Introducing Uncle Robert

 
     Knowing that what with her fused neck Marilyn would be more comfortable traveling in a higher top vehicle, when Mz Agnes—our trusty Ford PleasureWay Traverse poptop van—blew a head gasket in Boise on our way home from Alaska last summer, we were in the market for a hightop van. We were able to nurse Mz Agnes home adding only 12 gallons of water—she was a virtual steam engine—and we passed her on to a friend.

Mz Agnes at Lac La Hache, British Columbia, on our last trip in her in Summer 2019. Great van but nowhere to store our inflatable kayaks. 

     Our sights were on a 17-3/4-foot-long hightop Dodge Promaster. We researched various van conversion companies, and after a call to VanWorks out of Fort Collins, Colorado, we felt we had found our place. We liked their willingness to work with us and decided we needed to check them out. So on August 28, off we went via Frontier Airlines to Fort Collins, with an overnight first with friends in Arvada.
     With all of our experience traveling in our VW Westy, La Poderosa (the Powerful One); the MRV, a PleasureWay Excel we deemed too big after two trips; and Mz Agnes, we knew what we 

La Poderosa, Artist Point, Death Valley, 12/18 

wanted, and after three hours with Barry Biss, VanWorks' rather competent van coordinator, we arrived with a plan within our budget, subject to further additions. Then off to the local Dodge dealer where VanWorks had vans to choose from, and soon we were the owners of a tan utility delivery van, that is, a complete front cockpit but nothing in the back. 

Our new Dodge Promaster hightop van 

It was an empty delivery van, just awaiting conversion and kayaks. 

     Marilyn followed me in our rental Subaru as I drove our new toy back to VanWorks. We resolved a couple of issues, and Barry assured us he would do his best to have the van ready hopefully by Christmas. 

     Hooptedoodle (see side bar for definition) on Naming Our New Toy. The only rule was it had to be literary. The VW bus is named La Poderosa after Che Guevara's motorcycle. The Ford van was named Mz Agnes after the John D MacDonald character Travis McGee's Rolls Royce pickup. Then there was William Least Heat-Moon's Ford van Ghost Dancing and Steinbeck's camper Rocinante. Marilyn got the giggles when she came across Owl's Uncle Robert (see quilt square at top) from the House at Pooh Corner. And the name stuck.
     So, with dreams of Uncle Robert soon to be outfitted for new adventures, we headed to Marilyn's nieces in Longmont for a couple of days of family joy before flying home.
     Once home, we waited for the van to get in the conversion queue, and we began fine-tuning a few of our ideas.
     We needed a step to assist our climb to the 36-inch-high bed—before adding a mattress—and wanted the porta potti to go under it. After a few days of ruminating and drawing, we sent our design off to Barry. A few emails later, it was finalized. 

Doug's triple purpose porta potti design: porta potti enclosure also serves as step to bed; cupboard above for storage. 

     Once Uncle Robert had reached the head of the queue and his conversion was underway, VanWorks began sending pictures. Wow! Wow!! WOW!!!

Porta-potti cabinet. No bed yet.

Kitchen galley in progress.

Windows, bamboo ceiling and walls, LED lights installed.

     Then Barry said he could put a heater under the passenger seat, so we ordered that. We then realized that with her seat swiveled to the back, Marilyn's feet dangled above the floor. We needed a footrest, so off went more drawings.

Design for footrest for Marilyn's seat when swiveled to back.

      Barry sent three mock-ups to choose from. But before VanWorks finished the footrest, I found "the table" on YouTube and sent Barry changes to the step, which he gladly made. Did I say they were willing to work with us?

Marilyn's footrest with secret cubby inside. Note heater vent above.

     Come early October, I called to get an idea of where they were on completion. Robert, their amazing shop foreman, informed me it would be ready early in November. WHAT? Not Christmas? We quickly regrouped, decided that since pickup day was the week before Thanksgiving and we had family coming, I would do a solo flight to Colorado and drive it home. 

     I arrived to see our amazing design. Uncle Robert was perfect.

Doug meets Uncle Robert, along with an invisible Marilyn he has his arm around.

Bedroom with quilt Marilyn made.

Insulated window coverings. Bedside knickknack bags Marilyn made.

Our amazing kitchen with 52" butcher block counter. Two sets of four touch-activated LED lights in ceiling.

Kitchen sink/stove with fold-down glass top.

Fresh/gray water and propane storage under sink.

     Barry had said on the phone that he had a present for us, which I forgot until after getting inside, and there it was. I Facetimed Marilyn and showed her our completed toy and then the art work they had done on the fridge door: Uncle Robert's story from the quilt (see first photo). They even gave us a bottle of VanWorks wine. 

Uncle Robert's story is etched onto the refrigerator door.

     It was obvious that Barry and crew are not only artisans but proud of their work, for I did not find one thing that needed to be changed.   
     So after getting an overview of how the various things work—like I would remember, but I had the brochures—I was off to Longmont for dinner with Marilyn's wonderful nieces and their families. Later that night I drove to our friends' in Arvada, yet even though they had an extra bedroom I spent my first night in Uncle Robert. Must admit that I got little sleep, for I was so excited. 

     The following day, after taking our friends to the bus for their flight to the East Coast, I loaded up and headed toward home on I-70, about an hour ahead of the coming storm. Driving a new vehicle is one thing, but add major rain and snow as I hit the summit, 11,004 feet, and it was an experience. The van performed wonderfully.

Heading home on I-70 trying to stay ahead of the storm.

     When I got on I-15, I encountered a storm bringing more rain and major sidewinds. Being a VW bus driver, I expected the tall van to be hard to control in the wind, yet it held its track, and soon I was 

Driving through a major rain and wind storm on I-15.

in Cedar City, Utah. Exhausted and with rain still pouring down, I elected to find a motel for the night.

    The next day I was off for Mojave National Preserve and Uncle Robert’s first experience camping. After a comfortable night 

Mojave National Preserve: Uncle Robert's initiation to camping.

camped in a basic campsite, I headed for home to show Marilyn our new travel toy.  

Uncle Robert meets La Poderosa.

     But Uncle Robert wasn't done being converted just yet. Remember "the table"? It was time to put my design and engineering skills to work. I was determined to have Marilyn's table ready for our first trip in Uncle Robert, to Washington for Christmas.

First, PVC to hold the leg, and a block of wood for support.

Galvanized pipe leg in  PVC holder with wood mount covered by wonderful local upholsterer.

Friend George had the tools to help resize the bamboo table top Barry had given us.

TaDa! Marilyn's new table--she loves it and her footrest! 

     On our inaugural trip, we were comfortable and toasty warm in Uncle Robert under nippy temps. Marilyn absolutely loves being able to stand up in the kitchen all the time. And no one fell out of bed!

Uncle Robert, Port Townsend, WA, New Year's

Uncle Robert on our campsite on the water at Point Hudson Marina, Port Townsend.      

    Stay tuned for more as we intend to truly enjoy Uncle Robert on many meanderings to come.