10,000 HITS...........

BY REX

HOLY CRAP............

CAN YOU YOU BELIEVE IT, THE COUNTER HIDDEN IN THE VERY LAST LINE OF OUR BLOG IS SHOWING 10,000 HITS!!!

THE OLD BLOG STARTED ON ANGELFIRE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY MOVED OVER TO HERE, BLOGGER. THE OLD BLOG HAS BEEN DELETED.

BLOGGING IS KINDA LIKE PUBLISHING A PERSONAL NEWSPAPER. IF YOUR NEWSPAPER HAS A BIG ENOUGH CIRCULATION, YOU CAN MAKE MONEY WITH ADVERTISING. I DAY DREAMED ABOUT THAT AND AIMED MY BLOG AT RV LIFE, HOPING TO GENERATE AN INCOME FROM ADVERTISING. THE 10,000 HITS GENERATED $10.92 IN INCOME. I FIGURED OUT THAT I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL NEWSPAPER EDITOR.

THE MISSION STATEMENT REMAINS IN PLACE:

WE STARTED THIS BLOG IN THE SPRING OF 2006 TO KEEP OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS "UP TO SPEED" ON OUR DAILY LIVES, LIVING IN A 34 FOOT CAMPER. WE USE THE "HODGEPODGE" APPROACH TO BLOGGING AND INCLUDE WHAT WE'RE THINKING, CUT & PASTE ITEMS OF OUR INTEREST, DAILY LIFE, CASINO STORIES, COOKING STORIES, TRAVEL STORIES, AND A GENEROUS PINCH OF BULLSHIT.

OF OUR FAVORITE BLOG ENTRIES, ARE THE ONES WRITTEN BY UNCLE HANS, THEY SURE HELP BREAK UP OUR BORING ENTRIES, AND HELP ENTERTAIN OUR READERS, ESPECIALLY REX'S FAMILY MEMBERS.

OTHER GUEST CONTRIBUTIONS ARE ALSO APPRECIATED, AND ADD VARIETY AND QUALITY TO THE BLOG. I PERSONALLY ENJOYED THE SERIES OF ENTRIES WRITTEN BY DELILAH.

SO THE BLOG CONTINUES. WHEN WILL WE HIT 100,000 HITS?

HOT & CRABBY

BY REX

THE DOWN SIDE OF BEING SAFE AND SOUND FROM THE THREAT OF THE FIRE IS NOW I’M “HOT & CRABBY”. ANYTIME YOU HOOK UP THE CAMPER TO THE TRUCK, “IT’S GONNA COST YA…….”. EVEN IF IT COSTS ME $554.50 A MONTH TO RENT A CAMPING SPOT AT LAKE TAHOE.

* THE COST OF A SITE FOR ONE WEEK AT SILVER CITY IS $240, AND I’M NOT GETTING A REFUND AT CHRIS HAVEN, SO I’M RENTING TWO VERY EXPENSIVE SITES FOR THIS WEEK. I’M THE SAME GUY THAT USED TO SNEEK IN YELLOW RIVER AT 11 PM JUST TO SAVE $5 IN CAMPING FEES?

* TO BE HOOKED UP TO THE INTERNET COSTS ME $5 EVERY FOUR HOURS.

* THE HEAT IN THE CARSON VALLEY IS NEAR 90 DEGREES INSTEAD OF THE “SUNNY & 80” AT THE LAKE.

OH - OH HERE COMES MARY, SHE HATES “HOT & CRABBY” REX.


The “hot and crabby” Rex isn’t easy to be around, but he can be entertained.

*Here’s 5 bucks, go up to the store and buy yourself some internet time. PLEASE!!

*While you’re at it, check the temperature at Laughlin today..112!!!!

*While you’re outside switch the water heater to electric…

*Turn on the air conditioning….WE DON’T PAY FOR ELECTRIC HERE!!

*Put your suit on and go up to the pool….Don’t come back until I leave to go to Wal-Mart!!



AHH……….
I’LL BE HERE IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ME ………

You Better Belize It !!! (Part 9)

by Uncle Hans

......this is the famous Captain Morgan's, Owned by a man from Wisconsin who made a fortune creating Tombstone Pizza and sold it to Kraft. He is invested heavily in Belize and seems to be doing well......

.......this is the vaulted ceiling at the restaurant at Captain Morgan's where as Rex and Mary and Wendy and I were having a romantic moonlight dinner, the bats were frolicking in the thatch overhead............Simply enchanting........

.....under Wendy's stool at the bar lived this little lizard creature.......

.....before we entertained the bats, Wendy fed a maraschino cherry from her drink to an iguana who came out from under the steps to the restaurant. The bartender tells us it is likely the same one, as he lives under there and comes out to sun himself and get treats from the guests..........

.......the road is poor to fair, much improved from when we were there, when it was not passable. In the foreground is a representative sample. In the background is the 300 yd boulevard created and maintained by Belizean Shores as an example to other land owners of how to attract tourism by maintaining the road running through their property. It's a concept that has not caught on............

BUGGED OUT !!!

WE HAD THE DAY OFF (TUES) BUT WERE HANGING CLOSE TO CAMP TO MONITOR THE FIRE SITUATION. THE FIRE AT THAT TIME WAS 40% CONTAINED AND WE HAD DECIDED WE WERE PRETTY MUCH OUT OF DANGER. MARY HAD WALKED DOWN TO THE “Y” TO THE STORES LOOKING FOR NEW SHOES AND PICKING UP A COUPLE OF THINGS AT THE GROCERY. SHE CALLED ME ON THE CELL AND SUGGESTED A BEER AT BROTHER’S.

WHILE WE WERE ENJOYING AN AFTERNOON COCKTAIL PEOPLE BEGAN GATHERING OUTSIDE ON THE PATIO TO OBSERVE A HUGH PLUM OF NEW WHITE AND ORANGE COLORED SMOKE. THE FIREFIGHTERS HAD WHAT THEY CALL A “FLOP-OVER” OR BREAKOUT OF THE FIRE. IT JUMPED THE MAIN HIGHWAY AND WAS HEADED TO THE LAKE SHORE. DURING THE “FLOP-OVER” TWO FORESTRY FIREFIGHTERS WERE TRAPPED. THEY FOUND A LOW GRASSY PLACE AND DEPLOYED THEIR FIRE TENT. WHEN THESE FIRE FIGHTERS ARE TRAINED IN THIS PROCEDURE THEY ARE BLUNTLY TOLD THEIR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL IS 25%. THANK GOD, THEY BOTH SURVIVED.

WHILE ON THE PATIO AT BROTHER’S DURING THIS “FLOP-OVER” THE HI WAY IN FRONT OF THE BAR WAS CLOSED, AND NO LESS THAN 40 FIRE ENGINES WENT SCREAMING BY, AND THAT’S NOT COUNTING FIRE SUV’S AND POLICE CARS.

WE WENT HOME TO CHECK THE DETAILS AND FOUND OUT THEY HAD MANDATORY EVACUATIONS JUST UP THE ROAD FROM BROTHERS. THAT MEANS EVACUATIONS HAD OCCURRED 3 MILES WEST OF US ON SUNDAY AND NOW 1.5 MILES NORTH OF US TODAY. OUR MAIN ESCAPE ROUTE IS TO THE EAST AND WE DIDN’T LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING BOXED IN BY FIRE TO THE WEST AND NORTH SO DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO “GET OUT OF DODGE”. THE SITUATION JUST BECAME TOO STRESSFUL FOR US. WE WEREN’T SLEEPING RIGHT AND APPREHENSIVE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HIGH WINDS DUE ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY BLOWING THE FIRE OUR WAY. WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE MONDAY AND TUESDAY OFF SO COULD REACT QUICKLY, BUT WE HAVE TO WORK AT 6AM TOMORROW. WE JUST DECIDED WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR MIND ON OUR JOBS. WE ALSO KNOW THAT SEVERAL OF OUR CO-WORKERS HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES.

WE’RE BACK AT SILVER CITY RV PARK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN IN THE CARSON VALLEY FOR AT LEAST A WEEK, SAFE AND SOUND. DUE TO THE MANDATORY EVACUATIONS IT TOOK US AN HOUR AND A HALF TO PULL THE CAMPER JUST 30 MILES DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.

“SMOKEY & 80”

ANGORA FIRE UPDATE

THE ANGORA FIRE HAS TAUGHT US A LOT, AND WE'D LIKE TO PASS ON A FEW THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED.

A "CROWNING FIRE" IS A FIRE THAT IS DRIVEN BY HIGH WINDS AND BURNS ACROSS THE TOPS OF THE TREES. EACH TREE LITERALLY EXPLODES INTO FLAMES FROM THE TOP DOWN. WINDS ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON WERE AROUND 25-35 MILES AN HOUR, PLUS THE FIRE CREATES WEATHER OF IT'S OWN, CREATING WINDS OF HURRICANE FORCE WITHIN THE FIRE. THE BURNING EMBERS ARE AIRBORNE AND FLOAT ON TO START NEW FIRES.

A "GROUND FIRE" TRAVELS AT GROUND LEVEL, AND IS MUCH EASIER FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS TO FIGHT AND CONTAIN. THIS FIRE BURNED OUT OF CONTROL AS A "CROWNED FIRE" SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HIGHER HUMIDITY, OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES DOWN IN THE 30'S, AND DIMINISHED WINDS KNOCKED THE FIRE DOWN TO A "GROUND FIRE".

OBVIOUSLY A GROUND FIRE IS BETTER THAN A CROWNED FIRE, BUT MONDAY WITH NO WIND THE SMOKE ROSE STRAIGHT UP INTO AN INVERSION SITUATION UP AGAINST THE MOUNTAINS MAKING AN AIR ASSAULT IMPOSSIBLE. THE PLANES AND COPTERS HAVE BEEN GROUNDED DUE TO THE HEAVY SMOKE.

THE NEXT TERM I'D LIKE TO REPORT ON IS CALLED A "SNAG". A "SNAG" IS A DEAD STANDING TREE. THE GROUND FIRE BURNS UP THIS DEAD TREE AND CAN TRANSFORM THE FIRE BACK INTO A CROWNED FIRE. THE DEATH OF THESES TREES ARE CAUSED BY DISEASE AND BEETLE DAMAGE.

THE WEATHER HAS BEEN ON THE FIREFIGHTERS SIDE, BUT A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS ORGANIZED OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND WILL ROLL IN HERE ON WEDNESDAY CAUSING THE RETURN OF HIGH WINDS. SO THE RACE IS ON !!!

THE FIRE WAS CLASSIFIED AS A "CLASS 1" AT 6:00 PM ON MONDAY TURNING THE MANAGEMENT OF FIRE CONTROL OVER TO THE HIGHEST, MOST EXPERIENCED, FEDERAL FIREFIGHTERS AVAILABLE, AND WITH DEEP FEDERAL POCKETS. THE NUMBER OF FIRE FIGHTERS IS AROUND 800 MEN.

LIKE YOU, WE TUNED IN ABC NEWS TO SEE WHAT KINDA NATIONAL NEWS COVERAGE THE FIRE WAS RECEIVING. WE WERE SHOCKED TO SEE ABC NEWS INTERVIEW THE SAME GUY WE HAD A BEER WITH MONDAY MORNING AT BROTHER'S TAVERN.

THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT HAS TOUCHED BASE WITH US, ON THE PHONE,E-MAILS, IM CHATS, AND BLOG COMMENTS. THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION HAS BEEN HOW CLOSE TO THE FIRE ARE YOU? AND ARE YOU SAFE? IF YOU CLICK HERE, YOU'LL SEE A GOOGLE EARTH MAP SHOWING OUR SITUATION. THE CAMPER SITS AT THE RED ARROW.

FOREST FIRE

(scroll down for more updates)

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT 2:30 PM A FOREST FIRE WAS REPORTED IN THE LAKE TAHOE BASIN. MARY GOT WIND OF IT AT WORK ON BREAK. TURNS OUT IT'S IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SO WE LEFT WORK EARLY. (Because Mary put us on the EO,early out, list) KNOWING A FEW BACK ROADS WE GOT BACK TO THE CAMPER DESPITE THE MAIN HIGHWAYS BEING CLOSED.

We got home and everyone in the RV park seemed very complacent....I actually was anything but. I was thrilled to get home, but very apprehensive. All of the neighbors were very blasé and said we really had nothing to worry about. We kept seeing a fire helicopter flying over our place....I don't know about the rest of these people, but everything I own is in this camper!!! And if it isn't in the camper it is in my car. I finally convinced Rex, the former Eagle Scout, to be prepared. We picked up all of our outdoor stuff and packed it in the back of the truck. We also backed the truck up to the camper, we stopped short of hooking up but can do that in about 1.5 minutes!! Then we semi prepared the inside of the camper for travel. If we get evacuated (and I pray we don't) it will take only minutes to hook on and head out. As I sit here writing this I can actually smell the smoke from the fire. This is a really serious situation. Lake Tahoe had a very mild winter with little snow, so it is just a tinderbox waiting for a spark. AND if any of you saw the pictures of our RV park you had to see all of the tall, DRY pines we have here. Right now they look like kindling..................

NOW WE'VE BEEN HOME WHEN A "GO TO TOWN" THUNDERSTORM COOKS UP AT HOME IN WISCONSIN/IOWA, BUT A "GO TO TOWN" FIRE IS SOMETHING THAT HAS US BEWILDERED, AT THIS POINT. THE FIRE IS LOCATED 3 TO 6 MILES FROM US, BUT NO ONE IN THE RV PARK IS REALLY CONCERN?

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW. THAT'S THE SUN BLOCKED OUT BY THE HEAVY SMOKE. AFTER WATCHING THE TV, INTERNET, AND LOCAL HAM RADIO...........

I GUESS WE'LL WAIT IT OUT ................

FIRE UPDATES

NOON UPDATE

THANKFULLY TODAY & TOMORROW ARE SCHEDULED DAYS OFF SO WE CAN STAY CLOSE TO HOME TO MONITOR THE FIRE. THE WEATHER IS LIKE A THICK FOG ROLLING WITH SNOW FAKES FLOATING THROUGH THE AIR, ONLY IT'S ACTUALLY SMOKE AND ASHES FROM THE FIRE. IT'S EERIE, SMOKEY, AND SCARY.

WE DECIDED TO HIKE DOWN TOWARD THE FIRE TO CHECK THINGS OUT FOR OURSELVES. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FIVE BLOCKS DOWN FROM THE CAMPER AT THE "Y" INTERSECTION.

SIGN AT THE "Y" INTERSECTION.

WE HIKED ON DOWN TO BROTHER'S TAVERN TO GET A FEEL FOR THE LOCALS. IT WAS A VERY SOMBER PLACE. ONE GUY THAT HAD ALREADY LOST HIS HOUSE, MANY HUGS AND TEARS AS PEOPLE STOPPED IN, EVERYONE HAD A CELL PHONE ATTACHED TO THEIR EAR. BROTHER'S IS ON THE EDGE OF THE EVACUATION AREA, AND WAS OFFERING LIMITED FOOD IN CASE THEY HAD TO CLOSE AND EVACUATE. THE FIRE SEEMS TO BE MOVING UP GARDENER MOUNTAIN AND AWAY FROM US TOWARD THE WEST, BUT THAT COULD ALL CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE WIND.

FROM THE OUTDOOR SMOKING PATIO AT BROTHER'S, OF COURSE WE'RE ALL SMOKING TODAY, WE WATCHED THIS GUY CLEAN THE PINE NEEDLES OFF HIS ROOF AND GIVE IT A GOOD HOSING.

WE REMAIN IN "BE PREPARED" MODE.

ANGORA FIRE MORNING REPORT

WE STAYED IN OUR CAMPSITE OVERNIGHT. THIS MORNING WE'RE WATCHING THE TV NEWS SHOWS JUST LIKE YOU ARE TO GET OUR INFORMATION.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE TOP OF THE HONDA JUST OUTSIDE THE DOOR OF THE CAMPER. CAN YOU SEE ALL THE ASH FROM THE FIRE?

WE ARE STILL IN "BE PREPARED" MODE, AND COULD HAVE OUR CAMPER AND EVERYTHING WE OWN MOVING ON DOWN THE ROAD IN LESS THAN 15 MINUTES IF NECESSARY.

NEWS UPDATES AVAILABLE AT THE SOUTH LAKE TAHOE TRIBUNE.

You Better Belize It !!! (Part 8)

by Uncle Hans

.......on this day we rented a gold cart and took off on tour. This is the"hospital" built over 6 years and, now, really a poorly run clinic. My original dream was to do some charity surgery on the island and this was to be the place. Still, something like that could happen. We are young...........

.........speaking of progress!!, Rex and Mary, get out your hankies and get ready to cry. This is the new bridge!!. There is a river that cuts through the island and for years a hand drawn ferry was the only way to get across. Most of the new development of services and resorts is on the other side of the river now and so a new bridge was built after years of talk and false starts. The beverage tycoon, Barry, put up the money as a loan. It is a toll bridge.....

......we go over and a boat goes under..........

......So far no trucks are allowed, but it looks like it is constructed to allow it later......

.......a close-up view of the reef from the Palapas bar, ( a "pier bar",remember) on the road north.....

.....Wendy climbs up on the bar to show where she wrote on the beam with a marker last year..........

...........at least it wasn't "for a good time, call Wendy at..........."(Joking, Wendy, just Joking!!).........

........Here's Palapa's so you can remember. (lots of pictures of bars in the blog!!).....

CHRIS HAVEN

By Mary

We thought it would be nice to show you pictures of the RV park we call home while we are in Lake Tahoe. It is called Chris Haven RV and Trailer Park. It is actually located in South Lake Tahoe, California.

This is the entrance to the park after turning off HWY 50.

This bear and welcome sign is carved from a tree stump.

This interesting shot is taken from the top of our trailer. Rex climbed up on the roof to take it. As you can see, pine trees are very plentiful. No lack of shade here!!

I know you have no idea what this is, but it is the top our our grill. The powdery looking stuff on it is the pollen that those plentiful pine trees release daily this time of year. This lasts for a month and makes a big mess all over. It's not as bad as fish flys but it is still VERY annoying!!

Z-COIL SHOES

BY REX

Z-COIL SHOES WERE DESIGNED BY ALVARO GALLEGOS OF NEW MEXICO. THEY ARE ENGINEERED FOR FOOT, LEG, AND BACK PAIN. THE SPRING IN THE HEEL COMBINED WITH OVER 3/4 INCH OF CUSHIONING UNDER THE FOREFOOT REDUCE IMPACT BY UP TO 50%. I HAVE WORN THE SAME PAIR TO WORK IN FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THEY ARE GREAT FOR STANDING IN THE SAME SPOT HOUR AFTER HOUR DEALING BLACKJACK. LAST WEEK I HAD TO DIG OUT MY NEW PAIR BECAUSE I HAD FINALLY WORN OUT THE RUBBER ON THE HEALS. NEW HEALS CAN BE PURCHASED FOR $40, AND THE ORIGINAL SHOE IS LIKE NEW, EXCEPT FOR THE HEALS. IF YOU'RE ON YOUR FEET ALL DAY CONSIDER THE Z-COIL SHOES, NOT RECOMMENDED FOR KITCHEN WORK OR WET FLOORS, OR HIKING WHERE THERE ARE STICKS OR STONES THAT CAN GET CAUGHT IN THE SPRING.

DON'T LET THE "DORKY" LOOK FOOL YA !!!

You Better Belize It !!! (Part 7)

by Uncle Hans

.......this is more progress downtown. These were food vendors, like a primitive food court. The food was local, good, cheap, and safe. I hope they are replaced in the renewal project...

........shopping at the rum shop. It is the only place we can buy"over proof" rum which is 190 proof (yes, that's 95% alcohol. You cannot get alcohol any more concentrated than that as it pulls water out of the air and dilutes itself). You can bring two bottles per person back into the US. The 4 bottles we bring are like the equivalent of 12-15 bottles of standard rum. They are also enough to severely damage a jetliner if they leak and ignite in the baggage compartment. But they go through security just fine. Scary. We drink some as rum punch but the main use is lighting people on fire at our local bar in Spooner, Uncle Mike's. It is a funny bar gag for drunks, but eventually we will burn something unintended. That's scary too,but not as scary at the jetliner thing. Also we bought 3 Belizean cigars for smoking at the wedding in October. Special ceremonial honor. Looking forward to it.............

.............this, of course, is our "neighborhood" bar. Crazy Canuck's is owned by a guy from Calagary and most of the patrons are ex-pats and we know about a half a dozen. The bald guy is Pirate Jim, who is from Kenosha, a biker, and was married to a woman from Rice Lake (I buy my Yamahas from her brother) Small world. The same faces are there every time we visit...........

.......Olehandro is the bartender and a fishing guide I tried to hook up with Jason, but it never connected........

.........this is Pirate's Harley now and the faraway look he gets in his eyes when we talk about motorcycling is one reasons I will never live there full time. Nice place to visit though..........

Tuesday in Tahoe!!

By Mary

Today is Tuesday....which means it is a day off. My day started at 7:15 AM when I left to go to Stateline Lab. I had what is called a "wellness panel". In other words, I will have my cholesterol numbers mailed to me in two weeks. There was an ad in the paper last week advertising this lab service for $40. Sounded like a good deal to me since I haven't had it done for over 3 years. There will be some other stuff checked but I don't remember what they are....my main interest is the cholesterol number.

Then I was off the the wonderful Lake Tahoe Farmer's Market...it it truly a great market. In addition to fresh vegetables and fruits, they have herbs, fresh flowers, more kinds of cheese then I knew existed, breads, soaps, pottery, fresh tortillas, tarts, jams, and olives oils. Last year someone was selling wine from Boeger Winery in Placerville but they weren't there today. There are also vendors making and selling kettle korn, tamales, and crepes. It is truly a wonderful experience and one I look forward to every year.



Since today is the first Farmer's Market I went to this year, I had to buy green beans so Rex could make his famous and delicious green bean soup. Above the bean and Stockton onions are ready for the fire.

Here they are cooking....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

.
The beans are done and rinsed so it is time to add the baby bella mushrooms, butter, cheddarwurch, and milk.

The finished product......

....there are NO left overs!!


(THAT "SOUP PAN" HAS BEEN IN MY CAMPING GEAR FOR YEARS, IT'S MY MOTHER'S OLD PRESSURE COOKER FROM THE '50'S.)