Having recently returned home to our farm in Michigan after another winter sojourn to the Rotodome Ranch in Texas there is always something to ponder in retrospective.
We left Michigan again ready to hit the road and relax enroute to 6 months of working on the ‘Winter Place’. We still love traveling, but where Barb is ready to sell the farm in Kalkaska and build in Leakey, I am not so sure. Costs are rising every day and even although we can afford to do what we want, I don’t want to settle down just yet. I have loved the past 11 years. 2 trips to Alaska and Mexico, digging clams in Washington, prospecting for rubies and sapphires in Monday, the Redwood Forest, Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon, eating so very well in Louisiana, Mardis Gras, Chokecherry Festival, What the Hay, Luckenbach, Las Vegas, Reno, and boondocking in the desert for weeks in Quartzsite AZ. The list is endless. Even next year Barb is taking her best friend to Ireland on a ‘bucket list’ trip. I got to hunt black bears twice (unsuccessfully), Axis deer and Wild Hogs in Texas. We also got to spend about 8 months with Mom near the end. Memories.
I can’t help but think we’re giving that up if we cash in now. Of course, I’m now 70 and the clock still clicks if not a little faster. How many more campfires? Still lately, each winter in Texas has brought opportunities for long weekend trips to visit family, festivals, and famous diners, drive ins, and dives……lol. Barb did kill another Axis for our freezer, we got our cabin deck roof on, and got our Polaris Ranger.
We have owned 2 RVs to date. We loved our 29’ Keystone Cougar, but a storm put a large limb through the roof that made it ‘not so road worthy’.
Our next RV was a 35’ Rockwood Windjammer that was roomy and comfortable with all the bell and whistles. This RV is 6’ foot longer than our previous one but weighed 1000lbs. less. Alas, the ultralight. The weight loss comes from construction sacrifices and if the average person/family keeps this for, let’s say 5 years, they would very happy. We’ve had ours for 11 years. With this length of time, metal fatigue and the cheaper construction of wood, and aluminum framing very much comes into play. Our first large project was to repair the flooring. It is a very nice laminate but covers a framing of light weight aluminum and Styrofoam. The soft spots and even a break showed up quickly. They had to separate the superstructure from the frame and rebuild the entire flooring, include reinforcing the shower. There are still soft spots. We had to replace the power inverter, the cookstove ceiling fan, remount the back upper storage cabinetry unit on the ALCAN Hwy, the entire DVD/Stereo system, and the roof.
I upgraded tires from C load range to E on our first set, just for the strength of 10 ply radials. We always figured that even with the occasional repairs it would still be cheaper than a new RV. But the past 18 months have changed our way of thinking. On our way south 6 months ago, I cut a corner too closely at Scott AFB Fam Camp and put the right side into a 2’ ditch. It pretty much destroyed the rear steps, but the worst was still to come. When we arrived in Oklahoma, we discovered the rear axle had begun to fail and the passenger side rear wheel bearing had not only burned up but destroyed the entire drum assembly. The entire rear wheel was cantered out about 30 degrees. Luckily, there was a very good industrial trailer shop in town, and he was able to come out, get the old stuff out. He did also discover that the axle frame mount had broken and although he could weld this, there were no guarantees. Again, luckily the very factory that manufactures our axle was located 90 miles away. 2 weeks to order, build, and ship it us. This entire episode was simply my fault. I thank God it didn’t come apart on the road. I have always had difficulty with a 35’ unit. Cornering, backing, positioning, etc. is much more involved with a bumper pull unit. I learned, but still have my issues.
Our recent, most important concern began summer of 2023 when I noticed the passenger front wall mount on the RV was coming loose. I mean the mounts had failed and it was beginning to separate. I could actually see the inside of the wardrobe on that side. I got us in to camp, put some temporary sheet metal screws into it for the time being. The next week when I got to my best friend’s house in Wisconsin we got some metal, disassembled the leading edge wall edge and bound it back together with self tapping sheet metal screws and remounted the edge trim. For months this seemed to work just fine. However, on our return trip 2 weeks ago I discovered the wall was beginning to separate again as the screw holes had begun to tear out. Long aluminum frame beginning to shake itself apart. At our stop in Barb’s home town I got some self tapping sheet metal screws, and of course a new drill cause I left ours in Texas. Believe it or not, it began to fail 4 days later. We did make it home.
We decided then and there that we’re shopping for a new rig. All these episodes are documented throughout these blog chapters. If you put it into perspective……..over 100,000 miles, 2 trips to Alaska and Mexico on an RV that most folks keep about 5 years. We got our money’s worth out of it, but time to move on.
I really wouldn’t trade most of this for anything, part of the challenges of being retired travelers on the road. Stuff is gonna happen. My tool bin is very much improved, some new learned skills, and an appreciation of how much Barb can keep it together.
I am really not ready to watch the days from our front porch. I don’t mind the commute as long as I am able to do it. I still love our place in Michigan as well as our small hunting cabin ranchette in Texas. For this summer at the farm, we’re removing a large obnoxious cottonwood tree near the barn. This fall, Barb sets her sights on a nice black bear. Stay tuned for the 'RV Shopping' blog chapter.
“Do not go quietly into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
Dylan Thomas
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