Vista! 2/20/11

Here we are last week in Tallahassee, on our way home from Tampa.  We spent a few more days at Lazy Days in Tampa getting everything squared away and finally pulled away on Sunday, Feb. 20th.  Jimmy and I took turns driving this new-to-us Class A motor home (two hours each).  We did all right, but we both feel like it'll take us more miles to feel really comfortable behind the wheel of this BUS.  Let's put it this way:  It's a learning experience; the more you do it, the easier it gets.  Sounds right!

Because it's a couple feet taller'n our former Class C motor home, we had to have some branches sawed off the trees lining the lane to get her where she'll be parked when we're not traveling.  No problem.  Now she's just waiting to be made into our own home-on-wheels with our stuff ... and then we will Hit The Road Again!

Wednesday, Feb 16th, 2011

Tomorrow came and went.  Now it’s Wednesday.  We wished for many things to be finished yesterday, but balancing the two front tires was it (and how long did that take?).  Then the Vista was parked.  We were told to take the day off – go have fun, see the manatees, take in a movie – and we did (but won’t do again), and that’s why nothing else got done.  The service dept and the delivery advisors don’t seem to be talking to each other and we weren’t around to ask “whatz next?”  We enjoyed our time with the manatees and the movies, but – holy cannoli ! – we wanna get on the road!  Heck, we couldn’t even find the Vista when we returned from our outing!

Our salesman, Dave, has Mon/Tues days off, so we were waiting for him when he came in this morning.  Ours was his second tale of woe by 8:30 this morning, so he was primed to get the wheels in motion.

Meanwhile, Camping World (on-site) has had us in their schedule since last Saturday (!) to have the propane connector for the catalytic heater installed, but that wasn’t happening either.  So… we drove the Vista to their “work line” at 8 am today and parked it.  Several hours later, our Vista was in the service bay and the work was completed by mid-afternoon!

From there we were routed back to our delivery site where we had the official “walk thru” and received our pouch of manuals and two remotes (o boy!).  A few more items on our “left to do” list and we’ll be sent on our way!  Our salesman and the delivery advisor are now ON TOP OF IT.  Hallelujah!   

Manatees - Feb 15th



At Tampa Power Co, manatee viewing area.



The mangrove "tunnel" leading out to the viewing jetty.

Mom and baby manatee

All the bumps or spots you see in the water are manatees.

 

When we asked our delivery advisor this morning, "Well, what should WE do today," he responded with "Go see the manatees at Big Bend." So, we did. The manatees swarm (flock?) to the heated water from the power plant when the Gulf water cools in winter. There had to be upwards of 300 sea cows "eating, sleeping and playing" in the inlet. If they move at all, it ain't in a burst of speed. We've kayaked with these gentle critters, but we've not seen this many grouped together. Neat. Spotted lots of sand sharks, rays, and assorted fishies, too. Ate our picnic lunch in the shade as the day warmed to 75 from our 41-degree overnight. After we left, we went to see True Grit (a Coen Bros good western) at the movies - it was Senior Day and we got in at a discount. Age is good for something!

Feb 15th - Vista photos

The gift basket full of yummy treats (now nearly gone)!



Look how close these doors are - made the transfer of "stuff" easier. 





Large drawer removed to make room for...



New oven!

Smiley LOVING our new Sleep Number bed!

Feb 15th - The Vista pantry redo

We did not like the four deep, dark, stationary pantry shelves - considered them useless as there'd be no way to know what was in the back or reach in to get it, so what good would they be? - and had them removed and replaced with four equally deep, smooth pull out shelves.  Very nice. 



Feb 14th - Valentine's Day

Ho-hum, we’re still in Tampa at Lazy Days.  The wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round, but not on weekends!  We were lucky that Camping World installed our Sleep Number bed on Saturday, but that was the extent of work.  We were told they had to order the connector part for the propane hookup.  Okayyyyy.

We were pumped this morning when a Lazy Days worker bee showed up @ 8 am to drive our old coach to a service bay where the solar panels would be removed (done), and after lunch the panels would be put atop our new coach.  After breakfast, around 10 am, we walked to Camping World to inquire if/when the propane connector would be available and when that work would be done.  The guy behind the counter fetched the paperwork and said, “You were scheduled for 8:30 this morning.”  Well, phooey!  How come they didn’t tell us?  So, we missed that window of completion!  Are we looking at tomorrow?

Meanwhile, the new bed is very comfy and we’re soooo happy to have it.  Especially after all the door-to-door transferring, and we were literally and figuratively door-to-door.  We could hop on the steps from old to new without touching the pavement – made it a whole bunch easier.  Still, we were tired last nite from the constant movement.  The good news is:  that part is finished.  The bad news is:  Nothing has an instant home in the new Vista.  Trial and error and whatever fits best, and till then our new home looks real messy.  All in due time – we’ll fix it eventually!

So, now it’s 9:30 and we’re home from dinner out and a quick trip to Publix for coffee and bread.  Hadn’t planned on dinner out, but the insides of our Vista are trashed!  Can hardly find a clear spot on the table or a place to sit.  Solar installation was finished at 6:30 (!!), but everything that had “found a home” was displaced, and then some.  And now a wood trim piece has to be made to cover the thick cord that runs from ceiling to floor.  It would be so lovely if that happened tomorrow!  (No sense putting anything away tonite!)  Also, allegedly tomorrow the propane connector will be done.  Believe it when I see it!  Too many tomorrows in this post.  Really dislike the process (big sigh), but the final product will be worth it.

There’s always the pool and Jacuzzi.  Tomorrow is “senior day” at the movies.  Maybe we’ll go!

Here 'tis! Feb 11th, 2011

After one week (and a day) at Lazy Days in Tampa FL, with the cabinet work complete and the coach detailed inside and out, our new 2010 Winnebago Vista was driven to our delivery site this evening to sit door-to-door with our old 2005 coach.  Tomorrow AM Camping World (on-site) is installing an excellent Sleep Number bed and a propane gas connector for the catalytic heater.  As soon as the carpet dries, we can begin the transfer of goods (the temperature in there is set on 75° and the heat pump is throwing out BTU’s so it shouldn’t take long).  Also, we hope the solar panels can be exchanged from old to new tomorrow, tho we already know not a whole lot gets done on weekends. 

We’ve been snacking on the yummy treats from the gift box personally delivered by our salesman, Davy Jones.  Jimmy asked me a few minutes ago if I’d brought the brownie mix box from home.  “Sorry,” I said, “I didn’t.”  He was hoping we could try out the new oven tonite!  I think he may have been kidding, but ….

O boy, o boy, o boy - she’s a fine-looking motor home!

Lazy Days, Tampa FL 2/8/11

We're still at Lazy Days RV (it’s like a small city!) near Tampa. Tomorrow we'll finally sign papers and part company with a chunk o' change on the coach of our choice: A 2010 Winnebago Vista 27'. Today we moved to the delivery site, after five nights at the C/G. We'll miss the comforts of the C/G... inc. the Tampa Tribune delivered to our doorstep each morning.

Things started hopping along yesterday when our coach was delivered to the cabinet shop - we wanted some extra cabinet work done before leaving. Also, our model had no oven (crazy, huh?). Part of the pkg was the coveted oven and, by gum, we saw it this afternoon installed right where it shoulda been in the first place! The pantry screamed out for pull-out shelves where there were none and that's being done.  Plus we're having a book case made and a shelf put in under the kitchen sink.


Today we opted for a very helpful driver's training class: An hour-and-a-half in the classroom, which was so good that it should be required for every RV driver, and then actually driving a 36' or 38' diesel pusher – whew! Talk about a confidence builder! We even rec'd a certificate and the course is free!


We've been kinda wandering around.  Went to see The King's Speech (excellent!) yesterday!  At the same time, keeping track of what is or isn't going on with our RV has really paid off. This is an insanely busy place, but keeping our faces in front of the staff (nicely, of course) has helped to push the work along. Today we stopped in where the cabinet work is being done and fine tuned the items we want. If you ain't there, you have no one to blame but yourselves if things don't go as you wanted. The solar panels are being transferred from old Tergel to new Tergel which will take a few hours. That helps us  while we're camped in the boonies.


All work might be finished tomorrow, but Thurs is more realistic, at which time new and old will park door-to-door for the transfer of our worldly goods. We may be out of here Thurs, possibly Fri. Then, like the Packers, we're off to Disney World!

Farewell to the old... Feb 6th, 2011

Here we sit, one of the few Class C motor homes, in the giant Lazy Days Campground, near Tampa, FL, in one of 299 sites, each with full 50-amp hook-ups.  We've enjoyed complimentary breakfasts and lunches in The Cafe at the Lazy Days Main Building, cable TV, and the screened, heated pool with a piping hot jacuzzi.  We've hiked from one end of the property to the other and critiqued the insides so many coaches that our brains began to swell.  We've picked out our new-to-us 2010 motor home, but not much happens anywhere on weekends, so until the final papers are signed on a weekday, I won't post pictures of the NEW little beauty.  I can tell you true, we surely have loved our time in and made the most of it with our Faithful 2005 Lazy Daze Motor Home.  This is a fond farewell.


In the meantime, local critter life has kept us (me) entertained:  The birdlife is abundant with white ibis gleaning the grounds, hawks, honking sandhill cranes, redbirds, blackbirds, woodpeckers, cooing doves and lotsa, lotsa others.  We happened on a 'possum parked on the grass, looking kinda sickly, and gave it wide berth.  Never know what you'll see in Florida!  Been fun!

We hope our Tergel will go to good people, of course.  In fact, we had someone come look at her today.  She won't sit long on the lot, I guarantee!  

Tampa, Florida - Feb 4, 2011

Just wait - it's coming soon...!