09-17-2017, 07:22 PM
Hi Everyone!,
First a big thanks to Gary!, and a big thanks to Cammalu for inviting me over. I've been saying for a year that there's a huge void on the web and a good van dwelling forum is needed. I think a lot share the same sentiments about the other forums related to the subject so no use in beating that into the ground.
For anyone that doesn't know me, My name is Matt, i'll be 37 in about 26 more hours. I grew up camping and all the family vacations were done by vehicle. My Dad ran his own floor covering business and he always had a cargo van for work. We'd clean it out every summer and then pack it up and the family would go camping for a few weeks. Somewhere in my early teens, I remember looking at the empty van after we unpacked all the gear and set up our tents and said, why am I sleeping in this small tent when that big empty van is right there. Ever since that summer, I started using the van as my tent and thus my love of vans and traveling was born.
Fast forward 15 years when my Dad passed away and I inherited his 03 Chevy Express. I cleaned it out top to bottom and outfitted it with my camping gear, cooler, cot, sleeping bag, camp tables/chairs, stove, etc and I hit the road. I went to about 40 of the 50 states in that van over the next few years. It eventually got side swiped and the insurance company totaled it. It was still perfectly usable, so I sold it as is and my next cross country trip would be done in a 2 door Wrangler with my backpacking gear. I went cross country in the Jeep twice before selling it, along with at least a few dozen smaller excursions, in and around New England. I've toured several times by motorcyle and currently using my Silverado Pick Up. I have a camper trailer, but it's almost 30', much too big for just myself. So this year i'm trying to plan out my next adventure rig, leaning towards another Chevy Express, it really seems to be the best all purpose rig.
Look forward to watching this new forum grow and will contribute as much as I can.
Hope to meet some of you out on the road
Matt
First a big thanks to Gary!, and a big thanks to Cammalu for inviting me over. I've been saying for a year that there's a huge void on the web and a good van dwelling forum is needed. I think a lot share the same sentiments about the other forums related to the subject so no use in beating that into the ground.
For anyone that doesn't know me, My name is Matt, i'll be 37 in about 26 more hours. I grew up camping and all the family vacations were done by vehicle. My Dad ran his own floor covering business and he always had a cargo van for work. We'd clean it out every summer and then pack it up and the family would go camping for a few weeks. Somewhere in my early teens, I remember looking at the empty van after we unpacked all the gear and set up our tents and said, why am I sleeping in this small tent when that big empty van is right there. Ever since that summer, I started using the van as my tent and thus my love of vans and traveling was born.
Fast forward 15 years when my Dad passed away and I inherited his 03 Chevy Express. I cleaned it out top to bottom and outfitted it with my camping gear, cooler, cot, sleeping bag, camp tables/chairs, stove, etc and I hit the road. I went to about 40 of the 50 states in that van over the next few years. It eventually got side swiped and the insurance company totaled it. It was still perfectly usable, so I sold it as is and my next cross country trip would be done in a 2 door Wrangler with my backpacking gear. I went cross country in the Jeep twice before selling it, along with at least a few dozen smaller excursions, in and around New England. I've toured several times by motorcyle and currently using my Silverado Pick Up. I have a camper trailer, but it's almost 30', much too big for just myself. So this year i'm trying to plan out my next adventure rig, leaning towards another Chevy Express, it really seems to be the best all purpose rig.
Look forward to watching this new forum grow and will contribute as much as I can.
Hope to meet some of you out on the road
Matt
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