07/20/2012, Their back yard Goose Creek, SC
Graham and Leigh's wedding was a success. In there back yard, brother Ryan officating, sister Alain a brides maid, pals fromhome: Clint (best man), Eugene, Pat and Eric. Great pals: 3000 miles to attend!! VERY tense 2 days before big event but it all worked! Happy couple just returned from St. Croix US Virgin Islands, thanks to hop on USAF C-17 to St. Croix. See photo galley for more photos to come (when computer arrives).
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07/10/2012, Goose Creek, South Carolina
The journey to our new boat (home) continues to be an adventure and a trial. Good news: we made it to son Graham's house. Graham and Leigh's wedding is this Saturday. The not so good news: The car's transmission went out in Knoxville, TN (354 miles from Goose Creek). We rented a U-Haul truck to pull the trailer and get here. We unloaded a bunch of Graham's tools and furniture so now we have a bit of lighter load. Currently waiting to here the cost of repair and we are working on a plan to get back to Knoxville to retrieve the Dodge after repair. Still smiling but really gritting our teeth too. This is putting a serious dent in our cruising kitty. (more photos in "photo gallery".
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Hello from Oklahoma City! Well we are making our way East, no white sand beaches and quite anchorages yet. Got a delayed start; Saturday when I hooked the trailer to the car it was obvious that it was too heavy. Unhooked the trailer and found a garage near home to add a leaf spring and new shocks to the car.....oh and two new tires. They stayed an hour after closing to do the job. Meanwhile I emptied the trailer and re packed with more weight over the axles and jettisoned stuff overboard ( to go to neighborhood garbage pick up and Goodwill).
We took off Sunday AM and made it to Needles, CA. 7:00 PM it was 109 degrees! Monday we hit the road (I 40 that mirrors the old route 66). The car was struggling to climb the mountains, about 4500 feet. Speed down to 25- 40 mph. Just past Kingman Arizona our car died on the freeway. We were towed to the only AAA approved shop in Kingman. Great mechanic/owner. Diagnosed it as cam shaft sensor (geeze what the hell is that?). Six hours and $182 later we were on way again. Tuesday night as we pulled off the road in Tucumcari NM the check engine light comes on. Now I'm really worried. The car has been struggling all day to pull grades. Flagstaff had a 7200 foot summit to conquer.
Next step find a mechanic on the 4th of July to look at the car: Jacks Truck Repair, an old metal building on a side road. Jack diagnosed as catalytic converter warning. When I described our driving, trailer pulling problems he offer to take a ride. We drove back to the motel, hitched the trailer and drove up and down the freeway for a few miles.
Jack is about 35, born and raised in Tucumcari and has 6 kids. He diagnosed the problem: I was driving with overdrive on and that was lugging the engine: 1800 rpms at 60 mph. Remedy: Disengage the OD and run the engine at 2600 rpm AND use higher octane fuel. With that combination it is a new car. Easily pulled grades today at 60 mph and no check engine light. Oh his bill: $82.
We are truly grateful for the good fortune we have enjoyed with our challenges!
We're still smiling, well gritting our teeth too.
That's the report now. We're on our way to Primrose
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07/01/2012, Needles CA
Left Orangevale 0630. First stop Needles, CA 7:00PM. 109 degrees!
Slow go pulling the trailer 55-60 mph, slower on the grade over the passes.
Early start tomorrow.
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JwL
Salon looking forward
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05/13/2012, New Bern, NC
November 2011 we purchased Primrose in New Bern NC, She is a 1977 Moody 42 pilot house ketch. Plenty of room: 3 state rooms + large salon. Looking forward to moving aboard July 2012!
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