Escapade 2021

 We're here at another Escapade. 

Glad to be here!

Oregon Trail

 In between the FMCA and the Escapade, we had a few nights to play. We found a Harvest Host location that was unique. It wasn't just a parking place outside a business - it was a parking place along the old Oregon trail AND a covered wagon ride down to the river where a steak dinner was cooked in Dutch Ovens. This was a highlight of our time in Wyoming.

Another night we decided it was worth going just a bit out of our way to go to a hot springs we have visited before and stay at the RV park where we also stayed before. Saratoga Hot Springs and Deer Valley RV Park.

Hot Springs conversations - we met some nice young men who were hiking the CDT - Continental Divide Trail. We learned that they have a podcast - it's fun to listen: Camp Walk-Along podcast.

Patting ourselves on the back

 We were finished with the FMCA rally in Gillette on Saturday, then we did Episode 216 "What Does This Button Do?" show on Sunday. Our topic was a recap of the rally, we gave just a little taste of each of the 4 seminars we presented:

• 15:28 Class #1: Smartphone photography
• 25:20 Class #2: Remembering travels – Blog
• 31:40 Class #3: Organizing photos with Google Photos
• 35:43 Class #4: Maps and Apps for RV Trip planning

I wish I could bottle the feeling that we get at these rallies! The closest I can come is this video of the applause at the end of a seminar.

In between seminars, people would visit us at our table. Many had questions about their smartphones. Between Jim and me, I think we had a 100% success rate with solving their issue or answering their question. Things like, 

• why are all my photos showing up on my wife's phone?
• how can my husband and I see each others' calendars
• can I make my phone's screen less "touchy?"
• show me how I can navigate to a photo, like you taught in the seminar
• what was that app you taught that "beautifies" your photos and integrates with Google Photos? (Snapseed)
• What's the difference between Google Photos and Amazon Photos, which one should I use? (both, but Google Photos as your primary, Amazon as backup)
• Why is my phone not notifying me of text messages?
• Why did I lose all my photos when I switched phones? .. once she learned how to search with Google Photos, she discovered that she hadn't lost her photos after all!
• How do I use my phone as a hotspot for my computer?
• Why am I not receiving my email on my iPhone?

It is SO much easier to answer people's questions when you're standing side by side and you can actually work with their phone. Usually, we're answering questions on our user Q&A forum where we have to depend on their written question and our written response. 

I also really enjoy the IRL (in real life) interaction because I get to learn things. For example, we teach how to use the iPhone's camera with the Portrait setting. I have been distressed by the fact that, with my iPhone SE, Portrait is only available for faces. I like to use it for flowers and other close up photos. By working with people with other phones, I learned that the limitation is only on the SE. Good to know!

Lots of people come by just to say "Thank You", and "your seminars are great!" I wish we could have recorded some of these, but we just couldn't do it. 

Here is a proud learner that wanted to show off the Map he created after learning about Google My Maps from us!

Here is the line of folks waiting to sign up for our membership after they learned so much in our seminars.

We've been doing these RV rallies since 2004. Why do we keep doing it? It's for all those pats on the back!

FMCA in Gillette

 Our second FMCA rally this year.

Here is a link to the shared photo album.

Weekend at Frankie's

 We met Frank Drew in our very first year RVing. He had a company called Coach Connect that installed Wi-Fi in RV parks and we worked for him doing support. The best part of all that was becoming friends with Frank, he was a young person in our world full of energy and ideas. That was 20 years ago and he now has 2 kids - with even more energy! Whenever we travel west we make a point to stop by Waco for a visit. Here are blog posts from previous visits in 2017, 2013. We consider the Drews, both Frank and his parents, Frank Sr. and Carol, our family in Texas.

This time we got to visit with all 3 generations of Drews because they all happened to be in the same house for the weekend - add 2 geeks with their RV in the driveway, and we had a 3 day party!

Frank and his son Fuller

Here's something we've never seen before - kids in our camper.

Frank's daughter, Claire with her 'baby yoda' that Jim 3D printed before we left home.

We always make sure to carry bathing suits with us when we travel, but they rarely get used - except for the occasional hot springs. It takes kids to get us into a pool - and we had a blast.

On Sunday, we took advantage of their great outdoor patio area, and their Wi-Fi! to live stream our YouTube show. The topic was managing Time Zones with Google Calendar.

The wonderful thing about driveway camping is that you get to be neighbors, and even roommates, for a few days. What a treat.

Jim was so happy to have a reason to cook the steaks he bought before we left home. And, Frankie even had a Sous Vide! So Jim could cook the steak the way he likes. 

Thank you SO much for your warm and loving hospitality. We love visiting our Texas family.