During childhood, at least some of us wanted to run off with the circus or a band of musicians. The dream of living out of a colorful, handmade vardo or “gypsy wagon” was the start of many tiny house dreams.
Gypsy Getaway Wagons, based in Reno, Nevada, is bringing that dream to life. These beautiful, handcrafted wagons are owned by Jeff Deming, the “Gypsy King” of this small company that designs and builds the wagons in partnership with Mike Mechanic of Fairly Square, an artisan collective on Dickerson Road near Downtown Reno.
Gypsy Getaway Wagons embrace the timeless design of Romani vardo wagons (traditionally pulled by teams of horses), but with modern amenities. The wagons (each around 2,800 lb.) are built on trailers with ramps and can be rented and towed to special events like Burning Man or Renaissance festivals, and to campgrounds, weddings and parties.
If you want to rent one on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, the Big Dog Wagon is located on the nearby Rose Water Ranch and will soon be available for nightly rentals. Deming is also willing to design wagons for owners who want a simple, tiny space.
Like the Big Dog, the other wagons also have fun names like Sun Salutation Wagon and Rambling Ramsey Wagon. They are built with beautiful wood, metal, stained glass and painted in bright colors. Each wagon has a two burner propane stove, bed linens, solar lights and 12 volt plugs, a solar powered cooler and 18 gallons of non-potable water to use with the outdoor shower. You can also bring your dog.
Rental prices start at $139 per night for those towing their own, and $159 per night for wagons on the ranch.
Photos by Jeff Deming/Gypsy Getaway Wagons and Christina Nellemann
By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]
Check out http://www.roullottes.nl for the real thing.
Love, love, love this idea.
Congratulations!
“And I wanna rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And together we will float into the mystic.”
–Van Morrison