March 24, 2024
No trips in March but dewinterizing has been happening over the last few weekends. Mods that we needed to do on the new trailer have been piling up all winter as had the pile of supplies for them. I have newly cut reflective, insulated panels for windows to give a final fit and velcro to once we take the trailer cover off and bump open the slide outs. Going through the 100 degree SW in summer – these really are worth their weight in gold even if it makes us look like we’re growing illegal plants inside the trailer.
Tyler has been going through wiring & cinching things up here and there, finding where things are for this and that. You all are very familiar with our on road repairs that are ever present… try to head off some surprises and also have that knowledge bank acquired for where things are located. This trailer has a large solar system, which we haven’t even looked at yet, for operation yet. That’s still on the list.
Plumbing, he’s been making sure we have no leaks under the floors (which are expensive hidden disasters) and replacing many of the plastic fittings and connectors with brass. We do have a mystery leak since repressurizing the water system. The mystery is not only where is it coming from but there’s no water piping anywhere on the side where it is collecting water on the floor. We’ll keep you all posted on that one.
Tyler also pulled out the 3 panel glass shower doors that, when open, still make you shimmy sideways in. In its place is a pull out plastic “door”. So much lighter and also workable for Eme. Also, I hate cleaning that glass constantly.
We spent some time connecting a tire pressure monitoring system on the 3 axles as well as propane sensors and even fridge/freezer temp sensors. Grand Design has a single app that tracks all of these in one place for us. The downside is that when an alarm rings, we’ll have to figure out if we’ve lost air pressure in a tire or the freezer door bumped open 😧.
Best to know the new trailer inside and out before we pull her out of the driveway for our upcoming 2 month trip. The first trip with the old trailer was the covid trip, we literally learned on the road but that trailer was so much less automated than this new one for us.
We have a handful of items left to address (unless a mysterious one gifts itself to us), spare parts hard to find on the road to order, etc., before a soft open trip to a friend’s house at the middle of April comes about. We have a trip to whistler in early May then we try to catch up on house projects until we leave June 17 to August 14.
Most of the big trip logistics are well in place. Couple loose ends in Montana to tie up in May when reservations open for that. I had to do some replanning with the new larger sized trailer than what was originally set in to place in early fall. We added a few extra days here and there to catch some lesser known but stunning looking areas in Utah. This will be our 6th trip through Utah, 2nd in the trailer and we are still going to places we haven’t been to. The state is a treasure trove of outside.
My left knee that needs replaced (October) is hanging in there, for now. I’m sure I’ll step normally one day and it’ll just blow out. For now, it’s being put through its crackling, popping paces getting more into shape for hiking this summer. We have slot canyons to explore. May as well beat the old one into the ground and god bless Advil. Tyler has healed up better than new from both his heart and shoulder surgeries.
Spring break is April 1 for Kellan, April 8 for Eme (why would they be the same week within the same city…!). Eme loves her transitions program @ CBS though she is not a fan of the 4 day program schedule, she would love 5 days. Kellan considers school to be his least favorite requirement but he has brilliant ideas and inventions constantly. He’s taken an interest in cooking with is awesome (now he needs a maid to clean in his wake).
Revvy will be 1 in May. Haley is still with us, approaching 15 (not sure how she’ll weather the summer trip). Bella is steady as she goes at the ripe age of 15, she has stopped going outside very much, we’ll see if she changes that routine when the nicer weather becomes more reliable. Time has flown this winter. The school year for me, is it’s normal, yet different amount of chaos on a daily basis. As a kid who grew up not getting math, getting it as an adult then teaching it to kids just like me is an interesting gig to say the least. I have lots of insights and stand in awe of the kids that just do get it, wondering what my life would have been like it is didn’t have that limitation for achievement for so long.
Alaska is on our radar for next summer. THAT will be one hell of an adventure, some of which I’m sure we won’t be planning for! Stay tuned, we’re just getting started!
Roaming Wheels 