My friend David of San Diego, who was at the RTR, invited me to the VanLife gathering on Fiesta Island in Mission Bay, San Diego on a Saturday after the RTR.
I had moved over to San Diego during the week after the RTR and Quartzfest in Quartzsite to visit my west coast son and family.
I was not aware of the vanlife group that uses Meetup.com to manage the gathering, until David mentioned it to me.
I arrived at 10 am, and before David arrived. I soon met Dale, a woman living in San Diego half the year and lives in Ontario, Canada as her permanent residence. She is interested in vandwelling, either a full-size van or minivan.
I arrived at 10 am, and before David arrived. I soon met Dale, a woman living in San Diego half the year and lives in Ontario, Canada as her permanent residence. She is interested in vandwelling, either a full-size van or minivan.
I was the only pickup / pop-up camper there. I had a few viewers, but I didn’t man the truck to show it off. I was there to see what others have done.
Dale and I checked out a few Sprinter style van conversations as it is one possible van she would like.
Dale and I checked out a few Sprinter style van conversations as it is one possible van she would like.
Above the man that own this one (above) uses the Sprinter as his daily commuter, as well as his camper. He has two compressor fridges. One for everyday under the counter and the other by the slider for long excursions.
He has a map of the USA on the ceiling that he draws on with eraceable markers to mark where he has been. He also has lights lit for city’s too.
Another guy (above) in a van built his with store furniture, as he wishes to make changes as he wishes in the future.
Above is yet another Sprinter with some copious storage in the rear. David caught up with Dale and I about this point.
Yes there are lot of Sprinter style vans and everyone was so gracious in inviting people in to check them out.
Here is another with a more fancy touch. There were commercially built vans as well as homemade.
One woman, showing her van, picked up her van the night before from up by Los Angeles to show it this day. She was a bit apologetic that vabinet handles and other small items still needed to be completed.
It was nice to see all the different interior styles and designs. There are two woman that run the vanlife group and they have a business to build out vans too.
It wouldn’t be California if there weren’t oldies but goody vans, like this brightly colored van, above.
There were people in cars, minivans, as well as full-size vans.
The two woman who run the event, every other month, were excited by today’s turnout. A few hundred people were estimated to have attended. This was the largest gathering held yet. They are on top of their van with a photographer on the right of the above picture.
The two woman who run the event, every other month, were excited by today’s turnout. A few hundred people were estimated to have attended. This was the largest gathering held yet. They are on top of their van with a photographer on the right of the above picture.
They plan to soon release an app to assist others with vanlife. You may be hearing of it soon.
At lunch there was a well attended pot luck lunch were all you needed to do is bring something.
It was great to visit with David again and he introduced me to a number of people there. I stayed until 1:30 and headed back to my son’s house to meet up with the family and help my son with a project leftover from the last time I was here.
Brent
macaloney@hotmail.com
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