The Wine Is Chilling

:-) I am more than a little bit happy to report I passed the driving test for my class 1 licence today. Nobody can possibly be as surprised as I am. The examiner told me twice I passed and laughed when I asked him again. I couldn't believe it.

It is just a huge relief to have this behind us. Everything hinged on having a class 1 licence, because without it this whole adventure would not be possible. But I did pass and it possible and it is going to happen.

The licence is done so we were planning to leave for Indiana on Monday to get our 5th wheel. BUT we did run into a bit of a snag today when the repair shop told us they couldn't finish the hitch install and some other work until Monday. Not a big deal, it just sets us back one day and we'll be fine leaving on Tuesday instead. The problem is everyone is in holiday mode with the long weekend this weekend.

We were able, after about an hours work, to get a motor home licence for the truck yesterday. It was a bit of a hassle but thanks to persistence and a really good young man at the insurance agency we got it done. We were very pleased, it saves us a few hundred $ a year and makes it a certainty that we don't have to pay commercial fees as we travel.

Bernie and I are going to spend a few hours on the truck tomorrow, using a polishing compound to get the paint all nice and shiny. Once we get back from Indiana with the trailer we are going to take the truck back out there to have the frame sandblasted and then painted. Since it has been used commercially the salt has taken it's toll on the frame paint. We want it nice and shiny and black so we're going to get it done asap. Unfortunately we can't have it done before we go for the rv because time is running short. We have to be out of the condo by the 20th which means we're down to less than three weeks.

Gotta go, Bernie is preparing a nice celebration dinner and as I mentioned "the wine is chilled."

Talk soon and thanks for reading our blog.

Neal & Bernie

Sunday Morning

Sunday morning and all is quiet at our house.

Things are progressing nicely and it looks like we just might be ready to leave for Indiana on July 5th. Thinking positively, we made an appointment with the rv people for the morning of the 7th.

The driving lessons are going well, they think I am test ready on a number of points but I still have to work on the air brake inspection some more. Daughter Leslie suggested I cut it up into a bunch of small tests in my head and then just memorize a series of bite size pieces. I think it's going to work. I have the majority of it down pat and will have the rest by the end of next week when I hope to do the exam.

The hitch arrived from Kentucky on Friday and we moved the truck from one shop to another. Now it's going to get the hitch installed and a whole lot of little things done that are necessary to make it an rv puller. The big ones are the hitch and the electrical connections for the trailer. The truck has air brakes and the trailer has electric brakes so they have to install whatever it needs to do that conversion. Apparently it's no big deal but I know "0" about those mechanics.

On Monday afternoon we're going to licence it. We want to licence it as a motor home and I think we should be able to do it. Our provincial regulations say it has to have a bed plus a sink or fridge. It has a bed and we'll put our travel fridge in it. This makes it a motor home in my opinion, however "my opinion" doesn't really count for much with the insurance company. The savings amount to a few hundred $ per year and I would like to do it if I can.

So if this all falls into place we'll have our Freightliner motor home ready by next Friday. I just can't wait. The day we head out on the road with this thing will be a BIG BIG BIG day for us. We're close now.

Today we're going to a motorcycle poker derby, show and shine, and bud and spud dinner. It's called "Wings For Warren." Warren was a good friend who passed away last year from cancer and this is a fund raiser for cancer care.

I would like to encourage you to please leave a comment on here once in awhile if you're reading it. They don't bite and it will make it more fun for those that are reading it. I follow a couple of other "full time rv" blogs and the comments are great.

Have a great week, I have to go and study a "bite size piece" of an air brake manual.

The Big Rig

So here is, yours truly, and his training truck. I finally had enough nerve to ask them to take my picture with it yesterday. Rob wants to know if it comes with "Training Wheels," and Brady thinks me driving this is a "Scary" thought. Nice to have support from your family.

These guys have five of these rigs and are adding at least two more. They aren't cheap so I have to think they must be doing ok.

I'm about 1/2 way through the course now and I'm making progress. Last night (4:30 to 8:30) we were in town all the time, but, tonight we get to do some highway driving. I really like that idea. The inspections and air brake knowledge is building and although I have a tough ten days ahead of me I think I can get through it all by the beginning of July.

The air hitch for the truck is on it's way from Kentucky, the new fenders for it have arrived, the old bumper is off and the new one goes on today. We did a deal with the seller to exchange the 24" tires for some low profile ones which should make it more functional for our purposes. The guys at All Rig Custom are expecting to get their hands on it tomorrow to start installing the hitch and lay it out for the Smart car. Can't wait to head down the road in our Big Truck, with a little Willie Nelson on the radio, and my CB humming in the background.

Some guys "Never Grow Up." It's a good thing...........

Been away for awhile

Since we were away for awhile I got very behind on updating this, I wasn't worried until sister Jan and friend Lynn told me they have been watching it. So to those of you that have been watching I apologize.

We were away for Amber's (daughter) university graduation in Calgary, Alta. She and her husband Dallas have purchased a new home there and she now works with Shell Oil in corporate communications. It was a proud moment for us and a great family afternoon at Amber and Dallas's home.

Following Amber's grad and surrounding festivities we left for our annual motorcycle adventure. Son's Brady and Rob, son in law John, and yours truly left on a fantastic seven day motorcycle adventure from Calgary to Vancouver and back to Calgary. We rode some amazing roads through the US and Canadian Rockies. We had a few days riding with friends Roland and his son Anthony, Glenn, and then a nice breakfast with Mick in Kelowna.

We were able to spend on day and night with daughter Colleen and husband Tim and their family in Langley, BC. They just finished an amzing new home. We had a fun time in the pool and hot tub with their kids.

This link will take you to our motorcycle blog www.johngergely.com/blog

We got to spend some time with my sister Jan and her husband Mel in Calgary as well. She spoils me with her famous carrot cake every time we go there. Bernie stayed on for a couple of days after we left for our ride and they did their best to get into trouble. They didn't say much but I do know there were significant amounts of Chardonnay and shopping involved.

So now that fun and family time is over and we have to get back to passing this class one drivers test. I had two lessons last week, both involved driving and pulling a 53' trailer. The driving part is progressing nicely but the air brake testing part is giving me an ulcer. Since there are no choices I will pass it. They have tightened up the rules a lot in recent years and it's tough. I guess it should be. They tell me that 80+% of the commercial drivers on the road today couldn't pass this if they were asked to do it today.

One example is we have to back the truck and trailer through a set of cones without touching any one of them and bring it to a stop within 3 feet of the rear center cone which of course you can't see. The time allocation is 5 minutes and you can only pull forward three times. The trailer is loaded to 20,000 lbs. Touch any cone, pull ahead 4 times, or miss the 3' mark and you can go home. Actually this would be a really fun course and enjoyable if it weren't for the time pressure we're under. I certainly am going to be a better driver at the end of it.

The truck is in the shop now, having a bunch of work done to it so we can have it by month end. They have taken the commercial hitch off of it and removed the instructor seat. The big bumper has been removed from the front and is being replaced with the proper Freightliner one. Bernie and I are having them install a new set of fenders on the back to protect our trailer. Then it goes over to the other shop for install of our air ride 5th wheel hitch and then it will be ready to go for the new trailer.

We're going to worry about paint and so forth once we get moved into the trailer and life settles down a bit.

So that has to be it for now as I have to go and study an air brake manual.