The journey begins

For quite some time, we have had in the back of our minds….
How can we make adventure with our boys more accessible?
How can we get ourselves outside MORE?
How can we do this affordably and sustainably?

Last fall our 2005 Volvo began having serious transmission issues. We tried and tried to figure out a way to salvage it, but came up with nothing feasible. We decided to sell it for $1,000.

For some time we thought the best plan for our family would be to find a mid size SUV with a third row. We decided to wait and think on it, and in the meantime save money. We both got even more serious about bike commuting, and grew to really enjoy our new routine. Nate biked to work all winter long! For errands and trips to the city, we still had our small Subaru Impreza.

The plan was always to make a decision on a larger vehicle by spring so that we could realistically be ready for camping and road trips as the weather warmed up. In the back of our minds we always had wondered if we could afford a “sprinter -type” van. But, it felt unattainable.

In December we stumbled across the new 2020 Ford Transit, and learned that they had an all wheel drive option. This changed the game for us! Living in an area that gets a decent amount of snow, we really need AWD. But, the price point of Mercedes Sprinters was steep. The Transit opened a door for us to afford our dream of #vanlife!

After some bumps in the road actually getting our van, we’ve finally started our DIY van build. We hope to have it built out with beds by this summer 2020!

Welcome to Family Van Builds!