By Sarah CR Clark
Gigi Becerra grew up in St. Anthony Park, but since graduating from Como Park High School in 2024, she’s been exploring far and wide. Traveling and living out of a decommissioned ambulance, Becerra has embraced the freedom of “van life.”
Gigi said she didn’t have a clear plan for life after graduation, but that uncertainty ultimately opened the door to her dream of traveling.
“I bought the ambulance four months before graduating from high school and decided I wasn’t going to go to college straight away,” Becerra shared. “I have always dreamed of travelling. But I didn’t know how or when or where.”
Fortunately, Becerra’s parents (Josh Becerra and Sonia Ellis) have been supportive of her journey.
“My dad is my favorite guy. He was really the one who pushed me when I needed it. And my mom is a big support. She keeps me updated and sends me cards supporting me on my journeys.”
Becerra’s dad found the decommissioned ambulance (currently referred to as “Claudia”) that she ultimately purchased from Facebook Marketplace for a little over $5,000.
“From that day on, every day after school, we tore out the ambulance’s original layout and retrofitted it into my perfect home on wheels,” she remembered.
“Claudia’’ required months of work, which Gigi and her dad did together. When asked how they learned the skills required to retrofit an ambulance, she laughed and said, “YouTube University!”
Today, “Claudia” boasts luxuries like a full-sized bed, a shower, and a multi-functioning microwave-air fryer-convection oven.
Another one of Becerra’s favorite “Claudia” upgrades is for her beloved dog, Bonnie.
“I made a little dog house under my bed,” Gigi said. “She loves it down there. It’s her safe space.”
Bonnie, a 3-year-old shepherd- terrier mix, is Becerra’s best traveling companion. “She is my rock throughout my travels.”
Besides her best canine friend, Becerra has met some great people on the road.
“Everyone has each other’s backs out there. There are mechanics, artists, musicians, tattoo artists, locksmiths, DJs, chefs, photographers and more. Being a part of the community, you learn how fast strangers can turn into family. You could meet someone one day and then end up traveling with them for the next two months.”
One of Becerra’s happiest travelling moments happened over her birthday week. Her family, including her grandmother, flew to Oregon to celebrate. After the family’s festivities, Becerra’s grandma accompanied her to Utah to meet Becerra’s “road family.”
“It was amazing,” Gigi recalled. “I was surprised with a cake that my friends had made for me. I introduced Grandma to everyone. We all played games, shared stories. I was the happiest I could have been, showing my grandma a glimpse of the life I had been living. My friends all started calling her ‘Grammie.’ She loved every second of it.”
Since starting her travels in the summer of 2024, Becerra has logged more than 10,000 miles on her van while travelling extensively around the western U.S.
Asked about the most beautiful place she’s visited, Becerra quickly said, “Moonscape Overlook in Utah.”
And her least favorite place to travel? California, because, she said, gas was extremely expensive and the winding coastal roads were tricky to maneuver in a larger vehicle.
“But the coast has such beautiful views,” Becerra added, saying she’s glad she managed the trip, anyway.
Becerra often used the app iOverlander to help her locate good places to camp or where to fill up her water tank. However, one time she accidentally filled her water tank with unsafe, non-potable water.
“There was no sign at the water fill indicating it wasn’t drinkable,” she recalled. “I then drank, cooked with, and used that water for a week straight. I quickly realized because I became very sick.”
But even the worst days can have a silver lining.
The process of sanitizing her water system took several hours of tedious work and multiple stops at the same gas station for clean water. As the sun was going down, still hard at work and not feeling well yet, Becerra wasn’t alone.
“The gas station manager walked out with a slushie for me and said I could stay the night,” Gigi said. “Even at my lowest point, there was still some way a nice stranger could make it one of my highest.”
Talking to strangers is one of the best things a traveler can do, Becerra stated. “One major lesson I learned is to put myself out there. Talk to strangers. Seek community, don’t be scared of it.”
Asked what comes next, she explained, “I am seeking a little bit of stability before I hit the road again. Being on the road is the dream but if I want to fully fulfill my dream, I have to jump through the hurdles.
“I got sick of being on the road for six months and then working for six months. I’m currently looking for some type of full-time remote job to do while travelling. I am reaching for my dream to its full extent.
“And I really want to head to the Carolinas. It seems so pretty, very beachy, and I’ve never been there.”
Readers can follow Becerra’s journeys via @Gigibtravels on all social media and YouTube. She also invites readers to share ideas on a new name for “Claudia.”
Sarah CR Clark lives in St. Anthony Park and is a regular writer for the Bugle.
