Scratchin' Out A Little Living

If you search van life on Youtube or van conversions, bus conversions, shuttle bus conversions, or any of the above, you will find - like a Russian doll- another and another and another mobile dwelling, each one as unique as the owner who built it. Most of these DIY (Do it yourself) builders will admit to being first timers with little or no history using tools or tape measure. They will often say that they have taken on such a big endeavor because they want to travel and see more of this beautiful country we live in. But some of them, and there are many thousands, will soberly and honestly say that they could no longer pay or stomach paying high rent or mortgage, and they found van life as a way to live somewhat comfortably without paying rent.

If there’s a documented originator of van life (and I do mean documented because many people took off in vans way before this guy was even born; they just didn’t curate the experience) it’s probably Foster Huntington. He started the #vanlife handle on Instagram way back in 2010 after quitting a design job at Ralph Lauren and traveling the country in a 1987 VW van. He drove through the wilderness of this vast country, took pictures, and posted them on Instagram, gaining a following of over one million. Huntington was not attempting to avoid paying rent; he was after a kind of American dream, the kind where life is about introspective exploring, adventuring, taking pictures, and journaling, and not about a 40+ hour work week. Work on the road is sporadic and seasonal. The journey is about…well, the journey, and one’s mobile home is both a vehicle and a destination.

Today in 2023, though Instagram, Youtube, and other platforms might have you believe otherwise, the vast majority of van dwellers are regular people, many burnt out mid-lifers, senior citizens with a tiny Social Security check, and twenty and thirty-somethings who don’t want to live the life their parents live. They don’t want debt, and they don’t want a 9-5, so they lower their overhead by ditching the apartment, working on the road as digital nomads, and living in a vehicle.

Where is this leading to and how is it connected to Grants, NM? As most, if not all, readers know, Grants sits on the most iconic road in the USA US Route 66 - the Mother Road, originally carrying drivers from Chicago to Santa Monica. The construction of I-40 has caused many drivers to avoid stopping in small towns and just staying on the interstate until they get to wherever they’re going. For van lifers though, theirs is often a slower pace and not destinationfocused. Most van lifers are seeking a longer stay over in a place they won’t be cited. Most cities in America have made sleeping in a vehicle a crime, so van lifers are forced to find places that are okay with a box truck, skoolie (converted school bus), fifth wheel, minivan, van, car, and even repurposed military vehicles. This can be a real chore. Cracker Barrel has welcomed van lifers and created large RV spots for long rigs. People will now say “I’m Cracker docking” when they want you to know where they’re staying. There are many Youtube videos entitled: Where Do I park? Enter, Grants. Instead of thousands of I-40 travelers (revenue) flying past Grants, the city could invite them in to stay awhile.

Grants has a lot of space. There are huge dirt fields and unused parking lots that could become approved parking for these slow-paced travelers seeking a quiet, distraction- free respite from the road. Walmart does not draw travelers into the heart of the city. The revenue from these temporary visitors would be a boon to the city and possibly spawn new businesses to serve the mobile traveler like cafes, food trucks, laundry, and shower services. If the city of Grants allows people to live in a vehicle whether they’re just passing through or staying longer, they might just find a way to attract outdoor rec folks as well as others struggling to find a way to survive in these expensive, very uncertain times.