Full time traveling, at least for a while, is the dream of many, and artist Kelsey and journalist Corbin of Steps to Wander have made it a reality. They converted an old Ford E-350 El Dorado Encore camper van into a cozy home, which they can easily take on the road. The young couple from Portland, Oregon, are currently living in the van full time as they travel east along the US-Canadian border.
They purchased the van for $3,800. For that price they got one that was mechanically sound, and also had many cool and useful features, such as clerestory windows, a roof pop-up in the center, which offers more headroom, as well as a kitchen with an oven and a shower- and toilet-equipped bathroom.
It took them five months to make this van into a full-time home. They started the process by first stripping everything down, fix all that needed fixing, and clean off the mold and dirt that had accumulated. They also custom built all the furniture for their so-called Wander Wagon. This includes a dinette area with storage in the seats, and a couch that can be turned into a queen-sized bed.
They had some trouble along the way, which also extended the time it took to take their new home on the road. They were struck by a driver making an illegal left turn, and at first the insurance company didn’t want to pay for the repairs, since the Wander Wagon was gutted at the time. They were eventually able to sort it out favorably and finish the renovation.
They spent less than $10,000 on this renovation and the result is a comfortable mobile home, which they plan to live in while they explore the Americas and Canada. They are documenting their journey on their YouTube channel.
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