Adventures are best experienced together. This year, Val and Mike have embarked on two new adventures, taking the #vanlife leap and getting engaged. We got the chance to interview these sweethearts and get the whole scoop. Val and Mike share their first impressions of van travel, their favorite East Coast destinations, and the surprising deciding factor that helped them choose their van. They also offer sanity-saving tips for sharing a small space with another human and a dog.
La Mesa: Can you tell us a bit about yourselves?
Val and Mike: Hi, we are Val and Mike! We met in October of 2016. Mike asked me out and our first date was the classic dinner and a movie in my town. We are both gamers and love to cook up different recipes but also thoroughly enjoy stepping out into the vast unknown and going on weekend or week-long adventures.
We both work in the corporate real estate industry remotely, so we have the freedom to take the work on the road with us wherever we go! In September, we camped in Wellfleet Cape Cod and we got engaged on the beach early in the morning. It was such a magical moment we will cherish forever.
LM: How did you get introduced to van life?
V&M: We have always been curious about the van lifestyle. We’ve followed our favorite van lifer accounts on Instagram for a long time and Mike enjoyed watching custom builds on vans and buses on YouTube. But it wasn’t until February of 2023 that we both wanted to go the extra mile. We had tried getting a house so many times and failed due to being outbid in this market. With housing prices and rates being as high as they are, we figured getting a van and traveling part-time would be the most sensible option.
LM: What kind of van did you choose, and why? What are your favorite features of your rig?
V&M: We decided to go with a 2023 Thor Motor Coach Sequence 20L. We knew we wanted a fully furnished van that suited our needs and had all the basic amenities. We went with this model in particular because we really liked the full bath in the rear of the vehicle. We had looked at other models with the bathroom area right in the kitchen which limited our central space. Having the full bath in the back allows easy access to the kitchen and living space and also gives us the flexibility to move things around. Whenever we go on long hikes, it is also nice to climb in through the back of the van and wash up–this way, the main entrance of the van stays clean.
LM: How does van travel differ from other types of trips you’ve done?
V&M: You get to see the in-between while driving to your destination. Being on a plane, you don’t get to stop and eat at a local restaurant or see the sites on the way. Another benefit of van travel vs. traditional travel is you never have to worry about having to stay at a crummy hotel or Airbnb. This saves a lot of money in the long run and provides a better quality of life.
Before the van, we would stay at rentals. We had some bad experiences with them which left us wary of renting anytime soon. Now, we can have our own bed and living space anywhere we go and no longer fear what the living situation is going to be like. Being able to take your home and work with you is a powerful and life-changing experience. As we make more modifications to our van, we’re excited to be able to work on the road and take longer trips!
LM: What has surprised you most about the lifestyle so far?
V&M: What surprised us the most is the convenience of our van. We can go over to a friend or family’s house and we don’t have to worry about bothering them to set up their guest room. We just go outside for the night, crank up the furnace, and see them in the morning!
We were honestly shocked that we didn’t have to change a thing about our lifestyle. It was a small adjustment at first familiarizing ourselves with a much more compact and quaint space, but we managed to find our rhythm and adjust really nicely to the new climate!
LM: What is it like sharing such a small space when you’re on the road?
V&M: When we started our first trip, we brought way too many items and it felt so cramped and messy since there wasn’t much storage. Our Starlink and chairs took up most of the room when we were traveling. But we are coming up with more space-saving ideas as time goes on, such as permanently mounting our Starlink to the roof soon instead of having it stowed in the washroom and utilizing the under-bed storage for our camping chairs.
At times, it can be challenging to maneuver each other in the small space but you can always step outside to get some fresh air. We also take turns with daily routines to help avoid crowding each other. We have been in our current living situation at home for four years and we have had to adjust to living with multiple people, so we knew traveling in a van would be doable for us.
When we’re camping, we don’t spend much time in the cabin of the van. 95% of the time, we’re either out on a hike, taking the bikes out, taking the dog for a walk, or camping out by the fire. On the road, it just feels like an ordinary minibus. It feels great to drive, especially on long trips. Once we get to our destination, we use the van as a home base, power source, and place to crash. We can honestly say the absolute best part of owning a van is just having a comfortable place to sleep at night. You feel safe in the van, while still being immersed in nature. We love rainy nights, hearing the raindrops tap on the roof.
LM: Do you have any advice for other couples who are curious about van travel?
V&M: We would say to rent a van before buying to see if it is right for you, although we never did that. If you are okay with smaller living spaces and comfortable driving long distances in a heavy-duty vehicle, go for it! This style of travel and living is, of course, not for everyone. We would definitely recommend a nice compact vacuum to help with the dirt and dust that comes in daily. Luckily, a small space means less cleanup!
When choosing a van for travel, make sure that the van build suits your needs. We are pretty techy people who love the comforts of home. We knew right from the get-go that we didn’t want to sacrifice these features. You can always modify certain aspects of the van, but start with a van that already has most of what you want and work with what you got!
LM: What about tips for van travel with a dog?
V&M: Our standard poodle Chloe loves to come with us on trips. We like to only take her when we know we won’t be leaving her in the van alone, so usually on smaller camping trips where she hangs out at the campsite and where we can hike. Having a dog in the van can get messy so make sure you have microfiber cloths to wipe their paws when you get in for the night!
Chloe suffers from separation/anxiety issues as well. Having a sound machine helps drown out the outside noises at night so we can all sleep peacefully. We would recommend training your dog for your van just like you would for a house. Don’t let them run out the door–use a command so no accidents happen!
LM: Tell us about some of your favorite van camping destinations on the East Coast!
V&M: We are still fairly new to van camping since this is our first year, but so far our favorites have been Cape Cod, Pennsylvania, and Upstate New York! We've also been to the Delaware River, parts of New Jersey, and some local camping spots in our area.
LM: What’s next for you?
V&M: As we modify our van and become more flexible with our work-life balance, we’re looking forward to exploring some of the upper East Coast such as Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and even Canada! We loved Montreal before having the van, and there’s so much culture and untapped areas to explore! Once we know we can work full-time during our travels, we’d love to go out west. So many national parks to see… We would also love to try dry camping and possibly wild camping out in the desert or woods.
LM: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
V&M: Thank you for giving us the chance to interview with you! We hope we helped anyone who is looking to take the leap into van life and maybe even provided some tips for those who are currently doing van life as well.
Connect with Val and Mike on Instagram at @valenlynnk and @eggsover_cheesy!
