Hi, my name is Brent (“Hi, Brent”), and I live in a van. No, not down by a river. No, you’re not the first person to think of that joke. I actually live and work out of a van, zig-zagging the country and documenting much of the stuff that happens. In the beginning, I was going to try to do it for a year. It has now been more than four years. Oops?
It all started when I bought I used 2006 Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser G24. I chose that one because it was configured the way I wanted, with separate work and sleep areas and a massive trunk. It’s worked out pretty well, or I wouldn’t still be doing it. But I always wondered what I could have done if I’d had the time and the funds to start from scratch.
For this episode of Bespoke America, I travelled to Portland, Oregon, to visit the Outside Van factory. Their custom builds are unreal, and they seem to be able to accommodate just about any request. Special ski-boot driers? Sure. Built-in blenders? Obviously. How about a Faraday cage on wheels because one customer says they’re extra sensitive to electromagnetic waves? Yep, they’ve done that, too.
Unfortunately, these things start around $US200,000 ($295,095), which is just a hair (ok, all of the hairs) out of my budget. Please send lots and lots of money so I can upgrade my home and office.