The adventure begins

[Cajunwolf]

What a sweet rig, dang! I just scanned through the whole six pages of your thread, MG1912, and it was engaging, educational, and has me once again filtering down through ideas for my own rig's setup. I like the truck-camper idea, but it's on the side of being too small for my needs. I travel and live with my 16-year-old special needs daughter, so yeah, I need the room. If it was me, you and MaTaLa have the right idea. I'm in a cross between a 1-ton van pulling a "comfortable," not too big and not too small, RV trailer, or a class C style 1-ton van chassis RV. Both are dirt cheap, used, here around Houston, so I don't suspect finding one will be the problem; it seems making the final decision is. I lean more towards the Class C rig as I have my restored 2k Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4 (4.0/Select-Trak) that I don't want to have to sell, but the 1-ton extended van could carry a lot of additional supplies as well as pull our house. In both cases, I have a second vehicle for errands and such, which is also a necessity. Again, nice rig, and great job! Kudos! :thumbsup:

 

[MG1912]

Many thanks for the kind words about my rig and about this thread, Cajunwolf!  I agree that a truck camper might not be the best option for someone with a special needs child.  There are indeed couples (and indeed whole families!) doing their thing in a truck camper, but I think I would probably find my rig to be too cramped with other people in there.  As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the step-up from the ground into the camper -- and then from the camper ground-level to the cabover bed -- is very high.  I am convinced I am going to bust my butt one of these days, either climbing down from the bed to the floor level or climbing up into the camper from outside… and I am a fairly-healthy 39 year old – not spry, but fairly-healthy.

Another “negative” of a truck camper -- depending on your perspective and goals -- is that it is not stealth, at all.  It’s clearly an RV designed for living and sleeping, it is very tall, and it can be spotted a mile away.  I don’t plan to do any type of “stealth” camping on city streets, though, so I don’t think that will affect me too much, but who knows.

I think a Class C RV for two people is a great idea.  I really like the Minnie Winnies, for example.  They have two beds -- a cabover bed and a floor-level bed that would probably accommodate someone with special needs well -- and they are fairly short and nimble (as short as 24’2”), as well, with two axles for easy maneuvering.  Plus they have way more living space than a truck camper.  They do give up some off-the-beaten-path capability, as they are not 4x4 vehicles.

Let us know what rig you eventually decide on.  Hopefully see you guys at RTR in January!

 

[elbobberino]

I really have enjoyed your thread. I can tell you've been very purposeful about how you've setup your rig and life to allow you freedom.

Question. How did you come to the decision of being a wanderer? Was there any specific influence or motivator?

Thanks Again,

Bob O

 

[MG1912]

Thanks for the kind words, Bob O!  Before I left Afghanistan, my original plan was to get a plot of land with a nice view somewhere, build a cabin on it, and live out the remainder of my days there.  But I had no idea where I would build it or if I would really like that lifestyle.  In the end, I decided to go the nomadic route instead, at least for a year.

Long story short, the "vanlife" thing seems like a good idea to try out -- it's not nearly as entangling as property and structures, it’s a lot of freedom to come and go, plus I get to visit new locations (I always dreamed of seeing Alaska and spending more time in the Southwest), and see friends and relatives along the way (and I'll have my own accommodations so I won't be dependent on hotels or peoples' couches).  So I’m trying it.

My tentative trip to Key West and up to the Arctic Shore in Alaska, before returning to New England, will probably take me a year if I actually complete the whole thing.  After that, maybe I’ll decide to get land and build that cabin.  Maybe I’ll find someplace I like along the way from Key West to the Arctic Shore, and I’ll stay there.  Maybe I’ll have a change of heart about work.  Maybe I’ll keep doing this #vanlife thing forever.  For now, I am enjoying it and really looking forward to pointing my rig west and just seeing what the journey unveils.

 

[elbobberino]

That's a great perspective and approach to what "retired life" ends up being for you. It's always really easy to make plans and lay everything out when you are attached to a cubicle, as I am, or in the middle of a goat field. But, the laid back idea of "try it for a year" is a comforting thought to me.

Now that you've been on the road for a bit, have you learned about anything you might do differently setup wise? Also, do you feel you need more stuff or have you brought too much along with you?

Good Luck in your travels.

 

[MG1912]

I feel blessed that I have a choice; I was not forced into this, and I can do it for as long or as short as I like.  I had deadlines and projects that had to be completed in my past life.  Now, I want to avoid that sort of thing and just see where things go.  I am task- and goal-oriented, so it's been unavoidable that I should have at least some top line plans and big-picture goals -- and my Outlook Calendar and pocket notebook are filled with little tasks for myself -- but I don't want to tell myself, "You must succeed at the nomadic life!" or "You must make it to Prudhoe Bay by next summer or else!"  If I never make it to Alaska, or if I decide to quit this nomadic life next month, it's okay.

Setup wise, the only thing I think I would have done differently is install more solar wattage on the roof immediately.  Right now, I have 320 watts.  That is good, but my charge controller can handle 510 watts, and I can easily fit three 170 watt panels on the roof, so there was no reason not to do it.  As Bob and others have said, there is no such thing as too much solar.  I just got a Honda EU2200i generator and a gas can to get me through those stretches of two or three days with rain and overcast skies.  Not that another 190 watts would mean I would never need to run the generator, but it would help the batteries to recover on their own faster.

As far as the amount of stuff I brought goes, I assume I probably brought too much along with me.  But I’m sure I’ll figure out what I need and don’t need on the road.  I’ve been living in the truck and camper for almost two months now, and I’ve adjusted a few things and changed a few things, switched a few things out, etc.  I can see myself deleting the microwave and the cabover TV at some point, as I never use them (and they take up valuable space).  The spot where the microwave is would be primo for food storage, for example.

 

[B and C]

MG - Don't be too hasty throwing out the microwave. It makes a great breadbox (you're bread doesn't get squashed) and reheating those big meals I cook so I don't have to cook everyday. Cook for four today and freeze three portions for later. Do this twice in a row and you can alternate leftovers for a week. No need to dirty pots and pans more than needed.

 

[MG1912]

Thanks, B and C. I have indeed used the microwave a few times while plugged into shore power for the reheating convenience. As you mentioned, it's so much easier and less messy to warm a mug of milk in the microwave rather than in a pot on the stove (which then has to be cleaned). But I figured, I can always just use the stove for reheating, despite the mess, because the microwave is such an energy hog. How do you use yours? Do you just run it off of your batteries for short bouts? Or do you run a generator? Or are you usually plugged into shore power?

 

[B and C]

I have an Onan 2800 built in with remote start. I run the generator first thing in the morning for coffee and to give the batteries a high energy jolt before the solar kicks in (about 15-20 minutes). I actually changed the microwave out for a microwave/convection oven combo (bought at camping world) so I can bake easily too. My van has no oven from the factory. Generators are a godsend especially when the sun don't shine. Baggies of leftovers and paper plates are my friend. It doesn't take much to wash a fork and knife.

I have a tiny inverter (350 watts) that I don't remember the last time I used it and it wouldn't run the microwave anyway.

 

[MG1912]

I thought I'd write a little bit about my experience talking with friends and relatives about my plans.  I am currently in Georgia at my cousin’s home, but I just spent a week in the Washington, DC area visiting people, so I ended up talking about my plans many times.  In my experience, it takes people a while to wrap their heads around what I’m trying to do, but then they have an epiphany and sometimes even say something like, “I wish I could do that.”

No one has told me I am crazy or taking an unnecessary risk.  People have been very supportive.  I think it helps that they are probably confident in me personally; I don’t have a reputation for making poor life choices.  Apropos, I never believed that I was the only person in the world who wanted to exit the rat race, but I did assume that most people were more-or-less happy in their S&B, wage/salary-earning life.  But the more people I talked to, the more I realized that there are a lot of people out there who want to escape in some way. 

I do know some people who are doing what they love and don’t want to stop, and the nomadic life therefore holds no appeal for them.  My cousin and her husband are farmers.  He has been a farmer all his life.  His father was a farmer, and his grandfather was a farmer.  Farming is all he knows, and he likes it, despite the ups and downs in farming.  He’ll farm until he can’t anymore, I’m sure.

Some of my friends and relatives have expressed envy at my leaving the rat race and doing my own thing independently.  Most people seem to feel it’s impossible for them due to family obligations, mortgages, etc.  But everyone has been very supportive.

I’ve also been surprised at how often people want to give me stuff.  “Here, you’ll need this in your camper for your trip!”  I had to warn my aunt several times that I had severe space and weight limitations in my camper, and that she should therefore NOT get me anything.  That did not stop her.  I’ve had friends walk up to me, clutching old, rusty tools they never use anymore -- or cheap freebie items they got in the mail -- look soulfully into my eyes, and say with gravitas, “These… are for you.”

I always accept the items with gratitude, but I confess that they sometimes get thrown away at the next truck stop.

 

[Cajunwolf]

@MG1912

I enjoyed that. I've run into similar situations, and that I'm planning to hit the road, this time with my disabled daughter, it's the same routine, just like you wrote it. One person asked me why, and I answered, because I can, the look on their face was priceless. That's my new way of thinking because I can! I'm retired, my daughter and I have a check coming in every month. I don't owe a dime to anybody, been debt-free, and free from the shackles of credit for 25 years now. Most folks, as you mentioned, are supportive, or wish they could do it too. I tell them they can, just give up the life you hate, liquidate and re-think, but most are scared to death of being really free, no safety net.   

I had to sell my sailboat back in January, my age and health issues, COPD, made it too hard to sail her alone, and the boat was too small for my daughter and me both to live. Broke my heart, but Sarah's needs come first. Don't get me wrong, she loved to sail, but I can still take her out with friends when I visit. Marina life is also very nomadic in nature. Until recently, and while my mother was alive, Sarah stayed with my cousin in San Antonio and had therapy and homeschooling to take up her time, and I lived on my boat, rent for the slip and shore power is really cheap compared to an apartment. The cousin has to take care of her sister in law who had a stroke, and here we are, saving money, shopping for gear, and looking for that just-right class C, but being it's such a buyers market for used RV's here I can get a class A for the same or cheaper. I'm talking $10k or less for 1998 to 2003 class A's, gas, or diesel, and they all have less than 75K miles. I want something in the 32-foot range, class C, preferably the 7.3L diesel, I'll be towing my Jeep, but dang, that's $12k to $18k, and they're all mint. Decisions, decisions, right? Oh well, I have until January to make up my mind, I'll have a pocket full of cash by then, cash money talks, and bovine excrement walks.
What kind of rig do you have, and what are your pros & cons? I'm all ears; I'm used to sailing out to sea.
James

Edit: Looked back and you have the pickup with campewr, right?

 

[MG1912]

So here is the plan/progress to date:

I am still at my cousin’s home in Georgia and will likely stay here through the Thanksgiving holidays before heading out west.  This week, I finished the Reflectix window cover project for the door and the cab over windows.  The purpose of the window covers is to increase privacy and “stealth,” and even though I am not planning to go urban “stealth” in a truck camper, the window covers make it much less obvious that I am inside since you can’t easily see my lights from outside, and curious eyes can no longer simply peer through my windshield into the camper.  As you can see in the below pic, I had to redo the camper door window cover to cover the frame, as light was bleeding through the hollow window frame around the actual window.  The covers also add insulation, as the door and cab over windows are single pane.  For now, I have decided not to install a peep hole on the camper door, as that is a somewhat involving project that requires drilling.

I recently tested the camper’s AC while on shore power here in Georgia.  It works.  I haven’t actually used it yet, as I had good weather in New England during the summer, and I arrived in Georgia after the summer heat had subsided.  In fact, I guess since I am mobile, and I will be following the weather, I might not ever need the AC.  I know that some people spec their new truck campers with no AC, as AC units take up valuable roof real estate, add weight, and consume a lot of power.  I should be able to run my AC off of my Honda generator if I ever need to, and I believe this particular generator model can run for 8 or 9 hours on one gallon of gasoline.  I will have a 3-gallon can, so that’s quite a bit of AC and/or battery charging.  However, the principal purpose of the generator will be to top off the batteries.  I just don’t see myself running it to use the microwave (which I almost never use) or AC.  I don’t have any other power hog appliances like a toaster, coffee maker, hair dryer, etc.  The only inverter I have is the 150 watt cigarette-lighter type, which I only use to charge my vape batteries.  My laptop and other devices have 12v cords.

I use the propane range daily for heating cleaning/washing water, making tea and coffee, toasting bread, cooking meals, etc., but I have never used – or even tested -- the oven in the two months I’ve been living in the camper… not before last night, that is.  Last night, I decided to fire up the oven and make some bacon for dinner, which turned out great.  I’m very glad I had bought an oven thermometer when I first started getting my gear together for the camper because it turns out that my Suburban propane RV oven’s temperature dial is off by 50 degrees (the thermometer reads 400 degrees when the oven’s dial reads 450 degrees).  I’ve never been a big baker (or cook in general), but now that I’ve got a working oven, I might try my hand at making something like sourdough bread.

My next -- and probably my final -- project for the rig before I start heading west will be to setup my generator and gas can and use them to keep my batteries charged during days with no sun.  Over the past two months, I have only run my batteries down to near 50% a few times.  Each time, I was able to plug into shore power at a relative or friend’s house, but now I want to unplug and start relying on the generator, as I will eventually be boondocking in areas with no hookups.  I need to familiarize myself with the setup and work the kinks out now while I’m safe at a relative’s place with shore power readily available.  I’ll probably start later this week.

 

[LERCA]

Really nice rig and you seem to have everything figured out. I enjoyed reading all your posts. I hope you’ll head out West. I’m a native Californian but I love Arizona. I could explore the little towns forever. Ditto Colorado. And the climate in the West is much less extreme and comfortable. Anyway best of luck to you!!! Great job on your beautiful camper.

 

[user 22017]

Hi MG,

I enjoyed reading your thread. Thank you.

I want a Lagun table someday. Not in my budget yet. I am curious what you used for the table top.

I read on a forum where someone used a cutting board off Amazon. Yours looks to be the same size as the original table that came with your camper.

I'm thinking of using something like a wood cutting board with the Lagun base, then switch to my original table top and supports when I need a larger table.

Carla

Edit: What uses up most of your electricity/solar?

 

[MG1912]

Really nice rig and you seem to have everything figured out. I enjoyed reading all your posts. I hope you’ll head out West. I’m a native Californian but I love Arizona. I could explore the little towns forever. Ditto Colorado. And the climate in the West is much less extreme and comfortable. Anyway best of luck to you!!! Great job on your beautiful camper.

Many thanks for the kind words, LERCA.

Hi MG,

I enjoyed reading your thread. Thank you.

I want a Lagun table someday. Not in my budget yet. I am curious what you used for the table top.

I read on a forum where someone used a cutting board off Amazon. Yours looks to be the same size as the original table that came with your camper.

I'm thinking of using something like a wood cutting board with the Lagun base, then switch to my original table top and supports when I need a larger table.

Carla

Edit: What uses up most of your electricity/solar?

I am really enjoying the Lagun table. The ability to maneuver the table out of the way or to tuck it into a corner to make additional space is very nice. Yes, I'm pretty sure the tabletop is the original one that came with my camper.

As for what uses up most of my electricity, I do not yet have a precise and sophisticated understanding of my power usage. I haven't used a device like a kill-a-watt to check, for example. These days, especially since it has gotten down to 30 degrees here in Georgia this week, I'm sure the furnace blower is a major electricity hog. Otherwise, I've usually got one of the camper LED lights on, and I usually have something plugged in and charging, either my laptop or phone, or my 150 watt inverter for other batteries, etc. I try to conserve and always unplug devices when they are full and turn off lights when I'm not using them.

The few times I've really worried about my batteries occurred during long stretches without sun (cloudy, rainy weather for two or three days on end), when the batteries would be slowly whittled down and not have enough sun to recover the next day. As long as I get some sun, my batteries recover from my daily use. The generator will give me great peace of mind, since I can fire it up any time to boost my batteries and not have to worry about dipping below 50%.

 

[user 22017]

I am really enjoying the Lagun table.  The ability to maneuver the table out of the way or to tuck it into a corner to make additional space is very nice.  Yes, I'm pretty sure the tabletop is the original one that came with my camper.

As for what uses up most of my electricity, I do not yet have a precise and sophisticated understanding of my power usage.

Thanks MG. My original table is so heavy I never thought to use it with the Lagun base. Maybe yours is lighter. It sure works out well in your TC. My TC is much smaller.

Regarding power, I thought (or was hoping) I could get by without solar installation. Then I started worrying about the blower on my furnace needing power. But last night I read a post that reminded me that I won't need heat while I sleep (as long as I stay out of extremely cold areas).

Thanks again for the informative post

 

[MG1912]

Today, I finished installing the gas can ladder mount, filled the 3-gallon gas can, and added Sta-Bil Marine to the gas.  I am in the process of completing the initial generator break-in.  Honda says to change the first oil after 20 hours of operation, but I read an alternate break-in method online that suggested running the new generator without a load for 1 hour and then changing the first oil, which supposedly extends the life of the engine.  It only costs a half-quart of oil and a fraction of a gallon of gas, so I figure, "Why not?"  The Honda eu2200i is incredibly quiet.  It's right outside my camper, and I can barely hear it.

Tomorrow, I will unplug from shore power and start relying on the generator.

Here is the generator doing its thing

Here is the gas can mounted on my ladder.  i hope no one steals it.  You can also see that I have my rear awning extended, as it has been a bit rainy today.

 

[SheketEchad]

Great progress on things! I'm running on solar completely out here in the West (Arizona), and have a fridge, cell phones, instant pot and laptops. Since I've not been working the last week, the laptops have seen no use, and my power is replenished by noon. I do still want a generator, though in the future.

See you out West, maybe, lol, amongst the thousands pouring in!

 

[MG1912]

Thanks, SE. Yes, I can't wait to get out West. Are you near Quartzsite? Are there really thousands of people showing up? Are you staying with caravans and/or other forum members?

 

[SheketEchad]

Thanks, SE.  Yes, I can't wait to get out West.  Are you near Quartzsite?  Are there really thousands of people showing up?  Are you staying with caravans and/or other forum members?

Currently I'm boondocking about three hundred miles east of Quartzsite, trying to formulate a plan. I have about seven days left at this site before I have to move. So I may head to Quartzsite next weekend, since I work during the week so can only travel short distances on weekdays.

It's a great site, if you need a stopping place en route, but off of 10 a ways via AZ-92 near Sierra Vista. Fire pits, pit toilets, live stream and beautifully quiet.   Shout out to BadMotorScooter who directed me to it.

I have no idea how many people actually hit Quartzsite, as this will be my first year attending. Photos from the past show an incredibly large crowd, and I'm kind of a loner/small group person, so I'm dicey about it. But I understand you can park away from the crowds if you desire. I'll just have to walk to the crowds as I'm not going to move the van around a lot. Exercise!  I'm waiting for the Queen Mother (Cammalu) to guide this neophyte in the ways of the winter tribe, lol.