If you knew you only had a short amount of time left to live, how would you make the most of it? This was the question Aubrey of @adventures_in_huck_phinn asked herself after a personal tragedy changed her world. She took to the road to process her grief and find moments of joy and peace along the way—sans any distractions. Hear more about her life on the road below.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from and where are you going?
“My name is Aubrey. I was born in Arizona, but moved to Bend, Oregon about 6 years ago. My pup Ike and I live in our renovated Toyota Dolphin and I make high-end leather products out of it as well. I am not entirely sure where we will end up, we are just chasing the sun!”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Huck Phinn ? (@adventures_in_huck_phinn) on Dec 30, 2018 at 8:10pm PST
What prompted you to buy a camper and hit the road?
“Well, to be perfectly honest, my partner passed away recently while he was surfing. It was sudden and he was only 26 years old. After his service, I asked myself a very important question: ‘If I knew that I only had a short time left to live, how would I make the most of it?’ I also want to be intentional about my grief journey, to be present with my sadness and feel the depth of my joy with no distractions. So, I hit the road.”
What kind of vehicle are you traveling in and why did you choose it?
“I am in a 1985 Toyota Dolphin. I had planned on renovating a van originally, but they can be so expensive because of the whole vanlife craze. So when I found a small camper that has everything built in, I had to buy it.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Huck Phinn ? (@adventures_in_huck_phinn) on Dec 13, 2018 at 9:01am PST
Take us through the renovations of Huck Phinn. (The carpet and captains chairs are ?!)
“Oh man, well picture a camper that your grandpa would drive—shag carpet, dark wood cabinets, dingy floral wallpaper—and now imagine the amount of work it takes to make that feel like a home. I painted the walls, cabinets, and ceiling white to open the space up a bit. I removed two captains chairs and a dinette so that I could build a workbench and more storage. I replaced the carpet with a vinyl flooring, installed cuter lighting, and a roof vent fan. I updated some of the plumbing, fixtures, and cabinet hardware as well.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Huck Phinn ? (@adventures_in_huck_phinn) on Oct 22, 2018 at 1:41pm PDT
How long have you been on the road?
“I hit the road back in October 2018.”
Were you nervous to travel alone?
“The first night, yes. Every little noise you hear outside of your window is (obviously) a mass murderer. But when you wake up the next day to find squirrels instead, you realize that fear is a choice and such a waste of energy.”
How did you get into leather work?
“I had started working with leather to make my boyfriend a small journal cover for his travel journal. After that, he bought me all of the tools I needed as a gift and I fell in love with the art of it. I also love that one leather product can last your whole life—it feels less wasteful to me.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Huck Phinn ? (@adventures_in_huck_phinn) on Feb 3, 2019 at 11:15am PST
What does a typical day look like for you?
“Wake up, drink tea, check emails and social media, work on leather orders, take Ike (my pup) for an adventure, hang out with friends, make some dinner and go to bed.
But there are some days (a lot of days) when my heart tells me to ignore all of those things and drive to the ocean, or desert, or wherever I feel like being. And that always takes precedence.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Huck Phinn ? (@adventures_in_huck_phinn) on Dec 11, 2018 at 11:57am PST
What’s been the most magical spot on your journey so far?
“I really think that going to Quartzite, Arizona was the most magical place for me so far. The town itself is nothing great, but there was a nomadic get together happening the same time I was passing through. I stopped and my journey has taken a complete 180. I really thought I would be traveling alone a majority of the time, but after making friends there I have become part of this really rad community.”
What are your 5 must-have items for van life?
“Bathroom, fridge, a fixed bed (one I don’t have to turn into seating during the day), bluetooth speaker, and a sunny place to park.”
How does Ike like living on the road? Does he have a favorite spot?
“He really seems to enjoy it! Ike is such a loyal pup that he is happy as long as I am nearby and since I no longer work a 9 to 5 job we get to spend all of our time together. He loves the beach and he is so great off-leash that his favorite place has been San Diego because they have entire beaches dedicated to dogs.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Huck Phinn ? (@adventures_in_huck_phinn) on Oct 27, 2018 at 9:58am PDT
What’s surprised you the most about life on the road?
“The community! I have been so so shocked that there is such a large community of people doing the same thing that I am. I’ve learned that you have to be a generally positive person in order to enjoy living this way—things will break, tires will pop, roofs will leak, and you have to be able to see the sunny side of it in order to make it. So you can imagine that the community is filled with equally positive people who just want to see you succeed.”
Rapid Fire Q&A
Desert or ocean?
“Ocean for sure.”
Sunrise or sunset?
“Sunset. I’m hardly ever awake when the sun rises.”
Route planning or spontaneity?
“Spontaneity.”
Favorite product you’ve created?
“I’m just about to release a bag that can be both a cross body purse or a backpack—which is perfect because I always need to be adventure ready.”
