Someone sent us a bunch of pictures of this bus converted into living quarters for our next book, Wheels and Water: Tiny Homes on the Move. Somehow the e-mail got separated from the photos. If this is yours, please contact us.
Our next book will be on nomadic living in the 21st century. Homes on wheels and homes in the water. Campers, RVs, trailers, house trucks, house buses, and bike rigs, as well as sailboats and houseboats. We won’t start working on it until the summer, but if you have any material for us, please let us know. We’ll contact you when we get, um, rolling.
*By this we mean road rigs, not small cabins on trailer platforms that are meant to be moved infrequently.
Above photo: “Gypsy Family: Georgia, Jessy, Jeanette and Ray Poulson live life on the road, selling handcrafted goods.” (in New Zealand.) https://shltr.net/A8Tkn4
Thanks to Anonymous
Things are popping around here. Tiny Homes is selling like mad. It’s been reviewed on about 20 blogs and/or websites. It’s coming up in two of the biggest newspapers in the country (my lips are sealed until articles appear) next week. We’re scheduling a tour for me with slide show and book signings in Feb-Mar-April-May June. Gadzooks! I’ve never had a book get this kind of attention.
The other day, it occurred to me that this book directly addresses the overblown wasteful indulgent home building industry. I’ve been saying to people, “No, you don’t have to live in such a small space, but it’s the direction that counts. How can we do things better? How can we use materials that do the least damage to the planet? How can we heat water and living space most efficiently?” That’s in addition to all the poetry of building in the book.
I took off from the madness yesterday and went up to my brother’s farm in the Napa Valley to split (oak) firewood. A chance to do something physical. Exciting to get on the road with camera (yesterday only the Canon Powershot G-95). Afterwards I went over to Harbin Hot Springs to take a look at SunRay Kelley’s temple (pp. 65-71, Builders of the Pacific Coast), and it looked in great shape, cob and all. It’s a beautiful building, and it should have a little brass plaque on it saying : “Designed and built by SunRay Kelley,” but the Harbin management is a weird bunch, and they give no credit to SR. There were about a dozen people inside doing yoga, and it was a lovely atmosphere, the wood and the cob and the lighting all in a soft glow.
Phil Miano sent us an email after seeing the post on teardrop trailers: “…I found this builders site…and was knocked out! Solid cedar teardrop trailers built in a style that would fit right in with Builders of the Pacific Coast for $9k. Each one a unique functional piece of art.”
“Queen size mattress, Double doors, Solar panel, Skylight, Tension bar suspension, Sliding windows. A full kitchen which includes, a pullout pantry, a pullout cooler storage, dual lights, and a table that hooks to the side of the trailer for outside dining.”
1153 Spruce St., Junction City, OR 87448 541-729-8763
“Sleeps 2 down below and 2 kids up above. It has roof-racks for surf/paddleboards, gas/240volt fridge, cooker, sink,water pump, 20l fresh, 20l grey, stereo with ipod aux, power, solar panel, house battery for interior lights, etc. With 177,700kms on clock and runs like a dream. Cruises at 100kph easily and drives around like a car. Uses no oil. Always serviced and lives up to Toyota’s reputation.…” https://shltr.net/yDkpjC
“Asking price: $14,000 Or Near Offer/Listed: Thu 19 Jan
1949 Bedford EDLOB housetruck. Repowered with an ex railways bus S33? 300 petrol motor with Eaton gearbox and diff.
-Timber panelling throughout in rimu and kauri. Floors are matai and NZ silver beech.
-Large sleeping loft fits queen bed.
-Shower stall.
-Kitchen has stainless sink, 3 way fridge and 4 burner gas hobb.
-12 volt water pump and underfloor tank. Hot water via gas califont.… ”
This website has tons of trailers, campers, busses and housetrucks for sale in New Zealand.
“Here’s an item from America’s past I would not have imagined would make a comeback: The teardrop trailer. First produced during the Great Depression and designed in the Streamline Moderne style, the towable campers were lightweight, economical alternatives to full-sized trailers. They typically offered sleeping/lounging space, storage, and a makeshift cooking/food prep surface. Gas prices being what they are these days, teardrop trailers are back in vogue; some models are so light they can be towed by microcars and even motorcycles.…” Posted by hipstomp, 23 Jan 2012
Thanks to John Norton for this
“…Travels with Charley: In Search of America is a travelogue of his 1960 road trip with his poodle Charley. Steinbeck bemoans his lost youth and roots, while dispensing both criticism and praise for America. According to Steinbeck’s son Thom, Steinbeck went on the trip because he knew he was dying and wanted to see the country one last time.…” – Wikipedia
Photo: Flickr
Sent by Lew Lewandowski
“Take a look at this conversion located in Inverness-shire, Scotland dubbed “The Beer Moth”. Surpassing it’s intended use as a fire service truck, it now houses guests as a vacation rental. The Beer Moth, which is a 1956 Conmer Q4 rescued by Walter, the current owner and now sits at his … ‘The Inshriach House.’
Here in the states it would be quite easy to acquire an old military vehicle similar to this with a canvas back and perform a similar restoration as The Beer Moth to make nice little tiny house on wheels.…”
