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Route5

the good | the bad | the smelly

We needed to name our van and we had several names on the table, but sadly, I can't remember most of them. Liam, the snarky thirteen-year-old, wanted Vanessa. "Get it?" he said. "VANessa." He thought it was hilarious. I thought it was too obvious. It came from the kid who hated our choice for the door panels so I have a hard time accepting any of his suggestions, let alone letting him name our beauty.

This picture is a fake. The van is real. The silly niece is real. Obviously the Friends cast didn't come to Ontario to pose in our van 😆
It came down to two choices: Gretchen or Pearl.


Of course, there's no rule that says you must name your vehicle, but this pretty lady is part of our family now, and like every family member, she deserves a name to be proud of!

Video transcription [FILMED on AUGUST 3, 2019]:

Okay, so, we're having a little - not debate - but discussion about what to name this rig. And I don't know why it's been such a struggle, but we're just really not agreeing. Which isn't so abnormal for us. It took us almost two days to name Liam. So, I mean, this is kind of our MO - that's okay. Last night I proposed the name Gretchen, which I really like. It was in a list of top names from 1981, so that seems appropriate. And Gretchen means Pearl. So, when I explained that to Scott, he was like, "Why not Pearl?"

If you watch Friends, there's this episode where Joey buys a boat at auction and realizes he can't pay for it, so Rachel helps him try and convince Mr. Beaumont - who was another guy at the auction - to buy it, telling him he could name it after his wife. And it would be called 'The Pam'. [Friends Video Clip] So that's what I hear with Pearl. "Pearl." And yeah, that's alright, that seems appropriate.

A little lightbox mounted over one of the jump chairs lets everyone know who our lady is ❤️
 
Now, the idea of Gretchen just seems ridiculous. Like when we were sure Liam was a Hayden until the moment of his birth, and now we can't believe we entertained such a thought.

Have you named any of your vehicles? I'd love to hear the story behind your choice!
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My children baulk at peppers, even though I try to sneak them into many meals.

"What is this green nonsense? Peppers? Ew. Mooooom!"

When I decided to try my hand at cheese steak sandwiches it was with the full knowledge that "the kids are going to hate this!"

What a happy surprise to find they actually LOVED them - even with the peppers and mushrooms. In fact, they requested it again the next time we took Pearl out for a weekend. I call that a solid win!



Ingredients:

1 lb thinly sliced steak — I choose whatever is on sale!
1 sweet onion
1 green pepper (add a red one too if you want some colour)
1 package sliced mushrooms
salt & pepper
Italian Cheese Blend: Provolone, Asiago, and Mozzarella
Butter
Crusty Buns

Instructions: 

  • sauteé chopped onions in butter in hot skillet until soft
  • add chopped peppers and mushrooms
  • add steak and cook to desired 'doneness' - allow steak juices to flavour veggies
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • transport cooked meat & veggies to bowl - cover to keep warm
  • butter sliced buns and put butter-side down on skillet to toast
  • sprinkle toasted buns with cheese mixture 
  • add meat & veggie toppings
  • serve warm




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(this post contains Amazon associate links and any purchases made upon clicking through this link will put a little cash into our gas money jar)

We'd just finished setting up camp along the Saugeen River. The kids were helping secure the awning, angling it appropriately because we knew rain was called for later in the evening. I was inside getting things ready for supper. When I opened the overhead kitchen cabinet for our cups, I knew right away:

I'd forgotten the French press. 🤦‍♀️

I announced it sheepishly. Ashamed. THIS IS WHY A PACKING LIST IS SO IMPORTANT!

We had to drink our morning coffee from the campground office Kuerig machine. Ugh!

Never again.

I Googled "shatter-proof French press". Before, we'd always taken our press from home. But it's glass and I had horrifying visions of driving on a bumpy road, the cabinet popping open, the press smashing to the floor, and glass spreading into every little nook and cranny of our dear Pearl (and our poor bare feet).

I found the OXO Brew Venture Travel French Press with Shatterproof Tritan Carafe and it's exactly what we needed! More expensive than our glass Ikea version, but I believe it will stand the test of time — and should the bumpy-road-cabinet-pops-open event ever occur, I think it will come away without so much of a scratch.


The first time I used it, I treated it like my 10-cup press instead of the 8-cup it is. The coffee was so strong I could barely get it down. I mean, I powered through. And then I stayed up until 2 a.m. But now I know.

Happily, this beauty arrived before we leave on our trip to Nashville. Delicious morning coffee guaranteed!
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Sometimes you need a break and sometimes you can find that calm escape you've been dreaming about just a short distance down the road.


I searched sites within two hours of us, but decided on one that was less than twenty minutes away. Why? Because all I wanted was a place under the trees where I could listen to water, read a book, ignore my to-do list, and just soak up the invigorating feeling of doing absolutely nothing. You don't have to drive any real distance to find a place like that — and in a happy turn of events, our site was cheaper than the usual fee because they'd just switched to off-season rates. Yay!

(We have yet to try stealth camping because we've always had the kids with us. We don't feel comfortable just parking somewhere for the night when we have to worry about keeping the kids safe. I'm not sure how people do vanlife full time with children. I suppose it takes a fully re-imagined outlook.)


Our site had river access and forest to one side. It was very private and quiet. There were lots of activities for the kids and though the bathrooms were a long walk, the grounds were beautiful so it wasn't a chore to make the hike.


We spent two restful nights, listening to the river running just beyond the back door of the van. The only real downfall of the weekend was that I forgot our French press at home and we had to drink coffee from the camp store Keurig machine. Yuck! I've ordered a new press and am eagerly awaiting it's arrival. It's become evident to me that Pearl needs her very own appliances — that way such tragedy can be avoided.

Reading a Leonard Cohen novel. Why do I love him? Read the Montreal post!
Want to know more about where we camped? Check out our review for Saugeen Springs RV Park.

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CAMPGROUND RATING

We think it's important to share our thoughts on the places we stay and we're choosing to give each r place a rating out of five. Five campers means we really loved it and have zero complaints. One means yikes - maybe don't take your family there. Everyone has different reasons for liking or not liking a place, and we may be looking for sites that offer different things than you need. Always do your own research and don't depend solely on our opinions. 

WHERE: SAUGEEN SPRINGS RV PARK

OUR RATING: ⛺️⛺️⛺️⛺️


  • COST: off-season rates are reasonable at around $45/night - on-season is quite a bit more expensive.
  • STAFF: friendly and helpful 
  • SITE: wooded, private, river access
  • FLUSH TOILETS: yes
  • SHOWERS: paid
  • ACTIVITIES: two playgrounds, shuffle board, giant checkers, green gym, petting zoo, river tubing (extra fee)
  • WOULD WE GO BACK AGAIN? — definitely - but we'd probably keep it to the off-season


Learn more about the time we spent there.
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Magnetic Hill is a fun little stop. The natural phenomenon appears to pull your vehicle up hill from a complete stand still. That's what they say, anyway. Our Roadtrek is a beast! When we meet a magnet that can best it we'll let you know. In the meantime, we'll let this video stand as testament that the 'magnet' in this New Brunswick hill could not defeat us.

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CAMPGROUND RATING

We think it's important to share our thoughts on the places we stay and we're choosing to give each place a rating out of five. Five campers means we really loved it and have zero complaints. One means yikes - maybe don't take your family there. Everyone has different reasons for liking or not liking a place, and we may be looking for sites that offer different things than you need. Always do your own research and don't depend solely on our opinions. 

WHERE: CAVENDISH KOA

OUR RATING: ⛺️⛺️⛺️⛺️⛺️


  • COST: our serviced site was $45/night (AWESOME!)
  • DATE OF STAY: August 20, 2019
  • STAFF: friendly and helpful
  • SITE: no complaints!
  • FLUSH TOILETS: yes
  • SHOWERS: yes
  • WOULD WE GO BACK AGAIN? Sure, if we had a reason to be in the area


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    About me

    About Me

    Just a girl and a vanlife dream.

    I'm Alanna. I am an author and the editor in chief of a Canadian literary arts magazine. My husband Scott and I have been married for twenty-one years and have three children. We've always loved road trips, but now we're taking that to the next level by purchasing a 1981 Camper Van. Come along for the journey. I'll share what we learn along the way. The good, the bad, and the smelly.

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