Hello, my fellow Montanans! (Owners, of course, as opposed to that state’s residents.)
My wife, “KIMMRG,” started the thread. Gotta love her!
I would like to publicly thank Lady RV for fixing the fact that I managed, (in the amazingly long period of three days,) to mess up my log on to the forums. I would say, allowing for the transmission of the plea for help, and the receipt and reading of it, that it took Lady RV about 0.0003561 Seconds to get me back in here! (I hate to tell her, but with that, she just disqualified herself from being any sort of “standard” government employee! And I should know, because I’m working my way to retirement from just such a position!)
I’ve been reading, and have enjoyed a great many comments about the brand of trailer, (including the model, 3380RL, and its predecessors,) that have been posted. Not that I was afraid we made the wrong decision. Just that we’re rookies, and everything is still new to us.
So many thoughts are running through our heads, right now. Have been, actually, for months. But with the actual selection and pending delivery of our new 5er, they’re getting intense!
I’ve got to ask the dealer, today, if when we come down to pick the 5er up, we can sleep in it at the dealership, just to get a feel for it. It’s a bit warmer in Anchorage, so I think it can be de-winterized. (But may have to be re-winterized as soon as we get back here….) That’s been a typical owner’s first day after the “PDI,” according to much of what I’ve read and heard about purchasing a new unit.
I’m almost thankful that our weather’s turned cold, once more, (-9 this morning,) so I won’t have to face a melting and soggy driveway when we arrive from Anchorage, with the 5er, and I’ll have to back it down our driveway. (I’ve told my wife that I’d do the best I can to leave her some room to get into the garage, since there’s still snow piled up where I’d like to place the 5er.) But that will mean we will have to re-winterize it….
I decided not to install a 50-Amp, 220V plug in the garage, to power the 5er. It’s not going to be here that long. I’ll put a 35-Amp, 120V plug in, and have bought the “dog bone” to connect the 5er’s umbilical to. It’s not like we’ll need the A/C running or anything.
I’m thinking, (would like to think, actually,) that the neighborhood egg-thrower is out of town for now, and won’t be back until we head down the Alcan Highway for the lower 48 and retirement.
I just realized that I didn’t look for “Roto-Chocks,” (I think that’s what they’re called. The expanding chocks that goes between the wheels on the 5er, rather than on the ground.) I’ve got a web page bookmarked, I believe, with that info. Along with instructions for making a homemade set that serves the same purpose. Aha! Here it is:
http://www.rotochok.com/
I expect to figure out whether to run my F-350 into a shop for an exhaust brake, (I’m going with “Banks,”) or whether to “Chip” the truck by the time we’ve gotten back to Fairbanks. We’ll be up and down some of the most majestic mountain terrain in the U.S. on the drive. And will have to face the same when going down the Alcan Highway, and to some degree while traveling around the country.
We’ll also have to look into Internet access, along with decent TV choices, while on the road and fulltiming. I’m thinking Data Storm. But others may be out there, or will be, once we’re down where such technology is applicable. (Can’t use some satellite dishes up here, or even XM or Sirius Radio, because Alaska isn’t in all satellites’ “footprint.”)
And mail is another thing. I’m hoping there’s a service in Fairbanks, that will pick up our mail from our long-standing P.O. Box address, and forward it to us. I know there are services in the lower 48, but don’t want to start off with having all mail forwarded to some place we have yet to a get to!
So far, all things are coming together. (Sure beats the way things go at work!) And we’re happy.
Thanks for letting me prattle on.
Steve
It's hard to make a come-back when you haven't been anywhere.
Linear Mode
