What Brought You To This Website?

[ldmccain]

I was searching for different.

Staying on a slab 10 feet from the neighbors just isn't my thing.
Riding the bike around 10 states in month showed I wanted (needed) more stuff.

Found cargo trailer conversion sites, Tear drop sites.......
Kept searching on goggle and found Bobs blog.

From there I ended up here. ;-)

We don't all need to be the same, if we were we would really be sheeple.

 

[Gary68]

watched this video on youtube and came here and it had a forum and in that forum where some really smart people

i have next to no interest in traveling,been there done that,just dont want to end up under a bridge or in an apartment,camper van/rv on the oregon coast sounds good to me,fishing,gold mining,washing dishes at the local diner...

 

[buckwilk]

Been so long ago I honestly don't remember, probably touring around around the net.

compassrose, in my first incarnation on this site I had some issues, I was new to the net, even newer to a forum. I jumped in with both feet, sometimes landing right on someone. Not always intentionally but the end result was the same, hurt feelings, anger and backlash. No one benefited from those things, least of all me. My warning level wasn't good, but was fair. A couple of things happened with the site and some of us couldn't get on, about the same time my laptop died. I went away from here and from internet in general. My life underwent some radical changes, things most wouldn't believe. I spent some time in contemplation and made the decision to change some things about myself. Work in progress, but improvement is there. My point in this whole diatribe is, hopefully, to give you some insight as to why you may feel the way you do right now. Some of the posts in response to you may not be what you want or need to hear at that time. That's the net, it can be so personal and impersonal at the same time that it's difficult to tell them apart. I hope you realize, by the previous posts in this thread, that you are important to the folks here. I'll throw my hat into that ring. I hope you reconsider. I like caring about the folks here, you are one of those folks.

 

[masterplumber]

I really don't remember how I found the original site, but I've always been a wanderer at heart even though I live most of my life in a S&B. Due to family that I love regardless of our differences in what we want out of life - I will probably never live a fully nomadic life. And I'm ok with that so long as I can find time to wander and reenergize.

Compassrose, I echo what others have said, and will take it one step further. If you desire to go to RTR, and can trust that someone you never met in person isn't a creeper, then I would be happy to pick you up on my way there from Colorado and bring you back home on my way home. I believe from your posts you live somewhere down by Hatch so it would be easy for me to route that way. I can even provide my Kifaru Tipi for you to stay in while there so you would have your own place. Just PM me if you're interested.

 

[LeeRevell]

I was getting close to retirement, and had been doing some weekend camping in my Dodge Grand Caravan minivan.  I wanted someting bigger and more comfy for a big guy over a longer period of time.   I had also taken ownership of my late father's 1986 Ford E150  cargo van.  I was also a member of the Yahoo VanDwellers web site, and a couple RV forums.  The RV folks seem too often to look down on van owners though.  Then someone mentioned this site.  I checked it out and read Bob's articles.  I liked what I saw.  So here I am.  I've learned much and been able (I think) to offer some useful input.
The 1986 E150 turned out to be a rusted ruin.  But I did buy a 1988 Ford E150 conversion van.  I have gotten many good ideas here, and learned much about solar, batteries, etc.  This site is a good resource.

 

[highdesertranger]

what brought me here? destiny. highdesertranger

 

[GotSmart]

I was on a Dodge Truck Forum.  The guys and gals there were great.  When I bought the van and started my build, I came across this site where I got excellent advice from everyone, especially Bob and Sternwake.  I am stuck now.  Even after all the grief I have given, still no warning numbers.  :angel:

Rose, I always look for your opinion.  You always have a common sense approach to doing everything.  A bus is just a big van you can stand up in.  You belong here even if you lived out of the White House.  (I don't care!)  Suzanne lives in a Prius, Masterplumber has a trailer! (Extremely nice person. I would trust him with my cat!)  It is the "Self converted" part that makes you belong. You are like us more than you admit. We are human to!

Last RTR we had just about everything there  Not just vans. Big RV's and more.

 

[bigsallysmom]

I came to this site after I visited family in Texas and I was uncomfortable with relatives and friends making room for me. Then I got tired of go-go-go and all that noise. If only I could take my home with me ...

 

[Theadyn]

Grew up camping and we had everything from tents to big RV's. Some of the best times of my life has been OUT of the house. Life happened, then bad happened and I felt like I lost everything. The so-called 'American Dream' felt more like a nightmare of which I never want a part of again. I like my own space and am comfortable in a small one, at that. I never want to feel like I'll be homeless due to things out of my control ever again. The economy sucks, and I've always lived cheap. I found this place through a link from other RV sites while thinking I was going to stay with a class C. From reading the blog and the forum, this is the perfect fit!!! The other RV sites weren't for me, at all. I don't even visit them or have their links saved anymore. I moved from a class C to an van for many reasons, much better fit, and this place has been a WEALTH of knowledge and support. Like family.

Compassrose, let me just add to what everyone else has stated above, don't you dare leave! I very much enjoy your posts and insights. I don't believe there's any criteria to belong here at all just maybe a desire for an alternative, cheaper, way to live. I hope you stay.

 

[Jana]

I've always wanted to live as a nomad, but I've made choices that have kept me far more rooted than I want to be. I found some blogs about people living in RVs, but RVs have complicated systems I just don't want to deal with, and the build quality and insulation tend to be terrible. Then I discovered the van life--build exactly what I want and travel as far as I want.

I'm stuck in one place for now due to health problems, but I'm still getting ready for the day I can head out.

 

[Almost There]

I was researching boondocking - a new term I'd never heard before and, well, one site led to another site, which led to another site (I do that a lot!) and I kinda got turned around and lost (or misplaced... ) and found this place.

It's home for me, it's like the family I would have chosen instead of the one I was born in to!

 

[shadon]

I am hoping this hasn't been discussed before but "What brought you to this website originally?".  For me, I have been involved with camping/RVing for years and came across mention of this website in "RVing on a Budget" type areas of RV forums, 3 that I am/was a member of.  So, I was looking for specific info on the lifestyle.  Most of the time this was pre-retirement discussions so lower budget and creativity was a big part of the discussion.  I also saw mention of Bob's book, which I now own a copy of, keep coming up as a "suggestion" when I was shopping at Amazon.  So, what brought you here if you don't mind sharing.

A couple of years ago I read Walden on Wheels, and was fascinated with the authors' experience of living in his van while going to graduate school at Duke.  I found this forum after some web searching.  

I love looking here to see how folks do this.  I don't know that I'll ever make the leap to van life, but I've become more attuned to ways of living with a smaller footprint.  For ex  i now use a couple of solar powered lights at night, an turn off everything that is grid powered.  Haven't figured out to ditch the fridge yet.

I enjoy this place!

 

[GotSmart]

A couple of years ago I read Walden on Wheels, and was fascinated with the authors' experience of living in his van while going to graduate school at Duke.  I found this forum after some web searching.  


.  Haven't figured out to ditch the fridge yet.

I enjoy this place!

A couple panels, A couple batteries, and a`12V fridge.     (Or something like that)  

 

[ainley53]

I was surfing the net last year looking for a less expensive way to tour Colorado by motorcycle than spending a few thousand dollars just for hotel/motel rooms. Checked out KOA, campgrounds, airbnb and several other ideas. Some where along the way I stumbled onto CRVL. The more I read the better I liked it. I was also rapidly approaching the end of my sizable income and needed to make some lifestyle changes. After reading every one of Bob's blogs, start to finish and all the stuff on the home page except Forums I was hooked. I COULD DO THIS!!!

Since I've started reading the Forums and posting a little I've learned there are a few people on this site who are to be trusted. I have trust issues, as my signature may indicate. "In God I trust, everyone else has to earn it".

compassrose you are on my list of trusted persons. That may not mean anything to you, but your opinion means a lot to me. So for purely selfish and personal reasons I would be VERY disappoint if you left.

And last. The people on this site are NOT like family. THEY ARE LIKE FAMILY SHOULD BE. Which is much better IMHO.

David

P.S. To all who contribute on CRVL; thank you. You do make a difference.

 

[ahh_me2]

Google brought me here!

But it wasn't just some random event, I had actively searched on "van-dwelling" and this site was near the top.

I read all the how-to articles and what not on the home page for a few months before realizing there was a forum here, and even then it took me awhile to click on the forum button.

Lurked for a while, then signed up and started posting a bit about my first van conversion.

Why did I search on van-dwelling?

Because I had long ago dropped out of the rat race, but having an S&B place kept me in it to some extent, and I was kind of pushed into making a decision, and I chose the vehicular style dwelling!

I still have a full time job, don't travel, barely over 50, so years away from traditional retirement still.

While I don't figure I fit all that well here, what with all the talk of RTR and travel and which places to visit etc, the common element for me is the living in or out of a vehicle of any type , including those skoolies like compassRose!(stick around!)

Anyway, it's a great community with a great diversification of people, vehicles and outlooks on life.

Thanks!

 

[Cammalu]

I have a few campers and one is very tiny but has everything and I was searching the net on ways to camp in a tiny space and ended up finding Bob's site and getting on a couple of van dwellers lists for ideas.

I never did fix up my tiny, lovely camper as I was down with a back injury for awhile then started to get better then got hurt again. I'm on a long recovery now and, although I still have the campers, I don't feel that I will be up to all the hitching, unhitching, setting up, etc., anymore.

I'm not going to build on my own but I'm going to buy either a Class B or B plus van. It will still be awhile until I recover enough to take off but as soon as I can walk enough to pump my own gas and park and walk with a walker enough to get to the riding carts at Walmart I'm heading out.

Thankfully I was able to talk my niece and her hubby into moving in with me so I don't have to sell the house and land and I'll be free to come and go. I'm so impatient with my freaking recovery I could scream.

 

[GotSmart]

I have been there!  Please find homes for the campers.  A canned ham is a terrible thing to waste. 

 

[Cheli]

I have been interested in the tiny house movement for a couple years now but most recently got serious about wanting to downsize and live a simple and self sufficient lifestyle. So I've been googling anything and everything about it and came across van dwelling. I came across pages and pages of information and ended up on this. I read ALL the information pages before I realized there was a forum, I quickly joined.

 

[highdesertranger]

CompassRose I want to say I hope you stick around too. I enjoy reading your post and feel you contribute a lot of good info. I might not agree 100% of the time, but that's life if everyone agreed on everything life would be boring. my 2 cents. highdesertranger

 

[MtDave]

Over the last year or so I have been feeling more and more like our possessions own us instead of the other way round. About 6 or 8 months ago I came across a you tube video of a young couple who pretty much sold everything and started living in a van and travelling. We used to have a VW Vanagon that we travelled in and loved the freedom it afforded us so I started searching the web, mostly for van conversion info when I found CRVL. Now I am hear several times a day trying to soak up some of the knowledge all the great members possess. We haven't got a van yet, we'll need to work on the downsizing and sell the house. The wife is warming to the idea way better than I thought she might so hopefully we can get this done before next years RTR and get down to meet some of the great folks on this forum.