Roy, our salesman at Fraserway handed us over to this bright delightful young guy who did the final walk around with Laura and I.
“He’s really cute,” Laura said.
I liked that he could answer all my technical questions succinctly. He’d make a good teacher. Despite having had a camper I learned some really useful ‘tricks’. I’d asked for a ladder to be installed and loved it. Like a King I climbed to the top of my new domain and surveyed my territory.
“The roof is made so you can walk on it.” He’d told me. “ There are no leaks but the only way to keep units that way is to check the calking and seals regularly. Every three months it’s a good idea to go round and make sure with the travel and movement no seal has opened up. “
I loved the refrigerator with it’s automatic closing of electricity or propane depending on whether we were plugged in or not.
The unit had been winterized for storage so had non toxic antifreeze in the lines. He purged these for us showing where the hose is that can be used to draw non toxic antifreeze into the system as well as which valves to turn on and off for this price.
I liked again the accessibility of the black water and grey water outlet, the panels showing whether they were empty or full. The black water was empty but the grey water sensor said full. He ran off the grey water there, suggesting I watch the sensor and emptying as it hadn’t emptied as robustly as he would like.
“Sometimes sludge in the tank. If that’s it, you just fill the tank then stand inside and rock it a few times and purge. That usually clears the sensor or the sludge.”
He showed me where the Happy Jack Electric Jack fuses were and how to use the manual jack if the electric failed. On my previous camper the electric jacks had often failed so I was well versed in manual operation and thankful for this new system. Further it came with a remote which was really an improvement allowing me to do all jacks together or one at a time.
It even had a solar panel battery charger already installed with a panel showing the state of the new battery as well as effectiveness of the new solar panel. I had one of the earliest solar electricity systems on my offshore sailboat 25 years ago so appreciate how the technology has advanced.
The propane stove was nothing new to me but I did appreciate him showing me how to light the oven pilot light again. “The trick is holding it for 10 seconds once it’s lighted so it stays on.” I’ve generally not used propane ovens because I obviously haven’t been patient with the lighting process. I can see using this oven now knowing the problem is me not the technologg.
Both Laura and I love the toilet and shower in the Adventurer. The Jensen sound system with blue tooth, DVD and USB, indoor and outdoor speakers is going to bring us joy. I imagine a candlelight dinner with Laura and Gilbert and Mozart playing quietly in the back ground
The best though was loading the camper onto the back of my truck. With my last camper I’d repeatedly banged up the truck box and camper in this process.
“This is how I do it ,” he said. Well, his technique which can be used solo or with a spotter involved lining up the wheel wells from the ‘danger zone’ under the camper and simply going back and forth multiple times and checking the alignment on both sides. John, from Chilliwack RV Storage in Yarrow had used a similiar technique. John is my favourite wiseman when it comes to vehicles and campers. Now I know what he was aligning when he was giving me directions for backing up. I had had this weird idea that one could just back in directly. Naturally this Captain Ron ‘docking’ technique hadn’t worked so well for novice me. Slow and easy and multiple checks is the future which will save this camper the experience of it’s predecessor. I also won’t have to kidnap and tie up one of these guys to have with me when I want to load or unload the camper.
The new tie downs are space age, expensive but a major time saver. My iron extension connections under the truck had rusted but with my approval and encouragement the guys freed them up with application of the ball preen hammer philosophy. No damage but a quick solution.
“Here’s a new manual.” He said in parting.
“What was his name?” I asked Laura later.
“I don’t know.” She said. “I don’t think I ever got his name.”
The anonymous tech assistant might well have been the Lone Ranger having done his good deed but left us to ride off into the sunset.
Victor was waiting in Chilliwack. As his friend had bought the old camper as a wreck, Victor been kind enough to stow the contents in his garage. Victor’s new home and garage are the envy of all men with his Harley trike project almost complete in the centre of the garage with moose and deer racks all around the upper walls. Definitely it’s fast becoming a major ‘men’s meeting space’. Screw women’s town and country homes, by all men’s standards, this is an award winning garage.
“That’s a nice unit.” He said as we we handed Laura the kitchen boxes so she could load them into the cupboards over the sink. I put the old tools in the space under the outside door. Lots of clothes and books went into the back of the truck to be taken home as we were going to have be be a bit more utilitarian with this camper. I just seem to collect clutter but then the last we’d used the other camper had been in hunting season so there was a lot of fall and winter clothing and tools for that activity. Nothing we’d need in the spring and summer.
“Thank you, Victor.” Laura and I said sincerely as we departed. What a great guy with a skookum garage. Thanks to him we’d been able to get the old camper to his friend in the winter and now load this new camper with the kitchen ware, tools and barbecue for spring camping.
We headed out with him waving to us in the mirror. “Happy Trails.” was playing in my mind.
Last stop, Superstore for weekend groceries. While we have less open space without the slide I really like not having a slide on a camper. Great on RV’s but slides on campers make the interior space less functional when closed. This task of unloading groceries into the refrigerator was a trial in the old camper with the slide but a breeze with this one. Further if we had to pull over for a nap on a trip no one would know.
It was 6 pm and dark as we headed on to Harrison’s. I’d decided we’d find something close where we knew our way about rather than heading out into the wilderness campsites this first weekend. Glencoe RV campgrounds in Harrison was open. The delightful manager welcomed us and wished us well with our new camper. Harrison’s has several RV campgrounds, the provincial campground out of town and many wilderness campsites further north. Here we were right across from the Harrison Hotsprings Town Pool which I certainly will be partaking of. Healing soothing waters are calling to my aging aching body. We’ve often been to the fabulous Harrison Hot Springs resort or stayed at the Bungalow cabins or the luxurious Beach Hotel but this is the first time in a camper. With snow on the ground and ice on the roads we’re the only camper in the park.
The Happy Jacks made set up easy. I had connection to the shore power electricity on. The furnace worked with one button and the freezer was automatic. I didn’t have a slide to worry about. Laura had the bed made. Gilbert had his walk and sniff.
We had a glorious sleep in the quiet of the sleeping town. Now it’s a new day and I’m so pleased with Fraserway RV and this new to me Adventurer Truck Camper. We learned that these rental units are most commonly used for trips from BC to Alaska or up through the Rockies. I imagine we’ll be taking this unit in time to places it’s been bringing joy to others as it will bring to us. Gilbert loves it. From the ashes of the poor old Palimino this Adventurer has arisen. I do like roughing it with furnace heat, refrigerator, hot and cold running water, electricity and wifi. Now that I’ve had coffee and made Laura coffee I may have to walk Gilbert down to the little cafe that makes the best egg and bacon sandwiches in the world.
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