| Interesting, fun and boring trip report [message #322633] |
Fri, 25 August 2017 11:31  |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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As there is so often mentioned the "Doom and Gloom" aspect of what gets written here, this is going to not be one of those.
We have returned from an uneventful 1400+ mile excursion that took us through
For some time I had been planning to catch the eclipse at Paducah. That would be near where the it was maximum and more importantly, there was highway access both east and west along the path of totality. I have been through 4 partials, and I did not want to let this one escape.
My plan was to bivouac in Paducah at Camp Wally (that and other choices were available in the area) for at least a few days before and watch the weather. This would not be the TV weather (we don't carry one), but the good information that I collect from several non-consumer sites. Then, on Sunday (E-1) we could hit the road either way if the conditions were better somewhere else. This is a plan that I started assembling more than a year ago with the collection of path of totality and lots of other stuff that only celestial navigators understand. We were all set - Notebook (most of it was in the laptop) and all.
Then, I mentioned this to the Whislers. (Maybe at the GMCES Work Rally.) They said I should consider coming with them to the rally that they were planning in Paducah... Well - Damn..... What a thought - Going to a once in a lifetime event with friends. That instantly became the new plan.
So, we departed our home on the 17th and it would have been a regular first day of a run south, but we took a break for the Neil Armstrong Museum on Wapakoneta (that you can see from the highway and we had gone past so many times) did our regular hold-up at the FMCA free camp. That is about four hours for us and make a nice no-rush start. Then we went on to the Fern Lake Campground on the west edge of Paducah to meet up with both GMCES and GMCGL and a total of about 30 coaches.
I was still online regularly watching weather in case we had to bolt to get to clear sky, but the time with friends in Paducah was much better than sitting in a parking lot waiting for something to happen. There is a lot to do in Paducah. In fact we are wanting to go back there some time the is NOT AUGUST. We ran the A/C the whole time. Long about Sunday, I had a very solid weather picture that 500 miles both ways along the totality the only variation was between partly cloudy and partly sunny. In short, it was not worth burning the fuel to try to do better. So, we didn't.
Monday (E-Day) came and they put on the usual good feed and we all settled in to watch the event. What an amazing sight to witness. It is really strange when the sun blanks out like that. I had brought a long box and stuff to make a sun box that was very effective. I had also brought my welding hoods. I REALLY wanted a picture and I may have managed, but I haven't look at all of them yet.
Tuesday we went into Paducah for the Quilt Museum and the Flood Wall Murals. We headed west from there to see the Confluence, even though we missed the turn for Ft. Defiance, between the two bridges we could see the difference of the rivers. Then on the New Madrid (the location of the most severe earthquake recorded in North America) Museum.
We did not want to back-track that far, so we took the ferry ride (14$ cash only) from Dorena MO to Hickman KY. I wanted to make it to a COE park for the night, but my nav gear conspired against me so we settled for a camp Wally in Fulton KY.
The next day we ran interstate to Lawrenceburg KY to pick up US-127 to foster Mary's love of red road excursions. We were tired when we intersected I-71 and took that to the FMCA park for the night.
That last day was just the run for the barn.
So, 1400+ miles, 4 sights, 3 museums, 4 nights at Fern Lake, 2 nights at FMCA, one night at Camp Wally. And, I had to add oil to the engine twice.
Respectfully Submitted
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: Interesting, fun and boring trip report [message #322636 is a reply to message #322633] |
Fri, 25 August 2017 12:54  |
DetroitDan
Messages: 51
Registered: March 2017
Location: Taylor, MI
Karma: 0
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Thanks Matt!
Every happy trip report increases my resolve to make sure I have done excellent inspections, repairs, and maintenance before the Chief hits the road!
Congrats on a safe return from a great trip!
Dan Wallace
Detroit Metro
1974 Canyon Lands 260
Headers, 3.55, 16"
Floor plan 26-9
Honda 6010
Harrison 4-bag
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| Re: [GMCnet] Interesting, fun and boring trip report [message #322978 is a reply to message #322636] |
Tue, 29 August 2017 22:53 |
richshoop
Messages: 190
Registered: April 2017
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Yet another borng trip...... 2200 trouble free miles..... Fort Bragg, CA to Idaho Falls for the total eclipse, on to the rest of the week in Yellowstone Park... A couple of quarts of oil, a little transmission fluid.. The key to running older equipment is in the planning and pre-trip maintenance. Maintain a log book, you won't remember otherwise.
For this trip I
1) Changed the rear brake shoes
2) replaced wheel bearing grease seals
3) repacked the rear wheel bearings
4) changed the oil and filter
5) lubed all 17 points
6) replaced the rear airbags
7) ran everything that I could think of
8) let it sit for 2 days and then rechecked fluid levels and looked for drips
I felt better and more confident after doing this instead of spending my time driving worrying about what might happen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Wallace"
To: "gmclist"
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2017 10:54:09 AM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Interesting, fun and boring trip report
Thanks Matt!
Every happy trip report increases my resolve to make sure I have done excellent inspections, repairs, and maintenance before the Chief hits the road!
Congrats on a safe return from a great trip!
--
Dan Wallace
Detroit Metro
1974 Canyon Lands 260
Headers, 3.55, 16"
Floor plan 26-9
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