Vulture Peak Wickenburg, AZ

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Edith Eveon Brown

Wickenburg is a small town; its population in 2017 was 7,409 residences. The town is 8.7 miles from Vulture Peak.

BLM documentation of Vulture Peak states, “The reddish mountain is a composition of 25-million-year-old volcanic tuff, Becca and rhyolite that is soft and easily eroded sculpt the steep cliffs and rugged cuts.”

I guess that explains why there is so much gravel and rocks in this area. In the past, I would have enjoyed hiking Vulture Peak trails because it looks awesome for a distance. However, my lust for hiking ceased after foot surgery.

Meanwhile, this is a great BLM property. I enjoy the quietness and that I only have three neighbors in my section. The evidence that more campers are on this property is based on the low traffic of jeeps, dune buggies and golf-carts passing-by periodically to exit this property.

The darkness in Vulture Peak reminds me of my summers as a youth. When I visited my grandparents, who lived in the country (outside city lines in the woods). During that time, there were no streetlights or home electricity only gas-lamps.

I plan to return to this property in the future; hopefully it will still be under- used by mobile home owners and primitive campers when I do.

Saddle Mountain Ranch Tonopah AZ

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Edith Eveon Brown

Saddle Mountain is a landmark peak in the desert west of Phoenix in the township of Tonopah AZ. This BLM property is surrounded by private and State lands.

Folks are quick to speak of beautiful mountainous scenery and quietness, but not the flies. These suckers are determined to ruin your day.

You are greeted by many flies as soon as you open your door; they brutally attack by flying close to your face, ears and head until you kill it. I’ve tried but can’t determine why there are so many flies in this area because it does not stink.

Further, this property is not easy to access if your mobile home’s leveling jacks are close to the ground. Otherwise, your jacks will be damaged due to volcanic size rock scrapes upon entering the access road and throughout the grounds.

Tonopah is a small farming community consisting of a service stations, a post office, restaurants and schools. If you need to shop or conduct any type of business, you must travel 4.2 miles to Avondale, 23.5 miles to Buckeye or 33.6 miles to Goodyear. In fact, I travelled to Goodyear because the closest Staple’s supply store was in that area.

I spent 3-days at this BLM property; mostly inside my mobile home looking out the windows. I conclude, the mountains are certainly interesting.

Imperial Dam – BLM Property, Yuma AZ

Posted on February 8, 2019 by Edith Eveon Brown

It was my intent to stay a month at the Imperial Dam area near Senator Wash Reservoir, because it had all the conveniences a self-contained mobile home owner needed such as water, trash dumps and dumping tank stations. As well as, restrooms and outdoor showers to accommodate campers or mobile home owners that need these facilities.

During my arrival, I did notice a lot of mobile homes parked at various angles close to the mountains and areas surrounded by medium and large rocks; trailers, chairs, pop tanks and other items to inform newcomers – those areas have already been claimed by him/her.

As a result, I and a few others parked in the center of the grounds where no one else was parked. Most people, who joined me in this vast open space was gone within one to three-days. At this point, I understood early comers were bunched near the mountains to lessen his/her exposure to 20-35 miles an hour wind gust.

However, prior to my departure the wind constantly rocked my mobile home, knocking all three recessed awnings against my vehicles’ exterior. Finally ripped the rubber molding that protects frame screws from rusting; from its track. The molding was waving in the wind like a ribbon. I used scissors to cut the molding and threw in on the floor in front of the passenger seat where it remains.

The only good things about this BLM property that interested me were views of the beautiful mountains, the sky and facilities needed to dump my tanks and trash. Otherwise, the grounds were covered by large, medium and small rocks. If you usually walked for exercise; like me. You weren’t going to do it here.

I watched a guy trying to negotiate his way on a two-wheel motorcycle from the rocky grounds he parked his mobile home on to something you might call a road; he had one hell of a time but made it to the road using a running motion with his feet. Further, I have a Harley-Davidson Trike (a three-wheel) motorcycle but had no intentions of unloading or riding on/from this BLM property.

Rubber Trump Rendezvous Annual Event

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Edith Eveon Brown

I met Dana and Kim while spending 14-days at Fort Stanton, a BLM campground in New Mexico. During that time, we became fast friends. Dana talked about their plans to attend the upcoming January 2019 RTR event which is held every year in Quartzsite AZ.

When they suggest I join them and their community of friends, I wasn’t sure if I would at that time. Basically, because I really don’t like crowds and to hear Dana talk about this event. I concluded, there certainly would be a crowd since she said, “The crowd gets larger every year.” These are affairs most introverts tend to stay away from.

However, trying to escape the frigid temperature of minu-11 degrees in my home State of Sioux Falls, SD. Once two maintenance men worked so hard to free my mobile home from a

frozen-to-the-ground-sewage hose, I was rolling out of Sioux Falls towards Quartzsite Arizona in less than an hour.

Let me tell you this, I like Sioux Falls just fine from April to September. As a resident of the State, I am only required to return every 5-years to take a new picture for my driver’s license.

Anyway, once Dana and Kim arrived in Quartzsite and got their campsite ready for themselves and friends arriving later. She and Kim retrieved me from my mobile home, and I spent time with them at the RTR, taking pictures and learning about Cactus in the desert.

For instance, I never heard of the jumping Cholla, also known as the hanging chain cholla cactus which is native to Sonora and the Southwestern United States. It throws cactus balls the size of golf balls at you, if you get too close.

Nor did I know, the Saguaro Cactus is a slow growing plant and is found in the Sonoran Desert which includes California, Arizona and Sonora Mexico. It takes 10-years for a Saguaro Cactus to reach 1 inch in height. By 70-years of age, a Saguaro Cactus can reach 6 and ½ feet tall and will begin to produce its first flowers. By 95-100 years of age, a Saguaro Cactus can reach a height of 15-16 feet and start to produce its first arm.

Although, I have not heard how many people attend 2019 RTR yet; I assure you, it was more than I expected to see. Further, while reading reviews and comments about the 2018 RTR event. I came across a BLM estimate which claims, “The 2018 RTR crowd was well over 3,000 attendees. I don’t think Woodstock had that many attendees. Pay close attention to parking areas.

**Dana writing her thoughts; Sharon will do the same**

Long-term Visitor Area Quartzsite, AZ

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Edith Eveon Brown

There is nothing like being free from jobs that diminishes your energy during the week and confines you to a couch/bed every weekend, or you’re running around like a crazy person trying to get everything done before it’s time to return to the rat race on Monday.

I used to wonder, if I would ever be afforded the opportunity to find my own path or chart a new path for myself as an older adult. Currently, I am living the life that I never thought I would live, but I know it’s only because of God’s blessings – that I am living on the rim of freedom, but not without many hardships including the deaths of family members, co-workers and friends.

Now-a-days, I travel from state-to-state, city-to-city and country-to-country without a plan or burden. I didn’t know before February 2018; how nice it would be to roam from place to place without rushing here and there due to a job.

However, now I can tell you, this life-style of staying in areas until you’re ready to leave, meeting other campers from all over the world, taking pictures of beautiful/strange terrine; looking at mountains, clouds, sunsets and stars is wonderful. Sometimes, you might stay so long in an area that it becomes home.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Long-Term Visitor Area (LTVA) allows you the opportunity to do just that; stay for seven-months (September 15 to April 15), just by paying a fee of $180. Further, you don’t have to stay at a particle LTVA. Instead, you are free to roam from desert campground-to-campground in different States until the snowbird season ends.

I have stayed at La Posa South and La Posa West, both BLM properties are in the desert of Quartzsite AZ. Currently, I am staying at a BLM property in Yuma AZ. Soon, a few friends and I will cross state-lines and do some shopping in Mexico.

I have included pictures taken in areas I have lived below:

Snowbirds Hangout in Arizona during Winter

RVW National Convention, Shawnee OK

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Edith Eveon Brown

The convention was held at The Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center in Shawnee, OK.

Although, this event was scheduled to begin on November 6. Many participants arrived on October 30th to meet friends and enjoy pre-convention activities (i.e. city tours, shopping and dining out as chapter members.

The event included many classes, activities and group gatherings, However, as a new RV Owner, I attend a concert and signed-up for two classes: Basic and Advanced RV Maintenance Workshop which covered the following topics:

RV components (i.e. Refrigerator, ice maker, cook top, oven, convect oven, microwave, water heater, generator, furnace, fire extinguishers, carbon detector, smoke detector and more.) These classes were taught by Barbara Jording, a Certified RV Technician and fantastic instructor.

This class provided so much information that I immediately decided I was NOT climbing on top of my rv to check the roof and reseal vents and seams; electrical components, appliances and burner ignites. However, I will purchase suggested tools to make sure the person repairing these items is using the required tool.

Meanwhile, I would continue to perform tasks such as replace lights bulbs, check oil level, check fuel supply, check air filter, replace spark plugs and check tire pressure. I will leave other repairs to the experts.

2018_RVing Women Driving Class

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Edith Eveon Brown

I left MHRVS’ service center on October 25th to attend two RVing
Women events.

The first event was an RV Safety Training Program. This driving course was held at Central Tech Transport & Safety Education located in Drumright OK. The class consisted of twelve female rv owners.

Our living quarters were our individual mobile homes, motor coach or trailers. As a result, we boondocked on Central Tech’s campus near the driving range. The course was taught by Sandy Cisco an experienced 18-wheel driver and trainer at Central Tech Transport.

The class included classroom videos, presentations and driving practice skills on the driving range. The training was a 16-hour driving course designed to build rv driving confidence and enhance defensive driving skills. Our reward were certificates stating, “we had successfully completed 16 hours of training….”

We (female rv owners) acquired new driving skills which would serve us for a life-time. There’s nothing like having confidence and skills to protect yourself and RV. As well as, protect stupid vehicle drivers from themselves. This class was serious hard-work, but great fun!

Return to MHRVS Alvarado Texas

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Edith Eveon Brown

After fuel tank was replaced by Rich Ford, I returned to MHRVS Service Center on October 4th for repairs and/or replacements of twenty problems identified on my new 2018 Mobile Home. A laundry list of these issues was sent to Thor Warranty Center and a copy given to MHRVS Dealership where my mobile home had been purchased.

When I arrived at the dealership, I was amazed at the number of motor coaches (bus type mobile homes) were parked on the MHRVS campground for repairs. For instance, my neighbor told me, “We arrived two weeks prior to your arrival, and replacement parts needed to make repairs to our motor coach still haven’t arrived.”

Another campground dweller told me, “I’ve identified twenty-eight problems with my motor coach which was something I never expected after spending over $300 hundred-thousand dollars to purchase this thing.”

Based on these discussions, I immediately informed the service center that I had to leave on October 25th to attend events with RVing Women that were paid for months in advance.

As a result, prior to my departure the following problems out of twenty were repaired/replaced:

(1) The hole created by a short floor board which was hidden under the couch was repaired, (2) The Slider that widenings mobile home living space was caulked and resealed, (3) The control panel that tracks (black, gray, fresh water, propane, and house battery) levels was rewired. This panel also operates the slider extent/retract, tank heaters, water pump, furnace heat, air condition, fan and auto leveling, (4) Xantres/Pro Panel which display error codes if issues occur in the house, (5) Leak under kitchen sink caused by an unconnected plumbing pipe was connected and damaged shelf repaired, (6) The opening and slamming of drawers and doors when mobile home is in motion was stopped after locks were adjusted and drawer slides were replaced, (7) Crack in kitchen wall near stove was repaired, (8) Dashboard indicator lights went out once Rich Ford installed new fluid tank, (9) Awning which was partially connected was rewired, (10) Microwave was replaced, (11) Cover for stove was repaired, (12) Gear shift problem was corrected after tow-hauler was executed, (13) The garage and exterior televisions begin working after main television was readjusted, and (14) Bath room cabinet base was repaired.

Rich Ford, Albuquerque NM

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Edith Eveon Brown

While visiting Fort Stanton, NM. The small of gas in my mobile home worsened. I called Thor Warranty Center again, who referred me to Ford. The nearest Ford dealer was in Albuquerque, NM. After explaining, I smell gas in my mobile home. The receptionist of Rich Ford scheduled an emergency appointment for September 26h. So, I left Fort Stanton on September 25th.

During my drive to Albuquerque, I saw some awesome views of skies and mountains. As a result, I stopped to take pictures of two sceneries from the highway before arriving in which are included.

However, there was one highway scenery I wanted more than any picture I have ever taken in the past, but there was no place to pull-off the highway. Anyhow, the view was a mountain covered by sun rays from heaven shining on the mountain surface which sparkled like diamonds. I can’t forget that view.

Upon arriving at Rich Ford, my vehicle was checked-in for an emergency diagnostic test which should have been done by Thor in March. As a result, the test showed a hole was drilled in the top of my fluid tank by Thor Manufacturer while installing my house on Ford’s chassis.

“Dam, Thor caused you to live and sleep in a dangerous and unhealthy environment just because they didn’t want to accept responsibility for a problem caused by them. However, being forced to live in that situation from March 15 to now is absurd. You are a lucky woman; you could have easily died of asphyxiation and/or developed more health issues due to this situation,” an employee said.

You mean worst then having a heart-attack when my son, Keithalon died of a massive heart-attack in October 2014; having open-heart and mitral valve replacement in March 2017, and a stroke in August 2017. As well as, having asthma which was intensified because of gas fumes, I replied.

You’re really blessed to have survived those major health issues. “You didn’t need Thor to add anything else to it,” he said.

Ford’s transport diver dropped me at a nearby hotel to wait until the new replacement tank arrived and was installed. As a result, I stayed at Days Inn from September 26 to October 3 which cost $408.00. The new tank arrived on September 28 and was installed on October 2nd which cost $2,792.30.

Upon submitting payment information regarding hotel expenses and fuel tank replacement. I promptly received a response letter from Nate Williams, Thor Motor Coach Warranty Customer Service stating, “Thank you for sending me the invoices. The repairs made by Rich Ford will be processed and reviewed for warranty reimbursement. Reimbursement for motel expenses are not part of the warranty coverage. I will keep them on file with your claim.

As of the writing of this article, I haven’t received reimbursement for the payment I made to Rich Ford for replacement of my fuel tank.

Based on my dealings with Thor. I find Thor manufacturer and warranty center employees to be incompetent and lack integrity. The manufacturer makes promises to ship replacement parts to service centers which aren’t sent or shipped three or more weeks later. Even though, Thor warranty center knows they are responsible for exterior and interior mobile home craftsmanship failures, they adamantly deny these responsibilities.

After it was proven, and I made Nate Williams of the warranty center aware of Rich Ford’s diagnostic test findings. He stated, “Businesses doesn’t like to wait on payments from us. Therefore, if you pay the bill and send me the documents, you’ll be reimbursed.” However, he didn’t mention it would take one month or more before I receive reimbursement.

Further, the warranty center’s referral directory is out of date. I was referred to service centers that had gone out of business, moved to other cities and/or never existed in Sioux Falls SD. I bought my mobile home on March 11, 2018; by March 15, I found out Thor doesn’t care about me or any other customers once they’ve separated you from your money. They show us (customers) by dodging repair responsibilities; not responding to phone calls or making reimbursements in a timely manner.

Bottom line. If I hadn’t been in New Mexico when my gas fume situation worsened, I would still be fighting with Thor and occurring additional expenses, because I would have needed to hire a lawyer.

Thor Motor Coach Warranty Center, Elkhart IN

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Edith Eveon Brown

In case you didn’t see my past posted articles regarding the twenty-one issues I discovered on my 2018 Class C Toy Hauler which was purchased March 12, 2018 from Mobile Home RV Specialist (MHRVS) in Alvarado TX.

Based on my experiences with MHRVS Dealership’s sales people and Thor Warranty Customer Services support staff, I found most to be very dishonest.

For instance, there were warped boards in front of my kitchen sink which I showed my salesman, Buckley. “It would take a while to get that area redone. However, I will note it on your Vin# warranty for future repair”, he said. I don’t believe you, was my response. As expected, a vin review showed he didn’t which shows he has no integrity. Buckley’s only goal was to get another mobile home sold from his dealership’s lot for extra bragging rights.

Further, I called Buckley from the shoulder of the highway, while waiting on AAA RV Plus transport truck to return my vehicle back to MHRVS based on an indicator light that appeared on my dashboard. No, don’t bring it back! Let me check something. Upon returning to the phone, Buckley claimed the light was a gas cap issue which should go out in a few more hours into your trip. “You know it’s a brand-new vehicle which hadn’t been driven before. But if the light does not go out you should replace the gas cap.

The light never went out but was joined by the engine light. A call to Thor Warranty Center was useless. Support specialist adamantly claimed the dashboard lights were Ford’s responsibility. I called Ford to discuss the beforementioned indicator lights.

Once I explained the gas cap and engine light issues. A service center employee stated, “We are tired of Thor blaming us for problems caused by their manufacturer. The facts are, we only created the chassis which does not include gas caps or engines. Thor built your house on a Ford chassis and is responsible for every house issue that occurs. The bottom line is Thor doesn’t claim responsibility for anything, because they don’t want to pay for repairs/replacements.

As a result, I have lived with the smell of gas fumes and indicator lights on my dashboard, from March 15 to October 3rd. As well as, warped floor boards which still exist.

Jeteak Press

Author, Blogger, Entrepreneur & Freelance Writer