The Big Idea
My lovely wife, Christine, came to me about two years ago now and said something like "Hey, I want to do something really cool for my sabbatical (she is on faculty at Carleton University). Why don't we sell everything and travel around North America for the year." In my usual intense way of feigning interest, I am sure that I must have said something like "Yes, honey, sounds like fun, let's work towards that."
Well, here we are, house sold, possessions sold, given away, or in hiding (ok in storage, but hiding our stuff certainly sounds much cooler) and camping at an ocean side park in the Acadian region of New Brunswick. Less than a week into it, no regrets, and even more anticipation of the adventures to come.
***note: I am writing this page using Christine's Mac, and it is accessing the net via "tethering" to her iPhone. Yes, she is addicted to them -- a total Mac-Head -- but I am finding them useful, so I guess that I shouldn't tease her too much about being a Mac-Addict. The Big Trip has started, and less than a full week into it, it is fun, although it is taking a little getting use to. We are ALL used to having our alone time, and in a trailer, that is a rare commodity.
Well, here we are, house sold, possessions sold, given away, or in hiding (ok in storage, but hiding our stuff certainly sounds much cooler) and camping at an ocean side park in the Acadian region of New Brunswick. Less than a week into it, no regrets, and even more anticipation of the adventures to come.
***note: I am writing this page using Christine's Mac, and it is accessing the net via "tethering" to her iPhone. Yes, she is addicted to them -- a total Mac-Head -- but I am finding them useful, so I guess that I shouldn't tease her too much about being a Mac-Addict. The Big Trip has started, and less than a full week into it, it is fun, although it is taking a little getting use to. We are ALL used to having our alone time, and in a trailer, that is a rare commodity.
The Big Trailer
Our New Home
We did what most people who buy a trailer did not -- we picked the trailer first. Most people, apparently, buy a truck first and then wind up with a much bigger trailer than the truck should handle. We started with the trailer. In the summer of 2008, we went to a great local place and started looking at a pop-up trailer. I knew that a pop-up wouldn't work (come on, seriously, a year with 2 little boys in a pop-up trailer?), but I needed the powers that be to come to her own conclusion. As the trailers we looked at got bigger, so did Christine's realization that we did need a significant sized one.
One day, I stepped into a 31 footer with slide outs and had my "ah-ha" moment -- "in this one, we won't kill each other in the first week." (Note: as I write this, we are almost at the end of the first week and so far, so good). All I needed was to wait until Christine came to the same conclusion. Well, eventually she did (yea!), and we selected the 8317KDSS from Rockwood. A nice trailer with a great area for the boys.
Then, somewhere along the way, I figured out that we should buy it in Ohio. By doing that, driving there to get, paying all the Canadian taxes, and exchange rate on the US dollar, I figured out that we saved almost 25% over what I would have paid to buy it down the street in Ottawa. We put the order in, and 8 weeks later, I was driving back to Ottawa to load up.
One day, I stepped into a 31 footer with slide outs and had my "ah-ha" moment -- "in this one, we won't kill each other in the first week." (Note: as I write this, we are almost at the end of the first week and so far, so good). All I needed was to wait until Christine came to the same conclusion. Well, eventually she did (yea!), and we selected the 8317KDSS from Rockwood. A nice trailer with a great area for the boys.
Then, somewhere along the way, I figured out that we should buy it in Ohio. By doing that, driving there to get, paying all the Canadian taxes, and exchange rate on the US dollar, I figured out that we saved almost 25% over what I would have paid to buy it down the street in Ottawa. We put the order in, and 8 weeks later, I was driving back to Ottawa to load up.
The Big A$$ Truck
More POWER!
After the trailer was ordered, the task came to get a truck that could haul this thing for a year. Getting a truck was a tough affair. I first thought that a Ford F-150 Gas engine would be good. The trailer would be about 8,000lbs loaded (it is a very light trailer for it's size), so a Ford F150 with the Triton engine could theoretically do it, however, most of the people that I spoke with said that if I was going to tow for a full year, I would be much happier with a diesel. So, the Tim Allen in me came out and I shouted "Yes, More POWER!"
After a long (much longer than anyone wanted) process, we wound up with a great truck, a Ford F-250 Diesel. It is a 2006, Amarillo Special Edition that only 1,500 were made for all of North America. It is in great shape as the previous owner took incredible care of it. Oh ya, it is a really BRIGHT YELLOW, which brings me to the truck's name: Chuck.
My children have some close friends named Henry and Tommy. Their parents are great people and the husband decided to introduce the most annoying car travel game to my kids. it is called "Yellow car." Whenever you see a yellow car, you are supposed to shout "Yellow Car." This sounds innocuous, however, after the first 9 or 10 months of it happening EVERY TIME you get in a car to go somewhere, it gets a little annoying. So, when the kids did this, I would respond with "Curse that Chuck Burnside!" shouting louder than the children. So, we decided to name the truck, Chuck (Christine wants to call the trailer Margie, after Chuck's wife, but the jury is still out on that one). So, we have this really cool "Pick-up Chuck" to drive around in.
Oh ya, during the truck purchase process and going down to Ohio to get the trailer, my Dad came with me and we had a great time, his advice and friendship were (and are) invaluable to me, thanks Dad!
After a long (much longer than anyone wanted) process, we wound up with a great truck, a Ford F-250 Diesel. It is a 2006, Amarillo Special Edition that only 1,500 were made for all of North America. It is in great shape as the previous owner took incredible care of it. Oh ya, it is a really BRIGHT YELLOW, which brings me to the truck's name: Chuck.
My children have some close friends named Henry and Tommy. Their parents are great people and the husband decided to introduce the most annoying car travel game to my kids. it is called "Yellow car." Whenever you see a yellow car, you are supposed to shout "Yellow Car." This sounds innocuous, however, after the first 9 or 10 months of it happening EVERY TIME you get in a car to go somewhere, it gets a little annoying. So, when the kids did this, I would respond with "Curse that Chuck Burnside!" shouting louder than the children. So, we decided to name the truck, Chuck (Christine wants to call the trailer Margie, after Chuck's wife, but the jury is still out on that one). So, we have this really cool "Pick-up Chuck" to drive around in.
Oh ya, during the truck purchase process and going down to Ohio to get the trailer, my Dad came with me and we had a great time, his advice and friendship were (and are) invaluable to me, thanks Dad!
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