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FrozenTundra

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Hello all,  

Just signed up and figured I'd introduce myself.  

I stumbled upon Bob's youtube channel about a week ago and it's totally changing my life.  I've always thought about doing a van conversion, but ignorantly had no idea that there were so many people actually living the lifestyle that I've long considered, blazing the way for me, as it were.  It's done a lot to demystify the whole concept.  

I'm in my mid 30's, currently living in an 60's era mobile home that I have remodeled to suit my purposes, using modern, lightweight building materials to make it comfortable in Northern WI winters.  Only really using about 300 square ft of it.  I'm right on the South Shore of Lake Superior, in a very rural area.  I heat 100% with firewood that I scavenge off old logging sites, and from dead trees that I cut on a county permit system off of public land.  I already haul my own water, so I'm used to living without conventional plumbing systems, and I use a small minimalist refrigerator.  

Last year I took a 4 week, 6000 mile trip, tent living off the back of a 250cc on-off road enduro style motorcycle.  Loved it, but got sick of being chronically wet.  I was in North Carolina when they got all the flooding.  This summer I took my young daughter on a tour of seven of the Western National Parks, living out of a 2002 Honda Accord Sedan.  That was magical, if a little cramped.   

Seems like nomadic van life wouldn't be as large of an adjustment for me as for many.  

My current plan is to find something like a used Chevy Express or Ford E series style of van.  Looking forward to do a "stealth" build based around high insulation and performance in a wide range of climatic conditions.  I have years of carpentry and construction experience, and am currently going back to college for a mashup of machine tool, welding, electrical theory and systems, rigging, pump and bearing systems, conveyors, programmable logic controllers...etc.  I was considering becoming a millwright, but am starting to wonder if I may be able to take my skills on the road and follow a different path, centered more around adventure and fellowship in nomadic tribal community, vs simply "working for the man"  LOL.  

Anyway, I'm going to have a TON of questions for you guys, who have already learned so many of the lessons that I need to learn.  I hope to take what I can learn here, combine it with my other education and skillsets, to achieve greater physical and spiritual freedom.  Ideally, I'd love to become an asset that can help to empower others do the same(cheaply, efficiently, and comfortably) sometime down the road. 

I'm absolutely thrilled to be here, and more excited than I've been in a very long time.
 
Welcome to the CRVL forums FrozenTundra! It sounds like you're already 90% of the way there with the skills needed to live on the road full-time. With your background and current education you should have absolutely no problem finding work at campgrounds all around the nation. I see lots of ads for maintenance/handyman help needed. A lot of the full-timers work seasonally and explore whatever area they have taken a job in before moving on to another location.

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.
 
Welcome aboard FrozenTundra!
It does seem you have already got a lot of this under your belt.

I found the tribe when I saw Bob's video too.
I had been living the lifestyle since before you were born but knew right away I needed to become a part of the people here.

You're gonna have a great time !!!

Ask anything you want about getting set up and we'll help you out....
 
Welcome to the CRVL Forums   :)

This may be the beginnings of great things for you.   Plenty of well qualified people here to answer your questions too.  Learning to ply your skills while on the road will be an education most people don't have
as most schools don't teach it.  Having the freedom to travel when you want and work where ever you want
will be an amazing combination in this nomadic life.
 
FrozenTundra said:
Hello all,  

Just signed up and figured I'd introduce myself.  

I stumbled upon Bob's youtube channel about a week ago and it's totally changing my life.  I've always thought about doing a van conversion, but ignorantly had no idea that there were so many people actually living the lifestyle that I've long considered, blazing the way for me, as it were.  It's done a lot to demystify the whole concept.  

I'm in my mid 30's, currently living in an 60's era mobile home that I have remodeled to suit my purposes, using modern, lightweight building materials to make it comfortable in Northern WI winters.  Only really using about 300 square ft of it.  I'm right on the South Shore of Lake Superior, in a very rural area.  I heat 100% with firewood that I scavenge off old logging sites, and from dead trees that I cut on a county permit system off of public land.  I already haul my own water, so I'm used to living without conventional plumbing systems, and I use a small minimalist refrigerator.  

Last year I took a 4 week, 6000 mile trip, tent living off the back of a 250cc on-off road enduro style motorcycle.  Loved it, but got sick of being chronically wet.  I was in North Carolina when they got all the flooding.  This summer I took my young daughter on a tour of seven of the Western National Parks, living out of a 2002 Honda Accord Sedan.  That was magical, if a little cramped.   

Seems like nomadic van life wouldn't be as large of an adjustment for me as for many.  

My current plan is to find something like a used Chevy Express or Ford E series style of van.  Looking forward to do a "stealth" build based around high insulation and performance in a wide range of climatic conditions.  I have years of carpentry and construction experience, and am currently going back to college for a mashup of machine tool, welding, electrical theory and systems, rigging, pump and bearing systems, conveyors, programmable logic controllers...etc.  I was considering becoming a millwright, but am starting to wonder if I may be able to take my skills on the road and follow a different path, centered more around adventure and fellowship in nomadic tribal community, vs simply "working for the man"  LOL.  

Anyway, I'm going to have a TON of questions for you guys, who have already learned so many of the lessons that I need to learn.  I hope to take what I can learn here, combine it with my other education and skillsets, to achieve greater physical and spiritual freedom.  Ideally, I'd love to become an asset that can help to empower others do the same(cheaply, efficiently, and comfortably) sometime down the road. 

I'm absolutely thrilled to be here, and more excited than I've been in a very long time.
Hey Frozen -
Congratulations and welcome. I started down the same road 3 months ago (alas too late to get out before winter). I'm in Upstate NY, you're in WI - same problems w/ remodelling in a winter wonderland. I'm77 and just decided to hell with it. Then on my trial runs I started meeting Road People (but I named my type as "Techno-gypsies", not tourists or bums. I started a thread on here in that name).

You should do very well. Your skills are in high demand everywhere so when you want to work, you just stop and look around. Also the Techno-gypsies I've met barter al lot. It's a high demand for skills and information society - and barter keeps you below the radar.

Keep in touch and let me know how it's going.
Happy trails (allusion to the 1940s)         M.
 

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