V1N4A

We're Back Again To Entertain Y'all

Well, here we are, ready to bring you another year of unadulterated humor and good times, sponsored by the mishaps, broken stuff and generally non-working things that we will encounter along the way. We will laugh toDgether, cry together, swear at stuff and mostly just try to get through another winter without the whole world crashing down on us. In this issue we'll tell you how much it costs to stay on the road for almost 18 weeks, staying at campgrounds most of the time, an occasional truckstop, and even McDonald's parking lots when the opportunity presents itself. We'll go from the first-class campground to the Coast to Coast Rally and then back to the mid-priced monthly destination. We will also in this issue, finish some of the things that couldn't be completed last year because of time constraints and because we were driving our guts out trying to get home on the "critical" day. So here we go...........hang on to your hats, sit back and just enjoy yourself. We're off on another adventure into the unknown for 4 more months.

Quartzsite, Here

We Come

By the time you read this first edition, we will be camped in Quartzsite, AZ. Last year when we left here, we vowed we would try to come back again during the Gem Show and Swap Meet. We hope this is not going to be a big mistake.

As we wrote previously, the population in this tiny desert town swells to about a million people. The desert is crowded to say the least with a quarter of a million RV's.

I think this is going to be an experience we will not soon forget, or want to.

We expect the trip to take at least 5 days of driving at least 400 miles per day. And that's hoping that the weather holds for us during the first 3 days.

As promised, we will reveal exactly how much we spent on expenses for the 18 weeks we were gone last year. We spent time, (at least 1 week) in Arkansas, (Hot Springs) Texas, (Quitman, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, San Antonio) Arizona, (Huachuca City, Lake Havasu City, Apache Junction) and finally to Marana for a month.

We were gone for 126 days and the following figures are totals for the entire 126 days:We drove 6,935.1 miles

We used 977.8 gals. of gas

(motorhome only)

Camping costs were $689.80

LP Gas was $159.45

Groceries were $1047.01

Eating out $848.79

Laundromats were $39.75

Car Gas was $187.05

The remaining costs were Beer, Wine, Liquor, Souvenirs, T-shirts, Spoons, Magnets and other gifts which are completely arbitrary and flexible as to the amounts.

By averaging those amounts over the entire 126 days you can get an idea of what it will cost you weekly, monthly or whatever. So the Daily costs range as the following:

Mileage 55.04

Gas $8.74 @ $1.129 gal.

(6.3cts mi. @ 7.09mpg)

Camping Costs $5.64

LP Gas $1.26

Food $15.05 (incl. eating out)

Laundromat Weekly $2.21

Car Gas $1.48

We also had other costs such as admission fees, Nat'l Park Passport and some other stuff which were completely arbitrary, and not necessary items.

All in all it was a completely enjoyable winter with several trips into Mexico to Matamoros, Progresso, Reynosa, Acuna and 2 trips to Nogales. We found that Nogales was the most fun to shop at. We had been to Juarez a few years ago and didn't care for that at all.

As you can see there are several other options for your money beside what we spent it on. We figure that each time we go back it will cost us less and less having seen the things that are most "important" right away. Also this coming year we would like to spend a week at Puerto Penasco, (Rocky Point) Mexico just south of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

We will ad lib that part of the winter when we get there.

LUCKY DOGS

Just prior to our leaving this year, we learned that my brother Tom and his wife Nancy bought a new motorhome. A 1999 Itasca Suncruiser with slideout.

Sharon says that I'm green with envy, but I hope that's not true. I am very happy for them and hope they get as much enjoyment out of it as we've gotten from ours.

CONGRATULATIONS!!