Easin' Along

After Helen (adorable wife) and I delivered Sherman to the Cruise America dealership in California and returned home, we knew that we had been bitten by the RV bug. Our cross country adventure was wonderful and gave us much to think about in terms of our lifestyle in retirement.

It was not long before I began looking into the options for RVs–well aware that the options are endless.  The choices include motor homes; fifth wheel trailers, towable trailers, pop-up campers and each of those come in so many sizes, prices, and configurations that it can boggle the mind. Nevertheless, we were able to sort through a few of the potential options based on our experience with Sherman.

First, because we like to explore the points of interest, and experience the food and drink in the areas where we are staying, we wanted to have a vehicle available to us and not have to move about in a large motor home. Therefore, we decided on a towable trailer. Second, because we usually stay in a new area for two or three days before moving on to a new spot, we would do fine in a smaller RV without feeling too confined.  We never felt cramped in Sherman.  Third, and probably the most definitive item on the list, we wanted to keep the impact on the budget within a reasonable range.  After all, we are retired…

Meet Bertha…a used (2015 model) towable camping trailer that followed me home after spending a couple of days at the local Camping World dealership. Bertha is a Coleman Camper that measures approximately 21 feet from front hitch to the rear bumper.  It has all the features that we considered important such as a refrigerator, cook-top, sink, shower, toilet, microwave, TV, stereo AM/FM/MP3, furnace and two air conditioners. It also has a queen size bed and plenty of storage space. We have all we need to enjoy Easin’ Along the retired road.

Once Bertha settled in, Helen’s nesting instincts took over. Her first mission was to develop the color scheme…something not within my range of talents. Bertha was decorated in varying hues of brown when she left the factory and we may end up recovering the couches and cushions before it is all said and done but, Helen is still experimenting and is leaning toward aqua. Again, I don’t do color.

She did a very smart thing and went to the local Goodwill and other thrift shops to find kitchen utensils such as pots, pan, skillets and other items. The prices were next to nothing for like-new items.  One great find was a perfectly good electric drip coffee maker (Black and Decker) for $3.00! We had enough cups and glassware on hand to fill the cabinets, and she bought plastic dinner plates and bowls from Amazon.

On our first camping trip, we ventured into a flea market/antique shop in Bryson City, NC and found an eight piece place setting of Lady Doris silverware that dated to 1929.  We splurged on this one and invested $55 in the set after driving a hard bargain with the shopkeeper. Once we apply a little polish, it will be a treasured addition to Bertha’s kitchen.

Other considerations came into play when deciding what (or whether) to purchase an RV.  Once we decided on the type—a towable trailer—we had to determine what we were going to pull it with.  Fortunately, I have a Dodge Dakota pickup truck (named Sophie) with enough towing capacity to haul Bertha. It’s not the ideal vehicle, but we were able to tow the camper over the North Carolina Mountains with no problems.  We just have to take it a little slower than I would like to protect Sophie’s transmission.

Another consideration was where we would keep Bertha when we were not on the road.  The restrictions in the neighborhood where we live do not allow campers, boats, etc, to be within view. After some additional research, I was able to find suitable storage at a facility within a ten-minute drive. Being somewhat obsessive about maintaining my toys in pristine condition, I purchased a cover for Bertha to keep her from being exposed to the elements.

So, after price, place, and pulling vehicle were determined, the final consideration ultimately came down to just how much were we going to use Bertha? My answer is… often. Fortunately, we live in one of the most beautiful parts of our country.  There is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park within 30 miles of our home and we love to visit there.  The Cherokee National Forest and Big South Fork Recreation Area are both within a two-hour drive. There is a food festival of some variety in our region almost every weekend. We also have the advantage of being able to use the facilities of our nation’s military installations which are amazing. And, as we have illustrated on four Easin’ Along road trips, there is our love of the road less traveled.

In summary, I feel certain that Bertha will become familiar to our readers.  Next week’s post will take you to Camp II, the annual event of the Appalachian Angler’s Society as well as to Cherokee, NC where Helen and I spent our first camping trip in a beautiful campground with Bertha parked beside Soco Creek.

Until then, Helen and I, and now Bertha, are looking forward to a great summer and send you our best as we go Easin’ Along.

 

Throughout Sherman’s March to the Sea, we’ve had some great stops along the way.  Helen (adorable wife) and I both loved White Sands, NM, and Cottonwood, AZ, but we probably saved the best for last.

As we pulled into our assigned campsite at Point Mugu, CA we were filled with mixed emotions. First, there was the exhilaration of arriving at such a beautiful setting and being joined by our son, his lovely wife and our grandchildren. There also was the acknowledgment that Sherman had reached his destination and another chapter of Easin’ Along down the retired road was about to conclude. Oh well, we didn’t dwell on that for long, there was much to do before we delivered Sherman to the stable and flew home.

Our campground was at the Point Mugu Naval Air Station, an installation located about 50 miles north of Los Angeles.  We drove north from our son’s home in the South Bay area of LA County and traveled through Santa Monica to our destination.  A marine layer had settled in over the coast and the sky was a bit gloomy during the trip and our first day in camp.  Nevertheless, we all brightened up when we were assigned to the front row directly above the beach. We backed into our spot, faced the Pacific Ocean, and hit the horn with a quick blast to signify the successful completion of Sherman’s March to the Sea.

Although there were a significant number of campers around, the beach seemed almost deserted. Our grandchildren changed that situation quickly and scampered about the sand building houses and teepees out of the tall bamboo poles they found along the seashore. Our grandson and his Mom constructed a teepee while our granddaughter built a playhouse, complete with a door and roof. Being the proud grandfather and a retired homebuilder, I was fascinated with the entire operation and offered my services as a consultant.  The offer was appreciated but rejected so I spent the afternoon taking pictures. Here are a few.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our first evening was spent around the campfire watching our son teach us the finer points of grilling pizza. The grandchildren wandered in and out of Sherman, delighted to have a new place to play. My job was to shake the sand out of my bed sheets after each of their visits.  It kept me busy.

This visit to Point Mugu would be a little different from previous stops on this trip.  Usually, we do a lot of sightseeing and exploring of the areas where we are staying.  Not so with this stop.  We were going to enjoy the beach and the family that we don’t see often enough since we live so far apart. Besides, Sherman wasn’t about to go out in that heavy California traffic until he absolutely had to. We were looking forward to day two.

The next morning Helen and I were up early and prepared our own breakfast in Sherman’s kitchen then welcomed the grandchildren for theirs.  Helen, known as BeBe to the children, was beaming at the pleasure of being surrounded by these two as is evident by this picture.  Her smile says it all.

At 7:00 am, the Star Spangled Banner could be heard all over Point Mugu.  I caught a great picture through Sherman’s windshield of a Dad and his two boys standing at attention until after the National Anthem finished.  Later, I found the Dad in the campground and got his email address so I could send him a copy of the photo.  I learned that he was the Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles and a Navy Reservist.  He was a great guy and certainly a good influence on his sons.

Day two turned out to be glorious. The marine layer burned off around noon and we were treated to the outstanding view of the beach and the northern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. A seal was swimming a short distance off the shore and made an occasional appearance above water.  

 

 

Point Mugu sits on a peninsula with the ocean on the western side and an estuary on the eastern side.  We were visiting during the time of the year when seals swim into the estuary for the annual mating season. During our morning beach walk, we could see hundreds of seals lying along the shoreline of the estuary.  We weren’t certain whether they were resting up for the big event or recuperating after it. Either way, they appeared very content.

Helen found several colorful clam shells to add to her shell collection while the rest of us played a game of Bocci Balls. I would love to tell Easin’ Along readers that we enjoyed an adventure a minute that afternoon, but frankly, we just reveled in the opportunity to walk the beach, sit beside the fire and enjoy each other’s company. Helen and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The next day was Sherman’s day to return to the stable.  What began as casual research into the RV lifestyle had ended in one more trip of a lifetime. Our mission had been to pick up Sherman from the Cruise America headquarters in Chicago and deliver it to the dealership in Carson, California within three weeks. We had completed the mission, making nine wonderful stopovers and traveled 4,083 miles.

 On the morning of our scheduled turn-in, Helen and I spent considerable time giving Sherman a good cleaning and made a quick stop to refill the propane tank as required. We arrived at the dealership at the appointed time and waited while Sherman was given a thorough inspection. Helen contacted Uber for a ride back to our son’s home and I gave a hearty wave to Otto in his usual position at the window in the door. I said my goodbyes to Sherman and gave him a gentle pat on the hood. “Well done, lad,” I said. “You’ve earned some time off.  I’ll remember forever Sherman’s March to the Sea”. 

After one more wave, it was time to be Easin’ Along.

(Note to subscribers: Earlier this week I had a “senior moment”. Somehow I accidently published this article long before it was ready for Easin’ Along readers. As a result, you received an email and I apologize for that. Here is the latest chapter in Sherman’s March to the Sea.)

Sometimes it’s just better to be lucky.  We left Arizona on a gorgeous day and began making our way toward Nevada in a northwesterly direction. We had a five-hour drive ahead of us to Las Vegas and a bit further to Nellis Air Force Base on the north side of town.  We had been told that Las Vegas traffic could be heavy and Sherman (our Cruise America RV) doesn’t like heavy.

The drive was going well but as we approached Lake Mead traffic began to thicken up.  That’s when the thought hit me…maybe we could get complimentary rooms at Harrah’s. Easin’ Along readers may recall that when we were driving to Shreveport ahead of a big storm, we called Harrah’s Hotel and Casino in Bossier City, LA to ask if rooms were available. We received a complimentary room that night because we are members of the Harrah’s rewards program. Maybe we should try our luck again.

I placed a call to the hotel, gave them my rewards number and asked about rates and availability for two nights. I was put on hold and then…Bingo! Like three cherries rolling up on a slot machine, we were told that we had complimentary rooms for two nights. There were high fives all around.  Even Sherman was looking forward to a couple of nights on the prowl…after all, “it’s Vegas, Baby”!

The sun was low in the sky as we pulled into town.  Our GPS led us toward the hotel, but it was slow going. Finally, we made a right turn and found ourselves among some huge high rise hotels and casinos.  It had been thirty years since I had been in Las Vegas and a lot had changed in that time. This is a big city now. Sherman marched down the strip like he owned it.

Check-in took some time, but it was worth the wait.  We were given a large suite with a view looking to the east.  Dark was approaching and the contrast of the evening sky and the Ferris wheel behind the hotel made for some interesting pictures. After dinner in the hotel, we made our way to the casino to see if we could capitalize on our good fortune for this day.

The next morning we took it kinda lazily. Although living in Sherman was in no way a hardship, it was nice to have large beds and a big shower. I looked out of the window and could see Sherman all by himself in the parking lot and gave him a big wave. He looked a bit lonely out there. 

Our first task for the day was to drive out to Nellis Air Force Base and do some commissary shopping. We also wanted to check out the camping area for future reference having been told that it was one of the nicest campgrounds in the military inventory. The drive from Harrah’s took about 25 minutes going north along I-15.

The campground was nearly full.  There had been a NASCAR race in Las Vegas the previous week and some of the race fans were still enjoying the Las Vegas atmosphere. I am always amazed by the size of some of the RVs and this campground was loaded with a few whoppers. Altogether, the campground was laid out nicely with full hookups and Wi-Fi. We hope to come back.

In addition to having a nice campground, Nellis AFB also has a great commissary and we had no trouble finding enough provisions to get us to California.  From the commissary parking lot, there was a lovely view of the snow-capped peaks in the distance. Again, we were blessed with amazing weather and I wanted to capture it with the camera.

Back in town, it was time to walk the city. This week was a big one in Las Vegas as it was the beginning of NCAA March Madness, the college basketball tournament. There were thousands of gamblers in town to fill out brackets and have a few bracket parties at the same time. The sidewalks were filled with fans waving banners of their favorite team while checking out whatever temptation was available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw it all.  There were scantily clad ladies making themselves available for picture posing that were upset when I took their picture before realizing that I needed to pay them.  They got over it.  I spotted only two Elvis impersonators, and only one of them was singing (badly). Sidewalk buskers were everywhere playing instruments, dancing, and some who were hawking escorts for the evening. I decided I couldn’t live like this and moved off the sidewalk and into one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever seen…The Bellagio.

The lobby of the hotel was enormous and made to look like a grand Italian Villa.  The ceiling of the lobby was adorned with brightly colored Chihuly glass flowers and I found it almost impossible to stop staring at the color.  There were huge sculptures elaborately decorated with flowers both real and artificial. This was an entertainment venue in itself.  We walked outside to watch the fountain display.  After our visit, I concluded that gambling must be good business.

That evening we enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner of Bouillabaisse in the hotel before trying out our luck once more. I did ok…Helen probably should have stayed in the room. Nevertheless, we had fun and called it an early evening.

Sometimes it’s good to be lucky. Walking back to our complimentary suite, we still considered ourselves to be extremely fortunate in many ways.  We’re living our dream and doing it while Easin’ Along the retired road. We’re both glad and lucky that you came with us.

Next week—Point Mugu, California, and our grandchildren will join us!!