RickW

Just some food for thought for the future: In April 2014 we purchased a new Jeep for a toad. The vehicle came with a 2 year inspection sticker that expires at the end of April 2016. Of course when the vehicle was registered the first time the state shaved one month off and the registration expires in March. In 2015, March was the first month of the new inspection/registration program. With 2 year inspection sticker all was valid and I had no problems with registration. Between work and play I have several vehicle/trailer registrations due in the 1st quarter of the year. So at the end of January I took the time to shuttle them back and forth to get the inspections completed. I did not get the Jeep inspected because the inspection expires at the end of April 2016 and I was out of the 90 day window that an inspection is suppose to be performed prior to registration. Of course I was thinking inspection and not registration since I was in the middle of getting multiple vehicle/trailers inspected. The inspection station agreed it was too early to get the Jeep inspected (again thinking about inspection expiration date and not registration expire date) and still be in the 90 day window. The first week of February rolls around and I get the registration renewal notice in the mail. This is the actual bill and not the notice that I need to get the vehicle inspected prior to registration. I jump online and sure enough it tells me my inspection is valid and lets me proceed with the registration renewal. A few days later I receive my registration sticker in the mail. So in my case the registration expired before the inspection. It appears the state viewed the inspection as still valid and allowed me to renew my registration before having the vehicle inspected for 2016. One of the trailers I had to get inspected expired in November 2015. I got it inspected and did the renewal in January 2016. So technically the inspection expires now in January and not November. So it will be interesting to see if I am automatically allowed to renew the trailer next year or if they are going to require me to get it inspected first. Maybe a fluke, maybe not. On a different note, when you take your vehicle to get inspected and it does not fit in the bay of the facility, they will have to manually enter your information. That was the case with the truck, it would not fit inside. So after the inspection the inspector wrote all the necessary information down in his note pad for manual entry in to the inspection computer instead of scanning the sticker. My VIN has the letter "G" in it. He transcribed it as the number "6". This resulted in me being unable to perform the renewal online as the state did not see the vehicle as inspected. In the end I had to stand in line at the county tax office in order to get the renewal completed. I even tried emailing the state with a copy of the Inspection/Registration Notice and passing Inspection report and the states reply was the last record they had of the truck being inspected was in 2009. So beware if your VIN or License has any letters/numbers that can be confused with another letter or number.

With the 87 Wrangler I had 4 different points on the frame that I attached to. On the 14 Wrangler we have now, I use the frame for the two rear mount points and use the axle straps on the front axle for my front connections.

I use the Keeper 8' x 2" Auto Ratchet Tie Down from HomeDepot. They are rated for 2k# each. I use 4 of them in a X pattern under the Jeep. 60k plus miles and the Jeep has never moved a bit. What is nice about being from Home Depot, if I need a replacement while on the road it is not too difficult to find one. When we bought the new Jeep last year I did not have a tie down position in the front of the jeep that worked with the stapes easily. So I picked up a set of Reese 24" x 2" Axle Straps. Also from Home Depot.

Currently in Yellowstone (Gardiner - North Gate). Been here since Sunday and will be here for 3 weeks before heading down to the Tetons for a few days before heading home.

My bed is 18' (the original 12' of frame rails plus the 6' I added). You are not going to carry a Jeep with any less. My front bumper is about 4" from the back of the cab and from the rear bumper to the pin is around 45"~46" (ET hitch at very end of frame rails). More often than not the limitation on site selection is based on trailer size and not over all size of the combination. In a HDT with the hitch behind the axles instead of over the axles in a p/u you have a huge advantage positioning with the HDT over the p/u. Personally I have yet to come across a site that a 40'~45' DP can manage in/out of that I can not also. That does not mean that there is enough room to park the truck there but I can get the trailer in/out.

After 4 years I have found maintenance to be a wash. The big difference is it is all done at once now so I see 1 single large bill instead of several smaller bills thru out the year. I figure even tires are going to be a wash or even cheaper. Yes I shed a tear when I replaced them all this year but I should not have to do it again for another 7 years. In the P/U I was doing tires ever 18~24 months. Again 1 big bill at once instead of spending the same money spread out over time. I have yet to be turned away using the HDT. If a 40'~45' DP fits I have no trouble getting in the same spot. Occasionally the over all setup will not fit in the spot but I have no problems getting the trailer parked and then just park the truck in overflow parking.

Emery, It was nice meeting you and Merrily this morning. Hopefully next time we will have more time to visit.

Headed out this morning for Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Hopping to see some fall colors and the Elk rutting. Then the Rally as we work our way back towards home.

Chris, I agree with Jack you have some pretty long days planned out there. Moab to Hays will be a long day between going over the Eisenhower and then thru Denver. Far longer than the 10 hours that Google Maps are showing. Sioux Falls to West Yellowstone @ almost 900 miles and 13 1/2 hours according to Google will be a much longer day. There is no way you can do that in 13 1/2 hours of driving (not including fuel stops, meals and potty breaks) in a HDT and a trailer. The last 55 miles (Gardiner, MT to West Yellowstone, MT) is a 2 lane blacktop with no shoulder and lots of curves. I do this drive every year (most years twice) and that piece of road is always in 7th or 8th gear because of road conditions. You hit a wildlife jam and there is no telling how long it will take you to get thru it. Amarillo, TX to Laramie, WY, almost all Interstate. According to Google 575 miles with a time of 8:40. Reality 12 hours on average over 5 different trips since owning the HDT. That includes 1 fuel stop (20~30 minutes), 2 rest stops (10~15 minutes) and a meal stop (30 minutes). If traffic is bad in Denver then who knows. One year Denver traffic (not rush hour) was so bad it added an additional 2 hours to the trip. Start driving at 8am and finish at 8pm. I am in my mid 40s that that is still long day. This spring with my nephew in the pick up we did Mammoth Lakes, CA back to Dallas in 24 hours. We drove non-stop (getting too old for that) and with 2 meal stops, several fuel stops only 1 rest area since incorporated our rest stops with our fuel stops. We did not need to run faster than the speed limit of 75 thru AZ, NM and TX. Google Maps says 1225 from Vegas to the house @ 17:45. We did that stretch in 18 hours with stops. Just last month on the way home from California we stopped in Vegas with the trailer & HDT. Same stretch in the HDT took 22 hours over 2 days. A 12 hour day and 10 hour day. The 10 hour day we were pushing it because we really wanted to be home. I typically run with a speed in the upper 60s and I pay for it with fuel. On the 10 hour day I was run 70~72 with a little bit of a head wind and my fuel mileage really went south, 6.5. We wanted to get home and we paid the price. As a compairson I typically get around 7.5 running in the upper 60s and when in California with running 60 (55 posted speed), I can get 8.5~9mpg with no problems. My point is while it is much easier to do the miles in a HDT it is not the same as in a normal passenger vehicle. The faster you go you will pay for it in not only fuel but abuse to your trailer. Last time I was running I90 thru MT I had to slow down to keep from beating the trailer to death due to the condition of the road (I have ET hitch and MorRyde I/S on trailer). I am not retired and I understand having a limited amount of time, you have a great trip planned, make sure you enjoy it and that your only memories are not from behind the wheel of the truck.

Arrived in Gardiner Mt. (North Gate of Yellowstone) on Tuesday evening. Will be until next Wednesday, then off to the Grand Tetons for a few days before heading out to California the following week. Have to send out a great big Thank You Mike & Susan McCraven (and Boomer too) for the hosipitality. Arrived at their place Sunday afternoon and spent the night and the day Monday with them. Wonderful location just 20 minutes NE of Colorado Springs, SE of Denver. 50A hookup with a great view. We really enjoyed visting with them and will have to stop again when in the area.

In Santee, CA at Santee Lakes for the week. We did pass a 379 Pete with a smart car on back yesterday about 50 East of Yuma, AZ on I-8. Did not recognize it from here.

We are in the Tetons. Roads are clear. No problems getting here. Lots of wet heavy fluffy white stuff falling from the sky.

Yea we know. Luckly we are not due in Gardiner for another 5 days. I have tire chains but my plan when I bought them was to never use them except in a emergency.

We will pull in to Colter Bay in the Grand Tetons this afternoon. Will spend the next 5 nights there. Then off to Rocky Mountain RV in Gardiner (Yellowstone North Gate) for the next week and half.

I am always confused ...... but that is a completely different issue! Have fun in Alaska. Dying to make that trip. Just hard to do and keep a job. One of these days I will be retired!

I am Rick of "Alicia & Rick"

Off to Elkhart/Goshen in the morning. Going to have I/S and leveling system installed. Should be back home by next Friday. Home for a week and then off to Grand Tetons/Yellowstone for the next 3 weeks.

Sue & Bob sounds like you are jumping in with both feet! Ya'll scared me when I passed ya'll the first time. I did not recognize you when I first passed you and when I looked in my mirror to move back to the right all I could see was both of you waiving. My first thought was something was wrong. See you at the East Coast Rally.

Got home about 6:30. Uneventful trip. Hopefully everybody else will have the same luck. Passed the newlyweds just north of Ardmore, OK before we pulled off for fuel. Then passed them again just south of the Texas state line. Had a great time. We are already looking forward to next year. It was great see old friends and great making new friends.

We leave Dallas in the morning. Should be Hutchinson in time for Happy Hour.

Just moved from The Tetons to Yellowstone (North Gate in Gardiner, MT.) will be here for the next 5 nights. Then headed home for a few days then off to the ralley.

I see having the Volvo no different than purchasing a Class A as far as sitting around. I am on the lighter side of most the 5ers here @ 16k#. But I feel it really takes a Class 4 or 5 truck for that weight and I did not want a Class 4 or 5 for a daily driver. So if I purchased one it would just sit in the driveway (just like the Volvo) except for when we use it to pull the trailer. I also have less cash in the Volvo & Jeep than I would a new pickup.

I agree with as much snow as they have I would be surprised if Bear tooth is open. It it is it will be more amazing the usual.