Thursday, February 3, 2011

Badges???

We don't need no stinking badges!!!

Yesterday's pin:
Boot camp consisted of seminars on things like RV systems, maintenance, driving tips & techniques, RV weight & load management, fire and life safety, RV tire safety. We also had a truckers' breakfast & a dinner of barbequed hamburgers & hot dogs. It was a LOT of information, and we came away with spinning heads and a long list of things to check & do.  Being RVrs and Escapees, everyone was friendly, helpful, and full of weird, terrible, funny stories about the lifestyle that they could laugh about.  Also for an extra charge we had our motorhome weighed, wheel by wheel, to find out if we are overweight.  Our front axle weight is fine, the back is overweight, but we also had a full tank of fresh water.  So when we travel, we'll make sure to only have a small amount of water in there until we can get back to our storage area to drop more "stuff" off.  We're finding that we don't need or use everything that we packed in here.  We've also been carrying around some of my mother's things that will go into storage as well.

Today's pin:
Yes, friends and loved ones!  I DID IT!!!  We spent about 45 minutes in a parking lot learning to back up around cones and to get the feel of what it takes to not run over said cones.  I came close once, but didn't hit it.

Then we went out through residential areas, highways, dead ends where I had to back my way out.  But the hairiest thing was driving up a mountain road with just a guardrail to my right and occasionally an oncoming car.  Going up was a little nerve-wracking, but coming down . . . I could see how very high up we were.  High enough that without even looking over the edge, my stomach was doing flip flops!  After that I felt pretty comfortable on flat ground on hwy 93 until this huge flock of birds crossed the road.  You know I love birds.  Sad to say there are two less birds in AZ tonight.  I almost swerved, almost went on to the shoulder, but managed to hold it all together.  I'm sure Hubby and the instructor were scared!  Oh!  And guess who backed this 40' building on wheels back in to our camping spot.  Yup! 

Quite the eventful day for me.  I think I'll toast myself with a nice glass of wine, and thank God for seeing me safely through.

5 comments:

  1. Hey my Shabby girlfriend! YES thank you! I will take the "it makes me look younger" comment any time. I will turn 59 next week so YEAH I will take that compliment! Did you sell your home and buy an RV? We actually have been thinking of doing that and traveling too! And did you put your "stuff" in storage? I am sooo interested to hear from you and find out what you did. I know I told you that your mom had a twin sister in Houston! My hubby's aunt Maxine. I almost fell off my chair when I saw a pic of you and your mom on the blog before this one on the sidebar. Hope you are doing well! It sounds wonderful,(your travelling). I loved catching up with you again! e-mail me when you get a chance! My e-mail address is in my profile!

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  2. Woo-hoo, little lady!! Now you can officially drive the big rig?? :) I didn't realize that there was so much involved with RV'ing. Pins and seminars and classes and whoa. Sounds like a process, like driving a school bus :)

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  3. Congradulations!!! Oh, scary stuff! I live in the mountains, but am still terrified of heights, and won't go on the high windy roads if they have no guardrail. I am a birdwatcher and lover, but am just glad only the birds died and you are alright!!

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  4. Congratulations! I'm impressed. I can barely park my minivan. Hope you enjoyed that celebratory glass of wine. You deserved it!

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  5. Congratulations. I am full of admiration for you. Of course as I'm a male of the species I'd have had no problems (but then I would say that and I'm never going to try it so that anyone can say otherwise!!). Seriously, though, very well done.

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