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Jason & Heather | Formerly @vantrails

@jasonxheather

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💫 Vanlife | Travel | Photography | Health
🚐 US & Europe
🐈‍⬛ Adventure Cat Georgie
📧 [email protected]
👇 Encouraging YOU to Live Life Differently

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You don’t need a $150k van to get out there.

We’ve lived full-time in a $900 minivan for the last 4 years. It’s not huge, it’s not fancy, and it definitely isn’t what most people picture when they hear “vanlife.”

But it works.

And that’s kind of the point.

Instead of putting $150k into the vehicle, we put less into our home on wheels and more into the actual adventure—more time traveling, more places explored, and more freedom to stay out there longer.

We’ve learned how to make a small space work, camp for free, find ways to make money on the road, and build a life around being outside instead of waiting for the “perfect” setup.

You don’t need the expensive gear. You don’t need the perfect vehicle. You don’t even need to do vanlife.

Just start with what you have, make it work, and find your own way to Live Life Differently.

If you’re looking for a little encouragement, inspiration, and the tips & tricks we’ve picked up from years of living on the road, follow along. 🚐🌲

And if vanlife isn’t your thing? That’s okay too. We’re here to encourage you to get outside, try something different, and build a life that feels like yours.

#VanLife #LiveLifeDifferently #AdventureTravel
:: taken in Planet Earth by @jasonxheather

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a month ago

From dating in high school to traveling to over 40 countries together… we’re Heather and Jason (well, really Jay).

Back in our early days of dating, life in our 30s looked like Jay being a physical therapist, Heather having a decade of teaching under her belt, and little mini-mes in tow.

Living out of a campervan wasn’t a dream that came to be until we were backpacking in South America.. where we saw so many families traveling in vans.

The lightbulbs went off and the wheels started turning that that’s how we could and would travel with kids.

Years later, we decided kids weren’t in our cards — and they still aren’t, but vanlife is.

We sold our first van, Izzy, when moving back to the states from Scotland. Bought a new one in Oregon, Willy, which we still have and currently call our home… And we have our third van, the newest to the family — Pierre, our European campervan.

But Pierre has a temper. And has broken down four times… we’ve owned it for a year, and have yet to go on a road trip in him.

He’s currently at the garage, and we have no idea if our dream of having a van in the US and a van in Europe that we get to travel back and forth between will end in heartache dreaming of what could have been or end in excitement of what will be.

Be sure to follow @arboursabroad for more of the travel side of things and @vantrails for more van style content…. Both accounts encouraging you to Live. Life. Differently.

Thanks for being here — and we’re curious, where in our timeline did you find us?

#sweetheart😘 #travelcouplegoals #vanlifejourney taken in Planet Earth by @jasonxheather

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7 months ago

3 vans…

3 totally different situations…

1 mission: to live life differently. encouraging others to do the same—whatever that looks like.

If that life has been on your mind, this is your sign.
Follow along here—more in-depth content lives on our website.

Have questions? Ask below 👇🏻 or send us a dm! 🙂 taken in Planet Earth by @jasonxheather

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7 months ago

Previa meet-up 2026 in the books!

This year has been all about building our community, our network of people, and intentionally putting ourselves in places where like minded people hang.

Two conferences this year already done. A Previa meetup in the books. And one more conference next month in Europe.

Slowing coming out of the woods to surround ourselves with people… and it’s been great!

Thanks, @previalegend for an epic meet up! Until next time 🥚🫶 taken in Leavenworth, Washington by @jasonxheather

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7 hours ago

It’s a heavy day.

Whatever you’re carrying right now, I hope you find a little space to breathe and a little extra kindness from the people around you.

🫶 taken in Mt Baker, Washington by @jasonxheather

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a day ago

When life throw you lemons… run into the woods and enjoy nature instead…

Only kind of kidding.

Today was one of those days where we ran into road blocks with everything we did.

I won’t go into detail of the layers and layers of frustration that left me in tears on multiple accounts today… because shoot — we all have those days.

But what I will say about it all is …

No matter how you choose to live your life, the hard days, the frustrating days, the joyous days… they’ll all come.

So be sure to live your life so when the not so great days come, you can manage them even just a little bit easier!

Dealing with the hard, frustrating, and just down right 💩 days is easier for us outside .. What about for you? taken in North Cascades National Park by @jasonxheather

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3 days ago

“Homeless” in a $900 minivan without “true blue reliable jobs.” 🤔

We’ve heard both comments, and it’s interesting how the two seem to go hand in hand.

Because apparently, if you live in a van, you’re “homeless.” And if you don’t have a traditional 9–5 job with a predictable paycheck, you don’t have a “real” job.

But what if you’ve built a business around travel, photography, videography, and working with brands? What if you’ve worked seasonal jobs, saved money, and created a life that allows you to spend more time doing what you love?

That’s our reality.

We live full-time in a $900 1992 Toyota Previa. We don’t own a house, and our income doesn’t come from a traditional job. Instead, we’ve spent the last few years building our own business and figuring out how to make this unconventional lifestyle work.

Is it always predictable? No.
Is it for everyone? Definitely not.

But we think there’s more than one way to build a good life, and we don’t believe owning a house or having a traditional career should be the only measure of success.

We’re just out here trying to live life differently. 🚐🌲

Follow along @jasonxheather for more vanlife, travel, and what it looks like to build a life outside the traditional path.

#livelifedifferently #vanlifestories #vanlifeadventure taken in USA by @jasonxheather

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7 days ago

Not gonna lie … every time we set our alarms to be up for sunrise, something in my head tells me there’s no way that will be enough sleep.

But every time we don’t hit snooze, and wake up for the morning light — it makes me regret the mornings when snooze wins and my sleepiness gets the best of me.

Sunrise still isn’t easy to get up for all these years into chasing the morning light… but boy, it’s certainly always worth it.

📍 Anacortes, Washington — a sunrise to remember 💛

Sunrise | morning light | Washington State | PNW taken in Anacortes, Washington by @jasonxheather

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4 days ago

We waited over a week to hike here!

This area of Mount Rainier National Park was closed when we arrived due to wildfires in the area and it closed a week after we were there for the season.

This is the Emmons Moraine Trail!

📍 White River Campground (loop D)
🥾 3-4 miles depending on your adventuring at the end
📈 Minimal, switchbacks at beginning and end.
👀 The lower 48’s largest glacier!

At the viewpoint for the glacier, be sure to be prepared for glacial dust… yes that’s a real thing. It’s when the wind picks up the remnant from where the glacier used to be, and it is greedy and gross in both your teeth in your eyes!

Before you head here, make sure the area is open as there is scheduled road construction and seasonal closures from now until 2029!

Hike it if you like it & be sure to follow @jasonxheather for more trail guides and fun adventures! taken in Emmons Glacier by @jasonxheather

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5 days ago

Come enjoy sunrise in paradise! 💫

If you get the chance to experience sunrise at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park, you’ll be talking about it for a lifetime.

We went up the Dead Horse trail off of the skyline Loop trail from the Paradise Visitor center!

Get there early because parking lots fill up quickly and you of course want to see that alpenglow and the first rays hitting the glacial ice!

Be careful as there are steep sections, and there are bears everywhere. Keep your eyes open and you will see pheasants, mountain goats, pika, and marmots!

#mtrainiernationalpark #washington #livelifedifferently taken in Mount Rainier National Forest by @jasonxheather

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7 days ago

Have you heard of “Larch Madness?”

It’s when these trees turn from green to gold.

The views all around are stunning too.

But people come for the fall foliage instead.

We can’t blame them, but look at those peaks!

Larch madness happens only once a year.

And it brings literally THOUSANDS of people to Maple Pass.

Jumping on the trail mid-week helps limit the crowds.

But you’re likely to be around hundreds of people on a weekday too.

What do you think? Are the views and colors worth it?

🍁 Maple Pass Trail
🥾 6.8 Miles
📈 2,125 feet
⏰ 4-5 hours
📍 North Cascades National Park
🗺️ Washington
🎟️ Parking Pass required… National parks pass works.

Hike it if you like it.. and don’t forget to take in the other views too!

Tag who you’re taking below! taken in North Cascades National Park by @jasonxheather

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5 days ago

We went to school to become a physical therapist and a teacher… and now we live in a $900 minivan. 😂

Honestly, we didn’t see that coming.

We both went to undergrad from 2009–2013, and in 2016 we moved to Scotland together so I could go to school for my master’s in physical therapy.

That’s actually where our vanlife journey started.

We lived in a campervan while I was in school, traveled around Scotland and Europe, and fell in love with having our home with us.

Eventually, we made our way back to the US and life took a few unexpected turns.

A failed business opportunity, a severe Crohn’s disease flare up, and a few other things.

During COVID, we bought a $900 1992 Toyota Previa and converted it ourselves.

The plan was never to live in it for four years.

But here we are. 😂

Since then, we’ve traveled across the western half of the country, worked seasonal jobs, built our travel blog, started working with brands photographing and filming campaigns, and figured out how to make a life on the road work for us.

It’s definitely a very different life than the one we pictured when we started college.

But that’s one of the coolest things we’ve learned along the way.

Your life doesn’t have to follow the plan you made when you were 18.

Sometimes the unexpected path ends up being the one you love most.

Follow @jasonxheather for the travel, vanlife, adventures, and everything we’re figuring out along the way. 🚐🌲

#VanLife #AdventureTravel #LiveLifeDifferently #CouplesTravel taken in USA by @jasonxheather

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18 days ago