Archive for Trips

Rough Days

Posted by J.J. on August 26, 2010 with 0 Comments

I have posted in a couple days so here is a recap …

HOT … ANGRY … STRESS … BLOOD … BITCHING

Well let me elaborate a little more then that.  Tuesday was a HOT day in Pleasanton, hottest of the year so I am told.  When I got back from work (7:30pm) I had to take the co-pilot for a drive to cool him down … then he was better and I called it a night … so no post.

Wednesday was another HOT day, hottest of the year once again.  Since we were leaving on Thursday I had to turn in the car and someone from work dropped me off at the RV.  I open the door to blood on the couch, floor and walls.  I step in and holly crap the co-pilot goes off.  “We need to leave, it is hot, I can’t stand it.”  I ask about the blood and I get the two second recap of him falling and hitting his arm.  Then it is back on with we need to leave and now.

After offer some options … it is apparent we need to leave due to the heat (in the co-pilots mind) … even though we are a couple hours from it cooling down.  I literally throw all the stuff in the RV and we drive out.  I am angry that I am driving, angry that ten minutes after we start driving the co-pilot was asleep, angry that I have a six hour drive ahead of me.

Around 9:30pm we needed gas so I stopped and realized that there was a Super 8 motel there.  I heard they allow dogs, and I figure they have air, I figure I could sleep so I drove over, checked in and woke up the co-pilot.  The room has not been “pre-cooled” so it takes a bit to cool down and the shower was hot … all the time.

Now I am trying to get some sleep and there is bitching about the water temps, the air temps and there is nothing on TV.  I finally had it … I stood up unplugged the TV, told the co-pilot to lie down and I would tell him when it was time to get up.  At the time I did not … but the next day I felt a smidge bad about it.  But he did exactly that … of course I am sure I did not deliver it in a nice tone and he actually looked a little scared when I was saying it.

I woke up Thursday at 5:00am and did some work, took a shower and woke up the co-pilot telling him I was leaving if he wanted to go.  He got up, got ready very quickly and was right behind me as I walked out.  Not much was said on the drive home and when we got home he grabbed a few things from the RV and went inside.  As I type this at 1:00pm on Thursday things have returned to normal …

Curious what tomorrow will bring.

Filed Under: Trips

Some like it hot …

Posted by J.J. on August 23, 2010 with 0 Comments

The day started around 5:00am, I had to get ready and head to the office.  I learned that arriving at the office early is not only lonely but it is a creepy place.  I was literally at the office for two hours before anyone else made an appearance.  For most of the day it was about work … I did make a trip back to the RV around 11am to make sure all was well.

After work I returned to the RV to find my father and the Rascal gone.  The RV was locked up tighter then a popcorn fart, windows and all, the air conditioning was not on and Chopper was locked inside … way not cool … especially since it was 101 degrees here today.  It was not cooking hot in the RV … but warmer then I would have wanted to be sitting in.  When my father returned I learn that I showed up just 10 short minutes after he left.

As I mentioned it was hot here today and father was in a foul mood.  I had to take him for a car ride to cool him down.  We returned and he went on a quest to get me to go out to dinner.  We have more then enough food here but since he says he does not know what we have he wanted to just go out.  Well I fouled that plan so he was upset and went on a Rascal about for 30 minute … returned … tried again to get me to go out … and left on his Rascal again.

I took Chops for a walk and he finally passed some but babies.  He is felling better and the 4 day holdout on pooping is over.

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Work Day

Posted by J.J. on August 22, 2010 with 2 Comments

Today started at 5:00am … as I had to go to work.  On the way to the office I made a stop at Denica’s … only my most favorite Pastry shop.  When I am in the area multiple stops happen, which is not good for my girlish figure.  But it is soooo freaking good!

Got to the office and spent a few hours going over reporting with Dan and Maria.  Once we had the weekly reporting wrapped up I returned to the RV and finished my work day here.  Did I mention that Denica’s also serves lunch?  The co-pilot and I went there for lunch and got Chicken Salad sandwiches … I got it with the spring salad and father got it with a Chicken Tortilla soup.  Yeah I am pretty sure that I have him hooked now.  It was the first time in a long time that he ate his entire sandwich and his soup in one sitting … no leftovers.

Once I had work wrapped up in was a pretty relaxing afternoon.  I did some cleaning of the RV and heard about the co-pilots adventures … he cruised over to Old Town Pleasanton, cruised around the RV Park and exchanged war stories with the locals and he check out some of the classic cars that are here for next weekends Good Guys car show.

Other then that it is back to the office tomorrow … so it is an early night.

Filed Under: Trips

Barney the Car

Posted by J.J. on August 21, 2010 with 0 Comments

The day started with some fresh baked cinnamon rolls.  After breakfast I took Chopper for a walk up to the guard shack to find out about busses that would take me by the office.  As I approached the gate I recognized the person, it was Maggie from work.  We talked for a bit and she offered me a ride to the office once she was off around 2:30pm.

I returned to the RV and puttered around for a few hours … doing some minor repair stuff.  At  2:15pm I headed up to the gate to meet up with Maggie and the co-pilot tagged along on his Rascal.  Come to find out the co-pilot had already been down to the gate and been talking to Maggie … isn’t he the little commingler.

Maggie drove me over to the office so I could pickup a car.  Oh yes baby … a purple Ford Focus … reminds me of a rental car Karen and I got in Vegas while we were out there visiting stores.  The car has been dubbed Barney, after the famous purple dinosaur.  But I have to hand it to the car … it drives nice and is pretty peppy.

Once I got the car I headed back to the RV and picked up the co-pilot and we went off shopping at Safeway.  We returned to the RV and made some dinner … then I called it a night.

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Back on the Road

Posted by J.J. on August 20, 2010 with 0 Comments

Today we traveled to Pleasanton, CA via Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno, Modesto, Merced and Pleasant Hills.  Those six towns were blessed with our presence due to the all might patch search.   We arrived in Pleasanton around 4:30pm and … first things first … we needed to get gas as we were at an eighth of a tank.  I sure as hell do not want to get stuck here (you know … Bay Area earthquakes and whatnots).

Highlights of the day included a bad driver that crossed three lanes in a blink of an eye.  Actually causing me to slam on the breaks and leaving about 20 feet of skid marks on Interstate 99.  The good news is all was okay and no contacted was made … other then the contact in my britches.

With this trip we have the addition of the Rascal, the co-pilots little ride.  We added a rack to the back of the motor home so we could bring it along on our trips.  This will allow him some mobility and freedom at the RV parks and in the immediate area.  Now he can go off on his own adventures and commingles with the local retired RV’ers.

Filed Under: Trips

Home Run …

Posted by J.J. on March 27, 2010 with 1 Comments

Well well … home again, home again … some where around 6,000 miles in 23 days. I think I am not going to drive tomorrow … just work … oh yeah work. Work that thing that I have not done for the past 23 days … that thing that pays the bills … that thing that most people would rather not have to do. Some how regardless of how long you vacation is work sneaks backup onardless of how long your vacation is work sneaks backup on you and bites you in the ars.ardless of how long your vacation is work sneaks backup on you and bites you in the ars. you and bits you in ars. 

So I spent most of the morning putting of the inevitable.  Walked over to the parks shower and was going to take a shower …but there was nothing but cold water.  So I went back to the RV to use our own facilities.  After the shower we packed up and drove backwards to Laughlin for some breakfast.  We stopped at a small coffee shop that served breakfast and surprisingly enough got so killer Egg Benedict (firehouse style).

We headed out on the open road and made a stop at Baskin Robins in Victorville as the co-pilot wanted a shake.  At this point we had a third of a tank for gas and 120 miles to go … we can make it … LOL.  The drive was non-eventful until 10 miles for home … low fuel warning … ummmm will the beast make it?  We did but got gas right off the freeway at our off ramp.

My brother had his truck parked in front of the house so for some reason that set the co-pilot off.  Chopper went marathon ape shit when we got home … well my brother got him going.  The co-pilot unloaded his shit from the RV … patches, clothes, etc. … and hunkered down in his room for some serious patch sorting and identification.  Around 6pm I barricaded myself in my room … aww life back to normal.

Filed Under: Trips

Day 22 really?

Posted by J.J. on March 26, 2010 with 0 Comments

At 7:30am today the co-pilot was ready to roll. I don’t get it we had cable and everything. So I got up to go take a shower and there is snow everywhere and it was still snowing. The co-pilot wanted to leave right away so we did not get snowed in. Hah … by the time I got done with my shower ¾ of the snow was already gone.

We made it out of there and were on the road by 9:30am. We only had 240 miles planned today but some how it came out to 214 miles. We arrived at the RV Park at 1pm and grabbed lunch at the casino next door. Got the RV setup and chilled.

When we were checking in I was told there was a 40lbs limit for dogs. So I got Chopper wearing a girdle when we go for our walks. While we were out on a walk I discovered that some people have a warped since of reality. The lady across the way was bitching at her husband(?) because their RV does not have a steam shower. I guess they should have sprung for the million dollar model.

Since going home is like going to work I decided to stretch the trip out to the fullest. We could have made it home today but that is just back to reality. Back to the routines … work Sunday, doctors and work on Monday, blah blah blah …

Filed Under: Trips

Getting Native …

Posted by J.J. on March 25, 2010 with 6 Comments

At 7am this morning the co-pilot was ready to hit the road.  The no cable thing does matter even thought he says it doesn’t.  I truly do not understand why he does not like music.  He says he can’t see the TV and just listens to it … but he hates to listen to music.  So we blew out of Albuquerque, NM at 9am and arrived in Flagstaff, AZ at 12:30pm … thanks to the one hour we gained.

Along the way it was question day again … this time he asked what every other billboard said (no exaggeration).  So I started to read out load every billboard that we passed.  After about twenty he said enough … they were the same over and over again.

We made one co-pilot stop, the last one of this trip.  He picked up some trader patches, nothing for the collection.  He asked for a good local place to eat … she recommended a local diner called “Mason Jar”.  We cruised on over for lunch and the place was being painted inside but they were still open.  The tables had that fine dried paint dust all over them but it did not stop us.  Across from us were three Hopi Indians getting totally native.  The drunker they got the louder they became and the co-pilot was casting them his evil your bugging me glare.  Not that anyone would understand his look; he looks like he is having a stroke with a twitching eye.  On the way out I bought them another round.

The Hopi told me a joke that I do not understand … can anyone help me out here?

“What do you call a native with no lips?” … “A pointer.”

Okay … anyone? 

We headed over to the RV Park and I am pretty sure this is the last KOA I plan to say at.  It was $50 bucks for a patch of uneven dirt, 30amp service, water, sewer and cable.  I think it is time to get one of those big thick Good Sam guides with all their parks.  Just hate paying for the “extra” frills at the KOA that we never use.

We got all setup and I took Chops for a walk.  We returned to the RV and watched some TV.  Chopper started to freak out so I took him out for another walk.  Walk, walk, walk and nothing not even a pee.  We return to the RV and Chopper starts freaking out again.  I am figuring he has to poop but he is a prima donna about pooping on a leash.

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Are we there yet?

Posted by J.J. on March 24, 2010 with 0 Comments

The alarm clock this morning was sounds of escaping air coming from the co-pilot on the other side of the 18 inch long wall.  Some people had the aroma this morning of coffee or maybe breakfast cooking … I got the essence of their byproduct.  Now that I am half awake I glanced outside to see a winter wonderland in the making.

Slow morning as we packed up and left the RV Park at 11am.  Rain, sleet and snow can not stop us from the patch quest. It was a rough weather day … started with snow, turned to sleet, rain and then snow again … oh yeah and wind.  Along the way we saw a one car accident that involved two semis and the car.  Car spun out and the two semis drove in to the sloped down dirt center divider.  All were fine it was just an amazing thing to see.

The drive today was plagued with questions … same ones over and over again … “how much farther?”, “what time is it?”, “what is the speed limit?”, and my favorite “what are you cooking for dinner?”.  Yesterday was the silent treatment and today was the 8 year old on a long drive treatment.  I guess the bad behavior is coming out late in this trip.

So we called it a day in Albuquerque, NM and found a nice little shithole with no cable.  No TV and no patches make the co-pilot go something, something, something.  Go crazy?  Don’t mind if he does.  Looks like it is clearing up … I sure at crap do not want to get snowed in here.  Well I am off to cook some dinner.

Filed Under: Trips

Chicken Dinner …

Posted by J.J. on March 23, 2010 with 2 Comments

A bundled up co-pilot was released today …. from 6am to 10am he uttered no more then five words. He unleashed between 10am and 10:30am with 28 words in five different sentences.   We made two stops today for the patch man.  First one was a bust and the second one was a winner, winner, chicken dinner.  So he was happy for five minutes.  After the last stop we got a spot at an RV Park and called it a day in Amarillo, TX.  

We stated at the Oasis RV Park … stayed it before … nice park with a cheap price.  We got propane when we got to the park and little boy pink filled the tank.  Pink shirt, pink shoes and thanks to his low ride pants … pink boxers.  After propane we got to our spot got all set up … took Chops for a walk and got two poops out of him.

 That’s about it …

Filed Under: Trips
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