The Road Is Open

I’m finally doing the thing. After a month spent mostly in my parents’ driveway, I cut the umbilical cord and went on the move. That means I have to figure out where to park every night, and where to fill my water tank, and where to throw out my trash. It’s an odd feeling, not knowing what comes next. As a lifelong planner, it takes some getting used to.

Before setting off in the van, I attended a vanlife festival in Colorado. I had gotten a day pass for the Peace, Love, & Vans festival back in March in Florida, having come across it completely by chance, and when they announced that they were adding a Colorado event I immediately signed up. That was before I realized that I don’t actually like driving that much. It was also before I had signed up for a charity bike ride during the second week of July in New Hampshire. The idea of repeating my 1,100-mile Florida-to-Massachusetts drive every week for four consecutive weeks was not appealing.

In the end, I bought a plane ticket to Denver, rented a van, and drove the 2.5 hours to the event. It was really fun and I’m glad I went. It was also a good experience to live in someone else’s vision of a furnished Ram Promaster. It made me appreciate mine that much more. The event drew over 500 vans from all over the country, and it was great to be in community with so many people who have made the same unconventional choice that I have.

I spent a lot of time at the festival walking up and down the aisles of parked vans, talking to the owners. I’m particularly intrigued by the DIY vans and how creative they are. There were SO many dogs at the festival, I think at least half the vans had at least one. I saw two cats, including one in her owner’s arms on the dance floor. I met a young woman whose YouTube videos were incredibly helpful to me when I first started my build. I approached her and started gushing about how much I love her faucet and that trick with the playdough. She was very gracious, and I hope I was more eloquent than I felt.

I started this latest trip with an overnight visit to a friend who lives just west of Boston. Then I spent a night in the Berkshire Mountains, complete with a 4-mile hike. More specifically, in a Walmart parking lot in the Berkshires. I continued west into New York and stayed overnight in a campground just outside Rhinebeck, so I could fill my fresh water tank. Today I’m headed to Westchester County to see Carey, and then tomorrow and the next night I will visit friends in Wappingers Falls and East Chatham. After that, who knows. Pick a direction and head that way.

In the two and a half weeks since I last wrote, I have had the pleasure of going on a few scenic hikes, several 20-mile bike rides, and enjoyed beautiful ocean, river, and mountain views. I’ve cooked delicious meals. I’ve slept soundly in my own bed, even though it is in a different location each night. I even bought a ukulele so I can teach myself to play. It’s like a van-sized guitar. I continue looking for a social work job, now that my gap year is over. I know the right opportunity will find me soon. All in all, I’m very happy with the life I have designed. I have no idea what comes next, but for once, that feels like freedom instead of uncertainty.