Girl Gone Wild: Katie Boué's Cross-Country Van Trip

Photo by Katie Boué. The "Craggin Wagon."
In May of 2011, climber Katie Boué and her "big hairy boyfriend," Niko Monteiro, embarked on a five-week cross-country trip in Boué's parents' Pilot—a dream many of us have. After stint doing the whole "normal person" thing back in Miami, the duo decided they wanted to expand on their trip—for an entire year, to be precise.

So they're back on the road again, living in a van with just enough Internet service to stay connected and a stockpile of baby wipes to stay clean. They're calling it Simply Adventure, a year-long jaunt across the country in their van—dubbed the "Craggin' Wagon"—to practice climbing, educate people about the importance of caring for our crags and National Parks, and prove that real adventure is not only possible—it can be practical and inexpensive if you do it right. Two months into their trip, I caught up with Boué, a 24-year-old freelance copywriter, to see how her plans have changed so far and get her tips on making a simple cross-country trip a reality.

Aw so cute! Nike and Katie enjoyed the scenery.
You'd originally set out to visit every state in the country except two. Now that you're on the road, has the plan changed?
During the planning of the trip, Niko and I originally wanted to visit all 48 states on the mainland, but quickly decided to nix Oklahoma and Kansas because we've driven through them so many times. After finding out about some supposedly sweet climbing in the Wichita Mountains, we might be changing our minds again. Nearly two months into the trip and we've visited 10 states, from Florida to California to Utah.



Where has it been the easiest to camp in the van? The hardest?
Texas is a miserable place for a dirtbag, with the exception of Heuco Tanks. Really, any big city is a jolting shock when you've been living in the outdoors for too long. I think we hit the dirtbag jackpot when we arrived in Joe's Valley last week—free camping, an incredibly beautiful landscape, and a local convenience store plastered with a "We Love Our Climbers!" sign.

What's it been like trying to stay connected to the outside world?
Remaining connected and updating my blog consistently has been one of the biggest struggles while adjusting to van life. Between all the social media I engage in, my freelance work, and writing on my website, I've spent way too much time and money in McDonald's parking lots and local coffee shops. I finally splurged on a Verizon hot-spot for the van, and I can't wait to start using it next week.

Katie climbing in Joshua Tree, CA.
Now that you're on the road, is there anything you wish you'd brought that you don't have?
I honestly can't think of anything, besides a Verizon hot-spot. As for things I wish I'd left behind, there are many: a toaster oven, a portable heater, too many scarves. When you live in a van, less is always more.

Your ten essentials for life on the road:
1. Baby wipes
2. My Nikon D700
3. Avocados
4. Our Teton Sports 0-degree sleeping bags
5. Goal Zero solar gear
6. Trusty camp stove and cookware
7. Notebook for recording daily adventures
8. U.S. Atlas (because your GPS will fail, many times)
9. Instant grits
10. A flexible, spontaneous, and forgiving attitude

Follow Katie and Niko's adventure at themorningfresh.com.