van and flatbed

We had to buy a 15 passenger van to fit all of us in. We bought a bigger van so we would have room for our “stuff”. We travel with all of our winter jackets, mittens, and hats. We have all of our swim suits and life jackets along. There is a snow sled crammed in the side so we can sled in the snow and on sand dunes. It also makes a great, little pool for Tytus when it is hot out. We have a hiking back pack with all of our nature and identification books in it, along with compasses, emergency blankets, first aid kit, and snacks. Diaper bag, cooler, baby slings that I sell, Cody’s bread knives, map, and all of the other things we could possible need get shoved into every corner of our van. We just put the back seat back in, it was taken out for a while, so we can hopefully sell it soon and get a camper van.

I pull the flat bed with 4 atvs, 3 kayaks, gear, bikes, and random objects strapped on it. The first few weeks pulling it were a little bit hard. I was not used to towing anything, so I had to really think about what was behind me. I hated bridges. There is no room for me and another vehicle to pass by me. I would slow down and wait until the other car went over it, then I would cross it. Now, I didn’t do that if someone was behind me!

I have been towing the trailer for over a year now and don’t have any problems with it. I am used to driving with it behind me. I do have to make sure I have extra room to stop. Otherwise, there is not much difference for me.

It is hard to believe we have put on over 20,000 miles in a year. Cody gave me all of the statistics of how we could of driven around the world, how many minutes and hours we have spent driving. Have we really gone that far? Wow!

I know that if I am driving the van, it is my responsibility to know how to take care of it and what to do in certain emergencies. Shae does all of the oil and maintenance, so I just rely on him for most things to do with our vehicles. I rarely even put in gas. When I am out driving around, I have to purposely look at the gas level, because sometimes I just forget to; I have gotten so used to Shae just filling it!

I don’t believe in blame or excuses, so I take total responsibility for what I am about to tell you. We knew our van had an overheating problem. This was going to be my first big mountain pass to drive over. I was hauling the flatbed with all of our toys on it. I should have researched overheating.

BUT I DID NOT
I DID NOT RESEARCH ANYTHING

Well, I know you know where this is going...

We began going up Hwy 16, from Buffalo to Ten Sleep, over Powder River Pass. I hadn’t been climbing the mountain long when I noticed my water temperature gauge rising. It was just a little at first. I tried to slow down a little, but that didn’t help.
I called Shae on the walkie talkie and he said to slow down

and .....what?
Oh no! We lost signal.

I hurried and tried him on the cell phone....

Oh No! No signal!

I really didn’t know what to do. I had Hanna dial Shae’s number over and over, but no answer. The gauge kept rising.

I knew I needed to pull over. I found a spot and got off the road. My father passed away in 04’, so I couldn’t call him,

WHO ELSE?

I tried my father-in-law. He said to turn off the air. BIG OOPS ON MY PART! Never turn on the air if your vehicle is over heating. My mother-in-law shouted from the background...”I just read in a travel book to turn your heat on high if you are overheating!” So, I cranked the heat.

After a few minutes, the temperature began to go down. I got back on the road and drove ahead to where Shae had finally found a spot to pull over. He couldn’t believe I had the air on. It was pretty dumb of me. I should have known better.

I did learn a lot that day...
•First, be prepared for what situation I am in. Shae may not be there to help me.
•Second, do not turn on the air when we are driving up a mountain.
•Third, my mother-in-law knows random facts that she doesn’t need to know living in flat Florida.

WE HAD TO BUY A VAN , ALSO! WITH NEW BABY, WE DON’T ALL FIT IN THE TRUCK!
written summer 09

By the time we got back to Missouri we were all pretty sick of being cramped in that truck for 1 ½ years. We knew that once baby
boy was born we would not fit in the truck anymore. We began looking for a 15 passenger van. Now, some ask why we need
the 15 pass. and not the 11 passenger van. Well, there is no storage in the 11 pass. We have to have room for strollers, groceries,
toys, snacks, school stuff, junk, etc. Shae found one in Republic. It is a tan Chevy Express. It is not new, but we just couldn’t afford a new one. We got a great deal on this one, it is a 2006 and we only paid $13,000. We had to get a loan, which we hated to do. We have enjoyed being
debt free. Our payment is about $300 a month. We went with the Chevy because it is a lot safer. !5 passenger vans are considered a bus.
There are a lot of accidents with them because people load them down with luggage and 15 adults. Then, they drive it like a car. It can not
maneuver like a car, so it rolls over. Chevy has done a lot to make there model safer than Ford. Dodge doesn’t even make them anymore.
Chevy has made the wheel base longer among other things. I’ll have to get Shae to write about all of that soon. We love having all of
the room. I just don’t know how we all fit in one little vehicle before. I will have to drive the van and pull our flat bed trailer with
the 4 atvs, 3 kayaks, 7 bikes, 2 scooters, and boat motor. We don’t have the boat yet, just don’t have the money. We want a 12’ inflatable
boat, they are about $800. I have pulled the trailer quite a bit, and it is not too bad. We had hoped to get a covered trailer, but they are
about $4000. We just don’t have the money with the van payment and hospital bills. Maybe one of these days, when I make it big
on our websites.. hee hee hee. We had a couple of close calls while on the road this past fall; the kids and I were almost in a shooting
at a Walmart in south Florida, a manatee almost tipped over my kayak, and I had bad cramps while I was in late pregnancy and was
driving down the road. Shae wasn’t with us during those times and if I had needed him, he would of had one heck of a time getting to us.
Having two vehicles will cost more and be more of a hassle, but will be better.