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WayOutWest

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[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Hi all!
I guess I [/font]
[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]have always had a dual life....I need to live in an urban area to work, and also really need a stable home, which for me means a brick and mortar residence.  I like the protection, security and stability this offers, and I also need the storage space it offers, LOL!   :blush: .  On the other hand, what brings me the most joy and fun in life, is going out on road trips.  I've done this since my early 20's, I'm now in my late 50's.  Most of these trips have been 3 to 14 day outings, though I did take one 6 week long road trip around the whole USA, about 25 years ago.  I'm hoping to make more 7 to 10 day road trips during the next year, and more short weekend trips away.  

It didn't take me long, early in my 20's, to realize the limitations and problems of camping in campgrounds.  I began to avoid them like the plague.  Though they were conveniently located right in the areas I intended to go hiking (have long been a hiker), the campgrounds were often noisy, and often were completely full.  Thus, I learned about boondocking in the days when it was little known, over 30 years ago.  I began to seek out places to vacation that would allow boondocking style camping.  

In my first years, I boondocked in a Honda Accord hatchback!  Would put the seat down in the vehicle or set up a tent.  Then I got a small Toyota Pickup truck, and build a homemade camper on it out of wood and asphalt roofing.  (I had experience working as a carpenter).  I camped in that for over 20 years.  More recently, as I have gotten older and wanted more comfort, the small 4 by 6 space inside the Toyota pickup was no longer adequate.  I then began renting minivans (Dodge Grand Caravan) when I went on my road trips.  This was a new level of comfort, especially having cruise control and air conditioning, and space to lay out a whole twin size mattress.  

After a few years of minivan road tripping, I began making plans to buy my own van to do a van conversion in.  This is my blog post describing my process, including stories of my early years of boondocking and then how I decided which van to buy.  

https://dragunfire.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/van-conversion-diaries/
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I've always been busy with work and creative projects, but have realized this last year that I want to get out on the road more often, since exploring the country via road trips has always been so much fun.  In some ways, it's the most fun thing i can do in life: allowing me to listen to music as I drive (meditation), go on hikes, and stop for interesting photos and sights, and meet people along the way.  Having my own van rather than having to rent a vehicle for trips, would help a lot with this, particularly because I'd be able to set it up in a way that worked for me.   My general pattern is to select one or two primary destinations (parks, national monuments, other areas of interest) and then figure out the boondocking sites by the seat of my pants as I go along.   This often means my boondocking site is little more than a parking spot on the side of a rural road or forest road.  I don't tend to end up with a lot of spiffy sites: my goal is to have fun in outdoor adventures rather than spend a lot of time in campsites.  

I've enjoyed reading a lot of stories and seeing a lot of videos by van dwellers and those who've done van conversions, such as those on this forum.  I look forward to hearing more about your stories and your rigs.
 
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Welcome to the CRVL Forum :)

After reading your post I'd invite you to check out the two links below. The one at the bottom may really be handy for you with planning trips and journeys.

I think you will do just fine and may find people wanting to employ you to build out their Vans for them.

All the best !
 
eDJ_ said:
Welcome to the CRVL Forum  :)

After reading your post I'd invite you to check out the two links below.  The one at the bottom may really be handy for you with planning trips and journeys. 

I think you will do just fine and may find people wanting to employ you to build out their Vans for them. 

All the best !
Thanks! 

Your first link is a good basic guide for simple van conversion. I'm also a member of this forum https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/forums/ which I found soon after deciding to buy a Ford Transit cargo van, and it's packed full of useful tips that apply specifically to the Ford Transit, but also gives info on conversions that could apply to many other brands.  

I could take jobs in my area (SF Bay Area) to do or to consult with/guide someone in doing a simple van conversion.  It's not too hard to get something simple set up...it gets a lot more complicated when you want a built-in shower or running hot water.
 
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