Wander in the Western Woods

This trip was conceived as a combination honeymoon and Pacific Northwest woodworking tour. I solo'ed across Canada, over the mountains and wiggled my way down through Vancouver, Washington, and Oregon where I met up with my wife. Much of my time was spent visiting forests, tracking down ancient and massive trees, and visiting with woodworkers. I checked out the Inside Passage school, at which I would love to spend some weeks in the future. I also took a week long Japanese Joinery class at the Econest compound with Dale Brotherton; very grateful for that interaction.

From Oregon, my wife and I visited Redwoods, Yosemite, The Ancient Bristle Cones, and the Temple of the Sun and Moon, before exploring more of Colorado with our friends. It was a very rewarding trip and very much solidified my desire to become a full time woodworker/carpenter.

The Ford "Flop-Wagon"

I learned a lot of lessons during the building and execution of the Ford Flophouse Road Trip. Mainly that it is better to be super light, and super stealth when truck camping all over the country. For this go-round, we opted for a more bare-bones approach. A total of 4 sheets of plywood and a few 2x4s were used to construct a light-weight frame. All the parts were cut out with a CNC router and assembled puzzle style with screws. Finally a Tarp was stretched over the frame for weather-proofing. While cold at times, the area provided adequate shelter and ample storage.