By Judith Myers
Our Retirement “Second Home”
While debating where to buy a second home, we realized we had too many places that we wanted to see, and our Jeep with a rooftop camper needed a significant upgrade. After what felt like years of research, we kept circling back to Tiny Planet. And our Mac couldn’t be more perfect. So our retirement “second home” is wherever we park Mac. We just love our tiny home on wheels, with clean lines, lots of light, and a bright, fresh interior. The fit and finish of the gorgeous bamboo cabinetry are unlike anything we have seen in any other van.
A Leap of Faith
We took a leap of faith, and after taking possession of our new home on wheels, we set out on a cross-country road trip. No test run, no taking it slow and reading manuals, no trying to figure things out in advance… we just packed up and went. It didn’t take long before we knew we made the right decision by building a Tiny Planet van. We frequently find ourselves doing something in the van and saying, “Only someone who lived in a van would have thought of this.” Kudos to the Tiny Planet team for all the well-thought-out innovations and extra touches (some of which we are still discovering).
Made for the Roads Less Traveled
The off-road capabilities of our Jeep were extensive, and we never thought a van could be an off-road vehicle, but with extensive suspension modifications, Mac has proved to be surprisingly capable on the bumpy, unpaved, washboard back roads. Having this van has continued to allow us to enjoy remote places and off-road expeditions. We’ve seen some amazing ghost towns, quaint villages, wild remote grasslands, and a fantastic Lunatic Asylum (luckily, my husband didn’t run off with Mac and leave me there).
The Splurges That Made Mac Ours
My favorite splurge is the stunning Egyptian stone ceiling, which took some fancy negotiating with my husband. I might have said the dishwasher was my favorite splurge, but I consider this a necessity, not a splurge. I can’t imagine being without this. My husband’s favorite splurge is the extreme off-road bumper and winch, which took some reciprocal negotiating. If we ever hit a moose, I’ll let you know if it was all worth it.
My husband isn’t left without a man cave. The massive “garage,” monster box, rooftop storage box, and side lockers give him the ability to carry all his favorite power tools, including a chainsaw (which we still have yet to put into action).
My husband isn’t left without a man cave. The massive “garage,” monster box, rooftop storage box, and side lockers give him the ability to carry all his favorite power tools, including a chainsaw (which we still have yet to put into action).
Safe, Cozy, and Completely Self-Contained
Mac has enabled us to see so much of our beautiful country that we would never otherwise have seen. Having a self-contained home on wheels has allowed us to stay on farms, in vineyards and distilleries, high in the mountains and low on the beaches… oh, and the occasional Cracker Barrel (c’mon, we’ve all done it).
The rooftop tent just didn’t cut it in bear country, but now, with Mac, we seek out wilder places yet feel safe and cozy with all the creature comforts we designed into our space. My husband has claimed the “breakfast nook” (behind the driver’s seat) as his preferred photo-editing location, while I love to relax in the dinette area with a glass of wine and a good book.
The rooftop tent just didn’t cut it in bear country, but now, with Mac, we seek out wilder places yet feel safe and cozy with all the creature comforts we designed into our space. My husband has claimed the “breakfast nook” (behind the driver’s seat) as his preferred photo-editing location, while I love to relax in the dinette area with a glass of wine and a good book.
8,000 Miles and Counting
A true testament to how much we love our van has been the few times we have paid for a hotel, checked in, gotten the room key, and then come back out to our van in the parking lot for the night. We have never slept better and like to joke about sleeping in Mac once we are home.
When will that be? We don’t really know.
At the time of this writing, we are in the second month of our cross-country road trip, having traveled 8,000 miles so far. And that’s the beauty of it. We are not on vacation; we are exploring the roads less traveled in our second home. What could be better?
When will that be? We don’t really know.
At the time of this writing, we are in the second month of our cross-country road trip, having traveled 8,000 miles so far. And that’s the beauty of it. We are not on vacation; we are exploring the roads less traveled in our second home. What could be better?
