Normally our blog is about realizations, streams of consciousness, etc and rarely do we write about where we went, how we got there and what we did. Before we left on our 16 month North American van adventure, many people told us where to go and how to get there and what to do. While we were/are grateful for the insight, it was overwhelming. We are more casual and prefer to go with our gut (or our google/Instagram) and keep our ears and eyes open to insight we get from others along the way. However, we recently spent 5 days in a van driving around Iceland and a quick visit to a place with so much to offer warrants some type of itinerary. We decided a summary of our adventure might be helpful for others who are headed to the land of fire + ice…cuz everyone seems to be doing it these days.
Leo Love || 13
As I sit here on the eve of the 13th anniversary of Nicholas’ accident, trying to think of something profound to say, I’m having a difficult time finding anything coherent to write because I have one million thoughts and emotions, but they are not about me or my family, for once.
Job Share
Ever since I met Jon over eleven years ago I’ve been envious of his “event life” career. Working and operating event to event always seemed so glamorous to me especially when compared to having the same schedule every day.
Introverts Unite
DISCLAIMER: This was written Fall 2016. Nothing has really changed except my workspace (big shift). I now work partially from home (ie alone and quiet, have more jobs w social media and am in a fairly quiet slow paced physical therapy setting / self employed).
On this and subsequent trips, I have spent quite a bit of time listening to autobiographies written and narrated by female comedians and I always learn something.
Race For Rehab
Please excuse the non-Van Life, non- Life Life post as we touch upon a cause that is near and dear to our hearts.
Tour de 40/70
** Disclaimer this was written in July **
This post was supposed to be all about riding bikes in France during the Tour de France this past July as my mother and I celebrated our 40th & 70th birthdays together this fall.
September
Transition: the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.
Since we officially came off the road in June, many people have asked me how it feels to be back in Boulder. The truth is that I have no idea.
Thank You Notes (+ please vote)
We wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has followed along on our van adventures and kept up with our blog. More adventures are afoot and this little chunk of the internet will continue to be our dumping ground for van build details, lessons learned, nomadic life, personal revelations and so much more. As a result, we decided this would be a good platform to share a goal of ours: Be selected as finalists for a panel at SXSW. To borrow words directly from their website, SXSW (South By South West) is a conference and festival that “dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals…SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together…The event features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities”.
However, we can’t get to this iconic event without your help. Please take a moment to VOTE for our submission in order to make the final cut. VOTE HERE It does take a quick moment to create an account and we greatly appreciate your time. Please invite anyone and everyone to vote. And while you’re there, click around and see what SXSW is all about for yourself!
While we are saying our thank you’s, we would be remiss if we didn’t include our friends at Bicycling Magazine for our mention in the September issue. It’s out on stands now so go check it out!
(words by Dylan Nord & photos by Rebecca Stumpf)
Sister Love
I realized recently that I write a lot about my parents, my brother, my husband, but I don’t write much about my big sister, Kristin. I am surprised by my lack of writing about her as she’s the person I talk to the most in the world, second to Jon. I talk to her several times a week and, quite frankly, I’d be lost without her.
Less-ist
The trendy topic these days is minimalism. Some people would think that we must be minimalists because we live(d) in a van. I don’t know the technical definition for minimalist, but I’m pretty sure I’m not one. Rather, van life has helped confirm my own personal definition for myself as a “less-ist”.