shandamac

Reading Rader85 and Maineah's posts about successfully traveling with thier larger than average furry family members has inspired me. We will begin with an experiment on Jul 23rd. 2 Furry family members: Roxus (80lb Basenji/Lab mix) and Gizzy (small tabby cat) 2 Not so furry family members: Gil (19 yr old rockin' daughter) and Gary (husband to arrive at some point on his Harley) 2 Nights at the Buckhorn Campground, Chickasaw NRC, Sulpher OK. With hook ups and pets allowed- 1 hour from home. Looking forward to the adventure! Will let you know how it turns out. Shanda and Sadie

I love happy stories. So glad the little Bunneys had a good time! (Aren't you glad you spent so much time playing with your Lincoln Logs as a child??? That leveling job was genius! )

That's a great idea Henry. I will think about doing that with Sadie's cabinet too.

Aaron, That's wonderful! I have family near enough homebase to take care of Gizzy and Rox (our cat and her 80lb Lab Basenji mix)when we travel, but you've inspired me. The furry kids will join us next road trip. Awesome! shanda

Hi camp12, My 18 foot 1981 Sunrader 4cyl stick, averaged 18.5mpg on a 3400 round road trip to Idaho a few weeks ago which included some pretty steep climbs. (There were some pretty cool soaring downhill coasts too). I loved being in control of down shifting as the rpms felt the grade. Optimum speed is dependent on the grade and wind direction, but 55 seems to be the sweet spot. Little rolling sanctuary of cosmosity. Not sure how 3 more feet of house would affect those numbers though. Happy Hunting. shanda

Hi Mike, I'm having the same issue's with Sadie's cabinet over the sink. During this last winter, melt water after a nice little ice storm found it's way around a screw holding on the roof railing and soaked the ceiling and liner. (Of course, I didn't know it until much later.) The carpet roof liner had held the moisture against the plywood ceiling causing the screws holding the cabinet to rust and the plywood to expand. The screws have work out of the ceiling, and I've jammed a stick between the upper cabinet and the lower cabinet for now. I'm not ready to completely tear down the ceiling and cabinet just yet. I've sealed all the possible leaky roof spots, and (as a quick fix) will unscrew the screws holding the cabinets, drill new pilot holes and rescrew the cabinet in new spots to the ceiling. Keep in touch. Shanda

That's good. Is there a limit on how many posts (or rather "topics") show up under an individual profile?

Cheryle, So glad you're on the forum. You're in the right place. The toy gurus here are the best!!!! Re: Going backwards on the high passes. I don't know what I was afraid of. Once I got to the Continental Divide in the Lolo National forest, there were only 2 spots where I felt the need to down shift to 2nd and take it slow, but never a concern that Little Sadie was not going to make it. Joy, Joy, Joy. Giddy, Gurgling, Joy!!!!! My fears busted!!!!! Distant memories became the stories of early ancestors in conestoga wagons pulled by pack horses and mules, leaving family heirlooms along the way: Great grandma's oak dining table, Aunt Eidies old world side board and eggshell china, trunks of embroidered linens, lost forever. Ancestors who walked on foot as the animals huffed and puffed, wagon axles broke, wheels splintered. Stories of the Donner Party (though a different set of mtns at a different time of the year)......Just stories.....no relevancy to me and my little motorhome! A different day and age....I was in an '81 Toyota 22re engined motorhome, and we were so making it to Idaho. No question 'bout it. Don't be scared!!!! Be enlightened! Do your research, but know you're not going to have all the answers! Some things you'll just learn on your own as you go along. That's more than half the fun. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions either. Happy travels. shanda

Chick Magnet!!!! As if the uber cool toyota motorhome weren't enough!!!! Fritz is totally adorable.

BTW, Greg, What happens to the older topics?

Cheryle, I have not regretted one moment of buying my little motorhome. I did have to have the dreaded 5 lug, light weight rearend replaced. (Just shopping for the 1 ton rearend assembly was an empowering experience.) Then there was the "research, research, research", since I'd never even stepped in a motorhome, let alone "owned" one. Also, I embraced the quality time it took to "refurbish" the house, since she had quite a bit of water damage around the dinette. (Ultimately, I'd still like to gut her and start over, but for now, she's happy, and I'm happy, so we'll leave things as they are for now.) I've been known to drive Sadie to the office when I start suffering from traveling withdrawals. She just sits in back, and I'll run out at lunch and have a quiet moment and read....(usually something about Eqyptian Jewelry or French cuisine.) I always knew I was going to paint her....my blood is thick with art....When I finally "had the vision" of "how", I bought car enamel from an actual auto paint supplier.....chose my colors to match her 80's stripe. (That paint is good and stuck......I didn't seal it.) You can see the brush marks, and that's part of the affect I wanted, but I'm sure a person could make templates and airbrush too. Somewhere on my profile here, I've sort of documented certain "Sadie moments".... Click on Sadie's avatar, and it should take you to the profile, then under the picture (I think) with be a list of my "topics".....I think they go in reverse order, and I think some of the older entries fall off to make room for newer entries, but it'll be an interesting read and hopefully encourage you. Life is what we make it. Make it fun! keep in touch! Shanda smcdonald2@allstate.com

Hi Dennis, Please put me on your email list for the rally. Sadie and I are gonna try our hardest to be there this year!!!! smcdonald2@allstate.com shanda

Thank you Cheryle. I appreciate your comments (even though I'm now reading them after the fact ) . This time I went through Cheyenne, Billings, Missoula then down 3 to St Maries. It was wonderful!!!!! You're right about the wind though, on the way up between Bozeman and Missoula it was head on. North of Wheatland WY too....was thankful when the sun went down and the wind died down. Coming home, the wind favored us until I-70 East of Denver and we hit the plains. All in all though, it was a wonderful trip, and Sadie was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! Averaged 18.5 mpg. Used premium gas. Stopped every 150 miles or so for a short break and to top off the tank. Just went Sadie speed....averaged 55mph or so....against the wind was closer to 50 mph....with the wind-60mph....down hill with the wind-70mph....uphill on steep incline 35-40pmh....maybe once (twice at the most) 2nd gear 20-30 mph.......still passed a semi carrying a load of coal.....THE WHOLE TRIP UP AND BACK.....JUST AMAZING!!!!!!!! 1780 miles one way!!! Did it in 2 days coming home to Oklahoma. Just a couple of real slow spots. However...I learned this. Going 55 is the best not only for gas mileage, but for overall "experience". We saw everything! The grass, the trees, the hills, the creeks, the rushing rivers, the antelope, the buffalo, the ground squirrels, the flowers, the buttes, the prairies, the peaks, the plateaus, the rolling vastness of Kansas, Colorado,Wyoming, and Montana. We drove with the windows open. Each State had it's own smell. A cool front hit the first night at McPhearson KS. We slept with blankets every night after that. Camped by the St. Joe for 4 nights. Went garnet hunting, wading Emerald Creek, sight seeing, fell in love with Harrison, Lake Cour d'Alene and the palouse area...(high farm land ....just beautiful.). Our last day, we bought fresh morels, just picked that morning by a mountain boy named Tyeson (trying to raise money to fix his truck) at the farmers market and fried them up beer batter style for supper. NO HUMIDITY!!!!!! NEVER GOT ABOVE 75F!!!!!! Pine trees, Firs, Spruce, Hemlock, Cottonwood, Wild Rose, Huckleberry!!!!! Fresh Water!!!! Trout, Salmon, Pike!!!!! Coming home, we listened to books on tape (no CD player in Sadie). The farther South, the warmer it got. First night on trip home, Walmart parking lot, Casper WY- great place. Decided to push it the 2nd day, and drove 976 (which google says is about 15 hours...I'm guessing at 70mph.) It took us about 20+ at 50/55mph. Came sneaking home to Shawnee OK at 4am ish in a rainy drizzle and beautiful light show in the South. Hugged my sleepy puppy, kitty, youngest daughter Jen and snuggled in next to Gary....so glad I'd taken an extra day to recover. Cleaning out the motorhome, and making plans to do it all again as soon as possible. Maybe tomorrow. (Pictures to follow)

Sadie and I head out for Idaho on Sunday night, (after a weekend of playing music and sound engineer at the Oklahoma Celtic Heritage Fest in Stillwater.) I'm super stoked about the trip, and nervous all at the same time. She's been running like a champ, and I've had everything I can think of checked. My 19 year old daughter will be traveling with me, and we've mapped and figured and figured and mapped. By tomorrow afternoon, if it aint packed, it aint going. (Money..check. Fiddle....check. Peanut butter....check.) Within memory, I haven't been North of Winfield KS. The vast openess of of Montana and Wyoming beckons to me!!! The Mountains call!!! I wonder how she'll be received at the little rv park on the St. Joe. 3 nights there, and then it's back home to Oklahoma. A whirlwind of a trip. I hope we make it. Have a great week all. shanda, gil and sadie

Or white!?! Or Hot pink!?! Or orange!?! (Okay....white.) White would show up best against a dark window right? I really like the "Proud Toy Owner" design.

Someone once said, "If you want something bad enough, any amount is worth it." (Maybe it was me. ) Do you know for sure it's got the full floating 6 lug 1 ton rearend? Does the engine run pretty good? Do you know if the house is in decent condition and the appliances work? I bought Sadie (81 18' Sunrader 78Kmiles) for $1200, 2years ago. She had the bad rearend and water damage under all the windows in the house- another $3000 later, (new rearend, shipping, installation, plugs, wires, master cylinder, wood, paint, carpet and fabric, etc) and she's become an amazing little rolling sanctuary. I have not had one regret, and the motorhome has been given a new life. I believe it was worth it.

MG. I found Sadie's 1ton at www.toyotasalvage.com in Phoenix AZ- Don't forget to ask them to include the brake lines and sway bar too. Shanda

Great Explanation Bob!....I can see how that would be pretty handy. Sure better than playing the clutch and gas at an uphill light. (Really freaks out the cars behind you.) I'll find someplace around here to practice using the hill brake before I head out.

Thanks John.....Everybody!!!!!!! We're really excited about having an adventure and posting something to "Trip Reports". Greg, Kudos to a great forum full of wonderfullness! shanda