Itchy feet-thumbing my nose at MS and hitting the road

[flowerygirlfl]

Hi all, I am thoroughly enjoying this forum and look forward to sharing my experiences, once they begin. I am 55 and though married, have always liked to get away by myself for a week or two every spring and summer. My children are grown, husband works and I 'retired' due to difficulties stemming for multiple sclerosis (I have had it for several years but was only recently diagnosed). We had a 29' Class C that we sold last year (paid on the dang thing for 15 years and rarely used it) as I was the only one using it and it had a few issues due to neglect. Unfortunately, my hands don't allow me to do much maintenance and husband was interested in his other hobbies.

I LOVE the outdoors and always dreamed of hiking the AT one day but that dream is not meant to be as the MS is really starting to affect how much walking I can do and I am also a bit sensitive to extreme temps (another gift from MS). I decided that I am going to get myself a new (to me) vehicle and take off for a longer period of time come next spring. I would like to do a solo trip of touring this beautiful country of ours while I can. Though I can't hike like I used to, I can certainly sit in a lounger in the middle of a forest and relax. I am thinking of either a Roadtrek or conversion van. I would like to have a generator so if I need to cool off with an a/c, I can. I read Bob's book (thanks Bob) and am reading everyone's posts and watching Bob's videos of all of the wonderful ways people are living a life of freedom.

I'm interesting in hearing how others balance their health limitations with their wanderlust. Hope I will be able to meet many of you at a future RTR!

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome flowergirl 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

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome to the CRVL Forums      

I can appreciate your situation.  And you've learned first hand about the cost of conventional RV's.

Let me offer you to view my two websites below.  You may find a simple, inexpensive solution in them
to getting away on a shoe string and enjoying everything you enjoyed before....only more and with much
less expense & worry.

There is very little to rigging a Van as I set the one up in the website.  Some 3/8 plywood flooring attached to the metal floor and covered with some carpet. (may even be used remnants pieced together with duct tape holding the seams from the bottom. The Bed can be rigged with 2X4's and plywood as a platform bolting it to the rear wheel wells and ribs of the walls. Then there are many choices of bedding.  A kitchenette can be built of a discarded kitchen floor cabinet with two large doors.  A top can be made with a basin or two and space for a simple cooking stove.  A 5 gallon plastic Jerry jug or two would provide potable water for you with a pump it could fill our basins for cooking, and clean up.  It's minimal but you would be surprised at how little one person can get by with.  An ice chest/cooler can provide you with refrigeration.  Mosquito nets can be made for the windows and side door to add to your comfort.  (if you can do just a little bit or sewing or find someone to do it for you.

A premium Van would have a high top and if you feel you need more room you may find an extended one.

As for restrooms and bath houses many campgrounds in State & National Parks have such facilities.  But a membership to any of the nationally syndicated Gyms wouldn't cost that much each month and could provide you bath & restroom facilities as you travel just as motels would....only much cheaper.

Good luck and all the best !

 

[flowerygirlfl]

Welcome to the CRVL Forums      


Good luck and all the best !

Thanks for the welcome and info--loved your sites. I do plan to go with a high-top van and have seen a couple that are so tempting because someone did most of the work to turn them into a camper like you discuss on your site. I really need to stop looking until I have the money in the spring to buy one--I always feel like I'm missing out!

I was definitely planning on doing the window screens on the windows and maybe some of the hanging ones with magnets for the door. I understand the logic behind getting a fan with limited windows to help insulation but at the same time, I love to be able to feel like I'm out in nature even when I'm inside chilling. Tough choice.

Do you have any experience using one of the Honda or Yamaha generators that Bob wrote about? I would really like to have the ability to run an a/c unit in case of an emergency if I'm not feeling well. I guess if worse came to worse, I could just use the dash a/c until the crisis passed.

Thanks again!

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome aboard !
You'll find all the info you need here and if you don't just ask........

 

[eDJ_]

What I'd suggest is to keep on shopping whether you have the money yet or not.  This is part of your research so you can make a wise decision once you "do" have the money.  You will have some idea of the prevailing prices
from car lots and individuals. 

In my portal site.......there is a link to Kelly Blue Book Used Values (of vehicles)   You can look up any vehicle by year model, series (1 ton, 1/2 ton, etc)  and options (AC, Power windows etc) and find what the bank would be willing to lend on it (with adjustments for condition & mileage)   So as you learn to shop for these Vans via the various listings,  you'll be able to look them up to see if they are over priced or what a fair price to offer for one would be.   There should be some wiggle room to negotiate for a realistic price. 

You may also look to some of the various Companies that fleet Vans for delivery etc so you can ask if they plan to sell any of them to the public.  (or find out if they sell several at a time to brokers and if you could learn of their business so you could contact one of them) 

This is how you can create opportunity for yourself.  You will still want to have a mechanic look over the vehicle first before buying it to make sure of it's condition.  If you can get the VIN number under the windshield  you could visit some of the websites that inventory service records of vehicles such as Car Fax com.  This could save you a lot of money and grief.

As for windows,  you could get window tint applied to them.  Some people prefer smoke or dark smoke tint or even mirror (silver) tint so that people can't see in so easily.   Again in the evening when you have the lights on inside you could be seen by those outside so curtains may be something you would want to consider.

The big curtain that would go behind the front seats would be your picture window to nature.  If you have window(s) in the side door.....big window in a sliding door or windows in "barn type doors".......you could tint them and have curtains made to cover them. 

As for screens,  one of your best investments,  The front door windows, if you have a tilt out rear windows (or side windows)  you can make screens for those.  As for the side door being open and covering all of that....you can either make a large covering to fit out of "no-seeum's" mosquito netting, sold by the yard in running widths,  or adapt those magnetic screens like you see now at WalMart.   If they are too narrow to cover the door, you can get some heavier cloth and sew to either side of the screen  to make it wider to fit the door opening.  You won't have as much screen opening but it will be convenient for entering and exiting the Van.

As for your question about Air conditioning and and generators that would make a rear window AC unit possible to operate,  I saw a guy's rig the other day on a Walmart parking lot that had a fair size generator
powering his window installed 5000 BTU ac unit.  It was a 3.5 kw unit which was capable of powering all of his
needs.

A generator like this was sitting in the rack,

A small ice chest was sitting in the rest of the space. 

Above the ice chest sitting to the left,  was his air conditioner mounted in the window.

His spare tire was mounted the same way.  

But to do this you'll need a Receiver Hitch installed to the frame and a heavy auxiliary rack to mount and LOCK into it.  You may also want to install nylon straps to mount to the door hinges to help support the
load in the auxiliary rack.  You will also want to make sure the Generator's engine exhaust is vented out away from the Van.  And have a Carbon Monoxide detector in the Van that is known to be in working order.

Harbor Freight makes less expensive knock off's of the Honda & Yamaha generators. They are very quiet, electric start & manual,  and if the motor oil gets too low it will automatically shut off the generator.  It can provide 30 amp service and this is the one I'm considering for my rig to go in my utility trailer. 

https://www.harborfreight.com/3500-watt-super-quiet-inverter-generator-63584.html

I would think that a good 5 to 8 K BTU window air conditioner would cool most standard sized Vans.

Some of these things you will probably need some help with rigging and being taught how to use.  But
much of the rest of it is fairly easy for you to do with some hired help. 

Having that second 12 volt deep cycle battery for your House power with an inverter (Bob's Video) would about round out your needs   Anything else could build on these features.

Then it will be a question of purchasing 12 volt DC appliances for cooking and food storage and any other needs.

https://www.amazon.com/slp/12-volt-appliances-for-camping/7ammycavx9yr59d