gypsyvioleta
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Did they ever get a "Ladies Travel Buddies" thread started? I think that would be a big help to us newbies, soon to be newbies or thinking of becoming a newbie!
WOMEN'S FORUM: Ladies Travel Buddies
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gypsyvioleta
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I hope to have my car back soon and would like to try camping out in it. It is a very small Mercury Tracer but I have already had a sleeping pad in there & was getting ready to try it out when I had to have it taken to be worked on. I am 70 yrs. old & have never done anything like this before so would like to meet up with someone who has done it before. We have a few free places in the area to camp (northwest panhandle of Florida) but not brave enough to try them out on my own. Any ladies in this area willing to camp with me & let me ask probably a lot of question about solo camping/living in a vehicle?
TrainChaser
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Gypsy, just try it for a weekend near home, to start. As you learn more about how it works, you'll gain confidence. A buddy would be great, but you don't have to wait for that. You do the same things that you do at home, but sometimes you just do them a little differently. YOU CAN DO THIS!
p.s. Take a flashlight.
p.s. Take a flashlight.
I recently slept in the short term parking at a airport that's close to 100 miles from my home. I did not expect to do this. I was glad of having....... plastic bucket with plastic trash bag liner....toilet paper....snacks and drinks......smaller soft sided ice chest.........black foam board from $tree in all the Safari's rear side windows......curtains across the rear windows........change of clothes ,shoes and windbreaker.
I live near Ft. Rucker AL. Hopefully in a few weeks my Safari and Aliner will ready to go. Even if the Safari only is ready I would be willing to come down for a day or 2. A lot depends on the weather as my chihuahua travels with me and i need to make sure she is comfortable. I have a Access pass so if a site is available with hookups I can run a fan. Hey I just remembered the RV dealer where I bought the Aliner offered me 2 nights in his RV/Mobile Home park at Mariana FL with the purchase. Would probably need the Aliner. I too have never camped alone.
Jewellann
I live near Ft. Rucker AL. Hopefully in a few weeks my Safari and Aliner will ready to go. Even if the Safari only is ready I would be willing to come down for a day or 2. A lot depends on the weather as my chihuahua travels with me and i need to make sure she is comfortable. I have a Access pass so if a site is available with hookups I can run a fan. Hey I just remembered the RV dealer where I bought the Aliner offered me 2 nights in his RV/Mobile Home park at Mariana FL with the purchase. Would probably need the Aliner. I too have never camped alone.
Jewellann
Lisa Truck Gypsy
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gypsyvioleta said:
Do you know the date yet? I'm getting ready to go from Florida to California for 2 and a half months and I'm in the process of figuring out how to make shelves in my truck. Where in the FL Panhandle do you camp? I live in Jacksonville so I'm not far.
gypsyvioleta
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Jewellann & Lisa Truck Gypsy, I hope to have her back by next week if everything goes as it should and no more surprises show up on her. Maybe we can get together in the area. I have family members near Marianna, Jewellann so that might be a good place. Lisa Truck Gypsy I hope we can get together when you start on your trip. I am getting so excited & am praying that "Violet" makes it home real soon so I can get her into camping mode!
gypsyvioleta
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Well, I have been checking out RV campgrounds & State Parks and it seems that you have to have a credit card, which I do not have as I decided about twenty years ago that I was not going down that rabbit hole. So I have to look into different ways & places to try this out. I have some friends who live at the bay & in the country that have said I could come & try it out at their places. I could try it out in my church parking lot, just to see if I can do this in a very tiny car.
gypsyvioleta
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Well, just got some bad news about Violet it seems she needs a new heart (engine) so I will not be able to do any camping as I can not afford that. So it looks like I will have to have my adventures through each one of you! Looking forward to hearing all about your adventures this summer! Have fun dear ladies!!
dragonflyinthesky
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violet, get a debit card or prepaid credit card.
Red
Red
gypsyvioleta
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Thanks dragonflyinthesky, but I just don't have enough to get a prepaid card or enough in the bank to even get a debit card, so my adventures will come from all you lovely ladies and plus I am now having some medical problems. I will just have to be content to do my travels thru you and the other nomads.
TrainChaser
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GypsyVioleta: "Well, just got some bad news about Violet it seems she needs a new heart (engine) so I will not be able to do any camping as I can not afford that."
How well do you know the mechanic that made the diagnosis? Ask around for a good, honest one (can be hard to find) and maybe get a second opinion?
Years ago, I read quite a fascinating article in the Reader's Digest. The RD got hold of a decent used car, had a team of mechanics go over it with a find-toothed comb, replacing anything that seemed like it might give problems, engraved a mark on almost every part that removeable. Then they had an older couple drive it around the U.S. for a few months or so (all expenses paid). They would pull over as they approached a town or city, the guy would pull one of the distributor wires loose, then would drive into some kind of car repair place, large, medium or small, and tell the guys that something was wrong, but he didn't know much about cars.
Somewhere close to three-quarters of them tried to sell him all kinds of expensive repairs. Sometimes, he would point to the loose wire, and ask if that might have anything to do with it, and mostly they would shake their heads sadly and say they wished it would be that simple. Sometimes the couple would let the shop do the repair, sometimes not. Some of the places never did any replacements -- when they got back to NY, the original parts with the marks they had put on them were still there, despite the long list of parts the shop had put on the receipt.
And the couple kept track: every business name, address, employee, what they said was wrong, what they said they did, they made sure they got receipts and carefully kept track of them. And when the RD wrote the article, they NAMED the businesses and where they were. IT WAS GREAT!
Of course, there were some honest places. One young guy, about 19, lifted the hood at a gas station/repair shop, and immediately said, "Well, THERE'S your problem! Look at that distributor wire flopping around there! Here, let me get a tool and put that back nice and snug so you won't have no other problems with it."
There are mechanics, and then there are Mechanics.
How well do you know the mechanic that made the diagnosis? Ask around for a good, honest one (can be hard to find) and maybe get a second opinion?
Years ago, I read quite a fascinating article in the Reader's Digest. The RD got hold of a decent used car, had a team of mechanics go over it with a find-toothed comb, replacing anything that seemed like it might give problems, engraved a mark on almost every part that removeable. Then they had an older couple drive it around the U.S. for a few months or so (all expenses paid). They would pull over as they approached a town or city, the guy would pull one of the distributor wires loose, then would drive into some kind of car repair place, large, medium or small, and tell the guys that something was wrong, but he didn't know much about cars.
Somewhere close to three-quarters of them tried to sell him all kinds of expensive repairs. Sometimes, he would point to the loose wire, and ask if that might have anything to do with it, and mostly they would shake their heads sadly and say they wished it would be that simple. Sometimes the couple would let the shop do the repair, sometimes not. Some of the places never did any replacements -- when they got back to NY, the original parts with the marks they had put on them were still there, despite the long list of parts the shop had put on the receipt.
And the couple kept track: every business name, address, employee, what they said was wrong, what they said they did, they made sure they got receipts and carefully kept track of them. And when the RD wrote the article, they NAMED the businesses and where they were. IT WAS GREAT!
Of course, there were some honest places. One young guy, about 19, lifted the hood at a gas station/repair shop, and immediately said, "Well, THERE'S your problem! Look at that distributor wire flopping around there! Here, let me get a tool and put that back nice and snug so you won't have no other problems with it."
There are mechanics, and then there are Mechanics.
gypsyvioleta
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Yes, I know but this young man is very reliable, I've known him since he was born. He is a wonderful young man and a great mechanic. Violet will be 20 yrs old in Sept. so she is just to old for traveling the USA, I am just going to use her around town & hope I get some more time & use out of her.
Photogal39Travels
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Anyone looking to travel together? I urban camped for 8 months in CA while finishing up a contract job, I'm now in Central OR, been on BLM lands in my truck with a camper shell, recently I bought a mini trailer and I'm waiting for it to arrive. I went to the last part of June's GTG in Oregon. I'm in the forest with no cell service. I came into town yesterday for supplies and will be doing errands half of the day on Thur. 7-6-17 If I haven't replied back that's why Thanks Christy
gypsyvioleta
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Well, Violet's heart (engine) finally quit so I had her hauled off to the car cemetery (junk yard). So I will now being living out my dreams thru your adventures, dear ladies!
TrainChaser
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I'm sorry to hear that! At least you didn't start out on the road and have it break down in the middle of the desert or somewhere.
Roadtrekgranny
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Gyspy, you would be surprised how many ladies there are in the Panhandle that solo camp, from large Class A's to vans and cars and tents! lots of state parks and some COE in our area that are good to learn in.
gypsyvioleta said:
I can't join you, as I don't live anywhere near. But, I encourage you to just get out there and do it! You may find out you're braver than you think you are! If you are worried about sleeping, just go spend a day by yourself and see how it feels. I'm 78. When I get a vehicle I'm going to go, go, go and not let fear of anything hold me back. Not enough years left to waste any time being scared or timid. Go for it, and let us know how it goes.
