Living in a Truck Camper
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
When we first began dreaming of living full time in a RV, we didn’t know the journey would lead to living in a truck camper.
Our dream RV is a RoadTrek – the cream of the crop when it comes to Class B RVs. We knew we didn’t want to buy a huge RV that is difficult to maneuver down the backroads and through cities . . . the RoadTrek is a engineering wonder that provides luxurious living in a RV the size of a van.
But, as our journey unfolded, we were offered a Dodge Ram Pick up loaded with a Big Foot camper for a ridiculously low price. It was an opportunity we couldn’t refuse and we were delighted to have our first RV!
Some people’s only perception of a pickup camper is the tiny dwelling on the back of a pickup – the kind hunters use that provides a sleeping area and nothing more. Our Big Foot camper is nothing close to that.
I’ll never forget the first time I climbed the steps into this camper . . . I was delighted to find everything we needed for comfort while living in a truck camper: queen size bed, cushioned seats with a table, refrigerator, freezer, four burner stove, oven, double kitchen sink, closet, toilet, shower, storage . . . and my six foot husband could stand up without hitting his head! It had it all! We instantly felt at home.
It’s been nearly two years since we began living in a truck camper and we often fall asleep at night giggling with delight at our lifestyle, feeling like two kids camping out in their back yard!
We are currently the camphosts at Katfish Katy’s in mid-Missouri, a private campground that sits on the banks of the Missouri River. We are surrounded by the beautiful river, the Katy Trail (a biking trail that follows the old MKT tracks) and fields of soybean and corn crops.
As we view the landscape, sit on the rivers edge to watch the steady flow, see the foilage change with the seasons, catch a glimpse of an eagle soaring overhead, we understand why Lewis and Clark wrote in their journals that this part of their expedition was the most beautiful.
Our tiny living space expands when we step outside. A campfire becomes the fireplace in our “living room” and soon the local river rats are bringing their chairs to sit by the fire with us. When the weather is agreeable, we are outside!
The camphosting job is a dream – we get our site free, including water and electricity in exchange for our work – and we get to meet others who share our love of being out in nature. Some campers ride in on their bicycles, some arrive with tents packed in their trunks, others pull in with their 40 foot monsters! But, everyone, upon learning that we are living in a truck camper, nods and smiles because they hold the same dream – a lifestyle of freedom to live and work and travel.
Some people express their amazement that two people could live in such a tiny space. In fact, some believed this would be the breaking point and we would end up divorced. Ha! Living in a truck camper has its issues, but the experience far outweighs any of them.
Living in a truck camper has taught us many valuable lessons that really apply to any lifestyle – whether you live in a RV, in a house in suburbia, in an apartment in the city:
We put things back where they belong. If you just toss things here and there, pretty soon you have no place to sit anything, including yourself.
Because space is valuable, we have learned to continually downsize to rid ourselves of “stuff” that we don’t need.
The only thing we shop for is groceries and items to make living in a truck camper easier.
We eat simply, we eat healthy. We have no microwave! Having access to a farmers’ market and being recipients of gifts from the gardens of the local river rats gives us fresh produce, eggs and fruit for a much healthier diet than microwaveable dinners.
We’ve learned to open our eyes to be aware of our surroundings in order to appreciate what we have right now. It’s not unusual for us to get up in the middle of the night to listen to the coyotes or view a massive starry sky. Watching the sunset is a nightly celebration here . . . sometimes with the locals, sometimes by ourselves.
Most of all, we’ve learned that two people can live happily in a tiny cramped space. We live and work side by side – content and grateful for this part of our journey that finds us living in a truck camper.
For more tips and tricks on living the Simple Life, whether you interested in living in a truck camper, a camper van, or just want to simply your life.
Who are Bruce and Trisha anyway?