Off-Grid Home-Base for the RV Dweller

[josephusminimus]

Nice setup.  Congratulations on a good plan going and coming back.

 

[HoboBerg]

Wow looks like an awesome setup!<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />&nbsp;Been thinking about a home base myself, but probably just spend the rest of my life looking for the perfect one.<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[Sheryl]

Looks like a great place and a good plan!<br><br>We just unloaded our small farm and belongings. Working at hang onto it was just weighing us down too much and bringing far too much stress into our lives. After we live free for a few years, we plan to look at a tiny piece of land on the west coast, just to park the camper for the winter months and probably have a small garden and some free ranging chickens, maybe.&nbsp;We want it near the ocean with fresh water nearby for fishing. We will probably install a well and septic system too, but it won't be for years yet. We are enjoying the life that's free from all that stress too much to go back to it now and we have offers of campgrounds to park in the winter, in exchange for very little work.&nbsp;<br><br>When and if we ever do own land again, we will pay cash outright for it and just have to come up with the tax money yearly to keep it. If it ever gets to be a weight around our necks, out it goes! Needless to say, it will be years before we save that kind of money, especially since we want to buy a bigger camper first.&nbsp;<br><br>Not much of a plan yet...&nbsp;

 

[pawsaroundoz]

That is a really nice set up you have there, I too would like to have a sort of home base at some stage, will need to save a few of them pesky $$$aus 1st though, definately want off grid, power too darned expensive in Aust.<br>The cowboy coffee invite very kind but I don't think we would float!<br><br>annie

 

[rokguy]

Yeh, I like your setup too.<BR>I like the idea of having several bases all self powered.<BR><BR>Geoff

 

[FloridaGuy]

Great set up. &nbsp;

 

[Patrick46]

<P>Great little place you've set-up there!!<BR><BR>We're working on a similiar type plan...<BR><BR>buy a nice little piece of property somewhere in the South West, and have our own family co-op private campground thingy. It'll be a place that all members of our familys (my wife is the eldest in a family with 14 kids!), can bring their campers and do the 'Snow-Bird' thing together. (her sibilings are a ball!!)Everybody can have thier own spaces to do with as they please. They can&nbsp;leave their camper's on location if they want, or tow/drive them there is up to them. There will be a community 'house' that will have washer/dryers, and a dining room for everyone, and I'm sure some sort of huge TV/movie room too! Maybe even a few 'guest' bedrooms for if the folks or company came down.<BR>Oh...and a garage with tools&nbsp;to work on our junk is a must too!! <IMG class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif">&nbsp; <IMG class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif"></P><P>about 5 acres with an existing house would be ideal, and probably not terribly hard to find either.</P>

 

[akblack10]

Patrick46, I'm glad you have a plan for a base-camp type set up, sounds like you have it well thought-out... I hope the plan comes together for you... all the best!<br>-AK

 

[wagoneer]

yah very cool indeed I am looking at the Verde-Mogul Nv option perhaps a half acre with a 40ft.container.

 

[SoulRaven]

You have done an outstanding job. Looks great and looks like 'home'.<br><br>What sort of water collection are you using? I have some land in Mt. and that has been my biggest issue.<br><br>Enjoy... Safe travels... Bob J.

 

[myamericandreamtour]

This is just great!!!<br><br>

 

[rokguy]

<SPAN style="COLOR: #888888"><EM><STRONG>Would it be rain water collection off the roof ?&nbsp; Big roof looks just right for that. Geoff</STRONG></EM></SPAN>

 

[Scar]

@Rokguy: If your question is about the legality of collecting water on your roof, generally its legal.&nbsp; The area where people get in legal trouble over rain water collection is when they try to damn up or store a creek crossing their property, and a creek and runoff are generally considered public property.&nbsp; Hope that helped.

 

[James AKA Lynx]

In Colorado it my be illegal to collect rain water from your roof. <br><br>You may find that living in a house in the country to be more expensive and more work than living in a van. Check out all cost. <br><br>James AKA Lynx

 

[akblack10]

I wanted to add an updated picture of the "base-camp".... I finished the shade structure for the truck camper in April of this year. &nbsp;It has worked well to keep the camper cooler this Summer! &nbsp;<br><br>Some members of the forum have asked about water collection, I collect rainwater off the roofs of the two structures, works very well! &nbsp;I then filter it and treat with a little bleach. &nbsp;<br>-AK<br><br><br><img rel="lightbox" src="http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/1731/a2bl.jpg" class="bbc_img">

 

[TxGypsy]

I don't know why everyone doesn't do rainwater collection!&nbsp; I've lived with rainwater collection for most of the last 7 years and prefer it over the nasty chemical laden stuff that comes out of most faucets.<br><br>For every inch of rain you can collect .6 gallons per square foot of roof footprint.&nbsp; So if the outside of your roof measures 30'x50' or 1,500 square feet, you will be collecting approximately 900 gallons per inch of rain.&nbsp; So if you live in an area that receives 12 inches of rain a year that's 10,800 gallons.&nbsp; If you live somewhere with average rainfall....lets say 40 inches, that's 36,000 gallons a year!&nbsp; It is far cheaper to purchase storage tanks than it is to drill a well.&nbsp; Also, your water is above the ground and doesn't require large amounts of power to pull it up....it's always accessible.&nbsp; The tanks are moveable and sellable...in case you get wandering feet and move <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[Patrick46]

Akblack10...your truck&nbsp;shelter turned out awesome...great job!!<BR><BR>my question is do you still live in&nbsp;your truck/camper&nbsp;full-time, even when parked on your land, or do you have an alternative&nbsp;place to dwell?? (jus curious)

 

[akblack10]

Patrick46, &nbsp;I am currently living in "Bertha" the Bigfoot Truck Camper in the exact spot as you see her in the above picture. &nbsp;I have been living in her for the last 3 years, since I sold my home in the Summer of 2010. &nbsp;I have been working in Africa for 18 months during those 3 years, about 1/2 of the 3 years more or less. &nbsp;My personal belongings are in storage and will stay there until I decide if and when I want to get into a home or apartment? &nbsp;Thanks for the question!&nbsp;<br>-AK

 

[rokguy]

<P><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">No. I was just answering rw question how you catch rainwater. I do the same thing.</SPAN></STRONG></EM></P>