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T2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser JourneysT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
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T2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys

December 2019 – October 2020
  • Two to Travel
Our 2020 motorhome travels in the Phoenix Cruiser ... exploring Colorado and a road trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Read more
  • Two to Travel

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  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
    Could this Phoenix Cruiser at Independence RV be our next rig?

    Mui's On His Way to Orlando

    December 11, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 45 °F

    Buying a smaller rig for our RV travels in the US — and most likely in Canada ... and possibly in Mexico as well — was a foregone conclusion once we made the decision to leave full-timing and settle in Colorado. Mui's been doing his research on brands and models since before we sold our Phaeton in April. He missed out on a few opportunities due to timing earlier in the year. We're hoping the tide has turned in our favor this time.

    Even as I write this footprint, Mui's winging his way down to Florida to check out a Phoenix Cruiser he found on RV Trader yesterday. Yes, that's how quickly he moved on the 2552 that has been traded into Independence RV in Winter Garden.

    Truth be told, I think this is more than a "look-see trip" to Florida. I have a strong feeling that he'll be driving the rig back to Colorado.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
    A sneak peek inside our Phoenix Cruiser ... photo courtesy of Independence RV.

    We Have an RV

    December 12, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 45 °F

    Just as I anticipated. We own an RV again ... this time much smaller than the 40-foot Tiffin Phaeton that served as our "condo on wheels" for a little over 6 ½ years.

    The 2017 Phoenix Cruiser 2552 that Mui went down to check-out at Independence RV passed the PDI with flying colors. Mui negotiated a good deal and the rig is now ours. Mui's very pleased with how the whole deal was handled and says he gives the dealer 👍🏻👍🏻 and a hearty recommendation.

    He's going to spend the night in the dealer's lot while he provisions for the trip back to Colorado. Time for me to dust off my RV Trip Wizard and set a route for him to follow home. There is a snowstorm headed for us that might impact Mui as he gets closer. I'll just have to monitor the conditions and re-route him as necessary.

    I'm excited to become an RVer again ... even if we will have to wait until after we return from our 2020 spring overseas trip to get rolling again.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
    A cold bed for the Phoenix Cruiser .... but she's all winterized, so no worries.

    Mui & the Phoenix Cruiser Are Home

    December 17, 2019 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 34 °F

    He could have made it home from Florida in four days. But the snowstorm that came through Colorado over the weekend made the roads coming into the state — from any direction — way too slick. Even though Mui had picked up chains for the rig, it was safer for him to stay an extra night in Amarillo, Texas.

    This turned out to be a good decision as I-25N was clear all the way up when he began the final haul home this morning. Mui came to the house first to show off our Phoenix Cruiser to mom and Aylin ... and to me for that matter. Then I followed him to the storage lot where we put our baby motorhome to rest.

    Not sure when we'll get to take a real ride in our new rig. I was thinking we could drive partway up the Pikes Peak Highway to one of the reservoirs for a picnic. It turns out, however, that we're considered too long for that road. (Not really as there are tour vans longer than our 27-feet and 10-inch length that go up to the peak all the time.) I'll put on my thinking cap and see if I can come up with an alternate idea. In the meantime, the motorhome is snug as a bug ... and winterized against the cold temps of a Colorado winter.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
    1

    Thank You & Happy New Year

    January 1, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F

    Got a card from Independence RV today. Actually, not sure when it came. We get so little mail at our home address that we check the mailbox only once a week.

    The card was a thank you for our recent Phoenix Cruiser purchase. What made it nice was that it was personalized. Not just with a photo of our baby motorhome, but also with a picture of Mui taken at the dinette after the deal was signed, sealed, and delivered. Thoughtful gesture.

    Still haven't had a chance to spend any meaningful time in the motorhome since Mui brought it home around the middle of December. You see, we've been busy entertaining family. All but mom will be leaving next week, so perhaps after that we'll have a chance to do so.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
    Let's go for a ride in the Phoenix Cruiser — Colorado Springs, CO.
    The Phoenix Cruiser out on its first pleasure outing — Palmer Lake, CO.Mom gets to enjoy a ride in our new-to-us motorhome — Palmer Lake, CO.Can you see the Phoenix Cruiser on the other side of Palmer Lake?There we are! Palmer Lake, CO.Ice fishermen taking advantage of a beautiful winter day — Palmer Lake, CO.Chef Mui prepares egg salad sandwiches for lunch — Palmer Lake, CO.An indoor picnic at the dinette — Palmer Lake, CO.

    A Short Outing to Palmer Lake

    January 25, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F

    We’ve been wanting to take the Phoenix Cruiser out since Mui brought our new motor home to Colorado. Wanting to give mom a ride in the rig, we got it out of storage today and went for a drive. The outing had a dual purpose ... to grant mom’s wish for a picnic lunch.

    Palmer Lake is off of Hwy 105 ... about 30 minutes or so north of Colorado Springs. We knew we could find a place to park the rig there this time of the year ... and there were picnic tables for an al fresco meal. What we didn’t count on was the ice fishermen ... they had the parking lot filled. No matter, we just drove around to the other side of the lake and had the whole place to ourselves.

    The sky was blue ... the sun was shining. Perfect for an al fresco meal. Except for the on-and-off breeze from the north, which made it just a tad too uncomfortable to sit outside for any length of time. No matter ... we opened the slide and had our picnic lunch inside the Cruiser. The egg salad sandwiches didn’t care that they were being eaten indoors instead of outdoors.

    Despite the wind, we did manage to take a walk most of the way around the lake. A bit of fresh air exercise to wrap up our outing in the Phoenix Cruiser.    Read more

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  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys

    Cruiser Continues to Nap

    March 22, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    When COVID-19 started to explode around the world and we had to cancel our overseas plan, we thought there might be an upside.

    We thought we could move up our motorhome travel plans and explore parts of our new home state sooner rather than later. We thought we could possibly head south for a bit to get through the remaining chilly days we're bound to have in Colorado in early spring. We thought we could possibly head north to Alaska for the summer.

    If thoughts only made it so!

    Alas, with campgrounds all around the country rapidly shutting down, it looks like the Cruiser will continue to nap in storage for the foreseeable future.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
    Undercarriage sewer hose carrier installed.
    Attaching the main receiver hitch for the spare tire carrier to the tow hitch.The spare tire carrier in its down and up positions. And the tire protected from UV rays.With the tow hitch re-attached, the spare tire carrier assembly installation is complete.

    Customizing the Cruiser

    May 17, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    With the USAFA famcamp and the Colorado state park campgrounds now open, we have four reservations in hand to take the Phoenix Cruiser on the road.

    None of our current plans call for us to travel far ... or for long. Those days will come soon 🤞🏻. In the meantime, we'll be dipping our toes" back into the RV'ing world with some three-day local adventures ... starting with a stay at the Peregrine Pines famcamp at USAFA immediately following the Memorial Day long weekend.

    Mui brought the Cruiser home from storage yesterday to start prepping it for the road.

    First up ... installing an undercarriage sewer hose carrier. We have limited outside storage in this rig, so this was of particular importance. The rig has a macerator that we can use for short stays, but a more permanent sewer connection will be essential for longer stays.

    Next, we installed a Roadmaster spare tire carrier. The model Mui opted to buy attaches to our existing tow hitch. Although it blocks access to the rear storage cabinet, the assembly is easy to bring down when necessary. The installation instructions left a lot to be desired IMHO, but using common sense, we prevailed in short order.

    Finally, we also de-winterized the Cruiser. With an access pipe to the stix-and-brix sewer system readily available, this chore was easily accomplished. Fingers crossed we don't have any freeze warnings from this date forward. And if we do ... well, I guess Mui will have to go sleep in the rig so as to run the propane heater 🤪    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
    The Phoenix Cruiser fits site 52 with room to spare ... USAFA, Colorado Springs — CO.
    1We even have a parking area for the toad ... USAFA, Colorado Springs — CO.View of the three sites from the end of the cul-de-sac ... USAFA, Colorado Springs — CO.2Our view straight out from our site ... USAFA, Colorado Springs — CO.

    First Camping Trip in the PhxCruiser

    May 26, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Our first camping trip with the Phoenix Cruiser ... Yay!

    We made our reservation at Peregrine Pines, the famcamp at USAFA (US Air Force Academy) the day it was announced that the campground was opening again.That was just a couple of weeks ago. We purposefully selected the Tuesday following the Memorial Day long weekend to begin our road trip. So here we are, finally camping in our RV.

    Sites here are assigned by the campground management, so we had no idea where we would end up. The only thing that was guaranteed was that with generously-sized sites, we’d have plenty of space to do our social distancing.

    As it turns out, we were assigned #52 — in a small cul-de-sac ... with just three sites ... each facing a different direction, thus giving an additional sense of privacy. All of the sites here are FHU with 50 amp electricity. The gravel pad looked like it was quite uneven, but we had no trouble leveling ourselves ... even though it’s our first time using the Cruiser’s hydraulic leveling system.

    Though we’ve camped at Peregrine Pines before, we were always over in the area where they put the big boys. So far we’re enjoying being in this small section. Though trees are bountiful at our site and all around us, there’s plenty of sunlight streaming in. There’s a delightful scent of pine wafting on the light breeze. Itty bitty birds are already visiting ... I’ll have to keep my camera handy on the off-chance that they stand still long enough for a photo op.

    It doesn’t matter that we didn’t travel far ... just 11 miles from home. It doesn’t matter that this is a short outing ... just three nights. What matter’s is that we’re out and about in the Cruiser ... communing with mother nature. And listening to the trains whistling at us as they go by periodically. We don’t mind that sound one bit.

    We’ve got several more short outings already on the books. Hope to add a couple of trips that are longer now that private campgrounds have been given the go-ahead to open in addition to the state parks. It’s time to get to know our new home state better.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
    We are here! ... USAFA, Colorado Springs, CO.
    Double the pleasure! ... USAFA, Colorado Springs, CO.Panorama of the retention pond ... yes, the pond is round ... USAFA, Colorado Springs, CO.Panorama from outside Falcon Stadium ... USAFA, Colorado Springs, CO.The stadium stands through the chainlink fence ... USAFA, Colorado Springs, CO.The words in blue are part of a new memorial to airmen who fought in military campaigns ... USAFA.Found an open gate and snuck-in for a panorama from the bleachers down to the field ... USAFA.Colorado Loco plant ... USAFA, Colorado Springs, CO.Not warm enough for breakfast, but we can eat outside for lunch ... USAFA, Colorado Springs, CO.

    Fun Memorial Sneak-Peek & Chores

    May 27, 2020 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 72 °F

    After a good night’s rest, we were up and at ‘em bright and early as usual.

    It was a tad bit cool to eat breakfast outside at the picnic table, but we’d be making up for that by enjoying our tea on the patio later. And lunch as well.

    A shakedown cruise means lots of chores around the Cruiser. But before getting started on the work part of our day, we went off for a walk first. Today, we opted to wander over to the retention pond that’s a short distance from the famcamp.

    The view of the mountains reflected on the water at the pond is one of my favorite sceneries on the USAFA campus. The water was much lower than we’ve seen it before ... that might change if we get the forecasted amount of rain that is due into the area late this afternoon.

    Somehow, our walk segued over to Falcon Stadium. We’ve wandered around inside the stadium before, but it’s closed to the public at present. Yes ... because of that pandemic thing that continues to plague us.

    We managed to get close enough to the stadium to see something we’d not noticed before ... the names of a couple of military campaigns ... Berlin Airlift, and operations Allied Force, Desert Storm, Inherent Resolve, and Linebacker II. I did a little digging on the internet and learned that these are memorials honoring airmen who fought in campaigns around the world. When completed, there will be about 20 such memorials on the walls between the tiers of seats. The plan is to unveil the memorial once COVID-19 abates. I guess you could say that we got a sneak preview today.

    What was to have been an hour-long hike ended up being twice as long. But we enjoyed walking somewhere other than in our neighborhood. Good thing we made the most of the morning sunshine as the big golden orb is playing hide-and-seek with the clouds now. And it is raining at the moment. Just a light pitter-patter. An earthy smell in the air. A delightful breeze.

    I’ll continue to sit outside under the awning until the rain drives me indoors. Maybe that won’t be a bad thing. After all, we have chores to do, don’t we?

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelT2T’s 2020 PhxCruiser Journeys
    Oops ... heading in the wrong direction. This path goes to the USAFA golf course ... CoSprings, CO.
    Panorama from the Falcon Trail ... USAFA — Colorado Springs, CO.Clouds gathering over the mountains ... where snow is expected today ... USAFA — CoSprings, CO.I'll take a flying leap here and guess that the owner is Air Force 😜 ... USAFA, Colorado Springs, COBoulder raspberry flower on the Falcon Trail ... USAFA -- Colorado Springs, CO.Alpine sunflower on the Falcon Trail ... USAFA — Colorado Springs, CO.Al fresco dining ... one of the best things about camping out ... USAFA — Colorado Springs, CO.Downy Woodpecker at the famcamp ... USAFA — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Day 3 ... Rinse & Repeat Day 2

    May 28, 2020 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    The title pretty much describes today ... which is the last day of our short Cruiser outing.

    Woke up around 5:00a. The day soon showed us that it would be another one filled with beautiful sunshine and warm temps ... though a bit cooler. Nothing to stop us from enjoying a cup of tea out on the patio after eating breakfast indoors. What little rain that pitter-pattered on the roof yesterday evening was soaked up by the ground, so it was nice and dry on the patio.

    As we did yesterday, we went off for a short hike that lasted longer than we planned. This time we headed off to the 13-mile Falcon Trail. We did the entire loop back in 2015. Today we were satisfied with doing just 4-5 miles. There weren’t nearly as many wildflowers blooming this time, which meant we had no excuse to dally on the trail. More of an exercise hike than sightseeing you might say.

    It was noon by the time we arrived back at the campground. Time to have lunch al fresco — peas and rice that Mui pre-cooked at home, so all we had to do was warm it up.

    As was forecasted yesterday, we’re expecting another round of storms today. I imagine that if any wet stuff falls, it will be in the early evening ... after happy hour ... just like yesterday. Until then, I’m going to enjoy the patio. Mui’s off running some errands to complete a few remaining projects before we leave tomorrow, so I have the whole place to myself ;-) ... with the itty birds that are flitting about just out of range of my camera’s lens keeping me company.

    P.S. We saw a pair of beautiful Steller's jays on the Falcon Trail. No photos of them ... that will teach me — maybe — not to leave my camera behind next time. But I got a distant shot of a downy woodpecker in the trees across from our site this afternoon. I had to crop the photo quite a bit, but at least I have a memory shot by which to remember it.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Read more

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