Flying by the seat of your pants

So much has changed and much still remains the same. I m riding solo again, but I hardly ever feel alone anyway. I find Wilson makes a good travel companion. I end up using him as a sounding board for my ideas and often I do find that he agrees with me. OK, so I talk to myself pretty often, but, I m also not afraid to chat it up with the people I meet. Sometimes it feels right to do so and other times I'd rather not interject. Today had a more isolated feel to it and I didn't feel much like talking to the people around me. The other day though I was talking excitedly with pretty much all of the folks that I met. Sometimes its the situation but sometimes it's just me.
This trip has been impromptu and I' m flying by the seat of my pants again which is also familiar. We often don't know where we are going until we  get there. Today, for example we ended up in Fundy National Park in New Brunswick accidentally on purpose. After I arrived at the gates to the park I remembered I wanted to go here, but was driving absent mindedly along the coast after visiting the Hopewell Rocks. The other day after leaving Kouchibougoc, (another national park here in NB) I found myself waffling about heading out to PEI or down to Halifax in Nova Scotia. I stopped at a small provincial Park and that gave me a view of the island and the Confederation bridge. I spoke to the ranger there and she informed me that there was a light house and a visitor center right at the foot of the bridge. I took a ride down to the visitor center and spoke with some folks about PEI and they helped convince me to go over the bridge. (I was waffling about going since I didn't know anything about the island and what to expect if I went there and the bridge costs $46.50 Canadian for a round trip.) I still didn't have much clue what I was going to do on PEI until I spoke with this very pleasant young lady at the visitor center on the other side. Not knowing what's on the path ahead of me is part of the fun for sure.
We discussed light houses and beaches and the National Park on the North shore. Then, right when I was leaving I saw this photo on one of the brochures she handed me. "Where do I find that?" I asked excitedly.
I found the object called the tea cup at what I believed to near low tide. I had to wade through some water around a point on the beach but I only got in to about my thighs. I m not sure if there is a better time to visit the object but the late afternoon sky was beautiful and the water felt incredible.
Wilson and I have been finding our new groove and cruising along and keeping up with traffic has been splendid to say the least. A huge difference in the adventure is the speed and the power of the Subaru conversion. Needless to say, this adventure hasn't been without it's challenges. Sure, we dont have to stay right and allow the others to pass on the big hills which is great, but I am occasionally reminded that I still drive a Vanagon. Last Sunday, on the day we kicked off the adventure, my shifter linkage decided to separate itself. There is a roll pin that somehow worked it's way out and when I came to a stop about 20 minutes from my first destination of Monson Maine, my gear shifter went limp. When I tried to find first gear, I had nothing. I was able to roll down the small hill we were on and we coasted to a safe spot. Then, right there on the side of the road it was time to break out the tool kit once again. After about 30 minutes of toiling under Wilson's nose, I was able to identify and  solve the  problem. On the bright side, I was able to fix it, I had the correct tools that I needed for the job, and the sun was shining the whole time.
Having no real plans makes accepting invitations easier. As fate would have it, my friends who had no idea I was on my way, were planning a rafting trip down the Kennebec River the day after I arrived. We had a great day on the water and ate great food and the water wasn't too too cold.
A few days later, when we arrived in Cavendish NP, a friendly fox came out to say hello. Then as I was standing there wondering if maybe he had rabies or something, another fox came plodding along behind him. Apparently the foxes on the island have become desensitized to humans. They reminded me of the Long Horn sheep we saw last year in Jasper. I spoke to the ranger and he informed me that people have fed the foxes both incidentally and on purpose which has lead to the current situation. Anyway, we discussed camping and there was a great little campsite available along a 20 foot cliff overlooking the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. I fell asleep on the top bunk and slept incredibly until the wind picked up. The waves that crashed against the shore in a rhythmic song put me right to sleep. It was unfortunate that the wind started ruffling the canvass but I just hopped downstairs closed the loft and fell back asleep in the master bedroom.
A few days ago I left a small piece of my heart on Prince Edward Island and headed further east. I didn't know how far I would drive into the night and I was unsure if I was going to Halifax to see the city and it's downtown area or if I was going up to the northern most section of the Nova Scotia known as Cape Breton. I posted a few photos of my adventure on the internet at a rest area while I ate some snacks at a gas station. While I was sitting there a man and his wife who were parked next to me started checking out Wilson and they sparked up a conversation. It turns out he has an 82 westy at home and we chatted vans for a bit.  Then I mentioned that I wasn't sure where I was headed next and they convinced me to go to Cape Breton to see the highlands. That night I threw in the towel around 9 pm in the city of Truro where we stayed the night in another familiar place, a Walmart parking lot.
I posted some more photos of our entry into NS and a fellow AT Hiker from the class of Oh Ten, commented. It turns out he lives in Nova Scotia and was going hiking with his wife up in the highlands the next day. He sent me a link to the place they were headed to and extended an invitation.
I did the math and crunched some numbers. How far is it to the parking lot? How long is the hike? How much food do I have? How much food will I need? Do I have all of the necessary gear in my van? Do I have enough money? Where can I buy supplies if I need them? Etc... I could be there by 2, it's a 9 kilometer hike, it doesn't look too strenuous, and if he picked it, it's gotta be good, right? Sure!
After a smooth ride up to and through the Park along the "world famous Cabot Trail", (I never heard of it) we came to a halt at the end of a dirt road in the middle of nowhere.
It took me about 15 minutes to pack my things, gear up, and get ready for the adventure. Just as I was closing the rear hatch, a nice young couple emerged from the woods. We spoke of the trail, the people they met along the way and they told me there were wild horses in the cove!
I have to admit I'm not in the greatest shape of my life, but I felt confident that I could tackle the trail in just a few hours time. There were a few steep climbs and a couple of incredible viewpoints along the way but none of that prepared me for the completely amazing place we would spend the night.
The trail winds up and down and over a few creeks then back up and out into a clearing. Then it heads down across a stream and back up into the woods before it takes you back out into a larger clearing that overlooks this incredible cove. Theres a giant low lying area with a river running through it. The river meets the Gulf along a rocky shoreline and the waves crash melodically against it. There was a period of time that evening where a front was moving through and the wind picked up and a slight drizzle came down from the sky, but it pushed through and we didn't skip a beat.
Hook, his wife, and their dog Dusty greeted me as I came trotting down the final stretch shouting with joy. We sat up talking excitedly and we drank a few cans of beer and a couple glasses of wine. Hook built a nice fire while I attempted to string my hammock along the edge of this cliff. I gave it a good college try but fell short in the end. The lesson here is to always have a plan B. In a few minutes I had my tarp strung over a large piece of driftwood and my air mattress was blown up with my sleeping bag resting comfortably upon it.
When we retired for the night it was still rather overcast but there were a few stars peeking out from behind the clouds. I often sleep restlessly on my air mattress even though it keeps me plenty warm enough, it just doesn't have the level of comfort I need to really get a great nights sleep. Anyway, around 4 am I found myself tossing and turning a bit and I decided to peer up at the sky. It was brilliant! There are probably only a handful of night skies that I've witnessed that have been more incredible. Utah near moab, western and northern Maine, Wyoming, Montana and California in Yosemite come to mind, but damn it was awesome! The moon wasn't quite new but it has been waning for a while.
The thing about adventure is that you never really know what's next. If it's touring an island checking out lighthouses, or swimming in temperate waters, or exploring the highlands or the coastline, or hiking through vast forests or even chasing the occasional waterfall, you really have to keep an open mind and accept what path is chosen and enjoy it as it comes. I met some great people and I shared some great adventures with some old friends. All it takes is an adventurous spirit, a week or so and little gas money. Stay safe out there and if your pants want to go flying, sit down and hold on.

We were, uh, Converted!

Captains log- Stardate 95084.91. We have ignition! After months of anxious worry. After hours and hours and more hours of work. After many arguments with my brother about what to do and when to do it and how to do it; after solving several challenges and locating the correct parts to complete the job. After pulling and transplanting two engines. After waiting for parts and building and rebuilding. We were able to hear the gentle rumble of Wilson's new, um, ... Heart? Lungs? Digestive system? If we say the engine is his digestive system whereby the cylinders are the stomach and the intake is the mouth, and the tailpipe... Well, I guess we were listening  to the sound of Wilson's steady stream of... farts.  Seems to translate pretty well really. Who knows? I wanted to call it a heart transplant but it just doesn't correlate the same way. He also had a brain (computer) transplant and maybe the muscles (transmission) of his muscular skeleton system have been upgraded as well? He is sort of like one of those little Fiats that took the blue pill.
Nonetheless, today was a day of epic proportions. Greatness. Greatness has been accomplished! Another Herculean task has been accomplished. Setting out to do something whereby goals have been set and steps have been taken to achieve said goals. This project was conceived many years ago and I now lie in the bed of said dreams. No seriously, I m lying in the bed in the back of the van while I'm writing this. I am truly blessed. It is incredible to have such a loving family. I know I'm a pain in the ass, but without the love and support of my family and my friends I wouldn't be the sarcastic, hard working son of a bitch that I am. One thing I do know: If I set my mind to doing something, even if or maybe especially if it takes months or even years, I will eventually complete the task. (What about that book you started writing?... Shut up you haters, I m writing a blog now.)
My mind is already beginning to spin in ways that I ve had trouble with for the past few months. Reigning in my travel thoughts will be next. Focusing on where to go and what to do and for how long will be my next big project. Have I an outline in my head? Not so much because it's really more of a brainstorm right now. Ideas have been pouring in for a few months but there hasn't been a solid way to organize them. Not knowing how long it would take... Not knowing. Just the uncertainty of it all. I suppose we really never do actually know. When it comes down to it, we really just don't know... So... What's next?!
Well, tomorrow the sun will shine and as long as the earth keeps spinning, it will continue to shine on us all. From the shorelines of Sydney, to the mountains of Colorado, to the deserts of Arizona and muggy mosquito ridden depths of this here Florida garage, and to all of you, the supporters of the great dreams of the world, we offer you this: A Heartfelt Thank You! We couldn't have done it without you.
Thanks to the great folks at Rocky Mountain Westy, Mike, Joe and Mark, Todd over at Subarugears, and Ray with RSFab, Aaron and the crew at our local AutoZone, and the man behind the wrenches himself, my dear brother Numpse. Thank you! Thank you, thank you all. It has been an honor and I am grateful.
Soon we shall set sail for great adventures! Let's consider the possibilities... Canada? The north east? What about the solar eclipse? Time will tell. Today is today. Tomorrow will have enough worries of its own. Time for some shakedown trips! Woohoo!!!! See you on the road!

Pre-conversion thoughts

Life off the road has plenty of perks, but lately I find myself considering the value of having a flush toilet and hot running water available during the mornings and even through the nights. I consider the value of the warmth that living in a home provides. I even find myself acknowledging the stream of income that provides not only for the basic needs of food and shelter, but also the upgrades and repairs.
During the winter days, while touring the local towns,  delivering heating oil, the very liquid that leads to the warmth and comfort for the homes in the area, I find myself staring out the windows. Sometimes I stare blankly, other times, day dreams fill my mind. In the years past I was able to visualize touring the country. I could see myself behind the wheel and exploring our nation's parks and visiting with my friends. This year however, these dreams are not quite as vivid. They are stifled by the worry of funds and the factor of time.
You see, Wilson is about to undergo a major overhaul. As these words are written, two thousand miles away, a Subaru engine is being rebuilt and readied for transplantation. The Legacy's 5 speed transmission will soon undergo a transformation as well. Subarugears will be installed in the transmission allowing for the final drive to spin in the opposite direction. (This is important because a Subaru has its engine in the front and a Volkswagen has its engine in the back, so when installing both a subaru engine and its transmission in the rear of your van you would end up having 5 gears to go backwards and one to creep forward.) In the shop where the conversion will take place there is also a pile of parts from Rocky Mountain Westy, waiting patiently for our arrival.
All of this is exciting, but there is also a different nervousness and an anxiousness that I haven't had in the past few years. Why am I so worried? Well, the conversion, will take time and patience. I am optimistic that we will tackle the project with all the gumption we can muster, but I also know that the wheels of a project of this magnitude will have to turn slowly and steadily. (Slow and steady is something that I learned as a Vanagon owner for sure.) We must also anticipate that there will be a few hangups even though we are offered telephone support and a how to guide that is provided by the conversion parts supplier. Having thumbed through the booklet a few times but not studying in depth, it seems to be rather straight forward. YouTube has also proven to be another great resource and we have watched several videos on the subject. Since I find learning for me has always been audio-visual, I actually think it's one of the best resources out there.
So, what is my point? Well, I am focused on the process now more so than the result. As the winter makes way for spring I do find myself day dreaming of the time that will be spent behind the wheel. On my way south, I'll be cruising in the slow lane as in years past. The music will be playing and large trucks will drive by my open driver's side window, drowning out the sweet melodies as they do. I'll be smelling the roses and enjoying the moments as they come. Each passing truck might be the last one that passes us while we don't have much choice. When I'm creeping along up the big mountain passes in 3rd gear doing 45, I'm going to savor each climb. There is a joy that comes with the territory, ownership has it's privileges for sure. Have I enjoyed the slow lane? Of course I have! Will I continue to drive in it as I traverse this great land? Of course I will. But knowing I can climb these mountains and keep up with traffic is going to be a game changer. Knowing we can head West to where the speed limit is posted as 80 and not fear for our lives in the Texas panhandle where big rigs will pass you on the shoulder if you're​ in their way, will ease my mind some. Do I prefer the blue roads? Of course I do. Do I enjoy cruising along the blue ridge parkway at 45? Absolutely! Will I continue to do so? Of course. The conversion isn't intended to change my driving style, it's intended to make our travels both safer and more suited to today's highways when taking them is appropriate. I remain in optimism. Vanagon ownership is a labor of love, and I love it. See you on the other side!!