I used to be an avid camper. I’ve camped on mountains in tents, under the stars on the beach and led 30 Air Cadets over 80 miles on a three-day hike in one fine wet Spring. All is good!
Camping Changed
I met my wife Jo about 20 years ago. While we camped a bit, everything changed when we rented a 24’ Class C Motorhome on our honeymoon to travel into the US – Washington State to be exact. It was glorious! We had such a kick out of pulling over on the side of the road next to a serene river to have a beer and funny enough pulling into a Walmart parking for lunch in our little home with a glass of wine was a treat – pure decadence!
We’re hooked on ‘glamping’. As we age, camping in a tent didn’t offer the same interest for us. The little luxuries of warmth, a comfortable bed and a fridge had us hooked. We had planned to put our life savings into a used Prevost Bus, but at $200k for a 25-year-old bus, it was tough to rationalize it.
A Roar Not A Whimper
I didn’t like the builds of a Class C or any other RV for that matter. From the 1/4” particle board walls to the flimsy outer skin, I feared for safety and durability. Oh, and yes, they were triple the price at the beginning of covid even for a piece of sh#t.
We were on the hunt for a unique RV. On a whim, we went to our favourite fleet auto sales close to our home and found it! A gleaming fleet of ambulances, decommissioned of their sirens and flashing lights, they beckoned us.
The newest and largest of the fleet was a beast, built to serve and to last. It was part of an auction but fearing we would lose it, we paid full price for what turned out to be a vehicle, unlike anything we had ever seen.
The Ford E350 Super Duty was made to last, and be a reliable workhorse for deliveries and heavy-duty work. The ride in the back was like riding in a Rolls-Royce. Add the stringent requirements placed on it for the ambulance service and their strict maintenance schedules, and you have a vehicle meant to last a million miles. They were decommissioned, usually after 5–7 years of service. Our 2013, had been a transfer ambulance, so didn’t have the extreme use of a daily emergency run lifesaver. Sure, it had 330,000 kms on its 6.7l gas motor but being serviced every month by law was comforting.
The Plan
So what was our grandiose plan? My wife, Jo, had just retired, and we figured we would travel the US and Canada – then Covid happened! Well, plan B needed to be implemented. This would be our ‘bug out’ vehicle if the apocalypse continued. With Plan B in effect, we now created a plan to turn this baby into a beast.
Now, I’m a DIY carpenter with some experience building decks and flooring in our home. With no electrical experience or metalwork, the renovation of a 1/4” all aluminum body would be a challenge. We bought the Ambo in October 2021 and with the winter fast upon us, it was really too cold to work on the truck outside except to dismantle things that I knew had to come out like the attendant chair, the medical equipment and such.
On a forum, we met our new best friend, Wayne Hunken who with exceptional electrical skills we got the ambo shipshape. Learning all the other skills needed to install a stove, a wood stove and electrical gave me skills I had only dreamed about. I had a ball and worked my ass off from Spring to fall.
Finito
Almost a year to the day, we had our beast finished. Well, one is never finished with these builds, but it was comfortable to go anywhere for extended periods of time and additions could be made as needed.
We have done some short trips, but I see the intensity needed in finding campsites in the spring and Summer on the West Coast. People are out there in record numbers.
On our first major trip, a trek from Vancouver to Banff (1500kms), we found our sweet spot, our zone our niche – forestry recreational sites. Off the beaten track, not for the faint of heart and definitely requiring a boondocking vehicle these free campsites gave us peace of mind, and the ability to have more choices and being free for up to 14 days was exceptional.
With our focus secure on boondocking with nothing dangerous or really tough to get there, we started doing weekend trips through the back roads of BC. With a back road map from a local supplier of expert resources, we were all set for adventures.
Ahh, finally!