A Techie And His Lady…

Yesterday I wrote about my current location here in Yuma, Arizona. Among the first friends I got to visit were Bob Parker and Donna Huffer whom I’ve known for a number of years…

They travel in this rig…total length is 66 feet…

Click to enlarge the photo…then click it again…and look at the doodads on their roof! If you do not know what they are…I’ll tell you. To create electricity there’s a whole bunch of solar panels and a wind generator. In addition there’s an Internet satellite dish as well as an anemometer to measure the wind speed. Don’t miss the kyack atop the roof of the trailer.

Speaking of the trailer…what do you suppose they have in there? Another RV?…nope! An airplane?…nope! A boat?…nope! Extra paper towels?…nope! None of the above!

It’s a mobile garage! Just like you have attached to your house. And what do you have in your garage? Well…so do they. Alongside of the motohome you can see their SUV…well that’s in the garage as they go down the highway. In addition, Bob has his workshop in there.

Bob is a retired die and tool-maker having worked for General Motors for 28 years. This also makes him a very creative person. If you think the outside of their RV is something…you should see the inside. Bob has installed all sorts of doodads to make their interior life more comfortable and convenient. Here’s a recent Blog he wrote about his solar panel installation…
http://parkerrver.blogspot.com/2011/11/solar-panel-upate.html

It truth I think he’s a borderline mad scientist!  🙂 Actually he’s a real nice guy who just enjoys being creative. Need a problem solved? Bob’s your guy!

I  think he’s just about out of ideas on what more he can do to their rig. So he helps other folks do things with their rigs. He ended up giving me a couple of ideas which I can use in my rig. When I get them done…I’ll tell you about them.

Bob and Donna are full-timers and very active Geo-cashers…which requires a GPS device…naturally! They go everywhere! Here’s some further information about them that comes from their Blog…

Donna has been on the road since 1998 and Bob since 2004. We are both from Salem, Ohio and met December 2005 on the desert below Quartzsite AZ, having not met previously in Ohio. We joined together and are traveling in a motorhome we purchased together in 2007. We are discovering the country together and even though Donna has been to 49 states she is enjoying seeing new sites with Bob that she hasn’t seen before and he is enjoying seeing everything for the first time. Follow us in our journey across this great land and let us know of places we shouldn’t miss along the way Donna & Bob

You might enjoy following their travels on their Blog at http://parkerrver.blogspot.com/

That’s another thing I love about the full-timing RV lifestyle…you get to meet so any neat and unusual folks!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Mystic Seaport, Connecticut

Jim says:

Yesterday Mary and I spent our last full day in New England at a most appropriate place. Mystic Seaport may be New England’s largest tourist attraction. It all began back in 1851. Mystic Seaport, founded in 1929, actively pursues the collection, preservation and exhibition of artifacts and skills related to maritime history and its influence on American life. It is a privately operated, non-profit institution.

It functions as a living history museum consisting of a village, ships and 19 acres of exhibits depicting coastal life in New England in the 19th century. We spent five hours here and did not come close to seeing all the exhibits. It’s a most interesting place.

Here are 11 photos I took while there…

First is a picture of me with my new hat. I lost my trademark white floppy hat in Salem, Massachusetts a couple of weeks ago. I really like my new hat because it’s lightweight, keeps my head cool and the wide brim shields the sun from my eyes. Now all I have to do is lose 30 pounds, grow a scraggly beard, put a stogy cigar in my mouth and I’ll look just like Clint Eastwood! 🙂

To see the other 86 photos I took, click this link…
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver/MysticSeaport081310#

Here’s the official Mystic Seaport link…
http://www.mysticseaport.org/

Here’s a Wikipedia informational link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystic_Seaport

Today we depart New England after being here for 48 days. Our destination for tonight is planned to be New Windsor, New York>

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
My three books may be purchased at http://www.lulu.com
Just enter Jim Jaillet in the search box.

Seeing The Sights Near Revere, Massachusetts

Jim says:

Yesterday Mary and I took the Bronco to see some of the sights along the Atlantic Coast North of Revere. In addition to Revere we went through Lynn, Nahant, Swampscott, Marblehead and Salem.

Here are a few things we saw…
On Revere Beach we saw about one dozen sculptures remaining from the 75th Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Contest held last weekend.

In Nahant we saw kids diving off of these rocks into the water the same way my buddies and I did more than 50 years ago.

There were several hundred boats anchored in beautiful Marblehead Harbor.

In Salem, Mary the witch got boiled in oil.

Back in Revere in the late afternoon I enjoyed the world’s best pizza at DeMaino’s. They are a fifth generation restaurant in the same location for more than 75 years. As teenagers more than 50 years ago my friends and I enjoyed the pizza at Demaino’s. Yeah, Yeah…I know I had pizza yesterday and it was good, but I cannot come to Revere and not have a DeMaino’s Pizza! Mary enjoyed Chicken Parmigiana.

Te see the other 15 photos I took, click this link…
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver/072310#

Today we will drive the motorhome and Bronco to Southeastern New Hampshire.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2009
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

A Ball Game, Lake, Castle, Ferry Ride, 1776 Inn and Museum, All In One day!

Jim says:

Another full day!

First was a ball game with my 12 year-old grandson Eric. It was an away game held in Salem, Connecticut, about 25 miles distant. I once lived here in 1966-69.

Eric will be 13 this August.

Eric practices his swing on his hit-away device.

Eric with his dad…my son.

Eric in action behind home plate.

Eric breaks for home plate with his dad coaching third base.

Eric at bat went 3 for 3…a single, double and a home run.

Eric in his full-dress catcher’s gear.

Eric’s dad coaching third base.

While in Salem I decided to show Mary one of the several places I have lived in the past.

I lived here in 1966-69.

A view of Gardner Lake.

Then a visit to Gillette’s Castle State Park on the Eastern shore of the Connecticut River. William Gillette was an actor who portrayed Sherlock Holmes on Broadway many years ago.

William Gillette’s Castle.

Here’s the official website link…
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325204Then a ferry ride across the Connecticut River. This ferry run has been operational for more than 200 years.

The view of the Hadlyme-Chester Connecticut Ferry from Gillette’s Castle.

Onto the Town of Essex where we had a New England Clam Chowder and Fish and Chips lunch at the Griswold Inn, operational since 1776.
Here’s the Griswold Inn official website link…
http://www.griswoldinn.com/Low_index.htm

Then a short walk to the Connecticut River Museum which tells the 450 year story of this 410 mile-long river.

The Connecticut River Museum is housed in the old Essex Steamboat Dockhouse.

The Essex Steamboat Dockhouse portrayed during the steamboat era.

The British fired Essex during the Revolutionary War.

A long-time popular product of Essex, Connecticut.

Ivory Tusks from Africa came through Essex on their way to Ivoryton (where my son lives 5 miles distant) to be made into piano keys and billiard balls.

Here’s the official website link…
http://ctrivermuseum.orgJust another wonderful day in the life of a full-time RVer!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com