The Weaning Project

[lterry]

Trying to find shade in Quartzite BLM. I have been to Joshua tree Natl park, Slab City, San Areas faultline, and Salton Sea in the past few days. Pics to follow. Right now just enjoying how quiet BLM at the Q is.

Well I Was going to add a picture of my van in the shade of a tiny tree but I guess the mobile version of the site doesn't let you add pics? There's no "add picture" icon wheetit normally is when I am on my laptop.

Ok so it looks like you can post pics in replies.

 

[lterry]

Thank you for the birthday wishes. I didn't see them before...clearly I need to figure out why my phone won't load complete pages from the forum. That may be the upgrade it was trying to tell me to do last week :/

 

[lterry]

Another quick update: I have a job! I am a waitress in Quartzsite. Come into Casa Grande sometime and see me. Actually, I work tomorrow from morning until after lunch - sounds like a good time to visit me
It's on 95 North, second block.

 

[lterry]

UPDATE:
I apologize for the really long absence but here's the update.

My Roadtrek is no more. I hit a deer when I came back to my home state Florida, and insurance wrote my van off as totalled. Didn't break my heart because I'd been thinking I wanted something a little smaller, shorter.
I'm SO glad I started out with such a big van because with something smaller, or with fewer amenities, I might have given up the lifestyle early saying it was too different or too hard. Or felt I was depriving myself of too much. As it was, I felt just fine and even come to realize I could live with less and I wanted to in order to have easier mobility. With this big van I was venturing out less to the sites around me because gas usage and just general bulkiness of my van...taking my van somewhere was a lot more of an ordeal than cranking up a car and just going. So I got a smaller hightop conversion van and outfitted it with the things I felt were important to me. Obviously there was less space and fewer amenities once this van was finished, but my new home was just what I wanted. Skip to one year later. I found that I could live with even less, that I could live in something smaller, that used less gas, one that I didn't have to worry about clearance in parking garages or drive-throughs. I sold my conversion van to my dad.
I now have a minivan that I've made into a microcamper complete with a stove, sink, and even a bathtub hidden it the now empty fold-down seat cavity. It's a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan commercial vehicle, so it has caged windows and never had seats in the back.
Only time will tell if this was a bad move or not. Right now I feel like my opinion is tainted with my mechanical issues. The problem is I bought it then went to Europe for two months without fixing things first. I think it sat too long without it being worked on. Eventually things will be fixed and I can stop living at a mechanic's garage - then I can give you a real opinion on living in a microcamper.
In a month I'm going back west, San Francisco, and will stay around that area for a few months. I'll take my time getting there so meetups along the way would be great. Just message me. And I'm still in northern Florida until the end of March if you're around this area.
(I feel like I need a disclaimer: I'm talking about nonromantic meetups)
- Lisa

 

[MG1912]

I find it fascinating that you have downgraded in size from a Roadtrek not once but twice. I've been curious to see how people feel about their rigs a year or longer out from their initial travels. It seems a lot of people start with something like a larger RV or trailer and then downgrade in size to a Roadtrek-sized vehicle. I believe this is what Bob did -- starting with a bigger rig and trailer and then settling on a high-top van. It is fascinating to hear of someone starting in something as small as a Roadtrek and downgrading in size further not once but twice. I see you started this journey several years ago, so you must have a very firm understanding of your needs and wants at this point. Do you have pics of your new rig? Were you more driven by a commitment to minimalism or by money concerns regarding gas usage, etc.?

 

[lterry]

I'm away from my "home" right now or I'd take pics.
Yeah, I'm pretty settled on what I need to still feel human which is more than you'd think with me living in a minivan. But it does come from a desire to minimize and simplify. Also, my goal is optimal mobility (my Roadtrek was not a Poplar but an Independent. Those are really long). I like to move around quite a bit - daily. Which is why I don't have solar panels anymore. I had them for my first rig because I had a water pump, fridge, furnace, rooftop fan, and I only moved my van every few days because of the aforementioned lack of ease. Next van had much less but I got a solar panel anyway. Looking at the numbers on my controller I began to wonder why I bothered with solar. I drove too much (solenoid charged the batteries) to need the panels. Now I don't have solar. I have a lithium power station for electrontics and an oversized deep cycle battery for my engine along with upgraded alternator. However, the only extra pull on my battery will be my tiny exhaust fan that's meant for rv bathrooms.

 

[lterry]

7 years as a nomad. Wow!
Roadtrek, then a conversion Hightop van, next was a minivan, then Prius wagon, finally a Rav4 hybrid.
Let me explain myself. The minivan would have been close to perfect if the computer would've stopped frying. Even having warranty repairs was a pain the butt. But in perfect shape it wouldn't have been just the thing for me. I realized I was handcuffed to certain regions depending on the temperature. I craved snow sometimes but was deterred at the thought of freezing if I had to get out of bed in the middle of the night. What about summers wherever I wanted wo being too hot?
I needed temperature control. I saw the prius wagon online, it looked like a small minivan, so I bought it wo seeing it In person. Flew from San Francisco to Florida to pick it up. Surprise is an understatement.
I drove it back to San Francisco though, and I learned to love its gas mileage and "central heat and air" but not its size. Also it had low clearance and wasn't great in snow. This seems a small complaint but I couldn't sit up in bed either.
One year later, enter Rav4 Hybrid. Central heat and air as well as a built-in generator/lithium batteries, all-wheel drive when called for, and decent clearance. I've had it a year and have tricked it out to exactly what I value: a 1500 watt inverter direct-wired, an electric pot for cooking, and an espresso machine. Sounds bouge but remember, I live in a car. Also I can sit up in bed
Oh, 2 more things that I stole from one of Bob's videos, a cooler and a freezer - freezing ice packs to put in cooler and also saving room in freezer for icecream. Win and win.
It's been a long time since I've been on here, but I wanted to give an update, and hopefully my thoughts on vehicles can help someone else who's considering options.
I also have employment updates, but this post is already very long, so I'll post separately.

 

[bullfrog !]

Great solution I bet, look forward to continued posts. How’s your he RAV4 working maintenance and economy wise? Do you run a ceramic heater to keep run cycles down in cold weather?

 

[VanFan]

7 years as a nomad. Wow!
Roadtrek, then a conversion Hightop van, next was a minivan, then Prius wagon, finally a Rav4 hybrid.

Thanks for the update! I love to hear what has worked for you and why. We are barely-timers these days, having gone from a low top to a hightop conversion van recently. I nearly cratered to a long time Roadtrek crush, but saw my way clear just in time (LOL). We also nearly went with a stretch van, and thank ourselves often for not doing that. My daily driver is a Prius.

Sitting up in bed, decent ground clearance, and some semblance of climate control are big pluses! We have no need for solar, either, at this point. Our power needs are very small unless heat or a/c is needed. Since nothing short of shore power does that for us, we only use a 17ah (no snickers, okay?) power pack at this time.

 

[lterry]

Great solution I bet, look forward to continued posts. How’s your he RAV4 working maintenance and economy wise? Do you run a ceramic heater to keep run cycles down in cold weather?

Maintenance has been great with the exception of my own ignorance. I had the back gate replaced under warranty. Then had the same issue of it not opening months later. Finally a reddit post helped me when dealership wouldn't. (Wash your car/sensors when automated doors won't open).
I only use the car's heater to keep me warm since it's already there. The less things to haul around the better. The gas economy isn't great using the heater (worse than using ac) but that was never my priority for getting a hybrid.

 

[lterry]

Thanks for the update! I love to hear what has worked for you and why. We are barely-timers these days, having gone from a low top to a hightop conversion van recently. I nearly cratered to a long time Roadtrek crush, but saw my way clear just in time (LOL). We also nearly went with a stretch van, and thank ourselves often for not doing that. My daily driver is a Prius.

Sitting up in bed, decent ground clearance, and some semblance of climate control are big pluses! We have no need for solar, either, at this point. Our power needs are very small unless heat or a/c is needed. Since nothing short of shore power does that for us, we only use a 17ah (no snickers, okay?) power pack at this time.

I ditched solar long before starting with the hybrids. I still work, hence driving regularly, so my own engine charging things up made more sense. I just have the smallest jackery for powering my freezer while not in the car.

 

[lterry]

WORK: I have worked at Target for 5 years. I've been very sneaky to get the most out of my employment. Target likes to pay $3 or $4 above the local minimum wage. Some states have higher minimum wages than others, but some cities also have their own minimum wage ordinance that is higher than their state's. San Francisco and Seattle, for examples. So you can work in Seattle, park in peaceful Kenmore (10 minutes away), and take advantage of their great pay rates. You can also transfer easily, but they're not allowed to lower your wages simply because you've moved out of the high cost of living area. So right now I am making Seattle wages with Georgia cost of living. Also these higher areas like Seattle Target give better raises. So I like to transfer there when it gets close to time for my yearly review.
With this job situation, I'm able to work partime instead of full-time, and the scheduling is super flexible.
Also Target doesn't require you to update your address when you've transferred due to a move. My same Florida address has been on my work profile for 5 years, through 7 transfers.
You can also take a leave of absence without losing your benefits. I've taken 2 six-month leave of absenses, and this free lifestyle has allowed me to spend one of them in Europe.
I have never advertised these things because I worried Target would get too many nomads and change their policy. But I've been selfish too long, and now I'm releasing this info into the wild. Come what may.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Thanks very much lterry for the updates! This is so cool to have people check back in after a long absence.

Best of luck out there and please, check in more often!

 

[rruff]

So you can work in Seattle, park in peaceful Kenmore (10 minutes away), and take advantage of their great pay rates. You can also transfer easily, but they're not allowed to lower your wages simply because you've moved out of the high cost of living area.

Where do you park in Kenmore? I don't mean precisely, rather is it in a parking lot, or a street, etc.

Target sounds awesome! Did they have such good policies pre-covid as well?

 

[lterry]

Where do you park in Kenmore? I don't mean precisely, rather is it in a parking lot, or a street, etc.

Target sounds awesome! Did they have such good policies pre-covid as well?

Yes, precovid is same as postcovid at Target. I parked at that really shady park and ride. It's pretty. And 3 blocks down is a boat landing with a one-person bathroom you can empty your cassette toilet. There's a drain in the middle for an emergency sponge bath too. They lock it at night though.
Park and rides are your friend in cities. Even Florida, though they'rehard to find. But keep in mind that very few people suspect that I'm sleeping in my vehicle. Campervans or rvs might get the knock at night. But seattle area is very liberal when it comes to the houseless. I did get a knock at that exact park and ride in Kenmore by an alert pd. He said he was just checking on me though. I'm a white woman too, so there's probably a takeaway from that too.

 

[lterry]

Thanks very much lterry for the updates! This is so cool to have people check back in after a long absence.

Best of luck out there and please, check in more often!

Oh I mean to update more often. It'll be on my mind and before you know it a year has passed, then another.
Also I got lost trying to get back onto the forums one time.
Anyway, my daughters need me less and less, leaving my social cup nearly empty. More time for fellow nomads

I'm moving to Alaska in July so I would love to find someone to caravan with. Although I've talked myself out of being so intimidated by that long drive, it'd still be nice to have some nonromantic company.