Society is changing and the unique experiences of living through it are affecting van life. Our the year two thousand and twenty-four, we noticed and made adjustments in outlook and approach. Certainly, this was the case for me, at least from my perspective, as I experienced it. Mostly for the good in my opinion, with a caveat or two, as you can read.

Van life 2024 for us featured four trips up and down between Royal Oak (near Detroit) and Dunedin (near Clearwater). January, March, July, and December on Interstate 75. The van kept us safe and comfortable. While the trips were repetitious, they were not boring. We needed to take these trips to be with and help the proud old fighter.

Unexpected experiences, worthy of awareness …

We got our 2023 ProMaster Thor Tellaro in summer 2022, and at the end of the last trip in December 2024, it showed 55,555 miles. I am a bit of a car guy, retired with some van history. Yet I (we) am (are) still learning and always pay close attention. Like, what were these unexpected experiences?

• Aggressive driving and traffic patterns became gradually more acute.
• A young man flashed a gun.
• Sleeping over in rest areas and big truck stops became more prevalent and open.

It was also unexpected that we would take so many MI-FL trips, but they provided a bit of a laboratory. More on the above points embedded in the following.

Van life enabled us to do more and do better

Van life needs to stay part of America’s social freedom. On every trip, people have earnestly reached out with a bit of awe and wonder about vans. The talks most always turn to the class B approach; it’s great for two people, with ease of finding and accessing sites, etcetera.

So, the trips were a welcome responsibility. We needed to go. But, the van kept these excursions fun. Just as importantly, van life enabled us to benefit from more flexibility, better economy, and more productivity than it would have been otherwise. These made a big difference and have become central to the way we regard van life.

• Flexibility came in the ability to set and change our schedule as needed. This is no small thing when various family living and health factors are in play. We could weave around inclement weather. We had more time control and could depend on the schedule better than it would have been with flights.
• Better economy means it was cheaper than flights, rental cars, and hotel expenditures would have been. Meanwhile, we got value out of the costs sunk into our van.
• On these trips, the van made us more productive and we were able to get more done. The van got pushed into (careful) trips to the lumber yard, and the ability to sleep in different situations became more important.

Trip One January

The north-south back and forth of these trips means in and out of the cold, but our van has not been winterized or in a heated garage. The gas heater in the Tellaro cabin is good and efficient. So, in the Michigan cold, we leave the heater on set at fifty degrees. The standard heater ducts are mostly forward and get warm air around most of the plumbing. To supplement the cabin heater, for more warmth, fuller distribution, and failsafe, we simultaneously use a Govee smart heater. Both of these devices have thermostats and require electricity, so the van stays plugged in when stationary. With the Tellaro under hood generator (UHG = special alternator) and system’s invertor running, this configuration works going down the road as well.

Trip Two March

Standard network connectivity in the Tellaro leaves a lot to be desired. We are lucky to have cut our cable at home, going with the simple Verizon network in a box, which only requires being plugged in. So, beginning with this trip, the home network goes over the road with us. Verizon is not the only vendor that provides this setup.

Heading north out of Florida to go home, we wanted a breakfast with those southern grits. So, as we got into Georgia, we went into a Waffle House. It was quite busy, and a pair of two young men with a girl in tow assumed to cut to the front of the line. They were still in party mode and the girl seemed withdrawn. At the proper time, I told the leader of the little pack and the waitress that we were next, which was the case.

We and the youngsters happened to all leave together. They were going out the door first, and the handsome young leader held the door so my wife could leave with the others. As it came to my turn, as he continued to hold the door, he made a flourish of pulling his coat lapel back and giving me a big smile. There prominently for me to see was a semi-automatic pistol. I guess his message was I was lucky or maybe don’t make them wait again.

Trip Three July

With this trip, we made a pact that we would not be speeding at all, no letting ourselves be get into a schedule rush. This for some can be harder than it seems, but we managed to do it and are intent on making it our normal.

Trip Four December

Heading south we were not sure what all we might await us. The old man had fallen three times in the week after Thanksgiving. And Hurricanes Helene and Milton had played hell with his properties. We saw lots of loads of fine new lumber heading south on I75.

The drive south was rainy. As we crossed into Kentucky just south of Cincinnati, we pulled over early into a rest area to sleep. Literally, the ramps along the sides and all parking slips around the entire facility were packed. We made our we back around and finally found a spot between two 18-wheelers. It was too much for us because some of the big diesels were left running. As we were heading away, a more peaceful spot opened up, and we got some good sleep.

Crowded conditions with masses of people doing this form of boondocking carried on across the whole trip. It was not just vans, and it was more than I have seen in other holiday seasons.

Crowds along the roadway and in the stop-overs might be here to stay. It is still part of the great American way, even as the country is under stress. Those who chose to see it and experience it are part of a special community. Van life is good way of life that will just keep going.

We headed out early the next morning of December 10th, thinking to get beyond Atlanta and its traffic before the evening rush. Atlanta is always a challenge. Really, the by-passes provide little relief, and the best thing you can do is go straight through, before the morning rush or after the evening rush.

Midday Atlanta traffic picked up about as expected on the northern outskirts. On the southern side we kept expecting to break out of the congestion, but it did not happen. Bumper to bumper with full stops, and occasional major accidents, all the way to Macon. We were in and out of Macon before it cleared. Wow.

Dunedin was a delight though in recovery from the hurricanes. Sign up if you might like more on van life or the joy one can find in helping people. We got things done for the old man and got close with the vibrant recovering community (which included more unexpected stuff!).

Anyone with a ProMaster van does well to be aware of accessories from 3D TECH PROMASTER PARTS by Patrick Sisson. I got a greatly improved slider door handle, easily installed while working in Florida.

Van life – one of those ‘it is what it is’ things

The unexpected experiences are more a sign of the times than they are of van life. It is no surprise that there are questionable people and congestion and the like. This is just a suggestion to be careful and aware, in all that you do. You are no more at risk in your van than anything else, and neither are you more immune.

Not to discourage or say it is difficult to stay ready, but you should routinely know your situation. For example, I don’t do all my van’s maintenance, but I habitually walk around and do a visual inspection every time we drive away. Since we are moving around seeking the great unknown, my club-cane and a flashlight are always in reach. But it is no more dangerous than our society at large.

The partner and I are blessed and lucky, among those who get into nicely-appointed vans and travel to open ourselves up to new experiences and lifestyle changes. For a lot of folks, that’s a goal and maybe a commitment, a part of what it’s all about.

The thing is, you cannot really know what the changes or style or situation will turn out to be. What you expect or strive for can be different than the way things turn out. You are a little bit married for better or worse. Accept the friendly ‘unexpecteds’ as part of the mystique and allure. And ride on!