Following is a rambling account of the day, as I wrote while working on the new trailer wagon. It was a perfect "winter" day, overcast, no direct sun, cool westerly breezes. I had fun. But when will I learn to admit to myself I had a heart attack at an early age and I can’t be working just because I feel like it. You’ll see in my writing how it went, but I remind you that although this was a kit, I upgraded almost everything during assembly. The picture last day (July 14) was an advertisement. This photo shows my workmanship.
I haven’t assembled anything like this wagon in twenty years. But it has all the hallmarks of Asian construction. Missing small parts, bad instructions, hand drawn diagrams. Progress is fine, as I now have lots of spare parts and soon I’ll have a trailer to haul them in. Other than the above, the frame is very strongly built if not over-built. But, for a moment, let’s talk about the other advantages of this trailer.
Last day I brought up the savings in time (as distinct from money) concerning looking for a motel. Even the most economical motels really bite into the budget of every trip. I’d rather spend the same amounts dining at the best places I can find. Another thing was how often I had to miss that beautiful hour before sunset and other times I went one town too far and drove in the dark, which I dislike. Hopefully this trailer will provide these and other surprise solutions.
The trailer is quite small, I’ve assembled most of it in my Florida room. Careful measurement shows I will have plenty of sleeping space plus two four-foot long stowage areas. I’ve already adapted the electrical with heavier duty wiring, waterproof joins, diodes to isolate left from right, and fuses. I’ve decided to decorate the exterior to look like an ordinary cargo trailer. Completely built, this unit will weigh somewhat less than a third of the rated towing capacity.
Other considerations include overall comfort, and I’m eying memory foam for the lining. The option to pull over and catch a nap any time, or nearly any time, meshes with my driving habits. If I can do that, I can lower overall speed and still cover more distance in a day. I’ve mentioned how the ride enjoyment drops off rapidly after 55 mph. I’d like to take a test run soon and see if I can’t get that down.
On all previous trips, I tended to cover as much territory as I could due to the cost and difficulty of finding motels, which were often located back when traffic patterns were different. So when I say 55 mph, it means that I try to consciously keep that speed steady for up to six hours per day. Not as easy as it sounds and in the end you don’t get that high an average. But if I drop to 45 mph, that can be realistically maintained. The extra cost of the motels at this speed is what got me thinking of a camper-type trailer.
I examined the store display, taking careful photographs of the construction. That was wise, the store is putting them together wrong on several counts. The instructions, (which must be scanned and enlarged for clarity) show it is important which directions the bolts and nuts must go, and Harbor Freight got it wrong. A lot of the work is done with the trailer “upside down” and they chose the convenient path which was wrong.
Where to make that test run? I’ll be open to suggestions for a few weeks. The primary run is slated for Lake Okeechobee. And by pure coincidence, the trailer deck is exactly the right size for moving toothpick displays, should I encounter any.
Controversy. Did you see that newscast of the bozo who killed himself going 300 mph on a motorcycle? No mercy, I totally dislike dumb jocks to take ridiculous chances for their own self-aggrandizement. Screw them, it’s not like they are out for any scientific research or benefit to society. They are the losers who think it attracts women. It does. The wrong kind of women.
These jocks are in it for themselves. Athletes contribute nothing to society. They risk their necks. They die. Tough luck. What do you expect is going to happen? As far as I’m concerned, that is one less show-off to contend with. 300 mph, indeed!
ADDENDUM
When I unpacked the trailer parts, I discovered an empty cigarette package had been thrown in one of the boxes. I did what anyone else would do. I translated the writing and researched what I could on the company. Nan Jing is not the brand, but the name of the factory upriver from Shanghai. Their phone number is 86 25 8647. Established in 1948, they produce many popular brands, which are mixtures of local tobaccos and leaves imported from Zimbabwe and Brazil.
The company’s product includes a luxury brand “Imperial” at Yuan 150 per pack, which is roughly $24 USD. The company admits that Imperial is used mainly for bribery and similar “gifts”. As far I can tell, the factory is state-owned. Many of its products are on display in Shanghai City, which is home to the China Tobacco Museum. So, what is the price of the package I am holding? Research is difficult, but I did see Chinese brands that sell for Yuan 2,300.
Ah, here it is. This brand is popularly called “red and gold”. I kept finding the designation “KS-20-H” but can’t find out its meaning. Considering where I found it, this is likely an ordinary brand.
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