First night camping out in the van

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The time has come to actually sleep in the van. But first I have a lot of cleaning up to do.
◆ Kartchner Caverns State Park: azstateparks.c...
🇺🇸 50 State Shred MAP: 50stateshred.com (Updated as I post on Patreon)
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[@SethsBikeHacks]

That battery gauge is sweet! The beanie ain’t too bad either. This is actually looking way more dialed than what we originally did with Alex! I’m very impressed, and excited for more.

[@chibani_gl]

Don't know if you did, but you should use a lid when heating water (it helps heat faster and will save you some juice in the battery). Also, some lids have holes to drain the water and keep the pasta ;)

[@mrnobody9821]

Loïc Gerbaud Don’t forget to throw the salt in once the water boils! :D

[@bobsturgis4674]

Target has big pans that have holes in the lids.I use them all the time.

[@rapmusicsuperstar]

Also, the starches in most pastas will start to absorb water at just over 180 degrees, so no need to wait for a rolling boil before cooking. A simmer will do just fine.

[@chibani_gl]

@@mrnobody9821 Some say if you put the salt at the beginning, it helps boil quicker :)

[@nickshimondle2105]

@@chibani_gl It makes the water boil at a higher temperature, but it requires more heat to get there.

[@Bessunger]

You won't forget your fist night in the RV. Keep going and improving. We campers all had to go through these experiences.

[@christianholmstedt8770]

Like you quickly realized: Campstove Toss that electric BS out the door and also use a lid when boiling water.

[@nrg4285]

Electric stove top and oven in a home is garbage as well. Takes too long to get up to temperature (heat is inconsistent even once you're up to temp) and takes forever to cool down as well! Not a problem with gas...

[@rualert1602]

One word, Brian: Campstove.

[@SexyMistaMustard]

YES, dear lord the whole time im like why on earth would you use something that draws the most current imaginable

[@cyclopathtrucker8583]

Or even a 12 volt stove if don't want to deal with propane.

[@JB50713]

This 👆🏼. So efficient.

[@pieterOD]

Agreed!

[@JAFO.]

Propane is your friend

[@BhBraaq]

It's funny when you do a large project like this and forget the smaller things like utensils. Happens to me all the time, same with packing for trips!

[@travelthenarrowtrail8660]

Yeah, I get in a hurry and I forget things all the time.

[@M.Godfrey]

Dude this is so much better than bike stuff, just life stuff in the van. Epic

[@danikatroupe5520]

This is the most bachelor video I think I've ever seen.

[@joshkerr48]

Finally! Someone who really shows how rough vanlife can be. It’s not all social media paints it out to be! Awesome video!

[@CrystalVanner]

*Clearly you haven't seen MY channel!* 😂

[@semidemiurge]

Having done this for the last 10 or so years. 1) Get a cheap butane stove, not propane. They are so cheap and easy to store and use that I would recommend 2 of them. 2) get a portable table for outside 3) cook outside whenever possible 4) get a canopy for the sliding door side 5) get earplugs 6) you need more foam for your bed, put a layer under your existing ones.

[@PaulThePunter]

Dreaming of my first night in the van.....I've already watched this video twice!

[@letsgoridebikes]

Pro-tip to prevent stuff from boiling over, put a wooden spoon across the top of the pot, it will NEVER boil over. Finally a real #vanlife video lol.

[@jvh22a]

Really works?

[@letsgoridebikes]

jvh22a Yes, but try it at your own risk.

[@N8MRN]

yes, it works , within reason. i usually turn it down a bit and put the lid over the spoon.

[@christinewood8331]

Stainless steel spoon in the pan works better use 1 with a long handle so ya don't burn yourself

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

Love some van life!! You should come to Overland Expo West, or Overland Expo Mountain in Colorado!! #vanlife #bkxc50 #elevationeveryweekend Noodle boiling tip, if you have a wooden spoon, lay it over the top of the pot and it will minimize foaming.

[@JAFO.]

or pour a little olive oil in with the water & noodles to keep the foaming to a minimum.

[@oregonpeddler7247]

i knew van life wasn't as glamorous as you tube makes it. Great video

[@RedWingsninetyone]

As someone who camps and travels several times per year, let me tell you that ziplock bags are your friend for liquids like your soap. Also, they make portable/collapsible wind turbines. Maybe you can add one of those as a supplement for when it's dark or just plain not that sunny out. After all, the southern states have LOTS of sun but the northern ones, not as much except in the summer.

[@jeffeverhart2312]

Keep your soap in the sink (soap always leaks unless its in the sink!) A suction cup sponge basket for the sink to dry Blue scrubbies cut in half Get a blackstone 17 griddle, and you can get an adapter hose from your propane tank.

[@Mike_s_mtb]

“Sweep and Suck” thats what I call the ol wedding anniversary in this household.

[@LOVEisTHEultimateLAW]

XD

[@MitchWnek]

We’ve lived off the grid camping on public lands for quite a while. On cold nights we lay one zero degree sleeping bag on the bed and use another as a blanket. Kept us warm on some super cold nights with no heater.

[@maxroberts7467]

I have to admit having brian say the temperature in Fahrenheit and put the conversion to celsius on screen is super helpful

[@steverose4324]

Going good Brian! looking forward to the rest of the trip and seeing you transform into a seasoned van-camper by the end of the journey. keep it up.

[@AG-cf4hd]

I tried to explain my kids why I needed a MB Revel RV. My kids were 😂 LMAO 😂 watching your KZbin videos. 👍

[@zonacrs]

Found this channel doing a search for Wayfarer van conversions and am sticking around for the adventure. I don't even ride a mountain bike but I got hooked on the story. Good stuff.

[@JAFO.]

You're missing out on one seriously fun hobby and a sport that will keep you in great shape.

[@garyonnen7634]

For a pee jug use a 3 liter ocean spray bottle, put a drop or two of dish soap and a little water to keep the smell down. When it gets nasty a handful of sand a bit of water and shake and it’s all good. For the stove make sure to get the parts to connect to your propane tank. I have one that size and it lasts about a month. Good luck.

[@paulsoa1]

No fork!!! Cmon B 🤣

[@amasamadi4560]

no no he has one, its just on his ibis

[@davidharbour4547]

@@amasamadi4560 he should have taken his fork off for our viewing pleasure 😂🍽️🚲

[@m.perfekt3055]

You mentioned it but yes, having a propane stove or even a backpackers Jet-boil will speed up your cooking and keep your power supply working on critical things like the fan (which you will learn is your best friend). When you use that sort of heater make sure the start up and first five minutes are kept outside until the catalyst material starts completely burning the fuel and you don't get unwanted fuel vapors. Net time you are in home depot grab a carbon monoxide detector as well.

[@rheannahoffmann385]

This guy is hysterical. I really appreciate the reality of this too. Great learning for us all - thank you! "Rotting meat liquid." "I don't have a fork!" "Dish soap in a prophylactic" 😂😂

[@devononair]

My advice with cooking is to prepare meals beforehand, then keep them in the fridge. They are a lot quicker to heat up and you'll use less power, plus you can have more interesting meals because you can do all the difficult preparation at home. Cooked products also last a little longer than fresh products. It could also be good to make some meals that taste good cold, like pasta salad, which obviously don't need any heat to eat.

[@ryzer349]

Got into backpacking a few years back. First solo trip...my pack weighed 40 pounds and I didn’t use most of the stuff I took. Now, my pack is much much lighter and I have fine tuned my system/gear. I think you’re going thru the same process and it’s fun to watch. I’m interested in seeing you cook spaghetti a year from now to show the contrast. Keep on keeping on!

[@lostman65]

this is great brian. i love how you laugh in the face of adversity!!

[@t2dwarrior209]

Here's a heater tip for ya. Get an Espar or Wabasto heater. Have one in my 18-wheeler. They can be installed in vans too except you will need to outfit an area for it cause it will need a fuel tank and need to keep a can of diesel fuel. It burns very little fuel. In a truck like mine with more space it will hear it up to 80 degrees or more in sub-zero temps. You can also set it to whatever temp ya want and it will turn on & off on its own to maintain the temperature you set it at. Running it full of blast you will burn only 1 gallon of fuel in 10 hours time. They are commonly used in 18-wheelers and I've seen KZbin videos of people who have it in their van.

[@makennahall8747]

"..other bucket activities... Maybe even pooping in here eventually" 😂 too funny! Super glad you enjoyed your time in my home state!! 🌵

[@AFugax]

I like how you keep it real! A lot of Ytubers make it all look perfect... you leave in parts of biking that you fail at or choose to walk...and you leave in yourself eating pasta with a spatula! 😆

[@bobsturgis4674]

Brian along with Loic suggested,on the pans with a lid.You could of cooked your meat in the big pan,and about half way done.You then add your sauce,and uncooked pasta also break the pasta in half to fit in the pan..You will cook all in one pan.Also on the pasta sce coming out of the jar,add a little water and shake it with the lid on and add to the rest of the one pan dish.When the pasta is cooked,you only have one pan to clean. Happy trails.🚴🌍✌

[@mrnobody9821]

A few practical tips: Put the top onto the pan, it will help the water boil faster and save you energy, also, a handful of salt into the boiling water before the pasta goes in helps the pasta retain its structure and flavour and stops it from turning to gloopy white mess it also helps manage the over boil foam you had. Trust me I’m Italian, pasta is our domain, I live in the UK and people here ruin all their pasta dishes because they don’t throw the salt in the boiling water and waste energy like crazy because they don’t use the top for the pans whilst getting the water up to boiling point. Otherwise it looks yum, well done :)

[@jegan6799]

Love seeing the van life stories! If you can get a lid for your pan you can retain the heat in it better and use less power to boil your pasta

[@Jamboyp59]

old camping trick for the toilet aswell have a bin bag pre prepared with 3 nappies in the bottom. can be placed into any bucket at any time if needed and can be easily and cleanly disposed of.

[@darkphoenix2]

Glad you got to see Kartchner Caverns! I did some cabling there a few years ago and got a free tour, it's pretty awesome. Good luck with van life, looks pretty tricky but you dodged most of the bullets on that night.

[@jackhanson3649]

This is such an interesting perspective to see you figuring things out! Great video too🤘🏼

[@TheRolands81]

Nice to see you are getting your Van worn in.Alsi little tip for cooking.Make sure to heat up pan and bring to boil your water for pasta and rise.Cooks quicker and tastes better.Same with fying pan.When it is scorching hot it cooks meat much quicker.And that also will save the energy a bit as the cooking time will be much quicker.

[@philgunn6803]

Great to see both sides of van life Brian. Loved the initiative of eating with a fish slice/spatula

[@TrailPOV]

Just watched another family that had a tour bus converted and had been on the road for years and even with 3700W of solar power and a huge bank of batteries from a forklift they gave up on induction cooking as it drained their batteries way too quick....they used propane instead. But good to hear you're embracing the true #vanlife experience.

[@RCRGIRL]

I cracked up several times watching this, it reminded me of my "First Night" in my van that was not so long ago...😆 The lessons come quick once you're actually staying in it. Glad I'm not the only organize, clean the space type person. 🙌🏼 If you don't already have one, a fold-up small table is nice to have for your camp stove (once you get it).

[@mamapopo801]

Dollar Stores is your best friend to organize your Van. So no more mess with soap and stuff. Put anything in bag, like rice and flour, whatever, use a container. 1) so It does fall out, 2) stay fresh longer 3) Critter proofs

[@curliefro]

Your energy is very infectious and it is fun watching you learn about this van adventure. New subbie!!!

[@baitz06]

You should be able to connect the alternator from the engine back into your leisure battery system so that you're not only relying on the solar to charge your 2nd battery, it will also be receiving a charge when you're driving. Especially helpful for when you're behind the wheel for long stints. Also, I think it's the Amps which provide the best indication as to how well the panels are charging your system too, keep an eye on those

[@blakemerryman3563]

Mammoth cave national park is great for good tours and awesome caves as well

[@barrysoutthere]

True !

[@silverback3521]

Thank you Sir for sharing your trials and errors as they are valuable lessons to be learned before beginning this journey. Your positive spirit is contagious. Fair Winds and following seas. I can’t wait to see if you come out to Sonoma County which is an hour north of San Francisco. There’s plenty of great trails to explore on the coast and the Redwoods.

[@willbros1499]

ONE RECOMMENDATION. On that voltage readout that's really bright, swing by any sort of auto shop that says it does window tinting, and just ask for a scrap from the darkest film they have, and that should serve as a permanent fix that will dim it, but still allow you to read it during sunny days.

[@zakkane2814]

Love the Berm Peak hat

[@knordberg]

Great shakedown first night sleeping and cooking. I just bought a one burner gas camp stove off Amazon for $19.99. Uses a gas canister. Maybe a good emergency stove if the power is out or low. What a great adventure you have ahead of you. Excited to see what you ride in Colorado when the snow melts. Maybe the Monarch Crest Trail? So many options!

[@davidc6032]

Little cooking tip for basic, simple dishes is to add some Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. Really adds some tasty pop to just about any dish. You can find it on Amazon and even in some Walmarts. The stuff is cheap and lasts a long time.

[@james9wood]

Thanks for always keeping it real.

[@andrewpassler9369]

I appreciate your vulnerability in your videos. It would be considered embarrassing for many people, including myself. Cheers to your adventure. Look forward to your videos!

[@mphmtb]

May be a good shout with the induction cooker if you can keep on top of the power demands. Generally speaking if you use gas to boil a pint of water, the water vapour caused by the flame is also a pint. That’s a lot of drying time.

[@BlueComet]

Oh man, that looked like real struggle! 🤣 Still not bad at all for a first night out in the van! Really excited to follow you through the whole adventure 🤩👊

[@fullfacejosh6809]

OMG I’ve forgotten how much I love your videos Brian! Well done! I’m gonna have to rewind and start the 50 states from video one! This will be a fun year tracking you

[@shaun89759]

I love this video Brian. I’m going to watch it again. Keep them coming please.

[@pjredrock13]

In my van I have two 1 gallon tanks and it usually last with using my cooktop and the heater at night for 4-5 days of average use. I carry two that way I never run dry. Having one can be a challenge to know when you’ll run out. The LED strips are great. Nice dim lighting at night.

[@connormahan1990]

This is the greatest look into the real #vanlife I’ve ever seen!

[@marysullivan1588]

Lucky Charms breakfast of champions 😂 Don’t get stressed Brian it will take you time to get everything organized and see what works and doesn’t work in the van life .

[@rando4468]

Hey BK, If you want to stay warm and not use the heater too much get one of those "Heavy Blankets" I recommend 15 lbs. They hug your body and really keep you warm in a cold environment. It will just be cold when you get up to pee !

[@lorikirkwood5414]

Put your dish liquid bottle in the sink when you travel and put other things that need to be upright in the sink with it. If there is still room where they might tip, put hand towels around them to fill in the space.

[@Legendary_Tales]

BKXC: Love the van vids bro. PRO TIP: Use a lid on the pot to expedite boiling by retaining heat. Reduces boil time by 1/3 to 1/2!

[@boatdesigner12]

A butane (not propane) or alcohol stove work best. Lighter than air gas. Easy to vent and gas won't settle in low areas of your van. There's a reason why we outlawed propane in boats.

[@impelmagna4921]

“He wanted to preserve the cave and study it and then turned it into a PARK” What a great way to preserve it hahaha

[@DaveElby]

Get a Cadac Safari Chef, all you need. Also, spaghetti, hold in middle with thumb and forefinger of both hands, twist and drop into the pan, fans out around the pan.

[@NeverDoneEver]

In addition to using the lid, you should crank the power as high as you can on the stove (without tripping the breaker)- the faster you can boil water, the less power you’ll use.

[@adamg596]

If you're looking to get a camp stove there's one you can get that is half bbq and half stove- it's really handy!

[@herkusr01]

Get a small crockpot/pressure cooker. Uses a lot less water and uses electricity more gradually, allowing solar to maintain power levels more consistently

[@nedt]

great video. i liked that you showed the high and lows of vanning. thx

[@wreed3395]

XX1 oil slick fork! Priceless!!

[@JohnDoe_toetag]

I would suggest buying higher quality food. Some occasional corn syrup is much different than eating it every day. If you are concerned about recovery, good nutrition will make a tremendous difference.

[@kellyfulton9238]

Rookie...that was great." I like your style dude"

[@JB50713]

You can get little diesel heaters pretty cheap and they exhaust to the outside. Dryer heat from them too.

[@cooperlegal69]

Van looks great!

[@cooperlegal69]

Also Kudos on not using plastic bags !

[@willbros1499]

"Thanks for watching, I'll see you in the van?" :-) OK, so despite my reservations on the "van life" taking over your channel, I actually enjoyed this, because it showed real world problems. I watched it start to finish, so from someone who is probably your harshest "van life critic," that's probably a good sign.

[@twright1211]

We lived in a camper for 6 months traveling. It's definitely not half as glamorous as people pretend. Lugging 20 gallons of black tank juice to a dump and having it spill everywhere. They don't show that stuff!

[@willbros1499]

@@twright1211 .... Yeah, and for people who prioritize the ability to go where they want to go, be right there "in the action" and they don't care about the effort that goes into it, and want to stick to a budget, I completely get it. For what Brian wants to do, I think he'll find a happy medium between time in the van, and probably hotel and stays with friends. It's definitely work, and until you do it for a little while, it's hard to express how critical "CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF" with everything you do, is a necessity with that little amount of space. We have some folks here who are now renting out their homes via AirBnB while they travel in various different RV/Van/Camper arrangements. They are smart...and realize that they can help fund (completely in some cases) their trip with the rentals, keep their home, and when they are weary from the road life, they have a place to come back to. Brian has that luxury. The people who "sell it all" and dump it into their RV/etc., and head out on the road, are the ones who in many cases realize it isn't for them full time, and then they can sometimes regret not considering other options.

[@twright1211]

Definitely having a brick and mortar to come home to is the way to do it. I can see Brian getting sick of it, but like you say he'll make use of hotels and friends offering beds or couches from time to time. The travel is fun. But there are definitely a lot of unforseen circumstances that there is no way to know about until you do it.

[@bmwproboi05]

I'm not sure if you installed this, but a DC-DC charger could help you out. Specifically allowing the battery to charge while the car is running. This could help negate some of the larger draws from things like the cooktop, or possibly charging the batteries faster. Redarc and Renogy make some.

[@itc217]

I think the induction cooktop is super cool. I hope you can get it working so you don't have to switch to propane!

[@Ryttare]

Best video in a long time. Love the pasta vs sauce/beef ratio :D

[@nwbudro9210]

Congrats! It'll all get easier. You had power at the campsite? Use it! You're paying for it. I carry both electric and propane heater and cooktop for when I have shore power and for when I don't. I found a really good microfleece blanket that alone can make 40° comfortable.

[@brandonclaborn571]

Great to see the Wayfarer kit coming together. Enjoyed the update!

[@loqu]

good job! It will be fascinating to see you adjust to the van life.

[@michae8jackson378]

Brian, salt the water and let it boil first before adding the pasta! Works more efficient. After adding let it go 9 min. Perfect Al Dente!😎😎👊👊👊

[@meganNefarious]

I can't believe it took you so long to sleep in that thing.....I would be stoked to stay in it!

[@MarkoPetejan]

OK, a quick task list and then you are all set: - get rid of electric cooker, go with LPG - check solar amps not voltage (divide Ah of battery with amps to calculate approx. hours to full) - you need more closed storage to "hide" things - learn to cook :-)

[@mikusbikus1718]

If you're in southern Az around Feb 15th thru 16th you should come out to the 24hrs on the old Pueblo bike race.

[@jasonhamlin8847]

Congrats on the first night in the van. a couple ideas... If your like me, pasta and sauce will probably be a major feature for dinners. Buy a "pet" basil plant. And hit a kroger, or ralphs, and buy "rao's homemade" pasta sauce. it's the BOMB! also, you'll be comfortable sleeping as long as it's 54 degrees or more. anything less is a bit too nippy. great job man!

[@Twistdflinx]

You forgot the propane stove! 🤣

[@bowwave59]

Put a lid on your pan. Less heat to boil. You need solar and a wind great or for your power needs. System from a yacht. 👍 The temperature gauge. Looked like a fire angel , probably should be on the roof. Inside... if your van is diesel . Safest heating system is a night heater . Same system as a truck. Again a yacht system is the Eberspacher air heater. Uses diesel. Never use propane in the van . Electric would need a large bank of batteries or a mains power supply limiting you to van parks. 👍👍👍

[@tessahankinson1504]

Oh my lord you need a lesson in cooking pasta.

[@mrnobody9821]

Tessa Hankinson hehehe :P

[@kennethroth6757]

Maybe ask hannah for cooking tips

[@yoterryh_JTH]

Like season that meat, dude! Yuck!

[@njsford4life]

Thank goodness hes a better rider then camper

[@faonesti]

... also how to make the sauce, you cannot add the meet pre-cooked ... you need to cook the tomato sauce and the meet all together! :-D

[@gregprince2523]

Hoss, put your dawn, cleaning liquids in a zip lock freezer bag or wedge into a plastic milk container you can find behind any convenient store, walmart or truckstop.

[@embracing_uncertainty]

Hmmm... where to start... well - kudos for taking on this adventure - it will be awesome! Now coming from someone who has a camper van and uses it often - a second alternator is pretty awesome for recharging the lithiums ... also a 24 - hour urine collection jug works great for the pee jug (any medical lab, hospital, or private clinic will have these - just tell them you need to collect urine for 24 hours and they will give you one). More to follow...

[@angellnathan]

Just had my first trip in my van over the weekend. Didn't go too far as I wanted it as a shakedown trip to figure out what I'd forgotten, needed, didn't need etc. Have you thought about a diesel heater? Less water vapour than the gas heaters, and if plumbed to your fuel tank, little risk of running out of fuel!!

[@NightHawk59]

For that bright LED USB indicator, try getting some window tinting material from almost any hardware store or probably Walmart. Had an alarm clock and did this just so I could sleep!

[@northstaroffgrid]

Glad you shared the struggles and difficulties! Vanlife isn't always rainbows and instagram worthy posing! Hehe! Way to represent Berm Peak with that hat! I'm sure Seth approves!

[@jbdbsb]

Pace yourself, don't stress it. Your only a week in. Don't worry, it'll get worse (at times)

[@raskolnikov7359]

A pee bottle is my best addition for the van. Also, they sell handheld strainers at BB&B, that's what I use for pasta. I have a Marmot double wide sleeping bag 30F, and I was fine in 20° weather.

[@benmilstein5654]

#cookingtips - cover that pot of water while it heats up, it will take much less time/energy. let it come to a full boil before adding pasta - stir promptly so the pasta doesn't stick together. leave a wooden spoon lying across the top of the pot and it will stop it from boiling over... :)

[@ClearViewSolutionsMS]

Do it Brian! I heard you came to my state. Hopefully I can catch you next go round if you come back. We don't have much.

[@thefrub]

When throwing out liquids, you can turn them pretty solid by just shoving some napkins in the cup. It makes them less splashy