The Vibes Putt-Putt On…

The Vibes Putt-Putt On…

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) 

A New Chapter

A New Chapter

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 

#VanLifeProblems – to keeping it real

#VanLifeProblems – to keeping it real

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 

#Vanlife more like #Vanlifer

#Vanlife more like #Vanlifer

“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 

Hike on (again…)

Hike on (again…)

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 

Into the Wild Divide

Into the Wild Divide

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 

In a Parking Lot in Squamish…

In a Parking Lot in Squamish…

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 

“I’m a sticky person…”

“I’m a sticky person…”

“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 

Anxious Adventurer

Anxious Adventurer

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 

All about rhythm…

All about rhythm…

“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 

Early Retirement…Ish

Early Retirement…Ish

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 

Great Divide Trail – Planning andPreparing

Great Divide Trail – Planning andPreparing

“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 

Salty Ocean Tears

Salty Ocean Tears

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 Don’t Want to Live in a Van Anymore…

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 

Happy VANiversary!!

Happy VANiversary!!

“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 

Van-Mates

Van-Mates

The van seems to enlarge everything, from messes to moods! Living in a van with a partner has it’s fair share of challenges. These are tight quarters, and that can sometimes lead to more pressure than either of us can take! Luckily we are the 

hOMe

hOMe

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – John Muir In light of our current awkward and oftentimes uncomfortable living situation, the definition of “home” has bended and morphed. With our “homeownership” going onto 12 months, we consider ourselves experts in what a home is…at 

Eleven Month Nomads

Eleven Month Nomads

“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 

Living in a van down by the (Walbran) river…

Living in a van down by the (Walbran) river…

“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 

Dirt bagging it family-style

Dirt bagging it family-style

“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 

Holding my loved ones tight…

Holding my loved ones tight…

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 

Westfalia Gamble

Westfalia Gamble

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, 

Soggy Van Living

Soggy Van Living

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 

Vitamin-N in the Walbran

Vitamin-N in the Walbran

“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. 

Van-life Moments…

Van-life Moments…

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 

Overflowing!!

Overflowing!!

“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. 

Balance

Balance

We drive the every-winding island roads, high on good coffee and great conversation. We share. We dream. We plan. I love my man. We see the world in similar ways, and when we get talking, our passions align and LOOK OUT!! I am better because 

#vanlife

#vanlife

Living in a van is great. And not so great. Yes there are moments of freedom, peace, joy, bliss, relaxation and happiness. These moments fuel my decision to live in a van, and keep me sane during the rainy, city days. But this life takes 

Like Mother/Father Like Daughter…

Like Mother/Father Like Daughter…

“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 

Sleepy

Sleepy

I’m not sure how we fit two in this bed…and occasionally 3 when Sitka “sneaks” in.

Play Everyday

Play Everyday

“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 

Drifter

Drifter

We are very fortunate to have the opportunities that we have in our professional lives, and for that, we are more than grateful. While living in a van in a city has it’s challenges, we have embraced those challenges and learned from our mistakes, as 

Good Life Juice Interview

Good Life Juice Interview

  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 

Wanderlust Longings

Wanderlust Longings

“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, 

Living in a Van

Living in a Van

“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 

Movement is Medicine

Movement is Medicine

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 

My Trail Home

My Trail Home

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 

“No apologies” Selfie

“No apologies” Selfie

“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

Back to Van-Life

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 

Ebb and Flow

Ebb and Flow

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 

Whoopsie

Whoopsie

Remember this van-pup? Probably. How could you forget a face like that?!   Well, a face like that made a mess like this… Understatement of the year – we are not impressed.   Here’s some back-ground:   It’s winter in Victoria, which means rain, rain 

One weekend at a time…

One weekend at a time…

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 

Blessed Home Owners

Blessed Home Owners

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 

Ringing in the New Year

Ringing in the New Year

“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 

Me I Want a Hoola Hoop

Me I Want a Hoola Hoop

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.

Yoga in a Westy

Yoga in a Westy

  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 

A hiker’s life for me

A hiker’s life for me

“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