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.com/kartchner
🇺🇸 50 State Shred MAP: 50stateshred.com (Updated as I post on Patreon)
🚐 Curious about my van? Here's more info: bkxc.bike/the-van
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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.

[@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...

[@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.

[@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

[@Bessunger]

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

[@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.

[@shaun89759]

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

[@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.

[@M.Godfrey]

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

[@jackhanson3649]

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

[@lostman65]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@curliefro]

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

[@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.

[@Mike_s_mtb]

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

[@jimmy-jamesolivier-mccutch2126]

XD

[@nicolascontreras5552]

keep up the good videos I enjoy watching your journey through videos

[@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

[@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!* 😂

[@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).

[@L4J20]

So much to learn as you go! Thanks for sharing

[@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.

[@merson812]

Thoroughly enjoyable.....love the van. ✌

[@james9wood]

Thanks for always keeping it real.

[@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.

[@Jason__D]

I love these van videos so much.

[@PaulThePunter]

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

[@philgunn6803]

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

[@Nicholas-qd4lw]

i love the van life content!

[@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.

[@zakkane2814]

Love the Berm Peak hat

[@RodPagador]

I like the test and do process. Learning by doing. Enjoyed it!

[@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!

[@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.

[@brandonclaborn571]

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

[@nedt]

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

[@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.

[@Ryttare]

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

[@wreed3395]

XX1 oil slick fork! Priceless!!

[@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.

[@loqu]

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

[@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.

[@walterottenhoff8003]

Hey Brian, I'm very much enjoying your learning period of VanLife. I have dreams of what you're doing and find it very interesting as you make your way. Very Real.

[@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!

[@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.

[@gregtrone2325]

Love it man! This was great!

[@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 🤩👊

[@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.🚴🌍✌

[@MTBTexasBikeRider]

Wow great video really enjoyed it I stayed and watched the whole video can’t wait to see your next video on the road 👍😊

[@jeffpierce9969]

Great video Brain....keep up the good work

[@AG-cf4hd]

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

[@PennyPinchingCyclist]

Thanks for coming through AZ! Van is looking good. Will you be back for the Sedona mtb festival?!

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@calmiller3367]

LOVE THESE VIDEOS!!

[@JSwizzy]

Nice one Brian but how did you forget a fork! 😂 I'm looking at turning a VW T5 or T6 into a bike weekend camper sometime this year. Loving the inspiration from you!

[@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.

[@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 :)

[@cooperlegal69]

Van looks great!

[@cooperlegal69]

Also Kudos on not using plastic bags !

[@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

[@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

[@oregonpeddler7247]

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

[@kunifitz-gerald859]

Love the XX1 fork 😂

[@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.

[@ed35084]

Living like a king! I usually survive on dehydrated meals and a jetboil! I feel like there was some foreshadowing towards the end there...

[@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!!

[@maxroberts7467]

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

[@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 😂🍽️🚲

[@blakemerryman3563]

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

[@barrysoutthere]

True !

[@JB50713]

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

[@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.

[@kellyfulton9238]

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

[@t_c_talk]

The struggle is real! Ha! That was great! Thanks for sharing!

[@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! 😆

[@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.

[@connormahan1990]

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

[@keithbieghler5418]

So cool! Hope I see you in Oregon 🚵‍♂️🤘🤙

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@dominikorec3431]

Love the berm peak cap

[@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.

[@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.

[@donzampa8230]

Good educational material.

[@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...

[@DX-tk6fy]

Well I thoroughly enjoyed watching that!

[@nationsnumber1chump]

+1 for the Classico . That stuffs the best on the shelf

[@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!

[@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!

[@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!

[@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.

[@danikatroupe5520]

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

[@makennahall8747]

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

[@KestrelYI]

YES!

[@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. 👍👍👍

[@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!