Preparing for the Journey
I leave in two days for the adventure of a lifetime—a six-week road trip in a customized, absolutely incredible Vandoit. My mobile home for the trip is currently parked in my driveway, and all day, I’ve been shuttling my essentials into the van, searching for the perfect place to organize each item. Pot and pan in this drawer, Daisy Mae’s food in the Dometic fridge, shoes in the storage tower. In all likelihood, I’ll rearrange everything a million times before I figure out a system, but that’s all part of the fun, right?
I’ve taken road trips before. In fact, last year I went on an almost identical itinerary. Last time, however, I took the trip in my Kia Soul, sleeping in a rooftop tent. While it was quite the adventure, as a solo female traveler, I often felt vulnerable and exposed.
In the rooftop tent, it was clearly obvious that someone was sleeping up there. If I needed to leave quickly, I simply couldn’t. The tent took at least ten minutes to take down, with multiple steps and processes. In my Kia Soul, I was also very limited in terms of creature comforts. The back was filled to the brim with All Bodies on Bikes equipment, requiring a constant shuffling of gear.
The Vandoit, even though it’s clearly branded with All Bodies on Bikes and my sponsors, provides a level of safety and security I did not have last year. Real doors. Real windows. Locks. I’m going into this trip feeling confident that whether I’m sleeping in a designated campground or off-the-grid, I’ll be safe and secure inside.
The Top 5 Things I Am Excited About
To say I’m excited about this adventure in the Vandoit would be a vast understatement—I am over the moon. Here are the top five things I’m excited about:
1. Taking Daisy Mae with Me
Daisy Mae is my 14-year-old pup who is happiest when she is by my side, but with any trip of this nature, there will of course be times I need to venture without her. With the air conditioner, rooftop vent, and remote temperature visibility with Waggle, I can feel confident knowing that she’s safe and happy in the Vandoit.
2. Recording Episodes of the All Bodies on Bikes Podcast
My Vandoit is fully equipped to work from, with a full desk setup including a second monitor. The van also has a swivel passenger seat and a folding desk, making a perfect setup for a podcast guest to sit in and be interviewed! I’ve got five episodes lined up to be recorded as a special “Road Trip Edition” of the All Bodies on Bikes podcast and can’t wait to test the setup.
3. Living Like a Minimalist
I have a lot of stuff—as a sponsored athlete and influencer, I’m constantly being sent new gear and clothing. While an awesome perk of my job, lots of stuff is not the name of the game for van life. For this trip, I’m doing my best to live as minimally as possible. I’ve narrowed my ridiculous wardrobe down to what fits in a small duffle bag, am only taking four pairs of shoes, and two coffee mugs. Time will tell if I made good choices!
4. Showcasing the Vandoit at Stops Along the Way
My road trip is built around a number of gravel bike races, where I’ll get to showcase my custom van for anyone to see. At nearly all of these, there is an expo before the race, where I’ll be setting up the All Bodies on Bikes booth with the Vandoit, welcoming curious attendees to come inside and experience the magic of the Vandoit for themselves! I’m hopeful that this will spark both curiosity and conversation!
5. Returning Home to the Pacific Northwest
I moved from Seattle to Arkansas a little over two years ago, only returning once to the northwest. I cannot wait to breathe in the salty air, crane my neck skywards to take in the towering trees, and dip my toes in the freezing Pacific Ocean. On this trip, I’ll be meeting up with friends along the Washington Coast, one of my all-time favorite places in the world. I absolutely cannot wait to refuel my soul in this magical wonderscape, using the Vandoit as a home base.
Two more sleeps until I hit the road, which reminds me, I should probably decide which pillow I’m taking on my trip.
Super excited to hear all about your road trip! We left our then 15 year old Havanese in the Vandoit during Rooted in 2022. We had parked overnight in Cochran’s parking lot with no plugins and used the AC all night. We did the Little Sip course and were gone for almost five hours and the AC worked great the entire time! Power started around 70% and when we returned it was at 22%. She was sleeping comfortably when we arrived!
If you do a public ride in Seattle, would love to join you!