The Accidental Full Timers With Children - What The Fort!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

What do you mean you don't have pictures for a month?, The San Jose Mission & The Beach at Port A

Yes, pictorially we are going to skip a month. We spent a week in Livingston and then moved on to Beaumont, TX. While in Beaumont we visited the Big Thicket National Preserve. Whilst there we picked up another nifty Jr. Ranger Badge and by we I mean Shawn helped the kids. I sat down and talked to the Ranger and learned a bit about snakes and snake bites.

Did you know it must be over 70 degrees for consecutive days before snakes will come out?

Did you know that snakes like to warm themselves on the road at night?

Did you know that anti-venom is not always necessary when bitten by a snake?

Did you know that anti-venom, according to the Ranger who was also an EMT, makes you have some scary reactions?

Then off we went on our required hike... went back got badges... all done.

After our week in Beaumont, TX we headed to my mother's home for Christmas.

Then we headed to San Antonio, TX to visit the brother-in-law.

(After 6 months of doing our own thing, being around family and friends this much for essentially two straight months was very difficult on us. Always having to compromise our schedule, never having enough family time, and we found that with some of the people their was an unexpected awkwardness of what is essentially squatting on their property.)

While in San Antonio, we found our campground about a mile up the road from the "Mission San Jose National Historical Park".... hello Jr. Ranger Badge.

Now on to some pictures-

The church here is still in use today.

The Famous Rose Window-

The entrance to the church-

They give demonstrations on a working mill-

We spent New Years Eve in San Antonio at the Brother-in-Laws house. Let me just say if you want to see, as my SIL says, "a redonkulus" display of personal fireworks go to San Antonio. Sadly I didn't have the good camera with me but it was like watching fireworks in the round. You could literally turn in circles and see expensive fireworks. One guy was rerouting traffic from his already laid out display (in the middle of the road) with roman candles. The fog.. oh, wait.. smoke was incredible. BIL's very drunk neighbors were still shooting off fireworks at 3:30am and being LOUD and OBNOXIOUS. Hey, Lou... where you in San Antonio for New Years? :rofl2: .

Although we had one of the best visits at BIL & SIL's we were more than craving a little alone family time. So we headed off to Port Aransas, TX and discovered we love the beach bum lifestyle. Port Aransas was quaint, quiet, and tranquail. This stop was everything we need and only one thing we didn't. We took bike rides on the beach, dog walks on the beach, and campfires on the beach... heavenly!

We had some really sweet neighbors from Minnesnowta. The kids and I took a bike ride into town with the wife and the entire family enjoyed two nights on the beach with campfire.

We considered staying another week but there was this one neighbor. Here is the thing. We work in our trailer. We homeschool in our trailer. We need privacy in our trailer not some yahoo banging on the screen door all day asking for advice on how to do something when he's not going to follow the advice. He tried to have a VERY loud conversation with me WHILE Shawn was on the phone with his BOSS! On departure day, he came up to talk to us AFTER we had HITCHED UP, while we were SITTING IN THE TRUCK about to drive off. For about 20 minutes he delayed us...... with the truck running! We didn't want to encourage him by turning off the engine. I actually had to tell his son to get down off our truck so we could leave.

Finally we were off and folks, other than about 3 days you are current, up to date, on the ball, awaiting my next installment... in other words awaiting me to upload pictures of "The Pirate Cruise"......

Your updates will no longer be a daily or twice daily occurrence. You will have to await my adventures or misadventures until I live them. So my fellow fiends, I am:

open to questions

and I am still:

awaiting a good hijack .. (sadly disappointed that no one has tried yet)

Next UP - A bonus for you "Hitching For Two"

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Oh no!

We are caught up?

And now we have to wait for something to happen before you will post?

I don't like that!

But, I do like what you have posted so far.

A lot.

So I will wait patiently for your updates.

I am not much on the hijack thing.

Your report is doing fine without one.

TCD

[stefa70 205]

I love the beach picture of your kids? and the dogs head! I will take a beach any day, over mountains.

I like being "real time" Now go do something exciting so we can hear all about it...no, laundry doesn't count.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

The beach pictures are awesome!!! I really wish more campers would follow the rule. Setup time and breakdown time should be DO NOT DISTURB time!!!! I have a unique camper. There are times when I barely get backed in (or pushed in), where I'm being descended upon!!! I have actually taken to arriving really late somewhere and setup overnight. Then the next morning, I'm calmy sitting in my chair having cocoa and oatmeal. THEN I welcome looky loos!!!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Oh no!

We are caught up?

And now we have to wait for something to happen before you will post?

I don't like that!

But, I do like what you have posted so far.

A lot.

So I will wait patiently for your updates.

I am not much on the hijack thing.

Your report is doing fine without one.

TCD

Well for once you are in the position to "encourage" me to post something! :rofl2:

I love the beach picture of your kids? and the dogs head! I will take a beach any day, over mountains.

I like being "real time" Now go do something exciting so we can hear all about it...no, laundry doesn't count.

That would indeed be a distant shot of my children scampering along the beach. The dog was not happy since his buddies had left him behind.

Honey, if I told you every time I did laundry...well it would go something like this:

Monday - doing laundry

Tuesday - Dog jumped on bed with dirty paws... doing laundry

Wed - Kids played in sand got all over couch... doing laundry

Thursday - no laundry

Friday - pre departure day... doing laundry.

Sat - Driving

Sun - family day... doing laundry.

*****the above is only a slight exaggeration****

The beach pictures are awesome!!! I really wish more campers would follow the rule. Setup time and breakdown time should be DO NOT DISTURB time!!!! I have a unique camper. There are times when I barely get backed in (or pushed in), where I'm being descended upon!!! I have actually taken to arriving really late somewhere and setup overnight. Then the next morning, I'm calmy sitting in my chair having cocoa and oatmeal. THEN I welcome looky loos!!!

The beach was awesome!

We have found that having people talk to you during unhitching or hitching can distract you from something important. We prefer, in most cases, that people wait until we are done.

And some of the older men! They assume because I'm female that I can't direct my husband on how best to back up the trailer. In all honestly, by now I've probably done it more times than they have. I can hitch, unhitch, give hand signals (both helpful and dirty), level, and chock my trailer. Thank you very much! One guy tried to level our trailer by having my husband back straight up on 5 levelers with nothing to ease the transition......I said NO!

We have a unique dog. People are attracted to the size of the dog crate in the truck. Sometimes people are attracted to the age of our trailer.

This is actually the first time we've had someone so invasive and annoying. Most of the time they aren't this bad.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Trailer Hitching For Two-

Trailer hitching is not something you just know how to do. It is something you learn. Someone on Airforums.com (Airstream board) was talking about giving a class. This is my contribution. And yes, it is meant to make you laugh...

Trailer Hitching For Two

Class Schedule:

Hand Signals VS Cell Phone (Covers wether or not to use the trucks built in blue tooth with a 2 second delay)

Dividing up The responsibilities (who really gets to sit in the A/C and who gets to haul the 30lb driveway ramps)

Backing up to the hitch - Beginners (Backing up communications skill that will prevent 30 minutes of the silent treatment during the drive)

Backing up to the hitch - Advanced (This is how to back up to the hitch with a XXXL dog crate obscuring your view of your spotter, the trailer, and the hitch in less than 15 minutes)

Pulling out of the Drive (How to line up the ramps, communicate with the driver, and generally run around like a chicken with it's head cut off until the rear wheels clear the end of the drive)

Also covers basics of:

attaching the chains

removing the chocks

lowering tongue onto the hitch

connecting the cord

storing your locks, chocks, keys

locking the trailer that comes unlocked after hitting a bump

There are visual aids (proof) for the class. Provided upon request -

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Yes, but if a couple does it too well, it is boring for the other campers to watch!!! The best entertainment at a campground is the newbies backing in!!!! Why do you think I bring lots of chairs, so I have a way to grab a small one and get the best view for the entertainment!!!!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Yes, but if a couple does it too well, it is boring for the other campers to watch!!! The best entertainment at a campground is the newbies backing in!!!! Why do you think I bring lots of chairs, so I have a way to grab a small one and get the best view for the entertainment!!!!

Move along. There is nothing to see here.. move along. These aren't the morons your looking for.....

I know exactly what you mean! We have both seen and been those people....

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Yes, but if a couple does it too well, it is boring for the other campers to watch!!! The best entertainment at a campground is the newbies backing in!!!! Why do you think I bring lots of chairs, so I have a way to grab a small one and get the best view for the entertainment!!!!

now we know why you like to arrive at night!

[stefa70 205]

Yes, but if a couple does it too well, it is boring for the other campers to watch!!! The best entertainment at a campground is the newbies backing in!!!! Why do you think I bring lots of chairs, so I have a way to grab a small one and get the best view for the entertainment!!!!

Trevor and I consider that part of the Forts entertainment!

One time a guy brought in a HUGE 5th wheel, with temp tags of course. We watched him for about 15 minutes before the guy looked out and said "Maybe I should have gotten a bigger one!" :rofl2: He was a good sport about it, but it was obvious that he had never done this before.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

now we know why you like to arrive at night!

I wouldn't care so much if they just watched and laughed, but they wanna see the "cute little trailer"

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I wouldn't care so much if they just watched and laughed, but they wanna see the "cute little trailer"

You know.. we are just inviting trouble upon ourselves. Someone might decide to set up a secret mission to film our arrival and departure process... maybe we should change the subject.... real quick!

So how's the weather?

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Trevor and I consider that part of the Forts entertainment!

One time a guy brought in a HUGE 5th wheel, with temp tags of course. We watched him for about 15 minutes before the guy looked out and said "Maybe I should have gotten a bigger one!" :rofl2: He was a good sport about it, but it was obvious that he had never done this before.

It can be very, very entertaining!

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

All caught up!! My dream is to live on a secluded beach and just sit and listen to the ocean all day.

I do not want to discuss laundry!! I will have enough of my own to do when I get home tonight.

Do something exciting to report on but try not to have a breakdown. That kind of excitement is no fun.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

All caught up!! My dream is to live on a secluded beach and just sit and listen to the ocean all day.

I do not want to discuss laundry!! I will have enough of my own to do when I get home tonight.

Do something exciting to report on but try not to have a breakdown. That kind of excitement is no fun.

After last week, I could join you on that beach. Port Aransas would be my top pick so far!

Oh honey... laundry is like a KFK TR. It never ends, it goes on and on and on and on... it never ends.

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Oh honey... laundry is like a KFK TR. It never ends, it goes on and on and on and on... it never ends.

You are preaching to the choir, Nicki. I raised 5, yes count em 5 kids. I was doing laundry in my sleep. :rofl2:

[we3peas 12]

Learned an important lesson this weekend at FW. DO NOT take GC into 300 loop just after checkin time. We waited 40 minutes to get out of that loop from people backing in. Most of them new to it. I would have chosen a more open loop for my first try. It was fun watching though.

[wanttogo 1]

This is the most wonderful TR !! I am learning so much and the pictures are beautiful. I would love to do what you are doing. It sounds so liberating. Can't wait to read more.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

You are preaching to the choir, Nicki. I raised 5, yes count em 5 kids. I was doing laundry in my sleep. :rofl2:

preachin to the choir is fun as they understand what your saying....

didn't you know what caused the first kid?

sometimes I feel as if I'm asleep while doing the Laundry....

Learned an important lesson this weekend at FW. DO NOT take GC into 300 loop just after checkin time. We waited 40 minutes to get out of that loop from people backing in. Most of them new to it. I would have chosen a more open loop for my first try. It was fun watching though.

we'd had our trailer less than six months when we parked in site 328 for the first time Christmas 2010. First we forgot to check that the respective hoses would reach (all our connections are in the rear), then we found our truck wouldn't fit in the site.... over and over again. All that was missing was a bunch of fiends and some red solo cups ... I'm pretty sure Mo missed the excitement by a few days. I think that was here further down in the 300 loop.

This is the most wonderful TR !! I am learning so much and the pictures are beautiful. I would love to do what you are doing. It sounds so liberating. Can't wait to read more.

I am so glad you are enjoying it. Sadly, we are caught up with our current location.... give or take a few days. I do have an update coming... as soon as I upload the pictures from the camera...

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

preachin to the choir is fun as they understand what your saying....

didn't you know what caused the first kid?

sometimes I feel as if I'm asleep while doing the Laundry....

Oh yes I did, the oldest 3 are my stepkids but they lived with us.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Oh yes I did, the oldest 3 are my stepkids but they lived with us.

your moving up in my sainthood stakes....

[Just Whipperwhirl 24]

I just added that little beach to our must visit list. One of my fondest childhood memories is having a campfire on the beach (Fishers Island NY) - I desperately want my kids to have the same wonderful memory - Do you keep a list of places you want to visit?

I have not given much thought to people disturbing my husband while he works at the campground - do you think I should have a sign he can put on the door or something?

Thanks for all your tips BTW - you have been an amazing resource. Doing a test pack is a great idea!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I just added that little beach to our must visit list. One of my fondest childhood memories is having a campfire on the beach (Fishers Island NY) - I desperately want my kids to have the same wonderful memory - Do you keep a list of places you want to visit?

I have not given much thought to people disturbing my husband while he works at the campground - do you think I should have a sign he can put on the door or something?

Thanks for all your tips BTW - you have been an amazing resource. Doing a test pack is a great idea!

Here is a link to our travel map with campground listings. Shawn is updating it to include our last two months. he keeps a running commentary on our thoughts about the parks.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112956614092736262303.000494a8b17b9fdb91eb0&ll=38.065392,-98.261719&spn=24.146997,52.734375&z=4&source=embed

I can tell you the name of the RV park in port aransas, Tx was On The Beach. This was not the cheapest park in town but I'd return there in a heart beat.... providing obnoxious neighbor was gone. Less than 100 steps to the beach! Nice friendly people as well.

We check out the ratings of rv parks at rvparkreviews.com.

Things to consider

The longer you stay the less it costs per night. Unless you are only staying overnight and have a discount.

Usually on stays longer than a week they charge for electric... sometimes they do on weeklies.

The more popular the place the higher the price of the campground.

We carry multiple discount cards. (good sam & escapees. We are considering adding passport american as well as a few more)

Don't depend on campground internet if you need it for work. most go up and down faster than everest at AK.

We have multiple mifi devices using different carriers. Usually if one of them doesn't have coverage the other will.

Check your the wifi coverage before booking your campground. I have the website's bookmarked if you want to look at them.

You can just about rule out guaranteed data coverage in the bigger National Parks.

Ok.. I'll stop now.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

A few thoughts about this wonderful TR....

What great parents you guys are for giving your kids this experience. The sights, experiences, and memories will shape their lives in ways they don't even realize yet.

You guys packed a lifetime of normal vacation into one trip.

Your pictures are great, and your writing is also. You could definitely write a travel book of sorts, IMHO.

Your pictures also illustrate what a great country in which we live. The diversity, wide open spaces, beautiful landscapes would be hard to find anywhere else.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I have not given much thought to people disturbing my husband while he works at the campground - do you think I should have a sign he can put on the door or something?

Thanks for all your tips BTW - you have been an amazing resource. Doing a test pack is a great idea!

Usually people don't bother you so it's not a problem. This guy was just one of those who didn't understand boundaries or think of anyone else's needs. I just try to politely tell them he's working right now.

Have I mentioned RV Fulltiming Rule #15 Listen to other full timers.. they are your best resource.

It should actually say listent to the older full timers. These are just things I wish someone had told me or I had thought to ask. The way you are doing it is, I think, probably harder than our way because we didn't have as many years packed into a house as you. I always think of the families who own houses that they've lived in for many years and have family in the same town as having to "rip the band-aid off". We'd moved around so much it was a more natural progression and we purged extra stuff every time we moved.