We have a van!

Well, we did it. We bought a van. Once we knew a thru hike was off the table for this year we began weighing our options and eventually settled on a campervan build. It’s a project we’ve each wanted to do anyway, so even with the added considerations of taking on such a commitment (and subsequent major lifestyle shift) with a significant other, this seemed like a natural step.

For weeks after we decided yes, we’re doing this, we spent most of our free time researching vans and browsing used van listings. In a stroke of good luck, we came across a 2012 Nissan high roof cargo van with not quite 12,000 miles on it. A few days later we drove to Brooklyn to check it out, and that afternoon we were heading back to our apartment in what will eventually be our new home.

Since then, we’ve been clearing it out and cleaning in preparation for the build. Most of our time so far has been spent disassembling the shelves and partition that were already installed when we bought it. These were both bolted to the floor in several places, making them a two person job to remove.

The really stubborn ones had to be drilled or cut out (thanks, Mark!)

With the shelves and partition out, we could finally remove the floor covering and get to work on taking care of the few spots of surface rust, cleaning the interior, and finalizing measurements and materials for the next stage.

Next up: sound deadening and insulation!