Vandwelling/RV/etc commune/caravan

I have seen several posts pop up time to time about starting a roaming commune, or what might be called a caravan.I haven't seen any lately, so I'm curious if anyone is still interested in starting one.

I'm hoping that by spring I can take to the road, and spend some good time roaming and camping in national and state parks for free (many allow for free camping, but don't provide any hook-ups or water). Something that really calls to me is a group campfire with music, and stories, and dancing, and sharing the roaming experience.

Is there anyone still interested in that?

 

Edited the original message.

 

Sounds lovely! I would love to do something like that.

 

I'm forming my caravan, hoping to ship off spring 2015, if all goes well... Gonna gut my van tomorrow, hopefully, and start in on the conversion before winter sets in. I live in Montana, so sadly, that could happen any day, or so the joke is.

 

I would be down to join in, I am about to purchase a new class c, or a smaller motorhome that gets better gas mileage. Just keep me updated! Love the campfire music idea!

 

+Free - I'm slowly converting my minivan--- got all the paneling down, and trying to get the mounting points for the seats and seat belts taken down but I don't have the tools. I may take it in somewhere and see if a shop won't do it for me. Course, I'd have to plug up a bunch of holes, but that won't be a huge issue... Just some JBWeld and some sheet metal.

Drummin' you're right! Though parts of MT had a snow storm last week, lol, so... yeah. I'm looking to leave from here (Billings, MT) in spring 2015, maybe we can meet somewhere between?

 

I have a 1995 Plymouth Grand Voyager LE (Also known as a Dodge Grand Caravan LE, just boxier)

She's completely gutted out in the back, and next week I'm stuffing her full of insulation, cutting out the mounting points for the rear seating, and then throwing up some of my own panels (1/8" thick hardboard). Then I'm gonna try and build some frames for the bed and kitchen!

 

Hows this going? Keep me updated as well. I'll be based out of the east coast come spring.

 

The hardboard is decently light, I mean, I was able manage the sheets by myself, and they will be even lighter when cut to shape. I'm not sure about the hammock hooks, but I intend to put up some hooks to hold lighting or very light stuff around the edges of the headliner.

 

Well, the van itself is converted, just needs blinds and some reflextix for the windows, and something to put up between the drive cab and the back...

NEW ROLL OUT DATE IS SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER 2014!!!

 

Good for you for staying with your objectives! Great to see some photos of your van and of the journey when that happens. Here is some excellent info on car-camping in Colorado: http://www.elevationoutdoors.com/colorado%E2%80%99s-10-best-spots-for-car-camping/

 

I did all the work over the summer, busted everything out in a matter of a few short weeks--- hot as hell!!!

One of a couple posts. ENJOY!!

 

here are the last of the conversion pics, the rest to come are all for getting the windows closed off from prying eyes.

 

Here's a picture of what I did today-- not pretty, but what it is is a bug screen.... it's attached via hotglue and velcro, and a little fabric to so I could mash it all together.

Yesterday I made a banner for to fly, it's the symbol for Thunder Bear Caravan (look it up on facebook!) I made it on my treadle conversion, that is, an electric machine turned treadle.

 

Someone showed me a tutorial where they cut small pieces of STURDY pvc, then drilled a hole in it, wired some heavy duty cord/line through them... You then open the front doors and close the line in it so the PVC is sticking on the outside.... they did this with two lines, and hung a PVC cot on them. It was suspended over the driver and passenger seat for kids, but I wonder if you could do this from the liftgate (rear hatch) and the front seats to go down the back of the passenger cab.

EDIT::: or maybe just use hooks and washers on the bolts for the seatbelts.

 

Here are all my curtains up, the tan by the pillow is the dividing curtain between the driver's and passanger seat and the back of the van. The little hook is made of coat hanger and how I put up my curtains, I just took some short screws, posted them into the panels and hung cord on them. There are a few pieces of coat hanger just hanging on the panels so they don't sag in the middle. Even my sliding door has a curtain and a cord to keep the curtain nice and close to the door.

Only thing I need is a little velcro in key spots, and she's perfect!

 

Looks like you got it pretty set up. What all are you going to do to it?