tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9623755517033688322024-03-13T21:28:26.097-04:00On the Road..... and Then...?Budd Nashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06043909379644089685noreply@blogger.comBlogger149125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-47609530141276960742020-05-19T17:25:00.042-04:002020-09-25T13:47:43.460-04:00Closing down the RVing show. Everything is for sale, so sad to say.Ah, time for a change. Our full time RVing life is pretty much completed and now, we have to sell our faithful Clifford (2000 Volvo VNL 64T770) Heavy Duty Truck with a Smart Car flatbed on it and our 40' King of the Road Crown Marquis 5th wheel fully self-contained trailer (DakotR).<br />
<br />
We have lived in DakotR since 2007 and loved every moment of the time. Even in Fallon, NV in 2013 in -19 degrees below zero fall weather and for 2 years as City Park Docents in Sequim, WA on the Olympic peninsula. It has provided us a full retirement lifestyle wherever we ventured across the United States.<br />
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Due to health issues, we had to stop traveling and finally bought a house in St Augustine, FL. Both the truck and the RV are here and for sale.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_di4kaJsR22k9bePfaXtd3kXdxUMB0kT2_9KRDwy6JhBaYQlYLNiaRisr1g5Id-gVjURQwR5XPPdaIZtKW9jYJKAAjboggsazoDvA22fO-qgZymtWEmfBAOzLdADJtVL36JDpi9wCxbA/s5312/IMG_20160929_183635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_di4kaJsR22k9bePfaXtd3kXdxUMB0kT2_9KRDwy6JhBaYQlYLNiaRisr1g5Id-gVjURQwR5XPPdaIZtKW9jYJKAAjboggsazoDvA22fO-qgZymtWEmfBAOzLdADJtVL36JDpi9wCxbA/w500-h281/IMG_20160929_183635.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div><br />
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The NUT:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Off the market: <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/WFGfinERkxiwRV338" target="_blank"><u style="color: red; font-size: large;">$14,000</u>:</a> <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/WFGfinERkxiwRV338" target="_blank">1999 King of the Road Crown Marquis C40KS 40' 5th wheel - </a> <<< LINK</li>
<li><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: large;">SOLD </span><a href="https://www.myrving.com/2020/05/volvo-vnl64t770-origional-clifford.html" target="_blank"><u><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">$16,000</span></span></u>:</a> <a href="https://www.myrving.com/2020/05/volvo-vnl64t770-origional-clifford.html" target="_blank"> 2000 Volvo VNL64T770 autoshift HDT with Smart Car Bed -</a> <<< LINK</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span face=""google sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.25px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Contact me: </span></span></h2>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span face=""google sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; letter-spacing: 0.25px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""google sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif">(</span><span style="font-family: arial;">904) 297-8851 SMS texting is fine:</span></span></span></li>
<li><span face=""google sans", "helvetica neue", sans-serif" style="color: #202124; font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.25px;"><a href="mailto:budd@webdoms.com" target="_blank"> Budd@webdoms.com</a></span></span></li><li><font color="#ffffff" face="" size="4">We are in St Augustine, FL. The vehicles are also here.</font></li>
</ul>
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Sharpen your pencils (or whatever) we are ready to deal. These prices are just a starting point for negotiations but are pretty accurate for the condition.</div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The King Bed, the dining table, Flat-screen TV, and chairs are the only furniture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In this documentation, I have tried to open the whole Kimono to give a perspective about the whole of the Full time RVing life. It is not just about the places. it is also about the ongoing consumption of equipment, supplies, and life expectancy of the whole. It is also about outfitting an RV into a home that works for you.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Please be aware that I personally did a lot of these upgrades and repairs so the costs were often only for products and materials. Services and upgrades performed for a fee can easily triple the costs of changing things you discover you don't like so take your time to evaluate and mentally test-live in any potential RV home and then choose wisely. That is what we did for nearly 5 years before buying this king of the Road unit and we have been so happy with this unit we never were even interested in replacing it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">First: some details from the 1999 King of the Road Brochure:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Floorplan:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwjsgf_AO9kvy25gz5LazFXtaAXrwqNhfjvayZXnwytsy0rkn2kqsqjqNt5W4sis-k7_Ti-Ef9L14YygUxcYETdn1pagfID-n5m1LyiAC0-mPll9yPIFkefcwqYFLFEM3wlO28pxudps/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="830" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwjsgf_AO9kvy25gz5LazFXtaAXrwqNhfjvayZXnwytsy0rkn2kqsqjqNt5W4sis-k7_Ti-Ef9L14YygUxcYETdn1pagfID-n5m1LyiAC0-mPll9yPIFkefcwqYFLFEM3wlO28pxudps/w640-h285/1999+Crown+Marquis+Floorplan+C40KS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Z1tN-jZy-lcotMO3Q-35N9EbWI3vQSylxM2eJrIPsrIFloWtsJ7bZ_JsBCYEbmHTITgXtRIY8eRwx3ubfh_DxjonVZFFC1syUJdYeLHnIawtH0tmgEKypLN39MWttI9vVcJxTSBc8uM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="1889" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Z1tN-jZy-lcotMO3Q-35N9EbWI3vQSylxM2eJrIPsrIFloWtsJ7bZ_JsBCYEbmHTITgXtRIY8eRwx3ubfh_DxjonVZFFC1syUJdYeLHnIawtH0tmgEKypLN39MWttI9vVcJxTSBc8uM/w640-h240/1999+Crown+Marquis+Standard+and+Option+Features.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_SOkHFbp1ByTYjfy92h_iasXG1df4KGpTLpqbQxCFRgnjHgfAtmm4VeE_1vm16gpypq5nNjkb6hK2XaENGfekunGNcmfleqhztiN7ekCTnh6KaUOptSBGvTGFUUwXyZogiOm0AoanhI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="928" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_SOkHFbp1ByTYjfy92h_iasXG1df4KGpTLpqbQxCFRgnjHgfAtmm4VeE_1vm16gpypq5nNjkb6hK2XaENGfekunGNcmfleqhztiN7ekCTnh6KaUOptSBGvTGFUUwXyZogiOm0AoanhI/w640-h402/1999+Crown+Marquis+Features.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13YW3Kot1wWigiybSw9lxay3w6uGWsf-Z/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Link to the original 1999 King of the Road Brochure PDF (lower Res)</a> </span><<< LINK</h3><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13YR2Npc8FkzpPHp7VZXH3o3zPGN2_TzW/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Link to the original 1999 King of the Road Brochure PDF</a> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><font color="#d52c1f" face="arial" size="2"><i>(Caution: Same as above but Huge High Res PDF </i></font></span><i style="color: #d52c1f; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">file</i><i style="color: #d52c1f; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">)</i></h3></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Along the way, I made a number of upgrades to DakotR :</span></h3>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Replaced that tiresome double bowl kitchen sink with a deeper and much more usable single bowl stainless steel sink. I replaced the kitchen faucet with a pull out manually switchable stream/shower with a high rise neck to make for more room to fit pots and pans under it to wash. </div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Of course, I also replaced the puny RV shower head in the bathroom garden tub shower with a nice Water Pik unit that gives far more enthusiastic showers.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
The water pump has been replaced and I swapped out the 10-gallon gas/electric water heater with a Precision Temp tankless water heater for unlimited hot water.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
The washer and dryer have been truly nice to have everywhere.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
The living room AC died and I replaced it with a 15.5kbtu AC/Heatpump that is amazingly quiet even on high speed and with remote control. The bedroom also has a 15.5kbtu AC/Heatpump on a digital thermostat. All AC units are commonly ducted through the ceiling to all rooms so either unit can be used to heat and/or cool the whole unit if desired.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
The typical RV toilet was replaced with an elongated raised ceramic toilet with a hand sprayer for cleanup and easy change valve gasket.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
There is a 5k-watt gasoline RV Generator in the front compartment with only a few hundred hours of running time on it. We just rarely needed it in the way we traveled.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
I added slideout covers overall 3 slideouts to make it easier to keep their roofs clean and make it easier to close up after sitting long periods where leaves might accumulate on those roofs.</div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
The original 27' manual awning on the curbside was unfortunately ripped off by high winds crossing through Montana but it was really hard to deploy and put away so I never replaced it, opting, instead for the slide-out covers.</div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
There is an 18" Dish network manual crank up dish on the roof but today, there are far better choices for satellite reception. I carried a Dish Turbo 1000.4 triple LNBF dish on a tripod I set up for long stays and it has worked great for 10 years+. I used it with a Dish Hopper DVR that has 4 tuners in it and records HD just great.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Replaced the typical day/night corrugated window shades in the bedroom with true black-out shades with easy up and down.</div>
</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Some more RV detailed history:</span></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We took our time evaluating our needs, wants, and costs to be sure we did not have to keep trading up as we progressed. We have been very happy with our choices and the results. The F350 was the only thing we had to "trade up". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">$ 73k - Overall, since 1998 our costs Trucks and 5th wheel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">$ 10k - Upgrades including the bed for the Smart Car</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">$ 10k - Maintenance/repairs including tires.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">===========</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">$ 93K - Overall total 1998 - 2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A little more detail about our history and progress into Full Time:</span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
1971 - 1983 : We had motorhomes in sizes from 24' to 35'. Prices ranged from $6600 new to $12K used. 35' was a new Holiday Rambler Imperial. Great unit!</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><div>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1983 - 1998: No RVs. We decided to downsize through an RV into solid retirement... somewhere else.</span></div>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
1998 - 2003: We looked, studied, and evaluated many dozens of setups.</div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
Motorhomes were better with kids but for the 2 of us living full time, it was clear from our experiences that a big 5th wheel with a big carrying capacity would work best.</div>
</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Turns out we were right!</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
7/2001 - $27k - Bought used 1999 F350 4x4 Crew Dually in 2001 @32k miles</div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
We were told it could pull ANYTHING... NOT!</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
but to be fair we were targeting about a 32' 5th wheel.. not a 40' 21,000lb GVWR KOTR</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
11/2003 - $39k - Bought the 1999 40' King of the Road.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;">
Waaayyy too much trailer for the F350 or even an F550 (we tried one). At purchase time we were already looking to go to a class 8 truck/tractor HDT: (See HHRVRESOURCES.COM )</blockquote>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
7/2004 - $ 720 - I went thru CDL training at Johnston, NC Community College.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
11/2004 - $34k - Bought Clifford (2000 Volvo 770) @562k miles</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
1/2005 - $-16k - Sold F350</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
9/2007 - Moved into DaKotR full time -</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
Parked mostly in the back yard until my wife retired in 2011.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
This gave us time to figure out what we did and did not need with us.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
Our kids began renting our house from us (and still are renting today).</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
Son is a contractor so the 40-year-old house is being slowly upgraded for a few $$$ concession on the rent</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
6/2010: Norcold 1200:12 cu ft refer died (again) Replaced with a 23cuft Residential refrigerator. Yay! Hard ice cream finally.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
1/2011: Wife "retired" due to firm downsizing</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
3/2011: She went to CDL school per our plans. She was the oldest female to graduate in the school's 62 years of operation.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
8/2011: Moved to St Augustine, FL for the next 21 months</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
7/2013 left Raleigh for Oregon coast via SD, Tetons, Yellowstone, fall Amazon job in Fernley, NV.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
1/2014 - Heading to Southern Oregon Coast for winter then explore Pacific NW all next year.</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div>
Fall 2014 -Spent 2 years as on-site City park docents for Sequim Carrie Blake Park.</div>
</span></span></li><li><font face="arial">Leased a spot in Escapees Park at Chimacum, WA from 8/2015 - 8/2018. Terrific place and people.</font></li><li><font face="arial">Fall 2016 - headed to St Augustine, FL </font></li><li><font face="arial">2017 - Series of serious medical issues and surgeries. </font></li><li><font face="arial">Nov. 2019 - Bought a house in St Augustine, FL - No more RVing due to medical stuff.</font></li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A few notes may be useful here:</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I generally take care of most repairs and upgrades to the rigs. A few issues have taken some $$ to remedy </span><br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Truck: (I Paid for service of these items)</span></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4"><div>
Replaced Water Pump (incl)</div>
</font></span></span></li>
<li><div>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4">Replaced flex exhaust coupling twice (get Stainless the first time this goes bad) (incl)</font></span></div>
</li>
<li><div>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4">$1600 - Electrical problem: Bad pin on ECU connector.</font></span></div>
</li>
<li><div>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4">Replaced muffler (incl)</font></span></div>
</li>
<li><div>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4">Replaced 1 cab airbag and air fitting (incl)</font></span></div>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4"><div>
Transmission heat exchanger leaking oil. Removed and blocked. (incl)</div>
</font></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4"><div>
$760 - 4 - Michelin Recaps for rear Tandem</div>
</font></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4"><div>
$600 - Replace Slave solenoid on Clutch</div>
</font></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4"><div>
$6700 - Design and build Bed for Smart Car</div>
</font></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><font face="arial" size="4"><div>
$450 - Bought Ramps to load Smart Car onto the truck.</div>
</font></span></span></li><li><div><font face="arial" size="4">$518 - Replace worn U-joint carrier on rear of front axle.</font></div></li>
</ul>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Work I did:</span></h4>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
$140 - Replace fan motor in Dash A/C unit</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">$ 60 - Replace Wiper Motor</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">$345 - Install BrakeSmart trailer brake controller in F350. Later moved it to Volvo and converted to air brake system from hydraulic system.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Trailer:</span></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Dealer installed 3 dexter torsion flex 7k axles and 8k brakes.</span></div>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
6/2006 - $ 740 - Replace all tires after 3 blowouts of originals</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
9/2013 - $1200- Replace all tires after 2 blowouts</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Replaced the following:</div>
</span></span></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Both Furnace motors</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Hot water heater (upgraded to precision temp tankless demand heater)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Refrigerator - Put in Residential Refer when Norcold died</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Water Pump - Upgrade to Variable flow 5.6 GPM</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Thermostats - Upgrade to Wireless Radiothermostats</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kitchen Sink - Upgrade to a stainless single large bowl</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kitchen Faucet - Upgrade to a much taller unit for better clearance</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Bath faucet</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Showerhead - Upgrade to WaterPik</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">lavatory faucet - Upgrade to handheld head</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Toilet - Upgrade to taller stool with hand sprayer and easy change seals</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Added electric fire log set under TV</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Upgraded to flat-screen digital TV</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Replaced carpet in Main living and kitchen with Allure Ultra PVC Cherry flooring.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Sealed roof end caps, slide-out seams, sky lite, vents, and plumbing vents with Eternabond tape and sealant.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Installed UHMWPE sliding pads under the curb slideout floor to make it slide easier. The kitchen slideout also could use these installed. </span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At present:</span></h4>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">some windows have fogged</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">May need some new awnings in a few more years</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The roof EPDM is still ok but the time will come when it will have to be replaced.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The rear ladder is a little crunched. Made a great tree-finder when doing a blind back-in.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Need to replace one wheel side skirt broken by flailing blowout tire.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kitchen slideout rollers need some greasing/ oiling</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Curbside slideout had motor magnetic brake fall off which keeps it from creeping when traveling. Only ever moves a few inches, though.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Bathroom lavatory faucets drip - I have the replacement valve cartridges available.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Choices we made:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The biggest ongoing issue for most RVs is water leaks, both external and from plumbing issues/failures and the internal structural damages they may cause.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For this reason, we chose the KOTR 5th wheel with an all-aluminum superstructure so if leaks happened and went undetected no structural integrity would be compromised. The difference in thermal characteristics is minuscule compared to the $$$ to repair structural damages and we have been ok in -19 below and 105 degrees above zero.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Pictures:</span></h2>
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
DakotR:</h4>
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<h4>
Clifford: 2000 Volvo HDT:</h4>
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</div>Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-42155503389519128082020-05-18T18:30:00.005-04:002020-06-27T10:11:32.253-04:00Volvo VNL64T770 - 2000 autoshift 10 speed for Sale<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">This truck was a US Express truck for its first 500k miles. They do good maintenance. It went to Arrow leasing for sale after that. An Owner-Operator in Arkansas bought it and did the necessary and likely maintenance it needed while he had it. He had medical problems that forced him out of driving and I bought it from him in November 2004 with 562,000 miles on it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">In 2009-2010, I designed a special transport bed for the truck to load and carry a Smart car. The intent was to make it able to load and/or unload to either side of the truck. Up to that point the few trucks that had been converted to carry Smart Cars were a single-sided load/unload design and almost all of them were designed only to winch the car up onto/off of the bed. My original design was to allow for a pretty flatbed when not carrying the Smart Car so it could be used to haul typical DIY loads on it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">I did not want any flailing alligators coming off of the tires and destroying anything above deck so I had strong steel fenders built into the bed for protection. Also, because I usually did much of the maintenance work on the truck I wanted to be able to access everything that was below the bed without having to have a forklift or a pit to do the work so I built it with a treated wood decking that can easily be removed in areas where necessary. Steel straps old the ends of the boards down and can be easily removed by removing 3 bolts on each strap. I intended to use white oak but it was not available at the time this was built where I was located.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/NkZVvPgoGG9yWAng8" target="_blank">Pictures of the Volvo<span> </span><span> </span></a> <<< LINK <br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-ce-dUom5pmp59BvzuwpS1z8Lt8z6wwr/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">... Link to More Detailed specs and history</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><<< LINK</span></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Overview of this Volvo's of History and specs :</h2>
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<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 4.4486in;">
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">2000 Volvo VNL64T770</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Detroit Diesel 12l
375/410</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Eaton Autoshift 10
speed </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Eaton Vorad
Collision Warning system</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">6 way National Air
ride seats</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Dinette / Bunk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">2 - 120 gal Fuel
tanks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">565k miles</span></div>
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<h4 style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Work performed:</span></h4>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">560k miles </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Overhead ran at 500k </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">New alternator at 510k </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">New turbo at 520k</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">3 axel alignment at 555k </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Brakes at 560k.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">New windshield at 560k.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Air ride with air ride cab. </span></li>
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<h4 style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Detail Specs:</span></h4>
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<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.8729in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">VIN
4V4ND3RH1YN243310</span></div>
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<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.5166in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Date of Mfr: Nov
1999</span></div>
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</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">What</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.5916in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">By Who</span></div>
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<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.134in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Model/Serial</span></div>
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<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.5305in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">GAWR</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Engine:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">DD S60 430/470 @21</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">DD06R0550800</span></div>
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<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.0236in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Transmission</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.5916in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Fuller </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.134in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">A1001980</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.5in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.0041in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Rear Axle</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.5916in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meritor RT40-14</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.134in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">AVA 99328891</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.552in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">19,000</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.0041in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Rear Axle</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.5916in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meritor R 3.580</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.134in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">AVA99328990</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.552in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">19,000</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.0041in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Front Axle</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.5916in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meritor</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.134in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">AVF99217650</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.552in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">12,350</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.0041in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Paint</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.5916in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Cab</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.1534in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Red #SW53553</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.5in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.0041in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.5916in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Chassis</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.134in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">42086 S/W</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 2pt 3pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.5in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The original listing for this truck when I bought it:</span></h2>
<div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<h4 style="color: maroon; margin: 0in; text-align: left;">
</h4>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">2000 VOLVO VNL64T770 </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">2000 VOLVO VNL64T770</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">60 SERIES Detroit 470
HP</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Autoshift</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Engine Brake (3 level Jake)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">4 Bag Air Ride
Suspension </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">223" WB </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">77" Sleeper </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">22.5LP Tires </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Aluminum/Steel Wheels</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Tandem Axle </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">RED </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">560551 miles </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Previous owner's statement: </span></h2>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><i>"This is the best truck
I have ever owned.</i></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><i>This truck is ready to
work. Was on lease to cc southern I had to</i></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><i>Retire due to health
problems</i>."</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<div style="direction: ltr;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0in; width: 7.6013in;">
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Work performed:</span></div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">560k miles </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Overhead ran at 500k </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">New alternator at 510k </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">New turbo at 520k</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">3 axel alignment at 555k </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Brakes at 560k.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">New windshield at 560k.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Air ride with air ride cab. </span></li>
</ul>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Includes: </span></div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">6 aluminum wheels outside. 4
steel inside. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Low pro 22/5. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Smart seat both sides. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sky lite in top. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Heated power mirrors. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Has curtains for all 4 sleeper
Windows. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Curtains for windshield and to divide the sleeper from the cab.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Double bunk bottom bunk turns into the work station. Like a small booth, with lots of extra storage</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Am/fm cassette with a booster.</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Driver side airbag. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">2 125 gal fuel tanks. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Lots Of extra storage above the windshield and behind the seats</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">It also has Eaton fuller VORAD Radar vehicle monitoring and alarm system on the front, And the right side. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Has extra long slide on fifth wheel, with slave cylinder On trailer pull. </span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Has load lock holder on the back of cab for 4 load locks.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">$35,000 price I paid in 2004 at mileage 562,000.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Here is the current Odometer showing original miles</span></h4>
<div style="direction: ltr;">
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; direction: ltr;" summary="" title="" valign="top">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.7458in;"><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
Vehicle</div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.8993in;"><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
Mileage</div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 2.4138in;"><div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 14pt; margin: 0in;">
VIN</div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.7791in;"><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
Title #</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.7645in;"><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
2000 Volvo
VNL64T770 </div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.8993in;"><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
592837</div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 2.4208in;"><div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 14pt; margin: 0in;">
4V4ND3RH1YN243310</div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.8833in;"><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
129305575</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.725in;"><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 1.9201in;"><div style="margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXH7h7kXk8S47xxmzI3VHFfKJg2N8vjFnLRQUzwjSkK2uhg8vxWyezILBjlYxlq34mbfuOWcWPHS7RhWjBClPvYiKj_m_8emxY1OnvdOYhrM6rovKJqxLM7bfBP8xJfX2FC6oXCSRhks/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXH7h7kXk8S47xxmzI3VHFfKJg2N8vjFnLRQUzwjSkK2uhg8vxWyezILBjlYxlq34mbfuOWcWPHS7RhWjBClPvYiKj_m_8emxY1OnvdOYhrM6rovKJqxLM7bfBP8xJfX2FC6oXCSRhks/s320/IMG_20200507_115445.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 2.4138in;"><div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 14pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-color: rgb(163, 163, 163); border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt; padding: 4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 0.668in;"><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Here is the last oil sample report I have had done:</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-39232699629562327222016-01-19T16:25:00.000-05:002016-07-03T16:26:42.046-04:00<div class="_5x46" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px; margin-bottom: 11px;">
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Earlier today, I responded to all of those people in my life that wished me well on my 72nd birthday. I had accepted that the day was coming to a close and I was soaking in the warm conviviality of the day's gracious kindnesses. I was wanting for nothing and psyching myself up to go to the 7:30pm 3D showing of StarWars. The phone rang and It was <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1434347212" href="https://www.facebook.com/slwn1" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Smith Nash</a> calling to wish me a happy birthday as he always does. Our chat was nice with some family updates thrown in and as we wer<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">e wrapping up, my tablet started ringing with another Google Hangout (I rarely make or receive calls any other way, anymore).</span></div>
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It was <a aria-describedby="js_1m" aria-haspopup="true" aria-owns="js_1l" class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100001475779949" href="https://www.facebook.com/emery.nashiii" id="js_1n" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Emery Nash III</a>, <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100003717037771" href="https://www.facebook.com/christi.nash.5" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Christi Nash</a>, and Logan Nash on a 3 way hangout with <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1352991080" href="https://www.facebook.com/Kalooth" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Randy Nash</a> and <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=679242523" href="https://www.facebook.com/Kamireyne" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="highlightNode" style="background-color: rgba(88, 144, 255, 0.14902); border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(88, 144, 255, 0.298039); padding: 0px 1px;">Shawna L. Nash</span></a>. Through the confusion of me with a phone in one hand and a tablet in the other I tried to join Smith to the hangout and Katie (the dog) started barking. Good way to end a great day... with pure family cacophony..... Smith was in one ear, Randy, Emeryiii et al was in the other, Merrily was trying to take the tablet away from me, and Katie was providing a raucous sound track to underscore it all.</div>
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.... Then, in walks Emeryiii, Christi and Logan!!!!!!!! (sorry, just not enough !!!!!!! to adequately describe it all).</div>
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Merrily was somewhere between having a religious experience and falling out of the RV door and I was just trying to figure out how I was still talking to Emeryiii and Randy on the phone... er... tablet.. er.. something in my hand but there they were right in my doorway!!!!!! still not enough !!!!!!!!.</div>
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It was awhile before I eyeballs settled back into their proper orbs. It was also awhile before I could stop hugging my children. Somewhere in there, the phone... er.. tablet.. whatever, was hung up and my awareness caught up to reality. THEY ARE HERE! THEY ARE HERE! THEY ARE HERE!!!!!!!!</div>
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I am certain that I would not have been as moved if it had been publishers clearing house at the door. Absolutely certain!<br />
Thank you, Thank you all, Thank you everyone for such a day!</div>
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ttfn</div>
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Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-4809445835552689422014-09-18T14:08:00.001-04:002014-09-18T14:48:00.459-04:00Back to the Blog... for a bitTechnology being what it is.. that is, always changing, I have been in a tech gap for awhile. I had hoped to be able to move everything from this set of blogs into Google+ but the lack of connectivity bandwidth and the ongoing changes in Google's platforms and requirements has had me chasing a butterfly.<br />
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I don't doubt that I will be able to do this...eventually, and until then, I will still post my daily content in Google+. It is far more consistent and easier to manage. Unfortunately, it is still so misunderstood by so many that they don't want anything to do with it. It is not Facebook but does have a social media aspect, which can be ignored if you choose. In the meantime, I will occasionally update these blogs with useful but less than timely information. Just to keep a thread of interest going until the tech makes it easier and more appealing to move to G+... or somewhere else.<br />
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<h2>
The Past Year</h2>
The past year has been mostly about our travels with some extended stays in places we liked (except for Fallon, NV). <br />
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To recap starting 9/2013<br />
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<h3>
Fallon, Nevada (working Amazon)</h3>
While staying in Fallon, NV, we had some nice weather, but also some very un-nice weather with temps dropping to -19 and some snow. A couple of nights I had to keep the Precision Temp demand Hot water heater defrosted with a hair dryer. Batt Insulation didn't even completely prevent it from freezing, but nothing broke or leaked. I added a complete bypass kit to it so I could at least, completely empty the whole thing if it ever got this cold again... but it hasn't.<br />
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We wrapped up our Fallon Stay (Remember, Merrily was working at Amazon in Fernley, nv) on Dec 18, 2013 and we headed up to Lake Tahoe the next day. We spent Christmas week in Lake Tahoe South Tahoe Village Campground, but Merrily was bad sick the whole time so not much fun.<br />
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<h3>
Redding, California</h3>
12/27/2013 saw us move to the lower and warmer Redding, Ca. We stayed at the Premier Resorts RV park in North Redding and loved it so much that we stayed there until April 5, 2014. The weather was great and so were the people. Redding has never been a destination for me but it was so convenient that when we moved on to Arcata, CA, it was with a lot of reluctance.<br />
<h3>
Up the California Coast and the Redwoods</h3>
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A few nights in Trinidad, Ca which was a waste and then we moved on up the coast staying only a few days to a week in places like Klamath, CA, and Crescent City (Actually, Hiouchi Hamlet just 5 miles east of CC). The Jedediah Smith Redwoods State and National Park was fantastic!<br />
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Hiouchi RV park is right on the eastern edge of this National Park and daily excursions into the groves of original growth Redwoods always left us wanting even more.<br />
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<h3>
Oregon, at Last!</h3>
When we finally left Hiouchi RV Park our next stop was Gold Beach, OR and we stayed right on the beach at Ireland's Ocean View RV Park. That was a really nice small park and we really liked the Gold Beach area, too. Not nearly as touristy as Brookings.<br />
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If you recall, our west coast goal was Port Orford and we finally made it there but did not stay. A day trip to it showed it to be interestingly small and insufficient in our kinds of resources so we planned to continue on up to Bandon, OR.<br />
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Bandon by the Sea RV Park in Bandon, OR was nice with big pull through sites. Weather was pretty blustery while we were there for a few days but it was exhilarating to walk the overlooks at the point at elephant rock.<br />
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Coos Bay had long been pulling us as a prospective long term place to stay but a week there, though very interesting, left us still wanting a better matchup of our needs and wants to available local resources. We stopped in Coos Bay at AAA Midway RV Park which was very well kept with dense hedgerows between the sites but there were only 2 pull through sites we could fit into. It worked out perfectly for us, though, and we spent a week there checking out the area and the history of Coos Bay. Lots of interesting things we didn't get around to at that time but reason enough to come back.<br />
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We moved on to Woahink Lake RV park where the huge coastal dunes sprung right out of the back row of RV sites. Man, these things are huge and maybe 150 feet to the top of the nearest ones. The ocean is at least a crow's mile from there, across the dunes. Obviously, a big ATV recreation area.. These things are awesome to see and climb.
Katie loved the unlimited running and digging and for the first time
really learned what off leash really can mean.<br />
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A few days later, we moved on to Seal Rocks RV Cove in Seal Rocks, OR. This was just the opposite. The cove was just across highway 101 with a short path and steps down to the large tidal pools area that all but disappeared at high tides. Great little place. Yes, there is highway noise during the day but the scenery and beach makes up for most of it. We found an ICE cream/fudge shop that makes the best brownies and ice cream. Good thing we didn't discover it until the next to the last day there. <span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">By this
time it was getting close to our May 20th destination in Lincoln City so we
could not dawdle as we would have liked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">On May
20th we made our last short term move into the Premier Resorts RV park in Lincoln City,
Oregon. It is a sister park to the one where we had stayed in Redding, CA, just after Christmas. One of the very best parks so far. Unfortunately, for how well
it is run, the concrete parking pads and sites are all sized for RVs with no
slides so we have to park our truck in different places depending on how full
the park is expected to be. sometimes it is parked out on the street.</span> Merrily flew out of portland a few days later to visit the kids and doctors for a few weeks and Katie and I stayed and just soaked up the Lincoln City ambience.<br />
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The beach is 2 blocks away and across US Hiway 101 but that was not a problem. The weather was fantastic! High temps were generally in the upper 60s to mid 70s and nights plummeted <grin> to the mid to upper 50s. Neither heat nor A/C hardly ever ran and each day we got in at least a 1 mile walk along the cliffs overlooking the beach.<br />
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But we had an agenda so after extending our stay twice, we finally left Lincoln City for Astoria, OR. on 9/19/2014.<br />
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Though we had previously made a scouting trip from Lincoln City to Tillamook and toured the Tillamook Cheese factory, we had to stop again just for a great butterscotch sunday as we passed through.<br />
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Astoria, Or 9/11/2014: What a great place! Called Little San Francisco, it really is like its namesake. Hills, a tower, legendary river mouth, massive port for commerce and flush with nostalgic cultural roots. We have "played tourist" more in the short time we have been in Astoria than anyplace we have yet visited. We planned for a week's stay and figured that might be a bit too long but we have already extended our stay to another week.<br />
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So, that
is our catch up history since Leaving Fallon Nevada. I have been posting most
of my day to day pictures and adventures on Google+ because it gives me a lot
more control, automatically does a lot of things, like photo enhancements,
panoramas and neat little stories. All the pictures I take with my SmartPhone
automatically go up to my G+ photo albums as I take them so I just
pick the ones I want, stick in some description and then post them to my
circles of family, friends and rving buddies groups.</div>
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Far more details are available in my Google+ posts along with a lot of pictures and movies of places and events. Just click this link: <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/budd%20nash">Budd Nash</a> or go to Plus.google.com and search for Budd Nash. <br />
ttfn<br />
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<br />Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-64452994550136720692013-10-12T10:02:00.001-04:002013-10-12T10:39:17.170-04:00Kept them doggies rollin’…. Rawhide!<p>As we have traveled almost daily, I have been trying to keep our progress posted on Google+ in my RVBudds circle. It is just too hard to always setup the computer each night (no laptop ATM) and blogging from the tablet is too hard. I may see a laptop or ChromeBook in our future instead of a second tablet.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jkPZ92A9iiA/Ulle_YF2FFI/AAAAAAAAQNk/RTUnJD_XrkM/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png"><img title="image" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-atry4OptN24/UllfE-bHBzI/AAAAAAAAQNs/xTlQZ4U_i2U/image_thumb%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="586" height="314"></a></p> <p>We have crossed from Sioux Falls, SD to Rapid City, SD, Custer, SD (Nice area), Dubois, WY, Grand Tetons National Park for a week, Yellowstone NP (Stayed in Gardiner, MT) then on to Helena, MT for a week. Phew! I have to ck my maps to keep it all straight.</p> <p>While still in Gardiner at the north entrance to Yellowstone NP, Amazon put out another Workamper hiring notice and since we had been toying with the idea of working for one of their facilities. </p> <p>Although our long term destination is still Southern Coastal Oregon for the winter, the recent costs of new trailer tires and the electrical problems on Clifford have left us feeling the need for some supplementary income. The Amazon facility in Fernley, NV is not too far off-track so Merrily took a shot at a job. </p> <p>We really had no idea how long the process would take or if she would get the job so we decided to hang 7 in Helena. If a job came through we would head down to Fernley, NV. If not, we would head on over to the Oregon coast. Either way, the weather (and government) has been getting too unpredictable to follow our original plans to trek up to Glacier National Park before heading to Oregon so a short holding pattern in Helena was a good chance to catch our breath, strategize our possibilities and see if Amazon was going to work out.</p> <p>It did!</p> <p>Our trip from Helena to Fallon, NV has been fairly direct. We swung through Dillon, MT, ARCO, ID and drove through the Craters of the Moon National Monument (closed, of course.. dumb government management style!) to Twin Falls, ID.</p> <p>Yesterday, we left Twin Falls (would have liked to have stayed there a few days because there is lots to see and do in that area) and arrived in Elko, NV mid afternoon. The Pacific TIme zone runs east/west across the northern Nevada state line so it was odd to be traveling south but setting clocks back another hour.</p> <p>Here, at the Iron Horse RV Resort, the weather is very pleasant as it has been on our whole trip. We skirted around behind one big storm as it swung around south of us headed to Denver so we have had no rain, no snow and nighttime temperatures have been above freezing for all but 2 nights.</p> <p>Today, we move on the 288 miles to Fallon, NV to get setup for Merrily’s gig at Amazon in Fernley, Nevada. She still does not have a starting date but all the prelims are done but the drug test which will be on Monday. (UPDATE: She starts the 19th.) We got reservations in the Fallon RV park, about 22 miles from Amazon’s Center. It’s not as close as we would like but it is a lot closer than the 35+ miles to the RV parks in the Sparks and Reno areas.</p> <p>Amazon just started placing workampers in this park so I think that we were fortunate to get in with no lead time. Amazon approves and pays the parks, directly, so we must stay where they will pay. We will see how it goes. Amazon does allow folks to switch campgrounds so after we have time to spec out other choices we may have something open up, closer to work. If not, Fallon is not a deal breaker distance. The good news is that there is a WalMart in Fallon so we are gold.</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-77736958149325596412013-09-10T13:06:00.001-04:002013-09-11T14:02:01.395-04:00Things Change…<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sdEbtILiLkg/Ui9QYX3s8mI/AAAAAAAALMA/_C6QJH58tuA/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img title="image" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ssq8VqB_cko/Ui9Qau8YxWI/AAAAAAAALMQ/66psP-tFbKc/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="134"></a>North By Northwest is a Hitchcock movie (1959) that has held a spot in my memories ever since the first time I saw it. Staged at Mount Rushmore and in the surrounding areas, its scenes are the first to leap forth whenever Mount Rushmore is brought up. Growing up in the flatlands of central Florida, the real mountains were a dreamland of evergreens and massive views.</p> <p>In 1960, my family took a “Summer Vacation”, not unlike National Lampoon’s movie. My brother, Smith, had passed early that year and Daddy had an Army reserve class to attend in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. We all needed to be together but needed a break from our reality, thus this vacation trip with him to Kansas. </p> <p>We crossed the US on route 66 from Florida to Los Angeles then up through Yosemite NP to San Francisco and back across the northern route via Yellowstone and Rapid City to Ft. Leavenworth Kansas. </p> <p>Our stop at Mount Rushmore was a perfect match to the North by Northwest movie scenes. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DphTk81LYew/Ui9QhfInmYI/AAAAAAAALMc/vJKV22NyIHk/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img title="image" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JHvvglXVBy0/Ui9QnGaNxrI/AAAAAAAALMk/Mn8yIoC2pDM/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="136"></a></p> <p>The café where Cary Grant was shot by Eva Marie Saint, the terrace outside and those irrepressible faces. All indelible memories tied to my life events of that time. </p> <p> </p> <p>In 1966, I again visited this memorial on my drive from San Francisco to Rochester, Minnesota on business. It was the same. All that was missing was Cary Grant.</p> <p>As we have planned out this trip over the past few years, Mt Rushmore has always been a pivotal point on our route. I have even watched North By Northwest a couple of times to refresh the nostalgia. MMmmmm good stuff!</p> <p>Merrily, too, has fond memories of this place from visiting it many years ago with her parents. </p> <p>Yesterday, Merrily and I finally visited Mount Rushmore together. We both remember vividly how beautiful the surrounding mountains were with all the exposed rock and deep green trees. Our anticipation of seeing those faces was finally peaking after so many months of planning.</p> <p>But as we drove over to the monument from Broken Arrow campground just south of Custer, SD, we were stunned at the vast stretches of dead ponderosa pine trees.<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kad1RJ_Sc8c/Ui9QuV9cutI/AAAAAAAALMs/oX62slMQ-XQ/s1600-h/OL3%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="OL3" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OL3" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6Jg5c0NA8SA/Ui9Q0jRTAqI/AAAAAAAALNA/T41D5wIo5no/OL3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="182"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RaHthvx6bwc/Ui9Q6TsFGpI/AAAAAAAALNI/HGAQ5ODPIZ4/s1600-h/OL4%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="OL4" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OL4" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WfrmBSDEY5k/Ui9Q_owHtqI/AAAAAAAALNQ/VJmLfOxPN4g/OL4_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="183"></a> There are massive acres of standing dead for mile after mile. Some trees had obviously been killed some years ago but the majority of these dead trees still have the characteristic brown needles of freshly killed trees. We saw miles of house-size piles of cut dead trees along SD 89 in less vertical terrain. </p> <p>When we moved from Boulder, Colorado in 1983 the area was beginning to show signs of this Pine Bark Beetle scourge but the vast landscapes of brown and grey trees we see here are heartbreaking. These are not the mixture of green with occasional brown tinges we remember. There is little green at all in many of these areas. Whole mountainsides are now flash kindling waiting for a lightning strike.</p> <p>It was just not quite the same experience as we remembered so vividly but we pressed on following the signs to the monument and occasionally glimpsing the eternal faces when we got close to the park.</p> <p>As we turned into the entrance something was definitely different! Instead of a winding narrow gravel road to the parking lot, there is now a massive row of toll booths for collecting parking fees. It looked as though we were entering the Jersey Turnpike instead of entering a favored National Monument.</p> <p>Merrily audibly choked when she saw the price; $11 per vehicle and no discounts accepted. She was ready to skip the whole thing but I could not abort my nostalgic needs over a few dollars more so we paid and tentatively entered the park.</p> <p>Driving the quarter mile to the parking decks was indistinguishable from entering the parking complex at a major US airport but the signs, arrows and curves eventually got us into the multilevel concrete parking deck.</p> <p>As we left the car for the parking deck elevator to the top level we carefully noted, as directed, the level number where we were parked. Once topside, we began the very long uphill walk towards those enigmatic stone faces. A long, long walk. I felt we were entering Disney World. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oc2ITgjy3ig/Ui9RLanwrzI/AAAAAAAALNk/2OblUbOhkw0/s1600-h/OL5%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="OL5" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OL5" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LB8tBfKOEY8/Ui9RRO1fi9I/AAAAAAAALNw/-KjjFg5UqZY/OL5_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="183" align="right" height="244"></a>Even with a sidewalk that was 20 yards wide, the myriad of folks trying to take pictures of their companions with the mountain were frustrating our progress all the way up to the visitors center.</p> <p>The massive granite columns and the runway-sized sidewalk guided us as the faces slowly grew larger yet, somehow it all seemed a little different. Any moment we just knew we would be synced with our memories when we walked out onto the viewing patio outside the café…. any moment, now….</p> <p>But the massive curved building ahead was not quite right. It was sort of in the right place and similar but not what I remembered.</p> <p>We walked on uphill through the center of this structure of gift shops and headed up the avenue of flags. The columns of granite containing the carved names of the states and the dates they had joined the union, looked more like monuments in a cemetery than celebratory benchmarks.</p> <p>Hmmm. Now that’s different for sure….. Here we are at the viewing area but no restaurant. Just an expansive patio of granite pavers showcasing the mountainous faces above. </p> <p>We snapped pictures and wandered around trying to get our bearings eventually seeing a sign mentioning a theatre presentation. We took the elevator down to the level beneath this huge patio and as the doors opened, there was the view we had been straining to see! The massive faces viewed through roof high glass windows! </p> <p>… But it imperfectly matched our 40 year old memories. The anticipated view from the café had morphed</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dLEPKSLu8x0/Ui9RXS3YJCI/AAAAAAAALN4/Im_n16Zys3M/s1600-h/OL2%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="OL2" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OL2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q_Opf0w4-QI/Ui9RZ5Z1wBI/AAAAAAAALOI/tHQFKidIW3o/OL2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" align="left" height="136"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mRudLR7t0AI/Ui9Riz62FvI/AAAAAAAALOU/ofLjje8MR-A/s1600-h/OL1%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="OL1" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="OL1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-s86Wn1qZdrE/Ui9RmwvI9kI/AAAAAAAALOk/_3WPot3wZ3g/OL1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="134"></a></p> <p>But wait, there’s more… 2 theatres showing the carving of the mountain and an exhibit hall full of historically related artifacts and information stretched out to our left…. but no café?</p> <p>As we watched the movie I struggled with this paradox of being where I expected to be and seeing what I expected to see but things were different at the same time.</p> <p>As we left the theatre I chatted up a Ranger about my earlier visits, the movie and the changes since 1966. She helpfully pulled out a photo album and explained that the café, viewing patio and all the old buildings that I remembered, had been torn down. We were, indeed, standing on that same ground I so vividly remembered but these huge granite halls had replaced those buildings in the 70s. The old facilities could not handle the millions of visitors each year but their replacement could handle Disney World quantities. </p> <p>On the long walk back to the car I felt a little disappointed as I mulled over how different all of this is now. Somewhere, somehow something was misplaced. It was not lost as I can always watch North by Northwest, again, but it is just not what I remember and that has left me slightly unsatisfied… and $11 poorer. </p> <p>The good news is that I can hang onto my parking pass and use it anytime I want all of the rest of this year…. NOT the same thing.</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-82838591871444186552013-09-05T09:00:00.001-04:002013-09-05T09:00:58.913-04:00Time for a little moseying music<p>We are taking a few easy days as we make our way from Sioux Falls, SD to the Custer / Rapid City area, reflecting on what has happened so far and what might yet happen. Blowouts and engine problems tend to make one instinctively duck at just the thought of something unexpected happening. A few two hour driving days help settle us back into a calm confidence so we stayed the night in the Kennebec KOA and tonight will be in the Badlands KOA. </p> <p>I am not a connoisseur of KOAs but they are a pretty sure thing as decent stays go and always overpriced. This one is fine for overnight but surprisingly, they have a butt load of sandspurs. Poor Katie could hardly take 4 steps without picking them up in her paws. Merrily finally had to walk her on the other side of the highway. None over there. Who woulda thunk it?</p> <p>Plans (right now) are to mosey on over to Hart Ranch Southeast of Custer for a couple of days before moving on to Big Pine Campground just west of Custer. A couple of days ago our next door neighbor, Phil, was really adamant about how nice Hart Ranch is. Since we are Coast to Coast members (have not made back our investment, yet) we could stay for $10/night w/FHU. </p> <p>We had originally planned to stay there but it seemed to be farther from most of the venues than we wanted to be so we changed to the Big Pine Campground. </p> <p>BTW, this is one of the drawbacks to Coast to Coast: You are limited to a reservations window of 3- 60 days before you want to stay. This plays hob with a spontaneous camping style ie. “Where shall we stay, tonight”. Most C2C parks won’t accept walk-ins by members.</p> <p>There is a lot to see around the area besides the Mount Rushmore monument so we are planning to see the Crazy Horse Memorial (at least as much as has been finished), Custer State Park, maybe the Rushmore Caves, and long time friends we have never met, Mike and Pat McFall who live in the area.</p> <p>More as we progress.</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-9845081082019281782013-08-30T20:30:00.001-04:002013-08-31T16:05:34.480-04:00Trying for some perspective<p>The events of our journey towards the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Northwest Coast have really stirred our mettle. Though the tire blowouts in Tennessee and Iowa had been anticipated, they were not expected. The technical issues that Clifford has struggled with had also been foreseen but were not really expected to become a problem. They were just a few of the many, many “what-ifs” we considered in our planning.</p> <p>Since leaving ST Augustine, Florida May 18th, 2013, we have experienced a really wide scope of emotions and situations that have upped our game of presence and purpose.</p> <p>We found our extended time spent with close family<img style="float: left; display: inline" alt="Photo" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_fURb7ZNjizVfxUjNsXcQoVCl8wqN27imE2bdfYUdGM=w147-h110-p-no" align="left"> in Florida had given us irreplaceable joy and contentment so the personal power it has taken for us to leave that comfort zone to venture west to flesh out a life long dream has both surprised and empowered us to continue. </p> <p> </p> <p>It all began in the early 1990s in our growing awareness that economically, our retirement years could never fulfill the expectations being promised for decades by economic prognosticators and pundits. Our chances of living the promised life were less likely than our winning a lottery.</p> <p>The short story is that as we studied this and sought solutions it became clear that there was no scenario that would let us stay in the home we had bought to raise a family and live out our years.</p> <p>The inescapable conclusion was that we would not even be able to afford to live anywhere near Raleigh, NC after retirement. We realized that downsizing was inevitable and to do it without financial and emotional whiplash was going to take a lot of time and planning. Eventually, it was obvious that we needed a means of transitioning between a work a day family life and our end stage lifestyle.</p> <p>We both had always loved to travel in the western US and wanted to see a lot of the Pacific Northwest and east to the Rocky Mountains.<img src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQMXgjuv8c9DjMAN619DTLlwt6DUmFBc1EkgJNeXYstSZyXac7M"><img style="margin-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-right: 0px" 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" width="292" height="211"> </p> <p>Clearly, our transition solution was going to be a lifestyle of living in an RV of some sort and using it as a home to search out our <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangri-La">Shangri-La</a>.</p> <p>We formally engaged this plan in 1998 to transition from a full family middle life existence through a rescaling lifestyle of travel and eventually find a suitable end-life settlement. Through that process, we expected to live an extended self contained life in a recreational vehicle and to that end we began the search for a suitable RV and vehicle to tow it with.</p> <p>In November 2003 we found our prize, a 40’ King of the Road Crown Marquis <img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qkjTeTUhXgE/UapsHe92LZI/AAAAAAAAHeg/rjO3e4Y1Qv8/w1358-h764-no/PHOTO_20130601_173903.jpg" width="606" height="351"> fifth wheel trailer in Stillwater, OK. We eventually named it DaKotR because we got tired of saying “I’m going out to <u>the King of the Road</u>” ( aka Da-KOTR.)</p> <p>That purchase decision took nearly 6 years of studying everything we could find on full time life in an RV and which vehicles were more compatible to that lifestyle. Much of that time was spent virtually “living” in any RV we could find at RV shows, on RV dealer’s lots and online. The hours and days we spent paid off and we have been very pleased with DaKotR and we have been very comfortable living in it for the past 6 years.</p> <p>Now, our Steel Steed, the 1999 Volvo truck (Clifford) was also the result of a number of years of studying forums, websites and dealers. I even spent 8 weeks in July/August 2004 in the North Carolina Truck Driver Training School in Smithfield, NC to become a Certified Professional Driver. I wanted to develop the skillset, knowledge and muscle memory necessary to safely and confidently handle whatever vehicle we would find necessary to tow DaKotR. </p> <p>Believing the used truck salesmen motto, “A 1 ton dually can pull any RV on earth” we bought a 1999 Ford F350 CrewCab 4x4 dually. It was a great truck but after pulling a half a dozen different 5th wheel trailers weighing 10,000 to 16,000 lbs it was a no brainer when we dropped DakotR onto it in Tunica, MS to pull it back to Raleigh, that this just was not enough truck, period.</p> <p>But, a year later it was a love fest when we found Clifford in West Memphis, AR in November 2004. He is a handsome brute with only 562,000 miles on him and all the recommended maintenance and parts replacements had already been done to him. He was definitely a gem to score.</p> <p>Our original expectations in 1998 had included using the truck as a daily driver but as the costs of diesel fuel kept rising that became a fading hope. We had to have something to run around in wherever we stopped that would be comfortable, cost effective and not too large to wander small byways and trails. </p> <p>At that time, quite a few Full Time RVers were double towing (pulling a small car or Jeep behind their 5th wheel trailer). This seemed to be an efficient solution but it was always a very risky scenario to me. The previous owner of DaKotR had done it so I was sure that DaKotR could handle it. We seriously considered it for along time, but this never developed into a palatable solution for us.</p> <p>Finally, along came Smart cars! They were only 98” long which was short enough fit crosswise on a bed between the cab of the truck and the front of the towed 5th wheel Trailer. I just had to find a way get it up and down from there. </p> <p><img style="float: right; display: inline" alt="Photo" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/49ICC1YAO5noSGZlMSO3iN8T8WazVUjiHRITK_IixI0=w271-h202-p-no" align="right">A few other RVers also caught this idea and built a variety of mechanical platforms to ease the process of winching a Smart car up onto the bed. However, we chose to design a bed and a system using a couple of ramps that would allow loading and unloading from either side without winches, extraneous mechanics or hydraulic lifts. </p> <p>Finishing this bed in 2009 gave us this solution and it completed the construction of our caravan. All that was left to do the logistics of planning and initiating the start of our quest. </p> <p>The obvious similarities of our efforts to those of many of the pioneers and settlers of the western United States are clear. They had to think about what they wanted to do. Think about what they would have to be prepared for and plan their journeys with a strong focus on contingencies for the unexpected. Making the end goal for their journeys set a direction for their travels but their contingency planning is what defined their benchmarks and way stations along the way.</p> <p>Today, as I sit and relate life to this point, the parallels that pop out at me are even more personal. Each time one of these unexpected events have happened, there has been a small sense of very old déjà vu as though somewhere, sometime in the past this same event happened but just involved different technologies. Instead of a horse throwing a shoe our cargo carrier on the back of the trailer fell apart. Instead of a broken wagon wheel, we blew a tire… and then another.</p> <p>Instead of a horse coming up lame or with colic, Clifford had a loose pin on a connector to his engine computer. For some of the pioneers, their events could have been show stoppers They certainly felt like they might be to me as they happened to us along the way.</p> <p>Last Sunday as we limped the excruciatingly long slow 2 miles to the Sioux Falls KOA in a broken Clifford, I was suddenly starkly aware of the similarity to events our ancestors may have experienced in this same place many decades ago. On impulse I proposed this similarity to Merrily with the question; “I wonder what the settlers would have said if their team of horses suddenly died here?” She shot right back with, “We’re HOME!”</p> <p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dgfNysIDROg/UiCtmtnKffI/AAAAAAAAJu8/28BNHHyyEGI/w1084-h813-no/IMG_20130827_130518.jpg" width="617" height="465"></p> <p>So now, Emery, South Dakota is officially our home base… for now…</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-5668968541739362852013-08-29T20:37:00.001-04:002013-08-30T19:44:09.595-04:00In a Holding pattern<p>Today we became official South Dakota residents! Got our home address at MyHomeAddressinc.com in Emery, SD, became registered SD voters and swapped our North Carolina CDLs for South Dakota’s versions in Mitchell, SD. home of the world famous Corn Palace. <img style="float: right; display: inline" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/jRMIkuYNpzbGMw173a38JEkii0MIeA7Bf-HxixUpf7Y=w280-h209-p-no" align="right"></p> <p>This was a really big benchmark for us to reach.</p> <p>But, we are still in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota KOA. It has Killer Wi-Fi (6 Megabit download rates) and this has really helped us work out a lot of the unexpected kinks. However, it is really hot (90s – 100) in the whole area so it is not as much fun as it could be. </p> <p>Clifford is still in the shop with his electrical problems. It is unlikely that they will have him working before next week so we are here over the Labor Day Weekend. This will give us some “free” time to focus on a lot of little things we have been putting off for months while getting ready for this trip.</p> <p>A lot of “stuffed here and there” paperwork that needs to be handled and filed properly and a few RV things to fix. We are comfortable, cool and happy despite the frustrations and apprehensions about Clifford’s ailments and the eventual costs to put him right. Things happen and there’s no point getting all twisted up about it. Just take care of business and make the most of the unexpected opportunities that have come with these things.</p> <p><img alt="Photo" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f0Id44pDMt4/UiDANxNh4_I/AAAAAAAAJ1I/-kmdZLyHSFc/w564-h161-p-no/IMG_20130826_184708-PANO.jpg"></p> <p>One of these has been a visit to the Falls Park in downtown Sioux Falls. It was quite hot when we went there and I was not expecting much besides rocks and water but it is really beautiful and a very pleasant place. Although they do have formal sidewalks and a pedestrian bridge crossing the river, it is all open spaces to sit, wander or play in. Very pleasant experience. Of course, temperatures in the 70s and 80s would definitely be nicer.<img alt="Photo" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aR2_kotBeqs/UiCxBvGun4I/AAAAAAAAJwk/bcwIdkndNok/w564-h161-p-no/IMG_20130826_191732-PANO.jpg"></p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-48497738169253199312013-08-28T00:09:00.001-04:002013-08-28T00:09:20.395-04:00Goals<p><img alt="Photo" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/L3Z3c82PFOuaoWA706LwlSQdn4J6bSjt34JRGzP_HC0=w326-h207-p-no"></p> <p>Need I say more?</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-78634586795723154402013-08-26T11:26:00.000-04:002013-08-27T11:27:22.140-04:00Clifford’s got the Colic…<p>Clifford is now waiting for a mechanic at the Sioux Falls, SD Kenworth/Volvo dealer. My steel steed has a bit of colic and is not doing so well. <p>He went to the Volvo shop in Champaign, IL to have a few things checked out and an estimate for doing the work and to get the A/C fixed. When I paid and got the keys, he was really sick. Would not shift. Gave me error lights about the brakes and other things and really balked at the bit. <p>I shut him off, took the keys back to the service desk and left it there for 3 days (over a weekend+) and when I came to get him back, they said he needed a new transmission computer…. gulp!!! A heart lung transplant would have seemed a less drastic prognosis. <p>Anyway, I haggled down the $700+ bill and left. He was working just fine after that. We left Champaign for points west. <p>Blew the tire near Newton, IA and got those replaced per previous blog and then on to Des Moines and finally to Onawa, IA for a 3 day rest. The 2 hour drive from Onawa to Sioux Falls, SD was easy and pleasant and things were fine until we pulled into the FlyingJ to refuel and hit a horrendous DIP entering their driveway. <p>Shook him to his teeth.. and us, too. Ever since then, he has struggled against the bit and balked at everything. <p>Poor Clifford. I can sort of manually shift from gear to gear with the buttons but it is not a reliable way to go far. <p>Fortunately, we were about 3 miles from the Sioux Falls, SD KOA and that is 4 blocks from the Volvo Service center.. God works in mysterious ways, doesn’t he? <p>I guess for some reason we are supposed to spend some time here. Interestingly, I have had all my bills handled for the past 20 years by Paytrust, a Sioux Falls, SD company. What are the odds? <p>ttfn <p>Budd Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-19696392502992288312013-08-21T13:18:00.001-04:002013-08-21T20:13:48.027-04:00KA-Bloooooo ieeeee !!!!!<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wO1xygqxORI/UhUMBDraLwI/AAAAAAAAJIA/DCuO916WsfI/s1600-h/IMG_20130820_151447%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130820_151447" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130820_151447" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4WQqVTvirZk/UhUMCjj4owI/AAAAAAAAJII/A-_aGZqYwZ4/IMG_20130820_151447_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="308" align="right" height="430"></a><br>Ok, so I knew the Trailer tires might be iffy but I pressed on, anyway. Should have just changed the whole set while sitting for a month just a block from a good tire dealer in Champaign, IL. </p> <p>Sometimes I am just too tight for my own good.</p> <p>Heck, I really can't complain, though. These BF Goodrich LT235/85 - R16 tires were made in 2006. 7 years for an RV tire with virtually 100% tread left is still pushing it. No cracking or glazing. No UV damage but sitting loaded for many months at a time and then traveling 500+ miles to sit again, is very hard on the best of tires.</p> <p>I have to say that I am very impressed with these tires. That age and those circumstances and the other two still hung in there very overloaded. Having now lost one tire on each side on the highway has pretty much guaranteed that the remaining tires, no matter how good they were, aren't anymore. </p> <p><img style="float: left; display: inline" alt="Photo" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6T_VyUH_PSg/UhUGZGX93yI/AAAAAAAAJHY/cWRK0T03pZ0/w273-h204-p-no/IMG_20130821_125944.jpg" width="276" align="left" height="222"><img style="display: inline" alt="Photo" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x14Cj3NvvGU/UhUFxsu3tAI/AAAAAAAAJGg/vv1r-TEC7aA/w273-h204-p-no/IMG_20130821_125925.jpg" width="281" height="227"></p> <p>I can see a very slight linear crack parallel to the tread on the sidewall of the tire right behind the last blowout, indicating that the sidewall has really been overstretched and the surface rubber has separated. Had we not stopped when we did I am sure that I would have lost that tire, too, in a few more miles.</p> <p>A Couple of things I have been monitoring were pressures and temperatures. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OuGg5Wv2q7A/UhVXlRYVZ7I/AAAAAAAAJO4/KfF3qtjOXTo/s1600-h/IMG_20130821_143634%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130821_143634" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130821_143634" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NKalzgaZWyI/UhVXnXxKuGI/AAAAAAAAJPA/b9EKYSogkV8/IMG_20130821_143634_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="114" align="right" height="150"></a>Using my Infrared digital thermometer with real time readout, I immediately checked each tire's temperature around the sidewall and along the sidewall around the tread seam. Each of these older tires have warm spots that varied 6 degrees or less from the rest of the casing once they had been rolling awhile.</p> <p>On a 93 degree day the typical sidewall temps were 115 - 119. Hotspots were 121 - 125. The tread temps were running more like 125 - 132 with the higher numbers on specific tires and at hotspots but most of the tread temps were pretty even from tire to tire.</p> <p>I run 80psi cold in them all. That is the max pressure for these tires and since they have been scaled at 90% of their max rating, this is the right pressure according to the manufacturer’s load/pressure/speed tables.</p> <p>The good news is that I found a local tire dealer, Magnum Automotive in Newton, Iowa, that can get me 6 new tires by tomorrow and at a better installed price than Sam's Club. I am all for that.</p> <p>I won’t tell you it was fun changing that blown tire but fortunately, I discovered it in a rest area and it was on the shady side of the trailer. Doing it in 95 degrees in the shade on hot concrete is not a recreational activity but it is part of the journey. I had just checked the tires less than 50 miles before and all was well so that tire had blown awhile back. After I stopped in the rest area, a guy came up and said he had tried to get my attention quite a ways back, so it blew out way back there. The stresses on the tire could have been exacerbated by the strong cross wind from the driver’s side which added additional loading on the curb side tires. I Just don’t know for sure.</p> <p>Other than cost (pay me now or pay me later, thing) it only delays us a day which we are trying to lose a few, anyway, so we don’t hit Jackson Hole, Wyoming before Labor Day. yes, it could have been much worse. We could have been in the wilds of Montana in 100 degree heat and many miles to anything that could help… but it didn’t… this time so maybe this was close enough that I won’t let the risk get so high ever again. </p> <p>I do really try to stay aware of the risk factors and keep ahead of them but I sometimes have other problems too, that whispers sweet nothings in my ear to distract my attention from the risks of reality. I think it looks a lot like that old Ben Gay Gremlin:</p> <p><a href="http://boingboing.net/author/cory_doctorow_1">Cory Doctorow</a> at 7:58 am Tue, Nov 15, 2011 • <a href="http://boingboing.net/tag/ad/page/"><img src="http://media.boingboing.net/wp-content/themes/2012/sundries/shareMe.png"></a> <p><img src="http://craphound.com/images/000q05ry.jpeg"> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-B7qlSvg6xQI/UhVXrC8zuuI/AAAAAAAAJPI/HswHVhYwASE/s1600-h/IMG_20130821_125655-IMG_20130821_125642%25255B1%25255D.png"><img title="IMG_20130821_125655-IMG_20130821_125642" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130821_125655-IMG_20130821_125642" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8RM6aeD1wlQ/UhVXuKedgHI/AAAAAAAAJPQ/xEfvj2_s-BE/IMG_20130821_125655-IMG_20130821_125642_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="599" height="180"></a></p> <p>The Kellogg RV Park is a pleasant place other than the road noise (upwind of us to the south). Level spots, a few trees for smaller rigs and good water/power/sewer for $20/night – Good Sam’s price. The tire dealer is about 9 miles away so when he calls we should be able to get over there fairly quickly in the morning.</p> <p>Yaay! He called about 3:30pm and has the tires and verified the dates: last week in 2012. Not as current as I would like but current enough. We will get them installed in the morning and then head on out.</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-43792248818690964792013-08-12T09:44:00.000-04:002013-08-17T11:50:50.458-04:00A Prairie Schooner is more than a wagon<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0YPKJWE9AUQ/Ug-N_poBJkI/AAAAAAAAJEE/CbM3i627OH0/s1600-h/image%25255B27%25255D.png"><img title="image" style="float: right; display: inline" alt="image" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EdwKiBgIHP4/Ug-OCVONvYI/AAAAAAAAJEM/EYb29_O_gpU/image_thumb%25255B14%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="240" align="right" height="183"></a>As we prepare to launch towards the great continental divide I am frequently reminded of the pioneering settlers of America. They had not been there and done that but each was surely waking each morning stressing but excited about the unknown prospects that lay before them.</p> <p>They were also probably sore from using muscles that many did not know they had before beginning these preparations. Everyone from outlaws to accountants and farmers to financiers had to do a lot of very physical, mental and emotional activities to get “on the road”. This has been no less true for us and we count the last few days before “D”eparture day! Each is filled with “Did you fix xyz?” “Have you filled abc?” “Where are my glasses?”</p> <p>We have been planning and working towards this “D” day since the late 1990s…. and perhaps even longer than that. It has been an individual dream of ours much of our lives. When we actually made the decision to choose the Full-Time RVing lifestyle as a transition to our ultimate retirement life we knew very little about it other than our mutually and frequently expressed love of the Great Northwest and the mountains.<a title="The Tetons. Click the pic for a current webcam view" href="http://www.alltravelcams.com/viewer_gwc.php?camcategory=&camname=East%20Gros%20Ventre%20Butte&campic=http://vmserver.net/webcams/grandteton/grandteton.jpg&sponsor=ALLJacksonHole.com&sponsorurl=http://www.AllJacksonHole.com&camwidth=1024&camheight=800&refreshrate=30http://www.alltravelcams.com/viewer_gwc.php?camcategory=&camname=East%20Gros%20Ventre%20Butte&campic=http://vmserver.net/webcams/grandteton/grandteton.jpg&sponsor=ALLJacksonHole.com&sponsorurl=http://www.AllJacksonHole.com&camwidth=1024&camheight=800&refreshrate=30" target="_blank"><img title="image" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ua-w3kxHtKE/Ug-PhPKaz1I/AAAAAAAAJFQ/4xl2eezE3z4/image%25255B35%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="585" height="372"></a> Heck, we got married in Boulder, Colorado in 1979 and spent our honeymoon in the Tetons around Jackson Hole, Wyoming. One does not get much more of a Rocky Mountain high than that.</p> <p><a href="http://http://www.americanroads.us/photos/articleimages/NYT_1913_5_4_map.jpg"><img title="image" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3r4Ys7g3YO0/Ug-b1gllYOI/AAAAAAAAJFg/T2UtOWw68fA/image%25255B41%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="594" height="362"></a></p> <p>Here, in Champaign, Illinois, not many miles from great jump off points of the pioneers, like Nauvoo, IL and St Louis, MO we see the wide western horizon, incredible sunsets and feel the tug of the unknown journey ahead of us.</p> <p>Are we scared? Sure! Are we excited? Certainly but we are also humbled when we think what it must have been like for all those pioneers and settlers that went from the conceptual security of a fixed community of family, friends and convenience to launch into a vast and unknown life with little more than a wagon load of hopes and dreams. </p> <p>I have to wonder, how many of them worried about the technical aspects of their wagons, the welfare and maintenance of their horses and their own personal safety? I am sure they had heard many stories about possible attacks from Indians and outlaws and the threat of an early winter had to always be hanging over their preparations. Should I wait until next year and get an earlier start? Should I bring warmer clothes? Will I need a gun, … a toothbrush? </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QSpZA_P0bKw/Ug-OMvkAD_I/AAAAAAAAJEk/fwpAhOsDeQQ/s1600-h/image%25255B14%25255D.png"><img title="image" style="float: right; display: inline" alt="image" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ykx9rntu9WY/Ug-OQQVlrAI/AAAAAAAAJEs/yJpc2Ki0-sY/image_thumb%25255B8%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="326" align="right" height="261"></a>Whatever their choices, their solutions had to fit in a rough riding, weather permeable wooden box on wheels or on a horse or mule’s back. No matter how poor they may have been each surely had a lot more precious property than it was wise to try to bring with them.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DnZugRnLE_4/Ug-OVkJiUCI/AAAAAAAAJE0/NdiwS4A7EjE/s1600-h/DSC01234%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC01234" style="float: left; display: inline" alt="DSC01234" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-52wHVx__9H0/Ug-OcRCkz5I/AAAAAAAAJE8/DMnJx7ekkn4/DSC01234_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" align="left" height="254"></a>We have been living in our “Prairie Schooner”, DaKotR, for the past 7 years. It has been wonderful and has rarely been too small. Granted, much of that time was in our own back yard of our Sticks and Bricks house, but still, it has been a real pleasure to have the convenience of our essentials at our fingertips while living year round in comfort. (Honestly, it does not look like this all the time.)</p> <p>We have had a lot of practice for this journey. Few of the pioneers had more than a few months to prepare and I will tell you that it is not a simple or straightforward cookbook process. Even with the experiences of hundreds that have gone before and have been expressed in their many books and Internet forums and blogs, it is not an easy process.</p> <p>Refining our own check lists from those of many others was the easy part. Understanding how important or frivolous each line item would become, not so much. Even with our years of experience living in our future environment there has been a huge amount of angst about the journey to come.</p> <p>We know that we don’t know it all and that there will be a lot of unexpected cost and inconvenience… but we are committed to this journey. Our checklists have become part of us and our intended destinations are our bucket list.</p> <p>ttfn</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-68162175708219348502013-08-01T08:08:00.001-04:002013-08-01T08:10:50.718-04:00Frazzled but delighted!<p>A bit of a gap from my Raleigh post in May. In my defense, I have been too sweaty, wet from rain, tired and in a lot of bone deep pain to make much sense in print.</p> <p> </p> <p>Ever since we got to Raleigh I have been fixing and tweaking items and issues on our rig. Time does take a toll and my list of work and changes had gotten quite long. Worse, most of these items were outside. Things like fixing roof issues including putting Eternabond tape<img style="float: right; display: inline" alt="Photo" align="right" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mDmm52_OBaA9MMjc3-BnTDK898ZoPqHuOwJTad-wNh0=w110-h147-p-no" width="220" height="285"> on the end cap seams and skylight, take a lot of outside physical effort and time.</p> <p><img alt="Photo" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/FyTJ1qzPO9LOllfUCVWG4ibxGuZ2YXP5NGsX7i6KeYw=w110-h147-p-no"><img alt="Photo" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/zH9zkDe5u64EEMBbUPB4_1OD6cHXqktgXSCsrksGDV0=w110-h147-p-no"><img alt="Photo" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/J2ld0HTXedMN85ltc2L491gUq3Yf9FupxmxMXev04Sw=w110-h147-p-no"><img alt="Photo" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/b5RMoMxnlXmI6LNKdTI6TW1VGViUa3vFP7MotjFh3X8=w147-h110-p-no"></p> <p><img alt="Photo" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/viiMdeiaGkbGgL7ugfeiw5BhUVGYVanFrUKN6g92_io=w110-h147-p-no"><img alt="Photo" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/nIEFcvvtGiyloZPd10V60iqX1qwORPZOQEFgwA4BYNI=w110-h147-p-no"> In the Raleigh summer climate this might as well be in Haiti. One is going to be perpetually soaked from the effort of just thinking but adding actual physical activity turns one quickly into mushroom fodder.</p> <p>Most of the major items did get done in Raleigh but summer time was leaking away and we were already very late getting there from Florida. Our plans included a visit to Champaign, IL to see our youngest son, Randy, and wife, Shawna. From there we would go on west to the Rocky Mountains, Glacier National Park and other parts of the Pacific Northwest before settling in Port Orford, OR for the coming winter…. That was the plan.</p> <p>We are still in the plan but somewhat skewed in time as we have just arrived in Champaign, IL. Between Raleigh and here was a stop to see daughter Carol Ann near Charlotte, NC. Her recent job change now has her living and working in that area and she is still in the settling-in process so we really wanted to be a part of this event in her life.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Mc-IDq_Bf7s/UfpPt8U9KpI/AAAAAAAAIvc/Nq-6A07XycM/s1600-h/IMG_20130714_174210-MIX%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20130714_174210-MIX" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_20130714_174210-MIX" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9bQSxaORy20/UfpPwaCEtcI/AAAAAAAAIvk/apznZjoD1Y8/IMG_20130714_174210-MIX_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="166"></a>We took her out for lobster on her birthday and it was really great to see her so happy and adjusting so well to a totally new environment, life circumstance and job. I can now move on and not feel that I am leaving something unfinished or unsupported. She is productively engaged in being her own person and she and Samantha have some excellent times coming.</p> <p>We stayed in the Cross Country Campground in Denver, NC while visiting them. It is on the north end of Lake Norman, west of Mooresville, NC and although it is listed as Denver, NC it is actually in Sherrill's Ford, NC. I mention this because the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=butcher+boy+buffet&oq=butcher+boy+buffet&aqs=chrome..69i57.32098j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">Butcher Boy Buffet</a> is an excellent place to get a nice all you can eat meal for a reasonable price and it is right across the street from the campground. The campground was ok but not great. The weekly pull through sites are near the highway (NC 150) and while it is not terribly busy there are a lot of motorcycles and loud cars on it. After all, this is NASCAR racing country.</p> <p>Our move from there to Champaign took us through Raccoon Valley Escapees RV Park in Heiskell, TN for 1 night (that was enough) and then on to Mammoth Caves area of Kentucky. 20 miles out of Raccoon Valley I blew a tire on the trailer. It was shredded completely! Fortunately, nothing was really damaged but the Tennessee mountains are not great cell phone areas so it took a few hours on a Sunday morning to get Good Sam’s Emergency Road Service guys to me and swap in my spare. Yesterday, I just got the blown tire replaced but still have to remount it on the trailer before we leave. </p> <p>Our trip was planned to next go to Campbellsville, KY to checkout the Amazon fulfillment center and campground for a day then on to Mammoth Caves but I tore something in my calf muscle wrestling with the blowout situation and was just not up for walking. We just skipped Amazon and landed in the Singing Hills Campground in Cave City, KY for a night before moving on to Champaign.</p> <p><img style="float: left; display: inline" alt="Photo" align="left" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/WoSN8Mav2zSsr3vwWt99jYknhzMFqq4AdkPGB5MOSzE=w291-h386-p-no">The Air Conditioner in the Truck is on the fritz and though I had put some Freon into it before leaving Raleigh, we have not had it working to this point. A good note here is that the weather has been very, very non-typical for the southeast and with the exception of a couple of hours on the way to Cave City the drive has been very pleasant with the windows open.</p> <p>I don’t expect this good weather fortune to last so I really do have to get that A/C fixed before we leave here.</p> <p> </p> <p>We are now in the <a href="http://dwlake.com/" target="_blank">D&W Lake Campground and RV park</a> in <img src="http://www.campingfriend.com/DandWLakeCampingandRVPark/pictures/home1.jpg">Champaign, IL and it is wonderful! A little pricy but worth it for its location to both our kids and our suppliers of food and materials (restaurants, Home Depot, Aldi, etc). The sites are quite level, gravel and the grass is well maintained. It’s on a great little stocked lake, too. Just hard to imagine all this in the middle of Illinois. The owner’s live onsite and are really great, too. They bent over backwards to accommodate our unexpected arrival to stay for a month.<img alt="Photo" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/XU9ad7wMLPkhLs9czbJmY2jB7J8fDb7zHbKy5wknXeM=w725-h207-p-no" width="625" height="188"></p> <p>This is pretty much the view we have from our site.We will be here for a few more weeks as I finish up the gotta-do’s before heading on westward to the Rockys. I have a few slideout issues that I may stop by the factory repair center in Grand Island, NE to get fixed… if it’s not too expensive.</p> <p>Beyond that, I’ll let you know.</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-80877360434245069092013-06-05T18:40:00.001-04:002013-06-05T18:41:28.903-04:00Back to Raleigh for a moment in time.<p>This issue is dedicated to Merrily’s friend, Judy, who is, as far as I know, my only confirmed reader. Sure, the stats say others are looking at it but so far, almost the only comments that I have ever gotten were from spammers.</p> <p>Oh well, it Is a good thing I am neither motivated nor deterred by the acceptance of others. That does not mean that readers don’t have to hold up their end, too, and occasionally leave a comment. Would it hurt?</p> <p>As for us, we are still in Raleigh, getting Dr. Appointments out of the way, doing a few repairs and replacements, restocking some things hard to find on the road, like Smithfield’s Chicken and Barbecue (SCNB for short) BBQ sauce. Nothing really like it anywhere else, so far.</p> <p>Emery and Christi have really got the house looking terrific with flowers, retaining walls, grass and a general “neatness” about the place it has lacked for years under our management. Way to GO, GUys!</p> <p>Big deer in the backyard today, just looking out the big rear window to my right, a slight movement brought my attention to bear on a huge doe (for around here). Must have been at least 55” to the shoulder. In the past, we have often seen two or three, sometimes with young ones, grazing but this is the first one I have seen since we got back on 5/18. They really come out once the acorns start falling.</p> <p>I really love being able to deposit my checks through my Cell Phone. I just run the Android app, take a picture of the front and then the back of the check, type in the amount, pick the account and Shazam! it is in the bank! This is really handy for those occasional checks we get in the occasional packages of forwarded mail. So far, only 1 check could not be deposited this way and it was due to the amount. We just found a co-op bank where we were and made it through them.</p> <p>All other banking is done electronically including billpay. I use Quicken and do all paying through PayTrust. Really simplifies our life to have it all handled automatically for $12/month. Well worth it to us.</p> <p>As soon as we get the rest of these little bothers caught up, we are off to see Randy and Shawna in Illinois. Although they are right in the middle of tornado alley and many of the really severe storms that have gone through Oklahoma City and Kansas City have zoomed in on them, too, they have all dissipated by the time they got to the Champaign area… at least, so far. They did spend a few hours last week in the small center bathroom with 2 dogs and 2 cats. No one had fun that night.</p> <p>Back to the work at hand.</p> <p>ttfn</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-11328424667006977882013-05-07T12:40:00.001-04:002013-05-07T12:43:36.818-04:00Bloggers block is often about what not to say<p>I find I often struggle to put content in these blogs and not for the reason one usually thinks. I have a desire and content to post but the content I can afford to allow into the public eye may be too hard to work around.</p> <p>For instance, if we have been involved in detailed struggles with an entity and I post about it, I may skewer my future choices if things go sideways. Once it is over, I may still not want to put it all out there, just in case it comes back on me at a later time.</p> <p>Sure, I suppose I could rattle on about not sleeping last night, getting up, doing the bathroom dance, eating breakfast (when I do), etc. but those are pretty much what everyone does in their own way… boring stuff.</p> <p>When we have life happen around us that involves other people I am also hesitant to get into much detail. While I want to be personally connected with friends and family, I don’t want much public access to those relationships. Again, someone may get hurt and it might turn out that it was me that threw the damaging stones with my view or attitude.</p> <p>So finding palatable content that is not hum-drum daily fodder for most people, whether they are RVers or not, is not such an easy thing to grab and use. Sometimes it is just not possible to even mention it.</p> <p>Any suggestions from you folks are certainly welcome. If you find some of my content interesting (that does not necessarily mean that you like it) please let me know. It really should help the progress.</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-58678212543960254532013-04-23T10:46:00.001-04:002013-04-23T10:46:31.531-04:00Aha! They are moved!<p>Merrily’s brother and wife have been trying to get downsized from a rental house to a more affordable (and more convenient) apartment. With ongoing struggles with neuropathy and the big “C”, they have both needed a level playing field. Unfortunately, these struggles have also limited their individual physical abilities to actually “do the moving”. </p> <p>A bad fall and a broken arm has made even just packing up boxes pretty impossible for Bette. We have been “supplementing” their manual skills for the past several weeks and they are now moved in at their new diggs. Settled in??? Not quite but the boxes are slowly disappearing so it should not be too much longer before they will be.</p> <p>As for other stuff of the day… The 8” convex mirrors mounted on Clifford’s fenders have long been frozen in a poorly adjusted position and are not repairable so I bought 2 replacements from TA for about $13@. Merrily and I depend on those a lot and neither one was aiming much where we needed to see.</p> <p>I still need to fix the kitchen slide out. The tree that the tornado 2 years ago knocked down on it did no obvious damage but now it appears that it punched the support roller up into the floor. This causes the slide to drag so I need to fix that. I figure a 12” plate of 16 gauge steel should make a decent surface to support the weight on that roller.</p> <p>I actually washed the Smart car day before yesterday. We had a rare 3 days of Off/on rain with reasonable air temperatures so I washed the truck, RV and the Smart in the rain with Simple green. It goes much faster this way, uses a lot less spigot water to rinse and keeps me cooler while doing the work.</p> <p>As previously mentioned, our plans for the summer include going to the great Pacific Northwest. To this end I have been building travel scenarios to compare various routes and costs. It is a work in progress but so far, it looks like our best plan is to get to the “banana belt” of the southern Oregon coast, find a place to spend the coming winter and then just explore whatever is within reasonable. </p> <p>Next spring we should be in a great jumping off spot to start exploring to BC and Seattle to the Rocky mountains until the following winter.</p> <p>Meanwhile, I still have a few chores here, so TTFN.</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-48996142040207706682013-04-18T10:40:00.000-04:002013-04-18T18:02:32.184-04:00Time Warp–I feel like I am on FringeSo much for last year's resolutions.... A whole year has disappeared and it’s time for another update. Honestly, I really meant to keep up with this. … Maybe starting now, I will.<br> <div> </div> <div>First, a little history:</div> <div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <ul> <li>The 2.8cm (that’s 1.1 inches to Americans) football shaped kidney stone I had a year ago is history.. if you wondered. it was plugging the outflow of my right kidney and threatening to shut down the kidney if it completely blocked it off for more than a few hours. Just one lithotripsy, though, and it was gone. The only bad side of it was that it apparently contained Enterococcus Faecalis, a really nasty antibiotic resistant bug which put me into the hospital for 5 days. Once busted up by the lithotripsy the bugs went wild and really buggered up my life. I have to give big Kudos to Flagler Hospital and its doctors for their effectiveness in finding and eliminating this threat to my life. Had this happened out in the vast expanses of the great NorthWest I could not have survived. The slow recovery took a number of weeks but I am back and better than ever. <li>We went back to Raleigh in September for a few weeks. We needed a "kids fix" and despite a really major effort by Emery and Christi, we still had a lot of unfinished "basement" stuff to deal with. After more than 2 years of research and procrastination we hired Blue Moon Estate Sales to get rid of it. They took 35% of the gross as commission but it was well worth it as an auction would have taken 50%. We got more than we had hoped for by a large margin. <li>Emery and Christi are doing well and have made really great improvements to the house and yard. <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tmv4uSeQOlk/T7mfOA7bxEI/AAAAAAAAC8A/1IBRZMV79Jc/s1600/P1010128.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tmv4uSeQOlk/T7mfOA7bxEI/AAAAAAAAC8A/1IBRZMV79Jc/s400/P1010128.JPG" width="400" height="300"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P1zoKF6YVvw/T7mfwHdzCsI/AAAAAAAAC8Y/7V3z7Q-tl8I/s1600/P1010131.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P1zoKF6YVvw/T7mfwHdzCsI/AAAAAAAAC8Y/7V3z7Q-tl8I/s400/P1010131.JPG" width="400" height="300"></a></div> As I write this, they are building a nice retaining wall along the driveway to finish up the major exterior home improvements. They have repainted the whole house and we love what they have done with the place. Work has really picked up for Emery since the middle of 2012 so he is staying very busy and we appreciate every moment of time and effort he and Christi spend to maintain the house. <li>Randy and Shawna have moved from Raleigh. Randy got a job offer from <a href="http://www.dsvolition.com/">Volition Software in Champaign, IL</a> and started there December 2012. Although he was never unhappy at Red Storm Entertainment he felt he needed a broader industry experience base for his career growth. So far, it has been a very positive move for him. <li>Katie-the-Poo <a style="text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NCtxOD7b3hE/UXATcH380-I/AAAAAAAAGn0/2DjHfuk4_7s/w182-h242/IMG_20130418_102350.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NCtxOD7b3hE/UXATcH380-I/AAAAAAAAGn0/2DjHfuk4_7s/w182-h242/IMG_20130418_102350.jpg" width="300" height="400"></a> is doing great, seems happy and her seizures are averaging about one per 50 days. The Zonisamide Seems to keep a good balance without making her a zombie or hyper. Usually one per day is enough. <li>We are still living in the <a href="http://www.stagecoachrv.net/">Stagecoach RV Park</a> in St Augustine, FL and loving it. The weather has consistently been milder (year round) than anywhere north, west or south of us. <li>Merrily's Brother and his wife are doing well, just completed a downsizing move of their own and her cancer seems to be controlled. It will take 3 clear PET scans that show no sign of any latent cancer before they will say she is in remission but she has had 2 in a row so maybe by her birthday in July, she will have great news and can finally move on. <li>Last summer, while in Raleigh, we traded our 2009 Smart Car for a lease on a 2013. Though nothing was wrong with the 2009 the warranty was gone and it had 46,000 miles on it so all maintenance was going to be on us. The 2013 rides better, shifts smoother and has a 4 year / 50,000 mile warranty by Mercedes so this is a significant comfort factor for us. Our monthly payments also dropped $115 and it is identically equipped to our 2009... plus Cruise control!!!! That is a real biggie to us. <li>Carol has gotten a big boost at work and is very excited. It will involve a move from Raleigh to Charlotte, NC, and since Samantha is just graduating to Middle school the timing is very good. Other than being very, very busy, their lives have settled down enormously in the house they are currently renting. I know another move will be a lot of work but it sure sounds like it will be really worth the effort to make it happen. <li>Smith has now become a member of the million mile club. He is rolling 1 million miles of over the road professional driving for TransAm Trucking. He still loves the work, has stayed employed and now is getting good miles every week so he has paid off all his debts. He is looking forward to actually having a little money to spend on some electives.... after they get the roof on their home fixed. </li></ul> <div>Moving forward: We are preparing to head out for the Pacific NorthWest in about a month. We will stop in Raleigh for a week or so then pause in Champaign to see Randy and Shawna before heading straight for the Rocky's. </div></div> <div> </div> <div>Our plans are pretty loose but basically involve seeing Glacier National Park and points west. Just how far we can go and how much we can see will depend on how much good weather we have left this year as well as how the money flows. Obviously, the cost of fuel is a huge factor and since we have some interest in spending a few years out that way we need a place to winter in the RV without driving all the way back to Florida or even the Texas coast. We have been looking at the southern Oregon Coastal area, sometimes called the banana belt, as an area that should be mild enough. According to <a href="http://www.bestplaces.net/city/oregon/port_orford" target="_blank">Sperlings Best Places to live,</a> it appears to have about 30% less winter overcast and rain than even 100 miles farther north. This we will play by ear depending on how our summer goes.<br><br>Merrily has a cracked molar and is getting a crown in a few weeks. I also need to fix 2 slideouts that are dragging / hanging up. I need to put in a new Fuel Temperature sensor on Clifford, too. Once these niggling little annoyances get cleared, we are gone for awhile.... Hopefully, I can get all of these cleared up while we are in Raleigh.</div> <div>ttfn<br><br></div> <div> </div> <div> </div> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-66720601516638675912012-04-22T09:29:00.004-04:002012-04-22T09:29:58.149-04:00A little hitch in our get-a-longHello, and time to catch up a bit on who, what, where, when and how we are doing.<br />
<br />
My last post left us with the loss of Poppy, our son's German Shepard. His passing has been something of a wakeup call for the whole family and most of us have made some adjustments to our life assumptions, goals and lifestyles. Nothing major or magnificent but positive results have already begun to surface.<br />
<br />
First of all, I have intentionally lost 20 lbs since Christmas. 295lbs is still too much and I am no longer comfortable in calling it my playing weight so 230lbs will be a lot better on several levels.<br />
<br />
Our plans to leave for the northwestern US territories is on hold for the moment. This 2cm kidney stone has shifted to a point that it is intermittently blocking outflow from that kidney. A completely blocked kidney can fail within 6 hours or so of becoming completely blocked off. I certainly don't want to be in the vast spaces of the west and have it get plugged so I am getting it blasted by a lithotripsy this coming Thursday. I have found a couple of really great doctors in St Augustine and feel I am in very good hands.<br />
<br />
My new GP here is also a full cardiologist and has gotten my blood pressure under control for the first time, ever. I assure you that failure to this point has not been due to lack of vigilance or trying. Meds just do different things to me than they are supposed to do so nothing has worked before now. Although 150/80 isn't really scary bad, my urologist would not proceed until a cardiologist would pass me so getting my bp down is a prerequisite to having the lithotripsy.<br />
<br />
Mer is doing very well, getting in a lot of reading (her passion) and has been able to improve her BP and glucose with significantly less meds. We are very happy here, but really miss being nearer to our kids.<br />
<br />
Katie the Poo is doing very well, too. Her seizures seem to be much less frequent. She is on day 80 since her last one and that one and the one before it are the only two seizures that she has had in the past year that happened in less than 70 days. Compared to having them every 15-25 days for most of her life, this has been a real gift for her.<br />
<br />
On the less positive side, I forgot to pull the power plug for the trailer tail light converter and have not started Clifford since January. The batteries are stone dead (maybe 6volts but not much more). It was always one of those TODO things that I never did.... My Bad. I usually try to leave a maintenance charger on them when I can but that got left in Raleigh at Thanksgiving along with the air compressor and a few other non-essential "essentials".<br />
<br />
Today, we are having rain in the campground. This is only the second rain we have had this year and it has been so dry that a lot of fires have sprung up all around north Florida. One of the worst is north of us and when the winds come from that direction it is hard to see across the campground. Fortunately, the breezes rarely come from the north.<br />
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It's been a big gap in this journal and I will try to keep it a little tighter from now on.<br />
<br />
ttfn<br />
BuddBuddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-27249306032607881222012-02-17T13:27:00.001-05:002012-02-17T13:30:02.738-05:00Poppy the Protector has left the building….<p><img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/425707_301152549943935_100001475779949_788294_1775603876_n.jpg"></p> <p>My little buddy made his 9 years count well and even his short fight with cancer never diminished his presence. Genetically, his bark was worse than his bite but woe be to anyone or anything that he KNEW was a threat because they would never hear him coming. He would just cut to the chase, without hesitation and could take down a horse in a heartbeat without sweating.</p> <p>I never feared anything or anyone with him around because he was as powerful and stealthy as a Navy Seal and just as devoted. His bark was just so all knew where the buck stopped.</p> <p>Thank you Poppy for your life, love and dedication to us. </p> <p><img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/428766_294454060613784_100001475779949_774989_1159900999_n.jpg"></p> <p>His duties have passed to Hercules the Humongous but Roxy the Religious also stands ready to be reckoned with. Just think of her as a Hippy that ran out of drugs…. and mind your manners. She might look like a pussy cat but she has the heart of a Wolf.</p> <p>Ok, Herc, it’s up to you, now as chief peacekeeper. We are in your hands.</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd </p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-90256028108442129142012-01-29T18:18:00.001-05:002012-01-30T00:46:16.670-05:00Pollen Time<p>Weather like we have been having all winter was bound to have some disadvantage show up… I guess it is early pollen. Hard on folks with contacts and neat freaks.</p> <p>The good news is that it is nowhere near as bad as it gets in Raleigh or Boulder Colorado, or a lot of other places I have been… but it is still here and I left my HEPA filter back in Raleigh when we left. It’s not a bad thing but it is a little annoying to keep finding grit in your eyes.</p> <p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8vAnWXZyKZs/TyXUjlPL21I/AAAAAAAAAI8/SgHcO3oOgkk/s640/IMG_20120129_160802.jpg">Today was another beautiful day, a few degrees cooler than it has been but mid-60’s is not something to grouse about. We ate at the Sonic Drive-in and then drove on to the beach and just sat watching kite surfers, waves and birds. A nice park ranger came by and told us we could not park out on the harder damp sand but had to be back “behind the cones". If I had wanted to be back there in the loose and drifting sand (did I mention it was a bit windy today) I would have parked back there. There was no one on the beach other than the 3 Kite surfers, a couple of cars and someone riding a bike out on the hard sand. </p> <p>I am not really afraid of getting the SMART stuck back there but I really did not like the stuff getting up into the bottom because of the low ground clearance. Still, we moved back behind the line and sat there for a very long time just absorbing the beauty of the day and our own company. It is impossible to not be thankful for every moment we have together, whether we have to park behind the cones or not.</p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-34246409904280676772012-01-21T09:29:00.001-05:002012-01-21T09:56:20.031-05:00Just a Beautiful Day<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZURujAiLkNE/TxnmWtsbIEI/AAAAAAAABAs/xa-KS1ZkFJM/s1600/2012-01-20+14.29.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZURujAiLkNE/TxnmWtsbIEI/AAAAAAAABAs/xa-KS1ZkFJM/s400/2012-01-20+14.29.38.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even a bird knows a nice day when he sees it. Just stood there for a long time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What can I say? We have not been over to the beach since before Christmas and today seemed to be the perfect day for it. Sure, 5 degrees warmer would have made it the best possible but no worries. It was grand!<br />
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We first felt it calling on my birthday (yesterday) but it was still kinda cool for the beach breezes. We wound up down on St Augustine Beach – public access beach and pier at the north end of A1A just before the Anastasia State park property. They had pulled in all of the stairs down to the beach so it would have taken some risky rock climbing to get to the sand.<br />
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We just drove farther down A1A to find another access where a walk out onto a dune bridge convinced us to find a drive on access ramp.. and we did. The tide was low so there was a lot of well packed exposed beach and very few cars or people. Quite a contrast to the same place in September and October.<br />
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Mer decided she wanted to walk on the beach so off she went and I just sat in the car and watched her along with the surf, the sand, the birds and a few people that came by.<br />
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30 minutes later, she was back and I had collected a few photos of the events around me which I put into this album. I thought it might be nice for me, later, on a gloomy day, to pull up a video of such a glorious day at the beach.<br />
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Enjoy,<br />
<br />
ttfn<br />
BuddBuddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-75890458256742541862012-01-16T10:33:00.001-05:002012-01-21T09:44:00.610-05:00Make-Do’s and MileStones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9Wk1vACx3NkvfmlWb9mfxzbiU-D3e15_1fatnheA91PD9xNQatjOm8c0T-2p8VQ2khvrZMLigKx7Mhyphenhyphenny7lsUexGd-4wbE1m3psNEe5xa5Pds0gMFkj1pAqTed6Wym0VemLL60quSLc/s1600/No+SpeedTest.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9Wk1vACx3NkvfmlWb9mfxzbiU-D3e15_1fatnheA91PD9xNQatjOm8c0T-2p8VQ2khvrZMLigKx7Mhyphenhyphenny7lsUexGd-4wbE1m3psNEe5xa5Pds0gMFkj1pAqTed6Wym0VemLL60quSLc/s1600/No+SpeedTest.png" /></a></div>
I did take the Verizon Pantech UML290 USB Modem (“..eh… what’d he say”) back to Best Buy. Maybe common sense won out…. or maybe it didn’t but I am not locked into two years of $80 (plus taxes and fees) per month payments. <br />
I am also locked out of 30+ megabit-per-second data rates…. I am not sure that I can say exactly that I feel better but I do feel a touch of relief.. when I think about it.<br />
I will make-do with what I have left, which is the irksome 802.11b park wifi with dialup speeds (when I am lucky). I also can tether through my Sprint phone but since Christmas, the 4g data rates have been cut in half and though that is better than the park wifi, it is more of a hassle to keep using as it ties up my phone.<br />
I saw an announcement of a Sprint Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Sprint LTE compatibility coming out in the next few months and that gives me some hope for a better solution, long term. Short term, I am still very frustrated.<br />
Cousins Bob Fisher and Jim Sargent dropped in for a couple of days last week. They are from the Toronto area, really great guys and usually spend their winters in their Airstream trailer in southern Florida. It was really nice to get to see them, again, even if it was for such a short visit. It has been several years since we have been with them and nearly 10 since we got to have a reunion of sorts with them and Bob’s Family. It was a hoot.<br />
Of considerably more importance, a milestone of sorts has been reached in SIL Bette’s treatment and the second of the two mandatory operations was completed last Friday. She is still in the hospital until the end of the week but the surgeon feels really confident that with some long months of chemotherapy, she should now have a long life ahead. I think we all sighed in unison when we heard this. I feel like I have been holding my breath for months. I really can’t begin to imagine what Bette feels, though. Her spirits are up despite the grueling prospects of the next few months. She is one really special person and more than deserves special prayers.<br />
We have had a cold snap (of sorts). It’s hard after living in North Carolina and seeing week long stretches of freezing weather, to call low to mid 30’s “a cold snap” but when in Rome….<br />
Mer is great and so is Katie. The RV park is full most nights and we are still loving life, here. <br />
ttfn<br />
BuddBuddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-84271367660885007192012-01-04T09:26:00.001-05:002012-01-05T09:13:25.176-05:00Post Christmas Trauma<p>Yep, here it is, two weeks after my last post and I am in a real quandary. Yes, Christmas was great! We spent the eve with Mer’s brother and his whole family. I think there were 27 of us and only 1 was missing due to being out of the country.</p> <p><img style="display: inline; float: right" align="right" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TbTdziELiLY/TvZwY6xoOpI/AAAAAAAAA24/Pr4oNoXuUTs/s144/2011-12-24%25252019.37.42.jpg" width="396" height="307">The snackers’ buffet dinner was delicious and varied so we had plenty to eat without a massive sit-down meal of gigantic proportions. A much easier solution for a large family gathering than our Thanksgiving dinner which took 4 tables, 3 cooks and two kitchens to pull off for 13 folks. Granted, Thanksgiving was a more “traditional” meal but no one left either one, hungry.</p> <p>But, back to my quandary. I mentioned in my last blog <img style="display: inline; float: right; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" align="right" src="http://www.evdoinfo.com/images/stories/uml290_views.jpg" width="259" height="176">(I still hate that word) that I was going to get “my precious”, a Pantech UML290 Verizon USB Modem. Well, I did… eventually. Sure, I got there and sure the order, placed online on BestBuy.com for store pickup had gone through including the charges. But actually getting this little guy in hand at the store turned out to be a 90 minute hassle of mind numbing proportions.</p> <p>In short, the order, though confirmed and charged, was automatically cancelled at the store when the clerk tried to pick it up because their inventory said they were out.. Never mind that they had 22 of them sitting in the drawer. So I spent the next hour waiting for various authorizations amidst the turmoil of last minute shoppers that had the BestBuy printers in a tailspin trying to make hardcopy contracts for human signature.</p> <p>But, eventually, my patience (and Mer’s) prevailed and I left the store with “my precious” in hand. It was still a half day before I could plug it in and be Wowed…. and I was!</p> <p><img style="display: inline; float: right" align="right" src="http://speedtest.net/result/1656716086.png">Yes, it is everything I had hoped for. I get up to 31 mbps download and nearly 5mbps upload speeds per <a href="http://speedtest.net" target="_blank">Speedtest.net</a> and the dataflow is as good or better than I usually had on my cable internet back in Raleigh. </p> <p>This was the best I have gotten but <a href="http://www.speedtest.net/results.php?sh=0f2c8f53b74e8faa2d062ded714db865&ria=0" target="_blank">you can see the trends over time</a> before and after I got the UML290 USB Modem (prior to 12/18/2011) until today. The first spike was while we were on Time Warner in Raleigh for Thanksgiving. Prior to that anything over about 500kbps was all Sprint 4g/3g and the rest was the campground wifi. Just pause your cursor on the graph to see the date/time and speed of any point.</p> <p>Now for the quandary…. This device has only two service plans available for it… A 5 gigabyte for $50 plan and a 10 gigabyte for $80 plan. Each comes with a $10 per gigabyte over limit fee. Ok, you say, I can live with that for such great connectivity. However, it only took 4 days to use up the whole 5 gigabytes of data allowance my contracted plan had.</p> <p>Out of this, only about 400 megabytes was due to streaming video. OK, so I wanted to catch up on a couple of Two and a Half Men episodes I missed. The rest, just disappeared, quickly!</p> <p>No wonder I have been so frustrated with the internet connectivity I have been experiencing “out here”. I am still picking the glass out of my teeth from hitting the connectivity wall and I’m trying to find all the holes in this data bucket. I think the real issue is that I do a lot of different things besides read email and follow a couple of forums and blogs. I do have some online backups setup, too, which I am sure may have taken a few hundred megabytes but that is a once a week hit. I just have a lot of stuff in “the Cloud”. Maybe there is a lot of data syncing going on with that stuff but it’s not like it changes much. </p> <p>The short of it is that I am in love with this Verizon 4g LTE USB Modem and what it delivers in performance, even with no external antennas on it. But I am crushed by the obvious ongoing cost. The $50 per month (plus a 15% federal tax) was ungainly but I was willing to work around that. But estimating my ongoing monthly expense for what looks like 70 to80 gigabytes makes it impossible to sustain.</p> <p>So, I can’t live with it and I can’t live without it and thus, I am heartbroken. I finally found a solution and can’t make use of it because of the costs and it has to go back to BestBuy in the next couple of days. </p> <p><img style="display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDng5_txDyv3XW-hLxEdtqspj3gNU7D62YJAfYSvOmf3uEdKx_dSwVLHsfFyjuWBGwMiZ2mDtXjLXIYjNdgVXY8Iepy7BhLei0sj-7V-GAAZ6pZ6karkK6kvKk2YD6YJZm_rsYNHo9e8/s144/2012-01-04%25252015.26.35.jpg" width="275" height="213">On other fronts, Katie has had another seizure, her second in 26 days, and that worries me, a lot. She is such a sweet individual and just does not deserve this terrible flaw.</p> <p>We are settled in here until about April. Mer’s brother and his family just can’t get a break. His neuropathy has worsened a lot and over the holidays they found out that his oldest daughter has to have a radical double mastectomy, immediately! More prayers are surely needed for them. </p> <p> I hope that we can be here for support for as long as they need but that can not take the sting out of it nor fix any of the problems they are struggling with. So far, all of these devastating health problems would likely have been caught and corrected during the recommended regular age related health screenings. Sure haste makes waste but it is very true that he who hesitates is lost. I know that sometimes, it is very hard to find the middle ground in a daily swamp full of alligators. Please do your due diligence and keep up with your recommended health screenings. The inconvenience and cost is cheap insurance if prevents even one devastating medical problem later on.</p> <p>On this note, let me close by saying the weather has turned chilly, too. Freezes are expected over the next couple of nights but beautiful blue sky days are mixed with the anticipation of seeing Mer’s cousins passing through in a few days. They are special people and we have not seen them in several years. They are on their way from Toronto to south Florida, interim weather permitting and it will be wonderful to see them, again.</p> <p>PS. 1/5/2012 Update: The coldest it got in the campground was only 31 degrees and the cousins are due in this afternoon! </p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962375551703368832.post-78494406392005186882011-12-18T11:37:00.001-05:002011-12-18T13:18:09.084-05:00And the countdown to Christmas is underway<p>We are officially decorated for Christmas! <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5Ivk4la8lVA/R2ElMZIo4ZI/AAAAAAAABNo/XUyfPMHkS00/w500-h374-k/IMG_2260.JPG"> Well, not completely. As usual, my memory of where I put stuff last year was a bit fuzzy and I forgot that there were several strands of lights that I drool around the cabinet tops and all that were decommissioned due to a failure to illuminate.</p> <p>So, I am now mostly decorated and a WalMart trip is in order to round out the decorations. That is ok. I need to pick up a few other things, too, and I really don’t like to drive 7 miles to get just 1 thing. The problem is that I am still in the habit of “making a mental note” of what I need. Of course, that scratchpad is almost used up and I keep forgetting to check it, anyway. Hmmm, maybe I should write THAT down so I don’t forget to check it….. Obvious flaw in that, somewhere.</p> <p>On to better things. I have really been unhappy with my internet connectivity “out here” in RVing land. So far, the campground supplied Wifi, whether paid or free, has been outright frustrating. Likewise, my Sprint 3g/4g service, even when using the HOTSPOT feature on my phone, has been unruly and I am tired of having to work out some Rube Goldberg workaround to get everything connected consistently every time we move or I take my phone out of the process to use it.</p> <p>Yesterday, after a lengthy amount of research, I ordered a Verizon 4g LTE USB Modem.<img src="http://www.evdoinfo.com/images/stories/uml290_views.jpg"> It’s a Pantech UML290 which should just plug right into my Cradlepoint MBR1000 router and provide the best of the best in a connectivity hotspot. That is what my Verizon based Kids keep telling me, but that’s another topic. I chose the UML290 because it has held the Editors Choice awards for a long time and is still up there. A really big reason, though, is because it has external antenna connections for 3g and separately for 4g external antennas. This is a biggie!</p> <p>I thought for a long time that Campground Wifi problems were surely in the CG system but I now have it clear that very often if not most of the time, the problems are in the backhaul side provided by the ISP that delivers the broadband connection to the campground. Nothing I can do in my RV will make up for that other than to have other connectivity options, like Verizon.</p> <p>The BestBuy store in south Jacksonville is holding my USB modem for me and from the data rates I have seen from others around here, it will be an awesome solution. I just have to go pick it up sometime today.</p> <p>I have been a loyal Sprint customer for many years and money wise, their unlimited everything plans are big $$$$ savers over everyone else’s plans. But I depend on good Internet connectivity to keep me sane and it is very unlikely that I will ever be in a campground that is close enough to a major city to get their 4G Wimaxx service solidly. I know they are putting in an Advanced LTE 4g service over the next 18 months but I need it now!</p> <p>I will still keep my phones on Sprint but the only likely alternative to Verizon might be Millenicom but they only offer 4g on their hotspot device and not on a UML290 USB Modem. Living in an aluminum cage in the walls of the RV makes it mandatory to have a way to put up an external antenna for the best wireless connectivity.</p> <p>So, now it’s time to go pick up “my Precious!” </p> <p>ttfn</p> <p>Budd</p> Buddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753801493990332982noreply@blogger.com0