I’m realizing that this is the third in a series of three posts.
The first was about regional geography and how it plays into a plan to reduce the cost of heating and cooling on the road, while at the same time encouraging me to spend more time in a space between inside and outside, thereby theoretically improving quality of life in a deep-retro Magdalenian way.
The second was about the structural mechanics of a ‘camper’ on the very cheap. A kind of digression.
This one expands the scope of heating-and-cooling as in the first to include many other subsystems, as in:
Plus a bunch of other things, like accessing natural water and filtering it, but those are more solvable, and fun, and would make good content.
So we have … where to go and why
And then we have the ‘how’, as in … what does my migratory home look like, right ‘now’ and in the future?
And then, zooming in much closer there are the parts of that home, and refining them. Often on camera. For some kind of ‘profit’.
Some very sketchy notes on that topic.
***
You mentioned the Subaru doesn’t have a hitch yet. For a pop-up camper, you’re looking at:
Weight range: 600–1,500 lbs gross
Required hitch class: Class II (10–12K tow rating)
Wiring harness: 4-pin connector ($50–100)
Brake controller: Optional for pop-ups under 1,500 lbs, but nice to have
Your Montek X-1000 likely accepts AC input around 150–200W through its wall charger. Here’s what that means:
… 3 hours ~1,000 Wh Full recharge from empty
One thing to consider: install a secondary battery bank now even if you’re just starting small. A 100Ah LiFePO4 battery + 200W solar setup costs ~$500 and lets you power LED lights, phone charging, and a small fridge. You can expand later without rewiring everything.
Montek x1000 and a 100/200/300W panel
LiFePO4 80–90% usable 3,000–5,000 cycles Lightest
AGM lead-acid 50% usable 500–1,000 cycles Heaviest
Lithium NMC 85% usable 1,000–2,000 cycles Moderate
Test the existing 200W panel over a few sunny trips first. If it keeps you topped up most days, you’ve saved $400–1,000.
Chinese diesel for emergency winter heating (“Using a DIESEL HEATER For Cold Weather Truck Camping“)
Generator: Predator 2000 (Harbor Freight), Westinghouse, Champion, or the nice expensive Honda
A 5-gallon Jerry can = roughly a month of generator-assisted boondocking
… and the idea of gridlessness, not even needed a fridge or fixed lights:
So long as i’ve got the diesel heater and enough fuel, I’m not freezing. For refrigeration, eating the meat first and using residual coolness to keep things like cheese and milk relatively cool can suffice for a few days. And the Starlink and laptop are pure luxuries in my book
Your angle lands differently because it’s:
Practical but not aspirational — You’re not selling a dream, you’re documenting a method
Transparent about constraints — No pretending the solar is bigger or the truck is newer
Neo-hunter-gatherer ethos — Framed as skill acquisition, not deprivation
Iterative progression — Viewers watch you learn and adapt over seasons
That last one is crucial. People invest in narrative arcs, not static showcases. They want to see:
Episode 1: First install, what went wrong
Episode 2: Solar test, battery drained at 2AM, lesson learned
Episode 3: Diesel heater first night, surprisingly successful
Episode 4: Three-day monsoon, tarp deployment, food rotation strategy
You’re building toward a documentary series without calling it that.
***
Three files/folders
Geography/Migration
Shelling
Systems (water, diesel, power)
I feel somewhat clearer now.