The @BAUVANN North American Tour is in Mammoth Lakes, CA!
 

Hey folks! Long time no see! I hope you all had a nice end of 2018 and are off to a great start in the new year.

Gonna try to keep this short (will eventually write up a full post on a yet-to-exist blog of some sort but I'm on my phone right now so it's gonna have to wait)...

After a year of trolling CL I bought a used sprinter van from an electrician in April of 2017. Over the next year or so I worked in my spare time to convert the van from an empty shell into a fully habitable camper. Fast forward to Thanksgiving 2018 - the van is complete after a month of rust repair/Bondo/painting during the wettest fall I can remember and a last minute visit to the shop.

First trip (Dec 1-22) - we (Eric + girlfriend Amanda and my cat Eddy Purrckx) hit the road south down the east coast to Florida and back up through Atlanta and Asheville. Lots of lessons learned and overall a good test run before holidays/bday with the fam in MA/NJ.

Currently, I'm sitting at the public hot spring water fill station in Hot Springs, AR - heading into the park today and then south into Texas. Dallas area on Sunday then on to Austin where we plan to spend a week or two, assuming we can find a consistent/free place to park.

From there, we head further South in Texas to Big Bend/El Paso and then west into NM/AZ and eventually north as things warm up, then back east...then west ha, we are planning on just roaming around for a year or so following the weather ;)

You can follow along on Instagram if you like, I'll be posting photos along the way to @bauvann (www.instagram.com/bauvann) and maybe creating a blog as well for posting larger pics and thoughts/experiences.

If any of you guys live in anywhere along the way I'd love to meet up and see some of your local roads/trails! Also appreciate any hot tips for free camp locations or other POI's worth checking out. Give me a shout here or via DM on Instagram. Service can be a little spotty in places but I'll get back to you asap!

Ill be sure to follow your journeys. I wish you the best of times on this great adventure. Enjoy Eric!

Any idea on your time frame for the Bay Area?

Dude. Will follow for sure. Utmost respect for getting out there and 'doing it'. My sister-in-law and her dude made this jump 4 years ago and they're loving it (still)(and now make a living from it).

But knowing a bunch who've attempted/still doing this type of thing one of the biggest advantages is knowing where you can safely park for night. If you guys hit Scottsdale ya gotta free spot. If not for the free spot, then I'd still like to meet the guy who's sold me a frame or two on here :p:p

Godspeed!

Very cool Eric. Will be sure to keep up to date with your ventures. Wish I had the cojones to do something like this.

I'm in Albuquerque. Let me know if you need a place to park.

Good for you Eric.

Hope you all have a grand adventure! Cool van too.


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Will be following to see how the heck you trained your cat to travel in a van! Mine can't stand a 5-min ride in the car without losing his s***...literally... :help:

Happy to show you around Portland and environs if you make it out this way too :beer:

Very cool and good on ya!

If you get to Spokane, WA, (and it seems like no one comes here unless asked ;0) there's a place to park, warm showers, if you want to spread out, a full and mostly unoccupied (my office is in one bedroom) and furnished basement with your name on it.

Oh, and full access to my shop. :cool:

Been following, and hugely jealous.

If you make it to the Wash, DC area; let me know.

Safe, but fun travels!

Pure Awesomeness
 

Eric's IG is always worth a follow, but now even more drool-worthy, if for a somewhat different reason. Godspeed and call if you make it to the left coast. :banana:

Of you make it through San Diego, I can show you around and point you towards some great food.

Been following the adventures, good on you for taking the leap.

Eric...you have to have a few Molteni decals made for Eddy.

That’s a bad ass can. Love the color