“I will never have another vagabonding journey that compares to that first one — even though I have since traveled to far more exotic parts of the world — in part because there’s something special about embarking on a long-term trip for the first time.” –Rolf Potts

In this encore episode of Deviate, Rolf and his old friend Jeff talk about their 8-month van trip across North America back in 1994, how they prepared for it, and how it differed from current-day #VanLife excursions (5:30); how they exercised on the road, and how the conditions and travel-hacks of van journeys were different for two young men in 1994 (23:30); the route they took through North America, what happened along the way, and how they kept daily journals recounting events (36:00); the experience riding with cops in Houston, celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans, volunteering at a church in Mississippi, meeting girls in Florida, and seeing New York for the first time (51:00); the experience of staying at a Trappist monastery in Massachusetts for one week (1:14:30); visiting National Parks in the American South, Northeast, and West, and memorable books read along the way (1:28:00); and why the trip was life-changing (1:42:00).

Van trip preparation and planning links:

Digital nomadism (travel lifestyle)
#VanLife (travel lifestyle)
Composting toilet
Blue Highways, by William Least Heat-Moon (1982 book)
On the Road, by Jack Kerouac (1957 book)
Travels With Charley, by John Steinbeck (1962 book)
Vanagon (Volkswagen van)
Volkswagen Westfalia (camper van)
Trangia (alcohol-burning camp-stove)
A (literal) photo album from my 1994 van vagabonding trip (blog post)

Links regarding early months of the 1994 trip:

Trappist monastery experience links:

St. Joseph’s Abbey (Massachusetts monastery)
Trappists (order of Catholic monks)
Thomas Merton (Trappist monk and writer)
Memento Mori (existential expression)
Chant (1994 Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos album)
Compline (end-of-day church service)

Links regarding the final months of the 1994 trip:

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lu mber.

Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

#252: Beyond the Prep VI Ep. 16 - Ben Weider Naturals, Prag Pro & Zweites Prep Drittel für Tobi