Wednesday 30 July 2014

Airing My Dirty Laundry.

To date, I've been successful keeping things relatively tidy and clean - but I am having an issue with running gear.

I go for a run and then need to put up with it until I do laundry. To make things worse...it's right next to my head when I sleep.

It's to the point that I'm contemplating strapping a plastic pail to the roof to keep it in - I'm not sure what else I could do. Ideas?

Van Land

Squamish has the most vandwellers per capita that I've seen so far. This was expected as a large chunk of their summer population are climbers - who more or less gave me this idea in the first place. As the sun sets, you see vans of all makes and models (gucci Merc Sprinters to creeper Dodge RAM vans) trawling around looking for a good spot to settle. I assume they notice me too...but so far I haven't actually had a conversation with anyone about it. It's pretty normal here so it's NBD. I am curious what the locals think - as this is a large part to economy (I would assume). I also think it would be really interesting to get a cross section of people who vandwell - what they do in RL etc.

Seeing how easy this has been so far, I can't help but feel this sort of living is going to grow in popularity. I recently read about a  football player taking flack about buying a conversion van. He has my vote!

I'm not saying everyone is going to go out and live in a van - that would be ridiculous. Hear me out:
  • The microhouse/loft trend seems to be gaining traction. The sheer economical strain home ownership and maintenance puts on people would alone cause this...however, combine that with:
  • The mobile employment.  Video conferencing has been around forever - however only recently has it been painless. Similarly mobile work is now similarly easy. Free wifi is abundant, cellular data is fast enough not to be a hindrance...not to mention it's coverage is expanding. This opens up living more remotely - without being a total technological hermit. Suddenly a 'cheap' lot out in the sticks or small island isn't so unappealing. The more people do this, the more services will adapt making it easier.
    Someone once said to me "Work where you live, not live where you work" - it had a profound effect on my attitude towards careers (both my "first choice careers" would have posted me where ever they chose).
  • Realization that the "American Dream" is a little flawed. House in the suburbs, 20+ year career, 2.5 kids - minivan (I have that part!).  I think the materialistic attitudes are shifting as cost of living goes up - not everyone is cool with accruing massive debt.  To boot, careers aren't as stable - so long term financial planning is a little trickier. I've started to hear from my square (for lack of a better word) friends how they are realizing living - more focused - has it benefits (I refrain from using 'simpler' or' 'frugal' here, as that doesn't need to be the point). Hear me out:
People generally have a set image of how their lives should turn out. I know I did - from grade 8, I aimed to become a pilot in the CAF. I figured I would be married around 24, have a degree, buy a house, have kids etc - even down to having a Jeep (not sure why, I guess I thought they were cool). In retrospect, it was more or less what my parents did. It was only after my release from the forces and bouncing around for a while, did I realized this wasn't going to happen - and that I needed to start looking at alternatives.

Whether or not I actually diverge from the standard path permanent is yet to be seen - it would be ironic if I end up with a white picket fence. One limiting factor is romantic partners - I know my ex had a hard time wrapping her mind around a microhouse - as it didn't fit her schema of the future. You know what they say "Women! You can't live without them - you can't live with them...in a van".

Tuesday 29 July 2014

Sun, sun...

Out of habit, I sat on the patio at the Howe Sound Brewery. It's what you do in the summer, enjoy a beer in the sun. However, I quickly realized I wanted to be inside. I relocated and found it was a relief to find shelter in the dark.

One factor I didn't consider in all of this was the effect of the sun. "I'll be outside more. Great." was the extent of it. There is little escape from it when living in a van. The interior gets really hot (I should get a temp reading), which  in turn, forces me out into the sun.

I'm already getting pretty tanned - I might have a tan that is the envy of everyone on Wreck beach by the end of it.

On Suffering

Some times the only path to an end is to suffer.

The Chief looms over Squamish - so after staring up at it for a few days - I decided I wanted to run up it. I can't say my fitness has been optimal, so I knew it was going to be a struggle-fest. Good thing I'm a sucker for punishment.

My fitness got me half way and my ego dragged me the rest of the way. After the first half, ascending rapidly might be a more apt term than the word 'running'.  I had a nice long rest on the first peak. Soaked up the sun and chatted with randoms. On the way down I felt good, so I decided to run up Peak 2.  Repeated the break procedure.

Ran into a girl I went to middle school with. That was weird - small world eh?

I was starting to overheat on the way down (ran out of water going up second peak). I hoped a fence and bathed like a troll under a bridge crossing a stream. Best idea ever - it was amazing - cold and refreshing.

Even while suffering, there is usually a temporary reprieve and opportunity for enjoyment - if not, it'll be over eventually....... ;-)

Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory. - William Barclay





River of Blood

It won't come as a surprise that my morning routine is pretty simple.

The sun wakes me. I stow my thermarest and stuff my sleeping bag away. Walden then takes me to the nearest Starbucks. There I quickly brush my teeth etc - then settle in with a coffee and check my email for work.

Today I decided to shave. In my haste I cut myself (new razor). I knew I had taken a good chunk out of my chin but for that split second before the elevator doors opened - I thought that I might get away without bleeding.

Nope.

I started to bleed out like a stuck pig. It ran down my chest and dripped off my chin into the sink. It took a while to staunch the bleeding - so after cleaning the bathroom like a crime scene, I finally came out clean shaven and sheepishly ordered my morning coffee, all the while holding a bloody paper towel to my face.

Monday 28 July 2014

Idle Hands Are The Devil's Playthings.

I'm currently in Squamish, BC - the "outdoor recreation capital of Canada" - at a fucking Starbucks.

Starbucks has always been big  part of the plan as it provides a cool place for me to work - however, the sad thing is - I've been caught up since I rolled into town. When you work at Starbucks consuming copious amounts of caffeine laced products - shit gets dooooonnne. Yet, I keep returning despite a lack of work - a familiar pattern is slowly emerging - I'm bored, lonely and I am idly spending time on my Facebook attempting to fill that social hole.

At the outset of this experiment (for lack of a better word), I was looking forward to unplugging - particularly from Facebook. I love/hate being socially connected/disconnected from everyone in my life.  As computers are a hobby and job for me, I've almost constantly have Facebook open - I am finding that tether difficult to cut (I've refrained from a cellular data plan for this very reason). It's one of those things, can't live with it - can't live without it.

Facebook exemplifies how much I enjoy/need socializing. This surprises me, as I've always felt pretty independent - sometimes finding socializing downright exhausting. I wonder without social constants, if that need is increased. Is seeing a friend daily for a week more satisfying than seeing seven different friends? Going on dates with many women less satisfying than loving one?

I feel a bit like I'm waiting for someone to call and only have a land line (yes - the good old days). Logically, I should just carry on with my life, if it's that important...they'll call back.

Obviously one way to avoid this is to keep busy - but I can only run so far - figuratively and literally. 

Having only a tenuous social connection to Squamish - it's the really first destination in my journey where I don't really have something to do/someone to visit. I did laundry and some cursory exploring today but found my outlook lackluster. Don't get me wrong - I'm still really enjoying this and feel there are a lot of perks. If I'm brutally honest, I probably would be almost as bored and lonely in an apartment.

I've started to try reading Walden's namesake Walden by Henry David Thoreau - a book about a the author's time alone in an isolated cabin. Perhaps it will lend some insight to isolation.

I do look forward to seeing my orienteering family this weekend in Whistler.

Shadow creeping up the chief this evening.





Sunday 27 July 2014

Range Anxiety

I find myself getting anxious about leaving Walden alone. I've been having nightmares about him getting stolen or broken into. My heart skips a beat when I return to where I think I parked him and he's out of sight.
 
There isn't a whole lot to steal but it would be a massive inconvenience.

On The Run In Summerland.

I spent yesterday soaking up the sun in suitably named Summerland.

Had a lovely day with a friend and her awesome dog Mari. Hiked up Giants Head...took a couple photos and hiked down. Seemed like the appropriate action to take - tourists, am-i-right?

Summerland

A typical small community, Summerland's a ghost town after 5 - so after some sashimi, we sat on Main street talking about things like gas mileage (I'm a riveting conversationalist). It eventually came time to call it a night, I figured fuck it - why not just sleep here?

No sooner than crawling into the back - two cop cars pulled up and proceeded to have a pow-wow immediately behind Walden. Not wanting to attract the attention of bored, small town, cops - I kept my head down. After what felt like forever (obviously a slow night in Summerland) - one posted up immediately to my left.

After a while of pretending to be a  rear bench seat. I figured - fuck it, I ain't breaking no laaaaaws (or by-laws as far as I know) - I hoped in the driver seat and drove away.  Crawling away at 30km/hr, it felt like a high speed chase, watching the copper disappear in my rear view.

Avoided authorities for another day - until the morning. After evading the long arm of the law in Summerland, I settled down near the highway on a dead end road. I woke up around 5 to a truck driven by the man (had the gov logo on the side) - circling my van. Obviously doing the rounds (I was parked near some gov facility).  He drove off but I figured I should leave....so I threw on some shorts and drove down to the water for a morning swim. Just as I was leaving, it he was returning up the road and glared at me. Who knows, he might have a resting bitch face like me - but I doubt it.

I jumped in the lake, watched the sunrise, then drove down to Penticton. The forecast is for 35C - so I think that is my cue to leave for more temperate climes.

Early morning dip
Watching the sun rise

Saturday 26 July 2014

Book worm

Day 13. Chef Boyardee rations are running low. Might have to start supplement my diet with the stuffing from the car seats.
* * *

I just finished reading Endurance, a book about Ernest Shackleton's expedition. Even after John ruined the ending for me (I really had no idea how it ended) - it was still a riveting read. I highly recommend it.

I've found I have a lot more time for reading - which is great - so now I'm looking for another book to read. Suggestions? Looking for something similar or topical.

The Sun Rises and Sets on the Walmart Empire.

Kelowna is a nice area. Bros abound -  it’s a bit like a Swollen Members music video. Tank tops, tans and toys - lifted trucks, wakeboards and quads.

I caught myself babbling on about militarization of police forces and media outlets with agendas yesterday while visiting with a friend at the beach. I realized “Shiiiiiiit, I’m a bit of a hippy”. In retrospect, Abbotsford may not have been the best spawning ground for discovering this side of myself.

Ten years ago, I was all set to be a G-man (military or police). My time in Victoria definitely rounded my edges and eroded away some superficial bullshit - not quite to the point of psychedelics, pot or petiole - but definitely more granola. The question is, would I have eventually found this facet of my personality? Or does one need to be immersed in a sub-culture to adopt their perspective? (could be said about living in a van). The overall effect is that I now like a martian whenever I visit places like Abbotsford or Kelowna - as my outlook is quite different to Joe Bro.

In Kelowna, I’ve stayed every night at chateau Walmart (it's amazing how quickly we establish routine) and watched the sun rise over the now familiar block this morning. Today is a new day - time to move on.  I’ll be heading down to Summerland do a spot of hiking/swimming - then likely westwards - back towards the Valley.

Friday 25 July 2014

Mr. Clean.

So for the record - apparently - not all wet wipes are created equally. I’ve apparently been using wipes designed to wipe down your kitchen and bathroom. I bought them because they were the largest package and figured citrus might help mask the scent of feral man that would permeate my van.

Got around to reading the fine print - NOT for personal hygiene - whoops.

Other than the citrus lysol smell, I haven't had any issues though baby wipes are probably a little kinder on the tender skin. ;-)

Level Three

My grandpa used to say "Flexibility is key to air power". Flexibility is key to success - that's true not only in combat but in life in general. One thing I'm enjoying about this lifestyle is that nothing is concrete. You must work with what you are presented with.

I leveled up today - I took a ‘shower’ in a parking lot.

The thunderstorms rolled on through, and left yesterday overcast and rainy. The perfect opportunity to go for a run as I’m a bit of a wilting flower in the heat - rain is a perfect coolant.

I chose the Mission Creek greenway with the intentions of rinsing off in the creek afterwards. Upon arrival, I found it to be silty and engorged with runoff from the rain. Instead, I filled a 4L jug of water in the bathroom, found a quiet corner in the lot and dowsed myself. I was thinking a watering can could be handy...

It worked well, obviously not as thorough as a proper shower or splash in a river, but I felt quite clean afterwards.

Follow the path less traveled, when it ends - keep on running.

Thursday 24 July 2014

Rain rain...

I slowed down to smell the roses yesterday - a nice change from racking up the miles. I need to constantly remind myself I have nowhere I need to be until August 2nd (more orienteering!).

After hitting Starbucks for a couple of hours - I drove around the corner to a park and cooked up some oatmeal. There were some city workers and big signs saying no camp fires. I was a little concerned they'd tell me to cut it out - but then I remembered they were city workers. They don't care.

My kitchen has an expansive granite counter top and gas stove. NBD

For those unfamiliar with the  MSR Dragon Fly - it produces a sizable flame while warming up - a huge one if I'm a little too generous with the gas. When it's going, it's very loud. Great stove though, simmers nicely.


My brother has always said "Easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission". I think that saying applies to this lifestyle. When in Edmonton, I camped on what appeared to be on a farm land - a road allowance according to one the guys (who claimed said road allowances were crown land). Traditionally, my mindset is the opposite...so I feel a bit uncomfortable doing things I'm not entirely sure are allowed. You know how some people just seem to get away every thing? I'm not that guy.

I then sat in the sun reading and working. A pair of women noticed I had been there for a while and commented on that fact. I replied that it was my office, to which one said "You mustn't see many clients!".
I can see why...I was shirtless, shoeless and sitting in a $9 chair I bought from Target.

I'm a pretty lucky dude.

Thunder warned of an imminent storm, so I retreated to my safe place. Starbucks. Unfortunately, then the power went out! Their policy is to kick everyone out when that happens! So I got booted out into a torrential downpour...with nowhere to go, I drove back to Walmart and dug in for the night.

If I had been in a tent, this would've sucked. I have been caught in some thunderstorms in my Hubba Hubba (yes, I'm an MSR fan boy) and it blew - literally and figuratively. Walden is a little more robust - and lightning proof - even cozy. I read for the rest of the evening and ate.

One issue with Walmart overnighting is there is nowhere to easily piss in the middle of the night. This happened the first night. The second night I made sure I had a bottle to piss in. I only recommend this in emergencies, as you then need to dispose of it (hopefully bottle pickers don't find it!). If you do this get a wide mouth 1L bottle (bladders hold 400-600ml).
.
Pretzel buns are delicious. Eat your heart out Wendy.
Rain at night isn't a terrible thing living in a van - it causes people to stay inside. This is perfect for sleeping in residential areas. It also keeps everything nice and cool - vehicles turn into a sauna otherwise (in this area, an oven). During the day it sucks as it limits exploring.

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Let me take a selfie...

I've retroactively added some photos to my posts. More to come!

Underwater selfie - Felt a little weird dunking a brand new camera into a stream.

Wth Friends Like These...

I have a friends scattered all over the place - which usually means I only get to keep in touch online. One advantage of traveling around I get to meet up with people from all points in my life. In Abbotsford and Chilliwack I reconnected with some of my oldest friends. Each subsequent stop I've met up with a friend to hang out, throw a Frisbee or have a BBQ - waaaay better than Facebook! :-)

One thing I am conscious of, is that it would be very easy to rely on my social network to make life easier - with this in mind, I'm trying hard not to. I probably won't refuse a quick shower but other than that I want to try to keep this adventure as independent as possible.

I had a lovely visit with my long time friend John and his wife Danielle here in Kelowna. We had a BBQ and caught up (it's been a while!). However,  I slept in a Walmart parking lot over the driveway at John's for that reason. I also wanted to - I read on Reddit* they allow overnighters and I hadn't tried it yet. I meant to in Edmonton, however the Walmart there were part of a mall (they didn't control their lot - which would entail contacting security for permission). Here in Kelowna there were a lot of people like me! RV's and vans everything....

I expected to run into some odd characters - "Hey there neighbor! Ain't it great we are weird together?' types (perhaps a good op to make new friends?!) - but it was nice. Everyone kept to themselves. That said - Walmarts are usually near highways and the lights can be quite bright (they luckily they shut a few off after they closed) - so if you go this route, I suggest curtains or something. So far, my favorite method is the stealthily in residential areas and boondocking in the sticks.

I'm very curious to see how allowing overnighters would affect business (I'd imagine it would be positive). Smart move Walmart.





*My traffic spiked last night. My brother posted a link to my blog in /r/vandwellers/  - I will post some pictures today.

Kit List

Given that I'd be driving a sub $1000 - I knew from the start that I'd be driving an 'reliably suspect' vehicle.  With that in mind, if I were to get stranded - my escape plan has always been to scrap the vehicle and hitchhike/greyhound it back to civilization. This also curtails the amount of stuff I bring with me.

Here is my kit list, more or less:

Bags:
  • Rucksack
  • Back pack (this is essential. Initially I planned on using a shoe bag for my laptop but I am sooooo glad I brought this).
  • Some shoe bags (used for organizing - I hang them behind head rests.

Sleeping:
  • 3/4 length Therm-a-rest
  • Silk sleeping bad liner (great for sleeping in if it's hot)
  • 0º MEC Raven down sleeping (I generally sleep with the zip full open and use it like a duvet)
  • MEC inflatable pillow
Cooking:
  • MSR Dragonfly stove (probably overkill for this but it's what I had) - I use white gas but can use a variety of fuels in a pinch. The main issue with the dragon fly is the noise - it's not very covert. Sounds like a small jet engine).
  • MSR water filter (use it to stock up on water when I'm out in the sticks)
  • 2 small hiking pots/tiny frying pan
  • Spork
  • Knife
  • Nalgene (additionally I have 3 jugs of water. 1 4L jug is drinkable - the rest I use for washing/coolant etc)
Clothing: Most of my clothing I chose is old and disposable. I did this in case I needed to ditch it for whatever reason or make a change (ie. I've been thinking it would be nice to buy more lightweight merino t-shirts, as they can be worn longer without washing).
  • 2 pairs shorts
  • day shoes
  • 1 pair jeans
  • 1 rain shell
  • a bunch of underwear/socks (7 pairs?)
  • t-shirts
  • a bunch of running gear (few pairs of shoes/shirts/shorts etc)
Toiletries: (I keep a lot of these in my day bag - so I don't need to remember to bring them)
  • Toothbrush/tooth paste
  • Soap
  • Deodorant 
  • $4 Flip flops (for the showers)
Electronics:
  • Laptop for work
  • Cellphone
  • GPS Watch (running)
  • Camera
Misc:
  • Wet wipes
  • Fabric Frebreeze
  • Shoe box (used as my pantry)
  • Laundry basket (used as my closet)
I think that is most of it. I'll add to it if I notice any glaring omissions.

Here are some pictures:

Side view. Pretty innocuous...even with the door open.

Interior. Trying my best to run a tight ship.

I have a lot of room. I'm 5'10" and can easily stretch out laying down.

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Okanagan Bound

I'm currently in transit to the Okanagan. Vernon to be exact.

Bought a Olympus TG-3 to take photos with. Figured I needed a top of the line tough cam to document my arduous journey from Starbucks to Starbucks. ;-)

I'm going to need to kick this adventure up a notch.

Driving through the Rockies, it's easy to realize how even an excellent camera wielded by a neophyte photographer cannot come close to capturing it's mind blowing beauty. I was overwhelmed with the number of photo opportunities - I had to force myself to keep driving in order to make some ground. When I did pull over, I was underwhelmed with the resulting photo. Not the fault of the camera - I need to develop some photographing skills.  Until then, if we're honest about it, my selfies and dick pics just shot up in quality.

One plan I had was to use Rideshare on Craigslist to help cut down on gas. So far that has been a flop - a couple almosts but didn't quite work out. Need to plan ahead a little more.

Boondocked down by a river near Roger's Pass last night.
Had a shower at a camp ground fro $2 (that's more like it). Feeling good.
Ichiban and ice cream for supper. Dessert first - cause I DO WHAT I WANT. ;-)

Boondocking enroute to the Okanagan

Sunday 20 July 2014

Adios Edmonton

Just spent the last night boondocking out in the sticks. Other than sleeping in random locations - life hasn’t been altered much. Maybe that is a good thing?

I’m still working on the nutrition side of things, fruit, Chef Boyardee and oatmeal will only get me so far. I eat out, here and there. Anyone have nutritious simple food ideas? Burritos maybe? I am tempted to try Soylent. Seems like the ideal food(?) for living on the go... :-)

Gas costs are much higher than I'd like - but that is to be expected traveling long distances (one nice thing is gas is @113.9 in Edmonton). I’ll try a week of being less mobile when I get back to BC. Squamish maybe? According to my calculations, my mileage is roughly 0.8 - 1L per 10k.

Showering remains the crux. I paid 9 dollars to shower and shave at a rec centre (drop in rate).  Showering regularly would be much easier to do if I were sticking around in a specific municipality so I could get a monthly pass. It was worth it - I hadn’t properly showered for a while, shaving makes me look like an upstanding citizen again….next time, I’ll plan to utilize the facilities a little better and have a steam or something.




My orienteering competition is over (I got rocked, but it was fun) - I'm looking to depart from Edmonton soon. My route back to BC is flexible (I have 2 weeks until I need to be in Whistler) - if you know of anything must see or do on the way back - let me know!

Saturday 19 July 2014

The Void

"A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week." -Gen. George S. Patton

My first orienteering race of the weekend was yesterday evening - General Patton would’ve been proud.

It was held in was a typical city park, open and runnable - so my strategy was a crude one, take rough bearings and run like hell. Long story short, it was a little too simplistic and didn’t work out perfectly. Brute force rarely works in orienteering (I should know this by now). My bearings were sloppy and I made some silly mistakes. The most notable was smiling for a photo, then running off in the wrong direction. That’s the last time I smile for a photo. Ever. ;-)

Immediately after the race, various tactics I should’ve used became apparent - using fences as guides, or slowing down when the controls were close together. This is always the case, which further emphasizes General Patton’s point that no plan is ever perfectly executed. Sometimes you just need to do it and figure out the finer details as you go. (“No plan survives contact with the enemy”- Moltke the Elder).

This does not come naturally to me.

Before starting anything - I like to have a pretty solid idea of what I’m going to do and how I’m going to do it. Life is chaotic, and the impulse is to control as many variables as possible. Common wisdom would dictate those without a plan will fail spectacularly. I think as we get older, after experiencing pain, disappointment and failure first hand - this becomes more ingrained. Naturally, we want to avoid it because it sucks. This is added to by observing our friends, family and others. Eventually, we have a pretty large experience base and a lot of reasons not to do things. Obviously, for inherently risky behaviour, this is advantageous - however, left unchecked, it can turn from an advantage to an impediment.

Talking with people, I’ve found what I am doing is polarizing. Either people love the idea, or don’t.

I understand why people don’t like it - generally, there is a pretty rational reason. However, those who do usually say something like, “I’ve always wanted to do something like this…”.  I think it’s also the desire to live through someone to see if they succeed or fail...sort of like telling someone to “just do it” and jump, despite being apprehensive about doing it yourself.

Tired clichés like ‘Carpe Diem’, ‘YOLO’ and ‘Follow your dreams’ exist because that is how people want to live…most people want to take full advantage of their lives and try to experience new and exciting things. However, there is inevitably a barrier between us and our dreams. Financial realities aside, even with achievable desires, generally there are commitments we must fulfil or feel we are obligated to. Remove those commitments and you’ll find there are still reasons not to go…and as you strip away reasons, you find right at the bottom is plain reluctance to dive into something new.

People have a set image of who they are, where they belong and how their life should unfold. It’s very hard to let go. It’s very easy to advise someone to take that leap but taking it yourself is hard.

I see this all the time when I describe orienteering to people and suggest they take the leap and try it. “That’s sounds great! I think I’d like that”…I rarely ever see anyone actually follow through. I assume some people are genuine and not just humouring me. So why don’t they come out? Barriers to trying orienteering are pretty few - it’s cheap, one afternoon and universally enjoyable. More barriers go up, the bigger the unknown/lifestyle change.

It’s very difficult to be open to trying completely new things. I am the worst at it - stubborn as hell - I rarely regret it though. It’s very easy to say “I’m not that type of person” or “I wouldn’t like that” before even trying something. A few years ago, after watching the movie “Yes Man”, I tried saying yes to everything. Notably, I ended up trying knitting and working at a Suicide Crisis Call Center - things I would never have tried otherwise. Neither activity really stuck - but at least now I have those experiences.

Living out of a van isn’t dangerous, it’s easily reversible and isn’t unique - the only barrier was finding a suitable vehicle - but it is a pretty big lifestyle change, and there are things that are unknown. For example, what do I say if someone calls the cops? Where do I shower? Will I like it?...etc.
While searching for a van, my plan set in motion - I found myself teetering on the edge, looking down into a murky void. Behind me was the safe and known - it was really tempting, especially after the search was losing its excitement, to crawl back into the safety of my routine...to find a place in Victoria and settle in.

While working at MEC, I encountered a lot of adventurers. I always enjoyed talking to the cyclists doing long tours. Cross country, down the coast and even one dude cycling from Alaska to Patagonia. I found myself saying “I’d love to do that” and trying to live vicariously through them…to escape my tedious job of describing the differences between cheap, Chinese-made, cycling lights.

One customer summed it up nicely: “you have to make it a priority or you will never do it”. This stuck with me. Make it a priority.

Thursday 17 July 2014

Whoops. My bad.

As I was sitting smugly in Starbucks, sipping my latté from my mug...I was unaware Walden was in a state of crisis. Unable to shut his own lights off, he was slowly draining of battery power - his pleas for help ignored by the throngs of glass-eyed shoppers.

And there I was...taking my time.

I arrived on the scene just as his light was fading - I ran to his side but was unable to start his engine in time.

Fuck.

Seriously. I made the arduous 1500k journey in Mr. Sketchy Van, only to kill him with my own hand? Stranded, I started approaching random strangers in the parking lot - asking if they could spare some electricity. Perhaps it was the smell - but in a city known for it's winters, NO ONE seemed to have cables. That is, until I started offering $20 for a boost.

Walden got the kiss of life and both parties parted ways.
(To his credit, buddy refused my $20 when I attempted to pay him...perhaps it was the smell).

This is when things got awkward. Here is the sequence of events:

  1. The guy who boosted me turns right out of the West Ed parking lot. I turn left out
  2. A couple of minutes later. I miss the major road I was trying to find and decid to try to connect via a small, quiet residential street
  3. I realize that I'm now following the guy who boosted me down said small, quiet residential street.
  4. He realizes this too. Probably freaks out that he's initiated some sort of serial killer modus operandi and pulls over.
  5. I drive by pretending I haven't seen him.
  6. At the next intersection, I turn left. He turns right.
As helpful as he was - I hope I never see him again.

Mall Crawler

The drive to Edmonton was uneventful - thank the flying spaghetti monster.

After my last post, I hit the road and headed up to Kamloops. There I conducted a quick leak check to make sure Walden wasn’t disgorging his vital fluids. I had to route choices - direct to Edmonton (more remote) or via Calgary (slightly longer) Feeling brave - I drove off into the haze and into a cellular dead zone that lasted hundreds of miles. The red sun watching from the west.

I initially wanted to use another rest area and aimed to find one when I got tired. Unfortunately a sign that stated ‘no overnight stays’ put a kibosh on that idea, so I forged on Northwards. I ended up in a pull off on the edge of highway. Down by a river (starting to become a theme, eh?).

This was a bit of mistake. Too close to the highway and mosquitoes were a problem (So I slept with the windows shut). Regardless, I slept pretty well and left early.

The Yellowhead highway is pretty desolate but there are still small hamlets along the way. I rolled by this gem in Avola (this is probably the only time you’ll ever hear of Avola BC).

The restaurant is named “Restaurant” and next to it a gas station, simply called “Gas” with an attached store called “Food Store”.

Rolling into Edmonton, I realized I had no map or master plan. This meant I needed to find a Starbucks - but being ‘Berta, I knew I was no longer on the Coast. Hadn’t seen a Starbucks since I left Kamloops hundreds of miles ago. Using my superior navigation skills, I collided with West Edmonton Mall and despite the prairies propensity towards Tims, there must be a Bucks in the North America’s Largest Mall.

Sure enough. There was a West Coast Embassy - where I sit now, planning my weekend.

For my next trick, I’ll find a Walmart to sleep at.

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Outbound

Part of my master plan with the van this summer is to hit up orienteering championships around BC (Whistler/Kamloops are on the agenda)…

The Albertan Champs are this weekend in Edmonton. What a great reason to hit the road...

However, Walden's stunt on the first day was far from - confidence inspiring - so I have been humming and hawing about it. I've tried to read the tea leaves based on his character traits but I have no idea what the odds are of him not making the 3000 km round trip.

I continued to debate this over cheap and greasy chinese food ($6 for a giant dish) at Dragon Fort in Abbotsford. At the end of my meal my fortune cookie read:

The longest journey is started by a single step. Take it.
Lucky Numbers: 15 19 27 29 42 48

My mind made up, I left the restaurant.

I can't refuse the cookie.


First Impressions

I now have a few full days under my belt. Here are my first impressions:

Location: Finding a place to stay - this isn't very difficult, I'm starting to realize there are numerous options:
  1. Stealth mode: parking in a suburb after dark and leaving before anyone realizes what I'm up to. I've done this twice with no real issues.
    Worst case scenario: I am asked to move along. This is the reason I wasn't interested in recreational vehicles, they are easy to spot. My soccer mom mobile blends in nicely.
  2. Boondocking (aka Camping without hook ups): I did this the third night on the Chilliwack River. Definitely the most picturesque. The downside being, I had to drive a fair distance out of town to find a suitable place...it's also tricky finding a spot if you don't have local knowledge.
    Worst case scenario: A vehicle out in the middle of nowhere might attract unwanted attention.
  3. Walmart/Reststops: I did this last night. Abbotsford recently made the news about going after people living in vans (Abby isn't known for being tolerant). I didn't feel like dealing with that, so I stayed legally at a rest area just out of town. The benefit is toilets/water etc (very clean in this case)
    Worst case scenario: There are other transients and travelers - which means the likely hood of running into weirdos is high.  
Sleep: I am actually enjoying sleeping in the back of Walden. I am using an ultralight thermorest (3/4) length and a small inflatable pillow...so it's not for everyone. So far, I have been waking at first light and feel very refreshed (especially after quick run and dunk in the river!).  One thing is that it's HOT. So far, I've been sleeping in a silk sleeping bag liner.  I don't need my sleeping bag until later (I open it and use it like a blanket).

Work: nothing has changed...if anything, I'm working more (I described my work situation in the previous post).

Hygiene: This is a big question for people. So far, even with sweating my balls off during the day...it hasn't been a huge issue. I took a shower my first night at a friends (thanks Darren) but since then, I've been using lakes and rivers to rinse (usually twice a day). I put on pit stick (I normally don't wear it but feel I'd be treading into hippy territory without it). I brush my teeth at whatever bathrooms I encounter - usually at Starbucks (as with doing my business).
I haven't shaved yet but I plan to. For a proper wash, I'll be hitting up a rec center or gym every once in a while and plan to do laundry at laundromats.

Eating: My main concern is getting what I need vs how I get it. Seeing as I'm trying to keep things economical, I'm transitioning from eating out to cooking my own meals whenever possible. So far I've had sandwhiches, soup, oatmeal and chef boyardee -  so there is room for improvement on that front (even by my standards). I'm currently limited by my camp pots...and am considering a cheap frying pan from Value Village or something. One benefit for eating everything out of one pot is it makes doing dishes easy! ;-)

Exercise: This is essential as eating for me. Running and orienteering are my go to's....though I found myself enjoying swimming last night at Albert Dyck park. The main issue with running is how much I sweat - I am drenched when finished (especially in this heat), so I need to plan ahead on where I'm going to rinse. Finding suitable trails to run is a little tricky - as local knowledge is essential.
I'm trying to remember to walk instead of drive - it's very tempting just to roll around in Walden but obviously with gas prices it is better to park and walk. If I were to do this on a more permanent basis, I would get a folding bike which would both provide exercise and cut costs.

Entertainment: I'm currently reading Endurance - a book on Shackleton's expedition in the Antarctic.

Costs: So far, other than the initial purchase/insurance ($74/month) - my main expenditure has be gas. Walden has a 3.8L and isn't a miser...so I am driving conservatively. I don't have to be anywhere (more on this in the next paragraph)...so I can take my time. At the moment I have the impulse to keep moving, as that is what one does with a vehicle (a hammer in hand...).

On strategy I'm looking into, is posting on ride share on Craigslist for longer trips...

Feelings: One thing I'm struggling with (if you will) - is not having anywhere to be. This might be a product of literally sitting in the drivers seat and having no destination ("Where DO I want to go today?"). Working for myself - online - on my own time has always made me feel a little disconnected from normal society. I lost track of what day it was long ago and don't really keep regular hours. Now that I don't have a permanent residence or a place I feel I need to be - it really exaggerates the feeling of drifting. I feel sonder while driving alone on the highway as people whiz by me.

Something to consider: Homelessness is a conscious choice for me. I can easily afford to rent a place. I remember reading about the 'hidden homeless' a while back. Basically people doing what I am, because they have no other option (who aren't the classic homeless panhandler etc). I've been thinking about that a lot, especially during my stay in Abbotsford. The municipal gov is going after said demographic - which is being taken to the supreme court (Something similar happened in LA). This has some pretty big ramifications.  I found a report about it from England but I'm sure it applies to North America too. You can read it here.

Perhaps the fact that this demographic exists in the first place should be addressed.



TLDR: That all said. Obviously, this lifestyle isn't for everyone - I'm not sure if it'll wear smooth yet - but so far so good. It appeals to the spartan/minimalist in me.





Tuesday 15 July 2014

King of Starbucks

I've sold my soul to Starbucks; I already worked out of them a lot before this but they are now integral in my plan. They are ubiquitous (which allows me to rotate through them) and provide wifi (needed for work), comfy leather chairs and the bathrooms are pretty clean. The coffee isn't terrible either ;-).

I'm not sure what office space goes for, but $2.15 for an hour or two is a great deal in my opinion. Plus with rewards program every 12th drink is free - which adds up quickly if you come twice a day. On top of this, with the current the treat receipt promo - I can have a grande smoothie after two for $2.

Score.


Monday 14 July 2014

Vandwellers Everywhere

The Bader Meinhof phenomenon is where someone learns of an obscure piece of information - then sees it everywhere afterwards.

I'm experiencing this with people living in vans. Now that I've entered the vandweller sub-culture, I am starting to see them everywhere....after going for a run at Pacific Spirit Park, I saw three separate vans kitted out for people to live in (one was even a Windstar of my vintage).  Granted, around wreck beach is where I'd expect to see this demographic...as with Victoria, where I learned numerous friends of mine have done similar things. :-)

Who's Walden

It's a good thing I'm patient with vehicles - Walden is quirky.
Despite a shaky start, I hope we will become best buds...

I'm going to start of list of his 'character traits' as I discover them (edited Aug 12):
  • Power locks do not work
  • Passenger window does not open
  • P/S pump (?) whirrs when decelerating (apparently this is par for course with Windstars)
  • Steering rack groans/creaks (P/S related?)
  • Squeaks (belt - possibly alternator?)
  • Gas pedal has lateral play in it
  • Roof paint is peeling
  • Block heater falls out (fixed)
  • Check engine light (permanently on)
  • ABS warning light (comes on intermittently , mainly on the highway) 
  • Light behind temperature gauge does not work.
  • Front right tire has odd wear - would indicate alignment is off (or perhaps something more significant) 
  • Possibly has the incorrect pulleys (Mr. Lube seems to think they are out of alignment)
Keep in mind this is on a vehicle with only 150k on it. Who says they don't build them like they used to?

Walden the Foooooord Windstaaaaaar!

One of the goals of this expedition was to keep it as cheap as possible.

Vehicle selection was the first challenge. My budget was roughly one months rent. The logic being, that if things went really pear shaped, it wouldn't be a financial disaster. At that price, I could literally drive the thing off a cliff after ~11 days and not feel terrible (roughly the equivilant cost of staying at an average hotel for that time).

Luckily vans are dime a dozen but many are on their last legs - it was a matter of finding one that was mechanically capable of surviving a month.

Used vehicles are always a gamble. I have been burned in the past (many of you are familiar with my RX-7 story), so I'm extremely paranoid when it comes to car shopping. That said, one of the best things I've ever owned was a 86 Firefly that I thought wouldn't last a couple of months (last 4 years) - I still miss that car. <3

Though I had hoped for a Dodge Caravan (mainly for the Doge references I could use in this blog) - I ended up with a 98 Windstar - 150k on it, original owner(?) - for $1000. In retrospect, I probably could've whittled the price a little lower - however, I was tiring of searching and was happy to find an example that wasn't a soggy, shit sandwich.

Don't get me wrong, it's still a shit sandwich - just not a soggy one. The craiglist ad stated the power locks didn't work. No problem - don't need them. I get there and take it for a quick test drive. It rolled, it shifted, didn't leak - even the A/C worked. Nothing overly dysfunctional (passenger window didn't work). Done.

The moment I start driving to the gas station, it started to groan and whir (power steering pump, I was warned about that). Typical. No problem - nothing a radio can't cover up - I could live with that. The check engine light flicked on permanently and the ABS light makes an appearance every once in a while....whatever.

I immediately drove to Wreck Beach for a hippy baptism of sorts (I caught a lovely sunset and a lot of full moons).

Every vehicle I have is named. I feel it's important - I've decided the van's name is Walden (the Windstar).



Then Walden started to leak coolant. A lot of it...within the first 78k...fuuuuuuuuck!

The engine bay is tight so I couldn't immediately source the leak - I just knew my time was running out before he overheated. So, bleeding out, I went looking for a Crappy Tire - and didn't make it. I ended up pulling off 41st onto a residential street in a cloud of steam and swears.

I have a history of cars dumping coolant the second day of ownership. The first time I showed my RX-7 to my buddy Mike, it spewed coolant everywhere (Sangria almost got the name Ralph the Rex).

I mounted the curb with one wheel and stuck my head under Walden and found a sink drain sized hole in my coolant system (turns out the block heater FELL OUT). How that even happens, I'm not sure (the backing plate snapped..which is weird because it's not under load).

Of course it was late Saturday night. Welp. Time to test out my theory of camping anywhere! I spent the night in the back.

Due to the fact I didn't buy the van on the island, I wasn't able to ease into this / bring everything I had originally planned (like a socket set). Luckily my brother in law and sister were able to come and help! We got Walden back on the road, burning through my parts budget of 0$ (cost was ~ 53$).


I then drove Walden to Chilliwack with no drama to visit friends and stash one of the captain chairs at buddy's (to make a little more room to lay down).

I spent the night in a suburb and had my first 'home made' meal of oatmeal on the side of the road.



Coolant crisis behind me, today is the start of the rest of adventure. :-)





For your listening pleasure; the soundtrack to my adventure(?) (Thanks Darren!):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS13ioci9FU&feature=kp

Vanception

Home owner; has a nice ring to it - especially living in the 2nd most expensive cities in the world when it comes to housing. How did I buy my home and not incur nightmare inducing, soul crushing debt? I used one simple trick.

It's built in '98, it offers a spacious interior, tan exterior, big windows and seats four comfortably - with a bench it would seat seven. Below is a Google Street View of my new accommodations.

It's the gold one; I used the word home carefully


I know I've probably gone from being a financial hero to one that appears to be circling the drain - but hear me out. I'll explain how I got here:

Put simply, the moons aligned.
  1. My work is mobile: I'm lucky enough to have a job that allows me to work anywhere.
  2. I am between residences: My time in Vancouver had come to an end - with my roommate moving to Europe and my girl leaving me (I may have a country singing career on the horizon?)
  3. I've wanted to do this for a while: I like the idea of the challenges, simplicity and adventure that this arrangement entails. Ideally, I'd be on a bike or on foot - but the logistics of working while doing that would be nigh impossible.
In short, I found myself adrift; why fight it?

 I plan on using this blog to record my experiences. I hope you find it interesting (even inspirational).

I had an auspicious start to my journey. A harbinger of tough times ahead? Stay tuned for that story. :-)