Full-time Van Living - My Adventure Van

[barcop]

Haven't posted here in a long time... but still read occasionally.

Came across this great thread.... http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?392244-Stealth-Van-Dwelling

So thought I'd share my adventure van. Lived in it full-time for two years traveling around the entire country. Never spent a dollar in two years on a place to sleep. If you're traveling the country and want to camp for free... this site is a great resource to start http://freecampsites.net

Started with a standard ford 12 passenger van, pulled out the seats and built everything myself (no real prior building experience).

Want to build a van like this or live in one and have any questions ask away...

 

[TheTexan]

Looks like a mobile command station. Very nice!

 

[Carlybee]

Nice. I have a 2001 Dodge custom van I've thought about doing that to if I don't sell it.

 

[luctor-et-emergo]

How do you take care of sanitary stuff, toilet/shower ?

It's not my way of life, I'm territorial, I need a dwelling that's surrounded by some kind of barrier but I think it's totally awesome. It looks really nice. Even if you had prior building experience it looks really nice!

Like I said, it's not for me, I don't even like to sleep in a hotel or go on vacation so yeah, enjoy!

 

[Suzanimal]

I would do it in a minute. What a fantastic adventure!

How do you take care of sanitary stuff, toilet/shower ?

It's not my way of life, I'm territorial, I need a dwelling that's surrounded by some kind of barrier but I think it's totally awesome. It looks really nice. Even if you had prior building experience it looks really nice!

Like I said, it's not for me, I don't even like to sleep in a hotel or go on vacation so yeah, enjoy!

 

[CPUd]

How do you take care of sanitary stuff, toilet/shower ?

It's not my way of life, I'm territorial, I need a dwelling that's surrounded by some kind of barrier but I think it's totally awesome. It looks really nice. Even if you had prior building experience it looks really nice!

Like I said, it's not for me, I don't even like to sleep in a hotel or go on vacation so yeah, enjoy!

I bet he keeps his van down by the river.

 

[barcop]

How do you take care of sanitary stuff, toilet/shower ?

Depends on where I was. I had a membership with YMCA for $50 a month and with that membership I could basically go to any YMCA in the country to workout/shower. I never went to a decent size city that didn't have at least one YMCA. If I was camping somewhere that didn't have toilets/showers available... I carried a portable toilet and used a 2 gallon pump sprayer to shower. The van has a 18 gallon water tank in the back and that would last me 2-3 weeks easily.

 

[CaptUSA]

Curious about the costs. I'd think that if you're constantly traveling, you're also burning of lot of gas. 400 miles per day at average 15 MPG sounds like a reasonable guess... at $3.00 gas, that's like $30,000/year just on gas alone.

 

[barcop]

I bet he keeps his van down by the river.

Lived by a few different ones haha. Still the best skit on SNL.

 

[barcop]

Curious about the costs. I'd think that if you're constantly traveling, you're also burning of lot of gas. 400 miles per day at average 15 MPG sounds like a reasonable guess... at $3.00 gas, that's like $30,000/year just on gas alone.

Yeah for sure if you were constantly on the move... but I would stay in most places about 2 weeks. Then get up and travel to the next place. I would try to plan out my next destination to only be about 200 miles away. I typically averaged about 400-500 miles a month. Some months I'd put a couple 1000. In two years I put roughly 25,000 miles on it.

 

[CaptUSA]

Yeah for sure if you were constantly on the move... but I would stay in most places about 2 weeks. Then get up and travel to the next place. I would try to plan out my next destination to only be about 500 miles away. I typically averaged about 1000-1200 miles a month. Way cheaper than rent.

Wow, that's like 40 miles per day. Many people do that just going to work and back.

I'd think that when your house has wheels, the urge to keep moving it would be strong. Of course, the urge to save your wallet can be pretty strong, too, I suppose.

 

[luctor-et-emergo]

Depends on where I was. I had a membership with YMCA for $50 a month and with that membership I could basically go to any YMCA in the country to workout/shower. I never went to a decent size city that didn't have at least one YMCA. If I was camping somewhere that didn't have toilets/showers available... I carried a portable toilet and used a 2 gallon pump sprayer to shower. The van has a 18 gallon water tank in the back and that would last me 2-3 weeks easily.

Awesome.

I have another question, why not buy a (used) campervan/motorhome. Something with a bit more space?

 

[barcop]

Wow, that's like 40 miles per day. Many people do that just going to work and back.

I'd think that when your house has wheels, the urge to keep moving it would be strong. Of course, the urge to save your wallet can be pretty strong, too, I suppose.

Definitely in a city I was constantly driving around exploring. Mileage really depended on what part of the country I was in... in the West there is way more BLM land and other places to camp or boondock... so I would stay weeks at those places and spent more time in the West. So when I was in the East I drove more often.

 

[Danke]

Is the brick wall behind the sink a slide-out?

 

[barcop]

Awesome.

I have another question, why not buy a (used) campervan/motorhome. Something with a bit more space?

I probably spent 70% of my time in the mountains, desert or beach somewhere. A motorhome just couldn't have gone to a lot of places I went. I looked at a few camper vans... but just decided to build something exactly like I wanted. With just me the size was comfortable... the bed in the back is full twin size, plenty of room for me. But yeah if there was someone with me for an extended period of time... something bigger would have been needed.

 

[barcop]

Is the brick wall behind the sink a slide-out?

haha absolutely.

 

[luctor-et-emergo]

I probably spent 70% of my time in the mountains, desert or beach somewhere. A motorhome just couldn't have gone to a lot of places I went. I looked at a few camper vans... but just decided to build something exactly like I wanted. With just me the size was comfortable... the bed in the back is full twin size, plenty of room for me. But yeah if there was someone with me for an extended period of time... something bigger would have been needed.

Lots of respect for that! I can't rep you anymore but you deserve some more!

I have done a 10 day survival course where I built my own shelters in the forest without modern technology (well I did have my cellphone but I laid down on it when it was on my 'bed' and I destroyed it on day one!) That was the most awesome experiences ever. A hole for a toilet, no shower, making fire with a fire-bow and then keeping it going to not have to go through the same process again... Exhausting but rewarding. I can imagine your two years of living a more simple life have been similar but much more impacting than what I did. I can see what attracted you but I was glad that I had a home to go back to when I was done...

 

[Acala]

Cool!

 

[mtr1979]

This is awesome there needs to be more posts of this caliber on this forum. A lot of people talk about undertaking such a journey, but very few do (including myself). Very inspiring stuff.

 

[Dianne]

This is awesome there needs to be more posts of this caliber on this forum. A lot of people talk about undertaking such a journey, but very few do (including myself). Very inspiring stuff.

I agree. Although I would need a bigger solution for a family of four.