New England B.S. Thread

Camped for 2 nights in VA off of the Blue Ridge Parkway on the way down to Myrtle Beach. It was the first time she had camped. Us and the 2 giblets stayed in my 4 person coleman ground tent on a nice level gravel pad at a National Park campsite. The Mrs. now wants a RTT after seeing a few of them there. I was like if i got one would you actually go camping? I suspect no, but then I guess i could live that #overlund life.

 

It's really going to come down to what's more efficient from both a time and cost perspective, and I'll test that out on a 1'sq section for each method before tackling the whole thing. I'm not convinced that scraping will save any time, but it should save blasting media which means more of the trailer gets blasted for the same amount of capital expense. I'm aware that my time=money, but if I can spend a little more time and save a few bucks, well...this is my hobby time after all.

 

You keeping the surge brakes (assuming it came with them...)? Also what are you doing with the suspension, stock or something super duper fancy and expo overlund?

 

It had a manually operated parking brake that I removed with the rest of the old running gear. I'm putting on a setup similar to Rich's but with electric brakes. Starting with 2000lb Timbren 'axle-less' suspension (4"lift and extended spindles so I can run the same wheels and tires as my truck) with 3500lb electric brake equipped hubs (6 x 5.5" bolt pattern to match the truck).

Axles: https://timbren.com/i-30497987-2000-lb-hd-axle-less-trailer-suspension-w-4-lift-long-spindles.html⁠
⁠Hubs: https://timbren.com/i-30498041-3500-lb-electric-brake-hubs-6x5-5-bolt-pattern.html⁠

 

I like those timbres axle-less setups, they are pretty slick

 

I have seen those axle-less setups but didn't realize they were so expensive! I paid about $400 delivered for my 3500 lb conventional axle with brakes, bearings, and u-bolts.

 

Oh yeah, it can definitely be done cheaper with a traditional axle setup. I wanted to give these a try though.

 

I really like the Timbren Axle-less setups. Yes, there is most certainly a less expensive and still quite solid way of completing it with a traditional axle setup but I really like the clearance you get from the Timbrens. I will be using them on my trailer build as well.

 

Anti-elbow grease but also, pro-stripper

Got back last night from Lake George with the family and friends. Great camping weekend, little rain but nothing that really dampened the trip. Tired as all hell today, I need a recovery day...

 

I'm working and need a recovery day!

 

I have Monday off half day Friday. Hitting up VT woods with the dog and people, probably. Yee haw.

Ditch lights en route. I bought a kit w/ brackets on Amazon special. Lights might be mediocre BUT I have some cali raised LEDs I can put on there. Setting them up w/ connectors instead of hard wire so I can swap them out and put the white vs. amber ones on as I desire. And a CH4x4 switch to put it into the dash instead. I don't think I'll have more switches so one, maybe one more in the future, is plenty. The amazon kit comes with all the switches and wires and whatnot. For the cost, if I priced out a DIY wiring job, it would have been ~10 bucks cheaper. Plus a couple hours extra work. Just going straight to battery on this one w/ inline fuse. If I want to add more shenanigans in the future I'll get a fuse block or something but, for now no worries.

Also bought some of the OEM bed lights @Unchained 5150 for when I have my topper on. 30$ also amazon special

 

As long as they work, is all that matters.

 

For you northerners yall might see me in the infiniti pulling the trailer this Saturday. Heading up to Vermont to hit up Ben and Jerry's as well as Shelburne farms and museum. Then swap on over to New Hampshire and hit up Santa's village.

 

That's my neck of the woods. I'm guessing you'll use Rt2 to get from Shelburne back east to NH, you'll pass right by my place. After you pass through Marshfield Village, you're going to start climbing, there will be three sections of road with a truck lane, we live right near the top of the last one, after you've passed Mollys Falls Pond on your right.

 

Oh shiiiiii where in VT? I might be heading up too mid-day Friday. We have Monday off in RI for racist day victory day.

But I'm trying to get toward southern VT, Somerset area. I don't want to drive all the way up to Northern VT again.

 

One of the people I'm going with just found this as a potential camping spot about 20 minutes ago .... any knowledge? We'll have about 3-5 trucks looking for a spot. But we're again hopefully aiming south.

 

That's about a half hour from me. If you want some remote areas to drive through, going through Rowe/Monroe is interesting. That's one of the most remote areas in this state. If you drive by the decommissioned Yankee Rowe, you can see the casks that store the spent nuclear fuel from across the river. One side of the Hoosac Tunnel is pretty close and there's an abandoned pyrite mine near there too but I haven't been there.

 

Nice. I've been through there a handful of times, but the group I usually go with goes way up north and I'm just trying to see if I can convince them southern VT has stuff too

PS I've seen some bits - the dorset caves are NOT closed by the town, it's an angry land owner. But the town's not doing much to stop them. It sounds like all the town and locals wanted to do it but had no legal footing, so some dude got fed up and went for it, and nobody's really motivated to stop them.

 

There's no camping at the pond that you'd get a truck to. There are a few tent sites, but you'll have to hike or paddle to them. I'd suggest Groton SF - New Discovery Campground for something in this area. https://vtstateparks.com/newdiscovery.html

 

The pyrite mine is actually in Rowe. It has been abandoned for around 100 years. I don't know who owns the land or if there are any signs - I've only driven by.