As the old saying goes: "When life brings you lemons, make lemonade".  So I just did.

​Had a bit of a medical issue that required the cancellation of the purchase of the DYNAMAX  Isata 5  28SS; but all is on the mend and have just, today, placed an order for one.  Funny how things work out. Now the rig will be on the 2020 Ram 5500 with the upgrades.  Sweet lemonade.   So have to wait till later in the year for delivery.  As I have been told, perhaps late November.  Perfect.  Still can get out of the snow and head for the beach or the Arizona desert for awhile.

Although DeMartini was very helpful;  decided to place the order with PERFORMANCE RV in Ohio. 
Jason too was been great to work with.   The other factors in dealing with them is the delivery is roughly 350 miles from the factory wherein to California the rig would have close to 2500 miles -sure
"broken in"  but kinda  used,

Picking it up in Ohio will allow me to travel back to my old stomping grounds  of Lancaster, PA and see some friends and pick up some wonderful local foods that are either hard to find here or impossible to find out here.  Perhaps take a train ride again at STASSBURG RR.
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Looking forward to the delivery.  Who knows  with a rig this size, just may take the Winter off and bum around.  Let's see....maybe pick it up in Ohio, drive over to Lancaster, cruise down to Pensacola and see the Air Museum there.  Was stationed in Pensacola back in 1967.  Had my first radio gig there too - WNVY.    From Florida  trek over and across Texas and into Arizona.   Or....?    Nice thing about having your home with you is anywhere you go is "home"

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Above is the Dynamax  ISATA 5 28SS Adventure I have just purchased.  Hope to pick it up in the next couple of weeks and bring it home to the ranch.  Ranch?  Yes. The reason for the delay in recent posts is that I moved from Lancaster, PA to the shadow of the Beartooth Mountains in Montana.    Bought a small ranch.  

So Blessed to have found this property.  Glory to God!  Thank you!  

How I start my day.  Sunrise in the hot tub - Life is Good!

So getting here was a real pain in the posterior!   As you have  read in the previous posts; I had bought a PLEASURE WAY FL.   The dealer  I purchased it from - JOHNSON RV in Oregon.   Salesperson was very helpful and accommodating.  Bought it in February.  Had it delivered to Dayton Ohio.
Turned out the dealer FAILED to winterize the coach.  Did not notice anything was amiss until after the sale of my home and the first trip end of April.  

Unbelievable -  suffered a complete and total failure of the RV side of the Mercedes!  First it was the
total loss of electrical.  Additionally  noticed the fresh water tank was leaking out as fast as you could fill it! Then discovered the "black tank" had also ruptured.   This repair would require the entire bathroom to be removed!  No Electrical,  No water, unable to flush or shower!   Phil at PLEASURE WAY was wonderful to work with, he tried to help; but alas nothing could be done while on the road. Six days I had no RV - just a Sprinter to drive.  Absolute failure on the RV side! PLEASURE WAY was outstanding  in their support.  Contacting JOHNSON RV was maddening; no one returned calls.  I called and called while driving.  Frank in service was the only one that showed any interest in correcting the issue.  The owner, the GM, indeed all of the executive office was worthless!  After many conversations with PLEASURE WAY and with their assistance was able to get the dealer to buy back the unit - at  loss to me of about $20,000!   

Very disappointed in the loss of the FL.  PLEASURE WAY makes a wonderful Class B.  Kudos to them for their support!  The only thing about the FL is storage is a challenge.  Be creative and you will have a great trip in the unit.


I would suggest, should you be int he market for a RV - stay well clear of JOHNSON RV, in Oregon!

 Looking  forward to upcoming adventures in the 28SS.  Sure hope it is what it is represented to be.  Very impressed with the 28SS as you will see in the video below.  If you are familiar with the "adventure RV" market then you have seen the EARTHROAMER; the Dynamax 28SS I believe will deliver all I will ever need .... and at a savings of $300,000 compared to the Earthroamer.  They make a great product; but then I will not be RVing across Mongolia.  
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Found  Rodney at DEMARTINI RV in Grass Valley, California to be very helpful.    Below is their video on the unit.

Stay tuned for the "Adventures"

Here are a few more photos of the ranch and a tease of the Beartooth Highway.

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Sorry for the delay in this post, been very busy with the sale of the home and getting reading for the move across Country.   Upon setting in at the "ranch" I will once again begin wondering about and bring you some wonderful places to visit.  Please return often!

Sometimes the magic doesn't work!   Best to consider your needs, or as they say:  "Look before you leap"  Bought  the 4x4 three months ago.  Could not find an up fitter to build it out before the "season".
Anyway the cost was in some cases outrageous - one quoted a base of $250,000 and you supply the van.  Nuts!

I had considered, a few months back, a Leasure Travel Van, but suffered a loss and had to cancel.  Waiting time for an order is a year or better

Bought the Pleasure Way FL from a dealer in Oregon.  Drove to Dayton for the switch for I wanted to see the AIR FORCE MUSEUM there.   If you have never been, boy you should plan an entire day.  

P-38

Folke Wolf  FW 190

B-36

F86

Interior is light and airy.  Looking forward to the trek across country to the ranch.  Going to be some great posts, for the new place is near the Beartooth Pass.   So lets see shat the next posts will be just in my "backyard"!  
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Forgive the short post; but I have a Bear by the tail and have to get back to packing.

Glad I waited. The 2019 SPRINTER has been upgraded with a front end treatment, some engine tweaks, and a better transmission.  So I bought the 2019 144 wheel base with four wheel drive.  Acceleration is like a rockeship!  Of course if you are under seven foot two you will need a ladder to get into it!  Sits so high you may need oxygen too.

As you can see by the empty cargo area  there is work to be done to convert to a workable RV.
Although I will start the converstion I don't have the talent and expertise to do it in a maner I hope to
achive.  Stay tuned to watch the progress. 

Soon the Winter will be upon us with a blanket of snow and cold.  May not be able to do much work till Spring.  You can see the 4x4 will come in handy!

The NORFLOK AND WESTERN brought the beautifully restored 611 up to Strasburg, PA for a few days.  This classic locomotive was built in 1950.  
611 was in service until 1962 when it moved to the Virginia Museum of Transportation.  Final resteration was done in 2013.  611 is the only serving locomotive of the production run.

Please remember to  help support this blog by purchasing original photos at the photography site - click the "button" on the right; or make a donation.  
​Thank you.

DAY OUT WITH NORFLOK & WESTERN 611

Life is a journey fought with joy and sorrows.  My absence from this blog is because of the sadness in
losing my beloved Linda earlier this month.  It was almost a years battle with cancer.  With Gods Grace I will be on the road again soon.  I invite you to travel along.  

If you are a reader of this blog you remember I ordered a Leisure Travel Van back in March,  Thought it would be a great way for us to see the Country. I did have a similar RV in 2007 and indeed was great.
Linda's quick decline forced the cancellation of the LTV.  Don't know if I will step up to the plate again.
I mean RV ownership can have an advantage in camping where you wish - boon docking in particular.
But let us explore the financial reality of ownership.  The LTV I had on order was $162,000.  In rethinking the commitment to buy PLUS the added expense in maintenance; I looked at what that cost is compare to hotels - fine hotels.  Not Four Seasons, but rather comfortable hotels.  For the cost alone of the LTV that equaits to over 1,000 nights.  And NO up keep.  Long hot showers, room service and all the rest that goes with a fine hotel.

Still reeling from the loss; but looking forward to continued adventures - 
​Cervantes  might say: "Sancho, my keys!"
​So stop back and see where the road leads us.

God Bless and go hug your loved ones!

The Honda Super Cub. 2019.  The most produced motor drive vehicle in the world - over 100 Million sold since first appearing in 1966.  Amazing!  Honda brought back the Super Cub this year in a limited run.  Upgrades include the engine is now 125cc and electric upgrades such as push button start.
Now it is a bit quirky, having ridden motorcycles for well over 42 years and logged over 300,000 miles; there I sat upon the little red seat, depresed the shift lever and nothing - nothing - it wouln't go!   Ahhhhh, that's right all the way down, where 1st should be is neutral!  Shift pattern is up!  OK, got it!

​As a reader of this blog you have noticed I was considering the Super Cub; but really love my Indian. Just did not want to drag around a trailer all the time.  Well, took the leap and bought the Honda simply to have both worlds.  Hang it on the back of the RV when it arrives later this year. And occasionally drag the Indian on a trailer.

Really bought the Super Cub, not only for the connvinence of being able to carry all the time - you know to pop down and get a bottle of wine or a pizza while camping, but to ride some tails too.
The Indian is purely a "Pavement Princess".

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Not the roughest trail, but one the Indian would never see.  Do look forward to riding the little bike on the trails around Silverton. Colorado.  Done those many times with the R1200GS rig.  MOab too.  I took the 4Runner up Shafer Canyon Trail; won't have the same "pucker factor" riding the Super Cub!

Below, overlooking the town of Silverton, Colorado.
Late this season, or next Summer, will go back out and
run the Super Cub up to Animas Forks and take Ophir Pass over to Teluride for lunch.

​If you have never been to SW Colorado, you really must go.  Search this blog to see many articles on the area.

I don't know about that; but it is a bit of a "pucker" driving it.  On a motorcycle don't believe it quite as
intense.  In the 4Runner there were times you could only see the drop off at your right front fender (going up)   I mean know idea where your tire is relitive to the edge!  Also should you encounter a vehicle desending there are few places to pass.  YIKES!

Last weekend the Rotary Club sponsored a benefit Car Show and open to Motorcycles as well.
Beautiful day and weekend.  Here are a few photos of the car show.  Perhaps two hundred cars were on display

I recommend getting the "Storm Bag" for it gives you all the room to carry the chair and the "Leg Extensions"; and I do suggest you get the Leg Extensions.

Additionally you can have your chair monogramed.
KERMIT CHAIRS  are available in five colors and  proudly made in
​the USA!

​Sunday was beautiful and cool. Thought I'd putt the Amish farms.

As a frequent visitor to this blog you have noticed I have taken a hiatus from posting.  We have been dealing with a medical issue that hopefully is going to be in remission.  I ask you to be patient for the
road trips will once again begin in October with the addition of an LEASURE TRAVEL VAN -Murphy Bed.  This will allow us to travel short trips and Lynn will have the comfort she needs.

So now we  await the arrival in October.  Below is what it looks like.  Just not the colors I choose.

The 4RUNNER; will be missed.  Loved it. Would go anywhere!  LTV will, however, be a welcomed change. No more tent camping.  Done with that!  These bones and bad knees don't do well getting down on the cold hard ground, and squeezing into the Runner was uncomfortable.  Below you can see it did have all the "conveniences" of a motorhome - "kitchen",  "bathroom", "bedroom and refrigerator"

Video below, from one of my favorte musicals, kinda sums up how I feel:

 

But in the end, I do so love my INDIAN and HANNIGAN Sidecar.  So will have an aluminium trailer built and "drag" it around.  

Hope you all had a Blessed Easter.  I attended church and then because it was such a beautiful Spring day, had to go for a putt around the neighborhood.   I believe the best time to ride is early Spring and Fall.  Perfer temps in the sixties.  Today was such a day.  

This isn't much of a blog post; but I hope you enjoy the ride.  Looking forward to this years travels.  So
stop back often.  The next planned trip is to the WARBIRDS AIR SHOW  in Virginia Beach.  Go every year - if not raining.  Last year it rained.   This years show is May 17 - 19 - VIRGINIA BEACH MILITARY AIR MUSEUM.  Always a great time!

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Stop by my photography website to see more aircraft and so much more.  If you like buy a couple to help support this blog.  Thank you.

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Then this Jackass wanted to see my ride....

Unfortunatly I left without the intent of photographing anything; but it was such a beautiful sky I did.
The photos above were shot on the IPhone 10 and are not bad; however the video below is HORRIBLE!   Best to view on a smaller screen.  Time to change to an Andriod.