Trip Preparation

This trip required similar preparation as for the trip to Alaska in 1999. One significant difference was that this trip was not taken solo. Suzanne accompanied me and helped with the preparations to accommodate the additional load. The most significant change was in the utilization of the back of the Jeep as a portable closet. With the back seat laid down, we placed a hanging bar across and on the driver's side hung the coats and "dressup" clothes. On the passenger side, we carried a portable refrigerator that could be accessed by opening the door on that side of the Jeep. The refrigerator was used during travel to contain cold drinks and lunches, and was moved into the Aliner when we stopped for the night.

We purchased two sets of stacking plastic drawers from Walmart, and placed those side by side in the back of the Jeep. Opening the rear door gave us access to the drawers, and each of us had a place to keep our clothes while traveling. We kept a small bag for staging the clothes in and out of the Aliner. This arrangement was very convenient and allowed us easier access to our clothes on the trip.

We carried a small microwave in the Jeep on this trip. We would set it up on a picnic table alongside the Aliner when Suzanne felt like preparing a full dinner for us (and we had power). We also installed a bar across the inside of the Aliner from the top of the windows and toward the sofabed end. This served multiple purposes. It provided a drying rack for towels, or a place to hang a bed spread to form a privacy curtain when one of us slept and the other worked at the computer on the dining table at the other end. We purchased several sizes of collapsing cloth hanging shelves that we found at the "Organized Living" store in Minneapolis. These would hang from the bar and allow us to store things normally found on the tabletops or floor (purse, folded towels, radio, etc.). We found that these things in combination went a long way toward making the Aliner livable for two people.

Earlier this year I did a significant amount of investigation on the Internet of the areas we wanted to visit. I ordered travel guides from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland/Labrador. They came with lots of good information and detailed maps. There are also a number of websites I found of value, many provided by a fellow adventurer from Canada with whom I was in communication.

Here are some links for the ferry and Red Bay, Labrador. We had planned to take a ferry across the straits and visit this end of the road area.

We had once considered traveling through North Quebec and following the Trans-Labrador highway to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and taking the ferry from there down to Newfoundland. This links offers some ferry and other information.

Twillingate, Newfoundland, was one of our favorite camping areas during the trip and you can see why by following the http://www.twillingate.com/ link. We stayed at Peyton Wood's Campground overlooking the harbor entrance. This is the place to observe Icebergs floating by the island in early to mid summer. Pick wild blueberries here in late summer/early fall.

The http://www.kittiwakecoast.com/rtti/rtti.html link provides more views into this beautiful area.