Florida bound

C

captd

New member
Trying out this new wireless. It works, we are spending the night in Belgrade, Montana, at the Flying J. And we are not paying them a dime for this post. The freeze is chasing us out of Montana. By tomorrow we should be past Kansas City.

The 450 Ford does a great job of towing the Ranger and hauling the heavy camper. No question it is much better than the one ton.. The Tinberens suspension is much better than air bags. I will weigh the rig at the first opportunity. Hope to post some pictures in the next day or two of the last things done on the boat. I put a pod on the sports rack. Extra space came in pretty handy. Got the pudgy mounted on the dive platform. Diesel is running from 3.59 to $3.71, God all mighty it is going to break this country. That cost of fuel will be added on to every thing we buy and do. Looks like mileage is going to be around 7 to 10 miles per gal. 3000 miles could run $1000 to 1200. I long for the good old days when it was 21 cents a gal. Course I was only getting $1.50 to 2.50 an hour in those good old days, if I could find a job at all.

Captd
 
If you get down to I/10, please give us a shout--(that goes for any C Dory/Ranger heading down to Florida)---as some C Brats know, we have both RV hookups and a dock (if you can get over the sand bar) plus an open door policy. There is a new ramp going in near our house, but I am not sure when it will be done.

I don't blame you for leaving Montana--we almost got snowed in up there in early OCT! 77 today here in Pensacola.
 
Hunky Dory,
Cathy and I are putting in at Ft Myers on the 17th and playing in the waters from there south for a week. Keep us posted on where your at. We have friends along the way we will be checking in with, so we can try to stay current on checking your posts. I have bought several lap tops in the recent past (4) and there always seems to be a reason for them to go off to school. I am waiting until after Christmas (all kids have come and gone) to get the next one to set up for on the boat. I will make sure to lock it down. Maybe we can cross paths and I can drool over that good looking boat of yours :smiled
 
Greetings to all the Brats,

Wind blew us through Wyoming and ended up for the night here in Rapid City, South Dak. Another Flying J. Free camping helps pay that high fuel bill. Wind tomorrow expect to be 35 with gusts to 50 mph.

We underguesstamated the amount of fuel between Billings and Gillette Wy. Fuel light came on and we were down to about 10 miles left as we pulled into one of those everlovin Flying J's. Mis Dee says no more of that shit. Your kind of out in the boones in that stretch.

We plan on coming into Florida from the north right down into Panama City. Old friend we stop and visit coming and going.But thank you for the invite. Someday I would like to stop in and say hello. From there to Ocala for Thanksgiving with friends. We will drop the boat off in Crystal River for some screens on the king Canvas top. The Ocala Buddy has lined up some Grouper fishing and I can't miss that. I would guess at the end of the month we will put in at Sanford. Unless someone sugqests a better plan.
Time for bed, its been a long day.

Captd
 
Greetings Captd,

You are in my old stomping grounds. If you are going east on I-90, there is another Flying J just south of the intersection with I-29 at Sioux Falls (assume you are heading south there). Their fuel prices are usually the lowest in that area. If you don't need to stop yet, the next good place for fuel is at the Vermillion Exit (26, I think) on I-29, still in SD. Wave at my dear ol' Mother as you pass Dakota Dunes at the last SD exit before Iowa.

Travel safe and keep heading towards the warmth!

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
CPTD: Looks like you have a fun trip going there! Taking a peak at the map, looks like to end up in Panama City area you will hit Kansas City, Memphis, then B-ham/Montgomery, AL....and on down 231 to the coast. Have traveld the roads you are on a couple of time going back and forth to Oak Harbor, WA from down here. Neat stuff....but for sure a need to keep your eyes on the fuel gauge and plan ahead. While at one of the Flying J's... I use their scales to get my weights. First weigh the entire rig & then pull over to the trailer parking area, unhook the boat, go back for the second weigh-in. Get inside, you get two weight tickets with axle weights, and you know the total weight of the boat rig, and tow rig as she goes down the roads. I also make it a point to top off with fuel just prior to the weigh ins.

If you find yourself with a bit of a detour east side of Memphis and in the Nashville area, give me a shout. Sometimes email Terry in NY on Last Dance and ask him what all you can do with the window on those long...long days of open highway. :mrgreen:

Safe Travels!

Byrdman
 
Darryl & Dee, the trout and sheephead and redfish are biting and the oysters are really good ! Hopefully you will make a quick stop in Eastpoint/Apalachicola ??????? Ill have a bay boat ready to go..........
Marc
 
Brats,
Mark, I will be there eating oysters with in the week. Not much time to stay there and fish tho.
Ya Byrdman, that is about the way if I remember right . Dee does the navigation. We are taking the shortest route. Must have made the same trip at least forty times. You would think we wouldn't even need a map.

Jim, We are parked in the Cabelas parking lot for the night. We had planned to stay at that Flying J , but the wind is blowing so hard we thought to heck with it. I kind of let my mouth overload my a___ on the first post. Kansas was out of the question when suggested.

Wind was behind us today. Fuel mileage went up to 10 mpg. Wow!
Rig tows very nice, 450 with manuel trans makes it easy.

Later Captd
 
captd":jfrqb1fg said:
We are parked in the Cabelas parking lot for the night. ...
Later Captd
Click to expand...

You must be in Mitchell. Yeah, it can get nasty windy across that part of SD. Our experience has been that fuel is generally higher in Mitchell than Sioux Falls. The Culver's (just before Cabela's) has great strawberry shortcake, if you're so inclined. 8) Just over 400 miles across SD (and another 80 if you turn south on I-29), but the rest of the states seem to pass easier as you head south.

Good luck and travel safe.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim,
To late for that short cake. We are now in Missouri. We have had high winds for the last 3 days. Mostly off our rear quarter. Gust were as high as 63 in Wyoming. I think we are out of it finally. We can take our time now. Chances of a big freeze or snow storm are pretty remote. We got a camp ground last night. This morning I will rinse the water system and fill up with clean water.
Fuel has gotten a little cheaper. $3.45 pg. I can't figure it out. Why is diesel more than premium gas? While leaving Montana I did run across the truckers from Dakotas. It was a good news, bad news situation. The good news is they were marching on Washington,. The bad news is they were half way across Montana. Now don't anyone get upset over this....I was born in North Dakota. There are probably no C-Brats in North Dakota or South Dakota anyway.....................Is there?

Did everyone hear Marc at Wefing offer to take me out fishing and that he had a Bay boat ready to go? Pay attention to this part of this thread. We got to see if that post is PR or is Marc really a nice guy......or
what. After all, He can't sell me another boat......... for awhile. :thup

Captd
 
Just dont bring any of that mid country weather with you and we are good to go........................... Let me know what day you think you will be here . Marc
 
Marc is a good guy and will do what he says. (I suspect this may be subject to his work demands, but we have found him always "available".)

Darn! The winds are already out of the north and we are having temperature drops into the 30's at night. See if you cannot leave that cold up there !

Diesel varies, but in the South, it is higher than Gas, In Pensacola gas is $3.05, diesel #3.35 at the pump.

Good driving.
 
Thank you Bob, There is the "fishing beats working" factor in Daryll's favor as well ............. Nothing I like more than the pressure to put someone on some fish !!!!! Ill do my best .
Marc
 
Its too late the cold is already here in North Alabama. Also Marc is more than just an outstanding guy.

Hey if you need a free place to stop over in north Alabama this wekend give me a call (256 475 7251). I can provide electric & water. I have a R25 on order (early 2008) so I would like to see yours and share any sea stories you might have. I am located next to Georgia state line near Centre AL so check map before you decide - it might be too much of a departure from your intended route.
 
We know of one c-Dory in South Dakota - OURS :smiled . Just got our 25 in August.
We'll head out around Christmas and head for the warmth of Florida for 3 months. We'll be in the Keys so if anyone is heading that way, look us up at Mangrove Marina at Tavernier.

MollyJ
 
Capt. D. let me stand on my soap box and yell at the top of my lungs.....MARC'S THE MAN
and if he says your going fishn' , then you can take it to the bank.

With all that cold weather you are bringing south with you, I have decided to catch a ride on that big C-Dory "Magisty of the Seas" and head for the Bahamas this weekend.....I just hope the Gulf Scream warms up that North Wind.
 
Papillon":1ufbzdkq said:
...I just hope the Gulf Scream warms up that North Wind.
Click to expand...

Ohhhh... Gulf Stream... north wind... stand on the top deck and look towards the east; if you see the waves look like "marching elephants", time to take some Dramamine. :roll:

Have fun, Mike; don't let Judy spend it all in the ship casino on the way over.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Molly and Andy,
Glad to hear you have joined the club. Hope to meet up with you guys.
We are about to enter highway 10 in the morning . Should be in Panama City tomorrow. We did not bring cold fronts south. In fact it was 72 degrees in So Dak when we went through. Huh Molly?
This Alltell connection would not post for me last night. Hope it does now. The weather for traveling has been great. Except for the wind.

Who ever heard of a boat dealer with a fan club? Marc, are you pulling a Hillary?

See you guys shortly.
Darrel (Captd)
 
Honky Dory,
Do your best to be at Sanford durning the later part of the week. Other wise the stores will all be closed down town. They are closed for sure Mondays and most are closed on Tuesdays as well. The river walk is SO worth the trip ! I could see us living here easy just for that daily walk. So many nice families walking with kids, folks fishing at the edge of the water, and the huge swings to sit in and just enjoy the view. Have fun :o If you happen to go to Welaka say HI to Elvis for us ! He lives there you know ? :o Plus the wooden boats are too cool to pass up !
Tracy
 
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