Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club

The Book - Musing on the Road

Over the years people have suggested I write a book about our travels. I never wanted to write a book specifically about our travels, knowing it was work having help a professional editor edit a couple of books.

I always rejected the idea until a forum member said I should write a book. A professor said she would give me the title and tell me how, now the title was a first and the hook that got me..

She suggested Musing on the Road. as the title. She told me to just begin writing every day, not concerning myself with outline, form or grammar. Try writing at least 15 minutes a day at a regular time..

I liked the title because our travels allows regular thinking time, musing on this and that.

I wake about 5 AM, a habit from my morning paper routes and my military college background. I typically exercise and then go on the internet. That changed, the exercise was quickly followed by writing until 7 AM breakfast. I just let it pour out. It turned out to be so much fun. Not work at all. In short order I had completed 30 or so chapters.

I have promised my wife I would edit those chapters into a family book. Today I began that work with IT STARTS. Actually not the first chapter or any chapter possibly but it was written on the second day of the caravan we led to Newfoundland. Those of you who asked for our Guide booklet to Newfoundland might find it interesting. If anyone wants a copy of It Starts send me a message, it might tickle your fancy for NL. (I'm the guy in the red scout jacket in the first picture of the group.)

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Norm Milliard
'93 Born Free 21' RB
'06 Scion xB
Escapee, Full timer

Exclusion.
We're on our Wedding Tour of the west, 3 family weddings over 8 months. Our BF is 26 years old and for two of the weddings we've run intoi the 10 year old rule. This is an exclusionary rule. In both cases we've had to send pictures of our rig before they would approve our reservations. One campground requires a 'leak inspection' upon arrival, a first.

Now normally we don't make reservations, only doing it for special events or special locations.

We have now owned our Born Free for 9 months and do like it, particularly love our large fridge and the shower, both items missing in our Scamp 16. The one item we also like is our jack knife couch. It has been re-upholstered by the previous owners. It is by far more comfortable than those I've sat on in other Born Frees.

Lastly our tow vehicle has been excellent. It is very light to tow, only 2500 pounds. Is truly fun to drive, reminding me of driving a low center of gravity sports car. It's mileage is truly surprising, our last fill up we averaged 37.5 mpg, no interstate driving and many miles of twisty, steep mountain grades. Of course the typical fillup is about 8 gallons (11.9 gallon tank). Never less than 35 mpg.
At the same time it's very roomy.

Funny it's the first used car we've bought in the last 4 decades and this one is 13 years old.

Of course we still have our Scamp 16. I guess decision time is approaching.

All in all it's a comfortable Motorhome. My singular desire is a larger gray tank, at least double the size. When we return to Florida I plan to see if this can be improved.

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Norm Milliard
'93 Born Free 21' RB
'06 Scion xB
Escapee, Full timer

Transmission Failure.
Driving from Florida to Seattle we averaged 10 mpg. Driving from Seattle to California we averaged 9.

Crossing Tejon Pass on a really hot day, though the temperature gauge never went beyond half way, when we reached the bottom of the pass the transmission was severely slipping and when we stopped their was a puddle of transmission fluid.

A dismantling of the transmission indicated it was probably original equipment since it never had any of the internal upgrades made over 26 years ago. We mad all the subsequent up grades using Transmission Man in Santa Clarita. As well we more than doubled the size of the transmission cooler, now as large as the one on our Honda Odyssey.

We are now heading home to Florida and so far are averaging 11.5 mpg. It feels peppier.

The T man showed us a number of problems in the transmission stating the pass was not the problem but probably the straw......

We are now driving thru 100+ degree F weather.

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Norm Milliard
'93 Born Free 21' RB
'06 Scion xB
Escapee, Full timer

Guess I don't understand how straw could cause a transmission failure?

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Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad

I think he's referring to "The straw that broke the camel's back".

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Tom
2005 24' RB
Towing 1978 VW Bug convertible
New Hope, MN

Thanks Tom for explaining 'the straw....'

We have now covered over 1000 miles as we head back to Florida and continue to average over 11 mpg. We had average 10 mpg on the trip to Seattle. However after leaving Seattle and heading to LA we were averaging 9 mpg. I thought it was reluctance to go to California.

An improvement from 9 to 11+ is rather dramatic, from 10 to 11+ is also very significant.

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Norm Milliard
'93 Born Free 21' RB
'06 Scion xB
Escapee, Full timer

Love our BornFree

We've loved traveling in our Born Free but after almost 10,000 miles of travel in it we realize there is still work to do should we want to continue using it. Now we need to decide if we want to continue upgrading the Born Free or to give our Scamp 16 another upgrade.

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Norm Milliard
'93 Born Free 21' RB
'06 Scion xB
Escapee, Full timer