More Visiting, The Weather and Progressive Industries

Moncure, NC

48 deg. overcast, no wind.

Forecast = Overcast with a chance of rain in the morning, then partly cloudy. High of 73F. Winds from the NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20%.


Sunday, Jim and Linda went to Mike and Gina's during the afternoon and early evening. The weather was not too good or they would have come out here to the RV Park to see me. You see, we've had a cold front got through the area, and it has brought rain, thunder, some wind and much cooler temperatures than we have been having.

Being that the weather was still not good yesterday morning, (cold with drizzle), Jim got on the phone and called Progressive Industries.  I don't know if you remember or not, but last winter the Electrical Management System, that Jim had to protect all my electronics from surges, low voltages and any other electrical problems quit working and he had to buy a different unit at a Camping World store when we were in Alabama.

The unit that Jim bought at that time was a Surge Guard that seemed to work fine, but he always thought that the Progressive unit was better. We were on our way to Oregon at that time though, so the old unit was stashed away in one of my basement compartments.

Well, yesterday, when Jim called Progressive Industries, which is located in Morrisville, NC, (about 25 miles North of here), and told them about the problem with the unit and explained that we were in the area. They said that he could bring the unit to the factory and they would be glad to check it out.

So, about 10:30, Jim and Linda took CLT and headed up there.

When they arrived, the unit was checked out, and guess what?  Yep!!! The unit worked!!! But, after describing how the unit was acting, (a chattering sound coming from inside of the unit), they said that they have seen that condition before, and handed Jim a reconditioned unit, in a box, that looked like brand new!!!

Now, by this time, Jim had already told them that he had bought the unit way back in 2005, and he didn't even have the sales receipt any longer. They said that it didn't matter, they were now covering all of their units with a lifetime warranty, even though the original warranty on the unit that Jim bought was only for 1 year!!

Wow!!!! What a great surprise!!!!  They are definitely one of the "Good Guys"!!!!

Now, I have to ask you, what other company can you think of, (other than maybe Fantastic Fan), that has a warranty this good and takes care of it's customers any better?  You can be assured that Jim will recommend Progressive Industries to anyone who is looking for an (EMS), Electrical Management System for their RV and tell them what a great company it is and how well they take care of their customers.  : )

Yesterday evening, Jim and Linda took CLT and headed back over to Mike's. After having another nice dinner, they visited until about 7:30, (time for the kids to start getting ready for bed), and then came back here to the park, without even seeing any more deer on the road. : )

Today, I think that Jim and Linda may go grocery shopping. The last time they went was when we were back in Rantoul, and my cabinets are starting to look a little empty. ; )  Mike has to work late and the kids have activities to go to, so Jim and Linda won't be going over there today. : (

I know this is a day late, but, Did you  know that Columbus Day first became an official state holiday in Colorado in 1906, and became a federal holiday in the United States in 1937, though people have celebrated Columbus' voyage since the colonial period?

Repairs Made and A Recommendation

Portland, OR.

46 deg. mostly cloudy, no wind.

Forecast = Overcast. High of 64F. Winds from the West at 5 to 10 mph.


The repairman came at 10:00 as promised and proceeded to work on my electric steps. It took him a little while, but soon my steps were going in and out as he closed and opened my entry door. : )

I have mixed feelings about Keith from Affordable Mobile RV Repair. At times it seemed like he was not confident in his own diagnoses of the problem, but in the end, he came through and proper repairs were made. Also, when Jim and Linda received the final bill, they were pleasantly surprised at the charges. He definitely didn't charge for all the trips back and forth, or for that matter, all the time he spent finding what the problem was with my steps. He was very through with his troubleshooting of the problem and even rechecked his test results to make sure he had made the right decision.

So, if you're in the Portland Oregon area and have a problem with your RV, give Keith a call. He is very honest, has very reasonable rates, is very through and will not over-charge. Also, if he feels he can't handle the problem, he will tell you. And, if he knows of someone that he thinks can do the job, refer you to them.

Keith who is the owner of Affordable Mobile RV Repair is definitely one of the "Good Guys". : )

On the other hand, the service that Jim originally called, and had dealt with before, "Mobile Technical Services", can no longer be recommended. The business has been sold to a new owner and when called, did not show up for the appointment or even call. In fact as of today Jim has still not heard from them.

Oh, remember I told you that Jim had ordered a ladder? Well, Lowe's called yesterday and told Jim that the ladder was on back-order and would not be available until sometime in June. : (   So, the order was canceled and if Jim still wants to get a ladder, will have to try to get one at a later date.

Not a whole lot else happened yesterday. Jeff and Heather were busy so we didn't see them. Today, I think Jeff will be around, so maybe he'll have time to get together with Jim and Linda.

Did you know that in Portland, "Powell's City of Books", occupying an entire city block, is the world's largest independent bookstore?

Where's Judy??? and Almost Ripped Off

Rantoul, IL.

65 deg. clear, SW wind @ 10 mph.

Forecast = Mostly sunny. Highs near 85. West winds around 10 mph.


Where's Judy and her RV????  Well, to make a long story short, her RV has some problems and she couldn't make it yesterday. It seems that her Motor Home's emergency brake is either stuck or broken and won't release, so it can't be moved!!!!! : O 

Judy called Jim and told him what was going on and told him that she didn't know when she would be able to get it repaired, but would call as soon as she got it fixed and if possible still come here to the CG.

I sure hope she'll still have time to stop by.

Early yesterday morning, Jim took CLT over to Corky's to have the brakes, exhaust system, and fan belts checked and have the fuel filter changed.

If you remember, I told you yesterday that a tire shop had told Jim that the front brake pads were almost worn out and needed to be replaced. Well, when they checked the brakes at Corky's, they found out that there was at least 60% of the brake pads left, and about the same on the rear brake shoes.

In other words, the Tire Kingdom store down in Deland Florida was trying to rip Jim off and sell him new brakes for CLT when they weren't really needed. Also, they told Jim at the same time that the front wheel bearings were loose and needed to be checked. Also not true!!

So, if you're ever in Deland, FL. I highly recommend that you drive right past the Tire Kingdom store and find somewhere else to get any work done that your vehicle may need. They are not to be trusted!!!

On the other hand, Corky's here in Rantoul is very trustworthy. They did not try to sell Jim brakes or any other parts that weren't needed for CLT, and in fact, found only a minor problem with the exhaust that was easily repaired. They did replace the fan belts because they had cracks, the fuel filter and the air filter that was very dirty. All of it at a fair price.

All of this work was accomplished quickly and by noon, CLT was sitting back in his parking place here at the CG. : )

Being that Judy was not able to make it yesterday and CLT was out of the repair shop, Jim and Linda decided to go to Walgreen's to pick up a few items and get their flu shots. After that, they headed over to Wally World to pick up a few more items.

By 3:30 they were back here.

The rest of the day was spent just doing normal things.

Did you know that on this day in 1814, Francis Scott Key penned a poem which was later set to music and in 1931 became America's national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner?"