Yo my Buddies,
Well, we have WiFi again. I did a lot of research on WiFi on the road and what I ended up with was a WiFi Ranger Mobile Boost which is designed specifically for RVs. It takes existing WiFi signals in the area and boosts their strength as well as continuously repeats the signals.
We have had full strength signals at all places we have stopped - so I think I made the right decision.
Well - here we sit in Stanton MO - just outside of St. Louis MO. We are in a KOA campground - we joined this group so we get a 10% discount which is nice. Gas is very expensive out here $3.89 - $3.99 per gallon for regular. RVs as you may know are gas drinkers - we have been getting an average of 9 - 10 miles per gallon and the bill for my 6 hours of driving today was $129. This gas expense is something we will have to manage and that will be done by staying in one place for a week or longer. We have a $ figure in our budget for gas and that is what we will manage to. We anticipated an increase in gas prices and our gas budget is based on $4.00 per gallon.
Sooooo stay put longer and send less on gas! Simple!!!
The wind was not present today which was greatly appreciated!!!!! When we crossed over from Indiana into Illinois the conditions of the roads became much better - way-way less pot holes and road cracks. This made me decide to make Abe Lincoln my favorite President!
However that said - and I just said it - when we crossed over from Illinois into Missouri
the roads became even better - smooth as glass - no cracks and no pot holes ------ so I have now decided that Harry Truman is my favorite President!!!!
:>)
Tomorrow we hope to make it to Tulsa OK or into Oklahoma City. Melissa has not driven the RV yet as she is a bit gun shy so we will wait and try to get her some practice on less busy roads with less 18 wheelers on them. Once again we had many 18 wheelers ZOOMING past us on both sides - I've decided that they are bullies!!!
So 6 hours per day seems to be my limit for driving and just as fatigue starts to set in we look for a place to stay. Melissa is the navigator and she works the GPS and her
i-phone. The GPS has a couple of great features in that you press a button and it lists all the gas stations in your area - with phone #'s - another button will give you all the RV Parks in your area. The GPS was designed for RV-ers and it works just great.
I also joined Pilot/Flying J and they give RV-ers a .03 per gallon discount.
So there are ways to save on gas and on RV parks and at the end of the year these savings can really add up.
Well, the KOA park we are in serves up some food - pizza, Baby Back Ribs, Pulled Pork and BBQ chicken breast from 4-7PM (not free of course) however we need a good meal as our refrig is empty (only diet coke, water & kit kat bars left) so we'll splurge and buy some supper!
:>)
Tomorrow we'll try to pull off the hyway - find a grocery store and stock up the frig again.
WELL ----- STAYED TUNED --- MORE TRAVEL NEWS TO COME AS LONG AS WE CAN GET WiFi. We hope to reach Santa Fe on Sunday 4/15 (for a 17 day stay) - which seems good as we are on schedule and as long as I can maintain the 6 hours/day of driving and the weather stays with us - WE'RE GOOD!!!!
Later my friends ---------
JR :>)