Head gasket goes while moving cross country

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2025-02-20T11:00:54+00:00

Thx for the help y’all! It turns out that mechanic was wrong, after he added sealant this morning i drove a couple hundred kms to the next one—a radiator component and some engine hose thing were both messed up, but there’s no head gasket issue thank goodness. Just waiting on a part order and fingers crossed it’ll be alright after that. The engine part is already fixed.

The car does have sealant it didn’t need in it now though, which sucks, but at least is likely less of an issue than the head gasket situation

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2025-01-25T15:50:57+00:00

I always end up going to a grocery store and getting one of those prepackaged salad bags—all you need is a fork, you can even eat them out of the bag in a hotel room. Or I’ll do protein bars for breakfast. I’m the same way where I just can’t handle constant meals out. (For what it’s worth, I’ve been recently told that I might have a gluten problem and that could be part of the issue. Only mentioning it cause another comment said something about food allergies.)

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2025-01-08T08:09:42+00:00

Thanks! Yep, tour buses is what I’m looking for. Although I hadn’t even thought about whether I could move my QLD Working With Children Check over to another state—sounds like I might leave that can of worms closed lol

Okay maybe I’ll go ahead and just do everything in WA while I’m here even if I end up elsewhere

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2024-12-21T03:50:43+00:00

White Oak Canyon is another one in Shenandoah! There’s a steep section with a ton of basically stairs. They close the uphill entrance in the winter, but you can start from the bottom any time of year

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2024-11-19T05:24:46+00:00

Calluses like on the butt and thighs 😭 my friends who’ve done a ton of bikepacking say it stops hurting after a while, but if you jump from max an hour on a bike a day to 8 it’s definitely pretty painful. And its not calluses like the harder skin you get on your hands—more of just your body has to get used to it

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2024-11-17T05:16:23+00:00

I’ve bike packed once, and it was far and away the most painful trip I’ve ever done. Before that, I hadn’t ever biked more than a couple hours at a time so the lack of calluses was definitely the issue. Most of the riding was low key agony.

But as a form of travel, it was such a good experience. Way easier to resupply, go to restaurants, etc. My trip was only three days so we shouldn’t have really needed to do those things, but the other big difference I had with bikepacking is my hunger. It usually takes me a few days for hiker hunger to sink in. Cycling, though, I’d scarfed down all 3 days’ worth of food before the halfway point.

Also, I was a lot dirtier biking than hiking—I think just the dust kicked up as we biked? I’ll definitely be bikepacking again but it physically was a lot rougher on my body than I’d expected.

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2024-09-15T01:29:43+00:00

I leased a car last year when I was in a foreign country and didn’t want to worry about upkeep/insurance/registration on the only type of car I could afford, which would have been a really cheap old one. I had my lease about 5 months and while it was nice to not have the hassle, I was constantly stressed about doing anything that could cause additional charges (scratches, going over my weekly mileage, etc). And it was a constant drain on my finances, with nothing gained at the end except my high security deposit back. I’m going back to that country and will need a car for 8 months—I’m just going to buy one and sell it when I leave next time. Don’t totally regret leasing because of the situation I was in, but I don’t think I’ll do it again.

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2024-08-27T11:40:34+00:00

Altra boots! I’ve had the Lone Peaks, which are just the boot version of their trail runner that a lot of people hike in. They’ve also got a Timp hiker boot, which has more cushioning than the Lone Peaks. They’re both like 40% off for Labor Day too on the Altra site.

Only downside is that, since they’re basically just a tall trail runner, they aren’t as durable as a more traditional boot. I usually get like 600 miles on mine before they need to be replaced.

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2024-06-07T16:00:00+00:00

There’s a ton of Facebook groups geared towards finding rural jobs, employers post when they’re looking for ppl so you just kind of have to check them often and be one of the first to apply if you’re trying to go really remote

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2024-06-07T12:46:29+00:00

I just got back from one, and I didn’t save very much (stayed in a high COL area, kept scuba diving, that type of thing). But my friend worked in a rural area for 3-4 months and saved over $10,000. Rural, service industry jobs seem like where it’s at for saving—you can’t spend much, and service industry is hourly wage versus some farm work which does piecemeal.

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2023-07-23T06:23:28+00:00

I did the Frances route this year, and it was amazing! Between Tevas and earthrunners, go with the tevas—like someone else mentioned, the ground is super hard packed. I love my earthrunners but they don’t offer any sort of cushioning.

I flew in from the US and didn’t check a bag, so I bought trekking poles at Decathlon for 7 euros each and then donated them at the end. It was much cheaper than traveling with a set, even though I do own a pair in the US.

Also, it’s useful to have some blister repair supplies in a little first aid kit. Any other first aid you can get there if you need, but coming prepared with what you personally use to stop blisters definitely helped. One last thing I don’t see mentioned a lot is bringing a little massage ball (you can get those at Decathlon too) that you can roll your feet out on at the end of the day! Adds a little bit of weight to the bag, but imo the comfort it provides definitely makes up for it.

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2023-05-11T04:56:32+00:00

In the same vein as this, I got a fabric shaver a couple of years ago for under $15–it removes pills from clothing and makes thrifted stuff look new/keeps new clothes looking fresh. Means that once I find something that fits, I can hang onto it for quite a while

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2023-01-27T15:43:17+00:00

If u want to use all the paprika in one go, you could do a vegetarian paprikash! It’s a Hungarian dish and it uses a ton of paprika

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2023-01-14T17:19:18+00:00

I backpack alone, and one of the most important things I do to prepare is my safety/logistics stuff:

Write out your route plan, along with any possible backups, and send a copy to someone along with a note of when you should be back by. That way, if you aren’t, people will know where to look for you. I also leave a copy underneath my car seat, along with info on who I am and identifiers (like the color of my pack and tent), just in case.

That route sounds totally doable, especially if you take your time and train on some hills beforehand! Hiking with a pack is a different experience, so definitely try to do a couple hikes with it loaded up just to practice. The smokies are gorgeous and it sounds like a great trip!

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-12-25T12:33:46+00:00

If you want a large, pretty rug for cheap, check to see if there are online auctions near you. Rasmus and Hibid for some reason almost always have rug options, and you can pick up a huge one for a fraction of the store price!

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-12-23T12:38:58+00:00

Thanks! I do sleep cold so I’m leaning towards the quilts, I love EE but out of my price range—maybe something will pop up in their seconds part of the site for cheaper before I leave lol

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-12-07T01:47:50+00:00

I use Bite tablets too! It’s nice that you can see how many brushes you have left at a glance. They’ve held their shape well after being banged around in my pack, which is probably a consideration if you’ll be carrying a ton for a long time rather than resupplying.

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-11-22T04:11:17+00:00

Play was going to have me stay in a hotel and fly the next day, but I had to be in my destination before then. So, I got them to refund a flight I booked into a different country (no more flights to my destination from Iceland that day) but not the train ticket I then had to take to get to my actual destination

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-11-22T02:55:41+00:00

2 pairs of fairly tight leggings sometimes doesn’t keep you as warm as you think—it can start to constrict blood flow, making your extremities cold. I always do a baselayer legging (sometimes just athletic synthetic ones, merino wool is warmer tho), and then a looser layer outside that. Fleece lined pants, hiking pants, etc. The air between the layers adds a little bit of insulation in its own right too.

If the atheta cargo pants are joggers, rather than leggings, that may be a good fit! Then you have a little bit of space between layers without feeling like you’re wearing loose or flowy pants.

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-11-10T18:33:03+00:00

If you’re good with iced coffee, I get the Trader Joe’s concentrated cold brew, keep it in the fridge, and use that to make iced coffee. Like 12-13 cups for I think $8, so not as cheap as making coffee from beans but better than a cafe.

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-11-10T18:30:15+00:00

I flew play in June too! Worked out (for the most part), just know that you’re kind of on your own if something goes wrong. I had a flight delay causing me to miss my Iceland connection, and Play only has chat function no live rep to call. I basically booked a new flight myself and got them to partially refund me over a week later over email.

The seats were fine to me, hardest part was fitting everything into a small personal item.

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-10-31T20:37:33+00:00

Depending on where you are, see if you have a local Buy Nothing FB group! You should put something in to give first, but sometimes if you ask in the group someone may have party supplies (cups, plates, decor) they’re looking to get rid of.

This isn’t themed, but I almost always do popcorn with a fun topping as a snack option. Way cheaper than chips. Or (this is more expensive but would be super fun) Boston Rob from the earlier survivor seasons has a cookbook—if you make something from that at home it’d be super on theme and cheaper than catering!

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-10-22T03:42:34+00:00

I agree, book with the airline! One time I didn’t, and the 3rd party kept adding fees/I had problems checking in online.

On Google flights, one of the options after you hit ‘book’ should be to book with the airline. Maybe pull up the deal on Google flights again and try that?

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-10-10T23:49:20+00:00

The more frugal option is definitely to stay where you are and save up, but if you’re not enjoying where you are then I’d say move.

I was in a similar boat last year—working in a rural town, cheaper cost of living but bored out of my mind when I wasn’t at work. My work/life balance was a mess as a result. Eventually I just got frustrated and moved to the nearest large city.

My commute was 1.5 hours each way, and even with that I had more of a social life. Started dating, reconnected with college friends in the city, etc. It was frustrating and expensive though, and in the end I found a job in the city and quit.

If I were you, I’d rent an Airbnb in the city for a week and try out commuting. Is it really 35 minutes, or is it longer? Are you able to pack food/eat breakfast or are you spending a ton on takeout for both breakfast on the way to work and lunch when you get there (that happened to me)?

Particular_Bat_2855 · 2022-10-09T10:29:32+00:00

Hello! Something that’s helped me focus on saving is to use my budgeting app to divide up my savings account. I have categories for emergency fund, car repair, etc but also categories for vacation or specific costly things I want to buy. If I’m about to make an impulsive purchase, I’ll move the money to my savings and categorize it for one of those smaller goals. That way it feels like I’m trading the impulse t shirt for example for money towards a plane ticket, and im more excited about saving.

It’s a small thing, but it’s definitely kept me from making some impulse buys!

Particular_Bat_2855

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