The Full Time Dream!

[chockwald]

We will do a consultation with the installer just before Xmas, and will decide what works best for our situation. Will let you know as soon as we have the rest of the details.

[chockwald]

The installer from A.M. Solar will be dropping by our park on Monday morning (19th) to do an assessment of our coach, and to determine what system we will install. We are very excited, to say the least....we will then head down to Temecula on February 1st to stay at the Escapee (SKP) park in Jojoba Hills where the installer is spending the winter to have the system installed. Just 6 weeks to go.....

It has been a very cold 3 weeks.....we've even had it get below freezing several days in a row, and have had frost most days for the past 10 days....it is indeed winter. Rained all day Monday, and Elaine and I spent the day inside reading and listening to the rain on the roof.....one of my favorite things about living in the Newell.

[folivier]

Hey Clarke, let us know how the Escapees park works out. We're still thinking of joining if it will save money.

[chockwald]

Will do Forest.....looks like daily rate for full hookups is $20 for members.

[chockwald]

Elaine and I were going to take a long bike ride yesterday (Christmas Eve), but the ongoing Santana Winds that have plagued our area for the past month, intervened. We should have known better than to redeploy the awning....no sooner had we put it up than it went from completely windless to 25mph winds from the north.....ugh! So, after taking the awning down, we spent the afternoon reducing the inventory of "stuff" in our trailer, or else we would have to slide the TBird in on its side when we leave on February 1st....lol. Much to our relief the process was not that difficult, and the TBird will fit with the rubber side down after all! It is amazing how we have been able to let go of things we thought we had to have, and are really traveling light now.

All those bikes in the pictures will be kept at the front the trailer in the work bench area where you see the tandem. The two recumbent trikes will be mounted outside on a rack above the "tool box". I wish I had taken a picture before we started removing stuff....you couldn't see the floor..... There are still a few things in the trailer that will be stored in the basement area of the coach, but are being left in the trailer for now for convenience's sake.

[prairieschooner]

George Carlin called it "stuff" but in your case it is a trailer not a house;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtX3yZmzfUU

[LynnJeff]

Does anyone have any interesting stories or advice regarding being pulled over or getting permits to travel re: the length or weight? Our new 42'6" Newell and the stacker (no, I'm not saying the length ) is starting to get me worried....thanks, Lynn

[chockwald]

LynnJeff....if you've got a stacker your total length is probably "slightly" over 65'. There are some state (I think Ohio is one of them) who are real sticklers for length and will pull you over. I'm sure there are others on this site who can give you good information on how they avoid trouble. Good luck!

[larryweikart]

I've been pulling my 26' trailer for over 200,000 miles and have been stopped once by a D>O>T> officer in Ca.(of course) Received 1 ticket for being 71' overall, another for being 45' (at that time 40' was the maximum length coach allowed in Ca., since changed to 45') and another, believe it or not, for being too wide. He said my awning made me wider than 8.5'. When I suggested that he was mistaken on the over width charge, he asked me, "Just how many F-----g tickets would you like?" I never made another sound. I drove for a long time after that looking over my shoulder but have been cross country so many times I can't count them and have never had another problem!

[larryweikart]

By the way, living in Mi., I have to pass thru Ohio often and have not had any problems with the length, but I have never been able to enter the Ohio turnpike without being told my axle weight distribution was not proper. Most Newells will experience the same problem. They used to make you turn around and go thru again before they would issue you a "special" ticket and send you on your way. They have changed that practice and although we still do not show proper weight distribution, we just wait at the booth until someone comes to give us the "special" ticket without turning us around.

[LynnJeff]

Great. Thanks...yes...they do make 30' stackers...what were we thinking?

[MarkofSJC]

Originally Posted by LynnJeff

Does anyone have any interesting stories or advice regarding being pulled over or getting permits to travel re: the length or weight? Our new 42'6" Newell and the stacker (no, I'm not saying the length ) is starting to get me worried....thanks, Lynn

There's a certain CHP officer in S. CA who's sole purpose in life is to catch every possible vehicle over 65' ~ and not only write them a $4XX ticket, but require them to drop the trailer and have a tow truck remove it from the freeway and take it to their yard ($$$). I've heard he typically patrols the I-10 somewhere near the LA - Palm Springs area. There's someone on the internet that actually has his schedule and posts it (yes, a CC owner recently left their home at 3:45 am with his stacker, just to be sure he cleared that point by the officer's 5am start of shift!

That's the only "heavy hitter" I've heard of from multiple sources.

Mark

[chockwald]

I'll keep this very brief....18 days.

[chockwald]

We are now down to 11 days....we have moved up our departure from the park to January 30th. We'll take on propane and fuel first thing Monday, and then head to my mechanic's to have oil, and filters (oil and fuel) changed, front A/C recharged, brakes checked, etc. Then it's south to Temecula where we will have our AM Solar installation done, and then off to Mesa, AZ to visit with Tom and Darlene for a few days. From there we want to head down to Senator's Wash and visit with Brad and Karen, then off to the Gulf Coast. I guess the trick will be not to rush things, and just travel slowly. This will be the first time we have ever traveled with no time constraints other than the changing seasons, and I don't know how that will feel just now.

It has gotten very cold at night here in Rancho Jurupa....frost on the grass most mornings, and I have had to scrape ice off my windshield more than once lately. It does warm up into the mid 70's most days.

We had a very nice going away party this past Sunday evening with all our kids, their kids, and all their friends (who consider themselves honorary Hockwald's) who spent 1,000's of hours at our home over the past 26 years, and will continue our second round of goodbyes this weekend with close friends, and in-laws. This "saying goodbye" stuff is not for the faint of heart.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.....at least until something changes my mind!

[folivier]

Clarke,
our plans are to leave sometime mid-Feb. and head on I-10 to San Antonio then take US Hwy 90 down to Del Rio, Langtry, and spend a few days in Big Bend state park. Then on to Mesa, and hopefully meet up with Steve and Tricia, and whoever else is in the area, then on into Utah to Moab.
Hope we can meet somewhere along the road

[chockwald]

I think we will be in the Tyler, TX area around mid February and then head south to Corpus Christi. Let's stay in touch.....we'll not be that far from you. We may be able to meet up in the San Antonio are, or east of there somewhere.

[fulltiming]

Clarke, if you and Elaine are passing through the Austin area in mid/late February, drop by. You can park our driveway. We have 50 amp and water.

[chockwald]

Michael, that would be wonderful! We will be coming through Austin on our way to the Gulf Coast. We're going a little further east initially so we can pass through the Tyler area and visit family, and then down to Austin to see the rest of the family, so that works well for us!

[encantotom]

you are assuming that darlene and i will let you guys leave mesa.

tom

[prairieschooner]

Forest,
Our plans have changed as of late. This new account is keeping me busy with assignments and now we are back to So. Cal. tomorrow. Not sure when I will be able to get back this way.
I have also had a tenant move out so I will be working on our other house next month (the one in Los Angeles that we do not live in) and not driving the Newell around.