New van & east coast bound

[izzyfwtx]

Hello everybody! I'm 18 years old and from Fort Worth Texas, and I recently bought myself a 1993 Ford Econoline 150 Conversion High-top with 104,000 miles on it.  I've always been nomadic at heart and fascinated with living life as a minimalist, and decided that as soon as a I graduated high school this year I would begin taking steps towards fulfilling that vision. 

There are a few things to worry about before hitting the road though, things I'm sure have all at one time crossed your mind. One concern is the age of the van. The previous owner has had the radiator, muffler, transmission, battery, and breaks replaced and swears that it rarely ever gave him any problems. It passed inspection and the mechanic that I took it to prior to purchasing the van told me that it seems to be in great shape! However, I am anticipating mechanical problems and breakdowns as an inevitable feature of owning a van

Another concern is how to make enough money on the road. I'm a folk/Americana one woman band and perform all around Texas as a current way making a living, but the music scene on the east coast has always been incredibly appealing to me. I can't wait to drive my van out there to experience it first hand but I know that income associated with that type of career can fluctuate. I'm optimistic however! The perks of living in a van seem to align with my priorities and my long-term goals. I'm excited to familiarize myself with other people like myself and learn as much as I can from this vandweller community!

 

[LivGolden]

Hi, Izzy. What an interesting post. Do you mind if I ask if you're continuing your education or are you taking a hiatus to travel and grow your artistic endeavors? Anyway, welcome! Nice to meet you...

 

[izzyfwtx]

Hey there!
I attempted taking a few courses at a local county college, but I found it to be incredibly draining and nearly felt like I was ridding myself of a personality. I may go back at a later time, and hopefully then I'll be in a suitable mindset for it. I figured I had a bit of soul searching to do and am thankful for music to help guide me along the process.
Thank you, it's nice to meet you as well!

 

[Moxadox]

Howdy! If you enjoy busking, you'll do fine. Are you hooked up with CDBaby? They can supply you with small numbers of discs and MP3 download cards to sell out of your case. You'll get regular gigs when people hear you playing on the street, too. I made my living for many years patching together busking and gigs while living in my 1967 Volvo sedan. Unfortunately both of my hands have been injured so I can no longer play (or do much of anything that requires hands), so my advice is "get it while you can" (thanks, Janis ;-) )!

The Dire Wolfess

 

[LivGolden]

I understand. Good you had a mechanic check out your van. Let someone know where you are and where you will be traveling. 
Best wishes. Keep us posted. Peace, Liv

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums izzyfwtx! What a great adventure! Keep us updated.

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.