I enjoyed your travels so much! We appreciated your low-key style and your attention to detail. It's been a few years since I've owned a Sienna, but I spent many nights car camping in my 2002 Sienna and hauling my canoe all over the south and midwest. Hope to buy another Sienna in the next year or two. I sincerely hope you will put out more videos for us to enjoy and learn from! Thank you!
Thanks! It’s good to hear that you enjoyed traveling along with us. We’re trying to determine a route for this summer, but it probably involves parts of Canada that we missed the last time. We’re also making a few modifications to the van, including a second solar panel and an awning that attaches to the side. Little things that can make a big difference. Take care, and we’ll see you on the road!
I’ve watched a few of your videos. I am impressed by your van build, your travels, and your attitude about seeing the places you’ve been. Admirable in all respects. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and travels with us.
Loved all your adventures travelling thorough Canada and the United States. Hope you enjoyed our Canadian scenery. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Maybe you will go on another adventure next year and share it with us.
Thanks for the kind words! We absolutely fell in love with Canada, even though we have done short travels in western Canada for decades. We’d love to figure out how to stay permanently, or at least longer. Right now we’re going over maps and dates, trying to determine when we should try to go back and see some of the parts we missed. There’s more of Quebec, PEI and Nova Scotia we’d like to see, and of course we completely missed Newfoundland when the hurricane pushed us out. There’s probably more than enough there to fill a summer!
Hi guys loved your adventure i am planning to follow in your footsteps and travel across Canada do you have a log of the places you camped at and if so could you send me a copy so i can start to plan my trip Thankyou for all the great videos
Glad you liked watching our travel adventure. There were over 120 different places that we stopped for the night, and the options were sometimes almost endless. The “right place” is more a question of where you are at the moment, since there may have been equally good (or better) places to spend the night ten minutes farther down the road. I would highly recommend iOverlander as a phone app for finding locations for camping, but also for water, showers, laundry, groceries, propane, and many other travel essentials. People update it all the time (including us), so places that have been newly closed to camping are quickly posted as such, but new locations are also posted. Additional information such as if the location isn’t accessible in wet weather, or if the mosquitos are too numerous in certain months to allow for comfortable camping. Also, road closures, detours, ferry crossing schedules, and weather altered our path quite often, as well as our travel times, so even if we attempted the same trip, it would be completely different. Sometimes we literally flipped a coin at an intersection to determine which way to go next. Our best advice is to do a couple short trips to figure out your own best strategies, and then “hit the road”. Best of luck, and we’ll see you down the road!
The dash cam is a VIOFO (model A129 Plus Duo), and includes a rear camera as well. There are newer models available now. The settings allow you to choose GPS, speed, date, time stamps on the video, audio on or off, as well as resolution, file size and a host of other features. Installing can be simple if you are satisfied with a plug-in to the lighter outlet, or more complicated if you want to hide the wiring for a better look. We made note of the time while driving when we saw something interesting, like animals or local features, then went through and saved those individual files to a hard drive in the evening. We set the file size for 3 minutes each, and they are labeled according to time, so it’s easy to pick them out to save. There’s a bit of a learning curve with the operation, but overall we like the unit.
The most complete map is probably the one at the beginning of the last video ua-cam.com/video/DOzKeJL2S8I/v-deo.html About 5-7 seconds in shows a pretty complete route except that last stretch through ND & MT.
My wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed your adventure. We are hoping you two will do some more. We also have a third gen Toyota Sienna that we plan to convert and take on many adventures ourselves. How many miles are on your Sienna? Also what brand and model GPS did you use and how did you program it for backroads instead of major highways and interstates? What type cooler or fridge did you use and what was your solar panel and inverter setup? Did you use a portable power station like a Jackery: what brand? Thank you so much for answering our questions and for sharing your adventure.
Glad you enjoy our adventure! We started with right around 100K miles on the van, and it was in pretty good shape when we purchased it used. We used a “Garmin 010-02038-02 DriveSmart 65, Built-In Voice-Controlled GPS Navigator with 6.95” High-Res Display” (Amazon’s title). It integrated with the add-on back-up camera that we needed, since the hitch box blocked the factory back-up camera. The whole setup worked pretty well, although the back-up camera needed a battery change once a month or so. That’s the price for going wireless. The GPS downloads all roads in USA and Canada, so you don’t need cell connectivity. It also needs updates every 6 months or so to stay current. The backup camera is also from Amazon, titled “Garmin BC 40, Wireless Backup Camera, Works with Compatible Garmin Navigators” The fridge is a Bodega 38 qt 12 volt unit, which is exactly the same as Alpicool brand. We had absolutely no problems with it. The portable power station is manufactured by Inergy , their Apex mode. I would not recommend anything from that company. The customer service is terrible, they are poorly designed with parts breaking, even under light duty use, and they are always out of stock for parts, even cables, etc. There are so many more brands out there now, even components to make your own in a few minutes, and the prices are lower. Check out Will Prowse’s channel at www.youtube.com/@WillProwse for a lot of good information, reviews, and tips. Good luck!
Thanks! We're both vegetarian, but there's nothing special. Shikai shampoo, but sometimes it was a week between washing on the trip. Maybe it was the freedom of the road!
An amazing channel I have really enjoyed your adventures and after finding your channel binged watched all videos. I really liked this Q&A video but I was thinking that after a bit maybe you could do a follow up. Like the top 10 things you did on your build that you thought were beneficial vs the few things in hindsight you did that weren't necessary or might have been detrimental. In particular, personally, I would like to get your feedback on the lift kit after a year (or more) of use. I am always very leery of adjusting suspension geometry, oversizing tires etc. as these things can have negative impacts on braking, drivability, etc. Also I would love to hear your opinion on the benefits of FWD vs AWD. Anyhow cheers, I love your channel and I have no idea why you don't have 100k subs or more, maybe not enough tattoos or bikini shots. Nice folks, good editing/production quality, good content, what's not to like! Also I saw my folks house in your video when you were going through the maritimes. Maybe your next trip could be to Newfoundland!
Thanks for the kind words! It means a lot to get such positive feedback. We learned a lot about video making, editing, and how to take better photos between our first and last videos. We are planning to finish that journey, hopefully this summer. The remainder of PEI, Nova Scotia and Newfound are waiting to be explored! We are currently in Scotland, looking a giant horses called "Kelpies", and travelling with a musical group to various pubs and attractions. I like your ideas for the next videos. There are a variety of things that we spent a lot of time on that really didn't work too well or weren't needed. And there were some tiny modifications that made a huge difference.
We're hoping to get back out this summer and head to the parts of eastern Canada that we missed last time. There's a lot of country out there to explore!
I enjoyed your travels so much! We appreciated your low-key style and your attention to detail. It's been a few years since I've owned a Sienna, but I spent many nights car camping in my 2002 Sienna and hauling my canoe all over the south and midwest. Hope to buy another Sienna in the next year or two. I sincerely hope you will put out more videos for us to enjoy and learn from! Thank you!
Thanks! It’s good to hear that you enjoyed traveling along with us. We’re trying to determine a route for this summer, but it probably involves parts of Canada that we missed the last time. We’re also making a few modifications to the van, including a second solar panel and an awning that attaches to the side. Little things that can make a big difference. Take care, and we’ll see you on the road!
Glad I found your educational video. This is what I want to do !
Thanks! Watch for more coming in the next few weeks!
I’ve watched a few of your videos. I am impressed by your van build, your travels, and your attitude about seeing the places you’ve been. Admirable in all respects. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and travels with us.
Thanks for the kind words! Stay tuned- Another series is going to start in a few weeks: All the way east!
Loved all your adventures travelling thorough Canada and the United States. Hope you enjoyed our Canadian scenery. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Maybe you will go on another adventure next year and share it with us.
Thanks for the kind words! We absolutely fell in love with Canada, even though we have done short travels in western Canada for decades. We’d love to figure out how to stay permanently, or at least longer. Right now we’re going over maps and dates, trying to determine when we should try to go back and see some of the parts we missed. There’s more of Quebec, PEI and Nova Scotia we’d like to see, and of course we completely missed Newfoundland when the hurricane pushed us out. There’s probably more than enough there to fill a summer!
Hi guys loved your adventure i am planning to follow in your footsteps and travel across Canada do you have a log of the places you camped at and if so could you send me a copy so i can start to plan my trip Thankyou for all the great videos
Glad you liked watching our travel adventure.
There were over 120 different places that we stopped for the night, and the options were sometimes almost endless. The “right place” is more a question of where you are at the moment, since there may have been equally good (or better) places to spend the night ten minutes farther down the road.
I would highly recommend iOverlander as a phone app for finding locations for camping, but also for water, showers, laundry, groceries, propane, and many other travel essentials. People update it all the time (including us), so places that have been newly closed to camping are quickly posted as such, but new locations are also posted. Additional information such as if the location isn’t accessible in wet weather, or if the mosquitos are too numerous in certain months to allow for comfortable camping.
Also, road closures, detours, ferry crossing schedules, and weather altered our path quite often, as well as our travel times, so even if we attempted the same trip, it would be completely different. Sometimes we literally flipped a coin at an intersection to determine which way to go next.
Our best advice is to do a couple short trips to figure out your own best strategies, and then “hit the road”.
Best of luck, and we’ll see you down the road!
I want to be like you when I grow up. I just turned 60. 😂
Thanks! That's when the fun starts!
Great story and informative Q&A. Thank you for sharing :-)
Please share the model dash cam you used. I really like the speed and the latitude and longitude showing on the screen. Thanks
The dash cam is a VIOFO (model A129 Plus Duo), and includes a rear camera as well. There are newer models available now. The settings allow you to choose GPS, speed, date, time stamps on the video, audio on or off, as well as resolution, file size and a host of other features. Installing can be simple if you are satisfied with a plug-in to the lighter outlet, or more complicated if you want to hide the wiring for a better look.
We made note of the time while driving when we saw something interesting, like animals or local features, then went through and saved those individual files to a hard drive in the evening. We set the file size for 3 minutes each, and they are labeled according to time, so it’s easy to pick them out to save. There’s a bit of a learning curve with the operation, but overall we like the unit.
Breweries are great places learning about the Town's History❤
Is there a map that show the way you travel?
The most complete map is probably the one at the beginning of the last video
ua-cam.com/video/DOzKeJL2S8I/v-deo.html
About 5-7 seconds in shows a pretty complete route except that last stretch through ND & MT.
My wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed your adventure. We are hoping you two will do some more. We also have a third gen Toyota Sienna that we plan to convert and take on many adventures ourselves.
How many miles are on your Sienna? Also what brand and model GPS did you use and how did you program it for backroads instead of major highways and interstates?
What type cooler or fridge did you use and what was your solar panel and inverter setup? Did you use a portable power station like a Jackery: what brand?
Thank you so much for answering our questions and for sharing your adventure.
Glad you enjoy our adventure!
We started with right around 100K miles on the van, and it was in pretty good shape when we purchased it used.
We used a “Garmin 010-02038-02 DriveSmart 65, Built-In Voice-Controlled GPS Navigator with 6.95” High-Res Display” (Amazon’s title). It integrated with the add-on back-up camera that we needed, since the hitch box blocked the factory back-up camera. The whole setup worked pretty well, although the back-up camera needed a battery change once a month or so. That’s the price for going wireless. The GPS downloads all roads in USA and Canada, so you don’t need cell connectivity. It also needs updates every 6 months or so to stay current. The backup camera is also from Amazon, titled “Garmin BC 40, Wireless Backup Camera, Works with Compatible Garmin Navigators”
The fridge is a Bodega 38 qt 12 volt unit, which is exactly the same as Alpicool brand. We had absolutely no problems with it.
The portable power station is manufactured by Inergy , their Apex mode. I would not recommend anything from that company. The customer service is terrible, they are poorly designed with parts breaking, even under light duty use, and they are always out of stock for parts, even cables, etc. There are so many more brands out there now, even components to make your own in a few minutes, and the prices are lower. Check out Will Prowse’s channel at www.youtube.com/@WillProwse for a lot of good information, reviews, and tips.
Good luck!
Thank you for all the information.
Mary! You Have GORGEOUS Hair!!! 😍 How do you take of it; products used & do you use Vitamins and Minerals; what is Your Diet? Loved to hear info ❤❤❤
Thanks! We're both vegetarian, but there's nothing special. Shikai shampoo, but sometimes it was a week between washing on the trip. Maybe it was the freedom of the road!
This was great. I am thinking about doing this! Thank you !,
Glad you liked it!
30-33 mpg? That’s like the hybrid already 🤔🤔 If I can ask what year is your Sienna and trim please?
It's a 2013 LE (3rd generation). Our fuel economy is mostly due to slower speeds on back roads.
An amazing channel I have really enjoyed your adventures and after finding your channel binged watched all videos. I really liked this Q&A video but I was thinking that after a bit maybe you could do a follow up. Like the top 10 things you did on your build that you thought were beneficial vs the few things in hindsight you did that weren't necessary or might have been detrimental. In particular, personally, I would like to get your feedback on the lift kit after a year (or more) of use. I am always very leery of adjusting suspension geometry, oversizing tires etc. as these things can have negative impacts on braking, drivability, etc. Also I would love to hear your opinion on the benefits of FWD vs AWD. Anyhow cheers, I love your channel and I have no idea why you don't have 100k subs or more, maybe not enough tattoos or bikini shots. Nice folks, good editing/production quality, good content, what's not to like! Also I saw my folks house in your video when you were going through the maritimes. Maybe your next trip could be to Newfoundland!
Thanks for the kind words! It means a lot to get such positive feedback. We learned a lot about video making, editing, and how to take better photos between our first and last videos.
We are planning to finish that journey, hopefully this summer. The remainder of PEI, Nova Scotia and Newfound are waiting to be explored!
We are currently in Scotland, looking a giant horses called "Kelpies", and travelling with a musical group to various pubs and attractions.
I like your ideas for the next videos. There are a variety of things that we spent a lot of time on that really didn't work too well or weren't needed. And there were some tiny modifications that made a huge difference.
Whens your next trip?
We're hoping to get back out this summer and head to the parts of eastern Canada that we missed last time. There's a lot of country out there to explore!