What's New With Us
Sorry, not too much content this month. Took a bit of a break. We split the month between two locations. In the first half, we were camped at Sunlund RV Park, near Lund, BC.
The park is only 5 minutes from the boatyard where we keep Vestri during the winter. I spent the bulk of the time preparing her for winter by winterizing the systems, relocating most items to our storage room, and applying the winter cover. The truck and trailer also received some TLC after being in storage for the summer.
Once the boat was prepped, we took a ferry over to Vancouver Island and spent the back half of October at a familiar haunt, Thunderbird RV Park in Campbell River. We spent many summers here before we got the boat. It’s so lovely to have the estuary view again and see old friends around the park.
One of the main reasons for returning to this park was that it is where we would want to spend the winter if that were ever the case. Over the past few months, we have been debating whether to travel to the USA for our annual snowbird trip, which we have enjoyed for many years.
Since the latest federal administration took power, the US-Canada relationship has cooled dramatically. Stricter travel scrutiny is in place, major trade disputes have arisen, and there has even been talk of annexing Canada through economic means.
On January 7, 2025, President-elect Donald Trump explicitly stated that he would consider using “economic force”—rather than military force—to annex Canada and make it the 51st U.S. state. This came during a public interview where he was asked about potential military action to acquire territories like the Panama Canal or Greenland; he replied “no” to military options for Canada but affirmed “economic force” as a tool for annexation.
I was hopeful over the summer and into September that a big, beautiful trade deal would be reached and things would return to somewhat normal. But that doesn’t seem to be the case; in many ways, the relationship is even worse.
For the time being, we will stay on our side of the border, hopeful that the leaders of both countries can come together and our historically close relationship will continue.
This has been a tough decision as we love traveling in and enjoying the beauty of the USA, and over the years, we have met and become good friends with so many awesome people there.
Winter Plans
Anyway, enough about that, back to RVing. The plan is to take a short trip on Vancouver Island with the RV to visit family early this month. Then back to Thunderbird to prep the trailer for winter. We spent one winter here during the COVID-19 border closure, so we know what to expect and have the necessary gear. I have skirting, heated hose, dehumidifier, etc.
I’ll have some videos of wintering in the trailer, day trip explorations, and the usual mod/maintenance/upgrades/review posts. Come spring, we may jet off for a vacation somewhere warm and then return to get an early start on boating. Stay tuned.
Recent Videos
Haloview BT10 Rearview Monitor + TPMS Review - Pt 1 Features & Install
Modded Weber Q Grill for Low-Pressure RV LP Gas Port Use
Starlink Gen 2 Pole Mount Adapter Installed on RV Flag Pole
SFK LiFePO Battery - Final Review Update - Good & Bad News
Eagles in the Campbell River Estuary With Fresh-Caught Salmon
Image of the Month
Sunset on the Campbell River Estuary from our RV site on the Tyee Spit
Thanks for checking out my monthly newsletters. Much appreciated. Cheers! Ray
I’m happy to see a YouTuber who stands by his principles. My wife and I have cancelled our US travel plans and hope others do as well. I know it’s harder when YouTube is a part of your financial plans because wintering in Canada is not exactly exciting. I hope you guys have good weather and an enjoyable winter season! I’ll be shovelling my sidewalk and trying to keep positive.
I was born in the U.S, but my parents were Canadians who migrated to the U.S. in the late 1930’s. I have cousins on Vancouver Island and in Manitoba, and have recently been wishing I could join them for the same reluctance you present for travel in the U.S.. I have no confidence that the U.S will continue to be the democracy we thought we were pursuing.
One of my many hopes has been that the economic impacts of reduced tourist travel to the U.S. would be part of the impacts that might begin to change course for this administration. If not rewarding the U.S. economy with tourist travel is part of your reluctance to travel to the southwest this year I understand and strongly support your decision.
What I’ve learned in the last two decades is that for us the Civil War never ended and this country is at least as racist as it ever was – more so if you add Hispanics and Muslims. All this is by way of saying that if you are “free, white and 21” (a racist saying from my teenage years), it is unlikely that during travel to the southwest U.S. you will experience anything different than in the past.
I’ll be watching your posts and those of Anne McKinnell regardless.