I booked it today. It’s all paid for, the dates are set and in one month, I’ll be living the van life…well, at least for a few days.
I decided that before I commit to living in a van permanently, it might be a really good idea to lease the one I like and take it out for a practice run. I’m picking it up on a Saturday (mid-July) and living in it until Wednesday. This is the Roadtrek Simplicity–plain version of the Roadtrek Zion I plan on purchasing. It is nearly identical, except the Zion has the upgraded solar system and a bigger battery bank, with built-in generator for those cloudy days. This one has no solar, so it will be a good test to see how I do with limited electricity. The battery bank charges while driving, so unless I have to run the AC excessively, I should do fine. I will know that if I can manage with this set-up, the upgraded version will be a snap to live in!
So…where to go? I decided that to make this as close to my real life adventure, I should take it to a variety of situations. I want to simulate what my life will be like while actually living in a van, so I’m going to do one night at a campground, one night in a friend’s driveway, and maybe even one night in Cracker Barrel’s parking lot. (Cracker Barrel is very RV friendly and when you can’t find a campsite, Cracker Barrel allows you to stay in their parking lot overnight). I will spend a day at the beach, and a day exploring a nearby park. I’ll cook meals in the van and test out the shower and bathroom facilities on board. I will do my best to live as I will once I buy my own van. It feels like a final test to make sure that I’m ready to do this, and ready to commit to this particular van and floorplan. I’m excited, and I have to admit, I’m more than just a little bit scared. This makes it all feel so real! I’m really going to do this!
I felt last week that I was stuck in a holding pattern. I have things to do to prepare to get on the road, but I first have to clear out the building before putting it up for sale. (The auction is Saturday, June 22nd at 10:00 a.m. if any of you don’t already have enough “stuff” and are interested in coming to buy MY “stuff.”) Now, I have just about a month to gather whatever clothes I’ll need for 4 days, and pack some dishes, pots, pans, coffee maker, food, linens, DVD’s and a good book. This will be so interesting to see what I think I need, to learn what I truly DO need, and to see what all will fit in the van. When I go out for real, I will not just be taking enough for 4 days, but instead, will have to take enough for the rest of my life! This should be such a good way to see what the rest of my life is going to look like. I can hardly wait!