As the self-proclaimed NES resident former smelly hippie van-lifer and owner of 4 (yes 4) Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia campers in the past 20 years, I think it is fitting that I get to piss in the corners of our new Camping and RV’ing sub-forum and start an official van-life thread.
To be crystal clear, van life is NOT RV living and is so different in so many ways that it is absolutely deserving of it’s own thread. The entire experience is unique in every way. If you follow along, you’ll see why.
For all those who don’t know me, I’m 76Too and I lived in a van…down by the wash…where there used to be a river, but it was Arizona and the river was no longer.
I started with my very first 1984 VW Vanagon Westfalia camper at the end of August of 2001 in Leicester, MA. I actually managed to get a loan from Spencer Savings Bank for $2500 to buy it because I used to know the president when I was a kid. Two days after I bought it, I embarked on what was to be a 72 hour journey to Mesa, AZ to start my second year of ‘college’ (I went to a community college and my gf at the time went to ASU…we moved out there together in 2000). How, do you ask, did I make it to Arizona in 72 hours? I don’t know, to be honest…I was REALLY high at the time…the whole time.
On my way out, I specifically remember staring at the New York City skyline for long enough to almost drive into the breakdown lane…almost like I had a funny feeling it was never going to look the same the next time I drove by it. Less than two weeks later the towers fell.
Anywho…I’m going to use this as a place marker and will finish my story and add some of the many experiences I’ve had as a part time van-lifer through the years.
Let’s use this thread to share knowledge, experiences, reviews for equipment, post up covert camp spots that worked or didn’t work for you, pictures of your hot wives/daughters, and definitely van-cuisine creations!
Here’s some van-porn of my most recent 2wd purchase to set the mood. Purchased in Portland, Oregon in the spring of 2021 (yup, during the autonomous zone period) and drove directly to haystack rock (where the last scenes in the Goonies were filmed) and then back through Idaho and Utah…stopped at some national parks, then through Colorado and Kansas…Missiouri, Illinois and to my current but soon to not be home in Indiana.
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