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I’m back in Florida for the month of March and part of April. I’ll be posting some things I’m planning on doing to the van to make it even better for me…and maybe another toy…or two. More after the break………

26 Feb…Thinking about getting an enclosed trailer for the bike and buggy. A 7×12 foot Vee nose will be super tight…maybe too tight…I don’t want anything too big…a 7×14 would be perfect but hmmm….

29 Feb…Making a few changes to the van…took out the Bosch water heater…thing weighs around 50 pounds with the water in it and it’s not very efficient with the heating…took it all out and installed a tankless water heater. Really nice…light weight, simple, and I can adjust the water flow and temp right on the front of the unit. When I want to take a shower I just grab the propane tank from under the sink/cooktop (I’m taking the big tank out and replacing it with a standard one tomorrow) and hook her up.

Oh and the last night on the road heading home was spent at the Cracker Barrel in Crestview Fl…poured down rain all night…slept like a baby…love sleeping in the van when it’s raining….I’m in my little cocoon all snug and warm 🙂

Been watching some more videos from the King of the Hammers off road races I attended last month with Rich and John. If you ever get a chance to attend you’ll see the fastest offroad vehicles in the world. I will certainly be attending the event again next year. Here’s a link to the winner from this year, Bryce Menzies. At the 3:30 second mark in the video he’s being clocked at over 140 mph…enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGT2G6aiQ64

8 March….a bit more refining. Took the big propane bottle out from under the sink and replaced it with a standard 20 pound one from Flame King. This one has a nice gauge built in so I can see how full or empty it is. The base holder is screwed into the floor for stability. I’m also in the process or tidying up some of the wiring to make the stuff look a bit better. Here you can see I’ve loosened the wiring getting ready to install more supports for the loom. You can also see the drain from the sink that goes into a 5 gallon container. The thing at the bottom in front of the tank is my gas detector. It’s hard wired into the electrical system and always on.

My Honda Talon 1000X has always had a harsh ride from the git go….sprung too hard….searched all the forums and the general conclusion…get a set of Shock Therapy springs….finally bit the bullet this morning and ordered the complete kit. 8 springs in total and four crossover collars….I should be done for a while…I hope 🙂

Dual Rate Spring Kit (DRS) 2019 Honda Talon 1000X

Got tired of rocks being flipped up by the front tires hitting my elbow, mud/dirt being thrown into the cabin so I ordered and installed a set of Rokblox fender extensions/mud guard/rock guard thingys today. There is no amount of money or super models you could give me in return for installing these things again…Lord have mercy you need 5 hands, have a tendency to cuss, and the patience of Jobe to install them correctly…but I got’er done. They are well made and should do a good job of protecting the finish on the buggy from rocks and other debris being thrown up by the tires.

Installed all the new springs on the buggy today…easy but time consuming doing it by myself…here is my spring compressor set up made with two heavy ratchet straps.

Worked really well…ease the spring down…slide on the keeper…and all is well.

All Is Fluid

I’m in Florida helping mom with stuff at the moment. She’s almost 90 and does pretty good. I was planning on heading back out west the first of next month but with all the insanity and her being in a vulnerable category those plans are in flux…we will see. My sister fell, fractured her skull, and is not able to help with mom’s care right now. It’s a bit of work but is going along pretty good.

I know some of you may wonder why I’m posting about personal stuff. This blog is more of a diary of my daily living and something for me and my family to look back on years from now thus the input.

I think I’ve found a place to drive the buggy near me. I’ll ride the Rally over there to check on the area. It’s near Paisley Fl and from what I can see there are lots of two track sandy trails and powerline roads. No mountains or rocks to enjoy but it is what it is. I’ll post a few photos if it works out.

I can see now……installed a nice mirror that will allow me to better see who is trying to pass me as I travel about as fast as a school buss. Appears to be well made even though it’s pretty cheap. UTV Mirror on Amazon.

Man I can’t wait to get back out west and try out the new suspension!

26 March, 0900….A cool day, a totally deserted country road, and my beautiful Honda Rally…the perfect social distancing.

Stopped by the bank to make another big deposit ( 25 cents) and saw what appeared to be a homeless man laying on the ground next door…appeared unconscious…people just driving by…put on a pair of nitril gloves and went to check on him…pulse ok…shook him and he woke up…he staggered to his feet and tried to fight me…I knocked him back on the ground and told him to have a great day…ungrateful POS.

29 March….Installed a nice billet shift gate that allows easy transitions between drive modes. 

Also took off the expensive and very cheaply made (what was I thinking) plastic door lowers and replace them with a set of beautiful McNasty custom aluminum lowers. They fit perfectly and won’t deafen me from rattling like the Honda OEM ones I took off. 

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