Preparing For 2014 Trek #2

I'm three days away from embarking on my next significant trek of 2014. The past three months have been spent dealing with warm, cold, cold, warm, cold, cold, cold, warm, etc. temperatures and rain, a little left over snow, a fair amount of overcast and some sunny days while planning and attempting to execute a number of modifications, refinements and the completion of some projects on My McVansion that I didn't get to before I left on the last 2 1/2 month trek.

Truth be told, I've also done some work on client projects, assisted as I could with the transfer of leadership/coordination of the Veteran Speakers Retreat I coordinated for the past twelve years, began a substantial revision of the Living Free blog site and my over all blogging philosophy and plans, done some contemplating of what I want to do when I grow up and a bit of just being LAZY.

The List of 40

During the last trek and when I got back to base camp in Keyser, I put together a list of 38 things I wanted to complete, modify or refine in/on My McVansion. I realized one thing over the past couple years of working on My McVansion . . . It's NEVER Done! It's just like having a house and a car, there is always a list of things to do and fix. One would think with only 50 sq ft of living space and a total foot print of about 102 sq ft including the "Engine Room" and the "Bridge" (or Cockpit, if you prefer) there couldn't be that much to do. Well, at least that's what I thought. Wrong!

I ended up with a list of 38 things I wanted to do to my tiny house on wheels before I took it out on the road again. Some of these are mundane, routine maintenance things. For example, getting the rear axle and bearing squared away after my breakdown in Blue Ridge, Georgia in early March. Check - Done! An oil change was on the list. Since I have been using synthetic oil for the past nearly 40 years, I only change my oil every 15,000 to 20,000 miles. I check it to make sure it's clean and filled to the proper point, but my engines run like a finely tuned racecar on synthetic oil. Check - Done! New windshield wiper blades are on the list, not done, yet, but will be before I roll. And, of course, making sure tires are rotated and at proper pressure, Done - Check. All fluids are checked and topped off. Oh yeah, and the automatic belt tensioner for the one belt on the engine that runs everything went bad as I was approaching base camp. So, new tensioner and new belt are on the engine. The radiator was replaced last year.

Beyond the mundane routine tasks are the projects I wanted to complete and refinements I wanted to make quite a number of other items have been checked off. So, on the List of 40, I have or will have completed about 28 by the time I actually embark on this new trek. I leave base camp on Monday, June 9, but will be in Winchester, Virginia stocking up and taking care of a few of the last scheduled items on the list. I'll actually head north on Tuesday, June 10. Some items will be saved for my next return to base camp, when I'm sure the 10 or 12 remaining items will have expanded with several more I come up with.

So, what are some of the things I've completed? Here are just a few:

1. New custom seat/bunk cushion/mattress covers (to replace the blanket I used to cover the mattress before.

2. Acquisition and installation of a new Sirius receiver for continuous, commercial free, uninterrupted music of MY choice, news from several outlets, talk, some old time radio and a little comedy without losing the stations as I drive from city and town to city and town.

3. Setting up a Sirius A La Carte subscription for $8/month with 50 channels (plus a few freebies Sirius throws in) I select for my own tastes. Believe me coming up with 50 was hard, I'll still probably never listen to more than the 10 I've programmed as favorites and possibly five or six more should I actually become bored with my favorite channels.

4. Installation of a smart charger for the 245 amp hour house battery.

5. Installation of a 400 watt inverter to power the 110 volt AC, compressor refrigerator while I'm traveling or parked without access to 110 volt AC shore power.

6. New block out window curtains all around plus a new block out curtain between the "cockpit" and the house part of the van.

7. Mosquito/insect/no-see-ums net covers for the two front windows in the "cockpit" and two of the fold out windows in the house part of the van.

8. An innovative idea for using LED lighting in the house section of the van. This will lead to further lighting improvements after this trek.

9. Some refinements to the cabinet containing the porta-potty - based on prior experience.

10. Construction and installation of a drop leaf keyboard shelf for the computer workstation in the back of the van.

11. Installation of a simple, yet very convenient and utilitarian console/shelf between the driver and passenger seat in the cockpit. This also provides for some storage below and an easily accessible place for the cockpit/house trash container to serve its purpose while being out of the way.

12. Installation of a small shelf to the right of the instrument complex in the cockpit and slightly over one corner of the console, yet not interfering with a passenger's comfort when I might have one on occasion (as I will next week when I pick up my son who is east from LA on some business. This shelf is the location of the 10-meter amateur radio rig I had installed on it. It's not operational, yet, but might possibly be during this trek.

I'm also rearranging the storage space under the bunk and under the workstation, installing AC wiring for 110 volt shore power, the 400 watt inverter and a, to be added in the future, 1,000 watt inverter and several other things that will make living in the 50 sq ft tiny house on wheels much more accommodating, comfortable and efficient.

Photos will follow. It's still pretty messy in My McVansion as I continue to work on these projects to have everything completed that I want done before I hit the road on Monday. I also have to work in a bit of time to vacuum the interior and wash the exterior of My McVansion to make it presentable as I travel the Blue Highways of Americana.

Trek #2 of 2014

Trek #2 will be shorter and is closed ended. I had originally planned to leave around Memorial Day or June 1st, however, I received an email from my son, who now lives and works in The City of Angels, Los Angeles, telling me he was coming to Hartford, Connecticut and New York City on business for his employer (he's actually an employee instead of a contractor for the first time in a decade), one of the Big 6 international accounting/consulting firms. And, he scheduled some time for us to get together. Hooray for me! It was two years ago that I last saw him in Seattle (where he lived for about nine years). So, we're going to meet up in northern New Jersey on Wednesday, June 11. So, we'll get to spend Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday hanging out and I have to have him at the Hartford airport on Sunday morning for a 9 AM flight to LA.

His trip east changed my trekking plans. The original plan had me going to New York State then into New England and probably bypassing New Jersey altogether on this trip. The modified plan is to pick him up, drive around Clifton and the surrounding area, visit the homes I grew up in, visit the schools I attended and Montclair State College - oops, University, my alma mater and partake in some good old New Jersey food. This will give him an opportunity to really get to know his roots from his father's side. He's well acquainted with his roots on his mother's side. Then, we may drive down to the New Jersey Shore, part of my old stomping grounds. I'd like to see how the recovery is coming along after Hurricane Sandy demolished some of my childhood memories. We might get as far south as to visit an old high school buddy I was hoping to see.

After I drop my son at the Hartford airport, I'm hoping to visit with an old high school friend and his wife in the New London, Connecticut area and the publisher of an on-line magazine for the voice-over profession who lives in Trumbull, Connecticut. From there I'll be heading to New York State with Syracuse as my primary objective where I'll visit a grad school friend (who coincidentally is also a minister and married my first wife and me) and his wife. I also want to visit my other alma mater, Syracuse University and the area around Syracuse where I spent two years of my early adult and business life.

The rest of the trip through New York State will be to explore parts of the state I've never been to before and revisit areas of the state I enjoyed when I lived there and since that time. There are also a few other friends I'm hoping to connect with up there. And, of course, I'm looking forward to connecting with and meeting up with other part-time and full-time, living free, nomadic friends I haven't met, yet.

Ultimately, I'll make my way over to Erie, Pennsylvania to visit with a friend who formerly lived in Canada, but came from and is a U.S. citizen. She became a vandweller about seven years ago and, while she has just acquired a new (to her) Class B van and is selling her red cargo van, she has become a homeowner, at least temporarily. I get the impression that she yearns, again, for the open road and the freedom it affords. She has a place for me to park overnight. By then it should be approaching the end of July and I'll begin making my way south to base camp again in West Virginia.

I want to be back to base camp on or before the beginning of August so I can get back to completing the remaining list of 40 items plus additional refinements I will have added to the list in the interim. The last weekend in August I'll travel up to Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania for the 27th annual Veteran Speakers Retreat. I'm looking forward to attending the retreat as a "civilian" this year and enjoying time with my friends without the responsibility of making sure all the details are taken care of, problems are resolved, keeping things on time and the variety of responsibilities of running an event for 50 to 60 people who have traveled from across the continent to attend.

Other than the Veteran Speakers Retreat, August and September is my preparation time for the extended 2014 Trek #3 that leads into Trek #1 of 2015. I expect this trek to extend for at least six months and, by the time I return to the east coast, I will have traveled through about 24 of the lower 48 states. But, this is a topic for a much later post. Watch for the upcoming photos and stories of my northern 2014 trek.

Photo-of-the-Week #161, Hiram's Hot Dog Stand, Fort Lee, New Jersey, September 2013

You just can't beat a great hot dog, folks, and you know me, always looking for the neat local hot dog joints. Hiram's is one of those places. Hiram's Hot Dog Stand, located on Palisade Avenue in Fort Lee, NJ (think Palisades Amusement Park - now a legend - and the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge) has been around since 1928, coincidentally, the same year my favorite hometown hot dog stand, the famous Rutt's Hut, started up in Clifton.

Not uncommon during the 1800's and through the mid 1900's, many small businesses like car service stations, hot dog stands and frozen custard stands were built as extensions of the owner's home on a busy community street. Hiram's is one of those businesses. If you look carefully at the photo, you'll see the house right behind the hotdog stand. Most of these old businesses have long ago gone the way of the dinosaurs and dodos. But, Hiram's (and Rutt's Hut) thankfully have survived the ravages of time and a changing culture. They are institutions passed on by generations of customers to succeeding generations. They are a connection with an earlier time that, while not as technically advanced and ambiance oriented, provided good, inexpensive food with simple surroundings (think about the era of the drive-in restaurants of the later 40's, 50's and early 60's).

And here is what keeps people coming back to Hiram's and the few places like it that still survive.

Two hot dogs, one a chilidog and one a kraut/mustard dog, two of my favorite ways of eating a hot dog. Along side it is a paper plate (typical of the way this food is served) of French fries with catsup. Hiram's also serves a variety of drinks including cold draft beer and soft drinks. Probably the most popular soft drink at Hiram's is Yoohoo, an un-carbonated chocolate flavored drink, again, created in New Jersey and dating back to the 1920's. I have to admit, I like Yoohoo almost as much as I like the Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer formerly served at my former favorite hometown pizza restaurant, Mario's, and still served at Rutt's Hut.

There is a small "hole in the wall" hot dog stand in Keyser, West Virginia, Marty's Hot Dogs, that I've yet to try, but I plan to. Keyser is my eastern base camp. And, if my route north to New Jersey to meet up with my son (flying in from LA on some business) takes me through Maryland, especially the Annapolis area, I plan to drive up Rt. 2 to Glen Bernie and stop in at Ann's Dari Creme for one of the righteous "Double Dogs with Everything" and a hand made chocolate shake the joint is famous for. More reports in the future on the great hot dog caper.  

Photo-of-the-Week #160, Approaching Sedona, Arizona from the South, April 2010

I shot this photo while the rented mini-van I was driving was rolling up the road toward the Red Rock Country and Sedona, Arizona. This was my first (and so far, only) visit to the "small" artist community about 110 miles north and, about a two-hour drive from Phoenix. My mental impression of Sedona had always been of a small hamlet in a valley made up of red rock mountains. I pictured small, low to the ground, adobe cottages inhabited by a community of artists who painted, threw and decorated pots, sculpted, composed music, wrote books and other similar artistic endeavors with a small population of folks to operated retail establishments and support services for such a community.

Of course, from this approach (driving in from Cottonwood, a community about 19 miles south of Sedona, a 25 minute drive), I became immediately disillusioned. First, of course, I could see that the small city was spread out over a sizeable piece of geography. The actual city area of Sedona is about 18 square miles. The significant number of signs identifying various civic groups that were present in Sedona was also a quick giveaway that what I was soon to experience was nothing like my mental picture. I also learned that Sedona is about 4,500 feet above sea level in the high desert and I was expecting it to be at a much lower elevation in some kind of "bowl" surrounded by mountains. Actually, from the vantage point of the motel I decided to stay at in Cottonwood (I didn't have My McVansion at this time), Sedona appeared to be much lower than Cottonwood. In fact, I guess the desert can be deceiving, because Cottonwood was actually about 1,200 feet lower than Sedona.

When I finally arrived in Sedona, my mental picture was dashed. I found a small city of about 10,000 people (about 1,300 less than Cottonwood). While the houses were generally low, they really didn't resemble the small, adobe cottages I envisioned. But, I guess the thing that really took the wind out of my sails was that it appeared to be a pricey tourist trap. I didn't see any quaint evidence of the artist community I imagined. There were numerous strip malls, restaurants of all descriptions including a sizeable number of upscale restaurants, a variety of better known, mid range to high priced hotels and along with the general retail and support stores and services, there were lots of places to help reduce the amount of cash one had by replacing it with pricey "stuff." At the north end of Sedona there was a very upscale, Spanish architecture, walled mall. It was lovely, but certainly not what I was looking for. In general, I could easily ascertain that Sedona was a much more costly place to both visit and live than near by Cottonwood.

So, in doing a little research, I guess what I was really expecting was a 1970 type Sedona when the population was about 2,000 and not a 2010 Sedona with a little over 10,000. That was an average increase in population of about 2,000 more residents every decade since 1970. The mental picture I had been carrying around in my mind since around the mid 70's is what I would have likely found if I had visited Sedona back in the day. While I enjoyed my visit to Sedona (I was there attending a workshop) and I enjoyed exploring some of the region and seeing the geographic features of the region, it's not a place I'm anxious to return to just to visit and hang out. And frankly, I stayed at a nice, budget motel in Cottonwood for about $100.00 per night LESS than it would have cost me to stay in the Hampton Inn in Sedona. That was about a $300.00 savings and I can guarantee it didn't cost $300.00 to make the 38 mile round trip to Cottonwood each day for three days.   

Photo-of-the-Week #159 Look At Me!, The Villages, Florida, February 2014

I love this photo. I was parked next to this pond with a vandwelling friend. We were in the parking lot of the Walmart at The Villages in central Florida when I snapped it. This crazy bird decided to show off for us. Well, actually, I think it was probably a "he" and he was probably trying to catch the eye of a prospective mate from several likely candidates nearby.

At first, I thought "he" was just stretching his wings. But, he held that pose and actually pranced around on the obstacle in the water. The obstacle was actually the fountainhead for a fountain that shot water about 30 feet into the air when it was turned on. He gave me plenty of time to set  my camera and take several shots.

I titled this photo, "Look At Me!" But, I think it could have gone with "He's A Plucky Ducky." 

Photo-of-the-Week #158 - 150 Year Old Civil War Artifact, Charleston Museum, Charleston, South Carolina, December 2004

Here is the H.L. Hunley, the first combat submarine used to sink a ship in battle. The Hunley, with a crew of 8, sunk three times losing a total of 21 crewmembers. It had only a single successful mission before sinking the final time with its crew and being lost in 1864 during the Civil War.

The Hunley was part of the Confederate Navy and had a short career as a battle vessel. Reportedly, the Hunley wasn't able to put enough distance between itself and the U.S.S. Housatonic, the U.S. Navy ship it sank. It became a casualty of war from the same explosion that sunk the Union ship.

The Hunley was finally located in 1995, 131 years after it sank. It was recovered in 2000, restored to some degree and preserved. It is now on permanent display outside the entrance of the Charleston Museum.

The H.L. Hunley was built in Alabama and moved by train to Charleston, but the battle that ultimately sunk it for the final time was outside Charleston while sinking one of the Union Navy ships blockading the Charleston Harbor. So, it's only fitting that this artifact from one of the darkest times in U.S. history should be displayed in perpetuity in Charleston.

While I am not particularly a Civil War buff, I continue to learn more and more about this event that, for some reason, either wasn't in the history books I read during high school and college or I overlooked. Frankly, while admitting to being less than a scholarly history student, I'm sure most of what I didn't learn through the required, formal history courses I took during my education did not include the vast amount of information I'm learning as I travel the country.

My knowledge of submarine development, since I am a native of Clifton, New Jersey, was that of John Holland in the 1870's. Much of the development was done in Paterson, New Jersey, the city just north of Clifton, both of which share the Passaic River. After visiting Charleston, I now know the Confederate Navy was a bit ahead of the U.S. Navy in this regard.

Photo-of-the-Week #157 Herb's Limestone Country Club, Limestone, Florida, January 2014

This photo is the first Photo-of-the-Week of the third year of this series. The previous 156 photos were posted on my main Living Free blog. Eventually, I'll have an archival index on this site that will allow you to look back at the first three years. But, that will take a bit of time, so for now, you can just go to the Living Free blog and check the archives there if you'd like to look up any past Photos-of-the-Week.

Herb's Limestone Country Club is located in Limestone Florida not too far from Arcadia. My friend, Tommy, a former vandweller, boatdweller and a current biker and housedweller with a 22' Winnebago motorhome from Port Charlotte, Florida, brought me to this exotic location. Herb's Limestone Country Club is one of numerous "biker bars" located all over the state of Florida. There is a special kind of ambiance in places like this.

In this photo you can see a couple bikers getting ready to roll up the road. They were a husband and wife, from Michigan, I believe. Yes! They are bikers, but bikers come in all sizes, shapes, forms, colors and from a variety of backgrounds. While biker bars like the Limestone Country Club have a stable of regular locals, they also cater to the traveling bikers who may be doctors, dentists, lawyers, IT professionals; well, you name it. The folks I met at this biker bar and another one we visited on this overcast Sunday afternoon were all very friendly and jovial as were the women (in both places) who were minding the store. I guess the common denominator is that these places mainly cater to the biker crowd. Yet, each has its own unique persona. Blues, jazz, barbecue and beer seem to be typical to many of the biker bars. While there is usually music playing in the background, live music of the blues, country, bluegrass genres (and probably some jazz) seem to be an important part of this scene at night and on weekends.

I hope to revisit this biker bar with my friend Tommy and perhaps others that he knows of and frequents. Oh yeah, the best part for me is always observing and getting to know some of the interesting people who pass through.  

2014 Trek #1 Wrap-up

Well, I'm back at base camp in Keyser, West Virginia from the first trek of 2014. I thought I would take some time to wrap up the salient details of the trek in this post. First, it was the first major trek for "My McVansion" since I reached about 75% to 80% (my estimation) complete for travel earlier in the fall of 2013. I had it on two short "shakedown cruises" of about a week's duration each, one in September and one in the end of October and early November of 2013.

So, here are the statistics for Trek #1 of 2014:

12/30/13 Left West Virginia base camp about 8:30 PM

12/31/13 First major stop Sparta, NC

1/4/14 Departed Sparta approx. 4:30PM for Mebane, NC arrived approx. 7 PM

1/5/14 Side trips while staying in Mebane to Raleigh, NC return to Mebane

1/6/14 Departed Mebane, NC to head south to FL, approx. 1 PM

Traveled cross-country to reach Rt 301 (Blue Highway)

1/6/14 Arrived Manning, SC WSC at approx 8:30 PM (overnight stop)

1/7/14 traveled Rt 301 with brief stop in Bamburg, SC to Yulee, FL WSC 7:30P

1/8/14 traveled and visited Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Marineland, dinner at a favorite restaurant in Flagler Beach and arriving LTC to overnight) Ormond Beach/Daytona Beach, FL approx 8 PM

1/9/14 Explored (old stomping ground) Daytona Beach on rainy day then headed to Titusville, FL WSC to overnight arriving 6 PM

1/10/14 to Vero Beach, FL WSC to meet up with friend and visit other friend in Assisted Living

1/11/14 Visit with friend and friend in Assisted Living then departed Vero Beach for Fort Pierce WSC overnight (4 nights) arriving approx 6 PM

1/11-1/15/14 spent time enjoying beaches at nearby state parks and U.S. Navy Seals Museum

1/15/14 Total Miles for first 17 days of travel, 1,623 when leaving Fort Pierce

1/15/14 departed Fort Pierce return to Titusville, FL to WSC to overnight arriving 7:30 PM

1/16/14 departed Titusville for Merritt Island and lunch with friend then to Brandon, FL WSC for overnight arriving 8 PM

1/17/14 departed Brandon for Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa to meet friends exhibiting at Florida Super RV Show then to Hudson, FL to meet up with Vandweller friends arriving 6 PM

1/18-1/20/14 Visiting with Vandweller friends in Hudson, FL

1/20/14 Depart Hudson, FL for WSC (overnight) in Sebring, FL arriving 5 PM

1/20-1/22/14 visiting friend and sightseeing with visit to Sebring International Raceway

1/22/14 depart Sebring approx 12:30 PM to visit and overnight in Port Charlotte, FL with new friend arriving 4:30 PM

1/22-1/28/14 Sightseeing in Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Arcadia, Gasparilla Island, the town of Boca Grande and Ft. Myers

1/28/14 depart Port Charlotte for Sarasota and lunch with friend then to Reddington Shores, FL to overnight by invitation with new friend arriving 7:15 PM

1/28-1/30/14 overnighting in Reddington Shores

1/30/14 departed Reddington Shores 5 PM to head to Clearwater, FL to overnight by invitation with a new friend arriving approx. 6 PM

1/30-2/2/14 overnighting, relaxing and getting to know new friend in Clearwater

2/2/14 departed Clearwater to return to overnight with new friend in Reddington Shores, FL arriving 5 PM

2/2-2/4/14 Relaxing, writing and wandering around the area

2/4/14 depart Reddington Shores for Orlando, FL for dinner with friends at Celebration, FL (near Disney World) then after dealing with considerable traffic finally arrive at Altamont Springs, FL WSC to overnight at approx 10:45 PM

2/5/14 depart Altamont Springs approx 1 PM to visit a few sites in Orland then make way to WSC to overnight at The Villages (to visit two friends and the community) arriving at 8 PM

2/6-2/7/14 lunch with one friend, dinner with another friend and touring around The Villages

2/7/14 depart The Villages 7:30 PM and arrive at the Inverness, FL WSC (overnight) 8:30 PM

2/7/14 Total Miles after 40 days on the Trek is 2,969

2/8/14 depart Inverness at 12:45 PM to meet full-time RVer friend for lunch in Crystal River, FL then on to Hudson, FL (again) to meet up and overnight with new friends by invitation arriving 4 PM

2/8-2/11/14 Relaxing, writing and exploring area with new friends

2/11/14 departed Hudson, FL 11 AM for Ocala meeting other Hudson Vandwelling friends for lunch on the way - arrive Ocala, FL (Silver Springs) WSC at 4 PM

2/11-2/15/14 exploring the area especially Ocala National Forest and Juniper Springs met several new RV/Vandwelling friends while at the Ocala WSC

2/15/14 depart Ocala for The Villages to overnight at the WSC with a new friend joining me arrive 2:15 PM

2/16/14 depart The Villages to return to Ocala WSC with a visit to Alexander Springs on the way

2/16-2/19/14 additional exploration of the Ocala National Forest region

2/19/14 depart Ocala 11:15 AM for Gainesville, FL arriving Gainesville WSC 9 PM after lunch with friends at their home and dinner with another friend at his home

2/20/14 depart Gainesville at 12 PM arriving Ocean Pond campground in Osceola National Forest near Lake City, FL at 3:30 PM and meeting up with a friend from the Ocala WSC

2-20-3/2/14 Relaxing, writing, meeting several new RVing and Vandwelling friends at the Campground and in Lake City - this was the longest stay in one location of the trek and the only one I paid any camping fees for (very inexpensive with my Senior National Parks Pass).

3/2/14 depart Osceola National Forest at 12:45 PM to head to Stagger Lee Music Park between Baxley and Hazlehurst, GA to meet up with another RVing/Vandwelling friend (actually two) arriving 4 PM

3/2-3/7/14 relaxed and endured some serious rain and chilly weather

3/7/14 departed Stagger Lee Music Park for Jasper, GA to meet up with another new friend by invitation arriving about 8 PM

3/8/14 departed Jasper, GA for Tumbling Creek campground in Cherokee National Forest near Copper Hill, TN to meet up with a couple more Vandweller friends.

3/8/14 had a serious breakdown in Blue Ridge, GA about 20 miles from Tumbling Creek destination - overnighted in HD parking lot until Vandweller friend returned with necessary tools and made repairs to My McVansion in HD parking lot on 3/9/14

3/9/14 arrived Tumbling Creek campground about 4 PM

3/9-3/12/14 relaxed at Tumbling Creek campground with Vandwelling friend from Dalton, GA

3/12/14 departed Tumbling Creek 4 PM to Maryville, TN WSC to overnight arriving at 8:45 PM

3/13/14 departed Maryville 11:30 AM arriving Covington, VA WSC to overnight 7:30 PM

3/14/14 departed Covington 10 AM for final leg of trek arriving at base camp in Keyser, WV at 2 PM

So, that's a recap of the trek and here are some more stats:

Total Days on the Road = 75

Total Miles of Trek #1 = 4,719

Total Gallons of Gas consumed = 359 gallons (approx)

Average Gas Mileage for the Trek = 12.9 mpg (approx) after making adjustments for the last tank of gas and about 20 gallons used to either heat the van or charge the batteries while stationary

Total Fuel Cost = $1,167.5 (approx) ($3.25/gal approx avg. price per gallon)

Total Days/Nights lived in My McVansion = 73

Total Overnights in Walmart (WSC), Love's, (LTC) and Home Depots (HD)

     WSC = 33, LTC = 1, HD = 1

Total Overnights in someone's driveway or yard = 20

Total Overnights in some kind of formal campground = 18

Total Overnights in someone's guest room = 2

Total # of friends visited (previously known) = 21

Total # of new friends never met in person previously = 26

Total # of interesting people I engaged with on a one time basis = 5+

Coldest Temperature encountered during the trek was approx. 5 degrees with sustained winds of 40 to 50 mph and gusts between 60 and 70 miles per hour. Bringing the wind chill factor into the -30 degree range from time to time.

Warmest Temperature encountered during the trek was approximate 88 degrees (delightful).

Total fees paid for camping was 10 days at Osceola State Forest at $52 or $5.20/night avg.

Blue Highways vs. Interstate travel - of the total of 4,719 miles, less than 500 of those miles were on the Interstate Highway System. The trip was mainly on Blue Highways and back country roads driving through the small towns, villages and hamlets. 

I haven't accounted for food consumed or differentiated between meals prepared in or out of My McVansion and meals consumed at a variety of eating establishments. I attempted to patronize eating establishments that were locally owned as much as possible as opposed to chain restaurants. There were also some other miscellaneous expenses for additions to the livability of My McVansion along with replacing a burned out headlight and cleaning/polishing the headlight lenses.

My McVansion proved its livability beyond question and still is only about 75% to 80% complete. Obviously, my project over the next couple months is to go full steam ahead at completing the balance of the necessary build-in and refinements  . . . and make a few modifications based on this 75 days on the road.

I might add that while I did endure some serious cold snaps, I was never really uncomfortable in my cocoon on wheels. And, while I only encountered a few significantly warm days, again, I was never really uncomfortable. And even though I have to get the rear axle replaced from my breakdown in Blue Ridge, GA and I just replaced the serpentine drive belt on the engine and the automatic tensioner that went bad right as I returned to base camp, I'll be taking a few short jaunts with my tiny house on wheels before I leave in late May or early June for northeastern Pennsylvania, New York State and New England.

In another upcoming article I'll enumerate all the people I interacted with along the way and thank them for making this a most memorable trek. I also have at least a couple thousand photos I shot along the way that I haven't had time to begin editing, culling and categorizing, but I'll be posting some of those photos periodically in future posts. And, to further document this trek, I have approximately 200GB (or about 80 hours) of 720P High-Definition video from my dash cam covering just about every mile of the trip.

As a final note, while I thoroughly enjoyed this trek, in retrospect, I feel like I spent way too much time driving point to point and not enough time in specific locations. This trek was still too much like my nomadic motel treks of the past where I always seemed to have to be somewhere and didn't take near enough time to stay in an area and explore it. That being said, I do have to especially thank several people who, on this trek, showed me how to slow down, relax and smell the roses along the way. I plan to incorporate this thinking and planning for the rest of the treks for this year.