Wandering from Tennessee to Alaska, and back, 2023

[GAB]

Machinebuilder:
For peace of mind, I would suggest checking with your vehicle insurer to make sure you are covered in Oh Canada eh.
I wish you a pleasant and enjoyable trip.
GAB

[Machinebuilder]

The bumper is an Outback from Buckstop Bumpers in Oregon.

I picked it from many others because they mention animal resistance and the upper bar is bolted on.

I hope I never test it.

[tule peak timber]

My wife would like to see some interior pics of your rig. Thanks for the bumper info.

[sawguy21]

@GAB I am curious why you are concerned about insurance coverage in Canada. Have you run into problems?

[Crusarius]

Some insurance companies will find any reason not to pay out on a claim. By some, I mean ALL! there is separate insurance for going into Mexico since primary insurance doesn't always cover it. Some companies have the same for Canada.

[GAB]

@GAB I am curious why you are concerned about insurance coverage in Canada. Have you run into problems?

When I took my trip to Alaska in 2017 out of curosity I asked my insurance agent and was told that I was ok, but that there were some insurance companies that do not extend coverage into Canada.
Remember that was 6 years ago and things may have changed.
SSHHH - The wife and I are in the planning stages of doing it again this year.  I will not be doing the Top of The World Hwy. ever again towing a travel trailer.  AMEN!  If we go the leave date would be early June.
GAB

[Machinebuilder]

Tule,

    I am have a few days of rain again, so i won't be popping the top.

the camper was bought as a shell with only the furnace option, and a rollover couch.
As I use it I keep modifying it as I find out I don't like what I did.

For Example I didn't like the couch, it took up a lot of floor space and wasn't very comfortable.
I move it to side to side next to the cab, the seat was a little higher and folding the back down meant I had to leave space for it.
It's completely out now and i have a single foldup seat from the marine industry.

I am reworking some storage now, Yesterday I moved the battery to the outside and hooked up a DC to DC charger to supplement my solar.

My workmanship is not the level of yours, but it is usable.

[tule peak timber]

Well when you get a chance we sure would like to see what you have come up with. I love creative ideas. In small spaces everything should have multiple uses and it is how you go about that challenge that is interesting. My build is not so much for traveling but more for function when parked at the end of the road, purpose built so to speak. My challenges and limitations abound so I'm always open to smart ideas in an 8 foot bed.  from the outside your rig looks great.

[Machinebuilder]

Camper interior pictures.

There is still some more refinement being done as i start figuring out where to put everything.



 

 

My plan is to use the Iceco mounted to the floor as a fridge and the Engel mounted next to the door as a Freezer.
They are both 12VDC compressor Fridge/Freezers

I have a 100Ah Battleborn LifePO battery, 2 160W solar panels, a DC to DC charger, and a 375W pure sinewave inverter.

For cooking I have a Camp Chef Everest Propane stove, and a Jetboil. The Camp chef is the only camp stove I've had that will simmer well. I take a Lodge cast iron fry pan and grill pan, and a couple pots from my kitchen. Very useful is a small steamer for reheating leftovers.

For Water I use the blue 5G Reliance jugs, I have 4 of them now. I found there are times potable water is not available. I also built a water filter that goes to 0.5 Micron, should take out all the nasty bugs and has a carbon filter for chemicals.

The 2 things i am making extra effort to remember are Pillows and a place to put dirty laundry. I forget pillows too often and never think about where to store dirty clothes. I think im going to use the blue rubbermade container.

[tule peak timber]

Tight like our build! Love the two pups ready to go. I chose to double the freezer size and leave out the refer. An ice chest will be my table with a folding wall seat. Which winch did you go with? Looking good, when are you set to motor on up?

[TroyC]

Don't know if this will affect you, but if I remember correctly there were some areas that had bear problems and they required hard sided campers. Most campgrounds had bear resistant trash receptacles and you are not allowed to leave any foodstuff outside the camper.

Also, I crossed the Alaskan border May21 in a snowstorm. Late for that time of the year I was told, but it happened. There were few campgrounds open until I got to Anchorage as they do not open until things tend to thaw out. First campground we strayed at had snow on the ground and electric only, the water pipes were not yet thawed.

[Machinebuilder]

I was using the engel as a freezer and an ice chest for fridge, I would refreeze bottles of water to put in the ice chest.

I got the Iceco off marketplace for a good price. I just decided where to put it yesterday.

I will have it so I can use the front bench to sleep without popping up. I'll keep most of the food inside.
The stove will be on the outside but I will close up every time I am done cooking.
I prefer not to have the cooking mess inside.

I am making a new top for my table, I had one I made with sewing table hinges so the 2 sides folded over. I decided a one piece top would work better.
I have a Lagun mount for it (in front of the window).

I went with the Badlands Apex winch. It's hard to beat fo the bang for the buck. If you watch any of the "offroad" recovery stuff that's what most of them are using.

I am still planning on leaving TN middle to end of April.

[Machinebuilder]

 

 

May 22, 2019 North Rim Grand Canyon (Kaibob NF)

Lowering the top was sort of sketchy.

[Machinebuilder]

I am still working on things

here is my kitchen setup. its plywood and glued together.

I used my router lock miter bit for the first time. setting it up wasn't too difficult. plywood is not good for it (the inner plys chipped badly)
and I learned that I did the joints opposite of what I should have (horizantal not verticle)




 

 

I am waiting on an order to finish my cables to hold the doors up, I was not happy with my first attempt.

I have a long hose to suuply propane to the stove from a 10lb tank that came with the camper. MUCH better than 1lb throwaways.

[Magicman]

Your layout is very thoughtful.  I would add rubber gaskets for dust, mud, and water around the door lips, and hopefully the plywood finish will allow many washings.  Wisely your kitchen is on the passenger side.

[Ron Scott]

Good planning!

[tule peak timber]

The majority of cooking smells will be outside which is a good idea.

[beenthere]

Have to watch for bears? 

[btulloh]

Maybe mount a bear view mirror in that top shelf.  Not good to get mauled while cooking a couple eggs over easy. 

Looks like a nice setup.  Looking forward to following your adventure!

[Machinebuilder]

my dogs will be my bear alarms.

;D

[Machinebuilder]

some updated interior pictures

I take a lot of pictures when I travel, this trip will be long enough i need to edit etc while i am on the road.

I debated just using my laptop but decided that I really prefer having the big screen. I found a locking RV TV mount that fit my good monitor.
I have also remade a top for my table.



 



 




 

The stowed table also keeps my camp chairs from moving around. Gabby just has to be close.

I also installed a shelf to out shoes and some other storage, the grey bins will be for clothes etc, the blue plastic bin will be for laundry.



 

I am getting close to starting this trip. I will post reports here as I go.

I don't know how many pictures I will be posting here. I will have so many and I will be adding to a photo sharing website and Facebook.
I could PM a link to it if anyone wants to see all of them, With permission I could add the link here.

I did realize with just these few pictures i need to resize to post them online. I don't know how well my data plan will work for this, particularly in Canada.

[tule peak timber]

Looking good! The pics along the way will be priceless and we all look forward to seeing them. I like the fishing rods in the overhead and the realistic dog like door mat. You are driving me forward on my project. 8) 

[Machinebuilder]

Thanks I really appreciate your kind comments

I am trying to finish a few things around the house, and get the last few arrangements done and then start wandering.

My stop at my sisters in SW Virginia isn't going to work, I'll go visit after i get back.

[aigheadish]

I wonder if you are already on the road? The truck looks great and very functional. 

If you aren't aware, back in the day, when the internet was slow, there were programs that you could download free that would resize big batches of photos. I assume they still exist. I recall you could do a lot at a time, I was making thumbnail photos then having them resized into something more manageable from raw as well. A couple clicks was all it took after setting up a directory folder or two.

[Machinebuilder]

I might have software that will batch resize................

I am probably going to leave home on Monday 5/1.

I made a quick trip to Nashville to see my sister and Mom last week and have decided to put a wind deflector between the cab and camper.

Unfortunately it has been raining and the paint dried slowly, and i don't want to install it in the rain.

I may have found a negative to the Yokohama X-AT tires. They need to be close to max pressure and they seem to heat up a lot.
I am watching the tire pressure increase while driving, and see about 15% increase.
They also seem to have a lot of rolling resistance as I see a 2mpg decrease. the camper sits about 5" higher on the flatbed also.