Escapee Chapter Rally - Afternoon Fun in the Clubhouse

(Wauchula, FL) -- Hi 81 Lo 64 - I want to answer a comment before I do the regular blog today. The question was about the stick (dowel) we use for backing up our truck to the fifth wheel.  I mentioned it a few days ago.  When we first started out I had trouble backing the truck to the kingpin.  (Jim works the Big Foot  levelers and I back the truck up to the hitch.)  I couldn't see the hitch from the driver's seat of our crew cab.  We bought a 3-ft length of thin dowel and Jim sticks it in the center hole of the hitch.  I can then see the dowel sticking up in the rear view mirror and it's very easy to back straight up to the hitch for an easy hook up.  It works great and I've never had any problems since we started doing that.  We also use the dowel to make sure we have enough room for our slide outs.  We just put marks on it with a Sharpie to indicate where each slide out would be.

Last night I went to music night at the clubhouse.  There were 130 people there and the music was excellent.  There were several new players in the group from what we saw a couple weeks ago, and a few new singers. They played mostly bluegrass, with some gospel mixed in.  They put on quite a concert. 

Yesterday while at the Escapee luncheon there was a lot of talk about the Chapter 15 (Sun Seekers) Rally at Little Willie RV Resort in Arcadia on February 21-24. I called today and made reservations.  It's only about 20 miles south of us, so we'll drive down and back each day rather than take the rig down.  They have quite a bit planned, and it will be fun meeting up with more full timers.  Escapees always have a lot of fun at their rallies.   

It rained off and on today so I read lots of blogs. I really like Mary and Paul's blog on 1/20/11, The Great RV Escape.  We met them in Raleigh before we had our RV.  They were about to buy their new motor home at the time.  She mentions the blogs of people that are about to go full time and have so many questions on what to get, where to go, etc.  I remember that time in our lives.  The main thing to remember is, you have to do all the research you can and make the decision that's right for you.  There's so many options, and our way may not be right for you.  I also read blogs of those who are at Quartzsite.  It's always fun reading about all that goes on there, and their boon docking adventures in the middle of the desert.

I went to the clubhouse for string art and then worked on the puzzle I started. This one is 1000 pieces and all buildings, so it's challenging.  There's at least four of us working on it. 

 The string art cards that someone else did.  I love the cat and boat the best.

A friend of mine sent this Youtube video.  This would be fun to visit in Yosemite National Park.  It's called Frazil Ice.