Category Archives: winter travel

The Best Laid Plans …..

Saturday morning, I slid down our iced-up driveway in four-wheel drive, thankful that I had got the Airstream home the day before.  Well, Sunday, after a night of high winds and blowing snow, we woke up to this:

A friend wrote me Saturday, "If I had an RV, I'd move it southward by October 15th.  Guess she was right.

A friend wrote me Saturday, “If I had an RV, I’d move it southward by October 15th. Guess she was right.

With winds gusting to 40 mph or more all day Sunday, the dog has been very nervous and I have started thinking about alternative plans.  I suspect, since it will not melt before Wednesday, we will leave the ‘stream here and move it during a better stretch in December.

Five weeks until warm weather and a chance to defrost.

Five weeks until warm weather and a chance to defrost.

Screen Shot 2013-11-24 at 5.14.05 PM

 

The long range forecast has a coastal storm arriving on the day we are planning to move the rig to Massachusetts so that makes the decision clear — head down Tuesday night and leave the Airstream here — but also watch the weather the next few days to see if the storm track changes.  Stay tuned.

Dreaming of Texas

We got our first significant snowfall last night and while it is pretty outside, to me it’s a reminder of why we are getting ready to head Southwest.

While our FB friends ooh and ah, we are saying, "November 10th, give us a break."

While our FB friends ooh and ah, we are saying, “November 10th, give us a break.”

Amazon Kingfisher, Cameron Co, Tx, photo by Jeff Bouton

Amazon Kingfisher, Cameron Co, Tx, photo by Jeff Bouton

Instead of reading about Rick Perry and Ted Cruz, I’ve been following the rare sighting of an Amazon Kingfisher at the Rio Grande Birding Festival and how hundreds of birders are clogging the highway to see it — and I bet they aren’t walking through slush.  We’ll be down that way in about three months.

"Get me out of here!"

“Get me out of here!”

This wet snow will probably be gone by tonight but it’s a reminder of how long the snowy, grey season can be in the Northeast.  We’ve been there, done that, for decades.  So, it’s time to take our blue values to some warmer red states and just stay out of political discussions, looking for birds, not bird-brains.

Ready To Go

Today has been a real work day, starting with plowing the driveway with the Kubota and then shoveling sand — it’s a long driveway when you are lugging pails of sand.  Then, going up to the Town garage to refill the buckets for tomorrow.

I worked on loading the truck with bikes, kayak, solar panel, and an assortment of books so that I can run Vitesse Press while on the road.  Meanwhile, Mary made dozens of trips from the house to the Airstream and got clothing and food in place.

Then I hooked up the rig and with some maneuvering, I got it around the ledge outcrop (which I hit last year while leaving) and straightened out so that I could back it up to the garage for final loads.

We’ll see what the morning brings — more snow is forecast and it’s going to be frigid and windy.  Both Mary and I remarked that this preparation was tougher than the last couple of years — we’re pretty tired but planning to launch early dark thirty.

Hunkerin’ Down for a day or two

I had planned our departure for tomorrow, Friday, so that we could hit the Tennessee’s Sandhill Crane Festival on Sunday but the winter storm, coming up from the south and also in from the west, has made us delay for a bit.  So, all the sand I lugged in buckets from the town pile and carefully spread on the driveway are buried under four or more inches of new snow with more (snow) on the way.

We had a busy early week with medical appointments and a trip yesterday Burlington to donate Mary’s Subaru to the Good News Garage so this hiatus is giving us a chance to pack and check things off more carefully.  It is fun to organize kayak gear while watching the snow fall.


The back side of the storm is going to have some stiff winds and very cold temperatures so I expect that the first several nights in the Airstream are going to be a bit challenging.  First to plow out, sand, and get the rig down the driveway.  Probably Saturday but we’ll keep a weather eye out.


It was nice to have a nice wood stove fire going last night and watch Syracuse demolish Villanova on the big screen TV.  I’ll miss that on the road — but the sleet, snow, and chill — not!

Waiting to Launch

For the first time, I’ve had our Airstream at an RV dealer for repairs and maintenance — in the past I’ve done it myself.  However, with cold temperatures, the prospect of repacking wheel bearings lost any appeal it might have had and I also knew that I needed to get the unit inspected.  So I dropped it off at a local outfit, Mekkleson RV in East Montpelier, VT who service a handful of Airstreams out of the many hundreds of RV’s they handle each year.

To make a long story short, they did a fine job.  They found problems in the electrical system which they fixed through better grounding and work on the plugin — and more importantly, found that one set of brakes was not working.  An electrical line had parted, probably in the awful trip up our driveway last March, so they got those working and a fresh new inspection sticker in place.  We are ready to go.

A full moon sets over the snowy/frosty Airstream as the winter sun rises behind us.

We’ve got a month to go before departure and we are starting to gather gear and think through our trip options.  I’m thinking of hauling both or one of the kayaks this time since we are so often near water.  Given the need for a dog-sitter, it’s unlikely that both of us would paddle together so I think we’ll end up taking Mary’s boat, which I can cram into and take both sets of paddles.

It’s not too early for me to start worrying a bit about the first couple of days of travel — getting below the snow zone.  I just sent Mary a picture of our final day last year during our return, and I can hear the groans from the other room.  We need less excitement this trip.

The Last Mile

The trip home was long but easy — until the last day. All we had to grumble about were the school breaks in Texas and Louisiana which clogged the state parks on weekends. We cruised up the Natchez Trace, enjoying great weather, and survived I-81 through Knoxville and spent a wonderful evening at Lake Claytor State Park in Virginia. Sitting under a tree in shorts watching the lake, we knew that this was the last time for this in a few months. Little did we know….

Tuesday, we decided to cut a day off the trip and made a rather long drive to a Walmart in Pennsylvania where we had stayed before. It was cold and windy but we had a restful night although I did awake once and here a little sleet or something on the roof. Early that morning, we noted that the windows were fogged up and opening the door, saw about three inches of wet snow with snow coming down hard. Of course, all our winter boots and coats were buried in the back of the truck.



After walking the dog — who like us could not believe the conditions — we did some online checking and it didn’t look good. The Walmart folks had big plows going all around us but traffic was moving and the temperature was about 29.

At first, it looked like we’d have to stay. With no wifi, we were checking weather via our IPhones and the forecasts further north looked better. We decided to give it a try.

The first hour or so on I-81 was dicey with tractor-trailers driving like it was July spraying us with slush. We chugged along on wet roads as the salt did it’s thing. After an hour or so, we pulled off in a rest stop — to encounter a jammed exit. A truck had broken down and another, trying to get around it, had got hung up. It looked like we’d be spending hours stuck in line. Fortunately, after about 30 minutes, the drivers got things cleared and we were heading north, into improving weather.

It was a long drive and we were tired when we hit Vermont. The temperatures were just under freezing so I thought (wrong!) that the dirt roads and driveway would be frozen.

We have a tough driveway even in good weather. It’s a situation where once you start up the road with an Airstream, you are committed — there is no place to turn around on the whole road. Well, we started up, regretting it at once as we saw the mud and ruts. We only have to climb several hundred yards and then make a sharp right turn uphill. I got to the turn and knew that we were dead meat – it was way too narrow. Committed, I gave it a try in four wheel drive but soon was completely hung up, with the Airstream completely blocking Wood Road and the truck stuff in the driveway. We were sick.

Soon, traffic began backing up on both sides of us as I tried to find our shovel — which was, like our boots, buried in the back under all sorts of gear. Several guys who live up the hill offered to help and I got my Kubota going and tried to clear out the banks. It was too tight and I came very close to hitting the truck with the bucket, several times. I thought we might be stuck for hours or longer.

Someone suggested trying to pull with the Kubota which does not have chains but is 4WD. We got my logging chain hitched to the front of the Ford, and a neighbor got in the truck to drive it, and very tentatively and slowly, we pulled the truck and trailer out of the road and all the way up the driveway to the top. I couldn’t believe it — and didn’t worry about some bent stuff under the trailer — we can fix that in the spring.



So, after driving 6500 miles or so, the last quarter mile was the worst. We are fortunate to have good neighbors and a tractor that earned its keep. We also learned a good lesson — either leave the Airstream elsewhere or come home later next year. So it may be April in 2012.

3 Days on the road & gonna settle down tonight

After waiting out the storms and dealing with the electrical problems noted in my last post, we launched early Friday morning with the temperature holding below 10 degrees. The first trick was to get down our snowy driveway. I took it easy, in first gear, but halfway down, the truck and trailer all started sliding with brakes full on and I just got it down and around the corner and could then slow down on the sanded Wood Road. Fortunately, it was very early and no one was coming down the hill in the dark. Once our heart rates slowed, we trundled down through sleepy Montpelier and had an uneventful drive down to Bethel, Killington, and up over Mendon Mountain. Roads were dry, snow flurries were minimal, and traffic was light.

The first day brought us down to Albany and then down I-88 to Binghamton. We then join the rat race south with truckers headed home on Friday and driving like crazy. With gas stops (we paid $3.30 a gallon at a ripoff joint on I-88) every 180-200 miles, my debit card was getting a workout. We made it as far as Chambersburg and stayed at a Walmart in very cold conditions. There was a Hoss’s restaurant on site so we ended up having a good dinner storing up calories for the night ahead.

The Airstream, when operating on battery power, is heated with a propane heater up at one end. It’s not easy to get the sleeping end heated when it’s 15 degrees so it was not the most comfortable night we’ve spent. We tanked up on coffee in the morning and were again on the road before seven.

Saturday is a good day to travel. The truck traffic is reduced as is commuter travel. We were out of Pennsylvania at once and zipped through the ends of Maryland and West Virginia and then spent a lifetime in Virginia. I-81 has some pretty scenery through this stretch and we thought we’d got out of the snow cover — but after an hour of bare ground, we came back into where last week’s storm had dumped a lot.

Knoxville is a tough city to negotiate, even on a weekend. The merging of interstates, the ever-present trucks, and some event at UT made this trip through town stressful. We decided to stop at the Walmart in Athens, Tennessee, having called ahead for permission.

I had talked to a local cop patrolling the parking lot — just letting him know we would be there overnight, with permission. We had a nice chat about Vermont and he told me to call them if we noticed any problems. Well, for a bit, I thought we’d have to take him up on it. For an hour or so, several hot cars seemed to be doing laps around the parking lot with loud engines, tire squealing, and lots of sitting, idling, and whatever. The scene quieted about 9:00 and I later figured that the kids were waiting for buddies working in the tire/lube section of Walmart.

Today was a relatively easy Sunday drive — if you call driving 370 miles hauling a trailer easy. The traffic was ok and we negotiated Chattanooga and Birmingham and then encountered a stretch of concrete highway that was hell. It reminded me of the NY Thruway where decades of truck traffic had trashed the right lane, leaving the left lane relatively smooth. The road was horrible — I was very concerned about the trailer tires. So, we drove 20-30 miles primarily in the left lane — watching the mirrors as best we could. Of course, we then hit construction and had a twelve mile stretch with only one lane — the right one — and it was painful. The truck and trailer did ok in spite of the thumping.

The rest of the journey, through Tuscaloosa and into Mississippi, was easy. We have stopped at a state park in Clarksdale where for the first time, we can activate the water system and have power. There’s no one here — just a couple of families — and it’s a good place to bird and run the dog. We’ll catch our breath for a few days before moving on to Louisiana.

The park in just south of Meridian, Mississippi. I learned to fly jets at NAS Meridian many years ago and we live in Meridian during the height of the civil rights movement. We were sort of insulated from the events but did get a taste of southern attitudes from our neighbors — so the airfield has good memories for me but the town still leaves a bad taste in our mouths. We may check out the air station while we are here — just for nostalgia’s sake. And find a wifi hotspot.

Ready, Set, Wait Another Day

As is the case before most major trips, we were up very early this morning. I had plowed the driveway yesterday (we got nearly a foot of new snow), and cleaned off the trailer. I had a lot of trouble getting it into place and whacked a piece of ledge submerged in the new snow. Finally, we spent all evening finishing loading.

We were ready to launch at 6:15 A.M. In a last minute check, we found that the trailer lights didn’t work. Shades of day one last year — except it wasn’t along I-81! I realized that in the struggles to extricate the trailer and get it moved into the driveway, I had trashed the electrical connector to the truck. It was at first depressing, especially since it was dark, snowy, and windy. Then the truck lights were wacky — brake lights staying on, turn signals inoperative. That improved once I disconnected the broken connector.

I was able to back the trailer on to flat land in front of the garage and get unhitched. First, I tried to tape the broken connector up with electrical tape — in 15 degree temperatures and wind with Mary holding the flashlight. No way, Jose.

So after thawing out, I went downtown and bought hand warmers first (enough frostbite the last few days) and then a new plug and some truck fuses. The next several hours was spent wrestling with 7 frayed leads and set screws — plugged it in and…. nothing. I dug out the Ford manual, studied the fuse layout, and replaced a 20 amp fuse. Running lights! The right turn signal worked, left not. Aha, the fuse — I replaced it, tried again — nothing (but a blown fuse.) I knew I would have to take the plug apart again so I went to to warm up and have coffee. I wrestled the plug apart, got the left turn wire reconnected and carefully put it together. Tried it .. nothing. Oh yeah, the truck fuse was blown again. I took the cover plates off, found the fuse .. which was again blown, and replaced it. Finally, after about four hours plus, things were working.

By now, it was approaching mid-day and I had not been impressed with the road conditions during my earlier trip. We were tired, stressed out by the hassle, and decided to wait until tomorrow morning. The forecast is better, we’ll double-check everything once more tonight – and should be good to go. Now I’ve got to haul in some more snow-covered firewood and take Penny for a long walk. She’s been “clingy”, knowing something is up but not completely sure she’s going. She’ll go if we go — and tomorrow the internet/cable gets disconnected so we’ll be out of here.

I guess I’m glad that all my learning last year on systems and replacing stuff helped. However, doing electrical work in biting wind is above my pay grade. We need to get the Airstream, and ourselves, south pronto.

Getting The Airstream Home

After a Thanksgiving trip to Maryland sans Airstream, we returned for a week in Massachusetts to do some child care and retrieve the trailer.

Not surprisingly, mice had taken up residence in the ‘Stream, leaving little piles of insulation and droppings here and there. I had set traps but they weren’t tripped – in fact one had the peanut butter licked off and mouse “calling cards” all around. The dog was very interested in a wall where undoubtedly the culprit(s) resided.

With sub-freezing temperatures, staying in the trailer was more of a challenge but the new propane heater did a nice job. The dog and I stayed comfortable, especially at the end with the heating unit, but we were going through propane pretty fast.

I did a little birding (see my new vtbirder blog) and celebrated Mary’s 70th birthday with Jen and family. Watching the weather, we left for home a day early since snow was forecast for our original travel day.

It was cold and windy hooking up and of course, the trailer had not moved in several months. I noted that the right turn signal on the trailer was not working but decided to press on — it was daytime and the weather was clear.

Monday mid-day is a good time to travel. It seems like the trucks are still loading and there is mainly local traffic. We made good time up through New Hampshire in spite of pretty stiff winds. The Airstream handles wind quite well.

I noted a warning signal on the trailer brake controller – “H05” – but had no idea what it meant. (The manual was back home.) It would flit back to .C. for connected and then back but everything was handling ok so we pressed on. It was too bitterly cold to troubleshoot along the highway.

As we descended the final hill into Montpelier, the brakes started acting a little strange – grabbing a bit. I cautiously wove my way the last eight miles, wondering what condition our driveway would be in. Our road was rutted (from early thaws) and the driveway had several inches of snow, but there’s no way to pause — you make the sharp turn and start climbing. Saying “hang on” to Mary and the dog, I gunned it up in 4 wheel drive and while it was a little exciting, we made it up and around the large rock and were home.

With snow on the way, I got the Airstream blocked and unhitched and settled in place until we leave in mid-January for Southwest.

I believe that I have some shorting issues again in the pigtail connector. It’s way to cold (0 degrees this AM) to work on it right now but I need to pick a day where the temperatures moderate a bit and check it out. We don’t need failures like we had last year.

Winter Survival Kit


Carry a winter survival kit in your car/truck to include:

  • sleeping bag or blankets
  • flashlight & extra batteries
  • brightly colored cloth
  • sand or a bag of cat litter
  • shovel
  • candles and matches
  • non perishable high calorie foods, (nuts, raisins, and candy bars)
  • newspapers (for insulation)
  • a first aid kit
  • jumper cables
  • small, sharp knife
  • large plastic garbage bag
  • cell phone adapter to plug into lighter
  • tow cables or chain
  • road flares and reflectors

This kit is simple to make and could save your life — what else would you add?

adapted from: Ryeder’s Weblog photo by crazytale562