1993 Ford Club Wagon (Juanita born again)
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AbuelaLoca
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Only on this forum would a van and a bed be "good enough" to go camping 
I tell ya, y'all just ain't right!!! But I can't wait to hear more of these "back in the day" stories around a campfire!! And if you ain't on the road when I finally get out there, I'll just come to you... (that's a warning LOL)
Thanks for the reminder to get bug spray, Jewellann!!!
I tell ya, y'all just ain't right!!! But I can't wait to hear more of these "back in the day" stories around a campfire!! And if you ain't on the road when I finally get out there, I'll just come to you... (that's a warning LOL)Thanks for the reminder to get bug spray, Jewellann!!!
waldenbound
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Abuela, I think we're both due to launch at around the same time frame. You coming out west to Arizona-California-Nevada?
AbuelaLoca
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waldenbound said:
Absolutely! I'm going to make the winter RTR if I have to fly out, then it'll be next summer/fall before I make it a full time gig! Will probably work at being a snow bird once I do.
AbuelaLoca
Well-known member
Okay, one more photo before I take a nap. I'll be leaving this afternoon for "Lake of the Ozarks". Not sure if we'll be boondocking, but I've got my partner in crime talked into no electric... Men... Bwahahahaha
She's getting closer to being ready to camp, but not to live in yet!
(Can you tell I'm excited??)
She's getting closer to being ready to camp, but not to live in yet!
(Can you tell I'm excited??)
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AbuelaLoca
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^^^Woo hoo!! A big ol' extended length with high top and you're off to the races!! It looks spacious now, but I see it maybe looking a little cramped once it's built out... we'll see. All those freakin' windows are my saving grace, I think!!
AbuelaLoca
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AbuelaLoca
Well-known member
It wasn't just a fun time camping, it was somewhat educational as well!
It got hot, hot, hot inside the van around 3 in the afternoon, but it was much cooler around 8. That's 5 hours I wouldn't be able to be in the van for very long during the day, so some sort of insulation is definitely in order! Reflectix on the windows does help, but not much during those particular hours.
With nothing but a bed, she sounds like a tinny cargo van. I'm not going to do the rattletrap stuff, so I hope flooring and insulation dull some of the metallic sound.
I forgot to take a towel for a shower... what?!?!?!?
My little cooler is crap.
My bed is awesome, and I slept well on it, but I did not sleep a lot and couldn't seem to nap later... every little sound (other than bugs and wild life in general) woke me up. I wasn't "scared" per se, but it was a very crowded state park campground and I was a little anxious about so many people around! I slept about 4 hours the first night and 5 last night. Needless to say, I've slept most of the day away in my bed at the house! We left camp about 5:30 this morning and I was home about 7:30. I've slept about 8 hours so far today!
The steering on the van is loose and after about an hour and a half driving, my arms were tired, my back was tired, and I felt like a wimp... my hands were starting to fall asleep as well. I drove about 65 going down to the lake, but made myself drive 60 coming home. It's very weird for me to slow down, but I was proud of myself (there weren't many cars for me to feel I needed to pass this morning). I have a teeny, tiny amount of road rage sometimes, and I'm also a pretty bad lead foot, so driving 60 mph goes against everything in my being!! LOL
My driving area (throne area) needs some help. Everything is just a little past arm's length for me, so I need to figure out some way to get to things I want while driving. The only little cup holder also sucks and I had to stuff it with paper towels to hold my coffee...
I can pee in a 5 gallon bucket!!! Woo hoo... I really thought this was going to be the hardest thing I've ever done! I just haven't been able to picture not having a real toilet and shower, but it looks like I am not the princess I profess to be. Ha!
Everything I need for camping out of the van fits in a big plastic tub. I also had my bag with clothes and a bag with accoutrements, a couple of walmart bags of dry food and a small cooler for water and stuff, and my lawn chair. Other than the towel, I had everything I needed right there... again, the princess doesn't need a whole house full of crap to get through a day!!
A one pound bottle of propane doesn't last as long as it should! I will be getting a 20 pound can and hoses for full time living!
My camping buddy, Danny, gave me a small CB radio so I will be buying an antennae and getting that hooked up in a few weeks. He's going to put my plywood flooring in as well since he has lots of power tools and time!
My daughter, her boyfriend (whom I also call my son-in-law) and I are heading to Oklahoma this next weekend. It will be an 8 hour drive, so we'll see how well she handles then.
Sunset would have been much nicer without all the vehicles and tents!
Firewood at campgrounds is ridiculously expensive...
but oh so worth it! Stars, and fires, and deer running through the camp (none of my pictures came out; cheap phone)... there were possums and chipmunks and so many beautiful birds! I need that healing touch of Mother Nature!!
This was sunrise leaving camp around 5:30 this morning... need to have the wiper fluid system looked at!!
Oh crap... I almost forgot... I hit my head getting out of the van once this weekend. OUCH!!! I have a goose egg right on top of my head. A pool noodle is in order until the interior is built out with some other kind of padding there. I should also figure out how to get some sort of RV steps there... my running board is shallow and bent and I see myself falling out at some point (especially if alcohol is involved).
All in all, it was a great weekend and I'm looking forward to many, many more!!!!
It got hot, hot, hot inside the van around 3 in the afternoon, but it was much cooler around 8. That's 5 hours I wouldn't be able to be in the van for very long during the day, so some sort of insulation is definitely in order! Reflectix on the windows does help, but not much during those particular hours.
With nothing but a bed, she sounds like a tinny cargo van. I'm not going to do the rattletrap stuff, so I hope flooring and insulation dull some of the metallic sound.
I forgot to take a towel for a shower... what?!?!?!?
My little cooler is crap.
My bed is awesome, and I slept well on it, but I did not sleep a lot and couldn't seem to nap later... every little sound (other than bugs and wild life in general) woke me up. I wasn't "scared" per se, but it was a very crowded state park campground and I was a little anxious about so many people around! I slept about 4 hours the first night and 5 last night. Needless to say, I've slept most of the day away in my bed at the house! We left camp about 5:30 this morning and I was home about 7:30. I've slept about 8 hours so far today!
The steering on the van is loose and after about an hour and a half driving, my arms were tired, my back was tired, and I felt like a wimp... my hands were starting to fall asleep as well. I drove about 65 going down to the lake, but made myself drive 60 coming home. It's very weird for me to slow down, but I was proud of myself (there weren't many cars for me to feel I needed to pass this morning). I have a teeny, tiny amount of road rage sometimes, and I'm also a pretty bad lead foot, so driving 60 mph goes against everything in my being!! LOL
My driving area (throne area) needs some help. Everything is just a little past arm's length for me, so I need to figure out some way to get to things I want while driving. The only little cup holder also sucks and I had to stuff it with paper towels to hold my coffee...
I can pee in a 5 gallon bucket!!! Woo hoo... I really thought this was going to be the hardest thing I've ever done! I just haven't been able to picture not having a real toilet and shower, but it looks like I am not the princess I profess to be. Ha!
Everything I need for camping out of the van fits in a big plastic tub. I also had my bag with clothes and a bag with accoutrements, a couple of walmart bags of dry food and a small cooler for water and stuff, and my lawn chair. Other than the towel, I had everything I needed right there... again, the princess doesn't need a whole house full of crap to get through a day!!
A one pound bottle of propane doesn't last as long as it should! I will be getting a 20 pound can and hoses for full time living!
My camping buddy, Danny, gave me a small CB radio so I will be buying an antennae and getting that hooked up in a few weeks. He's going to put my plywood flooring in as well since he has lots of power tools and time!
My daughter, her boyfriend (whom I also call my son-in-law) and I are heading to Oklahoma this next weekend. It will be an 8 hour drive, so we'll see how well she handles then.
Sunset would have been much nicer without all the vehicles and tents!
Firewood at campgrounds is ridiculously expensive...
but oh so worth it! Stars, and fires, and deer running through the camp (none of my pictures came out; cheap phone)... there were possums and chipmunks and so many beautiful birds! I need that healing touch of Mother Nature!!
This was sunrise leaving camp around 5:30 this morning... need to have the wiper fluid system looked at!!
Oh crap... I almost forgot... I hit my head getting out of the van once this weekend. OUCH!!! I have a goose egg right on top of my head. A pool noodle is in order until the interior is built out with some other kind of padding there. I should also figure out how to get some sort of RV steps there... my running board is shallow and bent and I see myself falling out at some point (especially if alcohol is involved).
All in all, it was a great weekend and I'm looking forward to many, many more!!!!
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waldenbound
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Hey congratulations, sounds like a fun and productive weekend!
Queen
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Not sure if you'd be interested in trying them, but I found soft foam earplugs to be a lifesaver when I'm in a noisy environment. Takes a few tries to get the hang of them, but I've actually managed to sleep at weekend long concert venues that would go much farther into the night than I could.
I use these, get em at wally world: http://www.macksearplugs.com/details/sleeping-earplugs/safe-sound-ultra-soft-foam-earplugs
I use these, get em at wally world: http://www.macksearplugs.com/details/sleeping-earplugs/safe-sound-ultra-soft-foam-earplugs
