Stickin' and brickin' again. :( Just temporary tho. :)
Necro said
03:22 PM Nov 22, 2011
Well folks, I haven't been around for awhile so here's a basic update for those who even remember me. :)
We had a great Spring/Summer on the road. We spent nearly four months at Canyon Country Campground doing our first work-camp gigs ever. It was pretty great for the most part. Our original deal with them was to work Thurs. thru Monday, 4 hours each. 10am till 2pm. It was quite nice. Along with a paid worker (who was on the clock full-time and paid hourly), we kept the place immaculate. Occassionally, we would work extra hours for them, which wasn't a problem. Sadly, their full-timer left for college, and things began to change rapidly.
Our hours were increasing by the day, as well as our chore list. We talked to them on a few occassions about a monetary reward for the extra work, since they didn't have to pay the full time guy, no longer, I didn't feel it was a horrible thing to ask. It never happened. So basically, it became a JOB, which wasn't exactly what we had in mind, being retired and all. Both owners have health issues, and we felt horrible shirking what they were now requiring of us, so we did it without complaints. Then, the health issues of the guy started to affect his temperament, and he began to talk to us like we were dogs. Being a pretty respectful guy, I held my tongue many times. His wife would constantly apologize for him, explaining the pain he was in, and how he was acting this way to everyone. Again, we bit our lips and continued to just do our jobs, without any major complaining (except to each other).
One day, we returned from a trip home from seeing our children, TWENTY minutes late. We were dressed down like we were children. Putting our knowledge of the guy's pain into the front of my mind, I again, bit my lip and went about my scheduled chores. At some point, my wife asked him a question, and he LIT into her. I drew the line at that moment and went a little off. I demanded an apology. I didn't get one. I told them we'd finish the day, and we'd be gone. They told us to not even bother. It was getting ugly. So I said fine, and me and the wife went to our site and broke down the camper, packed and left. Haven't spoken to them since. It broke our hearts. We really loved them, but there's no way I'm being talked to like that. I'm a 46 year old father of five who never put up with that, even at my career of 25 years.
So we then took off to a nearby lake to stay for a few nights and get our heads together. Make our next plan. The place is Lake Hammond, and they are an Army Corps of Engineers park. Beautiful place. Must have been in the cards, cuz we talked to the Ranger who ran the place and were offerred a gig immediately. UNBELIEVABLE. This place was so much better. Our new gig was 20 hrs a week, but done in 2.5 days. We had 4.5 days to ourselves. AMAZING!!! We loved it. We were going to stay for the duration of the season, but the floods came in the beginning of September, and we returned temporarily to our home in NE Pa. Sadly, it turned out to be not so temporary. Our youngest kids (twin boy and girl), are in their final year of high school, and there's lots to do to prepare them for college. We decided to just stay home for now.
We have our spot and gig for next year though. They loved us there, and they treat people with tons of respect and all the privacy in the world. Once you're off the clock... you're OFF the clock. I loved it.
So in the hiatus, we've got some work to do on the camper and the van, to prepare for next Spring. We won't be able to buy our dream rig for nearly two years more still, so the DIY projects just keep coming. LOL Luckily, we have such a great forum here for advice and encouragement. Great to see you all again.
Ken and Carol.
Sorry for the length of this. :)
PIEERE said
06:57 PM Nov 22, 2011
When you give your all and there is no respect, then you have done your part. As workers we don't have to be treated badly, or at any time for that matter. happy to hear your second venture fits you both better. Personally as I get older, I want to be treated well. I give my best whether it be social, at work or lending people a helping hand. I have been doing various workamping jobs since the fall of 2009 and my greatest achievement has been acquiring true friends.
enjoy your time with the relatives in the S&B's and best to your sucesseful re-entry into the workamping ventures. Happy Holidays and God Bless! I think blessings have come your way! Pieere
Necro said
08:18 PM Nov 22, 2011
Thanks Pieere. Much appreciated.
Waggin Tails said
08:56 PM Nov 22, 2011
Sorry you had to deal with this unpleasant experience. Best wishes for the future.
Necro said
09:28 AM Nov 23, 2011
Thanks. While it was unpleasent, we feel as though it was in the cards. Can't tell you how great it is at Hammond. They really treat you great, and there's so much work to be done there, that they can cater it to your strengths. I got to do a lot of work with my photography, and Carol got to do a lot of work with plants. I don't think we could be happier.
Racerguy said
10:06 AM Nov 23, 2011
Welcome back Necro.Although your 1st experience was bad they are usually followed by good one's like you had.Life's like that sometimes.The good times always seem to make the memories of the bad ones fade away.We too are stick and brick'n again albeit for a different reason.We have settled in Arizona and sold our rig but plan to buy a Class C or a small Class A and travel part time from here on out.
Necro said
10:29 AM Nov 23, 2011
Yeah, i can't ever see giving it up completely. Best wishes on your new life.
We've got another season of the tow-trailer and the van until I get my esop money. We had originally planned on getting a fiver, but now we're set on a Class A. Much cheaper for our plans than adding a tow truck to the mix. That's been the best part of doing it for a few months at a time. We're learning so much, first hand, from other full-timers. Getting to work at Hammond, was like getting to be at an RV show EVERY DAY. :) The place is huge and always near capacity. We got our own Gator to drive around doing our chores, and meeting new people and conversing about "the life" is awesome. Can't wait to get back there. :)
janieD said
02:34 PM Nov 24, 2011
Glad you got to have a good experience after the bad. We work camped for the COE in California last year and loved it but had to leave because of a rock slide on the main road. It was short but a good experience and we would definitely work for the COE again. Sometimes too it just works out the way it needs too. Enjoy your kids senior year and next years travels!
Well folks, I haven't been around for awhile so here's a basic update for those who even remember me. :)
We had a great Spring/Summer on the road. We spent nearly four months at Canyon Country Campground doing our first work-camp gigs ever. It was pretty great for the most part. Our original deal with them was to work Thurs. thru Monday, 4 hours each. 10am till 2pm. It was quite nice. Along with a paid worker (who was on the clock full-time and paid hourly), we kept the place immaculate. Occassionally, we would work extra hours for them, which wasn't a problem. Sadly, their full-timer left for college, and things began to change rapidly.
Our hours were increasing by the day, as well as our chore list. We talked to them on a few occassions about a monetary reward for the extra work, since they didn't have to pay the full time guy, no longer, I didn't feel it was a horrible thing to ask. It never happened. So basically, it became a JOB, which wasn't exactly what we had in mind, being retired and all. Both owners have health issues, and we felt horrible shirking what they were now requiring of us, so we did it without complaints. Then, the health issues of the guy started to affect his temperament, and he began to talk to us like we were dogs. Being a pretty respectful guy, I held my tongue many times. His wife would constantly apologize for him, explaining the pain he was in, and how he was acting this way to everyone. Again, we bit our lips and continued to just do our jobs, without any major complaining (except to each other).
One day, we returned from a trip home from seeing our children, TWENTY minutes late. We were dressed down like we were children. Putting our knowledge of the guy's pain into the front of my mind, I again, bit my lip and went about my scheduled chores. At some point, my wife asked him a question, and he LIT into her. I drew the line at that moment and went a little off. I demanded an apology. I didn't get one. I told them we'd finish the day, and we'd be gone. They told us to not even bother. It was getting ugly. So I said fine, and me and the wife went to our site and broke down the camper, packed and left. Haven't spoken to them since. It broke our hearts. We really loved them, but there's no way I'm being talked to like that. I'm a 46 year old father of five who never put up with that, even at my career of 25 years.
So we then took off to a nearby lake to stay for a few nights and get our heads together. Make our next plan. The place is Lake Hammond, and they are an Army Corps of Engineers park. Beautiful place. Must have been in the cards, cuz we talked to the Ranger who ran the place and were offerred a gig immediately. UNBELIEVABLE. This place was so much better. Our new gig was 20 hrs a week, but done in 2.5 days. We had 4.5 days to ourselves. AMAZING!!! We loved it. We were going to stay for the duration of the season, but the floods came in the beginning of September, and we returned temporarily to our home in NE Pa. Sadly, it turned out to be not so temporary. Our youngest kids (twin boy and girl), are in their final year of high school, and there's lots to do to prepare them for college. We decided to just stay home for now.
We have our spot and gig for next year though. They loved us there, and they treat people with tons of respect and all the privacy in the world. Once you're off the clock... you're OFF the clock. I loved it.
So in the hiatus, we've got some work to do on the camper and the van, to prepare for next Spring. We won't be able to buy our dream rig for nearly two years more still, so the DIY projects just keep coming. LOL Luckily, we have such a great forum here for advice and encouragement. Great to see you all again.
Ken and Carol.
Sorry for the length of this. :)
enjoy your time with the relatives in the S&B's and best to your sucesseful re-entry into the workamping ventures. Happy Holidays and God Bless! I think blessings have come your way! Pieere
Thanks Pieere. Much appreciated.
Thanks. While it was unpleasent, we feel as though it was in the cards. Can't tell you how great it is at Hammond. They really treat you great, and there's so much work to be done there, that they can cater it to your strengths. I got to do a lot of work with my photography, and Carol got to do a lot of work with plants. I don't think we could be happier.
Yeah, i can't ever see giving it up completely. Best wishes on your new life.
We've got another season of the tow-trailer and the van until I get my esop money. We had originally planned on getting a fiver, but now we're set on a Class A. Much cheaper for our plans than adding a tow truck to the mix. That's been the best part of doing it for a few months at a time. We're learning so much, first hand, from other full-timers. Getting to work at Hammond, was like getting to be at an RV show EVERY DAY. :) The place is huge and always near capacity. We got our own Gator to drive around doing our chores, and meeting new people and conversing about "the life" is awesome. Can't wait to get back there. :)