Our first four months of vanlife

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On March 6th, Reed and I got on the road. It was long overdue, a  dream that was 3 years in the making! Now, we were turning the key and putting our home on wheels into drive. We had our sights set on Bullhead City, Arizona. In Arizona, we would be meeting up with a few other vanlifers. I had been working for a start-up company for a few months and I was meeting the people that I had called teammates since October of 2020. 

We Picked Up The Van, Now What?

Why did I Choose Van Life?

Why did I Choose Van Life?

Bullhead City

Fast forward to Bullhead. We were greeted with big smiles and a warm welcome. Little did I know then that we would become fast friends with Natasha (Asha for short) and Anais. We spent the next week talking like we had known each other for ages. Even though I worked remotely with Asha and Anais for the past 5 months and talked via zoom, it still felt surreal. 

The Start Of Our Caravan

In April, we decided to embark on the open road together. We were going in the same direction for now, and that’s how we all liked it. We headed up to Lake Mead, where the heat and the wind tested us. The desert air wrung us out. Luckily enough, the water of Lake mead was a necessary reprieve from the long desert days. The hot, dry days greeted us when we woke up and lingered until the sun was far past the horizon. 

Lake Mead

During our time at Lake Mead, both Bella and Asha’s dog, Odin, got sick. We woke up one day to find Bella throwing up and shaking. Reed scooped her up into his arms, and we took her back to the van. We were both terrified and unsure of what we should do. We held her in our arms and kissed her head for hours until the shaking receded, and she fell asleep. Over the next few days, we monitored her, and luckily for us all, she fully recovered.

Next was Odin, who just a few days later began to throw up violently for hours. Thank goodness we were near Vegas, the city that truly never sleeps, and we found a 24/7 vet clinic. So at 11:00 at night, Reed and I jumped into Asha’s van, and we raced down the bumpy roads to town, which was an hour away.

Odin was finally seen at 1:00 am. A few hours later, he was brought back to the van, looking much better than when he had left. They gave him subcutaneous fluids, which are sterile fluids administered under the pet’s skin and absorbed over a period of time. So for the next couple of days, as Odin recovered, he had a liquid sac that bounced whenever he moved. Finally, we woke up on day two, and the sac was gone, and Odin had a pep to his step.

It was time to leave Lake Mead. Lake mead was a place of hardships but also many revelations. It was there at Lake Mead that I had some of my biggest breakthroughs. Lake Mead and that hot desert sun took a lot from us, but it also gave us a lot. 

Making Friends On The Road

We made our first travel friend at lake Mead. A man named Jon. He came up to us and asked us about our rig, and we sat around a fire together that night. At some point, after asking him his reason for getting on the road, he paused and said, “I’m just trying to find the purpose of it all.” Those words have stayed with me ever since.

Meeting Jon reminded me of a word that I absolutely love. Sonder, the understanding that everyone has a life as vibrant and brilliant as your own. He reminded me that one of the most beautiful things we can do for one another is to show up. Be present as we enter and take up space in another person’s life, even if only for a moment. We almost didn’t invite Jon to sit around the fire. Instead, we got to know him and even exchanged photography! You can see his work and travel adventure here:  jonzonk.com. 

Sedona

After we left Lake Mead, we headed to Flagstaff. We needed to gain some elevation and get out of the heat, and Flagstaff definitely delivered. So much so that it snowed the second day we were there, and we were worried about getting stuck in the mud. So we started up our engines once again and headed to Sedona. We had heard so many great things about Sedona that we all had to see it for ourselves.

The drive down is one of my all-time favorite drives on the road so far. The road from Flagstaff to Sedona led us down a curvy incline carved into the pink, purple and red rocks that stretched on and eventually met up with the creek below.

Truthfully, I had complicated feelings in Sedona. Reed and I ooohed and awed at the gorgeous natural landscape we were so grateful to witness. It was such a magical place, and it was clear that the people knew it. We saw an abundance of stores that had signs promising healing energy, restoration, charms, rocks, and tonics that we had ever seen, but I found myself conflicted. 

Buy From BIPOC Owned Businesses

We saw many stores that were selling Native American jewelry, but not any natives. When you look up the demographics of Sedona, according to the 2019 census, it is 92.2% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.9% Asian, and 0.1% Pacific Islander. It was hard to see such a wonderous place lacking in diversity. The Native American jewelry was absolutely stunning, but we all refused to buy the pieces from anyone but Indigenous peoples. From then on, we promised to make sure we prioritized supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color businesses. 

Sedona is home to four powerful energy vortexes, and I was giddy to see them for myself. Unfortunately, it turned out that the experiences from Lake Mead weighed on me more than I expected, and Sedona ended up being a place of reflection. Still, we did spend some time hiking and even hiked up into this cave that gave us a fantastic view of the beautiful lands we were on. 

Worlds Colliding

While we were in Sedona, my childhood best friend came to visit! Maddi and I grew up together in Denver, Colorado, but a few years ago, she moved to Tucson, and I hadn’t been able to visit her yet, so she came to me, and it meant the world to me. It was surreal to have Maddi see the van and see our life on the road. Having Maddi meet Anais and Asha were really meaningful. To have my worlds collide in this way was absolutely mind-blowing and surreal. When Maddi left, we promised her that we would come to visit her in Tucson soon, which Ree and I did a few weeks later. (To read about that, go here to our Tucson guide.) We spent a week in Sedona, and Reed and I made plans to visit Maddi in Tucson, and then we would all meet back up in Flagstaff. 

Flagstaff Round Two

There was something about Flagstaff that was calling our names once more. So a week later, we arrived in Flagstaff, and we all celebrated Bella’s seventh birthday around a fire. Flagstaff was just what we needed. Anais and Asha set up their hammocks, and we had the best fires together in that place. We had potlucks and spent time walking and hiking together. 

In Flagstaff, we came to the fork in the road to decide to either continue traveling together or part ways. It turned out that we all had obligations at the beginning of July, so why not stay together until then?

Favorite Arizona Moments

Some Of Our Favorite Arizona Memories Include:

• Snowboarding the biggest mountain in Arizona!
• Swimming at Fossil Springs
• Exploring Tucson
• Hiking Clear creek
• The stunning variety of beautiful Cactus’s down south
• Driving from the top of Oak Creek Canyon, into Sedona (talk about amazing views)!

California Here We Come!

So together, we hatched a plan to make our way to Oregon! Asha had a goal to reach Portland, and if we got there by way of California, Anais could show us some of her favorite spots in LA, which had been her home base before getting on the road. So off to California we went.

We first drove South West to San Diego, where we immediately went to Ocean Beach (Dog Beach). We could hardly wait to let Bella out to see the beach for the very first time. She absolutely loved it and ran for hours, swam, and even met a parrot! We ate seafood tacos and boogie boarded our way through Southern California. It was exciting to reach the ocean after so much anticipation finally. The dogs absolutely loved dog beach, and we had a great time.

We had to travel as stealthily as possible through much of southern California because laws in place prohibit RVs and vans from the areas overnight. So we had to get creative, but we made it work. 

Sequoia National Park

Facts About The Biggest Trees On The Planet!

• General Sherman Tree stands 275 feet tall and is the largest tree by volume in the world!
• Sequoias can live over 3,000 years and have adapted well to surviving fires. Still, they’re being threatened more than ever.
• During the time of the Dinosaurs, these tree’s flourished everywhere. Wow, they are prehistoric looking!
• Today they’re confined to a small region in California. They grow in groves, small patches throughout the forest. 
• They’re unlike anything you’ll ever see. We highly recommend them!

Sequoia National Forest is one of my (Reed) favorite places ever. The history of the trees, their size, and their lifespan are so fascinating. Not only are they breathtakingly beautiful, but they’re strong, intelligent, and resilient. Can you imagine what they’ve seen, learned, and endured during 2,500+ years of life?

Fireproof (for now) – Their bark acts as an insulator, keeping the core from overheating as fire torches its exterior. Afterward, their bark grows around the burn healing the tree as it continues to grow.

Walking next to these giants, I can imagine a time long, long ago, when dinosaurs ruled and walked amongst these trees. It feels surreal and is a great example of the beauty and power of our earth.

Los Angeles

In LA, we got to meet Anais’ grandparents, which was a treat! They welcomed us with open arms. We also ate at a few of Anais’ favorite spots. After that, we spent a couple of days right by the beach in LA. We kayaked and saw dolphins, and Reed and I saw a seal pop its head up just a few feet from the bow of our kayak. 

After LA, we made our way to Sequoia National park, which Reed proclaims as one of his favorite places in the world. Something was mystifying about being surrounded by these beautiful trees, which towered above us. These gentle giants were here when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, and we felt so grateful to experience them firsthand. In SequoiA, Anais’ truck got stuck in the mud, and we were lucky enough to grab the attention of two professional soccer players who helped us out. 

Potawot Community Garden

Next came Arcata, where we met up with a friend and got to spend the day volunteering at the Potawot community garden. Home to the Potawot indigenous tribe, they have created a community garden to educate and serve the community with fresh produce at an affordable rate. We all agreed that this was one of the highlights of our trip. 

After Arcata, we headed to Portland, and we spent a few nights at Wahkeena falls, taking in the awe-inspiring waterfalls that happened to be right outside our van doors. We spent two nights there and fell in love with the area- it’s a place I promised myself that I would return to. 

Oregon And Washington

Our time in Oregon and then Washington was short but sweet. We had enjoyed our time in California, and we couldn’t imagine the trip getting any better…but somehow it did. We have been asked what our favorite places have been, and Oregon stands out for us. There we found lush forests, breathtaking mountainsides, and countless waterfalls.

Crater Lake

We met up with a friend while we were in Oregon who took us to Crater Lake. All of us were awestruck by the beautiful deep blue water that looked almost unnatural, like a painting instead of a real place. We planned a hike for the day, and it seemed like the perfect day for it. The sky was blue, and the sun was shining. What could go wrong?

We must have spoken too soon because the moment we were outfitted and began the trek, the sky opened up, and we started getting hailed on! Then a fog covered the entire area. We all couldn’t help but laugh at the turn of events and decided to do the hike anyway. The fog brought a mystical reverence to the forest, and we found ourselves in awe of the landscape in a brand new way.

Multnomah Falls 

We kept moving North and traveled to Multnomah falls next. Multnomah Falls is an area that has several trails loaded with different waterfalls and scenic forests. 

Facts About Multnomah Falls

• Named after the Multnomah Tribe
• 2ND Largest year-round waterfall in the U.S
• The falls have a 620-foot drop 

The Wasco Indigenous people have a story that has been passed down for generations about these beautiful waterfalls. You can read the Wasco tale of Multnomah falls here.

Juneteenth

We originally had plans to spend Juneteenth in Oakland but, we collectively decided that we wanted to see more of what the pacific northwest had to offer, so we booked it to Washington just in time for the celebration. We are all so glad that we did. During our time in Oregon, we had met a guy named Nick at a planet fitness just outside of Seattle who recommended that we go to Jimmi Hendrix park. We had made other plans for Juneteenth that fell through last minute, so we decided to take his word and go. When we got there, the outdoor party was in full swing. There were booths everywhere, and there was a stage where people were taking turns hyping us up. There were poboys, soul food, and many other treats! We all jumped in to dance and had an amazing and empowering time. 

First Nationally Recognized Juneteenth

I am so grateful to have spent the first Nationally recognized Juneteenth with these amazing humans and surrounded by the people who were celebrating alongside us. 

For those of you who don’t know, Juneteenth is ​​a holiday celebrated on 19 June to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the US. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where on that date in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, slaves were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation. It took three years for slaveholders in the south to tell their slaves that they were free., which is one of the many reasons that makes this holiday so important. It wasn’t until 2021 that Juneteenth became a nationally recognized holiday. So celebrating it this year, knowing that so many Americans don’t even know what this celebration is about, was so important for all of us. 

In Seattle, we visited the Starbucks reserve roastery and tried a few of their specialty drinks. We also visited Pike Place Market, where we went around and sampled the fare and bought some fresh Rainer cherries. 

Coming To An End

We spent the next day in Seattle and then booked it to the forest as the temperatures began to rise and the heatwave breathed its fiery breath down our backs. 

We spent our last two days together doing what we did best. Talking and supporting one another, asking introspective and thoughtful questions, and generally enjoying our time together. 

Saying Our Goodbyes

On the day we parted, we had one last hoorah. We took a drive down to Cannon beach. I wrote this as Reed drove. “It’s a strange feeling to be once again entering a new chapter in our story. We have spent the past four months traveling in a caravan, and soon, we will be back where we started. Just the two of us (including Bella and Rita) on the road headed back to where to all began. We will be back in Boulder, Colorado, where our journey started in a week. 

Butterflies rise to my chest as we once again embark on the unknown. Later today, we will say our goodbyes to our steadfast travel companions. We will have our final hugs goodbye. Our final waves and we will point the bow of our van towards Colorado. 

But right now, at this very instant, we are weaving through the curvy roads of rural Washington, about to drive over the bridge that takes us into Oregon. 

We have driven through so many terrains together, these two vans and their captains, and passed over countless bridges and through various forests. We have made our way through deserts and near oceans and lakes and rivers. Yet, looking in the mirror and seeing the white vans following close behind has become a constant, and so soon, I will no longer see their comforting presence close behind. 

What is friendship, if not a comforting presence, that follows and leads and guides you throughout your life? 

I didn’t know that these two people would become such a crucial part of the first segment of our vanlife story. I didn’t know that they would change how I do vanlife moving forward.

Just The Beginning

All I know is what happens next is the true test of our friendship when we don’t see each other every single day. When we have to put in the effort to make phone calls and check in. I don’t know where our friendship will go, but I do know that we have reminded each other what friendship is about.

We all sat on the beach, our feet in the sand, listening to the calming lull of the waves, not ready to part ways but knowing of its imminent inevitability. Soaking in one last moment as a caravan. We had made it through four months together. It almost feels like a dream, but the road has gifted me two lifelong friends, and I’ll always be grateful for that.

This isn’t goodby; it’s goodbye for now.

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