After my g’son Guillaume graduated engineering school in France, he came to live with me in Los Angeles. “Are you sure?” I asked him, young men don’t live with their g’mothers. But move in he did, got a good job, made friends, enjoyed everything here from deep-sea diving to snowboarding, hiking in the desert and mountains, rock climbing, sailing, all of it. Then he met Jenna, who also had a good job, they became a serious couple and decided to build a Tiny House (search: Tiny Houses). They quit their jobs and moved into my son’s house down the block from me and built a Tumbleweed Tiny House on a trailer in his driveway. The plan was to tour the U.S. for a year.
They completed the exterior here and the basic interior. Now they are on their way to Shelbyville, IL where her parents live. They will finish the interior there, after which they will tour National Parks and whatever.
You can follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tinyhousegiantjourney
I believe they will follow Route I-40 and eventually turn north. Shelbyville is SE of Springfield, off Route 57. I think they will be in the Petrified Forest AZ on Saturday. If you see them along the highways, please post it on Facebook or tell them on their web site.
Their web site is: http://tinyhousegiantjourney.com/
There are lots of photos and info about how it was built if you are interested in screws, nails, wood, paint, dirt, dust, insulation, windows, roofing, etc; the exterior is wood from an old barn in Wisconsin. It was fascinating to watch.
Scroll to ‘Our Maiden Voyage’ and see how the trailer got squeezed into the driveway; then in a collage of pix you’ll see it completed coming out and finally on our street. Further down shows them at the Pacific Ocean. For those who know the area, it’s the end of Sunset Blvd on PCH – Pacific Coast Hiway. The dog, Salies & Jenna are both jumping in the Mojave, somewhere around Lancaster.
Further down is ‘Tinygiving’ when we had T’giving in the Tiny House before any interior was built. I am left front, then daughter Debby (Guillaume’s Mom), Jenna, Jenna’s Dad: Right front, my son Matt, Justin (Guillaume’s brother who lives in Bordeaux, FR), Guillaume, and Jenna’s Mom.
‘Rafters’ shows Jenna pulling my generator down our street toward the build site at my son’s house.
At ‘Our Custom Trailer’ and at the very end is a photo of my son, Matt, ‘dollying’ the trailer into his driveway and my supervising.
P.S. My daughter Debby is the one I asked you to pray for back in October. At this moment she is very fatigued from radiation & chemo, but is doing very well otherwise, has gone back to many of her regular routines but still has a long way to go. My heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for everyone who prayed for her. My sincere blessings on each of you. Prayer does work. Betty
I love tiny houses. My dream home would actually be Bilbo Baggins's house in Bag End. I joked to my daughter about the houses I like: "If elves wouldn't live there, I wouldn't either." She sent me a silver-plated spoon engraved with "Elves Live Here." I keep it on display in the kitchen. Betty, love and prayers for Debby.
No one...loves small houses as much as me....I have a "Menehune" house in the back yard that Dado built in his good days. Someone also gifted me the small houses book, complete with building instructions.
Bettyhere what fun they are having, I checked out their journal.
I knew some of you would like this. Yes, Charlotte, I thought about you. RV'ers have told them about the wind. Some asked why they didn't just buy a mobile home, but I think Guillaume wanted to build something with his hands, the way men used to do. It's so well made, very proud of them both. On my FB, they've been spotted on the 405 & 210, at the Petrified Forest, in Gallup NM and Albuquerque at the 'Breaking Bad' house.
Thanks for all your kind comments and prayers for my daughter. It means a lot. Betty
Enjoyed seeing the Tiny House and could just see the fun time they had building. I hope all goes well on their adventure. Such memories they will have and can pass on if they have a family later. My question though while looking is what does it weigh? We traveled many miles in a F-150 Ford pickup pulling a 27 ft. Travel lite 5th wheel and we got maybe 8 mpg. and that's if there was not much wind and the road was fairly level. Putting all that thinking aside - the house is so cute and sure to get many looks and second looks.
Florence: When I tell you anything, please understand it may be changed or verified by my g'son. I think she's a hefty 10,000 lbs. The interior walls, floor, loft and electrical are done, but they have yet to put in the kitchen, toilet, shower, plumbing, folding table, little sofa, whatever. He told me 8-12 mpg is about what they expect and as you say, depends on the road and winds.
The tiny houses are cute and fully functioning when finished. But they were not designed/created to be used like an RV. Most people I have seen on shows with them built them to put in their yard for adult child, put on recreational property, etc. Basically they can move them around to places you can't build a traditional cabin on.
Right you are Charlotte. Their plan is to tour for a year and then settle down somewhere. Of course, plans change, so we'll see how it goes. They make a great mother-in-law space, too. Having seen it all, I'm in love with their Tiny House, but not sure it'd be for me, even if I were younger. My sister & husband lived in a mobile home park, stationary, it was a nice little 2 bedroom, 2 bath house. Easy maintenance as they aged.