Tear Out

   Hey everyone!! Welcome Back to my Blog, thanks for being here. This trip is over, I'm back home. On the trip back I stuck to the familiar and stayed on the interstate all the way home. But I have dreams of traveling the backroads one day. I had such a great time seeing things I have never seen before and of course my time with the grandkids. I also enjoyed my time in the van, now I know what upgrades I will need.

So here comes the complete tear out! I gutted the inside. I first needed to install the hardwood flooring. I also needed to install window curtains, I had temporary ones for my trip. I also didn't have time before the trip to panel the inside doors so I needed to do that also. Then I could put it all back together again for the final time.

The next thing that needs upgrading is my bed. Yup that twin just didn't make the cut. With the twin my feet were hanging off the edge of the bed unless I was in the fetal position. So that has to go. With the bed crossways in the van I'm too long to lay straight across. I have to sleep from the top corner to the opposite bottom corner. That creates dead space so I put a couple of bins in for storage. Works out perfectly. I'm comfortable sleeping in the full size bed now.

I start with the hardwood flooring. Again I have never built anything before nor have I ever installed hardwood flooring. I put a moisture barrier down for another layer of moisture protection, that can't hurt right? I start on the driver side and everything is going good, then the boards will not lock in completely once I get to the 4th row. If it locks on one end it comes out on the other end. I tear it out and start over. I wind up tearing it out and starting over 6 times. I sat several times saying "Lord help me to understand". I finally figured out that I was off just a hair on one board that made them not click in. Finally I got the hardwood floors in.

Now I can start on the inside doors. Like I said I didn't get to finish them before the trip. I had stuffed them with the Havelock Wool but many times when I opened the door the wool would fall out. I left a trail of wool along the trip. I put fresh wool in the doors and paneled them up. I had found some antique Ford wrenches that I used as door handles. I think they turned out great! I love them!

Now I start putting the inside back together. I went to Walmart and upgraded to the full size memory foam mattress. I had to take my electric carving knife to trim it down about 4 inches so it would fit.

I have a 5 gal jug of water with a USB charged water pump so I have running water, not heated but running.

I put my tabletop back in with my butane burner so I can cook simple meals while on the road, and heat my shower water. If I have a shore power hookup I can use my air fryer to cook and an electric immersion stick to heat my water.

I put my refrigerator back in...still wish I had a freezer. I have been looking at the ICECO dual fridge and freezer but geez it's nearly 900 bucks plus it is much bigger than what I have so it would take up lots more room in here that I don't want to give up. Plus do I want to spend that just to have a small freezer? I have several wooden crates hanging along the wall for miscellaneous things.

I have 3 of the 3-drawer carts for clothing, dishes, shower and household accessories. I have an ottoman that stores my pots and pans, butane for my stove, bowls and more miscellaneous things.

I took my van back to the RV place to have the RV air conditioner with heat strip installed. So if it is really hot I can go to a campground, get a tent site with electricity for $40.00 a night and have AC.

I also installed the Olympian Wave3 Catalytic Safety propane Heater. I have a 2.5 gallon squatty propane tank that is secured and fits under my bed.

I put a swivel on my passenger seat that I use as my recliner. I keep it facing the back of the van at all times. It's comfortable to sit in reclined watching YouTube videos at night while relaxing after a long day's drive. Behind that seat in the floorboard I store my extension cords, my battery jumper box and the cables that hook the solar panels to the Jackery batteries if I need to charge them that way.

I have my two Jackery Portable Solar Power stations that run everything in here from lights to fridge to laptop and the dehumidifier. The dehumidifier takes up a good bit of room but once it turned winter I had to have it because of the moisture created from it being cold outside with me heating the inside. Makes a big difference. It sits between my seats while stopped, then I secure it in the living area while driving.

I have a potting pan from Tractor Supply that I use as a bathtub. I have a USB shower head, just heat my water, drop the shower head motor in and bam I have a shower/bathtub in the van. I can get free potable water at most truck stops. I dump my gray water from the shower at dumping stations along the way.

I hung a rod across the back to hang some clothes on. I hang my blue jeans, winter coats, sweatshirts and raincoats back there.

And of course it's my home so I hung family pictures on the wall.

The only thing I haven't done is the trim around the edges of the wall, not sure how to fix that or what to use to fix it. I have thought about burlap but so far I still haven't done anything with it to this day.

Now I'm ready for another trip. I have scheduled some time off from work. I am planning my trip that will have me taking some back roads on the way to see my grandkids again.

Join me in the next blog as I take to road to see what I find on the backroads! I'm excited to go on this trip.

 And Remember-

Life is a Journey….Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your Journey! They don’t need to, It’s not for them!

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See you in the next This Van Life of Mine!