Travel Equipement

Yes I'm driving the whole way, is my lovely 1999.5 VW Golf MK4 ALH starting odometer just 524,045km.  A/C does not work windows do, matter of fact the A/C has never worked even after several attempts to fix it. The car is set-up with safety in mind so raised Shine RSS suspension, large skid plate under engine area up-graded brakes.  Also I'm taking along a bunch suspension, wheel parts and tire repair kit, hope nothing happens but during the last three trips there were costly events both in time lost and money.  I view my car as the tool that gets me to great places not a show or status item, hope to see 600,000 km's.

Camping, I have tenting stuff however I have removed my back seat and reclined the passenger seat fully allowing a bed inside the car.  I did this 2012 to enable a trip to Bella Coola and Tweedsmuir  Provincial park which is known for Grisly Bears and tent camping was not allowed. I'll post picture of the set-up.  It has turned out that sleeping in the car is so much better than the tent. It never rains, always flat, no bugs, very fast set-up and clean-up, more room than tent and greater sense of security.

Equipment list: 120 Gb MP3 player need tunes, Cell phone likely lots of holes in coverage, GPS NA loaded but still need maps, Canon Camera I will be shooting JPG I just don't have the time of computer capability to process RAW files on the road.  Propane stove although I prefer to cook on fire grill with foil. Friskars 36" splitting axe, best axe I have ever used and lifetime replacement good thing for someone breaks axes regularly, bad aim often hit the post. Bug gear, there are many bugs in the North, I have a picture of me by a fire in the James Bay area of Quebec with a cloud of black fries around my head. They were insane, I had 99% DEET on but black flies think they can get past the DEET if the drive bomb you even if you seem to smell really bad and your skin stings.  This time netted top with white zip tight paints both sprayed with Permethrin 5% you can buy this at a garden centre and mix and spray your clothing yourself, let dry and bugs should stay away.

Planning to leave Toronto around 3am July 9th, like to have a big driving day the first day out, like to get near or just past Thunder Bay.  At Thunder Bay is my

first direction decision, north on HWY 17 and face heavy traffic, lots of construction and OPP or drive HWY 11, less construction but pop into the USA for 50 km.  The problem here is the last time I went though customs here they tore my car apart and I have a NEXUS pass so this should not happen.  I could fill up on cheap fuel at least $0.30 litre less, distance about the same.