BOZEMAN — Jennie Timar rolled into Montana about a month ago in her van. She came to do some downhill mountain biking at Big Sky and explore the area in her van - which also serves as her home.
Jennie grew up in London, moved to America, settled in Texas, then decided the van life was for her. And in the last four years, she's put some miles on it.
Take a look inside Jennie's van:
“I’ve gone 135,000 miles through 48 states and 51 national parks. And I’ve calculated that I've saved probably about $250,000 on hotels,” said Jennie.
Other than saving hotel money, you may be wondering why anyone would want to live in a van. But it might be more of a common lifestyle than you think.
According to Yahoo! Finance, the number of American van lifers has increased by 63% over the last couple of years, going from 1.9 million in 2020, to 3.1 million in 2022.
“It’s funny, a lot of people think van lifers are just stinky hippies, which some of us are. But we’re also professionals” Jennie said.
Jennie is the director of a non-profit agency called Hike Bike Alike, which helps veterans and trauma survivors get into outdoor adventure.
She runs this non-profit from her van: home, car, and office - which is why last week Jennie was devastated when it didn't start.
“I went to Planet Fitness to work out, and I came back out and was like, 'I’m going to make some dinner’. And the van wouldn’t start.”
She noted, “It is kind of terrifying that I would have no transportation and nowhere to live. And I’m in a town where I don’t know anyone."
Jennie’s home was towed to a mechanic's shop, where she lived in her van until it was fixed.
“The few times that I’ve had mechanical breakdowns, and I’ve had to go to a mechanic - they actually let me stay because they do understand that this is also my home,” she explained.
Thereby saving her from taking everything she owns out of her van and finding a place to stay.
The kindness of the community is one of the big reasons Jennie feels comfortable living the van life. Between the generosity she’s experienced in Gallatin County and the support found in Facebook groups like “Nomads Helping Nomads,” she knows she’s not alone.
“It’s really great, because we all look out for each other and help each other out. The community will come together. We will find a way to get you the part. We will take you wherever you need to go” she said.
Jennie’s van is now all fixed up, and she’s already looking forward to what's next. She tells me Banff might be in her future.
You can follow her adventures on her Youtube channel.
