Why I Live and Travel in a Van

[LivGolden]

Yes, trust-fund babies...lol

 

[Jack]

Lenny, I just wanted to add my encouragement to your project. As someone who is new to van life, and still in the planning and pre-buying stage, I would buy your book. I think you're doing a great job! Thanks for sharing this.

 

[lenny flank]

Well, this thread is kinda old and the book has already been out for a little while now:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1610010965

 

[Jack]

I didn't even notice the date on the thread! Congratulations! This brings to mind a question I've wondered about for myself, as a writer. Since you wrote a book about your experiences, and had to travel to get them, did you get to write off any of your expenses for tax purposes?

 

[lenny flank]

Yes, as a writer I get to write off my expenses that go towards writing.

 

[Jack]

As a writer myself, this is good to know.  I'm working on creating several streams of income involving writing before I buy my van and hit the road.  I'll have to check into the write offs.

 

[QinReno]

As a writer myself, this is good to know.  I'm working on creating several streams of income involving writing before I buy my van and hit the road.  I'll have to check into the write offs.

We all knew from the very beginning that you were writing a book, Jack. No one else would start so many threads, take so many polls, and ask so many questions. LOL. For reference, let me say off the top that the most boring books I've ever seen have page after page of numbered lists, or else endless factoids. I tried to read "Playing God in Yellowstone" a couple of weeks ago, but it was just page after page of names and dates, and quickly went onto the donate pile. Just saying.

 

[Jack]

We all knew from the very beginning that you were writing a book, Jack. No one else would start so many threads, take so many polls, and ask so many questions. LOL. For reference, let me say off the top that the most boring books I've ever seen have page after page of numbered lists, or else endless factoids. I tried to read "Playing God in Yellowstone" a couple of weeks ago, but it was just page after page of names and dates, and quickly went onto the donate pile. Just saying.

Then I'd like to clear up this wrong assumption.

I'm not writing a book about ANY of this stuff.  My presence here is genuine, sincere, and for the SOLE PURPOSE of learning how to live the van life on a personal and practical level, not to profit from or write about.  All of my questions, threads, and posts, as well as the one and only poll I posted, are honest.  My excitement is genuine and all the information I've learned here is not what's going into the book I'd like to write.  To be clear, my book will not be about van life.  It will be about my travels and getting involved in the communities I travel through.  It's going to be a book about putting the biblical principles of the Christian life into action, as the scriptures describe.  

I thank you for being blunt enough to bring up this misguided assumption.  In no way do I want anyone to think I'm here to glean information and use people to prosper from it.  The way I see it, it's NOT my information to make money from.  I'm not going to claim to be an expert at something I'm not.  I am not a thief and I am not a sneak.  Do you really think you know me that well to make such an accusation?  Really?  Has anything I've done on this forum been against the rules or even the very purpose of this forum?  I've already said that I have no skills, or tools, or even a place, to build out my van when I get it.  I'm going to have to pay to have it done.  That would hardly make for a good book, would it?  I was very open in my introduction post with my reasons for choosing the van life and how it came about. 

So, when you see my many posts, with many questions, and my excitement, I'm telling you plainly and bluntly - they're genuinely for me to learn how to live the van life and support myself.  Period. No other reason.  Just pure excitement at learning that this was a viable way for me to live.  Some people like sports.  Some like cars.  I like to study and learn.  I'm a natural researcher and research everything to death to prepare myself.  When I get my van, I'll be taking some mechanic classes, too.  That doesn't mean I'm going to write a book about it.

While I'm saving to buy my van, isn't it only smart to learn all I can and prepare myself, before diving in?  I'm changing my entire life in the biggest way possible.  Doesn't that warrant asking a lot of questions?  It would be silly not to.  Folks should be very careful when making assumptions.  But that's their/your life lesson to learn.  Maybe you should ask yourself why you immediately jump to negative conclusions before knowing a person, or the facts?  Opinions and assumptions aren't facts.

 

[QinReno]

Ha, my post was (at least) half in jest. Probably. You can write about what ever you like. It was apparent your youtube and likely blog would be along the lines of Christian life ala traveling. Let me suggest something you might think about for down the road. I wanted to do it myself, but age and joint problems have crept in. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago

Your situation might not be ready for the RV life yet, but it occurred to me that you might actually be able to "hitch" a ride to RTR2019, considering how many people are going there from all over the US. People keep asking about caravans from their areas, but maybe someone will want a rider to help with expenses.

As far as the other thing goes, book learning is no substitute for actual experience. I learned more on my first trip on the road than in all the youtube videos. You plan ahead, but change your mind once you actually try things out. Especially in van life, people tend to change their setups.

 

[closeanuf]

It's much more difficult to live  life than it is to write about it.  Some of the most interesting books I have read are the ones where the author tells about the things that went wrong on their way to success. I was glad to see QinReno's response because I thought maybe I was the only one who noticed your excitement.  Sometimes we act like a kid in a candy store when we find a new concept and I assure you that you are not the first to be excited about a new and exciting concept for living.  Enjoy the ride and hold on; some of the roads are bumpy and slippery at the same time.  And some roads are dead ends that have to be backed out of.  Happy trails my friend.

 

[Jack]

Ha, my post was (at least) half in jest. Probably. You can write about what ever you like. It was apparent your youtube and likely blog would be along the lines of Christian life ala traveling. 

Thank you for saying this, QinReno.  I needed to hear it.  Now I can delete the signature I created to assure other people that my motives for being here are sincere!  Van life is saving my life and sanity.  There are no words to express how grateful I am to have learned about this lifestyle.

To have a place like this forum, where people are genuinely, sincerely, and willing to share their experiences and knowledge so new folks like me have a decent chance to not only survive van life, but to enjoy and thrive on it, is more hope and encouragement than I've had for 20 years!  That's why I post so much.  That's why I'm so excited, as childish as it likely comes across!

I don't want to leave anyone out because I devour everyone's posts (to learn the good and the bad), but the folks who I couldn't have gotten this far without are John61CT, Almost There, highdesertranger, frater secessus, and yourself.  You folks have given so much of your attention and expertise to me, teaching me.  My respect level is through the roof for you guys!  So, to think that folks might think I'm using them in an underhanded way to make a profit from their knowledge and experience... that hurt.  I'd leave this forum before allowing that to continue.   

Let me suggest something you might think about for down the road. I wanted to do it myself, but age and joint problems have crept in. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago

I had no idea people did that.  It's interesting.  But, I think my overseas traveling days are done.  I was fortunate enough to do quite a bit of it in my late 20's and early 30's before I settled down into hermithood.  Besides, I've never been one to do such pilgrimages - seeing Christian landmarks or walking where Jesus walked.  I see why people would enjoy that, but, from what I see in scriptures, it's about living out the Christian life where you are, in front of those around you.  

Your situation might not be ready for the RV life yet, but it occurred to me that you might actually be able to "hitch" a ride to RTR2019, considering how many people are going there from all over the US. People keep asking about caravans from their areas, but maybe someone will want a rider to help with expenses. 

That'd be great but I'm determined to save every penny possible at this point.  

As far as the other thing goes, book learning is no substitute for actual experience. I learned more on my first trip on the road than in all the youtube videos. You plan ahead, but change your mind once you actually try things out. Especially in van life, people tend to change their setups.

That's all true, no denying it.  Since it's all I have at the moment, I'm clinging to it!  Most of what I'm asking on the forum, and all the note taking, van designing, and the dreaming, is nothing more than my excitement and eagerness coming out.  It's all helpful information to learn but, until I can put it to use, it's just scratching the itch.

I may end up in a 90's Chevy Express with a clumsy build and nothing more than an air mattress and a bucket to poop in when I start, I don't know.  That depends on what I'm able to save and which van presents itself as the best thing for me at the time.  All I know is that, used or new, by (or before) the end of August of 2019, I will be taking off... even if it's on a tricycle.

 

[shadowmoss]

You could set out on a tricycle:

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/diy-coroplast-bicycle-camper/

EDITED TO ADD: Here is the website of the inventor/creator of many things made of coroplast that might be of interest to nomads, including bikes.
http://www.elkinsdiy.com/

 

[Jack]

It's much more difficult to live  life than it is to write about it.  Some of the most interesting books I have read are the ones where the author tells about the things that went wrong on their way to success. I was glad to see QinReno's response because I thought maybe I was the only one who noticed your excitement.  Sometimes we act like a kid in a candy store when we find a new concept and I assure you that you are not the first to be excited about a new and exciting concept for living.  Enjoy the ride and hold on; some of the roads are bumpy and slippery at the same time.  And some roads are dead ends that have to be backed out of.  Happy trails my friend.

Thanks.  Even at 52, I still wear my heart on my sleeve.  At 52, I've also experienced enough of the world to know that none of it is like Instagram portrays it.  (Not even Instagram!)  I've backed out of enough dead ends over the years to know not romanticize anything - even romance itself.  I'm not looking at van life as an escape, as a vacation, as a fantasy, or as anything else but freedom of my time.  The idea of van life came at a point in my life where hope was fading fast.  So, if my posts seem overly joyful, that's because that's how it feels to have hope for the first time in almost 20 years. :exclamation:  

If this helps to understand better, I told two friends, and one acquaintance, about my plans to live in a van.  Not one of them laughed or thought I was nuts.  They know me well enough that when I get my heart set on something, it happens.  I'm too stubborn to let it go!  They all know my habit of studying everything to death.  One of them said to me, "I have no doubts it'll happen.  You could study heart surgery to the point that, when you were done, you could perform it!"  

 

[Jack]

You could set out on a tricycle:

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/diy-coroplast-bicycle-camper/

LOL  I saw that guy on YouTube!  He's got gumption!  I would never have thought to use campaign signs for anything but kindling.

 

[Dingfelder]

Who even needs a van, trailer, or RV?

https://www.youtube.com/user/worldunicycletour/videos?flow=grid&view=0&sort=da

If Ed Pratt can finish an unassisted three and a half-year 22,000 mile round the world tour on a unicycle carrying a tent, pot, campstove, and sleeping bag between his legs, we all can probably hustle something workable together.

If that's not inspiration, what is?