One Year In
I stared ahead at the endless canvas of golden brown fields glowing in the evening light, adorned only with the occasional silo and the two dark ribbons of I-80 gradually carrying me west. I was totally exhausted, spent, finished, but that was ok. Because for the first time in as long as I could remember, there was no more work to be done. A summer filled to the brim with planning, buying, building, organizing, selling, moving, shakedown trips, and a final month-long marathon of van work had culminated at this point – I was finally living in my van. Finally embarking on my first adventure.
That was October 13th, 2016 – one year ago today. What lay ahead, I wasn’t quite sure. But I was ready for it. Ready for a change, a new adventure, a self-imposed detour on the road of life.
Stopped to enjoy the sunset, Minnesota
On one hand it feels like the past year has gone quickly. That first haul out to Colorado could have been yesterday. But at the same time I’ve packed a ton into the last 12 months, which makes it feel much longer than most years I look back on. It’s hard to remember just what 2010 or 2011 were like, but I’ll always remember 2017 as the year of the van.
One of my goals for this lifestyle change was to slow down, to relax more and take my time exploring new places. While I’ve achieved that to some extent, I’ve still largely felt busy and far too rushed for the amount of free time I supposedly have. This is solely my own fault, as I routinely try to cram as much adventure as possible into the time available. It can be difficult to say no to the opportunities that come up – I don’t really have any other obligations, after all.
Dixie National Forest, note the chains
The year started with about six weeks of traveling in Colorado and down the West Coast with my friends Mike and Carrie, who had a couple months off of work and were trying to see pretty much everything in that time. From there I spent a relaxing couple weeks in Southern Utah and back in CO before heading home to WI for my brother Ryan’s graduation and the holidays. Next was a week unsuccessfully chasing powder back in the Rockies, followed by about a month in Texas visiting friends and exploring Big Bend National Park. After that it was again to CO (are you sensing a theme yet?) for a snowboarding trip before catching a flight down to Florida to join my friends Mike and Jen who have been traveling on their sailboat for a while. When you get invited to live on a boat for five weeks in the Bahamas, you don’t pass that up!
Bahamas lifestyle
At the time I had little else scheduled (aside from a wedding, some races, and Ironman over the summer), and was planning to finally slow down a bit. A funny thing happened on that boat in the Bahamas though. Through the magic of the internet and her blog, I made a new Best Friend who happened to live in Madison and have an exciting adventure coming up herself. After a whirlwind week where I returned to the van via a detour through Wisconsin, Best Friend grew into Best Friend +, and we quickly had a road trip from Denver to Southern California planned.
The next four weeks found the two of us meandering through the Southwest, exploring the likes of Great Sand Dunes, Moab, Southern Utah, the Grand Canyon, and Joshua Tree at a leisurely pace. Adapting to life together in the close quarters of Little E, camping on the edge of a cliff, meandering down dirt roads to see what we could find, getting stuck (once each, so at least we’re even), climbing around beautiful rock formations, lying on the roof at night pondering the stars, watching the world through a different lens, realizing that life was going to be different now that we’d found each other – much, much better. It stands out as my favorite slice of the past year, by far.
We may have actually found the best campsite in the US
But they say all good things must come to an end, and on May 15th she walked away, starting a 2650 mile journey from Mexico to Canada. Shortly thereafter I headed back toward Wisconsin to resume my previously scheduled agenda. I thought pretty seriously about throwing all my obligations to the wind and hiking the PCT with her for the summer, but logic won and I decided the combination of work and Ironman were too much to give up. I’ve ruminated on that decision a lot lately, wondering how things would have turned out if I’d followed my heart instead. We can’t change the past though, so I try not to dwell on it too much.
My time back in Wisconsin went quickly. After my cousin’s wedding, a couple short triathlons, and a few productive weeks at work, I had some free time to hit the road again. My destination was obvious, Northern California to meet back up with BF+ during the most challenging section of her hike, the Sierras.
BF+ being a badass in the Sierras
After a brief stop in Colorado on the way out (it seems to be physically impossible for me to traverse the country without passing through the Rocky Mountain State), I met up with what had by then turned into a trio of hikers in Mammoth, CA. Things were different though; she and I both knew it. The trials and experiences of a thousand miles of trail had driven a wedge between us. I felt like an intruder, suddenly inserting myself in the middle of an adventure I hadn’t earned, a place I didn’t belong.
So I headed down to San Francisco to visit friends and give BF+ some space. That plan was short-lived though, as my first night there found me in the hospital with a fractured neck. That’ll sure throw a wrench in your plans. My friend Will was awesome, helping with whatever I needed and letting me recuperate at his place for a few days. Once I felt well enough I met up with the hikers again, but it was obvious there was no place for me there. In times of distress we crave comfort and security, so back to Wisconsin I went.
Trainer ride on a dry lakebed, Nevada
The next couple months were spent bouncing around between friends and family, devoting my extra time to working a bit more, recovering, and doing some light training in hope that I might still be able to attempt Ironman. A couple weeks out from the event, I made the decision to go for it, and ended up having a terrific race. It was one of the most incredible feelings I’ve had, and one of these days maybe I’ll get to writing about it. Fast forward another couple weeks, and life looked to be getting back to normal. My neck was close to fully healed, Best Friend + was almost to Canada and finished with her through hike, and I could feel the next chapter of my journey fast approaching.
Finished!
Another funny thing though, sometimes what you’re most sure about turns out to be what you’re most wrong about. A few days after BF+ got back from her country-traversing hike, it was obvious that whatever had come between us was still there and stronger than ever. It’s an extremely frustrating feeling when you know something is wrong, but can’t figure out what and can’t seem to do anything about it. When everything you thought you had disintegrates in front of your eyes. When reality turns out to be the polar opposite of your expectations.
So I did what I do when life takes those unexpected turns. When I need time and space to myself. I headed for the soul-calming solitude of the mountains, for the thin crisp air that clears the mind. The brilliant yellow aspen stands punctuating slopes of evergreen below rugged snow dusted peaks that can be found this time of year in – you guessed it – the Colorado Rockies.
Fall in the Rockies
And that’s where I find myself, realizing it’s been a year since I started this chapter of my life. Unsure of what comes next, of where this road will take me, much like when I began.
There are things I like about the lifestyle and things I don’t. I love having everything I need with me, and feeling at home wherever I go. Never worrying about what to bring or having what I need, because everything that really matters is tucked neatly (or not-so-neatly) into the 70 square feet I call home. Whether I’m parked in a National Forest overlooking a stunning mountain landscape, or a Wal-Mart parking lot, put up the curtains and home is the same. And if I’m tired of the scenery or the weather, I can simply drive for a few hours and change it.
A rare moment of organization
Life is more difficult though, with considerations like where to park for the night and how much water is left always present. The biggest downside though is probably the lack of community. When you’re constantly moving from place to place, it’s difficult to get familiar with an area, find the good spots to eat and drink, make new friends. I’ve been back in Wisconsin enough that I’ve been able to get my fill of community there, but I can imagine being on the road 100% of the time would be taxing from that standpoint.
When I started this adventure, I wanted to give it a year. That year may be officially over, but I don’t have any immediate plans to change my lifestyle. I like the flexibility, the ease of having minimal space and things to maintain (although there still seems to be constant maintenance). And right now, there’s not anything different I’d rather be doing. The prospect of going back to a traditional job has little appeal to me, and my part time work is engaging enough to provide the challenges my brain needs.
So I’m just going to keep doing my thing for now. Enjoying my time and trying to appreciate this freedom while I have it. Getting out there and being open to wherever this road of life takes me next.
And since I’m still a nerd at heart, some fun stats.
Nights in Little E: 259
Miles Driven: 35,655
Money Spent on Gas: $5,065
Money Spent on Maintenance and Repairs: $2,784
Check Engine Lights: 5
States Visited: 21
Nights Paid for Camping: 9 ($131)
Nights Woken up by Authorities: 1
Because you can’t witness sunsets like this in a cubicle
And, since I’m now building a garage, you have another port in the storm.
Nice! I’ll have to come say hi next time I’m in your area.
Great post — this and the previous one. An interesting life brings a variety of emotions, both enjoyable and painful. That certainly describes my last year as well. It’s great to hear that you like the #vanlife experience enough to want to continue it, as I am almost finished with my van and am planning a trip from Seattle to Key West, FL with ski detours in the Rockies.
It is surprising that you only paid for 9 nights out of 259. Do you know what percentage of those nights were dispersed BLM/forest camping versus friends/Walmart parking lots? I’ve had a few stealth camping nights but often seem to sleep poorly if I feel like an authority had reason to ask me to move. In the winter, when it is cold enough that I need to run the Espar heater, the clicking from its fuel pump would tip off anyone walking by that someone is in the van. I’ve yet to try sleeping in a Walmart parking lot but if I can sleep in Fairbanks in July (when it is only dark between 2 and 4 am), then I’m sure I can manage at Walmart as well.
Any tips you can provide on finding nice free camping spots would be appreciated.
Thanks Eric! Must be exciting to almost be done with your van. You’ll have to let me know when you’ll be in the Rockies, maybe our paths will cross.
I think maybe around half my nights have been dispersed camping, and half have been cities / friends / Walmarts / truck stops, etc. I used to worry about parking where I wasn’t quite sure of the rules (like on city streets), but I’ve gotten past it. I’ve never been bothered parking on city streets, or anywhere similar. As long as I know the parking regs, I don’t worry about it. Yes, people may be able to tell you’re sleeping in your van, but they don’t seem to care. I’m much less conspicuous than the RVs I see parked on some city streets. I also generally move to where I’m going to stay later in the evening, and leave soon after I get up, which I think helps in not worrying people if you’re parked in front of their house (pro tip, try not to park directly in front of someone’s house, look for a park or empty lot or side yard).
Having blackout curtains helps a lot, as I can sit in the van and chill at night without it being super obvious. They also keep out the city light, which is a must for me. I definitely recommend making some if you don’t have any.
For finding dispersed camping, I generally use the MVUM maps the Forest Service publishes. These are great for finding forest roads and areas where dispersed camping is allowed, and they’re free! I use the Avenza PDF maps app to access them. What they don’t give you, is any indication of what the road / terrain is like, so it can be helpful to cross reference with google maps satellite view, but even then you’ll find many roads that are in pretty rough shape.
BLM info is harder to find, and I haven’t discovered a good way of figuring out what is actually BLM land other than going to the local office or looking at signs if they happen to be posted. I often just turn down unmarked dirt roads that look like they’re probably public and see what I find.
Also, the most difficult place to find parking (and water) is near ski resorts in the winter. There typically isn’t much dispersed camping around, and what’s there is often closed or inaccessible in the winter. You can try parking in the resort lots, but they have various policies and levels of enforcement. I’ve found that public overflow parking areas seem to work. I’ve also stayed in hotel parking lots, which works well.
Finding spots is kind of an art. You’ll definitely get more comfortable with it as you spend more time in your van. Good luck!
Thank you, those are helpful tips! I’ll download the MVUM maps and Avenza app.
http://publiclands.org is a good resource to find campsites and (if you check the box in the lower right corner) will show which lands are BLM, Forest Service, etc.
My mom co-owns a cabin in Angel Fire, NM (between Cimarron and Taos) and I plan on using that as a home base in the winter since I can do laundry and shower there between trips to ski resorts.
Taos Ski Valley is one of the few resorts that allows overnight parking in their lots (up to 7 days in a row) which is great because you can arrive before a snowstorm and then just ski in/ski out. After a big storm, it takes them 3 to 4 days to open the whole mountain, so it’s great to be able to camp at the base and get untracked powder with bluebird skies. I have the Mountain Collective pass and will be using the free days at Telluride and Aspen, too, so I’m sure our paths will cross.
I just finally got freelance work through a prior employer yet it will require different skills (more DevOps than web and mobile development) so I need to prove that I can work remotely before a multimonth van trip. That will keep me between Seattle and Northern California (where they’re based) through the end of the year.
It will be a relief when the van is finished. As you have mentioned, it takes a lot longer than a similar house project due to the complexity of attaching to the van walls and using components that can stand up to the road vibration. My last project involves building a cantilevered sink in a slab of walnut. Instead of building a normal cabinet box below the sink, I want to keep a 4’x8′ area open below the bed platform to transport construction materials for future house projects. The sink and counter will be supported by some massive aluminum structural angles (including a 12″ long x 12″ tall x 12″ deep x 0.5″ thick aluminum angle behind the sliding door) so there’s a fair bit of complicated measuring and drilling required.
The van got a lot of rock chip damage from the trips to ski resorts and also driving through sandstorms in Death Valley and Owens Valley. (Stay away from those places if 25+ mph winds are forecast because sandstorms are inevitable.) It took a few days to fully clean the 22′ van enough to find all of the damaged paint areas and sand, prime, paint and clearcoat them. The DIY paint job is far from perfect but should prevent rust from reoccurring. Definitely check out your van for those little red spots and at least sand and prime those areas. (I used paint pens from AutomotiveTouchup.com and the color match was good.)
It seems like most dispersed camping spots won’t have adequate LTE coverage.
What cell carrier do you use for Internet access? I have a cheap unlimited T-mobile plan that is good for cities and some some established campgrounds but I will need to supplement that with a Mifi device most likely from Verizon. (AT&T has bad coverage in Northern NM, while Taos Ski Valley employees get a discount on their Verizon cell service.) Since T-mobile supports Wifi calling, it makes more sense to get a Mifi device on Verizon and have my T-mobile number use Verizon’s network via the Mifi device than to get a signal booster.
Thank you for the tips!
That looks like a useful site, thanks for sharing!
Yes, van builds are definitely more complicated than it seems like they should be. Good luck finishing yours up and getting on the road.
I recently switched to Verizon’s unlimited plan. Coverage is pretty good, although there are often more remote areas where I still don’t get reception. I just tether to my phone, which works well.
In regards to finding free camping spaces.
I highly recommend the app “ioverlander.” It’s a crowd sourced map that shows where people have camped in the past near you! Includes descriptions of camp sites and notes if they are free or not. You should definitely get it. It’s free! I use it often (I’m cycling Alaska to Patagonia so I know a thing or two about searching for free camping spots!!). Happy trails, y’all!
Thanks Ben! That app looks very useful, and I had’t heard of it.
The pics from your journey are awesome! I’m enjoying following along, it’s making me want to get on my touring bike again soon.