It's Official!

It's Official I am Doing Van Life!

I have dreamed about this day for 6 years. Finally the van is mine. I named her Vandalina.

I made the decision to do van life after I saw a YouTube video where the channel creator said 'do it now, nothing will be different in a year, and in a year you will still have this dream.' Something clicked. And I decided with intense conviction - I was going for this!

I went to my local Dodge dealership and test drove the promaster 159" extended length. I was so worried I wouldn't be able to drive it. I knew I needed the extended length because I wanted to be able to fit a lot of stuff - for sure a mini stove/oven, sink, bench that would house my shower, toilet, and be good for seating. I wanted this done right. After 6 years of dreaming about van life you come to have a really good idea of what you want. I had probably watched hundreds and hundreds of videos on the topic.

After test driving the van the salesman sat me down and ran numbers. The van I test drove was a 2025, and the most basic trim available. I knew I would be better off with a 2024 because you could still get those new but they would be cheaper than the most recent 2025 models. So I declined, and left the dealership. That night I went searching online, after not finding much in the way of a 'deal' I randomly searched "promaster Montana." BAM. There it was, well there were 8 of them. Brand new 2024, promaster high roof, 159 extended body. With BACK WINDOWS, I had to have those back windows! And it was an upgraded trim, which meant parking sensors, upgraded wheels and LED headlights. This was a perfect find. Long story short I made a great deal and the van was shipped out to my friend's house where I planned to stay while I built out the van.

Since this is the first post, I'll give ya'll a little insight about how I got here, with these van dreams...

My van life dream was born out of my LOVE of road trips. There is nothing like being on the open road, full sun, windows down, fresh air and the freedom of just MOVING. My car has always felt like my safe haven. Combined with my love of adventure and nature, car + road = bliss.

I started taking long road trips when I moved away to college. I never had a large social circle, and much the same when I went to college. So with a car of my own (6 speed manual A4, S trim) I decided the best way to spend my alone time was on the road.

I can remember calling my mom who would help me pick the next place to stop, using her spiral bound atlas to look up nearby cities, and attractions that I could check out. If it was really rainy weather, or particularly late at night she'd find a hotel along my route and make a reaservation for me. But when I wasn't staying in a hotel I was camping.

I would do weekend road trips just about every weekend, and then I bought a mountain bike to continue my passion that I started when I was 10 in the Berkshires. It was a Scott Scale hardtail, yellow and white. I was SO proud of that bike! So for years it was me, my car, the bike and my camping equipment. I was in heaven. Something began to happen as I spent more time curating my camping biking road trips. I would become sad, with a sick feeling in my stomach when it was time to go back home. I wanted to be out on the road. The only place I felt real freedom!

As years passed and I would see van lifer's on YouTube, on the road, or when driving by RV dealerships and feel a pang of sadness, knowing this wasn't me. I watched countless videos about people living the life I really wanted to live. Life distracted me, shoe shopping, pool parties, the newest restaurant, these things kept me focused on a different side of life, a side that in the end kept me feeling super lonely. Believe it or not in the woods and on the road, I feel the least alone. So it was a confluence of realizing I was running on a hamster wheel and that line I heard on the YouTube channel 'do it now, nothing will be different in a year, and in 5 years and you will still have this unfulfilled dream' that made my decision to go all in on van life full speed ahead!

So get ready for a whole lot of van building and lessons learned as I share this wild ride with you all. I am so glad you are here, and I hope I can inspire you to follow what your heart really wants too!