WOOKIEBEAR , MOM AND DAD TAKE THE KIDS ON A BIG ADVENTURE

FtW Mike

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Last year on our way to Disney for Christmas we experienced a major mechanical malfunction that caused us to cancel our trip. At that moment the decision it was time for our coach to go the voyage. We came home disappointed rescheduled for this year and starting looking for a new coach. The "REPAIR BILL" as she had come to be known went into the shop for essential repairs as we intended to put her on the market. Repairs took a lot longer than expected as many of the parts needed are no longer manufactured and are in limited supply from a select few distributors.
Adventuring Season ( That's what we tell THE KIDS we are doing ) came and went and we had no coach to go anywhere with. As the Hershey show came we got the old girl back and began our search in earnest. Our local dealer had a consignment unit but the owner wouldn't deal and the others had nothing that interested. We started on line and found some down at Lazy Days in Tampa that looked promising.
A friend some of you know I understand "The Crazy Bird Lady in 1600 Loop" had given me the name and contact information for an associate Robert G there and I reached out. I emailed him our list of MUST haves Would be NICE to have price range and preferred brands. While we checked out what they had on line and discussed how old to go and disagreed over Gas or Diesel. We found a 2015 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 36 LA that met most of our lists and seemed in the right price range. Two days later an identical unit with less than 6000 miles come on line I reached out immediately to Robert and asked for photos and additional information on it That was his day off and the next day he did track it down in their intake lot and sent a number of photos highlighting our list of HAVES and the overall coach in general. Two weeks ago today over dinner we looked them over discussed the pro's and cons and called him and made our deposit
 
Woohoo. Can't wait to hear more. We are headed to north Georgia mountains tomorrow. Unfortunately the kids won't go hiking with us but hopefully the weather is decent for some enjoyable evenings outside.
 
Woohoo. Can't wait to hear more. We are headed to north Georgia mountains tomorrow. Unfortunately the kids won't go hiking with us but hopefully the weather is decent for some enjoyable evenings outside.
Kris hope you and Bert have a great time while you are gone because as you know you will be in deep deep doo doo when you get home More to come as I get chances
 
Congrats.

It sounds like patience and persistence paid off.

Now get to planning that next trip to the Fort.

j
 


Mike,

I'm happy for your find. It will probably be a relief to take it out on that first trip and get to experience it on a real trip. But I guess this means you would need to take your old rig down to Lazy Days (I assume you traded it in?) and pick up your new unit to take home (I don't count that as a first real trip).

I also remember your cancellation last year and was disappointed that I didn't get to meet you then. But soon.

Bama Ed

PS - we love pictures....
 
Mike,

I'm happy for your find. It will probably be a relief to take it out on that first trip and get to experience it on a real trip. But I guess this means you would need to take your old rig down to Lazy Days (I assume you traded it in?) and pick up your new unit to take home (I don't count that as a first real trip).

I also remember your cancellation last year and was disappointed that I didn't get to meet you then. But soon.

Bama Ed

PS - we love pictures....
Ed you go it we traded it in . After delivery We spent the one night on the delivery lot then 2 more in their CG Next 2 nights were trip home testing everything we could think of. Found a few small issues that we need to bring to Lazy Days attention to fix while we are there in Dec nothing serious just some issues that need fine tuning.
I would really like to take her out for a weekend or week trip even if locally but if people want venison chili I need to start hitting local woodlot for fixings Those Free Range Frijoles Negro and Habelchelos won't harvest themselves
Pics will follow when I get to that part of the story
Congrats.

It sounds like patience and persistence paid off.

Now get to planning that next trip to the Fort.

j
I t took a lot of work but this one was on the website for 5 hours when we made offer This years Christmas trip is mostly planned by way Jim In fact my old partner keeps telling me that since are leaving for Disney on her Birthday it would be a great Birthday present if we took her
 
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The next 3 days were spent getting ready to head for Tampa. We really should have cleaned out the Ambassador better to make things easier but I was in some areas over ridden. come Monday I wanted to hit the road at 8am and went out at 7:30 to start her and the battery was DOA. Called Good Sam they had a problem getting someone as NASCAR was in town over the weekend and lots calls for emergency service in Dover. They did get someone here by 9:30 and we pulled out of the driveway by 10. WookieBear took her place in front of the door and SKY and KATIE joined Lucille on the sofa
 


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Mike,

Glad to hear about the new addition and hopefully this next Disney trip goes better for you. Hopefully some of us will get to see it come May? :shamrock:

I agree with Ed on the pictures there dude. We like em a lot.
 
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Mike,

Glad to hear about the new addition and hopefully this next Disney trip goes better for you. Hopefully some of us will get to see it come May? :shamrock:

I agree with Ed on the pictures there dude. We like em a lot.
Michael looking forward to May as well as for Christmas trip all is progressing very well. pics will follow

Now before I go any further let me say that I am glad to see that both Bama Ed and Tiggerdad both came through Nate with no damage. I was particularly impressed Tiggerdad's survival kit.
 
This was the KIDS second time traveling in the coach and despite getting some Herbal Calming Candy they were not very happy. Lucille had to keep them on a leash and Sky kept trying to crawl behind her on the couch. During our few stops for both of them nearly tried to fly out the door. Sky was not happy and very afraid of the sound of truck engines. Worse yet she still believes that it is illegal to GO while on a leash. We did make it to our destination for the night The RV Resort at Carolina Crossroads in Roanoake Rapids NC in good time so once we pulled in off to the dog park we all went. Lucille had made a large pan of LASAGNA and separated it into individual servings for dinner so we ate very well tonight
Carolina Crossroads is a really nice CG located a short distance off I 95 at exit 171 in Northern NC. We ask for a premium site as they are closest to the Dog Park but the pool and office are also right there. Place is very well maintained and the staff we have met has been very friendly and helpful. It is also a good fit for us being just about 300 miles from home and we can make it there ( We do have to skirt DC then contend with Richmond and Petersburg VA which can be problematic ) in about 6 hours with potty stops and a refueling stop at the Pilot Flying J at exit 11 in VA. From there it is just a quick 30 min drive to CC so for now it stays on our list.
 
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Day 2 started with a series of problems. While we waited for Good Sam to come and jump us again we finished off a bunch of administrative items with Lazy Days via the telephone and I tried to connect with a young man I have een working with to lead a happy life despite the allergy we both have. Telephone tag on the scale we played it that day was no fun. Our Jump arrived early and we were on the road by 9:30 with a destination of Camp Lake Jasper RV Resort in Hardeeville SC total travel distance about 375 miles. I had originally planned to refuel in SC due to low prices but when I saw I had over 5/8 th of a tank I thunkeded I would make LD no problem so we only mad 2 potty stops and arrived 3:45 We had a good spot near the dog park and off we went. People on the other side of the fence have chickens that were raising a fuss and it did take the kids a bit of time to remember why they were here. At check in there is sign tha advises guests that at the source he water pressure here is 70 psi and a regulator is advised. I have and use one so I figured no problem apparently mine cuts pressure to just enough to get water to the tap so with little to no pressure I went to plan B Fill fresh tank and use water pump. Mistake there was just enough residue of anti freeze in that tank to cause the water to foam even after an hour so we dealt with low pressure. Dinner was more of Lucille's Lasagna and we hit the rack early
I did hook up my little home car charger to the batteries today and that did help the next mornining . Sky still believes it is against the law for her to GO while on the leash. WookieBear didn't care and went just outside the gate Katie when she wasn't trying to pull me across the grounds and investigate every single smell and blade of grass went when she realised had to go but mostly in the dog park.
CLJ was very nicely maintained and clean. Staff was really friendly. Access to and from 95 is simple but a few more signs wouldn't hurt Definitely a great place for overnight while on trek to and from WDW Just MY OPINION
 
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Everyone is looking forward to going ADVENTURING
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Poor WookieBear is left with floor but can get Daddy to join her
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Sky was so tired after day 2 she could barely make it onto the couch
 

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I love the pic of the three of them. Can't wait to meet them!
Kris be careful what you wish for, You just might get it, WookieBear is the ORIGINAL HEATHEN HOUND time and her age have mellowed her out Sky and sister Katie are SAVAGE GOAT HOUNDS. Katie is about as gentle as a hand grenade and bulls her way in if there is something she wants while Sky plays all sweet and cute then jumps for more attention while you are otherwise occupied
 
Good grief!

That is some serious snoozing going on there. You turn them occasionally to prevent bed sores!?
 
Decubitus Ulcers are not a worry This crew jumps at the prospect of going to EXPLORE the WILDERNESS if I so much as look in the direction of where we keep the leashes. Let us try to go out without them and it becomes a major effort
 
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Day 3 Things went way smoother this morning as I remembered to hook up my car charger to the batteries . The tanks got dumped The Kids all got a good trip to the Park and tried to catch the chickens that had come over the fence Mom and Dad had some coffee and we was on the road by 8:15 Our destination was Lazy Days outside of Tampa about 400 miles away. We had been given a Heads up that I 4 in Orlando was a mess and 1 person suggested 1 alternative while our sales rep suggested the 10 to 75 to 4 route. I plugged both routes into my trip planner and both were near equal distance and projected time but 10/75/4 had no tolls so that was it. Fuel was a concern but considering I had gone almost as far since I had last filled up as I had to go today and the gauge read that I had more than I had already used I thought I was safe and just passed the Pilot/ Flying J stops in both Georgia and Northern Florida. As we drove West on 10 we past thru a National Park and in area where there was a partial clear area of the forest Lucille saw a Black Bear lumbering along. We did make a stop more for Mom and Dad than the kids Sky was not happy as there were trucks present and out on 75 by the time we stopped We also had to make an emergency fuel stop just north of Ocala as we were at the red line and I was unsure of how far till next Pilot/Flying J Turns out it was another 30 miles or so down the road but better safe than sorry right We did arrive at LD at just after 4 as projected and were soon in the delivery lot waiting for Robert
 
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This is what we traded in a 2005 Holiday Rambler Ambassador. About the only thing we could count on with it was if we took a weekend trip it would spend 2 months at the shop getting repaired
 
Not long after we checked in and were escorted to our site on the delivery lot Robert G our sales rep came over and took us all in his Golf cart to the Dog Park. Everyone now happy we took them back and Robert and I took off for the CG office where I picked up a Golf cart and then Back to pick up Lucille. This was when we got news that there would be a delay in delivery of the new to us one as TIFFIN had put out a recall notice the night before for an issue with the trailer hitch and they had learned of it that morning and had ordered the replacement part. He did take us over and we did get to do a quickie look over of the coach. The photos he had sent us last week were nice but in person it was even nicer and despite not having the 3rd slide we had wanted this one was a lot bigger than our HR.
Then he gave us quickie tour of the property before returning us to our site and The GIRLS. They got fed and loaded into the GC for a park visit and then we decided to hit the CG cafe EXIT 10 for our dinner. Once fed we returned and packed up some more of the things we would be moving over once able. Katie had a rough night as something wasn't sitting well with her and twice she woke us up to her throwing up. We have no idea what caused it but suspect that while at the park she may have eaten a Central Florida Tree Gator
The next morning I went over to the dealership cafe OPEN ROAD and redeemed our breakfast coupons after we took the kids out and at 9 Robert came by and brought us over to Main Bldg to do all the Administrative stuff. Once that was done I checked with our Service rep on the status of the parts and got news nothing yet. We hit Open Road for a spot of lunch with our coupons ( The Breakfast and lunch coupons they give you, provide a nice small meal to take the edge off.) Back at the HR we packed up some more and while I took WookieBear for a walk I met the delivery lot supervisor who advised me that his guys would be by soon as they had to move us to another spot as the row were in was getting closed . They were upgrading the electricity in the row and it would have no power. The guys that moved us were great our water pump had gone DOA that night and they put us on a spot with a private water source and told us to keep the new water hose they brought to connect us. They also let us know that we didn't need to worry about Katie staining the rug as they would be sending it for a deep cleaning During the afternoon we continued to pack things up and got a visit from our TA, Nancy who was there for a Friends and Family Rally that LD was Hosting that weekend.
 

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