Tiny Home – Tillers & Travelers

Today marks our Three Year Anniversary!

In August 2011, we gave away all of our possession and bought a 1984 MCI-9 Motorcoach (bus). Over the course of two months we would begin the conversion process with the help of many friends, neighbors and family. We departed Green Bay, WI in our bus on Oct 13, 2011, with the exterior walls, couch, dinette and master bed in tact. The rest of the bus was a container. We set off for our first stop in Sister, OR where another handful of friends and family helped us build out the kitchen cabinets, framing bedrooms and installing the electrical system. We left Oregon and as we traveled we built out what we could, when we had the resources and time. Over the course of the next three years we installed the plumbing system and finished off the bathroom complete with a shower and hot water. We have traveled over 60,000 miles, through 36 states. We are peace pilgrims, folk revivalists, and merrymakers. And, this is our home today.

PS. Video was filmed on an I-Phone 4 and we realize the quality isn’t ideal but hopefully you get a good glimpse for now. Also, here is the first design floor plan drawn by our friend, Marc Brummel. We adapted it as we built, moving the shower, sink and toilet but the basic design is the same.

Hooray! After 3 years on the road we finally have our shower.

When we left Green Bay, WI in our bus Oct 14, 2011 we had the blue print for how our bus would eventually look and we had the walls, dinette, bed and couch built all thanks our friends, Marc Brummel, Allen Gokey, David Baumgartner and our neighbor Jim. It was a few months later, in Sister, OR that we would establish our electrical system thanks to Ben Miller and Craig would learn how to make our kitchen cabinets thanks to Mike Dyer.

For the next year we would roll around with out plumbing and then in Iowa at the Anderson’s, over the course of ten days, our bus would have cold running water, a flushing toilet and the added bonus of a new paint job.

Beginning of this year our building was put on hold to go to Australia for a few months, however when we returned the shower and hot water were next on the agenda. It has taken six months of savings, labor and love.

As for the cost of putting in this fantastic luxury…

Rocks collected from all over the world= Free. Tiles= $340, Seaward 11 gallon water heater= $300, add in plumbing parts, grout, sealer, shower fixtures and extra’s total= $1000.

… After three years without a shower or hot running water, we understand it really is a luxury, not a necessity… None the less, we are so grateful for all who have donated towards this effort. Bless y’all, and if you ever stay on our bus, you are welcome to have a shower, on the house!