On the Road Again, Palm Desert, CA - April 15, 2018

We were busy getting ready to head north and preparing our house to be vacated for 6 months. I turned the water off to the house, made sure the auto irrigation system still worked. I installed insulation screens and locks on all the windows. I switched off all the AC breakers except the one for our alarm system. We set all our expected mail to be paperless or forwarded to Texas, where our mail forwarding service still is. We turned off our Centurylink internet, and our garbage service.


The hardest part of this preparing, was equipping our RV to go. Now that we don't have to carry everything we own, we did have to stock it up to live in for 6 months. We wanted to take anything of importance to us in case our house was broken into or there was a fire or something.


Finally, we were ready to go. Our Hitch Itch was going to get scratched. As a matter of fact, we were planning on going on the 15th, but since we were ready, I changed our reservations in Palm Springs to 3 days earlier - to Thursday, April 12th.


Finally, Thursday morning came and we were off. We almost postponed another day because it was supposed to be very windy. It wasn't bad at 9 AM, so off we went. Heading out of Yuma, we stopped and topped off the gas tank with our last Arizona gas for awhile. We paid $2.64 a gallon. Prices are going up, but that was better than gassing up in California. I expect we will be filling up in CA twice as we pass through.


166 miles and fighting the increasing wind later, we arrived at the Palm Springs RV Thousand Trails park in Palm Desert. Now the wind is really kickin up. The rig really handled the head and side winds pretty good. Much better than our old rig. No problems. Looking forward to checking the gas mileage at the next fuel up.


Our site (#74)

We are here for the start of the Coachella Music festival, this weekend and next. Lots of crazy people around here. The weather is beautiful. In the low 90s, blue sky, and no more wind. In the few days we have been here, we have been to Walmart and Costco, cruised down El Paseo Drive several times, had lunch at Burgers & Beer, and hit the pool and hot tub here at the park. 


We also took part in the Pokemon Go Community Day at the Civic Center Park. We spent a couple of days with fellow gamers there. Had a lot of fun.


Some pics we took.

We have been to this park several times and really enjoy this area. I am also going to do a review on this Thousand Trails park. My reviews on all the TT parks we have been to are online on my website at www.thefergs.com.


Three days down and six more to go here. Feels good to be out and about in the RV again.


Fergs .... out!

RV Dreams Rally, Winding Up Our Time in Yuma - March, 2018

On the 4th of March, Donna's birthday, we headed to Quartzsite in our new motorhome. It was a good trip. This rig has plenty more power (it seems) and the wind didn't really bother us a bit. We pulled into the boondocking rally site on Plomosa Road.

There were about 6 other rigs there already. They are expecting 43 rigs to attend the rally.


It was really good to get together with all of our old RV Dreamer friends, and meet many more too!


The rally had some good boondocking seminars, potlucks, and activities. We really enjoyed the campfires every night. Our 1 measly solar panel was just OK. Each morning, the 2 12 volt batteries were down about 50 percent. Not good for them, but I will be installing my solar goodies when we get back to Yuma.


Some of my rally pictures. A great time with friends.

 

Back home in Yuma.

It took 6 days to install 6 more solar panels, switch out the two 12 volt batteries for my four 6 volt AGMs, inverter, charge controller, monitor displays and stuff. The hardest part was figuring out which AC breaker fed which outlet. The panel was not labeled correctly. Everything is now in a space below our bed. Pretty cool that I don't need to use one of our storage compartments for the electronics. We are ready now!


Some pictures.




Four of these panels.

Two of these panels.

With the one that was aleady up on the roof, I have seven panels now. 880 watts of solar!



All installed in a cubby hole under the bed.

And it all works too!


Spring has sprung. Our friends Tim & Bev headed out March 23rd. They are heading up to Washington also. We will see them there sometime this summer. It is getting hot out and the Yuma snowbirds are starting to migrate north. One of our cactus plants is flowering.

We are getting our house ready to be vacated, and our RV packed up for a 6 month trip up north. We are heading to Palm Springs next Thursday. It will be good to hit the road again.


Life is good!

Fergs .... out!