Data Update: 2 years and 7 months; 71,300 miles driven; and 172 campgrounds we have called “home” since we began this glorious, retirement vanlife adventure. John makes a photo of each and every campsite, so it was a difficult choice as to which one(s) to use for this travel update–I started with this lusciously verdant site at Ohiopyle State Park in Pennsylvania as it perfectly depicts one of my favorite aspects of vanlife which is to be tucked into a deep site, surrounded by trees. For contrast, here is another site that I loved, tucked in and surrounded by trees, but in the totally different environment of Fort DeSoto, Florida:
Most of our campsites have been terrific, some have been just tolerable, and yes there have been a few that are borderline unacceptable. Nonetheless, here we are, traveling all over the United States in our super-groovy Glampervan, our home on wheels that we truly adore. It is the sanctuary of Vanda that enhances the experience of being in a wondrous natural environment or provides respite from a campground that is not so fantastic…
Vanda, built by Glampervan–a high-end van conversion business out of Oakland, California–is the common thread in all of our travels. Our van is SO well built: hardwood cabinets and drawers, firm queen mattress, incredibly efficient space utilization, numerous conveniences such as ample USB charging ports, lighting options that are on dimmer switches for the main living space and kitchen and touch dimmer lights in the bed area, deep chest refrigerator, ample sink and food prep counter space, pivoting table for meals and computer sessions, 5 screened windows for air flow, and swivel front captain chairs. The storage capacity is unbelievably abundant, and all with locking cabinet fronts. The light color of the wood brightens the space, even if we have the window coverings in place. Speaking of window coverings — we have seen so many other camping vehicles that have what I would call rinky-dink window coverings either of the sort that is used in a car windshield or have to be applied to the outside of the windows — whereas, the Glampervan guys have chosen custom-made, insulated accordion window coverings with magnetic edges so that they attach to the metal around the windows with ease, providing the shade and/or privacy we seek. As well, they fit perfectly in the above-cab storage, out of the way until we use them. We rarely do use them actually, I like the light coming in and I am not a stickler for privacy, but if the sun is beaming right in, we will certainly put them up to maintain a pleasant inside temperature.
My favorite aspect of the Glampervan, which may sound silly, is the magnetic strip that closes the sliding door screen as we go in and out of the van. If the weather allows, we keep the sliding door open then unfurl the sturdy screen from its rolled up and clipped-into-place space above the door to allow for fresh air flow. Again, we have seen many other versions of this, but Glampervan chose to use a product with a heavy duty screen mesh that is sewn into thick fabric borders, with this magical magnetic strip the length of the screen door. As we go in and out of Vanda, the screen door closes right up via this magnet. Brilliant!
It is interesting to observe how other people live in their recreational vehicles — many folks wonder out loud how we can live in “such a tiny space”, yet for John and me this home on wheels is the perfect size. We never feel cramped, in fact we have a goodly amount of space inside Vanda. The awning provides a space outdoors, from which we can hang out at the picnic table if one is provided by the campground or in our own folding chairs.
The temperature range we’ve experienced is from 110 degrees to 30 degrees, both of which are totally navigable with either the air conditioner or the heater, depending. The solar panels provide a baseline of power, which we supplement by plugging into the campground shore power as much as we are able. If the wind is too strong, we do not put out the awning, but if it rains–a weather reality we have been through many times–the awning provides a dry area for shoes, and for going in and out of Vanda without everything getting too wet.
The 20-gallon water reservoir, under the lid of the “couch” is easily filled directly from the side door, as it was placed there with forethought for efficient use of space. The water reservoir lid serves as an additional sitting space.
Our preference is to awaken in a forest, near a river, stream, or lake. A place where birds are thriving, a campground with bike paths or gravel roads for riding, trails for hiking, electricity and water access, showers, and one that allows for some privacy at our site. We are able to fulfill this preference nearly all of the time, but for those times when the location is a priority, we have (reluctantly) acquiesced to practicality, with a resulting letting go of our forest affinity — for instance, the Liberty Harbor RV park along the Hudson River in New Jersey, when we are on a northeastern travel route to visit our kids, one of whom lives in Brooklyn. We have stayed here twice now, both times it has been a hilariously weird and vastly different environment than that which we love. Location, Location, Location (read all about it!)
Now that I have been writing this blog post over the past three days, I cannot remember what prompted me to express my big love for Vanda by praising Glampervan, but here I am. I do know that folks are following this blog and living vicariously through our adventures. We are so well suited for this vanlife! For anyone and everyone who loves nature, being outside as much as possible, AND appreciates fine craftsmanship, thoughtful space creation, and ultimate comfort, I cannot say enough about the high quality of this van buildout. When you go to Glampervan’s website, give Andrew a big hello from me! PS. We will be in Oakland later this month for a head-to-toe service for Vanda’s many systems –the fridge, heater, AC, vent, fuses, nuts and bolts and whatever else they will check. After all, we have another 100,000 miles to travel in the coming years…
