Brand New and Hopeful!

[48infortyeight]

Hello all! I have read many threads on here as of late and decided to join and share my story. If this is against forum rules please let me know and I will delete, I do not mean to be a rule-breaker!

I have been telling family and friends lately that I just don't feel happy with life. I recently got engaged and I am about to graduate from college (finally..) and I have the job I have always wanted...but something is still lacking. I came up with the idea to go on a mission around the contiguous 48 states starting after my graduation in June of 2015 and volunteer in each of the 48 states. My fiance and I as well as a couple others are looking for a bit more than punching a time clock. We are starting a mission called 48 in Forty-Eight.

We are going to be converting a cargo trailer into a mix of a teardrop camper and pop-up camper. Our hopes are to have a total of three beds inside plus storage, possibly some tip-out window areas just to open it up a bit and then a rear galley type kitchen.

We will be doing all this from scratch...we don't even own the trailer yet...



Thanks so much for you time and please let me know what you think!!

 

[caseyc]

Hmmmmmmm...

 

[48infortyeight]

Hmmmmmmm...

Is that a good hmmmm or bad hmmmm? :huh:

 

[cyndi]

Welcome to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from YOU.

I'm guessing that's not a good "hmmmmm." we don't allow panhandling on the forums. So, I've taken the liberty of editing your post.

I am curious, though. You don't say exactly what your mission is.

 

[48infortyeight]

Welcome to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from YOU.

I'm guessing that's not a good "hmmmmm." we don't allow panhandling on the forums. So, I've taken the liberty of editing your post.

I am curious, though. You don't say exactly what your mission is.

Thank you so much for helping me, I mean no disrespect to this forum or its members. I am looking more for help with my build and my trip planning then anything else! Cyndi if you can PM me what I said that was wrong, I would appreciate it so I don't make the same mistake again.

My mission is to complete a volunteering activity in each of the 48 states. I am in talks with about 5 different charities to help me schedule my volunteering acts. Some of them are: The American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, The Humane Society, and Susan G Komen. Just waiting for responses with them and to schedule times to call their volunteer coordinators.

 

[akrvbob]

I think that is a wonderful goal, I wish you all the best in pursuing it!

I'm looking forward to following your story.
Bob

 

[WildTrappist]

That sounds fabulous! I wish you all kinds of fun, adventure and learning on your mission.

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

Congratulations on stepping out of the norm. Don't know what Casey's hmmmm is but my hmmmm, sounds like alot pf people in a small space.

 

[caseyc]

My Hmmmm was in regards to OP's original un-edited post, which was subsequently edited/modified by the mods. As it stands now, the Hmmmm is no longer applicable. Wish the OP all the best in their endeavor.

Congratulations on stepping out of the norm. Don't know what Casey's hmmmm is but my hmmmm, sounds like alot pf people in a small space.

 

[concretebox]

I like your idea of volunteering. But I wonder if you've truly considered the social challenges of living in a small space with others. A newly married couple sharing a space with a couple of other people (whom I'm guessing aren't married?) sounds like a situation that could lead to frustration for all.

I might suggest a van/trailer combo. The van could be your group transportation and a bedroom for couple A (assuming they really like each other), and the trailer could be the bedroom for couple B as well as storage, kitchen, bathroom.

Good Luck!

 

[48infortyeight]

Congratulations on stepping out of the norm. Don't know what Casey's hmmmm is but my hmmmm, sounds like alot pf people in a small space.

Haha! Yes it is a lot of people in a small space. And there will be a couple pets too...which I know sounds insane...but I think the insanity of it all is what makes it more exciting and challenging and therefore more rewarding when we complete it.

---

I like your idea of volunteering. But I wonder if you've truly considered the social challenges of living in a small space with others. A newly married couple sharing a space with a couple of other people (whom I'm guessing aren't married?) sounds like a situation that could lead to frustration for all.

I might suggest a van/trailer combo. The van could be your group transportation and a bedroom for couple A (assuming they really like each other), and the trailer could be the bedroom for couple B as well as storage, kitchen, bathroom.

Good Luck!

That sounds like a wonderful idea, unfortunately we don't have the money for the van and are trying to raise money for the trailer. We are working on an extremely tight budget. Also the other two people that will be with us will only be there for a little more than half the project. One is my cousin who is going to be starting college in the fall of 2015 and the other is my fiance's niece who will be a senior in high school that fall. So we only have their help with driving and such for the summer months. We have all camped together multiple times, tent camping that is, so no kitchens, bathrooms, showers etc. We know it won't be sunshine and butterflies the whole time, but thats ok. As far as the trailer goes, we want it to have three beds for the times that it is better to just sleep in that for the night instead of setting up a full camp. Ideally I would like to be in areas that allow a trailer and a tent on the same site, that is what we are used to in western Illinois/Wisconsin. Its hard to determine exactly where we will be until I find out our volunteering activities so thats the part that leaves me the most uneasy right now. The trailer also will be similar to a teardrop so no bathroom or shower, which is another reason why where we camp is going to be a hard challenge to figure out in 48 different states.

 

[akrvbob]

It sounds like you get the concept that an adventure without risk, hardship or discomfort isn't really an adventure at all! Good for you!!

What size trailer do you have in mind? I have a 6x10 and it could be done, but I think it would be on the small side for your use. I do think a 6x12 could work just fine and anything bigger would be all the better. I think the key is bunk beds! Have a wider bottom bunk for the couple and a narrower top bunk for the single. When he's gone it will become storage.

When you get that far, I hope you will let us join in on planning the lay out, that sounds like a lot of fun!
Bob

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I think a huge resource for you might be freecampsites.net

I like this idea. I am curious how you will afford expenses though. I know churches often support traveling missionaries but i dont know if charities are looking to support volunteers

Depending on donations or crowdfunding could be a suppliment but thats fickle at best.

 

[48infortyeight]

It sounds like you get the concept that an adventure without risk, hardship or discomfort isn't really an adventure at all! Good for you!!

What size trailer do you have in mind? I have a 6x10 and it could be done, but I think it would be on the small side for your use. I do think a 6x12 could work just fine and anything bigger would be all the better. I think the key is bunk beds! Have a wider bottom bunk for the couple and a narrower top bunk for the single. When he's gone it will become storage.

When you get that far, I hope you will let us join in on planning the lay out, that sounds like a lot of fun!
Bob

I was thinking about a 6x10 and have a rough layout that I will post as soon as I get it on the computer. A 6x12 would be better, I agree, especially with my plans for the back galley type "kitchen". I use that term loosely because I think it will be more of a clean water tank holding area and no other plumbing, but storage and a prep area for food. This is my first time building a trailer so all the help I can get would be great! I have researched so many things but I know the action of actually building it will bring a new set of challenges!

---

I think a huge resource for you might be freecampsites.net

I like this idea. I am curious how you will afford expenses though. I know churches often support traveling missionaries but i dont know if charities are looking to support volunteers

Depending on donations or crowdfunding could be a suppliment but thats fickle at best.

I will definitely check out the website! thanks for the suggestion! I am going to try crowdfunding and donations and possibly selling tshirts, which is a suggestion I was given. I know it won't be easy by any means. The trip would start in June, so I have about 8 months to figure it all out. Worse case scenario we can break it into two or more trips if need be, but I'm not giving up that we can get it done as planned!