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Quick Trip Update

Yahoo Message Number: 6943
Hi folks,

We left NC on April 22 and are now in Fredericksburg, TX. We headed
first to Ft Rucker, AL where I visited the new aviation museum which is
really great. The base has changed so much that I was standing outside
taking photos of the exterior exhibits when I realize I was across the
street from where my old barracks were. The old WW2 buildings where I
started flight school are gone and it's now a parking lot....a real plus
:-) We had Easter brunch at the O'Club which was a great time.

We left there the day before the storms came thru and wreaked havoc.
Good timing on our part, but I sure hated to see the damage on TV.

We went to New Orleans and stayed at the French Qtr RV resort which was
really nice in spite of the traffic noise and sirens. You don't walk to
the French Qtr once the sun goes down because of the two blocks between
the park and the Qtr, but it's okay during the day. New Orleans is dirty
and filthy to say the least, but it was worth the trip. The garden
district was spectacular with its mansions, etc. The French Qtr was
pretty much as I remembered it as a kid, but a bit sleazier.

San Antonio was next and we enjoyed the River Walk and much of the old
world fair grounds. Very hot at 92+ and humid, but down on the River
Walk we were shaded and there was a strong breeze ahead of the cold
front. The temp dropped over 30 degrees from yesterday to today and it
was quite a shocker.

So far so good on the motorhome. A little furnace problem today that I
can't quite figure out, but it's working again so.........

The drives thru the big cities were uneventful, but busy traffic wise.
The Kodiak handled the wind like a champ and I'm averaging about 7.5 mpg
towing the Vue. I did run thru a scale on the way down because I think
we have everything we own in the darn thing. I was pleasantly surprised
to see we're still 1000 lbs under on the chassis and 3500 under on GCVW.
The Vue weighed exactly 4000 lbs as the book said it would and the coach
came in at 18,500. We were full on fuel and propane with a bit in the
gray tank and about 25 gallons of fresh water.

Hope everyone is having a good week. I did the Nimitz Museum today and
it's worth the trip if anyone has any interest in WW2 history. Very
good museum and one that isn't well advertised.

Will check in later from down the road someplace...or up the road I
guess as we'll head to the Grand Canyon from here.

Take care,
Greg

Re: Quick Trip Update

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6944
Greg, I'll be following your reports carefully. Our plans have now changed and you won't believe the current plan.

Since we winter in Florida that takes up a big chunk of the time was are allowed to spend in the US. Every time I plan out a trip to the Canyon, Monument Vally, Sedona, Arches, Santa Fe etc in the motorhome, I keep coming up with five to six weeks. That will leave us in big trouble with the IRS.

So, this is what we are currently planning:

Cross the border to Dearborn. Get on Amtrak to Chicago. Then board the Southwest Chief for the 25 hour trip to Albuquerque. From there in rented car along 40 to Flagstaff, visit to Sedona and area, then up to the Canyon, on to Monument Valley (staying at Bluff, up to Moab to visit The Arches, back to the four corners (DW thinks I'm nuts but I want a photo with me on my hands and knees with my right hand in Colorado, right knee in New Mexico, left knee in Arizona and left hand in Utah.) Perhaps on the train from Durango to Silverton, then to Taos and Santa Fe, and the last day to Albuquerque where we would get on the train for the return. We'd be gone for 16 days and that will keep us out of trouble with the IRS. :)

One thing we have found is that the Grand Canyon and Monumnet Valley are VERY tough with respect to hotels. Virtually impossible for us to book at the south edge of the GC or at Gouldings or The View. They seem to be booked for so long in advance that it almost makes me want to build a hotel there. :)

So, keep the reports coming.

Don

Re: Quick Trip Update

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6947
Do I have a suggestion for you that will give you more time here in the USA and make the IRS happy too. MOVE HERE! Our country is broke and all the others crossing our southern boarders that want to live have no money! So a really nice guy like you who we know has some money $$$ YOUR WELOCME!! PLEASE become a US citizen and everybody will be happy even the IRS! LOL!!!!

Larry Myers

Re: Quick Trip Update

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6951
Larry we aren't eligible (we do have US Social Security cards though because we filed tax returns with rental income from our FLA condo for 9 years). As you know our son Phil has Down Syndrome and that disqualifies us. Same thing in the other direction. Deemed to be a drain on the social assistance system.

A friend recently gave me a suggestion that I must say hadn't occurred to me. I asked him if he filed the IRS form 8440 (closer connection) and he said NO. I asked why not and he said a parter of Coopers and Lybrand told him that if the IRS does demand that he file tax returns and declare his worldwide income in the US, that would not create a problem. SInce there is a tax treaty between our countries one would make the tax payable calculation on a 1040NR and then deduct the tax paid in Canada. That would leave a negative balance so no tax would be payable. (Hmmmm. I wonder what the IRS would say if I filed and asked for a refund in the US :) BTW, when we filed the 1040NR and declared our rental income and then capital gains on disposal of the condos, we did pay tax to the IRS and deducted the amount when computing our taxes in Canada. I have to say that doing the tax returns was a royal PITA though.

I've been thinking about this because I can be out of the Province of Ontario for up to 7 months in a year without losing my healthcare coverage.

Don


Re: Quick Trip Update

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6956
Hi Don,
I forgot to say a really SMART GUY TOO. If you could see my face while reading your reply it was a look of blankness as I always get at my accountant listening to all that legalease that you accounts have to understand. I was only kidding (LOL) about your situation. How ever you manage it, the USA couldn't want for a nicer guest in our country!
Larry Myers

Re: Quick Trip Update

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6966
Don Leslie wrote:

Quote
Greg, I'll be following your reports carefully. Our plans have now
changed and you won't believe the current plan.

Wow, that's a plan :-) Very strange rules they make you live under
between the two countries, a shame really when you're not one of the
ones trying to scam them.

Quote
The Arches, back to the four corners (DW thinks I'm nuts but I want a
photo with me on my hands and knees with my right hand in Colorado,
right knee in New Mexico, left knee in Arizona and left hand in Utah.)

Now that's just silly - sounds like something I would do :-) We'll
expect a photo of that moment!

Quote
We'd be gone for 16 days and that will keep us out of
trouble with the IRS. :)

Wow, that's ambitious, but it does sound like the only way you can make
it work within the time constraints.

Quote
One thing we have found is that the Grand Canyon and Monumnet Valley are
VERY tough with respect to hotels.

My brother-in-law did that a few months ago and found the same thing. He
said a couple they stayed in weren't too great, but it was the only
choice they had. Makes you appreciate the RV way of doing things even more.

Quote
So, keep the reports coming.

Will do. Right now is a rest day and catch up day doing laundry, etc in
Fredericksburg, TX. The drought here made the wild flowers a bust this
year. A park ranger said it's the worst year for wild flowers he's ever
seen...naturally we're here for it. We enjoyed the area though and a day
of non touring is almost welcome after two weeks of being pretty busy. A
long travel day tomorrow headed west out of Texas. It will take two days
for us to reach Silver City, NM where we'll take a rest day again before
heading on to the Grand Canyon.

So far....so good.

Take care,
Greg
Take care,
Greg
 

Re: Quick Trip Update

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6967
Thanks Greg. What a spring this is. Water water everywhere in some places and then a drought in TX. We've had enough rain since we returned home. I've got to cut the grass today (must be 4 inches long) but it is very wet and spongy. Not even going to open the pool for a few more weeks.

Keep having fun. I'm more and mom disappointed we can't do the trip with the MH. I'm hoping our rail trip will turn out to be a nice appetizer and DW will agree that we should chop a month off of FLA in the next year or so and head west - or maybe even head west in late October (darn snow danger though) and then carry on to FLA.

Don