Our Gypsy Vardo

In 2008, my wife, Linda and I built a Vardo from plans from Tim Lemke. It was a fun build. The canvas cover came from Tractor supply. It is insulated with Thinsulate/bubble wrap from Home Depot. The interior floral covering is by Waverly fabrics. The vardo was built on a new 4X8 trailer from tractor supply. I used poplar instead of pine for the ribs and spars.. We had to many problems with the lights on the trailer, so I installed a set of LED lights. The only way to go!

We equipped it with a 90 watt solar panel and a 60 amp gel-cell 12v battery. The panel runs our DVD player and Laptop with no problems. We have a 12V Fan to cool us off at night, when the weather is a little sticky. I purchased a portable air conditioner that we can carry in the truck, that sets inside at night and the hot air is exhausted out the vent under the door. I have installed a 110 AC outlet inside, to plug in for the air, should we be in a hotter climate, like the desert. The carriage lights, were bought at Lowes, and I installed 12V LEDs from CCCrane Radio. The lights can be used to eat at night outside at a table. I installed in the front, under the awning, a 12V light, to see to hitch up in the dark, or just flip it on to look around. I have a 12V CCD camera to install this spring, for night time security. I will put it on a Manuel turn stile drive, in order to look around the campsite. We leave the fan run all night when it's hot, and have never come close to using up below 50% of power. My cousin, Tom Maddox helped to build and redo the interior bed space and build oak doors, and drawers. We have a pull-out table, with 2 bench seats and a corner shelf to set a small one burner camp stove for tea in the morning. We have a small gas bottle and a Cabellas single burner, cast iron stove for cooking outside. We use a big Moss fly to cover a picnic table for dinning.

The bed was way to high, so we lowered it 6 inch's. My wife made seat cushions for the bench seats. I made a small glass sink with gray water plumbing, out of a lamp shade. It has a full size Futon mattress.

This has proven to be a great travel trailer for two. We have been to several states, including Texas and the Black Hills in South Dakota. It has also been used as an emergency power station, radio shack, and meditation area. It is very hard to get out of gas stations, as everyone wants to look inside. We like the storage underneath the bed. We have just one 12 volt outlet inside, so we don't get carried away with usage. Last fall, while we were out of town, some low life took a club? and smashed our 600.00 solar panel! So I bought a 60 watt panel from Tractor supply and made this panel removable. It can be unplugged and stored inside the Vardo.

The great thing about this vardo, it is paid for! It sleeps like a dream! There were times when it was too late to find a campsite, so we just pulled in between the semi's at the rest areas, and slept to the drone of the diesels. Yes! You get used to it! I will be happy to answer any questions about the Vardo, or how it was used.