Travels with Snowbirds 2015, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, January 15, 16, 17, Tampa FL RV Show

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The one about the RV show and gambling and favorite old movies

I spent most of Thursday walking around the RV show, looking at many new RVs. I am certainly not in the market, but it is always fun to look to see what the designers have come up with. Ginnie and Kim drove over again for the day, and we spent a lot of time in the new Winnebago Tribute. It’s a very updated version of the very first Winnebago that I am sure you have seen still on the road a boxy thing that had what looks like aluminum siding. They make it with bright yellow trim, and pukey green trim as well as several other more normal colors. One model we looked at, 27 feet, slept 9!!! We visited all the vendors and picked up lots of brochures and chotchkies. Thursday night we walked over to the nightly entertainment, a young family group from the Ozarks that did country, Americana and gospel as well as so-so good stories.

Friday I walked to the HardRock Casino and had a blast playing video slots. It has been a long time since I have had the opportunity to sit in front of a machine, and loved every minute of it. I was down to my last $10, and decided to play my favorite multiple hand poker game. In order to get the best opportunity to win, 18 quarters must be played, so I had 2 chances to win. First roll I won 300 coins. I played for about an hour and ended up within $8 of what I started with. That’s a good feeling. Friday night’s entertainment was another family group from the Knoxville area, Link Union. They were awesome. Kind of hillbilly, Cajun, Celtic, with good stories. 5 siblings the youngest 14, the oldest probably 25, their mother and their cousin. Pregnant wife of one joined at the end. Dad (who looked like he belonged on Duck Dynasty) ran sound. I just love that raging fiddle sound. I do not think I have ever heard a better rendition of “The Devil went Down to Georgia,” which was followed by an awesome Dueling Banjo duet. I have never seen this rally do a standing ovation before for any entertainment. The rally staff gives out door prizes at the end of each night, and we won nothing. The prizes are show T shirts and black streak cleaner, so it’s not like we missed anything great.

We did learn that they parked 786 rigs at the rally. That’s a lot of RVs. I think I remember last year being over 800.

Friday afternoon AallBrite RV Washers extraordinaire power washed Moya’s outside and also did Joan and Joanne’s, promising to be back in the morning to wax. Sure enough, first thing Saturday morning they arrived and had to dry the condensation off before they waxed the whole thing and hand washed the awning. They even cleaned the windshield that hasn’t been so clean since I bought her. It is too tall for me to do! I will not stand that high on any ladder, and those long pole squeegees really don’t work that well. I spent time drying the inside of the exterior compartment doors and using a Clorox wipe and a knife to get the remaining mold out of the side gaskets. Moya shines and is smiling like a debutante.

Late Friday afternoon the three of us girls walked again over to the casino for an early dinner and more gambling. It was good to have real food, not sausage sandwiches or hot dogs like at the show, or Lean Cuisine or soup. When it came time to pay we asked for individual checks and presented him with 3 credit cards, which he gracefully accepted, then asked to see ID. Joan and I produced our licenses, but Joanne did not bring hers. What was she thinking! If she won the million$ prize, she would have had to show ID! The waiter wanted photo ID. She just had her credit card and her Good Sam Club car (like AAA but for RVs). Wait, wait! I have a picture of Joanne on my phone! I let the waiter watch as I pulled up her contact on my iphone and opened her picture and it was the one I took of her in her witch costume the year we were in DisneyWorld for Halloween. Witch hat with orange hair streaming, pumpkin blinking necklace and painted eyebrows that don’t quit. Well the poor waiter didn’t know what to do and the 3 of us laughed so hard we almost wet……never mind. He took her credit card away, shaking his head. I wonder how many times he will tell that story.

We gambled a little before walking ‘home.’. Joanne parlayed her $20 into over a hundred, and left with $40. Joan lost $10. I made a contribution, not losing it all, but……..It seems like they really screwed down the machines, they sure weren’t as loose as they were on Friday.

This certainly was a walking few days. My Iphone Health app tells me:

Wednesday 5000 steps, about 2.5 miles

Thursday, 10000 steps, about 5 miles

Friday 11946 steps, about 5.5 miles

Saturday, a measly 6000 steps, 2.73 miles

My legs feel pretty good for all that walking. My feet hurt. I have a blister from the new mud shoes Kristine gave me for Christmas because I didn’t wear socks on my left foot, and I am now the proud owner of a corn on each foot. I don’t know why I suddenly have this propensity to grow corns, but they sure ain’t fun. I should buy Dr. Scholl’s stock, I am keeping them in business. Enough about old feet, sorry.

Today is the first day this second round of bug bites, acquired at Lazydays, has not bothered me. I have about 10 around my left ankle, so many my ankle was swollen, and another 5 on my right. So now I put long socks on when I go out at night. A pretty sight I am sure.

I did not attend Saturday’s entertainment. I am not fans of the couple they have performing. They are an RVing couple whose show is all patriotic or gospel and they tell the same stories every year. Time to retire them.

I am not sure I will attend this show next year. The price went up, and the quality sure went down. I know they have no control over the weather, but the parking siltuation just out and out sucked. I never did see an electric tech to help me plug in, I did that by myself. Shuttle trolley’s were few It just seemed that rally staff management did not have as good control as they have in the past. When I spend money, I want to feel good about what I spent it on, and I just don’t this year (I do for my RV bath, though). I just might day trip it from wherever I am, along with Ginnie and Kim.

Our friend, Kathy E, got on the road today and she will be joining us next week for a short time. It will be good to be all-together for a while. Silly old lady stuff, and hopefully some of that will be going to the movies.

Perfect way to end a lovely day, “Eddie & The Cruisers.” 1983. Gosh, that long ago? Seems like yesterday. The year Kristine was born. I wonder if Tim and Jeff remember how many times we watched the movie and listened to the ‘tape’. I think I wore the tape out more than once before I finally got it on CD. Tom Berenger, so young. I love seeing all the old NJ sights. I feel young. Here I am, singing again, at the top of my lungs. AND, Eddie and The Crusiers 2, 1989, is on immediately following! Certainly not as good as the first, but still worth the watch just for old times’ sake.

Off to Webster Flea Market tomorrow. Boondocking in, hopefully, a dry farm field in anticipation of their extra large MLK day event on Monday. I can’t wait.



Kat out

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