The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

[Teamubr]

Speaking of which...anyone care to coach me on where to acquire RV engine (and house?) batteries? And then reassure me that I can do this myself???

Jen,
The house looks great. As for the batteries. I replaced mine this year. The chassis (engine) batteries weren't too bad. Mine had nice screw down connections that everything came off as one piece, The house batteries were a little more complex. I took pictures and drew a diagram with all the wires and where they went. I then replaced the batteries (6 of them) two at a time to make sure nothing got hooked up wrong.

j

 

[jbrostek]

In other exciting news, we started booking our Epic PCH adventure from San Fran to San Diego June 18th to July 2nd. Over the holiday weekend we found good flights that did not cost us and arm and leg. Last night a DVC cast member helped us get most of the nights we where after and we are wait listed for one night stay on Friday, but we can always stay in somewhere else in LA for the night since that was going to be our LA day anyway.

So far the Rough Itinerary so far:

6/18 - 6:45am flight to SFO
6/19 - San Fran day
6/20 - Sight seeing on the way From San Fran to Santa Cruz
6/21 - Santa Cruz to Monterey Peninsula
6/22 - Monterey to Big Sur
6/23 - Big Sur to Santa Barbara
6/24 - Santa Barbara to Malibu
6/25- Malibu to Disney
6/26 - Disney
6/27 - Disney
6/28 - Disney (or move to LA hotel) LA day
6/29 - LA to Laguna Beach
6/30 - Laguna Beach to San Diego
7/1 - San Diego
7/2 - 12:50pm Flight home to IAD

I am still going to adjust as I look up things to do and talk with the family. I would love 3 full days around Disneyland alone. Our oldest is not fully thrilled with the idea, but I told her Epic adventures like this are few and far between. In the end I think it will be a lasting memory for her (good or bad, hopefully good).

 

[Stratman50th]

Well fellas, you've pushed me into it. I'm going to get the old board out and set it up in the family room for a couple of months. Even my wife want's to see it set up again. She likes to have the Department 56 Christmas Village up. So here's the board I've been hauling from home to home for 30 years:

Haven't looked at it in 7 years or so. I see I need to find a piece of straight O27 for the inner oval. I guess it got bent in the last move. I know I have a bunch of "O" which is the outside radius. At the very least it's going to need a good cleaning and track servicing. The Christmas tablecloth is on there as a skirt. The styrofoam sheets are "snow", and the holes are for the Department 56 House lights that pop up from underneath. Anyway, getting kind of excited now.

 

[Sjm9911]

Ok, so unboxed some trains and made the rolling shelves fit under the train table. So, 3 metal shelves, loaded with stuff. Lol. I still have a few more boxes to unload, but this is a start and gives me room to atually work on the layout. The shelves can be rolled out of the way and then back when I am done. Plus I still have too many accessories.......

 

[Teamubr]

In other exciting news, we started booking our Epic PCH adventure from San Fran to San Diego June 18th to July 2nd.
So far the Rough Itinerary so far:

I am still going to adjust as I look up things to do and talk with the family. I would love 3 full days around Disneyland alone. Our oldest is not fully thrilled with the idea, but I told her Epic adventures like this are few and far between. In the end I think it will be a lasting memory for her (good or bad, hopefully good).

James, Make sure to save time for La Jolla. It is technically in the San Diego area, but definitely with a stop to see the rocks, sea lions and seals.

Ok, so unboxed some trains and made the rolling shelves fit under the train table. So, 3 metal shelves, loaded with stuff. Lol. I still have a few more boxes to unload,

OK Spencer,

I started to ask at what point does that become a problem, but then I remembered all the racecar parts. And they probably cost a little more than the trains.

 

[Sjm9911]

OK Spencer,

I started to ask at what point does that become a problem, but then I remembered all the racecar parts. And they probably cost a little more than the trains.

Yup, its a problem. But when I moved I made sure to keep the basement empty. Just for this problem. Some of the stuff is from like 1927. So 95 years young and still works. To me thats prety cool. Especially when you buy anything now a days and it breaks after 3 years.....

 

[Sjm9911]

In other exciting news, we started booking our Epic PCH adventure from San Fran to San Diego June 18th to July 2nd. Over the holiday weekend we found good flights that did not cost us and arm and leg. Last night a DVC cast member helped us get most of the nights we where after and we are wait listed for one night stay on Friday, but we can always stay in somewhere else in LA for the night since that was going to be our LA day anyway.

So far the Rough Itinerary so far:

6/18 - 6:45am flight to SFO
6/19 - San Fran day
6/20 - Sight seeing on the way From San Fran to Santa Cruz
6/21 - Santa Cruz to Monterey Peninsula
6/22 - Monterey to Big Sur
6/23 - Big Sur to Santa Barbara
6/24 - Santa Barbara to Malibu
6/25- Malibu to Disney
6/26 - Disney
6/27 - Disney
6/28 - Disney (or move to LA hotel) LA day
6/29 - LA to Laguna Beach
6/30 - Laguna Beach to San Diego
7/1 - San Diego
7/2 - 12:50pm Flight home to IAD

I am still going to adjust as I look up things to do and talk with the family. I would love 3 full days around Disneyland alone. Our oldest is not fully thrilled with the idea, but I told her Epic adventures like this are few and far between. In the end I think it will be a lasting memory for her (good or bad, hopefully good).

How old are the kids? Thier idea of sightseeing and mine may be diffrent. Lol. I have ideas, but ages first. And it depends what you all like. I havent been to the west coast in 20 years, but used to go quite a bit.

 

[jbrostek]

@Sjm9911 By the time we go, 18 and 14. I am definitely letting them weigh in on the plan and sites to see. We kind of did the same of San Juan and it worked well. It has been 10-12 years for me, and I have never been tween Santa Cruz and Mulibu on the PCH, so this will also be an adventure for me. I think they will enjoy the sights and shops as long as I give some hotel pool downtime.

@Teamubr There is much to see, and La Jolla is planned part of the Day and a half in San Diego. Same with going to Coronado, and Point Loma.

 

[Teamubr]

Yup, its a problem. But when I moved I made sure to keep the basement empty. Just for this problem. Some of the stuff is from like 1927. So 95 years young and still works. To me thats prety cool. Especially when you buy anything now a days and it breaks after 3 years.....

I completely understand. Until recently, I had 6 or 7 carburetors on a shelf in my garage. All my race engines have been fuel injected for years. Last year, I gave away a Mopar drag engine and transmission that had been sitting in a shed or my garage for over 35 years. It was the engine/trans out of my last drag car that I was going to put into a street car project... eventually. I think I still have computer modules, distributors, gasket sets and not sure what else out there. I did do a big garage clean out this summer and a lot of it finally went.

I actually have my dad's and uncles "circus" train they had as kids. My dad is 93, so it's not new either. It runs on a strange gauge track, close to "O". I have the whole setup and bring it out every so often to put up around the Christmas tree. We also have the Monorail set with most of the park icons that usually goes up around the tree.

j

 

[Teamubr]

@Teamubr There is much to see, and La Jolla is planned part of the Day and a half in San Diego. Same with going to Coronado, and Point Loma.

Point Loma is cool. You can spend lots of time out there. I was a little disappointed in Coronado. The hotel is cool to see, especially with the Disney connection, but the rest was underwhelming. We took a harbor boat tour and got to see the aircraft carriers and submarines up close. That was pretty fun.

j

 

[jbrostek]

The beach area was nice last time I Went, and the plan is to relax there for lunch. Lots of little shops to make it worth it.

 

[Stratman50th]

And it begins! Pulling out the totes. You guys got me way beat as far as rolling stock. Pulled these to see if I had extra 027. I don't! Had to buy some to fix what got bent. Lots of spare "O" but I'm stuck with the 027 in the middle until I start building a new layout. Seriously considering the Lionel FastTrack.

 

[Sjm9911]

The fasttrack is loud. Stick to the 0 stuff, if you need it cheap and new order it through menards. We dont have them in jersey, but they make new o guage tube track.

 

[Sjm9911]

@Sjm9911 By the time we go, 18 and 14. I am definitely letting them weigh in on the plan and sites to see. We kind of did the same of San Juan and it worked well. It has been 10-12 years for me, and I have never been tween Santa Cruz and Mulibu on the PCH, so this will also be an adventure for me. I think they will enjoy the sights and shops as long as I give some hotel pool downtime.

@Teamubr There is much to see, and La Jolla is planned part of the Day and a half in San Diego. Same with going to Coronado, and Point Loma.

On the road south from san fransico is the Winchester house. Weird, if you like that sort of stuff. I wouldn't spend the whole time on the PCH , that is the highway by the ocean , right? I did that once. Added a ton of time, and was fun for everyone that wasnt driving. Look for a spot to pull over look at some of the stuff and then look for the regular highway. Lol.

 

[jbrostek]

Hah... I know it's late in the day, but I guess I wasn't expecting the toilets to be sold out on Campingworld.com.

Well that is a crappy situation (had to say it.)

On the road south from san fransico is the Winchester house. Weird, if you like that sort of stuff. I wouldn't spend the whole time on the PCH , that is the highway by the ocean , right? I did that once. Added a ton of time, and was fun for everyone that wasnt driving. Look for a spot to pull over look at some of the stuff and then look for the regular highway. Lol.

Yes the trip is based around PCH most of the time eve if we have to work around the closure in Monterey area. Each drive is about 2 hours on the PCH with planned stops along the way. I think as long as I can stop and take it in I wont mind being the primary driver. I know in the city areas Melissa won't want to drive, they crazy out there.

 

[JPPT1974]

Yeah as don't like to drive in general. But it seems glad you like to drive. As that the freeways scare me. But have a blast over in Disney Fort.

 

[Teamubr]

Yeah as don't like to drive in general.

I think many of us may prefer to fly (or be driven), but I'm pretty cheap and would rather have my own house and car. So driving it is.

I also wouldn't mind the kind of drive James is planning. Drive a little. Stop and see what there is to see. Grab some lunch. Move on to the next stop or overnight stay.

Nice and relaxed and see some cool sights.

Most of my big trips though are 750-1000 mile plus drives to get to where we are going with limited stops on the way. Limited time to get there, see and do, before getting home. The coach makes that as comfortable as possible.

j

 

[Stratman50th]

I think many of us may prefer to fly (or be driven), but I'm pretty cheap and would rather have my own house and car. So driving it is. View attachment 815040

I also wouldn't mind the kind of drive James is planning. Drive a little. Stop and see what there is to see. Grab some lunch. Move on to the next stop or overnight stay.

Nice and relaxed and see some cool sights.

Most of my big trips though are 750-1000 mile plus drives to get to where we are going with limited stops on the way. Limited time to get there, see and do, before getting home. The coach makes that as comfortable as possible.

j

I'm with Jim except I do not fly any longer. We always drive. We recently did a car trip and stayed at a couple of hotels within a 3 hour drive but our own coach- rolling home is the number one preferred method.

 

[team bradfield]

the only way to travel

 

[jbrostek]

Yeah as don't like to drive in general. But it seems glad you like to drive. As that the freeways scare me. But have a blast over in Disney Fort.

I don't mind driving, and I think the road trip is going to be pretty relaxed since each hop is no more then 2 hours apart even on non highway speed roads. So while I will travel nearly 900 miles, it will be done very slowly.

When it comes to other trips, I prefer to take the RV. And usually try to limit how many hours a day we are on the road. But we are still young and PTO was limited. With my job moving to primary remote work, once school is done I can picture us taking trips with less travel and longer stays in between while I work for the day.