VANLIFE - the new American Dream?

 The American Dream;  The ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.

VANLIFE;  The continuous and everlasting voyage of living in a van, either traveling, down by a river, or partying at every bonfire you can find.
Off-roading is key and animals living in the van only adds to the overall van life. 

-Its no secret that more and more people are breaking down the walls of familiarity, and immersing themselves into a lifestyle less full of repetition and stuff, and more full of LIFE.
The easy way of doing this? VANLIFE.

Social media can easily promote this as a version of life so simple and true to yourself, but is it?
also, inhabiting a vehicle is becoming more socially acceptable every day,  but should it?
thoughts?

Selling my overly-loved 1990 Chevy Astro Tiger by Provan!

This van has been our baby (and our house) for the past two+ years, and when we got her, she was in rough shape. having completely redone.. well.. everything! it is a little hard to think of letting her go, but now that literally everything is done, I miss having a project and have had a couple in mind. in order to pursue these new options, I must first get rid of the tiger van. :(

Upgrades:
Replaced vinyl sailing canvas with Velcro windows,       
both lift panels are brad new                                            
new interior roof upholstery.                                            
 6 air struts lifting the roof a total of 220 pounds for you.
|                         |                    |                    |                        |                 |                                       
 all of these were purchased and installed at All Terrain Campers in Sacramento California
250 watts of solar energy,
original converter replaced with inverter/charger and works with the solar.
brand new Dometic 50US fridge that runs off DC
Outdoor shower with water heater
Yakima Racks
Thule cargo box
professionally welded "back box" with oversized aluminum Husky tool box
steering box and power steering pump are brand new.
and more. too much to list

please, comment on this post or email me if interested. NOT SOLD YET

Vanlife with no plan. 4 years.

Y'all haven't heard from me in awhile...

        Ive began to document more on paper, and more in detail,
in hopes of one day releasing what can happen in a van with no plan, and what has.
-but when I get the chance, I catch you up :)

Things have definitely changed in 4 years, that's for sure, whew!,
but the fact that we're brothers and we live a traveling lifestyle are 2 things that never will.
👉🏻There's just a lot to catch you up on to say the least of what we've accomplished, who we've met, what's manifesting for the future for us and anything else ive neglected to share with my online friends. I made this blog a long time ago, and dedicated it to sharing my roaming stories that have been made possible by hoppin' in a van and hit the states with no plan, no money, a positive mindset and an able-and-willing work ethic.
-We were only 17 and 20 when we immersed ourselves into rambling randomness, and skateboarding was the only thing promised. Now that we're young adults (23 &25) who have been deeply impacted by the choice we made, that we are no longer the same people who left Sacramento and our sales jobs.
Did you know that we don't live in the same Vehicle anymore?
Did you even know that were brothers?
Did you know that we've traded our vehicles 6 times? Or that our most recent trade was our 2008 Ford diesel shuttle bus for 2 separate vans ?
Did you know that be both have girlfriends now? Or the fact that they both live on the road with us?
Did you know that we Skateboarded across the country from Los Angeles to New York with some dudes from England to make a film?
Did you know that we got hired by the State of New York to lay/tie rebar and assist in massive concrete pours to help build a dam?

I never got the people that say theres no work out there..
theres just too much that comes about.
Sharing our story in detail is in full effect for the future, and that's the plan
Other than that we're still living the same unplanned destination lifestyle.
see you out there

People > Places

When i first started traveling, 
there was never an emotional build-up to a life on the road, 
or a physical build out of customizing what i would call my home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
                          There was just me and my my bro,
                              a $600 van, and a wild idea.
                                  Here i am 4 years later.

                               ...my main takeaway so far?
                                                                 PEOPLE>PLACES

                  At first, traveling is all about the places.
                what you've seen, done, eaten, experienced.
__________________________but_________________________
                What i've come to realize over the past 4 years?
                                    the more you travel,
                         the more your stories change from 
                  places you've been, to people you have met.
______________________________________________________

             I never remember the vibe a place gave me, 
                         what i did or bought there, 
             the mood i was in while i were there, etc. 
                                              but 
I can NEVER give back or forget the impact made or lessons learned from simple conversation in unfamiliar territory, and i thank everyone that i've met for that.
           You all have made me who i am today,
                   whether you know it or not.


-Matt Monthei
@thevanwithnoplan

      In an attempt to "creatively" document particular places of             my travels,   ....this time, instead of just writing about it,
     i wanted to Lyrically express the details and    change of mindset one place can give a traveler.                      .....  like New York did to me recently     ____ -Matt Monthei

"I don't know if ANYBODY will read this whole thing, 
but if you manage to,  let me know what you think,
this is my first time doing anything like this."

*the beats in your head*

________________________________________________________________________

Headin' back west, 

knowing something's different 

hard to give it a rest.

Put to a mental / physical test,
Stayed in New York long enough to stressed, 

Real jobs, responsibilities, ya you know the rest.. 

                         -

A stereotypical "life" came up and bit me in the face. 

And a sudden realization that this experience was just a taste,
of what people spend their whole life in school just to chase,
had me dwelling about my purpose, future, and my place,
cuz this aint an every day, all day, for years to come kinda thing
that is a life that i dont want to disgrace by any means,
i just feel misplaced and i just dont think im done doing random things

                        and New York? Thats a hike!
                              at first i was like,

    
A job on the books for a known period of time.. i dont know

We are the right kind of dudes to squeeze a dollar from a dime though

                         and it was about that time too, 

                                         -
I just wanted to be busy doing nothing in particular, 
But my wallet was screaming for attention for sure.
                                      -
So the money got the best of my time, and thank god it did, 
Cuz that's not all i took away from all this, and now i'm a different kid.

                         -

So here you go to catch you up in case you didn't know,

We met a guy and scored a job on craigslist in Idaho,

                                   -

3 months later i'm in Utah, Jeff calls me up late,

I need you, your bro, and the girls in New York, 

And not in city, i'm talkin', upstate

                                    -

       Says hes got all this work,

And needs a couple helping hands,

And he knows we live in vans so he offered us his land,

                                    -

Said come on over, work, you'll make some good money.

Learn about construction, chill.  meet some new buddies,

                                   -

You'll meet Richie Rich too, he's got a job for the state,

             ... aaaand that was the bait, 

           Maybe some would call it fate.

                                 buttt  -

       It's hard to say no to a 50 dollar an hour rate!

     2 van convoy headed there straight out the gates.

and while we leave this new place, its now makes it an old,
its just a memory that i plan to hold onto,
forever an experience that i worked through.
and found because we pushed through.

  I think we know a good opportunity, when we hear it,

But when we got there, we didn't see it, not with Jeff,.....    not even a teeny bit

Getting the runaround for payment, and him acting illegitimate,

                    Being the ultimate bigot,

We decided to leave his property, and almost his state,

Jeff had a washy personality, one of which i cant relate,

Thank god we met this "Richie Rich" first who agreed with us

Worked for him for a couple days, and that was enough to build the trust,

                                           -

We did some siding on the barn next to his mansion. seven acre property,

He said come park and live here. working kitchen, shower and facilities,

Of course ill give you house responsibilities, 

But you can park your vans here, and save money on utilities,

Just do whatever, and in the downtime work for me.

____________________________________________________________

Leaving a new place makes it an old,

Just a memory that no one else can hold and. 

Why were you there? What made you leave? 

How did this place come to be

WHAT IT IS TO ME

What is it to me?              Wait.

WHAT REALLY IS IT TO ME?
___________________________________________________________________

In the downtime work for me?
more like in your downtime sleep.


Workin' all day, staying up all night
Being totally inexperienced on a million dollar job site
Having to use wit, common sense, and only do things when the moments right,
                                        -
Not getting ahead of myself and definately not behind the others,
How we ever even got to work here or made it work i often wondered.
                                        -
Richie saw potential and an eagerness to get the flow
A couple hardworking dudes with the ability to grow,
                                  -
Grew by getting dirty, and massively sweatin'
We'd get home and the smell would slowly settle in
                                  -
Coming home to the girls unintentionally stained

With mostly concrete and whatever decided to kick up when it rained,
But we knew it was in our best interest to remain,

.......So the money made us stay.

And due to the back breaking labor, and the daily mental strain
We always got back everyday just a little more drained.

                              but i still can say,

                        its a good thing we came,

Without it, I wouldnt know all my new friends names,

Be more experienced in construction, and even be OSHA trained,

Have all these pairs of pants with all these fucking stains, 

                                   -

But I do realize now that when we left what remained,

Was a 22 year old that's 1/8 of an inch more trained

In this marathon called life

And I'll take that

I'll run with it for a mile

Cuz when I look back on it, 

I will smile.

_________________________________________________________

When leaving a new place, it now makes it an old.

Now a memory that no one else can hold 

Why were you there? what made you leave?

How, did this place come to be

WHAT IT IS TO ME

WHAT IT IS TO MEEE

what is it to me?             Wait.

WHAT REALLY IS IT TO ME?
________________________________________________________________________________

It was a commitment, racking of the brain, stressful days, 
Early mornings, long nights,   

It was all for the best,

Showing up with nothing, 

And not meeting the right people to keep the motivation rushin, 

At first it was tough and,
                                - 

-After the dude who brought me out here, 

Turned out to be a hipocritical fucking nightmare,

but if i would of never met him, id still be in moab, i woulda stayed
but I wouldnt take back this impact that 2 months of New York made.

            
              A true imprint on this life that I've created

                               -I appreciate it.

We do leave now with deeper pockets and ever so many memories,

                    Im driving now, With a smile

Cuz the people we met, and what we did will never just be history,,

Then my mindset and heartbeat starts to change so rapidly 
As the thought of what we actually accomplished starts weighing down on me

And I know these steps im taking of course lead to the top right?, my destiny.
I just let it happen cuz i know that this is whats best for me.

Cuz life scares me to prepare me for something that's much bigger,
And I hope that i can live up to i think im worth, and im not talkin being richer. 
By the time my destiny shows itself lets just hope it puts me to the test
Cuz ive been studying for some time and its obvious that im not like the rest, 
So this new mindset that i'm now blessed with
Will get stretched as m headin' back west wit it

__________________________________________

Leaving a new place makes it an old now,

Just a memory that no one else can hold and. 

Why were you there? what made you leave?
How did this place come to be

WHAT IT IS TO ME

What is it to me?
_________________________________________________________________

A whole new way of thinking, and a new meaning for school,
Traveling has turned me into one educated fool,
                                          -

Ever-changing places to lay my head puts it in perspective,

Experience and hardships mold my mind, en then reflect it.

My attitudes not all i got, but i still choose not neglect it, 

In fact, now i expect it
                                         -
To do now what it never used to do,

Enjoy the special moments of life and the hellos from people like you, 

                                         -
To be an authentic genuine member of society, 

And be so high on life, yet never go down the road of sobriety,
Chasing content moments is what it's all about to me, 

But I do have trouble fully appreciating something untill it's a memory.

,

And now that were leaving its overwhelming to believe

What a couple folks who live in vans can show up and achieve,

_______________________________________________________________

Leaving a new makes it an old,

Just a memory that no one else can hold and. 

Why were you there and why did you leave how, did this place come to be 

WHAT IT IS TO ME

WHAT IT IS TO MEEE

What is it to me? Wait.

WHAT REALLY IS IT TO ME?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Its already feels like a distant memory,

Who I met and what I did, I hold very close to me. 
Cuz that made me who i am now, and thats all i ever wanna be.
A person who can take what he did, who he met, and what he saw, 
And incorporate it all into one new thought.
And process it for a better understanding

2 months we're crammed into one heavy load,

It was one long windy road.

                                     -

You ever feel like placed where you are cuz you're meant to be?

Taking in surroundings and wondering what the world could be, 

If you could just see the reason you were placed here purposely, 

To get the most out of life, but of course freedom over security

But moneys temporary and connections are forever

Relations are more lucrative working together. 

                               -

Other people are constructing my personal growth,
Traveling is powerful, ive taken my oath

  I am just one, I am just one

Just tryna build a life that I don't have to run from,

                 JUST LIKE EVERYONE.

_________________________________________________________________________

Side notes and ramdom lyrics i couldnt find a place for                              but didnt want to delete



Theres the ones who live through something that means a lot to them and hold on to it till death, 

And there's people like me who wanna scream it from the bleachers.
It doesn't make me a bragger if I just wanna blabber
About these things I experience that make me think that I'm a rapper,

i just heard that if you do something, you learn from it and grow

Well clearly, i just wanna do it, learn from it, and go.

stayin lit till the day I die,

-an everburning wick, 

Never asking why.
just tryna live it,
and do my best to share it.
i dont know why.

Vanlife in America

       The United States has (and holds up to) the reputation of being a "Green Zone", in which the Highway System's convenience and comfort comes together to seemingly target people to easily live a mobile lifestyle throughout the states, more so than any other country.
Gas stations, campgrounds, grocery stores, and even laundromats seem to be within an hour of you no matter where you are, and folks (including myself) are taking full advantage of this accessibility,

-Having built a life for themselves using these convenient resources,
van dwellers and RV go-ers in America has dramatically increased over the past 4 years, and are going on to prove that history does indeed repeat itself. this isn't anything new, of course, peolpe have been living in converted vans, trailers and buses since a vehicle was made big enough to do so.

------
My opinion is, its more so people are CHOOSING to live in a vehicle nowadays, as opposed to having to live in one. That's the first thing a "normal" person associates the fact that you live in a vehicle with, is that you're forced to. Ive actually had someone tell me that they were sorry that i lived in a van. . .
 The way a lot of us (including myself) see it, we're not homeless,
Were home-free, and y'all are just vanless.
Vehicular advances, rising real estate cost,  reliability, comfort, and the fact that the term "job" no longer means what it used to leads more and more people each day considering a life on the road.
A huge percentage of people make a living off of a laptop nowadays.
you could never do that back then. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                
                                                -------------------------------------- 
       - One cant find the accessibility to live so freely adrift in any                                    other country in the world.
                                            --------------------------------------------------

I personally have never even traveled out of the U.S.A. but have been avidly roaming it for 4 years across the lower 48. The fact that i'm still meeting unforgettable people, experiencing the rush of finding new spots, and still eager to revisit old ones leads one to believe that you can travel the US your whole life and still find no shortage of work to help fund it, sights to take your breath away, or the people that help light the way and keep you inspired.

Social media has noticeably made it easy to share the experiences that come with living in a van, and without a doubt this #vanlife explosion has sparked a flame so bright that things all over the world are changing to accommodate the fact that more people everyday are wanting to live small, or even off grid, but are you ready to dive into such a drastic lifestyle change? Some are not.
________________________________________________________________________________
.-I recently came across a blog post from someone who jumped into the very lifestyle choice that I and many others have thrived in, and they made this life of ours sound like nothing short of a social media joke involving inauthentic attention seekers taking pictures of a life misrepresented. 

#vanlife on @instagram has now reached over 500,000 posts, and after seeing it at >80,000 when I first joined, it's obvious to me that more and more people have decided to break down the walls and immerse themselves into this lifestyle.
But why? .. Social media? ..
Did we make it look too good?

 -Well it is,
 and the folks who are willing and capable to swell their life into the parameters of a vehicle deserve a chance at this taste of freedom that we EarthRoamers talk up so much. But do me a favor, when you decide to jump in, then find out the waters too cold for you to get comfortable. Please don't bash on the temperature because of the fact that you couldn't get adjusted. We happen to not be frigid anymore, and have found enjoyment in the feeling.
It is very important to be authentic and display your uniqueness in this world, 
but you can't judge a book by that books Instagram page.

-It's not #vanlife for some of us, it's lifelife, that happens to be lived out of a van. The fact that we have a hashtag to connect all of us vanners is frikkin sick, and i've met some life long friends due to that hashtag. so i hate so see someon ebash the ifestye choice that i find unreal amounts of enjoyment iving, everyone has diferent tastes, but motr and motr easch day are getting a taste of that living small freedom. . ill prove it.

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                          SIGNS THAT LIVING small IS GETTING BIG. -especially in the U.S
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-     New companies everyday are appearing (and thriving) that directly reflect and promote the outdoor lifestyle through branding or products. Companies such as GOAL ZERO, POWER PRACTICAL, and OUTDOOR TECH are newer companies that have solved the problem of keeping things charged, having power on the road, and have been massively successful in doing so. also,
Clothing companies such as, POLER STUFF, FAYETTECHILL PASSENGER CLOTHING, WISH YOU WERE NORTHWEST, and many MANY more outdoor lifestyle brands have used social media to expose themselves to the millions of people that will ultimately support their vision.

-     The price of VW Vanagons (the most used rig for those living small) and other livable vehicles has dramatically increased over the past 7 years, and professional Adventure-Mobile makers such as SPORTS-MOBILE, EARTH ROAMER and TIGER ADVENTURE VEHICLES have people on months to years long waiting lists to own one of these preferred home on wheels.

_________________________________________________________________________________

----------WORDS AND STORIES FROM MY ROAD-FOUND,                                         LIKE-MINDED FRIENDS----------------

'I've met some indescribable folks along my travels that live very similar lifestyles across the US driven by a van, and they all have learned a few things                   along the way as well that they would like to share.

    -words and picture by van-friends Emily and Corey of @wheresmyofficenow

The decision to live the van life happened smoothly, and to be honest, without obstacles. This is not to say that planning for and living in the van was smooth, but the actual decision to live in a van and travel seemed natural and effortless. I think that this is due to where I was in my life including my desire to do something outside of the societal norm, and also the acknowledgement of my internet skillset which I realized I could do operate from anywhere.  

 After this decision was made, the biggest obstacle for me was having the patience to wait for everything to come together.  After deciding, it took 6 months before we bought the van and then another two months of prepping.  I tend to be spontaneous and at times impatient.  I like to see results and there were times in this planning process that I had my doubts about it coming to fruition. I was thankful for Corey for constantly reminding me that it was going to happen.

__________________________   _______________________   __________________________

-Words and picture by van-friend Chris Cohen @souladventurer311

I'm happy! Sure I choose to live out of my van (something the average person couldn't do.) But with my van I also get to choose where I want to live everyday. I get to see all these amazing and beautiful places. I get to meet, bond, and learn about so many amazing and beautiful people. Even while home on Long Island for the five months I'm working I still live out of my van. I'm a simple man I guess. I live in my van, work out of my pickup truck and save for my travels. Freedom is what I thought this country was all about anyway, correct? So I'm grabbing my piece of freedom in the form of a van.
I mean sure I don't have tons of money put away or a retirement that will be kicking in after I worked into my 60's. But if they think I'm going to let them tell me when it's time for me to live my life, well they got another thing coming. So I'll take my chances living by my own rules and traveling as much as possible. Life is about experiences. I just don't see how I can experience much working all my life. For some people that's ok and their happy with that, I get that. For me though I know there's so much more to life. "I feel working all day to come home pretty much go to sleep so I can get up and do it all again is way more of a risk. It's a risk of a wasted life. A risk I'm not willing to take."

_____________________   _______________________________   _________________________

-Words and picture by My girlfriend Sarah @freelyadrift
 "In June 2015 I graduated from High school and quit both my jobs working at a pizza joint and as a barista to jump in blind to a somewhat, not so much, planned adventure across the nation." 
---What lead from this trip minus the amazing friendships, and mosquito bites was mostly internal. I was given 3 feet of room in a shuttle bus crammed with seven people with me being the only girl to put my clothes. It almost sounds like that would be miserable, a mistake on my part to say the least but I never saw it that way. It wasn’t until a month into the trip, finally hitting a state with rain that I felt that I had time to actually reminisce on the steps life has taken me to get where I was in that moment. The obligation to go to college and be someone that someone else remembers is engraved into our heads throughout our golden years. I was determined to satisfy that feeling and conquer that step in life just like everyone else. It wasn’t until my senior year that I noticed the plethora of false statements, or at least opinionated ideas. I felt brainwashed, categorized, part of an assembly line. Just because you take one step, doesn’t mean the second one will fall within reach. There is an infinite amount of routes people can take in life to succeed, or nonetheless follow their dreams. Being rich in money, and being rich in life are completely different. Who is really to say which one is better, or which individual is doing it “right?” That path, the one that is embedded in your head since you are young, is all we know. We procrastinate what we want, we as humans don’t like making life changing decisions. We take every way to make it easier because one simple choice could change it all. As i’m sitting inside the bus somewhere in the middle of the United States thinking about how all my friends are getting ready to progress in their education, and how i’m in a state i’ve never been not knowing where i’ll be next, I finally got it. I am learning, and growing and becoming something of myself out of highschool just like everyone else. I’m smiling and laughing and learning to be open minded. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone just to master being positive. By the end of 3 months, ending in NYC, I’ve gained more in one summer than I thought ever possible. I took with me how anything is possible. Even though that sounds broad, I mean it, everything is possible. Living out of a suitcase in a shuttle bus for 3 months is possible. Not showering for six days in 100 degree heat is possible. Being bit up by mosquitos till you look like you have the chickenpox and still enjoying your day is possible. What makes it all possible is the random swimming holes you come across, the abundance of good souled people you run into, a warm shower after a few cold ones, loud music in the back seat of a trying-to-be-cold A.C  vehicle. You learn so much of what you’re capable of, and how much you love the world. Many nights staring out the window knowing that your stomach is in a pit wanting to burst in tears, Your hands shake because you are so mad but you can’t say anything. A collective amount of occasions take a toll on your legs that they become jello but you don’t want to look weak. It takes moments like these to fully appreciate the good ones.


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Matt Monthei
Avid Roamer @thevanwithnoplan