Living in a van down by the river

Most essential items after my long lighter and
my glasses were my hat and my toothbrush. They made the trip much more pleasant.
That was how I spent the weekend at a museum event. Once the van was unloaded it was spacious enough to live in comfortably in weather that swung from 37 at night to 79 degrees during the day.

The exhibitor next to me was enjoying my Perfection heater.

This is how I pack complete 110 year old lamps and have them arrive with mantles and shades intact.

I stayed an extra night so I could pack up in the daylight while it was still cool. That worked great except for the tent being wet with dew. I got invited to a hymn sing at the museum while I was still wandering around in my pajamas having a cup of coffee. They said it was "come as you are." Thanks, but I'll stay outside.

Lessons learned:

- Need more insulation between sleeping area and anything metal. I put all the silver bubble wrap packing for the lamps between the layers of moving blanket and it still wasn't enough. Bring Therm-A-Rest mattress. I was rather surprised to find my red kneeling pad was always cold when I rolled over, but a piece of solid white packing foam felt warm immediately. I have to have my shoulders propped up by something when sleeping on a hard surface. I'll bring more white foam next trip.
- Magnetic base flashlights are great in the van... unless it's off and you can't feel it. Ends up looking like a Tai Chi workout in the dark as you feel around for it.
- Hanging up clothes keeps them out of the way, dry, clean and blocks windows.
- Ice lasts more than three days in a 50+ year old Coleman cooler. Don't need a Yeti.
- Everything you wear needs pockets and when you lock the last door the keys should be in one of those pockets.
- Electrician's fish tape is great for unlocking doors when you lock the keys in the van.
- Big Tupperware boxes have a space under the bottom just big enough to fit a cell phone under. Makes a phone disappear like a magic trick. Very annoying.
- If I can't borrow a van from work I can rent one from Home Depot for $139 a day. Always a nearly new model, (My work van is fifteen years old, has almost 200K miles on it, and no cruise control.) No maintenance, no payment, no need to find a place to park it. I only do two of these events a year now. I would need the van for a week total. So less than $1000 a year, with no ownership headaches. It's like pickup trucks and roll-backs, I don't need to own one. I just need to know somebody that does.

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Getting locked out of the vehicle is always a pain . Find you a stash spot to put a key somewhere,,,, yea ,, I know ,,, I've needed to do that for yrs ,, and still haven't done it.
I had an '02 Ford pickup that I kept locking myself out of. I finally just took the antenna and bent a hook on the end of it,, just put it back hand tight ,, and used it everytime I locked myself out.
You've got a nice assortment of gas powered appliances there .

 

I brought extra fuel this year, and when I unpacked I found the extra fuel I'd packed for last year. I had plenty. I got about 45 minutes total sleep the first night, and had intended to do a big light up and sit around in the tent on Saturday night as well, but I was asleep before the sun set. Took me a minute to understand why it was 4:00 in the morning and I was wide awake, but at least I was rested enough to make the drive home. Stopped at five big antique malls on my big looping return trip and bought only a $4 bow saw.

Got home to find the freezer door open about 4". Everything in there is gone. I won't tell her I'm not real upset about it. I'm not a big fan of quiche, and there were two great big quiche pies in there "for the holidays.". I suggested that maybe we should replace them with more traditional apple, mince and cherry pies. Haven't heard a response.

 

I had lost the special wide knurled nuts that go on the four threaded studs that poke through grommets on each side of the tent roof. Fix was simple enough. Piece of batten board with a hole in it and a 1/2" nylon strap run through it with a knot on the outside. Run the strap through the tent grommet under the stud and tie the strap to the frame inside. It held the roof in place just as well as the missing nuts would've. I'll keep these alternates in my box of tent stuff even if I find the special knurled nuts.

 

Rent a van - good idea.

Van Life Secret: Renting a U-Haul for Break Downs! Money-Saving Van Life Hack

and

How We Camped In A Rental Cargo Van On A Budget Comfortably With Real Mattress, Kitchen, Power a bit too elaborate

 

The year was 1973 My best friend had a Ford Econoline van I was in FL he drove down from NY and we went out to Colorado in May. Spent 2 weeks camping in the mountains trout fishing. Colman stove for cooking, air mattress to sleep on --best time of my life.