Energize your travel bug - Plan B - I'm Back!

If you have followed me in the past you will know that in my lifetime I have traveled to many parts of the world. And enjoyed every last minute of it from meeting new people, experiencing foreign to me cultures, and seeing amazing world wonders and incredible vast and diverse landscapes.

Pandemic changes to my travel

Living in our new world of the , seems like, endless Covid Variants, I have made significant changes to my view of travel.

Last summer I purchased a camperized Ram Pro-master Van. I took it on a few short runs to find out what I needed to change to make it suitable and comfortable for longer trips. Since last summer I have slowing been making changes, some pricey and some relatively inexpensive.

Not well travelled roads

This year my plan is to head out on some forestry and logging roads to get to the very west coast points of Vancouver Island with a final destination of Haida Gwaii. For that I decided Plan B needs to be a little higher off the wheels. I bought and had installed a 11/2" lift kit (decision was financial and practical as I have some mobility issues so anything higher would make it difficult for me to get up and down into the van and a 3 inch lift was double the price) from https://bigcountrycustoms.com/ It not only lifted the van so that I am comfortable, but also I wont bottom out most places I travel. Additionally the lift kit levelled Plan B from the original Promaster 2500 long wheel base where the front is a little lower making it a pain to park level in a camp spot. Thats all fixed now. A $2400. well spent I think.

Off the Grid electricity

I have a medical appliance that requires electricity even when I am off the beaten path. I had a specialty inverter installed by https://www.bts-customs.ca/ and runs of my 12 volt system. Elliot at BTS Customs was very accommodating and definitely knows his stuff! I also had him build a folding shelf to hold the medical equipment near my bed. His shop rate is very reasonable. All included the bill was $1400. which I thought was a bargain for the amount of work I required from him. Did I mention that I had originally tried a DYI which Elliot had to repair before his instalment.

Comfort is key

I dont plan to spend a lot of time, other than sleeping, in the van but I have been thinking about the reason that the west coast is so green and lushes. I do like to have a comfy chair for evenings and if its raining that will be inside Plan B. I purchased a swivel plate for the front passenger seat so that I can use that seat as my comfy seat when I am stuck inside due to rain or other inclement weather. I bought the swivel from EuroCampers for $550 (you can get generic for less but this is made for the Promaster) and had it installed at Rags to Riches for $185. I added to my comfort with a blow up ottoman from Amazon.

Sleep in Beauty

My bed is a common type fold out from two benches at the back of Plan B with a 4' foam mattress. I supplemented it with a self inflating sleeping pad from Cabela's. Topping that is a wool underpad (given to me by a friend). I make the bed with linens, duvet and topped with a knitted bed spread which my mother made for my X husband and I some 40 years ago.