Mobile Traveler since 1961

Greetings All!

Camper_Bob here, been a mobile traveler since 1961, mainly working disaster relief, which is why being a full time mobile traveler just makes sense.

I currently live in my 1986 Dodge 15 passenger converted camper van, but I have lived in everything from fancy motorhomes to converted school buses to camper vans over the years.

Doesn't look like twodogs is around any more, but I may be able to add some helpful advice if anyone needs it. I've got a little bit of experience with almost every aspect of mobile living, and finding work on the road.

I am normally more of a city dweller than a wilderness dweller, but I do have some experience there too.

I've visited a number of sites about full time RVing, and Van Dwelling, and to be honest, I wasn't very impressed by most of them. To many wannabe's posting as experts, or other supposed experts whose real goal is to separate you from your money.

Since I thought a lot of twodogs, even though I didn't always agree with him, I thought maybe this would be a good place to start a discussion and offer help to anyone in need, and one thing you can ALWAYS count on, is that I will never try to sell you anything.

Living in a vehicle can be challenging, but it is far more rewarding. It can be a cheap way of living if the need arises, and a great way to view the country if you have the desire. Anybody can do this, and it's a whole lot easier than most people think. You can start with almost any vehicle and upgrade as you go. Jobs are easy to get and plentiful if you know how, and you can work your way around the country if you like. There are many ways to make money on the road, all honest and legal.

One of the greatest things about this lifestyle is that your expenses are so low that it doesn't take much money to really enjoy life and travel.

So if there's anyone out there with either questions or answers about living a mobile lifestyle, especially van dwelliing, this is the place for you!

 

Twodogs does check in from time to time...... He last was here a few months ago and was doing ok.........


1961 huh????? God bless ya my friend,must be hard living that way......

 

So glad to hear that, I hadn't heard from him in like 2 years, and was starting to get worried.

Actually it's a great life, I'm pretty much retired now, but continue to live in my van by choice, I really can't hardly imagine living any other way.

I get a kick out of the tiny house movement, they don't have a clue about what tiny houses really are. hehe

I miss working, but I stay pretty busy anyway, I've started helping other people build camper vans, and it has kind of snowballed on me. I helped a returning vet build one, and the next thing I knew, I had so many people wanting my help that it can be hard to keep up. That's part of the reason I signed up here, I figured that if I could post directions on how to build a camper van, maybe it could help a lot of people, and then I could just refer people here who needed help.

I'll be turning 72 soon, and I would like to pass on some knowledge to the younger folk. Times are a lot tougher for many, and they just don't teach people good survival skills in schools. So many homeless people, who might not have to be if they just knew how not to be homeless. I've had the good fortune of never being homeless, but I had a very good teacher from the time I was a very young kid.

Down by the river, where my Grandpa would take me fishing, lived an old man called Hobo Henry. He lived in a small house he had built on the back of an old pickup truck. He was a happy old guy, never had a bad word to say about anything, and always had fresh cooked and fresh smoked fish to share with visitors. He sold the excess fish he caught, and that may have been his only income. He had great stories to tell, he had been living that way since the great depression. Traveled the country with his wife and 2 kids, finding work when he could, and feeding his family with fish when he couldn't. He'd tell of good times and bad, but how nobody ever went hungry or cold.

For some reason I made a connection with Hobo Henry, traveling the country, envisioning it through his stories, and the wanderlust built within me. I wanted to see all these places in person, and long before I was ever old enough to drive, I had built my own tiny cabin on wheels a million times in my mind. I never got very interested in school, even though I was determined to be the first one in my family to graduate high school. But I wasn't interested much in a regular job, I wanted to travel, just like Hobo Henry.

Well, I got that truck, and built my tiny house on it, preparing for my travels once I graduated. We lived 5-6 miles from my school, and we had one of the worst winters we'd ever seen. It was a long cold walk to school through 3+ feet of snow, because it was to unsafe to walk on the plowed road. So I decided that I was going to take my truck to school and camp out during the week, and just return home on the weekends. Our house was always freezing cold in the winter, but my tiny cabin was easy to heat, and the top of my little perfection kerosene heater doubled as a cook stove. Hobo Henry told me I'd never go cold with a perfection heater and he was right.

By the time the weather cleared, I had become very comfortable in my tiny cabin, and I was the envy of every other kid in school. I decided to keep camping out, and only returned home occasionally to visit. I spent many nights down by the river with Hobo Henry.

The week of high school graduation, the disaster corps were recruiting at my high school. "Get Paid to Travel The Country" they said, so I signed up, and stayed with it until they retired me.

Now I'm the old man with the stories to tell, and hopefully some help and inspiration to offer to others, just like Hobo Henry did with me, and probably many others. I've been able to live out my dreams, and a whole lot more, and I want other people to know that they can live out their dreams too. Hope is not dead, it is alive and well, and available to all.

 

How did you start?

I have nothing in my bank account.

 

I started in high school actually, with a home made camper built on the back of an old pickup truck. Vans as we know them today didn't really exist yet.

Do you have a vehicle and/or a job? Do you live in a house, apartment, or ?

I live in the USA, but things shouldn't be too different where you're at.

 

How and why to choose a van.

A van is the largest vehicle you can park legally just about anywhere. Motor homes, trailers, and even pickups with campers have parking restrictions in many areas, and so do box trucks, step vans, and buses. For this reason we will focus on vans.

Which van is best? Well, first let's eliminate the obvious. You don't want a cargo van. Cargo vans attract the attention of cops, thieves, nosey neighbors, and pretty much everybody else. The people who tell you how stealthy they are has either never had one, or is trying to sell theirs so they can get a window van. The only people the "stealth crowd" are fooling is themselves.

Besides the above, window vans have many advantages over cargo vans. They don't attract unwanted attention, they have better safety features, they have better ventilation, they have usually been maintained better, and have lower miles. They usually drive better, quieter, and will get better gas mileage. For these reasons and a whole lot more, you want a window van.

How Big? I like to suggest the 15 passenger models. These are typically the longest, and are frequently 1 ton models so they can easily handle the weight of being a camper van. Any length of van can work, but the more room you have, generally the more comfortable you'll be.

What about high tops? High tops have the advantage of being able to stand up inside. This can be huge for some people. They have the disadvantage of not being able to park in parking garages, or driving through most fast food joints. Both high and low top vans can be converted into equally comfortable camper vans.

How about mini vans? Mini vans can be used, but you're giving up a lot of comfort, for a slight increase in gas mileage. Not a worthwhile trade off in my mind.

Factory camper vans? Factory camper vans are usually not really set up for off grid living, and they are frequently pretty high priced as well. A converted window van will usually make a better choice for most people.

Conversion Vans? Conversion vans can make a good start for a camper van. Some have taller tops, and most already have a bed built in. The bed may or may not be a good fit for you or your plans, only you can decide on this.

Recommendations? Retired church and shuttle vans are usually great choices. You can find them with high, medium, and low tops. They frequently have low miles and have had good maintenance. Once the rear seats are removed, you are left with a nice flat floor, and already paneled walls and ceiling. These vans can frequently be found with very low price tags.

Makes, years? Anything can be made to work, and everybody has their own favorite make of vehicle. I have had good luck with Dodge's myself, you just can't kill them. I prefer the older ones, pre computer controlled anything. Less to go wrong, and easier to fix if the need arises.

Gas or Diesel? I have to vote for gas, they're more reliable, lower maintenance, and gas can be much easier to find than diesel in some areas.

I didn't forget about propane or veggie oil, they are just not good options. You want a vehicle that can be easily serviced even in remote locations.

 

Any time I ever again see a camper or RV, I will be reminded of Stephen King's Doctor Sleep.

 

I guess I'm not familiar with that one.

 

welcome aboard and thanks for your insights.
Been living in vehicles nearly 10yrs and if a travel trailer with 8x14' living space counts, more like 25 yrs (on a wonderful place I 'rented' from the state (owned) in the sw finger lakes region - tried for community there for 30 yrs and passed it on last year).
Currently I live in a Subaru outback modified to a 2.2 engine and14" wheels with the back all cargo (ready made bed). Been more than ready to upgrade but enjoy going places where awd helps, but need a bit more clearance. Thought about a Sprinter, but they are top heavy and only rear wd. Will have to chew on your advice - but it looks sound.
Use an inverter, carry up to 15 gal of water and several cook stoves (both propane and multifuel), must admit I favor the propane but am drawn to gasoline fuels as being the cheapest to run.
The kerosene heater you mentioned - how's that in the van ? (breathing-wise - I have an adversion to the smell of kerosene via lanterns and especially cannot take them upon exstinguishing).
Been on these forums since the beginning , but no longer moderate (though skip has not seen fit [yet] to take away my mod status) because I am too often off grid (national forests - mostly S.W.). Do have the option of parking in a home base at my sister's in N.M., - use it as little as possible believing in the fish story (3 days and it begins to stink), but even when parked, sleep and usually cook in my car.
My email is in my sig. and I do reply to P.M.s too (when folks can use them); but must warn that I'm often off grid.
Finally went to a smart phone , but still need the grid - satellite phone are beyond my means at present.
Getting ready to travel to S. A. (a once started vision but never fully realized) - hopefully before winter solstice here.
My sig. also has links to my personal forum and journals, should you wish a pretty clear vision of me. I include all this because you sound like a person of like mind - and I meet very few.
Like to connect, should desire be there on your side as well.

Blessings along your Way (most often the lessons learned)

Namaste (my spirit bows to your spirit)

 

Greetings & Welcome OldWolf !!!!

Sure sounds like 25 years to me. I gave a little thought to the original title, and specifically used mobile traveler as opposed to van dweller, because I wanted to be all inclusive. Many of us, myself included, have had many forms of housing on wheels, and good tips and advice can help many, regardless of which form of mobile living space they choose.

I caught your name long ago, (I've been a lurker for a very long time), because my traveling companion for over 10 years was a wolf who adopted me. I think the poor old guy was starving, and had come down out of the hills in search of food. He was scrawny and scraggly, but he immediately impressed my by announcing his presence, about 100 feet away. It was a cold snowy day, and I had just finished dinner, so I put my leftovers on a plate, and even cooked up an extra steak just for him. Took the plate out about 50 feet and placed it on the ground. I told him in kind and loving words that it was for him, and nobody went hungry on my watch.

He gulped that down like it had been many days since his last meal. When I awoke the next morning, he was still there, just at the tree line. I fixed breakfast for two, extra sausage for my friend. I noticed that he ate it a little slower, and then he sat beside his plate and waited. I opened my side door, and he immediately gave me a soft loving howl, to let me know he appreciated it, before he went back to the tree line.

I drove to town for a grocery run, and picked up a 50 pound bag of dog food for him, and a couple of doggy dishes. I kept his dishes full, and slowly he would come up and and sit beside me and let me pet him. He would sleep right outside my side doors, and greet me in the morning with a kiss. I needed to make another grocery run, and I started my van, and I'll be darned if he didn't jump in the van. Well, he chose to officially move in with me that day, and for nearly 10 years we were family. He holds a prominent place in both my heart and my memories.

I think there's a lot that can be learned by everyone if we share our knowledge. Some of us old timers have undoubtably found solutions for many of the problems that the younger crowd are now experiencing. Not every answer will be helpful to everyone, but to some, any answer or solution is better than none.

I believe our numbers are larger than most people realize, and too many are struggling just to keep their heads above water. Good honest, and helpful answers seem to be hard to come by. I understand the need for people to make money, but not at the expense of those who are also struggling.

I am one of the fortunate few that could choose to live in a house or apartment. I saved my money, lots of it, because my housing costs were next to nothing. Today I have a decent retirement plus social security. But I still have that wanderlust in my heart, and my little home on wheels keeps me as comfortable as any other type of dwelling ever could. I can change my scenery or my neighbors on a moments notice, and live my life the way I choose. I don't need to keep up with the Jones's, or impress anyone, I am free to enjoy my life as I see fit.

I'll try to answer your specific questions in my next post, but I wanted to welcome you, and invite you, as well as everyone else, to help with answers and suggestions. I would like this to be a community rather than a dictatorship, with no question being stupid, and all help from everyone welcomed. I am a believer that having 10 choices for answers is much better than having none, and that everyone may have something helpful to contribute whether they realize it or not.

Again, welcome my friend, and stay tuned! :2thumbsup:

 

Travel trailers count in my book, I'm kind of an equal opportunity kind of guy, living on wheels is living on wheels, no matter what sits above them.

Personally, I never venture too far off a road, so it has never really been an issue for me. I love my poor old van, it sure has taken good care of me, but I honestly don't know how it would do in the real boondocks.

Sometimes the choices can be hard, and we just have to weigh all the options and pick one. I can't hardly imagine trying to live in your rig. It makes my 6' x 12'(living space) van sound like a mansion. My swivel rocker/recliner is a welcome friend, and an indoor toilet & shower are luxuries that I really appreciate. I'm in the middle of a downpour right now, and there is nothing more comforting than knowing that I have no need to go outside. Every comfort of home is within easy reach, so let her rain.

I have an inverter tucked away, but I really never use it. All of my power needs are handled by 12v on a separate house battery. I have the car chargers for everything, and an amazing amount of stuff is available in 12v versions, including electric blankets.

I love my kerosene heaters & lamps, but I can certainly appreciate that they're not for everyone. The little bit of fumes on starting or stopping them doesn't happen to bother me. One of the things that I really like about them is that it seems to be a drier heat than propane. The kerosene heat will actually de fog the windows rather than fogging them up. My kerosene heater has glass all the way around, so you can see the flames, and it is kind of like being able to have an indoor campfire. I have lots of LED lanterns which I like, but there is nothing like the ambiance of a kerosene lantern to set the mood and sooth the spirit. It will transport me to a serene campsite in the woods, even if I'm in the middle of a city.

I don't really have any experience with the multi-fuel stoves, although I have played a little bit with some of the alcohol stoves. The problem is that the denatured alcohol seems to be pretty expensive. I do have a Coleman propane camp stove that I use for both cooking and low to mid range heating. One of the advantages of using a cook stove for heating is that you have full control over the heat output, where most heaters are just either on or off. I use a clay flower pot turned upside down over one burner to help radiate the heat. I also picked up some solar stake lights at a dollar store, and the overturned flower pot makes a perfect holder for those as well.

Like you, I've been around for quite a while too, I followed TwoDogs from the beginning, but never wanted to steal his thunder. He is an inspiration to many, and I can only hope that this thread can bring as much joy and inspiration to people as he has over the years.

I like your fish story, and feel the same way. I go home at night to sleep in my own comfortable bed, and will frequently even park elsewhere for the night, just so no-one has to worry about me. I never want to be an inconvenience to someone I'm visiting.

I look forward to reading your forum & journals, thank you for the invite. The welcome mat is always out for you my friend. I'm not sure I've figured out the PM thing yet, but perhaps it will become more apparent if someone sends me one.

Good luck on your trip to S.A., I'll be looking forward to your posts about it.

Rubber down and spirits up my friend, glad to have you on board.

 

Sweet thread!


Last year I was pretty close to homelessness and so I started working on my 2005 dodge caravan as an urban stealth camper. Thankfully it didn't come to that but it's worked well for our road trips so far.

There's still a pile of work to do. I just replaced the mattress with some HD memory foam. Closures on my drawers. I'll be re doing my black out curtains.
My friend is giving me some extra tent poles to work on tarping options.

We may have to configure in a guinea pig travel system.

Now that there's no impending doom, working on the van is fun. I'll be out in it next weekend to see what need tweaking next.

 

FYI bob you cannot PM (private message) anyone until you hit member status, which I think occcurs somewhere between 50.>100 posts

 

Hey Camper Bob, good to see you here. I think you commented on my blog the other day about my recliner in my bus. I'm one of those wanna be's slowing migrating to full time as my life situations allow. Don't discount us part timers. Everyone started somewhere.. Looking forward to building this thread.

By the way, a friend of mine talks with JC, A.K.A Two dogs. He's alive and kicking...

Best to ALL !!!

 

Greetings and Welcome!

If we can be of any assistance, just give a holler!

So glad to hear that it is now a pleasure experience rather than a forced one. Sure goes to show how being prepared can ease your mind though.

 

Ahhh... Thanks, that explains it, because I couldn't seem to find it anywhere. Guess maybe I should have read the in depth docs.

 

Greetings and Welcome Ken!

Glad to hear about TwoDogs!

Not to worry my friend, my vision is to be all inclusive, from wannabe's to full timer's, to everything in between. Even dreamers count in my book.

You just never know where that next dynamite tip could come from, or who our little bit of knowledge could help.

I envision our online community being open to all, kind of like Slab City, anybody who's willing to play nice is welcome, even if we have to agree to disagree.

The idea of being here, and creating a non judgmental community to help each other and help others, is just so exciting to me. I've always tried to help others when I could, but the reality is that in person, there are only so many people you are going to meet, or you can help. Here we have the potential of helping thousands, and with the experiences of not just myself, but a whole community. We can offer our help across town, across the country, or even around the world.

Even just a kind word can make a whole a world of difference sometimes, letting someone know that they are not alone, and they have somewhere to turn.

Welcome my friend, and hope to see a lot of you!

 

I frequently get asked what I do for running water.

I have several systems that I use, but my favorite system that I use every single day for everything from washing my hands, to washing dishes, or counter tops, to even my quick showers, consists of 3 dollar store spray bottles.

I have painted one of them black, and sit it in a window for solar heated hot water. A second bottle is room temperature, and a third bottle has a few drops of dish soap added to it, and it can be solar heated if desired also.

I've tried a lot of systems over the years, and this one may be stupidly simple, but it sure works great!

 

Building a kitchen area / work space has never been easier or cheaper than it is today.

Today we have many choices of pre-made plastic, wood, and metal drawers that can be had very cheaply. These can be configured in a desk style layout, or all drawers, or any other configuration you like. Simply place a pre-made shelf across the top, and you're good to go.

Building a comfortable living space doesn't have to be difficult or require carpenter skills, anybody can do it with off the shelf supplies, and Craigslist, or Thrift Store finds.

Here's a couple of examples.

 

Dollar store dish pans make great indoor/outdoor sinks.