Adventure Awaits

FEATURE

Adventur

MIKE GAERTNER &DAUGHTER ALLI

“I’VE TRAVELED SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID, ONE TIME WITH MY MOM AND STEPDAD IN AN OLD JEEP WILLYS STATION WAGON WHEN I WAS 7 OR 8, ALL THE WAY TO CENTRAL AMERICA. TRAVELING IS A CONSTANT ITCH. NOW, THE NICE THING ABOUT HAVING THE VAN IS IT’S EASY TO JUMP INTO FOR A WEEKEND TRIP AND COSTS NEXT TO NOTHING. IT’S AMAZING THE PLACES YOU CAN CAMP, WHETHER IT’S AT EVENTS OR AT A TRAILHEAD. YOU JUST PULL OUT, SLEEP, MAKE BREAKFAST. WHEN YOU COME BACK FROM A RIDE, YOUR LOUNGE CHAIR AND A COOL BEER IS WAITING.”

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emobiles!

HOP ABOARD THESE COMFORTABLE CRUISERS FOR ANY DESTINATION YOUR HEART DESIRES

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The Gaertners drive a 2006 Dodge Sprinter 2500 170, the longer one. They’ve beefed up the electrical with four deep-cycle 6v batteries that charge from the alternator, an electric fridge that runs off the batteries and a cozy Espar heater off the diesel tank. Other improvements include a fold-out couch, some shelving and storage and a little kitchen unit, as well as a swivel for the front passenger seat.

ALLI FLIES DOWNHILL PORT ANGELES,WA 2017

Photo credit Eric Ashley

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“One of my favorite things is having decent living space for multiple people and still room for all the bikes or toys inside, making it easy to pull over anywhere for the night. You can find a beautiful place, light up the gas firepit and have an instant little campsite.”

Gaertner and his wife, Jennifer, owners of Vertical Earth, use the rig for zipping from one bike ride or race to the next. Someday soon they hope to head south for a winter trip to ride the slickrock of Moab and the sands of Baja, Mexico.

“The biggest trip so far was last summer with Alli, my daughter, heading back east for some big downhill mountain bike races. We watched sunsets from the tops of mountains and camped next to waterfalls. Driving through Boston at one in the morning, the lights of the city and the bridges were beautiful when the highways were empty. There were some lightning storms going through Illinois and we pulled over to watch. That was Alli’s first time seeing fireflies. So we had to chase them around for a while.”