Do you remember your first wilderness experience? Or maybe your favorite wilderness experience? That’s what we were asking folks at the 3rd Annual Asheville Van Life Rally last week at the Wedge at Foundation. 
Adventure vehicles from all over came together for a night of cold beer, live music, art, and most importantly – van envy. We decided to do things a little different for this one. We joined forces with the crew from the Blue Ridge Outdoors Asheville office, and our friends from Crazy Creek and Nat Geo Maps to find out about attendant’s first or favorite time spent outdoors.
Being outside is extremely important to us and everyone who is involved with the Live Outside and Play program. We wanted to celebrate the idea of being outside by finding out what the crowd had to say about their most memorable wilderness experiences. We came to the party armed to the teeth with Crazy Creek Classic chairs as prizes for those who stopped by to chat. The idea was to have the crowd talk to us about their most memorable wilderness experience, then we’d snap a Polaroid picture of them and have them pin it up on a large map of the United States provided to us by Nat Geo Maps. By the end of the night, our map was PACKED with polaroids of smiling adventure enthusiasts. 
If there’s one thing we’ve learned during our time on the road, it’s that people are very passionate about the outdoors and the gear that keeps them safe and comfortable while they are exploring the places they love. That was reinforced as we spoke to close to a hundred folks who shared fond memories of times spent in nature. We hear it all the time, participants shared their memories of their Crazy Creek Classic chairs that regularly last them 20+ years. 
All of the van life rallies that we have been a part of have been a blast. This one was no exception. The place was jam-packed with adventure vehicles in all shapes in sizes. There were Toyota Tacomas outfitted with rooftop tents, cross-country motorcycles, and vans, vans, vans! As the sun went down and the music played on, we couldn’t help but sit back and smile. It’s been a wild ride for us this year and as fall starts to take hold we couldn’t be more thankful for being able to attend events like this and for YOU who make it all possible. 
If you like the gear we’re reppin’, or what we’re wearing, check out some of the sponsors that make this tour possible: La Sportiva, Crazy Creek, National Geographic, RovR Products, Sea to Summit, Mountain House, LifeStraw, and Lowe Alpine.
