Building the Interior - Southern Pines, NC

Between catching my mules, hauling hay, working on the book and sewing up the odd cat, there's been scarce little time for working on the wagon.


The wagon shell waits...

Which isn't all bad.

It gave me time to think...

In the end, I realized that most projects consume exactly as much time and money as you have on hand. So you might as well start off small, on a scale you can finish.

And afford.

With that in mind, I set about building a pretty Spartan interior.

First I built a light frame for the counters and drawers I wanted on either side of my living space.


Framework for drawers and counter


Then I remembered I wanted to start my trip in Canada.

In late winter.

Hey, didn't that ring a bell? Hadn't I just started a trip the year before at the same time of year? Yeah! Of course. And it had snowed on my tipi...


A cold start (Southern Pines, NC - February 2003)

Just after I cleared my head of tipi walls sagging under snow loads, I remembered Bob Sundown. Remember Bob? He was the fellow in the shepherder's wagon I met in Deming, New Mexico. He was the one that inspired me to build my own.


Bob Sundown (outside Deming, New Mexico)

I holed up with Bob for a few stormy winter days during which my tipi blew down. He thawed me out at his home-made wood stove.


Bob's oilcan stove (Deming, New Mexico)

So I went back and cut out a nook in my framework just large enough to hold a wood stove.


(Space for the stove Bernie has yet to build...)

Now I just have to weld one up...

Bernie
RiverEarth.com