The van has been transformed and now it is time to transform a lifestyle. For years I have been dreaming of this moment and yesterday I pulled my new ‘home’ out of the driveway and onto the road. After a year and seven months of designing, researching and building it was time to see if we ‘did it right’.

Image shot as Gina and I left my son’s house.

It was finally time to embark up to Alaska…just in time as well since it was getting HOT in Texas. With the current COVID-19 situation, it has impacted much of my trip, but it also has created an opportunity for my granddaughter to travel the first leg with me. She started her job earlier in the year and since she has been working from home she was able to do that from the road. As such, she is with me to Colorado where she will visit a friend and then fly back home. My grandson will then join me for some of the next leg.

We made it through Texas fighting the buffeting winds across the plains dotted as far as you can see with huge wind turbines slowly twirling their blades like a graceful whirling dervish in trance. We decided to make our first night at Palo Duro Canyon, just outside of Amarillo Texas. It is Texas’ version of the Grand Canyon. Below are some snaps of our first day. There was no cell service in our campground so for Gina to work in the morning, we had to go near the entrance. But that is the beauty of van life, you can just pick and and go at a moment’s notice and have everything you need wherever you are.

Here are my recommendations and comments if you visit Palo Duro Canyon.

• Check the weather ahead of time. In June we got cold at night.

• Remember when camping you are on the canyon floor, so there is no internet.

• The toilet, bathrooms, and showers are great.

• They have water filling stations, so use that.

• There are no geological explanations of the canyons, etc. Read up ahead of time.

• We were there during COVID-19, normally there is a play with fireworks. Check that out.

• There are places outside the gates for jeep rentals and horses. I do not recommend taking a horse trailer in yourself as the roads are steep.