garrison ND.

Talking about big animals! In Jamestown, ND one can see up close, live bison, not buffalo-there is only one type of buffalo which is water buffalo as seen in Africa. These are bison. There is a bison one can see from the road which is a sculpture and is 26 feet tall. Occasionally a rare white bison is born, these are of spiritual significance to the Native American Indians.

Who doesn't remember Lawrence Welk, whether in the USA or Canada? He was of German/Russian heritage and born and raised in North Dakota. His parents immigrated to America in 1893 we they had eight children. Ironically Lawrence only spoke German until he went to school then he spoke English and lost his accent. He worked the farm until he was 21 then ventured out on his musical career.

More than once we have driven across the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, it sort of reminds me of the Grand Canyon, it makes one feel small and so very less significant. It is beautiful, so many colors, wonderful horses and bison that roam free. There are only a few communities.

Back in Bismarck, ND, we visited twice the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum. We did this in two trips because there was so much to see. The sights cover over 600 million years. The aurora borealis or Northern Lights is where we started. Next an entire section on Native American, the spirituality, customs and archeology is presented. Next are the dinosaurs which I have seen many times before. Then there are costumes that showed the early settlers up to the turn of the century. I learned a lot and definitely felt better for going.

Our adventures continue, we are now in Shady Cove, just north of Medford, Oregon. I will catch up on our travels tomorrow or the next day...






Chapter 27
Across Country

By aryr

Okay, on with our adventures. We arrived in Rapid City, SD on October 24th where we stayed until the morning of November 12th. While there we found time to see the Crazy Horse Memorial. It was amazing how much they accomplished in his lifetime. Korczak Ziolkowsi died in 1982 of Polish American of natural causes. He also worked on Mount Rushmore for approximately a year. His wife Ruth took over. The monument is 6,532 feet above sea level and is ranked 27th in the highest mountain in South Dakota. Korczak and the Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear picked this particular spot because it was sacred to the Native American Indians and because it is made of pegmatite granite found in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Construction started in 1948. The face of Crazy Horse was finished in 1998 with the help of Ruth's eight children. Now was the start of his arm and hand, all of this takes time. We spent three days there minus travel time about an hour and a half each way. Oh, by the way we stayed at Happy Holiday RV Park and had a great site.

When we left on November 12th, we headed towards Rawlins, Wyoming where we stayed for the night at Red Desert Rose RV Park. Because of the lateness of our arrival and mostly because I forgot to take something out of the freezer for supper/dinner we went to Domino's for pizza. But first we had to stop for a deer wandering across the road, yes, a deer and his rack was at least 8 points. Instead of Domino which does have gluten free crust we went to Shogun's Pizza on the side we parked. They also had gluten free, so we were settled. Because we were hungry, we ordered the typical size pizza and an order of humungous sized chicken wings without breading. We will definitely go back for another pizza and to see the local prison, which has a great history. As far as the sights we saw there were lots of rolling hills, lots of large black rocks and the occasional cow or horse. We traveled on Hwy 16, 226, 97 and heaven knows where else. Tabitha is a great traveler, most of the time she is on the bed of the big rig or behind Jim on the set of drawers or on his lap when he is driving. When I take the wheel, she knows that she is not allowed on my lap so has her front paws on my shoulder and watches out the windshield.

On November 13th we went to Salt Lake City, Utah, and we took Interstate 80 then a little skip over to North 15 to the campground where again we stayed overnight at The Pony Express. Ahaa, this time I took something out for supper which thawed in the fridge. There was no wind or breeze because we were in a valley, and the mountains were hazed over. The maintenance man told us that they have had up to two feet of snow there. Whew! I was not impressed with the ongoing desert, the dried-up lake which used to be filled with salt water and the mountains. We only went this route because we knew it was snow free.

Then on November 14th we traveled West on 80 once more to Fenley, Nevada, however this time we stayed two nights (the 14th & 15th) at the Desert Rose RV Park. Notice the slight difference in the name of where we stayed in Wyoming. We got to see the Petroglyphs about 40 miles from Fenley and enjoyed a fantastic burger on a gluten free bun. When Jim is around, we try to be gluten free, the poor guy will order things bunless, if not gluten free. Me, if given a choice I will have a regular bun. Not in this case, lol. I managed to get caught up on the laundry with the extra day.

November 16th saw us on West 80 then on North 395 to California where we were stopped for an Inspection to see if we had any firewood, nope, and we were cleared. They didn't even say anything about the smart car we towed. Whew! The only thing that did not impress me was the driving of 55. At Susanville we stopped at Walmart the only area we could get into for a phone call meeting with Santa Catalina. After which we continued on West 44 to Redding. We go some great pictures of Mount Shasta covered with snow. Then we changed to Interstate 5 North to Medford, Oregon then onto East 62 to about 20 or 30 miles north, to a community called Shady Cove which has the Rogue River running through it. We finally stopped at the Rogue River RV Park.

We will be here until mid-March, but Jim has to fly out at 6 am from Medford on the 25th to lower California then take a ferry to Santa Catalina where he will be with two other techs until December 22nd. So, I will be on my own for this time, just me and the cat. She is the reason I am not going, initially they suggested that I go but where would we put her. I decided to stay. Yeaaaa!

News on Catalina when Jim returns, probably the week between Christmas and New Year's. Sites that we have seen here in Oregon in late January and late February. Until then safe travels...Jim, Alie & Tabitha.


Chapter 28
A Continuation of Our Adventures

By aryr


JIM on Santa Catalina Island...


Jim left Metford, Oregon from the airport on a flight that took him from me on Tuesday, November 30, at 04:30 am. His flight was for 05:30 am. He had to switch planes. Then he took a ferry which was about an hour long to Catalina Island. He and two others, Terry (a female) and her husband Mike, were to arrive Friday am.

Jim met with Tracy and John, who were in charge, on Wednesday and Thursday then picked up Terry and Mike on Friday. The three of them were to do a propane survey, which meant they were to locate plugs in the ground or streets, take them out, and then use a probe to determine if there was a leak. There were a lot of these plugs.

The reason I didn't go was because we would have to board Tabitha (the cat) and because it would leave the camper unattended for at least three weeks.

They got an airbnb, two bedrooms, two baths, a living room, dining room and a kitchen, that came with a golf cart. Jim was the official driver, lol. It seems that golf carts were a big thing on the island or Smart cars. Which are tiny little cars that we have. When we had Sallie, the dog, she would fit in the back which was a hatchback. Jim and I would sit in the front. Jim saw both golf carts and Smart cars with Christmas trees tied to the tops.

Oh, the golf carts and the Smart cars are approximately the same width. If you were lucky, two of them would fit side by side on the street. The regular garbage truck filled up the whole street. The guy driving the truck would wait for them to pull up on the sidewalk, so he could get by them. Thankfully it was only once a week.

The houses were tiered, basically anywhere they could build a house on the side of a cliff, they did. Definitely, a lot of houses.

He sent me pictures of the lights on the island, it was very decorative. The water was beautiful, calm and clear. There were thousand of boats of all sizes.

The deer were plentiful and came up the hillside to graze. There was nothing they feared. They were everywhere-. On the hillside, on the streets, wherever there was grass or weeds to munch. Jim had a couple of them come up to the golf cart hoping for a treat. He carried treats with him after his first day.

There were also foxes which were a little larger than what we have seen on the mainland. These little guys were a little skittish but were tame, and they too loved treats.

There were herds of bison, which were rather tame. The problem was that being on an island where the temperature dipped at night caused them to lose their second coat which kept them warm. This was not to say that they became cold, but with that many, some were rounded up and sent to North Dakota. Yes, you guessed it. The first frost and the cold winters up there caused the bison to freeze and die. It was a sad thing that they discovered. Now, they keep the herd limited, by the use of bison lotteries. This way they can kill off the old and the lame.

The shopping area was something else. The grocery store was open daily from about 8:00 am to 8:00 or 9:00 pm and even had gluten free items. It was all pricey, almost triple the price of when I do the shopping.

The restaurants were different as were the shops. They were only open when a cruise ship appeared, depending on when the ship got there. Jim said that the restaurants and shops were closed more than they were open during the time of their stay.

I did provide him with a list of everything available.

The ferry boat was interesting. Apparently, you could not just put something on the ferry. It had to go through Avalon Shipping Service. So, any equipment from Atlanta, Georgia had to go through them, then onto the ferry for Jim to pick up.

He did manage to come home early, rather than Thursday - he was able to be picked up Sunday evening, December 19/21. He was definitely home in time for Christmas.

Author Notes Thank you so much for the picture I used of Avalon Bay, Avalon Bay by Lucien van Oosten.


Chapter 29
Our Travel To ND

By aryr

Travelling from Roseburg, Oregon, to Bismarck, North Dakota, was definitely interesting. But I digress, first we moved from Shady Cove, about twenty miles north of Medford, Oregon, where we had been since our arrival on November 16, 2021. We went to Roseburg, Oregon, on March 12, 2022, before taking the trip across country.

Pulling out of Roseburg on March 19, 2022, was interesting because it meant that I had to follow Jim in the Smart car. There is no triple towing in Oregon or Washington. Oh, I almost forgot, in Oregon we had to have our gas pumped by the staff of what ever station we pulled into. The exemption was our big rig, for that we pumped our own. At the border into California, we were able to hook the car up. I know, that was surprising.

Our overnight stay was in Fenley, Nevada, at the Desert Rose RV Park. This was a park that we had stayed at during our trip to Oregon. We were at this park for two nights, enjoying the scenery, after such a long trip.

Our next overnight was at '93 RV Park in Twin Falls, Idaho. Unfortunately, it was only for a single night. It was a great park with fantastic spaces. Easy in and out.

The next spot was in Montana, at Mountain Range RV Park at Columbus. We had stayed there several times, it was about thirty-five miles from Billings, Montana. It was a two night stay, which was great for us. The park was only about half full, although the spots are tight, they are more than adequate.

Our final stop was at A Prairie Breeze RV Park, in Menoken which was about ten miles east of Bismarck, North Dakota. It would be our home for the next few months. Arrival time was just before dark on Thursday, March 24/22. The first row was open and set up. The second and third rows would open up gradually. The laundry room which comprised of two washers and two dryers was up and running, as were the two rest rooms and showers. Sorry they are not co-ed, a simple men's and women's.

The nice thing is that both FedEx and UPS deliver to the site if you put it on your delivery form. Otherwise, they deliver it to our site, since we have requested a permanent site, so we can transfer it to you. Regular mail will come to the mail box at the side of the road, any larger packages will come to the owner who lives on the farm next door. It's a great set up.

It was indeed a wonderful welcome home for our house on wheels.


Chapter 30
Blizzard of 2022

By aryr

Oh my, it hasn't been since 1991 that I have seen such snow. When we arrived in Bismarck, North Dakota on Thursday, March 24, 2022, we would have never guessed. The grass was a dirty shade of brown and the farthest row had only Mike at the far end of that row. He arrived the day before but was not a worker with us.

Slowly the row filled up with a lot of our workers and we were set to go by Sunday evening. Then midweek the pipe burst in the first row, Jim called Dawn to advise her that we had shut it off. She lived on the farm that is separated from us by trees and several large silos.

We were good for a couple of weeks, then the 'blizzard of April 2022' hit. On Sunday, April 10th, we had a light dusting of snow, which was really a prelude. Monday brought a heavier snowfall which ironically was the Montana Dakota Utilities kickoff. Jim works for Southern Cross which has its home base in Atlanta, Georgia. We are in a fifth wheel trailer and travel the country with me being retired and Jim in gas line and meter surveying. By Tuesday morning all hell broke loose, roads were being closed, no one could get out of the park as there was no where to go. Dawn's husband, Ron was amazing, each morning and each evening he would plow the RV park, sometimes more than twice a day. Our excitement was watching the humongous plow at work. We were all snow bound. Depending on which way we go, it is about ten or twelve miles east of Bismarck, North Dakota in the middle of nowhere. Lol.

By the following Monday people began shoveling out, a couple of the guys offered to do a propane run and get groceries things that many were out of. Jim put the propane run on his company card since the blizzard was unexpected.

We were advised of another blizzard coming Friday and could only hope and pray. Mostly it was very high winds and some snow on Friday, Saturday. But high winds on Sunday. The western part of the state and Montana really got a double whammy-another blizzard. We had to go to our doctor's appointment on Sunday and we had to drive to Sioux Falls, South Dakota-it was an adventure we will never repeat in a Smart car. A little tiny car with two seats and adequate storage area. What a thrill. Even coming back on Monday, we had gusts of wind that shook the car.

All of the workers finally got out the week between blizzards and the week after. Now on May 3rd, some are branching off on their own. Their adventures are taking them to Billings, Montana; Sheridan, Wyoming; Mobridge, South Dakota, etc. Jim takes the Smart car and checks up on everyone about every six weeks. He is constantly on the phone and ipad. He usually starts about 6:30 am and shuts down about 9:00 pm - given his different time zones. Oh, most of the snow has melted in Bismarck, just the larger piles in the parking lots.

Me, as I said I am retired and just sit here in my camper with my cat, Tabitha and my computer, a few books and a kindle. Such is life, but this was definitely an adventure.

Author Notes Put ongoing adventures traveling the USA in a 44 foot fifth wheel which is towed by a big rig (converted semi) and we also tow the tiny car behind the trailer.


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