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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
We would be interested..I like the idea of dry camping together.
Covered suggested this too. I know several good places but here's the rub: The good boondock camping spots are not on the paved roads. They involve several miles of gravel driving, and I don't want to scare away folks with that. Thoughts anyone?
And yes the Cascade Lakes Highway is worth the drive.
Yes, I wouldn't skip it. I've got some ideas, and I'll have the time later to write them up.
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 07:30pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
West of Hood River is Ainsworth SP, only problem is its a First Come, First Served campground. I'd be interested in this trip, but the catch is I'll be busy getting married during the summer and likely won't have much of a traveling budget outside of our trip down to Northern California.
I'd miss your company and your food :B
We'd be a little more punctual though :p
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 07:27pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
I feel this is a very good idea Matthew B. We Will be going right thru the heart of the Oregon Wilderness. Dry camping in a group makes it safe too. Also My oregon backroads map book shows some very nice, Windy slow drive paved back roads.
I've been kicking around the drive a bit more, and I'll write up more later tonight.
Having a new, good, safe job is a nice feeling, but the down side is that I can't sit around and surf the forums all day :B
Oh dog gone how do you spell 'wine D' roads, not windy roads?:h
Curvy?
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 06:45pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
Yes I am very interested in this idea
:B
Could be very good even if some CG's are full as there is lots of BLM, State forrest lands to dry camp if needed.
Very true. I'd imagine many of those going along are going to be making note of some of the opportunities to dry camp. If that's the route some want to go for some of the trip, I know of plenty of places to stop along some of these roads.
We could "circle the wagons" on one of many clearings along the route.
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 12:35pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
There is a Walmart in Hood River. Exit 62, up about a half mile toward town on the left, you can't miss it. Everyone could meet up there if they wish, and supply up for last minute things possibly.
If your coming into town the night before, need a place to stay, go down to where all the sailboarders are shootin' across the river in Hood River. Fun to watch. There is a big parking lot where they let rvs stay there overnight..
Very good suggestion. So are you interested in the idea?
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 10:37am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Battery Care during the winter.
I bought a three stage converter, so it takes care of the batteries. I have one cheapie 12V marine battery and a pair of golf cart T-105 batteries. I leave the camper plugged in all the time.
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 09:34am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
Matthew, how about the John Day area...Fossil Beds, the Home and museum etc....
Jim
It's a bit of a right angle to the idea of this trip. It is most definitely worth the visit if you've never been there.
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 08:10am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Tundra vs absorption fridge power consumption
Murgatroid,
I'd check to see if you have a cold weather switch or a dew heater on.
A cold weather switch leaves the light on to make more heat in the fridge so that the freezer cools more. In cold weather the cold outside can keep the fridge warm enough without cooling, and then the freezer would start melting, so this is the "solution" to that problem.
A dew heater heats the space between the fridge and freezer doors to prevent condensation.
Either one could explain your high current readings.
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 08:08am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
OK, I've put a bunch of information up and rambled for a while.
I've got more if I see anyone is interested in the idea.
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 12:51am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
Day Two
=======
Part Two
--------
Now it's time for a decision on which way to go.
Option 1 is to head west down the McKenzie and then go south up the South Fork McKenzie and down the North Fork West Fork Willamette river.
Option 2 is to head east to Bend, then to the Cascade Lakes Hwy.
My preference leans to Option 2 since the terrain of Option 1 is much like the upper Clackamas seen the day before, and Cascade Lakes hwy is very unique. If all the folks going along have seen that part and haven't seen the other option, I'd suggest that way instead since it is some nice back country travel; it also provides the unique opportunity to never visit any cities the whole way through.
Either way, the trip needs to include a loop around to travel over 242 one direction or the other!
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 12:49am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
Day Two
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Part One
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Day two gets a little more complex.
But whatever way the day ends, it starts with a hike. The McKenzie river runs hard even in the summer, and it falls rapidly from it's headwaters. The Waterfalls Loop Trail # 3507 is a very worthy hike. Even away from the falls, the river is dropping very fast and has many incredible rapids.
If people are willing to setup a vehicle ferry, a one way hike down Trail 3507 will include a third falls, Tamolitch Falls. It is about a total of 5 miles to visit all three.
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 12:42am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
Day One
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Day one consists of traveling East of Mt Hood and West of Mt. Jefferson to the headwaters of the McKenzie river.
Google Link for leg 1 of the route
The trip starts by traveling south on SR 35. 35 heads up the Hood River valley, then drops into the White River valley.
35 ends at a junction with US 26. A little over 5 miles south and we come to NFS 42, the first back country road we take. Even though the junction of 42 and 26 is considerably east of the line of cascade peaks, it's actually in the Clackamas river drainage so it's all downhill crossing the cascade "crest." NFS 42 is a two lane road until Timothy lake. Timothy lake with it's vistas of Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson would be a good place to have lunch.
Past Timothy lake, NFS 42 becomes a single lane paved road with turnouts. This is where travel becomes nice and slow... you don't want a head on collision with someone coming the other way.
Next up is NFS 46. It is a two lane paved road it's entire length, but it is a slow traveling road with little signage. NFS 46 climbs the south fork of the Clackamas River, goes up a pass and then descends down the Breitenbush River. NFS 46 ends at Detroit, OR.
Detroit is a little town that was relocated when Detroit dam was built and the old town site was flooded. There is a little store in Detroit, the only one on this leg of the trip.
We now head east on SR 22; but the travel is actually southwards. 22 is one of the newest and fastest highways crossing the cascades; most corners are rated at 55 MPH. 22 climbs up the North Fork Santiam River, finally departing the valley in the highlands close to Mt. Jefferson. 22 then heads over a low pass and enters the McKenzie drainage and meets up with US 20.
We travel west on 20 for a short distance, then take OR 126 west. Near here there is a ice caves; I haven't stopped myself and would need to research this more. This stretch travels though a forest of MASSIVE pine trees and is rather scenic. A short distance down 126 finds us at the headwaters of the McKenzie river - Clear lake - and Coldwater Cove Campground
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Matthew_B
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12/01/08 12:30am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Oregon High Cascades Caravan
Day "Zero"
=========
The trip starts in Hood River, Oregon.
Depending on where people are coming from, it's probably a good idea to start the whole thing with an overnight stay. Those from the Portland area who're good at getting up and going early to get to Hood River by a reasonable time in the morning.
I've never stayed in the area, so I'd be open to suggestions as to where to stay.
While the Gorge is beautiful, It'd be better if there was someplace a little south to distance ourselves from the trains that come through about every 15 minutes.
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Matthew_B
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11/30/08 11:59pm |
Truck Campers
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Oregon High Cascades Caravan
I've been daydreaming about summer trips, and one idea that I've been kicking around might be an opportunity for a TC caravan.
Most folks heading through Oregon from North to South (or the other way around) take I-5 or 101, some 97 and even fewer take 395.
This is another idea: Go from Hood River to Ashland, all in the Oregon cascades. I've traveled all the roads before, but never chained it all together in one trip. Part of the idea is to take time and stretch it into enough days that all the little vistas and interest points that are often blown by are visited instead.
Depending on the route, the whole trip can be done on paved road. It is slow, winding and narrow back road though. The idea of this trip is a slow peaceful trip. Obviously the bulk of those that might be interested will be from Oregon, but for out of state folks or newcomers, this would be your chance to see Oregon from the "insider" view.
The roads off the main highways are strictly for the summer time. They are not roads for the fall, winter or spring time when a storm can end up costing you your life.
The trip would have to be sometime between mid July and September.
I'll post ideas for a possible itinerary, each day with it's own post. I'm looking for suggestions on the idea.
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Matthew_B
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11/30/08 11:50pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Another Battery Charge Line Question
I will be using an 85 amp auto reset between the alternator and the solenoid. Is the pair of 40 amp auto resets preferrable? I also have an 80 amp fuse between the solenoid and the battery bank.
The high amp auto reset circuit breakers have a much lower resistance than the little 30-50 auto reset circuit breakers. I'd use the auto reset in both places.
Yes, you need circuit protection at both ends. If the wire shorts, both ends will feed the short.
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Matthew_B
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11/30/08 09:11pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Front Chains or Back Chains
Never chain just the front, you'll have problems when stopping.
I have both, and I've only put on the dual chains once to try them out. The ride is much nicer since the inner and outer links are staggered. I consider it not worth the trouble unless the traction is real bad.
Whatever route you go, get cam link chains. They don't need tighteners and they cinch the links real tight. All slack is gone and the chains run much quieter.
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Matthew_B
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11/30/08 09:05pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Tundra vs absorption fridge power consumption
Wow, people are really passionate about refrigerators. I had no idea.
I did learn a little bit about them by reading this, didn't really think about it because as long as it was cold I didn't care. Will have to store this in the back of my mind for the inevitable failure and replacement.
Ahhhh, the inevitable failure!
I wonder how the reliability compares.
The Tundra will wear out since it has moving parts. If they are anything like home compressors, that's measured in decades.
Absorption units fail through corrosion. Ammonia reacts violently with copper, so steel is used. The steel is protected on the inside with a corrosion inhibitor, but they rot from the outside.
Compressor units use copper... less corrosion.
I've heard one of the biggest pareto items is corrosion in the evaporator. When the fridge is running, frost forms on the outside of the coils inside the foam. When the fridge turns off, that frost melts and the moisture sits on the coils, eventually rusting them away. For that reason I leave my fridge on all the time; it's supposed to make them last longer. It uses around $100 a year in electricity. If that saves me from a $1000 replacement, it's worth it.
**Edited, Ammonia reacts with copper....
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Matthew_B
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11/26/08 06:30pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Tundra vs absorption fridge power consumption
Fixed it for you
I sat down with the manager and we discussed the Tundra refrigerators/option, batteries required, and solar panels/controller needed, etc. He brought out a Tundra technical information reference and we went thru it. The T-42 uses 3.2 amps and the T80AC uses 4.5 amps. The actual test graph as printed in his book showed the T-42 to consume 174.96 amp hours at 12V DC over the 72 hour test in an ambient still air temperature of 75 degrees F with a humidity level of 50%. Unit was opened for a duration of 3 seconds every 2 hours. An average of 2.43 amps were consumed over the 72 hours. That's 58.32 amp hours consumed over 24 hours with the 12 - 3 second openings. I didn't write down the technical reference complete title/printing number/date but I should have. I was looking for written info as I have ZERO faith in people's opinions.
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Matthew_B
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11/26/08 05:11pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Cash for gold??????
Suppose you mailed your gold and they insist they never got it? You have little recourse.
Shipping insurance would eat it.
Of course they'd have to rely on your estimate for the price.
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Matthew_B
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11/25/08 12:45am |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Life of a real UAW Autoworker
I do not know about the other poster but I retired in 2006, after almost 37yrs in UAW automotive factory, that was still.
Very hot
Dirty
Oil covered flooring
Oil and cutting water mist in the air
Very repetitive
Down right boring
I am real glad I am not there any more. And I will respectfully tell you all. Going in for a VISIT is not the same as working there. and for you to assume you know anything about it from a visit, is way off base. But there are lazy people in every workplace right?
ditto 32 years in a U A W factory(not auto)
to everyone else
Unless you have walked in A MAN"S shoes do not judge him for what you obviously don"t know....
I'm starting to regret what I posted earlier.
Your observations agree with what I saw. There can be a lot of accusations, but the working conditions aren't cush by any means.
Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to either visit an injection mold area or a casting area and spend all day. I went back to the hotel room dirty, sweaty and tired and yet I wasn't doing any heavy lifting like the folks working production were.
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Matthew_B
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11/25/08 12:37am |
Around the Campfire
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