Upgrading the Radio

We have had a love/hate relationship with our Magnadyne CD player/radio that came with our Allegro Bus.  Unlike a car radio/CD system that is pretty user friendly, we got on the wrong side of this machine and pretty much stayed there for the last few years.

We had a few weeks of bliss here and there and the radio worked fine…but in many cases we would push a button on what we thought was the FM radio, but quickly got lost into the dark caverns of la la land with no way of getting out.  We didn't know which buttons to push so we pushed them all and made it even worse!  (The weather channel seemed to always be there but we seldom listen to it on purpose.)

So -- last time we were in Red Bay we asked about upgrading the radio and changing it out.  We learned the Magnadyne is apparently a pretty good one, but we have not had much luck with it.  And then it died…  It got locked into one mode and it would not move at all.  Time to replace it.

The time came yesterday.  After many months of talking about it and not really taking action, we wandered over to the car radio section of Best Buy.  The techs back at Red Bay had mentioned Tiffin was starting to install Kenwood models, so we started there.  And I remembered about needing a 'double din' model.  The techs said we'd also would need to order a new dash face plate for the double din size radio.  I figured we would do that after we got the radio.  Maybe we could get it installed without a dash face plate and install it later...

After looking at a lot of radios in the store display area, we went back to the Geek Squad install shop.

Turns out, John, the lead installer has been in the business for 35 years and has installed many in RV's.  He helped us pick out a Kenwood model we liked and we made an appointment for yesterday.

We were there a little before our 10:00 AM appointment.

John took look at the old radio and pulled it out.  The double din sized Kenwood model we picked out would not fit.  But they had a JVC din 1/2 model (same size as the old Magnadyne), so we selected that model.

It came with a CD player and has a iPod/iPhone connection and Bluetooth technology, so it was fine with us.  And it was significantly cheaper than the $400+ model we were looking at.

John took out the old radio, got a adapter harness and looked at the wires.

Then he took the new radio back to the shop and put connectors on all the wires so they would attach to those in the dash.

 And he mounted the microphone on the dash face plate and bundled the wires to put back in behind the radio.

Wow did it look good!

Now to try it out. We put it through its paces and tried out everything and got to the Bluetooth stuff.  Ugh oh….
Major problem here.  It would not synch with my iPhone.  We tried Pam's iPhone.  It searched and searched and would not pair with hers either.  We tried John's Samsung (I didn't ask, but assume it was a Galaxy).  No problem, worked fine.  We tried again to get my iPhone working with it.  No dice.

Well…we decided to go back out on the floor and see if my iPhone would pair with any of the display models.  Yep! There were lots of ones the iPhone was trying to pair with.  But not the JVC models.  There was a little more expensive model ($139) that was a Kenwood that worked-- so we chose it.

Then John went back to the Roadrunner and pulled out the JVC model, got connectors ready on the Kenwood model and hooked it up inside the RV.  It worked fine!  We were back (almost) to where we started.  I thought we wanted a double din size Kenwood.  

Turns out the din and 1/2 size worked fine and had a CD player.  And the Bluetooth worked too!  Pam called from her phone and since mine was paired with the radio, I answered and talked with her with out touching the iPhone.  It all went through the radio ala 'hands free'.
This stuff is amazing when it works.  And we can play music from our iPhone or iPod.

The biggest thing about it is that is straight forward, pretty user-friendly.  No more mystery on how to get to FM and AM and the CD player like the old one.  (And it has some fancy multi colored lights…)

We are pretty thrilled.  All for $216.56.  I don't remember what the quote was back at Red Bay to get a Kenwood radio installed, but I think it was more in the $400-$500 range.  We don't care about a GPS and big screen since we use our iPhone for GPS when we need it.  And there is need to get a larger dash face plate.

It took about three hours to pack up and drive into town to the Best Buy store, go through a few iterations and models and get it installed, and drive back and set up at our campground 10 miles away -- but it was well worth it.

Now we have a great radio we will be using whether we are parked or cruising down the road.

That's all this time on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  And thanks for joining us!  Until next time...

Roadrunner Reflections - Taking It All In

Sometimes I get in the contemplative mode - do you?

Often as an RV full-timer, we meet people who ask how we could do this?  How could we get rid of all our stuff and leave our house.  What will we come back to?  I think more of "There is a lot to see out there, we better get started…"

Truth is, we never really think about what we left behind much.  When we first started, we never missed our stuff.   And we don't wish for those days of a mortgage and all that.  Yes, we do miss our friends at times.  And we will be back and hopefully get to see them then.  But things are always changing back there…they were moving away or getting busy in their things. Moving into this phase of our life has been just the right thing at the right time for us to pursue.  And it still is.

At times, it was almost overload mode.  Starting out, it was almost overwhelming.  But we just learned how to talk it out and work through things.  At first, it was a big learning curve how to do this…how to drive this 40' diesel pusher.  I remember staying awake the first couple of weeks at our campground wondering how I was going to get out of our campsite with out hitting the big tree… Did you ever do that?.

And then we started learning how to operate everything inside.  And how all the systems work.  And what happens when something doesn't work right and ……  It was a lot to learn and everyday we felt like we were learning lots about everything.  It was a lot coming at us when we started out.  It took 18 months to feel like we halfway knew what we were doing.  And we continue to learn new things.  But not at the speed we did when we first started out.

Then there is the adventure of it all.  Being able to see new and exciting and fun places and interesting things.  I think I will always feel as if I am 'behind on my blog' because a lot of times I see things during the day and think, 'that would make a good subject for a blog…'.  I currently have 789 published posts and another 98 'drafts'.  And I have half a dozen ideas of other blogs I wanted to start but just haven't figured out how to integrate them into this.  Like one dedicated only to 'Financials', one to 'Starting Out' showing what we had to buy separately after we bought the Roadrunner.  Then I have thought about 'Campsites' - a review of the campgrounds and places we have stayed…. Then I think, "why do that?" plus it is a lot of work---plus I have way to many books to read.

And the more I see, the more questions I have. It is one thing to see the beauty and the scenery.  I want to learn more about the places, the people, the history.  And we are doing that.  It is a lot of fun to get an idea of how things used to be in an area.  Like Monterey Bay where we were recently.  I am fascinated by Cannery Row, both the fiction part and the real history of how it was booming in the 1920s to the 1940s until the sardine industry was basically all fished out...

So sometimes, after a busy few days, it can be sensory overload.  It helps to take a lot of pictures, but I wish I could just frame it all in my mind and keep it and enjoy it.  A lot of time I forget the views and the smells and the way different places feel. After being in a place that may be one of my all time favorites, it is too much to take in…  The beauty of the crashing waves on the rocks and the beach.  The clear blue water mixed with the curtains of white foam.  I could spend months here taking it all in.

But it is time to move on.  We have an alternating schedule where sometimes we are real busy and other times we aren't.  Right now we aren't.  Another way to say it might be our current slow down time comes at a good time.  And we will be doing that for the next few weeks and look forward to 'projects around the house'.

After seeing lots of family and friends and lots of places in the San Francisco Bay area and Monterey Peninsula the past few weeks, we are here in the San Luis Obispo area.  We will be here for a little over a week before we start slowly making our way south to the San Diego area.

That's about all for today on the Roadrunner Chronicles - Thanks so much for joining us!

We Love Pacific Grove

Pacific Grove is next door to Monterey CA.  It is like the rest of the Monterey Bay ~ scenic!

We first came upon it two weeks ago when Kirk and Susan came for a visit.   We were headed for 17 mile drive but first took a drive through Pacific Grove along the water.
What a fantastic drive along the coast.

We just took our time.  Front row seat on a bench.  Watching the waves crash into the rocks.  Again and again.

Another day Pam and I took an evening drive along the coast at Pacific Grove.

As you might suspect, we were not the only ones enjoying the evening.

And we took in the sunset from another vantage point.

And yesterday I took a 13 mile bike ride from our campground, downtown through Monterey, Cannery Row and to Pacific Grove.

It definitely is one of my most favorite rides!

And yesterday Pam and I went back to to Pacific Grove to play the 'poor man's Pebble Beach' golf course.  What a fun time that was!

We got to play with Emily and Janine, friends who both raised families here and are each separately involved in the community as Executive Directors of two non-profits - a food bank and the local chapter of Meals on Wheels.

Speaking of meals, I got a picture (above) of Pam eating her sandwich. Here is one of a sea gull eating mine.

The front nine of the course was not that picturesque.  The back nine was a different story.

We enjoyed our time on the course.

And at Pacific Grove.  

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  Until next time...

Our Campground in Monterey

Our little campground is known as "Monterey Pines" and is in the middle of the golf course by the same name. (It is a military campground run by the Navy.) When we drove into the golf course, a sign said, "Park RV here" which was in front of the golf pro shop and not far from the #1 tee.

That is a first.  And the office is in the back of the pro shop.  What a fantastic place to have a campground office!  I'm not too sure how well it works out for the golfers and the pro shop, but if I were the campground manager, I would say it doesn't get much better than this.

The campground itself has been here a while and looks as if it has been upgraded.  The whole golf course looks like it has been 'redone' and given a shot in the arm.  We played the course last week and though it is a short course, the tees, fairways and greens and in very nice shape.  It is very well maintained.

The RV campground has holes around it on every side.  And a couple of times, the Roadrunner got belted with a golf ball on top of the roof.  Though there is a high net fence protecting one side of the campground, golf balls seem to make their way into the parked RVs with regularity which is a bit disconcerting.

Rule #1 for campers is that they are not allowed on the course.  As a golfer and a camper, I can understand that and have no problem with it.  And to my knowledge it is not a issue.

As I said the campground has been upgraded.  Or at least there is a new shower and laundry.  It is quite nice.

Our campsite is fine, nothing exceptional.  The biggest thing for us at this campground is that we have a site that is long enough for The Roadrunner, and it is fairly level.

A key consideration for us when we set up, it to try and get the place on the site where all the wheels are still on the ground.  We don't like to be sitting on the jacks only, with the wheels raised in the air.  Some people don't mind it, but we try to avoid it.  There are a few campsites here where that is unavoidable.  Fifth wheels have no problem in those spots.  With a motorhome, its different.

The area around our campsite it nice.  There is no view to speak of (we are next to the back of a warehouse parking lot on the course).  But there are some trees (DirecTV access was no problem) and our own little 'space'.

And we have good space between our site and our neighbors, so we appreciate that.

I would say the campground is small, but adequate.

It definitely did not have the 'it' factor, but then few of campgrounds where we stay, do.  The 'it' not high on our list of priorities.  We usually are looking for a place that has 50 amp in the middle of the summer or winter (so we can run the a/c or the heaters without concern), has level campsites and fairly easy access, and is near our budget ($20/night).  I lowered our budget from $25 to $20 this year, just to see if we could do it.  So far, we are above that.  Last month our daily campground fee averaged $30.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give this place a 6.  But I would come back.  It is not the campground that draws us here to the area.  But the price is right and it meets our needs.

So that is a look at our 'spot' for the last couple of weeks in Monterey, California.  The Monterey Bay region here on the coast is among the most scenic we have ever experienced.  It may be my favorite place to stay.

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  And thanks for taking a moment and leaving a comment!

Roadrunner Financials - September 2013

September was a great month to see northern California and connect with friends and family.
Roadrunner Recap

We only had three stops during September:

• A - Travis AFB (Fairfield, CA) - 17 days
• B - Trailer Villa RV Campground (Redwood City, CA) - 5 days
• C - Monterey Pines Navy Campground (Monterey, CA) - 8 days

While at Travis AFB, we took day trips to Napa Valley and Sacramento.  We also went up to the Sierras three times to see my brother at his cabin in Arnold, CA.  

We moved on to Redwood City to be near where my nephew was getting married (Burlingame, CA). In addition to the wedding at the Kohl Mansion and an associated golf outing in San Jose, we also ventured in to San Francisco and saw Alcatraz Island and some of the city.

After the wedding, we traveled south to Monterey CA.  While there, we enjoyed the area and took day trips to Carmel, the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course and 17 Mile Drive.  We also spent some time in 

Good News Areas Under Budget

This shows our RV insurance budget over what we need.  It will be under budget every month.  I made the budget before we found the lower carrier.
The major difference this month is in Diesel fuel.  We did not travel very far and were $$232 under budget. Another bright spot was in maintenance.  We did get our oil changed and tires rotated on the car, but nothing major.
I called DirecTV and cut down our viewing packages and saved over $50 and will be under budget for the rest of the year in that area also.
Biggest Expenses
We went over in gas but only $46.30 and we did a lot of day trips and 3+ hour drives to Marty's cabin in the Sierras.
The biggest overage was in Campgrounds.  We averaged $30 a night.  We saw our largest price we have ever paid at $64/night in Redwood City.  We wanted to be at Sierra and Matt's and would do it again.
The other two categories that took the biggest bite was in Eating Out and Misc which includes Gifts and Entertainment.  We saw lots of family and friends during the month so we were not surprised.  You  do those things when you get the chance to get together with family.
Large One-Time Cost Items
There were no big one-time expenses to speak of this month.
Monthly Average
I am pretty excited to see how things have averaged out to where we are only $5 over our new and lower $4000/month budget.
The chart below shows Actual Expenses for the first four months of our fifth year, with the average in the right column.

We are thoroughly enjoying our time in California and will are pleased with our expenses after four months into Year 5 on the road.

Pebble Beach and 17 Mile Drive

After our time in the bay area with family and friends at Matt and Sierra's Wedding, we moved south to Monterey, California.  We are staying at the Monterey Pines RV Campground which is operated by the Navy.  It has been fabulous weather here for the last 10 days and more of it to follow.

One of the most scenic drives along the coast you will ever see is "17 Mile Drive".  Here is a National Car Rental map that I found which shows the key points along the way.  It is between the small towns Monterey and Carmel.

We entered at the top of the map, driving from Monterey and into the Pacific Grove Gate.  I think I have been here 2 or 3 times previously, but this was the first time we had to pay a $9.75 fee at the gate.

I don't know how long they have been charging for it, but it was worth it.  If you have a meal at one of the restaurants along the way - the fee is removed from your bill.

It was almost mid-day and we didn't waste any time driving into the Links at Spanish Bay for lunch.

We got a table outside at The Sticks Bar and Grill and had the waiter snap a photo.

We were near the first tee and the practice area.  The turkey club sandwich and iced tea were good choices.

The famous Pebble Beach includes not only Pebble Beach Golf Course but also The Links at Spanish Bay, Poppy Hills, Del Monte Golf Course and Pebble Beach.

We continued on the drive and made a lot of stops along the way.

The traffic was busy but really wasn't too bad.

Over on the course, you could see folks getting photos of themselves at this beautiful place.

 It would be hard to concentrate on the golf with views like this...

The waves were crashing on the rocks which made for some great views

We made it over to Cypress Point

And the famous Lone Tree of Pebble Beach

And the one and only Pebble Beach Golf Links, the Lodge and the Course

We first saw the grounds while they were getting set up for a tournament (First Tee/Champions Tour event)

But still got some photos of the beautiful 18th hole.

And of course we got our picture taken

Those were our highlights of our time on the 17 Mile Drive and Pebble Beach.  After our time at the golf course, we continued on the drive which was not nearly as scenic.  We completed the loop and returned to our starting point in Pacific Grove before returning to Monterey.

It was a another beautiful and memorable day.

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  Until next time...