The Build On The Fly

[accrete]

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Thom....I like your setup. . .
Do you also have cooking facilities aboard?
That's something we find very important, as we neither one like eating out much.

THX for the kudos on the rig.
On cooking? well sort of. We don't like to cook inside the van as there really isn't any room. We can boil water if we want to easily. . . but we do most cooking over in the 15 ft travel trailer we pull behind the van. No stealth with us as we pretty much camp in BLM/FS lands, and about two/three times a year a state park. I did post a bunch of pics of our setup at another thread (link to post) here at CRVL forums.

Thom

 

[SoulRaven]

No you dont need a camcorder. Its just more , well you know, JUNK. You're doing fine. Next thing you'll be buying all sorts of watches.

Watches? How much? Where? Can I make a profit?

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Yeah, I know that "special look", but it doesn't cut it with me

I forget the days too, but who cares

If I didn't have one of these clocks that tells you the day of the week, the date, the indoor & outdoor temps, and the weather, I'd always be in a state of confusion.

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Wow, thanks everyone. We really appreciate all the kind thoughts and support.
If the info we post helps even 1 person its more than worth doing.

At this time of the month bucks are getting a little tight, so we're not able to make much progress on the build....but we're sure having a great time and enjoying having the van.

In reality, our lives have for the better since getting out of the RV. Sure, there are a few things that are different, but that can be a good thing.
For instance, we show up at Burger King at 6 am for coffee and restrooms (and internet). Plus side is the good folks working here are friendly and interested in our "story". The manager has our coffee on the counter by the time we swing the door open. He comes out to chat when he has time and this morning coffee was "on him"
BUT....the big plus is that we are enjoying getting "moving" earlier in the day, something I was dreading since I liked to kick back in the RV with coffee.

Yesterday, a sweet :heart: older lady at the library offered showers (no, we didn't stink or look in need, LOL). She also made a wonderful chef's salad with garlic bread, yum
She just wanted to hear about what we're doing and since she hasn't a computer, we've added her to our postcard list.
(If you're not doing postcards do consider it for the few like this lady. A few lines on a pretty picture card will make their day and create a great bond)

We're meeting some very nice people that I think we would have missed out on otherwise.
After all, travel isn't only about the places you see, but often more importantly, the super people you meet along the way.

We may have downsized in space, but I think we have supersized in other ways

That's what I love about my van, and not feeling like I need to hide. Everybody is open and friendly to me, and like you they like to hear of my travels, and sometimes get a peek inside my home.

Even those who say they could never do it, don't look down on me, and still love the stories.

I just don't understand these "stealth" people, hiding in a cargo van, worried that someone might discover what they're doing. That sounds like being in a prison to me, and missing out on some of the best parts of this lifestyle. The great people that you get to meet along the way are a huge part of how great life really is.

I guess there's a few hermits in every crowd though.

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Hi Jay
Not sure how your suspension on the van is but I know I have to beef ours up before driving the 2800 mi. back out to the sand box , as You know when a Semi passes You in one of these Maxi's .
They argue on other forums as to which is better , Air Bag's or a Roadmaster Active Suspension or a Dually kit ?
I like the idea of " Training Wheels " but here in Taxachusettes , any vehicle with over 5 tires requires a Commercial Registration , with a $ 129.00 DOT Inspection , flares , chocks , fire ext. etc. plus a DOT Medical Card Depending who ask's or stops you .
On one forum another member from Mass. tows a large racing boat to Florida a couple of times a year , and stops at the Ma. / Ct. Border and mounts up His Training Wheels for a safe stable ride .
I have chatted with him and He has Air Bags on the back and Timbrens on the front and has No Sway at all .
Bob

I don't know about anyone else, but mine is an all stock 1986, and it is as solid as a rock, even bad crosswinds are just barely felt, and semi's passing aren't felt at all.

 

[SoulRaven]

Do you also have cooking facilities aboard?
That's something we find very important, as we neither one like eating out much.

I picked up an old cabinet, possibly a record or under TV cabinet, that is 30"w x 18"d and has sliding doors on the front that I use for my kitchen. It comes up right to the bottom of the windows. It is wood.

I decided that I wanted to keep my counter top clear for use for other things that the kitchen as well. Got a propane coleman type two burner stove, that I can turn a couple of clay flowerpots upside down on to double as a heater. Dishpans for sinks, spray bottles for water.

I have a 3 way fridge that was taken out of a tent trailer. It opens up ice chest style, and it's mounted in a pretty wood cabinet. Found it on CL for $50. It's a lot more expensive to run than my former ice chest, but that's what I have for now. It's cut my house battery run time down from ~7 days to 4 days, so it is pretty power hungry. I'll probably sell it and return to a plain ice chest. The kerosene fridge/freezer at my cabin, now that's the real ticket, but it is house sized and too big for my van.

I LOVE the sliding doors in my kitchen cabinet, no extra space needed for swinging doors.

Here's a link to some other kitchen ideas I found too:
http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=486741&page=2

 

[WheelEstate USA]

OG....That's what I have in mind for our galley....we're going over to Habitat For Humanity to take a look at what they've got.
Having lived aboard a sailboat for a number of years, I'm going to utilize some of the same storage ideas.

If you were in this area, I might consider buying that 3 way fridge till I could afford a more efficient one.

We're taking one step at a time, as $$ allows

 

[SoulRaven]

OG....That's what I have in mind for our galley....we're going over to Habitat For Humanity to take a look at what they've got.
Having lived aboard a sailboat for a number of years, I'm going to utilize some of the same storage ideas.

If you were in this area, I might consider buying that 3 way fridge till I could afford a more efficient one.

We're taking one step at a time, as $$ allows

That's one of the best things, being able to build as you go, and even modify it when the need arises.