Hey there! We are Wes and Adrie! We consider ourselves dirtbag gypsies, avid adventurers, and fitness enthusiasts in the pursuit of everything that helps our souls to strive and thrive. We embrace the minimalistic and liberating life that accompanies living in a van. We embarked on this adventure in September 2021 to chase the dream of living a mindful and purposeful life, and it was the best decision of our lives.
How it started.
Wes and I met in July 2018, the sparks turned into fire. We connected immediately! Wes had taken me on my first Southwest trip, where we visited places like The Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Zion National Park, and Bryce Canyon. We rented a JUCY van for one week, and it was an experience of a lifetime! Not kidding you, it was life-changing for both of us.
About a month later we took a chance and decided to purchase an RV. During the first two years of our relationship, we lived in a travel trailer in Washington State. Something we both had never done before but after all, it taught us the simplicity of life.
Life threw us a curveball.
Then the global pandemic hit and things changed, so we had to make a shift in our lives. This one I know hit us all in many ways we didn’t expect. All campgrounds in Washington were closing, I lost my job, and we had no choice but to move. We also had a house in Oregon up for sale before the pandemic and ironically it sold the day we were making our move. We had no idea where we were going to go next, but unexpectedly Wes received a call for a new job offer in Arizona. So we had to make another move.
We bought a home and it was a beautiful home that provided us with sustainability. We were able to live a “normal” life, and although we are grateful for that opportunity, we quickly realized that it wasn’t making us truly happy. Our souls were yearning for something beyond the complacency of settling into that life. That’s when the van life idea came upon us, and so we felt the need to make a change.
Time for a change.
We endlessly searched the web, YouTube videos, forums, and basically, anywhere you can think of to find the best adventure van. Having a Jeep Rubicon we knew we wanted a van comparable to it so it can also take us off the grid and away from chaos. I’ll be honest, we had started the process of ordering a Winnebago Revel but after we learned how long it was going to take we went back to YouTube and the REKON 4×4 magically appeared on the main page.
We felt like this was a sign, we watched the video to the REKON 4×4 and immediately knew that this was THE ONE. It had everything we needed, from the quality of the workmanship to the simplistic layout and it being off-grid ready…it was a no-brainer. The cherry on top was that we didn’t have to wait for it to be built because it was readily available!
We hit the road and never looked back.
This world is packed with hidden gems, surreal places, and beautiful destinations. Who wouldn’t want to see those? Our time on this earth is valuable and the goal is to travel to seek new perspectives, to learn about oneself, the people, and the culture, not to mention to create memories that will last a lifetime. Besides, it’s fun!
Traveling is liberating for us. We can slow down and enjoy the present moment. However, it’s also challenging which has taught us some really valuable life lessons. From planning our stays to the surprises of Mother Nature, traveling is an exciting way to live!
Roaming in the REKON.
The most interesting place we have taken our REKON Van is Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Recreational Area in Arizona. We have stayed in some of the most remote places with absolutely stunning views that provided us with peace and solitude.
Sometimes we like to challenge what our adventure van can handle, so we seek areas that no other van or RV can go to. And, so far we’ve been fortunate enough to achieve this goal. Not only does this provide us with solitude but it’s amazing how well this REKON 4×4 van can handle the rugged backcountry roads.
Off-grid living.
So we’ve been on the road for about seven months, living in our REKON full-time and we’ve traveled to the most epic places. Along with Glen Canyon Rec Area, we’ve traveled through numerous National Parks and Monuments. Just to name a few: White Sands NP in New Mexico, Joshua Tree NP in California, Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP in Colorado…the list goes on.
But despite that, we prefer to travel and stay in remote and off-grid places. The most memorable places are the ones that we have had all to ourselves. Such as Forest Roads in Colorado as well as BLM Public Lands in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
What we’ve learned along the way.
What we’ve discovered is that we don’t like to be tied down to mortgages, property taxes, and everything else that comes with it. Living a traditional life isn’t meant for us. Through traveling, we can connect with our inner-being, and allows us to be who we truly are.
Planning our travels is crucial! We hate being in situations when we don’t have a plan on where to go and where to stay. It can be very stressful because it’s not always easy to just find a place to park and stay, especially in the cities (which we avoid at all costs if we can). However, sometimes the plans don’t turn out as we expected so being flexible will be important. We understand that living on the road there will be many surprises so being able to adapt to certain circumstances will make your future travel plans a breeze.
What we want to share.
We’ve lived in our REKON for the last seven months, and we’ve loved every minute of it. Here’s what we’ve learned since packing up our old lives and embracing the road:
- Double-sided velcro to make straps and bind captain door window shades.
- Purchasing sliding door and back door window shades are a game-changer for
inside temperature control. - Shuksan Overhead Cab Shelf is quality-made and perfect for extra storage.
- A silicone straw if you don’t have a siphon hose on hand to prime the water pump. The silicone straw fits perfectly on the freshwater tank drain spigot found underneath the van.
- Purchasing a second Truma fridge for ample food or drink storage and using a Jackery Generator to keep it powered.
- Owl Boxes are a must for extra storage
- Rear Ladder Trash Bag – amazing if you are spending lots of time off the grid &
accumulating trash. - The Agile Suspension Kit makes the biggest difference when driving on off-the-beaten-path roads.
Thank you for reading! We’re excited to continue sharing our journey with our Pleasure-Way REKON adventure van! Feel free to follow us on Instagram at Adrianna Robledo or check out the blog at www.emwanderment.com!
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