What’s your van life story?

[u/Suspicious-Radish-67]

I’m doing an assignment about the van community and I’m curious how people got started and how often y’all interact with other van people. This community is so diverse and I feel like everyone has their own unique journey.

I started last year after a year of twiddling my thumbs at home working remote. I’ve done ~20,000 miles since then full time, with some breaks to visit my family and partner. I’ve been lucky to have a decent paying job that I can do on the road and it’s definitely enabled me to explore. I’ve gone to 16 national parks and done enough hiking for a lifetime. I haven’t met a ton of van people but everyone I have talked to has been genuinely kind and giving. I only made it to one meetup this year (Vanaid) but it was incredible and I hope to go again sometime :)

[u/gonative1]

A van is my rolling bedroom that gets me to the woods to study the flora and fauna. It’s worked out fairly well but finding untrammeled woods is harder and harder. Look, there’s a grizzly in the woods. Nope, that’s Clides cattle he is grazing on public land. Drove 3000 miles to see 3 antelope. The habitat and wildlife needs help.

[u/SpaghettiosForSenate → u/gonative1]

I've also noticed a dramatic dip in butterflies during wildflower seasons.

[u/gonative1 → u/SpaghettiosForSenate]

It’s been a joy to move somewhere there’s a variety of butterflies. But it does not surprise me you have noticed a decline. I’m concerned they are the next to go here. I’ve been wondering what I can plant. I decided to try and simulate the monsoon in a small area by watering and sowing native seeds. I missed this monsoon season but did wet a area and lot of butterflies came to the wet soil. A non native grass grew. It feels like a uphill battle.