Sandi’s Aliner & Route 66
Sandi Wheaton of Windsor, Ontario recently lost her job in Detroit. Instead of looking for a new job, she decided to use the time to fulfill one of her dreams: traveling and photographing Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. Sandi is living this dream in an Aliner pop-up trailer. She decided to document the famous highway using a digital camera, a camera with infared film and another camera which follows her route with a shot every few seconds. She hopes to have her photos published in a book and a DVD or website.
Sandi Wheaton, her Aliner and her Campfire in a Can
Her trailer is a 1998 Aliner which she bought specifically for the trip. She initially wanted to travel in a T@B, but her Jeep could only tow a low-profile pop-up design. She is thrilled that she does not have to unhitch every time she sets it up. She also mentioned that she likes the Oliver trailer, like the one owned by Cherie and Chris of Technomadia.
“I love this trailer, especially for this purpose,” Sandi said. “Since I am traveling alone, unhitching is a pain. With the Aliner, I don’t need to unhitch in order to put it up. Plus it is up literally in a minute!” Continue Reading »
Lives in a Van
The sad news these days seems to be centered on people losing their homes and maybe having to live in their car, truck or RV. Dave Thorsrud has been living out of his van for over a year, but he is doing it in an effort to live a simpler life.
His website, Lives in a Van, chronicles his year of living richly on the road in his Pleasure Way van. He writes:
“Ironically, I left the full time job to travel in a van because I wanted to maximize possibilities. With a full-time job, a house mortgage, a car payment and various other debts, my only option when the alarm shrieked was to go to work. This was true during the week and frequently true on the weekends. So I craved choices. I needed to know that if an opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime experience came my way, then I could grab hold with both hands and embrace the new path.”
In order to find his more authentic life, he quit his job, sold all his belongings in five days and packed anything left into his van. During his search, he has traveled across the U.S. and parts of Mexico, met interesting people and has documented it with prose and excellent photography.
Dave lists the best aspects of living in a van as having no daily commute, the overall cost of living is low, all laundry can be done in one load, and every day is a new adventure. He also lists his rules of the road, which can be a metaphor for any simpler life:
DAVE’S RULES OF THE ROAD
- Avoid drive-thru value meals at all costs.
- Take photos of everything.
- Sing along to whatever is on the radio–even talk radio.
- Exercise whenever possible.
- Take care of the vehicle.
- Meet people–especially strange people.
- Drive slower.
- Never hesitate to take an exit, get sidetracked or get lost.
- Take the backroads when possible.
- Take notes, write daily, find the inspiration.
Photos by Matador Travel. Schematic by Lives in a Van
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The T@B Trailer
After doing a post on teardrop and vintage trailers a few weeks back I thought I would do a post on the ultra-modern T@B. Since it was introduced a few years ago, the T@B trailer by Thor Industries has exploded as a popular alternative to a larger, heavier travel trailer.
The T@B is known for its European design, styling and lightweight construction. They are about 16 ft long and can be purchased for between $9,000 and $20,000. The full trailer stands at 7 ft 9 inches and the interior height is 5 ft 9 inches. It weighs under 2,000 lbs unloaded.
Courtesy of Chris Dunphy
Courtesy of T@B
The T@B, which stands for Take America Back, also has all the amenities of a larger travel trailer (heating, air conditioning, fan, sink, refrigerator, stove and storage) but can be pulled with a smaller car and has no need for electronic brake control. The only thing the T@B does not have is a bathroom and shower. A port-a-potty can be installed. The Clamshell T@B even has a kitchen that opens up in the back, like the classic teardrop trailer.
The T@B also includes:
- Several floor plans
- Alufiber® construction
- Surge coupler attached to the hitch
- Seating area that becomes a 60 x 70 inch bed
- A covered area for a 20 lb. grill-style LP propane bottle and deep cycle RV battery
- A 5 gallon fresh water tank and on demand water pump
- A 25 amp power converter
- A marine grade amp with removable 20 foot power cord
- Smoke, propane, and carbon monoxide detectors
The T@B, because of its people friendly design and comfort, could be used for a temporary home or one that is more permanent. I came across several websites of people who live in or take extended trips in their T@Bs. I was specifically interested in the modifications they did to make the their T@B more comfortable and suited to their living needs.
Tabventures: Lynne takes extended trips with her dog, Millie
Chris Dunphy lived in his T@B for two years, before he upgraded to an Oliver
Mike and Trisha Kennedy travel in their T@B
Al’s T@B Mods: A list of T@B modifications
Courtesy of T@B
Courtesy of T@B
Courtesy of T@B
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