More Getting Ready

We decided to take my brother's advice and go with the 10 gigs of data and unleash the hotspot on my Galaxy S5 phone.  Apparently it is less costly because the hotspot on my phone with my current plan is free and to make it even better the cost of the extra gigs in nominal.  Then you have the fact that you have one piece of equipment instead of two.  Then there is the fact that I don't have to change my plan.  With the Jetpack I would have been required to agree to a two year data plan.  It pays to know people.  My contact at Verizon set everything up, answered all my questions and told me not to visit the local store because they would screw everything up.  Kudos to http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/mobile-internet for sharing their contact with the rest of us.

I am still kind of laying around.  I went down into the workshop this morning to work on a project that I started some time ago but sitting on a high stool at the scroll saw just irritates the hell out of my left knee.   I am certain it is due to the pulled hamstring but I wish it would hurry up and finish hurting.  Damned thing just aches at times.  Maybe some warm weather will help but I hear that Seattle weather has invade Arizona in places.

Looking forward to being in Gold Bar Thursday thru Sunday.  I have a lot of things to do and not a lot of time left to get them done.  I am so ready to leave.  The last four months have put plenty of extra funds in our bank account so I don't believe we'll need to use any of our retirement during the trip.

Hope all is well and everyone is having fun

About 30 More Days

It looks like we have hired a new manager however he hasn't walked through the door yet.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that he will show up in the next two weeks.  He comes with experience from another manufacturer so it will be my job to get him up to speed with the inner workings of our manufacturer.  Once that is completed I will hand him my phone number and leave to make my final preparations for our trip.

There are many things that need to get done.  One is find a reliable hotspot for internet access while on the road so we can blog and keep our friends and relatives apprised of our progress.  While reading  http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/mobile-internet I discovered a name and email address that works for me since I am already a Verizon customer.  I have emailed the gentleman in question and gotten alot of interesting information.  I am waiting for him to look at my account to make a determination which product and plan will be the best for us.  He seems to lean towards the Jet Pack as the most reliable unit however he stated it would not be the most economical.  The Hotspot on the S5 Galaxy is likely the most economical but isn't as reliable.  He is looking to see what can be done for me so we can continue to blog away.

We have a bunch of stuff that needs to get done or be prepaid before we leave.  Our grandson is going to keep and eye on our condo while we are gone.  We plan to go up to Gold Bar next weekend for four days and get the trailer up and ready to move.  I have a screen door protector, lifts for the bed and some other things to finish.  Of course the cover needs to come off and we need to dewinterize it.

I hope everything is well.  Thanks for stopping by.

Super Bowl Hype And Decisions Made

The 2010 Silverado will stay in the family for our 2015 cross country trip and we'll make further decisions regarding it's future down the road.  Alot will depend on what we decide to do once we return from the trip.

So, this morning I purchase a device that I hope will help me with my comfort issues while driving long distance.  A portable lumbar support from Amazon.

And I order a bed lift kit to install on my bed so we can utilize the space under the bed more easily.

Then I made mistake of watching some of the media day at the Super Bowl.  All the players and coaches should pull a Lynch, say nothing turn around and leave the media.  They need to concentrate on the game and bring their best to the field on Sunday.  Hopefully we will have another exciting game.

Totally Confused About Truck Seats

As we prepare for our long trip across the country we have been discussing alternative methods of getting there.  I considered purchasing a new 2015 Subaru CrossTrek (remember I work for a couple of dealers) and staying in motels, eating out.  There would be huge savings in fuel cost but food and lodging would more than double.  So that alternative has kind of gone to the wayside.

The trailer and truck combination seems to be the most economical way to travel even though the cost of fuel is much higher savings will come from lodging and meals.  One problem does exist with this particular choice, the seats in the truck just aren't very comfortable and both of us have troubles after a long day on the road.

Most likely this is my fault.  At the time we purchased our 2010 2wheel drive Silverado we could only afford so much money.  We purchased a no frills vehicle that has very little power equipment.  We felt the additional cost and later maintenance costs weren't warranted.  I feel like we may have made a mistake.  The seating in this truck leaves a lot to desire especially during long road trips.  I am told the new 2015 is more comfortable with many more features that we don't have for example,  duel heat controls, heated and cooled seats, better directional signals (in the mirrors).  I am now wondering if more comfortable seats might make the trip a lot easier to handle but the initial cost (around 50k) less my trade in comes in right around the price of that Subaru CrossTrek.  At this point, I am unsure.

Guess we'll make a decision down the road and before we leave.  Anyone have any ideas how to bolster to the current seats?  It might be cheaper if there is a way to do it.

Oh well, more stuff to think about.  Hope all is well.  Been watching Glen Campbell on PBS from a concert he did in South Dakota.  Thanks for stopping by.

Not Quite Ready For Prime Time

I thought I was doing pretty good after injurying myself last Tuesday.  I did as the doctor told me and iced the heck out of the hamstring the first few days and I had actually gotten to a point of no limping after standing and limping a short distance.  When you sit, like on the bus, and you stand up to move the hamstring tends to yell no way and you are forced to limp until it finally decides to loosen up and let you walk normally.  Everything seemed to be coming along just fine until it began to ache yesterday afternoon.  I was still able to walk fine once the loosening occurred.  Then this morning as I tried to bring myself out of the bathtub, I slipped and fell back into the tub.  Frankly I don't know if it was because the knee couldn't stand up to the pressure of getting out or I just slipped on the bottom of the tub.  Regardless, it happened so fast that I really wasn't sure.  My next atttempt to rise out of the tub went fine and there doesn't seem to be an permenant damage.  There is some aching again this morning and I am able to walk fine.  I'll give it this weekend and then perhaps pay the doctor another visit to make sure I am taking the correct path.

The weekend will be a do nothing weekend.  I won't watch the Pro Bowl because who really cares.  The whole Deflategate thing has me wondering what's next.  It seems there maybe justification for saying the Patriots cheated since earlier this year an intercepted ball was handed to an opposing teams equipment manager who immediately said the ball wasn't inflated enough.  I am fairly certain that both the quarter back and the coach of every single team in the NFL looks at all the tiniest little details that might effect the outcome of the game.  It certainly occurs in other sports.  Based on their past history I have no reason to believe that they didn't do something.  Did it effect the outcome of the game?  Probably not, but it does effect the integrity of the sport.  There are rules and players are fined for breaking them all the time.  Unfortunately no on saw anyone messing with the balls so the chances that anything is going to happen are slim.  The NFL has a lot of bucks riding on the Super Bowl and it is doubtful they will jeapordize any of those funds.

Buses, Buses

As I have reported before I have been commuting the 38 miles back and forth to work and home via public transportation, specifically King County Metro Transit.  It is an exceptionally interesting way to commute.  You don't have any of the stress that goes with sitting in traffic for hours trying to wind your way home or to work in rush hour traffic.  The bus driver gets that pleasure and the only thing working in their favor is the fact that they are bigger than just about everyone else on the road and they can use the HOV lanes when on the Interstate system.

 

The reason for my comments today has to do with drivers.  I have met several drivers during my trips over the past four months and none have impressed me except the one lady that picks me up first thing in the morning.  Always smiling, friendly and welcoming everyone aboard her bus for the trip to Downtown Seattle.  Everyone on the bus seems to be in a better mood having gotten on with her.  She thanks everyone as they get off the bus and seems to genuinely like the people who ride with her, showing concern for any issues she may learn of during the course of our standing room only rides.

 

Other drivers don't seem to care as much.  Maybe it is the class of individual rider that is getting on the bus.  Many appear to be mentally ill, drunk, drugged or just plane weird.  Most drivers try to ignore the passengers and what they are doing.  Fare enforcement will occasionally remove and individual from the bus for drunkeness or not paying their fare.  Passengers often get beligerent with the fare enforement people causing them to call the Transit Police.  Then there are the folks who think it is a good idea to race the bus to the next intersection and pull right in front of them to make a right hand turn with no regard to the distance between themselves and this big bus, leaving the driver to take evasive action, often dangerous for the passengers.  Or the people who plainly see the bus coming and decide to pull out of a driveway, again, causing the driver to take evasive action.

 

Even though the other drivers don't impress me with their demeanor I have decided to cut them some slack considering what they have to deal with daily.  I think it would be less stressful for them if they were just driving their car in rush hour traffic.

 

Hope everyone is well.  Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

What A Day

Sunday was a loud day in my neighborhood especially in the last few minutes of the Seahawk Championship Game.  Fireworks went off and there was none stop yelling as the Seahawk's came from behind with a few minutes left to take the lead only to give it up as Green Bay kicked a field goal to tie the game.  The Seahawks took a knee and the game went into overtime where the Seahawks ultimately won the game with a huge touch down pass.  While the Green Bay Packers did play better than the Seahawks they failed to capitalize on opportunities and there was not upset for the odds makers to run from.  Off to the Super Bowl after we find out how badly banged  up we are.

The leg is getting better.  Still having issues with getting up and down stairs but the majority of the pain is gone.  There is an nawing ache like a tooth that tries to drive you crazy when you can't find a position to put the leg in that doesn't hurt.  But compared to Tuesday evening I am doing really good.

Thanks for dropping by, hope everything is well.

Dinner

I said I might take a picture...I did....go Hawks

Our 2015 Trip

So these are tentative plans and depending on weather and other assorted items it may change along the way but we need a starting point.  Things that will not be left out include spring training in Phoenix, visiting cousins in Watertown, SD and Baltimore and anything having to do with history.  There may be some items deleted and others added as we cruise across the country but we will make those choices as we move.  In fact, I have already added one stop though not far from our travel route with a visit to Elkhart, IN home to the RV Museum.  I think this will keep us busy for a couple of months perhaps more considering it is a 10,448 mile trip that will chew up roughly $2,000 dollars in fuel costs along with using up much more than the 162 hours of driving time that is estimated on the map.

I am so ready to hit the road and see what we can find as we travel across the country and back.  I know the weather can disturb trips like these and we will keep a very close eye on the national weather news online while checking locally on the radio and internet.  I will pray for good weather, not too hot or cold and continued low gas prices.  The estimated fuel cost is based on the current national average of $2.14 per gallon with 12 miles to the gallon (we get slightly better than that) for the entire trip.

Our sleep number bed arrived however we cannot go to the trailer this weekend.  Mia has a memorial for a friend of hers today and tomorrow is the big game in Seattle for the NFC Championship with Green Bay playing the Seahawks.  The team the makes the least amount of mistakes (and both are known for making them) will win the game unless it turns out like the Oregon/Ohio game where the team than had the most fumbles won.  It could be an upset but the folks here in Seattle (7 1/2 point favorites) certainly don't think so.

I will be making some shredded pork nachos for the big game tomorrow.  I might show you a picture before I eat them....or not.

Hope everyone is having a great time.  Perhaps we will cross paths as we travel across the country.

Be safe and thanks for stopping by.

Ouch!!!

As I left my place of employment last night I noticed the bus that I needed to catch was sitting at the stop light just up the street from our location.  I decided that I should run to meet the bus since it was so close.  A sixty seven year old man who doesn't usually run, probably shouldn't run to catch the bus.  I got about ten steps, heard and felt something snap and my left knee went into terrible pain.  I had a hard time making it to the bus but I did and I found a seat and contemplated my next move.

I normally have to walk three city blocks in downtown Seattle to get to my transfer bus that takes me home to Federal Way.  I wasn't so sure I could walk that far so I began reaching out to family to see if I had an issue and couldn't walk to the bus stop, perhaps someone could pick me up and get me somewhere so my wife could come and get me.  I also contacted Mia to make sure she was aware of the troubles I was having.  As it turned out, I was able to make it to the bus stop (painfully) and catch my bus home.  Instead of walking home from the bus stop (3/4 of a mile) I decided to get off at the transit center and have Mia pick me up.  Seemed to me to be the safest place for her to come and get me.

I went home and had dinner but the pain was pretty bad and I felt like I needed to know what was wrong so we went off to urgent care in Tacoma.  Mia left me because the place was a zoo with a two to three hour wait to get into a room.  A lot of folks with the flu and upper respiratory issues.  I guess I was pretty lucky because I got in and out with a visit to the pharmacy in just over two hours.

The doctor walks in the room and looks at me and the first concern she has is how in the world she is going to access my knee without cutting my pant leg.  I chuckled and told her to close the door and I would just drop my pants.  I think she was wondering why someone hadn't already had my pants off but the gal that brought me to the room did nothing more than show me the room.  She never even closed the door.  The doctor and I had a couple of good laughs and then she inspected my knee motion and said the joint was fine.  She had me pose (I am not explaining that one) and suddenly created a whole bunch of pain that radiated up and down my leg from the thigh to the calf.  Of course I yelled and she yelled, Eureka it's your hamstring.  I had heard of pulled, strained and torn hamstrings but I have never actually experienced one.

The doctor said that if it was a torn hamstring I most likely wouldn't have walked into urgent care so her diagnosis was pulled or stained.  I asked her about the snapping sound and feeling and she said it is common with hamstring injuries.  Great, what's next? 

I was told I can continue to walk but that I should try to keep my weight off it as much as possible.  While I don't feel like an old man, I now look like an old crippled man with my nifty walking cane.

She gave me instructions to ice the back of my knee as much as possible during the first two to three days and provided me with pain meds to help me sleep.  Unfortunately I awoke each time I turned over during the night and while the pain wasn't real bad during the night by the time I got up this morning it was hurting again.  I can't take the pain meds for fear of drowsiness and I had to drive to work this morning.  I spent enough time sitting on my ass at home with the flu during the holidays and I just can't see myself sitting at home when this can heal and pass while I work.

So off to work I went.  Of course there was no bus involved in todays commute and I suspect I will be driving to work for the remainder of this week.

Life goes forward.  Hope all is well and thanks for stopping by.

Bedding

As we prepare to leave on our cross country trip in mid March there are some things that needed attention.  The primary one being bedding.  As we all know the weak, cheap mattress that comes with our RV's is about as worthless as a night of sleep on the gravel next to the trailer.  We have put up with it for the last couple of years because we weren't spending every night in the trailer and we put a mattress topper on it that kind of helped but now it has so many divets that it has to go.

At home we have slept on a king size deluxe Sleep Number bed for the past 17 years.  Both Mia and I have enjoyed the bed and with the exception of a bladder leak we have had very good service out of the mattress.  So last Saturday we decided to visit the local Sleep Number store and see what it would cost us to replace the flimsy short queen mattress with a deluxe Sleep Number bed.  Since is was less that we originally thought it might be, we placed an order and are now patiently waiting for our new mattress to arrive.  Of course, upon arrival we will have to take a weekend trip to Gold Bar to install and spend a night adjusting, sleeping, adjusting and sleeping some more to make sure we are ready for the big trip in March.

We are so looking forward to leaving.  Hope everyone is well.

Soggy and Wet

Monday started out soggy and wet here in the Pacific Northwest with some areas experiencing massive flooding.  In the Aberdeen, Hoquiam area, hillsides slide and mud took seveal homes off their foundations.  On top of  the hill are several hundred homes that are now stranded because the road that led to their property is gone with the slide.  Sadly the water rose and created all kinds of havoc in the region as  rivers flooded.

Luckily this morning is different.  While it appears to have rained last night this morning is slightly overcast with no rain.  Hopefully this will help those with flooding.  As I walked out this morning to catch the bus, the full moon was shining through the hazy sky and it was warmer with not rain. 

I am so looking forward to the future day when we head off into the sunset so to speak.  I just have to figure out which route to take from Federal Way to Phoenix.  I Google mapped it but I am not sure of the route they are sending me on.  1426 miles and 21 hours and 25 minutes without a trailer.  Thinking it may take a week to get there if I don't stop in Las Vegas.

Hope everyone it well and safe.

Flu Season

Well it might not be an epidemic here in Washington but Mia and I can tell you it isn't a fun flu to catch.  We did everything just the way you're supposed to.  Went in and got our free flu shot in October, washed our hands as we sang happy birthday to ourselves, and tried to stay healthy but the bug caught us the week before Christmas and we are still suffering some of the side effects.  Whatever strain this is, it is not something to be messed with at our age.  I spent the weekend before Christmas in bed completely wasted with no energy to even move.  Mia had to help me stand up whenever I got up.  At one point I told myself to move and nothing happened.  My muscles were jelly that refused to respond.  Our energy levels are slowly coming back but we still have some sinus issues.  If you catch it don't allow yourself to become dehydrated.  Drink lots of liquids and call your doctor at the onset of any symptoms.  If you wait two days it is too late for them to help you.

After being locked up in the house for a week and half, I decided that we needed to get out on New Years Day and what better road trip than to go up to Gold Bar and see how the lot and trailer are doing this winter.  It was twenty one degrees out when we arrived and needless to say we didn't stick around very long.  It was an exhausting trip and we didn't do much other than watch Bowl games when we got back.  I went back to work this past week though I am not sure why.  I should have stayed out a few more days.  I was so tired when I got home last night that I couldn't stay up to watch my Huskies lose their Bowl Game.

Going to continue to take it easy this weekend.  We have a couple of shopping trips but nothing more.  

Hope everyone is well and please take care of yourselves.