#bilbothevan

[pinelakechic]

Days 54 to 57: We Made it Back (Again)!

We woke up to a full parking lot outside Lowe’s and unlike boondocking at a Cracker Barrel, there was no breakfast waiting for us inside. So we headed back to downtown Bend to find a coffee shop. We had coffee and breakfast sandwiches at Thump Coffee and walked along the river and around downtown a little. However, because it was so early, nothing was open. We did spot a few shops that we would like to visit, so we decided to take a drive to Mt. Bachelor to check it out and kill some time.

Because we didn’t really do proper research about Bend when we decided to reroute here, we didn’t realize that Mt. Bachelor Ski Area is actually within the Deschutes National Forest and that it is very close to town - we would probably have boondocked in the national forest instead. But now we know! It was a very pleasant drive through the ponderosa pine forest was we saw a few random campers amongst the trees along the way. 

After a quick stop at the day lodge at the top, we decided to find an area to let the pup out and go for a brief walk. The driveway to another day lodge was closed to traffic, so we parked the van on the road and walked Gimli off-leash on the driveway - he was definitely happy to be out running around!

We returned to downtown Bend just as shops were opening and our first stop was a relatively yarn shop, Wool Town. I heard that a yarn shop that has been in Bend for a long time closed recently and the owner of Wool Town told me that both she and the owner of another new yarn store in town saw the opportunity/niche and got in the market about the same time. It was a cute store and I got a skein of Shetland-BFL blend from local sheep. This was the final yarn shop stop of this trip and I am quite happy with the stash I have acquired!

We also discovered Lone Crow Bungalow, a home décor and gift shop, which was full of Craftsman-style items that were totally our style. I spotted a cushion depicting two Labs, one yellow and one black, that were so much like Gander and Gimli that it brought tears to my eyes!  I just had to get it!! They also have a collection of  very nice Craftsman-style clocks; after a bit of back and forth, we finally decided on one that displays a tile with a classic Frank Lloyd Wright design.

We spent the rest of the morning wandering in and out of various stores and then it was time to hit the road! We were heading to our last stop before home: South Beach State Beach on the Oregon Coast. We drove past the cute tourist town of Sisters and through Deschutes and Willamette National Forests.

As the ponderosa pine gave way to Douglas firs and big leaf maples, I knew we have hit the coastal forest and I felt almost at home! South Beach State Park is just outside of Newport and with a relatively busy port and the fog that never seemed to lift over the few days we were there, there was the constant background sound of the foghorn. It was a busy campground  but our site was spacious and dogs were allowed to run off-leash on the beach, so it was a great spot to park ourselves for a few days before we get home - plus we can now truly claim that ours has been a coast-to-coast road trip!

We spent the next couple of days just walking Gimli on the beach (he did not seem keen to go in the water, which was just as well, because a salty sandy dog would not make a good “roommate” in the van) and lounging by a campfire. It was good to not drive at all for a couple of days! (And because we did not plan to drive anywhere or explore Newport, we didn’t realize that Rogue Brewery HQ was just outside of the park!!)

We decided to not take the highway along the coast to get home and just get on the Interstate 5. The drive was quite unremarkable and, as expected, we came across traffic near Tacoma. We got home in the early afternoon and had the rest of the day to unpack the van and reacquaint ourselves with our house! As much as we have enjoyed our time on the road, it was good to be home. And of all three of us, I think Gimli was probably the happiest to be back - he did the zoomies the moment he got in the yard and rolled around on the grass. 

There you have it. Bilbo, the van, took us on a 15,000-mile cross-continental road trip, covering 10 Canadian provinces and 17 American states, meeting up with 6 groups of friends in Canada and 3 groups in the US, and visiting 6 Canadian National Parks, 6 American National Parks and countless number of provincial/state/municipal parks. (Yes, our route is shaped like an anteater!!)

We made it there and back again! 

[pinelakechic]

Day 13: Chilling Out in Kagawong

Today was our first non-driving day since we began the trip 12 days ago and it felt good not having to pack everything up in the morning! We slept in as much as Gimli would allow us (!) and took a walk through the village. We stopped at an antique shopped that was set up in a garage of a beautiful old house and had coffee and treats at Chocolate Works (I have to refrain from calling a brownie with coconut shavings or a chocolate macaroon breakfast).

Wednesday is Market Day by the Kagawong Basin Marina, so we had the opportunity to check out some of the wares from the local artists and vendors. The first stall we came upon was one that sells watercolour prints of local scenery. We were looking at them and commented that one of them looks like the view from Steve's house. The artist, Jenna Carter, looked at the print we were referring to and told us that she knew Steve and was one of his karate students! She then told us that there was another painting with his house in it, so of course we had to get that one! We later walked to the spot where the painting was done and took a photo of it!

We then took a short hike along the Kagawong River, through a northern white-cedar forest, to Bridal Veil Falls. It was a relatively quiet on the trail, so it was surprising to see so many people at the falls - there was a parking lot at the top, so many people just drove there and then go swimming under the falls. We made our way from the crowd and stopped at Wild Creations, a gift store that sells merchandises with original print designs. The artist for one of the series told us that she was planning to complete designs for 30 Canadian animals and decided to do one in the shape of Manitoulin Island - and that was the sticker we bought.

After having lunch at a pulled pork sandwich stand, we visited the Edwards Art Studio, an art gallery located on the second floor of the Old Mill. There are original works of stained glass, fused glass, ceramic and textile pieces as well as  paintings and serigraphs. We were particularly taken by a series of serigraphs that has a Craftsman-style feel to it, and the price was quite reasonable considering that they are original works and framed. However, once again, it is not practical for us to take it with us for the rest of the trip, so I think we might make an online purchase when we get home.

Gimli played fetch in Lake Huron for a while and the rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing in the sun/shade - it was too hot in the sun but I felt cold in the shade when the breeze picked up! But overall, the weather is pretty perfect!

Later in the afternoon, another one of Dan's karate friend, Dean, drove for two hours to see us and to hang out - there was a lot of karate shop talk or reminiscing going on. He brought a selection of local bears from the Manitoulin Brewing Company. I tried the Swing Bridge Blonde Ale and the Bridal Veil Pale Ale, both of which were really good! Steve made pizzas and his friend, Matt, brought chicken wings. I have just given Steve some honey from the UW farm and Matt decided to make honey garlic wings! And lo and behold, I also have some freeze dried garlic in our little kitchen, so we made our small contributions to the meal! Good times were had by all! 

We will be taking the ferry tomorrow and heading to Kitchener - we will be one step closer to getting Bilbo to the factory for some warranty repair and, hopefully, have our battery situation sorted out once and for all! Until then, good night from Kagawong, Manitoulin Island, ON.

Check out our route on Roadtrippers!

[pinelakechic]

Day 7: One Thing Off My Big Checklist

We blasted through the prairies today, making just a couple of stops to stretch our legs and to get gas for Bilbo. We crossed into Manitoba soon after leaving the campground and our first stop was Brandon, where the TransCandada Hwy intersects with the Assiniboine River. We took Gimli to the East End Dog Park which was a large enclosed field at a semi-industrial neighborhood. It was not as spectacular as the other two off-leash areas we have taken him, but it served the purpose and Gimli was  happy to be out and running around. He was starting to limp a little last night and we suspect he was getting a bit stiff from being in the same position for hours (just as we are as well!). I gave him some pain meds but he was still a bit stiff this morning. I was not sure how he would be at the dog park, but it appears that being outside and running around really helped to fix him! Dan also fashioned an "extension" for his space in the van so that he could stretch out more during the drive and at night.

We filled up the tank in Portage Le Prairie and continued to our highlight destination of the day: Gimli, MB. Two things on my major check list for this trip are to visit the two towns after which our pups were named. Today, we checked one of them off! Gimli is a small beach town on Lake Winnipeg, settled by Icelanders in the late 1800's. Dan was just having a quick look at the New Iceland Heritage Museum gift shop while I waited outside with the pup when he was told that if our dog was well-behaved, he would be welcome to go inside. So they really got a chuckle out of it when we went back in and told them that our pup is called Gimli! All three of us sat side by side in the theatre to watch the video about the history of Gimli and then walked through the exhibit halls. And our Gimli was just so good throughout the visit.

After the museum visit, we took a short walk through the Harbour Point Park and saw the Viking statue that commemorates the families who founded the town. We then had a late lunch on the main strip - fish and chips seemed the most natural choice given the location and the history of the town -  before heading to our campground for the night.

Birds Hill Provincial Park is a large park located on a gentle hill about 30 minutes northeast of Winnipeg. Dan remembered going there as a kid for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. We arrived at the campsite around 5 and spent the evening relaxing - we even used the DVD player that came with the van for the first time and watched part of a Harry Potter movie!

We have been camping at sites that offer 30-amp power because we know that our battery system works when we are plugged in. However, for the second night in a row, we will try without plugging in and see what happens. Last night went without a hitch but then the battery died later today… Fortunately, we were finally able to find a dealership in WInnipeg that is willing to take a look and we have an appointment early tomorrow! Until then, good night from Winnipeg, MB.

[pinelakechic]

Day 42: Happy Campers!

I can hardly believe that today was the end of week 6 of our adventure! It has gone by so quickly while the early days seem so long ago! We started the day with getting our water hose connection fixed! Yay! The people at I-90 RV & Auto were great and not only did they replaced the broken plastic water hose connection with a copper one, they also replaced the low-point valve (which was apparently not working, but we didn't know because we have not used it), rotated the hose so that it has more clearance, zip-tied it to stabilize it, and bent and tied the heat shield to prevent it from rubbing the hose. All these were done under warranty - couldn't be happier to have a problem fixed and the solution being an improvement from before!

While we were waiting for the work to be done, I managed to make some progress on the socks I am knitting and plan the itinerary for the day. We will start heading south towards Rocky Mountain National Park today but we will stop in Wyoming for the night. But first thing on the list was to take Gimli to a dog park as it has been a few days since he has had a chance to run around. There is only one official off-leash area in Rapid City and it is the Braeburn Addition Off-Leash Dog Park. It is not far from town and turned out to be a huge section of a park that was fenced along the road, but connected to the trail system. There was also water access to Rapid Creek, but we kept Gimli from it so he stayed dry for the drive.

As we were leaving, a lady just arriving with her dog noticed our van and asked if we were from WA. She used to live in Lynwood and we chatted a little bit about camper vans and road trips. Perhaps because she found out we are Canadians and live in WA, she proceeded to make an anti-Trump comment and then got a bit flustered about talking about politics with total strangers. This was the first time someone (other than our friends) we have come across during this trip has been so upfront about the topic. She proceeded to talk about the "blue bubble" in Rapid City. 

I was just commenting to Dan as we went to our van that although Rapid City, SD, has never been on my radar and was not a "scheduled stop", it now has a special place in my heart: friendly and helpful people at the RV dealership, a cute,  walkable downtown, nice neighbourhoods with easy access to interstate highways and large malls, an awesome dog park, and a "blue bubble" to boot! I have barely finished talking when this other guy with a little dog, wearing an NRA t-shirt and carrying a sidearm on his leg, came up to us and asked us about the van (he told us that he was from NY). He was pleasant enough but I guess we saw the two extremes of Rapid City within the span of 5 minutes! 

About an hour from Rapid City was Hot Springs, SD, where the springs discharges into the Fall River. We stopped there hoping that we would find a touristy main street where we could have lunch, but there was not a whole lot going on. They do have a nice yarn shop, Fall River Fibers, so that worked out well for me and I got a couple skeins of yarn that were a blend of sheep and llama wool. 

The rest of the way to Glendo State Park, Wyoming, was through some of the most remote areas we have experienced this trip. We went for hours with just grasslands/pastures and occasional herd of cattle on either side of the highway and we exclaimed every time we saw any building at all! At one point, we drove past a series of large angular rocky outcrops or towers but we didn't see any signage informing us what they were. Some of these areas are part of the national grassland systems, but most of the land belong to private ranches, as indicated by the signs we saw. Although this area was almost as flat as the Canadian Prairies, with nothing to hold his attention, e.g. grain elevators, water towers, and interesting farm buildings, Dan found the drive a lot harder. It was particularly difficult as we have finished listening to all the Harry Potter books and I have yet to put the next audio books onto my iPhone.

After hours of just grasslands and not even a shrub in sight, we began to see riparian forest lining the North Platte River as we approached the town of Glendo. The signage to Glendo State Park was minimal and our GPS was not working as well as it should be, so we just followed the sign to the town and figured things out from here. According to the park ranger when we checked into the park, the state law said that there was a limit in the number/size of signs state parks could display on the highway… how strange. There was no obvious signage within the park indicating where the campgrounds were and she has run out of maps, so we followed her instructions which was kind of confusing but we managed.

The park runs along the shore of Glendo Reservoir, which was formed by damming the North Platte River at Glendo dam. There were private residences intermingle with park land, so it was a bit confusing as we were looking for our campground. The landscape was significantly different from what we have experienced for the past couple hours. Instead of relatively flat, expansive grassland that was mostly greyish green in colour with the occasional tan rocky outcrops, we were now winding up and down hill through sparsely wooded area (ponderosa pine and junipers) and exposed red rock walls. We were hoping that our campsite at Reno Cove Campground would be somewhat shaded as it was getting quite hot, but it turned out to be an exposed grassy area where the gravel patch was covered mostly by pineapple weed. I noticed the smell when we got out of the van and unlike the sweet grass smell at Badlands NP/Buffalo Gap National Grassland, it did nothing for me and I got quite tired of it relatively quickly.

Once we settled in, we went for a quick walk and confirmed that not only does the campground not have shower facilities, the vault toilets are about 10 minutes' walk away, down a hill. It is a beautiful park and the location works for us, so while it was not ideal, I am still glad for the experience. After it cooled down I the evening, the temperature was very pleasant. The breeze kept the bugs away for a while and we were able to have a nice dinner sitting outside while we watched the sunset.

With minimal light pollution and a clear night, we could appreciate the stars once it got dark. Although I don't know much at all about constellations, but at least I could spot the Milky Way and the Big Dipper! We have now installed star chart apps on our phones for the next time we have a chance to observe the stars. Until tomorrow, good night from Glendo, WY.

Check out our route on Roadtrippers!

[pinelakechic]

Day 3: So Far So Good

I know that this blog is at risk of turning into less about our trip and more about the operations of Bilbo. While I kind of feel bad about going on and on about these issues, the van is such an integral part of our adventure that our day-to-day activities really revolve around the van… until we have everything working smoothly, you will continue to hear a lot about the ups and downs of vanlife in this particular van. 

That said, although the kicker battery is still not functioning properly, we have figured out a workaround that would allow us to continue on with our journey. It means getting a few more power equipment, no boondocking, and booking only at sites that have full electrical hook-up; but for now, our itinerary remains the same. 

This morning started without a hitch and we even cooked on the kitchen stove for the first time (boiling water for tea yesterday did not really count. :) ) This is my first experience at a private RV site, so maybe it is of no surprise to others, but I am glad to see a communal sink for doing dishes - it definitely beats collecting ice cold water from a faucet in a bucket to do dishes back at the campsite! 

After filling our water tank, packing up camp, and going over our pre-departure check-list, we continued north along Yellowhead Hwy (Hwy 5 and Hwy 16) to Jasper National Park. We drove along the mighty Fraser River, Moose Lake, and Moose River and through Mount Robson Provincial Park, watching the Canadian Rockies appear ahead of us and the Doug fir and Engelmann spruce forest transition into lodgepole pine forest and wetlands with stands of white spruce. If you feel so inclined, here is a link to a detailed description of the sub-boreal pine-spruce zone. It was sad to see the mountain pine beetle damage to the lodgepole pines along the way though. 

We got our Parks Canada Discovery Pass at the Jasper NP gate and decided to go into town and walk around a bit before going to our campsite. It was a cute resort town but because we still had the battery issue in our mind, we didn't linger too long: after lunch at Café Mondo, we went to the hardware store to pick up a portable charger and extension cord. Up until then, the battery system appeared to be behaving. But just as we pulled up to the hardware store, everything shut down again. We were able to get it working again for a few minutes but it did not last and we knew that the only way to keep the system up and running is to have shore power for the night. 

With our reservation at a "no service" site in Whistlers Campground, that is one no electric hook-up, and all the campgrounds being full, we have resigned ourselves to basically "tent-camping" with the van as the tent. But it never hurt to ask, so at the check-in kiosk of the Whistlers Campground, Dan explained our situation and asked if there was a chance we could swap our reservation for a hook-up site. Surprisingly, despite the long lines of cars/vans/trucks and people being turned away, we were told there was one last spot left at the Watipi electric court - basically a large parking lot with electric hook-up at each "stall". 

So here we are, despite some hiccups yet to resolve, enjoying a relaxing evening at Jasper National Park, having taken a walk along the Athabasca River which runs behind our campground with the pup. 

Tomorrow will bring some new challenges - we will find out from Hymer factory in Kitchener, ON, what they could do for us to sort out the battery and depending on which dealership along the way could fix the problem, we will head there. It may still mean going through Banff or it could mean skipping Banff altogether… To complicate the matter, I have a 3:30 PM PDT Skype call for a job interview, which reminds me, I should review the job description and organization background. Until then, have a good evening from Jasper, AB. 

Check out our route on Roadtrippers!

[pinelakechic]

Day 35: Onward and Westward!

It was quite an uncomfortable night for us as it rained overnight and got much more humid. We woke up in the middle of the night, deciding to turn on the AC. As the unit was right above our bed and was very loud, it felt like sleeping on an airplane! Also, when VoltStart kicked in - that is when the battery level got below a certain level, the system turned on the engine to power the under hood generator - it also turned on the car radio which blasted static over the speaker right over the bed! So even though the temperature and humidity got back to a more comfortable level, I had a hard to staying asleep. Meanwhile, Dan took sinus medication, put on his noise-cancelling headphones (mine were took bulky to sleep in), and had a reasonable amount of sleep. It didn't help that Gimli still wanted to go out at 5:30 AM!

Nonetheless, we were still able to get our act together and were ready to hit the road just before 8 AM. We said out goodbyes to Nikki, the children, and the animals, and were on our way. After a stop at the gas station and Starbucks (probably more of those and fewer TH stops here on!), we were ready to brave the New York traffic!!

Nikki and Linda warned us that all the Parkways have low bridges under which Bilbo would not fit, so although Waze kept on trying to get us onto various parkways to avoid the heavy traffic, we stayed on the Long Island Expressway (Highway 495) the whole way into the city passing by various towns and communities as well as tracts of forest with ash, sumac, oak, maple, sweet gum, and honey locust. There was very heavy container truck traffic, but at least we knew that if we followed them, we would not encounter bridges that we would not fit under! 

We entered New York after crossing the Throgs Neck Bridge; this was a tolled bridge and just as we were getting our cash ready, we saw the sign saying that those without an E-pass will get the bill in the mail. If only it were this easy for all the tolls! 

We drove through Queens and Bronx via the highways and were able to get a glimpse of the skyline of downtown Manhattan in the distance. We drove through Manhattan by going under it and the road eventually took us the George Washington Bridge that took us into New Jersey.

After we drove through Newark and Paterson, NJ, the highway was pretty much lined with deciduous forests and occasional rock walls the rest of the way into Pennsylvania. We saw names of towns that we recognized, but we couldn't really see any towns even at the turn-offs. We did see the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area where one could find a trail head to the Appalachian Trail.

We arrived in Pennsylvania in the afternoon and just after we paid the toll, we encountered some nasty potholes, and we wanted our money back right away! Luckily, the potholed section did not last very long and our drive to the campground was quite smooth. We stopped at a grocery store in Clearfield and the experience confirmed the fact the towns were quite far from the highway and that was why we hardly saw any the whole time.

We arrived in Parker Dan State Park a little around 4 PM and were super happy that the temperature was around 25C and it was super comfortable to sit outside… until we realized that there were many little gnats that were bothering poor Gimli. So he went back in the van while we had dinner outside.

After such a poor night of sleep last night, we were ready to go to bed early so that we are well-rested tomorrow for another long trek west! Until then, good night from Parker Dam State Park, Penfield, PA.

[pinelakechic]

Bilbo Got a Few Tech Upgrades

Bilbo was brought back to the dealership last week to get a recall fix for the exhaust and to have the radio/nav systems replaced (another ongoing saga with the latter). We finally got him back over the weekend and Dan got busy installing a few things to make sure we can stay connected during our trip. Unlike other travelers who want to go on an off-grid adventure, we want to make sure we stay connected the whole time.

Dan installed a cell booster (WeBoost) and a wireless router (MiFi) as well as a meter to monitor the solar input (SolarEpic MT-50). Everything is mounted with double-sided tape on the panel next to the thermostat/AC control. 

The external antenna is strapped to the ladder and fit perfectly out of the way. The cable is threaded over the hinger of the door and slipped into the cabin behind the foam padding of the mosquito screen. It then runs along the end of the bed between the mattress and the wall to the panel.

Given how much has been added, the exposed cables don’t look as bad as I thought it would be. And since this panel faces the back of the van and we can sleep with our heads on the other side of the van, it won’t bean eye sore while still easily assessible to check that everything is functioning as it should.

[pinelakechic]

Day 26: The Beginning of  "Back Again"

Today was another early start for us, but not before I took Gimli to the Newman Sound Day Use area to check out the sound. It was once again impressed on me how new all the structures of the park were. We have noticed that many of the buildings, roads, viewing platforms, etc. at both Gros Morne and Terra Nova National Parks looked quite new - it is good to see that the country and the communites are willing to invest in the park system.

The TransCanada Highway runs through the park, so we got back on and headed east again… technically, the highway coursed south before turning northeast to our main destination today, St. John's. The vegetation and habitat along the highway stayed very similar to what we saw before, but as the TransCanada started to turn northeast towards St. John's, the landscape started to transition to a from dense forests to a matrix of meadows speckled with outcrops, ponds/lakes, and small stands of trees. In fact, this was type of habitat I was expecting to see when I thought of Newfoundland. As much as I loved driving through forests, I definitely find this open landscape stunning and awe-inspiring.

Our first stop was Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Park. This is the eastern-most point of North America and only 20 minutes or so outside of St. John's, so of course we had to pay a visit now that we have made it this far. As expected of all lighthouse locations, it was windy at the site, but the sun was out and the breeze was actually warm and pleasant as we took in the vista of the Atlantic.

We drove into downtown St. John's hoping to find a place to park and walk around, but it was not to be: there was no available street parking to be found and all the outdoor lots we could find were for permit holders only. We did drive through neighbourhoods with the iconic jellybean row houses and I can imagine how those bright colours would light up the place during the long winters.

The next stop was Signal Hill National Historic Park where the Cabot Tower was located. From up there, you could see the entire city of St. Johns and its waterfront on one side, and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. As much as I have expressed how I do not like the salty, briny residue of sea breeze, I was surprised to find that I did not notice any saltiness at all.

Outside one of the parks building were two statues: one of a Labrador Retriever and one of a Newfoundland Dog, the two dog breeds which originated from Newfoundland.  In fact, the ancestors of Labrador Retrievers were known as St. John's Water Dog or the Lesser Newfoundland Dog. Knowing me,  so of course we had to take a photos of the Gimster there!

We headed back through downtown hoping to find "Mile Zero" of the TransCanada Highway, which according to an article I found online was next to the St. John's City Hall. There was no good place for us to  park and we couldn't not figure out where exactly it was as we drove around the building a second time. We did notice a plaque with dense writing in front of the building but could not really read it as we drove past. But Dan reasoned that since it was a federal plaque (we could see the Government of Canada logo) and there were all the provincial flags behind it, that must have been it. So we stopped just down the street and he ran back to check - sure enough, that was a plaque commemorating the completion of the TransCanada Highway in 1970. But as a side note, as of 2002 (according to the article I read), the eastern-most section of the TransCanada has been re-designated and the start of if it is technically at Lodgy Bay Road, where the Robin Hood Bay Landfill is located. So yes, the technical start of the TransCanada is now at a dump but nonetheless, we were at the historical eastern start. And another factoid: the TransCanada runs from Victoria, BC, to St. John's NL, but they were both considered "Mile Zero". As the journalist, Walter Stewart, wrote in 1965, "The Trans-Canada Highway is the world's only national roadway that has two beginnings and no end… Neither city wanted to be at the tail of the procession, so we made a road with two heads and no foot. Very Canadian, very sensible."

Our next stop was a little yarn shop just outside of downtown, Wool Trend. It was a cute little shop in an old house and it has a decent selection of yarn, But speaking as a yarn snob, they have more acrylic yarn with garish colours that I cared for. They did have a very small collection of yarn from local dyers and I chose a skein by two sisters, one living in Corner Brook, NL, and one in Dartmouth, NS. It is a merino-nylon sock yarn with colours that reminded of the rocks I have seen on the highway.

My little fibre adventure was the last thing we did before leaving St. John's and embarking on our westward part of our journey. In other words, it was time we started the "back again" portion of our trip. The plan was to drive as far west as possible towards Port Aux Basque where we will be catching a ferry back to the mainland tomorrow. We started backtracking on the TransCanada and although we originally thought we would just boondock somewhere off the road, we ended up finding a site at a private campground in Grand Falls-Windsor, Beothuck Family Park. I also did my tiny share of driving for a couple of hours to the campground.

It has been a long day of travelling and we were on the road for about 12 hours. Tomorrow, we will have another 5 hours of driving to get back to Port Aux Basque by 9:45 PM, so at least we can look forward to sleeping in a little. Until then, good night from Grand Falls - Windsor, NL.

Check out our route on Roadtrippers!

[pinelakechic]

Welcome Home, Bilbo.

After a bit of whirlwind activities, our new camper van, Bilbo, came home with us last night. We are now 2 weeks from the start date of road trip and we have tons to learn and figure out before we hit the road.

We did a walkthrough at the time of purchase and there was a not-too-short list of items that needed to be fixed. Bilbo then went through a 3-day factory warranty inspection after the purchase so that they could address those issues. To make the long story short, although some of those issues were addressed, we came away with an even longer list of things that need to be fixed! Granted, these are all factory warranty stuff and most of them would not deter us from going on the trip. But still, the build quality really left a lot to be desired. And from what I gathered, that is not uncommon in the RV world. All that said, I am still very happy and excited with what we have got and am looking forward to the adventure we will have.

When we started working on a camper for this road trip, we envisioned multiple camping trips on weekends to test out new updates and figure out “best practices”. With such a dramatic change in plan 2 weeks before the trip, we don’t have time to take these test camping trips. So we are doing the next best thing: sleeping Bilbo while parked on our driveway few nights in a row and take him for long drives this weekend.

And of course I have to figure out the best knitting spot...

[pinelakechic]

Day 2: A Good Start...

We could not have asked for a better start to the day: we got up bright and early after a relatively good night’s sleep (I woke up in the middle of the night mainly because of itchy mosquito bites). The sun was shining and we hit the road earlier than we planned. We got coffee and breakfast at the gas station in Logan Lake and decided to go to a dog park in Kamloops en route to Valemount so that the Gimster could have some off-leash time. 

Kenna Cartwright Park turned out to be much more than a dog park. It actually consists of an extensive trail system just at the edge of town. We encountered a few mountain bikers and hikers as well as quite a few fellow dog walkers in this sagebrush steppe that is dotted with Ponderosa pine. I was super impressed that such a park exists so close to town and the clean pit toilet they have in the park earned them a couple of bonus points!

We made our first grocery stop in Kamloops. We were prepared for regular food shopping stops because the fridge in Bilbo could only fit so much. However, what I did not take into account was that a “quick grocery stop” probably will not be as quick as what I anticipated because I will not be familiar with the layout of the stores! One more lesson learned!

After our stops in Kamloops, sagebrush and Ponderosa pine soon gave way to aspen, Doug fir, and Englemann spruce as we headed north on Hwy 5 which ran somewhat parallel to the North Thompson River. 

Lunch was at the Thunder River rest stop about an hour from our destination for the day and I thought it was pretty “fancy” to have steamed buns and gyozas (heated in the microwave) and sushi for a picnic!

We arrived at Yellowhead RV and Campground about 2 PM and check-in was pretty straight forward. We noticed the AAA endorsement when entering the campground so I mentioned it on check-in and got an few dollars off.  We were looking forward to an afternoon and evening of just chilling out, when we noticed that our coach battery died when we turned off the engine.

Our battery system was back to the “error state” that we thought was fixed from a few days ago. We have been operating the system using the sequence that was recommended by the RV support technician and things have been working just fine until now. We attempted to restart the system with no avail. We finally got on the phone with another technician who concluded that there was something wrong with the kicker battery that is part of the battery management system (BMS) - it needs to be running in order for the BMS is communicate with the power system. After about 2 hours of dealing with it,  we were finally able to bypass the kicker battery with a portable battery (lent to us by very helpful campground staff) and got the coach batteries going and we are now hooked up to shore power. So far, everything seems to be working, but there is no telling what would happen once we disconnect from shore power. We might have found a Band-Aid solution, but our next major task is to find a Hymer dealership that would be able to take a look at the kicker battery and either replace it or fix any wiring issue.

Once we were able to get the system going, we decided to stay here for the night as originally planned instead of heading to the nearest town with a Hymer dealership (we were on the verge of driving back towards Kelowna and spending the next few days in Big White!). We were also able to relax a bit and enjoy this campground, which is next to Swift Creek and has clean, well-maintained and spacious washrooms and showers. 

For now, we are still heading to Jasper which is only an hour and half away. However, there is a chance that instead of going to Banff, we will have to go to wherever someone can fix our battery!!

Stay tuned for the next installment of the Hymer Aktiv: Warranty Woes! Until then, good night from Valemount, BC.

Check out our route on Roadtrippers!

[pinelakechic]

Day 1: And We Are Off!!

After a flurry of activity - final packing, getting the house ready for Almie and Terence, who will be house-sitting for us, and putting stickers on Bilbo - we were finally ready to hit the road.

We left a day earlier than originally planned just so that we could break the drive up to Valemount, BC... sort of ease ourselves into it instead of driving 8+ hours on the first day. We did get caught in the rush hour traffic on I-5, so the whole drive was still about 6 hours long. But we were able to entertain ourselves listening to the 4th Harry Potter book and, of course, I did a bit of road trip knitting.

We booked a site at Logan Lake Municipal Campground just before we left the house and it was a good thing we did because according to the bulletin board, they only had one site left for walk-in (and there were 5 sites available when we made the reservation). The site is about 30 miles north of Merritt and is quite a nice place for a quick overnight stay.

The scenery in the Nicola Valley is pretty stunning, and we were lucky to catch a bit of the sunset view as we were driving in. We arrived at the site just before it got dark and decided to just snack on what we have packed and will wait until tomorrow to pick up groceries. We got so caught up with getting to the campground that we totally forgot to feed Gimli at his regular dinner time! It will take us a few days to learn the routine and figure out the “vanlife shuffle”.

Tomorrow will likely be a more typical day where we would start driving in the morning and spend more time exploring our destination in the afternoon/evening. Until then, good night from Logan Lake, BC.

Check out our route on Roadtrippers!

[pinelakechic]

Bilbo Battery Operations: Order Matters!

This crash course in RV-ing within such a short time before we embark on a 2-month road trip is surely wearing us out! We will, no doubt, continue to learn about Bilbo and the art of vanlife through trial and error in the coming weeks. As Dan said, by the time we come back in September, we will know the ins and outs of the van and will be truly ready to go on a cross-country road trip! 

As it is, we learned a lesson about battery operations last night and this morning. Although it was another stressful incident, we are, once again, glad that it happened while we are still home and not in the middle of nowhere! We understood the battery set-up in the van and knew where are the buttons are, but were never taught the proper sequence of engaging the lithium coach batteries. Long story short, we discovered that the batteries were “dead” last night as we were packing the van. So at 10 PM, we went on an hour-long drive in an attempt to charge the depleted batteries. But after all that, nothing.

We came home and search through the Hymer Facebook group for discussions about depleted batteries. Fortunately, we found someone who had a similar problem and we followed the instructions to jump start the inverter which houses the BMS. Lo and behold, it worked! The batteries came back to life and we decided to engage the VoltStart system: a second alternator, aka the Under  Hood Generator, that would charge the batteries if it falls to a certain level. Basically, we could leave the engine on without the key and let it charge the battery. By the time we checked the battery level at 2 AM, things looked like they were back to normal.

So what did we find when we checked the battery this morning? DEAD AGAIN! This time, Dan called support and the technician helped him figure out the problem and walked him through how to reset everything. It turns out that order matters when it comes to engaging the coach batteries! It was not just matter of turning on all the right switches! We have been doing it wrong the whole time and got the system into an error stage where the battery management system was unable to communicate with the rest of the system.

Well, now we know! 

[pinelakechic]

Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Day 3 - Bonus Adventure at No Additional Charge!

All the upgrades that we did on Bilbo (all-terrain tires, lift kit, Sumo springs, and skid plate) nearly paid for itself today! What started off as a mellow day - breakfast and coffee followed by a walk through the woods - turned into a long day with extra 3 hours on the road and white-knuckled driving.

Because the idea was to spend as much along the coast as possible, when I planned the route on Roadtrippers, I stuck to whatever highway I could find that was closest to the coast. What I didn't realize, until we got on the road, was that the county route I chose (Route 431) was a mostly unpaved, single-lane gravel road, with 7% grade of ascents and descents, tons of switchbacks, and no guard rails! By the time we got on it, there was really no place for us to turn around, especially with a long and top-heavy vehicle.

It was slow-going, but with the advice from a local, we found out that we were not too far from where we could get back on Hwy 101. It turned out that we drove a big loop to get onto the mountain road we were on yesterday, and then back track to Hwy 101. After driving on that gnarly gravel road, the stretch of road that made us nervous yesterday was child's play in comparison!

We continued south on Hwy 101 until we get to Shoreline Highway (State Route 1) which took us southwest towards the coast. It was quite dramatic when the vista opened up from a dappled forest road to great big ocean below steep cliffs. The scenery along the shoreline was stunning but it was definitely a long and tiring drive for Dan.

We stopped for a stretch and lunch in Mendocino and was happy to find another dog-friendly restaurant that served very tasty and locally sourced food: Mendocino Café. After a quick walk around town, we got back on the road again and finally made our way to Doran Regional Park in Bodega Bay.

Our campsite is very well-situated - we can finally take one of those cool photos from the inside of the van like so many vanlife folks do! :)

It is super windy here, so we are not able to get a fire going but it also means that there are no bugs!! Fine by me! Tomorrow, we will be going to Santa Cruz and we will see my college roommate who I have not seen for 25 years!! Until then, goodnight from Bodega Bay, CA.

[pinelakechic]

Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Days 1 & 2 - Gotta Get to California!

With a 9-day break before starting my new job, we decided to take the opportunity to complete the section of the road trip from last summer that we were not able to do due to wildfires: Pacific Coast Highway in California. Given the time frame, we decided to cover as much of Oregon as possible on the first day and take out time once we get to CA.

We left Sammamish around mid-afternoon yesterday and after enduring horrible traffic on I-5 through Tacoma, managed to arrive in Portland, OR around dinner time. Not wanting to drive into the city and needing to find a place that is dog-friendly, we ended up choosing the McMenamins Greenway Pub in Tigard, OR, which only took us a little bit off I-5. Unlike other McMenamins that are located in historic buildings, this one was in a strip mall. However, they put quite a bit of effort into screening their patio with shrubbery, so when we were sitting on the patio, we could not really tell that we were sitting right next to a strip mall parking lot! The staff was friendly and offered Gimli water when he took our drinks order!

We did not make any campsite reservation for the night and stopped, as planned, at the Manzanita Rest Stop just north of Grants Pass, OR, off of I-5. We got there around 11PM and we just parked and went to sleep.

We woke up to a beautiful sunny day and after grabbing coffee and filling up in Grants Pass, we  got on Redwood Highway (US-199)  and headed south towards California. Since we drove through most of southern Oregon in the dark the night before, I didn't notice the change in vegetation until this morning. Instead of seeing Doug-fir and big-leaf maples along the highway, there were Doug-fir, incense cedar, Pacific madrone, garry oak, and tanoak. The further west we went, the Doug-fir and incense cedar gave way to coast redwoods.

I have heard of check points for crossing into CA, but not knowing they would be looking for, I decided not to buy any produce for the trip except for bringing some fruit that I already had at home. Fortunately, peaches and bananas are allowed, so our crossing into CA was quite unremarkable. 

The Redwood Highway (Hwy 101)  took us through Smith River National Forest, and eventually into Redwood National and State Parks. This is a combination of four parks (one nation park and three state parks) that are managed by a partnership between the National Park Service and California State Parks. As a result of this partnership, unlike other National Parks, there is no entrance fee. Dogs are still not allowed on National Park trails, but there were options  within the state parks for us to experience a walk in the redwoods with Gimli. We stopped in Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park and took a walk on the Simpson-Reed Discovery Trail. It was awe-inspiring to walk among those majestic redwood trees. 

As we continued on the Redwood Highway, we went through Redwood National Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. After emerging from the forest, we decided to find a spot on a beach to have  lunch. We were going to stop at Little River State Beach, but found out that dogs were not allowed on the beach there. However, right next to it was Clam Beach County Park, which was not only dog-friendly (and horse-friendly), dogs were actually allowed to run off leash! That sure put a big smile on Gimli's face! 

We headed inland again to travel along the Avenue of Giants, a 30-mile stretch of old highway  along the Eel River and it is predominantly lined with coast redwoods. They weren't kidding when they when they said "giants"!

Our final stop of the day was Wailaki Campground within the King Range National Conservation Area. To get there, we headed west again and drove on a mountain road full of steep ascents and descents as well as multiple hairpin turns, Our campground was located within a Doug-fir/tanoak forest, but there were the occasional eucalyptus tree (a well-documented invasive species in this area) within the mix.

We didn't know what to expect at this campground as the sites were not reservable. But perhaps because it is out of the way, and is not as well-known as the National and State Parks, there was hardly anyone else there. And on top of that, it only cost $8 per night to stay! 

It was quite buggy here, so even though we did make a campfire and sat outside for a bit, we decided to spend the rest of the evening inside the van and continued to binge on Star Trek: Discovery! Tomorrow, we will continue our way south and will probably spend more time on the beach. Until then, Live Long and Prosper, and goodnight from King Range National Conservation Area, CA.

[pinelakechic]

Vinyl decal on the other side done!! @finishing_touch_va #bilbothevan #vanlife — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/3yMthme

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#bilbothevan is getting spruced up prior to the #pnwhymermeetup2021 . The first of two vinyl decals from @finishing_touch_va applied! Now onto the big one… stay tuned! — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/3kWXxG3