Here's how a California couple is quarantining in a van for months in the Western wilderness, fighting off swarms of bugs and hunting for stable WiFi

Katie CanalesMay 20, 2020, 01:49 IST

Lovell Canyon Road west of Las Vegas.Kristin Hanes

A California couple has been living in their van and traveling through the desert for about two months during the coronavirus pandemic and statewide stay-at-home order.
Kristin Hanes and her partner bought the van as their home two years ago and usually live out of it in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Now, they hop from campsite to campsite, working remotely with a hotspot and sleeping in their camper van for around $1,000 a month.
Life on the road has involved flat tires, swarms of bugs, fluctuating temperatures, and weekly 7 am Walmart trips to stock up on food.
Hanes told Business Insider that she's content with the setup and thinks there may be more interest in the van lifestyle in the future as many may rethink their housing situations in light of the pandemic-driven economic fallout.

Thousands of California residents have been isolated in their homes since Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order on March 19.

Many are likely going stir-crazy while cooped up, with many having to do so in pint-sized apartments.

But one California couple is taking the tiny home lifestyle to the next level. Kristin Hanes and her partner usually live out of their 1994 Chevy Astro campervan in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now, they're traveling through the desert as the world weathers the storm caused by the coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19.

"Even though it's a teeny, tiny space, I feel like when we're out camping, we actually have a huge backyard," Kristin Hanes told Business Insider.

Here's how they're doing it.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Kristin Hanes and her partner, Tom, are a California couple currently living and traveling in their 1994 Chevy Astro van through the statewide stay-at-home order.

The Alabama Hills National Recreation Area. Kristin Hanes

They've been embracing the tiny living lifestyle ever since as a way to make ends meet.

El Camino Del Diablo in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

They split their time between the sailboat docked in Ventura, just outside of Los Angeles, and the van that Hanes bought two years ago for $6,000.

Senator Highway in the Prescott National Forest in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

So they've been living in the van for about two months, the longest period of time they've done so consecutively.

El Camino Del Diablo in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

They started traveling even before the statewide stay-at-home order went into effect on March 19. They wanted to steer clear of populated areas after learning of how the virus was already spreading.

Sonoran Desert National Monument in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

They started traveling even before the statewide stay-at-home order went into effect on March 19. They wanted to steer clear of populated areas after learning of how the virus was already spreading.

Hanes said it was a bit intimidating. She was thinking about if they could even cross state lines, or how they would explain their living situation to law enforcement if they ever got pulled over.

El Camino del Diablo in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

Hanes said it was a bit intimidating. She was thinking about if they could even cross state lines, or how they would explain their living situation to law enforcement if they ever got pulled over.

A lot of campsites and RV parks closed when the statewide stay-at-home order was issued, Hanes said.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

They've been to the Mojave Desert in California, which is still open for dispersed camping.

Mojave Desert National Preserve. Kristin Hanes

They've been to the Prescott National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona.

Prescott National Forest in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

They've camped at Sonoran Desert National Park just south of Phoenix.

Sonoran Desert National Monument in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

And they've visited California's Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park in California. Kristin Hanes

Where they go and where they camp largely depends on the weather and the strength of the internet connection.

Dispersed camping in the Prescott National Forest in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

Hanes is a full-time blogger for her site Wayward Home.

Dispersed camping in the Prescott National Forest in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

One of the first lessons they learned in the past few weeks was to carry more water containers. They used to be able to fill them at campsites, but since the order called for them to close, that's not an option.

Mojave Desert National Preserve. Kristin Hanes

One of the first lessons they learned in the past few weeks was to carry more water containers. They used to be able to fill them at campsites, but since the order called for them to close, that's not an option.

So they bought large jugs from Walmart for 30 cents a gallon, as well as a filtration system.

Sonoran Desert National Monument in Arizona. The filter is the small bag hanging in the back of the van. Kristin Hanes

They go to Walmart once a week, typically at 7 am to avoid crowds, and they always wear masks, she said.

Prescott National Forest in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

Each trip gives them seven to 10 days of food, and they make sure to eat the vegetables first.

Prescott National Forest in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

There's a 37-quart fridge in the van powered by a solar panel that keeps their food supply fresh.

Prescott, Arizona. Kristin Hanes

They also quickly learned to retrofit the van into even more of an efficient off-roader.

Kaibab National Forest in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

"If these weird pandemic things happen, we have a way to get out, drive down a rough dirt road, and actually camp for like a week," she said.

Mojave Desert National Preserve. Kristin Hanes

Hanes said the most expensive part of van life is the cost for gas, but that depends on how far you drive.

Mojave Desert National Preserve. Kristin Hanes

Typically, costs sit at about $1,000 for them a month, including gas and food.

Kennedy Meadows in California. Kristin Hanes

As for how the couple is faring while living in such small spaces, Hanes said they do well together. After Hanes was laid off in 2016, she and her partner even successfully lived out of a Prius for a time.

Imperial Sand Dunes in California. Kristin Hanes

As for how the couple is faring while living in such small spaces, Hanes said they do well together. After Hanes was laid off in 2016, she and her partner even successfully lived out of a Prius for a time.

"I think that really helps with the sheltering in place aspect — just being outside and having access to nature and hiking," Hanes said. "I think it's really good for us — our souls."

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land north of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

"I think that really helps with the sheltering in place aspect — just being outside and having access to nature and hiking," Hanes said. "I think it's really good for us — our souls."

And then in the evenings, the two will come back together to cook dinner.

Senator Highway in Prescott National Forest in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

Hanes tries to stay active. Traveling in a van actually involves a lot of sitting, a reality that many office workers in their homes are also now familiar with now that they're not putting in their regular commute.

Mojave Desert National Preserve. Kristin Hanes

Hanes tries to stay active. Traveling in a van actually involves a lot of sitting, a reality that many office workers in their homes are also now familiar with now that they're not putting in their regular commute.

The pair go on hikes through the terrain wherever they're parked, or she'll do yoga sessions with the desert sky as her backdrop.

Southern Arizona, close to El Camino del Diablo on the Barry M. Goldwater Range. Kristin Hanes

She's also attached a resistance band to the van to use as her "homemade TRX system."

Lovell Canyon Road west of Las Vegas. Kristin Hanes

The weather can fluctuate depending on where they are. In the Mojave Desert, it can be in the 90s, so the two will wear shorts and tank tops.

Mojave Desert National Preserve. Kristin Hanes

Calling desert environments their temporary homes has made for some insect and wildlife encounters.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

While parked in the Mojave Desert, hordes of gnats descended upon Hanes and her partner around dinnertime, landing on them and their food.

Mojave Desert National Preserve. Kristin Hanes

But she said she's happy with her lifestyle right now, despite the uncertainty that many are feeling during the pandemic.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona. Kristin Hanes

And she thinks many more people might be interested in the van lifestyle after the pandemic.

Imperial Sand Dunes in California. Kristin Hanes

The costs are much lower than conventional homeowning. As the pandemic continues to threaten to send the economy into a downward spiral, living in tinier spaces may be a reality for many.

Lovell Canyon Road west of Las Vegas. Kristin Hanes

The costs are much lower than conventional homeowning. As the pandemic continues to threaten to send the economy into a downward spiral, living in tinier spaces may be a reality for many.

"I've noticed that after being in nature for so long, I come back to a city and it just really freaks me out seeing so many people and so much concrete, and I just want to run away from it," Hanes said.

Lovell Canyon Road west of Las Vegas. Kristin Hanes

"I've noticed that after being in nature for so long, I come back to a city and it just really freaks me out seeing so many people and so much concrete, and I just want to run away from it," Hanes said.

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Here's how a California couple is quarantining in a van for months in the Western wilderness, fighting off swarms of bugs and hunting for stable WiFi

Kristin Hanes and her partner, Tom, are a California couple currently living and traveling in their 1994 Chevy Astro van through the statewide stay-at-home order.

They've been embracing the tiny living lifestyle ever since as a way to make ends meet.

They split their time between the sailboat docked in Ventura, just outside of Los Angeles, and the van that Hanes bought two years ago for $6,000.

So they've been living in the van for about two months, the longest period of time they've done so consecutively.

They started traveling even before the statewide stay-at-home order went into effect on March 19. They wanted to steer clear of populated areas after learning of how the virus was already spreading.

Hanes said it was a bit intimidating. She was thinking about if they could even cross state lines, or how they would explain their living situation to law enforcement if they ever got pulled over.

A lot of campsites and RV parks closed when the statewide stay-at-home order was issued, Hanes said.

They've been to the Mojave Desert in California, which is still open for dispersed camping.

They've been to the Prescott National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona.

They've camped at Sonoran Desert National Park just south of Phoenix.

And they've visited California's Death Valley National Park.

Where they go and where they camp largely depends on the weather and the strength of the internet connection.

Hanes is a full-time blogger for her site Wayward Home.

One of the first lessons they learned in the past few weeks was to carry more water containers. They used to be able to fill them at campsites, but since the order called for them to close, that's not an option.

So they bought large jugs from Walmart for 30 cents a gallon, as well as a filtration system.

They go to Walmart once a week, typically at 7 am to avoid crowds, and they always wear masks, she said.

Each trip gives them seven to 10 days of food, and they make sure to eat the vegetables first.

There's a 37-quart fridge in the van powered by a solar panel that keeps their food supply fresh.

They also quickly learned to retrofit the van into even more of an efficient off-roader.

"If these weird pandemic things happen, we have a way to get out, drive down a rough dirt road, and actually camp for like a week," she said.

Hanes said the most expensive part of van life is the cost for gas, but that depends on how far you drive.

Typically, costs sit at about $1,000 for them a month, including gas and food.

As for how the couple is faring while living in such small spaces, Hanes said they do well together. After Hanes was laid off in 2016, she and her partner even successfully lived out of a Prius for a time.

"I think that really helps with the sheltering in place aspect — just being outside and having access to nature and hiking," Hanes said. "I think it's really good for us — our souls."

And then in the evenings, the two will come back together to cook dinner.

Hanes tries to stay active. Traveling in a van actually involves a lot of sitting, a reality that many office workers in their homes are also now familiar with now that they're not putting in their regular commute.

The pair go on hikes through the terrain wherever they're parked, or she'll do yoga sessions with the desert sky as her backdrop.

She's also attached a resistance band to the van to use as her "homemade TRX system."

The weather can fluctuate depending on where they are. In the Mojave Desert, it can be in the 90s, so the two will wear shorts and tank tops.

Calling desert environments their temporary homes has made for some insect and wildlife encounters.

While parked in the Mojave Desert, hordes of gnats descended upon Hanes and her partner around dinnertime, landing on them and their food.

But she said she's happy with her lifestyle right now, despite the uncertainty that many are feeling during the pandemic.

And she thinks many more people might be interested in the van lifestyle after the pandemic.

The costs are much lower than conventional homeowning. As the pandemic continues to threaten to send the economy into a downward spiral, living in tinier spaces may be a reality for many.

"I've noticed that after being in nature for so long, I come back to a city and it just really freaks me out seeing so many people and so much concrete, and I just want to run away from it," Hanes said.