Travel | Roaming days

There’s two sides to every storm

on March 29, 2016

Side 1:

Let me tell you, living in Canada is not all about playing with white stuff or feeling like the incredible hulk as you add a 5th layer of clothing.

Southern Ontario was hit this week with a major ice storm, and I was reminded how foreign winter phenomena’s are to many people.

An ice storm consists of freezing rain. This is not hail, but instead it’s rain that falls at or just below zero degrees. As it falls it becomes supercooled, which helps it freeze on impact with roads, trees, cars, and powerlines.

Ice storms are much less frequent than the typical snow storm, but have a tendency to wreak havoc. Since the freezing rain causes ice to form on the trees and powerlines, it adds a considerable amount of weight, so it’s common for tree branches to come down on powerlines and cause power outages.

We got a call at 10pm, “The back up generator hasn’t kicked in, the basement is starting to flood”.

When the power goes out in the country, there’s one main issue … so let me introduce you to a sump pump.

A sump pump is probably the most important machine to operate at all times in a rural property. You will generally find a sump pump submerged in a basement, particularly in townships which have a high water table level. It pumps as needed to remove water from the basement drainage system to avoid overflowing and flooding.

When the power goes out in the country, the sump pump stops working.

When your back-up generator doesn’t kick in… any guesses? Yep, your right. The basement starts flooding, and during a snow melt and/or heavy rain, it doesn’t take long.

We asked, “How much water?”

“I’m treading in water, and it’s only been five minutes.”

“Really?” (Or perhaps some other words to express surprise and immediate concern.) “We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

When we arrived at the property, the water level on the lower half of our basement was now a solid 4 inches underwater. Most things in this room sit on crates to avoid too much damage in this exact situation. However, we probably had only an inch or so before it would move into the higher (and finished) half of our basement, which was full of belongings.

Outside with torches we checked the generator. Maybe the battery was dead, causing it not to start? Well, there was only one way to find out. After finding the manual override button, this was the moment of truth. Would everything be lost in the basement, or would we avoid this by the narrowest of margins?

As we held down the button, it tried to start. It kept trying to start, and a few seconds later it turned over. The sump pump came to life and the water started receding immediately.

A very close call. Phew!

Side 2.

It was a beautiful storm.

There’s two sides to every storm.

Happy living

Roaming Days

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This is home…

on January 6, 2016

If I were to tell you that we’ve moved 5 times in 2 years, you may be right to question our sanity.

I’ve heard that the average person moves around 11 times in their lifetime, and we’ve knocked over nearly half that in the same time it takes some people to unpack from a single move.

Recently, we’ve taken a fairly liberal approach to life, letting the tides flow how they will, and not trying to swim against them.

It all started back in Australia, with our kids running naked and free in our backyard. Bathed in sunlight, ice blocks (popsicles) dripping everywhere, the sound of lawn mowers running, kids laughing, and friendly neighbours dropping by.

This was home, and we loved it.

But who wants 8 months of summer every year? It was time to four season our life and move to Canada. The move aired adventure and opportunity, with absolutely no clue as to how the next year or two would transpire.

We started living with family in a finished basement while we adjusted to the new sub-zero weather conditions. We had to adjust quickly, as we faced a record breaking winter of low temperatures and snow fall. If we could survive the worst winter in almost 60 years, we were going to be okay!

This was home, and it was great to be living with family and having our own little space to retreat.

When you dream something so grand as to live in a motorhome and travel North America with 2 kids under 5, it doesn’t happen magically. There’s a ton of work, commitment and sacrifice to make it happen.

As we loaded the kids into our new (used) motorhome and set off on this adventure, I’m sure I heard my wife laugh and mutter ‘What the f#%k are we doing?’ It seemed surreal that we’d made this dream come true!

A wise soul said to me recently, ‘it’s not about the length of time you spend on the road. The road is the road. It’s the openness to learn and grow… and to let go.’ We love these words, and they are close to our heart. Living on the road is such a humbling experience.

This was home, and North America was our backyard.

We then decided to spend some time establishing ourselves in a new country. While we searched for work, we moved back into the family basement as the cold weather made the RV unliveable.

Fortunately, the job hunt was quick and we were packing again. The move to a high-rise condo was contrastingly different to the freedom of a motorhome.

We had every possible convenience at our doorstep. It was big city living; an endless choice of shops, restaurants, and nightlife. However, we hardly used any of it. Instead we focused on experiences. We took them hiking, biking, to parks, and shows and ballets, and lots of swimming in the condo pool. We even had the kids skiing down a little hill in the middle of the city – which was perfect for teaching them.

This was home, and for a short time, it was fun to be as high as the birds (we literally watched birds soar passed our window).

In the last two years, we’ve not had a clear destination in mind. Despite this, we’ve not been lost, nor have we been blindly out of control. We left Australia with an open mind, willing to let go of the life we knew, and embrace whatever came our way.

As a result, the concept of ‘home’ became more fluent for us. We learnt by living in the motorhome that once we closed the blinds at night, no matter where we were parked, we were home.

One night in the condo, as we sat overlooking the city lights, my wife and I realised this was a temporary home. It didn’t represent us, or the things that we wanted for our little family. The sheer recognition of this immediately opened up new possibilities. Within weeks, our life was heading in a new direction.

Now, I’m staring out into our newest backyard. Touched by the lightest remnants of an icy snow, the leaning wooden fence loosely defines our backyard. Beyond is a huge horse paddock, and beyond that seems to be endless acres of rural land to explore.

We find ourselves in an adoring and thoughtful community, in a farmhouse that sometimes feels like the middle of nowhere (in a good way).

This is home… for now.

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A cup of joy

on December 22, 2015

What do we miss staring into our mobile devices each day? What do we miss by having a head full of ‘to dos’? What do we miss by not seeking ‘real’ human connection in our day-to-day lives (even with strangers)?

We miss this…

It was just another mid-week morning.

These people had one thing on their mind… ‘Morning coffee’.

Almost on autopilot, they’d steered their cars into the drive-thru and given their order into a little faceless box. Now they waited. Their cars’ hummed and crept forward at any opportunity.

As they waited to drive up to a little window to pay, some drivers chatted to the passenger, and others starred blankly ahead. In a moment, they would collect their cup of motivation and survival for the morning.

But one thing was different this morning…

Inside the coffee shop was my family. We were sitting in a corner booth, which just happened to be right next to the drive-thru. As each car pulled up next to us, my wife encouraged the kids to wave. My kids liked the idea and started waving at each car.

It became evident that many people don’t react well to change in their morning routine. It was astounding to me, how many people could blatantly ignore two gorgeous little kids (under 5), waving and smiling at them from the window.

My kids don’t give up on anything that easily. They were committed to their plight and were not discouraged even for a second by the lack of response.

It was their sheer joy of the experience that sent positive energy out to each and every one of these strangers. Their energy grew car after car. Sure enough, people started waving back. We even got a few smiles.

It was uplifting to watch strangers find that unexpected moment of joy in their morning routine.

And then it happened…

In the next car was a woman we didn’t know. As she looked in at the kids waving and smiling gleefully, she burst into tears.

We don’t know her story. We don’t know whether there was pain behind those tears. But there was certainly joy. She managed a smile. It was a moment that broke all of us.

Having an impact on others from behind a window in a coffee shop was truly magical.

Tis’ the season to make others happy!

Happy living,

Roaming Days

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Little Treasure

on May 29, 2015

Intro

“What does this town have?” She asked with utmost seriousness.

I had a feeling I knew what the answer was going to be. It was like walking through the door of a New York hotel room; what you see is what you get.

If we’d been talking to a modest man, I may have been correct in my assumption. But this was no ordinary man. He was not for a single second deterred by the question. “We have a convenient store across there. Of course there’s the award-winning restaurant. They go in their with money in their pockets, and they come out with their belly’s full.”

He barely took a breath before continuing. “We have a population of 75 people, but we have our own award winning waste water treatment facility, and an award winning theatre. We also have our own council.“

He said this with an endearing contentment of the life he’d spent in this town. He had a hop in his woolly-socked steps, and pleasure in his soul.

He was the candle-maker.

I’ve seen lively towns, and I’ve seen dead towns. This one still had a flutter of a heartbeat.

It was the end of summer, however something told me that is was not a bustling summer town, partly because of the absence of a chip stand, which is practically a must in any summer tourist town in Canada.

Truth be told, the Trans Canada highway decided to give this town a miss. Most wheels don’t hit the streets of Victoria by the Sea, but continue to speed down the highway.

It’s fair to say we had no intention of visiting this town when the day had started. We didn’t even know that it existed. Yet here we were.

We rolled slowly down the main street overlooking the water, eyeing off a potential parking spot for the 31ft motorhome.

With the absence of a designated spot for motorhomes, we parked on an empty patch of land by the waterside. The residents in the adjacent apartments had, for a short while, their water views built out.

Climbing out the camper was like any other time, one foot after the other. Yet looking up, we were confronted with glimpses of a beautiful oncoming sunset. It was a seaside village, quaint and charismatic.

But for all it mattered, this place could have been a ghost town, desolate and empty. All we needed was a key.

An hour earlier, we’d stopped at a visitor’s centre. Surely, at this time of year a prominent castor of light would let us ascend it’s stairs, and grant the wish of a little heart.

A ten minute conversation with the historical board had recommended that the owner of the pastel blue shed would hold the key.

III

On the corner we found the pastel blue shed. The windows allowed us to peruse the belongings inside. Along side an old bike were some tools. We could only assume that they were for candle making. This was the candle maker’s store.

However, the door was locked, which could be expected when the sign hanging on the door read ‘closed’.

We decided to try the house nearby. The sound of empty tapping repelled against the old wooden doors. Out on the street, a passer by said they should be home, so we tried again. The door remained shut. There were no footsteps. There were no voices.

Similar to the candle maker’s store, his house appeared empty. As we stood slightly helplessly on the front porch, we suddenly heard a voice, “Come to the side door”.

We shuffled the kids around to the side, and a woman met us.

There was a brief moment were it felt weird to be relentlessly tracking down the owner of an attraction that we wanted to see. Luckily this was a small town, because you couldn’t get away with this in the city,

“We heard your husband has the key?”

“I don’t know where he is.”

She looked around over our shoulders like he should be out in the front yard somewhere. “He should be home, we are due at our daughters’ for dinner shortly.”

We didn’t move. She seemed more perplexed by her husbands whereabouts than the strange family standing on her lawn. Almost like a complimentary prize, yet in fact a truly lovely gesture, she gave us as many pears as we could hold.

So now we were standing on the side lawn of a strangers house, holding pears, still looking for a key.

As if this were fiction, in the exact moment of our awkwardness on the side lawn, holding pears, she says, “Oh there he is.”

Without dropping a single pear, we pivoted 90 degrees to see a gangly fella on a bike. He looked delightfully happy, carefree, and surprisingly well dressed for a guy on a bike.

Moments later we shared our story of our search for a key. He instantly started to lead the way. The key was in his pocket.

VII

As the key jangled on the key chain, the kids could hardly contain their excitement. The key fitted the slot. Suddenly the big red door swung open, and we stepped inside a lighthouse.

The ground floor was the ‘Keeper’s of the Light’ museum, but there was no stopping the kids, as they climbed the stairs and looked out over the ocean.

Nearly six months after leaving Ontario, we had delivered on our daughter’s dream to climb inside a lighthouse. We’d got lost looking for a one in Seattle, and with most of the summer season attractions on the East Coast closed by the time we got there, we feared that we’d missed the opportunity.

But with commitment and determination, a big adventure delivered a little treasure.

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9 Life Lessons Learnt Travelling in a Motorhome

on April 12, 2015

Dear Sparkles,

Our beloved motorhome, we owe you this long overdue thank you!

To the unobserving eye, you’re just another of the voluminous number of motorhomes across North America. You see them everywhere: transported to the same ol’ trailer park, driven south to escape the white stuff, or permanently residing in a backyard.

But not you Sparkles. You gave off a vibe that you were ready for adventure.

Were we destined to meet? Well, we searched motorhomes online for over a year to find you, at times very confused as to what would be the best motorhome for our trip. When we landed on the shores of Canada, you were on our short list. You stayed on the list through an RV show, and a couple of visits to RV traders.

It then came down to two. Although the 5th wheel was absolutely gorgeous, it didn’t make sense for our trip. We would be stopping often, we wouldn’t be in places very long, and the kids needed a table to play and do craft while we drove (rather than being stuck in the back of a truck).

You were the one. You were going to drive us 14,500 miles (21,000 kms) around North America. You were going to be our everything; our hotel, our restaurant, our playground, our transportation… our home.

I loved driving you from the minute I hoped in. You didn’t exactly hum. Perhaps I was fulfilling a sudden ‘trucker’ dream. You definitely had heart, and some impressive grunt. That’s why I wanted to call you Grizzly.

However, the name ‘Sparkles’ prevailed, as every time during the trip I said to the kids “Let’s get back to Grizzly”, I was instantly corrected with, ‘No Daddy, it’s Sparkles”.

We picked you up near Hamilton (outside of Toronto), and we both survived our trip home. It wasn’t a direct route as we were hoping to give you a new set of runners (read tires). I’d pre-ordered a beautiful set of 6 Cooper Discoverer tires. As we got closer to the gas station, which we had to go through to get to the garage, it dawned me how big you really were. It didn’t help that the gas station was minuscule, by far the smallest gas station I’d ever encountered.

Against my better judgment, I turned in and I felt like I was driving a monster truck through a kids miniature-land. Some tight manoeuvring found us alongside the garage. I jumped out and took a few steps towards the mechanic who had stepped out of the garage looking somewhat perplexed. “We can’t fit that in the garage, who did you speak to?” It’s ironic because it would not be the last time I would hear those words.

If I’d thought entering the gas station was difficult, the stakes were suddenly raised as we pulled out into Toronto traffic.

Now for most ordinary North American folk, you may scoff. But in Australia, we‘re still building 2 lane highways. So when I was faced with the goal of moving a 31ft vehicle across 4 lanes of Toronto traffic, from a standing start, with the maximum acceleration of a truck, and with my exit only a stone’s throw up the highway, you could say I wasn’t overly excited. Did I forget to mention that my read view mirrors had swung in without me noticing!

Over the next month or so we gave you a lot of lovin’, and finally a new set of tires. It was only fair that as we prepared ourselves for this adventure, we got you ready as well.

What you gave back to us is something that we are forever indebted to you for. This is what you taught us…

1. Dream big, and have the balls to make it a reality

From Elvis’ house in Memphis, to waking up beside the Mississippi River, from watching a bison crossing in Yellowstone National Park, to overlooking the mountains in Whistler, you allowed us to wake up somewhere new almost every single day for 7 months.

We fell in love with country music in Nashville, Tennessee, and were blessed by beautiful little cities like Jefferson City, Missouri. We reached the werewolf ridden La Push beach, Washington, and explored remote towns like Moose Factory, Ontario. Of course, the trip wouldn’t have been complete without visiting Anne of Green Gables in Prince Edward Island, and touching the Atlantic Ocean at the Fortress of Louisbourg, Cape Breton.

We lived our dream.

2. Be open to learning and change

Don’t get stuck in your ways. Be willing to try new things from which you may learn. Take a look at how you react and behave in different situations. Give yourself a chance to change!

3. Home can be anywhere

There is something very freeing about not knowing where you will sleep at night.

We tried Walmart parking lots, truck stops, little hideaways in National Parks and RV parks. You also managed to go ‘undetected’ for a few nights only a block or two off the main street of Banff, and saw us spending almost a week in Vancouver for $0.

It didn’t really matter where we went to sleep at night. You were our home. Once the blinds were drawn, we could have been anywhere and it didn’t matter.

You were the constant in our life, and you let our family be together in a way like many families couldn’t even imagine.

4. Appreciate the little things

A big house and lots of space rarely contributes to happiness. It just gives you lots of stuff, clutter, hard work, and a bigger debt to spend all of your time working to pay off.

It was so lovely to go back to simpler times with fewer things, and instead be out appreciating all the beauty this amazing continent has to offer.

5. Throw away the schedule, and just live in the moment

We had no itinerary, instead we listened to people we met on the road and made on the fly decisions about which direction we would head next.

We cleared our schedule of all organised activities, and let ourselves roam. We gave the kids North America as their playground, and WOW, did they embrace it!

You enabled us to cook dinner alongside many children’s playgrounds, giving the kids something to do at that crazy hour of the day when kids just need to burn off energy! You let us park, and have lunch, at the end of the beautiful gardens alongside the Parliament in Regina. We even had an afternoon nap and then got ready for the Grand Ole Opry in the parking lot.

We learnt to go with the flow, and live in the moment.

6. Be thankful

Each day we told each other what we were thankful for.

Looking back on the trip, we were thankful that you were with us everywhere! It was a convenience that we greatly appreciated. We could be out sightseeing and just drop in for lunch. If we forgot something, you were minutes away. If we went for a swim by the beach, we could come back and rinse off quickly in the shower. When I spilt my beer all over my daughter whilst out for dinner, I could whisk her away for a clean set of clothes and be back well before mains arrived… and just in time for a new cold one to be delivered to the table.

7. What do we really need in our life.

We had a tiny kettle that boiled just enough water for 2 cups… all we needed. Marlea found a neat set of kitchen utensils that magnetised to each other, and took up no space at all.

The reality was, we couldn’t buy anything more than what we needed. We food shopped for a couple of days at a time. We had not the space inside, nor the storage underneath, to carry excess baggage. Everything we had on us for the trip was essential, almost daily.

8. Family and friends are everything, and new friends are everywhere

While we de-winterised you, we had the pleasure of staying with two very wonderful family friends. Our hosts were incredibly thoughtful to invite us into their home. It was hard to leave such an amazing home, that had the most peaceful outlook I’ve ever been privileged to see and experience first hand.

In Calgary, we caught up with cousins that Marlea had seen only for 10 minutes in 10 years. It was a wonderful week with a very beautiful family. The kids played amazingly well, I got a fishing lesson, and cousins reunited.

In August, we hit Quebec for an incredible family reunion. It remains one of the highlights of the trip, and it was wonderful to meet the extended family for the first time.

Of course, we will never forget the moments created on our trip thanks to wonderful people that came in to our lives.

Our first ever RV park in Myrtle Beach was the perfect start to our trip. Dora found an adorable little friend, and they sung Frozen together at a Karaoke night. It was such a lovely way to start our adventure, and really set the tone for how we interacted with people along the way.

Golden, Colordo was a place we intended to stay for only a night or two. But we connected with another family, and we spent a week there. We hardly saw Dora for the week, as she found a new bestie. Boots had a friend too, and so did mommy and daddy. Great times, lasting memories.

Again, in Yellowstone, we extended our stay in order to spend more time with new found friends. Nearly every night in an RV park, we spent the evening chatting with our new neighbours.

Another friend we still chat with, we met for 5 minutes in a parking lot while admiring her scooter covered in bumper stickers from her RV travels.

It really didn’t matter whether it was a Walmart parking lot, a tourist attraction, or an RV park, we continued to find and connect with people from all over North America.

We shared conversation, drinks, stories, travelling tips, and a general happiness for life. It’s very addictive.

9. Kindness goes a long way

You did not cause one road kill in your 21,000 km. Bugs – thousands. But animals – zero.

We experienced and offered up kindness. It was hard not to when you have travelled the miles and seen the things that we’d seen. People we’re incredibly friendly and kind to us, and welcomed us into their ‘homes’ and lives almost instantly; and we did the same. Where we could, we gave presents to families and people in need. All we can say is that the world is a truly a better place when kindness exists.

Sparkles, we loved sharing this adventure with you, and you made us smile and the kids squeal every time we saw you. You were always easy to find in the parking lots. 🙂 You faced some tough driving situations, some long days, and cold nights, but you didn’t complain once.

You crossed the Rockies… twice. You kept us safe. You evaded tornadoes in Georgia, Colorado and Wyoming.

We honestly believe you enjoyed the trip as much as we did.

Thank you for being part of our family last year, and creating the most amazing memories.

❤ Roaming Days

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Painted shores

on October 17, 2014

A poem for my daughter.

Painted shores

As the night descends upon us,
with a soft sun kissed goodbye,
reds and oranges a plenty,
an artist paints the sky.

When the night finally settles,
darkness covers the ocean floor.
I’ll dream of dancing moonlit seas
I’ll dream of painted shores.

Ben Gray
October 2014

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Inside Moose Factory

on September 24, 2014

Do you have a place that you want to go to, just because of its name? I’ve always liked the idea of visiting Moose Factory. It just sent my mind wandering. There’s some obvious questions. Do moose live there? Are there any factories? Do moose work in the factories, or are moose the number one delicacy served in local restaurants?

The answer to these questions is no, no, no, and no. Yet still I’m not disappointed with our visit to Moose Factory.

If you were to look at Trip Advisor for ideas on things to do in Moose Factory, there’s not much. St. Thomas’ Anglican Church is listed, it has no rating, and it has no reviews. I don’t recall seeing it (unless it was the boarded up church). So here our top things to do in Moose Factory:

1. Getting to Moose Factory

The number one attraction of Moose Factory is actually getting there. Assuming you are somewhere in Canada, there’s still a highly likelihood that you’re nowhere near this place. So the first thing is “road trip!” You could fly, but it would probably cost you less to fly to Australia. Instead, pack some snacks and drive a crazy number of hours to the little town of Cochrane, Ontario. Rooms at The Station Inn are cozy and do the trick, as you will likely stay overnight before boarding the Polar Bear Express at around 9am the following morning.

At the station, there is 7 day parking for RV’s, or you can park for free (with power) for up to 48 hours, which we used before and after our train trip. The station is surprisingly busy as it has a number of buses arriving and departing, and the train engines/carriages often get moved around. The evening we were there, two engines moved back and forth for hours.

Once on the train, it’s a good 5 hours to Moosonee. It could be one hour if the train moved quicker than walking pace, so there’s no need to panic if you miss the train. A leisurely jog will have you caught up in no time.

Otherwise, the leg room is good, and depending on your carriage, you will have a power supply for your electronic addictions. There’s no internet however, and no phone service. You will be able to control your itch to be connected by loading yourself up with a good movie or opt instead for a book, and settle in for the very pleasant and scenic ride.

Welcome to Moosonee!

At Moonsonee, you will unload from the train and then wait for the next available taxi.

It’s an efficient service because it seems that anyone in town can be a taxi driver should they choose to be so. If you need $30 for a case a beer, it only takes a cardboard sign in the front windscreen/windshield reading Taxi, and you are a few short trips away from a two four (case of beer).

Since an aqua duck taxi is not available in Moosonee, you’ll need to catch a water taxi to the island of Moose Factory. The boats are old but sturdy, and with our suitcases and backpacks loaded in the front, Moose Factory was a short 5 to 10 minutes away. In the case of rain, you will be undercover, however your suitcases will not share the same luxury!

2. Leave Moose Factory

The second attraction is leaving. Nothing against Moose Factory, but if the ride to Moose Factory is a great experience, then the journey home should be too, since its basically completing ‘Getting to Moose Factory” in reverse.

3. GG’s

You will be forgiven if you miss this place. Because literally, if you don’t know exactly where it is, you will definitely miss it. The outside of the store looks like a factory, there is a GG sign on the building – but no description of what the store is, and no ‘open’ sign on the solid closed door. But, inside you will be pleasantly surprised. It’s a very mini Walmart, with a little bit of everything. There’s no prices on most things, so you take a gamble with anything you pick up. Chance are, all goods are imported via the ‘Getting to Moose Factory’ route, so don’t expect to pick up any food bargins. For example, a bag of red apples was $12. Our highlight of this store was the winter jackets. Most were 50% of good winter brands like Columbia and North Face, so we all purchased a new winter jacket. It was probably the biggest splurge of our trip, but based on last winter it will be money well spent!

4. EcoLodge

I will say two things about this place. Dinner. Ribs. That is all.

5. Bears

I’ve had a few opportunities to see bears in the wild, and there’s something exhilarating about it. In Moose Factory, there’s a few local bears that hang out at the local dump. It’s obviously not as much fun seeing bears truly in the wild, but as a friend of mine commented on Facebook ‘I’m guilty of getting takeout sometimes too’. Nonetheless, it’s a sight that I’ve never seen before, and even the locals seem to take an evening drive to the dump to see if their friends are out to play.

The bears generally seemed to be disinterested in their audience, but did occasionally stop to sniff the air. I felt like we locked eyes a couple of time, but funnily enough I was the only one backing away. Never take for granted that these are still wild animals.

6. Take a walk, a boat ride, or a paddle.

I never expected to find 6 things to do in Moose Factory, but here we are. We took a paddle on the lake in a canoe, but if you don’t know someone with a canoe you may opt for a walk or a boat ride.

Walking around parts of Moose Factory is fascinating. Some of the town operates on steam heat, and there are tons of old buildings and factories that have loads of character. And of course, Moose Factory is on the water, so play on the sanding shores or walk along side the water and enjoy the scenery.

You can also organise a boat ride to James Bay. If you are really adventurous you could make your way all the way up to Hudson Bay!

During your stay, it’s likely that you will see the emergency helicopter flying locals from the mainland to Moose Factory, since this is the home of the local hospital.

Overall, Moose Factory is an experience. And now I need to find a new place with a cool name, so I can visit there too 🙂 Maybe Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan? Maybe Intercourse, in Pennsylvania? Or a town that we recently passed in Quebec, Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! I know I don’t understand much French, but I think they’re taking the piss? Ha Ha!

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Ottawa: Parliament buildings and other stuff

on August 13, 2014

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Our Motorhome vs North America

on August 6, 2014

Driving a 31ft vehicle can be a challenge, especially when you drive it everywhere!

As we’ve hit 10,000 miles on our trip around North America, its time to take a look at the hurdles and challenges we’ve faced, and decide whether Sparkles* (our Motorhome) or North America can claim the title!

* Sparkles (our Motorhome) may not be the most fitting name for this heavyweight title fight. I preferred Grizzly, but when we’re out for the day and I say ‘let’s get back to Grizzly’, the kids always correct me and say “No… Sparkles!!” So Sparkles it is.

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!

Round 1: Sparkles vs Really small streets

Early on in the trip Sparkles was touring through the ridiculously small downtown streets of Gettysburg. It was only my second day of driving (a rig), and as I pulled up to a set of traffic lights for a right hand turn, a car pulled up at the lights on the right, narrowing my turning circle.

As I took the corner, the back tire clipped the gutter and we heard ‘pfffffffff’.

Round 1 winner: Really small streets by blown tire.

Not the sight you want to see on Day 2!

Round 2: Sparkles vs Bugs

An unfair match-up really. The bugs don’t really stand a chance. High speed, truck sized window, and the final blow is an overhanging cab. So even if the bug hits the windscreen lightly, they get sucked up and find a permanent spot on the underside of the cab. Goodnight bugs.

Round 2 winner: Sparkles by instant knock, but there is always another bug so the fight continues

A bug line-up

Round 3: Sparkles vs Parking tickets

An evenly matched round. Sparkles earned back-to-back parking tickets in Tennessee for taking two spots and only paying for one. The instructions weren’t clear, and both parking lots were almost empty. The ticket says the vehicle was registered is Oregan… and it is not.

Round 3 winner: Sparkles by default of the privacy law.

Sample parking tickets

Round 4: Sparkles vs Roadwork

Roadwork really threw some nice punch combos.

The ‘RV unfriendly detour’ combo involved removing us from the comfort of a main road to a back street, where we faced a rapid fire series of parked cars, overhanging trees, gas guzzling stops and starts, pot holes, speed humps, and other RV shaking obstacles.

The ‘Do what we like highway roadwork’ combo was a never seen before combo, and the legality of the combo is still in question. There was no structure to how roadwork was carried out in the USA, and the conditions were as equally poor and dangerous for both driver and workers. However, a rather unfair fine of $10,000 was imposed for drivers hitting a workman. The workman on the other hand could inflict the most ridiculous driving conditions, including driving on the shoulder of the highway over ‘rumble strips’, and seriously narrow lanes caused by the placement of the road safety cones/barriers.

In an overview of the round, Sparkles shone! It ducked and weaved the roadwork punch combos. On one patch of road, where the cones were placed so far over in the driving lane, Sparkles clipped a couple, sending them hurtling over the empty highway.

Round 4 winner: Sparkles by 1 point, earned by sending a cone over 3 lanes of empty highway and into the ditch. No workman were hit or injured during this round.

We have to drive on the right… thanks!

Round 5: Sparkles vs Moves that are much easier in a car

This round will go down in history as a classic! Sparkles was faced with some seemingly impossible 3 point turns. Namely, on a two lane roadway outside of Seattle, Sparkles cleverly used a driveway (which disappeared at about a 45 degree downward slope toward a waterfront home) to navigate a 3 point turn without stopping traffic.

The biggest benefit of a Motorhome over a 5th wheel or a travel trailer, is that we can reverse more easily (especially because we’re not towing a car). But still, the sight lines are very different on a long vehicle, which has a 10ft overhang from the back tires. Directly behind the vehicle is a complete blackout zone, so you need to be very conscious of everything around you at all times. Thankfully, moving in reserve has been successful to date!

Driving forward is sometimes harder. For example, many places kindly offer RV parking. Surprisingly though, unless it is a large ‘bus zone’, they make one painful mistake. Despite making the space double long (compared to a car spot), they don’t make them an inch wider. It basically means that if there were 4 spaces, only 3 RV’s would fit. In downtown Banff, with my wife standing out front directing me, I drove the vehicle into a space that many would not dare to attempt. When parked, I had an inch on either side of the vehicle to spare (with the side mirrors folded in)!

It was equally as tight when I pulled Sparkles into a Mr Lube in Vancouver. We told the guy how big the Motorhome was, and he said ‘yeah it’ll fit’. I did not appreciate the look on his face when we drove it towards the entrance. He ushered the other mechanics around as they all helped me navigate Sparkles into the garage. I honestly don’t know how we squeezed in!

Round 5 winner: Sparkles by driver skill 😉

Round 6: Sparkles vs Winnipeg

This city gets so cold in Winter, the roads are just torn apart once the 1 month of summer rolls around. On most highways, any significant bump is accompanied by the following sign:

If Winnipeg employed the same criteria, the side of the street would be lined with these signs.

Online press supports these terrible conditions:
– Bad roads hurting patients: Paramedics (globalnews.ca)
– Winnipeg roads really are the worst (Winnipeg Sun)
– Manitoba roads ‘embarrassing’ (cbc.ca)

It was no surprise that the no.1 local business was windscreen repairs.

Round 6 winner: Winnipeg by the worst roads in Canada (this includes Moose Factory which has no paved roads, and driving is a bit like slalom skiing over potholes).

Round 7: Sparkles vs Shopping trolley

The weather system is the USA is frightening at times. The speed and ferocity in which a storm can hit is freaky. One particular evening, we pulled into a Walmart seconds before a storm hit. The wind picked up and it shook the camper violently. The rain pelted down. And as my wife put the kids to bed, and I packed up the Motorhome for the night, an object suddenly slammed into the camper. It hit so hard I had no idea what it could possibly be. I looked out the window to see a shopping cart now on its way across the car park at high-speed.

Thankfully the shopping cart caused no damage, but it was a scary experience.

Round 7 winner: Sparkles by deflecting a solid punch, and avoiding all other shopping trolleys (which are a common threat at Walmart).

Round 8: Sparkles vs Parking lot pay booth

Some days were meant to be cancelled, not proceeded with, shut down… you know, where you just go back to bed and forget about it.

This was one of those days.

After looping the city of Calgary to try and find a parking spot, we finally agreed on a paid parking lot. As we turned in, it became a no turning back situation. Behind us was a busy city street, and in front of us was the boom gate. I grabbed a ticket, the gate was raised, and we started moving through. As we turned to the right, I knew that the turning circle was tight. Really tight! As I turned Sparkles enough to miss the row of parked cars, I heard the first sound of crunching. I’d just smashed the rear left-side tail light. At this point I can do nothing but proceed forward. I managed to snap part of the boom gate off, but that was my last punch. The toll booth removed part of Sparkles and the momentum in this battle shifted.

Round 8 winner: Parking lot pay booth by physical scarring.

Oops!

AFTER 8 ROUNDS: THE FIGHT IS EVENLY MATCHED, AND SPARKLES IS SLIGHTLY AHEAD AT 5-3

HOWEVER NORTH AMERICA HAS CONSIDERABLE MOMENTUM AFTER THE 8TH ROUND, AND THIS ONE IS GOING DOWN TO THE WIRE!

THE ALL IMPORTANT ROUND 9 MAY BE CRUCIAL IN DECIDING THIS BATTLE.

Round 9: Sparkles vs Fuel consumption

I’d heard bad things about the petrol/gas consumption of Motorhomes.

Sparkles took an upper hand when I heard from a 5th wheel owner that their mileage was similar to our Motorhome. We’d considered a 5th wheel thinking that the mileage would be a bit better, so that was nice to hear that this was not the case. Plus we’d overlooked the fact that the truck pulling the 5th wheel has a much smaller gas tank, so they need to stop twice as often to fill up.

However, the reality is that a 55 gallon tank is expensive to fill, and we get about 10 miles per gallon. This reality became even more shocking when we entered Canada, as the gas prices were remarkably higher than the USA.

Round 9 winner: Gas/petrol by emptying bank account

Round 10: Sparkles vs Rocks:

Sparkles may beat all bugs that touch the windscreen, but has been less successful against rocks. There’s been a few minor surface scrapes and one big crack which looks a bit ominous. For the distance travelled it has been an evenly matched battle. However, ongoing bumpy road conditions means that existing chips may have the last laugh.

Round 10 winner: Rocks by likelihood of replacement windscreen

Despite leading almost the entire fight, North America came back to tie this one at 5 rounds a piece. After the judging, Sparkles emerges as the victor as the challenges we’ve faced have truly made this an amazing adventure. Sparkles is a true champion!

Roaming Days team with Sparkles.

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Compared to this time a year ago…

on July 16, 2014

Compared to last year, my life is very different. I’ve gone from a corporate lifestyle to living on the road. Once the tidy, well presented fellow, the new look of freedom has people reacting differently to me; either the way they look at me or talk to me. It’s humbling to be truly human again. It’s like Undercover Boss, except this is not a disguise. This is me.

Here are some of the comparison’s between last year and now…

Slept in a level bed.

Each night we sleep on a different angle. Head rushes, danger of rolling out of bed, it really depends on how level the motorhome is. However, I’m sure there’s some benefit to this; a better centre of gravity, improved core strength… hey there might be a new fitness craze out of this.

Woke up to an alarm at 5am to get ready for work.

I don’t use an alarm, the clock on the dashboard is wrong, I don’t have a watch, my computer still shows Australian time, so to be honest I never know what time it is. Does anyone know the time, seriously, I have no idea?

Opened the living room blinds and looked out at the same lovely and peaceful street every day.

After 14 weeks on the road and 8000 miles under our belt, we usually wake up in a new spot everyday. One day at a rest stop, we woke up next to a cattle truck. At truck stops, we listen to the sound of generators at night, and wake up surrounded by 50ft+ vehicles. At Walmart, it almost feels like home now since we’ve stayed at so many. We usually wake up next to fellow RV’ers who have stopped overnight, and others who are, well, lets just say semi-permanent. And finally, at RV parks we often find peace and quiet. Unless we’re near train tracks, and then we hear the freight trains rattle by in the early hours of the morning, and if we’re lucky they blow their horn as well.

Showered every morning.

Don’t even ask! While we’re dry camping (i.e. not hooked up to electricity, water, etc), the combined issue of amount of fresh water, the size of the grey water tank, and the small hot water tank does not permit regular, lengthy showers. When we hit an RV park, we used to fight for the first shower. Now we just try to remember to shower before we leave.

Shaved as required.

When we first moved to Canada, it was Man vs Winter so limited shaving was required. When the hockey season ended I considered neatening the edges, but I’ve since decided that I will just be more prepared for when the next winter roles around. Sadly that’s only a few months away!

Got dressed in a suit and tie.

First I put on my shorts, then I decide if I want to wear a shirt.

I drove fast(ish). The ‘ish’ is for my mother.

Take 3 ½ minutes to get from 0 – 60.

I caught the train to work everyday.

Have considerably lowered my risk of catching diseases, and significantly increased my happiness levels, by not catching a train.

Purchased 2 coffees a day at $3.50 per coffee.

Have gone through two jars of instant coffee (that I brought on a 2 for 1 sale). Have purchased a handful of very dodgy truck stop coffees. Total cost over 14 weeks is around $10.

Once a month I would go and have my hair cut.

Haven’t had a hair cut in 8 months (since leaving Australia). There becomes a point where you stop taking yourself seriously. The extra weight would be a disadvantage if I was required to outrun a bear, but it definitely increases my chances of getting a role in the next season of Game of Thrones.

Didn’t think too much about what I was spending.

Buy food and gas/petrol, everything else is a luxury, including paying for overnight accommodation. Walmart stays have definitely been aplenty.

Drove a maximum of 2000 kilometres all year; home to train station, train station to home.

Drove 1000 kilometres in one day across Kansas. It’s not that Kansas isn’t beautiful, I’m just terrified of tornadoes. I wouldn’t have rushed if I knew our destination of Colorado was just as prone to severe weather!

Drove a car that I filled up with gas/petrol once every 3 weeks.

Drive a beast that is thirstier than an Aussie at a BBQ, and it ain’t drinking VB.

Thought I was water conscious.

I’m water conscious.

Was not handy. Not even a little bit.

Have learnt how to use RV glue. Excessively.

Would buy designer t-shirts for $50+.

Spent $8 on a t-shirt from Walmart, and eyeing off a $5 one as well!

My phone was an extension of my arm.

Didn’t have a phone for the 10 weeks we travelled through the USA. Remarkably, the world still goes around.

I was connected 24/7.

We choose not to get an internet plan while on the road. We rely on internet at RV parks, Information Centres, and stores that we can park near enough to, to tap into their internet. More often than not, it’s so slow I expect to hear the sound of the internet dialling up… remember that! If you don’t you can hear it here.

So, instead of being online all day, I provide undivided attention to my kids… all…. day… long… and then I have a beer, or a wine, I’m not fussy 😉

Had a microwave.

Had a microwave, blew it up, and it’s surprising how much you really don’t need one! Note for prospective buyers, there was only a small flame, it was contained, and the microwave will be replaced before you buy the most amazing home on wheels 🙂

Used toilet paper abundantly.

A few squares are enough. Highly biodegradable RV tissue paper at $1 a roll helps with this! Possibly too much information, just be thankful I’m not telling you about my experiences in Nepal. There’s a reason they shake with their right hand.

Toilet paper was thick and plushy.

Toilet paper as mentioned above is highly biodegradable, which means it disintegrates on contact with wet things. Enough said.

Used a 2 metre counter top to prepare dinner.

Work with two 30 cm areas for food preparation, which also house our kettle, toaster and fruit bowl. And you haven’t seen the size of our fruit bowl!!

Would light up the room I was in. I’m talking about electricity and light switches… not me.

The RV contains a number of 12 volt lights throughout each room, so I only use the light for the part of the room I’m in. When dry camping, we’re living off a single 12 volt battery, so every minute of energy is precious.

I watched television occasionally.

The television in the living area bounces and shakes as we drive along, the cords hang to the ground, not connected to power or cable. At an RV park, the picture is generally the same except it doesn’t bounce around as much unless the kids are having a dance party.

The fridge was on constantly.

The fridge runs off propane when we are not plugged in at an RV park. So throughout the day, whenever we stop for longer than an hour, its propane on, then propane off again when we leave. The crutch is making sure we turn it on when we are settling in for the night at a Walmart or another ‘non-electrical’ providing location. Three months in, and we haven’t forgotten to do this. Now watch me forget in the next few days!

Had a enough cutlery and dishware for a large dinner party.

We have 4 cups, 4 mugs, 4 big plates, 4 side plates, 4 kids plates, 4 forks, 4 knives… you get it. Its simple, use, wash, reuse. No more dishes lying around. You don’t clean, you don’t eat.

The kids had a larger share of my house than I did; bedroom, full toy room, toy area’s in living room’s, outside play area, swing set, cubby house…

The kids each have a small toy box and a combined craft box. The toy box hardly comes out of the cupboard. Instead, they have a couple of favourite toys which stay out, and otherwise they’re busy doing crafts and playing outside.

I would get on the roof once a year to clean the gutters and put the Christmas lights up

I’m on the roof of the RV every two weeks for general maintenance/checks, and just to hang out really. Usually it’s a good view from up there.

We had lovely neighbours

We meet lovely people on the road, even the guy that was playing his makeshift drums to Ace of Base in the Walmart parking lot until 2am. We all have a story.

Attended meetings all day long, and saw my kids for about an hour each day

Play with the kids all day long, and see them 24/7… there’s pros and cons ☺ Mostly pros. Teaching my daughter to ride her bike, starting to play chess with her, and just watching her develop in so many aspects of her life. And my little guy is the light of the family, bringing laughter and cheekiness to our lives.

Thought about touring North America in a motorhome.

Am touring North America in a motorhome… live you dreams 🙂 Happy living!

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Categories: Travel

Tagged: Adventure, change, family year, Happy living, Inspiration, life in an RV, life on the road, Live your dreams, Motorhome, north america, Road trip, Roaming, travel

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