How's THAT for a clickbait title? ;)
As some of you already know, I've been making plans for several months now to give up my apartment, sell all my stuff, convert a cargo van into a camper van, and become a nomad, wandering around the country at will.
Well, I leave today. :)
So, here is "The Snail Shell", my movable little apartment:
She's a 2011 GMC Savanna cargo van. The photo was taken before the solar panel was put on the roof.
Inside, she is set up for functionality, not for aesthetics. There's space on the floor for my sleeping bag at night. There are some shelves and storage bins for clothing, various doodads, food, etc.
This is my hand-powered washing machine. I can always visit laundromats when I need to, but in a pinch when I just need a couple things, this will do the job--it holds 3-4 pieces of clothing. Pour in a gallon of water, add bleach and detergent, and hand crank for 3 minutes. Wring it out, hang it up to dry.
My electrical system. Wires run through the roof from the solar panel to the charge controller, which then regulates the flow of electricity to the storage battery. When the battery is full, the controller shuts off the panel to avoid overcharging the battery. Electricity from the battery then goes to the inverter, which converts the 12v dc to ordinary 110v household current in three outlets. So I can charge my laptop, camera batteries, etc.
My homemade sink. Made from a stainless steel mixing bowl with a drain plug added to the bottom, it fits into a set of shelving, and empties into a five-gallon bucket underneath.
So the plan is to go to Pennsylvania to visit my sister, then slip on over to Pittsburgh for a month or so to see the sights. After that, I'll just wing it. Boston, maybe, or perhaps Ohio.
If you like, you can follow my adventures at The Electronic Nomad blog, here:
https://lennyflank.wordpress.com/
I'll also be posting photo diaries at DKos of places I visit.
Since now the only time I can post is when I happen to be someplace where I can get a wifi signal, my replies and diaries may become somewhat sporadic. I will try to check in here throughout the day to respond to comments and answer questions. :)