Some homes have five bedrooms, a jacuzzi, and walk-in closets. Others have hanging gardens, spiral staircases and kitchens with kilometres of granite counter tops.
And others are smaller.
Much, much smaller.
Like living-in-an-ambulance-small.
Bill Smyth and Logan Miller have converted a 1994 Ford E350 ambulance into their new home. After New Years, they plan to drive it to numerous ski hills across B.C. In March, they害羞草研究所檒l continue to Mexico and when they drive back to Canada next spring, they aim to visit all the national parks along the way.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e always known I want to do a long trip, it was just where and how,害羞草研究所� says Miller.
害羞草研究所淪pending money on hostels, rentals, or whatever else felt like a waste of our income that we worked so hard to get so it made more sense to put that into our own home.害羞草研究所�
They say they chose an ambulance because of the cost and potential for personalized space.
The couple bought the ambulance off Kijiji in Cranbrook for just over $6,000. After some research on the vehicle, they discovered it was originally from Beartooth, Montana and before that, New Jersey. It was also in New York during 9/11.
Thus, they害羞草研究所檝e called their new home Beartooth.
Turning Beartooth into a home hasn害羞草研究所檛 been easy. The couple have redone the ceiling with wood, put in laminate floors, wooden countertops, tiles, a wood burning stove, a sink, solar panels, and wallpaper.
Looking at it now, it害羞草研究所檚 hard to imagine that Beartooth may have once been engulfed by the dust and remains of the World Trade Center 17 years ago.
The ambulance is now bright, cozy, and stylish. There害羞草研究所檚 even hanging plants.
Miller owns an interior design company in Revelstoke.
害羞草研究所淚t hasn害羞草研究所檛 been easy working with a space that害羞草研究所檚 so small. There are so many things to consider,害羞草研究所� says Miller.
害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 want tiles too big that break when you go over a bump, you have to use a special grout with the flooring, you can害羞草研究所檛 use anything that害羞草研究所檚 too thick because then your head space is wrong.害羞草研究所�
They even sliced a hole in the roof for the wood stove and chimney.
害羞草研究所淚t was very nerve-wracking,害羞草研究所� says Smyth with a laugh.
Impressively, the roof has yet to leak.
There are some laws when it comes to buying and using an emergency vehicle. For example, the words 害羞草研究所渁mbulance害羞草研究所� cannot be displayed and the driver cannot run the lights or sirens.
害羞草研究所淎s far as insurance goes, it害羞草研究所檚 basically insured as a cube van,害羞草研究所� says Smyth.
The couple says that people have a multitude of reactions to Beartooth, such as confusion, excitement, and intrigue.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of people when we害羞草研究所檙e driving will pull aside and kind of question if we害羞草研究所檙e an ambulance or not. We get a lot of people noticing from behind that we害羞草研究所檙e not an official ambulance anymore. Then they try to pass us to see what害羞草研究所檚 going on and who is driving,害羞草研究所� says Smyth with a laugh.
The couple says their upcoming travels will be an opportunity to experience different cultures and appreciate what they害羞草研究所檝e left behind.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e going to have to be really conservative with our water usage as we only have jugs,害羞草研究所� says Miller.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of other countries have to do that on a daily basis. We害羞草研究所檙e so lucky in Canada that you don害羞草研究所檛 think about it. It will be a good lesson on how to live with less.害羞草研究所�
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If Beartooth survives this adventure, the couple says they have others planned. Next fall they hope to drive back to Mexico and on to Central America.
害羞草研究所淭hat trip is a lot more open-ended,害羞草研究所� says Smyth.
害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 have an end date. It all depends on our money and time.害羞草研究所�
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