Monday, January 31, 2022

Dehydrating Food For My Travels


I take the dehydrator out each year to dehydrate ham, more on that below.  What you see above is dehydrated mixed vegetables.  I went to Walmart and paid $.89/ea for 4 bags of mixed frozen vegetables thinking it would be a good add to my travels.


I spread the nixed vegetables out on the dehydrator racks and dried them and put them in a sealed plastic bag.  No rocket science here but I often like soup and I can take a Raman soup packet and doctor it up by adding these dehydrated vegetables and make it more interesting.  



Of course you can also but this container of mixed dried vegetables for $12.95 on Amazon, which I did.  Certainly less work and a bit more expensive.  This blend also comes with onions.




As a test of my dehydration at room temperature, I put sone of my creation and let it sit in water.  The corn takes longer to reconstitute.  So far it’s a great alternative to carrying cans of vegetables as you have to deal with the cans as rubbish. 

Add hot water to thermos with the dried vegetables and this works much faster.  My experiment was room temperature to save on cooking fuel on the road.



My yearly dehydration of ham is the best.  I buy a spiral ham and dis assemble it as shown above and put it in the dehydrator over night.  Then the dried ham guests bagged as the picture below indicates.  This is how I carry it on my travels.



The dehydrated ham makes a great snack out of the bag.  It also can be cut or broken into pieces to put in with the noodles and dehydrated vegetables to make the soup even more tasty.  It is also good cut into pieces it can go on a salad.  Put pieces in when boiling rice.  

I have made peppered beef jerky in the past the same way but beef prices around where I live went up very high making that an expensive option.this year that I didn’t bother trying.

I hope this inspires others to try this too.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com











Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Needing Tires On The Road



Picture - From Cooper Tire Webpage 

This is not the first time I have needed tires on my travels and I’m sure others that vandwell have the same problem

I had bought my 2021 Tacoma last fall and decided to run the factory street tires my first year.  I decided the same this year knowing that I may have to address tires on my travels.  I had 24,000 miles on the original tires when I left on 1/16/22.  The tred was still very good on the original tires, but experience in the back of my mind from two tire replacements with my Prius let me think this way.

The advertisement above about Cooper Discoverer AT3 tires was captured before I left, as this would be my tire of choice

————————



Jump forward to my arrival in Ajo this year and waking up and finding my rear drivers tire low (16 psi).

I pumped it up and it was good all day, but the next morning the same thing occurred.  I knew I had probably picked up something but I couldn’t see it.


Tire being checked at Discount Tire

With no tire service in Ajo,or nearby Gila Bend, I waited to address when I was going to Yuma in a few days.  My friend Susan had a similar problem before and suggested Discount Tire to get the tire fixed.

The service guy called me in to look at my tire floating in water spewing air from a hole near where the tread meats the sidewall.  They told me what I already knew, that they can’t repair the tire at that location.


Above - my Tacoma getting the new tires

I knew I didn’t want to buy one tire or two, so I decided on replacing all the tires with the tire above.  I also opted for the E rated version of the tire at more money.  E rated tires are designed to carry heavier loads.  I had the same tire, not E rated, on my 2011 Tacoma and liked them, but I figured many others on the FWC forum use E rated tires for safety and I would go that route.too.


My Tacoma with new tires

The tires needed to be ordered, so I went out in the desert where I planned to camp so the tires could arrive overnight from Phoenix.

We don’t know when we may run into such problems on the road, but I had planned, budgeted for it, and felt good about knowing in advance just what I wanted.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com





The Prius Comes Out For A Trip



From time to time I get an opportunity to use my Prius for travel.  This recently happened when I decided to see my aunt that is not feeling well in Chicago. This answers the question I get from time to time if I still have my Prius and if so do I travel with it.

I see my aunt each year on my return trip from the southwest, but with her being ill and having a birthday, I decided to drive to see her from my home in MA.  What better vehicle to take than my Prius when the gasoline prices were peaking in early December.

It’s about 1100 miles from home to Chicago, so I planned an overnight around half way in both directions.  The halfway point is around the Ohio and Pennsylvania border. 

My Prius was not fully packed, the way I did for winter travels.  No fridge and cooking supplies.  I did have my curtains installed and brought basic items.  My plan was to do takeout meals and visit and eat with aunt once a day.

On the way out to Chicago my son of the same name gave me a rest area location he used in the area where I80 and I90 meet.  I took I80 due to up state New York lake effect snow.

I parked off to the side in the rest area pulled my curtains and set Prius to low heat I’m ready mode and slept comfortably fir the night although it was only 20 degrees outside.  You’ve got yo love the Prius fir this comfort.



Google photo

The same son recommended I stop in Elkhart, IN to see the RV Hall of Fame and Museum, just off the highway.  I took my son up on his suggestion and stopped for awhile a tour the excellent collection of vintage RV’s.



Above is only a sample of vandwelling roots.



The picture above shows the museum layout with an inside walking road lined with many vintage trailers and motorized campers.  

It was $10 for me as a senior to get in, but very much worth it to me.  Plan on spending a couple hours visiting each camper and going inside the ones open for viewing

At my aunt’s I usually driveway surf with my Prius, but I didn’t want her concerned about me so I stayed a few miles away in a hotel room.  I visited her for 3 data and headed home happy to have visited.

The way home brought me the same route as I took out.  This time I stayed overnight at a truck stop in western PA near the OH border.  Again it was 20 degrees and slept great.

I could have driven further that night feeling very rested but don’t like driving at night in PA due to deer.  A deer strike could total mu prius.  Even a dead deer in the road that sone Tractor Trailer killed could cause major damage or cause me to loose control.  Safer first!

The next day I was home from my mini road trip. My Prius only has 120,000 miles so it has a lot more life for future adventures.

Brent
macaloney@hotmail.com

P.S.
To: Russell D
This answers your question if I still have my Prius

To: All
Russell and I both have Prius’s and Four Wheel pop up campers for our travels

Sunday, January 23, 2022

2022 Travels Begin

Well I finally got on the road.



Above my Tacoma and Four Wheel Camper sit ready for the 2022 travels, but wait I am not leaving until after my niece’s wedding on 1/16.



Look what I have to get through for weather, leaving MA for the great southwest.  I left after the wedding reception at 9pm and I can’t head west due to heavy snow.  

My only window to drive was to head down to the CT coast where temperatures will be warming and into NJ to let heavy rain pass over me.  Then I’ll head down I95 along the coast where it was warmer and no snow or ice.




With light traffic on in CT with slow going in snow I hit heavy rain as I went over the George Washington Bridge in NY.  My, did it rain hard, and there was heavy winds.  No trucks we’re allowed on the NYC seven bridges due to wind.




I did it!  With a few winks at a rest area on the NJ Tpk I drove until 8pm Monday and ended up in eastern GA on I20.
That was 1100 mikes in 24 hours.

Waking in Georgia on Tuesday AM, my next weather concern was expected freezing rain in southern TX by Thursday.

I drove another 1100 miles on Tuesday and landed in western Texas..  This long drive assured me to be out of TX on Thursday, before freezing rain was forecasted.

Wednesday AM as I’m driving to El Paso TX, road crews were laying the liquid salt in the highway.  I drove around 700 miles to western NM, and I was then ok to take my time the rest off the way.




Thursday I drove to eastern AZ to BLM camping at Hot Well Dunes for a 2+hour hot tub relaxation.




Friday was a 2 hour drive to Tucson Walmart to take on supplies fir travels.  But first was a stop at the car wash to get the salt off the truck and camper.  Then 2 hours to beautiful Ajo, AZ for the weekend.



Above is a view from my BLM camping spot.  Why I say beautiful Ajo.




I had been asked to lend a had at a friend’s house to fix the shower controls in Ajo, and with all the various cactus it’s a great scenic stay.  So it was a slow Saturday and Sunday as my friend and I got up do sone off roaring and a hike on Sunday.

I have plenty of things to write about and now that things have slowed down I’ll get some more posts out.

Oh, I only stopped and got gas across the country wearing a KN95 mask to use restrooms.  Having brought all my own food. My friends and I visit mostly outdoors but my friends are very willing to protect themselves too so we are all safe when we meet.

Stay safe everyone 

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com

Monday, May 24, 2021

About My 2021 Travels


I dislike cold and winter.  Here is winter at home in pic above.

This summer of 2021 I’ve been asked by many friends, followers, and family if I went on my winter travels earlier this year during COVID pandemic.

Yes I did.  I didn’t write during my travels this year as I thought it was in poor taste to write about driving around the country while others stayed home with Government warnings of COVID-19.  Not to mention if I was to say how much fun I was having.

Ok. So, how did I come about leaving.  I was home alone as my wife had spent 9 months last year in San Diego watching our granddaughters, who were at home from school due to COVID and son and daughter-in-law had to work.  My wife came home for the holidays (2020) and was going back to San Diego in January for the same reason and there I was.  Had worked hard to get my new z2021 Tacoma truck and camper ready to go.  I was waiting to be vaccinated by the state and they kept changing when I could get my shot further out.  

Tic, Tic as time went by and I knew that if I didn’t go I probably would be waiting a long time, especially with up to 4 weeks between shots.  It was Friday February 5th in the AM.  I decided to just go.  I knew I only needed food, water and gas on my travels.  All of those were easy as food I carried over 2 weeks of it. Water I carried extra for 2 weeks.  Gas was at the pump and with mask and sanitizer I could do it!

I rushed all day and at 6 PM I drove south, seeing a break in the weather if I could just stay along the east coast.  Down I95 I went to the last rest area on the “Jersey” Turnpike where I slept for the night.

I woke up at 4 AM and drove past MD son’s house and finically stopped on the western side of Atlanta for the night.  Cold weather was pushing south and east so I needed to put lots of miles on to get ahead of it.  On I20 now I drove over the mountains of west GA and got some rain as slush.  Then I got through Birmingham before dawn.  On to the area of Big Water Texas for the night


The open highway brings me joy

I was talking to my good friend Susan who had her shot already as was scheduled for the second.  It was in the 70’s in TX while just north in OK where she lives it was below freezing.  This was the prelude of the biggest ice storm in memory in TX. 


Arizona near sunset - have to love the colors

This next drive was not planned and should not be attempted.  I drove from around Big Water TX to Ajo, AZ.  This is a 1100 mile drive in one day.  I’ve done over 1000 miles in a day before but it was not planned either.  I was planning to stop in Tucson but I was talking to another good friend Joanne and she was in Ajo and I plotted the extra time and distance and decided to meet here there as I was in communication with family in San Diego and they wanted me to try for my vaccine in San Diego on the afternoon of Tuesday the 9th.  AJo gave me a shorter drive on my 4th day.

Behind me, Susan got her second vaccine shot and got out of OK as it was freezing under her tires.  More behind is my friend Bryce who drove through TX during the ice event and I don’t know how he did it.  The carnage on the highway was great with so many cars and trucks off the road.


At my son’s in CA driveway surfing

I made it to San Diego by noon Tuesday.and went to get my shot at Petco Park, but they wouldn’t give it to me as I was not a resident.  My family was more upset than I was.  My son’s in-laws saw that CVS had shots and were only following Federal guidelines.  Yup, over 65 only and got my first shot in San Diego on 2/12


Boondocking on BLM land

Stayed for the weekend and headed to AZ to meet up socially distancing with friends.  My Travels then started.  Yes I would return to San Diego on March 12th for my second shot.

So this is how I started my travels fir the winter of 2021.  Looking back I shouldn’t have waited the month of January.  At home I had the same risk as on the road.  Getting food and gas.  I’m compulsive about wearing a mask and sanitizing my hands and things.  Sitting in the desert distanced from friends was better than the cold solitude of home.  

I ended up having a great time and made it home safely in May 1.  I will share some of my travels this year and things I’ve done to the camper/truck.  I do plan on traveling again in 2022.  

By the way there were plenty of others that were on the road this past winter.  Not as many as usual.  

Happy travels

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Ham Radio In FWC


I got my Ham Radio License a couple years ago, in part to stay in contact with friends on hikes, safety off-grid, and amusement. I was initially licensed as KC1KOV. 

PS. After testing up to the top of Hsm Radio levels, I was given a vanity call sign of WM1T.  I waned the change to designate I was operating at the Advanced level and shorten the phonics of the call sign, Whisky, Mike, One, Tango.  Much easier than Kilo Charlie One Kilo Charlie Victor.

My Vandweller friend Dan Cordray KD4PWP had recommended The Rafio in the picture above.  It’s a a Yaesu FT-891.  I was lucky enough to find one on sale from a Ham in a neighboring city and bought it.

There are a couple things you need to use the radio in addition to a license, and they are power and antenna



Above is my solution to power for my Ham Radio.  I added a bulkhead Anderson Power Pole connection to plug into.  This is connected to my solar charging battery system.



For the antenna I needed a way of getting the antenna outside and not leave the door cracked with the wire hanging out.  Above is a straight hole through the front wall of the camper.



On the opposite side I made a bulkhead connector for my antenna to tie into. As shown above.



Lastly I needed to mount my antenna.  I chose a stick antenna system where I have a magnet base mounted to my FWC roof.  (Picture above) This antenna system has a different stick to screw into the base based on the shortwave frequency band I am operating on.

I can switch to VHF and UHF using the same antenna bulkhead connected to an antenna to match those frequencies connected to my portable

On my travels this past winter, I checked nitro a number of shortwave contacts up around 500 miles away.  In case of emergency and no cell service this method can get a message out if needed.

I do not drive with that tall antenna mounted and I am only on VHF/UHF while driving. Usually monitoring 146.52.

This antenna will also mount to the top of my painters pole antenna mount, I built and covered under separate blog post to mount tv antenna.

Brent
macaloney@hotmail.com

Mounting IPad In My FWC


After mounting my IPad , shown above, I wondered what took me so long to do it.  To the right and rear is my TV/DVD player.

I mostly sleep on the lower bench, and often with the roof down for a bit of stealth or warmth.  The IPad is mounted within the length of my arm and tv has the remote. 



I wanted an adjustable mount and not specific to IPad.



I also wanted a ball mount system as they are highly secure and durable.



Of course I wanted a mount that would articulate for various viewing angles.

Yes, that’s Bob Wells and Suanne Carlson on the screen as I watch their YouTube video on NomadLand movie.





I decided on the mount above as it screws into the FWC cabinet for a secure mounting base and holds the IPad using 4 grips.

I don’t leave the IPad mounted while traveling as I spend much of my time on dirt roads that rock and shake everything, although normal driving would not be a problem leaving it mounted.

This mounting system is much more enjoyable than holding the IPad in my hands on my lap.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com