Woman Living in Her Off-Grid Ambulance Camper Conversion

[demmiblue]

[Rorey]

1. I love these videos

I don't think I'd want to re-do an ambulance, just because it would be so big to drive, but I'd love to have a camper van. I wouldn't live in it, but it would be awesome to travel in so I could stay wherever I wanted without having to use yucky (and expensive) hotels.

[dawg day]

5. And a van would be easy to drive.

No trying to maneuver and park a winnebago when you have to go to the grocery.

[littlemissmartypants]

2. I love this. Thanks for sharing it. ❤ nt

[Shermann]

3. Now I want to live in a van down by the river!

It's an impressive build, it looks pretty clean.

The only critique I would have is the apparent weight. There was a lot of wood used, I wonder what the gas mileage is.

[Rorey]

4. That mini cubic stove looks great

If I ever do decide to do a van conversion, I'd definitely think about that. I've been watching many of these videos. I used to have a tenant who was doing a van conversion, and she's the one who first got me interested.

I've decided that I probably wouldn't cook in my van because I wouldn't want food smells so close to where I'd sleep. I just don't see why they don't cook outside.

I also wouldn't entertain guests. Van-lifers talk about that, but I just don't think I'd want someone else in my little space. That's another thing I'd rather do outside.

I've looked into recirculating showers, and that seems like it would be a great thing to have. A lot of van-lifers say they use gyms and truck stops, and that they really just don't shower that much. I need my showers.

I'm a minimalist, so I wouldn't need to tote around things that I didn't absolutely need. I don't need decor, and I wouldn't haul books and plants around.

Again, I'd just be using it for camping and road trips. I wouldn't want to do it full time.

Maybe someday I'll make it happen.

[dawg day]

6. Showering..

Could get a Y membership... they have gyms in most cities.

[Shermann]

8. I think that's why she parks the van down by the river nt

[BumRushDaShow]

18. When she was showing all the outside access panels

she quickly mentioned the spot where she stored a "solar shower". So am assuming the solar runs a pump to spray the water within a tent-type structure. That would only be feasible in late spring/summer/early fall - at least where she claims to be from - Alberta (aside from her travels in the U.S. - obviously not recently though with the pandemic).

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

20. The solar shower I have is just a black plastic bag you set in the sun to heat up,

it holds a couple of gallons of water, enough to get wet then soap up and finish with a rinse. You hang it above your head and there is a hose and nozzle off the bottom.

[Joinfortmill]

7. Very cool.

[lambchopp59]

9. Off grid living has challenges

Numerous challenges: one response here said "cook outside" which works if you have a screened in area: often I've relegated the kitchen to a large tent.
Despite working for above average income, a bad start in adult life can compromise nearly everything. Starting working life deeply in student loan debt took the entire first decade to rise into the black. Health issues have cost me dearly, the last round related to our national situation prior to the ACA the damn Republicans are still trying to destroy.
Just as I began to build up retirement:
One mugging put me in the ICU, and required over a dozen surgeries to correct (I use that term very loosely) putting it all on care credit. Savings... gone. A few months later the ACA passage would have prevented going so deeply in debt... again.
Here I am facing retirement. I see the ads suggesting what to do with your "1/2 million dollar portfolio".
Wow. Must be nice.
I've worked hard all my life. Older siblings x 1 decade had a 4X advantage at establishing a home. I've always been priced out of the market.
Here it is. A nice new RV I can enjoy on an off grid piece of ground in the high desert. All I have to show for 40 years of working my ass off.
And I'm scared. Very scared of the day I'm no longer capable of keeping up the full time maintenance on it.
I get so angry when the Republicans spout off "pulling oneself up by the bootstraps" as they continually leverage the land of "opportunity" to the land of "rotsa ruck".

[oldsoftie]

10. I just HATE stories of violence towards an innocent

I dont know your story, but i'm sure you would have given them what you had without being attacked and seriously injured. Animals like that should be put away for good.
Hope you were able to heal up without any permanent setbacks

[Rorey]

11. Lots to think about

I watched a lot of Bob Wells' videos, and then watched Nomadland. A lot of the nomads are just hanging on by a thread. A frayed thread.

So many of us are one big disaster away from ruin, and it doesn't matter how prepared you think you might be.

I had a relatively comfortable life. My husband and I were set up for a pretty good retirement. Then he went completely off the rails and became a trumper and then I found out he was very involved in an affair. We ultimately got a divorce and I went from doing pretty good to living on a very tight budget.

At this point, I'm happier than I've been in a couple of decades. I've been able to keep everything balanced, but I know how easy it is for everything to fall apart.

It's that way for the nomads too. As long as their little home on wheels holds up, their health holds up, and their source of income holds up, they can continue that life. But what if one of the many "what-ifs" happen? It's terrifying to think about.

I enjoy watching these videos to get ideas in case I ever decide to do the camper van thing (for camping, not full time), but in a way they almost make me angry. The ones who have these great remote jobs put how-to videos online making it look do-able for everyone. But I'll bet there are way more people who choose that life and fail than there are success stories.

[keithbvadu2]

17. Nomadland was a thinker. A serious mini-documentary.

There but for...

[Ztolkins]

12. Cool..but where does the poop go?

[hauckeye]

13. I was wondering that too

She didn’t mention a toilet but I thought I saw a glimpse of one.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. @6:47 she says

"This is my closet slash water-less closet" and that is where you see one of those portable johns. I'm assuming there is a waste bag inside that unit that would need to be disposed somewhere.

I know there are all types of camping (or even medical style) portable toilets around but I guess that one is a fancier model, and I am guessing it is just stored there and can be pulled out to be used and then returned to its storage spot). I also know actual (larger) RV/campers have "honeypots" where the owner can go to campgrounds that offer "honeypot service rounds" to pump out the waste, but then with the limited info about where she travels and might remain for awhile, she doesn't appear to be going to established RV/camper sites (apparently not needed if she is "off the grid" ). She might stop at a few as needed though - particularly in winter since the solar generation would be useless that far north (and I'm not sure how Canada works those facilities - she did point out a big electric socket on the side of the truck).

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. She showed what appears to be a composting toilet

and also a quick mention of her solar shower, but no close look at that.

My Achilles heel would be a cramped shower.

[mnhtnbb]

14. Most of these off grid tiny house situations are for younger people

but I have a photographer friend who, with her husband, sold their home in New Hampshire and took to the road in a small camper after they both retired. Not a big decked out RV. For the past two years they've driven to Arizona for the late fall through late spring and then returned to New Hampshire for the summer. They seem to enjoy it. Even have a dog.

I couldn't do it alone or with someone else.

She's very fortunate to have a dad who helped her outfit the ambulance.

[NJCher]

15. beautiful job on the decor and storage planning

she has a terrific dad.