San Diego's World-Famous ZOO 'n Hotel del Coronado

The kids took to Coronado Island's beaches, but the adults were weary of the wet sand messes...and there in the background the magnificent Victorian Hotel del Coronado beckoned from "somewhere in time".   It was like prying barnacles off of the Midway to get the kids to give up their circular trenching in the sand...but we adults had already wandered off...drawn on my curiosity.  A closer look disclosed Dr. Seuss statuary surrounding an ice rink...ice, sand and palm trees...??  We tried to separate the wet sand from the children's flesh as it got colder after the sun set.  Losing battle....but they were all good sports about it.

We discovered exotic gardens and a mystifying Dragon Tree for Zoe.

...This all-wood National Historic Landmark was built in 1888 to be "the talk of the Western world."  It is not only a living legend...but it's said that a ghost is a permanent resident.  What Victorian resort would be complete without a resident ghost? Kate Morgan checked into the resort on November 24, 1892, and never checked out. Reports of ghostly happenings, all thought to be connected to the death of this beautiful young woman, have been circulating at The Del ever since.  We had to check it out.  One step inside and it was as elegant a Victorian Moment as imagination allows...yet too dreamy to be real.   In this altered state you could definitely imagine both ghosts and Saint Nicholas were very, very real.

Somewhere in Time - Merry Christmas!

San Diego Zoo Polar Bear Exhibit

So...what of the zoo?  Oh, my camera's battery died after filming the pygmy hippos.  But the rap about Paka getting lost from us in the parking lot lives on!

"I'm a Problem", original rap by Newel and Paka after Bob's traumatic wanderings in the Zoo's vast parking lot - Click Here to listen:  http://iamtpain.smule.com/trackid/1788064?did=23205269

#3 Visit to the RV Repair Station

We cut our trip short--to only a few hours--at Juniper Springs.  Larry called to say the part was in and we needed to return to Ocala.  No!  How could we interrupt our celebration of nature's best!?  I didn't want to believe it was true, but there we were turning our 31K over to the mechanics...again.  Was this coach put together by an imposter...an amateur?...or worse, someone who could care less?  I looked around to see if perchance a Winnebago might be in the garage.

The first RV I spotted was...yep, a Winnebago.  Sad.  Lined up beside this ailing RV was a Class-A Itasca Ellipse (a Winnebago product), a Fleetwood Prowler with its innards showing, a 5th wheel Mobile Suites (advertised as having "the best bang for the buck") and one wounded Dutchmen RV.

 Below is a closeup of that Fleetwood Prowler with its forward slide pulled out.

A quick walk just around the corner revealed another surprise:  a Winnebago product, a new looking Cambria.  Oh, no...what could be wrong with it?

By now I was rubbing my eyes, because in the very next bay was another Mobile Suites ....

It was like there was a race on to be "popular" in the garage, as I found yet another Winnebago, a Four Winds (not ours) and this shiny Windsport (shown below).  

Next I found a Georgie Boy Landau Motorhome, a Safari Zanzibar (shown below in the rain) next to a Crescendo by Gulf Stream....an Itaska Sunrise (Winnebago product) an Infinity coach, and an Independence,

 TWO Hurricanes by Thor, and one brown-striped Dolphin by National (a bankrupt company)...  All were being worked on today. 

The next day I found two more Mobile Suites trailers had moved in for repair.

Winnebago products are still in the lead, however.

A Bighorn by Heartland had joined the ranks, looking a bit small next to the Fleetwood Excursion.

I know the Bounder is a very popular RV, so I had to find out why it came in today.  Ahhh...nothing mechanical, it just needs a little body work (although I couldn't tell where).

So...now I'm going to ask the mechanics which type of RV they see most often. 

I've got to know!  When it comes to anything RV, I'm pretty much ignorant.

Camp Hosting isn't All Work

The job of camp hosting in state parks usually only requires 3 or 4  days of duty....for a total of 20 hours a week...maybe 24 max.  So the obviously nice benefit is your freedom to roam.  We took advantage and explored Juniper Springs for a day.   The Chateau has claimed site #9 in the "Tropical Loop".  It's a mystical and foggy morning.  We can't remember Florida being more humid or more still.

A wondrous trail starts at our site.

There are small springs everywhere, so this jungly path soon crosses a bridge.

The signs warn that you are about to become gator bait, and you'd better not fight back...because this is a national reserve and everything in it is protected.

Who can resist a boardwalk into the wilds?  Just ahead, under the bridge, is a large pool of green water.  What's that about?

A peek into the pool from the bridge shows "boiling" sand that looks very much like the mud pots that bubble away in Yellowstone Park. 

I turned around and about lost my breath....  What an unusual series of dreamy pools.  They were riddled with sand boils.  How fascinating! 

 The oak branches growing over one pool were almost too tempting.  They were plenty big enough to walk on...and perfect as a platform to jump from into the warm water.  How exotic! 

I just kept taking pictures because it was so surreal...isolated...peaceful.  There was no one else around...no sound but that of moving water and wildlife.

I decided to follow the boardwalk along the spring run to its source.

And here it is...Juniper Springs!  Bob jumped in with his clothes on.  That's how irresistable it was.  He was floating face down looking into the spring just like he was a glass-bottomed boat.  I knew he was harkening back to his childhood, which was filled with joyful days splashing, diving, and exploring in the stream behind his home in State College, Pennsylvania. 

Bob swam around and around, so I went to explore the rest of the area.  He was totally alone in his own "Blue Lagoon".  I returned after the sun had set...and he was still paddling around, marveling at his "best experience of the year so far".  So what's so special about perfectly clear, warm water surrounded by bright green ferns and well-done CCC rock work?  Come see for yourself!

Buying an RV - Frightening or Fulfilling?

If you have never attended a large RV show or visited a mega RV dealer you are in for a big surprise. The first thing you’ll notice right off is, “There are so many choices, where do I begin?” Did you know this is the number one reason why people put off buying a RV? They are overwhelmed with all the choices and become frustrated, don’t let this happen to you!

The second biggest reason people decide not to buy an RV is that they don’t know who they can trust. It’s not uncommon to hear your RV salesperson say something like, “This manufacturer builds the best models".  After you have visited a number of dealers it’s like a broken record.  Everybody thinks their brands are the best in the industry.  Here's a typical line, "Four Winds has the BEST motorhomes.  There's a reason all of the rental RVs you see on the road are made by Four Winds.... Dependability!!"  By the way, we fell for this line and bought a Four Winds.  It turned out the reason they were on the road as rentals is because they are cheap, assembly line products.  Follow the dollar, and you'll almost always find the real answer.

Take your time...and Follow these Instructions:

1.  Decide what type of RV you want.   You can choose gas or diesel.  Diesel gives you better mileage, but a noisier unit and higher purchase price.   You can get the luxury of a Class A (with the great driving views) or the maneuverability of a Class C (but with less overall space).  Travel trailers can be intense to pull and wear the driver out.   We recently almost got hit with shrapnel from a trailer being pulled past us in a campground when the left wheels hit a big rock on a curve and tore off one of the tires and some of casing.  You can avoid the sway of trailers with a fifth wheel, where the weight of the trailer is over the truck's rear axle.  Just make sure you have enough power to pull it.   (As a note of interest, Bob's great-grandpa Bryant Olds invented the 5th wheel.)  Or you can go for the fun of a towable toy hauler.  The biggest question is:  "What do you want to do with your RV?"  If it's going to sit in a trailer park, a trailer could be ideal...especially since it's designed all on one level and easy to get in and out of.

 

This might be all you need, so why buy more?



We met a great couple laughing about how they bought this trailer
and "hid" it from the condo association in their garage.



Taj-ma-Winnebago

2.  Look at how different manufacturers compare to one another.  This may seem time consuming, but an RV is a big enough investment to merit doing your homework.  (Your mother would approve.)  Some top makers are Fleetwood, Winnebago, Monaco, National, Country Coach, Skyline, Forest River, R-Vision and Thor.  Don't rely on "looks" or floor plan to make your decision.  Get in a model and test how everything works.  We even set up the couch and table beds before buying.  Some buyers don't know you can (and should) test drive the unit.  Try driving into a shopping center to see how you like parking it and definitely get it on the freeway to hear how sound it is.

3.  Gather as much information as possible about the RVs under consideration.  Look at the special features, condition and any other important aspects of the RV that matter the most to you.  When comparing models, be sure to factor in any and all extra features.

4.  Check out the prices online and at lots for the model you are interested in.  You can look on ebay for completed sales or check Craigs List in different localities.  Prices in other states may surprise you.  We found the new model we wanted for $60,000 in Iowa that was selling for $90,000 in most every other state.  We called dealers across the country and found prices varied.  We thought Florida must have the best deal, but their prices were among the highest.   You may find an extraordinary price elsewhere, but you will forfeit the personal customer service from your seller.  We have had quite a few little problems with our 31K from Motor Sportland, but the salesman we bought through has taken care of every one of them...and even thrown in a free RV wash here and there. 

5.  Look at the tax burden or benefits that different models may bring you. Think of motor fuel tax, sales tax and individual income tax.  If you register your RV in a state other than your own for tax benefits, be careful.  We just moved to Florida but were given this advice by a tax attorney:  "If you still maintain a church membership in SLC, have burial plots in SLC, and all your children live in SLC, you should expect the SLC tax folks to argue that the external factors are inconsistent with your claimed move to Florida."

Planning Tip: Be consistent. If you claim you've left a state, don't go back to get a resident fishing or hunting license in your former home state.  We know of some hefty fines for doing this very thing! Ditto on library cards (hold one in the state in which you reside, not the state you moved out of), and so on.

One of the first steps in your state tax planning is to figure out the starting line. Which state currently thinks you live primarily there?  Learn the rules as to how you can end that tax relationship and keep detailed records supporting your tax home state.

Tax Reduction Planning Tip: Make sure you land in your new tax home. Perhaps your first stop should be in your new tax home state, where you spend enough time and set up enough connections to make it your new home state for income tax purposes. Buy burial plots (really!)   Join a church or lodge or other organization.  Go to the dentist.  Get a local library card.  Open a bank account and move your accounts.  Hire a CPA to handle your tax returns.

Planning Tip: Did we say to keep a log book?  Maintain a detailed and accurate calendar showing where you were, which days you worked and in which states.  Staple RV park receipts and receipts for gas and shopping to the calendar as they will prove where you were.  We have a folder of receipts from the first day we crossed into Florida. 

Your suggestions are welcome here.  I'm sure you're more experienced than I am and can help us all with the advice we need in this area.  Thanks for your help!

How to get Camp Hosting Jobs (National Parks)

It was September 2011 and we had no job to go to in Florida.  Then I was struck with an idea....an inspiration?  Well, we had been praying.  Why not apply to a national park?  Unlike Utah, Florida has only one.  So we called their volunteer coordinator.  Bob was so excited! because the job he was told about was being an interpretive guide at the formerly secret Nike Missile Site in the Everglades.  The RV site provided was just a mile away in beautiful woodland... so we could bike to the visitor's center.  Wow!...with our science background, this had to be the job.  We'd get a uniform and a propane allowance.  The job had barely been posted on http://www.volunteer.gov/gov/    We were told to fill out the online application.  We'd already sent in the paperwork to get a background check and an authorization for driving a government vehicle.  We needed to take a defensive driving course, provide a driving history (listing all of the vehicles we could drive and our hours on each of them) and a DMV 3-year driving record.  There's pages of government paperwork.  I can send you a copy, if you'd like.  The required driving tests were a bit intimidating. 

Applying to American Land and Leisure

Silver Glen Springs, Florida

Our dream job for the winter was to continue with our present company, American Land & Leisure.  We loved the management and how well we'd been treated.  We called the Area Managers, Ken and Judy, in the only spot AL&L manages in Florida:  Ocala National Forest.  We learned we could probably work at a day-use area to cover the existing host when she needed time off.  We were excited!  Silver Glen is not just a beautiful spring, but a lovely boating and recreation area.  But the number of visitors from up north (snowbirds) had dwindled to the point that the company actually cut back on employees this season...and we were on our own to find a job in Florida.  Here we go...off into the unknown.  If you want to check AL&L's current openings in the U.S. just click here:  Current Job Openings  The application is simple to fill out.  When we turned ours in, I added a letter of recommendation from our former employers...which was not requested, but I think it helped.  Click here to see the Application for Employment  This company does supply everything you need to do your job, including some type of vehicle, nice shirts, caps, jackets, and work gloves.  You are even paid minimum wage for your hours. 

Camp Hosting National Parks

Hosts in national parks seem extra, extra happy. There's a generic online application that can go to all of the parks, but volunteer coordinators suggest you send a paper copy to any park you are most interested in. We sent a picture of ourselves as well with a cover letter. You have to be enthusiastic and really sell yourself, as the baby boomers are flooding the coordinators with applications for host positions. You can find the ap at any park's site. Here's the one we found for Zion, as we talked with the hosts there in person: http://www.nps.gov/zion/supportyourpark/campground-host-volunteer-opportunity.htm The only pay for your labors is your spot and up to a $30 propane allowance per month.  It's always worth a try...  We got a very nice offer from the Everglades.  Click here to see the Volunteer Application 

Above is the 31K parked on the Virgin River. I went up Watchman Trail to get an "aerial" view of our RV. Taken 4/1/11

Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk

Tell everyone who will listen to you that you are interested in camp hosting. We decided to visit as many state parks and national forest campgrounds as we could while driving up the coast. At Pismo Beach everyone in the shops, the streets and the beach knew we were interested in campground management.