I started making modifications. Plywood, reflective insulation, and automotive carpet were purchased, necessary materials to make my car livable. My parents and I worked, cutting and gluing wood to make a platform for my bed. We sewed black fabric onto the foil insulation to create window covers. We made shelves that would fit behind the driver’s seat and hold my fridge and food.
(A look at the inside of Vlad halfway through the conversion.)
It took hours of work between the three of us, and I am grateful for their support. If I had tried doing this on my own, Vlad’s camper conversion would have never been completed.
The essentials were loaded into Vlad: A first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, and a seven-gallon water tank. I had a portable 550-watt power supply to power my fridge and some string lights I had bought to make Vlad feel a little cozier. A pair of USB fans were also crucial for providing airflow and keeping the cramped airspace breathable.
The end result was definitely snug, but cozy. I started sleeping out in front of my parents’ house, making minor adjustments every now and then, jumping in my car late in the evening to read a book and rest for the night. I was spending weeks at a time sleeping in my car.
My battery would recharge as I commuted to work and keep my fridge powered throughout the day. I was spending nights away from home, sleeping in front of train stations and at local trailheads. So far, I was loving it.
I was essentially still living with my parents, showering and preparing my meals at their place, but it was getting easier to imagine myself finally getting out of the Antelope Valley and living out on the road. My expectations for the road life seemed like they would be met, but there was only one way to know for sure.
A month-long road trip around southern California would be the true test to see if I was cut out for this lifestyle. I would have all of June off work, free to do as I pleased. If traveling around and sleeping in strange places was as enjoyable as I thought it would be, I would briefly return to my job at the high school and work through summer school, quitting at the end of July. If I hated the experience, I would simply go back to work for the entire school year.
I was 99% sure I would love it, but quitting my job without really trying it out seemed like a foolish decision. Destinations were chosen as I planned my route around my home state.
Traveling south, I would visit the statues and watchtower of the desert before heading east to San Diego and then cruising north, stopping at the various beaches along the coast. I mapped out Planet Fitnesses along the route and put a few hundred dollars into fixing up Vlad’s tires and brakes.
I was excited to embark on my adventure and chose to enjoy one last night in an actual bed before I hit the road. I slept soundly in my parents’ home that night. When I awoke the next morning, I would find myself in very different circumstances.
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