Just saying Hello!

Hi All, and Dave!

Really enjoy the videos, need to set up a you tube account so I can subscribe, but thought i'd join here too!

I'm Shaun AKA TheLoamRanger! Originally from the outskirts of Middlesbrough UK, bordering the great north Yorkshire moors, my love for the outdoors came about at a young age! Predominantly a mountain biker, however I'm always up for a bit of walking, scrambling, bouldering, camping and so on! Oh I've also recently bought a kayak, its way harder than it looks, on the plus side my swimming is getting better! Currently living in Lincolnshire (cleethorpes), its flat... very flat and the wolds are underwhelming to say the least. Most weekends you'll find me in my van with my bike somewhere in the peaks or yorkshire! Cant beat a night in the van, freezing my balls off in order to find some good riding!

In the lake district 27th to the 30th Dec - No idea what my plans are! just one man, a bike and a van! Winging it!
In Snowdonia 1st Jan to the 5th! again winging it!

look forward to chatting you all and sharing adventures!

chow for now!

Shaun

Now then, Shaun!

Glad you've enjoyed the videos. I've not really done anything since the Big Fat Freight Hop but to be fair, that was a pretty big project so I'm allowed to be lazy for a bit.

We're similar in some ways! I'll be living in Lincolnshire soonish and I want to get a van so I can piss off to less flat places for a night or two relatively easily. Who knows, we could end up buddies! Crazier things have happened :)

Sup Dave! Thanks for the reply! It's the time of year for laziness and all those hours on the return passenger train must have worn you out! #Vanlife is the way forward! if you have any van questions ask away, regarding electrics, heating, insulation etc haha!

Good luck with Lincolnshire! its not all that bad, just a distinct lack of mountains! or even hills for that matter!

As soon as I can get my finances in order I want to work on a transit and convert it into a camper. I'll definitely, definitely need all the advice I can get because I'm not particularly skilled when it comes to DIY. I can shout at a GoPro all day long but installing insulation and sorting out electrics? Yeah, not so much.

I've heard that the van thing really is a cheap and easy way to get away for shorter periods of time. A while back I remember watching a YT video of a guy that was doing it just to do it. He had some pretty novel ideas a feel like. If I had the ability to go on longer trips somewhat more often then I'd look more seriously into it myself! Unfortunately that isn't exactly in the cards right now.(just started a new job in a completely new town and still need to get settled) I remember watching these videos a long while back and thinking they were really cool! Found them again with the big fat freight hop and instantly subscribed hah! Now I've got the adventure itch again. Once I get settled in here in a couple weeks I'm off and running! My apologies if that was mostly just blather but I felt I need to make my first post somewhere! Cheers and thanks for the sweet videos and cool forums.

-Dan

Haha, that's not blathering, Dan! Glad to have you around :)

I'm going to make a short video over the weekend asking my subscribers for ideas and stuff. I want to get more involved with meeting up with people and making use of my modest -but awesome- little fan base.

I think the van thing can be as cheap or expensive as you make it, with regard to build costs anyway, depends how much you want in it and to what standard, for example home made units, vs factory made lightweight fitted units as you see in most vw t5's and the like, or things like a diesel heater and solar power. It all adds up.
Hopefully i'll start building mine properly in the next month or so!, Once on the road if you can find places to park up and stay stealthy i guess its pretty cheap, only diesel and gas to buy really! When i officially start mine i'll post some photos up and keep you guys up to date!.

That would be cool! Yeah, as cheap or as expensive as you want, though you have to start off with a semi-decent van which doesn't exactly cost pennies.

It would be loads of fun building it up from scratch! Though at the moment I'd be pleased with an old banger with a mattress in the back.

Hey thanks Dave. Can't wait to check out the new video. I just signed the lease to my new place so I'm going to create a new video as well this weekend. Exciting stuff! Although a van is not in the near future, making videos definitely is! I love seeing what other people do with their time and others hobbies in interests. I'm also interested in seeing what the weather is like in the U.K. right now. It would be awesome to check that part of the world out!