Walk with us through spontaneous and unapologetic adventures. Join us in budget minded Sprinter DIY successes and failures: Sleeping 4 in a Sprinter 144.
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We have been home since mid-March. Our pandemic projects include sour dough bread making, teaching home school, and continuing work on our Sprinter camper. CD’s progress with the Sprinter has been the most successful of the three.
Roof rails are installed, LED lights are wired to a dimmer switch, cedar tongue and groove is in place, and two new cabinets are ready to be filled.
Writing guides for each of this projects will take a me a bit of time but while I work on that, CD offered his top 5 tips for our diving into a Sprinter camper project.
Sneak peek! I can’t wait to share more.
1. Accept gaps in wood spacing or make custom pieces.
CD chose to custom cut each piece of wood. Time was not of the essence.
2. Realize that your Sprinter is not square.
No matter how square things start out, your van is not square.
3. Create things with wiggle room.
Plan on fine adjustments and be flexible.
4. Consider both your ideal end product and your acceptable end product.
Decide which of these you are working towards.
5. Be honest about your timelines.
Realize that your acceptable product will likely take as long you thought your ideal product would. Set out to make your ideal product and you may end up with your good enough one. If you are set on your ideal product, plan to increase your time spent ten fold and have plenty of extra wood on hand.
Have Fun With Your Sprinter Camper!
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I could write ten blog posts about my adventures at Glacier National Park. My first time in the park was over twenty years ago. Those few days of hiking and exploring were the spark for much of the traveling that has come since. Just when I thought I could not be more impressed by Glacier, I stumbled into Two Medicine.
Two Medicine is found on the east side of the park and on the shore of Two Medicine Lake. We arrived via Highway 2 from West Glacier on our way out of park. Once there, we found a campground, camp store, ice cream, hikes, picnic areas, boat rentals, and views for miles!
The view from camp store is awesome! The boat dock is to the left and hiking to the right. We recommend checking it out while eating ice cream and skipping stones!
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5 Ways to Enjoy Two Medicine, Glacier National Park.
Are you hungry? Do you need hiking or camping supplies? Are you just looking for a nice cup of coffee? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, drop into the store. In addition to having everything you need and then some, enjoy its history and scenery.
2. Have a picnic.
Get your lunch to go and head out to the lake. Skip stones and listen to the waves as you eat.
We love having a picnic on the shore of a mountain lake, obviously!
3. Take a boat ride.
We didn’t have a chance to enjoy this first hand but we heard good reviews by people at the park. The tours were full so we will make a note to reserve a seat next time.
4. Enjoy a hike.
Hikes are easy to come and offer great rewards. Waterfalls as accessible in as little as .3 miles. Full or half day hikes and multi-day backpacking trip options are available as well.
We had been on the road for more than two months. We were eager to get home and anxious to be on the road when we found ourselves in Colorado with our “check engine” light on. Thankfully, family loaned us a car so we could set off on some day trips! Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is less an hour drive from Colorado Springs. It was one place that we had yet to explore.
Here are 6 reasons that we are glad we did!
1. Hands-on Activities
The variety and depth of hands-on experiences were more than expected. We joined the kids for one lap around the visitor’s center and nearby yurt before they settled into their activities of choice. From digging for fossils, to sorting rocks, we spent much more time here than planned.
We loved looking at fossils and rocks also.Fossil sites are fun for digging also!
2. Hiking
I was glad to find more than 10 miles of trails to hike! In addition to meadows, you can find pine forests and boulder fields. The views are much different than those just a short drive east.
Not just fun hiking, the views are great too!
3. Self Guided Walking Tours
The walking tours are easy to follow and full of fun facts also.
Check out the tour, its worth it!
4. A Petrified Redwood Forest at the Fossil Beds
I expected to see fossils but I didn’t expect an ancient lake and forest!
This may be the best old forest of all time. We all agreed, by the way.This “big stump” didn’t fit in the scene where it was stood but we thought it was cool.Also, an old forest was there. The kids liked it too, however!
The Manitou Incline is well known among Colorado Springs locals. It is the remains of a narrow gauge railway that was built in 1907 and destroyed by a rock slide in 1990. The rails were removed and the rail road ties remain.
Until 2013 locals and fitness enthusiasts would walk past “no trespassing” signs to hike up the remains. CD and I were among the people that made this trek and did so without injury.
It has since been repaired and officially opened to the public. Thanks to this restoration, the trail is much more safe which still being sufficiently challenging.
Manitou Incline Stats:
Altitude at the base: 6600 ft
Ascent: 2011 ft
Distance: 0.88 miles
Steps: 2744
Grade: up to 68%
Getting There:
By car: Manitou Springs is a 20 minute drive from Colorado Springs
The town of Manitou Springs offers various parking options. A free shuttle bus runs to the incline every twenty minutes year round. I have also walked the approximately 1.5 miles to and from town but I thinking that the shuttle bus looked like a nicer option!
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Packing List:
Sunscreen
Hat
Trekking poles
2 poles. Seriously – you will thank me later!
Water
To drink and to pour on yourself if are still there when the sun hits!
Snacks
I recommend a piece of fruit for a picnic at the top!
Camera
A friendly smile and a social attitude
Everyone is in this together! You will find that people are chit chatting and encouraging each other the whole way. It is the best!
Trip Planning And Other Tips:
Start early if you can
I usually don’t start early enough and end up mid incline in the hot sun. Be aware that there isn’t any shade. You can duck off to the side in the trees a bit but it won’t offer much relief.
Embrace the community! Talk to people. Give encouragement. Accept encouragement. Smile. Laugh, sweat, and cheer together!
Going down will take longer than going up. They don’t allow walking down the incline so be ready to hike the Barr Trail down.
Know that there is a bail out spot half way up. It connects back to the Barr Trail and heads down. If you can make it, keep going slow and steady. The view from the top is impressive.
Be aware of the false summit. Just like most mountain hikes, the incline offers false hope. For this hike you are pretty much always “almost there”.
Don’t be afraid to be slow and steady. I have climbed it fast and climbed it slow. Both have been great. In terms of the actual time, slow and fast aren’t really that different. Enjoy!
It was dark, the kids were asleep, and we were driving through the same part of Idaho that we had many times before. We hadn’t decided where to camp or how long to drive so we exited the highway, towards Craters of the Moon National Monument.
Our Sprinter van was the reason we made this choice; we didn’t have cell service, there weren’t any hotels, and I had not idea if there was anywhere to sleep once we got there. It turns out that the closest hotels are more than 30 miles from the park and the campground was full.
We parked our van near the visitor’s center and settled in for the night.
The next day we work up and it looked like we were on the Moon. The kids were amazed and excited all at once!
It looks like I imagine the moon!
5 Helpful Tips For 1 Day At Craters of Moon National Monument.
Plan where to stay. The campground is small and may be full. Other lodging options are approximately 30 miles away.
Craters of the Moon
2. Check out the visitor’s center! Not only can you get your National Parks Passport stamp and your Junior Ranger badge but it has displays, movies, and activities for everyone!
3. Bring a headlamp! The lava tubes are a must-see. The caves trail offers easy access. You must get a Caves Permit prior to entering the caves. The permit is free.
caves: lava tubescaves.
4. Prepare for the elements. Bring a jacket if it is windy and a hat if it is sunny. The trails are exposed and you will be out in the weather.
sun. wind. moon rock. the kids loved it!walk on the moon on a clear day
5. Bring food and drinks. It takes a bit to get back to town to the East and even longer to the West. There aren’t restaurants or gas stations right there so pack a lunch, grab a picnic table, and enjoy!
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a nice walk on the moon on a clear day. the kids ran part of the way.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore sits on the western side of northern lower Michigan. With dunes rising 400 feet above its 65 miles of shoreline, this park does not disappoint! Check out forests, wetlands, streams, inland lakes, historic homesteads, campgrounds, hiking trails, a 1920’s village, and the more recently added Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail bike path.
It is hard to decide where to begin but here are 5 ideas to get you started!
This trail is short and sweet. This 1.5 mile round trip hike will satisfy hikers and photographers alike.
Start at the Visitor’s Center in Empire and get directions to the trail head which is just a few miles down the road. The trail is unassuming at first but don’t let that fool you. The views from the top some of the most remarkable in the park.
On your way out of Glen Haven, follow the road until it ends at Sleeping Bear Point. The building from 1901 is now a Maritime Museum.
Learn about the lives of the people that lived at the station and the tools they used for rescues. Look out for an opportunity to participate in the daily lifesaving demonstration and you may even see them fire the Lyle Gun!
You can also access the Sleeping Bear Point Loop Trail from here. This 2.8 mile trail may not be the most picturesque in the park but it is certainly one of the most diverse. Hike up and down rolling dunes as you experience some of the different terrain and ecosystems that Michigan has to offer. Bring water and keep in mind that 2.8 miles over sand dunes takes longer and is more difficult than the same distance on pavement.
Whether you want to play in the sand, have a picnic, or climb for a view of Glen Lake, the Dune Climb has it all. Some amenities include clean restrooms, potable water, a gift shop with a park passport cancellation, and an ice cream vending machine.
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For those of you that are looking for a challenge, the Dune Climb trail ends at Lake Michigan. Be aware that this hike is rated strenuous and in my experience, it is easy to underestimate its difficulty. There are wooden posts marking the trail so keep an eye on those. bring water, hat, and sunscreen. Prepare to be exposed on wide open sand dunes for 3-4 hours.
While there are much easier ways to get to Lake Michigan, you will likely feel the greatest sense of accomplishment if you arrive there by foot via these dunes. Honestly, I only do it for the exercise so if that is not a huge motivator for you, I recommend skipping this hike, accessing Lake Michigan at Glen Haven, and climbing the dune just high enough for a bird’s eye view of Glen Lake.
This is one of my favorite things that has happened anywhere in the past several years! The Heritage Trail is a mixed use, non motorized trail planned to extend 27 miles from Empire to North of Glen Arbor. There are currently 22 miles completed.
Avoid traffic and parking hassles by utilizing the trail. In 2019, my husband, myself, and three kids under 10 logged 29.1 miles on the trail in 2 days. Bikes were our only means of transportation once we set up camp at DH Day campground.
Here are the top reasons we love the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.
It is more safe for families than riding on the road
It is the fastest route from DH Day campground to Glen Haven or the Dune Climb on a busy day.
Bike parking in Glen Arbor is less stressful and more available than car parking.
Your car can be kept safe from sandy kids.
Riding the trail is good exercise and better for the environment than driving a car.
Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan
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The first time that I went to New Mexico, I was in my fifth year of college. I drove from Buffalo to Chicago, flew to Albuquerque, spent a week hiking and camping, flew back to Chicago, drove to West Palm Beach for spring break, and drove back to Buffalo. I can’t really explain the itinerary but must have made sense to my twenty something self.
In any case, that was also the first time I was enchanted by New Mexico. Started in Santa Fe on a warm and sunny spring day, three of us stood on a street corner without talking or crossing the street. We just stood there for seconds or minutes. There were many colors to see, people to watch, and so much energy.
At a hot springs in the Gila National Forest two of us walked back to the car ahead of the others. Through a window crack, we unlocked the door and set off our car alarm. The canyon echoed with the alarm as the sun was setting in the canyon. It continued until our travel partners hiked out and gave us the keys.
Truth or Consequences local convenience store offered soda and a pay phone. My parents were excited for our call and asked if we heard about the woman that escaped a kidnapper in the same town that day. We didn’t see anything unusual and hadn’t watched the news.
Crossing into Texas, we hiked Guadalupe Peak at sunrise. Forgetting sun screen, we ended up with the remarkable sunburns of tourist. Skunks woke us up at night as a mother and her liter spent some time ransacking our campsite. Disaster was narrowly averted.
The Trinity Site wasn’t even on my radar but we found ourselves there on a random day that was open for tours. I learned more than I wanted to know and left with more questions than answers.
Fast forward a few years to me living in Summit County, Colorado. We enjoyed several mud season weekends at La Posada and indulged in all the resort had to offer. We drank wine and shared appetizers with other guests while local artists gave guided tours of their work. The Tunnel of Trees from Northern Michigan was my favorite painting. Proximity to restaurants, art galleries, hiking, and my all time favorite consignment store are the best features of La Posada.
Since New Mexico consistently treated us well, we tossed Taos out as an option for our annual friends ski trip. The opportunity to check out the Earthships tipped the scale and we headed to Taos.
We stayed at the Burch Street Casitas. They offered a great downtown location, were locally owned, clean, and spacious. I would stay there again for sure.
Taos and Green chili
We took advantage of being able to walk to town by immersing in the local food scene. Our meals looked like this: Green chili beer, green chili bread, fried green chiles, green chili smothered burritos, pork green chili, vegetarian green chili, fresh lime margaritas, wine tequila margaritas, more green chili beer …
The drive to the ski area was easy and relatively brief. The skiing was good – I think – or at least the hiking and skiing was nice. The wagon shuttle service from the parking lot to the base area was a bonus.
The next day was cloudy and we were lazy. We looked to the Earthships for inspiration.
Earthships are built with natural and repurposed materials. You really need to go there to understand the architecture and commitment to sustainability. The tour left a bit to be desired but the purpose of the community was obvious. I felt equally inspired and conflicted.
A wall built with glass bottles. https://www.earthshipglobal.com/visit-us Tires were a common building material. I not sure how I feel about living in a building made of tires, however.
The next day, on the way out of town, a friend wanted to buy some green chiles. CD asked the gas station attendant. An unusually long amount of time passed and he returned confused and empty handed. He had asked about buying green chilies and was offered a hook up of the family stash. In the end, he was pretty sure he was not longer buying green chilies and he walked away from the deal. We left empty handed, conflicted about living in an Earthship, and still loving New Mexico.
Our first Sprinter camper conversion was a 2012 low roof passenger van with limited amenities. It didn’t work out.
We are a family of four and stand by our decision to camp and travel in a passenger van but our decision to start with a low roof van was ill informed and flawed.
5 reasons why we chose a low roof Sprinter:
It would be a more practical daily driver.
We could drive under bridges, park in parking garages, or go through a drive thru.
Additional vertical space wouldn’t offer additional benefits.
The kids can stand up and I can nearly stand up.
It cost less.
5 reasons why this reasoning was flawed:
A low roof and a high roof are essentially the same when using as a daily driver.
Parking in a parking garage, going through a drive thru, or driving under some bridges may not be possible in either Sprinter.
Vertical space adds many more storage options!
I really want to stand up. Oh, my aching back!
The low roof initially cost less but we lost any initial savings when we sold it four months later.
All about us.
We are a family of four, including two kids under 10.
More days are spent driving than camping.
We love windows!
CD is 6′ tall and I am 5’8″. We are both over 40 and maybe not as flexible as we once were.
Sometimes we stop along the road just to hang out in the van.
Money is a consideration but we would rather spend a bit more to have a van that suits us than have an aching back and a cluttered van.
Our high roof Sprinter with some fun amenities.
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Passenger Van: Pros and Cons
Pros:
Windows!
The kids can see.
Improved visual field when driving.
We can see if the kids are in the van from outside.
Sunsets!
Cons:
Windows.
People can see in from outside. It doesn’t bother me really but it is worth being aware.
We spent a few hours and a little money making curtains. Each day we spend a little time putting up and taking down curtains.
Seats
Safe seats for the kids.
Seats for family members and friends.
Seats
Spare seats take up garage space.
The spare seats are not easily removed and re-installed.
Sprinter amenities. Seats anyone?
Other Sprinter Amenities: Blind Spot Monitor, Electric Running Board, and Cross Wind Assist
These are things that our first van did not have. Do we enjoy these features?
Yes!
Blind spot monitor: changes my experience every day!
Electric running board: a bench, a welcome mat, a table, and a reminder to close the door fully.
Cross wind assist: We think it actually helps.
Thoughts on rear AC.
Rear AC: It cools the van to arctic temperatures, even on the hottest days. Luckily, it cools all the way to the front as the main AC isn’t very effective. I sometimes walk to the back and realize that the kids need blankets while I am just right. We debate its importance each time we look at solar panels for our roof but then re-affirm our need for it each summer. Our solar panels will work around it and our Maxxair fan fit just fine.
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It is well known that the Oregon coast if full of breathtaking scenery and widespread ocean access. Hidden among the 362 miles of Oregon’s coastline is the town of Manzanita.
Manzanita is in Tillamook county, north of Lincoln City and south of Astoria. It is home to seven miles of coastline and beaches. With a population only in the triple digits, the effects of tourism are obvious. The benefits to those that vacation there are great.
The Main Street
Lenada Avenue is the heart of downtown. Restaurants, coffee houses, and shops have names like Left Coast Siesta, Neahkanie Bistro, Bread and Ocean Bakery, and MacGregor’s: A Whiskey Bar.
The Beach, Oregon’s Coast
From town, the beach is steps away. Our Meredith Lodging rental house was across from Hallensted Park, 6 blocks from the main street and two blocks from the beach.
This sign says it all! Great beaches!The main road from town ends where the other people are standing. Oregon’s Coast.
NeahKahnie Mountain
Don’t miss this hike! Oswald State Park offers a 8 mile long mountain loop trail or a 2.8 mile shorter version. The trail is well taken care of and inviting.
The trees are welcoming also
It is a steady but not impossible climb with plenty of chances to slow down and explore. We used our favorite kids carrier a few times, more so for fun than out of necessity.
Walking is good but a standing child carrier is great
For our hike, we opted for the shorter version. Once at the summit, we agreed that the effort to reward ratio of this hike was great! A short scramble at the top leads to some of my best views of Oregon’s coast.
Oregon Coast, looking south and beyond that as well.
Walk a few blocks downhill from town and you will arrive at Waterfront Park. The Wenatchee river’s inviting swimming holes and beautiful scenery are made even more fun by a festive parade of tubes and kayaks.
Leavenworth is at capacity and you don’t have a reservation.
You are headed northbound on 97 and just passing through.
7 Reasons To Love Staying at Wenatchee Confluence State Park
It is approximately 30 minutes from Leavenworth.
You may get lucky and get a deal! We arrived around dinner time. The park was full but they sometimes allow “overflow” parking for a fraction of the price! We scored a lake side spot with flush toilets, hot showers, bike path access, a beach, and a playground!
We rode our bikes on miles and miles of this trail. It circles the Columbia River with 22 miles of paved trail. The trail can be used to connect Wenatchee Confluence State Park with Horan Nature Area, Walla Walla Point Park, and Wenatchee Riverfront Park.
We spend most of a day that was intended for driving, riding this trail and I would do it again.
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