Sunday, June 6, 2010

RV Withdrawals

It's been over 24 hours since we returned our RV, and I am starting to show symptoms of withdrawal.

Every time I open a door I wait patiently for the step to come out before entering.

Every time I go to use the bathroom my foot automatically reaches for the pedal to fill it.

Every time I go into a gas station I look for the slot machines.

Every time I toss and turn I wonder if I have disturbed my RV mate's peaceful sleep.

Every time I need to change I look for my displaced duffle bag.

Every time I see a buffalo, I start to drool uncontrollably.

Every time I get in an automobile I look for a table to sit at.

Every time I see free literature I take it. StumbleUpon

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Fun Facts with Alli

I tried to find specific pamphlets on each of the topics that needed fact checking...but was unable. so therefore i'll just use my own knowledge (and the internets).


1. George Washington for SURE killed the King of England and according to wikianswers, he also killed 1 billion people.  but really most people thing he didn't kill anyone. except maybe that mountain.


2.  Crazy Horse was 36 when he died.  chris you have 5 years to do something to get your head on a mountain.  good luck.


3.  after my massive time consuming research i have determined that your mystery lake in the black hills could potentially be Sylvan Lake, but it could also be one of about 35 other lakes in the region.  i put my hot pocket in the microwave, did my research and now my hot pocket is done, so that is what i am going with. sylvan.


4. Schells Falls is in fact Shell's Falls.


5.  Fresair is made by "the works" : http://www.theworkscleans.com/fresair.html


6.  i checked out the MSDS info for Campa Chem - it may be fatal or cause blindness if swallowed.  weird. i would think there would be a lot of bad things that could happen to you between death and blindness, but apparently those are the two options.  you either die or go blind.  don't eat campa chem.


i will continue to fact check.  and add random facts. maybe this blog will now just be Alli's Fun With Facts.


glad you are all home in MN and closer to me.  it makes me happy. StumbleUpon

Friday, June 4, 2010

Cool shit we've seen.

Spend 9 days on a road trip through the Wild West, and I promise you you'll see some shit. As we've reached the flat, lame, South Dakota portion of our trip, its time to reflect on all the cool shit we've seen aboard this recreational vehicle. See for yourself. 
Nice little stream to fish in Montana. No fish, but nice stream.

The Mammoth Sulphur Springs. Pretty cool shit. 

Not sure what this lake was called, but it was cool shit. Also, lots of buffalo shit. 

Schells Falls in Wyoming. It was some cool shit. I fit in well with other mammals in the area. 

Beautiful, pristine lake in the Black Hills. Also can't remember the name. But definitely cool shit. 

Sweet waterfall in Glacier N.P. Glacier was full of cool shit. 

View from the wedding reception in Lakeside, MT. It didn't suck. 

Crazy Horse. Definitely crazy, definitely not just a clever name. Also, I think he's pointing at some other cool shit off in the distance. 

Is that some cool shit over there behind that giant boulder?

You know what this is. 

Steamy, hot sulphur bath. Very cool. We only saw about 8,000 of these. 

Good thing we brought these binoculars, or I wouldn't be able to see all that cool shit down there. 

Bubbling geyser. Dormant, yet active?

My wife. She's cool shit. 

Canyon in Yellowstone. Easily the coolest shit I saw the whole trip. It looked like a painting. I miss it. 

Even as a Cornhusker fan, I gotta say these buffalo were some cool shit. All of them. Cool. 

George. Best President ever. He single handedly killed 1,500 british soldiers AND the King* to take the throne as President of the good ol USA.  He should be on that mountain alone. 


Chico Hot Springs on my birthday. Probably the best night of the trip. Check this place out if you're ever in the area. 

If any of you have been to these spots, you know what I'm talking about. Its been a great trip.

Final note for Friday: South Dakota is without a doubt a 3 Mountain Dew state.

Chris

*I wasn't a history major. Maybe someone can verify this information? Alli? StumbleUpon

Everything I Learned About RVing, I Learned From Spirit #27, Formally Known as Spirit #28

The group practicing the pull out method in South Dakota.
See #9 for clarification.
1.) When they tell you to put the Campa-Chem in the RV toilet after every dump (not pooping, but after every time you empty the "black tank") they are NOT kidding. Failure to do so may result in an unpleasant stale tuna (the fish) smell.

2.) Fresair, the generic of febreez is a MUST (check your local Big Lots). Nothing covers the stench of campfire, sweaty feet, boys and farting better! We are down to a quarter of a bottle as of now.

3.) Bubble wrap and put your french press in a box after every use. We are on french press #2.

4.) Road legs. Just like people have sea legs you get road legs. After being in the RV for just a short time you will notice that gas stations, coffee stands and restrooms feel like they are moving. Despite what your legs are telling you, they are not.

5.) A mobile AC outlet is clutch! Electrical outlets don't work when the RV is in motion. So you cannot use your straightener or your electric shaver while driving through the national parks, or anywhere else for that matter.

6.) Purell. Swine Flu is an avid concern in close quarters.

7.) Kiss your significant other good-bye as you leave your house to go on a RV trip. Even if they are coming with you. One leg spasm rocks the entire RV.

8.) Bring an Atlas! Atlases are cool, they give you the BIG picture.

9.) The Pull Out Method. Scenic pull outs are scattered around all around the country. Take advantage of them. Pull out every time. We have found the pull out method to be 100% effective.

10.) When driving the RV, remember, "it's not a Cavalier!"

11.) Binoculars, Binoculars, Binoculars! Whether you want to spy on the couple four campsites down or seek out wildlife, I have one word for you, binoculars!

12.) Make sure you like, even love the people you are with. If you don't, remember the song..."if you can't be with the one you love, love the one your with."
Eat the local fare. See #26 for specifics.

13.) Roadwork is not a RV friend. Proceed with caution. Watch for shattering coffee cups, and beware when using the bathroom.

14.) Don't load up on sunblock. Doing so will result in 7 days of rain, and no pot of gold at the end of the rainbows.

15.) Abuse the free literature. Two days into your trip you will already know everyone's life story (as they see it), then people just start making up stuff, like how the Canadian goose population plummeted when they started mating with the American goose population.

16.) KOA campsites are expensive, cheesy and resorty. On the other hand they have nice bathrooms, with music. At least the one in Cody, WY did.

17.) Make sure you know exactly what time you need to return the RV. Some people's 5:00 may be someone else's 4:00.

18.) Poor life decisions can be made on RV trips. See #17.

Practicing #12 at Yellowstone National Park.
19.) Every RV needs a designated junk drawer. Don't know where to put it? Junk drawer! Don't know where it is? Junk drawer!

20.) Every RV needs a liquor cabinet. Our's contains booze, a purse, a cell phone charger and pop-tarts.

21.) Don't forget to bring a towel. Towelie is our towel of choice.

22.) No pooping in the RV toilet. Exceptions can be made though, for example consuming too much buffalo. For more details ask Kat.

23.) To eliminate the possibility of taking over the driving responsibility, crack a beer, then another one and then another one. Follow with a bottle of water, just to show that you "would" drive.

24.) Mountain Due is the RVer's soda of choice. It is a soda that no one admits drinking, but everyone will drink it.

25.) The best RVwhich is a mini whole wheat bagel with peanut butter, sliced banana's and a touch of honey.

26.) Eat the local fare. When in Montana eat cow, when in Wyoming eat buffalo, when in South Dakota eat rocks, when in North Dakota eat at Olive Garden.

27.) And finally, one last thought to keep in mind, it's not the destination, it's the journey. StumbleUpon

"Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson...Paul Revere?"

No, Jana. That is not Paul Revere on that mountain.

Since leaving the snowy confines of Yellowstone (and seeing some incredible things) we've turned this Steel Horse east toward the Black Hills of SoDak.

Much like Montana, I'm really impressed. We strolled the streets of Deadwood to learn all about Wild Bill Hickok, Kevin Costner and that seductive little whore named Single Deck Blackjack. We parked the RV in a sweet spot in the middle of the gulch with great views and enjoyed some tasty spaghetti and buffalo meatballs prepared RV style. All in all a fine night in gold country.

One more note on the Black Hills...You've got to be some seriously effed-up type of crazy to carve out a goddamn mountain. But thank you to those that are/have. Your handiwork has now been stared at with complete amazement by yours truly.

Cheers,
Chris
StumbleUpon

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Beam Me Back Scotty!

as some of you know (and the rest of you could care less about) i am no longer on the rv. damn.

i miss everything about it. i miss the sound of crashing dishes as we shimmy side to side. i miss the shaking hands after 5 cups of coffee. i miss the early morning brews by the river. i miss the smell of fresair. but most of all i miss those damn pamphlets!

i think they should have pamphlets about things everywhere. like not just at convenience stores, hotel lobbies, rest areas, local businesses, dentists offices, doctors offices, gynecologists offices, hair dressers, nail salons, malls, and various other places that we frequent pretty much every day of our lives, but they should also have them like on the corners of rural streets (say HWY 134 in north-central minnesota).

ok so maybe they have pamphlets everywhere, but not here. not where i am. not when i want to read them. so therefore i had to settle on animal planet and the history channel for my fix of random facts.

1. when wolves mate, they actually have to stay adjoined for about half an hour. like they really can't pull out.  at all. even when the alpha male is attacking them.



2.  bison in yellowstone go near the geysers during the winter to find food since the heat melts the snow and they can eat the grass. lots of them die of arsenic poisoning because of it. why keep eating the grass?  that sees dumb.

3.  permission was officially given for them to build Mt. Rushmore on March 5th, 1925.  hey kat!  that's your birthday!

4.  also. this exists:  http://www.ahsgr.org/

damn. i miss pamphlets. and you guys. StumbleUpon

Welcome to the family Naomi Schmid!

The wheels on the bus go round and round all the way to Steve's & Naomi's wedding.


I now pronounce you husband and wife Schmid.



Exhibit A: Husband and Wife Liakos.


Exhibit B: Husband and Wife Meyer


Exhibit D: XHusband and XWife Schmid


Exhibit F: Bestman Mike Schmid

The unsuspecting wedding party.

"Naomi. Come out, come out where ever you are."

Moms! We love moms.

Twins! We love twins. Double the...

Tres Amigas! Together we have six boobs.




The wedding party and commoners mingle.
"Steve. Come out, come out where ever you are."






StumbleUpon

Interpretive Dance

Q: What is an interpretive site?

A: As we drove through Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming, this morning the Shell Falls Interpretive Site begged us to stop.

So we did.

Upon exiting the RV Shell Falls started whispering to the female RV passengers to dance. Not wanting to piss mother nature off again (we just got back in her good graces, after her wrath of six days of rain we couldn't out run), Kathleen and I did an interpretive dance at Shell Falls. So, as we see it, an interpretive site is an area for people to stop and do an interpretive dance to get back in the good graces of mother nature. StumbleUpon

The Golden Birthday

How do you celebrate a golden birthday on a RV trip?

First you dress the birthday boy in gold.

Then you decorate the RV with items you found at Ben Franklin in Whitefish, MT, while looking for deodorant.

Next you make a pit stop at the meat market. Go meat!


No comment.

Then you try to claim the title of "Trout Slayer"

You shop around at a sportsman store in Bozeman, MT.

As the sun get's ready to set, you soak your old achy bones in Chico, MT

Hot Spring in Chico, MT

Restrooms at Chico, MT

Finally, before your RV mates turn into vampires, you blow out your candles.





StumbleUpon

You know you are in Cody when….

After a rainy time in Yellowstone National Park, we decided to seek better weather in Black Hills National Forest. Due to time constraints, we ended up in Cody, WY.

1. Rodeo Car – hand painted car driving around the RV Camp with speakers telling everyone to come to tonight’s rodeo show.

2. Rodeo Bus – Personal bus from the KOA to shuttle people to the event.

3. RV Camp Ground – Paid 75 dollars for an 8 x 10 piece of grass.

4. Maintenance Crew – Power went out in the RV spot next to us. The ground crew came over and inspected the electrical. There were three guys shouting at each other saying kick it harder. I don’t think that works…. Just saying. A couple hours later they came back and proceeded to kick the electrical box one more time.

5. Fire Pits – Usually camp grounds fire pits have a dug hole where you can start a fire. This place had a 5 dollar ring from Walmart.

6. Pancakes – The KOA we stayed at had a sign for free pancakes in the morning. When we got there, the pancakes were free but everything else cost money to eat. Why just have pancakes for free?








StumbleUpon

Best Man Duties: Holding the Wedding Ring

For Steve’s wedding I was appointed best man. The months coming up to Steve’s wedding went pretty smooth. I was unaware of all the responsibilities leading up to the wedding. To be perfectly fair, Steve did give me a cheat sheet of all the things I needed to do just before the wedding.

There was one best man responsibility that I have been attempting to get the trust of Naomi. That’s holding the wedding ring. It has been known that over the years I tend to lose a lot of things. My mom put it best, “If you head was not attached to your body, you would lose it.” In order to gain the trust of Naomi and Steve, I was supplied with an empty ring box to see if I can handle the most important duty. The day before the wedding I was in charge with holding this empty ring box to see if I would lose it. Anyone at anytime could approach me and ask for a ring box check. If at anytime I didn’t have the ring box, my privilege can be taken away.

The morning of Steve’s wedding, Naomi informed me that I entered her circle of trust and could hold the ring. Even though they told me they could trust me, you can clearly see that there was doubt in their eyes. As the wedding was proceeding on the minister gave me the signs indicating the ring exchange was coming up. Nervously I reached into my pocket and grabbed the ring. As I exchanged the ring with the minister, Naomi performed some small clapping motions while Steve turned around and gave me a high five. All members in the family who know of my history where clapping in joy. After that moment all the weight just came off of my back.




StumbleUpon