Solo Female Traveler Lives Off the Grid in a Practical and Cozy Budget Earthroamer

We initially covered Lindsey's inspiring story here on autoevolution last year. Today, I'd like to take a closer look at her mobile home. Funnily enough, Lindsey started by googling "Poor Man's EarthRoamer" - that's how she found the build thread for her current vehicle, an Overland Explorer X10 flatbed camper. This specific unit was a prototype, so Lindsey made some modifications to make living and traveling more comfortable.

Before we get into the specifics, let's talk about the price. The base price for a 2023 EarthRoamer LTi starts at $730,000 (€677,374), but Lindsey managed to create her own "affordable" version for much less. And when I say affordable, it's just in comparison to the EarthRoamer, because some people might see even her rig as too much of an investment. Including the truck and all the modifications, the total cost was about $170,000 (€157,745). Keep in mind that she travels in lives in it full time, so there's no more need for hotels or rentals.

The flatbed camper sits on top of a 2014 Dodge Ram 3500, which sports a 6.4 Hemi V8 outputting 410 hp and 429 lb-ft. (582 Nm) of torque. Lindsey explains she gets about 9.5 mpg (almost 25 L/100 km). What's more, the car features the base Tradesman trim, to which Lindsey added Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth, as well as a dashcam and a rear backup camera.

Lindsey uses the truck's back seat like a garage, storing all sorts of stuff. Let me tell you more about what features you can find on this camper's exterior. The flatbed comes with various compartments on the sides. For instance, there's one where Lindsey houses the propane buddy heater – it's an emergency solution, as her rig runs solely on diesel.

Being an avid skier, Lindsey found a solution to store her skis somewhere accessible: on the van's rear. Her dad helped develop a ski box that could hold two pairs of skis, poles, and a brush. Also on the van's back is a box that came standard on the rig, where a high lift jack is housed. Lindsey uses a heavy-duty foldable ladder to get on top of the camper, mainly to clean the three 330 W solar panels.

On the driver's side of the rig, another compartment integrates a diesel furnace with a three-gallon (11-liter) tank. Lindsey explains that she uses close to a gallon (almost four liters) a day during wintertime, so she wishes she had a larger tank. Another small door on the same side of the van leads to the five-gallon (19-liter) cassette toilet, which she can grab and empty at a designated spot.

And these are the main features of the exterior. Let's head on inside. Lindsey added a foldable step because the door is located pretty high up. Oh, by the way, the total height of this rig is about 11 feet (335 centimeters), while the interior is around 6'7" (201 centimeters) high.

You'll discover the kitchen on the left side as soon as you enter. It features a stainless-steel countertop, a small sink, some drawers and cabinets, a microwave, and a diesel cooktop, which Lindey also uses as a heater. She can also take in the views while cooking or washing dishes through a small window. There used to be a skylight above the kitchen, but Lindsey installed solar panels on the roof, so she insulated and covered it.

Lindsey can enjoy a nice meal, work, or read a book in the L-shaped lounge, complete with a swivel table. She explained that it used to be a bunk bed, but she transformed it into the current living space. On the wall behind it, there's a large window. Under the couch, you'll find some utilities, such as the diesel furnace and the shower pump.

Another essential system is the A/C - the only space left to install it was above part of the lounge. Regarding storage, Lindsey installed some wooden overhead shelves.

Moving deeper into the camper, you'll find the wet bathroom, which is surprisingly spacious, given the rig's size. It features a shower and a toilet with water flow, unlike what you see in most mobile homes. Lindsey also added some towel racks and bags for extra storage.

Opposite the bathroom, there's a decently sized fridge/freezer. Underneath it, two cabinets house a 42-gallon (159-liter) freshwater tank and four 100Ah batteries. The controls for all the systems are located above the fridge.

And lastly, we have the bedroom. You probably expect a compact sleeping space, but the bedroom features an almost-queen bed. Another nice part about this area is that there's enough space to sit up straight and to move around without bumping your head into the ceiling. Furthermore, I like the fact that plenty of light shines inside, as there's a window on each side of the bedroom and a skylight above. Lindsey uses boxes to store some clothes near the bed, as well as a spacious closet right by the fridge.

Traveling all by yourself is undoubtedly challenging, especially if you have just started doing it. But it can also be such a fulfilling experience. Lindsey described that she changed along with her lifestyle, and she enjoys every bit of living nomadically, as it enables her to do her favorite outdoor activities.

She also shared some wisdom regarding van life. When she started living nomadically, she didn't have the means of connecting with like-minded people. Nowadays, many people have adopted van life, and countless meets, festivals, and communities are centered around this lifestyle. And the number of people living in mobile homes is steadily growing, especially since more remote jobs are on the market than ever before.