Still here...

I often take Sundays off from posting.  That doesn't mean we have nothing happening on Sundays.  We got a call from an claims person from Progressive yesterday... Jaime from Progressing.  No, not that Jaime that hangs out with Flo.  This Jaime is female.  Due to the pandemic, things have changed in how they assess claims: it used to be if you had a claim, someone from Progressive would come to you, determine the amount of the damage, and write you a check on the spot.  If repairs came to more than that amount, they would "revisit" the claim and deal direct with the body shop for the remainder.

Now: you have to send them photos and videos of your damage and someone there looks over what you sent in and determines the dollar amount.  Some may be aware that I have a bit of knowledge about photography... you wouldn't know it when trying to capture damage on white vehicles (all of ours).  Digital imaging doesn't hold up well if the highlights are blocked up.  If you under-expose, the white vehicle tends to look a dingy gray.

After spending about an hour and a half with Jaime, I spent a couple hours trying to get images that would show the damage... not happening.  It didn't help when in the middle of describing damage on video, a woman passing by walked up to me and asked, "What part of Texas are you from?"

I took a couple steps back and said, "Whoa!  Six feet!" and held out my hand like a crossing guard.  I turned off the video and said, "I'm kinda in the middle of documenting the damage," thinking she'd take the hint.

She didn't.  "Oh, yeah, we got hailed on, too."

Then, she proceeded to tell me about her 4 kids, how her husband can't really handle driving a motorhome anymore, so they'll probably trade it for a 5th wheel and just let storage here move it in and out, and a bunch of other stuff.

Steph says I have a "caring face."  I tried to exhibit an I-don't-give-a-shit face, but the woman kept on yammering.  I finally had to say, "I don't mean to be rude, but I need to get this done while it's still daylight."

"OK, well you have a nice day," and she and her ugly dog went on their way.  The dog looked to be part foo-foo, part terrier, but mostly ugly.  Getting interrupted when I'm in the middle of frustrating work tends to color my observations.

I walked all around each of the vehicles, documented specific damage,  took photos of "the 4 corners," photos of the VIN number and odometer readings, video of the same, then got up on the ladder to get the top of the coach and the top of the cargo trailer.  Reviewing it later, most of it doesn't show enough detail to see 50 to 70 dings, but only shows the deep ones.

I'll try another time.  I cringe at the thought of getting repairs done - can't be without the motorhome while we're away from home.  Not sure I'd trust anyone in the RGV to do whatever is necessary to make the roof right again.  So, kinda in limbo.

I was up early this morning (Monday); the wind was gusting above 30mph.  Feeling the need to get out, I took the car instead of my Vespa.  Joan was still asleep, so I didn't figure I'd mess with any plans she might have for using the car.  I did some sight-seeing, had a Mickey D's breakfast (first time in months), and was driving in Boulder Canyon (between Sturgis and Deadwood), when a deer bounded out from my left.  I slammed on the brakes and felt the impact.  No, I didn't hit the deer - the dumbass ran into me when I was almost stopped.

I can't catch a break.

Bambi ran off in the direction she came from, I pulled to the side of the road and got out to survey whatever new damage there'd be... a bit of a scuff mark in the rear quarter panel, some deer fur caught in the trim around the wheel-well... and that was it.  From the sound of it, I expected major crumpled sheet metal.  I guess the deer and I will both have a story to tell.  I know I flinched as I looked to the left, looking right into the eyes of the deer... even though it was daylight, it did have those "deer in the headlights" look about it.

Pretty sure that the dumbass deer, like Mother Nature doesn't have insurance.

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Today being the 13th... nah, I am not a superstitious guy.  I got to thinking what that would have been like if I had been on the Vespa with that "deer situation" and decided that maybe things aren't so bad.

When I got back to the coach, the wind had died down to about 20mph, so I pulled the Vespa out - I bought an Iron Mountain Road t-shirt last week, and the large was a bit snug.  I still weigh the same, so I'm guessing it is the cut.  I go between L and XL depending on the shirt.  Joan was reading by this time, so I was off solo.

Absolutely great curvy roads all the way to the Iron Mountain Road Store.   I had the original bag and the receipt, but the guy was a bit grumpy that I wanted to exchange the shirt.   He pulled the Large out of the bag and looked it over real close... I guess finally determining that I hadn't worn it.  A nice lady (I'm guessing his wife) went to the shelf and pulled off an XL.   She held them up back to back and the XL is bit bigger (as expected), but it wasn't a huge difference.  I swim in some XLs. They made the exchange, I went to their food side of the store and bought a Diet Coke.   I sat under the shade of their outdoor seating, with no one else around, just taking in the lovely weather.

Then, 6 UTVs pulled in, engines roaring, stereos blaring.   It was mostly couples, most looked around my age, maybe a month or two younger. Sipping on my soda, I watched as most of them poured into the store.  I asked one guy who sat on another picnic table in the shade, "What's the attraction with those things? (the UTVs) Why not Harleys?" (I may be stereo-typing, but they looked like older Harley types.)

He said, "We used to have Harleys, but these are more fun.   Less of an issue if we decide to have a drink or two along the way.   You get the same wind in the face.   We just all enjoy hanging out together.   We can take them off road or even in the mud if we want."

So, I guessed that right: they did Harleys for a while, and this is the current "toy attraction." I wished him good riding... or driving... and went to get on my Vespa.  Sitting under the cover, I didn't see the dark clouds rolling in from the southwest.  "Oh crap - I really don't like to ride in the rain these days." I put my helmet and jacket on (yeah, it was about 80º, but I wore my armored mesh jacket, keeping in mind the "can't catch a break" stuff).   I thought I might ride more of Iron Mountain Road, but decided to head straight back to the RV resort.

The clouds were getting darker and moving right along.   I'm guessing Mt Rushmore and areas around that were getting wet.  I was hoping to stay ahead of it.  Turning off Iron Mountain Road and onto Playhouse Road (just as curvy, without the "fancy features" like tunnels and pig-tail bridges).  No traffic and I moved right along.  A short stretch onto the highway, and then an immediate right onto Rockerville Road and more curves.   I came around a corner and had to get on the brakes... there are two hunks of machinery, painting a fresh white line on our side of the road. Solid double yellow down the middle. I felt/saw the first raindrop on my face shield. Then another, then a couple on the windshield.  I really didn't want to get out the rain gear... I can't catch a break.

I followed behind the painting trucks for about 3 miles at about 4mph.   I knew there were no breaks in the solid double yellow on this stretch of road.  Coming down one curvy hill, I swung out and could see around them... at 4mph, it was an easy pass.  Probably not legal, but fast and easy.  And no more rain drops.  Maybe I can catch a break?

Two more great curvy roads to get back to the resort, and I pulled up to the trailer without getting wet.  I put the Vespa away, and it looked like the clouds were splitting around us, with a nice blue hole right over us.  Yeah, I guess all things considered, I did catch a break... well, several of them... today.