Finding Farley

For years, I've wanted a VW camper van.  My dream was for my husband, Marc, and me to quit our jobs and travel around the United States in one for a year. Marc, being far more practical-minded than I, disagreed.  He's a computer programmer and was afraid a year off would set him back in his tech career.  He did offer to buy a van for shorter trips with the possibility of a year of travel when we retired.  But, in my mind, I didn't want to see a van looking at me in the driveway every day if we weren't readying ourselves for the adventure of a lifetime.  As if it were saying to me, "Ha ha ha!  Have fun at work today!"

My view for two months.

That changed when I broke my leg and needed surgery in February of this year.  I spent nearly two months on the couch with my leg elevated.  I can't say I sunk into any kind of mental morass, but I certainly didn't feel like myself.  I'm a pretty active person and on the couch is not where I want to be.  

Yellowstone in April.

In April we went to Yellowstone for a one-night camping trip just to get out.  My cast and walking boot were gone, but I was still fairly immobile and walked with a limp.  But setting up the tent, with the wind in my hair and warm spring sun on my face, I knew where we needed to be.  It was outside.  It was having adventures.  It was in a van.  A newer white VW van with California plates drove by on the campground road, and I told Marc, "It's time. Even if we're not taking off for a year, it's time to buy a van and start our adventure."

Soon it would be ours!

We spent a few weeks researching models, mileages and prices.  We knew we'd never find the one we wanted in our own backyard.  They're just too rare. We found one that we thought looked promising in Tucson, Arizona. My aunt and uncle who winter in Phoenix generously drove over to be our set of eyes and we had a reputable mechanic check it out.  It needed repairs.  Several thousand dollars in pretty major repairs, in fact.  Like brakes that weren't safe to get us the 1,300 miles home to Montana.  We negotiated the repairs into the price and both we and the sellers walked away satisfied.  We were going to be the owners of a VW camper van.  All that stood between it and us was getting to Tucson.