The essence of vanlife is living free on the open road. That’s the fantasy most of us picture, right? I saw myself cruising down a long, winding rural road, radio cranked up loud, sunshine, a soft flannel shirt hugging my shoulders as I take the twists and turns, finally rounding a bend to see a stunning vista stretch out in front of me. And that lifestyle, that vision of how it could be, is real and attainable.

My version of #vanlife is stationary for the moment, centered around the Philadelphia area. I have a regular day job as a receptionist in a high-end salon, and a tattoo apprenticeship in the evenings. My days are full of answering phones, texting back and forth about tattoo designs, drawing, drinking too much soda/coffee, and reading in my van at night in a parking lot until I pass out. But, I recently managed to tweak my schedule, carving out two days off for myself, every other week. These four days a month will be my get-out-of-Philly, hiking, camping, vanlife freedom days.

My first “vanlife lost weekend” was over Labor Day. I got up early, crawled out of the back of my van and into the driver’s seat, and headed northwest towards the Poconos…in search of waterfalls. I ended up in Worthington State Forest, and drove up along the Delaware River until I got close to Buttermilk Falls. The roads were a lattice of potholes, and the cell phone signal nonexistent most of the way up to the falls. I found these conditions exhilarating. I followed occasional signs posted along the narrow roads (sans GPS), and parked near a bridge. After locking up the van, I started walking along a gravel road, not 100% sure I was even going the right way. About 30 minutes in, I started seeing more and more cars parked alongside the pathway, and could hear the rush of fast-moving water through the trees.

Buttermilk Falls is cool, I loved it…the waterfall itself is narrow, but fairly tall, and picturesque af. The creek slides down from boulder to boulder, ending in a shallow pool at the base. There are stairs built up steeply along the left side, and I climbed these at a snail’s pace, struggling to catch my breath near the top. There’s a lookout platform for selfie-taking (which I used), and then a slippery, challenging hiking trail extends behind it, deep into the woods.

I heard from another hiker that there was some kind of cool view at the end of the hike, but, shamefully, I didn’t make it that far. I hiked about 45 minutes into the forest, and it’s hard to say which was more difficult, going in or trying to get out again. The way in was steep, full of pebbles itching to roll away under your feet, and rocks forming some natural steps that were just a little too tall for my stubby legs. I pushed as far up the path as I could before getting fatigued enough to be quitter. Mosquitoes were stuck all over my arms…I would run a hand down one arm, and they’d float above me for a beat before settling somewhere else on my skin (fucking beasties). When I decided to turn back, a part of me was disappointed in myself. I think I’ll have to go back sometime soon, just to see what was at the end of that trail, and feel the sense of accomplishment.

The way back always seems shorter, which was a relief. However, getting back down that trail was some of the most technical hiking I’ve done since I lived in South Korea (where hiking is something of a national pastime, and I started getting really into it). It had rained that morning, and the trail was slick with mud, moss, and more of those loose stones peppered everywhere. I watched more than a few hikers fall, and as I had some camera equipment in my pack, I was paranoid about eating shit and breaking shit. But I didn’t—super proud of myself. I ended up using the surrounding foliage, and sort of slide-swinging down the steepest bits of the trail. I was dripping sweat, and my leg muscles were loose and rubbery at that point, which is kind of an amazing feeling.

All in all, it was an excellent day in the woods. I didn’t have to talk to anyone much, got eaten alive by them damn mozzies, got dirty, sweaty, tired, took a lot of pictures and video clips, and walked back to the bridge to find my van exactly where I left it (whew). Tall trees, the sound of water, dappled sunlight shining green through all the leaves overhead…it was just about as perfect as a series of moments on planet Earth can be.

Hanging out in the van for a little bit, enjoying the forest.

View of Buttermilk Falls from the bottom.

I spent the night in a 24-hour McDonald’s parking lot, That’s the second time I’ve done it, and no one’s bothered me so far. Falling asleep that night, to the dulcet sounds of the drive-through speaker, I felt amazing. Satisfied with the way I spent the day, excited for the next one…it’s a great way to go to bed.

I woke up early again, to a beautiful, misty parking lot. Seriously…with the rolling hills in the background, trees dripping dew, and the soft early-morning light…that McDonald’s parking lot was fucking gorgeous. My plan for the day was to head out to Bushkill Falls, the most popular waterfall in the area, “destination falls,” if you will. I was there as the gate was first opening, and got a great parking spot. I’ll get right to it…this waterfall was on another level. I could hear the churning energy of it before I even started walking down the pathway. The water had a burgundy cast to it in some spots, and threw itself past me with a sort of frothing exuberance that made me kinda want to jump in.

For most of the way around it, there were wooden walkways and steps built. This made the experience feel a bit artificial, but I still loved it. There are a few different trails to take, and I chose the red one. It was a pretty legit hike…elevation, mud, even a bit of wildlife, finally culminating in an incredible view of the Delaware Valley…everything you could want in a good hike. I took a ton more pictures, bought souvenirs (yes, there was even a fucking gift shop there), and left a little before noon, dodging most of the crowds. The falls themselves were pretty awesome. They didn’t have the sort of restful beauty as Buttermilk Falls, but the Bushkill waterfall dominated the landscape with it’s sound, the rainbows made of the constant spray thrown up above the rocks, and the damp chill in the air.

Both of the falls are definitely worth a visit. I plan on exploring more of that area before winter. There’s one epic picture I saw a few versions of on Instagram, a high vantage point with the Delaware river down below…and I want to find that spot. Mission for the next roadtrip up there. The drive back to Philly was one of the best parts. High, steep hills, small towns full of rolling pastures, tractors, literal white-picket fences, bucolic grandeur of rural Pennsylvania everywhere I looked. I think I might have taken the 46 most of the way down, but I’m not sure. Anyways, I love driving my van, and living in my van, and our first little hiking adventure together was everything I wanted it to be. It’s weird and awesome when you fantasize about something for a long time (like living out of your van and taking roadtrips to new places), and then you’re finally able to make it happen, and it’s exactly how you thought it would be.

The second of my Vanlife Lost Weekends starts tomorrow…hiking around the Pinelands of South Jersey with my ex-roommate Valerie, another die-hard vegan and outdoor enthusiast. We’re planning to check out Wharton State Forest, Bass River State Forest, and then rounding the day out with a stop at White Castle to stuff our faces with their take on the Impossible burger. Fodder for another post, coming soon.

Thank you for reading, and please feel free to reach out!

Happy travels, xo

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