About the stickers, its the minor destinations that are the ones you want. They are like the battle scars. Everyone get the Tampa or Miami Beach or South of the Boarder, but how many people have a Tupelo, MS sticker? A Lansing MI sticker? South Bend? That's what makes a real collection, not the tourist traps.
I thought it was just me loosing my mind trying to be a rebel canceling any credit debit cards any membership and just focus on doing me living in a conversion van rent free, but there's a whole community of ppl doing this thing lol
Dig your vids and you passing along this info. Yea there's a lot of beautiful places to see and culture to experience. Two things I would agree with you on for sure. Is when driving from place to place like you said make 5 hours your max driving time that fatigue factor can make you miserable and you'll end up missing a lot that you wouldn't have otherwise. Also, the fridge is a great idea! My other suggestion to people is don't go down south in the summer or north in the winter, if your going for extended periods of time flip-flop. I say this living in a van is your small mobile home but it's still a vehicle and it has to be completely reliable and everything has to work all the time, with all your tags up to date. To me your a brave guy you look in your 20's, so go with your gut and don't second guess a situation if it looks sketchy or weird pass it by. One last thing eat well don't go the fast food route your strength and energy and alertness is paramount, oh and also get in your sleep that will keep you healthy. Happy trails, bro!
Today being Christmas day, I remember what I did not like living in a van. On Christmas and Thanksgiving, and New Years Day you do not get a shower because the gym is closed.
There are gyms that you can use 24/7 , you enter the gym by using your fingerprint at main door and then the system automatically charges you each time you visit that gym,at least we have those in east europe , so should be in usa for sure
I buy postcards instead of stickers and tape them on the inside of the windows to be viewed! I smile when I am walking by my Van remembering those great adventures! So much cheaper & prettier! This video was very enjoyable!
Thanks for this! There's this push now to not take pictures and not take selfies because they take away from the moment, and I can see that, but it's not either or. When you get somewhere take a few pictures and then enjoy the moment. If something exciting happens, take another picture and then enjoy the moment. Don't not take pictures because when that moment is gone you won't have anything to remember it by and you will need something to remember it by. You're not going to remember all the special moments, the little moments that touch your heart, it in 10 years.
This reminds me of the diary/journaling thing. I started one in 1974 . It was brand new I found it in a parking lot! I think I have 24 years of them now. Stopped for several years in-between. I really wish I had kept them for all those years. The things are priceless now.. hundreds of things you would have never ever remembered. Even the most boring of days can be of interest years later. It's kind of like "reliving" a day again.
One thing I've noticed about van dwellers is the lack of stress from dealing with CONSTANT breakdowns of a regular RV. Even those with newer class A and C Rv's have constant issues. (Chris & G) I see a lot less stress with Will Burson and Brian (AdventureVanman)....and it seems like yours is holding up okay.
+Sean Spring not with an old school toyota. I want to get a more modern van for stealth reason but now i dont really care. I think people are kinda surprised when they see me a young guy come out of my spaceship lol
+Sean Spring a van is a workmans tool, the auto industry dare not make a troublesome van, it will never sell as word soon spreads, workmen seem to see a troublesome van as as a ''cheap POS wished i had bought a xyz van instead'', this is heard by other workmen, an rv owner, they say had bad luck or they didnt care for it right... also vans are usually different engines and transmissions, often ''lower grade'' ones but are built with thicker parts for longer life.
I wanted to share something I found at Walmart it is led bed lights for pickups. They are perfect for a van and being led they use hardly any juice. I have two power sockets inside in the back one for my lap top and for a fridge if and when. I am planning one outside.
Good point about solar panels and the need for shade in the summer! Two things you might consider: 1. Somebody used to make panels (not solar) that could be put on the roof of a vehicle, that would shade the roof, and leave a few inches for air between the panel and the roof. They would effectively shade the roof. You could do that with some thin plywood, and put the panels on top of it. Only trouble is the sunlight hitting the sides... 2. If you're in the boonies, park in the shade, and use an extension cord, and move the panels from the roof to the sunlight. Also, it's MUCH more effective to put a windshield shad on the outside rather the inside. Glass stops ultraviolet, which causes you to tan, but does not stop infrared, which makes heat. When you put a shade on the inside, the heat still comes through.
Pack light. Pick up what you need WHEN/IF you need it. Less is more. Being able to fully utilize a duffelbag of clothes is ideal. Creativity is the best, *Found an Ikea table in an alley in Santa Monica. Cut the legs down, hinged the two pieces together...LOW, SECURE QUEEN BED PLATFORM $20 low profile queen mattress on CL and life was gooood! Used two coolers (cold/wet & dry) to support the far ends of the platform. Storage under for duffel bag & folding kick scooter (Razor A5 Lux!!) Having a fun swiss girl with you for 7 weeks...not a bad option
Thanks for sharing your life style. Idea, camping pros & cons. I'm thinking the same thing about doing videos as I prepare for the RV, Van, truck camping, life style. Lol trying to making up my mind.i'm glad tho to see all the UA-cam shows on the subject. Yours is another I admire. Keep up the good work.
I made the same mistake of rushing across Canada the first few times. The last time I crossed, I made sure I was lazy about it because it's the best experience ever to hit the road. I only get to do it for two months every few years but it's something I love. I love your ceiling material. :)
Awesome man! FRIDGE! I cannot agree more. I spent a year without one on the road. I had a $20 walmart coleman cooler that I injected with foam and put 3/4 inch insulation in, and it kept ice almost as long as a yeti! Still though, not stopping to drain the cooler and buy ice (which wildly varies state to state) in itself has been a huge positive change. If anyone is thinking about cooler vs fridge for extended trips (say more than a few months) Do some math calculations, you may be surprised on how quickly ice adds up! And those smaller Dometic fridges sip power and are semi "portable" 35LUS is about 38 pounds empty. One benefit to going the YETI route is they are "bear resistant" and I've found alot of people in national parks locking them to the outside of bear boxes which keeps them secure and saves room in the box if you're staying awhile. Just some thoughts. Keep it up ITM13!
Thank you for this vid! I am doing my research to do my own conversion. I am super excited to go to a more minimal nomadi- in touch with nature lifestyle. Little by little I have minimalized my life over the years, and believe is soo so much more fulfilling traveling, experiencing, and creating. Thanks again for being inspirational...
Funny you mentioned Nebraska which most people just drive thru. I drove across country twice a year for 30 years. Nebraska at sunset farmland is shockingly beautiful. As a photographer, you will need to load up on SD cards or film! But the real trick is to catch the corn and fields as a storm approaches. The sky will turn royal purple over bright golden fields with the light turning the grass an almost neon - no photoshop needed I've seen and captured this a few times, always on that stretch of 76 between the Colorado line and North Platte.
Converting my RV & updating it into a tiny house. I liked some of your ideas like documenting your trip. Also, I like your centerline lighting system above on your ceiling.
Good lessons you have here. The thing i love most.. is Rv'ers and van dwellers who get rid of everything and then spend another 6 months buying everything and then getting rid of all of it again. Seems like a continuous cycle with some Rv'ers etc Thanks for sharing your mistakes hopefully we can learn from them.
i have a good idea for you. figure out a way to attatch buckles on the sides of the van up high towards the roof, get some canvas and stitch reflectix over the top ( or maybe just spray ahesive, or velcro) cut a square hole where the panels are on ur roof, and make it so you can buckle it and tighten it, as a reflective barrier over ur roof you can remove before driving. i bet you could do it in a way thats stealthy too Refltix exposed to direct sunlight (like the ones u put in a windhsield) have a huge r value, much higher than when put inside the van. ofc in winter it would do nothing but in summer when the sun is hitting the roof this would be a huge help
I'm about to pickup my 19 foot Camper Van today :) I will be moving into it this Weekend. I already have 1 x 100 WATT Solar Panel, controller, hookup cable, 400 watt inverter (Which isn't enough) , but I don't have any decent 12 volt batteries yet. I want to go for flooded lead acid deep cycle Trojan RV batteries with 200 amp hours hooked in parallel to multiply my capacitance times the number of batteries I put in my bank. (At least two, preferably three or four). My Camper Van is much older (1981) but in good mechanical condition. I still expect to do many repairs and mods in order to get it to where I need to be electrically, which is very heavy duty for me. I need to run multiple computers, battery chargers, audio amplifier, etc. I dig what you say about the fridge. Mine has a Dometic, but small - Probably too small to be economical with food. I may just purchase a secondary electric fridge (12 Volt DC) in order to store enough food to effectively shop much less and avoid eating out.
I've been doing the sticker thing for years, have them all over my camp trunk. Ask different places you go to, you'd be surprised how many establishments have stickers that aren't for sale, but if you ask they actually have them.
I can't wait for the day when I build my van; And just finally start the ignition- setting off on my own journey. If you could get a bigger van, Would you? To either have a bathroom or something.
yup, no major trips yet. I failed at full time living, it was kind of scary slipping into essential homelessness, even though I have a good job., started saving everything, which is weird, and spent more time looking for stuff lost in the van. Boondocking trips will be in the future though.
What you said in the beginning is EXACTLY what someone living in a van would say. not hating on you I just found it to be funny. BTW this is awesome. It would be cool to do some day to drive across the country and back in a van.
Nice vid, thanks for the tips, have fun out there, be safe, drive carefully so we can see more vids from you, select the right times to be on the road (quieter, dry, full light etc.). Good luck man.
I work and live in my van. Its super easy and I get to put 80%+ of my pay straight into savings. I don't plan to finance my home, I will be buying it outright and not have a 30 year mortgage or lose and money paying rent.
Oh, when it comes to rushing, I did exactly the same. Not only because it was getting cold any further North but Spain... In Season TWO I definitely want to embrace the times I'm getting lost. I don't wanna know how much I've missed out on, just because I was only focussing on point A and B...
you can get van/trucks/rv's of all sizes, home school the kids, explore your country, live your life the way you want too, don't make excuses. all the best :)
Remember - the best advice I ever got from my parents is that your kids adapt to YOUR life, you don't adapt to theirs. Go to places and have fun on trips - they'll get used to it. I'm so glad my parents forced us on trips (even though sometimes I felt like it was a chore)
Cool, great memories some day. You confirmed my feelings of how important a Refrigerator is, I won't leave home without it, ha. I don't give a damn about microwaves like some swear by them but they change the molecular structure of water and food, but a fridge is super important. Good for you. I recall your early videos you had a guitar, did you get rid of them. Sometimes when you're alone a bit longer than you wish, figuring out a couple new tunes is a great creative use of time. ciao.
Good video; will be checking out more of your channel. BTW, if you dont already have one, look into getting a Roadpro stove. 12v cooking on the go for vandwellers and truckers, and you can even bake cookies and whatnot while moving sites.
itd be nice to rock a hammock in a van instead of having the bed take up that room. or maybe a japanese style futon to roll away and open up space for those who dontlike sleeping in hammocks
I hope you went on your journey. I will never forget mine. Good idea to buy a van, I crashed in my car. I had what I needed, but it was in the trunk. Nothing ruins stealth like pulling clothes and towels out of a trunk.
not sure if those are led strips but in my humble opinion getting the warm white ones make it feel more home styled then the cool white, thanks for sharing
I dont know if you have already done a video on it... I dont think you have, but you should do a video on power and power consumption and like how much power you need and stuff. like I am thinking I need like 200+ amp hours but all I will really be doing is using a laptop pretty frequently and lights, and maybe a fridge. plus like charging a phone, camera batteries, misc stuff. is the 100 amp hour battery enough for you to do all those things or do you find yourself running low often?
If I can bud in here, there is a way for you to figure out your power needs by using an online calculator. Renogy has a really easy one to use. Hope that helps a bit.
I use pretty much the same load with 90 something amo hours. i wish i had at least 150, 200 would be much better. i have to take my battery down pretty low quite often. get the 200 ah battery/bank
Just curious as to how low (voltage wise) are you taking your battery? And what kind of battery did you get? Is it a true deep cycle battery or just a marine "deep cycle" battery
I just found this kid researching light bars for my truck. It is with almost morbid curiosity that I want to find out what makes his detractors tick. Not just for him, but all upbeat people with a sense of adventure. Certainly envy and cowardice, but some of them are seething with anger. Maybe it is just Internet anonymity, but it seems more common nowadays than in the not too distant past.
Also adds a reason for them to search your transport. Lately it has gotten worst too. I stick plain and always will. Mine wont be a van when I get it, im going for something with 4-wheel drive. Cant go wrong with a Jimmy or Blazer. Might be smaller, but will get you where you need.
Best way to have them pictures is just pop one into your cell when you plug to charge the computer will automatically load them you then have them in the proper order.
All great lessons now just remember to just do it! Slow down and take it easy take it slow,almost all you guys move way to fast- spinning your wheels and burning gas your #1 biggest expense and just passing by hundreds of places to make videos -every town in America should have at least 1 thing worth recording and sharing maybe you will be the 1st Nomad to realize this and share it
I do the sticker thing... I've actually been doing it since before I started traveling the first campervan built myself was not for full timing just for short weekend trips while I was living in a permanent location and doing the regular 9-5 thing........ it was a 1969 Ford Econoline supervan... the Superman part just meant they added an extra foot and a half on to the end to make it a little longer.. it had an inline 6 cylinder and got pretty good gas mileage I covered the entire walls of that thing with stickers mostly from the skate shop.... .................................. ....................... but ever since I've been doing the RV thing I've tried collecting stickers and/or postcards from the places I go... the nice thing about postcards is they can be moved if/when you change vehicles... stickers not so much : ( I probably had $500 worth of stickers in that van,,, and I've lost good stickers that were on my last three motorhomes......... this motorhome has the biggest sticker collection yet. but after I started putting it together I saw a really good idea on someone elses UA-cam channel I wish I could remember who but I can't........... anyhow they're putting the stickers on a board they can put the board in the window and they can hang it on their door and if they switch RVs later they can just take it with them
Like your video;s keep them coming.fixing up my truck cap, i liked your build video;s it gave me some good idea;s .I mostly will be doing weekend stuff fishing and traveling thru Michigan Thanks
at least your place looks lived in and comfortable :) you could have a fridge but also try camping food. it's stuff like pasta, rice, noodles...cus cus stuff and soup seems to be very nice
You can charge at any new McDs. Buy a big French fry and drink and waste some time. Clean your space, fold your clothes and try some plastic totes. I live in a house and have my foldable clothes in little totes and in cubbies. Saves those closets for ????????? The few clothes I hang. A fridge is good. I can eat a 12 ounce bag of lettuce a day with cheese and meat. How do you shower and potty?
You put to small of a battery supply,need to up it by 4 times. Want a great fan at night go get some Ryobi hybrid fan and they also have a similar light,get few a 4. 0 amp hour batteries. The fan on low can run 10 hours easily and the batteries can be charged while your driving
actually i think a battery Isolator is a great idea specially that it is an electrical part of motor homes and camper vans and rare Chevy blazer chalet truck campers like my dream camper so yah : )
I.m.h.o. (lol). I like smaller solar panels as i believe the smaller the "span" or open vulernable glass area is stronger. A single 100 watt panel has a large unsuported center area. As i believe, 2 50's are more sturdy. Now, i have 4- 35's clustered in a "square". each tips, one way, as to be "following" the sun. but works well just flat. (Florida). and i use 2 trojan 6v. model105. 3 years old now. works well....text explanation leaves alot to be desired......Mark.
Marine deep cycle battery... On the comment about heating the van. Electrical heaters do have a temperature setter n sensor to shut off.. Just some suggestions. I could run my laptop on outlet for about 2 days. U can ditch the laptop battery if ur on outlet..
I was a bit surprised to hear you say your battery is only a 90 amp hour. Would a larger battery help your power situation. I do realize it's not a necessity now that you installed the isolator.
Me too. If for no other reason than the fact he is a happy traveler. I follow a few of them. He is the most chipper though lol. I bummed around out West when I was a kid. No one asked, but I highly encourage it.
The sad part about all these videos is the fact that the baby boomers (our parents) had such an easier time just getting a real job fresh out of college (or really, just high school) with financial security that living like this wasn't even remotely necessary. Cool video though.
Not really. I joined the Marines after high school and then got a job at the post office. When I was young things cost less but you got paid a lot less. Also, we didn't have the internet.
I would suggest not putting your stickers onto the outside of the van. It just draws unwanted attention to a stealth van, thus not being very stealth. I personally switch to collecting cool patches instead from the places I have gone. The patches will last you forever unlike a sticker and you can get your self a patch wall www.originalsoegear.com/products/18-x-24-patch-wall-hanger or sew them onto you backpack, a jacket, or whatever you like. As well as you can remove the patches and transfer them on to something else anytime you like. A patch wall will allow you to hang them up inside the van and or in the window to display them. Just a suggestion. Take it easy! Rider4Life
I'm a Scout, and lots of us have the military style wool blankets that we sew loads of our spare patches and badges that we've swapped with other Scouts at camps and stuff. Looks cool, and it's functional. Mine has a hole in the middle so I can wear it like a poncho :)
when your battery wears out or you are willing to spend some money on new one before it wears out get 2 6 volt deep cycle GC2 (golf cart) type batteries.. Trojan T-105 RE or Rolls Surrette S 290 are the best lead acid type.. they give you about 225 amp hour capacity and are designed for solar charging... they will make your life a lot better
AGM are lead acid batteries however they are not FLA (flooded lead acid) they are SLA (sealed lead acid).. FLA are safe unless they are bulk charged in a sealed area... if you put them in a box and charge them the hydrogen will become concentrated in the box to a point it may ignite from sparks etc.. if you have some airflow the hydrogen will not become concentrated enough to be any danger at all.. also the only time they off gas hydrogen is when they are being bulk charged.. the idea that FLA are dangerous is way over reality.. if you camping in van and charging, just open a window a bit and let air circulate and will be no danger at all
I agree.....It's called Japanese type living. One or two items extra is clutter, and one or two items less is lacking. Living on the line. I will be a dweller soon enough.
Ah man I REMEBER driving through Colorado going to mont rose. Man beautiful roads!! I was making some easy cash to put the cherry on top, I loved it. Living young and dumb. Experiencing that with my old girlfriend getting away for a couple days and then coming back home and having my pockets LINED was a great time when I was 19-20 years old. My boy got 5 years for that op. Tho, I got off clean thank the lord. (ALLEGEDLY)
Great vid and good advice. I am about to give up paying someone else's mortgage and embrace the full time van life adventure in about 3 weeks.I am in Perth Australia. By the way what's on your ceiling it looks totally cool.
Hey, even though you didn't make a build video originally, any tips you have, or if you could show us the process and ball park cost figures, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm am starting to van shop now, and really interested in pursuing this lifestyle. Really like the vids I saw of yours so far.
+Jenny Stardust watch my newest build series I'm working on now. I have a playlist of this build im doing now as well as the last one. Ill try to include more prices
This is amazing :) Nice content, I've recently been kicked out and just starting to realize this new kinda life but one day it'll be cool for me to do what you're doing.
leave a few seconds after the end so i can make sure i dont miss one. so I can actually back out of fullscreen, love the ceiling of ur van! Was there a reason why you went alone? not mean to be offense?
hey I was thinking the stickers on the van may identify you as a traveler when you are trying to be stealth.Maybe you could decorate the inside with the stickers.
I recently quit my job and started a channel about living on the road! These types of videos are motivation!
Awesome!
Chelsea Vicari q
Chelsea Vicari o
What do you do for money?
Wow and I’ve watched your videos for motivation. WOW
About the stickers, its the minor destinations that are the ones you want. They are like the battle scars. Everyone get the Tampa or Miami Beach or South of the Boarder, but how many people have a Tupelo, MS sticker? A Lansing MI sticker? South Bend? That's what makes a real collection, not the tourist traps.
+Nash1a great point!
fat cat neat!! ♡
Lots of places have the nail on emblems, or key rings which I applied to my walking stick...
I thought it was just me loosing my mind trying to be a rebel canceling any credit debit cards any membership and just focus on doing me living in a conversion van rent free, but there's a whole community of ppl doing this thing lol
+Omar Pedraza its growing rapidly too
That's what i thought lol. Now it's mainstream and there's tones of people doing it
Dig your vids and you passing along this info. Yea there's a lot of beautiful places to see and culture to experience. Two things I would agree with you on for sure. Is when driving from place to place like you said make 5 hours your max driving time that fatigue factor can make you miserable and you'll end up missing a lot that you wouldn't have otherwise. Also, the fridge is a great idea! My other suggestion to people is don't go down south in the summer or north in the winter, if your going for extended periods of time flip-flop. I say this living in a van is your small mobile home but it's still a vehicle and it has to be completely reliable and everything has to work all the time, with all your tags up to date. To me your a brave guy you look in your 20's, so go with your gut and don't second guess a situation if it looks sketchy or weird pass it by. One last thing eat well don't go the fast food route your strength and energy and alertness is paramount, oh and also get in your sleep that will keep you healthy. Happy trails, bro!
I liked watching him talk from his van. Felt like I was in there too - all compact and cosy. Van dwelling FTW!
yeah probably reeks of sweaty scrotum in there
No doubt. So are you out looking for the guy to take a sniff?
Add 'i should learn how to insulate my van's interior so it doesn't get as hot in summer or very cold in winter"... insulation works both ways.
I definitely emphasize with the too much stuff problem!
Van life definitely makes you realize what you actually need and what you don't.
True, but I have come to really enjoy a nice bathroom.Truck stops and public swimming pools are less than optimal. The rest, I don't much care.
Today being Christmas day, I remember what I did not like living in a van. On Christmas and Thanksgiving, and New Years Day you do not get a shower because the gym is closed.
There are gyms that you can use 24/7 , you enter the gym by using your fingerprint at main door and then the system automatically charges you each time you visit that gym,at least we have those in east europe , so should be in usa for sure
Truck stops are open 24/7/365. Ask drivers for a free shower. We get them for fueling.
I buy postcards instead of stickers and tape them on the inside of the windows to be viewed! I smile when I am walking by my Van remembering those great adventures! So much cheaper & prettier! This video was very enjoyable!
+Christine Lowery (BEACHCRICKET) That is a fantatic idea!
Thanks for this! There's this push now to not take pictures and not take selfies because they take away from the moment, and I can see that, but it's not either or. When you get somewhere take a few pictures and then enjoy the moment. If something exciting happens, take another picture and then enjoy the moment. Don't not take pictures because when that moment is gone you won't have anything to remember it by and you will need something to remember it by. You're not going to remember all the special moments, the little moments that touch your heart, it in 10 years.
This reminds me of the diary/journaling thing. I started one in 1974 . It was brand new I found it in a parking lot! I think I have 24 years of them now. Stopped for several years in-between. I really wish I had kept them for all those years. The things are priceless now.. hundreds of things you would have never ever remembered. Even the most boring of days can be of interest years later. It's kind of like "reliving" a day again.
One thing I've noticed about van dwellers is the lack of stress from dealing with CONSTANT breakdowns of a regular RV. Even those with newer class A and C Rv's have constant issues. (Chris & G) I see a lot less stress with Will Burson and Brian (AdventureVanman)....and it seems like yours is holding up okay.
+Sean Spring not with an old school toyota. I want to get a more modern van for stealth reason but now i dont really care. I think people are kinda surprised when they see me a young guy come out of my spaceship lol
+Sean Spring a van is a workmans tool, the auto industry dare not make a troublesome van, it will never sell as word soon spreads, workmen seem to see a troublesome van as as a ''cheap POS wished i had bought a xyz van instead'', this is heard by other workmen, an rv owner, they say had bad luck or they didnt care for it right...
also vans are usually different engines and transmissions, often ''lower grade'' ones but are built with thicker parts for longer life.
lez briddon
I know, I was a carpet installer for 10 years, my van was my most important tool.The Ford F-250 extended van was my workhorse.
+lez briddon good point!
yeah man its just such a simple system there isnt much to go wrong.
I wanted to share something I found at Walmart it is led bed lights for pickups. They are perfect for a van and being led they use hardly any juice. I have two power sockets inside in the back one for my lap top and for a fridge if and when. I am planning one outside.
Good point about solar panels and the need for shade in the summer! Two things you might consider: 1. Somebody used to make panels (not solar) that could be put on the roof of a vehicle, that would shade the roof, and leave a few inches for air between the panel and the roof. They would effectively shade the roof. You could do that with some thin plywood, and put the panels on top of it. Only trouble is the sunlight hitting the sides... 2. If you're in the boonies, park in the shade, and use an extension cord, and move the panels from the roof to the sunlight.
Also, it's MUCH more effective to put a windshield shad on the outside rather the inside. Glass stops ultraviolet, which causes you to tan, but does not stop infrared, which makes heat. When you put a shade on the inside, the heat still comes through.
You seen any van designs that use these strategies on youtube? any you can share?
Pack light.
Pick up what you need WHEN/IF you need it.
Less is more.
Being able to fully utilize a duffelbag of clothes is ideal.
Creativity is the best,
*Found an Ikea table in an alley in Santa Monica.
Cut the legs down, hinged the two pieces together...LOW, SECURE QUEEN BED PLATFORM
$20 low profile queen mattress on CL and life was gooood!
Used two coolers (cold/wet & dry) to support the far ends of the platform.
Storage under for duffel bag & folding kick scooter (Razor A5 Lux!!)
Having a fun swiss girl with you for 7 weeks...not a bad option
Thanks for sharing your life style. Idea, camping pros & cons. I'm thinking the same thing about doing videos as I prepare for the RV, Van, truck camping, life style. Lol trying to making up my mind.i'm glad tho to see all the UA-cam shows on the subject. Yours is another I admire. Keep up the good work.
Guitar, Phone, Paper and Pen. All i need, other than the essentials.
Good tips. I like the take it slow tip the best. The beauty of your journey is that you are on no time schedule. Relax and take it all in.
For sure man!
A little dumpster diving would sort the food situation at a stroke in most places.
I made the same mistake of rushing across Canada the first few times. The last time I crossed, I made sure I was lazy about it because it's the best experience ever to hit the road. I only get to do it for two months every few years but it's something I love. I love your ceiling material. :)
Awesome man!
FRIDGE! I cannot agree more. I spent a year without one on the road. I had a $20 walmart coleman cooler that I injected with foam and put 3/4 inch insulation in, and it kept ice almost as long as a yeti! Still though, not stopping to drain the cooler and buy ice (which wildly varies state to state) in itself has been a huge positive change.
If anyone is thinking about cooler vs fridge for extended trips (say more than a few months) Do some math calculations, you may be surprised on how quickly ice adds up! And those smaller Dometic fridges sip power and are semi "portable" 35LUS is about 38 pounds empty.
One benefit to going the YETI route is they are "bear resistant" and I've found alot of people in national parks locking them to the outside of bear boxes which keeps them secure and saves room in the box if you're staying awhile.
Just some thoughts.
Keep it up ITM13!
Thank you for this vid! I am doing my research to do my own conversion. I am super excited to go to a more minimal nomadi- in touch with nature lifestyle. Little by little I have minimalized my life over the years, and believe is soo so much more fulfilling traveling, experiencing, and creating. Thanks again for being inspirational...
Funny you mentioned Nebraska which most people just drive thru. I drove across country twice a year for 30 years. Nebraska at sunset farmland is shockingly beautiful. As a photographer, you will need to load up on SD cards or film! But the real trick is to catch the corn and fields as a storm approaches. The sky will turn royal purple over bright golden fields with the light turning the grass an almost neon - no photoshop needed I've seen and captured this a few times, always on that stretch of 76 between the Colorado line and North Platte.
Converting my RV & updating it into a tiny house. I liked some of your ideas like documenting your trip. Also, I like your centerline lighting system above on your ceiling.
Good lessons you have here. The thing i love most.. is Rv'ers and van dwellers who get rid of everything and then spend another 6 months buying everything and then getting rid of all of it again. Seems like a continuous cycle with some Rv'ers etc Thanks for sharing your mistakes hopefully we can learn from them.
I love collecting stickers... and I agree about the refrigerator, wish I had invested in one. great video thanks for sharing.
Thanks Panda
i have a good idea for you. figure out a way to attatch buckles on the sides of the van up high towards the roof, get some canvas and stitch reflectix over the top ( or maybe just spray ahesive, or velcro) cut a square hole where the panels are on ur roof, and make it so you can buckle it and tighten it, as a reflective barrier over ur roof you can remove before driving. i bet you could do it in a way thats stealthy too
Refltix exposed to direct sunlight (like the ones u put in a windhsield) have a huge r value, much higher than when put inside the van.
ofc in winter it would do nothing but in summer when the sun is hitting the roof this would be a huge help
I'm about to pickup my 19 foot Camper Van today :) I will be moving into it this Weekend. I already have 1 x 100 WATT Solar Panel, controller, hookup cable, 400 watt inverter (Which isn't enough) , but I don't have any decent 12 volt batteries yet. I want to go for flooded lead acid deep cycle Trojan RV batteries with 200 amp hours hooked in parallel to multiply my capacitance times the number of batteries I put in my bank. (At least two, preferably three or four). My Camper Van is much older (1981) but in good mechanical condition. I still expect to do many repairs and mods in order to get it to where I need to be electrically, which is very heavy duty for me. I need to run multiple computers, battery chargers, audio amplifier, etc. I dig what you say about the fridge. Mine has a Dometic, but small - Probably too small to be economical with food. I may just purchase a secondary electric fridge (12 Volt DC) in order to store enough food to effectively shop much less and avoid eating out.
I've been doing the sticker thing for years, have them all over my camp trunk. Ask different places you go to, you'd be surprised how many establishments have stickers that aren't for sale, but if you ask they actually have them.
+Matthew R Wow cool, thanks for the tip!
I can't wait for the day when I build my van; And just finally start the ignition- setting off on my own journey.
If you could get a bigger van, Would you? To either have a bathroom or something.
Love the ceiling, I"m getting my van in January
VOOODOOO did u get your van?
yup, no major trips yet. I failed at full time living, it was kind of scary slipping into essential homelessness, even though I have a good job., started saving everything, which is weird, and spent more time looking for stuff lost in the van. Boondocking trips will be in the future though.
wohoo!
What you said in the beginning is EXACTLY what someone living in a van would say. not hating on you I just found it to be funny. BTW this is awesome. It would be cool to do some day to drive across the country and back in a van.
Bought a LDV CONVOY 3 weeks ago... Just started to get it mechanically sound before the build... to get on my way
Really appreciate this video. Thanks for the tips!
5/5 would watch again. Great video brother, thanks for sharing
Thanks!
@@Into_The_Mystery_13 Thanks for the info on light bars. I'm going to buy a curved one now. I hope you're still adventuring.
Nice vid, thanks for the tips, have fun out there, be safe, drive carefully so we can see more vids from you, select the right times to be on the road (quieter, dry, full light etc.). Good luck man.
Good job man, thanks. And you're cracking me up with your enthusiastic reporting, keep up the good work, Lol.
If you love driving so much and are able to live in a vehicle, you could be making crazy money as a trucker.
Michael Jones Then it would be work, and not choosing where and when he travels.
Sounds like shit to me.
Porco-Dio FIlm sounds like someone just wants the way paved for them without having to work.
it wouldnt be fun if i had to do it
yes paid training and a steady job
I work and live in my van. Its super easy and I get to put 80%+ of my pay straight into savings. I don't plan to finance my home, I will be buying it outright and not have a 30 year mortgage or lose and money paying rent.
Oh, when it comes to rushing, I did exactly the same. Not only because it was getting cold any further North but Spain... In Season TWO I definitely want to embrace the times I'm getting lost. I don't wanna know how much I've missed out on, just because I was only focussing on point A and B...
totally!
If I didn't have kids, this would so be my life.
Give 'em to the wife, and blow that popsicle joint, brah!
+Pumpkin sure tell him to run off on his wife and kids lol
you can get van/trucks/rv's of all sizes, home school the kids, explore your country, live your life the way you want too, don't make excuses. all the best :)
Remember - the best advice I ever got from my parents is that your kids adapt to YOUR life, you don't adapt to theirs. Go to places and have fun on trips - they'll get used to it. I'm so glad my parents forced us on trips (even though sometimes I felt like it was a chore)
Yep, bring your family along with you and do homeschooling on the road! :)
Cool, great memories some day. You confirmed my feelings of how important a Refrigerator is, I won't leave home without it, ha. I don't give a damn about microwaves like some swear by them but they change the molecular structure of water and food, but a fridge is super important. Good for you. I recall your early videos you had a guitar, did you get rid of them. Sometimes when you're alone a bit longer than you wish, figuring out a couple new tunes is a great creative use of time. ciao.
+trumpsahead im with you on that!
Good video; will be checking out more of your channel.
BTW, if you dont already have one, look into getting a Roadpro stove. 12v cooking on the go for vandwellers and truckers, and you can even bake cookies and whatnot while moving sites.
itd be nice to rock a hammock in a van instead of having the bed take up that room. or maybe a japanese style futon to roll away and open up space for those who dontlike sleeping in hammocks
yeah i had a futon in my camper and it folded up into a couch for when friends would hangout and we would play guitar hero.
Wayfair.com sells indoor hammocks with frames. No need to put hooks/bolts in the walls of the van.
Did you know you can wire 12 volt batteries together in parelell and get 12 volts but a higher amperage?
Thanks so much for this! I cannot wait for my vanlife journey!
I hope you went on your journey. I will never forget mine. Good idea to buy a van, I crashed in my car. I had what I needed, but it was in the trunk. Nothing ruins stealth like pulling clothes and towels out of a trunk.
I love the tapestry on your ceiling.
Love your attitude. Great video on your personal experience...yeah, and the ceiling rocks.
not sure if those are led strips but in my humble opinion getting the warm white ones make it feel more home styled then the cool white, thanks for sharing
+Sol H definitely! This video is very old, I have warmer ones now. I’ve rebuilt this van several times since this video and have a new van now
I dont know if you have already done a video on it... I dont think you have, but you should do a video on power and power consumption and like how much power you need and stuff. like I am thinking I need like 200+ amp hours but all I will really be doing is using a laptop pretty frequently and lights, and maybe a fridge. plus like charging a phone, camera batteries, misc stuff. is the 100 amp hour battery enough for you to do all those things or do you find yourself running low often?
If I can bud in here, there is a way for you to figure out your power needs by using an online calculator. Renogy has a really easy one to use. Hope that helps a bit.
I use pretty much the same load with 90 something amo hours. i wish i had at least 150, 200 would be much better. i have to take my battery down pretty low quite often. get the 200 ah battery/bank
+Into The Mystery 13 You mean the 200 watt solar panels? What's 200 ah?
amp hours
Just curious as to how low (voltage wise) are you taking your battery? And what kind of battery did you get? Is it a true deep cycle battery or just a marine "deep cycle" battery
Good video, good personality, good info, gets to the point.
I just found this kid researching light bars for my truck. It is with almost morbid curiosity that I want to find out what makes his detractors tick. Not just for him, but all upbeat people with a sense of adventure. Certainly envy and cowardice, but some of them are seething with anger. Maybe it is just Internet anonymity, but it seems more common nowadays than in the not too distant past.
Stickers show cops that you are a traveller.
Greg Zeng what's wrong with that
Also adds a reason for them to search your transport. Lately it has gotten worst too. I stick plain and always will. Mine wont be a van when I get it, im going for something with 4-wheel drive. Cant go wrong with a Jimmy or Blazer. Might be smaller, but will get you where you need.
That's why you stick the stickers INSIDE the van if you're smart.
the second you leave your state/province so do your plates....
@@fixt100 not if you don't have any
your learning curve is our start floor.. thanks for posting this... very interesting :)
Best way to have them pictures is just pop one into your cell when you plug to charge the computer will automatically load them you then have them in the proper order.
Great tips ! . Show a outside shot of the rig please and keep us updated on any Mods, , an tricks . Thanx for takin us , much luk
All great lessons now just remember to just do it! Slow down and take it easy take it slow,almost all you guys move way to fast- spinning your wheels and burning gas your #1 biggest expense and just passing by hundreds of places to make videos -every town in America should have at least 1 thing worth recording and sharing maybe you will be the 1st Nomad to realize this and share it
You are so well spoken. I guess you have your parents to thank for that!
I do the sticker thing... I've actually been doing it since before I started traveling the first campervan built myself was not for full timing just for short weekend trips while I was living in a permanent location and doing the regular 9-5 thing........ it was a 1969 Ford Econoline supervan... the Superman part just meant they added an extra foot and a half on to the end to make it a little longer.. it had an inline 6 cylinder and got pretty good gas mileage I covered the entire walls of that thing with stickers mostly from the skate shop....
..................................
....................... but ever since I've been doing the RV thing I've tried collecting stickers and/or postcards from the places I go... the nice thing about postcards is they can be moved if/when you change vehicles... stickers not so much : ( I probably had $500 worth of stickers in that van,,, and I've lost good stickers that were on my last three motorhomes......... this motorhome has the biggest sticker collection yet. but after I started putting it together I saw a really good idea on someone elses UA-cam channel I wish I could remember who but I can't........... anyhow they're putting the stickers on a board they can put the board in the window and they can hang it on their door and if they switch RVs later they can just take it with them
Like your video;s keep them coming.fixing up my truck cap, i liked your build video;s it gave me some good idea;s .I mostly will be doing weekend stuff fishing and traveling thru Michigan Thanks
at least your place looks lived in and comfortable :) you could have a fridge but also try camping food. it's stuff like pasta, rice, noodles...cus cus stuff and soup seems to be very nice
Thank you for your insight, I am building my van now, should be done in may. :) safe travels
+Julee Mccarty awesome! Best of luck to you!
You can charge at any new McDs. Buy a big French fry and drink and waste some time. Clean your space, fold your clothes and try some plastic totes. I live in a house and have my foldable clothes in little totes and in cubbies. Saves those closets for ????????? The few clothes I hang. A fridge is good. I can eat a 12 ounce bag of lettuce a day with cheese and meat. How do you shower and potty?
How do you pay for necessities like food, gas, and general maintenance on the van?
Molon Labe seriously
Molon Labe he probably had some kind of savings before he left and he might be doing small side jobs
Reeks of Trustafarian to me....
www.intothemystery13.com/faq I have multiple sources of income which are growing all the time. See the link for more details
your right it didn't. its about views not subs though...at least with adsense
You put to small of a battery supply,need to up it by 4 times. Want a great fan at night go get some Ryobi hybrid fan and they also have a similar light,get few a 4. 0 amp hour batteries. The fan on low can run 10 hours easily and the batteries can be charged while your driving
I use the term "van dweller" as well.
agreed with going too fast! We make the same mistake lol. We gotta remember to slow down! ;)
If you're hot, open the windows and install skylights. Get the air moving.
actually i think a battery Isolator is a great idea specially that it is an electrical part of motor homes and camper vans
and rare Chevy blazer chalet truck campers like my dream camper so yah : )
''point of view size'' = Field of view.
I.m.h.o. (lol). I like smaller solar panels as i believe the smaller the "span" or open vulernable glass area is stronger. A single 100 watt panel has a large unsuported center area. As i believe, 2 50's are more sturdy. Now, i have 4- 35's clustered in a "square". each tips, one way, as to be "following" the sun. but works well just flat. (Florida). and i use 2 trojan 6v. model105. 3 years old now. works well....text explanation leaves alot to be desired......Mark.
Marine deep cycle battery... On the comment about heating the van. Electrical heaters do have a temperature setter n sensor to shut off.. Just some suggestions. I could run my laptop on outlet for about 2 days. U can ditch the laptop battery if ur on outlet..
I was a bit surprised to hear you say your battery is only a 90 amp hour. Would a larger battery help your power situation. I do realize it's not a necessity now that you installed the isolator.
this is the second video of yours that I've watched. your have a new subscriber. thank you for sharing.
Me too. If for no other reason than the fact he is a happy traveler. I follow a few of them. He is the most chipper though lol. I bummed around out West when I was a kid. No one asked, but I highly encourage it.
The sad part about all these videos is the fact that the baby boomers (our parents) had such an easier time just getting a real job fresh out of college (or really, just high school) with financial security that living like this wasn't even remotely necessary. Cool video though.
+Austin true story! They didn't have the same amount of debt, and their dollar went a lot farther too
Into The Mystery 13 you need to do some research on inflation
Not really. I joined the Marines after high school and then got a job at the post office. When I was young things cost less but you got paid a lot less. Also, we didn't have the internet.
I would suggest not putting your stickers onto the outside of the van. It just draws unwanted attention to a stealth van, thus not being very stealth. I personally switch to collecting cool patches instead from the places I have gone. The patches will last you forever unlike a sticker and you can get your self a patch wall www.originalsoegear.com/products/18-x-24-patch-wall-hanger or sew them onto you backpack, a jacket, or whatever you like. As well as you can remove the patches and transfer them on to something else anytime you like. A patch wall will allow you to hang them up inside the van and or in the window to display them. Just a suggestion.
Take it easy!
Rider4Life
I'm a Scout, and lots of us have the military style wool blankets that we sew loads of our spare patches and badges that we've swapped with other Scouts at camps and stuff. Looks cool, and it's functional. Mine has a hole in the middle so I can wear it like a poncho :)
Thank you!
when your battery wears out or you are willing to spend some money on new one before it wears out get 2 6 volt deep cycle GC2 (golf cart) type batteries.. Trojan T-105 RE or Rolls Surrette S 290 are the best lead acid type.. they give you about 225 amp hour capacity and are designed for solar charging... they will make your life a lot better
Dont they off gas unlike AGM batteries? Probably not safe to store them where he sleeps.
AGM are lead acid batteries however they are not FLA (flooded lead acid) they are SLA (sealed lead acid).. FLA are safe unless they are bulk charged in a sealed area... if you put them in a box and charge them the hydrogen will become concentrated in the box to a point it may ignite from sparks etc.. if you have some airflow the hydrogen will not become concentrated enough to be any danger at all.. also the only time they off gas hydrogen is when they are being bulk charged.. the idea that FLA are dangerous is way over reality.. if you camping in van and charging, just open a window a bit and let air circulate and will be no danger at all
btw, true deep cycle SLA are available from good battery manufacturers like Trojan and Rolls Surrette if you don't want FLA
I agree.....It's called Japanese type living. One or two items extra is clutter, and one or two items less is lacking. Living on the line. I will be a dweller soon enough.
It only takes a few minutes to jot down a days happenings.. trust me... you'll be damn glad you did many moons from now.
if u made mistakes then you didnt watch enough of the hundreds of RV / van living vids lol. I love the challenge of it, its quite a puzzle
Great advice! Thanks for your time and wisdom.
I miss this van bro
Ah man I REMEBER driving through Colorado going to mont rose. Man beautiful roads!! I was making some easy cash to put the cherry on top, I loved it. Living young and dumb. Experiencing that with my old girlfriend getting away for a couple days and then coming back home and having my pockets LINED was a great time when I was 19-20 years old. My boy got 5 years for that op. Tho, I got off clean thank the lord. (ALLEGEDLY)
Great vid and good advice. I am about to give up paying someone else's mortgage and embrace the full time van life adventure in about 3 weeks.I am in Perth Australia. By the way what's on your ceiling it looks totally cool.
about to do the same thing... so these are great tips! thanks for sharing :)
dude fine 2- 6 volt golf cart battery's with a stinger converter that charges off your 12 volt, helps alot.....
Cool rug on the ceiling
Hey, even though you didn't make a build video originally, any tips you have, or if you could show us the process and ball park cost figures, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm am starting to van shop now, and really interested in pursuing this lifestyle. Really like the vids I saw of yours so far.
+Jenny Stardust watch my newest build series I'm working on now. I have a playlist of this build im doing now as well as the last one. Ill try to include more prices
If you put a lot of stickers on your van it will kill your stealyness. Is that a word? haha
It is now! Im not worried about it
I will call Webster's dictionary an let them know
Not sure how I came across your channel, but the inside of your van looks beast. I subbed.
+dablocishot77 right on! Thank you!
with the solar panels on hot days you could get a stand for it.
i live in a subaru legacy. hardest thing for me is it gets stinky real quick. gotta strip that thing ever two days
is that a new van? Haven't watched all the vids yet but have really liked what I seen so far. Some day I plan on doing this.
Got the same elephant printed tapestry in my house, oh Wish you amazing app you.
This is amazing :) Nice content, I've recently been kicked out and just starting to realize this new kinda life but one day it'll be cool for me to do what you're doing.
+Caleb's Adventures I wish you the best! Thanks for the support!
Thanks man for answer my question I really appreciate that
I won't do stickers on the van because it makes the van stand out. Stealth
Great video Thanks for taking the time.
leave a few seconds after the end so i can make sure i dont miss one. so I can actually back out of fullscreen, love the ceiling of ur van! Was there a reason why you went alone? not mean to be offense?
You make some really great points buddy, thanks :)
hey I was thinking the stickers on the van may identify you as a traveler when you are trying to be stealth.Maybe you could decorate the inside with the stickers.
You were so happy back then.
thank you for this video, i will be vanning in the next year or so...and this helps me to think about what not to do :) 👍
Woooo