transport - MAY/JUN
coast to coast runs coming up! - see below for details
I am in the process of a major upgrade to my van tow vehicle - this is
being done with the meager compensation received from Allstate
insurance for the accident a year ago
I put a new truck grade engine in just before the MAR/APR trip - the
L31 HD engine is specially designed by GM to go into the 2500 HD
pickup that is GMs choice for pulling large RV trailers - after 13,000
miles I can say this is the strongest small block 'work' engine I have
ever used and I am getting over 10 mpg while pulling a trailer!
a visit to the men's 'toy store' (the local wrecking yard) produced an
extremely rare gem - GM makes a special heavy duty rearend that is
used in the heaviest duty dually pickups and the dually class C RVs -
very rarely the rearend is built in a single rear wheel configuration
in a van format - I was aware of their existence but I had never seen
one - Don grabbed the rearend like it was a piece of gold - then we
bought a rearend identical but in a dually pickup format to use for
spare parts - I will end up with freshly rebuilt heavy duty rear end
under the van with the 4.10 gears I want and a pile of spare parts -
this will solve the rearend problems I have been having periodically!
the stock GM heavy duty transmission that is under the van is being
upgraded from a four speed to an eight speed by adding a Gear Vendors
external overdrive unit - with my style of manual control driving I
can now get 10 gear ratios out of what used to be a 4 speed - this
makes driving in rugged terrain much easier and more fuel efficient
in early May I will be going westbound Texas to Oregon with an empty
trailer - I will load up near Portland OR on May 9th with a load going
to Hagerstown MD - after unloading in WV near Hagerstown I go empty
back to GrantsPass OR to load soay sheep going to Wisconsin and llamas
going to Hagerstown - after unloading in WV I again go cross country
to Oregon with an empty trailer - then I load up with sheep at Lebanon
OR going to Portland Maine - after unloading in ME I head west toward
TX again with an empty trailer
I AM GOING WESTBOUND ALONG SEVERAL ROUTES WITH AN EMPTY TRAILER!
PLEASE TAKE THIS RARE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE YOUR ANIMALS WESTBOUND - I
WILL ZIG ZAG AND OFFER SPECIAL INCENTIVES IF YOU CAN GIVE ME LOADS
GOING WESTBOUND!
I am making long distance trips in the next three months - I have room
on parts of the route if you get back to me ASAP - my contact info is
on my TravelWithRonK.com web site - I always need pick up city/state,
drop off city/state, and a brief description of the animals in every
email
Here is what my current trip route looks like - go to Google Maps
Directions to see it on a map - enter the first two cities on my route
into Google - it will show a map with the route - then keep adding 'a
new destination' by adding the name of the next city in the list -
Google will keep adding to the map so that you can see the entire trip
on a map
The list of cities below is for generic information only.
It is not meant to be a detailed itinerary.
Do not panic if your stop on the trip is not listed here.
Austin TX
Portland OR
Hagerstown MD
GrantsPass OR
Portland OR
Hagerstown MD
Madison WI
Lebanon OR
Portland ME
??????
Austin TX
The list below is tentative and/or longterm
- send me info if you want to be here
??????
Find my contact info on my TravelWithRonK.com website - it is best
when calling to call my cell phone number @ 512.923.4359 - I very
seldom am able to answer my home phone or to look at messages if I am
on the road. If you do leave a message leave your phone number TWICE!
I do not monitor the groups closely so please reply to my private
email rkee...@realtime.net
ron, tina, and jeremy
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