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HDT Members On The Road, Including Their Current Locations


Jim Gehlen

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Once again it is time to head north for the summer. Departing Emerald Cove at Parker, AZ headed thru Las Vegas to Salt Lake City then east to Rawlins, Wyo then north and east to Rapid City KOA for our 6th summer. Sturgis will be the 74th annual event so don't expect the crowds to be too large until next year and #75. That one will be full of fun and games

Paint your wagon and come along

98 Volvo, VNL 610

01 Alfa Ideal, 38'6"

South Dakota plates

SKP # 68396

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Sitting in the infield of Texas motor speedway till Monday. Sure wish the sun would come out. Cold and windy. Rain tomorrow.

2009 Volvo 780. D-16 500hp 1850 torque with a Herrin hauler bed.

2015 Continental Coach

2008 650cc Suzuki Bergman

2013 Mustang GT 500 convertible

2014 Smartcar convertible

WWW.Hollyfab.com. (Metal Fabrication Company)

Jamesc@hollyfab.com (preferred contact method)

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I believe its1500.00 for the 3 race weekends. You can get them on Craigslist for an individual race. And they have no electricity, they do have propane, water and vacuum trucks running around. Just filled my 30 # bottles for 30 bucks at 11pm on a Saturday.

2009 Volvo 780. D-16 500hp 1850 torque with a Herrin hauler bed.

2015 Continental Coach

2008 650cc Suzuki Bergman

2013 Mustang GT 500 convertible

2014 Smartcar convertible

WWW.Hollyfab.com. (Metal Fabrication Company)

Jamesc@hollyfab.com (preferred contact method)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Today (2014-04-16), Janet & I will be leaving Deer Run RV Resort (Crossville, TN - Home of the ECR) and will be heading north about 75 miles to Raccoon Valley RV Park. It was about 20F this morning about 06:15 CDT when I awoke; but, it is supposed to warm today and tomorrow.

Raymond (G8r.Ray; i.e., Gator Ray) & Janet
Grinnin' ear-to-ear, since 2012-03-14


2005 Volvo 630 Motor Coach,


VE D12 465hp/1650lb-ft, 12 sp FreedomLine (2-Peddle),
217in WB, smart car deck/bed by Toterman, Pressure Pro,
PowerTank, Crossfire (dual tire pressure equilizer)

2006 smart forTwo Passion (450, Gen I), Ruby Red/Silver
2008 smart forTwo Passion (451, Gen II), Blue/Black
2009 DRV Mobile Suites 36RS3

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Hi Ray,

 

Glad to hear that you are ready to get back on the road. Is the brake controller work all done ? How is the jackalopee working out ? Are you going to take the truck out for a test run and see how the changes are working out ?

 

Just checking in and seeing how you are making out,

Al

2012 Volvo VNL 630 w/ I-Shift; D13 engine; " Veeger "
  Redwood, model 3401R ; 5th Wheel Trailer, " Dead Wood "
    2006 Smart Car " Killer Frog "
 

 

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I am contemplating staying at Raccoon Valley during the week of April 28th. Will any HDT'rs be there at that time? It will be the very first time I pull into a campground with a trailer behind my Volvo and I won't have my cameras installed yet and my wife won't be there to spot for me. I got the impression from another thread that the campground could be negotiated with my rig but not with much room to spare. A little help getting into a campsite from someone with and HDT would be greatly appreciated.


I could stay someplace else. I will take delivery of the trailer in Blairsville, in northern GA, have my new wheels and tires installed probably on Monday 4/28. The next place I need to be is the MorRyde Service Center in Elkhart on Sunday evening May 4.


I thought I would use that week trying to plan out where to mount equipment, route cables for WiFi antennae and cameras, think through tank monitors, solar, battery bank , and satellite dish installs, etc. Just the things that would have been great to be getting advice on at the ECR if my truck had been ready and I could have made it there.


If anyone will be staying at any HDT friendly campground between Northern GA and Elkhart, and would not mind helping me a little as I get started with this lifetyle, please let me know. Thanks!


Jim

Edited by Cathy & Jim

Volvo+and+Travel+Supreme+400+x+103.jpg

 

2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it?

'05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel

2016 smart car

 

We started full timing on December 1st 2014

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain
Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien

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Robert and Heidi should still be there.....

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

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I stayed there on my first trip with my HDT and trailer coming out of Florida several years ago. The young men there were a great help. I did have my younger brother , his wife and son and my youngest daughter with me at the time though.

 

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

We are in PA for the summer at the Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA. There are plenty of loooong pull through sites for anyone wanting to be near Harrisburg, Hershey and Lancaster. I know a couple of HDTers are coming through in July. Y'all come!

 

Jeff

Cindy & Jeff Brett
2014 Mobile Suite Memphis 44'
2004 Volvo 630 (The Sonshine Express), ET Hitch, Jackalopee & Szmyt Wonderbed
2016 Smart (Blanche)

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What a surprise, Jeff! I thought that you and Cindy were fixtures at Harrisburg East.

 

Have a great summer!

Phil

 

2002 Teton Royal Aspen

2003 Kenworth T2000 - Cat C12 380/430 1450/1650, FreedomLine, 3.36 - TOTO . . . he's not in Kansas anymore.

ET Air Hitch

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What a surprise, Jeff! I thought that you and Cindy were fixtures at Harrisburg East.

 

Have a great summer!

Yeah, Phil we decided to broaden our experience 13 miles down the road!

Cindy & Jeff Brett
2014 Mobile Suite Memphis 44'
2004 Volvo 630 (The Sonshine Express), ET Hitch, Jackalopee & Szmyt Wonderbed
2016 Smart (Blanche)

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We got to Woodland Park, CO - Diamond Campground - yesterday after a 477 mile drive. Yes, I actually drove 477 in one day. I was going to let Danielle drive but the darn seat jammed in my position. :( Something to fix later this week.

 

We will be here until we leave for the HDT Rally in the fall. Woke to snow this morning.... :)

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

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I will be at Loyd Park on Joe Pool Lake in Grand Prairie, TX for a few months. Picked up my new to me Smart Car a few days ago and saw several HDT rigs at Destiny Dallas RV Resort in Corinth, TX.

Bill Greenwade

Full Timer from Mena, Arkansas

2012 KZ 40ft 5th Wheel Toy Hauler

1998 Volvo VNL 610

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I think Jeff and Cindy wanted uniforms that match their truck.

That's a good one, Bob . . . . . but they do, and it's a great color!

Edited by BandBuds

Cindy & Jeff Brett
2014 Mobile Suite Memphis 44'
2004 Volvo 630 (The Sonshine Express), ET Hitch, Jackalopee & Szmyt Wonderbed
2016 Smart (Blanche)

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I am spending tonight at Raccoon Valley SKP Park in TN in my HDT. Tomorrow I will drive 3+ hours into GA and get our trailer and bring it back here and stay the rest of the week.

 

Jim

Volvo+and+Travel+Supreme+400+x+103.jpg

 

2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it?

'05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel

2016 smart car

 

We started full timing on December 1st 2014

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain
Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien

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Yesterday was an exciting day. It was akin to trial by fire, I would have to say. I left Raccoon Valley at 6 AM - Yes that was me. (Sorry fellow campers). Now, I had heard the old Volvo headlights were bad, but when I left before sunrise, I could not believe how poor they were! The high beams were OK, but for some reason, they would not stay on unless I was holding the lever back. I drove a ways before I remembered that when I pulled around the loop to leave the campground, I had put lights in the parking light position with headlights off. I was driving down the road using the flash feature of holding back the stalk to see where I was going. Dah!

 

I drove to Blairsvlille GA across the Copper Road through the Cherokee National Forest. It was beautiful drive, but between the narrow curves and 18 wheel dump trailers running this gauntlet too fast in my opinion due to the cliffs, curves, guard rails, and rock out croppings right out to the pavement, I thought I would find a better route back with the trailer in tow. I stopped and asked some locals and they said that was the best road. I asked again in Blairsville, and they said it would be an additional 6 hours to go all the way to Atlanta to get on I 75 and miss that fun road.

 

I got to the trailer about 10:30 AM. After securing the residential fridge such that it would not move during travel, I hooked up. This was the first of several firsts for me yesterday. It went fine until I tested the lights. First I thought there was no power to the 7 pin plug on truck, but my multi-tester showed there was power, just not coming through the proper wires. I ended up removing all the wires and reconnecting them to the proper terminals on the back of the plug. I would guess somone installed them to a mirror image of the way they should have been, but that would not explain why the center lead was wrong too. After a significant delay I finally got out of the campground in GA, towing a fifth wheel, another first for me,

 

I was under 10 miles down the country road when I noticed the kitchen slide coming out the drivers slide. It was out about 6 inches, but with the narrow road was close to over the center line of the road. I was going a bit slow, and it looked like the 2nd car back in the procession was a police vehicle. I voluntarily found a place to pull over before being "pulled over". The electric motor would not run the slide in or out. With someone to help me, we literally pushed the slide back in. I blocked the inside lip of the slide from the outer wall of the trailer in a couple places so it could not slide out again.

 

It was getting late and I knew if I drove all the way to Atlanta to get on I 75, I was not going to make it back to Raccoon Valley before dark. So I went back taking it slow through the valley of death. Miraculously, I missed all the guide rails rock out croppings, deep ditches, on coming trucks, and cliffs. I thought I was home free when I reached I 75 and headed north. Then with about 10 miles to go, I 75 was closed for bridge repair and I was detoured. OMG did the fun begin again! I am used to a GPS that maintains north being up on the screen. The GPS in the truck I bought reorients the map so you always driving up, or if your brain is not able to adjust, one could think your always driving north! Even though I knew I was being baffled by this electronic devil machine, I could not for the life of me figure out how to reroute myself to the campground. It did not help that the GPS wanted to turn me around on roads significant;y smaller than I would possible fit. Then when I took roads the looked big enough, it came up yelling "Warning! Warning!" and the screen came up indicating a 3 ton limit ahead. I stopped for directions at a gas station and found myself in position to practice backing the trailer (another first), with the added excitement of cars coming and going, to get in position of where I could pull back out onto the highway.

 

I thought the road through the Cherokee National Forest was harry, but it was nothing compared to the small roads, heavy with traffic, I encountered getting back to Raccoon Valley. the worst part was the dips in the road with culverts under the road. The road would narrow and the guard rails were right on the white line. I felt so lucky to get to Raccoon Valley unscathed!

 

Fortunately, I had a pull through site and plenty of great help getting parked, leveled up, and unhitched. Just in time for the rain to start. I have lived all my life in NY State, and we don't get many tornadoes. By the time i finished settling in, mostly moving some stuff from truck to trailer, enough to spend the night, it was about 10 PM and everyone else was turned in for the night, and office was closed. So what does one do when there is a tornado warning when they are camping? No one else was leaving there RV's, but from what I could fathom, not really knowing where I was, it seemed the threat of a possible tornado was real. I ended up listening to the weather radio most the night and formulating a plan. Should I go to the shower/laundry building or climb into the 3'x3'X3' storage compartment under the deck of my HDT, with some pillows, sleeping bag, blankets for padding if he truck was tossed around? Folks used to dealing with tornado warnings are probably laughing at my paranoia!

 

At least I got the trailer out of a flood zone where it was. And I am glad my wife was not with me for this adventure. She promised to give the full time lifestyle at least a year to see if it suites us. I am glad this adventure was not part of that year for her! I am still smiling, but I do hope things get better!

 

That is a long story, to say...I made it to Raccoon Valley with our new trailer!

 

Jim

Volvo+and+Travel+Supreme+400+x+103.jpg

 

2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it?

'05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel

2016 smart car

 

We started full timing on December 1st 2014

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain
Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien

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Jim, Welcome to the world of fulltiming. Some days will be like that - but not many, fortunately. And less as you gain experience. Good job!!

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

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David, you probably don't remember me. My wife and I came to the 2007 ECR in Gettysburg. We were in the Trailmanor fold down TT pulled by a Honda Ridgeline. Thanks to you and others, that is where I caught the bug.

 

Jim

Volvo+and+Travel+Supreme+400+x+103.jpg

 

2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it?

'05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel

2016 smart car

 

We started full timing on December 1st 2014

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain
Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien

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Heading out on May 6th for our first trip this spring. Planning to stop at Mid Ohio Raceway to watch the www.onelapofamerica.com running there on May 8th. Then on to Washington, DC, for the Law Enforcement Memorial Week. We'll be "camping" in Vienna, VA.

'03 United Specialties truck conversion, Freightliner FL112, Cat C12, 10 sp Autoshift, 295" w/b, 26' living quarters.

 

St. Paul, MN

 

www.bobwinsor.com

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We drove a grueling 123 miles, yesterday! [Well, actually, it wasn't grueling at all; but, it was raining and the high temperature was 44F!] We left Indiana Interstate Enterprise (Paul and Kay Cross) in Lagrange, IN, about 11:30 and arrived in Grand Haven, MI, yesterday. We'll be staying at the Grand Haven Campground for about a week before continuing our journey to Alaska.

 

While we're here, we plan to enjoy a little downtime--after 10 days of having to be out of our Mobile Suites from 07:00 'til 16:00, daily, for upgrades (MOR/ryde SI suspension and other stuff) and repairs--to wait for our mail to catch up to us, and to do some site seeing (the Tulip Festival, in Holland, MI, begins tomorrow and lasts for a week and to check out touristy thing in the Grand Rapids area).

 

If it will warm up some (currently 44F, 90% relative humidity), I can finish a couple of installation items; e.g., re-connect the shore-power plug in the Volvo, that I haven't had time to do.

Raymond (G8r.Ray; i.e., Gator Ray) & Janet
Grinnin' ear-to-ear, since 2012-03-14


2005 Volvo 630 Motor Coach,


VE D12 465hp/1650lb-ft, 12 sp FreedomLine (2-Peddle),
217in WB, smart car deck/bed by Toterman, Pressure Pro,
PowerTank, Crossfire (dual tire pressure equilizer)

2006 smart forTwo Passion (450, Gen I), Ruby Red/Silver
2008 smart forTwo Passion (451, Gen II), Blue/Black
2009 DRV Mobile Suites 36RS3

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I drove from Raccoon Valley SKP Park in TN to MorRyde in Elkhart Indiana yesterday. It was a long drive but fortunately uneventful. No slide outs coming out or anything exciting like that. The temporary camera I put in the rear window of the fiver worked great, at least until it got dark. Of course that was when I needed it! Jim Hicks had mentioned in a post that the infrared illumination would reflect off the glass, and it sure did.

 

MorRyde is under construction and I got to a point that I could not follow GPS to find where I needed to park with electric hookup for the night. I left thee truck idling in the street with 4 ways on while I walked around looking. When I got back in the truck it smelled funny. Not an ozone electric arcing smell. I thought perhaps something under the dash was melting though. Then this morning I remembered from when I was under the truck the day before I had noticed what looked like soot staining the pipe from exhaust leaking in front of the muffler. So it was probably just exhaust fumes coming up into the cab. I had the exhaust converted to a weed burner in NH while the bed was modified. I will need to figure out how to seal that up. I have enough headaches with carbon monoxide to add to them.

 

Jim

Volvo+and+Travel+Supreme+400+x+103.jpg

 

2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it?

'05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel

2016 smart car

 

We started full timing on December 1st 2014

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain
Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien

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