VAN LIFE!!!

As soon as the psychopathic landlady started poisoning me with scents through the heating system, I panicked. Where can I go to be safe? I slept in my car a few nights, but tiny cars are not comfortable. I needed to survive. How? What can I do?

The stink started on a Monday, stopped on Tuesday, started again on Wednesday and Wednesday night I thought I should check Marketplace for safe space options. OMG! My dream van was staring right at me! Ford Transit Passenger Van with most of the seats removed and a BED in the back!! It was BLUE, not white as too often they are! I have been looking for a van since selling my old van in January unable to find anything in Washington. Here we are in Tucson where vehicles are not so often moldy, but I did not get too excited knowing how problematic used vans are for me. I wondered Would it work? Does it have air fresheners? Is it still available? Does it stink? Is it moldy? I contacted the seller who was very nice. He said someone had offered him lower than his asking price and plans to see and possibly buy it Saturday. He said if I want to pay the full price and can come soon...I made an appointment to see it the next day.

He was not home, but his adorable wife was with her two small children. She kept saying, "My kids are so taken with you and they are NEVER friendly with strangers!" I felt like I had known her for a lifetime. So comfortable. I asked about air fresheners in the van and she looked confused. Absolutely not! The van belonged to her mother-in-law who was a chiropractor and adamantly opposed to perfumes or scents of any kind! I sighed with relief then cheered enthusiastically. OMG! Perfect!

Meet Big Blue! Brand New!

I test drove it. Then asked if I could have it inspected, but it would involve driving the van back to the city. She said, "Sure! Take it all day! We were going to have that done next week." I took it to the Ford Dealership who did it for free which saved the owners money. Ford said it's in great shape. I bought it that Friday!! Easiest purchase I've ever made. How long did it take to find a van? If it's meant to be...!

I slowly started moving into it, not quite sure what I would need or what I was doing. I did an overnight test at a BLM campground outside of Tucson to see how it would work, if it would work, if I'd have any reaction. It was glorious. I started sleeping in it every night in different free or cheap camping sites in the greater Tucson area: Mt. Lemmon, Colossal Cave Mountain Park, Redington Pass, Tucson BLM, Patagonia BLM.

Mt. Lemmon

By the time I moved completely out of the apartment, I was ready for full time van living.

Well, not really! It was a steep, steep learning curve and although I have researched van living for at least two years, I felt so unprepared! The van didn't come with a manual and they are hard to find, so I don't even know how to work everything on the dash! It's disorganized, dirty, and dusty. It's a lot of driving. Parking this massive blue whale in the city is nearly impossible. OMG! How do I cook? How do I store food? How do I work? How do I shower? How do I pee?

I started slowly buying supplies I might need, careful not to go crazy buying the wrong things so it's been a slow process. I was warned wasting a lot of money is a weakness of all new van lifers. My priority was power so I could cook and work. I bought a Bluetti and took weeks to figure it out. (Bluetti sucks when it comes to instruction or support!) It can be charged with solar power, an AC outlet, or through the car cigarette lighter which is slower. Then I bought a rice cooker. Did you know you can cook a ham in a rice cooker? That was a tip I received from a truck-driving woman at a truck stop laundry.

BLM Tucson

Internet was a little more difficult. I started working at the local library and at various Starbucks. This also afforded me the luxury of charging up the laptop and my phone. Learning to type on a laptop was a learning curve all by itself, but I did it. Soon I plan to buy satellite internet with a roaming feature, but they are expensive so I'm researching it.

Lowell, AZ

I have yet to take a shower...it's been three weeks! But I do sponge baths every now and then, wash my feet all the time, and wash my hair in a cold bucket of water every couple of days. It's still a challenge, but I'm learning.

There are plenty of negatives which I dwelt on at first as I swam aimlessly in all this unimaginable stress. I'm finally starting to see the positives: NO CRAZY LANDLORDS!!!, no rent, no utilities, freedom to travel, when I moved out of the apartment what couldn't fit in my little car I moved with the van, I can transport my bike in it, and I'm meeting other van lifers in campgrounds all over!

Full Moon in the Morning

I stayed in Tucson for a few weeks to finish some work, then I headed out on the road. I was so happy to get away from Tucson and charging up the power supply through the van is much more user-friendly.

Can you believe this? I can't! I am living in a van! I look forward to spring and warmer weather when I can venture out and north. For now I'll stay where it's warmer and drier! Currently I'm in New Mexico!

And I'm safe. No matter what the future brings, I have a new safe space.

At the Continental Divide