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.
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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. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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- One cant find the accessibility to live so freely adrift in any other country in the world.
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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.
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.-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?
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.
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.
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.
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----------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.
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-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."
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-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
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