KING’S, NO WAIT…..QUEEN’S RV

Driving-Mike pushed me harder than I wanted to be pushed and I got upset about it.  I need that though. I know that now-at the time I was just pissed and plotting his death!   I’m the type to wade in and if it’s cold, I’m turning around.  He’s more of the dive right in type of guy. I’m a naturally very anxious person with little confidence in my physical abilities.  I know I’m smart and nothing feels like too much of a mental challenge for me.  But I was never the child with any physical abilities at all-no coordination.  I don’t even play video games well-hand/eye coordination is not my thing.  I come in last at Mario Kart every time lol! 

 I remember when we moved to California I was petrified to drive on these freeways.  I had to do it. When we first arrived, Mike was staying at his mom’s house in Fremont with Hannah and our dog Whiskey while I stayed in Sacramento with his sister Sherma and husband David.  (We hadn’t found a place yet and I had to go to work so we were all dispersed.  Little Sherman stayed in Carson City with Auntie Debbie.) 

Our first weekend in California I had to drop Mike and Hannah off in Fremont and drive to Sacramento by myself.  I was so scared to get on that fast freeway and drive over the Altamont pass all by myself.  Motorcycles splitting lanes and whizzing past me, cars everywhere going 80+ MPH.  I sobbed all the way to Sacramento white knuckling it.  But, I knew I wanted to be a clinical director for 9 facilities all over CA and I knew I was going to have to learn to do this and I did!

 Driving to Tahoe on 50 for the first time was horrible-climbing mountains with steep drop off!  Ugh!  A few years later I was a regional and had a facility in Carson City-had to drive there at least monthly.  I got used to it and even looked forward to it.  It was easy after a while.  I know this will be too-maybe not backing up or tight corners but I’ll be okay!  I can do this.

 Mike pulled off the freeway just outside of Tehachapi and I drove to just outside of Las Vegas.  It’s not a busy highway and was 2 lanes on each side for the most part.  There is a small stretch that goes through a town that is single lane and has a stop light.  I did fine with that.  There was a point I had to merge into some pretty heavy traffic to pass a wide load going up a hill and I freaked out a little bit, nearly started sobbing and my whole body was convulsing just a bit, I think LOL!  I got through it though. 

I drove down a 6% downhill grade with no problem.  I’ve done a lot of mountain driving in CA and I know how to manage my speed and my brakes pretty well–and the engine brake on our RV was really nice to use too. I was really proud of how I handled that!

Fortunately, Mike knows how hard to push MOST of the time and he took over to maneuver us through Las Vegas traffic.  We arrived at Kings Row RV park just about 4:30 pm. 

King’s Row RV Park- Traveling through we weren’t sure where we could stay last minute and had thought of boondocking in Vegas- which from the online research I did isn’t the easiest to do.  From what I read the Stratosphere parking lot is about the only place they allow overnight parking anymore and it is quite a distance away from the strip as well.  I really felt we needed somewhere to fill our tanks, dump, do some baking and meal prep, and do laundry before we headed to Arizona so I started calling around.  Circus Circus has a campground right on the strip but it was pricey!  $158 for 2 nights after you pay the daily resort fees.  Crazy!  We could stay in a hotel cheaper than that.  Since it was the holiday there wasn’t much available.  I was able to reach King’s Row by calling first thing Christmas eve morning from Tehachapi and Doris worked us in to the overflow area. Don’t email them!  I had emailed 2 days prior and finally got a response that they were “full” about 30 minutes after we checked in.  (They had plenty of spaces still open as well.)  Fortunately, Doris forgot to ask me if we had pets when I called.  Apparently, they have 35 lb. limit for dogs. There website does not mention this.  The girl working the desk made a call and we got an exception for the two nights.  We had 30 amp and water for $20/night with a free dump area.

It’s a couple miles from the strip but I’ve never been IN to the Vegas scene.  Mike didn’t care to see it much either and we really didn’t want to leave the dogs alone for very long.  We’ve been slowly getting them accustomed to RV life and leave them for a couple of hours at a time.  So, we never made the strip but we did visit a casino buffet just down the street and won $20 and got back pretty quickly. With our BIG winnings we ended up spending a whopping $8.00 for Christmas dinner. We also met Ramona! Ramona was a spry 90 year old who had worked the strip for over 40 years. She was at the table next to us with her grand daughter and we struck up a conversation. She was a huge delight! Oh the stories she told us!

King’s Row is right on Boulder Highway and there are a lot of homeless.  I walked the dogs during the day and felt safe. Two dogs on pinch collars can look intimidating.  Even if they are GSP’s.  They look about 35 lbs don’t they?  LOL!  I told the desk they were around 40….gotta do what you gotta do when you need a site!

 As I walked down one dead end street on Christmas eve I met Michael who has a camp in a bush on this street.  He was thin with a white beard and kind eyes.  Hard to tell how old he was, the years had not been kind.  He was painting “Joy” in red and green on a piece of paper as we walked by.  I said hello and he smiled and asked me what happened to my dog’s tail (they both have cropped tails).  We visited a bit about his travels over the years and I shared a little about our travels. 

Michael tugged at my heart strings and I just really needed to do something.  I knew he most likely wouldn’t be celebrating Christmas and I knew any money I gave him would probably go to booze or drugs but that was his choice.  I needed to let him know I saw him.  I had one gift bag in the RV.  Filled it with some food items, a new chap stick I had in the first aid kit, and a few bucks and took it to him.  He was very gracious, especially when I told him there was a little cash for some Christmas cheer or whatever he might need.  “Hell ya! Thank you so much!” 

Christmas Day we walked by there again to say good bye.  He was lounging in a broken chair with a can in a bag.  We exchanged Merry Christmas’s and the dogs and I went on our way.  Not my place to change his life or make him see the light or whatever.  I won’t judge him today.  Society will.  But Michael will know on Christmas Day someone saw him as a human being.  That feeling I had was a great gift.  Best of luck to you Michael and may you find your way! 

We needed propane before we could boondock and the RV park delivery man was coming to the campground on Christmas eve so we opted for delivery even though you pay premium for the convenience of it.  We paid $3.50/gallon.  I saw Richard pull up in his PINK propane truck which does strike a conversation.  The company had someone close to them pass away from curable breast cancer because she couldn’t afford a mammogram.  They now donate some of their proceeds to the American Breast Cancer Foundation every year and use the color pink to spark awareness and conversation.  Very cool and made me feel better about the extra cost we were paid for delivery

Richard has also been full time in his RV for over 11 years and really enjoys the life.  He was helpful and answered a few questions about the air system for Mike.  Richard has his wife do the backing while he guides her so that he can watch the rig and how the tires bite, etc.  He said he’s been a truck driver for years but he feels this is the best way to park their 40 ft rig.  I’m not sure I’m up for that yet! 

As Richard was getting ready to leave, I tried to enter the coach and found we were locked out….again.  Mike had just crawled in the window-I always leave one unlocked while we are around the rig, just in case (we’ve been locked out once before, fortunately the window was unlocked.)  He had brought the keys with him when he came out to talk with Richard because of this so we thought we were in the clear.  I put the key in the lock and felt the click and NOTHING.  STILL locked out.  So, Mike climbed on the Jeep we had parked right by the window and climbed in.  We tried the lock on the inside and played with the door a bit and Houston, we have a problem. 

I posted on the Tiffin members FB page my concern and within minutes had a few responses.  Some more helpful than others but we had our answer and had a fix.  Mike proceeded to take the cover off the door handle and adjust this barrel looking thingy that I’ve now learned is called a driving rod.

Anyway, the door always opened very hard-we thought it was because it was sealing so tightly-and now it opens nicely.  It feels really good to learn new things and empowering to be able to fix them on your own with a little online guidance.  We always search our mountain of manuals, Youtube and then go to the social media pages and search there, then ask the group if we can’t find an answer.  It’s been very helpful and most people are very nice. 

We got into another little spat as we prepared to leave Las Vegas to head toward Lake Havasu City.  I was pretty anxious and Mike was determined I could do the drive.  I thought I was going to have to make a lot of turns inside the city and I was freaked.  Once he showed me the map and I realized I only had to make a right turn and head down about a half mile to get back on the freeway I felt better.  I of course, was still angry and made him pay in silence for a good half of an hour or more lol.  My stubborn streak runs deep!  Ask my family! 

The highways driving from Vegas to Lake Havasu City are very flat, very wide (2 lane divided highway most of the way) and have very little traffic.  I was able to set the cruise control at 60 and go.  Once you cross back into CA, the road becomes a single lane and is pretty wavy and bumpy but manageable.  We stopped at a fruit stand that was open on Christmas day and got a few snacks.  I drove us all the way to the Love’s Travel Plaza on 95 just a few minutes outside of Lake Havasu City.  I even pulled up to the pump!  They do have RV specific pumps that are huge and we are able to fuel from either side of our Coach, and it WAS Christmas Day and not very busy but I’m still going to take credit for pulling up to a pump lol!  Next stop our first BLM boondocking at Craggy Wash!