VanLife Rebuild
Donation protected
Three years ago a dream started deep inside me when I came across a 1991 Volkswagon Vanagon, dead in the backyard of a rental property. The van, soon to be known as, "The MOONTOWER," had a wonderful early life traveling with the Greatful Dead untill 1995, then turned adventuremobile and travel 205,000 miles of the country, until finally parked in 2011 and sat unloved for two years.
I bought the brokedown Moontower for just $500. Over the next year completely restored the Vanagon to a live-in home. Complete with high efficiency appliances, run fom 100 watt solar power system. Many hours, blood, sweat and tears went into complely replacing the drive train (Motor, transmission, fuel system, coolent system, ect.)
After the rebuild, I said goodbye to the "normal life" and join the VanLife community in hopes of spreading the word of a simple life, to steer people away from the material destruction that the world has become. The Moontower and I traveled the country together. He was my companion and best friend over the next two years. We travel to Arizona and he transported many pounds of gems and minerals. He got me deep into the bush of the backcountry, and when I needed a place to sleep, he was there for me. He took me to the lowest point on in the country (Bad water Death Valley: -282 feet) to the highest place in the country (Mount Whittney summit: 14,508 feet). He took me to 15 national Parks including Yosemite to climb on El Capitan. He helped me live, he helped me shine, he helped me to become who I am today.
On Wednesday, August 3, 2016 the Moontower took his final breath. As I pulled into Grand Haven State Park to have a day of paddling, the engine blewout and ignited gas and oil (I had just, one hour before, done a complete maintenance check). I tried to put out the inferno with the fire extiguesher with no luck. Within five minutes, the whole van was engolfed in flames and burned to the ground. Everything burnt, my home, my place of peace.....GONE!!!!!
With the Moontower's demize, I need a new love to continue the journey! Estimated loss of $30,000 included base van $12,000, conversion $8,000, and lots of love spreading gear $10,000.
If this story touched you in anyway and want to show support, anything is a blessing. Please share this story of adventure and light. Many updates to come!
Joe Henderson
Instagram Photo Blog: @Hypecreations
Van Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXSD6OYH_SE
Van Burn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfGeEzKnlgQ
Video log:
Video 1: https://youtu.be/Eq7Gv8E3O0k
Video 2: https://youtu.be/2ubIk56Ilh8
Video 3: https://youtu.be/qpb-UbT9eL0
Video 4: https://youtu.be/4mvz8qPsPuc
I bought the brokedown Moontower for just $500. Over the next year completely restored the Vanagon to a live-in home. Complete with high efficiency appliances, run fom 100 watt solar power system. Many hours, blood, sweat and tears went into complely replacing the drive train (Motor, transmission, fuel system, coolent system, ect.)
After the rebuild, I said goodbye to the "normal life" and join the VanLife community in hopes of spreading the word of a simple life, to steer people away from the material destruction that the world has become. The Moontower and I traveled the country together. He was my companion and best friend over the next two years. We travel to Arizona and he transported many pounds of gems and minerals. He got me deep into the bush of the backcountry, and when I needed a place to sleep, he was there for me. He took me to the lowest point on in the country (Bad water Death Valley: -282 feet) to the highest place in the country (Mount Whittney summit: 14,508 feet). He took me to 15 national Parks including Yosemite to climb on El Capitan. He helped me live, he helped me shine, he helped me to become who I am today.
On Wednesday, August 3, 2016 the Moontower took his final breath. As I pulled into Grand Haven State Park to have a day of paddling, the engine blewout and ignited gas and oil (I had just, one hour before, done a complete maintenance check). I tried to put out the inferno with the fire extiguesher with no luck. Within five minutes, the whole van was engolfed in flames and burned to the ground. Everything burnt, my home, my place of peace.....GONE!!!!!
With the Moontower's demize, I need a new love to continue the journey! Estimated loss of $30,000 included base van $12,000, conversion $8,000, and lots of love spreading gear $10,000.
If this story touched you in anyway and want to show support, anything is a blessing. Please share this story of adventure and light. Many updates to come!
Joe Henderson
Instagram Photo Blog: @Hypecreations
Van Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXSD6OYH_SE
Van Burn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfGeEzKnlgQ
Video log:
Video 1: https://youtu.be/Eq7Gv8E3O0k
Video 2: https://youtu.be/2ubIk56Ilh8
Video 3: https://youtu.be/qpb-UbT9eL0
Video 4: https://youtu.be/4mvz8qPsPuc
Organizer
Joe Henderson
Organizer
Grand Rapids, MI
