To New Adventures - Travel + Photos

[Morgan Weafer]

Welcome to this thread. I will be chronicling my adventures here.
Tales from the beginning, to my most recent travels.
Along with other stories in between. Please enjoy.

The Eagle has Landed.
​

The year is 2013 and I am in need of a new car. Previously over the summer, my Chevrolet Cavalier sustained tremendous hail damage during a freak storm in July. In the aftermath, my little commuter had been written off by my insurance leaving me with a cheque and a new mission. With the help of my father, we set to work one evening scouring the internet for a suitable replacement. At this point in time, my experience with cars was very novice and this made the selection process fairly cut and dry. Find something within budget and that's roadworthy, simple enough. While surfing the net my father presented me with several candidates. Most seemed to fit my criteria but with the winter season on approach, one thing was missing. Four-wheel drive. Now with that in the search, we continued. My father discovered an advert for a 1981 AMC Eagle Limited in Saskatoon, SK. The 80's station wagon was inside my budget, appeared to be in good shape, and of course, it had four-wheel drive. We contacted the seller and set up a date to look at the car. Several days later we were on the road with a trailer in tow. Arriving in the bridge city, we met with the sellers. The owner of this AMC had recently been placed in a care home and his daughters were selling off his estate, piece by piece. After exchanging some information I hoped inside the wagon for a closer look. I immediately took in the rich leather and plush carpet, Groovy. I received the keys and turned over the ignition. The straight-six roared to life, nice. After a few more minutes, my mind was made. I managed to negotiate a healthy discount off the initial asking price and the car was mine. This is the evening I become the proud owner of my 1981 AMC Eagle Limited. We loaded up my new wagon onto the trailer, made a pit stop at Pizza Hut, and sailed off down the highway. Returning home with what would change my relationship with cars from appliance to passion. ​

​

"Lashing down the bird for transit."



"Natural Habitat"



"Under the Living Skies"



"The Mighty 258"
​

To Be Continued.​

 

[samuraj]

still waiting .....

 

[JohnIndenver]

Special ordered an 81 Jeep Commando in 1981 with the AMC straight 6. Had a problem with valves right away and it was covered by the manufacturer. Had no further problems with the engine for many miles and years. I look forward to your posts.

 

[50 fiver]

Looks great so far, I am an AMC man myself, the 258 is a great engine. Looking forward to more posts.

 

[samuel642000]

Oh man, I'm pursuing an Eagle myself currently. For some reason I love those old cars. Look forward to seeing updates.

 

[Knickter]

I love those vintage cars, it doesn't get out of style.

 

[Morgan Weafer]

Wagon Years.​

After I brought the Eagle home, I drove it to a garage for a tune-up and new tires. With minimal known-how on my part and basic maintenance completed by the shop, the Eagle soldiered on nearly a full year without complaint. The car faced hundreds of kilometres of dusty backroads, snow-encrusted highways, and muddy goat trails. Yet this American Eagle thrived. Until it didn't. Arriving home in the afternoon from work in Manitoba, I was on my way to the local Canadian Tire for auto parts. Then before I could even back out of the drive, my wagon appeared to have had enough. I didn't have a reverse gear and not much of the three forward gears either. While the rest of the car wanted to live, the transmission did not. For a while, the Eagle sat in limbo. During that time I moved on to new jobs and even found myself distracted by other vehicles. This included a 1986 Jeep Wagoneer Limited I picked up from the SGI salvage yard. A 1991 Jeep Comanche Eliminator I landed by trading the owner an iPad mini. At the time I found myself amassing an interesting collection of old AMC Jeeps. My parents were not soon keen on the used car dealership that had cropped up. But as a sprouting gear-head, I was thrilled to have my own collection to tinker with. Eventually, I had moved on from the XJ and MJ. Not really making progress in getting them roadworthy I made room for more vehicles. Enter the 1986 Plymouth Voyager SE. To date, this Chrysler mini has to one of the most reliable and efficient vehicles I have ever owned. I've always had a thing for boxier designs and this Voyager was perfect. With less than 150,000 original kilometres, no rust, clean interior, remote starter, and with a price tag of $700 CDN. This mini-van was certainly a win. It was a simple vehicle that I drove for the better part of a year. Also during the voyager era, I had also acquired a 1984 Jeep Wagoneer Custom to fuel my yearning for four-wheel drive. At this point, I had a stable of three and my new landlord was not impressed. With working away and the prairie winter on approach. Once more I proceed to thin the herd. Dropping the Wagoneer and Voyager in favour of a 1986 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer. This latest Jeep has to be the less reliable yet comical vehicle I have ever owned. 1986 was the year AMC introduced fuel injection to some of their Jeep vehicles. This Cherokee had a TBI but the fuel pump wasn't priming the fuel system. The previous owner installed a primer pump into the dashboard that was connected to a small Nalgene bottle. So when you wanted to start the engine, you primed the intake with a shot of gasoline from this bottle, and after a few tries, it might start (apologies, I no longer have photos of this Jeep or this setup but trust me it was an ingenious workaround for a modern car). This Cherokee Pioneer had several desirable qualities including; Shift-on-the-fly 4WD, 5-speed gearbox, a red interior with matching plaid upholstery and it was a two-door to boot. However, none of those traits could win against the hidden rust I had soon discovered along with the questionable fuel delivery. I was soon hunting for a replacement. I soon came across a listing for a 1999 Jeep Cherokee Classic. It was equipped with everything you could want as an off-road wheeling weekend warrior. With the Cherokee Pioneer out of the picture and the new to me Classic front and centre, I was riding pretty high (figuratively and literally). Eventually, I moved again and found new work. Also bringing the Eagle back from retirement, having the transmission sorted.

"Wagon Collective"



"Prairie Grandeur"



"A gone but not forgotten Voyager"



"Winter Weekend Warrior"



"Across the flatlands"​

It's one thing to own and drive a car as a means of getting around. But as an enthusiast, it can be so much more. It creates a dialogue with people who might not normally interact with them. It invites you into communities that are full of people who share the same passion and opens yourself up to new ideas and experiences. The same can be said for travellers. Venturing off to new lands, taking in foreign sights and sound, and doing it all from the seat of your trusty (or rusty) companion is what feeds the soul. It's whats livings all about.

"Dare To Be Different"​

To Be Continued.​

 

[Morgan Weafer]

still waiting .....

Thank you for your patience.

Had a problem with valves right away and it was covered by the manufacturer. Had no further problems with the engine for many miles and years. I look forward to your posts.

AMC's inline engines are simple by design but that's what makes worthy and reliable. Hope to have more posts coming soon.

Looks great so far, I am an AMC man myself, the 258 is a great engine. Looking forward to more posts.

Thank you. AMC had such a fascinating run. They worked hard against all odds to produce some of the world's most iconic vehicles and significant contributions in the automotive landscape during their era and beyond.

Oh man, I'm pursuing an Eagle myself currently. For some reason, I love those old cars. Look forward to seeing updates.

Thank you. The Eagle lends itself well to adventure and travel.

I love those vintage cars, it doesn't get out of style.

They certainly don't. One could argue their popularity is now slowly rising.

 

[Morgan Weafer]

Beached Day.​

During the summer of 2015, my Uncle and Aunt invited me up to their home in Saskatoon for the weekend. They sent two of my cousins away through a summer exchange program and in their place were these two francophone girls. We exchanged cultures as we discussed over one of the greatest bonding experiences one can have with family and friends; Monopoly. The next morning we packed up coolers, chairs and prepared for a day at the beach. We were headed to Lake Diefenbaker, 140 kilometres south of the Bridge City. You couldn't ask for better weather. We were coming up on the visitor center so I drove my Cherokee towards the beach while my Uncle headed over towards the boat launch with his Dodge Ram and trailing vessel. Having a high clearance 4WD can be advantageous but sometimes it can get you into trouble. I how I would discover that last part later. I had set my sights on the perfect place to set up our sandy hangout for the day. With the Jeep in 4Lo I trundled down the beach until I found a large area that would accommodate our group. After staking claim to the area I circled back to help lead in friends of my Aunt and Uncles to our site. These people had arrived in a GMC Arcadian, a wide, AWD crossover SUV and were intent on following me to the water's edge. Off we went. No sooner had we arrive when trouble appeared.

"The perfect spot"​

We had reached the beach but we're not leaving any time soon. The GMC with its all-season tires dug right into the soft sand and clay. No problem, as a Jeep owner I was prepared for this. I had a recovery gear and was already getting to work on freeing the Arcadian. I hopped back into my Jeep and proceed to turn around to line up with the other vehicle. As I was attempting this maneuver, I soon found myself loosing against the soft terrain. Physics has ousted another vehicle, my Cherokee too was beached. Upon launching his boat and finding our party on the shoreline, my Uncle arrived on the scene and surmised we enjoy the water and the weather and sort this mess out later. While everyone else headed out onto the open water, I worked frantically to free my Jeep. The beach we found ourselves on was comprised of just a few centimeters of sand and the rest wet, muddy clay. Not having a winch or recovery boards, I attempted to create traction with whatever raw materials I could gather including large stones and tree branches. After I thought I had enough material I lined the hole I dug in front of the wheels. Then I tried to rock the Jeep out of the muck. This was a fruitless effort, in fact, I actually dug myself further in. The sand and clay were soon up to the body of the Jeep. I relinquished myself to the situation and decided to try and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. However, before I could do so my Uncle brought everyone back to shore and decided he would try his hand at rescuing our beached duo. So he brought over his pickup truck and before anything might be actually accomplished, he had his pickup truck stranded as well. The day wasn't getting any longer so as a group we decided to call for a tow truck before night hit. The nearest truck was over an hour away so we waited patiently for our savior to arrive. While we waited, we were greeted by some onlookers. These people happened to be the area's conversation officers. They had come to explain that we had actually trespassed on protected habitat and would be fined for doing such. Everyone as you can manged was thrilled by this especially because the officers gave fines to each owner of the three vehicles stranded. While that was happening a medium-duty tow truck arrived on the scene. The operator surveyed the situation and positioned his truck on the highest ground and proceed to winch out each vehicle. He had all three out in less than 20 minutes which was a relief however the cost of this rescue was not. In total, the bill as you might imagine for a multi-vehicle tow that took place far away from most services was several hundreds of dollars. My stomach turned at this and I imagine yours would too if you were faced with unexpected costs worth a set of new tires. But as I was preparing my card for the inevitable financial hit my Uncle stepped in and told me not to worry about this one. I was flabbergasted but also filled with gratitude for this act of generosity. At the time I was petrified my Aunt and Uncle wouldn't talk to me after this one but it's one of those memories you think back on and laugh.

"Calamity at Lake Diefenbaker"
​

To Be Continued.​

 

[Morgan Weafer]

Nothing but Trouble.​

In 2015 I found myself working civil construction and moving to the small town of Pilot Butte. This year was full of many things but the short of it was I was the new owner of a 1990 Volkswagen Jetta TD. With my new german steed, I was headed for the west coast of Canada and the United States. The months before my departure, I dived headfirst to learn how the car worked. Everything I could afford was addressed. From new exhaust and headlights. To bushings, struts and tires. I left with a full load including skiing equipment, a full set of tools, extra warm gear and spare fuel. This was before I learned to maintain a healthy weight budget and live more minimally. I was en route from Regina, SK to Vancouver, BC. I was off to visit family and ski through Kootenays on the way home. As I ventured further away from the queen city. I noticed my first issue with my car. I was losing heat inside the cab. I didn't really bother with this as it was intermittent and I wasn't knowledgable on how to properly diagnose this problem. So I carried on to Revelstoke, BC making the mistake of trying to be frugal. My accommodations left much to be desired but I survived and continued straight into Vancouver. I caught up with my family and enjoyed a wonderful holiday with them. When I wasn't spending time with family I was leaning over the engine of the Jetta. The main grief it was giving me was a leaking head gasket and although that should have been a red flag I pushed south into Washington State. Arrived at my Uncles home in Bellingham, WA only to find myself once again battling with gremlins. This time the alternator gave up the ghost while driving downtown. Fortunately, because of the mechanical nature of the MK2 Jetta, I was able to drive back no problem minus being able to signal and such. So after exhausting my skills and not being very social, I went about finding a garage to help sort my car out. There were actually quite a few shops that specialize in Volkswagens so I was in luck. I made some repairs, replaced the alternator and even the head gasket seemed to mend itself. After a few more days I said goodbye to my family and started my trek back into British Columbia to link up with a friend and his family to ski. Along the way, the electrical gremlins returned and this time it was a bit more serious. I was stranded on the side of a mountain pass in the dead of winter with no heat, no power and no cell service. Things were definitely to looking quite grim. I was alone. There wasn't any traffic for several hours while I attempted to make repairs in subzero temperatures. As the sun had set a truck rolled into the pullout where I was parked. At the wheel was an older couple pulling a trailer in their Dodge Ram pickup. They were experiencing their own vehicular calamity. Apparently their truck lost power while attempting the mountain incline. Was there some invisible force trapping people and their wheels in this unforgiving climate? The man reckoned it was a failed map sensor on the engine that was causing it to die. After concluding this, the man assisted me in restoring power back to my own car. With the wiring complete and our hands frozen, the Jetta's turbocharger whistled to life. I wished the couple good luck and sailed off into the night. My goal was to reach Nelson, BC. On the way, the next wave of anxiety hit when a truck driving ahead had its rear tires explode out of seemingly nowhere. I followed the truck until it stopped and asked if the driver was alright. I received a vulgar reply and kept driving. What a night so far. As Nelson was coming into view my phone started going mad with missed calls and text notifications. I pulled over to investigate and was soon on the phone with my father. Apparently, while I was stranded and out of service, my friend's family contacted the local RCMP and dispatched a tow truck to where I was last marooned which I was now on the hook for. I then got back on the road and arrived in snowy Nelson as midnight had passed.

"Beautiful but Deadly"​

I was greeted with hugs, food and laughter as I sat down and explained my misadventure. The following day I was out skiing at White Water Ski Resort and the next I was bedridden with the flu. By the time I was on the mend, it was time to head back to the prairies. We set out as a convoy with my friend leading with his MK4 Jetta. We made it into the crow's nest pass and stopped to refuel in Sparwood, BC. After leaving with a full tank, trouble was back. The low coolant warning had triggered and when I pulled over and inspected the reservoir, it was nearly empty. Oddly there was nothing to be found below the engine. I topped up the coolant and got back on the highway. Five minutes later I was on the side of the road once more. The Jetta's turbo-diesel heart appeared to sipping back the coolant and demanding more. My friend circled back and we decided to leave my car behind at the British Columbia-Alberta border with a plan to extract it on a later date. So I grabbed my essential and squeezed into the back seat of the MK4 Jetta and head east on down the highway. Hours later, the lights of Regina, SK lay in the distance. I wasn't far away now but my problems were far from over. After getting home, I contacted the RCMP to alert them of my vehicle status so they would be less inclined to remove it from its resting place. A month later I was on my way back to BC with a van, a trailer and a friend who joined me on my quest to bring home the Jetta. It took two days to reach the border where my car lay. Upon reaching our destination I found the Jetta frozen solid. After several attempts, I was able to coax the glow plugs into starting the engine. I drove the car onto the trailer, tied it down and set off for the prairies once more. We returned home with my rescue mission a success. The Jetta now back home I sent it over to a garage to sort out the coolant issue. As it turns out the head gasket was no longer fulfilling its job because the cylinder head was warped. At 450,000 Kilometers it was more than deserving of some attention. So with the cylinder head, reconditions and a new head gasket installed the Jetta has a new lease on life. However, by this time, I wanted to get away from the learning curve that was a 1990 Volkwagen Jetta TD. I wanted to have new experiences that weren't on the side of the road. So I sold the Jetta, then a couple of months later I sold my 1999 Jeep Cherokee Classic as well. I learned a great deal from my time with those cars but I wanted something different. A new era was on the horizon. One that was heralded with reliability, napa leather, credit scores and bi-weekly payments.

To Be Continued. ​

 

[Morgan Weafer]

Hello Expedition Portal. Hope you've been well. Apologizes, I've been delinquent with updating this thread. With work, holidays and the general disorder the world is in. It's taken a back seat. A lot has happened. When I started this thread, I had hoped to share photos and their stories in chronological order. However at the moment, that isn't very exciting. So I want to fast forward and bring the audience up to speed. But also keeping in mind, as I continue the process of organizing myself. I will share past adventures from over the last few years.



Dusk over the Albertan prairies

Today provided a good opportunity to perform a shake down drive. Over the last few weeks my Jeep Renegade has received new modifications, parts and maintenance. It's all in an effort to dial in the vehicle for an overland trip in the Canadian arctic territories and state of Alaska. Fresh tires and suspension, including Bilstein B6 struts. I began in Waiparous following HWY 40 north to Caroline.

North bound passing Burnstick Lake, AB

Looking out to the west at the Canadian Rockies

Viewpoint inside Ghost Wilderness Area in Alberta

Onboard air compressor system installed by The Gear Shop, photo provided by Richard

Fresh pizza thanks to Burger Baron in Caroline, AB​

 

[Morgan Weafer]

Today I returned to Saskatchewan. It's a chance to reconnect with family. I also took the opportunity to resupply from my storage unit. Selecting gear better suited to lower temperatures. Such as a winter sleeping bag. But along the way, managed a few photos. The winds across the Canadian prairies were brutal. The upside of travelling in such conditions was achieving an average of 26 MPG. Beauty.




Good morning Alberta

Returning home to a blustery Saskatchewan

It really was windy, I swear

Reed Lake Bird Tower outside of Morse, SK​

 

[Morgan Weafer]

Despite the cold snap the west has been experiencing. I decided to peel myself from the couch and get out into the backcountry. There is much to uncover if you are keen to explore. One particular trove of interest would be the Massold Clay Canyons.

Sadly no site tour today

Fun Fact: Fire brinks were produced here and found their way to Cape Canaveral, FL for NASA's rocket launchpads

More than just bricks and mortar

Elevate your perspective

An endearing sight in the midst of formidable conditions

Rambling down rural roads in Saskatchewan

A toppled grain bin is the victim of heavy winds that face little to no resistance on the open prairie.

It's a bit brisk​

 

[Morgan Weafer]

As the entirety of the prairies is now under an extreme cold warning. I will openly admit to scheming my way to warmer weather. Now when romanizing for the ideal retreat. Arizona would satisfy that itch. It's within driving distance and with plenty of beautiful public land it would be easy to keep my distance. However escaping to the American desert is off the table. The option to drive overland remains unavailable. I certainly miss my family and friends who are stateside. But with the border remaining closed to non-essential travel. The chance of an international crossing continues to be a daily fantasy. Looking back north towards Canada, there is one region that holds promise for above zero temperatures. Vancouver Island, British Columbia.


Lovely weather we're having



A grotty structure snowbound in Saskatchewan



Scouting the area for possible subjects​

 

[Morgan Weafer]

Man, that wagon looks pretty sweet!!!

Thank you! I take it you're referring to my AMC?