My van is my “home on the road”. There is nothing particularly luxurious about it, but I am able to accomplish what I wish for a couple of months at a time while driving across the USA. Maintaining joy is about creating a rhythm while on the road. Just as we have daily habits at home, I maintain a few while traveling in my van. The major ones are what I refer to as my 5-4-3 plan.
Five: no more than 500 miles driven per day. Since I often stop at various local places during a day’s travel, which do take time, driving less than 500 miles is a major part of my van travel.
Four: stop and set up camp by 4PM. Or maybe it will be a visit with friend or family, or a hotel night. Whatever; I find the 4PM time to be the start of a relaxing late afternoon/evening. Whether that be a walk, glass of wine, mug of beer, or time to sketch. It is nice to know my driving is done. I can stretch my legs outside of the van. It’s time for something else to be enjoyed.
Three: stay for 3 nights. It is necessary to knock off many miles day after day while traveling across the USA. So I choose specific places to allow for rest, thus a 3 night stay someplace, every so often. Once in an area, I may stay 3 nights or more and enjoy all I can with no rush off a next morning. Three nights allows for 2 full days of activity! I love these breaks!
Of course, since I have no additional heat or air-conditioning in my van, I have been known to cut short a stay to travel elsewhere away from wildfire smoke, hot or cold temperatures, or whatever is just not making my stay enjoyable. But for the most part, my 5-4-3 plan works for me.
Do you have a plan when you travel? What works for you? I’m always interested in hearing from others about their travel. In the meantime, travel safely. Maybe I will see you on the road!
After leaving Pueblo Colorado, I stopped at the Denver Audubon Kingery Nature Center in Littleton. I met friends there for some birdwatching time. As expected, with 3 sets of eyeballs we saw more birds than I would have on my own. And one bird was new for my life list, a red crossbill! Fortunately as I looked overhead, I could see the beak clearly… a crossbill. We saw 20 different species of birds as we also tip-toed off the center’s usual trail and into a patch of poison ivy! (We guessed, obviously not their property!) I camped north of Fort Collins, cycled a bike trail, found an ice cream place, and birdwatched at a lake and a reservoir during my 2 day stay.
Back on the road: I drove Interstate 25 all the way to Cheyenne, Wyoming! Then route 85 to Spearfish, South Dakota where I had a Harvest Host stay. Back on the road again, route 85, to Medora, North Dakota. After driving through so much rain, why was I surprised when I arrived at Theodore Roosevelt National Park Visitor Center to see rain?!? More about all of that in my next post….
Photos from the road… I stopped at a rest area to do some birdwatching:
Talk with a traveler and each has a story to share, if you are willing to take the time to listen. I always find it fascinating to talk with people. Some come from beyond the USA. Others travel while in work-mode. Some are retirees seeing the world. Many are enjoying the outdoors with family and friends during their vacation or weekend.
I drive a Promaster, low roof, short van. Other van drivers are happy to show me their set-up and share the extensive travel they have accomplished or plan to do. One couple I met in Colorado were on their way to work on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. I see their luxurious van accommodations and hear the love they have for their vehicle. They are leaving their Colorado jobs for this new adventure of travel and work. They quizzed me about various aspects of my van since their van was totally new to them! Of course, I looked at their set-up, thought it luxurious, and helped them with a few questions they had for me since my set-up is very basic. No refrigerator or toilet issues to ever happen with my van since I have none of that. But I loved their story and appreciated their respect for my bed, bicycle and sliding shelves installation. Next morning, they were on their way north!
Campers walk by my van at a campground and quickly notice how simple my set-up is on arrival. I back my van onto a site, make sure my bed is level, set a step stool on a mat outside my side sliding door and I am done. At meal time, I pull out a milk crate containing my backpacking stove, dishes, and food. People stop by my campsite and ask what’s inside the van since I am cooking outside it! They are surprised to see its simplicity and then I hear their story. Some people have huge recreational vehicles and may even be pulling an additional vehicle behind it. While looking at my set-up, many people realize they could not do what I do … and that is okay … we each need to travel as we wish!
One Canadian couple converted a used ambulance to a camper with toilet, sink, stove, refrigerator and bed. They were walking the campground at the moment because they were waiting for a transmission repair. Bummer…. but we talked about their travel from Ontario, Canada to New Mexico with many miles completed. They shared information about Harvest Hosts; the joy they had in meeting other people on the road and supporting local businesses. I too have now had Harvest Host experiences, such as at Blue Heron Cheese in Tillamook, Oregon. It was great and I will continue to visit Harvest Host sites. Next morning I left the campground and hoped the Canadians would soon be back on the road.
At another campground a man looked at my van’s set-up and asked if he could call his daughter over for her to look at it. I said sure, thinking she was twenty years old or older. A teenager arrives and her father says, isn’t this what you are thinking about for your travel? That was so cool to think this young person was thinking about her future travel!
So… take time to talk with others … they may have an interesting story to share with you! To me, it is another advantage of travel!
I often camp at Kampgrounds of America (KOA) locations due to the clean restrooms, security, and the fact there are many locations around the USA where I can easily book a site. Each night I walk around the campground to stretch my legs and talk with fellow campers. I continue to be amazed on the size and variety of vehicles people use for their travel. My van is puny compared to some of the other travel vehicles. That’s okay though. My van allows me to travel and live simply.
See my white van in the middle of all?
Conversations are often about the fact I have no additional air-conditioning or heating unit and that the van is a short length. Well for one person it is large enough! If it gets too cold or hot in a place, then it would be time for me to move on anyway, right? Or get snuggled in my down sleeping bag or have a breeze blowing though the van screens.
The luxury of moving on is always available. As a matter of fact, I rarely leave items at the campsite even when I plan to be there for a few days. This worked to my advantage one time while in Barstow, California. It was so hot, over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, that I decided to take a drive and run the AC so I could cool off. While realizing the temperature was never going to be low enough to sleep comfortably in the van and I was not going to set up my tent since it still would be too hot, I decided to lose my campground cost, drive elsewhere, and get a hotel stay. I hope that does not happen often, but the flexibility I had made it all easy to accomplish.
My goal the first three days of travel: drive from the hot desert of southeastern Arizona to a cool forest of northwest California and begin a coastline adventure of Oregon and Washington.
Day 1:
There is a blue-winged warbler in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Since I am passing the place then no reason not to stop and find the bird! Well it was off the interstate by some distance but doable. I was up at 4:30am, out the door of my home by 5am, and at the birding site by 7:30am. Other birders were on the trail with the same goal. We commiserate together as we wait and watch and hope. I was fortunate to talk with a woman who had seen the bird the last few days and knew the bird’s routine! (That is a true blue birder!) Long story short, the blue-winged warbler arrived, hopped around deep within the ash tree branches. I saw it and have no photo! It was amazing to see the bird though.
My destination for the night was to visit friends in Sedona, Arizona. Always wonderful to see them, drink wine and enjoy delicious food with a friend who is a fantastic cook. My partner rented a place for time away from our desert heat, thus I could sleep on a real mattress for one more night before the van adventure really starts.
Day 2:
With a beautiful sunny blue sky, my partner and I walk after breakfast and see the new housing in the Sedona area where we used to live. Once headlined on USA Today’s newspaper as the “best place to live” led to everyone descending on the area. Now every housing lot is built upon. Plus half the people eventually driving their rental car from the Phoenix airport to Grand Canyon National Park, drive through Sedona and seem to discover traffic circles for the first time in their life!
I take off and just 15 miles down the road I am in a thunder, lightning and torrential rainstorm on the interstate. When truckers put on their emergency flashers I know this is quite the downpour! No hydroplaning, clean windshield, and thoughts of appreciating my van, knowing I will not be setting up a tent in the rain tonight.
I head to Williams, Arizona where I will overnight. Time exploring Kaibab Lake and downtown Williams were also on the agenda before settling back at the campground for dinner. While waiting to check in at the campground, the woman at the desk finished her statement to another as she looked at me, “and so I am working on my AB list”. I asked her about her AB list. Years ago she wanted to hike a trail at Walnut Canyon National Monument, near Flagstaff, AZ. Her husband, Bruce, said she should not … and so she did not. She kept a list of things he pooh-poohed and ever since Bruce died she has been doing the activities on her “After Bruce” list.
(Just so you know: Walnut Canyon National Monument has cliff dwellings 350 feet below the canyon rim. 240 steps down for the visitor … thus 240 steps back up. Bring water, wear good shoes, and take your time as you walk the path of the ancient inhabitants and see 20 ruins. It is a worthwhile visit.)
At Kaibab Lake, I discover it is an area enjoyed by fishermen and campers. It is in a beautiful setting where I saw a bald eagle, osprey and great blue heron. I witnessed how crowded the town of Williams can be in the summer. So busy with all its hotels, cafes, and shops selling all sorts of knickknacks. This town is at one end of the train line that runs north to Grand Canyon National Park. Have you visited Grand Canyon National Park? That is a must visit for anyone in the area!
Kaibab Lake
Day 3: Williams, AZ to Barstow, CA
This is not rocket science. Waking to a 55 degree AZ morning … but it is 78 degrees already in Barstow, my next stop. I am leisurely enjoying the morning here. The cool breeze through the ponderosa pines and Steller’s jays stop by. My 105 degree California afternoon of adventure can wait.
I left the campground at 9am with time to detour to the London Bridge in Lake Havasu City. So I did. Lake Havasu City is about 20 miles south of Interstate 40. Easy detour and perfect time for me to check out the area. Boating and fishing is huge here, but I wanted to see the London Bridge. It was originally built in 1830s and spanned London’s Thames River. Robert McCulloch bought the bridge in 1968. He had granite blocks cut from the original bridge brought to the United States. Reinforced concrete structure then had the original masonry on it. In 1971 the bridge was complete linking an island in the Colorado River with the main part of the city. I walked along the Bridgewater Channel canal to take this photo.
London BridgeAnother Colorado River stop with Santa Fe Railroad
Yes, it was very, very hot and I was happy to get rolling down the road again. A short while later I stopped at another section of the Colorado River. No birds, just boaters. The train is often seen as this was a main route across the USA. I am driving across the Mojave Desert. It is known for the hottest air temperature … you may have heard of Furnace Creek in Death Valley. The record: 134 degrees Fahrenheit on July 10, 1913. There is truly no joy in stopping at a rest area when it is so very hot. 105 degrees at the moment.
I check in at the campground. After eating some food I decide to check out Liberty Sculpture Park. Somehow I missed the park. If there be one advantage to having everything in the van when I leave a campsite, this was the day! Using my phone, I reserve a hotel room about 20 miles down the road and head there for the night. Air conditioned room, a shower and a good night’s sleep are needed. I have a 6 hour drive the next day. That’s the way adventure travel happens. So much for the best of plans … do what is best to stay safe and healthy! It may require a detour!
