As we make our way back to the East Coast, we have the splendid pleasure of looking back on the past two weeks of #vanlife rallies. We were able to attend three over the past two weeks, and there couldn’t have been a better send off then meeting plenty of like-minded van-living individuals, all with different reasons for van dwelling or van weekending. We were able to see some incredible rigs, get lofty ideas for how ours could upgrade, and meet some rad individuals who are really excelling at human-ing.
August 17, 2017
Van Life Rally, Upslope Brewing Co., Boulder, Colorado
Our first in the string of #vanlife rallies was this gathering outside Upslope Brewing Co. in Boulder, Colorado. As happy hour crested into full swing, so did the vans. At least fifteen vans came by to show off their simplicity and comfort. We even had a short bus show up, and it was fancy!
Those who came out to see the vans, and those who were just pleasantly surprised by the influx of pop-tops at the bar they chose for the evening, all toured each van one by one. The owners were there to explain their build-outs. You could peek your head in, or jump on in and throw yourself on the bed, it was the true meaning of make yourself at home in action.
One of the coolest parts was getting to know other van owners and lovers. There was a mix of those living permanently in their vehicles with those who built them out professionally and #vanlife weekenders. The #vanlife hashtag is all inclusive, and this rally was representative of that.
Thank you to Upslope Brewing for hosting us! It was a pleasure and we can’t wait to come back next year.
August 25, 2017
Van Life Rally, Goat Patch Brewing, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Our second #vanlife rally was on the opposite side of Denver, down in Colorado Springs. We partnered with UpaDowna and Goat Patch Brewing to get this one up and running. It took over an entire parking lot, with a lot of bigger rigs showing up to strut their stuff. We happened to be the only van there supporting full-time residents. Our modest van was dwarfed by most of the others, although we did have one yellow DHL van twin. Ford Econoline 250 twinsies!
This rally was all about inspiration. The vans that came around were top in their category. There were sprinters, pop-tops, boxes on the back of pick-ups, the van royalty gambit. Once vans were settled in spaces, their owners rolled out carpets and sipped chilled white wine. Some cooked dinner on their outdoor cooktop set-ups. Everyone shared tips and tricks, as well as failures and van horror stories.
We set the Elevation Outdoors tent up at the entrance of Goat Patch Brewing. They debuted a new brew that night, and the crowds were happy to sip on something surprising while touring all the rigs. We pulled out our Original Crazy Creeks and invited everyone to join in on the #vanlife discussion.
August 26th, 2017
Buses at the Brewery, Bristol Brewing, Colorado Springs, Colorado
There must be something about #vanlife and breweries, because this was three for three of vanlife rallies at breweries. Our final vanlife rally of the hat trick was at Bristol Brewing, and this one was a whole other beast. When they say “Buses” at the Brewery, they mean Volkswagen buses only! This was the most incredible display of beautiful, shiny, VW buses and bugs we have ever seen. They were painted, clean, and professionally upholstered. We have quite literally never seen this many VW vehicles in one place.
The day was hot, sweltering even, but that didn’t stop hundreds of VW lovers from congregating at Bristol Brewing and celebrating everything VW. There were vans that were saved from junkyards, vans passed down from generation to generation, and even a hydraulic beetle.
We set up the Elevation Outdoors tent with the “Go Outside and Play” motto clearly displayed on all four sides. One festival attendee walked up and asks, “Is this some kind of joke with being outside? Because when you own a VW bus, you spend most of your time outside fixing it.” While we hadn’t put the two together yet, it did make a lot of sense! We support going outside and playing anyway you know how to, even if it means you’re fixing your prized VW bus.
We want to send a special thank you shout out to Randi and Steve from UpaDowna. They kindly supplied their backyard for us to sleep in, cooked us pancakes, and served us coffee in the morning, and even let Henry, our pup, play in their backyard with their dogo Astro, while we were at Bristol Brewing. We’re pretty sure he would have melted if he had to attend the festival with us. Thank you again!
If you like the gear we’re reppin’, or what we’re wearing, check out some of the sponsors that make this tour possible: La Sportiva, Crazy Creek, National Geographic, RovR Products, Sea to Summit, Mountain House, LifeStraw, and Lowe Alpine.
