WHY we stayed at Bear Cave Campground?

  A picture from the Past.

 When we met President Johnson...

OF COURSE WE MET AT THE DC WAX MUSEUM HE NEVER MOVED! He was very cool and very stiff, as all wax presidents are.(LOL)

For Today:

We were always leery of ‘RV clubs and condo agreements’. I have heard so many horror stories of trying to get out of a ‘lifetime’ agreement.  Our friends Don & Evelyn are members of a camping club and were/are very happy with it.  I looked into their group online and found a lady selling a membership, she was from Kentucky.

Instead of doing it online, we found the home office and went there. When I told the secretary we wanted to purchase Mrs. Jones membership, she said something that should have raised a red flag, she said, “Great, she has been trying to get rid of that for years now!”

Anyway we bought in and have enjoyed MORE than we actually paid for.  Our membership cost about $750 total, with low yearly rates.  Mrs. Jones had paid thousands of $ for it.

Bear Cave is one of the membership parks, and Elkhart is just down the road, so this was ideal for us.  If we were to pay for our time here it would cost more than our yearly dues! So, we still cannot complain, too much.

It is getting tough to make reservations at our membership parks due to other programs that Thousand Trails initiated to make money.  That is what they are in business for, to make money. LOL

This membership is a lifetime agreement.  We MUST (they say) pay the yearly dues even if we do not use any of the parks.  I keep thinking when we decide to quit this life, we can surely GIVE this membership away.  LOL  But then again,  maybe that is what Condo agreement folks say. LOL

Have you ever had a membership or agreement, you could not get out of?

NiteShipslog

PS:  Once again ‘Thanks’ AGAIN to y’all for stopping by the Shipslog..  Life is getting better here and we really never did meet LBJ. ;-)

UPdate

 

At a rest area in Kentucky, after the big rain.

For today:

I just wanted to tell EVERYONE WHO WISHED US WELL, That it all worked out.  HWH fixed our problems and at less cost than we expected.  Everyone was so cordial; you wouldn't know you were at a big corporation.   

WE arrived early and they took us right into get it fixed.  WE were actually on the road the day of our appointment.

The return  trip was rough. We were in over a hundred miles of VERY hard rain. Most drivers were either stopped or driving with their flashers on.

BUT we arrived at out NC home and are sorta relaxing.  THANKS to everyone who was following the episode.

Thanks for the positive thoughts and prayers over this nearly 2000 mile whirl wind trip.

Nite Shipslog

Iowa, home-state of Corporal Virgil Jensen of Kirkman.

 

Pic of the day:

Note: Gas today in Iowa, $2.95 9/10 per gallon.

From The state of Iowa:

I mentioned Virg in the title. I met him on Parris Island and we spent my whole tour in the USMC with him. He was from a farm in Kirkman. We all envied his 1955 red/white Ford Victoria. I tried to locate Virg and never did find him. But with the inter net and heading back to Iowa I tried again. Sadly I learned Virgil lived a good life but passed away a few years ago.

Of course we met many people from different states in the military.  Amazing to me how many Men and Women from Pennsylvania join the military. WE keep in contract with a couple. Dan from the USN and Dallas from the USMC, both fine family men and men wo love their country.

Those not clear items on the side of the road is a fence we passed with many old satellite receivers collected and put on a farmer's fence. 

The Illinois and Iowa farm land goes forever, and beautiful to view.

BUT for now we will be out of contact for a few days maybe. We are near Moscow at the HWH factory awaiting a call for them to troubleshoot our problems.

Will return when we know something. (and have our internet back )

Nite Shipslog

PS:  Thank you all for being here…  Smile life is better for me (on the road)….

Radio and Rock n Roll

  A picture from the Past.

I wish I had learned to dance, got time? Check these out, dancing and great 50s pics.

I have tried for over an hour to  get these on but no luck BAD signal...

 For Today:

From Sherry's trivia questions today, Name the first Rock and Roll song to make the pop charts. 

I remember it well because my clock was set to go off at 5:50am on school days. Rules for Broadcasting were very strict at the time, not one word would be on the air before their allowed time.  WBT was allowed to broadcast starting at 6am.  

My program of choice was “Groans by Jones” my radio clicked on at 5:50 and I would lay there waiting for a single ‘cough’*** at 5:55, most mornings it was right on the minute.  Then at 6 exactly I would hear, ‘This is early morning songs from, Groans by Jones’ then a song.  One morning he said, “This is Groans by Jones, I am sick of hearing this song, and by the time this program is over, you will be sick of it too. For the next hour he played Bill Haley and His Comets doing, Rock Around The Clock repeatedly only speaking at the required times of Identifying the station and making the paid advertisements. I listened as I got ready for school, 7am I headed down for breakfast, then to school.

I have wondered many times if any other DJ did something crazy like that?  Radio was big in my early days. I spent 5 to 5:30pm  Mon, Wed and Fri, listening to ‘The Lone Ranger and Tonto’. I sat breathlessly as I listened to the “William Tell Overture” I loved that music, having played it many times in  school bands.

At nights it was 3 or 4 of these 30 minute programs: ‘Fibber McGee and Molly’, “Your little immigrant Luige”,  ’The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Criminals’, Beaulah, Gunsmoke, Our Miss Brooks, It pays to be Ignorant, Abbot and Costello, Amos ‘n Andy and the Shadow.

WE sat or laid around and WATCHED the RADIO. Imaginations went wild.  The sound effects they used were great. We never had a TV in our house as I grew up, Sherry did.

I have said before, the first place I watched TV was in a local Fire Department where the Firemen allowed the local boys to watch ‘Howdy Doody’.

The TV is still big, but the ‘telephone’ is fast taking over there.  LOL

NiteShipslog

PS:  ***DJ Jones used that cough to let him know his Mike was alive…….

Once again ‘Thanks’ AGAIN to y’all for stopping by the Shipslog..  Life is getting better here Except for the Cell signal it is spotty at best….

My Opinion..

 Pic of the day:

 (The twins got into my closet)

From The edge of the St. Joseph River,Michigan:

Driving along one morning with the 4 year old twins belonging to Jack Jr & Cindy in the back seat. Stephen and Joshua are two unique guys, alike but different, both very intelligent. Sherry and I were talking not knowing they were paying attention.  I commented on something and from the back seat one of them said, “Grandpa, in my opinion, they should fix that!”  I cannot  remember what I said. But I turned a little and asked, “In your opinion?”

“Yes grandpa, everyone has an opinion!” 

Every member of our family has heard that story. Today that still reverberates in my head. This morning, I thought about that AGAIN.

I look at the world around me, and that fact becomes clear to me. YES I HAVE OPINIONS, but how do they effect the world? NOT ONE STINKING BIT!  It may affect my personal life; may even affect my family a little, but over all in the scope of things Mr. Putin will remain in charge of Russia.  China and other countries will still supply you and I with much of our daily requirements.

My opinions go against much of the world’s ideas today. MY OPINION: we have two men running for the office of President in this Great Country; IMO both are too old to handle the requirements of that office, ***BUT my opinion will NOT change that.

My opinion of cats has always been dismissive. BUT, but I have fell in like with feral cats. LOL  For some reason I have learned they can, and do, forage or beg for themselves in my absence.  And upon my return are just as accepting or ignoring as always.

Cars? All my early life I thought GM was the best there was, because of my Dad. That opinion changed over the years. I have had excellent cars, Rambler, Plymouth, Ford, Chevy, VW, Metro and Honda.

One of our Metros, loved these little things.

I have strong opinions in many areas, and it is hard to understand why some have opinions opposite of mine; because of course I think I am right, just as you do, or you and I would change.

BUT FOR TODAY, as I think, the only ones my opinions actually effect, is ME!  They may bother others, but probably will not change them, NOR WILL IT CHANGE THE WORLD I LIVE IN. Today I see how small I am in the perspective of the world. Not even as big as a grain of sand.

Later today and for sure by tomorrow, I will forget THAT and think my opinion matters to Mr. Putin or the governor of Alaska.  LOL  Smile, we are all important to someone despite our OPINIONS.  The Lord even smiles methinks, when he views MY opinions.

 

Nite Shipslog

PS:  OPINION: Banana Pudding is delicious; Butter Pecan is the BEST ice cream.

In my opinion this entry is too long, but I ain’t going back and cutting as I usually do. ;-)

***I believe an 80 year old can manage a small business, where his decisions effect him & his family, but not this great country!

Allergies?

Allergies?

Pic of the day:

From The banks of the St. Joseph River:

Sherry and I are making an assumption that what I am fighting is allergies.  Since that is foreign to me I am not sure.  All my life I have heard of allergies and thought it was simply a lot of sneezing, if I now have discovered Allergies, I KNOW I have been wrong. I haven’t hurt, just been so aggravated by a runny nose and sneezing that I have had to just lie on my back to stop the leaking!

I found some allergy meds in the medicine cabinet and have been taking a pill every 4 hours and now I do have some relief.  I am hoping and praying that it is only a one time thing.  Maybe Michigan? since I have never been here in the spring. LOL

Anyway I now know how to sympathize with someone who does suffer from allergies.  Some lessons are better not learned..

Y’all be good.

We have a couple more crazy people in our family that travel. There is a nephew Ricky in Saudi Arabia who is married to a sweet lady in Kenya and Cousin Dewey in Thailand; Dewey has found an Elephant.  Which one will return to the USA?  Just askin'!

We will remember Cousin Dewey fondly!  Hang on CUZ!

 Nite Shipslog

PS:  

Thank you all for being here…  Smile life is better (on the road)…. It is still good to be ALIVE, ISN’T IT? Just Sniffle and sneezer LOL

 

 

No entertainment last Saturday, but thinking of Shirley

 Pic of the day:

 My Sister Shirley the only person in our family to graduate from High School.

She hand-made a complete Christmon Display They were displayed in a couple churches in Charlotte

 

From The banks of the St. Joe River:

At one time our Saturday entertainment on the road was to visit yard sales in the area we were staying in. In New Hampshire I bought a pair of antique glasses (pense-nez) with the original optometrist on the old case for 50 cents.

So today we drove over to Niles Michigan hoping for yard sales and a dollar store. We saw no yard-sales but did locate a Dollar General. Sherry gets most of her cards there. She is one for remembering family Birthdays and ensuring we send get-well and cards of condolence.  We quit sending flowers for the sick and the deceased long ago. I believe most families can make better use of the money for the many expenses occurred at a death.

Not everyone thinks of the funeral costs until it is facing them head on.  THAT EVENT is an eye opener to someone who has never been THE ONE responsible for picking a plot, casket, service and funeral director.

Truthfully Cremation has taken over for many because of the expense.

My sister Shirley did upset us some at her death.  For years she pounded me to write my obit and burial plans to assist the family left behind. She had handled several in her hubby’s family that had NOT prepared for death one bit.  WELL wouldn’t you know, She left a sealed envelope for me. WOW!  Do not advertise my death. NO OBIT, NO service, NO funeral home. Cremate me and spread my remains on Jim’s grave and remember me,

She even had the place for cremation specified; I could always count on a surprise from my big sister.

I do remember her, she taught me a lot. She was a crafter and creator. She left some nick-knacks that remain in our home.

Boy oh boy, I went from yard sales to DEATH on this one….  Y’all try to be good, especially you Myra!

Nite Shipslog

PS:  

Thank you all for being here…  Smile life is better (on the road)…. It is still good to be ALIVE, ISN’T IT? 

But, after returning to the RV and writing this entry, I starting feeling bad. I have spent the last two days in bed, I am hoping I am on the mend,,,,,,

Thinking

 Pic of the day:

 At the Grand Canyon with Collette and Sonny.  Sherry's Sister and Sonny,  my Best friend in my old age, )

We walked down a little ways into the canyon.

Looking down at thisd amazing BIG HOLE in the earth. That peak we are looking down on is nearly a mile high from the base.

(Colette always said, "We would not have gone anywhere if not for Sherry & jack)

 

From Michigan, on the banks of the St. Joe River:

I hear many times, “You two have a great way of life.”  We do, BUT, so do you.  We all try to enjoy life; we won’t be here all that long.  I remember 60 year old people said, ‘you will be surprised how fast your life will go.’  They were right.  We have outlived so many people, and I think every human looks back at life and think, it was too fast.

I have enjoyed most jobs especially carpentry. My first house still stands (LOL). I drove every nail, mixed every batch of mortar, laid every block and dug every shovel full of dirt. I installed special electrical outlets under most windows for window A/C’s.

I enjoy working and maintaining the RVs we have had, BUT in cases like this, it is out of my pay grade. I know little about ‘hydraulics’ and cannot wrap my mind around this system, but I know I can make it worse. At least now, we can move the slide-outs in and out with me under the coach working two solenoids by hand.

I fix somethings and do not know how I did it. (I smile when I think of that). I mentioned that to grandson Josh once, he is a Microsoft+ qualified software man.  He works for a company that maintains software. He laughed and said, “Grandpa I do that at times in Software, fix things and do not know exactly how I did it.”  I smiled inside and out.

Everyone has a story, a unique one, every human is SPECIAL in their own way. (Is that a song?)

I have NEVER known anyone who was born into money. Most folks at some time have had it tough financially and pulled thru.

I have tried to imagine me in the Great Depression. My momma and daddy had some great adventures to tell about AFTER it was over. Daddy talked about having to back his A model up a hill so the gas would feed to the engine. He stuffed blown out tires with rags to keep going. Mama would laugh about adding more water to the gravy.

Life is good, everyone hits BUMPS in their road; we hit a big one a couple years back in the family, but I am finally about to learn how to handle it. ;-)

YES V, faith with prayers gets us thru. THANKS TO ALL of YOU and many more!

Nite Shipslog

PS:  

Thank you all for being here…  Smile life is better (on the road)…. It is still good to be above the worms….. (and snakes)

 

Moscow & Alaska

 Pic of the day:

 Dick and Kat's RV crossing the YUKON river toward Alaska, we shot this picture from in Dawson City waiting our turn to cross.

About Sgt Preston of the Yukon the program did become a TV series in the 1950s but our TV had so much snow and interference it could not be seen. LOL (We had a used TV that has seen its best days. )

THIS, From Michigan, on the banks of the St. Joe River NOT the YUKON):

Puzzled about the name Moscow? I figured some immigrants from Russia has settled there, but this is what I found out:

Town officials had tried to name their city after Luis de Moscoso, a Spanish conquistador, but they decided to shorten the name to M-O-S-C-O. When they submitted an application to create a post office, it came back with the extra letter.

There is an interesting place in the Yukon at Watson Lake. It is called the ‘Sign Forest’. IT was started in 1942 by a homesick soldier who posted the name of his hometown with and arrow pointing south. Other soldiers follow suit.

Dick & Kat pointing to our little sign, I used an old NC license plate with our names on it.

One count is 80,000 signs and ours is one of them. LOL Most folks who travel the Alcan Highway the first-time plan to leave their sign there.

Another interesting place was the Hot Springs. Sherry and I tried them, nice. BUT then when we started to leave one of the jacks on the RV would not retract.  After trying everything I knew, I beat the sucker back up, ruining it. That is when I read about HWH and Moscow Iowa in the RV documents.

WE completed the remaining Alaskan trip without using that jack. I checked the books (No internet back then) and found the HWH people were in Moscow. We stopped by on our way back, and they were SUPER and fixed us right up. They fed us two restaurant meals, two nights parking and replaced the jack for $125.

Speaking of Hot Springs.  We have enjoyed Hot Springs in NC, Texas and in British Columbia.  They still amaze me.

But Moscow? Yes, we are giving one more shot at getting the problem fixed. It is only 250+ miles more. We will head there on or before May 20th for an appointment.

 

Nite Shipslog

PS:  

Thank you all for being here…  Smile life is better (on the road)…. It is still good to be above the worms….. (and snakes)

Vacation timel

 Pic of the day:

 This is part of my dream vacation trip.  I have always wanted to drive to Alaska and fly to Ireland. Ireland is still on the list for me.  Sherry's dream trip was Hawaii (we did go there later) but traveling thru the YUKON to get to Alaska was a BIG treat. Did you ever hear of Sgt. Preston and his dog, Yukon King? 

The radio program Sgt Preston and Yukon King

Then we entered Alaska from Dawson City on the Top of the World Highway!

BUT this is From Michigan, on the banks of the St. Joe River:

Yeah I know, we are always on vacation, above was the one to Alaska; but we call that normal life for us.  But now for a couple weeks we will relax.

We e-mailed the HWH Corp in Moscow, Iowa with our situation and problems.  WE were given the hope that they could do the work within the $$ guidelines we listed.  We have an appointment on the 22^nd of this month.  That gives us two weeks here in Buchanan, since the stay will not cost us anymore, the rest of the time should be stress free.

So that is what we will do, stick around, walk, read and play dominoes. If we had enough sense to operate this TV we could probably watch movies if we liked.  As far as I can remember I can’t remember if we have watched a movie on TV. LOL

Since my major hearing loss, our TV on maybe 1 or 2 hours a year.  Then it is usually some major event, a couple times it was for tragic events concerning the space shuttles.

BUT, BUT, I sure keep my nose in this computer enough time to make up for all the TV I miss.  Sherry is the same with the phones and tablet.

We enjoy each other's company, so when we are not being pushed for Dr. appts or RV repairs is a big break.

Ref to Mail.  Yes we do pay extra for our mail service. Our address is their office, where we have a Personal mail box a PMB.  WE can pick up our mail in person or call and have it sent to any address in the world, BUT WE DO HAVE To PAY THE POSTAGE from the mailroom to wherever we are.  YES it does get expensive.  We do ask them to separate the ‘junk mail.’

(Our mail was sent to Alaska a couple times, one Post office was in a lady's living room)

WE are getting a lot of rain here in Michigan. I am not sure if that is normal for here or not. Since we are only 10 degrees south of London, where a lot of RAIN is normal, LOL

Nite Shipslog

PS:  

Thank you all for being here…  Smile life is better (on the road)…. It is still good to be above the worms….. (and snakes)