silversand
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Re: ARE THERE ANY SNOWBIRDS ANYMORE?
Cptnvideo wrote: It is estimated the the snowbird population around the Quartzsite area alone is in the 500,000 range. Mesa's population swells in the winter, causing waiting lines at restaurants to go out the door ....Interesting. I wonder how many of the ~500,000 Quartzsite "snowbirds" (guestimate: almost all are boondockers) actually stay in Arizona, all year 'round (ie. they migrate from Quartzsite to BLM land in the high country when Quartzsite gets too hot) ? I think (don't quote me) that Arizona has the 9th fastest growing population in the US (Florida is ranked 5th fastest growing) We are "snowbirding" in an ocean front condo (Butler Beach, near St Augustine), however, after the condo, we have a park model rented in March that is water-front on the intercoastal. Too expensive to haul an RV down here from Canada....at this juncture.1.4KViews0likes0CommentsRe: For POP UP CAMPER owners - sealing seams on vinyl
...I used Seam Grip (crystal clear) on the **Weblon** soft walls (I don't know what your softwalls are made of, so do your due diligence before applying) on our pop-up truck camper window stitching (the window bottom stitches). That was almost 17 years ago. The Seam Grip is still in perfect shape after all this time (we still own the 2005 camper). I never had to re-seal in all these years. But be aware: you REALLY need to investigate where the stitching leaks are. I found our water beads (not terrible leaks) during a post-tropical storm in the Outer Banks, when the rain was coming down sideways in 54 mile per hour driving storm. Just be sure that the water infiltration isn't coming in along the vertical stitches somewhere! Caution: Seam Grip volatiles smell like he**. And, it is flammable until it dries. I applied it on our inside stitching (seems to work perfectly in our situation). You may want to consider applying to the exterior stitching. If you use this, you had better practice on stitching not associated with your camper (some scrap stitching on some vinyl). You cannot remove this stuff if you mess up the application technique. Also, the cured material will darken slightly after 4 to 5 years (unless they changed the formulation since 17 years ago). Good luck. This worked for us. Your mileage may vary. Seam Grip: here-->1.1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Google Maps Toll Prices
....I never considered using a complex toll app for Mexico (or, covering the US) as our rigs are SUV and 2500HD (pick-up) carrying truck camper. No dually, no towing. I did more digging, and came up with an app that calculates: -Auto: select from 2-axle cars, SUV, Carpool, Pickup with four tires, 6-tires, and 1-axle trailer attached. -Truck: select from 2-axle trucks to 9-axle trucks. Enter the height and loaded weight of your truck. -Bus: Choose between 2-axles or 3-axles. Enter height and loaded weight of the bus. -RV or motorhome: Select whether you have a 1-axle trailer. Enter height and loaded weight. -Motorcycle: Select whether you have a 1-axle trailer. I never used it. It is called TollGuru. You can play with the interface, and enter exotic RV combos like motorcycle towing mini trailer; RV hauling double-axle trailer, etc, etc here-->1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Google Maps Toll Prices
....anyone ever try out TollSmart? It advertises as a free toll calculator (Apple and Android) for passenger cars (2 axle) Canada, USA and Mexico (and Brazil). here--> I'm going to try it in a month for Canada and USA accuracy. Reading an article on TollSmart providing its toll price data to Google Maps for drivers in the US... On edit: .....I'm trying TollSmart's web browser app to calculate a US stretch of tolls that I already know. 100% accurate. Now, I'll try Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey, via 85D.....drum roll....282.00 MEX. Does this sound correct? TollSmart trip calculator here-->1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Starlink
....the SpaceX <-> T-Mobile partnership (using T-Mobile mid spectrum band) will allow texting (MMS / SMS) in every dead coverage spot in the US (and, Hawaii and US VI). Timeline: appx 1 year through beta.... SpaceX and T-Mobile want to partner with carriers in every country in the world to patch dead coverage areas. This, for example, would offer a national cell carrier in Mexico to offer SMS/MMS in remote places like the bottom of Copper Canyon, and across the Chiapas back-country (without the need to buy/rent a sat phone and expensive sat phone comms fees). ...this apparently will only be possible with V2 satellites going up soon (replacing V1.5...speculation is that V2 may add appx 140-160 Gbps throughput per unit) read here-->632Views0likes0CommentsRe: BYO camper to South America - Pros and Cons?
....you may want to contact Leave Everything and Wander through their Youtube channel ( LEAW ), and enquire what they plan to do with their truck camper rig now parked in Argentina (and ask about its condition). They had to abandon ship during Covid, and left their vehicle parked at a friend's ranch in Argentina. They are based now out of the Italian Alps. Luck! Have a super expedition.843Views0likes0CommentsRe: Jack Failure Disaster
Nice camper by the way! Can't wait to see pics of the final painted shell. Without doing an on-site forensic, did the legs lower onto a thick mat of long-leaf pine needles (I've slid badly on pine needles in the past)? If the jack's landing pads were lowered onto the teflon-like slippy needles on hard packed ground, they (one landing pad) could have just slipped out (like walking on ice), and caused a cascade of instability with the other pads/legs, and the weak point, the jack attachments, just let go one at a time (even well connected)....Just a thought.... For it not to have sustained major structural shell distortion/damage falling from (near full?) jack extension, that camper must be built like a brick. Looks like a keeper to me.495Views0likes0CommentsRe: Canadian Snowbirds heading home-Antigen Rapid Tests required
I agree with you, this thread has got way off track, let's as Moisheh suggests keep it about Canadians returning home and the silly mandates that Trudeau and Company want to push on all us Snowbirds. ...yes. Sorry. Back on track....991Views0likes0Comments
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