Month August 2017

Boondocking Power

An important part in optimizing one's electrical system for boondocking is knowing what one's consumptions will be. If one already has the experience of being on the road, all one needs to do is monitor one's consumption. Sure, we have been nomads for 2 years. But that has been a matter of cooking over camp fires and working in coffee shops, libraries, or truck stops. To guess at our battery usage with all the conveniences of an RV, we an run the numbers to get a vague idea of what is to come.

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Great American Eclipse

Sun Reemerging 2017 Great American Eclipse at Cross Plains, Tennessee

The moment of totality is profoundly transcendent. Amidst the stars and planets, hemmed in by a 360° sunset, is a vision of the sun, in profile. Trust me, I have seen many pictures and videos before. I'll post many myself of what has been dubbed the "Great American Eclipse." But neither a thousand words nor a picture can truly do justice to the emotional immersion into a world, like our own, but seen in a completely alien light.

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Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory hosts a breathtaking collection of plants and animals from around the world. In visiting, we were immediately drawn to the Ape enclosure where one of the largest Gorillas in captivity reclined with an understated authority. That being said, it seems like the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is a place to be seen, not described. So, here we go:

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Stripping The 1970 Avion C11

Stripping The Avion Ultra Truck Camper

We settle into a new kind of normal around the Avion Ultra truck camper. Each morning, we wake up and discuss the day's priorities over breakfast. We work through the cool morning and early afternoon. If it gets too hot, we will break from heavy work in the heat of the afternoon to run errants: pick up tools and materials and make runs to the dump. We return to work in the evening, and clean the worksite at dusk. Over dinner, we discuss lessons learned from the day's work and tomorrow's goals. Before bed, we research tools, techniques, and inspiration for coming challenges.

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Hometown of Mark Twain

Before he adopted the pen name Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, the template for Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Fin's hometown.

Before he adopted the pen name Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens grew up in Hannibal, Missouri—the template for Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Fin's hometown. Today, the quiet town perched by the Mississippi is filled with callouts to Mark Twain and his famous creations. You can tour his home and learn about his complex relationship with the morals of his environment and the values he adopted later in life. In every quote, we are treated to the wit and wisdom of one of America's greatest storytellers.

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Hometown of Superman

On January 21, 1972, DC comics declared the fictional town of Metropolis to be the "Hometown of Superman." On June 9, 1972, the state of Illinois declared the very real town of Metropolis, Illinois to be the "Hometown of Superman." What followed was the inevitable scheduling of Superman themed events, attractions, and a very large statue in the town square.

On January 21, 1972, DC comics declared the fictional town of Metropolis to be the "Hometown of Superman." On June 9, 1972, the state of Illinois declared the very real town of Metropolis, Illinois to be the "Hometown of Superman." What followed was the inevitable scheduling of Superman themed events, attractions, and a very large statue in the town square.

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