ShakeDownCruise

[abnorm]

Well it started.............I left the sold house Fri nite and now live in a van !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have more to do at the house but I needed to be gone......so we're not logging these miles officially..........I headed North.......looking for a nice soak in a Florida Spring to cool off..........Holiday weekend..........I ended up in Alabama............Blue Springs State Park

I hope to meet Jewell Ann 

I FORGOT how Dark nighttime can be.................I've been a the city for 35 yrs too long 

I Do Remember swimming.....and yes I love it

The cats have been a Hoot !!!!!!
The Brave Social cat has become humbled by the changing conditions /scenery.........slinking down and staying in a comfortable spot...........

While the shy timid cat starts out yowelling.....loud!!!! She has Quickly become acclimated to sitting on the doorsill watching the traffic etc............She also has taken to sitting high on the stroller handles and snoozing head-down like Snoopydog..............

They love their time in the screened habitats....they're used to a house with a screened porch....I set them on the concrete tables 

I slept at a rest stop last nite........Swam in a natural river at a boat dock under a bridge in the morning....excellent option for me

Later in the day I found this campground $25 w/electric (and I can stay Sunday also)............The spring is tiny to many of the Florida spings but this is dammed into Two small pool shapes..........and a perfect 68*

Oh Yeah.............I'm rocking 4 GC Batts and a charger (a PD60 version with the wizard as our dearlydepartedSternWake would advise)....  
and then a huge 1500 inverter..........It runs everything I carefully  throw at it....
solar will have to wait........I installed the racking and mounted a victron SC....................SOOOOOO I need a daily fix of electricity...........I have my Honda which proved it's worth in Irma......(.but I'd much rather have the amenities)

doug

 

[Ballenxj]

Well it started.............I left the sold house Fri nite and now live in a van !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats on getting started Doug!

 

[JustACarSoFar]

That's fantastic!  It must feel so liberating. Hope you write a Captain's Log for us, please. 

https://vanlivingforum.com/Forum-Captains-Logs

 

[abnorm]

Thanks...........................

A Captains log will start on the official journey......................

This week was brutal...............the roofer dropped a roll of nails in my grass strip driveway.........11 nails in ONE TIRE

10 ply tires .......only available from Ford.......got the tire replaced but not installed....too busy Friday at Ford........so I'm packing this huge tire with me in the van

later doug

 

[abnorm]

Well the trip comes full circle.......I've returned to Orlando......4 days/1200 miles/Lunch w/JewellAnn/Swam in 3 Springs

Tomorrow is all tires-replaced-at-Ford-Day

The Cats have become "seasoned" travelers.....sleeping thru most of the driving.......They enjoyed watching the deer in the campsite thru the screen door last nite.....absolutely no problems

The van has developed a ......ah.......certain.......a.......smell !!!!!

between the wet swimwear and towels.................cat box.............food preparation.........O Yeah: the refrig opened and all the pickled Jalapinos and Beet/Eggs hit the floor (and a wholelotmore)......VINEGAR........gotta rethink this !!!!!!!!!


AND OF COURSE AS YOU ALL SAY..........................Simplify


doug

 

[Txjaybird]

Well the trip comes full circle.......I've returned to Orlando......4 days/1200 miles/Lunch w/JewellAnn/Swam in 3 Springs

The van has developed a ......ah.......certain.......a.......smell !!!!!

between the wet swimwear and towels.................cat box.............food preparation.........O Yeah: the refrig opened and all the pickled Jalapinos and Beet/Eggs hit the floor (and a wholelotmore)......VINEGAR........gotta rethink this !!!!!!!!!


doug

 Glad to hear you made it back alive and didn't end up wearing a "cat hat" in all the excitement.

Maybe if you sprinkle baking soda on the damp things while traveling it will help with odors?

You may want to check out child proof door latches.  I think they make some for frigs. as well as cabinet doors and drawers.  If your frig has wire shelves some sturdy plastic or wire baskets zip tied to the shelves would corral stuff and keep it in the frig.  

Since my Aliner has to be folded down for travel I intend to use loaded or empty totes or even good sturdy cardboard boxes on the floor to keep everthing from shifting around.  Nothing like opening a trailer door and have some "well packed" cr**......sh**...stuff fall out on your footsies   I figure empty plastic containers to fill in the spaces in the frig. will work too.  My RV frig. has a door latch & I still intend to add another one if needed.

Just think your new adventuring has only began

Jewellann

 

[Motrukdriver]

between the wet swimwear and towels.................cat box.............food preparation.........O Yeah: the refrig opened and all the pickled Jalapinos and Beet/Eggs hit the floor (and a wholelotmore)......VINEGAR........gotta rethink this !!!!!!!!!

I had that problem a time or two in the big truck.  Solved it by cutting some cheap 1x1 aluminum angles and using double sided foam tape.  Taped the angles to the edges of the fridge shelves leg up.  Things could slide but they wouldn't hit the door and open it.  I used a strip of duct tape to hold the door closed while I was rolling.

 

[BradKW]

That's awesome Doug, congrats on your first trip!

Funny you mention the flying pickled peppers, as the jars you gave me also escaped the fridge...but luckily didn't break

And Damned Roofers +1 ...with all the debris and roofing going down here, I'm afraid to drive the truck! Every other day one of the company vehicles is getting a flat, even had a double flat last week :/

 

[jimindenver]

Good job on the shake down Doug.

 

[abnorm]

Thank-You all..........................

Here's a photo from that first campground...........Blue Springs Alabama

"Spare" tire on the ground.......step ladder.........cat habs..........oh yeah the office chair is gone too crowded.......too much stuff



doug

PS..........JewellAnn is a hoot!.............she's got more stories..................

 

[abnorm]

I also got the van weighed while we were out...............GVW #8,920............I had 9,000 to work with.....Yeah!!!!!


Here are the cats in their new adventure:



That cat.......Smudgee......is on the wrong side of the screen.........she found a way through the battery area back to the kitchen



And Blackie.....the shy one.....sitting on the armrest watching the traffic !


later doug

 

[highdesertranger]

nice. congrats. highdesertranger

 

[heron]

Congratulations, Abnorm! Looks as though you had the perfect shakedown. A satisfying trip, and enough went wrong so you learned something! Ours is coming up shortly. I hope it'll be as fine.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

You know I'm jealous, Doug!! Thanks for the pics! Let me know if you get through Misery!!