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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

On the Road!

Yes, we woke up to clear blue skies (well, early morning dawning to the east) and all was a GO to head out!   After fortifying ourselves with coffee, we started to load up the last few freezable things... the tv, the computers, the cameras etc.  Plus the dogs!

Steve fired up the rig and that Cat was purring like a good kitty....  we idled in the yard a while as we finished up the last details, locking up and dropping off goodies to the neighbors who are going to be shoveling our snow.  (a couple paris of warm wool socks!)   It was frosty cold of 3 below zero when we got up.... and the poor dogs were trying to figure out how to raise all four paws at once from the frosty cold hard packed snow to pee quick and get in the motorhome.  They got their jobs done, and in they jumped, eager for a camping trip!

We were ready to roll by 7:30 a.m.

I drove the Tracker to the end of the driveway and put on my four way flashers.. when there was a break in the traffic I pulled out and blocked the two south bound lanes (we have a four lane road in front of our house) .   Steve backed down with the motorhome and out into the road and was able to get headed south without causing too much of a delay to the drivers waiting behind me.  I waved a friendly "thank you" to them, glanced at the house one more time and headed south!  

I had to mail out a DVD and drop off our mail-hold card at the post office, while Steve headed out on Main St. which is highway 151.   I caught up with him at the edge of town in front of the high school so we could hook up the Tracker to the tow bar behind the motorhome.  We double checked each other's hookup jobs, and checked the lights and tow bar levers.  Now I could finally hop in the rig and head into my passenger seat.  

We have the Wave 8 catalytic heater going in the living area of the motorhome, plus the dash heater blasting full from the front on us, and we closed the back doors the bathroom and bedroom to make the space smaller and easier to heat.

Hwy 151 was all ice covered and slippery as we headed along the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago.  The winds were calm, which at least made it somewhat easier to maneuver.   If it had been as windy as the day before. we would have delayed our departure.
Yup.. these are the kinds of roads we deal with every day in Wisconsin in the winter....

The dogs were sooooo happy to head out, they curled up in their "spots" and went right back to sleep!
Actually, our dogs own our motorhome and we are just here to serve them and drive them to new places to sniff!  Especially when it gets green and warm and sandy and wonderful for the dogs as we head south.  I remember one year coming back from Florida... the noon "potty break" for the dogs was sunny and warm and green grass before they took a long long afternoon snooze.  The final "potty break" that night was in a Walmart lot in Indiana with snow piled up and ice all over.... they looked around like: "HEY.. WHAT KIND OF DIRTY TRICK DID YOU  PULL ON US????"   Sometimes, I feel the same way coming home.

Steve is happy to report all systems are on track, all items functioning properly and his VmSpc computer panel is keeping him informed of all data as we drive.  (Sorry, had to rub it in, Mel)



He really enjoys driving his "rig" and has a very comfortable seat to cruise along.  We can go for many miles without feeling tired.  It's kinda like sitting in two easy chairs, watching the scenery pass in front of the huge picture windows up front.  A lot less tiring than travelling in a car, for sure.

Although  we wanted to stop in and see our friends Juanita and Norm at the weaving studio near Beloit, we are facing a time-crunch to get as far south as we can to avoid a storm coming from the west around Nebraska and coming across Missouri.  So we figured we should keep on going and see if we come back this way.  Juanita has been working on a special project for me, and I had hoped to pick it up on the way through.  But we are thinking of the ice storm heading across Illinois and we hope to be far south of it before it hits.

We found bare pavement once we got further south, and hit the Illinois border (139 miles) by 10:30 a.m.  And now an hour later we are pulling off into a rest area to run the Tracker through it's gears (needs to be done every 200 miles)   let the doggers out and make some late breakfast/early lunch.  

Boy--- waysides sure have changed over the years.  I remember as a kid, we were lucky to find a pit toilet, picnic table and a big bonus if there was a water pump!   Pretty elaborate for travelling nowadays....

I snapped a few pics here that would make an RV owner want to cry..... 
 danged Wisconsin Road Salt! 




and look at our poor Tracker!!!!!

I think we need to find a Blue Beacon Truck Wash sometime soon, hey?   

Back on the road again here and travelling south. No more snow to be seen, and the sunshine  is coming in so bright that I had Steve turn down the dash heat... plus we turned off the catalytic heater too.  It's a comfy 70 degrees inside and up to 30 outside.  What a change from 3 below this morning... brrrrrrr










17 comments:

  1. The rest stop is the one I stop at each trip to MI, too.....I'd try and say it is always for our Copper, but I'd be lying. ;)

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  2. The best of both worlds... Hope you have a great trip! We always enjoy your blog posts!

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  3. I know what you mean, about driving the MH is easier, less tiring, than driving a car. I feel the same. Non-RV people always ask if it is scary to drive my MH and wouldn't it be easier to just stay in a hotel..... I feel sorry for them. As soon as I get behind the wheel, I am totally relaxed. No other vehicle, that I have ever driven, is the same.

    Safe Journey!!

    Sheila :)

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  4. Have a WONDERFUL trip south where it is WARM! :-)

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  5. WOW!...Your rig and Tracker really got covered with salt spray and road dirt.

    As you know, we drove basically the same route two weeks ago, (in the opposite direction).
    We drive in rain and sleet in Illinois, snow in Wisconsin.
    Our coach picked up a lot of ice, (on the front, sides and underneath), in the last 300 miles.
    Luckily it was in the high 30s for two days after we got home and it all melted and ran off.
    Our coach does not look nearly as bad as yours...
    It's hard to see that it's dirty at all from our kitchen window, 50-60' away, (even in the morning when the sun is shining on the curb side).
    I assume that is because most of our 300 miles of driving in snow was before most roadways where
    plowed or salted.
    (We took the Saturn through a car wash to get the ice off, so I can't say how bad it would have looked).

    Have fun!
    Mel

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  6. Safe Travels! I prefer driving my RV to driving a car. Where are you headed? Texas? South Padre is great if you love beaches. I also love Mustang Island the the Rockport area.

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    1. We are not sure yet where we are going... someone on our Safari list just offered us a plane ride over New Orleans if we head that way!
      Might meander along the Gulf???
      Might go deep down into Texas?
      Might end up over by the folks in Florida?

      It's only the first day and we don't need to be home till March 30!

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  7. It is a cool, cloudy day down here in Cut & shoot, Texas. I don't think it will get over 60 today. But I bet it is better than way up north (grin). The rest of the week is suppose to fairly warm. Where exactly are you heading? BTW, we had a Cat that pushes our motorhome, too. Me and it have been purring, saying we want to hit the road.

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  8. Safe Travels! If you come through Jefferson City Missouri, HONK!!!

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  9. Craig seems to get a crick in his neck after awhile. I have no problem. We spell each other every hour or so. I think he should adjust the seat, but he doesn't seem bothered until it's just before my turn to drive. I love to drive and would rather be driving than sitting i n the passenger seat.

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  10. Hope you make it all the way without running in to any bad stuff. The storm coming across Nebr. has slowed down and the worst won't hit until tomorrow before it moves on east & north. You will be past it by then. Safe travels.

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    1. Oh thanks... we are almost to Kentucky now and will turn on the weather when we stop to make supper. Not sure if we are going to keep on driving or hole up for the night. Wunderground weather still said ice pellets and wind tomorrow in Paducah.. so wondering if we should keep heading south. Almost 500 miles under our belts now... and we usually only like to do 200-300 in a day. whew!

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  11. That's a LONG driving day . . . and a lot of salt! tom would be making himself sick over the salt! :) Hope you have a safe trip to wherever you end up! The weather in southern Florida is beautiful!

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  12. Great news that you're on the road, even if a lot of the road is on your MH and tracker. It can only get better the further south you go.

    We're along for the ride, too and you don't have to stop for any potty breaks for us! ;c)

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  13. glad your on the road. Just being in the MH relaxes me. If you come through Arkansas give us a holler. Enjoy!

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  14. Maybe east TN will be on your list of places to see--We are a little over an hour away from Pigeon Forge!! Have a great trip!!

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  15. What would we do without Blue Beacon? They wash rather than clean so we don't let them wax but it sure is an improvement.

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