Hi, we’re Asti and Joel

Over the past couple of months, we’ve been living and traveling in our van full time while documenting our life and experiences on YouTube and TikTok. We have genuinely loved van life and sharing our everyday moments, challenges, and adventures with others. Our channel has grown faster than we ever expected. We were monetized on YouTube within our first four videos, have gained over 2,500 subscribers, and our recent videos have reached thousands of views. On TikTok, we love connecting with our live supporters and sharing life on the road with them in real time. We truly enjoy creating and sharing this journey, and the support from our online community has meant so much to us.

Although our YouTube channel has recently been approved for monetization, it is still in the very early stages and is not yet bringing in enough income to cover unexpected repair costs. We are hopeful to continue growing both platforms and documenting our life along the way.

Unfortunately, our van, a 1996 Dodge Ram Van 2500, has started having serious mechanical and safety issues that we cannot ignore. The engine is producing thick white and blue smoke, we are losing coolant with no visible external leak, and it has been randomly shutting off while driving. The brakes sometimes feel unsafe and require multiple presses to stop, and the ABS warning light is on. The windshield is also cracked and needs to be replaced. These are necessary safety repairs, not cosmetic upgrades. Based on symptoms, we may have a head gasket leak, which could be the cause of the smoke, coolant loss, and engine issues.

This situation has been incredibly stressful for us. We do have steady income, but it is only enough to cover our basic living expenses, and these repairs are far beyond what we can manage on our own right now. This van is essential to our daily life and our future plans. When the weather warms up, we hope to take our journey back to our small plot of land in Missouri, where we plan to work on it, spend time there, and explore a more homesteading-focused lifestyle. None of that is possible without a safe and reliable vehicle.

We also travel with our dog and cat, and keeping all of us safe on the road is our top priority. We love having our online community along with us on this journey, and we would be thrilled to continue sharing life on the road with everyone who follows us.

This fundraiser will help cover diagnostic costs, engine and brake repairs, windshield replacement, and other necessary maintenance to make the van safe and road worthy again. Any funds not used directly for repairs will go toward future maintenance to help prevent issues like this going forward.

We are deeply grateful for any support, whether that is a donation, sharing our fundraiser, or simply following along on our journey. Thank you so much for being part of our story.