The longest thread ever

[YmoBeThere]

Snowing nicely today, several inches on the ground, it looks like Winter.

A brutally cold 79F here today. Winter weather can be a chore.

[YmoBeThere]

My wife and I are taking the RV to the Keys to sit in the sun and the sand by ourselves for the entirety of my school holiday break (we'll be gone 16 days). It will be my first time being away from home on Christmas, which I initially planned with trepidation, but given the current trajectory of Covid, I regret it less and less.
RV travel has been a godsend for me this year...contactless checkin, and I otherwise just don't go inside anywhere...restaurants, shops, whatever. Given our typical activities on RV trips (hiking, national parks, etc.), it lends itself well to distancing for us, and being self-contained for everything helps us stay safe. Really looking forward to going to the islands and telling this year to [wanker] off.

Nice, it sounds like it will be time well spent later this month.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

My wife and I are taking the RV to the Keys to sit in the sun and the sand by ourselves for the entirety of my school holiday break (we'll be gone 16 days). It will be my first time being away from home on Christmas, which I initially planned with trepidation, but given the current trajectory of Covid, I regret it less and less.
RV travel has been a godsend for me this year...contactless checkin, and I otherwise just don't go inside anywhere...restaurants, shops, whatever. Given our typical activities on RV trips (hiking, national parks, etc.), it lends itself well to distancing for us, and being self-contained for everything helps us stay safe. Really looking forward to going to the islands and telling this year to [wanker] off.

It really does. Wish you well.

[budwom]

What kind of RV does our man Wilson drive? For two years (back 40+ years ago) I drove a Winnebago for a living...not especially agile, dangerous in fact. I bet the state of the art is much much improved since then.

[wilson]

What kind of RV does our man Wilson drive? For two years (back 40+ years ago) I drove a Winnebago for a living...not especially agile, dangerous in fact. I bet the state of the art is much much improved since then.

Ours is *technically* a camper, not an RV, but "RV" is a generally accepted catchall term for both driveables and towables these days.
Anyway, ours is a 19-foot hybrid, meaning that it has queen-sized bunks that fold out at each end and make for really nice livable space in a relatively small trailer that I don't find all that hard to pull (to be fair, I have like 25,000 miles under my belt at this point). I pull with a 2018 Silverado with tow package and a ridiculously beefy weight distribution hitch, and have been surprised at how mostly easy it's been since we started RVing almost 3 years ago.

[budwom]

Ours is *technically* a camper, not an RV, but "RV" is a generally accepted catchall term for both driveables and towables these days.
Anyway, ours is a 19-foot hybrid, meaning that it has queen-sized bunks that fold out at each end and make for really nice livable space in a relatively small trailer that I don't find all that hard to pull (to be fair, I have like 25,000 miles under my belt at this point). I pull with a 2018 Silverado with tow package and a ridiculously beefy weight distribution hitch, and have been surprised at how mostly easy it's been since we started RVing almost 3 years ago.

That sounds like a very drivable combo, plus you have the truck to drive around in once you unhitch. I found it cumbersome to drive a 30 ft Winnebago into a 7-11 for a bag of Cheetos.

[wilson]

That sounds like a very drivable combo, plus you have the truck to drive around in once you unhitch. I found it cumbersome to drive a 30 ft Winnebago into a 7-11 for a bag of Cheetos.

This was exactly our thought process, plus I didn't want a whole additional powertrain to maintain. There are certainly a good number of moving parts & wear items on a towable, but nowhere near as many as something that drives. Then, my truck is a perfectly suitable daily driver for me, because my commute is quite short.

[Bostondevil]

I am driving to Burlington, Vermont and back on Friday to pick up Paddies. His semester is over and he's coming home for a month. He lives alone and has been tested weekly since August. He probably has more to worry about from me than I do from him. We will get a bite to eat in Burlington before heading back, but Paddies will be sent into the establishment to pick it up. I will have to stop to get gas once on the trip. We'll probably stop at the Shell in Lebanon, NH.

[budwom]

I am driving to Burlington, Vermont and back on Friday to pick up Paddies. His semester is over and he's coming home for a month. He lives alone and has been tested weekly since August. He probably has more to worry about from me than I do from him. We will get a bite to eat in Burlington before heading back, but Paddies will be sent into the establishment to pick it up. I will have to stop to get gas once on the trip. We'll probably stop at the Shell in Lebanon, NH.

Have you every stopped in Warner, NH? Less traffic than you generally get in (West) Lebanon. And the gas at the New Hamster Liquor Store location (beginning of I-93) is very convenient, too, of course..

[wilson]

I am driving to Burlington, Vermont and back on Friday to pick up Paddies. His semester is over and he's coming home for a month. He lives alone and has been tested weekly since August. He probably has more to worry about from me than I do from him. We will get a bite to eat in Burlington before heading back, but Paddies will be sent into the establishment to pick it up. I will have to stop to get gas once on the trip. We'll probably stop at the Shell in Lebanon, NH.

That sounds like a fun drive. Be safe!

[Bostondevil]

That sounds like a fun drive. Be safe!

Thank you! You too!

I have made this drive now many times. T-Bone is going with me for company on the way up. Up and back is a little far for me to do in one day, but, I have managed it, and it is necessary right now. I asked Paddies if he wanted to stay in Vermont by himself for Christmas and he said, "What? No! I have to see Cookie and Evie!" So, that settled it.

[DukieInKansas]

I will be driving to St. Paul with at least 1 sister to pick up Niece Elizabeth for Christmas. We will probably spend the night (or two) on air mattresses in her studio apartment before heading back down to Kansas. She works from home and is extremely cautious in what she does. Will probably see Nephew Mike and his 3 kids - but I'm guessing we will brave the cold and do this outdoors.

[DukieInKansas]

My church's Christmas Pageant (Do Not Be Afraid) is famous: https://religionnews.com/2020/12/09/...ByEFZNNpc4YYIg

They even link to our blooper reel. I am one of the faces you will see - pick one, any one.

[wilson]

Thank you! You too!

I have made this drive now many times. T-Bone is going with me for company on the way up. Up and back is a little far for me to do in one day, but, I have managed it, and it is necessary right now. I asked Paddies if he wanted to stay in Vermont by himself for Christmas and he said, "What? No! I have to see Cookie and Evie!" So, that settled it.

432 miles round trip is child's play.
I've gotten up to where I can crank out 12 hours pretty comfortably. That ends up being up to like 650 miles, depending on conditions. Getting to the Keys will take one long day (~12 hours) and one short day (~5 hours).
My all-time champ driving day was Atlanta to Topeka, KS (~875 miles) in one day with a car on a flatbed trailer behind me. I have no intention of ever duplicating that feat.

[-jk]

432 miles round trip is child's play.
I've gotten up to where I can crank out 12 hours pretty comfortably. That ends up being up to like 650 miles, depending on conditions. Getting to the Keys will take one long day (~12 hours) and one short day (~5 hours).
My all-time champ driving day was Atlanta to Topeka, KS (~875 miles) in one day with a car on a flatbed trailer behind me. I have no intention of ever duplicating that feat.

Former Dukie (subsequently convicted of insider trading) Steve Gray once drove from LA to Durm in under 40 hours in his Cobra II. I guess risk taking is just in his DNA.

-jk

[bundabergdevil]

My wife and I are taking the RV to the Keys to sit in the sun and the sand by ourselves for the entirety of my school holiday break (we'll be gone 16 days). It will be my first time being away from home on Christmas, which I initially planned with trepidation, but given the current trajectory of Covid, I regret it less and less.
RV travel has been a godsend for me this year...contactless checkin, and I otherwise just don't go inside anywhere...restaurants, shops, whatever. Given our typical activities on RV trips (hiking, national parks, etc.), it lends itself well to distancing for us, and being self-contained for everything helps us stay safe. Really looking forward to going to the islands and telling this year to [wanker] off.

That sounds FANTASTIC. Enjoy and say hello to Hemingway's cats for us (and don't be surprised if they don't say hello back)!

[YmoBeThere]

My church's Christmas Pageant (Do Not Be Afraid) is famous: https://religionnews.com/2020/12/09/...ByEFZNNpc4YYIg

They even link to our blooper reel. I am one of the faces you will see - pick one, any one.

Puppetry is in your repertoire?

[wilson]

Former Dukie (subsequently convicted of insider trading) Steve Gray once drove from LA to Durm in under 40 hours in his Cobra II. I guess risk taking is just in his DNA.

-jk

That's an impressive haul. I honestly think I could do it if I caught enough traffic breaks to split the drive in half with a decent amount of sleep.

[YmoBeThere]

I once made the Kessel run in 12 parsecs.

[bundabergdevil]

I once made the Kessel run in 12 parsecs.

I once made the Kessel walk out to the mailbox in my wookie house slippers.