Our Story

Welcome to our site! We are Joanne & Steve. After 20+ years working for a city school department and police department, we sold almost everything, bought an RV, and started living on the road with our three children. Joanne homeschools and works online.
What we have chosen is to live life as unencumbered as we possibly can and to spend time with our family, for our family, and as a family.
This website is a record of our travels. But, we also hope to educate, entertain, and inform others about RVing, roadschooling, and the great places we visit in this country.


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Take The Winterizing Pains Away with The Original Quick-Connect Blow Out Plug!

It's about that time!  Summer is over and cold temperatures are upon us.  If you are among the unlucky few that need to put the camper to bed for the season, then you will be winterizing your rig.

If you do not want to use chemicals, such as glycol,
here is the one thing you will need to make it easier for you to prep your RV for its winter nap.



This patented, beautiful, blue, shiny aluminum quick-connect RV blow out plug is made for ease of use allowing one person to handle the winterizing.


Expelling every drop of water from your camper's lines and hoses is extremely important, especially if your rig will rest the winter in an area where temperatures will be at or below freezing.  There is nothing worse than opening the door in the Spring to find water damage from cracked water lines.  Not the way to start the camping season.  


So what do you need to do to get that water out?  Well, start with an air compressor.




Locate your city water connection input valve.


Attach your Winterize Manufacturing Blow Out Plug by screwing the male end into the city connection valve's female end.



Now your Winterize Manufacturing Blow Out Plug's quick connect is ready for your air compressor.



A quick snap of the air compressor hose onto the Winterize Manufacturing Blow Out Plug's quick connect, and you are ready to go.
Compressed air will replace the water in your lines.



A great fit.

To expel water from lines, just open all faucets until the water is purged by the compressed air.
You will ned to bypass your hot water tank. See your owner's manual for instructions.  


Turn on the air compressor and allow the air to run through the lines, expelling the water...


until the lines are empty and dry.

Don't forget, water will remain in your showers' and sinks' fixtures, and in your toilets if you do not replace it with air.  This water can freeze and crack your fixtures.

Prevent these problems with the 


Come spring, just hook up your water, and turn on your faucet.


Ready to get started?  

You can purchase the 
Original Quick Connect Blow Out Plug 
from Winterize Manufacturing 
through their website:



Or through AMAZON.COM.


Only $11.95 with shipping.


Monday, October 28, 2013

A credit and a smile.

One reason I started this blog was to share information.  I was tickled to see our blog credited for doing just that.  Thank you Earthengirl.

http://earthengirl.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/my-green-calcite-crystal-dreams-me/#comment-1353


Credits:

to help me understand what the Green Calcite was showing me I visited these pages

where I learned calcite grows in caves




Monday, October 21, 2013

A Must See: The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

We were lucky enough to partake in the 42nd Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.


We arrived at the AIBF on September 30;  4 days earlier than the official beginning.  We booked a "site" at the Balloon Fiesta RV Park, directly across the street from Balloon Fiesta Park, from where the balloons lifted off. 


At this time, the government was in the midst of its possible shut-down, and our next stop, after leaving Albuquerque on October 7th, was to be the Grand Canyon. 


Since there was a possibility the big hole would be closed, Steve asked our parker, Dewey, if we might be able to add on dates and stay a little longer. 


A few minutes passed, and Dewey came back with an offer to volunteer, and stay the entire time.  We said yes right away. 


 And didn't regret it one bit!

                                     

Besides getting refunded our initial $150 for a week of dry camping, rally-style, we were given a site with the other volunteers, electric and water, and free twice-weekly pump-outs.  Steve's shift as an RV parker at the 1800+ site lot was from 7am to 7pm.  I would work 3-4 hours a day in the reservation shack with 2 - 3 great ladies.  There was really nothing for the kids to do here, but they kept busy with schoolwork, wii, some outdoor play, and even met a few friends.

In addition to a free site and hook-ups, for two and a half weeks, there were happy hours, lots of donated food from the folks at the WIT group and Fantasy Tours.  An AIBF jacket, pins, lanyard and name tag...free access anytime to the field for all events, including a concert with Darius Rucker (from Hootie and the Blowfish fame).  We met great people and had lots of fun.

What was most exciting was waking each morning and hearing, just 10 feet over our rig, the WWWWOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHHH of a flame as a hot air balloon tried to lift a bit higher.

 The sight of hundreds of balloons taking off in mass ascension from Balloon Fiesta Field and traveling right over our RV park, landing in The Box, and, quite often, landing right amongst the RVs themselves was a treat for all.
 





Great fun is watching all of the Special Shapes balloons that appear!

                      





But best of all, was the balloon ride my family was able to enjoy.  We were very lucky to receive this honor;  and our wallet loved it too.  It was an amazing 2.5 weeks that we will never forget.  And we plan to do it again next year.

So, if you have never experienced this event, start booking now.

The Premium sites at our park were $65 per day for electric and water.  Pump-outs were a fee through a private company on site.  Before the actual start day, that $65 is half price.  These premium sites are the first to go.  Keep in mind, this is rally-style parking.  It is a gravel parking lot.  No frills.  Other than the fact that you are less than a mile's walk, or free shuttle ride, to Balloon Fiesta Park, and may just have the awesome experience of balloons flying all around you.

The Standard sites have no hook-ups. These do not fill as quickly but it is advised you do make a reservation.  All of which can be done online at:  http://www.balloonfiesta.com .






Across the street, right at Balloon Fiesta Park, are the VIP and Presidential sites.  VIP have no hook-ups, and are a bit more expensive than Premium.   But, you are at the park.  Presidential were $150 a night this year...and have hook-ups.  You overlook the field from these spots.

We may just be managing one of the VIP lots next year.

At the park itself, there are food vendors, craft vendors, demonstrations, kids' rides.  Certain clubs have VIP type service, such as the Gondola Club.

Pin collecting is huge and there are many areas to buy pins.  Or you can trade them.  Pilots and chase crews will sometimes hand their pins out.  As well as Balloon cards...another collectible.

Speaking of chase crews, many balloons are looking for chase crews during the Fiesta, and if you like arising before dawn, daily, and getting in on the excitement, you just might think about joining one.


Or, you can run onto the field and just help out.



Balloons begin lifting off between 7:00 and
7:30 am, after the Dawn Patrol heads up to test the winds.  Pilots have a morning "meeting."  Once the OK is given, the Zebras head to each balloon to give each pilot an OK for flight.




www.balloonfiesta.com















Then, it's lift-off.  And what an amazing sight it is.



 
































Several nights during the Fiesta you have the great opportunity to view the Balloon Glow.  Out on Fiesta field, hundreds of tethered balloons inflate and fire to produce a stunning, spectacular glow.  An awesome fireworks show follows.







And for racing enthusiasts, the America's Challenge, begun in 1995, pits Gas balloons against one another for the longest distance win.  Participants from all countries are welcome.


This year's winners were Team 1; Peter Cuneo and Barbara Fricke, a husband-wife team.  They landed their balloon near White River, Ontario, Canada, traveling 1,429 miles and staying aloft for 60 hours and 19 minutes.



So, if you can find the time to get to Albuquerque, New Mexico, early next October, do it!  You can rent an RV from a few different places if you do not have your own.  There are always hotels, but to get the true experience, you need to stay at the RV Park at Balloon Fiesta Field.  You won't regret it! Maybe we'll see you there!


*****Want to really enjoy the pictures?  Click on one and see them in a slideshow format.