The visit from our zone managers - Mike and Vernel - started at about 10:30 AM yesterday. WE met at the empty) lot on the Fairgrounds where our pumpkin patch will be constructed and will be our home for the next 31 days. There is nothing to see there right now except for bare asphalt. It is really hard to visualize how this is going to work, so you have to be patient while all the construction takes place and I remember to take photos of the progress. I didn't take any photos yesterday, so I will begin with those today.
The meeting was encouraging as they pumped us up for the long haul this month. They also took us to lunch before they left. The schedule was laid out starting with the delivery and installation of our fence today. From there, we connect utilities and begin to install the equipment. It will be a transformation that is unbelievable if you haven't seen one before. We expect to move our RV there on Wednesday. Thursday will be state inspections of the equipment and Friday we will open for business.
We are mentally ready....
Monday, September 30, 2019
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Vacation Over
We received word that our zone managers are coming today. They are obviously going to check out our "empty" lot to make sure it is ready for the many crews and items that will be showing up over the next several days. There is so much to do to get this lot ready and we wonder if there is enough time to make it all happen by the 4th of October. They've done it many times, so we believe they can do it again. I will try to keep up with everything with photos all along the way.
I don't think that the hookups at our new location on the lot will be as good or as complete as we have enjoyed this last week. There are no nearby connections for water, power and sewer, so we will have to run hoses for water, cords a long distance for power and probably have the service come once per week to empty our holding tanks. It will all come together as we get closer to opening day.
We are actually anxious to get started and feel like we are ready to get this show going. After seeing the photos of all the other locations, it is hard to believe that they can transform ours into the spectacular result they've achieved with the others.
Stay tuned for big changes...
I don't think that the hookups at our new location on the lot will be as good or as complete as we have enjoyed this last week. There are no nearby connections for water, power and sewer, so we will have to run hoses for water, cords a long distance for power and probably have the service come once per week to empty our holding tanks. It will all come together as we get closer to opening day.
We are actually anxious to get started and feel like we are ready to get this show going. After seeing the photos of all the other locations, it is hard to believe that they can transform ours into the spectacular result they've achieved with the others.
Stay tuned for big changes...
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Schedule Received
We need to enjoy these next two days as we know now that the real work on our pumpkin patch will begin Monday. All of the other patches are/will be set up by then and we get our turn in the barrel. There have been photos on Facebook of the other patches and they are looking sharp.
Our work begins by installing the fence initially, and then connecting up all the power cords and other connections to the utilities at our lot. The tents then go up and they bring in bales of hay and other cover material along with the rides and blow-up slides for the kids. We also begin interviews for our help and by the 4th of October (Fri) we will have the state inspections for our rides. That means we will most likely be open for business on Saturday the 5th.
We were shocked to discover that our first paycheck was deposited last night. We almost feel guilty as we didn't do much work this week. Of course, that also covers the time we were in class and we are the "new kids" this year which counts for something. We hope we get a lot of help during this start up phase as we have not remembered how to do a lot of the things. In a way, it is a scary situation, but we are set to go...
Our work begins by installing the fence initially, and then connecting up all the power cords and other connections to the utilities at our lot. The tents then go up and they bring in bales of hay and other cover material along with the rides and blow-up slides for the kids. We also begin interviews for our help and by the 4th of October (Fri) we will have the state inspections for our rides. That means we will most likely be open for business on Saturday the 5th.
We were shocked to discover that our first paycheck was deposited last night. We almost feel guilty as we didn't do much work this week. Of course, that also covers the time we were in class and we are the "new kids" this year which counts for something. We hope we get a lot of help during this start up phase as we have not remembered how to do a lot of the things. In a way, it is a scary situation, but we are set to go...
Friday, September 27, 2019
Costco Visit
The one (necessary) place we had not visited since we arrived was Costco. We closed that loop yesterday and was surprised that it was not so far away - just a couple miles. We now have the most important locations identified - Bank, grocery store, laundromat, Walmart, Sam's Club and Costco and, of course, the beach.
We also filled our propane tank while out yesterday and that was a little difficult. The first place we stopped would not fill the tank since it was manufactured over 10 years ago (2007) and needed to be recertified before they would fill it. The guy recommended that I take it down the street to the Shell station where they would fill it without recertification. Job done.
The wait continues. Our turn for set up is going to begin sometime over the weekend. We saw some people working on the power box of our Pumpkin site yesterday, so there is some progress being made. We are anxious to get things moving...
We also filled our propane tank while out yesterday and that was a little difficult. The first place we stopped would not fill the tank since it was manufactured over 10 years ago (2007) and needed to be recertified before they would fill it. The guy recommended that I take it down the street to the Shell station where they would fill it without recertification. Job done.
The wait continues. Our turn for set up is going to begin sometime over the weekend. We saw some people working on the power box of our Pumpkin site yesterday, so there is some progress being made. We are anxious to get things moving...
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Digesting Material
There is so much to learn about this activity that we will never know all the ins and outs of running one of these locations. We won't worry about it either as there is lots of support from our zone managers that will help when we need some. Yesterday, we read more from the many manuals and procedure flyers that added to the confusion. The areas where we will need the most help are in hiring, handling and scheduling our employees. We can't advertise for help until we get our location set up which will be early next week.
Our zone managers tell us they are planning a visit either tomorrow or Saturday to review all the schedules, size up the location and just discuss all that we need to accomplish in the next several days to one week. As we are the last site to be set up, we are patiently waiting for the onslaught of crews and helpers to get the show on the road.
This promises to be an experience of a lifetime - good or bad...
Our zone managers tell us they are planning a visit either tomorrow or Saturday to review all the schedules, size up the location and just discuss all that we need to accomplish in the next several days to one week. As we are the last site to be set up, we are patiently waiting for the onslaught of crews and helpers to get the show on the road.
This promises to be an experience of a lifetime - good or bad...
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
More Local Discoveries
We spent a good portion of the day going through the totes that we were given as we left class on Sunday. The bulk of the contents were supplies that we will be needing at some of the rides and attractions we will have on site. Some of the items were for our employees, such as aprons and hats:
We also went to the local grocery store - Vons - which is about 1.5 miles away. The ants problem is almost under control after we purchased a jug of Home Defense spray and sprayed all around the RV. We still have one location where they seem to be coming in and we hope to have that one fixed today. Of course, we will have to go through this same exercise when we move to our site inside the pumpkin patch next week.
Our day also included a stop at the local Sam's Club - 5 miles away - and our local laundry which is only 2 blocks from our pumpkin patch site.
In the meantime, we will try to enjoy the next few days at our current location before the real work begins...
We also went to the local grocery store - Vons - which is about 1.5 miles away. The ants problem is almost under control after we purchased a jug of Home Defense spray and sprayed all around the RV. We still have one location where they seem to be coming in and we hope to have that one fixed today. Of course, we will have to go through this same exercise when we move to our site inside the pumpkin patch next week.
Our day also included a stop at the local Sam's Club - 5 miles away - and our local laundry which is only 2 blocks from our pumpkin patch site.
In the meantime, we will try to enjoy the next few days at our current location before the real work begins...
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Hanging Out at the Fairgounds
Our first full day at the Fairgrounds was one of discovery more than anything else. To start with, it isn't the quietest location where we are parked for the remainder of this week. It is right next to the street that runs along the Route 55. It does get quiet at night though. At any rate, these shots are of our setup here at the Fairgrounds:
We have placed all of the totes and storage containers under the RV. Everything appears to be OK except for one thing which was discovered this morning - we have replaced the mice problem with an ants problem. There are ants everywhere in the RV and that will be the main task starting out today - get rid of them.
Yesterday was a day of exploration. We went to the nearest Walmart - to see where it was and how convenient it might be. It is about 15 minutes away. That will be the main store for our getting whatever supplies we might need for the pumpkin patch. In the afternoon, we drove to Newport Beach - just to see how close it was. It is only 12 minutes away and will probably be a prime location for any relaxation we may get during the month. Here are the first shots of the beach:
It sure was nice to see it again.
We'll be trying to familiarize ourselves with the area again today and will start out by getting some Home Defense for the ants problem and locating the nearest grocery store, B of A branch and a laundromat….
We have placed all of the totes and storage containers under the RV. Everything appears to be OK except for one thing which was discovered this morning - we have replaced the mice problem with an ants problem. There are ants everywhere in the RV and that will be the main task starting out today - get rid of them.
Yesterday was a day of exploration. We went to the nearest Walmart - to see where it was and how convenient it might be. It is about 15 minutes away. That will be the main store for our getting whatever supplies we might need for the pumpkin patch. In the afternoon, we drove to Newport Beach - just to see how close it was. It is only 12 minutes away and will probably be a prime location for any relaxation we may get during the month. Here are the first shots of the beach:
It sure was nice to see it again.
We'll be trying to familiarize ourselves with the area again today and will start out by getting some Home Defense for the ants problem and locating the nearest grocery store, B of A branch and a laundromat….
Monday, September 23, 2019
Pumpkin School Day 2 &3
It has been such a whirlwind weekend at pumpkin school I just haven't had the time to do proper posting of the events. Saturday was a full day in the classroom followed by a dinner that was excellent, including beer and wine. The reason for missing the post yesterday was an extra early start to the final day which was conducted at the pumpkin lot in Simi Valley and included a total walk-through of all the features and functions of the lots. There is a definite overload of information for us to digest in a short time.
The Saturday class also included a presentation to the couple who is here for their 20th year:
The two gentleman on the right are the two owners of the company. It's hard to imagine doing this for twenty years.
The most interesting part of the class was the time spent at the Simi Valley lot on Sunday morning learning about all of the features and responsibilities at the lot. These photos provide a good idea of all the activities.
Also, these photos show the overwhelming materials that are required to perform our jobs. You can see the stacks of cartons and totes that all of us had to load in our vehicles to take with us to our individual locations.
We had to load all of ours into the truck bed and transfer them to the RV when we drove back to Rancho Cucamonga following class to retrieve our RV.
These are some shots of the rides and areas that we are responsible to cover each day with the employees that we hire before the lot opens on October 1:
Starting with the bungee jump (our lot will not have one of these). The instruction was given by Rob Lambert, one of the owners and the children are grandchildren of one of the office workers:
There are a couple of rides for the kids:
and some blow-ups of obstacle courses and slides:
Also, each lot has a petting zoo:
Our class ended by 11 AM yesterday and we had to pick up our RV and drive to the Orange County Fairgrounds to setup our RV - temporarily - in a space until we begin lot setup this coming weekend. We had a horrible experience with this move as the Fairgrounds had different dates for our arrival. After we finally got everything sorted out, we got settled in a temporary location at around 8 PM.
So, we are really tired and are tempted to pitch this whole adventure and head home. The rewards are fantastic though, and we are going to stick it out as long as we can. We are told that the startup is by far the toughest part and things will get better - not easier - as time goes on. We hope they are right...
The Saturday class also included a presentation to the couple who is here for their 20th year:
The two gentleman on the right are the two owners of the company. It's hard to imagine doing this for twenty years.
The most interesting part of the class was the time spent at the Simi Valley lot on Sunday morning learning about all of the features and responsibilities at the lot. These photos provide a good idea of all the activities.
Also, these photos show the overwhelming materials that are required to perform our jobs. You can see the stacks of cartons and totes that all of us had to load in our vehicles to take with us to our individual locations.
We had to load all of ours into the truck bed and transfer them to the RV when we drove back to Rancho Cucamonga following class to retrieve our RV.
These are some shots of the rides and areas that we are responsible to cover each day with the employees that we hire before the lot opens on October 1:
Starting with the bungee jump (our lot will not have one of these). The instruction was given by Rob Lambert, one of the owners and the children are grandchildren of one of the office workers:
There are a couple of rides for the kids:
and some blow-ups of obstacle courses and slides:
Also, each lot has a petting zoo:
Our class ended by 11 AM yesterday and we had to pick up our RV and drive to the Orange County Fairgrounds to setup our RV - temporarily - in a space until we begin lot setup this coming weekend. We had a horrible experience with this move as the Fairgrounds had different dates for our arrival. After we finally got everything sorted out, we got settled in a temporary location at around 8 PM.
So, we are really tired and are tempted to pitch this whole adventure and head home. The rewards are fantastic though, and we are going to stick it out as long as we can. We are told that the startup is by far the toughest part and things will get better - not easier - as time goes on. We hope they are right...
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Pumpkin School Day 1
It was an interesting day in class - day1 of pumpkin school. We started by meeting the folks that operate the business from the home office and went right into unpacking the registers from the boxes that were on the table in front of us and marked with each of our lot locations. We are lot #46 - a brand new location in the Orange County Fairgrounds. The room was full of people from the other lot locations and it was amazing to us that most of the people in the room were returning managers. I will guess that there were probably 15 management teams (two people each). We found out that our location will be the final one set up for pumpkin sales as the others are repeat setups and need to open for business by Oct 1. We also have been assigned an RV space in the Fairgrounds that is a temporary space until they can set up our site for business. The cost of the full hook-up space is paid by the company. There is nothing cheap about this company.
We went through the register operations, talked about how the business operates, reviewed reporting procedures, reviewed the hiring process for helpers, reviewed the daily reports and preparing the bank statements and generally got provided with a lot of information that we will be sorting through over the next several days. It will all fall into place once we get started.
Today, the owner will address the group and we will most likely go to the local lot in Simi Valley to get some hands on knowledge of the rides and other features of each location. Our initial reaction is: it will be hard work but rewarding.
I will try to get some photos today. It wasn't really worth taking pictures yesterday as we were in class the entire day. Stay tuned for the day 2 summary tomorrow am....
We went through the register operations, talked about how the business operates, reviewed reporting procedures, reviewed the hiring process for helpers, reviewed the daily reports and preparing the bank statements and generally got provided with a lot of information that we will be sorting through over the next several days. It will all fall into place once we get started.
Today, the owner will address the group and we will most likely go to the local lot in Simi Valley to get some hands on knowledge of the rides and other features of each location. Our initial reaction is: it will be hard work but rewarding.
I will try to get some photos today. It wasn't really worth taking pictures yesterday as we were in class the entire day. Stay tuned for the day 2 summary tomorrow am....
Friday, September 20, 2019
Rv Secured and Arrival at Simi Valley
Our trip from Yucaipa to Rancho Cucamonga was less than an hour. We had no problem locating the lot where the crews were already preparing the space for pumpkins and other attractions. We parked the RV next t the managers' space and locked it up for the next three days. We met the managers there and talked about their experiences a little bit before heading out. They are here for their 15th year! Once again, I say there must be a reason for the returning managers coming back year after year. I hope we find it.
I didn't get photos of the space in Rancho Cucamonga so I'll get those on Sunday when we go back. The drive to Simi Valley was another 1.5 hours and we arrived here at around 2 PM. Our room is very nice:
and we should be very comfy for 3 nights.
Today is THE DAY. We will have a pretty good idea (hopefully) by the end of the day what we are getting ourselves into. So far, we are excited about the opportunity...
I didn't get photos of the space in Rancho Cucamonga so I'll get those on Sunday when we go back. The drive to Simi Valley was another 1.5 hours and we arrived here at around 2 PM. Our room is very nice:
and we should be very comfy for 3 nights.
Today is THE DAY. We will have a pretty good idea (hopefully) by the end of the day what we are getting ourselves into. So far, we are excited about the opportunity...
Thursday, September 19, 2019
First Step Accomplished
We finally pulled out yesterday AM at around 9 AM. With one stop in Quartzsite for gas, we made it to the Yucaipa Regional Park at 3 PM. It is a beautiful park and one that we would not hesitate to stay in again and to recommend to anybody wanting to stay in this area. Here are some shots of our nice space (#13):
After setting up the satellite and having a bite to eat we enjoyed just sitting out in the beautiful weather and watching the squirrels and birds. We are so glad that we included this stop on our trip.
This morning, we will take the almost 1 hour drive to the Rancho Cucamonga site to disconnect our RV and leave there for the next three days while we attend class in Simi Valley. That will be about another 1.5 hours. We will only have the truck for that segment until we return to pick up the RV again and travel to the Orange County Fairgrounds on Sunday.
The excitement is building and we are ready to go...
After setting up the satellite and having a bite to eat we enjoyed just sitting out in the beautiful weather and watching the squirrels and birds. We are so glad that we included this stop on our trip.
This morning, we will take the almost 1 hour drive to the Rancho Cucamonga site to disconnect our RV and leave there for the next three days while we attend class in Simi Valley. That will be about another 1.5 hours. We will only have the truck for that segment until we return to pick up the RV again and travel to the Orange County Fairgrounds on Sunday.
The excitement is building and we are ready to go...
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Off to Pumpkin School
There are just a few things left to load into the RV before we head out to pumpkin school. Our new, bold, unpredictable, hard working and rewarding experience is about to begin. We make one stop tonight at the Regional Park Campground in Yucaipa, CA. We expect to arrive there this afternoon and make some final preparations before dropping off the RV in Rancho Cucamonga and checking into the Marriott in Simi Valley tomorrow and then starting class on Friday the 20th.
This entire experience is brand new to us and we hope that everything works out so that it will be a pleasant one. Our neighbor has our key again to watch over our house while we are gone and, hopefully, he will not have to use it for anything. If all works out according to plan, we should return home again in early November after the pumpkin lot is cleared and preparations begin for the Christmas trees.
Our fingers are crossed....see you from Yucaipa Regional Park tomorrow AM....
This entire experience is brand new to us and we hope that everything works out so that it will be a pleasant one. Our neighbor has our key again to watch over our house while we are gone and, hopefully, he will not have to use it for anything. If all works out according to plan, we should return home again in early November after the pumpkin lot is cleared and preparations begin for the Christmas trees.
Our fingers are crossed....see you from Yucaipa Regional Park tomorrow AM....
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Plans in Place
We have finalized our plans for the rest of the month. Tomorrow, we will leave for the Regional Park in Yucaipa, CA, which is close to the Rancho Cucamonga lot where we will park the RV during class. The reason for the stop in Yucaipa is that we will need to empty all tanks before going to our lot in Orange County and we need the extra time to locate and get situated at the Rancho Cucamonga lot before heading to class. We will pick up our RV following class and head to our location in the Orange County Fairgrounds on Sunday. That gives us plenty of time to get all set up for the start of pumpkin season on October 1.
Our conversation with our management team yesterday verified that we are getting fantastic support from them for our adventure. They want us to do whatever we want to do - at their expense - to get to our final location and get ready to roll. That also includes staying at an RV park near the Fairgrounds if the crews aren't ready to begin the setup. So far, we are very happy with the way we are being treated. We hope that the first year for this location will be a huge success and we will be asked to return. If we can make it a financial success, it will be a true win-win for all of us.
There is a lot to do today to get ready for our departure. We have to reorganize the RV from the Jackson trip. That means changing out some clothes, returning inside stuff to the RV - pots. pans, dishes, etc. - that we took out when we returned home last week.
We will be ready - and anxious - to get started tomorrow...
Our conversation with our management team yesterday verified that we are getting fantastic support from them for our adventure. They want us to do whatever we want to do - at their expense - to get to our final location and get ready to roll. That also includes staying at an RV park near the Fairgrounds if the crews aren't ready to begin the setup. So far, we are very happy with the way we are being treated. We hope that the first year for this location will be a huge success and we will be asked to return. If we can make it a financial success, it will be a true win-win for all of us.
There is a lot to do today to get ready for our departure. We have to reorganize the RV from the Jackson trip. That means changing out some clothes, returning inside stuff to the RV - pots. pans, dishes, etc. - that we took out when we returned home last week.
We will be ready - and anxious - to get started tomorrow...
Monday, September 16, 2019
More Great Football
The Seahawks game was outstanding - even though I only saw excerpts as the local game that was televised was the Cardinals. The Seahawks beat a tough team in Pittsburgh to go 2-0 on the season. The game I watched - the Cardinals/Ravens - was boring and they lost to go 0-1-1 on the season. I think they will be OK as the season progresses because they finally have a real quarterback. It's too bad that there is no team that is going to stop the freight train in New England as they won big again.
I didn't get to see the Broncos/Bears game but see that it was an exciting game. Even though the Bears won, the Broncos took it right down to the end and - the biggest plus - Troy caught his first NFL pass in front of Austin and all his friends. What an exciting weekend for those guys.
Our plans for the trip to CA have changed again. I want to leave a day early - Wed, the 18th - so that we can find a place to stay the night in a campground before we begin training. That way, we won't be rushed to arrive at an unknown location to leave the RV while we are in class. There is a huge distance between where we want to leave the RV, the class location and our ultimate location in Orange County. This way, we can empty the tanks one last time and take our time getting to the class. I hope we can work out those details.
I take the truck into service this morning, so that will be done for our trip. It is beginning to take shape and we have just a few days to go. We will miss these kinds of evenings while we are gone:
I didn't get to see the Broncos/Bears game but see that it was an exciting game. Even though the Bears won, the Broncos took it right down to the end and - the biggest plus - Troy caught his first NFL pass in front of Austin and all his friends. What an exciting weekend for those guys.
Our plans for the trip to CA have changed again. I want to leave a day early - Wed, the 18th - so that we can find a place to stay the night in a campground before we begin training. That way, we won't be rushed to arrive at an unknown location to leave the RV while we are in class. There is a huge distance between where we want to leave the RV, the class location and our ultimate location in Orange County. This way, we can empty the tanks one last time and take our time getting to the class. I hope we can work out those details.
I take the truck into service this morning, so that will be done for our trip. It is beginning to take shape and we have just a few days to go. We will miss these kinds of evenings while we are gone:
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Just Enjoying Football Games
I decided that it was time to just kick back and relax doing something I enjoy. So, I watched football on TV almost the entire day. Starting with the thrilling win by Penn State over arch rival Pitt, 17-10. It was a hard fought game, but Penn State made the right plays at the right time.
I also watched the USC/BYU game. There were two very young quarterbacks playing who we will be hearing a lot about over the next several years. Kedon Slovis of USC and Zach Wilson of BYU. BYU pulled an upset and will be a much better team with the Freshman Zach Wilson at QB. Finally, I watched the start of the game between Clemson and Syracuse and it didn't take long to see that Syracuse was overmatched against Clemson. I don't see any team beating Clemson this year. I turned off that game after about the first quarter.
I did not hear anything about the Eastern Illinois game except they lost 21-3. I hope Brandon had a chance to play and I expect to get an update from Patty today.
We are trying to work out logistics for our trip to CA for the pumpkin training and sales effort. It appears now that the best solution for us is to take the RV to training, park it at one of the lots while in training and then drive it from there to our lot at the Orange County Fairgrounds following class. That eliminates a second trip to CA and makes better sense. We'll see how that pans out...
I also watched the USC/BYU game. There were two very young quarterbacks playing who we will be hearing a lot about over the next several years. Kedon Slovis of USC and Zach Wilson of BYU. BYU pulled an upset and will be a much better team with the Freshman Zach Wilson at QB. Finally, I watched the start of the game between Clemson and Syracuse and it didn't take long to see that Syracuse was overmatched against Clemson. I don't see any team beating Clemson this year. I turned off that game after about the first quarter.
I did not hear anything about the Eastern Illinois game except they lost 21-3. I hope Brandon had a chance to play and I expect to get an update from Patty today.
We are trying to work out logistics for our trip to CA for the pumpkin training and sales effort. It appears now that the best solution for us is to take the RV to training, park it at one of the lots while in training and then drive it from there to our lot at the Orange County Fairgrounds following class. That eliminates a second trip to CA and makes better sense. We'll see how that pans out...
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Struggle With Some Issues
I got frustrated yesterday over the (lack of) progress resolving some of the outstanding issues. The truck insurance situation is downright depressing. The new company - Progressive - was a super bad choice. They will not cover some of the damage and they are asking that I take videos and photos of the damage to send to them for an estimate. That is impossible. You have to see the damage to be able to estimate repairs. I decided to wait until I am in CA to pursue the solution. In the meantime, I did get the Diesel Exhaust Fluid problem solved - the line was bent as a result of the tire blowout and the dealer repaired the line. The cost of that fix will be reimbursed by insurance.
My experience with Best Buy and the Geek Squad was also disappointing. The agent did show how to fix the problem but the resulting effect on the performance of my system was hardly any change at all. I am more confused now than before I went to them for help. I guess another follow-up call and visit will be in order.
In the meantime, we are reorganizing the RV and getting things ready for our class next week in CA. We will leave on the 19th and spend three days in Simi Valley attending our class. We will then return home to pick up the RV and travel to the Orange County Fairgrounds to start our new experience. Looking forward to that...
My experience with Best Buy and the Geek Squad was also disappointing. The agent did show how to fix the problem but the resulting effect on the performance of my system was hardly any change at all. I am more confused now than before I went to them for help. I guess another follow-up call and visit will be in order.
In the meantime, we are reorganizing the RV and getting things ready for our class next week in CA. We will leave on the 19th and spend three days in Simi Valley attending our class. We will then return home to pick up the RV and travel to the Orange County Fairgrounds to start our new experience. Looking forward to that...
Friday, September 13, 2019
Issues Summary
Starting with the issue regarding the battery in the Escape. The long period - 4 months - of the car suiting in the garage didn't help the battery in that vehicle. In fact, I expected it to be dead when we returned, but did not expect it to not hold a charge. Anyway, I got a jump start from AAA and drove it to the Ford dealer where we purchased it - Peoria Ford - and explained the situation. The dealership stepped up and replaced the battery - free - as it still was under warranty. Not bad. Especially since the battery in that vehicle is a special one ($310 value) to handle some features that most other cars don't have - such as stop/go engine performance while stopped at lights. It turned out to be a good result.
The truck issue is another, different result. My new insurance company - Progressive - has already dropped the ball. They started out with offering two locations where I could take the vehicle to have damage assessed. During the conversation with the claims rep, she said - whoops, they closed those locations. I therefore have to choose from other options 1) - take pictures/video of the damage and send it in or 2) -wait until they send out an adjuster which could be several weeks. Those options were not acceptable. There is hidden damage that photos would not reveal and I don't have time to wait for an adjuster to come to the house as we are going to CA next week. They offered to have the claim handled in CA where we are traveling. To make the long story short, I will talk with them again today to try to work out a solution. I'm thinking that I never should have changed insurance from Liberty Mutual to Progressive - Flo, so far, is not fulfilling her promise. There is another issue with the truck that will be addressed today at 9 AM. I get a message that the Diesel Exhaust Fluid level is low when I just filled it a short time ago. Sheesh! The Dealer gets to see me again this morning.
The final issue is one concerning my computer. I have been getting messages that I am running out of space to perform upgrades and I notice a distinct downgrading in performance. I have made an appointment for today with the Best Buy Geek Squad to assess options. I will take my computer to the local store at 2 PM.
Finally, I can say it is nice to be home and to have the opportunity to sit on my patio and enjoy the nice views:
….
The truck issue is another, different result. My new insurance company - Progressive - has already dropped the ball. They started out with offering two locations where I could take the vehicle to have damage assessed. During the conversation with the claims rep, she said - whoops, they closed those locations. I therefore have to choose from other options 1) - take pictures/video of the damage and send it in or 2) -wait until they send out an adjuster which could be several weeks. Those options were not acceptable. There is hidden damage that photos would not reveal and I don't have time to wait for an adjuster to come to the house as we are going to CA next week. They offered to have the claim handled in CA where we are traveling. To make the long story short, I will talk with them again today to try to work out a solution. I'm thinking that I never should have changed insurance from Liberty Mutual to Progressive - Flo, so far, is not fulfilling her promise. There is another issue with the truck that will be addressed today at 9 AM. I get a message that the Diesel Exhaust Fluid level is low when I just filled it a short time ago. Sheesh! The Dealer gets to see me again this morning.
The final issue is one concerning my computer. I have been getting messages that I am running out of space to perform upgrades and I notice a distinct downgrading in performance. I have made an appointment for today with the Best Buy Geek Squad to assess options. I will take my computer to the local store at 2 PM.
Finally, I can say it is nice to be home and to have the opportunity to sit on my patio and enjoy the nice views:
….
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Handling Problems
Sorry for the late post but I've been handling problems all day so far.
First of all, our trip from Mesquite, NV to home was uneventful - thank goodness. We left Mesquite at 8:45 - but lost an hour during the day with the change in time zones. Our arrival at home was at 4:30 PM. We made a stop for gas and also one to check out the new view area that was part of the new highway (I-11) from Vegas (Lake Meade) to Kingman. It was such a pleasant change from the old way of going from Vegas to Kingman. These shots were taken during our stop:
Of course, when we arrived home we had lots to do to get the house open again. There were no major problems except for one small leak from one of our toilets (it occurs only when you flush the toilet) - I have to figure out how to fix that when I get more time.
The effort to jump start the Escape that has been sitting in the garage for 4 months failed. I called AAA to assist - they indicated, after a battery test, that the battery would not hold a charge. I'll go through all the problems we've had in tomorrow's entry. We are going to grab to some lunch and get on with the rest of our day. Tune in tomorrow for updates on the Escape, the truck claim with Progressive Insurance, The Geek Squad appointment I have scheduled for a computer issue and the rest of the "fun" day we've had so far...
First of all, our trip from Mesquite, NV to home was uneventful - thank goodness. We left Mesquite at 8:45 - but lost an hour during the day with the change in time zones. Our arrival at home was at 4:30 PM. We made a stop for gas and also one to check out the new view area that was part of the new highway (I-11) from Vegas (Lake Meade) to Kingman. It was such a pleasant change from the old way of going from Vegas to Kingman. These shots were taken during our stop:
Of course, when we arrived home we had lots to do to get the house open again. There were no major problems except for one small leak from one of our toilets (it occurs only when you flush the toilet) - I have to figure out how to fix that when I get more time.
The effort to jump start the Escape that has been sitting in the garage for 4 months failed. I called AAA to assist - they indicated, after a battery test, that the battery would not hold a charge. I'll go through all the problems we've had in tomorrow's entry. We are going to grab to some lunch and get on with the rest of our day. Tune in tomorrow for updates on the Escape, the truck claim with Progressive Insurance, The Geek Squad appointment I have scheduled for a computer issue and the rest of the "fun" day we've had so far...
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Not So Nice Trip to Mesquite, NV
Everything went according to plan yesterday - almost. We left the Deer Creek State Park Campground in Heber City at 8:45 AM although it was raining heavily and was mixed with hail. Once we got to I-15 south of Salt Lake City, it cleared up and was beautiful the rest of the day.
The trip was perfect - until we got within 20 miles of our destination in Mesquite, NV. As we were driving through the Gorge after entering that NW corner of AZ, the left rear tire on the truck exploded! I eased the truck and RV to the side where there was only a shoulder and guard rail with not much room. Of course, in the Gorge, there is no cell service. There was one person - a nice lady - that pulled over to see if she could help us but she didn't have cell service either so she went on to her destination.
Finally, after about 20 minutes, a policeman stopped to help. He indicated that there were three people who called into the police to let them know about our dilemma. He asked that I drive down the road about 300 yards to a small shoulder that would get me off the side of the road and out of danger from the speeding traffic. He then contacted the AAA through his dispatch and was able to get a truck out to help with putting the spare on the truck. After another hour, we were able to get the spare on the truck and we limped to our campground in Mesquite, NV. Here are some shots of the whole experience:
Once we arrived at the campground in Mesquite, we disconnected and drove to the local Big O Tire store to get a new tire. That ended up being two tires as they had to match on the rear of the truck. So, $650 later, we had two new tires on the truck.
We got settled into our space:
hooked up the satellite and watched some TV before turning in after a horrible finish to the day.
Today we travel to home where I will call the insurance company and schedule a time to get the truck damage estimated and to take care of other business related to the episode - like some minor damage to the RV.
It has to get better - right?....
The trip was perfect - until we got within 20 miles of our destination in Mesquite, NV. As we were driving through the Gorge after entering that NW corner of AZ, the left rear tire on the truck exploded! I eased the truck and RV to the side where there was only a shoulder and guard rail with not much room. Of course, in the Gorge, there is no cell service. There was one person - a nice lady - that pulled over to see if she could help us but she didn't have cell service either so she went on to her destination.
Finally, after about 20 minutes, a policeman stopped to help. He indicated that there were three people who called into the police to let them know about our dilemma. He asked that I drive down the road about 300 yards to a small shoulder that would get me off the side of the road and out of danger from the speeding traffic. He then contacted the AAA through his dispatch and was able to get a truck out to help with putting the spare on the truck. After another hour, we were able to get the spare on the truck and we limped to our campground in Mesquite, NV. Here are some shots of the whole experience:
Once we arrived at the campground in Mesquite, we disconnected and drove to the local Big O Tire store to get a new tire. That ended up being two tires as they had to match on the rear of the truck. So, $650 later, we had two new tires on the truck.
We got settled into our space:
hooked up the satellite and watched some TV before turning in after a horrible finish to the day.
Today we travel to home where I will call the insurance company and schedule a time to get the truck damage estimated and to take care of other business related to the episode - like some minor damage to the RV.
It has to get better - right?....
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Nice Trip to Heber City, Ut
It was close to 9 AM by the time we finally got on the road from Jackson to head to Heber City, UT. The weather cooperated and we made the trip in 6 hours with two stops along the way - once for gas and once for potty break. We averaged 11.4 mpg for the trip which was pretty good considering the mountain passes we had to travel. I love the mileage we are getting with this truck.
We took several pictures during the day. Starting with our travel through Afton, WY where the Elk Arches are a reminder of the wildlife in the area:
The route we took was the same as we usually take on our return trip to AZ which is an in-and-out of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming route, but is the shortest.
We stopped at a nice rest area just outside of Evanston, WY and inside the Utah state line:
Our arrival at the Deer Creek State Park in Heber City, UT, was about on time. Our site is the same as we always reserve at this fabulous park - CC27:
We took several pictures during the day. Starting with our travel through Afton, WY where the Elk Arches are a reminder of the wildlife in the area:
The route we took was the same as we usually take on our return trip to AZ which is an in-and-out of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming route, but is the shortest.
We stopped at a nice rest area just outside of Evanston, WY and inside the Utah state line:
Our arrival at the Deer Creek State Park in Heber City, UT, was about on time. Our site is the same as we always reserve at this fabulous park - CC27:
which is right on the water and with fabulous views:
We enjoyed a nice beverage while sitting outside and taking in the views:
Rather than set up the satellite for TV, we opted to watch a movie using just our DVD. It takes a lot less setup time and we watched the movie "Donovan's Reef" with John Wayne and Lee Marvin - one of our all time favorites. We also watched "The Ghost and Mr Chicken" with Don Knotts before calling it a day.
We expect to leave at around 8:30 again this morning and head to Mesquite, NV for the night. It has already rained this morning with a violent thunderstorm passing through at 6:30 AM. I hope we can get out before it gets too bad.
Hope to see you from Mesquite, NV tomorrow AM...
Monday, September 9, 2019
Set to Go
Just about everything is packed away and ready to go today. Our plan is to leave at around 8:30 AM and drive to Deer Creek State Park in Heber City, UT. That is our normal first night stop and will take approximately 5-6 hours of driving time, depending on the number of stops we make.
We are all gassed up and ready except for the outside stuff like satellite, sewer hoses and other cords and blocks. It shouldn't take us long to do those things as Josie will wrap up the inside preparations.
The weather is terrible as it rained all day yesterday and it is threatening this morning. At least - so far - we haven't seen any snow although the mountains have had a taste already. It is 50 degrees outside which means that most likely there will be no snow at this level.
I wasn't able to watch the game yesterday but I saw the summary of the Seahawks/Bengals game and was not overly impressed. It is projected to be a good year for the Seahawks, so I hope the analysts are right. The Cardinals first game was both lousy and impressive. They started bad but finished like they have some promise for this year. It may take a few games to see the real team.
That's about it from Jackson, so we will see you from Utah tomorrow AM...
We are all gassed up and ready except for the outside stuff like satellite, sewer hoses and other cords and blocks. It shouldn't take us long to do those things as Josie will wrap up the inside preparations.
The weather is terrible as it rained all day yesterday and it is threatening this morning. At least - so far - we haven't seen any snow although the mountains have had a taste already. It is 50 degrees outside which means that most likely there will be no snow at this level.
I wasn't able to watch the game yesterday but I saw the summary of the Seahawks/Bengals game and was not overly impressed. It is projected to be a good year for the Seahawks, so I hope the analysts are right. The Cardinals first game was both lousy and impressive. They started bad but finished like they have some promise for this year. It may take a few games to see the real team.
That's about it from Jackson, so we will see you from Utah tomorrow AM...
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Season is Over
Our season has finally come to an end at the Visitor Center. It was a ho-hum day except for all the farewell wishes and good cheer from our friends - mostly the volunteers who we have worked with for several years. Our manager wasn't even there to wish us luck - but who cares. The folks who meant the most to us gave us a nice sendoff. We will be in touch throughout the year with our good friends who will keep us informed about changes. We have these final two shots of us in the Visitor Center:
We now do final preparation for our departure tomorrow. Of course, it is raining cats and dogs right now and the forecast is the usual - rain and thunderstorms for the next two days. Throw in a chance of snow and you have the picture of the way our season has gone weather wise. I just want to fill up the truck and get last minute supplies today and try to hook-up today. It would be nice to be ready to go when we get up in the morning.
Most people have expressed a wish that we return again next year. It is much too early to make that decision, but it is nice to feel wanted...
We now do final preparation for our departure tomorrow. Of course, it is raining cats and dogs right now and the forecast is the usual - rain and thunderstorms for the next two days. Throw in a chance of snow and you have the picture of the way our season has gone weather wise. I just want to fill up the truck and get last minute supplies today and try to hook-up today. It would be nice to be ready to go when we get up in the morning.
Most people have expressed a wish that we return again next year. It is much too early to make that decision, but it is nice to feel wanted...
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Arrived at Final Workday
We spent yesterday doing some preparation for our departure. Josie started packing away some things inside and I took care of the task of cleaning out our holding tanks to be ready for our travel to AZ. Most of the things we need to do to get prepared are already done so it should be an easy task to be done on time.
The inspector came to evaluate our RV at about 11 AM and after an hour of inspecting, testing and taking photos, gave us a rubber stamp for the extended warranty. We should be good to go for the next several years with an extended warranty on all of our major appliances, electrical and other components of our RV. We have done business with this company before - Wholesale Warranties - and they have done an excellent job for us in the past. The peace of mind is welcomed.
Today is the final work day for us at the Visitor Center. We start at 12 noon and will close tonight at 7 PM. It has been mostly a struggle for us this year and we are happy to see the end arrive. Our thoughts right now are that we most likely will not return next season. Who knows, things can change before then….
The inspector came to evaluate our RV at about 11 AM and after an hour of inspecting, testing and taking photos, gave us a rubber stamp for the extended warranty. We should be good to go for the next several years with an extended warranty on all of our major appliances, electrical and other components of our RV. We have done business with this company before - Wholesale Warranties - and they have done an excellent job for us in the past. The peace of mind is welcomed.
Today is the final work day for us at the Visitor Center. We start at 12 noon and will close tonight at 7 PM. It has been mostly a struggle for us this year and we are happy to see the end arrive. Our thoughts right now are that we most likely will not return next season. Who knows, things can change before then….
Friday, September 6, 2019
Four Days Before Departure
Instead of getting the truck serviced, we washed the RV for the first time in many months. The weather dictated our schedule and it was too nice to waste the sunny and warm day doing something inside. Below are some shots of the RV and truck as we are getting things done for the departure on Monday:
Today's projects include a washout of the holding tanks and especially our black water tank which needs to be thoroughly cleaned. The way we do that is to connect another hose to the tank and let the water - at higher pressure into the tank - run for an extended period while draining. I want to get that project done while our neighbors are at work so that there is no interference by us on their space.
We also have an inspector coming today to do an evaluation of our RV for an extended warranty that we want to get. The fact that we will be spending more time than planned in the (aging) RV means that we need to make sure any (future) problems are covered.
We are definitely looking forward to spending some time at our house and hope all works out according to the planned schedule...
Today's projects include a washout of the holding tanks and especially our black water tank which needs to be thoroughly cleaned. The way we do that is to connect another hose to the tank and let the water - at higher pressure into the tank - run for an extended period while draining. I want to get that project done while our neighbors are at work so that there is no interference by us on their space.
We also have an inspector coming today to do an evaluation of our RV for an extended warranty that we want to get. The fact that we will be spending more time than planned in the (aging) RV means that we need to make sure any (future) problems are covered.
We are definitely looking forward to spending some time at our house and hope all works out according to the planned schedule...
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Great Visits With Friends
The visits we had with some friends in Idaho Falls yesterday was a fitting way to spend our final visit to that town this season.
We started with a visit in Iona (just outside Idaho Falls) with my friend Scott and his wife Miranda at their house that they are renovating. What a job they are doing to an old farmhouse that sits on about 1 acre of ground. I kick myself for not taking any photos but we were so engrossed in the tour they gave us of their property that it never entered my mind to take any. Scott will be leaving for another stint at Microsoft in Redmond, WA today. He is about a year and a half away from retirement when he will not have to leave home again to work in other areas. Miranda does a superb job of keeping things together while he is gone. They are a wonderful couple and great friends.
We left Scott's house shortly after noon to meet our other friends and former coworkers - Georgann and Sherrie at the Kneaders Bakery and Café in Ammon which is about 5 miles from where we visited Scott and Miranda:
Georgann and Sherrie arrived shorty after us and we had a nice lunch and conversation that lasted until almost 2:30:
It was so nice visiting with them and, of course, we will keep in touch after we leave.
Our next stop on this final trip to the area was at Sam's Club where we picked up some items that we couldn't get in the Jackson stores. Our final trip to Idaho Falls was punctuated with a stop at our favorite ice cream shop in Swan Valley on the way back to Jackson.
It was a day we will remember for a long time.
Today we begin final preparations for our departure on Monday. I have to get the oil changed in the truck and we have to make sure all the tires are ready to go on both the truck and the RV. A final stop at our post office box is on the schedule as is some consolidation of office stuff that is scattered throughout the RV. The final days begin...
We started with a visit in Iona (just outside Idaho Falls) with my friend Scott and his wife Miranda at their house that they are renovating. What a job they are doing to an old farmhouse that sits on about 1 acre of ground. I kick myself for not taking any photos but we were so engrossed in the tour they gave us of their property that it never entered my mind to take any. Scott will be leaving for another stint at Microsoft in Redmond, WA today. He is about a year and a half away from retirement when he will not have to leave home again to work in other areas. Miranda does a superb job of keeping things together while he is gone. They are a wonderful couple and great friends.
We left Scott's house shortly after noon to meet our other friends and former coworkers - Georgann and Sherrie at the Kneaders Bakery and Café in Ammon which is about 5 miles from where we visited Scott and Miranda:
Georgann and Sherrie arrived shorty after us and we had a nice lunch and conversation that lasted until almost 2:30:
It was so nice visiting with them and, of course, we will keep in touch after we leave.
Our next stop on this final trip to the area was at Sam's Club where we picked up some items that we couldn't get in the Jackson stores. Our final trip to Idaho Falls was punctuated with a stop at our favorite ice cream shop in Swan Valley on the way back to Jackson.
It was a day we will remember for a long time.
Today we begin final preparations for our departure on Monday. I have to get the oil changed in the truck and we have to make sure all the tires are ready to go on both the truck and the RV. A final stop at our post office box is on the schedule as is some consolidation of office stuff that is scattered throughout the RV. The final days begin...
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Official Schedule
It was a gorgeous evening in Jackson last night:
There won't be many more photos taken like that anymore. Our schedule was finalized yesterday with our manager. Our final work day will be this Saturday (9/7) and we will be leaving Jackson on Monday the 9th. We will be staying at our usual location in Utah - Deer Creek State Park - for the first night. The second night hasn't been finalized yet but will probably be in Mesquite, NV where we usually stay. Our arrival in Sun City is expected to be Wednesday the 11th.
Our day today is all set for Idaho Falls. We will visit Scott and Miranda in Iona at around 11 AM. He will be leaving tomorrow for a return stint at Microsoft in Redmond, WA. We then will go down the road to Ammon and meet our friends and former coworkers Georgann and Sherrie for lunch at a place called Kneaders Bakery and Café. We will then go to Sam's Club before heading back to Jackson this afternoon.
It should be a nice day and one that will put a stamp on our summer season in Jackson...
There won't be many more photos taken like that anymore. Our schedule was finalized yesterday with our manager. Our final work day will be this Saturday (9/7) and we will be leaving Jackson on Monday the 9th. We will be staying at our usual location in Utah - Deer Creek State Park - for the first night. The second night hasn't been finalized yet but will probably be in Mesquite, NV where we usually stay. Our arrival in Sun City is expected to be Wednesday the 11th.
Our day today is all set for Idaho Falls. We will visit Scott and Miranda in Iona at around 11 AM. He will be leaving tomorrow for a return stint at Microsoft in Redmond, WA. We then will go down the road to Ammon and meet our friends and former coworkers Georgann and Sherrie for lunch at a place called Kneaders Bakery and Café. We will then go to Sam's Club before heading back to Jackson this afternoon.
It should be a nice day and one that will put a stamp on our summer season in Jackson...
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Fire Still Burns
The latest fire in Jackson was still smoldering and burning in some spots yesterday:
The helicopter in the last picture was still dropping buckets of water taken from the pond in the Elk Refuge. These shots were taken just outside the front door of our Visitor Center.
We had a wonderful lunch yesterday with one of our favorite volunteers - Margaret Lozar - who wanted to meet with us to say goodbye. She, like us, has seen many changes at the Visitor Center - some of which are not positive. She and her husband Joe are not returning again.
We have half of our day set up for Wednesday in Idaho Falls. My friend Scott will be home for us to visit in the AM - he is leaving again on Thursday to travel to Redmond, WA to work for Microsoft again. Our second half of the day hasn't been finalized yet with our other friends - Georgeanne and Sherrie - who we worked with two years ago and have now moved to Ammon, ID, close to Idaho Falls. That should be done today.
There were no more mice caught last night - the second night in a row. Is it possible that we got them all?
Our date has now changed for our departure. The original date was Sep 12 and we moved it up to the 9th or10th to give us more time at home before we have to go to training in Simi Valley on the 19th. We will inform our manager today of the new date. That means that our final day at work will be Saturday the 7th...
The helicopter in the last picture was still dropping buckets of water taken from the pond in the Elk Refuge. These shots were taken just outside the front door of our Visitor Center.
We had a wonderful lunch yesterday with one of our favorite volunteers - Margaret Lozar - who wanted to meet with us to say goodbye. She, like us, has seen many changes at the Visitor Center - some of which are not positive. She and her husband Joe are not returning again.
We have half of our day set up for Wednesday in Idaho Falls. My friend Scott will be home for us to visit in the AM - he is leaving again on Thursday to travel to Redmond, WA to work for Microsoft again. Our second half of the day hasn't been finalized yet with our other friends - Georgeanne and Sherrie - who we worked with two years ago and have now moved to Ammon, ID, close to Idaho Falls. That should be done today.
There were no more mice caught last night - the second night in a row. Is it possible that we got them all?
Our date has now changed for our departure. The original date was Sep 12 and we moved it up to the 9th or10th to give us more time at home before we have to go to training in Simi Valley on the 19th. We will inform our manager today of the new date. That means that our final day at work will be Saturday the 7th...
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