VanLife

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http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/04/24/vanlife-the-bohemian-social...

 

We've got a pretty great house in what's fast becoming the place to be, but I always tell my wife I could be happy living in van down by the river.

Always inspired by these projects, having recently acquired a "vintage" RV.  

I recently researched class B motor homes and was sort of shocked/bummed by how much they cost. 

<<<shocked/bummed by how much they cost. 

 

Yeah, that's why our entre into this whole thing was a 43 year old vehicle, ender.

It was a great deal on a sweet ride though.

The guy was the original owner and kept it a heated garage its entire life.

 

We are using it "as is" after a few mechanical fixes and some buffing and polishing,

but the long term plan is to get one of those Tesla house batterys and a solar charger going.

 

I had been looking at "Canned Hams" which are really cool, smallish aluminum trailers, mostly from the 70's....(looks like a canned ham on its side)

You can pick up one of those, fully renovated and updated for around $5000-7000, but the wife and kids got involved and

we steered towards something you can drive and ride in.   Now I'm looking for a good car to tow. Ha.

 

It's just the perfect combination of classic Detroit and architecture for me. RIght up my alley.

Taking it out on a big West trip this year to catch that eclipse.

I thought Streetvan was back.... 

Oregon Trailers makes some cool Teardrop campers. 

http://www.oregontrailer.net

>>>>shocked/bummed by how much they cost.

One of the worst financial moves I made was buying a brand new RV (21' Jayco Trailer).   There are plenty of used RVs for sale and while they require a fair amount of maintenance, getting a new one didn't seem to make much difference because shit started breaking on it as soon as I towed it off the lot.  Plus, used RVs have had a chance to air out.   With my new one, the fumes from all the glue and fake wood paneling was down right noxious for the first year whenever the windows were shut. 

>>>>we steered towards something you can drive and ride in. 

Motor homes and trailers each have pros and cons.  One thing I liked about the trailer was you could unhook it once you got where you were going and then have your vehicle to drive around, allowing you to go exploring down dirt roads where no RV could go and take easy trips into town.

{{{Streetvan}}}

#vanlife...

gag.

http://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/transit-cargo-van/2017/?searchid=2...||78136373868&s_kwcid=AL!2519!10!8028295977!78136373868&ef_id=WP0biQAABO9OuSHo:20170425220201:s

I have been lusting about one of them newer vans that look a bit like a box truck, you can choose between three sizes

 

 

 

I think I could trick it out enough for some getaways

#vanlife...

gag. <<<<

 

Exactly T ! take Your Foul Smells Elsewhere !

its just the whole instagram culture selfie self absorbed mindset...

"hey look at me do yoga in a bikini in bali!"....

i'm a blogger, traveler, living life to the blah blah gak gak...

 

 

"hey look at me do yoga in a bikini in bali!"....  <<<

 

Rad T i agree again !!

Mason Ho LOOK AT ME in bali ! Now ! ha ha

AMMason.jpg

 

Sportsmobile is the way to gomaxresdefault_0.jpg

#vanlife...

gag. <<<<

 

 

yeah, the hash tag thing is obnoxious, no need to advertise, but I'm excited about the world that is opening up for me and my family.  I'm new to this and it's fun watching people light up about their own memories traveling when they first findd out you have one.

 

can't imagine the sad sack of a life  that would try and frame that as being a "poseur".  (see weekend drama thread for reference)

 

sweet ride, Red.

I bet that eats up the road.

Didn't you ever tour? Ain't nothing new here except for Instagram. If you read that article and thought "cool" that says a lot about our differences. I found it pathetic and sad. 

I had a 73 Westfalia in orange. We called her Orange Sunshine and drove many miles all over the West. So many great times in that camper van. 

The Sprinters, Sportsmobiles, and big ass Mercedez vans are all over the area nowadays. 

<<<One of the worst financial moves

 

 

I think it's a mistake to look at it as a financial move.

These things are like boats on land and you are pretty guaranteed to keep sinking money in them.  I see it as an investment in memories for the family and am ok with the ongoing "project".  I'm actually learning a lot about hot rod engines in the process, having already been confident knowing my way around the "house" part.

 

 “It’s men in their thirties with huge beards, and they’re pretty much all stay-at-home dads,” he said. “Their wives work office jobs and they work on the vans so the family can go out and vanlife on the weekend.”

 

Well, those guys sound like they are living the dream pursuing their goals and spending lots of time with their children.

I however, am responsible for too many guys and to too many clients to be able to do that.

I also grow a shitty beard.

 

Keep trying to knock me down, dude.

It says more about you than me and it's on display for all to see.

 

Maybe you just don't understand my excitement. How many kids do you have, Gravy?

I'd prefer to leave kids out of it. That's kind of a creepy question considering you just called me a sad sack of a life.

But if you vanlife to that beach where they camped for two days in the rain (they had a dog, no kids; did you read the aritcle?), you're 15 minutes from my house. Drop a line and we'll see what's up in person. My son and I surf right around the corner from there often.

I wasn't trying to dox you or be creepy, I was looking for your point of view because you seem to be on a mission here and I was trying to give you an out over continually making this personal, taking it to another thread even to somehow make me look bad?, but it was expected you'd frame this with the creepy thing.  

 

<<<they had a dog, no kids; did you read the aritcle?

 

 

did you read the quote you just posted?

"stay at home dads"....that means a lot of time with one's kids.

 

honestly, I think half your problem here is comprehension, then refusal to admit you are wrong about stuff, but I know we will go round and round about that.  Im just giving you a little heads up where you don't seem to have self awareness.

 

Dude, are you for real? You brought me up here out of the blue with your 11:56 post, even going so far as referencing our earlier exchange in another thread, so I responded.

I'm going to assume you didn't read the article and that you didn't ever tour. You don't ever answer any questions.  

I realize how the quote I pulled may have been confusing vis-a-vis the whole article, which was mostly about the one couple, but only if you hadn't read the whole thing.

 

I think most of your problem is a big ol' swollen ego. Consider me as a pin. You act like you're the only one around here who's ever read a book.

And if you think I'm going to stop, just ask Duke, Mark, or Hoover if I ever quit with them. Do you have a .net handle? It would be kinder to judit to take it over there.

You've pretty well demonstrated that you won't stop, but I don't think it's a choice for you.

, <<<are you for real? You brought me up here out of the blue with your 11:56 post, so I responded

 

 

lol. you are one selective memory cherry picking deadhead.  

 

"out of the blue"  huh?

 

you brought this up, erroneously thinking it was a way to disparage me in another thread.  I addressed it in the appropriate venue.....here....as a response to you.

 

 

<<<Do you have a .net handle?

 

creepy.

 

 

 <<<f you think I'm going to stop

 

creepy.

 

<<<Consider me as a pin

 

lol. Mandy's Mirror'd

 

We'd love to tour Mendocino in a Vanagon. 

>> erroneously thinking 

No. It's super-dorky. I'm with plf and Turtle and the author of the article on this one.

 

>>We'd love to tour Mendocino in a Vanagon. 

Will you post pics on Insta with #vanlife?

Won't stop, or can't stop?

Rock on 73. Looks like fun. 

I don't have insta so I'd probably share on Facebook. My mom just 

sent some pics of their day at Knotts. #vanlife

image_509.jpg

It really is, Bro.

 

Even the setbacks have been adventures.

Our last trip a few weeks back was to a world class fishing river with lots of hiking and biking nearby..... big hopes invested.  

Rain out. 

We had a blast playing cards and cooking and casting no hooked bobbers into the water.  Good clean super dorky fun and the kids had a blast.  We wouldn't have done that without this vehicle.  

 

I've donever this plenty on my own, I'm anot ex tour head and dirtbagger.  lived in my truck at Bishop at the happy and sad boulders for about 4 months back.in the day.

 

it's a little different with little guys these days.

 

I sent some pictures to my Mom and Dad. I dont think they Insta.

Yeah, if only those deadheads had ever heard of camping in their cars before...that would've been something...lol.

Honestly, if you haven't before, it's a great way to see the country. Enjoy your vacay, 73. But you did say it's a 40-year old vehicle, right? Somebody had the idea quite awhile ago, so again the only new idea here is hustling to become a microinfluencer on Instagram so you can get a Clif Bar sponsorship or whatever.

I hope we can see your #vanlife photos after summer, 73.

 

>>I've donever this plenty on my own, I'm anot ex tour head and dirtbagger.  lived in my truck at Bishop at the happy and sad boulders for about 4 months back.in the day.

lol. Get some sleep. Stop thinking about this for now.

<<< if only those deadheads had ever heard of camping in their cars before...that would've been something...lol.

 

 

I think you are having a conversation no one else is having here and trying to prove something no one but you is arguing.

>I've donever this plenty on my own, I'm anot ex tour head and dirtbagger.  lived in my truck at Bishop at the happy and sad boulders for about 4 months back.in the day.

lol. Get some sleep. Stop thinking about this for now.

 

 

I was trying to get that in before the edit window closed because you seem to keep pressing the point as a way to discount my experience. No time to proof. Sorry. I can translate if you need.

 

Dont worry about me, I'm sharp as a pin. 

 

and where in this thread was I claiming this is a new idea?

again, arguing something no one else is.

I'm fully aware we are all standing on the shoulders of giants.

 

You're too easy, 73. But it's terribly plodding, isn't it?

I guess it seems that way when you aren't making progress, but I'm happy to cruise ahead slowly, even if I do have to deal with the occasional inane roundabout along  the way.

 

But hey, thats how us ## vanlife ## folks do it.

 

:-)

Those vanlife people get paid good money to pimp their lifestyle selfies. 

im really enjoying how this thread is going so far...

#exploityourself

Yes, RVs are a lot like boats...money pit. They say two of the best best days of your life are the day you buy a boat/RV and the day you sell it (Them!).

We bought a used Airstream to park on a vacant piece of land we bought in the mountains. Gutted it mostly. Great project and made $$ on it at the end of the day. Had to sell it to build the cabin. I like the cabin better, but we never drove that 34' trailer around, either.

I like the look of the Sportsmobile. We will be empty-nesters in the fall, and won't need 24' of fun. I'd like to drive through the desert for weeks drinking cheap beer, eating beans and cat food.

> Sportsmobile.<

 

$100k

ouch. That's a lot of cat food.

cool thread, but why has Gravy latched onto 73? 

 

as for RVs, I used to think I would get a small one when I retired to use as a daily hangout at various local spots on the ocean or in the mountains), but I can't see myself not having a few beers whilst relaxing and enjoying the scenery, so it may not be such a good idea afterall.lol

i'd like a Toyota dolphin.

 

you need more desert roads, googly.

it can get very lonely in the desert...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoYQqHEWzYc

never mind (just read the Drama thread)

An old girlfriend of mine had this Ford Econoline conversion van:

Econoline Van.JPG

It was fun taking that thing out camping in the North Cascades and Southern Arizona desert.

Keep up the good fight graivy.  

We're looking at some pull behind trailers.

 

>>>>>>>>The guy was the original owner and kept it a heated garage its entire life.

 

We are using it "as is" after a few mechanical fixes and some buffing and polishing,<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

But a sweet situation like that could change things.  Congrats.

I'd like a truck camper with a pop-up.  We're 4X4 off road people. And the rule in the desert is that if it's dirt you may pop the top. 

 

http://www.fourwh.com/

>>>why has Gravy latched onto 73?  

 

Dunno, playin the stain game?

 

>> And the rule in the desert is that if it's dirt you may pop the top. 

Or dose.

 Sweet ride, Ken!