Elite Traveler September-October 2018

DISCOVER

The kitchen includes a refrigerator/ freezer, three-burner LP gas cooktop, LP gas oven, cooktop vent and sink

by Alexandra Cheney Motoring

HITCHED LIVING

Explore with complete freedom and flexibility; no pilot, predetermined destination or schedule is necessary. A new era of customized, purpose- built travel trailers from Living Vehicle, Airstream and Land Ark allow you to traverse the world with the luxuries of home and on your own terms

Land Ark Drake

In an effort to truly challenge the trailer marketplace, Land Ark’s Drake is more high-concept home than recreational vehicle. Named after English sea captain Sir Francis Drake, the roughly 350-sq-ft RVIA- certified 30-ft abode includes two loft spaces — one suitable for a king-size mattress, the other a queen — as well as a flex room that functions as a closet, bedroom, sitting room or storage area. The trapezoidal exterior sacrifices aerodynamics for aesthetic; its corrugated black metal siding with 14 dual-pane windows is striking. The interior is filled with white-washed pine walls and ceiling, as well as a 10-cu-ft stainless-steel refrigerator/freezer, LP gas cooktop with cast-iron top grates and full 30 x 60 inch Kohler bathtub/shower. Drake lacks a traditional RV feeling, a welcome respite from the increasingly popular #vanlife trend. Co-creators and owners Joni and Brian Buzarde opted out of traditional mobile plumbing; the good news, no RV toilet paper and truly luxurious fixtures. The bad: it’s impossible to dry camp as there are no black or gray water tanks. “Consider Drake to be a nicely equipped modern house built to RV specs,” says Brian Buzarde, who added a septic tank and set of solar panels to his Drake, which currently resides off-grid in Marble, Colorado. At 13,000 lbs, Drake is on the heavy side and would need a dedicated tow vehicle, and there’s a four-month window from order to delivery. From $139,900, landarkrv.com

The fresh white-washed pine interior sleeps up to six

Photos JGP2015, Matt Wier, Richard Prince, Victor Huber