Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 36 degrees mostly sunny to 72 degrees mostly sunny. Cooler today.

Planning day today for out trip figuring only the route we will take east ending in North Carolina. I have planned out fourteen days for the trip. Although we have not picked a start day for the trip thru nine states staying south to avoid the colder weather. We are planning some new to us stops along the way to mix it up some.

The boys win Mexican Train dominos again tonight George playing with one other couple. Bonnie went to bible study tonight.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Monday, March 28, 2011
The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 54 degrees mostly sunny to 86 degrees mostly sunny. The wind is still blowing, we left Busters slide out but the window awning on the table window had to be closed up.

A day without water, the park turned off the water to change a low level switch. Planned time was about a half an hour at nine o'clock. Well the switch change went ok but putting things back together they found a water leak in the expansion tank. A small hole rusted thru and at two hundred psi it was a big leak. A replacement was located in town and we went and purchased and installed a new expansion tank for the park well system. Water came back on at three o'clock. That is why we keep water in Buster's fresh water tank. Turn on the water pump and we never knew there was any park water.

The boys win Mexican Train dominos again tonight with one other couple.


Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 43 degrees mostly sunny to 72 degrees mostly sunny. The wind is still blowing, we left Busters slide out but the window awning on the table window out also as the wind gusts were not as pronounced. A front moved thru and cooled down this area of New Mexico.
I have been working on the compartments below Buster removing things and stuff not used in the past year. Progress has been made cleaning out the compartments but there were boxes of Elk BoF things added last January in Quartzsite.
The boys win Mexican Train dominos again tonight with one other couple.

Monday, March 28, 2011

The Ranch

Saturday, March 26, 2011
The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 46 degrees mostly sunny to 81 with the wind blowing at a more steady pace and the slide stayed out.

The boys win Mexican Train dominos again tonight with our normal three couples in attendance.

Sunday, March 27, 2011
The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 45 degrees mostly sunny to 82 degrees mostly sunny.

Take is easy Sunday, NASCAR.

NO Mexican Train tonight, (last Sunday of the month) there was celebration of Birthdays and Anniversary's (cake & ice cream) in The Ranch house and no one wanted to play.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

The Ranch

Friday, March 25, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 41 degrees mostly sunny to 87 degrees and mostly sunny. The wind was back again in the afternoon I saw 28 MPH at one point. The gusting was not the same as yesterday more steady speed blowing, not as objectionable. We left Busters slides out but the window awning not out.

Around noon we drove into Carlsbad for lunch with the other couples that play Mexican Train dominos.
The boys win Mexican Train dominos again tonight with our normal three couples in attendance. It was close win the girls won the last round but we were far enough back they did not catch us.

The Ranch

Thursday, March 24, 2011


The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 41 degrees mostly sunny well the wind is back to 82 degrees mostly sunny.

I went to Artesia for blood work as I have a doctors appointment next week.

Latter in the afternoon we had Buster suck it up, brought in the slides to reduce the noise and rocking from the wind gusts.

Buster with slides in
The boys win Mexican Train dominos again tonight with our normal three couples in attendance.

Friday, March 25, 2011

The Ranch

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 32 degrees mostly sunny well the wind is down today so far. To 80 degrees partly sunny and NO wind today very nice.

We did spent the best part on the morning in The Ranch House at a town hall meeting, a talk session on what will be voted on at our semi annual meeting April 6.

Girls won Mexican Train for the first time since Friday. But Bonnie had went to Artesia attending a bible study.

The Ranch

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 46 degrees mostly sunny and wind over 20 MPH and gusts to 40 MPH. We pretty much stayed in and even brought in the table slide reducing the noise from the slide topper to 84 degrees partly sunny and wind gusts.
I did attend mens coffee and then there was a closed board of directors meeting otherwise we stayed inside out of the wind.
The boys won Mexican Train again tonight this was the last night for our visitor Ed to join our game as tomorrow he moves up the road.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The Ranch - Ding Dong

Monday, March 21, 2011
The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 46 degrees mostly sunny to 87 degrees partly sunny and wind gusts. Did not do much outside as the wind is no fun to work outside in. Research for our travel east was started.

Again today I was the "Ding a Ling" for Happy Hour inviting returning lease holders to come up to the front and telling about their recent trip. Any visitors are also invited to tell us how long they are staying where they came from and anything they wish to add.


Bell on a pole outsife the office
The Ranch is noted by Escapees RV Club as a friendly park and greats arriving rigs with ringing a bell outside the office to have others in the park to come and greet the arriving escapees with hugs. To begin the Happy Hour by ringing another smaller bell and open the more formal talking the "Ding a Ling" rings a smaller bell bringing the meeting to order.

We ask attendees to raise a hand for birthdays or anniversaries and sing to them. We ask if there any announcements and invite departing escapees to tell of their planned trip then sing Happy Trails.

The boys are doing well so far winning Mexican Train four nights in a row.

Monday, March 21, 2011

The Ranch - Ding Dong

Sunday, March 20, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 41 degrees mostly sunny to 80 degrees mostly sunny some breezes in the afternoon.

Taking a NASCAR day watching the race from Bristol, TN (The Bristol Stomp) and attending Social Hour (Happy Hour) at four. I also was the "Bing Dong" leader of the Happy Hour. After dinner it was a game of Mexican train domino's for George & Bonnie with Art & Sherry and Don & Doris with a visitor Ed also playing. The boys have won again.
The camera rested today and yes I found it pushed under the drivers chair in Buster. Now Bonnie needs to find her sunglasses she lost on Saturday.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

The Ranch Lakewood, NM

Saturday, March 19, 2011
The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 49 degrees mostly sunny to 80 degrees mostly sunny beautiful day.



Buster Parked at The Ranch
Settling in day putting the wheel covers on and putting down the extra step and mat. I put lights out under Silver Sally and Buster so the pack rats do not go underneath and chew on wires.


This evening Bonnie and George played Mexican train second night boys win. This picture is a full moon that appears closer tonight at 7:30

The Ranch Moon

Saturday, March 19, 2011

The Ranch - Lakewood, NM

Friday, March 18, 2011
Deming, NM Dream Catcher Escapees park 46 degrees mostly sunny. (To enlarge pictures; Click on picture to enlarge, click return button (<) on your browser to return to post).
Interstate Ten eastbound
This is Busters last travel day of our western trip going to The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico Busters home park. Driving east on I 10 going into Las Cruces, NM.  Nice driving day, interstate ten was medium and truck traffic was higher than Wednesday.


US 70 Northbound


US 70 Near Alamogordo, NM


US 82 eastbound to Artesia, NM

Going northbound on US 70 out of Las Cruces to Alamogordo and eastbound on US 82 to Artesia was light with no trucks on US 70 or US 82.

The Ranch Lakewood, New Mexico 85 degrees mostly sunny.

The Ranch from US 285

When we arrived we were greeted at the office by a bell ringing and a few ranch hands welcoming us home. George went to Social Hour (Happy Hour) at four saying hello to a lot of our friends, and we were the last of the group returning from Yuma and Quartzsite. This evening Bonnie and George played Mexican train.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Deming, NM

Thursday, March 17, 2011
Deming, NM Dream Catcher Escapees park 43 degrees mostly sunny to 80 degrees and mostly sunny this evening.

Buster in Dream Catcher RV Park Deming, NM
We also did our drive in Silver Sally to los Palomas, Mexico for my eye glasses for reading and computer work.

Boarder Crossing Los Palomas, Mexico
Today is the wearing of the green eating corned beef and cabbage.
Bonnie at the Pink Store Los Palomas

Deming, NM

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

San Carlos, AZ 48 degrees mostly sunny it was hazy in the distance driving. A nice easy day driving on US 70 mostly in Arizona and into New Mexico with very light traffic. Traveling two hundred and nine miles to Deming, New Mexico Dream Catcher Escapees park for two nights. In Lordsburg New Mexico Buster got a drink of diesel fuel then onto interstate ten that had light traffic today. Buster averaged 8.737 MPG (395 miles) including the time running the generator in Quartzsite and at the RV Renovators troubleshooting the air conditioner problem

I want to get a pair of reading glasses to use at the computer. Tomorrow we will drive Silver Sally thirty three south to Las Palomas, Mexico to the eye glass store. Did not take any pictures as I cannot locate the camera, do not know what happened after last down loading pictures to the computer.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

San Carlos, Arizona

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Mesa, Arizona 63 degrees mostly sunny to 89 degrees


US 60 eastbound into Globe, AZ
Ordering a circuit board that controls the electric going to the air conditioners from Coachman located in Elkhart, Indiana area. Well that did not work out and an order was tried from a electronics manufacturer did not work either. We have both air conditioners working what Buster does not have is the automatic circuit protection when connected to 30 amp electric service (shore power). There is manual protection if George does the correct work before turning on shore power.

We paid our bill for the troubleshooting the air conditioner and a battery connection problem. The battery problem was also only partly solved. The battery interconnect solenoid gets power two ways one from a switch on the dash panel and from the ignition switch when the key is on. The dash panel switch had a bad fuse, replaced the fuse and panel switch works fine. The key switch the voltage does not get to the solenoid. I will run a wire latter to fix that.

US 60 eastbound
The slide topper awnings will best be replaced with new material. I will handle that next winter with better planning.
So we cleaned up Buster to move down the road leaving RV Renovators about noon local time.

We stopped for the day in San Carlos, AZ at Arizona Gold Casino 78 miles down the road on US 60 then US 70. Temperature 82 degrees and mostly sunny.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Mesa, AZ

Monday, March 14, 2011


Quartzsite, Arizona 63 degrees mostly sunny  changing to mostly cloudy.  Traveling east on I 10 to Mesa, Arizona 149 miles today. Mesa 89 degrees mostly sunny


I did research on the awning people I knew of and struck out so I got busy on the air conditioner problem and remembered RV Renovators in Mesa, Arizona. We pulled in there just after one and they dot on the problem finding a power management board is bad and will order parts Tuesday morning from Coachman. We are parked on their lot for two nights.

Quartzsite, AZ - Scadden Wash

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Lancaster, California Elks Lodge 34 degrees mostly sunny but hazy.

CA 138 going east to I 15
Quartzsite, Arizona mostly sunny clear to 86 degrees. A longer days drive today 266 miles in medium heavy traffic mostly cars truck traffic is light today.

I 10 east thru wind turbine field


Buster was treated to a big drink of diesel fuel. Arizona is twenty seven cents less per gallon of diesel fuel than California.

Buster in Scadden Wash
We dry camped over night in Quartzsite.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Lancaster, CA

Saturday, March 12, 2011
Kingsburg, California partly cloudy 43 degrees. Hazy sunshine driving today with temperature at 69 degrees and mostly sunny in Lancaster.
Starting up to Tehachapi pass on CA 58
Buster has another travel day today and he will need a drink of diesel fuel ouch, purchasing just enough diesel to exit California.

After going south on CA 99 and purchasing diesel Buster turned east on CA 58  to go over the mountains into the Antelope Valley and south on CA 14 to Lancaster Elks lodge for the night.
Headed south to Mojave, CA
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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Kingsburg, California

Friday, March 11, 2011
San Leandro, Ca Trailer Haven 46 degrees and partly sunny.


Viking RV Park Kingsburg, CA
We had nice driving weather with medimum to heavy traffic most of the way. Buster handled the traffic well. One hundred eighty one miles Sam Leandro to Kingsburg, California. Here in Kingsburg it clouded over more but the temperature got up to 64 degrees today. This is a convent stop for us as it is a bout three and a half hour travel time. It is close to the highway and there are freight trains at all hours they do not wake us from sleep.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Oakland, CA

Thursday, March 10, 2011
San Leandro, Ca Trailer Haven 46 degrees and partly sunny to mostly cloudy and rain.

Kind of a rest day and preparing Buster to travel tomorrow. I re strung a day/night shade as one of the strings broke.

Tonight we went to Avery's Aurora School to see Avery in a play "Rhythm in the Rainforest". Avery played a Boa Constrictor with some lines to recite and many group songs were sung.

Center, Avery the Boa Constrictor
Thank you to Carole, Jackie and Avery for a great two weeks here in Oakland.

San Leandro, CA

Wednesday, March 9, 2011


Oakland, CA 50 degrees and cloudy. Cleared to partly cloudy 62 degrees.

My last day taking Avery to Aurora school Carole will be home today.
Avery (in red) at Aurora School

We did move everything and Merry too back to Buster and had dinner with them tonight. We did not linger as Avery wanted some time with his parents before going to bed. He does get up early so his candle burns out early in the evening.

I have been slow with the camera I will try and get more pictures.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Oakland, CA 49 degrees and foggy rain. Cleared to partly cloudy 61 degrees.


Another work day for Avery (school) and today starts with an assembly program that parents are able to attend. Bonnie and George took Avery to school today to see the assembly program enjoying Avery interacting with his classmates. I took pictures but they were blurry, there is a dial on the camera that was out of position for these pictures causing blurry pictures and I deleted them shucks.

Bonnie and I split our day as George went to Buster and Bonnie stayed at Carole's house we were working indepently today.

I picked up Avery at school and every time the dogs go for a ride in the car to school.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Oakland, CA

Monday, March 7, 2011
Oakland, CA 49 degrees and partly sunny to 55 degrees and partly sunny with some sprinkles of rain in the late afternoon.

A back to school day for Avery after taking him to Aurora School George and Bonnie went to Buster to recover from the weekend. A seven year old boy is constant motion energy. We are also experiencing withdrawal because we are not staying at Buster. We only bring with us to Carole's house what we need for the next day. Moving in and out is wearing on us, remembering what to take in each direction as we are going to Buster or coming to Carole's house.
 
Buster will start traveling on Friday headed south and east to The Ranch in Lakewood, NM.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Oakland, CA

Sunday, March 6, 2011
Oakland, Ca 44 degrees and rain. Most came over night and it is a fog like rain this morning.

That cleared to mostly overcast 54 degrees a wet day.
The dogs went to the trails today with a neighbor to run and exercise. George & Bonnie took Avery to Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California Berkeley.

http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/

Monday, March 7, 2011

Oakland, CA

Saturday, March 5, 2011
Oakland, Ca 44 degrees and mostly sunny to 64 degrees and overcast, misty rain tonight.

Avery in front of Buster
We took Avery to the USS Hornet CV 12 history museum here in Alameda, CA today touring the WW II aircraft carrier. On the way there we stopped at Buster to get some things for Sunday.

Bonnie and Avery walking to USS Hornet
The USS Hornet was the aircraft carrier to take the Jimmy Doolittle B-25's to Japan for the air raid in 1942. The airplanes were loaded onto the aircraft carrier USS Hornet here in Alameda, CA and was the first action in WW II for this carrier. There were actually two carriers named Hornet CV 8 and CV 12. CV 8 was sunk at the Battle of Santa Cruz in October 1942 and CV 12 was named Hornet to honor the crew of CV 8

http://www.uss-hornet.org/
F-14 Tomcat
These jet aircraft were too big and heavy to fly from this aircraft carrier, F-4 and F-14.

Oakland, CA

Friday, March 4, 2011
Oakland, Ca - Carole's house 50 degrees and mostly sunny to 63 degrees another nice day.

Merry slept on the bed with us of course the dogs were on the floor by the bed. We were up early for Bonnie and the new to us morning routine for Avery and dogs out then taking Avery to school. We then went to Buster to rest for the day. The dogs had a walker come to take them to the trails and exercise.

We left Buster picking up a pizza on the way to getting Avery at school then home for pizza and a movie night Ice Age II.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Oakland, CA

Thursday, March 3, 2011
San Leandro, Ca Trailer Haven 54 degrees and, mostly sunny to 61 degrees a nice day.
I went over to Carole's and went to the school with Avery to see the drop off and then went to the auto store with Jackie as tire chains are needed going to Lake Tahoe where their conference is. There was snow up in the mountains when we had the rain here the other day.

Merry our cat hidding
Latter we went over to the house and were ready for the pickup in the afternoon. We also brought our cat Merry with us as we are staying over six nights. Merry has a lot of adjusting to so as there is a cat in the house and two large dogs. This is all outside of her comfort zone and we will work something out. The dogs will not bother Merry and she is a fast runner. There was a lot of hiding and non eating for Merry. One hidding place from those big dogs was in the bathroom behine the bowl.
Cloud bank below

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Oakland, CA

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

San Leandro, Ca Trailer Haven 52 degrees and, mostly cloudy and wet from last nights rain to 55 degrees. It took all day for the skies to clear but there was no rain after I got up today.



We are having a rest day as the next week will be fun work. Tomorrow we take care of Avery for six days as Carole and Jackie attend a conference.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Oakland, CA

Tuesday, March 1, 2011
San Leandro, Ca Trailer Haven 39 degrees and, mostly sunny to 56 degrees a nice day that turned to rain after we returned to Buster.
Avery and Carole
Today Bonnie and George went with Carole to pick up Avery at school. Avery attends an after school program and the picture is Avery and Carole telling him it is time to go.


Avery
After returning home Avery was reading a book he checked out of the school library.
Grandma got to do some grandma things giving Avery dinner and getting him to bed as Carole and Jackie had appointments tonight. Our time alone with Avery is precious and special as our traveling here is only two weeks we try and make the most the time here.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Oakland, CA

Monday, February 28, 2011

Buster is parked in San Leandro, Ca at Trailer Haven 39 degrees and, mostly sunny all day with only light breezes and 54 degrees.

Avery spent his TV time doing a star wars game at the TV.



Avery
We saw Avery after school today and had dinner busy time with everyone's schedule.
Bonnie and Avery

Sunset

Oakland, CA

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Buster is parked in San Leandro, Ca at Trailer Haven 35 degrees and, mostly sunny to 54 degrees sunny with some breezes. (To enlarge pictures; Click on picture to enlarge, click return button (<) on your browser to return to post)



Avery on the slide bar with Carole
This afternoon it was off to the park with Avery on the east side if the mountain. We took CA 24 thru the tunnel to a park in Orinda, CA a nice developed public park for Avery to expel energy after being in church. On the swings and the slide bar.

Avery on the swing
 Avery also met his girlfriend of the day
Avery and his girlfriend of the day
Sunset
Saturday, February 26, 2011

San Leandro, Ca Buster is parked at Trailer Haven 35 degrees and, mostly sunny a cold day to 49degrees partly sunny and windy.
Avery and Bonnie
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Boys playing Avery on the left
In the afternoon we went over to Carole, Jackie and Avery's while Avery was having a "play day " with the neighbor boys.
A blimp and the Golden Gate Bridge
Caught this picture of a blimp and the Golden Gate Bridge with Alcatraz Island in the foreground from Carole's kitchen window.