A week ago, I posted our “before” story: before we left for a van-camping rally in the mountains and before we launched One Adventure After Another into the world.

Now, here’s the “after” story.

No Need to Blow a Fuse

I’m happy to report that Ron didn’t blow a fuse over the news we received when we stopped at our RV dealer in Colorado Springs on the way to Peace Love and Vans near Rye, Colorado. But apparently the van had blown a fuse—something we thought the new under-hood generator would have resolved.

The dealer replaced the fuse and ordered a new Belmar, which, based on similar issues discussed in our Roadtrek Facebook group, I thought should have happened from the start. But in all fairness, we also needed the new generator.

Soon, we were happily headed down the highway to Hummingbird Ranch, located east of I-25 and six miles down a bumpy, dirt road. It was a perfect test of our new (and quite costly) tires. We both agreed they were worth their weight in gold.

Finding Our Place on Imagine St.

We were a part of a small caravan of vans arriving mid-afternoon, only delayed by a brief stop when the gate staff couldn’t find our digitally submitted waivers. We quickly filled out paper forms and were then directed to follow the van in front of us to our place on Imagine Street. The delay actually helped us to secure what was possibly the only level spot.

Among the rows upon rows of camper vans, were several Class C motorhomes, truck campers, car campers, converted school buses, and even a three-story rig with tents on the second and third levels.

The mountain views were spectacular, but so was the creativity.

What Makes a Van Life Rally Different?

I guess you could say we acclimated on Day One—not to the altitude, since we live in Colorado and are naturally adept at that—but to a completely different style of camping.

Unlike many campgrounds, where people are friendly but often keep to themselves, van life gatherings are designed around connection. One of the main purposes is to meet fellow travelers, exchange camping tips, and learn about van modifications and life on the road.

People sit outside their vans and strike up conversations that can last anywhere from  a few minutes to an invite to pull up a chair and accept a beer. Many proudly invite visitors inside to see the custom interiors they built themselves. Some even offer candy and treats in hopes of earning votes in the festival's van contest.

With so many people wandering the aisles of campsites, there was always someone new to meet.

A Banner Day

I was especially glad we brought our new banner.

Even without a website address or QR code, people constantly stopped and asked whether One Adventure After Another was our YouTube channel.

“Well, yes, it is,” one of us would reply, quickly adding, “We just launched it, so there’s not much there yet. But you can find our website and Instagram account by the same name.”

That banner sparked more conversations than we ever expected.

One of those conversations led us to a couple who created Start Your Someday. They were helping festival organizers cover the event and generously shared advice with us.

Their message was simple: start posting, don’t worry about perfection, and don't put off your dreams for another day. In other words, live up to the name of their channel. So we did.

We launched our first YouTube video the day after we got home. Watch it here.

The People Who Make Van Life Special

We met people from every walk of life.

Some lived in their vans full-time. Others traveled only on weekends. We met twenty-somethings and travelers in their eighties. Despite the age differences, everyone seemed connected by the same desire to explore, learn, and keep moving.

For a few days, age, careers, and backgrounds seemed less important than the shared experience of life on the road.

Ageless.

Traveling with Dogs: The Unofficial Rule of Van Life

In addition to all the people we met, there were dogs everywhere, and even a few cats. In fact, it seemed more unusual to meet someone without a pet than someone whose travel plans revolved around one.

And many of them showed up Saturday afternoon for the Pet Parade, including us of course, rocking our beach attire.

More than once, we heard people say they bought their van because of their dog.

That always makes us laugh because we've been saying the same thing for years, often to the raised eyebrows of non-RV people. But among van owners, nobody questions it. Of course your dog is a good reason to buy an RV.

What's Next for One Adventure After Another?

Traveling with Banjo is a huge part of One Adventure After Another, and it deserves posts of its own. Those stories are coming.

We have plenty of dreams and plans for this new travel adventure channel. This past weekend was a good reminder that there is always another adventure waiting just down the road.

Stay tuned.