The plan was to head to Kansas on a summertime trip during the pandemic. We usually take two days for the trip, stopping about half-way at a pet-friendly hotel, eating dinner at Lambert's Cafe, and then finish the trip the next day. This trip would have to be different. No hotel and no tourist trap restaurant. And I wanted to bring a kayak for the lake.
To do that we needed a vehicle that we could put the camping cots in so that we could Boondock in a parking lot, bring some of our other camp gear, have room for a kayak, space for the dog, and that we could stand up in. I started looking for vans.
There were none in our local area that met any of those requirements for a couple of weeks. I found one in Pearisburg, but it was already sold. Then I found one in Charleston. We called, it was still for sale. We hopped in my 19-year-old Sport Trac and came home in a 2019 Transit van that is now named Marvin.
Admittedly, the transaction ended up being a good one for the dealer. We know we could have done a few things differently, but we knew what we wanted and ended up with a good vehicle that works for us.
The thing about cargo vans is that there isn't much in there to keep it from being a great big echo chamber. Driving home that day we knew there had to be a change. So the first thing I did was get some Noico sound deadener and install it all over the big empty white space.
Then I took the wheel well covers off, covered those noise makers as much as possible, and put the covers back on.
Because we intend on Boondocking in truck stop parking lots I ordered and installed blackout curtains using spring-loaded curtain rods behind the front seats and across the back doors.
Next on the list was covering up those big holes on the bottom of the walls. We got some FRP panels and trim, FabHub measured twice and cut once, and I installed with heavy-duty Velcro. It not only looks better but also helps keep down some of the road noise.
The sound deadener is installed, the panels look nice, the curtains are up, it is time to hit the road. The interior van length was just barely enough for my kayak to get strapped in above us. We have very comfortable cots that we use for camping, so we used them. The leg spacing of the cots fit perfectly over the wheel wells and left enough space for a cooler by the back door. The width of the cots left just enough space to stand up between them without having to scoot to the end to get out of bed.
Luckily, the dog's crate fit between the end of the cot and behind the driver's seat. He wasn't real happy about the situation, but we don't want him wandering around the van or jumping out when a door opens. After we got going he slept most of the time anyway.
The drive out to Kansas was pretty nice. The Ford Transit is a very comfortable vehicle to ride in. The road height is good and the power is just what we need on the highway. We picked up drive-thru dinner and stopped at a Flying J truck stop when we got tired. They have a parking lot design that allows people to take a break away from where the trucks are parked.
In the morning we filled up with breakfast and fuel and headed back out to Mom's house. We did spend a few days out at the lake with family and friends to make the purchase worth it.
The next update will be the process of giving Marvin some permanent fixtures that make it possible to travel without having the beds down and in the way all the time. We already have most of the pieces and parts to get that done. FabHub has some construction to do and I need to quit buying things.
In case you were wondering. This is Marvin.
Along with the answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.
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