Getting Warranty Work Done

When we purchased our Cayman and did the walkthrough of the motorhome we agreed with the dealer that we would drive it to Oregon for them to complete the warranty work. The large one-piece Pana-Vision windshield was chipped during the drive from the Indiana factory, the floor had some scratches, the carpet in the bedroom was dirty, one cushion on the couch had mis-matched stitching, there were a couple paint issues, and a few other minor items needing to be resolved.

Long before we purchased this motorhome, when we had our 2007 La Palma, we had scheduled an appointment at the Monaco factory in Oregon and planned to tour the factory. We'll get a tour in the next day or so. We've been at the dealers camping area in Junction City for the past week and they have accomplished a lot! The windshield has been replaced (what a job!), the floor is partially torn up (gotta watch our step), the coach went to the paint shop today (yeah! they'll wash it), the cushion is being replaced, and the other "minor" issues have been resolved. After it returns from the paint shop they plan to finish the floor (cross your fingers that it arrives today) and then clean the carpets. I plan for them to give it a thorough cleaning to remove all the dust they created. They spent some time with me discussing the various cleaning products they use. And they will also have a technician review all the systems on the coach with us before we leave.

Every day around 7:00 AM a driver comes to our motorhome and moves it across the street to the service area. We have to have it ready for them which means putting everything back in its storage spot, but that's not a problem. At the end of the day, by 5:00 PM, they park it out front and we drive it back to the "campsite" across the street. They provide 50 AMP electrical hookups and there's a dump station. They have a waiting area with couches, chairs, TV, WiFi internet, magazines, puzzles, coffee, and an occasional snack. The staff are very friendly and professional and the other customers waiting with us are fun and interesting, most in a good mood. Some come and go quickly (the lucky ones) while others have been here for a week or more. We planned one week here with the dealer and another at the Monaco factory, but it seems that all the work will be completed by the dealer.

During the day we use our laptops, read magazines, and I crochet. The best part is meeting new friends and sharing experiences. We are happy to share our knowledge of computers and connectivity with other RVers. One evening we shared a glass of wine and some smoked salmon with some new friends. We've had dinner at another friend's motorhome a couple times and have been able to meet up with other friends. As Louis said to us, you meet some of the nicest people on the motorhome highway.

Farmer's Market & Street Fair in Eugene, Oregon

When we get to a new area we do a little research to find the local farmer's market. Many communities are too cold in the winter months to grow local produce, but since Spring has sprung, we found a great local farmer's market that offered more than we expected. Downtown Eugene hosts the 'Saturday Market', one of the oldest in the country - open since 1970, from April through October, rain or shine. It's an outdoor celebration of art, ethnic food, and crafts.

The Saturday Market in Eugene is none like you'll ever experience. Local vendors sell crafts, gifts, clothing and one-of-a-kind "Eugene" things. They have a large variety of items from organic, recycled, pesticide-free, free-range, home made, original handcrafted, unusual and more. Either the artist or a member of their family staffs the booths so you are able to meet the artists. There is a city block of local produce and flowers, another of handcrafted items, and another block of international delicacies, although I did not see hamburgers or hot dogs.

In addition to handmade crafts and homemade foods, you will find tye dyes galore, hippies from the '60s, hippies from the 2000's (and everywhere in between). Everyone from college students to families go to the market. There is a stage where live musical acts perform, some invited and some not.

City regulations prohibit animals in the market area. There's an easy to find public parking structure that is free. We enjoyed meeting the artists and were inspired by their creative talents. If anything, go for the great food and people watching.

The Scenic Oregon Coast

While in the Florence area, staying at the Thousand Trails South Jetty park, we drove north for an hour or so and saw some beautiful sights. We went to Heceta Head Lighthouse, but it was closed for the day, so no tour. I know there will be others to visit as we make our way north to Washington. The next time I'll capture the sound of the waves on video.

We love to walk and look at the rocks, drift wood, and bits of shells. We didn't see many whole shells, except for one small perfect sand dollar. Rick says it's the size of a half dollar. People were looking for jasper, jade, and agate on the beach. We found agate and jasper. They say every so often someone will find a glass float washed up on shore. We've also been told the beaches get more spectacular as we go north from here.

OK, This Is Snow! Yesterday Was Just A Frost

I woke up before 7 AM and peeked outside to see if it had been snowing. It was ALL white outside! I slipped on my jeans, Rick's coat, and my flip-flops, grabbed a camera and quietly went outside without waking Rick. I took a few (too many) pix and made it quietly back into our warm bed without him even knowing I had been outside. The only thing he said was, "You're cold!" and he snuggled me until I feel asleep again. It was very peaceful and you could hear the snow beginning to fall from the trees.

We drove from TT South Jetty in Florence to Junction City today and the weather was not too bad. I think today was the first time driving in the rain and seeing the snow on the roadside was a little un-nerving. I have a fear of ice - not in my drinks, but of slipping on it. We made it in less than 2 hours and have been warm and snug in our home-on-wheels while it has drizzled all day.

Brrrrrrrrrrr! SNOW!

What a thrill to wake up and see everything dusted with snow! I'm not sure thrill is the right word, but I wrapped myself in Rick's coat as soon as I got out of bed and went outside to take a few (very quick) photos. I guess I should say I was thrilled to be back in our toasty warm mobile fishing lodge (aka motorhome).

We're staying at Thousand Trails South Jetty in Florence, Oregon and had weather warnings from a friend who lives in the area that it would get mighty cold overnight. I'm sure our friend (you know who you are!) thought it was downright funny that we Arizona snowbirds had moved far enough north to find snow.

It's been a day of icy rain and a little more snow. The clouds did briefly part and show the blue sky, but when Rick asked if I still wanted to take a drive out on the jetty I said "that's OK, we've seen it and it's going to rain/hail/sleet/snow again." I'm fine working on organizing photo files and crocheting. Rick has been tying fishing flies in anticipation of future warm days filled with flyfishing.

"Slow Cooker" Kind of Day

The weatherperson said it was supposed to rain today and it did. But not as much as we thought it would. It was a misty day, mostly dry, but no sunshine. Rick compared the weather here with where we will be fishing in 6 weeks, and it was about 15 degrees warmer there! I think he was trying to make a point about heading for Montana, but I'm not finished with the Oregon coast.

It rained enough so we were able to test the windshield wipers. No, we didn't drive, we just turned them on to test them. They work fine, but we don't plan to drive in the rain if we don't have to.

The cool (cold!) weather has prompted me to use the slow cooker to make piping-hot soups and chowders. I mentioned this to Rick's sister (in the SoCal area) and she said she was planning meals that are light and refreshing. Today I made clam chowder, couple days ago it was potato soup similar to my Mom's. And a french onion was real yummy. Rick enjoys cooking on the BBQ grill and I enjoy it when he does. But it's too cold today!

It's been a day for organizing photos on the laptop (I need to post some from our recent drive up the coast) and working a little on a crocheted blanket. Rick has been fiddling with computer stuff - GPS POIs, Streets & Trips, and final notes before our appointment with Guaranty RV, our motorhome dealer.

I'll finish off this post by letting you know the wind is picking up, the big puffy white clouds are ripping by, the electric heater is on, and the clam chowder is ready.

Communication, Self-Expression, a History, or a Travelogue

We started our blog as a means to communicate with family and friends - where we are, what we're doing, how we're feeling, what we're thinking, what we're planning, and what we've experienced.

It's turned into a little more in some ways. Exploring the 'world of blogging' or on-line journals is interesting and a way to get lost in other's lives. Some are like short stories, inspirational, travelogues, family histories, how-to manuals, self-help, and entrepreneurial businesses.

I wanted our blog to look a certain way, be formatted just so, and match the colors of our home - our motorhome. Rick gave his feedback, but left most of all that to me. (I'm still wanting to tweak the layout and wish I knew more about website creation and html code.)

We don't know how often we will make new posts, but we will try to keep up with it. We don't know if the posts will always include photos. We don't know if they will be actual experiences or musings. We don't know if they will ramble or be to the point. We don't know if they will be funny or serious. We don't know if anyone will think they are worth reading. BUT we've found that we enjoy creating the messages from us to you. If you have thoughts about our writings or the experiences we share with you, please let us know by leaving us a comment. We love it that some of you have. I've made the process of leaving us a comment simpler and you no longer have to login. It's nice to know someone is reading.

Oregon Weather

We've been pleased with the good weather we've had and it just turned a little cooler today, so I had planned to let you know what we are experiencing. Then we received a few reports today from friends and family in Arizona that it was 100 hot degrees! Unbelievable! It is ironic that we are getting colder while AZ is getting hotter. But I guess it makes perfect sense; we are headed towards the north pole.

We understand now why weather is important to retirees. Well, specifically retired RVers. Travel and activities hinge upon outdoor conditions. We look ahead to the 10 day forecast to plan our travel days. If we can avoid driving in the rain and wind, we do. We definitely avoid driving if it's very windy. While we were in Palm Springs we delayed our departure date until strong winds had subsided. It was nice to have that luxury.

We've had exceptionally good weather for the past 3 1/2 months. Even here on the Oregon coast it has been beautiful. But it was cooler yesterday and last night -- IT RAINED! And it rained all night. For the first time we heard it pitter-patter on the roof of our motorhome. It went from a light drizzle to a full rain, then to large, loud drops that seemed in slow motion. Then it started a pinging-stinging noisier rain and I knew it was hail. Teeny tiny hail, but still frozen rain. This rhythmic rain cycle continued until the morning, but it was comfortable and warm in bed. (heating blanket!) The sun started to peek out around 10 AM and Rick gave the car and motorhome the "Oregon carwash". They were sooo shiny and clean and still are, but guess what? It's raining again at 5 PM and I bet we have another orchestra of rain throughout the night. So this is Oregon?

Words From Friends

We have received some very dear and heart-warming words from our friends. We wanted to share a few of them with you and let you know how much we appreciate the kind thoughts. And this first one from Louis is 'right on'.

We have met some new friends in our travels and it's great how we continue to connect with them. Partly because we are mobile and have the ability to meet up again at a common location. And also due to our ability to connect through email and the Internet. We've included some other messages from our friends and family on the left side.

The Oregon Coast

"WOW!" Moments

There have been a few! The first WOW! moment was when we first saw our Cayman motorhome! The second WOW! was when we were on Highway 101 headed north out of the LA area and saw the ocean waves on the beach! Having grown up in So Cal, it wasn't just the ocean. It was that we were entering new territory with our motorhome on an endless vacation.


Well, today there was another WOW! moment. Seeing Mt. Shasta barely poking up over the horizon and then getting closer and closer and closer was phenomenal!


The scenery was magnificent and you really had to be there to feel the grandness of the mountains and rivers. Rick snapped these pix while I was driving and I think he did a great job.

We're in Redding, CA

We had a really nice 3 hour drive from Nicolaus to Redding today. We took some smaller highways (70 & 20) and some of Interstate 5. Both were fine, but I think I prefer the smaller roads. You see more of the local flavor on the smaller roads. We stopped at a Flying J Truck Stop for fuel and lightened our bank account. Diesel was $4.11 per gallon and we hold 75 gallons!! We only needed half a tank -- thank goodness!

The Redding area is known for great flyfishing and is home to a well-known fly shop - The Fly Shop - and we'll visit them tomorrow. We'll stay here for a few days before continuing north.

And now I know why we slowed down in California to enjoy the sunshine and warm temps. (No, not to save on fuel.) Today was the first day that I would call cool. We both agreed that this is not 'shorts weather' and it will not be as warm as it has been for another month or so.

View from our window

What Keeps Us Busy?

Someone asked, so here it is...

Most of the campgrounds we visit have well maintained walking trails, miniature golf, ping-pong, horseshoes, shuffleboard courts, tennis and pickle ball courts. There are family & adult centers with libraries, card/TV rooms, organized activities and get-togethers. There are activity directors who provide craft classes, scavenger hunts, wine and cheese tasting, live entertainment, bingo, and trips to local attractions. Most campground parks also have swimming pools and jacuzzis with time allotted to adults and families with children. And there is a check-in station (security), general store, shower/restroom facilities and laundry centers. Some have restaurants that serve all types of food throughout the day and evening. And a few have lakes or streams which give us the opportunity to wet a line.

I take a camera with us on walks and always see something interesting. Today we watched a couple people fly their remote control airplanes and this weekend there will be RC boats on the lake. We both enjoy a leisurely round of golf (putters only). Rick is really good at ping-pong and has been giving me pointers to improve my game. I'm getting better and can keep up with most of his trick shots now.

We're keeping up with our computer skills although there are soooo many other things to keep us busy. Being constantly mobile presents some challenges with internet and communication, but Rick has done a fabulous job keeping us "wired". Rick keeps up with finances and budget on-line, while I'm the primary communication facilitator. (Hmmmm, sounds a lot like our old jobs, doesn't it? I was joking with Rick the other day when our forwarded mail finally caught up with us and we had to have a meeting, create a project plan and assign each other tasks for handling the correspondence. Just kidding!) Rick keeps a couple databases for our Magellan CrossOver GPS and favorite fly tying patterns. I've been working on photos and creating a blog. And somehow the topic of computers usually comes up in conversation with new friends and we enjoy sharing what we know with them.

Living In A Motorhome - Who Really Needs A Big House?

I'm sure it's no suprise to you, but this "retired" lifestyle has not been difficult for us to get used to. Having traveled in a 28' 5th wheel trailer (no slideouts) for many years during the 1980's, we knew we wanted to travel again. We knew we could manage the close living quarters and the nomadic lifestyle. Oh yeah, and the opportunity to fish the great rivers and lakes of this beautiful country.

This time we are in a bigger RV, a 36' class A motorhome with 2 slideouts and all the niceties of a modern home. In fact, this 2008 Monaco Cayman motorhome has a lot of features and comforts that our 'sticks & bricks' home does not have. I'm sure others would not be as happy as we are and we understand the reason some need to stay 'rooted'. But we are really happy to be able to pick up and go where the weather (and the fishing) is good!

Some friends and family have asked us "What keeps you busy?" and "What do you do with your time?" And I'm sure there are some who don't really care at all. But this is our blog and we are going to try to share the pros and cons, just in case you want to give it a try someday soon.

Living in an RV would be a challenge for those who need lots of space (or a large house). There are reasons for needing lots of space (lots of stuff, needing a quiet place to get away, lots of hobbies) so as you shop for your RV, try to picture yourself living in it. There are some really large motorhomes available today, some as long as 45'. Ours is a 35SBD, and is almost 36' long. We like to say it's big enough for us to live in, but small enough to get into the remote campgrounds near the rivers. We like ours because it has the ability to carry a lot of fishing equipment and other important stuff we like to have (food, clothes, etc). The CCC or Cargo Carry Capacity on our Cayman is more than 4600 pounds. With any RV or vehicle, it's important to know it's limits. You need to be safe!

I like to think we have 5 or 6 different zones in our medium-sized motorhome (ok, that might be a stretch), not counting the great outdoor patio just beyond our front door. The two front seats swivel around and are utilized for the comfortable seating and the fabulous view we often have. Our windshild is one-piece, what they call Pana-View. When we are parked, we will sit in the front chairs at the end of the day, watching the sunset. In our living room area Rick has a very cushy leather swivel rocker recliner and Mic has a leather couch (aka queen air bed). The slideout in the living area (streetside) opens up the front of the motorhome and provides lots of space. The dinette table with cushioned bench seats is a great place for the laptops/printer, puzzles, game of chess, reading, and eating. The kitchen area is large enough for our needs, especially since Rick loves to barbeque. The bathroom area can be closed off from the living area and has lots of space for showering and dressing. The bedroom has a slideout also and can be closed off for privacy and an afternoon nap. We have lots of windows throughout that provide great views and really help to give a feeling of open space. And I mentioned our patio with the camp chairs and picnic table under the awning. If the view is not what we expect or the weather is not warm enough, we just move our home-on-wheels to another place. Love it!
This is Mic's workstation with her laptop. Great view!

Where Are We???

We are at the Lake Minden Thousand Trails park in Nicolaus, CA about an hour north of Sacramento, enjoying the sunshine before heading north into Oregon. We plan to be at the South Jetty Thousand Trails Park on the coast of Oregon around the middle of April. Friends in Oregon tell us it's still very cold there so we slowed down a bit. We'll visit our motorhome dealer, Guaranty RV in Junction City, and the Monaco Motorcoach factory in Harrisburg before moving north along the Oregon coast in May. Check back for updates!

Our NEW Mobile Fishing Lodge - A 2008 Cayman Motorhome