Our RV Adventures

About 3pm I drove up to the gatehouse to pick up an Amazon package that had come in earlier today. But what I’m really waiting for is the order that will come in tomorrow.

It’s a backlit computer keyboard like this.

And since the backlight has 5 different colors, it can also look like this.

Backlit USB Keyboard with Large Print keys

Since I do a lot of work at night, this should make it easier, and I know Jan will like the larger letters on the keys. And it’s only about $25.

On the way back to the rig I stopped off at the park office to talk about upgrading our Thousand Trails membership to Elite. We’re looking at doing the East Coast next year and TT parks there on our membership plan are few and far between.

In addition, we would also upgrade from two weeks at a time to three weeks, except during high-use times in resort areas. But we would still only have 50 free days a year.

But the price I was given – $4645.00, was a good bit higher than I’d heard other people paying. We can stay at a lot of regular parks for over four grand, plus I can also pick up more parks with a much cheaper RPI add-on, or even a separate used Coast to Coast membership. So we’re still looking.

Last fall, I got an email from Amazon asking if I would be interesting in testing a new Amazon product called Echo. I used to get a lot of these offers to beta-test products back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. In fact I was a beta tester for Microsoft on both Windows 98 and Windows 98SE. I was also asked to test Windows 2000, but turned them down due to time constraints. In addition, I tested a lot of games both on Windows and the Commodore Amiga.

Anyway, without paying a lot of attention, I turned down the chance to test the Amazon Echo. And now I’m kicking myself.

Echo is a household version of Android’s OK, Google, Apple’s Siri, or Cortana. It looks like this,

and sits in your house listening. Apparently you can interface with Echo from 30 or 40 feet away, depending on background noise. Perfect for a RV.

Echo’s wakeup word is ‘Alexa’, and you can use it exactly like you do OK, Google, i.e.

“OK, Google. Navigate to nearest Texas Roadhouae.”

“OK, Google. How far to Houston Texas?”

But you can ask it to keep track of things for you, i.e.

“Alexa, add peanut butter to my shopping list.”

“Alexa, please read back my shopping list.”

“Alexa, please delete peanut butter from my shopping list.”

“Alexa, please print my shopping list.”

There is also an remote control available for when you are out of voice range of the main unit.

Your normal interface with Echo is strictly verbal, both input and output. But you can also use a smartphone app, or your PC for visual stuff.

Actually, in addition to the fact that it’s a neat toy, I’m most interested in the list-making function. I’ve always wanted a way to go through our cabinets and bins, calling out what tool or whatever, is in there, and have it compiled into a computer-based file that I can then search by something like “Alexa, where is my basin wrench?”

So now I’m really looking forward to Echo coming out.

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Thought for the Day:

With thanks to my niece, Stahlie

Slave ships that flew the British Flag: Too many to count.

Slave ships that flew the Star Spangled Banner: Too many to count.

Slave ships that flew the Confederate flag: 0

ghdghdg

I’m not sure what’s happened, but our Internet access here at Verde Valley has gotten really sucky the last couple of days. And it’s across the board. My Verizon 3G air card, the 4G LTE hotspot on my Galaxy S5, and the Wi-Fi here at the park, it all sucks.

At least until sometime after 11pm, when it all starts working better. So I don’t know if everything is just overloaded here at the park, and most everyone goes to sleep by 11, or if Verizon is working on something during the day and not at night.

Whatever it is, I wish it would stop . . . or go . . . or whatever.

Jan and I headed out about 4pm to have dinner at Georgie’s, a highly rated local diner. But we discovered it closes at 3pm every day except Friday. But we did find Bing’s Burger Station.

We never found the place open when we were here a couple of months ago, But we enjoyed it with Nick and Terry when we were here a few years back. Nick and I both really liked their Ribeye Steak Sandwich, but we’d been told they don’t have any longer, which turned out to be true.

So Jan and I went with burgers and accessories. She had the regular Cheeseburger and onion rings, while I had the Bacon Cheeseburger with Green Chilies, and their really good chili.

Then being so close, we had to stop off at the Wild Rose Tea Room for some cupcakes. Jan got a Chocolate Chip and a Blueberry Chocolate Chip, and I got Salted Caramel and a Key Lime. YUMM!

* * * * *

A few weeks ago I mentioned the Sweet Pea trigger mod available for the Ruger LCP .380. The only real problem with this pistol is the very long trigger pull, and Sweet Pea mod takes care of this. It allows you to adjust the trigger to exactly like you want it, You just dial in the feel you want.

They also have several other products for your LCP, including a new magazine spring that allows your magazine to hold one extra round, and several different types of holsters.

In addition they all carry modification products for a large number of other pistols. Check ‘em out.

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Thought for the Day:

“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”  – Samuel Adams

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