Jack Mayer

We have a JD 3038 with the E-hydro at the campground. Over 1000 hrs on it and the only thing done to it is filter changes and fluids. It always runs, even in VERY cold weather. The E-shift is worth every penny if you are using the loader much. I've used LOTS and lots of tractors and skids in my life. This tractor is as good - in its class - as any I've used. Including Kubota. But ours is old enough not to have DEF on it. Just now buying a JD skid. I have literally thousands of hours on skids and the JD is as good as is out there. For the dollar. I'm not even really a JD "guy", but I can't complain about their reliability. It is important to buy something where you have LOCAL service, though. So that may alter your selection.

Glad to see you back, George!!!!

There are many advantages to the short 630. We used our 610 for over three years as our only vehicle, and we were fulltiming. It really was fine....and it had an autoshift. With an IShift it would be a great daily driver. We had a 182" wheelbase. No ability to carry a smart, but we could easily carry a motorcycle. Renovations to the interior to make it more "livable" will make it a great week-long camping vehicle. RIck has a sink, as we did. And we added a second bunk, portapotty, microwave, coffee maker, shore power and inverter. I had a gas camping stove we could use outside on the bed. Along with a nice kitchen kit we could do about anything in the truck, and be comfortable. If we had air conditioning (which we did not) via an APU then it would have been close to perfect. I still miss that truck, but the modern trucks are so much better for amenities and driving.

We are in the Valley at Retama Village for the winter. Will leave here in April.

That is what I ended up doing in a rental unit RV we have at the campground. There was no other way to get it to work, even after diddling with wiring. So I put a separate thermostat on the furnace and disconnected it from the "brains" (the "brains" were not really that smart, as it turned out). There are too many dependencies between versions of the furnace/thermostat/control panel. It could drive you crazy... (that is what happened to me )

As recently as two years ago we did the renewal by mail, on a Class A exempt....so I think it can still be done every other time....the in-person is mainly because a new picture has to be taken.

Larry, I'll wave as I pass by today....headed for Junction City for the rest of this week. Be down there on Friday or Saturday. We spent the night in Oakley in the truck stop.....

Paul and Paula rolled into the campground today....they will be here till the Rally.

So, Larry, did the bumper do its job??

Rick (Rickeieio) stopped by yesterday for a quick visit.....and WhatsNext (David and Sondra) are here until Monday. Rocky and Sherry will be visiting Saturday for a mini-get-together. Mark and Dawn are in for a week in a week or so....and Bruss' will be here all of September. If anyone is in the area we have sites big enough...but you have to reserve. We are in peak time....Even September is looking iffy right now....

Nice job....it will for sure help someone in the future....

I assume you got arm rests....but did you get the heat? I LOVE heated seats. Really helps my back....even in the summer....that is one of the things I like the best about the smart....

I knew that...just making sure you were at Princeton....

You in the campground?

Gonna be hot in the Springs, JC....but not as hot as Dallas!!

HERE is the system I use to filter and process all the water used in our rig. I'm not advocating such a system for you, but the filtration may be of interest. Note that if the water is "bad", eg. not potable, then the filters alone are typically not a viable solution. I would want to add a UV lamp to the solution. If the water is just full of sedimentation then the filter solution will work, but depending on the level of sediment, you will need multiple filters. I use a 5 micron and a 1 micron, then a charcoal filter.

We are here until the first couple of days in Oct. We close the end of Sept. Then we head to the HDT Rally.

We rolled into Woodland Park, CO and the campground for the summer, today. If you are in the area this summer stop by for a visit....

We are in ABQ until Sunday (at least). The will head towards Woodland Park. We "may" stay here longer, but if we leave Sunday will get to WP on Monday.

HERE is where we were last night (Broke Mill/Del Rio TX)....great park for HDTer's - lot of space, easy maneuvering. Trey, an entry will be coming your way for the Campground Guide.

Thanks, Bill. Stay healthy - see you in KS.

Left Retama this morning headed for Colorado. It will take us a couple of weeks to get there. We will stop outside Albuquerque for a week. Then get to Woodland Park around the 29th. Tonight we are in DelRio, tomorrow night Lakewood or Trapark. Have not decided yet.

You are allowed three days AFTER you reach your final destination in TX. So if just driving through you should have zero issues.

I'd say you are "cutting to the bone" there, Smitty. My sympathies....

That is very doable if you have no RV payments. And once SS starts that will help mitigate future inflation rises. I would not hesitate to start out with that budget. But I would want to be debt-free.