The ride home

Tuesday afternoon 11 March 2025

   Driving this piece of crap truck was excruciating to say the least! 😒 Rudy couldn't find a comfortable spot. He kept trying to get under my legs, Diane moved around trying to make him comfortable. Eventually she was on the tiny middle seat and Rudy was on the passenger seat. We made it to the hotel in Brunswick Ga about 5:30pm.

   We fueled up and are all ready for a long hard day of driving tomorrow. Only problem is we have all the refrigerator/freezer stuff with us and just a small frig in the room. Diane talked to the hotel staff, and they had a big freezer we put the whole freezer bag in it. We ate what we could from the frig food put the rest in the mini room frig and threw a few items out.

Wednesday 12 March 2025

    We didn't wake up until Diane's alarm went off a 7am. A bit late but we got moving. Until we had breakfast, packed coolers, retrieved our freezer food and loaded the truck it was almost 9am. We pulled back on I-95 north heading to Roanoke Rapids.

    Now you all know we have had a motorhome for last 15 years😀and now we don't😢.  As we travel up the highway, we talked about all the places we haven't stopped, all just along the highway.  Then we talked about the first thing we need to do as soon as we get home. Then we pass a campground we stayed at and remember the times we stay there.  Very mixed emotions.

   As the morning turned to afternoon we stopped for lunch at a nice rest area ate sandwiches, cleaning more food from are coolers.  By 4/4:30 we realized we would not make our travel goal😕.  A traffic snarl and just heavy traffic exhausted us mentally and physically. Diane found us a hotel 75 miles short of our goal.

   We parked at 5:30 or so, carried all our coolers/clothes and Rudy to the third floor, took several trips and an hour until we were done.  Hotel was dirty but functional. $75 pet fee (crazy). The only thing that was good was the BBQ restaurant right beside us. Food was great.  We showered this evening, I took a bag or two of stuff back down to the truck and we set the alarm for 6am.

Thursday 13 March 2025

    Much better this morning we were up, packed, and or I-95 before 8am.  As we drove, we talked about stopping one more night or just drive until we get home.  As the day wore on the thought of carrying all our stuff into another hotel of unknown quality provided momentum to keep driving.  Much cooler today.  To cold and windy to have lunch outside at a rest area.  We stopped at a Buc-ee's😆 for fuel and lunch and right back in the truck.  At this point Rudy will NOT get in the truck, I have to pick him up and put him in.  He and Diane are still playing musical seats. 😏 Rudy gets his way most of the time.

  We were wearing out, driving a rented truck towing a trailer, driving 60 mph on I-95 (55mph on rental agreement) so to change up a bit we picked up route 17 to 15 for last leg of our journey.  We are coming home to a house with nothing in it and a ton work to do.  Probably a little delirious we talked about stopping at Beckley's RV to check out their inventory......No we did not!  We pulled in the driveway at 5:30PM!  Exhausted, we unloaded the refrigerator and freezer food.  Diane opened the refrigerator, what someone broke into the house and stocked our frig!!!  It was Beverly.  So, we had a wonderful bowl of hot homemade chili.   

Make it home!!

   Not much time to rest, rental equipment must be returned tomorrow.

We are home and no PET fee. 😁

Friday 14 March 2025

   We slept wonderful last night.  Diane made us breakfast (western omelet), more food Beverly provided, while I got the car off the trailer and unloaded the truck.  We returned the equipment, stopped at Marzoni's for lunch and went home.

   Boxes everywhere!  No idea where anything is.  The first couple of boxes were packed neatly and labeled.  By the end just stuffed stuff wherever it fit. By happy hour Diane found us enough belongs to shower and change clothes for a couple of days.

   The deer seem to have taken over the place. You look out front 5 of them. Go to the back of the house 9 more. We had some wine and watched them play

They moved in while
we were gone!

I would say they are both exhausted after the long and

stressful trip.  😏

No Mo Moho

 Saturday 8 March 2025

     Right after breakfast the dreaded RV buyer calls back.  They upped the price, not what we wanted but close enough. We made the deal!  Only problem is they want the coach by Tuesday! OMG!!  And we were off searching for a U-Haul, boxes and moving supplies.  After some time (20 phone calls and internet searches) the only U-Haul dealer with what we need is in Clearmont some 35 miles away😒 and can't pick it up until tomorrow. I buzzed to Lowe's grabbed some boxes and tape while Diane started clearing out drawers.  

    We packed and packed until you could hardly walk through the Moho. Heads are spinning and bodies are worn out!

 Sunday 9 March 2025

    Today was kind of a blur.  We headed out to get the U-Haul truck and trailer stopping for lunch at the Butcher Block Kitchen in Groveland, the food was good, and we could sit outside.  Next wine run at BJ's; we bought plenty.   We couldn't get the equipment till after 1:30.  I drove the truck back! What a POS (Piece Of Crap) the thing is. The driver's door leaks air terribly, window was very hard to wind up, shifter feels like it will fall off and just as noisy as can be. 

    Back to camp site, loaded boxes, pack boxes, repeat, repeat, repeat! I unhooked the car carrier and was carry boxes out of the Moho.  The truck was bigger than we needed but the smallest that will tow the car. We kept packing and carrying until dinner time. Wine for dinner!😏

Monday 10 March 2025

   Our last day to finish up EVERYTHING!  Quick breakfast and we got right at it.  I took the truck to get fuel and picked up wings for dinner tonight.  We worked and worked.  We have a couple hours in the morning to finish up, so we quit around 5pm.  Enjoyed our last dinner (wings) in the Moho.  We are already nervous about not having a Moho.  More or less, we have had a Moho for the last 17 years. But it is time to move on.

Tuesday 11 March 2025     The Moho Goes 

   Up fairly early, breakfast sandwiches (microwaved) and back packing.  The driver was almost an hour early. Arrived at 9:15 instead of 10.  That gold clearing stuff out.  Alot of it just sitting on the ground beside the truck.  We'll finish loading after he leaves.  And POOF just like that we are motorhome less.

   Feels really strange!  But no time to waste.  We finished loading the truck, I hooked up the trailer and Diane drove the car onto the trailer.  Diane went to get out of the car, but the door wouldn't clear the fender of the trailer. We tried to think of something, but the only way out was the back hatch. In retrospect I should have taken a video, back over the console, then up over back seat.  Once all the way back she turned around to repack overnight items since we can't open the doors. Turned around one more time over back seat and slide out.  All I can say it was good she didn't have a dress on. 😁  

    All packed up and ready to go.  Diane walked to the restroom, and I doubled checked tie down straps. Now just wait for this one.  As I walked past drivers side fender I noticed some instructions.  It shows

 how to fold it down.  We laughed so hard. 😀😁😂😆 Just loosen a strap and it folds down.

    Noon time we were on the road heading to Brunswick Ga to a hotel.  Nice afternoon and nice drive.

More work on the Moho

 Monday 3 March 2025

    We were up early waiting for the office to open at 7:30. And behold the guys knocked on the door just before 7AM. You got to be kidding me! Then he tells us we are not on his schedule! You just can't make this stuff up.  He comes back in a few minutes and say he found our paperwork. WHEW! Anyway, info/paperwork completed they will be back around 7:30 to remove the two windows for repair.  Price last year was $350 per window, this year $450. I walked Rudy the whole time they were in the coach. He just doesn't like strangers in the Moho.

    Diane and I went to town, had lunch by the water's edge at Ollies on the Beach, food was very good. You had to pay attention, or the birds would seal your food. 

Brad almost had his
lunch stolen, 
sneak attack!

  Hit a few antique stores before heading back to Rudy. I went to have propane tank filled and dogs on the grill for dinner.

Tuesday 4 March 2025

   Sunny very nice day 80 degrees. A motorhome buyer called us to see if we wanted to sell our coach!  Can't hurt to get a quote. We were planning another adventure today, but the windows were back in just after lunch, so we packed and headed back to Sumter Oaks. Fifty-mile trip didn't take long, we left at 3:30 and parked by 5pm. Burgers and a relaxing evening. We'll be busy getting the Moho ready for carpet this Friday.

Wednesday 5 March 2025

    Nice, cooked breakfast and I started right in trying to remove theater seating for the rug install. I had no idea where to start!!  Tried this, tried that no luck. Watched a few you-tube videos and they all start with a guy standing behind the unit and ours is bolted to the floor. Diane could sense my frustration, so we took a break and went for lunch.  The break worked back home with her help we removed the backs, and I could find and remove bolts.

    The Moho buyer called back with a low offer Told him we would let him know tomorrow. Left over for dinner.  Another busy day tomorrow.

Thursday 5 March 2025

    I headed to Len's to borrow an impact wrench to remove passenger seat or at least get the bolts loose.  No can do! Them babies are tight.  Out for lunch again, today we went to The Odd Cuples Cafe.  We always share a meal there, but for some reason we each ordered a meal. I ate all mine Diane took half of hers home.  I felt terrible full and bloated, tums for dessert. Chicken on the grill for dinner (I didn't eat much)

    Called the RV buyer back told him thanks, but he is just too low.

Friday 6 March 2025

    Up at 6:15 on our way to Bushnell for carpet by 8AM.  Dropped the coach off at 8:30 and now just need to kill 7 hours.  Bushnell is a small town, and I never thought anyone one could spend 7 hours there, but we did! Started with breakfast, went to both antique stores, ate lunch, visited Len and it was 3:30 before we knew it.  Picked up the coach, carpet looks great and back to our site by 4pm.

Check engine FIXED

 Tuesday 25 February 2025

     Diane made homemade sausage bisques (Keto) for breakfast it took forever but they were soooo good. 😊 By the time she cleaned up from breakfast it was time to start cleaning veggies for dinner. I started packing up for the trip to Ocala tomorrow. Had to take our ladder and the tow bar over to Len's so the engine guys can access the engine compartment.  Back home fish and freshly roasted veggies. YUM

Wednesday 26 February 2025

    Diane made us an egg, sausage and cheese omelet to nourish us for the 45 mile, one hour trip to the Cummins service center in Ocala😏.  We arrived at Cummins with the check engine light dinging and 

blinking the whole way, pulled in at 1:30. It was a nice, warm and sunny day so I made us a bloody Mary and grilled up some burgers.  Nice enough place, electric and water available.

Thursday 27 February 2025

   Appointment day at Cummins to have the check engine light problem checked out.  We were up ready and even had Rudy in the car by 7:30. I took the keys in, and we were off.  First was gas then off to a small park to walk Rudy and kill time until the

The park was cute!

stores opened up. Done with the walk still had a half hour or so to go.  The yogurt didn't last long so we found this little breakfast place in a strip mall. The breakfast Egg shop. With a name like that you would expect a good breakfast.  NO! It was terrible, even the coffee was bad.  We ordered a breakfast wrap with cheese and sausage. The waitress asked if we want links or patties, Diane said in the wrap, 😐 the waitress didn't think they could do that, she had to check, they can do it but it is an extra $1.00! What the heck! But we ordered and 20 min. later it comes out NO EGG. Waitress comes by says we didn't order egg, and it was the choice of three.  The warp (1) cheese (2) sausage (3).  The experience was terrible!!
   Back to Cummins, the Moho was in the shop, so I go into talk to the manager.  They weren't sure yet, so we go back to waiting. Next time we pulled in just as they were leaving for a test drive.  They come back and say it's done needed a thing (see picture).  

The part they replaced.

He gave us the part for free (they happened to have one just sitting there😕!) and with our labor discount it was only $851. WOW But the check engine light was out.
   We had lunch in the Moho then headed down to Sumter Oaks CG in Webster (50 miles).  An hour plus drive, we parked by 3:30.   A bloody Mary's and leftovers.

Friday 28 February 2025

    A little warmer today, in the mid 70's and a bit breezy. Every cupboard we opened including the refrigerator the stuff just came rolling out.  Now I'm thinking we got the part for free because they ran over a curb😕or hit a giant pothole😟. Fortunately, nothing broke. But we never had stuff come out this bad. Anyway, the check engine light didn't come on. 😉
   Back to today's activities.  We had lunch at the Shamrock Inn for lunch, food was good we had enough left over for another meal.  

The Food was really
Good!

   Stopped at the flower shop picked up a bouquet of flowers and went to the cemetery.  Probably my last chance to visit this trip. Back to the Moho, leftovers again tonight. 
     

Saturday 1 March 2025

   Cool day today, high temperature only 70 degrees.  We were just walking out the door when Bev called, I ended up talking for almost an hour.  A little late, but we were off to the Strawberry festival in Floral City. Thinking it would warm up and be sunny we both wore shorts. It warmed up a bit, but a sweater or jacket would have made it comfortable.  We had a great time, lots of arts and crafts and the

A lot of Booths!

FOOD! We ate a little of this and a little of that and were stuffed😋 when we left.  We were so full we shared a strawberry shortcake on the way out. 😏 Back to the Moho waddled inside and sat down, I checked my blood sugar (210).  We took turns walking the campground until almost dark.

Sunday 2 March 2025

   Woke up around 6:30 looked outside, I thought it was still dark, but it was just fog, really thick fog.   Good news another short trip today.  We are heading to Suncoast Designers in Hudson. My navigator did a good job this year keeping us on good roads.......until.... we looked down the road and there was a road closed sign, arrows pointing left or right.... we went right. Diane quickly rerouted us down a side road.  It was and old Florida road with giant live oaks growing completely over the road. It looked like a tunnel at some places.  I waited for some to hit the roof, but we made. 
    Arrived in Hudson by 1:30, picked out a spot and got set up.  Diane made a quick run to the grocery store.  Our last steak and shrimp for dinner.

The swamp at the
back of Sumter Oaks.