"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view." - Ed Abbey
"I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." - Isaiah 43:19
“What’s this I see? I think it’s the wild. Puts the fear of God in me.” – Mumford and Sons Mere days prior to my Great Divide Trail thru-hike, I posted the following statement on Instagram, baring my heart, in true T-Fox fashion: “I …
“We write to taste life twice – in the moment and in retrospect.” – Anais Nin I have 43 journals that I have filled with my own words and thoughts since the age of 11. I have lugged them around for the last 25 …
“My heart turned ever to my memory pictures of the Rockies and open spaces.” – Mary Schaffer I have been thru-hiking the Great Divide Trail now since early August, and decided to do this endeavour solo – a seemingly regular task to my more seasoned …
“…He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to the heights.” – Habakuk 3:19 I’m just going to come right out and say it: I am going to thru-hike the Great Divide Trail later this summer – all 1,100 kilometres …
I have been looking over old photos from our PCT thru-hike in 2014, and I decided to compile all of our best hiker-trash photos from the trip! Dirty Smelly Exhausted Hiker hunger Hiker sprawl Sugar highs, and subsequent lows It’s a lifestyle. Hike on!
What makes me feel beautiful and empowered? I’ve been reflecting on that a lot lately, and not in a “state the parts of your body you love” kind-of-way, but in a genuine, fully encompassing, LOVE for myself. We are constantly bombarded with images that remind …
His name is Tic-Tac. He’s our micro-van. We have to let him go. So I panic. Tic-Tac has become a part of my identity. I’m the long-haired, smiling hippie who slowly and nervously maneuvers her right-hand-drive, standard van around Squamish. I’m the giver (and taker) …
I. AM. A. VEGAN. Do you have any idea how hard that is to share? For one, it feels rather “off topic,” since I’ve devoted this space to be writing about minimalism, vanlife, and adventure. Why would anyone want to hear about a girl who …
I haven’t written on-line in over two months! I can hardly believe it. It’s not for a lack of having something to say – a peruse through my journal will testify to that! – but from a lack of desire to articulate my feelings and …
I’ve done it before, and I’m doing it again. I feel like it’s time to come on out and talk about #vanlife from someone who is living it – again. The hashtag “vanlife” is bumping, with almost 2.5 million posts and counting, with glossy images …
“Coffee. Mountains. Cabins.” – A Few of T’s Favourite Things… As 2017 draws to a terrifyingly too-soon-close, we take to the backcountry for some Coastal Mountain ski-touring. Just like last New Year, we head to Lizzy Creek cabin, a total gem, with a heck-of-a-tour …
“Gosh darnnit!” I soft-curse in my head, and resort to making a tall, sugary, festive hot chocolate. Maybe that will make me feel the Christmas feels. Maybe it will calm my nerves. Maybe it will chase my apprehensions and worries away. Maybe it will just …
October 28 My sleep was restless, my body tense from shivering my way through the night. I’m grateful for one final, pillow-top mattress sleep in our van Tic-Tac, but I vow to always have a down sleeping bag within easy reach – winter is …
We are fighting the strongest, fiercest headwind that could only form along the long, flat, never ending highways of the north western states. Tic-Tac the van is literally screaming as he red-lines his way along, giving us all he can, yet sadly falling short of …
“Wild thing, you make my heart sing…” September 3 – km 344 – 303 (41km) Our day off at Peter Lougheed Park went really fast, but as always, we are ready to get back on the trail. Funny how we long for a “town” …
August 29 – km 456-450 + 20 km detour (26 km) Just a handful of clicks to Sunshine Village! We’re excited to have hot coffees handed to us complete with CREAM (what a luxury) and obviously food. In my excitement, I hike a little faster …
“Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.” ― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding …
“You will fall out of space and out of time and you will see the truth of what is, and the miraculous what-is-possible.” – Alison Nappi August 20 – km 658-654 (4 km) After a great day off in Saskatchewan Crossing, we decide …
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” – John Muir August 7-11 -Five ZERO days… We planned to take 1 day off in Jasper. My foot, however, had entirely different plans that I would never have …
July 27 – ZERO hiking whatsoever It’s our day off with my parents, dirtbag camping along the dirt road, in the middle of nowhere! We sleep in until 8:30 (I can hardly believe it!) and start cooking a breakfast that literally lasts until lunch. …
“Section F & G: A superlative wilderness experience…the longest section and the soul of the GDT.” – Dustin Lynx July 17 – 851-879 (28 km) I’m not sure how we managed it, but we ripped ourselves away from the sticky bun goodness of Jasper, …
“Out here I am enough.” ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH – July 9 – 658-680 (22km) Goodbye enjoyable but pricey and overcrowded Saskatchewan Crossing! We hit the trail at our usual 7:00 start, walking the highway back to the official GDT trail. Early on, we somehow take …
“A confusing section where the trail is hit or miss; mostly miss.” – GDT app’s description of Section D OFF TRAIL – June 25 – July 3 What a wonderful, fun filled break from the trail! Here’s a mini recap: – Partied it up at my sister …
“Worries are too big to fit in my backpack.” T-Fox SUMMER WITH A 100% CHANCE OF FLURRIES – June 21 – 20 km It is the first day of summer! I thought this season would never come, with Victoria having a wetter than average winter, …
“Everyone walks. What distinguishes hikers is that walking does more than transport us. It transforms us.” OFFICIALLY HIKER TRASH – June 17 – 3km It’s our day off, and our agenda today is all about recovery and rest. What contrast really – instead of go-go-go …
June 8 – ZERO kilometres Today we take a much needed day off in Coleman Alberta. We stay at Safe Haven B&B, which is an absolute gem. Elena insisted that as hikers, we got three home cooked meals…how could we resist?! We checked in at …
“As the old pine fell we sang…just to bless the morning.” – Ben Howard GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE – June 2 – 26km Well, it’s official Day One of our GDT yo-yo hike,since yesterday was a mere 6km hike to the trailhead. It may …
“It’s one of the most magical places I’ve ever seen – the beginning and the end.” – T HITCHIDDY-DO-DA! – May 31 It’s May 31st- the day before we hit the trail, and we awake from our van Tic Tac in a trailhead parking lot …
Well here we go folks! The Great Divide has been calling for quite some time, and we have been preparing to answer her wild, rugged, and Canadian call. The hours and hours of planning…my gosh the planning. Having done a thru-hike of the PCT in …
It’s May Long weekend in Squamish, and the dirt-bagging crowd is in full effect here. The sun is shining, the rock walls are dry, and it’s go time! Overall, May was not the ideal month to be Squamish dirtbags. In the Sea-to-Sky area, the shoulder …
“Got a few miles to camp…should be there around 4…or 4:30 or 5…something good like that.” – Lorax (my husband) on explaining how far I had to walk until camp one day on the PCT Only two (ish) weeks until we embark on our Great …
“Each small step will clear a little of the darkness away.” – Gabriel Bernstein Living in our micro van, down by The Chief, with countless other van dwellers! No big deal. We have been climbing fairly regularly (as the weather permits) and we even managed …
We are happy. Really happy. #vanlife – The dream, right? To putz around here and wander over there in some hippie-dippy sort of free-bird way. Not a care in the world, next to no agenda, and no shortage of beautiful scenery, right outside your sliding …
The Stein Valley Nlaka’pamix Heritage Park is a very special place for Dan and I. We have grown to love her on so many levels. It started out as an ambitious (for me) backpacking trip in 2010 – a 100 kilometre trek through the Stein …
“I was thinking that I might fly today…” – Jewel Life is magically, strangely, and wonderfully unreal lately. Dan and I are really enjoying our time together, bopping from one backcountry cabin to another, sprinkled with restful “town stops” in between. There’s no rush…no urgency …
“Relax T. You’re on vacation!” – Dan We’ve been living “on the road” for five days now, yo-yoing our way along the Sea to Sky highway – Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton. This is our home for now. The entire vast area, not the six foot long …
We have successfully made it to Squamish, with no plans to work for at least 6 months. How weird is that?! Turns out I am awfully sick, and yesterday I was devestated. I worked in a health food store up until two days ago, and …
Planning, planning, planning! I spent my weekend locked indoors, surrounded by (mostly) junk food. It was like my own sugar-coated, plastic wrapped, dehydrated prison cell, but not really because I (secretly) enjoyed it. Our 12 resupply boxes are mostly packed in hopes that we’ll come …
“I believe the pull to see and know the beauty, wonders, and strangeness over the next hill is an ancient human need burned into our DNA…” – Rick Auerbach Our next nomadic adventure planning is in full swing, and man are we feeling blessed with …
“The mountains are calling and I must go.” – John Muir I love John Muir – a hippie ahead of his time! – and I particularly love how he felt CALLED to the wild, like a long-lost friend, like a deep ingrained necessity; and he …
The chapter of van-life is (too) quickly drawing to a close for our team. I stick by what I shared last time – I want to end our nomadic living – but that’s not to say that I don’t have some apprehensions. This really WAS …
I don’t want to live in a van anymore. I’ve been feeling that way more and more lately, and I am at a point where I can say that statement with finality and confidence. I’m not just “sort of” over this, or “maybe” looking for …
Once again, we end the year in our own personal style – no champagne, dresses, fancy parties or overpriced venues – we roll in a different fashion. We trek 15 Kms deep in the Coastal Mountains backcountry with a group size of 6, along with …
“We learn that good things don’t happen without a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. I challenge you to move beyond these beliefs of limitation and suffering. I challenge you to accept that you’re here to have fun.” – Gabrielle Bernstein So life isn’t …
“A van-life journey to transform…” – where’s my office now Thats’s right. We’ve managed to make it a staggering 12 months as permanent van dwellers. What started as a social experiment and a personal challenge to push against the norm has evolved into a fairly …
“My relationship with surfing has been a bit choppy, with lots of ups and downs if you catch my drift.” – Yours Truly Thanksgiving weekend. We are in Tofino. While my man plays with the waves, I cozy up in the van, with a …
“It starts with a tree and it ends with you and me.” – Luke Wallace I’m proud to say it was my dad’s idea, but a couple weeks ago, Dan and I took the Frey-parents to our beloved Walbran valley! The four of us crammed …
“You can’t fall if you don’t climb, but there’s no joy in living your whole life on the ground.” My parents, who are touring around Western Canada in their tiny trailer, are in BC! In true spontaneous Frey-family-fashion, we meet in Squamish for some communal …
Where has the summer gone?! Van life is still going well – mostly sweet moments sprinkled with some sour times. (I just seem to get anxious when it rains…there is very little room in a van for two people and a dog!) While we live …
Good morning Tofino! We slept in, then rushed to Incinerator Rock beach so Dan could hit up the surf. Our conversation was rather serious on the drive this morning, and we found ourselves stressing about our van. Westfalia vans, while they are old, creaky, …
We’re in Tofino! It’s summer. It’s been sunny. Today, however, it pours. My husband reminded me this morning that we are, in fact, in a coastal rainforest. It’s only natural… So we bend and adapt with the weather, falling into rhythm. Sitka goes for her …
“We fall in love by chance; we stay in love by choice.” – Unknown The Walbran Convergence – a gathering of over 100 people, to mark the 25 year anniversary of the 1991 blockades, arrests, and various acts of civil disobedience to save the valley. …
Relationships. Being an introvert (I think?), sometimes I just want to crawl into a hole, and not talk to anyone. I crave “alone-time”…seclusion…space to think. Not only is my job in a fast-paced retail environment, but a huge part of my job is to make …
Welcome to my morning routine. Getting ready in a very small space has become second nature to us. Thank goodness for our solar power which provides copious amounts of juice to run “important” things like my flat iron. (: Now giving this little thing enough …
“Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only dispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind” – Henry David Thoreau Living on the road forces you to assess all the things occupying your suddenly very limited space. …
“Be safe. But not so safe that you don’t have any fun.” – My Dad I talked to my folks today. They are converting my dad’s 11-foot motorcycle hauling trailer into a HOUSE…and traveling in it. They are the coolest retired couple I ever did …
“Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.” – Jenny Han This is incredibly late, but summer is here, and that translates to more sunshine than screen-time. In celebration of summer, here are some photos from several weeks ago of me …
“It seems to me that the less I fight my fear, the less it fights back. If I can relax, fear relaxes, too.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic Fear. Oh how I know you quite well an intimately! Every once in a while, my husband …
“The province manages all wildlife, including grizzly bears, on the principle of conservation first, followed by First Nations’ needs.” – Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Right. Ugh. Please bear with me – no pun intended – before you throw me …
“Women have a soul-need to express themselves in their own soulful ways; they must develop and blossom in ways that are sensible to them and without molestation from others.” – Clarissa Pinkola Estes Learning to express my soul in ways that only I can. To …
I got interviewed by Good Life Juice a while back, and they posted it to their page recently! Good Life Juice is a fresh-pressed juicing company situated out of Nanaimo BC. We carry their juices at my workplace and they are absolutely divine! I …
“I need to get away from the city,” I said, to one of my favourite, fatherly customers. “Again.” “You don’t need to get away,” he corrected. “You just choose to go somewhere else.” I love him. The cars, the lights, the whizzing, the honking, …
“Retro, two-story beachfront condo with second floor deck perfect for sunbathing, freedom flailing and fine dining while watching the surf. Relatively low maintenance fees, no mortgage or rent, and fully mobile for when the view gets old or the surf is better elsewhere.” – Where’s …
My body craves movement, and sometimes life does not allow the luxury to provide opportunities to move. There are obstacles – work demands, restless sleep or poor weather to name a few (and of course, there’s always laziness). Have you ever just gone for that …
“Plants know how to make food and medicine from light and water, and then they give it away.” – Robin Wall Kimmerer
“We are thankful for our Mother Earth, for she gives us everything that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she still continues to care for us, just as she has from the …
The Juan De Fuca Trail – a legendary, ocean-side, rugged 47 km hiking trail along the west coast of Vancouver Island. “Let’s go to the Juan this weekend…hike in 20 some-odd km’s, stay the night, then turn around and come back.” Sounds like a …
Seizing this sunny day to the fullest…complete with a lovely picnic by the ocean with Joy and Sitka, followed by a run along Dallas Road, and finally, reading old trail blog posts on our Pacific Crest Trail hike. Every few months, I revisit our PCT …
“It is not the van that frees us, but the time and space it provides to see and sort through the bull of an overstimulated, overworked and forgetful way of life.” – Emily from ‘Where’s My Office Now’ Don’t forget to slow down my …
Back to van-life. I haven’t written about living in a van recently because, quite honestly, it’s been so dang “normal!” In the beginning it was weird, foreign, and a major adjustment…but now we’re going onto 6 months of living this way – and we love …
Our adventuring continues…but this time, we left Hobo the van behind. We celebrated Easter in the ever-wonderful, always-playful, snow-capped coastal mountains. What a treat to explore, frolic, sweat and breathe the crisp, alive, mountainous air. Not a lot to say…just a lot to show. Get …
Van-life has become a lot more comfortable for us lately – and nothing major has really changed. It just feels…wholesome. exploratory. quirky. abundant. Still, by far, the best part of this life (not to mention the money we are saving for future travels!) is the …
“A gift from the earth comes to you through no action of your own, free, having moved toward you without your beckoning. It is not a reward; you cannot earn it, or call it to you, or even deserve it. And yet it appears. Your …
The Walbran is a riotous swath of forest and mountains, of rocks, trees, and grave wind. The Walbran is a constant drizzle of moisture, seeping into the soil, the rocks, the river, the mosses, your bones, and ultimately, your soul – a lavish freshness, deep …
Happy Valentine’s Day!! My husband and I found ourselves on an impromptu trip (would we have it any other way?!) to the Walbran Valley to visit our beloved trees and forest friends galore. There’s no where else I’d rather be, than handing our Valentine’s to …
Today is a gift…give it a squeeze and hold on tight! There’s no need to go on a journey to find ourselves. We are the journey, and this my friends, is frolic inducing. 🙂 Maybe your gift to the world is yourself – not what …
Here’s a glimpse into my world of long, winding, car-sickened logging roads leading to the most glorious, alive, fresh and ancient places. Trees are living beings. Let’s care. Hugs from this tree-hugger…xxx
It’s been a tough week as far as van-life goes. No joke. Too many nights near-tears (or in tears for that matter) over the whole thing…just a hair away from quitting on the spot. What happened? Nothing in particular. No van break-downs. No van break-ins …
“The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyong reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only paradise we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever …
Who’d ‘a ‘thunk we would be home-owners at this stage of our lives? We like to joke about how fortunate we are to have bought a “house” in one of the most expensive places in Canada, with no down payment or mortgage to boot. Of …
“Be safe, but not so safe that you don’t have any fun.” – My Dad Saying goodbye to 2015 – an excuse to party, right? In our case, the New Year is just another reason to take Hobo on an adventure – across the ferry …
This is late, but Merry Christmas! Our holiday ventures found us wandering around the beaches and ghostly quiet town of Tofino. Dan surfed. I slept in. I napped. I went to bed at 7pm. I had the flu. Boo-hoo.
Winter solstice is just around the corner…a magical time of year. Island winter are a blessed change from the cold, snowy winters we are accustomed to. While I miss the snow for recreational reason (can you say skiing?), I also appreciate the temperate ocean …
“Will is that which changes thought into energy.” – Yogananda Movie night in! Or is that movie at the drive in…? Call it what you will, Dan and I stayed “in” recently and watched all of our PCT videos. As always, we had a lot …
In light of my last post on being interrogated by the cops, I would like to show you the type of high we pursue as much as possible – the literal high…elevation wise. Sorry cops, but this ain’t a crime! Cheers to our first backcountry …
“We need to ask: who am I, if I am not a mother, daughter, lover, friend, employee, partner, teacher or boss…who am I if I am just I?” – Donna Henes Titles. Expectations. Stereotypes. Van life has had it’s challenges; they have been more than …
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die…” – Ecclesiastes 3 Our Saturday meanderings found us wandering amongst hundreds of salmon carcases. And what an experience it was! …
“The idea of wilderness needs no defence, it only needs defenders” – Edward Abbey “Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.” – Edward Abbey
Play is not just for kiddies. I invite you to view your surroundings with the wonder of a child. Connect with nature, and play. See if you can slow down time to slow motion, and maybe even (for a moment), bring it down to a …
Van life means mobile life… Hence we find ourselves in Tofino for the weekend…again. This morning my man let me stay in my cozy bed (complete with a new memory foam top!), and he drove me to the beach. I awoke to the warming morning …
“And I would be so happy…just to call it my home…to call it my roots.” – Carmanah Band Feeling blessed driving to work in my house with this smiling friend…
“Desire for material things is endless; man is never satisfied completely, and pursues one goal after another. Outward longings drive us from the Eden within.” – Yogananda He’s always a delight to serve…someone I look forward to seeing. The brightest, most genuine smile I have …
Happy first day of living nowhere! It’s not all rainbows and butterflies…more like pouring rain and soggy dogs. On a positive note, we enjoyed this delicious van breakfast this morning…
“People they come together. People they fall apart. No one can stop us now. We are all made of stars.” – Moby
Why van life? Let me count the ways! “Van life empowers us to find our flow of planning and spontaneity, movement and stillness, togetherness and solitude, work and play, doing and being, effort and ease, and heart and mind.” – Emily, from “Where’s My Office …
Breakfast dates with my man are the best…especially when we head back to the van after and play with our new modifications! Dan managed to get the heat up and running, and I was giddy as can be when he showed me how toasty it …
It is with light, happy, and grateful hearts that we can share that we have sold our Honda Fit! We are finally free of the stress, and free of the financial burden of owning two vehicles. What a relief! We had been trying to sell …
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance” – Alan Watts Change will awaken you, so just let go and leap into it. If something feels right, make it happen. Change oftentimes …
Rainy Saturday…calls for crafting! Say hello to my homemade dreamcatcher for Hobo! Can’t wait to hang it on the dash. Now I can sleep soundly in the van, free of nightmares and restless sleep. And let’s be honest… A van named Hobo could use a …
It’s Thanksgiving weekend, and we are working on Hobo, the van – or more accurately, Dan is working. At some point, I would like to get Dan to write a post on all the modifications he’s been working on. He’s proven to be a real …
“God created the cedar to store cosmic energy…” – Anastasia, Vladimir Megre Ever find yourself drawn to a particular book or story, and you just can’t get enough of it? Sometimes it’s not even your usual type of story, or its a completely new and …
Preparing to live in a van has had it’s challenges. I’m not just talking about the modifications – and there are plenty of those! – but also preparing mentally and maybe even emotionally. Our van is beyond awesome…don’t get me wrong. It has a fridge, …
Loving to live…living to love. What’s the difference? Turn your face and heart towards life and say “yes.” I chose love.
I would like to share openly and honestly about what our intentions are with our new-for-us 1989 Westfalia Vanagon. That’s just the kind of person I am! Full of honest, open, sharing! Sure, it’s fun to have an old camper van to whip out on …
Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. – Ed Abbey We’re living a dream-come-true at this very moment in time. A dream that few would have, and many would …
