ram101
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2007
- Messages
- 257
Ok, here it goes........... We decided this year we were gonna take a 2 week vacation to the Fort as our 1st/last trip of 6 days was waaaayy too short.
Our dates were from 8/16 to the 29th. The Travelers were, DD21, DS11, DD9, DD5L, DD5K, DW, Rohan our Saint Bernard and myself.
We left home our usually 2 hours behind schedule at 9am. I was quite frustrated with trying to get everyone to help with the last minute details but in the long run, a 2 hour delay worked out well since the mechanics would be awake by then!
Last minute details.. Load the golf cart, remember to make sure the trailer is hitched to the RV before you drive up the ramp and onto the trailer. Yep, I forgot this small detail. Give me a little credit it was the 1st time I was towing a trailer any distance and I was trying to rush. I would soon learn to sloooow down. Well the cart made it onto the ramp but could not make the 90 degree angle to get up the trailer. The front of the trailer went straight up in the air nearly taking out the rear window.
After a few minutes of not cursing cause the kids were around I was able to get the cart off, the trailer hitched and the cart on the trailer the right way!
About 15 miles into the trip we started smelling something coming from the Motorhome?. I pulled over did a walk around of the RV couldn't find anything. Popped the hood, climbed under, nothing unusual and no more odor. About 5-10 more miles we pulled up to the traffic light of a busy intersection, hey where is all that white smoke coming from?? I hope no ones car is on .... oh heck that's our car!! The front driver side caliper was frozen and burning up! You shoulda seen the looks of the people pulling up next to us!! I don't want to know what my face looked like, let alone DW's (I never looked her way)!!! 
I pulled over and called our mechanic at Millers Automotive, they work on all of our cars (including the RV) and all the cars at work as well. I was able to get Keith on the phone and described the problem. He already knew our plans and agreed to come in on his day off. I let the brakes cool for about a half hour then drove to Millers, about a 10 minute drive, but 20 while limping a motorhome!!
Keith got there, he determined that I needed a new caliper (his dad had already ordered it by the time he got there). When Keith went to order the parts guy arrived to delivered the caliper. About 1-2 hours later we were on the road. Oh did I mention that Keith's brother Kevin came in to help fix the RV. He tripped while working on it and (I later found out) he broke his finger on the side of the RV.
So about 12 noon we are back on the road...WAY behind schedule.
Smooth sailing now......I hope. We had planned on a stop at South of the Border on the way down for a few hours sleep. Since we were so far behind I drove till about 2 in the morning and we found a Wal-mart in South Carolina. Did I mention that Shan-man ( I think that's who said it) was so right about South Carolina's portion of 95. Well the best word that comes to mind is suck. That's how the roads in SC are they S*#K! We pulled into a Wal-mart that was about 5 miles off 95. I went in and talked to the manager to ask if we could get some sleep in the parking lot. Sure no problem but you might want to be sure you got a club near-by. WHAT
I got 4 daughters my son and wife in the RV. After everyone else was sleeping except DW, I slept 3 hours in the driver seat (note that my duty gear was not far away! )
ON ROAD AGAIN, Can't wait to get back on the road again.... sorry. We were back on the road about 630-7am we pulled back onto 95. Made a pit stop shortly after for a break for the dog and I. At about 830 or so..... POP (with a swaying in the back of the RV).
What was that??!! Flat tire passenger side. Ok no biggie. I changed 2 of those tires last trip to Disney!
There she blows:
Around 930 or so we were cleaned up and back on the road again...
Did I mention that SC roads are the worst!!!. Last trip down our 1st flat was just into Georgia. Things that make you go Hmmmmm
Shortly after the flat I found a tire repair place and for $26 had them remove the old tire and put on the 2nd spare we brought with us. It was just the tire without a rim. (After last trip I wasn't paying over $200 for a tire).
About 30 miles or so into Georgia, a tractor trailer merged into 95 in front of us. He was already traveling pretty well as he pulled in. CRACK... wow ....what was that?? Hey I don't remember that crack in the windshield. Yep. Stone came up hit the windshield and it cracked. Ok, that's 3 right?? Can't be more than that, always comes in 3.
Man did it take forever to get to the Fort but we finally made it. Site 322.
Note: Pics of the site were taken in our 2nd week.
This site had tons of room, We could have set the tent up as well if we wanted to. We could open the awning all the way too. Last time we were on 324 (I think) and could not get the awning open all the way because of a big tree.
By the time we were set up it was dark, but guess what... the jacks were not deploying like they were supposed to, had to get my floor jack out and jack up the front of the RV, manually put the jacks in the down position and have DW push the up button for the jacks while I held them in position. So around 1030pm'ish we were done.
Ahh bed time... at last!!!
Our 1st full day (monday 17th) we spent around the Fort. Was nice got everything set up took a few laps around the Fort in the golf cart then took a few more.
DD21 was only down for the 1st week and she had 4 day tickets to use up. The rest of us had 8 day no expire with water park and more options.
DD21 spent monday thru thursday in the parks on her own. She would go with us to two parks. DD21 flew out of MCO on Friday afternoon and was able to get the magical express.
We would do one day in a park then a day off.
Tuesday we did MK for our 1st park.
Just inside, guess who we found in Main Street.
I have many more pics that I took. But unfortunately my digital camera died. So I had to resort to my phone and an old fashion film camera
(2 weeks till I get the disk and pics back from Wally world)
We decided to start in Frontiertown where it was less than 20 min waits for Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
We never made it into toontown fair or tomorrowland. We will start there next time we go back and besides Space Mountain was shut down.
Oh yeah.......
DD5L decided on our way home for lunch to use mom's camera to take some pics of the Main Street Philharmonic.
Then she was asked to perform with them while waiving the flag they gave her and several other kids. DD5L is the one in the Green shirt and purple shorts.
So there is our 1st 4 days of the trip. Part two later!
Our dates were from 8/16 to the 29th. The Travelers were, DD21, DS11, DD9, DD5L, DD5K, DW, Rohan our Saint Bernard and myself.
We left home our usually 2 hours behind schedule at 9am. I was quite frustrated with trying to get everyone to help with the last minute details but in the long run, a 2 hour delay worked out well since the mechanics would be awake by then!
Last minute details.. Load the golf cart, remember to make sure the trailer is hitched to the RV before you drive up the ramp and onto the trailer. Yep, I forgot this small detail. Give me a little credit it was the 1st time I was towing a trailer any distance and I was trying to rush. I would soon learn to sloooow down. Well the cart made it onto the ramp but could not make the 90 degree angle to get up the trailer. The front of the trailer went straight up in the air nearly taking out the rear window.
After a few minutes of not cursing cause the kids were around I was able to get the cart off, the trailer hitched and the cart on the trailer the right way!
About 15 miles into the trip we started smelling something coming from the Motorhome?. I pulled over did a walk around of the RV couldn't find anything. Popped the hood, climbed under, nothing unusual and no more odor. About 5-10 more miles we pulled up to the traffic light of a busy intersection, hey where is all that white smoke coming from?? I hope no ones car is on .... oh heck that's our car!! The front driver side caliper was frozen and burning up! You shoulda seen the looks of the people pulling up next to us!!
I don't want to know what my face looked like, let alone DW's (I never looked her way)!!! I pulled over and called our mechanic at Millers Automotive, they work on all of our cars (including the RV) and all the cars at work as well. I was able to get Keith on the phone and described the problem. He already knew our plans and agreed to come in on his day off. I let the brakes cool for about a half hour then drove to Millers, about a 10 minute drive, but 20 while limping a motorhome!!
Keith got there, he determined that I needed a new caliper (his dad had already ordered it by the time he got there). When Keith went to order the parts guy arrived to delivered the caliper. About 1-2 hours later we were on the road. Oh did I mention that Keith's brother Kevin came in to help fix the RV. He tripped while working on it and (I later found out) he broke his finger on the side of the RV.
So about 12 noon we are back on the road...WAY behind schedule.
Smooth sailing now......I hope. We had planned on a stop at South of the Border on the way down for a few hours sleep. Since we were so far behind I drove till about 2 in the morning and we found a Wal-mart in South Carolina. Did I mention that Shan-man ( I think that's who said it) was so right about South Carolina's portion of 95. Well the best word that comes to mind is suck. That's how the roads in SC are they S*#K! We pulled into a Wal-mart that was about 5 miles off 95. I went in and talked to the manager to ask if we could get some sleep in the parking lot. Sure no problem but you might want to be sure you got a club near-by. WHAT
I got 4 daughters my son and wife in the RV. After everyone else was sleeping except DW, I slept 3 hours in the driver seat (note that my duty gear was not far away! )ON ROAD AGAIN, Can't wait to get back on the road again.... sorry. We were back on the road about 630-7am we pulled back onto 95. Made a pit stop shortly after for a break for the dog and I. At about 830 or so..... POP (with a swaying in the back of the RV).
What was that??!! Flat tire passenger side. Ok no biggie. I changed 2 of those tires last trip to Disney! There she blows:
Around 930 or so we were cleaned up and back on the road again...
Did I mention that SC roads are the worst!!!. Last trip down our 1st flat was just into Georgia. Things that make you go Hmmmmm
Shortly after the flat I found a tire repair place and for $26 had them remove the old tire and put on the 2nd spare we brought with us. It was just the tire without a rim. (After last trip I wasn't paying over $200 for a tire).
About 30 miles or so into Georgia, a tractor trailer merged into 95 in front of us. He was already traveling pretty well as he pulled in. CRACK... wow ....what was that?? Hey I don't remember that crack in the windshield. Yep. Stone came up hit the windshield and it cracked. Ok, that's 3 right?? Can't be more than that, always comes in 3.
Man did it take forever to get to the Fort but we finally made it. Site 322.
Note: Pics of the site were taken in our 2nd week.
This site had tons of room, We could have set the tent up as well if we wanted to. We could open the awning all the way too. Last time we were on 324 (I think) and could not get the awning open all the way because of a big tree.
By the time we were set up it was dark, but guess what... the jacks were not deploying like they were supposed to, had to get my floor jack out and jack up the front of the RV, manually put the jacks in the down position and have DW push the up button for the jacks while I held them in position. So around 1030pm'ish we were done.
Ahh bed time... at last!!!
Our 1st full day (monday 17th) we spent around the Fort. Was nice got everything set up took a few laps around the Fort in the golf cart then took a few more.
DD21 was only down for the 1st week and she had 4 day tickets to use up. The rest of us had 8 day no expire with water park and more options.
DD21 spent monday thru thursday in the parks on her own. She would go with us to two parks. DD21 flew out of MCO on Friday afternoon and was able to get the magical express.
We would do one day in a park then a day off.
Tuesday we did MK for our 1st park.
Just inside, guess who we found in Main Street.
I have many more pics that I took. But unfortunately my digital camera died. So I had to resort to my phone and an old fashion film camera
(2 weeks till I get the disk and pics back from Wally world)
We decided to start in Frontiertown where it was less than 20 min waits for Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
We never made it into toontown fair or tomorrowland. We will start there next time we go back and besides Space Mountain was shut down.
Oh yeah.......
DD5L decided on our way home for lunch to use mom's camera to take some pics of the Main Street Philharmonic.
Then she was asked to perform with them while waiving the flag they gave her and several other kids. DD5L is the one in the Green shirt and purple shorts.
So there is our 1st 4 days of the trip. Part two later!
Darn kids were fighters and wouldn't let me through!! 
