This week we celebrate two years with Clifford the Big Red Van, our Wayfarer Vans Ram Promaster Build. A lot of little things have changed, been added or modified since then. Last year I summarized all the changes we made in the first twelve months. There were not as many changes this past year, but the changes we did make were game changers.

Adding the Renogy 200ah house battery system has changed the way we travel with Clifford. We more than doubled the battery power compared our 1000 Watt Jackery Battery.

Now we have:

• Reading light with USB chagers built in
• Ceiling puck lights
• 12V “cigarette” jack to run the fridge
• Moved Maxx Air fan off the starter battery
• “Shore Power” hookup
• The Bug Wall for the slider door
• Slide out table under the bed
• Upper Bed Cabinet

Most of these upgrades were in preparation for the Rhodes Trip 2022. There isn’t much else I want to add/modify other than the often talked about Webasto Airtop Heater. Mia wants a better faucet for the kitchen area. There are a few ideas for that, I just need to figure out what will work best for our needs. Do I get a USB rechargeable model or a 12V model with an electric pump?

Today I made one small addition to Clifford. A fellow Wayfarian was selling a boot box so I went down to Albany, OR to pick it up this morning.

This should allow us to store some food and other items and keep them out of reach of Codi. Right now we play the game of moving everything up to the bed or on top of the kitchen area when we have to temporarily leave Codi in the car for whatever reason. Now having a solid box with a lid should keep his prying little nose (and mouth) away.

Trips

I’ve lost count of the number of nights we’ve now spent in the van. Obviously, the highlight of this year has been our month on the road. There were some weekend trips and plenty of day trips too.

There is a chance for one more trip up around the Olympic Peninsula before the end of 2022. I need to keep an eye on the weather, and we need to decide how cold is “too cold” for a two-night, three-day trip. I did recently pick up an electric blanket which should make things easier for us. Then I think we just dump a bunch of blankets on Codi since he sleeps on the floor when we are traveling.

It has been a good two years with Clifford. We’ve definitely camped more in the past two years compared to the previous 5-6 years. I also love being able to do bike rides from different locations and have a solid roof over my head after. I’ve shared cold drinks from the cooler after a long hot ride and I have even taken a nap after a brutal 4-hour mountain bike ride.

I look forward to year three. What can we accomplish in the next 12 months?

Thanks for reading,
-Pete