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jmcampervan: 06.09

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Upon entering Virginia out of DC we drove southwest in order to hit Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. its a pretty drive that curls and bends and goes up and down across a strip of mountainous midsouth forest. the picture BELOW is from one of the many scenic views along the drive. we stopped there and hiked in the woods for a few hours before getting back on the road. We spent 2 nights at Blowing Springs. at the end of the 2nd day we both started to get a little antsy. there really wasnt...The r...

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jmcampervan: 04.09

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Up the corridor, into Oregon. The Pacific Northwest comes on very suddenly. I went from this:. In what seemed like a relatively short time. Rain, cold, swamps, and trees, trees, trees. I was a little discouraged at first by just how swampy and drab the southern Oregon coast is. Houses seem to be melting before your eyes. There's no beach - only a marsh-like disintegration of land into saltwater. The towns appeared impoverished and empty. It was depressing. Nevada, Spam, and onwards. OK, after Utah, I dro...

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jmcampervan: 08.09

http://jmcampervan.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html

If you've been checking this blog lately and finding no updates, i apologize. so here comes a long and colorful one for you. Long story short, i drove to seattle. the next day, 2 life-long buddies of mine, DS and MCM, flew in from the east coast for a backpacking adventure on the Olympic Peninsula and Canada. What can i say about Seattle? That first day, since it was getting late, we car-camped at Mora Beach, a state park near Rialto Beach. this was a fine state park, on par with the excellent state ...

jmcampervan.blogspot.com

jmcampervan: 06.08

http://jmcampervan.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html

In Rhode Island, every other person seems to have a beat-up old truck cap lying in their yard and they'll give them to you for very little cash or for free, just to be rid of them. I decided to buy a truck cap, rip out the windows, and install them in the van. I responded to an ad on Craigslist and purchased a cap with 3 functional windows for $35 from a guy in South Providence. I stripped the windows using a hexagonal screw driver and a jigsaw. In the end, I had three functional windows for $35.

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jmcampervan: 10.08

http://jmcampervan.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html

Since the conversion is more or less complete, I've taken new pictures of the finished product. They're spread out over 4 posts to quicken the download time. Enjoy! Clicking on the pics will load up a significantly larger version. if you have a slow connection, don't do it. I'm putting up a series of posts with pics of the conversion, organized by areas of the van. Clicking on the pics will load up a significantly larger version. if you have a slow connection, don't do it. Conversion: 2/4: The Kitchen.

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jmcampervan: 12.08

http://jmcampervan.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html

To the Smoky Mountains! The past few days have consisted of a trek inland. I spent nights in Greenville, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Asheville. At some point in that trek I noticed signs for the "Country Doctor Museum". I was curious so I followed the signs off the highway(264? Leaving Asheville, I finally hit some mountains. The van held its own on the long inclines, albeit with abysmal gas mileage, but that's unavoidable. It was stressful on the curvy roads, what with freight trucks bearing down o...The p...

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jmcampervan: 09.09

http://jmcampervan.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html

That photo could have been from exactly 1-year ago. Instead, it's from this morning. The van is empty and for sale. I'm living in an apartment in Portland. And the adventure is over. I think once (if) I sell the van, I'll do a more involved entry about what motivated me to call it quits. For now, I just wanted throw this message up as a quick and somewhat bittersweet update. What will become of this site? I don't know. I presently have no plans for it. Thanks for reading,. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom).

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jmcampervan: 11.08

http://jmcampervan.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html

Shock and Awe in Outdoor World. I stopped at a Starbucks in Hanover, MD. I noticed a big store called "Outdoor World" across the road. I'd never heard of "Outdoor World" and decided to check it out. Outdoor World" is an outdoors superstore. Hunting, camping, backpacking, fishing, and riflery are its main themes. But it's more than just a superstore. There was also this airplane. In the marine section there was an enormous aquarium where you could watch employees feed the fish. Dead center in "Outdoor Wor...

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jmcampervan: 03.09

http://jmcampervan.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html

Then there was this dude (ABOVE). I hiked down into the canyon and rested at the bottom. While sitting there drinking water and eating nuts, enjoying the view, I noticed a flurry of movement between my legs. The squirrel was scrounging around under my knees! I jumped up and he ran off but soon came back for the above photograph. There's a showerhouse which costs $2 per 8 minutes of showering. Are you getting the idea? This was my first time to Las Vegas. My central impression is that most of the depi...

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jmcampervan: 07.09

http://jmcampervan.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

When i last left off, i was seeking out swimming holes in the southeast. that trip was actually a slow descent toward Cullowhee, NC where j. and i had enrolled in a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification course with Landmark Learning. Theyre big and beautiful, very inspiring. unfortunately the towns along I-70 were vomitously touristy, and geared to the winter sports crowd (which i dont relate to). Because of the heat, we set up my tent and slept in it rather than the van. it was a relief not...