Young Man Sells his House and Converts Van for Vandwelling
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Shane lives in a 2013 Mercedes Sprinter Van with his two dogs, Milly and Bucky. He worked as a hot tub technician for 12 years and had a house, a truck, a big yard – everything a person could want. However, he was still unhappy and felt a fire inside of him that longed for adventure, which eventually lead him to a van life.
As Shane couldn't leave his dogs at home, he designed the entire inside of his van around their comfort as well. He says that the van is a vessel for him to go out into the world and find himself, while also giving his dogs the best life possible. It took him two months to build his van, called Roadhouse, out and he paid $22K for the van and between 15-20K for the build. When he got it it was at 134,000 miles, now being at 154,000 and Shane believes that it will go for at least another 100 if not 200K. He went with the 170 inch wheelbase, which gives him and his dogs enough space. In a parking spot, they overhang about three feet but it is worth the extra space.
On his roof he installed four 100W solar panels which charge three 100 amp hour batteries. Hanging on the ladder that leads up the roof, he hanged his Trasharoo trashbag. It is filled to the top because Shane doesn't only put his own trash but also picks up everything he finds at the campsites he's at.
"If you see trash around, pick it up, that will influence other people to pick it up and so on and so on, the world will be better."
He didn't put any windows in his van so that it looked like a work van – number one goal during stealth camping. On the front seat he put some seat covers from Amazon, protecting the seats really well as these get used up fairly quickly, especially with the dogs. Down the co-driver's seat lays his Dometic fridge, which was his main fridge up until quarantine happened. He can store three to four days worth food, and with quarantine he installed a small 120V fridge in his kitchen that stores two to three weeks worth food. Now, the Dometic fridge serves as a beer fridge and for Shane's dogs to lay on top of. The thermo curtain between the front part and the back part of the van keeps heat out and gives a little bit more privacy.
In the kitchen, shane installed a deep sink so it's easier for him to clean dishes. Underneath it he stores an emergency toilet, a fire extinguisher, soaps and laundry detergents and a five gallon grey water tank. Throughout the inside, the walls are out of cedar. It's lightweight and Shane loves the way it looks: The knots as well as the details on the wood. The spice rack along one of the kitchen counters stores anything from dog bags to a head lamp, bear mace and more. On it he also installed a thermometer by Harbor. He used to have it on his front window facing out, so that it would be visible for people passing by who worried about his dogs. But as it kept getting knocked off, he put it inside the van, this way knows when the temperature starts getting uncomfortable for the dogs.
On one wall of the kitchen, he installed a beautiful Mercury Mosaic, a fish scale tile which Shane specially loves. For the other side, he chose uncompetitive white tiles that blend in nicely. The countertops are butcher block countertops, which are not too heavy but solid enough, and even when they get very chipped or scuffed, Shane can sand it down and refinish it again. One side is the cooking station, with a two burner, the other side is the prepping station. Shane was a chef for three years and having a kitchen where he could move around comfortably in was very important. Above the countertop he is storing some more food, clothes and books.
On one corner in the back of the van he has a closet where he keeps all kind of things: all the pots and pans, water jugs, camp stove, electrical equipment, first aid kits and all of his toiletries. Even though it's safe, Shane only stores one pound propane at the time as he doesn't trust it 100% with his dogs being inside the van, and just buys them regularly at the grocery store. He has a five gallon water jug that can easily be refilled through the outside. The water spigot installed there serves as his shower, plugging in a hose with a shower head on its end.
Originally, the other corner of the back of the van was going to be converted into a shower, but wanting more space for his dogs, Shane decided not to do it. On the ceiling, he installed a Maxxair fan one can control from the inside or through a remote control. The ceiling is made out of Bamboo, something Shane himself had never seen before. He order 4x8 bamboo sheets that roll up, put them in a section and put them in the ceiling, being held up by other wood bars. Everything of it is removable in case he needs to access the insulation or the roof of the van in case of a leak.
The L-shaped couch gives the dogs more space and it can be pulled out to turn into a bed. Underneath it he's got some more storage space for his bed sheets, camera gear, tool bag, one wheel as well as a 1000W inverter and solar charge controller. The flooring is vinyl flooring, which proves to be tough and durable, especially with the dogs.
The first thing Shane asks people wanting to get into van life is if the have a vehicle. He thinks that the first thing to do is to trade their vehicle in for a van, even if they're still living at home. "Drive the van to the store, drive the van to the grocery store, everywhere you go, drive your van. Because once you're living in a van, that's what you're going to drive."
In his opinion you then get to a point where you can imagine yourself living in the van, wanting to add more things to it and wanting to make it work out. This is what eventually gets the wheels rolling, leading into van life.
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