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Adventures in the Villa

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June 2017

2017-06-12 Driving across New Mexico, Texas, and into Oklahoma

So this happened:  Sunday night we inadvertently hooked up to bad power. 220V bad power, to be exact… I know, I know… I have an EMS to prevent this, but I was plugging into a 30 amp recommended to me by another Airstreamer.  Oops! Don’t do that! So we made some calls and altered our itinerary and headed to an Airstream Dealer and Service Center in Oklahoma City who could see us at 2:00 on Tuesday.  We didn’t know what the damage was, but the batteries were charging when we were towing, so at least the refrigerator stayed cold.

The drive east through New Mexico was quite green and scenic, although there is very little there… The road was very good, which was a treat. (Public Service Announcement: for those of you who think California has the worst roads in America: you have obviously never driven the 40 between Williams and Flagstaff, AZ…)

We stopped for gas just west of the Texas border, and again in Oklahoma, just east of the Texas border. So we crossed the Texas panhandle (180 miles) without spending any money. We did, however, stop at 2 rest stops, leaving appropriate things behind. There is a beautiful rest stop in Texas a few miles west of the Oklahoma border that is an homage’ to Route 66. We had a nice break, a few minutes of walking, and some time inside the air conditioned building looking at the exhibits.

We arrived in Elk City, OK, about 5:30, at a small RV park. We still didn’t know what our power situation was going to be, so we picked this place because it had a large, air conditioned Rec Room. Except that it didn’t…  Good news: Shore power was good, both AC units worked, electric water heater worked, rear TV worked, and everything else worked, except for the converter/battery charger, and the circuit into which the front TV and satellite receiver are plugged. We’ll have to wait and see about those… We also hooked up to water and sewer, so we both were able to enjoy long hot showers.

After a few adult beverages and some microwaved left-overs for dinner, we retired early. Tomorrow we see what the damage to our electrical system really is…

 

Entering Texas… Note the green countryside… Nothing but miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles…

 

And, finally, Oklahoma…

2017-06-12 Map - Oklahoma

 

 

 

 

 

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2017-06-11 The Odyssey Continues – Arizona and New Mexico

As we love to do, we pulled out of the RV park in Kingman, AZ, at 5:00 am sharp!  It is such a pleasure to drive in the early morning hours when traffic is limited to like-minded drivers. It is always exciting to watch the dark fade to light, and it is especially exciting to see the sun come up right in your face where no sun visor can protect you!  Luckily, on this day, there were low hills at just the right locations to block the worst of the sun.

Our first destination was Winslow, AZ, site of the famous song by The Eagles:

“Take it Easy”

Well, I’m a standing on a corner
in Winslow, Arizona
and such a fine sight to see
It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed
Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me.

No one know where Jackson Brown was actually standing (some say he picked Winslow because the lyric just sounded right), but the city has designated the corner of West 2nd Street and North Kinsley Avenue in downtown Winslow as “Standin’ On The Corner Park”, which officially opened in 1999. There is a mural on the wall, and a flatbed Ford parked on the street…

So we played tourist for awhile and actually drove the Airstream around the corner…  (You’ll need to go to my Facebook page, “Airstream Adventures in the Villa” to see the video…)

 

A short drive past Winslow is Holbrook, site of the famous Wigwam Motel…

 

Then it was on to Albuquerque. At a Rest Stop along the way we happened upon another Airstream Slide-out.  They are headed to the WBCCI International Rally in Michigan, then they are joining the Ores, Shores, Waters, and Lights caravan…

2017-06-11 Lupton, AZ

 

In Albuquerque, we took advantage of a great WBCCI benefit – Courtesy Parking.  Many Airstream owners have space for another Airstream to park for the night. It’s a great way to meet other Airstreamers and it is often more fun than an RV Park.  So we stayed at a nice home just north of downtown Albuquerque.  Unfortunately, the 30 amp power provided to us was wired as 220v, so we are having a few electrical issues (more on that later…)

Happily, we were picked up by Jennifer and George Foster and we were driven to dinner at El Pinto, a famous Albuquerque “New Mexican” restaurant.

George even helped add our New Mexico sticker to our map…

On Monday we head east out of Albuquerque and we will try to see what we can do about our power situation…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2017-06-10 The Odyssey Begins – Leaving Irvine

It finally happened. Saturday, June 10 came and went and we are officially on our 4 month odyssey across and around the United States.

The week before was spent doing final packing and loading (Phil), and giving and grading final exams (Lynda). VCHS graduation was Friday night, June 9, and now Lynda is officially and finally retired!

Other last minute items have been completed:

Some weeks ago I finally confirmed what I had long suspected, but could never verify until now: Yes, you do need a special Driver License in California to tow a travel trailer (or fifth wheel trailer) over 10,000 lbs.  So I dutifully made my appointment at DMV, and took the written tests to get my “Learners Permit”, and then I made my appointment to take the behind-the-wheel driving test.  I felt like I was 15 again…

On Tuesday, with the assistance of dear friend (and properly-licensed) Dale Cram, I pulled the Airstream to Fontana, CA, where we found the largest spread of concrete I have ever seen at a DMV office. I went through filling out more forms, the pre-check, the pre-trip inspection, the low speed maneuvers of backing and parking around red cones in the giant concrete lot, and then we hit the road.  Right turn, left turn, around the block, onto the freeway, off the freeway, pull over to let the ambulance pass, and back to the DMV.  I passed with flying colors, and I was issued a Class A (non-commercial) Driver License, which permits me to tow a travel trailer or fifth wheel trailer up to 15,000 lbs. (The Villa weighs just 10,500 lbs…)

The rest of the week, as Lynda finished her school work, I was shopping, doing laundry, making lists, sorting lists, and gathering the last minute items we needed to pack. (We had done most of the major packing on Memorial Day weekend…)

So after a few last minute preparations on Saturday morning, and after good-bye hugs to John (and Yan), Paul, and Vicki we hit the road.  We had an uneventful drive to Kingman, Arizona, where we spent our first night in a simple RV park.  Celebratory adult beverages were consumed, and an enjoyable time was had by all.

These are pictures of leaving Irvine. Our son John (with service dog Yan) is a chemistry professor at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, CA, who lives with us.  My brother Paul and his wife Vicki (see their website here…) are perpetual travelers who are staying with John for these 4 months.

 

We had a brief stop for lunch in Barstow…

2017-06-10 Barstow, CA

Crossing over into Arizona and arriving at Kingman…

 

Tomorrow we head for Winslow, AZ, and Albuquerque, NM…

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Irvine, CA – June 6, 2017

We’re almost ready!  Final packing and loading is underway; Lynda gave her last finals yesterday and is grading papers today and tomorrow; Graduation is Friday night, and we bring The Villa home on Friday morning. The plan is to leave Saturday about noon, and get as far as Kingman, AZ, by Saturday evening.  (There is no reason to be in a hurry to get to Kingman…)

We’ll be posting mostly daily as we travel through Winslow, Albuquerque, Amarillo, and then Bartleville, OK, and beyond. The plan is to be in the Hudson Valley of New York by June 29, and we rendezvous with the Nor by Nor’East Airstream Caravan on July 5.  Here is the description of the caravan:

Nor’ By Nor’East Caravan

Start Date: July 05, 2017      Start Location: Ashaway, RI, USA

Stop Date: August 14, 2017  Stop Location: Cornwall, PEI, Canada

Total Number of Nights:  41

Number of Stops:  11  

Number of Airstreams: 23

nbyne

The Nor’ By Nor’east National Caravan will begin in southern New England and end in Prince Edward Island, Canada. We begin the caravan in RI and visit nearby Mystic Seaport, CT and Newport, RI.

Plymouth, of course, is steeped in history; the “Plimoth Plantation,” Plymouth Rock, Mayflower II, and the Jenny Museum are among the places we’ll visit.

Boston’s stop is a busy one with 2 days of bus rides from Topsfield into the Capitol. All those sites you’ve read about in history books will be part of our journey. JFK Library, Bunker Hill, Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall, etc. are just part of what we’ll see.

Continuing up the coastline to an ocean-side campsite in Searsport ME and then nearby Bar Harbor in Trenton will make you a firm believer that Maine is indeed beautiful. We’ll enjoy the Penobscot Marine Museum, Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Observatory and a Food Channel-approved ”Down East Style Lobster Bake”.

We’ll camp nearby FDR’s retreat at Campobello Island in NB, Canada, enjoy “Tea With Eleanor” and then another campsite up the road in Moncton where we will visit Hopewell Cape and see the exaggerated tides of the Bay of Fundy.

Nova Scotia’s 3 stops include campsites that will be home bases so we can travel to Peggy’s Cove, Halifax, Louisbourg, Baddeck and of course the Cabot Trail. We intend to be in NS for 11 days and we will see everything and continue to eat too!

A short trip across to Prince Edward Island on a ferry and you will think you’re in Heaven. We have plenty of time here for exploring and enjoying some entertainment in Charlottetown, the warm waters along some of the most beautiful beaches, as well as seafood-PEI style. We will have our Farewell Banquet in Charlottetown.

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We’ve been planning for this trip for many years… We intend to be back home in Mid October. We’ll see you all down the road!

 

Phil and Lynda Terhorst

Irvine, CA

 

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