Once 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 checklist.
After the primary six months, I noticed that rapidly bouncing from place to the subsequent led to my days feeling jam-packed and rushed. Between trying out all of the spots within the place I used to be at present in and attempting to plan for my subsequent vacation spot, I not often had time to decelerate, calm down, and respect the fantastic 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 sluggish journey throughout van life. Lately after we are touring, Ryan and I normally discover a place we like and keep for just a few weeks, and that skill is likely one of the largest advantages of full-time van life.
Going too quick is likely one of the commonest errors new van lifers make. I hear tales of van lifers attempting 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 sluggish journey as a van lifer will allow you to expertise extra.
On this weblog put up, I break down the advantages of sluggish journey throughout your van life journey.
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1. Much less Demanding
In my first 3 months on the highway method 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 checklist, I used to be sitting on my cellphone attempting 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 stress-free and having fun with the place I used to be at. I used to be all the time desirous about 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 realized to ditch the quick journey mindset. Relatively than attempting 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 fashion there may be much less stress round planning as a result of there may be much less planning general.
A sluggish 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 power ranges.
Additionally for all the things you may predict whereas touring, there are fully unpredictable predicaments that may be actually annoying in the event you’re touring on a inflexible schedule. Having the additional time in a spot permits me to cope with them with out ruining my complete journey.
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2. Extra Time for Serendipity
Considered one of my favourite issues about touring sluggish in my van is it leaves room for extra magic. Van life presents me with new and surprising experiences however, for these to occur, I must be open to them.
One time, Ryan and I had been up in northern Idaho biking the Hiawatha Path. Firstly 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 fingers had been freezing. One of many guys within the group graciously provided to let me use his gloves, and we ended up biking all the path collectively.
As soon as we had been executed biking, they invited us to come back 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 a fantastic evening and even joined them for lunch at a brewery the subsequent day.
Sluggish journey permits me to say sure extra usually when enjoyable alternatives like this come my method.
3. Deeper Connections with Individuals
Once I look again at my van life recollections, the most effective tales are normally those that contain different folks. Maybe the most effective a part of sluggish journey is the way in which it allows me to forge actual and long-lasting connections with folks alongside the way in which.
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 instructed 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 select 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 Move, which we unsuccessfully tried to drive as soon as earlier than in our van, and we felt fortunate to benefit from the experience and surroundings alongside the way in which.
We ended up assembly up for one more hike and even went out for dinner a few times. He shared all types 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 all the issues that make their house so particular.
4. Immersion into the Meals Tradition
Once 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.
Probably the greatest elements of touring is attending to expertise new locations by way of my tastebuds. Ryan and I observe a plant-based food regimen, and we love attempting out all the domestically owned, vegan-friendly spots.
Sluggish journey permits us the chance to take action, and typically we love a restaurant a lot, we change into momentary “regulars.” We additionally wish to make buddies with the servers and bartenders, who usually present strategies for off-the-beaten path issues to do.
Whereas we love consuming out and that’s one approach to help the locals, it’s not sustainable to take action each single day. As a sluggish touring van lifer, nevertheless, there are different alternatives to combine into and help the local people.
In case you’re dashing by way of, you’ll possible miss native occasions like farmer’s markets, summer time out of doors music collection, and different enjoyable happenings. Whereas touring at a slower tempo although, you may stick round for one thing that’s occurring subsequent week with out feeling strain to maneuver on to the subsequent place.
6. Spend Much less & Save Cash
Touring always isn’t low cost. Once 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 get monetary savings whereas residing 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 get monetary savings like the place to replenish your water free of charge or the place you may rating a limiteless sizzling bathe for a couple of dollars.
7. See and Expertise Extra
Once I first began van life, I underestimated how a lot of my day could be consumed by driving from one place to the subsequent. 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 traditional a part of the approach to life, but it surely 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 day by day routine consisted of lengthy walks on the seaside with our canines and watching the whales spouting offshore and otters enjoying within the waves. We actually obtained to know this part of shoreline and its nooks and crannies.
8. Much less Environmental Impression
It doesn’t matter how you narrow it – quick journey consumes extra sources. The quicker you progress, the extra gasoline you burn by way of. Whereas at this cut-off date, it’s not possible to keep away from utilizing fossil fuels in your van, transferring slower saves gasoline (and cash).
Additionally by spending extra time in an space, you may 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 way in which 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 common sights, making it simpler to keep away from them after they’re at their busiest.
A number of years in the past, we spent all the 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 change into an enormous drawback in lots of locations, particularly within the Nationwide Park system (in the event you plan to go to a number of of those in your van, try my ideas for visiting overcrowded Nationwide Parks).
By visiting common locations throughout much less busy instances, I’m not solely making certain that I’ll have a extra fulfilling expertise, however I’m additionally doing my half in making the crowds extra manageable for the employees and the expertise extra fulfilling for different visitors. This additionally mitigates among the ecological pressure that vast crowds can create.
10. Revisit Locations
Some of the vital facets of the sluggish journey mindset is working beneath the belief that, wherever I’m, I’ll be coming again.
With this mindset, it’s alright to to not cram all of it in throughout a single fast journey. The truth is, 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 distinct model of myself, and even in a distinct automobile supplies a totally totally different expertise.
Steadily Requested Questions
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 examine them off a bucket checklist, you decelerate, see fewer locations, and spend prolonged time there. I’ve discovered that sluggish journey permits me to kind connections with locals and fellow van lifers whereas gaining a deeper appreciation for the locations I go to.
It is determined by your objectives of touring. Do you favor to journey to see as many locations as doable? 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 case you really feel your travels all the time contain dashing to locations with out time to calm down or respect them, it’s possible you’ll discover that sluggish journey is value it.
You can begin embracing sluggish journey now – even in the event you haven’t traveled this fashion 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 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 common locations you may not have visited in any other case.
The great thing about sluggish 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 sluggish journey!
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I’d love to listen to about your sluggish journey experiences or reply any questions you will have about it. Depart me a remark under!
This text was initially written by Jono Melamed and was rewritten by me in 2024.