Cra’t and Pink Flamingos

Little by little we’re figuring out how this trailer travel business works. We have been using Woodall’s directory of RV parks , but finding that the park rules are not like motels. At the Oasis Park in Mesquite they don’t take reservations after 2 PM — they just let the rigs circle and jockey for spaces.

After the dolly accident at the Oasis we just drove in to the Riviera Park in Las Vegas. Got lucky. The guy in the next space was really nice. He volunteered his wife to take Dave into town to pick up the car so we didn’t have to try to load the car onto the trailer while parked on a really busy main road in Las Vegas.

Not for the timid or need-to-know, this trailer travel. My tendency to get attached to the outcome diminishes daily.

We left Las Vegas heading for Bullhead City, AZ. We tried to make a reservation at the Snowbird Resort a couple of times and only got a “uh-huh, Hon, I’m pretty sure we’ll have room.” Then Dave drove the car off the dolly and we had to call and postpone our “reservation” by a day but it didn’t seem to make any difference. “Sure, Hon, we’ll prob’ly have something.” Since the other listings in Bullhead City were saying they were full or not answering, we figured, well…

We left Las Vegas and we were stopped by a beeping and flashing red light that said our racor water filter was full. Thank God Dave knows how to deal with this stuff and doesn’t panic (the beeper was LOUD), but after emptying the filter we couldn’t get the red light to go out so we turned around (no snap feat in itself) and headed back to find an RV services shop. Which was good because it put us on the right highway which we had missed because we were in the wrong lane, and then the light went off so whaddaya know, we’re on the road again to Bullhead City!

Bullhead City is about 20 miles long next to (sort of) the Colorado River. The Snowbird RV Resort is just outside the city limits, turn left at the 3rd adult book/video sore. Telling each other we’re in it for the adventure and remembering Rachel and Larry Baker’s advice to talk to people, we pulled into the Snowbird and stopped at the little Spanish style guard shack in the middle of the drive. I was leaning over with my best smile and Dave was perfectly outgoing in his chat when we realized the guy in the booth was a dummy!

So I thought we were ready for the lady calling my “Hon” and there are even pink flamingos in the cacti out front. But she’s pretty crisp: “Yeah, I remember you (no smile). Als I got is overflow parking, electricity and water only. Pay in advance.” We took it, and she’s making change and writing up the receipt when she says, “You cra’t?” I looked at her stupidly. I just didn’t get it. So, she said louder, “You cra’t?” Maybe she doesn’t have teeth and that’s why I couldn’t understander her. I still didn’t get it, but I knew I had to say something or Dave was going to say “she doesn’t hear well.” Normally that helps me out but in this case I just knew the lady was going to yell at me. So, I said sure. And she said “Well, we got cra’t in the back room on Tuesday and Thursday morning, wit coffee and the ladies are real nice.”

So here we are in the overflow, which means we are up against the trees near the road (State Hwy 95), behind the garbage bins. It’s very private, sort of like camping.

As soon as we got here the pressure regulator on the water inlet broke. Poop. Once again, Davey saved the day. The new part is on order. We get excited about not knowing what is coming around the corner of the next day. But, it is not always immediately positive. Living in the ‘Bird is not the simple life of “Travels with Charlie.” On the other hand, I’ll be Steinbeck never got into a pool with a sign posted that said, “If you have a problem with incontinence, please wear rubber pants.”

I’m finding that Ruby Boxcar, who wrote the ultimate guide to trailer park living that Rachel and Bake gave us, well, Ruby knows her stuff. We noticed that a lot of people in trailer/RV parks smoke. Ruby has directions for a cigarette butt Christmas tree that is unique if nothing else.

Love to all,

Sam