My Travel Rig

Last post, we talked all about the different factors in choosing a travel rig, but this week I want to get into what I’m specifically looking for. Let’s get right into it.

My Ideal Rig

I have debated on this back and forth quite a lot, and truth be told, I still don’t have a good answer. I would love to have a vehicle that I could use as a bedroom, and tow a small travel trailer that could be my kitchen, bathroom, and living area.

The biggest benefit of this is that I could park the trailer and go adventuring in more rugged terrain with the comfort of a larger setup for the rest of the time. I kind of like the idea of being able to go camping while camping.

The other option would be a nice cargo van with minimal building. I would build out a bed across the back, a utility box beneath with a battery bank and electrical center, some mounted solar on top, and a vent fan.  With the basics covered and securely built, I could kit out the rest as needed when traveling.

East vs West

My research into this project has brought up an interesting conundrum. Almost all the people who share advice on this are from the western side of the country, and a great many of them are in the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico.  Very few are based on the East Coast at all.

The reason for this is pretty simple: It’s easier to be a nomad out west.  There are more national forests and BLM land to camp on for free.  The East Coast has some free camping options, but much of the routes you’ll travel are through built-up areas. Simply put, there’s less middle-of-nowhere on the East Coast than the West.

Route Factors

I bring up the East vs West problem because I plan to stay on the East Coast for the first part of my journey. One thing I would love to see is Niagara Falls before heading more westward. To do this, I’m going to need to be able to stealth park fairly reliably.

A cargo van would do the job well, though the mounted solar panels might be a little conspicuous. Acceptable, I would think, though, especially if it looks like a typical utility van. However, like Choosing a Travel Rig discussed, a hybrid setup doesn’t stealth park well, especially not in big cities.

The Two-Piece Rig

To solve this, I’m now thinking of doing the build-out of a rig in two stages. First, getting something that will stealth park well on the East Coast for a while, then picking up a tiny trailer when I head out west, where boondocking is going to be more available.

It occurred to me that the rig doesn’t have to be built all at once. I could start with an SUV for the first leg and then add some comfort later.  I don’t plan to be on the East Coast for years or anything, so dealing with a little bit of a cramped setup won’t be all that bad.

Much to my surprise, almost all cargo vans have about 5,000 pounds of towing, and an ultra-light trailer only weighs about 2,500 to 3,000 pounds.  That means I could have a minimally built van and still tow a small trailer!  Talk about a swanky setup!

The Reflection Wrap Up

That’s what I’m thinking as far as a rig goes right now. Emphasis on the “right now” part. Choosing what to drive dictates a lot of other decisions, so I’m sure there is going to be a lot of tweaking involved yet.

Going forward, I’d like to discuss something in my next post about something Mary, a commenter, brought up in the last one: Mindset. It’s a huge factor, and one that could make or break finding Austrasia, so be on the lookout for that soon!