Bob and Ellen's Great RV Adventure

Best EATS 2022! (Yep, kinda late on this one….)

Posted on May 29, 2023 by Ellen

…Oh, geez…. Am I late on this post or what?!?!

If you’ve been following Bob and Ellen’s Great RV Adventure over the last several years, you’ve no doubt noticed a few things: I’m not only posting less often (I know… you miss those posts!) but we’ve been following roughly the same loop, following the seasons and visiting familiar places. There are several reasons for this (maybe I should post about that), and without question it’s affected the variety of restaurants that show up in this annual Best Eats post.

Even so, we like to honor the places that have made us feel comfortable enough during these lingering days of the pandemic to sit awhile and enjoy a day off for our personal chef (that would be Bob) and his assistant/dishwasher (that would be Ellen).

I couldn’t tell you whether other foodies tend to specialize or not, but we definitely have a few areas we zero in on. Ellen likes to try chicken noodle soup in different places; Bob samples spaghetti; and we both love a great dessert. When a restaurant hits the top of the list in any of these categories, you can bet it’s worth a try.

Though we tried few new places in 2022, you’ll notice many of those listed here are tried-and-true, familiar spots. When you’re in these areas, be sure to stop in–and let them know you found out about them because of Bob and Ellen!

BEST COFFEE

Kristie’s Coffee @ Minnie’s Montana Cafe

For awhile we quick drinking coffee entirely. Then we’d get one to go while on the road or when we stopped into a restaurant. We still don’t make it at home anymore, but we’re as picky as ever about the coffee we order. Kristie Brown at Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, Montana, turned us on to adding whipped cream and we haven’t looked back. (I’m advocating they add it to the menu under “Kristie’s Coffee”!)

BEST BREAKFAST

[Tie] Ham and Eggs O’Brian at Brownie’s Cafe in Yuma, AZ

[Tie] Johnny Cakes at the Red Rooster Cafe in Enterprise, OR

BEST APPETIZERS

Fried Green Beans @ Minnie’s Montana Cafe

Fried Green Beans (yep!) at Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT

BEST SOUPS

Chicken Noodle Soup

Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT

Mom’s Diner in Pahrump, NV

Other Soups

Clam Chowder at Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT

Hamburger Macaroni Soup @ Minnie’s Montana Cafe

Hamburger Macaroni Soup at Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT

BEST DINNER SALAD

Minnie’s Montana Cafe, Thompson Falls, MT

BEST PIZZA

Ronnie’s in Yuma, AZ

Moose’s Saloon in Kalispell, MT

BEST SANDWICHES

Best Burgers

The Garlic Burger at Hought’s 24 Flavors in La Grande, OR (for a real treat, add a fried egg and maybe a grilled jalapeno, as Bob does!)

Best Fish Sandwich

Minnie’s Montana Cafe, Thompson Falls, MT

Best Grilled Sandwich

Grilled Caprese Sandwich @ the Red Rooster Cafe

Grilled Caprese Sandwich at the Red Rooster Cafe in Enterprise, OR

Best Paninis

The Imnaha at Sugar Time Bakery in Enterprise, OR (Ellen)

The Chief at Sugar Time Bakery in Enterprise, OR (Bob)

BEST DINNERS

Best Italian Dinner

Lasagna at the Golden Harvest Cafe in Pahrump, NV

Best Mexican Dinner

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp at El Jefe’s in Pahrump, NV

Best Fish Tacos

[Tie] Rosita’s in Libby, MT
[Tie] Tacos Mi Rancho in Yuma, AZ

Best Dinner at a Chain Restaurant

Chicken Addiction at Denny’s in LaGrande, OR
[Update: Sadly, this item has been omitted from their new menu :(]

Best Fish Dinner

Hemingway Halibut (topped with Dungeness Crab and Cheese) at the Montana Club in Missoula, MT

Best Steak Dinner

Bison Ribeye Steak at the Montana Club in Missoula, MT

Best Comfort Food

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham @ Minnie’s Montana Cafe

[Tie] Scalloped Potatoes and Ham at Montana Minnie’s in Thompson Falls, MT (Bob)

[Tie] Chicken Pot Pie at Montana Minnie’s in Thompson Falls, MT (Ellen)

Best Mac and Cheese

Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT

2. [Tie] Mac and Cheese at Side A Brewing in LaGrande, OR (Ellen)

2. [Tie] Dirty Mac and Cheese at Side A Brewing in LaGrande, OR (Bob)

BEST DESSERTS

Best Dessert in a Mexican Restaurant

Flautas at Rosita’s in Libby, MT

Best Cream Pies

[Tie] Chocolate Cream Pie at Pie Hut in Sandpoint, ID

[Tie] Andes Mint Pie at Sugar Time Bakery in Enterprise, OR

Best Hot Fudge Sundae

Homemade Hot Fudge Sundae @ Hought’s 24 Flavors

Best Completely Indulgent Dessert

Chocolate Raspberry Cake at Mamacita’s in LaGrande, OR

Despite all these mouth-watering images, the best meals we had were at home. Bob manages to make amazing meals for us in our tiny RV kitchen (see last year’s Best EATS for more yummy pics!), but sometimes he uses takeout of our favorite restaurant dishes and dresses them up.

Here’s a Johnny Cake from the Red Rooster in Enterprise, Oregon, draped with fruit and drizzled with pure maple syrup and butter:

Sometimes homemade meals don’t look as stylish as they do in restaurants, but ooohhhhh….are they good! Just drench corn on the cob in butter and dapple it with shredded cheese and you’ve got something gourmet in front of you:

There’s nothing better to balance all that restaurant food than a very green salad with lusty red tomatoes:

With the pandemic winding down, here’s hoping 2023 brings us more culinary adventures!

How about you? Have you discovered new places this year? Gone back to reliable choices?

Share your Best Eats with the rest of us!

Posted in Food | Tagged Arizona, Montana, Nevada, restaurant reviews, RV lifestyle | 1 Comment

Best EATS 2021!

Posted on January 17, 2022 by Ellen

Another year of resistance: resisting the urge to try a new, unknown restaurant. The need to resist returning to a restaurant where we didn’t feel safe from Covid-19.

As we did last year, we ordered to-go rather than eat-in in some places and stuck to some tried-and-true restaurants where we knew masks were being worn and where we knew we had plenty of elbow room.

After being vaccinated, we visited a few of our favorite places — Ham and Eggs O’Brian at Brownie’s in Yuma, for example, was high on our list!

As I mentioned in last year’s Best EATS post, we lost T+D’s restaurant in Baker, Nevada, (outside Great Basin National Park) didn’t have a menu that appealed to us, so our dining out choices were even narrower than they used to be, meaning we went from a creek to a nearly-dried up trickle.

Overall, you might not see too many variations from last year’s BEST list, mostly because we returned to so many of the same places. The good news is we saw fewer restaurants shuttered in 2021 than we did in 2020, and — as always — we managed to find some new favorite dishes!

So whet your appetite, forget about your woes, and join us as we present the 2021 Bob and Ellen’s BEST EATS Awards!

BEST BREAKFAST

Ham and Eggs O’Brian at Brownie’s Cafe in Yuma, AZ
(tie) Sirloin Steak and Eggs at Bob’s Texas TBone Restaurant in Rufus, OR

Sirloin Steak and Eggs at Bob’s Texas TBone Restaurant

(tie) Steak and Eggs at Jimmie K’s Diner in Yuma, AZ

Build-Your-Own-Omelet at Denny’s in La Grande, OR (we usually don’t go to chain restaurants, but with local establishments not enforcing COVID-19 precautions, we opted for a restaurant we felt more comfortable in)

BEST BREAKFAST BURRITO
Goldsboro’s Bakery, Yuma, AZ

BEST APPETIZERS

Jalapeno Poppers at The Embers in Joseph, OR

Fried Green Beans (yep!) at Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT

Fried Green Beans at Minnie’s Montana Cafe

Shrimp Cocktail at JAndy Oysters in Tillamook, OR

BEST SOUPS

Bean Soup at Pie Hut in Sandpoint, ID

Chicken Tortilla Soup at Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT*

Hungarian Goulash at Pie Hut in Sandpoint, ID

Clam Chowder at the Parkside Restaurant in Garibaldi, OR

BEST DINNER SALAD

Minnie’s Montana Cafe, Thompson Falls, MT

BEST PIZZA

Ronnie’s in Yuma, AZ

Moose’s Tavern in Kalispell, MT

BEST SANDWICHES

Best Burgers

[Tie] Patty Melt with Bacon at Brownie’s Cafe in Yuma, Arizona

[Tie] The Garlic Burger at Hought’s 24 Flavors in La Grande, OR (for a real treat, add a fried egg and maybe a grilled jalapeno, as Bob does!)

Best Fish Sandwich
Minnie’s Montana Cafe, Thompson Falls, MT

Best Panini
Heather’s Special at Pie Hut in Sandpoint, ID

BEST SEAFOOD

Tumbled Pacific Oysters at JAndy Oysters in Tillamook, OR

Halibut and Chips at Sea Baron Food Trailer in Garibaldi, OR

Fish & Chips at Parkside Restaurant in Garibaldi, OR

Steamer Clams at JAndy Oysters in Tillamook, OR

BEST DINNERS

Best Fish Dinner at Brownie’s Cafe in Yuma, AZ

Best Fish Tacos at Margarita’s in Ely, NV

Best Mexican Dinner
Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp at El Jefe’s in Pahrump, NV

Best Comfort Food (Tie)

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham at Montana Minnie’s in Thompson Falls, MT (Bob)

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham at Minnie’s Montana Cafe

Chicken Pot Pie at Montana Minnie’s in Thompson Falls, MT (Ellen)

Chicken Pot Pie at Minnie’s Montana Cafe

Mac and Cheese at Side A Brewing in LaGrande, OR (Ellen)

Mac and Cheese at Side A Brewing in LaGrande, OR (Bob)

BEST DESSERTS

Best Carrot Cake at the Parkside Restaurant in Garibaldi, OR

Best Fruit Pie

Fruits of the Forest, Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT

Fruits of the Forest Pie at Minnie’s Montana Cafe

Best Cream Pie
Chocolate Cream Pie at Pie Hut in Sandpoint, ID

Best Ice Cream Pie
Mud Pie at The Hydra in Sandpoint, Idaho

Best Hot Fudge Sundae
Hought’s 24 Flavors, LaGrande, OR

Best Indulgent Dessert
Brownie Delight at Brownie’s Cafe in Yuma, AZ

Brownie Delight for the Chocoholic at Brownie’s Cafe

BEST “Glad I Tried It But Won’t Have It Again”
Lamb Stew at Border Inn near Great Basin National Park

As always, the best meals we had were at home. Despite the tiny space in the RV for prepping a great meal, Bob makes amazing meals for us.

Sometimes it’s a simple ham and eggs with toast (yes! Those are peppers and onions and other good things mixed into the eggs… MMM!)…

…other times it’s a great combination of finger potatoes and beans with fried oysters.

Mixed salad with mandarin oranges as a side to sauteed shrimp and salmon is another favorite…

…and you’ll have to ask Bob how he manages to make fried cabbage so yummy (pairing it with shrimp and scallops make cabbage leftovers even better)!

Of course, salmon is great alongside angel hair pasta and marinara, with shredded aged cheese…

…and his spaghetti and meatballs are so good I never order it when we go to Italian restaurants.

Well, I started this post thinking I wouldn’t have many BEST EATS to list, but looking back on the year, it’s clear why I ended up with a few pounds more than I started with!

Here’s hoping 2022 gives us more chances to try new places, revisit some favorites, and give the home cook a day off now and then!

*Many Thanks to KB from Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT, who let me know I had mislabeled their Chicken Tortilla Soup as Taco Soup. The post and caption have now been corrected. (They’re both excellent, by the way!!)

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Yeah, We’re All Tired of Hearing About Covid-19

Posted on August 24, 2021 by Ellen

But that doesn’t mean we’re all tired of sharing our personal experiences about it, right?

I’ve thought long and hard about this particular post, but in the end decided to go ahead and write it. As I write this, we’re in yet another surge (this one spurred by the Delta variant), with numbers of infections in many states higher than they were at the 2020 peak. There’s a lot of discussion going on about whether to get vaccinated or not, for all sorts of reasons. We’ve met people who got the shot (actually, I love that the British call it “getting the jab”) and those who say they will not. We have people we love on both sides of that particular debate, and I won’t be arguing for or against it here.

Instead, I thought I’d shed a little light on how one particular full-time RVing couple finally got their jabs.

When the Covid-19 vaccine started to become available, we were in Yuma, Arizona. Some RVers told us they were telling the medical people they were Arizona residents (using the RV park address) so they could get the vaccine. But we didn’t have a smart phone nor the handy-dandy app telling people the jab was available and letting them set an appointment right then and there. Without those apps, appointments were nearly impossible to get.

When we got to Pahrump, Nevada, we thought about driving to Las Vegas to get the Pfizer jab. Same thing. No appointments were to be had.

We kept washing our hands, using sanitizer, wearing our masks, then doubling our masks. We only shopped for groceries and supplies. We avoided RV park clubhouses and tried to keep ourselves healthy by hiking our favorite nearby hilltop.

As the weather warmed up we went north, stopping for awhile in eastern Oregon. The manager at the RV park helpfully provided us with the local phone numbers to set a vaccination appointment, but because we had to leave before we could get the three week follow-up dose, we didn’t start the regimen. 😦 So close!

We had a two-month stay reserved in far western Montana, and I vowed to set vaccine appointments as soon as we got there.

All that stuff I was hearing on the news had been true for us: hard to figure out where to get the shot, appointments filling fast when we found them. Now I was discovering how tricky it was to figure out what “eligible” meant: did we have to be citizens of the state or not? Would they ask? If they did, would they ask for a driver’s license or accept the RV park’s address?

I found an appointment in Idaho, then Bob found appointments in Kalispell. The Walgreens in Kalispell was offering the Pfizer vaccine, had two appointments available within the week of our arrival in the state, so we booked them.

It took us nearly two hours to drive to Kalispell from the RV park where we were staying, so we booked a hotel room for two nights: the night we got there, and the night of the vaccination, just in case we needed to lay low rather than travel that day.

I’ll make the story of our vaccination as brief as possible. Being very thorough people, and nearly neurotic instruction-followers, we stopped by the pharmacy the day before to make sure we knew where to park, where to go inside, and when to arrive. Fifteen minutes early for paperwork, we were told. Go to the window over there unless it’s closed, then come over here to this counter.

Got it.

We arrived thirty minutes early, got our paperwork completed, then ended up waiting nearly an HOUR while they “processed the paperwork.” Usually the reticent one, I’d finally had enough and started demanding answers.

To shorten a long tale at least a little, our paperwork was ready, but the “window” people hadn’t talked to the “counter” people… Within minutes of demanding explanations, we were taken back and given the jab.

Bob didn’t feel it; I did, but no more than any other shot. Later I felt my arm (that “soreness at the injection spot”) but a couple of baby aspirin and I was fine.

We had Moose’s pizza followed by ice cream sundaes, then relaxed in the hotel room, watching the distant Rockies get a late-spring shower of snow.

The hotel experience was awful. We’d stayed there before while visiting Kalispell because they don’t permit dogs (our allergies mean we have to avoid pet-friendly properties), but this time the service was terrible: not enough towels or toilet paper, no shampoo, etc. etc.

So when we returned three weeks later for our second jab, we stayed at a different hotel and had a much better experience. We also were processed through the vaccination at Walgreens much faster and easier.

Side effects? Same as before. Bob didn’t even feel the needle go in (“Did she really give me the shot?” he asked me later) while I had soreness in my arm, maybe a little more than the first time, but nothing a couple of baby aspirin didn’t take care of.

Plus more pizza and ice cream. 🙂

I’ve often posted about how living on the road is different from living in a sticks-and-bricks house. Getting the vaccine and its follow-up shot is just another example of the extra challenges we full-time RVers face.

At least now we can say, “Whew! An extra layer of protection against a very deadly virus.”

But what about staying in areas where people don’t believe getting the vaccine is a good idea? We’ve learned having a good sense of humor is key. We tell them, “We’ve got the vaccine, so we’re now injected with the government’s tracking system.” When we add, “This means the government not only knows where we are but they know who’s standing nearby, you know,” they always back up to give us a little more space (social distancing is good).

Hopefully getting a booster vaccination will be a much faster, smoother process. We’ll let you know!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged full-time RVing, RV lifestyle | 1 Comment

Covid-19 on the Road

Posted on August 14, 2021 by Ellen

Our previous post described one of the awful things that happened to us during 2020…. We survived getting rear-ended in our Jeep, though my back will probably never be the same. Certainly many people have been through much, much worse in the last eighteen months or so.

We’ve spent that time mostly trying to avoid contracting Covid-19. Venturing out to hike in Nevada’s Spring Mountains kept us relatively fit through part of last winter…

…but we were also surprised how many others had discovered this relatively out-of-the-way spot. The last few years we’ve seen the occasional small RV parked out here, but this past winter we saw more than ever. Maybe word has spread through some of the van-camping and boondocking apps…?

Regardless of how they’ve found these spots, a few boondockers seem to think the big outdoors is their personal toilet. I’ll spare you photos of that particular travesty, but the other trash left around what had been nearly pristine desert was maddening.

Some RVers have always used their rigs to advertise businesses or opinions, usually through window decals or bumper stickers. Every now and then, though, somebody goes the next step, showing their true commitment.

Continue reading →

Posted in On the Road | Tagged full-time RVing, RV lifestyle | Leave a comment

Wham-Bam: No Thank You, Ma’am!

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Ellen

Long-time readers of our blog know that occasionally we “go dark.” Often it’s because we’re someplace where wifi isn’t reliable, but during 2020 it was hard to stay motivated to write — not just this blog, but anything else.

And for a lot of reasons, none of them good.

Like many full-time RVers, our adventure turned into what I call a “bad adventure,” rather than the good ones we had hoped for when we headed out on the road nearly a dozen years ago.

Everyone I know has had the worst year they can remember. Ours was, too. And COVID-19 was just a part of it.

Just as we started to acclimate to the stormy weather the pandemic has brought into all of our lives — eating out less often, shopping only for necessities, figuring out how to stay in shape when hiking or biking wasn’t possible —

Slam! Bam! Our world was flipped around.

Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

2020 Best EATS!

Posted on January 5, 2021 by Ellen

What a whacky year. Hopefully COVID-19 didn’t touch you, your family or friends in 2020 — and won’t in 2021. The pandemic certainly caused all kinds of changes to everyone’s “normal,” and when you live on the road as we do, “normal” is already mostly off-kilter from everyone else’s “normal.”

We visited many of the same places as last year, but because we had to order to-go rather than eat-in we ordered some different things and tried some different restaurants. Hard to eat our favorite Ham and Eggs O’Brian breakfast from Brownie’s Cafe in Yuma when you have to eat it from Styrofoam teetering on your lap in the crowded front seat of a Jeep, right?

Sadly, we lost a few favorite places. T+D’s Restaurant in Baker, Nevada, closed when the owners decided it was time to retire. Katy’s Korner in Cloverdale, Oregon, has been replaced by Antonette’s Kitchen South. We’ll miss both! And the Bulldog Diner in Rufus, Oregon, was closed when we stopped — whether it’s permanent or not, it did lead to our finding a new place down the road.

It’s sad for the restauranteurs, who have had a very difficult year, but the upside for us was discovering new eateries. In some cases, we tried the usual spots and weren’t as impressed, so ventured out. We were thrilled to have the Pie Hut in Sandpoint, Idaho, recommended to us — it comes into the Best list with THREE entries! You’ll see a few other new names in this year’s list… I’ll let you find them 🙂

So whet your appetite, forget about your woes, and join us as we present the 2020 Bob and Ellen’s BEST EATS Awards!

BEST BREAKFAST

Ham and Eggs O’Brian at Brownie’s Cafe in Yuma, AZ
Sirloin Steak and Eggs at Bob’s Texas TBone Restaurant in Rufus, OR

Bob’s Texas TBone Restaurant, Rufus, Oregon

Steak and Eggs at Shari’s in Meridian, ID

BEST BREAKFAST BURRITO
Goldsboro’s Bakery, Yuma, AZ

BEST CORNED BEEF HASH
Brownie’s Cafe, Yuma, AZ

BEST SOUPS

Chicken Tortilla Soup at Jimmie K’s Diner in Yuma, AZ

Taco Soup at Minnie’s Montana Cafe in Thompson Falls, MT

Stuffed Green Pepper Soup at Pie Hut in Sandpoint, ID

BEST DRINK [Nope, no alcohol here!]

Strawberry Lemonade at The Smokehouse in LaGrande, OR

BEST APPETIZERS

Steamer Clams at Hook, Line & Sinker in Garibaldi, OR

Fried Ravioli at Nicco’s in Pahrump, NV

Cheesey Garlic Bread at Bit of Italy in Nampa, ID

BEST SALADS

Best Side Salad

Bit of Italy, Nampa, ID

Best Spinach Salad

Shari’s Restaurant, Nampa, ID

BEST PIZZA

Ronnie’s in Yuma, AZ
Moose’s Tavern in Kalispell, MT

BEST SANDWICHES

Best Burger
International Cafe, Austin, NV

Best Reuben

Buffalo Cafe in Whitefish, MT

Chalkboard Cafe in Wallace, ID

Best Panini
Heather’s Special at Pie Hut in Sandpoint, ID

BEST SEAFOOD

Halibut and Chips at Sea Baron Food Trailer in Garibaldi, OR

BBQ Grilled Oysters on the Half Shell at River View Dining in South Bend, WA

BEST DINNERS

Best Fajitas
Jalapenos in Nampa, ID

Best Comfort Food (Tie)

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham at Minnie’s Montana in Thompson Falls, MT (Bob)

Chicken Pot Pie at Montana Minnie’s in Thompson Falls, MT (Ellen)

BEST ITALIAN DINNERS

Best Spaghetti
Bit of Italy, Nampa, ID

Best Lasagna
Nicco’s in Pahrump, NV

Best Pasta
Maryland Blue Crab Ravioli with Housemade Pesto at Bit of Italy, Nampa, ID

Maryland Blue Crab Ravioli with House Made Pesto at Bit of Italy, Nampa, Idaho

BEST DESSERTS

Best Tiramisu
Bit of Italy, Nampa, ID

Best Fruit Pie
Marionberry Pie at Alice’s Country House Restaurant, Tillamook

Alice’s Country Restaurant, Tillamook, Oregon

Best Cream Pie

[Tie] Chocolate Cream Pie at Pie Hut in Sandpoint, ID

Chocolate Cream Pie at Pie Hut in Sandpoint, Idaho

and at The Smokehouse in LaGrande, OR

2. Peanut Butter Pie at Hook, Line & Sinker in Garibaldi, OR

Best Chocolate Cake
Chocolate-Blueberry Cake at Alice’s Country House Restaurant, Tillamook, OR

Chocolate Blueberry Cake at Alice’s Country Restaurant in Tillamook, Oregon

Best Hot Fudge Sundae
Hought’s 24 Flavors, LaGrande, OR

NOT THE BEST BUT WORTH MENTIONING
Alligator Bites at Icons Grill in Yuma, AZ: You don’t get many changes to eat alligator, especially out west. This was tasty and worth trying, but other than that it wasn’t anything special.

Yep. It’s a much shorter list this year, with our very best meals coming out of our own kitchen, thanks to Chef Bob 😉

Pan-Seared Netarts Bay Oysters (from JAndy Oysters) with Cheesy Broccoli and Corn on the Cob

What about you? What kinds of great (or not so great) experiences have you had with road food this past year?

Posted in Food | Tagged Bit of Italy, Desserts, Food, Garibaldi, Italian food, LaGrande, Mexican food, Minnie's Montana, Pie Hut, restaurant reviews, road food, Shari's, Tillamook | 2 Comments

Book Saga Continues

Posted on December 30, 2020 by Ellen

…with good news and bad news. First the good news: they’re back! Last I checked, all of my ebooks are again available.

The bad news is that in the shuffle all of my reviews (all four and five stars, I have to say) have vanished. I’ve been in touch with my publisher and Amazon about this, but it’s uncertain whether those reviews will ever be viewable on Amazon again.

So I’m hoping if you or your friends have read any of my books that maybe you’ll take a few minutes and type a review to let others know about these books. It takes years to build readership and reviews make a difference, including yours.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for other RVing authors and books, please take a look at the interviews to discover more RVing reading pleasure!

And keep watching this space… more non-book adventures will be posted soon, including our popular BEST EATS! Annual List of the best restaurant food we found during the year.

I promise!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged books, RVing novels | Leave a comment

The Case of the Disappearing Books

Posted on October 24, 2020 by Ellen

Sometimes real-life hands us our own mysteries. After writing them for awhile, you’d think I’d be thrilled to have a real life mystery drop in my lap.

Not exactly.

I’ve been quiet here but active in other places online, promoting my latest Rollin RV Mystery, Superstition Victim.

The other day I was on Amazon (where I’ve been buying and downloading hundreds of books since the pandemic hit) and checked my author’s page.

Low and behold, my Rollin RV Mysteries were gone.

Vanished.

As if they had never been published and uploaded to Amazon.

My heart nearly stopped. For a woman who never had children (or pets) of her own, my books are my creations, my children. I had that same panicky feeling I got once when my niece went seemed to disappear in a large department store. When I found her hiding under a clothing rack I didn’t know whether to scold her or hug her.

Where had my books gone?

I found the direct link for the book, and plugged that into the browser. Nope. Just a “Nothing here” page.

My heart kicked into gear. Then up a notch or two. Pounding, pounding.

Over the next few days I tried everything I could think of: e-mailing Amazon, e-mailing and filing a fix-it ticket with Lulu, the publisher I use to get my book files distributed around the Web.

I thought to check Kobo and Barnes and Noble — my books are still there.

Whew. My heartbeat steadied, at least a little.

Maybe all was not lost.

But what was going on?

I tried re-formatting the files and uploading them again. Waited a day or so. Superstition Victim reappeared, minus the one review a blogger had posted for it.

Since then it’s all been quiet on Amazon. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t lost some sleep, fretted to Bob about it.

“I wish there was somthing I could do about it,” he said. Well, there was. We went for ice cream, which always helps.

Yesterday I learned Lulu had decided to switch distribution services. Putting on my Betty Rollin/Sherlock Holmes hat, I deduced this was likely the culprit, but had no proof.

Today I found a forum where fellow Lulu users were suffering the same fate: their books had suddenly vanished from Amazon. And someone posted that Lulu had responded to their fix-it ticket saying the “one- to two-hour” job had turned into something a lot bigger than that. (Obviously.)

So… to those of you who’ve been clicking links to check out my books only to wonder where they are, I apologize. I don’t know where they are.

But they’re supposed to come back.

The mystery might be solved and the perpetrator identified, but we’re still waiting for justice.

And trying to stay patient, something we have all learned a little bit more about in these crazy pandemic times.

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Catching Wild Critters

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Ellen

…on camera, that is! You won’t find me trying to get closer than the inside of our Jeep to this rattlesnake, which we came across on our way to a favorite hike this past spring in Nevada:

This was just our third rattlesnake, and this time it was in the wild and posing prettily, which made it perfect for leading off this post about seeing the wild things on our travels.

I won’t cover them all here, just those we’ve seen in the last few months (otherwise you’d get far too bored because the post would run way too long). Continue reading →

Posted in and Critters in General, Animals, Birds, Cool Experience | Tagged birdwatching, full-time RVing, RV lifestyle | 7 Comments

Wanted: Energizer Bunny!

Posted on August 20, 2020 by Ellen

We’ve been relatively lucky when it comes to RV issues (our fifth wheel was only run into once when it was parked, by a woman disoriented in an RV park (it’s a long story), our Class C bumped a picnic table once… although we did have a flat tire just outside Whitehorse, Yukon, and a few while moving the fifth wheel [yes, a few, on one relatively short trip, but that’s yet another story]), so after more than a decade of full-timing we were probably due.

We’d just driven our Class C a short three-hour drive from outside Boise, Idaho, to LaGrande, Oregon. We stopped at a rest area on the way but never left the rig and never turned off the engine (this is an important detail).

We stopped for gas, turned off the engine, and when Bob turned the key to re-start the engine, it was dead. Completely. No turning over, nothing. Continue reading →