30 — Sunday, March 1, 1992 - North Shore News

Annual RV show is al

IT’S ABOUT time again for the yearly recreational vehicle
(RV) show at B.C. Place (Feb. 27 to March 1}.

NcCreadie

Even if you've no intention of
purchasing a motor home, the
show is always worth a visit.

When our kids were young it
was one of their favorite family
outings. Something about homes
on wheels appeals to kids. I sup-
pose the RVs are like glorified
play houses. .

This time last year we went to
the show with the intention of
purchasing a van conversion and
taking up camping in our propos-
ed semi-retirement. After ail, our
kids have grown up and we have
lots of freedom.

Really? If we’ve got any free
time on our hands [ haven't
noticed. I think the idea of very
early retirement scared Brian and
he’s busier than ever.

After the show, I made the
rounds of many of the dealerships
and test drove a number of van
conversions. Wonderful vehicles
— but not for me.

The conversion was supposed to
be used for running my errands as
‘well as. for travel and I decided
right smartly that I didn’t need to
be blundering around trying to
parallel park my second home on

. _’ Lonsdale.

One of the hopes I had for the
_ vehicle was improved visibility. A
short woman doesn’t see a lot of
the road from a compact car. Un-
fortunately, van conversions don’t
offer much visibility to a
“Smurf’’ in the driver’s seat.
’ Instead of windows, the walls
of the van conversion are furnish-
ed with cabinets, microwaves and
toilet cubicles. The driver must re-
ly heavily on mirrors. [ don’t trust
the one in my bedroom, let alone
one to guide me through three
lanes of traffic.

Still, I. knew that’ somewhere
there was the perfect vehicle for
me. One that would let me sit
“tall in the saddle.’’ 1 didn’t want
to be Queen of the Road but just
to see what’s bearing down on me
at intersections would be comfor-
ting. . .

Then I foundit..
One test drive of a Chevy Astra
Van and I was hooked. Its high

al seats and low windows gave me

visibility like nevér before. The
‘two bench seats can. seat six but
can also be yanked out if we
should decide to camp.

If we like, we can do as our
neighbors have done with their
van and ‘‘Pullmanize’’ it. They
have built a slide-in unit ‘that
provides sleeping and storage for
camping trips.

We’ve taken my van on two ©

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‘Departs Oct. 19/92
New York, San Juan

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optional 2 night hotel
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TRAVELWISE

short trips and we love it.

We can see things from up there
that we never glimpsed from a
car. Riding in a van is like cruis-
ing down the road in your living
room. One drawback — Brian
likes it better than his Thunder-

bird so guess which vehicle he.

drives on weekends?

Yes, I do have some com-
piaints. :

The gear shift is flimsy. In
heavy rain, the back window gets
wet and there’s no wiper to clear
it. The hazard lights are hopeless
for my long fingernails. The foot
room on the front passenger side
is limited. These are small things
compared to seeing the world
from the top.

Ous daughters were convinced
i'd never buy it. Or, if 1 did, I'd
never drive it. Wrong on both
counts.

But, just in case I get too smug,
my oldest daughter said, ‘‘Mom,
there’s only one thing scarier than
a kid in a red Camaro — it’s you
in that van!”’

As my friend Barry, from York,
would say, ‘‘Pizzorf.’’

If my mail and calls from
readers are any indication, high-
way travel is definitely booming.
I’m sure it has a lot to do with the
economy, although I'll guarantee
you'll spend as much — if not
more — on a road trip.

However, if you’re running low ©

GREECE
Classical Odyssey
17 days

trom con°ZO09 Porvar |

inclusive of airfare from
Vancouver
4 days Greek Island
Cruising
7 days in Rhodes
3 days in Athens

i Valid from May 3 to Oct 11 &

Seattle to
MAUI

Non-Stop
6 nights

A tromus. *39S prise i

Airiare, Car Rental &

on cash you have the option of
Motel 6 and Big Macs. And, you
can always come home early.

For us, the biggest pleasure in
motoring is taking the secondary
roads and exploring. We use the
main highways only if necessary
or we’re convinced that nothing
worth seeing is offside.

I used to dread travelling on
back roads. Slow traffic made
Brian frantic to pass and I'd sit
like a prisoner awaiting the chair.

If you haven't tried some of the
secondary roads Iately, you'll be
amazed at the improvement. More
than anything else, the number of
passing lanes has increased
dramatically. Better -yet, they
aren’t a secret! Signs are posted
warning slow vehicles to be
prepared to pull over and calming
the road runners.

If you're interested in doing
some secondary road travel, here
are a few things we've learned:
© Get the newest maps available.
Carry a highlighting pen in a
bright color to mark in your
route. _

e@ Accommedation may be
limited. Before taking off, get a
good guide to facilities and if nec-
essary, phone ahead to be sure the
place still exists and there’s room
for you.

@ Food stops can be. chancey.
Rather than a burger in a dubious
greasy-spoon, a picnic from a
cooler is far better.

@ Stop often and chat with the
people you meet. You'll hear
about local things no guidebook
can tell you — fairs, temporary

‘exhibits, natural wonders — ‘The

whole side of the hill collapsed,

_you gotta see it’? — concerts,
good restaurants, museums and -

who knows what?

@ Read-‘up on the history of the
area. Old forts, ghost towns and
relics exist everywhere and many
of them aren’t made into tourist
traps. They have much more

meaning when you find them
yourself and know the history.

@ Phone the Automobile
Association for tips. Last summer
we took a short trip to the Interi-
or and returned over the North
Cascades. I called the B.C.
Automobile Association before we
left and got great advice from
someone who had just travelled
the route. He pointed out places
to stop and explained the road in
detail. I’m not guaranteeing you'll
always be so lucky, but give it a
try.

@ Stop a lot and take a camera.
Don’t just click up the scenery but

ways worth a Visit

get peopie in your pictures. Keep
a list of the location of the shots
you film. Do not show any pic-
tures to any guests you like. Save
them for the ones you hope wili
depart quickly.

@ Keep a laundry bag in your car
so that you can stop any time you
find a laundromat. Keep plenty of
change on hand.

@ Allow yourself more time than
you think you’ need. But there’s
a catch to that! On one trip we
allowed ourselves too much time.
We ended up staying the night in
Bellingham so-as not to disturb
our house-sitter,

TRAFALGAR
TOURS —
PRESENTS =
EUROPE & SRITAIN

Join us for up-to-date. tour information and-specials.

When:

Where: Woodward's

March 5, 1992 ~ 6:30 p.m. oe

Northwood Room Restaurant
725 Park Royal North —

$7.00

Includes: Fish & Chip Dinner, film, brochures, door

prizes and much more!!

R.S.V.P. (ey March 4, 1992) 922-6111

Helen Davidson

lo Mckennon

Eva Swartz

Sonia Mariotto

Doniel Zowtuk

Midge Belinke

Congratulations to Manager Shamin Shariff and the staff of Marlin: Travel - Park Royal for
winning the December “Best Sales Team of the Month” Award for British Columbia. Whatever
your travel requirements, be sure to call Shamin and her team of travel experts at 922-9301.

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