Quick update, at Kiser Lake which is nice because there are only 4 other campers here so we have it all too ourselves basically. Jess was pretty sore last night since the previous 2 days I took her walking with me in the morning and we did 2 miles Saturday and 3 miles Sunday along with her other walks. She was wiped out all evening. Also found 2 ticks so keeping a close eye on her when she comes back in from the walks, they show up pretty easy on her white legs
Temperature got down to 45º last night so the furnace was definitely required! Today is a bright sunny 50º right now and no rain expected till Wednesday. Had a little campfire last night but the cold front was blowing about 15 mph which didn't make it all that enjoyable :)
Today some errands to run and we will see where it goes from there!
Monday, June 03, 2019
Saturday, June 01, 2019
Retirement Day 1
A week or so of glamping is the best way we can think of to start this adventure BUT to get the day started right it has not only been Deanna waiting for me to retire but Jessie Dog, every morning I leave for work she would stand at the gate and watch till she couldn't see me anymore and then hang her head, Deanna would let her in and she would go to her little cubby hole in a closet and pretty much stay till I came home at lunch. SO to get this started we are going to go for a morning walk. This will be a great way to get some exercise for both of us.
So that is the update, stay tuned for upcoming travels!
Monday, March 25, 2019
Approaching Retirement
March 24th, 2019 T minus 68
Well Monday the 25th marks 10 weeks till retirement. Final day will be May 31st, 2019. The company I have been working for the last 13 years after we came off the road for a year has been the most exceptional company one can imagine. Generous beyond belief in sharing their success with employees, although I am sad to leave I may do some occasional work for them in maintenance items, but in general retirement will be our life :) . Social Security has been filed and determined and will begin this summer, this is a whole new chapter in life. When we attempted retirement in 2005 we had many struggles in that we owned and owed on an industrial building, had to supply our own insurance, and had no notable income. What is different now is building is paid for and rented, we have retirement income from IRA's and of course Social Security Retirement income to rely on.
Getting back on the road is something we have been longing for, Deanna has had a neck and a back operation since I returned to work in 2006 and in the past year has been diagnosed with Lupus. Fortunately it was caught early and is a mild case and not expected to ramp up now that she is on medication to help control the flares and issues associated with this horrible disease, it is the great imitator they call it as it is almost identical to Rheumatoid Arthritis but left untreated can involve organs. We caught hers in time and no such thing is happening to her fortunately. Her new normal is pains unexplained and sometimes show up for just a few minutes or hours and then gone. On the unfortunate days it may last longer. Joint pain and swelling is a major factor and makes the decision on what she will do during the day.
Fortunately for me I have remained pretty healthy.
We have so many things on our bucket list to start on but the first major trip of our retirement is heading to Utah to visit the 5 National Parks, Arches, Canyon Lands, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Park. Along with those are several State parks and one in particular is Goosenecks State Park where you can camp along the edge of a 1000' Canyon! Wide open vastness of beauty seeing as far away as Arizona, named because of the way the San Juan river snakes through the canyon. The San Juan river begins in the mountains of Colorado and works it way to meet up with the Colorado River at Lake Powell. The Canyon formed from millions of years of erosion. Our journey west to Utah will be early fall and the plan is to see as much of Utah as we can before the weather chases us out and we then head south past the Grand Canyon into southern Arizona to the Quartzsite area where we will hopefully escape the winters wrath in Ohio. From Quartzite we will travel around the area and explore probably the Salton Sea, Joshua Tree and other numerous destinations. A lot of this is public land where we can camp for free but obviously must provide our own power which will be supplied by the sun through our solar panels. We hope many will travel along with us as we explore and post pictures and videos of our experiences.
Prior to leaving for Utah we will do a lot of the State Parks in Ohio, some we have never been too and who knows where else we will end up at :) After all, we don't have to be any place at all.
Of course our mascot Jessie Dog will be with us the entire time, our motto is if Jessie can't go then we don't go! This will be her first visit to desert area and will be interesting to see how she adapts to not having green grass all the time to do her business! Major had adapted to it but wasn't crazy about it.
Well, this was just a quick update since I haven't posted lately. More to come, hope you can come along!
Saturday, December 15, 2018
WOW~ Time flys
December 15th, 2018
Pulled up the blog and saw the last post I made was August 2016!
Biggest news that May 31st 2019 will be my final day of work. I am taking early retirement so Deanna and I can get back to traveling, of course Jessie our fur girl will be going wherever we go. Originally I was going to make my last day on Deanna's birthday which is June 13th but that created a real mess for getting my Social Security check scheduled so I am backdating it to May 31st. I will be 62 and 5 months at that time so it will be a reduced amount for retirement but we will be just fine for traveling as we have other investments to assist.
First travel plans for the winter which is what we want to try to avoid is leaving in the early fall for Utah to visit the 5 National Parks among several State Parks which one of is Goosenecks. This just sounds awesome to be camping on the edge of a 1000' canyon wall looking down at the San Juan River as it cuts through the canyon. Fully aware of how crowded National Parks are we are going to try to make it a little later than the normal busy season. As the weather begins to cool down we will start our way towards Quartzite and area for the winter season of having at least warmer weather than Ohio has to offer.
Hopes are that with retiring there will be more time to enjoy not only the traveling we want to do and spending time with my awesome wife but some of the hobbies that I enjoy and have ignored due to lack of appropriate time, this would include, Metal Detecting, wood working, Photography and Kayaking.
Since deciding to retire back in December of 2017 it seemed so far away but now it is closing in quickly and leaves me about 24 weeks of working. It all seems to be moving so much quicker as I get closer. A few projects are planned commencing on beginning of retirement, an upgrade to our bath in the house and a reconstruction of a attached shed to the garage to make room for my wood working equipment. Then some State Park visits during the week leaving the parks to the masses of people on the weekends.
Well, at least I have made a post, next year as we progress into our retirement adventures I hope to do a better job of documenting our adventures.
Pulled up the blog and saw the last post I made was August 2016!
Biggest news that May 31st 2019 will be my final day of work. I am taking early retirement so Deanna and I can get back to traveling, of course Jessie our fur girl will be going wherever we go. Originally I was going to make my last day on Deanna's birthday which is June 13th but that created a real mess for getting my Social Security check scheduled so I am backdating it to May 31st. I will be 62 and 5 months at that time so it will be a reduced amount for retirement but we will be just fine for traveling as we have other investments to assist.
First travel plans for the winter which is what we want to try to avoid is leaving in the early fall for Utah to visit the 5 National Parks among several State Parks which one of is Goosenecks. This just sounds awesome to be camping on the edge of a 1000' canyon wall looking down at the San Juan River as it cuts through the canyon. Fully aware of how crowded National Parks are we are going to try to make it a little later than the normal busy season. As the weather begins to cool down we will start our way towards Quartzite and area for the winter season of having at least warmer weather than Ohio has to offer.
Hopes are that with retiring there will be more time to enjoy not only the traveling we want to do and spending time with my awesome wife but some of the hobbies that I enjoy and have ignored due to lack of appropriate time, this would include, Metal Detecting, wood working, Photography and Kayaking.
Since deciding to retire back in December of 2017 it seemed so far away but now it is closing in quickly and leaves me about 24 weeks of working. It all seems to be moving so much quicker as I get closer. A few projects are planned commencing on beginning of retirement, an upgrade to our bath in the house and a reconstruction of a attached shed to the garage to make room for my wood working equipment. Then some State Park visits during the week leaving the parks to the masses of people on the weekends.
Well, at least I have made a post, next year as we progress into our retirement adventures I hope to do a better job of documenting our adventures.
Thursday, August 04, 2016
Kayaking Summer, camping and catching up
August 3, 2016
So far this summer I have logged almost 100 miles of kayaking and about 55 hours on the water. Has been a really hot summer and dry. Rivers are running so low it is almost impossible to paddle without having to drag some distance. I bought a new kayak (actually used just new to me) for lakes specifically. This is a 14' Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140. My Dagger Axis 10.5 works good on lakes but is more geared towards rivers. Difference being that it is a little wider and slower and the wind pushes it around more so it creates additional steering to go in a straight line.
Paddled Kiser Lake a couple weeks ago and the water was 92* compared to the Mad River at the north end which the water is probably in the 70's. It is spring fed at its beginning.
Camping has not been so busy this year, lots of things going on. We did go to Maumee bay during Memorial weekend for about 5 days. Beautiful weather and scenery, that was the last time till this weekend which we are going to Stonelick State park which is in the southern part of the state. This will be for our anniversary of 36 years. Will post more on that trip afterwards.
Jessie is doing excellent, she makes us laugh every day without even knowing. We really really love that furkid! She has brought a lot of joy into our lives!
Anyway here are some general pictures.
So far this summer I have logged almost 100 miles of kayaking and about 55 hours on the water. Has been a really hot summer and dry. Rivers are running so low it is almost impossible to paddle without having to drag some distance. I bought a new kayak (actually used just new to me) for lakes specifically. This is a 14' Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140. My Dagger Axis 10.5 works good on lakes but is more geared towards rivers. Difference being that it is a little wider and slower and the wind pushes it around more so it creates additional steering to go in a straight line.
Paddled Kiser Lake a couple weeks ago and the water was 92* compared to the Mad River at the north end which the water is probably in the 70's. It is spring fed at its beginning.
Camping has not been so busy this year, lots of things going on. We did go to Maumee bay during Memorial weekend for about 5 days. Beautiful weather and scenery, that was the last time till this weekend which we are going to Stonelick State park which is in the southern part of the state. This will be for our anniversary of 36 years. Will post more on that trip afterwards.
Jessie is doing excellent, she makes us laugh every day without even knowing. We really really love that furkid! She has brought a lot of joy into our lives!
Anyway here are some general pictures.
Mad River July 31, 2016 21 paddlers
Mink Along Mad River
Mad River July 2016
Jessie and her fox
Kiser Lake
Day I bought the new Kayak at Eastwood Lake
Great Miami River
Mother and daughter
Jessie bored from long ride
Nita and Jessie
I got my eye on you!
Jessie getting her nails trimmed for a Cancer Charity for a local girl
Jessica and I at Spotted Horse Ranch
July 2016
Jessies Family Unit on the swing
Cutting down our Ash tree in front yard Jessie saying
"OH NO! WHERE ARE THE SQUIRRELS GOING TO LIVE"
Jessie's Portrait painted my Nita Croutwater
Family Unit at Maumee Bay 2015
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Spotted Horse Rance Part Duex
July 12th, 2016
Jessica and I went back to the Spotted Horse Ranch for another ride like last year. This year the weather was very warm and dry and I scheduled us for the 2 hour ride. Last year it had rained so hard it washed out trails and we were only able for the 1 hour. Yeah, well 1-1/2 hours would have been perfect! LOL by 2 hours my ass was getting sore from bouncing on the saddle and then my legs were like spaghetti when I got off the horse from pushing down on the stirrups to give my ass a rest! Will have to re evaluate a 2 hour ride next year.. Anyway we had a great time our guide was Brittney Nicole, who Ironically lived in Urbana but moved south for college and the opportunity to work the horse ranch. The distance covered is only about 3-1/2 miles through the woods. Great ride and at an easy pace, the horses are so well trained even an amateur can look like a professional! So on with the pictures and videos if you want to see them.
Jessica and I went back to the Spotted Horse Ranch for another ride like last year. This year the weather was very warm and dry and I scheduled us for the 2 hour ride. Last year it had rained so hard it washed out trails and we were only able for the 1 hour. Yeah, well 1-1/2 hours would have been perfect! LOL by 2 hours my ass was getting sore from bouncing on the saddle and then my legs were like spaghetti when I got off the horse from pushing down on the stirrups to give my ass a rest! Will have to re evaluate a 2 hour ride next year.. Anyway we had a great time our guide was Brittney Nicole, who Ironically lived in Urbana but moved south for college and the opportunity to work the horse ranch. The distance covered is only about 3-1/2 miles through the woods. Great ride and at an easy pace, the horses are so well trained even an amateur can look like a professional! So on with the pictures and videos if you want to see them.
Jessica, me and Brittney our guide a thorn between 2 roses for sure!
Friday, April 01, 2016
Freezing the Fire
April 2nd. 2016
Our friend Malia while boondocking started having issues with her Norcold refrigerator and this being after she just had it worked on. With this revelation of facts she decided to check into what was going on. To read all about it travel over to her site at Malia's Miles.
After reading all her research which she is always very through at, she came upon the fact that Norcold has such a terrible reputation with their refrigerators and incidents of fire that it prompted me to decide to change ours out now and not wait for something bad to happen. Now that we travel with our furchild Jessie, the thought of her being caught in the RV when we were not there was much to frightening than anything we could imagine. So I ordered a brand new coil from an Amish maker of replacement coils for Norcold and Dometic refrigerators. We purchased ours from RV Cooling Warehouse.
Replacing the coils is actually a very simple fix. It took about 70 minutes to remove the fridge and get the coil off of the refrigerator. Took only 2 days to get the coil which for our model ran $700 delivered. The coils come fully charged and include the Thermal Mastic and insulation foam.
Our friend Malia while boondocking started having issues with her Norcold refrigerator and this being after she just had it worked on. With this revelation of facts she decided to check into what was going on. To read all about it travel over to her site at Malia's Miles.
After reading all her research which she is always very through at, she came upon the fact that Norcold has such a terrible reputation with their refrigerators and incidents of fire that it prompted me to decide to change ours out now and not wait for something bad to happen. Now that we travel with our furchild Jessie, the thought of her being caught in the RV when we were not there was much to frightening than anything we could imagine. So I ordered a brand new coil from an Amish maker of replacement coils for Norcold and Dometic refrigerators. We purchased ours from RV Cooling Warehouse.
Replacing the coils is actually a very simple fix. It took about 70 minutes to remove the fridge and get the coil off of the refrigerator. Took only 2 days to get the coil which for our model ran $700 delivered. The coils come fully charged and include the Thermal Mastic and insulation foam.
Here is Fridge removed and laying down:
A picture with coils removed
Empty refrigerator hole in RV
New Coils
Installing the burner and igniter
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