Sad News

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Jim Melvin

I Lost My Mother

Two days after my last blog post my Mother passed away. Since then I haven’t quite felt like blogging and I apologize for not keeping you up to date. I just haven’t felt like it. She was 91 at the time and we were very lucky to have her so long. It was very fortunate I was in Southern California visiting relatives when she passed away. You will really be missed Mom.

She used to always tell us to stop and smell the roses. Her she is doing what she always loved.

A pic of her and my sister Bev at the San Juan Capistrano Mission.

We had a Memorial Service for her overlooking Dana Point Harbor. It was a really nice service.

She will be greatly missed by us all.

Quartzsite

With everything going on with my family I was not able to attend Quartzsite this year. I really missed seeing everyone and will just have to catch up next year.

Back to the Mothership

I called Vince at Lazy Daze and he was able to fit me into their busy schedule to get some much need items repaired/replaced. Vince was really great and did everything I needed done including replace the refrigerator, oven, toilet, kitchen faucet, and two new AGM house batteries, and ladder plus numerous small items that needed attention. It sure was nice to get everything taken care of.

Still in SO CA

I am not sure when I will be leaving SO CA as there are some other things that I have to attend to, but once I do I will probably head to Yuma to get my rig washed and waxed plus see my Mexican dentist to have my teeth cleaned.

1 1/2 Days To Go

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Jim Melvin

Almost over

My term at Amazon is almost over with only 1 1/2 days remaining in my schedule. By 11:00pm Saturday I will be done. KAPUT!!! I will probably be heading out Monday morning for So CA to see family for the holidays. I can’t wait to get into some warmer weather. This winter wasn’t as cold as last year (thank God) but it is still cold.

I go thru 5 gallons of propane a week trying to keep Chica comfortable. I will really be glad to get to a warmer climate.

RV has new shoes

I got 2 new tires for the front end. I checked out prices and the Purcell’s in Fernley gave me a great price on a couple of Michelins. I had to set my alarm for 9:30am to get up and go to Purcell’s after only three hours sleep. YUK!! I will be so glad to get back to normal sleep habits. This night shift is for the birds!

Heading to Southern California

I will probably take my normal route down 95 when I head to California. I always stop in the Beatty RV Park which is about 100 miles north of Las Vegas. Then it will be on to warm climates. HURRAH!!!

I am looking forward to seeing my Mom and sisters and their families as well as a few friends. Then after the first of the year it is off to Quartzsite and Roger’s 1/2 Acre and all my friends there. If you are anywhere near Quartzsite in January stop by for a few days and take part in the fun.

Back on the Road

Working is OK as it helps to get the money for tires and other RV repairs and a little bit in the bank as well, but it sure will be nice getting back on the road. I really miss that when I am working. Chica misses that as well. See you all down the road!!

New Curtains and back on the road again!!!

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Jim Melvin

Finally got rig back

It was 2 weeks since I dropped off my rig at the Ford Dealer but finally got it back on Friday. I had booked one night at O’Neill Park. I was also able to reserve 2 nights at the Elks. It took the dealer a good bit of time to complete the necessary repairs. The dealer that repaired my rig only works on heavy stuff like RV’s ambulances and big trucks.

The whole time my rig was at the dealer I spent over at my sister Bev’s and her husband Bob. Chica also really enjoyed Lando as shown from my previous post.

It sure was nice getting back to sleeping in my home once again.

New custom made drapes

Bev and I measured all the windows and she offered to make me new curtains. We must have made a dozen trips to Hobby Lobby for all the material needed as well as a few other neat items.

Bev was very busy cutting fabric and sewing it to the specs of the windows. We went to the rig several times while it was parked in the dealer’s lot, but waited until last Sunday to install them. What a fabulous job she did. I can’t begin to thank her enough.

This is the rear drape. Mind you I was able to remove that horrible pull down blind that was in the rig since it was made by Lazy Daze.

The door window. The old LD blind broke earlier in the year. Bob just happened to be walking outside of the door as this pic was taken.

She also made curtains for the kitchen windows but the pic did not turn out well.

Celebrated at the Elks

Since I was parked at the Elks when everything was done and installed we all went in to celebrate with a drink at the bar. It was a wonderful ending for a great day and my last down in So CA. It is always fun seeing Bob and Bev. Thank you so much for everything you both have done for me!!!

Early call Monday morning

At 7:45am Bev called. She had gotten up early and wanted to finish off a valance for the drapes. I hadn’t planned on leaving until 10:00 so she came over and installed the new valances. What a big difference. That was the finishing touch she really wanted. It looks FANTASTIC!!!!!

This is the back window.

The door.

The Kitchen.

I am so excited over the new look.

Stopped at Inyokern, CA

I got on 395 and made my first stop at a small RV park in Inyokern, CA. I have stayed at this same park 3 out of the 4 years I have been on the road. Just like going back to your old neighbor. It has hookups so I get get water and dump tanks on my way up to Mono Lake where I will boondock for a night.

I have not driven any distance since I came over to SO CA from Yuma. That is not much driving at all. It is so great getting back on the road again. Chica is very happy too as you can see from this photo.

I am slowly making my way up north to the Cascades in WA where I will be a camphost all summer. I should be up there by May 10th.

Waiting for the rig

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Jim Melvin

Been a while since I last posted

Sorry it has been so long but have been busy getting ready to head up to Washington for my new camp host job. I traveled to Southern California where I have been spending time with my sister Bev and brother-in-law Bob. I spent 2 nights at O’Neill Park in Orange County and then took my rig into the Ford dealer near by to have a few things checked out. They are very busy this time of the year so I have left it there while they ordered parts. My front end needs work and it also needs service as well.

Chica and Lando

Lando is Bev and Bob’s dog and Chica got to know him last Christmas while we were there. So they are now getting more and more familiar with each other and sharing each other’s toys at times.

We took them to the nearby park to run in the grass. They had a great time together.

Chica even enjoyed playing in the swings and slides area.

Birthday party at the beach

One day we were invited to a friend’s grandson’s birthday party at the beach. The weather was great and the party was fun.

Things I have done in the past several days.

Hiked with Bev at a nearby park.

Visited my Mom at their annual Easter Egg Hunt for the little kids.

My Mom is doing well and was really glad to see us. I will take Chica over to see her tomorrow.

Getting rig ready

Bev has been very helpful in getting my rig organized. I definitely needed a woman’s touch in there and she definitely supplied it. I had already installed shades in three of the windows, but needed curtains on both the door and in the kitchen window. We bought the material and she sewed some drapes for me.

While the rig is parked in the dealers lot ready to be repaired, we have gone over there several times and they let us do things inside the rig. First of all I got rid of a lot of unneeded junk.. I finally removed the back valance and tossed it. Bev is also going to make some curtains to replace the old curtains Lazy Daze they had installed in the rear.

Today we went and installed some of the curtains. I forgot to take any pics so will have to show you in a later post. They really turned out nice and I am very pleased with them. I can’t begin to thank Bev enough for all the work she has done.

Repairs tomorrow

The dealer said they will be working on my rig tomorrow and finish it up by Wednesday. I may move it back to O’Neill Park for a couple of days and finish it up and then begin my journey up to Washington. I am supposed to be up their by May 14, but am planning on getting there on the 10th to get organized in my new campsite.

Last day in Yuma!!!

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Jim Melvin

Last day in Yuma

Hooray!! This is my last day in the Yuma area. I am still at the Paradise Casino where I am parked with very few other rigs.

I have been here 2 1/2 weeks and no one has hassled me at all. I am getting to know Yuma pretty good now. The weather this last week has really warmed up. It is supposed to be 101 degrees tomorrow. That is way too hot for my blood. Chica’s too! This is a pic of her in the morning when she enjoys the warmth of the morning sun. In the afternoon it is quite different as she finds a cool spot out of the heat.

Last Dental Appointment

I go in to Algadones, MX for my last dental appointment tomorrow at 9:30am. I need to go for a permanent crown and then I am off to the races. I am hoping I can get out of there early and through customs without waiting in a long line. Two weeks ago I had an early appointment and breezed through customs without any line at all. Last week because I didn’t get done with the dentist until 2:00pm I had to wait an hour in line. I think a lot of people go across the border for lunch and when lunch ends they high tale it back across the border, hence the long lines.

Off to CA

Once I get back to my rig I will hook up and be off on my 4+ hour journey to O’Neill Park in Orange County CA. I have stayed at this park many times as it is convenient to my family. It does not have hookups, but that is OK as I have my solar panels and that gives me plenty of solar with the nice blue CA skies. I am also looking forward to getting into cooler temps in CA. Chica is too!!

Heading to I-10

I have decided to take catch the I-10 around Indio and then head into Orange County. It will be later in the day I will be hitting all the traffic, but I will be going against traffic pretty much. Anyway I am not in a big hurray as I have already made reservations.

Spring Training Weekend – Part 2

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Jim Melvin

Off to a Hockey Game

After seeing the Angels practice we stopped and got all the fixin’s so that we could have a barbeque. We happened to be talking about hockey and Curt did some investigating on his IPad. He found that the Phoenix Coyotes were playing the Calgary Flames in Phoenix that night.

He purchased the tickets and after a great steak dinner we were off to the game. I haven’t been to a hockey game in years so it was a real treat for me. The traffic wasn’t bad until we got near the off ramp where it seems that in another stadium they were holding a concert. What a traffic jam. However we were just a bit late for the game and just as we were climbing the stairs the noise level increased and we realized the Coyotes had just scored a goal. What luck. Fortunately the game didn’t end at 1-0.

It was a good game and the Phoenix Coyotes won 3-2. Here we are at the game.

We were busy all day with both baseball and hockey. How good is that!!!

Busy Bees

Sunday we had tickets for the Angels vs the Mariners game. We had a light breakfast and headed over to the ball park so we could get to see batting practice. As we walked up to the front of Diablo Stadium the crowd was waiting at the top of the steps for the gates to open. All of a sudden the police were forcing the crowd down to the lower steps. What the heck is going on?

It seems they located a bee hive that was in the stands. The fire department had to come out and spray it down to get rid of the bees. Then they let the crowd back up the steps but they didn’t open the turnstiles yet. So there we were packed in like sardines with the hot sun drenching down on us and no where to go.

We finally got into the park and all was well on the western front. We had great seats just behind and to the left of home plate.

It was a good ball game although the Angels lost to the Mariners 5-3. Over the entire weekend the baseball teams we were rooting for both lost and the hockey team won. I guess one out of three isn’t too bad, but it is Spring Training.

Then we went back to the rig where we had another barbeque and watched a movie. Then at 11:30pm it was off to the Sky Harbor Airport. Fortunately it was only a few miles away and there was no traffic at that time of the night.

Great weekend

It was really great getting together with my son Curt for the weekend. We both love sports and seeing games and it was really a fantastic weekend. I would like to make this a tradition and get together for Spring Training next year if possible.

Tribute to my Dad

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Jim Melvin

My Dad – James Henry Melvin 10/19/1919 – 02/02/2010

My father passed away 4 years ago on this date and I still miss him very much. He helped me to realize my dream of fulltime RVing. My niece Dani Hill made this tribute to him with his picture for his memorial and I would like to share it with you.

I miss my Dad very much as he was a very funny person who always had a nickname for everyone. He had a wonderful sense of humor.

Watching the Super Bowl

I am at the Q Casino on the road to Algadones, Mexcio in the parking lot watching the game. The place is full of rigs and cars everywhere. Today John, Linda and I had a great lunch inside the casino. Hopefully the solar will hole up for the remainder of the game otherwise I will just run my generator as many other people are already doing. I hope everyone who likes football is enjoying the game.

Dentist in Algadones

Tuesday I will go into Algadones, MX with friends to have a troublesome tooth checked out. That should be a trip. HA!

Arrived in Quartzsite

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Jim Melvin

Wonderful time with family and friends

I was really glad to see my family and so many friends for the holidays. Bev and Bob were great hosts and showed me a wonderful time. On the 3rd I left their house to return to my rig to get it ready for the trip to Quartzsite. B & B had gone out to Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern and picked up some chili and deviled eggs for me and dropped them off at the rig. This is a pic of Bev with Chica.

I usually only see my family once a year at Christmas and it is always a great time.

Back on the road

I left So CAL on the 4th and landed in Quartzsite that afternoon. I immediately drove to the RV Pit Stop and filled up with propane then headed to the La Posa West LTVA where I paid my $40 for my first two weeks here. Then it was off to the dump station where I dumped my tanks and filled up with fresh water. Now I am ready to go. I found many friends who had just arrived that day and John led me to a great spot. It sure feels good to be out in the desert again. We have a great spot with lots and lots of room for anyone who would like to join us.

A bit chilly

The days have been nice with clear blue skies. Yesterday the wind blew from the north. Everyone was saying that it was blowing the cold air in from Fernley, NV where I worked at Amazon. Last night the temperature got down to 31. I didn’t run the furnace but had the catalytic heater running all night. Here are a couple of pics showing how Chica stays warm.

Her favorite spot is right in front of the Wave 3 catalytic heater.

All of us are quite comfortable out here in the desert as you can see from the next pic. Working on a rig you always need a box of wine handy. HA!

Come out and join us

If you are anywhere near this area (within 1,000 miles – HA!) stop in and join us. Roger and John went into town and picked up a lot of firewood and we have fires every night under the stars. During the day it warms up nicely and we always have a Happy Hour to BS about just about any subject anyone can think of.

Enjoying family friends and WARM weather

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Jim Melvin

Back in Southern California and loving it

This year I decided to drive to So CAL for the holidays. I used to fly in from Reno, NV after working for Amazon, but this year after rescuing Chica from the depths of Mesa, AZ I decided that driving would be much better.

I stopped in at the Beatty RV Park in Beatty, NV for the first night and then drove the next night to O’Neill Park in Orange County. Then called my sister Bev and Chica and I spent the next few nights with Bev and Bob. They were thrilled to see Chica and she got along well with their dog Lando.

The next day Bev had invited a bunch of old friends over to have a party. It was great fun seeing everyone and catching up with all they and I have done.

It was a blast seeing everyone. Then we headed inside to exchange presents.

Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern

The next day it was off to see my famous tavern in Dan Point, CA. What a neat place! I wish it was named after me. That Jimmy must be rich.

Here I am having a glass of wine. Jimmy’s had a beautiful view of the ocean.

Here I am having a great time with Bev.

Great to see Mom!

The following day we stopped in to visit my Mom. I took Chica with us and as you can see she made herself at home on my mother’s lap. It was sure great seeing her and we had a good conversation.

Christmas Day

Then Bev and Bob had my niece’s Dani and Megan over with Todd and Chris. It was also a good time. I got to meet Harper who is Megan and Chris’s new baby daughter. She was such a dear.

Bev and Harper on Harper’s first Christmas.

Chris and Chica sure had fun together.

After all the company had gone home Chica and I had a nice afternoon enjoying the beautiful warm temps and blue sky.

It sure was a great couple of days. Then I went back to O’Neill Park and my RV and Chica and I are just relaxing and enjoying this great weather. I will be seeing more friends before I leave on the 4th. I will then be headed for Quartzsite, AZ to meet up with more friends in the desert for our 4th annual GTG.

It’s all over but the warming!

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Jim Melvin

Released from Amazon

My release date from Amazon was Wed 12/18. I was going to slack off my last day but I wound up having a great day. I had a better percentage of items stowed then normal. I also talked to a lot of the campers who were leaving on the same day and some that were scheduled to leave later. Many of us are going to Quartzsite in January and we are making plans to meet up there. I can’t wait. I probably met more fun people this year then any of the last two years. Aside from the hard work and the COOOOOLD weather I really enjoyed this year more then any other.

Change in weather

I figured that I would take Thursday to get organized and ready to hit the road on Friday. However this is what I awoke to on Thursday morning.

There wasn’t a lot of snow but just enough to make you slip and slide if you weren’t careful. I spent the day getting stuff organized inside my rig. Even though it snowed the temps were much warmer and by the end of the day a lot of the snow had melted.

I also had running water. HURRAY! Last night while watching TV I could hear the bathroom sink gurgling. Chica was going crazy barking at the gurgling noise. She didn’t know what it was. The sink trap had busted loose and I was finally getting drainage. HURRAY #2!

Great driving weather

I packed everything up, payed my final electric bill at Desert Rose RV park, hooked up the Sami and I was off into the wilderness. It was such a GREAT FEELING to get back on the road. I love the feeling when I am back behind the wheel! Chica curled up in my lap as she always does when we are on the road.

I stopped in Hawthorne at the McDonald’s to give Chica a break but never stopped again except for gas. I finally pulled into one of my favorite RV parks at Beatty RV Park. I don’t know what it is about this park but I usually stop here at least twice a year. The folks here are very friendly and remembered me for the last time I was here ion October just before heading to Fernly.

California Gold (or should I say heat)

Tomorrow I will get up early and head into California where I know the temps are about 70. (Eat your heart out Fernley!) I will be seing my sister and a lot of good friends on Sunday. Chica will also be happy that she can get out and run in the grass.

Glad it is OVER!

It was great having an opportunity to earn a lot of extra money to keep myself on the road. But it sure is great that the time at Amazon finally came to an end. The job is not exactly easy and the weather SUCKS but the money is good. I am glad it has finally come to an end and now I am BACK ON THE ROAD!