Hi, I am Michael and my traveling companion is my dog, Riley. A little about myself – I am 65, divorced, a father of two, an architect, an Air Force veteran, semi-retired, and a black belt in Shotokan karate. Another defining aspect of my life is that I come from a large family with five (5) sisters and two (2) brothers along with their spouses and children. If someone asks where I am from – I would say Chicago. I grew up and raised my kids in the suburbs, worked for years in the city, and my last address was in Evanston.

My vanlife story started in Spring 2023 on a trip with a few of my siblings to see my sister, Mary and her dog, Sharkey compete in the agility nationals in Tulsa. We were staying in the venue’s RV campground and the experience reignited an idea I researched years before – to move into a van and live on the road. When I returned home, I launched the first chapter in my vanlife journey – the design and build out of a 2023 Ram Promaster. Nearly (2) years later, my van was ready for the road in August 2024 and I moved into my new home in March 2025.

The purpose of my vanlife journal is to share the research, design and build out of my van and to document my travels. The goal is to add journal entries over time on various vanlife topics.  I invite anyone to subscribe to my site and contact me with any questions.