Has full-time #vanlife begun to dwindle in North America?

Photo taken by Gary Goldsmith. Rear view of his Cascade camper van, build #77, named “Chitty Bang Bang”.

A year ago in 2020, Americans hit the road in record breaking numbers. #Vanlife, #rvlife quickly became popular Twitter & Instagram hashtags. Customized vans were leaving conversion companies in a flurry of unprecedented sales. With the COVID-19 shutdown of businesses, it soon resulted in a shortage of available parts, and shrinking new inventory. Used RV’s, travel trailers & camper vans became prized possessions. Many older units sold for thousands of dollars over their Kelley Blue Book values. People were tired of being held hostage in buildings; staring all day at computer screens & holding Zoom meetings inside stationary walls. Thus began the mass exodus of Covid-19 pandemic prisoners for their open road freedom.

Some travelers used their tax returns & stimulus checks to fund new adventures. More closures soon followed, especially in California, Utah, Colorado & other desirable locations with state & national parks. Those lucky enough to remain open had long wait times for reservations. Upon arrival, visitors had their Ansel Adam dreams of majestic rock formations, giant redwoods, waterfalls, & beautiful nature hikes turned into long lines for parking, shuttle buses, and trail head access. For the majority of these visitors, it became an overcrowded, dystopian nightmare.

When parks & private campsites were overcrowded or full, van lifers traveled to free public lands offered by the U.S. Forestry Department and the Bureau of Land Management otherwise known as BLM. However, these “no pay” locations typically have no creature comforts nor available hookups! A vehicle, camper, or RV will need to be equipped with a gas generator, holding tanks, heating, cooking & refrigeration capabilities unless one is willing to rough it with dry goods & bottled water. Even “boon-dockers” living off grid need to find a nearby town to buy groceries, refill their propane tanks, replenish their water supplies, take showers, and empty their black water sewage tanks. Only a few survivalists could stay out there indefinitely with no supplies or services.

So now it’s been a full year of pandemic adventures criss-crossing the roads of America. Canada has been on a tighter lockdown and South America can be a risky place to travel with expensive vans & rigs. Out-of-state license plates have made a few RVers & Van Lifers the unfair, visible targets of pent-up anger & fear! Some locals resent(ed) outsiders bringing COVID-19 risk factors to their communities with limited medical staff, beds, and ventilators. Vandalism and unwelcome incidents caused some travelers to return home to their previous dwellings or park vans & campers near their friends & relatives; especially those with free parking spaces & land use.

That brings us to the present month – November 2021. The evening before darkness becomes our “old friend” again with clocks falling back one hour. Will #vanlife, #rvlife continue their historical growth? Or will shorter days and the soon appearance of Old Man Winter cause many to put their vans, campers, and rigs up for sale; flooding the resale market as recently predicted?

7 Reasons Why There Will Be a Glut of Used RVs for Sale

Four months ago, RV owner & author Mike Wendland published an article giving 7 reasons for a “soon-to-be” gluttony of used recreational vehicles. The article can be accessed using this hyperlink: https://rvlifestyle.com/used-rvs-for-sale/amp/ (1) park picture obtained from here.

Since my blog is primarily focused on Micro Van usage & ownership, I predict an inverse correlation will occur. As RV owners sell or trade-in their large rigs, fifth wheels, and pull behind trailers, many will downsize to Sprinter & Micro Vans because of rising fuel costs! Mercedes diesel Class B vans are typically more expensive than Class C RV’s. You will be hard-pressed to find a low mileage, Sprinter diesel van for under $70K if it’s already converted! That’s why the Ram Promaster City’s “bigger brother” and the Ford Transit mid size vans are so popular today- because they are still financially affordable. And they use non-diesel gasoline which is more abundant.

I haven’t visited the http://www.rvtrader.com website this month to see if Americans are flooding the market with their used recreational vehicles. What I do know is…our Facebook Cascade Camper Van membership is growing with new members being added each week! We are a private, online group. You must be a Ram Promaster City Cascade Camper Van owner to join our Facebook forum. We have become a real community of like minded people, who love our nimble, “go anywhere” micro vans that sleep 1-2 adults comfortably.

Skimpflation is here. Longer wait times, fewer options, and barebones customer support & services.

I read this headline today in the “Daily Mail” and nodded my head in agreement! As Van Lifers travel across America in 2021, they too are experiencing “skimpflation”. Gone are the days of buffet meals you can load up on while traveling! In fact, my last road trip across 10 states supported this reality! I found only one, decent salad bar at the Sizzler steakhouse in Sacramento. Several “all you can eat” establishments have permanently closed or no longer offering breakfast, lunch, or dinner buffets.

California’s outrageous gasoline prices

I stopped by the Cascade Camper installation facility in Nevada City, California on September 23, 2021. Builder Zach Yeager finished making a small, additional side table I recently purchased for my camper van. As I passed the iconic, Chevron gas station (before making a right turn on Railroad Avenue), I saw this marquee:

Gasoline prices have risen to over $3.00 per gallon all across America; $4.69 in California with its state transportation tax added to each gallon! Food prices have also increased this year. I predict that micro & mid size vans will continue to be hot commodities for both long distance trips & local getaways! If fossil fuel prices continue to climb, unit downsizing, retrofitting, and micro van ownership will drastically increase! Americans are once again interested in converting their gas guzzling engines to ones that use bio waste like restaurant frying oils. Many people with tents & campers already have stationary or portable solar panels to power their equipment. Fact is the majority of our vehicles use gasoline. As fuel prices increase, so does the cost of road trips; thus reducing the amount of travelers who can afford to pay more at the gas pumps. This may significantly decrease the number of people who can afford to go on long distance trips 🥺

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Source: Skimpflation is here: Longer waits, fewer options and shoddy service: https://mol.im/a/10172477