Wedding!

The wedding is done, the guests have left and we are back in our trailer getting ready to move on next week.  It has been awhile since my last post so let me bring you up to date of the goings on over the past week.

It started on the 17th when our middle daughter, Kelly, flew in to assist in the wedding planning.  She was the maid of honor.  On Tuesday our youngest daughter, Kim, flew in.  They were involved organizing the private bachelorette party on Thursday and the open bachelorette party on Friday at Katie’s work.

On Thursday, Tyler (the groom) had planned his bachelor party to start with going to a spring training baseball game, followed by bowling and then some bar hopping.  I attended the baseball game but passed on the other activities to entertain guests of ours that had arrived.

Friday was rehearsal day with a dinner to follow.  This was the first real chance we (Fran and I) had to meet Tyler’s parents.  We had been exchanging emails for many months but had not met them as they live in the Seattle area.

rehearsal dinner crowd

My family waiting for rehearsal to begin

Saturday was the big day.  We do not have any of the professional pictures yet but I will share with you some of the ones we took.

After exchanging vows

The lovely bride

Listening to the toasts

Our family after the ceremony

My daughter and her husband are unique and the ceremony was a little less traditional but representative of their talents and tastes.  The presider for the ceremony was a college friend of Katie’s who was ordained via the internet.  The ceremony was read from an iPad and the vows, written by Katie and Tyler, were read from a Kindle.  The entire event was trended on twitter at #storiedwedding.  Instead of a cake there was pie and Katie had a “bride dude” as a bridesmaid.  He was a long time friend from high school. 

It was a great evening and we had a lot of fun.  It was very emotional as Katie is our first born and the first in the family to get married.  It was nice to have friends and family take the time and money to fly in and share the weekend with us.

DirecTV and RV’s

This is a tech oriented posting, so beware if you have no interest.

I believe I had talked about this subject last year when we first started out, but I thought I would give you an update as to what I just learned.  For a techie, like me, it was great news.

Let me start with some background.  We had DirecTV service at our house in Naperville and when we would take our RV out for weekend trips and the such I had a dish that I could bring with me and mount on a tripod.  I would just take one of our receivers from the house and put it in the trailer.  The first time I did this was a trip to Bristol, TN., and I learned on that trip that once you leave your home area you do not receive your local channels as DirecTV, per FCC rules, spot beams the local channels and it is generally within a 50 mile radius of the city where the channels are located.  Further research revealed that you could get the network feeds (CBS, NBC, etc.) with DirecTV if you have an RV account.  What you do is sign an affidavit with DirecTV and send them a copy of your RV registration.  Based on where your RV is registered that will determine if you get the Los Angles or New York network feeds.  DirecTV charges you an extra $15 per month for this Distant Network Service, as they call it.

When we became full timers I provided the affidavit to DirecTV and told them we were full time RV’ers and I wanted the Distant Network Service.  They told me that since our RV was registered in South Dakota we would get the New York network feed, which we do get.  What was interesting is that I did this conversion a few weeks before we actually moved from our house in Naperville yet we continued to receive the Chicago local channels plus the New York network feeds.  I did not think anything about  it at the time.  As we moved around the country we continued to get the New York network feeds which are based on the eastern time zone, so while in the west prime time would start at 5pm.  Not a problem as both our receivers are DVR’s so we watched the shows when we wanted to.

What was interesting is that as we moved around the country the local channels for the Chicago area would still show up in the guide for the receiver but we could not get the channels.  I did not do anything about it.  Last summer we were back in the Chicago area and low and behold we now got the Chicago local channels because we were in the spot beam area. 

Fast forward to now.  I finally decided that there was no reason to have those Chicago local stations show up in the guide as we are only in that area a couple of weeks out of the year and it can get confusing when you search for a show and then mistakenly record a network show from a channel you actually do not receive.  So today I sent an email to DirecTV asking them why these channels were being shown in the guide and could I get them removed.  Their response was that our account shows an installation address of Naperville and that is how local channels are based and that an installation address is needed to be shown on the account.  So, with this response I decided to do some additional research and learned that if you have an installation address in Los Angeles or New York you will receive these local channels now matter where you are in the country as these channels are used for the distant network service, and you do not have to pay the extra $15 per month. 

I called DirecTV to figure this all out.  At first all I wanted was to keep my east coast network feeds and have them remove the Chicago locals from the guide on my receivers.  The representative told me that she knew I had an RV account but there must be an installation address on file and that is what is used to determine your local channels.  Ok, they want an address, I will give them one.  I gave them my parents address in Southern California.  This does not change the billing address which is South Dakota.  As I am finishing the call with DirecTV the TV screen shows that it is acquiring guide information.  I finish the call and look at the guide.  I now get all the Los Angeles stations, and we are in Phoenix, plus the network stations are shown again in the guide where I would go for the New York network feeds, which I also still get. 

So, what I found was a loophole with DirecTV.  By giving them an address in Southern California we will now receive network channels from Los Angeles and since I previously provided them with the RV information we will receive the New York network feeds.  This is actually beneficial when you are trying to record multiple shows that are at the same time.  Now we have them twice, 3 hours apart.

Like I said, as a geek, this is exciting news.  Most of you probably don’t understand, but, let me have my moment.  Thank you!

Some Arizona Sightseeing

We went out this week to do some sightseeing.  The road from our RV park going north leads to a loop road around Superstition mountain and takes you past an old mining town and three lakes.  We had been told by one of our RV neighbors that it was a very nice drive and takes most of the day to accomplish.  We were also advised that there is a stretch of the road that is dirt and gravel but was not a problem.  So, we headed out.

First stop was the Goldfield mining town.  It is a small little tourist attraction with a train ride, horse rides and some shops. 

The Town from the entrance

The bordello building

View from the town of Superstition Mountain

The drive continued and we reached a sign that told us the next 22 miles were unpaved.  It started out not so bad but many parts were bone jarring.  Our truck has heavy duty suspension so it makes the ride much stiffer but for a passenger car I would think it would kill the suspension system.  The road is narrow with many climbs and descents.  I finally decided it was best to put the truck in four wheel drive. 

There are three lakes on the drive, the first is Canyon Lake, then Apache Lake and finally Roosevelt Lake.  Each of these lakes has campgrounds and marinas but there was not much activity on any of them.  There is a little town near one of the lakes called Tortilla Flats.  This is just a stop in the road with a store and restaurant.  The clerk in the store was telling us that the season for the area is just wrapping up as everything shuts down on May 1st until September because it is too hot during the summer months.

Just as the road becomes paved you are at Roosevelt Lake which has a very large dam holding it back.  Very impressive.

Roosevelt Dam

Roosevelt Lake

Next up was the Tonto National Monument which is where there are some cliff dwellings that are 500 years old.  Only one set of ruins were open but it was amazing to see how the construction of the dwelling has remained for so many years.

Cliff dwelling as we begin the trek up.

One of the rooms

View from the cliff dwelling

Fran liked this cactus.  Looks like someone with a feather on their head waving their hands!

It was a very scenic drive and enjoyable.  The weather was perfect for the day as it was cool and breezy.  They really do need to pave the entire road as this is such a great scenic drive but is a killer on vehicles going over the dirt.

Oh, the crowds!

Ready for the next installment of my non-sightseeing blog?  Of course you are, you know you are missing them.

We are still here in Apache Junction, Arizona which is what prompts this blog posting.  Arizona has always been known as one of the retirement and snowbird destinations as is Florida.  Being my young age (ha, ha) I have not really experienced either of these areas where the seniors congregate and had not really given it a thought.

Living in Naperville and being retired had some great benefits.  One was being able to go to a store, a movie or whatever during the week, during the day, which usually meant less people.  I got really spoiled being able to go to Costco and actually walk around the store leisurely not worried about getting hit by a shopping cart as you do on the weekends.

Ok, back to Apache Junction.  I don’t know the numbers but there are a lot of people here that are not from Arizona.  That means driving skills are all over the place and nobody works, so everyone is out at all times of the day.  Going to the supermarket at 10 in the morning means a packed parking lot.  Driving anywhere on the surface streets means traffic and required patience to make it to your destination in one piece.

Which leads me to the why I wrote this posting (actually it is a rant), Costco.  Today, Monday, we went to the Costco nearest our park.  Now we did go just as lunchtime was ending, but the crowds were enormous.  Because our truck is so huge we always park a distance away, but once in the store you could barely move with your shopping cart and you had to be on high alert or you would get hit.  Thankfully we had only come to get a few items and were able to use the back roads (aisles near the edge of the building) to get to what we needed.  I will give Costco credit in that they did have every register lane open and were moving the people out quickly.  This could be because people do not buy as much here as they did in Naperville.  Instead of carts overflowing with merchandise, most only had a few items.  So, less things bought but more people in the store.

Good to know if you come during the winter months to Arizona. 

RV Things I Have Learned

Ready for lesson number 2. 

First I am going to start with a disgusting part of RV’ing, draining your sewer tanks.  RV’s have a gray water tank where water from the sinks and shower drain and they have a black water tank where your toilet drains to.  These two tanks then have a valve to open and close them for draining.  This valve, on many RV’s, is near the tank and not at then end of the drain pipe where you connect your sewer hose to then connect to the sewer outlet at the RV park.

Here is what happened to me and how I solved it.  On our previous RV, a travel trailer, unbeknownst to me the valve for the black tank did not close fully so when I went to connect the sewer hose to the drain pipe I was met with a very unpleasant situation when the drain cap was removed.  Sewage had collected in the drain pipe and, well you can figure out the rest.  Obviously the valve needed to be fixed or the obstruction cleared, but I found a backup remedy that is now a mandatory purchase for any RV I own.  It is a twist-on valve that goes on the end of the drainpipe.  This allows you to close the pipe right at the drain cap, thereby allowing you to remove the cap without any accidents. 

Next item regards leveling your RV.  It is important to get your RV level, both side to side and front to back.  This allows for better draining of your sinks and shower, plus you do not want to be sleeping uphill or downhill.  Front to back leveling is fairly easy as that is the natural axis of the trailer on its wheels.  Side to side leveling becomes a little more tricky because it requires raising the trailer on one side.  Depending on the size and weight of your RV it gets a little more difficult.  When we had travel trailers I learned very fast that the easiest way to level the RV was to have four scissor jacks installed on each corner.  These jacks could physically lift the trailer off its tires.  I would then just have a couple little stick-on bubble levels positioned so I could see what I needed to do to level the trailer.  Now on a fifth wheel it is a little harder because the RV weighs a lot and the jacks installed in the rear are for stabilizing the RV and not supporting the weight of the trailer.  The system I use starts with a very large bubble level mounted on the hitch (so I can see it from the cab of the truck). 

What is nice about this level is that the black lines shown on the level indicate you need to raise that side of the RV by one inch.  First I move the RV around the site to see if there is a more level spot.  If not then I see how close I can get it to level.  In the picture above it shows the ball a little to the left, meaning the trailer is about 1/2 inch off level on the left side.  To make it level you would need to add 1/2 inch under the left side tires.  At 1/2 inch I probably would not do anything as the levelers I use are in 1 inch increments.  So, in conjunction with this level I use these blocks which raise the RV in 1 inch increments and they are stackable.

The bubble level also has a small level built into it so you an can level from front to back.  I then use my remote, which controls the front jacks, and stand at this level and lower or raise the front jacks until the trailer is level.

Lastly regards the roof vents on the RV.  RV’s come with a various number of vents in the roof that are covered by a plastic lid that opens from inside the RV.  These vents are usually in the living space, the bathroom and in the bedroom.  Some have fans in the vents.  The problem is that when you open the vent rain can come in, meaning you cannot use these vents in the rain, and you may need to.  To resolve that issue they sell a plastic cover that mounts over the vent on the roof and changes the opening so it is now vertical and makes it more difficult for rain to get in.  I have had these on every RV I have owned.

I am sure there are many other great ideas out there, but these have become my mandatory items.  If I cannot take them from one RV to the next they are my first purchase before I ever take the RV out.

Internet Complaints

Since we are here in Arizona for the next 6 weeks preparing for our daughters wedding there most likely will not be much to report on any sightseeing.  So I will take this opportunity to talk on some issues with our Life on the Road.

The ability to do this lifestyle is made much easier by technology, especially the internet.  Before the internet was available as it is now I do not know how full timers could have done it.  Think about getting your bills timely, paying your bills, getting your pension check and getting it deposited, getting prescriptions filled and the list goes on.  With the internet we do all these things online now.  The mail we do get, via our forwarding service to our daughter, is not even worth looking at, and if it is our daughter scans it in and we retrieve it, via the internet.

With such importance on the internet I made sure, before we left,  that we could stay connected where ever we are.  Our basic access system is our smartphones.  This gives us internet access via the Verizon network, which has been great throughout the United States (great job Verizon!).  To have that access on our laptop I found a program that allows you to tether your phone to the computer so the computer can use the phones data network.  The problem with that is we now have data caps in place from Verizon on our phone (bad job Verizon!).   Our tablet also has a hot spot feature that allows tethering, but data limits are in place.

The phone data network was meant to be our backup as most RV parks have Wi-Fi internet access.  This is where my complaint arises.  These parks realize that to be competitive they must offer Wi-Fi and they will include it in their write-ups and advertising.  However we are finding that most do not live up to their claims.  We have found that some you can only get a strong signal if you are in the office area.  Others the signal goes in and out during the day and most have bandwidth issues as the volume of users become higher in the evening.  The problem is that you do not find all this out until you have set up in your spot and logged on.  At that point is it worth it to find another spot or ask for a refund and go to another park?

I am sure it can get expensive for a park to do Wi-Fi and do it right as you have to install access points throughout the park and these parks can be quite large. Bandwidth may be an issue with the internet provider and not the park, but all this should be provided to you when checking  in.  We have found parks that do Wi-Fi very well so it can be done.  The park we stayed at while in Santa Fe, New Mexico had access points for each row of RV’s.  The signal was strong and the service was free.  We have found a few parks that have contracted with a provider, Tengo, that provides good service.  They monitor bandwidth usage in a 24 hour period and tell you they will reduce your speed if you download a large amount (1gb) of data in a 24 hour period.  I have no problem with that as they tell us when we log on and they offer very good speed as long as you stay below that limit.  Obviously if you were into streaming video and downloading movies it would be a problem.

These parks need to step up and live up to their advertising regarding Wi-Fi.  Internet access has gone from being a novelty to a necessity and the RV parks need to recognize the importance RV’ers place on this.

ONE YEAR!

This week marks the one year anniversary of our Life on the Road.

Here are some stats from the year:

2 countries

2 Canadian Provinces

21 states

21,397 miles driven

Updated trip map:

Top 5 places visited (my choices):

1.  Banff, Alberta, Canada

2.  Colorado Springs, Colorado

3.  Leavenworth, Washington

4.  Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

5.  Redding, California

Frequently asked questions:

Are you and Fran still talking?  Yes we are.  No injuries.

What do you do?  We enjoy walking in the morning, reading, exploring the area we are in and meeting new people. 

What do you miss?  Our friends back in the Chicago area.

What do you like the most about Life on the Road?  To be able to go where we want and see and do things we have always wanted to.  Visit with relatives and friends we have not seen in years.