Leaving Pa to go to Florida this week.

[DalesCarpentry]

I will be leaving Pa and heading to Florida this week. Not sure what day yet due to the fact we have to finish the deck job and there is a good bit of rain in the forecast. We only have about 2 days of work to finish the job so I could be leaving as soon as Wednesday but maybe not until Friday. I will probably take my time about getting there. I don't want to push my truck to hard pulling my 21 foot travel trailer. I will be headed down interstate 95 and would not mind meeting a member or 2 from here if you happen to be along interstate 95. I could stop by and we could go grab something to eat some where. The nice thing is if I get tired I can pull over at a rest stop and sleep in the trailer for a couple hours. I think I will probably pace myself and plan on driving 250 to 300 miles a day. It's about 850 miles so I will be there in 3 days so. I have to have the main bearing on the drivers side of the truck replaced prior to leaving and thats not going to be cheap. The whole hub needs replaced because the ABS is part of the unit. The part alone costs $150.00 or so with tax and everyone I talk to wants between $125.00 and $250 to install it. I just hope I don't run into any problems like breaking down along the way. Thats why I have decided not to push my truck to hard pulling the trailer and to just take my time about it. Well wish me luck I hope to have my toes in the sand by this time next week. Take care Dale

[30-30man]

Keep it out of overdrive or 5th gear and you should do fine.  An older wood frame 21 footer will be working the 4.3, but don't worry, you have enough truck. I use to pull a 24ft 6000lbs terry camper with a 4.2 (5sp) Ford v6 and it wasn't that bad on flat ground. You should be able to make the trip in two days. Some Walmarts will let you stay in the parking lots off to the side for free.  You'll have to pull down the shades but it's a much safer place to stay than the rest areas.  Don't underestimate fuel though.  That truck will be thirsty pulling that camper.  I pull a 31ft puma with my Dodge hemi and average about 9mpg. Don't be surprised if the 4.3 is as bad or worse.  I saw your camper and I didn't see the typical A/C unit on top.  That will be the first thing you will need to buy when you get settled.  A cheap window unit will do.  I bought one for my office the other day at the Goodwill store. It was brand new from target and cost me $35.  It will be hard in the Florida heat without A/C.  The humidity and heat we have here in the deep south is much different than you have in PA.  Good luck to ya.

[DalesCarpentry]

Keep it out of overdrive or 5th gear and you should do fine.  An older wood frame 21 footer will be working the 4.3, but don't worry, you have enough truck. I use to pull a 24ft 6000lbs terry camper with a 4.2 (5sp) Ford v6 and it wasn't that bad on flat ground. You should be able to make the trip in two days. Some Walmarts will let you stay in the parking lots off to the side for free.  You'll have to pull down the shades but it's a much safer place to stay than the rest areas.  Don't underestimate fuel though.  That truck will be thirsty pulling that camper.  I pull a 31ft puma with my Dodge hemi and average about 9mpg. Don't be surprised if the 4.3 is as bad or worse.  I saw your camper and I didn't see the typical A/C unit on top.  That will be the first thing you will need to buy when you get settled.  A cheap window unit will do.  I bought one for my office the other day at the Goodwill store. It was brand new from target and cost me $35.  It will be hard in the Florida heat without A/C.  The humidity and heat we have here in the deep south is much different than you have in PA.  Good luck to ya.

My truck gets about 16 MPG with out the trailer. I figure it to get 11 or 12 MPH with it. I don't really know what mileage I will get until I run a tank of gas through it while pulling it. I lived in Florida for 13 years when I was younger and that is the reason I' m moving back there. I miss the beach. Yes I plan on getting a window unit when I can afford one. I do know the heat and humidity can be brutal down there but I can take the heat better than I can take the cold thats the other reason I'm moving back there. Thanks Dale

[Sourdough]

It's still hot but bearable now.  My friends will have already turned off the A/C at their house.  They are comfortable at 80 deg.  When I get there I'll be sleeping nude under a ceiling fan, for about a month.  Then I'll be OK till about April.  That's when I plan on coming back to Alaska.  But a trailer might still be a bit too uncomfortable yet. 

I'll be leaving Tuesday going to Florida as well.  I figure it will take me about seven or eight days to get there.  Depending on snow conditions between Whitehorse and Edmonton.  I'll get back to you when I get there.  I'll be traveling a lot once I get there, maybe we can connect.  We run up to Ocala for a weekend about once a month.  then down to Ft Lauderdale for a weekend about once a month.  Planning a trip to Key West, we'll spend more than a weekend there.  And a trip to Disney World as well.  Anywhere else the mood strikes.  Last year we went and spent a month at Ft Bragg in N.C. 

By the way what part of Florida are you going to be in?  I'll be homing in Tampa.  Rog

[DalesCarpentry]

It's still hot but bearable now.  My friends will have already turned off the A/C at their house.  They are comfortable at 80 deg.  When I get there I'll be sleeping nude under a ceiling fan, for about a month.  Then I'll be OK till about April.  That's when I plan on coming back to Alaska.  But a trailer might still be a bit too uncomfortable yet. 

I'll be leaving Tuesday going to Florida as well.  I figure it will take me about seven or eight days to get there.  Depending on snow conditions between Whitehorse and Edmonton.  I'll get back to you when I get there.  I'll be traveling a lot once I get there, maybe we can connect.  We run up to Ocala for a weekend about once a month.  then down to Ft Lauderdale for a weekend about once a month.  Planning a trip to Key West, we'll spend more than a weekend there.  And a trip to Disney World as well.  Anywhere else the mood strikes.  Last year we went and spent a month at Ft Bragg in N.C. 

By the way what part of Florida are you going to be in?  I'll be homing in Tampa.  Rog

That would be good to meet up with you at some point and meet the guy with all the great stories. I am moving to Amelia Island. There is a little town there called Fernandina Beach. It is just north of Jacksonville and almost on the Fl Ga border. Thanks and you also have a safe trip you are traveling further than I am. Dale

[Old Fart]

Good luck, I hope you enjoy the ride and find a nice place to settle down.

[oldandslow]

I hope you make the trip without a minute's trouble. I believe I would opt for Walmart parking lots instead of reststops. Just seems safer to me.

Heed 30-30 man's advice about overdrive. If it has to hunt back and forth between 4 th and 5 th gear a lot and the 4.3 probably will, your transmission won't last long. You should get better gas mileage in the lower gear. I think you are over estimating your gas mileage quite a bit also. What ratio read end your truck has is a big factor in pulling a trailer.

I know what you mean about the cold and it just gets worse every year. Good luck.

[kinslayer1965]

Dale,
 
Hope you make the trip with no issues. I would suggest staying with as level a terrain as you can find for your route. I also have to agree with the rest and suggest staying away from the rest areas. I am about 4 hours due south of Jacksonville in the Stuart, Port St. Lucie and Jensen Beach area. Shoot me a PM if you are going to be in the area.
 
Same for you Sourdough if you happen to hit this area in your travels. That is some serious adjustment to have to go through...Alaska in November...then Florida seven days later. Hope you travel safe as well.
 
CR

[Sourdough]

I've been doing this for the last ten years.  Only I have been flying each way.  Tired of airplanes, driving my sports car this time. 

Dale, I will also recommend stopping at Wal-Mart parking lots, whole lot safer.  If you see a bunch of campers parked along the parimiter of the parking lot that is where to go.  After you past North Carolina it is flat ground all the way to Florida.

[DalesCarpentry]

I will keep that in mind about the WalMart parking lots. I never knew that. The nice thing about that is they are everywhere you go. Thanks Dale

[Old Fart]

Just to be clear Dale I think the WM's are okay for overnight setup, most will not let you spend a couple days.
Other than that it's a great option that lots of folks use.
Just trying to save you a headache......

[DalesCarpentry]

If I did stop there it would only be for a few hours. Thanks Dale

[45-70.gov]

I will keep that in mind about the WalMart parking lots. I never knew that. The nice thing about that is they are everywhere you go. Thanks Dale

there are a few snowbirds in every wall-mart parking lot  down here

[Sourdough]

During the summer senhiors set up in Wal-Mart's parking lot and stay for two or three days.  I sometimes see them staying for a week.  As long as it don't get crowded and everything stays clean, Wal-Mart here in Fairbanks does not have a problem.

[briarpatch]

In Titusville Fla. there is an ordinance that you cant stay the night in a walmart or shopping center parking lot.
The hotel and local campground types forced this through to stop people from coming to the shuttle launches and not paying them.

[CannonKrazy]

In Titusville Fla. there is an ordinance that you cant stay the night in a walmart or shopping center parking lot.
The hotel and local campground types forced this through to stop people from coming to the shuttle launches and not paying them.

Seems I heard something about this also. Got family lives in Orlando and I go down there once a year. Stopped at a station one night to take a quick nap under the lights, no sooner had I dosed off a deputy tapped on my window. He asked a few questions and seemed satisfied with the answers then told me to move along.
 
Haven't been in a long time but there used to be a good sea food place in Titusville called Dixie Cross Roads. Had some mighty fine meals there before.

[DalesCarpentry]

Now that you mention it some good seafood does sound real good. We don't have many good seafood restaurants here in the Pittsburgh area that are affordable. Red Lobster is the best and most affordable in this area and they can't hold a candle to some of the great seafood places down in Florida. Dale

[CannonKrazy]

Dale,20 years ago most anywhere in Florida you went there was work to be found. My older brother had a sheet rock business in Orlando. He worked all over the area including Kissimmee.Things sure changed in the last ten years. The mexicans learned the trade and really put a hurt on things. Not sure how it is now but from what I hear it's still really slow.
 
It's just a thought but we used to drop a few business cards off at different condos along New Symrna Beach this time of the year. Many condo owners will remodel now before the hard winter sets in up north. This way the condos will be up to par before the winter vacationers come down. We used to have condo access most all year round.

[briarpatch]

Cannonkrazy, dixie cross roads is still going strong. Its nothing like it used to be as far as food. But decent.
The illegals have taken over all business in central Florida including electrical, masonry, dry wall, building and trades.
They get around government regulations where others cant. If they really screw up or screw over a bunch of people. Just walk off. No one knows their real name and the social security card was stolen.
I am an electrical contractor here in central Florida and its hard to compete.
The illegal run business will have their work force swim the Rio Grande and work for pennies until they get established(welfare) no workman comp or related expenses out of their pockets. 

[Tommyt]

Dale have a safe trip
I went out west a few years ago 40 days on the road. I spent at least 10 of them
in Walmart parking lots,stop at a mc'd's use your PC to find walmart 99% of them
quietly allow you to spend the night,I had a 33ft motor home and a 8ft. trailer ,so I wasn't sneaking in 
 One walmart was a no go to truckers. It had a overhead sign that would stop them from entering other than delivery area.
 I was able to stay because I was noncommercial, a woman security guard in a golf cart escorted me to a dark quiet side of the lot,when I got parked she told me across the street is the best place in town for breakfast.
   Posted by: briarpatch not to derail

They get around government regulations where others cant. If they really screw up or screw over a bunch of people. Just walk off. No one knows their real name and the social security card was stolen.
I am an electrical contractor here in central Florida and its hard to compete.
The illegal run business will have their work force swim the Rio Grande and work for pennies until they get established(welfare) no workman comp or related expenses out of their pockets

I've known of 10 to 15 staying right in the house hanging and finishing the Sheetrock
They would have the whole family(s) working! Woman making food and scraping out while kids play outside,they would do a house in a week when others would take 2 weeks,real hard for Legals to compete
and your right NO names
Only one communicator, he paid them a cut,the one guy told us he would retire in mexico at 45 and live like a king from what he made here
Only in America
 
Tommyt

[SHOOTALL]

If it was me I would make it past Fredricksburg Va before stopping . If you are comming from anywhere near I-81 you might be better off going South on I-81 then over to I-95 on I-66/Rt 17. Miss traffic around Washington and Northern Va. sometimes the back up last for hours ( I have sat in it for 4 hours several times )  and is all stop and go ( hard on a tow vehicle).

[CannonKrazy]

Cannonkrazy, dixie cross roads is still going strong. Its nothing like it used to be as far as food. But decent.
The illegals have taken over all business in central Florida including electrical, masonry, dry wall, building and trades.
They get around government regulations where others cant. If they really screw up or screw over a bunch of people. Just walk off. No one knows their real name and the social security card was stolen.
I am an electrical contractor here in central Florida and its hard to compete.
The illegal run business will have their work force swim the Rio Grande and work for pennies until they get established(welfare) no workman comp or related expenses out of their pockets.

Briarpatch you are exactly right about the illegals. I seen plenty of times we had a 200 board house to hang, finish and spray the rock.It would usually take a week to get it all done with 4 men. The illegals would get the same style house next door. They would pull up in a van or bus and have a dozen guys working at once. They would hang,finish and spray a 200 board house in 3 days. We watched some of the guys mix builders sand or leftover mortar mix into the drywall mud. Seen it done many times. The contractors didn't care as long as they got their pay check. The painters were the guys that had to clean up the mess that was left behind,

[45-70.gov]

Cannonkrazy, dixie cross roads is still going strong. Its nothing like it used to be as far as food. But decent.
The illegals have taken over all business in central Florida including electrical, masonry, dry wall, building and trades.
They get around government regulations where others cant. If they really screw up or screw over a bunch of people. Just walk off. No one knows their real name and the social security card was stolen.
I am an electrical contractor here in central Florida and its hard to compete.
The illegal run business will have their work force swim the Rio Grande and work for pennies until they get established(welfare) no workman comp or related expenses out of their pockets.

Briarpatch you are exactly right about the illegals. I seen plenty of times we had a 200 board house to hang, finish and spray the rock.It would usually take a week to get it all done with 4 men. The illegals would get the same style house next door. They would pull up in a van or bus and have a dozen guys working at once. They would hang,finish and spray a 200 board house in 3 days. We watched some of the guys mix builders sand or leftover mortar mix into the drywall mud. Seen it done many times. The contractors didn't care as long as they got their pay check. The painters were the guys that had to clean up the mess that was left behind,

are  you people  inferring that  our government
 is making it hard for american companies to compete??


i don't blame the hard working  alleins  [tho  they should be deported  if illegal]
i blame the governmant regulations
if we  can't compete  on building construction
how  can we  EVER  expect to export a product???

[CannonKrazy]

Well I wouldn't want to speak harshly about our wonderful government   but, yep they sure make it tough on a working class citizen.

[Tommyt]

Well its Thursday morning hope your half way to FL and all is going well
 
Does anyone know if he Left??

[DalesCarpentry]

Don't get me started I'm still here in Pa. This deck we are building has a roof that we are building over half of it. This roof has 3 skylights that go in it. The skylights were supposed to be in on Tuesday they did not come Tuesday. One of them arrived yesterday and the other 2 will not be here until Monday. So I won't and can't leave for Florida until this job is done and we get paid. I am so pissed right now I could spit nails. I am completely broke and my truck is almost out of gas. I have $1,200.00 coming to me at this point and my boss can't give me any money until he gets paid for this job. He is pretty much broke right now too. The little money he does have right now he needs to buy materials to finish this job. So I am sitting here waiting for these skylights to come in. We only have about 1 and 1/2 days work to complete this job. Not to mention I'm about out of food here at the trailer. So thats my progress report. Looks like I'm not leaving here until some time next week now. Take care Dale

[pastorp]

Dale,

Look on the bright side. Every day you wait the cooler it will be in Florida.  I grew up there in the days before air conditioning. Don't know how we made it, but we did. Every church had those old funneral home fans in the pews and believe me we used them. It was a simplier time and I loved growing up on the gulf of mexico.

You'll make it Dale. Just look at it as a great adventure. Keep us posted on your progress and you'll be in our prayers.

Regards,

[45-70.gov]

wow! ...  almost out of food


but  not out of cigarettes??......might be a good  week to quit


so  how  is it  when  you don't work  for ''rich people''
imagine a world of equality.......where your boss is as poor as you are
a  democratic  uetopia


i have worked  for poor people
i have worked for rich people  and evil corporations
i will take the rich people and evil corporations  every time


the last poor man i worked for owes  me  $4K.......been 7 years now

[DalesCarpentry]

wow! ...  almost out of food


but  not out of cigarettes??......might be a good  week to quit


so  how  is it  when  you don't work  for ''rich people''
imagine a world of equality.......where your boss is as poor as you are
a  democratic  uetopia


i have worked  for poor people
i have worked for rich people  and evil corporations
i will take the rich people and evil corporations  every time


the last poor man i worked for owes  me  $4K.......been 7 years now

Yea I have cut back on my smoking considerably. I will be ok I've been here before. Just a few more days and the job will be done and I will get paid. It's tough to make a buck in construction any more. Take care Dale

[BBF]

I've done the run from Nova Scotia to Florida a few times myself. Never ever would I do  I-95 again.
Once was enough regardless of any extra miles using another route.