Trixology
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Steve on September 13, 2015, 03:21:45 PM
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Hi gang!
I've been very much missing-in-action around here for the past several months. It has been a crazy summer! Our youngest daughter graduated high school this spring, and we had a graduation party at our home, so lots of prep for that. Our eldest daughter got married on August 22 (Deb's and my 34th anniversary) so LOTS of stuff getting ready for that. We just had a surprise 60th birthday party for my wife yesterday, and this coming Friday, we are leaving Ohio for Seattle to take the youngest daughter to college. Whew!
We will be driving straight through to Seattle, but after getting her settled, we will be taking a long, meandering exploration home, visiting out of the way places, and big national parks during the off season. We plan to take two weeks to two months getting home, with no particular plan or schedule.
I've created some anonymous social media accounts to keep friends and family up to date on what we are doing, and sharing some of the sights. If you want to follow along on our trip, follow or like one (or all) of these accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExploringTheUSA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/exploringtheusa
Instagram: https://instagram.com/explore_the_usa/
(Please do not reference any of my other online identities, or link to anything that might identify me or my location closer than northern Ohio.)
I'll check in from time to time,
Steve
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Very nice! [cheer]
Be sure to send a postcard :)
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Fun! Love stuff like this. I will follow you on twitter.
Alan @eastdallaswx
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Dear Steve, Stu, Alan, and WeatherCat world explorers,
Well, I'm not much of a Twitter user, but I'll go ahead and follow as well. ;) . . . Although, this project looks poorly planned from the start. A 2008 Subaru Outback? That's just way too immature a vehicle for this sort of expedition!
Also, you've still forgotten da' trailer!! . . . (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/travel-trailer-smiley.gif)
Sorry Stu, I meant da' caravan! . . . . [lol2]
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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Well, Edouard, the 1958 MGA could make the trip, but we sure couldn't take the three of us, her dorm stuff and clothes, and our supplies for our return exploring. :) And poorly planned?!?!? That's the whole idea! :D
We have looked at campers, but the Outback can only haul 2700 pounds. We've looked at Land Rover LR4 (Discovery 4 for you, Stu) which can haul 7700 pounds. But the expenses this summer have been beyond our retirement funds, so a new car and camper are out of the question for a while.
I post on Instagram, and that automatically gets sent to Twitter and Facebook. So Twitter posts might not contain the complete text due to the 140 character limit.
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Howdy Steve and WeatherCat adventurers,
Well, as long as I'm having a little fun! (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/mischief.gif)
Well, Edouard, the 1958 MGA could make the trip, but we sure couldn't take the three of us, her dorm stuff and clothes, and our supplies for our return exploring. :) And poorly planned?!?!? That's the whole idea! :D
;) . . . . That's your fault for picking the wrong classic to keep! . . . [biggrin]
We have looked at campers, but the Outback can only haul 2700 pounds.
That's no excuse! You should have looked into a teardrop trailer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teardrop_trailer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teardrop_trailer)
These little trailers are definitely making a comeback:
http://www.teardrops.net/teardroptrailerparts.html (http://www.teardrops.net/teardroptrailerparts.html)
You can buy kits or there are now a bunch of manufacturers. The only surprise is that they unexpectedly expensive. These trailers have two major downsides. 1.) no bathroom and 2.) the galley is outside.
It isn't a bad arrangement if you plan to go in campgrounds with public restrooms and can be confident of no rain. This was my first scheme for a travel trailer before I decided to aim higher.
We've looked at Land Rover LR4 (Discovery 4 for you, Stu) which can haul 7700 pounds. But the expenses this summer have been beyond our retirement funds, so a new car and camper are out of the question for a while.
;) . . . . Don't you get it, you want seasoned equipment - not that new untrustworthy stuff! . . . [biggrin]
I post on Instagram, and that automatically gets sent to Twitter and Facebook. So Twitter posts might not contain the complete text due to the 140 character limit.
;) . . . . I sure am glad that social media is "improving" with new technology . . . [rolleyes2]
Seriously, enjoy your adventure . . . assuming you don't blind yourself with that LED array! (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/eek2.gif)
Cheers, Edouard
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You should have looked into a teardrop trailer
We have, and four years ago, we went to a local Tiny Trailer gathering, and visited local builder Little Guy Trailers http://www.golittleguy.com
In the end, we figured if we're getting a trailer, we want to have a loo and kitchen inside. When one of us needs to get up more than once during the night, a trip to the public facilities is no longer enjoyable, else we'd still be tent camping.
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Hey have fun Steve. Sounds like a blast.
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Dear Steve, Blick, and WeatherCat roadtrip adventurers,
In the end, we figured if we're getting a trailer, we want to have a loo and kitchen inside. When one of us needs to get up more than once during the night, a trip to the public facilities is no longer enjoyable, else we'd still be tent camping.
Yup, that's why I started looking into something a little bit bigger and since my wagon is 50 years old, the idea of getting a trailer that old became appealing.
I suppose you have had a look at the T@b trailers:
http://www.tab-rv.com/ (http://www.tab-rv.com/)
They are now made by Little Guy. These trailers are really close to being practical. When they first came out they had a slightly larger model that looked practical. For me they look too modern. Here is a another small trailer maker that's big enough to include the kitchen and "jon":
http://casitatraveltrailers.com/ (http://casitatraveltrailers.com/)
Here is another concept in ultra-small trailers:
http://happiercamper.com/ (http://happiercamper.com/)
Or if you decide you want to finally get yourself a suitably "mature" tow vehicle, you could get in touch with Flyte Camp:
http://www.flytecamp.com/ (http://www.flytecamp.com/)
Or if that's too rich for your blood, you can at least watch "Flippin' RVs" on TV and just daydream a little! [sleep]
http://www.greatamericancountry.com/shows/flippin-rvs (http://www.greatamericancountry.com/shows/flippin-rvs)
Last time I checked, daydreaming was still free!! [biggrin]
Cheers, Edouard
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We kinda liked this one (click the east side of the map, then 220RBI
http://www.keystonerv.com/bullet/
It is designed for two people to travel comfortably, rather than the norm of seeing how many beds you can squeeze into a trailer.
(BTW, @blicj11, I started downloading iOS 9 for iPad and iPhone at 10:03 PDT. ;D )
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Dear Steve and WeatherCat RV "state of mind" types . . . . . (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/travel-trailer-smiley.gif)
We kinda liked this one (click the east side of the map, then 220RBI
http://www.keystonerv.com/bullet/
It is designed for two people to travel comfortably, rather than the norm of seeing how many beds you can squeeze into a trailer.
We are of a like mind. I would really like a comfortable trailer designed for two. Alas, that trailer behind my trusty wagon would look . . . . . tacky to point of contact cement! :o
Interesting though that this trailer is significantly heavier than the roughly equivalent Airstream designs of 1964. The 24 foot Tradewind twin weighs only 3500 lbs. empty:
http://www.airstream.com/wp-content/uploads/archive/17a5d9a494b1fea1.pdf (http://www.airstream.com/wp-content/uploads/archive/17a5d9a494b1fea1.pdf)
While the bullet weighs 4600 lbs. Even the 26 Tradewind of 1964 weighs under 4000 lbs:
http://www.airstream.com/wp-content/uploads/archive/0c213efecd6aed04.pdf (http://www.airstream.com/wp-content/uploads/archive/0c213efecd6aed04.pdf)
I guess it shows the real advantages that come with using aircraft-grade aluminum in the construction - even fiberglass is heavier. Alas, there is a real price bump to get a real Airstream today. Any trailer of this size is starting to be a lot for my trusty wagon to pull since she weighs only about 4000 lbs. At least any twin-axle trailer could be fitted with modern disc brakes and that would help.
Here are the original 1964 floorplans:
http://www.airstream.com/wp-content/uploads/archive/6bcfcc03ed50f15e.pdf (http://www.airstream.com/wp-content/uploads/archive/6bcfcc03ed50f15e.pdf)
Now if I could make a working time machine, go back to 1964, pay with today's dollars and bring my travel trailer back - I could make a killing!! [biggrin]
(BTW, @blicj11, I started downloading iOS 9 for iPad and iPhone at 10:03 PDT. ;D )
;) . . . . Why - am I not surprised!!! [rolleyes2]
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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(BTW, @blicj11, I started downloading iOS 9 for iPad and iPhone at 10:03 PDT. ;D )
Ha ha ha! You are still the man! I knew you wouldn't let a little thing like a road trip keep you way from the cutting edge of Apple technology. It's been 5 hours now and I hope you beat the rush so that your download has now completed. I think I will wait until midnight and let it run all night.
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No problem at all. It downloaded quickly, and the install on both was flawless. Gotta explore later, but to busy getting stuff ready now.
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No problem at all. It downloaded quickly, and the install on both was flawless. Gotta explore later, but to busy getting stuff ready now.
Let us know if you experience extended battery life on this version. I am interested in the power management improvements.
Pack first, test later (but earlier than you depart).
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Oh, don't get me wrong, Edouard. I'd love to have an old Airstream. But they've gained the attention of the trend-setters and hipsters today, and have skyrocketed on price. As a kid, I spent most summers traveling the eastern US in an Avion trailer with my grandparent, and cherish those memories.
(Avion were the non-polished competition for Airstream. The General Manager for Airstream lived across the road from my parents, so there was always the latest and greatest parked there. The Airstream factory was only 18 miles from where I grew up in Bellefontaine, Ohio.
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Dear Steve and WeatherCat vacation daydreamers,
Oh, don't get me wrong, Edouard. I'd love to have an old Airstream. But they've gained the attention of the trend-setters and hipsters today, and have skyrocketed on price. As a kid, I spent most summers traveling the eastern US in an Avion trailer with my grandparent, and cherish those memories.
So you've noticed also! . . . . (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/eek-sign.gif)
I've been watching the prices on eBay and also on some dedicated classified sites. The price seems dictated more by the amount of work that has been done to the trailer. A fully restored trailer can fetch over $50,000. However, it does appear that these prices close to and some cases less than the actual cost of the work required. There appears to be a problem that is analogous to classic cars. The cost of labor is such that a restoration is more expensive than you can realistically hope to get for the restored vehicle.
(Avion were the non-polished competition for Airstream. The General Manager for Airstream lived across the road from my parents, so there was always the latest and greatest parked there. The Airstream factory was only 18 miles from where I grew up in Bellefontaine, Ohio.
I have been trying to educate myself about the competitors of Airstream because they tend to be less expensive. However, they are so rare that this isn't the advantage I would have hoped.
;) . . . . Too bad your parents couldn't persuade the manager to bring home an extra a "factory sample," otherwise you might still have it to this day! . . . ;D
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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We leave tomorrow! I don't feel the least bit ready. Who knew it took so much non-school related stuff to go to college!
We will be taking off around 1:00 PM, so we don't have to rush the final loading in the morning to get through Chicago before rush hour. We'll mosey along, and take the southern route on the map above, through Iowa. We'll stop somewhere around Davenport the first night.
Then up to South Dakota, and spend a day wandering around what we can get to in a reasonable time. At least Mount Rushmore. Then on toward Seattle.
I'll post a photo tomorrow just before we head out on the road.
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We kinda liked this one (click the east side of the map, then 220RBI
http://www.keystonerv.com/bullet/
It is designed for two people to travel comfortably, rather than the norm of seeing how many beds you can squeeze into a trailer.
Very nice, but quite heavy? Ours comes in at about 1.6T fully loaded; I think that one comes out at just over 2?
Having said that, the slidy outy lounge bit is interesting; we don't have anything similar here on caravans (well, not that I've ever seen).
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Howdy Stu, Steve, and WeatherCat caravan fans, (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/travel-trailer-smiley.gif)
Very nice, but quite heavy? Ours comes in at about 1.6T fully loaded; I think that one comes out at just over 2?
You are correct Stu. The big difference between the United States and Europe is the existence of large SUVs and pickup trucks. These vehicles can easily handle up to 10,000 lbs or 5 short tons. That's why there are many trailer designs that easily exceed 30 feet and are made of heavier fiberglass.
Having said that, the slidy outy lounge bit is interesting; we don't have anything similar here on caravans (well, not that I've ever seen).
I don't know when this sort of slide-out design was first used but it has become a highly sought-after feature. Even Airsteam uses this design. While it is certainly practical, I wonder about the integrity of the trailer shell. Certainly you can make a much stronger design that weighs less with continuous body.
Cheers, Edouard
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My Landy says it's ready to take on any of yours any time, any place :)
Seriously though, I'm not sure I want to tow anything with a mass greater than 100% of the towing vehicle (assuming the trailer is braked) - our Landy is approx. 2.5t, so is fine up to that although it's rated up to 3.5t - not sure I'd want to actually tow that much!
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Howdy Stu and WeatherCat "serious" tow vehicle fans . . .
My Landy says it's ready to take on any of yours any time, any place :)
Well, I don't think your "Landy" would win in a tug of war with a modern US SUV, but I just checked the specs of the 2016 Chevy Suburban and they are definite less than what they were just a few years ago when I last looked into this:
http://www.chevrolet.com/suburban-suv/specs/trims.html# (http://www.chevrolet.com/suburban-suv/specs/trims.html#)
The tow capacity is dropped to 8000 lbs. when it was 10,000 no more than 2 years ago. Also the engines are definitely less powerful. However, all is not lost. Now the Suburban comes with available WiFi and 14 electronic device charging ports! . . . . [rolleyes2]
No wonder I'm feeling like I'm about to be run of the road by distracted drivers . . . . . (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/eek-sign.gif)
Seriously though, I'm not sure I want to tow anything with a mass greater than 100% of the towing vehicle (assuming the trailer is braked) - our Landy is approx. 2.5t, so is fine up to that although it's rated up to 3.5t - not sure I'd want to actually tow that much!
I agree that's more prudent, but I'm definitely going to be pushing my luck with any Airstream travel trailer larger than 16 feet. Alas, the smallest Airstreams are so small that you have to go outside to change your mind. As they get larger then they outweigh my wagon. I'm hoping to cope with this by getting the smallest twin axle trailer I can find and equip it with modern disc-brakes so that the trailer should have roughly the same stopping capacity as my wagon.
As crazy as this scheme appears to be, I know of one fellow using the same wagon model as mine who traveled over 3000 miles with drag-race car on a trailer as the payload:
https://gmcguy.shutterfly.com/pictures/622 (https://gmcguy.shutterfly.com/pictures/622)
At one point he stopped at a truck scale and his total consist was 10,000 lbs. The wagon is 4000 lbs. so the drag-car car plus trailer must have been 6000 lbs. I've gone through his story in gory detail and tried to correct every misfortune he ran into. I'm not there yet, but it does seem possible that my wagon can tow the smallest of the twin-axle trailers of the period. I'll just have to be very careful and avoid all those distracted driver!!
Cheers, Edouard
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All this travel trailer talk is reminding me of our little single axle model we had back in the early 70's. The most efficient method today, fifth wheel type, is not as new as many think. Have any of you ever owned a "Shadow" trailer?
<Might be hard to find parts, but I think you could fit one on your wagon! (http://1973whsreunion.blogspot.com/2012/04/harmon-industries-shadow-trailer-made.html)> Frankly, I always worried about the trailer turning my car into a convertible! :o
Alas, when I left the United States Aerospace Force, we thought our very uncertain future (with a new, "fly-by-night" freight airline) made it safer to sell the little, cold water only, shower-less little trailer. [tup]
From the driving I've done in Europe/Ireland/England, I don't think I'd want to pull any kind of trailer like we have on this side of the pond! The Romans simply didn't make the highway rights-of-way wide enough!! :Perhaps using only the M and A roads only would be safe... [tup]
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Thanks, everyone,
We left way late on the 18th, and made it to Indiana, just short of Chicago. Saturday, we got to Des Moines, Iowa, and this evening, to Rapid City, South Dakota. We need to do 600 miles each of the next two days, so doing a quick drive-by of Mount Rushmore, in the morning, and we'll be back this way to see it better, along with everything else in the area, on our return trip.
I'll get photos when I can on here, but we've been posting on Instagram, which then gets sent to Facebook and Twitter.check over there via the links posted earlier in this thread.
Steve
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Seriously though, I'm not sure I want to tow anything with a mass greater than 100% of the towing vehicle (assuming the trailer is braked) - our Landy is approx. 2.5t, so is fine up to that although it's rated up to 3.5t - not sure I'd want to actually tow that much!
Amen. Several years ago, I was towing a 24 ft cargo trailer with a Chevrolet Suburban that was outweighed by the cargo load. I was driving along minding my own business on the motorway when I was overtaken by a large lorry pulling a trailer. The lorry was travelling about 20 mph above the speed limit and when it went past me, the turbulence whipped my trailer back and forth and it eventually tipped over on it's side. The police came and gave me a ticket for failure to control my vehicle. The whole episode was the result of pulling a trailer that largely outweighed my vehicle.
... so doing a quick drive-by of Mount Rushmore, in the morning, and we'll be back this way to see it better, along with everything else in the area, on our return trip.
I have always wanted to see Mount Rushmore but have never been close to the region. I did see Stone Mountain, Georgia, which carving was initiated by the same artist, Gutzon Borglum, in 1923. Although Mr. Borglum did not finish the Stone Mountain memorial, he did develop the techniques there that allowed him to take on Mount Rushmore a few years later.
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Dear X-Air, Steve, Blick, and WeatherCat adventurers,
All this travel trailer talk is reminding me of our little single axle model we had back in the early 70's. The most efficient method today, fifth wheel type, is not as new as many think. Have any of you ever owned a "Shadow" trailer?
Hmm, it is an interesting concept. However, the only way such trailers could have ever been really practical is if the auto makers designed automobiles with hard points to take the tongue weight of the trailer. I suspect the load equalizing hitch made such extremes not worthwhile because a load equalizing hitch distributes the tongue weight of the trailer on all 4-wheels of the tow-vehicle. The mechanism is most ingenious as is described here:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/towing/equipment/hitches/towing-weight-distribution-systems.htm (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/towing/equipment/hitches/towing-weight-distribution-systems.htm)
We left way late on the 18th, and made it to Indiana, just short of Chicago. Saturday, we got to Des Moines, Iowa, and this evening, to Rapid City, South Dakota. We need to do 600 miles each of the next two days, so doing a quick drive-by of Mount Rushmore, in the morning, and we'll be back this way to see it better, along with everything else in the area, on our return trip.
Steve, you and family are indeed having quite an adventure! I'll do the best I can to follow, but Twitter doesn't seem to be the easiest way to do that.
Hey WeatherCatters, is there some way with the Twitter Mac App to look up another Twitter thread that you have made a favorite? It seems like something that should be obvious, but I can't seem to find a place on the app that lists the threads I've selected as favorites. I just double-checked, I have the latest version of the app from Twitter. What am I missing here?
Amen. Several years ago, I was towing a 24 ft cargo trailer with a Chevrolet Suburban that was outweighed by the cargo load. I was driving along minding my own business on the motorway when I was overtaken by a large lorry pulling a trailer. The lorry was travelling about 20 mph above the speed limit and when it went past me, the turbulence whipped my trailer back and forth and it eventually tipped over on it's side. The police came and gave me a ticket for failure to control my vehicle. The whole episode was the result of pulling a trailer that largely outweighed my vehicle.
I agree that one is safer with a tow vehicle that weighs as much as the trailer, but it is certainly possible travel safely with some imbalance. In your case, I suspect the problem was more to do with wind resistance of your cargo trailer. The streamlined aluminum trailers will have less vulnerability to that. More importantly, even if you had a tow vehicle that was as heavy as the trailer, how would that have prevented the trailer from whipping back and forth or ultimately turning over? Once the trailer became destabilized, all you could have done is tried to drive your tow vehicle in such a way as to cancel out the oscillation.
Sadly, I think the lesson from your experience is all too clear to me: the greatest threat we all face is from bad drivers. About the only technology that is going to cure that is self-driving cars and it breaks my heart that people would prefer to surrender the privilege of driving than to accept the serious responsibilities involved in driving a 2 ton vehicle at 70 mph. There was a time when people made the effort to drive safely and that dedication combined with a much lower traffic density made automobile accidents extremely rare even if those cars lacked much of the safety technology of today. So there can be no doubt. The vast majority of drivers intentionally choose to drive in an unsafe way and because we are a democracy, laws will not be passed to take such people off the road.
Oh well, . . . . Edouard (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/pout.gif)
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Nasty!
I'm not sure something like the AL-KO ATC Trailer Control System would have helped? We have it fitted to ours and in the last 12 months it's sprung into action twice - both times in the Yorkshire dales in nasty weather. http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/downloads/al-ko-atc-trailer-control-brochure-2010.pdf (http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/downloads/al-ko-atc-trailer-control-brochure-2010.pdf)
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Howdy Stu and WeatherCat caravan dreamers, . . . (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/travel-trailer-smiley.gif)
I'm not sure something like the AL-KO ATC Trailer Control System would have helped? We have it fitted to ours and in the last 12 months it's sprung into action twice - both times in the Yorkshire dales in nasty weather. http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/downloads/al-ko-atc-trailer-control-brochure-2010.pdf (http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/downloads/al-ko-atc-trailer-control-brochure-2010.pdf)
Thanks for posting this! I wasn't aware of this sort of technology but suspected something like this had to exist. I'm a long way from getting a travel trailer and one of the reasons is that once I get my trusty wagon healthy, I'll have educate myself on all the issues associated with operating and maintaining a "caravan" . . . :)
Cheers, Edouard
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Dear WeatherCat dreamers of
travel trailers . . . (I mean caravans ;D ) (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/travel-trailer-smiley.gif)
Because my bookmarks aren't as logically sorted as I would prefer, I overlooked this maker of small trailers in my previous list:
http://www.riversidervs.net/product-category/retro-models/ (http://www.riversidervs.net/product-category/retro-models/)
While these are currently manufactured, they clearly have a very retro "canned ham" look to them. They also are small and light enough that some of the models look like they could be towed by Steve's Subaru. Here is a picture of the Retro 166 (http://www.riversidervs.net/product/retro-166/#) as an example:
(http://www.canebas.org/misc/Voila_images/Retro%20166%20travel%20trailer.jpg)
It looks retro enough that it might look just fine behind my trusty wagon!
Cheers, Edouard
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Very nice. The only thing I don't like is that it has a single axle. Single axle caravans are a wee bit more difficult to reverse.
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The problem I have is lack of headroom for a 6+ footer! Maybe if I used bigger tires... [goofy]
It's not the number of axles that makes backing up "fun", it's the short distance between the pivot point and the wheels. A 53' trailer is very easy to back up, no matter how many axles! [tup]
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Looks very cozy :)
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Dear Blick, X-Air, Stu and WeatherCat caravan fans . . . (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/travel-trailer-smiley.gif)
Very nice. The only thing I don't like is that it has a single axle. Single axle caravans are a wee bit more difficult to reverse.
Well, ask and ye' shall receive:
http://www.riversidervs.net/product/189r-double-axle-retro/ (http://www.riversidervs.net/product/189r-double-axle-retro/)
It is 23 feet long and at 3450lbs. still weighs less than my trusty wagon. However, I really don't care for the white painted trailers. It isn't clear from the ad if you can have different paint schemes on the various models. A seafoam green car looks much better pulling a metallic trailer.
The problem I have is lack of headroom for a 6+ footer! Maybe if I used bigger tires... [goofy]
They don't give a height, but from the interior pictures it does look like there is standing room in most of the trailer for a normal adult. You may have to crouch a little at either end. Obviously, an Airsteam design is better in that respect.
That's your caravan daydreaming for today! . . . [sleep]
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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The reason those American models with the slide out room expanders are so much heavier is because of the extra structural hardware necessary for the task. Keep in mind, a small room of 5 sides must be mounted to a separate floor frame with sufficient structural integrity to maintain a seal in 2 different positions.
I used to drag one around as a contractor while I lived in it. It was a 5th wheel, fiberglass with one slider of the living, dining area. I used a 3/4 T Dodge long bed with a Cummins diesel for pulling. The system worked well, but oddly, after I had it for a little over a year I was offered a permanent position with Abbott Labs. Go figure. After keeping it in storage way too long, I ended up giving the truck away to sweeten the deal so I could get out from under the payments on the trailer.
[banghead]
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Dear Herb and WeatherCat caravan dreamers, . . . (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/travel-trailer-smiley.gif)
The reason those American models with the slide out room expanders are so much heavier is because of the extra structural hardware necessary for the task.
Your point is well taken. Trailers with slide out rooms still have to meet the same safety standards, so they are built beefy. The price you pay is extra weight.
I used to drag one around as a contractor while I lived in it. It was a 5th wheel, fiberglass with one slider of the living, dining area. I used a 3/4 T Dodge long bed with a Cummins diesel for pulling. The system worked well, but oddly, after I had it for a little over a year I was offered a permanent position with Abbott Labs. Go figure. After keeping it in storage way too long, I ended up giving the truck away to sweeten the deal so I could get out from under the payments on the trailer.
You had worked out a reasonable way to cope with being a contractor. If you were living in the trailer all the time, you needed something bigger.
Alas, Murphy's law always has innovative ways of making things go wrong . . . .(http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/clonk_head.gif)
Cheers, Edouard
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it does look like there is standing room in most of the trailer for a normal adult.
As the song almost says, "What's 'normal' got to do with it?"! [bounce] I can't remember the last time I was called "normal". [lol]
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The only way I'd ever get to be called "normal" is if I changed my sir name. But, then they'd probably expect my given name to be Abe.
[biggrin]
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Dear WeatherCat followers of Steve & Deb's Cross-Country Adventure,
Steve just posted this photo on instagram:
https://instagram.com/p/8JfpaMxaEE/ (https://instagram.com/p/8JfpaMxaEE/)
Perhaps Stu would enjoy this photo!
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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I've not been doing a very good job of updating my posts here. I have been posting a lot of updates on Instagram, Facebook, And Twitter. So check over there for what we've been up to for the past week or so.
What I can tell you, is that I've been driving a loaner Forester from Roy Robinson Subaru since Friday afternoon. Coming across Wyoming, we noticed a burning smell. I first thought it was oil dripping on the exhaust, but later determined that it was grease. Only place for grease to leak up front is from the CV boots. I had a schedule to meet, so kept going. Of course you know what happened later. As we got into the mountains, I started feeling vibration, or thrumming while under load. Backing off even a little and it went away, but as the final day came, even slight loading caused the problem.
I'm sure being quite a bit overloaded, which caused the nose to be extra high causing additional misalignment for the CV joints, (As well as 8 year old boots) exacerbated the problem.
So after moving our daughter into her dorm and going through the orientation, I stopped at Roy Robinson Subaru, in Marysville, Washington for help. They diagnosed the problem right away, and had the parts in stock, so got to work on it that day. We were told that it would be finished Monday due to short tech staff on Saturday, but they called late Saturday afternoon and it was done. They had given us a loaner 2016 base Forester, and we had taken the ferry to the islands in the Puget Sound. So they told us to enjoy the weekend, and stop in anytime Monday to pick up our car.
Rachel in their service department went out of her way getting us in quickly, and getting us moving on our way in the loaner. The bad CV joints didn't delay us more than an hour. And Rachel applied a couple of coupons and saved us $160 off the bill. We picked up the Outback this afternoon (Monday), and we are currently outside of Port Townsend, Washington, getting ready to explore the Olympic Mountains and rainforests for the next few days.
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Thanks for the update. That story could have been so much more complicated. Glad you delivered your cargo safely, none the worse for wear. Now you have apparently entered the "slow down and take it easy" phase of this trip. Enjoy.
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Well, what did you expect?! After all, they keep saying "Love is what makes a Subaru!" ...er... something like that... Truly a great dealership! Almost wish we lived in Seattle and needed a new vehicle! ;) Enjoy the rest of your journey, hopefully without any more unwanted mechanical "events"!! :)
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Dear Steve, Blick, X-Air, and WeatherCat road-trip mechanics, . . . .
Only place for grease to leak up front is from the CV boots.
. . . .
I'm sure being quite a bit overloaded, which caused the nose to be extra high causing additional misalignment for the CV joints, (As well as 8 year old boots) exacerbated the problem.
So after moving our daughter into her dorm and going through the orientation, I stopped at Roy Robinson Subaru, in Marysville, Washington for help. They diagnosed the problem right away, and had the parts in stock, so got to work on it that day. We were told that it would be finished Monday due to short tech staff on Saturday, but they called late Saturday afternoon and it was done.
Glad that you were able to get yourself out of that predicament so quickly! Yes, indeed hurray to the staff of that dealership! That's really going above and beyond the call of duty!
Things have really changed since I was a kid and Dad would squirrel away a few parts and tools hoping to have enough on hand to make a quick D-Y-I repair. For most of the life of my wagon, she always had an extra quart of oil in the spare tire well. That only changed in 2010 when auto upholsterer objected. He was very concerned of any leaks on the beautiful cargo area he has just redone! Honestly, I don't know if the oil Biquette carried was actually ever used in the field. It is amazing to think how motoring changed from the 1930-40s when my Dad was a boy to even the 1960-70s when I was. Today if you really wanted to carry a reasonable supply of spares for modern car you probably would need an escort of an 18-wheeler to carry them all! [biggrin]
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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if you really wanted to carry a reasonable supply of spares for modern car you probably would need an escort of an 18-wheeler to carry them all!
OTOH, as the Car Guys said, "If you take a Volkswagon engine apart enough, you'll have enough parts left over to build a whole second engine!" [lol]
If you collected spare parts for most "modern" cars, what you'd really need is a second income! :o
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In the last report, we were On our way to Portland. We did that, visited the Pittock Mansion, and wandered around a bit. Then headed south. We went to Salem, Eugene, visited Voodoo Donuts, Hayward Field, then down to King Estate Winery and then to Roseburg, Oregon. I didn't know that's where we were going to end up, but we stayed just a couple of miles from the UCC shooting location, and Obama was going to be there the day after we left.
Then we went to Crater Lake National Park, and took our time driving the loop around the lake. On a whim, we stopped at the lodge to see if they'd had any cancellations, and to our surprise, they had one room available. These places need reservations several months ahead! We had a great time, and the stars were in abundance.
The following day, we continued around the lake, then went northeast to Bend, Oregon, where we spent some time (and money at REI.) Bend is a neat town with a big city feel out in the central Oregon semi-desert area.
Today we went to Smith Rock State Park, the mecca of rock climbing. What a spectacular place! We spent the day hiking and watching the climbers. I don't know if I ever had attachments that large to climb those sheer walls!
Tomorrow, we're off to Mount Hood, then up to the Columbia River and east toward the gorge. We'll eventually be heading toward Yellowstone, with several stops before we get there.
I've added a lot more photos to our unedited gallery HERE (http://"https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted"), and continue to update the Google Map breadcrumb of our travels HERE (http://"https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zNnueZHvUrbw.koNX6jveh0_c&usp=sharing")
A few favorites:
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-CGbmxVw/0/X2/DSC_0031%20%282%29-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-bRWj6nq/0/X2/DSC_0035%20%282%29-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-QmdvNgC/0/X2/DSC_0081%20%281%29-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-Q66b2Fh/0/X2/IMG_1479-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-B8CpnqG/0/X2/IMG_1509-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-tCTNvk8/0/X2/DSC_0005%20-%202015-10-08%20at%2014-19-16-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-6Wr5VSj/0/X2/IMG_1592%20-%202015-10-05%20at%2017-57-26-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-BM5k8sj/0/X2/IMG_1642%20-%202015-10-08%20at%2014-26-04-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-8qGQzxs/0/X2/IMG_1654%20-%202015-10-08%20at%2015-41-31-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-2Kgz7bn/0/X2/IMG_1672%20-%202015-10-10%20at%2012-15-11-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-VQxRN5r/0/X2/DSC_0007%20-%202015-10-10%20at%2019-03-46-X2.jpg)
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Thanks! Beautiful shots, even better memories! [tup] It's been too long since we visited the area. :( I think I might be able to handle that trial along the stream in Smith Rock State Park! :P The sudden change in flora driving the Gorge is almost unbelievable! :o
Keep 'em comin'! [rockon]
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Thanks for sharing, Steve! Fantastic shooting. Good eye!
I've always wanted to take that trip. I envy you. Perhaps someday I will, now. The photography is very inspiring!
[cheers1]
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Dear Steve and WeatherCat roadtrip wannabees. . .
In the last report, we were On our way to Portland.
. . . . .
You two are indeed having quite an adventure!
I've added a lot more photos to our unedited gallery HERE (http://"https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted"), and continue to update the Google Map breadcrumb of our travels HERE (http://"https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zNnueZHvUrbw.koNX6jveh0_c&usp=sharing")
Thanks for sharing this. Instragram doesn't seem to really live up to the hype while SmugMug really is a wonderful environment to view photographs!
Thanks for keeping us posted as you continue your adventures!
Cheers, Edouard
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Nice photos Steve. Thanks for sharing.
In the meantime, since we didn't have you to be the first WeatherCatter to upgrade to El Capitan everything has gone to pot. It ought to be fixed by the time you return to Earth.
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Thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Reinhard
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We're home! It has been a long time since I posted an update.
Mile 7758: After 43 days and 2 hours, we are home. We have gone 5209 miles after leaving our daughter at Seattle Pacific University back on September 25th. We averaged 18.3 MPG on the way out, 21.0 on the way back, and 20.1 overall.
All in all, we had an amazing time, and I'm ready to leave again! We saw and experienced wonderful places, had great food, met interesting people, and enjoyed each other's company the entire trip. The weather couldn't have been nicer, with only 3-4 days with any rain at all, and a tiny bit of snow.
Thanks to everyone for following along with us! I'll have some follow-up posts with things we hauled all over and didn't use. Plus I have a ton of photos from my dSLR camera to go through. So don't unfollow us! We will be taking a trip south sometime in January or February that you can take with us, and I'm sure there will be outings here and there to post, too.
Here's the final map for our 2015 cross-country adventure. (Click HERE (http://'https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6332021,-96.9333595,5z/data=!4m2!6m1!1szNnueZHvUrbw.koNX6jveh0_c')for a link to Google Map, where you can zoom in.)
(http://www.morrisgarage.com/skitch/Traveling_the_USA_-_Fall_2015_-_Google_Maps-20151102-184624.jpg)
Fog seemed to be the theme in several photographs. Our day in the Badlands started so foggy that we couldn't see the walkway to the overlook from the parking lot. It cleared during the day, but the Badlands was very hard to photograph in low contrast lighting due to the low contrast views. Fog in Yellowstone was sometimes indistinguishable from the steam from the various thermal features.
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-5kXtXw4/0/X2/IMG_1804%20-%202015-10-13%20at%2008-37-05-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-dvrzNzR/0/X2/DSC_0008%20-%202015-10-22%20at%2012-11-33-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-8cwpmsK/0/X2/DSC_0011%20-%202015-10-22%20at%2012-12-42-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-52cJh7d/0/X2/DSC_0031%20-%202015-10-22%20at%2012-36-35-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-VBdN9fQ/0/X2/DSC_0039%20-%202015-10-21%20at%2016-16-04-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-dwZsXtB/0/X2/DSC_0060%20-%202015-10-21%20at%2016-31-23-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-8xTv8S8/0/X2/DSC_0016%20-%202015-10-27%20at%2012-37-33-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-hDr7svs/0/X2/DSC_0095%20-%202015-10-22%20at%2018-23-59-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-QmdvNgC/0/X2/DSC_0081%20%281%29-X2.jpg)
And we saw a wide variety of critters, as well. bison, grizzly bear, moose, elk, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, coyote, red fox, prairie dog, river otter, sea otter, seals, sea lions, gray whale, bald eagle, golden eagle, and any number of birds and small animals.
Notable in what we did not see, are wolves, which I didn't expect to see, but I sure hoped. Didn't see any black bear, marmot, or pika, which are all pretty common in the areas we travelled.
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-3kWgvsR/0/X2/DSC_0067%20-%202015-10-27%20at%2014-27-42-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-NZ6fvJ5/0/X2/DSC_0043%20-%202015-10-27%20at%2013-21-36-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-8DFSjcS/0/X2/DSC_0086%20-%202015-10-22%20at%2014-29-41-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-PjBk2Bc/0/X2/DSC_0020%20-%202015-10-22%20at%2012-20-10-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-VrVnZ83/0/X2/DSC_0082%20-%202015-10-21%20at%2012-28-25-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-tJ6q5RV/0/X2/DSC_0078%20-%202015-10-15%20at%2018-11-14-X2.jpg)
(https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring/Unsorted/i-gwq5Zjt/0/X2/DSC_0005%20%282%29-X2.jpg)
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Welcome home. Thanks for the photos.
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Thanks, John. We had a wonderful time! I could have stayed gone for another month, easily, but Deb was ready to get home. There are something over 1200 photos in my SmugMug gallery. (https://smorris.smugmug.com/Vacations/2015Exploring)
I'm ready to leave again! :)
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Very impressive photos, thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Reinhard
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Welcome back! Our inter web service is out for who knows how long, would you mind send me 4 X 6 glossy prints of your pictures? Otherwise, I'll have to settle for viewing on an iPhone...
Second class wil be fine and save a bit of postage... ;-P
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Since your interwebz are borked, you are welcome to order whatever images you want from the SmugMug gallery and they will be sent directly to you for your viewing pleasure. [tup]
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Welcome home Steve!
Glad you two had such a nice time! Thanks for posting all the great pictures!
However, now that you are back home and have become so skilled with your DSLR, now you've just gotta contribute something to this thread!
http://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=1842.0 (http://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=1842.0)
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xat1/v/t1.0-9/12187820_752466091549965_3816579733894908626_n.jpg?oh=a33e369ee7cc1e7133b0b0f7b65905f1&oe=56B56065)
We took this with us on our trip to use in photos to tag with #overlandbound (http://'https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/overlandbound?source=feed_text&story_id=10153058206391086'). We just found it while putting stuff away... We took so much a) stuff we didn't use, or b) stuff we wanted and couldn't find. We need a much better organization method!
Clothes I took but didn't wear. Mostly warm weather clothes, Gore-Tex, pants, workout shoes &shorts (like I was really going to take advantage of the motel workout equipment...)
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpl1/v/t1.0-9/11219304_752470494882858_7397891700383703177_n.jpg?oh=b8cd67b0e8515b00526009b5540aa384&oe=56CD9B4E)
More stuff we had with us that we didn't use. If I knew where the Kestrel was I'd have checked the wind chill a couple of cold days! Thankfully no need for any emergency stuff or the portal
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/12063597_752471021549472_5754605614567791227_n.jpg?oh=7423edddf938fe799eeb914d051a86b4&oe=56B613BA)
Here is the pile of larger items we took with us and didn't use. Again, fortunately no need for the tools, spares, or fire extinguisher. I was looking for the monopod one day but didn't find it.
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/12036444_752471364882771_3853940973974948834_n.jpg?oh=b14bcdb293d1ec8b508748a2299fef4a&oe=56F982DB)
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Welcome home Steve!
Glad you two had such a nice time! Thanks for posting all the great pictures!
However, now that you are back home and have become so skilled with your DSLR, now you've just gotta contribute something to this thread!
http://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=1842.0 (http://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=1842.0)
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
I'll get right on that. Nothing particularly interesting about the sky right now, though. :)
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(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u666/xAirbusDriver/Thinking_zps6auyy8fj.gif) ...Can't have too much TP... :P
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Welcome back, Steve! Enviable trip, and nice tracker map! I'll bet it was funner-n-a box full-o-kittens!
Was that a grizzly bear in that shot? How did you get so close?
Good shooting, by the way. You seem to have a knack for it.
[cheers1]
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Thanks Herb, it was "funner-n-a box full-o-kittens"!
It was indeed a griz, and I was about 40 feet away at the time. I was using the zoom at the full 200mm length. There are videos of him trading apart a log in the SmugMug gallery linked somewhere above.
If you've ever been to a national park, you'll know that any critter larger than a squirrel stops every car within miles! You can rest assured that I was much more liable to be injured or killed by drivers trying to get to the bear than my Mr Bear himself. That being said, I was sure to make certain that people slower than me were between me an the bear, just to be safe.
(http://www.yellowstonegate.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/wildlife-brigade-1-771x467.jpg)
It was like this, but with probably 100-125 people, and no ranger to keep them back. Each guy tried getting closer than the next. Cars just left at odd angles in the road with doors open, while other cars drover through without slowing down. I saw two near accidents between vehicles and pedestrians in just a few seconds time. Crazy stuff. Or people out IN the buffalo herd taking photos. I can't imagine why it is like in the summer with large crowds.
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WOW! That's crazy. People sure do dumb things sometimes. I've heard that Yellowstone was a tourist nightmare due to overcrowding every year. I'd love to see it, but crazy people scare me. [lol]
Thanks for sharing it with us. It is a trip that I have been wanting to take ever since retiring. I just don't like traveling in general. Perhaps I'll be inspired to take a shorter one to Royal Gorge or somewhere close by.
[cheers1]
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Perhaps I'll be inspired to take a shorter one to Royal Gorge
Which is on my long list of places to visit on some future trip. :)
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Tremendous pictures and memories there! Time to start planning a cross-country trip ourselves. Oops, I'm not retired yet. Maybe one day. Yes, one day.
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We're leaving for Florida today, Tuesday morning. Heading to New Smyrna Beach, south of Daytona, and staying with my brother at his rental. We'll use that as a base to explore the area, then wander our way north in a few weeks.
Friday morning, we'll be heading Cape Canaveral to watch a rocket launch; something I've wanted to do since the late '50s!
If you want to follow along on our upcoming Florida trip, follow or like one (or all) of these social media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExploringTheUSA (https://www.facebook.com/ExploringTheUSA)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/exploringtheusa (https://twitter.com/exploringtheusa)
Instagram: https://instagram.com/explore_the_usa/ (https://instagram.com/explore_the_usa/)
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Awesome thread and glad I finally found it! Safe travels, and enjoy the launch!
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Dear Steve, Toby, and WeatherCat "vacation cruisers,"
We're leaving for Florida today, Tuesday morning. Heading to New Smyrna Beach, south of Daytona, and staying with my brother at his rental. We'll use that as a base to explore the area, then wander our way north in a few weeks.
Friday morning, we'll be heading Cape Canaveral to watch a rocket launch; something I've wanted to do since the late '50s!
[wink] . . . . What!?!? You guys again! . . . and you still haven't picked up that vintage travel trailer! . . . [lol2]
Seriously have a great time! I'm envious!
Cheers, Edouard [cheers1]
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You shared some awesome photos from your last adventure. Have fun. Great time of year to be in Florida. If Apple updates OS X whilst you are gone, remember to post on this forum that you were the first man in North America to upgrade your laptop. :)
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Nice Pictures. Love the rocket launch!