You don’t hear about too many people full-time RVing in a Fiber Stream trailer, but Olivia, Kyle and canine co-pilot River aren’t your typical RVers either.
They’re full-time RVing in a fiberglass trailer (and loving it!).
The trio known as “Drivin’ and Vibin’” weren’t always RVers, but doing time in Alabama’s restaurant and entertainment industry was all it took to light a fire that would get them to sell their stuff and hit the road just one year after they started dreaming about it. They write in their Drivin’ and Vibin’ blog:
It was the first time either of us really envisioned a huge plan and wrote down simple daily & monthly goals to manifest it. The outcome was an amazing, yet natural transition to a life of full-time travel.
Olivia and Kyle prove anyone can go full-time RVing.
This ambitious couple’s story is proof that you don’t have to be rich or drawing from a retirement pension to go full-time RVing at a young age. The main fuel that got them on the road was simply sticking to a budget, says Kyle:
We created a strict budget that eliminated going out to eat, and decided upon a realistic amount of money to deposit into savings every week.
Not going out to eat wasn’t fun, but the reward was really worth it. Kyle’s extra work as a musician and Olivia’s second job at a blueberry farm quickly helped them save enough to buy a 16-foot, 1985 Fiber Stream trailer.
They saved and paid cash for their cute home.
Although it needed some work, they paid only $3,500 for the cozy fiberglass camper. The best part? A trailer that size is perfectly matched to the 4×4 truck they already owned, a 2004 Ford Ranger Edge. The smart couple knew right away that not having to buy another vehicle would put them on the road faster and with zero debt.
Full-time RVing in a Fiber Stream is easier than you think.
The tiny fiberglass RV has a short but sweet back story in RV manufacturing history. Fiber Stream trailers were made in Southern California between 1975 and 1986 and are “the only molded-in-one-piece body, dual axle, sixteen foot travel trailer made,” according to FiberglassRV.com. The advertising copy read, ‘The interior designed for women by a woman…'”
Bye bye black tank! Now they have a composting toilet.
After they bought their new home, the Drivin’ and Vibin’ duo made sure that full-timing in a Fiber Stream trailer would give them all they needed on the road. In their blog, Olivia and Kyle describe the awesome upgrades they made in just under six months for the low price of $2,500 (including the $900 composting toilet and solar electric power system):
- Flipped Leaf Springs (gave the camper a 6′ lift)
- Reinforced the steel frame
- Rewired the entire camper, changed from 4-prong to 7-prong
- Rebuilt and extended tongue, adding a large toolbox
- Built new rear bumper and spare tire mount
- Installed new brakes
- Installed two, 100 watt solar panels with charge controller and 200ah battery
- Installed composting toilet
- Reupholstered cushions
- Build new cabinet doors, bathroom and closet doors, and front door
- Upgraded tires from 12″ to 13″
- Installed wood flooring
- Repainted exterior color stripe
The Fiber Stream renovations cost under $3,000!
“The many hours spent modifying our camper has made it even more enjoyable to live in now. The experience also gave us so much knowledge about the inner workings of our home – making it easy to diagnose a problem,” they explain.
Shortly after hitting the road in September, their Etsy store called “The Wooden Earth” also took off. Now, Kyle, Olivia and River are roaming the U.S. with an expert eye while uncovering vintage prints they sell and ship to customers around the world. Since there’s a post office in every town, the two can always earn a living.
Every good full-timing team needs a canine co-pilot.
If you’re dreaming of hitting the road but think it’s impossible because you have no savings or RV, don’t give up. Olivia and Kyle’s full-timing dream came true and yours can too with hard work, sweat equity . . . and the love of a great dog sure couldn’t hurt either.
