My families Great American Adventure

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

21 minutes ago, luke duke said:

Will you be setting up the sex tent on top of your bed inside the extended stay hotel room?

 

That’s funny. We don’t have a tent up, but we did drag the mattress topper in there. 

[Incredulity 11,675]

I happened across coverage of your accident on Reddit.

 

 

[Mango4 189]

12 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Me, the dog and the 5 members of the family sleeping in a rest stop outside Cleveland at 3:30 in the morning. Not what I thought would be in the likelihood for this morning when I woke up to go to the hoops hall of game with the boy. Skipped niagra falls. Making a 1600 mile run to teddy Roosevelt national park in western North Dakota. Not a lot of room left in the back of the truck. Looks like traditional tent camping and some time in extended stays on the agenda for the next 2 or 3 months. Then, I get to fly back to Connecticut (nearest RV place where we dumped it to get fixed) and drive to California probably to catch up with my family.
That sounds fun in October. Worry about that when it gets there.
And wife is not mad at me bc 1) she’s cool and 2) she was driving the truck and I was following her, so she picked the route and speed with which the RV bit the embankment.
Did I mention the one good piece of news? Fully covered on the likely $25000 worth of repairs, absent a $1,000 deductible, so that’s pretty cool and got that going for me o guess.
Oh yeah, put a tarp over the truck and it got shredded in half on the trip, and we caught the leading edge of tropical storm, so my stuff is a little wet right now, but hoping it doesn’t run into rain between here and the dakotas in probably 2 more days.
Only 18 hours and 18 minutes of drive time left per the navigation equipment. Something like 1143 miles.

You are going to be in the Black Hills during Sturgis Motorcycle Rally? Good fucking luck

[RPM 26,322]

I mentioned my BILs low limb screwup. The first time I drove an 18 wheeler up north I'd heard horror stories about low bridges in NE. I was riding and my co-driver was at the wheel. We're cruising down a 2 lane on a NY reservation pulling a 13"6' trailer. I see a sign for the bridge ahead and it says 12"10'. We ain't slowing down. I start yelling 12 10, 12 10! We come to a screeching stop about 30ft from the bridge. But to be honest, it didn't look that low. There's zero room to turn around and it's miles back to the last crossroad.

Fuck it.

We creep forward, I'm hanging out the window to watch and sure enough we clear by mile. It was after that we learned NE states give a foot for snow during winter on their signs. But that rule isn't consistent. Cities like Buffalo and Chicago are littered with low bridges.

The first time I went to Canada, I hauled a load of cabbage from the valley to Calgary. I had to wait 2 days to unload so I dropped my trailer and cruised around. They have a really cool bridge near downtown, the Langevin Bridge, and it's clearance is something like 4.3 meters. I'm cruising bobtail going about 30 and was not told there would be any maths. Lets see, roughly 3 foot per meter, so 3x4 plus WHANG!!!!!!!!! My stacks hit the beam and folded back.

Fuck metric and fuck sight seeing. Took me a while to get them straightened back and the left one was never quite the same.

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

So, what had happened was...

the road was low and there was a ton of clearance at the beginning of the bridge. I thought nothing of it. But then, the road went up a hill so the 17 foot (I’m guessing) clearance at the front of the bridge became an 11 or 12 foot clearance at the back of the bridge. 
I was following my wife, and wondering where in the hell she was leading me, and it just didn’t visually connect in my mind that there was going to be a problem when I had plenty of clearance up front. 

[washparkhorn 9,939]

Yankee bridges. 

[RPM 26,322]

16 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

So, what had happened was...

the road was low and there was a ton of clearance at the beginning of the bridge. I thought nothing of it. But then, the road went up a hill so the 17 foot (I’m guessing) clearance at the front of the bridge became an 11 or 12 foot clearance at the back of the bridge. 
I was following my wife, and wondering where in the hell she was leading me, and it just didn’t visually connect in my mind that there was going to be a problem when I had plenty of clearance up front. 

17 might be stretching it a bit there hoss. That would be a helluva incline to lose over 4 feet of clearance in a 20 foot distance. Was there a ramp with fireworks?

12 minutes ago, washparkhorn said:

Yankee bridges. 

So much this.

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

13 minutes ago, RPM said:

17 might be stretching it a bit there hoss. That would be a helluva incline to lose over 4 feet of clearance in a 20 foot distance. Was there a ramp with fireworks?

So much this.

I have no idea how many feet it was. The point is it was very easy to clear at the front and the back- wham. 

[RPM 26,322]

11 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

I have no idea how many feet it was. The point is it was very easy to clear at the front and the back- wham. 

So have you found a shell yet? I'd have the fam scanning Craigslist in an Easter Egg Hunt. Winner gets a tent to themselves for a night.

Edited August 4, 2020 by RPM

[washparkhorn 9,939]

3 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

it was very easy to clear at the front and the back- wham.

Just the tip . . . 

[dcbc 14,487]

13 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Looks like traditional tent camping

Edited August 4, 2020 by dcbc

[HornPhD 1,368]

On 8/3/2020 at 12:24 PM, Wulaw Horn said:

So, yeah, 2 vents, antenna, Ac, ceiling caving in a little. 2 months at least, on the repair. Springfield Massachusetts is fine place to be holed up this time of year- right?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There used to be a pretty good all you can eat chicken parm place near the HOF. Probably not so good during these times.

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

27 minutes ago, HornPhD said:

There used to be a pretty good all you can eat chicken parm place near the HOF. Probably not so good during these times.

So weird that the hoops hall of fame is in a strip mall. 

[Updawg 2,266]

All you can eat chicken Parmesan doesn’t sound good

[Grade of D as in David 13,253]

51 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

So weird that the hoops hall of fame is in a strip mall. 

I'm more surprised it's not in a strip club

[SHOOTER12 8,810]

On 7/27/2020 at 1:40 PM, RPM said:

RV a/c units don't handle high humidity well. They have limited capacity even in the best conditions.

 

On 7/27/2020 at 1:49 PM, utee94 said:

I've had RVs for 12 years, I've never had an issue with not being able to get the interior temp down into the 70s overnight, even in high humidity along the coast.

 

On 7/27/2020 at 1:56 PM, RPM said:

Depends on the size of the rv and the conditions. I've had them work fine in Texas during the summer and struggle in Missouri in the fall. You also have to factor in kids running in and out, cooking, Mr & Mrs Wulaw knocking one out in the back, etc.

I too was curious about the lack of cooling in the RV.  I basically lived in mine for 14 years parked at our shop in Houston.  The only time I ever had any issue was if the filters needed cleaning or if the unit itself was dying.  Other than that it was very cool and comfortable even during the harshest of Houston summers.

[gmr548 16,580]

Dude your wife is a straight up baller. Congrats.

And years from now (after lots of therapy) your kids are going to realize this is truly the adventure of a lifetime. Fair winds and following seas amigo!

We definitely know the kids will never, ever purchase an RV.

[CycleTex87 2,970]

We’re the kids in the RV when the top was skimmed off? 

[washparkhorn 9,939]

On 8/4/2020 at 5:45 AM, Paco said:

Dude your wife is a straight up baller. Congrats.

Facts.

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

2 hours ago, CycleTex87 said:

We’re the kids in the RV when the top was skimmed off? 

My 7 year old son. He shouted shit. I said- yeah, that’s about it boy. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

Holy shit. I just drove from Sandusky Ohio to teddy Roosevelt national park in far west North Dakota. 1200 miles and 20 hours in the car (counting the hour long stop to get a truck topper to keep all my shit dry). I’m exhausted. Started the day in the eastern time zone and going to bed in mountain time zone. This country is big as fuck. 

[CycleTex87 2,970]

God’s country out there. 

[orange dream 1,254]

Did y'all hit up cedar point in Sandusky? 

Why the rush through Wiscy / Minny?  Seems like there would have been some  good places (lakes,etc.) to have spent some time along the way.

[RPM 26,322]

6 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

I’m exhausted. Started the day in the eastern time zone and going to bed in mountain time zone. This country is big as fuck. 

Not seeing pics of topper. 1 hr in/out? That's gold! You needed a pee break anyway.

You think this country is big now? Wait till you cross the Rockies. That's the best part.

[Incredulity 11,675]

16 minutes ago, RPM said:

Not seeing pics of topper. 1 hr in/out? That's gold! You needed a pee break anyway.

You think this country is big now? Wait till you cross the Rockies. That's the best part.

and then still have another 12 or so hours of driving to get to the coast.

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

2 hours ago, orange dream said:

Did y'all hit up cedar point in Sandusky? 

Why the rush through Wiscy / Minny?  Seems like there would have been some  good places (lakes,etc.) to have spent some time along the way.

Would have been. But with the shit show of ha Ung all my possessions in truck just wanted to get out west. Stuff I really wanted to see in case this thing ends up getting aborted. Original plan was to spend some time in wisky and Minnesota, but that and niagra falls got scrapped. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

1 hour ago, RPM said:

Not seeing pics of topper. 1 hr in/out? That's gold! You needed a pee break anyway.

You think this country is big now? Wait till you cross the Rockies. That's the best part.

Oh I’ve been and yeah- no doubt. 
North Dakota is my 50th and last state. In Fargo if you stop in (I didn’t- cruised through there at 1:00 am and got a warning for speeding) and tell them this is your 50th state they give you a shirt and coffee mug that says “best for last club”. That’s legit funny. I guess it’s a thing. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

Also I’m staying in the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed in at this price point. Teddy Roosevelt grand inn or something like that. $63.00 and it’s legit pretty nice. Color me shocked. 

[horn4life 3,761]

TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADD A SECOND AC UNIT!!!!

or at least make damn sure your single unit is 15K btu.  

You tore out the crap vent in the bedroom and now you might as well bite off another $1500 and just put in a second AC? Or at the minimum Replace crap fan with one of the newer models like a fantastic fan that will double as a ceiling fan.  At least this way you won't be sweating your balls off.

I meant to say this a long time ago, and might have... if I searched back, you should have been doing a blog and You tube videos so that right now a bunch of folks laughing their asses off might sent you $5.  I will say that I found it pretty funny what the tech has on his hat... "live lucky."  Or maybe that's his motto as he has the nearest repair facility to that bridge...

 

Edited August 6, 2020 by horn4life

[Sbbruin 21,858]

11 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

 This country is big as fuck. 

You can save a lot on gas if you downsize a bit.

[RPM 26,322]

On 8/6/2020 at 3:06 PM, horn4life said:

TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADD A SECOND AC UNIT!!!!

or at least make damn sure your single unit is 15K btu.  

You tore out the crap vent in the bedroom and now you might as well bite off another $1500 and just put in a second AC? Or at the minimum Replace crap fan with one of the newer models like a fantastic fan that will double as a ceiling fan.  At least this way you won't be sweating your balls off.

This is good advice. Get the biggest your genset will power (it will only run 1) and you use the 2nd when on shore power. You won't have a better opportunity and it adds to the resale. 

[davidg 4,038]

5 hours ago, RPM said:

This is good advice. Get the biggest your genset will power (it will only run 1) and you use the 2nd when on shore power. You won't have a better opportunity and it adds to the resale. 

He probably only has a 30a/120V service.  Won’t run two A/C’s at a time so he would have to upgrade breaker panel, and entrance service cable to a 120V/240V/50a to be able to do that. Probably end up a lot more than $1500.

[SHOOTER12 8,810]

On 8/6/2020 at 3:06 PM, horn4life said:

TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADD A SECOND AC UNIT!!!!

or at least make damn sure your single unit is 15K btu.  

You tore out the crap vent in the bedroom and now you might as well bite off another $1500 and just put in a second AC? Or at the minimum Replace crap fan with one of the newer models like a fantastic fan that will double as a ceiling fan.  At least this way you won't be sweating your balls off.

I meant to say this a long time ago, and might have... if I searched back, you should have been doing a blog and You tube videos so that right now a bunch of folks laughing their asses off might sent you $5.  I will say that I found it pretty funny what the tech has on his hat... "live lucky."  Or maybe that's his motto as he has the nearest repair facility to that bridge...

 

$1500???

Where in the hell are you buying ac units?  I've never paid more than $600 before tax, and yes 15,000 bro's.

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

Teddy Roosevelt national park. It’s beautiful in a completely different way then the other stuff we’ve done. These pictures suck. You can’t really get a feel for how vast and incredible this place is from an IPhone camera.
Kids and I did a 5.5 mile hike today. You’d have thought I was re-enacting the Bataan death march. They are soft. Their mother opted out.
Today was the first day of school for us, so feels back on schedule and less like homeless vagrants hanging out at the hotel with many life possessions in the small area.
Also- sex is pretty nonexistent with us al sharing the same room. So, that sucks.
Insurance people haven’t gotten back to me on final repairs authorized but did confirm it’s $1000 deductible and that’s it for me.

[Grade of D as in David 13,253]

Just set the tent up in the parking lot of the extended stay. 

Walla, sexy time.

[washparkhorn 9,939]

The night skies out there are amazing. That is dark sky. And wide open viewing. Might want to get a telescope.

There are a lot of ways for kids to learn from a sky like that at night. 

And the night sky is beautiful on your backs on a blanket with some wine and cheese. plastic cups. bottle of wine, a nice cheese and some crackers. A nice little date night. 

Cheers. 

[washparkhorn 9,939]

 

[Updawg 2,266]

Perseus meteor shower peaks this week

[Incredulity 11,675]

7 hours ago, washparkhorn said:

 

What is so bright in NorthCentral North Dakota?  oilrigs i guess

This must be relative to surrounding or something.

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

1 minute ago, Incredulity said:

What is so bright in NorthCentral North Dakota?  oilrigs i guess

This must be relative to surrounding or something.

Bismarck- the capital city?  It’s a big time 80k I think that’s a really interesting map. 

[sidis 9,828]

it is bakken shale development.  that's precisely where it is.  notice how the cloud of light looks precisely the same as the eagle ford band across south texas.

it is not bismarck...unless you are under the impression that bismarck is larger than the entire area of los angeles and san diego combined.

[washparkhorn 9,939]

Agree - flaring from the Bakken - https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2013/01/16/169511949/a-mysterious-patch-of-light-shows-up-in-the-north-dakota-dark

Our intrepid traveler is a good distance south of it and out of the "light pollution" generated by development in the Bakken. 

[luke duke 6,413]

$1500???
Where in the hell are you buying ac units?  I've never paid more than $600 before tax, and yes 15,000 bro's.

Where can I find a $600 A/C unit that installs itself and upgrades it’s own electrical service?

[SHOOTER12 8,810]

19 minutes ago, luke duke said:

 

Where can I find a $600 A/C unit that installs itself and upgrades it’s own electrical service?

 

I don't know about the upgraded electrical service, but I did install my own when they needed replacement.  Labor charges are legalized theft these days though.

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

1 hour ago, sidis said:

it is bakken shale development.  that's precisely where it is.  notice how the cloud of light looks precisely the same as the eagle ford band across south texas.

it is not bismarck...unless you are under the impression that bismarck is larger than the entire area of los angeles and san diego combined.

Didn't know that- thanks.  I sort of need to cheat with the little lines on the map to see exactly where I'm oriented. It's amazing how few people live west of the Mississippi compared to east of the Mississippi, truly.  Especially when you consider how much prettier it is West of the Mississippi, how much better the climate is, etc.  400 years seems like a long time since Plymouth Rock, but in human geographic migration terms it's really not all that much time.  

Also, it's funny to think that without the development of Air conditioning the sun belt would likely look like the plain states on that map. Humans are amazing creatures in a lot of ways.  

[utee94 15,825]

4 hours ago, SHOOTER12 said:

I don't know about the upgraded electrical service, but I did install my own when they needed replacement.  Labor charges are legalized theft these days though.

I'm assuming it's currently only setup for one A/C so new breakers would possibly be needed, and new wiring to the new unit would definitely be needed from the breaker panel, through the wall, into the ceiling, for the new unit.  That could involve removing wall panels and furniture.  Also, new ducting would have to be installed for the new unit, and some of the old ducting for the old unit would need to be re-routed and/or eliminated.  It's a pretty hefty project, if it were a standalone upgrade I'd expect it to cost significantly more than $1500, maybe up into the $3K-$5K range.

 

However, since a substantial amount of... ummmm... re-work, to the ceiling, will already be required, its incremental cost might not be prohibitive after all.

 

[sidis 9,828]

4 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

It's amazing how few people live west of the Mississippi compared to east of the Mississippi, truly.  Especially when you consider how much prettier it is West of the Mississippi, how much better the climate is, etc.  400 years seems like a long time since Plymouth Rock, but in human geographic migration terms it's really not all that much time.  

Also, it's funny to think that without the development of Air conditioning the sun belt would likely look like the plain states on that map. Humans are amazing creatures in a lot of ways.  

you have to consider a lot of factors such as land's best use - like the fact that much of the country's bread basket has historically been located between the mississippi and the rockies, as well as a lot of its historical energy production infrastructure.  mountain living was not easy a century ago.

[Wulaw Horn 19,073]

3 hours ago, sidis said:

you have to consider a lot of factors such as land's best use - like the fact that much of the country's bread basket has historically been located between the mississippi and the rockies, as well as a lot of its historical energy production infrastructure.  mountain living was not easy a century ago.

Sure. And the entirety of human history like 96% of people live a hop, skip and a jump from major bodies of water. We don’t need to do that anymore but that’s a really recent development in history- like 3 seconds ago or 5 seconds ago on the timeline. 50, 100, 400 years seems like a big deal to us but it’s a blink of an eye man. 

[luke duke 6,413]

I don't know about the upgraded electrical service, but I did install my own when they needed replacement.  Labor charges are legalized theft these days though.

Remember that we’re talking about a guy that spent an afternoon trying to unscrew a rivet.