OMGoodness I GOT A VAN!!!!!!

[kidiekat]

I know caps are yelling.&nbsp; But OMG I GOT A VAN.&nbsp; <br><br>I can't believe it, I learned to drive this baby coming back home in full blown "Friday tourist coming to the beach traffic".&nbsp; Whoa!&nbsp; <br><br>When I pulled away all by myself I ended up with the back end coming off the curb.&nbsp; Ekkkk.&nbsp; Don't know where my behind end is. lol&nbsp; I can't judge where the front of it is. lol&nbsp; I have been driving little red so long this is like a mac truck.<br>I am going to try and do a picture.<br><br><img id="fullsizeMedia" style="width: 640px; height: 480px;" rel="lightbox" src="http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t608/kidiekat/New Van/Image4_zpsb39b0162.jpg?t=1371941824" class="bbc_img" data-link="src{:fullsizeUrl} width{:rsWidth} height{:rsHeight}"><br><br>Holy cow.&nbsp; The first hour of driving I was a nervous wreck.&nbsp; Then I calmed down and felt like I was riding in a caddy.&nbsp; So many buttons and bells and whistles.&nbsp; I got a good deal and a full warranty on every thing.&nbsp; You name it, it is on the list and covered.&nbsp; We will see how that works. <br><br>I went to the power wash thingy and did a good pressure cleaning and then put in more quarters for lots of wax, they had washed it but I wanted to make sure it had a good coat of wax.&nbsp; <br><br>I had left 4am Friday morning for my doc appointment and the neighbors hadn't seen me or little red for 24 hours so they came to check on me to make sure I was okay.&nbsp; Where's kidiekat?&nbsp; Where is her car?&nbsp; Who's van is this?&nbsp;&nbsp; Akkkkk kidie what did you do?&nbsp;&nbsp; lol&nbsp;&nbsp; <br><br>Oh wow!&nbsp; I'm getting there.&nbsp; Slowly, but surely.<br><br>Oh yes, it is a Chevy Uplander 2007 was a work van for some private company.&nbsp; (Who knows, it could be the truth)&nbsp; It has a great roof rack but some one put in the wrong bolts and there is a bit of rust on them.&nbsp; Gotta figure out how to fix that.&nbsp; Other wise it is in good shape.<br><br>Any how it drives like a dream and I felt like a kid.&nbsp;&nbsp; Now the spasms are beating the crapp out of me for over doing it.<br>&nbsp;<br>I think I may name her snowflake.&nbsp; Never had a white auto before.&nbsp; Only took me 24 hours to learn how to zero the trip meter.&nbsp; My neighbor showed me how to find the gas mileage thingy.&nbsp; It even tells me how much gas mileage is left in the tank and when the next oil change is due.&nbsp; They told me this when I got it but too much information at one time.&nbsp; So I have to learn how to do the cruise control and work these crazy power locks.&nbsp; I put a key on some yarn for around my neck.&nbsp; Last thing I need is to get locked out by mistake.&nbsp; <br><br><br>Okay, I just had to share some thing good. I'll shut up now.

 

[James AKA Lynx]

Great! James AKA Lynx

 

[kidiekat]

Oh the warranty is 12 months, unlimited miles, and covers every thing from gaskets to gizzards.&nbsp; lol<br>Now I need to get the reflective and no see um stuff.

 

[Ziggy Moon]

Sweet Looking, kidiekat. I'm really happy for you!

 

[rvwandering]

&nbsp;Congratulations! It looks great.

 

[kidiekat]

Thanks James AKA Lynx.&nbsp; I know she is not the super size van, but she will carry what I need and be refugee in rain and wind storms.&nbsp; <br>Thank you Ziggy Moon.&nbsp; I am excited to start loading up my tent and stuff.<br>Thank you tonyandkaren.&nbsp; I am so looking forward to starting my new life with luci.

 

[my_vantasy]

Wow!&nbsp; I am so happy for you and Luci!&nbsp; I have been following your posts from the beginning, so I know how many thoughts you have processed and how many ideas you have kicked around.&nbsp; Take a few deep breaths...then get to it!&nbsp; Let your fun, new adventure begin and keep us updated. Take care and safe travels.

 

[Ocean]

Very nice...I'm so happy for you both!!! <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif">

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;Good show! Looks like a pretty skookum roof rack you've got there too. ..Willy.

 

[kidiekat]

Thank you myvantasy I feel like this has been forever, but this makes it possible.&nbsp; My brain has been on overload.<br><br>Hi Ocean Thank you.&nbsp; Luci has already been in the van with her blanket.<br><br>HI Willy.&nbsp; Kind of looks like a rack from a deer that you would hang on your wall. lol&nbsp; 4 pointer?&nbsp;&nbsp; I think it might come in handy for some solar stuff.&nbsp; yay.&nbsp; I definitely know my van when I come out of the grocery store.&nbsp;

 

[kidiekat]

Willy, change that deer thought.&nbsp; I looked out my window this morning and low and behold.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have a "big white moose" in my drive way.&nbsp; Yup.&nbsp; Large antlers on the top.&nbsp;&nbsp; Oh my, I am having nervous break downs.&nbsp; This van is unknown to me.&nbsp; Little red had enough time with me that I new I could trust it.&nbsp; I suppose this is the 48 hour freak out you go through after making a purchase.&nbsp; Maybe I am senile and doing crazy stuff that is called mid/late life crisis.&nbsp; I hope this phase passes quickly.&nbsp; Maybe I should take a drive this morning to remind me "okay it drives great, stop over thinking it all".&nbsp; I have to get my ATB pass any how.&nbsp; So I could drive to Assateague Island, look at the beach and breathe.&nbsp; It will be ok.&nbsp; <br><br>So I guess I have the name of my new van....&nbsp; <span style="color: #ff0000;">Big White Moose</span>.&nbsp; Ooi vey.&nbsp;

 

[drivebyandy]

Congrats on the van, can't wait to see what you do with it and the adventures you create!

 

[Suanne]

Congrats to you and the Moose!

 

[kidiekat]

drivebyandy....&nbsp; I started living this morning.&nbsp; I drove to Assateague National and State parks, took pictures of the beach, walked to the water and got my America the Beautiful pass, free to disabled peeps.&nbsp; The air smelled so good.&nbsp; Here I am 20 minutes to Ocean city and I have not been there but a couple times.&nbsp; What on earth have I been thinking?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jeesh.<br><br>Suanne!!!!!&nbsp; yay, thank you, I got the milk chocolate and vanillla ice cream and have been experimenting.&nbsp; I also found powder whole eggs, hash browns that you rehydrate and fry and powder milk that is decent.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Me and luci and the moose make three. lol

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

kidiekat, from your description it sounds like it's now the "kidiekat and *BULLWINKLE'" show.....<br>ENJOY !!<br>KinA<br><br><br><br><br>* He was, after all, an extraordinary moose.

 

[kidiekat]

Hi Ken in Anahiem.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; OMGoodness you remember Bullwinkle............&nbsp; Uhoh.&nbsp; Yes&nbsp; Willy mentioned my rack on the van and it stirred up my brain.&nbsp; That's how the big white moose came about.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I remember Bullwinkle and his little friend rocky.<br><br>Okay, Now I am looking at all these doo dads on the dash.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have been watching what the tachometer is doing at 50 and 55mph.&nbsp; The tach is at 1500rpm.&nbsp; Does that sound like normal.&nbsp; So now I am watching all the idiot lights.&nbsp;&nbsp; The temp goes to half and stays there.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I checked the oil, with the motor off.&nbsp; The first pull with the stick it was all covered, wiped it off and checked it and the level was in the marked area on the stick.&nbsp; The oil looked clean to me, it wasn't spotless clear, but I didn't see any metal flecks in it or on the paper towel, so I guess it is good.&nbsp; I turned on the engine and let it idle for a few minutes and checked the transmission fluid.&nbsp; It looked clearish, did not smell and the paper towel didn't have any thing extra on it.&nbsp; I looked at the white plastic container on the top right of the engine and the end of the tube was just above the pink fluid.&nbsp; Antifreeze???&nbsp; for the radiator.&nbsp; Should the fluid be higher?&nbsp; The battery is clean, no gunk around the connections.&nbsp; I didn't see any oil or gunk around the engine but it was dusty and had some leaves and junk at the bottom of the wipers.&nbsp; (I cleaned that off).&nbsp; All the tubes and stuff seemed soft and pliable, no loose wires.&nbsp; <br><br>I did have some fluid under the car when I came back from Assateague and couldn't figure out where or why it came from, I didn't use the a/c cause the breeze was beautiful and I had the windows open.&nbsp; So yes, I was hyperventilating about the fluid.&nbsp; Not alot, no oily feel, no taste, no color, no smell.&nbsp; Soooooo when I went to the seafood store there were a bunch of guys there and I just stopped and asked them about it.&nbsp; Holy cow am I getting brazen.&nbsp; They said it was condensation from the engine, not to worry.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have been watching this auto like a vicious animal.&nbsp; The only time I had any fluid under little red was when I ran the a/c but that is a 4 cylinder car so not much heat built up going to the store.&nbsp;&nbsp; This van is big and the engine is bigger so I guess that sounds right.&nbsp; I parked in a different spot in my drive way to see what happens from this small drive.<br><br>OMGarsh am I gonna learn all this stuff?<br><br><br>