Enter the Dirtwagen
At the end of 2016, I sold most of my stuff, put the rest into storage, moved into my minivan, pulled chocks and took off. Here’s my old van, Spacepod
Spacepod was a 2010 Toyota Sienna AWD. My “build” consisted of a folding cot from the big-box sporting goods store, some old milk crates for storage and a roof box. Spacepod and I enjoyed an all-too-brief eleven months and 30,000 miles together. From Connecticut to southern California to Alaska and back, with plenty of stops and adventures in between.
I’ve never really been much for social media, so I can’t comment much on the origins, but in the background, some strange phenomenon called #Vanlife was brewing, as a sort of polished counterpoint to the slightly more established idea of “overlanding”. It seemed that one needed various combinations of locking differentials, mud tires, granite countertops and reclaimed wood interior to post up at an established campground.
Who knew!
Subtle shade-throwing aside, if one intends to either traverse many miles of difficult terrain unsupported, or spend an extended period of time traveling in a sustainable amount of comfort, some reasonable preparation is needed. Ultimately, that preparation will be payed for in either time and experience, or hard cash.
My time away from so-called reality was cut short by my dwindling bank account, but if I am to be honest, I was exhausted. Spacepod was not a long term sustainable option for comfort reasons. Another winter in the mountains, in an unheated van was not something I looked forward to. Coming off the road after nearly a year was an unbelievably harsh experience, but it was the right decision, given my means of travel.
Five years later, trying to pose as a “normal” person, I’m much more stationary, but still have strong, recurring urges to get out and roam. I do not need a quarter-million dollar Sprinter build. I do not need a 4x4 set up to cross the Sahara. I need an inconspicuous, fuel efficient beater that will serve as a hard-sided tent on the weekend, and practical transportation otherwise, all against the backdrop of densely populated, overdeveloped New England.
Enter the Dirtwagen
The Dirtwagen is a 2006 Pontiac Vibe. It is a tired, dirty, overworked (similar to its pilot) hatchback. It features a symphony of clunks and rattles, various rust perforations, a broken radio and a hazy, pitted windscreen. Improvements include Spacepod’s old roof box and gracefully aging snow tires. My interior build consists of some foam pads to approximate a mattress, reflectix window covers, and a single milk crate to carry basic camping gear. It gets the job done.
Dirtwagen is not glamorous. Dirtwagen is not photogenic. Dirtwagen will never be instagram famous. Dirtwagen is just enough,
and nothing more.
Perfect for a few nights out, chasing experiences in far away places.
If I am to be completely honest, I think I may have lost the thread in the process of writing this post. I think it may have had something to do with not getting hung up on money or image when dreaming up an adventure. Perhaps it was just an unsolicited love letter to my junky, little, grey hatchback. Maybe there should be some perfunctory, motivational tagline at the end, like “just get out there”, “don’t overthink it”, or some such business.
Perhaps all of these things are true. Good thing it’s just a blog post.
Long live #Hatchbacklife!
Because no one asked, I’m currently digging David Steca’s (of Only a Roadtrip Away) general philosophy of cobbling together semi-deliberately unsuitable vehicles for ambitious trips. HERE.