Gatlinburg, Tn 2014

[Lefty]

We are staying for a month in Gatlinburg/Sevierville/Pigeon Forge Tn. We arrived safely on the 5th, and will be leaving here on July 7th. for home. We are staying at Kings Holly haven RV Park @ 647 Wares Valley Rd. Sevierville,Tn.
I had two issues on the way up here, both fairly minor. First, the gasket for the rear gas tank sending unit pours fuel if the tanks full... I'll just run off the front tank or not fill it too full until we get back home & I can pull the bed back off with the hoist. Second, my radiator was in pretty bad shape so I tried running flush thru it prior to the trip, but the truck tried running hot while towing the 5th wheel up here. I found a local radiator shop here in Sevierville that will vat it, rod the core, and then pressure test it.. all for just $80...And this is a huge 4 core unit. A new one would be $437. plus $31 shipping, and is made thinner than the original unit. So I pulled it out today and will take it to them Monday morning. They said they might can even have it ready by Monday afternoon. Frank kinda complained when I loaded my tools up for the trip (4 toolboxes, a dremel set w/ 250pc bit set, portable 110v/1500w inverter, and pancake compressor w/ 50ft hose), but he'snot complaining now... lol

The campground here is nice, but the internet signal is weak. I can only get a signal from the picnic table outside. cant get nothing from inside. I'll post pics of the trip soon.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Sounds like it will be fun month - Pics!

Dave

[Stripe]

If you'd like to get better reception, there are a TON of DIY antenna booster posts on the net, I even posted one here.
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,9532.msg50178.html#msg50178

Now if you can't get a hold of one of those dishes, I would say go this route, it's smaller and won't perform like mine but you dun have to have a huge dish outside on your campsite..

http://stathack.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/diy-directional-wifi-antenna-booster/

[Rickf1985]

I can remember going to that area in the 60's before Dolly bought the whole area. Cog railway to the top of the mountain to an old time western town. Man I am old! That is beautiful country down there.

[Lefty]

Hi Stripe,
Unfortunately, my laptop uses the built in antenna that's located inside the lid... there's no provision for plugging in an external antenna. After this trip I may get a USB wifi adapter to use. Might try that homemade satellite dish setup you explained.

We went to Cades Cove today, and saw some deer and a group of wild turkeys, but no bears. Yesterday we went to a place called Chimney Top, which is a picnic area with a beautiful creek running down the hill beside it. Tomorrow the radiator gets taken to the shop & dropped off, I'm getting a new T-stat from the Ford dealer, and new hoses (Gates) from the Napa here. I bought a cheap Rubbermaid type tub from Walmart and saved the almost 8 gal. of antifreeze for reuse. I had just flushed it out and filled it with new antifreeze (dexcool extended life) the day before our trip hoping it would clean it out, but it didn't. But the antifreeze is clean & fresh, so there's no reason to not reuse it, especially since it cost me $13/gal. a week ago.
We are here with friends, who brought their car behind their 40' Holiday rambler Class A.... so at least I have a car to use.