Flashback: Lyndsay's Van Life - Part 1

As I've said before, Lyndsay lived in a van and trailer for two years before we met. Her experience was very valuable helping us pick out an RV that would meet our needs. I was ready to buy a shell and do a build, but Lyndsay was insistant that we start with something liveable and useable as she'd tried to do the build path and it was quite the mess.

Let's take a trip back down memory lane a bit, to before Lyndsay and I even met. We're going back to summer of 2013. These are Lyndsay's words and her story.

Lyndsay:

Nothin' but a shell.

I was looking for a vehicle to pull my 1961 Bonaire trailer. I knew that I wanted something vintage, have a living space, but could also haul my little 18-foot trailer. I searched online and I found the perfect vehicle; a 1975 Ford Econoline. Orange and brown with heart-shaped windows. The interior was all brown leather walls and shag carpet, a futon and captain's chairs. The only catch? It was in San Jose and I was in Winnipeg.

But I'd fallen in love and had to have it; $2700 USD.

At the time I was working in an RV park next to Winnipeg. I was building the interior of my Bonaire. The plan was simple: fly to San Jose, pick up the van, spend the night in San Francisco and visit a friend, drive up the historic 101, stop at the Goonies house, do a job interview in Vancouver for the winter season, drive to Winnipeg, be back by the end of the long weekend with my summer job and future parking spot intact.

To take it back over the border I would need the vehicle Title, bill of sale, insurance, and an import form completed at customs. I did my best to do my due diligence by going to customs several times to make sure that this is all I would need. I went to MPI (Manitoba Public Inusrance) several times to make sure I had everything I needed for the sale and to get temporary registration for the drive back. I was told that all I needed was the bill of sale.

I bought the ticket. Two days before the flight I went to MPI to get the temporary insurance. Now they told me that I needed a physical paper Title. I called the guy that I was supposed to get it from. In California they use electronic Titles; the DMV had gone paperless. MPI refused to accept the electronic Title. The owner special ordered - express (3 days) - a paper Title from the DMV. This seemed like it would be doable; I could just fax it to MPI once I had it (as per MPI request).

So the Title was ordered before the flight, I would spend one day with a friend in San Francisco, and then the next day the Title would be in and I would be off on my '101-job-interview' adventure.

I flew into San Jose and immediately went to get the van. It was better than I expected; heart shaped window - thump thump thump - love at first sight.

 I found free camping in San Francisco just next to the pier. I pulled up for the night, had a beautful view of Alcatraz overlooking the bay, a baby raccoon and its mom scampering by, seals in the water... I got into the van to hunker down and sleep.

The next morning I had to pull away and drive to meet my friend at her studio. That's when I realized that I would have to move every two hours due to parking regulations. During one of those moves, a car passed me too close and hit my mirror.

I then realized, "Oh shit, I'm in the 'everyone sues' country with no insurance."

To be continued...