Are We Where Yet?!!

Month: April 2015

  • Maintenance Focus

    Maintenance Focus

    Late April

    The maintenance needs for “RV Where Yet” are coming into focus.  Basically, everything works.  So we are mainly making decisions about pre-emptive (proactive) maintenance vs. fixing things that break when they break.  Helping us to make these decisions are the following parameters:

    • If it is a safety issue,  we fix it now.  For example,  replacing tires, brakes and the entire brake systems (hoses,  air bladders, etc.)
    • If it will leave us stranded when it breaks.  For example,  the transmission, issues with the fuel system, etc.
    • If neither of the above are true,  then it depends on how much money we have left!

    So,  the fact that the ancient-and-no-longer-made generator actually does run and does produce 110v AC  means we leave it alone save some minor maintenance.  ESPECIALLY since it has less than 200 hours of operation since built,  and should last for 10,000 hours.  I am accumulating a few parts for it that we can put in a box (head gasket, thermostat, carb kits, fuel pump, brushes) since these are becoming very scarce.  But a broken generator will not strand us.

  • Storage?

    Storage?

    22 April

    Spent some considerable effort looking for storage in the Chicagoland area.  It is ILLEGAL to park such a vehicle in a residential neighborhood,  even if one were fortunate enough to find a space (well,  actually,  4 contiguous spaces!).  TO solve this problem,  we again turned to our circle of friends and sympathizers.  Our missive:

    We need a place, preferably indoors, to park this thing for 12-18 months.    Our ideal situation would be an indoor (covered  but not necessarily heated) space where we could access the beast  — in-out for trips, but also to do some work on it.  The work would be NOT messy…no engine work but rather interior mods,  installing electronics, etc.    We don’t need 24 hour access,  though weekend access would be helpful.  We would hope to have access to electric (for tools,  not a hook up for the RV).  The only requirement is indoor storage would need a 12’ high door (the vehicle is 33’  long and 8’ wide).  We need this space for approx. 12-18 months,  beginning May-15-ish.   

    Perhaps you have a client with an underutilized warehouse, distribution center, factory who has an overhead door and a little extra space.  Maybe an auto garage or carwash with some extra space in a corner.  Maybe real estate that might be empty in anticipation of redevelopment (at least a year out).  Heck…a pole barn,  or a little land where we could erect a shed.   We’d  be GREAT tenants.  Quiet, pay rent, barter services (I got skills) or ???  

    We would also be interested in secure OUTDOOR parking.  Especially if we could erect a canvas shed or tent-ish thing.   Frankly,  we are LIKELY to end up with just plain old outdoor storage since we don’t have a big budget for indoor.  But it never hurts to ask.

    Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.  We would truly appreciate an introduction,  if you can imagine a situation that might work.   

    We did get several offers of assistance and we are SOOO grateful for all of those who stepped up.  Our decision to park RV WHERE YET at “Funtimes RV Center” in Antioch Illinois came down to a simple calculation:  There they have not only parking,  but also a shop and mechanics.  We concluded that such a RELATIONSHIP was going to be more important in the long run than simply a parking spot.

  • Quality Time Spent…

    Quality Time Spent…

    17 April

    We spent some quality time with “RV Where Yet” and the mechanic yesterday.  One of the treats of the day was to START THE ENGINE .  I don’t want to say it “purred” because diesel bus engines don’t purr.  But it runs.  Great.   In fact,  virtually everything works.

    And we spent some more time just sitting in “the office” in our new coach.  We learned some SPECTACULAR things.

    — It has an air-ride suspension system.  The mechanic said it will float down the highway.
    (This also explained why the bus seemed to have such low ground clearance.  It will rise up when the engine is started and air pressure builds )

    — the last step at the entrance folds down AND the generator slides out – both also run by air pressure from the engine.  Magic!

    — The brakes are AIR Brakes.  Pads and drums are NEW.   Air diaphragms are probably also “new” but since they are 30 year old rubber parts they will be replaced along with all hoses.

    — Transmission seems to work.  Goes Fwd and Reverse.  Can’t be sure until brakes are fixed and tires changed for a road test.

    — There is a security system.

    — There is a cruise control

    — The Musical Horn “apparently” can be programmed to play songs NOT included in the 62 from the factory.
    I say “Apparently” because we have not been able to make it work.  Yet.  But the programming interface/keyboard WAS located…  We are thinking “Chelsea Dagger?”

    — Roof vents are electrically activated from the driver’s seat including OPEN/CLOSE  and a fan and a Light.

    — It has a central vacuum Cleaning system – with all the hoses and accessories.  And it works.  Seriously.  I said you can’t make this stuff up!

    — The carpet (which Liz does not prefer) is protected by a specially-made wall-to-wall vinyl cover with special clips to hold it down.  You would apparently remove the cover when entertaining,  but put it back for normal use.

    — Kitchen is actually well equipped.  Has a Thermador Microwave with browning element in addition to a “regular” LP Oven and  4 burner LP stove.   The LP Fridge works and is pretty large, actually.

    — It has a separate automatic Ice maker!  (Can you say “Margarita” anyone?)

    — The kitchen has a slide out drawer for a toaster.  And receptacle on the countertop for a NuTone FoodCenter blender (Can you say “margarita” anyone?)
    (Unfortunately,  we cannot find either the toaster or the blender,  but we will keep looking.  Otherwise I think eBay…)

    — It has a 12” Tube-Color TV !   Yep.  12”  I found the box to control color, tint and vertical hold (remember “vertical hold?”).   Goes with the 8-track player.    I think it works.  Not sure I care.

    — We looked again at storage space  and finishes.  The former seemed more extensive than we remembered.  The latter less ugly.  Except the carpet, which Liz Hates.  Did I mention Liz wants to replace the carpet?

    — Liz spent the afternoon reviewing all the manuals and guides the previous owner meticulously saved. For EVERYTHING.   That is how we knew about the toaster and the blender and the security system.

    — And perhaps best of all,  Heddy seemed quite comfortable – after I helped her up the stairs she slept the whole afternoon away.

    We do have some challenges ahead of us,  though.  Biggest might be the generator, which is made by Kohler.  I should say WAS made.  It WAS a marine-oriented gasoline-powered generator.  It has been long discontinued,  and parts are an issue.  BUT,  it has 197 hours on it,  so it certainly is not worn out.   Although the mechanic would like to replace it with a new model ($$$),  I think we will see if we can get by for awhile.  A new model can be installed at any time,  and lack of a generator should it crap out will not leave us stranded.

    We are considering a “Modern” backup and side camera system.  As you might imagine, there is NO visibility,  and I think it would be good to avoid running over Liz as she stands behind the bus with a Walkie Talkie (“c’mon back..back…back…perfect!”).

    And,  I am thinking we are going to need to replace the 12” TV.  My guess is the NHL Package will be un-viewable on that unit!  😉

    Other things are as expected:  needs tires (and these are not cheap!),  hoses, diaphragms and air bladders.   Mostly labor.  Parts are simple and cheap.  This is an old bus,  and ALL the running gear is still out there today.

    We did discover traces of a couple animal inhabitations.  One of the mattresses (which we were going to replace) and the inside of the brake hubs.  No particular issues or problems from either.

    Mechanic thinks this is 2-4 weeks away.  We are going to ask him  to spend his time mostly UNDER the bus (Engine and transmission hoses and seals, air bladder and air brake replacement, etc. ). Stuff that would strand us.   All of the other systems (retro as they may be) seem to operate.  We’d like to use it for a few trips before we decide where to upgrade.

  • Naming Contest

    16 April — Naming Contest!

    The RV came to us named: “Charlie’s Angel.”  This presented us with a dilemma.  EITHER I could change my name to “Charlie” or the Bus needs a new name.    Actually,  THAT decision was simple.  I already have an angel.  So the bus gets a new name.

    We opened this problem in the form of a contest to our world-wide group of friends.  We got some GREAT suggestions.

    Interstate Explorer 15 (IE15 – a little geeky)
    H-BOMB  (as in “da bomb” not  “end-of-the-world-THE bomb”)
    Fahrvergnügen
    Sacajawea  (since we will certainly need guidance)
    Pins-in-the-Map
    Are We Where Yet?
    Delta  (We’d use a “Delta” symbol) Attitude
    HarrisBgone
    For Play

    We then submitted the top several to a vote.  the CLEAR winner was:

    “RV WHERE YET”

    And this “theme” is now carried on in the URL for this website:  “AreWeWhereYet.Us”

  • Cozumel, 2015

    As has become traditional,  we book a “Last Minute Deal” to a warm place for our anniversary.  This year,  the destination was Cozumel, Mexico.    While in Cozumel,  we spent a lot of quality beach time.  We also did more than a little diving.  Most of the reefs and dive spots were very close to the resort,  and the dive operator was EXCELLENT.

  • How Work ruins Vacations

    As we took our first “Retired” trip, a very interesting transformation occurred.

    We really did not understand BEFORE retirement how the prospect of returning to work affects one’s vacation “mentality.”  At least for me,  it used to take a couple days to get into vacation mode.  Then the last 3 days or so were spent thinking about what awaited at the office.  So  out of a week,  one could end up with only a few actual hours of “Vacation.”

    NOW,  there is no such wasted energy.  No unwind-time. No worries about what awaits.  just relaxation.

    Put another way (and so eloquently) by long-time friend Dan Ray: “If you are retired, do they still call it a Vacation?  Maybe it is just called LIFE!”

  • South-by-Southeast

    South-by-Southeast

    This was our first “Retired” Road trip. We left Chicago on 25 January, headed South-by-southeast. Plans were to stop in Atlanta, to visit Liz’s Brother and family. Then continue on to Bradenton, FLA, where some friends had a condo rented for a week.

    The above was a loose guideline, only. We considered this trip to be the prototype for many future “retired” trips. “Retired” trips have only a couple of key requirements:

    — If you don’t have to be anywhere in particular, you can’t be lost

    and

    — If there is no schedule, you can’t be late!

    Bearing these key and overarching principles in mind, this trip “morphed.’ While we followed the above plan (very) loosely, here are some of the other things we accomplished along the way:

    First night: Stopped in Fort Knox, KY and stayed in the GOLD VAULT INN

    Stopped in Dalton, GA to visit some old friends…the Hendrys. We realized it had been at least 10 years…

    In Atlanta we did the “usual” things such as the “World of Coke” (Why would anyone PAY to attend a 2-hour commercial?) and the Martin Luther King district. But we also did some REALLY COOL things. For example, did you know that the Centers for Disease Control has a FREE museum? Liz’s sister-in-law, Stephanie, works at the CDC and let us in on this secret…and the museum was VERY interesting.

    On the way to Bradenton, we stopped in Gainesville to visit some of Liz’s former co-workers. There, we watched a Blackhawks game AND walked through a State Park where you could get within feet of very LARGE (and wild) alligators.

    In Florida, we stayed in Bradenton, but visited Sarasota (The Ringling Museum).

    We “Used up” Bradenton quicker than expected, so we elected to drive down to Pompano Beach to visit friends. On the way, we nearly ran out of gas in the Everglades!

    Then we stopped at Daytona beach

    Then to the Georgia Coast (again visiting the Hendrys)

    Then home.

  • Washington D.C.

    We visited Washington D.C. to help my Great-Aunt Marilee move. This was a somewhat “forced” situation as her Retirement Community was closing for construction. Management offered to pickup all the costs for her move to another of their buildings, where they prepared a similar combination of two units. Inasmuch as Marilee is 102 years young, we thought she could probably use bit of assistance getting moved and organized.

    Well, the move went off ALMOST without a hitch.  Trucks came and went, belongings were loaded and unloaded.  Cabinets needed handles and under-cabinet lights we installed.   In the process,  we also switched her phone and internet from Verizon to Comcast — most can relate to the aggravation of dealing with ONE of those companies, let alone both in the same week.

    At the end of a week, Liz and I needed a vacation. Marilee, on the other hand, was ready to hit the ground running in her new apartment and Studio.

  • Our First Visit

    8 April .. Our first visit to “the Bus.”

    This was an EXCELLENT DAY on the RV front.   We  drove down to St. Louis to take a look at  the offered RV.   Many thanks to brother-in-law Paul Kokkin for coming along to provide another set of objective, mechanically-inclined eyes.

    It is a 1981 Bluebird Wanderlodge FC-33.  For the era (more on that in a minute) a PRIMO ride.  Arguably the best available on the market at the time!!!!   This one had all the features.  Backup camera (in 1981!).  Sound system (albeit with an 8-track tape!!!).  3 furnaces,  2 A/C units.  Generator. Sturdy Caterpillar Diesel engine.   An electronic air horn that plays 62 different tunes!!!!   Remember,  there were no iPhones with downloadable ringtones in 1981!!!!   There is even an internal PHONE SYSTEM,  I suppose so that the driver can call back to the kitchen for a snack? Or so the owners can call the chauffeur from the bedroom?  One cannot make up this stuff!!  This is an AWESOME (if a bit retro – and I mean that in a good way!!!) ride!

    Some other key data about the RV:  It is in PRISTINE condition.  Has been in a garage since 1990.  Has 47,000 original miles.   The interior is in GREAT condition (though a little “beige” and 80’s-chic…Liz HATES the carpet, but that is an easy fix!).   The tires still hold air and even the awnings and hoses and belts did not seem cracked and brittle.      We have a mechanic who assures us this will be straightforward to put back in road-worthy condition.

    And,  perhaps best of all,  this is SMALLER than we expected.  It is 33ft and 10,000 lbs (We were expecting 40  ft and 20Klbs).  That means NO SPECIAL DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIRED.

    For those of you who are curious and know how to use the Google-machine,  this is a 1981 Wanderlodge FC-33.  It has a Caterpillar 3208 Normally-aspirated Diesel engine.

  • Hello world!

    Welcome to Liz and Dan’s online home!