Our 2009 Travels

[RonBoyd]

This time there are 2,550 images taking about 13 minutes -- average about 2 per second.

The Adventures of Ron and Brenda's -2009 - YouTube

 

[Dreamer]

Very cool! Thanks for slowing it down enough to see where you were visiting. I was especially interested in the Key West area, as we are headed down there early next month. Enjoyed watching it with my morning cup of coffee.

 

[RonBoyd]

We have been to Key West a couple times. A couple thoughts: It is a long drive from Miami to Key West so expect to stay the night (if you were planning on a single day trip). No matter how long you plan on staying get a ticket on, for instance, Old Town Trolley Tours -- it is a "get-on get-off" guided tour. That way you can, later, head off on your own with some idea of where to go and be assured that you aren't missing something important. We have used them in St. Augustine, New Orleans, San Antonio, and San Diego.

 

[Dreamer]

Thanks for the info. We are going to Ferdinand Beach for 5 nights, Ft. Lauderdale for 2 nights, to Key West for 2 nights and Key Largo for 2 nights. I was hoping to go to Everglades NP, but DH is not so sure, since I read that vultures are attacking the rubber areas of cars, and we just bought our new car in Sept 2012. Did you by any chance go there and did you have any problems? Not sure where we are going after Key Largo, but was thinking of going up the gulf coast of FL, before heading back to WV. Thanks for the tip about the trolley tours, maybe we will do that in Ft. Lauderdale also.

 

[RonBoyd]

We did go to Everglades -- that's where the pictures of/were the Airboat and the hokey Alligator Fighter were taken. Everglades Airboat Ride & Wildlife Show from Miami I wasn't told about the Buzzards but that was four years ago so maybe they weren't old enough to develop a taste for rubber yet. <chuckle>

We have friends who live in Ft. Lauderdale so have not needed a "commercial" tour but for a quick "thumbnail" sketch of a city this cannot be beat. Savannah GA is another candidate for this service.

BTW, Key Largo is where the "African Queen" is located.

 

[HFWR]

Nice effort; definitely a labor of love (2550 pics!!).

 

[jim747]

Ron - you going to the RT rally anniversary rally? Maybe DW and I can be part of your 2013 version.

 

[RonBoyd]

No. That is one of the things we have not done -- attended a Rally. Your query got me thinking of why not. The closest I can come up with is that I just don't like to plan too far ahead. One of the reasons we purchased the Roadtrek was so we could come and go as we pleased... and at a moment's notice. It's not that going to a Rally isn't enticing. In fact, I quite often consider it but always end up waiting to long to decide and the "no vacancy" sign goes up -- as it did with the Branson affair.

Fortunately, I can get my Roadtrek "socializing" needs taken care of through participation in the Roadtrek Facebook site and all the chatter on RTI's CyberRally. Well, that and a couple of well-written BLOGS.

 

[jim747]

We've not attended a rally but decided to give this one a try. FULL retirement is still a few months away for me and we live in a cold state so the RT is still in the garage. The rally will give us an excuse to get moving this spring.

We are similar to you and generally leave home with only general agenda and seldom stay any place more than two or three days. That's the beauty of being small and nimble. So we'll decide on future rallys after we experience this one.

In the meantime, we have lots of places of go and things to see.

 

[RonBoyd]

Well, if you were going to pick just one, this would definitely be that one. The fact that it is put on by Roadtrek and Jim Hammill, the CEO, will be there cooking breakfasts should be something to talk about for years. Roadtrek has a lot of exciting features to brag about this year. The E-trek, for instance, -- the all-electric, solar-powered unit. They claim it can go a couple days on battery power only (it does not have a generator) even running the Microwave and Air Conditioning. A month or so ago, Jim told me I could "hold my breath" for "goodies" that I had asked for -- including a unit that doesn't need "winterizing."

In any event, those that are going (and there are a bunch of them) are all pretty excited and have been pretty vocal for a couple months. Have fun.

 

[jim747]

Well, if you were going to pick just one, this would definitely be that one.

I guess that's what I thought. When the registration opened, I just signed up. Jim Hamill is amazing on the FB page which leads to a huge amount of favorable PR for the company. I don't post often on the FB page but I'm the person who posted the semi hauling the two SS-Agiles yesterday.

The E-trek seems like an amazing machine and I'm looking forward to seeing one. Mike W. bought his at the same dealership that my RT was purchased and I've been able to talk to the techs who preped it for delivery. It seems to be packed with great technology but I'll be happy to sit on the sidelines with my 2008 C190P until the system(s) are put through their paces for a while.

 

[RonBoyd]

but I'll be happy to sit on the sidelines with my 2008 C190P until the system(s) are put through their paces for a while.

Yeah, I'm all for that. In addition, I prefer the width of the Express van rather than the height of the Sprinter. So I told Jim that I would wait for all that technology to end up in a 210. That's when he said I wouldn't have to hold my breath very long. So I would guess within a year.