Cut Off At The Pass

While in Riverside, I needed to get supplies for the Indio rally, so one morning I set TWO GPS units because navigating around there is just crazy.  No one said streets had to be straight.  After four miles and six turns, I finally found the grocery store.  Unfortunately, I was still in need of some things they didn't have.

I remembered an Albertsons across from the Cakewalk cake decorating store.  Maybe I should check that out since it's only ten miles away ... two as the crow flies.  With all my printing paper, sausage and felt-tip pens in hand, I headed back to the RV Park.

Traffic was heavy ... I was in the lane trying to get to the freeway.  All of a sudden I see in my right mirror, some guy in a smashed up black Versa practically running on the sidewalk to get past all the waiting cars.  When he got to me, he tried to jam in front of me.

I was too close to the car ahead and I just kept going.  Apparently that pissed off the 20-something  tattooed skinhead kid driving, who started waving his hands and fingers at me.  Hey kid ... you can wait in line like all the rest of the cars.

He was able to bully his way in behind me, but not before he waved some more and yelled out a bunch of expletives.  Having had enough, I opened my window and said "Could you speak English please".  Well that went over like a lead balloon.  That's when I thought ... uh oh ... he's behind me and I'm a BIG target, as he began showing gang signs like he was having a fit or something.

Thank goodness a Riverside Police car showed up in the nick of time and the kid quieted down just long enough for me to ditch him on a side street, race around the corner and hit the freeway on-ramp. Next time I should probably keep my mouth shut, but it just irritates me no end when those kids think they can bully everyone.

The next morning it was time to head out to Indio.  I left early since I hate their rough freeways.  It being a Sunday morning, I could cruise along with little traffic.  In no time I was in Indio with it's beautiful 70 degree weather.

This year our big Sam's Club parking lot was open, so we staged there to prepare for the trip to the fairgrounds.  Everyone gets a number on their rig AND the tow vehicle, so the guy following you knows who to follow.  Not that it matters, because when we get to the fairgrounds lot, numbers mean nothing.  It's like herding cats.

Hurry up and wait, although this year they did a stellar job of parking and our three hour wait was only one and a half.  It gave us a chance to get reacquainted with our members.

Once parked, we went to town setting up our party spot to the left in this picture.  There is a good rain storm predicted for tonight and tomorrow, so we didn't set up the shade covers.  The good news is we are nicely parked on pavement at the high end of the lot.  There will be no swimming pool this year for us.

Not bad for a parking lot park!!  

Literally twenty minutes later, my oil was being changed and the rig lubed.  Jim Fulkerson Mobile Lube meets me here every year.  Super simple, costing around $400.  This year is the year of the transmission oil change, which he will be back to take care of this morning.  There's at least four other rigs getting work done today just with our group.

About 7:00 there was one snag.  When we arrived, the generator wasn't on, so no electricity.  The company was called and the switch was flipped and we were in the money ... at least for a time.  The second I turned on my TV, the power went out.  By 8:30 and three phone calls from our illustrious Treasurer Kurt Simon, it was back on.

Seems someone who was parking with a group very close to the generator, decided he wasn't putting up with that noise.  They told him there was no choice ... that is where they park every year.  Apparently he got a little testy and as he nonchalantly walked by, hit the off switch before getting in his rig and driving off.  Nice guy.  Too bad he will never be allowed back.

I've thrown together a continental breakfast for this morning, just because, so I have to get busy.  It's so nice to see everyone's smiling faces again.