Walden On Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to Freedom

“Day One of Vandwelling Experiment”

During Ken’s few days at home with his parents, his mother casually ignored his decision to move into a van. He looked through advertisements for used vehicles, settling on a 1994 Ford Econoline for $1,500. Using Craigslist, Ken met Marietta, who offered to house Ken until he could find a place to live near Duke. Ken was mesmerized by his first sight of the van, which he notes had several issues, including bald tires, peeling tint on the windows, and plenty of scratches and dents. The car salesman added a $200 documentation fee, which upset Ken, who planned each of his expenses to keep him afloat as he searched for a job. Ken bought the vehicle nonetheless and drove toward Duke University.

“Day Two of Vandwelling Experiment”

Ken summarizes the history of mobile homes in America, noting how large wagons housed pioneers in the 18th and 19th centuries, followed by motorized mobile homes in the 1930s and the Volkswagen Type 2 in the 1950s, which became the symbol of hippie culture. By the 1980s, van culture was already declining, and in the 2000s, vans were primarily used by parents and outcasts. Ken calculated that he could make