ftwildernessguy

I saw a piece in the latest Trailer Life about this company.  Their link was incorrect, but I have located the correct one.  I can't believe that with all of the physically disabled people who like to camp there are, a company hasn't tapped into this market yet.  Here you go, kids:

http://www.harborview.mobilitycamper.com/

Walk to truck.

Truck to anyplace.

We stayed there for the first time last September.  Nice campground, especially for an overnight stop, and very reasonable price.

Oops - if you haven't been banned yet, you will be soon.  There be a mole among us, matey.

New Kungaloosh Recipe -- since 2000 or so

1 cup Daily's Strawberry Daiquiri Mix

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum

1/4 cup blackberry brandy

Toss it in a blender with enough ice to make it slushy.

I fell compelled to add FWGuy's variation, which is cut the strawberry daiquiri mix down to 1/4 cup.  1 cup was just too sweet for me, and it also makes the recipe easier to remember.

"So, where are you folks going today?  It's a little cool and rainy now, but it should clear up and get warmer this afternoon."

That was my best Ken imitation.

They most always serve a seasonal beer in Germany, both inside and out.  You are seriously missing out if you don't try whatever it is.  I also like Kirin beer over in Japan.  It's a light lager, but still very tastey, and there's a nice, secluded outdoor area to enjoy it in.  I never have any of the beers I can buy locally. 

Bobby has declared that all reservations for the 3000 loop must go through me.

Do we send you the deposit check? or do you require full payment? :dance:

Cash only.  I don't trust anyone since that nice lawyer from Nigeria contacted me about my long lost uncle's untimely demise in a traffic accident, leaving me, his only heir, his entire fortune.  I am still waiting for that deposit to go through.  And where all the money went that was in my account, I'll never know.

I found Boat n RV to be high pressure.  They also like to pass off used units as new.  I would never buy from them, and I have a cousin who works for them in SC and told me she could get me an amazing deal if I drove down there.

Bobby says they had some leaks in the supply lines for the beer taps on every site.  Things should be back up and running in no time.

Thanks for the proof, Dave.  I wasn't believing it.

No soup for you, Jim.  No sandwich, either.

shit

It's great to see this category on this forum.  As most of you probably know we have three special needs kids, now all teens.  :partythree:  Our aim in life is to give them the best life they can appreciate and enjoy.  They will probably all be full care all of their lives, but we try to expose them to those things they can appreciate.  Kenya enjoys personal attention and is somewhat coming out of her shell to look at the world around her.  Kimberly enjoys everything and laughs at anythiing.  Shawnee is the most advanced and loves to ride and to eat.  He has most eating places spotted at WDW and knows what to order at each.  We have learned to pace the children and ourselves to be able to enjoy whatever we do.  We spend a lot of time at the Fort and short times in the parks.  The GC is invaluable (as is the MH).  We could not travel much without either one.  We now have a van equipped for three wheelchairs, so that gives us another short trip alternative.

We are looking to foster an infant again soon, but if that doesn't work out, we will be content with the family we now have.  We will visit the Fort and Dollywood and maybe find a couple of other places to visit with three wheelchairs.  The saga continues.

We are planning a Dollywood trip in September.

I love cheezits.

Bipolar is a little different.  They have to have a psychotic episode before they can really start to be diagnosed, but the trick is limiting it to just the one.  Every episode they have sets them back a little bit.  Left untreated with multiple episodes, they will never function normally. 

We are hoping to eat there on our March trip.  Hopefully we will get your sister to meet us there.

Thanks for the proof, Dave.  I wasn't believing it.

When Chris was little, she would change her outfits 20 times a day.  Sometimes she would wear multiple layers - dresses over pants and shirts, etc.

I second Fretz RV in Souderton.  Nice family business, great support.

I also recommend Tom Schaeffer's RV near Hamburg, PA.  Again, a family business, very helpful, nice staff and good customer support.  I have purchased two trailers here.

My daughter has bipolar disorder.  Before she was diagnosed, I used to get upset that we would go camping and all she wanted to do was nap in the camper.  I finally figured out that if that was what she wanted to do on vacation, then why not?  After her diagnosis, we started doing less as far as commando raids on parks and activities that would overstimulate her.  More time at the camper, in the quiet, going for walks etc.  It sure made things a lot better for everybody.  Fortuneately, we live in a time where medicine has advanced as far as diagnosis and treatment.  She is now stable on her medications, has a job and can hold a conversation with adults.  While she cannot handle full time college, she did finish a psychology course at our local community college and got an A!!!!  That was a big accomplishment for her.  I gotta say, I probably wasn't the most patient or sensitive guy when it came to dealing with disabled people, which I am not proud of.  If anything good has come of Chris' disability, it is that that aspect of me has changed.  However, it has made me more aware that there is a lot of misunderstanding and fear in the real world when it comes to dealing with disabled people.  As terrible as a mental disorder is, and I can't imagine the struggle my daughter went through in life before she was treated, I can't imagine the difficulty in dealing with physical disabilities, or combinations of these, but I am trying to understand.

I have a kid with Bi-Polar too.  Mine is 25 and now working in the mental health field as a Youth Support Parnter.  I also have one with Scizophrenia.  It wasnt a picnic, but it taught me a hell of a lot about compassion and what is truly important in life.

If people take nothing else away from this discussion, I hope the younger parents will see some hope from mine and your experiences.  Christine just turned 26.  She is employed full time at a Veterinary Referral Hospital (I have noticed disabled kids tend to migrate toward animals), takes college courses part time, has a steady boyfriend whom she has been with for 3 years, and makes and keeps her own psychiatric and counselling appointments.  She also pays her own bills, manages her own bank accounts, recently purchased a new car and got the financing herself.  She does live at home, but mainly due to the expense of living alone, and has been actively preparing to find her own place.  If you knew what we went through 8 years ago, you would realize just how far she has gone.

Dave, I've heard of the senory processing disorder before.  From what I've heard some parents suspect autism at first until they receive the proper testing.  What kinds of issues does this disorder cause..if you don't mind my asking?

For the most part, her symptoms now days are mostly auditory.  Loud noises and other sounds really get to her.  She's extremely sensitive.  There are other symptoms which may or may not be related...like extreme irritability!  :rofl:  Of course, that could just be her personality.  :o

When she was younger, say up through age 5, she has some pretty serious issues with sensitivity to touch.  Strange things like cotton towels would freak her out.  She DID NOT like being held, even as a baby.  She prefered to be fed strapped into a bouncer than held.  We got her both occupational and speach therapy starting at age 2, and it really helped over time.  Her current speach therapist really believes all of this is tied together, and possibly related to her birth which was very difficult.  We nearly lost her through lack of oxygen from the cord not only having a knot in it, but being around her neck.  She was in the NICU for a week.  But, like all parents with these issues, you never really know.  You just deal with things as best you can.

Interesting, Dave.  Christine was a c-section - cord wrapped around her neck.  Carol had also gone into premature labor about 1 month before - they think this is when the cord was around her neck and she was in fetal distress.  We also had difficulty distinguishing between irrational behavior and normal hormonal fluctuations associated with puberty.  What we thought were just emotional outbursts consistant with teenagers were really early psychotic episodes.

I have just one word for you - Southern Smothered Hot Dog.

Well since you brought it up...  (no pun intended)

He would NEVER eat that.  It mixes too many food groups.  :rofl:

I would though. 

You can get the slaw on the side.  But a hot dog and pulled pork together - what genius came up with that?  I would like to shake that person's hand.  I gotta admit, I thought the slaw on top would be weird, but it was freakin' amazing!  And those chips are kettle cooked with just the right amount of grease and salt.  Oh God, I'm drooling on my keyboard!

I think for us the scarey part of the meds is that they haven't been around long enough for anyone to really know the long term effects.  Chris is on a couple at doses that would knock me on my ass, but for her, it makes her "normal."  Without, she is totally irrational.  Because she was older when she was diagnosed, we went through a lot of problems with her resisting her meds.  More went in the garbage than down her throat, and her "friends" didn't help any - telling her they liked her better when she didn't take her meds.  Idiots. 

I've always avoided that place, mainly because I figured it was expensive and stuff I wouldn't eat.  Sounds like it will be on our list for next trip!

Lunch at Roaring Forks is a tradition for us.  They also have the same great chili they serve up at Trail's End.

A Lonestar just opened near my house.  We have been trying to go there, but haven't been able to get near the place yet.