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Sienna Mini-Camper Van- The First Trip

Posted October 24, 2020 by admin

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

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…

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.

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.

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.

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

Posted October 14, 2020 by admin

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.

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.

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!

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Posted October 11, 2020 by admin

Sienna Van Conversion- Window Screens

In our last installment about the Sienna van conversion we discussed installing the bed. Little did I know, that was the easy part. The sliding door windows needed screens, and I wanted to put in cabinets along the back windows. At least I didn’t tackle anything challenging! This post is about Sienna van conversion- window screens

Make a Template

I figured that I could use a piece of corrugated cardboard to make a template, cut the frame out of a sheet of plywood, staple the screen to the frame, and install it in the window frame. Easy.

Not so fast, dude.

I quickly learned that although starting with the cardboard was an excellent idea, the cardboard cutout only approximates reality. If you learn nothing else from these posts, please remember that. Also, the windows in my van do not go down all the way. You can’t template the curves at the bottom of the window very well.

I cut out the cardboard as best I could, put it in the window. The fit was close. I bought a half-sheet of the thinnest plywood Home Depot had, cut the frames, and stapled the screen into one of them.

To read more, please click here…

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.

To read more, please click here…

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.

To read more, please click here…

Sienna Van Conversion- Window Screens

Posted October 8, 2020 by admin

Sienna Van Conversion- Window Screens

Make a Template

I figured that I could use a piece of corrugated cardboard to make a template, cut the frame out of a sheet of plywood, staple the screen to the frame, and install it in the window frame. Easy.

Not so fast, dude.

Live in Three Dimensions

It didn’t fit. I was living in a two-dimensional world. The window and frame are curved. I needed to be in three dimensions, but didn’t know how to get there. I slept on it.

By morning I realized that someone else surely had solved this problem. All I needed to do was search the ‘net and find their solution. My old buddy Bruce Parks had a youtube video about it.

He and I had solved the first parts of the project the same way. After he finished cutting his frame, he “added material” to make his frame match the curve of the window. He did not say or show how he did this. His video wasn’t much help as far as that went. He also put foam weatherstrip around the outside of the frame to seal it better. That flat out did not work for me. I made the Ace hardware store people happy by buying every kind of weatherstrip they had.

Bruce Park made me realize I needed thicker plywood. Being a homeowner, I had what I needed here already. I cut out and sanded a couple more frames, tried fitting them with the weatherstrip on the outside edge. ARRRGGGHHH!!!

Become an Expert on Weatherstrip

Susan and I went back to Home Depot to examine the weatherstrip selection. We got some vinyl weatherstrip. I stapled it around the inside edge of the frame, with the vinyl “lip” extending out. This filled most of the gaps. Judicious use of foam weatherstrip filled the rest.

sienna van conversion-window screen — The screen from the outside.

It’s an imperfect solution. But the screens are in the windows. I believe they will keep most bugs out. For now at least. Until I run into someone smarter that me!

Thanks for reading about our Sienna van conversion- window screens!

Sienna Van Conversion- Installing the Bed

Posted October 2, 2020 by admin

Sienna Van Conversion- Installing the Bed

Tools Used

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

Posted September 28, 2020 by admin

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!

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.

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