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ALL CHAPTER MEMBERS PARTICIPATING IN THE 2010 NEW ENGLAND
TRIP SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER ATTENDING TO THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, TO MAKE OUR
TRIP MORE ENJOYABLE AND TROUBLE FREE.
COOLING SYSTEM
..REPLACE ANY OLD OR WORN BELTS AND HOSES. IF YOUR RADIATOR IS MARGINAL HAVE
IT FLUSHED OR REPLACED.
FILTERS [ALL]
..PUT IN A NEW ONE AND CARRY A SPARE. DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION
FILTER
BRAKE SYSTEM
..WE WILL BE IN SOME MODERATE MOUNTAIN GRADES, IF YOUR BRAKES ARE MARGINAL
GET THEM SERVICED BEFORE WE LEAVE.
TIRES
..TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THEM AND THE SPARE AND INSURE PROPER INFLATION. WE WILL
BE RUNNING AT LEASURELY SPEEDS SUITABLE FOR THE TERRAIN, THERE WILL BE
SUSTAINED INTERSTATE DRIVING OF UP TO 65 MPH ACROSS THE FLATLANDS. THE MOST
COMMON PROBLEM WE EXPERIENCED IN 2006 WAS TIRES THAT COULD NOT STAND UP TO
THE HEAT, IF YOUR TIRES ARE 3 YEARS OLD OR MORE, IT WILL SAVE US ALL A LOT OF
HEADACHES IF YOU PUT ON NEW SHOES BEFORE WE LEAVE.
LAMPS AND MISC
..ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NO NIGHT DRIVING PLANNED, WE ALWAYS SEEM TO RUN JUST A BIT
LATE ARRIVING AT OUR DESTINATIONS. THERE MAY BE OCCASIONS WHEN WE WILL DRIVE
AROUND TOWN TO RESTAURANTS, SO LOOK AT YOUR LIGHTS FRONT AND REAR, AS WELL AS
THE BRAKE AND TURN SIGNALS. PUT ON A FRESH SET OF WIPERS TOO.
A/C SYSTEM / HEATERS
..IF YOUR CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH AIR, HAVE IT SERVICED BEFORE WE LEAVE. IT CAN
GET HOT IN THE EAST EVEN IN EARLY OCTOBER, THOSE THAT HAD MALFUNCTIONING
SYSTEMS IN 2006 HAD A FEW MISSERABLE HOURS FOR THIS REASON. THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR YOUR HEATERS, IT IS
POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME COLD MORNINGS IN THE NEW ENGLAND MOUNTAINS,
AND SNOW THAT TIME OF YEAR IS NOT UNHEARD OF.
MAKE SURE YOUR DEFROSTERS KICK OUT WARM AIR TOO!
DRIVE YOUR CAR
..IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOUR CAR BE DRIVEN FREQUENTLY PRIOR TO GOING ON THE
TRIP TO FIND ANY OF THOSE GREMLINS. CARS THAT WERE NOT REGULARLY DRIVEN PRIOR
TO OUR TRIPS WERE THE ONES WE EXPERIENCED THE MOST TROUBLE WITH. A COUPLE OF
200+ MILE TRIPS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE WILL NORMALLY FIND ANY OF THOSE ‘”OH
YEAH”’ ISSUES THAT WE TEND TO OVERLOOK.
A
SAG TRUCK WITH A CAR TRAILER THAT WILL CARRY HAND TOOLS SUFFICIENT TO CORRECT
MOST MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR TASKS. [ALL PARTICIPANTS WILL SHARE THE COST OF FUEL FOR THIS VEHICLE, MONTY IS DRIVING IT THIS
YEAR]. SHORT OF A MAJOR COMPONENT BREAK DOWN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIX
PROBLEMS WITH MINIMAL DOWN TIME, OR LOAD THE CAR ON THE TRAILER.
WE WILL MAKE A LIST OF REPAIR PARTS SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN 2006 AND 2008, TO
PUT IN THE TRUCK, AS INSURANCE. IF THE PART GETS USED, THE USER PAYS FOR THE
PART. IF IT DOES NOT GET USED, WE CAN RETURN IT. EVEN THE LARGER TOWNS DO NOT
CARRY THE ESSENTIAL PARTS WE NEED TO KEEP MOVING. REMEMBER WE ARE DRIVING
CARS THAT ARE AS OLD AS 50 YEARS. GOOD PRIOR MAINTENANCE WILL HELP ENSURE A
FUN TIME.
RADIOS
..ALL CARS WILL CARRY A SMALL 2-WAY RADIO, [ABOUT $20]. THIS WILL HELP US TO
KEEP TOGETHER, ENCOURAGE BANTER, AND AID IF TROUBLE OCCURS. RADIO'S WILL BE
CHECKED EVERY MORNING BEFORE WE DEPART THE MOTEL. KEEP A SPARE SET OF
BATTERIES READILY AVAILABLE.
FUELING
PRIOR TO OUR EVENING STOP WE WILL TRY TO FUEL ALL VEHICLES AT ONCE. THIS WILL
HELP US TO HAVE A SMOOTHER MORNING START TIME.
PACKING LIST
THE WEATHER IN OCTOBER SHOULD BE IDEAL WITH WARM DAYS AND COOL NIGHTS, BUT A
MEDIUM WIEGHT JACKET FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS WILL COME IN HANDY. WE ALWAYS SEE A WIDE SWING IN THE WEATHER
ON OUR TRIPS SO BE PREPARED FOR RAIN AND SUN EXTREMES
MOST
OF THE MOTELS WE STAY IN HAVE SWIMMING POOLS, BUT MAY BE CLOSED FOR THE
SEASON
IF
YOU LIKE TO BUY SOUVENIRS IT MAY BE WISE TO PRINT OUT SOME SHIPPING LABELS TO
SEND YOUR ITEMS BACK HOME. IT IS AMAZING HOW FAST YOU CAN FILL UP A CAR WITH
TREASURES. WE CAN FIND A POST OFFICE AS NEEDED QUITE EASILY.
IT
MAY SOUND LIKE A NO BRAINER BUT TAKE THE CAMERA AND FILM. IF YOU HAVE A
DIGITAL CAMERA, MARLO WILL HAVE A COMPUTER TO DOWNLOAD EACH DAYS PICTURES SO
WE CAN DO A PHOTO ALBUM SIMILAR TO THE 2006 TRIP, THIS TURNED OUT GREAT AND
EVERYONE LOVED IT.
WE
WILL BE DINING AT A FEW NICER PLACES SO TAKE A DRESSIER [DOCKER TYPE] SET OF
DUDS ALONG.
SOME
STURDY SHOES ARE A MUST AS WE WANDER AROUND THE WASHINGTON DC AREA.
SUNGLASSES ARE ALSO A MUST. SUNSCREEN, AND A HAT ISN’T A BAD IDEA EITHER.
GROUP
BREAKFAST TIME IS 7 AM. IF YOU ARE NOT A MORNING PERSON IT MAY BE A GOOD IDEA
TO PACK SNACKS INSTEAD OF RISING EARLY FOR BREAKFAST IN ORDER TO MEET THE
START DRIVE TIME.
BE READY TO GO
BE PATIENT, AND BE PROMPT. WE WILL ALL MAKE A FUEL STOP AT THE END OF THE
DRIVING DAY, PRIOR TO CHECKING INTO THE MOTEL. PLEASE
FUEL YOUR CAR EVERY TIME WE ALL FUEL DURING THE
DAY, AND USE THE RESTROOM. A
WORD TO THE WISE IS THAT SOME ISOLATED AREAS WE HAVE TRAVELED THROUGH THE
NORTHEAST WILL NOT LET YOU USE THE RESTROOM UNLESS YOU BUY GAS. GAS PRICES FLUXUATE GREATLY BUT RARELY IN
THE SAME TOWN, SEARCHING FOR A BARGAIN MAY SAVE YOU A PENNY BUT WASTE OTHER
PEOPLES TIME WAITING FOR YOU.
TAKING A GROUP OF CARS LIKE OURS
ON A TRIP IS LIKE HERDING CATS. THE MAJORITY OF THE DELAYS WE EXPERIENCED IS
WHEN SOMEONE FAILED TO FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS. IN THE LARGER METRO AREAS IT CAN BE A BITCH
TO KEEP TOGETHER, WE WILL ISSUE HANDOUTS OF THESE AREAS INCASE WE GET
SEPERATED WITH RONDEVUE POINTS. IF YOU
OWN A GPS IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO BRING IT ALONG.
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