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chaseav · 10-12-2015, 08:40 PM

While we're talking TV mounts, does anyone else's seem like their TV must shake violently while it's going down the road? I've put everything from styrofoam to plastic water bottles back there to shore it up in transit. I feel like it should secure better.

**moosetags** · 10-12-2015, 09:12 PM

We have been using a Velcro strap to secure the living room television to the wall. I'm sure that it still gets shaken quite a bit from road bumps. New Lucy has now been towed over 17.000 miles and the television is still working well.

Brian

**moosetags** · 10-16-2015, 03:29 PM

I have now replaced New Lucy's three missing interior pop rivets. To be very honest, I can't say for sure if these rivets failed during travel. They may well have been missed during assembly, especially considering that two of them were inside the kitchen overhead cabinets.

Brian

Gene · 10-19-2015, 08:32 AM

Our TV (2008 model year) has a TV mount in the main cabin and I'm sure it rocks ands rolls during travel. It has also endured temps below the acceptable temp range (either -4˚ or -8˚, don't remember which) just about every winter. We're at around 55,000 miles and it all works fine. For a couple of years the TV sound would not work through the sound system for the trailer and I had to use the TV sound, but this year that worked again.

In 2008 they did not have a bedroom TV, so several years ago I bought a cheap Vizio little guy for $100 and a mount for it plus a small inverter so I could run it on battery. The mount had no lock, so I mounted two hooks on the wall and we bungie it to the wall when traveling. The mount, hooks, inverter and bungies cost more than the TV. The Vizio does not have as good a picture as the Samsung in the main cabin and works in strange ways. It doesn't always find the local channels and works very slowly. It is ok for a small bedroom TV, but not for anything else.

Over the years, we have had rivets pop in various places. Most have been in a front to back line directly over the kitchen and extending in front of the door. Some of them seem to have been installed into nothing. Otherwise, I can remember one in the bathroom, one in the bedroom and one over the gaucho. Another million miles and all of them will pop. Most popped in the first 5,000 miles and all of those were over the kitchen and in front of the door.

Next time we meet somewhere, we do want to see your trailer and compare the differences. Of all the things that have changed, the ducted A/C is the one thing I'd love to have. The least desirable change happened in 2009—the double sink was replaced by a single round one.

Any thoughts about travels along the southern realms during winter?

And, have you ever been to Moose Jaw, Sask.?

Gene

**moosetags** · 10-19-2015, 12:28 PM

Hi Gene,

Old Lucy (our 2005 25FB) did not have a bedroom television either. Since we don't have a bedroom TV at home, we never missed it.

We never popped a rivet in Old Lucy with 120,000 miles and 1,300 nights. Then again she had the mouse fur interior. She may have had 20 rivets popped and we just didn't now it.

We do like the ducted air in New Lucy very much. I agree on the sink. Old Lucy's double bowl sink was much more usable than the stupid round sink in New Lucy.

The I-10 corridor is very campable in the winter time. We have used our Airstreams year round for ten years now. We have never winterized our trailers. The Florida peninsular can get a little tricky finding a campsite with all the snow birds down there.

Brian

**moosetags** · 10-20-2015, 08:50 AM

Sorry that I missed that last question. No, we have not yet made it to Moose Jaw.

Brian

crispyboy · 10-20-2015, 09:19 AM

Two years ago I put a TV mount in our trailer. It was expensive but the build is impressive and the tv is very stable.
It is made by Mor-Ryde. It has a quick release for the tv, allows it to swivel 180 degrees and tilt a few degrees.
Small Extending Swivel Wall Mount

I usually take our tv out in the winter. Can TV's be left in a trailer during the winter? Our temps can make it down to -10 every now and then.

SeeMore · 10-20-2015, 09:44 AM

FYI, if you have screw holes in your laminate surfaces that can be seen, there is a product for filling the holes in laminate. You can match the cabinetry color from a choice of 144 shades and it comes in sticks you use like a pencil to 'scrub' into the hole. You can use a credit card edge to smooth it flush so it isn't very apparent. The bigger holes may require a couple of different colors to create an even more 'invisible' repair.

Fill Sticks - Laminate Plastic Repair

Search for Shellac Sticks if you are repairing wood.

**moosetags** · 10-26-2015, 01:49 PM

I have just fitted New Lucy with reflective insulation panels on her living room and bed room side windows. This something that I should have done before the summer camping season, but I just never got around to it.

The insulation panels are cut to 30" squares. They fit perfectly under the window shade roller and resting on the window lock latches. The window opening handles hold the panels in place side-to-side.

They are securely in place without any Velcro or other fasteners of any kind. These panels are quick to install and remove, and quickly roll-up for storage when not in use.

These would be most useful in summer, but I feel that they will also have some benefit during winter camping.

Brian

Wayne&Sam · 10-26-2015, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gene

And, have you ever been to Moose Jaw, Sask.?

Gene

When I was planning my 1971 drive from New York State to Alaska, my grandfather asked if I'd be going through Moose Jaw. So naturally, I had to stop and send him a post card from there. I'm not sure he had any connection to the place, I think he just liked the name.

Jim Flower · 10-29-2015, 06:43 PM

Moose Jaw is to Saskatchewan as Wawa is to Ontario. Jim

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Jim Flower · 10-29-2015, 06:53 PM

That is , it is the halfway point on a drive from Winnipeg to Calgary or Winnipeg to Toronto. Those who have travelled the Trans Canada, particularly during the 50's and 60's, will most likely have stayed in a Motel in Moose Jaw or Wawa. Others will recall having been stranded there during their hitchhiking days and most likely did not stay in a motel. I have done both. Now I just stay in an empty parking lot and boondock. Much more comfortable than the other options. Jim

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Jim Flower · 10-29-2015, 07:10 PM

Oops. it singular, they plural. Bed time. Jim

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**moosetags** · 10-29-2015, 07:19 PM

In the early 1970's, I was a US Customs Investigator assigned in Pembina, North Dakota. I traveled extensively in Manitoba and Saskatchewan working with the Customs and Excise Division of the RCMP. I handled all of the US Ports in North Dakota and Montana as far west as Plentywood, Montana. All of the US Ports of entry in North Dakota from Sherwood west bordered Saskatchewan. I made a number of trips To Regina and Saskatoon, but I never made it over to Moose Jaw.

Brian

Arcticfox · 10-29-2015, 07:45 PM

As someone who lives within a few hours of Moose Jaw, do yourself a favour and check it out. The city have restored the tunnels that were a big part of rum-running that went on during the days of prohibition. It is very interesting to take a tour and see what went on during the day.....,

http://www.tunnelsofmoosejaw.com/

Cheers
Doug

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**moosetags** · 10-29-2015, 08:22 PM

During my time as a Speical Agent with US Customs in Pembina, North Dakota (1971-1975), I remember reading Reports of Investigation from the 1920's and 30's which were still on-site at that time. There were a number of violent confrontations along the US/Canadian border during Prohibition (1919-1933). There were a number of shooting incidents in the Pembina Customs District in those times. The liquor smugglers were more than ready to shoot it out with US Customs. A number of US Customs Agents were killed in the line of duty duty during that period. There were also a larger number of smugglers shot and killed by US Customs Agents. I recall reading an investigative report from 1930 where US Customs Agents from Pembina engaged a group of liquor smugglers on the border near Noonan, North Dakota, which is due south of Estevan, Saskatchewan. In a shoot-out, our Agents shot and killed three smugglers.The smugglers had no identification on them. According to the report, they were never identified and buried in Noonan in unmarked graves. Things were handled very differently in those days.

As a young Agent in Pembina, I spent many a winter's day reading these old reports. Reading these reports gave me a great level of respect and admiration for my predecessors.

Brian

**moosetags** · 12-29-2015, 02:32 PM

Here it is almost 2016, and it's time for an update on New Lucy's performance. Since returning home from her big western excursion in October, Lucy has been on three trips within Florida. She covered about 3,000 miles and spent 17 nights out.

New Lucy is now up to a total of 206 nights of camping and just under 20,000 miles towed since new.

All of New Lucy's systems continue to work well. We have used the air conditioner, heat pump, and gas furnace extensively. They have all performed well. Lucy has been in a lot of rainfall, and none of the early leaking has reappeared.

We have had only two minor issues.

1. The adjustable air conditioning vents continue to drop from the ceiling without warning. The two-sided tape that we applied to the prongs has not completely eliminated the problem.

2. We have had Lucy's main electrical breaker switch tripping on a regular basis. We are attributing this to using the electric water heater, Old Lucy had a gas-only water heater. We have been trying to watch this, but sometimes we forget, and fire up the air conditioner and microwave while the electric water heater is going.

All considered, New Lucy is doing very well.

Brian

SteveSueMac · 12-29-2015, 03:00 PM

Brian - for whatever it's worth - I've found that if you only use hot water at certain times of the day (say morning for showers and dish washing) you can get away with turning it on 30 minutes before you need it and then shut it off for the next 23 hours. Even if you needed a little bit at dinner, there's still some hot in the tank (I suppose unless you're camping in freezing temps). No need to have it on all day. Glad it's all going well!

Mrjkq · 12-29-2015, 03:10 PM

That's a pretty impressive performance. You didn't mention any tire issues so I presume their were non. We're doing that big trip starting in May 16', Florida up to Buffalo for grandsons HS then on to Las Vegas & Palo Alto, Ca., visiting our children and grandchildren. I hope we share your success with a near flawless trip.