More and More of Georgia

Since visiting Georgia, Quicksilver has been taken into the mechanics six times.... For three days we were stranded in Byron/ Warner Robins, Georgia. We have been so close to the Florida border but just can't make it there. Initially mechanics thought it was a fuel problem and we had our fuel filter and fuel pump replaced. Our battery fried on one of the drives. Now we have a brand new catalytic converter and voltage regulator. Most recently, our radiator started leaking (suspiciously this started in the shop after they did a pressure test on it).

There really isn't much to do in these two small towns that we have experienced but we did manage to catch the Christmas parade in Warner Robins. The country flare definitely reminded us a bit of home.There were also a few sock fights in the van.

The best sock fight throws stick to the peoples heads

We also had the chance to busk for some money to pay for the repairs. I may not get Christmas music out of my head in this lifetime but we did pretty well and got a decent chuck to put towards our repair bills. Likely we will keep doing this down in Florida if we ever make it there. As well as Christmas music lot of original ad lib songs were created >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAe-wxtive4&feature=youtu.be

We're definitely hoping all of the issues are fixed this time around and that she is again in good shape to get us down south. We actually only have about an HOUR drive to the Florida border and the van should be ready from the mechanics shop any time now!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

The Great Smoky Mountains was everything I had hoped. It was nice to just stay in a place for a while. 

Creek in the morning fog at Smoky Mountains National Park

The first hike we did was 8.5 miles around a mountain. Within the first 15 minutes I flipped a rock with 5 salamanders followed soon after by two more, for a total of 3 species. The small mountain streams are perfect for salamanders. No wonder this is the salamander capitol of the world! I wish I had been here in the right season for finding more.

Blue-ridged Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea wilder)

The trees still have some leaves hanging on making the views gorgeous with fall colours. The fires in Tennessee and Carolina also made the Smoky Mountains true to their name and we could see smoke lower down in some of the valleys. Since we had a bit of a late start on the hike up the mountain we ended up hiking the last part of the trail in the dark. Sunset over the ridge was definitely a worthwhile experience to witness and I found hiking in the dark actually very relaxing and peaceful but the other girls didn’t feel quite the same way about going down a mountain in the dark. I had made sure they brought their headlamps with them just in case this happened.

Sunset in the Smoky Mountains

The scenic loop has the best views since you actually see the surrounding mountains well over the cleared fields and don’t have to look through trees.  The traffic is VERY SLOW because everyone is taking pictures or looking for wildlife while driving. There are a lot of pull off areas for people to use for parking but most don’t and you can see them hanging out of their windows.

Quicksilver on the scenic loop in Smoky Mountains National Park

With the forest fires somewhat surrounding the Smoky Mountains there is a very obvious fire ban in the park but some friends we made along the way (Todd and Elizabeth) had a propane heater so we spent a night having a guitar session with them around the heater.  They were also kind enough to let us hook up to their generator to charge up our RV battery that had died.  

Our new friends at Smoky Mountains National Park

Abram Falls was a gorgeous hiking trail. I was sad we didn’t have time to do the full loop but just walking to the falls and back follows a nice fast flowing creek with some rapids. The understory is a lot of rhododendrons (shrubs with big pink flowers that bloom in the spring) that made me want to visit again when they are in bloom. The falls was very packed with people when we went and I imagine in the summer it is even more so.  It is definitely worth it to bring a tripod to get some long exposure shots but I didn’t even think of this so I had to make do without.

Abram Falls

It was sad to leave the Smokys but Nashville offers a very different atmosphere that will also be enjoyable.

Claytor Lake State Park

I woke up at sunrise and went for a hike around Claytor Lake Trail. This was the longest trail in the park but it still only took about an hour to do. The park seems really nice for having a nice extensive beach and boat launch but the wild areas aren’t too impressive. Getting out in the morning and being active after so long in the van was exactly what the doctor ordered and I felt infinitely better afterwards.

Trails at dawn in Claytor Lake State Park

The park was a bit disappointing in the off season since they charged us $41 for regular camping because only their expensive RV campsites were open. We didn’t use any of the hookups but got charged the full amount. It didn’t say anywhere online that only the RV area was open and that you couldn’t get regular campsites that were half the price.The staff at the office were also some of the most unfriendly staff I have ever dealt with at any park I have been to (and this includes a lot).

Claytor Lake State Park

We FINALLY made it to the Smoky Mountains National Park. Again we arrived at night. After a few drinks we went to bed excited to finally wake up in one of our main destinations.

Introducing the Triple Threat Road Trip

Previously I introduced the road trip I am doing across the United States with two friends in a camper van (named Quicksilver) but I failed to introduce the people who are going with me. So to introduce the crew for the Triple Threat Trip!!

Firstly, Quicksilver the van that we could not go without! I say that very literally... we really couldn’t do a road trip without this very important factor. We will try to be good to her and hopefully we don’t run her into the ground.
 

Now for the other lovely ladies on the trip:

Beka, Brooke and I all grew up in the same small town outside of Ottawa. We all have moved around across Canada and have often lived far apart for years on end but have remained friends despite this. All of us just finished degrees at University and are coming from different places in Canada for this trip. Currently, Beka is in Ottawa after finishing her degree in criminology at Ottawa U. Brooke just returned from living in Newfoundland for University at Memorial and taking anthropology. So we have east we have central and I am the one from the west. I currently am based out of the friendly but freezing Winnipeg, Manitoba. So YEAH it’s going to be nice to miss a bit of winter!

Beka Brooke and I before leaving

 Beka is very interested in the alternative living aspects of the upcoming trends like tiny houses. She is vegetarian so our meals (which will also get posted on here as recipes for campers and travelers that are on a budget!) will be likely vegetarian for the most part with Brooke and I splurging every so often. 
 

We all share an interest in art and culture but Brooke is especially talented at music so likely we (mostly she) will be busking for some extra gas money along the way. Beka and I will likely find some other artsy ways to raise some money along the road that we can set up while Brooke plays here amazing jams. So far our best idea has been doing henna tattoos for money. That is kinda a hippie thing you expect from people living in a van right?  

Anyways I’ll keep you posted on how these ideas go and if it’s actually possible to make some money while on the road like this. If you have any other genius ideas for us feel free to let us know! 

I’m sure you’ll get to know a lot about these ladies as the trip goes on so I won’t spoil too much of that just yet.

Road Trip of the United States!

It’s sometimes hard to find the right words for that first blog of a trip. You don’t really know what you’re getting into yet. You’re extremely exhilarated, nervous, excited and sad to be saying goodbye to people.  This mix often leads to a scatterbrained thought process where you really have no idea what to talk about. Sooo here it goes again....

I am about to embark (yeah I know fancy English) on an extensive journey through the United States for the winter. This means multiple months of traveling in a CAMPER VAN (named Quicksilver as an ironic joke since it is very hard to get the van moving quickly) with two of my best friends (who shall be introduced later).  

Our van named Quicksilver

To begin this trip we faced a lot of struggles and at some times all three of us got very anxious. Reasonably so, there is A LOT to consider and plan and do before we can leave. We needed to consider our budget, what we want to see, what we have time for, repairs to the van before we leave and of course what to pack (assuming it can fit in the van).  And of course one other challenging part is that all of us have to agree on everything (Luckily this has worked out very well).

Although I have gone away for months at a time before, it wasn’t ever quite like this. Trying to pack for 3 months of hiking or camping comes easy to me but to try cramming stuff to last you three months into one bag when your activities range from visiting New York City and going to fancy Broadway shows and restaurants to well those camping and hiking activities I’m used to being prepared for.  I guess it just seems like a different standard for having to face people in populated areas but I am sure after a week I will just give up on this entirely. 

 Luckily we got a van in very good condition. It is a 1985 Dodge but is in great working shape with just a few minor things that needed to be gone over to make it in perfect condition so we encounter less problems on the road. Obviously shit happens and we have planned for that by setting aside some money in our budget for car costs along the road such as lovely unexpected flat tires, etc.  I highly recommend people on extended road trips always do this. Worse case scenario you never spend that money but if you have to at least you were prepared! 

Quicksilver and some of our PAPER maps!

Now for the FUN part... OUR PLAN! A very ambitious one which likely will be adjusted with shortcuts as necessary for timing. I will spare all of the nitty gritty details of specific locations we visit that you will need to follow this blog to find out as we go along. 

We are leaving from Ontario, Canada and crossing the border at St. Lawrence Islands into New York State. From there we will head down through New Jersey Pensylvania and West Virginia into the Smokey Mountains and Tennessee. After that south to the coast of Georgia and of course the loop of Florida. Westward we will go along the southern edge of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana  and Texas seeing a lot of the coastline in this area before heading up to Oklahoma and then across to New Mexico.  In the centre of New Mexico we will be turning north to do a loop through some of the gorgeous wild areas in Colorado and Utah before hitting up the flashy streets in Nevada and spending Christmas in Arizona. New Years will be on the coast of California. 2017 will see us going north through California seeing a variety of the interior and coastal areas.  I will likely fly out of Sacramento or San Francisco to get back to Canada while my friends will carry on the road trip without me for a few months making their way back to Ontario through Canada for the spring. 

Triple Threat Road Trip Part 1

Triple Threat Road Trip Part 2

Triple Threat Road Trip Part 3

Sooooo it is a massive trip that is VERY ambitious with everything we want to cram into a tight small van and a short about of time, but we are going to try it and see how it goes!