Tomorrow we're rolling up I-75 to Lazy Days for the electric step installation and completion of a few items we discovered on the "shakedown" cruise. Nothing major, just some lights out. They're hosting us at the Rally Park overnight. A really class act!
We hate to leave our friends behind. Phil and Gayle Cox have been the perfect hosts. Tonight we capped the visit off with a picnic on the beach. Naples has a world-class beach right in downtown. We sat and watched the sun go down while the airplanes flew the approach into Naples Muni. Beautiful towering thunderheads out in the Gulf and a really pretty city. Phil and Gayle enjoy living here, but haven't been able to make the all-encompassing friendships they made in Augusta. They've got some land out in Appling and are looking forward to retirement near the Lake. And we're looking forward to having them home.
The problem with Naples is money. Way too much of it. The seasonal residents are conspicuous consumers on the grand scale. On the way back from the beach we passed an entire city block lined with Ferraris. This weekend there is a car show for Ferraris. The two Bentleys on the block looked like ugly taxicabs next to all the low-slung Italian testosterone on that street. Then we passed the Aston-Martin dealership. Like I said way too much money! An inordinate amount of it in the hands of the nouveau-riche from New Jersey and Canada. The economy doesn't look too bad from this vantage point. The problem is the entitlement attitude that goes along with it. And they really look down on the full-time residents. Poor working stiffs like Phil, even though he make a very good living and lives an upscale life in the 'burbs, are beyond the pale for these people. So even though Phil and Gayle have the charm of new puppies, friendships are inpossible. Gayle has made a few friends through her Sweet Adelines choral group and Phil is involved with his church, but still, genuine open friendships like our group in Augusta are worth moving back.
We hate to leave them, but we're planning to see them over the Xmas holidays at the Lake.
I'm excited about the driving tomorrow. First time with the tow behind us and the first fillup at a truck stop. We're also visiting Shell world for Micky to stock up on little shells for a decorating project and another trip to Camping World in Ft. Myers to finish off the little bit of outfitting this coach needed. It feels funny not to have a to-do list of major modifications and upgrades. The only things I want are a tire pressure monitoring system and a curtain track to enable us to close off the back of the coach while driving. The dash air conditioner can't pull the heat load when the sun hits the expansive picture window up front.
Today I had the opportunity to carefully examine the wiring. This is the closest thing to aircraft wiring I've ever seen. No spaghetti bundles. I operned the forward junction box and was very happy! A large well laid out, marked printed circuit board with around 50 fuses and relays feeding well-marked molex-style plugs branching out to the various user circuits. All the bundles tied and loomed. And white wire with the wire function printed the length of the run. Beautiful to the eyes of a retired corporate aircraft modifications chief like me. I'm going to contaact Monaco and pay them for the wiring diagrams. I know they ahve them at all the service centers, but I want to be able to install my amateur radio rigs and other toys. I paid $400 for the set for the Prius and haven't regretted having them.
Yesterday, I was overjoyed to find that the only "major" cosmetic problem with the coach was easy to fix. The last owner had backed into something and left a large grey mark on the right rear corner of the body about a foot long with some scratches in the clear coat. Underneath the 7-way trailer connector had been involved with something and was bent. A little hammer work straightened that out. The marks on the rear lokked bad. I thought I'd have to have the area re-sprayed and in deep metallic paints, it never looks right. The problem is the spray angle and the way the metal flakes settle in the paint never matches. On a hunch I started rubbing the area with Turtle wax and the smear started coming out! I borrowed some 3M One-Step from Phil and worked it with a soft terry cloth. Got all of it off! And the clear coat was untouched except for microscopic scratches. It looks new again! Now the whole coach looks like it was just delivered. I don't know how the coach got 12,891 miles on it before I bought it, but we can't find any evidence of use. every appliance and fitting looks and smells new. And underneath the coach looks like it has never splashed through a mud puddle! An amazing buy! I plan on keeping it looking this way.
More3 after we get to Lazy Days tomorrow.
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