(yes, i know there's a typo in the title, but it gets in under the 60 character max)
When Jeanie's brother called and announced they had finally sold their home in Olympia, we volunteered to help he and Cilla move to their brand new home in Sandpoint, ID. Bro Gary had just retired as an architect, so both the to-be-vacated and the new digs in Sandpoint were his opuses.
We are just starting a kitchen remodel, but set aside time to go up and help with the move.
We decided to take the TC for the move. This is the second time we have helped family members move, using the TC. Here are some reasons:
*When you get there the day before the actual move, there is no place to eat or sleep on site, as everything is more or less packed up. Well, hey, just use the mobile domicile and stealth camp in their driveway. Check.
*The bed can be used to transport clothes, still on hangers (tied together in bunches of 4-6)
We just about filled the sleeping area to the top with clothes and artwork. Yes, Cilla is an artist and we had about 15 paintings, large to small to pack in the cabover.
*As it worked out, the TC was then filled with numerous plants in pots, just packing 'em in on the floor until you reached the back door.
*When you reach the other end of the trip, there is no bedding or food or anything else except an empty house. Time to use the TC again for grub and slumber, as nothing is really set up for a day or two.
This took a lot of pressure off of the Bro, NOT to have to worry about housing or feeding the helpers.
We stayed on a couple days and helped with the heavy lifting, still in the TC at night.
We then took 3 days to get back Nevada City, with stops in Bend, OR, and a couple days at Crater Lake, OR.
It was just under 2000 miles round trip, but a different sort of journey. The first day out was 15 hours and 800 grueling miles up I-5. Jeanie said, "Let me drive a while", and I gladly turned over the reins. But, it was uncanny how the road surface turned to caw-caw, she got caught in multiple road construction areas down to one narrow lane, with no pavement at all next to her, and it was steep and curvy. She pulled over and said, "that's it". I moved over to the left seat, and the road grew flat and straight, the construction disappeared, and the lanes were wide and smooth-right on cue as if orchestrated.
So, a successful trip. One stretch of I-90 through eastern WA the Dodge squeezed out 17 mpg., the highest I've ever seen with the TC on. Of course, we were in convoy, with 3 trucks and a car going a max of 57 mph...... with a tailwind.
I'm sorry to not have pics (both camera batts died or were dead when we started). I know how you guys and gals MUST have pics.
I had never been to Crater Lake, and Jeanie has talked it up our whole married life. So, I was HUGELY impressed by the impact of Crater Lake. As hot as it was coming thru the desert and even up I-5, it was cool and temperate at crater lake. The snowfall there can easily reach 45 feet! No snow on 27Jul09, but you get the feeling the place creates it's own weather.
This was also the first TC trip using the newly installed Stable Loads and One ton spring packs. It worked out great. The truck sits level (to my eye) up in the rear about 3 inches compared to the old springs and no Stable Loads. The ride is more, well...springy, compared to when the big fat overload spring was holding the rest of the springs captive, creating a ride like a roller skate.
Hope to see your down the road less travelled,
regards, as always, jefe
'01.5 Dodge 3/4T, CTD, HO, Qcab, SB, 4x4, 6spd, D60, D80+Pwr Loc,
camper&tow pkg,Titan V, 285/75R-16 frnt, 33/14.5 Nitto super singles rr,
Rancho 9K's, Warn M15K winch. tows Jeep CJ8 rock crawler on 14' trailer
'98 Lance Squire Lite 165s, 8' 6" X Cab
....not to worry Jefe. Trip reports can be comprised of text only, too See Sleepy's "special section" at top of Trip Reports...
Sleepy had started his reports as text only, however he has expanded his thread into a Magnum Opus for those interested in living the boondocking lifestyle to the extreme...I really can't keep up with his active and vibrant thread and new picture posts (it would take a full-time Thread manager to do this!), so I simply include a few entries as time goes by.
2010 F150 Super Cab XLT 5.4 4X4 Short Box
1988 Nortstar 8' pop up TC
Honda 2000 26th Marines RVN 69-70 Semper Fi M-14 was the only Woodstock I saw in 1969.
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See Sleepy's "special section" at top of Trip Reports... 
