After discovering #vanlife movement in the fall of 2021, I spent the following six months learning everything I possibly could about the vanlife community. I read every article, blog post, and book I could find one the subject and watched hundreds (thousands?) of hours of YouTube videos. If you have posted a vanlife-related video on YouTube and it has more than a dozen views, chances are I’ve seen it.

After my six month deep dive, on May 13, 2022 (Friday the 13th!) I took the plunge and purchased a van: a 2007 Ford E-250 cargo van (currently unnamed) with 128,000 miles for $6,500. With this purchase, I took the first step from the thinking/talking/dreaming about traveling in a van to actually owning one. In Phase 2, I guess, I’ll be building a van.

I’m a married father of two who has no aspirations of selling his “sticks and bricks” home and moving into a van full-time. However, I do seek adventure, new experiences, and writing about those things. This website will serve as a “home base” for my collective vanlife adventures, from building a van to (hopefully) experiencing the country in it.

I’ll be using this website as a bit of a diary to track every part of this adventure. Additionally, you can follow on the following social media sites

WWW: BigRobsVan.com (you are here)
Facebook: BigRobsVan (posts and more)
Twitter: BigRobsVan (bite-sized #vanlife updates)
Instagram: BigRobsVan (pictures and more)
YouTube: BigRobsVan (video content)
Gmail: BigRobsVan (ask me anything!)

A running total of what I’ve spent to date can be found on this Google Spreadsheet

My interest in #vanlife is only a small part of who I am. Outside of here, I’m an IT professional living in Oklahoma who enjoys writing, blogging, and podcasting. I currently host four monthly podcasts, most of which are about old video games and retro computers. To discover what I’m up to besides working on a van, check out the following links:

WWW: RobOHara.com
Twitter: Commodork
Twitch: RobOHara
Podcasts: Podcast.RobOHara.com

Many of my friends and family are being roped into my vanlife obsession passion. Along with myself, here are a few of the people who have helped me, given me ideas, and most importantly, listened to me talk incessantly about vans.

Susan: My wife, my life, and the woman who puts up with my nonsense.
Dad: The keeper of automotive knowledge.
Jeff: Master of electronics and all things mechanical.
Andy: Tool Master extraordinaire.
Sean: My long-distance spiritual vanlife partner.