First long stay in the Excel, away from the S&B house!

[gdbontly]

As you may know, Jan & I have been living full time in our coach since we took delivery on 23 Jun. However, we're parked on our property next to our S&B house, so we still have the security of the big house if needed. We really only use the house to do laundry and me in my shop. This past Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), we moved temporarily to the Kirtland AFB FamCamp. We plan to stay here for about 5 weeks, returning home on New Year's Eve.

Friday morning was a challenge, with temps at our house in the low teens! Even though the batteries were fully charged, they were so cold, we had trouble getting the slides in. Luckily, no other problems after that for the short drive to the base. There weren't many people here when we arrived, and half of those have already pulled out. So it's kind on lonely. But that's okay, cuz we put up our Christmas decorations this weekend and replaced our recliners with those "contemporary" chairs with the separate ottomans (Jan got the idea from Tim & Roseann after seeing theirs). Here's a picture of our tiny tree and the new chairs:



Here are some pics of the camp area (remember, we're in the desert, so it looks pretty bare). Also, we're in the new section. Note the massive size of the sites!







I installed a Retrax cover on my truck bed and a 55" aluminum tool box to carry my tools. We've only been here a couple of days and I already miss my shop! Laundry will be the next challenge. Will let you know how everything goes in the coming days/weeks.

[chief02]

Glenn,
tell me more about the chairs! Char and I hate the bib bulky ones that came with out Excel. Where did u get them, how much, do they come in tan or neutral colors?

Bill in Framington

[gdbontly]

Well, as it turned out, we didn't like the black chairs after all. They were a little too short for me to stretch out on (on the top side that is). We exchanged them today for a pair slightly larger, but they still leave lots of space around. And these came in a tan color, which look a lot better than the black. Also a little more expensive. But they're perfect! New pic:

[Endeavor2BnC]

Glen & Jan,

The chairs look great. We really enjoy ours. Where did you get yours from?

As for laundry, try the one on Central just east of Wyoming on north side of the street. Clean with good washers and dryers. It usually takes us a total of 1 1;2 to 2 hrs to geet everything done from leaving the coach to return and laundry put away.

[gdbontly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Endeavor2BnC Glen & Jan, The chairs look great. We really enjoy ours. Where did you get yours from? As for laundry, try the one on Central just east of Wyoming on north side of the street. Clean with good washers and dryers. It usually takes us a total of 1 1;2 to 2 hrs to geet everything done from leaving the coach to return and laundry put away.

Hi Tim & Roseann,

We got the chairs from American Home Furniture on Menaul & Carlisle. They are very comfortable, we can use the ottoman while sitting on the sofa, and they are lighter than the original recliners.

Thanks for the info on the laundry facilities. We should be able to last until next Saturday before we have to do laundry. We'll check it out this coming weekend.

[gdbontly]

Well, we've been at the FamCamp for a little over 2 weeks and everything is going well. It's nice to have a propane supply right there at the campground, but it's hit and miss to find someone there to fill you up. Having been to the laundromat twice so far, we find that it's very convenient to be able to simultaneously use multiple washers/dryers. It takes a fraction of the time to do our weekly laundry. Still not too many other campers at this time of year. Albuquerque isn't a premier winter destination, although the weather has been quite pleasant during the past week. As long as the sun is out and the wind isn't blowing, it feels pretty warm. I'm really glad we got the Verizon air card before moving out here! With no WiFi in the campground, the air card has kept us connected whenever we want. I was originally a little concerned about busting our 5GB limit. Someone posted on one of the forums (perhaps here) that we would have to send/receive approximately 166MB per day, everyday, to reach that limit. We've done pretty much everything we've done in the past with regards to internet usage, and for our first month on the air card, we only use about half of our allotment. And I'm very satisfied with the speed of the service. We're really enjoying our stay at Kirtland and still have almost 3 weeks left before we head back to the house. But neither of us want to leave! Because when we return, we'll have to go through the rest of the house, start selling off everything, and put the house on the market, none of which we are looking forward to. But we know it'll all be worth it in the end.

[Endeavor2BnC]

Glad to hear that all is going well for you at Kirtland AFB. We've always enjoyed our stays there. I've always found that it was best to get propane around11:30. That's when the guys are getting ready for lunch and usually hang around the shed.

We found that giving most things away to the Dismiss House resale store, Habitat for Humanity resale store, Batterred Women's Shelter resale store, St Martin's Homeless Shelter and The Newman Center was a whole lot more fun than trying to sell things in a garage sale where someone was wanting to give you a nickle on the dollar when all you were asking for was a dime on the dollar. It was just hard trying to decide who would benefit the most from the items. Have fun because when it's over you get to really go and have a lot of fun travelling where and when ever you want.

[gdbontly]

We're back in Belen now. Our plan was to return on New Year's Eve, but the weather was forecasted to be bad during that time, so we ended up returning the day after Christmas. Our month stay on the base was just another test towards full-timing and it was a complete success. It was a sad day after returning to the house. Just as soon as things are squared away at the house and it's ready to put on the market, we're outa there! Between the savings in gas/diesel, electricity (plugged in at the house), and reduced wear and tear on the vehicles (and ourselves), living on the base was basically "free".

[Endeavor2BnC]

Glad to hear that it was a great experience. Just a little more ncentive to get everything done and on the road. Just think, the next facet of your life is beginning. How exciting!. Enjoy the journey. Safe travels. We hope to see you again down the road.