Eastern Utah
EMAIL ME AT: mgypsy97 at aol dot com

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Back in Sacramento

Update for Monday, 6/18 (yesterday):
I got an early start hoping for an early arrival since I will have so much to do, emptying everything from the car, bringing it in, and putting it away. It was a 3 hour drive and I pulled in around 11:00 a.m. I notice I'm waking up much earlier than usual and suppose it is due to the time zones I've gone through. Even this morning I woke up at 5 a.m., which would be 8 o'clock in NY.

Traffic was heavy, but extremely so in downtown Sac. I needed to change lanes to make my turn off I-5, and a car driving in that lane sped up rather than let me in. The traffic is as bad as that around Chicago, but the drivers here are less polite, in my opinion. I got home without a hitch but the letdown that began when I left Crater Lake reached a peak today. I fought the urge to cry although a few tears fell.

As soon as it gets a bit cooler and the commute traffic dies down, I plan to go to Costco and buy a fan or two. All my windows are the jalousie type, and at least half the cranks are either missing or non-operational. Several thorough searches of the front seats, under and behind, has not turned up my MiFi, so I don't have internet. I planned to drive out to my favorite Verizon store today but it's just too damn hot!! Ten o'clock tomorrow morning should still be fairly cool, although it's only cool in the shade.

(I bought Lady a new bed at Costco, the cushy type she likes. She never did care for her orthopedic type bed - she thinks she's too young for anything "orthopedic".)

I haven't added up all my figures yet, but the trip odometer set as I was pulling away from the house in NY now reads 4032.8. That is about the same as the trip east, so I've driven well over 8000 miles in two months. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. To those who again tell me I should go slower and stop and smell the roses, I can say the cost of lodging prohibits that. It is double or over the cost of most commercial RV parks.

I love the northern midwest, from Michigan to Montana, but I'm talking about the northern parts of those states, but the place that absolutely blows me away, this year as well as last, is Crater Lake. I'd love to live close to it, but I really don't think I would like to live in Oregon year around.

My car is so filthy and I know I should take Bounce sheets to the front of it before going through a car wash. I found that Windex seems to melt away most of the bugs on the windshield.

Today, Tuesday 6/10:
I'm back from the Verizon store and the proud owner of a NEW MiFi - 4G no less. In chatting with the salesman about my lack of connectivity (my own fault for leaving and losing devices), he told me that the land line phone I have can be put into an RV and taken on the road, or carried along in the car and plugged in from place to place. It is a small box with a short antenna and plugs into the wall, and connects with my land line base phone holder. That would come in handy if I get another RV of some sort, although with my track record I would hesitate in carrying the phone system in and out of motels.

I'm thinking seriously about finding something I can travel and sleep in before my next cross country trip, so I have about a year to find a suitable vehicle. I am a little worried that for what I want to pay for a used model anything, I might run into problems with repairs, maintenance, etc. A teardrop trailer would be fine for me but I wouldn't pull it with my Highlander - it might work for a short trip but not over all the mountain ranges and the number of miles I travel.

That means a trailer or anything I'd have to pull would require a replacement for my Highlander and I'm not eager to do that. That leaves a Class B or very small Class C: The B's I've seen, even used, are still expensive. That would be my preference though because of being able to park almost anywhere. Suggestions during the coming year will be gratefully considered, but I'm looking to start seriously searching in late fall/early winter, when there seem to be more on the market.

Carolyn, whom I met when I was in Kalispell, travels in her van which she has adeptly modified to accommodate living and sleeping in. As she mentioned though, she wishes she could stand straight up. I think that would be even more of a concern to me - I now use a tent with 6' center height because I had trouble getting in and out of my old tent.

I've put away a lot of things from my car but still have a way to go. After lunch I'm going to take a nice nap on the couch however. I had a wonderful night's sleep on my own perfect mattress last night, but still woke up at 5 a.m.

My daughter brought the two girls over yesterday evening to visit, and she helped me bring a lot of things in. She also used her good, young eyes to look for the MiFi, and since she didn't find it I'm satisfied it is lost for good.

14 comments:

  1. Gypsy, you could pull an aframe. I know many women who have them. I had a Chalet which is a aflame, but I needed more space with two big dogs. http://www.aliner.com/
    http://www.chaletrv.com/

    The beauty of them is that they are hard-sided, set up in 30 seconds and are LIGHT.

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  2. Sorry, that should be aframe, not aflame--darn auto correct.

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  3. glad you are home safely...you put on a lot of miles quickly..thanks for sharing the ride

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  4. glad you're home safe and sound. There has to be something out there that is light enough that you could tow it with the Highlander. A Class B would be perfect, but you're right, they are so expensive. But just keep looking and you'll find just what you need.

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  5. Glad you and Lady are home safe and sound. It will be interesting to follow your search for a RV.

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  6. Sounds like you need a VW camper van, pretty cheap to run and everything you need for an overnight along the way. My granddad had one with a diesel engine in it and it went forever on a tank of fuel.

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  7. I'm so glad you made it home safely.

    And I'm glad you're thinking about getting some kind of rig for next year. You'll have fun researching and looking. Those little class B or B+ units would be good. Some of the Class Cs are shorter than mine (24') and would be great for traveling. I met a couple who had a 22 footer, and they said they were very happy with it.

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  8. Glad to read your home and safe! ;)

    When it isn't 20 something degrees… I unfurl my little screen room and set up camp. For traveling … Homer is just fine … BUT staying in one place like I have been for almost a month! IT'S OPEN!!! The Road is Open!!!!!

    I was at Wheat Montana and checked the status --- couldn't believe m'eyeballs! I had checked a few hours earlier --- still closed --- I did a Snoopy dance at Wheat Montana… HAhaaaa…

    Anyway… this is the first time I've really 'lived' in Homer. This Walmart was so accommodating. I would like to be able to stand up, yes… but I've gotten so used to how I do things and fine tuned where everything is that it doesn't bother me as much as it did in the beginning.

    The only thing I do in Homer is sleep. I do like my porta potty for early morning or late night pees and that's where the standing up gets tricky. I'm used to it and it works out fine. It's like a second seat. I've even pulled off the main road and used it while traveling and no bathroom in sight!

    The trade off for not being able to stand is the ability to park wherever. No one really pays much attention to a minivan - gray - Honda - like ol Homer. He's special to me but he's actually quite innocuous looking and can stealth park with ease. I don't like to do stealth much but I have and it's nice to be able to.

    The only maintenance is regular car maintenance - nothing special and nothing to empty. I use leak proof garbage bags to line my hassock porta potty --- no mess, no fuss…

    I think you would be very happy in a Road Trek kind of van. I would be too! but it's not in my budget. Plus you seem to like to go really camping and like to cook and such. That kind of van would be very comfortable.

    I can only 'take' camping for a couple of nights and I don't like to set up a bunch of stuff and cook.

    Di and a couple of others on the WGS group have such. I know you've tried the 5th wheel and then the Class B? was it? and tent, right? Your Highlander could be gutted out - the seats taken out like I did Homer's … but getting used to not standing up and pulling yer britches up is kinda tricky… ;) I get tickled

    But you're a slim person and I would assume not much tugging to getchur britches up….

    If I don't get outta Montana and all these bakeries!!!! I'm not even going to be able to get my britches off!

    I'm waiting for the brand new Tuesday night Farmer's Market to open at the Depot Park with music and all manner of thises and thats! I'm sitting in Homer watching all the setting up and such….

    Then in the morning? OFF TO THE ROAD! I am soooooooo excited!

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  9. Wow! 8000 miles is a lot of miles. You did a great job.

    I know what you mean about hotel costs. They really do add up especially if you don't want to stay in a flea bag.

    You have some months to keep your eyes open for just the right thing. Check craig's list and when it gets cooler go around to used dealers and let them know what you want. They will try to find it for you for sure.

    I must have missed the purpose of the bounce sheets before a car wash. Never heard of that. What does it do??

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  10. I'm kind of where you are with how to travel. Since I sold my class c in April and then shot up here to my summer place. I don't like being so stationary. I am thinking of a cargo van and setting it up for camping. Class B's are nice but wow do they cost.
    Good luck in your search.

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  11. wow you have sure covered alot of miles...glad you and Lady are home safe and sound....enjoyed travelling along with you..

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  12. Glad to see that you are home. I agree, a little aframe or Casita would be great and they can go anywhere. I really love those Casitas, they are so cute.

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