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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Less than a week

My lovely wife and I have less than a week to go before we wind our way southwards to Florida. The current plan is to leave on January 3. Of course, there’s enough flexibility in our schedule that I’d leave later rather than drive through an ice storm.

Once it became clear that we wouldn’t get the camper conversion completed in time, we decided to upgrade the old truck. It hasn’t been in this good a shape in over a year. Of course, all of this cost money we hadn’t planned on spending right now. Just what we needed around Christmas. Anyway, it just passed state inspection, so we are ready to roll.

One of my friends is going to give me a hand checking the bearings on the boat trailer. My long time readers may remember when we burned out a wheel bearing crossing the Everglades. That’s an adventure I’m in no hurry to repeat any time soon. At least I now have trailer towing insurance. Live and learn.

We have family staying with us for a few days. It will be great to connect with them before we hit the road. The only big downside to travel is that we miss our family and friends back home. On the plus side, we get to meet up with family and friends we haven’t seen in some months. If all goes well we may even scoot over to Texas to visit with some of my wife’s family. I actually get along with my in-laws, and not just because they live 2000 miles away.

The house needs a few things done before the house sitters move in. It’s a huge relief having house sitters. It can take half a day to shut the place down properly. Even so, there’s often something in need of repair when we get back.

I enjoy long road trips and endurance driving. I’m loading up on music, podcasts and audio books. I’m not a fast driver, especially while pulling a boat. I do stick with it, so in 24 hours, I can cover a lot of miles.

We’ve got to make a packing list for out trip, then get everything ready to go. It will be nice to sail Florida’s waters once more.

-Sixbears

8 comments:

  1. If you are coming to Texas, bring your passport to get in, Get your shots updated, Exchange your money at the Texas border.

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  2. Don't worry, I'm coming in through the easy way without checkpoints -though Mexico.

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  3. We welcome you...bring plenty of twenty dollar bills...

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  4. Please post lots of Florida pictures! Wish we were in the truck behind you all the way there.

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  5. Stephan: I'm afraid TX will be disappointed with my spending habits.

    Treesong: Will do, if at all possible.

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  6. Bearing Buddies. Get some! And I never pull a trailer over 65 MPH. When your bearings need replacing, get Timken bearings. They last. Also, I've found that synthetic bearing grease is the best. Repack bearings and replace your hub seals annually. This coming from a guy who maintains four gooseneck trailers running 10,000 lbs or more loaded, three tandem axle utility trailers, and a boat trailer. All of which regularly make round trips of up to 500 miles in a day...

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  7. Craig: Timken. Will keep that in mind. I do have Bearing buddies and keep them well greased. Salt water is brutal on them.

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  8. Safe journey, enjoy the sunshine.

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