Couple creates custom vehicle for adventures

Julianne Crane - The Spokesman-Review

‘You roll 16 tons and whaddaya get?”

Oh, about 6 miles per gallon on the highway and a little less in the brambles.

Before all of you anti-monster rig folks get railed up, this “Advanced Overland Transport Vehicle” with its steel-metal exterior and ramrod good looks has a peaceful purpose.

It all began about seven years ago when then-commercial pilot, world traveler and wildlife photographer V. Ross Johnson fell ill with a mysterious auto-immune disorder.

Soon she was no longer able to fly or backpack into remote areas to take pictures of wildlife in their natural habitat. Within a short time she was almost entirely wheelchair dependent.

After three years of struggling with pain and trying to chase down cures, Ross and her husband, Shahn Torontow of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, decided to shift gears.

Their dream was to return to traveling and taking pictures for wildlife publications. “But, every day was a torment for Ross,” said Shahn from their home in Victoria.

While Ross' disease is apparently not degenerative, chronic fatigue and muscle pain allow her only about three hours of peak energy each day.

“It was either stay at home and be in pain while looking at the same four walls,” said Ross, “or be in pain parked on a mountain top while taking pictures of eagles and osprey.”

They chose the mountain top and Shahn, with a background in home renovation and metal fabrication, set about designing a vehicle to get them where they wanted to go and at the same time meet the physical needs of Ross.

The rig

“There is no way a factory-made RV could go into the isolated places we needed to reach,” said Shahn. “The windows would get broken out and tree limbs would rip the roof off.”

They found a 1979 Oshkosh four-wheel drive airport crash truck and started converting it in 2000.

“Since the Oshkosh was built by one of the world's largest military truck manufacturers, we decided that was the chassis we would use,” said Shahn.

Over the next two years, Shahn spent thousands of hours transforming the old Oshkosh into the only known expedition class, all-wheel drive luxury motor home and wildlife photography vehicle.

They named their monster RV “Draco,” after the last of the mythical dragons. It measures 28-feet long, 8-feet 4-inches wide and 12-feet 2-inches high. It tips the scales at 34,000 pounds.

High tech meets rugged

Shahn combined numerous high-tech amenities with heavy-duty, off-road components.

The sheet-metal exterior is coated with Scorpion urethane paint and the coach's interior is accented with stainless steel and ceramic tile.

The completely self-contained rig carries 120 gallons of fresh water, a 53-gallon gray water tank and an 18-gallon black water tank.

“We have a special black water waste disposal system,” said Shahn, “so we can be in remote locations for up to 10 days.” In addition they carry filtration onboard that allows them to pump water out of streams or lakes, if necessary.

Communication equipment includes a roof-mounted broadband satellite system, satellite radio, voice-activated global positioning system and Citizen Band radio.

Special appointments built into the rig for Ross' comfort include a wheelchair lift that enables easy access, an air suspension seat with elevated leg rest; and a shower with misting nozzles “because water drops hurt her legs.”

There's a rooftop lookout and photography platform, four hydraulic corner outriggers to reduce wind buffeting, insulated rolldown aluminum window shutters and scores of other practical and aesthetic conveniences.

Trips in Draco

Ross and Shahn have logged 40,000 miles over four cross-continental adventures in their mythical dragon, taking pictures and drawing attention.

It's not easy for them to slip across the border. “They see us coming from a mile away,” says Shahn. “Draco brings a smile to just about everyone's face -- even the police,” said Ross.

While the main reason they travel is to photograph wildlife (which they frequently donate to nonprofit organizations), along the way they provide inspiration to other folks with physical challenges. “Having a debilitating illness,” said Ross, “doesn't mean the end of your life.”

For more information

If you have addition questions about Draco, call Shahn and Ross at (250) 361-1228 or write to them at Draco@steelwheels4x4.com.

Because one of the side effects of Ross' illness is chronic coldness, the couple plans to move to Tucson, Ariz., and are selling Draco (asking price $549,000) and their custom-built home in Victoria (asking price $240,000). To get a more extensive look at the interior of their incredible all-terrain vehicle, go to www.steelwheels4x4.com. For a peak inside their unique steel house, go to www.steelhouse-bc.ca.

Handicapped-accessible RV question

Toni Wartenweiler of Hope, Idaho, wrote in requesting information about wheelchair-accessible tent or hybrid trailers.

“We're looking for a small trailer that is roomy inside,” wrote Toni in an e-mail. “In about 1993 Coleman sold the Evergreen model tent trailer which was handicapped accessible. I have tried to locate a used model, with no success. What would be ideal for us would be something fairly small and light (about 20 feet).”

If possible, the Wartenweilers would like an external ramping system and an accessible tub/shower. “However,” said Toni, “an external shower in some sort of enclosure might work.”

If you can shed light on where the Wartenweilers can look for a handicapped-accessible rig, please e-mail me at juliannec@spokesman.com or call (509) 459-5435.