Escape Velocity

[Wandering Giraffe]

Heya Hey,

I am enjoying the community here.  I posted in the mechanical section and got a tremendous amount of help.  The technical and moral support is great.

I am a 54-year-old male that lives near Charlotte NC.  I am working a full time job doing Commercial Refrigeration and Air Conditioning repairs.  It is the best working environment I have had in years but the tradeoff was a huge pay cut.

With budgeting, I can break even.  I am instituting serious austerity measures.  To finance my van dwelling I will stop pretty much all discretionary spending and eat on $100 a month.  That’s the only way I can afford it right now.  I could develop a second income overtime but I want to do it NOW..
But I want more out of life.  I want a meaningful life.  That is a big part of my motivation for becoming a van dweller.  I want to spend my life traveling around the country doing things that are meaningful to me and connecting with the people that are also doing them.

The people are important.  That’s why finding this forum has been so important to me.

I have a 1991 Dodge B250 that with some impact damage on the front that hasn’t run in 8 years.  I know nothing about auto mechanics or bodywork.  But I’ve got YouTube, some books and this forum so I should be good.

My landlord is talking about redoing the houses foundation and floors.  I really doubt he will but the house is falling down.  So my plan is built around that.

Phase I
Van Build

Do mechanical repairs while living in the van at the house.  I would have a power cord and a water hose (not drinkable).  It would be like training wheels to develop van living skills. I will do the ventilation system now.

Once the van is road worthy I will build out the interior based on what I learned in Phase I.  If I designed it now I would be doing it based on assumptions and YouTube videos.  I will also add the solar system.

On weekends and maybe even weeknights I will take the van to overnight spots for the experience.

I will work on doing the groundwork for an online publishing business.

Phase II
Local Van Living While Working Job

I will live in the van on the streets while working the full time job.  I will be able to get my finances in order and get some more batteries.

I will launch the online business.  When I am making enough from it to live on I will move onto Phase III.

Phase II  Van Life On The Road

Escape Velocity, I will take off cross country.  Ideally this will be in January because there is a 6 month long compassionate communication program I want to do in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The online business is seasonal and the peak time is when it is hot.  So next summer is the most realistic Escape Velocity timing.

I will be working online on the road probably for the rest of my life.  Hopefully a little less each year.

So all I have to do to make my dreams come true in 6-12 moths is to.

-          Work a job fulltime
-          Work online fulltime
-          Work on the van in all of my spare time

Not a very high price for living a meaningful life.
The price for a meaningless life seems higher.
I will start a slow-moving thread about my van build. 

It is great to be in this community.

 

[VanKitten]

Wandering,

I want to warn you against a mobile mechanic in your area. He will make lots of promises, and underbid everyone on the job for your van. Avoid this guy!

Randy Stevens

His work is shoddy. Dangerous even. Steals parts that he never actually installs. Etc
If you care about your vehicle, wallet, and safety...avoid this guy

PM me if you want all the details.

 

[VanKitten]

I cannot seem to send you a PM

The guy to avoid is Randy Stevens..... see post above.

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Wandering Giraffe 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. highdesertranger

 

[gapper2]

Welcome WG
   Sounds like you have well thought out plans.  You can definitely pick up a lot of good info here.  Also on youtube but you sometimes have to wade through quite a few to get the info you need.  I'm fairly new here also.  I've changed my plans several times as the more I learn.  Don't let it discourage you.  Lots of good people here.  Good luck to you.

 

[user 37446]

Hey sounds like you have a plan and some skills, that's great.

A couple members have the same van you do, down to the same year. Try posting a new thread under the "Vans" subforum and describe your van, and ask a question or two about it. That way you may flush out the guys who have the same rig!

Again, welcome, avoid that mobile mechanic you've been warned about and enjoy getting things ready! We are here to help.

TWIH

 

[Gardenias]

Hey and welcome!!
Very neat and organized plan!
I'd been studying and practicing NVCakaCC for a while.

 

[ChickadeeJP]

Why would the hose water not be potable? If it is the hose itself, as garden hoses have lead, buying a drinking water hose sooner than later will serve you. You may need it for filling your water containers so seems like a practical purchase.

 

[frater secessus]

Plus potable hoses generally look different, reducing the possibility of cross-use.

 

[Wandering Giraffe]

Why would the hose water not be potable? If it is the hose itself, as garden hoses have lead, buying a drinking water hose sooner than later will serve you. You may need it for filling your water containers so seems like a practical purchase.

It's the well not the hose.  I said hose so that it would not be implied I had a bathroom and kitchen sink.  Plus it is a hose

 

[ChickadeeJP]

It's the well not the hose.  I said hose so that it would not be implied I had a bathroom and kitchen sink.  Plus it is a hose

Ahh, a well issue sounds like more than you'd be able to work around.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Sounds like a great plan!! Can't wait to see the pics!