TuziTwo Takes Toiletries to Taos

A couple of years ago David Edwards, our preacher, asked us to think about ministry ideas for folks like us who tend to travel quite a bit. That led to us deciding last winter to try to have a joint outing by St. John's RVers. The idea was to go to a scenic, interesting area -- and one that had a local Methodist church. We would do RVer/tourist sorts of things and we would also interact with the local congregation. I got suggestions from Jim Hawk, our former preacher and current District Superintendent, and settled on Taos. It's of course a well-known destination and the local church, El Pueblito, is active in the community. In particular they sponsor a Shared Table food-bank ministry in which they distribute food and hygiene products to needy folks in Taos -- starving artists and others -- twice a month. Distribution days are the second and fourth Wednesdays. In talking with the Taos preacher, Rev. Steven Wiard, I also learned that they have pot luck lunches the fourth Sunday of each month. So, we picked August -- the week encompassing the fourth Wednesday and fourth Sunday.

We had about six RV-owners interested at the start, but the date didn't work for some. Three couples made RV park reservations early in the summer, but circumstances beyond their control forced them to cancel just the last week. So, Susie, Tuzi, and I are in Taos this week, flying the St. John's banner, figuratively.

The two preceding Sundays we put a notice in the church bulletin asking for food bank donations -- food and hygiene products. Members came through in a big way this past Sunday and we filled TuziTwo's basement.

Trip up (on Tuesday) was a little eventful. The automatic leveling system hasn't been working right and it signaled a problem as we were driving! That's not good, but I think I must have accidentally bumped the On button. Then, just as we topped out on Taos mesa, approaching the first turn-out for viewing the Taos Gorge, the temperature sensor started beeping. We pulled off promptly and things cooled off while we had lunch. It's a pretty steep climb and we were fully loaded, including the PT, but didn't seem like much stress for TuziTwo, so I was surprised. We made some much more severe climbs last September going to Yellowstone.

Then had the most difficult time I've ever had getting set up. Our slot was rather narrow, more so than I realized and as I was watching the left side I brushed the right side up against some sagebrush. Got some scratches that I think I can remove.

The slot has two narrow cement slabs for parking, but you have to get perfectly centered and lined up in order for the leveling jacks to be solidly on the slabs. That took some back and forth, plus nursing a balky system to lower the jacks. Finally got all set up, then realized we couldn't open the awning, so it was disconnect, raise the jacks, pull forward ten feet and set up again. Hot day, too, and feeling kind of dumb -- not pleasant.

The good news is that the satellite TV was promptly activated by DirectTV. We had a couple of hours to cool off, wind down, then took a drive around Taos, had dinner at the Chow Cart and made the ritual stop at Wal-Mart (scratch repair, etc.).

Tomorrow we'll transfer the food bank stuff to the PT and take it to the church.

Cheers,

Rob and Susie