Instant Alert: A 25-year-old spent $250 turning his truck into a camper van to travel across the US

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   A 25-year-old spent $250 turning his truck into a camper van to travel across the US by Talia Lakritz on Jun 1, 2017, 4:00 PM Advertisement The INSIDER Summary: • John Charles Putrino built a bed and storage unit into the back of his truck. • He's driving to national parks across the US. • It took some getting used to, but he enjoys the solitude of low-maintenance travel. John Charles Putrino wanted to keep his cross-country trip simple. Instead of investing in a pricey camper van to shuttle between national parks, he built a bed and storage unit into the back of his Dodge Ram 1500 truck for just $250. Instead of equipping it with heating or electricity, he opted for thermal blankets, and instead of installing a kitchen of some sort he's having dinners of garbanzo beans and olives straight out of the can.  The pleasures of his trip are simple, too. The tangible silence in being the only person for miles. The freedom that comes with carrying everything you need. And, of course, the solitude of the open road. John Charles Putrino was selling heavy machinery in Naples, Florida, when he decided it was time to see more of the country. "A lot of my friends were going overseas and traveling abroad and seeing all these new places, but no one was really traveling in our United States," he said. He quit his job and began turning the back of his truck into a living space using only a small table saw and a drill. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network:    Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011