Six Weeks Across the Continent

Estancio

On August 14, I departed NC on an extended 6-week trip across the country. Destination Vancouver. After 14 days on the road covering 3600 miles, I landed in my campsite in White Rock BC. I'll be here for a couple of weeks before taking a different route back home. I've encountered no problems with the T@B other than cabinet doors and drawers flying open on the road and strewing contents everywhere inside the camper. Next project has to be finding solutions to securing the doors and drawers. 

T@B is certainly a tiny house compared to almost everything else on the road.


Reaching to border of Montana.


Made it to Moscow...Idaho that is.


Spent a few days in Bellingham WA relaxing along the coast.


Fortunate to spend time with Tai Chi Master Tian Qiuxin and his associate who were visiting from Beijing.


Landed in White Rock BC for the next few weeks. 


Thought it smart to add the states where the T@B and I have travelled to date.

kybob

Nice!

jgram2

Very nice indeed! Did you encounter them doing Tai Chi at the lake's shore?

Estancio

They were fellow house guests with my friends in Bellingham.

Sharon_is_SAM

Safe travels Estancio.  Beautiful time to be traveling.

VickeyP

Great trip, thanks for sharing with us! Enjoy BC...

Ratkity

Wow.. amazing! Thank you for sharing with us!

2Cougs

Beautiful!  If you head back thru Spokane, let us know!

Estancio

2Cougs, Thanks for the offer. However, my route back will be up to Edmonton to visit my son and then onward to Minneapolis to see my daughter and grand daughter. I'm in the Spokane area often enough as I have close friends down in Moscow, ID. Next time!

TerryV6

Wow, that looks like a heck of trip.  Great pics.  I'm sure you have a ton of them.  What was your daily travel distance?  Did you have the trip all mapped out beforehand, or as you go? My driving distance has shorten as the years have passed.   I also am interested in a good solution, besides elastic cords to keep my cabinet doors shut.

ericnliz

@Estancio, Thanks for sharing your adventure!!! Excellent photos!! Travel safe on your return trip.

2Cougs

@Estancio - enjoy family, safe travels, and holler when you are back this direction.  We hope the smoke does not effect your travels.

MortyandDottie

@Estancio Looks like a great trip.  What was the name of the camp ground in White Rock?  Have not been there yet with out T@B. 

Estancio

MortyandDottie, I've split my time between Pacific Border RV Park and Peace Arch RV Park. Neither could accommodate the full 2 weeks I am here, so had to split the stay between them. As far as RV Parks go (I personally prefer state parks and national forests), Peace Arch has more trees and space. I'm a swimmer, and both have nice heated pools that I needed. 

Estancio

It was a beautiful morning in White Rock. Only five more days left in BC, and will be heading east to Alberta on Saturday.

Estancio

Lovely downtown Vancouver.

2Cougs

Great pic!!!

Estancio

Stayed over Saturday night at foot of Mt. Robson. Lovely rustic campground without hookups. It was cold enough to use the gas furnace. 


Drove into Alberta on Sunday morning. Seeing the photo, I realized how naked the rear of my T@B looks. Gonna have to fix that with a rack. Have already texted Elsie to see if I can pick that up on my journey home. 

ericnliz

Once again, thanks for sharing the photos!! You're in beautiful country for sure!

Estancio

Today my son and I took a hiking expedition to "Accidental Beach" along the North Saskatchewan River. Apparently an upstream construction company lost a vast amount of sand which piled up in a river bend to form a new sand beach for Edmonton. 

Estancio

Departed Edmonton on Tuesday morning in rain and snow flurries. In Saskatchewan overnight with a low that was freezing. Camped along the river just south of Saskatoon.


The fields in the early morning sun were amazing! The grain has been harvested, and the geese are flying south.


Bright blue skies in Manitoba. I'm heading to North Dakota to warm up (oxymoron, but true). 

jgram2

All beautiful photos but the giant rolls of hay? Stunning. Reminiscent of some painter, who... thank you for sharing your awesome trip!

Estancio

Stopped for a few days in Minnesota and took my daughter and granddaughter camping at Rice Lake State Park. Granddaughter insisted on camping in a tent! It was a lovely fall outing, despite the 90-degree temperatures. 



 

2Cougs

@Estancio- looks like fun!  Thanks for sharing!

Ratkity

Oh my! Your granddaughter is a cutie-pie!! What great pictures.

Estancio

Departed this morning from Buck Creek State Park in Ohio and headed to buy a few parts from Elsie in Sugarcreek Ohio. Wow what changes have been made since I picked up my T@B there 6 years ago!

ericnliz

@Estancio, Thanks for sharing the great moments we're sure you had. Travel safe.

Estancio

“Six Weeks Across the Continent” has come to an end and I awoke this morning back on my NC Farm. I travelled 8300 miles and drove through 21 US States and 4 Canadian Provinces. Enjoyed the company of many family and friends along the way.


The 6 weeks of living in my tiny camper went well with no major problems… until as fate would have it, the camper experienced a flat tire only 9 miles from home yesterday. Aired up, drove 5 miles, aired up again, and got home. Counting my blessings everyday… and ready to start planning the next trip! 
 

Discoveries:

— State Parks and Provincial Parks are tops for environmental beauty. RV parks are lacking in natural beauty, but they can have fabulous heated swimming pools. Walmart Parks are a most wonderful safety net.

— There are some terrific roads in North America, and some equally horrid ones. The worst I experienced were typically in bypasses around large urban areas. It’s something of a miracle that T@Bs can hold up under the tortures of hundreds of potholes and thousands of miles of rough highways.

— The T@B makes rest areas a comforting relief from driving. Park, move into the camper, have a meal, listen to radio, take a nap.  It’s so refreshing!

Troubles:

— Doors and drawers fly open constantly on the road. They all need secure locks.

— The converter is on the fritz and putting out inconsistent voltages, running into the 15-16 volt range. Tap it, and the voltage goes back to normal range for a few minutes. It was replaced under warranty a few years ago so now I am looking at buying a 3rd one in only 6 years of owning the T@B. There have to be better converters out there! Advice welcomed!

— LED License plate light burned out. My personal experience is that LEDs are shorter lived that standard incandescent bulbs.  Replacement was $4, twice the cost of a standard bulb.

— Tail/stop lights have melted the red lenses on both sides. They are 1157 incandescent bulbs that fit in the socket close enough to touch the plastic lens on the inside. Looking at replacing both sides with the new LED tail lights. Advice welcomed!

— Experienced a flat tire only 9 miles form home on the return. Aired up and drove 5 miles. Aired up again and got home. Good fortune! These were the original factory tires that travelled 6 years old and 12,000 miles.  Ready for a new set. Advice welcomed!

 

Noteworthy:

— 6 years on original tank of propane. (used daily for 54 camping days so far)

— 6 years on original battery. (still holds a charge of 12.5 volts)

  

 

2Cougs

Great report!  Appreciate your attention to detail so we can all learn.  Sounds like a WONDERFUL T@bventure!

ericnliz

@Estancio, Now, that's an adventure!!! For the amount of miles & variances in road conditions you experienced, I would say a terrific tribute to the quality of the T@B trailers! Thanks for sharing your adventure with us all.

Ratkity

Wonderful! OMGosh about the flat tire on the last tiny part of your 8300 miles. It held up as far as it could!!! Thank you so much for taking us with you. I love it.