About 18 months ago, and while the COVID pandemic raged, I started nurturing the seed of an idea. It was time to go on an adventure. I wanted to travel around the country seeing all the things that I had never seen and and do it all while traveling roads less traveled. Other than a start date of May 1st of this year, I would travel for as long as it took to see these places. I also wanted this trip to be one of creativity, and not just for sightseeing. I fell in love with the movie "Nomadland" and then scoured YouTube for anything that would show me how I could make such a trip, camping in my truck.
After considering all the options like: camper inserts, rooftop tents, an actual tent, tents that set up in the bed of the truck; I ended up purchasing hard sided truck cap and had it installed. This would become my 30² ft home. I scoured YouTube again for ideas on how to convert that space into gear storage and a platform for a bed of some kind. My only criteria was that it had to be removable so that I could use my truck as a truck when not traveling. Found plans, that were available from a YouTuber (for an SUV conversion) that I could modify for the truck and I purchased them. With the help of my son, it was constructed in September 2021 and I took the idea for a trial camping trip downeast in October 2021. What a wonderful trip. But after putting it through its paces over five days, I decided to make some modifications to the platform. I completed making the modifications over the next month and a half, before removing it from the truck for the winter. Over the winter I spent my time researching and acquiring the rest of the gear I would need in order to make the trip I was thinking of.
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| 30²ft Home |
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| Construction Plans |
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| Kitchen Area |
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| Living Quarters |
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| Removed Access Cab Seats |
Was glad for the time I had this past week while waiting for the magic day of departure. I was able to get some kind of an itinerary done. I also made campground reservations and have the trip planned as far west as western Iowa for the time being. I picked May1st as a start date for no other reason than it is when I thought winter would be over for the northern route I would start the trip on. It also took all week to shop for food, pack, unpack, eliminate items, add other items and pack again.
Went to the transfer station to make one last deposit before leaving and took the scenic way to the ferry line. I was first for the 9:45.
Let the 30² ft Adventure begin.
