Arizona, Mesa - Sunday, January 4, 2015 - Val Vista Villages RV Resort

It took me two days to read through all of the posts I made in 2014.  This past week we have been experiencing some very below average temperatures so I wasn’t planning on going out anyway.  We’ve taken down the Christmas decorations and are looking forward to 2015.  I’m not including pictures in this review, it’s probably already too long, you’ll have to go back to the individual posts to look at those if you are interested.

January

Places We Stayed:

·        Rivers RV Center parking lot, Jacksonville, Florida

·        Pecan Park, Jacksonville, Florida – next door to a huge flea market

·        Tampa RV Super Show, Tampa, Florida

·        Tampa East Campground, Dover, Florida

Places We Visited:

·        Tampa RV Super Show

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        Refrigerator cooling unit – this took two months to get fixed

·        Custom fit front and steps carpeting

·        Replaced closet latches

·        Tire covers – we made these

February

Places We Stayed:

·        Tampa East Campground, Dover, Florida

·        M RV Resort, Moore Haven, Florida

Places We Visited:

·        Keel & Curly Winery, East of Tampa

·        Jet Blue Park, Ft. Meyers, FL – Spring training camp Boston Red Sox

·        Lakeport, Florida – picnic area on Lake Okeechobee, Florida

·        Seminole Reservation Casino – near Moore Haven, Florida

·        Hickeys Creek Mitigation Park – Florida

Local Eateries We Recommend:

·        Jet Blue Park Farmer’s Market – Ft. Meyers, FL, Monday noon to 4

·        Sonny’s, Clewiston, Florida

·        Parksdale Market, Parksdale, Florida – huge strawberry shortcakes

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        Track light to highlight Greg’s car collection

·        Grate and burner washers for gas stove

March

Places We Stayed:

·        M RV Resort, Moore Haven, Florida

·        Camping World parking lot, Tallahassee, Florida

·        Twin River’s Campground, Nashville, Tennessee

·        Daughter Amanda’s second driveway-she has hook ups for us

·        Timberline Valley RV Resort, Anderson, Indiana

Places We Visited:

·        Hammond Stadium, Ft. Meyers, Florida – Minnesota Twins Spring training camp

Local Eateries We Recommend:

·        Jimmies Dairy Bar, Pendleton, IN – great Barbeque sandwiches

·        Pizza King, Chesterfield, IN – they deliver to Timberline Valley

Special People We Spent Time With:

·        Friends Mike and Susan

·        Mom and Dad

·        Brother Mike and his wife Sharon

·        Daughter Amanda and her husband Mike and grandkids Kenzie and Kyle

·        Daughter Desira and her husband Dan

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        Mirror covers – we made these

·        Refrigerator repair – sensor wired wrong in Jacksonville, didn’t notice it until we were in colder IN weather

April

Places We Stayed:

·        Timberline Valley RV Resort, Anderson, IN

·        Walmart parking lot, Lexington, KY

·        River Plantation RV Resort, Sevierville, TN, lot 430

Local Eateries We Recommend:

·        Wicks Pie Company, Winchester, IN

Special People We Spent Time With:

·        Our family and friends.  Dad passed away April 8.  So glad we had time to spend with him before he passed.  Thankful that Mom is going to be living with my brother Mike and his wife Sharon.

·        Indiana Rolling Thunder Chapter 1

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        Cabinet under TV shelf repair

·        Living room slide out cover – refit back in roller

·        Shower storage shelf

May

Places We Stayed:

·        River Plantation RV Resort, Sevierville, TN

·        Friends Barb and Ann’s farm, Lebanon, TN

·        Timberline Valley RV Resort, Anderson, IN

Places We Visited:

·        RV Dreams Rally, Sevierville, TN

·        Fall Creek Valley Conservation Club, Ovid, IN – helped with trap shooting

·        Indiana Grand Race Track, Shelbyville, IN – watched Ann and Barb’s horses run

Local Eateries We Recommend:

·        Monelle’s at the Manor, Nashville, TN

·        Bonge’s Tavern, Perkinsville, IN

Special People We Spent Time With:

·        Friends Barb and Ann

·        Friends we met at the rally, Sean and Christine, Guy and Sue, Rick and Teresa

·        Friends Dinah, Linda and Beth

·        Rolling Thunder Indiana Chapter 1

·        Daughter Amanda and family

·        Daughter Desira and family

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        None this month

June

Places We Stayed:

·        Timberline Valley RV Resort, Anderson, IN

·        Caboose Campground, Remington, IN

·        National RV Refrigeration parking lot, Shipshewana, IN

Places We Visited:

·        Carpenter Creek Cellars Winery, north of Remington, IN

·        Fair Oaks Farms

·        Friends Bill and Bonnie’s farm

Local Eateries We Recommend:

·        Frankton United Methodist Church tenderloin fry, Frankton, IN

·        Earl’s, Brooks, IN

·        Yesteryear’s Meats, DeMotte, IN

Special People We Spent Time With:

·        Friends Mike and Susan

·        Friends Greg and Dinah

·        Daughter Desira and family

·        Daughter Amanda and family

·        Son AJ, his wife Kim and grandkids Jackson and Braelynn

·        New friends Bill and Bonnie

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        Motorcycle stabilizer bar – Greg and friend Mike built his

·        Refrigerator – defrost fan

July

Places We Stayed:

·        Timberline Valley RV Resort, Anderson, IN

·        Daughter Amanda’s second driveway

·        Walmart parking lot, Williamsburg, KY

Places We Visited:

·        Stream Cliff Herb Farm, Commisky, IN

Local Eateries We Recommend:

·        Sahms, Pendleton, IN

Special People We Spent Time With:

·        Friends Dinah and Linda

·        Sisters Sue and Linda and their husbands

·        Daughter Desira and her family

·        Daughter Amanda and her family

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        Ladder step braces, replaced some

August

Places We Stayed:

·        KOA, Forsythe, GA – they brought us chocolate chip cookies after check in

·        Hardeeville RV, Hardeeville, SC – just outside Savannah, GA, good park only because it is close to Savannah

·        Lake Air RV Park, Hollywood, SC – don’t go here

·        Walmart parking lot – Wilson, NC

·        Americamp RV Resort, Ashland, VA – near Richmond raceway

·        Pohick Bay Regional Park, Lorton, VA – close to Washington, DC

Places We Visited:

·        River Street, Savannah, GA

·        Tybee Island, GA

·        Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Pooler, GA

·        Pohick Bay Marina, Lorton, VA

·        Old Town Alexandria, VA – be sure to see the harbor

·        City Market, Washington, DC

·        Gunston Hall, Lorton, VA

Local Eateries We Recommend:

·        The Lady and Sons, Savannah, GA

·        North Beach Bar and Grill, Tybee Island, GA

·        City Market Deli, Washington, DC – get the buckwheat pancakes for breakfast

Special People We Spent Time With:

·        Daughter Robyn, her husband Jason and granddaughter Maddie

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        Had to patch roof as temporary fix until we get to Indiana to have it looked over

·        Dismantled the awning over the door because it wouldn’t retract

September

Places We Stayed:

·        Walmart parking lot, Strongsville, OH – they had fireworks in town

·        Charger Enterprises parking lot, Elkhart, IN

·        Son David’s barn lot, Pratt, KS – he has hook ups for us

Places We Visited:

·        Pratt County Lake, Pratt, KS

Special People We Spent Time With:

·        Son David and grandkids Wyatt and Cheyanne

·        Grandson Tyler and his girlfriend Rachel

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        Replaced hydraulic pump motor

·        Replaced shelf brackets in cabinet where I store pans

·        Replaced stove burner washers

·        Had door awning fixed

·        Had roof leak checked out, repair is holding, will have it fixed next time thru Indiana

·        Caulked some windows to prevent leaks

October

Places We Stayed:

·        Son David’s barn lot

·        Palo Duro RV Park, Palo Duro, TX – ok, but I wouldn’t go back on purpose

·        Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Palo Duro, TX – this was amazing

·        Oasis RV Resort, Amarillo, TX

·        Enchanted Trails RV Park and Trading Post, Albuquerque, NM – next to Camping World and right down the street from Freightliner

·        Sky City Casino, Sky City, NM

·        Grand Canyon Railway Hotel & RV Resort, Williams, AZ

·        Hitching Post RV Park, Las Vegas, NV – closest park to Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Places We Visited:

·        Boot Hill Museum, Dodge City, KS

·        Gypsum Hills Byway, Medicine Lodge, KS

·        Panhandle-Plains History Museum, Canyon, TX

·        Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, TX

·        Painted Desert, AZ

·        Petrified Forest, AZ

·        Grand Canyon Train to South Rim, Williams, AZ

·        Lake Mead NV/AZ state line

·        Hoover Dam NV/AZ state line

·        Monte Carlo Hotel, Las Vegas – dinner with Castrol and John Force

Local Eateries We Recommend:

·        Buster’s, Sun City, KS

·        Big Texan Steak House, Amarillo, TX – they pick you up at Oasis RV Resort

·        Café 66, Williams, AZ

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        We bought Hoss Pads to put under the stabilizer legs

·        Replaced kitchen faucet

·        Check engine light was coming on, had to replace the crankcase ventilation filter

November

Places We Stayed:

·        Hitching Post RV Park, Las Vegas, NV

·        Hidden Oasis RV Park, Wikieup, AZ – very small, but it has everything we needed

·        Val Vista Villages RV Resort, Mesa, AZ – we pulled in here the 5^th and will be here until next Spring.  We’ll be workamping here as food service workers.

Places We Visited:

·        Las Vegas Motor Speedway – NHRA drag racing

·        Phoenix International Raceway – NASCAR Truck Race

RV Repairs or Improvements:

·        We have damage on the passenger side we were struck coming into Phoenix, we’ll have it fixed when we get back to Indiana next summer

·        Bought a new tie down kit for the motorcycle

·        Replaced one of the bedroom electrical outlets with one that has USB ports

·        Tiled the wall behind the TV

December

Places We Stayed:

·        Val Vista Villages RV Resort