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| Rice Creek at County Route 89 |
The starting page for this trip covers the 2 weeks before I leave on Monday, October 21st.
Another year, another trip to the southwest. For the first time in 3 years, I'm starting in October, rather than August. Here is a link to the starting page at my website - LakeshoreImages.
In 2017 I left in August to pick up my new Escape 21 trailer. A great 270 day trip covering the central & eastern parts of the west coast states, Quartzsite, AZ for the winter, A week of fireworks in Lake Havasu City, AZ, then back to Townsend, TN for an April fiberglass trailer rally.
Last year I left in August to attend the Boler 50th Reunion with friends in a Scamp. After the reunion we continued west, touring Colorado, New Mexico, Utah & Arizona, and the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. After the fiesta Guido & Anne headed back east, and I made my way to the Matagorda Madness Rally in Texas, and on to Big Bend National Park. After that it was off to Quartzsite again for the winter, another visit to the SARA Rodeo Grounds for fireworks, and back across the south to the Townsend Rally, a visit with my daughter's family in the DC area, and home. Only 265 days!
So, it is now time to start packing for another trip. I did some major modifications to the trailer's electrical system by exchanging the stock lead acid batteries for a pair of lithium batteries. I hope this will provide a bit more comfort when dry camping.
I printed out a 4 page copy of my packing list - I guess I'm getting old enough that I deal with a list rather than discover 1000 miles away that I left something important home. Actually, the list helps since stuff is listed by location, and I take the checked off copy with me so I can find where I put rarely used items. Even with the list, I usually have to buy some forgotten or lost item along the road, but it sure helps.
I am enjoying a bit of Fall this time. We do have some beautiful color changes most years, although this year is a bit duller than normal. I stopped at Fallbrook & Rice Creek for a photo, and while the small falls behind the Fallbrook barn is pretty, no color in the trees.
With a relatively clear western horizon over Lake Ontario, Oswego has some beautiful sunsets. Just an average one tonight (10/9).
Fall is just starting here along the lake. It is always a bit later than at the higher altitude, cooler Adirondacks, and usually doesn't have as dramatic color, but here is a couple of images (Yes, we do have an algae problem!)
The truck & trailer are about 3/4 packed; most of the remaining packing is stuff that has to be at the last minute - food, meds, etc. It is definitely cooling off. Today's high is around 52°F, and it has been in the 40's at night. Almost feels like January in Quartzsite!
Sunday, October 20th:
Just a few things left to pack. I weighed the trailer tongue using my 0 - 500 pound bathroom scale & it is currently 471 pounds. I'll add a few more pounds in the morning, and plan to stop at a CAT Scale on the way to Binghamton & the Guidos. Speaking of the Guidos, the original plan was for them to accompany me as far as Hungry Mother State Park in VA for a fiberglass trailer rally, however Anne's sister passed away after a long illness, and they won't be able to attend the rally.
The truck has 21,709.4 miles on the clock as of this afternoon. On the way to filling it up, I stopped at Snake Swamp (just down the road from my house) for a couple of photos. Some color, but not as bright as some years. Note the 5' pole on the side of the road. I see lots of these out west, but here in the east they are only in the snowbelt areas. It would be a bad thing if the snowplow tried to plow the swamp! Again, most of these photos are on Day 0 at LakeshoreImages.
Until Tomorrow -
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