The story of what is pictured above starts six years ago with what is pictured directly below. Confused? No problem, just get comfortable in your chair and ready yourself for a long, but interesting tale....
In September 2014, while my family and I were living in this northern Canadian town called Fort Nelson, British Columbia, the decision was made to buy a motorhome for "camping out." Now, this particular machine was old (the same year I was born) and very well used, but had enough charm and character to make $1,800.00 changes hands (on my birthday no less).
The grand theory behind this transaction was to get away from complicated, cumbersome and highly vulnerable tents....
....and have a portable structure that would put of more resistance to bears and other wildlife than what fabric could not provide. We also thought we would be saving money by not having to rent cabins or hotel/motel rooms, when they were available.
The first major road adventure with the old/new motor-home was within a week after the purchase and involved a long drive to the south. 5 hours and 15 minutes (not including bathroom breaks, stopping for fuel and other stuff) and a distance of about 481 kilometers (closer to 299 miles) from Fort Nelson to a tranquil place called Moberly Lake. Camp Emile to be more specific.
The trip down was uneventful, the family was comfortable, playing cards, reading or even napping away while I drove. However, a few noteworthy issues came to light. The engine was a small block Chevy 350 (5.7 litre for you modern folks) that was grossly under powered for the vehicle. On flat, level ground, the motor-home could cruise along pretty good. Add a few steep grades to the road and nearly all power was lost in the attempt to climb them.
Fuel expenses hurt (over $200.00, but considering the age of the machine, I shouldn't have been so surprised) and not having a "tow behind" vehicle, to use after the motorhome was parked were a few more lessons to learn. But after we arrived, we spent three days lakeside and visited with family, the return trip home was just as uneventful as the journey down.
Winter came and went, bringing news that I got a job at the controversial Site C Dam Project, just out of Fort St. John. However, I had to come down for an orientation and First Aid training in Dawson Creek. That meant another long drive in the motor-home, but this time, without the family to keep me company.
For two weeks in May 2015, the motor-home would be my residence and main source of transportation.
Thanks to a family friend, I had a place to park after spending 8 hours on my hands and knees, learning how to band, splint and package critically injured patients for medical transport. Then, I would leave the training facility, go and get a dinner of some kind (using a drive thru was out of the question) and finally park and plug in for the night at the friend's property. Throw in a couple of hours of study time, the remainder made up with a some sleep and be up by 6 AM the next day, just to repeat the cycle.
After the First Aid training had concluded, it was time to find a less mobile place to live. An apartment was secured in Fort St. John and the family would join me later, but the motor-home would be stored on a rural property outside of Chetwynd. The original plan was to keep it there, just in case we wanted to try the whole "motorized camping thing" in the future.
Needless to say, I would never drive the motorhome again....
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