Sol and Pepper
Our new homeAfter traveling for over 12 months in southern Europe with our faithful companion "Rolf", a Peugeot Boxer, it was clear that we needed to expand. We had looked at a number of motorhomes from various manufacturers. But none of the motorhomes met our expectations. To be honest, we didn't have the nerve, the time or the know-how to convert a van ourselves. Even if it would have been a nice idea, of course. Maybe we'll do it again one day.
At this point in time, it was important to us to have a comfortable sleeping situation, i.e. four fixed sleeping places without the hassle of rearranging, a separate children's room with a door for Solly, our 1.5-year-old son, and a fixed sleeping place for Pepper, our Great Dane mix. Why? Because these non-existent conditions drove up our stress levels on the trip. After a lot of searching and research, we finally came across the motorhome manufacturer Ahorn Camp. A family business that has been making the hearts of travel enthusiasts beat faster for over 30 years. In addition to panel vans, Ahorn also sells and rents out motorhomes. One of these is the "Ahorn Camp Canada AE" model for the 2020 season. A motorhome that not only met our visual expectations, but also fulfilled all the criteria. So there it was: our new home on four wheels.
In the following, we will go into detail about the layout of our new home so that you can get a perfect impression of our motorhome.
Please read our blog article on this topic: On the road with the motorhome for the first time
Solly's nursery
Let's start in the rear area of the motorhome. The sleeping area has two single beds (80x200cm), a large mirror behind which Julie's closet is located, as well as a separate shower and a WC. The single beds can be connected with a slatted frame and an additional mattress to create another sleeping area. To prevent Solly from falling out of bed, we have fitted a safety rail with two brackets. There are large compartments above and below the beds to provide enough storage space to stow everything safely during the journey. We have stowed Solly's clothes and toys in the top cupboards. Jackets, shoes and our yoga mat are stored in the cupboards under the bed. Pepper has also been given her own area. This is located directly under Solly's bed. A little dog cave, just for Pepper. She can retreat here and is safe during the journey. To make it easier for her to get in and out, we have unscrewed the door for her. The space is very spacious and would certainly suffice for two dogs.
Bathroom and shower
Compared to our old wet room, I feel like I'm in a 5-star hotel in our new bathroom. In the Ahorn Camp Canada AE shower and WC are separated. This of course creates a little more privacy. In the bathroom there is a nice washbasin with base cabinet, the Thetford chemical toilet, a mirror with a lot of storage space behind it and a 230V socket. The shower has an integrated corner shelf with plenty of storage space for shampoo, shower gel and everything else you need for a pleasant stay in the shower.
Kitchen
The kitchen in the Ahorn Canada AE has a 3-burner hob and a large sink, which I personally find very practical as a passionate cook. Unfortunately, the worktop is relatively small and somewhat awkward to use due to the fact that it is located in the corner. That's why I place a 40x40cm chopping board on the sink so that I can work better. In the next model season, however, this will probably be solved by a standard glass cover. The base and wall units offer enough storage space for all the necessary kitchen utensils. We also built two small spice racks ourselves and attached them to the wall with two brackets. There is also a 230V socket on the left above the gas hob. The Thetford fridge-freezer is an absolute dream. It has a total capacity of 97 liters. The digital display makes it child's play to operate and the generous compartments make it easier for us to stand for long periods of time without having to cook.
Dining area
In Ahorn Canada AE 5 people can easily sit at the dining table. It is very practical that the table can be moved in all directions. So everybody finds his place. The seating group can even be converted into an additional bed. To do this, the table is moved downwards until it clicks into place and the cushions are distributed. Altogether 5 people can sleep and travel in the motorhome. Under the seat is the 100l fresh water tank. Altogether there are 3 large wall cupboards in the dining area, which provide enough storage space.
Technical data
On our trip, we are mostly free and self-sufficient. That's why we have a total of 200 watts of solar power on the roof. The electricity is stored in two 80Ah batteries. We have a permanently installed inverter (pure sine wave, 2000 watts) so that we can use our 230V sockets at any time and without any problems. We also have a 100l fresh water tank, which we can use for around 5-7 days.
- Enclosed all technical data summarized:
- Ahorn Camp Canada AE Model 2020 - 749cm x 237cm x 306cm
- Renault Master Chassis dCI 2,3l 145 PS
- 6-speed manual transmission
- Permissible total weight 3.500kg - 5 seats
- Thetford fridge-freezer 97l
- Thetford chemical toilet 17l
- Awning 4m
- Isofix station for 2 child seats
- Gas heating
- 2x Swivel front seats
- Power connection
- Air conditioning in driver's cab
- Rear view camera
- Cruise control
- Central locking
- Solar system 200 Watt incl. inverter with pure sine wave
- Bicycle carrier for three bicycles
- Alarm system
- 2x 11l gas bottles
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that we are very satisfied with our motorhome. After making Denmark unsafe with our Canada AE, we are now traveling through Norway for the next few weeks. Here in the wilderness we can only report positive things. We don't just feel comfortable, we feel at home and that was ultimately the most important thing for us. The motorhome is the ideal home on four wheels for us, in which even the smallest member of the family feels very comfortable and safe. We are looking forward to the next few weeks and will of course continue to document our journey.
