#thevanproject

It rained for three full days in Tucson, forcing us out of the mountains and into the desert. . We made our way out to Saguaro National Park West where the sun finally poked through and rewarded us with spectacular desert colors. . Even though we don’t love the rain, we know that this arid environment needs every drop of water that falls from the clouds. And the beautiful thing about ‘bad’ weather is that after it clears up we enjoy a renewed sense of appreciation for the sunshine. #thevanproject (at Saguaro National Park)

Last night we definitely had the coolest neighbors on the block. We *finally* got to meet Jessy and Mander, her 1978 Dodge Commander @a.girl.and.her.commander in person! (We’ve been chatting online for well over a year at this point!). . Although we’re putting in long days driving to get from Denver to NorCal to attend @theoutbound @pursuit.series in Bear Valley this weekend, we made a tiny detour to see our friend Gavin @winnebagowanderlust (with the badass AMC pacer in this shot) and meet Jessy. We spent less than 24-hours together but quickly bonded over our vintage rigs, and many on-the-road repairs. . Hope to see you on the road again soon guys! MANDER ON! . #thevanproject #vintagecar #vintagecars #clarkcortez #vanlifecommunity #vanlifers #vanlifediaries #vanlife #vanlifeexplorers #vanlifedistrict #vanlifeculture (at Utah)

The Tetons are a truly incredible place, but it’s time to roll. . We leave Jackson today en-route to Driggs, Victor, and beyond. Our exact route is open (just how we like it), but we do know we’ll head to the Sawtooth mountains near Sun Valley, ID. . With ID fishing licenses in hand, we’re ready to enjoy world-class fly fishing, beautiful hikes in stunning scenery, all the natural hot springs we can soak up, and a return to ‘normal’ after finally wrapping up from the #tetonvalleyvanlifegathering. . Is anyone currently in Idaho or headed this way? Is there an awesome little hidden gem coffee shop we need to check out? Favorite fishing, boondocking, and hot springs in Idaho? Wanna meet up? Comment below and/or slide into our DMs 😁 . 👆🏼Above is #oxbowbend which we photographed this morning at 5:45am. These beautiful mountains are etched in our souls and rest assured we will be back (we have our eye on a route on the grand for later this season if timing lines up!) . #thevanproject #jacksonhole #jacksonwyoming #grandtetonnationalpark #grandtetons #tetonmountains #explorewyoming #wildwyoming #fujixseries #fujixt2 #leefilters #landscape_photography #mountains🗻 #mountainview #mountainlake #mountainrange (at Oxbow Bend, GTNP)

This #TBT photo has us reminiscing about our very first road trip in Tez. We bought a one-way ticket to Portland to see (and buy) her. During our long drive back to San Francisco, we took the detour and routed through the redwoods (always take the detour). . Although it feels like forever ago, it’s been less than a year and a half. We didn’t personally know anyone else living in their vehicle at the time, we had never worked on a van or RV, and we weren’t really sure what the future held for us. . Today is quite a different story. We’ve developed friendships in this amazing community, we’ve fully remodeled the inside of our RV, and we’re just ONE MONTH away from hosting a vanlife gathering with @vanlifediaries in the Tetons. (#Tetonvalleyvanlifegathering, get your ticket now or risk experiencing massive amounts of #FOMO) . It’s crazy to look back at this journey. We’ve seen and learned so much. And we’ve only just started. . #thevanproject #vanlifeproject #vanlifediaries #clarkcortez #classiccars #classiccarsdaily #classiccarshow #classiccarspotting #vanlifemeetup (at Northern California)

What up what up what up Denver!!! . Amanda and I will be arriving shortly to attend our first @outdoorretailer at the Denver convention center and we are psyched! Then we’ll be heading to Basalt for the #coloradovanlifegathering next weekend. And then, we’re going to make another attempt at Climbing the Petit Grepon in Rocky.. lots of excitement over the next two weeks! . If you are unfamiliar, Outdoor Retailer is the biggest trade show in the US (and world?) for outdoor recreation & gear. . If you are going to be at OR and want to connect, send us a DM and we can schedule a meeting! . And even if you aren’t attending OR, come down to @ratiobeerworks from 6-9pm on Tuesday night to hang out, drink beer, and raise money for our public lands! It’s gonna be an awesome event and you’ll get to hang with us as well as @vacayvans , @tinyhousetinyfootprint & @josiahq . #thevanproject #outdoorliving #outdoorretailer #vanlife #vanlifemovement (at Colorado)

Hey, we just wanted to let you know that even though it may seem to you like we’ve got it all figured out, we don’t. . Always remember that these images capture only a second of our lives. We’re still figuring so many things out. But we do our damndest to make small progress towards our goals every day. Because as the saying goes.. a marathon starts with one step. . Today, do one thing (anything, it’s okay to start small) that empowers your soul and brings you closer to your goals. So, what are you going to do? . (No, Matt didn’t fall in the water.) #thevanproject #leapoffaith #alpinelake #mountainrange #mountainlovers #mountainviews #mountains🗻 #visitwyoming #snowyrange (at Wyoming)

“You are all as much extraordinary phenomena of nature as say, trees, clouds, the shape of fire, the arrangement of stars, the formation of a galaxy. You are all just like that. There’s nothing wrong with you at all... except you have in you something that thinks there’s something wrong with you... but there’s nothing wrong with that either because that’s part of the flow.” - Alan Watts . Sometimes we all need a reminder ☝️Nothing like a massive alpine setting to remind us always and again how we’re all simultaneously tiny and impermanent and massively beautiful. . We’re still here Idaho, soaking up as much of your serenity and beauty as we can before we start the journey back to Denver for @outdoorretailer later this month and then to NorCal for @theoutbound Pursuit Series in Bear Valley. Anyone else going to either of these events? . #thevanproject #visitidaho #stanleyidaho #stanleylake #sawtoothmountains #sawtoothwilderness #wildernessnation #wilderness_culture #mountains🗻 #mountainviews #mountainrange #hikeidaho #idahodaily #idahophotographer (at Stanley, Idaho)

In 3.5 short weeks we’ll be kicking off the first ever Teton Valley Vanlife Gathering at the Linn Canyon Ranch in Victor, Idaho. . If you’ve never been to a #vanlifegathering , check out the @vanlifediaries website to learn about previous gatherings and see why these events are such an awesome way to connect with this nomadic community! . We still have tickets available (http://www.vanlife.com.au/vanlife-gatherings/vanlife-gathering-grand-teton-valley) and we’d LOVE to see you there. Come join us in the Tetons for good company, great food, music, a kick-ass year raffle, and an unforgettable experience. . #thevanproject #vanlifediaries #tetonvalleyvanlifegathering #tetons #visitidaho #visitwyoming (at 5Point Adventure Film Festival)