Monday, September 21, 2009

Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, and Beyond

On Friday night, we were able to go to the Crazy Horse Memorial. It was pretty cool, but it isn't yet completed. They have a long way to go, but it is HUGE!!! It was neat to see a "work-in-progress," as they are completely carving this figure out of a mountain using dynamite and tools - CRAZY!!!!

On Saturday, we traveled through Custer State Park, the Wildlife loop, down to Hot Springs where we visited an actual Mammoth Paleontological dig. Then, we trucked back up and went through small tunnels on our way back up to the campground. After a doggie potty break, we headed to Keystone for dinner. We ate in a restaurant decorated as an old saloon. The food was okay, not the best, but the atmosphere was cool.

Then, on Sunday, we started heading for Omaha. We stopped in Wall, ND to visit the famous Wall Drug store that was about 10 blocks of stores hooked together. It was pretty much a tourist trap with everything from a restaurant, drug store, book store, western wear shop, chapel, photography displays, fake animal displays, and candy shops. It had a number of other mini-stores inside of the walls too, but we managed to make it out of there with only purchasing some ice cream and soda, and getting a bumper sticker for free.

We made it south of Omaha at about 10 p.m. last night and then got up early, did laundry and headed to Kansas City in pouring rain. We made it safely to Cameron (outside of KC) to meet up with my Mom's side of the family for lunch. It was a lot of fun and we wished we could have stayed longer. Then, as Boyd had to work (ever see someone try to do graphic design from a passenger side seat), I got to drive the trailer to Gladstone, MO to my Uncle Phil's house (my Dad's brother). Let's just say that there were two or three places where Boyd was wishing he was behind the wheel. However, we have arrived here in Gladstone, and both Boyd and I are chugging away on getting some work done. My email is down and I am working on getting it corrected. Hopefully, it will be up and running soon!

We head towards St. Louis first thing tomorrow morning! It is supposed to rain for the next week. We may be a soggy mess before you know it.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Mt. Rushmore

Yesterday was great. Boyd and I worked and Caden did her school work for most of the day. We took a little break to go to lunch at the little restaurant at the Hill City KOA. It was great food. We all think this is our favorite KOA so far, and we have missed out on most of the fun, as they close almost everything at Labor Day. In fact, this whole campground will be closed in less than one week. It is a real destination and one a family or group of families would really enjoy.

One of the coolest things is the summer program they have where many of the positions are filled with Christians. The organization that puts it together is called SummerShine Resort Staffing Ministry and it was founded in Myrtle Beach, SC in 1979. At the KOA here in South Dakota, there were 10 Christians college students, living, working and playing.

At about 6:30 p.m., we headed to Mt. Rushmore. We were able to see it in the daylight and then stayed for the evening program. During the evening program, there was a trivia portion about the mountain, the four Presidents, and the sculptor. There was a little debate when one of the questions posed was, "In what state was our current President born?" After that, one of the Rangers gave us a little history and then we watched a 20 minute video about Mt. Rushmore and the Presidents.

Then, there was the National Anthem and during the National Anthem, the face(s) of Mt. Rushmore lit up. It was breathtaking.

For the grand finale, they called down all former and current military personnel to retire the flag for the evening. It was very moving to watch five people take the flag down and then have it passed from person to person. There must have been 50 people who were up there on the stage. It was probably about 1/4 of the people who were attending the evening show.

Today, we are back at work, but hope to do some more sightseeing this evening and will tomorrow and part of Sunday, for sure.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Still in Cody, WY

We are postponing our move to South Dakota for another day - need to do a couple telephone meetings today, so we get to stay in Cody for a bit longer.

Caden's cough returned today, so we may also end up taking her into see a doctor. Poor girl.

But, we did have a good day yesterday. Lots of work, then downtown to watch a shootout show, and dinner at the Irma Hotel. Boyd and Caden went for the buffet where they had all-you-can eat prime rib, ribs, pastas, salads, etc. Caden had a huge piece of prime rib, a few BBQ ribs and a serving of Alfredo pasta. Boyd had at least two HUGE (plate size) pieces of prime rib. The horseradish was also great and we did end up clearing up our sinuses! I had a smaller cut of prime rib - it was excellent.

So, today will be a work, school, and possibly doctor day. I am sure it will fly by quickly!

Monday, September 14, 2009

From Yellowstone to Cody, WY

Where do I even begin?

We had two of the greatest days exploring Yellowstone National Park. On Saturday, we were able to visit Old Faithful, see tons of wildlife, some fumerals, mud pots, and geysers. It was fantastic. Both Boyd and I have seen three bald eagles (Caden only saw two), tons of elk, bison, and geese.

I guess while we were visiting the park someone hit and killed one of the bison. It totalled their car, but I guess everyone was okay - except for the buffalo. It was a fatal mistake.

Following Karyn and Jacy's advice, we decided not to be the typical tourists who get out of their cars to approach the wildlife. Safety first! We were supposed to remain safe and sound within the confines of our protective vehicle. It worked well until Boyd decided to put his life at risk by posing in front of a huge bull buffalo. I think I saw his life flash in front of my eyes - that is what happens when you have known someone for as long as I have known Boyd. I was scared, as I know that we are an accident prone family. Do not try this at home - or at Yellowstone for that matter. He was within about 40 feet from the buffalo. Was that dumb or what?

Anyway, I had left the truck door open so I could scramble back to the truck to save my life, if necessary. Guess what - all I got was grief for leaving the door open. It was a precautionary measure!!! I had to have a back-up plan. We made it out of there safely.

On Sunday, we packed up the trailer and headed for Cody, WY. We stopped at one of the oldest lodges in Yellowstone for lunch and had a fabulous meal. While the ambiance of the hotel reminded me a little of an old folks' home, the food was fantastic. Boyd had a grilled chicken, sun-dried tomato, arugula, and goat cheese sandwich. It was so tasty! I had an antipasto plate that included meats, cheeses, breads, dressings, and peppers. Yummy! But, the winning meal was Caden's Lobster Ravioli. Not only did she clean up the plate, but she had to fight off both Boyd and me from trying to get bites. The sauce was creamy and delicious and was topped with a white truffle oil. We probably could have stayed there all day eating the ravioli.

Then, after we had such a great meal, we headed back out to the trailer to walk the dogs and they were able to sample the same type of fabulous meal - buffalo chips (fresh and fantastic). It was a scramble to keep them away from their buffet.

We drove from the lodge to Cody, WY driving past huge cliffs, beautiful rivers, and sweeping plains. We saw rugged land and dramatic homes built on practically unreachable hillsides. The drive was breathtaking.

Once we arrived in Cody, we set up "Howie" - our home on wheels at the local KOA. This KOA gives us something to write home about. It not only has a larger than life chess set, but a playground, dog agility course (which our dogs are failing at miserably), and a jumping pillow - kind of like a trampoline. If we would have made it here before Labor Day, we could have sampled the pancake breakfast and gone for a trail ride right from the KOA grounds. They also have a HUGE game room with a TV, diner tables, tons of video games, Skeeball, Foosball, and many other activities.

If it wasn't so cold here year around, I could see our family living here. It portrays that old wild west feel that we love.

We head for South Dakota tomorrow - hopefully!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Arriving in West Yellowstone, MT

We made it to West Yellowstone, MT. It was a beautiful drive, but we ended up taking a slightly more challenging route than the one recommended by Karyn and Jacy. Oh well, it worked out fine.

We are staying in the West Yellowstone KOA and it is beautiful. The campsites are phenomenal. We have a swing, a round table, water, sewer, electric, cable - what more could you ask for? Actually getting into the RV? Well, that might be too much to ask. Good thing we have two doors, as our front door completely jammed and we were unable to get into the front of the trailer. Boyd took the lock mechanism apart to try to fix it and the good news is we can now open the door, but we can't lock it from the inside. Ahhhh, the joys of being full-time RVers.

Tonight was a feast of bagel sandwiches - yummmm... and tomorrow we head to Yellowstone Park. We went to the Visitor's Bureau today and asked for input on how we should handle our time here. We now have a game plan.

Last night, Caden and I made Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are so good. Except, now the oven works too well and the cookies ended up a little burned on the bottom. They actually only took 12 minutes to bake. Prior to having the oven fixed (yet another one of our RV issues), it was taking up to 40 minutes to do a batch of cookies. I was under the impression it would take longer than the actual 12 minutes, but alas, the oven works now!

This morning, we met back up with our friends Karyn and Jacy. They own a Veterinary practice in Bozeman. We spent some time talking to them about Moxie and our plans. They really liked the fabrics. They also gave us pointers for getting to Yellowstone.

Also this morning, I woke up really early and did a load of laundry. In the laundry room, I ran into a lady and was talking to her about what we are doing (selling Moxie, traveling, home schooling Caden, etc.). She asked where we came from and I told her we recently left Ellensburg where we were at the rodeo. She said, "No kidding, I am from Ellensburg." What a small world! I didn't recognize her last name, but I believe her name was Jenny and her husband is Jim.

We are excited about visiting the park tomorrow. We are going to Old Faithful and some of the other locations on the Southwest side of the park. Then tomorrow, we head towards Cody, WY and see the Southeast side of the park. Part of the roads are closed, so we will not be able to do both loops.

Until the next update...

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Bozeman, MT

We made it to Bozeman, MT last night and we are staying in a really nice KOA. The trip went fine and we had no problems with "Howie" (also known as our Home on Wheels) or with the truck. Caden was feeling really sick, but is a bit better today.

Yesterday, we did stop at about lunch time and Caden and I went for about a 1.5 mile hike to a used book store outside of Spokane. We couldn't get close enough with the trailer. It worked out fine, as Boyd had to upload some items, so he stayed with the trailer and worked while we were on our hike.

Caden managed to find a book she was looking for and then we hiked back to the truck and continued our journey.

Today, we were able to track down some friends who live in Bozeman. We weren't able to spend very much time with them, but hope to see them for a bit tomorrow before we head to Yellowstone.

We are enjoying our stay here in Montana. The drive here was beautiful, even though we did have to go through tons of mountain passes. The truck did great and we were able to maintain a good speed throughout the trip.

We are excited for Yellowstone and will keep everyone posted on our progress.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Had a BLAST in Ellensburg

Okay, so BLAST means many things in this case.

BLAST meaning fun
BLAST meaning blowing wind (both outside and wind from the dogs, if you catch my drift)
BLAST meaning blasting off on rides at the fair

Overall, we did have a good time in Ellensburg. We are glad we got there early and stayed after everyone else left. However, the weather could have been a little less "Artic Chill" and a little more "Indian Summer."

Caden came down with a cold and is feeling pretty miserable today as we start our trip toward Yellowstone. We are going to try to drive as far as possible today to make up for the lack of travel yesterday.

Thanks to Canopy Country RV for fixin' us up enough to continue our trip. We got a new A/C delivered and installed - much to our surprise. We weren't expecting it as we were told that due to a fire in the plant the A/C units were four to six weeks out for delivery. We were pleasantly surprised to be told one arrived. Also, we found out there are breakers hidden on the trailer we knew nothing about - so now we are more prepared. It would really help to have a manual!

As for Moxie, we handed out a lot of business cards, showed off the products and made some sales. It was a great weekend. We were able to visit with friends and family. Enjoy great food and make some new memories.

We watched the rodeo on Saturday and it was great. However, next year, we may just watch the Sunday night show, instead of the "real" rodeo. We have never laughed so hard before. It may have just been due to the mud, but it was like a comedy of errors watching the posse members try to race bareback through the arena. The mutton busting was hilarious. The posse members had roped a sheep to use as a lure to the sheep being ridden by the kids. That poor lamb was so funny. He crawled around on his knees, tried to scramble to get loose, and finally laid down and refused to move. It was so funny.

To all our family and friends we saw in Ellensburg. It was great catching up with everyone and we hope to see you all again soon!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Time in Ellensburg

We have been so busy - work, meeting up with family and friends, and taking care of some things with the RV. Plus, there is all the really fun stuff. I am sitting here doing laundry in a huge facility so that I can get clean sheets on four beds for rodeo.

Ah, the joys of traveling full-time!

So, we have had a lot of fun the last few days - lots of food, cards, Mexican Train dominos, reading, gardening, and BBQing!

On Sunday, after church, we went to our high school friend's house and Caden had a blast. Molly has horses and she allowed Caden and Courtney (Molly's younger daughter) to ride their horses to the rodeo grounds. They had a blast.

Caden has made new friends here - both Courtney and also Lenny and Lizzer's neighbor's daughter. She has been able to play with them when she hasn't been doing school work.

We are looking forward to the arrival of "the troops" starting on Thursday. Tons of Boyd and Dane's friends, my mom, my dad and Julie, Julie's family, Linda and R.J. are just some of the people showing up for the weekend. It will be crazy!

We also just got some good news - another offer on our house - hopefully this one will go through. We also just got some bad news - we were told the air conditioning unit would arrive yesterday. It didn't show up and we have now been told that it will be almost a month before the unit arrives, due to a backlog from a fire in the factory. Arrggghhhh....

Anyway, tomorrow is another day - hopefully, it will be a great one!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Moxie Equestrian

After having a great meeting yesterday, I am really excited about our MOPPORTUNITIES. Can I put it in the dictionary as a new word? Nothing like combining Moxie and opportunity as one fantastic brand new word.

So things are really starting to take off now for Moxie Equestrian Southwest! However, we are in need of salespeople in Arizona, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas to sell our Moxie Equestrian products.

We are looking for two types of salespeople - are you interested or do you know someone who may be interested based on the following basic descriptions?

#1 - Face-to-face sales at shows, barns, events, tradeshows, etc. The salesperson who would be best matched for this opportunity is familiar with equestrian people and shows within their city or surrounding area. This opportunity allows individuals to sell as a Moxie Mobile rep to people at shows, local barns, events, and trade shows within their general vicinity. Most shows occur during the weekends, with the occassional day or evening sales opportunity.

#2 - Storefront Sales Rep - this is a more intense opportunity for individual sales reps to sell to local businesses within their city or surrounding area. These reps do not necessarily need to be familiar with tack and feed stores in their areas, although it may be helpful. Other stores may be interested in carrying our clothing, dog blankets or organization totes. This sales rep opportunity would be a match for someone with experience selling to stores, for example, resorts, tack and feed stores, and sporting goods stores. Most of this person's time will be dedicated to visiting stores and following up with the stores during the week.

Do you know of anyone who has great customer service, follow through, and is motivated to sell a fantastic product? Contact me at sarah@moxieequestrian.com, if you are interested in either opportunity. Don't miss out on being a part of a new and exciting group selling High Performance Fabrics with Absolute Functionality!

Check out www.moxieequestrian.com for our great products. If you choose to order something, use promotional / discount code: MM110 for free shipping on non-sale items!

Help us get Moxie Equestrian groovin' in the Southwest Region!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Blowin' in to the Breezy 'Burg

Many of you probably know that the Williams' family is full of pranksters. So, to keep up the family tradition, we led Boyd's parents astray and had them thinking we were in Salt Lake City, UT - but we really drove all the way to Ellensburg, WA and arrived on their doorstep at about 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Surprise!!!! (Liz says she had a feeling we were pulling a fast one on them).

We got the RV set up at the neighbor's house - thanks to the Kelleher family for putting up with a 40' roadblock in their driveway. Their daughter has been hanging out with Caden and they have been having a great time.

On Saturday, we also did some laundry and got the bikes fixed up. Caden had two flat tires from our wonderful excursion from the RV park in Grand Junction, CO that needed to be fixed.

Sunday, we went to church and really enjoyed seeing family and friends. Good job to Pastor Kev on an excellent sermon!

We went for a bike ride around campus on Sunday night and Caden was disappointed when it was done. She was having a great time. We made it back just in time to have dinner with family friends, Lee and Doreen - lots of laughs and there may have been a spilled drink. Was it mine? I would really like to blame it on someone else, but there were too many witnesses.

Monday brought more RV issues. We spent about 1/2 the day at Canopy Country RV waiting for news about our brand new A/C unit that is no longer working. Guess what??!?!?!?!? It has to be replaced, it is compeletely busted. This will be the third replacement. Is there an RV lemon law? Although without all of the challenges, we wouldn't know what to do.

Monday afternoon Caden went swimming and we had mini tostadas - Yummy... and Winegar's Ice Cream - YUMMY!!!

Breezy Tuesday has included work, phone calls, a haircut for me and Caden, and lunch at Red Horse Cafe. We are getting ready for a simple dinner and then ... more Winegar's Ice Cream!!!!

We can't wait to see what tomorrow brings - hopefully warmer weather! :-)

Thursday, August 20, 2009

No Air Conditioning!

Okay, so in typical Williams' form, we have stumbled across another obstacle. The toy-hauler part of our RV is suddenly missing air conditioning. Why is this such a big deal? Because the front air conditioning isn't working very well either and we are trying to cool the whole trailer in 100+ degree temperatures. The other issue is that the back section is the "dog room." It is really warm in there. Poor Milton and Lambert! Maybe if we trade them in for a lizard things will be okay.

Boyd spent some time yesterday trying to repair the air conditioning. I called the dealership and they referred us to a place here in Moab. Unfortunately, they don't do air conditioning repairs. We are going to try to survive today in the heat. We plan on heading towards Salt Lake City tomorrow.

Yesterday, when the temperatures hit their highs, we took the dogs and Caden and drove through Arches National Park. It was really pretty. Caden and I took a couple short hikes, while Boyd stayed with the dogs. He has been on all the trails here before. Caden got her first Jr. Ranger badge - she had to do an oath and everything. She also got a book that will help her keep track of the National Parks we visit. So far, we have visited the Colorado National Monument and Arches National Park. Not bad for being on the road for just one week.

We have lots of work to do today, so we will be able to experience the sauna-like conditions all day!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Moab, UT

We are in Moab, UT enjoying the beautiful scenery while Boyd and I work and Caden does her school work. We will most likely head towards Ellensburg from here. We will be here in Moab until Friday, as Boyd and I both have some deadlines and phone calls to complete.

We got into Moab last night after a quick drive from Grand Junction, CO. We stopped in Fruita for about 45 minutes at a Dinosaur museum and then got here mid afternoon, hooked up the RV and worked for a bit. Then, we went to dinner at the Moab Brewery - yummy!!! We got some groceries and some gelato! What could make a better day??

We are all settling into living in a small space and are getting use to shuffling things around and trying to make room where there is none.

We will work on getting some pictures posted on this blog soon - between camera issues and computer issues, they haven't quite made it to the blog yet!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Getting in the routine

Sorry for the delay in postings. We have been very busy the past couple of months since my last post - Pony Club camp, a two week trip to Texas, a trial trip in the RV, multiple yard sales in 110+ degree weather, no air conditioning in the RV or our house, selling the house, moving full-time into the RV, and getting ready to go by doing one million last minute things. Multiple big issues with the RV, damage to the truck, selling horses, finding homes for dogs, and a last minute unexpected surgery also added immensely to the drama.

I want to spend some time giving additional details and sharing pictures, but I will need to do so later.

This week, we are in Grand Junction, CO, helping our friends' son, Jake, move into his dorm at Mesa State College. The weather is beautiful and we have extended our stay a couple of days. Of course, it isn't just because of the weather that we have extended our stay. In the typical Williams' form, we have some issues with the RV and we need to get them fixed before moving on.

Caden has started her own company - Decked Out Denim. Her email address is deckedoutdenim@gmail.com. She also has a blog. If you are interested in following it, please email me at sarah@moxieequestrian.com. She is decorating jeans and other denim items and selling them. She has had numerous compliments on her sample pair that she wears.

Until the wheels start turning again!
The Williams

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Lots to do

It has been a busy few days as we continue to finalize details before our big journey begins. We are trying to get ready for horse camp, as well as get our house listed for sale, sell the horses, find homes for dogs, fish, and maybe Boyd. Just kidding, I need Boyd's help to haul the trailer and to cook!

We have been running around with doctor and dentist appointments, vet appointments, giving shots to the horses, getting supplies for camp and the RV, and generally going a mile a minute.

We had a few issues come up with the RV, so it is in the shop a few days early. It was supposed to go back on Friday, but the A/C stopped working. When it is over 100 degrees outside, you really need A/C in order to function in the RV. So, it is in the shop - hopefully getting fixed!

We have a tentative road trial trip planned for Father's Day weekend. We are going up to a campground at Mormon Lake. They can fit the RV in and it has full hook-ups, so we can see if everything is working. It is also supposed to be much cooler up there, then in the valley. We will see how it all works out!

Morgan, our precious male brindle boxer, had brain surgery (he got tutored) yesterday. His little boy parts remained up inside, so it was a pretty rough experience for him. He is still feeling under the weather, but we expect him to perk up soon!

We still have a lot to do, but the list is getting slightly shorter!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Congratulations Jake!

Last night was our friend Jake's high school graduation. We are so proud of him. He was Student Body President, so he gave the final speech. He did a great job! The entire ceremony was over in about an hour and a half, which seemed impressive because of the number of graduates. The ceremony was held outdoors and the weather was fantastic.

As we watched the ceremony, it was interesting seeing a current high school graduation and comparing it to my graduation many long years ago. This high school graduation had comments posted everywhere about not allowing noise makers during the ceremony. They had adults posted at the end of each row, as well as at the back and sides of the ceremony. They probably had over 50 adults posted around the kids. The school did not allow things to be written on the caps. It was almost like a military ceremony instead of a celebration. It wasn't "fun" at all. It didn't have an aspect of achievement, but instead felt like the kids were all on time-out. It was very strange.

There were kids who managed to buck the system by somehow smuggling in beach balls. Two got thrown up and promptly recaught during the ceremony. There were also families who broke the rules and used noise makers, car horns, and fireworks. I bet next year there is something in the program that mentions no noise makers, car horns or fireworks.

After the graduation, we were able to give Jake our congrats and then spend about an hour getting out of the parking lot to go home. The traffic was crazy!!! Overall, I think it was a great evening - mostly because we are proud of Jake and what he has been able to achieve. I hope Jake continues to demonstrate leadership and goes out into the world and shines.

Congratulations Jake!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Breast Cancer Three Day Walk Fundraiser

Last night was busy! Caden had riding lessons. Her horse ended up doing a huge jump and Caden landed on her neck. She was able to stop her and slide back into the saddle. But, it was an adventurous ride!

Then we headed up to TGI Friday's for a Breast Cancer Three-Day-Walk Fundraiser, put on by one of the teacher's at Caden's school. There were raffle tickets, face painting, free swimming lessons, fancy bartending competitions, and great food.

Because Caden and I wanted to support the cause, we had to get some face painting done, before Boyd and the rest of the gang showed up. So, Caden got a string of beautiful blue flowers down the side of her face. Then, she told me that I HAD to get my face painted, too. I told her to pick it out for me, thinking I would get something similar. Oh no, my wonderful daughter picked out Minney Mouse as my face painting choice. So, I had a huge bow on my forehead, huge red lips, and a black nose. I am pretty sure I was the only adult who was strong enough or strange enough to actually get my face painted. When I walked into the bar area with my face painted, I had a number of strange looks my way.

However, after I broke the ice, a couple adult men got up and had spiderwebs put on their faces. It was a really fun evening and the food was great!

Today is Caden's last day of school. She is sad and will miss her school friends and teacher.

Until next time...

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Birthday Party!

Time is flying and we are still preparing for our departure, but we did decide to focus on Caden's double digit birthday party. We celebrated in style. There is nothing quite like a limo, sleep-over, fancy restaurant, and water slides to make a 10th birthday party complete. And we didn't do it just once, but twice (with a different set of friends).

We had a great time and made a lot of memories, but I don't think we will be as ambitious in the future. It is really hard to keep your eyes on that many 10 year olds in a water park!

Now, we are getting ready for a week-long camp! Wish us luck and pray for us!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Newbie Blogger

Wow, let's see if I can get this figured out! I decided to start a blog to keep everyone up-to-date on the Williams' family adventures. Typically, every day is an adventure in our family, but we have decided to push the envelope a little bit. There is nothing like small spaces to see if everyone gets along!

Our new adventure begins in July! We are squeezing our family into an RV and will be venturing out to experience life!

Why would we do something so strange and unpredictable? Because we can! Our circumstances have changed in the last few months and we have decided to take what could be considered a negative situation and make it a postive experience.

We will keep you posted on our travels and specifically the Williams' family adventures. Our first RV experience two years ago left us with no where to go but up! We have already experienced no brakes, hitting a deer, losing the awning, breaking a window, and having a purse stolen. We already got all the bad stuff out of the way - right???