Rantoul, IL.
63 deg. overcast, N. wind @ 4 mph.
Forecast = Partly cloudy, high temp. 77 deg. NNE winds @ 20 to 30 mph. 30% chance of rain.
Hmmm!!! It's the last day of June already. It's amazing how fast the time goes sometimes.
We've had a lot of rain the last 2 days, so not much has gotten done outside around here. The CG wi-fi is still out after it got hit by lightning this last Tuesday. They were supposed to have repaired it, but it still doesn't work. You can now get a signal from it, but it won't let you log on. : (
Quite a few RVs came in this weekend. There's a car show in the area and some of them are here for that. In fact, a few had large trailers behind their RVs when they first pulled in, that I presume either had cars in them or vendor items for the show.
Jim hasn't talked to Louise or Paul much because of the weather, but I would imagine that Louise is busy getting everything ready for the 4th of July Holiday. If this 4th is like ones in the past, this CG is pretty much booked up already.
Speaking of Holiday weekends, I hope all of you RVers out there have already made plans/reservations for the 4th. If not, do it right away. I can remember one of the first years that we were full-timing when Jim and Linda didn't make reservations for a major holiday, and we spent almost an entire day trying to find an RV park that had a vacancy! We finally found a site, but it was just pure luck that someone had cancelled their reservations at the last minute.
Jim has been working on the trip up into Michigan and Wisconsin, after Bobbie T gets repaired. He's penciled a few things in on the calendar, but they're written very lightly, so I won't even mention them yet. To be honest, until Bobbie T gets her repairs done and gets her new levelers installed, we won't know exactly when we'll actually be heading North from the Northern Indiana/Southern Michigan area. If there's any kind of glitch with any of that, it could cause changes in the rest of the trip.
I do know that Jim has made reservations for us at that RV Park on the North end of Lake Michigan, beginning on the 20th of July, so we definitely need to try to be up there by that time.
I really don't like reservations at all, because they really tie you to a schedule, and I'm glad that Jim and Linda don't either, but sometimes you just gotta make them to make sure you have a site.
Did you know that in 1778, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute?
Woof!!!
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Friday, June 28, 2013
A Friend To The Rescue and Plans Are Made
Rantoul, IL.
66 deg. clear, W. wind @ 7 mph.
Forecast = high temperature 82 deg. partly cloudy, NW wind @ 10 to 20 mph. 30% chance of rain.
What would humans do without friends? Oh, I suppose they'd muddle through, but it sure is nice when a friend comes to the rescue.
Dave, (One of the Illinois Bunch) that many of you will remember from previous posts, has been reading this blog and knew that Jim was thinking about going up to the Elkhart area to try to get the slideout problem taken care of. Well, Wednesday, Dave sent Jim an e-mail telling him about an RV Repair shop that he has used that is located in Middlebury, IN. Because he knows the owner, he had the owner's cell phone number and told Jim to go ahead and "drop" his name if he wanted to.
Jim really didn't have any idea of who to contact up there so this was a very welcome suggestion.
Yesterday morning, Jim called the number that Dave had given him and talked to Larry at Fox RV Inc. in Middlebury, IN. After talking to Larry about the slide problem plus a few other minor items that could use attention and then telling him when we would be in the area, Larry checked his books and said that he could get Bobbie T in to work on her on the 9th of July.
Wow!!! That's the day that Jim had originally planned to get up to that area and would give Larry plenty of time to work on Bobbie T. before he needed to take her up to White Pigeon, MI. for an appointment that Jim has made with Quadra Mfg. to have "Big Foot" levelers installed on the 12th!
Jim was very impressed with Larry. He seemed very knowledgeable about Bobbie T's slideout system and also seemed to know exactly what to do to check and repair the other minor problems that Jim told him about.
So, , , , , , now the plan is complete and I can tell you all about it. : ) We'll be leaving here on Monday, the 8th of July, (right after the 4th of July holiday weekend), head up to Middlebury for the appointment at Fox RV on the 9th, spend a few days doing touristy things in the Middlebury/Shipshewana area and then head up to White Pigeon on the 12th to get the levelers installed.
From there, the plan is to head on up into Michigan, cross the Mackinaw/Mackinac (?) bridge up into the U.P of Michigan, head across the U.P towards the West, stay at a CG that is right on the North end of Lake Michigan, near Manistique for at least 1 week, (probably 10 or 11 days), then head into Wisconsin to see Linda's brother, Glenn, (who lives way over on the Western edge of Wisconsin), before turning South and returning here to Rantoul, arriving back here sometime around the 10th of August.
Of course there are things that they want to see and places they want to go along the way, but I don't have all the details of that. I'll be sure to keep you posted on anything I find out though. ; )
Oh, and don't forget, all these plans are written in pencil, and Jim still has that big eraser, so everything is subject to change. ; )
A Point to Ponder : You need only two tools. WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape.
Thanks, Dave.
Woof!!!
66 deg. clear, W. wind @ 7 mph.
Forecast = high temperature 82 deg. partly cloudy, NW wind @ 10 to 20 mph. 30% chance of rain.
What would humans do without friends? Oh, I suppose they'd muddle through, but it sure is nice when a friend comes to the rescue.
Dave, (One of the Illinois Bunch) that many of you will remember from previous posts, has been reading this blog and knew that Jim was thinking about going up to the Elkhart area to try to get the slideout problem taken care of. Well, Wednesday, Dave sent Jim an e-mail telling him about an RV Repair shop that he has used that is located in Middlebury, IN. Because he knows the owner, he had the owner's cell phone number and told Jim to go ahead and "drop" his name if he wanted to.
Jim really didn't have any idea of who to contact up there so this was a very welcome suggestion.
Yesterday morning, Jim called the number that Dave had given him and talked to Larry at Fox RV Inc. in Middlebury, IN. After talking to Larry about the slide problem plus a few other minor items that could use attention and then telling him when we would be in the area, Larry checked his books and said that he could get Bobbie T in to work on her on the 9th of July.
Wow!!! That's the day that Jim had originally planned to get up to that area and would give Larry plenty of time to work on Bobbie T. before he needed to take her up to White Pigeon, MI. for an appointment that Jim has made with Quadra Mfg. to have "Big Foot" levelers installed on the 12th!
Jim was very impressed with Larry. He seemed very knowledgeable about Bobbie T's slideout system and also seemed to know exactly what to do to check and repair the other minor problems that Jim told him about.
So, , , , , , now the plan is complete and I can tell you all about it. : ) We'll be leaving here on Monday, the 8th of July, (right after the 4th of July holiday weekend), head up to Middlebury for the appointment at Fox RV on the 9th, spend a few days doing touristy things in the Middlebury/Shipshewana area and then head up to White Pigeon on the 12th to get the levelers installed.
From there, the plan is to head on up into Michigan, cross the Mackinaw/Mackinac (?) bridge up into the U.P of Michigan, head across the U.P towards the West, stay at a CG that is right on the North end of Lake Michigan, near Manistique for at least 1 week, (probably 10 or 11 days), then head into Wisconsin to see Linda's brother, Glenn, (who lives way over on the Western edge of Wisconsin), before turning South and returning here to Rantoul, arriving back here sometime around the 10th of August.
Of course there are things that they want to see and places they want to go along the way, but I don't have all the details of that. I'll be sure to keep you posted on anything I find out though. ; )
Oh, and don't forget, all these plans are written in pencil, and Jim still has that big eraser, so everything is subject to change. ; )
A Point to Ponder : You need only two tools. WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape.
Thanks, Dave.
Woof!!!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
More On The Slide Out Brake and More Storms
Rantoul, IL.
70 deg. partly cloudy, S. wind @ 10 mph.
Forecast = high temp. 86 deg. 60% chance of T-storms, SW wind @ 15 to 20 mph.
Jim did check that slideout motor yesterday morning, but the news is not good. After removing the panel in the top of the storage compartment, he discovered that the end of the electric motor, where the brake is located, is stuck back in an area that is between the top of the compartment and the slideout floor.
The suggestion that Jim received on line was to work the brake lever on the motor back and forth a few times to free it up if it was stuck. Well, Jim was able to just touch the brake release lever with his fingers and there was no way that he could have pressed the spring lock while releasing the lever, much less move the lever. : (
So, Jim put the panel back on and came back inside.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we could head up to the Elkhart, IN. area after the 4th of July, so now Jim will research the possibility of getting the problems solved up there.
We had heavy afternoon T-storms go through this area again yesterday. Lots of rain, quite a bit of wind, and severe lightning!! In fact, after one very close lightning strike, our power went out for a short time. Since it was storming, Jim and Linda didn't go back to Walgreens to pick up the rest of Linda's prescriptions. Hopefully they'll be able to get over there today, but the local radar is already showing lots of pretty colors, so they'll have to time the trip between storms.
Did you know that today is "National Canoe Day"?
Woof!!!
70 deg. partly cloudy, S. wind @ 10 mph.
Forecast = high temp. 86 deg. 60% chance of T-storms, SW wind @ 15 to 20 mph.
Jim did check that slideout motor yesterday morning, but the news is not good. After removing the panel in the top of the storage compartment, he discovered that the end of the electric motor, where the brake is located, is stuck back in an area that is between the top of the compartment and the slideout floor.
The suggestion that Jim received on line was to work the brake lever on the motor back and forth a few times to free it up if it was stuck. Well, Jim was able to just touch the brake release lever with his fingers and there was no way that he could have pressed the spring lock while releasing the lever, much less move the lever. : (
So, Jim put the panel back on and came back inside.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we could head up to the Elkhart, IN. area after the 4th of July, so now Jim will research the possibility of getting the problems solved up there.
We had heavy afternoon T-storms go through this area again yesterday. Lots of rain, quite a bit of wind, and severe lightning!! In fact, after one very close lightning strike, our power went out for a short time. Since it was storming, Jim and Linda didn't go back to Walgreens to pick up the rest of Linda's prescriptions. Hopefully they'll be able to get over there today, but the local radar is already showing lots of pretty colors, so they'll have to time the trip between storms.
Did you know that today is "National Canoe Day"?
Woof!!!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
The Weather Puts A Brake On Solving The Brake Problem
Rantoul, IL
76 deg. clear, S. wind @ 8 mph.
Forecast = High temp. 91 deg. partly cloudy, 30% chance of rain, SW wind @ 15 to 20 mph.
Because of off and on showers, Jim didn't tackle the slideout brake problem yesterday. Instead, he did some work on the computer and took Linda over to Walgreen's so that she could get her prescriptions refilled and then went to the Post Office to pick up the mail.
Everything went smooth at Walgreens, but of course, they didn't have enough of one of her prescriptions, so they'll have to go back again, either this afternoon or tomorrow. : (
For dinner, Jim cooked part of a ham steak out on the grill to make sandwiches. While he was out there cooking, it started clouding up to the West and soon after he and Linda were done eating, we had quite a storm go through this area.
Don't know the exact figures, but there were reports of winds over 60 mph. and we had some heavy rain! The wind was strong enough that Jim brought in Bobbie T's bedroom slideout because the slideout awning was flapping so violently that it was shaking the whole RV. There's some small branches down here in the park, but I haven't seen or heard of any major damage in the area.
Oh, and this morning on TV, they're forecasting more of the same this afternoon!!!! : (
Today, Jim's hoping to get out there and check out that slideout brake. He and Linda also need to do some shopping which will mean a trip down to Champaign.
A Point to Ponder : The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
76 deg. clear, S. wind @ 8 mph.
Forecast = High temp. 91 deg. partly cloudy, 30% chance of rain, SW wind @ 15 to 20 mph.
Because of off and on showers, Jim didn't tackle the slideout brake problem yesterday. Instead, he did some work on the computer and took Linda over to Walgreen's so that she could get her prescriptions refilled and then went to the Post Office to pick up the mail.
Everything went smooth at Walgreens, but of course, they didn't have enough of one of her prescriptions, so they'll have to go back again, either this afternoon or tomorrow. : (
For dinner, Jim cooked part of a ham steak out on the grill to make sandwiches. While he was out there cooking, it started clouding up to the West and soon after he and Linda were done eating, we had quite a storm go through this area.
Don't know the exact figures, but there were reports of winds over 60 mph. and we had some heavy rain! The wind was strong enough that Jim brought in Bobbie T's bedroom slideout because the slideout awning was flapping so violently that it was shaking the whole RV. There's some small branches down here in the park, but I haven't seen or heard of any major damage in the area.
Oh, and this morning on TV, they're forecasting more of the same this afternoon!!!! : (
Today, Jim's hoping to get out there and check out that slideout brake. He and Linda also need to do some shopping which will mean a trip down to Champaign.
A Point to Ponder : The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
Monday, June 24, 2013
A Slideout Problem and Doing Some Research
Rantoul, IL.
68 deg. scattered clouds, no wind.
Forecast = Partly cloudy with a 40% chance of a thunderstorm. High of 90F. Winds from the SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
On the way back from Kankakee the other day, we had a problem with the dinette slide. As we were traveling along, the slide started to work its way out, just a little. The farther we drove, the more the slide inched it's way out.
At one point, Jim pulled onto an Interstate off ramp, and retracted the slide back to it's closed position. As we continued to travel down I-57, the slide soon started moving out again and when we got to a rest area, Jim pulled Bobbie T in and again retracted the slide, which by this time was extended about 2 inches.
We still had about 25 miles to go so Jim brought in a couple short pieces of 2X4 lumber and wedged them between the slideout floor and the main floor. (Yankee ingenuity?) After doing that, we successfully returned here to Prairie Pines with the bottom of the slide only moving out about 1/2 inch or so.
Now, why did the slide all of a sudden start to extend as we were traveling? Well, by going on the Internet, and doing some research, Jim found out that on Bobbie T's dinette slide, there is a brake on the electric motor that is supposed to stop that from happening. Either the brake is broken or there is some corrosion or rust that is stopping it from operating properly.
In the next day or so, Jim will be removing a plate in the top of the basement compartment, (just below the slide), and check it out. He has some suggestions on what to do, so he should be able to determine if it's broken, (needing a motor/gear assembly), or just corroded. If it's corroded, it should be fairly easy to fix. If it's broken, a new motor/gear assembly will have to be ordered.
Or, , , , , , , In about 2 weeks, (right after the 4th of July weekend), we could head up to the Elkhart, IN. area, and he may be able to pick up one there. To do that, he would have to block the slide with some boards so that the slide could not move out on the way up there, but that's very doable.
Not much else been happening around here. We've had showers and T-storms most days, (some of them pretty severe), it's been quite warm in the afternoons, with highs around 90, so not much has been done outside. Jim and Linda went to the Family Table Restaurant last night for dinner and had another very good meal, and Jim has been working out the details of our up-coming trip in 2 weeks.
A Point to Ponder: If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
Woof!!!
68 deg. scattered clouds, no wind.
Forecast = Partly cloudy with a 40% chance of a thunderstorm. High of 90F. Winds from the SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
On the way back from Kankakee the other day, we had a problem with the dinette slide. As we were traveling along, the slide started to work its way out, just a little. The farther we drove, the more the slide inched it's way out.
At one point, Jim pulled onto an Interstate off ramp, and retracted the slide back to it's closed position. As we continued to travel down I-57, the slide soon started moving out again and when we got to a rest area, Jim pulled Bobbie T in and again retracted the slide, which by this time was extended about 2 inches.
We still had about 25 miles to go so Jim brought in a couple short pieces of 2X4 lumber and wedged them between the slideout floor and the main floor. (Yankee ingenuity?) After doing that, we successfully returned here to Prairie Pines with the bottom of the slide only moving out about 1/2 inch or so.
Now, why did the slide all of a sudden start to extend as we were traveling? Well, by going on the Internet, and doing some research, Jim found out that on Bobbie T's dinette slide, there is a brake on the electric motor that is supposed to stop that from happening. Either the brake is broken or there is some corrosion or rust that is stopping it from operating properly.
In the next day or so, Jim will be removing a plate in the top of the basement compartment, (just below the slide), and check it out. He has some suggestions on what to do, so he should be able to determine if it's broken, (needing a motor/gear assembly), or just corroded. If it's corroded, it should be fairly easy to fix. If it's broken, a new motor/gear assembly will have to be ordered.
Or, , , , , , , In about 2 weeks, (right after the 4th of July weekend), we could head up to the Elkhart, IN. area, and he may be able to pick up one there. To do that, he would have to block the slide with some boards so that the slide could not move out on the way up there, but that's very doable.
Not much else been happening around here. We've had showers and T-storms most days, (some of them pretty severe), it's been quite warm in the afternoons, with highs around 90, so not much has been done outside. Jim and Linda went to the Family Table Restaurant last night for dinner and had another very good meal, and Jim has been working out the details of our up-coming trip in 2 weeks.
A Point to Ponder: If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
Woof!!!
Friday, June 21, 2013
Catching Up On The Trip To Kankakee
Rantoul, IL.
66 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = High temp. 91 deg. clear, S. wind @ 10 to 15 mph.
We're back from our little jaunt up to Kankakee. We didn't have an Internet signal that was unusable at the State Park up there, so today, I'll try to get you caught up.
Monday, after dumping the tanks and getting a few last minute things done, we pulled out of the Prairie Pines CG about 10:20 and headed North on US 45. 45 parallels I-57 and was a major highway back before Interstate Highways. We followed 45 up to Ashkum where detour signs directed us over to I-57. 57 then brought us up and around Kankakee and to IL Rt. 50. Rt. 50 took us South to Armor Rd, which took us west to IL Rt. 102, which took us along the Kankakee River and to the Kankakee River State Park.
It was 12:05 and we had traveled 76 miles when we pulled into the Potawatomi Campground section. Then, after registering, we drove to the Oak loop section where Jim backed Bobbie T into site #6.
66 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = High temp. 91 deg. clear, S. wind @ 10 to 15 mph.
We're back from our little jaunt up to Kankakee. We didn't have an Internet signal that was unusable at the State Park up there, so today, I'll try to get you caught up.
Monday, after dumping the tanks and getting a few last minute things done, we pulled out of the Prairie Pines CG about 10:20 and headed North on US 45. 45 parallels I-57 and was a major highway back before Interstate Highways. We followed 45 up to Ashkum where detour signs directed us over to I-57. 57 then brought us up and around Kankakee and to IL Rt. 50. Rt. 50 took us South to Armor Rd, which took us west to IL Rt. 102, which took us along the Kankakee River and to the Kankakee River State Park.
It was 12:05 and we had traveled 76 miles when we pulled into the Potawatomi Campground section. Then, after registering, we drove to the Oak loop section where Jim backed Bobbie T into site #6.
Site #6 was nice and level, had 50 amp electric, some shade, and like all the sites, a picnic table and a fire ring.
To be honest, neither Jim or Linda really cared too much what the site was like because they knew that they weren't going to be spending much time there, as this trip was to take care of some business and to visit with family and friends.
Tuesday morning, Jim and Linda took CLT and headed to Wilmington, IL, where they had a meeting with their financial advisor. After discussing some options and making a few small changes to their investments, they drove over to the Chick A Dee Restaurant and had breakfast for lunch.
After lunch, they drove to Peotone, Il, (the town where Jim and Linda used to live), and went to the cemetery, East of town, where Jim's parents are buried as well as many of his ancestors.
After spending almost 2 hours, driving/walking around in the cemetery and finding and taking photos of almost all of the graves, they headed over to Denny and Bev's house in town.
As many of you know, Denny and Bev are 1/3 of the "Illinois Bunch" that Jim and Linda usually go to visit in Tampa, FL every winter, and, who usually come here to the Prairie Pines CG in Rantoul, when we're here in the summer.
Jim and Denny lived about a block apart when they were kids, so have been friends for many, many years. They always seem to enjoy each other's company and always enjoy visiting.
Bev ordered a Pizza for dinner and after eating, visiting some more and h and h, (hugs and handshakes), Jim and Linda returned to the State Park.
Wednesday Jim and Linda took CLT and headed to Monee, IL to see Jim's cousin, Adeline. She lost her husband a couple years ago, and really enjoys seeing, "Jimmy" and Linda. ; ) After having lunch with Adeline and visiting for awhile, they headed over to Momence, IL. to visit with Barb.
Barb is a long time friend of both Jim and Linda's. She lived down in Florida for awhile, and some of you long time readers may remember Jim and Linda going to visit her at her house down there. After visiting for awhile, they all took Barb's car and headed to a family style restaurant in Momence and enjoyed a nice dinner and more visiting.
After eating, there were more hugs and then Jim and Linda came back to the State Park.
Yesterday morning, we left the Kankakee State Park about 10:00, retraced our route to I-57 and then brought 57 all the way down here to Rantoul. When we got into Rantoul, Jim pulled Bobbie T into a Casey's Gas Station and filled her up with 87 octane before returning here to Prairie Pines.
It was 11:55 when we pulled back into site #7 and we had traveled 77 miles. and stopped for gas.
All in all, it was a very good trip. Everything was accomplished that Jim and Linda wanted to do, and they got to see and visit with some very good friends and family.
Did you know that Martha Washington was born on this date in 1731?
Woof!!!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Made It To Kankakee
Very weak Internet signal, will post about trip when we get back to Rantoul
Woof!!!!
Woof!!!!
Monday, June 17, 2013
Getting Ready
Rantoul, IL.
67 deg. patchy fog, no wind.
Forecast = high temp. 88 deg. partly cloudy, 20% chance of rain, SW wind @ 4 mph.
Hasn't been a whole lot to write about lately. Thursday, Jim and Linda did go and get groceries. Bought too many as usual, but did manage to get them all put away into cabinets, drawers and the refrigerator.
Friday, Jim gave CLT a bath, and then because the back part of Bobbie T wasn't too bad, he washed Bobbie T's cab and front front cap, (the part of her that's above the cab) to get the tree sap and bugs off.
Saturday and Sunday, Jim and Linda both started getting everything ready to travel. Jim checked tires, fluid levels, put the tow bar back on the front of CLT, and re-arranged some of the storage compartments. Meanwhile, Linda worked on re-organizing the inside cabinets so that everything would stay put as we traveled and stored items that she and Jim won't need until we return.
Last night, they headed over to Arby's to get a sandwich for dinner, and then when they returned, Jim hooked CLT up to the back of Bobbie T.
Jim had a good Father's Day yesterday. Jeff called from Oregon, Mike called From North Carolina and Laura called from Florida. He talked to all of them for quite awhile and got caught up on what they've been doing lately. ; )
This morning, Jim will dump the tanks, unhook the water and sewer hoses and electric, while Linda stores away some items inside. Then, sometime between 10:00 and 11:00 we'll pull out and head North. It's only about 75 to 80 miles up to the State Park near Kankakee, so it won't take us too long to get there.
It should be a pretty easy trip. : )
Did you know that on this date in 1928 - Amelia Earhart began the flight that made her the first woman to successfully fly across the Atlantic Ocean?
Woof!!!
67 deg. patchy fog, no wind.
Forecast = high temp. 88 deg. partly cloudy, 20% chance of rain, SW wind @ 4 mph.
Hasn't been a whole lot to write about lately. Thursday, Jim and Linda did go and get groceries. Bought too many as usual, but did manage to get them all put away into cabinets, drawers and the refrigerator.
Friday, Jim gave CLT a bath, and then because the back part of Bobbie T wasn't too bad, he washed Bobbie T's cab and front front cap, (the part of her that's above the cab) to get the tree sap and bugs off.
Saturday and Sunday, Jim and Linda both started getting everything ready to travel. Jim checked tires, fluid levels, put the tow bar back on the front of CLT, and re-arranged some of the storage compartments. Meanwhile, Linda worked on re-organizing the inside cabinets so that everything would stay put as we traveled and stored items that she and Jim won't need until we return.
Last night, they headed over to Arby's to get a sandwich for dinner, and then when they returned, Jim hooked CLT up to the back of Bobbie T.
Jim had a good Father's Day yesterday. Jeff called from Oregon, Mike called From North Carolina and Laura called from Florida. He talked to all of them for quite awhile and got caught up on what they've been doing lately. ; )
This morning, Jim will dump the tanks, unhook the water and sewer hoses and electric, while Linda stores away some items inside. Then, sometime between 10:00 and 11:00 we'll pull out and head North. It's only about 75 to 80 miles up to the State Park near Kankakee, so it won't take us too long to get there.
It should be a pretty easy trip. : )
Did you know that on this date in 1928 - Amelia Earhart began the flight that made her the first woman to successfully fly across the Atlantic Ocean?
Woof!!!
Thursday, June 13, 2013
They Don't Understand
Rantoul, IL
68 deg. rain, NW wind @ 11 mph.
Forecast = High temp. 81 deg. Partly cloudy in the morning, then clear. NW wind @ 10 to 20 mph.
Received a comment on yesterday's post from Rod, wanting to know if we would lose our site here in Rantoul when we head up to Kankakee on Monday?
Well, yesterday morning, Jim went over and told Louise what our plans were and she said that it was not a problem and that our site would be here when we got back, and in fact, she said that if Jim wanted to leave his bicycle locked to the picnic table while we're gone, that would be OK too.
Louise and Paul have been really good to us throughout the years, and that's one of the main reasons we keep coming back here year after year. : )
Oh, I want to share with you, a kind of strange e-mail that Jim and Linda received from their telephone company yesterday. This is what it said.
"Because your safety is our top concern, here are some safety tips to help you prepare in case a hurricane affects Sioux Falls".
Then the e-mail went on to list the things that you should do to prepare for the storms.
Now, the last time I checked, there weren't too many hurricanes going through the Sioux Falls Area. I guess phone companies just don't understand our traveling lifestyle and the fact that we have a phone number that was issued in Florida but have the billing address in Sioux Falls, SD. ; )
My guess is that the e-mail was generated by a computer and sent to everyone who has a phone number with a FL prefix.
Last night, Jim and Linda were talking about going to the grocery store today, so they may do that. If not, I'm sure that they'll start getting Bobbie T and CLT ready to travel. We've been here a month already so there's quite a bit of "stuff" that needs to be packed away. ; )
Actually, it shouldn't take too long to get ready to travel, but after you've been someplace for a while, it seems like its going to be a big job. ; )
Did you know that on this date in 1920 - The U.S. Post Office Department ruled that children may not be sent by parcel post?
Woof!!!
68 deg. rain, NW wind @ 11 mph.
Forecast = High temp. 81 deg. Partly cloudy in the morning, then clear. NW wind @ 10 to 20 mph.
Received a comment on yesterday's post from Rod, wanting to know if we would lose our site here in Rantoul when we head up to Kankakee on Monday?
Well, yesterday morning, Jim went over and told Louise what our plans were and she said that it was not a problem and that our site would be here when we got back, and in fact, she said that if Jim wanted to leave his bicycle locked to the picnic table while we're gone, that would be OK too.
Louise and Paul have been really good to us throughout the years, and that's one of the main reasons we keep coming back here year after year. : )
Oh, I want to share with you, a kind of strange e-mail that Jim and Linda received from their telephone company yesterday. This is what it said.
"Because your safety is our top concern, here are some safety tips to help you prepare in case a hurricane affects Sioux Falls".
Then the e-mail went on to list the things that you should do to prepare for the storms.
Now, the last time I checked, there weren't too many hurricanes going through the Sioux Falls Area. I guess phone companies just don't understand our traveling lifestyle and the fact that we have a phone number that was issued in Florida but have the billing address in Sioux Falls, SD. ; )
My guess is that the e-mail was generated by a computer and sent to everyone who has a phone number with a FL prefix.
Last night, Jim and Linda were talking about going to the grocery store today, so they may do that. If not, I'm sure that they'll start getting Bobbie T and CLT ready to travel. We've been here a month already so there's quite a bit of "stuff" that needs to be packed away. ; )
Actually, it shouldn't take too long to get ready to travel, but after you've been someplace for a while, it seems like its going to be a big job. ; )
Did you know that on this date in 1920 - The U.S. Post Office Department ruled that children may not be sent by parcel post?
Woof!!!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Making Plans
Rantoul, IL.
70 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = High temp. 91 deg. 40% chance of T-storms SSW wind @ 5 to 20 mph.
Not much been going on here at the Prairie Pines CG lately, but yesterday, Jim and Linda sat down and talked about what they wanted / needed to get accomplished while we're here. Well, one thing led to another and soon they were on the phone, calling friends and relatives in the Kankakee / Peotone area to see when they would be available for visits.
It soon became apparent that next week would work the best for everyone, so they called their financial advisor (the need to do thing), and made an appointment with him for next Tuesday. Then, after figuring which days would be best to stop and see the different people that they wanted to visit with, they called everyone back and set up days and approximate times when it would work the best for everyone.
Now, by this time, I'm sure that you've realized that this had turned into a multiple day thing. Being that it's somewhere between 80 and 100 miles, (one way), up there from here, it just didn't make any sense to go back and forth 2 or 3 days in a row. So, it was decided that the best thing to do would be to take Bobbie T up to the Kankakee area for 2 or 3 nights and do the visiting / business on day trips from there.
Being that we would be there for only 3 or 4 nights and it would be in the middle of the week, it was decided that the best place to stay would be the Kankakee River State Park, which is right on the Kankakee River, just a little NW of Kankakee.
Even though Jim and Linda lived in that area for many years and they did go to the park many times for picnics and to just relax by the river, they never went camping there, so it will be a new experience for all of us! ; ) By all accounts, it should be pretty nice, especially since we won't be there on the weekend when it can get crowded.
So, that's Plan A. We'll leave here next Monday and spend 2 or 3 nights at the State Park and then Thursday or Friday, after all the business and visiting is taken care of, we'll come back down here to Rantoul, where we'll stay until after the 4th of July weekend.
So, what's happening after the 4th of July weekend? Well, there's more plans in the works, but that'll have to wait for another post. ; )
Stay tuned!!!
Did you know that today is "National Peanut Butter Cookie Day"?
Woof!!!
70 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = High temp. 91 deg. 40% chance of T-storms SSW wind @ 5 to 20 mph.
Not much been going on here at the Prairie Pines CG lately, but yesterday, Jim and Linda sat down and talked about what they wanted / needed to get accomplished while we're here. Well, one thing led to another and soon they were on the phone, calling friends and relatives in the Kankakee / Peotone area to see when they would be available for visits.
It soon became apparent that next week would work the best for everyone, so they called their financial advisor (the need to do thing), and made an appointment with him for next Tuesday. Then, after figuring which days would be best to stop and see the different people that they wanted to visit with, they called everyone back and set up days and approximate times when it would work the best for everyone.
Now, by this time, I'm sure that you've realized that this had turned into a multiple day thing. Being that it's somewhere between 80 and 100 miles, (one way), up there from here, it just didn't make any sense to go back and forth 2 or 3 days in a row. So, it was decided that the best thing to do would be to take Bobbie T up to the Kankakee area for 2 or 3 nights and do the visiting / business on day trips from there.
Being that we would be there for only 3 or 4 nights and it would be in the middle of the week, it was decided that the best place to stay would be the Kankakee River State Park, which is right on the Kankakee River, just a little NW of Kankakee.
Even though Jim and Linda lived in that area for many years and they did go to the park many times for picnics and to just relax by the river, they never went camping there, so it will be a new experience for all of us! ; ) By all accounts, it should be pretty nice, especially since we won't be there on the weekend when it can get crowded.
So, that's Plan A. We'll leave here next Monday and spend 2 or 3 nights at the State Park and then Thursday or Friday, after all the business and visiting is taken care of, we'll come back down here to Rantoul, where we'll stay until after the 4th of July weekend.
So, what's happening after the 4th of July weekend? Well, there's more plans in the works, but that'll have to wait for another post. ; )
Stay tuned!!!
Did you know that today is "National Peanut Butter Cookie Day"?
Woof!!!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
The Cookout
Rantoul, IL.
62 deg. Partly cloudy, SE wind @ 4 mph.
Forecast = High temp 81 deg. partly cloudy with a 60% chance of T storms this afternoon, SE wind @ 10 to 15 mph.
Yesterday turned out to be a very nice day, weatherwise. One of those "Chamber of Commerce" days when everyone is sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine, the very comfortable temperatures and a light breeze that was blowing, just enough to keep the bugs away. ; )
In fact, it was a perfect day for the cookout that Paul and Louise had planned.
I guess it was around 4:30 when Jim and Linda headed over to the cookout. When they arrived, Louise was getting some "adult beverages" ready and bringing food out of their RV.
While Louise and Linda were talking, (far left in the photo below), Paul was relaxing and enjoying the great weather.
Sometimes when Louise and Paul have a cookout, she invites a lot of people, but this time it was a small gathering, which was nice. In the photo below, you can see Gary back by the grill, Mary, walking and Linda sitting at the table.
Gary took on the "cooking duties", and grilled up some very good boneless pork chops, Mary brought a pasta salad, Louise made some deviled eggs and potato salad and Linda took some sugar free desserts that she had made during the afternoon.
Both Jim and Linda said that everything was delicious and everyone seemed to have a good time visiting.
Thank you Paul and Louise!!!!
I think it was about 7:30 or so when Jim and Linda came back over here. After getting the leftover dessert and a couple pork chops, (that Louise sent along), put away, they watched TV, read and played with the computer until bedtime.
I don't think that there's anything planned for today. Bobbie T needs some cleaning inside and the freezer needs to be defrosted. Both Bobbie T and CLT still need to be washed, but they're forecasting T-Storms for this afternoon, so I doubt if that will happen today.
I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. ; )
A Point to Ponder : A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
62 deg. Partly cloudy, SE wind @ 4 mph.
Forecast = High temp 81 deg. partly cloudy with a 60% chance of T storms this afternoon, SE wind @ 10 to 15 mph.
Yesterday turned out to be a very nice day, weatherwise. One of those "Chamber of Commerce" days when everyone is sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine, the very comfortable temperatures and a light breeze that was blowing, just enough to keep the bugs away. ; )
In fact, it was a perfect day for the cookout that Paul and Louise had planned.
I guess it was around 4:30 when Jim and Linda headed over to the cookout. When they arrived, Louise was getting some "adult beverages" ready and bringing food out of their RV.
While Louise and Linda were talking, (far left in the photo below), Paul was relaxing and enjoying the great weather.
Sometimes when Louise and Paul have a cookout, she invites a lot of people, but this time it was a small gathering, which was nice. In the photo below, you can see Gary back by the grill, Mary, walking and Linda sitting at the table.
Gary took on the "cooking duties", and grilled up some very good boneless pork chops, Mary brought a pasta salad, Louise made some deviled eggs and potato salad and Linda took some sugar free desserts that she had made during the afternoon.
Both Jim and Linda said that everything was delicious and everyone seemed to have a good time visiting.
Thank you Paul and Louise!!!!
I think it was about 7:30 or so when Jim and Linda came back over here. After getting the leftover dessert and a couple pork chops, (that Louise sent along), put away, they watched TV, read and played with the computer until bedtime.
I don't think that there's anything planned for today. Bobbie T needs some cleaning inside and the freezer needs to be defrosted. Both Bobbie T and CLT still need to be washed, but they're forecasting T-Storms for this afternoon, so I doubt if that will happen today.
I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. ; )
A Point to Ponder : A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
A Treasure Hunt and A Cookout
Rantoul, IL.
54 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Clear in the morning, then partly cloudy. High of 77F. Winds less than 5 mph.
I've decided try to cut back on that forecast section above. It was so long that even I didn't want to read it when I went back to review the bogs. Besides, depending on what part of the country you're in, the forecast for the night may very likely change anyway. : O
Thursday, neither Linda nor Jim felt like doing too much, so it was decided that they would just take a ride somewhere. Since Linda had said something about it the other day, Jim suggested that they head west of Rantoul and see if they could find that little cemetery out in the country where a few of Linda's ancestors are buried. They had found it once, quite a few years ago, but had forgotten exactly where it's located.
So, , , , , , they took CLT and headed in the general direction.
CLT said that it was like being on a Treasure Hunt!!!! Both Jim and Linda had an idea of where the cemetery was located, so they started looking for familiar roads and landscapes that would help them. When they got about 4 or 5 miles West of Rantoul, Jim turned South on a blacktop road that he was pretty sure headed the right way. After 3 or so miles on that road, they turned West on a small blacktop road, but after following it for a short distance, decided that that was not the road they wanted.
About this time, they came upon a couple of farmers who had stopped along the road to talk to each other, so Jim stopped and asked them if they happened to know where the Jersey cemetery might be located. He described it to them and told them what he and Linda could remember about it, such as it being located at the crossroads of 2 small blacktop roads and being on the SE corner of the intersection.
After some thought, one said that there was one like they described, just about 2 miles from where they were and gave Jim and Linda directions to get to it. (Gotta love these friendly farm folks). ; )
So, following the instructions given, Jim and Linda found the cemetery, and it was just like they had remembered.
As you can see, someone still takes care of the cemetery and cuts the grass regularly, even though there is no longer a church here. There's also evidence of some of the remaining markers being re-set.
This is the marker that Linda and Jim were looking for. You probably can't see it in the photo, but there are names and dates on both of the sides that you can see. One side gives the information about Linda's Great Grandmother, and the other side is for her Great Great Grandmother, both from Linda's father's side.
Evidently times were hard in those days, so they used the same marker for both women.
After Linda got the information that she needed for her Family Tree program, she and Jim enjoyed a leisurely drive through the country, back here to the Campground.
Oh, and they now have the GPS location and the road sign numbers from the intersection where the cemetery is located. ; )
Yesterday, not much happened. Jim went to the Rural King store and picked up a few things and then later, got some weed killer from Louise and sprayed the weeds that are growing up through the gravel in our site.
Today, Paul and Louise, (the campground hosts), are going to have a cookout!! Don't know what they're going to be cooking out on the grill, but knowing Louise, I'm sure it'll be really good. : ) Linda is going to make a desert to take over there and I'm sure that some of the others from the park that Louise invited will also bring food.
Sounds like a P A R T Y !!!!!!!!!
Did you know that on this date in 1786 - In New York City, commercial ice cream was manufactured for the first time?
54 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Clear in the morning, then partly cloudy. High of 77F. Winds less than 5 mph.
I've decided try to cut back on that forecast section above. It was so long that even I didn't want to read it when I went back to review the bogs. Besides, depending on what part of the country you're in, the forecast for the night may very likely change anyway. : O
Thursday, neither Linda nor Jim felt like doing too much, so it was decided that they would just take a ride somewhere. Since Linda had said something about it the other day, Jim suggested that they head west of Rantoul and see if they could find that little cemetery out in the country where a few of Linda's ancestors are buried. They had found it once, quite a few years ago, but had forgotten exactly where it's located.
So, , , , , , they took CLT and headed in the general direction.
CLT said that it was like being on a Treasure Hunt!!!! Both Jim and Linda had an idea of where the cemetery was located, so they started looking for familiar roads and landscapes that would help them. When they got about 4 or 5 miles West of Rantoul, Jim turned South on a blacktop road that he was pretty sure headed the right way. After 3 or so miles on that road, they turned West on a small blacktop road, but after following it for a short distance, decided that that was not the road they wanted.
About this time, they came upon a couple of farmers who had stopped along the road to talk to each other, so Jim stopped and asked them if they happened to know where the Jersey cemetery might be located. He described it to them and told them what he and Linda could remember about it, such as it being located at the crossroads of 2 small blacktop roads and being on the SE corner of the intersection.
After some thought, one said that there was one like they described, just about 2 miles from where they were and gave Jim and Linda directions to get to it. (Gotta love these friendly farm folks). ; )
So, following the instructions given, Jim and Linda found the cemetery, and it was just like they had remembered.
As you can see, someone still takes care of the cemetery and cuts the grass regularly, even though there is no longer a church here. There's also evidence of some of the remaining markers being re-set.
Evidently times were hard in those days, so they used the same marker for both women.
After Linda got the information that she needed for her Family Tree program, she and Jim enjoyed a leisurely drive through the country, back here to the Campground.
Oh, and they now have the GPS location and the road sign numbers from the intersection where the cemetery is located. ; )
Yesterday, not much happened. Jim went to the Rural King store and picked up a few things and then later, got some weed killer from Louise and sprayed the weeds that are growing up through the gravel in our site.
Today, Paul and Louise, (the campground hosts), are going to have a cookout!! Don't know what they're going to be cooking out on the grill, but knowing Louise, I'm sure it'll be really good. : ) Linda is going to make a desert to take over there and I'm sure that some of the others from the park that Louise invited will also bring food.
Sounds like a P A R T Y !!!!!!!!!
Did you know that on this date in 1786 - In New York City, commercial ice cream was manufactured for the first time?
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Levelers In Bobbie T's Future?
Rantoul, IL.
63 deg. clear, E. wind @ 7 mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered storms. Highs around 79°F. East northeast wind to 7 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 45%.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows around 55°F. North wind to 9 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 45%.
Jim and Linda have been considering getting some leveling jacks installed on Bobbie T. In fact, Jim has called around to see what's available and to get some idea of what it would cost to have them installed. They're not cheap, but Bobbie T does a lot of rocking when Jim and Linda move around inside of her or the wind blows hard, and of course, it will end the hassle of trying to get her level by driving up on boards.
So far, the leveling part hasn't been too bad, except for that TVA park that we stayed at in Tennessee. That site was low on the drivers side and also low at Bobbie T's front end. Jim was able to get her pretty level side to side, but her front end was pretty low and would have required quite a few more boards than we had along.
Jim and Linda aren't real fussy about being exactly level, but in that case, you could tell that we weren't very level. Oh, and it's not good for the refrigerator in an RV to be very far off level, as it can affect the operation or even damage it, if it's too far off. : (
So, I don't know for sure if they're going to get them for Bobbie T or which system Jim and Linda will decide on if they do. There's lots to consider such as price, weight, (don't want to overload Bobbie T.), cost of installation, types of controls available, (joystick or push button), automatic or manual operation, convenience of getting the system installed and of course warranty and reputation of the manufacturer.
I do know that if they do decided to get the levelers, they won't be installed until sometime in July at the earliest.
The weather has been really nice here the last few days. They've been forecasting rain showers from time to time, but we haven't had any here. For the most part, it's been sunny with temperatures in the 70's during the days with lows in the 50's or 60's at night.
Yesterday, Jim and Linda took their laundry over to the laundromat in town. There are 2 washers and 2 dryers in the bath house here at the CG, but the machines at the laundromat are larger and of course they have many more of them, so you can get everything done in a much shorter time. In fact, in less than 2 hours, they had driven over there, done 4 loads of laundry and driven back here to the park.
For dinner last night, they decided to take CLT and head over to the Village Garden Restaurant in Fisher, IL. They hadn't been there since last year, but the lady, (the owner), recognized them and welcomed them back. : ) It's too bad that the Village Garden is in Fisher and not here in Rantoul. The food and the service is excellent, but now with that new restaurant here in Rantoul, it's going to be easier to stay here in town than to drive the 10 or so miles to Fisher.
I think they'll still go over there once in awhile though. ; )
I don't think that there's any specific plans for today. Both Bobbie T and CLT need baths really bad, but they are forecasting rain showers, so that may have to wait. Or, maybe Jim and Linda will head down to Champaign to try to find those items that Linda couldn't find at Wally World the other day.
Hmmmm!!! decisions, decisions!!!! ; )
Did you know that scientist estimate that there are at least 15 million stars for every person on earth?
63 deg. clear, E. wind @ 7 mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered storms. Highs around 79°F. East northeast wind to 7 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 45%.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows around 55°F. North wind to 9 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 45%.
Jim and Linda have been considering getting some leveling jacks installed on Bobbie T. In fact, Jim has called around to see what's available and to get some idea of what it would cost to have them installed. They're not cheap, but Bobbie T does a lot of rocking when Jim and Linda move around inside of her or the wind blows hard, and of course, it will end the hassle of trying to get her level by driving up on boards.
So far, the leveling part hasn't been too bad, except for that TVA park that we stayed at in Tennessee. That site was low on the drivers side and also low at Bobbie T's front end. Jim was able to get her pretty level side to side, but her front end was pretty low and would have required quite a few more boards than we had along.
Jim and Linda aren't real fussy about being exactly level, but in that case, you could tell that we weren't very level. Oh, and it's not good for the refrigerator in an RV to be very far off level, as it can affect the operation or even damage it, if it's too far off. : (
So, I don't know for sure if they're going to get them for Bobbie T or which system Jim and Linda will decide on if they do. There's lots to consider such as price, weight, (don't want to overload Bobbie T.), cost of installation, types of controls available, (joystick or push button), automatic or manual operation, convenience of getting the system installed and of course warranty and reputation of the manufacturer.
I do know that if they do decided to get the levelers, they won't be installed until sometime in July at the earliest.
The weather has been really nice here the last few days. They've been forecasting rain showers from time to time, but we haven't had any here. For the most part, it's been sunny with temperatures in the 70's during the days with lows in the 50's or 60's at night.
Yesterday, Jim and Linda took their laundry over to the laundromat in town. There are 2 washers and 2 dryers in the bath house here at the CG, but the machines at the laundromat are larger and of course they have many more of them, so you can get everything done in a much shorter time. In fact, in less than 2 hours, they had driven over there, done 4 loads of laundry and driven back here to the park.
For dinner last night, they decided to take CLT and head over to the Village Garden Restaurant in Fisher, IL. They hadn't been there since last year, but the lady, (the owner), recognized them and welcomed them back. : ) It's too bad that the Village Garden is in Fisher and not here in Rantoul. The food and the service is excellent, but now with that new restaurant here in Rantoul, it's going to be easier to stay here in town than to drive the 10 or so miles to Fisher.
I think they'll still go over there once in awhile though. ; )
I don't think that there's any specific plans for today. Both Bobbie T and CLT need baths really bad, but they are forecasting rain showers, so that may have to wait. Or, maybe Jim and Linda will head down to Champaign to try to find those items that Linda couldn't find at Wally World the other day.
Hmmmm!!! decisions, decisions!!!! ; )
Did you know that scientist estimate that there are at least 15 million stars for every person on earth?
Monday, June 3, 2013
Nice Weather For A Change?
Rantoul, IL.
52 deg. sunny, NE wind @ 6 mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly sunny. Highs around 77°F. East wind to 10 MPH.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows around 59°F. East southeast wind to 9 MPH.
It looks like we're finally going to have some nice weather for a change, here in Rantoul. : ) They're not forecasting any high winds or storms, so maybe all that tornado warning stuff is over for awhile.
Not a whole lot to report, but I didn't want to skip too many days of posting.
Yesterday was a rainy, drizzly day, but Jim and Linda were just about out of bread, so about 4:30 they took CLT and headed over to the Casey's gas station here in Rantoul. Since CLT was getting kind of thirsty, (he hadn't had a drink since May 2nd when we were in Moncure, NC), they bought him a drink of 87 octane as well.
Then, instead of coming back here, they took a ride down to Urbana and went to the Steak & Shake Restaurant for dinner.
No big plans for today, but I'm sure that Jim will be outside doing things. He's been getting really itchy, having to be inside so much lately. One of the things he wants to do is to get back to riding his bike. He unloaded it out of the back of CLT shortly after we arrived here in Rantoul, and because of the weather and wind, hasn't ridden it yet!
I think the last time he rode it was when we were in DeBary!!
Did you know that Europe is the only continent without a desert?
Woof!!!
52 deg. sunny, NE wind @ 6 mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly sunny. Highs around 77°F. East wind to 10 MPH.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows around 59°F. East southeast wind to 9 MPH.
It looks like we're finally going to have some nice weather for a change, here in Rantoul. : ) They're not forecasting any high winds or storms, so maybe all that tornado warning stuff is over for awhile.
Not a whole lot to report, but I didn't want to skip too many days of posting.
Yesterday was a rainy, drizzly day, but Jim and Linda were just about out of bread, so about 4:30 they took CLT and headed over to the Casey's gas station here in Rantoul. Since CLT was getting kind of thirsty, (he hadn't had a drink since May 2nd when we were in Moncure, NC), they bought him a drink of 87 octane as well.
Then, instead of coming back here, they took a ride down to Urbana and went to the Steak & Shake Restaurant for dinner.
No big plans for today, but I'm sure that Jim will be outside doing things. He's been getting really itchy, having to be inside so much lately. One of the things he wants to do is to get back to riding his bike. He unloaded it out of the back of CLT shortly after we arrived here in Rantoul, and because of the weather and wind, hasn't ridden it yet!
I think the last time he rode it was when we were in DeBary!!
Did you know that Europe is the only continent without a desert?
Woof!!!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
378,432,000 Seconds and 7,865,906,291 inches
Rantoul, IL.
63 deg. partly cloudy, W. wind @ 10mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 75°F. South wind 12 to 17 MPH, gusting to 24 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 85%. Precipitation amounts between one quarter and one half of an inch possible.
Tonight: Partly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows around 57°F. West southwest wind to 12 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 65%.
12 years
144 months
624.7 weeks
4,380 days
105,120 hours
6,307,200 minutes
378,432,000 seconds
126,146 RV miles traveled.
218,497,386 yards
655,492,190 feet
7,865,906,291 inches
It sure doesn't seem like 12 years and 126,146 miles, but 12 years ago today, Jim, Linda and I moved out of their house in Peotone, IL and moved into their 35' Winnebago Chieftain Motorhome and I can't believe all the sites we've seen and how many miles we've traveled!!!
I can still remember that first night, out in the driveway of the house. It was exciting, scary, weird, I had a lot of trouble sleeping, and did I mention scary?
Much of the furniture was already gone, and what wasn't, was sitting in the middle of the dining room waiting for someone to come and pick it up or for Jim and Linda to deliver it. The house had been on the market for some time, but had not sold yet, so Jim and Linda rented it out with the understanding that the people had to move if it did sell.
At that time, 2001, there wasn't much information available as to what the costs of full-timing would be, Cell phones and computer air cards were brand new or non-existent and basically unusable in most parts of the country. About the only way to keep in touch with anyone was by Pay Phone or a little device called "Pocket Mail" that you held up to the pay phone receiver to transfer messages over the phone lines. Phone Calling Cards were a big thing because if you had one and dialed in all the numbers on the pay phone, you got a better cost per minute rate.
I could go on and on, but the fact is that in those days, it was much harder to keep in touch with anyone, and you pretty much just "winged it", until you figured this full-timing thing out for yourself.
Did I mention that it was scary?
The first year I don't think many plans were made. We pretty much just went where the road led us. Then, after 9-11 and a health scare for Linda, it was decided that in 2002, we would go to Alaska, while we could.
What a trip!!! It's one I'll never forget!! : )
I don't remember just when it was, but the house finally sold and then Jim and Linda were completely free from any major obligations. What a relief!!!
We had some great times and some not-so-great times. Fun times and sad times. But when you weigh it all out, in the end, it's been a great ride and I'm sure glad that Jim and Linda brought me along. : )
The rest, as they say, is history. As most of you know, Jim and Linda bought a double wide manufactured home down in Florida this past winter. As of now, they have never slept or stayed in the house though, so they're still considering themselves full-timers.
All of that will change when we get back down to Florida in November, because at that time, Jim and Linda will park Bobbie T in the storage lot and we'll all move into the house.
I guess after that, we'll be "Part-Timers". : )
But, we still have about 5 1/2 months that we're going to be full-timing, and who knows where we'll go or what we'll see in that time. I'm looking forward to every second and every inch of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
Did you know that the average lead pencil can can be used to draw a line 35 miles long?
Woof!!!
63 deg. partly cloudy, W. wind @ 10mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 75°F. South wind 12 to 17 MPH, gusting to 24 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 85%. Precipitation amounts between one quarter and one half of an inch possible.
Tonight: Partly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows around 57°F. West southwest wind to 12 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 65%.
12 years
144 months
624.7 weeks
4,380 days
105,120 hours
6,307,200 minutes
378,432,000 seconds
126,146 RV miles traveled.
218,497,386 yards
655,492,190 feet
7,865,906,291 inches
It sure doesn't seem like 12 years and 126,146 miles, but 12 years ago today, Jim, Linda and I moved out of their house in Peotone, IL and moved into their 35' Winnebago Chieftain Motorhome and I can't believe all the sites we've seen and how many miles we've traveled!!!
I can still remember that first night, out in the driveway of the house. It was exciting, scary, weird, I had a lot of trouble sleeping, and did I mention scary?
Much of the furniture was already gone, and what wasn't, was sitting in the middle of the dining room waiting for someone to come and pick it up or for Jim and Linda to deliver it. The house had been on the market for some time, but had not sold yet, so Jim and Linda rented it out with the understanding that the people had to move if it did sell.
At that time, 2001, there wasn't much information available as to what the costs of full-timing would be, Cell phones and computer air cards were brand new or non-existent and basically unusable in most parts of the country. About the only way to keep in touch with anyone was by Pay Phone or a little device called "Pocket Mail" that you held up to the pay phone receiver to transfer messages over the phone lines. Phone Calling Cards were a big thing because if you had one and dialed in all the numbers on the pay phone, you got a better cost per minute rate.
I could go on and on, but the fact is that in those days, it was much harder to keep in touch with anyone, and you pretty much just "winged it", until you figured this full-timing thing out for yourself.
Did I mention that it was scary?
The first year I don't think many plans were made. We pretty much just went where the road led us. Then, after 9-11 and a health scare for Linda, it was decided that in 2002, we would go to Alaska, while we could.
What a trip!!! It's one I'll never forget!! : )
I don't remember just when it was, but the house finally sold and then Jim and Linda were completely free from any major obligations. What a relief!!!
We had some great times and some not-so-great times. Fun times and sad times. But when you weigh it all out, in the end, it's been a great ride and I'm sure glad that Jim and Linda brought me along. : )
The rest, as they say, is history. As most of you know, Jim and Linda bought a double wide manufactured home down in Florida this past winter. As of now, they have never slept or stayed in the house though, so they're still considering themselves full-timers.
All of that will change when we get back down to Florida in November, because at that time, Jim and Linda will park Bobbie T in the storage lot and we'll all move into the house.
I guess after that, we'll be "Part-Timers". : )
But, we still have about 5 1/2 months that we're going to be full-timing, and who knows where we'll go or what we'll see in that time. I'm looking forward to every second and every inch of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
Did you know that the average lead pencil can can be used to draw a line 35 miles long?
Woof!!!
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