Our RV Adventures

There is a sign along I-10 coming into Katy that shows some oil industry stats, like the price of a barrel of oil and the price of 1MMBtu of natural gas. But maybe the most important stat is the rig count. And boy, did it jump recently.

About three weeks ago when we drove by, the count was 408 (+4). The (+4) means 4 more rigs since last week. And that +4 was the first time I’d seen the count go up in a good while.

But today the count was 440 (+9). WOW!  Maybe that explains why we seem to be seeing a lot more trucks passing us on the Interstate carrying casing and drill pipe.

Hopefully this bodes well for our next Gate Guarding adventure in six weeks or so.

Regular blog readers know that Little’s V Vietnamese Bistro in Katy is one of our all-time favorite places, but our meal tonight was something extra.

Every July, Thuyen, the owner, has a benefit dinner to raise money to build schools for the poor children in the rural mountain regions of Vietnam. But since we’re not normally here in July this is the first one we’ve had a chance to attend.

The menu consisted of 5 course prix fixe (“fixed price”), complete with a bottle of wine.

The first course was a Grilled Pork Meatball appetizer with mushrooms and herbs.

Very flavorful and spicy too. In fact ‘a little spicy’ seemed to be the default for the evening.

Next was a Julienned Green Mango salad with homemade dressing and topped off with shrimp.

Next up was the soup course with a spicy Beef Brisket Phở with Rice Vermicelli Noodles, really, really good.

The next course was your choice of entrees, either Marinated and Grilled Catfish with Vermicelli and Vegetables, or Lemongrass Chicken with Rice.

Jan had the Catfish while I had the Chicken, which we shared with each other. Again, really good.

Wrapping the final course was a Chilled Coconut Milk Tapioca with Fruit, just the perfect sweetness to finish off a really great meal.

One thing about the meal is that, although the portions seemed kind of small, by the time the meal was over, you were stuffed.

A really great meal for a great charity.

It seems like one day on Facebook, someone is either singing the praises of Good Sam ERS (Emergency Road Service), or damning them to perdition. And then the next day it’s Coach-Net’s turn in the ring.

For the last nine years, we used both, switching back and forth every now and then. Over the years, we’ve been towed five times, twice with the rig in Canada, twice with the rig in the US, and once with the truck. And we’ve been unstuck twice.

Shut up, Nick!

But we’ve always gotten good service from both. mostly recently when we were towed into Prescott, AZ after our blow-out last May.

One thing every tow driver has told me is that in almost every area there is a central pool of tow companies, and everyone, Good Sam’s, Coach-Net, AAA, State Farm, GEICO, Allstate, etc., all pull from that same pool, so the company you use really doesn’t make a difference. So if Good Sam can’t get you a tow truck for 4 hours, probably neither can Coach-Net.

Now I’ve heard some people said that one road service company gets preference with the tow drivers because they pay quicker. Funny thing about this is, it always seems to be a different company that pays quicker, never the same one.

But now there’s a new game in town. Thanks to Chris and Charles Yust of C and C RV Insurance another option is now available

The SafeRide Motor Club with Roadside Assistance

One thing Chris emphasized is that SafeRide covers enclosed trailers, something other companies don’t.

You can download a SafeRide RV Brochure here, or check out features below.

Your Membership Includes:

Your membership covers you, a spouse or significant other, and children age 24 or younger licensed to drive. Also covered is your RV or other vehicles owned, including enclosed trailers.

SafeRide RV Motor Club’s membership includes emergency roadside assistance and concierge services that you can use both on, and off, the road.

We’ll guide you to the best campsites, make your dinner reservations and refer you to exciting, local activities.

Technical Support & Roadside Assistance:

Features 24/7 technical assistance from our staff of RVIA/RVDA and ASE Certified Technicians who speak directly with you to troubleshoot operational issues.

Should you need emergency roadside assistance, our vast network of service providers offers a wide range of services to handle your unique RV.

Unlimited Towing:

Towing your disabled vehicle to the nearest qualified repair facility.

Unlimited Tire Assistance:

Changing of your vehicle’s flat tire using a mounted and inflated spare tire, delivery of a comparable tire to the disablement site or for towing of your vehicle to a tire facility.

The cost of a delivered replacement tire, alignment, mount & dismount and balancing is is the member’s responsibility.

Unlimited Delivery of Fuel and Emergency Fluids:

Fuel, oil, water as necessary to remedy the disablement.

The cost of fluids is the member’s responsibility. Unlimited Locksmith / Lockout Service Delivery of locksmith services to your vehicle and assistance in the opening of your locked vehicle, and/or obtaining a replacement key.

The member is responsible for all charges related to on site repairs including but not limited to parts and labor costs.

Unlimited Jump-Starts:

A jump-start for your vehicle’s dead battery or a tow to a qualified repair facility.

Unlimited RV Mobile Mechanic:

Dispatching of a mechanic to the site of your mechanically disabled vehicle. The customer is responsible for all charges related to on site repairs
including but not limited to parts and labor costs.

Unlimited Dealer Locator Assistance:

In an unfamiliar territory, where do you go for service should the need arise? We’ll assist in finding the closest, qualified service facility.

Personal Assistance/Concierge Services:

You will have access to a full range of services to make life easier.
Here are just a few:

• ATM & Business Locators
• Car Rental/Hotel/Restaurant Reservations
• Rental Car Return
• Emergency Return Travel Arrangements
• Turn-By-Turn Driving Directions
• Traffic Reports
• Road Closures
• Restaurant Reservations
• RV Campground Referrals
• RV Storage Facility Locators
• Wireless Device Assistance
• Historical Site and Pet Care Locators
• Golf Course Tee Time Reservations/Referrals
• Ticket Coordination (theater/music/sports)
• Pharmacy/Hospital/Emergency Care Locator Service
• Weather Reports
• Shopping Centers
• Local Activities Calendar

$109 per year, new or renewal
To join, call Chris or Charles at 936-425-5041,
or email them at [email protected]

Makes me wish I hadn’t just renewed my ERS last month.

Thought for the Day:

“If you don’t think too good, don’t think too much.” – Ted Williams

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It’s been long said that there are only 6 (or 7, or 12, take your pick) basic stories (emotional arcs, plots, themes, again take you pick) in all of literature. But now it must true, because a computer said so.

Researchers data-mined 1700 books from all genres gathered from Project Gutenberg, eliminating dictionaries and related books to establish to come up with the themes.

And here they are:

• “Rags to riches” (the story gets better over time);
  
• “Man in a hole” (fortunes fall, but the protagonist bounces back);
  
• “Cinderella” (there’s an initial rise in good fortunes, followed by a setback, but a happy ending)
  
• “Tragedy” or “riches to rags” (things only get worse);
  
• “Oedipus” (bad luck, followed by promise, ending in a final fall)
  
• “Icarus” (opens with good fortunes, but doomed to fail)

You can read more about it here. Six Basic Stories

I’m pretty sure Nick uses 3 or 4 of these themes in every book.

Now that it’s the middle of summer, the sandspurs are in bloom. Of course you may call them grass burrs, burr weeds, or cockleburs, But growing up on the Gulf Coast, they’ll always be sandspurs to me.

Well, they’re everywhere here now. Of course they’re always here to some extent, but this is ridiculous.

This is one short trip out to the truck. Then I have to careful scrape them off into the garbage can. But of course, one or two always manage to escape, and then lay in wait for a passing bare foot.

OUCH!

Wrapping up, we found out yesterday that our long-time friend Pat Benson passed away on Friday. We first met Pat and his wife Judy when we were workcamping in Fairbanks, AK in 2008,.

Pat and Judy were staying at the same RV, but were working for one of the area’s gold mine attractions. Pat was the grizzled old prospector, while Judy worked in the business office.

We next saw them in June 2010 when we visited them where they live in Draper, UT, just south of Salt Lake City.

Then while we were gate-guarding in October 2014 up near College Station, Pat, Judy, and their daughter showed up to visit us at the gate . . . and they brought Rudy’s BBQ.

Our condolences to Judy and the Benson family.

Pat will be missed.

Thought for the Day:

George R. R. Martin, writer of Game of Thrones, presaging the end of the series next year.

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