I dropped the van off at the garage first thing Monday (yesterday) morning to get them to do a check-over before we head off on our 6,000+ mile loop of Canada and the US, hoping that it was going to just be one or two new bushings and an oil change. Got a call from the guy in the ‘shop with the news that we need a whole bunch of new front suspension parts since it’s so worn out. New tie rods, lower control arms and bushings, if I remember correctly … and two new tyres. Plus the rear brakes are almost out. We’re going to be doing a load of mountain miles where I definitely don’t want sketchy brakes, so we’re going to get new drums and liners. It’s all going to add up to nearly the cost of the van (ouch!) – but we did get a good deal on the van to start with, and hopefully should be able to recoup this cost when we sell it.
It’s also delaying our departure date; we were planning to head off today but it’s now looking like the van will be done late tomorrow, and as we want a full day of driving to get quite a long way north before our first stop, we’ll probably set off on Thursday morning. No big deal though, we’re catching up with a few things, I’m enjoying reading and not really doing much else at all. Starting to settle nicely into a very relaxed way of being.
I’d get cracking with a load of boat jobs to save us some time in September, but I left my toolbox in the van. Ah well. We had a pedal around Alameda island today; across to the West coast to see the beach. Looks like a great kite surfing spot. Of course my kites are also in the van…
Road and Ocean 