PHOTOS: How this unconventional traveler views home in Sterling Heights

Why this traveling musichead keeps coming back home. As he puts it: “I mean, I’m willing to live in a van three days a week so that I can keep my life here.”

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Alex Delavan has gone great lengths (and distances) to keep his home in Sterling Heights, so much so that he keeps his second home parked in his driveway. He’s living his own version of the van life: camping in East Lansing during the work week, going on national tours with musicians as a working tour manager, promoting local music scenes back home. And for all of his adventures, he’s no less busy here at home.

Read Getting neighborly: Meet Sterling Heights’ resident musichead, living the van life for the story of his adventures. Here, Delavan shares with us some of the reasons that his Sterling Heights home keeps pulling him back.

"That's my house in the background. I think it's an apple blossom tree. It only blooms for one week every year and it looks absolutely gorgeous and spectacular, the brightest colors you'll ever see. But it really only lasts about three days. So there was a time when I was living in Ohio and it was going to peak while I was there. So I took some vacation days so I wouldn't miss that moment."
“That’s my house in the background. I think it’s an apple blossom tree. It only blooms for one week every year and it looks absolutely gorgeous and spectacular, the brightest colors you’ll ever see. But it really only lasts about three days. So there was a time when I was living in Ohio and it was going to peak while I was there. So I took some vacation days so I wouldn’t miss that moment.”
"This is RuPaul's Drag Race at Freedom Hill. I love Freedom Hill. It's just around the corner and they're pulling in great shows."
“This is RuPaul’s Drag Race at Freedom Hill. I love Freedom Hill. It’s just around the corner and they’re pulling in great shows.”
"I've been going to Roger's Roost lately, that's really nice. Sponge does this bar crawl-tour every year and plays there. I always do that."
“I’ve been going to Roger’s Roost lately, that’s really nice. Sponge does this bar crawl-tour every year and plays there. I always do that.”
"That's my girlfriend, Lauren. We were gardening."
“That’s my girlfriend, Lauren. We were gardening.”
"A volleyball game at Sterling Heights High School in 2022 or '23. Lauren was the varsity volleyball coach for a time."
“A volleyball game at Sterling Heights High School in 2022 or ’23. Lauren was the varsity volleyball coach for a time.”
"That's the band Johnny Respect. They reunited for my book release. This was from their practice at Community Christian Church in Sterling Heights. So they were practicing and getting back into the groove for a show at what used to be called The Underground in Lansing. We convinced the church there to let us use the basement for one more night."
“That’s the band Johnny Respect. They reunited for my book release. This was from their practice at Community Christian Church in Sterling Heights. So they were practicing and getting back into the groove for a show at what used to be called The Underground in Lansing. We convinced the church there to let us use the basement for one more night.”
"Moxie and me hanging out in the house. Behind me is Jimmy Eat World's Platinum Record Award that was given to the record studio. I've made a habit of collecting those and I'm hoping to catch all my favorite albums."
“Moxie and me hanging out in the house. Behind me is Jimmy Eat World’s Platinum Record Award that was given to the record studio. I’ve made a habit of collecting those and I’m hoping to catch all my favorite albums.”

 

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