Crossing the lone star

In the last couple days we crossed the great state of Texas from one side to another. Had some adventures on the way but we are safe on the other side. It is freezin’ cold in here tonight – You wanna know how cold? Jump in and read.
P.S. I Did not forget about Patti’s recipe blog, it is coming…

Leaving Bolivar

Monday, January 11, 2010 – I am not going to tell you what we had for dinner Saturday night because this is the recipe blog I am going to post tomorrow, Y’all have to wait to the blog to see what it was – but it’s coming.
Patti did not feel good all day yesterday. I worked most of the day catching up with office and and errands. nothing much. I read some blogs (I love reading your blogs – each one has its own different unique style and they are all so similar yet so different. I have a feeling I almost know you.) answered emails, got caught up with finances (or lack of… )  and finished some open items for work.
This morning we got up at about 9:00 AM. I am not a morning person. some people tell me that they wake up at 6:00 in the morning. I didn’t even know there is six in the morning. (heard of sex in the morning but it is different I think).

Slide in, Slide out

Our new RV is very nice overall but it is not exactly perfect. We need to do some fixes in it. There is one thing that haunts us – the Slide out. We had this problem with the first RV, and now we have it again. Is it me or these things are simply not reliable? Do you have problem with your slide outs? Every time we push them in or out – we have to go through a ritual hoping it will go fine. We make sure the RV is perfectly level. no debris or obstacle in the way. We make sure the RV is relaxed. We sing it a song and give it a brotherly hug. and then, very quietly we push the one single button that suppose to take all three slides in. So this morning, I am not sure what we did wrong – I think I missed some notes on the song we sang, but the last slide got stuck in the middle. We had to pull out all three slides and try again. Finally the slide-out came in all the way. Until next time.
Any ideas what would make it work right? does it need coffee in the morning? maybe a piece of Canadian bacon? I am out of ideas.

Tex Cruising

We drove with the RV on the ferry – That was cool. It is impressive how you can drive with such a humongous thing on a boat. Those ferries can carry big trucks. We did not see dolphins today, but took some good-bye pictures.

Losing our brain, find the top of the Hill

We took hwy I-10 all the way across, planning to spend the night past San Antonio. The traffic in Houston was not too bad, and we took the 410 loop around San Antonio. At that point, my cellular modem died, and we lost internet. Any attempt to handle the computer while driving just made it worst. It is like trying to convince someone that you are right in the middle of an argument, or try to read the newspaper against the wind. No chance. Patti still did not feel the best, and could not help much. At one point, the laptop gave me BSOD (it is a computer way to give the middle finger – BSOD stands for Blue Screen Of Death). I did not want to argue with it anymore. I almost hit couple cars on the other lane, trying to operate a laptop and drive in high traffic in a big city at rush hour. This is not my cup of tea (and I am a coffee drinker).
Well – the address to the campground was in the laptop with the phone and everything, and I could not remember what it was, or where it was. For us computer geeks, the computer is our brain, and without it we know nothing. I tried to use notes as paper backup and reminders that I have notes and reminders for the reminders – nothing. Usually my laptop  it works great but not today. My laptop PMSing or something.
I knew that if I will try to fix it, the situation will get worst. and it did! The thing won’t shut down correctly, and it took forever to restart. After 30 minutes of soft talk, and promising not to close it too hard, and to hold the mouse gently, (I even tickled the mouse pad couple times) I saw a road sign on the hwy – Top of The Hill RV Resort – Next Exit. This is it. No map, no laptop, no GPS, we are going manual!
We pulled out, got to the campground and were very pleased with our choice. It is a Passport America campground, with very nice facilities – a huge clubhouse with exercise room, kitchen, and gathering room, big swimming pool, clean bathrooms and showers and very nice views (from the top of the hill). The owners were extremely nice and welcoming, and the place was spacious and clean.

Driving a Marathon

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 – What a ____ day! Fill in the blanks. For us it was a nice day today, Patti feels better, the RV got over his moodiness, and the laptop is singing again (in Yiddish though, and backwards, but it’s a start).
We had a long way to go today, so we started very early. At 10:00am …
This is our first time driving through Texas on I-10 and this half of the way was much nicer than the first half. Rural desert view, wilderness,openness, endless meadows and prairies that last as far as you can see. The terrain become more hilly and the vegetation was so different – cactus plants and different types of palms. Not an expert in the names – but I do know I like it. I just love this area. When we finally took the exit off I-10 at Sheffield, it felt like the civilization just disappeared and we were the last people on earth.

Green or Red, but we are out of gas again

We planned to fill gas at Sheffield. When we left the highway I had almost half a tank. There should be couple station in town – and they were there. Just deserted and closed. Never mind – we still have quarter tank, and I will stop the next gas station I find, I thought. It’s a good thought. I always start looking for a gas station at quarter tank.  that gives me around 50 miles or so.
This trick doesn’t work in this part of the country.
We drove, and drove and drove, but did not see any sign of life. There were some nice signs at the side of the road declaring a Ranch, and a gravel trail that leads to the wilderness and disappears in the horizon. No cars, no houses, no electric lines. Nada. Zilch. I could stop the car in the middle of the road, stand in the middle and take some pictures if I wanted to. And I wanted to… so I did.

At some point of time, the gas gauge started touching the red line, and this is usually not a good sign. Still – no gas station. Not even a road sign that will show that we are still in the US.
I looked at the the GPS, searched for the closest gas station. Found one! 34 miles away. no way I can make it. Even if I unhook the trailer and drive the truck alone. Well, we have AAA account – we can call them. Good thought. I am good with good thoughts but the part of making them reality is not my role. There is a little problem with this thought (again). The phones could be used a paper weights, game consoles, or last resort cameras, but not as cell phones. There is no service at this part of the country (whatever country we are in).

I met a living angel

Or had more luck than brains

I parked on the side of the road, opened the window to get some fresh air, and just like an angel – a pickup truck stopped beside me. I am sure someone was watching from above and sent this guy for me, because there was no one (and I mean no one) on this road for the last 45 minutes.
The guy asked me if I need help, and I said – “well, we are without gas and without phone. Where is the closest gas station? “
“It is 25 miles away”, the guy said.
”No way am I going to make it…” I thought loudly.
”Stay here, I will be right back” said the angel.
And he did go, and did come back after 10 minutes with a full gas can. No idea where he got it. If the closest gas station is 25 miles away – he must have got it directly from heaven. God knows.
The kind man will not even take money for the Gas. “One day I will need help, and someone else will help me, and when I die, I will go to heaven” he said.
He sure will. That was a miracle!
He gave me his business card, and I left my blog address with him – so Monty Harkins – if you read this – I don’t know how to thank you enough. You are a very kind man. Thank you with all my heart.

Listening to an advice

First night at Marathon

I think it was Donna and Stu from 2 taking a fifth, a blog that I follow, that first mentioned this wonderful campground.
We arrived here before dark, settled in and went out on a ‘date’, at the Oasis Cafe – a local family owned Mexican restaurant.
So far we LOVE this place. Every corner here is so beautiful. The landscaping, the architecture, the decoration. Lovely. My camera started drooling and got wet.
It is EXTREMELY cold outside tonight. It is 19 right now, and suppose to get down to 14. That is cold!.
I will finish this blog with just one photo I took here at sunset tonight.
Thank you so much for reading this long blog today, and don’t forget to leave your comments. I love it when you do. Yes – specifically you.
Getting late and I am running to bed. G’night Y’all!