Where we meet Jim.

Yesterday began with an early start..

Mornings routine complete and were on the road by 9 30.

Seems we're surrounded by mountains but its pretty flat and there is very little traffic.

The grades start up and over through and down a very very long grade to salt lake basin.

Grey skies and grades

Salt lake home of..... Salt.

We pass on the south shore of the lake and see some  mountains in the distance.  It must be Nevada.

53 miles later we reach those mountains... 

Yes, you could see mountains 53 miles away.  It's that flat.

We pass the bonneville salt flats, pricsilla hits 88 miles per hour and we time travel back an hour into another zone.

There are many up hill grades and some get us and some of the few trucks around down to about 40 mph. Then we get to the part of Nevada which is more of the same. It's flat and empty with mountains off in the distance.  but you occasionally pass an exit that looks like it would take you to nowhere or to nothing or some hugeass factory complex way off in the distance. We pass Elko which was plan A and I still am feeling quite good. we press on.  we also pass through plan B battle mountain (home of them ten dollar lap dance and some bird hunt tournament and decide well head towards lovelock even though the single rv camp is not answering the phone.

We are greeted by a very friendly Jim who turns out to be the caretaker.  He takes our info and tells us to go to slot three.  Seems like this place has seen better days but is well kept and feels full of promise.

Seems that all the other residents here are sort of permanent and either work at the mine or the prison which we passed earlier on the high way.  We make dinner and start making tomorrows plans. lula needs to walk and we run into Jim and end up sharing beers tequila and stories after we are invited into his fenced in yard.

Turns out he was born in Arkansas but was raised and has lived "everywhere else". He is quite a character full of life charm and anecdotes.  he's a warm hearted retired trucker turned camp manager willing to share what he has.  He's not pushing any agenda other than enjoy your life and what you have.  He and his wife entertain us in their yard and there is laughter well into the evening.  He tells us of the prison minister and how its full of pretty bad people like OJ (simpson i assume.)  Most memorable is his tale of Ol Scratch, a cat he once had that "jumped out of a moving truck cab winder which was cranked down about yay much". This happened on a dock in New Orleans.  He and his wife decided to spend the night on the dock with permission hoping the cat would come back to its food bowl, which it did.  The next morning as they are leaving the docks the cat again jumps out of the moving cab window and James (as his wife calls him) yells after the cat "I hope you like norleens ya damn cat".  I would go out of my way to stop here again.  This is a missing slice of America.

 Turns out we can make soquel in about six hours according to google.  Nancy and i discuss and neither of us are convinced we can maintain the speed as we still have the Sierra Nevada mountains to cross. They are about as high as we've been but nancy tells me the grades are steeper and more frequent.  Anything over 6 hours puts us on hi way 17 over the Santa cruz "hill" at rush hour. In priscilla? No thank you.  We decide to have an easy drive and try to spend the last night someplace in the mountains. Jim has already shown us just about every alternate route and passable back road on his atlas but in the end we all decide that 80 to 680 to 17 will work best.  

We'll let you know what happens.

I don't even know where the heck we are....

Western Wyoming some where... Evanston I think.  

The day began at 7277 ft above sea level with Overcast skies with sprinkles and we restock in downtown Laramie after the daily routine of breaking camp and washing and rain ex ing the wind shield.  

It's relatively flat but it looks like we're in for some rain and terrain change.

After the rain we come to some gentle grades as we wind through hills, buttes and mountains.  We can see  much higher mountains to the south and think how beautiful it would be to drive through them.  The the combination of several thoughts like the road grades, our destination and the remoteness sobers me and I'm thankful for I-80. 

We come to two particularly tough uphill grades.  I've learned that when Wyoming decides the highway needs a climbing lane, they are deadly serious.  The first grade was about five miles long and Priscilla was down to 45 and second gear. I couldn't find the elevation but it must have been something.  You could notice the angle of the trees on the side of the road. The second grade was a couple three miles long and would have been worth more mention if it weren't for that first one.  Then it was down hill to Evanston and our days rest.  Very early to bed for me.  Wyoming is beautiful but exhausting.

Today our plans are to make it through Utah, the Mormons and the salt flats into Nevada.  I'm hoping to get to at least elko possibly battle mountain maybe farther.  Well see what cowboy land has to say about that.

Laramie it is.

After coffee, Zinnia comes by with her mom who was equally as delightful and then we break camp and git along through the western portion of Nebraska which we find to be flat and full of corn.  The choice of radio station becomes even more bleak with far fewer stations.  The positive side was that it was supremely funny to go through the fm scan function and hear only snippets of songs... The best series was probably "a twelve pack of king beer in the pack of my truck" followed by "the bible has no errors in it but how could you know and what would it matter if you never even open it" then "biscuits 'n gravy, grits on mah plate and a waitress who calls me baby" and "hot and breezy but don't dismiss the possibility of a late afternoon shower or thunderstorm" topped off by "celebrate good times who hoo."  We decide to play the highway alphabet game and we make it to Y. No z for us today even though we went through the alphabet twice the day before.  Fewer exits and lighter traffic, but there was corn and classic rock.  The temperature quickly climbed to the 100's and we later saw 103.  And its pretty breezy... Enough so that the concentration level required to keep Priscilla between the lines is elevated.  The speed limit is 75 but I try to keep it around 70 with most of the trucks.

At some point in the day we time travel back again to one pm in the afternoon and the terrain begins rolling, we stop at a Taco Bell because even though there are signs, we now know that taco John's is a lie. Lula goes for a walk and pees next to a sign where words were facing the other way.  as we continue our walk we turn to read the sign that says "pets not allowed on the grass. premises monitored by security camera."  Oopsie, lula is probably a wanted dog in Nebraska now.  It's a good thing We hightailed it across into Wyoming.  The terrain changes with rock outcrops and small bluffs. It cools to 99 and nancy considers getting out her hoodie. Still no Z goddammit.

Wyoming proves to be one really really really long uphill grade which lasts well past Cheyenne. Priscilla downshifts quite often and the gas mileage goes out the window with my patience.  The speed limit is 75 but we are having trouble with 55 at times.  After Cheyenne the terrain becomes more rocky and more beautiful. Some clouds begin to build and darken several miles to the north and south of us but  it's ok because we haven't ruled out the possibility of an afternoon shower or thunder storm.  the grade finally tops out at like 8500 above sea level. Then there is a 5 mile long 5 degree downhill grade on which it finally rains after threatening for so long.  Priscilla a actually gains speed on it soon after we make it to Laramie and our rv park that is about a quarter of a mile off the highway but we don't care because there is a gigantic rain bow just off to the north. 

 And there's some of zinnias corn and garden bounty followed by noodles and meatballs. It begins to cool nicely.  There's a poop walk out by the highway which ends with lula trying to make friends with a rabbit who decides he'd rather be alone and hops off to conduct its rabbit business elsewhere.  Lula is disappointed to have not made a new friend but is happy to find that nancy has washed her bedding when we get back to Priscilla.  I begin my post and consider sleep as it has cooled now to the 50s. Nice. 

Is pretty buggy. Priscilla and lula are going to need baths before too long.

Oh. Oh. Halfway there!

Mid west fm radio offers you what seems to be three choices;

Jesus

Country

Classic rock.

That's it, classic rock it is. 

As we draw very close to zinnia, Kearney ( pronounced kar-ney) and half way, some mid wester DJ graces us with Bon Joci and Living on a Prayer.  Too funny.

Prior to that we passed I 70 speedway which was hosting the world of outlaw sprint cars.  I was sorely tempted to ask nancy if we could stop for that but controlled myself.  Then we pass Iowa speedway which was hosting the NASCAR truck series.  We come across many types of care cars on this leg from drag cars to go karts to open trailer road course cars  to dirt modified and one really nice looking dirt car which was probably a street stock type class.  Not sure why someone is putting a new body on a car this late on the season but hey man it looked nice. 

We stop to get gas and discover that the interchange offers only major chain burgers or subway... Pass.  Another hour yields a "taco John" subway or "the embers".  We aim for the taco place but are unable to find it and pull into the embers which is a family owned restaurant offering way huge portions of fried food covered in gravy.  We decide to make an exception because we're on the road.  Overheard conversations.... It's getting hot again (it was approaching 100)... I'm heading off to the spencer fair and a sunburn.... Sounds like a good time.  Indeed.

Lula has to wait in Priscilla but is rewarded with a couple of pieces of deep fried cheese.

We head out and I put my nose to the grindstone to make Kearney Nebraska.  It is suggested that we overnight at a state rec area which turns out to be quite nice.  But it's still in the 90s.  we find a suitable spot with electricity, back in and just after i put the stabilizing jacks down i notice that there is hydralic fluid leaking from the rear drivers side one.  up go the jacks, i will not risk them not going up tomorrow.  they just keep priscilla from rocking during the night....  i fill the water tank and then Zinnia shows up with fresh drinking water, incredibly delicious pizza (a mookie and an American pie) and some fine pear cider.  She has also brought fire wood, corn and some garden veggies.   We share Nancy's last crabbie and tequila. There is much conversation and a campfire.  Then I conked out.

I take lula for a morning walk.

Upon returning nancy has made coffee and the cats think they might want to eat the beaver that keeps showing itself or maybe they want that bird in the tree that keeps saying "waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh."  Yeah.... Probably the bird.

We haven't figured our destination today but i am thinking Cheyenne-ish. I'll probably call the rv dealer for instructions or advice after breakfast.  Were in the land of the pioneers so.. Well... Wagons HO!

Priscilla doesn't like Fridays or Ill annoyed bill.

For some reason Priscilla chooses to act up on Friday afternoons.  I don't even know where to start as I can't seem to locate a beginning.

The days starts with a blog post, coffee and an unsuccessful poop walk for Mizz Lula. Then there's breakfast consisting of a left over half of a bacon turkey bravo from pantera.  There's another poop walk which yielded significant results breaking down camp; retract the awning, dump the black and grey water tanks, lift the stabilizing jacks, close the slide up room and disconnect the power.  We are next door to a rv store so we go over to replace the sewerage connector and the check valve, the guy laughs with me and my newbishness, we get gas and head to the highway.  Some miles later I notice a vibration which very very gradually gets worse at nearly any speed and I make a call to our sales guy who says it sounds like a tire and to stop and get it checked out.  We are a few miles from Iowa still in illinios.  We call an rv place and they say its best to go to a ford dealership that I will not name.  When we arrive I speak with a young kid service clerk who doesn't say a word but just stares blankly at me the whole time.  Just as it becomes his turn to have to say something, A cheerful young woman emerges from an office and asks me if it's an RV and I say yes. Her face turns down and says bill the service manager "don't work on them" because he's been burned too many times but she'll ask anyway.  She and a very red faced bill look out the garage bay and I see him shake his head from side to side.  Clearly he is annoyed and it appears that is is primary nature. I walk out and he doesn't say a word to me but the woman continues to be nice and helpful.  She tells me if "if he wernt here ida worked on it" and suggests some other places.  After another unsuccessful visit to a dealership we head to option 3 which is a few miles down the highway.  The vibration turns to a shake and I know we're in trouble. The passenger inside tire begins to chunk and I was told that we could drive on it slowly.  We call back to option three and they tell us just to go to the tire place they are going to use anyway.  It is very very stressful in the RV and all communication is difficult it is hard not to remember what happened last Friday afternoon and we really don't want to loose another two or three days.  Nancy calls the tire place and we limp there at the highway minimum of 45 mph.  Upon arrival we are greeted and ushered into a drive through garage 

where the mechanics are cordial but are clearly uncomfortable outside of their social circle.  

They won't make eye contact but they do smile when they speak of beers.

Nancy and lula wait patiently after seeking some shade from the very dry Midwestern heat.

The tire is changed with little wasted motion 

and we are back on our way after a gas stop.  It's an hour or so to "sleepy hollow" which turns out to be a literally a Stone throw from the interstate.  There's a tequila cocktail for each of us, a walk for the dog and then i decided id update my apple id from the verizon address.... big mistake... bed.

Yes these sites are terraced. Just when I was beginning to thing everything was flat here.

Today's observations?

The stark contrast between annoy a bill and his delightfully helpful service manager.

I shall try to remember to choose my favors carefully.

I was told that I'd get more help in Iowa by the rv guy, man he wasn't kidding.

IvE always wondered who put the annoy in Illinois, now I may have an insight.

Oh and at some point of the journey we time traveled back an hour.

Apple ID changed. Check

Happy half birthday to my nancy!

Today hopefully Nebraska and half way.

$25

Twenty five dollars in tolls to get through Ohio? Really?

On an interstate?  One of those roads that gets federal dollars?

Tolls? whats next... ill have to answer three questions to get through indiana?  Geez.

Welcome to the heartland?

Well at least the driving was much easier with everything being... Um... Well... Really pretty flat but at least gas is much cheaper.

Today and yesterday we learned that;

the pronunciation of the city or town of du bois is "doo boys" and high school sports are reported on the radio even down to cross county. Yikes.

The Ohio road crews shut down miles and miles of perfectly good highway feigning "road work" with nary a construction vehicle in sight.

Panera at a truck stop is way better than subway but subways are much more plentiful.

We sort of miss satellite radio.  

I hate those commercials on fm radio where the yell at you.

Country music stations are the loudest... Gah.

There is an RV museum and hall of fame.

The cats can be on the bed at night but everyone sleeps better if lula gets on the bed in the morning.

On our way leaving Hubbard we ran into jean at the grocery store 

"Brian, I think I see jean heading this way. I hope she has cookies."

she stopped by the rv to greet lula and told us some more delightful stories. Especially funny was the story of Mizz Dorothy the rather plus sized southern belle who thought the sound of the night freight train was a tornado and wedged herself into a small shower enclosure seeking safe shelter and had to be extricated with the assistance of a quart of baby oil.  She said she doubted the truth of the story as it was told to her by Mizz Dorothy's husband.  But then the story was retold to her by Mizz Dorothy herself several days later with all the right details.

So we find ourselves in the Elkhart campground surrounded by RVs and without the charm of chestnut ridge.   The water here looks pretty iffy.

The view off of the poop deck shows a sea of RVs in all directions.

Today we try to make the Des Moines area after we replace some rv items (universal sewerage hookup elbow and the thingie that protects priscilla from high water pressure) that i left behind in true newb fashion.  The RV dealership people told me that might happen.  Here buy these things, you'll need them but being a beginner, you'll probably leave them be hind somewhere. Check!

Onward!

On driving and where we meet jean.

 So Pennsylvania, where you trying to tell us something?

We were greeted by a multi mile traffic stoppage due to a wreck involving four semis.  Fortunately we were able to skirt it due to the kind advice of a toll taker (a fair trade for the 5.25.). Just as we were exiting pa we encountered another stoppage which turned out to be a single truck roll over.  Very sobering.  I found myself wondering about the cause, a tired truck driver or maybe a clueless motorist?  Whatever the fault, it's still very sobering.

The skills, concentration and level of awareness couldn't be farther from those of driving a car, particularly on the high way.  We were told it's like driving a house on wheels.  I'm still not sure what that means but I can say that there is a much higher need to anticipate the potential moves, lane and speed changes of other vehicles as well as the geographic variances (curves and grades) because the vehicle reacts to any input so much slower.  I found we were able to go up grades with a little more power than most trucks but that it's usually better not to attempt to pass.  Going down the grades was a completely different story.  Most every truck would go down the hills at a higher speed than I felt was safe so it meant that we passed and were re passed by some of the same trucks many multiple times in our 300 plus mile trek. Which ended at the chestnut ridge campground in Hubbard slo hi oh.

We were met by jean the proprietor who is one of those delightful people that you feel fortunate to encounter during you life's travels.  She greeted lula with some locally made natural (and according to lula) delicious dog treats. We guided Priscilla into her 80 pull through slot and set off to hear more of Jean's delightful stories of the slightly older, out of the way but completely charming campground.  Much different and better than last night.

There are some ultra modern rv rigs as well as some vintage models and tent campers here.

Priscilla, however sits apart on the island of pull thrus.

There is also a pretty stream fed pond which was completely still last night mirroring the trees perfectly in the hours of sunset and where Tim drives his RC speedboat.

So, on with the show.

In the first act lula charmed the audience by chasing a RC airplane belonging to Tim.

The second act saw Napoleon balancing his bulk on the high wire.

And the final act of the evening was Albertito performing vertical acrobatics on the screen of an open window which was then closed. And lula doing several night walks.

Lastly we gave a special morning performance where lula guided nancy through the obstacle maze back to the safety of Priscilla.

What comes today?

We plan on making Elkhart Indiana.

Well see what god thinks about that...

Restless feline

The nature of a cat?

Who can truly know?

Independent?

Opportunistic?

Single minded?

Nocturnal?

Let's stop at that one.

Where albie Albertito wants to explore the outside world in the wee hours of the morning and will not let a puny night screen window shade stop him.

Well he made it through the shade (grabslabbinbagddankinmtherfrunker) doing who know how many dollars worth of damage but was stopped by the window screen and nanky shooing him away and telling him he was a little axe hole. Me? I used the "f" word.

I can just imagine him as he thought to himself with his walnut sized brain.....

"If I stick my claw in... right here... and pull.. this baby should peel open easier than a double plastic lined bag of delicious cat chunks."

Lula sat and watched.  Or maybe she just slept through it (dogs are much simpler in this way as they seem to live in the moment.) however, she did not miss the opportunity to "buff" at the strange night sounds every once in a while which seemed to coincide with the exact moment I was able to achieve sleep.

This morning  lula and I went for a morning walk around the park.  It is a mixture of mobile RVs, RVs turned into cottages and small trailer house cottages.  oh and poison ivy, lots of poison ivy.

We kept our distance and so should you.

The cats have had their breakfast and have returned to their hidey hole lairs to weather the upcoming day's travel and contemplate tonight's revenge.

Priscilla has surgery

The show was dark yesterday but that doesn't mean we weren't active.

The previous nights show was highlighted by our typically exciting feline extravaganza and canine antics.  Lula was disappointed that she didn't receive any questions but delighted children with her comedy routines that are anything but routine.  Mother Nature once again put on a fantastic light and sound display.

Yesterday was spent mostly relaxing, recharging and walking in between the rain showers and thunderstorms.  We had awesome "Asian Fusion" take out for dinner and watched a movie.

Today Priscilla got her post mechanical failure check up and the preliminary results are that her generator starter is drawing far too much current and is tripping the breaker.  So she's having her generator pulled.  I'm told it will at least be an all day affair.   She also has a few other minor maladies that are quick fixes.

LO and behold Priscilla made it out of surgery with just a corroded ground wire and we were on the road heading in the direction of our final destination just after two pm.

New England tried to kick us in the ass with the mother of all thunderstorms which one radar site showed as purple.  The traffic just over the ri ct border was stopped for about a half hour or so.

We made a quick rest stop stop to let lula relieve herself and to grab some....urghhhh McDonald's and powered across the Hudson to panther lake in northwest New Jersey.

Our first night stop over campground found us backing all thirty one feet of priscilla into her slot while  the neighbors serenade us to zamfir or some other mofo playing a pan flute. Thank Christ for a ten pm noise cut off. Only 42 minutes to go.  We may go mad or slip into a coma.

Wish us luck.

Helloooooooooo Millville, Uxbridge and internets!

Good to see you.

Step right up and come right in.

How's everyone tonight?

We should be heading westward from Ohio but instead It's day two of our surprise engagement.

I recognize some faces from last night's show where Priscilla amazed us with her wonderful water show with Mother Nature providing the laser light and sound spectacular.

You saw Albertito the amazing walk the high wire after escaping from the hidden locked box of doom lair.  

Miss Lula Lapinski warmed your heart then entertained you with her zany antics and the miighty Napoleon simply stunned with his famous dagger claws of death trick.  

For those of you who didn't see it, don't worry, not a single drop of blood was shed.

Who knows what will happen tonight after cocktail hour?

There's only one way to find out.

So grab a refreshing beverage from the clubhouse, sit back?.. and now...

on

with

the

show.

Miss Lapinski the advice dog awaits for your questions as part of the first act.