My adventures on the road! !

[Free Range Chicken]

Going to lake Michigan! !!

I have been willing to get a weekend out in the van . For the first time, I think my van is survivable . since i have no cabinets made yet, I'll just throw in my bed in the floor. Adventure awaits for this weekend !!!!!!!

I have spent 2 weekends sleeping in my driveway and I think I'm ready for my first big adventure! !!!

I'll drive 280 miles from columbus Ohio to lake Michigan, it's also my first long drive so my nissan nv will get tested in its mileage.

Stay tuned !!

 

[ramblingvanman]

Sounds like fun. My planned departure date is Sep 1. I am already living in my little RV though.

 

[ilovemyvan]

YEY! way to go. Have a great adventure. The first of many!

 

[akrvbob]

Super, there is nothing like a maiden voyage! You do have a bottle of champagne, right!
Bob

 

[Free Range Chicken]

Thanks everyone for sharing your enthusiasm! !!! I'll drink something to celebrate but maybe cheaper than champagne hehe

 

[TMG51]

Thanks everyone for sharing your enthusiasm! !!! I'll drink something to celebrate but maybe cheaper  than champagne hehe

I think you're supposed to smash the champagne against your van rather than drink it. But your way puts less broken glass on the road.

 

[ramblingvanman]

Thanks everyone for sharing your enthusiasm! !!! I'll drink something to celebrate but maybe cheaper  than champagne hehe

I recommend Martini&Rossi Asti Spumanti. An Italian sparkling wine much cheaper than Champagne but still very good for the price.

 

[Free Range Chicken]

Thanks. Last night my hygrometer marked 99% of humidity, is that something normal? ?? I had the fantastic fan running on low speed, taking air out of the van. I also had 4 or 5 holes in the floor opened, so the air could circulate. Perhaps I'll look into chemical de humidifiers. .



The nissan nv ( I have a v6) didn't disappoint ( considering I got a high roof), showed 19mpg @ 55mph. Then if i went 75mph and it went down to 14.4 mpg

 

[eapvan]

That's really good gas mileage catfish. I'm jealous now.

My F250 gets 5 miles to the gallon.

 

[offroad]

That's really good gas mileage Free Range Chicken. I'm jealous now.

My F250 gets 5 miles to the gallon.

I should expect 5mpg for a 250/2500? That sucks.

 

[Almost There]

I should expect 5mpg for a 250/2500?  That sucks.

My 2002 GMC Savana 2500 gets 15 mpg and that's with the high top fiberglass roof. If it only got 5 I'd have it in to the shop in a heartbeat.

 

[WriterMs]

Thanks.  Last night my hygrometer marked 99% of humidity,  is that something  normal? ??   I had the fantastic  fan running on low speed,  taking air out of the van. I also had 4 or 5 holes in the floor opened,  so the air could circulate. Perhaps I'll look into chemical de humidifiers. .



The nissan nv (  I have a v6)  didn't disappoint  ( considering I got a high roof), showed 19mpg @ 55mph.  Then if i went 75mph and it went down to 14.4 mpg

99% humidity? You are supposed to camp BY the lake not in it. LOL

Seriously I'm thinking your meter was in error. I'm temporarily back "home" in the part of the mid-South that is known as the armpit of America. We are used to air you can see all summer because it is like walking through a sauna. But that high percentage up there? Sounds odd. Did you FEEL like it was that humid?

This is what short trips are for though.. find out what works and what does not for your particular vehicle and you.

 

[Baloo]

It is the short trips that has guided my design and re-design of the ambo. You will quickly figure out what doesn't work, the trick is figuring out what works really well in most circumstances. Good luck on your van!

 

[VJG1977]

That 99% humidity may have been accurate.  I just took a look at Intellicast weather for Saturday, 15 Aug 2015, 10:31 am.

Sandusky, OH (Lake Erie)
Humidity:
95%

Michigan City, IN (lake Michigan)
Humidity:
100%

 

[Free Range Chicken]

Thanks everyone! !! Yes, I'm adjusting and finding what works and what doesn't! !!!

For instance, I'm extremely glad with my fantastic vent cover. Last night there was lots of rain and I could let the fan running all night. I feel like I wouldn't be able to sleep in the van without the fan running. -


I also feel a bit pushy with my factory battery but hasn't shown any signs of weakness. I run the fan each night at 30% speed. For eight ours! !!! the good tog is the engine would start without an issue.

I guess I have a big battery but I feel a little like living on the extreme! !! I made some calculations that I'll publish later on my van conversion thread, I can convert from the numbers on the battery to ampere hours through an ehow manual. And I found that I can run the fan for 8 hours at full speed and it'd drain less that 40% of my factory battery. But, I'm missing a part in this equation, since my ciggy only runs on acc, and who knows how much amps consumes the car controls when the switch is on acc.


Yesterday I parked in a residential spot but the neighbors turned on their front yard lights - that felt bad and followed my intuition, so I left. .. It took me around 25 minutes to find a good quiet spot.


Overall it's been awesome, I surprised with my level of comfort given the fact I carrying just the very basics in my van.

 

[Free Range Chicken]

After 700 miles, $120 in gas, $5 for a shower in Warren dunes state park, a run, a couple of swimming afternoons, 3 nights in the van, and a trip to a highly underrated, cheap, sharkless, wonderful destination, including the amazing st joseph beach town, and 2 state parks, my trip has come to an end and i definitely call it a success! !!!!

If I had to name the top 3 heros of my trip:

The nissan nv
The simply orange juice bottle
The hand sanitizer


Nonetheless, the fantastic fan was well worth the money I paid for it. Also my bed ( look into it in my conversion thread) did a great job, I was comfy and no back pain from it! !!

I'll look into the humidity issue in the next weeks and post my findings in my conversion thread.

Till the next adventure! !!!