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@lifeisvandy

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Part-time Vanlifers | Ariel + Mike
📍 Colorado

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All the .5 selfies and the misshapen heads 🤭 taken in Artist Point Yellowstone Grand Canyon by @lifeisvandy

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a year ago

There used to be 30-60 Million Bison in the United States until the 1800s when settlers wanted to deplete indigenous tribes from their source of food and culture in order to forcibly starve them and drive them from their lands.

In a span of 100 years a population of 30-60 Million Bison was whittled down to less than 500 wild American Bison. Can we just take a moment to sit with the scale of that and the depravity of early American colonizers to needlessly kill in order to drive out a native population? (Look up bison skull pile in 1892)

Seeing this animal on a road in Yellowstone was pretty fucking amazing but as we were driving home I just kept looking out at the plains and picturing the millions and millions of wild Bison that used to roam these lands. Living in America is a constant reminder to me that these lands, however beautiful and majestic, were built on the bones of indigenous populations, both human and animal, and were forcibly taken through gen0cide and exploitation.

I dream of a time when encounters like this are commonplace, when Bison can roam free, and indigenous people are once again the rightful stewards of their lands.

#landback taken in Yellowstone National Park by @lifeisvandy

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a year ago

The Tetons are elite ✨

These mountains are the moment forever and ever. I will return here over and over, they are that good. taken in Grand Tetons by @lifeisvandy

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a year ago

First solo trip in da books~~~

Didn’t cry! Had two pee accidents! A leaky roof! 5 days! 4 hikes! So many dumb selfies! Ramen 2x! Only one big freak out! Such success!! by @lifeisvandy

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a year ago

🥹 by @lifeisvandy

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a year ago

Spent 2 weeks on the road, broke down 3x, went to 3 different mechanics in Las Vegas, Palm Springs, and San Diego. Drove around 1k miles with our check engine light on, slept on BLM land, at rest areas, gas station parking lots, on the side of the ocean, and a RV resort~. Almost peed my pants at least 5 times.
I fucking love van life. 😛
Now we’re home and I am itching to get back out there!! Where should we go next?? taken in Utah, USA by @lifeisvandy

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2 years ago

The check engine might be back on but we loved day 1 of 2025 taken in San Diego, California by @lifeisvandy

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2 years ago

The star of the show everywhere we go. 🌟✨

Mango truly thriiiives on the road. She is less reactive, waaaay more chill, loves the people attention, and gets cooed at everywhere we go. She has adapted to know that the van is home, so we’ve been able to leave her in the temp controlled van without worry. She settles into her bed and she’s comfortable and content.

The truth is we’ve been wanting a new van for a few years now but really expedited the process of looking after Mango was diagnosed with cancer for a second time last January. We went through surgery recovery and chemotherapy with her and resolved that once we got through this hard spell we would get a new van for her. She’s been to 25 states!! Okuuurrrr! She’s well traveled!!! How sick would it be if she could hit all 50 though hehe!!

Well anyways. Here’s our pride and joy 😚 taken in Palm Springs, California by @lifeisvandy

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2 years ago

We’re baaaack babyyyyyy taken in Las Vegas, Nevada by @lifeisvandy

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2 years ago

To celebrate one year since we embarked on our life changing vanlife trip, we started demolition on our van! We are planning on a complete renovation so we can continue using and loving our van! taken in New Jersey by @lifeisvandy

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6 years ago

Finally home. What a freaking adventure.
Reflection coming in a few days, just need to gather thoughts teehee. 🤪
📸: @beckyshaina taken in Edison, New Jersey by @lifeisvandy

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7 years ago

Spent the last weekend of full time vanlife in Nashville with 10 other girls celebrating my beautiful best friend’s bachelorette! .
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While the weekend was very fun and an amazing time to spend with a great group of girls, it was also very exhausting and tiring due to the fact that I have not been socially that engaged in at least 3 months, if not more! .
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And while vanlife is beautiful in a lot of ways it can also be isolating and lonely at times. Being surrounded by the warmth of social interactions I am reminded that there is so much beauty in being in a tribe of people who love you and want to spend time with you. I can have these moments of solace with Michael and mango, which I cherish, but at the end of the day I crave community and communal love. .
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Today officially marks 3 months on the road and I am ready to return to a semblance of real life. I am ready to immerse myself back into a community of friends and family. I am also ready to reflect on this journey in full so stay tuned for that when we touchdown! .
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T-2 days til we are home!!!!!
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#vanlife #vanlifediaries #gmcvandura #vandura #roadtrip #nationalpark #nationalparks #optoutside #rei #adventure #nashvegas #nashville #bachelorette #musiccity taken in Nashville, Tennessee by @lifeisvandy

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7 years ago