Monday, October 14, 2024

I'm selling the champagne Lady




























Basic information:


VID:
TZE063V10238973                        Selling for $12,000.00


1973 CANYONANDS
455 Oldsmobile engine.        

I've had the engine rebuilt 3 years ago. (all paperwork available)

The inside looks pretty much as in the photos, but the outside needs a couple of minor cosmetic repairs ( I backed up into a low concrete wall at a tire facility- small scar, but a scar nonetheless).

What's wrong with it?

Generator is Kaput. They say a new carburetor will fix it, but I would just replace the entire thing.

Transmission works fine but the Parking pin snapped- no Parking gear.
I would replace the transmission altogether.

A number of smaller items, but they add up-needs new windshield wipers, a minor leak in the ceiling in the back, several hubcaps were stolen at an RV park (unbelievable eh?), etc

Everything else works fine. I drove it from Atlanta to Waldorf, Maryland without a single issue.

I had a discussion with Cinnabar, the GMC Motorhome specialists in Sandusky, Michigan (https://gmcmotorhomepeople.com) a year ago.

I gave them a list of everything I wanted to have done, and this list included a new transmission. The total came to about $12,000.00

Here is what I suggest to anyone interested in my GMC.

Be prepared to spend $12,000 dollars bringing it up to its full potential, or be prepared to invest the equivalent of your own labor and expenses.

Don't go half-ass. Do it right.

If you are not prepared to do either of the two above options, I would not buy it.
She needs a new home and a good work-over.

I drove her to Burning Man and Back, from Alexandria Virginia, I drove to a number of festivals all over the country, and I lived in her for a year in Tampa. She's a great machine, but she needs an overhaul.

Right now, she is being kept in at an RV repair place in Virginia.
I'll be going down that way to take more photos next week.

If you are interested, drop me a line at:

wgerardpoole@gmail.com

thanks for your interest,

W. Gerard Poole













































 It is with a heavy heart that I must part with my fabuloso RV; The Champagne Lady.










Why?

Here is the story. It's not a sad story, just a change of events.

My original idea, developed as the "Itinerant Field Professor Project", was to travel the Festival and Cultural Circuit of the U.S. and create educational content for the several classes I was teaching at the time: "American Popular Music HIstory", "The Music Business", and "World Music". For the World Music class I was developing what I called the "Music In Exile" series that would involve studying the many musical cultures and practices of immigrant communities here in the U.S.

AT first I was going to take off on this solo, but then I got married to my wonderful lady Diana.

My wife and I were going to embark on the adventure together, but only after we bought a piece of property and built some type of home on it as a base of operations.

At first the home was going to be a Geodesic Dome, but for a number of reasons we decided against it. After looking at a number of different structures we decided on a 10 meter Polycarbonate Dream Dome- but not until after a trip to Norway to make sure we liked them enough (see earlier Vlogs for that story). We have ordered the Dome and we have bought the land. In fact, we have also already built the deck it will go on.

But then what happened?

Well first of all, here is a view of the land we bought and the house we're building.


And yes, did I mention that Diana just had to have a "normal" house? Well, I really wanted to be a nomad and live in a Dome, but after we looked at plans and started designing....I have to admit, I really got into the project.


Here is the deck waiting for the Dome to arrive:





But what about the Champagne Lady? Why get rid of it?

Two reasons:

#1. The road up the mountain is a gravel road with 45% inclines and 3 hairpin turns.
The Lady was simply not going to be able to handle that road without serious alterations.

#2 The cultural and political climate here in the U.S. has changed over the past 8 years since I first embarked upon this lifestyle and developed my plans and ideas. The nation is far more hostile. If you're only traveling between destinations where you will meet with like-minded people, that's fine, but if you are traveling completely solo and actively seeking out cultural variations- well....America has changed, especially if you are not a "progressive".
Many sites are now advising that if you are wanting to be a TechNomad, that is a full time traveller making their living online, it is best to be part of a community wherein people are aware of where each other is travelling and who often meet up in small groups for overnight stays. This is especially important for Boondocking.

So, I have a new set of plans that involves, besides the new house and my studio dome, several businesses around my inventions (aurorabmx.com), my online classes (SMREE.org), DEPIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure) cryptocurrencies, and my work representing DreamDomes Scandinavia as Aurora Dream Domes (dreamdomes.us).

So there it is, one door closes, a few more open.


Here is the story on the Champagne Lady


VID:
TZE063V10238973                        Selling for $12,000.00


1973 CANYONANDS
455 Oldsmobile engine.        

I've had the engine rebuilt 3 years ago. (all paperwork available)

The inside looks pretty much as in the photos, but the outside needs a couple of minor cosmetic repairs ( I backed up into a low concrete wall at a tire facility- small scar, but a scar nonetheless).

What's wrong with it?

Generator is Kaput. They say a new carburetor will fix it, but I would just replace the entire thing.

Transmission works fine but the Parking pin snapped- no Parking gear.
I would replace the transmission altogether.

A number of smaller items, but they add up-needs new windshield wipers, a minor leak in the ceiling in the back, several hubcaps were stolen at an RV park (unbelievable eh?), etc

Everything else works fine. I drove it from Atlanta to Waldorf, Maryland without a single issue.

I had a discussion with Cinnabar, the GMC Motorhome specialists in Sandusky, Michigan (https://gmcmotorhomepeople.com) a year ago.

I gave them a list of everything I wanted to have done, and this list included a new transmission. The total came to about $12,000.00

Here is what I suggest to anyone interested in my GMC.

Be prepared to spend $12,000 dollars bringing it up to its full potential, or be prepared to invest the equivalent of your own labor and expenses.

Don't go half-ass. Do it right.

If you are not prepared to do either of the two above options, I would not buy the Champagne Lady.
She needs a new home and a good work-over.

I drove her to Burning Man and Back, from Alexandria Virginia, I drove to a number of festivals all over the country, and I lived in her for a year in Tampa. She's a great machine, but she needs an overhaul.

Right now, she is being kept in at an RV repair place in Virginia.
I'll be going down that way to take more photos next week.

If you are interested, drop me a line at:

wgerardpoole@gmail.com

thanks for your interest,

W. Gerard Poole




More photos:

On the way, and at, Burning Man (a number of years ago- 2012).























Monday, October 16, 2023

The Atlantic Road, Discovering the Romsdalgondolen, and the Hotel Aak

After a quick breakfast at the Thon Hotel Storgata we headed out for our next adventure…to drive the Atlantic Road. The Atlantic Road connects Averøy with the mainland via a series of small islands and islets spanned by a total of eight bridges over 8274 meters (5.14 miles). The road was opened in 1989 and is toll free. The Atlantic Road has National Tourist Route status and the entire stretch between Bud and Kristiansund is one continuous experience packed with coastal scenery, culture and history. 









Sunday, October 15, 2023

Trondheim [7/23/23]


Coffee and a cinnamon roll at the Café Bare followed by a walking tour of Trondheim, visiting the Nidaros Cathedral. Nidaros Cathedral is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim. It is built over the burial site of King Olav II, who became the patron saint of the nation, and is the traditional location for the consecration of new kings of Norway. We were fortunate enough to be at the cathedral just as a wedding party was coming out of the church. Beautiful. That evening we ate at Café Baklandet Skydsstation (which is Swedish for Hinterland Shelter Station) and had Reindeer Stew and Smoked Cod with risotto, both of which are traditional Nordic dishes.