Big Ruth Is an Old Oil Rig Converted Into a Tough Mobile Home With a Sense of Humor

Proving that downsizing isn’t only for the kids and the millennials inspired by the #vanlife trend or motivated by the desire to make some money on social media by living on the road, here is Rob and Karen, and what they call their R.R.E.V. – their rat race escape vehicle, Big Ruth. Big Ruth is an overlanding rig that serves as a permanent home on the road, and it’s just as awesome as it’s practical.

Downsizing remains the word du jour in 2023, as the housing crisis and the financial downturn continue to force people from all walks of life and of all ages to seek solutions for more affordable living. Tiny houses and other types of mobile homes represent such a solution, offering freedom of movement with a reduced footprint, which, in turn, means reduced expenses and living costs. It’s a win-win for most downsizers, but that’s not to say that compromises don’t have to be made.

Even Big Ruth comes with a few, but it does so with a healthy sense of humor.

Big Ruth is a large overlanding rig that’s also a DIY (do it yourself) conversion, and serves to show the kind of creativity this type of lifestyle encourages – but also the compromises it brings about. Rob and Karen are the owners, and they’re showing it off for a video tour on the Tiny House Giant Journey channel. Uncharacteristically for downsizers, it doesn’t seem like these two have a presence on social media.

Big Ruth is a 1998 International 4800 DT466E with AWD, bought with few miles on the odometer but plenty of time on an idling engine. Rob is a mechanic and Ruth is a machinist, so they used their experience to overhaul the engine and, while at it, convert the rest of the rig into what would become their next home on the road.

Most downsizers will tell you that their DIY houses were possible with zero experience and only YouTube tutorials, but that’s clearly not the case here. And it shows: not only were Rob and Karen able to turn a very compact space of just 112 square feet (10.4 square meters) into a home, but they also made it feel homey.

The interior is basically a single room, divided into different spaces, according to purpose. There’s a kitchen with a sink that does double service as a bathroom sink, some counter space, and a residential fridge and freezer that run on solar. There’s storage, but not much in terms of kitchen appliances, which is one thing that Karen would do differently if she had the chance.

The bathroom is tucked to the side, with a recirculating shower and hanging hooks instead of a clothes rack, and a macerating toilet on the other end. Overhead storage is available in labeled boxes, with Rob in charge of what went on them, so you get stuff like “Lotions & Potions” and “Bum Holeo.”

On the next wall is a wardrobe with cubbies, shelves, and a small hanging section, and then the bedroom, which is also the living room. To do the most with the space they had, the couple opted for a lift bed, which they made themselves, using an ATV winch to lower and lift the metal frame on which sits a queen-size mattress.

Under the bed is a metal table that serves as extra storage and a desk, or as a game table thanks to an integrated extension. Rob cheats at cards, so Karen insisted on that last bit so she could keep her eyes on him during the game. But the most interesting part here is the bed itself, with the couple adding a swiveling TV at the foot, and fold-down metal frames with pillows attached that serve as headboards for when they’re watching a movie.

Even though Big Ruth is all metal and toughness at first glance, it was clearly designed for maximum comfort. The utilitarian side of the rig is deceiving, because this is a proper home, tailor-made for its two residents.

Of course, it’s not just the design that makes this overlander such a badass. It also comes with a 1,200 W of solar on the roof, two 50-gallon (189-liter) fuel tanks, 3 propane tanks, a 78-gallon (295-liter) fresh water tank, a 35-gallon (132.5-liter) tank for black water, a 35-gallon (132.5-liter) for gray, and a 50-gallon one (189-liter) for the recirculating shower. Big Ruth has an on-demand propane water heater and a propane heater for the cabin and tows the couple’s truck, which, in turn, carries their Biktrix e-bikes and a boat.

Big Ruth can go for two full weeks off-grid with some careful management and, more importantly, can and does go wherever Rob and Karen want, sometimes without as much as a few minutes’ worth of planning. They’ve been on the road since August 2022 and have no plans of stopping anytime soon.

If that’s not freedom, you tell us what is.