45 days and 45 nights, updated :)

rockcity said:
I’m burned out on planning everything too, but driving a 40’ RV out there, a certain amount of planning is required, especially during peak season or I’d be stuck without a place to stay besides a wal mart parking lot. There are a lot of first come first serve campgrounds, but I just can’t stand the idea of going that far taking that kind of risk. So, I had to at least plan the RV parks and 1 privately guided trip per park. The rest of the time is freelance time for us to do whatever we want. Or nothing. That’s the best part. :)
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Isn't the point of having a 500 sq ft home on wheels the fact that you can "camp" whereever the f*ck you want and don't need a campground?
 
RatLabGuy said:
Isn't the point of having a 500 sq ft home on wheels the fact that you can "camp" whereever the f*ck you want and don't need a campground?
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It is. But the ability to just drive it anywhere is limited. We certainly can’t take it on a scenic route into Yellowstone or the Tetons. I do need a place to park it besides Wal Mart and Cracker Barrel.

I do have some primitive camp sites booked because it is self sufficient, but at some point I need more water and to unload waste tanks. So we have to plan that out. I am alternating RV parks with some primitive camping areas so I have a place to dump and fill up.

with the 4 of us, thinking about how to do it and being wise with water, I can probably boondock for 7-9 days before I need to get fuel or dump tanks.

so, I do have options for primitive camping, but I am really looking for big rig friendly places that is nice and has decent things for the kids. I’m sure there will be a few days the kids will want to hit up the pool or whatever it is people do in RV parks besides drink beer.
 
RV got some much needed mechanical TLC. New lift pump, several filters, new AC compressor, belts, tensioner, lights working properly, etc. Now, no loss of power and CEL no longer comes on. Yay!

And, another quick test run for the Jeep and tow bar.


Also mounted the roof rack and kayaks to give them a test run this week. Sure glad I did, the damn SUP doesn’t fit. So gonna have to make some rack changes to get SUPs to fit.

BF0815F7-42CE-4C1F-ADBE-05D4D3A0859B.jpeg
 
Well that’s a double kick in the nuts. Make that a triple...

damn bike rack I ordered is stuck at REI in Durham. And they closed due to potential rioting, etc.

Wife’s bike is stuck at REI in Durham as well.

damn SUP won’t fit on the rack. Gonna have to remove it all and get the wider bars and change up the kayak mounts.

Oh and the damn bedroom slide out awning on the RV was delivered incorrectly. Ordered an 8’ awning and they delivered a 5’ :rolleyes:

oh, and the Kuat pivot bike rack was delivered as a driver pivot instead of a passenger pivot. It will work, but it’s going to be a real pain in the ass to get in the back of the Jeep.

it’s always something. Getting close!
 
rockcity said:
Well that’s a double kick in the nuts. Make that a triple...

damn bike rack I ordered is stuck at REI in Durham. And they closed due to potential rioting, etc.

Wife’s bike is stuck at REI in Durham as well.

damn SUP won’t fit on the rack. Gonna have to remove it all and get the wider bars and change up the kayak mounts.

Oh and the damn bedroom slide out awning on the RV was delivered incorrectly. Ordered an 8’ awning and they delivered a 5’ :rolleyes:

oh, and the Kuat pivot bike rack was delivered as a driver pivot instead of a passenger pivot. It will work, but it’s going to be a real pain in the ass to get in the back of the Jeep.

it’s always something. Getting close!
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ITS ALWAYS SOMETHING. That’s the truth. I have no doubt you will adapt and overcome. Looking forward to pics from the road!
 
rockcity said:
Well that’s a double kick in the nuts. Make that a triple...

damn bike rack I ordered is stuck at REI in Durham. And they closed due to potential rioting, etc.

Wife’s bike is stuck at REI in Durham as well.

damn SUP won’t fit on the rack. Gonna have to remove it all and get the wider bars and change up the kayak mounts.

Oh and the damn bedroom slide out awning on the RV was delivered incorrectly. Ordered an 8’ awning and they delivered a 5’ :rolleyes:

oh, and the Kuat pivot bike rack was delivered as a driver pivot instead of a passenger pivot. It will work, but it’s going to be a real pain in the ass to get in the back of the Jeep.

it’s always something. Getting close!
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Sounds like you need to loot REI in Durham.
 
So we are all loaded up and on the road. Holy crap! Packing and getting everything ready for a 6 week road trip takes days, not just a few hours! Spent the better part of a day unloading unnecessary things out of the RV and getting it ready for the trip specific items. Then another day getting packed and organized.

It doesn’t help that the Jeep roof rack folks were complete shits when after-sale customer service was needed. (Was sold parts that don’t fit what I need). So I spent half a day cutting their junk apart and rewelding it to work.

Anyway, RV seems to be as good as it will get and the Jeep as well. First 4 hours was event free. Stopped in HKY for a quick visit with the parents then will be on the road early AM en route to Mammoth Cave.

30E4BC37-3BB2-4B99-B597-542CA2E2675C.jpeg
 
rockcity said:
It doesn’t help that the Jeep roof rack folks were complete shits when after-sale customer service was needed. (Was sold parts that don’t fit what I need). So I spent half a day cutting their junk apart and rewelding it to work.
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:popcorn:
:nopics:AND COMPANY NAME
 
jeepinmatt said:
:popcorn:
:nopics:AND COMPANY NAME
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long story short, about 6 weeks ago I called Exposed Racks and told them I needed a rack to carry 2 kayaks and 2 paddle boards on the Jeep. They sent me the parts they said would work. Well, paddle boards wouldn’t fit like they said would and then rack was only good for 2 kayaks. Told them of the issue, took a couple days to get a response, then a few more days to get more response. When I reminded them time was running out before my trip, I got a “this is a custom setup and we aren’t responsible for you not getting your stuff last minute for the Trip”.
1. Everything I need is off the shelf products and is advertised as being able to change up easily as needs change.
2. I called and ordered 6 weeks ago. That isn’t last minute. It’s last minute now because nobody responds.
3. I bought what they told me would work. It does not.
4. I asked for more off the shelf product that never arrived.
5. More than a week ago when I asked for the final products to be sent, I never received any further communication from them. None.

so, Saturday I broke out the cutoff wheel and welder and modified their kayak brackets so the paddle boards would fit. Done!

the SMS Auto Exposed Racks is a great product and well made, but the after-sale customer service really sucks.
 
rockcity said:
So we are all loaded up and on the road. Holy crap! Packing and getting everything ready for a 6 week road trip takes days, not just a few hours! Spent the better part of a day unloading unnecessary things out of the RV and getting it ready for the trip specific items. Then another day getting packed and organized.

It doesn’t help that the Jeep roof rack folks were complete shits when after-sale customer service was needed. (Was sold parts that don’t fit what I need). So I spent half a day cutting their junk apart and rewelding it to work.

Anyway, RV seems to be as good as it will get and the Jeep as well. First 4 hours was event free. Stopped in HKY for a quick visit with the parents then will be on the road early AM en route to Mammoth Cave.

View attachment 319940
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Safe travels & have fun!
 
Great looking set up for sure! I wish I had the flexibility to take that much time off to make a road trip like this!! What brand of tow bar are you running?

Safe travels!
 
89wrangler said:
Great looking set up for sure! I wish I had the flexibility to take that much time off to make a road trip like this!! What brand of tow bar are you running?

Safe travels!
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I’m using a Blue Ox bar. It along with the Blue Ox Patriot brake buddy came with the RV. So all I needed to do was fab some adapter brackets from the tow bar to the Jeep and was good to go.


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we made it to Mammoth Cave NP mostly event free. Aside from missing a turn or two in the back country of KY, all went well on the drive.

darn fridge keeps locking me out because it’s running while I’m driving. And it likes to be level. So I have to continuously reset it outside, which involves removing circuit board and grounding out the reset pin. Ugh. I fixed that! Just wired in a jumper from the pin to the ground. And cut it in the middle. So now when it needs reset (again!), I just touch the two wires together and viola! Reset. Quick and easy. No removing wires and circuit boards anymore. Once I get to a parts store I’ll pick up a momentary rocker switch and wire that in for ultimate slickness. :D


Oh and the damn tailpipe keeps coming loose. So I may get tired of the white Jeep getting covered in soot and may get an exhaust shop to fix it at some point in the trip. Some previous owner backed the tail pipe into something and jacked it all up, including the muffler. I discovered it a few days before the trip and bandaided it but it doesn’t appear to be working. Oh well.

FC6023D5-B75B-476D-87C9-8EA9A5676E00.jpeg
 
rockcity said:
I’m using a Blue Ox bar. It along with the Blue Ox Patriot brake buddy came with the RV. So all I needed to do was fab some adapter brackets from the tow bar to the Jeep and was good to go.


View attachment 319999
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You just have to be sure those bars are level within a couple inches. Got 2 bent ones in the scrap pile (from friends rigs). Factory tech said running out of level was the cause.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
kaiser715 said:
You just have to be sure those bars are level within a couple inches. Got 2 bent ones in the scrap pile (from friends rigs). Factory tech said running out of level was the cause.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
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yep. Paperwork says +/- 3”, so I should be good. Using their tow plate would have put me way too low.
 
rockcity said:
we made it to Mammoth Cave NP mostly event free. Aside from missing a turn or two in the back country of KY, all went well on the drive.

darn fridge keeps locking me out because it’s running while I’m driving. And it likes to be level. So I have to continuously reset it outside, which involves removing circuit board and grounding out the reset pin. Ugh. I fixed that! Just wired in a jumper from the pin to the ground. And cut it in the middle. So now when it needs reset (again!), I just touch the two wires together and viola! Reset. Quick and easy. No removing wires and circuit boards anymore. Once I get to a parts store I’ll pick up a momentary rocker switch and wire that in for ultimate slickness. :D


Oh and the damn tailpipe keeps coming loose. So I may get tired of the white Jeep getting covered in soot and may get an exhaust shop to fix it at some point in the trip. Some previous owner backed the tail pipe into something and jacked it all up, including the muffler. I discovered it a few days before the trip and bandaided it but it doesn’t appear to be working. Oh well.

View attachment 320000
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That’s a nice, big campsite!
 
tlucier said:
That’s a nice, big campsite!
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The campsites here are mostly big and nice. Spread out enough too. And convenient too. Right next to the visitor center and the main entrance to the cave. And a short hike to the river’s canoe/kayak take out and a short 6 mile, down hill bike ride to the put I spot to get your vehicle after running the river.

kayaking today. 8 miles on the Green River.

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53C1DB0D-0EA8-421F-A31C-CF403C927153.jpeg
 
Great times! We camped there a few times back in the 90's when we lived in Indiana and our kids were little. Done some canoeing and visited the cave. Keep the pics coming!
 
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