Live Life

The first week of the new year just passed. Is that supposed to be significant, you may be asking? In the general scheme of things, it's another week like virtually any other week. Seven days, 168 hours 10,080 minutes and 604,800 seconds. The other day during one of those minutes I perused an email I received from my friend, Tommy, in Florida. It was titled “Mind Food” and contained a series of photos each with a caption with some interesting tidbit of knowledge. The one at the top of this article jumped out at me.

Yes, another week like any other week and the minute that I was looking at this picture with the caption reminded me of precisely why a little over seven years ago I made a sharp course correction in my life. Even though, most of my life I've, more or less, charted my own course, as I look back, I realize I was still living the life expected of me and not the one that was really true to myself. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, it epitomizes the three words, “woulda,” shoulda” and “coulda.”

If It Is To Be, It Is Up To Me!

I love the simplicity of that ten word statement comprised totally of two letter words. There is a lot of power in those words. I haven't been able to find the true origin, but the first time I heard it was in the early 80's from Alexandra Armstrong, an accomplished and highly acclaimed Certified Financial Planner and investment professional from Washington, DC.

The ten words are often applied in a motivational context relating to career, professional and business success. However, the words can be applied to any facet of anyone's life. They certainly apply to making changes in your life to realize whatever dreams, goals and missions you have established for yourself including making whatever life changes you need to make to achieve your definition of living free. . . READ MORE

BUSTED!!!

Yep! Your friendly, living free nomad was finally busted.

No! No! No! Not by the police, the FBI, IRS or Interpol. Well, I guess it would be more accurate to say My McVansion was busted, broken down, on the fritz!

Yep! Sixty-nine days into the first trek of 2014, I had to rein in those 185 horses under the stubby nose of My McVansion, ultimately ending up in the parking lot of the Home Depot in Blue Ridge, Georgia. I knew the problem was in the rear end of the vehicle where there was a loud clicking sound and white smoke was emanating from the right rear wheel.

And here is the culprit . . .

You can see how the bearing failed and was breaking apart and the poor shape of the rollers themselves in this photo

It's the right rear wheel bearing. Such a small part compared to the overall size of My McVansion, however, we've all heard of Achilles' Heel and this part was McVansion's Achilles' Heel in this instance.

So, here I was, stranded in a small town in the Appalachian Mountains of western Georgia. I had just left the company of Leonard Steward, a new friend in Jasper, Georgia, who is in the process of converting a 40' Bluebird school bus into his dream home on wheels (complete with Jacuzzi). I was on my way to Tumbling Creek campground in the Cherokee National Forest near Copperhill, Tennessee to meet up with two more vandweller friends (by Internet, we hadn't met in person before), Cuzzin Dick Tracy and David Hair, both from Dalton, Georgia.

Fortunately, I had cell phone connectivity, as did Cuzzin Dick. So, I called and told them that I wasn't going to make it to the camp and since it was the middle of a Saturday afternoon, it wasn't likely I was going to find a mechanic (or at least one with the skills to diagnose and fix this unknown problem) until Monday. However, I walked to a couple auto parts stores (very close to where I had come to rest). Amazingly, one of the guys at one of the auto parts stores took a wild shot at calling a local auto service business and they just happened to be working on Saturday to get some extra work completed. Meanwhile, David Hair told me to hold tight and he was on his way from Tumbling Creek to meet up with me.

OUCH!!! 

The local mechanic came to look at the van and brought his trailer with him to carry it back to his garage. He and his partner were nice fellows, but immediately seemed to conclude the problem was that the "rear end" also known as the differential was burned out and would have to be replaced. The rear end or differential is where the power to drive the vehicle connects from the transmission through the drive shaft to the rear axle that ultimately drives the vehicle. This is a major component of the drive train and a major undertaking to change.

Basically, I was told they could take the van back to the garage where it would sit for the weekend. Then they'd have to locate a used differential and probably an axle that they probably couldn't get until Wednesday or Thursday and then a day to do the actual job. And, I couldn't stay in the van; I'd have to find someplace to stay even though I told them that the van is my home. So, almost a week of lost time, a major component and labor cost and the expense of staying in a motel and eating all meals out.

So, what did this add up to? Well they estimated $400 to $600 - up front - before they would move the van as a deposit for a used differential. The labor would probably be around another couple hundred dollars. A motel and meals for the duration would likely set me back another $500, plus or minus a few dollars. So, total cost would be about $1,300. OUCH! They had me by the short hairs. This is one of the challenges of being a wandering, living free, nomadic type traveler.

The Cavalry To The Rescue!

Up to this point in time I had been parked in a Burger King parking lot. The Home Depot was across the four-lane highway and behind some stand-alone stores and a small strip mall. The cavalry came in the form of David Hair who dropped everything at Tumbling Creek campground, where I was supposed to meet up with him and Cuzzin Dick, and drove to my location. I moved the van backwards and forwards and David assessed the situation. We went into the Burger King and had some lunch while we awaited the mechanic and his trailer to return. I made a couple calls to the mechanic's wife inquiring as to when he would be coming back. She was nice, but emphatic that I could not stay in my van . . . PERIOD! This perturbed both David me, so David said lets get move the van over to the Home Depot parking lot. Home Depots are known to be friendly to RVers and vandwellers.

He drove over first and made sure I could take the most direct route to get there with the least amount of driving on whatever the problem was. He then called me and I carefully pulled out of the Burger King parking lot, crossed the highway when I had the green light and made my way over to the Home Depot where David was waiting for me to drive past him slowly so he could hear the noise emanating from the rear of the car. He from the outside and me from the inside ascertained that the noise was not coming from the area of the rear end, but was actually coming from the right rear wheel. One would have hoped that the local mechanic who had listened to the noise earlier would have come to that same conclusion.

Well, you may remember there is country song made popular by one of the mainstream country singers, it may have been Garth Brooks, I'm not sure at the moment, but the main chorus went, "I have friends in low places. This vandwelling, living free, nomad is fortunate to have friends in HIGH places. Even though this was the first time David Hair and I had met face to face, I immediately had major confidence that he know what was what and where the problem was. He said it's not the differential most likely, but the right rear wheel bearing and axle. We walked about three minutes to one of the nearby auto parts stores and bought the Chilton repair manual for the series of vans My McVansion was a member of. He looked to the section on the rear axle and bearing and asked a few questions, and fortunately, there were a couple other people in the store who knew the answers.

The conclusion was that, while it would be a difficult task to do in a Home Depot parking lot, and barring any unforeseen damage, the axle could be removed, the bearing replaced and the differential checked for any damage. With that, David Hair and I returned to the Home Depot, spoke to the store manager, Keith, and apprised him of the situation and got a 100% affirmative, "No problem with me overnighting in My McVansion in his parking lot." With that David said he was driving the 50 to 70 miles back to his home in Dalton, GA, would spend the night, gather the necessary tools and return by around 9:00 AM Sunday morning (the first morning of Daylight Savings Time) to begin the project of removing the rear axle, ascertaining the damage, acquiring the necessary parts and supplies we'd need from the auto parts store and . . . fix the problem right there in the Home Depot parking lot.

True to his word, David was there the next morning and the following photos document the scene and the damage we found and repaired.

My McVansion's In The Field Operation

The van up on jack stands with the right rear wheel removed.

The wheel and brake drum (where we found a broken spring) removed

David at work under the rear of the van. This was the view I had of David most of the day, taking his instructions to do what he needed done on the outside

David at rest between major segments of the operation

At last, the axle is out and now we can see the problem, a defective wheel bearing (from when I had a new axle and wheel bearing installed only 14 months earlier) that had carved a deep groove in the axle and was the actual problem

A close up of the actual groove and damage to the axle, you can see the rough edges creating metal filings and really destroying that rear axle.

There was no way to get the axle replaced on a Sunday. Finding either a used or new axle was not in the cards. So, fortunately, there was a "repair" bearing available that actually allowed the bearing to ride on the undamaged part of the axle nearest the tire. It's not a permanent fix, but should get me the rest of the way back to base camp in West Virginia and then I can take it to my regular mechanic and have it done permanently

By about 3:30 PM or so, My McVansion had all its pieces and parts back together and I drove it around the Home Depot parking lot and it was sounding perfect. I stopped and thanked the Home Depot manager, again, for his cooperation and then off we went.

Tumbling Creek At Last!

Here's My McVansion at the Tumbling Creek campground in Cherokee National Forest near Copperhill, Tennessee, about 20 miles from the Home Depot. 

Here is a shot of David Hair at rest, again after a yeoman's rescue of yours truly. That's Cuzzin Dick with his back to us.

Here's Cuzzin Dick after stoking the fire a little and loading his ever present pipe.

The Rest Of The Story

Oh! And here is the rest of the story. Remember that $600 to $800 estimated cost for repairing the van from the local mechanic in Blue Ridge, Georgia, plus the additional estimated $500 in motel/food expenses? Well, the total cost for parts, the Chilton manual and a couple lunches for David and myself came to under $100. Now, David did a masterful job of saving my behind and pulling me out of the quicksand. I need to do something nice for a great guy (whose reputation for such acts, precedes him, I might add). The one thing I've found being a wandering nomad and vandweller is that there is a fantastic community of people - maybe I should call it a network - but whatever, there always seems to be someone around with the knowledge, skills, experience, tools, whatever one needs and they are always sharing all of it with each other.

I wrote this article at Tumbling Creek campground where I spent the last few days with Cuzzin Dick Tracy. I have no cell phone or data coverage here, but Cuzzin Dick does and shortly, I'll be on his Millenicom mifi hotspot to post this before I hit the road to make my way back to the base camp in Keyser, West Virginia where I wouldn't be getting to until several days later had it not been for David Hair. Thank you - is inadequate, but still THANK YOU, DAVID!

Change! The ONLY Thing You Can Count On!

LOOK AT ME!!!!

Sigh! I'm a bit melancholy today. Oh! Life is great and this trek is still a magnificent statement about my personal freedom. My melancholy is because, while I generally accept and deal with change very well, there are just those few things that one wants to hold onto.

Let me elaborate a little. I've spent the last few days in the Ocala, Florida area. Nearby are The Villages (about 20 miles south), Silver Springs, the beautiful crystal clear spring fed lake where they have the glass bottom boats and Ocala National Forest. Each of these has some significance to me.

The Villages

 

The Villages is the latest thing that has some significance for me. The first time I visited The Villages was in 2005, I believe. I have two friends who moved from Winchester, Virginia, my home area for some 26 or 27 years to The Villages in 2004. My friend Carolyn and I toured The Villages in 2005 and were, like most people from the Baby Boomer and the Greatest Generation, pretty enthralled with what we saw and experienced. It literally is about as close to the perfect hometown as one could want. It has everything anyone might want. It is safe, quiet and clean. There is always something to do. There are all kinds of entertainment, live and movies 365 days a year. It's pretty much perfect. My thought was once one moved to The Villages one wouldn't leave very often, if ever, because everything one could want was there.

It had a population of about 75,000 in 2005. Move forward to 2014, nine years later. The population has now topped 100,000. There is still a substantial amount of room in the more than 550 square miles, by some estimates, including water. Approximately 30 square miles is developed into homes, retail, medical facilities, golf courses and a plethora of other recreational facilities. If, The Villages ever fills out most of the estimated 550 square miles, it will be one of the largest city areas in the United States, beating out New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco.

And there lies the rub for me. While it's nearly perfect with an A rated charter school system, a 200 plus (and doubling) hospital, plus a planned satellite hospital, a 99,000 sq. ft. VA full-service medical clinic, a ridiculously low crime rate and all the shopping and recreation one could want, it's becoming a BIG CITY! A big city means TOO MANY PEOPLE and too many people means TRAFFIC and CONGESTION. So, while, in 2005 I was enthralled and could even see myself living in this place, in 2014, it has bypassed me. It just isn't worth dealing with all the people, traffic and congestion to avail myself of the few amenities I would take advantage of. Alas, it has changed.

Ocala National Forest

Ocala National Forest is one of the oldest national forests in the U.S. My first experience was 49 years ago at the age of 20. Actually, I could even say probably dating back to around 59 years ago, plus or minus a couple years, when my parents brought us kids to Silver Springs on the edge of Ocala National Forest. Some time in the not too distant past Silver Springs was taken over by the Florida State Park system and Ocala National Forest and it's tourist attractions was taken over about 20 years ago by a concessionaire. A lot has changed since my earliest experiences.

Silver Springs

Silver Springs is no longer the busy, vibrant tourist attraction it was in the days of my youth. As I said, it was been taken over by the state when the private owners could no longer maintain it as a viable business. Such attractions as Disney World, Epcot Center, Sea World and Universal Studios, to mention a few drew all the tourist and vacation travelers to Orlando and with I-95, I-75 and I-4 making it infinitely easier to get to Orlando, Ocala and Silver Springs were bypassed.

Today, an $8.00 per car pass gets you into the parking lot and the only attractions that are available are a ride on the glass bottom boats on the crystal clear water of the spring fed lake and a restaurant. Everything else is "being renovated" whatever that means. Needless to say, I saved my $8.00 and moved on. Alas, things have changed.

Juniper Springs

I first visited Juniper Springs 49 years ago this upcoming summer. I was 20 years old and going into my junior year in college in New Jersey. The year before (at 19), I took the last vacation with my family when we all came to Daytona Beach and I met the lovely and cute Jane. Jane was a native born Floridian who grew up in Daytona Beach. She was still in high school when we met, going into her senior year, I believe. Jane and I corresponded (the old fashioned way, by written letters) for the next year. So, the next summer when I was 20, grabbed a couple buddies and off we went to Daytona Beach to meet up with Jane and a couple of her girlfriends. One of the places Jane took us all was Ocala National Forest and, as I remember, Juniper Springs and Alexander Springs. To us Jersey boys, these springs were remarkable.

Well, I visited Juniper Springs a few years ago. And things have changed. As I mentioned, about 20 years ago a concessionaire took over all the tourist attractions in Ocala National Forest including Juniper Springs. When I was there 49 years ago they were free for public use and they were pretty much still in their natural state. Today there is a fee for camping or day use. Albeit, not very much, with my Senior National Park pass, I only paid $2.50, but it wasn't free. There were defined parking areas, signage of all kinds, modern restrooms and change areas (bathing suits) a concession stand and, well, frankly, it didn't seem to resemble what I recalled from 49 years ago. Disappointment!

Alexander Springs

Yesterday I visited Alexander Springs. Sigh! Once again, it had a fee, defined parking, signage, canoe and kayak rentals, a fee to scuba dive, a day fee, a camping fee, modern restrooms and change areas (a nice improvement) and a concession stand. My recollection of the springs was, again, very different than what I found. I recall there being a hole in the center of the springs I was told went down around 100 feet with caves where scuba divers would go down to and explore the small caves. I was told it was only about 25 or so feet deep where the caves are. It was crystal clear (as was Juniper Springs), but 49 years ago I could see the divers way down at the bottom. Today, I couldn't see anything.

There was also a stream that led off the springs that was a form of wet nature trail and we walked that stream until we reached a sign with a skull and crossbones indicating this was as far as we should go because beyond that point we would encounter alligators and water snakes. And at one point we passed a place where two other streams fed into the main stream and the water from the two other streams were different colors and didn't blend into the water in the main stream bed. I'm guessing, scientifically, that some natural minerals caused the water colors and the density of the water was different than the main streambed, thus, they didn't blend. No stream was apparent any longer. I asked the concession attendant and he indicated there had been a stream off the springs, but it had pretty much dried up and was only apparent as some marshy spots. He said it hadn't been around as long as he had worked there. He was only 47, so he wasn't even born when I first visited the springs.

Our Memories

So, it goes back to what I keep telling people. The only thing that really is ours is our memories. Most things are fleeting and as the world (and this country) keeps growing in population at exponential rates, we're going to find more and more things changing, The Villages, Silver Springs, Alexander Springs and Juniper Springs are only a speck in the overall scheme of things. When I get back up north to my storage unit I'm going to find my "Chest of Life" where I still have pictures of my Juniper and Alexander Springs experience from 49 years ago and see how accurate my memory was as I revisited these places from my past.

Life is short! The older you get the less life there is to experience all the wonders of this world. And, as each passing year goes by, because of the population density, there are more and more restrictions and limitations on so many of the things that were once open and free to experience. I guess the key is to stop putting off life and DO IT NOW!

Commencement Day for My McVansion’s Metamorphosis

The day finally arrived! Yesterday, September 11^th 2012, I officially began the construction of the interior of my Ford van, now know affectionately as “My McVansion” after a van naming contest I began right here on this blog.

Now, yesterday holds some national and even worldwide significance as the date of the worst attack by foreign individuals on U.S. soil. It was the anniversary of the unforgettable attacks taking nearly 3,000 lives in the collapse of the two World Trade Center Towers in New York City (along with the loss of other smaller buildings), the Pentagon in Washington, DC and the lives of airline passengers on the four U.S. passenger airliners hijacked and used as missiles in the attacks. The heroic passengers of the fourth plane saving either the Capitol or the White House from nearly certain attack by crashing that plane in a field near Somerset, Pennsylvania.

Additionally, as the day rolled out and while I was working on my personal construction project other events and attacks against the United States were taking place in Cairo, Egypt and Benghazi, Libya that ultimately cost the lives of four American diplomats including the U.S. ambassador to Libya. We live in troubling and dangerous times. The events of this day in 2001 and again in 2012 should make us all stop and not only take a moment to remember those who have perished, but also how important freedom is, both politically and personally.

So, while I certainly remembered the negative significance of the date, yesterday, I was also feeling some exhilaration and fulfillment as I took the next step towards my own progress in achieving more personal freedom. In light of the events that were unknowingly unfolding, I was enjoying the beautiful day, comfortable temperatures and doing something I hadn’t done in a long time. I was working with my hands and creating something that was designed to propel me forward towards my personal objective of living free(r). I feel it was all very fitting. I certainly decry and condemn the dastardly actions in the Middle East, yesterday. However, there is little I, as one individual, can do to change the course of events in the world. The only thing I do have any power over is the course of events in my own life. I must remain responsible for my actions and myself.

This past Saturday, I ventured to the nearest “Harry McVansion Owner’s” DIY emporium and selected a batch of materials that would allow me to begin molding my Ford van into my McVansion. You have seen photos of the van posted on the blog before. Here is the basic van as I purchased it.

The Exterior of  My McVansion as purchsed
(Fiberglass running boards and flares in place)

Interior as purchased with seats and couch in place

Space wasting and useless "atmosphere" lighting panels just above the windows

I removed the rear seats right after I obtained the van. 

Van interior with all rear passenger seating removed but seat belts still in place

Finally, two weekends ago, I found a local man here in Keyser, West Virginia, about a block away from my “Eastern Base Camp” who had a garage, a lift that could handle the van and we removed the aging and badly deteriorated fiberglass running boards and wheel well flares.

Some of the damage and deterioration to the fiberglass running boards and wheel well flares

That instantly eliminated several problems including the terrible squeaking and screeching noises those fiberglass parts made as the road and vehicle motion flexed them. We also removed the spare seatbelt anchors for all the rear seats and removed some excess trim that was of no value for my purposes and will make the build in somewhat easier.

After removal of fiberglass running boards and wheel well flares - right side

Interior with seat belts and useless wood trim/atmosphere lighting removed

The left side useless wood trim & atmosphere lighting removed (the 12 volt truck wiring remains)
One of the included shades was damaged when I bought the vehicles, but I have plans for that

So, I loaded my purchases at the DIY place in the van and took them back to Base Camp. My bank account was a little lighter and there sure doesn’t appear to be very much there. But, everything is carefully calculated to serve a specific purpose. When one decides to take approximately 50 square feet of floor space (the space between the back of the driver’s and right passenger’s seats and the back doors of a van like this and turn it into a habitable environment, it doesn’t take much to fill. Every inch needs to be as efficiently utilized as possible. Additionally, weight must be taken into account, especially in these times of high fuel costs. The more weight, the lower the gas mileage will ultimately be.

So, I’ve designed and redesigned the floor plan of the McVansion several times. I’ve continued to find ways of utilizing as much of the space as possible for multiple purposes. I’ve attempted to build in as much useable storage (in addition to some limited storage in the original van conversion as I bought it) as possible, with full recognition that, again, I need to be very cognizant of the weight factor and that less is more in this kind of living environment. Here are just two of several floor plans I've developed. The plan I'm pursuing is not here and is still evolving as I build in.

Rear Bunk Floor Plan

Side Bunk Floor Plan

So, yesterday, I built the frame for what will ultimately be the bunk that I’ll sleep on at night and the couch like seating area I’ll relax on during the day, especially on days when the weather is inclement and I will need to remain inside My McVansion and either work (at writing or some audio production) or catch up on some reading or find some other way of occupying my time when the great outdoors is inhospitable. The frame will be raised high enough to provide for various kinds of storage underneath. A plywood sheet will be on top of the platform to support a memory foam mattress. I am not building this for beauty, but for functionality. As pragmatic thinker, my mantra has pretty much always been “form follows function” and that’s true for My McVansion.

Doesn't seem like much, but my checking account groaned as I paid for it

From humble beginnings a "tiny house" on wheels begins to take shape

So, 9/11 in 2001 changed the world forever. Politically, 9/11 2012 made another statement on the condition of the world we live in and on freedom. And, 9/11 2012 is the day I took the next step towards my own personal freedom and the ability to live free as I define it for myself. Follow along as I document my project and get My McVansion ready for a “shakedown cruise” and then to be exploring America.

There is one final note I want to make about this project. Procrastination is a terrible thing! I just looked back at the records on the van and I acquired it on September 16, 2011. That's just about one year ago minus four days. If I had been on the ball, I would have had My McVansion on the road by last winter and spent a good part of this past year traveling the country and meeting up with all the folks who have offered me a place to park and visit, many are already friends I've known for years and other are friends I haven't met in person, yet. There are too many little obstacles and, more often then not, excuses we allow to slow up our progress. I urge you, if you have a dream, a purpose, a passion or an objective - DON'T PROCRASTINATE! Like the Nike slogan says, "Just Do It!"