OG Van Life Living | Christina Thayer | E9
Episode 9 is all about #vanlife and being on the road living out of a vehicle. Recorded in the back of Trail Whisperer’s 1990 Toyota Sunrader 4x4 RV, the boys chat with guest Christina Thayer about her 20 years living in a 1976 Volkswagen Westfalia Bus called Buttermilk, her nomadic lifestyle and the endless adventures and occupations she’s had over the years. The best way to describe Christina is “Renaissance Woman”, as her exploits include rock climbing, mountain biking, dirt biking, whitewater rafting, skiing, surfing, logging and working as a trail builder, house builder, van builder, hairstylist, interior designer and chef. A self-professed woman with career ADD, Christina seems to have found her calling as the current Trails Program Coordinator for Washoe County. This episode is a smorgasboard of topics, driven by the fact that Christina has always been nomadic, enabling her to live a fascinating life doing lots of different cool adventures.
1:00 – Recording in the Toyota Sunrader 4x4 on the Truckee River in Verdi, Nevada
3:15 – Introducing Christina Thayer and personalized license plates – RIGWOOD
8:00 – Van life and living on the road in a 1976 Volkswagen Westfalia Bus – BUTRMLK
14:40 – Taking the VW Bus on the South Colony Lakes Basin 4x4 road in Colorado and living in the van at Montana De Oro park in San Luis Obispo.
18:00 – Rooftop tents versus tents on the ground versus being in a pop top RV camper
21:30 – Christina’s past as a nomadic forester, rock climber and trail builder for Access Fund
25:45 – Christina’s progression from the VW Bus to minivans, Ford vans, a Subaru and a Tacoma
30:30 – The importance of having creature comforts in an adventure vehicle, especially a shower and toilet
31:50 – Christina’s current rig – a Tacoma with a Roamin’ Chariot slide-in camper
33:50 – PowBot’s 4Wheel Camper Eagle acquisition story
35:45 – Trail Whisperer’s story of finding his Toyota Sunrader RV
39:00 – The freedom of having a rig, but not waiting to find the perfect one. Use what you have.
42:00 – All the things Christina has done in life as an adventurer with a nomadic lifestyle
43:30 – Earthships, environmentally friendly construction and homes in Bend, Oregon
46:00 – Building strawbale houses, working as a contractor building green homes
47:00 – Living in Bend, becoming a hairstylist, van builder, chef, interior designer and shaping work around what your life ‘non-negotiables’ are.
53:30 – Moving to Truckee, California and working in land management for Tahoe Donner, then finding her true calling – working as a Trails Program Coordinator for Washoe County and living in Reno, Nevada.
56:20 – Bald Eagle on the Truckee River sighting!
59:00 – Working in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach and building a playa boardwalk for Burning Man and the future of trails in Reno, Nevada and Washoe County.
1:06:50 – Comparing Bend, Oregon to Reno, Nevada and Lake Tahoe.
1:09:30 – Stratton Matteson – @cascadeconnections – fully human powered – riding bikes and camping to snowboard huge lines.
1:14:00 – Christina’s traumatic past as a rock climber and losing close friends in the sport and giving a nod to the @enormocast with Chris Kalous.
1:16:50 – Getting struck by lightning while rock climbing on Crestone Needle and why she doesn’t sweat anymore.
1:29:00 – PowBot’s Desolation Wilderness final pow mission of the season in early May and triggering an avalanche.
1:34:00 – Attending the Timberfest Games in Loyalton, California, “hot saws” and how badass lumberjacks are. Of course Christina was also a logger in forestry school.
1:38:20 – Follow Christina on Instagram - @youshouldwritethisdown
1:39:00 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?
