RandyA

The Good Sam Flying J fuel card gives you 6 cents (some 8 cents) BELOW the credit price. Since the credit price is at least five cents higher than cash this usually amounts to a 11 cent a gallon discount. Not much but better than nothing. You put in your card, enter your PIN, fuel and go. You do not have to go inside the store. The TSD fuel program looks nice but I stopped filling out the application when it wanted my social security number. No - ain't gonna do that. What reason do they have for collecting that number?

I wish I could say that today’s experience of exchanging air tanks on my Volvo was “fun”. Actually, it was more like a trip through a Halloween Spook House. If replacing air tanks are in your future – read on. If not, skip this dribble and go enjoy a cold beer. I started at 10:30 this morning. The front wheels were run up on a set of solid 8” ramps. The driver side fairing was removed along with the battery hold down brackets. The battery was disconnected – the front negative buss first then the positive (rear) second. All the negative ring terminals were marked with a black zip tie and the positive with a red zip tie. I did not think of my aux batteries in the back or check the battery selection switch. Thus, I was surprised when the positive cable hit the frame and a shower of sparks ensued. Needless to say I put the battery selector in OFF. The battery tray was in bad shape with several holes rusted through. Fortunately, when I purchased the replacement tanks they were still attached to the steps which included the battery tray and washer fluid tank. I decided to replace the battery tray. To do this I needed to go ahead and drop the air tanks – a process normally accomplished by removing twelve 15mm nuts. Unfortunately for me, eight of the 12 nuts were rusted too badly to remove with a wrench. Out came the 4-1/2” angle grinder with a cut-off wheel. I cut off the eight remaining nuts and the tanks dropped off. The 4 nuts on the back that held the windshield washer bracket in place were also rusted to the point that they had to be cut. With this finished I was able to put the newer, un-rusted battery tray in the framework. I had to use 3/8” SAE nuts and bolts as I did not have metric hardware. My help arrived and we began to tackle the air tanks. Getting the hoses out of the fittings proved to be a challenge. We ended up grinding a flat on the bottom of each brass 90 degree angle fitting so that some adjustable jaw pliers could grip the bottom of the fitting and pull down the collar on the fitting. With a lot of tugging the air lines came out. Now, it is important to point out that my tanks are vintage 2004 and my replacement tanks were from a 2012 truck. The air lines used on the 2004 were a combination of 19mm OD and 16mm OD. The lines on the 2012 tanks were all 16mm OD. But I didn’t know this and didn’t think to check. I assumed – and you know what happens when you assume. We had to remove the air line fittings from both sets of tanks and swap them out to match up to the truck lines. We lifted the new tanks in place and bolted them to the battery bracket and proceeded to install the truck air lines into the tank fittings. If I remember correctly there were a total of 12 lines for the three tanks. It was now getting dark – we had been at it 7 hours and were not finished. Tomorrow I will install the batteries, wire them up, start the truck and see if I have any leaks. Oh how I pray I don’t! Replacing air tanks, especially on a rusty truck, is an all day shove and grunt full day job that requires 2 people. I still have a ½ day of work and clean-up left. – that is providing I don’t have any hose to fitting leaks. No, it wasn’t fun. Old tank #3 is rusted but is not leaking. I also have a spare windshield washer tank. If any one needs them give me a hollar.

If you are lucky enough to have a Kroger fuel center near your location and also shop there major savings on diesel are available. The normal 10 cents off per gallon is attainable by spending at least $100 of your grocery shopping or prescription money there. Kroger also has the opportunity to receive 2X to 4X fuel points on selected days or items like gift cards. I can always personally use Lowe's gift cards. We typically amass 60 cents per gallon and occasionally hit $1.00 per gallon. There is a 35 gallon limit. If you do have 1000 points that is a savings of $35. Kroger has a NEW Mastercard. For the first full year it gives 55 cents off of each gallon if you also have at least 10 points - this amounts to 65 cents per gallon. When we return from a trip and need maybe 150 gallons of fuel I fill in 35 gallon increments. We may have 60 points but I only use 10 per fill. It will take 4-5 individual purchases of fuel to reach maximum tank level. But, with the Kroger Mastercard you can do it all at once. Like, do 35 gallons. Then start over at the same pump with another 35 gallons and so on. There does not seem to be a waiting period between purchases. Recently I saved over $100 playing this game refilling the Volvo. Diesel is now $3.59 a gallon here and rising weekly. I know when I get on the road next month that the Interstate stations like Flying J will be well into the $4 range. I have enough fuel to reach my destination in Florida (888 miles - twin 150 gallon tanks) ) and still h(ave enough to get me back to Richmond VA. I would leave FL with 169 gallons (280 - 111). That is assuming 8 mpg which is what I can get at 60-62 mph. At 65 to 68 I drop to 7 mpg. Note: Florida does not have any Kroger stores or fuel stations. But, there is a Kroger fuel station just off the Interstate near Savanna, GA . I'll fill up there and then top off when we get back to Richmond. Next year I will cancel my current Kroger Mastercard and get a new one in my wife's name so we can start the discount program all over again. That is provided it is still offered.

Yesterday I discovered a leak in the sides of both the front and middle air tanks on my 2004 VNL670. This is a spot where dirt and battery acid can collect between the tanks - it is also difficult to clean out trash in that area. The truck could still build 120 psi but a pin hole leak can become larger at any time depending of how bad the surrounding metal is. Last night I checked on-line junk yards and found prices ranging from $125 to $225 per tank plus shipping. Today I went out to our local heavy truck wrecking and recycling yard (Eubanks Truck Service) and located a chassis with 3 nice looking tanks. They removed them along with the battery tray and loaded them for $150. After I got home I removed the battery tray and pressure washed them - only light surface rust in a few spots. Tanks are solid and have all hose fittings. Product and price wise I feel lucky. Tomorrow I hope to remove the old leaky tanks and replace them. I do have help as I am not suppose to be lifting the batteries. I haven't said much about it but they discovered prostate cancer this summer and I had the prostate removed October 22. No cancer in the bone and healing is going good - if I just could control my pee. Anyway, I am still under weight lifting restrictions. I just pray that all the hose connections seal and don't leak. That is the PIA I am worried about. Anyway, why the post? Well, it is a warning for Volvo owners - especially those with older trucks - to keep the gaps between the tanks clean and painted. Mine had about 1/16 inch or less between the tanks. Easy for dirt and moisture, even battery acid from a bad battery to end up there and eat into the tanks. The parts under the battery box are the least accessible - that's where my leak occurred.

Disc brakes can be a DIY job. I know, I did it to my old Cedar Creek in 2016 at the age of 70. My current trailer (Keystone Cambridge) came with disc brakes. I would NEVER go back to drums. The 17.5 inch wheels gave me a better tire. Rather than F-G I now can run an H, I or J. I run H rated. The IS is nice but one can live without it easier than the first two. I do have the Moreryde centerpoints.

Sculptor gave me an idea: My trailer is the same height as the Volvo. All you need is a flat spot where you can pull the truck up next to the trailer. Go onto the trailer roof and use the long scrub brush to clean the top of the Volvo. Clean and scrub the roof of the trailer at the same time. One warning - some soaps or detergents used for cleaning an EPDM roof on a trailer make the surface slicker than deer guts on a door knob. Tennis shoes may act like ice skates on such a surface. I clean my roof barefooted or with only a pair of cotton socks. Along the edge I'm usually on all fours.

I go through a checklist before each trip. The checklist shows date, mileage and then the requirements for a commercial truck inspection (air leakage, slack adjusters, lights, etc.). While I have never been asked for it I have always felt it was important not only for me but for any LEO that wanted to know if my truck was compliant even if it was licensed as an RV. I now have a "historical" notebook full of these sheets with any faults found and method of correction noted. I have a copy of my title showing "Converted RV", registration with same and all the DOT requirements along with exemptions for weight, CDL, etc. for my state. Of course insurance documentation is included. 4V4NC9GH6NXXXXXX VOLVO VNL67O MOTOR HOME SAFETY CHECK LIST MILEAGE:______________________________________________________ DATE & TIME: ___________________________________________________ LOCATION AT TIME OF INSPECTION: _______________________________ INSIDE & OUTSIDE O Apply Parking Brake and Chock Wheels START ENGINE O Oil Pressure______________psi O Air pressure__________________psi O Low Air Warning Device (Air pressure below 40 psi check on pressure build-up. Air pressure above 60 psi deplete air until warning device works) O Instrument Panel (Telltale lights or buzzers) O Horn O Windshield Wiper and Washer O Heater - Defroster O Mirrors O Steering Wheel (Excess play) O Turn on all lights including 4-way flasher O Fire Extinguisher and Warning Devices STOP ENGINE O Release Parking Brakes (Yellow Knob) O Apply service Brakes-Air loss should not exceed 3 psi per minute on single vehicles O Apply Parking Brakes UNDER HOOD O Engine Oil Level O Coolant Level O Power Steering Fluid O Fan and A/C Alternator Belts O Look for Any Visible Oil or Fluid Leaks O Look for any signs of Exhaust Leaks O Check or Fill Windshield Washer Fluid Tank OUTSIDE 0 Slack adjusters clearance (automatic adjusters on this vehicle) FRONT O Headlights (Fog, Driving, Hi/Low Beam) O Clearance Lights O Identification lights O Turn Signals and 4-way flasher O Tires and Wheels LEFT SIDE O Fuel Tank and Cap O Side marker Lights O Tires and Wheels REAR O Tail Lights O Stop Lights O Turn Signals and 4-way flasher O Clearance Lights O Identification Tights O License Plate Light RIGHT SIDE O Fuel Tank and Cap O Side marker Lights O Tires and Wheels O Couplings (Fifth wheel, safety chains, locking devices) O Remove Wheel Chocks FASTEN SEAT BELT INSPECTION PERFORMED BY: ______________________ NOTE: Place a mark only in the box for items checked. If any item did not pass initial inspection, note repairs made below:

I sincerely doubt that my 2 cents worth is even worth a dollar in our current economy, but here goes: I recently watched a gentleman I would "guess" to be well into his 80's climb down the steps of what appeared to be a DP of at least 40'. He was the vehicle driver. He was using a walker and carrying portable oxygen. I was somewhat surprised as I remembered the rig passing me several miles back moving at a speed I interpreted from experience to be at least 15 mph faster than the 65 mph I was traveling (speed limit 70 mph). Now, that said, he could have been the best driver on the road (but I doubt it). I've been towing since 1973 and have learned through the school of hard knocks and experience what to do and not to do with an RV. Below are just a FEW of the mistakes I see frequently made by (new?) folks pulling a trailer: Exceeding the speed rating of the RV tires or highway speed limit. Obviously overloading the RV and/or towing with too small a truck for the size of the trailer. Incorrect setting of the "torsion bars" on a travel trailer. Believing the torsion bars were actually "anti-say bars". Continually following another vehicle too closely. Not aware of or allowing for the natural "trailer track" being different than the tow vehicle when making a turn. Failure to know that their stopping distance has increased considerably. Using a "bumper ball" hitch on a 3/4 or 1 ton truck with a small TT (>25') with safety chains hooked to the bumper. Maybe no brake controller??? Depending on "regular stock non-extending" outside mirrors. While there may be many more, these are ones that serve as a "warning" sign for me to keep my distance from these vehicles as such tell me the driver is clueless. Dealerships should instruction buyers of needed precautions but they are often not given or overlooked. Before I could get a "concealed carry permit" or drive a boat I had to complete a supplemental class given by an independent certified company on all rules, consequences and resultant actions of my new responsibilities. Yes, I had to pay for the classes. I took the test, got the card and must carry it with my DL. But, I find it strange that no such class is required for an RV! I strongly believe it should be in all states and renewed in 5-10 years with a repeat class. Towing or driving an RV (or large boat, trailer, etc) on the highway is vastly different than just driving a pick-up). The highway OR the government are not the entity or place needed to learn safely. In my experience any class taught by the government is generally poorly organized and fall short of it's intent.

In Florida I was under the impression that if your truck had a load carrying hitch (fifth wheel) that the truck had to be registered commercial with the license to follow. If it had a "bumper" hitch and ball it was OK with a regular license. Can you shed any light on that theory or fact?

We have used a queen size water bed mattress on the deck of the truck bed for all but drinking water. Works well, holds lots of water and makes a good place to take a nap and get a suntan.

I apologize for not offering more detail about my conversion. I was just released from the hospital today after surgery to remove my prostrate (cancer). As soon as I am able I will pull my schematic to share with you so that you have more detail. I too had some errors appear on the DID but they simply disappeared. I guess the EECM got tired of posting them 😉. Anyway, from what I can see you are on the right track. Unfortunately, the fuse podwerkz referenced on the firewall hadn't been included on my 2004 D12.

From potty discussions shared around the campfire that I have been privy to, I'm surprised no one picked up my "play on words" in the above sentence.

I had to do that on my '04 Volvo. The air solenoid block sprung a leak and the fan was staying on all the time. I tried retaining the signal from the ECM to the new solenoid but something was wrong there too. This robbed me of at least 30 hp and was very noisy. My fix was a thermostat from Amazon with the sensor in the radiator fins and using a Bosch relay wired as the broken pneumatic block was to control the solenoid. I had several single air solenoids I bought on eBay and tapped into an air line on the firewall used (I think) for the long ago removed hitch slider release. This was maybe 5 years ago. It is still working fine.

Yes, we all go. Now some serious (but may seem off color) experience gained in my camping life. BTW, first RV with wheels was a 1968 Scamper PuP. First RV with a real toilet and a black tank was 1973. I think that is about 47 years of poo experience. Let's see, a single sheet of TP measures approximately 4" x 4". As I have been told most folks sitting on a potty roll off about 6 squares to clean themselves. That's 2 feet. Some use more, some less. Anyhow those 6 squares are (again typically - I don't have a recent survey) folded once so they are two layers thick and then folded once more giving 4 layers of thickness or a piece 4" x 6". This is used to clean one's behind then dropped into the toilet bowl. From potty discussions shared around the campfire that I have been privy to, most folks willing to discuss such habits report this is repeated at least two more times ( 3 wipes) for a total of 6 feet of TP. A husband and wife with the "usual" 40 gallon black tank can go 5-7 days before the tank is 3/4 full - it all depends on how much water is used. If each visits the head for a number 2 daily this is 84 feet of TP. Of course, how "regular" you are and baring any gastric disturbances easily changes these numbers. The wife often adds several more feet since she is more apt to clean after a number 1 than the hubby. These numbers can make one realize how easy it is for TP to hang up in a ball or catch on a black tank valve and create that dreaded clog. One would think that a single ply paper would reduce what must be digested in the black tank. But, it doesn't work that way. When single ply paper like those specifically sold for RV use are used by individuals they tend to use more than the typical 2 feet per wipe. To make up for the thinner TP it is not a surprise to learn that twice as much is often used to keep from experiencing the dreaded tear through and brown fingers. There is no argument that the density of the TP (single vs. 2-ply) gives single ply a slight advantage for dissolving. Also, TP sold specifically for RV's and boats (Camco) comes on a loosely wound roll with fewer sheets for a significantly higher price. Considering the number of sheets, roll and often using more of the product your cost of a single roll is at least 4X, if not more, than the cost of household septic safe TP. Virtually all RV black tank additives claim to assist in the rapid dissolving of TP. Actually, any surfacant will do the same. Adding some detergent - even cheap liquids, or a couple of packets of automatic dishwasher detergent, will do the same as expensive tank additives. Agitation is another excellent method to keep TP from clogging things up. If possible, do not dump your black tank before you move from one CG to another. Dump when you arrive - the contents will be broken up and dissolved from motion while traveling. If you are not moving an in-tank whirling wash out accessory will agitate the contents sufficiently to aid in a clean dump. Run it a minute or so before opening the dump valve - then keep it running. Also, keep in mind that many of the "dissolving tests" using water alone in jars can give inaccurate results. Only a test of multiple TP samples in affluent from your black tank and perhaps the chemical you might select will give accurate results. An active bacteria colony is your friend in maintaining black tank health. You need the bacteria to help break down TP. Plenty of water in the black tank is your friend when you are in a CG with hook-ups. Boondocking or camping without a water hook-up calls for a different procedure. We use gray water collected in a bucket to manually flush the potty conserving fresh potable water and reducing gray tank volume somewhat. I could tell you a lot more of our experiences and observations about TP use. One gentleman I know shared that his family NEVER puts TP in the commode. They deposit it in a can with a plastic bag liner and lid to be put in the trash (ugh). The truth is use whatever TP you use at home as long as it is not a page from a Sears and Roebuck catalog. And NEVER put any of those baby bottom wet wipes in your potty unless you want to become a real brownnoser. You can also purchase a Bidet Butler from folks like Clear Rear that fits on an RV potty with the china bowl so you can reduce TP usage by 1/2 or more. Don't laugh, they are great! We have one on ours. One caution - if the water at your hook-up is really cold you can get a shock of sorts.

No, no no. With all personal respect for your vision and no flames or seemingly nasty retorts from me - you are still a long way from the knowledge base I have acquired concerning electricity and and the energy sources needed to produce it. I wasn't kidding about advancing the technology to capture a lightning bolt as an electrical energy source. It is so easy to accept the advertising hype about how environmentally sane it would be to quit using gasoline and diesel fuel in our automobiles and trucks, put up a few solar panels and just plug in. It is not as easy as putting in more charging stations unless we have the power to hook them up. Never-the-less, I admire your vision. Yes, we have made tremendous progress over the past 4 decades and we will continue to do so - political agendas aside. I well remember how angry my (then - now gone) wife became in the late '70's when I frivolously spent part of my hard earned income on a microwave oven and a kit to build an Ohio Scientific OS1 microcomputer. By the time I bought a Motorola bag cell phone she was still ranting and raving about how I wasted money and time on "fad" items that would never do anything. I am so glad I did not fall victim to that narrow way of thinking. Those frivolous actions quickly paid back many times their original cost as it put me way ahead of the curve professionally. I do believe electric automobiles will someday be common place and we will develop the methods to convert alternate forms of energy into the needed electricity to recharge the batteries in electric automobiles. It is a shame that Honda's project to to directly convert hydrogen into electricity was restricted to a few vehicles in California and never allowed to develop nationally. Politics again got in the way. CO2 from burning fossil fuels has undoubtedly impacted global warming and must be reigned back if mankind and many animals are to survive. But electric cars will not solve that problem unless dependable clean sources of energy are used at the generating end and we have a reliable method of delivering that energy. So, what comes first? The chicken or the egg? I personally believe it should be the Chicken (my analogy). Keep your imagination alive, but please do not overlook the realities and cost of getting there. I foresee something akin to the long gas lines after the Arab oil embargo of '73-'74 as communities via for the additional electrical energy that will be needed for a rapid influx of electric vehicles. That is, unless we can rapidly expand our source of electrical energy and methods of delivering it to the needed point of use. We just aren't there yet and have no real plan on how it will be accomplished. 🤕 Enough said - I'm bowing out of this discussion.

Boy, did you ever miss the mark for what I wrote. The Department of Energy and the Green New Deal are two different things. I never mentioned the Department of Energy, which, by the way, doesn't have a plan either. Yea, it will happen but so does a dump cake. Trying to keep my comments non-political. There is much more I can add - but won't on this thread. We HAVE started and yes it will not happen overnight. Strange you have yet to address where all the electrical energy needed will come from. I hope your imagination works. And yes, I would like to own a Tesla model X - it would be fun with awesome acceleration and I could gloat to my cohorts about owing one, but it would not even come close to my current vehicle needs.

Battery technology beyond lead-acid has leaped light years during our lifetime - mostly in the past 15 years with lithium-ion. Electric motors are considerably more efficient in converting electrical energy into kinetic energy rather than heat. Like the old cigarette commercial for Virginia Slims, "We've come a long way, baby." But......... As a retired Electrical Engineer I am of the opinion we are doing what my ancestors called "Putting the cart before the horse." Or as some might say today, "Read, Shoot, Aim." You can neither create or destroy energy. You can ONLY convert it from one form to another. The energy to charge newer technology batteries has to come from some other source. Solar and wind are not enough. Hydro-electric in many locations is in trouble due to well over-age dams and declining water tables. Nuclear is a great choice for clean energy but people are afraid of it and we still do not have a reliable way to safely store the spent nuclear fuel (forever). Most of our electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels to run turbine generators. Thank goodness coal is no longer the main source of fossil fuel for generators in the USA. Recharging an electric car is like turning on your 240 volt 50 amp electric oven overnight. Anyone want to venture what would happen to our power grid if everyone were to do that tonight? Maybe if not tonight, when the temperatures are hoovering above 90F or below 10F and air conditioners or electric heat is in tremendous demand? I'm all for electric cars but the hype without knowing facts is driving us to an electrical power supply disaster. THERE IS NO PLAN (Seems I've heard that recently on another matter). We hear a lot of talk about "The Green Energy Plan", but the group responsible for the plan are not knowledgeable engineers. Some folks want to spend trillions of dollars on infrastructure but have no idea what infrastructure is and keep slicing it up to include items that have nothing with infrastructure. We are living in a time when roads, bridges, dams, electric distribution, sewers and sewage treatment plants, clean water and more are falling into disrepair or falling apart while we build more but fail to properly maintain and replace what we currently have. I'm sorry if I am busting anybody's bubble, but we absolutely must have the additional electrical energy at the point of use, the ability to produce it without more of the same and the "power grid" (power lines, transformers, towers, switching networks and even in many cases larger service cables to homes with larger service entrance boxes and circuity). We don't have it now, we don't have a comprehensive plan how to build it at a cost we can afford, and even if we did it would take decades to put it in place. Yes, we can power "a few" electric cars with what we have. But, not an entire nation full. BTW - does anyone know how many cars & trucks would need replacing? Does 280,000,000 sound about right?

Referencing Josef Goebbels made me chuckle. Yea, you are using your head for something other than a ball cap holder. 😄

It shouldn't have taken much to pick up on that. Yes, I am sick and tired of media reporting that thrives on misinformation and inaccurate reporting with the prime objective to excite their readers/watchers or listeners enough to read their paper so that their ratings will go up and they can set a higher price for advertising. Same for TV and commercials. There is also the issue of simply being clueless or stupid not to mention political bias and fear that reporting the truth will bring unwanted repercussions - a road I will not go down. Having been a college professor and Dean of Education at one institution I am extremely intimate with the higher education mix, I would discourage you from wasting your time and money auditing any of the courses above. You see, most of those "liberal" courses are content driven by "opinion" rather than fact. Both by the institution and professor. While textbooks do not dictate a specific curriculum their content is typically driven by institutional bias that leaves out the basic concept of critical thinking as an individual. Or, as you apparently possess - the what, why and how of any communication along with the simple test of "Does it make sense?" Any inaccuracy or ignorance of the facts in a report tell me that person has no business writing the article, their editor is also ignorant of the subject and therefore the entire publication is open to question. This is getting way off topic. But you asked the question and in truth my answer is part opinion and part fact in itself differing only in that I am not selling anything. Anyway, it is fun and a good exercise in observation, fact checking and critical thinking to try and analyze what might have happened in the reported accident based on the short description and photographs. While the individuals gathered on this thread have consistently shown that they are smarter than the average observer, many lesser acute readers will not go that far in their thinking and possibly surmise that the accident and highway shutdown were totally the fault of the "18-wheeler" (which includes those pulling "motor homes") and leave with the feeling that such vehicles are inherently deadly and should be banned from the 4-wheeler's highways. 🙂 Some of the most "clueless" people I know have college educations. Don't sell yourself short by using that yardstick. College educations can easily "backfire" and create a bias that snuffs out critical thinking or even acquiring new knowledge beyond their major. I've seen it happen way too often - indoctrination in a specific subject or curriculum can leave one with an extremely narrow view of the real world. You know the definition of an "expert": an ex is a has-been and a spurt is just a little more than a drip. Sandsys's question below is what I would hope individuals might ask upon seeing the photograph (among others previously posted).

"18-Wheeler towing a Motor Home". Apparently the article author has no clue. The tractor is NOT an 18 wheeler and a 5th wheel trailer is NOT a Motor Home. Additionally the term "Semi" applied to our HDT's is totally wrong. "Semi" means "half" and refers only to the trailer since it is not self supporting with wheels in the front and back. (Any vehicle - even a car - pulling a non-self supporting trailer is a "Semi" trailer combination.) I feel for the owner/passengers and hope he (she) and any others involved are OK. But it always rattles my craw when people, especially reporters, think that the ONLY RV is a Motor Home and all HDT's are "18 wheelers" or Semi's and can't tell the difference between a TT, fifth wheel or Motor Home. Geez, if you are a reporter learn to do your research if you don't know what it is and report it correctly. Like Rick, I spent 30 years as a volunteer EMS provider and worked my fair share of vehicle accidents. It was a rare event when the newspaper or TV reported an accident's details correctly. They often had to "embellish" the article so it would catch the reader or listener's eye and either left out or added to the story to make it more appealing. Looking at the second link pic I agree the fiver is too far forward indicating damage to the pin or hitch moving the trailer forward as can happen in a abrupt stop of the tow vehicle without enough time or distance to properly engage magnetic trailer drum brakes. I've seen this happen on PU trucks with devastating results as the fiver crashed into the truck cab. I noted a flat right front tire and damage that looks to me like the HDT was hit at the front of the passenger door with force moving forward. Perhaps the HDT was sideswiped by a faster moving vehicle? I strongly suspect a second vehicle is involved but not shown or mentioned. Bringing in a helicopter to do a medical evacuation would shut down all traffic if it had to land on the roadway as pictured - but that's usually only for the period of time it takes to do the evacuation. On most occasions we would place our rescue vehicles and fire engines so as to intentionally block or reroute traffic away from personnel for our safety while we worked to remove the accident victims and road debris. This often completely shut down a highway unless there was a paved shoulder to safely bypass on and a contingent of law enforcement to direct traffic. Actually, we were not allowed to direct traffic - that was a LEO responsibility. Thus, we typically blocked traffic if the accident vehicle(s) were on the road which effectively closed it down. For this accident it is probable that a second vehicle was in the adjacent lane which makes traffic flow literally impossible while maintaining first responder safety. Just guessing from what clues I can see.

Mr. Cob, several things I have encountered in my 75 year lifetime. One example, my daughter totaled her 6 year old car - at least according to the insurance company (cost of body-shop repair exceeded the value of the car). They said they would pay her NADA private party seller value which was about 8K. I asked the insurance company what it would cost to buy back the car rather than give it to them. They left the car with me and sent a check for $600 less than the insurance value. They did not even mess with the title. Armed with an armada of tools, I went to one of those pick-and-pay salvage yards and found several cars identical to hers. I ended up buying a hood, headlight assembly, front fender, door and rear quarter all for less than $200. Over a period of a couple of weeks, I replaced the damaged sheet metal with my salvage parts. Everything but the rear quarter was nut and bolt. We repainted the car outdoors with base coat/clear coat, fine sanded out the bugs that got in the paint, buffed and it looked like a new car. All total parts and materials to restore the car were right at $1400, the rest of the insurance check when in my pocket. Case two, my son's 26' Salem camper was flipped on it's side by a mini tornado that came through this area. Insurance totaled the camper. I got him to buy back the camper. He got something like $23K for the camper, I paid him the $850 buy back (only the registered owner can buy-back in an insurance loss - no 2nd party sales allowed). I then fixed the right side of the camper with new aluminum siding and a used awning and door along with some inside work for about $500 is select used parts, put it in my front yard with a For Sale sign and sold it the next day for $18K. Yes, I am handy with tools and actually enjoy doing that type of work (as a hobby) and not everyone has a place or desire to undertake such a project. I mentioned stripping out our Cedar Creek after the fire that burned the front and ruined the interior from smoke damage. Without ever looking at the camper there was a "deal" in place with CoParts to buy totaled campers for a fixed salvage price sight unseen. So, the appraiser knowing this, told us to take what we wanted before they came to pick it up. This is not at all unusual. If we had not been in Florida but near home I would have kept the entire totaled fiver. Me and and a group of friends worked our tails off removing salvageable personal items and parts from the trailer. My son came down to Florida in his PU and we rented a U-Haul trailer, packed it full and he took the stuff back to VA. Even with all this I came out thousands of dollars ahead in parts. What needs to happen is the totaled vehicle must to be in your possession, not in a storage yard of a wrecker company. In those cases I had the damaged vehicle brought to my home/shop - only then did I file a claim with the insurance company. Possession is 9/10 of the deal. If I wanted to keep it I could for the salvage value. If I didn't, pick-up by the recycler is usually several days. Plenty of time to strip out valuable upgrades, even swap out wheels and tires (if you can find old ones that will roll) unless you are laid up with injuries. Even then you can usually find a friend or sibling to strip it for you. Most insurance does not pay you for those added or new items anyway, if they do it is pennies on the dollar. When you do a buy-back deal it is imperative that you hold the title and NEVER let the insurance company touch it. But know if money is owed to a bank or finance company THEY usually hold the title and getting a clean non-salvage title become more difficult because the insurance company pays them first as the lien holder. In those cases, pay off the loan immediately if you can so you have the title BEFORE the insurance company gets involved. If the insurance company gets to the lien holder first you end up with a salvage title when you buy-back which causes all sorts of problems with registration and new insurance. In some cases the insurance company may NOT want the vehicle for salvage and are happy to leave it with you - less work and hassle for them to abandon the vehicle. Main reason I never buy from a salvage auction is the title issue, which is quite common unless the buy is strictly to obtain parts. It is all a game that needs to be played to your advantage. Few folks know what the rules of the game are. I live in a rural area with a nice chunk of land and distant neighbors so unlike a City dweller on a 1/4 acre lot or restrictive subdivision covenants I can do stuff like that. NEVER give a truck like yours or mine to an insurance company if you have items worth more than their salvage value. If you buy the vehicle back at salvage price once you pull the good parts off you can still sell what is left along with any parts you don't want to keep. Most any truck or camper is worth more for its parts and pieces than as an intact unit unless it is totally burned or massively messed up. Shucks, a busted up hood, radiator, grill, headlight and fender will total most of our trucks due to age and mileage. Those can be replaced by most everyone reading this with reasonable priced used parts. YOU have the legal right to buy-back or keep your vehicle for salvage. You do NOT have to turn it over to your insurance company.

No agent - go directly to National General. Have Full Timer policy on trailer which provides better liability coverage and loss of contents is higher. When our old trailer caught fire they paid "NADA" value plus a nice negotiated increase for improvements and additions then told me to take what I wanted off/out of the burnt trailer before Coparts came to pick it up. Hydraulic pump, inverter, water pump, converter, batteries, awning frame, leveling controller, jacks, rear AC, furnace, dish washer, stove and more were removed and kept. I carry both comp and collision on the truck which is NADA value. If they totaled the 2004 Volvo I would buy it back or strip expensive equipment like seats, electronics, hitch, etc. out before letting it go. Different situation if you have an expensive bed. My premium on truck and trailer went DOWN this year. Our insurance coverage is based on NADA or book value for both truck and trailer.

The Porta Bote is an extremely nice looking alternative. I have seen a few strapped to the outside left side of a motor home and fifth wheel. I spent a lot of time studying one at Camping World and then again at the East Coast Rally this past April. There was one next to one of the cabins at Deer Run that caught my eye. I would caution you against purchasing a Sea Eagle until you have had a chance to compare to other inflatables. The Sea Eagle products I am familiar with are vinyl. I do not know if this is true for the entire line or not. The 12' inflatable we bought is 7 mil double coated PVC with 5 air chambers including the inflatable keel - the reason it weighs 121 pounds. It is also rated for up to a 25 hp outboard - we have a 15 hp and it will plane nicely and reach a GPS speed of 22 mph. Rowing it is not fun but very doable. Moving any distance with a paddle is difficult. We have used an electric trolling motor is some small lakes that do not allow gas outboards.

Nope - not Charlie. But, I guess it could be if he had a canoe. 😄 A few years back we were in Kearney Nebraska and went to Harold Warp's Pioneer Village museum/collection of "stuff". There was a boat on display that he had built that was sort of like what I described but it was hinged so the two sides folded on top of one another and made a closed box that fit on a little trailer. It was really neat. So was the car that had two propellers sticking out the back near the exhaust that could be a boat or a car. Now, that is something that would be neat to own. Mark's question has got me thinking again about our old canoe. I would like to be able to take it when we go to Florida so we could paddle around the marshes with the alligators. The idea of making it into a two piece canoe is appealing since I know it can be done. I have seen a rigid plastic kayak that can be taken apart in the middle but its method of joining is entirely different. Still a very doable project.