too many miles
I’ve been thinking about vans lately. A lot. And cars. And transportation. Oil and impact. We’re shopping for a van. Shopping for a new home. As in, the van will be our new home. That’s big for me. Different. Exciting. Adventurous. (And terrifying.)
Driving down I-25 yesterday afternoon on our way to take a look at a couple of vans, my mind wandered to how much I’ve taken driving for granted throughout my life. Growing up, we drove a lot. My parents carted my sister and I miles every week to chorus rehearsals, piano and violin lessons, allergy shots and concerts. They drove farther for the best they could offer us.
As teachers, they had most summers off and we often took road trips. One year we drove across the country—from Maryland to southern California—visiting family, and (what seemed to me, at the age of 10) every president’s birth site, grave site and historical monument in between (insert pre-teen eye roll). We also saw the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert and Petrified Forest (but I loved those stops so didn’t cultivate the exasperated attitude I’d done with the historical stops).
confidence
Our cars rarely broke down. I do remember my dad walking along a Nevada highway to the nearest gas station to get gas for us after we’d run out in the desert. But in general, we got where we needed to go without too much fuss. Driving expanded our horizons. Extended our education and opened our world (and our minds) along the pavement. I’ve been to 46 out of 50 states. Most before I was 20.
changing attitudes
I feel like a walking contradiction sometimes. I love the idea and experience of living in a town within walking and biking distance to most places I need to go. I enjoyed commuting by bus when I needed to get downtown. And I loved living on an island where a 45-minute drive felt like it was a day away.
And now we’re shopping for a van that will become a home. We plan to live on the road, experiencing new places and learning new things. In the midst of an oil and environmental catastrophe that makes me shudder when I think of the devastation. I’m searching for a home that requires that exact oil to run. But there is a simplicity that I look forward to. A wardrobe of only a few outfits to fit various weather conditions and activities. I weigh the question, “do I need it, or want it” with deliberate consciousness. Sometimes I don’t listen to the answer. Most of the time I do, although it still hard.
finding the perfect van
We’ve looked at quite a few vans now. Most were in Utah, and now one in Colorado. Two we’ve gone to look at, only to have them sold less than 10 minutes before we arrived. Grrrr.
too small
We’ve checked out a VW Westfalia (too small); a 15-passenger extended van (too big); a 1976 family van that needed a lot (and when I say “a lot” here, I mean, “A LOT”) of love. (A lot = a mouse had taken up residence under the driver’s seat.) We drove a ’99 conversion van (too much work to strip down); and a fair-priced cargo that seemed to be leaking an awful lot of fluid from the under carriage. We really liked one, but it was the first we looked at and it had over 200,000 miles, so passed.
At least we’ve narrowed down what we’re looking for. We know what we don’t want (which, when you think about it, is really important).
I have recently realized that I’ve lost a little trust in the mechanics of cars and I’m not really sure why. On our way to Kaua’i, our Subaru broke down and delayed our trip for a week. (Getting towed 150 miles from Silverthorne to Boulder leaves an imprint, apparently.) Our Jeep on Kaua’i broke down the first week we got it. (Not to mention the first time it rained, water leaked all over my foot as I pressed down the brake. And if you’re unaware of the weather on Kaua’i, it rains. A lot.)
too long
So now, searching for this van (our home), I’m feeling hesitant to commit. Our budget is small, but reasonable for what we want. Most cars work. They’re dependable and they run when taken care of. We’re not planning on putting a ton of miles in. Maybe 15,000 in the year? Just a little more than average. And that’s just a big, educated guess. It’s quite likely it’ll be less. We’re planning on avoiding as much snow and winter weather as possible.
I used to take driving for granted. I loved the feeling of independence and control I had with my first car. Now I think about our footprint. Gas mileage. How far to the next stop. Our route.
I’m looking forward to finding our next home, and looking forward to experiencing life on the road. What will it bring into my life? What will I learn? How will I change? The search continues…
