Pictured from left to right: Danni Sottile, Brynn Armstrong, Gabriel Bell, Ella Sottile, Bill Lovelace
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
A TIRE is a TIRE is a TIRE or is it?
Well nothing new to talk about.. no near catastrophes...no week-end excursions...NOTHING!!!!
We are in the planning process of our first extended trip in the Airstream. It will be a trip to Colorado Springs to visit Pat's son Georgie, and just try our new found skills on the open road. SKILLS...HA.
We have been told by all the professionals, "other Airstream owners" the importance of FRESH tires. As hard as I try, I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the concept of FRESH tires. They say, when you go for tires be sure and tell them you want FRESH tires. Can you imagine going in your local Walmart tire center and having a conversation that goes like this. " Excuse me, I could use some help, I am looking for tires to put on my travel trailer, and by the way, they need to be fresh." The clerk says one moment please,trying his best to hold his composure so not to laugh in your face. He then goes to the backroom, has a good laugh with his buddies, gathers his composure and returns with..."Your in luck we just got this new shipment in yesterday and they were so fresh, the rubber burned us while unloading the truck." I used the Walmart name because in most PODUNK towns that is all you are left with. You hate to piss them off, because you might have to camp on their parking lot some night. The spare that came with our Airstream looked brand new, still had the little rubber thing.a.ma.gigs (trying not to say rubber tits) yet it was made in June 2000. NOT GOOD SAY ALL THE AIRSTREAM PEOPLE!!!! So we'll see what we end up with.
We haven't been able to camp the last couple of weeks because we have been baby sitting our sons two dogs and this weekend we have children and grandchildren coming in to visit. The plan is to chill down the Airstream and let the grandchildren spend the night inside doing their thing..television..videos..computers...just whatever. Someone will have to stay with them...LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS...Any Takers? I must tell you, there will be FOUR, three girls and one boy, all younger than teenagers...much younger. I bet that scared off any potential volunteers. Special note to my daughter 2Mara , Byrnn is being put on notice, last visit she lasted 15 MINUTES , then it was back to the house...this time if she backs out. she is banned for life from the Airstream. JUST KIDDING BYRNN, I LOVE YOU!! Until next time HE SAID, see what SHE SAID....
We are in the planning process of our first extended trip in the Airstream. It will be a trip to Colorado Springs to visit Pat's son Georgie, and just try our new found skills on the open road. SKILLS...HA.
We have been told by all the professionals, "other Airstream owners" the importance of FRESH tires. As hard as I try, I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the concept of FRESH tires. They say, when you go for tires be sure and tell them you want FRESH tires. Can you imagine going in your local Walmart tire center and having a conversation that goes like this. " Excuse me, I could use some help, I am looking for tires to put on my travel trailer, and by the way, they need to be fresh." The clerk says one moment please,trying his best to hold his composure so not to laugh in your face. He then goes to the backroom, has a good laugh with his buddies, gathers his composure and returns with..."Your in luck we just got this new shipment in yesterday and they were so fresh, the rubber burned us while unloading the truck." I used the Walmart name because in most PODUNK towns that is all you are left with. You hate to piss them off, because you might have to camp on their parking lot some night. The spare that came with our Airstream looked brand new, still had the little rubber thing.a.ma.gigs (trying not to say rubber tits) yet it was made in June 2000. NOT GOOD SAY ALL THE AIRSTREAM PEOPLE!!!! So we'll see what we end up with.
We haven't been able to camp the last couple of weeks because we have been baby sitting our sons two dogs and this weekend we have children and grandchildren coming in to visit. The plan is to chill down the Airstream and let the grandchildren spend the night inside doing their thing..television..videos..computers...just whatever. Someone will have to stay with them...LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS...Any Takers? I must tell you, there will be FOUR, three girls and one boy, all younger than teenagers...much younger. I bet that scared off any potential volunteers. Special note to my daughter 2Mara , Byrnn is being put on notice, last visit she lasted 15 MINUTES , then it was back to the house...this time if she backs out. she is banned for life from the Airstream. JUST KIDDING BYRNN, I LOVE YOU!! Until next time HE SAID, see what SHE SAID....
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
On the Road Again, an Original Piece.........
This camping is getting easier and easier...however there is sooooo much to learn and remember. We made a last minute decision to take a trip this 4th of July weekend. We thought we would have trouble finding a place, making a reservation at the last moment sounded impossible. However, Pat was able to book a space online and we had a great time.
We are going to be babysitting a couple of dogs for our son the next couple of weeks, so this weekend would be our only opportunity to camp in the month of July. Along with the trip, it gives us the opportunity to try out some more of our newly acquired camping skills, I USE THE TERM SKILLS LOOSELY, and other techniques. When we last blogged, we had yet to use the bathroom in the airstream. It is sad to say, we were walking a couple hundred yards to the bathrooms, instead of having to face the decision to carry around our own crap and actually have to hook up and dump it when leaving. For some reason, THAT JUST DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT !! Being a city boy, I just never took the time to even think about it, upon finishing my business in the bathroom. WELL... now you have to deal with it TWICE. That's enough about that.
The weather was rain, intermittent rain, with occasional sunshine. The really nice thing was the temp never got above 85. We were basically shut ins, leaving Pat time to sharpen her MARGARITAS skills. We rented videos and just chilled all weekend. Did I mention we have our new flat screen tv and antenna? We are really starting to bring this whole camping thing together.
To sum up our weekend quickly, we saw some fireworks in the distance, used our new toliet skills, watched television, drank margaritas, got wet and saw a lot of deer around the camp. For a holiday weekend there weren't very many people. PRETTY UNEVENTFUL, at least until we got home. Major screw up at this point.
We keep saying we are going to do a check list, but, well it hasn't happened yet. HOWEVER, I bet Pat will have one up and running in the next few days. I had to work most of the day Sunday because I shut work down early friday so we could hook up and get out of town early. We finally got into the driveway after holding traffic up both ways for several minutes. We went through all the motions to unhook the trailer, and being nearly through, Pat was in the trailer doing stuff to get off what she needed. WELL, we had put blocks underneath tires to level for the refrigerator, taken stabilizer bars off , unhocked chains and the electrical lines and I had put the front stabilizer arm down and was raising it,WHEN....the airstream rolled forward off the leveling blocks and came to a stop against the chainlink fence (thank god for that fence). I looked like Tom Cruise in RISKY BUSINESS...holding onto the bumper, trying to prevent the car from going into the lake. No damage was done, but it really did scare Pat. She was thrown around inside the airstream like a ragdoll.
SO MUCH TO REMEMBER, so until later, HE SAID, see what SHE SAID...
We are going to be babysitting a couple of dogs for our son the next couple of weeks, so this weekend would be our only opportunity to camp in the month of July. Along with the trip, it gives us the opportunity to try out some more of our newly acquired camping skills, I USE THE TERM SKILLS LOOSELY, and other techniques. When we last blogged, we had yet to use the bathroom in the airstream. It is sad to say, we were walking a couple hundred yards to the bathrooms, instead of having to face the decision to carry around our own crap and actually have to hook up and dump it when leaving. For some reason, THAT JUST DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT !! Being a city boy, I just never took the time to even think about it, upon finishing my business in the bathroom. WELL... now you have to deal with it TWICE. That's enough about that.
The weather was rain, intermittent rain, with occasional sunshine. The really nice thing was the temp never got above 85. We were basically shut ins, leaving Pat time to sharpen her MARGARITAS skills. We rented videos and just chilled all weekend. Did I mention we have our new flat screen tv and antenna? We are really starting to bring this whole camping thing together.
To sum up our weekend quickly, we saw some fireworks in the distance, used our new toliet skills, watched television, drank margaritas, got wet and saw a lot of deer around the camp. For a holiday weekend there weren't very many people. PRETTY UNEVENTFUL, at least until we got home. Major screw up at this point.
We keep saying we are going to do a check list, but, well it hasn't happened yet. HOWEVER, I bet Pat will have one up and running in the next few days. I had to work most of the day Sunday because I shut work down early friday so we could hook up and get out of town early. We finally got into the driveway after holding traffic up both ways for several minutes. We went through all the motions to unhook the trailer, and being nearly through, Pat was in the trailer doing stuff to get off what she needed. WELL, we had put blocks underneath tires to level for the refrigerator, taken stabilizer bars off , unhocked chains and the electrical lines and I had put the front stabilizer arm down and was raising it,WHEN....the airstream rolled forward off the leveling blocks and came to a stop against the chainlink fence (thank god for that fence). I looked like Tom Cruise in RISKY BUSINESS...holding onto the bumper, trying to prevent the car from going into the lake. No damage was done, but it really did scare Pat. She was thrown around inside the airstream like a ragdoll.
SO MUCH TO REMEMBER, so until later, HE SAID, see what SHE SAID...
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