The Cruising Adventures of Wild Blue and crew...

Sunday evening and here's this week's Captain Jim strip...

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Dan asked if Molly ever did this... no, she was much too smart for that. Although one nasty bird in Texas did coax her into jumping... SPLASH!

Update on the land traveling. We're in Benson, AZ, tonight; left the resort living in Phoenix this morning. We're heading to beautiful exotic Kansas for some warranty work on the 5th wheel, then north... if Mother Nature is kind. We've managed to stay where the weather is nice; we occasionally turn on the fireplace to eliminate any morning chill, but we're still on our original propane fill from last September. Fireplace? Yeah, I'm thinking that would be nice on Wild Blue. :wink:

Still having fun with the land traveling, but the humidity here is 5%. I can barely drink fast enough. 8)

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Such great timing, Jim and Joan!

This Monday is to be a record overnight cold for Kansas!!!

Is what they say about your traveling and the weather correct?

Hmmm...

Well last Friday it was 70 degees on Grand Lake with a 5-10 mph wind, but Sunday that changed to winds gusting to 50 mph for parts of Kansas and now the record cold. I should have known you two were on the prowl again!

I hope you can visit us in Kansas some time when the weather is better,

John
 
Hi Joan and Jim,
It sounds like you guys are having a wonderful time on the road again. I didn't know you were so sports minded, that you would try so hard to get to Kansas for the annual " Twister Dodging World Champtonships" . Just in case you are not up to speed on the event, you know you have won when you find your 5th wheel is in front of the truck and not behind it. I am not sure what the prizes are but I am sure they will involve a lifetime membership in FEMA.

Put on the Long John's and have a great time.
 
Hi Dr. John and Mike,

We are still way south - Las Cruces, NM, where I-10 and I-25 intersect. We were driving east today, with the wind out of the east at somewhere just over a thousand miles per hour. We are staying at Camp Dead End; it is quite full due to the Blowing Dust Festival and the Meth and Crackhead Producers and Users Convention. Fortunately, I got plenty of sleep last night, because I think I will be standing guard most of tonight. The rig to the right of us has a "Beward of Dog" sign and on the left is a big "Protected by Smith & Wesson" bumper sticker. Anywhere to get off the road in this nasty wind. About 20 minutes after pulling in, the wind died. Hopefully, it will be the only thing... well, you know. :roll:

Now that we have the fun travelogue out of the way, we are Kansas-bound to get some warranty work done on the 5th wheel. Nothing major; we scheduled this months ago, thinking April in Kansas might possibly equate to springtime. Tonight's low where we are headed is supposed to be 25º (Hell, I might as well have gone to Florida, right Warren? :twisted: ). After tonight, the night-time lows will be above freezing for the next 10 days, according to the weather weasels. Our 5th wheel is one of the best insulated ones made, so it really shouldn't be an issue. I haven't worn big-boy pants since we were at the Grand Canyon... that may change by tomorrow. :wink:

There is an older RV here that has a Potter 15 sailboat behind it; I may wander over that way to see if I can find someone to talk to. :D

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Hi Jim,

The Potter 15 was my first cabin boat, a real micro yacht! It is really 14ft but they count the kicker mount. We even spent a few nights anchored out in Tomales bay. There is a Potter Yachter group in the SF bay area that is still active. Definitely an inexpensive way to go boating.

Stay safe and have a good trip.

Steve
 
Well, we are at our destination in Chanute, Kansas. It was a long, windy drive from Arizona. No doubt you've seen the news reports on wild fires in northern Texas and Oklahoma... that's the kind of wind we've experience the last week. I have to say that Big Red and our HitchHiker are rock solid going down the road. Coming across Kansas yesterday, it looked like Sherman's March to the Sea. A friend of ours from KS told us that there would be a lot of "field burning" in the state... he didn't mention that it would be every other field... many still smoldering. I won't go into great detail about the wind, other than to say that we did see a "witchy-looking" woman on a bicycle blow by us! :shock: I don't know about Toto, but Izzy was a bit worried last night, with tornado watch/warnings all around us.

Izzy has become a great traveler - she rides happily in the truck and goes willingly into her carrier when we stop. Not known to many are cats' amazing ability to navigate...

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They are also entertaining when stopped for the night...

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"Let's watch the Animal Channel."

It's COLD in Kansas. Well, at least since we got here. It's going to get down to 32º tonight. Tomorrow may be nice enough to get our bikes out and peddle our way around the area. There is a neat little park not far from the city campground; and speaking of the campground: one of the main industries here is the NuWa factory (manufacturers of our 5th wheel). Production is on hold until June, but factory service and warranty takes care of the owners. The city campground offers RV sites that are paved, with water and electric... free for the first 48 hours, then $10 per day after that. The view out our large back window is of the golf course. Very pretty.

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We have just a few shake down things to address, but we certainly appreciate the factory support. From here, we'll see what Mother Nature has in store... but Branson is only a few hours away. We like that area... especially when it isn't wall to wall tourists.

The land traveling is going great. I certainly miss Wild Blue, but her turn will come again. Nice that fuel prices are reasonable (by comparison to a year ago). And just like with Wild Blue, "home" is where we park it.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Every so often, the discussion of "right of way" comes up here. I've mentioned that you can win a bar bet with the knowledge of only one mention of "right of way" in the CFRs, and that's in regards to river navigation.

Well, this isn't a "navigable water", but we are in southeastern Kansas right now and were biking around town. This water is called Santa Fe Lake, but is more of what I'd call a pond. Pretty place, though. And they have a sign stating the rules of the lake...

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Just in case you can't see it, Rule #5 states: "Sailboats have right-of-way". 8) And "all powerboats shall operate in a counterclockwise direction". Interesting.

Riding through town...

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Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Susan E":3cf9r5sz said:
do you mean that you have a fireplace in the 5th wheel?

i got to see that! take a picture! man they are different since i was a kid

susan e
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Hi Susan,

Yes, we have a fireplace in the 5th wheel. It is electric, but has the ambiance of a wood fire without the smell and mess. Besides three different heat levels, it has different lights on the simulated logs... so you can adjust the "ember glow", the back light, and the "flame flicker." We first saw one of these in an RV several years ago and thought "how hokey." When we ordered this 5th wheel last fall, we really liked how it looked in other units we saw and decided to get one. I am surprised at how much we use it. Nice ambiance and very functional heating. We are still running on our original propane fill from the dealer, because we have only turned the furnace on twice - the rest of the time we heat the whole thing with the fireplace. Right now, it's drizzling out, the temp is 48º , and we are toasty warm in the 5th wheel. It also helps that the NuWa HitchHikers are one of the best insulated RVs made. Except for the fact that there is no jacuzzi tub :wink: , we have all the comforts of home.

I dug through some images we shot when we first picked this up and came up with this shot that shows the fireplace under the TV...

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And while writing this, I shot an image of just the fireplace...

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There is a lot of pretty wood inside, two leather recliners, a couch with a hide-a-bed, oak dinette table with 4 chairs, Corian counters, satellite TV (3 LCD TVs), a full length hanging closet, lots of storage, queen bed with storage underneath, etc, etc. It is comfy living. With living room slides extended, the interior width is between 13 and 14 feet. Izzy has lots of room to run. :wink:

The drawback with this set up is having to choose between boat traveling and RV (land) traveling. There is a hitch on the back of this unit, but it is rated for up to 3500 pounds. We towed a boat behind our last coach and it was too much work; Joan had to drive separate with our SUV so we'd have a daily driver; we were over the legal length limit with the coach and boat. We've seen people triple towing with 5th wheels and small fishing boats. But, I'm not ready to trade Wild Blue off for something smaller. 8)

So, we'll continue to divide our traveling time between land and water.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
This is Dan's take on family game night...

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Of course, it may be the fact that Joan and I kicked butt on Steph and Dan... someone got her nose out of joint (and I won't mention Steph's name) when someone else (and that would be Joan and I) sang our version of the Queen song, "We are the Champions." Sheesh - sensitive, huh? I guess that part where we sang, "No time for LOSERS, 'cause we are the champions... of the world" while dancing and pointing at them... well, let's just leave it at sensitive. :mrgreen:

Enjoy!

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
The Persian Pussy Cat

The Persian kitty so perfumed and fair, strayed through the stretcher door for air when a tomcat lean and strong and dirty and yellow came along.

He gazed at the perfumed Persian cat as she strutted about with so much class.

Then thinking a bit of time to pass he whispered Kiddo, you are sure some class.

That fitting and proper was her reply as she arched her whiskers over her eye. I am ribboned and I sleep on a pillow of silk and they bathe me daily in certified milk.

But we are never contented with what we have got. I try to be happy but happy I am not. I should be joyful, I should indeed- for I am highly pedigreed.

"Cheer up" said the tomcat with a smile, and trust your new found friend a while. You ought to escape from your back yard fence. What you need, my dear, is experience.

New joys of living he then unfurled and he told her tales of the outside world. Suggesting at last with a luring laugh. Just a trip for two down the primrose path.

The morning after the night before, the cat came back to the kitchen door. But the innocent look from her eye had went- and the smile over her face was one of content and in after days when the kittens came to the Persian kitty of pedigreed fame--they were not Persians, but yellow and tan--and she told them their Pa was a boatcat man.

Author Unknown
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Deadicated to all boat Cats....and Dogs
 
Ah, Mike, you ol dog,

Experience... it's what we seek everyday... just something new today that we haven't done before. Probably what draws us to boats, huh? Never the same thing twice.

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We had a very positive factory service experience with our HitchHiker on Monday. With that done, we checked weather and decided to head for the hills...Branson, MO. The steep roads that first intimidated us with this rig last year were a walk in the park. Experience. :wink: We're looking forward to poking around the area, riding bikes, and experiencing some new eateries.

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Izzy the travel cat is growing up and continues to impress us with her ability to handle new experiences. She has gone from her gawky stage to what I am calling her supermodel stage: long, lean, confident. She is not worldly yet, but we are working on it.

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I see on that Great Loop thread that you have set a date, Mike. :thup

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Today was a big day... we decided it was time for Izzy to go for a walk on her leash. Oh, we've let her hang out on the patio on the leash to get used to it, but this was going to be a walk somewhere. Even if it was a site or two from our RV...

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She did great! Izzy walked across half the campground. No pulling, no fuss; she walked like she had been doing it for years. And then just before sunset, we went out again...

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Just to make sure this morning wasn't a fluke - she walked even further. She saw ducks in the nearby water, watched birds flying tree to tree, walked on gravel for the first time, and even captured a bug! At one point, we passed a guy walking a small dog... there was staring, but no barking or hissing. They were both curious. Yep, quite a day.

Sorry if I sound like a proud papa... this is a big step in Izzy's evolution as a travel cat.

Now when we get back to the boat, Izzy will be ready to walk the docks! :D

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 

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OK, I am not a kid anymore...

We went to Silver Dollar City today. I love roller coasters. We got there early, saw a great show with a Russian jazz band before the park "officially" opened... and we were in the first wave for the first coaster. Several G's, a couple loops, and a barrel-roll later, we got off. I used to laugh at that stuff... this time I had to look around to see if I could find my stomach... the fluid in my ears was running like Niagra Falls, and my knees wobbled like an old bar stool. :shock: What's up with that? We moved on to the next coaster; I couldn't believe our luck - almost no line! This one was like being shot out of a cannon. Time for another show, just so we could sit down; a steel drum band from Trinidad. Very entertaining.

It's a well known medical fact that good bar-b-que will calm an unsettled stomach. Maybe not? It seemed like a good idea at the time. The rest of the day was spent walking, seeing shows, another couple coasters, a train ride... oh, and some Italian food to settle the bar-b-que. :oops: It was a great time... from Irish fire-dancing to glass blowing to looking up to see the ground. At the Saloon/Dancing Girls show, one of the girls brought me on stage to use as a ventriliquist's dummy... perhaps she could tell I've had had experience with a woman putting words in my mouth? :roll: <insert your own dummy joke here>.

Whew, I need a day off.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Mr. Fix-it...

Sunday night and time for this week's Captain Jim:

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Another fictional depiction... Captain Jim has no bandages after the repair! :roll:

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Jeez - Jim playing a dummy - who'd a thunk it? It was a stretch I'm sure but I know that with your fine acting abilities you could pull it off. :wink:
 
RVing our way north. Still near the water... the campground in Branson was on Turkey Creek, right off of Lake Taneycomo. Currently, we are in a pretty city campground along the Missouri River; nice wide sites, a great bike path that runs past the campground, and a great view of the river...

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The bike path winds along the river, past an athletic complex, then turns into the countryside between corn fields. Every so often there are historical markers, telling of the Lewis & Clark Expedition and other local history - very nicely done.

The river views...

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And the campground...

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We are visiting my Mother here. Another few days and it's on to the Dakotas.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Beautiful pictures...any picture with water in it is beautiful to me. Does your mom still think you are nuts? Don't take it personal Jim...you are nuts.
 
Wow, Roger calls me a dummy and Mike calls me nuts... nice to be amongst friends. :roll: My son-in-law uses a cartoon cat to insult me. It's fortunate I have good self-esteem or I'd develop a Rodney Dangerfield complex. :wink:

There is no doubt I am wired differently. Some see the glass as half full, others see it as half empty... I look at it and think, "Look at the way the light refracts through that glass." :D

Pat thinks I have a dolphin fetish, but I really appreciate their ability to cruise through life with playful curiosity. In the grand scheme of things, I have no idea what part we are all supposed to play, but the philosopher Cyndi Lauper only got it half right: it isn't just girls who want to have fun.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Ripped from the headlines!

Well, OK... maybe: taken from this thread? Seems that Dan is keeping tabs on us through this forum. With that in mind, here's this week's Captain Jim...

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Of course, I would never say anything about a repair without shedding blood. Karma.

Not sure how he finds the time; besides his teaching job, he coaches. His baseball team is 6-0 for the season, so far. Pretty cool, huh? :D

Hope you enjoy the column.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
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