Brian and Barbara RV'ing: Escapades 2019

We dug out the maps and sketched out a route for the summer thru California, Oregon and Washington the across Idaho into Montana. Now we only have one problem.

We want to get going!!

Our ambition was realized and we got going. Not far, just 80 miles or so to Tucson for the annual Escapades Rally put on by our favorite Escapees RV Club (www.escapees.com).

We met up with our great friends from the Shanty Shakers the San Diego Chapter of the Escapees. To get parked next to each other at the rally site we had to drive in as a convoy so to make things easier we all dry camped at a truck stop/bar/restaurant called the Spotted Bull eatery in Vail AZ, about 5 miles from the rally. There were 15 rigs in the convoy and when we got settled in we found all the other Shanty Shakers who were on staff, plus more who arrived on their own. We had nearly 50 people with us!

Dry caped at the Spotted Bull Eatery.

At one evening event Debbie Lupton introduced us to Clive and Jean Munro who are from UK and had just arrived 2 weeks before, bought a truck and 5^th Wheel trailer and were on their way to the West Coast. Naturally we adopted them! It turns out they are staying in Casa Grande after the rally so we will be showing them around that town too!!

Busy wasn't the word, we were just rushed off our feet all week with me teaching 2 painting classes, entering 3 photo's in the photo contest, volunteering at the sign up for the contest, attending a seminar, enjoying the RV dealer's Happy Hours, the Shanty Shakers Happy Hours, meeting friends from all over the place, meeting new friends, fiddling with our new RV Satellite TV installation and the Rooftop TV antenna with Scott Pearson, getting John Lupton to install our new surge protector and in return painting him a “Shingle” to place in his window.

The line for free booze at the RV Dealer's Happy Hour.

That didn't include all the entertainment put on for the rally or the Chili Cook-Off (nice Chili Suzanne!) or shopping for supplies for the painting classes!!

13 beginners at the Art Class

And 11 Intermediate painters too

We thought we stayed busy in Casa Grande!.

The shingle painting for John and Debbie

This has been a fun and very crazy week. It will be a pleasure to get back to normal next week but then again we will be off for the summer April 1^st and more adventures are around the corner.

I'm glad John was available to wire up this!!

Our past caught up with us when friends from our motorcycle days in San Diego showed up. Ralph and Crystal started full timing last May and we have been hoping to catch up with them.This was the time and they had fun along with Solo their Corgi puppy. Archie and Ellaine from the same group arrived unexpectedly too so we had lots of catching up to do.

Shanty Shakers sampling the free booze

Shanty Shakers drinking their own booze!

Bruce and Sue were working the information booth, Marty and Peggy gave a seminar on Veterans Benefits, John was on the sound crew while Debbie was setting up the rooms for seminars, Matt and Carol were coordinators. Rey and Ron were driving the shuttle carts. All in all a very active group of people and a joy to be with.

Got to go right now. More parties to attend!!