Why He Packaged His Life Into a Vintage Camper Van
“I looked at retirement and I was afraid. I needed to put distance between my old life and whatever lay in the future.”
George Critchlow is the first to admit he is not a mechanic. In high school, his friends used to tease him by making up fake car parts like “Johnson rods” just to see if he would nod along. Yet, after fourteen-thousand days of driving the exact same route to the law school where he taught, he knew he had to do something radical to shake himself awake.
He wrote Travels With Vamper because he wanted to capture the exact moment a human being transitions from who they were to who they are becoming. He set out to share the raw, unvarnished reality of a graybeard navigating a world that often feels like it belongs exclusively to the young.
This book is deeply infused with his decades spent as a trial lawyer, his memories of civil rights tension in Selma, a year spent teaching law in post-communist Transylvania, and the quiet wisdom of a Nez Perce elder he met on a riverbank decades ago. He wrote this story for the seekers, the thinkers, and anyone currently wrestling with what it means to live an authentic, meaningful life.
A Career Formed in the Courtroom and the Classroom
Before he ever turned the key in his vintage camper van, George spent nearly forty years fully immersed in the world of law and education. As a dedicated law professor and veteran trial lawyer, his days were structured around complex legal systems, analytical thinking, and high-stakes advocacy.
From guiding law students through the nuances of the justice system to managing intense courtroom battles, including a memorable high-stakes murder trial from his early career, George built a life centered on intellectual rigor and public service.
His legal journey also took him far beyond the American courtroom. He spent a year teaching law in post-communist Transylvania, a transformative experience that deepened his perspective on governance, human rights, and the fragile nature of social institutions. This global outlook, combined with his ground-level legal experience during pivotal moments of American history, heavily shapes the philosophical undercurrents of his writing.
The Catalyst for the Journey
When the time came to accept a career buyout, George found himself at a profound professional and personal crossroads. For a man accustomed to the intense daily rhythm of teaching and trial work, the sudden absence of a corporate calendar and a predictable schedule presented a terrifying void.
Refusing to let his mind rust or fall into the passive, comfortable patterns society often maps out for retirement, George chose a path of deliberate vulnerability. He recognized that to truly discover who he was outside of his professional title, he needed to completely strip away his familiar environment.
Buying “Vamper,” a quirky nineteen-foot 1999 Ford Coachmen camper van, was the ultimate manifestation of that choice. By stepping out of his comfort zone and hitting the open road alone, he transformed what could have been a quiet retirement into a fierce, imaginative chapter of reinvention.
Beyond the Written Word
Today, George brings that same sharp legal mind, dry wit, and profound vulnerability to audiences off the page. He is an experienced speaker and legal scholar who connects deeply with readers, travelers, and anyone navigating their own major life transitions.
When he isn’t writing or speaking, George remains a dedicated seeker, always eager to engage in meaningful conversations about legal history, the changing social landscape of America, and the enduring power of human connection.
Why He Packaged His Life Into a Vintage Camper Van
“I looked at retirement and I was afraid. I needed to put distance between my old life and whatever lay in the future.”
George Critchlow is the first to admit he is not a mechanic. In high school, his friends used to tease him by making up fake car parts like “Johnson rods” just to see if he would nod along. Yet, after fourteen-thousand days of driving the exact same route to the law school where he taught, he knew he had to do something radical to shake himself awake.
He wrote Travels With Vamper because he wanted to capture the exact moment a human being transitions from who they were to who they are becoming. He set out to share the raw, unvarnished reality of a graybeard navigating a world that often feels like it belongs exclusively to the young.
This book is deeply infused with his decades spent as a trial lawyer, his memories of civil rights tension in Selma, a year spent teaching law in post-communist Transylvania, and the quiet wisdom of a Nez Perce elder he met on a riverbank decades ago. He wrote this story for the seekers, the thinkers, and anyone currently wrestling with what it means to live an authentic, meaningful life.
A Career Formed in the Courtroom and the Classroom
Before he ever turned the key in his vintage camper van, George spent nearly forty years fully immersed in the world of law and education. As a dedicated law professor and veteran trial lawyer, his days were structured around complex legal systems, analytical thinking, and high-stakes advocacy.
From guiding law students through the nuances of the justice system to managing intense courtroom battles, including a memorable high-stakes murder trial from his early career, George built a life centered on intellectual rigor and public service.
His legal journey also took him far beyond the American courtroom. He spent a year teaching law in post-communist Transylvania, a transformative experience that deepened his perspective on governance, human rights, and the fragile nature of social institutions. This global outlook, combined with his ground-level legal experience during pivotal moments of American history, heavily shapes the philosophical undercurrents of his writing.
The Catalyst for the Journey
When the time came to accept a career buyout, George found himself at a profound professional and personal crossroads. For a man accustomed to the intense daily rhythm of teaching and trial work, the sudden absence of a corporate calendar and a predictable schedule presented a terrifying void.
Refusing to let his mind rust or fall into the passive, comfortable patterns society often maps out for retirement, George chose a path of deliberate vulnerability. He recognized that to truly discover who he was outside of his professional title, he needed to completely strip away his familiar environment.
Buying “Vamper,” a quirky nineteen-foot 1999 Ford Coachmen camper van, was the ultimate manifestation of that choice. By stepping out of his comfort zone and hitting the open road alone, he transformed what could have been a quiet retirement into a fierce, imaginative chapter of reinvention.
Beyond the Written Word
Today, George brings that same sharp legal mind, dry wit, and profound vulnerability to audiences off the page. He is an experienced speaker and legal scholar who connects deeply with readers, travelers, and anyone navigating their own major life transitions.
When he isn’t writing or speaking, George remains a dedicated seeker, always eager to engage in meaningful conversations about legal history, the changing social landscape of America, and the enduring power of human connection.
