Two whole years on the road.
That feels like a pretty wild accomplishment.
Dakota and I sure have seen and done a lot in the past two years. Our journey has taken a lot of twists and turns.
We’ve learned hard lessons and also had plenty of beautiful, relaxing days in front of sprawling landscapes.
If you’ve been following us for a while, you know it hasn’t been an easy journey. I feel like year 2 wrapped up in such a beautiful way, where we’ve really found our groove and I’m incredibly happy. It keeps me so hopeful for what this next year will bring.
I appreciate those of you who have submitted questions! I’ve done this Q&A at each big milestone and it has been fun to see how the questions have evolved as I’ve been on the road longer.
So, here you go! Your questions, answered!
How long do you plan on vanlife?
I had this question submitted by four different people and I think I get asked this every time I do a Q&A. It’s obviously a great question. I find it interesting because we are so often caught up in “what’s next?” I’m guilty of this myself and until I hit the road, I had always considered myself to be a planner.
Once I set off on this journey though, I intentionally left that planner part of me behind. I wanted this journey to be open-ended. When vanlife was going to be done with a partner, we had talked about doing it for two years. I’ve thought about that a lot as I’ve approached the two-year mark. I keep trying to imagine how I’d be feeling if I knew my journey was ending now, and it gives me a pit in my stomach.
There is so much I still haven’t seen and haven’t done. I love that I haven’t felt rushed to do it all. I’ve adjusted to a life without plans and how it gives me the ability to say, “YES” to whatever opportunities present themselves. I don’t have to feel like I’m pressed for time to squeeze everything in and can let my journey unfold however it’s going to.
When I started this journey two years ago, I left with the intention that I’d live the vanlife until I didn’t want to anymore. It’s part of the reason why the name “Forrest” is so fitting for my van. In the movie, Forrest Gump, Forrest runs back and forth across the US and then suddenly, one day he stops. He says, “I’m pretty tired, I think I’ll go home now.” I imagine that’s how my vanlife journey might end. Suddenly, one day, I’ll be tired and ready to “go home,” wherever that may be.
Or maybe, I’ll never get tired. I love that that’s an option, too.
Do you order from Amazon? If so, where do you get things shipped to?
I do order from Amazon occasionally. Ordering from Amazon is actually one of the easiest places to order from on the road because of Amazon Lockers. If I’m ordering something and I’m located near a city, I can usually find an Amazon Locker location to ship to, so I don’t have to worry about finding an address. These Amazon Lockers are often at gas stations or at Whole Foods, and with Amazon Prime I can get it quickly, so I don’t have to wait around in that city too long.
The challenge I’ve found with Amazon Locker, besides finding a location when I’m in a small town, is that it depends on the size of the object that you want to ship. For instance, I just replaced a 6-gallon water container and wanted to ship it to an Amazon Locker, but Amazon had it marked as “too large” for that service.
There are other options for receiving mail on the road if I’m not using Amazon. Of course, mailing to a friend’s house is the best option. Otherwise, some post offices accept General Delivery, which means you can mail something to the post office and they’ll hold it for you. Some post offices don’t offer this or will charge a fee though, so always verify before shipping something via General Delivery. FedEx and UPS offer a similar service for a fee as well.
How do you handle your “permanent address” used for tax documents, vehicle registration, driver’s license?
I have a fabulous friend who offered to help me on this journey by letting me use her address. Most things these days are electronic, so she doesn’t get much mail for me, but that’s technically my “permanent address.” She’s so wonderful because when she does get mail for me, she takes a photo and texts it to me. She holds onto anything important and tosses any junk. Everyone needs a friend like that (thanks, Trisha)!
How closely do you follow a budget?
I follow a budget as closely as I can. I’ve built this dream around prioritizing my time over everything else. This means that work comes second, and I’ve designed this lifestyle around working as minimally as possible. I knew I didn’t want a 9-to-5 remote job because, as much as a salary would be lovely, I’d be missing out on the experiences that I was chasing when I left my old 9-to-5. If I wanted to be at a computer all day, I might as well be doing it from an office. In exchange though, I don’t make much money. I must live as frugally as possible to sustain this lifestyle while being able to work part-time.
Prior to vanlife, I was a first grade teacher in Utah, which means that I’ve always lived very frugally. For my entire adult life, I’ve watched my spending and lived within my means. On my last Q&A, I shared my monthly budget, which you can find here if you’re interested.
How much did the build cost?
I spent about $7,000. I had sold my car when I started the build and made $7,000 from it, so that was my build budget. I know plenty of people who spent less and plenty of people who spent more. I really believe you can build out a van on any budget.
How do you make your living on the road?
Before vanlife, I was a first-grade teacher. I love teaching and found a way to take that on the road by teaching English online to kids in China (if you want more information on this, please send me an email). I work overnight teaching English, which is kind of nice because I have all day for adventuring.
In the last few weeks, I’ve also started tutoring virtually. With the craziness of virtual learning for many students this year, I’ve jumped on the opportunity to teach remotely and help students and families navigate the changes accompanying this school year.
Will you ever teach in a classroom again?
This is something that I’ve wrestled with a lot over the last two years. It’s why I’ve paid $60 each month to keep a storage unit full of my old classroom books and supplies. But the longer I’m away from it, the more I think I’ll probably never go back.
I miss teaching. I miss it terribly, to be honest. But unfortunately, being in the classroom isn’t just about teaching. It’s so much more. Being a teacher in a traditional setting becomes more and more difficult each year. It was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, but I also sacrificed a lot to do it. I carried so much stress and anxiety with me each day because of my work. I felt unsupported and lost sleep over whether I was providing each of my students with my best every day. I’m in awe of the teachers who are able to make it a career for decades. When I spend time with my old coworkers, they tell me about how much has changed since I left just two years ago (even before COVID made a difficult job nearly impossible). They say, “I wish I could tell you it was better, but it’s only become harder since you left.”
A couple months ago, I made the difficult decision to get rid of my classroom supplies and my storage unit. This doesn’t mean I can’t ever return to the profession, but it’s a big step in the direction of “a return is unlikely anytime soon.”
I still love teaching and I’m lucky to have found some ways to continue teaching while I travel. I think I’ll always be a teacher in some format, but unless something drastically changes withing our education system, I’m not sure I’ll ever be a classroom teacher again.
Do you plan to travel more this year if Covid-19 settles down?
Yes, I do! I have slowed my travel down a lot this year because of COVID. I have been terrified of getting sick and what that would look like as a solo traveler in a van away from friends and family. I’ve also been cautious of the implications of traveling during a pandemic and how I can recreate and travel responsibly during this time. Because of this, I’ve stayed between Colorado and Utah, without plans to go elsewhere.
Now that the west is on fire though and as we are approaching the holidays, I plan to make the long trek east to land back in Michigan for Thanksgiving. I’m hoping to take several weeks to get there so that I can spend time exploring along the way. Now that places are opening back up and we know a bit more about how COVID is spread and how to stay safe, I feel more confident in my ability to travel across the country responsibly.
Do you have plans to travel to the east coast or are you staying out west?
Being out west is certainly more ideal for vanlife, and that makes it hard to want to leave. My first winter in the van was spent on the east coast and I parked most nights in Walmart or Cracker Barrel parking lots. It wasn’t glamorous. Out west there’s so much free camping in spectacular places with trails right out my front door and a strong cell signal. It’s a vanlifer’s dream.
After coming back east-ish this Thanksgiving, I’ll be spending winter out west again to spend my time snowboarding. Then next summer it will probably be time for adventuring to new places!
Do you miss Michigan at all?
Honestly, I don’t. I moved away from Michigan 7 years ago and knew then that I would never move back. My heart and soul need mountains and desert. All of my hobbies and the things I love doing most are best done out west. I wish my family was closer, but I’ll forever be a mountain gal.
Are you happy just hanging out at the places you love?
Sometimes, yes! This year was so different for me regarding how I travel. I spent most of my time just revisiting my favorite spots and staying for weeks at a time. I’ve found that the slower pace has its perks. It gives me more time each day since I’m not spending hours searching for the next destination, looking for things to do there, and then driving. With more free time, I’m able to take better care of myself. I eat better, I work out more, I spend more time with Dakota, and I spent less money on gas. Sometimes though, I get the itch to go. I miss seeing new places constantly. It has been nice to slow down this year but I’m ready to wander again.
What is the most challenging thing about vanning with a dog? What would you do differently while vanning with a dog?
Honestly, everything about vanning with a dog is more challenging. I worry sometimes that Instagram makes vanning with a dog look easy. It’s not. It’s a huge commitment and honestly, you sacrifice quite a bit when you commit to bringing a dog along.
Now, all that being said, I could never imagine vanlife without my dog. She’s the reason I’m brave, the reason I wasn’t scared to do this alone, and she’s the thing I love most in my life. But every decision made, every hike and new location, is with her in mind. Having a dog with you in the van can be limiting in a lot of ways.
Temperature is the most challenging thing for us. She does great in the cold and I have a heater, so winter isn’t usually a problem, but heat is always a concern. My van doesn’t have A/C (it does while driving, but even that is a sad excuse for A/C). The van is insulated, I can get a good cross-breeze with my fan, and I have reflective window covers for every window, so we have ways to keep the inside cool, but that only works up to a certain temperature.
Because of this, I’ve had to turn down travel plans and go where the weather is cooler in the summer. If we go somewhere that isn’t dog friendly, I’m limited to how long I can be away from the van.
I’m thankful that Dakota was 6 years old when we hit the road and that I had made training such a priority. She’s honestly the easiest van dog and I’m incredibly lucky that she’s such a perfect companion for this lifestyle.
Which leads us perfectly to this next question…
How did Dakota adjust do vanlife? Did it take a while or was she all in right away?
She did not adjust well. I bought the van when I was bouncing from friend’s house to friend’s house trying to find places to stay. If you haven’t heard the story of this awful time, you can find it here. Our living situation was very unstable, which I’m sure wasn’t real easy on Dakota, although she seemed to handle it like a champ.
Before the van, she LOVED car rides. I’ve always been convinced that someone could kidnap her by just driving up and opening the door. She’d hop right in.
But when I bought the van, it was big and empty and loud. On the first day, she jumped right in like she would with any vehicle. She climbed into the passenger seat since there was no backseat and seemed happy to be there.
I had gotten as far as ripping out the factory walls and floors before I took the van on its first trip, a 9-hour drive to Sedona, Arizona. It had been loud before but now that there was nothing inside, it was just an empty, rattly, tin can. Every bump echoed though the inside as the walls and ceiling shook.
We made it just about an hour out of Salt Lake City when I noticed Dakota seemed to be in distress. She was panting and bug-eyed and wouldn’t lay down. It was a 9-hour drive to Sedona and about halfway there, I let Dakota out to feed her. She finished her food and then would not get back in the van. I had to drag my stubborn, 80-pound beast back inside against her will. She was over it.
After that moment, which would have been in the beginning of June, she hated the van. It only got worse.
Eventually, she would poop every time we rode in the van. Since I was bouncing from home to home, I had to move her in the van every few days. Even after I had insulated it and built it out, she was still terrified.
I tried everything to get her used to our new home. I put her crate inside, fed her yummy treats, and eventually gave her medication to take the edge off during van rides. None of it helped but there was no turning back on vanlife at that point. The van was all I had.
When we hit the road at the end of September, so we had been having this van battle for nearly four months now. I had her wrapped in her ThunderShirt and had exercised her as much as possible to try and make her tired for the trip. She still had to be dragged to the van each time we got inside and spent each drive terribly stressed.
It probably took about a month of living full-time in the van before she finally got used to it. There was no magic fix that made her like the van. She just seemed to finally realize that this is our space now and maybe it’s not as scary as it used to be.
These days, if you spend time with us, you’ll probably see Dakota tuck herself into the van at some point. It’s her safe space and she loves her van. It wasn’t an easy journey to get to that point but I’m glad we stuck it out!
You have become such a badass! Who and what kind of person will you be in two years?
First of all, thank you. I’m really proud of my journey and the transformation I’ve gone through over the last 5 years or so.
I think we all probably have some of that badassness in us somewhere, it’s just about uncovering it. I feel like I’ve been able to tap into mine by doing the things that terrify me until they’re no longer scary.
I remember the first time I ever car camped alone on that trip back from Sedona. I slept in a tent because the van wasn’t built out yet and I was convinced that I would either be eaten by a bear or trampled by a herd of deer overnight and I wouldn’t make it to the morning. I slept with music playing all night because I was so scared. When I woke up in the morning, unharmed, I was a little less scared. Each time it got easier until I eventually felt confident enough to go backpacking alone. By doing something scary, I uncovered a bit more of my badassness.
It’s hard to imagine what two years from now will look like. The only thing I can hope for is that I’ll be happy, no matter what happiness looks like at that point.
I hope in two years I’ll still be prioritizing my happiness over everything else. I hope that I’ll continue to be independent and strong and stubborn. Other than that, I have no idea what my life will be like in two years, but I’m excited to find out!
What is something that has surprised you about vanlife in the second year?
I’ve been surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed slowing down. I know I’m not ready to settle somewhere and I have a hard time imagining that I’ll ever go back to living in an apartment or house, but spending weeks at a time in one location has been really good for me. I’ve made friends and built more of a community this year because I’m not constantly on the move. It has given me a lot more balance. I think I’ve been surprised to find how much I enjoy staying in each spot a bit longer.
Since I’ve made more friends this year, I was also surprised to see how much less time I spent alone. My first year included a lot of time alone, and I learned to love being by myself. This year though I’ve absolutely cherished having friends around so much. I think I prefer having great company to always being alone!
Do you believe the American Dream is dead?
My understanding of the American Dream is that if you work hard, you’ll be successful. I find this ironic because we live within a society and a system that directly impedes that from being a reality for most people who aren’t already wealthy. I find it ironic that the realities of our America do not support the American Dream. Working hard does not correlate at all to success or money for so many reasons and to avoid going down a rabbit hole, I’ll just leave it at that.
I think that, for many people, priorities are starting to shift. I think everything that’s going on right now has spurred this change. There has been a minimalism movement over the last few years and more people are looking into alternative ways of living that go against what we’ve traditionally dreamed of in this capitalist society. I think the American Dream is shifting and more people are chasing what actually makes them happy rather than chasing “more” or “bigger.” That’s why the vanlife movement is so popular right now.
I think it will be interesting to see how this continues to evolve over the next few years or decades. For many, the white picket fence, a 401K, and a traditional nuclear family are no longer the dream.
Are you a carpenter, or have natural building skills?
I’m definitely not a carpenter and I’d say that “natural building skills” would also be a stretch. Before I built my van, I had helped my dad build a gate and I had cut some wood for an art project once. I didn’t know anything about building a van, but I did know that I had a hell of a lot of grit and determination.
I’d also say that I’m somewhat handy. I used to own a home with my ex-husband and I was the person in our family that was responsible for fixing things. I was the one who had to mount blinds in the windows, I had to install our washer and dryer, I painted rooms, and did landscaping projects. I was sort of forced to figure out how to be handy because if I didn’t do those things, nobody would. I think that served me well when I went to tackle building out my van.
Did you make up your own plans or buy a design plan for the interior?
I made my own! I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to design and build a custom home, and I really enjoyed the process of it! I spent a lot of time searching the internet for inspiration and you’ll see a lot of vans are designed with similar layouts because there are only so many ways you can fit everything into 60 square feet. I designed it to fit all of my needs though and that’s exactly what it does.
Are you happy with the van?
Absolutely. It has been my happy home for the last 2 years. Sure, somedays I wish it were new and not rusty. I wish it could give me the piece of mind that I won’t have any more major repairs soon. But I feel really thankful that I found this van at the price I bought it for. I’m happy with almost every part of my build and there’s hardly anything I would change if I were to do it again.
This whole thing is hardly about the van though. The van is the vehicle (literally and figuratively) for this life I’ve dreamed of. I try and spend as much time as possible living outside my van instead of inside of it. It takes me to the beautiful places I want to go so I can spend my time outside.
If your van could be any color besides white, what would you pick?
I love this question! I’ve certainly daydreamed about fixing up all the rust on the van and repainting the entire thing, but the price tag on having a professional do that for you is a hefty one and it’s not a job I’m prepared to take on myself. If I could though, I would love to paint him a dark green!
Thanks again for following along on this crazy journey and being so supportive of our adventures. Taking the time to read my blog, leave me comments, send me messages, and especially those of you who keep this blog alive through your Patreon contribution means the world to me!
See you on the road!
