My old art show van, Mongo, has a bench that folds out into a bed – very handy for crashing in the van while traveling. Mongo’s replacement, Chuck, being an empty shell of a cargo van, had no such amenities.
I decided to build a plywood platform in the back. I could store cargo underneath the platform and sleep on top. At some point, I realized that I would need to drill holes into the van’s metal support beams. I don’t know if you’ve ever drilled a hole into your car, but for me, this was a big step. I was ok with drilling up the 2×4’s, because, hey, if I screw that up I can spend two dollars to buy another piece of wood. But, if I screwed up putting a hole in the van, well… I guess I could cover it up with duct tape. With drill in hand, I paused and stared down the metal rail. I gave myself a pep talk and looked at it for a good long time. I took a deep breath and drilled the holes. And, it wasn’t the neatest job, but it worked.
With my new bolstered wood cutting, metal chewing ego, the dreaming began. I found stories of people that sold everything and started living in their vans. I found camper vans with sinks and beds and toilets and solar power with 4×4 transmissions that could cross rivers and scale boulder ridden jeep trails. And then, I bought more wood and drilled more holes.
I drove the van up to a company called Sportsmobile, where they cut out the roof, and installed a pop up top with a loft bed. After that I was on my own. I built and installed a sink. I put in a 130lb deep cycle battery for house power and hooked it up to the alternator and followed up with a bunch of wiring. The passenger seat got a swivel base so that it can turn around to face the interior. New stereo, speakers and added insulation.
Empty van, before any work
Storage platform and insulation
Installing a box for the house battery
The sink
Chuck with the Sportsmobile penthouse top
Much of my photography is from backpacking in the wilderness and long walks in the woods. I create well when I am immersed in the subject matter. In these times, I feel fully alive. Chuck is preparation for a photographic tour, a grand adventure in the spirit of photographers Edward Weston and Robert Frank. Hannah and I leave in three weeks. Still to do: the plywood platform comes out, and in goes wood paneling, a bench and shelves. Fun.
