At the dawn of his 60th birthday, Pierre Pilon says he is living the best years of his life. His Chevrolet Astro represents his island of freedom. He lives there full vanlifeeven in winter, which allows him to dream of his next destinations in his mobile home.
“Welcome to our home,” he says to the author of his lines as he opens the sliding door of his home.
It was then parked in the Excel Gym parking lot. Her load of laundry was spinning in a washer at the fitness center during the interview.
“I no longer see life as before,” he remarks. I used to go 100 mph on my motorcycle. I do the same roadtrips with my van, on roads that I have taken 1000 times, but I appreciate it much more than before.”
He adopted a minimalist, nomadic lifestyle some time ago. “I saw guys like Pascal Marquis or Dominick Ménard on YouTube; there vanlifeeveryone seemed happy, he explains. Come to think of it, I was at home just to sleep.”
The road doesn't scare him, he who works as a deliveryman. Truly, his world is a car. And landscapes. He was able to discover Gaspésie for a month without any worries.
Recently, in Sainte-Agathe, he rented a room with a bed, in a spa. “I miss watching football, but not at the cost of paying $1,000 in rent.”
The essentials in your suitcase
Over time, Pierre Pilon created lifestyle habits. He says he has five different spots in the City to spend the night. Among the criteria, being a public and lit place. The Saint-Timothée church parking lot is a good place.
“A fearful neighbor came to see me,” said the nomad. He has become a friend who offers me help, like connecting me for electricity.”
Everything he owns is in his suitcase, placed behind the driver's seat. The back seat is his bed. He can deploy a small table for his meals, mainly prepared grocery or catering menus.
Pierre Pilon in front of his new van, a true paradise he assures. (Photo Journal Saint-François: Eric Tremblay)
For his personal needs, public toilets allow him to relieve himself. The same place can be used for a quick wash and brushing your teeth. The Excel Gym shower is also accessible to him.
-The man with unifying qualities who devoted his religion to the Boston Bruins now spends his evenings listening to the Canadian on the radio.
The winter challenge
In winter, he fled the cold and the gray for Cuba. Except that he returned to the country in March. Sometimes the cold still raged.
He experienced difficult periods, punctuated by ice, snow and cold. But he never became discouraged. He did this with a specific objective. “I am always well prepared with plans B, C or D,” he assures. And, I never forgot why I did it. It was to go to Cuba.”
The day before the interview, a good amount of snow had fallen from the sky. “The snow serves as insulation,” he said. When it snows, it’s warmer.” A small heater still helps to increase the heat in the cabin at times.
He keeps all temperature variations in a notebook. He knows the number of Celsius he had when he went to bed and the difference when he woke up. Sometimes it's a drop of 20°C.
“There are not many who live through winter in vanlifehe points out. Some people think I’m crazy.”
Pierre Pilon swears that he will never put his life in danger. There is a supportive community among these people who adopt this lifestyle. His family, who initially expressed their concerns about this life choice, is also supportive.
Cuba no longer represents its ideal. Arizona and New Mexico lie ahead. He does not have the means of popular YouTubers who make a living from vanlife. But he enjoys every moment of his new route. Enough that he says, half-jokingly, half-seriously, that he wants to become the “Dominic Arpin of the poor.”
“I’m living the best years of my life,” says Pierre Pilon. I need adventure, a cave, a mountain, etc. I like it to move. I look at the world a lot and I don’t envy anyone.”
