WE'LL CALL HER 'FREEDOM' AND MAYBE 'FREEDO' FOR SHORT:))

NICE TO HAVE AN RV PARKED IN OUR RV SPOT AGAIN

It was 8:10 a.m. when we all piled into the Jeep and headed for Palmerston Ontario about an hour and fifteen minutes northeast of Bayfield.  Beautiful summer morning and a pleasant drive through the countryside all the way.  We of course were on the way to pick up our 'new to us' 2002 20' Class B Freedom 2A Leisure Travel van.  

WITH THIS DRY HOT WEATHER FARMERS HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY

Owners Nicole and Bob had the van lined up alongside the parking lot ready to go.  Some paper work to be done, plates on, hearty handshakes, and we were on our way home with Pheebs and I leading in the van and Kelly following.  With a quick coffee stop at Palmerston's west end Tim Hortons we were soon sailing through the countryside with Pheebs in the passenger seat, dash air on and her window down.  The van handled well just as I knew it would.  I have put countless thousands of miles on Dodge vans like this over the years and I thought to myself, 'I could easily drive this van to California and back with no problem'.  Those types of vans are always a real pleasure to drive.

THE VAN WAS ALL GASSED UP AND READY TO GO

DOING THE PAPERWORK

NICOLE TOOK A COUPLE PHOTOS OF US

THAT IS ACTUALLY A COOLER

It was 11:45 when I effortlessly backed the van into our driveway and into it's designated RV parking spot.  Took a few photos then moved it ahead a bit and parked in the shade.  We were both tired, my lower back was bothering me, and the humidity was coming up so after maybe half an hour looking around the van we came inside.  It's going to be a real challenge for me to get the faded paint job looking reasonable again and after getting the van home and having a much closer look at it in the sunlight I'm not so sure I will be able to do that.  Hey at least the awning is brand spanking new and looks good.  If I had my druthers I'd just take the van to an auto body shop and say here 'paint the whole van a nice soft desert sand color please'.

HEADING FOR BAYFIELD

I GOTTA STOP TAKING SELFIES CAUSE EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THEM I SEE SOMEONE WHO LOOKS MUCH OLDER THAN ME AND I'M NOT SURE WHO HE REALLY IS

WHEN PHEEBS WASN'T NAVIGATING SHE WAS CATCHING A FEW ZZZZZZZ'S ON THE FLOOR (BELOW)

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET HER A NICE SOFT DOGGY BED FOR BACK THERE.....ME TOO

WE STOPPED FOR A BREAK ABOUT HALF WAY HOME BEHIND THIS ABANDONED LITTLE SOUTHWEST LOOKING BUILDING

FUNNIEST THING......PHEEBS AND I HAD A BROWN JEEP LIBERTY FOLLOWING US ALL THE WAY HOME

Later looking around the van I am amazed at the amount of storage space available.  A lot of camping stuff came with the van so we'll have to get that all sorted out.  I just wish this damn heat and humidity would go away and make working away outside enjoyable.

SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE OUR LITTLE PART TIME RV FAMILY BACK IN PLACE AGAIN

ALTHOUGH IT'S 17 YEARS OLD AND THE EXTERIOR IS KINDA ON THE ROUGH SIDE IT RUNS GOOD AND IS A PLEASURE TO DRIVE....AND IT WAS AFFORDABLE FOR US

Some readers may be wondering why with our uncertain medical futures looking a little on the dim side at the moment would be buying another RV.  Would not the smart thing for us  to do be to hunker down and concentrate our thoughts, energies, and efforts on our medical problems.  That's not how at this point Kelly and I see this.  We're not the kind of people to give up and sit in a house of gloom and doom waiting for the hammers to fall.  Knowing the difficulties undoubtedly ahead we knew we had two choices.  The one above or the following one.  We needed something to grab onto, something to look forward to and work towards.  A new dream if you will.  First thing we had to do was sell our large Motorhome which we did and find a smaller easier simpler Motorhome which we have just done.  The RV Snowbird lifestyle has been the high point for us for over a dozen years now and to continue those travels and additional travels here in our own area is a focal point.  Our small van gives us back the option, freedom, and mobility of travel.  On the darker days ahead we can plan our travels even if it's only for a couple days somewhere.  Maybe a month, maybe two months, who knows.  But without an RV we would have lost our escape pod and I well know the psychological difficulties that can go along with that and especially during long periods spent in a dismal winter environment.  So yes, we wanted that van in more ways than one.  And we wanted it now.  A reader in a comment asked what we are going to call the Leisure Travel van.  We are going to call her 'Freedom' and maybe 'Freedo' for short.  Or hey, how about 'Freedo Vandito':))

CLEANING OUT THE 'FREEDO VANDITO WAGON'

NO IT'S NOT AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE IT'S A LARGE DURABLE STRENTH STORAGE BIN THAT RUNS THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE VAN UNDERNEATH THE BACK COUCH/BED AND HAS THREE ENTRY POINTS

THIS IS THE SAME BIN FROM ABOVE....A FLAT COVER GOES OVER THERE ALLOWING EVEN MORE STORAGE UNDER THE COUCH

SAME LARGE BIN LOOKING THROUGH FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE

OH BOY WE SURE HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US TO GET THIS VAN THE WAY WE WANT IT

GROANER'S CORNER:((    An aged farmer and his wife were leaning against the edge of their pig-pen when the old woman wistfully recalled that the next week would mark their Golden Wedding Anniversary. "Let's have a big party, Homer," she suggested. "You'll need to kill a pig." The farmer scratched his grizzled head. "Gee, Ethel," he finally answered, "I don't see why the pig should take the blame for something that happened fifty years ago." 
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