WE’VE GOT HIM!!

[Elly Swanson]

Well, our new Cali is sleeping soundly on our drive tonight. Picked him up in Liverpool this morning. Had a fabulous handover/takeover with Adam at Liverpool (the whole process with them has been brilliant). Everything was present and correct and we feel knowledgable and confident to get out as soon as we can.

Charlie (hubby) drove him home and me and Barnie(dog) followed in the car. Charlie’s cockerhoop and mega impressed. My turn tomorrow to take him for a bit of a run out.

No time for a first trip until next weekend when we’ll be visiting our favourite Peak District Village pub for dinner, sleepover in the car park and breakfast in the bikers’ (cycle and motor) cafe next door. Then to walk off all that food a nice trot down Lathkill Dale.

Just one night and a day, but will feel like we’ve been away for a week. Looking forward to the heater keeping us nice and cosy and hunkering down on the lower bed to sleep, like bugs in a rug.

I think I might just do a Braveheart style shout of “FREEDOM” all the way down Lathkill Dale. It’s been a long time since our last van died in October and we got our “wings clipped”.

 

[Amarillo]

Well, our new Cali is sleeping soundly on our drive tonight. Picked him up in Liverpool this morning. Had a fabulous handover/takeover with Adam at Liverpool (the whole process with them has been brilliant). Everything was present and correct and we feel knowledgable and confident to get out as soon as we can.

Charlie (hubby) drove him home and me and Barnie(dog) followed in the car. Charlie’s cockerhoop and mega impressed. My turn tomorrow to take him for a bit of a run out.

No time for a first trip until next weekend when we’ll be visiting our favourite Peak District Village pub for dinner, sleepover in the car park and breakfast in the bikers’ (cycle and motor) cafe next door. Then to walk off all that food a nice trot down Lathkill Dale.

Just one night and a day, but will feel like we’ve been away for a week. Looking forward to the heater keeping us nice and cosy and hunkering down on the lower bed to sleep, like bugs in a rug.

I think I might just do a Braveheart style shout of “FREEDOM” all the way down Lathkill Dale. It’s been a long time since our last van died in October and we got our “wings clipped”.

Brilliant.

Looking forward to see photos of your Cali's first night away from home.

 

[gvick]

Well done Ellie but let’s have some pics of the new Cali

 

[sapto]

Back on track! Great!
Happy camping!

 

[Hotel California]

Now finally time to start coocking in your Cali as it seemed that was all you could talk about until now.....

Serious now , great stuff and the real fun can begin .
It's soo exiting to be new owner of such a masterpiece !

 

[MarkVw2017]

Amazing news, we got ours Tuesday and had our first day out and family dining experience yesterday in Blackpool. AMAZING. I am sooo excited.

 

[WelshGas]

Well, our new Cali is sleeping soundly on our drive tonight. Picked him up in Liverpool this morning. Had a fabulous handover/takeover with Adam at Liverpool (the whole process with them has been brilliant). Everything was present and correct and we feel knowledgable and confident to get out as soon as we can.

Charlie (hubby) drove him home and me and Barnie(dog) followed in the car. Charlie’s cockerhoop and mega impressed. My turn tomorrow to take him for a bit of a run out.

No time for a first trip until next weekend when we’ll be visiting our favourite Peak District Village pub for dinner, sleepover in the car park and breakfast in the bikers’ (cycle and motor) cafe next door. Then to walk off all that food a nice trot down Lathkill Dale.

Just one night and a day, but will feel like we’ve been away for a week. Looking forward to the heater keeping us nice and cosy and hunkering down on the lower bed to sleep, like bugs in a rug.

I think I might just do a Braveheart style shout of “FREEDOM” all the way down Lathkill Dale. It’s been a long time since our last van died in October and we got our “wings clipped”.

No cooking?

 

[Elly Swanson]

No, not yet. Only time for an overnighter at the pub. Ha, ha.

Got a gas refill today though, will have to change the regulator to butane as it came set for propane. Nearest we’ll get to cooking this week is a cup of tea and bowl of water for a strip wash

 

[piglet]

Well, our new Cali is sleeping soundly on our drive tonight. Picked him up in Liverpool this morning. Had a fabulous handover/takeover with Adam at Liverpool (the whole process with them has been brilliant). Everything was present and correct and we feel knowledgable and confident to get out as soon as we can.

Charlie (hubby) drove him home and me and Barnie(dog) followed in the car. Charlie’s cockerhoop and mega impressed. My turn tomorrow to take him for a bit of a run out.

No time for a first trip until next weekend when we’ll be visiting our favourite Peak District Village pub for dinner, sleepover in the car park and breakfast in the bikers’ (cycle and motor) cafe next door. Then to walk off all that food a nice trot down Lathkill Dale.

Just one night and a day, but will feel like we’ve been away for a week. Looking forward to the heater keeping us nice and cosy and hunkering down on the lower bed to sleep, like bugs in a rug.

I think I might just do a Braveheart style shout of “FREEDOM” all the way down Lathkill Dale. It’s been a long time since our last van died in October and we got our “wings clipped”.

perfect- yeah we got ours from liverpool last weekend and adam was brilliant.
we've not had any sleeps in it yet but itching to do so.
Please let us know how your first sleep goes.
Have fun.

 

[motacyclist]

No, not yet. Only time for an overnighter at the pub. Ha, ha.

Got a gas refill today though, will have to change the regulator to butane as it came set for propane. Nearest we’ll get to cooking this week is a cup of tea and bowl of water for a strip wash

Congratulations on the new van!

Just wondering where the propane regulator came from? The Cali should come with one for Camping Gaz? Or is it not an Ocean?

 

[MattBW]

Fantastic, what an exciting time!

I still get joy whenever I drive my van even 3.5years later

 

[Elly Swanson]

Congratulations on the new van!

Just wondering where the propane regulator came from? The Cali should come with one for Camping Gaz? Or is it not an Ocean?

The fitted regulator was a propane one and there was a butane one in the compartment, so we have one of each, just need to swap over.

 

[motacyclist]

The fitted regulator was a propane one and there was a butane one in the compartment, so we have one of each, just need to swap over.

Oh, didn’t know you could get a propane bottle to fit in that compartment ....

 

[Elly Swanson]

Oh, didn’t know you could get a propane bottle to fit in that compartment ....

I don’t know. I just guessed it was propane because the loose regulator was marked “butan” and the one on the hose didn’t fit the 907 bottle. I’ll have time to investigate further on Wednesday, so will let you know.

 

[Elly Swanson]

Oh, didn’t know you could get a propane bottle to fit in that compartment ....

Just looked at this gas forum thread

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/gas-connections.2718/#post-24174

Perhaps the butan bit I have screws onto the one that’s fitted. I will have to see.

 

[WelshGas]

I don’t know. I just guessed it was propane because the loose regulator was marked “butan” and the one on the hose didn’t fit the 907 bottle. I’ll have time to investigate further on Wednesday, so will let you know.

Remember the gas fitting on the California comes in 2 pieces, a regulator and an adapter.

 

[sbmcd]

It would be great if you could use propane or at least a propane / butane mix for winter use, butane is very poor at below 2 deg. We get small camping gas cylinders that have the mix for winter use, think there is also an absorbent material inside to aid the transition from liquid to gas.

https://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/V/P...MIpJe3tMuS4AIV5p3tCh1iqQdwEAQYCiABEgIG1PD_BwE

 

[Elly Swanson]

Well, our new Cali is sleeping soundly on our drive tonight. Picked him up in Liverpool this morning. Had a fabulous handover/takeover with Adam at Liverpool (the whole process with them has been brilliant). Everything was present and correct and we feel knowledgable and confident to get out as soon as we can.

Charlie (hubby) drove him home and me and Barnie(dog) followed in the car. Charlie’s cockerhoop and mega impressed. My turn tomorrow to take him for a bit of a run out.

No time for a first trip until next weekend when we’ll be visiting our favourite Peak District Village pub for dinner, sleepover in the car park and breakfast in the bikers’ (cycle and motor) cafe next door. Then to walk off all that food a nice trot down Lathkill Dale.

Just one night and a day, but will feel like we’ve been away for a week. Looking forward to the heater keeping us nice and cosy and hunkering down on the lower bed to sleep, like bugs in a rug.

I think I might just do a Braveheart style shout of “FREEDOM” all the way down Lathkill Dale. It’s been a long time since our last van died in October and we got our “wings clipped”.

Didn’t get away after all this weekend for a couple of reasons.

First was, I didn’t have time in the week to figure out the logistics of travelling/camping with Barney the dog. He has very scratchy claws and I want to protect all the lovely shiny surfaces. His sleeping spot when camping will be the passenger seat facing front and pushed forward to the dash (he’s only little). Here’s a pic of him in the back of our old Toyota Hiace. He’ll travel clipped in to the seatbelt on the back seats, next to the “kitchen” unit and tops. When we leave him in the van he’ll be loose.

Second reason was Charlie, hubby, was thrown a work curve ball yesterday by a client he’s working with and really needs to work at home to get it sorted.

Anyway, not complaining as I went to IKEA last night and spent most of today round and about shopping for the Cali and planning what to order from the shop.

I love a conundrum and now there’s all the Cali-conundrums of where and how to store stuff and what can I make/craft for Tom the van.
I’m loving it, even though he’s just sitting on the drive he’s seeing plenty of action.

 

[Elly Swanson]

Remember the gas fitting on the California comes in 2 pieces, a regulator and an adapter.

View attachment 41042

Thanks for that. It’s easy when someone points you in the right direction. It was separate so assumed it was for another type. Gas bottle is installed now and first kettle boiled.

 

[sapto]

I love a conundrum and now there’s all the Cali-conundrums of where and how to store stuff and what can I make/craft for Tom the van.
I’m loving it, even though he’s just sitting on the drive he’s seeing plenty of action.

Nice to read how you get on with Tom and how lovely he‘s been treathed/you take care of everything
Hope you get away soon or just give it a go and do a overnight sleep in your drive.

 

[Wobble’s Mum]

I hope you get away soon.

I’ve been to Ikea a couple of times and come away with nothing as still figuring out how best to use the space.

I’d like to see how you get on with your hooks etc