My last post was rather dismal in sharing bad news that Ram, Ford, Nissan, and Mercedes are discontinuing the manufacturing & sales of micro cargo vans; specifically the smaller Ram Promaster City, Ford Transit Connect, Nissan NV200 and Mercedes Metris gasoline models. Ram Promaster City vans are currently being replaced with electric Fiat Doblo versionsContinue reading “Micro Van Camper Builder Cascade finds creative ways to remain profitable!”
Category Archives: #van life
2021 Mercedes Metris Camper Van
I saw an online ad for a 2021 Mercedes Metris camper van with pop-top for $90K USD. Now that’s almost what I paid for a two bedroom condo in Ohio 4 years ago. Add sales tax & registration fees and the Metris camper van will cost $95K or higher off the sales lot. Why wouldContinue reading “2021 Mercedes Metris Camper Van”
Free Parking (“Squatting”)
One big advantage of driving a micro camper van is the ease of obtaining free parking. As I mentioned in my #1 Tip for Out-of-state camping vehicles video…a washed, clean van will blend in better than a dirty one with out-of-state plates. Due to employee shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic, a cost savings advantage tookContinue reading “Free Parking (“Squatting”)”
Has full-time #vanlife begun to dwindle in North America?
Photo taken by Gary Goldsmith. Rear view of his Cascade camper van, build #77, named “Chitty Bang Bang”. A year ago in 2020, Americans hit the road in record breaking numbers. #Vanlife, #rvlife quickly became popular Twitter & Instagram hashtags. Customized vans were leaving conversion companies in a flurry of unprecedented sales. With the COVID-19Continue reading “Has full-time #vanlife begun to dwindle in North America?”
Cross-country road trips could be detrimental to your mental, physical, & financial well-being!
Dedicated to all newbie van lifers & nomads In memory of Gabby Petito experiencing full-time van life for two months, I found this informative YouTube video to help others avoid pitfalls on the road: https://youtu.be/OsL9Q-37TPE Vlogger Leslie Kalk & her husband spent months traveling together in their converted, Honda Odyssey camper van. Leslie’s YouTube videoContinue reading “Cross-country road trips could be detrimental to your mental, physical, & financial well-being!”
Toyota Sienna – only Hybrid AWD Minivan currently offered in the United States for 2021 & 2022…
With rapidly increasing gasoline prices, Toyota built & sold the first hybrid, all-wheel-drive (AWD) mini van in 2021. Toyota Sienna Hybrid front wheel drive gets 36 miles per gallon while the Hybrid AWD is close behind at 35 miles per gallon. These averages are not as good as the 85 mpg Chrysler Pacifica plug-in, hybridContinue reading “Toyota Sienna – only Hybrid AWD Minivan currently offered in the United States for 2021 & 2022…”
Gotta love the Canadian 🍁 camper van builders!
I mentioned in my first blog post that I’m approaching six decades of earthly living & over 50 years of accumulative, camping experiences. My parents bought our first Banner travel trailer in 1970 when my baby sister was two years old. I remember her soft skin getting attacked by mosquitoes. Her yelling: “Daddy…skitters bite me!”.Continue reading “Gotta love the Canadian 🍁 camper van builders!”
If you build it, they will come…
Quote made famous by Ray Kinsella (played by actor Kevin Costner) in the movie “Field of Dreams”. Anecdotal observations surrounding the Cascade Campers demand has proven this famous quote to be true. It means bringing to market a unique, affordable product or service before anyone else! IMHO, Cascade was the first to do so inContinue reading “If you build it, they will come…”
Watching videos & movies using a cell phone adapter connected to a 22” LG TV inside my van.
I’ve been thinking a lot about upcoming weekend trips in my Cascade camper van to remote locations with no WiFi or hot spots available. Let’s say I’m boon-docked overnight at a beach or safely parked at some Cracker Barrel restaurant off Interstate 40. How can I watch YouTube videos, Netflix movies, the next Chosen episodeContinue reading “Watching videos & movies using a cell phone adapter connected to a 22” LG TV inside my van.”
Rare black & red Cascade Camper Vans
One of the highlights of the first annual 2021 East Coast Cascade Camp Out was seeing black & red Promaster City camper vans for the first time in my life; up close & personal! This is no ordinary sighting. I just moved from a rural property near Folsom California which I sold in October 2020.Continue reading “Rare black & red Cascade Camper Vans”
Micro Van Life 