Building the Escape Pod
We don’t have a propane tank in our van, so we heat our water using the electrical system. It’s a choice that works for us because we have a large battery and solar system. Here’s a description of our system and the other options you might consider.
Sadly it seems we’re not going to be able to use the McDonalds drive-through. We’re just too tall. I’ll never get to experience the delights of a Big Mac. Because, I mean, who’d actually walk into a restaurant?
More seriously, if you catch the ferry in Washington state, they need to know how long your van is so they charge you the correct fare. If you want to know (rather than guessing) whether you’ll fit into a parking garage or under a low bridge, you’ll need to remember how tall your van is.
The answer is super-simple, inconspicuous, and cheap.
You can turn your cell phone into an engine monitor with just a $20 gadget and a $5 app. This will tell you pretty much everything that a ScanGauge or Ultragauge will, and will also allow you to read and reset generic engine codes.
If you’ve removed the van headliner, you’ll be left with a gap where the cab area headliner stops.
We filled this gap with a fabric-covered piece of plywood. Several people asked us for a template for this piece, so here it is.
Continue reading “Template for filler piece at rear of cab headliner”
When I was a kid, my grandparents used to say “tie a knot in your handkerchief so you remember.” The thing is, I haven’t carried a handkerchief since I was maybe four years old.
Camping in a van means you’ll have things scattered around outside. You might be plugged in to shore power. You might have your energy-hogging hot water tank turned on. How will you remember to sort everything out before you drive away? Velcro cable ties to the rescue!
Continue reading “How to remember important things before you drive off”
If the image that comes to mind when you think of “drawer liner” is that tatty vinyl stuff that Grandma used to use, then it’s time to get updated. There are some great products on the market that make your drawer contents stay put and shut up.
Our memory foam mattress was 80″ long. Our bed panel was 73″ long. Time to cut the mattress down to size.
The traditional tool for this is an electric carving knife with two reciprocating blades like a mini hedge trimmer. We don’t have one, so we clamped the foam to compress it, then sliced it with a razor blade. It worked really well, with a smooth, straight cut line.
Diesel. DIESEL! It’s hard to remember, especially if you also drive a petrol powered vehicle. Worse still, the in-cab reminder when you are low on fuel says “Drive to gas station” rather than “Drive to diesel station.”
Here’s what we do to try and save our engine from immediate disaster.
Continue reading “Don’t let someone fill your tank with gasoline”
Rather than heating the whole van overnight, it’s cheaper and easier to just heat the bed. We bought a 12v heated mattress pad to sleep on. It works really well and doesn’t use too much power.
Continue reading “12v electric mattress pad for cheap overnight heating”
We camp in forests and park at muddy bike races. The van floor can quickly get covered in dirt. Two types of door mats help with quick clean-up.