What I Packed for One Week in The Cascades

This past week, I went on a far different trip than what I’d normally plan for myself. I’d been thinking about getting my Wilderness First Aid certification for a while, and when I got an opportunity to do so with my favorite volunteer group, GIVE Volunteers, I jumped at the chance. This wasn’t just going to be a two-day, 16-hour WFA course, we’d also be learning outdoor leadership, international guide skills, and risk management. The entire program lasted one week and took place in the North Cascades of Washington during the last months of the Pacific North West’s deep winter. Since it was such a unique program, I figured it would be most useful to you, as readers, to know what I packed for this environment.

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Cascade backcountry

Outdoor Essentials

As this was a wilderness education course, we were required to bring a sleeping bag and other types of outdoor gear, as well as the expected gear. Half of my big 65L bag was taken up by my favorite zero degree sleeping bag from Madera Outdoor. As we didn’t know how effective the heat in our lodging would be, it was essential to pack for the worst, just in case.

Other outdoor gear that I’m so glad I brought along included my Merrell Moab hiking shoes, since they’re already broken in and fully waterproof. The best socks for this excursion actually ended up being my hiking socks, so make sure you bring a few pairs of those as well if you’re heading to Washington’s mountains in the snow season. A day pack is also essential for staying outside for long periods of time! Other than that, most of our outdoor gear was provided. If you’re not going to the Cascades with a tour group, though, I’d suggest investing in either microspikes or snowshoes for hiking, as well as trekking poles—I wouldn’t have made it through the week without them!

The woods by our lodge in the Cascade Mountains

Cold Weather Essentials

It was between 20 and 40 degrees pretty much the entire week, so layers were key. As we learned in our WFA course, “be bold, start cold!” which means starting with a base layer and adding layers as you get colder from being outside, since exertion will warm you up quick! I brought a few base layer shirts, one fleece, one sweatshirt, and my ski coat. As for bottoms, I had leggings as a base layer, and then on really cold days, added (second hand) wool ski pants. My outer layer for snow was always a goretex shield. It’s also important to always carry extra socks in case yours get wet! It’s also essential to make sure you have waterproof gloves (for making snowballs, obviously). Two other things I wouldn’t have done this week without were my Buff and a warm beanie.

In terms of non-clothes, bringing an extra blanket was a great decision for sleeping in a cabin in the woods in the middle of the Cascades in winter!

Waterfall in Cascade backcountry

Overall, I was able to fit all of this gear and a few more non-essentials (laptop, book, snacks, etc…) in one 65L backpacking bag and one 22L daypack. The truth is, the cold allows you to re-wear so many of your clothes, so you don’t need to worry about packing an entirely fresh outfit for everyday, especially if you’re visiting the Cascades to spend time outside. The Cascades are absolutely beautiful, yet might feel a bit overwhelming to visit in the winter. But don’t avoid it, embrace the cold—you’ll be met with some of the most beautiful and authentic nature you’ve ever seen.

If you are interested in doing a program with GIVE Volunteers, make sure you put me (Halle Homel) down as a reference, and email or message me via my contact page with any questions you may have!

Tips From a Local: Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a top tourist spot for a lot of reasons. During the summer, we avoid going to the city because it’s “tourist season,” and I constantly see questions regarding my home city and public transportation (hint: we have none). While I’m a huge fan of nature, I do have a certain love for Los Angeles, even if that love only comes from the fact that I grew up there. Since I started traveling, I’ve done a pretty good job of exploring my home city when I do happen to go home to visit my family, and I’ve started to gain an appreciation of everything there is to do in this massive city. Basically, why people love to travel there.

Recently, I had one of my favorite members of my Van Fam (@jaredinthevan) come and visit while I was in LA catching up with the family, so I had the pleasure of playing tour guide for a few days. There were beaches, mountains, and rocks to be climbed. Oh, and ice cream. These are the places I take my friends when we’re in Los Angeles.

Sunset at El Matador Beach

El Matador Beach

Shhh! This one’s a secret! Once one of the most secluded beaches in Los Angeles, El Matador has recently sprung up as a hotspot for film and photoshoots. I try not to tell people about it, but it simply had to be on this list—it’s generally the first place I take people when they come to LA for the first time. It’s known for its rock formations, and if the tide is low, you can walk all the way down to a decent sized cave. There is limited parking here, and it costs $6 to park.

El Matador is my favorite place in Los Angeles. Please, if you visit, keep it low key—don’t bring a ton of people to party, and please, leave no trace.

Hidden cave at El Matador Beach

Vasquez Rocks Natural Park

This is a place I’ve been coming since I was a kid after my dad came here a lot when he was a kid. This is a historic film site (think, Star Trek!), as well as a section of the Pacific Crest Trail and natural area. I took Jared here to do some bouldering. We did our fair share of scrambling too, but climbing was the main purpose of the day. This area was once underwater and is home to plenty of interesting rock formations to climb or scramble up. This is also a great place to bring kids if you’re traveling with a family (believe me, it was 4 year old Halle approved!).

On weekends it does get busy, so plan ahead and get there early. There is also no water at the park, so pack some in (and remember to pack all your trash out!). Vasquez Rocks is free to enter, and has a small visitor center for information.

Vasquez Rocks Natural Park

Point Dume State Beach

Point Dume is a huge climbing hotspot, which is why I wanted to take Jared out here, but it’s also one of my favorite beaches in the area. Climb to the top of the bluff (via hiking trail or rope), and take a peek at the view, explore the tide pools, go for a swim, or, in the winter, watch for whales! Yes, we saw whales here! Point Dume is more of your classic swim beach than El Matador, and offers plenty of sand to sprawl out on, as well as a towering rock formation on the west side of the beach. There is free parking available, but it does require some walking. If walking just isn’t your thing, you can pay the $8 parking fee in the lot.

View from the top of the bluff, Point Dume State Beach

Magpies Softserve

This is a bit of a different spot than the others on this list, but it had to be on here for obvious reasons (if it isn’t obvious, the reason is ICE CREAM!). Magpies is my favorite ice cream shop in Los Angeles. They have a rotating menu of specialty soft serve flavors, and six of their eight flavors are vegan. They also make delicious ice cream pies with vegan whipped cream, and the shop itself is so good, I went three times in one week!

Magpie’s Softserve is one of the most Instagrammable ice cream spots in the city

Topanga State Park

Topanga State Park is a state park located in the Santa Monica Mountains. Of all the many state parks in the area, this one is definitely my favorite. It has some of the best hiking trails in the area, and accessing them takes you through the beautiful canyon, which is recognized by the state of California as a scenic route. Some of my favorite trails in the park include Parker Mesa, Eagle Rock, and Hondo Canyon (which is located off Old Topanga Road and is part of the Backbone Trail). While Parker Mesa and Hondo Canyon are definitely meant for more advanced hikers, there truly is a trail for everyone in Topanga, and Eagle Rock is a huge tourist spot, so get ready to snap that Instagram pic at the top.

Top of the Eagle Rock hike in Topanga State Park

Los Angeles is a place I have a complicated relationship with. I love it because it’s home, but it’s a bit chaotic to be in with the van. Regardless of chaos, I do have my favorite spots, and these ones are definitely worth seeing during a trip to Los Angeles. So get that camera ready, and prepare to step out of the tourist spotlight for a day or two, and head out to one of these places. But most importantly, take care of them. Let’s keep these places beautiful.

Why I Live in a Van

I’ve been living in the van full time for a month now, and the truth is, living in a van down by the river (or in the desert, or woods, or mountains, or city) is the best life ever. But I get it: you might not. And that’s okay, but really, full time travel is something that a lot of people are pursuing these days. I live in a 1997 Dodge Ram 3500 conversion van. It has a full sized bed, refrigerator, running water, solar power electricity, and an emergency toilet, and it’s everything I need to be happy. It’s not all fun and games, but it gives our lives variety. It allows me to have the freedom my soul wants while still being a Responsible Adult. And it’s allowed me to find myself, at least a little bit. So this is my why. Why travel. Why an alternative lifestyle. Why vanlife.

Camping on Joshua Tree South BLM

What is an alternative lifestyle?

We’ve all heard of the 9-5. We’ve all heard of the college, get married, buy a house, have kids, work for 30 years, retire loop that people tend to get stuck in. An alternative lifestyle is the rejection of that. It’s the idea that we are in charge of our own lives, not society. You can really do whatever you want. The thing is, whatever your excuse is, spin it around. If you think, “yeah but… I have to work.” Why can’t you do that from the road? Why can’t you start your own business? “Yeah but… I’m supposed to be buying a house.” Why is that? Who is saying that a house is your next step? There are no written rules for life, so it’s important to understand that we can take charge of our own paths, and do the thing that makes our souls feel full.

Of course, if a 9-5 feels right to you, then amazing! Do that! But for many of the people in my community, there’s boredom in a 9-5, there’s creative blocks, there’s a feeling of being trapped. So listen to that feeling and know that there’s another life out there.

Camping at Anza Borrego Desert State Park

But you can’t just be on vacation all the time…

Whoa whoa whoa… I have to stop you there. This is not a vacation. First I want to talk about something that my guide, Mike, brought up on the first day of my GIVE trip: what is the difference between a vacation and an adventure?

To me, a vacation is an escape from something, usually from a job or school. A vacation has the purpose of being a relaxing break before you return to real life.

An adventure is what this life feels like to me, but it’s more than that: this is my real life. Travel is my lifestyle. I still deal with real life, sometimes more than I would if I was living in an apartment, because in a moving house, things tend to break. I have to fill up my water tanks and dump the grey water when it’s full. I go grocery shopping and cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner every night. And more importantly, I work. I spend about 50% of my time in a place working so that I can afford to be where I am. This is simply life to me—it’s just that my backyard changes.

Loving life in Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by my friend Jared @jaredinthevan.

Why a van?

Now a lot of people romanticize backpacking, which is also long term travel, but yet don’t understand vanlife. Why is that? Honestly, there is a stigma, but when I have friends living in Mercedes Sprinters, it’s hard to understand why that stigma still stands. Honestly, I chose a van because I wanted to travel, but didn’t want rent to pay on top of my plane tickets. I wanted to be going full time, and having a van allows you to have everything you could possibly need with you all the time, no matter where you are.

I chose a van because when I sleep next to a national park I wake up to the sunrise peeking through my windows. I chose a van because ending my day surrounded by somewhere new but under a sky full of the same stars feels more stable and right to me than going home to the same place every night. I chose a van because it could park anywhere. I chose a van because the road feels like home to me, and even more so when I carry my home with me like a snail does. I chose a van because structure doesn’t pair well with me. And that’s okay. There’s a life for everyone where they’re happy.

Me and the van at the RTR 2020. Photo by my friends @lindseyanddannyvanlife

What about friends and relationships?

This is a tricky one. When we’re constantly moving, we don’t find ourselves surrounded by the same people all the time, but at the same time, the people we need to be around will find us when we need them the most. I have an amazing van fam who I caravanned with for about a month, and the thing is, people come and go, and moments do too—it’s just a matter of listening to where your soul wants to be and who it wants to be with.

Me and Emma in Sedona. Emma is one of the van fam and you can find her @emma.goes. Photo by our friend Brien @theotherground.

So… in conclusion…

Basically, vanlife for me is finding my freedom. I felt very stifled in school, and like I never really had the opportunity to make friends who truly understood how I felt about certain things, and through full time travel, through the road, I’ve been able to find both of those things. While people are fleeting, I’ve found my community, and while all roads do come to an end, I’ve found my freedom through the movement. I’ve figured myself out, and what I need, and I think that was something that needed to happen for me to progress as a person. Vanlife isn’t just about the van, it’s about the life and what you choose to do with it.

-HWS

I Took a Secret Tour of Joshua Tree

I’ve been to Joshua Tree 5 times in my life, 4 of them in the past year, and 2 of them in the van. This time around I definitely felt as local as you can get in a National Park, but at the same time, I knew there was so much more to discover.

When The Secret Tours reached out to me, I was immediately intrigued—discovering more about a place I’ve been before? Having an excuse to go back? Yes please! So during this trip to Joshua Tree National Park, I participated in a couple of their tours so that I could see a little more of this amazing place I’ve grown to love.

The Secret Tours is a self-guided tour company in the Joshua Tree area, and they have a few different tours to participate in. On this trip, I did the Walking Tour and the National Park Tour, and both were super fun! They combine the idea of a scavenger hunt with exploration and fun facts about the area to make exploring interesting for all types of travelers. My team was made up of me and Transit Connect vanlifer Jared (@Jaredinthevan on insta!), and while it was my fifth time to the park, it was Jared’s first, so taking the National Park tour made for a really cool experience: me discovering new places I hadn’t seen before, and Jared seeing the whole park for the first time.

Don’t climb skull rock unless you know what you’re doing! The view from the bottom is pretty cool too!

All of the tours start at the Joshua Tree Visitor Center in Joshua Tree, California. For the National Park tour, you’ll then go into the park and start discovering new destinations along the road, and answering questions about your observations as you go.

This tour will take you through the entire park, and as far south as the Cholla Cactus Gardens, your clues adding up to one big answer at the end of the tour!

Sunset from Quail Springs

Some of our favorite stops:

Cholla Cactus Gardens- This is an all time favorite of mine, so I was super excited to see it on this tour! This is one of those must-see stops in Joshua Tree, but make sure you experience it right by seeing it with The Secret Tours!

Chollas chillin’ in the Cactus Gardens

The Adventurous Yucca- This is the oldest Joshua Tree, but I won’t tell you where in the park to find it—I’ll leave The Secret Tours to that one! This is a fun spot to hit because at the very beginning of the tour you have to figure out how old it is!

The oldest Joshua Tree… can you guess how old it is? Or, you can go on the tour to find out!

Keys View- Again, I’m not gonna tell you where to find this one, but you can’t really miss the signs pointing you in the right direction! This is a super cool spot that I didn’t even know was here, despite the fact that I’d been to the park 5 times!

Quail Springs- While we experienced this spot at the beginning of the tour, we actually ended up coming back here at the end of the day for the sunset and some rock scrambling, despite the long drive through the park! I loved that this tour showed me some spots worth revisiting, other than my normal go-to’s.

Key’s View! Joshua Tree’s very own Grand Canyon!

For your next trip to Joshua Tree, The Secret Tours should be on your to-do list! They’re a great way to get the lay of the land and experience the entire area in and surrounding the park to the fullest! While the main tour I did while I was in the area was the National Park tour, they also have their walking tour and a longer driving tour around the area that surrounds the park to take you to some cool desert art, alien-related spots, and more! So head on out to the California desert—you might just discover some secrets…

Your Guide to the Southern California Desert

I’ve now pretty much finished Southern California. It’s where I grew up and went to school, so I’ve got a pretty good gauge of its geography. And on top of that, there’s basically no major destination in the southern portion of the state that I haven’t traveled to. There are a few main landscapes in Southern California: from mountains to beaches to deserts. They say it’s one of the only places you can go surfing in the morning and skiing in the afternoon. But a large portion of Southern California is taken up by desert, and a few of these deserts are very worth your visit, while some are just transitional spaces between states (I’m looking at you, Mojave). This is a short guide to the deserts worth seeing, why you should visit, and what there is to do there.

Joshua Tree National Park

Anza Borrego Desert State Park

Anza Borrego Desert State Park is actually known for its correlation with the famous California Wildflower Superbloom that happens in spring seasons that follow winters where we get a lot of rain. While a superbloom is unlikely in 2020, this desert is still worth your visit. It’s the largest state park in the contiguous United States, and touches three counties: San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside. There are also a lot of free campgrounds in Anza Borrego, and you do not need to pay the park entrance fee ($10) to stay in them overnight. You’ve likely heard about Anza Borrego from the Sky Art Sculptures: giant metal sculptures built to work with the landscape or look like they’re a part of it. These sculptures invoke feelings of whimsy, and bring you back to the most childlike parts of your imagination (pictured below).

The Serpent, Anza Borrego Desert State Park

Joshua Tree National Park

I’ve talked about Joshua Tree a lot on this blog, and even have a full guide to the park available HERE, but it needs to be on this list because it’s one of the main desert attractions in Southern California. Home to over 2 million Joshua Trees, a member of the agave family, Joshua Tree National Park is known for rock climbing, photography, and general exploring. It’s a huge park with plenty to do for every kind of traveler. Going with kids? Check out Jumbo Rocks Campground, Skull Rock, and Arch Rock. Adventure Seeker? Go find the Hall in the Hall or Horrors, summit Ryan Mountain, or go scrambling on one of the many rock formations. Just trying to take some good pictures for the ‘gram? Head over to the Cholla Cactus Gardens or stop in any roadside pullout for a good photoshoot with some J Trees! There’s also tons to do in the area, from stopping and grabbing a bomb vegan sandwich and getting some work done at Frontier Café to taking a self-guided tour with The Secret Tours.

Joshua Tree National Park: Sunrise from Belle Campground

Slab City, The Salton Sea, and Salvation Mountain

These spots are important for any SoCal desert tourist, but I honestly can’t see myself going back anytime soon. Salvation Mountain is a famous piece of desert installation art in the middle of Slab City, a strange desert town. It’s definitely worth seeing, and while you’re there, make sure you visit East Jesus—another space for desert art. As for where to stay during your time here, I highly recommend the Salton Sea. It’s close by, but not so close that you’ll feel the general weirdness of the Slabs. The Salton Sea is a huge body of water with a strange history, and the beach is made of fish bones. Just beware—the Salton Sea doesn’t smell its best!

Salvation Mountain, Slab City, CA

The SoCal desert is an incredible landscape that shouldn’t be missed. So many people say they’re coming to California and stop their journey south at Los Angeles, when really, there’s so much to be seen. The desert lies inland, and will give you a much broader scope of what California is made of. The desert is a place of extremes, so you might want to make sure you stock up on water, but also bring your 0 degree sleeping bag with you (don’t have one? Check out my favorite bag HERE!). But above all, make sure you take plenty of pictures—the desert has a certain beautiful magic to it.

My Must-Visit Spots in San Diego, CA

It’s no secret, if you’ve been following me a while, that cities aren’t really my thing. But when I was on my way back to my home base from my 3 weeks in Arizona, I really wanted to see where else I could fit into my route before taking a break from vanlife for a bit to get my WFA certification. A lot of my van fam had headed out to San Diego after Arizona, and it’s kinda the place to go for people in vans in the colder months because we, like birds, go south for the winter.

Now, it’s not that cities don’t have a ton to offer. There’s culture, food, and plenty to do. But there tends to be a bit more chaos in cities than I like. It’s a bit harder to park the van, and there are more rules about where you can sleep at night. I also tend to feel a little disconnected when I spent too much time in a city (truly, the forest is where I belong). But I went to San Diego anyway. So, for anyone in a van (or not!) who’s planning a trip to San Diego, these are my favorite places I went while I was there.

La Jolla Cove

Sunset Cliffs and Ocean Beach

The beach towns tended to have a little more space for big ol’ Sequoia, so the first place I went was Ocean Beach. Sunset Cliffs is a natural park known for towering cliffs over the ocean. Lots of people come here to see the views, surf the waves, or watch the sunset because, well, it’s called Sunset Cliffs for a reason.

Ocean Beach is also home to a very cool nighttime farmer’s market on Wednesdays (starting at 4pm), where they have music, vendors, and tons of vegan food available.

Sunset Cliffs, Ocean Beach

La Jolla

La Jolla is one of the most crowded and complicated areas to visit if you have a van. Parking here is an absolute nightmare, and my one tip is to try to park as far from the actual coves as you can walk. I ended up finding parking over by the La Jolla Underwater Park (I believe), and walked the beautiful cliffside trail to the coves (which was only about a half mile and incredibly gorgeous).

La Jolla is one of the nicest areas I visited in San Diego. It’s full of touristy shops, expensive restaurants, and sea lions. Yes, sea lions. These gorgeous animals are what La Jolla is known for, so make sure you go to the coves and say hi (just don’t get too close! Remember to Leave No Trace!).

The sea lions of La Jolla

Mission Bay Park

This was a great little spot to go and relax, make lunch, and get some work done. It’s definitely not a place to plan on spending your entire day unless you have a kayak or paddleboard, but it did give me some beautiful views while I did some writing. A lot of people come here to walk or ride their bikes along the shore, get a work out in, or let their kids run off some steam. There’s also tons of parking during the day so if you’re looking for a place to just relax, hop on your hotspot, or take a walk, this spot should be on your list.

If you’re interested in pursuing the full time travel life and want to know the best way to make money online, check out Wired Creatives HERE!

Mission Bay Park

Where I ate

I usually don’t talk about veganism on the blog, but honestly, a huge portion of what I do in cities is food related. Cities make it really easy to spend all your money on food. Luckily, because I have a kitchen, I did cook most of my food, and I had plenty of snacks with me, but there were a few points where I did buy food out. A favorite in Ocean Beach is Plant Power Fast Food. I used to work at one of their other locations, and it made for a super convenient place to grab a bite on the days when I was in OB. They also have WiFi, so it was a bit of a win-win.

I did also get an awesome meal at the OB farmer’s market on the Wednesday that I was there. They had tons of vegan spots at the event, but I found a vegan Chinese food place with no line that gave me an incredible amount of food for $12.

I also headed out to the University Heights area near SDSU where I went with a friend for dinner. We met at Plumeria Vegetarian Restaurant, a sit-down vegetarian Thai food place that was almost as good as the real deal.

The last place I ate out at was Loving Hut in Scripp’s Ranch. I wasn’t planning on heading out this way again, and then I found out that my childhood best friend was also in town, so I went out to where she grew up (and where I had visited with her mom a few days before), and she took me here. This place has amazing food and enormous portions. Would definitely recommend!

La Jolla Underwater Park, view from a coastal trail I parked near

San Diego was an interesting first real city experience in the van. I did really enjoy my time there, despite the absolute chaos cities tend to bring. So, if you’re planning your own trip to Southern California anytime soon, make sure these spots are on your list—they’ll be sure to give you a pretty complete San Diego experience.

10 Tips for Making it Through Long-Haul Road Trips

In my world, I do a lot of driving. In the past year, I’ve put about 20,000 miles under my wheels (in two separate vehicles of course), and while I like to keep my drives short (3-4 hours if possible), there are some days when you just can’t avoid that 6-12 hour long-haul. Doing drives like this to get to a destination can be grueling, especially if you’re solo, so whether you’re a full time vanlifer like myself, or a casual traveler looking to get that road trip fix in this spring, here are my best tips for surviving a day on the road.

Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links

My first tiny home, in Badlands National Park, SD

1: Be prepared for time zone shifts

If you’re traveling coast to coast (or in any vaguely horizontal direction, really, if you’re not just road tripping in the states), it’s super important to be prepared to shift in your time zone. This can affect your arrival time greatly, and will affect you more if you’re moving West to East, rather than East to West, since you’ll be arriving an hour later than planned. Keep this in mind when doing any type of long haul drive, so that you can plan accordingly for any way that this might throw off your plans.

Sedona, AZ (photographer: Brien @theotherground)

2: Snacks

Obviously, you can’t have a proper road trip without snacks. But, they’re even more important when you’re putting major miles behind you, especially if you’re driving solo. Calories keep you awake, and sometimes, you won’t want to stop for lunch, especially if you’re trying to make it to a destination by a certain time. I always keep a few snacks with me in the front of the van so that I don’t have to pull over to find something to eat every time I start getting tired.

A favorite healthy snack of mine lately is Bobo’s Oat Bars. They’re vegan, oat based, and super yummy! Pick yourself up a box HERE!

Bobo’s Oat Bars make fantastic road trip snacks

3: Water

As essential as snacks, water is something we often forget about while driving, especially if you’re driving solo. The thing is, being in the car all day singing along to the radio is incredibly dehydrating, and you’ll only get tired faster if your body needs something you aren’t giving it.

If there’s nowhere to fill up my reusable bottle, you’ll nearly always see me sipping on a Surfwater—bottled water packaged in the world’s most recyclable material: aluminum!

Surfwater aka the best water at El Matador Beach in Malibu (photographer: Alex @alx.vu)

4: An amazing playlist

Nearly as essential as food and water, having great, inspiring music to listen to is a must. I have about 10 very similar but very different road trip playlists that I recycle depending on my landscape, but my favorite artists to listen to on the road are: Lord Huron, The National Parks, Frenship, and Mogli. Oh, and the soundtrack from David Attenborough’s Our Planet. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!

Here are some links to my current favorite Spotify playlists:

Vanlife

The Ultimate Roadtrip Soundtrack

Pacific Coast Highway

Our Planet

The van on Joshua Tree BLM land

5: Take Breaks

I cannot stress this one enough! If you’re traveling solo, please take breaks. This is what rest areas are for, and if there are none, gas stations and truck stops are amazing too. I recommend taking a break every 1-2 hours so that you can breathe, use the bathroom, change your music, make a sandwich, anything! Just take your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel for 10 minutes. It’ll wake you up and make for a safer and less frustrating drive.

Bison on the road in Yellowstone National Park

6: Be aware of agricultural checkpoints

This might only be a thing in the United States—I’m not sure of agricultural laws in other countries—but if you are driving over state lines in the US, be aware of agricultural checkpoints. This is similar to how you have to declare certain items when you fly into a new country or back into the US. They will ask whether you have any fruits, veggies, plants, etc… in the vehicle, as exposing the local agriculture to those plants could affect the environment. As far as I remember, the only agricultural checkpoints in the continental US are at California entry points.

Hoyt Arboretum, OR. When you drive from Oregon to California, you will be asked if you’re carrying any produce.

7: Comfy clothes

This might go without saying, but driving in comfortable clothes will make all the difference. It’s also important to wear clothes for the weather later in the day. The other day, I drove 6 and a half hours from Tucson to San Diego and while it was freezing in the morning, as soon as I hit the Southern Californian desert near the Mexico border, it was hot and sunny! Considering the fact that my van has no AC, it was important that I drove in clothes made for warm weather so that I wouldn’t need to keep stopping to put on or take off a jacket.

One of my favorite brands of ethical and comfortable clothes is Wholesome Culture. They use organic cotton, water based ink, and donate money to animal sanctuaries for every purchase made. Check them out HERE!

Sporting my favorite Wholesome Culture T-shirt on a hike through Mammoth Cave National Park, KY. It says “There is no Planet B.”

8: Keep an eye on your cell service!

So often during long-hauls we drive into areas with no cell service without realizing it. Especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area, it’s crucial to either download your maps before, carry a paper map (for really remote areas like Montana, Canada, Alaska, and even parts of Utah/Nevada), or make sure that you do not exit your already functioning navigation. As long as you start your navigation in either Google Maps or Apple Maps, it will keep you on track even when you do lose service, but as soon as you exit, you won’t be able to just pull it right back up if you’ve got no bars. When I was driving from Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, there was no service for the first hour of my drive, and being my second day on the road, this was incredibly stressful. Make sure you know the general direction that you’re going, and if you can find a Pilot or Flying J truck stop (in the states), go in and ask if they have WiFi so you can download a map—they usually do!

Glacier National Park, MT: one of the most remote places you can drive to. Definitely download your maps before leaving West Glacier!

9: Get off the highway and explore

If you’re not in any rush, why make it a long-haul drive in the first place? Drive in your direction until you find something interesting and then make a little detour. You never know what you might find, and there’s always the chance of an unexpected adventure. Long-haul drives are grueling and unless you have a time limit, unnecessary. Let yourself explore more instead.

One of the best detours I’ve ever made! The Salton Sea, CA. Learn more about this place HERE!

10: Take it all in…

It’s so easy when you’re road tripping to make it about the destination. But the truth is, the journey is often the most fun and beautiful part. Some of my favorite experiences on the road, and my most important revelations have come from the actual driving, not the arriving at my destination. It’s so important to take time to realize the landscapes you’re driving through, the lives of the people in the towns you’re passing by, and really, how small the world is when you really think about it.

Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, WA

The world is far more connected than we like to think. Nothing is as far away as our maps suggest—really, it’s just one 12 hour drive. Take the time to appreciate the distance, it will make all the difference when it comes to surviving that long drive (oh, and of course, all the other stuff too).

Exploring Tucson's Nature

Saguaro National Park and Mount Lemmon

Generally, I’m the type of traveler who travels for the natural landscapes. I go from National Park to National Forest to State Park and try to avoid cities, but there are a few cities that are so surrounded by nature that exploring their parks has become the main attraction. I didn’t quite realize how engrained in Tucson’s culture Saguaro National Park and Mount Lemmon were until a fellow vanner told me, “There isn’t much to do in Tucson except to visit the national park and drive Mount Lemmon.”

After four nights of weather so cold I had to break out the 0 degree sleeping bag, I finally made it back to the southern part of the state. I had already been planning on visiting the park, but as usual, I didn’t have too much of a plan for my day. I ended up fitting both destinations into my one full day I had in Tucson. Here’s everything you need to know.

**Usually I’d stay a bit longer in a place, but cities are expensive and I have to sleep in parking lots, which can be noisy, so I decided I’d want to stay only for a little bit before heading back to the coast.**

Saguaro National Park: how many different types of cactus do you see here?

Saguaro National Park

There are two sides to Saguaro National Park: the West and the East. Since the East was closer to where I was staying in Tucson and was much closer to Mount Lemmon, I decided that that would be the side I visited during my time there. The West side is a bit out of the way, yet boasts bigger and older saguaro cacti.

East Saguaro has a small park or monument feel (basically, it’s not Yosemite, it feels more like Craters of the Moon). There isn’t too much to do but what there is to see is gorgeous. Since I only had half the day in the park before driving Mount Lemmon, I was recommended to do the Loop Road and walk the Desert Ecology Trail. Between this and getting out of the van to take a few pictures and video with and of the cacti, I felt like I saw the basics of what the park was about.

It’s also worth stopping in that Javelina Picnic Area for lunch, as all the tables are surrounded by desert plants, and it allows you to get up close and personal with the cacti.

Saguaro is a place of desert diversity, and is home to far more types of cactus than just the Saguaro. This National Park is home to 24 different types of cactus, and they’re all incredibly unique.

East Saguaro National Park

Mount Lemmon

If you like saguaros, you’re in luck: the bottom of Mount Lemmon is covered in them—even more than are in the East side of the National Park! Mount Lemmon is known for being a place where you’ll experience all of the different biospheres that you would if you were to drive from Mexico to Canada.

There are five biosphere’s total in this unique National Forest (Coronado National Forest) ranging from Sonoran Desert, to Ponderosa Pines, to Mixed Conifers at the summit. I was so happy to see pine trees again without it being absolutely freezing, so if you’re a mountain person stuck in the desert, this is definitely the drive for you.

Mount Lemmon is also ideal for road cyclists, but be warned: it’s a 27 mile journey to the top!

One of the lower biomes of Mount Lemmon

The entire drive from the bottom to the top of Mount Lemmon takes about an hour and ends at a ski resort. I was unable to go the last two miles to the top because the road had been closed due to snow. Throughout the drive, you’ll pass plenty of roadside pullouts, picnic areas, campgrounds (if you’re into that—I don’t believe any of them are free), and one visitor center that has a museum about the area inside. If you go in the winter, try to go on a warmer day, or a little later in the winter, as there was still tons of snow on the sides of the road.

As close the the summit as they would let me drive, Mount Lemmon, AZ

Tucson was completely full of surprises for me. I of course expected to like the National Park, but I didn’t expect it to be so easily accessible from the city. Mount Lemmon, however, was a total surprise for me—I knew it would be beautiful, but no one expects pine trees in southern Arizona. Basically, don’t take anything at face value—every destination has a hidden gem waiting just around the corner, or maybe, at the top of a summit.

A Vanlife Guide to Sedona, AZ

If you’re a person who lives on wheels, or even just a person who hates winter, it’s no secret that Arizona is the place to be in January. Nearly every person living that vanlife on the west coast (and some from the east!) comes to Arizona at the end of January every year. After the annual gatherings in Quartzite, me and my new Van Fam (follow them at emma.goes and theotherground) headed out to Sedona, a place I’d been dreaming of visiting for about two years now.

Sedona is one of the most powerful spiritual centers in the country, and is home to tons of red rocks and beautiful hikes. Prior to coming out here, I had no idea how easy it would be to be an overlander in Sedona, but the truth is, Sedona is one of the most vanlife friendly cities I’ve ever visited.

Me and Emma at Cathedral Rock. Photographer: Brien @theotherground

Where is Sedona?

Sedona is located in north-eastern Arizona, making it one of the colder areas of Arizona. It is about 7 hours from the California coast, 5 hours from Joshua Tree, and 3.5 hours from Quartzite, AZ.

Where should I park?

As I said, Sedona is incredibly van friendly, but that means it’s incredibly camp friendly too. This isn’t the type of city where vanlifers are lining the streets, it’s a city surrounded by National Forest land. The best spots to park are along Forest Road 525. You’ll be sure to meet plenty of other van dwellers, and if you drive far enough, you’ll reach the Palatki Native American Ruins. You obviously can’t park at the ruins, but there are spots nearby where you’ll have vast views of the red rocks.

At camp, somewhere on FR525. Photographer: Emma @emma.goes

What are the best restaurants?

We frequented two amazing vegan/vegetarian restaurants while we were in Sedona: ChocolaTree and Local Juicery. A few of our friends actually work at Local Juicery, so definitely go say hi and support your fellow vanlifers (plus, their avocado toast is the best I’ve ever had). ChocolaTree is more of a spiritually minded spot. It has more of a sit-down restaurant feeling to it, so it’s worth going if you’re craving a hot dinner.

Where can I get water?

Living off the gird means certain things aren’t as easy as they could be in a house. One of those things is water. Luckily, ChocolaTree has a spigot with fresh spring water outside their restaurant that they allowed us to fill our 6 gallon tanks with.

Me at Devils Bridge—the most famous hike in Sedona! Photographer: Emma @emma.goes

Where can I go to get in a work day?

There’s always Starbucks, but if you’re looking to get in a work day and catch some views, head to Creekside Coffee. Here, you’ll have views of Snoopy Rock, and can snag some WiFi, even outside.

If you’re interested in learning more about making money on the road, check out Wired Creatives HERE!

Cathedral Rock from below

What are the best hikes to do?

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that hiking is a huge reason I go to certain places. Sedona is a huge hiking hub, so we made it a point to hit a few of the Coconino National Forest trails while we were out there.

Devils Bridge: Devils Bridge is easily the most popular hike to do in Sedona. It features a vast, natural bridge photo op and the entire hike is about 4 miles long. Expect crowded parking, but if you have 4WD, you can make it to the real trailhead and skip walking along the dirt road. If there’s no parking, no worries, you can park on the main road too, but it’ll add about a half mile of walking. Prepare for crowds at the top too. We got lucky with a gloomy day, and only had to wait behind about 6 people each, but normally, it’s a crowd of about 150 people at the top.

Boynton Canyon Vortex: This was one of the most powerful vortexes I experienced in Sedona. It’s not a long hike, but it features red rocks and two spires that are said to represent the divine masculine and divine feminine. If you’re a spiritually minded person, you’ll love this spot, and if you get there early enough in the day, you might just catch the flute player who goes up there daily to hand out heart shaped rocks to people.

Cathedral Rock: This was my absolute favorite spot we went during our time in Sedona. It’s a hike basically made of rock scrambles, which made is extremely fun, and had some amazing photo opportunities at the top. Keep an eye out for the vortex trees—trees that appear to have been swirled (this phenomenon happens due to the high amounts of spiritual energy in the area).

Me and Emma at Cathedral Rock. Photographer: Brien @theotherground

Sedona is an absolutely magical spot. Whether you’re a spiritual person or not, Sedona will change the way you see the desert. The hikes here are breathtaking, the camping is quiet and peaceful, and it’s a great place to feel like you have a sense of community on the road.

The Other Side of the Planet

Finding Home in Ban Sop Chem

“I was never not coming here. This was never not going to happen.” -Eat Pray Love

From the moment I landed in Laos, surrounded by mountains and green, something in my soul felt like it had slipped perfectly into place. Back before I started traveling, I spent a lot of time struggling with the meaning of my life and what I was doing. I didn’t think that what I was currently doing had the power to make the impact I wanted it to. So, I went searching, and I found myself in Laos, a country I’d never heard of before signing up to go.

Both times on the boats, when we were arriving in and leaving Sop Chem, I cried. I expected to upon leaving—I hate goodbyes, I always try to frame them as a “see you later,” and this time around I really hoped it was true because the moment we arrived, no, before we arrived, when we were simply traveling down the Nam Ou River with mountains as tall as Montana’s glaciers casting shadows on the water and our boat and the trees, I suddenly felt a whisper of “oh, this is why.”

View from the restaurant in Sop Chem

Why I came here, why I didn’t feel like what I was working on before had much purpose, why I was put on this planet. I was supposed to do something bigger. I arrived as a volunteer, and I left knowing I needed to come back.

I spent the week with the locals, getting to know them by name and spending more time with them than I would ever spend with my neighbors back in California. We were able to connect without language. I played games with children who just wanted to learn from us, I made emotional connections with the village’s women, I tried their food, and stayed in their homes. I pet their dogs, and ate lunch with views of their river, a river that would always symbolize the act of arriving here.

Working with the children was one of the most fulfilling moments for me. I arrived in Southeast Asia expecting to put most of my energy into permaculture—it was sustainability that brought me out there in the first place. But the truth is, the connections with the people is what made me want to stay. In Laos, I worked with the young boys to teach them English. I picked them because I have a little brother, and I knew most people would want to work with the girls anyway, and the boys deserved that attention and love too. I knew they’d be a handful, but sometimes mischief is fun, and it turns out, my favorite students were the troublemakers.

Some of my students, playing in the river

Of course, I loved all of them, and I’m incredibly proud of the progress they made just in the time I was with them, but the ones whose names I’ll forever remember are Khan and Leek, to the older boys (about 8 or 9) who came to the intermediate class to learn English on their last 3 days of winter break. They were mischievous, but that meant they were smart. They didn’t have to be there—they showed up because they wanted to. They came and went as they pleased, but still enjoyed a good coloring book and sticker at the end of the day. Khan can give a high five that will knock your soul straight out of your body. Leek is soft at heart, I can tell, but he likes showing off—being the center of attention.

At the end of the school day, the boys disappeared, like children of the jungle and the mountains, dispersing into the hiking trails and roads and trees, while the girls stick around to play games. Phun is the girl who always picked me as her partner for games, and later in the week, for dancing. She’s about 7 years old and she was never my student. She just learned my name when her friend Noona asked. I wanted to ask her why she always picked me, but she doesn’t know enough English and I don’t know enough Lao and “why” is a hard question to answer in any language, so I’ll just go with the idea that she either liked my energy or my pants. I hope that one day I can ask her, but the truth is, even when I do eventually find my way back there, the odds are, she probably won’t remember me the way Noona would, who remembers every volunteer from the past three years. They’re best friends, those girls, and I wish I could have given them so much more.

After the Baci Ceremony

I sat, on one of my last days in Sop Chem, hanging in my hammock in the restaurant where we always ate our meals, looking out over the Nam Ou River for one of the last times until next time (whenever that may be). My legs were bug bitten and bruised and my Teva tan was back and my soul felt so at peace there that the thought of leaving and never coming back broke my heart. I’d never wanted to stay somewhere longer than I wanted to stay there. I didn’t feel like I was on the other side of the planet from home. It felt like my soul had always been trying to find this place.

My last morning in Sop Chem also happened to be my birthday. The last night of my year had been spent dancing to an hour long remix of songs from my childhood under the stars, barefoot, in the center of a village in the center of mountains with Baci chords tied around my wrists for good luck. I felt so full, that day, even knowing that the morning meant leaving, and as we did, back on the boats that brought us to our new home in Ban Sop Chem in the first place, it didn’t feel like the people on the shore of the river were saying goodbye, not forever, at least, not for me.