RV parks always seem to have a good time. I have tomorrow [Friday] off if you want to tear yourself away from all that fun and put on a couple motor mounts.

Spent a great day with Danny and Suzy. Did not get to the motor mount job but had a good time seeing them, as usual. We plan to visit them again before we leave for home.

Meanwhile, March has been hotter and drier than normal here in DeSoto County. Temps at or near 90 last week and all this week are predicted. Mornings are pleasant and cool enough for working on projects. We spend many afternoons at the pool.

We are nicely isolated from the viral insanity covering the whole country. Florida has its share of cases but has wisely, belatedly closed the beaches. There were the usual crowds of spring break punks, ignoring all warnings for separation. Good luck to all their families when they return home... more than hangovers and STDs to worry about now.

Just yesterday the first case was reported here in DeSoto county with only 2 in adjacent Charlotte county. Here at the RV park we have more sensible behavior. Many of the residents here are snowbirds and have already left for home. Several more will leave by the end of the month. Very quiet here now.

Michigan has over 1400 cases now, and spreading fast. We are comfortable staying here for a while longer. We plan to stay until at least the end of April.

Meanwhile I have been working on projects on the VW and the coach. As reported in another thread, I have been replacing side strip rivets on the Monarch.

https://www.barthmobile.com/eve...1087061/m/4793969397

So far 300 replaced with about 100 to go. It appears that Barth used steel mandrel rivets in the original construction. The combination of aluminum rivets and steel mandrels resulted in the steel corroding away, with corrosion of the aluminum heads as well. The strips became detached in several places and were "repaired" with steel screws in some places and rivets through the cover strips in others. As a result, I had to remove the damaged cover strips, screws and drill out the rivets.

Jim and Joan Roller and their Monarch are still right across the street. We worked on his generator a few days ago and it is back to running well.

Worked on refurbishing a back seat and brakes on the VW toad, also some exterior trim touch up painting. I made a set of sturdy wooden steps for the coach rather than the wobbly Kwikee swing out coach steps.

It has been a pleasant winter this year. Life is good.

Have Barth, will travel

Geez Steve, what a boring life! So 90f weather sunshine, good friends, projects and a pool, yuk!

Get your behind back up here, no toilet paper, bread or eggs, the restaurants and bars closed, the river flooding and Dana melting all his snow. Look at all you are missing out on.

Steve? How is the Florida experiment going? Have not heard much from you in a bit, hope all is well, If you were to return to Michigan no boating or RVing!!

We are safe and sound here in Florida. Hotter than I like but OK. Temps have been above normal all winter, 90's for the last 3 weeks. DeSoto county has few cases and no new ones for a while. Rollers are still here too. They are planning to head back to Illinois in a week.

Things are still a mess in Michigan. They are still having snow and cold temps as well as lots of virus cases. Detroit is dying.

We will stay until the end of the month and check again. Maybe leave here around the first or second week of May. No reason to be in a hurry.

Things are really slow around here. Most of the snow birds have left the park and the rest of us are laying pretty low. I have done several projects on the coach and VW. Took the kayak out on the river for an alligator tour. We swim 50 lengths at the pool almost every day. Getting plenty of sun and exercise. Shorts, sandals and no shirt. Life is good.

We plan to visit Danny and Suzy again before we leave. Still hoping to be able to see our friends again in Minnesnowta. Hopefully by early June it will be safe.

Have Barth, will travel, eventually.

Happy to hear from you Steve. Yes, June in Minnesnowta sounds great!

Hey Steve, I wouldn't be in a big hurry to leave either. I've just been working on "the pool house". Resurfaced almost all the ceilings then painted everything. Starting to come together nicely. Not sure if we'll put it on the market or make it a vacation rental. In any case, you and Liz are welcome to come over and we can sit around the pool,[plenty of room to stay separated], and have a cold one and go for a dip.

We made a quick trip to Venice to see Danny and Suzie. Spent a few hours at the pool chatting and admiring Dan's work fixing up the house. First time out of the park in a week or so.

Still hotter than I need but overall not bad. No new cases around here. With the end of the month coming even more folks are heading north. It is very quiet here.

Michigan is still struggling to contain the virus and has extended the social restrictions until May 15, maybe later. I support the mandates until things settle down more.

It looks like we will stay another two weeks. We have no good reason to leave here. It has been a very pleasant winter indeed. We have met many good people here in our "RV neighborhood." We have good friends here and we look forward to seeing them again next year.

May is usually cool and rainy in Michigan. It will be quite a change from the sunny heat in Florida. I have not worn long pants for months, often barefoot and shirtless all day.
Once I get back I look forward to the GTG in Minnesnowta to show off my tan to the poor "white folks" back home!

RV life is good here.

Have Barth, will travel

Yes Steve Michigan is really hard hit with this stinking virus. We here in Iowa had our Governor Kimmy Poo Pie, reopen restaurants, Churches, and a few other businesses at 50% capacity and maintain all the social distance requirements. So life is returning to normal slowly.

Now if the River would shed Dana's water and I could go bass fishing it would be great!!!

It looks like we will be leaving here on the 11th. Should be home by the 15th or so. Michigan is still a mess but not too bad around us at home. Rollers are also leaving in a couple days to wander home to Illinois.

It has been a geat winter. Warmer than average but very pleasant. It looks like the beaches will be open again next week so we might get one more chance to walk the beach and enjoy the surf.

We are still holding out hope for the GTG in Minnesnowta. I plan to be in the UP of Michigan to launch Dad's boat (for the 55th year!) around the 5th or so, then hopefully on to Camp Maiden Rock for the GTG. It will be good to see our Barth friends again.

Have Barth, will travel, soon

quote:

It looks like we will be leaving here on the 11th

Godspeed

Steve, you're more than welcome to stop here, on your way North, for some refreshment and an attentive ear

ps
hoping Bill will update my 3/19 to 4/20
shameful how few donate on a timely basis

Donation tags have been tardy for some time. I send Bill money every January but it does not get updated often. I think it is a nice gesture to show who contributes but given Bill's limited time lately, rather than let people think money has not been received, I have suggested perhaps he give it up. Better to work on more important things.

Meanwhile it looks like the beginning of the end. Jim and Joan Roller said goodbye this morning and are heading north to Illinois. We are hoping they can make the Minnesnowta GTG. Several more RVs left in the last two days.





We are still planning on leaving on the 11th.

Have Barth, will travel.

So I wonder did Steve and Liz get on the road this morning?? Please keep us up to date on your travel, ,Thanks!!!

Left this morning at about 8. Hooked up the VW and had a good drive, about 320 miles, to just inside Georgia. We stopped at an RV park at exit 5. Had not driven the coach since Oct but all systems were go. So much for Florida in the 2019/20 trip!



Due to the fairly early start, it was not too hot and the lovebugs did not appear until about 10:30. Still slayed a bunch and I had to wash the front end for a while. Could have been much worse!



We have about 220 miles left to see Nick and Donna and the others. We should be there around noon. Looking forward to good times with good friends.

We will continue north after the visit.

Have Barth, did travel