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 trying out 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, calm down, and admire 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 realized to embrace the advantages of gradual journey throughout van life. Lately after we are touring, Ryan and I often discover a place we like and keep for a number of weeks, and that capability is without doubt one of the largest advantages of full-time van life.
Going too quick is without doubt one of the most typical errors new van lifers make. I hear tales of van lifers making an attempt to go to each Nationwide Park in a single yr 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 provide help to expertise extra.
On this weblog put up, I break down the advantages of gradual journey throughout your van life journey.
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1. Much less Traumatic
In my first 3 months on the street means again in 2016, I visited 6 huge 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 slightly than enjoyable and having fun with the place I used to be at. I used to be all the time eager about the longer term, slightly 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 realized to ditch the quick journey mindset. Quite than making an attempt to go to so many locations and experiencing them at a floor stage, I choose 1 or 2 and plan to remain some time. This fashion there’s much less stress round planning as a result of there’s much less planning general.
A gradual journey mindset permits me to be current and make choices based mostly 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 vitality ranges.
Additionally for all the pieces you possibly can predict whereas touring, there are utterly unpredictable predicaments that may be actually demanding in case you’re touring on a inflexible schedule. Having the additional time in a spot permits me to take care of them with out ruining my total journey.
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2. Extra Time for Serendipity
Considered one of 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 have been up in northern Idaho biking the Hiawatha Path. Initially 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 palms have 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 have been carried out biking, they invited us to return camp with them for the evening. We adopted them down some lovely forest service roads alongside the Saint Joe River that we might have by no means found in any other case. We had an awesome evening 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 means.
3. Deeper Connections with Folks
After I look again at my van life reminiscences, the most effective tales are often those that contain different individuals. Maybe the most effective a part of gradual journey is the best way it permits me to forge actual and long-lasting connections with individuals alongside the best way.
A pair years in the past, Ryan and I have been mountain climbing in Telluride after we met an area man named Mike on the path. We acquired to speaking, and we advised him how we have been doing van life and deliberate to camp within the space for a pair weeks.
Subsequent factor we all know, we have 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 shifting 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 trip and surroundings alongside the best way.
We ended up assembly up for an additional hike and even went out for dinner a few times. He shared every kind of ideas for exploring Telluride that we wouldn’t have discovered on-line, and also you higher wager that we are going to 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 all the 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 readily available within the van or rapidly seize some meals to go.
The most effective components of touring is attending to expertise new locations by way of my tastebuds. Ryan and I observe a plant-based eating regimen, and we love making an attempt out all the regionally owned, vegan-friendly spots.
Sluggish journey permits us the chance to take action, and typically we love a restaurant a lot, we turn out to be short-term “regulars.” We additionally wish to make associates 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 solution 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.
When you’re dashing by way of, you’ll probably 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 strain to maneuver on to the following place.
6. Spend Much less & Save Cash
Touring consistently isn’t low cost. After I’m on the transfer, the value of gasoline 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 every week or two and never spend a dime on tenting! And the extra you get to know a spot, you be taught little tips that lower your expenses like the place to replenish your water without cost or the place you possibly can rating an infinite 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 can 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 entire day! For a lot of van lifers, spending lengthy hours on the interstate looks like a standard a part of the life-style, nevertheless it doesn’t should 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 acquired 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 each day routine consisted of lengthy walks on the seaside with our canines and watching the whales spouting offshore and otters taking part in within the waves. We actually acquired to know this part of shoreline and its nooks and crannies.
8. Much less Environmental Influence
It doesn’t matter how you narrow it – quick journey consumes extra sources. The quicker you progress, the extra gas you burn by way of. Whereas at this cut-off date, it’s unimaginable to keep away from utilizing fossil fuels in your van, shifting slower saves gasoline (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 in the case of visiting widespread 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 turn out to be an enormous downside in lots of locations, particularly within the Nationwide Park system (in case you plan to go to a number of of those in your van, take a look at my ideas for visiting overcrowded Nationwide Parks).
By visiting widespread locations throughout much less busy instances, I’m not solely making certain that I’ll have a extra pleasing expertise, however I’m additionally doing my half in making the crowds extra manageable for the workers and the expertise extra pleasing for different company. This additionally mitigates among the ecological pressure that massive crowds can create.
10. Revisit Locations
One of the vital essential facets of the gradual journey mindset is working below 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. Actually, I understand I most likely shouldn’t do all of it so I save a number of issues to do for subsequent time.
Experiencing the identical place throughout totally different seasons, with totally different individuals, as a unique model of myself, and even in a unique car supplies a totally totally different expertise.
Continuously Requested Questions
What does gradual journey imply?
Sluggish journey means spending extra time within the locations you go to to expertise them at a deeper stage. As a substitute of dashing from place to put to verify them off a bucket record, you decelerate, see fewer locations, and spend prolonged time there. I’ve discovered that gradual journey permits me to kind connections with locals and fellow van lifers whereas gaining a deeper appreciation for the locations I go to.
Is gradual journey price it?
It is determined by your targets of touring. Do you like to journey to see as many locations as attainable? 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. When you really feel your travels all the time contain dashing to locations with out time to calm down or admire them, you could discover that gradual journey is price it.
How do you embrace gradual journey?
You can begin embracing gradual journey now – even in case you haven’t traveled this fashion earlier than. Strive staying in the identical spot for longer than you usually would. For some, this will imply staying someplace for a complete week – or perhaps a entire 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 widespread locations you may not have visited in any other case.
What are the foundations of gradual journey?
The great thing about gradual journey is there are not 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 reside 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 beneath!
This text was initially written by Jono Melamed and was rewritten by me in 2024.