Hey Mike,
I plan on using the Transit for an escape from Suburbia vehicle also. Is it going to be a do anything go anywhere vehicle? No. But, it does have tons of room & gets great mileage. Exactly what you need to get away on the cheap. I was tired of going on a Surf trip, and missing a great Mountain Biking spot only because I didn't have room for all the equipment. Just want it to get me where I need to go and if it gets too rough, I can always walk or ride my bike from there.
As for the battery and inverter, I'm more of a minimalist and being that I'm also far from being retired from my 9-5, don't see my self traveling in this thing for more then 5 nights at a time. The transit has been amazing but if your planning in spending an extended time on the road and off the road (I know I would if I was retired) and still want the amenities of home, you can't go wrong with a sportsmobile. I'd definitely consider buying one if I had a daily driver to through in the mix.
PM me your website, I'd love to check out your shots.
Thanks for following my progress, it's going to be interesting to see how this thing will turn out!