08/26/2026
Wednesday Special Post.
It's been a long time since I've done a mid-week post, and I really wish I could have done such under more favorable conditions but....
After several years of so very many rough, gravel roads, on this last summer trip of 2026, we discovered that our beloved RPod was falling victim to the very many nasty roads it had been hauled on and over. The really expensive part was that this trip had been delayed a bit due to the need to replace fridge in RPod (to the tune of $2000, and we'd already put in about $1500 worth of solar panels and related equipment, so to have to scrap the RPod meant a huge financial loss, not to mention the emotional loss, as that little trailer has taken us so far and to so many places most people don't ever get to.) The floor by kitchen table/fold down bed had become dangerously soft. As this area is near to sink, stove and prep area, and as such is a high traffic area, a too soft floor was not at all a good thing.
Unfortunately, the soft floor was not the only issue. Having recently traveled the Kettle Valley FSR (80km of very rough and nasty gravel roads until we reached Christian Valley area), we didn't really notice, nor check, exterior of trailer till we set up at Boundary Creek Prov. Park just out of Greenwood. As usual, I took set up pics, then heard Tom say, "well, that's not good." Well, s**t! No, it was not good at all. Apparently the inner aluminum? wall had started to slide down on passenger side of trailer. Initially, as usual for me, I was freaked out and just wanted to go straight home (unfortunately, due to wildfires, straight home meant taking a major detour via hwy 24). Next morning, we had both calmed down and, in Tom's words as to trailer, "it will fall apart or it won't." LOL! We continued on our intended travel plans and hoped the RPod would hold together long enough for our adventures, and still get us home. Long story short, it did!!! "The little RPod that could!"
Once home, due to lack of functional trailer and my necessary (but inconvenient) medical appointments, we ended up being stuck in nasty civilization for 3 weeks. And of course, those 3 weeks in town had the best summer weather! Anyway, after too long of a time in town for my liking, we found a trailer in nearby Vanderhoof that would meet our needs and was within our limited price range.
New to us trailer is 4 years older than RPod, 5 ft longer, and interior layout is more suitable for us. We drove the hour there to see it one day, back home, then drove the hour there next day to pick it up after purchase!
So...(ya, I get attatched to the strangest things for the strangest reasons), I...we...say a very fond farewell to our much beloved RPod, and offer a very happy welcome to our new "home away from home," our new-to us 22 1/2 ft Kingsport trailer. (And I must say, I am a bit wary of it's width and length as to driving purposes, even though I am only passenger) but oh hell, I am stupid happy to no longer have to worry about having to deal with a slide out!!!
