frankdamp
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Re: Williamsburg/Langley
We lived in Hampton for 3 years when I was working at NASA-Langley. Nice place, but it's very hot & sticky in summer (dull overcast, 90F and 90% humidity). Fall, winter and spring were great. Glad to be back in the Northwest - now retired in Anacortes, WA.561Views0likes0CommentsRe: Ford V10 with 4 speed or 5 speed transmission
I gave up RV'ing a few years ago. our last rig was an '02 Georgetown 32-footer with the V-10 engine. I'm sure it had a 5-speed transmission, but can't nip outside to check. I sold it about 5 years ago. I'm probably remembering wrongly!2.1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Mounting spare 19.5 Tire underneath
We bought a used 32' Class C. The previous owner (from new) had equipped it with a spare wheel. It was attached by a chain in the top of the propane tank compartment. It was cushioned so the tank wasn't at risk of damage. In four years and 6000 miles we never had to use it.497Views0likes0CommentsRe: Motorcycle Auctions, Las Vegas
In my younger years (mid-20'S), living in the UK, I rode motorcycles based on expenditure needed to run them instead of cars. I also worked for Norton-Villiers for two year before emigrating to the US. I rode a 650SS as a commuter (45 miles each way) and was a test rider for the Commando and AJS Stormer machines, sometimes in moto-cross races with the Stormer. I did ride a Harley once but found it way too heavy, compared to the 400-pound Commando. After we emigrated to Washington State (1968), I took one look at the little old ladies driving their Oldsmobile 98 down the freeways at 45 mph and peering through the steering wheel to see the road and decided bikes were too hazardous. I was also concerned about making an emergency maneuver the wrong way due to being on the opposite side of the road compared to the UK. I missed motorcycles for a while, but got over it eventually.586Views0likes0CommentsRe: ? Class-A Gas Climbing MPH
Around the Western states, we had some slow going, particularly on SR20 going over Washington Pass (5200' above MSL), but our 32-footer Class A with the Ford V-10 managed relatively easily. I think the slowest climb was out of Winthrop, WA, up the long westbound drag to the top of the pass it got down to 30 mph in a couple of places. That was the only time I was mildly concerned, but more about the coolant temperature than anything else. It's about a 15-minute continuous climb.727Views0likes0CommentsRe: Seven weeks on the road...1/2/3/4/5/6/7..and home
Gary: Washington snow has finished falling, but temps are still getting below freezing from about 16:00 on, so it's not melting. Main roads have all been plowed, but neighborhood dead ends haven't. It shouldn't be an issue by the time you get here.450Views0likes0CommentsRe: Seven weeks on the road...1/2/3/4/5/6/7..and home
Gary: I don't know if you'd head west to Washington before going north. The northern half of Washington got fairly heavy snowfalls the last week or so. Olympia got 12", Seattle a similar amount. We got 6" in Anacortes and I've heard that Bellingham really got clobbered, but don't know by how much. Their daytime highs have been below freezing for several days. It's raining in Anacortes this morning, so we may be snow free by Saturday or Sunday.226Views0likes0CommentsRe: Early Spring Trip to Olympic NP
Sam: Are you planning to do the trip northwards through California and Oregon to get to Washington? If so, I'd suggest going over to the coast after crossing into Oregon. Highway 101 runs very close to the beaches all the way up to the WA border. When we had our RV, we went south on Highway 101 on the west side of the Cascades. I was a bit surprised to find that it runs N-S a few miles inland. There are short dead end roads at frequent intervals down to the beaches. Across the northern coast and the eastern side of the Cascades, it's closer to the beaches. In April, Hurricane Ridge might still be inaccessible for an RV. You might want to consider going back to the "mainland" on the WA-State ferry from Port Townsend to Keystone (the Ferry Service says it goes to Coupeville, but that's 8 miles from the terminal). That ferry route actually crosses the Strait of Juan de Fuca (almost open ocean). It's a fairly short hop from the Keystone ferry terminal, north on Whidbey Island and across the Deception Pass bridge to Anacortes, then SR-20 to I-5. Wonderful country and great sights. We've lived in Anacortes since I retired early from Boeing 20 years ago.221Views0likes0Comments
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