Westfalia cookware

Today's second purchase involves cookware for my Westfalia kitchen. I love to cook. My transition to vegetarianism at age 16 was not popular with my family, so it was then that I began to prepare my own meals. I tend towards raw food habits during the summer, but come colder months I usually start craving homemade soups and start using the stove again. I chose Mountain Safety Research's Alpine Guide Cookset for starters. It's a nesting set of lightweight stainless steel; I refuse to cook with aluminum or Teflon. I already have MSR's Alpine bowl, which nicely nests with the cookware set. I also ordered a couple of compact stainless steel Coghlan's Deluxe Chowset utensil sets. I'm still debating drinkware. For now I've got a couple of stainless steel wine goblets on my Amazon wish list. A couple of Thermos mugs would be nice as well for hot beverages...

the poop sheet

So it's time to deal with the toilet issue. I'm guessing that when I'm full-time van-dwelling, I'll generally be close enough to a public restroom to handle my needs, but I'll rest better knowing I've got an on-board backup plan. After my usual round of online research, I've settled on the Hassock Portable Toilet by Reliance. It's basically a sturdy bucket with a toilet seat & a lid that has a built-in toilet paper compartment. The fancier holding-and-waste-tank models just seem like too much hassle at this point (though we'll see if I'm whistling the same tune after I've used "the bucket" for awhile). If I had more space, I'd install my composting toilet (saved from the family cabin when it was upgraded to indoor plumbing), but that thing's huge. I'm planning on lining the bucket with heavy-duty (doodie?) plastic bags for easier disposal of contents. If the lid doesn't keep the odors at bay, I'll try adding a bit of kitty litter or peat moss to the bucket. I'll be generally keeping the Westfalia Z-bed in the bed position rather than using it as a passenger seat, and the toilet will fit snugly underneath the edge of the bed, out of the way when not in use.

I don't know that I'd normally go into additional detail on the subject, but the question my friends seem to most commonly ask when I announce my van dwelling plans is, "Where will you go to the bathroom?!" Thankfully, I'm not a nighttime bathroom goer, but I am a night owl, and my "last call" for the toilet before retiring for the evening is often after public restrooms are readily available. When in wilderness areas, it's a non-issue... I grew up backpacking and am seasoned at finding the nearest bush. However, I'll likely be dividing my time between urban and wilderness settings, so I'm equipping the van with a pee bottle. I looked at the Lady J, a sort of "female urinal," but ended up going the DIY route and grabbed a wide-mouth plastic water bottle and wide-mouth plastic funnel at the thrift store. I keep them in a special box with my roll of t.p. and an extra plastic bag for used toilet paper. Did I enter the "too much info" zone?
By the way, for those who are interested in more info on the subject, there's a great book, with an environmentalist outlook, called The Humanure Handbook.

Olympian Wave 3 heater

I've spent a lot of time online the past few days researching options for heating the van's living space. I'm settling on the Olympian Wave 3 catalytic heater. According to listed product information and Vanagon online group message posts, it's silent, creates sufficient heat for the size of the space, and efficiently runs on propane (I can hook into the Westy's onboard propane tank). This heater also has the benefit of not emitting dangerous carbon monoxide like other propane-fueled heaters, though it does require a source of oxygen, so I'll remember to crack a window during use.

inline-4 Volkswagen engine

Last night, as part of my quest for a replacement engine for the oil-guzzling, smoke-billowing rotary engine in my van, I made a trek to Purdy on the Key Peninsula to look at an inline-4 engine that had been converted to fit a diesel Vanagon before the previous owner had overheated it. The current owner is selling the engine & parting out the van that it's sitting in. Paul & Hugh came along to lend their expertise, which far outstrips my own near-complete ignorance when it comes to auto mechanics. After checking the cylinders, Paul ascertained that the engine is decent, but we noticed that a hole had been cut in the body of the van to allow the engine to fit, and I'm not particularly interested in doing major surgery on my Westy.

The trip wasn't a complete loss, however, as I left with a flawless windshield, an interior panel for the sliding door (mine's missing), and an extra passenger door grab bar (I want to put one on the driver's side, so I don't continue to pull myself into the seat by the steering wheel). Paul also collected a large assortment of Vanagon odds and ends for his own ever-growing fleet of Volkswagens.