Hi all. Just a quick intro since I'm not even supposed to be on the computer today. I'm supposed to be packing...

I'm 50, retired very recently, selling my house (it's under contract--and I'm a nervous wreck), and moving "back home" to Louisiana where the rest of my family lives. My oldest daughter and grandson (1 of 3 grandchildren) live with me (until tomorrow). I'm getting them moved back to Louisiana tomorrow so he can start school on time there. Then I get to come back here and finish packing/cleaning the house before closing. Once this is done, my plan is to buy a used Class C so I can travel (with a bit of moochdocking added in with family). 

OH yeah, I found this site via a riddle in another forum. lol

paid in full but i did hit google and find a promo code for 51% off hosting which saved $150 so the total was only $215 of which member donations covered over half

only had to zap about 600 smammers in two years so this should be fun,would figure i got most on india's ip's banned by now

now go and get a bunch of people and make this site active

Like lots of people here I started out over yonder.  Not very active,  Not very talkative, kinda like Forest Gump.  "That's all I got to say about that".  I'm building out a 2012 GMC Savana 2500 passenger van.  Mainly as a tow vehicle and short term "adventure" van.  My ol back won't let me stay hunched over too many more years.  Was planning on a TT but all the talk about toyhaulers that would probably suit me better.  Still in sticks and bricks dammit.  Double dammit because I had to cut weeds today.  Plan and hoping to get to Kenai peninsula in Alaska next spring.  I just installed solar in May and seems to be running great.  I've read much from Sternwake and others and that sure helped.  I just wish I had asked for his advice before I purchased the wrong batteries.  Odyssey 2150 x 2 because I fell for the ol "SALE" trap.  Great batteries but you need to read the maintenance manual before you start and see how they like to be kept happy.  They want a minimum of 80 amps from a deep cycle.  Had to spend much more money to keep them happy.

I know, I know everbody wants to see pictures.  Have one at the moment just before the wiring was finished. 

Oh, if you notice a small box sitting on the dash,  it's my stinkin badge.  I carry it with me in case I have to pull somebody over or sumpen.  I am Stands Upwind or AKA  "Don't eat that yellow snow"

Hope everybody's summer is going great.  Heat index has been up in the upper 90s here in NE Georgia.

Hello everyone! I've been working on my van for about a month and a half, have gotten the rust treated and a floor installed, and have just started the insulation. I will be moving in in about 10 days which is much sooner than I anticipated. Needless to say it will not be finished by then and I'll be working on it and living in it at the same time, which will be a fun challenge. I work 6 days a week and don't have a lot of time, so it will be an interesting experience to say the least. Anyway, if anyone has any experience with working full time while living in a van, I'd love to hear from you!

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Just dropping in to the Welcome Center to say hello,

I'm new to van life.  I own a 1999 Toyota Hiace and it's currently in the conversion stage. 

I've learned a lot so far about van life, camper conversions, etc.  I hope to continue learning more; especially about solar power, ventilation and purifying the air inside a van.

I only get to work on my van conversion one day per week so it's been a long camper conversion.  I estimate I have two days worth of work left, which for me translates into two weeks.

Anyway, I think I've rattled on enough.  Thanks for reading

HELLO FOLKS THIS IS THE "WELCOME CENTER" FORUM

THIS IS WHERE NEW MEMBERS CAN SAY HELLO AND TELL OTHER MEMBERS HERE SOMETHING ABOUT THEMSELVES OR NOT.  

MAYBE SOME FOLKS DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND THE VARIOUS FORUMS WHEN NEW TO A WEB SITE {WE ARE A WEB SITE} AREN'T WE?  MAYBE NOT? 
 Y'ALL KNOW I'M TECH-NO-LOGICLY CHALLENGED....RIGHT?

PERSONALLY I LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GREAT NEW MEMBERS EVEN WHEN I KNOW THEM FROM OTHER FORUMS.  THIS FORUM ALSO GIVES A NEW MEMBER THE CHANCE TO LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT THE MEMBERS HERE WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE.

WARNING 
   DO NOT LET ANTHING IN ANY THREAD WITH THE WORD  " Y A R C " IN IT SCARE YOU OFF 

NO ONE HAS TO USE THIS FORUM.  IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT.

NOW I'M DONE AS MY BOSS, QUEENIE NEEDS SOME ATTENTION 

JEWELLANN AND QUEENIE

Sorry double post

   NOTE TO SELF   "YOU ARE NO LONGER A SPRING CHICKEN"  THEREFORE YOU SHOULD NEVER,  NEVER,  EVER AGAIN PICK UP A LARGE ICE CHEST, WITH 20lbs OF ICE IN IT, UP OFF THE GROUND BY YOURSELF AND UP INTO A VAN WITH A 2IN LIFT ON IT<<<<DUMB ASS.
  IF YOU DO YOUR NECK WILL THEN HURT UP INTO YOUR JAWS<<<<DUMB ASS  

EVEN THO MY FRIG IS COOLING SOMEWHAT I HAVE BEEN ICING DOWN MY INSULINS FOR ABOUT 4 DAYS.

THE LAST TIME I HAD ONLY A ICE CHEST FOR REFRIGERATION WAS 1979.  I WAS CAMPING IN A 19ft T.T. & THEN I KEPT THE ICE CHEST SITTING IN THE BATHTUB COVERED WITH HEAVY BLANKETS.  I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE INSULIN AND NOT SO MUCH THE FOOD.

IT REALLY HURT LAST TUESDAY NIGHT WHEN I DID A COMPLETE PURGE ON MY FRIG.  I KNOW I THREW AWAY AT LEAST $100 IF NOT MORE OF FOOD AND CONDIMENTS.  I HAD JUST STOCKED UP ON FRESH FRUIT AND VEGGIES.

LUCKILY THERE IS A PLACE HERE WHERE FOR $1.75 I CAN GET 16lbs OF FRESHLY BAGGED ICE.  OR 20lbs DROPPED FROM A CHUTE INTO MY ICE CHEST.  I WENT FOR THE 20lbs DROPPED INTO DOUBLED CLEAN TRASH BAGS UNTIL I COULD GET HOME AND REBAG/PLACE IT INTO CONTAINERS.

SO I'M THINKING 2 GALLON FREEZER BAGS OF ICE WITH THE FOOD PACKED ON/ AROUND THEM IN THE BIG ICE CHEST.  THEN ICE IN CONTAINERS WITH A LAYER OF FOAM PLATES AS INSULATION BETWEEN THE ICE AND INSULIN.

SINCE THE FRIG IS SEMI WORKING I'LL PLACE SOME INSULIN WITH ICE IN IT.  THEN ALSO PUT SOME INSULIN IN A ICE CHEST TOO.

I'D APPRCIATE ANY ADVICE OR INPUT FROM ANY OF YOU.

JEWELLANN

PS  WHEN I WENT TO GET THE BIG ICE CHEST THE SPRING OR WHATEVER MECHANISM THAT ROLLS UP THE OVERHEAD DOORS ON MY 10X20 STORAGE UNIT FAILED WHEN I HAD IT RAISED ABOUT 5FT.  I WAS ABLE TO BACK AWAY WHEN I DROPPED IT. 

 THEN I RAISED IT ABOUT 4ft  & JAMMED A PIECE OF WOOD UNDER EACH SIDE OF THE DOOR + PLUS BOTH A FOLDING METAL CHAIR AND A WOODEN ONE FOR SUPPORT WHILE I QUICKLY {WELL IT WAS MY  VERSION OF "QUICKLY"} WENT IN AND CAPTURED MY NEW TO ME RUBBERMADE  ICE CHEST.  

IT HAS WHEELS, 3 HANDLES. A SPLIT LID THAT WILL HOLD 2 GLASSES/CANS IN EACH LID, AND I CAN SIT ON IT. 
  IT MIGHT BE ONE OF BEST $10 I'VE SPENT LATELY.

Older info on treating snakebite also say to apply a tourniquet. Most people didn't realize that a snakebite tourniquet was much looser than one for blood hemhorraging.
 
But there are always people who insist on doing it the old way, and by God, nobody is gonna tell 'em different.

Blood runs quickly through arteries and veins, and if the venom is injected directly into into one of them, I've heard death happens in a few minutes.  But snake venom usually moves through the lymph system because the venom molecules are too large to be assimilated into the blood system. DO NOT APPLY A TOURNIQUET AT ALL. In most instances, application of a tourniquet for as little as 20 minutes guarantees amputation of the limb.