Sienna Mini-Camper Van- The First Trip

Sienna Mini-Camper Van- The First Trip

camper enjoying campfire
At our Davidson River campground site.

 

This blog post is about the Sienna mini-camper van- the first trip! It was to North Carolina and it was delightful!

The Plan

Our plan had several threads-

-stay off the interstate as much as possible
-visit Susan’s sister in Athens, Georgia
-visit Jim and Kathy Tedesco in western North Carolina
-hook up with John Gilbert
-go hiking
-go fishing
-and perhaps most importantly, test the livability of the mini-camper and make notes on necessary tweaks.

As a result of all of this, the post may be long for some readers. My apologies.

Plan Into Action

On a Friday morning we were loaded up and were off. Our goal that evening was Suwannee River State Park. We took SR 46 to US 441 to US 90. The construction on 46 made driving that portion unpleasant.

US 441 was a succession of ugly strip malls until we were past Ocala. After that it was lovely. We stopped at a pull-off at Paynes Prairie State Park. A boardwalk went out onto the lake there. Under the boardwalk was a large alligator. There were three guys there. One was leaning over the rail, arm extended, phone in hand, taking pictures of the alligator. I said to him, “Don’t drop your phone.” He said, “If I drop it, he can have it!”

pier, Paynes Prarie State Park
The pier at Paynes Prarie

 

alligator
Waiting for a telephone.

 

Lake City is not a place you’d want to visit.

 

 

Suwannee River State Park was pleasant. I’d had an idea of fishing there but the water was too high. We went for a short walk, with beautiful views of the confluence of the Suwannee and Withlacoochie rivers. We hadn’t budgeted much time there, not enough to see the place.

 

 

confluence of WIthlacoochie and Suwannee Rivers
At the confluence…

 

Susan, SRSP

Sleepy Time

Soon enough it was time to test the camper. I’d slept in it once but Susan had not. She suffers from claustrophobia. Would we have to turn around and go home?

We had too much stuff in the Sienna mini-camper van. The cooler took lots of our floor room, and her portapottie took the rest. I had hung a cargo net for our bulky clothes items. We laid down on the bed with our heads to the back of the van and she said, “I can’t do this.” “Do a spin!” I said. “Put your head at the other end.”

It worked. That’s how we sleep in the van now, with our heads forward.

The mattress that we bought on Amazon was awesome. We were very comfortable, even though the cargo net was in our faces.

On to Georgia

Due to the distance to Athens, we spent three hours on I-75 before hitting more back roads through some lovely Georgia countryside. The cotton was ripe in the fields. There were big bales of it, round, like hay bales. We didn’t stop, though- we had an agenda.

It was great seeing Kathleen, it had been a long time since I had. Visiting is weird in pandemic time. We sat outside, with masks on. No hugs, no kisses. Hopefully no COVID either. Two of Kathy’s children and some of her grandchildren were visiting too. The kids made happy noises until after dark, while we told stories, shared old memories, and laughed.

Davidson River

Susan and I slept in the van, and left for North Carolina the next morning. All beautiful back roads, with 15 MPH speed limits where the switchbacks were. Setting up camp once at Davidson River campground was a breeze- just prep the kitchen!

If I could have dialed up whatever weather I wanted for this trip, I could not have done as good a job as what we actually got. Cool, crisp nights, warm, cloudless, sunny days, just spectacular.

The next morning Jim Tedesco showed up with flies and fly rods, and waders for Susan. We all went fishing in the Davidson. Fishing wasn’t epic but we got a couple of trout and had a lot of fun. They day passed quickly, too much so.

on the Davidson

 

tiny rainbow trout
My soft hackle trout

 

Jim was there again the next morning. We went to Pink Beds hiking trail and took a five mile walk through autumn woods.

At the trailhead, Pink Beds

 

map of the trail, at the trailhead

 

Jim and Susan pose along the trail.

 

The autumn colors were beautiful.

 

This was a snack stop.

 

Another spot along the trail.

 

After lunch we went hiking up a tributary of the Davidson, wearing waders, carrying fly rods. We found some trout up there and on a dry fly I caught one of the smallest ones I ever have, little larger than a salmon smolt.

fly fishermen
Jim and Susan work a pool.

 

waterfall
This fall drops into the pool shown above.

 

Susan works a different pool.

 

Wednesday Jim and Kathy came to pick up Susan, and John Gilbert came to pick up me. Sue was going sightseeing, I was going fishing. Gilbert and I fished all morning, returning to the campsite for lunch. There was a magical moment there when a gust of breeze knocked a lot of leaves off the trees. We watched, spellbound, as the leaves drifted down like giant, colorful snowflakes falling from a cerulean sky.

fly fisherman
John Gilbert works a pool on the Davidson.

 

We fished all afternoon, too. Neither of us touched a fish all day. At least one of us didn’t care.

Back Roads Take Longer

Thursday saw Susan and I packing our van and rolling out. We intended to stay at Crooked River State Park in Georgia that night, again travelling by back roads.

These roads were really slow, at first because they were steep and curvy, and then because there were lots of small towns. At lunchtime we were a quarter of the distance we had to go. We had lunch at a local eatery in Clinton, South Carolina. Then we hit the interstate. As it was we pulled into our campsite at sunset, after a very long day in the van.

Heading Home

In the morning we pulled out, looking forward to sleeping in our bed at home that evening. We again took back roads, thus avoiding I-95 through Jacksonville.

For lunch we stopped at a fantastic little eatery in Palatka, Caribbean 450. I wish it was closer to home!

Things We Learned

A few of the things we learned on this trip-

-we need to learn how to better budget our time on the back roads. I think 200 or 250 miles is the most you can comfortably expect to drive in one day. If you want to stop and visit at interesting places, and we do, then it will be less.

-our cooler, an absolutely awesome Orion 65, kept our food cold with only two gallons of ice for the entire trip. Sadly, it’s just too big for the van. I think we need a small refrigerator.

–the cabinets were a must-have. They came in so handy!

-the cargo net needs to be moved further aft, if I can manufacture attachment points back there.

-most importantly, camping in the minivan is entirely viable. We had room for our clothes, cameras, fishing gear, books, computers, food and kitchen gear, books- everything we need to make an extended trip. And it’s comfortable!

We’re already planning another trip!

Special thanks go out to Jim and Kathy Tedesco and to John Gilbert for helping to make our trip so memorable!

A few facts from the trip-

Distance travelled- 1,427 miles

Average fuel economy for the Sienna- 22.9 miles per gallon

Expenditure for fuel- $125.27

Thanks for reading about our Sienna mini-camper van- the first trip!

 

No affiliate links are included in this blog. If/when we start adding them, we will add a disclaimer. All links are for the reader’s benefit.

Sienna Van Conversion- Cabinets

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Sienna Van Conversion- Cabinets

This Sienna van conversion- cabinets post is about making and installing cabinets in our Sienna van!

Once again I used Bruce Parks’s design. And again, Bruce Parks’s work is far superior to mine!

This is a beautiful piece of work by Bruce Parks.

The four cabinet legs were first measured, cut, sanded, and screwed to the bed frame.

Making Templates

Once again I used corrugated cardboard to make templates. There were four of them for one cabinet. There are no flat surfaces where the cabinet was going, so the bottom, each side, and partition all needed templates cut. It was a slow process. Cut, check fit. Cut some more, check fit. For four pieces. Took an entire afternoon.

The diligent reader may recall in my last post I wrote, “although starting with the cardboard was an excellent idea, the cardboard cutout only approximates reality.” That was certainly true here!

Once satisfied the templates were close, I traced the outline on a piece of 1″ pine board. Next a jig saw was used to cut out the piece I wanted from the rest of the board. Then there was sanding. Then we tried the fit.

Trying the Fit (and my patience)

None of the pieces fit the first time. More cutting, more sanding, another fit. Repeat as needed. There’s a good argument that, even now when the “finished product” is in the van, they don’t fit.

My version of Bruce’s cabinet.

A trip to Home Depot happened, where, sadly, I had to purchase three eight foot 1″x2″ to make the frames for the cabinet fronts, and supports for the partition. It was the first wood I had to buy for the entire project! I also needed 1 1/4″ screws to hold everything together.

Once I had everything I needed assembly started. I attached the two sides and the partition to the bottom, then mitred the corners for the frame for the front. Once that was all done I measured the “windows” to get the sizes of the front panels, which I cut out of polycarbonate. A hole was cut in each polycarbonate panel- got to get your hand in and out of the cabinet!

I tried putting the cabinet on its legs. Didn’t fit. More cutting and sanding. More fitting. More cutting and sanding. Etc. Finally got it on there and used five screws to hold it down. Put the front panels on. Voila! Must say, not bad!

It took an entire day. The second one went faster- the templates were already cut, and all the problem-solving had been done. That one only took a half day. I cannot say it fits any better, however.

Looking in from the back hatch.

They look good (if not completely professional). They are secure. They don’t have huge capacity but they turn wasted space into storage space. If I were to do it over again I absolutely would.

The happy builder, resting in the van, glad the first phase is done!

There are odds and ends to finish and a trip to take before the electrical phase starts. We’re not done with the build just yet!

Thanks for reading about our Sienna van conversion- cabinets!

Sienna Van Conversion- Installing the Bed

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Sienna Van Conversion- Installing the Bed

In our last installment about the Sienna van conversion I discussed how the rear seat well of the Sienna needed to be framed before I could install the bed. Once that was done, and I had the slide-out drawer finished, it was time to install said bed.

Tools Used

Before we get there, though, I’d like to thank my tools. Simple though they may be, they have done me right. I’ve used (and will continue to use) two power hand saws, a basic Skilsaw and a Black and Decker jigsaw. I also used a small hand saw for a few jobs. I used a Black and Decker cordless electric drill quite a lot. Also used on every piece of lumber was a small DeWalt electric sander armed with 60 grit sandpaper. Rounding out the kit- a tape measure, a speed square, two C-clamps, a level, and various pencils and markers. I don’t have any kind of shop, so all work was done on an ancient folding table.

My tools and workspace are basic.

Lumber Used

For those readers who hate throwing stuff away, here’s my take. You can keep useless stuff around forever. It gets in the way, collects dust and spiders, and is a pain in the neck. If you don’t use something for a year or two, it’s time to donate or sell it to someone who will use it.

Having said that, all the lumber I have used in this project so far is stuff I had hanging around the property, in some cases for decades. I live in a building, and lumber is building material! Makes sense! My out-of-pocket expenses so far have been limited to fasteners, the mattress, the window rain guards (which I need to install), and the potty.

Bed Installation

Back to the van. After removing the middle seats and clearing out assorted debris, I backed the van up to the garage. I got Susan and Cheryl to help me. We lifted the bed out of the garage and inserted it into the back of the van. Voila! An almost perfect fit!

campervan bed
The bed is in the van, and the kitchen box is pulled out.

Both ends of the bed fold up by way of hinges, allowing you to get at whatever may be lurking below. A Sienna has less space than say, an Airstream, so maximizing storage space is important.

folding van bed
Susan shows the front of the bed folding up. The rear does the same to allow access to the well. The seat trolleys gotta go, though!

We bought a full-sized tri-fold mattress from Amazon, but we won’t install that until just before our upcoming North Carolina trip.

In the meantime, I still have window screens and cabinets to build and install. Time to get back to work!

Thanks for reading about our Sienna van conversion- installing the bed!

The Sienna Van Conversion Begins

The Sienna Van Conversion Begins

First off, this is my first blog about a Sienna van conversion, converting a soccer mom van into a killer mini-camper, and maybe becoming a vagabond too. Thanks for reading it!

During my adolescence, a question that often came up in our stoned/drunk conversations was, “What would you do if you knew you only had a year to live?” In May 2019 (age 66) I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and always terminal affliction. I guess my answer to the above question is to get a van and become a vagabond.

The Sienna Purchase

Susan and I had been talking about getting a Sienna and converting it into a camper since we had to cancel our trip to Spain because of the pandemic. We’re going to go cross country, visit Maxx and Cat. We talked about our budget, how many miles a used van had to have to be acceptable for our planned use, etc. Talk, talk, talk. Elephant talk.

In September of 2020 I brought my RAV4 in for service. While at the dealer, I thought I’d see what they had for Siennas. They had a 2014 LE, with 67,000 miles, $14,999. The high end of our talkie budget, but the mileage was perfect. When the service coordinator told me the RAV needed $1800 worth of work, and the salesman offered me $3000 in trade, I drove the Sienna home, as surprised as anyone with the speed at which I’d made the decision.

2014 toyota sienna
The new chariot, in beautiful blue.

First Priorities

My first priority for our new camper was to get rid of the back seats. I drove to the landfill after removing them. One hundred twenty pounds of useless weight, transferred from my vehicle to the cosmos. I would have thrown the middle seats away too, but Susan said no. Where we’re going to store them is a problem. Anyway, the back of the van now had a big well into which the seats had folded when not in use.

Next, we needed a bed. I looked at several Sienna van builds on YouTube. The bed I ended up building was this one- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BlvZu7ZnWJszXVXKyM7uZX7eMM5FdzZ5/view – skipping the ratcheting part. For the frame I used all repurposed wood, stuff I had hanging around. Doing it over (and I may), I would use 2x3s instead of 2x4s to save weight. Didn’t have many 2x3s in stock, though.

For the sleeping platform I used polycarbonate panels, leftovers from the hurricane window protection project we’d done earlier this year. Seemed like a good way to repurpose the leftover material, and a good way to save some weight.

First Mistake

After the bed was “finished”, I tried putting it into the van. Since there was nothing supporting it in the well, the bed fell right into the hole. Crap! What seems obvious in retrospect had barely entered my consciousness before this little debacle. The well needed to be framed in order to support the back end of the bed. After sleeping on the problem I came up with a plan, and spent a morning framing the well.

The hole has been framed, and is ready to support the bed.

Next, I had to level the bed. The floor of the van slopes down from back to front. All the leg lengths on the bed frame needed to change to compensate. Directions on how to do this are found in this video-

That task is now finished. What remains? Take the remaining middle seats out, put the bed in, test it for fit and fitness. I’ll photograph the finished project in all its glory, and include it in the next blog.

Again, thanks for reading.

No Fishing Report, and Things Change

No Fishing Report, and Things Change

Thank you for reading another no fishing report. And, things change! And, Happy Halloween!

Due to COVID, I worked as a charter captain perhaps five days since March. Given the current quality of the water where I fish, that is not necessarily a bad thing. It did hurt the bottom line in a huge way though.

The USPS brought my commercial use permit renewal form from the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. I’m not renewing it.

Last Wednesday I brought the Mitzi to Jam-Up in Sanford to get the gel coat nicks fixed. I picked it up Monday. Looks great! I’m getting the Yamaha painted and then I’m putting the rig up for sale. I will have details in a week or two.

The nature of this blog will change as a result. I will still be fishing, but not trying to sell trips. There will be more travel. Fishing from different places, should be great! Photos of mountains and deserts, I can’t wait!

Back to the present. Didn’t fish this week. Wednesday Susan and I had some errands to run. One of hers involved the Sewing Studio on 17-92 in Maitland. When we got there, I put my mask on and got out of the car. “You’re going in?” she asked, surprised. “Fly tying materials, babe!”

A small sample of the goods at the Sewing Studio. Those are all spools of thread.

I didn’t buy anything. But a creative fly tyer with some disposable income could have a party in there. Every imaginable color of thread, all kinds of metallic and holographic appliques, beads, sequins, etc. If you’re in the neighborhood it’s definitely worth checking out. And you’ll be the only guy in a store full of women.

Thursday I had to be domestic, and had more errands.

Friday I had an 8 o’clock with chiropractor David Demetree (HIGHLY recommended) to get my spine straightened out. And then it was prep time for my upcoming trip to St. George Island State Park. So there should be an actual fishing report next week! Redfish and seatrout and macks, oh my!

Redfish…

 

…and sea trout…

 

…and macks, oh my! All caught at SGISP on previous trips.

Going fishing where fish actually bite sometimes, should be GREAT!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go Fishing! or travel!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide
Purchase Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2020. All rights are reserved.

North Atlantic and North Carolina Fishing Report

North Atlantic and North Carolina Fishing Report

Thank you for reading my north Atlantic and North Carolina fishing report. Nothing terribly exciting contained within, unfortunately.

North Atlantic Report

Tuesday 10/13 I took the Mitzi out of the Port, hoping to find some mullet along the beach. Although they were not there, plenty of other boats were. We ran north along the beach as far as the tip of the cape, the north wind discouraging me from exploring any farther. Didn’t see many mullet. Got a jack and a ladyfish blind-casting a jig. Was surprised there were no bluefish, but there you go. On my way back, I observed almost all the boats that had been there earlier were gone.

Wednesday I brought the Mitzi to Jam-Up in Sanford to get the gel coat nicks fixed.

North Carolina Report

Friday Susan and I got in the van and rolled, eventually arriving Sunday at the Davidson River campground in North Carolina, on a first test of the mini-camper. (Read about that at https://johnkumiski.com/sienna-mini-camper-van-the-first-trip/) We stopped at Davidson River Outfitters, where they sold me a couple of the “hot fly,” a #16 soft hackle pheasant tail.

My best fish of the trip.

Monday morning Jim Tedesco showed up to take us fishing. He graciously gave Susan fly casting and fishing lessons while cutting me loose. I got a single trout on the soft hackle, a seven inch rainbow. I changed the fly, opting for a streamer, on which I got nothing. In the process I dropped and lost the soft hackle.

Jim and Susan work a pool.

We stopped for lunch and compared notes. Jim had gotten a 12 inch rainbow on a dry fly.

In the afternoon I tried the other soft hackle I had. It got hung on a root. The 6X tippet parted. Love that stuff. Got one bump on a bead head nymph. Tried various other things, none of which worked. My friends missed a couple bites.

Don’t move the rocks.

Tuesday afternoon we hiked up a tributary of the Davidson. We came to a pool full of diminutive trout. I caught one about the size of a mud minnow on a dry fly. At another pool further up I had six or eight rises and pooched all of them. Then it was time to go.

Susan works a pool.

Wednesday morning John Gilbert came, and he and I went fishing the Davidson again. I know I suck at trout fishing, so to save time I’ll just say we were both skunked.

John Gilbert, on the Davidson River

I talked with another fisherman named Scott at one of the pools we fished (you will see lots of other fly fishers on the Davidson), where there were a couple fish rising occasionally. Scott said you couldn’t get one on anything larger than a #26 midge. I can hardly get the #16s tied on. I have no interest in 26s.

The Davidson is a lovely stream, but it is very heavily fished. The fish have highly developed hook avoidance behavior. I don’t wish to fish it again. Ever.

More locally, the Mosquito Lagoon gauge is still reading 2.0, and the Econ gauge is at 6.5. In my opinion, both are still too high to fish effectively.

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go Fishing! or travel!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide
Purchase Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2020. All rights are reserved.

Yet Another No Fishing Report

Yet Another No Fishing Report

Here’s yet another no Fishing Report. The lagoons are still high and nasty. The ocean’s still like a wavy wind tunnel (it’s forecast to calm down this week). I’ve been working on my van.

I started a blog about the van conversion and our upcoming travels in it. You can see the most recent here…

I also posted two new slideshows on the sister website. One is about the 2018 Gulf Coast Paddle Fishing Safari, the other about my cross-country trip with son Maxx in February and March, 2020 (right as the plague started).

I apologize for such a dull post, but conditions are such it doesn’t make much sense to fish right now.

Susan and I are headed to North Carolina soon to road test the mini-camper. Hopefully the streams aren’t all in flood because of Delta. I think as I write this they probably are. Maybe I should bring the canoe instead of fly rods…

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go Fishing! or work on a van!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide
Purchase Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2020. All rights are reserved.

Another No Fishing Report

Another No Fishing Report

Here’s another no Fishing Report. The lagoons are high and nasty. The ocean’s been like a wavy wind tunnel. So I’ve been I’ve been working on my van. Not even tying flies!

Have you read George Orwell’s 1984?

Thursday’s forecast called for 5-10, northeast. I thought, “I could fish in that.” The gauge read 1.4. High, but better than 2.0. I drove to Mosquito Lagoon with a kayak. The water was BROWN, except for all the whitecaps. I thought about it a couple minutes, then drove home again. That’s as close as I got to fishing this week.

I started a blog about the van and our upcoming travels in it. You can see the most recent here…

I don’t worry about a thing, ’cause I know nothing’s gonna be alright… – Mose Allison

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go Fishing! or work on a van!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide
Purchase Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2020. All rights are reserved.

No Fishing Fishing Report

No Fishing Fishing Report

Thank you for looking at this no fishing Fishing Report. I did not get out once this week. Instead of fishing I’ve been working on my van. And tying some flies- see below.

The weather has been terrible, small craft advisory much of the week.

Why I did not fish Mosquito Lagoon this week-

I prefer the gauge to read at 0.5 or below.

Why I did not fish the Econ this week-

I prefer this gauge to read at 2.0 or below.

Had the yard sale last Saturday. Did OK, got rid of lots of “stuff.” Even had a “free” table. All of that stuff went!

I have a book, Art Scheck’s Tying Better Flies. When there were still magazines, Art, who worked for Abenaki Publishing, was my favorite editor. He got submissions from the best fly fishermen and tyers in the country and learned a ton from them, which he incorporated into this book. It is so good, it makes you want to stop reading and get on the vise. I recommend it highly.

Many of us would probably be better fishermen if we did not spend so much time watching and waiting for the world to become perfect.
– Norman Maclean

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go Fishing! or work on a van!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide
Purchase Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2020. All rights are reserved.

Another Not Much Fishing Report

Another Not Much Fishing Report

Thank you for reading another not much Fishing Report. As I said last week, the subtitle of my blog is “Fishing and other bits of life.” This week the other bits of life again overwhelmed the fishing.

Why I did not fish out of Port Canaveral this week-

The waves have been kind of LARGE.

Why I did not fish the Econ this week-

I like the gauge reading 2.0 or less.

Why I only fished one day this week- cat to the vet, wife to the dentist, car to the shop, and getting ready for Saturday’s yard sale… 

Please feel free to stop by and say hello!

Did kayak fly fish on Tuesday, Mosquito Lagoon. The water was the highest I’ve seen it this year, with the gauge at 1.4. It has continued to rise all week and is currently close to 2.0. With the clouds, wind, and dirty water it was near impossible. I had only two shots in almost five hours, got one redfish. Leader was in the rod when the fish took the fly.

One good thing about the dirty water- they can’t see you, either.

But if you live in central Florida and have not been able to find time to fish, you’re not missing much.

Something to think about: if you fish the wrong fly long and hard enough, it will sooner or later become the right fly. – John Gierach

Life is great and I love my life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide
Purchase Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2020. All rights are reserved.