Oklahoma 2014

[M & J]

He sold it to get the Blazer.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Careful, you keep this up and you will have to setup a permanent shop, say in Muskogee (central US), and stop traveling.

Dave

Heck no!

Not gonna go too crazy, and sure wouldn't ever want to stop traveling!  Love what we do.

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Hey Kevin, what happened to the jeep?

The frame was rusted out so bad I would have had to get a new frame, plus it was a standard, which Patti hated...and it had no AC, which Patti also hated.

Decided to get a way better truck for our needs, always wanted a fullsize Blazer, found one rust free in Arizona for 2500 bucks, sold the Jeep for 4K, and are only now starting to get into the "red" with the Blazer. 

Much better vehicle for us with 3 German Shepherds, way easier to work on, and its the ultimate bugout vehicle if the SHTF.

Kev

[moonlitcoyote]

Thats too bad about the rust, glad you got something that fits you better though. I have wanted a Jeep Wrangler more than anything the last 10 years but just cant afford what people ask for them.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

LOL girl!  Got lucky and got mine for 1500 bucks, and sold it with full disclosure about the rust for 4K.  Bought the K5 Blazer, rust free with new BF Goodrich tires, a fresh LS1 engine, rebuilt 700 overdrive transmission, good 208 transfer case, for 2500.

MAIN reason in my head for selling and upgrading to the K5?  More room for THREE German Shepherds.  And it has always been my favorite "SUV" before that term even became coined.  Patti's favorite reason for the upgrade?  Its an automatic, has a nice stereo, has heat AND ice cold AC (after I spent about a grand), and has room for 3 German Shepherds...lol!

Ever seen the back of a Jeep YJ, even without a seat?  Now think about fitting 3 German Shepherds in there, and then trying to fit ANYthing else!

Plus sides, the K5 only weighs 800lbs more than the Jeep, and I'm getting better gas mileage.  18 around town versus 16 around town.

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Many parts were cut out today, and my employee and friend drilled those parts all day long.

Much more work tomorrow! 

And for the rest of the week, of course.

And then the weekend.

Yep.  During a faire, especially with another faire going on that we are supporting, we don't get many days off!

Good thing we have a couple of long vacations a year.

My Tuffy security console is supposed to be here tomorrow though.  Probably install it Thursday since UPS doesn't usually show up here until after 4pm.

Kev

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

hmmp

More room for THREE German Shepherds.

I know there was a post somewhere about a year ago that I asked about that!

Glad to hear things are going well Kevin

Dave

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Thanks Dave!

Spent all day cutting out and routering parts, while my worker Crystal spent all day at the drill press.  Then at 6pm tonight, we went to the picnic that the delightful owners have every year at their house for all of us that work their faire.

A big storm is supposed to hit here tomorrow, so we made sure all the outdoor work was done, and tomorrow we'll be doing all inside work in the workshop tent.

My Tuffy security console came in today for the K5, and I have to say, I'm VERY impressed with the quality and workmanship!  I'm going to install it early tomorrow morning if the storm holds off long enough.

Friday is Student Day, but I won't have to be there...lol!  Patti and Crystal are going to run the booth, while I stay back at camp and build more catapults.

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Got the Tuffy Security Console installed!  Went in pretty easy, and even clears the armrests on the Eddie Bauer seats...barely.









The strap that holds the seatbelt up is a nice touch, since mine are floppy and always fall to the floor.

I didn't like the paper thin rubber sheet that came with it to line the bottom of it with, so I had some leftover black egg crate type foam, the stuff that lines gun cases, and lined the bottom with that.  Lots of room, and even has a neat little removable tray:





Since the stereo hole just drops down right to the carpet, it was pretty useless to me for anything...until I realized I had a lot more of the egg crate foam laying around!  4 layers of it to take up the empty space later, plus a couple of pieces to line the sides and a small rubber piece to cover one sharp edge, and its a prefect place to put your handgun without it getting lost in the big cargo area...and well protected so the finish won't get marred:







And the last picture, a view from the back!  While I was at it, I strapped the spare tire down to the floor to where the rear seat used to clip down.  I don't want that thing going airborne in case of an accident.  Its temporary until I get a spare tire carrier, but at least its held down now:



Took about an hour to install, then it was back to work on the catapults all day.  Got it all done.

Kev

[Stripe]

Looks cool..

[M & J]

Groovy.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Awesome weekend overall between the two shows!  Took Patti to breakfast at Bizarre Bazaar, then ran errands with her.  Dropped her off with the pups and then went out to get materials.  OMG was it raining hard!  All the mud I had in my wheel wells is gone and it looks like a powerwashed them, it was that bad...lol!

Lots of catapults to build this week, but its last weekend at So Cal coming up, so I won't have to ship anything else out after tomorrow...at least not for a bit!

Kev

[JDxeper]

Got your thunder boomers this afternoon, wind and some needed rain.  Stay safe over there in OK land!

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Thanks JD!

Got a lot accomplished today.  Shipped out all the stock my guys in So Cal need for final weekend, then finished building and staining 5 Pirate Catapistols.  One is for an internet order, and the other 4 are for this coming weekend's Pirate Theme.

Crystal knocked out all the mousetrap pistols we need for next weekend while I was doing the other stuff.  Patti's arthritis has been bothering her a LOT with all the wet weather, so she's pretty much been keeping in the house...although she's been doing a lot as well, like laundry and cleaning up after 3 German Shepherds and my messy butt!

Lots more to do the rest of the week!  Going to order the stuff to fix the lift and steering on the K5 after this coming weekend.

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Exciting news for us!  We were just handed an opportunity to buy 20 acres of land just north of St Johns, AZ, for 7K.  Offgrid living of course, but lots of game (elk, mule deer, and whitetail), trees, and the well depth in the area averages around 180 feet.  Wish us luck!  We are pretty exited about establishing an offgrid homebase, with future plans of a cabin, solar array, etc.  Buying it from a friend who owns the 20 acres next to it, also an offgrid solar geek.

Kev

[DonD]

Kool Kev, I had to do some research when you mention elk. There are 2 St. Johns AZ's, one in the desert by Laveen and one up north on 191. The south one is on a Res. The north one is in paradise!

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Up north on 191.  Awesome country!

Patti and I are very excited about this!  Taxes will be less than 200 bucks a year on the 20 acres.

Kev

[DonD]

Elk was the giveaway.

[joanfenn]

Way to go.  Hope you get it.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Thanks everyone!  Its pretty much a done deal, once we figure out the financial part of everything.

Looks like I'll be busting my arse doing THREE faires at the same time to pay for it...Sterling, NY, Great Lakes Medieval Faire in Ohio, AND Tuxedo Park this year.  And The Cloisters of course. 

As far as the property goes, its accessible with the RV, and we plan on putting a big metal carport big enough to park the RV under.  And then a good size cistern, with gutters on the carport to collect rain water that will go into the cistern.  Also working on a design for a solar distillery plant to convert grey water back into usable wash water...might be clean enough to use as potable water if I do it right.  And of course, eventually a well depending on how deep I'll have to go.

AWESOME weekend in Muskogee...our best so far...and an awesome closing weekend in So Cal. 

Things are coming together!

We still plan on doing Renfaires even with the property.  But we might change up our routine to closer shows, like AZ of course, Las Vegas, Colorado, and maybe a show or two in the Northwest.  We'll keep NC of course, but will eventually probably just send a manager to that show and send them stock.

Kev

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

OK, Ok.  So the home base shop will just be a little bit further west than Muskogee.  I tried to warn you!   

Dave

[Stripe]

Hehehe...

[HandyDan]

Congrats!  We've been fulltimers for about 10 years now, and I wouldn't change a thing!

Kev

Well, so much for that statement!

[M & J]

I thought about that. With land you plant seeds, and with seeds you get roots.......

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Don't worry folks.  Patti and I have thought it over and discussed it in depth, and we are not going to buy property anywhere. 

Our primary reason for considering the property was as a retreat, especially if the SHTF.  But if the SHTF, what good is a deed or any other piece of paper?  Besides, what if we are 2000 miles from our retreat when the SHTF?  Kind of pointless, eh?

So our plans instead are to invest that money into the RV and make it even more awesome and usable for boondocking.  If the SHTF, we'll just drive it to the nearest unpopulated area suitable to our needs, based on where we happen to be.

So yeah, I still wouldn't trade fulltiming it for anything...lol!

Kev