Repairs & Maintenance Finally Completed - Off to Sanibel Island

(Sanibel, FL) 84 degrees, blue sky with a few clouds

We finally finished up with our repairs and maintenance at Lazy Days in Tampa.  It really took way too long to have the work accomplished and we were disappointed with the quality of the service.  For example, we had decided to have the appliances serviced. They have a package where they will inspect and service your a/c, furnace, refrigerator, stove etc.  After we were told that this had been completed we found that the furnace had not been accessed.  The seal around the cover had not been broken.  We asked several times and were assured it had been done.  After insisting that this could not be possible we were later told the  service had inadvertently not been completed. We believe the technician did not want to deal with the seal and had avoided doing this service.  Unfortunately, this makes you suspect everything from that point on.  Luckily we knew what to look for but this was very disappointing..  

We also found that they did not want to work with our warranty policy.  First we were told that we were not covered by the company and then later we were told that everything had been approved but unfortunately the company was bankrupt.  Both issues were not true and we had to be very insistent on Lazy Days submit the paper work.  As it turns out our warranty paid them in full within 40 minutes of the invoice being faxed.  

We also had to keep in constant touch with the service department to move things along.  Otherwise, I think we would still be there. We finally got everything completed and are now in Sanibel. 

Sunshine Skyway Bridge Over Tampa Bay

My brother, wife, and daughter (Harry, Jackie, and Alison) are here and we made it just in time. We left our motorhome at MacDill AFB and have rented this beautiful home for a week.




Our Home For A Week

 It is a fantastic four bedroom home with a pool and hot tub.  It has more than exceeded our expectations.  They are celebrating spring break are so excited to be in Florida. Jackie's sister, husband, and daughter (Debbie, Bob, and Natalie) have also joined us  We have traveled together before and have such a great time together. 



Alison, Natalie, and Bob

Our Nosey Neighbor Across the Street

We had a great hamburger  and the best milk shake last night at a place called Chee Burger, Chee Burger.  Be sure to check it out if you are in the area.  It is so wonderful to see everyone and be together again. 

Alison on the beach

Fun Filled Week at the FMCA Perry Georgia Convention

(Perry, Georgia)  81 degrees, blue sky

We have had a great time at the FMCA (Family Motorcoach Association) Convention in Perry Georgia.  There were over 2900 rigs here in attendance scattered around the Georgia Fairgrounds.  It was very interesting watching all the motorcoaches arrive and seeing the dedicated parking crew get everyone nestled in together. 

There were motorcoaches of all types and price ranges.  This is our second convention and we liked this location very much.  All the vendors, class rooms and food vendors are in the same area. A bicycle certainly makes getting around a lot easier but there is also a tram and many people also had golf carts.

 

FMCA Perry Georgia Convention



 

Interesting "Toad" (tow vehicle)



We rode around on our bikes and checked out all the rigs. We got there early and it was fun to watch all the action.






 

 
Prior to the convention we made arrangements to have a satellite dish installed by  Internet Anywhere.  We had met this couple at another rally in Brookville Florida.  He gave an excellent seminar and it really helped us understand why our current satellite was not working properly   

It took about three hours to complete and it is so great to use our DVR again.  No more commercials!  It was rather complicated to figure out how to work around our old system but they did a great job and are very knowledgeable.  We also contacted Dish and signed a waiver so we can now receive local channels (additional cost of $12/month for ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox).  We decided to have the East Coast feed turned on.  When we are out west our programs will be all taped before we watch them in the evening.  Pretty cool!

We met up with our friends Al, Joyce, and Judy from Indiana.  They were traveling to Florida and it was so great to see them.  Al and Joyce were camp hosts at the White River Campground and had helped us so much with some early maintenance when we first got our motorhome.  

Joyce, Al, and Judy

  

We attended lots of classes at the convention.  There were four sessions each day with a wide variety of topics to select.  One of my favorite presenters are  Chris and Jim with  Geeks on Tour .  They offer educational computer classes for RVers.  I have attended previous classes which helped me set up this blog and organize all my photos with Picassa.  The Droid tether that I use for the Internet (PdaNet) was also something I learned from them.  I highly recommend the educational videos available on their website. 

Geeks on Tour

Here are a few of the classes that we attended:

• Face- to- Face with Facebook
• Basic Principles of Generator Maintenance
• Kiln Fused Glass  Jewelry
• Cummins Engine
• Microwave/Convection Cooking
• RVing in Australia/New Zealand
• GPS Navigation with Microsoft Streets & Tips
• Ten Maintenance Tips Every RVer Should Know

Kiln Fused Jewelry

• RVing to Alaska
• Spartan Chassis Maintenance
• Strengh Training for Women

There was also great entertainment each night.  We saw Mac Frampton and Lorrie Morgan perform.  

All the new motorhomes were on display.  The price tag for many of them was a little shocking.  We are very happy with our motorhome and feel blessed not to have any payments or mortgage.  

Not to be missed at this convention are the vendor booths.  There were two buildings with everything  for the RVer.  We found a great area rug that does not kill the grass.  Plus lots of small items like a towel rack that will dry our towels quicker and longer tire stems to make checking tire pressures a breeze. We also stocked up on The Solution a great wax for your RV. 

Les and Kathy

We also saw our friends from Indiana Les and Kathy.  They called us after seeing on Facebook that we were in the area.  They were staying out at Warner Robins AFB Famcamp  and are attending the conference by using a day pass.   

 

One evening they invited us out to have dinner with some of their friends  at the chow hall on base.  Some of the airmen were also having dinner there.  They sure looked young!  The campground was very nice. 



Warner Robins AFB Famcamp

John and Al

Our last evening was spent with Al.  His wife writes the blog Dream Reacher. They have been full timing since 2008 and have helped build many churches during their time on the road. It was nice to hear about their experiences and how much they are enjoying full timing.  

We left the convention and headed back to Florida.  We had breakfast with two NOMADS couples (John & Eileen and Randy & Fran) who are now working another project in Ocala.  They are painting a UMC church in the area.  We were amazed by all that had been accomplished in just a week.  We made plans to get together this fall in New Mexico.

"camping" in the bay

Currently we are in Tampa at the Lazy Days having some work done on our motorcoach.  One of the airbags over our right front tire is deflating and our stove had not been working properly.  We also decided to have some routine maintenance done at the same time.  Some of the required work will need approval from our warranty so last night we stayed in a bay.  That was interesting!  We had 50 amp service and water.  The security lights, however, were bright and on all night.  We will have to get something to block the light better in our bedroom windows.

Our friends, Al, Joyce, and Judy met up with us again yesterday and we decided to drive to St. Petersburg and check out the beach.  They had not seen the ocean yet and it was a perfect day for a road trip.  Traffic was grid locked due to spring break but we eventually made it.  We had an awesome dinner at the Rock Salt Grill in Indian Shores (suburb of St. Pete).  It is by far the best dinner we have had since leaving Indiana.  If you are in the area be sure to check it out.  Ask for a dock side table.  The fresh fish is delivered by boat to the dock each day. 

That's all for now!  Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment or send an email. 

FMCA Convention– Perry Georgia and Our Final Week @ the NOMADS Project in Eustis Florida

(Perry, Georgia) 75 degrees and clear blue skies

We arrived in Perry Georgia today to attend the FMCA (Family Motorcoach Association) Convention.  This is an annual event (locations vary) and it is lots of  fun and very educational.. Hundreds of motorcoaches are already here.  The actual rally starts on Monday and I’ll post some pictures after everyone arrives.  

There are classes each day (four sessions each day).  For example you can choose to attend a class about internet service, braking systems, diesel engine maintenance, photography, exercise, crafts and much more. In addition there are travelogues about RVing in Alaska, Europe and even Australia. 

We usually each attend a different class to obtain as much information as possible.  There is also a huge vendor exhibition hall with everything a RVer needs and sometimes never knew they needed.  We are planning on having satellite installed and hope to purchase an area rug for outside. It’s lots of fun to check out all the exhibitors and we usually visit this hall several times.  It’s kind of like being in a huge candy store. 

All the latest motorhomes will also be on display.  In the past this was very helpful to us before buying our motorhome.  Most manufactures are display and oftentimes there are representatives from the factories who are very informative.  Sometimes a RV sales person knows their product and other times…not so much. 

If you are interested in more information be sure to check out the FMCA website.  There is a special tab for their conventions and information about all the classes.  You can also attend as a walk in and stay at a local motel. Also, if you are here at the convention and would like to get together just send us an email. 

On Friday we finished our three week NOMADS project and reluctantly said good bye to all our friends. This was a special and sacred time that we will always remember.  Our group  certainly accomplished so much during our time here. We repaired seven homes, one church and one youth center. 

I’d like to share one story of a client we helped.  She was about to be evicted from her trailer park due to the  disrepair of her home.  She had been very fearful and overwhelmed by all that needed to be done .  After some of our group finished with her home it was  spectacular.  She is so happy and pleased with the transformation. 



We feel transformed too by the love of the people we served and the friends we made with each of our NOMADS team. 



NOMADS Team (Charlie not pictured)



Leo repairing screens



Our three weeks ended with a private church service and communion.  Two of our members were United Methodist ministers and the service was very moving and inspiring. 



Bob installing a new tile floor



Jack working on some plumbing





Randy getting ready to paint



Our talented and organized leaders gave us each “awards” after our pitch in dinner. It was a very funny award ceremony. John’s was a small reusable ice pack for being cool under pressure and great problem solver. Mine was a refrigerator magnet picture of me and my camera in action. I had helped put together a journal of our projects and time together. It was a nice memento that everyone could take home with them.

  

Jane installing trim

Don "working" hard

We decided to try one project and decide whether to continue in the future  It exceeded our expectations a thousand fold.    We found the work to be very rewarding and so enjoyed the fellowship of our other team members.  This will certainly help give our retirement a purpose. If you are interested in knowing more please feel free to send us an email. 

Eustis Lake

Week 2 - NOMADS Project Eustis Florida and Kayaking the Alexander Springs (Ocala National Forest)

(Alexander Springs, Florida) 75 degrees, blue sky and some clouds

We finished our second week with our NOMADS project.  It was very productive and John or I helped hang gutters, fix screens, add some trim to a house, sanded dry wall, gathered up yard debris,  and of coarse did a lot of painting.  We are a part of a large crew and curretnly we are working on 5 houses, church, and a youth center.  It has been very challenging and fun.  We have so enjoyed the fellowship of our team members.  It is amazing how much has been accomplished.  There is one more week to go.  Our leaders have a lot planned!



Painting crew - girls rock!



Fran, painter extraordinaire

Lunch Break



NOMADS -  Eutis Florida

 John's sister, Martha, arrived on Thursday.  She is here for a week to visit us and lives in Sao Paulo Brazil.  This is her first time to see our motorcoach and experience what it is like to live in 350 square feet.  This weekend we took her to Alexander Springs campground in the Ocala National Forest.  It is a beautiful campground and offered some great kayaking and snorkeling opportunities.  It was also our first time to try boondocking.  This campground does not offer any type of hook ups.  Our site was large and the price was right - only $10 a night (Golden Access pass) with unlimited access to the spring and kayak launch. 

On Friday we took a nice hike with Jimmy down one of the biking trails.

John, Martha, and Jimmy

Martha picked up some great pine cones

This campground has a beautiful spring feed river to canoe or kayak.  Plus, there is excellent snorkeling or scuba diving. We took a nice hike around the springs on Saturday and saw a spectacular palm tree forest.  It was a beautiful hike with many over looks of the river.

In the afternoon we went kayaking and snorkeling.  It is a very easy paddle and we saw lots of birds.  Martha really enjoyed kayaking, however, we could not convince her to go snorkeling.  The river is a constant 74 degrees and the "blue hole" was really interesting.  The water is crystal clear.  There were several groups scuba diving at the same time we were there. 

Ibis

Spring Immature Ibis

 

John and Carol



Carol and Martha

We had a nice fire in the evening and loved star gazing. After such a hectic week this was a great chance to relax and recharge. We are now back in Eustis and getting ready for our last week. Thanks for stopping by.