More sprinkles and mostly gray skies here today. That didn’t stop us from getting out and going for a drive. Bentley was happy to tag along and got a bit of play time along the Whitewater River. We didn’t hike, it was too drippy but we did do some rock hunting and found a few pretties for the landscaping beds. Next time we will take gloves and get some bigger ones.
We drove back though Palm Springs and Cathedral City. Palm Springs proper was a ghost town while parts of Cathedral City looked like business as usual. Not sure why the difference but PS is really enforcing the masks on while out in public and Cat City…not so much.
So here is how day twenty one of our sheltering in place went:
The breakfast chef was feeling his oats AGAIN this morning and whipped up a delicious Chorizo, Brussel Sprout and Potato Skillet Breakfast. It really was more like brunch because someone, ok me…didn’t get up until almost 10:30. Sucia Kitty technically wasn’t up either, so there!!! The amazing aroma woke me up and certainly did lure me out of bed.
One of our neighbors, Carolyn, stopped by and brought us these sweet masks she made. She was worried our face gaiters weren’t enough protection.
Wally, Bentley and I headed out for a drive to Whitewater Preserve. It’s about a 17 mile drive that takes you up Whitewater Canyon. We love this area, exploring the canyon and its history is fascinating. The area has a long history, dating to just before the pass became a road to the Arizona gold mines. The temptation to strike it rich must have coursed through so many a man …guess it still does. Gold mining however was a hard life as was staking a claim and farming. History makes me appreciate how easy our lives are now. Whitewater Preserve is closed because of this damn virus so we spent our time poking around the river and exploring a few rustic roads.
We used the House Party app to have cocktail hour with 4 other couples and play some games. Normally, this foursome would all be together hooting and hollering, chatting and having fun together. We are all here in the resort and this is our only way to get together for awhile yet. This crazy crisis is forcing us all to find ways to connect and stay sane.
Fixed Ginger and Green Onion Crab Ramen for dinner. Every summer we have a crab harvesting weekend when we crab ourselves silly, cook, clean and vacuum seal crab which goes in the freezer for the winter months when crabbing is just a distant memory. We LOVE fresh crab and honestly my favorite part of crabbing is jumping in our 13 ft boston whaler which we tow behind our bigger boat, zipping out to where our crab pots are sitting on the bottom of some bay, pulling the pots and waiting, breath held as the pot hits the surface of the water. It’s like playing the lottery, sometime you hit the jackpot and the crab pots are heavy and loaded with vicious crustaceans and sometimes its a bust.
The fridge has possibilities but I am fantasizing about sitting in a restaurant, poring over the menu while sipping a cocktail. If nothing else comes out of these troubled times, lets not forget to appreciate the small pleasures in life that perhaps we had been taking for granted.
Worked on this blog post and edited pictures from our drive to Whitewater.
Day twenty one felt almost normal. We actually went somewhere…granted we didn’t see a soul and only had one human interaction at a distance.
The temperature here today was a balmy 65 degrees. A few sprinkles, a lot of big fluffy clouds with beautiful blue skies peeking through at times. Apparently we are in for another couple days of rain which is really unusual here in the Coachella Valley. Having spent the majority of my life in the Pacific Northwest, a few days of rain are nothing.
We are looking for a short drive to do tomorrow if the big rains don’t materialize. I have not left the resort in weeks and am itching to go for a drive.
2018 – Ernie after an epic back country drive in Arizona.
So here is how day twenty of our sheltering in place went:
The breakfast chef was feeling his oats this morning and whipped up a delicious Southwest Frittata finished with Red Chile Sauce. It’s was so delicious….
Spent the morning doing mundane things like reviewing a boat insurance policy and adding a few things to my Instacart Costco order for a friend. Friends don’t let friends run out of vodka or basil pesto!
Wally and I headed out for a 3 mile walk around the resort. Interesting how much better my allergies are when wearing a mask. That is the upside, I really don’t like wearing it but and have to take a breather (LOL) occasionally.
Lunch was a simple fruit smoothie. I accidentally got a chocolate protein powder recently but it actually turned out to be delicious with the fresh fruit juice and frozen berries. This new protein powder, OrGain is plant based, has no added sugar and is organic.
Bentley took a much needed trip to the desert for his walk with Wally. No old man crow today which is a disappointment for Bentley and no snakes which was not a disappointment for Wally.
We both had a mini spa treatment with my fancy electronic foot tool and a soak in eucalyptus epsom salt. Maybe we are being held captive but our feet should still be treated with love!!
With soft tootsies, I donned my fancy face gaiter, helmet and took a bicycle ride with my friend Kristen. We rode about 5 miles before it started to spit rain.
We used Zoom again to have cocktail hour with friends. Sadly, we are just four miles apart and under normal circumstances we would be sitting together drinking wine, cooking dinner and solving all the world problems. This is just soooo weird…
Tonight was support your favorite sushi restaurant by getting take-out. We love Otori Sushi Restaurant and really hope they make it through this craziness. The only weird thing about getting take out sushi is that all of the sauces come in separate little containers and we don’t know what goes on what – oh well, its sushi adventure!
The fridge is full of possibilities, still thinking about making Crab Ramen Noodles for dinner tomorrow… we’ll see!
Worked on this blog post.
Day twenty – what?? Well, day twenty was kinda like day nineteen which was kinda like day eighteen….we just stayed home.
Our beautiful mountain view was obscured again today by those dark, brooding clouds. The San Joaquin Mountains are definitely getting some snow out of todays rain dump.
The world news today while a bit dark and brooding too did bring a few glimmers of light. After more than 10 weeks, China on Wednesday ended its lockdown of Wuhan. The city where the coronavirus first emerged, the city that has shaken the global economy and thrown daily life into upheaval across the planet is starting to come back to life. If you haven’t already seen the article in the link, its well worth the read.
Medical workers from Shandong Province taking part in a ceremony on Monday before leaving Wuhan. Credit…Roman Pilipey/EPA, via Shutterstock
So here is how day nineteen of our sheltering in place went:
The only new picture I took today was the dinner shot. Hey priorities right!!! Does it count that I am researching a new DSLR camera? My top favorite so far is the Nikon D5600 . What I really want is more zoom capability than we currently have on the Panasonic Lumix point and shoot which actually has a great lens so the image quality is pretty darn good. I use my iphone camera the majority of the time so I am hoping all you photographers out there will chime in here with your suggestions or thoughts.
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Donned my fancy face gaiter, helmet and took a bicycle ride with my friend Kristen. We rode about 8 miles again today and I wanted to go longer but my hiney and “girl bones” declined to continue….whiny hiney! Good news, I may have actually burned the calories I consumed during happy hour tonight – YAY!!!
Took this photo last week here in the resort.
Ralphs Grocery via Instacart delivered a few bags of goods we needed. What’s cool is that I can shop for friends and save us all the exposure of going into a grocery store. Upon delivery to our door, we bleach wiped the plastic bags, brought the bags inside the coach and bleach wiped everything in the bags that we could. I divided the goods and Wally took 2 bags of groceries over to our friends Kristen and John.
We used Zoom to have cocktail hour today with friends Dave and Tanya who live in Portland Oregon. There have been many an evening spend sitting around their kitchen island, sipping wine and chatting while Dave cooks. While it doesn’t replace being there with them, it was great to see their smiling faces.
Hiking Joshu Tree National Park in February with our foodie, travel buddies.
Tonights dinner was Pork Mole Tamales with a Red Chile Sauce, Cumin Spiced Black Beans and a Cabbage Salad with Fresh Oranges. I did not make the tamales because why would I when I can get the best ones ever from the Tamale Store in Phoenix AZ. They do ship, but so far I have been able to get personal deliveries when we have friends from AZ come visit …Thanks Laurie and Tom!!! The red chile sauce is easy to make using good quality red chile powder. If you have some from Hatch NM…you are a serious red chili fan! I was all out of my hatch blend but Penzeys Spices red chili powder is a fine substitute.
YUMMY in my tummy!!!
The fridge is full of possibilities, thinking about making Crab Ramen Noodles for dinner tomorrow… we’ll see!
Worked on this blog post.
Day nineteen was mellow and uneventful, the rain pattering outside felt cleansing while we just stayed at home.
The San Joaquin Mountains were socked in with dark, brooding clouds today. Rain was threatening all day but didn’t do more than mist us a few times. Tuesday and Wednesday look promising for a good down pour through out the day. Guess I will be looking for some indoor projects the next two days.
So here is how day eighteen of our sheltering in place went:
Wally and I slept in because, well we were just exhausted I guess. I think this stay at home order is turning us into cats but without the superior grooming habits.
I didn’t take any new pictures again today except the one of my buns… NO, I wouldn’t do that to you…Hamburger buns. So now that we have that cleared up…you are going to get some more random pictures that make me happy.
Used Zoom to call into a Board Meeting….yawn, maybe I should say bored meeting.
Donned my fancy face gaiter and took a bicycle ride with my friend Kristen. We rode about 8 miles which honestly didn’t burn the calories I consumed drinking wine tonight. I will just have to try harder tomorrow.
I had a hamburger craving but no hamburger buns. Normally, a quick trip to any number of nearby grocery stores or a visit to any number of great local restaurants would have solved that dilemma. Fast forward to the sci-fi movie life we are all living, I decided to just make the damn buns. I love to cook, a recipe is a suggestion of how something should be made, ingredients can be substituted, spices can be increased. Being unable to follow a recipe as it is written makes me a very poor baker. I decided that using some whole wheat flour would make these hamburger buns more healthy…OXYMORON.. hamburgers aren’t healthy what was I thinking! So what I ended up with were these anemic “buns” that look like a wasps nest. I even did an egg wash on the top…Well, I actually should have put it on when I put them in the oven, not in the last three minutes of baking. Yes, that is a glass of wine in the background.
There was no cocktail hour today…somehow the day got all monkey’ed up, I forgot to eat lunch so an early dinner was more important than a cocktail. But I did open another bottle of wine while I was getting everything ready sooo technically??? You decide.
Wally grilled burgers which I served on the anemic wasp nest looking buns. He should get husband of the year award, for many reasons but today it was for eating his delicious hamburger on a homemade bun with enthusiasm.
Now that my friends is a big-ass burger!!!
The fridge is full of possibilities, the cilantro is still viable so maybe some Baja Fish Tacos for dinner tomorrow… we’ll see!
Worked on this blog post and sifted through photos to find a few that brought a smile to my face.
Day eighteen was mellow and uneventful … we just stayed at home.
It was another warm, breezy day here in the Coachella Valley. Admittedly, I slept in later than usual after staying up until 1:30 am the night before. I will also admit to having not one but two edibles before I crawled in bed. As a long time sleep challenged person, I have found cannabis edibles to be just what I need for a good nights sleep. Wished these little gems had been legal in my working days when it was very common for me to lay in bed, wide awake but exhausted, my body desperately needing sleep but my brain unable to turn off. Not sure why I took the second one before I went to bed except I just didn’t want to think anymore. These were a new to me brand and I am here to tell you that I may have had a creepy dream and remember yelling NO to the person/thing that was pulling me under the bed. It’s hard to yell in your sleep but being an over achiever, I got out a really good NO… Wally confirmed that was so! Yelling woke me up and on the trip to the bathroom in those wee hours of the morning I also remember thinking I might have been a high as a kite. Only one gummie tonite…
So here is how day seventeen of our sheltering in place went:
Wally and I walked the resort but avoided the golf course today since my allergies have been relentless. I am so fortunate to be allergic to grass and palm tree pollen, go figure!
I didn’t take any new pictures today except one of our lunch so you are going to get some random picture that make me happy.
Sunset over the San Juan Islands
Shopped in the fridge and used the last of the rotisserie chicken to make a curried chicken salad for lunch. The recipe in the link is a good basic starter but I lightened the recipe by substituting non-fat greek yogurt, lemon juice and just a bit of light mayo for the heavy mayo and wine this recipe calls for. The curried chicken is served over a bed of lettuce. I also garnished with chopped cashews and a chiffonade of fresh basil.
We both puttered around outside. Wally worked on a few of his projects. Sunday is fertilizer day for all our new plants so I gave them their weekly dose of miracle grow. The only new plant that looks like hell is my had to have, Madagascar Palm. It looks terrible, like leafless spiny elephant trunks. It has new growth so I am hopeful but honestly don’t know if it needs more water, less water, a trip to the dump??? All of the leaves have fallen off and it doesn’t seem to like the wind…CRAPOLA…hoping it stops being such a prima donna and gets with the program.
It looked so beautiful back in January….
I used Instacart to arrange a Ralphs grocery store delivery for myself and Kristen on Wednesday and a Costco order for next Sunday. With my Paprika 3 App, menu planning and creating a shopping list for a week is a snap. Still on TP to be had here in the US…come on people really.
Had our cocktail on the patio…neighbors from across the golf course wandered over and we had a nice chat across the wall.
Killer bloodies with my gal pal Donna at Roche Harbor in 2017.
Wally fixed a five spice shrimp, broccoli and pepper stir fry served over rice ramen noodles. He is our stir fry chef…I just prepped the veggies and drank wine.
The fridge is full of possibilities but starting to thin out. I have a big burger craving and may make some hamburger buns tomorrow… we’ll see!
Worked on this blog post and sifted through photos to find a few that brought a smile to my face.
Hiking in Monterey Ca when freedom to travel was the norm.
Day seventeen was mellow And uneventful … we just stayed at home.
I love girlfriend getaways and am always up for one when the question is posed. Being on the road/water full time can make it more of a challenge but hey, I am retired and can do what ever the hell I want. It’s funny but that realization took some time to sink in after we left the 9-5 routine behind. Routine can be a real buzz kill when it comes to spontaneous travel so trust me, I have totally embraced the concept that if I want to do it – I do it!!!
Refuge Ranch is very bucolic.
My long time gardening companion, neighbor in another life, walking buddy and “sushi for wimps” eating friend Jane has been doing girlfriend getaways for her birthday for years. We have done some great ones and this year was no exception. While she didn’t actually invite me (to be fair she thought we were off the grid on the boat), I decided to crash her getaway with her sister Sharon in Leavenworth.
We traded some funny text messages about the VRBO rental…
Her: Just sent an email. Originally 4 adults going so there are more rooms or the owner has a warped sense of humor. Two of Sharon ‘s friends cancelled. I am sure 3 of us will fit. BTW… in case I am wrong you get the upper bunk. 😜
Me: Are you sure you have room? Looks like you only have one bedroom and a set of bunk beds? Her: Scroll down. It says it sleeps 6. Me: Not sure where the other two would sleep!!! From the website: “Inside the spacious 1500 sqft garden apartment, there is plenty of room for a family of four. The master bedroom offers a queen bed, and the second “bedroom”/cozy-nook, just off the kitchen, has bunk beds perfect for children.” Her: If you are nervous, come on Saturday morning after we have scoped it out. I swear the woman knows that the original group was 4 adult females. The funny thing is that this was Sharon’s idea. I thought for just 2 nights we should do a hotel and she scoffed at me. The bottom of the site does say sleeps 6 so maybe there is a futon or something. Me: Good thing they all cancelled!!! Maybe she thought you are all okay with sleeping together!!! Hey there are bunk beds so I am game if you are!!! LOL… thinking you and Sharon will be duking it out for the big queen bed. Her: I am game. It will be like being on the Countess again (a yacht we chartered for a previous BD girls trip). I still think there must be another option but am game either way. If this place is a bust I get to rub Sharon ‘s nose in it so I still win. 😇 Me: Let the rubbing begin!!! Going to bring 5 Crowns – a card game I can actually play!!! Her: Well we are bringing wine so it should all work out okay. I will try to remember the box of earplugs just in case you are correct about the number of sleeping spots. 😜 Me: Ear plugs are a girls best friend! And wine!!!
After the trip…
Her: Just looking at my bed makes me very happy. I might need to kiss my mattress. Me: Happy times!!! (a gif of a goat jumping on the bed) https://youtu.be/AWns85BSSO4 Just another funny escapade to add to our long list!!! Her: That goat would have a head injury where I was sleeping.
Yes…there were goats on the ranch! Bet they would have had no trouble getting up the rickety bunkbed ladder!
Well, yes there was only one bedroom and a set of bunk beds. Seriously, what Air BNB owner wants a 50 plus gal climbing a ladder on a rickety bunkbed to sleep on the top bunk. NOT, I repeat NOT happening. Ya think the owner would have mentioned that… she did know there was originally going to be four women on this stay.
On a positive note, it’s not far to shuffle to the coffee maker in the morning.Well, sure it is cute if you are 8 years old!Now thats a bed!!! Just needed 2 more….
Well snap, my friend had the brilliant idea of pulling the mattress off the top bunk, which we drug into the front room. Five star it was not but I actually slept really well, especially after a trip to the hot tub each night and the 7 mile hike/city walk we did on Saturday. Uh, yeah, there was some wine involved as well.
So about Leavenworth…it is a Bavarian-styled village (aka tourist trap) in the Cascade Mountains, in central Washington State. Alpine- style buildings with restaurants serving German beer and food line Front Street.
There are some nice art gallery’s in town. Great wildlife photography at the Jones Gallery.
The Nutcracker Museum displays thousands of nutcrackers, some dating back centuries (nope, didn’t go). On the Wenatchee River, Waterfront Park is a habitat for ospreys and eagles. The village is a gateway to nearby ski areas and wineries. Gorgeous area, the village is situated in a really narrow valley so you are surrounded by mountain peaks.
Honestly, I am not a fan of German food…bland and boring to me for the most part but Leavenworth has something for everyone. We found a great cider tap room and had a delicious lunch at the Tumwater Bakery. We had a recommendation to try Yodelin for dinner, which is a stylish, rustic joint with mountain views offering bone broth soups, salads, burgers & craft beer but they had the nerve to be closed for a private party on Saturday night. Stay away from Gustavs…just not good food.
The Tumwater Bakery…so yummy!!!
The village itself is very cute but can get very crowded…especially on the weekends. I was surprised how many people were there but it was a gorgeous fall day and Leavenworth is a easy day trip from Seattle. A word of advice, visit during the week if you can and try for a cool fall day – the fall colors are awesome.
The area around Leavenworth is a hikers dream… so many great trails and so many scenic vistas. With only one day to explore, we opted to do the Icicle Gorge trail which was a pretty 12 mile drive from our bunkbeds. The 4 mile trail itself is rated as easy and only has a 120 ft elevation gain. Even after a “few” glasses of wine the night before this trail won’t hurt you a bit!
What’s great about it: you’ll be walking along the banks of one of the state’s prettiest creeks, with numerous places to stop, picnic and marvel at the alpine beauty.
We got a fairly early start which meant we didn’t see many hikers until the last part of the hike. We went counterclockwise but most people hike the trail clockwise, walking downstream first, then cross a footbridge in about 0.5 mile and head up the far bank. Either way you go it’s a fabulous hike…lots of photo ops.
A trip to Leavenworth wouldn’t be complete without visiting a few winery’s. There are several tasting rooms in town but we opted to get out of the crowds and headed to Eagle Creek Winery. Just a few miles out of town but an oasis of quiet with beautiful views off the decks where the tastings are set up. We had a great time sipping wine while the winery cat snagged a cute little chipmunk as the birthday girl looked on. Glad my back was to that action.
Not sure what the heck was going on but later that day as we sat sipping wine at the ranch another wildlife drama occurred. We were watch a hawk cause a stir amongst the small birds in a nearby tree. Guess he wasn’t satisfied with the prospect of such a small meal so he swooped out of the tree and picked off a poor robin in the field who had foolishly turned its back to the action. There might have been some shrieking from both of us that time.
Eagle Creek Winery
Time with friends, hot tubbing, hiking, beautiful mountain scenery, winery’s, great restaurants and not seeing the food chain in action make for a great girlfriends getaway. Only upgrade would be a real bed next time!
Our three week cruise in the Canadian Gulf Islands couldn’t have been better from a weather perspective. Lots of sunshine and very little rain make for a happy crew. We buddy boated with friends during most of the cruise and that was a blast too.
Our plans to head to Desolation Sound in BC were derailed when we finally got word that our new (to us) 2013 Entegra Aspire 42 DEQ coach was finally going to close. This deal had been 2 months in the waiting due to some issues on the sellers end and had been a source of frustration to us since June. That said, waiting wasn’t the big issue, it was the lack of communication from the dealer who had the coach on consignment. We held off leaving on the boat but finally decided that Fed-ex could get us documents somehow and maybe if we just took off it would finally happen.
Well damned if it didn’t!!! We finally got word the deal was ready to move forward just a day or two before we were going to make the crossing into the hinterlands of Desolation Sound. After some debate about how and where we could get the documents delivered (NO DOCUSIGN = LAME) we decided that returning to the US, signing the closing docs and taking possession of the coach was going to make us feel more settled. Plus, we were REALLY excited to get behind the wheel of our new rolling home, get her to Anacortes and start moving in.
We enjoyed visiting some anchorages that we hadn’t been to in years, some old favorites and some new places on the way back to the US. Pirates Cove is now on the list of favorites after a long hiatus.
I love the treasure chest…I think my glasses were a great addition!
A new favorite just over the Canadian border…Beaumont Marine Park. Great hiking, crabbing and fishing plus a mooring buoy field and amazing sunsets!!!
A deserted beach just waiting to be explored.Exploring in the whaler…so much fun!!!
Another favorite we enjoyed was Sidney …great walking, shopping and restaurants. We had a great dinner at Sabhai Thai and a delicious lunch at Fish on Fifth. A day trip to Sidney Spit was very much enjoyed by Bentley who loves to frolick and play on the beach!!!
We ended the three week cruise with another night on a mooring buoy in Fossil Bay at Sucia Island. Crabbing was very good there so we came back to Anacortes with a full bucket of delicious crustaceans. I think they enjoyed the cruise back too!
Back on land, we quickly got possession of the coach which was in Poulsbo WA, got it settled into the storage lot in Anacortes and started moving all our stuff back in. We had boxed up and stored everything in the old coach so we could take it to consignment (not at the same dealer for sure). Holy Crapola, it sure is harder to move back in than it was to move out. I kept wondering out loud how we got all that stuff on the Cheetah. The new coach is five feet longer which in theory means there should be more storage …right? Not sure about that yet as it is all different storage inside and its like a puzzle figuring out where everything should go.
Yike…what a disaster!!!So none of this was ours…it was all in the storage bays! 2 trips to the dumpsters, three trips to goodwill and a few things sold to make room for our stuff!
So you might be wondering why we “suddenly” decided to get a new coach…what was wrong with the other one and why this coach in particular. So honestly, there isn’t one thing that is wrong with the Cheetah…she has been a great starter coach for us. Our 2 month 101 road trip, in which we had a ball exploring the California, Oregon and Washington coast, re-enforced to us that we really love this lifestyle and hope to keep on exploring the US via coach and boat for many more years to come. So that said, we just decided an upgrade to our home was in order.
So…TADA…behold the new Road House!!! Isn’t she pretty…
After spending three winters in the Cheetah Safari, we knew exactly the upgrades we wanted so that helped us narrow our choice to three models of coaches. The layouts were all similar but after driving the Entegra we were hooked. Entegra builds all of its coaches on a Spartan Chassis which is a totally different design than the Cheetah. Founded in 1975, Spartan has been a leading innovator in the industry. They engineer and build their chassis to feel like a luxury vehicle. Their innovations include the independent front suspension and the rear tag axle. These two features alone contribute so much to the ride and handling of the coach. Without them, you would experience harsher bumps, louder vibrations and significant drifting on the road. The rear tag axle was a huge selling point on a coach this size. What is a tag axle you might be wondering? A tag axle is a third axle located behind the rear drive axle of a motor home. It is a non-drive axle with one or two tires on each side. The main purpose of a tag axle is to increase the support of the chassis at the rear of the vehicle, allowing for greater carrying capacity and shock resistance. Since there is less overhang behind the rear axle, it makes for a more stable ride and an easier drive. Additionally, the tag helps stabilize the coach in strong cross winds plus when a huge tractor trailer rig passes us we do not even feel the effects of it.
We love the interior design of the Entegra which is significantly more spacious than the Cheetah as it has four slide outs and taller ceilings. The main living space has a L shaped couch we can both lay on, a gas fireplace and a stressless reclining chair which I have a feeling we will both be battling for.
In the kitchen, upgrades include a full size residential refrigerator and more counter space thanks to the pull out cabinet that makes the counter L shaped. There are so many accent lights inside the coach and I am still finding new ones.
Time to start personalizing our new home …adding some splashes of color!
In the back of the coach is the bathroom with two sinks and a bedroom with a king bed – YAY. No step up to the bed, which I grew to dislike very much. Since the bed sits lower, there is less storage underneath it – which is a bummer for sure. This coach also has a compact stacked washer and dryer as opposed to our all in one Splendide unit that we installed on the Cheetah. I liked the all in one just fine and the extra storage in the Cheetah where the dryer is now on the Aspire will be sorely missed.
Other upgrades – hydronic heated floors, a heat pump with three rooftop units for cooling and heating, side radiator, on demand hot water heater, loads of electronic upgrades, outdoor TV, heated storage bays underneath the coach with heavy duty pull out trays… the list goes on and on.
Like the Cheetah, we opted to purchase another gently used coach with very low miles. The prior owners bought it new, had all the bells and whistles added and sadly, due to health issues didn’t really get to enjoy it much. The interior still had original tags on some of the furniture, stickers on the fireplace and shades. In the kitchen, it was obvious that the convection microwave oven had never been used nor had the propane cooktop. Buying a good used coach means someone else takes the big hit on the depreciation and hopefully has worked out all the new coach glitches.
That said, we fully expect to have a few things to repair and know that we will need to replace the tires within a year. Low miles on RV tires doesn’t mean anything. With RV’s, it’s the age of the tires as large RV tires age out due to UV. The average life of a RV tire is five to seven years. If you drive a car every day, you’ll probably wear out the tread in less than five. RVs spend most of their time sitting still. So your tires will probably need to be replaced before the tread wears out. Maybe it’s cracks from the sun or maybe it’s sitting too long with too little air in them. When your RV tires hit five year in age, it’s time to think about replacing them. It’s even more important with the kind of weight and load that an RV puts on them. The Entegra is a big girl, weighing in at a whopping 46,600 lbs so she needs the best tires you can get to keep her safely rolling down the road. We anticipated spending a bloody fortune on new tires so that was factored in when we negotiated the price of the coach.
Despite the hassles with the dealership, we are thrilled with our new home and can’t wait to get on the road again. The sun is calling to us and like birds we will be starting our annual southern migration in early October. Most likely we will make a stopover in Portland Oregon to see friends and if the weather holds, we may hop over to Eastern Oregon and then drive down the Sierra Nevada/California route to Palm Springs. As a tribute to recently passed Ric Ocasek, we will be rocking out to the Cars …“Let the Good Times Roll” as we glide down the highways and byways in the new Road House.
our38ft^pluslife 