Here it is a whole week after Irene. We've moved from the hiding hole in Maine where our DRV Mobile Suites sat out the storm. After all the hype we felt that it was a rather windy but still a non-event. Those west of us got it much worse than what we experienced.
We were in Meadowbrook Campground just outside of Bath, Me. for 4 days before and 1 day after the hurricane came through. The day before we went around the campground and turned pick nick tables over, picked up lawn chairs and placed them under tables to keep them from becoming air-borne.
All the RV's that were up in the treed area moved down to the open area where we were. Several got up early on Monday morning before Irene made to far north and headed out. I don't know where they were going, they did have Maine plates. But even at that, why would you want to move and then drop off you rig at home when the winds is blowing 50 + mph!
Our thoughts led us to put the sides in on the 5th wheel, take the dog, food, drinks, the Kindle and our rain coats; we hooked the truck to the 5th and then sat in it until early evening. The rain had quit by this time and the wind was not howling too bad. So we went into the rig, put the living room slides out and read in there. When it was time to go to bed we ran that slide out and crawled into bed. I fell asleep almost immediately but Bonnie was up until 3AM listening to the wind howl.
At Meadowbrooke they have a couple of things going on I need to mention. First is their Lobster Pound (a place you can buy lobsters - live or cooked). They have fresh lobsters going for $6.99/lb. either fresh or cooked. Ummm... we filled up on lobster, let me tell you. They take 20 minutes to cook so yo have time to get the corn done and coleslaw ready.
Second is the little restaurant found in the club house. It's called the Drifter's Reef. They have great meals every evening and during the summer they use produce that they grow. We had fantastic spaghetti with squash, corn and home made cookies!
For the last several days we have been back in Wolfeboro, N.H. They had some trees down but no RV's damaged. We Love being in this quiet campground, enjoy the people here and you never know what will turn up. Yesterday I walked past Bob's 5th wheel and on the pick nick table there was one of the plastic containers we all use for items packed in the basement. But this one was different - it had a heat lamp blasting the interior and inside were about two dozen guinea chicks! Seems the daughter was visiting and had brought them along because no one would be at home to take care of them.
So keep your eyes open - you don't know what you'll see!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
When it works it's great, when it doesn't .....
We've had problems with our DRV Mobile Suite since we picked it up three weeks ago. First it was the power to the back up camera, "No TX Power", the error code says. Then it was various lights not working I.E. turn signals failing, break lights on constantly and then running lights flashing. So I obtained a wiring diagram for the lights converter in the trailer and checked it out. It worked fine.
Next I went to the truck and checked the 7 pin plugs, the one at the bumper (factory) and the one in the bed (wired by the hitch installer). Guess what one has problems? Yep , you guessed right, the one wired by the hitch installer. Seems he used those inline clamp on connectors that then gives you a spade connector off the side for another circuit. Those things are known POS. Any professional electrical person knows this, but the dealer says: "We use them all the time". Well Not on my truck, you're not.
So any how, I'm wiring the truck up and I look out the side and see two sneakers at the end of khaki pants. "Hi, I'm Ernie from next door." Can I help?" Well no, I don't think two of us can get under here, but thanks for offering. As I went on working he told me about his tools and he had all kinds of crimp connectors if I needed them, etc. etc. Some people are really nice. Offer to help even when there's no possibility of them being able too. He was about 80, so getting down on the ground and under the truck just wasn't in the cards.
When I took a break to let my arms rest, we had a nice talk. He has always done his own work on his Suburban, on his Avion trailer and everything else. He has been in the same RV park during the summer for 20 years. A real fixture in the park. It's nice that he's there, he can help people who have problems as he has seen almost everything go wrong in those 20 years. So here's a tip of the hat to Ernie - sorry I didn't have something you could work on!
Next I went to the truck and checked the 7 pin plugs, the one at the bumper (factory) and the one in the bed (wired by the hitch installer). Guess what one has problems? Yep , you guessed right, the one wired by the hitch installer. Seems he used those inline clamp on connectors that then gives you a spade connector off the side for another circuit. Those things are known POS. Any professional electrical person knows this, but the dealer says: "We use them all the time". Well Not on my truck, you're not.
So any how, I'm wiring the truck up and I look out the side and see two sneakers at the end of khaki pants. "Hi, I'm Ernie from next door." Can I help?" Well no, I don't think two of us can get under here, but thanks for offering. As I went on working he told me about his tools and he had all kinds of crimp connectors if I needed them, etc. etc. Some people are really nice. Offer to help even when there's no possibility of them being able too. He was about 80, so getting down on the ground and under the truck just wasn't in the cards.
When I took a break to let my arms rest, we had a nice talk. He has always done his own work on his Suburban, on his Avion trailer and everything else. He has been in the same RV park during the summer for 20 years. A real fixture in the park. It's nice that he's there, he can help people who have problems as he has seen almost everything go wrong in those 20 years. So here's a tip of the hat to Ernie - sorry I didn't have something you could work on!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Oh NO Mr. Bill !!! (for those of you who remember the 70's).......
Ah, sweet New Hampshire in August. The crisp coolness in the White Mountains, the brisk cold water of Lake Winnipasaukee and the eternal clear skies. (And I hope you believe all of that, cause it's already too crowded up here!) We've been here for a week now, just enjoying being here with the step son, daughter in law and grand daughter. They have a place on the lake and we are just a few miles away in a cozy campground.
But the exciting part of the trip here was the last 100 yards. Our trip was uneventful through Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and most of New Hampshire. When we got to our destination campground we were told where our site was and that we should "go around this way" to get into it. So off we went, "this way", to get to it. First glint that this was a wrong move was listening to the campground lady who obviously had no idea what "big rig" meant. We took up the whole road around the camp. When we got to the "go around" part, the rig drifted to the inside of the turn (naturally, big rigs do that). What looked like a bush in the turn hid two big boulders! Nicely placed right in the apex so as to slide under the side of the rig but high enough to contact one of our self leveling hydraulic jacks. Know what sound that makes when you hit it ? Bet you don't...................................................
.
.
STOP! At least that's what I heard from my partner walking the outside of the route. SHE wasn't too happy. Well after some backing up (avoiding the boulders on the other side of the road) and some more maneuvering, the camp host's husband and son offering advice, I negotiated the turn without further mishap. But the damage was done. The mount for the jack was now at a 20 degree angle towards the inside of the trailer, it's supposed to be straight up and down.
Second glint of an idea learned was - walk your route before going in with the rig. Locate low trees, obstacles and problems.
Now a week later, I've had time to relax and cool down. Tomorrow I will attempt to remove the jack mount and get it straightened. Oh, did I tell you they call New Hampshire the granite state? Want to guess what kind of boulders these were? You guessed it.
We met the neighbors this week. There are exactly 6 others in the campground. Makes for nice quiet times. Tonight's special meeting was the couple who left Florida because of the economy crash there. Hit really hard, houses not selling so most people just turn their keys over to the bank and walk away. Least that's what they did. Bought a used trailer, used U-haul pick-up and headed on out. Made some eel pots along the way and as soon as he can find a nice boat to put his motor on, he's going eeling. Got to be money in that!
I tell you, life's got some real gems in store for you and you don't have to look far to find them. I hope his eel comes in, I really do. He needs it. After all, he said he can't go back to running a water treatment plant. It's too crappy of a job!!! :)
But the exciting part of the trip here was the last 100 yards. Our trip was uneventful through Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and most of New Hampshire. When we got to our destination campground we were told where our site was and that we should "go around this way" to get into it. So off we went, "this way", to get to it. First glint that this was a wrong move was listening to the campground lady who obviously had no idea what "big rig" meant. We took up the whole road around the camp. When we got to the "go around" part, the rig drifted to the inside of the turn (naturally, big rigs do that). What looked like a bush in the turn hid two big boulders! Nicely placed right in the apex so as to slide under the side of the rig but high enough to contact one of our self leveling hydraulic jacks. Know what sound that makes when you hit it ? Bet you don't...................................................
.
.
STOP! At least that's what I heard from my partner walking the outside of the route. SHE wasn't too happy. Well after some backing up (avoiding the boulders on the other side of the road) and some more maneuvering, the camp host's husband and son offering advice, I negotiated the turn without further mishap. But the damage was done. The mount for the jack was now at a 20 degree angle towards the inside of the trailer, it's supposed to be straight up and down.
Second glint of an idea learned was - walk your route before going in with the rig. Locate low trees, obstacles and problems.
Now a week later, I've had time to relax and cool down. Tomorrow I will attempt to remove the jack mount and get it straightened. Oh, did I tell you they call New Hampshire the granite state? Want to guess what kind of boulders these were? You guessed it.
We met the neighbors this week. There are exactly 6 others in the campground. Makes for nice quiet times. Tonight's special meeting was the couple who left Florida because of the economy crash there. Hit really hard, houses not selling so most people just turn their keys over to the bank and walk away. Least that's what they did. Bought a used trailer, used U-haul pick-up and headed on out. Made some eel pots along the way and as soon as he can find a nice boat to put his motor on, he's going eeling. Got to be money in that!
I tell you, life's got some real gems in store for you and you don't have to look far to find them. I hope his eel comes in, I really do. He needs it. After all, he said he can't go back to running a water treatment plant. It's too crappy of a job!!! :)
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The hound of hades ..... or the tale of our F-450!
Today, July 21st, found us in the midst of a heat wave. The same one you have been experiencing no doubt. But we were pulling our new DRV 16,000 pound 5th wheel for the first trip, a total of 300 miles through the Appalachian and Smokey Mountains.
Now if you've never pulled with a F-450 let me acquaint you with the intricacies of Ford's top pick up puller. It has two turbos for boosting power, normally only one is used as the load isn't significant to slow down the brute. Then you have the 4, yes 4, high speed electric fans for cooling the motor down, again not normally needed. With the 33,000 lb tow package you are endowed with a 4.88 rear end and the tow/haul set up.
So here's how all of this works. You start out pulling and get to your cruise speed, say 65 mph. Now as you start going up hill the truck will kick in the second turbo at about 62 to pick up speed it has lost. I sounds like the harpies of Hades coming through the fire wall. Oh, well you resolve, it's needed to keep the speed up going up this hill. Then as the heat builds up, the four fans kick in. Now you are convinced that the world is coming to an end, the engine is giving up the ghost and several squadrons of A-10's have just flown in the windows. This shrill scream last for about 5 minutes during which time you can only glance at your riding partner hoping that they don't say something profound because it will fall into space never to be heard above the screaming fans.
Once you've bested the summit all's quiet for the next few minutes until the next hill appears.
This is the life of a F-450 driver pulling a good 8 tons in 100+ temperatures. I hope the next couple of days are a little cooler or at least a little flatter. I know they will be pleasanter... aw blessed ear plugs!
Cheers.
Now if you've never pulled with a F-450 let me acquaint you with the intricacies of Ford's top pick up puller. It has two turbos for boosting power, normally only one is used as the load isn't significant to slow down the brute. Then you have the 4, yes 4, high speed electric fans for cooling the motor down, again not normally needed. With the 33,000 lb tow package you are endowed with a 4.88 rear end and the tow/haul set up.
So here's how all of this works. You start out pulling and get to your cruise speed, say 65 mph. Now as you start going up hill the truck will kick in the second turbo at about 62 to pick up speed it has lost. I sounds like the harpies of Hades coming through the fire wall. Oh, well you resolve, it's needed to keep the speed up going up this hill. Then as the heat builds up, the four fans kick in. Now you are convinced that the world is coming to an end, the engine is giving up the ghost and several squadrons of A-10's have just flown in the windows. This shrill scream last for about 5 minutes during which time you can only glance at your riding partner hoping that they don't say something profound because it will fall into space never to be heard above the screaming fans.
Once you've bested the summit all's quiet for the next few minutes until the next hill appears.
This is the life of a F-450 driver pulling a good 8 tons in 100+ temperatures. I hope the next couple of days are a little cooler or at least a little flatter. I know they will be pleasanter... aw blessed ear plugs!
Cheers.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Been to Ireland - wow!
Sorry for having left you in the air, so to speak. Just got back from Ireland. Wow, is all I can say. The stepson, his wife and the 15month old daughter took his mother and I to Ireland for two weeks. It was amazing! More castles, beautiful landscapes and scenery than I could believe possible. We stayed in castles, 5 star hotels, fantastic B&B's and normal hotels. And the prices were unbelievable too. Almost 1.5 to 2 times the cost of comparable items here. And of course the fuel prices are in the stratosphere - about $9 per gallon when you work it out.
So where do we stand on a 5th a day's helping you get familiar with going full time? I think I left off wanting to discuss "choosing your poison", or what type of RV do you want to consider for full timing. I just had a discussion with the wife about a friend who is full timing in a Class C with no other vehicle. Every time she wants to go to town she has to pack up. Not a very desirable situation. So she is discussing getting a scooter to use for errand running. This is the situation with Class A, B or C. You need another vehicle if you wish to go somewhere while set up at a camp site. A TT or a 5th wheel overcomes this with the very fact that the deliver vehicle is let loose after the deliver, for use to do other functions - errand running or site seeing. So it's your pick as to which you feel is easier.
Don't forget the additional cost of a second vehicle when you are choosing - insurance, maintenance and maybe extra campground charges for a 2nd vehicle.
Next is determining what you need for storage space. Usually Class A's have a large number of basement bins. No so in a TT, Class B or even most Class C's. However 5th wheels have large storage bins, but smaller than a Class A. If you need lots of storage choose accordingly.
I hope this has brought some insight on what to consider when choosing an RV. What did you consider when choosing yours? I'd like to hear from you, so please leave a comment.
So where do we stand on a 5th a day's helping you get familiar with going full time? I think I left off wanting to discuss "choosing your poison", or what type of RV do you want to consider for full timing. I just had a discussion with the wife about a friend who is full timing in a Class C with no other vehicle. Every time she wants to go to town she has to pack up. Not a very desirable situation. So she is discussing getting a scooter to use for errand running. This is the situation with Class A, B or C. You need another vehicle if you wish to go somewhere while set up at a camp site. A TT or a 5th wheel overcomes this with the very fact that the deliver vehicle is let loose after the deliver, for use to do other functions - errand running or site seeing. So it's your pick as to which you feel is easier.
Don't forget the additional cost of a second vehicle when you are choosing - insurance, maintenance and maybe extra campground charges for a 2nd vehicle.
Next is determining what you need for storage space. Usually Class A's have a large number of basement bins. No so in a TT, Class B or even most Class C's. However 5th wheels have large storage bins, but smaller than a Class A. If you need lots of storage choose accordingly.
I hope this has brought some insight on what to consider when choosing an RV. What did you consider when choosing yours? I'd like to hear from you, so please leave a comment.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sometimes you just want new shoes and sometimes you NEED new shoes....
Our puller a 2008 Ford F-450, often called the BAT mobile (Big Azz Truck) is just as pristine as you would ever want your truck to be. We were lucky to find this monster on Ebay being sold by a young man in Maryland. Little did we know that he had OCD when it came to his truck. He kept it in the garage and cleaned the thing meticulously, nay I say religiously. It was so clean you could eat off of the engine.
It came with almost new front tires but the rears were worn pretty badly and it only had 38,000 miles on it. Seemed strange to me as everything about the truck seemed like it just came off the show room floor. So now I have to find 4 new tires for on the rear of the monster hauler. Man have you priced tires lately? Because this is the monster King Ranch hauler (33,000 lb. tow capable) we have to have 19.5 inch tires. Seems they run somewhere in the $300 a piece range for the good tires, 200 to 250 for just so - so tires.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm for new shoes but I'm just not sure I need Florsheim's, can't I just do with some Buster Browns? Then I got to thinking about it, I'm hauling my HOME around behind me, do I really want to skimp on tires? So I think I'm going to have to save up some beans and go for the more expensive tires and hope that they last for ever.
And just how long is forever? I think we should get 50 - 60 thousand miles out of them and if we spend 15 - 20 thousand miles a year on the road then we are looking at 3 to 4 years of traveling. Now that only happens if you:
1. Keep the tires inflated to the proper temperature.
2. Don't suffer any puncture, scuffs or sidewall damage.
One of the things we plan to do to lower the yearly mileage is haul the motorcycle with us and use it when we are camped.
The motorcycle is a Goldwing trike that we've had for 6 years now. Three years as a two wheel and three as a three wheel motorcycle. When ever we go somewhere on it, it's a real conversation starter. So if you see a big white BAT mobile pull in and unload and drop a blue Goldwing trike, come over and say hi........we don't bite!
It came with almost new front tires but the rears were worn pretty badly and it only had 38,000 miles on it. Seemed strange to me as everything about the truck seemed like it just came off the show room floor. So now I have to find 4 new tires for on the rear of the monster hauler. Man have you priced tires lately? Because this is the monster King Ranch hauler (33,000 lb. tow capable) we have to have 19.5 inch tires. Seems they run somewhere in the $300 a piece range for the good tires, 200 to 250 for just so - so tires.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm for new shoes but I'm just not sure I need Florsheim's, can't I just do with some Buster Browns? Then I got to thinking about it, I'm hauling my HOME around behind me, do I really want to skimp on tires? So I think I'm going to have to save up some beans and go for the more expensive tires and hope that they last for ever.
And just how long is forever? I think we should get 50 - 60 thousand miles out of them and if we spend 15 - 20 thousand miles a year on the road then we are looking at 3 to 4 years of traveling. Now that only happens if you:
1. Keep the tires inflated to the proper temperature.
2. Don't suffer any puncture, scuffs or sidewall damage.
One of the things we plan to do to lower the yearly mileage is haul the motorcycle with us and use it when we are camped.
The motorcycle is a Goldwing trike that we've had for 6 years now. Three years as a two wheel and three as a three wheel motorcycle. When ever we go somewhere on it, it's a real conversation starter. So if you see a big white BAT mobile pull in and unload and drop a blue Goldwing trike, come over and say hi........we don't bite!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Cleaning out the house.....
So you want to get on the road and enjoy the free life style yea? What about all that "stuff" you have? Well we had over twenty years together of accumulated stuff plus what ever was left over from our previous lives (both married previously). Now I want to tell you that when we first got married we had a lot more room than the house we live in now. In our previous three moves we had pretty much down sized each time but you won't believe how much we've been able to acquire.
So how do you go about getting everything in the RV? That is: how can Houdini make what's in a 2100 sq. ft. house fit into a 375 sq. ft. 5th wheel? Poof - it's done. Not quite. Let me introduce you to Yard Sales, craigslist, ebay and Re-Uz-It Centers. If you still have items left over then your local donation center like Good Will or Red Cross will take it and redistribute it to those who need it.
We've had three yard sales so far to down size but we still have several to go. And along with this our house is on the market so the wife doesn't want to empty out the furniture that needs to go. I'm still not convinced that not having a full house of furniture is a bad thing when it comes to showing your house. But we do still need to live there for a few more weeks.
At some point you too might be left with this question. When do you decide should cleaning out the house be the priority or leaving the furniture in it as buyers want to see how your "home" looks? I hope you don't have to make this decision.
Managing the down sizing of your household items and selling your home can be a full time job besides all the other jobs you must handle. If you are doing this like we are then you too have your hands full. Don't forget to take some time off for yourself. Burn out isn't a pretty sight. We are taking time off to go sight seeing.
Anecdotally I find it funny that items I have sold at our yard sale, that people haggled over the price, show up at the local auction house for sale. A case in point is a Ryobi battery operated drill that I sold for $10. The guy wanted to give me 7 but I told him no way. This week at the auction I saw the same drill for auction. What did it go for? I didn't stick around to find out but I'm sure his reserve on it was more than the $10 he paid me. But I'm not griping, I got what I wanted for it.
And what is it with these early birds? We advertise the sale starts at 7 A.M. and we start to put things out at 6:30. We no more than open our garage door and people are walking in to look at evreything before we've got it out. Can't they wait to purchase it? No not really, I think they're afraid they might miss something EVERYBODY else wants and will get their hands on it first. But alas, the item isn't there.
And be ready to talk at length with one of your patrons. Inevitably someone will want to talk your leg off either because they think you are their long lost friend or in reality they have very few other people to talk with. At each of our yard sales I've had just such an opportunity. One of them was a neighbor who lives over a block. He's not married, drives a truck making deliveries and I guess doesn't have many friends. But I heard all about his week. But he is a nice guy and what the heck, I'm only sitting here hoping someone will buy some stuff. Oh, he did and said he really needed it!
Enough for this time but just wanted to warn you about getting rid of your stuff - start way before you think you will need to start, price it to go (not necessarily what you think it's worth) and do it often and you will see results as your house empties out.
So how do you go about getting everything in the RV? That is: how can Houdini make what's in a 2100 sq. ft. house fit into a 375 sq. ft. 5th wheel? Poof - it's done. Not quite. Let me introduce you to Yard Sales, craigslist, ebay and Re-Uz-It Centers. If you still have items left over then your local donation center like Good Will or Red Cross will take it and redistribute it to those who need it.
We've had three yard sales so far to down size but we still have several to go. And along with this our house is on the market so the wife doesn't want to empty out the furniture that needs to go. I'm still not convinced that not having a full house of furniture is a bad thing when it comes to showing your house. But we do still need to live there for a few more weeks.
At some point you too might be left with this question. When do you decide should cleaning out the house be the priority or leaving the furniture in it as buyers want to see how your "home" looks? I hope you don't have to make this decision.
Managing the down sizing of your household items and selling your home can be a full time job besides all the other jobs you must handle. If you are doing this like we are then you too have your hands full. Don't forget to take some time off for yourself. Burn out isn't a pretty sight. We are taking time off to go sight seeing.
Anecdotally I find it funny that items I have sold at our yard sale, that people haggled over the price, show up at the local auction house for sale. A case in point is a Ryobi battery operated drill that I sold for $10. The guy wanted to give me 7 but I told him no way. This week at the auction I saw the same drill for auction. What did it go for? I didn't stick around to find out but I'm sure his reserve on it was more than the $10 he paid me. But I'm not griping, I got what I wanted for it.
And what is it with these early birds? We advertise the sale starts at 7 A.M. and we start to put things out at 6:30. We no more than open our garage door and people are walking in to look at evreything before we've got it out. Can't they wait to purchase it? No not really, I think they're afraid they might miss something EVERYBODY else wants and will get their hands on it first. But alas, the item isn't there.
And be ready to talk at length with one of your patrons. Inevitably someone will want to talk your leg off either because they think you are their long lost friend or in reality they have very few other people to talk with. At each of our yard sales I've had just such an opportunity. One of them was a neighbor who lives over a block. He's not married, drives a truck making deliveries and I guess doesn't have many friends. But I heard all about his week. But he is a nice guy and what the heck, I'm only sitting here hoping someone will buy some stuff. Oh, he did and said he really needed it!
Enough for this time but just wanted to warn you about getting rid of your stuff - start way before you think you will need to start, price it to go (not necessarily what you think it's worth) and do it often and you will see results as your house empties out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)