Helge and Lisa have been exploring the country in their Link 148 Adventure Van for some time now. Their story is pretty special, so we asked them to write an article so we could share it with you.
Read on to learn why they chose this specific adventure van for retirement, and where they took it for their first exploration. Spoiler alert: it might not be where you’d expect!
A Retirement Plan on Wheels
On the cusp of retirement and don’t know what to do? Love to travel? It’s simple. Buy a van. It will change your life.
But not just any van. It has to align with your sense of freedom and fun—one that takes you places you’ve yearned to go but didn’t quite have the wheels for. One outfitted for safety and comfort, because those of us who no longer want to sleep on the ground in a tent have no shame in that.
In short, it had to be a Grit Overland Link 148 Adventure Van for our retirement.
From an Old Hippie Van to a True Adventure Rig
We’re both international travelers—Helge with his former motorcycle touring company, GlobeRiders, and me, with my well-worn backpack. When we retired, we twiddled our thumbs trying to figure out what to do with this new phase of life. It didn’t take us long.
We had an old hippie van that had seen a few adventures over four years, but its trustworthiness was questionable. Helge had spent a fortune in time and labor upgrading or repairing everything—insulation, the heater, flooring, the transmission… and something was always bound to fail again. He was done with fixing. I was done with worrying.
So, the decision was made. We needed a new van.
Why We Chose the Grit Overland Link 148
Helge is a research machine. He pored over van life forums, spec sheets, and reviews, analyzing what people loved (and hated) about their rigs. Me? I fully admit I would never have gone that deep into research, but I trust his instincts.
Then came the Tacoma Dome RV Show.
It was a rainy Pacific Northwest day, and we were itching for a van that could take us somewhere warm. Walking through rows of displays, we explored countless options—some were too bulky, some were too stripped down.
Then we stepped inside the Grit Overland Link 148. They aren’t kidding when they talk about “The Grit Difference”…
It checked every box:
- Rugged but refined—Built for serious adventure, no wasted space.
- Off-grid ready—Solar, lithium batteries, and an efficient electrical system.
- A smart kitchen layout—Because we like food but don’t want to fight our kitchen.
- A huge, stowable bed—No crawling over each other at night.
- Four-season capability—Because we live in the PNW… enough said.
And that was it. We pulled the trigger. This was our adventure van for retirement. Did we have buyer’s remorse? Nope. Not for a second. We named her Stardust.
First Big Road Trip: Oregon, California, Nevada
For Stardust’s maiden voyage, we planned a road trip to visit friends in Oregon and California and camp in national and state parks across California and Nevada.
Then, before the trip even started, Helge brought up marriage.
I was floored (by the Ford).
So, I applied for a Las Vegas marriage license online. If you ever decide to do this, have your birth certificate and other documents ready—they ask for a lot.
Las Vegas was also on our itinerary for another reason: Helge’s dream of attending CES (Consumer Electronics Show). He’d wanted to go for years, and now, he had the ultimate adventure vehicle to take him there.
Living in the Link: Thousand Trails Las Vegas
One of the perks of buying a Grit Overland van was the free Thousand Trails membership. That meant free camping near the city—a big win when visiting Las Vegas.
We stayed at Thousand Trails Las Vegas, about six miles southeast of The Strip. The bathrooms? Not great. But once we plugged into shore power and city water, we had all the comforts of home. The built-in heating system kept the desert chill at bay, and we had enough battery power to stay completely off-grid if needed.
CES: A Techie’s Dream (Or Not?)
Helge spent three days bouncing between CES venues, meeting tech innovators and checking out the latest gadgets.
After day one, he came back less than thrilled. “It felt more like an Asian bazaar than a high-end tech show.” He gave it two more days. Verdict? Still unimpressed. Sometimes, fantasy is better than reality.
Las Vegas: Strip vs. Springs Preserve
While Helge was at CES, I checked out The Strip.
Mistake.
Within minutes, I was bombarded by hustlers, costumed street performers, and aggressive salespeople. After an hour, I was done.
The next day, I took three buses to Las Vegas Springs Preserve and Botanical Garden.
Holy wow. This place was peaceful, stunning, and full of rare cacti and succulents.
A 5-Minute Wedding & A Trip to The Sphere
Next it was time to plan a wedding! Who’d have thought it would be so easy, in just three simple steps:
- Visit the Marriage License Bureau (open ‘til midnight).
- Swear that all your details are correct.
- Head to the Marriage Clerk’s Office to set the wedding date.
That evening, we strolled past Las Vegas’ zany wedding chapels. Elvis, Star Trek, The Blues Brothers—you name it. There was even a drive-thru chapel.
The next morning, we checked out The Sphere before our wedding.
This 18,000-seat immersive dome is like stepping into the future, with holographic projections and AI-driven Aura robots. I asked Aura to sing Happy Birthday to Helge in Norwegian. She wasn’t programmed for it, so I requested a techno birthday dance instead.
Good effort, Aura. But she butchered my name.
At 2:45 pm, we had our five-minute ceremony with a kind couple we met minutes before as our witnesses. And that was that.
Can We Truly Say Our Grit Overland Van Changed Our Life?
Absolutely.
Buying Stardust wasn’t just about owning an adventure van for retirement—it was about choosing freedom, experiences, and the next chapter of our lives.
And to think, it all began with a van…