I’m back with more questions from blog readers about RVing, my writing activities, what’s happening in our lives since we hung up the keys, and all kinds of other things. While I try to answer all questions individually, I also share some here occasionally.
Q. We saw a 2019 Winnebago diesel pusher motorhome advertised for sale at a suspiciously low price online. It is located in Melbourne, Florida and when we talked to the seller, he said it was in the hurricane that hit the coast but it didn’t have any “significant damage.” He wouldn’t go into any detail more than that and said we would have to look at it but that he had cleaned it up nicely. We live in Virginia Beach and I’m not sure it’s worth the trip down. My husband really wants to take a look at it because it is listed at over $50,000 less than any comparable unit we have seen online. I know you live in that area. What do you think?
A. Personally, I wouldn’t waste my time if the seller doesn’t want to go into detail about its condition. After any natural disaster like this there are always scammers trying to unload vehicles and RVs that have been flood damaged, and they need a lot more than just a good cleaning. That $50,000 savings may not be a very good deal after all.
Q. What’s happened to your weekly drawings? Are you not doing them anymore?
A. As I posted in the blog, we were out of town for a while and it’s too hard to maintain the drawings while we are on the road. I will be holding a new one this coming week.
Q. I am a single woman who will be traveling around the country a lot for my new job. I will be staying in hotels, but my brother wants me to get a BB gun to carry for protection. I don’t know anything about guns, so if I do, what kind would you recommend?
A. You would be better off throwing a golf ball at somebody than trying to defend yourself with a BB gun. It is not a firearm and is pretty much worthless for self-defense. But it could get you in trouble in some states that do not allow them, or a bad guy could take it away from you and beat you with it. If you feel that you need a gun for self-defense, buy a real one from a reputable dealer and get the training you should have to learn to be a safe and responsible gun owner.
Q. It’s been a long time since you released a new book, and I’m getting anxious. Please tell me you haven’t retired from writing?
A. No, I am just behind schedule because we have done a lot of traveling this year, as well as having a lot of medical appointments that seem to keep us busy. I hope to get my latest Big Lake book out in the next couple of weeks, even though I keep telling people that and haven’t done it yet. Trust me, I’ve got a lot more books to write than I have time to do them.
Q. We are snowbirds who travel to either Arizona or the Rio Grande Valley in Texas during the winter. Next winter, my wife wants to do Florida, and I like that idea because I love to fish. I am over 65 and I understand that I won’t need a fishing license in Florida. Do you know if that’s true, Nick?
A. Florida residents over age 65 do not require a fishing license, but if you are just here for the winter you will have to buy a non-resident license.
Q. A long time ago you wrote about a dog barking deterrent for RVers. Our neighbors at the site we will be in until June have two yappy dogs that will not shut up. We have complained to them and to the campground manager, but it doesn’t do any good. What can you recommend that won’t hurt them but will quiet them down?
A. These are two different models that I have used or heard good things about that you might want to try: Ultrasonic Barking Dog Deterrent or the BarxBuddy Anti Barking Control Device.
And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.
Thought For The Day – A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.