The journey

I have 'finished' building the Carabane. Of course, there are always little things to improve, but it has started its journey in the world. 

Getting a license plate was a bit complicated. I hired movers to help me bring it in for its first inspection, and it didn't pass. It created quite a stir at the vehicle inspection bureau- the movers and I sat calmly drinking coffee at my kitchen table while the inspectors all curiously peered in at us!

After that, I had to do some minor changes- putting protections on the metal edges, getting it looked over by a certified mechanic, and moving the axles because the weight distribution was too far forward :

 

Finally, in September, it was all certified and ready to go. I stayed a couple months at a campsite right at the lakeside, which has an amazing view.

But that campground closed for the winter, so I've moved to another one tucked away in the forest. I've been recording the interior and exterior temperatures every morning, so I can judge how much energy I use for heating. This past week it's been between 2 and 5 degrees outside in the morning, with frost on the ground, and I keep the inside temperature between 18 and 20 with my gas heater. It's cosy. The fan on the heater makes a bit of noise but it's not on all the time. I'm glad I chose a heater with a thermostat and automatic regulation. A wood stove would have been nice but it creates too much heat over too little time, and I don't want to get up in the middle of the night to put another log on. 

I'm on my second 10.5kg bottle of propane since the gas installation in April. Not too bad- especially considering I cook with propane as well.