I knew that when we left Alaska in the Project M, we would put our downsized traveling life to the test. The 33 days of full-time Project M living we did between June 28 and July 31 was a great way to test the limits of a minimalist nomadic life.

The “M” in Project M stands for Minimalist Living

There’s only so much gear you can carry in the back of a short-bed Dodge Ram pickup. This is minimalist nomadic living at it’s finest.

Knowing the three of us would live in our Project M for a month forced us to pack very carefully for the journey from Alaska to my family in Southern California, and later, to the East Coast.

Gear we each packed in our minimalist camper

• One plastic tote filled with clothing
• Two pairs of shoes (one for day use, one for running)
• One or two miscellaneous bags for work gear, Nellie’s gear, and some mess kit items.
• Two Army bags of bedding

Food took up the rest of our little home on wheels, and two rooftop cargo containers contained an assortment of outdoor gear and decent clothing for later in “civilization.”

To contain these belongings, Jim did an awesome cabinet build-out that helped us stay relatively organized.

You really don’t need as much as you think

We used to think we were minimalist as RVers. Now it’s hysterical to recall how much crap we carried in our fifth wheel. Once we spent 33 days of full-time living in the Project M, the experience of simplicity was never more real.

Surprisingly, we lacked for nothing.

What we took along for the ride was exactly what we needed to prep simple meals, stay clean, and enjoy the journey. The Four Wheel Camper’s bug screen kept the critters out too, which we loved.

RVing Versus the Project M: There is No Comparison

It’s pretty obvious just from looking at it that unlike a true RV like a trailer or motorhome, the Project M by Four Wheel Campers is not an ideal full-time living vehicle. At least for two people and one German Shepherd.

I can totally see a solo RVer and their dog living in it for several weeks or longer. But when two people need to eat, clean up, and constantly shuffle storage bags and boxes around to find items they need for the day, this is not the best rig to get through it with your sanity intact.

The Project M is great for real camping.

What it comes down to for us is that the Project M is the best short-term getaway camper. You can go places an RV cannot. It will take you to boondocking spots that only an idiot would attempt to access.

The Project M allows just enough creature comforts for a short jaunt camping in the desert or on the beach. A solo camper could probably go longer than we did and stay sane and comfy in the process.

But two people and a large dog living that close together for weeks on end? We’re lucky we survived!

Our custom camper also survived the long bumpy ride along the Alaska Highway without a scratch, twice! But without the kind of elements that Four Wheel Campers’ fully outfitted rigs have, this one is just not meant for us to use full-time.

However, the upside is we stayed warm and dry during inclement weather. And it was wonderful finding campsites that were so easy to access without pulling a trailer behind us. Four Wheel Campers are quality experiential rigs with true freedom!

We plan to keep enjoying Project M camping indefinitely

After landing in California for August, we headed out to New York for work and family commitments. Hot sticky weather prevented us from doing as much camping as we did up north, and we’ve mostly been paying for motels while we travel around in a mad search for our full-time travel trailer.

Once we find that rig, hitching it up to the Dodge with our Project M will enable us to fulfill that “hub and spoke” RV lifestyle we’ve been dreaming about. Wherever we roam, the trailer will serve as our base camp. And our Project M will be our adventure vehicle to parts unknown. The dream is real and it’s happening!

Let the adventures continue! Long live the Project M “hub and spoke” RV lifestyle!