In The Beginning (Part II)

The search for a quality used RV began early spring 2007. It wasn’t long before I found a 1993 32 ft Holiday Rambler 5th wheel in great condition just a few miles down the road.

After a walk through with the owner, Max, a deal was made.

My little red Chevy S-10 wasn’t going to get this RV to my driveway – but that’s what friends are for! Lee & Mary Jane went with me and brought it to the my driveway, quite convenient for loading and sorting and storing! After all, I did have a 2-bedroom house to empty

and put on the market.

Now a vehicle to haul that thing around – again, that little Chevy S-10 wasn’t it!
Along came Bill – with a 2003 Dodge 3500 Dually Diesel already equipped with a

5th wheel hitch and a towing package. Deal made.

So was the birth of Billy-Max – a Dodge Dually Diesel and a Holiday Rambler 5er.

Now What??

The Adventures of Billy Max

The Adventures of Billy-Max
~or~ Tinga’s Traveling Troupe
~or~ Reinventing Helen
Home is where the hook up is!

It is time to Reinvent Helen – age for retirement is here – lungs and eyes are getting bad—not good when you make your living as a nurse. Retirement – do it now or stay here until the end. Well, I’m certainly not ready for staying anywhere until the END!

Driving past an RV storage area at the edge of town; seeing a ‘for sale’ sign on a travel trailer hit every nerve in my body – What a way to go – never done anything like that in my life – a few camping trips with friends during my younger ‘gypsy/hippy’ days, field maneuvers with the military isn’t quite the same. But this was going to be IT! A travel trailer and the road. The decision was just about that quick. So gathering together a few close friends and hitting the road seems to be the way to go.

Meet my traveling companions:
Jeannie – a Double Yellow-Head Amazon. He sings, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “Somewhere Out There,” and “Amazing Grace.”
Zamba -- A Red-tailed African Grey Parrot that dances beautifully to “The Lion Sleeps Tonite.” Zamba even kicks in with the background singing.
Tinga – A Blue-Crown Conure that greets me every morning with “Hello, Pretty Girl.” She seems to have the biggest mouth and is, therefore “The Boss” of the avian side of the family.
Holly – “The Cat From Hell.” Saved from freezing during a winter storm, she was bottle-fed. I obviously was not a good ‘kitty-mom’ since she turned out mean as the devil. She has long ago used up her nine lives and has a ‘chip’ on her shoulder.
Li’l Bit – a Chihuahua-mix elder statesmen of the family.
And I’m Helen – I’m going along because I have the checkbook, the gas card

and the driver’s license.