by It has always been our aspiration to one day see the world through a windshield and travel the county. We wanted to take our family, experience what this country offers, visit the National Parks, and connect with relatives. Today is that day! After months of repairs, upgrades, testing, and more testing, we have declared MandDy ready for the world.
Here is a little backstory to get you caught up… Kori drove MandDy from New Ulm, MN, without an inspection, not knowing if the old girl would even make it the first leg to Alabama. Alabama was a three-day drive; surprisingly, MandDy still had it in her. Kori and her Mom, Karen, made their first reunion trip in MandDy easily. We assumed we would need new tires and other assorted maintenance (the Generator had not run in 5 years), but the inspector had other plans.
MandDy, oh MandDy. The inspection revealed that MandDy had an issue with the roof and other assorted problems that we would require repair and mitigation. After Kori cold-called multiple places, the only viable solution came from Alan at fixmycamper.com. After exploring all repair options (even driving off a cliff), Alan’s crew developed an ingenious way to provide the much-needed structural support and make the roof watertight. MandDy got a couple of coats of a spray-on top (like a truck bed liner), and everything on the roof was replaced. It took three weeks to get her back, but we were pleased, and she was smarter and dryer.
Kori is teaching virtual classes this summer, and I quit my IT job for this trip. We needed a way for Kori to grade assignments and video conferences while on the go. We needed a reliable WIFi system to accommodate all the work and entertainment needs, and MandDy was due for a massive tech upgrade. We purchased a UDM from Ubiquiti, a Unifi AT&T LTE failover antenna, and a Verizon wireless jetpack. With all that, we should have enough availability for a few weeks without being connected to campground wifi.
Before our departure, we spent our last wonderful morning at home with my brother, Michael, and our niece, Adrianna. We hit the road around 1:15 pm EST, and the drive was smooth, albeit with some sprinkles. All seven animals (3 dogs & 4 cats…yes, you read that right) seemed to settle in.
Our 1st destination is Tuscumbia, AL, at the Seven Springs Lodge (284 miles)
