Randyretired

Some states still require a back ground check even with CCP.

We carry a Subaru Forester but I don't have a picture now. The car is loaded at an angle with the front overhang over the cab. The cab is a Volvo 42" sleeper with a low roof. I built this bed a number of years ago and it has worked great for us. We also frequently carry a small RZR crosswise under the car with the roll bar removed. The total height is 13'. It is registered in Colorado as a recreational truck so the MH requirements weren't necessary in the small cab.

They are shutting down power in many locations. The repeaters are another communication source and they don't want to hear all of the complaints. So just shut them up?😶

The last gun I purchased the Federal gun check system was down. Had to wait a day. Normally just an hour or less in Colorado.

I had to send my phone in for some warranty work and was without for a little more than a week. I knew I would miss my phone but it was worse than I imagined. I use my phone for all of my internet activities such as banking and bill paying and much more. Hopefully I don't have to go through that again!

I have a bank app on my phone but it still requires one to input a password. I have a friend who swore he would never do online banking. One time he wrote me a check and I used my phone to deposit it. He was not happy. Now his daughter is a bank executive and he uses online banking. Even has the bank app on his phone!

I was the managing partner in a company that used a lot of lithium ion batteries in our products. One of our problems was how sensitive the voltages are. Our setup managed the voltage through software but the problem was the hardware was not always able to detect small voltage fluctuations. We had to reduce our charge voltages and increase our cutoff voltages to avoid occasional sporadic failures. Thus reducing the capacity capabilities of the batteries. Since the voltage parameters are so small even a .1 volt difference for charging and cutoff made a significant reduction in battery performance. These batteries are not simple to manage without sophisticated equipment and managing expertise.

I also had a sale where they held approval until I contacted the card company. It was a rather high amount at an out of the way place. Left my phone in the truck and didn't get the message. I couldn't figure out why the transaction failed so I used a different card. Once back to my phone the answer was clear.

We have a noncommercial policy from National General for our HDT. The rates are reasonable.

One of my credit cards will only work one time per day at some gas stations. At others it will work multiple times. This can be a nuisance at times. All of my cards have alerts activated and the alert is on my phone usually before I get out the store door.

Many Advantage plans are restricted as you mentioned but this plan is provided as a retirement benefit. It is not restricted to in network and the benefits are great. We have used it in multiple states without a problem. Her former employer also offers a supplemental plan at her choice but this advantage plan works best for us. We have a copay of $5 to $10 for doctor visits and $50 for emergency room. ALL of the rest is 100% paid. The plan offers some of the other benefits common to advantage plans. Not all plans are the same and no I am not confused. We have had this plan for a few years and unfortunately we have used it more than I imagined.

We are not full time but we are not home a lot. Our part d is paid for by my DW's former employer. Hence we use a mail order pharmacy because that is what is provided. They also pay for our Advantage Plan, which pays at any place that accepts medicare anywhere.

Optum RX has also been a problem for us. Between them and USPS getting our prescriptions is an adventure! The last prescriptions we ordered they sent an email they had the order and it would be sent soon. Nothing arrived until I called them and they pushed the order through. Weeks after it should have arrived.

I have not traveled as extensively as Kirk and others have but I have seen a number of rigs obviously overweight. Never have I seen or talked with anyone who has been stopped or ticketed for being overweight with an RV. Commercial truckers is another thing though. I know of a few that have had problems for overweight and it is expensive.

We didn't like the living room skylight in our Teton and it leaked. I sealed it with Eternabond and used Liquid Roof to cover the entire skylight and the Eternabond. Put foam board on the inside and closed the cover. It now stays cooler in the summer and warmer on winter nights.

I have also had big trouble with United Health Care before Medicare. When out of network getting them to pay was very difficult or maybe impossible. They were even hit with a class action because of their ways. As many know staying in network is nearly impossible even in 'in network' facilities. However, we now have an employer provided Medicare Advantage plan by UHC and it has been great. They even have very helpful people available to assist us if needed. They clearly are committed to these Advantage plans.

I agree with waiting until the weather is favorable for driving but some roads require chains or traction devices be carried all winter. Good weather is not an acceptable excuse. For those of us that don't carry these devices route planning requires a little more thought.

If you travel I70 through the Colorado high country during the winter, chains or traction devices are required.

When our Teton was built I don't believe the heavier LT tires were available. In any case it is equipped with 7000 pound axles (3) but the load sticker shows load range E tires at 3042. I have been running Michelin XPS Ribs and in the 12 years only one flat with a nail. However these are $$$. The Sailun tires are less than 1/2 the cost. The Teton is well within the ratings as the rear axles are carrying total about 14,000 to 16,000 pounds on 6 tires. The tongue weight is heavy. As old as our 5th wheel is I am not concerned with the factory specs anymore. I just want good reliable tires at a reasonable cost. THE XPS Ribs are very good tires and when I change them after 10 years they still look new inside and out. It seems a waste to buy that kind of tire with the low miles they see.

When you say can't use the heavier tire, what does that mean. Am I going to go to jail or invalidate my insurance? My Teton has 7000 pound axles but came with LT tires. I have been considering Sailun tires. What authority says I can not do that?

Well I have one more thing to add. My experience is that the swish that everyone recommends is way overrated. We had a houseboat on Lake Powell. It is illegal to have a gravity dump there. When I remodeled the boat I installed an RV toilet that came attached to a 10 gallon tank. There wasn't room for a bigger tank there. I also plumbed in a macerator that was mounted 10 inches above the tank. Using a 2 inch suction tube into the 10 gallon tank the waste was transferred to a 100 gallon tank on the roof of the boat. The 100 gallon tank was suctioned at the marina. I could easily see inside both tanks and they emptied just fine. I used a little clean water to finish the macerator or marina suction. We used that system for about 3 months every year for 7 years. The last time I visited with the people that now own it it is still working flawlessly. I think as long as you don't abuse these tanks these are very forgiving and will work just fine. And we used septic safe tissue there.

We boondock a fair amount. For this summer we have used a macerator to dump here at our mountain property. The septic is nearly 100' away. As I said we start with 3 to 5 gallons in a 70 gallon tank. This type of boondocking is our usual way as we rarely stay in campgrounds. We have been doing this type of camping since 1987. It has worked for us. For those that say you don't need any starter water, they may well be right. All I can say is what works for us. Adding some water certainly won't hurt. We already took steps to ensure water management isn't a problem for us. Our HDT has a 100 gallon fresh water tank and a 100 gallon waste tank. We start with 170 gallons of fresh water usually and if others are along I usually throw on a 50 gallon barrel for more. If that isn't enough we can easily drive the truck somewhere to get more. When we leave to travel with the 5th wheel I empty and add about 10 to 15 gallons to slosh around before our next site. It works for us.

The size of the black tank also should be considered. I have seen RV's with 10 gallon black tanks. With that size tank you darn sure would not want to start with 5 gallons. Our tank is 70 gallons and some are 100 gallons or more. To add only a gallon to 100 gallons, why bother. On one of our 5th wheels the bath sink was plumbed to the black tank. Extra water was built in. I add about 3 to 5 gallons in our tank and for what it is worth we haven't had a problem. We use septic safe tissue and have since our first 5th wheel in 1987. Our tank has a spray, which is nice but not mandatory. Some of our rigs didn't have it. For those that advocate RV paper, you can count me out. Tried it once and only once.

I have seen the black tank material we dump and I rarely see anything that looks like paper. In fact it is nearly all liquid. As Barbaraok stated above you can test it for yourself. With the additional bacteria from human waste it will likely disintegrate even faster.

In the past I have received double pane house windows with a vent tube. The instructions said to crimp it upon installing. These windows worked fine even though they had just air. The better gas filled windows probably insulate better but at the cost of new windows, I would be good with just clear glass. Dry air is what is important.