Roadrunner Financials - August 2011

Roadrunner Recap
In August we made our way from Grand Forks ND to the Detroit MI border town of Port Huron.  We left Grand Forks after a few days and went to a Care-A-Vanner Habitat for Humanity build in Brookings SD for two weeks.
Then we saw friends in both Sioux Falls SD and Council Bluffs IA (near Omaha NE).

• Grand Forks AFB ND
• Larson Mfg Parking Lot, Brookings SD
• WH Lyons Empire Fairgrounds, Sioux Falls SD
• Horseshoe Casino, Council Bluffs IA
• Port Huron City Campground MI

Here's an interactive map that shows where we traveled.  You can click on the letters and it will tell you the location.  

We did a good job with things this month.  Although we put some miles on the Roadrunner, we were still under our budget which is always nice.

Good News Areas We Are Under Budget
 RV Maintenance, Campgrounds and One Time Costs were those places where we saved the most.

Biggest Expenses
 We replaced our grill for a Weber grill which cost $148.  We also both got work boots which cost $265 for both.  

Large One Time Cost Items
 Our iPad cost us $918.

Monthly Average

We were a little over this money but we went crazy and spent money on some big ticket items.  Not that we didn't want them or need them -- but those four things accounted for our biggest expenses.

That's what our spending looked like for the month.  Thanks for taking a peek.  Hopefully they provide help or entertainment of some sort...  If you'd like a free copy of the spreadsheet I use, drop me a note and I will be glad to send it along.

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Roadrunner Financials - July 2011

Roadrunner Recap

• Camp Murray ANG Campground, Tacoma WA
• Pacific Beach Navy Resort and Conference Center, WA
• Nehalem State Park OR
• Cedars RV Resort, Ferndale WA
• Fairchild AFB Famcamp, Spokane WA
• North American RV Park, Coram MT
• Minot AFB Famcamp MT
• Grand Forks AFB ND

Here's an interactive map that shows where we traveled.  You can click on the letters and it will tell you the location.

During July, we put a lot of miles on the Roadrunner again.  Since we were in the Northwest, we wanted to see Seattle and Vancouver.  We did that by taking day trips.

We also took a long day trip to Anacortes Port for a ferry to Victoria BC which was great.

Then we went down the Oregon Coast and stayed at a Navy campground.  Turns out we should have only stayed there a few days so we could go farther south.  Instead we explored the area with time at Tillamook Cheese factory and some quaint towns along the coast.

We also stayed at an Oregon State Park that was a tight fit but adequate.

Our travels also took us along the northern states in the NW and we crossed the border a few times to say 'we have been in Alberta and Saskatchewan'.  We also stayed at Minot AFB Grand Forks AFB in North Dakota.

Good News Areas We Are Under Budget
We were a little under on our campground fees for the month, probably because we spent 10 days at a Navy Campground along the southern coast of Washington.
We also were a little under budget in our grocery costs.

Biggest Expenses
Like the previous month of June, we spent a lot on fuel.  Both diesel and gas.  
TV and Internet are budgeted wrongly as we are always over budget in this area.

Food (as in eating out) was little high for just the two of us, but then we were under in the grocery area so that was not a big deal.

Large One Time Cost Items
Nothing really stands out in this area this month.

Monthly Average

We were a modest $15 over budget this month and we were fine with that.

Thanks for taking a look with us on the budget and finances.  One reason I am doing this is to track our expenses and secondly - I hope it is helpful to some of you out there who might be asking "how much does it really cost to full-time as an RVer".

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Time in North Dakota

After Glacier NP, we drove east and are in Grand Forks, ND.  It took us a few days to get here.  After leaving Coram, MT (near Glacier NP), we drove on Highway 2 east for an overnight stay in Glasgow, MT  at the Cottonwood Inn and Suites/RV Park.

It was a pretty interesting idea and we wonder why more motels don't have an RV park out back.  It was off the busy highway in a quiet place and had full hookups plus use of the pool and facilities.


From Glasgow, we continued east to Minot AFB FamCamp in Minot, ND.  The campground was full but it had decent overflow camping near by.  We parked out of the way and on pavement in a level area.

The base has a policy of a no cost boon-docking area, plus they will come around to your trailer/RV and pump it out and/or give you water if you need it.  All free.  Zippo.  It was a pretty good deal and we were 100 yards from the BX and commissary.  For a three day stay it was perfect.

We heard about Minot and all the flooding in June.  It was raining when we drove through town on the way to the base.  We had to be re-routed from a bridge that was flooding.

A couple of days later, we visited the areas in town that were flooded out and underwater.

It was heart breaking and sobering.  The hard work of rebuilding has begun but the smell was strong and no one was back in these homes yet.

Another day we drove north across the Canada border into Saskatchewan

and over to Manitoba before we crossed the border again and returned to Minot.

From Minot we drove east to Grand Forks, ND and are staying at the Air Force Base FamCamp.

It is in an old mobile home park area of the base with lots of grass and open area.  The optimum area for the warm, 85 degree weather is under the trees.  After being in this spot three days,

we were able to move to this location.  A little shade and fire ring were nice.  Probably the best thing about the sites here are the price:  $6 for full hook ups if you are a senior and $12 for the rest of us.  Hard to beat.

While at the previous spot, I spent three days washing and waxing the Roadrunner.

It was a big job, but we were happy with the results.

A highlight while here was a visit from NOMADS friends Don and Lillian.

We met in Galveston two years ago on a NOMADS project and then met up again in Mississippi in January.

After a lot of miles the last few weeks, it was good to stay in one place for a while.  This past week I have been able to put in some hours doing my online work which comes up at the end of every month.  We have also done a lot of reading and some walking the last few days.  I had a good run one day and took out my bike for a trip around the base.  But we are looking forward to traveling south tomorrow and arriving at Brookings, SD for a Habitat Build.

So that is what we have been up to the last week or so.  Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles.  And thanks for your comments.  We look forward to them.