Departure Rescheduled!

Sunday, 06/29/13 (T-5 and counting) Departure Rescheduled!

Shelley's van won't be ready until Tuesday, July 2. We decided to leave on July 5. That way, we can watch the fireworks and participate in whatever Independence Day celebrations are available.

In the mean time, the Hobie trailer conversion to a camping trailer is complete. We just want to add a couple of screw eyes so we can secure a cover over it.

I finally started to repair the Peep Hen. Tomorrow, I hope to cut out the boom gallows and prep the area the uprights attach to. With any luck, I'll drill the new tabernacle and attach the mast.

2013 - Westward Ho! With the Grandchildren! Part 1: Pre Trip Planning!

Wed 06/10/13 (day T-15 and counting) - Pre-trip Planning Update

Planning this trip is almost complete. We have entered the necessary web addresses for the campgrounds and activities. We haven't made any reservations. We hope to schedule the activities when we get to their locations. Campgrounds in the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone have been booked well before we started planning. The Tenn-X Campground in the Kaibab National Forest, just outside the south entrance is available on a first come, first served basis. We'll try to get there before 1000 hours. Hopefully sites will be available. In like manner, we have chosen the stay at Lewis Lake, Norris, Mammoth and/or Indian Creek Campgrounds are available on a first come, first served basis. Again, the advice is to get there early in the hope of securing a site. We have also started to print out Junior Ranger information. We hope the kids will enjoy the activities and working with rangers at each park. The kids have been talking about this trip for months. Even when it looked as though the trip would have to be canceled, they kept talking about it. Even the most reluctant one gets more excited with each passing day. We too are looking forward to special time with our grandchildren. We are fortunate to spend much time with them. We're hoping this trip will be something special. A trip they will remember for the rest of their lives, and, perhaps they'll remember us with love and happy thoughts as they do similar things with their kids and grandkids.

Wed 06/10/13 (day  T-15 and counting) - Equipment

In the coming days, we will need to wash, clean and vacuum Shelley's mini-van so we can see how all our camping gear will fit. We had a roof bag to relieve some pressure from inside the vehicle. We need to decide what equipment to take. The big tent, screen house are definite. We may use Sandy's large tent or one of our small two person tents. We expect the girls will sleep in our tent and the boys will be in their own tent. Everybody will need to bring their sleeping bags, pillows, headlamps, hiking sticks, water bottles, mess kits and clothes. Then we need kitchen equipment, a cook stove, propane bottle, coolers, cards, fishing poles and tackle, indoor (deck of cards, UNO and outdoor (wiffleball, frisbees) games. Before we go, the boys will need to learn how to pitch their tent.

Wed 06/11//13 (day T-14 and counting) - Chuck Box

Started collecting items to put together a chuck box today. We got the idea from YouTube. It uses plastic drawers and compartments that fit in a 45 gallon plastic tub. We expect to e-mail the packing checklist to the kids this afternoon. It will contain the items each needs to bring in their personal packs.

Sun 06/16/13 (T-9 and counting) - Alternatives!

We checked to see if all of our gear will fit in Shelley’s Honda mini van. We have a soft cargo carrier for the roof and I ordered a hitch so we can carry a rack. Even so, I don’t think we’ll have enough room. Our alternatives are to get the Hobie trailer ready to go so it can carry our cargo. We also talked to Sandi. She thinks we should take her Pop up  camper. I expressed concern that the siding seems to be coming off on the right, rear quarter panel. It would also need a new tire and a spare, and the lights need too work. We only have this week to get either alternative up to speed. We’ll see what happens.

Tomorrow I have to put Rose on the school bus. It’s the first time she’ll board the bus from her house. I’m nervous! then I have to go to the shore because I have a guy coming to do the fiberglass repair on the Peep Hen. It was damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

Monday, 06/17/13 (T-8 and counting) - Sandi’s camper... 

I checked it out and think it needs more work than I have time to put into it. More importantly, I don’t want to tax Shelley’s minivan by pulling the camper. If we did take it, the minivan would most certainly need a transmission cooler. 

On another note, Rose and I played kickball while waiting for the bus. Everything went well putting her on and getting her off the bus.

Monday, 06/24/13 (T-2 and holding) Houston, We Have a Problem!

Last week, Shelley hot a deer with her minivan. That's right, the one we're using to take the kids on this trip. Apparently the damage is relatively minor, but the van will be in the shop until Friday. Instead of leaving on Wednesday as planned, we'll be leaving on Saturday, assuming the repairs are indeed finished on Friday. 

We finished installing new wiring and lights on the utility trailer that usually carries the  Hobie Cat. We also finished building sides for it. The next task is to position our gear on it so we can see what tie downs we need to keep everything secure.