“You said there’d be no bears,” she said.
“Not in the camp. There will be lots of hunters around and you’ll be safe."
Well, given the forest fires that year and the problems with media reporting the Grizzly attacks, there was only one other hunting party in the camp which normally would be full. I was glad for the fire and the Winchester 300 win mag rifle I’d brought as I set up the camp. We were safe in the grand tent in the box of the truck. I slept with the rifle. I had the axe and knife handy but despite that I didn’t sleep all that well. Laura didn’t sleep a wink. Even Gilbert was restless.
At dawn I’d made coffee, bacon and eggs then I’d left Laura at the camp. She told me she’d made a lot of noise until she gave up and sat waiting for me in the truck. I’d left Gilbert with her and she was glad for his company and her 22 rifle when she went to the nearby outhouse in the day. Apparently he patrolled the front of the outhouse and ran around it several times to ensure she was safe. .
I was up on the mountain in my Honda Pioneer 500 side by side ATV not seeing anything. There simply was no deer and no deer sign in this area that was normally full of game. The fires had obviously caused a shift in the herds. I felt a little concerned for Laura and came back early finding her sitting in the truck. I also saw the one camp heading out when I was coming in. Laura was more than elated when I suggested we leave early.
Now this year I wanted to go camping in the summer. Just to get some fresh water swimming and a little fishing in. I really like being out in the wilderness and love camping myself but don’t want bears around except in hunting season when I’m open for guests. Laura wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about camping. She’d loved when I had the little RV trailer and we’d gone up to Boston Bar weekends. Even when a bear circled the trailer one day while we were out in the woods north of Merrit she’d not been concerned. The illusion of walls made her feel safe.
She’s been along on cold wet motorcycle camping trips. She’s been at sea when the SV GIRI has faced a bit of a blow. She’s had a tent cave in from snow when I was out hunting leaving her shivering in her sleeping bag in the little bit of tent left standing till I got back. By most descriptions she’s been a real trooper. By urban feminine comparison she’s Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman.
So I thought about getting a truck camper with her in mind. Not that I personally don’t increasingly like luxury and comfort though I’d never admit to it. We’ve stayed in a lot of motels and resorts but frankly I prefer being in the woods. When I’d hunted with old Bill Mewhort we’d had his truck camper and hauled back moose in the trailer he pulled behind. I’d loved having the shower and heat north of Prince George when 4 of us guys hunted moose one fall, shooting countless grouse though no moose. I’d seen the lynx that trip. The forest in British Columbia is serene. I love the little lakes and ducks and loons. Mostly I like that Gilbert doesn’t need to be on leash like he does in Provincial camps.
Also It's not like I've not paid my dues. I've stayed in arctic igloos and quince I've made myself, camped in the Sierras without a tent, back packing tenting, canoe tennis, motorcycle camping, pup tents in all weather, snow camping and enough rain and mosquitoes to transfuse a small village. We camped as a family and I watched my father and mother move out of tenting into RV's loving their Slumber Queen motorhome before falling in love with Ocean Cruise Ships.
I have a 39 foot 5th wheel but the fact is it’s meant for being lived in and I’ve not even got the endorsement yet to pull it legally. It’s beyond my capabilities as yet and I’ve arranged driver’s training so I can move it from RV park to RV park on well paved highways.
I didn’t need a new camper just something second hand and cheap enough I could justify getting it for the limited use for it I’d have. I also needed a place to live in for a couple of weeks while I was facing home repairs later. With a dog and a cat it seemed the solution. When I’d had my boat here I’d often stayed on it.
I’d begun researching the ads a month ago learning what was available. Laura and I’d driven around to the major dealers in the valley to see what was offered. Frazerview in Abbotsford had the very best selection. They make their own there. The salesman had a couple of second hand units 2015 and 2016 that were just perfect and half the price of the new ones. Jordan Buchan had showed us a really skookum second hand one at Traveland RV where I’d bought my second RV and loved the sales and service. Jordan shared a whole lot of good information about buying a camper. All the salesman really were great but I just didn’t want to spend the amount of money. The lowest priced second hand campers the dealers had was $17,000 while new unites went as high as $80,000.
When I was younger I might well have purchased something $5-10 thousand dollars more than I thought I could afford. My brother always a wise and cautious buyer often criticized me in a fun way but I don’t like shopping and time off from work is time I want to be using to recoup. Learning to live more in the day I actually can like the exploration and waiting. Laura’s a good bud for these trips, happy to come along with Gilbert and good for advice.
I’m glad I waited. Chilliwack has a lot of RV’s so this weekend we drove out with an eye to just looking about and if I didn’t see something better I’d buy one from Frazerview in Abbotsford.
We hardly saw Leica Auto Sales Ltd. 44735 Yale Road 604-537 5804.A small lot. We’d been going to look at O’Connor. And there it was. We passed the collection of RV’s and had to turn around and go back.
A 2005 Palimino Marverick 1000Sl. It was the only camper on the lot. It had had one owner and no leaks the seller insisted and everything worked. There was obvious wear and tear which occurs with second hand but the price was affordable. I’d just not put more money into RRSP’s until fall and winter and maybe my accountant who encourages such responsible behaviour wouldn’t notice. I love Anil’s advice but shiny things are shiny things.
Having looked at dozens and compared them, this was exactly what I was looking for. I loved the light coloured wood, the shower and toilet in a separate room, the heater, insulation. Propane 5 cu Refrigerator, 3 burner stove, and 6 gal hot water , 31 gallons fresh water, 7 gallons grey water and 7 gallons black water. . 1600 BTU furnace. When hooked up to electricity it has air conditioning. It doesn’t have a generator but there’s always the truck and I do have a 2000 Honda generator which will do the trick. The bed is queen sized and the table folds down to a bed too. I really like the table and see it with the big window as a lovely place to sit write, and drink coffee, Travels with Gilbert style. The electric jacks will make life a lot easier.
I learned that I needed brackets for the trailer to hook onto under the truck. The 2643 lb weight goes a long way to keeping it from flying off but the tie downs do the rest. John Hassan very personable and matter of fact, Leica Auto Sales Ltd owner sent us down to Trademaster a short ways down Yale Road. Good guys, they looked over my truck and booked in the installation giving John time to get the RV ready to haul. Bank of Nova Scotia in Sardis was open and I got a money draft from savings. Unlike a trailer you tow, it didn’t need any more licensing from ICBC, the truck being licensed and the Camper just cargo. I called Thaun Vo at Rand and McNally. He’s an amazing guy for following up on insurance. He’s going to insure it for theft and fire etc.
I called Eric at Star Fleet who is the very best guy for maintenance and repairs for RV’s, someone I’ve known and called for rescue over the last 8 years. Despite it being the long weekend he’s going to drop by and check it out to make sure there’s no surprises for Laura and I when we get away for 5 days next week. Eric has been a lifesaver since I got my first RV. I put my coffee pot in the grey sink it wasn’t a metal sink and the pot melted right through. I remember standing there dumbfounded, finding Eric’s calling, and telling him the news. “You’re not the first one,” he said. “I can come around tomorrow.’. I appreciate his calm.
Laura and I driving home dropped by at Chilliwack RV Storage on Lumsden Road. The owner is a great man whose guarded my RV’s over the years, his locked fenced compound having dogs in addition to people living there. When I first brought my first trailer to store I knew nothing and he was so kind to the green horn. Now he welcomed me back with a big smile.
So Laura is really excited about camping again. I’m so glad. I really want to just drive along a logging road main in the interior till I see a little lake and pull off and park. If there’s a picnic table and it’s a wilderness site so much the better. But now it’s like the old days when I had the Vanagon. I can just pull over and if need be take a nap. If I want wifi and cable I can pull into an RV camp. Admittedly it’s a bit of luxury for camping, fishing and hunting but really, I don’t enjoy lying on the cold ground. My back and knees don’t like it. But I’ll still be out in the wilderness enjoying my queen size 60 x 80 bed and getting up to make coffee in the warm out of the rain without mosquitoes. Laura’s going to like the bathroom, no doubt about that. I think that last night walking in the dark in grizzly bear territory with the little flash light despite brave little Gilbert guarding the outhouse door almost did her in.
Posts
1 comment:
best wishes
what chance would you have in a tent
with bear
Post a Comment