Here are a couple more shots of our location. Nice big sites!





The sandhill cranes here are very tame.



My latest project. The screen door was damaged, frame bent and lower screen was shot. I straightened the frame. We decided the lower screen was a liability anyway. It was too easy to kick out, ventilated only the lower steps and was not secure for the cat. Rather than some type of opaque panel I installed a plexiglass lower panel. Plenty durable and the cat likes to look out through it.





Have Barth, will travel

Left Riverside this morning in the rain. 68 degrees. It hit 63 in Detroit today and 61 back in Kalkaska! Only the second rain for us since we left in January.

We are now staying for a week at Meadowlark RV park near LaBelle. Sites are much smaller and a bit tight for the new bus be we got in OK. DebnEd live real close by and we'll see them tomorrow, always a good time.

Wifi is slow but I will try to get a few more photos up. I still have some from BillyT I need to post also.

A month on the road now, about 2500 miles and life is good.
Have Barth, will travel.

Steve

Glad you made it to Meadowlark. They are busy this year. We have 2 other couples we know staying there also.
We will stop over today to see you or stop by here.

Ed

Stayed for a week at Meadowlark RV park. Close to Deb&Ed, right on the river. Had great time as usual!





Left March 1st for Sunshine Key Resort, mile 39 Highway 1. Five weeks on the road, 2750 miles. No mechanical issues, used no oil, around 10 mpg.

Life is good. We will be here on the marina wall for the next five weeks. (This next one will make a good avatar for a while!)





Facing west, beyond the mangroves is the Gulf of Mexico. Watch the sun set every night.



Sunny and 80's, light breezes. Beats shoveling snow...

Have Barth, will travel.

We are getting close to the end of our escape to the Keys.
Leaving in a few days. A wonderful time as usual, sunny every day and 75 to 85 degrees.

Just so you don't think I was goofing off the whole time here is a copy of my service list since I got the Monarch in late September.

MONARCH service
June 2016-
Replace 4 coach batteries size 24

Purchased: 9/26/2016

Oct 2016- (~94,500 miles)
Replace 4 drive tires: 255/70 x 22.5
Replace cargo door seal strip
Replace exhaust manifold, drill 9 bolts
Replace starter
Adjust valves
Replace engine block heater
Replace air dryer: drain tanks and lines
Replace crank batteries size 31
Clean battery terminal connections
Replace trailer light socket and harness
Replace fan motor in furnace
Replace tail lights and clearance lights with LEDs, stainless screws
Straightened bent rear bumper drive side
Replace engine cover foam strip gaskets under bed

Feb 2017-
Reconnected cruise control harness
Reglued leaking PVC shower drain elbow
Rewire right tail light harness connections
Tighten leaking toilet flange
Straighten bent screen door, replace bottom screen with plexiglass panel
Install screen door stop, adjust/reroute door release cable
Replace hinges on 18 cabinet doors

March 17-
Replace engine belt, check belt tensioner bearing
Remount outside mirrors with stainless thru bolts
Replace front TV mount: remove cabinet extension, recess 4” back
Remount backup monitor in panel
Tighten connection on leveler jack motor
Install hanger brackets in bay for power cord, soil pipes and cables
Rewire/replace breakers, relays and connections on rear chassis light panel
Convert bedroom lights, vanity lights and outside lights to LED
Install 12 switches, 1 duplex, with wooden face plates
Spray paint bedroom and living room fixtures, replace globes, install LEDs
Replace dinette table with oak table
Replace kitchen faucet, repair leak in sink drain
Replace toilet, new plywood floor, new supply valve

Strip bedroom wallpaper, rehang


April 17-
Reglue loose carpet in cargo bays
Polish wheels, wax coach (incomplete)
Clean/service front roof air: lube motor, clean fins, condensate drains
Strip bathroom paper

Other than the month these are in no particular order. The wall paper project is still under way.

Have Barth, will travel, soon

Can't you just sit on a chair all day and do nothing???

quote:

Originally posted by Doug Smiley:
Can't you just sit on a chair all day and do nothing???

No I cannot. Most Barth Owners and SOB owners are active folks. Mwrench and Steve VW are examples of not just sitting around. My physical therapist, and chiropractor both suggest "motion equals lotion." So here is three cheers to keep it moving. I am not just sitting around.

quote:

Originally posted by Doug Smiley:
Can't you just sit on a chair all day and do nothing???

Actually Doug, that is basically what I run away from in Michigan. Notice the gap from November to Jan... In the cold winter I do mostly sit around all day and do nothing, looking out the windows or sitting in the snowblower cab. It depresses me.

When I'm here I get to go out and play!

Besides I'm trying to get things done as quickly as possible to get this rig ready for some bucket list trips.

Have Barth, will travel

Steve, are you coming this way on your way north?

Not sure yet what the route we'll be on. Leaving Mon AM and going either to Larry and Penny's park near Miami or maybe Ortona Locks. I think Deb&Ed are out of town. Still deciding on east side or west side of Florida. Might stop in to Cagle's if they are around, also Johns if we can. Other than that there is nothing else planned.

Cleaned/lubed motor on the rear AC this morning. We will get close to 90 today.

If we go up your side I'll let you know. Either way I hope you guys can make the Mary Ray GTG should be great. See ya

Have Barth, will travel

quote:

Originally posted by Steve VW:
Might stop in to Cagle's if they are around, also Johns if we can.

We plan on being here. Keep us posted

Nick

Been out of touch for a few days.

We left the Keys on Monday 4/10, ran up to the Ortona Locks campground south end of Lake O. In no hurry to rediscover the cold in MI so we stayed Mon, Tues and Wed nights.







Thursday we ran around 12 hours made it to northern Georgia, slept in a rest area. Friday we ran to southern Kentucky to visit our friends Tom and Nancy near Monticello.

We are in an RV park, Conley Bottom, a large marina/RV park. Huge floating docks, several hundred covered boat slips and a hundred rv sites. Nice place, I will take pictures soon. Probably stay here until Monday or Tuesday and motor home after that.

Tree leaves and flowers in full swing in Georgia, full leaves in Tennessee, spring is there. Here the leaves are about 1/2 leafed out, grass is growing and the redbuds and dogwoods are blooming like mad. Still early for Michigan but getting close.

Don"t be in a hurry to go north ... I can attest 1st hand there are no leaves and flowers in Northetn Wisconsin, Minnesnowta or North Dakota. And it is raining ...

quote:

Originally posted by Marvin+Doris:
Don"t be in a hurry to go north ... I can attest 1st hand there are no leaves and flowers in Northetn Wisconsin, Minnesnowta or North Dakota. And it is raining ...

Good to hear from you again! Thanks for the warning. Looks like we should stall a bit more.
I wasn't sure if you folks would be home, it would be good to see you again. Hope to connect again soon, maybe in May when we go the Mary Ray GTG. Take care, be well.

quote:

Originally posted by Marvin+Doris:
Don"t be in a hurry to go north ... I can attest 1st hand there are no leaves and flowers in Northetn Wisconsin, Minnesnowta or North Dakota. And it is raining ...

But the mosquito's and wood ticks are already going strong so it might be time to come back Steve. Who else are they going to eat????? I walked less than a hundred yards scouting turkeys and had 4 ticks and was being buzzed by skitos.. Time to restock on Permethrin!