FRAN ii
11/2/17
“Van Dweller: a person who lives in a converted vehicle, is nomadic and largely precarious.” – Business Insider
Background:
In early June, of 2017, my brother (@kennylenzi) & myself (@tylerlenzi) purchased our first Van, FRAN II. FRAN II is a 2008 Chevy Express Passenger Van with an extended roof providing additional headspace (see 60 Seconds of Skroove 347). FRAN is an acronym that stands for: For Radical Adventures Nomadic. So why FRAN II, and where is FRAN I? All of these questions and more will be answered. Buckle up.
The Buy:
Our first vehicle we would travel and camp out of during the summer of 2016 was a 2005 GMC Envoy, FRAN I (see 60 Seconds of Skroove 17). We built a hinged loft that ran from the end of the hatch to the back of the driver and passenger seats with room for storage underneath for Skroove apparel (hence the loft). Our faces were about 4 inches from the ceiling at night while sleeping, it was tight but got the job done. Then in May of 2017 we totaled FRAN I in a car accident on the express way (we were not at fault, and no one was injured). So, we had to replace the vehicle and Kenny proposed “The Van.” Day in and day out we scavenged dealerships, Craigslist, and Autotrader in search for the perfect Van. After nearly giving up and settling on for a Van that was missing a lot of features we wanted, I extended the search radius out of state and that’s when we found her, FRAN II. FRAN II was located in Columbiana Ohio, about 4.5 hours away, at a dealership called D’Lux Motors. After a long drive down and a test drive, we knew it was exactly what we needed. We could damn near stand in it, and it was already gutted out. We bought her on the spot for $10,000 (See 60 Seconds of Skroove 355).
The FRANsermation:
Mostly out of utter excitement, we wanted to convert FRAN into a livable unit as quickly as possible. So after deciding what features we wanted we got to work. 48 hours and $300 dollars later she was done (see 60 Seconds of Skroove 361). Features included a futon, a bed, secure storage for food and amenities, 12v cooler, storage for nine Skroove totes and two carry on size suitcases (under the bed), a propane stove, a toolbox, and a hula gal (see 60 Seconds of Skroove 364).
Travel Hacks:
Certainly over the course of the many trips we took this summer, we had a lot of great experiences. Allow me to layout some of our travel tips and answer some FAQs. Note: I will link products mentioned in the blog notes.
Number One: Showers. We often get asked how we shower when traveling in FRAN for weeks at a time. One of the best purchases we made was a Black Card Membership at Planet Fitness. It is $20/month, you get unlimited guest privileges, and you have access to any PF location in the US. Not to mention the benefit of having a clean consistent workout experience wherever you go. Another shower option as PF locations are scarce up north are state parks. Most state parks have free shower access you can use during the day even if you aren’t camping there at night (if you have a state parks pass). Or if you are feeling primitive, there are no shortage of lakes in Michigan to clean off in.
Number Two: Food. Eating out gets expensive and gets old fast, not to mention it tends to be unhealthy. Having the 12v cooler was a big help as it allowed us to travel with produce. Some foods that we consumed regularly include tuna, canned salmon, almonds, walnuts, cashews, beef jerky, canned vegetables, bacon, ground beef, and rotisserie chicken. We also regularly made use of our Coleman two burner propane stove for cooking.
Number Three: Coffee. Coffee played an important role in our journey and not just because of the caffeine. Coffee shops provide three essential resources; outlets to charge devices, wi-fi, and bathrooms. Throughout our Gallivanning series on YouTube, I tried to make a point to rank coffee shops we stopped at. Some coffee related tips include owning a good travel mug (I use a Yeti but I have also found Ozark Trail work just as well). This way, almost anywhere you go you pay one dollar for a refill versus standard prices. Also in the mornings we discovered the most effective way to make our own coffee was with a French Press. I would recommend this over a percolator any day of the week.
Number Four: Camping. First and foremost, regardless how you feel about shopping there, Walmart is a great resource for camping. Almost every Walmart allows for free overnight parking/camping and there are bathrooms available 24/7, not to mention you are usually surrounded by other people camping overnight as well. We did have one experience however while camping at Traverse City Walmart where someone tried opening our Van door at 4:00 a.m. so there are some obvious trade offs to not staying at a campground. If you are looking for a campground, state parks are a good bet and are relatively inexpensive. Be sure to check out Fisherman’s Island State Park in Charlevoix, it is our favorite. If your feeling more adventurous and your Van looks more like a Van than a camper, you can usually get away with parking on the side of the road or at some roadside parks.
Recap:
So far we have taken FRAN on many adventures and have some big trips planned in the near future. If you are considering buying a Van be patient, and do not settle for one you do not completely love, it could be with you for a long time. Features like cruise control and tilt steering (which we almost passed up) can go a long way. If you have any questions regarding this blog you can tweet me at @lenzityler or email me tyler@skrooveco.com.
--Ty
Background:
In early June, of 2017, my brother (@kennylenzi) & myself (@tylerlenzi) purchased our first Van, FRAN II. FRAN II is a 2008 Chevy Express Passenger Van with an extended roof providing additional headspace (see 60 Seconds of Skroove 347). FRAN is an acronym that stands for: For Radical Adventures Nomadic. So why FRAN II, and where is FRAN I? All of these questions and more will be answered. Buckle up.
The Buy:
Our first vehicle we would travel and camp out of during the summer of 2016 was a 2005 GMC Envoy, FRAN I (see 60 Seconds of Skroove 17). We built a hinged loft that ran from the end of the hatch to the back of the driver and passenger seats with room for storage underneath for Skroove apparel (hence the loft). Our faces were about 4 inches from the ceiling at night while sleeping, it was tight but got the job done. Then in May of 2017 we totaled FRAN I in a car accident on the express way (we were not at fault, and no one was injured). So, we had to replace the vehicle and Kenny proposed “The Van.” Day in and day out we scavenged dealerships, Craigslist, and Autotrader in search for the perfect Van. After nearly giving up and settling on for a Van that was missing a lot of features we wanted, I extended the search radius out of state and that’s when we found her, FRAN II. FRAN II was located in Columbiana Ohio, about 4.5 hours away, at a dealership called D’Lux Motors. After a long drive down and a test drive, we knew it was exactly what we needed. We could damn near stand in it, and it was already gutted out. We bought her on the spot for $10,000 (See 60 Seconds of Skroove 355).
The FRANsermation:
Mostly out of utter excitement, we wanted to convert FRAN into a livable unit as quickly as possible. So after deciding what features we wanted we got to work. 48 hours and $300 dollars later she was done (see 60 Seconds of Skroove 361). Features included a futon, a bed, secure storage for food and amenities, 12v cooler, storage for nine Skroove totes and two carry on size suitcases (under the bed), a propane stove, a toolbox, and a hula gal (see 60 Seconds of Skroove 364).
Travel Hacks:
Certainly over the course of the many trips we took this summer, we had a lot of great experiences. Allow me to layout some of our travel tips and answer some FAQs. Note: I will link products mentioned in the blog notes.
Number One: Showers. We often get asked how we shower when traveling in FRAN for weeks at a time. One of the best purchases we made was a Black Card Membership at Planet Fitness. It is $20/month, you get unlimited guest privileges, and you have access to any PF location in the US. Not to mention the benefit of having a clean consistent workout experience wherever you go. Another shower option as PF locations are scarce up north are state parks. Most state parks have free shower access you can use during the day even if you aren’t camping there at night (if you have a state parks pass). Or if you are feeling primitive, there are no shortage of lakes in Michigan to clean off in.
Number Two: Food. Eating out gets expensive and gets old fast, not to mention it tends to be unhealthy. Having the 12v cooler was a big help as it allowed us to travel with produce. Some foods that we consumed regularly include tuna, canned salmon, almonds, walnuts, cashews, beef jerky, canned vegetables, bacon, ground beef, and rotisserie chicken. We also regularly made use of our Coleman two burner propane stove for cooking.
Number Three: Coffee. Coffee played an important role in our journey and not just because of the caffeine. Coffee shops provide three essential resources; outlets to charge devices, wi-fi, and bathrooms. Throughout our Gallivanning series on YouTube, I tried to make a point to rank coffee shops we stopped at. Some coffee related tips include owning a good travel mug (I use a Yeti but I have also found Ozark Trail work just as well). This way, almost anywhere you go you pay one dollar for a refill versus standard prices. Also in the mornings we discovered the most effective way to make our own coffee was with a French Press. I would recommend this over a percolator any day of the week.
Number Four: Camping. First and foremost, regardless how you feel about shopping there, Walmart is a great resource for camping. Almost every Walmart allows for free overnight parking/camping and there are bathrooms available 24/7, not to mention you are usually surrounded by other people camping overnight as well. We did have one experience however while camping at Traverse City Walmart where someone tried opening our Van door at 4:00 a.m. so there are some obvious trade offs to not staying at a campground. If you are looking for a campground, state parks are a good bet and are relatively inexpensive. Be sure to check out Fisherman’s Island State Park in Charlevoix, it is our favorite. If your feeling more adventurous and your Van looks more like a Van than a camper, you can usually get away with parking on the side of the road or at some roadside parks.
Recap:
So far we have taken FRAN on many adventures and have some big trips planned in the near future. If you are considering buying a Van be patient, and do not settle for one you do not completely love, it could be with you for a long time. Features like cruise control and tilt steering (which we almost passed up) can go a long way. If you have any questions regarding this blog you can tweet me at @lenzityler or email me tyler@skrooveco.com.
--Ty
Fisherman's Island State Park -
Charlevoix, MI
Blog Notes:
If you enjoyed this blog be sure to check out our series on YouTube, Gallivanning. It is a travel vlog where we documented one of our trips in FRAN II.
Gallivanning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqgHUtMgo8I&list=PL82MBRE44i6VKMzLChGs9pJHACCh696j6
Propane Cooker
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Basic-Propane-2-Burner-Stove/dp/B006LXGRMU/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1507655154&sr=8-9&keywords=coleman+two+burner+propane+stove
French Press
https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Coffee-Maker-Brazil-French/dp/B01MTKKLLU/ref=sr_1_43?ie=UTF8&qid=1507655218&sr=8-43&keywords=bodum+coffee&refinements=p_n_condition-type%3A6461716011
PF Membership
http://www.planetfitness.com/membership-types
12v Coleman Cooler
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Quart-PowerChill-Thermoelectric-Cooler/dp/B008GOBG1Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1507655444&sr=8-1&keywords=coleman+40+qt+powerchill
Yeti 20 oz
https://www.amazon.com/YETI-Rambler-Stainless-Insulated-Tumbler/dp/B00JP9AJC6/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1507655875&sr=1-3&keywords=yeti
Ozark Trail 20 oz
https://www.amazon.com/20-Vacuum-Insulated-Stainless-Ste/dp/B01MYVMGPG/ref=sr_1_7?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1507655895&sr=1-7&keywords=ozark+trail+tumbler
Fisherman’s Island State Park
https://www.midnrreservations.com/FISHERMAN'SISLANDSTATEPARK