New Year Update – February 2022
Hi Everyone,
Wow! So much has happened since I last wrote. First off I am so sorry for not updating this post till now, but Life since getting home from last years trip to Tofino has been extremely busy, and I just seemed to never have enough time to write. Also I lost control of this website over the winter because my passwords were compromised. Unfortunately, it took some time to rebuild and reclaim my site. So that is my excuse, and I do apologize for the blackout…
A Prairie Sunset in Bowness.
So, what has been going on for us since last year? Lots… Lets start with when we got home from Tofino. Well first off, the RV was a complete mess… Sand everywhere and dirty from ceiling to floor. So, it took some time to clean it up and get it ready for its winter slumber. One it was clean I went to retract the bedroom slide and guess what…It would not come in. Calamity! I tried everything to get the slide in but to no avail. That slide motor just did not have enough juice to pull the slide in. So, I slept on it and then the next day I pulled everything off of the bed and out from under it. Once the mattress was off and the storage cleared, I tired to pull the slide in and with a little help from me in it came. Whew! But that only just put the inevitable off, the slide motor needed to be replaced. So, I have been trying to source a reasonably priced motor to replace the old one. So far, I have not been successful. The only motor I have been able to find is from the manufacturer and the cost is $1200 (US) so it is expensive, but I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and buy it, so I can get it replaced here in the spring. All I can say about this issue was thank goodness it did not fail while we were on the road, that would have been disastrous!
In October of last year, I decided to purchase a new Toad vehicle. Both Lorraine and I did not really like towing her Ford Focus, though it worked it had issues sitting on the tow dolly. In particular the steering wheel would no lock on the dolly, so it bounced and twisted all over the dolly as we bumped down the road. This was not ideal and caused some concern that the car would twist off or break a strap. We did try to use a wheel lock like the Club to lock the wheel, but the Club when in place rested on the windshield and at first, we thought it would be ok, but in the end, it cracked the windshield and we had to get it replaced which was expensive. So that is when I decided that we needed a new tow vehicle, but what to buy? Well, I wanted something that would allow us to go off road and explore the areas that we camp in and not have to worry about breaking or damaging a car. So, I started to look for a lightweight Jeep, or other 4x4 vehicle. In October of last year, I stumbled upon a 1999 Jeep TJ SE that was in very good condition and had relatively low millage on it for a 23yr old vehicle. So, after a test drive and a good look at it I decided to buy it. The Jeep would be perfect for a towed vehicle and ticked off all of my boxes for a 4x4 and towing capabilities. The Jeep would allow me to flat tow it which is where I wanted to go, as I was tired of using and playing with the dolly. It was always a pain to deal with it in the campground and on travel days. Awkward, heavy and noisy to setup in the early morning. Being able to flat tow will be a game changer! I am now in the process of buying all the equipment necessary to flat tow the Jeep and hope to have it ready to tow come our first spring trip in May.
Washed and new Gladiator Grille installed
Extra Fuel at the ready
The jeep has not been without issues though and I had to replace the water pump and serpentine belt, thermostat and gaskets. I also have a small leak in the Radiator that will have to be eventually replaced. I also have some rust abatement to deal with in the spring as the chassis is rusty and needs to be cleaned up and painted. The interior is pristine, and I have added some mods to it already to help personalize it. I also have some mods on back order to help further make it more friendly for Lorraine, like drop down steps. You see the Jeep has a 4” lift on it so it is a bit of a chore to haul yourself up into it, and Lorraine asked me to put a step on it. I am also waiting for some tow parts to come back into stock so that I can get it ready for flat towing.
Personally, both Lorraine and I have been good and have been surviving the pandemic. So far, no COVID has touched us, which is amazing since Lorraine works at the Emergency department at the Rockyview hospital. Both of us are fully vaxed including the booster, but I did get sick after getting my booster. I had had two Pfizer shots and when I went to get my booster, they gave me a Moderna shot instead. Well, I got a reaction and for a week felt like I had a head cold. Since then I have been fine. I am still studying for my big exam but have been too busy to really study so I have postponed it a couple of times. My Next attempt will be in March, so I really have to get down to business and study!
Finny is doing good and is still in what appears to be remission from Poly-arthritis. He had a Vet visit last week and the Vet has again started to reduce his meds, with the hope of him being med free by March. Overall Finny has turned into a really great dog and him and I are best friends! He listens and loves to go out on walks with me and play at the dog park, and on the trails we hike. Finny has been a good distraction from the loss of Annie whom both Lorraine and I still miss dearly.
With spring just around the corner now, I have started to book sites. At the beginning of January Lorraine and I sat down and figured out where and what we were going to do for this years camping season. A you may remember Lorraine has to hand in her vacation time request for the year by the end of January. So, it is always a rush to plan at the beginning of the year. We have decided to stay in Alberta with a quick trip to Radium BC and Kootenay National Park for a four-day weekend in June and a four-day trip to Saskatchewan at Cypress Interprovincial Park. Our Itinerary for the season will look like this:
Trip 1 – Writing on Stone Provincial Park (Alberta) – 5 days
Trip 2 – Red Streak (Kootenay National Park) – Radium BC – 4 days
Trip 3 - Castle Falls Provincial Park (Alberta) – 11 Days
Trip 4 – Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park – (Alberta / Saskatchewan) – 11 Days
Trip 5 – Medicine Lake (Alberta) – 8 days
There you have it our summer planed out just like that. All I need to do now is get us spots when it is time to book. So far, I have booked the National Park in Radium BC. The other will follow as it becomes time to book them typically 90 days out from arrival.
As the days get longer, I am starting to get excited for the upcoming camping season. Soon it will be time to wake up the RV and get it ready for our first camping trip. There is so much to do when the time comes to wake it up that I will be very busy. Skiing season is still on so that is a nice distraction especially with record snow falls, but my thoughts are turning to the camping and the RV. Sigh… If only I could do both at the same time, but the RV is not yet ready for winter camping, maybe next year.
The Jeep TJ has been a nice distraction through the winter though. What with buying stuff for it and suping it up and personalizing it. It is a manual 5 speed transmission, so it is fun to drive as a commuter vehicle, which is what I have been using it for. All the driving is a good test to see if it is sound and does not require any further mechanical repairs. The last thing I want is for it to break down while were in the back country with it. But I think it is good to go and have been rock solid since replacing the water pump.
Well, that is it for this update. I leave you with some pics of my new toy the Jeep TJ and some pics from camping last year. Look forward to some new campground writeups to follow soon.
Thanks for staying a fan and reading my blog. Till next time
Happy Trails….
Cheers,
The Glampurs
Sunrise at Mount Norquay in Banff National Park.
Sunset at the dog park in Bowness