After I obtained my first Sprinter van in 2016, I keep in mind feeling excited concerning the freedom of the open highway. I couldn’t wait to lastly go and discover all of the mountain cities, seashores, and desert canyons I had on my bucket record.
After the primary six months, I spotted that rapidly bouncing from place to the following led to my days feeling jam-packed and rushed. Between testing all of the spots within the place I used to be presently in and making an attempt to plan for my subsequent vacation spot, I not often had time to decelerate, loosen up, and respect the great thing about the current second.
Now that I’ve lived in three totally different Sprinter vans on and off for the previous 8 years, I’ve discovered to embrace the advantages of gradual journey throughout van life. Today after we are touring, Ryan and I normally discover a place we like and keep for just a few weeks, and that capability is among the greatest advantages of full-time van life.
Going too quick is among the commonest errors new van lifers make. I hear tales of van lifers making an attempt to go to each Nationwide Park in a single 12 months or driving from Florida to Washington and again in a matter of weeks. I’m right here to encourage you to rethink your plans and present you why gradual journey as a van lifer will enable you expertise extra.
On this weblog publish, I break down the advantages of gradual journey throughout your van life journey.
This publish might comprise affiliate hyperlinks.
1. Much less Demanding
In my first 3 months on the highway approach again in 2016, I visited 6 massive states out West. It was exhausting. Each second that I wasn’t out exploring and checking issues off my to do record, I used to be sitting on my cellphone making an attempt to determine the place I used to be going to camp and go subsequent. I additionally spent a ton of time packing and unpacking the van and driving somewhat than enjoyable and having fun with the place I used to be at. I used to be at all times occupied with the longer term, somewhat than appreciating the current second.
It left me bodily and mentally exhausted, which undoubtedly results in the one factor most van lifers need to keep away from… burnout.
Through the years, I discovered to ditch the quick journey mindset. Fairly than making an attempt to go to so many locations and experiencing them at a floor stage, I decide 1 or 2 and plan to remain some time. This manner there may be much less stress round planning as a result of there may be much less planning general.
A gradual journey mindset permits me to be current and make choices primarily based on how I really feel, giving me the liberty to shift my plans to accommodate my (and my member of the family’s) temper and power ranges.
Additionally for the whole lot you possibly can predict whereas touring, there are fully unpredictable predicaments that may be actually aggravating for those who’re touring on a inflexible schedule. Having the additional time in a spot permits me to take care of them with out ruining my complete journey.
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2. Extra Time for Serendipity
One in all my favourite issues about touring gradual in my van is it leaves room for extra magic. Van life presents me with new and sudden experiences however, for these to occur, I should be open to them.
One time, Ryan and I had been up in northern Idaho biking the Hiawatha Path. At the start of the primary tunnel, we met this tremendous good group of individuals. I forgot my gloves within the van, and with the wet climate, my arms had been freezing. One of many guys within the group graciously provided to let me use his gloves, and we ended up biking your entire path collectively.
As soon as we had been executed biking, they invited us to come back camp with them for the night time. We adopted them down some stunning forest service roads alongside the Saint Joe River that we might have by no means found in any other case. We had a fantastic night time and even joined them for lunch at a brewery the following day.
Sluggish journey permits me to say sure extra typically when enjoyable alternatives like this come my approach.
3. Deeper Connections with Folks
After I look again at my van life reminiscences, the perfect tales are normally those that contain different folks. Maybe the perfect a part of gradual journey is the best way it allows me to forge actual and long-lasting connections with folks alongside the best way.
A pair years in the past, Ryan and I had been mountaineering in Telluride after we met an area man named Mike on the path. We obtained to speaking, and we informed him how we had been doing van life and deliberate to camp within the space for a pair weeks.
Subsequent factor we all know, we had been planning to go on a hike as much as Columbine Lake in Silverton. He provided to choose us (and our two canines) up in his FJ cruiser so we wouldn’t have to fret about transferring the van. He drove us over Ophir Go, which we unsuccessfully tried to drive as soon as earlier than in our van, and we felt fortunate to benefit from the journey and surroundings alongside the best way.
We ended up assembly up for an additional hike and even went out for dinner a couple of times. He shared every kind of ideas for exploring Telluride that we wouldn’t have discovered on-line, and also you higher guess that we’ll be reaching out to him subsequent time we’re on the town.
This is only one instance how touring slowly makes it simpler to speak to strangers and ask them about the entire issues that make their house so particular.
4. Immersion into the Meals Tradition
After I’m in a rush, it may be straightforward to commerce authenticity for comfort and eat no matter I’ve available within the van or rapidly seize some meals to go.
Among the finest elements of touring is attending to expertise new locations via my tastebuds. Ryan and I comply with a plant-based weight-reduction plan, and we love making an attempt out the entire domestically owned, vegan-friendly spots.
Sluggish journey permits us the chance to take action, and generally we love a restaurant a lot, we develop into non permanent “regulars.” We additionally wish to make mates with the servers and bartenders, who typically present strategies for off-the-beaten path issues to do.
Whereas we love consuming out and that’s one method to assist the locals, it’s not sustainable to take action each single day. As a gradual touring van lifer, nevertheless, there are different alternatives to combine into and assist the area people.
In the event you’re dashing via, you’ll seemingly miss native occasions like farmer’s markets, summer season out of doors music sequence, and different enjoyable happenings. Whereas touring at a slower tempo although, you possibly can stick round for one thing that’s occurring subsequent week with out feeling stress to maneuver on to the following place.
6. Spend Much less & Save Cash
Touring always isn’t low-cost. After I’m on the transfer, the value of fuel actually racks up, including put on and tear to my van with every mile.
Sluggish journey permits me to lower your expenses whereas dwelling in my van. If I discover an superior free campsite, I can keep for per week or two and never spend a dime on tenting! And the extra you get to know a spot, you study little tips that lower your expenses like the place to refill your water without cost or the place you possibly can rating a limiteless sizzling bathe for a couple of dollars.
7. See and Expertise Extra
After I first began van life, I underestimated how a lot of my day could be consumed by driving from one place to the following. Add within the time it takes me to pack up the van each morning, and there went my complete day! For a lot of van lifers, spending lengthy hours on the interstate looks like a standard a part of the approach to life, nevertheless it doesn’t must be.
Now that I’ve embraced slower journey in my van, I go to fewer places, however I now have the time to discover absolutely anything that piques my curiosity. A number of years again we obtained an incredible campsite in Olympic Nationwide Park that was proper on the ocean. As a result of we had nowhere to be, we maxed out our 14-day keep.
Our every day routine consisted of lengthy walks on the seashore with our canines and watching the whales spouting offshore and otters taking part in within the waves. We actually obtained to know this part of shoreline and its nooks and crannies.
8. Much less Environmental Affect
It doesn’t matter how you chop it – quick journey consumes extra sources. The quicker you progress, the extra gasoline you burn via. Whereas at this time limit, it’s unimaginable to keep away from utilizing fossil fuels in your van, transferring slower saves fuel (and cash).
Additionally by spending extra time in an space, you possibly can discover ways to make the most of different modes of transportation. I can stroll or bike round a city and see what I discover alongside the best way or make the most of native shuttles to get round.
9. Keep away from Overcrowding
Having extra time in a spot permits me to be extra versatile on the subject of visiting standard sights, making it simpler to keep away from them after they’re at their busiest.
A number of years in the past, we spent your entire months of August and September in Colorado. Staying there so lengthy allowed us to go to the busiest locations, like Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park, after Labor Day weekend was over.
Overcrowding has develop into an enormous downside in lots of locations, particularly within the Nationwide Park system (for those who plan to go to a number of of those in your van, try my ideas for visiting overcrowded Nationwide Parks).
By visiting standard locations throughout much less busy instances, I’m not solely guaranteeing that I’ll have a extra pleasant expertise, however I’m additionally doing my half in making the crowds extra manageable for the workers and the expertise extra pleasant for different friends. This additionally mitigates a few of the ecological pressure that vast crowds can create.
10. Revisit Locations
Probably the most vital elements of the gradual journey mindset is working underneath the idea that, wherever I’m, I’ll be coming again.
With this mindset, it’s okay to to not cram all of it in throughout a single fast journey. In truth, I notice I in all probability shouldn’t do all of it so I save just a few issues to do for subsequent time.
Experiencing the identical place throughout totally different seasons, with totally different folks, as a special model of myself, and even in a special car supplies a totally totally different expertise.
Often Requested Questions
Sluggish journey means spending extra time within the locations you go to to expertise them at a deeper stage. As an alternative of dashing from place to put to examine them off a bucket record, you decelerate, see fewer locations, and spend prolonged time there. I’ve discovered that gradual journey permits me to type connections with locals and fellow van lifers whereas gaining a deeper appreciation for the locations I go to.
It relies on your objectives of touring. Do you like to journey to see as many locations as potential? Or do you journey to make new connections, get a really feel for a brand new place, and uncover native gems? I fall into the latter. In the event you really feel your travels at all times contain dashing to locations with out time to loosen up or respect them, chances are you’ll discover that gradual journey is value it.
You can begin embracing gradual journey now – even for those who haven’t traveled this manner earlier than. Attempt staying in the identical spot for longer than you usually would. For some, this will imply staying someplace for an entire week – or perhaps a complete month (or longer)! On this prolonged time you’re there, push your self to speak to strangers, attend native occasions or markets, and attempt to go to much less standard locations you won’t have visited in any other case.
The fantastic thing about gradual journey is there aren’t any guidelines! You get to determine how lengthy you need to keep on the locations you go to. So long as you’re deliberately slowing down sufficient to dwell within the second and expertise a spot… you’re doing gradual journey!
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I’d love to listen to about your gradual journey experiences or reply any questions you’ll have about it. Depart me a remark under!
This text was initially written by Jono Melamed and was rewritten by me in 2024.
