http://www.nest-mag.com/index.php/nests/tim-johnson
I hope this article helps or inspires someone, somehow. It'd be a lot easier to go about my own business and not spend any time writing or answering questions from people, but I think it's important to send back the positive energy and inspiration that so many people send out to me, so here's my odd way of doing it. Kage throws some great tips out there for women that are considering a similar lifestyle on the road. Thanks Inga for the interview:
Living in a van down by the river
The first step to living small, but big: move into something smaller!
Tim is from the warm south of the U.S. and
moved to the ice-cold north to realize his dream of living off-grid in a
motorhome. Together with his girlfriend Kage he travels on Alaska's
roads, showering in the gym, growing salad in the indoor garden, and
keeping warm with the help of a wood stove. True to the motto: "The 1st
step to living small, but BIG: move into something smaller!" In the
following interview Tim and Kage tell us about the life on the road and
in the cold.
Could you give me some information about your personal background? Who are you, what is your profession, where are you from, what are your hobbies, what do you wish for your life?
My name is Tim Johnson, friends call me Timmy. My
profession? Metaphorically “living out of the box”… while literally
“living in a box.” I guess my main income is based off of teaching
driving. I try to save every scary, hard-earned penny I make teaching driving and invest in life's many adventures & a sporadic life on the road. I’m nearly finished with a Masters degree in Environmental
Science/Isotope Hydrology, so I might not have to continue risking my
life with new driving students. There’s something sketchy about driving
down an icy Alaskan highway in January, with a brand new driver that
speaks no English and has horrible reflexes… but I supposed somebody’s
gotta do it.
I grew up in North Georgia’s Smokey Mountains.
Maybe you’ve seen the movie Deliverance? Them are my stompin’ grounds.
Spending time in an Alaskan bush cabin as a kid, I always found myself
dreaming of calling Alaska “home”. I finally moved to Alaska in 2002,
and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Some folks have a drinking problem. I have a “water
problem”, otherwise known as whitewater kayaking. Kayaking is the
backbone of my adventures in Alaska and around the globe. The summer in
Alaska is incredible for kayaking, where I can lose myself in deep,
remote, and unforgiving whitewater canyons. In the winter-time, I either
travel out of the USA to paddle (usually to New Zealand, my second
home) or I’ll hang around Alaska and ski, speed-fly, or snow machine. I
also enjoy picking the banjo in my free time, and try to do a show every
now and then with our band. My girlfriend, Kage, is also a banjo player
(she helped teach me a few new banjo skills), so we share the passion
for playing and creating music.
What do I wish for my life? Honestly, I wish to
learn everything I can from everything around me, and I hope to make a
positive impact in the people’s lives I interact with. I also aim to
create an environment that inspires adventure (within myself and
others), morphs dreams to reality, and leaves a positive footprint and a
bit of inspiration behind. I’m always grateful for the inspiration
other people give me, so I’m just attempting to return that energy.
What happened that you've decided to move from the warm south to the cold north of the U.S.? From where came the idea to live off-grid all year in your camper?
After spending time as a kid in the remote
wilderness of Lake Clark National Park, I just always knew I wanted to
call Alaska home… so I simply acted on my dreams. I never did like moving into new homes. It seemed I
had to move into a new apartment or home at least every year for 10
years straight, throughout Anchorage and Girdwood. Roommates would move
in or move out, and I would basically be forced to find a new home. I
had enough belongings to outfit an entire house, so every time I moved
it was a serious undertaking. I finally grew tired of moving all my
belongings around, so I decided to sell everything that was unnecessary,
and move into a small motorhome year-round. I was really concerned at
first, because I knew I would not have a designated place to park, and I
didn’t know how comfortable I would be throughout the cold winter
months.
As it turns out… if you think “out of the box”, life on the road
will more than accommodate you.
In an article about you, I've read that the reason you've moved to
Alaska was the dream of living in the wildest place on Earth. What is
the most fascinating thing about this rough nature?
The most fascinating aspect of Alaska is the raw
experience of untouched wilderness. I haven’t been anywhere else on
earth that feels so remote and wild, even within a short distance of the
city.
Could you tell me something about your camper? Where have you found it? What add-ons have you added since you owned it?
After the decision to live in a motorhome
full-time, my old man (Bob) & I were searching the internet for a
Toyota 4x4 motorhome, and my old man came across an ad for an extremely
rare (only 6 ever made) Toyota Odyssey 4-wheel drive motorhome in Los
Angeles, California. We both were looking for a 4x4 motorhome at the
time, and since I lived in Alaska (he lives in Georgia) and I was
planning on living full-time in the motorhome, I decided to buy the 4x4
motorhome… and he opted for a very rare Toyota Sunrader diesel 2-wheel
drive motorhome for his travels.
The Toyota Odyssey 4x4 has come a really long way
from its stock chassis. I have installed a wood stove & chimney,
along with solar panels, which allow me to live “off-grid” and not be
plugged into a power source for heat or electricity. If it’s cold, I
simply throw wood in the fire instead of relying on propane or a
generator. If I want to watch a movie or charge my phone, the solar
panels power the LED TV and recharge my phone. Pretty cool.
I also had to custom-build a kayak rack on the roof
to hold the kayaks, and added a couple of rocket boxes to store skis
& gear on the roof. I also added an 8-inch lift, 33” off-road
tires/rims, and a bull-bar/brush guard to protect the motorhome from a
wreck (since the brakes are stock Toyota 4-Runner brakes and are
severely underpowered). In the spring, summer, and fall, I have an
interior garden where I grow lettuce, green onions, and spices for an
off-grid food source.
My girlfriend quickly pointed out that my camper
looked like a sporty man-mobile, and even though I thought it looked
pretty sexy, she has definitely helped make the inside look a little
classier. I grew up in log cabins and always wanted a rustic, but
modern-twist cabin-look to my motorhome. Kage has helped envision
several interior designs and projects. The latest little project was
making ceiling beams using 100+ year old, grey-weathered wood from old
Alaskan gold mines. Looks pretty awesome! I sewed some custom,
super-thick winter curtains made of oven-mit fabric, which keeps the
heat trapped inside the single-pane windows in the winter time. Kage
sewed some faux-leather curtains for a little extra attitude in the
summer time.
You've named your camper "Pittsburgh Nelly". Where did this name came from?
Ah, I just couldn’t think of a better name. Nelly
just rolls of the tongue easily. Watch Chris Farley’s movie “Almost
Heros” and wait for the punch-line if you really want to find out…
The motorhome’s in-house garden is one of my
favorite features also. There is something about having living plants
and edible food growing in your car just makes it truly feel homey. The
salad is ain’t that bad either. We’ve had a couple of aphid problems
eating the lettuce, but whenever that’s under control it’s nice having
free, healthy meals and spices for cooking.
I suppose the winter temperatures in Alaska are really cold and most of us aren't used to bear those. How do you get through the ice-cold nights in your motorhome? Any special tactics? Or probably longing for a warm shower?
The Kimberly wood stove is the only reason we are
able to comfortably survive the winter in my motorhome. I keep the fire
stoked on the majority of the winter. Keeping the fire going cuts down
the condensation from cooking and breathing in such a small 110 square
foot living space. Even though the motorhome is not well-insulated at
all, the wood stove puts out enough heat to keep the home cozy. I do
have a built-in, 16,000 BTU propane furnace which we occasionally use to
quickly warm things up, but RV propane furnaces are not truly designed
to be used 24 hours a day, and have a tendency to fail.
Kage and I use each other for heat (which helps a
lot), but replacing cotton sheets with fleece blankets is my best advice
to staying toasty warm. We throw a big down comforter on top of those
fleece blankets on really cold nights, and although ice forms around
your face and pillow, you stay nice and warm. We typically just take
showers at the gym (a gym membership is a great thing!) or at friend’s
homes.
I could imagine that many people that you meet while traveling are fascinated by your vehicle. What was the most beautiful or unexpected reaction to your motorhome and your unusual lifestyle?
We get all kinds of great reactions to the
motorhome. Usually it’s an ear-to-ear grin, or someone beeps their horn
and gives a thumbs up. Sometimes people and businesses leave gifts of
food on the hood. In the winter, I run the wood stove basically all day,
so the motorhome drives around with a fire burning. I always get funny
reactions from people at red lights, because of the smoking chimney.
The craziest single reaction I had to the home was
this past November. It was about -20 degrees F outside and I had the
wood stove going. I went in to get some groceries for dinner, and while
shopping the grocery store intercom came on. The person speaking on the
intercom said “Attention! License plate “Y-RENT”… your RV is on
fire!!!!!!” I finished shopping (knowing everything was fine, as the
wood stove is air-tight), checked out at the register, and walked out of
the grocery store to see about 70 people pointing at my RV and it’s
smoking chimney (from the wood stove). Bystanders and fire fighters were
surrounding the motorhome, planning out what to do next. I walked up to
them and told them I just had a wood stove, and they all laughed and
went their own ways.
I don't want to keep the new music video of your band "The Shoot Dangs" from our readers. I for one, am already a big fan. How do you combine the tour life with your life in the camper? Are you all living in your camper together while touring through Alaska?
“The Shoot Dangs!” aren’t touring full-time in the
camper, but one of our band members is from Fairbanks, so when he comes
down to Anchorage for our shows, he usually sleeps in the RV’s guest
bed.
We just completed a Southeastern USA tour from
Georgia to Texas, but we didn’t bring my motorhome, just a tiny 1989
Toyota Corolla 4wd station wagon. We’re all close friends now, but next
time, we’re bringing the motorhome. This is the first real band I have
ever been in, and it’s been a lot of fun. We are planning a future tour
to play at Octoberfest in Germany (and all over Europe), then head over
to Tokyo, Japan next fall to play some shows. We’ll also be playing
around Alaska all winter/spring/summer long. Honestly, it’s a lot of fun
creating music and sharing it with people, there’s no other feeling
like it. Listening and playing music has always been a core part of my
life, and it’s awesome to contribute and give back to the music scene.
Kage's camping tricks for girls
Some girls are hesitant to live a life off the grid
that may cause your hygiene and beauty to be on the rocks. I try to
keep things really simple for myself. Having a fire going all night
sometimes leaves my face dry. To resolve this, I heat a pot of water to
steam over the stove, which warms my face. This water can also be used
to make coffee. I use a mist of rose water to wash my face. I have
apricot oil for my skin and hair, with a dash of concealer, and mascara -
if the day calls for it. I like to keep antibacterial oils for
remedies. Lemon, peppermint, and water mixed in a spritz is great for
car sickness on long trips or headaches. Try Rose, cypress, or
eucalyptus mixed with grape seed oil to deodorize armpits instead of a
deodorant. If I get smelly I use rose water to rinse, pat dry, and a
cotton ball application of rose oil over it. Rosemary mixed with a
lighter oil is great for a finish on your hair ends.
If the weather gets really cold it is good to have a
bag that insulates your shampoo and conditioner so that they do not
freeze. Some of you hair and skin care products can freeze or blow up!
This can be troublesome because when some products freeze, the water and
oil separate in the product and sometimes do not mix back together
again. A thick fabric or insulated bag keeps this from happening. It’s
nice to have it in a fabric that can be washed if you have product spill
out of the containers. I spoil myself and use a big towel when I shower
because I like having it for my whole body and long hair. The small
camping towels just don’t cut it for me.
If your hair looks too oily, I have a couple of
favorite hats I like to wear as often as I can or use a dry shampoo. You
can also use a huge makeup brush and use powder on your hair roots.
This works great for me because I’m a natural blonde. I have also
learned a nifty little hair duo where you part your hair on one side and
do a French braid with the front hair to the other side; leaving the
rest of your hair free.
Fashion clothes, outdoor gear, work clothes, and
play clothes. Getting your entire wardrobe in a small space is not easy
when you start out. You have to down size slowly. Eventually you learn
that having too much will bring you down. I like to keep in mind the
type of fabric I have and for what activity. Will it dry quickly and is
it warm? What I have found out to be most essential is: jacket, black
spandex leggings, spandex tank tops, fun dress, comfy long top, vest,
fashion scarfs, leg warmers, long johns, corduroys, favorite tee, wool
sweater, polypropylene hiking ‘zippy’ top, yoga pants, sweatshirt,
Carrhartt overalls, wool soxs, hats, running/hiking shoe, crocs, leather
boots, rubber boots, and a chicken costume with a tutu.
I pretty much have one of everything and make it
work for everything we do. I can fit all of this in a 2ft by 1.5ft space
and a small closet only 4 feet tall x 2 feet wide, except the chicken
costume; that goes in the Rocket Box on top of the camper. Tim built a
little wooden separator in the 2 ft x 1.5 ft. bin so it is easier for me
to stay organized and see what I have to work with. He also put in a
long body mirror on the inside of the bathroom door so that I can see
all of myself! In the winter we drain the water out of the camper pipes
and stop taking showers in the camper. This gives us extra space to
store large winter clothes, mukluks, and things in the shower that we
don’t typically use in the summer. We also have a little vertical shoe
compartment hanging up and that helps us keep gloves, hats, scarfs, snow
beacons, goggles, and cross country ski boots organized.
I clean with Windex, vinegar water, lemon, and
vodka. I try to stay away from chemicals as much as possible. Vodka
mixed with water cleans wonderfully in the winter because it doesn’t
freeze. I like to use a straw wicker broom when I can to keep dirt and
dog hair out. We also have a little vacuum that we will charge once in a
while with the solar panels. It’s nice to get everything vacuumed out
even when it’s cold. Maintaining a clean house on wheels is necessary if
you want to be able to actually drive around. We could use the free car
wash vacuums but we tend to be out of town often and I get a kick out
of vacuuming in the wilderness with no power lines around.
How many miles have you driven with Pittsburgh Nelly on Alaska's roads?
I’ve put about 30,000 miles on the Alaskan roads
and about 2,000 miles off-road so far, and hopefully those miles will
keep accumulating (as long as the little V6 3.0 engine keeps chugging
along). I don’t have a real winch yet, but I’ve had to use a come-along
hand winch to pull myself out of a couple mud holes and bogs (there are a
few crazy roads and trails to navigate up here if you’re playing in the
woods or camping).
The future? I guess a good plan today is better
than a perfect plan tomorrow. So today, I’m going to enjoy myself and
hopefully do the same tomorrow.
A nest, home, spread, or whatever you want to call
it is, more than anything, is an environment to call your own, where
comfort and familiarity are status quo. It provides a space to recharge
your being, refuel your body, and rest your mind. Everyone should
experience the privilege of their own NEST!
Thanks again Inga, see ya'll out there on the road, er river, er where ever...
- Timmy J.
