Off the road!

[ChasingRain]

Just got back from a 2 month trip- 7700 miles and the van did great! PA to WV to Ontario to Colorado and back to PA, dry camping the whole time. Other than needing the brake rotors turned, the tires rotated, and the oil changed, there's really nothing I'll have to do to the van before it goes back on the road again this fall. A couple of other random notes:

1. I passed another B-van headed the other way on I-70 on my way east through Kansas (or maybe Missouri... they look about the same to me). It's always kind of surprising to me to see another one of these vans. I think in the 3 years I've owned mine, I've seen 3 or 4 other ones. Do you feel the same way when you pass one?

2. There's really no experience like walking into the parts department of a RV dealer and finding exactly what you need when you're not expecting to find them. I needed a latch for my fridge door and the exterior fridge access door/vent panel, and Windish RV in Lakewood, CO had both of them. The access door was the real find- but after looking at a bunch of Airstream trailers, I don't know that they've ever changed the design of it. The problem with mine was the little foam strips that keep it the door from vibrating had fallen out, and the thing had pretty much flexed itself to death. It bent to the point where then latch would no longer hold it shut and blew open while driving through Toronto on the 401- a stretch of road that is LITERALLY 18 lanes wide- like nothing I've ever seen before. For two weeks it was duct taped shut, so I was pretty excited to find a replacement.

3. Last fall I tore out the carpet in the living area and laid down hardwood. This was the first trip with the new floor. It's so much nicer and so much easier to keep clean, especially when you're camping in sandy/gravely/muddy areas.

4. I learned the importance of not leaving stuff on the counters when driving. I had my laptop sitting on the floor, and a small plate fell off the counter onto the laptop and cracked the screen, ironically while I was driving to a coffee shop to check e-mail. $455 and two weeks later I finally got to check e-mail. I also managed to bend a frying pan by having it fall off the counter. Then again, maybe the carpet did have it's advantages.

5. When the wind is gusting to 50 mph, sleeping in the top bed isn't a good idea. Or rather trying to sleep in the top....

6. I could really use some tips on keeping the smell from the holding tanks down. I've tried various chemicals, but then they just smell like chemicals. If I flush them well, the don't smell for a little while. It's only a problem if I drive with the windows down- which is something I would like to do. It really becomes an issue when I have a passenger who doesn't know about it, and cracks open the window, gets a whiff of the smell, the rolls the window down the rest of the way to try to air it out...

7. I really hate the location of the propane tank. Fortunately, I only had to fill it twice, but both times involved pulling up on blocks to get the hose hooked up. I'm really wondering what it would take to move it, and where I could put it.

8. It's fun seeing people's reaction the first time they stick their head in the van and go "WOW!" These vans rule...

Livin' in a van down by the river
Jeremy

[skater]

1. I passed another B-van headed the other way on I-70 on my way east through Kansas (or maybe Missouri... they look about the same to me). It's always kind of surprising to me to see another one of these vans. I think in the 3 years I've owned mine, I've seen 3 or 4 other ones. Do you feel the same way when you pass one?

Wouldn't know - I haven't passed one in my travels yet.

My brother mentioned seeing one around Camp Hill, PA, and I replied that he's a member here. But that's the closest I've come to seeing one myself.

2. There's really no experience like walking into the parts department of a RV dealer and finding exactly what you need when you're not expecting to find them.

Yeah, I'm with you there, and it seems to happen pretty rarely.

3. Last fall I tore out the carpet in the living area and laid down hardwood. This was the first trip with the new floor. It's so much nicer and so much easier to keep clean, especially when you're camping in sandy/gravely/muddy areas.

I've been considering doing something similar although I wouldn't go with hardwood; I'd use fake wood tiles. Not as classy, I know, but as much as I love a good hardwood floor (as an inline skater ) I know it's not a good idea for me in the camper - my cat and I would be spilling water on it all the time!

4. I learned the importance of not leaving stuff on the counters when driving.

Hehe...yeah, one of my final checks before I leave is to verify that the counters are empty. The previous owner of mine said she'd had a TV up on that ledge that fell off one time. That was enough to scare me into keeping the counters clear.

5. When the wind is gusting to 50 mph, sleeping in the top bed isn't a good idea. Or rather trying to sleep in the top....

I could really use some tips on keeping the smell from the holding tanks down. I've tried various chemicals, but then they just smell like chemicals. If I flush them well, the don't smell for a little while.

I've noticed similar issues - occasionally as I'm driving I'll just get a whiff of the smell from the tank. I can't figure out how or why it would happen, either.

7. I really hate the location of the propane tank. Fortunately, I only had to fill it twice, but both times involved pulling up on blocks to get the hose hooked up. I'm really wondering what it would take to move it, and where I could put it.

I think moving it would be fairly easy. Finding a location to move it to is going to be the hard part, unfortunately. Nothing comes to mind off the top of my head.

8. It's fun seeing people's reaction the first time they stick their head in the van and go "WOW!" These vans rule...

Sounds like you had a great trip.

[ChasingRain]

1. I passed another B-van headed the other way on I-70 on my way east through Kansas (or maybe Missouri... they look about the same to me). It's always kind of surprising to me to see another one of these vans. I think in the 3 years I've owned mine, I've seen 3 or 4 other ones. Do you feel the same way when you pass one?

Wouldn't know - I haven't passed one in my travels yet.

My brother mentioned seeing one around Camp Hill, PA, and I replied that he's a member here. But that's the closest I've come to seeing one myself.

Well, mine's easy to pick out if you see it, it's the one with the kayaks:

For the complete Colorado kayaking trip report: http://www.chasingrain.com/nooz.php?sub ... om=&ucat=&