Introducing… The Paddy Wagon!

For almost two years, my husband, Pat, and I have been talking about buying a cargo van and converting it into a campervan when he retired at the end of 2020. Our plan was to travel with our dog, Maya, all over the U.S and Canada, Alaska, and maybe even Mexico (when we are able to cross borders again).

In preparation, we have watched scores of #vanlife videos on YouTube on subjects ranging from tips on how to live in less than 100 square feet, how to survive a blizzard in a van, and how to install a recycling shower. As some of the younger surfer/mountain biking/outdoor adventure #vanlife YouTubers would say: we were “stoked.”

By the way, I CALL DIBS. We had this idea long before the coronavirus kicked the travel industry’s metaphorical butt and made RV-ing and van living popular alternatives to airplanes, hotels, and covid-infested cruise ships.

A week into 2021 and Pat’s retirement, there was a pile of necessary van build “stuff” growing in the garage, like solar panels, a composting toilet, a water filtration unit called a Burkey, lots of  miscellaneous gadgets, and something Pat calls a “creeper” to roll under the van… but no van.

Our #vanlife education taught us that only a few vehicles are sufficient to meet our campervan requirements, which we want to include a full bathroom, 2 beds, and a kitchen. After test driving a few vehicles, I was surprised that we both liked the Ford Transit cargo van better than the Mercedes Sprinter, which probably blows my chances of ever owning a Mercedes.

No big deal.

What we didn’t realize is that the Transit vehicle we wanted, with a high roof, extended length, all-wheel drive and ECO boost engine, is rare. I think the eyes of several local Ford dealers began to twinkle when they saw how keen we were to buy, and although they searched high and low on our behalf for the right vehicle, no one could find one.

We figured that if we were going to find the right van, we were going to have to do it ourselves. We lucked out. After scouring hundreds of listings on sites like Auto Trader and CarGurus, we found a vehicle… 300 miles away. Pat was so excited he was willing to drop everything he was doing to make the drive, but it took a few days to get the paperwork in order. Last week, however, we packed up ourselves and our dog, Maya, and drove to a dealership two states over to buy our new 2020 Ford Transit cargo van.

It’s perfect. And thanks to Pat’s brother, we have a name for her: The Paddy Wagon (which alludes to Pat’s illustrious career in law enforcement.)

Now comes the hard part, which is measuring, planning, constructing mockups, and watching more videos on how to install fans, windows, the electrical system, cabinets, and an elevated platform bed.

Unfortunately, I fear that I will be of limited use. Of all my skill sets, construction is not one of them. (Proof: I once broke into a cold sweat when I had to assemble a basic IKEA bookshelf.) I promise to try to be as helpful as possible. I can paint, I can sew, and I am confident that I can use a hammer and a screwdriver with clear instructions.

But definitely count on me to document our #vanlife journey on this blog, so check in again soon!

Coming up…

We plan on travelling in our van with our “difficult” dog, Maya, but will Maya like travelling in a van?