ot: 4 years in a camper van

[sparky33]

Do people go to Instagram for a healthy dose of reality?
Consider that those folks who are monetizing the vanlife are crafting an image of what people want to see, and maybe that thing is a bit of a whimsical day dream. The NY article is a piece of the image too.

Judging someone from those superficial snapshots is brash.

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

I just read that thing. There are some real jaw droppers in there, but, I'll just highlight one: "I no longer define work by money, instead seeing it as our focused action collectively creating our world,” she wrote. “Currently my work is storytelling and aligning with companies supporting our lifestyle and Earth.” There was no mention of drugs. How do you talk like that without being stoned?

It's like somehow many people have figured out how to create a fictional world that only existed in advertising, and call it work. And, it seems, millions fantasize being them. Very strange.
I would love to fast forward and see where they are in fifteen years. My bet is that she dumps him for some wealthy hippie before her body goes south, and he winds up working as a camper mechanic.

Btw, Google Van Life. It's a whole world out there.

[zlin]

*if* their goal is to build a brand around whatever that may be these days, it's working as you're talking about them. my guess is they are not waking up in a national park lake talking about your office or 401k.

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

I just read that thing. There are some real jaw droppers in there, but, I'll just highlight one: "I no longer define work by money, instead seeing it as our focused action collectively creating our world,” she wrote. “Currently my work is storytelling and aligning with companies supporting our lifestyle and Earth.” There was no mention of drugs. How do you talk like that without being stoned?

It's like somehow many people have figured out how to create a fictional world that only existed in advertising, and call it work. And, it seems, millions fantasize being them. Very strange.
I would love to fast forward and see where they are in fifteen years. My bet is that she dumps him for some wealthy hippie before her body goes south, and he winds up working as a camper mechanic.

Btw, Google Van Life. It's a whole world out there.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by zlin

*if* their goal is to build a brand around whatever that may be these days, it's working as you're talking about them. my guess is they are not waking up in a national park lake talking about your office or 401k.

Ha, that's one of the funny little facts that she whined about in the article. They can't go deep and do the life in national parks because there's no wifi or connection. Irony.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by sparky33

Do people go to Instagram for a healthy dose of reality?

Judging someone from those superficial snapshots is brash.

I started going to Instagram because I'm a photographer, and that was the original intent of that platform, to display images. Somehow it mutated into this lifestyle/"brand" promotion thing. Weird.

And, why not judge someone from those "superficial snapshots" when that is the material that they want to be judged by? What else is there? A few inane 140 word ramblings about their "lifestyle"?

[commonguy001]

back to the van conversion topic for a moment
https://wayfarervans.com/walter-camper-kit/ does a drop in kit for Promasters which seems to get you a fully built camper van for a fairly reasonable price (without heat or bathroom).
Would be a cool rig get out and hit remote MTB locations in the mountains or UP of MI, something along those lines.

[Mr. Pink]

Nice. Affordable.

[gemship]

Living in a van down by the river.

[gemship]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

I just read that thing. There are some real jaw droppers in there, but, I'll just highlight one: "I no longer define work by money, instead seeing it as our focused action collectively creating our world,” she wrote. “Currently my work is storytelling and aligning with companies supporting our lifestyle and Earth.” There was no mention of drugs. How do you talk like that without being stoned?

It's like somehow many people have figured out how to create a fictional world that only existed in advertising, and call it work. And, it seems, millions fantasize being them. Very strange.
I would love to fast forward and see where they are in fifteen years. My bet is that she dumps him for some wealthy hippie before her body goes south, and he winds up working as a camper mechanic.

Btw, Google Van Life. It's a whole world out there.

Ha,ha. Gonna reply The ole' CL RR style and just say he is smart to suspect his honey ahh gold digging so in a fitful night of partying he gets her hips a swaying and plants one in her for the record books. Something to remember him by then she truly will need some goof ball B. Gates to her rescue.

Don't let the tire iron hit you on the way out.

[steveoz]

and as a related/not related subject I opened my instagram and the first post was from AARP about- of all things- # VANLIFE.... I'm totally sure big brother is watching now..and no I did no #vanlife searches other than looking at the post in the forum and clicking the link to the Huffington Post article

[JAGI410]

Originally Posted by commonguy001

back to the van conversion topic for a moment
https://wayfarervans.com/walter-camper-kit/ does a drop in kit for Promasters which seems to get you a fully built camper van for a fairly reasonable price (without heat or bathroom).

Reasonable price? Not really. Here's my gripe. If you don't have the mechanical ability to work on a van, you shouldn't be relying on it to take you to the ends of the earth. If you don't have the time to outfit your own van, then you probably don't have time to go on adventures. I know I'm probably alone on that gripe, but whatever.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by JAGI410

Reasonable price? Not really. Here's my gripe. If you don't have the mechanical ability to work on a van, you shouldn't be relying on it to take you to the ends of the earth. If you don't have the time to outfit your own van, then you probably don't have time to go on adventures. I know I'm probably alone on that gripe, but whatever.

Huh? I don't need it to take me to the ends of the earth - I need it to take me to the coast this Friday night without a hotel reservation that'd cost me $300/nt if I could even get it...

I can work on bikes. I can barely hang up a towel rod. I have the time to go on adventures precisely because I work a job that maximizes the value I get for being good at the things I'm good at. I suck at carpentry. And if I tried to build out a van, it'd look awful and cost me way more in time than it would cost me in dollars to pay someone who actually knows what they are doing and likes doing it to do that thing. I can earn those dollars doing something I'm good at. If I derived pleasure from building out vans, that would be a different thing. But there is only so much time in the day, and I'd rather spend it riding or wrenching on bikes. Or actually using the van to get out of the city whenever I can.

[paredown]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Huh? I don't need it to take me to the ends of the earth - I need it to take me to the coast this Friday night without a hotel reservation that'd cost me $300/nt if I could even get it...

I can work on bikes. I can barely hang up a towel rod. I have the time to go on adventures precisely because I work a job that maximizes the value I get for being good at the things I'm good at. I suck at carpentry. And if I tried to build out a van, it'd look awful and cost me way more in time than it would cost me in dollars to pay someone who actually knows what they are doing and likes doing it to do that thing. I can earn those dollars doing something I'm good at. If I derived pleasure from building out vans, that would be a different thing. But there is only so much time in the day, and I'd rather spend it riding or wrenching on bikes. Or actually using the van to get out of the city whenever I can.

Agreed.

The trade-off is money vs time. If you are making a good living, buy the van ready to go, and grab those precious weekend days.

If you are gainfully unemployed and poor like me--it will be a DIY when the time comes.

I thought those kits looked like a pretty good start for a project--they would save quite a bit of trial and error fitting the panels.

[peanutgallery]

You IG your struggle to get to van life. #prevanlife

You could photo stage your attempts to work on your van. You could get sponsors and totally monetize it

New ground

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Huh? I don't need it to take me to the ends of the earth - I need it to take me to the coast this Friday night without a hotel reservation that'd cost me $300/nt if I could even get it...

I can work on bikes. I can barely hang up a towel rod. I have the time to go on adventures precisely because I work a job that maximizes the value I get for being good at the things I'm good at. I suck at carpentry. And if I tried to build out a van, it'd look awful and cost me way more in time than it would cost me in dollars to pay someone who actually knows what they are doing and likes doing it to do that thing. I can earn those dollars doing something I'm good at. If I derived pleasure from building out vans, that would be a different thing. But there is only so much time in the day, and I'd rather spend it riding or wrenching on bikes. Or actually using the van to get out of the city whenever I can.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by steveoz

and as a related/not related subject I opened my instagram and the first post was from AARP about- of all things- # VANLIFE.... I'm totally sure big brother is watching now..and no I did no #vanlife searches other than looking at the post in the forum and clicking the link to the Huffington Post article

Ha, #VANLIFE..renminded me of this..

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6h1vni

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Ha, #VANLIFE..renminded me of this..

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6h1vni

ahaha never seen that, amazing #totelife