When most people think of vanlife, they picture winding roads, mountain views, or cozy mornings with coffee in hand. And while that’s part of it, there’s another layer that doesn’t get talked about enough: the emotional journey. Imagine feelings of calm, peace, awe and freedom …  but that’s just the surface.

In our recent women’s vanlife Zoom call, we opened up a safe space to talk about what really comes up when you live on the road. What came up was beautiful, raw, and honest. 

When many of us first step into vanlife, the idea of dispersed camping—parking your van out in the wild, away from campgrounds and hookups—sounds both magical and intimidating. You picture waking up to mountain views with no one else around, but then the questions come: Will I be safe? What if I lose cell service? How do I even find these spots?

We had another incredible Zoom call with our vanlife community: Adventure Together, a Women’s Vanlife Collective, and the energy was high. There’s something powerful about gathering in real time to swap tips, share stories, and support each other on this wild ride of full-time van living.

Here’s what went down (and what’s coming up 👀)...

June Vanlife. The mountain states never disappoint!

New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Washington

Adventures with friends and family and new vanlife community.

Safety in Vanlife

We recently had a discussion with women about safety on the road. It was very helpful for many of us and I want to share some thoughts.

Our fears on the road are a lot of times just in our heads. The fear is based on the story we are telling ourselves- which has to do with what messages we have been fed our whole life.

Living on the road in a van means that I am with another person 24/7. 

I didn’t anticipate how much that would effect me. I didn’t realize how much I need time to myself.  I did feel nudges to remind me of this along the way. 

These nudges felt like:

• an annoyance when my morning routine was disturbed.

• the desire just to walk away and sit or walk by myself. 

• an urge to lose myself in a good book.

• like I wanted to disappear. 

When we are at the brink of transition, so many questions arise: 

1. Where do I go from here?

2. What do I do?

3. What do I love?

4. Who am I now that the house is empty and work is done?

5. Why should I make a change?

These questions can be answered when we examine ourselves fully…when we adventure inside ourselves.

Winter is here. Time to winterize your van. Here is what we do…

August 2024 Vanlife Adventures. WY, MT, ID, WA.

There is nothing like the feeling of coming home.

It is an energy that I step into every time I go to Wyoming.

I put on a little John Denver and the comfort sets in.

I feel at peace and so grounded.

It feels like an energizing inhale and calming exhale.

What is your comfort zone? How do you define it? We all have one and it is different for everyone. You most likely have a comfort zone at work, at home, socially and outside of the home. Knowing what you are dealing with will help you be able to push outside of that zone while celebrating the progress you make.