Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolina Pospischel and Nick Musick.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Carolina and Nick. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
From a young age we were both travelers, In high school, we went on a few road trips to the east coast along with a few other places in Nicks pick up truck. It was fun but expensive this way; then in April, the week before I finished my first year of college, we decided to plan a spontaneous trip to go to a music festival, then a road trip our way out to Texas, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. In order to do this, we decided that the truck just wouldn’t do, so, we bought an old work van. Like it was finals week, and we only had a few days to get the van together Nick put in hardwood floors and built a bed frame two days before we left! On our first night out, we froze. We went into a Home Depot, bought insulation materials and put it up in a Walmart parking lot! From there on, out we were good and our first two week trip in the van begun! On that trip, we fell in love with our van and the idea of living and traveling in it! We did a couple weekend trips throughout the summer to the east coast and then decided that we wanted to try and do this for longer. We came to the agreement that we would save up and leave for the whole month of August, with the new addition to our family, our puppy Banjo, and we did. Our first destination was the Grand Canyon, I was fortunate enough to have been before and decided that it was a must-see for Nick! From there, we went on to Temecula to visit nicks family for a few days, spent a day in the Los Angeles area and started driving up the coast.
On the way, we saw gorgeous mountains, beaches, and even some fires! We stopped at Carmel by the sea and enjoyed their beautiful sandy beaches and headed towards San Francisco from there. We lasted about a day until we were itching to go to the national parks, so we left. We went to Yosemite, and Sequoia National parks, but due to the conditions after the fire, and the air quality, we didn’t stay for long. From there, we headed to Durango Colorado where our dear friends and fellow van travelers live and spent a few days hiking there. Our next stop was the place we were most excited for, Moab, Utah! Moab had a special place in our hearts since the April trip, and we were nothing short of ecstatic to be back! There we swam, hiked, and saw some of the most beautiful views I, personally have ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes upon. After a great time in Moab, it was time to start heading home, we made a stop in Denver to see old friends and from there we were homebound. Living in the van for a month didn’t feel long enough, it flew by too quick. We long to be back out there waking up to nature every morning, and spending days hiking and capturing beautiful views. We know we will be back living in our van before we know it and are already planning our next trips. We hope to be able to leave for a few months next summer in our van and continue our adventures across our gorgeous country.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Our August trip was nothing short of amazing, but of course, there were a few obstacles. While in Durango, Colorado, we realized that our puppy, Banjo, Had caught worms! Yuck! Luckily, we were able to find an amazing vet in the area to help us out and be able to get Banjo as healthy as can be! I would guess that many are also wondering how two people can live in such close proximity without breathing room for a whole month, and let me tell you, at times it wasn’t the easiest. Another challenge at times was the lack of hygiene! As anyone would, after not showering for a few days, one gets icky, and when one gets icky sometimes, so does their personality! This led to showering at truck stops, parking lots, and a lot of baby wipes! A lack of a bathroom can sometimes also be problematic, when it’s pouring outside and your in a muddy campsite and can’t move out of fear of being stuck, sometimes a bag has to be the bathroom, and let me tell you, seeing your boyfriend go to the bathroom in a bag in an enclosed space is not the most attractive.
As a Van Traveling Artists – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We aren’t a company! We are two freelances, van traveling artists! We hike with our cameras on our backs and set up camp at fabulous views with fantastic photo opportunities! Yet, the photos are not our priority! Our “thing” is taking in the views when were there and soaking it all in! The smells are different everywhere we go and personally, that’s sometimes what resonates the most! Sometimes, we even get so caught up in the views that we forget to take pictures! If that doesn’t tell you what some of these places are like, nothing will. The difference between us and other photographers is that we go all in, we don’t stay at hotels or do it for money or anything else (not that there’s anything wrong with that). We take pictures to remember these fabulous places we have been and to capture the memories and a take a piece of our favorite places home.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to us is living our lives to the fullest. It’s seeing things we’ve always wanted and experienced them in ways many don’t. It’s becoming better people and staying grounded along the way! It’s the feeling of independence, freedom and thankfulness we get when traveling.
Contact Info:
- Email: carolinapospischel@gmail.com
- Instagram: @carolina_pospischel and @nickmusick and @banjo_the_aussie_
Image Credit:
Carolina Pospischel and Nick Musick
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