Vehicle for Freedom

Some of you may be asking how is he going to get around? Well I'm taking my 2000 Jeep Cherokee, currently it has 265,000 kms (yes the odometer is in kilometers I bought it in Canada), that's 165,000 miles for my American friends.  I bought the Jeep new in March of 2000, only 8 months after finishing university and starting to work full time. It has been with me throughout my adult life, so I see it's only fit that it joins me on this great journey.  It is the perfecrt vehicle for the trip, getting moderate gas mileage, able to hold all my stuff, 4WD and looking bad ass.  I am currently mapping out my projected journey, but I expect it to be easily another 25,000 kms over the next 8 months.

For more about the Jeep check this:   Jeep Cherokee XJ (WIKI)

Some of you may be asking how is he going to get around? Well I'm taking my 2000 Jeep Cherokee, currently it has 257,000 kms (yes the odometer is in KMS I bought it in Canada). I bought the Jeep new in March of 2000, only 8 months after finishing university and starting to work full time. It has been with me throughout my adult life.

Recently I equipped with two Roof Cargo boxes for a total of 30 cu ft of storage on the roof, and a bike rack for carrying my Mountain and Road Bike on our journey. Here's some recent photos:

I've also built a sleep and storage platform. Inspired and advised by my friends Lee and Lisa, whom did a 3 month road trip of eastern Europe in a van they converted to include a sleep plat form, stove, sink and more. Very ingenious on Lee's part. Check out their blog about it here:
Lee and Lisa's Blog about their Van

Well taking inspiration from their idea, I came up with a way to sleep in the back of my Jeep, it's much smaller than a Van, and I even considered trading it in for one, but in the end I love my vehicle, and I what the off roading capabilities it provides. The plat form can be taken apart and stored in the back so the back seat is functional.  Additionally one section of the platform and be turned into a table we can use at camp.  So the Jeep is ready to go!  Here's a few photos: 

The drawer has full length slides and is lined with cedar.



View from the back, entirely constructed
leftover wood I had in my workshop.

When in Sleep Mode the 2 other pieces of the platform elevate you above the folded down seats and require the front seat to be moved all the way up in the. This gives you exactly 6' of sleeping space, just an inch more than me!

The platform from the side, I have made removeable PVC legs to pro it up flat.