16/05/2024
K a n s a s
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Ali & Atea
Santa Cruz, California based traveler bloggers exploring the world together since '01
07/04/2024
O k l a h o m a
Friends, food and drive through micheladas… life doesn’t get much better 👌🏼
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04/04/2024
O k l a h o m a
Friends, food and drive through micheladas… life doesn’t get much better 👌🏼
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09/03/2024
A r k a n s a s
An underrated natural playground! We hiked, we biked, we canoed and we drank a lot of beer!
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09/01/2024
T e n n e s s e e
Passed through the southwest corner of Tennessee and hung for a few days in Memphis. It was filled with , delicious bbq, some history and quite a few breweries.
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08/01/2024
T e n n e s s e e
Passed through the southwest corner of Tennessee and hung for a few days in Memphis. It was filled with , delicious bbq, some history and quite a few breweries.
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24/12/2023
A l a b a m a
We never planned on going to Alabama, not that we were against it… just not at the top of our list.
But we ended up there in early May and really enjoyed it!
From visiting Selma and Montgomery and learning more about the civil rights movement. To a lake house in Guntersville with our dear friend . We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the crimson state.
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15/12/2023
M i s s i s s i p p i
We came, we saw, we left.
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l l
01/12/2023
L o u i s i a n a
There have been some big and unexpected changes in the bus over the last month…
I (Ali) decided to fly home to California for a little mental health break and then decided to stay… so that leaves Atea to drive the bus back home on her own. I feel sad to be missing out on the tail end of our adventure, guilty for leaving Atea with such a big task and also relieved to have the time and space that my brain needed to heal.
Prioritizing my mental health is hard for me, but I do think it was the right choice.
Life on the road is lonely, tiring and so fun all at the same time. But the constant movement and no plans got to me and I needed to settle for a bit.
So with that said, we’ve come full circle... Atea is back in Louisiana on her way back home.
These photos though are from the first few months of our trip spending time with our dear friend in his home state. Swipe through to see our adventures in the Pelican State.
4/30 - Us and at Festival International de Louisiane
4/30 - Us enjoying some
5/3 - Exploring Lafayette
5/5 - Atea in Lafayette
5/5 - Lake Martin, St. Martinville
4/28 - The crew
5/6 - Atea and strolling the streets of New Orleans
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29/11/2023
T e x a s
If you ask Atea what one of her top experiences on this trip has been. Her answer will be Marathon, Texas.
This might be surprising, as Marathon is a tiny town of 200 people in east Texas. Dry, hot, a bit conservative...
But the experience that brought us there and the people we met and who opened their arms and completely embraced us into their small community overwhelmed us.
Thank you Clint and Marathon Magic ✨
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19/11/2023
N e w M e x i c o
New Mexico was all about the parks for us…
We went to White Sands National Park which was hot and windy and like being on another planet. Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin, it is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here.
City of Rocks State Park was formed of volcanic ash 30 million years ago and sculpted by wind and water into rows of monolithic blocks, City of Rocks State Park takes its name from these incredible rock formations that you can literally camp between. So cool!
Carlsbad Caverns National Park was epic. High ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus, and desert wildlife—treasures above the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves—formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes. It is big, we were able to walk for more than 4 miles underground in the huge cavern.
Pro Tip: for more in depth ranger led tours and to view some of the deeper caves you have to book in advance!
Have you been to New Mexico? Tell us where we should go next time we are there!
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14/11/2023
A r i z o n a
It’s been hard making friends on the road. The constant moving leaves no time to build community.
Our time in Arizona at the start of our trip was one of the times that we were able to connect with friends out on the road. We met up with and .abdually for a few nights in Gold Canyon BLM, east of Phoenix. It was such an experience camping with them for a few days, doing oil changes, chatting and drinking beers.
05/11/2023
C a l i f o r n i a
We started this adventure on March 24th, 2023 in Santa Cruz, California. A very special day to start a very long anticipated journey… Atea’s birthday!
From Santa Cruz we headed south almost all the way to the Mexico border and then into Arizona from there.
Here are a few shots from our first week or so on the road…
Highlights included:
🌼 Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
🏜️ Anza Borrego
🙏🏼 Salvation Mountain
🌊 Salton Sea
🎨 Bombay Beach Biennale
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18/10/2023
To those that helped us along the way. To those who encouraged us every day. To those who brought us beers...
THANK YOU!
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08/10/2023
Things that we learned during our bus build...
♻️ Don’t throw ANYTHING out
🔸 Plumbing is like playing Tetris
⏱ Everything takes longer than expected
🪵 Wood is crazy expensive!
⚡️ Electrical is scary
🍻 Take your time, and enjoy the process!
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02/10/2023
Do you like what you see?
Read on 👇🏼 to learn what we did and scroll through 👉🏼 to see the photos.
For our ceiling and walls we used ⅛” plywood that we bent (sometimes cracked) to the curve of the bus. We screwed this directly on to the bus ribs so as not to lose any head space.
Once that was up we used a s**t ton of wood putty and sanded it. And then did that again over and over. We also used Bondo in some of the more cracked sections.
Our ceiling is beautiful and curved, but it was a lot of work. It has also started cracking a bit with all the movement of the bus.
I’m sure that every method has its pros and cons… do you have something that worked well for you?
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27/09/2023
We are about to be either realll happy with our insulation choices… or just really cold and miserable.
As Fall sets in and the idea of being in colder climates as the seasons change hits us, we are preparing for cozy season.
Candles, hot tea, wool blanket… you get the idea.
We used to insulate the bus, so we are hoping that keeps us warm and toasty during the winter months. Not only does wool insulate naturally and sustainably, it also helps with moisture management and sound absorption.
Are you ready for the seasons to be changing?
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23/09/2023
Today marks 6 months on the road for us.
That’s 6 months of traveling full time, working part. Living in a tiny home, sharing about 160 sq. ft. of space. It’s tight inside, but our yard is huge and ever changing!
We’ve put over 15k miles on the bus traveling from California to Alabama, then up to Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, and then over through to Wisconsin.
So many adventures have been had and we are looking forward to so many more as we make our way to the East Coast and then South.
Here are just a few moments from the journey…
4/29 - Lafayette, Louisiana
7/1 - Ali rock climbing outside of Laramie, Wyoming
7/15 - Atea driving the near in the Pinedale, Wyoming
7/19 - Hiking in Grand Teton National Park with
7/22 - Ali solo hiking is grizzly country
8/3 - Rodeo in Bozeman, Montana
7/26 - Hiking the Pine Creek Lake trail near Livingston, Montana
8/8 - Atea enjoying the scenery on our boat tour up the Missouri River to see the Gates of the Mountains outside of Helena, Montana
8/30 - Ali hiking in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
9/10 - Canoeing in The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota
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20/09/2023
Electrical and plumbing…puzzles, puzzles, it’s all puzzles.
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15/09/2023
The rooftop of our 23’ 🚌 is small but mighty.
First, meet our eco-warriors: two powerful solar panels that generate more juice than our batteries can handle! 🌞⚡
Next up, our cooling system: 3 fans to keep us fresh—bathroom, bedroom and kitchen area. 🌀🍃
Oh, and our emergency exit? It's now a skylight that lets the sun pour in! ☀️✨
Front and center, we have a stunning redwood deck, lovingly milled by and 🌲❤️
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05/09/2023
This existence is only for a moment and is not the final product.
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31/08/2023
Painting the bus was actually pretty fun!
The prep was aweful… but once we got to put on these sweet suits, we were basically Walt and Jesse from Breaking Bad… but who’s who?!
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25/08/2023
We all had that primer gray phase right..?
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07/08/2023
Sanding, the bane of our existence.
The paint prep on the bus took so long… removing the decals and logos, washing it, sanding it, washing it again. The tedious taping and covering of the windows. Oof glad that’s over and Thomasita is beautiful and green now!
Anyone want to paint our door?!
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29/07/2023
Hey there friends!
We are Ali (on the left) and Atea (on the right) and we are... two friends just out to enjoy this thing called life.
We are seeking wild adventures, endless travels and stories to last us a lifetime. All with a cold beer in hand of course!
Want to come along for the ride?
Cheers 🍻
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24/07/2023
Insert caulk jokes👇🏼
Like really please tell us your best ones, Atea love a good joke (or a bad one).
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05/07/2023
Looking back on this bus build, the demolition phase was the best part.
It was fun to tear things up, we had the energy and enthusiasm for the build still and we didn't need to worry about what our work looked like.
What was your favorite part of your build?
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29/06/2023
THROWBACK THURSDAY
(Is that still a thing? Or is it way uncool like “lol” is now?)
Anyways… we didn’t document our bus build on here at all, we shared in our stories, but not as posts. So we are gonna throw it back a bit and share some photos of the build itself. This way the page can fully document the process.
Hope you enjoy!
Xoxo,
Ali & Atea
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Traveling and the difficulty of getting packages on the road has definitely helped to slow down our consumerism. Yet, there are times when we require essentials that aren’t readily available in local stores. 🌍📦 That’s when these valuable tips for receiving packages while traveling come to the rescue. Take, for example, this delectable ahi tuna jerky from @pescavore_seafood , a rare find in smaller towns. Perfect for fueling our long hikes and backpacking adventures – we’re absolutely hooked! 🐟 • • #LeapintoWild #womentravelbloggers #wanderlustwomen #santacruz #pescavore #sustainableseafood #ahitunajerky #cleaneating #cleansnacking #skoolie #eatmorefish #skoolienation #skoolieconversion #buslifestyle #busconversion #rootlessliving #TravelEssentials #OnTheGoSnacks #vanlifediaries #vanlifers #buslifeadventure #santacruz #california #santacruzgirls #vanliferscommunity #vanlifevirals #womenwhowander #womenontheroad #womenwhoexplorecalifornia #wearetravelgirls #onlyinnortherncalifornia
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