Pleasure-Way 101

After getting to bed late last night I had a hard time getting to sleep – a new bed, a new place and trying to get the bed setup right made for less sleep than I would have liked!  But, the good news is that tonight I know exactly how to do it and I’m sure I’ll get more sleep! :-) 

I was up at 6:15 and decided to turn on the hot water heater so I could get a shower when I was ready to get up.  So I got up and flipped it on, thinking I’d crawl back into bed – well, the light didn’t come on like it was supposed to.  hmmm….  I dug out the owners manual and started trying to figure it out.  The book was no help, but I thought I’d try again to flip it on…  This time I noticed that it says “on” at the bottom of the rocker switch…and I was switching it up rather than down – maybe it was already on?  I ran some water and sure enough it was hot!  Later I told my dad about it and we realized that the switch for his hot water heater was the opposite so he must have turned it on when he meant to turn it off! 

A quick shower and coffee and I was ready to get started with the day! 

Before I came down my dad had gone over almost every inch of the RV with a fine toothed comb and was ready to tell me everything about it.  We went over almost every system and aspect.   We learned that the battery for the chassis (the “car” battery) is under the floor of the driver seats and VERY hard to get to.   We learned where all the flat tire gear is stashed.  We learned which battery, house (powers the RV stuff) or chassis starts the generator.  We learned about how to by-pass the hot water heater when you winterize.  We learned how to make the TV work.   At one point we were both laying on the ground with our heads stuck under the RV looking for the fresh water drain and trying to figure out which tank was which! 

The whole time we were doing this my parents friends were stopping by to meet me, see the RV and discuss RV park politics.  My parents have a site in an RV community and so all their friends are RVers (although they all have big class A (busses)) and were excited to see my coach some even brought me gifts!  It kinda reminded me of a college dorm where all the sudden someone would show up and we’d start talking! 

After lunch we went out to run some errands and I finally got to drive my RV!  I’m amazed at how easy it is to drive!  At one point I kinda forgot I was driving an RV – felt like my VUE!  It’s very easy to steer and very nimble. After 1st getting lost in the RV park (kinda sad since it’s a circle – but I was thrown off because the other Sprinter in the neighborhood, the fix-it guy’s tool truck, had moved sites and I thought I was in a different place) we went to Wal-Mart, Lowes and Publix – the RV easily navigated each parking lot & some quick lane changes!

After the errands we went out to Collier-Seminole State Park, where I am camped tonight.  We found my site, but there was a road right behind it!  I’d been told I could move if I wanted to, so after backing into the site (for practice!) I ended up picking another site and moving over there – once again, backing up to get in.  In both instances my dad helped a bit, but for the most part the RV went exactly where I was expecting it to go and did what I told it to! :-)  It wasn’t hard to get in either site!  Admittedly it helped that the sites were both wide and very flat! 

At the park the RV learning continued – this time it was a lesson in putting out the awning – not something that I’ll be doing frequently because it’ kind of a pain, especially if I did it alone. 

This evening we went to Marco Island for dinner with a friend of my parents who used to live in their RV park but now has a house. 

Now I’m all settled in bed in my RV.  It’s starting to get chilly! YAY!  The sun & heat are quite intense down here!  I’m definitely not a fan of Florida!  Tomorrow afternoon we will start the drive northward!