Thomas and I

 Thomas and I in Kauai in April of this year. 

Blog time and after another trip out of the country (Playa del Carmen Mexico) I am even more frustrated!  We welcomed our first child - a boy 9 months ago.  He's healthy, handsome, and above average in intelligence.  The words 'Thomas and I' come out of my mouth daily.  As in, 'Thomas and I are going on a fishing trip' and 'Thomas and I are going backcountry snowboarding'.  The wife thinks it's funny but I'm dead serious.  The big issue is having a 'base camp' for these excursions.  We've talked about getting a time share but the idea of having to sit through one of those miserable sales pitches turns my stomach.  Hotels - expensive and too many people plus if you are in a hotel you are surrounded by people.  I have a tent from L.L. Bean, I've got 20 years ago and it still rocks.  Goes to show that when you buy good quality it will last.
When I think of 'base camp' I'm really thinking MB Sprinter Van or Sportsmobile Custom.  I found a sick web site of guys/gals hooking these vehicles up:  http://www.outsidevan.com/vans.php worth checking out if you have a grip of money sitting around.
I grew up outside of Boston and spent my teens and college years in Maine.  I've logged some time in the woods to say the least.  One summer Jason and I hiked all 10 peaks greater than 4000' in Maine.  A group of us mountain biked every single day - rain, snow, and sun we were outside.  These are the things 'Thomas and I' are going to experience.  I would love the luxury of having a kickass base camp for us to come back to to cook up a warm meal - possibly a fresh catch.  Have a cold beer and a game a yahtzee.

If I am still 'working for the weekend' as Loverboy puts it I want to have the 'base camp' ready; so when I get out we are on the road to our next adventure!  Of course part of any great adventure includes the going to and coming back from.  How better than in a MB Sprinter Van or another sick converted panel van.  Safe, reliable, and if diesel maybe convert it to run on veggie oil.

So traveling Paris, Salvador Bahia, Amsterdam, Belo Horizonte, Cancun, and London I saw so many sweet vans.  The selection was endless and I just couldn't understand why almost none of these rigs were/are available in the US.  Here are some pics of what we are missing out on - so give VW, Fiat, and Ford a call to bring these vehicles here. http://www.fiat.com.br/monte-seu-carro/  or http://www.vw.com.mx/es/models/crafter/galeria.html or http://www.mbsprinterusa.com/. 

Look up the Ford Transit and the VW Nuevo Crafter both out of Mexico.  Then check out the Doblo Adventure and Ducato Passageiro and Ducato Mulit by Fiat in Brasil.  






I really want a van and if everyone in the great State of California sent me $1 I could afford one along with the insurance for a few years.  Here's a pick of me and a couple of friends on our pilgrimage to Tuckerman's Ravine.  Would have been nice to get there a night early and sleep in the 'base camp'. 

Here's one from our trip to Sequoia NP - would have been great to have a 'base camp'. 

Here's one from the backside of Wonder lake in Denali NP.  http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/campground-wonder.htm.  would have been great to have a 'base camp' but it wouldn't really matter because this place is beautiful even in a tent. 

I have a Subaru WRX sportswagon and I love it.  I have a roof rack with a box to hold a ton of gear.  I fit just about everything important to me in and on that vehicle when I moved out west.  But there comes a time to move on and grow.  That time is coming soon and with an eager young man ready to buy his dream car - mine the timing is perfect.  Just want to hold out another year or so with the hopes more van options find their way to the US.  There are so many great vehicles out there that I wouldn't want to settle.  Plus in a few years there will also be a better secondary market of these.  It's hard to be an early adopter when you don't have the money to do it. 

bscottkelley is everywhere including instagram, twitter, facebook, myspace, linkedin, and right here.

Lastly - I live in the greater LA area, recently moved up here from the OC.  The Toyota Prius is the best selling car in the state but why does everyone that owns one feels the need to speed.  Off red lights, stop signs, the freeway, and side streets - they are drive so fast.  Is it because it would be impossible to know which one of the millions on the road was speeding?  Please slow down you're not impressing anyone and what's up with getting these tricked out with rims?  It's a prius for crying out loud you bought it to impress your friends and save the Earth so stop with the nonsense. 

More to come from Thomas and I....

Love You Luiza :-)