After an almost 18 month hiatus, in a couple of months, we’ll hit the road and get back to some serious RV’ing. Our little tent on wheels has been lounging in storage, while we gallivanted around the world and then we lounged the winter away babysitting our grandson.

Voyage planning is almost complete, as the route is planned, campground reservations are almost complete and we have a service appointment at our dealer, for the annual inspection and de-winterising. Read on to check out our route and the campgrounds we are visiting.

https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/summer-2016_77992?scaleControl=false&miniMap=false&scrollWheelZoom=false&zoomControl=true&allowEdit=false&moreControl=true&datalayersControl=true&onLoadPanel=undefined&captionBar=false

The above link takes you to the route map I created in uMap. Unfortunately I am unable to display the actual map, only the link, as on searching Google, I determined WP.com removes the iframe code as a security measure. Regardless, please select the link and zoom in/out and select the markers, which name the campgrounds, driving distance and number of nights we stay at each location.

Since the coach spent an extended period in storage, we are staying at Bridall Falls for a week to test all systems and complete the regular preventative maintenance prior to heading out. This will provide me an opportunity to sterilise/flush the FW system, treat the slideout seals, grease the suspension and hitch and get everything cleaned up and organised.

Provided all systems are good to go, we depart the middle of June, spending the first 2 weeks ambling slowly up the interior of British Columbia, as far as Dawson Creek, which is Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway. One year we plan on touring Alaska, but this year we alter course East and start the trek across country, eventually arriving in Indiana for the 2016 National Redwood Rally. We had a brilliant time at the 2014 event and look forward to an even better Rally this year.

We originally planned on heading south, after the Rally, taking a circuitous route back via the U.S. However, the extremely unfavourable exchange rate dictated a rethink, so plan B sees us high tailing it back to the border and meandering through Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Might just be a coincidence, but when we return to BC it is time for the grape harvest. Therefore, we have scheduled a couple of weeks in the Okanagon, BC’s premier wine producing area. Rumour has it that you may get some posts on winery visits in mid October.

After 5 months on the road, we will put the coach in storage, as out 2017 plans are still being developed. We are thinking of about 5 months touring UK, so we only have an additional 2 month that we can be out of BC. Therefore, we may head down to Indio for Feb/Mar.