Birth of the Zen Gypsy Van

When the Zen Gypsy Van first began to take shape in my mind. I would often awake in the night to write and draw and wonder about what it would be like to travel in a vehicle that was in essence an energy self-sufficient home.

After several cross country moves, I had been naturally paring down my possessions as a practical matter. But it wasn't easy, for like most of us I love beautiful, and especially artful + meaningful, things. Letting go of objects that I loved, even though it was just "stuff," often required a significant grieving process. There is still a certain set of bookcases that I still long for and a collection of children's books that I gave up on a prior move that I would give anything to have now so that I could share them with my grandchildren. But, c'est la vie . . .

Things, after all, are often tied to our memories of people and places. Even if they no longer serve us, they are still part of our story. Letting go of them sometimes created true closure for me, sometimes terrible angst. But as I examined each object in my life and thought about what kind of energy it carried, often it became an easy decision to either give it away or, if it seemed particularly toxic, to trash it.  

As time went on, I found that the less I had, the freer I felt. Having too much around me, even books, which as a writer and publisher were my primary addiction, felt like a weight being placed upon my entire spirit. I had been following the 'Little House' movement for awhile and the idea of a dwelling that brought the elements of living down to essentials, began to really appeal to me.

What put me over the edge was . . . Pinterest. Once I started seeing visuals of what other people were doing with their Little Houses, my imagination went into freefall. I knew I had to create something that would fulfill my desire to manifest a simpler, more meaningful life, something that might inspire other people, too.

I considered living on a boat. I know people who do this and I greatly admire their lives. I love the idea that every inch of space is crafted for maximum efficiency as well as beauty. (I still think about this, but I wasn't quite ready to make that leap.) I was set to move back to California and as I contemplated shipping my household once again (no pun intended), and began the process of sorting and boxing everything, I had a satori, an instant illumination.

Why not? I thought. I knew I would be driving cross country. Why not create my own micro-version of a Little House on wheels? And then, why not camp and find beautiful waterfalls and hot springs to visit? I'd never really explored the Rockies before . . .  And so, the idea of the Zen Gypsy Van was born. 

Two months later, I was saying goodbye to dear friends in North Carolina and I was geared up and on the road!

Karen Mireau & Mary Ann Welsch

Karen Mireau & Cathy Maready

Valerie Kessinger & Karen Mireau & Pamela Partis

Photos by Mary Ann Welsch