Natalie and I were taking a romantic stroll through Walmart in Spearfish, SD, laughing at the random products: a hot dog slicer in the shape of a wiener dog, a hello kitty cupcake bedazzling set, gangsta garden gnomes. Poking fun at ridiculous consumerism does pass the time. But after living in a van for a few weeks, what struck me is how many other products have entered into the "comically unnecessary" category. Normal things. Buying anything that we already have one of or almost everything in the non-grocery side of the store would only be dead weight. I wonder if that feeling of the burden of ownership will stay with us when we get back to our Colorado home in August.
Gus and Nat hanging in Spearfish City Park
Three weeks into our two month trip and now in Ten Sleep Canyon, WY, we’re really glad to not be in a tent. Finding a place to camp for free is easy, and we’re not stuck in the same spot for weeks. There have also been several stormy nights that would have made for terrible sleep in a tent that were downright cozy in the protection of our van. So far van life is, in fact, the dream.
Climbing in Spearfish, SD
To answer your first question about living in a van with cats, yes… the van smells terrible when they poop. We thought we could do a nice job of masking that with a high quality litter and an additive, but it doesn’t work. I mean, I guess we shouldn’t expect a turd 20 inches from our noses to smell nice. Just grin, scoop, and toss it as fast as possible. I’ll also say that our fancy hippie litter was not the best for clumping/removing urine… leading to a bit of an accident that had us at the Spearfish Laundromat until 1am. OK, lengthy cat waste discussion: complete.
Leonard not enjoying his harness
I think I’ll leave the question of whether we can/want to do this full time for the end of the trip. For now, I’m struck by how quickly we can adapt to different living situations. I haven’t had the slightest thought about our suburban home since we left. I’m also surprised by how this honestly feels like some of the cushiest living imaginable. This is not roughing it. We’ve given up very little and have gained so much in return. I really enjoy the slow pace and downtime that van life has brought. Lots of time to think, write, climb, make music, and just be a lazy bum. Most importantly, I feel closer to living a life that’s simplified to just the things that make me happy. No hotdog slicers and gangsta gnomes. Just music, climbing, and our little family.
