I’ve been dreaming about #Vanlife for a while now. You may know the routine, watching YouTube videos where people show off their van buildouts, searching online for the perfect German-made camper that has a clean and modern aestethic, dreaming about that day we can leave on a whim for a cross-country adventure.
We love tent camping for now, but there are some downsides, including the set-up and take- down, and the limitations due to weather (cold, rain, wind can all throw a big wrench into plans). And I’m not sure if I’ll be as enthused about sleeping on the ground as aging continues…. My obsession to find some tent alternatives started with teardrop campers. I love the retro vibe but without a bathroom or the ability to stand up inside, it’s basically a trailer for a bed, a fashionable one for sure, but less great in poor weather. Thus, my dreaming has evolved to focus on camper vans.
In September, I had a chance to put my #vanlife dream to the test. My sister, Becky, has a camper van (Winnebago Travato) and was looking for someone to join her on a trip from the Twin Cities to Santa Fe. I was not her first choice, but when the preferred friend fell through, she offered the spot to me. Looking at my work calendar, my week had some important zoom meetings but less than the usual amount, so it seemed like as good of a week as any. I warned Becky I would have to work on the road. She said that was fine but asked that I plan the route and that I share some of the driving. I was in! My #vanlife dream and sister relationship was about to be put to the test. (Did I mention that as children, Becky and I used to constantly fight? We couldn’t be trusted to sit next to each other in the Country Squire without a good deal of kicking, biting, and bickering.)
Cutting to the chase, I had a great time -- the #vanlife dream is even more alive and Becky and I seemed to make a pretty good travel team. We moved quickly, not lingering long in any one place. The great part of that was to be immersed in such different places every night--- from camping in rural vineyards to the rim of the Badlands to the Rocky Mountains, it was an excellent adventure!
Planning- Where to start
We had two criteria goals to meet in the planning of this trip:
1. Limit the amount of driving to about 4 hours a day and keep it fairly even over the course of the road trip. This might not seem like a long day----but throw in a few stops for work meetings, sightseeing, and a supply trip and with the sun setting at 6:40 pm, the days went quickly.
2. Becky wanted to stay at campsites that were free or cost very little. Our trip was only going to be a week, but she is on the road for a whole month. To make this affordable, the free/cheap campsite criteria is important.
Dispersed Camping and Boondocking?
I realized I had a whole new language to learn--- dispersed camping, boondocking?
What is dispersed camping?
Dispersed camping is the term used for camping in a National Forest or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas outside of a designated campground. There are no services and access to these areas can vary from easy to very challenging (4WD needed).
What is Boondocking camping?
In essence, boondocking is off-the-grid RV travel. Sometimes referred to as “dry camping,” boondocking is any time you camp in your RV without water, sewer, or electrical connections.
The key to this remote camping is to have a battery system that can feed your power needs (without that noisy generator). Becky had a great battery system that was powered by her solar panels and the alternator when she drives, so we never once had hook-ups, which was surprising to me and quite liberating to think about the possibilities.
Planning and Camping Apps to Use
The Campendium app is a great place to search for campsite locations (you can search for free spots), read reviews to know what to expect, and even learn if there is cell service. Since I would need to be working, Verizon service was important. I was surprised to learn that even with some very remote-feeling campsites, there was decent cell service. Heck, I only have one bar at my house in St. Paul, so the fact there is remote camping with cell service was an eye-opener for me.
Becky is ordering cat food for her cat at home back in Washington. I've often thought of camping as trying to avoid being connected but in today's world, connectivity can certainly make life easier.
Another option for “free” camping is Harvest Hosts. For a $100 annual membership fee, you can stay for free at participating vineyards, breweries, and distilleries. The catch is that there is the expectation you will do a tasting and potentially buy wine or other items from the gift shop. Wineries are likely to have some open space by the vineyards, so we opted for two different winery stays- one in SD and one in WY. (I know, these regions are NOT known for their wine so expectations should be in check.)
Recap of Itinerary:
Day One- Sunday: Drive from St. Paul to Sioux Falls area. Stay at Humble Hill Winery.
Day Two- Monday: Drive across SD. Stop at Chamberlain rest area, drive through Badlands National Park. Stay at Nomad View Dispersed Camping.
Day Three-Tuesday: Drive through Custer State Park, down through Nebraska, cross over to WY and stay at Table Mountain Vineyards in WY
Day Four- Wednesday: Plan was to go through Estes Park, but it was downpouring, so we skipped that and hung out at a distillery before heading to the National Forest campsite. Peaceful Valley.
Day Five- Thursday: Drive to Georgetown CO. Train ride, stop in Leadville, and camp at Twin Lakes Dispersed Camping.
Day Six- Friday: Headed towards Santa Fe. Last day of #vanlife, then it’s on to the Airbnb in Santa Fe. (more on that in another blogpost).
Staying at Wineries
The two wineries we stayed at were small, family-run affairs. People living off the land, fighting the natural forces working against them (straight-line winds, fires, early snowstorms that damaged the vines) but carrying on the dream, inviting people in to try the wine and stay in their open spaces.
One thing these northern vineyards have in common is the variety of grapes they grow are those that were developed at the University of Minnesota. Beginning in the mid-'70's, the U of MN has developed 9 different varieties suitable for growing in cold climates. Becky and I were well aware of this because our father had planted a small vineyard over a decade ago. Frontenac (noir, blanc and gris), Itasca, La Crescent, Marquette are some of the more popular varieties.
Humble Hill Vineyard is located in the Palisade region of South Dakota, near the town of Garretson, north of Sioux Falls. This area is known for Jesse James escaping the posse and the pink quartzite formations which are found in a swath through southwestern Minnesota into South Dakota. It's worth a quick stop at Devil's Gulch Park at the northside of Garretson to see the spot where Jesse James and his horse jumped across the 20-foot gorge.
Hosts Ron and Joan greeted us and directed us to the best spot to see the sunset over the vineyard. After a wine tasting in the tasting room, we spent some time chatting with the other two couples camping there for the night and watched the sun disappear over the horizon. Since I wake up quite early, I would take the dog, Lucy for walks while watching the sunrise. There is something quite beautiful about the peaceful quiet of farming areas and experiencing the sun rising and setting.
Table Mountain Vineyard is the second vineyard we stayed at. Located outside of Huntley, Wyoming, this winery is one of only two vineyards in Wyoming. The Zimmerer family established their family farm in 1926 and turned to grapes in 2001 for son Patrick's college thesis project "gone wild" (as described on their website). They host weddings and events at the farm, in a lovely outdoor area surrounded by the vines, as well as generous indoor tasting area with a gift shop.
I really enjoyed my morning walk down the gravel road. Two whitetail deer popped their heads up in the field and kept an eye on me, I explored an abandoned farmstead and watched the sun trying to peek through a stormy sky as I descended the hill back to the vineyard.
Chamberlain SD Rest Area
A must-see rest stop in South Dakota is in Chamberlain, at an overlook of the Missouri River. The 50-foot tall stainless steel sculpture entitled "Destiny" is stunning and powerful. Designed by sculptor Dale Lamphere, it honors the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people. He used three Native American models of ages 14, 29, and 55 for the statue's face.
Nomad View Dispersed Camping
One thing to know about dispersed camping sites is that they don't necessarily show up on Google Maps. You can navigate to them through the Campendium app, but know that this truly breathtaking spot is no secret. Located immediately outside of the Wall entrance to the Badlands National Park, campers part at the edge of the rim at the Nomad View Dispersed Camping area. Overlooking gorgeous badlands whose colors emerge with the rising and setting sun, bighorn sheep graze without a care about the human invaders, coyotes howl in the distance, and the dark night sky with brilliant stars was the icing on the cake.
Custer State Park
I've always loved the drive through Custer State Park and the large herds of bison. The annual Buffalo Roundup had occurred over the weekend and they were moving the herds back out into the open spaces. The round-up is done yearly to vaccinate and brand, and manage the size of the herd through an auction. I definitely had mixed feelings as we felt the thundering herd shake the ground as they ran, watched them being led through the gate with two young confused bison having trouble making it through, their mothers watching carefully from the other side. They are such beautiful, awesome creatures and it's heartbreaking to see them in situations where they need to be "managed", given that 60 million bison used to roam freely on the plains. I remember the bold idea of turning back the Dakotas into wild prairies where the bison can thrive again and think it absolutely has merit.
The friendly burros are not to be forgotten! These lovable creatures are always there to greet visitors (but please don't feed them!)
Rocky Mountain High
Our original plan was to go through Estes Park, but it was downpouring, so we skipped that and opted for a whiskey tasting at Spirit Hound distillery before heading into the mountains and toward our campsite. We tasted 4 different whiskeys and some moonshine in the outdoor patio "shipping container" space. When it rains, you need to improvise even when in a camper van!
Peaceful Valley Campground
Located in Roosevelt National Forest, this campground is the one reservation we made. With a number of wildfires in the area and the absolute craziness of trying to get into Rocky Mountain National Park, we opted for a sure thing with our campsite in this area. For $25, it was a really great campground and we had a spot along the Middle Saint Vrain Creek We went for a short hike before making dinner and settling in for the night. At an elevation of 8,500 feet, it dropped below 40 at night, but with a heater in the van, this was no problem.
Stop in Georgetown CO
For a 3-hour client Zoom meeting, we stopped in Georgetown so that Becky could explore the area and have lunch, while I was in the meeting. This is a cute mountain town with narrow streets with a lot of touristy shops. Becky got the details for the Georgetown Loop Railroad ride, so we took the steam train (runs on recycled waste and corn oil, not coal) to Silver Plume and back.
The open-air ride took about an hour and a half and it was fun to see the bright yellow aspens. Becky has a steam license and knows a thing or two about these trains, so she was thoroughly delighted we had time to do this ride.
Twin Lakes Dispersed Camping
The final dispersed camping spot ended up to be quite a nerve-wracking adventure. The spot was gorgeous, with views over the Twin Lakes area in Colorado south of Leadville---but it was cloudy and drizzly, so we can imagine how amazing it would be during better weather. After reading all the Campendium wonderful reviews, we tried in vain to find the areas more accessible to larger vehicles. There were multiple access points to the area for camping, but huge ruts, steep slopes, large rocks and tight spots between trees. After walking around a bit, we asked someone who had managed to get his Subaru on top of a great viewpoint. He told us where to go, but it was super tricky to get in between the trees and maneuver around huge potholes.
When we went to leave, it required some excellent driving skills by Becky with me moving boulders (okay, perhaps they were just large rocks) out of the way while helping Becky navigate the tight trees. In the end, perhaps we weren't in the right area and there was another, a more accessible spot for larger vehicles. We saw other vehicles driving by on the paved road and giving up, so we weren't the only ones puzzled about the good review for accessibility to this site.
A Few Observations from this Novice
Stuff gets in the way. I packed two sweatshirts too many and a coat I didn't really need. In a van, it’s a delicate dance of moving things around to access what you need. Two people also have to coordinate moving around each other to get from one part of the van to another. Organized storage is key.
Working from the road. I successfully attended my meetings, got a proposal out the door, and kept up with emails but ended up using PTO hours, as I didn't work 40. It was still a pretty good balance of keeping up with work obligations and enjoying the trip---but it would have been even better not to have worried about work. We used speedtest.net to test download speeds and make sure we maximized internet connectivity when needed.
Parking/ driving a large van. Driving the Travato (built on a Dodge Ram ProMaster) was fairly painless, but I didn't have to do tricky maneuvering as Becky did. The dimensions are just under 7' wide and 21' long. It can fit into a parking spot but will hang out. You do have to think carefully about how to get in and out of areas before diving in. It's more difficult to handle in windy conditions and the engine was strained when in the mountains. The gas mileage is about 15 miles/ gallon.
What does this mean for my #vanlife dream?
I'd like to get a shorter van. Perhaps 19.5' long, like a Sprinter van.
I still like the idea of having some sort of bathroom/shower, even though it will take up valuable space.
I'd like a pop-up top for sleeping. Beds take up a lot of valuable space and if it can go on the roof, that would be a huge bonus.
Camper vans continue to be extremely popular with lots of new innovations happening as popularity increases. It will be okay to wait a few years and see what happens with the market and the development of new options. An all-electric vehicle really would be great--but we might need to wait for them to work the kinks out of that.
A big thanks to my sister for taking me along for this adventure......and for not leaving me in some ditch somewhere as payback for our challenging childhood relationship.
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