Finally got my van

[HalfShadows]

Q can be your character witness, and if that doesn't fly, I will bring you care packages.  Perhaps with writing implements :idea:

 

[LivGolden]

It's what keeps me going, 1/2. Thank you!

Off topic- I saw a Chevrolet Van, today with a roof top A/C and awning.I think it was a Roadtrek. Maybe 190. I loved it! Rather tha the MB one, I think I might like this one!

I'm looking...

 

[HalfShadows]

Well Liv, Fancy that. Road Treks look nice. A lot of them I see has a lot of plastic moulding running along the bottom of the chassis. You would have to be careful on unimproved roads. I am glad your excited!

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

 

[QinReno]

Q can be your character witness, and if that doesn't fly, I will bring you care packages.

The Road Trek looks nice, and has good stuff, like a real bed and shower, that you don't normally have in a van.

1/2, we have to be nice to Liv (of course, we **always** are), as she seems to have been a bad mockingbird (hard to imagine), and the heavens have been sending lightning bolts and the dreaded 404 errors (!!) in her direction.

I don't know about other people, but the seasonal change always drags me down a bit. It helps to be a reformed Beast like yourself, and an old unrepentant wiseass like me. That's why I live in sunny places like Colorado and Nevada, else I'd be chewing up everything in sight.

 

[HalfShadows]

Q you would be absolutely bonkers here. Rain or not it is still beautiful here. But alas I need to go somewhere dry to work on SB. A change of scenery is in order. Had to leave SB in Portland (Solar Installation). Took the train back north to take care of some business. I wonder if Liv is wheeling and a dealing on that Roadtrek today? Did you see a pic of it?

 

[QinReno]

Yeah, too much cloudiness in the northwest for me, although I have been to Seattle and Portland several times. Both cities are very nice. Plus you've got Rainer and Hood next door. Mountains are fun, I had the Rockies in Colorado and now have the Sierra here. I spent a month around Bend last May-June, and like the hills up there too. I boondocked on the Deschutes River, if you ever get there. Morning coffee views were a panorama from the Three Sisters up to Hood, .
- https://freecampsites.net/#!153299&query=sitedetails
- https://www.google.com/maps/@44.3644468,-121.2593061,527m/data=!3m1!1e3

Does google maps 3D work for you? You can see the BLM spot on the bend in the Deschutes in the front of the map. Hold down 'Ctrl" and you can pan the map.
- https://www.google.com/maps/@44.3713056,-121.2298672,1082a,35y,252.17h,78.1t/data=!3m1!1e3

I did not see any picture of Liv's van, but just looked up the Roadtrek 190 on google.

 

[HalfShadows]

Hmmm Q all I see is scrubby little trees and brush on satellite view.  I will have to move to my other computer, maybe I can get a better view. I will pull up the campground near Redmond.

 

[HalfShadows]

If I see you on the road I will show you Pics and video I took of Mount Baker from the Hawk. Steam still rises from it, flying closer in the Hawk it smells of strong sulphur. Took videos and Pic's of different scenic places as well.

 

[QinReno]

Hmmm Q all I see is scrubby little trees and brush on satellite view.  I will have to move to my other computer, maybe I can get a better view. I will pull up the campground near Redmond.

Exactly right. It's BLM land. All you expect to find are nasty dirt roads with nasty rocks in them, scrub trees and scrub brush. Shade if you can find it. That's BLM. Picture shows what it looks like closer to ground level. Imagine being on the little knoll this side of the river, right above where it says Google. 3 Sisters in the background.

There is a CG named Skull Hollow to the east of Smith Rock Park several miles which I liked a lot. There are several NF CGs south of Sisters, namely Three Creeks Lake and Whispering Pines. And also many nice CGs on the Cascade Lakes Hwy south of Mt Batchelor, but all of these mentioned are pay. However, there are many places for boondocking in the forest south of Sisters, ie many dirt spur roads, and in the BLM lands to the east of Bend.

 

[QinReno]

If I see you on the road I will show you Pics and video I took of Mount Baker from the Hawk. Steam still rises from it, flying closer in the Hawk it smells of strong sulphur. Took videos and Pic's of different scenic places as well.

I've been on the highway north of Mt Baker and over to Chelan, but it would always be good to see aerial pictures. So, there's another thing you can do at RTR to draw attention to yourself and SB. Show movies at night, LOL.

 

[HalfShadows]

Hmmm, trying to think of what redeeming qualities an area like that would have for me. I suppose I could reflect on my past misdeeds and ask for forgiveness. I will have to experience it and find where the beauty lies.

 

[HalfShadows]

I am a big fan of good cinema usually independent movies. I do have a movie theater in my house, but haven't watched a movie for some time. Some day I will watch one again. Sometimes life isn't fair to the nth degree.

 

[QinReno]

Hmmm, trying to think of what redeeming qualities an area like that would have for me. I suppose I could reflect on my past misdeeds and ask for forgiveness. I will have to experience it and find where the beauty lies.

Yeah, you can always spend 40 days in the wilderness and contemplate all those past misdeeds, but better to just forget those things.

In the desert, ie most BLM lands, you really appreciate the "big sky" idea. Being able to see forever in all directions. Wide open spaces, good views, and all the other clichés. If you really need trees, you can go up in elevation to the Nat'l forests.  I did also camp down along the Metolius River, which is just a few miles northwest of Sisters. Sisters is right at the edge of forest and BLM lands.
- https://www.google.com/search?q=metolius+river&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X

 

[QinReno]

Hmmm, trying to think of what redeeming qualities an area like that would have for me. I suppose I could reflect on my past misdeeds and ask for forgiveness. I will have to experience it and find where the beauty lies.

Now that you're getting into your new lifestyle, you get to figure out what you're actually going to "do". Some people travel continuously, it would be cool to make a big 15,000 mile loop around the US, west to east to south to west and back north, over a few months. My first trip last winter was a 5,500 mile loop through the southwest, visiting relatives in LA and later Santa Fe, and seeing a lot of places inbetween. This winter I'll stay put more around the Colorado River in AZ and CA where it'll be warmer than more inland.

A lot of long-termers tend to stay in one place boondocking for weeks at a time. So winters usually entail camping in the barren desert BLM lands, like in the picture. The rattlesnakes are hibernating then so not an issue. Then the dockers move to the higher elevation forests in the summer. Staying where the weather is always sunny and comfortable. I've actually been using RV-Sue's site as a sort of travelogue, as she has a listing of all the campsites she stayed at over the past 3 years.
- http://rvsueandcrew.net/our-camps/camps-in-2017/

If you go this route, then of course you have to do something with yourself during daytime. Recounting past sins isn't all that appealing in the long run, so you need to think about some good hobbies and other past times. I have many. A lot of reading, hiking, puttering with the van setup, the occasional DVD on the laptop. Sometimes I even have brilliant thoughts and sit down to write code for a couple of days in relation to my home life projects. It's all good.

 

[HalfShadows]

I am sure I will find a niche after my initial travels.  One thing I do like is the holiday seasons. In the future I will spend the holidays in the north preferably in the snow. Go to Christmas services at a strange church. then hit the road. I plan on going to Europe once a year as well. After SB is reasonably built, I can save money for such trips. Probably spend Jan- April/May in the south. Go back to the PNW June- October. That is just a tentative time frame but close to what I think will be my schedule.

 

[HalfShadows]

Taking the train to Portland to pick up SB tomorrow. My son flies in to Seattle Friday for a conference. I will drive to Seattle Saturday and spend the day with him, then head back home. Install the bed frame I made along with the fridge sliders I made as well. I will also install the propane tank in one of the bays for the stove and heater. Next step is to load SB up and hit the road. May postpone my trip to ND and Mn until spring and just head south to finish the van build.

 

[QinReno]

Sounds like SB is coming along. So, first trip will be many months long. That's jumping in with both feet, LOL. I hope the propane cylinder is going into one of the steel outside lockers, and not under the bed, .

Go to europe once a year, pretty good. I spent 18-months over there in the 1990s, traveling to many cities and countries, but haven't been back since. Very fond memories especially of northern Italy renaissance areas and the Greek isles. I had thought about moving to western Crete for several years after I retired, but came to western NV instead.

If you're going to be spending so many months on the road, you definitely need to think about good productive ways to pass the time, besides sitting around drinking beer and singing folk songs and other forms of partying, LOL.

 

[HalfShadows]

Not much of a partier.  Just on occasion.  Plan on meeting new people and of course learning more about the good old U.S. of A.  British Comedian Stephen Frye did a documentary tour of route 66 in a British Cab a couple of years ago.  He is doing another one now on different regions of the U.S.  I found it interesting. Check it out.

 

[LivGolden]

I saw that. It was so good. I wish he was still at it. I think 61, a blues and biscuits road trip would be fun. There are still Juke Joints to be found throughout the Delta. Places where squirrels are plentiful, Q! And fried catfish is on for breakfast. Good music. I think I'm going to take my Leica and travel 61 after I get my van.

Still undecided on that. I like the idea of a Class B with more room...and so, still looking.

And, sadly, still trapped in 404...I think it's maybe my "Beast" story is too long. 404 - the ultimate rejection slip.

But the weather has turned. No complaints there. 

Peace

 

[QinReno]

Hmm, still with the 404s. You must have been a really "bad" girl. But I still think that's something with the website server, and not the mods. 

Blues highway 61 sounds like a great journey. Gulf of Mexico to Chicago. Robert Johnson went to the Crossroads and gave his soul to the devil, as I recall. I love old time blues. Howlin' Wolf and Blind Willie McTell and Eric Clapton.
- http://clarkhouse.shoalsworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/the-crossroads.jpg

1/2, there have been some mentions of traveling Rte 66 on other threads. Most of it is now interstate, but apparently many old sections still go through the towns and cities along the way. You can get books on this on amazon.
- https://www.google.com/search?q=route+66+cafe&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X

Then of course, Seattle is the perfect place to go to Alaska from, too. RV-Carol has been up there for a month and more having fun. I've been wondering if winter will lower on the boom on her before she gets out. 
- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfqr5I-0RKK8Ha1PeKi0_ig/videos