three weeks to go....

[gnarledwolf]

Hello,
     Just three weeks to go.  Saving up money for fuel and getting all final arrangements in line.  It's going to be a busy 3 weeks!  I can't wait to get started!  Heading a slow route to Washington state... still not yet sure where to land, but figuring it out now.  Advice is always welcome.  I'm driving a 2007 eclipse gt decking out with  battery pack, trickle charger, solar panel (only when in camp) and reduced my belongings to about 1% of what I had this time last year.  My brother calls it "Reducing to 0" and he's going with me.
Matt

 

[TMG51]

That's going to be pretty crowded for two people living in an Eclipse. I assume you'll be sleeping in a tent or such? Showers at truck stops and camp sites?

Congrats on taking the plunge.

 

[cyndi]

Welcome to the CRVL forums, gnarledwolf! We love sharing adventures and will be looking forward to hearing about yours. Pictures are always a plus!

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[gnarledwolf]

That's going to be pretty crowded for two people living in an Eclipse. I assume you'll be sleeping in a tent or such? Showers at truck stops and camp sites?

Congrats on taking the plunge.

oh yes, a tent is very necessary.... as we say we will be living "out of the car" NOT "In the car"... we'll also be bringing our mt bikes on a bike rack to expand our reach and visit near by places as we travel.  Not in any real hurry.... but I'll need to get where I'm going within a month or two and get some sort of part time job to keep paying for my car... i still owe... but its my only real expense.  NO MORE factory jobs for me... thats why i'm changing my life.... as I've lived it up til  now I'm not happy... so this radical change is hopefully what I need.

 

[RollinWOT]

Congrats! You need to post pics, I'm dying to see what your "Overland Eclipse" looks like. I can't wait to hear more about your travels.

 

[cargovanconversion]

What an adventure! Getting too old for that.

Have fun as long as you can.

Van Williams

 

[gnarledwolf]

What an adventure! Getting too old for that.

Have fun as long as you can.

Van Williams

what's too old?  I'm going on 50.....

 

[eapvan]

" NO MORE factory jobs for me... thats why i'm changing my life.... as I've lived it up til  now I'm not happy... so this radical change is hopefully what I need."

I think[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]cargovanconversion[/font]lf meant that he's not too old for change.  I think that this is just the right age for a drastic change in your life.

I'm going on 50 too, and I'm more than fed-up with traditional living.

 

[gnarledwolf]

Congrats! You need to post pics, I'm dying to see what your "Overland Eclipse" looks like. I can't wait to hear more your travels.

As you requested.  we left NY a few days ago and went through two campgrounds found on freecampgrounds.com and have enjoyede  it for the the most part.  You wanted to see my car and the set up so: Here we threw a brakepad and had to fix it, which required tearing apart the packing... no big deal, until its organized so we can easily use it, we've been doing that every morning.  The car is equpped with a slide out solar panel 125w and two deep cycle batteres that are charged both by the panel when in camp and by the car's alternator during travel.  So an far it's performed very well, even when doing 70 down the highway and powering a laptop and a fan and recharging a whole bunch of items.  The battery is under the platform we  built in back and held into  the spare tire which is locked in and foamed in place, then we have things stacked around it, then the platform is put over it and we load the car with our other supplies including a 7 gallon water carrier we keep full at every opportunity... and a 5 gallon propane setup.  We also have a rocket stove, but I'm still trying to figure out where i can  and can't use fire at all.  I'll keep posting. we are building our own blog for this.
Matt

 

[akrvbob]

Wow, you're really doing it!! Amazing! I wish you the very best and I'm sure you are creating memories you will treasure for the rest of your life!!

Oddly enough, it's the rough times you'll remember with the biggest smiles!
Bob

 

[gnarledwolf]

Wow, you're really doing it!! Amazing! I wish you the very best and I'm sure you are creating memories you will treasure for the rest of your life!!

Oddly enough, it's the rough times you'll remember with the biggest smiles!
Bob

Bob,
     we will remember it all right. day 4 and we are in Texas.... somehow.  We tried to get to lake Merideth here in texas as a stopover, and although we could see the lake from way up..... we couldn't get down to it.  There are no directions, lots of roads that lead no where.... and lots of nothing.  No desire to ever see Texas again.... wasn't all that thrilled about Oklahoma either.  In Oklahoma, we came down 44 and it suddenly, with no warning, turned into a toll road.  It was the very definition of highway robbery!  We were suddenly required to pay $4 and there was no way off the road, or to turn around, and in fact there were no places to even get money until near the toll booth.  No signs, no warning, no nothing.... we were scrambling for change to get through the toll booth.... then they had the nerve for us to go to the next exit....and a toll booth gave us $2 back.  What the heck???
We did like Tellahoma fish and wildlife reserve.  We spent 1.5 days there.... beautiful place!  Only problem was the idiot who spent out first night there screaming at his wife.  So at any rate, now is Amorillo TX looking for where to spend the night. One thing we've learned.... plan to arrive in the DAY!  two of our nights have been after dark.
Matt

 

[akrvbob]

100% agree that it's best to try to find a campsite before dark! As a boondocker it's really important to me.
Bob

 

[gnarledwolf]

 

100% agree that it's best to try to find a campsite before dark! As a boondocker it's really important to me.
Bob

LOL, once again, we didn't.... we pushed it to where we can start taking it easy, and went into Royal Gorge in Canon, Colorado.   My god,, the roads the roads.... nasty trenches and dips and worn away sections more rocks than I can shake a stick at!  Idiots broke lotsa beer bottles up there and left lots of bullet shells, and I hated clearing away all the debree including all the rocks that actually belonged there.  The Next morning; however, My god, what amazing  beauty!  just wish we hadn't arrived at the site as it was getting dark.

 

[RollinWOT]

Wow, quite the journey you've made. I'm jealous of all the sightseeing. Post some pics of the Eclipse. I'm really interested in it and how it's handling the rough roads.

 

[gnarledwolf]

We just got up out of Granite Creek in Wyoming.  Amazingly beautiful place.  Just wish we'd seen some grizzly bears!  The eclipse is performing amazingly well.  It requires careful packing, but we've gotten pretty good at that. We fit everything in and then the solar panel.  the solar panel, which is hooked to a battery in the back through a solar controller and the car's starter battery are both deep cycle RV batteries, and ni camp the solar panel keeps them topped out and run direct power much to my satisfaction.  so far the only problem was a disk brake that wore out on one side that we had to fix in a lowes parking lot.  
-Matt-