I am not a Sardine

Mar 14 - 27, 2013 Desert Trails RV Park - Tucson AZ 85735

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HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY

Our Ryley 2001-2011

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RV LIFE:

We arrived at Desert Trails RV Park on Thur 3/14/13 (Happy Birthday little Bro!)On our 4 hour drive here, we stopped at a rest stop for some more water for Scott. As he pulled in, he lost his power steering and power brakes! Oh crap. We called our mechanic in NJ, Ray's Service Center. He has been a great mechanic through our many used vehicles. He said it's probably the steering fluid pump which also pumps fluid to the brakes. Our belts were all still ok. Since we were "only" 60 miles from our destination, Scott decided to take it easy and get to our destination and worry about the truck later. But as soon as we started up again, all has been fine. Huh? What do we do?
It's a good thing we had power steering because there's no way Scott could have maneuvered into our site without it.
Here's Scott account from his Facebook page:

Seems like it's always something. After leaving Deming, NM on our way to Tucson, AZ, another little truck problem. About 60 miles from our destination, I decided to pull into a rest area for a cool drink. As I pull onto the ramp and headed into the rest area, the truck seems to be steering hard. Damn, the brakes aren't working to well either. UH, OH. We pull in and park, I pop the hood expecting a broken belt. The belts look good, fluid levels are fine, no warning lights, I don't know. So, I call our Mechanic, Ray, back in Neptune, NJ and tell him about the problem. The steering pump, which also works the power brakes might be bad. After talking with him, I decided to slowly head into Tucson, straight down I-10. I'd just take it easy and leave plenty of space for stopping. 
So, we started it up and pulled out. No problems, everything was working fine and did for the rest of the trip. Now to decide what to do about it.


Desert Trails RV Park is PACKED IN LIKE SARDINES, well worse. At least sardines are lined up uniformly. 
This place has sites at all which way angles and very, very close together. They did give us a choice of 3 sites, so we took a walk around and checked them out.
The first site we weren't even sure if it was a site at first. The person next to the site, was using "our" site's picnic table and had their truck parked where our RV would be, right behind the dumpster. The second choice was a fairly easy back in, between two other close RV's. The third was also close, but actually had more room and some bushes in the back acting as a screen to the RV's behind us. So we chose this site. But Scott had to back in at such an angle. I don't know how he did it. I'm proud of him.
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COMPUTER STUFF: Google Reader
The big talk is that Google Reader will be no more as of July 1st, 2013.
I must admit, I've used Google Reader as my crutch, not even exploring other options, But now I'm forced to. I really don't want to research and research. So I did a quick search and decided on Bloglines for my new feed reader. The transition was surprisingly easy. I downloaded my Google subscriptions with Google Takeout. This automatically made a file of all my Google Reader files. I then registered on Bloglines, clicked add content, then import. Bam! Everything was there. Even my folders. Easy peasy & looks similar to Google Reader. I don't need no stinkin Google Reader!
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SIGHTS: 
City of Rocks State Park - Faywood, NM 88034
Our rating 4 out of 5
This rating is just for visiting and hiking the park, not for the RV park. What a cool place! In the middle of all this flat desert, up pops these weird formations.

These are lava flows from 34 million years ago. I cannot understand how they can figure that out. But these columns of lava are layered, so they peel and flake off eventually through the years, forming all these odd shapes. Really interesting. There are all kind of cubby holes to cool off in and have a peaceful afternoon.

There are 20 RV sites with W&E. No sewer and no dump station. These sites are all together but nice spacing in between and all have a sun shade over the picnic table.
If you can do without hook ups, then you're in for a treat! There are some unique sites, some that will accommodate large RV's.

This site was a pull thru for big rigs.

Don't expect the primitive sites to be level, but the privacy given by the lava rock columns is well worth it. If you have a Class C with some solar panels, this is a must place to stay.

This site would be great for a Class C. 

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PET PEEVE: NYC's pending law on sweetened beverages. (Overturned)

This is from Lori Borgman's website | Monday, March 11, 2013

I would really encourage you to check out her website. She is a great writer.

How about some coffee, Sugar?

New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to ban sugary sodas fizzled when a judge struck down the ban. Bloomberg’s restrictions were so detailed that some establishments had already created colorful posters with graphics and pictures to explain to the children, I mean the customers, what they could and could not do.

Mommy Bloomberg, I mean Mayor Bloomberg, planned to institute regulations that would jolt morning coffee drinkers. Servers would no longer have been able to add sugar to large or extra large coffee for customers. Customers would have to add the poison themselves. After adding the sugar, perps would then sit in the time-out corner for 15 minutes, or until they were willing to look Mommy Bloomberg in the eye and say they were sorry.

I’m just kidding about the time-out corner. How ridiculous. A far better idea would have been for offenders to write “Sugar is bad for me” 100 times on a smart phone or a tablet. Perhaps photos of repeat offenders, along with their name, weight, waist size, BMI and home address could be distributed to news outlets.

In addition to banning sugary sodas over 16 ounces and forcing customers to sweeten their own hot beverages, the new regulations further decreed that New Yorkers would be forced to add their own sugar to their iced beverages as well. The same would have been true for sweet artificial flavors. If you wanted a shot of coconut, orange, cherry, hazelnut, mocha or caramel in your drink, it would be by your own hand and of your own doing, or undoing, according to the Mayor’s perspective.

On the up side, potty breaks would still be allowed at the top and bottom of the hour. Rest time would be from 2 until 2:20. Bring your own towel or mat from home.

Many establishments have been forced to change the sizes of their beverages in anticipation of the new regulations. One can only imagine the chaos this would create at Starbucks, where a tall is already a small, a grande is really a medium, and a venti may get you five-to-life.

One thing that would not change? All New Yorkers would still be encouraged to wash their hands after using the lavatory, cover their mouths when coughing, and say please and thank you.

It is hard to fathom where the Mayor might strike next. Alcohol sales restricted to those little bottles the airlines sell? Rationing pizza? Selling carb credits to the golden arches? Labeling chocolate as a controlled substance?

My deepest red, white and blue condolences to freedom-loving, coffee-slurping, soda-craving Americans being treated like imbeciles. It is a nanny state—as well as a very sorry state—when citizens are forced to give up the fundamental liberty of determining what they eat and drink.

Think long and hard before waving the white paper napkin of surrender.

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I've been typing this post outside in the late afternoon in the shade. Even though it is hot, there is a nice breeze to make it comfortable. The sun has now gone down, the temp has cooled dramatically. It is dark all around except for the glow of the computer screen and the citronella candle.

There is a hint of bagpipe music playing somewhere in the distance at another site. What a wonderful life I have. I've got to remember this moment when I start complaining about the heat tomorrow.
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WHERE WE'RE GOING

Mar. 28 - Apr. 10, 2013 Dead Horse Ranch State Park - Cottonwood, AZ

Apr. 11 - Apr. 17, 2013 Trailer Village - (Part of Grand Canyon Park), AZ

NV, CA, OR, ID, WA, MT, ND, SD, WY, then south for the Winter of 2013/2014