Recreation Transportation Services
TEST DRIVE VAN LIFE: Take a Trip for the Books with Voss Van Co.
make some summertime magic, near or far, with this new local business
Midwest summertime is often marked by evening bonfires, ripping across a lake while tubing or waterskiing, and grilling out with friends and family. It’s also the nationwide season of travel – and it doesn’t need to involve an airport thanks to this local business.
Mandi and Hannah Wurtzel landed back in the Chippewa Valley – both natives of the area – after several years living in Colorado. They loved being so close to a number of national recreation gems, but while working service jobs, they didn’t necessarily have the funds to travel as much as they wanted to.
Enter, “van life.”
“We often traveled in our car – at one point for several months straight – and it allowed us to see and do things that we otherwise couldn’t afford to,” Mandi said. “We sacrificed a lot to save up, but (purchasing a van) still felt a little out of reach, so we found a solution: we’d rent it out whenever we weren’t using it to cover the payments.”
What started out as simply a means to an end, has become an up-and-coming business offering folks an accessible way of travel for both near and faraway trips: Voss Van Co.
Dunston and Dewey, as the business’s two vans are affectionately known, are not your typical vehicle rentals.
Mandi and Hannah originally purchased Dunston – a two-person sleeper van with off-grid capability, equipped with a kitchenette, an outdoor shower, and a surprising amount of storage – as a custom vehicle for their own trips out west for skiing and other outdoors vacations.
“Van life is appealing because it’s simple – but it can also be logistically complicated. Voss Van Co. solves that problem. We believe travel is transformative and we hope to help make it more accessible to the Chippewa Valley.”
Voss Van Co.’s first season featured just the original van, Dunston, and was rented nearly 30 times. To the owners’ surprise, plenty of people were interested in hopping aboard Dunston for nearby and cross-country trips.
"Van life is appealing because it's simple – but it can also be logistically complicated. Voss Van Co. solves that problem. We believe travel is transformative and we hope to help make it more accessible to the Chippewa Valley."
MANDI WURTZEL
CO-OWNER, VOSS VAN CO.
People have rented from Voss Van Co. for trips to Lake Wissota State Park to the Boundary Waters area, to Wyoming and Colorado, and even to somewhat unexpected destinations like Syracuse, New York.
Ahead of busy season this year, Voss Van Co. added Dewey – a four-person sleeper with a pop-top bunk bed with additional similar features to Dunston – to their offerings.
“We realized so many people would enjoy this kind of experience, but not everyone can make the investment or wants to be responsible for a rig 365 days a year,” Mandi said. “Van life is appealing because it’s simple – but it can also be logistically complicated. Voss Van Co. solves that problem. We believe travel is transformative and we hope to help make it more accessible to the Chippewa Valley.”
Potential renters can view recommended road trips through Voss Van Co.’s website www.vossvanco.com, including the Pacific Coast Highway Adventure and Grand Canyon Exploration, as well as price points for each van.
When renting from Voss Van Co., a few options are up for grabs: booking can be completed through Outdoorsy, RVShare, and RVnGo. Insurance is part of the booking process, and no special license is required for Voss Van Co. vehicles.
From retirees to families and folks who want a taste of ‘van life,’ Voss Van Co. is ready to help you and yours have a summer trip for the books.
Voss Van Co.
Website: www.vossvanco.com
Instagram: @vossvanco
