Blog

Support DaPeaceTrain’s New Life Campaign

Hey Everyone! I have started a new life campaign to raise money for my travels. This may seem like a long shot but I truly believe my family and friends want me to keep this life going! I’m not saying I’m completely broke but it’s nice to have a cushion when on the road. Honestly if every one of my friends of FaceBook donated $5.00 I could keep the dream alive for months to come.

It wasn’t easy to make this transition in my life and now I could use a little support. I know I would gladly support any of you if you took a plunge to better yourself by finding true happiness in everything you do. Pursuing a dream is never easy and I’m not ready to give up. I have sold a couple paintings while on the road and I know this is what I was meant to do. Until I gain enough of a following or sell some really expensive pieces, I am seeking support from you.

Find some love in your heart and please help the cause! Thanks to all those who have donated already! I love you all!!

Click the link here to support DaPeaceTrain: Donate through GoFundMe

Support DaPeaceTrain

Please share!

OneLove

JD

Hey gang! Here’s the complete  Van Conversion video! Check out some of my trials and tribulations of building my new home.

 

Thanks for checking out my blog and my van conversion video! First of all I would like to say thanks to my friend Gene from “Okanagan top shelf renovations.” The van conversion would not have gone so smooth without his help. I also owe a lot to my buddy Wes for wiring all the components together without burning down the van! There was one close call when a wrench and a power wire didn’t get along though… haha! All good, just some burnt insulation 😉

This is my second attempt at making a video using my new computer and even newer programs! I am still very new to all of this so please bear with me. Being an online guru does not happen overnight and I’m learning quickly that this kind of work ins’t as easy as everyone thinks. That said, I’m looking for some creative criticism or any tips on how to make better movies.

I dislike making the videos…

…The most out of everything that is going into this blog. At first I thought I would hate typing and writing all the time. I thought video blogging or “Vlogging” would be the easiest way to share my story. I stand corrected as I find it easier to lay out a bunch of text versus editing a video for hours on end. Especially now that my GoPro doesn’t work, It’s harder to take videos with my camera.

I’m still working on a complete parts/materials list for the entire job so stay tuned for that! In the mean time, I am in Brookings, Oregon just catching up on some rest and maybe some laundry! It’s been a week on the road so far and I’m loving it and making some cool connections along the way. Please comment and share!

OneLove

JD

 

A quick look at my living quarters in Da Peacetrain!

After months of planning and a lot of guesswork, here’s the outcome of a great vision. Da PeaceTrain took two months of construction to complete and I’m very proud of the results. The original plans were to paint the interior lime green and black! Good choice to stick to the navy blue theme, it looks way better right?

Lemme know what you think! Please share any comparable van interiors! I’d like to know how I rank among my fellow van dwellers. My only regret is not putting on a high roof. It gets pretty hard on the back having to be hunched over while in the van. However I don’t spend all my days just standing in the van! I am constantly on the move and either exploring or sitting in a coffee shop blogging. Here’s some shots I took to show off the living quarters in Da PeaceTrain.

These pics were taken in the South Beach State park campground in Oregon. It was a beautiful park right on the coast which had lots of trails and pathways suitable for walking or some biking. It was 29$ per night with full hook ups and free showers. That’s a good deal from what I understand from talking to fellow travellers. Apparently I’m in for a surprise as camping in California is considerably more expensive for less amenities. We will soon find out as I am making my way further south today and tomorrow.

Lots of winding roads and huge oaks, here’s some beauties from Oregon State.

The interior of Oregon State is captivating with its mossy oak hollows and intense green forests. I was drawn to this one area on crooked finger road where there is a campground called Camp Dakota. It was home to a unique zip line and adventure park in the rain forest. Unfortunately it rained the whole time so I wasn’t able to enjoy the amenities.

The rain was a burden for me, it was depressing and it limited what I could do outside. That said, I had an opportunity to catch up on rest and do some video editing. Being a van dweller you must also be an opportunist and get stuff done when you get the chance. Even if it means doing stuff that intimidates you, like making movies for the world to see. I feel like I’m a bit out of date when it comes to technology these days. There is so much to know and I’m a huge procrastinator when it comes to learning new skills. Either way I won’t let fear or lack of knowledge slow me down. Da PeaceTrain is going to show the world a better way to live and perhaps how to have fun doing it!

The sun gods are beckoning..

…Me to head to the coast and I am going to listen! I really want to get some use out of my new bike and kayak although the rain isn’t letting me do that. I am going to make a move towards the coast tomorrow and hope to be soaking up the sunshine in a couple days. Stay tuned and don’t forget to sign up for Da Newsletter!

OneLove

JD

Living off-grid in Washington state

Waking up in a different part of the country everyday is unlike anything I’ve ever done before. It’s a great feeling stepping out of the van to take in the beautiful scenery that surrounds me. Here’s my camp for the first night, a little 4×4 pullout that had great views of the Grand Coulee Dam.

There’s two sides to every coin however.Being a van dweller with a goal to spend the least amount of money to see the whole country has its challenges. Last night for instance. I was in the downtown Seattle area as it was getting dark. Thinking to myself, I should make my way out-of-town to find a good rest stop for the night. So I looked up the nearest truck stop/rest area on the GPS. After arriving, I noticed this rest stop had been out of commission for years. It was now 10:30pm and I was tired. I had to drive around for a while to find a pullout on a country road that was big enough for Da PeaceTrain. I slept well despite the inconvenient place I chose to call home for the night. 

Now I’m on a mission to find a shower!

I just got denied by Anytime Fitness to purchase a membership because I don’t live here. The manager was not very understanding of my journey and he gave me a bad vibe a soon as I walked in. Thinking this was going to be my meal ticket for showers and gym privileges. Unfortunately I was mistaken and now I’m back to the drawing board.  Using wifi now seeking out less expensive campsites with showers and bathrooms. I will figure this out soon but it had me a bit frazzled this morning when I got shut down. I am glued to my computer before making any big decisions on where to go next. The coast is calling my name so I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up there tonight 😉

Cheers and thanks for reading!

JD

Solo Travel In Da PeaceTrain with no destination!

I have become a master of solo travel and I have put on lots of miles in the last 24 hours. Coming to you from Tacoma, Washington. It’s been an amazing trek so far and I got to sleep at an awesome lookout by the Grand Coulee Dam last night. After checking in at the State Park Service Office, I now have a paper map of all the parks in the country. This makes it easier than using data or always seeking a coffee shop for free wi-fi. Here’s a couple shots of  the 9 Mile Falls dam..

Being a solo traveller makes it easy to decide where and when to stop. There are many attractions and sights to be seen in Washington state and I’m sure I could spend months seeing them all. I’ve allotted for only a few days in Washington unfortunately. I have to make my way south to  the San Fransisco valley for May 5th. I do have some time to burn but I also know that Oregon and the coast will consume a lot of it.

I’m still working on some videos for the blog so please be patient as I’m pretty new to all of this stuff haha! Anyways I should cut this post off here and go find another sick vantage point to post up and relax in Da PeaceTrain. I must say, this thing is massive and it’s not easy to stay hidden while trying to find places to sleep for free 😉

Stay tuned for more updates and adventures soon! Please leave a comment or ask me a question!

ONELOVE,

JD

 

 

 

The guard at the border was impressed with the van more than anything. He took a quick look around and said, “Have Fun!” I basically haven’t stopped smiling since getting through, That was the only thing I was concerned about. So here I am in Sandpoint, Idaho as it pours rain on DaPeacetrain.. Just a quick update to keep you in the loop. I will be heading west towards Seattle today. I plan on watching a couple Mariners baseball games and head south after that! Pretty exciting stuff I tell ya! Anyways that’s all for now… One Love

JD

Well in the last week I have bought a website, started a blog, painted my van, moved out of my house, decked out the van, ordered business cards, cut the old hitch off my van and installed a new one, started an email campaign and just finished starting a FB page and inviting everyone I possibly could to join me on this epic adventure. I have been putting in some much needed work sitting at my laptop trying to figure out the page building software and all the do’s and dont’s to blogging.. To be honest I am a little lost and will be soon reaching out to fellow bloggers for some guidance and guest posts. Stay tuned to the Da PeaceTrain!

 

happy 420 😉

JD

  The first three nights in the van were a Great Success!! Very happy with the comfort level and set up but I also started tweaking little things to make life easier, I honestly have a hard time leaving things alone… At the same time I do want as many of the bugs ironed out while I have the resources here. Adapting to the lifestyle will certainly be the biggest challenge for me. It’s the little things like a flushing toilet and a shower that will be missed the most for sure.

Anyways, the first night I stayed on Okanagan Lake by the Komasket music festival grounds.. It was a very peaceful setting after I opened the doors and revealed the sunshine and sparkling water.  It was actually colder inside the van than it was outside haha!

The second night I stayed near Kalamalka Lake Park, I got there later in the evening and it was already pitch black out. I posted up in the parking lot where mountain bikers and hikers park their vehicles, I could hear people in the morning unloading their bikes and heading out.. I just tried to be still so they didn’t know I was sleeping in the van.. Haha.

The third night it was pouring rain and I’m happy to report no leaks!! Pretty big relief for sure! I parked at the Cosens bay parking lot that night and there were a few people following suit and camping there as well. Another beauty sunrise in the morning sure helped bring life into the blacked out PeaceTrain,  honestly I’m impressed with how dark it actually stays in the back even with the roof vent.

So tonight I came back out to Westside but I am parked at our family cabin, I’m using my phone’s hotspot to post this and keep the updates current. With that said, I am one tuckered little boy and am calling it a night. Please comment or ask questions! Also stay tuned because I will be posting videos on the entire build process from day 1.

Cheers!

JD