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I recently bought a Ford transit connect, which is the compact version of the transit van they described. I’ve been converting it into a weekend camper and havi

I recently bought a Ford transit connect, which is the compact version of the transit van they described. I’ve been converting it into a weekend camper and having so much fun in the process. DIY resources for van conversions are abundant (the vanual, YouTube, etc) and I ended up designing a system of hinges and moving panels to hold a bed (actually two large Purple pet mattresses joined together) and organize my climbing/camping gear. I still wanted a home in SF, but was disillusioned by how much I was willing to pay for a glamorous apartment in a Soma high rise. I first used the van to move out and sell the things I didn’t need, which turned out to be almost everything. I’m renting a small room in a cheaper part of town now that only has a mattress on the floor, and I drive the van to work on weekdays and to Yosemite on the weekends. I’ve become a much stronger climber and rediscovered simple joys of life. I didn’t need to save the money but I certainly did need to save my health and happiness.

scarecrowbob 7y ago
"only has a mattress on the floor," I've got a bedroom in an apartment in Durango and a pickup with a topper... the mattress on the floor is some foam that I got cut to fit where I sleep in the topper. I moved out to SW CO from Austin, and I haven't bothered getting a "real" bed. For a while I thought I was sleeping poorly cause of the mattress setup but I started taking magnesium and (possibly psychosomaticly) that's resolved. My climbing has gotten much, much better, too. And it's finally ski / ice climbing season.
- hanniabu 7y ago
  I've lived in mid-north Austin and have been considering a move to Colorado. How would you compare the social life in each area outside of climbing?
  - scarecrowbob 7y ago
    There's a lot going on here, though obviously not as much as in Austin. I've found folks to play music with, found a software dev meetup, and made a couple of friends through my roommate. If I were looking to find a partner, I think it might be a bit thin on resources. But for finding a bunch of people who are into outdoor sports and living in a small town, I think that it'd be hard to find much of a better spot.

scarecrowbob 7y ago

"only has a mattress on the floor," I've got a bedroom in an apartment in Durango and a pickup with a topper... the mattress on the floor is some foam that I got cut to fit where I sleep in the topper. I moved out to SW CO from Austin, and I haven't bothered getting a "real" bed. For a while I thought I was sleeping poorly cause of the mattress setup but I started taking magnesium and (possibly psychosomaticly) that's resolved. My climbing has gotten much, much better, too. And it's finally ski / ice climbing season.

hanniabu 7y ago
I've lived in mid-north Austin and have been considering a move to Colorado. How would you compare the social life in each area outside of climbing?
- scarecrowbob 7y ago
  There's a lot going on here, though obviously not as much as in Austin. I've found folks to play music with, found a software dev meetup, and made a couple of friends through my roommate. If I were looking to find a partner, I think it might be a bit thin on resources. But for finding a bunch of people who are into outdoor sports and living in a small town, I think that it'd be hard to find much of a better spot.