We left out on June 3 headed for Albuquerque and then on to southern Colorado.  We hadn’t done our spring maintenance but what the heck . . . we take care of the trailer; certainly there couldn’t be any maintenance that wouldn’t wait until we returned from our trip.

Got up early on Saturday morning to hook up the trailer. I was eager to get going so I attached my new tool for raising and lowering the trailer; a special little attachement for the landing gear that is driven right from the cab of the truck.  It is fashioned from a used  power plumber’s snake.  I welded a socket on the end of it and can raise and lower the landing gear from over 100 ft away!  Works really well as long as the socket doesn’t slip off the landing gear.  That happened once and it was sort of like dealing with a steel boa constrictor until I got the power turned off.  Wifey was standing next to the trailer when that happened and she is still walking with a little limp.

Wifey is a little reluctant to stand next to the truck and trailer while I backed under the goose neck so I was trying to do it blind.  Well, one thing led to another and I backed too far . . . hit the rear window of the truck against the goose neck and broke out the glass for the fourth time this year.  Wifey and I taped it up with some plastic sheeting and duct tape figuring we will deal with it later ‘cause we wanted to get on the road.

We filled the trailer with sawdust, shavings and vegetable oil.  I was a little skeptical of the mix, but it had been suggested here so we were determined to give it a try. The great news was that the inside of the trailer smelled like a pine shaving salad!  The horses were a little skittish about that, but what the heck, we tried to load them anyway.  This is where the problems started. Our old mare, Satan’s Sister, got about halfway in and started backing out.  When she backed out and stepped on the ramp with those oily steel shoes she slid down and nearly broke both front legs.  After a close inspection she turned out to be OK.  Not wanting to run the risk of another accident on the ramp, we removed the ramp and coaxed her into just climbing up into the trailer. She was scared of that due to getting caught under the trailer years ago when loading without a ramp but eventually she got in when Wifey whispered to her.  The other horse, Stevie, goes where we point him with no resistance ‘cause he is blind in his right eye and can’t see out of the left one.

By 10:00 AM we were on the road headed west.  Within 20 minutes we were passed by seven cars that were spewing cigarette butts like popcorn.  We didn’t have to worry however because we had closed up the windows with tight screening just incase something like this were to happen.  Good thing too . . . can you imagine what would happen when one of those smoldering rockets got inside the trailer and hit the vegetable oil?

Enough for now.  We will stay in touch and let you know how we are applying the things we learn here to the practical world of trailering on our summer vacation. Can’t wait to get out west and trail ride in the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado.

Roll on

Well, we made it in to Amarillo about an hour ago.  The horses are put up at Happy Tracks and Wifey has gone on to bed.  She is a little miffed at me: I bought a CB for the truck as was recommended by some on this site. The reason she is a little miffed is because of an innocent little conversation that I had between Wichita Falls and Amarillo with a lady trucker. Hope Wifey will forgive and forget by tomorrow . . . its a long drive from Amarillo to Chama.

I have wandered over to the Love's Truck Stop to use the internet connection so I can give you all an update.  So far most things are working OK.  It is very warm down here today . . . hovering around 100.  I was a little worried with all that vegetable oil in the trailer that the horses would start frying but so far they seem to be OK.

The road today has been pretty flat so it is pretty easy on the truck and transmission.  The hilly roads in New Mexico tomorrow will be a test: My son took the truck down to the 7/11 last week and had it "chipped"  claiming that I will have more power and better fuel milage.  Not sure where he put the chips but I'll give you a report on the power in a couple of days.  If there is an apparent power gain or better fuel mileage it will be hard to tell exactly why because I also removed the mufflers based on a recommendation here on the board.  While driving up here to Amarillo I could barely hear to use the CB radio this afternoon and I'm considering putting the mufflers back on.  I am pretty sure that both of the horses are now deaf. Wifey claims that I am as well.

Good night all!

Roll on

Geeze your wife and horses  sure puts up with alotta

Can't wait for the next installment....

My wife informed me of the 3 second rule! I never knew about such a thing. I stopped and chated with an old lady friend at another table while out to dinner (maybe a minute ). Then was informed of this unspoken rule(till you break it)! 

Drove from Chama NM to South Fork CO today.  Wow! What a trip over Wolf Creek Pass!  Got a chance to check out the new "chips" that my son put on the truck: turned out that they were Doritos (found them in the console under the Sons of the San Joaquin CDs) so there was no power gain or improved fuel economy! Running up Wolf Creek Pass without the mufflers didn't seem to add any power but the echo in the mountains was an incredible thing to experience! 

I have had a little wheel/brake vibration on the truck lately.  I didn't think much of it.  Instead of having them checked out until I was sure they were right I figured go ahead and drive on them until someone on the internet (who has never seen my truck) can diagnose 'em. Well, going down from the top of the pass to South Fork sure put the brakes and brake controller to the test . . . have any of you ever gotten to use the "run away truck" ramps on Wolf Creek Pass? They really work . . . problem was the horses slid waaaaay forward in the trailer due to standing in that vegetable oil/shavings and the sudden stop when we hit the graveled incline.  I think the horses will be OK after a little time for spinal decompression. Wifey was really impressed by my ability to handle the situation. This evening we are hoping to find a good carwash here in South Fork; one that cleans upholstery. I going to find a place to wash out the trailer tonight too . . .  there is alot more than oil and shavings in there now.

We are staying in a remote camping area outside of South Fork CO tonight.  We'll have a chance to use the new generator.  I took the muffler off of it so that it will run longer on each fill-up.  A couple of the other campers whined about the noise but what the heck, it uses less gas now!  I have made friends with a couple of them . . . showed them my set up for raising and lowering the goose neck . . . remember the one made from the socket welded on to the power plumbers snake?  Two of the guys were real impressed and the other one only had minor abrasions. 

We'll sing cowboy songs around a campfire tonight and head out early tomorrow for a campground between Creede and Lake City. Tomorrow we are going to have a chance to check out trailering on some Forest Service roads to get to where we will start our trail ride.  It may be a few days until I have internet access again but I be back to let you know how we apply the things we are leaning from this board.

roll on

PS- I have noticed a little rust on the trailer that I don't think was there when we started out a couple of days ago . . .

Rollinponies,

You are a very entertaining guy!! Your encounters keep us on the edge of our seats.  You should write a book!! I would buy one!!

Can't wait till your next update!!

You got it all in a NUT shell, YEHAAAA I am sawin my mufflers off everything as I type What an experience! You are my idol, a person after my own heart,sniffel, sniffel, wipe a tear.

If I hear ya comin I will give ya a big hug America needs more heros like you !! GOD BLESS AMERICA

Woops gotta go get a new hack saw blade.

I thought there would be an update on the trip.

Maybe you should have got the Blue Moon.

I hope Rollin has a great trail ride and makes it back safely.  Can't wait to hear what he has to say when he gets off the trail. 

Do you think he took his dressage horses?

Just got off the trail.  What a terric time . . . trail riding on the Continental Divide in southern Colorado.  Spent 7 days in the clean air and beautiful scenery.  Yes, Arroyosecco, we did take the dressage horses on the trail.  I'll write that up some other time; there are lots of good stories there. For now we are back to civilization and I am already missing the quite of the mountain tops.

Well, on to the purpose of this post: Applying what I have learned on this board.

There have been several posts about devices to load and unload hay from an overhead hay rack. We had a chance to use our new hay bale lift several times.  This is a real handy gadget that we had installed at a trailer repair shop in Radiator Springs NM.  Loading and unloading hay from the hay rack on the top of our trailer had really become a problem.  Here is a picture of the new upgrade to our trailer.

 http://bradysroofing.com/photogallery/photo16166/Roof%20Load.jpg

We still have not resolved one of our fundamental trailering problems: Rear window breakage when turning with a goose neck trailer and short bed truck.  So far on this trip we have taken out the rear window once while hooking up and three times while turning.

One of the common questions on the board is “Do I have enough truck?”  As most of you know, that all depends on what you want to do, how often do you want to do it, how fast do you want to go, etc.  I can only offer my experience regarding this truck on this trip.  In general the answer to this question is “NO! You DO NOT have enough truck.” I have found that there is always something I would like to do with the truck, like climb up 200 ft cliffs while pulling a horse trailer, pulling a 34 horse trailer or something else like that.  Asking if you have enough truck is like asking if you have enough money.

Every now-and-then the subject of cameras comes up.  After being on the road for several weeks I can tell you that I have decided that I don’t want a camera in the trailer.  Keeping an eye on what’s going on in the trailer and trying to drive safely will make you crazy!  Heck, I don’t even want to know what the kids are doing in the back seat of the crew cab, much less what’s going on in the trailer.  I’ve decided to give the horses a little privacy.  If I want to check on them I stop the truck/trailer and go around and look at them. Not once have I had to yell at them to quit fighting and stay on their own side.

Got to get going now.  I’ll write more at the next stop.

Roll on

1/2 linger,

Interesting comment about the safety chains.  I have had a chance to talk with lots of people on this trip (people that trailer their horses all the time instead of being like me and just posting about it)  Was I ever surprised to find out that almost none of them still use the safety chains.  Just like you theorized, they have removed them to reduce weight and improve fuel milage.  Several also said that removing them reduces wind resistance as well. One person I talked to left the chains on his bumper pull but lets them drag on the ground: the sound apparently masks the roar of the exhaust with no mufflers.  Live and learn!

I also have had an opportunity to talk with people that have found alternative uses and mounting places for the tall triangular water tanks that are made for mounting inside horse trailers.  Unusual mounting locations include the ceiling above the horses, standing on the roof (pointed corner forward to reduce wind resistance), between the trailer frame and the axel (this also provides a "lift" to the trailer) on the front of the gooseneck (doesn't work with short bed trucks re: rear window problem) and two tanks mounted flat on the floor of the trailer (straddled by the horses)  Unusual but useful re-use of these tanks include the following: as a long multi-saddle rack when placed over two saw horses, large container for making sun tea when traveling (place on roof of trailer, see above), draining and inserting a light bulb makes a nifty oriental inspired light fixture.  Of course in some parts of the country they are merely cut in half and used for flower planters.  I'm sure that Martha Stewart has other ideas but these are the ones I have seen so far around the camp sites here in southern Colorado.

How to insulate the LQ is always a high interest topic on this board.  I have had a chance to see lots of rigs here this week that have homemade LQs.  Of course the owners are happy to talk about their handy work.  I feel that I must share some of their tips with you.  Many of these proud LQ owners have insulated the LQ with styrofoam egg cartons. Pretty creative, huh? I'd put that one up there with using the kids foam swimming pool noodle between the wall and ceiling.  They just glue the cartons to the walls (remove the eggs first) with 3-M All Purpose Adhesive and insulate as they get more cartons.  It seems to work well but several of the owners seem to take a lot of cholesterol lowering medicine every day.  After the insulation is up serveral of them have covered the insualtion with Lincoln Logs (hot glued right to the egg cartons) for a homey, rustic western look.  It is a little over the top for me but still interesting!

One more thing before I get out of this internet cafe in Creede Colorado . . .   Did that guy ever get the draw bar unstuck from his receiver?  Did he find the solution to that on this board?  Been wondering about that one for quite a while now . . .

roll on

Wow!  I have received a bazillion PMs asking what kind of trailer we are pulling on this trip.  No, its not the Blue Moon.  We opted not to take that one (yes, some regrets. Maybe next time around.)  We are pulling a special two horse straight load 8Star brand made just for large (tall) dressage horses.  I'll try to up-load a picture for you that are interested.

Roll on

Rollin,

Where are you?  Aren't you back from the trip yet?  I'd love to hear how the rest of the trip went and what else you were able to use from this board.

Hope to hear from you soon.