The Good and Bad of Winter Travel: Slim's 2024 Road Trip Part 1
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- Опубликовано: 15 янв 2024
- My first video of 2024 and my first road trip of the year starts a little rough but gradually warms up just a little. I share the initial results of my mpg challenge, and get attacked by a ferocious beast in armor! My travels have begun again!
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/ slimpotatohead
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NOTE FROM SLIM: Here's the answers to repeat comments to save your typing fingers:
1. Yes the truck is sagging at the rear. I need new leaf springs eventually.
2. The armadillo did not bite very hard, however to be on the safe side I did seek medical advice.
3. I use AMERICAN gallons in my mpg calcs (what US gas station pumps Imperial gallons?!?)
4. The "HAUL" button was just a temporary test. It just increased the RPM, so do not use it.
THANKS! SP
Great to hear the armadillo didn’t do any harm to you. Enjoy your USA adventures! Stay warm!
Small note, the haul button also increases the line pressure in the transmission to help with shifts/longevity, and thermal management. However, I doubt your little trailer needs any of that.
Thanks Slim, I always love a good reply, I like to keep my comments tongue in cheek, no malice ever intended, I think your videos are great a lot of thought and processing go into your video editing, is this the way to 🎤 Armadillo 🎵 sorry I am at it again, stay safe and happy travels 🇬🇧🇬🇧
Hi Slim. Try to turn off Tow Mode. That's for hauling 6000 lbs or more. Your transmission needs to let your torque converter drop into lock mode, which drops your RPMs by 300.
Thank you for not saying where that place is. We camped for several years in the “free” campgrounds all over Florida long before many RUclipsrs blabbed about them and the rules got changed and some places got closed down because they became swamped with RVers who often did not obey the reservation rules. Such a pity. We are now off the road but still remember this awesome places. Instead here we are in the snow in Nova Scotia. Enjoy the winter in the warmth.
So many are ruined by too many partiers-not people that love and respect nature-who just destroy them-and then nobody can go.
Here comes the sun
🌅
Snow and ice
Chilly all around
Frozen roads and streets
Heading SOUTH BOUND
Here comes the sun
MPG not so grand
Bouncing from park to park
Slim's ONE MAN BAND
A nip from an Arm-bite- dillo
Scurring here and fro
A true camp vagabond
With a sharp middle toe
The sun through the pines
Florida COME AND STAY
Brother Slim is our guide
Enjoy the SUN AND PLAY
( it's alway a fun ride with brother Slim...and informative )
Beautiful as always. Thanks Dale!
Hi Slim,
After watching the video and seeing the armadillo bite at you I looked them up.
They will and can bite and claw. And another thing I didn't know was they can carry rabies and leprosy along with other harmful diseases. Probably don't want to get that close again.
So glad you posted that. I’m from Texas where we also have a fare share of armadillos. Yes they are interesting but it is best to stay clear of them due to, as you said, carriers of rabies. Better to be safe than sorry plus they are wild animals in nature so we should respect that as well. 😊❤
My son lived in a camper beside me for awhile and he called me and told me to go look around his camper, something was out there. And it was an Armadillo. And it chased me. I thought it was nutts. I live in a small town and I have all kinds of critters roaming around here. I always take my dogs out in the middle of the night and there was 2 out there. One had ran into the road and I was trying to get a car to slow down and not hit it. It didn't and it went crunch. Turns out it was a trooper and he came back to get onto me because he said my tiny flashlight blinded him. And I mean tiny. It might have flashed, but I was motioning him, so I know he wasn't blinded that bad.
US states are beginning to take a closer look at where free camping occurs. Those places are becoming less about camping and more about homeless squatting. In Tennessee, there has been a crackdown on free "public" camping. The law is confusing, but with the uptick in homeless squatting vs recreational camping, a lot of places have been trashed.
Even pay campgrounds are beginning to look like trailer parks. The high cost of rent has people buying cheap travel trailers and paying 500-900/month for a space. We've begun skirting some of our once-favorite parks because of the growing numbers of permanent campers. Management at those places isn't inclined to crack down on how well maintained those campers keep their spots.
OMG Slim! You certainly have been slammed with bad weather lately! This video kind of reminds of the cartoon character Chilly Willy. The penguin from Alaska who is always cold and constantly on a quest to stay warm. Loved the video. Thank you!
I live in central Florida and was raised in southern Florida, so I have never driven in your conditions, but I know I would never be able to do it. They say armadillos eat termites, grubs, cockroaches, and scorpions. So he was out of luck getting food from any camper. They dig big holes all over my yard and they are a pain. Thanks for sharing part 1 of your trip.
I lived the first half of my life in Illinois and then moved to Florida. Do not miss that at all!
North Florida still gets really cold…(lived in Gainesville for 6 years and moved near Tampa in 1989 where temperatures are more moderate 😊)
@@pdrey55 But when we do go below 30, it's short lived thank goodness. I think 6 days last year.
Slim, steer clear of armadillos, they carry the leprosy bacteria and can infect you. Love the videos!
Hey Slim, for future reference I would steer clear of the armadillos. They do carry the bacteria that causes Hansen’s disease, used to be called Leprosy. Hope you enjoyed your Florida trip anyway.
And possibly rabies.
Those pests are moving north. We have them here in Middle Tennessee.
My buddy got leprosy from an armadillo. Be careful around them.
If it bit you you need to get to a doctor to be checked out. Please do some research on those fascinating creatures.
Peace, Love and Freedom 🇺🇲
Careful bud.
I noticed you had the truck in tow/haul mode. This will reduce your fuel economy because it keeps the transmission in lower gears for a longer period of time. It is designed for hauling heavy loads and isn't neccessary for a light trailer like yours. I have a fifth wheel toy hauler and only use tow/haul mode when I am decsending steep hills.
"Tow mode" may not be necessary with your lightweight trailer except in the mountains. Talk with a tech who is very familiar with your transmission about doing without 'tow mode'; it's heat that kills transmissions so they might recommend a transmission heat gauge. Many who tow large rigs use one to make their transmissions last. An extra transmission cooler might also be in order; you're good enough to DIY that or a shop can do it at a very reasonable price. Your driving at lower speeds also helps since the pressure of wind increases exponentially with added speed. Also, an open bed and closed tailgate on pickups costs you ~2-5 MPG, mesh tailgates do noticeably better as do covered beds. I doubt that you will reach the Jeeps fuel mileage but you should be able to get closer. Love the propane consumption numbers- that's fantastic as you know. And as tempting as it is, best to not get close to wild critters as they can carry many diseases and often do. Never thought I'd see another armadillo since I was last out west but they're in S. Carolina now and moving north. We get our first real winter temps here tonight; nothing like at your cabin but more than plenty to shake the state with our collective shivering. Be well and enjoy the journey.
Slim, when you're driving on relatively flat land turn off the TOW/HAUL mode. It prevents your trans shifting into higher gears and reduces mileage. Saw the indicator light for it being on on your tachometer
Wow! I didn't know that, thanks!
Keep it off unless in mountain ranges, going down hill it'll drop gears until the engine is screaming at 4000rpm
Yes, I only tried it for a brief period and found no benefit, only higher RPMs. Thanks! SP
It can be useful for keeping your speed while going down a hill. It's almost like every time you touch the brake it downshifts for you.
I use my tow haul on steeper uphill grades, hitting the button at about 55 as the grade begins and shutting it off at the crest of the hill.
Using it this way, it holds the rpm’s at 2500-3000. Not using it allows the rpm’s to jump up to 4000-5000 screaming up the hill. Not good.
It takes a little trial and error to get the best results but on a long trip with many rolling hills, it is great.
However, cannot use the cruise control when using the tow haul.
My 1998 Tahoe with the 5.7 ltr V8 only gets 11 gallons per gallon towing a 16' Casita - consistently over the past 6 or 7 years.... 🌞
Uh Slim if that armadillo bit you please get checked out. Rabies is real in this area. They also carry leprosy and usually stay away from people.
Those are about as good as you can expect with a full size truck when towing. Oddly, it seems to be mainly wind resistance that is the culprit. After years of towing I have found the weight towed only matters slightly to MPG (long trips on the highway are at a steady state). The size of the frontal area of the trailer as well as the cross section and wind velocity makes the most drastic changes. You could pull a camper twice the weight and likely see similar fuel economy on the highway.
Yup the sun in Florida is so nice in winter and I sincerely do miss it. I was forced out of Florida due to high rentals and with mu very limited budget I ended up in N. Georgia which is rainy and mostly cold here. I'm trying to arrange for next winter to stay in Florida, but with the limited housing available where my family lives I've not been able to find anything affordable. I'm glad you found a free campground. Happy trails and safe travels!
Sorry, Slim, but good mileage or bad, the Slimarado will never replace the Jeep. In my not-so-humble opinion, of course. Safe travels! Stay warm! Avoid snowstorms, tornados, and brutal temperatures.
I always feel bad and guilty when i watch your clips as I'm the one sitting on a warm sofa with a hot cup of ginger lemon tea with toffee candy or a hot tomato soup with toast and you're out there in the bush in the cold in the dangers of travel giving us for free your adventures, may the powers that be, bless you and Keep you safe!
Another smidgen of gas milage improvement might be to add a wind deflector to the tail of your bed cover on the truck. It will help with the wind drag from the trailer.
Slim! I'm glad you're back on the road. You may want to have a couple simple things done that are fairly cheap in price and you could do it yourself...
Using a fuel additive i.e. marvels mystery oil will make big improvements, it helps clean out your fuel system and cleans your engine. Also having the throttle body cleaned along with replacing the mass airflow sensor.
All that should make a difference in your gas mileage.
I hope that will help out.
I live in South Carolina and I’ve been a subscriber of your for a number of years and I’ve always wanted to do what you do I think you life your life to the fullest!!! You rock slim!!
Stay safe, and warm Slim. Another great video. Eat smart now.. got to stay healthy.. Cheryl from southern Michigan, small village near Toledo, Ohio. Fighting terminal cancer, but watching the weather and plan our trip south for a couple months to get that Vitamin D, power. Go see some family near port charlotte, and Estero.. I plan on doing what I can if I can and stay in the presence of the Almighty God and Father. We have a space in Englewood… praise the Lord. Got to love your content and your videos. Keep up the good work. Hope to see you someday out there. Until then Slim.. May the sunrises bring you happiness in this crazy world we are living in…peace out.
Hi Cheryl, It's brave and strong-willed people like you that give us all hope. The sun will shine on you! SP
A few more years and I hope to go on solo travel adventures like this! I love your storytelling and videos!
Living vicariously here... 'feeling' those warm rays right thru my screen. 🌞 🌅
Yeah, I have a GMC Canyon with a 2.8L Turbo Diesel. I tow a Winnebago MicroMinnie 2106DS. Most trips from the Los Angeles area I get around 16MPG towing. If it's really flat a no headwinds, I've been able to get around 19MPG. This is keeping it at 60MPH though.
Red sky at night, Slim's delight. Red sky in the morning, Slim's warning! Safe travels. Glad you got out of the cold and into Florida.
As a resident of South Alabama and an amateur meteorologist, it is now apparent to me you did bring the cold down with you. 😂
😂
I'm so glad to see you again. This segment was really interesting with your analysis of mileage. I drive a 97 4Runner and have over 270,000 miles on it. I monitor my fuel use at each fillup and am pleased with its almost steady 20 miles per gallon. It only drops when I visit too many Starbucks😅
What Slim is missing on his adventures is a travel companion whether it be a dog or a cat.🤣 And based on your overall attitude and affable personality, I am actually surprised that you don't have one.
What Richard is missing is I do not want to travel with a dog. Should be quite obvious. I prefer my animal friends wild. SP
I figured so. Just a suggestion. 😁
@@SlimPotatoheadmany camp sites don't allow pets.
@@SlimPotatoheadmany people equate being alone to being lonely. It's lovely you enjoy your solo adventures and share that with us.💛
There is freedom in traveling without dependents or partners if one is traveling for pleasure. Thanks for modeling that. 🦋🐢🦉🐿🦔
If you put a roof rack on your cap you can reuse your snowboard deflector or use a car topper if need be. I had a cap on my old truck and put a roof rack on it for a car topper. My puppies had more room in the back but I never tried a wind deflector when towing.
Your dicreperancy was probably due to your tires, they may not be factory.
I love to see that tilting panel working
Did you install bigger tires? That would account for the difference. Ironically when I tow my trailer with my Jeep I usually get considerably better mileage than when I use the Jeep alone as a daily driver. Sure, there's the short drive vs long drive loss, but normally I don't see better than 15mpg and with my trailer I get just over 20mpg. I think it has to do with aerodynamics - a Jeep Wrangler is a brick in the wind and I think my teardrop shaped trailer - which is the same height as the Jeep - somehow prevents that vortex behind the vehicle from forming and the wind goes over the entire rig more smoothly. Otherwise I can't explain a up to 5mpg better gas mileage for a vehicle with 2000lbs on the hitch.
I used to have a Tahoe with the 5.3 V8. My camper was bigger than yours and weighed +/-5k lbs loaded. 9mpg was the norm sadly. I would be elated with 12+
As a wearer of more beard styles than I can count (I think I even invented a few) I think you found the sweet spot. For me, it’s a short full beard, but you look good, Slim. It needed to be said. I wait patiently for your videos. I wish you safe travels and warmth. Chase that sunshine brother!
Slim, I checked my mileage for the best leg on my trip to Florida and it was 14.32 mpg (from South Carolina to Georgia) 265 miles with 18.5 gallons of gas. Best mileage I ever got, but for the whole trip 1300 miles, I got 11.8 mpg. Keeping the speed under 57 mph was the key (between 1350 and 1450 rpm). Good luck in your goal!
Thanks for the video !
Slim i'm really hoping you have good weather down here in Florida! This is the Cloudiest, coldest and rainiest winter In the 30 years I've lived here..... It is usually so much better! Love your videos, Slim!!!😊👍👏🏻☀️🌊🐊🐊🐊🐊
🥶
Awesome as always.Thanks for sharing and taking us along
great stuff Slim thanks
Slim you can get helper springs for the truck and save some money. The gas mpg is another thing all together. There are things you can do to save on gas but it will be minimal, but like beauty it's all in the eye of the beholder. If I got 10 in my truck I'd be thrilled!! I hover between 6 and 7 that's at subsonic.
Great video, safe and healthy travels
2 things on the propane tanks
1. the plastic cover around it keeps in water which rots out the tank. razor blade removes it to inspect for bad seam rust.
2. on 4 of my 11 tanks the OPD overfill protection device dont work so during refill it can get filled to the valve & start to leak out of the vent. over 40lbs this can happen & leak more if the tank is warm & moved around lots. i hook mine up to a bbq grill let run till the regulator stops freezing up. just a heads up on a defect i found.
Yikes, on that armadillo. I was happy you saw a dr. Nice lil campground. Yes, El Nino making the weather a lil crazy for everyone this yr supposedly until April. Be safe. 🙂👍
Good morning, Slim. The opening photo is very cool, so much red. Now back to the video.
Morning!
Little did Slim know, that armadillo bit would eventually transform him into "Armadillo Man!”😂
Awesome info. Thanks
stay safe and thank you for the video
Happy Travels!
Looking forward to more adventures… love your vlogs 😁
My husband and I were in Pensacola Jan. 15-19 and it was incredibly windy and cold!! I’m not sure when you were around there, but you sure looked warmer in your t-shirt. 😊 Sorry about that hungry armadillo! Glad you weren’t seriously hurt!
Thanks for the video, Slim. Safe travels and God bless.
Yay! So glad your beautiful travel vids are back!!!
Love this Channel!
A Slim video !! Can't wait to get home to watch it!!!
Thanks, Slim!
Armadillos can carry leprosy. I wouldn’t get close to them! We have one who lives under our porch. He roots and digs holes, which we do not like! I’m a Florida girl and, believe me, we don’t have any summer night temperatures tat are 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m freezing when it’s in the fifties!
I’m glad you found some warmer weather! Thanks for the video.
Happy travelsy friend.
Drive safe and keep warm .
LOVE the NEW LOOK
Florida is my dream place ❤
Great yo see you out on the road again. Safe travels.
Glad you had a safe drive, Enjoy the warmth down there!
Safe travels Slim… see you next time.
Love your videos, your so descriptive of your surroundings
Thank you Slim for delivering a new video . Great as always
Love the goatee Slim !
I feel your pain on that drive down. We come down from New Hampshire. I always feel like I need to see two good weather days in a row before I start out. Most times it works out, sometimes not. We're in Florida now and the weather has been awful. Chilly days and the only time it warms up is when it rains. For both our sakes I hope we see some improvement!
Keep heading south, the panhandle has been cold since the first week of December, its nice down by Miami
When you say chilly, how cold does it get?? (Please forgive my dumb question)
It's a shame that SOME people have to ruin camp / RV sites for everyone else... So, I don't blame you for NOT giving out the exact location.... As always, i enjoy tagging along with you on your road trips.
California use to be my winter destination, (San Diego).. The coldest it ever got while staying in Seal beach (Los Angles area) was 45 degree's F
It's cool the cooler stays cooler
Safe travels Slim.
Perfect nice little heater you got there.
Thank you
I always put a silver blanket on my cooler. It insulates it to stay cool.
Love the new pushbroom. Good look Fer ya!
Always great to catch up with slim. Florida is a great spot for videos this time of year.
My word what a beautiful sunset that was
Glad you got out of the cold. Have safe travels ahead .Slim.
Might I suggest that the fact you were in the tow haul mode be part of your gas mileage challenge, tires make a difference but driving in that mode changes shifts and RPM ranges, try not using it and see what the affect is, you aren’t even close to the towing capacity of the truck so it may have little or no effect if you choose not to ….also consider looking into the exhaust system, at that mileage your catalytic converters may be plugging up, and that will make an absolutely huge difference in your performance… Just food for thought, looking forward to seeing how your trip goes
Great to see You on the road again.😊 Happy Travels ❤ STAY SAFE !!
Happy you made it to Florida, looking forward to seeing your other videos ❤
I could empathize with you as you sat out enjoying the sun!
Thanks for the new wallpaper for my desktop Slim! that sunset was amazing.
Glad to have you back in USA! I always appreciate your videos.
Happy you’re travelling again! Even the west coast of BC has been cold! Enjoy the sunshine!
The 4.3L V6 engine would have given you better MPG. Without trailer towing I get 22 to 24 MPG & around 16 to 18 MPG towing 3,000 lbs. But mine isn't a 4x4 either. So....
Tire/wheel size will affect the speedometer. I used commercial tires on my truck (265R70-17 versus 245R70-17). It altered the speedometer by 3 mph slower than what is was actually going.
Good to see another video from you. Take good care and stay warm out there.💞🥶
The "ticking noise" is usually the gasket leaking on the exhaust manifold.
Beard and stash are looking good! Wish I could get out of the Minnesota weather! Safe journeys Slim!
I used to travel a lot up and down I-81 to and through PA. I've learned that 1- there's always heavy rain or snow in P.A. and 2- 90% of the time (lately) there's an accident on 81. Never used to be that way. used to be smooth sailing . now I ride route 11. nice scenic country rode that follows 81. Florida sounds so nice right now. Thanks for this posting. I always enjoy your videos.
Ditto on the US 11 suggestion. Traveling through the small towns (many historic) adds travel time, but the stress is a LOT less. I personally do not understand why travelers who have the time use interstates. *shudder*
Slim's audience has great stories tooo....❤
Traveling on 11 is a crap shoot of course. If you did a scientificic study and had a Buddy do the same trip on I 81 at speed limit at the same time over multiple trips the results might be interesting. 😮 I’ve done both. I prefer 11 in bad weather. 81 is notorious for danger related to 18 wheelers.
Thanks Slim! Enjoyed your latest adventure, looking forward to more! Stay safe, nasty weather for awhile, even in the south!
Great to be on the road again, despite the weather.
I’m not sure if anyone has commented about the back end of the ute sagging a bit with the caravan on? The only thing is that takes some of the weight off the front wheels and might make it harder to stop in hurry in certain conditions. Is there a possibility of either load levelling kit to push the weight back onto the front, or beef up the rear springs just a little. There is a third option too, I’ve used rubber inserts or spring savers to stop rear end sag whilst towing. That was the cheapest option and easily removed when not towing to give back that nice ride comfort.
Please read the pinned comment before posting. It may save you writing. Thanks!
Thank you.
Keep rocking the stash and chin fur…looks good on ya!
Looks like you'd benefit from a set Airlift leveler bags on your rear axle.
Good morning Slim. You had the noisy generator neighbours, I have the noisy wild burros braying non-stop. I can see my RV neighbours in the distance but can't hear them. It did get down to 34F here overnight too, near Yuma. Cheers, Steve
Safe, and sound. That's the main thing. Fun video, and enjoyed. Thanks for sharing.
Good to see you Slim! Keep on keeping on. Hugs from FREEZING COLORADO
As a Pensacola native, I greatly appreciate your discretion on the campsite. Although we have lost the beach, it is nice to still have our little spot in the woods,
Thanks for the video, Slim! I'm happy to see you back on the road. I wish i was on the road too. As it is, I'm stuck in Pennsylvania and the weather here now looks like it did in your video - terrible 😢 Take care! Ill be watching for updates.