Hey guys…loooong time since I blogged. Sooooo busy, soooo much going on. After that Northern Israel trip, I had a great 5 days in Manhattan, and then off to the Illinois to catch up w/family and start buying my new music equipment, etc. (oooo so fun – got some great surprises for you!) However, the van hunt was consuming most of my time…(in fact I never even finished uploading my CD – please feel free to harass me about that folks!)

I did some test driving to figure out what I wanted and it all became very clear.

It turned out that what I was looking for – A gently used, extended length, high top Ford cargo van – was sooooooooo rare…so I flew to test drive some! A couple days ago I was in Savage, MN (LOVE that name!), Pittsburgh (layover), and Norfolk, VA all on the same day.

I’d really planned to buy a white 1999 Van in MN – had a mechanic look it over and ran the carfax…got there on an hour of sleep – and was sooooo dissapointed. Inside was a mess – floor holes, AC didn’t work…the mechanic had focused on the bigger issues and overlooked the living stuff…

Instead of going back to IL, I made a decision to go directly to look at another van I’d been aware of for quite some time and had also had checked out. It was a 2006, w/ only 65k miles. And Purple. VERY purple…Did I mention it was PURPLE?!

I LOVED it. I Bought it. After seeing so many other tired used vans, I APPRECIATE its youth so much. $8,500 plus $370 for new tie rods, brakes and an alignment – And some serious traveling to get it. Its CLEAN, very well maintained, and drives and works like new. Would have been $36,000 new w/ the high top, so this a ‘matsiya’ – a find. I’ll take a few scratches and dings, thanks – This thing ROCKS! More pricey than the MN van but its perfect. This is my home AND car for a while so this is a big relief!!! Plus, call question my sanity (you should be doing this anyways by now), but I LOVE the color.

I started doing some basic things to make it liveable (temporary curtains, etc.) in the interim before we go to town fixing it up. Driving my Dad’s SUV in the Chicago suburbs I lost it in some some parking lots. I will never have that problem w/ this baby, lol!

After getting the alignment done, I looked into stereos that take ipods, hand free phones, and back up cameras – a lot of today – and finally went swimming in the Ocean and listened to a band out there…LOVED it. Took a shower in the van afterwards to get the ocean water off…sooo handy…

Man, did I mention I LOVE this van?!?!?!?!!? The cargo area (from behind the seats to the back) is just over 6′ high (for standing), 6′ wide and almost 12′ long. Plus there’s a ton of storage above the drivers/passenger area, and even room around those seats. I’ve seen smaller bedrooms. (Well, in Israel, lol.) Its just big enough to rehearse and travel/live in…It has a rounded shape inside which gives a great vibe. Pics soon…

Driving back towards IL today…can’t wait to start building the home in the van, get my equipment working smooth and developing the show…ooo…just got word that grandpa’s health isn’t as good as we thought, so gonna go camp out w/him for Moral support for a while…

Hey, I’d like to recommend Larry the mobile mechanic who inspected my vehicle before I showed up and then fixed it for me. Very helpful and honest guy. If you ever break down around Norfolk, VA…its a cool business plan – pull into a parking lot and start working… gotreauxlarry@yahoo.com. 757-650-9022. (Actually this dealer has one more purple people eater in case anyone is looking…)

Cya,

B

I’ve been spending riiiiidiiiiculous amounts of time researching all kinds of vehicles online, and reading wild blogs of folks that customize and travel in them.

I’m learning from all sorts of experienced folks…from the old couple driving around a snazzy $100,000+ RV, to the nearly homeless person living in their car, to the person in the old but reliable van that has a job, gym membership, and volunteer position…

I find it all fascinating…

(Click on some of these highlighted links below to see what I’ve been checking out)

After spending a month online looking at class B RVs (Conversion vans w/ kitchenette, shower/toilet) (Really Wanted one of these babies!) Class C Rvs (Medium sized RVs that have a cab over a Van), Travel Trailers, Camping Trailers for pickup trucks (fell in love w/ this one), Sprinter Cargo Vans, and even a freakin’ dump truck converted into a mobile home…

…I fiiiinally figured out what I need!!! Of course, I may change change my mind based on what I actually come across in the real world, (if you would like to trade your Roadtrek Class B RV towards me producing your CD, or a decade of guitar lessons please contact me now!) but I think I know what to look for now…(Keep in mind a few months ago I didn’t even know what a class anything was – G-d bless the internet!)

Drum roll please…

A High Top, Extended length Conversion Van!!

Yay!

(That link is an overpriced example but you get the picture)

They are giving these things away 2nd hand compared anything else I’ve seen.

I’ll augment this van with a camping cooler/ice, small porta-potty for emergencies, “stealth sink”, camping shower, camping stove, tearing out most the seats…and a membership to 24 Hour Fitness (a gym chain which gives you access to hundreds of their gyms, especially around CA.)

Eventually I may add a 2nd car battery and solar panel on top for a microwave, 12V Fan, and charging my future iphone (New one comes out a few weeks after I’m stateside-been waiting foreverrrr).

Check out this regular van homemade dwelling
and this one… (These are more extensive than I plan to go at first, but it can evolve…)

Well, reviews make 24hr fitness sound (at best) like the Burger King of Gyms, but I just want a decent place to shower (flip-flops please!) and to keep my workout addiction going. Plus these places are suuuper cheap. Costco apparently sells a $300 pre-paid 2 year membership – thats $12.50/month, a quarter of what I’m paying in Jerusalem…I’m in.

I chose the high top conversion van concept because in order to play a lot of gigs/improve my performance skills/really push my music/CD/artist career – while enjoying life…I need to:

-Rehearse my stage set up standing up in my van between gigs.
-Sleep comfortably anywhere w/o paying for hotels.
-Prepare healthy food
-Have a reliable, no headache vehicle that I can afford
-Save money w/o the overhead/stress of making rent
-Be Free to travel w/o worrying about my weekly clientele.
-Have room for a guest traveller
-Check out and even play at cool events that have a social aspect

Now class B RVs seem just wonderful…My good buddy JD in So. Cal was really pushing for this option for me…Its an amazing option – a hotel room in a van…and I’m still gonna look seriously at them…but they are pricey for newer models…the problem is 1) no room to rehearse my show (I need like a 5′ x 5′ area so I’d have to rip stuff out), 2) I’d have to buy an older model because of the high price. 3) I’m responsible for keeping those older appliances, pumps, etc. working, as well as the mechanical part – and its $100/hr to pay for repairs…ouch!

My conversion van will be exactly a Class B Rv – minus the plumbing, etc…thus with more space and less things to break.

Actually, I kind of like the idea of being ‘forced’ to go to the gym in order to shower properly. I’ve been reading about all sorts of cool ways to sponge bath, etc in a pinch and the $20 solar camping shower looks awesome. Plus free restrooms are everywhere…but I’ll be hitting those gyms a lot.

Sure, most people will think I am freaking crazy (and a some will be supportive or even envious). But I’m cool with that…I’m actually excited for the possibility of a new lifestyle which does not include rent…I’ve been paying over $1,000/month rent in Jerusalem. Its a neat place but it keeps me on the hamster habitrail!

The van keeps you from buying a lot stuff (no room)…I figure I’ll break even on rent after a year, and save after that…

This feels like a 2-3 year plan to me, but thats hard to predict…

Parking is an issue covered in a lot of these blogs. I’ll get a nice looking Family-ish van w/window shades that can blend anywhere…There are always Walmarts, state and national parks, the parking lot of the club I played at (college gigs always have a hotel room), middle class suburban neighborhoods, hotel lots…its endless…

This one on ebay is a 2006 Ford Van w/33,000 miles, an extra battery, backup camera, great condition for $15k…wow… I’d grab this one, though I bet I can find an even better deal – on ebay you are bidding against the entire planet and you can’t know for sure how it feels, smells, etc! I’ll be looking locally in CA on Craigslist…

In order to make sure that I’m really made of what it takes to do this, I plan to drive Dad’s ‘99 SUV around for a while and sleep in it, etc – just to get the feel…after that a full sized van and gym membership should feel like freakin’ MTV ‘cribs’!

I’m really excited for the lifestyle, too…sounds funny…certainly will see my family and old friends a LOT more than I do living in Israel!! Plus I’ve been working on my English (joke) so I should be able to meet folks just fine…and mainly I like the idea of being able to focus on my craft…

When I lived in my tent over a few summers (Madison, WI and Boulder, Co), I really thrived on the simplicity. I’m not sure if us ADD folks were made for having all this stuff!!!

Its funny…19 years ago, I thought a rainbow (think hippie) gathering was the coolest thing ever and 9 years ago I found it annoying. Today I think I’d enjoy myself at one…(doubt that I’ll go this year but I do hope to hit some cool street performing opps…) Its like I am returning to honor my inner-hippie/alterna-self. Fun!!

I’ll be basing in Santa Monica, CA in July to street perform, staying w/ my buddy JD, and quite likely be loosely basing out of somewhere in CA long-term as I gig.

On a side note, I find the politics there interesting (as if the politics here in Israel weren’t interesting enough, lol!). A good friend and old guitar student of mine, Melissa is (half of) one of a handful of legally married Lesbian couples in CA. Thats one interesting fight going on out there. Even more at the forefront of people’s minds, CA is in biiig trouble financially. If they legalize pot in the November election, I predict a big turnaround. I haven’t smoked in nearly a decade, and don’t plan to again, but it would be wild to be playing at THAT party…

Another random thought…Its been suggested to me that I have to get this ‘egotistical’ side of me out of my system (performing), so that I can go back to the business of helping people – coaching musicians and so forth…(and get married and start a family for G-dsakes!) Which is cool…but I’m feeling like it comes from another place…its not about the applause or adulation (though I certainly get off on crowd vibe-energy)…but its about wanting to completely delve deeply into the art, share it and be it and live from it – focus all my musical energy in one place…hmmm…

Well…on that note, y’all have a great day. I have ONE acoustic song left to record for the CD, and a few fixes to record, plus 3 more 10 hour mix days over the next 2 weeks and then (G-d willing) its done…

Oh, and…
Oh, and Friday I’m having a ‘Garage Sale’ at my apartment from 10:30AM-2pm!!!

P.S. I’m adding links to some great blogs about van living and related topics…

Urban Van Dweller – Very Insightful – philosiphy of why and how he’s living in his camper van…

Stealth Van Dweller – Awesome how-to – very practical and helpful by a very experienced guy.