Here I am, sitting in front of my laptop on Vivian the Class C RV in a park in western North Carolina. How did I come to be here?
Not All About the ‘Vid
I moved to Washington, DC in August of 1990. That’s 32 years ago to you & me. I came to DC to go to college, because, at the time, I thought International Relations was the coolest thing since sliced bread. After receiving my degree, I dutifully started working in the IR sector, for a not-for-profit trade association specializing in U.S.-Turkish relations. To say I hated it was an understatement. I moved on to work for another not-for-profit organization specializing in international education (a euphemism for a government contractor specializing in administering USG educational programs). Did I hate that job? You bet your ass I did.
If you want to work for the Top Dogs in International Relations in DC you needed 2 things: networking skills and an advanced degree. What dawned on me, as I struggled to find my footing, was that I disliked people. Additionally, after taking the GRE exam, I realized another 2-4 years of schooling was not for me, either.
I found myself in the late 90’s trying out a new career field – the dot com. I enjoyed the work and the people, but the industry and the company I worked for were brand new and unstable. Within about 5 years, the market, bless it, had weeded out the weak and unprofitable, including the company I worked for.
This is when I started to hate DC. I began dreaming of my escape. I was done with crowds and noise and city living. I tried to “sell” full-time telework to every subsequent employer, with little success. I also pursued work outside DC in places like Vermont, New Hampshire, Colorado, and Alaska. But jobs in my line of work were few and far between, and salaries were untenable ($30k/year to manage the entire online presence for Copper Mountain Ski Resort? Yeah, no.)
Which brings us to…
The ‘Viddening
In March of 2020, when I left my cubicle study carrel, I had no idea it would be one of the last times I would see the office in person. I was expecting a few weeks of home work, then back to the routine of commuting 3x/week. Having worked in government for so long, I should have known better.
Fast forward to April 2021. I had been spending way too much time in my shithole condo, which was now under contract to be sold to a developer. I would be homeless as of May 2022*. The pandora’s box had been opened, and after a full year of keeping things running while not being in an office, I called a meeting with my bosses and pretty much told them I would not be coming back. They agreed with whatever would keep me on board.
Now, where the fuck am I supposed to live?
There’s No Place Like Home
As I began to consider my options, many ideas came to mind. Pre-‘Vid, when the condo sale became a reality, I had considered moving to Crystal City in Arlington, VA. There was an older apartment building with reasonable rents that had insanely excellent views of Runway 19 at DCA airport. Then along came Amazon and their Zod-forsaken “HQ East”, slated for – you guessed it – Crystal City. Scratch that idea.
Post-‘Vid, I started thinking more broadly. I knew by the fall of 2020 that going back to the office was not going to happen anytime soon, and that I could probably parlay the situation into full-time remote work and keep my current job.
The problem was, there was nowhere I really wanted to live (aside from some unaffordable and slightly pinko ski towns like Jackson, WY or Frisco, CO).
So why not live everywhere and nowhere? What about an RV?
I’m a Classy Broad
The RV idea was serious business from the jump. I started researching what was suitable and feasible. Would it be a 5th wheel? TT (travel trailer for the uninitiated)? Class A? Class B? Class C?
Anything I would need to tow was out of the question, as it would involve getting a large pickup with good towing capacity. We all know how easy & cheap trucks are these days, right?
My tiny Nissan Versa would lend itself well to being a tow-behind “dinghy”, so I settled on a Class C or a small Class A as being the most desirable for my needs.
One problem: half the disgruntled city dwellers in the U.S. had the same idea. RVs were getting expensive and hard to find in the summer of 2021. I was looking at nearly $100k for a gently-used, low-mileage Class C. Discouraged, I started planning to move into my dad’s basement until something more permanent came along.
Then, on my cruise to the Caribbean in late March, my dad and I spoke, and the RV idea came roaring back. I believe this was due to the fact that his wife is a pill and wasn’t too keen on my staying in her house for several months. Fine by me.
I started looking at RV Trader again. Within a day or so, I saw one. It was a 31′ Class C, private seller. The size was right, the mileage was right, the interior was right. My dad drove to Charlotte to have a look, and by the end of the day I owned Vivian the Class C RV.
*delayed until December 2022. Just hope it doesn’t fall through.
You’ve sparked my curiosity — what’s the difference between classes A, B, and C?
https://rvshare.com/blog/rv-classes/
I skimmed it: pretty close
school buses have a similar scale
Thanks! My family (mom, dad, 3 kids) traveled with a camper on a 3/4 ton pickup truck. Pretty much ruined that form of vacation for me. I know dad considered bus conversions, but bailed on the idea fairly quickly, probably due to gas mileage, but perhaps also the commercial driver’s license.
Yeah, no.
Oh, I had all but forgotten about my interview at Mammoth Mountain post dot-com bust (and pre DoD). Nice people, great environment, lousy pay and untenable housing.
“But you get a season pass!!!1!!11!!”
OK, so $32k/year
It really is amazing that ski resorts manage to stay open at all–they live on the finest of financial razor edges.
I don’t have a clue how they stay solvent. Maybe the advent of the mega-ski-corporation is a good thing.
The problem with the mega ski corps is that they force their management style onto the smaller ski areas and it doesn’t really scale. I have seen a lot of good lift mechanics quit because of the change in atmosphere.
Many have moved towards year-round operation and the Forest Service has actually been helpful. Alpine coasters, zip lines and mountain biking helps. I work with small and big areas. Sometimes I might adjust pricing based on the size of the area.
Copper is BIG for mountain biking. And golf, IIRC
https://bikeportland.org/2022/05/06/mt-hood-skibowl-suspends-bike-operations-due-to-lawsuit-verdict-353341
Scratch that – not even $32k – the job I interviewed for was year-round and a ski pass is only good for 4 months-ish (going by a late Nov opening and mid-April closing)
Charlotte
A lot of RV are built on FCCC chassis built in Gaffney SC, basically CLT, one of a host of Daimler truck plants in that area.
The Tiffin guys are great. Most other RV are built in northern IN. It’s a very cyclical industry, sooooooooooooooo:
There’s an RV badge I hate.
Company A goes bankrupt (that’s what they all do regularly) without paying for 200 of compressors Y and Z which I designed only for them.
Company B, an old client I don’t much care for, either, buys A; sends RFQ for compressors Y and Z.
Don prices them at $5X subject to review after a year.
Company B goes berserk and issues every threat other than the mortal one.
Don deletes all such correspondence and continues supporting the rest of B’s needs.
Company C, pretty much a garbage firm, suddenly sends RFQ for Y and Z.
Don prices them at $6X subject to review after a year.
Company C has the class to laugh: you got me!
2008 happens; Don’s great-grandboss, grandboss, colleague, and boss are fired; Don the Handy is retained for another eight months.
Friend of Don’s new grandboss needs a job: Don is fired.
exeunt stage right
There’s a Tiffin Class C in the park right now. First Tiffin I’ve seen in the wild.
It looks cool. Too small for me, but not bad.
What do you wind up doing as a permanent address / mail drop?
I’m sure people do multiple things depending on relatives and the like.
I’m using my dad’s address, but there are mail services in income-tax-free states – mainly TX, FL, & SD. Escapees seems to be the most popular
That is interesting!! Must be enough demand for it. 🙂
Lots of RV parks here in Pahrump and the greater Mojave. I’ve met lots of couples and a few singles who sold their houses and bought nice RVs and just travel as they please. Most are retired, so the telework isn’t an issue for them.
Some of the RVs are deluxe, some more modest. Some of the parks are deluxe, and some are nice, affordable Moose-lodge owned ones. Moose has a nationwide network of RV parks, some free.
I’m excited for you!
Look for a movie called “Nomadland” starring Frances McDormand…
That movie wrecked me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3aGZZueg08
I came in like a wrecking ball…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2FRPA3Gf8
You Wreck Me…
lahhhhhhhk you do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWtasjIdSjY
Dude needs more chin whiskers to stroke.
/pathetic
more opinions:
lots of RV have HVAC problems because they are woefully undersized; most of the time this is manifest by inadequate humidity removal and, therefore, mold and must and stank
I really like Dometic units. They are not custom, but they are simple, fairly complete and standalone, and, when you have a problem, a service shop can just swap in a good one and you’re down the road instead of weeks waiting on parts / vacation ruined
So who makes the best trailers?
sorry that I don’t know about them
I’ve built, designed, and sold a ton of mobile HVACR, self-propelled stuff: where the compressor is engine-driven and the condenser is usually cooled by the engine fan
I live in my Kia Sedona, not an RV but its home,
The company you worked for in the 90’s goes bankrupt. Then? Miss, there seems to be a little gap in your work history.
me?
No. KK.
See paragraph 4….
Exactly.
“ I found myself in the late 90’s trying out a new career field – the dot com. I enjoyed the work and the people, but the industry and the company I worked for were brand new and unstable. Within about 5 years, the market, bless it, had weeded out the weak and unprofitable, including the company I worked for.”
Quit the job in the late 90’s or worked for 5 years after that? Either, what happened after that?
I went to DC once but I don’t think we visited the ‘suck my ass’ monument. Is that new?
I’ve gone to DC 3x.
The first time cured me of wanting to be a politician (high school page).
The second turned me off of my fellow man (Holocaust Museum)
I’m still not sure what to think about the 3rd time.
Your story is so fun and it was cool watching it unfold on these pages. It’ll be great to see it all synthesized into this article series. Thanks for (re)sharing!
Yeah, this is an interest life hack.
or, “interesting”
Honey Harvest is coming up. Maybe you need to bring your dope-ass portable domicile (this is my domicile! /Breaking Bad) to Northern Minnesoda!
One of the things I like about sailboat live-aboard life is how they find nooks and crannies to store everything. What cool hacks have you found?
Command strips & hooks are my new best friend. Probably wouldn’t work on a boat because of the humidity, but apparently 3M makes hardier ones. I actually have a TON of available storage at this point.
I wish I could make HH this year, but I likely won’t be going west until next spring. I will very likely pass through Duluth to see bigass ships on my way out to Colorado. We can talk about a mini Glibmeet! Maybe I can pass through central MN for HH next Sept on my way back east (if I come back east – I may want to stay close to the Rockies)
Hit me up.
Are we doing phrasing anymore?
Never.
Besides, it’s Ring Me Up.
Fo sho
There’s an amazing number of shitty songs titled “Hit Me Up”. Ted has an embarrassment of riches.
Come Hit Me Up – Gia Farrell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f5wqTtcBNo
Yup. That’s one of them I saw.
There are a few of us in CO. You coming for Keystone?
I’m looking at Breckenridge or Estes Park. Altitude Makes the Difference©
Estes if you are staying for awhile. Funky little town and RMNP a couple minutes away.
I think this is so cool. Good for you; I fantasize about the RV life but alas, with a 17 month old it’s not really feasible.
Thanks, KK, for the interesting bio and update. I’m not a person for a life on wheels but back when I used to work I was being sent hither and yon, with the instructions of “Stay as long as it takes”. I went to Berkeley with a suitcase, got kind of wound up after 5 weeks and left one of my Mpls employees to finish up. On the way out of town my boss said, “Why don’t you go to Seattle and take a look at Julian’s operation? Stay a few days if necessary”. A couple days later I was on my way back to the TC and relayed on to my boss that Seattle looked a lot different that I expected and not in a favorable way.
I spent a lot of time on the road, 50K driving miles a year. I had a good boss that left me alone and I didn’t want to disappoint him.
Prairie Dog go *boom*
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oSe8N0jBXhs&feature=youtu.be
That is 100% awesome.
I might go fishing and see if I can find a .223 Thompson Contender, that isn’t too rusty. The new Barnes stuff looked interesting. Worked well on the video
My deer hunting buddy, who has more money than Gawd hisself (he married a specialist gynecologist), loves his Thompsons.
That’ll help keep bubonic plague down.
Is bubonic plague spread by aerosols? because it might not help in that case
I often think of getting a class B, and strapping a bicycle to the back. I like the idea of it only being a longer van with a higher roofline, as that is pretty easy to maneuver like a normy (I have driven 24′ box trucks in downtown city environments before, and can even parallel park them. But, fuck that) But I want easy access to a shitter, and the ability to not have to worry about finding a 50′ landing spot for an RV with tow-behind is pretty nice. But I realize I am not like a lot of people in this, I am cool with small places.
I mention this to the wife, and she looks at me and asks “Do you think you can get a date in that? ‘Cause you are going to need to be looking for another wife at that point.”
4 KK.
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/7d/77/d1/7d77d18b60dbfba1e68ff9406456cde8.jpg
And:
https://archive.ph/657fD/0c15f4d6c9a30f7c76dc66e5a60f1fb410d1bf13.jpg
https://archive.ph/vZvIE/89ecd258a1b6503f72b25b6f1356ae05b4235049.webp
NSFW.
https://thumbs2.redgifs.com/SquigglySophisticatedHoopoe-mobile.mp4#t=0
NSFW.
https://thumbs2.redgifs.com/WhimsicalUnusedBrahmanbull-mobile.mp4#t=0
NSFW.
Yeesh
Yeah, bit ridiculous.
Jesse doesn’t know what he’s missing.
He’s aight – the slight belly is fine but could be bigger
(I just realized I’m the goddamn female Tres Cool)
*flails arms around, choking on beer*
*spit take*
Sis!
KK,
Are RV parks like cruise ships, in that the longer you have been “on board,” the more seniority you get to claim?
LOL no idea – those kinds of social things more often than not go way over my head
So cool!
I’ll never do it, but I have sufficient truck to pull a decent trailer.
Cheers, KK!
Anecdote:
My girlfriend’s friends bought a 5th wheel RV (they don’t even own a truck) 8 years ago for $8k. A tree fell on it and the insurance company totaled it. Their payout was over $24k. They cut down the rest of the trees at the campground and bought a much larger RV with the proceeds.
I’m listening to plinky-plunky rain on the roof. I love it.
The temperature here has gone from a high of 93 deg F to 81 deg F. Humidity is still above 50%.
/I NEED an air conditioner!
/FUCK global warming!
NOAA shows 89% for you. 94% here. There’s a system coming through tonight/tomorrow. I hope it clears out this fucking humidity.
Down to 80º/83% here.
But I have AC and it’s running non-stop for the next week.
/I dislike summer
Man, it hit 109 F today. Right after work I got in the community pool. Oddly, no-one else was there for once. It’s dark out and still 101 F.
Oddly
There’s nothing odd about it. It’s bath water and I don’t understand why anybody would bother having a pool down here.
/Yankee who’s used to pools being cold and refreshing
I am very used to Texas pools. I personally find them refreshing. And yes it was bath water hot today. Aaaahh. Maybe everyone around me now is a Yankee?
I’m just kidding (kinda). We went swimming yesterday and it was a helluva lot better than being outside and not swimming. I also appreciate that I can just get in the water rather than spending 5 minutes acclimating and extracting my balls from my torso.
Texas pools
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/balmorhea
I think Balmorhea is 75F year-round; I’ve swum in it in August and January. I don’t know it’s history, but I have this image of Apache crying as they retreat from it.
I’m gonna file this comment away and ask you about it in January.
Didn’t you guys have a major winter blizzard only 3 months ago?
Yes. And the next one is just around the corner.
Ha! I’ve camped in the UP a lot in my life, since I can remember. There’s been multiple times where we camped and fished in snow in mid September. Summer is from about June 20 – August 10th. After that, I ALWAYS bring long johns and heavy jackets if camping no matter what the weather forecasters say. They’ve been woefully wrong many times. And you jabronis are further north than the area I’m talking about.
In Wyoming and Montana, I have been snowed on in all 12 months in towns. It is a nice feature.
The wife and I are definitely doing the same in about 5 years when the kid is out of school. Looking forward to updates from the road! It’s awesome you are doing this.
lol. I was just ahead of you and applied to the DC schools for the same thing though I ended up going west instead. I did a summer during college, living at GWU while I was an intern for Sen Domenici and that was enough to cure me of DC.
RV design (like boats) can be so great with such clever uses of space. Not sure I would live in one full time since I had quite enough of my parents’ trailer when I was a kid, but I love to look at them.
Well, this is a pain in the ass, Google Maps on my phone is not working in Fairbanks.
My ex-wife eventually hooked up with a guy with a truck and trailer home. They have a home base in Alabama near the gulf and travel whenever they want to.
My current wife has talked about getting some kind of RV, primarily because when we’re on the road and she needs a bathroom, she wants it sooner rather than later.
We had similar plans when I retired 4 years ago. We even considered selling the house and living the RV lifestyle.
We purchased a 31ft Class A in July of 2020. We were lucky to find exactly what we were looking for and were told during our search that “Covid closed down all the RV manufacturing.”
We installed a tow system on my Jeep and made a few trips to Montana and Michigan.
After two years our plans were changed. We sold our rig a month ago and were lucky to only take a $3k loss on the value. Like used cars the RV market suffers from lack of inventory.
Several things were involved in our decision.
Fighting the winds was an effort. Sometimes I could barely hold it between the lines. An oncoming truck would feel like it knocked us 2ft sideways.
In a big RV you are driving a truck, with truck suspension. I have realized that many of the nation’s roads are in terrible shape. I would often fear bending a rim or breaking a spring. The worst in our experience were in Illinois, with Michigan a close second.
Biden’s gas prices were the nail in the coffin. At best I could average about 7MPG. If we were to take the RV to SP’s memorial I would be looking at $3k in gas alone.
That’s our experience, I hope yours, KK, is better. Sorry to be a Daddy Downer.
My bottom lip just got ready for someone to leap off of it.
OT but Speaking of life on the road – on the way back from the honey harvest, I was thinking of visiting the upper pennesula of michigan. Any recommendations? Also, what parts of michigan should I avoid on the drive down to Ohio way?
Lucky you! MikeS is about to drop an article on that very thing!
Any idea when?
No, but I think I have both of your emails. You cool with me sending him yours?
MikeS has my email. We’ve had conversations about milling and machining.
That reminds me I meant to ask him how to use an edge finder.
I’ll email it to you.
Thank you.
I think you’ll KNOW when you find the edge of the hole, UCS!
/standard edge-finder joke.
I sent it to Tonio a couple hours ago. So hopefully soon. It’s over 1600 words and 9 photos…not sure if that makes it a multi-part or not. Still should be all wrapped up with plenty of time for HH.
One note, it’s focused on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Depending on your timeline that may be too much of a side-trip for you…
I have to figure out how many driving days I need to get home by the end of my vacation to figure out how much time I have in the area.
Actually, a quick search drops a lot of the copper mines on Keweenaw, so I might specifically be in that area (I have a tendency to visit mines and mining museums.)
If you like mines, the Keweenaw is the mother load.
Dammit. Lode.
LOL. All I hear is Sean Connery.
“I gave your mother the load, Trebek”
Michigan.
If you are cutting across the UP on US 2, there is an Iron Ore mine in Iron Mountain that I think has tours. Another 50 or so miles up the road is the Humungus Fungus in Crystal Falls.
https://absolutemichigan.com/michigan/michigans-humongous-fungus/
My Grandpa was an iron ore miner in Iron River, MI which is just past Crystal Falls. You can stop and say hi to my parents as you pass through.
From Iron River on US 2, head another 70-80 miles west and you hit Iron Wood, MI where my great grandpa was an iron ore miner. In between Iron River and Iron Wood is one stop sign in Watersmeet. There is a really cool waterfall about 15 miles out of your way called Bond Falls. Another cool waterfall relatively close by is Agate Falls. Watersmeet has the coolest mascot name, the Nimrods. Iron Wood has the largest artificial ski jump in the world, Copper Peak. Lots of crazy Finlanders in Iron Wood.
It would be a bit strange for me to say hi to your parents as I’ve never spoken to them even online.
I was just kidding. If you take the southern route through the UP, I can maybe help with some other ideas such as food or lodging. I’ve spent a lot of time up there visiting relatives, camping, skiing, and snowmobiling.
I’m open to suggestions, though I suspect my timeline will only be a couple of days.
It’s mostly just wilderness. Aside from the things I mentioned, another really cool place to hike and catch some views is the Porcupine Mountains, specifically Lake of the Clouds. Mike’s got a lot of the Kewenaw Penninsula covered, which would be on the northern route through the UP. Another really cool sightseeing attraction is Pictured Rocks on Lake Superior just east of Marquette, MI.
Another cool area to explore, although it way be too much out of your way, is the north shore of Lake Superior, which follows the coastline north of Duluth. It’s another very scenic area.
When you start figuring out a plan, I can maybe help with some lodging or food suggestions.
I visited the north shore when I circumnavigated the great lakes. Saw the canadian side and came down the US span after reintering the country. I got some very nice pictures of that area.
*reentering.
Dammit, I should get some sleep.
G’night everyone.
When I was in the UP a couple of months ago, I stayed at the Landmark in Marquette. Because it was a weeknight in the off-season, I got an excellent suite for around $100. There is a pub on the main floor and a rooftop bar. Also, I found an excellent hipster breakfast joint on the main drag.
When I went to go over the Mackinac Bridge, it had ice dropping, so it was shut down. So, I backtracked through Wisconsin and Chicago. I kinda fell in love with the UP.
This Landmark?
Yep.
Got invited to this, but I unexpectedly shot my travel wad 3 weeks ago.
Interesting, but the timing means I won’t have passed Ohio by the time it ends. :/
Random Find
“My gun needs more gun. Here’s a baby gun.”
fetal but full term
All I can think of is SugarFree.
What we’ve got here is a failure to Firsticate.
Some men, you just can’t beat
So you get what we had here last week
Which is the way he wants it
Well, he gets it
And I don’t like it anymore than you seconders.
That ditch is Boss Kean’s ditch. And I told him that first in it’s your first. What’s your first doin’ in his ditch?
Your just standing in the rain, firsting to yourself.
I’m curious why you went into International Relations and then hated the jobs that degree gave you. I know lots of people who changed majors after a year or two (or three) of college, but only a few who got their degree in a major and then hated their jobs in that profession. [I’m not talking about those who couldn’t get a job using their essentially useless major.] Several such acquaintances were ex-lawyers who realized the tv shows unrealistically glamorized the profession. Is it lack of counseling as to what entry level jobs will be like? Or not trying out a job as an intern? Or, as with the lawyers, getting a totally skewed impression about a profession from seeing it dramatized on tv? Or your college professors pushing you through with words of encouragement, even though they may secretly feel you are unsuited for that profession? Follow your passion, maybe, but why does actually working in the position you aspired to suck all the passion out of you?
Heh, I’m reading your first couple of sentences and instantly thought “lawyers”, which you got to shortly thereafter.
I know a bunch of people with law degrees, only a couple of which practice law.
Yep, I had a karate teacher who was in law school after an IR bachelors.
My parents had one of those all silver metal mobile home type things that you tow. Out of the 60’s. They got it after they retired. They’re both gone now. Should find out what they did with it cuz it looked pretty cool in the pics I saw.
Airstream. They are fucking cool.
I’ve read the quality of modern ones are poor.
Yes. That thing. It looked mint in the pics. Bet they left it to my nitwit brother.
Sounds like an Airstream.
If it’s an Airstream, it’s worth some money.
Boo ya.
I see some Chinooks sometimes. Given the street widths here, that’s about as big as you’d want. The Tacozilla sounds like a goal for me.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lsi4NyszFlI
Cool story, sis.
I think I’m over my infatuation with #vanlife. Just got bombarded by a bunch of “I’m quitting van life and this is why” vids. The bitterness in their voices kinda hit me over the head.
Also? I might be a marginal minimalist, but what things I have, I do not want to get rid of. In other words, I have purged as much as I’m going to. I want bookshelves with books, dammit!
With all the modern tech available, you can live a minimalist in the physical world and still have everything you truly need.
I do a lot of handicrafts. I may be able to pare down to needs, but my I will have no joy in my life.
Thats where I’m at.
Where would I have a work bench, or a play area for my miniatures? I guess if i bought a class A that would be technically feasible. But there is no way my wife would go for this either. XD
wut
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-35262535
He’s gong for the world record! Gonna be tough to compete with genghis khan though
That got a laugh, good work Negroni.
*sigh*
I wish that was me.
You see a lot of trailering and RV setups at the racing circuit during a Track Day weekend. The groups are roughly:
1) Drive your track car to the track. No additional cost required, but it sure sucks if you break something important on your car.
2) Put the car on a trailer and tow it behind a pickup or SUV. Saves miles on your track car, spares your arse a bit of pain (stiff suspensions and long road trips don’t mix well). Ensures you won’t have to make that “Hi, Honey…” phone call if you have an oopsie on the track.
3) Tow the trailer behind a big-ass Class A RV. Makes for a comfortable place to relax between races or driving sessions, and you’re already at the track when you roll out of bed in the morning.
4) That Guy With All The Toys. His 5th wheel complete with garage wasn’t big enough for him, so he got a ToterHome. We all feigned sympathy when he complained about the cost of diesel driving his rig from Orlando to Birmingham and back. To be fair, $1300 would make me wince, too.
I was expecting a Showhauler…
Corolla just has a dualie to haul his (multimillion dollar) classics to the track, but has talked about some of the crazy rigs that show up for those races.
It needs a Robin Leach voice over.
My buddy has gone through groups 1 through 3 as he went from street car to 7 second blown alcohol dragster.
Right now, I’m still in Group 2.
I can’t make the math work to get to Group 3. I figure if I do about 10 Track Days annually (mostly 3-day events), that’s 30 days of midrange hotels or AirBnbs. At say, $150/night, that’s decades worth of stays before I spent the scratch to even get a used Class A. Of course, RVs can be used for more than just hauling the car to the track, but the costs and compromises involved just don’t work for me at this time.
Shit, internal server error, I’ll try this again.
The math is probably the same for a lot of RV/camper use but it’s hard to put a price on having your own personal space come along with you.
My buddy is able to be in group 3 because he is a damn good engine builder and is an owner/operator of a performance automotive machine shop and gets a lot of good trade deals.
Dafuq did I just watch?
Hell, that’s not even the apex of conspicuous consumption when it comes to those guys. Say you’re a C-suite type or mega-successful business owner in your neck of the woods, and want to take your race car out for a stretch at, say, Watkins Glen. Sure, you could load up the toter home and make the 16 hour drive each way, but that costs time, and time is money.
There are services out there who will come to your home, load up your track car in their semi, drive it to the track for you, and provide all the trackside support you need over the weekend (spare slicks, keeping the car gassed up, suspension tweaks, you name it). You can whistle up a NetJet or fly your own plane to Elmira-Corning Airport, and just show up to the track, hop in your car, and drive. When you’re done, you just hop back on your plane and go home. Your car will rejoin you in a day or two.
Of course, when you’re me*, you just put a lift in your trailer so you can have your track car as well as your tooling-around-town car.
*not really me
8 years ago, after my dad passed we bought a late 80s class C with low miles for something like $6000. Now I’m interested in maybe getting a small class B just to cruise around by myself. Nothing under 10K. (Class C is what you see in KK’s pic, Class B is just a bit bigger than a camper van, about the size of the short bus I’m assuming most of us rode)
There seem to be no small number of companies that do RV-style buildouts from commercial cargo vans, mostly the Ram Promaster.
Of course, if you really want to big-time it, try an Airstream customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (hint: bring money).
Yeah, and all more expensive than building a house round here. I want a toy, not a second mortgage. (Well, I don’t have first mortgage, but still)
Day four in the plague house – Judi is not getting better and her brood are trying their damndest to make us take on the problem of Senor Meth-Boy. No, no and fucking NO! We have room in this wee house for one dog, one cat and one drunk. Anything more than that would be a catastrophe. I finally got pissed off enough to call the ringleader and tell her to leave her Mom alone for a week or so. I’m a hard man when I need to be. Most people forget that. Oh yeah, still no Covid symptoms.
Stay strong Festus, we’re counting on YOU to make Canada
GreatPassable as a knock off of America Again!Most of us just consume stuff. We’re not so different world-wide. I finally asked the eldest daughter to leave me in peace. Let me have my last few years for myself. Maybe I’ll write the Great Canadian Novel. Maybe I’ll just tumble down the front steps. Who knows?
If any any of them step-daughters are single in their 30s, not mothers, and want a Green Card, there is at least one lonely man to help them out and get them out of your hair.
A brave man, willing to bite the bullet for his comrade. 😛
Maybe I’ll write the Great Canadian Novel
Featus, the Ewan McTeagle of the Great White North? Looking forward to it!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R62giN_56z0
One of my favorites. Here’s the whole bit.
Thanks! That’s the clip I was looking for.
YouTube scrubbed a bunch of Python clips. I dont know if someone was pissy about copyrights or what.
KK, I’m so fucking happy for you! I lived in an RV for ten years off and on but it was more of a nightmare than a dreamscape. No running water, no toilet, no electric unless you ran the engine. It was like living in a hard topped tent. Every time it got parked on the Rez, someone would break in. Your situation however sounds fine and dandy! If I were a single fellow I know exactly what I would do. Me, a cat, a small dog and a yen for adventure. Roll those miles, KK!
Neat article, but not the lifestyle for me.
Morning Glibs.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/sinkhole-swallows-van-in-the-bronx-following-new-york-city-deluge/vi-AAZJ60d
Wait for it…
Ha. Those storms sailed just north of me. I got to fetch my vapes and booze after work in some drizzle. *grumble*
https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/late-show-staffers-arrested-at-capitol-wont-be-prosecuted/
Uh huh.
It’s all political bullshit and everyone who isn’t a shit for brains moron knows it’s all political bullshit.
https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2022/07/18/toys-r-us-is-coming-back-soon-itll-be-almost-everywhere/
Back from the dead.
Morning Glibs.
suh’ fam
whats goody
Useless fact- Orville Redenbacher played tuba in the Purdue marching band.
Good morning, homey, U, Sean, and Stinky!
Kongrats, KK! Your adventure sounds like a blast! I’m still partial to Aliners, though I don’t know that I’d want to live in any sort of RV full time – got way too much STUFF. Looking forward to hearing you about how your life is going this way!
***SIGH!!!*** ::glugs moar covfefe::
It happens.
Thanks! How are you today?
I donno. a few days ago there was a little power outage. But I didn’t realize it had reset the temperature on my AC. So it was warmer than it’s supposed to be last night.
Did you get any rain yesterday? I did my best rain dance for you!
[Narrator: her best dance still isn’t very good.]
It drizzled.
High 80s and rain is annoying, because it doesn’t cool down overnight.
Morning GT.
Those hardly look better than pitching a tent. I guess it gives you some pre-setup storage, which would be nice.
Reading into the specs it can come with a sink and fridge? My goodness, what will they think of next?
The Expedition model has (or at least CAN have) a toilet or toilet/shower combo unit. Luxury! 😃
…and good morning, Lack!
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Guesses: 36/37
Time: 05:47.53
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Mornin’, reprobates!
Good morning, ‘patzie! Morning outdoor ritual uninterrupted by precipitation, I hope!
Unlike yesterday! Mrs. Patzer works in this town; fortunately yesterday was a WFH day.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/cars-trapped-floodwaters-intense-storm-011729668.html
Yikes! 😳
Thanks for the write-up, KK!
What dawned on me, as I struggled to find my footing, was that I disliked people.
Aww. We love you, too.
Wait!
…
Glibs are people???
Well, one person, with many sockpuppets.
🎶
Glibs are people
We know who we are
🎶
The part about RVing and such that I would probably hate is being around everybody else for extended periods.
I once did tent camping in a place that had RVs and such- it was alright. I think it was easier on the ladies of the group as there were facilities. I would like to take an RV trip, but I don’t think I could live that way.
New debit card procured yesterday – they can now print your name on one right at one of the branches! – and activated this morning! Now the lost one is bound to show up…
But it has to be at the branch least convenient to you, even if a closer one has the capabilities.
“I have to go to Middletown??”
Ew.
Good Morning KK et al.
I hope the RV life works for ya. Lot of good things.
We are going to hit 110 today. SO between meetings i am going to be watering down animal pens. Try to save something from my garden….
Stay cool my friends.
Good morning, ‘bodru! Good luck with the garden! 😟
Mid-90s for the next seven days (that’s as far as the forecast goes) – I hope the humidity lets up 😰
Hope the sheepies manage okay.
So you’re saying it wasn’t a Turkish delight?
I’ve only had that once, and I have only one thing to say about it – rosewater is a disgusting flavor.
It probably wasn’t even a moonlit night.
When its time to shop for a new pressure cooker.
OMG LOL
Looks like your range might have a few issues to address as well.
I’m sure it’ll buff right out.
Oh, thats not mine. Ive only come close to that twice over the course of nearly 30 years. And I use my pressure cooker a couple times/week.
The cooker itself might be salvageable. The rest of the kitchen, not so much.
I wouldn’t risk using that as anything but a stew pot once the structural clamps failed like that.
Once that metal is stressed you cant really trust it to retain its strength.
The remnants of that appliance would make a great trophy for a marathon.
Casa Patzer, circa 1987. My landlord had a security camera?
That picture was not taken in the 80s.
Not enough brown.
I did notice that it looks they were using no-salt Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning. At least someone planned to eat healthy.
Salt is not inherently unhealthy. In fact, most people don’t get enough.
Unless your kidneys are jacked.
Someone in that condition might have a poor reaction, but that doesn’t make salt inherently unhealthy, just that the individual has a problem.
Honestly electric pressure cookers > stovetop.
YOU SHUT YOUR FILTHY WHORE MOUTH!
After all, Im kind of a luddite.