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diff --git a/bak/oldluxpages/jrnlold/2018/05/keep-on-keeping-on.html b/bak/oldluxpages/jrnlold/2018/05/keep-on-keeping-on.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..210c585 --- /dev/null +++ b/bak/oldluxpages/jrnlold/2018/05/keep-on-keeping-on.html @@ -0,0 +1,594 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html +class="detail single" dir="ltr" lang="en-US"> + +<head> + <title>Keep On Keeping On - by Scott Gilbertson</title> + <meta charset="utf-8"> + <meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge"> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <meta name="description" + content="The bus gets new brakes, finally, we visit Athens, couch-surfing, homeless style. It was wonderful to visit friends and family, but if anyone was wondering if we'd decide to move back, uh, yeah, that'd be a very emphatic no. We love the bus and we're still"> + <meta name="author" content="Scott Gilbertson"> + <link rel="alternate" + type="application/rss+xml" + title="Luxagraf RSS feed" + href="https://luxagraf.net/rss/"> + <link rel="stylesheet" + href="/media/screenv9.css" + media="screen"> + <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/print.css" media="print" title="print" /> + <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"> + <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json" /> + <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://stats.luxagraf.net"> + + <link rel="canonical" href="https://luxagraf.net/jrnl/2018/05/keep-on-keeping-on" /> + <meta name="ICBM" content="33.959144730502985, -83.40498072967124" /> + <meta name="geo.position" content="33.959144730502985; -83.40498072967124" /> + <meta name="geo.placename" content="Athens, "> + <meta name="geo.region" content="-"> + <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> + <meta property="og:title" content="Keep on Keeping on" /> + <meta property="og:url" content="https://luxagraf.net/jrnl/2018/05/keep-on-keeping-on" /> + <meta property="og:description" content="The bus gets new brakes, finally, we visit Athens, couch-surfing, homeless style. It was wonderful to visit friends and family, but if anyone was wondering if we'd decide to move back, uh, yeah, that'd be a very emphatic no. We love the bus and we're still" /> + <meta property="article:published_time" content="2018-05-18T16:12:35" /> + <meta property="article:author" content="Scott Gilbertson" /> + <meta property="og:site_name" content="Luxagraf" /> + <meta property="og:image" content="/media/images/original/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4.jpg" /> + <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" /> + <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> + <meta name="twitter:description" content="The bus gets new brakes, finally, we visit Athens, couch-surfing, homeless style. It was wonderful to visit friends and family, but if anyone was wondering if we'd decide to move back, uh, yeah, that'd be a very emphatic no. We love the bus and we're still"/> + <meta name="twitter:title" content="Keep on Keeping on"/> + <meta name="twitter:site" content="@luxagraf"/> + <meta name="twitter:domain" content="luxagraf"/> + <meta name="twitter:image:src" content="/media/images/original/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4.jpg"/> + <meta name="twitter:creator" content="@luxagraf"/> +<script type="application/ld+json"> +{ + "@context": "https://schema.org", + "@type": "Article", + "mainEntityOfPage": { + "@type": "WebPage", + "@id": "https://luxagraf.net/jrnl/2018/05/keep-on-keeping-on" + }, + "headline": "Keep on Keeping on", + "datePublished": "2018-05-18T16:12:35+04:00", + "dateModified": "2018-05-18T16:12:35+04:00", + "author": { + "@type": "Person", + "name": "Scott Gilbertson" + }, + "publisher": { + "@type": "Organization", + "name": "Luxagraf", + "logo": { + "@type": "ImageObject", + "url": "https://luxagraf.net/media/img/logo-white.jpg" + } + }, + "description": "The bus gets new brakes, finally, we visit Athens, couch-surfing, homeless style. It was wonderful to visit friends and family, but if anyone was wondering if we'd decide to move back, uh, yeah, that'd be a very emphatic no. We love the bus and we're still" +} +</script> + +</head> +<body > + <div class="wrapper" id="wrapper"> + <div class="header-wrapper"> + <header class="site-banner"> + <div id="logo"> + <a href="/" title="Home">Luxagraf</a> + <span class="sitesubtitle">Walk Slowly</span> + </div> + <nav> + <ul> + <li><a href="/jrnl/" title="Stories of life on the road.">Jrnl</a> & <a href="/field-notes/" title="Short stories, snapshots of daily life on the road.">Field Notes</a></li> + <li><a href="/guide/" title="Advice, Tools, Tips and Tricks for Full Time Van or RV Life.">Guides</a></li> + <li><a href="/newsletter/" title="The 'friends of a long year' newsletter">newsletter</a></li> + <li><a href="/about" title="About Scott">About</a></li> + </ul> + </nav> + </header> + </div> + <ol class="bl" id="breadcrumbs" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/BreadcrumbList"> + <li itemprop="itemListElement" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem"><a itemprop="item" href="/"><span itemprop="name">Home</span></a> → + <meta itemprop="position" content="1" /> + </li> + <li itemprop="itemListElement" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem"> + + <a href="/jrnl/" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">jrnl</span></a> + <meta itemprop="position" content="2" /> + <meta itemprop="position" content="2" /> + </li> + </ol> + + + <main> + <article class="h-entry hentry entry-content content" itemscope itemType="http://schema.org/BlogPosting"> + <header id="header" class="post-header "> + <h1 class="p-name entry-title post-title" itemprop="headline">Keep on Keeping on</h1> + + <div class="post-linewrapper"> + <div class="p-location h-adr adr post-location" itemprop="contentLocation" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Place"> + <h3 class="h-adr" itemprop="address" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/PostalAddress"><span class="p-locality locality" itemprop="addressLocality">Athens</span>, <a class="p-region region" href="/jrnl/united-states/" title="travel writing from the United States">Georgia</a>, <span class="p-country-name" itemprop="addressCountry">U.S.</span></h3> + – <a href="" onclick="showMap(33.959144730502985, -83.40498072967124, { type:'point', lat:'33.959144730502985', lon:'-83.40498072967124'}); return false;" title="see a map">Map</a> + </div> + <time class="dt-published published dt-updated post-date" datetime="2018-05-18T16:12:35" itemprop="datePublished">May <span>18, 2018</span></time> + <span class="hide" itemprop="author" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">by <a class="p-author h-card" href="/about"><span itemprop="name">Scott Gilbertson</span></a></span> + </div> + </header> + <div id="article" class="e-content entry-content post--body post--body--single" itemprop="articleBody"> + <p>One day we fired up the bus and finally headed off St. George Island. We hugged the coast for a while before pointing our nose north, toward our former hometown, Athens, GA.</p> +<figure class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-24_095547_beach-house-ii.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_095547_beach-house-ii_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_095547_beach-house-ii_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_095547_beach-house-ii_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_095547_beach-house-ii_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Rest area, near carrabelle, FL photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-24_095547_beach-house-ii.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" data-jslghtbx-caption="The cars have changed, but otherwise this little rest area near Carrabelle, FL probably didn't look much different when it was built half a century or more ago."> + </a> +<figcaption>The cars have changed, but otherwise this little rest area near Carrabelle, FL probably didn’t look much different when it was built half a century or more ago.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>It was a slow drive, the mushy brakes never far from my mind, which gave things an edge, made it far more interesting than it should have been. But, and I know this sounds crazy, I really don’t use the brakes much in the bus. Take your foot off the gas and 10,000 lbs (or so) will stop pretty damn quickly. That’s no excuse for letting the brakes get as bad as I did, but it might explain how I made it to Athens in one piece.</p> +<p>We stopped overnight at Reed Bingham State Park in south Georgia. It had been several months since we’d driven more than 100 miles in a day and we were out of practice, after driving for two hours, we needed a break. </p> +<div class="cluster"> +<span class="row-2"> + + <a href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-24_145319_reed-bingham.jpg" title="view larger image "> + <img class="pic5 " src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_145319_reed-bingham_pic5.jpg" alt="Reed Bingham State Park, George photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-24_145319_reed-bingham.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" ></a> + + + + + <a href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-24_145431-2_reed-bingham.jpg" title="view larger image "> + <img class="pic5 " src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_145431-2_reed-bingham_pic5.jpg" alt="Reed Bingham State Park, George photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-24_145431-2_reed-bingham.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" ></a> + + +</span> + + + <a href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-24_143704_reed-bingham.jpg" title="view larger image "> + <img class=" " sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_143704_reed-bingham_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_143704_reed-bingham_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_143704_reed-bingham_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-24_143704_reed-bingham_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Reed Bingham State Park, George photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-24_143704_reed-bingham.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" ></a> + + +</div> + +<p>After a little time on the playground, a good night’s rest in the forest, and a dump of the tanks, we managed to make it the rest of the way to Athens.</p> +<p>We had couple nights in town before I dropped the bus off at the mechanic’s, so I spent the first few days in town frantically trying to get a dozen or so bus projects done. I pulled several panels of wood in the front (the little scoop air vents leak and I’m pretty sure they’ll never stop so I cut new wood and sealed with fiberglass resin, if it’s not waterproof now, it never will be), completely gutted our step area (the porch I call it), ran some new wires for new electrical outlet, repainted the kids’ room in the back, and took care of at least a dozen other little “paper cut” annoyances that needed to be solved.</p> +<p>And then we dropped off the bus at the truck mechanic’s shop and became homeless for about three weeks. It was our longest stretch of homelessness to date, but at least we knew it was coming and we had friends and family to take us in.</p> +<p>We spent a week at my in-laws’, a week with our friends who run <a href="http://www.easternriverexpeditions.com/">Eastern River Expeditions</a> and have a house on the river, a few days in our trusty tent (the guest house, should you meet up with us on the road) and then back to the in-laws, back to our friends’ house, and so on.</p> +<p>Many thanks to everyone who put us up. Somewhere in there we managed to celebrated a birthday, have a mother’s day water balloon fight, and beat the unseasonably warm temps playing in sprinklers.</p> +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-28_112128_athens-ga.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-28_112128_athens-ga_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-28_112128_athens-ga_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-28_112128_athens-ga_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-28_112128_athens-ga_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-28_112128_athens-ga.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-05_105439_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105439_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105439_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105439_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105439_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Water Balloon Fight, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-05_105439_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-05_105441_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105441_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105441_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105441_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105441_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Water Balloon Fight, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-05_105441_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-05_105955_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105955_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105955_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105955_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-05_105955_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Water Balloon Fight, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-05_105955_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_135127_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_135127_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_135127_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_135127_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_135127_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Sprinklers, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_135127_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_123308_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_123308_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_123308_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_123308_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_123308_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="River 2, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_123308_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_150105_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_150105_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_150105_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_150105_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_150105_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Pirate, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_150105_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_144150_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_144150_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_144150_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_144150_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_144150_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Spaceman, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_144150_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-26_103313_athens-ga.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-26_103313_athens-ga_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-26_103313_athens-ga_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-26_103313_athens-ga_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-26_103313_athens-ga_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-26_103313_athens-ga.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-28_115632_athens-ga.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-28_115632_athens-ga_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-28_115632_athens-ga_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-28_115632_athens-ga_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-04-28_115632_athens-ga_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-04-28_115632_athens-ga.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<p>We also made sure to stick close to a river. We have two friends that live backed up to rivers and Watson Mill State Park has a river running through it as well so we had plenty of water to keep cool in. Lilah and I even managed to catch a small bass and a sunfish of some sort. Neither was any bigger than my hand, but they were the first we’ve managed to land since Texas.</p> +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4_picwide.jpg 2880w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4_featured_jrnl.jpg 520w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4_picwide-med.jpg" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4_picwide.jpg" alt="Sunrise on the river, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_084820-1_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_084820-1_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_084820-1_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_084820-1_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_084820-1_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="River, Watson Mill State Park, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_084820-1_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_085528_athens_Uitqb5t.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_085528_athens_Uitqb5t_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_085528_athens_Uitqb5t_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_085528_athens_Uitqb5t_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-13_085528_athens_Uitqb5t_picwide-med.jpg" alt="tadpoles, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-13_085528_athens_Uitqb5t.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<figure class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-12_065850-1_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-12_065850-1_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-12_065850-1_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-12_065850-1_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-12_065850-1_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Frog, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-12_065850-1_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" data-jslghtbx-caption="We were in Athens so long the tadpoles above this picture turned into frogs."> + </a> +<figcaption>We were in Athens so long the tadpoles above this picture turned into frogs.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-02_123714_athens.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_123714_athens_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_123714_athens_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_123714_athens_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-02_123714_athens_picwide-med.jpg" alt="rRiver, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-02_123714_athens.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/IMG_20180503_155321420.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/IMG_20180503_155321420_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/IMG_20180503_155321420_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/IMG_20180503_155321420_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/IMG_20180503_155321420_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Playing in the river, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/IMG_20180503_155321420.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/IMG_20180503_161349657.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/IMG_20180503_161349657_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/IMG_20180503_161349657_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/IMG_20180503_161349657_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/IMG_20180503_161349657_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Catching fish, Athens, GA photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/IMG_20180503_161349657.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<p>The bus brakes ended up taking about three weeks. Not because they were that complicated, but because the mechanic is essentially the only truck mechanic around and he’s very, very busy. The brakes turned out to be less complicated, and less expensive than I thought they would be. In the end the main problem was that the rear self adjusting screws froze up. Or rather they got so gunked up they no longer worked. When this happened I’m not sure. I know the rear brakes were smoking coming down the pass into California, but that could have been due to the axle issues. It’s possible, likely even, that we’ve never had rear brakes. That meant the front brakes were the only thing stopping the bus for quite some time, which then wore down those shoes much faster than it should have.</p> +<p>Now that we have new shoes in the front and working adjusters in the back I have a full pedal of brakes and she stops like a nice lightweight sedan.</p> +<p>Three weeks of bouncing between houses and camping, with stuff here, stuff there, projects half finished in three locations, eventually it takes its toll. I can’t tell you what a relief it was to have the bus back, I don’t know about the kids, they seemed more or less fine, but I was approaching desperation by the end of those three weeks. </p> +<p>We got it back on a Monday and for about 48 hours all I did was eat, sleep and work on the bus. I re-installed all the panels, ran new wiring, fixed the dinnette seat cushion, and gave it a good tune up and an oil change. Just for good measure I got some new rear shocks installed on the Volvo and changed its oil too (many thanks to John and Mike for help with the shocks).</p> +<p>We had a perfect weather window lined up for a Monday departure, but then somehow I got talked into staying until Wednesday, which brought plenty of rain. It was, as Snoopy would say, a dark and stormy morning when we finally pulled out of Athens. </p> +<p>It was nice to see our friends and family and spend some quality time with everyone, but if anyone was wondering if we’d decide to move back, uh, yeah, that’d be a very emphatic no. We love the bus and we’re still looking forward to what’s around the next bend.</p> + </div> + <div class="entry-footer"> + <aside id="wildlife"> + <h3>Fauna and Flora</h3> + + <ul> + + <li class="grouper">Birds<ul> + + <li>American Robin </li> + + <li>Blue Jay </li> + + <li>Brown-headed Cowbird </li> + + <li><a href="/dialogues/brown-thrasher">Brown Thrasher</a> </li> + + <li>Canada Goose </li> + + <li>Carolina Chickadee </li> + + <li>Chipping Sparrow </li> + + <li>Downy Woodpecker </li> + + <li>Eastern Bluebird </li> + + <li>Eastern Towhee </li> + + <li>Gray Catbird </li> + + <li>Great Blue Heron </li> + + <li>Hooded Warbler </li> + + <li><a href="/dialogues/northern-cardinal">Northern Cardinal</a> </li> + + <li><a href="/dialogues/northern-mockingbird">Northern Mockingbird</a> </li> + + <li>Red-bellied Woodpecker </li> + + <li><a href="/dialogues/summer-tanager">Summer Tanager</a> </li> + + <li>Tufted Titmouse </li> + + <li>Wood Duck </li> + + <li>Yellow-rumped Warbler </li> + </ul> + </ul> + </aside> + + <aside class="margin-left-none" id="field_notes"> + <h3>Field Notes</h3> + <ul> + <li><a href="/field-notes/2018/05/singing-bayou">Singing on the Bayou</a></li> + + <li><a href="/field-notes/2018/04/these-old-houses">These Old Houses</a></li> + </ul> + </aside> + + </div> + </article> + + + <div class="nav-wrapper"> + <nav id="page-navigation" > + <ul> + <li id="prev"><span class="bl">Previous:</span> + <a href="/jrnl/2018/04/too-much-sunshine" rel="prev" title=" Too Much Sunshine">Too Much Sunshine</a> + </li> + <li id="next"><span class="bl">Next:</span> + <a href="/jrnl/2018/05/thunder-road" rel="next" title=" Thunder Road">Thunder Road</a> + </li> + </ul> + </nav> + </div> + + + + + + +<p class="comments--header">2 Comments</p> + + + + + + + <div class="comments--wrapper"> + + <div id="comment-3219" class="comment"> + <noscript class="datahashloader" data-hash="default"> + <img class="gravatar" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/gravcache/default.jpg" alt="gravatar icon for DREW" /> + </noscript> + <div class="comment--head"> + <span class="who"><b>DREW</b></span> + <span class="when">May 29, 2018 at 11:05 a.m.</span> + </div> + + <div class="comment--body"> + + <p>Which direction are you headed now? NE for the summer?</p> +<p>We will be in the Glacier area come late July if we happen to cross paths that would be awesome.</p> +<p>Your photography is on point these days. Bravo!</p> + + </div> + </div> + + <div id="comment-3222" class="comment"> + <noscript class="datahashloader" data-hash="d64f4854965b2b1c3ecafee4b2a66fac"> + <img class="gravatar" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/gravcache/d64f4854965b2b1c3ecafee4b2a66fac.jpg" alt="gravatar icon for Scott" /> + </noscript> + <div class="comment--head"> + <span class="who"><b><a href="https://luxagraf.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scott</a></b></span> + <span class="when">May 30, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.</span> + </div> + + <div class="comment--body"> + + <p>@Drew-</p> +<p>We really wanted to get up to see y’all, but I didn’t want to push the bus over the mountains. We went west and then up. In central Tenn at the moment. </p> +<p>We’re headed to the great lakes area for the summer, Wisconsin and Michigan UP mostly, then west, Minnesota, Dakotas, etc. No time frame though, I’ll keep you posted.</p> +<p>And thanks, glad you like the photos.</p> + + </div> + </div> + + </div> + + +<div class="comment--form--wrapper comment-form-border"> + +<div class="comment--form--header"> + <p class="hed">Thoughts?</p> + <p class="subhed">Please leave a reply:</p> +</div> +<form action="/comments/post/" method="post" class="comment--form"> + +<input type="hidden" name="rder" value="" /> + + + <input type="hidden" name="content_type" value="jrnl.entry" id="id_content_type"> + + + + <input type="hidden" name="object_pk" value="256" id="id_object_pk"> + + + + <input type="hidden" name="timestamp" value="1596833343" id="id_timestamp"> + + + + <input type="hidden" name="security_hash" value="f1c8a7f2d84b12bdff26d9b75fd43aa8881da56b" id="id_security_hash"> + + + + <fieldset > + <label for="id_name">Name:</label> + <input type="text" name="name" maxlength="50" required id="id_name"> + </fieldset> + + + + <fieldset > + <label for="id_email">Email address:</label> + <input type="email" name="email" required id="id_email"> + </fieldset> + + + + <fieldset > + <label for="id_url">URL:</label> + <input type="url" name="url" id="id_url"> + </fieldset> + + + + <fieldset > + <label for="id_comment">Comment:</label> + <div class="textarea-rounded"><textarea name="comment" cols="40" rows="10" maxlength="3000" required id="id_comment"> +</textarea></div> + </fieldset> + + + + <fieldset style="display:none;"> + <label for="id_honeypot">If you enter anything in this field your comment will be treated as spam:</label> + <input type="text" name="honeypot" id="id_honeypot"> + </fieldset> + + + <div class="submit"> + <input type="submit" name="post" class="submit-post btn" value="Post" /> + <input type="submit" name="preview" class="submit-preview btn" value="Preview" /> + </div> +</form> +<p style="font-size: 95%;"><strong>All comments are moderated</strong>, so you won’t see it right away. 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We hugged the coast for a while before pointing our nose north, toward our former hometown, Athens, GA.
+
+<img src="images/2018/2018-04-24_095547_beach-house-ii.jpg" id="image-1341" class="picwide caption" />
+
+It was a slow drive, the mushy brakes never far from my mind, which gave things an edge, made it far more interesting than it should have been. But, and I know this sounds crazy, I really don't use the brakes much in the bus. Take your foot off the gas and 10,000 lbs (or so) will stop pretty damn quickly. That's no excuse for letting the brakes get as bad as I did, but it might explain how I made it to Athens in one piece.
+
+We stopped overnight at Reed Bingham State Park in south Georgia. It had been several months since we'd driven more than 100 miles in a day and we were out of practice, after driving for two hours, we needed a break.
+
+<div class="cluster">
+<span class="row-2">
+<img src="images/2018/2018-04-24_145319_reed-bingham.jpg" id="image-1339" class="cluster pic5" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-04-24_145431-2_reed-bingham.jpg" id="image-1340" class="cluster pic5" />
+</span>
+<img src="images/2018/2018-04-24_143704_reed-bingham.jpg" id="image-1338" class="cluster picwide" />
+</div>
+
+After a little time on the playground, a good night's rest in the forest, and a dump of the tanks, we managed to make it the rest of the way to Athens.
+
+We had couple nights in town before I dropped the bus off at the mechanic's, so I spent the first few days in town frantically trying to get a dozen or so bus projects done. I pulled several panels of wood in the front (the little scoop air vents leak and I'm pretty sure they'll never stop so I cut new wood and sealed with fiberglass resin, if it's not waterproof now, it never will be), completely gutted our step area (the porch I call it), ran some new wires for new electrical outlet, repainted the kids' room in the back, and took care of at least a dozen other little "paper cut" annoyances that needed to be solved.
+
+And then we dropped off the bus at the truck mechanic's shop and became homeless for about three weeks. It was our longest stretch of homelessness to date, but at least we knew it was coming and we had friends and family to take us in.
+
+We spent a week at my in-laws', a week with our friends who run [Eastern River Expeditions](http://www.easternriverexpeditions.com/) and have a house on the river, a few days in our trusty tent (the guest house, should you meet up with us on the road) and then back to the in-laws, back to our friends' house, and so on.
+
+Many thanks to everyone who put us up. Somewhere in there we managed to celebrated a birthday, have a mother's day water balloon fight, and beat the unseasonably warm temps playing in sprinklers.
+
+<img src="images/2018/2018-04-28_112128_athens-ga.jpg" id="image-1343" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-05_105439_athens.jpg" id="image-1350" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-05_105441_athens.jpg" id="image-1351" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-05_105955_athens.jpg" id="image-1352" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-13_135127_athens.jpg" id="image-1356" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-13_123308_athens.jpg" id="image-1355" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-13_150105_athens.jpg" id="image-1358" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-13_144150_athens.jpg" id="image-1357" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-04-26_103313_athens-ga.jpg" id="image-1342" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-04-28_115632_athens-ga.jpg" id="image-1344" class="picwide" />
+
+We also made sure to stick close to a river. We have two friends that live backed up to rivers and Watson Mill State Park has a river running through it as well so we had plenty of water to keep cool in. Lilah and I even managed to catch a small bass and a sunfish of some sort. Neither was any bigger than my hand, but they were the first we've managed to land since Texas.
+
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-02_051015_athens_MJHGOe4.jpg" id="image-1361" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-13_084820-1_athens.jpg" id="image-1353" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-13_085528_athens_Uitqb5t.jpg" id="image-1354" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-12_065850-1_athens.jpg" id="image-1362" class="picwide caption" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-02_123714_athens.jpg" id="image-1346" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/IMG_20180503_155321420.jpg" id="image-1359" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/IMG_20180503_161349657.jpg" id="image-1360" class="picwide" />
+
+The bus brakes ended up taking about three weeks. Not because they were that complicated, but because the mechanic is essentially the only truck mechanic around and he's very, very busy. The brakes turned out to be less complicated, and less expensive than I thought they would be. In the end the main problem was that the rear self adjusting screws froze up. Or rather they got so gunked up they no longer worked. When this happened I'm not sure. I know the rear brakes were smoking coming down the pass into California, but that could have been due to the axle issues. It's possible, likely even, that we've never had rear brakes. That meant the front brakes were the only thing stopping the bus for quite some time, which then wore down those shoes much faster than it should have.
+
+Now that we have new shoes in the front and working adjusters in the back I have a full pedal of brakes and she stops like a nice lightweight sedan.
+
+Three weeks of bouncing between houses and camping, with stuff here, stuff there, projects half finished in three locations, eventually it takes its toll. I can't tell you what a relief it was to have the bus back, I don't know about the kids, they seemed more or less fine, but I was approaching desperation by the end of those three weeks.
+
+We got it back on a Monday and for about 48 hours all I did was eat, sleep and work on the bus. I re-installed all the panels, ran new wiring, fixed the dinnette seat cushion, and gave it a good tune up and an oil change. Just for good measure I got some new rear shocks installed on the Volvo and changed its oil too (many thanks to John and Mike for help with the shocks).
+
+We had a perfect weather window lined up for a Monday departure, but then somehow I got talked into staying until Wednesday, which brought plenty of rain. It was, as Snoopy would say, a dark and stormy morning when we finally pulled out of Athens.
+
+It was nice to see our friends and family and spend some quality time with everyone, but if anyone was wondering if we'd decide to move back, uh, yeah, that'd be a very emphatic no. We love the bus and we're still looking forward to what's around the next bend. diff --git a/bak/oldluxpages/jrnlold/2018/05/thunder-road.html b/bak/oldluxpages/jrnlold/2018/05/thunder-road.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e5335bb --- /dev/null +++ b/bak/oldluxpages/jrnlold/2018/05/thunder-road.html @@ -0,0 +1,512 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html +class="detail single" dir="ltr" lang="en-US"> + +<head> + <title>Thunder Road - by Scott Gilbertson</title> + <meta charset="utf-8"> + <meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge"> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <meta name="description" + content="Surviving the Memorial Day crowds on the Natchez Trace."> + <meta name="author" content="Scott Gilbertson"> + <link rel="alternate" + type="application/rss+xml" + title="Luxagraf RSS feed" + href="https://luxagraf.net/rss/"> + <link rel="stylesheet" + href="/media/screenv9.css" + media="screen"> + <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/print.css" media="print" title="print" /> + <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"> + <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json" /> + <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://stats.luxagraf.net"> + + <link rel="canonical" href="https://luxagraf.net/jrnl/2018/05/thunder-road" /> + <meta name="ICBM" content="35.52158791874007, -87.45507342625086" /> + <meta name="geo.position" content="35.52158791874007; 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return false;" title="see a map">Map</a> + </div> + <time class="dt-published published dt-updated post-date" datetime="2018-05-30T14:52:12" itemprop="datePublished">May <span>30, 2018</span></time> + <span class="hide" itemprop="author" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">by <a class="p-author h-card" href="/about"><span itemprop="name">Scott Gilbertson</span></a></span> + </div> + </header> + <div id="article" class="e-content entry-content post--body post--body--single" itemprop="articleBody"> + <p>There was a line of thunderheads just north of us and another just south, but we managed to slide right through Atlanta with hardly a drop of rain on the windshield. </p> +<p>Sometimes I forget that most people drive cars that allow them to more or less disregard the weather. We don’t. I can drive the bus through a storm, and I have, but if we can avoid it by staying put for a day or leaving a day early, we usually do. When we slide right between two of them, I won’t lie, we feel a little more clever than usual. </p> +<p>We spent our first night back on the road at a small campground somewhere in Alabama. We got up the next day and hit the road early. As is par for the course, we didn’t realize it was Memorial Day until it was really too late to plan for it. Most campgrounds we could find that took reservations were already full. We went with our usual plan, find a campground with no electricity. Take away people’s ability to run the air conditioning and televisions 24/7 and you’re pretty much guaranteed to find an empty campground. </p> +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-24_144414-1_meriwether-lewis.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-24_144414-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-24_144414-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-24_144414-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-24_144414-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Natchez Trace Parkway photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-24_144414-1_meriwether-lewis.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<p>And we did, right in the middle of the Natchez Trace, one of the oldest thoroughfares on the continent. It probably started with big game during the last ice age and then various tribes picked it up as well. By the time Europeans arrived it was pretty much a highway connecting the Choctaw, Natchez and Chickasaw nations. These days it’s a smoothly paved road that doesn’t allow trucks.</p> +<p>The Meriwether Lewis campground is somewhere in the middle, a bit toward Nashville. It’s where the explorer lived and died I believe, though honestly we never made it to the monument. </p> +<figure class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_072726_meriwether-lewis.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_072726_meriwether-lewis_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_072726_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_072726_meriwether-lewis_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_072726_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg" alt="None photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_072726_meriwether-lewis.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" data-jslghtbx-caption="Definitely the most backwoods rig we've seen. I'd have taken a better picture, but they wanted money for it, which, uh, yeah, no."> + </a> +<figcaption>Definitely the most backwoods rig we’ve seen. I’d have taken a better picture, but they wanted money for it, which, uh, yeah, no.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>The campground was one of those head scratchers for me. It’s really nice, up on a ridge in the middle of a mostly beech and oak forest, cool breezes, plenty of shade and pretty level sites, a water spigot, bathrooms with flush toilets, trash pickup and yet totally free. I mean I get it, my tax dollars at work, but why not charge a few bucks to cover some of the costs? Like everyone else, I love free camping, but when something is free I don’t expect luxuries like picnic tables and bathrooms. I expect to not be hassled about where I’m parked and not much else. Amenities and free together doesn’t seem sustainable to me, but then I’ve never been over the Interior Department’s books, so what do I know?</p> +<p>Whatever the case we claimed a spot on Thursday and didn’t leave all through the weekend. Memorial Day, survived. We didn’t get a lot of sun, but we managed. By the time we left nearly a week later our batteries were way lower than you should ever let your batteries get. Somehow though ours keep on going though, sorta.</p> +<p>We sat out some thunderstorms, sweating a bit in the bus. Those gloriously huge windows don’t do you much good with it’s storming too hard to have the awning out. </p> +<p>It wasn’t all rain though, usually just a couple of thundershowers around midday and then it would be overcast, but plenty warm enough to head down to the creek and cool off playing in the water, catching frogs, chasing minnows, throwing rocks. </p> +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_131850-1_meriwether-lewis.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_131850-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_131850-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_131850-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide.jpg 2880w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_131850-1_meriwether-lewis_featured_jrnl.jpg 520w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_131850-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_131850-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide.jpg" alt="None photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_131850-1_meriwether-lewis.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_133424_meriwether-lewis.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_133424_meriwether-lewis_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_133424_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_133424_meriwether-lewis_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_133424_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg" alt="little swan creek, Meriwether Lewis campground photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_133424_meriwether-lewis.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_135453_meriwether-lewis.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_135453_meriwether-lewis_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_135453_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_135453_meriwether-lewis_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_135453_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg" alt="little swan creek, Meriwether Lewis campground photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_135453_meriwether-lewis.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_135615_meriwether-lewis.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_135615_meriwether-lewis_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_135615_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_135615_meriwether-lewis_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_135615_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg" alt="little swan creek, Meriwether Lewis campground photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_135615_meriwether-lewis.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_141141-1_meriwether-lewis.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_141141-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_141141-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_141141-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-25_141141-1_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg" alt="little swan creek, Meriwether Lewis campground photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-25_141141-1_meriwether-lewis.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<p>We tried to get in the water every day to make sure we got the ticks off us. This part of Tennessee has ticks like nowhere I’ve ever been. Most of them are not deer ticks thankfully, but ticks suck even if they don’t carry some disease.</p> +<p>One afternoon I drove a few miles up the road to dump the tanks at a nearby RV park and couldn’t help noticing how badly rusted our black tank straps had become. It was on my mind because someone in a Facebook group that Corrinne belongs to posted a story about their black tank falling off and smashing all over the ground while they drove through a campground. Awkward. </p> +<p>We already refer to small towns we can’t remember the name of by saying things like, “you know, the one where the fuel line cracked?” or “What was that place, where the rear transmission mount almost fell off?”; “What was that place where you hitchhiked to get a new alternator?” </p> +<p>I really did not want to have one of these that went, “you know, that campground where we dropped the black tank on the ground?” </p> +<p>When I got back from dumping I crawled under the tank with a flashlight to get serious about things and realized that one of our straps was already cracked about halfway through. It is 1969 steel so it probably had some life left in it, but I didn’t want to risk it. </p> +<p>I called a few auto parts stores in the area looking for fuel tank straps, but no one had anything. I ended up driving the Volvo to the nearest good size town, which had a Lowes, and bought some aluminum, some large sheet metal screws and two long drill bit extensions. A couple hours under the black tank and I had a nice new strap in place. The only problem was that when I jacked up the tank to lift it off the old strap, I cracked it. So two days later I was back at the RV park dumped it again, dried the outside and got busy with the fiberglass and resin. Fun times.</p> +<p>Nothing makes a creek bath feel sweet like an afternoon of sweating, fiberglass, and resin. </p> +<p>That night we were sitting around the fire after dinner when a pair of summer tanagers flew right up to us, chatting away as if we didn’t exist. The male sat up in the tree, chirping away, almost like he was giving suggestions to the female that was down on the ground gather sticks and pine needles in her beak. Then they’d fly away and come back a bit later for more. </p> +<div class="picwide"> + <a itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" href="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-27_131014_meriwether-lewis.jpg " title="view larger image"> + <img class="u-photo" itemprop="contentUrl" sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, (min-width: 1440px) 1440px" srcset="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-27_131014_meriwether-lewis_picwide-sm.jpg 720w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-27_131014_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg 1170w, https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-27_131014_meriwether-lewis_picwide.jpg 2880w" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/2018/2018-05-27_131014_meriwether-lewis_picwide-med.jpg" alt="Summer Tanager, meriwether lewis campground photographed by luxagraf" data-jslghtbx="https://images.luxagraf.net/original/2018/2018-05-27_131014_meriwether-lewis.jpg" data-jslghtbx-group="group" > + </a> +</div> + +<p>The whole time they didn’t seem bothered by our presence, even the kids playing quite loudly, at all. It was the start of something of a running theme the last couple weeks in Tennessee — birds just fly right up to us. This morning a hawk landed about 10 feet from us and just sat there on the ground, occasionally looking over at us, but for the most part seemingly unconcerned about our existence.</p> + </div> + <div class="entry-footer"> + <aside id="wildlife"> + <h3>Fauna and Flora</h3> + + <ul> + + <li class="grouper">Birds<ul> + + <li>American Crow </li> + + <li>American Robin </li> + + <li>Black Vulture </li> + + <li>Blue Jay </li> + + <li>Brown-headed Cowbird </li> + + <li>Carolina Wren </li> + + <li>Chipping Sparrow </li> + + <li>Eastern Wood-Pewee </li> + + <li>Indigo Bunting </li> + + <li>Mourning Dove </li> + + <li><a href="/dialogues/scarlet-tanager">Scarlet Tanager</a> </li> + + <li><a href="/dialogues/summer-tanager">Summer Tanager</a> </li> + + <li>Tufted Titmouse </li> + + <li>White-breasted Nuthatch </li> + </ul> + + <li class="grouper">Mammals<ul> + + <li>Eastern gray squirrel </li> + </ul> + </ul> + </aside> + + + </div> + </article> + + + <div class="nav-wrapper"> + <nav id="page-navigation" > + <ul> + <li id="prev"><span class="bl">Previous:</span> + <a href="/jrnl/2018/05/keep-on-keeping-on" rel="prev" title=" Keep on Keeping on">Keep on Keeping on</a> + </li> + <li id="next"><span class="bl">Next:</span> + <a href="/jrnl/2018/06/alberto-and-land-between-lakes" rel="next" title=" Alberto and the Land Between the Lakes">Alberto and the Land Between the Lakes</a> + </li> + </ul> + </nav> + </div> + + + + + + +<p class="comments--header">3 Comments</p> + + + + + + + <div class="comments--wrapper"> + + <div id="comment-3230" class="comment"> + <noscript class="datahashloader" data-hash="default"> + <img class="gravatar" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/gravcache/default.jpg" alt="gravatar icon for Gwen" /> + </noscript> + <div class="comment--head"> + <span class="who"><b>Gwen</b></span> + <span class="when">June 06, 2018 at 1:18 p.m.</span> + </div> + + <div class="comment--body"> + + <p>David was planning to bike pack the Natchez Trace with a friend this past week, but ended up cancelling….</p> + + </div> + </div> + + <div id="comment-3231" class="comment"> + <noscript class="datahashloader" data-hash="default"> + <img class="gravatar" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/gravcache/default.jpg" alt="gravatar icon for DREW ELDRIDGE" /> + </noscript> + <div class="comment--head"> + <span class="who"><b>DREW ELDRIDGE</b></span> + <span class="when">June 06, 2018 at 3:02 p.m.</span> + </div> + + <div class="comment--body"> + + <p>I had my first run in with seed ticks last year. Id say a hundred or so on my torso. I walked out of the woods and my arm was crawling with what I thought were mites. My friend told me differently. I had them embedded in my back and just gave Mia (10 at the time) a knife and told her to scrape them off… “Move the knife up to down, not side to side!” She decided she couldnt do it- so I held the knife and she guided my hand.</p> + + </div> + </div> + + <div id="comment-3232" class="comment"> + <noscript class="datahashloader" data-hash="d64f4854965b2b1c3ecafee4b2a66fac"> + <img class="gravatar" src="https://images.luxagraf.net/gravcache/d64f4854965b2b1c3ecafee4b2a66fac.jpg" alt="gravatar icon for Scott" /> + </noscript> + <div class="comment--head"> + <span class="who"><b><a href="https://luxagraf.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scott</a></b></span> + <span class="when">June 06, 2018 at 3:59 p.m.</span> + </div> + + <div class="comment--body"> + + <p>@Drew-</p> +<p>Ugh, that sounds awful.</p> +<p>Apparently Rose Geranium oil will keep them away, we just got some so I’ll let you know. They’re not as bad here in the St. Louis area, but they’re definitely still around.</p> + + </div> + </div> + + </div> + + +<div class="comment--form--wrapper comment-form-border"> + +<div class="comment--form--header"> + <p class="hed">Thoughts?</p> + <p class="subhed">Please leave a reply:</p> +</div> +<form action="/comments/post/" method="post" class="comment--form"> + +<input type="hidden" name="rder" value="" /> + + + <input type="hidden" name="content_type" value="jrnl.entry" id="id_content_type"> + + + + <input type="hidden" name="object_pk" value="257" id="id_object_pk"> + + + + <input type="hidden" name="timestamp" value="1596833342" id="id_timestamp"> + + + + <input type="hidden" name="security_hash" value="227af839a28ba14098f26974c18609c423b99aa2" id="id_security_hash"> + + + + <fieldset > + <label for="id_name">Name:</label> + <input type="text" name="name" maxlength="50" required id="id_name"> + </fieldset> + + + + <fieldset > + <label for="id_email">Email address:</label> + <input type="email" name="email" required id="id_email"> + </fieldset> + + + + <fieldset > + <label for="id_url">URL:</label> + <input type="url" name="url" id="id_url"> + </fieldset> + + + + <fieldset > + <label for="id_comment">Comment:</label> + <div class="textarea-rounded"><textarea name="comment" cols="40" rows="10" maxlength="3000" required id="id_comment"> +</textarea></div> + </fieldset> + + + + <fieldset style="display:none;"> + <label for="id_honeypot">If you enter anything in this field your comment will be treated as spam:</label> + <input type="text" name="honeypot" id="id_honeypot"> + </fieldset> + + + <div class="submit"> + <input type="submit" name="post" class="submit-post btn" value="Post" /> + <input type="submit" name="preview" class="submit-preview btn" value="Preview" /> + </div> +</form> +<p style="font-size: 95%;"><strong>All comments are moderated</strong>, so you won’t see it right away. 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+
+Sometimes I forget that most people drive cars that allow them to more or less disregard the weather. We don't. I can drive the bus through a storm, and I have, but if we can avoid it by staying put for a day or leaving a day early, we usually do. When we slide right between two of them, I won't lie, we feel a little more clever than usual.
+
+We spent our first night back on the road at a small campground somewhere in Alabama. We got up the next day and hit the road early. As is par for the course, we didn't realize it was Memorial Day until it was really too late to plan for it. Most campgrounds we could find that took reservations were already full. We went with our usual plan, find a campground with no electricity. Take away people's ability to run the air conditioning and televisions 24/7 and you're pretty much guaranteed to find an empty campground.
+
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-24_144414-1_meriwether-lewis.jpg" id="image-1363" class="picwide" />
+
+And we did, right in the middle of the Natchez Trace, one of the oldest thoroughfares on the continent. It probably started with big game during the last ice age and then various tribes picked it up as well. By the time Europeans arrived it was pretty much a highway connecting the Choctaw, Natchez and Chickasaw nations. These days it's a smoothly paved road that doesn't allow trucks.
+
+The Meriwether Lewis campground is somewhere in the middle, a bit toward Nashville. It's where the explorer lived and died I believe, though honestly we never made it to the monument.
+
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-25_072726_meriwether-lewis.jpg" id="image-1364" class="picwide caption" />
+
+The campground was one of those head scratchers for me. It's really nice, up on a ridge in the middle of a mostly beech and oak forest, cool breezes, plenty of shade and pretty level sites, a water spigot, bathrooms with flush toilets, trash pickup and yet totally free. I mean I get it, my tax dollars at work, but why not charge a few bucks to cover some of the costs? Like everyone else, I love free camping, but when something is free I don't expect luxuries like picnic tables and bathrooms. I expect to not be hassled about where I'm parked and not much else. Amenities and free together doesn't seem sustainable to me, but then I've never been over the Interior Department's books, so what do I know?
+
+Whatever the case we claimed a spot on Thursday and didn't leave all through the weekend. Memorial Day, survived. We didn't get a lot of sun, but we managed. By the time we left nearly a week later our batteries were way lower than you should ever let your batteries get. Somehow though ours keep on going though, sorta.
+
+We sat out some thunderstorms, sweating a bit in the bus. Those gloriously huge windows don't do you much good with it's storming too hard to have the awning out.
+
+
+It wasn't all rain though, usually just a couple of thundershowers around midday and then it would be overcast, but plenty warm enough to head down to the creek and cool off playing in the water, catching frogs, chasing minnows, throwing rocks.
+
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-25_131850-1_meriwether-lewis.jpg" id="image-1368" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-25_133424_meriwether-lewis.jpg" id="image-1369" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-25_135453_meriwether-lewis.jpg" id="image-1370" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-25_135615_meriwether-lewis.jpg" id="image-1371" class="picwide" />
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-25_141141-1_meriwether-lewis.jpg" id="image-1372" class="picwide" />
+
+We tried to get in the water every day to make sure we got the ticks off us. This part of Tennessee has ticks like nowhere I've ever been. Most of them are not deer ticks thankfully, but ticks suck even if they don't carry some disease.
+
+One afternoon I drove a few miles up the road to dump the tanks at a nearby RV park and couldn't help noticing how badly rusted our black tank straps had become. It was on my mind because someone in a Facebook group that Corrinne belongs to posted a story about their black tank falling off and smashing all over the ground while they drove through a campground. Awkward.
+
+We already refer to small towns we can't remember the name of by saying things like, "you know, the one where the fuel line cracked?" or "What was that place, where the rear transmission mount almost fell off?"; "What was that place where you hitchhiked to get a new alternator?"
+
+I really did not want to have one of these that went, "you know, that campground where we dropped the black tank on the ground?"
+
+When I got back from dumping I crawled under the tank with a flashlight to get serious about things and realized that one of our straps was already cracked about halfway through. It is 1969 steel so it probably had some life left in it, but I didn't want to risk it.
+
+I called a few auto parts stores in the area looking for fuel tank straps, but no one had anything. I ended up driving the Volvo to the nearest good size town, which had a Lowes, and bought some aluminum, some large sheet metal screws and two long drill bit extensions. A couple hours under the black tank and I had a nice new strap in place. The only problem was that when I jacked up the tank to lift it off the old strap, I cracked it. So two days later I was back at the RV park dumped it again, dried the outside and got busy with the fiberglass and resin. Fun times.
+
+Nothing makes a creek bath feel sweet like an afternoon of sweating, fiberglass, and resin.
+
+That night we were sitting around the fire after dinner when a pair of summer tanagers flew right up to us, chatting away as if we didn't exist. The male sat up in the tree, chirping away, almost like he was giving suggestions to the female that was down on the ground gather sticks and pine needles in her beak. Then they'd fly away and come back a bit later for more.
+
+<img src="images/2018/2018-05-27_131014_meriwether-lewis.jpg" id="image-1373" class="picwide" />
+
+The whole time they didn't seem bothered by our presence, even the kids playing quite loudly, at all. It was the start of something of a running theme the last couple weeks in Tennessee -- birds just fly right up to us. This morning a hawk landed about 10 feet from us and just sat there on the ground, occasionally looking over at us, but for the most part seemingly unconcerned about our existence. |