Vandwellers Forum

[gungfusteve]

hey everybody! wow, sounds like there are some interesting people on the road! in short, that is why i am doing this.

i want to hear peoples' stories, to experience the wide variety that the US has to offer and hopefully come to love this country in a way that city life and out-of-control consumerism has taken away from me. i want to experience the US and the world the way John Muir and Ralph Waldo Emerson experienced it. i want to climb mountains on my weekends off and watch sunsets without worrying about having to take pictures because i'll know that i can do it every weekend without worrying. it seems like most people do these things on designated "vacation days" at great expense (additional to their living costs).

part of what has led me to this choice of lifestyles is my childhood summers spent traveling with my grandfather, who was a long haul truck driver. I've passed through about 40 of the 50 states in my life and lived in five of them. these experiences have instilled in me a strong wanderlust...strong, strong.

additionally, i'm almost 24 years old and i have massive college debts to pay off. even if i did want to settle down somewhere, i don't feel financially safe taking out another loan for a house yet i feel like i am throwing money away on an apartment. living in a van will allow me to focus my financial efforts on paying off my student loans, then saving money for grad school or world travel. provided, of course, that i can find a job suitable to my current skillset (computer engineer) and pull off getting hired while living in a van.

another reason...i believe that living in a van would be conducive to surviving any kind of massive economic or social collapse that might be in store during my lifetime. maybe that's a little crazy, but even if it doesn't happen in my lifetime, it's something for which i would like to be prepared. it's a craziness i'd like to pass on to my children so they can pass it on to their children, etc. i think that a greater majority of the products of capitalism are trivial and meaningless, inherently lacking in value as evidenced by the tendency toward increasing debt in industrialized societies. but that's a little overly political of me and i don't really want to offend anyone here. suffice it to say, i am looking for a new culture and a new way to live my life.

my last reason... owning a van, which i pay for with money that i've saved since college finished (while my loans were still in deferment), and living in that van means i will own my living space. i will build my bed, closet, secret storage compartments, cabinets, cooking area, power and lighting subsystems, and will be responsible to myself (and my cat!) to maintain everything in a proper living and driving condition. this is something i view as a being a point of pride. within two months, i will have begun something that will be the first major accomplishment of my life. plus, i won't ever have to be stuck paying rent on a lease without a job to support it...

and that's what has led me to this life style. i may buy my new home as soon as this saturday!

[surfcam]

I guess I can't speak for U.S. but in Canada the I.T. industry appears to be booming. My son works at this computer solutions outfit. They fired one guy so four other people quit. So they started there own company. Now the company where he worked is doing so poorly he quitting to join the new company. MY Internet Provider had a guy quit and another guy when the Mexico on vacation and decided to stay there. So now they only have one employee. And that's just in my small corner of the world. It seams to be really churning. I did read this about the US IT industry.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/13/forrester_it_spending_2010/
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[NoReputationIsFreedom]

I'm in the final stages of shifting to van dwelling. I've been doing disaster relief work the last couple of years. I've spent those years working with Katrina survivors in the Mississippi Gulf. All the funds went to New Orleans and as of right now, there are still over 15k people in Mississippi without homes. I've done everything from helping rebuild houses, to hauling out debris, to search and rescue, to cleaning up countless personal items damaged by disaster. I've run a couple of home support groups for survivors as well. It's been most rewarding, seeing those who have suffered so much pick themselves up and go on. But the last year has been soooo taxing. I've been living in an old trailer that should be destroyed. I've had floods and part of the floor collapse and countless other little crisis. I've had to move so many times in the last year...even moving my bedroom 6 times in the last 6 months because of heating/cooling/flooding and floor support issues. I'm sick of stuff! I've had to shift everything I own so many times I'm ready to strip down to basics. Stuff is a trap. You have to clean stuff, move stuff, maintain stuff, store stuff. Buddhists have it right when they say freedom is more realized with few possessions.
Emotionally I need to refresh and recenter. I've been giving out for so long I've just got nothing left to give. 80% of my monthly supporters have had to drop their monthly pledges for the work here. The stress of how I'll make that next electric payment or making the electric knowing it means I have no gas to actually get out and have a life has gotten to me. I'd rather live in a van that's paid for and be out in the world meeting people or simply enjoying a park and the wind in my hair and sun on my face than continue living in a place that sucks the money out of a dwindling account to pay utility bills that will only come again next month.

As of right now my biggest concern is my dog. It's hot as Hades here, and I want to head to a cooler climate, but can't go far with a van that gets 10mpg. I know I can keep cool in libraries or malls and such, but not sure how to keep the van cool for the dog when I have to leave him

I'm thinking of the mountains of NC or Tennessee. I'm an artist by passion and used to make a bit of income from my work. There are a number of art centers in the TN/NC area where I can plug in, take some classes and have studios in which to create and recharge. I originally thought about Colorado Springs for the next couple of months where temps are milder. But it would cost me $400 in gas alone to get there and I don't know anyone there. I have an aging mother in the Appalachias and would rather stay closer to her. If anyone knows some places in the eastern mountains that are cooler in summer, I'd be glad to hear it. Anyplace is better than here tho. I can step outside and in 5 minutes I'm drenched from the high humidity and temps in the 90s. In fact, when I finish this post I'm heading outside to work on the van. I rise at 5am now and try to work outside only until 10am, then nap in the afternoon and do some outside work after 7pm until the light's gone.

I'm excited to get into the van. My ideal is to be able to relax. To sit under a shade tree with a glass of iced tea, play fetch with the dog and not feel the stress of how to pay the bills or feeling like I should be doing something more than just living. I've helped others find relief from the stress of crisis. Now it's time for me to find relief from my own anxiety-ridden spiral.

[Sandy St. Louis]

First a BIG welcome to the group. This forum has been designed to help ourselves with vandwelling using the pool of info and asking . The membership is very international with a wealth of skills and information your experiance will be a great asset also. Best of travels Sandy
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If you can make it or create it in any self made form I am for it.

[Arathi]

My choice to do this was a combination of years of dreaming, and then sudden personal troubles (Divorce) leaving me with the debt, and little else.

I've always wanted to live off the grid, but I couldn't with the people in my life that are now gone. I used to read about it, and dream, but never thought it would be something that would be reality.

Then, I moved into a place after my divorce that turned out to be a really bad idea with the people upstairs coming into my place while I was out, and making unrealistic demands. Then came the illegal eviction because they wanted their friend to live there instead, and I wanted out anyways after only a month. I was lucky and found my van for $500, bought it, insured it, and been in it for a couple months now. I love it, and wish I would have done this a long time ago!

I have the finances to live in a stick built, but I couldn't pay the debt then. Besides, I love the freedom of choosing where I sleep, and not having to pack for a camping trip to a lake.

[Nykodymus]

Hello Folks. I've been considering the Van Dwelling option for some time now. Although I haven't committed to it yet, I feel that its right around the corner. I too, and a survivalist at heart, and some might call me a hermit as well. I maintain a good job, and I am involved in a relationship at the moment as well. The relationship seems to be slowly failing, so I've been considering this lifestyle change more and more recently.

I live in San Diego currently, and would like to remain in the area for as long as possible. Of course, when I do take up Van Dwelling full time, I'll likely travel as much as possible. My background can be summed up as moving all over the country in my youth, joining the military out of highschool, government service, then private security. I've been reading as many accounts of Van Dwelling that I can find, taking their tips and tricks, and advice to heart. I've even gone so far as to start pairing down my possessions and working my way back to a minimalist existence.

I suppose that I'm luckier than most, as I have no debt to speak of, far flung family, and a proven track record of being able to survive almost anything from earthquakes to wildfires, to war-torn civil conflicts. Being incredibly self reliant and self entertaining is also a great strength that I share with you fine folks.

One thing that I read here from another survivalist was that he had plans to use his vehicle as a Bug Out Vehicle. As much as this appeals to me, I know better. I've seen disaster strike, and there is no where that I've been that the roads and highways aren't bumper to bumper traffic of abandoned cars and trucks. Ever been on a freeway when theres a car accident? All of the looky loo's create bumper to bumper traffic of which there is no escape, and thats just a minor traffic accident!

I've been considering purchasing a larger conversion van (I'm 6'1" and 260 Lbs), outiftting it as best I can while I still have a job, and the funds to do it comfortably without being rushed, and also picking up a Kawasaki 650 KLR Dual sport motorcycle. A hitch mounted swing-out motorcycle carrier would allow me to carry it where ever I go. I could travel away from my van quickly and efficiently for work or simply to go off roading as well. I really like this idea, so I am taking my time choosing the right van and outfitting it properly for my needs and desires.

Thats my story. I love reading about the courage and inventiveness of this community, and I look forward to joining your ranks when the time is right for me. Thank you for proving and reaffirming to me that the survival instinct and courage of average, everyday people is not completely dead. You are all my heroes, and inspiration to get back to my travelling roots!

[David Hair]

Welcome Nyko,

If you are thinking of using your van as a Bug Out vehicle I think you have to keep your eyes open enough to get out ahead of the crowd. When you think it is getting aboout time bug out to the boonies with your bike and van and sit back and see what happens. If you are a van dweller you may already be close enough to your final destination that it's not much of a trip. I like the idea of having a bike as a last result and a travel vehicle once you are there. I am lucky enough to be about 2 hours from a very good bug out site and if things get much worse I might just go ahead and take a couple weekend trips to store a stash.


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David Hair
2000 Astro AWD
1989 Dodge B-350 Hi-Top shuttle bus in progress