In September of this year I had my 70th birthday and our three sons joined forces to allow me an adventure that I have long wished for, but never done. My first ride in a hot air balloon!

The day began with a meeting of the passengers and pilot before sunrise and then we were all driven to an open field where the unpacking of the balloon began. While the crew unloaded the balloon, the pilot gave instructions for the flight and a short safety briefing. Once the balloon had been spread on the ground, the basket is unloaded, laid on it's side and attached to the balloon shroud lines. Next is to start inflating the balloon with ordinary air by use of fans powered by gasoline engines. This process is when most of us began to realize just how large one of these balloons really is. It takes about 15 minutes to get the balloon out and blow it full of cold air. The flight crew is assisted by those of us who will be going on the flight and it is really a part of the total experience.

Once the balloon is inflated with cold air the crew lets everyone pose inside of the mouth of the balloon for pictures. It does bring home the amazing size that is required to life a basket with a dozen people off of the ground. Even though Pam was not going on the flight, the crew did include her in everthing on the ground and she went with the chase crew as they followed us on the ground when in flight. It was kind of neat to have her go, must as I did when she went skydiving.

Once air was in the balloon and everyone had pictures taken with it, then came the process of heating the air to make the balloon lift from the ground and then pull the basket upright. This part takes a little bit of knowledge since you really don't want that hot propane flame to melt the balloon skin! It takes about half an hour or a little more to get the balloon ready for flight. The entire process was one that I found to be very interesting and more involved than one might first believe. The crew was only two men, with a fair amount of assistance from those of us who were flying with them. These folks really are great people to make a first flight with.

After what seems like a long time, but is really only about 10 minutes, the balloon lifts off of the ground and gently pulls the basket into an upright position, while the pilot scrambles to ride the basket inot position, just in case it might try and leave without him!  The next step is to board the basket and get ready for take-off. The basket has two large passenger compartments and one smaller one for the propane tanks, the pilot, a copilot.  I was fortunate to be given the copilot spot since there was only one pilot flying with us. That allowed me to be able to see the instruments and to get a close up view of how things work.

The lift-off was amazingly smooth with little sense of motion at all. I think that the most amazing part was the fact that in the balloon you get the feeling that you are sitting still and the world is what is moving. It is almost as though the ground falls away and then starts to slide to one direction or the other. The pilot has some control over directions of travel by changing the altitude as wind directions usually change as you move up or down. I was rather surprised by just how much control they actually have.  We were in an area near several airports so we were restricted to 3000 feet and below due to powered aircraft in the area, but that is usually about the upper altitude of most balloon flights anyway. We did see several airplanes go by at altitudes similar to ours at different times but they kept well clear of our area. Our pilot did have an aircraft radion and did notify the nearest airport of our takeoff and also upon landing. We also heard one pilot comment on our flight location, but didn't talk with any of them, although our pilot did say that is happens occasionally.

One of the neat things which balloonists love to do is what they call the "splash & dash" where they drop down and touch the floor of the basket to the water. We didn't even get our feet wet!

We spent just over an hour in flight and had a really great time. There were 12 passengers in addition to me, which was a full capacity trip. There is no wind effect at all, due to the balloon moving with the air leaves almost no relative motion and so there is no windchill effect.  For the flight we carried 65 gallons of propane and 42 gallons of that was consumed. They stated that the cost of replacement of a balloon equipped as this one was is roughly $70,000! Another interesting aspect of balloon flight is that the wise pilot does his best to avoid busy roadways because distracted drivers have been know to sue the balloonist for causing them to have an accident!

All too soon our hour of flight time was over and it was time to descend back to earth again. In addition to radio contact with aircraft, or pilot also had a radio to talk to the chase vehicle so that he could direct them to the proper roads to be where we expected to land. We came in low over some houses as we approached the field he chose to land and it was interesting to note that every dog seemed to become very agressive to our passage and the sound of the burner brought occupants from the houses to see what was happening. Landings in a balloon are not an exact science and are rather more interesting than what is experienced with flight in a light airplane. While the pilot does steer for the intended landing spot, he must choose a location with needed wind direction to get there and if the winds should shift or die away, then you pick a new spot, as you may not go to the selected location. That happened to be the case for us this day. We had chosen a park just off of the the main route, but with a wind layer that died on us, we had to change to an open field a few blocks from the intended landing spot.

Once you are back on the ground it is time to empty the balloon and pack it away for return to base. It actually takes more patience to deflate the balloon than it did to get air into it at the start. There is no means of rushing the air out and they do not walk on it or anything of that sort but simply open up the top and wait for it to empty. This process takes around 15 minutes and then things are packed into storage racks and loaded into the trailer for transport back to base.

Once all of the work was done, there was one final thing which completes the proper flight by hot air balloon. There is a tradition that balloon flights should end with champagne that dates back to the early balloon flights in France two hundred or more years ago. Tradition says that this form of flight began in wine country and each flight was ended the participants would toast the successful flight in the vintage grown by the owners of the vineyard where the balloon came back to earth!

The Balloonist's Prayer
The winds have welcomed you with softness.
The sun has blessed you with his warm hands.
You have flown so high and so well
that God joined you in laughter
and set you gently back into
the loving arms of Mother Earth.

As wonderful as our past 11 years of RV living has been, we are now back to part-time travelers. It has been a wonderful experience and it is our plan to continue the volunteer lifestyle on a part time basis for the foreseeable future.

The reasons for our change of lifestyle are mostly age and health related. In the past few years some things have begun to have more impact on our schedule and especially doctors. In May of 2008 we found ourselves spending all summer with the Corps of Engineers, in what had been planned to have been a six week stay. As it happened, Pam had to have joint replacement surgery on her thumb and before that was fully healed it was discovered that I had a melanoma on my left ear which required surgery. Once you have a melanoma you then have checks for more problems every six months for the rest of your life. It was also discovered that Pam had a minor heart issue that also requires a six month follow-up as well. In addition she still has some stomach problems and her COPD has to some degree progressed and so our collection of doctors have become more insistent upon our regular visits.

To add to everything, in Jan. of 2009, Pam fell while volunteering at Everglades NP and severely injured her right ankle such that it required surgery. The NPS was very remiss in helping us to get federal workman's comp to pay and so we found ourselves once more spending the summer at Lavon Lake with the USACE while she recovered. All of these things brought home to us the fact that time is flying past and the day that we may need a place to land was drawing nearer.

As a result of these facts, we began to search for a place that would serve as a good home-base now and which could eventually become our home for our declining years. In doing so we considered many different locations and we especially looked to RV communities. We took a hard look at several Escapee properties and even went to the extent of going on to the wait list for Lone Star Corral. We seriously considered property at Rainbow's End, Ft. Clark Springs, and at El Viaje RV Retreat. Each of those had storng attraction to us, but all were too far from our present doctors and we felt could become a distance problem in the event that we should need help from our son in our declining years. We were looking for a place that could be our home, both for our continued travels and also for the day that we must hang up our keys. In Bass Lake, we have found this dream location!

We had looked so much that we had begun to think that the best we would be able to do, with our budget constraints and our desire to live in the north Texas area was to find something that "would do" and not what we really wanted. But fate intervened and a fellow Escapee member called us in October to tell us of this wonderful place. We began long distance contacts with those few residents who were interested in selling their property and then looked at two of them when we got back to Texas and on Jan. 6, we paid our money and our dream came true! We have found that RV folks are the friendliest in the world, but this park goes far beyond that standard! The residents here are nothing short of wonderful. Most of the members of this community are, or used to be members of Escapees RV club as we are. These folks make a real effort to be more friendly and helpful than any other park. They tell us that it is their belief that as a Christian community, it is important that they set the standard for being friendly and caring to the others who live here. I do believe that they are successful at this goal! This home is beyond our wildest drams! It is so wonderful that we at times have difficulty believing that it can be real!

Our new home consists of a 47' square concrete pad covered by a steel building which is completely insulated. To the left side is an RV port that has full hookups for the RV and also space for us to park the car. To the right is a frame construction house of 900 square feet, with a master bedroom, bath, and a great room that contains the kitchen and livingroom area. There is also a smaller second bedroom/office and a utility area for the washer/dryer. Heat and air conditioning is provided by a heat pump system with electric auxillary heat elements and it also has a propane, gas fireplace to supplement heat if need be.

Pam is having the time of her life with a normal size kitchen again and her own washer/dryer, right in the next room! Even Muffie seems to be adjusting to a new home and has become quite comfortable here, but she still prefers to lay under the front of the motorhome when outside. I don't think that she yet completely accepts the change as our motorhome is the only home that she has ever known. Let me show you around our new home, if you care to come with me.

You first approach by entry through the RV port. As you come along side of our CR-V you will see two windows and the front door just ahead. The interior side of our home is made of Hardi Plank and is painted to match the other parts of the building. It is rather nice to live where you can walk from the car or the RV to your home without getting wet when weather is bad.

We purchased our house with furniture so little has changed in what one sees as you enter our home. Entering you will find yourself in the living area. The room even has a large TV set that was part of the furnishings that we got with it.  We really have enjoyed the larger living area and I especially like my new recliner! I find that it not only sits well, but I can sleep here with little effort as well. We have also been enjoying the larger TV set that we now have room for.We are slowly adding a few things to give it our own touch.

All rooms have ceiling fans as well as the usual things one would expect and while the rooms are somewhat smaller than we had before we sold our last house to go on the road, to us the place is a castle, after having lived in 300 square feet for nearly 11 years. Our living area is 16' wide by 20' in length, which is plenty for the lifestyle we expect to live and as we get older I am sure that it will be plenty for us to care for.

The kitchen is roomy enough and has more counter space than Pam remembers what do do with. And we have really had to watch the budget to keep from going crazy getting things to fill all of those cupboards. We did get the microwave and toaster oven with it as well as stove and refrigerator. So far those cabinets have lots of room and  some shelves still have nothing at all.

Next to the kitchen is a small dining area with a drop-leaf table and storage cabinets. The table has four chairs and that is probably about all of the table space that we have to feed people, but it should serve us well as it is a little larger than the motorhome dinette.

As we go down the hall from the living room the bathroom is to the right and to the left is the utility area with washer/dryer and water heater. Off of the utility space is also an extra bedroom, not yet furnished but we plan to make that an office/guest room. At the moment it has a folding table and Pam's sewing machines and crafts in it. The bath room is quite large and has a lot of counter space and a great deal of storage. We do not have nearly enough to fill those cabinets yet, but I am sure that will change with time.

Our master bed room is quite roomy and it even has three closets! With the few items of clothing that we travel with we find that we have far more space that we need, at least for now. With our clothing spread around, it has become quite clear that a major part of our wardrobe today is made up of uniforms for places that we volunteer!

All rooms have ceramic tile floors with rugs to cover them. This should make things easy to care for but we don't run about with bare feet much in cold weather. There is also generous use of lighting fixtures in our home and we have been very happy here. The last part of the tour is my section, the RV port. In time I plan to enclose a section of this to make a wood shop as well, but for now it is very comforting to know that our motohome and car are both under cover and I can do things there with no chance of getting wet if it is raining. And one day as we begin to travel less, I will add a shop to make noise and sawdust as well. I have already had offers of help with construction when the day comes that I start to build it.

There are many variations of construction in the homes found here, with some lots having no permanent improvements at all, some just an RV pad and others with a cover for the RV. Most begin with the RV pad and cover and then slowly grow as the wants and needs of the owners change. The majority of the homes have been built by the owners with help from their neighbors.  A walk through the park will quickly show that most types of home are welcome, although there are rules about what you can do or build. Homes can be no larger than 900 square feet and buildings must have no less than 10' setback from the front property line and less than 2' from any side. The buildings are restricted to no larger than 47' square and all must have some type of RV parking.

As you enter the park you will see various RV ports, undeveloped lots and permanent homes. In addition there are several lots that are owned by the condo association for use as septic drain fields and one for future development into a member recreational area.  The park was intended to be a place for those who live full-time in an RV to first have a home base to return to, with the eventual building of a permanent home for living once you choose to stop roaming and to, in time, hang up the keys. Most owners begin by simply putting in some type of pad, but since all all lots have full hook-ups, nothing at all is needed for use to begin. Many start with just a concrete pad, then add an RV cover and in time building some type of home. While there are restrictions about what one can build here, the intention is to allow for most possible choices as long as homes are RV based and look reasonably attractive.

Homes are limited in size and all structures must have association approval prior to the start of construction. Landscaping is encouraged and there are a few limits to that as well, but they are minimal. Lawn care can be arranged when you are traveling and there is an annul fee for water, sewer, garbage collection and streets.

In addition this must be the friendliest place in the entire world. We are a Christian community and as such there are rules about some behaviors, but they not so restrictive as to cramp the style of most seniors. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property, which is benificial for asthmatics and respratory sufferers, such as Pam. We are also a 55+ community and young guests and visitors are welcome, but not permanent residents. It is a place where residents truely care about one another and the social ties and bonds of friendship are very strong. Most residents still do at least some RV travel, but a few have completely hung up the keys and more are expected to do so in the future. This is a place where one can travel as much or as little as you desire, knowing that friends will be watching your home if you are not there.

We have easy access to the interstate highway and shopping is nearby, with all major stores and accomadations less than twenty miles away. We are a short distance from all things one might ever need in Tyler and the Dallas area is less than two hours away. East Texas is beautiful country and is also home to some of the most friendly folks there are, and we live in the very best part of it. There is golf, fishing, parks and museums all withing easy travel distances and the weater here is usually quite moderate.

While we expect to continue to travel more than half of the year, it does seem that we have finally found our home!

 

 

On August 11, 2002, our beloved Fancy, aka Falcor's Fancy Lady, became very ill and while she seemed better toward evening, by Monday morning she was even worse. We rushed her to the vet and the news was grim. She had been struck by a violent outbreak of diabetes which is believed to have been dormant but present for her entire 9 year life. There was no way to return her to health and with many tears we told our dear friend and traveling companion, farewell! Fancy came into our lives at a time when Pam was having health problems and family difficulties, and she gave to us something that we feel very few pets ever could have. She loved the RV lifestyle and especially the evening walks through the parks where we have lived for the past 2 1/2 years. But she had a special sense of when Pam needed her and only two days before her health failed, she chose to stay with Pam, forgoing her evening stroll because Pam needed her. She will never be forgotten, or replaced.

The ache was so great that we soon concluded that we had to have a new friend to help and fill the hole. In that search we discovered a litter of seven puppies in Port Angeles, WA that had been left there at four weeks of age, and who after two weeks of bottle feeding, were now ready for adoption. A friend went to the Humane Society and picked her for us, with the directions that we wanted the most active and friendly pup in the litter. That puppy turned out to be the smallest of the seven, but what she lacked in size, she makes up in enthusiasm! Muffy Marie is a very rare breed of dog. So rare in fact that there are only seven known to exist. She and her six litter mates. She weighed in at a mighty 3# 1 oz., but she is growing rapidly. She is working very hard to make her adoptive parents smile again, and to carry on the traditions that were passed to her by Fancy. We welcome her to our family.

Muffie, June, 2012

 

On a fateful Sunday afternoon in January of 1961, a young sailor and a friend were visiting Disney Land for the first time to see the sights and, what else, to look for girls! As they crossed the moat to Fantasy Land Castle fortune smiled, as did two young ladies who happened to be standing there as they passed by. After a whirlwind courtship, Kirk was sent off to New London, Connecticut for submarine school. The courtship continued by mail and Kirk returned to spend part of his leave with Pam before reporting to the USS Seadragon in Pearl Harbor. A year later he attended Nuclear Power Training in Vallejo, Ca. In December of 1962 the two began their life together. Their first home was in a small mobile home, 8’X38’ in Blackfoot, Idaho. From there they went to New London, Conn. for duty aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. In 1965 they moved to Charleston, SC. where Kirk served on the USS Woodrow Wilson. There they purchased their first house. In March of 1968, Kirk left the Navy and the young family moved to Denver, Co. to begin a career with 3M Company as a service technician. Three boys were born to them, Karl in 1963, Kirk S. in 1966, and Ken in 1969. In 1971 they were transferred to Cheyenne, WY. where the family found their niche. There all three boys went through school and all three achieved the rank of Eagle, in the Boy Scouts. Kirk and Pam were very involved parents, serving as Den Mother and Cub Master for the boys, as well as Scout Master, Sunday school teacher, room mother, and many other positions in the various organizations the boys were involved in. The two were registered leaders in BSA for a total of seventeen years, taking a particular interest in the Cub Scout program. In 1977 they attended National Camping School and became the directors of Cub Scout Day Camp for the first day camp in Cheyenne. Then in 1978 they were invited to attend the Cub Scout Wood Badge program and they earned the coveted beads in 1979. During those years they were also involved with their church as Sunday school teachers and board members, Pam as Sunday school superintendent and congregation chair and Kirk as treasurer. Since they both believed that motherhood is the most important occupation there is, Pam was also a room mother, active in PTO, and various other school related volunteer positions. Kirk also attended Laramie Co. Community College at night and graduated in 1986. In 1978 Pam returned to work as a bookkeeper, with their the youngest son in Jr. High. In 1989, after all three boys had left home they accepted a company transfer to Ft. Worth, TX. There they lived until Kirk qualified for an early retirement when they sold the house, moved into the motor home on April 14, 2000, retiring on June 29. They have been square dancers since 1982. After forty five years they are still best friends as well as all of the other things which life has brought to them. They now look forward to the adventure of their dreams.