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We just wrapped up our 2023/2024 winter season at our co-op lot in Benson, Arizona at SKP Saguaro. We became lifetime leaseholders at this Escapees park back in 2018, intending it to be our winter nomadic port.
Since we got our lot, Benson is now where our vintage bus Zephyr lives. Usually in the free storage area while our lot is in the rental pool. We then use our camper van to get across country from wherever we leave our boat on the east coast.
However, reality hasn’t lived up to our original intentions of spending most winters there.
Between a little pandemic and some active hurricane seasons, we’ve only managed to get back every other year.
Nevertheless, we always do love our time in Benson. Spending time in the beautiful desert, exploring southeast Arizona, spreading out and of course living back aboard Zephyr.
We’ve gotten a lot of questions about SKP Saguaro and our lease there. So before we headed back to Florida a few weeks ago, we filmed a little overview.
The video going over the amenities, why we became leaseholders, costs to stay as a guest, process to become a leaseholder and the ongoing costs.
Here’s the video we just released:
If you’d like this information in a written format, I’ll refer you back to our original post when we first got our lease. I’ve also upkeep the post over the years keep tracking of the ongoing costs from year to year (M&Os and assessments):
We Bought a House!! Our Long Term RVing Plans at SKP Saguaro Co-Op in Benson, AZ
I’ll be back over the coming weeks with a re-cap of our time in Benson this season (including a video on the things we did around the area) and our fun adventures back across to Florida.
For now, we just arrived back to Y-Not in Sanford, FL keeping just miles ahead of the arctic blast. We have been busily getting moved back to boat life.
Hope the start of 2024 is off to a great beginning for you too!
Source: SKP Saguaro Co-Op RV Park in Benson, AZ – Why We Became Leaseholders
If you will be doing any winter camping or winter RV living, proper insulation of your RV or camper is one of the most important factors to consider in order to not only keep your RV cozy inside but to protect your equipment against the harsh winter elements. There are several options available when it comes to insulating your RV against winter temperatures. Cost, ease of sourcing materials, bulky materials, and permanence of insulation are all common challenges that come along with insulating an RV for the winter. EZ Snap products are one solution to keeping the chill out that resolves many of these concerns.
First, look at some common insulation types and their benefits. Foam board insulation is perhaps the easiest material to source. You can find foam board insulation at most home improvement stores, often with several sizes and thicknesses to choose from. While installing foam board insulation is not a permanent installation, the materials are quite bulky and bring with it the challenge of what to do with the foam board at the end of the season when spring comes again and it’s time to remove the insulation.
Reflective insulation, while less bulky than foam board, is also a non-permanent solution. Reflective insulation can also be sourced at many home improvement stores and comes in rolls of various R-values. When removed in the spring, it again brings with it the challenge of what to do with the used insulation after it’s removed as it’s not simple to store for future re-use.
Spray foam insulation is a more permanently installed insulation that is applied to the underbelly of the RV to help insulate the pipe against the elements. It can be quite costly to insulate the underbelly fully with spray foam and is also difficult to remove in the future should the need arise.
RV skirting does not require a high R-value to be effective in insulating your RV. The temperature differential between the inside and outside air beneath the RV is minimal due to the use of electric heaters, and the R-value savings would be insignificant. Furthermore, to achieve significant energy savings, RV skirting would need to be much thicker than it typically is. Stopping air movement is far more critical than R-value when it comes to RV skirting; a barrier to airflow alone is sufficient for most situations. In extreme winter climates, using rigid Styrofoam insulation board in conjunction with RV skirting is the most effective way to add insulation. Lastly, thermostatically controlled space heaters with built-in fans are the best heat source to use under RV skirting, as they only use energy when needed.
Window Insulation: Reducing Heat Loss with EZ Snap Window Shades
EZ Snap window shades are a valuable layer to your insulation equation as they help retain heat inside of the RV by adding a layer of insulation over your windows, protecting against the elements. Installation is simple with EZ Snap’s patented no-drill installation system. You can mount the fasteners to either the side panel, if it’s smooth and flat, or to the glass itself, cut the non-fray solar shading mesh to the size of each window, and install. (“EZ Snap”)
Door Insulation: Proper Sealing and Weatherstripping
Choosing the right weatherstripping material is another important factor to take into consideration. While some materials provide more insulation against cold temperatures, others are better suited to holding up against snow and ice or sub-zero temperatures. Thinking about the conditions where you live will help you choose the best material for your weatherstripping needs. Once you have selected your weather-stripping material, you’ll need to measure around your door to determine how much weather-stripping you will need. Next, you will cut the weatherstripping to size and allow a little excess to ensure that it will have a tight fit once installed. You can always trim it down later, if necessary. Finally, install the weatherstripping around the door, trim any necessary pieces that overlap, and test the door to ensure a proper seal with your new weatherstripping. (“How To Weatherstrip A Door the Right Way and Seal Gaps”)
Floor Insulation: Essential for RV Comfort and Plumbing Protection
Insulating your RV’s floors is an important step not only to help keep the chill out of your RV’s interior but also to help protect your RV’s plumbing system. Both freshwater and sewer pipes for your RV travel below the floor of your RV, so keeping those insulated also ensures that your plumbing system remains in tip-top shape throughout the cold winter months. To insulate your floors you could choose fiberglass, foam board, or spray foam insulation options. Each comes with varying costs, ease of installation, and the degree to which it provides insulation protection against the elements. While fiberglass insulation is the cheapest option, it’s the least suited for snow and wet weather which will require something like corrugated plastic to cover the fiberglass when you install it. Foamboard provides higher levels of installation but is the bulkiest and most costly of the three options. Spray foam insulation is more moderately priced but provides lesser protection against cold weather than foam board and is a more permanent solution. Choosing the best floor insulation for your needs is important and properly installing it will ensure the maximum protection for your RV. (“RV Insulation 101”)
Enhancing Wall Insulation and Protecting RV Plumbing with Skirting
RVs come from the factory with varying levels of insulation. One option to increase the R-value of your RV’s wall insulation is to use spray foam insulation to supplement your RV’s existing insulation. Skirting your RV using a product like EZ Snap RV Skirting Kits provides a simple, easy-to-install solution that adds insulation to parts of your RV’s walls while also offering extra insulation to the underbelly and safeguarding vital plumbing lines. EZ Snap’s diamond-weave material is designed for extreme weather down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit and is lightweight, easy to cut to size, and resistant to mold and mildew—crucial factors considering it will be wrapped around your RV for several months each year.
Roof Insulation: Minimizing Heat Loss and Ensuring Warmth
Ceiling insulation might not be the first area of insulation that you consider when thinking about protecting your RV from cold temperatures, but since warm air rises, it’s where heat can easily be lost if not well-insulated. While keeping your roof cleared of snow and ice as much as possible is important, so is insulating your roof. One aspect to consider is any skylights or vents. These can be fitted with foam insulation pillows to reduce heat loss through the thin plastic windows which do not come insulated from the factory.
Efficient Heating Systems
Keeping your RV’s propane or electric furnace in top condition is the first step to ensuring an efficient heating system. Making sure that all of your ductwork is clean, and vents clear to allow for maximum airflow to all areas of your RV will also help to keep your RV cozy inside. Some RVs come equipped with an electric fireplace heater or these can be added aftermarket to up the heat output in your RV. If your RV is larger or if you find that you need additional help heating your RV, ceramic space heaters used for short periods of time during the day can help raise the inside air temperature of your RV, keeping you warm and cozy inside. Never leave these unattended or running overnight.
Ventilation and Humidity Control
Proper ventilation is always important, but especially in the winter when you are sealing around your RV to insulate and keep the heat in and the cold out. Making sure that your RV’s propane is properly venting to the outside and not back into the RV is a critical safety consideration. Humidity is also a common battle during the winter months as condensation tends to settle on the walls, windows, and ceiling of the RV if left unchecked. Running a dehumidifier inside the RV throughout the winter will help to pull the humidity out of the air, preventing mold and mildew. These can quickly destroy your investment in your RV, so don’t skip on managing humidity, particularly if you are in a humid climate.
Evaluating your RV’s insulation needs and ensuring its proper insulation using the right products and equipment will ensure a cozy winter RV experience for you. Protecting your equipment by insulating your RV efficiently and properly will also extend the life of your RV, ensuring your enjoyment of your RV for years to come.
Sources
1. EZ Snap. EZSnapDirect.com. Accessed 4 May 2023.
2. “How To Weatherstrip A Door the Right Way And Seal Gaps.” Constellation,
https://blog.constellation.com/2022/11/17/how-to-weatherstrip-a-door-correctly. 17 November 2022.
3. “RV Insulation 101: A Complete Guide to Temperature Control.” Lock-It, https://www.latchit.org/post/rv-insulation-guide. 8 December 2021.
Recreational Vehicles, also called RVs, offer a leisurely, convenient, and comfortable method of travel. But like any motor vehicle, they also require regular maintenance to operate safely and to avoid costly and unforeseen pit-stops. By performing the simple and routine maintenance checks in this article, you will ensure that you and your family have a smooth, fun, and exciting journey to your destination! After all, road trips are a staple to domestic travel in the US and should be time spent seeing the natural beauty of the country while relaxing with friends and family. By the end of this article, you will be ready to take on your next big road trip with peace of mind behind the wheel as we will discuss comprehensive RV checklists and some recommendations on must-have equipment, such as RV skirts and other innovative products by companies such as EZ Snap.
When planning an RV trip, one of the most important things that must be done is a proper and thorough maintenance check. This is a comprehensive check of all your RV’s major and critical systems, like tires and electrical systems, which ensures that you have a functioning vehicle that will provide a smooth and safe journey. Neglecting pre-trip checklists and maintenance oftentimes leads to unexpected and costly repairs that offer nothing but stress and anxiety during your travels. In this section, we will be going over the most important components of a pre-trip maintenance checklist and what to do in the event something unexpected comes up, or you run into issues during your pre-trip inspection.
If you do happen to find an issue during your pre-trip inspection, it is very important to have the issue fixed before departure, which is also why it is important to do this checklist at least a week in advance, and once again the day before you leave. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time for last-minute discoveries that will put anyone’s safety in harm’s way.
Depending on the severity of the issue, you may have to bring your RV into a shop to see a professional to get you back on the road safely. It is very important to not attempt any repairs on your RV that you are not comfortable with or lack the experience to complete properly, such as a brake job. Consider purchasing roadside assistance insurance that includes a rental car and hotel in the policy before your trip as well.
The engine and transmission are arguably the most important parts of your RV because, without them, it’s just a big hard-sided tent that you can’t move! The engine and transmission are what deliver the power and directional torque to move your RV, and need special attention and maintenance to work properly, especially as more miles are put on your RV. Once again, any neglect in maintaining the engine and transmission of your RV has a high likelihood of leading to costly and unexpected repairs on the road, so be sure to pay close attention before it’s too late.
Very similar to engine maintenance, transmission maintenance largely involves changing lubricating fluids and filters at regular, manufacturer-recommended intervals.
Exterior RV maintenance is more important than most people think before RV ownership. RV’s are typically built to have a greater focus on being lightweight than ultra-durable, and that requires a little more TLC than your normal motor vehicle. Being constantly exposed to the elements, road debris, salt in the winter, etc., they are prone to leaks, rust, and potentially rot (depending on where they are kept). Use the following checklist to ensure the longevity of your RV’s exterior.
For a high-quality line of products designed to protect your RV and improve your overall quality of time while traveling, consider checking out EZ SNAP. EZ SNAP specializes in exterior RV products such as RV skirting, RV insulation, and RV sun protection. EZ SNAP is most famous for its RV skirting, which is used as a barrier around the bottom of your RV to prevent wind, rain, snow, and dust from entering the underside of your RV while parked and camping.
Not only does EZ SNAP skirting help prevent unnecessary damage to the undercarriage of your RV, but it also provides the best layer of insulation that you can get for your RV. If you have ever camped or slept in a hammock without any insulation under your body, you know what we’re talking about. The wind that blows under the RV is a huge heat drain and will reduce the overall interior temperature of your RV by several degrees, at best, skirting eliminates this.
Maintaining the interior of your RV can be as important as maintaining the exterior of your RV due to safety and health implications. Maintaining the interior of your RV is what ensures you have the comfort and safety of home while on the road, and the following checklist will help achieve that goal.
Properly storing an RV is a very important part of RV ownership to mitigate damage from the environment, pests, and other factors that can cause wear and tear to your vehicle while it sits waiting for the next trip.
Some essential tips for storing your RV are:
As we have been discussing at length in this article, preparedness while traveling in your RV is critical to avoid costly accidents, and to ensure a smooth, safe, and fun trip for everyone. Some emergency supplies that should be kept in every RV include but are not limited to
Even with all the planning in the world, accidents and emergencies can still happen. It is best to stay calm and know exactly what it is that you need to do in any given situation, and the only way to ensure that is through training and practice. In the event of an emergency on the road in your RV, be sure to
Owning an RV is no simple task, and it comes with a lot of upkeep, maintenance, and preparation. However, if you follow the tips in this article and the following list of additional tips and tricks, you will be off to a fantastic start to a relaxing and rewarding travel experience.
Q. What is the best way to maintain an RV’s exterior?
A. The best and easiest way to maintain your RV’s exterior is by cleaning it after every trip and storing it under an RV cover.
Q. How often should I perform an RV pre-trip inspection?
A. RV pre-trip inspections should be completed a few times before leaving on a trip. For example, check all the major systems that would require a trip to the shop at least 4-6 weeks before you leave. Other pre-check items can be done during the week of departure, such as checking tire pressure and your smoke and CO alarms.
Q. What supplies should I keep in my RV for emergencies?
A. As discussed earlier, you will want to keep extra food and water, blankets, flashlights, batteries, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and an emergency plan that is shared with the group.
Q. How do I find a reliable RV maintenance professional in my area?
A. The easiest way is a simple web search for local RV dealers or shops. Also, ask any friends you have in the area who own an RV and read reviews online.
Everyone works towards retirement; however, few actually plan for it.
Many plan financially for a time when daily work obligations end, but how many consider what to do with all of the time? “I’ll play golf,” “I’ll spend time with the grandchildren,” ” I’ll work in the garden,” does this sound familiar?
As longevity increases, thanks to modern medical advances, retirement is also extended. Retirees have spent most of their adult life paying for a house and may still have a mortgage or ongoing rental costs. Do you want to spend your “golden years” in a “golden cage”?
There is another option that is exciting and stimulating. Haven’t you always wanted to see the Grand Canyon?
Image Credit: Henry Leirvoll / flickr
A Recreational Vehicle (RV) is the answer. The term “recreational vehicle” can describe a fifth wheel (living space pulled behind a vehicle), a motorhome (living space with locomotion), a camper, or an all-inclusive “travel trailer.” It can also be a converted van for minimalists.
What an RV really is, however, is freedom. The freedom to explore and enjoy retirement.
Most seniors don’t realize that many discounts are available to minimize adventure costs. The federal government, individual states, cities, and private enterprises offer reduced prices for many places to camp, national and local parks, historical sights, museums, amusement venues, restaurants, and more for those of a certain age.
Before everyone owned a handheld computer (cell), it was difficult to access these benefits. Now, however, it is all at the explorer’s fingertips. So now is the time to unlock the best RV deals for seniors and discover park passes and other discounts for the ultimate road trip experience.
Image Credit: USGS
No one would argue that aging comes with some negative consequences. Consider the alternative. Many studies show that seniors who keep their minds and bodies active live longer and live happier. Exploring the wonders of America can do both.
The federal government encourages seniors to engage positively by offering an America Beautiful-the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, commonly called “The Senior Pass.” The pass provides free access and significant discounts at National Parks and other federal recreation areas. However, the passes are not free.
A lifetime Senior Pass costs $80. The government made it easier by extending yearly passes for $20. When a senior purchases four yearly passes, it automatically converts to a lifetime benefit. But be aware there are 16 free National Parks. However, there may be other costs, camping or parking fees, for example.
Passes can be purchased at any federal recreation site for a legal resident 62 years or older. They can also be purchased online at https://store.usgs.gov. In addition to the entrance, the pass provides discounts on some camping sites, swimming, and boat launches. Check the website of the park to find specifics.
City park passes for seniors are available in most communities. Each state has its own guidelines. For example, the senior pass in California allows a yearly $1 discount for day vehicle use and a $2 discount for family camping. Over time, these discounts add up. Again, check the city’s website to find the specifics. In general, the passes can be purchased at the park or online.
Image by Kim Heimbuch from Pixabay
Are you or a traveling companion on active duty, retired military, veteran, or a Gold Star Family member? The federal government offers a free lifetime Military Pass to thank you for your service. The Interagency Military Pass provides free admission and basic facility fees at the following agency areas:
The free Military Pass does not cover camping fees, tours, or reservation fees. In addition, it will not help with concessions or group fees. Receive your free pass online at https://store.usgs.gov and select “MilitaryPass.”
Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay
One of the benefits of the RV lifestyle is the community. Multiple online sites and blogs specifically address senior discounts for the RV and other expenses along the way. One way to save money is by an RV Club. RV clubs make a financial deal with campgrounds for a discount. You save money, typically 25% per night, and the campground gets more business. Check out the Good Sam Club.
Save a buck on food, gas, and supplies. Keep a record of restaurants that offer senior discounts. If you have a Costco card, the gas prices are lower. Fill up there. You can also buy a gas discount card online, offered by several companies. AARP card? More discounts. As you start your voyage, talk to other RVers, find out how they save money with senior discounts and spend time searching online.
A good idea is to rent an RV for a trial run. You may find it isn’t for you before laying out a lot of money. Several companies offer senior discounts. Don’t jump at the first RV rental place; compare and ask each if they provide a “maturity” discount.
One way to approach a trip is to select a place you want to see. Then, research what else is of interest along the way. For example, on your way to the Grand Canyon, stop in Cawker City, Kansas, to see the world’s largest ball of twine.
–Nature– The diverse national parks and natural wonders of America span all 50 states (Hawaii may be hard to reach) and change with the seasons. There are unlimited places and things to experience.
-Coastal Adventures- Do you like the beach? Start in Maine in the spring and end up in Florida for the winter driving along the coast. Next year. Start in Port Townsend, Washington, and get to Mexico for warmer weather.
-History- If you are a history buff, map a trip that hits all the civil war battlegrounds or head to the Alamo.
-Big Cities- Start in the largest city closest to you and pick a direction. Visiting and comparing foods, lifestyles, and local activities will introduce you to many new experiences.
Don’t just show up, Do your due diligence. Research campground locations (did you know Walmart allows RVs overnight in their parking lot?). Find safe areas ahead of time and read what other RVers had to say about a destination. Being prepared is a safety measure.
Image by Siggy Nowak from Pixabay
Now you have committed to the vagabond lifestyle, get started. The first order of business is selecting an RV that meets your needs. The first and most important consideration is choosing a rig (slang for RV) that you can handle. It doesn’t matter what else the RV offers; if you can’t drive and park it, it doesn’t matter.
There are three categories of RVs:
One thing you must accept is that less is more. While some things can be stored, it becomes a matter of priority. Bring your favorite coffee maker and pictures of the grandchildren. Leave unnecessary knick-knacks, wall art, superfluous dishware, and anything else you will not need and can do without. Remember that more items in a small space equals clutter.
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
Another concern for traveling seniors concerns well-being. Bring as much as possible if you are on medications, and consider having refills available through a national brand pharmacy for easy refills. As you plan your escapades, always research hospitals or clinics along the route in case of emergency.
If you have any physical limitations, find ways to accommodate potential difficulties. For example, if you have a class C rig and arthritis of the knees, climbing up to reach the sleeping area can be a problem. Buy a collapsible stool. Consider where your RV hooks up to water and electricity. Are you able to reach and strong enough to make secure couplings? You may need a large wrench and a flat roller, such as car mechanics use.
Additionally, it is important to consider the use of RV skirting for both winter and summer to protect your RV from harsh weather conditions and reduce energy costs. Make sure that your skirting is properly fitted to the contours of your RV to prevent air infiltration.
When on the road for extended periods, someone must know your itinerary. Call, text, or email that person on a routine basis. If anything untold should happen and you don’t make the expected contact, your contact can notify officials and have a good idea of where to find you.
Image by Alisa Dyson from Pixabay
Exploring the country is good for your health and well-being. There are different-sized RVs to fit all needs. With a little time planning and research, you can save a lot of money. It is exciting and gives you direction and purpose after a lifetime of working. You stay mentally stimulated and see and learn new things.
Or, you could sit in front of the TV with a beer and watch I Love Lucy reruns day after day. Get up and get moving; live life; it’s not over until it’s over. Most people today will spend 10 to 30 years as retired seniors. So, get busy and start logging the discounts that are due to you as a senior. And get on the road.
Ever since we got our eBikes, we have made it a mission to seek out great biking trails.
But not just any biking trail, we really love trails that are easily accessible – right from where we are staying in our van, bus or boat.
We do still frequently seek out cool trails and trailheads to break up a longer driving day.
But we really love being able to park at our campsite and explore on two wheels what is right around us.
Particularly since much of our RV travels in recent years have been in our van, our only source of transportation once we’re at camp is on foot or by bike. Switching the van back to driving mode is a bit of a hassle and is something we prefer not to do once we are level and settled.
But campgrounds with great biking are often a bit of a challenge to find.
How do we do it?
Today’s post and video shares our secrets, and some of our favorite finds so far.
We are particularly keen to find places with great paved or gravel bike trails, or “green” (beginner level) mountain bike trails that are more scenic than technical – and which are enjoyable to ride on our folding bikes without risking damaging our bikes or ourselves.
We really really love Rails-to-Trails routes – they tend to be mostly flat, and are often well separated from car traffic.
We also seek trails that are long enough to really get a good ride on – generally 10-50 miles in length. Ideally with some cool things to explore along the way too – whether access to a nifty downtown area, a swimming hole, a great lunch spot, or (of course!) ice cream!
Short small town bike trails that are often only five miles long (or less!) are not nearly long enough to get a good workout in.
Timber Creek campground in Michigan.We’re also not as interested in bike routes that are just bike lanes on the side of a busy road, or that are separated from traffic but are really just glorified sidewalks along roadways.
We vastly prefer dedicated trails that are well away from traffic.
We also prefer bike trails that aren’t overly multi-use – whether shared with lots of pedestrians or primarily for equestrian use. While sharing the trails is a great concept, navigating around lots of people on foot can become tedious – and horses often leave trails way too torn up for fun riding.
And when it comes to finding bike trails near a campground or RV Park – we’re looking for trails that easy to get to. No driving, or long rides on open roadways involved!
Yeah, we’re not picky or anything.
And don’t even get us started on our campground preferences (privacy, scenic, great connectivity, etc.)
So it doesn’t come as any surprise that there’s not an easy way to find these gems of locations. At least, not that we’ve found.
Finding campground with great biking is a pretty manual process of combining multiple search methods to find that perfect intersection of ideal trail and great campground.
The tools we use include:
Google Maps – We turn on the ‘Bike Route’ feature to show us trails in areas we are considering heading to next. Scrolling around, we hunt for long and interesting looking trails – and then we’ll make note of any campgrounds or RV parks that might be nearby.
Even using all of these tools – sometimes we end up making a leap of faith, trusting that we’ll be able to find a way from a promising campground to a cool trail without needing to ride through heavy traffic or along high-speed roads first.
Here are some recent favorite campground with great biking we have discovered – in roughly reverse chronological order.
Alafia State Park – Florida
Traverse City, MI
St. Johnsville, NY – Erie Canal Biking
South Marcum ACOE – Rend Lake, MO
Iron Mountain Trail, Red Top Mountain SP – Acworth, GA
Alafia State Park
Fries New River RV Park – Fries, VA
Timber Creek Campground – Branch, MI
High Pines RV Park – Lane, PA
C&O Canal – Brunswick, MD
Liberty Harbor RV – Jersey City, NJ
And then there’s Sanford, FL – which has been our home base since the start of the pandemic.
Besides all the awesome local dining, drinking and entertainment – an amazing bike trail around Lake Monroe keeps us coming back.
Biking to Gemini Springs with Marc & Julie of RVLove
Friends Sabine & Eckhart
Lake Monroe Trail
Gemini Springs Trail
Moonrise over Lake Monroe
If you want to explore around Sanford by bike, here’s some places to stay along the bike trail we love so much:
So these are some of our favorites – what are yours?
We are always looking to find awesome new trails to explore – so share your favorites with us here!
Source: Finding Campgrounds & RV Camping with Nearby Biking Trails
Can you believe that in our 16 years of full timing we have never RV’d in Canada?
Yeah. We can’t either.
We have however visited Canada many times by cruise ship, train and car.
So this summer, we decided it was well past time we finally crossed over with an RV as well for a proper extended visit.
After days of preps making sure we had whittled down our reserves to meet the alcohol and food allowances for legal entry, we used the ArriveCAN app to upload our vaccination cards and all other needed details – and we got in line in Buffalo at the Peace Bridge to cross the border.
It was time to explore Ontario!
Here is the video version of this journey:
After crossing the border (see our tips for a smooth crossing later in this post) we drove by Niagara Falls to see them from the Canadian side (awe-inspiring). And then we stopped for a quick lunch at – Tim Hortons (which seems to be a Canadian thing to do?).
Next, we were seeing countless road signs for wineries – so we had to stop. We randomly picked Foreign Affair (seemed appropriate) for a tasting visit, and bought a couple delicious reds.
And then, since we are doing new things anyway – we had booked our first ever Boondockers Welcome stay. We had been gifted a membership years ago by the original owners, but up until now had just never felt the need or call. We generally have more driveway surf invites than we can accept, and we were always unsure about the social expectations.
But since Boondocks Welcome is now integrated with Harvest Hosts, finding options to consider is much easier than ever before. One map shows all your options, and there is easy online booking at many locations. We found a Boondocks Welcome driveway that allows 2-night stays near Lake Ontario on a farm, with a note that owners are rarely around. Sounds like a perfect first experience for us.
It was a delightful stay, and we did get to meet the sweet owners. And we thoroughly enjoyed the tranquility of bike along the vineyards, and walks on the lakeshore.
It was a perfect stop to catch up before heading off to our next adventure .. which we knew was going to be abundant in activity, eh?
Next stop on our Ontario tour was some suburban moochdocking in Newmarket – just north of Toronto.
Visiting our dear friends Margot & Michael was a major impetus for crossing the border. In the winter, they usually RV in Arizona – where we have met up many times before.
Margot is Canadian, and was back to renovate one of her rental properties. Which is her primary income source to fund her travels.
We were so thrilled they could take a few days to play tourist with us. Newmarket has an amazing bike trail system with access to a darling downtown. We also took a drive to Barrie to check out Kempenfest – a holiday weekend art festival along Lake Simcoe.
We also were able to meetup with Keith, the North American General Manager for Peplink (a popular cellular router we cover over at MIRC) for an amazing sushi lunch.
While we had intentions to catch a train to spend a day in Toronto too – we just never found the time.
Thanks for a lovely visit and tempting us north of the border! We had so much fun!
Since we recently had our first nude RV park experience, and Bare Oaks (caution, page has lots of naked people) was right near Newmarket, we decided we had to check it out as a quick next stop.
This resort was a bit different than Avalon in West Virginia – most notably in that’s it’s strongly a naturist resort, where being nude (and not just clothing optional) is expected except for protection from the elements. It’s also very family focused too.
It was a very lovely facility with an amazing swimming pond, pool and hot tub.
The transient RV spots however left a lot to be desired. The sites are packed close together, and when we arrived our chain smoking neighbors were hosting a large social gathering spilling right into our designated spot, and they made us feel like we were intruding on their party (which went all day and until well after midnight) by parking in the site we were assigned.
Since we were there for only an evening, we made the best of it – and instead of hanging out in the campground, we focused on swimming and exploring the beautifully landscaped grounds.
Next up – we tried our first Ontario Provincial Park. Mara Provincial Park (our review) was not far away – on the north side of Lake Simcoe, outside Orilla.
It was a lovely stay to decompress after several days of social with friends, and we really scored by grabbing a site with lots open spots around it. So our section was pretty quiet compared to the rest of the campground.
It turns out we had booked the only site for ‘Under 25 Foot’ trailers amongst a whole bunch of sites for under 18’ (we are 21’) – which weren’t in demand. Ontario categorizes sites assuming a trailer plus tow vehicle – and it turns out our van can actually fit just fine in most of the smaller RV sites. Realizing this opened up a whole bunch more availability as we plotted our stops ahead!
All and all – we really like the Ontario provincial park system. Their online booking is top notch (we noticed Michigan uses the same software), offering tons of info on each site (giving photos and information on privacy, quality, dimensions and slope). And all the staff we encountered has been super friendly and helpful.
For our next stop on our Canadian tour, we were able to grab a spot for a night at Awenda Provincial (our review) This campground is gorgeous – with huge private sites, and lots of them!
From the campground it’s about a 3mi / 5km hike/bike to get to the swim beaches along the Georgian Bay – but so worth it for an amazing refreshing dip in the lake.
We wish we could have gotten a couple nights here – but cellular signal was pretty poor. And there were way too many trees for Starlink. So we played cards instead.
This stop also coincided with my birthday. We picked up some grilled gluten free burritos (yes, that’s a thing in Ontario that definitely needs to be everywhere) and a gluten free cake at the grocery store on the way.
It was a lovely way to celebrate my 49th year around the sun.
Finding spots over summer weekends can be a challenge most anywhere that it’s not blasted hot. So we were thrilled when we could snag a site at Harrison Park (our review) – the city campground for Owen Sound, Ontario.
The campground was bustling with activity and full of families out enjoying the camping lifestyle, and the sites were a bit packed in.
But overall – a pleasant experience with easy online booking.
The park is great, we had a nice spot along a creek, and there are many hiking trails (to a waterfall!) and an easy bike ride to the cute downtown and the shoreline of the sound.
As we make our way up the Bruce Peninsula – we spotted an intriguing Harvest Hosts in Wairton, Ontario. Rural Rootz Nature Reserve.
Run by former RVers Tom and Dee – this place is, quite simply, magical.
Tom got us parked in an amazing secluded spot (with 30A power – which we didn’t need) and then introduced us to the preserve’s many dragons and the labyrinth walk.
And then there are more ambitious hiking trails. And let me tell you – if this man hands you a hiking stick, take it! There were no easy trails, but we loved it. They were some of the most intensely beautiful hiking trails we have ever explored!
We ended the day shopping Dee’s art store and selected a butterfly piece perfect for the foot of the bed in the van (or it may end up at our lot in AZ one day). She then proceeded to tell us the story – it was made to inspire hope after 9/11. This piece has been there over 20 yrs waiting for us.
I wish we had snapped a pic with these two amazing human beings.
This was one of our most memorable Harvest Hosts stays.
From Rural Rootz, we left just after dawn to catch our 8am pre-booked parking time at one of the main attractions on the Bruce Peninsula, and part of the Bruce Peninsula National Park.
The Grotto. Everyone said we must go. It is such a popular spot that parking needs to be reserved far in advance. Forget about getting a last minute campsite.
While the hike to the Grotto was very lovely (about 3-4km round trip) – the grotto itself?
Hmm. It’s just a semi-submerged cave, in a cliff.
It’s pretty, especially for a fresh water lake. But not nearly as impressive as the hype, logistics and crowds would seem to indicate. Maybe we are jaded having traveled extensively along the Pacific and Maine coastlines, where sites like this are to be found at pretty much at every scenic overlook?
We spent the rest of the dreary rainy afternoon checking out Tobermory – which is pretty much like most any other coastal tourist town with ice cream & trinket shops (not our thing), scarce parking, and way too many people.
The highlight however was finding gluten free vegetarian poutine at a food truck .. and oh my goodness, it was yummy!
Overall, wish we had spent more time exploring less touristy parts of the Peninsula, taking the scenic routes and checking out some of the other small towns.
We were happy when it was time to board the Chi-Cheemaun Ferry across the Georgian Bay to the Manitoulin Islands. The scenic ferry ride was a lovely 2–ish hour trip that made us miss Y-Not. We can not wait to get her up here to cruise these waters (next summer?).
Unfortunately – as best we can tell, during the ferry crossing is where we picked up our stow-away. Our very mild case of COVID presented just 3 days after. Boarding the ferry was the one time we were around lots of people, even though we kept masked indoors and primarily rode on deck outside.
After crossing the bay, we had selected Providence Bay Tent & Trailer park (our review) for a two night stop – as there are slim pickings for RV parks in the Manitoulin Islands.
The park and tiny town was at a lovely location right along the shores of the island, looking out across Lake Huron. There’s a long boardwalk along the sandy beach to an ice cream shop (Huron Island Time) that serves some amazing Jamaican food.
If it wasn’t for the locally made Haw Pop soda made from native hawberries – you might swear you were in the tropics. Well, until you dip your toes in the refreshing water.
The park itself is lovely, especially the seasonal sites – nicely spread out and wooded.
We however selected a spot in the overflow lot which has a wide open sky. The cellular signal here was sort of scarce, so we were able to rely on our Starlink satellite system to get us online to host a pre-scheduled webinar.
After our 2-night stay we headed north towards Little Current on the northern tip of the island to cross the single lane swing bridge back to the mainland. But not before stopping along the shores of Mindemoya Lake to see Treasure Island.
Why, you might ask?
Chris had discovered this is the world’s largest island inside a lake on an island that is inside a lake.
Yeah, try to wrap your brain around that!
Our next stop, after finding amazing Indian food in the middle of nowhere, was Chutes Provincial (our review) – named for the logging chutes constructed to move timber around obstacles like this waterfall.
The park had huge beautiful campsites, and a lovely hike along the river and rapids that felt pretty darn strenuous – which should be been my first clue we were coming down with mild COVID symptoms. We pushed through and even filmed a total of 5 mobile internet videos that day.
The next morning both our throats were itchy – which we attributed to campfire smoke and talking so much on camera.
We enjoyed our stay here – another absolutely lovely provincial park with huge private feeling sites. We’re gonna get spoiled.
Chris planned a stop at the Bruce Mines Campground (our review) – a small city park along the Trans-Canada highway. It was one of the few places to stop near the lake between Chutes and Salt Ste Marie – so we scheduled a quick overnight to break up what would have otherwise been an overly long driving day.
The campground was ok, but had a very weird check-in process that required walking quite a ways from the campground to the city marina to actually pay for our site.
And there was not much to do in Bruce Mines. We got in a bike ride out to the Kissing Rock and an old lighthouse.
I did feel the call towards a nap that afternoon, which I can now chalk up to COVID coming on.
Our final stop in Ontario was along Lake Superior at Pancake Bay Provincial (our review). We just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to enjoy this huge gorgeous lake.
It was so crystal clear, and the long sandy beach could have passed for a tropical shoreline.
We hiked, biked and swam here and really enjoyed the stay.
With our lingering scratchy throats and mild fatigue, we decided to test and we both came up positive for COVID. Staying isolated is pretty much how we have operated for most of the past couple years, so really – not much to adapt to, just thankful for very very mild symptoms.
We were able to keep pretty isolated on the trails (wearing masks where appropriate) and still get out exploring, being active and enjoying the area. We just took a slower pace and used more electric on the bikes to allow our bodies to fight it off.
This stop marked the end of our stay in Canada, and thus crossing back into the US at Sault St. Marie nicely coincided with what we were sure was at least Day 5 after our symptoms started, which met the CDC guidelines to be back in public with masks. And we already had a longer stay booked in Michigan where we could be hunkered down until we were back to testing negative.
And that ends 3 wonderful weeks of exploring Ontario! We can’t wait to go back!
When we shared about our Canada trip on Facebook, we got a lot of questions about the logistics, so here are some quick tips.
We did a lot of research in advance of our crossing to make sure we were prepared.
As of this summer. being COVID-vaccinated is required (which makes it all the more ironic that it was Canada where we caught it). We had to upload our vaccination cards (along with passport and general travel info) to their ArriveCAN app up to 3 days in advance of our crossing, and pre-select our border location and time.
We checked Canada’s website a couple weeks before crossing so we could see what the current regulations are, and make sure we consumed everything on board not allowed. Their regulations are far more permissive than we thought they would be, so it turned out we really only need to use up the last of our eggs for which we didn’t have their original container.
We also found our friends Marc & Julies blog post on Tips for a Smooth Canada RV Crossing, which was helpful in making sure we were prepared for the questions we might be asked.
When we nervously got in line at the border, ironically, we got in line behind another Travato GL – and our border agent was quite amused to see twins crossing one after the other, especially when we told him we were not traveling with the folks in front of us.
Our crossing was super easy – we were asked the typical ‘where are you from’ and ‘where are you staying’ questions. But the agent didn’t even wait for our well rehearsed answers.
Instead – he had dozens of question about the Travato. When did they first start getting made? What year was ours? Do we like it? Does it have a full bath? How long does the battery last? He stuck his head in the door and said hi to Kiki (he didn’t even ask to see her rabies vaccination, which is the only form required for bringing pets in).
Turns out, or so he said – he’s shopping for a van – and he was really intrigued by the Travato design.
He gave us our passports back and wished us a lovely trip after noting we should check one of our rear tires as it looked a little low (it wasn’t).
When we shared our easy crossing into Canada, several others confirmed theirs had gone just as smoothly too. But we had several people share horror stories about getting back into the US – deep inspections, grilling questions, and threats of fines for bringing across produce.
So we again were diligent leading up to our return crossing, making sure we used up all of our produce – fresh and frozen. We also had purchased a good amount of Canadian wines and beers at the LCBOs (which is a super fun shopping experience), but knew we could only bring two bottles back.
Our biggest concern was the alcohol as we had purchased just enough to enjoy before our crossing – but of course with COVID, we really shouldn’t drink. But, we did a bit anyway to get us down to the limits.
Our crossing at Sault Ste. Marie couldn’t have been more easy. No line, and our agent was super friendly. He asked where we are from (Florida) and what brought us to Canada (visiting friends and vacation for my birthday). He asked how he could get a job that would allow him to take multi-week vacations, and that was it.
Oh, before he handed our passports back, he did ask ‘Oh, do you have any produce to declare?’. ‘No sir, we ate it all’.
And with that, we were back in the USA.
Mobile internet is of course our day job, and we’ve tracked for years options for Canada, Mexico, Bahamas and beyond. But it’s always fun to put our own tips into practice.
Before we left, we went through all of our plans (we have a lot, since we test this stuff) and moved all SIM cards that didn’t have international roaming into storage. We verified if we needed to enable any international settings on our plans and devices.
The plans we used:
All and all, we kept well connected – mostly from our AT&T plan roaming on the Canadian carriers. For $40/mo (still $20 for consumers), that plan is a gem!
We hardly used Starlink – as many of our campsites were deep in forests and we did a lot of dry camping without power hook-ups (and it’s a power hog). Like most of this van trip this summer, Dishy has mostly been excess cargo. But, the few times we need it and it works reliably enough – it’s worth it.
While in Canada, we did film an International Connectivity Tips video and it’s now available over at MIRC in our International Resources page with much more in-depth content.
Before we crossed the border, we also checked the international fees for all of our credit cards. We put aside those that have fees and prioritized those that don’t in our Apple wallet.
We had three cards that don’t have international fees – Amazon Chase, Capital One and Citibank Costco. Which made the trip super easy, especially with the US dollar still being strong – most things were 20-25% off of the sticker price for us.
Most everywhere we went easily took Apple Pay right from a tap of our watches. We only encountered one place that didn’t take credit cards, and they were happy to convert to American dollars for us and accept that.
So we ended up not getting Canadian cash, except we did end up with a looney and toned given to us as souvenirs by a friend – which came in handy for a downtown parking meter. If we were over more than a few weeks, we probably would have picked up some cash too.
Fuel is a touch more expensive – just keep in mind it’s priced in liters, not gallons. Before we crossed the border, it was costing us about $76-86 to fill the tank. Our fills in Canada (in US dollars) were about $85-96. Of course, gas prices were falling during our time there – so it’s not a direct comparison.
We crossed back into the US on August 15th, and tested negative for COVID a few days later. We enjoyed some time wandering around new to us locations in Michigan (we skipped the UP, since we’ve done it multiple times).
We’re now actually in St. Louis for a couple weeks visiting with family.
After we wrap up our time here, we’ve decided to head back to Sanford to Y-Not by end of the month.
While we’re definitely bummed to miss seeing Zephyr and our lot in Benson, Arizona this year – it was going to be a lot of driving for just a few weeks in October there. We had already decided we wanted to be back in Florida for the holidays. So the miles and time just started to feel like a chore without much of a purpose. And that’s just not the point.
Besides.. we need to get Y-Not ready for some extended cruising starting next spring. We are setting intentions to set off on the Great Loop, for real, and likely be back up in Canada by boat next summer.
We have a lot of boat projects to attend to before that can happen, so more time to spread those out is better for our sanity.
Source: Our First RV Trip to Canada – Exploring Southern Ontario, Border Crossing, Internet & Money
Have you ever stayed at a nudist RV park?
We recently decided it was time for us to experience one for the first time in our travels.
While neither us would identify as a naturist – we actually enjoy wearing clothing too – we have always been comfortable being in clothing optional situations. And it’s never been a secret that we’re frequently au natural when at home (thus our long standing warning – don’t just stop by unannounced, we might not have clothes on!).
In the past – we’ve been to Burning Man style events & festivals where nudity is just another costume choice, to hot springs where soaking nude is expected or required, and we’ve even been to nude beaches.
We’ve enjoyed them all – without feeling body shame, judgement or intimidation.
But it had been far far too long since we’ve been someplace where we could step outside without getting dressed first, and we had never been to a dedicated RV resort where we could roam around in our birthday suits.
So when we saw Avalon Resort (caution, you might see naked people on this site) in Paw Paw, WV lined up with our recent van trip routing – we decided it was time to experience our first designated naturist RV park.
Besides… Hot tub and swimming pool!
Beyond just the joy of being naked (if that’s your thing), there are some unexpected perks that come with staying in an RV park where clothing isn’t required.
Doing laundry at a naturist park is pretty cool. Generally not too much demand for the laundry center, and you can actually wash ALL of your dirty clothes instead of just those you’re not wearing. If you live in an RV with limited storage space, that could represent a decent percentage of your wardrobe.
We’ve now been to one additional clothing optional park since our first visit, and we have been researching others to mix into our future travels. We’ve discovered that there’s a lot of variation in the parks themselves and what is allowed or expected.
Here’s just some examples:
Some parks are clothing optional – in that being naked is not required. If you want to wear clothing, such as when dumping the black tanks, dining or going for a jog – that’s totally ok. Other parks might be nudity in public areas required – with limited exceptions. These rules are in place to prevent clothed gawkers.
Definitely read a park’s website before going, we’ve found most include very informative FAQs that set clear expectations, and the office staff is happy to answer questions.
Finding RV parks dedicated to naturism isn’t always as easy as finding a normal RV camping spot. While our trip planning tool RV Trip Wizard seems to list some of them (it even has a search filter!), our favorite review site – Campendium – seems not to.
However the AANR lists Nudist Clubs, some of which might offer RV space. We’ve also found this Interactive Map of Nudist Resorts & Campgrounds.
And once you find yourself at a club with an RV park, asking other naked RVers about parks they enjoy is a great way to strike up a conversation. And definitely, if you have favorites – leave them in the comments so we can maybe go check them out!
All and all, we loved the experience of frolicking around au natural in a safe environment. It’s nice to step outside of our normal daily comfort zone from time to time. There has been so much body diversity and no judgement felt.
We swim, we soak, we hike, we dine and we socialize in comfort without clothing. Honestly, my biggest hesitation is sun exposure to my pasty white skin, so thankfully wearing a robe or shawl is generally accepted if I must roam around in the peak daylight hours. And of course bugs can be an extra issue.
Kiki has been confused however. We’ve always told her that she had to wear her harness because we’re not at a nudist campground. And now when we are, and she still had to wear a harness to go outside.
We’ll likely continue to integrate in these sorts of stays in our travels when we feel so called.
While we’re still not identified as naturists, it’s definitely a comfortable environment for us. It’s just another state of dress.
15 years.. just.. wow.
I can hardly believe that is how long it’s been since I pulled out of the driveway of my comfortable beachside home in a super tiny T@b travel trailer with this guy I had met on a Prius forum.
We registered the domain name of Technomadia.com just days before we headed out, combining our individual blogs to start our story together.
So that means it’s also Technomadia’s 15th anniversary today.
Oh, the places we have gone, the adventures we have had, the obstacles we’ve overcome and the growth we’ve had as individuals and as a couple.
It’s incredible that our entire relationship has been in the pursuit of perpetual wanderlust together.
Going back in time and creating a retrospective series with a lesson learned for each year was a project I concocted on a whim. You can view the entire series below, including a rather lengthy video we just released of us recollecting the years together.
I’m not quite sure I was prepared for what I signed up for when I made my first post 15 days ago.
But I’m grateful I did, it’s been a challenging morning ritual.
What a trip down memory lane, and an adventure of its own to go through old photos, blog posts and memories.
Each night I thought about the year, the lesson learned, the photo I’d pick .. and then slept on it. What came out my fingers in the morning, was beyond my control at that point.
It’s been an emotional journey recollecting the ups and downs of these years, and harder to find the lessons in the more recent years that haven’t yet had enough time to reveal what they have to teach.
Some years have hit me harder to re-experience, and completely shuttered my day. Moments that were profound are sometimes summarized into a mere word.
The process has been powerful, and the reflections from you have touched me deeply. I didn’t want this to just be a travelogue, but something that might inspire too. Several have commented that the series could be the foundation of a future book.
First, I am thankful that we were bloggers when we met, and just continued. Because our nomadic journey is documented word for word. We can’t hide from each up and down. We can’t reinvent our memories.
For better or worse, we recorded them. Authenticity at its finest.
We encourage anyone taking off on a new adventure to record it. Privately. Publicly. Whatever. The process is empowering. Our human minds can so distort things in the past, so many times I had confused or forgotten details as I tried to retell them.
And a blog doesn’t.
What’s the saying? ‘I blog to remember, I drink to forget’.
Next, despite the focus on challenges in these retrospectives, my overall take on the past 15 years is one of joy, experience, adventure, growth, love, abundance, creation and community.
The challenges were just opportunities for growth. Plot points. To reveal the lessons.
Reminders that I have come a long way. I have transcended who I was at the beginning of this, and become who I am today. And who I will become tomorrow.
But the biggest thing I come out of this reflection point, is the people.
Each morning for the past two weeks I have gone through thousand of photos taken each year. Sure there are countless pretty landscapes, campgrounds, sunsets, anchorages and photos of Kiki.
But what stands out the most is the faces who frequent our captures. The people who have been there through and through, and keep popping up year after year. People that we look forward to building new albums with.
The smiles, the laughter, the hugs, the shared meals, the moments, the vulnerabilities, the paths walked, the experiences, the places we have explored together.
The people who I might spend more time missing, then the time we’ve had together.
The nomadic life has put me on a path to encounter my people more so than any stationary life ever had. It’s taught us to recognize them quicker to embrace the limited time we might have together.
But yet, at the same time, it leaves me yearning for more consistency and intentionality.
So after 15 years on the road, what’s ahead for us?
I have no freaking clue.
This exercise has been extremely valuable in reminding me of what we’ve been through. The foundation we have built to define our own priorities in life.
Where we can transcend from.
We are well on our path to making sure what we have built in our professional life can thrive into the future and serve it’s purpose without us at the daily helm. Allowing us the space to explore our future.
As we both approach the age of 50, we’re deep in thought of how we want to layout the next chapter. A chapter that doesn’t need to be focused on career or income, a blessing we have well earned at this point.
But yet knowing we are both creators and catalysts for change, and likely have another epoch up our sleeves.
We’re just not sure what it is yet. Maybe our next retrospective in a few years will have revealed it?
What we know for sure after revisiting our past lessons, we are taking that darn overdue sabbatical before embracing any new major work-like projects.
We are also curious to learn if the title of ‘Technomadia’ will endure as we explore what is beyond the rainbow we can see off in the horizon we’re heading towards? Might there be a book end coming to this story, and a new one to begin?
The future is ours to write.
In the lead up to Cherie’s 15th Nomadiversary on May 10, 2022 – she shared a retrospective post for each year with a lesson about nomadic life and our own journey.
Here’s a video recap of the series (caution, it’s over 50m long!):
And here are the individual chapters of this series:
Source: 15 Years of Technomadia: 15 Lessons – A Cacophony of Memories
As we approach our 16th year on the road, it seems we have built a nomadic fleet.
And we’ve received a lot of questions on how it’s working out to manage a boat, a van and a bus. The quick answer – far better than we ever imagined.
Before we left Zephyr behind in Arizona this winter and took off in Blooper to return to our Y-Not, we took a moment to film a bit about our fleet and how each fits into our journey at this point in our life.
We purchased Zephyr in 2011 after an epic cross country train adventure to find our next RV – a vintage bus conversion.
We found our bus in the 115 degree heat of Yuma, AZ in June 2011 – and decided to name her Zephyr after the Amtrak train route we took to get across country to find her.
Zephyr was our third RV after several years on the road, and was our full time nomadic substrate up until 2017.
We love her 35′ length and sleek 8′ width with no slide. She’s a beauty, and we’ve poured a lot of heart into making her ours.
We’ve been through several rounds of renovations and an out of frame engine rebuild of her 8v71 2-stroke diesel engine.
She’s been an adventure of her own. These days, she’s our winter home base in Arizona, stored at the SKP Saguaro RV Co-Op where we own a lifetime lease to a lot with a cute little pink casita.
Our intentions are to return in the winters, maybe doing some southwest adventuring together. Although those intentions don’t always line up with reality.
For a full tour and history:
Zephyr: Our 1961 GM 4106 Vintage Bus Conversion
When Chris and I were first dating back in 2006, we not only talked of me joining him in his RV adventures – but of future nomadic pursuits. Amongst them, boating – something we both had dreamed of before encountering each other.
We started our boat shopping in 2010, originally intent on sailing. But we soon figured out we likely weren’t well suited for a sailing cruising lifestyle at this time of our lives while still working full time.
We put the plan on the back burner until 2016 when we shifted focus to something that seemed more achievable while still in our careers – the Great Loop.
This leaned us towards a motor powered boat like a trawler or motor yacht, which led us to purchasing Y-Not in 2017. Y-Not was the original name give to our boat, because the first owner was name Tony (get it?).
We loved it, and decided to keep it… because Y-Not is a great answer for just about anything.
We knew we’d have to take the Loop slower than the traditional year to still work and stay sane – which would mean winterizing the boat as we reached northern climates. Thus the desire to keep Zephyr for splitting our time between cruising and RVing.
While the Great Loop hasn’t been completed yet after five years (maybe we will, maybe we won’t?), we have fallen in love with the cruising lifestyle in general.
We love having a mobile condo on the water to move between fantastic coastal towns to explore.
For a full tour and history:
Y-Not: Our 1999 Bayliner 4788 Motor Yacht
We did one cross country trip from the boat to the bus in the MINI, and decided – not an optimal setup.
Since we really didn’t need a vehicle we could tow behind the bus anymore (we can always convoy for the shorter trips we might take), we landed on the idea of a camper van.
Something we could continue to easily park in marina lots, use as a daily driver, have a comfortable shuttle craft across country, keep RVing options open while boating and something that would be considered a car (not a second RV that we’d need to store) when back at our Co-Op in AZ.
After a lot of research the Travato G floorpan called us strongtly, and we purchased a used 2016 model in 2019 to try out the concept. It worked better than we ever thought. We named him Cooperinicus (Cooper) in homage to our Mini Cooper.
In 2020, we decided to upgrade to a newer and more spiffy lithium powered GL model. We named the new one Blooper, because well.. she’s our Blue Cooper.
We love the flexibility, and actually ended up spending more nights in our Travato in 2021 than the boat and bus.
For a full tour and history:
Blooper: Our 2020.5 Winnebago Travato 59GL Van Conversion
Having a fleet of nomadic vessels is overall just awesome and really fits our current lifestyle. We love the variety this affords us not only in location, but in what is currently our home.
At this point, we couldn’t chose just one. Or heck, just two.
But there are some downsides:
We’ve gotten the comment multiple times that owning a motorhome, a van and a boat just isn’t feasible for most average people. Well first, striving to be ‘average’ has never been a goal. We’re quite happy being uniquely us.
But really, it’s much more accessible than many think. When you combine our purchase price of each of our vessels, it’s just about $270k. Not including the upgrades we’ve made to each, of course.
Now sure, that’s a lot of money. And all are supposed to be considered depreciating assets (not true in the craziness of the current RV and boating market, not that we bank on that).
But we also don’t own a traditional home or any other vehicles.
And when we find a city that speaks to our hearts, we always hop on Zillow to see what housing is going for. We’d honestly be hard pressed to find a modest home for less than that. And if we owned a home, we’d likely have to have a car. And we’d still have insatiable wanderlust and spend a lot on traveling or keeping an RV or boat anyway.
Instead, we have three awesome houses that can move and have almost always million dollar views.
If you’d prefer a photo walk-thru or want more information on the various projects we’ve done over the years, head on over to our dedicated Zephyr Vintage Bus page.
We are currently on our cross country trip back to Sanford, FL in the van. We just crossed through Texas this morning (whew, that state seems to get longer every time!) and we’re under a 1000 miles to go.
These trips remind us of how much we hate long driving days on the interstate as compared to slow meandering on back roads. And how much we appreciate our van that makes them a bit more tolerable.
We should be back to Y-Not by end of this week, and we’re so looking forward to nesting back into boat life for a bit.
See you soon!
Source: Quick RV Interior Tour of Zephyr, our 1961 GM 4106 Vintage Bus
Now that we’re back to Zephyr at our winter home base in Benson, AZ – it was time to tackle a pretty major pending project we had left from our last visit.
When got Zephyr out of storage in 2019, we were disappointed to discover that the our two front Flexsteel captains chairs were peeling.
At this point, they were barely 5 years old and had been in storage for nearly 2 years of that time. We purchased and installed them at Bradd and Hall Furniture in Elkhart, IN in 2014.
After some research and posting to Instagram and Facebook, we discovered we were not alone.
Apparently there was a really bad batch of polyurethane ‘fake leather’ marketed under the name of Haloleather that was installed on lots of RV furniture (and similar issues even in residential furniture). And it was failing everywhere – including many high end coaches by Tiffin and Newmar. Many RV manufacturers were sending out replacement fabric to customers.
We reached out to Flexsteel, who explained that the company that made Haloleather, Fabric Services, had since gone out of business. So there was no recourse there.
They also felt they had no responsibility in the matter, as they don’t choose the fabrics – the customer ordering the furniture does and sends it to them (such as the RV manufacturer or distributor).
Flexsteel has since exited the RV furniture business.
We also contacted Bradd and Hall, who also explained the history of the issue, and sent us to this blog post they made about it, and why they recommend real ultraleather instead (not polyurethane based products).
And much to our surprise, Bradd himself offered to send us new coverings for the seats at their cost.
He even offered that if we were in Elkhart, they’d provide the labor to do the swap out (not that it was feasible for us to return to Indiana at this point). He sent us out several fabric samples, offering a credit towards what we selected for the value of our basic level fabric.
Given that we only paid $620 per seat and the new coverings were $375 a piece, and we were out of our 2-year warranty – we felt this was WAAAY above and beyond. He was clear they had done this for other customers, and this wasn’t because we were content creators.
Truly first class customer service, in our opinion – exceeding our high regards of dealing with Bradd and Hall from the beginning.
After looking at the samples over many days, and seeing which would look best with Kiki (most important factor in choosing upholstery is how it matches your cat, of course) – we selected a medium brown cloth fabric.
No more fake leather for us. And this would better coordinate with the fabric covered jack-knife sofa we installed in 2015.
The new covers arrived just as we were packing up to head back to Florida in early 2020. So on a shelf they sat in Arizona, awaiting our eventual return.
Which was of course delayed a year because of COVID.
I had done a quick google scan before deciding on this path to make sure this project was humanly possible. Thanks to several threads on IRV2 Forums, we felt at least confident we’d have resources to tap into.
We also found this more recent YouTube video from Rolling Ragu where they documented the process which was very helpful (so thus, we didn’t film the experience):
Given how busy we were when we arrived to Benson this time around, we thought about just trying to find someone to handle the job for us. But we figured aside from the cost (likely $300-500 per chair in labor) – the hassle of finding someone, getting worked into their schedule, transporting and waiting wouldn’t fit the couple months we had planned here.
All and all, once we had our parts purchased and had done our research – it took us about 3-4 hours per seat from start to finish. There wasn’t anything that was necessarily difficult, just a lot of time consuming steps.
The biggest tip we learned was take pictures as you disassemble, so you know what to put back together again!
Hog Rings & Pliers – These little rings hold all the fabric together underneath the chair. We had no idea what this tools was, so we just searched Amazon, and apparently bought the right thing: Hog Ring Pliers Kit. About $16 for the pliers and rings.
The covers sent aren’t slip covers that you just put over the existing seats.
These are the actual original style seat coverings that are made to snuggly fit over the cushioning. Just as if installed at the factory. You have to remove the existing fabric first. And this is honestly the hardest part.
You first need to remove the seats from your RV and put them somewhere you can work for a few hours – and possibly store overnight if you don’t complete. We were thankful that we had our casita at our lot in Benson to setup as a workshop for the project.
And then.. you start disassembling the seat.
First take off the arms, which is done by folding them completely to the back, pushing them into the chair and perhaps a bit of a ‘wiggle’. To remove the fabric from the arms, you’ll need to pry up the Flexsteel logo sticker to reveal the screw holes to remove that piece of plastic. And the controls on the arms take a bit of finesse to pry out and unattach.
Next remove the skirt, which is attached to a cardboard ‘ring’ with screws. Before carefully removing the staples to take the skirt off, we recommend tracing the edges of the fabric with a pencil, and mark where the three different pieces of skirt start and end. This will make it much easier to attach the new skirt. Have bandages ready for incidental cuts, and be careful not to destroy the cardboard ring – you’ll be reusing it.
Next take several pictures of the bottom of the seat, so you have reference of where all the hog rings are before you remove them. And where all the various fabric bottoms need to meet up in the end. The hog rings attach the fabric to the frame, keeping everything nice and tight. They should bend off with pliers.
And then, start removing the fabric from the seat back and bottom. On our model, the seat bottom fabric was glued to the foam, so a putty scraper was handy to get it going without removing too much of the foam.
Now, you’re left with just the foam attached to a frame.
Celebrate the milestone – you successfully removed the fabric without passing out from blood loss!
Now you basically reverse the process but with the new fabric (not the old – that would be silly). And by this time you’re far more familiar with upholstery than you were before.
Refer to pictures you took.
Fleexsteel fabric recovering
Fleexsteel fabric recovering
Fleexsteel fabric recovering
Fleexsteel fabric recovering
We didn’tFleexsteel fabric recovering know a thing about hog rings before this project!
Blood loss is inevitable in this project.
Fleexsteel fabric recovering
Take it slow pulling the back cover on, it’ll be tight. There’s an insert that tucks into the seat cushion itself near the top, get that done first then pull the fabric slowly down the frame. And it definitely helps if you didn’t totally destroy the thin piece of plastic over the foam to help slide fabric back on.
Get your seat cover in position, and then spray your glue onto the ‘indent’ portion of the foam and fabric. And then hold it down firmly for a minute or so.
Consult your pictures of the bottom of the seat to remind yourself of where all the hog rings and fabric ends need to go, and get the bandages ready – this is where you’re most likely to cut up your hands.
Staple the new skirt fabric to the cardboard ring, lining it up as closely to your marks as you can. Please avoid stapling your fingers in the process.
Pull the arm covers over the arms, it’s a tight fit and might remind you of putting on a… well.. nevermind. Replace the hardware you removed (ours did come with small holes already made) and reattach the arms to the chair (you might need to cut holes here).
Screw on the skirt ring.. and bam.. you have a newly recovered chair!
Re-install into your RV:
… and let the cat take a nap, because she’s been working hard to supervise this project:
All and all, it was very rewarding to have done this project ourselves – and we’re thankful for those who have gone before us and shared their tips.
We’re also sincerely thankful for Bradd and Hall for delivering over the top excellent customer service. We wouldn’t hesitate one moment to purchase RV furniture through them in the future. If you’re ever in Elkhart and ready for interior upgrades, definitely go see them.
Source: Re-Covering our Flexsteel Motorhome Captain’s Seats in the Bus – Haloleather Fail
We have now owned our 2020.5 Winnebago Travato GL almost a year, and we had a 2016 version of the model before that starting in 2019.
In our years of traveling in our van for both short and extended trips (including the 3 months cross country trip we just competed), we’ve collected a bunch of accessories that make small living easier.
In this post, filmed along the gorgeous banks of Lake Venango in Kansas last month as we headed westward – we share the RV accessories that continue to make the cut in our small van space.
Some of this stuff is also applicable to any RV – and we use them also in our bus and boat.
It’s amazing how much stuff can fit in a van, and it not feel cluttered at all.
First, the video:
None of this gear is sponsored, we purchased it all ourselves. Only links to Amazon are affiliate links which earn us a little ka-ching if you purchase off of them (thank you!). The rest – are just normal ole non-affiliate links, and we have no association with any of the products or companies.
Below is an embed of our blogroll listing all of our gear in the van – taken from our Gear Center.
Much of this gear is highlighted in the video above, where you can learn more about how these items fit in our van travels. These links might change over time from the video as we update the gear we travel with. It’s also presented randomized, so if you click back later – it might not be in the same order.
Amazon.com: Stainless Wine Glasses
Perfect wine glasses for outdoor use!
Amazon.com: CSS-1195 Coil SumoSprings
The SumoSprings for the front of the Dodge ProMaster Van – helps improve the ride! (Added to our 2016 Travato, standard on our 2020.5)
Amazon.com: Vintorio Wine Aerator
We carry these aerators to make our wines taste even better!
Amazon.com: Natural Latex Mattress Topper
Ordered this in queen size and trimmed to fit the Travato 59G/GL mattress. Greatly improves the comfort, and bed still folds up without splitting the topper.
Amazon.com: Headrest Hooks
With the driver and passenger seats spun around while parked, these hooks provide extra organization in the front of the van. Great for hanging jackets, bags, etc.
Amazon.com – BLACK DECKER Pivot Vacuum
This rechargeable vacuum SUCKS! Very compact and awesome. We got it for the Travato, but it always ends up coming with us as move between the boat and bus too.
Amazon.com: SSR-313-54 Yellow SumoSprings
SumoSprings for the rear of the Dodge ProMaster – helps improve the ride! (Added to our 2016 Travato, standard on our 2020.5)
Flat-Jack Air Tire Levelers
VANLIFE Outfitters is the US distributors of these innovative inflatable bags for leveling a van. We purchased a set in the beginning of 2021 along with a battery inflator, and have ditched our leveling blocks. Pricey, but very convenient.
Amazon.com: Magnetic Fast Charging for iPhone & Watch
We have several of these scattered around the van & bus & boat for charging our phones and watches.
Amazon.com: Blink XT2
We use these wireless cameras for security alerts, remote monitoring and temp alerts in all of our vessels. Operates over whatever internet connection we have going.
AmazonBasics Premium Wall Mount
We replaced the TV mount with this so we can use our screen as a monitor over the table, or watch TV from bed.
Amazon.com : STRONGBACK Elite Folding Camping Chair
We bought our first set in 2018, and they lasted just over a year (being stored mostly inside our boat). They were replaced under warranty in mid-2020, but a year later already showing rust and wear when mostly stored inside the van.
Amazon.com: Thetford StorMate Broom
This broom’s handle telescopes and the broom part collapses. Great for small spaces like a van.
Amazon.com: Cork Pops Legacy Wine Bottle Opener
We love this wine bottle opener. It uses compressed air to pop the cork right out. Quick, easy and quite snazzy!
Amazon.com: Magnet Hooks
We use a pair of these to attach a basic shower curtain to the back doors of the van to create a private outdoor shower area. No bar needed!
Amazon.com: YueYue Storage Boxes
3 of these fit nicely in the ‘pizza oven’ overhead storage area of the van. We organize extra dry food, paperwork and tech in these without extra clutter.
Amazon.com: Hanging Roll-Up Organizer
We organize a bunch of ‘stuff’ in this bag – rolled up it fits perfectly in the Travato’s medicine cabinet. Each compartment is also removable.
Amazon.com: Coleman Fold N Go Propane Grill
We love this little grill.. super small, super efficient (and pretty cute!) Great for the small space of a van.
Amazon.com: Luci Lux – Inflatable Solar Light
These solar powered inflatable lights are great for ambient lighting!
Amazon.com : CGEAR Sand-Free Outdoor Camping Mat
The Small size is perfect for the van entry mat – folds up super small.
Amazon.com: Oxygenics Shower Head
This water saving shower head is fantastic combing air with water to feel full pressure. We’ve had them forever!
Amazon.com: USB Rechargeable Tactical Flashlight
We love these small flashlights – USB rechargeable (port built right in – nothing to lose), super bright, multiple modes and magnetic!
e-JOE EPIK Swan Step E-Bikes
We replaced our 2015 E-Joe Epic SE’s with a pair of these in February 2021 – and we’re loving them! We move them from van and our boat.
Amazon.com: Happy Camper Holding Tank Treatment
We’ve used this organic powdered holding tank treatment for years – it works fantastically! No black or grey tank odors.
Amazon.com: 3Qt Instant Pot
Perfect size for fitting in the cabinet under the sink of the Travato, and allows us to create one-pot meals.
Amazon.com: Cartman Collapsible Traffic Cone
Super handy for marking your site occupied if you leave, or holding a space, or for emergencies. They pack up small too!
Amazon.com : Magnifying Makeup Mirror with Light
We use this mirror in the Travato’s bathroom – it helps with the limited lighting and awkward mirror placement.
Vanmade Gear Front Window Shades
We had a set of these made (olive inside, marine reflective outside) for our side door shades – so much better than the stock Travato shades.
Amazon.com: Thermacell Portable Mosquito Repeller
AAAAH… mosquitos!! We love our Termacell so we can sit out doors enjoying an evening cocktail at sunset without losing all our blood.
Amazon.com: Water Pressure Regulator
We use this with our bus and van to regulate the water pressure coming into our water systems.
Amazon.com: Camco Bamboo Folding Table
Perfectly stows standing on its side under the Travato 59G bed. It has two heights – coffee table or dining table, so perfect for when there’s no picnic table.
Amazon.com: Magnetic Phone Car Charger
We clip this to the AC vent fan to hold/charge one of our iPhones while driving.
Amazon.com: Kamenstein Perfect Tear Paper Towel Holder
Mounted this with over the kitchen sink of the Travato – it’s great, except the cat thinks it’s a special toy for her to play with.
Amazon.com: RV Surge Protector – 30 Amp
We never plug into shore power without this – it lets us know if there’s a fault, and provides protection against surges.
Airvent Cab Window Inserts
These inserts easily install and create airflow in the front cab while parked.
Amazon.com: Bellemain Spice Gripper Clip Strips
We use these on the inside of the van’s pantry/wardrobe cabinet to store spices.
Amazon.com: Kenwood Excelon DMX957XR CarPlay
We replaced the head unit in our 2020.5 Travato with this one – wireless Car Play ROCKS! (We got our kit at Crutchfield)
Amazon.com: Camping Lightweight Hammock
This hammock is similar to the one we picked up at Costco – stuffs in a bag for easy storage, and actually quite comfy.
Amazon.com: AboveTEK Tablet Stand
For holding our iPads for watching movies or video conferencing. Perfect height, adjustable and can hang from things.
Amazon.com: Suction Cup Shower Caddy Storage Basket
These vacuum suction cup caddy and hooks stick to the walls of the Travato bathroom, and hold up incredibly well to road life.
Amazon.com: TastePure RV/Marine Water Filter
We use one of these at the water source side to pre-filter water coming into our van, bus or boat (and have internal water filters too).
Amazon.com: Battery Powered USB Rechargeable Tire Inflator
We have two of these – one for carrying with our bikes, and one for inflating our Flat-Jack air levelers for the van. So handy and convenient!
Amazon.com: SkyGenius Battery Operated Clip On Oscillating Fan
We have several of these battery/USB powered fans in the van and boat – great for extra air flow, and easily clips wherever we need them.
Amazon.com: Collapsible Water Carrier
We keep these on board our RVs and boat so we can ferry fresh water out to our boondocking or anchored location. Super handy!
Collapsable Drinking Water Hoses
We carry a couple of these with us in the van, bus and boat. In the van, the 25′ version fits nicely in the waste hose compartment (instead of the waste hose).
Rocky Mounts BackStage
We love this bike rack for our van – it swings out of the way so that our back doors can be opened, and is strong enough to hold two eBikes.
Amazon.com: First Aid Kit
First aid kit we keep on all of our RVs and boat.
You can also explore all of our RV and boat accessories – including kitchen gadgets, media, fitness & toys, technology, electrical systems and safety items on our Gear Page.
If you have RV accessories you love that you think might be a fit for our style – leave a comment and let us know (but please, no affiliate or promotional links if you’re involved with the product).
We’re always on the look-out for stuff that can enhance our mobile lifestyle.
We do plan to eventually do similar videos on the modifications to our van, our mobile internet setup and maybe our work setup. Let us know if you have other requests for content you’d like to see us create.
Source: Our Favorite RVing Accessories for our Travato GL Camper Van
We picked up our 2021 Jeep Gladiator Sport S in Denver on May 31, 2021, after ordering directly from the factory. Our overland build process took 45 days, spanning four states and four shops. Though we documented the entire process on YouTube, nothing beats a comprehensive build sheet. If you’re curious about our living quarters, suspension, lighting, or other components, you’ve come to right place to see our complete Jeep Gladiator build sheet, designed for overlanding around the world.
People always want to know about money, so let’s get that topic out of the way. We have put a lot of our personal funds into this Jeep–our only home–and haven’t ever had a monetary sponsor.
We are, however, fortunate to have 27 gear sponsors behind us for our trip around the world. These companies have provided discounts on product or services, or in some cases product at no cost. Our gear sponsors will be noted in this article with an asterisk (*) at first mention. You can always browse the complete list of our gear sponsors on our site.
Many of you have asked about the monetary value of our Jeep Gladiator overland build. Now that we’ve left the United States and are finished with the build, we’re ready to crunch that final number. Look for a follow-up article in the near future.
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING WE GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH OUR LINKS, AT NO COST TO YOU. PLEASE READ OUR DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.
Alright, time to get down to business with our Jeep Gladiator build sheet.
The most important addition we made to the base Sport S was the Max Tow Package. Only with the Max Tow Package can the Sport S achieve the highest payload capacity of any automatic Jeep Gladiator: 1,565 pounds. If you opt for the manual transmission, then payload is 1,700 pounds.
Other than going manual, no other Gladiator trim comes close to matching our payload. The Gladiator Rubicon has 1,200 pounds of payload.
We had to keep our goal in mind. We are driving around the world, not aiming for optimal rock-crawl capability. As a family living in our Gladiator full-time, carrying everything we need to be self-reliant, there was no choice but the highest payload available.
In addition to the Max Tow Package with 4.10 axles, we added the Popular Equipment Package and upgraded to the 8-speed 850RE automatic transmission. We also got the auxiliary switch group to run our air compressor and Rigid Industries* lights at the front of the Jeep.
The color of our Gladiator is called Granite Crystal Metallic.
Before our Jeep left the dealership, the service department added Mopar rails, which are required for the installation of our habitat (see below).
We live in an Alu-Cab* Canopy Camper, which was installed by Juniper Overland*, an Alu-Cab distributor in Denver, Colorado. After the tailgate is removed, the Canopy Camper seals over the bed of our truck. A full-size sleeping platform is accessible when the hard top of the Canopy Camper is deployed. Eric and I sleep in this bed.
Five National Luna LED lights (red/white), two dual USB/12V chargers, stalk lights, and solar pre-wire are included.
In addition, Juniper Overland completed the following installations:
You can watch the install of our Alu-Cab Canopy Camper on our YouTube channel.
At Sonoran Expedition Collective* in Tucson, owner Brien Wankel designed two features to improve our organizational system.
The first feature is an aluminum hanging bar, fabricated by Sonoran Expedition Collective. It’s located inside the back door of the Canopy Camper at the top. I use this bar to hang my camp kitchen bags, which hold all of our utensils, cookware, and dishware.
The second feature is a hanging system inside the Canopy Camper made out of extruded aluminum and kayak pad eye tri-grip rivets. Using carabiners, we can hang bags full of lightweight items like bread and chips. Because there are rivets located all around our habitat, we can quickly move our bags to whatever part of the interior we want.
Video does much more justice to these features, so we encourage you to watch our video showing all of the modifications done by Sonoran Expedition Collective.
We implemented a “clean side/dirty side” layout for our Jeep Gladiator. Passenger is our “clean side,” with our awning, seating area, fridge, table, water spigot, and door entry with access to our pantry drawers.
Driver is our “dirty side,” with our trash bag, mounted MaxTrax, and Shower Cube which often holds our toilet. If we need to use our shower nozzle, that also happens on the dirty side.
Because of this layout, we needed to have the Canopy Camper door flipped. We’ve never seen this done on another vehicle, but Alu-Cab assured us it could work, and Juniper Overland came through for us. Normally, the door opens from left to right. But our door opens the opposite way, right to left, giving access from the passenger side.
When we started thinking about our build, we were planning on DIY cabinetry. During 2020, we made crude, but intentional, sketches on paper of drawers, a seating area, and a place for Caspian to sleep.
Early in 2021, we looked at Goose Gear‘s* storage for the Alu-Cab Canopy Camper. It was almost identical to what we’d envisioned. At that point, it made no sense to muddle through a DIY process, when the perfect solution was already on the market.
These are the storage units we sourced from Goose Gear:
You can watch a full video tour of our Goose Gear build-out on YouTube.
This is a huge improvement on our first overland build: we have a built-in heater now! We chose the Webasto petrol heater, which is tapped directly into our fuel tank.
The register is located on the driver side of our Canopy Camper, in the rear corner. This allows heat to come out near Caspian’s bed and rise to our sleeping area.
We were originally planning on using the Webasto diesel heater, which can come with a high altitude kit. But, in the end, we decided to simplify our system. With the petrol heater, we don’t risk mixing up gasoline and diesel at fuel stations, in countries where we don’t speak the language! We also avoided having to figure out where to install a diesel fuel tank.
We are really proud of our electrical system, which provides more power than we can use.
Here’s a walk-through our electrical system on YouTube.
We added a Long Range America* fuel tank to get 17 extra gallons of fuel onboard. The installation was done at Sonoran Expedition Collective, an official distributor for Long Range. Our stock tank holds 22 gallons, so we now have the ability to carry 39 gallons of fuel total.
Reasons we went with Long Range America:
Just Jeeps* has been our mechanic shop since before we knew what overlanding was. We were customers first, back when Austin, Texas, was our home base and we were building our Jeep Wrangler for off-roading.
We took our Gladiator to Just Jeeps in July 2021 to complete our overland build. They modified our suspension with the following components:
Just before we crossed into Mexico, we changed to Dobinson’s* dual rate rear coil springs, which are rated for 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds). We are carrying well under 1,100 pounds on our rear axle and this upgrade was the most noticeable change we made to our suspension at any point in the build. Thanks to Johnson Automotive in Austin that got us in at the last minute for this mod.
See all of the excellent work done at Just Jeeps on YouTube.
Besides building out our suspension system, Just Jeeps did a ton of other important work on our Jeep Gladiator:
There were a few final exterior modifications that haven’t been mentioned yet:
Almost done! These were the final modifications made to the interior of our build. The shop that installed each item is also noted.
As you make your own plans, please remember the context of our build. If we were designing a vehicle strictly for North American travel, then it would be completely different from this Jeep Gladiator. We built a vehicle we could drive around the world.
So while it’s important to see what’s on our build sheet, did you notice what’s NOT on it? Did you notice we don’t have any propane, ultra low sulfur diesel, major modifications under the hood, or big tires? These were all intentional decisions for our specific goal of driving the world. With different goals, your build could be much different–and that’s okay.
This ended up being a much bigger project than a “build sheet,” but I think it’s important to explain why we made some of the modifications we did.
If you read this far, thank you. You might appreciate a full walk-around tour of our Jeep Gladiator, to see how the components ended up coming together. We promised this video over the summer, and we hope to have it available on our YouTube channel before the end of 2021.
I’m so grateful for how our Jeep Gladiator overland build came together. There were so many complicated systems and more than four shops ended up contributing to the build. We dealt with supply issues, shipping delays, and missing parts. It was a lot.
But it’s done, and we’re so pleased with the final result: our home on wheels!
-B
Source: Jeep Gladiator Build Sheet for Overlanding Around the World
We met the Gaia GPS Offroad team at Overland Expo West last month, and were grateful when they asked us to share our story on their podcast. We recorded four days before crossing the border, so the interview captures Eric and my state of mind at a unique moment in time–a moment that is past and will never return.
Podcast host Wade May did the best interview prep we’ve ever experienced. He dug deep into our article and video archives to design interesting questions that made us think. The result was one of our favorite interviews to date, one that went much deeper than the topics we’re normally asked about.
Listeners will learn:
Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast
Thank you to Gaia GPS for being our global navigation sponsor as we drive around the world.
-B
After years of preparation, our family has started to drive around the world! We crossed into Mexico on October 9, and we’re now 450 miles south of the Texas border. Mexico City is 260 miles southeast of us.
Using miles feels forced now, since distance down here is measured in kilometers!
We’ve had safe and interesting travels since we crossed the border, with a healthy dose of challenges (the type that humor can easily see you through).
Our first YouTube video from Mexico went up today, allowing you to see what life is really like at the border and just south of it right now. You’ll see:
Enjoy the video!
Take advantage of all the ways you can follow our journey around the world:
We’re so grateful to our community members for their encouragement and virtual company. Mexico is magical and we’re thrilled to be here, but there’s still a time of transition for our family as we learn a new rhythm and adjust to a new culture.
Whatever your dream, we hope you’re inspired today to take a tangible step that moves you closer to it.
-B
Source: See Our Border Crossing Into Mexico as We Begin Our Global Journey
What is overlanding? How do you get started? Do you actually need all the gear on Instagram or that fancy 4×4 vehicle? And what about using the bathroom? How does that work?
As the overland community in the United States mushrooms and many people are asking about this “overland thing” for the first time, we decided to launch a video series to share the most important lessons and tips we’ve learned during nearly eight years of full-time vehicle travel.
Our complete Overlanding 101 video series is now on YouTube and we think it will benefit overlanders at all experience levels. For beginners, we set out to simplify overlanding concepts and get you on the road as soon as possible. But even advanced overlanders can pick up different, better ways of doing things (we certainly do all the time).
These eight videos are not a regurgitation of everything you’ve heard before. We lean into our personal experience, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s actually like to overland full-time (with a four-year-old). We try to have fun and not take ourselves too seriously.
Our goal is not to exclude anyone from overlanding. But if we don’t define words, then they lose their meaning. And that would be a shame in this case because overlanding has a rich history and a legacy that continues through travel heroes around the world today.
In the first video of our Overlanding 101 series, we offer our definition of overlanding, as well as insight and practical tips for those just getting started.
Let us know in a comment whether you agree with our definition!
This topic is so important to us. We hate to see people wasting money and time gathering up stuff, when they could be directing their resources to actually traveling. So in this video, we encourage you to ignore the hype and focus on the basic essentials you need to start overlanding.
Maybe you’re eager to take your first overlanding trip, but you’re overwhelmed by the planning process. We’ve been traveling full-time since 2014, which means we’re in a constant state of travel planning! In this video, we share trip planning processes and resources to make your life easier.
Not gonna lie, it’s way harder to prepare meals when you don’t have running water, hot water, an oven, or whatever fancy kitchen gear you’re used to having. It takes time to learn a new cooking flow.
In this video, we share our favorite camp kitchen gear and setup, as well as the most important tips we’ve learned about overland cooking. I even explain exactly how I wash dishes, which is something that was really hard for me at first.
This video covers questions we are asked all the time! We talk about all things hygiene, including how we toilet and shower. We also talk about the clean side/dirty side concept we use for our home on wheels.
This is the most popular video in our series! For “Day in the Life,” we filmed from the time we woke up in the morning until the time we went to bed. The result is an authentic, transparent look at our life as full-time overlanders.
Overlanding is not about stuff, but there are items we use every single day that definitely make overlanding more sustainable for our family. In this video, we play Show & Tell with our favorite 20 pieces of gear that get used daily.
We couldn’t complete our series without talking about overlanding with kids. We want to empower other families to travel with their children, and this video contains what I’ve learned through being pregnant, giving birth, and raising a little person as a full-time traveler.
Children are not a reason or excuse to avoid overlanding. In fact, having them along makes the experiences much richer and more memorable.
We hope you enjoy our Overlanding 101 series, and leave comments with your questions or feedback. We are available to you as a resource.
Next up on YouTube, we will be sharing our travels in interior Mexico!
-B
Our family has been getting ready to drive around the world since 2018, when we discovered the overlanding lifestyle.
After two trips to Mexico—a combined 4,000 miles through the mainland (2019) and Baja Peninsula (2020)—we were more sure than ever about our global goal. In just a few days, my husband Eric and I will cross the border with our four-year-old son, Caspian. This border crossing on October 9, 2021, will mark the long-awaited start of our drive around the world.
Unlike our previous trips, we won’t be coming back anytime soon. We have set aside the next 10 to 15 years of our lives to drive around the world as a family. We’re in this for the long haul, with no time constraints or firm agenda.
We’ve actually been traveling full-time since 2014–almost eight years on the road without any house or property. But our vehicle-based life up until now has been restricted to North America. Now we’re taking everything we’ve learned and applying it to our new chapter.
Our home on wheels is a 2021 Jeep Gladiator, fitted with the Alu-Cab Canopy Camper. Over the past three years, we determined this size platform is perfect for our style of overland travel.
While it may seem small for a family of three, we can easily supplement our travels with Airbnb or hotel stays. In fact, because this vehicle was within our means and didn’t require us to carry debt around the world, we have more flexibility than ever.
We won’t always have reliable Internet. Though we’ve tried to mentally (and logistically) prepare for this, we know our connectivity will probably be even less than we imagine.
Nonetheless, we are committed to sharing our drive around the world with our online community! Here are four ways you can join the journey.
We quietly launched our Patreon account last week and are so grateful to the friends who have already joined on.
We are excited to offer special benefits to our patrons, like monthly expense reports and hand-written Christmas postcards from around the world. Gaia GPS is one of our sponsors, offering three-month premium memberships to select patron tiers.
Perhaps most significantly, Patreon is the first place we will visit when we have Internet. Our patrons will receive the best and most intimate access to us, as we experience this once-in-a-lifetime adventure as a family.
Access behind-the-scenes content and unique benefits
YouTube will continue to be an active sharing platform for us. Our travel logs resume October 14 with our first video from Mexico! Expect to see a lot of our daily life and colorful discoveries, plus practical travel tips and overlanding guidance learned through our experience.
Our goal has always been to upload a YouTube video every Thursday. This shouldn’t be a problem over the next six months in Mexico, and we’ll do our best to post reliably as we enter Central America in 2022. Internet access will be our primary challenger, but we’ll continue to produce video offline and upload whenever we can, so at the end of the day you won’t miss a thing!
We have been travel bloggers since 2014 when we started living on the road full-time. Though our writing regularity has waxed and waned through various seasons of life, our blog has always been an important outlet for sharing long-form content that doesn’t work as well on video.
Writing is my (Brittany’s) personal passion, so I hope to make time for HourlessLife.com articles on topics we’re asked about all the time, like our vehicle build and gear, working remotely, and Caspian’s education.
We love our community on social media. We have active accounts on Instagram and Facebook, and also update Twitter and Pinterest for people who prefer those platforms.
Social media is usually more “real-time” than YouTube, at least by a few days. Again, this may change (almost definitely will change) as our Internet gets more spotty. Patreon will be your best bet for receiving regular, current updates about our travels. But we will never abandon our social media community!
This journey is much bigger than the three of us. We are so grateful to the 27 companies that stand behind us as gear sponsors. We never imagined so many respected brands would become our partners. Please keep them in mind as you make purchasing choices to outfit your overlanding vehicle.
We’re also so grateful to the press outlets that have shared our story over the past few months. If you want more background about us, our plans, and how we got here, then we recommend you check out these podcast episodes, article features, and interviews.
We have more interviews scheduled for the near future, so check back later in October for updates.
“Are you ready?”
“Are you nervous?”
We’ve received these questions repeatedly. I remind our inquisitive friends we’ve been getting ready to drive around the world for more than three years, since May 2018. Though a few logistics will be left unintended–they always are–we couldn’t be more ready to cross the border on October 9.
What a gift to live in 2021, with so much technology at our disposal, and be able to share our journey with you. Thank you for your support and company along the way.
Now strap on that seatbelt because you’re in for a wild ride!
Love. Explore. Study. Share
Eric + Brittany + Caspian | Hourless Life
Liked it? Take a second to support Brittany Highland on Patreon!
We shared recently about our amazing two week journey exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway in our Travato van conversion, so in this post we’re going to share some general tips for RVing this scenic and historic mountain drive.
First, our video version of these tips:
The Blue Ridge Parkway was designed for non-commercial traffic, and primarily for automobiles.
With its twisty roads, sharp turns, steep inclines, no shoulders and 26 tunnels (one with a maximum height of 13′ 1″) – it’s simply not designed or intended for larger vehicles.
RVs are completely welcomed however, but in our personal experience the Parkway is best done in smaller units.
We were completely comfortable in our 21′ van, and we’ve done parts of the Parkway in our former 17′ trailer pulled by a truck.
And on both trips, we saw many RVs in the 25-30′ range successfully having fun navigating the Parkway.
But much larger than that? You’re likely going to be white knuckling it, holding up traffic and just generally not having as fun of an experience.
If you’re super comfortable driving your rig, backing into tight campsites and mountain driving, you may do just fine if you plan your entry and exits well, and avoid the low clearance tunnels.
While we also have a 35′ vintage bus and are super comfortable driving it, we likely wouldn’t attempt the Parkway in it. Especially not towing a car behind as well. While the photos would be iconic, it just wouldn’t be a fun experience.
That said, we did see some 35-40′ Class-As and 5th Wheels attempting parts of the Parkway. But we would imagine many were staying in campgrounds off the Parkway, as the number of sites suitable for such RVs are very limited. We even saw a large 5th Wheel pulled by a large truck attempt one of the campgrounds, and end up finding an alternate stay after unsuccessfully trying to fit into the largest of the sites.
There are eight official National Park Campgrounds along the Parkway. We stayed at all but one of them on this trip.
All of the eight official campgrounds are $20/night and are dry camping with no hook-ups. All of the RV/Trailer loops have generator hours of 8a – 9p. Each campground however does offer a dump station, potable water and restrooms with flush toilets. Two of the campgrounds (Mount Pisgah and Julian Price) also offer showers.
The campgrounds are nicely spread out along the 469 miles of the Parkway making driving between just a couple hours at most, although some are closer together than others.
All of the campgrounds offer both reservable sites online at Recreation.gov and ample first come first serve sites you can snag when you arrive. Reservable sites that aren’t reserved are fair game as well upon arrive on a night-by-night basis (as the online reservation system cuts off reservations 48-hours in advance, so you can sometimes snag them for a couple nights.)
We highly recommend the first come first serve route.
First, this will give you ample opportunity to adjust your pace as you go. At each stop, there are generally a combination of hikes, tours, visitor’s centers, dinning and more. And sometimes it just feels good to listen to your body and take a day or two off of active exploring.
Crabtree Falls
Otter Creek
Peaks of Otter
Mount Pisgah
Linville Falls
Doughton Park
Rocky Knob
But more importantly, the suitability of each campsite varies so much. Most of the sites are pretty small, designed for smaller RVs or a car/tent setup. Very few sites, even if long enough, are suitable for larger RVs. Some are even angled the wrong way for an RV to back into or have the ‘yard’ to the rear of the spot.
And these are older mountain campgrounds where the word ‘level’ is a subjective term. If you have a single axle trailer, you of course have more flexibility to make an unlevel site work – but otherwise, you’ll probably want to choose your site when you arrive.
And the privacy of cell signal of the sites is highly variable within a campground.
To find the right site for you, it’s best to just drive through the loops and select what works for you and your setup. These campgrounds are intentionally setup to be flexible for those without reservations.
At all of the campgrounds, you arrive to a small ranger or camp-host staffed check-in station. If you don’t have a reservation, you’re instructed to go find a site – either one marked as first come first serve, or reservable site without a tag. And then you return to register. It’s very flexible, and we encountered no issues snagging sites without reservations – especially by arriving early in the afternoon.
With short driving days between campgrounds, we generally planned to leave our campground late morning before check-out time (11am), drive an hour or two to the next, and then arriving early afternoon – which meant the campground was pretty open. During peak times, arriving later in the day you might encounter more issues.
We were really surprised at the variability of how our van was considered in each campground.
Even some campgrounds with signs pointing to the ‘Tent / Van’ loop – we would be directed to the RV / Trailer loop instead because a 21′ van was considered too large for the “van” loop. And in some campgrounds, we were proactively invited to select sites in the tent loop, as long as we promised not to use a generator.
The advantage of the tent loop (to us) is that no generators are allowed. We don’t have one in our Travato, and our lithium batteries charge up on each drive. In the RV/trailer loop we ran the risk of having a generator dependent neighbor, which can ruin the tranquility of our stay and our ability to get filming done.
So if that’s important to you too, and you have a smaller RV – definitely do ask if your RV is allowed in the no-generator tent loops.
Keeping connected along the Blue Ridge Parkway is a challenge, you are traveling in mountainous terrain where cellular signal can easily be blocked – despite what coverage maps might say.
At most of the 200+ overlooks, you can usually find enough of a whiff of signal to check e-mail while you take in the scenery. And we kept generally online most of the time while driving with few extended breaks from signal.
But the campgrounds are usually lower in elevation and more tucked in than the overlooks, and staying connected can definitely be challenging. If you need to keep connected, having some redundant options to try definitely helps.
In general, we found AT&T to have the best overall signal and connection, but occasionally Verizon was the winner. T-Mobile/Sprint were only slightly useful in this area.
In some locations, our dual modem setup with ability to bond was extremely useful. Sometimes our external antenna was all we needed, and in one location we actually broke out our weBoost Drive Reach booster and got online with Verizon (Otter Creek). In others, just our phones picked up enough signal and we actually clocked nearly 300 Mbps without any enhancing gear on AT&T in Doughton Park. And in others, nothing we did helped (Linville Falls and Julian Price are pretty much guaranteed dead zones).
You can view our personal Mobile Internet Setup if you want to learn more about how we stay connected.
If you’re one of our premium members over at the Mobile Internet Resource Center (our day job), we turned the trip into a case study – documenting what we tried at each stop. Find it in our Testing In Progress Forum.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is made for driving, and each inch is scenic art. We recommend maximizing the experience by minimizing the stress.
The speed limit is 45 mph, but in many areas you simply won’t be able to go that fast as you’re navigating curves and inclines. Go at the speed that feels comfortable to you.
If you find vehicles are piling up behind you, it’s a lot less stressful for you and them if you find the next overlook to pull over and let them pass. We personally most enjoyed the drive by having no vehicles visible behind or in front of us.
There are over 200 overlooks, so there’s sure to be one really soon – use them. Most are easy on/off with ample parking. Get out, enjoy the view, stretch and enjoy. Some even have short hikes, which is a great way to take a break.
Also, you will find many bikers (the pedaling and motorized kind) enjoying the parkway. The pedaling kind of bikers are inspiring out there climbing those hills. Give them lots of space and exercise extreme patience, there are usually no shoulders for them to pull over for you to pass. You may find you simply have to go slow behind them until you can find enough of an open stretch with clear line of site to safely pass them. Don’t attempt to pass on a curve, as you just can’t see oncoming traffic.
You’ll notice that there are no entrance fees to enjoy this national treasure, the only fees charged are for the campgrounds themselves.
As part of the terms of the land purchases for the Parkway, the government agreed to not charge tolls. Which means, there’s limited funding to upkeep this park. Amazingly, the roads are in great shape in most locations and some sections are periodically shut down for maintenance.
We were inspired by Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the official National Parks Service non-profit partner to improve and preserve the parkway – and made a donation.
We hope you enjoyed a taste of the Blue Ridge Parkway through our experience – and you’re inspired to include this adventure in your journey. If you’ve RVed the Blue Ridge Parkway, feel free to leave some tips of your own in the comments below to help others!
You’ve committed to living in a box on wheels with your children. Why not make things even more interesting and go completely off-grid, with limited electricity, water, and waste tank space?
When you put it that way, it seems crazy for any RVer to go dry camping with kids. But when you stow the cords and escape the sardine-sized concrete pad of your private campground, the world will open up to your family. Dry camping is a means to an end, and it’s a glorious one.
This article was originally published on the Winnebago Life blog in March 2020 when we were still full-time RVers!
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING WE GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH OUR LINKS, AT NO COST TO YOU. PLEASE READ OUR DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.
The definition of dry camping is simple: camping in an RV with zero hookups. No electricity. No water. No sewer connection. Everything is stored or generated by your RV itself.
Now, there are different kinds of dry camping. I love to use the term “wild camping” to describe dry camping way out in nature–maybe in a national forest or on remote BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land. Then there’s “moochdocking,” sometimes called “driveway camping.” This is when you dry camp on a friend or family member’s property. (Though if they provide an electric cord or some other kind of connection, then it isn’t dry camping!)
Last, but not least, you’ve probably heard the term “boondocking.” For all intents and purposes, boondocking is the same thing as dry camping–it’s RV camping with no connections. At least, that’s my opinion!
My husband Eric and I have been full-time RVing much longer than we’ve been traveling with our son, Caspian. Our dry camping history goes back to 2015 and the very first Xscapers event. This convergence at Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta was a week long, and we were terrified when we contemplated a whole week without hookups. At the time, we had only dry camped for one or maybe two nights at a time.
But we were reassured we’d have friends there who could help us through the hiccups. We didn’t want to miss out on the fun, so we went for it.
We didn’t have any solar or a good battery meter, so we probably ran our coach batteries too hard, but overall the experience was a success. Empowered, we attempted solo wild camping in Coconino National Forest outside Sedona, AZ. This was a big fail and we had to leave after one night, since our generator went out and we had no other source of power.
Fast-forward to 2018. We now have a small, 100-watt solar suitcase…and a one-year-old. We’ve learned some tricks and we know our tank capacity. We manage 22 consecutive days of dry camping in Moab, refilling and dumping only once after 16 days!!! This was a huge turning point for us, and we’ve been pushing our limits ever since.
Seeing our own growth over five years, I have no doubt you can learn to dry camp well, no matter how many kids you have or how old they are.
Here are the top five tips I can share that will help make dry camping with your kids a positive experience.
I don’t think there’s one mechanical bone in our bodies. We are definitely not the people to install our own RV solar system. But, as we got started dry camping, we found that a solar suitcase was a foolproof way to draw power from the sun. We connected the two clips to our battery terminals and we were good to go.
With our Winnebago View 24J, we purchased a used coach with the solar completely configured. The previous owners had maxed out the solar space on the roof at a whopping 420-watts.
And, of course, there’s never any shame in consulting a solar professional to install solar panels on your RV!
No matter how you add solar to your arsenal, you’ll find that even one small panel goes a long way towards keeping your family off-grid for longer.
When power usage matters, you’ll find yourself evaluating which devices are worth charging–and why. Before you start dry camping, you should consider how much screen time you want your children to have on a daily basis.
If you choose to decrease screen time while dry camping, then you may want to lead your children through a detox beforehand while practicing replacement activities. Setting precedents is important for everyone. Whether adult or child, we want to know what to expect from a new experience. Have a conversation with your children about the activities that are available to them while dry camping and get them excited about the possibilities!
So that covers electricity, but what about water needs? Besides laundry and showers, doing dishes tends to be the biggest consumer of water in an RV. Because of that, paper plates and bowls are big sanity-savers. While they won’t completely eliminate the need to do dishes, they’ll cut down on your water use for sure.
And while we’re on the topic of doing dishes, always be aware of where it’s legal for you to dump grey water. Typically, when you’re staying in an area where tent campers may be, like a national forest or state park, you can find a place to dump dishwater outside the RV. This reduces the amount of grey water going into your tank.
There’s no way around it. If you’re going to dry camp for extended periods of time, then you and your children will have to take fewer showers.
Fortunately, there are so many ways to enforce good hygiene, even if it’s not up to the strictest standards!
Here are a few suggestions for traditional shower alternatives:
If you’re new to RVing or dry camping, you may be wondering why anyone would put themselves through this hassle–especially if they’re traveling with young children. I can relate because it took us about four years of full-time RVing to abandon full hookups at private campgrounds.
Here’s the thing: if you restrict yourself to full hookups, then you’re closing your life off to the most tremendous travel experiences. When you’re willing to dry camp, then you’ll find yourself on a canyon rim in the Badlands, or on a cliff overlooking the Grand Tetons. And then you’ll ask why you waited so long to take the risk.
When your morning involves stepping out the front door with your toddler, onto a new trail through beautiful trees with wildlife all around you, the reason to dry camp with kids is perfectly obvious. It doesn’t matter if you have a little extra dirt under the fingernails. This is the fulfillment we seek when we decide to travel in an RV.
It isn’t always easy. But I hope you push through the challenges to discover the wonder of going off-grid in our amazing country. It’s worth it.
-B
Source: 5 Tips for Dry Camping With Kids
Our Jeep Gladiator overland build is done! After four cities, four shops, and seven weeks, we’re ready to live and travel in our Jeep full-time as a family, as we drive around the world for the next 10 to 15 years.
Every single day the Jeep was in the shop, Eric was there, too. He was working through supply chain delays, missing components, installation hiccups, AND filming the whole time. Because of his dedication, we have video of our entire build on YouTube.
These are the topics we cover in the series:
And more!
If you want to start at the beginning with a big picture overview of our plan for the build, then watch this video first:
You can continue down our Jeep Gladiator Overland Build playlist to see all the videos in this series.
Of course, no build is ever really done. I’m sure there will be changes we make in the future. But the important part is we could cross the border right now, and we’d have everything we need.
We haven’t done a complete walk-around tour yet, but it’s coming. Once we’ve been living in the rig for a while and have everything situated, we’ll do a video that shows not only the build, but also the gear we use for everyday living on the road.
So what’s next? We are entering our shakedown phase and doing some public speaking. We’ll leave my parents’ house in Texas around August 15, heading for Overland Expo Mountain West in Colorado. After about a month in Colorado, we’ll head down to Flagstaff for Overland Expo West. (Details on all our 2021 events here.)
Then it’ll be time to swing through south Texas one more time, say goodbye to Caspian’s grandparents, and cross the border into Mexico in early October. These next two months are going to fly by.
On YouTube, we’ll be launching our next series in August. We’re calling it Overlanding 101, but it won’t be a regurgitation of everything you’ve heard before. Though we will share our experience when it comes to the basics of overlanding, we’ll also cover topics we’re uniquely suited to talk about, like full-time overlanding, overlanding with kids, and working on the road.
Thank you to all of the companies that have made our build possible. Juniper Overland (Denver), Sonoran Expedition Collective (Tucson), Just Jeeps (Austin), and our secret expert friend in Albuquerque put in tireless work at a high level, bringing together a million details. Our gear sponsor support has been incredible, especially during a year when they are plagued by low product supply and transportation issues. We are so grateful.
-B
Source: Complete Jeep Gladiator Overland Build Now on YouTube
It’s natural to assume having children will limit our explorations as adults. But with planning, persistence, and no small amount of patience, we can teach even very small children how to adventure alongside us. Since our son Caspian was born in late 2016, my husband and I have loved introducing him to hiking and seeing him thrive on the trail. Here are a few tips for successful hiking with young kids, while you’re out traveling the country.
This article was originally published on the Winnebago Life blog in February 2020.
The earlier you start hiking with your children, the sooner they’ll understand it’s part of family life–and something fun to do together. Before Caspian was born, we set the goal of having him hike a mile unaided for each year of life. So, when he was one, he hiked one mile. And when he was two, he hiked two miles. We started working on this goal as soon as he started walking, so hiking has been part of his life for longer than he remembers.
But even before Caspian was walking, he was on my back in a carrier during hikes. Our longest hike this way was seven miles and included a diaper change on the top of a mountain!
No matter how old your child is, you should strategically choose the length and difficulty of your hikes–just like you would with a gym workout. By starting small and building gradually, the growth will be natural rather than an unpleasant shock.
The day we set out on what would be Caspian’s first two-mile hike, we weren’t sure he was ready. Before we set foot on the trail, Eric and I told each other we were willing to turn back at any time if Caspian really started flagging.
This concept of putting our child’s needs first can be difficult and even frustrating when we have goals we’d love to meet for ourselves. But when we’re in it for the long haul (wanting to nurture a life-long love for outdoor adventure), sacrifice may be necessary to keep hiking fun for the little ones.
There’s no secret sauce. The number one way to make any hike go faster is to distract your child. As a parent, this often takes a tremendous amount of effort, but it’s worth it. Especially when Caspian was one and two, we were constantly singing songs, making up stories, and asking questions about our surroundings.
For example, we would pick an object we could see coming up, like a windmill or unusual tree stump, and ask Caspian to watch for it. Or we would have him create make-believe creatures by asking him questions.
The idea is to teach your young child how to pass the time, in hopes he will use the same strategies as he gets older (without prompting). Once Caspian was three, he often initiated the stories and songs. (Side note: this is also a great strategy for vehicle travel.)
We use snacks to celebrate Caspian’s milestones, like the half-way mark or even half-mile increments as we approach the end of the trail. A half-mile goes surprisingly quickly when you have a box of raisins or a baby orange to look forward to!
When you’re hiking at a national park or other National Park Service unit, don’t forget your Junior Ranger booklet. Many of them include tasks related to hiking trails or just getting out in nature.
Review the booklet in advance to decide which pages you’ll be working on during the hike. This is another way to pass the time, while working towards the goal of a Junior Ranger badge. By the time kids are three, they will often be ready for this program (though some units have more difficult booklets than others).
Caspian still believes school is fun, not work or a chore. This is 100 percent because of the way we approach his preschool book and talk about it as a family. The same is true of hiking. I don’t ever want my son to lose the sense of enjoyment that surrounds our time on the trail.
This philosophy means we choose a route that will be most interesting for him, even if we would pick something else for ourselves. Or we choose a shorter hike for the day, even if Caspian has hiked much farther before. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint!
As Caspian approached his third birthday, we started our first “hiking log” in a notebook. It’s a way for us to celebrate our family hikes and remember what we experienced together.
Right now, our log is very simple, but you can expand your own for older children, or customize to your child’s unique interests. So far, our log entries include:
You can see I have fun with it and keep it toddler-oriented. I try to record Caspian’s responses verbatim, since that’s what we’ll love to read when he’s much older…and hiking even farther than me.
It won’t be easy or fun every time. But by starting early and gradually and doing everything you can to create a positive learning environment, you can learn to love hiking with your young kids.
What are your tips for hiking with kids?
-B
Source: 8 Tips for Hiking With Kids
What an unexpected privilege to be featured on Overland Journal Podcast! Watch to the end for Caspian’s charming podcast debut.
You can watch the interview on YouTube above.
I’ve been listening to Overland Journal Podcast since Episode 1 in 2019. I’d been searching for high-quality podcasts about overlanding for more than a year. But there were very few at the time (our favorite was GHT Overland Podcast, which is now on hiatus).
So when Overland Journal Podcast launched, I was ecstatic. I went fangirl with an excited announcement on our blog. Little did I know we would be interviewed for Episode 52.
Through our conversation with Scott Brady, you’ll learn:
And more!
So many accomplished individuals have been interviewed for Overland Journal Podcast. Compared to them, our overland travel seems miniscule. But we do have a lot to share about full-time travel and international travel with a young child.
I want to empower parents to overland with their children, and I’m grateful to Scott for spending as much time talking about this topic as he did. Overlanding isn’t only for singles and couples. In fact, seeing the world through a child’s eyes is one of the most beautiful things you can experience in life.
Enjoy this episode on YouTube or the podcast platform of your choice. And if you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to ask in a comment.
-B
Related articles:
Lady Overlander Radio is a brand new podcast featuring female overlanders. This is an exciting resource as interest in the vehicle-based adventure lifestyle continues to grow each year.
The host of Lady Overlander Radio is Misti Tokarsky. She’s a full-time overlander, retired veteran of the United States Coast Guard, and mom of three. She brings a lot to every podcast conversation with her background in travel, leadership, service, and breaking ground for women.
Opening photo: Joe and Misti Tokarsky camp with Brittany and Eric Highland in Arizona
It was my privilege to be Misti’s podcast guest for Episode 1. Grab a cup of coffee or glass of wine, and listen in on this transparent conversation between friends.
You’ll learn:
And more!
Any questions you’d like to ask me about overland travel as a woman, traveling with kids, or anything else? Leave a comment below.
-B
Source: Brittany Opens Up About Fears and Challenges on Lady Overlander Radio
We were originally planning to depart for Mexico and our global journey as soon as our Jeep Gladiator was finished this summer. But as the build plan came together, we were overwhelmed by how many companies offered their support as gear sponsors.
Our home on wheels has become much more than we imagined–an overwhelming team effort. Add to that the support of our community members, including many who have been with us since we started traveling full-time in 2014.
All in all, we decided we couldn’t leave the country without showcasing our Jeep, as a thank you to our gear sponsors, and seeing many of the friends we weren’t able to see in 2020.
We are excited to present at the following four RV and overlanding events in 2021. Three are in-person and one is digital.
We are considering at least one other event, so make sure you check back here for updates.
Remember to leave a comment if you’re attending any of these overlanding events, so we can look for you!
Loveland, CO | August 27-29, 2021
Tickets
We’re excited to be back at Overland Expo in 2021, after all three events were canceled last year. This will be the first year for Mountain West in Colorado and we can’t wait to participate.
Our schedule hasn’t been confirmed, but here’s the tentative plan:
Montrose, CO | September 9-12, 2021
Tickets
We’ve never missed an RV Entrepreneur Summit since the inaugural event in 2017 (when Caspian was only two months old!). This will be our third time presenting, but our theme this year is radically different from past appearances. Instead of teaching about blogging or social media marketing, we’ll be sharing about our transition to overlanding and the global journey we’re about to undertake. Rumor is we’ll be offering a walk-around tour of our Jeep, as well.
If you are interested in working on the road as an RVer, then we can’t recommend this event highly enough. The industry leaders will be in attendance and you are likely to build lifelong friendships. We definitely have.
Online only | September 21-23, 2021
Tickets on sale soon
This event is a new one for us, but we remember when Full-Time Freedom Week was founded five years ago by our personal friends. This digital conference has grown into a powerhouse of information for anyone who wants the freedom of living on the road.
Unlike RV Entrepreneur Summit, which empowers attendees to work while traveling, Full-Time Freedom Week encompasses a broader range of topics related to general life while traveling. Topics range from how to purchase an RV to finding campgrounds and community.
In our session, we’ll be sharing about our transition from RVing to overlanding. We’ll talk about the reasons for the change, as well as how others can start overlanding if they want.
Flagstaff, AZ | September 24-26, 2021
Tickets
Of the three annual Overland Expos (Mountain West, West, and East), Overland Expo West is the big one! Three days packed with teaching sessions, inspirational presentations, happy hour, hands-on training, and time by the campfire. It’s completely overwhelming in the best possible way.
Right now, our tentative schedule for West is nearly identical to Mountain West. We’ll probably give the same presentation and sit on at least one roundtable.
However, there is one difference! At Overland Expo West, our Jeep Gladiator will be parked in the Goose Gear booth! We are so excited to show off the interior storage solution that makes our home on wheels functional for long-term use. Stop by and see us!
What about you? Are you planning to attend any overlanding events in 2021?
Source: Meet Us and Our Jeep at These 2021 Overlanding Events
We’re excited to announce our new partnership with Overlander.com. If you aren’t familiar with this website, it’s an ecommerce platform curated by the experienced overland veterans at XOverland.
And if you aren’t familiar with XOverland, it’s a video series, originally on YouTube but now streaming on Amazon Prime, that has inspired so many people to pursue overlanding. Clay Croft and his team members have driven through Alaska and the Yukon, Central America, and South America–sharing all their overlanding experiences on film.
All that to say, Overlander.com isn’t just another ecommerce website for selling questionable gear that hasn’t been tested in the field. Check it out from the site’s homepage:
Since 2010, the Overlander.com team has dedicated their lives to living, understanding and teaching vehicle based adventure travel. We’ve built countless vehicles, traveled to dozens of countries and had some of the highest (and lowest) moments of our entire life….
At Overlander.com you’ll find quality products that we can stand behind and trust. Many of the items we carry we’ve personally used to get us from Canada to Ushuaia safely and without issue. And 100% of what we sell is quality, durable overlanding goods we stand behind.
Overlander.com
We can personally vouch for a great number of the items you’ll find on Overlander.com because we use them ourselves every day as we overland full-time and live out of our Jeep Wrangler.
I don’t think I need to say much about what you’re supporting when you shop on Amazon. Instead, you can purchase superior products (or even the same product) through Overlander.com, supporting a U.S. family and team you can know, and trust.
Speaking of trust, Overlander.com offers some extraordinary guarantees you won’t find through Amazon:
60-Day Trail Tested Guarantee
We stand behind everything we sell. If you’re not happy with your purchase we’ll take it back, even if it’s been used in the field.
1-Year Lower Price Guarantee
Nothing is worse than watching the price drop after you make a big purchase. If you see it cheaper anywhere in the year after your purchase let us know and we’ll refund the difference.
Overlander.com
Say what?!
You’re also provided with a toll-free phone number and email address you can use if you have questions or need support. Yes, real live people who stand behind what they sell. What a concept!
We first learned about Overlander.com when we got a big surprise: we were selected as their first Overlander of the Month! We were incredibly humbled, but also excited to learn about this resource for overlanders.
We’re now an affiliate partner of Overlander.com. Which means when you shop Overlander.com with our link, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
In fact, you can save money! When you shop, don’t forget to use our discount code. Use the code 22HOURLESS at check-out to receive $22 off $199 or more (1 use per customer, some exclusions apply).
When you visit the Hourless Life page on Overlander.com, you may wonder what you’re looking at. Take a look because this is really exciting to us. It’s a collection of the products we’ve used extensively or have selected for our upcoming Jeep Gladiator build, and they’re all available on Overlander.com.
If you don’t see anything in our collection you want or need, that’s okay! Head to the top of the screen to Shop Departments or Shop by Vehicles, and you’ll have access to the full Overlander.com product slate.
As overlanding booms in popularity, we need trustworthy entities who aren’t out to exploit a fad. XOverland has been on the trail for more than a decade, making mistakes and dealing with failed gear so many of us don’t have to. Let’s learn from that experience.
And, although saying this isn’t to our pecuniary benefit, also remember overlanding isn’t about stuff! You don’t need a fancy vehicle or fancy gear to have the adventure of a lifetime. Don’t spend so much on your vehicle that you don’t have anything left to spend on your travels.
See you out there!
-B
Source: Shop High-quality Overland Gear From the Team at XOverland
Day 14 of living out of our Jeep as full-time overlanders. We finally slowed down enough to spend two nights in the same place, without moving our vehicle (aka our home) anywhere.
I laid a picnic blanket on the rocky desert floor and called it Caspian’s Corner (my four-year-old loves alliteration). For the first time, I lugged out Caspian’s Box, a giant tupperware container of arts and crafts supplies, books, toys, and loose play items.
I showed Caspian something I’d been saving, a booklet of handwriting sheets. You know, the kind with lines you use when you’re learning how to write. It had the musty smell of the 1970s and my mother-in-law’s garage where I found it.
I just wanted him to see it and know what it was. I figured he’d decide when he was ready to use it.
But he was ready, right then. He asked to do letter writing, so I wrote each letter at the beginning of each line for him to copy.
And he did. He spent at least half an hour writing letters using the lines as guidance, and then he chose to write some numbers.
When he was finished with the handwriting book, he made a discovery. To his delight, he found out I had packed his dry erase board and markers in Caspian’s Box.
There was an exciting connection to make because the board also had lines that showed where to begin and finish letters. This time without anything from me to copy, he spent another 15 minutes or so writing his favorite letters (he skipped the ones he didn’t like as much, like G and J).
You know how it often is. You have two weeks of vacation time, or one day at the national park where there’s so much to see. To make the most of your time, you plan ahead and try to stay on the schedule you set.
As Eric and I marveled at the extensive time our four-year-old spent writing letters out in the desert–COMPLETELY by his own choice–we made an important realization. Caspian’s self-directed learning could only take place when we were intentional about making room for it.
We had been traveling so often since we moved into our Jeep that free time had been rare. We were always doing something, going somewhere.
It wasn’t until we slowed down and had “nothing to do” that Caspian could choose what HE wanted to do. And what he wanted to do was practice writing.
During 2020, I spent a lot of time researching, in order to define my philosophy of education. We plan to homeschool (roadschool, worldschool) Caspian, and I want a firm handle on the guiding lights that will influence everything we do to teach him.
In that process of research, I gave unschooling an in-depth look for the first time. Though I homeschooled through 12th grade before attending The University of Texas at Austin, I’d had preconceived notions about unschooling since I first heard about it a few years ago. I saw it in a negative light.
But the more I learned, the more I agreed with the central tenants of unschooling. My mom actually incorporated a lot of the unschooling philosophy into my growing-up, even though we didn’t use the term ‘unschooling.’
There’s no concise, universally accepted definition of unschooling. But I’d define it as self-directed learning from the life happening all around a child, with a careful respect for play and family relationships.
While I haven’t fully “converted” to unschooling, I have made a lot of changes to my thinking about education. If you want to learn more, I highly recommend the blog “Happiness Is Here.” I’ve read all of Sara’s posts about unschooling.
One thing I’ve embraced is that learning doesn’t have to mean curriculum at a desk with a pencil. In fact, it rarely looks like that.
So even though Caspian did want to sit and write the alphabet in the story above, learning often looks different for him. It looks like playing, helping around camp, having a conversation.
Travel is a beautiful opportunity to broaden a child’s mind. We can immerse ourselves in history, meet new people, and consider new ideas. But I believe having a regimented itinerary that leaves no room for children’s input is not the most effective way to use travel for learning.
If you too have an intense desire to see your child learn and grow, then evaluate your pace of travel. How are you leaving room for self-directed learning?
-B
Last week, our boat was broken into while in storage ‘on the hard’.
We’re currently nearly a 1000 miles away from the boat, traveling by van and staying with family in the St. Louis area.
As we were settling in for the evening to watch a cop show (ironically), we got a motion alert on our Blink cameras we left behind to monitor things.
We had actually been getting these, usually just a yard cat getting aboard and checking things out. So we decided to pick up our phone and say good night to the kitty.
Much to our surprise, we saw a skinny dude on our cockpit looking for a way into the boat.
Just about as soon as we saw him, he rips the camera off the wall and throws it to the ground.
Our first thought was… IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?!?
Then it was CALL THE POLICE.
Soon after one of our inside cameras started reporting motion and we saw the intruder head first thing to the fridge, before he saw the camera and turned it around too. But our cameras are wireless with two-way audio.
Chris very sternly said ‘GET OFF OUR BOAT – The police have been called and are inbound’.
But in reality, we hadn’t yet figured out how to even contact the local police.
We knew that calling 911 from our cell phone would reach the dispatch local to us currently (that’s how 911 is programmed). So we thought it best to try to call the police department local to where our boat was.
I googled the town’s name and found the number. With shaky hands, I dialed it.. and got a recording that said ‘If it’s after midnight, please leave a message and we’ll get back to you after 7am – or if this is an emergency or crime in progress, call 911’.
It was currently 1am on the east coast, where the boat is.
We weren’t sure yet this was an emergency worth calling our local 911 for, but we knew that was an option.
We also called the boat yard, in case in they had any after hours emergency instructions – they did not.
In searching around, I learned that each local dispatch actually has a real 10-digit phone number that e911 is programmed to forward to. It actually has a name – PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point).
But that number isn’t always readily available to the public – sometimes it’s a closely guarded secret only available to top authorities.
In fact, the tip I kept encountering was to obtain that number if you feel you might ever have need to reach 911 from outside the area – such as for calling for help for a loved one, or cases like ours.
So I went to the next resource we have at our finger tips – a social media following.
I posted to our Facebook Page asking for help on how to reach 911 for a locality you’re not currently in. A lot of fellow late night folks chimed in – everything from ‘call the non-emergency number’ (umm.. already did?) to ‘Call your local 911, they can help’.
Meanwhile, Chris kept hunting for a direct dispatch number and thought he found one. He dialed it, and it turned out to be for a city of the same name in a different state. The dispatcher was super friendly and said this happens ALL the time. She had the direct county dispatch number at the ready – and gave it to us.
And that got us through, and a Sergeant from the police department nearby our boat was on the phone with us in minutes .. and they were onboard to find no one there and no visible damage.
It seems Chris’ firm warning to the intruder that the police were on the way worked – and he fled the scene.
In the course of the evening, we learned a few things:
After we had confirmation from the police and had a case number, we sent everything to our yard manager – including the footage recorded from our cameras.
He apparently read it even before arriving to work the next morning.
We were awoken first thing to another motion alert to see the manager on board checking things out and putting our cameras back in place. He gave us a video walk-thru of the boat – nothing is missing, and the intruder did no major damage (he did pull down an exterior light, probably thinking it was a camera).
A few moments later, the manager called us – with news the intruder had been apprehended.
He had distributed our footage to the entire yard crew, and one of them spotted the perpetrator still hiding out in the yard and the police were called back out.
He was apparently just looking for shelter – and we feel sad that any human soul should have to resort to breaking into property for that.
We’re thankful no damage was done, and no one’s personal safety was at risk. This could have been much worse.
And we hope our experience might help others be better prepared than we were to handle a similar situation.
If you have tips to share about reaching emergency services after hours, please do share in the comments. We however will be removing comments with suggestions on personal safety and weapons – we feel that’s a highly individual choice.
Here’s our video version of this – basically the same thing reported above:
Source: INTRUDER ALERT – Important Tip Learned For Reaching 911 When You’re Not Local
Probably one of the most frequent questions we’ve gotten over the years is just how do we afford our lifestyle of constant million dollar views by RV and boat?
We’ve gotten this question pretty much from the time we hit the road back in 2006.
Assumptions range from we’re trust fund babies, early retirees and otherwise independently wealthy. We used to also get living minimally – but that doesn’t pass muster anymore now that we own a boat, a bus and a van.
So this week, we took to YouTube Live to address this topic head on.
Here’s our 55m live video archive if you wish to tune in:
(We do a YouTube Live about once a month.. if you’d like notifications, be sure to Subscribe to our Channel and set notifications by clicking the bell.)
So, there’s a formula to affording the lifestyle you desire, and it’s really pretty simple in theory:
We’re both incredibly fortunate and blessed to have started our adult lives from a solid foundation in huge thanks to our amazing parents.
We were both brought up with strong money management skills and instilled with the knowledge to not fall into consumer debt patterns.
When we met in 2006 in our early 30s, we were both at similar places in life – we had a solid career path and we were both cash positive with retirement savings already started. And we’ve continued that trend, to now 13 years later with the ability to retire early if we didn’t enjoy our ‘jobs’ so much.
So, let’s tackle both sides of this equation.
If you’ve not lived full time on the road, you may equate full time travel to full time vacation.
After all, that’s the style of travel most of us know. You save up all year for a big expense filled vacation week or two – complete with high lodging costs, transportation, dining out and activities.
When a lot of folks contemplate a life of full time travel, they mentally calculate what their last weeklong vacation cost, multiply that by 52, and immediately conclude that they will never be able to afford it.
That’s not what life on the road is like. At least, not every day.
Most of us full timers no longer have a ‘sticks and bricks’ to return to. Our housing costs are now replaced with travel costs. And the rest of our daily expenses stay similar – groceries, health care, insurance, hobbies, pet care, etc.
But the cool thing is, fixed monthly costs like mortgage and rent are now replaced with variable costs of campground or marina fees and fuel. And as nomads, we have control over how much we spend in those by varying up our pace of travel.
We’ve covered these topics in depth in these posts before:
And long ago, this topic was one of the first chapters in our No Excuses: Go Nomadic series: Affording Full Time Travel.
We’ve also transparently shared our monthly travel costs since 2009, which you can dig into here: How Much Does it Cost to be a Perpetual RVing or Cruising Nomad? (we even go into depth how different decision impact the costs.)
We’re not retired early. We’re not trust fund babies.
And despite what some like to believe, this blog and YouTube are not major sources of income for us (in fact – the trickle of affiliate income, advertising on YouTube and contributions makes up less than 4% of our overall income.)
We consider what we do here to be FUN and a hobby – as such, our limited earning basically funds our sushi habit.
Our primary income source is running the Mobile Internet Resource Center.
It makes up about 90% of our income these days, but it certainly didn’t start that way.
When Chris hit the road, he had just left behind his Silicon Valley high tech career to hit the road. He was starting to develop his own portfolio of consulting clients while living off his savings initially.
I was already working remotely from home as a software developer, a business my father (a long time entrepreneur) and I ran together.
So when we met in 2006, I just took my career on the road – but we needed mobile internet for me to continue working.
Well, time goes on and we merged our lives not just in romance and life, but business. We launched a few mobile apps, we took on some consulting projects .. and one day after my father’s passing in 2013, we wrote a book to field our second most frequently asked question on this book – how we stay connected.
That was The Mobile Internet Handbook.
Little did we know a year later that book would evolve to founding the Mobile Internet Resource Center.
And five years later, here we are – it being our full time job, plus we have a staff of 4 that helps us keep the content all up to date.
But don’t let our story intimidate you.
You don’t have to be high tech geeks to be successful on the road. In fact, nomads have been roaming our planet since humanity began, earning an income.
Technology just presents a new opportunity.
The trick is finding your unique intersection of passion, skillsets and experience to find YOUR income source.
And there are resources to help you with that:
Next week is the Make Money & RV virtual summit. It’s 5 days of over 40 presenters sharing their story about income on the road. It’s free to attend all next week, or you can buy a VIP Pass to get access to the archives. We’ll be presenting our story on Aug 6. You can claim your free pass with this link (which yes, is an affiliate link if you decide to get the paid pass.)
A moment doesn’t go by that we’re not reminded of how incredibly fortunate we are to live the life we do – with constant million dollar views for pennies on the dollar.
13-years of full time nomadic life… and no end in site.
It’s hard to believe – we have been in our 2016 Winnebago Travato 59G for nearly 3 months as our home base.
It all started with wanting to be with my mom back in early August for her surgery and then evacuating for Hurricane Dorian.
Since the boat was already hauled out, we decided to just take off in the van to return to Zephyr – with a stop in St. Louis on the way.
To our own surprise, the van has been far more comfortable than we anticipated for extended travels. What we thought would be a comfortable shuttlecraft for a couple weeks at a time – has been pretty darn thrivable.
We’re now back in Austin and will soon be switching back to bus life.
Before we do that, we wanted to take a moment and share what van life for the past few months has been like – and the modifications we’ve made to make the ride more comfortable for daily living and working.
In this new video, we give you a tour of the mods we’ve made – from creating a pantry out of the wardrobe to creating an awesomely productive work space.
Nearly three months from Savannah to Florida to St. Louis and then to Austin has been pretty comfortable – despite some whiplash adjusting back to road speeds.
That was in no small part to some dry runs in the van, and doing some mods along the way.
This isn’t meant to be a full documentation of those modifications (there just aren’t enough hours in the day), and nor does this cover everything shown off in the video.
But here’s a quick list of the major projects (note, check the end of this post for links to products mentioned and stuff we’re using in the van.).
We turned the wardrobe next to the fridge into a pantry by taking out the hanging bar and installing shelving.
We went with the ClosetMaid system sold at most home improvement stores – the 16″ linen shelving (installed upside down) is the perfect depth to leave a bit of room for installing spice racks and bins on the cabinet door.
This has massively increased our storage space.
For our clothing, we just use the overhead cabinets above the bed – we typically only have foldable clothes anyways.
The Travato comes with a 24″ Insignia TV on a very basic monitor arm that positions the screen in a quite awkward angle for viewing only from the front seats.
We wanted something that would allow us far more flexibility
While in Charleston this summer I replaced my iMac (a 21.5″ retina monitor with built in computer) with a Mac Mini and 24″ LG UltraFine 4K monitor for more flexibility to move between 3 homes.
But the problem became what to do about my workspace on the bus when we returned. I would need a monitor there too.
What we decided was to find a better and more flexible monitor arm for the Travato – which after trialing a couple different ones we settled on the $80 AmazonBasics Premium Arm.
We attached it behind the dinette seat – which allows the screen to be much better positioned for viewing from the front seats OR from the bed.. and used as a display for either my Mac Mini or a laptop.
And then we put my new monitor on the arm – which allows us to safely transport it from boat to bus, and utilize it while in the van.
The stand nicely stows under the dinette seat around the Truma Combi – so we can move the monitor to my workstation on the boat and bus.
Perfect.
We still have the original TV on the boat – and will reinstall it on the van for trips during our boating season.
It’s been a SWEET setup – and we fight over who gets the workspace in the van.
We had been just using mobile hotspots from Verizon and AT&T with portable MIMO antennas as our mobile internet solution in the van. It’s a super simple approach that we guide a lot of folks towards.
But the Pepwave MAX Transit Duo with Cat-12 dual modems came out in early September.
Since we’d need to be testing this new consumer affordable high end option, we decided to install it in the van along with the new Poynting 7-in1 antenna (with 4×4 cellular MIMO).
Thanks to our friends Erik & Kala at Livinlite.net for providing it as evaluation gear for our work at the Mobile Internet Resource Center.
To do this, we removed the King TV antenna on the roof and re-used the hole to route the antenna. We don’t watch regular TV, and stream everything over the internet anyway.
Unfortunately, the 7 cable wiring is too thick to completely route – so the cable just runs across the ceiling into the tech cabinet behind the monitor (in newer versions of the Travato, they provide a nice conduit for such things.)
Since we test mobile internet gear for a living, we’re constantly swapping out options – nothing is a long term installation for us.
In fact, we just got in the brand new WiFiRanger Converge, which we’re putting into testing too.
Our premium MIA members are following along with our hands on experience with both approaches to mobile internet in an RV or boat (and they get some pretty sweet discounts on both.)
You can learn more about our always evolving mobile internet setup.
There’s a bunch of little mods too mentioned in the video – such as our Airvent Cab Inserts for better airflow while parked, our snazzy USB rechargeable tactical flashlight and magnetically securing the rear screen for cat-proofing.
We’ll also soon be installing the SumoSprings that just arrived to hopefully get a smoother ride.
And in the future we’ll want to swap out the AC for a much quieter one – that thing is way too fricken loud. Thankfully, we’re out of AC-season now.
And there may be a lithium upgrade in the future – either by swapping out the batteries, or giving into temptation to acquire a brand new lithium model Travato.
We got Zephyr out of storage this past week, and she’s currently at a shop getting caught up on general routine maintenance and getting some new dancing shoes.
We anticipate that in the next day or two we’ll be back to sleeping in a bus!
As much as we’ve enjoyed van life – we are looking forward to stretching out and getting our old gal back on the road!
We’ll be convoying the van behind the bus on our way out to Arizona this winter.
Keep an eye on our YouTube channel – we may just do a rather spontaneous LIVE from the bus – and of course we’ll follow up with what was involved with getting an RV back on the road after a year and a half in storage.
Above we mention several products we’ve added to the van to make life on the road more comfortable. Here’s links to the items (some are affiliate links):
For more Gear we love on our bus, van and boat that enables our mobile lifestyle – check out our Gear Center.
Source: Travato Van Mods for Living & Working on the Road – 3 Month Full Time Update
Home / Nomadic Lifestyle / Featured / Join Us For Lots of Cool Upcoming Stuff – ‘The RVers’ Premier and Full-Time Freedom Week
We have been making miles in our van conversion and are currently on the outskirts of Austin, and about to go see Zephyr (our vintage bus conversion) for the first time in person since we left her in storage back in March 2018.
We’re excited about that – and are anticipating a crazy week ahead of getting her back to road worthy.
But we’re also excited about a bunch of upcoming stuff – both virtually and in person!
We got the news recently that Discovery Channel offered to move the premier of our upcoming TV show up a week!
So set your alarm for 8am Eastern on Sunday, November 17!
Through the end of the year, we’ll be keeping that time slot – and then apparently moving to Saturdays after the first of the year.
The show will also be coming to iTunes and Amazon on the 18th, and PBS after the first of year.
The show hasn’t even aired yet, and Discovery has already picked it up for a second season!
WOAH!
We’re so excited to be part of this, and it keeps hitting home that this is real (we even have iMDb entries!)
Our friends at RVillage are hosting a free YouTube live event with the cast of The RVers – so come hang out with us, Peter & John of The RV Geeks, Tom & Cait of Mortons on the Move and the producer, Anthony Nalli.
That’s like.. tomorrow evening!
RVillage will also be organizing ‘watch parties’ for the premier, so stay tuned for those!
It just so happens we were already signed up for The RV Entrepreneur Meet-up in Frederisckburg, TX organized by Heath & Alyssa that weekend – so we’ll be having our watch party there (assuming we can figure out how to get Discovery Channel!).
We’re taking part in this year’s Full-Time Freedom Week in early November again this year.
This is a virtual online summit focused on full time RVing, and this year we’ll be presenting on Thinking Outside the Box (on wheels), sharing how we identify as technomads who explore by more than just RV.
The summit is free to attend during the week of November 5-8 – so go pick up your free pass (you can optionally upgrade to an all-access pass to view it anytime). There’s 30+ great speakers lined up presenting on a variety of topics.
Assuming all goes well with getting Zephyr back on the road, we’re planning to head down to Galveston for some beach time and the behind the scenes in person Full Time Freedom Week event.
So, back on the road we go to make the final push to be re-united with Zephyr. We sure hope she remembers us and is as excited as us!
Source: Join Us For Lots of Cool Upcoming Stuff – ‘The RVers’ Premier and Full-Time Freedom Week
We stored our RV for nearly 1.5 years, and learned a lot.
In early 2018 we drove our bus to Texas to attend & speak at the RV Entrepreneur Summit.
We had tried and tried to get a spot at the co-op park in Benson by then so we could then just proceed to Arizona after the conference and leave our bus in storage there before returning to boat life.
But, we weren’t high enough up the hot list by then.
So instead, we found storage in south Austin near my brother’s place.
We figured we’d leave the bus in Texas for about 6 months, return, and then proceed to a winter in Arizona. We’d be high enough up the hot list by then to score any lot we’d like in Benson.
Oh…. the best laid plans.
We did end up scoring an awesome lot in Benson soon after, but didn’t return to the bus for 20 months.
In this video, we recap what it took to get Zephyr out of long term storage, what failed and the lessons we learned:
For those who are not video people, here’s a quick written re-cap:
We selected Budget Storage & Parking in south Austin at 12001 Manchaca Rd (phone: 512-282-7867).
They don’t have a website it seems – so how did technomads like us end up there??
My brother used them to store his boat and he lives nearby. So we’d have family to check in on things if needed.
They have covered and indoor RV storage.
We selected a 40′ x 10′ private ‘barn’ to store Zephyr – figuring with all the crazy weather Texas can get (wind, hail, thunderstorms), it was worth it.
The cost was $270/month – kinda pricey (where’s the ‘budget’ in Budget??), but it included electric too. Since we wouldn’t have solar, that was important to keep our systems online.
And we figured, it was only for a few months – right?
Nope, it turned into 20 months in total we paid.
That’s $5400. Ouch.
We fully had the intention to return to Florida, get our bus out of storage in Miami – and get the heck out of hurricane zone by summer. Possibly up to the Chesapeake area.
But exhaustion hit us. Between Hurricane Irma, hitting a submerged channel marker requiring 5 weeks ‘on the hard’ in Miami, the quick RV trip to Texas and then tackling MORE boat projects in spring – we hit a wall.
Instead, we decided to cruise the St. Johns River during hurricane season (AMAZING!) – reasonably more protected than the coastline.
And then we got to Sanford, fell in love and the rest is history.
Storing for a few months is different than storing for nearly 2 years. After the RVE Summit, we were both exhausted and terribly sick with ‘conference crud’ and allergies.
We weren’t in our best mind to pay attention to details.. or predict the future.
Ok, realistically – can any of us really predict the future??
We did well to do things like moderate cleaning, pack up our stuff, get our perishable foods gifted to fellow RVing friends, leave behind remote monitoring and fill up the fuel tank & add stabilizer.
But we didn’t forecast what could happen if we didn’t return in a few months.
And that was our mistake.
After about a year – sometime in Spring 2019 – the storage facility experienced a prolonged (like.. days) power loss.
This led to our lithium battery’s EMS system shutting them down. And our installation wasn’t advanced enough to come back on line automatically. They need manual intervention.
My brother made a good effort to assist, but even with Chris’ remote assistance – we were unable to get our power system back online.
This meant our entire power system was off for nearly 6 months. And the batteries drained beyond repair.
We’ll be following up soon with an assessment of what happened and a re-cap of our 8.5 years with one of the first RV house system lithium battery installations.
And then, our coach standard issue lead acid starting batteries were nearly dead. They were set to trickle charge off the inverter.
Well, the inverter went offline during the house battery system shut down.
Thus, starting batteries were dead too.
They were older, and would need replacement soon anyway. So not a huge loss.
But, in a 10′ wide storage unit, that meant our bays couldn’t fully open. Which meant we had to finagle the battery exchange in very tight quarters to even start our bus. We did it however.
While we gifted on all our perishable food before storage, we figured that since we’d have power we’d keep a light load on the batteries by leaving the fridge running.
Our fridge is a Danfoss compressor style by Vitrofigo – running off 12v, 24v or 110 (no propane).
Because we anticipated a running fridge, we didn’t bother to clean it.
Wow, what a mistake.
We didn’t leave much behind but a few cans of beer – but egads, the fridge was covered in mildew/mold!
Thankfully, we learned a lot post-Irma – and it cleaned up in a jiffy with repeated treatments of white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and bleach.
During our 2015 bus renovations, Dometic gifted us their 320 porcelain toilet to try out. It’s a residential style commode, and is quite spiffy. We’ve been rather spoiled by our throne (with a 75g black tank underneath it).
Well, we were overdue to change out the valve seal (we tried in 2016 – but Dometic instead sent us an entire toilet instead of just the seal kit.. ummm).. and the water had completely drained out of the bowl.
This lead to crystallization around the valve and ball springs.
Which meant, the toilet was solidly sealed shut upon return and would not flush.
Chris managed to chisel the gunk out and get the ball open – which meant we could use the toilet as a pit toilet.
Which we did for over a month (fun) until Dometic determined the springs were not ‘user serviceable’ and had a new toilet meet us in December.
Thanks goodness the Happy Camper tank treatment works.. because we essentially had an open hole to our excrement stew for quite a while… and didn’t smell a thing!
And, we were able to find someone local willing to ‘user replace’ the spring valve and gift our older toilet to.
We received a lot of recommendations to next time fill the bowl with the pink RV antifreeze stuff – this will keep the seal lubricated. And to cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent evaporation. We’ll be doing both later this month when we prepare Zephyr for storage again.
We also noticed upon return that our Flexsteel Captain’s Chairs that we installed at Bradd & Hall in May 2014 were massively cracked and peeling.
We initially posted to Instagram & Facebook about it – and many responded that they too had issues.
And that led to talking with Flexsteel and learning that there was a bad batch of this cheap imitation leather in 2013-2015 – and our ‘Haloleather’ was effected.
But because the RV manufacturer’s selected the material, Flexsteel was claiming no responsibility. And the fabric manufacturer had long ago gone out of business.
But many coach manufacturers were handling the issue for customers with new covers.
So we next contacted Bradd & Hall, and they immediately told us they were offering effected customers free new covers.
Or, upgrades to ‘Ultraleather’ for just the additional cost.
They sent us some fabric samples, and we honestly liked a standard fabric better.
They had a new set made and sent us – at no cost to us.
Now we just need to figure out how to take the old ones off and install them (future project!).. or get the bus back to Elkhart to take them up on their free install offer.
In our opinion, Bradd & Hall went above and beyond to address the issue (and we were super impressed with their RV furniture installation in 2014 that we paid full price for – they’re top notch), and Flexsteel too dismissive in their denial of responsibility.
All and all, we made a few mistakes. But nothing that dissuaded us from our fleet approach to nomadic living.
All manageable. Lessons learned, things we can improve.
We did have other routine maintenance to attend to upon getting Zephyr out of storage – like all new tires (they were now 8 years old), changing out the muffler that had cracked, general fluids & lubrication and water system sanitization.
And we are thankful that we had our van conversion to live in while all of this was being taken care of.
This having multiple mobile homes to split our time between is a bit to juggle.. and a huge asset.
Source: Lessons Learned After Long Term RV Storage – Getting Zephyr Back on the Road
Home / Nomadic Lifestyle / Featured / We Have Arrived to Benson to our Lot at SKP Saguaro (And a ‘Please Don’t Drop By Unannounced’ Reminder)
We have arrived to our winter basecamp in Benson, AZ – to the lot we are leaseholders at in the SKP Saguaro Co-Op Park.
The bus and van convoy was a smooth 800 mile drive that we did over 3-days, and it was much more enjoyable than either of us anticipated.
The bus drove like a champ after 1.5 years of storage and some maintenance catch-up, and I loved loved loved driving the van solo (the new Sumo Springs are AMAZING!).
We have a lot to catch you up on – getting the bus out of storage and a proper tour of our lot at the co-op (we’re still getting our little casita situated as a living room & office space). And maybe I’ll manage to get some past-due travelogues out too.
We’ll get to that when we can.
But now that we’re in a known location that is hard to disclose without totally going social media quiet, we wanted to send out a reminder about not making plans to drop by unannounced.
We know our long time readers and fans would never even think about dropping by unannounced – but the message bears repeating every so often, especially in the winter months when more of us are in close proximity and it might be tempting to just pop on over for a visit.
This doesn’t just go for us, but pretty much anyone you might be following on social media (we shared this earlier this week on Facebook and Instagram, and it was so well received – thank you!)
Yes – We’d LOVE to meet you if our paths cross – and if you see us out and about, do say hi!
But please please please don’t MAKE PLANS to drop by unannounced.
We’d much rather be given the opportunity to set aside time for our visit, and even have clothes on.
You can find our contact info on our Contact Us page (linked at the top of every page of this blog.)
Some folks who share on social media invite drop by visits. Some don’t.
Please do respect that we’re all different, and just because someone shares online does not mean their physical home door is always open (unless they’ve made that clear).
Again – we DO enjoy making new friends, but we’re human too.
Just please respect that we’d prefer to make time for you so we can enjoy your planned visit too.
And please don’t get upset with us if you do decide to knock on our door anyway and we don’t answer or we’re grumpy when we do – our laziness at not being out of bed yet (or being on a work call) does not mean we don’t appreciate you!
Thank you!
We’ll be spending at least the rest of the month here in Benson getting ourselves situated in our new community and a little exploring nearby.
If you do want to come check out the SKP Saguaro Co-Op – they do rent out lots on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. And first time visitors who are Escapees/Xscapers quality for a special $65 week rate to come check it out.
Do let us know if you’re stopping in – we’d love to do happy hour and show you what we love about this park.
We also have a lot of work to get caught up on, including filming a brand new video course for the Mobile Internet Resource Center – so we’ll be hunkering down to focus on that project. But quick breaks are always appreciated.
Later – we have intentions to hit the (now sold out) Xscapers Annual Bash in mid-January, store the bus back in Benson and then start heading back east for the RVillage Rally in Florida in mid-February. And then it’s back to boat life.
It’s probably going to go by much faster than we’d prefer!
We did a live video tour of the lot over the holidays, which you can watch here:
It was 5 years ago this week that we attended the 2015 Escapade in Tucson, AZ and helped the Escapees RV Club launch their new club within a club called Xscapers!
And wow.. look how far it has come! With over 12,000 members they are hosting monthly convergences, enabling community and providing resources aimed at the working aged RVer.
While at the Annual Bash back in January, we did an interview with founders Travis & Melanie Carr to share some of the history of Xscapers, where it has come today and their visions for the future (including an Xscapers RV Park!).
We are truly humbled with what the Escapees has done with the little idea we brought them six years ago.
We are seriously behind on content creation – it’s been a crazy (but awesome) couple of months. So apologies for no updates lately. We are sharing regularly on Instagram and Facebook if you want to keep up in real time.
We’ve come a long way since Annual Bash – way back in the Arizona Desert!
Afterwards we retuned to Benson to get our bus into long term storage and started a two week van trip back to Florida for the RVillage Rally – which amazing as well!
It’s been kinda like a trip of visiting our ‘kids’ – RVillage and Xscapers.
After some time with friends and family, we returned to our boat Y-Not in Savannah last week – and after wrapping up some projects on land, she was launched into the water yesterday.
We still have some smaller projects to complete this week at the boat yard, but we are starting to set our eyes onto what our cruising plans this season might entail.
We, like many around the world, have COVID-19 on our minds.
Since we have to provision the boat anyway, we’re provisioning a little extra so we can hopefully just cruise & anchor with minimal need for being ashore while this plays out. RVers and cruisers are already well suited for a bit of social distancing and self-reliance.
And honestly after the past few months of non-stop awesome – we’re ready for some distraction free time to just be and focus on work. With 5G and low earth satellites ramping up – our work life of tracking mobile internet options is keeping super busy already.
And hopefully we’ll eventually get caught up on content here too.
Stay safe… wash your hands.. don’t panic!
One of the most frequent questions we’ve gotten since we traded in our MINI Cooper for a Class-B Winnebago Travato van conversion was – do we flat tow the van behind our motorhome?
And nope, the Dodge ProMaster chassis is not flat towable.
And our bus conversion really isn’t meant for towing much of anything – we weren’t comfortable with something too much heavier than the MINI due to the airplane like design of the GM 4106.
After getting the bus to its homebase in Arizona, we knew there would be limited miles that we’d need to move both the bus and our vehicle in the future. We would be southwest based during our bus-seasons.
So flat towing became less of a priority in selecting our next vehicle. We could easily convoy the two when we wanted both with us.
Which opened the door to… anything.
While we fantasized about a Telsa as our daily driver off our boat and bus, we decided that a van conversion would be practical as a shuttle craft across country. No more quick repositioning with hotel says in pet friendly rooms.
So, how has convoying two RVs been?
First, a quick video recap:
We’ve now done about 1500 miles of convoying the bus and van. Chris drives the bus, and me the van.
The first major trip from Austin to Benson this past fall was much quicker than we planned, but circumstances necessitated it so Chris could attend his grandma’s funeral.
850 miles in 3 days.
And then we had a round trip out to Quartzsite and Lake Havasu City (which will be more our typical winter convoys going forward) for the Xscapers events – 350 miles each way.
And it’s gone much better than we ever anticipated.
Here’s some of things we love about convoying:
Keeping Driving Skills Sharp. I love driving our boat, and do so more than half the time. But I actually dislike driving vehicles – so Chris usually defaults to most our miles. The van is pretty easy to drive and forcing myself to drive more is a good thing.
Here’s some of things we have to adapt to from our normal style:
Re-fueling. The bus and van have very different re-fueling needs. While the van has the best fuel economy of all our vessels at 15-18 MPG gas, it only has a 24 gallon tank. The bus gets about 7.5 MPG diesel but has 140 gallons on board. Which means the van needs much more frequent fuel stops. When traveling in places where gas stations can be 50-100 miles apart – this does require a bit of extra thinking.
Overall, having two RVs has been pretty darn awesome. Besides the convoying we’ve found some other advantages:
Satellite Office. While we have a sweet dual desk setup in our bus conversion (which has been oh so nice to be back to!) – we also have a sweet setup in the van. Having separate office spaces has been super handy – especially when Chris needs to do signal testing, or I am doing video production.
But of course the biggest struggle is for Kiki.
She has to decide each day which house and human she is riding with.
And she honestly seems to love all three of our vessels.
She’s truly an awesome nomadic cat.
We have now stored our bus at our co-op park in Arizona until later this year, and have just arrived by van to the RVillage Rally in Live Oak, FL after a way too quick 2000 mile trip across country.
We’re looking forward to an amazing event, some time with family next week and then returning to our boat by the first of March!
Ever since we purchased our motor yacht to start exploring the Great Loop after over a decade of full time RVing – we’ve been asked the question “which costs more?” multiple times.
Now that we’ve had our boat for three years (3 years?!?!), we have enough numbers to do a proper comparison of the typical travel & operating costs.
And spoiler alert.. it should come as no surprise to anyone, the boat costs more.
But the more detailed analysis of the costs is very interesting to dig deeper into.
First, our video explaining things (19m):
We’re going to break this down in to four primary cost categories:
It’s important to note that trying to compare our boat life to our RV life is like comparing apples to some other fruit of your choice.
Or heck, apples to screwdrivers (wait, isn’t that a squished orange with vodka?).
They’re just so different – not just in the costs, but in how we approach each lifestyle.
The RV we’re comparing is our 1961 GM 4106 vintage bus conversion that we acquired in 2011 for just $8000. Zephyr came to us already about 15 years behind on general maintenance, and had been sitting in a storage yard mostly abandoned before we found her.
She’s 35′ long, 8′ wide and 24k lbs. A single bedroom and bathroom, kitchen & office combined, and living room with couch & chair.
She’s far from being a typical modern day motorhome to maintain or operate.
Our boat is a 1999 Bayliner 4788 that we acquired for $152,000 in 2017. Y-Not had been maintained & loved by her prior owner.
She’s 47′ long (as per documentation, but really 52′), 15′ wide and 30k lbs. Two bedrooms, two baths (one with a bath TUB), four stories tall, dedicated kitchen, salon, pilothouse and flybridge.
Our boat is pretty ‘standard’ issue as far as motor yachts go – being one of the more mass produced models on the market.
We own both free and clear (just paid off the boat – woohoo!), so we have no payments on either. And while our boat cost more to acquire than our bus, there are boats and RVs of all price ranges out there.
From 2011 – 2017, we traveled full time in our bus typically covering about 6-8k miles a year. We would mix up our stays between boondocking on public land, moochdocking with friends, Harvest Hosts (save 15% with our affiliate link) and stays of several days in public parks (state, county, city, federal, etc).
About once or twice a year we’d take a monthly spot to get caught up on life, and mixed in some volunteer hosting.
Zephyr is now our home part of the year and will be spending her foreseeable future seasonally roaming around the desert southwest, with a basecamp at our Co-Op park in Arizona where we have a lifetime lease to a lot.
When traveling in our boat, we’ve found a delightful pace of cruising for a week or two spending most nights anchoring out, and then finding our next extended monthly stay at a marina in a cool new city to explore. Thus far, we’ve been covering about 500-1000 miles a year. We intend to cruise from spring to fall, and then return to RV life for winters.
We do also now have a van conversion that we added to the fleet a year ago that we use for short camping trips, as a daily driver, and for transport between our boat and bus seasons.
Those costs aren’t being compared here – but obviously, the van is the cheapest of all our options to operate.
For the purposes of trying to compare the costs, I’m using service months as opposed to owned months in the monthly averages below.
At the time of this writing, we’ve owned Zephyr for 103 months – but have had her in service for 75. Service is basically months we’re traveling/living in the bus and the boat is in storage.
We’ve owned Y-Not for 39 months, however only 29 of those have been in service. Service is months we’re traveling/living aboard the boat and the bus is in storage.
I’ve taken our life to date totals for each category & vessel and divided by the service months. So the monthly costs below can be treated individually, they don’t stack on top of each other (ie. we’re not paying $248 + $164 every month in fuel – it’s one or the other each month).
Or as we prefer to call it – pouring rent into the tank. Fuel to us is part of our housing costs as nomads, not just a transportation cost.
Certainly not great fuel ‘economy’ for a vehicle, but actually not bad for moving a house around the country. And comparing just miles per gallon, the bus might be looking like a winner in this category.
But the other way to look at it as how many gallons per hour we burn. Traveling at 50-55 mph on average, our bus burns around 7 gallons per hour. Our boat averages around 6-7 knots of speed, and thus only burns around 3.5 gallons per hour.
And since we set our travel pace by how many hours we’re spending driving/cruising, not how many miles – it’s actually been cheaper to operate our boat (crazy, right?!?).
Score one for the boat!
This is simply because back in our bus full timing days our pace had us more in motion and covering more miles.
Going forward, we expect our bus fuel expenses to go way down as we keep our travels very regional and seasonal.
The boat will probably remain about the same – maybe a bit more if we ever hasten our pace along the Loop.
And the majority of our actual miles will be in our van as we move between the two – which gets about 16-17 mpg.
But overall, fuel makes up a small portion of our overall expenses. I think our wine costs are higher (and we don’t drink nearly 3.5 gallons an hour!).
Paying for somewhere to be. This is an expense category that can vary widely by your own style of travel.
For us, we approach boat and RV life differently.
Staying overnight in our RV in a public campground (state park, county park, Army Corp of Engineer) is quite affordable at $20-35 in many places.
But overnights at a dock in the boat can get quite crazy expensive at $1-4 per foot (which means we could be paying $50-250 per night).
We enjoy free stays in both vessel by boondocking or anchoring out – and tend to do several weeks of that a season in between our paid stays.
Our big difference between our two primary homes is those paid stays.
When RVing staying put for a month at a time is an exception, not a norm. We tend to do more stays measured in days not weeks.
Whereas with boating, we rarely do nightly or weekly stays and optimize for more affordable monthly stays.
And when comparing monthly marina stays to monthly RV park rates – they’re not all that different in terms of costs. We’ve had marina rates ranging from $600 – 1400 per month ($900 being fairly typical) for our 47′ boat.
And that’s for waterfront (duh) locations usually within walking distance of cool downtowns to explore, which is rare for an RV Park.
So, in this category – boat life has been more expensive (yet still mighty affordable) and pretty awesome for us.
Co-Op note: This isn’t factoring in the cost of our lifetime lease and on-going maintenances fees to our Co-Op RV park in Arizona, which we more consider part of our bus storage costs. We also will get most of that back when we sell our lease. Our electricity cost when staying in the park is factored into our average RVing costs.
Insurance costs are definitely higher on the boat, and your actual costs here will be highly individual to your unique factors.
We carry full coverage for both vehicles with higher deductibles and high liability limits, as well as uninsured coverage. Our RV policies include a full-timers rider that gives us personal liability and contents coverage too (similar to what a house policy would include).
Part of the premium difference is the value we have each insured for, the boat about 70% more than the bus with all of the upgrades we’ve done to both. But the biggest difference is just marine versus RV policies.
We’re not insurance experts and definitely don’t want to play them on the internet – so if you have questions about this topic we highly recommend contacting a broker you trust.
For full-time RVing policies, we love Gina at Epic Insurance. You can also find leads within RVing clubs like the Escapees.
For boating policies, look for recommendations within your boating memberships. We found ours via the MTOA and AGLCA.
Quick answer, the boat costs a boatload more to maintain. As expected.
And please note – these expenses only include the mechanicals – the things needed to keep our bus and boat moving. It doesn’t include house systems (like plumbing, ACs, awnings/canvas, electrical) and various systems upgrades.
So remember I mentioned that we bought our bus for a song, but with 15 years of neglected maintenance? That means we had a LOT of maintenance costs to gradually catch up on – including a full out of frame engine rebuild. All and all, we’ve spent about $50k since 2011 keeping our girl on the road.
I really don’t know what a more typical modern day motorhome might cost to maintain. And owning a vintage bus does not necessarily mean you’ll need a $25k engine rebuild either (but not a bad idea to have emergency reserves at the ready).
In our years with Zephyr, we’ve also gone through two sets of tires at about $3500-4000 each time around (replacing every 6-7 years). And we’ve had a lot general stuff replaced and maintained – air bags, brakes, air drier, bearings, king pin, valves, etc. etc.
But a typical annual engine maintenance of oil & filters & chassis lubrication typically runs $300-500 in a bus shop (easiest done over a pit). And we anticipate other major projects throughout the year to keep a 60-year old vintage vehicle safely on the road.
I wanted to wait to share maintenance numbers until we had gotten past some major service items we knew were coming due – like air coolers and turbos. Now that we’ve tackled these, we think our numbers should be fairly standard that others can budget around for maintaining a boat similar to ours.
General Engine Maintenance – Range of $500-3000/year
We have dual Cummins 370s, which are big engines. We’ve had three annual maintenance revolutions now (including oil, filters, impellers and zincs).
First cost us about $2000 in parts & labor (we hired in a local mechanic who also taught us).
We’ll continue to balance out pro vs DIY into the future.
Major Engine Services
The prior owner had not serviced the after coolers in a while, so we knew that was pending when we purchased. We had them removed, cleaned, rebuilt, painted and re-installed for $3300 recently at our last boatyard stop.
And a while back we noticed that the seals around our turbos were dripping oil, so another $3300 to remove those, rebuild and re-install those last year.
Bottom Jobs
The bottom of a boat is very important to operating your vessel, and stuff grows on it. Like an entire ecosystem. Overnight.
To keep on top of it you have to have your boat hauled and the bottom repainted every couple of years (depending on where you cruise). And you need to clean it in-between.
We’ve had two bottom jobs already to the tune of about $4500 each (including running gear).
And we spend between $100-200 every couple of months when in salt water to have a diver go under our boat and scrape stuff off (and replace anodes).
Whew.
Ok – that wasn’t so bad.
And the winner is:
Yup – no surprise. Our style of boating costs more than our style of RVing.
And we were totally prepared for that in thanks to others sharing numbers like these when we were doing our research (and it’s been totally worth it!).
Hopefully sharing these numbers can give others a data point for consideration in their research when deciding if boating, motorhoming or both are within their grasp. But don’t focus too much on our exact numbers – every RV and boat is different. And every lifestyle is different too.
There’s of course other monthly living expenses on the road like connectivity, health insurance and general life stuff. And we also have storage costs for the vehicle we’re not using in any given season.
Head on over to our extensive monthly cost log that we’ve shared since 2009 if you want to dive deeper into the costs of a full time nomadic lifestyle.
Join us on Sunday – May 10 at 7pm for a YouTube Live Q&A on this topic!
Source: Boat vs RV: Which Costs More?
As most of our readers might be aware, Technomadia is our personal blog where we share the travel side of our technomadic lifestyle – and many years ago we branched off our mobile internet & connectivity content to reside over at the Mobile Internet Resource Center instead of here.
Keeping on top of this Resource Center has been our full time careers (aka ‘day jobs’) since 2014.
At the Resource Center, we have helped thousands and thousands of fellow RVers and boaters learn about their options for staying connected, and we love keeping our community up to date on this constantly changing landscape.
We intentionally try not to mix business and pleasure too much on this blog, and we usually avoid talking about anything “mobile internet” related here. But for us, there is a fine line between work and play. Being self-employed and working in a field so closely tied to our personal lives – our work projects are inevitably going to spill over on occasion.
Today’s post is intentionally blurring the lines, and we have a couple of updates from our work life to share with you.
We are constantly testing new gear that comes out, so what we might be using to keep connected can often differ from one day to the next.
But in the past few months, we’ve consistently come back to a particular setup of using a Pepwave MAX Transit Duo router as our central core. We love that it has dual modems, so we can run two cellular carriers at once.
So since things have settled down a bit, we have updated the documentation of our personal connectivity setup, and we have filmed a new video tour.
Here’s it is:
And if you’d like to follow up with the specifics of each component (antennas, data plans, and our back-up gear/options) our Mobile Internet Setup page has also been updated with all of the latest and tons more details.
NOTE: The folks over at MobileMustHave.com provided us with the MAX Transit Duo as an evaluation unit (we’re not affiliates, but instead they give our premium members a higher discount).
For many months now, we’ve been hard at work launching our very first video course to go along with our resources over at the Mobile Internet Resource Center.
After laying out the content in a learning management system, Chris and I converted our casita in Benson, AZ last December to a film studio for a week.
We sat down and filmed 44 unique videos (for a total of nearly 6 hrs of content) – designed to flow from one subject to another.
Here’s a quick sneak peak at the course:
We cover everything starting with assessing your own needs, understanding the challenges, diving into the options of cellular Wi-Fi and satellite and then bringing it all together.
We hired a professional video editor to produce the episodes – bringing in slides and animations to illustrate key concepts.
We are so excited to announce that the course is now ready!
Complete with quizzes, an assessment worksheet and even the ability to book one-on-one office hours with our staff to answer questions.
Whew.. that was a lot of work that hope can help many more tackle this sometimes overwhelming topic.
Unfortunately the debut put us right in the midst of the world going into lock down. But hopefully those gearing up for mobility in the future can utilize this downtime to learn and prepare.
We’re offering a special launch pricing of just $79 to take the course (in addition to a premium membership to our site).
I can’t believe we published our mobile app Coverage? (available for iOS and Android) 10 years ago!!
Wow. Where has the time gone?
We created this app (long before we became mobile internet focused as our job) so we could find cellular signal in our own travels to keep connected for working remotely.
This year we’ll be expanding the capability of the app.
First up, our mapping partner (Ookla) has been able to provide us overlays for US Cellular. That new feature just debuted this week in an app update as a free new feature for all.
Next up, Ookla has also been able to get us coverage overlays for the three carriers in Canada – so we can fulfill a long time most requested feature to provide information in the land to the north.
Canada support will be coming out in a month or so as a new in-app purchase for current customers, and perhaps we might even release a dedicated app for Canada too.
And of course, 5G is emerging – and once maps for all of the carriers are available, Ookla should be able to provide us new 5G layers. And once the logistics of the merging T-Mobile and Sprint coverage is done, we’ll consolidate there too.
Mobile Internet… always changing and keeping us busy!
Source: Mobile Internet Updates – Our Personal Setup, New Video Course & Coverage? App Updates
Earlier this year we returned to our boondocking roots for a month in the deserts of Arizona in our bus. It was oh so wonderful to be out in nature, on our own and feeling abundant in the systems we had long ago setup on Zephyr.
From water management, tanks, solar and lithium – in this quick video (11m) we shared our tips for daily life stuff while boondocking.
There’s really not much new in this video that we’ve not shared before over the years in more extensive posts.
But if you want to follow up on any of these topics, here’s those posts:
And a lot of the systems that make our boondocking possible were refits we did to the bus in 2015, which are summarized here:
Summer 2015 Bus Renovations Tour & Project List
And now.. fast forwarding back to present time, we’re still hanging out on our boat in Sanford, Florida and likely will be for many more months as we ride out hurricane season and the surge in COVID-19 cases. We’re keeping safe, healthy and continuing to be mostly isolated with purposeful outings, van trips and meet-ups.
With this post, we have worked through most of our past pre-filmed content. I might have some cross-country van-trip footage from last fall and spring I could work into something sensible. We’ll see, I haven’t even looked at what we filmed yet.
Let us know if there’s topics or content you’d like to see from us. Because I’m running out of ideas. ????
Earlier this month we recognized both my 13th ‘Nomadiversary’ and one year since we added our Winnebago Travato camper van to our nomadic fleet.
As we were reminiscing about our years on the road, we counted up the number of RVs we’ve traveled or lived in. We couldn’t believe it when we came up with a list of 12!
We also realized we’ve at least overnighted in every major style of RV except a truck camper or overlanding vehicle.
So we decided to sit down this week and discuss the pros & cons on camera of each style for extended or full time RV travels. Perhaps this video might be useful to those in the shopping process to understand the range of options out there, and that – there’s no one size fits all solution.
After we filmed, I realized we actually have experience with even more RVs than this.
It’s a bit too much to type out, so for those not video inclined (and we understand) – I’ll leave you with this photo montage and some links to where you can learn about the different RVs we traveled in over the years.
Our 2016 Winnebago Travato is our cheapest home to operate.
My first RV – intended to be a hurricane evacuation pod.
Our first year on the road was pretty minimalist. Got that T-shirt already.
Our Oliver Travel Trailer – home from 2008-2011.
Our ‘new’ old bus.
Hitching a ride with the Snowmads in their new Trek motorhome.
Our Class-C rental in Alaska
Borrowed Airstream
Borrowed 5th Wheel
Borrowed Class-A
Borrowed Class B+
Links to RV tours & stories:
Pre Technomadia RVs:
This was a lot of fun to put together, including sifting through some REALLY old photos and videos! What a trip down memory lane.
We’ve had some awesome experiences on the road, and we can’t wait to get back out there soon again!
Source: The 12 RVs of Technomadia – Class A, B, C and Towables, Which is Better?
Five months ago we arrived back to Sanford, Florida – a favorite stop in our prior travels that felt most like home to us.
Effectively putting nomadic life on pause as we wait out the pandemic and the craziness of the world.
This now marks our longest stay in one place since we hit the road more than 14 years ago. Our second longest was 5 months living on the island of St. John in the Virgin Islands before we got our vintage bus in 2011.
Here’s a quick video update to mark the occasion:
Five months later, it still feels right and we have no regrets.
And we don’t see leaving anytime soon – we’re here through at least the peak of hurricane season, and likely beyond.
Many new RVers and boaters are just embarking on their travels. The RV industry in particular is ON FIRE – with dealers hardly able to keep inventory. Heck, we’d love to upgrade our 2016 Travato G camper van to a brand new model with lithium, but we can’t secure one until MARCH!
Traveling in your own home or motel room is now considered the safe way to travel during a pandemic. Going on a cruise and international travel just isn’t in the cards for a while. Staying in hotels or going to theme parks is just less appealing.
And working remotely is now a thing. So why not combine the two? Work remotely from an RV or boat.
Which is keeping us super busy over at the Mobile Internet Resource Center.
We are not alone amongst our community of long time nomads to be either slowing things down or pausing. We’re seeing many of our friends staying put, buying land or buying traditional homes to wait this out.
We’re blessed that our boat makes a most excellent and comfortable downtown condo – so this is our own version.
Travel just isn’t the same right now. Sure, the more crowded campgrounds trying to accommodate novice RVers is a concern. But so much of travel for us is EXPLORING local towns – theatre, events, culture, dining, attractions. And so isn’t meeting people.
Trying to travel, find safe transient places to stay, safe things to do and having to keep socially distant just isn’t our idea of fun.
And sometimes a home base calls even nomadic spirits.
We’re absolutely loving life in downtown Sanford with walking distance access to so many places for excellent take-out, breweries, a distillery and winery. We have friends and family nearby, and we have ample opportunity for outdoor walking.
And of course, we continue to mix it up with local van trips to Florida State Parks, and taking the boat out for local cruising & anchoring adventures.
We are contemplating a cross country winter trip to Arizona to get the bus out of storage and back into our co-op lot (we had left our lot in the rental pool, but the co-op continues to turn away renters due to the risks).
We’ll see how the world feels in a couple months.
But otherwise, we would not be surprised at all if this extended stay turns until a solid year or more.
It’s just the way things are. And we’re mighty fine with that (even if we’re not fine with the state of the world in general.)
Life is about change and continuing to find your unique happiness quotient.
We’re constantly reminded to not let labels define us – even ones we consciously choose like full time nomads, Looper, RVer or cruiser.
We hope you’re doing as well as can be during these crazy times.
So here we are again, in the southeast on the precipice of peak hurricane season.
Despite hopes and wishes, not only did the season not get rescheduled due to COVID – it seems like the months ahead are shaping up to be a doozy with nearly double the number of predicted storms.
At this point, shrugging your shoulders and saying ‘what else can you expect – it’s 2020’ seems like the only reasonable response.
We’re definitely no novices at navigating the season. I moved to the east coast of Central Florida back in the mid 1990s, and have dodged my fair share.
In fact, it was the 2004 active season that got me into RVing – I bought my first while riding out my 3rd mandatory evacuation inside of a couple months (sight unseen on eBay no less).
My little pop-up camper was intended to be a hurricane evacuation escape pod, and possible temporary housing if my sticks-and-bricks was damaged.
It never came to that, and instead I began enjoying visiting Florida State Parks and fell in love with the RVing lifestyle.
And then I met Chris, who had already hit the road in a little camper – and the rest is history. 14 years later – we still live a mobile lifestyle by boat and RVs.
We return to the southeast, particularly Florida, quite often. After all, we have family here – and family is core to our happiness.
And heck, Florida really isn’t that bad of a place to be for summer. Sure, it gets hot and humid – but particularly coastal, the breezes make it much more temperate. More so than some places we’ve found ourselves for summer, like say the midwest. Or Arizona.
And if you give me the choice of any natural calamity – I’ll choose hurricanes over earthquakes, tornados or wildfires. At least hurricanes come with warning.
And if you track them closely enough, you have plenty of time to execute your hurricane plan.
So for us, the risks of the season remain worth the while.
There are however differences in the way we approach our hurricane plan between boat and RV.
Which we addressed last weekend as we awaited Tropical Storm / Hurricane Isaiah in this live video broadcast:
Things that are the same between our approach with our different vessels include:
Keeping our fuel tanks full – so we’re always prepared and not rushing during storm preps. And keeping water & holding tanks at their optimal levels. We also reduce the amount of ‘stuff’ we keep outside and have to secure for a storm.
But the key thing we do is stay hyper aware and actively track storms. This time of year, scanning these resources is a daily occurrence:
As we discuss during the video – RVs are excellent escape pods. Self contained, fairly nimble and able to react quickly to changing hurricane predictions.
So when RVing in the area, we keep alert and pretty much plan to leave the area for any named storm predicted to impact our area.
It’s just not worth the risk otherwise.
The Escapees RV Club asked us to write an article on the subject for them. That post is now live, in which I share more tips on successfully navigating the season:
RVing During Hurricane Season: Hurricane Prep for RVers
When RVing our plan is generally to use our wheels and get out of the way – that’s not always true of boating.
When you choose to boat in the southeast, you just accept a certain level of risk with hurricanes. And you select your insurance plan accordingly.
Since we bought our boat in 2017, we have spent every year in the zone.
Aside from getting far north (really north – Isaias last week had impacts even in New Hampshire!), there’s really just no escaping possible impacts.
You have to stay aware, have a plan and be good with the outcome.
There are three general approaches we see boaters take:
We honestly kinda play it by ear each season.
Our first season in 2017, we actively cruised. We were complete boating novices. We ended up in the Keys for Irma with no clear path which way to head to attempt to get out of the path. So we opted to secure in place and evacuate on land by our RV stored nearby. We also rode out a couple smaller storms out onboard – finding marinas to tie up at.
Our second season, we took a longer term slip in an area considered more of a hurricane hole in Jacksonville – with the option to run up the St. Johns River or ICW if needed.
That year, we had no direct storms to deal with – but having a slip secured brought us more tranquility.
Last season, we ended up hauling out in Savannah as Hurricane Dorian threatened the area – and started our RVing season early. While we could have re-launched and resumed cruising, the reduced stress of not worrying about the next storm was comforting.
Now that we’re no longer complete novices, we consider outrunning a storm to be unrealistic for us in many cases. Boats just don’t move fast enough to keep up with what can be a quickly shifting storm path. And there are just limited options to run.
Instead, we always keep aware of what our local options are if a storm is approaching. Sure, moving out of a firm path might make sense in some cases – but it’s not the default reaction we started out with.
So, that brings us back to this year.
As the pandemic enveloped us all back in March, we opted to head back to Sanford, Florida . We knew any quarantine would place us entering hurricane season, so our selection to shelter in place was also based around where would be safer for storm protection.
While being 40 miles inland doesn’t exempt us from impacts of storms, it should at least minimize them as opposed to being coastal.
We’ll play each storm by ear, and we have our camper van in the parking lot ready to evacuate in if needed. Last week’s storm gave us a great dry run at executing our preparation plans.
One of the most frequently asked questions during our overlanding presentations is:
What do I really need to start overlanding?
The good news is you don’t need much, at least not in the way of gear, which is what people usually mean when they ask us this question.
I will cover basic gear in this article. But before we get into “stuff,” here are a few characteristics I recommend:
If you have these qualities and a little coin as you consider getting into the overlanding lifestyle, then you are on solid ground.
Note: This article includes affiliate links. If you get excited about any of the products featured here, we’d love it if you’d shop via our links. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Next I’ll cover the mandatory basics–things we all need to survive.
I realize that when most people ask the “what do I need” question, they’re referring to gear. I’ll get to that in a moment. But gear in and of itself is not “must have” for the overlanding journey.
The things that are actual “must-haves” we all have in common. They apply to general survival, as well as overlanding.
Here’s the short list of the five basic needs:
Anyone who has ever taken a survival or bushcraft course, or has been trained by the military, knows these five basics all too well. They are drilled into us constantly.
If you have these five things, then you can survive. But modern day overlanding is more than just survival. Because most of us travel by vehicle, you’ll need a vehicle and fuel. At its most basic, the vehicle could be your feet, and the fuel could be water and food.
But modern-day overlanding typically includes an off-road-capable, motorized vehicle. I won’t get into what type of vehicle in this article, but suffice it to say you can start with whatever you have, and the appropriate fuel.
I’ve listed the five basic needs, so now let’s break them down as they relate to gear. Keep in mind, you don’t need all of the gear I list. Many of these items are just nice to have.
Regardless of how you choose to do it, just make sure you have the five basics of survival covered within your overlanding kit.
Not to be grim, but without water, you die. Some people say a week, some say 10 days. But any way you slice it, without water you will not survive long.
So you need a way to carry water with you on your journey. There are many options on the market. We use the following:
However you decide to carry water, make sure you plan to have 3/4-gallons of water per person, per day of travel–at minimum. This amount is JUST for drinking! You can use wipes in lieu of a shower, if needed. But you must have enough drinking water to survive your journey.
Under this basic need, you can always get a water filtration system. But in order to use it, you still need to have a water source. So again, carry the minimum with you.
Pro tip: The best way to tell if you’re hydrated enough is the color of your urine. It should be a transparent yellow color.
Having a shelter is key, not only physically, but psychologically.
Simply put, a shelter protects you from the sun, elements, insects, and extreme temperatures.
For our first overlanding build, we opted for a roof top tent and cold weather-rated sleeping bags. I did a full review of our roof top tent here.
However, you don’t need anything as fancy as our iKamper to get started. A small ground tent will suffice. Even a hammock and four-season sleeping bag could work just fine. We’ve seen people sleep in the back of their truck while overlanding. Heck, if you’re really hardcore, then all you need are some branches and leaves.
You do you. But have some sort of shelter.
We all need to eat. We also need a way to cook and store our food. (That is, if you want cooked food.)
Some might argue, “I don’t need to cook my food. I eat raw fish and berries.” Well, good on you.
But for the rest of us who aren’t that hardcore, you’ll want to be able to cook, store, and (gasp) maybe even refrigerate your food.
Cooking: From a simple fire and roasting stick, to an elaborate built-in cooking system, we’ve seen it all when it comes to the overlanding community. Personally, we use the Jetboil Genesis Basecamp, which I reviewed in this article. But, again, you don’t need anything fancy to get started. A trusty propane camping stove will work just fine.
Storage: Have somewhere to store your food. The issue here is wildlife, as much as spoilage. We use Tupperware containers for storage in our fridge, or spill-proof Ziploc bags when space is really tight.
Refrigeration: There are many options on the market. You can use a cooler with ice or a dedicated overlanding refrigerator like ours. But if you want to have the option of refrigerated food on your journey, then you need a solution. If you’d like to read about the fridge we use, then learn more here.
This basic need is often referred to as fire, but the human body doesn’t really need fire to survive. It does, however, need warmth and the ability to stay warm. Fire is the easiest, cheapest, and most natural way of obtaining this.
So you’ll want to have some method of starting a fire. It could be as simple as waterproof matches and dry tinder. Or as complex as a flamethrower (yes, we’ve seen small versions of this in an overlanding kit).
We carry a myriad of options for starting fires everywhere we go. We have a small torch that attaches to a one-pound propane bottle, a magnesium stick, fire starters, matches, lighters, and more. Yeah, we’re pretty serious when it comes to the ability to start a fire. If you’re ever overlanding with us, then we’ve got you covered here.
Other than the ability to create warmth, the ability to keep warm is important. I mean, you can keep your fire going all night, or you can opt for some other items to assist in this survival basic need.
For us, we use our Big Agnes sleeping bags, which are fantastic by the way, and we also have a portable propane Mr. Heater. These items, combined with our roof top tent, keep us off the ground and plenty warm throughout the night, even in subfreezing temperatures. (Don’t ask how we know.)
If my wife doesn’t get sleep, then I may not survive. Believe that.
To my knowledge, no human has ever been pronounced dead from lack of sleep. Though there was a study done at The University of Chicago with rats who were fed and given water, but were deprived of sleep. After 32 days, all the rats were dead.
Also, sleep deprivation is a form of torture used around the world. So there’s that.
All that to say that sleep is good and necessary. If you’re going to be out on the trail for extended periods of time, then you need to be able to sleep well. Believe me, some of the best sleep you can find is off-grid!
I’ve already mentioned that we use our Big Agnes sleeping bags. We have a Dream Island bag for Brittany and me, and a Lost Ranger bag for Caspian.
We sleep well.
Other items that aren’t all required, but that we highly recommend you carry:
Please note, this is not an exhaustive list by any means, but it is oriented toward survival. For a full look at our overland kit, you’ll want to see our Master Overlanding Packing List. It is pretty detailed.
I hope what you’ve taken away from this article is you really don’t need much to get started. The point is to get out and explore, but to do so wisely.
Make sure your basic needs are covered.
On every trip, keep track of what you used, what you didn’t use, and what you wished you had–and adjust your overlanding arsenal accordingly.
As a note, you’ll notice a lot of our gear is high-end. We don’t apologize for this because it’s been chosen intentionally over time, through exhaustive research. Keep in mind, we’ve been traveling full-time since February 2014, and we don’t own a house or land.
So for us, the few items we have ARE our home expenditures, specifically chosen for the type of life we live. Before you criticize how much I spent on my tent, think about how much you spent on your last television. It’s all personal choice, right?
My bottom line advice is to get out and explore, and carry as little as you can to obtain as much enjoyment as you desire from the overlanding lifestyle.
I hope this article was helpful to you, and please drop me a comment with any questions or thoughts you may have.
Until next time, keep it dirty and wheels side down.
~ Eric, Brittany, and #LittleNomad
Source: Ignore the Hype: What Do You Really Need to Go Overlanding?
Looking for online overlanding resources? You’ve come to the right place!
Listed below are 30 of the best overlanding resources in existence. I’ve shuffled through a metric ton of merely average sites, to personally curate this best-of-the-best list.
Let me know in the comments if there are any resources you think must be included in this overlanding resources list. I’d be happy to consider adding them in a future edit.
These quality forums contain endless threads and information about all things overlanding. Dive deep into specific content and interact with others with similar passions and interests.
1/ Expedition Portal – The best forum about overlanding that currently exists. A phenomenal website and community of overland adventurers who travel the world primarily via motorized vehicles. You can get lost in this forum for weeks. The founders of Expedition Portal are also the publishers of Overland Journal, which is the must-read magazine on the subject of overlanding. If you are only going to be on one forum for overlanding, then this is it. You can find us on the Expedition Portal forums under the usernames Hourlesslife (for Eric) and BrittanyHighland.
2/ Overland Bound – This is a community of outdoor enthusiasts who can’t get enough when it comes to the overlanding lifestyle. The forums here are quite active and generally not as technical as are found at Expedition Portal. The focus on Overland Bound seems to be more about the community itself. There’s a map feature that allows you to see and interact with other overlanders in your immediate area. Even tools to create local meetups and adventures. We’ve joined officially and are Overland Bound member #14045. You can find us on the Overland Bound forums under the username Hourless Life.
We all know video is being consumed at an astronomical rate, but not all video channels are created equal. Every account listed below are doing it very well. Give them a thumbs up and subscribe to their channels.
3/ Expedition Overland – These folks are responsible for the first set of overlanding videos we personally got addicted to. Expedition Overland is a group based out of Bozeman, Montana, that has done extensive overland travel (mostly in Toyota vehicles) around the world. The videos of these journeys are extremely high quality. Watch them and you’ll be instantly hooked on the lifestyle.
4/ The Road Chose Me – Dan Grec is the real deal. He’s driven over 50,000 miles from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina, and made numerous excursions off of the Pan-American Highway along the way. But wait, there’s more. Dan has also driven over 53,000 miles all over the African continent! He’s written books; has an informative website; and is on most social media channels. But his latest focus is the land of YouTube where he offers excellent, practical, and real-world advice about overlanding topics on a regular basis. If you really want to know what it is like out there internationally, then go visit Dan’s YouTube channel and subscribe. We never miss an episode.
5/ Dirt Sunrise – Tim and Kelsey have driven the entire Pan-American Highway and created YouTube videos all along the way. We really love how they keep it real. Their videos are not overproduced, but are rather a genuine look into full-time overlanding. We got to meet them in 2020 after their big trip, and they are really down-to-earth people who are willing to share from their wealth of experience.
6/ Lifestyle Overland – This family always makes me smile. The quality of their YouTube channel is top-notch as they travel with their precious daughter. They’re especially encouraging to my wife and me, as they too are overlanding with a little one. Two years into their channel and over 1.7 million views? Yes, go watch them now.
7/ Overland Bound – No, this isn’t deja vu. I listed Overland Bound under Forums, but the site also has a YouTube channel worth subscribing to. Michael and Corrie are fun and approachable in all they do. They’re an encouragement to anyone just getting started in the overlanding lifestyle and have built a massive community of like-minded enthusiasts.
8/ Trail Recon – A man and his son making epic videos out on the trails. What’s not to love? This channel was started in October 2015 and I’m absolutely addicted. Brad Kowitz does an excellent job with his channel. I only have one issue with this channel: they can’t produce content fast enough for me to devour it. A must-follow if you’re into overlanding or the Jeep life.
9/ 4xoverland – Andrew St Pierre White is the hero of pretty much every overlander. The Marlon Perkins of the overlanding world. If you didn’t catch that reference, then you aren’t as old as I am. Regardless of your age, go to Andrew’s channel right now and get lost in goodness. His demeanor, appreciation for overlanding, and humility will envelop you instantly.
10/ Ronny Dahl – Ronny Dahl has an awesome YouTube channel. Thanks to one of my readers for pointing me in his direction. Ronny has tons of videos up on his site. All are high-quality and interesting. I especially like his 4 Wheeling Family and Camping Edition two-part series. In this series, he’s out with his entire family doing amazing things. Shout out to Ronny, Steph, Hannah, and Sienna! Go check out his YouTube; you’ll be glad you did.
I’m glad you found our website and I genuinely hope you’ll join us on our journey by subscribing here as we launch our own global overland adventure. But there are others we personally admire who we highly suggest you follow as well:
11/ Landcruising.Adventure – Karin and Coen have been full-time overlanding around the world since 2003! She is a wonderful storyteller and he’s a gifted photographer. With 17 years and counting of full-time overland experience, why would you not subscribe to their blog? These two tell it like it is. They share the ups and downs, as well as the challenges and triumphs of their adventures. You could easily get lost in the content of their website and never resurface again.
12/ Overlanding Family – If it wasn’t for this family, I wouldn’t be writing this article. They’ve pretty much done it all where international family-based overland travel is concerned. Whenever I think of them, I think of using the hashtag #overlandinggoals. This is the family that inspired my wife Brittany to drive around the world. Definitely take a look at their blog and maybe you’ll be inspired, too.
13/ Bumfuzzle – They’ve been traveling the world for years using every mode of transportation possible. These folks are true global adventurers. Both my wife and I have an immense amount of respect for everything they’ve done. You know that urban slang YOLO (You Only Live Once)? Well, they should have a photo of Bumfuzzle next to that entry in the urban dictionary.
We want our Instagram feed to be filled with the highest quality of photos and information on the subject of overlanding. We hope you’ll give us a follow at @hourlesslife, but we also encourage you to check out the accounts we’ve listed below. So far, the following are our favorite instagram accounts to follow.
14/ @overlandjournal – Every overlander should be following this account. This is the official account of the Overland Journal magazine, “The publication for environmentally responsible, worldwide vehicle-supported expedition and adventure travel.” Seriously, add Overland Journal to your follow list.
15/ @expeditionportal – This is the online community from the team behind Overland Journal. They have actively been posting the best content on the overland lifestyle since 2005. Again, a must-follow for any overlander.
16/ @theroadchoseme – Dan Grec is not only a personal friend, but one of the people I most admire in the overlanding community. I have personally leaned on Dan for advice many times in our preparations for driving around the world, and he’s never let me down. Full of practical knowledge that comes from experience, and humble to boot, Dan’s Instagram should be on everyone’s follow list.
17/ @landcruising.adventure – Karin and Coen have been full-time overlanding since 2003. As of this writing, that is 17 years of travel around the globe. If you are even remotely interested in what full-time overlanding really looks like, these two do a masterful job of presenting the truth about their adventures and the beauty of our world.
18/ @alvetoexpedition – Aldo and Vera have been driving around the world since 2016. During that time, and as of this writing, they have explored five continents and 51 countries! And they have documented this journey on various platforms, including their Instagram. Our very own Brittany, here at Hourless Life, interviewed them for an Expedition Portal article entitled “4 Years Circumnavigating the Globe: An Interview with the Alveto Expedition,” which you can read by clicking here.
19/ @venture4wd – Chris Shontz is a photographic storyteller. All you need to do for overlanding inspiration is follow his Instagram feed. One of my readers turned me on to him and suggested I add him to the list. I’m hooked. His photos are crisp and active. The kind that make you want to drop everything and head out the door.
20/ @goosegear – We don’t have any of their gear yet, but we’re hoping to add some to our global overlanding build. Goose Gear’s craftsmanship is recognized throughout the overland industry. Even if you’re just dreaming of one of their build-outs, you should follow GooseGear and get to know them. A leading manufacturer of overlanding products and nobody has anything negative to say about them. Yeah, they’re that good.
21/ @dudelum – If you just want to be inspired by amazing photography about the overland lifestyle, inspiration doesn’t get much better than @dudelum. 79K followers and counting. Dan’s photos are breathtaking. Every.Single.One. Traveling in his Jeep with his family, this dad is Instagramming done right. Every post is worth a like. Don’t believe me? Take a look and be inspired.
22/ @epicfamilyroadtrip – Their motto is: Work, Play, Care. This family of five left everything behind to travel the globe together. Their hearts are incredible and their posts worth following. I’m always blessed and encouraged by each one of their posts. They’ve been all over. Oh, and now they’re building a cabin together. What? If you are an overlanding or adventure-loving family, then this is a family worth following.
23/ Overland Journal Podcast – Once again, the best in the business when it comes to information about overlanding comes from the Overland Journal team, but this time in the form of a podcast. We never miss an episode. Hosts @Scott.A.Brady and @mattexplore (Matthew James Scott) share all about overlanding. There is a profundity to the way they share information and they often delve deeper into the philosophical aspect of overlanding. They consistently interject timely personal examples on whatever topic they are discussing, based on their vast, combined, real-world experience. A minute of time is never wasted when listening to the Overland Journal Podcast. If you are only going to listen to one podcast on overlanding, then this is the one to choose.
24/ The Overlanding Podcast – These podcasters are responsible for all of what you are reading. Brittany heard an episode where they were interviewing Overlanding Family and that was pretty much all it took to get us traveling the world. We talk about the spark that got us into overlanding in our “Overlanding to Mexico” article. I think the podcast may be done now, but the previous episodes are full of practical info and inspiration, and definitely worth a listen.
25/ GHT Overland Podcast – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0…ignition…lift off! Chris and Lisa interview overland travelers and explorers from all over the globe. Grab your headphones and a cup of coffee, and pick any of their many episodes that pique your interest. The early episodes didn’t have the highest quality audio, but they’ve gotten better with each episode. This couple has been consistent and kind, and continually spreads the overlanding love.
➡️ Check out GHT Overland Podcast’s two-part interview with US, which aired April 2019!
26/ Overland Expo – Historically, Overland Expo East is in Virginia in November; Overland Expo West is in Arizona in May; and Overland Expo Mountain West is in Colorado in August. (COVID-19 has caused significant changes to the schedules, so make sure you check the Overland Expo website for the latest details.) Regardless of when they happen, Overland Expo events are the premier overlanding expos in the United States, and arguably the world. If you can only make one Overland Expo, we recommend Overland Expo West, the granddaddy of them all.
27/ NW Overland Rally – Once a year in the summer, overlanders from across the world gather in the Pacific Northwest for a full weekend of overlanding goodness. Top-notch vendors, presenters, classes, and more. Their motto is simple: “Have fun, meet people, learn stuff!” Ray Hyland and his team also organize the BC Overland Rally (BCOR) and Rocky Mountain Overland Rally.
We have pages of resources here on our Hourless Life blog about overlanding in Mexico, but if you’d like to look through some of the sites that inspired us when we were first planning our Mexico trips, then take a look at these resources.
28/ liferemotely – They haven’t written on their blog since January 2015, but don’t let that stop you from checking out the Life Remotely blog if you’re headed south. They have a fantastic book entitled “Don’t Go There. It’s Not Safe. You’ll Die.” about traveling to Mexico. Best book title ever, and you can download it for free on their website.
29/ Nomad-ish travel blog – One of our favorite resources so far! This family has extensive information on overlanding to Mexico, and the rules and processes associated with it. Awesome folks, too.
30/ Baja Bound – A website that primarily focuses on Baja, but has extensive information on overlanding in Mexico in general.
Don’t be shy. Comment below with any overlanding resources you consider “must-adds” to our evolving list of resources.
I’ll take a look at anything recommended. If I think it’s something I would’ve added to this list had I known about it before, then I’ll add it. If not, at least your comment will live on in infamy.
Share this article with anyone you know who is interested in the overlanding lifestyle. These are all great resources to have at your fingertips.
Until next time, keep it dirty and wheels side down.
~ Eric
GMRS seems to be the communication method of choice for most off-road enthusiasts these days. If you’re going the GMRS route, then our pick for the GMRS addition to your communications arsenal is hands down the Midland USA 40 watt GMRS MXT400 MicroMobile two-way radio.
In October of 2019, Midland USA became our latest gear sponsor. They sent us two MXT400 Micro Mobile radios for our adventures. (Thank you, Midland!)
But once we received them, we had to install them. Enter my good friend Paul Jones. As soon as we arrived back in Austin for the holidays, I went over to Paul’s house and we knocked out the install together.
This article includes affiliate links. If you get excited about the product featured here, we’d love it if you’d shop via our links. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Even though we’re starting our seventh year of full-time travel in 2020, we’ve never towed the Jeep behind our RV. Not once. We actually use the Jeep as it was designed–as a scout vehicle. So when we’re driving, we need a reliable form of communication between the two vehicles.
Up until now, we’ve been communicating using the 5 watt Midland GXT 1000VP4 hand held GMRS radios when we’re out on the open road. While these radios are great for what we’ve used them for, there have been many times during our extensive travels when we wished we had a much longer range.
Imagine Basecamp our RV, sitting by itself off-grid in the middle of a no cell coverage area. Caspian and Brittany are hanging out and I’m miles away on the trails, or I’ve run into town for something–farther away than the handhelds can communicate. Without cell service, there’s no way to contact the family back at Basecamp.
With the 40 watts of power in the MXT400s, this is an issue of the past.
Unobstructed, the MXT400s can communicate a whopping 65 miles away. With partial obstructions, they can still communicate 15-20 miles. With heavy obstructions, you’re looking at 5-10 miles.
We’ve done several tests we’ll have to write about in another article. But suffice it to say, these radios have some serious power. For safety, security, and peace of mind, we’re really thankful to have added these radios to our overlanding arsenal.
➡️ Hop over to Midland to read reviews of the MXT400s or purchase.
The install in our Jeep was fairly straight-forward. Though there were some acrobatics involved. If you don’t own a Wrangler, then you won’t understand. But if you do, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. But that’s #JeepLife, right?
The steps that follow are for a Jeep Wrangler JKU, but you can adjust as needed for your vehicle.
Step 1: Decide on a location in the vehicle where the radio is going to live.
We decided to mount our radio on top of our Vector Off Road JKE Dock. Here I have quick access to all of the radio controls; it doesn’t obstruct line of sight; and the mic is readily accessible. (Jeep-specific)
Step 2: Remove passenger side dash panel. (Jeep-specific)
Step 3: Remove plastic casings (covers) from the fuses on the power and ground wires to allow them to fit through the firewall.
Really nice touch from Midland to put these fuses in removable casings. If they hadn’t, this part of the install would have been a nightmare.
Step 4: Run power wires through the firewall hole and replace casings.
Step 5: Add ring terminals to power wires, to attach them to the battery.
We added ring terminals because we are powering our radio using the Genesis Dual Battery setup. Most installs will not require Step 5. But for those with the Genesis Dual Battery system, make sure you have some ring terminals.
Step 6: Connect power wire to the battery.
Step 7: Run power wires through the windshield channel to the radio. (Jeep-specific)
Though acrobatics are often required for these types of installs in a Jeep, we’re really thankful Jeep included so many ways to get wires through and around the dash, and windshield.
Step 8: Decide on location for antenna.
Unfortunately, there aren’t too many options with a Jeep Wrangler, since the roof has little to no metal. So we went with a longer antenna on a magnetic mount, and placed it on the hood of the Jeep on the passenger side.
Step 9: Run the antenna cable from the mount point through the engine compartment to the driver side, along the windshield wiper housing. (Jeep-specific)
Step 10: Remove the horn to allow access to the firewall on the driver side. (Jeep-specific)
We had already relocated the horn because of the ARB Dual Air Compressor. If you’re installing one of these radios in a Wrangler, you’ll probably skip this step.
Step 11: Run the antenna cable through the firewall on the driver side.
Step 12: Remove driver-side dash panel. (Jeep-specific)
Step 13: Run the antenna cable through the windshield rubber gasket channel. (Jeep-specific)
Step 14: Connect antenna cable to the radio.
Step 15: Button up all dash panels and clean up all wiring.
That’s it. Radio installed.
We powered ours on and began tests. As I said, that will have to be another article down the road, after we’ve had a chance to put these radios through their paces across differing terrain.
➡️ Hop over to Midland to read reviews or purchase.
As you can see, our installation was pretty straight-forward. Even though some acrobatics were necessary, the radio install itself was a breeze. I’d say about an hour to an hour and a half, tops.
But nothing ever goes this smoothly, right? Nope.
During the install, Paul and I had been messing around with some fuses in the fusebox, and pulled the fuse for the ARB Dual Air Compressor. We forgot about it and moved on to the rest of the install. As always when finishing up anything with power, we tested everything that has power in the vehicle to make sure we didn’t do anything screwy. Sure enough, everything worked EXCEPT for the air compressor.
Being the Jeep savants we are, we were sure we must’ve pulled an air compressor power line loose when yanking the antenna wire through the driver side firewall. So we spent the next five hours taking all of the wiring for pretty much everything in the Jeep apart, trying to figure out where the problem was.
When we finally remembered about playing around in the fusebox, we were a little embarrassed we missed something that simple. But we had some good laughs and camaraderie. Don’t judge us.
Bottom line, the radio is installed and it’s amazing. Everything else is operational as it should be, and all is right with the world.
If you’ve been on the fence about a permanently-mounted GMRS solution for your vehicle, then I’d encourage you to give the Midland USA MXT400 MicroMobile a look. It’s a solid addition to any overlanding arsenal.
Until next time, keep it dirty and wheels side down.
~Eric, Brittany, and #LittleNomad
This article was originally published on Jan. 6, 2020.
So you’ve got a Jeep Wrangler, or you are in the market for one, and you want to start an overland build. Overlanding is an incredible lifestyle, but there are some significant considerations, unique to Jeepers, that should be taken into account when building out a Jeep Wrangler for this purpose.
I live the overlanding life on the daily. I’ve done the research, made the mistakes, learned from them, refined my build, and through much trial and error we have our Jeep pretty dialed in.
Hopefully as you are going through this process I can save you some heartache, sweat equity from installs, time, and money.
You should know this is a Jeep-specific article. If you’re looking for general information and my thoughts on overlanding, consider checking out these other articles I’ve written:
There are many overland-related articles if you poke around our website. But for those considering building out a Jeep Wrangler specifically for overlanding, the rest of this article is specifically for you.
Author’s Note: This article is specific to the JK, JKU, JL, and JLU models. If you’re building a Jeep Wrangler JT (Gladiator), then this article may have some points of interest for you, but not all of it will apply.
We all know the Jeep Wrangler is a remarkably capable off-road vehicle with an incredible history.
But the Jeep Wrangler wasn’t designed with overlanding in mind.
The three main drawbacks for the Jeep Wrangler platform are:
A friend of mine on one of the forums I frequent summed it up best: “The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most capable vehicles ever built that can take almost nothing anywhere.”
He was right.
Though the Jeep Wrangler can take you pretty much anywhere you want to go, the payload capacity (how much weight you can carry), cargo capacity, and fuel economy of the Jeep Wrangler are the most significant limiting factors for its use as an overlanding vehicle–by comparison to other options out there.
The good news is the Jeep Wrangler is inarguably the most modifiable vehicle on the planet. This is a game changer. Why? Because if you’re intentional about your Jeep Wrangler overlanding build, then you can have an incredible platform that’s superior in capability to most other overlanding platforms, and still have everything you need to make your journey an enjoyable one. (All the Toyota guys are rolling their eyes right now.)
The best way to start, when considering a Jeep Wrangler overlanding build, is to first address the drawbacks I mentioned above. You need to figure out how to get past them effectively, economically, and efficiently as you build out your Jeep.
So let’s get started.
What is the payload capacity of the Jeep Wrangler?
In a word: subpar.
For those unfamiliar with the term, payload capacity refers to how much weight your vehicle can carry–including passengers and cargo.
Technically speaking, payload capacity is a calculation of the maximum payload your vehicle is designed to carry and still operate safely, as it was designed by the engineers who created it.
Figuring out your vehicle’s payload capacity is simple. Here is the formula:
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) – curb weight = payload capacity
To give you an example with our 2014 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited, the equation looks like this: 5,700 lb GVWR – 4,521 lb curb weight = 1,179 lb payload capacity.
What this means is EVERYTHING we’re carrying, including passengers, extra water, gear, tools, recovery equipment…literally everything…cannot exceed 1179 pounds.
Let’s put this in perspective. A 2014 Toyota 4Runner has a payload capacity ranging from 1,495 to 1,700 pounds! At its base capacity, a 4Runner would give us 316 more pounds to play with. On the high end of that spectrum, we would have a whopping 516 pounds more.
Depending on the year, model, and trim of your Jeep Wrangler, your payload capacity could be anywhere from an abysmal 800 pounds to an almost respectable 1,310 pounds. You’ll have to check on your own individual model, as I can’t cover them all here. You can look up your Jeep’s factory build sheet here using your VIN to get more information on your specific vehicle.
Personally, I love the Jeep as a platform and I’d rather have the capability and modifiability of my Jeep than any other vehicle option out there. But understand if you are not Jeep loyal and want to get into the overlanding lifestyle, then you should consider other platforms with a higher payload capacity as your base.
Ultimately, the Jeep platform versus any other platform is going to be a trade-off, depending on what you want to be able to do.
The question that begs to be asked is: Can I increase the payload capacity of my vehicle?
The short answer is no.
There are some who will argue this response. But the truth is you can’t really increase payload capacity in a vehicle, without potential problems and significantly dangerous issues. You should plan your Jeep Wrangler overlanding build around the payload capacity your specific model is rated for.
The good news is that it is possible to have a really nice Jeep overlanding build with all the gear you need to have, and to do it well, as long as you plan accordingly.
You have options. One of those options is to tow a trailer for all of your overlanding needs. Personally I’m not a fan of trailers, but I’ll save why for another article.
Jeep Overlanding Build Tip #1: If you’re purchasing a Jeep specifically for overlanding, then get the Jeep with the highest payload capacity you can get, and make sure it has a towing package. These two things are more important than the color of the paint. Even if you aren’t planning on towing a trailer now, you may change your mind in the future. So again, consider the payload and towing package when making your purchase.
I joked about the cargo space of a Jeep Wrangler in my tongue-in-cheek article, Buying a Jeep Wrangler: Should I Do It?
But the reality is cargo space in a Jeep is significantly lacking.
This is where we really get into the protips for building out a Jeep Wrangler for overlanding.
We’ve established that payload capacity and cargo are two main drawbacks to overlanding in a Jeep. So how do we make it work?
The simple answer to the problem of payload capacity and cargo space is backpacking gear.
Think about it.
Backpackers are an extremely hardcore subset of the outdoor community, much more so than us vehicle-based overland enthusiasts. These trailblazers literally carry everything on their backs up trails we wouldn’t even dream about traveling in our rigs.
Their ‘payload capacity’ is dependent upon their physical strength, and their cargo capacity is at an absolute minimum, yet they still need to pack in (and out) everything they need for their adventure.
This means backpacking gear is designed to be:
This revelation is a game changer for those building out a Jeep for overlanding purposes.
When you really think about it, backpackers would laugh at the payload capacity and cargo space “problems” we Jeepers have with our overlanding setup. Can you imagine if a backpacker could carry 1,179 pounds worth of gear?
When you really think about it, we have a ton of room by comparison to our backpacking counterparts and can carry much more in weight than they can.
So why not build out your overlanding arsenal using their gear? Makes sense, right?
Now I will say that because of the higher quality, lighter weight, and smaller footprint of backpacking gear, it can be expensive stuff. But if you’ve read any of my articles, you know that I have a “Buy once, cry once” philosophy when it comes to gear.
Don’t skimp when you’re making your choices on gear.
At the end of the day, you want your gear to last; you want it to take up as little space as possible in your rig; and you want the weight of your gear to be as light as possible because of payload restrictions.
Backpacking gear is the magic bullet, the solution to our first two major issues as Jeep overlanders.
Jeep Overlanding Build Tip #2: When it comes to overlanding gear you’re adding to your arsenal, stop buying camping gear and start buying backpacking gear! There is a massive difference. Use what you have when you’re getting started. But as you replace items or purchase new ones, opt for backpacking gear. It will save you a tremendous amount of both space and weight.
This leaves us with one more obstacle, and that is fuel economy.
Regardless of how much fuel your Jeep can hold, all Jeep gas mileage sucks.
It is a fact.
The good news is this drawback can be mitigated, as well.
Though I haven’t mentioned any specific gear anywhere in this article, I will make one exception here.
I’m a huge fan of the Titan Fuel Tanks Trail Trekker II external fuel tank. It holds 12 gallons of extra fuel on a grounded tank that attaches to the tailgate.
It came in really handy for us during our two overlanding journeys throughout Mexico where we covered over 4,000+ miles of ground.
With the Titan Fuel Tank Trail Trekker II, you can go from an empty tank of fuel to over a half tank of fuel in just six minutes.
Now you don’t have to use the Trail Trekker II. You can opt for Rotopax, which a lot of folks like using, or you can use an old-school Jerry can. But whatever you do, if you’re going off-grid for extended periods of time, then make sure you have some way to carry extra fuel.
Author’s Note: When we made the decision to drive around the world and committed to building out a new overland vehicle for that journey, we took the Titan Fuel Tank off our Jeep and sold it. It was the right call for us because we are going to keep GUARDIAN (our Jeep Wrangler Rubicon) in the Denver area for when we fly back to the states to visit family or participate in events. Since GUARDIAN will only be driven in the Lower 48 for the remainder of his service to us, we just don’t need the extra weight on him. Let’s face it, there aren’t many areas in the Lower 48 you can’t get to on a full tank of fuel.
Jeep Overlanding Build Tip #3: Make sure you have the ability to carry extra fuel. Remember not only you, but all of your gear and equipment, live in the Jeep. If you run out of fuel, then you’re going to have to hoof it to get some. So rather than have that issue, consider this a primary need for your Jeep overlanding build.
With the three major drawbacks of a Jeep Wrangler overlanding build taken care of, everything else is pretty easy.
Other than what I listed above, I highly recommend you consider the following as you’re creating your build:
There is a ton you can do with your Jeep Wrangler overlanding build to make it perfect for you and your family. Feel free to comment with any questions or for recommendations on specific products.
We’ve personally gone a little crazy. But this is what we really enjoy doing. So for us as full-time travelers, it’s not just our hobby, but our lifestyle.
If you’re interested, you can read about our personal Jeep Wrangler overlanding build here.
You really only need water, shelter, food, warmth, and sleep in order to survive. (I cover basic overlanding needs in this article.)
But who wants to just survive, right?
The overlanding lifestyle is about the enjoyment of it all.
There are few things I enjoy more in this life than overlanding in my Jeep. I love this platform for the adventure we are on, and I’ve yet to find a place I want to set up camp that I can’t get to. (Though I’m still looking.)
If you’re a fellow Jeep overlander, or considering the lifestyle, I’d appreciate if you’d drop me a comment below. We love to connect with other overlanders (Jeepers and non-Jeepers) all over the world in our travels.
Get to know us. We’d love to get to know you.
Until next time, keep it dirty and wheels side down.
~ Eric, Brittany, and #LittleNomad
Source: 3 Obstacles You Must Overcome to Optimize Your Jeep Overlanding Build
Until recently, we could barely find the bandwidth to watch YouTube videos, not to mention make them ourselves. Every time we considered starting a YouTube channel, our first thoughts were reasons to say no.
And so we did say no, for seven years.
But life changes; its chapters close and open.
Today we’re launching a YouTube channel to chronicle our drive around the world and everything we’ve learned from the past seven years of full-time travel.
If you’re short on time, then you can subscribe to the Hourless Life channel now and see our first four videos!
In response to a survey we recently emailed to our community, more than 30 percent said video was their favorite way to consume content online. Thirty percent said they usually watch online video every day, while another 30 percent said they consume video content at least once a week.
Especially at overlanding events, the first question we’re usually asked upon meeting new people is, “Do you have a YouTube channel?” After years of internally rolling our eyes and explaining why not, it’s funny to me that we’ll finally be saying yes.
You asked for this!
And because of that, we want to match your interests as much as possible. Expect to see:
We ask for your patience over the next few months. We have a lot on our plate as we prepare to leave the United States for 10-15 years.
Once we’re south of the border in August/September, we’ll catch our stride and be able to focus on the content we’re creating for you. But between now and then, I expect you’ll see a lot of experimentation and…instability. Because that’s the reality of our life right now, and we’ve always promised to be transparent with you.
So hang in there with us and give us lots of feedback on what you like and what you’d like to see more of.
YouTube isn’t something we’re stumbling into.
When we started traveling full-time in a motorhome, there was one RVing couple we knew with a YouTube channel. Jason and Nikki of Gone With the Wynns were widely recognized for their high production quality, sense of humor, and undeniably useful information for those of us who were living on the road.
Fast-forward to 2021. The RV consumer base has grown like gangbusters, but it feels like everyone has a YouTube channel. The same is true of the overlanding space, which is taking off right now in the United States. There are a lot of YouTube channels out there.
So why has it taken us so long to get started on YouTube?
So yeah, we’ve had some weighty, legitimate reasons to resist starting a YouTube channel.
The greatest reason for starting a YouTube channel right now is that we’re embarking on a spectacular adventure around the world, as an American family with a young child. We have a story to tell that no one has heard before.
While I love writing, and will always pursue my passion for writing, video has the ability to convey layers of experience that would be lost on a page.
Our family mission statement is Love. Explore. Study. Share. YouTube is a powerful tool to fulfill that last component. We’ve always had a passion for inspiring, empowering, and encouraging others, and now we’ll have an additional platform to accomplish that.
In addition, we’ve experienced a huge shift in our lives, which we carefully chose and engineered.
We are finally hourless.
hourless (adjective): being outside of time : timeless
Hourless is not a word heard much in common language! But when Eric and I use it to describe ourselves, we mean we’re no longer tied to a clock for our work commitments. We work, but on a schedule we determine. We no longer have to design our travel around work. Now we fit work into travel.
Intentionally off-loading work projects was an intentional choice. We’ve freed ourselves up for the next chapter: driving around the world for 10-15 years.
And by freeing ourselves up, we made room for YouTube.
So our decision to launch boils down to three reasons:
You should know Eric is the indefatigable force behind our YouTube channel. He’s learned how to use our camera, studied current best practices for YouTube, filmed our footage so far, spent hours editing, and reached out to successful YouTubers (thank you to everyone who shared from their experience).
He single-handedly made this happen, and he’s committed to creating and releasing fresh content for you every week.
It’s been a big job–in the middle of ordering our Gladiator, designing our build, talking to sponsors, going to doctor appointments, and the million other tasks he’s dealing with right now.
I’m really proud of his first videos and super excited to see what he creates next. I hope you are, too.
-B
Safety and security are on everyone’s minds, especially travelers thinking ahead to their first overland border crossing. We faced a barrage of fearmongering before the two months we spent overlanding through interior Mexico. If we had entertained every fearful thought, then we never would’ve gone.
You shouldn’t believe everything you hear about other countries, but that’s no reason to be underprepared. Like everything else in life, balance is important. We shouldn’t be motivated by fear, but by thorough research and common sense.
Eric spent 20 years in federal law enforcement with the United States Coast Guard before retiring in 2010. So he knows a little about “Semper Paratus,” which translates to “Always Ready.” Based on his extensive experience, as well as research and recommendations from seasoned overlanders, we’ve taken several safety and security measures for international overlanding. We began our first overlanding journey into another country when our son Caspian had just turned two years old.
This article includes affiliate links. If you get excited about any of the products featured on this blog, then we’d love it if you’d shop via our links. This encourages us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Let’s cut to the chase. The most valuable item we carry in our Jeep is our Garmin inReach Explorer+. With it, we have two-way communication anywhere in the world, provided we have a clear view of the sky.
Even when we don’t have cell service, our Garmin inReach Explorer+ allows us to have text conversations with loved ones or overlanders we’re trying to meet up with off-grid.
In an emergency, the Garmin inReach Explorer+ has an SOS feature. This button puts subscribers in touch with GEOS International Emergency Rescue Coordination Center. If you are physically able to communicate back and forth, they can either answer your questions or send the appropriate emergency responder to your area. If you are not able to respond, GEOS will attempt to reach you and your emergency contacts by phone, and will ultimately send help using your location.
I distinctly remember a moment in Mexico when Eric told me to “stuff the inReach in [my] pants” if we ever had to evacuate the Jeep in an emergency. In other words, it’s the one item we don’t want to lose.
Cost: $459.99 for device, then $11.95-64.95/month for subscription (monthly plans can be paused or cancelled at any time)
Eric’s real wallet doesn’t leave the Jeep safe when we’re out of the country. Instead, he uses a fake wallet holding a day’s worth of cash. This is where you could carry your International Driving Permit from AAA, while keeping your official state driver’s license tucked away.
I don’t take my wallet out of the Jeep, either. I use a simple coin purse with a medium-denomination bill for that day’s outing.
Cost: $1-8 (Dollar Tree, Walmart, etc.)
On both our overlanding trips to Mexico, we used approximately $1,000 USD in pesos each month. With that much cash on hand, we’re careful to split it up into various locations in our Jeep.
Cost: hopefully $0
Keep reading: Cost of Overlanding Through the Interior of Mexico
A dash camera was a last-minute purchase before our first overlanding border crossing. Initially, I thought it was overkill. But the more I read and watched others’ experiences, the more convinced I became that a dash cam could be a useful tool.
Here’s what has happened to other overlanders. They’re pulled over and told they did something wrong, when they didn’t. In response to the police officer, they respectfully offer to drive to the station to review the camera footage. Multiple times, this has immediately ended the confrontation.
We went with the Garmin Dash Cam 55. It has a parking feature which immediately turns on recording when the vehicle is parked, providing footage of anyone around your vehicle (at least, in the direction the camera is pointed) and their activities.
Now, we’ve never needed any of this. Four thousand miles throughout Mexico and we’ve never been pulled over by any law enforcement entity. But our dash cam is still a safety and security measure we feel good about, and who knows how it’ll come into play in the future.
Cost: $164.98
Now let’s head outside of the Jeep. Our exterior setup has several understated security features to point out.
Altitude Industries, the Colorado-based company that designed and installed our roof top tent system, bolted our roof rack to the hard top of our Jeep. The roof rack can’t be removed without access to the inside of the Jeep, followed by some serious wrenching.
Note: our roof rack is the Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform with JK Backbone System.
Cost: Included in Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform
The roof rack is bolted to the hard top, and the iKamper roof top tent is locked to the roof rack with anti-theft mounting brackets. This add-on by Altitude Industries gives us an extra layer of security for times when we might need to leave our Jeep unattended in less secure areas.
Cost: $110
When Eric first mentioned installing an alarm system, I immediately saw dollar signs. I was surprised to find out we could purchase and install a Viper Alarm System for a reasonable price.
The 5706V 2-Way Car Security system has several valuable features. First of all, the key fob can notify us within a mile’s range of our vehicle if the alarm is triggered. And on cold days, we can remote start our Jeep to get the engine warming up.
While we’re on the topic of alarm systems, we also considered a lock on our Jeep hood. We have some valuable gear under the hood, including our ARB air compressor and dual battery system.
While Mopar does make a hood lock, we chose another solution: a mercury switch tied into the Viper Alarm System. The alarm will sound if the hood is opened while the alarm is armed.
Cost: $240.98
Let’s talk locks. Items mounted to the outside of your overlanding vehicle are vulnerable to crimes of opportunity, so a well-considered lock is a valuable investment.
We chose Gorilla Automotive Wheel Locks for all five of our tires, including the full-size spare we have on the tailgate.
It’s not that our wheels are anything spectacular–we’re still running stock. But we sure can’t go far without them.
Cost: ~$20 depending on wheel size
Our two MaxTrax traction boards are mounted to our spare on the tailgate. Because they aren’t cheap and are important safety features in themselves, we slapped a cable lock onto them as a deterrent to theft. The cable lock is run through the spare tire wheel, which is locked to the tire carrier with a Gorilla Wheel Lock.
Make sure you know where the cable lock key is at all times, so you don’t have to dig for it in an emergency.
Cost: ~$14.99 depending on your preferred brand
How you configure your safety and security features is up to you. There are some overlanders who have gone without any of these items, traveling more extensively than we have yet, and they’ve been fine. There have been some overlanders who have done much more. And there are some who have been targeted with extreme results, despite all the planning they did.
At the end of the day, there is no substitute for common sense.
We have one big rule when overlanding internationally: don’t drive in the dark; arrive at our destination by 3 p.m. each day. Three o’clock may seem early. But by aiming for that time, we allow ourselves a cushion if driving conditions are worse than expected, we get lost, we can’t stay at the place we intended to stay, etc.
Beyond that rule, we put a lot of stock in our gut feelings. If we don’t feel safe, then we leave. Eric has a lot of training in situational awareness, which I consider his spidey sense for knowing when something isn’t quite right.
We won’t get it right every time. We aren’t trying to create a cocoon for ourselves. But we’re trying to hit that middle ground where we can adventure responsibly. We hope you can find that space, too.
Until next time, keep it dirty and wheels side down.
~ Eric, Brittany, and #LittleNomad
This article was originally published on April 26, 2020.
Source: 10 Safety and Security Measures We’ve Taken for International Overlanding
Update: Our wonderful home on wheels went to a new home on Feb. 4, 2021. Thank you to everyone who helped us spread the word!
Our 2016 Winnebago View 24J is officially for sale! This is the RV that revolutionized our entire travel lifestyle. It is purpose-built for wild camping in beautiful places off the grid.
Visit our RV Trader listing for photos and more information.
This Winnebago View 24J was purchased new in 2016 by Peter and Kathy Holcombe, known as Famagogo within the RV community. They were Winnebago ambassadors at the time and still are, which means their rig was carefully cared for by the Winnebago team in Forest City.
The Holcombes travelled full-time with their daughter and put the first 91,000 miles on the rig. They are now on their second Winnebago Revel and also own a Winnebago travel trailer!
We are the second owners. We purchased “Basecamp” from the Holcombes in March 2019 and have travelled full-time since then with our young son.
Our Winnebago View is currently in gated storage in Corpus Christi, Texas. We are willing to meet serious prospective buyers for a full tour and test drive.
If we weren’t leaving the United States in 2021 to drive around the world, we would not be selling our RV. We absolutely love it and are sad to part with it. It has been an amazing home for our family, providing the perfect intersection of comfort and maneuverability.
We know it will be the perfect adventure-mobile for another owner out there somewhere!
Asking price: $74,999 USD
Interested parties can contact us here. Serious inquiries only, please!
Source: 2016 Winnebago View 24J – SOLD
On February 21, 2020, we celebrated six years of full-time travel and started our seventh year as nomads.
Way back when in 2019, I “gave” 2020 to Eric. Knowing our time in the U.S. was coming to an end and that I’d “guided” much of our past route planning, I wanted Eric to fulfill as many of his stateside travel wishes as possible. He created a fabulous itinerary, cut short when we were barely getting started.
After overlanding the length of Baja, we rushed to Seattle to take care of Eric’s mom and shelter in place. We spent six months off the road, a completely foreign concept since we started traveling full-time in February 2014.
In August, Seattle opened up enough for my mother-in-law to move into assisted living. After we put her house up for rent, we got back on the road with our RV.
The country had changed. In addition to the expected precautions and closures, there were noticeably more overlanding rigs and RVs on the road. State forest campgrounds in the middle of nowhere, which would normally be empty in the middle of the week, were full. We had to adapt to the reality that more Americans had started to travel like us due to COVID-19, and the infrastructure we relied on as full-time travelers was now subject to higher competition.
But we made the most of traveling again. It felt good as we covered ground at lightning speed, making up for lost time.
As of this writing, we’re back in Texas for the holidays. We’ve moved out of our Winnebago View (thanks for hosting us, mom and dad) and are no longer full-time RVers. We are transitioning to life as full-time overlanders, getting ready to drive around the world. Our RV will be up for sale soon.
As such, this is my last annual review of this kind! I’ve been doing these since 2014, and it’s always fun to look back at a year’s worth of travel and compare our travel style to what it used to be (you can find the links to every annual review at the end of this article).
Of course, 2020’s stats are difficult to compare to any other year, since we spent six months sheltering in place. Where possible, I estimate what the numbers may have been, if we’d been on the road all year.
This article includes affiliate links. If you get excited about any of the products featured here, we’d love it if you’d shop via our links. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
2.
We traveled through two countries in 2020: Mexico and the U.S.A. We went up and down the length of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula for five weeks with our Jeep Wrangler, while our RV was parked in San Diego.
The following statistics represent only our time traveling with our RV, in order to compare year-over-year to previous annual reviews.
We visited 23 U.S. states in 2020, including four new states. One of our biggest milestones this year was marking state #48. We’ve officially RV camped in each of the Lower 48 states.
Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and West Virginia were the missing states we needed to complete our map.
69.
This number surprises me, considering how long we were out of our RV in 2020. We were in Baja for five weeks, at my mother-in-law’s in Seattle for six months, and in our Florida timeshare for three weeks.
If we had been in our RV all year, I think our number of overnight spots would’ve matched or exceeded 2019, when we marked a total of 150 overnight spots.
Our pace of travel has really accelerated over our seven years on the road. That change happened when we got our Winnebago View, which is only 25 feet long. It’s so easy to pack up and go.
These lists always make me feel like a gypsy. It makes me smile. In some ways, we’re less discerning than ever. “Yep, this’ll do!”
But we also learned something important from 2019, our year of fast travel. We learned that driving every day between free camping spots is usually more expensive than staying two+ nights at state campgrounds or national forests. This is especially true because we don’t tow our Jeep, so we pay to fuel two vehicles.
So, just something to consider: if your free camping spots are only for one night each, causing you to drive more often, how much money are you actually saving?
If you’re choosing free spots because they’re remote and wild, then keep doing that. But if you’re choosing free primarily for financial reasons, then make sure there aren’t hidden costs involved.
Looking back on 2019, we opted for more of a balance this year, more conscious of fuel expenses.
We LOVE Harvest Hosts and the amazing experiences we’ve had camping at over 30 wineries and farms. Membership is 20% off through the rest of 2020, which is the biggest discount of the year. You’ll be locked in at this rate for the life of your membership, so don’t let this opportunity go by if you’re interested. Learn more or sign up now.
41/27.
Forty-one free sites vs. 27 free sites in 2020. So 60% of our RV camping was free this year.
It could’ve been higher, if it wasn’t for the lesson I just talked about. We opted for more city, state, and national forest campgrounds, so we could relax for at least two nights and save on fuel.
In 2019, 57% of our camping was free. In 2018, 48% of our camping was free.
47/22.
Forty-seven dry camping vs. 22 sites with hookups of some kind. So 68% of our RV camping was dry camping (no hookups) this year.
Of those 22 sites with hookups, most were electric only. Only three had full hookups.
In 2019, 63% of our RV camping was dry camping. In 2018, we were still in our 40-foot Tiffin Phaeton and just starting to dry camp.
Our Winnebago View has 420-watts of solar on the roof. Our tanks hold 32 gallons fresh water, 34 gallons black water, and 40 gallons of grey water.
Total: $1,605.90
We spent:
Theoretically, if we had been on the road for all of 2020, our camping fees for 2020 would’ve been close to 2019. You can see how our camping expenses plummeted in 2019 when we moved into our Winnebago View and started dry/free camping more.
Monthly Average: $321 ($277 in 2019 and $607 in 2018)
I’m dividing our total by five months, which is roughly how long we lived in our RV in 2020.
Nightly Average: $10.23 ($9.12 in 2019 and $19.96 in 2018)
We spent approximately 157 nights in our RV in 2020, so the math works out to $10.23/night average for RV camping.
We try to include as many year-over-year comparisons in these annual reviews, but you’ll get the best comparison by reading each full review. If nothing else, you’ll enjoy seeing our state map get more and more filled in each year.
I can’t put 2020 into words. It’s been full of countless highs and lows. Days we thought would never end, and days that sped by because they were brimming over with dreams.
Eric and I thank you for seeing us through it all: the end of our RV journey, the beginning of our overland journey around the world, and this big transition from RV Wanderlust and Jeepsies to Hourless Life.
Our hearts are full of gratitude to the Lord for our health and the health of our loved ones. We grieve with those who have suffered loss. We don’t take our days for granted.
With you, we await 2021.
-B
P.S. Our beautiful 2016 Winnebago View 24J will be up for sale in a few weeks in Corpus Christi, Texas. If you want to be notified when it’s listed, then make sure you’re signed up for our email list.
Source: 2020 in Review: Full-time RV Stats and Camping Costs
Today is our nomadiversary, the day we started our life of full-time travel. This year, 2021, marks our 7th nomadiversary and the start of our eighth year on the road!
Seven years ago, we locked the door to our Austin apartment for the last time and moved into our first home on wheels. Since then, we haven’t owned a house or property, or rented living space of any kind.
Constantly shedding possessions, we believe in verbs, not nouns.
This past year has been almost entirely different than what we planned. Big-picture overview:
During this year of transition, we’ve spent more time off the road than ever before–though initially not by choice. We ended up sheltering in place in Seattle for six months, at Eric’s mom’s.
What a crazy time that was. But the timing ended up being providential. Off the road, we were able to focus on the sale of The Austinot, get our 19-year-old Javen ready for Coast Guard basic training, transition my mother-in-law to assisted living, and complete the massive job of emptying her home of 30+ years and renovating it for rent. There were days we thought we’d never leave Seattle. But, looking back, we’re so grateful for how everything turned out.
It was hard to let go of our identities as RV Wanderlust and Jeepsies, and the distinct communities we’d built. Thanks to those of you who stuck around, and others who have joined the adventure since the launch of Hourless Life in November. It’s isn’t lip service when we say we value your support and encouragement. This lifestyle can be lonely and has many unique challenges, and you help us keep going.
Here’s to another year on the road, the one we’ve been waiting for. One year from now, I will not be writing our nomadiversary article from the United States.
No matter how many miles we go, may we never cease to stay true to ourselves. May we inspire, empower, and encourage through transparency and love, never bending to create an image that “plays well” online.
Transparency is harder than it looks. But we think it’s why you’re here and we believe it has inherent value.
If you’re interested in our drive around the world, which begins later this year, your (virtual) ticket is free! By subscribing to our email list below, you won’t miss any of the highlights. We can’t wait for you to join us.
-B
Recently, we sat down virtually with Dean Shirley of Echoes of Adventure Podcast to talk about food and water tips for overlanding. That episode will be released soon and we’ll make sure to share the link. But in the meantime, I thought I’d dig into the topic some more, sharing what I’ve learned from personal experience while living out of our Jeep off-grid.
Believe me, I still have a lot to learn. “What do you like to cook?” inquired one of my mother-in-law’s friends, right after Eric and I got engaged. As it turns out, spaghetti isn’t a real meal. That lady laughed hard at me and I was so embarrassed. All I could do was sit there, completely bewildered.
Since then, my meal repertoire has expanded. But it’s one thing to cook in a fully-equipped kitchen and another thing to cook in camp, as you rummage around in your vehicle fridge after dark, maybe with some rain and wind lashing at you.
Yes, food and water on the trail can definitely be a source of anxiety. My goal with this article is to empower you to push past your apprehension. Don’t let the uncertainty keep you from Getting Out There.
This article includes affiliate links. If you get excited about any of the products featured on this blog, then we’d love it if you’d shop via our links. This encourages us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Without further delay, here are my best tips for eating and drinking during an overland trip.
I understand feeling uncertain about food when traveling into a new area. I confess I’ve especially worried about finding good meat in parts of the world we’ll be going into.
However, experience has gradually quieted my concerns. Remember, everyone needs food! If you are near other people, wherever you are in the world, then there will be food close by.
The smallest towns in the United States have a grocery store of some kind. But we’ve learned to do big grocery shops in cities. The selection is typically better, food is fresher, and prices are lower. Small town grocery prices can be exorbitant because the stores are trying to recoup high delivery prices.
As far as every-day essentials like milk, eggs, and bread, you can typically restock in whatever town you find yourself in. If there’s a gas station, then you will be able to find something to eat.
This is true not only in the United States, but also in Mexico. You wouldn’t believe how gorgeous some of the grocery stores are in Mexican cities.
We like Chedraui when we can find it. It’s a grocery store chain in Mexico, similar in style and cost to your average Safeway. Some large Chedrauis also sell home goods, making them more like Super Walmarts. But any grocery store will do, and we never go hungry! Even the smallest town in Baja, like Bahía de Los Ángeles, had not one but two grocery stores when we were there in 2020.
So that’s grocery stores. But don’t hesitate to tap into local markets whenever you can find them! Markets allow you to find fresh produce and other items, while supporting the locals in your area.
Some of my favorite memories of Mexico are from colorful markets. Even if we don’t really need to buy anything, we love to walk through them whenever we can.
Eric was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in summer 2017. To combat the disease, he decided to try a ketogenic diet. After four months, he had eaten himself out of diabetes and his lab numbers were normal. He no longer has to take any medication for diabetes because he manages it through diet alone.
A keto diet features high fat intake, moderate protein intake, and low carb intake. Though Caspian and I aren’t technically on keto, all of our family meals with Eric are keto, so Eric can maintain his health.
Transitioning to keto was a challenge for me because I had to figure out what it even was, and then do careful meal planning. Fortunately, more than three years later, I instantly know what meals are keto or what modifications can be made to make them so.
…in the United States. But it’s always a challenge when we cross the border into Mexico and don’t have access to all of our staples. We especially miss low-carb tortillas, which I’m hoping will start appearing in Latin American grocery stores before long.
It takes creativity and persistence to handle dietary restrictions while traveling, but it can be done. Keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions in your food. If you don’t take care of your health, then traveling will not be sustainable.
It’s easy to spend a lot on food while traveling. And if you’re on vacation, then that’s okay!
But if you’re concerned about spending during your upcoming trip, then you can just use your regular food budget. Think about it: you won’t be at home spending money on groceries or eating out. So take whatever you would’ve spent at home, and spend it during your trip instead.
The beautiful thing about overlanding is we all travel with a camp kitchen. So unlike hotel stays, when we don’t have a kitchen and have to eat out, we can reduce our meal costs while overlanding by meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking our meals on the trail.
If you’re curious about our food costs during our 2,000-mile overland trip through mainland Mexico in 2019, then you can read our full spending report.
And as far as water costs, you should know purchasing water bottles and refilling water containers in Mexico is extremely inexpensive. In the United States, if you’re periodically popping into campgrounds for showers and a refresh, then you’ll also be able to refill with water at no extra cost.
When we’re on an extended overlanding trip, meal planning is easier because I know I have my full cooking kit with me.
I find it harder when we go out for one week, or a weekend. For these shorter trips, I rigorously plan my meals and detail every little thing I need.
It’s tedious, but worth it. If I don’t plan, then it’s easy to forget something like olive oil, garlic powder, or aluminum foil. I always have these things at home, so I don’t even think about them.
But forget one when I’m out on the trail, and it can be difficult to complete that meal I was so excited about.
There are a few meal prep things you can do in advance that will make overland meals easier. You can wash all your produce, so you don’t have to use water from your camp containers. If you get really ambitious, you can portion out what you need. For example, don’t take the whole bunch of celery when you only need two stalks. This will make room in your fridge or cooler. You can even chop veggies or other food items to save time.
I like to strike a balance when it comes to food prep. Washing produce ahead of time is always a good idea. But the reality is, when I’m out there, I don’t have a ton to do at meal time besides cook. So I’m not big on chopping or cooking parts of the meal beforehand.
I want to enjoy the process. Whipping up a delicious meal in the middle of nowhere is extremely satisfying.
There is one exception to what I just said, though. If I know we’ll be arriving at camp after dark, or if the weather is forecast to be rainy or cold, then I might do extra prep or meal cooking ahead of time. Ashley Giordano does this in Episode 1 of X Overland’s Arctic Solo Series. She knew they’d encounter sub-zero temperatures, so she cooked and froze soups that would be easy to serve in frigid weather conditions.
You don’t need to buy groceries for your entire overlanding trip. You only need to pack for the days you’re away from services.
This does several things:
We love to eat out. It’s one of the ways we immerse ourselves in the local culture.
We used to dine out a lot more. But as we’ve gotten closer to our international trip, we’ve needed to relinquish business projects that require constant Internet connection. This has been an intentional choice that’s resulted in a lower income. Eating out is the budget line item we’ve needed to decrease. We still make room for eating out, but we’re much more intentional about where we go.
Eating out south of the U.S. border is a different story. If you go to a casual local spot (as opposed to a fancier sit-down restaurant), then it will cost about the same as groceries would–maybe less. So we eat out a lot in Mexico.
In Puebla, one of Eric’s cousins literally runs a restaurant out of her garage. Talk about a home-cooked meal!
One pro tip for overlanding in Latin America is to take probiotics to fortify your digestive system. We start taking Culturelle about a week before crossing the border, and make sure we have enough to last a couple of weeks in our new country. We were able to find more probiotics at a Walmart in Baja when we ran out.
Some people argue how affective probiotics actually are. But we’ve used them every time we’ve visited Mexico, and have had rare and minor gastrointestinal issues. Caspian (who had just turned two when he overlanded 2,000 miles through interior Mexico) hasn’t had any problems at all.
Some people are under the impression that drinking Mexico’s water is a terrifying, scary thing, and you’re bound to get sick from it.
But there’s a myth surrounding water in Mexico.
The locals know water out of their taps is not for drinking. Mexico doesn’t have a water treatment system like we do in the U.S. So essentially everyone in Mexico drinks bottled water, and only bottled water is served in restaurants (in our fairly extensive experience).
We were so worried about the water when we first visited Mexico by plane in 2016. We thought Mexicans were “used to” drinking their water and our systems weren’t, so they could drink it and we couldn’t. Now that we’re a tad more educated, water in Mexico isn’t something we worry about anymore!
You may remember from our article about survival basics that you need 3/4 (three quarters) of a gallon of drinking water for each person in your party, per day. That is just for drinking.
In addition to personal Hydroflasks, we’ve been using two Rotopax containers for water through mainland Mexico and Baja. The containers hold a combined total of 4.5 gallons.
That may seem like an insanely small amount of water for all your camp needs, but conserving water comes with practice.
We started learning in 2018 when we began extensive dry camping in our RV. In Mexico, we’ve never, ever had trouble finding water. Remember, the locals are not drinking tap water, but bottled water. So you will find bottled water in every little town, at every little gas station.
Neither drinking nor doing dishes requires a ton of water. It’s when you add a shower setup that water can go really quickly.
So let’s talk about overland showers.
We don’t have a shower system in our Jeep Wrangler, and we don’t plan to have one in our Jeep Gladiator. Reasons:
If you have an overland shower, then I won’t judge you. I just ask that you’re honest with yourself about how much water you can safely carry without exceeding your vehicle’s payload. And also consider where you’re placing a heavy aftermarket water tank, and how it impacts the geometry of your vehicle. (We want to keep weight as low and centered as we can.)
I mentioned how we’ve been using two Rotopax for water. They’re going to stay in the states with our North American build. We’re switching to a Lifesaver for our global trip, which holds almost five gallons of water, and filters out bacteria and viruses.
With it, we can fill from any source, even a muddy pond. We don’t expect to get that desperate really ever, but it’s nice to know we have options!
I’ve listened to several overlanders who have traveled more than us, and the bottom line is: we’ll all figure it out! With anything as essential as food and water, which everyone around you also needs, you will undoubtedly learn what you need to know. Don’t let something like food stop you from an adventure!
-B
We recently spent a week wild camping a few miles outside the border of Yosemite National Park in California. We spent one full Sunday in the park, then visited two other times for more hiking.
Within five days, toddler Caspian hiked six miles unaided. Each of these three two-mile hikes were memorable, with varying scenery and levels of difficulty.
I love the two-mile chunk, when it comes to hiking. Yes, it’s something Caspian can manage on his own now. But it’s also a distance we can usually fit in after work, or during a packed Saturday of sight-seeing.
If two miles sounds good to you, too, then read on. Here’s are the three unforgettable two-mile hikes we did at Yosemite National Park.
Type: Out and back
Length: 2 mi.
Difficulty: Moderate, due to steep elevation gain
Elevation gain: 400 ft.
Shade: Almost all heavy shade
Our hike to Vernal Fall Footbridge fell in the middle of a spectacular full day in Yosemite National Park. After visiting Glacier Point and Tunnel View, and being soaked at the foot of Bridalveil Fall, we parked at Yosemite Village and caught the shuttle.
Stop #16 is Mist Trail, which YosemiteHikes.com names, “Yosemite’s signature hike.” The trail takes you to Vernal Fall and on to Nevada Fall (7 mi. roundtrip). But with our two-year-old on foot, the Vernal Fall footbridge was as far as we were going to go (2 mi. roundtrip).
We enjoyed our first hike in Yosemite. As the early summer heat hit in the afternoon, we were relieved that the trail was heavily shaded. Below us, the Merced River rushed with audible snow melt.
And then there was the elevation gain. While the trail is flat and paved, the route to the footbridge is largely uphill. Steep hills. That was the only downside to this hike: the elevation gain wasn’t subtle at all.
If you have bad knees like Eric, definitely take your trekking poles for the downhill route back.
Type: Out and back
Length: 2.1 mi.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Elevation gain: 456 ft.
Shade: Most not shaded
I’ll never forget our hike to Sentinel Dome, which is located off the road to Glacier Point. The sandy dirt trail was mostly easy, with a patch of rocks we had to pick our way through. Though we were hiking uphill, the elevation gain wasn’t nearly as noticeable as it was on the Vernal Fall footbridge trail.
This hike was recommended by one of our Instagram followers, but I didn’t know what to expect. As we came around the back side of Sentinel Dome, through a grove of trees, the world opened up. Suddenly, we were on a precipice with a tremendous view of Yosemite National Park, including the plunging Yosemite Falls.
There was snow on the dome, so Caspian threw a few snowballs and Eric made a tiny snowman. When he asked Caspian what the snowman’s name was, Caspian said it was Neil.
I didn’t want to leave. The panorama was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.
Type: Loop
Length: 2 mi.
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 351 ft.
Shade: Most has light shade
From where we camped in Sierra National Forest on the south end of the park, Mariposa Grove of the Sequoias was only 20 minutes from us. I loved visiting Sequoia National Park in 2016, so I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see these magnificent trees in a different setting.
This was our easiest hike of the three. Though the Internet claims the elevation gain is 351-feet, I never would’ve guessed that. For the most part (other than a few easy switchbacks at the end of the loop), the trail seemed fairly flat.
Since we weren’t looking at our feet, we could leisurely marvel at the giant sequoias surrounding us. It’s amazing how they dwarf the other tree species around them.
Caspian loved the “tunnel trees” and insisted on going into each one. As he rounded out mile six of six in one week, my momma heart was bursting. I’m so proud of him.
-B
On February 21, 2019, we celebrated five years of full-time travel and started our sixth year embracing the nomadic lifestyle.
We lost our minds a bit, while simultaneously finding ourselves. We sold our 40-foot RV and found out its contents fit into a 5×8 U-Haul trailer. We moved into our Jeep Wrangler, crossed the southern border, and spent the next two months driving 2,000 miles through the interior of Mexico.
Though we threw around the idea of living out of our Jeep all year, we ended up buying a 2016 Winnebago View 24J. It was the exact model we had been eyeing, with tons of solar, and we knew it had been cared for by our friends at Famagogo.
And so began the most insane year of continental U.S. travel we’ve ever put ourselves through: a complete loop of the country through 32 states and Canada, with some unplanned detours along the way.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
This is the companion piece to “19 Favorite Moments of 2019, Our Sixth Year as Full-time RVers.” Make sure you read that article for tons of photos and our favorite experiences of a very full year.
Note: This article includes affiliate links. If you get excited about any of the products featured here, we’d love it if you’d shop via our links. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Three: Mexico, U.S.A., and Canada. (We traveled through Mexico with our Jeep, not RV.)
Thirty-two states, including a whopping 14 new states by RV (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maryland).
We had no intention of visiting New England at all this year, so that was a bit spontaneous.
150.
I should put this number, 150, into context. In my 2018 review, I described our 45 overnight stops as “breathtaking.” In relation to our travel pace up to that time, it was a whirlwind. But by May 20, we had already hit that number for 2019. And our pace wound up from there.
It’s so fun to see this list put together in one place. When you’re moving almost every day, your surroundings blur together a bit. There were definitely mornings when I woke up and didn’t know where I was at first.
But our Winnebago gives us so much flexibility, which results in variety. We’re branching out more than ever with the bizarre places we’re able to park and sleep, like a residential street in Burbank, California, around the corner from my brother’s apartment. (We were legal with the correct permit on our windshield!)
And as a sidenote, the above list reflects where we stayed with our Winnebago from March 9 onwards. When we lived out of our Jeep for the first 67 nights of 2019, we stayed at a mixture of wild camping spots, established campgrounds, Airbnbs, hotels, and family/friends’ homes on both sides of the border. We had several other nights in the Jeep throughout the year.
86/150.
Fifty-seven percent of our overnight spots in 2019 were free, or 86 out of 150 places. In 2018, we were at 48 percent.
95/150
This is a new stat we’ve pulled out for 2019. 2018 was the year we branched out and really started dry camping–with only 100-watts of solar from a suitcase.
Granted, we had 90 gallons of fresh water, 45 gallons for black water, and an astounding 70 gallons for grey water. I look back and realize how easy I had it, but it sure didn’t feel that way at the time.
Empowered by what we did in 2018, 2019 was our big year for dry camping. Sixty-three percent of our overnight stays were without hookups of any kind. (The remaining 37 percent were almost never full hookups.) Our Winnebago has 420-watts of solar, which is awesome for our electric needs.
Our tanks are a LOT smaller now (32 fresh/34 black/40 grey), but we’ve fine-tuned our conservation skills to make it work. Of course, it helps that we’re constantly on the move because we can easily work dumping and filling into our travel days.
Remember, we didn’t have an RV again until March 2019. While our year-over-year comparison for total amount spent won’t be perfect this time around, the monthly and daily averages definitely still stand!
Total: $3,328
We spent:
Monthly Average: $277 ($607 in 2018 and $710.46 in 2017)
Nightly Average: $9.12 ($19.96 in 2018 and $23.36 in 2017)
Most Costly Month: $656 in June
We were visiting our big kids in a part of northern California where camping options were limited. We stayed at a private campground in the city to be as close to them as possible!
Least Costly Month: $38 in December
We were in Texas for most of December, and were hosted by friends and family for most of the month.
Our second least costly month was September, when we were constantly on the move. Our total campground fees were $148. For the most part, we were moochdocking or staying at Harvest Hosts locations through our membership. As you might imagine, there are so many charming Harvest Hosts options in New York state and New England!
➡️ Become a Harvest Hosts member and receive $15 off your membership through our link
We try to include as many year-over-year comparisons in these annual reviews, but you’ll get the best comparison by reading each full review:
If you’ve been with us for a while, then you know our annual review usually include a recap of our route and adventures. However, since our 2019 mileage was dramatically different than ever before, I’d have to write a book to present our travels in the usual way. Instead, I’ve pulled out our 2019 highlights and presented them in a separate article.
If you have any questions about the full-time RV lifestyle, or our journey specifically, just leave a comment below!
-B
It’s been an incredible year–our sixth as full-time RVers. We’ve traveled so quickly that between work and family commitments, microblogging on Instagram has been most manageable! I’m excited to finally share these experiences with you here.
This is the companion piece to “2019 in Review: Stats and Camping Costs.” Make sure you read that article for a big picture view of our year.
And now, you’re in for a treat! We’re counting down from #19 to #1, with #1 being our top highlight of 2019. How many of these places have you visited?
Note: This article includes affiliate links. If you get excited about any of the products featured here, we’d love it if you’d shop via our links. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Our lives were transformed when we downsized from a 40-foot RV to a 25-foot RV. Those 15 feet mean a completely new style of travel, especially when you have 420-watts of solar on the roof.
Our first bucket item with our new home was visiting Big Bend National Park on the border of Texas and Mexico. We knocked out a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail on Saturday and went back into the park on Sunday for Easter morning service. It was a beautiful time of worship and community, surrounded by stunning creation.
We stayed at Stillwell Ranch Store & RV Park outside Big Bend.
➡️ Keep reading: Off-road Adventures Through Big Bend National Park
Licon Dairy wasn’t our first stay as newly minted Harvest Hosts members, but it was one of our first. And, most significantly, it thrilled us and got us really excited about this program for RVers.
We woke up in the morning, stepped out of our front door, and took a self-guided tour of an amazing petting zoo. It was every two-year-old’s dream, and a privilege for me to have such a fun educational opportunity on our doorstep.
If you’ve read our Stats and Camping Costs report, then you know we ended up staying at more Harvest Hosts than any other camping category. Twenty-five total Harvest Hosts locations!
Keep reading: Is Harvest Hosts Worth It?
Building community on the road is essential if you’re going to make it long-term as a full-time RVer. We’re members of several RV-related organizations and have found friendship in so many circles, but the folks at RV Entrepreneur Summit are our inner circle.
We presented at the first two summits and hosted our annual campfire at the third, while attending more sessions than ever since we didn’t have to “worry” about speaking. (I do worry sometimes!)
In many ways, this was a difficult year at summit. We had lost a big client a couple of days earlier, and then the business-related sessions I attended were challenging. I realized I wasn’t where I wanted to be as a business owner, and I struggled to come to grips with that.
Of course, recognizing the need for change is the first step. Now nine months later, Eric and I are taking big steps to course-correct.
We will deeply miss attending the fourth RV Entrepreneur Summit in 2020. We just can’t make it work, route- and schedule-wise, with commitments we have in the western United States. We love you all. ❤️
Yes, you read that right. It took us over five years and more than 30 national park visits to actually stay at an RV campground in a national park! Two reasons for this: first, the length and size of our previous RV, and not wanting to navigate windy, narrow roads. Second, the lack of Internet connectivity, which we need for work.
But finally the stars aligned at Acadia National Park in Maine! We’re extremely maneuverable at 25-feet and Seawall Campground has great Internet.
It was so fun when our long-time RV friends, Eric Udell and Jeanette Hobbs, spent the night just a few sites down from us!
We also got to camp at Guadalupe Mountains National Park in December, which was a thrill.
My brother Adam and his wife Linia have lived in the Los Angeles area for years, but we’d never made it out to visit them. All it took was a printed city permit and a few dollars, and we were able to legally camp on the street just around the corner from their apartment.
While we weren’t sure we’d ever get out, with vehicles parked nearly up to our bumpers on either side, we had a lovely weekend in the area.
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Both Eric and I loved Cooperstown in our own ways. A baseball fan from childhood, Eric had always wanted to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame. For my part, I loved our Harvest Hosts stay at Fly Creek Cider Mill. But really, the whole town was just so charming. I could’ve stayed much longer.
➡️ Become a Harvest Hosts member and receive $15 off your membership through our link
I’m Canadian by birth and almost all my family lives north of the border. But for some reason, RVing in Canada always seemed intimidating, between Internet connectivity worries and the logistics of storing our weapons stateside before crossing.
But in 2019, we finally did it! From Buffalo, New York, we drove north of Toronto. We parked in a corner of my Grandpa’s apartment parking lot for a week of family reunion. While our actual driving time in Canada wasn’t extensive, we felt empowered for sure. We even got to use our Harvest Hosts membership!
Unless the border of Minnesota and Canada is home for you, you will never get to Voyageurs National Park unless you go out of your way…far, far out of your way.
Woodenfrog Campground was blissfully peaceful, and we had lakeside access just across from our site and down a short trail. After all the summer dry camping, I definitely washed my hair in the lake one night (with biodegradable hiker’s soap).
The national park itself is so beautiful. Most of it is water, so we took a boat tour and got to see bald eagles, a loon’s nest up close, and so much more.
The Sedona area has been a long-time favorite. Still needing to make up for our botched dry camping attempt in 2016, we went back to Coconino National Forest to find a wild camping spot. This time, we could drive much farther in with our shorter rig.
The pull-off we found was mind-blowing, and it was so fun to go bouncing on the trails with our Jeep whenever we wanted to go anywhere. We revisited the old mining town of Jerome (Haunted Hamburger!) and Caspian earned his first Junior Ranger badge at Tuzigoot National Monument.
Spending summer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has been on our list for years. Coming in from Apostle Islands in Wisconsin, our first exposure was to the much less-touristed western peninsula.
In late July, we found a spot at Ontonagon Township Park, and Lake Superior was literally our front yard. It was amazing.
This highlight of 2019 isn’t so much about the destination as the journey. Two times this year, we stayed at campgrounds we’ve been to in the past. Returning to the same place, we could reflect on how much we had changed.
Last time we were in Macon, Georgia, we went kicking and screaming. This time, it was a breath of fresh air, as we took a deep breath after our son Silas’s successful brain surgery. It’s all perspective.
Then, Sopchoppy, Florida. We hadn’t been to this tiny city park since 2014 when we were newbies. We’ve told so many people about it over the years, so we wondered whether we’d still love it. We did, though the 100% price increase in five years was a bit surprising. ????
2019 was our year of free camping. If you’ve already read our Stats and Camping Costs article, then you know 57 percent of our overnight spots in 2019 were free, or 86 out of 150 places.
Two free camping spots stand out: Bayside Campground in Navarre, Florida, and Raco Field on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Bayside Campground is an established campground with numbered sites that can be reserved online. The waterfront sites are about 20 feet from Blackwater Bay. Caspian and I had an amazing hike through the Wildlife Management Area in the morning. We couldn’t believe this find.
Another free camping spot we loved was Raco Field. To get to there, I slowly drove our RV over a single-lane dirt road. In a clearing, surrounded by trees, there was a concrete pad to park on. This cool place is located within sight of an abandoned air field.
Eric is from the Pacific Northwest, and he’s been telling me about the Oregon coast’s beauty for as long as I can remember. This year, we traveled most of Highway 101 up the California coast, and the entirety of the Oregon coast from Brookings to Astoria.
Our favorite campgrounds were Cape Blanco State Park (tidepooling, lighthouse, seclusion), Beachside State Recreation Site (perfect location between Yachats and Waldport), and Cape Lookout State Park (unbelievable coastal beauty outside of Tillamook).
➡️ Keep reading: RVer’s Guide to Oregon’s Beautiful Coast (another of my piece’s at AdventureKT)
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When visiting Washington D.C., you have to come to grips with the fact you’ll only be able to see a fraction of what you want to. We had an action-packed visit this time, with firsts for both Eric and me.
Our biggest adventure was walking the National Mall at night, doing a huge loop from the Lincoln Memorial across the water to the Jefferson Memorial, returning to the Lincoln. In between, we stopped at:
Electric scooter highly recommended, but be warned that parking is restricted by the Lincoln Memorial. Thirty-five-pound toddler in carrier = not recommended.
Other highlights included the National Zoo, National Museum of Natural History, Holocaust Museum (Eric went while Caspian and I were at Natural History), Washington Monument, and Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown.
We were in D.C. for three days.
In June, we spent a week wild camping in California’s Sierra National Forest. The south entrance to Yosemite National Park and the famous Mariposa Grove were only seven miles away.
Two-year-old Caspian did his first unaided two-mile hike in April. But he really upped the ante in June, with THREE two-mile hikes in five days.
➡️ Keep reading: 3 Unforgettable 2-Mile Hikes in Yosemite
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Dalrymple Park & Campground in Bayfield, Wisconsin, was one of my favorite overall stays in our six years of full-time RVing.
Caspian and I walked about half a mile to main street Bayfield every morning, where we got local coffee and pastries, played on the lakeside playground, and marveled at the beauty of the water and harbor. The weather played a starring role during our late July visit–it was absolutely perfect during our stay.
I could spend a whole summer right here.
Oh, I unashamedly love Disney World. I spent more than half of 2019 listening to podcast episodes, slaving over TouringPlans.com itineraries, and daydreaming in general.
We own a timeshare week in Kissimmee, so this was my fifth time visiting Disney World. But we’d always been spontaneous in our Disney visits, with next to no planning.
This time, we rope-dropped at least twice (meaning we were there at park opening), enjoyed dining reservations galore, explored multiple resorts just for fun, and generally did the whole thing up right.
It was so much fun to have our friends Eric and Tami Johnson of TechnoRV join us for a few days! They treated us to breakfast at Chef Mickey’s and chased Buzz Lightyear around Hollywood Studios with Caspian. We love spending time with them anywhere we are, but this was extra special.
I hope to write a full article with my Disney World tips in 2020! The magic is not overrated.
It may surprise you that our #1 highlight of 2019 was done sans RV. During the three months of the year we didn’t own an RV, we explored the interior of Mexico with our Jeep Wrangler.
The Sierra Gorda mountain range was especially exciting, as we spent a weekend off-grid with local overlanders we met through a forum called Overland Bound. They planned the whole trip for us and we had an amazing time thanks to their hospitality.
This was our shakedown trip to determine whether we’d love international overlanding as much as we expected.
We did. And our lives will be forever changed because of it.
A highlights-driven article was the only way to go, with a year as overwhelming as 2019.
But the highlights mask so much that has consumed our thoughts and prayers. In October, our son Silas was suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumor. Within two weeks, we had four cross-country flights from Virginia to California and back again, as we met with doctors and loved on our son. His 11-hour surgery was a beautiful success, though recovery continues.
And as I finish writing this on Dec. 30, Eric and I are celebrating the birth of our first grandchild, Maxon Elias. We look forward to being with Silas, Maxon, our daughter Arianna, and our son Javen in January.
In other news, we just announced our 2020 travel plans on Jeepsies, our blog about overlanding and off-roading. We typically share our travel plans here on RV Wanderlust, but you’ll understand more when you read.
If you have any questions at all about specific campgrounds, area activities, or anything from our travels, then just ask in a comment! I couldn’t include all the details above, but I’d be more than happy to elaborate for you.
Thanks for joining us on this journey.
-B
Source: 19 Favorite Moments of 2019, Our Sixth Year as Full-time RVers
Over six years of full-time travel, we’ve made several changes to enrich the RV lifestyle for our family. One was eschewing the concrete playgrounds we used to call private RV parks. Another was perfecting our dry camping game, so we could stay off-grid in beautiful areas and save hundreds of dollars every month. Another was down-sizing from a 40-foot RV to a 25-foot RV, so we could be as nimble as a race car (it feels that way after driving a diesel pusher).
But just as much as any of those big changes, getting a Harvest Hosts membership–and using it–has transformed our traveling lives.
We’ve written extensively about whether a Harvest Hosts membership is worth it (spoiler: we think it is). <– Read that article first, if you haven’t yet.
If you already have a Harvest Hosts membership or know you’re going to get one soon, then you may be wondering where to stay next! It’s a tough choice, considering there are well over 1,000 locations to choose from now.
To get you started, here are seven of our favorite Harvest Hosts experiences so far, western United States edition. We also have a list of 10 highlights in the east, if that’s where you’re headed to next!
Note: This article includes our Harvest Hosts affiliate link. If you get excited about what we share here, we’d love it if you’d sign up via our link. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Location: San Elizario, Texas
Date visited: April 2019, December 2019
Licon Dairy was our second Harvest Hosts stop ever and it set the bar high. This dairy farm just outside El Paso is home to one of the best self-guided petting zoos we’ve ever seen, and we couldn’t believe it was in our front yard.
Our favorite fresh items to get at Licon Dairy are cheese and pan de polvo!
Location: Santa Clarita, California
Date visited: May 2019
What an amazing location! We stayed overnight for FREE in Santa Clarita, Calif., on our way to visit family in Los Angeles. And I had an awesome wine tasting without needing a designated driver…because my home was parked just up the hill.
Now, here’s the thing. Agua Dulce isn’t part of Harvest Hosts anymore. So why am I including it here? I want to make a point: if a host looks intriguing or you really want to visit a certain area of the country, then you need to jump on it now. Don’t assume the opportunity will be there forever. I’m so glad we stayed at Agua Dulce when we could!
(In case you’re curious, hosts sometimes leave the program as a result of rezoning, family concerns, selling the business, or other reasons.)
Already convinced? Sign up for a Harvest Hosts membership now and receive 15% off.
Location: Los Osos, California
Date visited: May 2019
Sea Pines Golf Resort is in an unbelievable location, in an area of the country where free RV camping is extremely limited. We visited at the beginning of our way up California 1 last year, which we took all the way up the state, then continued up the full Oregon coast.
To stay at golf courses through Harvest Hosts, you need the add-on for your membership. But it’s only $40/year, and it opens up something like 400 golf courses to you.
And what if you don’t golf (or don’t have time to golf)? You have options! Golf courses have restaurants, bars, and some even have spas.
Location: Tillamook, Oregon
Date visited: June 2019
What a fun Harvest Hosts stay! Tillamook is a charming town just off the gorgeous coast of Oregon. We parked here over the July 4th holiday, taking a day trip to nearby Seaside to celebrate. But you never have to leave Blue Heron if you don’t want to! There’s a wine bar and deli inside, plus bakery items and tons of yummy things to sample. Little ones (and little ones at heart) love the animals that live on the grounds.
Blue Heron allows a two-night stay, which is rare with Harvest Hosts.
Location: Hoodsport, Washington
Date visited: July 2019
One of the things I most love about Harvest Hosts is the way it gets us off the highway and onto roads we never would’ve seen otherwise. The route to and from Hoodsport Winery was incredible! We drove by these gorgeous Washington lakes and it was all I could do to keep my eyes on the road.
Location: Fargo, North Dakota
Date visited: July 2019
Our first night at a museum through Harvest Hosts, and we all had so much fun! Make sure you scroll for the video of two-year-old Caspian in a helicopter.
Dark Star Cellars was our last Harvest Hosts stay before the pandemic took hold. I visited without Eric, since he made an urgent trip to Seattle to be with his mom. Caspian and I were traveling by ourselves at the time.
I’ve always appreciated Harvest Hosts for momma time as a full-time RVer, and I really appreciated it this time. It was such a nice break. And something happened that never has: I loved every single wine I tasted. All eight.
My heart goes out to small wineries all over the country that have been impacted by COVID-19. I’m glad we could be there, even if our part was small.
So there you have it! A few of our favorite Harvest Hosts experiences in the western United States. Don’t miss our 10 highlights in the east part of the country. We’d love to know about your personal favorites, so let us know in a comment!
Don’t leave without signing up for your Harvest Hosts membership! RVers who use our link receive 15% off.
-B
Source: 7 Favorite Harvest Hosts Experiences (West U.S. Edition)
The times, they are a-changin’. As Americans flock to the road in RVs, rejecting consumerism and embracing the value of experiences, RV campgrounds are filling up weeks in advance. And when you do find an open spot, it’s guaranteed to be more expensive than ever.
Enter Harvest Hosts, an experience-based RV camping option opening over a thousand unique locations to its members.
I run across few RVers these days who don’t know about Harvest Hosts. The company’s marketing strategy is stellar. But just because you’ve heard of it, doesn’t mean you’ve signed up.
We were late to the game, so I can relate. We just became members in March 2019 because Harvest Hosts didn’t match our travel rhythm before then.
But between March and December 2019, we stayed at 25 Harvest Hosts locations! In fact, out of all the places we stayed (private campgrounds, national parks, BLM land, etc.), we stayed at more Harvest Hosts locations than any other category.
We’re unabashed fans of this program. But that doesn’t necessarily help you with your decision of whether to sign up or not!
Let’s fix that. Now that I’ve experienced Harvest Hosts from coast to coast, I’m excited to share why Harvest Hosts is 100 percent worth it.
Note: This article includes our Harvest Hosts affiliate link. If you get excited about what we share here, we’d love it if you’d sign up via our link. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
We need to talk money first. If we don’t, then you’ll probably be wondering about cost the whole time you’re reading.
As of this writing, membership is normally $79/year, which gives you access to over 1,000 wineries, farms, museums, breweries–even a gator ranch on the Gulf coast. Our affiliate link will give you 15% off, so just over $67.
Sixty-seven dollars.
With our Harvest Hosts membership, we stayed at a winery in Santa Clarita, California, close to Los Angeles. The closest private campground is $65/night for two people. Speaking purely in dollars and cents, you can see how your Harvest Hosts membership will pay for itself in a mere one or two nights.
I actually did an experiment in 2019. I valued our Harvest Hosts stays at $25/night. I picked this number solely because we prefer to pay no more than this when we pay for camping (which is rare). We all know $25/night is an unrealistically low expectation when we’re talking about campground prices across the country.
Anyway, $25/night value it was–for the purposes of my experiment. Then I took into account how much we spent patronizing each Harvest Hosts business–on wine tastings, tour tickets, and the like.
Even with my ridiculously low valuation, our Harvest Hosts membership paid for itself after 10 nights.
Now, there’s something we’ve left out of this conversation, something economists have struggled with for centuries. It’s easy to calculate the quantitative. But how do we value the qualitative?
How do you put a price tag on the feeling you get looking out on quiet fields with your loved ones? How do you count the joy of being surrounded by a group of adorable, curious alpacas? Or an evening out at a beautiful winery, with your home safely parked a short walk away?
I think these qualitative factors are worth a lot, and you should take them into account when deciding whether a Harvest Hosts membership is worth it for you.
Already convinced? Sign up for a Harvest Hosts membership now and receive 15% off.
In July 2019, there were 750 Harvest Hosts locations. Two new hosts were being added every day, so it’s no surprise that the host database is up to a whopping 1,040+ locations now!
It doesn’t matter where you’re traveling to, chances are there will be a Harvest Hosts location near you. We even got to stay at a farm in Ontario, Canada.
Keep reading: 7 Favorite Harvest Hosts Experiences (West U.S. Edition)
This goes back to the qualitative value I mentioned earlier. We have had some of our most memorable experiences through Harvest Hosts.
At Licon Dairy outside El Paso, we stepped out of our door in the morning and took a self-guided tour of an amazing petting zoo.
At Fly Creek Cider Mill in Cooperstown, New York,, we got to see the inner workings of a cider mill, feed ducks, eat delicious food, and Caspian had a beautiful lawn to play on with other kids. Plus, we were minutes from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which Eric had wanted to visit since childhood.
At Misty Acres Alpaca Farm in Maine, I got to purchase a beautiful scarf made from the wool of alpacas I had just met!
At The Yalaha Bootlegging Company in Florida, I tried award-winning moonshine and took some home that tasted like apples and cinnamon. Outside, Eddie served us some of the best barbecue we’ve ever had (and we LOVE our barbecue). And next door, Yalaha Bakery had the most delicious streusel. It was a stay filled with superlatives.
And at every stop, the people we meet are kind and hospitable. We get to learn about our hosts’ regions and businesses. And we’ve made friends with the RVers parked near us!
If you were a kid, would you rather stay at a private campground smushed between two RVs, or at a Gator Ranch where you get to hold a baby alligator? What about a farm where you get to eat fresh raspberries? Or a cheese company where you get to eat fresh grilled cheese for lunch?
Caspian, our son who just turned three, has had so many unique experiences right alongside us, thanks to Harvest Hosts.
Before you drive into the sunset with your new Harvest Hosts membership, there are a few caveats.
With almost no exceptions, Harvest Hosts locations are all dry camping. (I remember two wineries that offered electricity for a fee.)
The good news is you’re only staying one night, so you can recharge your batteries, dump, or fill the next day when you leave!
Harvest Hosts has a list of guidelines, and one is that you contact your host the day before you arrive. That way they can confirm they’re open and have room for you.
If you’re one of those RVers who wakes up in the morning not knowing where you’re going to sleep that night, then you may have trouble with this part!
With few exceptions, Harvest Hosts stays are for one night only. We have run across a couple of places that were fine with two nights.
The one-night limit is actually why we didn’t become Harvest Hosts members until 2019. When we had our 40-foot diesel RV, we stayed in one place for two weeks at a time.
This is essential. In return for a free place to stay, Harvest Hosts asks all members to patronize the business hosting them.
We have the golf add-on to our membership, but we’ve only stayed at one golf course because golf isn’t our thing! (Though there are always golf course restaurants, bars, and even spas to take advantage of if you don’t have time to play a round of golf.) We also avoid breweries because neither of us drink beer. (Though if we do stay at a brewery, we can usually order food or grab some craft beer for a friend down the road.)
No matter your personal preferences, just be sure to patronize your host in some way while you’re there.
If you can answer yes to all four of those questions, then Harvest Hosts is probably a fit for you.
Harvest Hosts has deeply enriched our lives as full-time RVers. We recommend it to everyone. Once you’ve spent one night at a winery, farm, or museum, I think you’ll be hooked.
Don’t leave without signing up for your Harvest Hosts membership! RVers who use our link receive 15% off.
-B
Source: Is Harvest Hosts Worth It?
The last few nights have been restless. My stomach is in knots, my mind is running at max capacity, and yet we move forward.
With no practical experience whatsoever, we’re selling most everything we own and moving into a 2003 40’ long Phaeton Class A Diesel Pusher RV by Tiffin Motorhomes.
Truth be told, I really don’t know how the RV starts and there is some random lever on the left of the driver’s seat that when you pull it up makes this whooosh sound, much like the big Greyhound buses. Oh yeah, and there is that ominous cut-off switch near the door that seems rather important. ~shifts eyes~
As you can tell, we’re truly starting in a complete state of ignorance. As of this writing, we literally know nothing but what we’ve read online. (We don’t even have an owners manual as we got a used RV that was missing one.)
That’s how we started this guide back in 2014, when we first wrote it. Since then, we’ve become “old school,” and have created a resource or two ourselves.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then we totally empathize. We were right there, too. But do a little digging, and you’ll find the RV community is generally a welcoming group of likeminded adventurers and risk takers who are happy to share their experiences.
To help you along, here is a brief summary of RVing resources we’ve found along the way.
The RV Entrepreneur was founded by our dear friends Heath and Alyssa Padgett, who are also responsible for The RV Entrepreneur Podcast and RV Entrepreneur Summit.
This private Facebook group (you’ll need to be approved for membership) is a wealth of information and support for anyone who wants to run a business from the road.
Internet for RVers & Cruisers is the free “help desk” from Mobile Internet Resource Center. Chris Dunphy and Cherie Ve Ard, the founders, are the unquestioned experts when it comes to Internet access for RVers. We highly recommend you read their book, join the membership program, and take advantage of their expertise.
View/Navion Motorhomes is one example of a Facebook group dedicated to a specific RV model. It happens to be the place we go to commiserate when we crack a wheel off-roading on BLM land, but you should follow our lead and look up Facebook groups that apply to your make or model!
It is really fun to talk to RVers who live in the exact same space you do, and there are often a wealth of helpful people willing to lend a hand when you have questions.
RV forums are definitely not as popular as they were back in 2014 when we started full-timing, but there are still many online. We’ve participated in quite a few, but our favorite is irv2. This is the most helpful online forum we’ve found, and it’s still very active.
The irv2 users are kind and responsive, and many will go the extra mile (pun intended) to get answers to your questions.
As of this writing, the forum has more than 463,000 threads, 5,300,000 posts, and 267,000 members.
We know many people prefer YouTube to blog articles these days, but we personally love reading and hope the written word never goes away in favor of video.
For years before we started RVing, we were inspired by Technomadia, Wheelingit, Gone With the Wynns, and wand’rly. If you’re new to the RV community, we hope you’ll take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with these trailblazers.
Before Mobile Internet Resource Center existed, Technomadia was Chris and Cherie’s personal blog and platform for sharing their knowledge. Today, it’s a hub for all their projects, and still a way for them to inspire others through their RV–and now boat!–travels.
I’ve spent countless hours on Nina and Paul’s blog, Wheelingit. I love the tone and style of Nina’s writing, along with the couple’s combined knowledge and expertise. Paul’s photos are fantastic. Life has taken Nina and Paul to Europe, a whole other adventure to learn from and enjoy.
Jason and Nikki Wynn of Gone With The Wynns were the first to master YouTube in the RV space. Their tutorials still dominate many categories, even though they moved to boat life several years ago. Their site is a delight. The videos are fantastic; the content well-written and informative; and their style and tone unique. Definitely check them out.
And then there’s wand’rly, one of the original full-time families who showed all of us it’s possible, and you won’t ruin your kids by taking them on the road. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Nathan has a wonderful online magazine that will keep you occupied for months. We were so humbled when he interviewed us in late 2019. What a trip to go from hungrily admiring someone’s lifestyle, only wishing we could do what they’re doing, to having our own adventures to share.
There are so many other blogs to share, not to mention YouTube channels and Instagram accounts. It’s a whole new world out there, with RV sales growing 50% year-over-year in July 2020.
One thing is for sure: if you’re a new RVer, then you aren’t alone. There are so many people you can follow behind who have already done it successfully. So be inspired; ask questions; and take the leap.
-E and B
Source: Best RV Facebook Groups, Forums, and Blogs We’ve Found So Far
After six months of sheltering in place, we had no idea what to expect back on the road as RVers. We used to be a well-oiled machine after more than six years full-time on the road, but COVID-19 upended so much of what we once considered normal. Visiting national parks and other National Park Service (NPS) units was always a priority for us, but closures and new procedures left us with uncertainty. Should we wait to visit national parks? Would campgrounds have more openings than they used to? Could we find junior ranger booklets and passport stamps?
Following the best practices we’ve learned to help keep our family and others safe, we decided the only way to answer our questions was to get our (hiking) boots on the ground. In our first two-and-a-half weeks back on the road, we visited five NPS units: Crater Lake National Park (OR), Lassen Volcanic National Park (CA), Craters of the Moon National Monument (ID), Grand Teton National Park (WY), and Yellowstone National Park (MT/WY/ID).
Quick terminology lesson: the National Park Service oversees many kinds of units. National parks are just one type. There are also national monuments, national historic sites, national seashores, and others. There are 62 national parks in the United States, among 419 total National Park Service units.
Though they’re all within the northwestern portion of the country, the five units we’ve been to over the past couple of weeks cover five states and diverse physical landscapes. Combined with our pre-COVID knowledge (we’ve explored 27 national parks and 70 total NPS units since our son Caspian was born in December 2016), we have a good feel for what to expect in this strange, new world we live in. We hope the following insight empowers you to make the best travel decisions for your own family when it comes to visiting national parks during the COVID-19 era.
All of the National Park Service units we’ve visited have been relatively busy. We have been traveling during the tail-end of summer, leading up to Labor Day weekend, but most public schools have been in session the whole time.
Because “in session” means different things in different school districts, with many opting for distance learning, I suspect some families are taking their children on the road this semester. I know there are a lot of new RVers in general, and likely others are taking road trips just because they can–due to remote work and/or remote school.
All that to say, don’t expect to have NPS units all to yourself, and don’t expect to drive in and find an open campsite. Where campgrounds offer reservations, plan in advance like you normally would. If reservations aren’t available, then arrive early in the morning to claim a site, and always have a Plan B. We’ve found Sunday is often a good day to find sites, and Wednesday is usually a quiet day before the build-up to the weekend.
Caspian has his own National Park Service Passport that holds all of his stamps, and getting these stamps is an important part of our visits. We have been able to find stamps during the COVID-19 era, with research.
At Crater Lake, individual stickers with stamps on them were available at the park store. At the other units we’ve visited, stamps were handed out on small pieces of paper, which we had to hang onto until we could get our tape back at the RV. Rangers gave out these paper versions outside visitor centers.
If you look on a particular unit’s official website, it usually mentions where passport stamps are available.
As far as junior ranger booklets, they’ve been available at every unit so far, usually outside visitor centers where the rangers are. Swearing in has ranged widely. We had to mail in our Crater Lake booklet. Caspian was sworn in by a ranger at Lassen Volcanic. At Yellowstone, the ranger “deputized” Eric and me, saying we could give Caspian his patch once he earned it.
Also expect changes to the requirements for junior rangers. The booklet may say one thing, but the ranger may tell you another thing because of closures at the park.
Flexibility is the word of the year!
Wherever you go, expect closures and limited services. A few we’ve experienced:
What does all this mean? Research ahead of time. Go to the official website for the unit you want to visit. Alerts will be in red at the top of the screen. Read them carefully and compare them to a map of the park.
You may not have cell service in the unit, so you’ll want to plan ahead to make the most of your visit and avoid surprises.
There’s been so much loss this year, in many respects. Even now that many areas are trying to reopen and find a new normal, we all know it isn’t the same.
Going out into nature at these National Park Service units is one place the world feels right. The flowers, trees, waterfalls, and wildlife are untouched by the events that have rocked our world in 2020.
Find solace there.
For better or worse, the National Park Service has changed policies at its units–at least for the time being. Depending on a given unit’s closures, you may put off your visit until later. But if you decide to go now, then please be part of the solution.
Recently, we waited in line to go into the art gallery and store at Yellowstone’s Old Faithful. Masks were required to enter the store. One middle-aged man walked confidently to the front with no mask and attempted to enter. The employee calmly and respectfully reiterated the store policy, which was clearly posted on signs. She said she was happy to shop for him, but he could not enter without a mask. The man belligerantly tried to push past her to get in, as though to make a point.
This is not the place to make a point. Everyone is doing the best they can. Rangers and employees are putting their health at risk, so we can recreate at our national parks. Let’s be kind and patient, and keep our National Park Service units open by working together.
-B
Source: What to Expect at National Parks During the COVID-19 Era
Those of you who have been following us on social media know we’ve moved. This is a huge change for us, after nearly seven years of being identified as “RV Wanderlust.” But like a snake sheds its skin, it’s time for us to shed an identity that doesn’t fit our dreams anymore.
In 2021, we plan to sell our 2016 Winnebago View 24J. A big part of us isn’t ready, since our home on wheels has been reliable, maneuverable, and incredibly comfortable for its size.
But, here’s the thing. We’re going to drive around the world. And although there are many countries suitable for RVs, our style is a tad more rugged than our fancy Mercedes was built for. We plan to store our Jeep Wrangler in Denver for when we come back to visit, and build a new 4×4-capable vehicle for our global adventure.
No more RV. And, therefore, no more RV Wanderlust.
Starting Nov. 14, 2020, you can find us at Hourless Life. This is the name of our newest brand, on our new website and social media platforms. And we hope you will join us there! If we’ve learned anything from all these years on the road, it’s that our community means everything to us. You’ve seen us through illnesses, breakdowns, disappointments, the birth of a child, and so much more. We don’t want to do this without you.
Here are the best ways you can stay in touch:
You may notice there isn’t much to see at HourlessLife.com. In December 2019 when we decided to build a new brand, we had high hopes and big plans for this November 2020 launch. Because this year didn’t go as planned and we needed to dedicate months of our time elsewhere, our new website isn’t finished yet. But that’s okay!
Eventually, you can expect RVWanderlust.com to disappear. Our most useful content will be incorporated into HourlessLife.com, along with new resources and all the exciting reports about our global adventures.
We’ll miss our Winnebago View, and we’ll miss our bison logo. But other than that, the best part of RV Wanderlust is you. And you get to come with us. So here’s to the future. One chapter is closed; another is just starting.
-B
Our travel life hasn’t been the same since we became Harvest Hosts members in early 2019. Until you’ve slept at an alpaca farm or a gator ranch in your RV, a certain sparkle is missing! Just admit it.
If you’re new to the program and not sure what’s involved, then take a quick break to read our previous article, Is Harvest Hosts Worth It? It will help you determine whether a Harvest Hosts membership suits your style of RV travel and is worth the investment.
Harvest Hosts is constantly adding locations, with the count at nearly 1,300 now. Here are 10 of our favorite options in the eastern United States.
When you’re ready to join, we’d appreciate it if you use our link. You’ll get 15% off your first year at no cost to you. Join now.
Note: This article includes our Harvest Hosts affiliate link. If you get excited about what we share here, we’d love it if you’d sign up via our link. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Location: North East, PA
Date visited: August 2019
We had no idea Lake Erie Wine Country existed until we stopped for the night at South Shore Wine and learned all about the history of the area. Along a 50-mile stretch of Pennsylvania and New York, the southern shore of Lake Erie, there are 23 wineries to experience.
South Shore Wine is located in a stone cellar that has existed for 150 years. Once you get past the history-steeped architecture, a peaceful wine tasting awaits.
My favorite part of this visit was the way our host, Kristin, involved Caspian. She invited him to stick his hands in the stone wall crevices and roll wooden carts across the floor. Her animated winery tour was really for my two-year-old and she did an impressive job keeping him engaged.
And the South Shore rosé with Niagara and Concord grapes is probably my favorite rosé ever.
Location: Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
Date visited: August 2019
This one isn’t quite the United States. But it’s well worth the half-hour drive from Niagara Falls, once border restrictions are lifted!
I remember sitting in those yellow Adirondack chairs with my two-year-old, soaking up the sun rays and thinking, “We just took our RV into Canada; it was so easy; and now we’re at a beautiful Harvest Hosts eating blueberries.”
After waiting through five years of full-time travel to venture into Canada, here we had a place to call home for the night. How novel! How fun!
Location: Cooperstown, New York
Date visited: September 2019
As an overall experience, I don’t think we’ve ever had a better Harvest Hosts stay than we did at Fly Creek Cider Mill. Upstate New York is a dream to begin with, and we rolled into the region just as fall started to whisper through the wind last year.
We sampled apples, ate ice cream, played on the lawn, enjoyed our conversations with the staff, and fed ducks right across the street from our home.
Meanwhile, Fly Creek is located in Cooperstown, and Eric had dreamed of visiting the National Baseball Hall of Fame since he was a little boy.
What a sweet, sweet time. I could spend a whole season in Cooperstown, and I’d love to participate in more of the fall events normally on the calendar at Fly Creek.
Location: Ipswich, Massachusetts
Date visited: September 2019
Neither Eric nor I drink beer! You might think this rules out Harvest Hosts breweries for us, but that isn’t the case. First off, it’s no secret breweries have some of the best food. And second, you can always pick up a six-pack for friends down the road! When we visited True North near Salem, we were on our way to friends who were going to host us. So we got a gift from True North as a thank you for them.
True North is in an amazing location for exploring Salem and the surrounding area.
Location: West Greenwich, Rhode Island
Date visited: September 2019
So fun to find a Harvest Hosts to mark our night in the smallest state! And the weather couldn’t have been better.
There were several RVs staying on the property, so I shared a glass of wine with two new friends and we made several others during our visit. This is another thing we love about Harvest Hosts: getting to socialize with your hosts and the RVing friends you make while you’re there. It definitely makes the journey less lonely.
Location: Guilford, Connecticut
Date visited: September 2019
We loved our stay at Bishop’s Orchards! The market is full of fresh fruit and vegetables, bakery items, cider, and prepared foods. This was the time last year when our propane system inexplicably went out (we think someone forgot to let the excess propane out after filling the tank), but the weather was perfect for an outdoor dinner.
Also, this place is perfect for taking the ferry to Long Island, which we highly recommend over driving the long way around.
Location: Woodford, Virginia
Date visited: October 2019
Our night at Wildwood Alpacas was spent in a quiet field. When we were ready, we walked down the short dirt road to the place we could meet our wooly hosts. So many alpacas, all with their own personalities and colors.
After Caspian helped feed the animals some treats, I browsed the small shop. I bought a scarf made from wool of alpacas I had just met by name. It was such a sweetly intimate experience.
Location: Yalaha, Florida
Date visited: November 2019
Our 2019 loop of the country almost complete, we pulled into Yalaha Bootlegging Co. just north of Orlando. What a memorable overnight! A local barbecue master served us possibly the best pulled pork we’ve ever had (and we’ve had a lot).
Inside, the award-winning Apple Smack Moonshine was my favorite. Cinnamon and apples! The Southern Pecan and Peach moonshines were also dangerously delicious.
And right across the lawn, Yalaha Bakery sent us on our way the next day with delicious German treats.
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Date visited: November 2019
Our whole family was stunned by the awesomeness of Tallahassee Automobile Museum. This is a mind-blowing private collection, and it’s much more than just cars. We saw pianos, dolls, baseball cards, boat motors, typewriters, and so much more!
Location: Moss Point, Mississippi
Date visited: November 2019
Though Caspian wasn’t old enough for a boat tour, we still had fun on the short self-guided tour at Gulf Coast Gator Ranch. We got to know the gators there by asking lots of questions. It was interesting to learn about their community and hierarchy.
I defy you to find a toddler who doesn’t think feeding alligators is awesome.
We hope you enjoyed this virtual tour through our 10 favorite Harvest Hosts locations in the eastern United States (and Canada!). You can see our western U.S. highlights in our previous article. We’d love to know about your personal favorites, so let us know in a comment!
Don’t leave without signing up for your Harvest Hosts membership! RVers who use our link receive 15% off.
-B
Source: 10 Favorite Harvest Hosts Experiences (East U.S. Edition)
Those of you who have been following us on social media know we’ve moved. This is a huge change for us, after nearly seven years of being identified as “RV Wanderlust.” But like a snake sheds its skin, it’s time for us to shed an identity that doesn’t fit our dreams anymore.
In 2021, we plan to sell our 2016 Winnebago View 24J. A big part of us isn’t ready, since our home on wheels has been reliable, maneuverable, and incredibly comfortable for its size.
But, here’s the thing. We’re going to drive around the world. And although there are many countries suitable for RVs, our style is a tad more rugged than our fancy Mercedes was built for. We plan to store our Jeep Wrangler in Denver for when we come back to visit, and build a new 4×4-capable vehicle for our global adventure.
No more RV. And, therefore, no more RV Wanderlust.
Starting Nov. 14, 2020, you can find us at Hourless Life. This is the name of our newest brand, on our new website and social media platforms. And we hope you will join us there! If we’ve learned anything from all these years on the road, it’s that our community means everything to us. You’ve seen us through illnesses, breakdowns, disappointments, the birth of a child, and so much more. We don’t want to do this without you.
Here are the best ways you can stay in touch:
You may notice there isn’t much to see at HourlessLife.com. In December 2019 when we decided to build a new brand, we had high hopes and big plans for this November 2020 launch. Because this year didn’t go as planned and we needed to dedicate months of our time elsewhere, our new website isn’t finished yet. But that’s okay!
Eventually, you can expect RVWanderlust.com to disappear. Our most useful content will be incorporated into HourlessLife.com, along with new resources and all the exciting reports about our global adventures.
We’ll miss our Winnebago View, and we’ll miss our bison logo. But other than that, the best part of RV Wanderlust is you. And you get to come with us. So here’s to the future. One chapter is closed; another is just starting.
-B
Our travel life hasn’t been the same since we became Harvest Hosts members in early 2019. Until you’ve slept at an alpaca farm or a gator ranch in your RV, a certain sparkle is missing! Just admit it.
If you’re new to the program and not sure what’s involved, then take a quick break to read our previous article, Is Harvest Hosts Worth It? It will help you determine whether a Harvest Hosts membership suits your style of RV travel and is worth the investment.
Harvest Hosts is constantly adding locations, with the count at nearly 1,300 now. Here are 10 of our favorite options in the eastern United States.
When you’re ready to join, we’d appreciate it if you use our link. You’ll get 15% off your first year at no cost to you. Join now.
Note: This article includes our Harvest Hosts affiliate link. If you get excited about what we share here, we’d love it if you’d sign up via our link. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Location: North East, PA
Date visited: August 2019
We had no idea Lake Erie Wine Country existed until we stopped for the night at South Shore Wine and learned all about the history of the area. Along a 50-mile stretch of Pennsylvania and New York, the southern shore of Lake Erie, there are 23 wineries to experience.
South Shore Wine is located in a stone cellar that has existed for 150 years. Once you get past the history-steeped architecture, a peaceful wine tasting awaits.
My favorite part of this visit was the way our host, Kristin, involved Caspian. She invited him to stick his hands in the stone wall crevices and roll wooden carts across the floor. Her animated winery tour was really for my two-year-old and she did an impressive job keeping him engaged.
And the South Shore rosé with Niagara and Concord grapes is probably my favorite rosé ever.
Location: Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
Date visited: August 2019
This one isn’t quite the United States. But it’s well worth the half-hour drive from Niagara Falls, once border restrictions are lifted!
I remember sitting in those yellow Adirondack chairs with my two-year-old, soaking up the sun rays and thinking, “We just took our RV into Canada; it was so easy; and now we’re at a beautiful Harvest Hosts eating blueberries.”
After waiting through five years of full-time travel to venture into Canada, here we had a place to call home for the night. How novel! How fun!
Location: Cooperstown, New York
Date visited: September 2019
As an overall experience, I don’t think we’ve ever had a better Harvest Hosts stay than we did at Fly Creek Cider Mill. Upstate New York is a dream to begin with, and we rolled into the region just as fall started to whisper through the wind last year.
We sampled apples, ate ice cream, played on the lawn, enjoyed our conversations with the staff, and fed ducks right across the street from our home.
Meanwhile, Fly Creek is located in Cooperstown, and Eric had dreamed of visiting the National Baseball Hall of Fame since he was a little boy.
What a sweet, sweet time. I could spend a whole season in Cooperstown, and I’d love to participate in more of the fall events normally on the calendar at Fly Creek.
Location: Ipswich, Massachusetts
Date visited: September 2019
Neither Eric nor I drink beer! You might think this rules out Harvest Hosts breweries for us, but that isn’t the case. First off, it’s no secret breweries have some of the best food. And second, you can always pick up a six-pack for friends down the road! When we visited True North near Salem, we were on our way to friends who were going to host us. So we got a gift from True North as a thank you for them.
True North is in an amazing location for exploring Salem and the surrounding area.
Location: West Greenwich, Rhode Island
Date visited: September 2019
So fun to find a Harvest Hosts to mark our night in the smallest state! And the weather couldn’t have been better.
There were several RVs staying on the property, so I shared a glass of wine with two new friends and we made several others during our visit. This is another thing we love about Harvest Hosts: getting to socialize with your hosts and the RVing friends you make while you’re there. It definitely makes the journey less lonely.
Location: Guilford, Connecticut
Date visited: September 2019
We loved our stay at Bishop’s Orchards! The market is full of fresh fruit and vegetables, bakery items, cider, and prepared foods. This was the time last year when our propane system inexplicably went out (we think someone forgot to let the excess propane out after filling the tank), but the weather was perfect for an outdoor dinner.
Also, this place is perfect for taking the ferry to Long Island, which we highly recommend over driving the long way around.
Location: Woodford, Virginia
Date visited: October 2019
Our night at Wildwood Alpacas was spent in a quiet field. When we were ready, we walked down the short dirt road to the place we could meet our wooly hosts. So many alpacas, all with their own personalities and colors.
After Caspian helped feed the animals some treats, I browsed the small shop. I bought a scarf made from wool of alpacas I had just met by name. It was such a sweetly intimate experience.
Location: Yalaha, Florida
Date visited: November 2019
Our 2019 loop of the country almost complete, we pulled into Yalaha Bootlegging Co. just north of Orlando. What a memorable overnight! A local barbecue master served us possibly the best pulled pork we’ve ever had (and we’ve had a lot).
Inside, the award-winning Apple Smack Moonshine was my favorite. Cinnamon and apples! The Southern Pecan and Peach moonshines were also dangerously delicious.
And right across the lawn, Yalaha Bakery sent us on our way the next day with delicious German treats.
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Date visited: November 2019
Our whole family was stunned by the awesomeness of Tallahassee Automobile Museum. This is a mind-blowing private collection, and it’s much more than just cars. We saw pianos, dolls, baseball cards, boat motors, typewriters, and so much more!
Location: Moss Point, Mississippi
Date visited: November 2019
Though Caspian wasn’t old enough for a boat tour, we still had fun on the short self-guided tour at Gulf Coast Gator Ranch. We got to know the gators there by asking lots of questions. It was interesting to learn about their community and hierarchy.
I defy you to find a toddler who doesn’t think feeding alligators is awesome.
We hope you enjoyed this virtual tour through our 10 favorite Harvest Hosts locations in the eastern United States (and Canada!). You can see our western U.S. highlights in our previous article. We’d love to know about your personal favorites, so let us know in a comment!
Don’t leave without signing up for your Harvest Hosts membership! RVers who use our link receive 15% off.
-B
Source: 10 Favorite Harvest Hosts Experiences (East U.S. Edition)
The last few nights have been restless. My stomach is in knots, my mind is running at max capacity, and yet we move forward.
With no practical experience whatsoever, we’re selling most everything we own and moving into a 2003 40’ long Phaeton Class A Diesel Pusher RV by Tiffin Motorhomes.
Truth be told, I really don’t know how the RV starts and there is some random lever on the left of the driver’s seat that when you pull it up makes this whooosh sound, much like the big Greyhound buses. Oh yeah, and there is that ominous cut-off switch near the door that seems rather important. ~shifts eyes~
As you can tell, we’re truly starting in a complete state of ignorance. As of this writing, we literally know nothing but what we’ve read online. (We don’t even have an owners manual as we got a used RV that was missing one.)
That’s how we started this guide back in 2014, when we first wrote it. Since then, we’ve become “old school,” and have created a resource or two ourselves.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then we totally empathize. We were right there, too. But do a little digging, and you’ll find the RV community is generally a welcoming group of likeminded adventurers and risk takers who are happy to share their experiences.
To help you along, here is a brief summary of RVing resources we’ve found along the way.
The RV Entrepreneur was founded by our dear friends Heath and Alyssa Padgett, who are also responsible for The RV Entrepreneur Podcast and RV Entrepreneur Summit.
This private Facebook group (you’ll need to be approved for membership) is a wealth of information and support for anyone who wants to run a business from the road.
Internet for RVers & Cruisers is the free “help desk” from Mobile Internet Resource Center. Chris Dunphy and Cherie Ve Ard, the founders, are the unquestioned experts when it comes to Internet access for RVers. We highly recommend you read their book, join the membership program, and take advantage of their expertise.
View/Navion Motorhomes is one example of a Facebook group dedicated to a specific RV model. It happens to be the place we go to commiserate when we crack a wheel off-roading on BLM land, but you should follow our lead and look up Facebook groups that apply to your make or model!
It is really fun to talk to RVers who live in the exact same space you do, and there are often a wealth of helpful people willing to lend a hand when you have questions.
RV forums are definitely not as popular as they were back in 2014 when we started full-timing, but there are still many online. We’ve participated in quite a few, but our favorite is irv2. This is the most helpful online forum we’ve found, and it’s still very active.
The irv2 users are kind and responsive, and many will go the extra mile (pun intended) to get answers to your questions.
As of this writing, the forum has more than 463,000 threads, 5,300,000 posts, and 267,000 members.
We know many people prefer YouTube to blog articles these days, but we personally love reading and hope the written word never goes away in favor of video.
For years before we started RVing, we were inspired by Technomadia, Wheelingit, Gone With the Wynns, and wand’rly. If you’re new to the RV community, we hope you’ll take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with these trailblazers.
Before Mobile Internet Resource Center existed, Technomadia was Chris and Cherie’s personal blog and platform for sharing their knowledge. Today, it’s a hub for all their projects, and still a way for them to inspire others through their RV–and now boat!–travels.
I’ve spent countless hours on Nina and Paul’s blog, Wheelingit. I love the tone and style of Nina’s writing, along with the couple’s combined knowledge and expertise. Paul’s photos are fantastic. Life has taken Nina and Paul to Europe, a whole other adventure to learn from and enjoy.
Jason and Nikki Wynn of Gone With The Wynns were the first to master YouTube in the RV space. Their tutorials still dominate many categories, even though they moved to boat life several years ago. Their site is a delight. The videos are fantastic; the content well-written and informative; and their style and tone unique. Definitely check them out.
And then there’s wand’rly, one of the original full-time families who showed all of us it’s possible, and you won’t ruin your kids by taking them on the road. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Nathan has a wonderful online magazine that will keep you occupied for months. We were so humbled when he interviewed us in late 2019. What a trip to go from hungrily admiring someone’s lifestyle, only wishing we could do what they’re doing, to having our own adventures to share.
There are so many other blogs to share, not to mention YouTube channels and Instagram accounts. It’s a whole new world out there, with RV sales growing 50% year-over-year in July 2020.
One thing is for sure: if you’re a new RVer, then you aren’t alone. There are so many people you can follow behind who have already done it successfully. So be inspired; ask questions; and take the leap.
-E and B
Source: Best RV Facebook Groups, Forums, and Blogs We’ve Found So Far
After six months of sheltering in place, we had no idea what to expect back on the road as RVers. We used to be a well-oiled machine after more than six years full-time on the road, but COVID-19 upended so much of what we once considered normal. Visiting national parks and other National Park Service (NPS) units was always a priority for us, but closures and new procedures left us with uncertainty. Should we wait to visit national parks? Would campgrounds have more openings than they used to? Could we find junior ranger booklets and passport stamps?
Following the best practices we’ve learned to help keep our family and others safe, we decided the only way to answer our questions was to get our (hiking) boots on the ground. In our first two-and-a-half weeks back on the road, we visited five NPS units: Crater Lake National Park (OR), Lassen Volcanic National Park (CA), Craters of the Moon National Monument (ID), Grand Teton National Park (WY), and Yellowstone National Park (MT/WY/ID).
Quick terminology lesson: the National Park Service oversees many kinds of units. National parks are just one type. There are also national monuments, national historic sites, national seashores, and others. There are 62 national parks in the United States, among 419 total National Park Service units.
Though they’re all within the northwestern portion of the country, the five units we’ve been to over the past couple of weeks cover five states and diverse physical landscapes. Combined with our pre-COVID knowledge (we’ve explored 27 national parks and 70 total NPS units since our son Caspian was born in December 2016), we have a good feel for what to expect in this strange, new world we live in. We hope the following insight empowers you to make the best travel decisions for your own family when it comes to visiting national parks during the COVID-19 era.
All of the National Park Service units we’ve visited have been relatively busy. We have been traveling during the tail-end of summer, leading up to Labor Day weekend, but most public schools have been in session the whole time.
Because “in session” means different things in different school districts, with many opting for distance learning, I suspect some families are taking their children on the road this semester. I know there are a lot of new RVers in general, and likely others are taking road trips just because they can–due to remote work and/or remote school.
All that to say, don’t expect to have NPS units all to yourself, and don’t expect to drive in and find an open campsite. Where campgrounds offer reservations, plan in advance like you normally would. If reservations aren’t available, then arrive early in the morning to claim a site, and always have a Plan B. We’ve found Sunday is often a good day to find sites, and Wednesday is usually a quiet day before the build-up to the weekend.
Caspian has his own National Park Service Passport that holds all of his stamps, and getting these stamps is an important part of our visits. We have been able to find stamps during the COVID-19 era, with research.
At Crater Lake, individual stickers with stamps on them were available at the park store. At the other units we’ve visited, stamps were handed out on small pieces of paper, which we had to hang onto until we could get our tape back at the RV. Rangers gave out these paper versions outside visitor centers.
If you look on a particular unit’s official website, it usually mentions where passport stamps are available.
As far as junior ranger booklets, they’ve been available at every unit so far, usually outside visitor centers where the rangers are. Swearing in has ranged widely. We had to mail in our Crater Lake booklet. Caspian was sworn in by a ranger at Lassen Volcanic. At Yellowstone, the ranger “deputized” Eric and me, saying we could give Caspian his patch once he earned it.
Also expect changes to the requirements for junior rangers. The booklet may say one thing, but the ranger may tell you another thing because of closures at the park.
Flexibility is the word of the year!
Wherever you go, expect closures and limited services. A few we’ve experienced:
What does all this mean? Research ahead of time. Go to the official website for the unit you want to visit. Alerts will be in red at the top of the screen. Read them carefully and compare them to a map of the park.
You may not have cell service in the unit, so you’ll want to plan ahead to make the most of your visit and avoid surprises.
There’s been so much loss this year, in many respects. Even now that many areas are trying to reopen and find a new normal, we all know it isn’t the same.
Going out into nature at these National Park Service units is one place the world feels right. The flowers, trees, waterfalls, and wildlife are untouched by the events that have rocked our world in 2020.
Find solace there.
For better or worse, the National Park Service has changed policies at its units–at least for the time being. Depending on a given unit’s closures, you may put off your visit until later. But if you decide to go now, then please be part of the solution.
Recently, we waited in line to go into the art gallery and store at Yellowstone’s Old Faithful. Masks were required to enter the store. One middle-aged man walked confidently to the front with no mask and attempted to enter. The employee calmly and respectfully reiterated the store policy, which was clearly posted on signs. She said she was happy to shop for him, but he could not enter without a mask. The man belligerantly tried to push past her to get in, as though to make a point.
This is not the place to make a point. Everyone is doing the best they can. Rangers and employees are putting their health at risk, so we can recreate at our national parks. Let’s be kind and patient, and keep our National Park Service units open by working together.
-B
Source: What to Expect at National Parks During the COVID-19 Era
Over six years of full-time travel, we’ve made several changes to enrich the RV lifestyle for our family. One was eschewing the concrete playgrounds we used to call private RV parks. Another was perfecting our dry camping game, so we could stay off-grid in beautiful areas and save hundreds of dollars every month. Another was down-sizing from a 40-foot RV to a 25-foot RV, so we could be as nimble as a race car (it feels that way after driving a diesel pusher).
But just as much as any of those big changes, getting a Harvest Hosts membership–and using it–has transformed our traveling lives.
We’ve written extensively about whether a Harvest Hosts membership is worth it (spoiler: we think it is). <– Read that article first, if you haven’t yet.
If you already have a Harvest Hosts membership or know you’re going to get one soon, then you may be wondering where to stay next! It’s a tough choice, considering there are well over 1,000 locations to choose from now.
To get you started, here are seven of our favorite Harvest Hosts experiences so far. We’re starting with a western United States edition, and we’ll follow up soon with our favorite picks for the east side of the country!
Note: This article includes our Harvest Hosts affiliate link. If you get excited about what we share here, we’d love it if you’d sign up via our link. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Location: San Elizario, Texas
Date visited: April 2019, December 2019
Licon Dairy was our second Harvest Hosts stop ever and it set the bar high. This dairy farm just outside El Paso is home to one of the best self-guided petting zoos we’ve ever seen, and we couldn’t believe it was in our front yard.
Our favorite fresh items to get at Licon Dairy are cheese and pan de polvo!
Location: Santa Clarita, California
Date visited: May 2019
What an amazing location! We stayed overnight for FREE in Santa Clarita, Calif., on our way to visit family in Los Angeles. And I had an awesome wine tasting without needing a designated driver…because my home was parked just up the hill.
Now, here’s the thing. Agua Dulce isn’t part of Harvest Hosts anymore. So why am I including it here? I want to make a point: if a host looks intriguing or you really want to visit a certain area of the country, then you need to jump on it now. Don’t assume the opportunity will be there forever. I’m so glad we stayed at Agua Dulce when we could!
(In case you’re curious, hosts sometimes leave the program as a result of rezoning, family concerns, selling the business, or other reasons.)
Already convinced? Sign up for a Harvest Hosts membership now and receive 15% off.
Location: Los Osos, California
Date visited: May 2019
Sea Pines Golf Resort is in an unbelievable location, in an area of the country where free RV camping is extremely limited. We visited at the beginning of our way up California 1 last year, which we took all the way up the state, then continued up the full Oregon coast.
To stay at golf courses through Harvest Hosts, you need the add-on for your membership. But it’s only $40/year, and it opens up something like 400 golf courses to you.
And what if you don’t golf (or don’t have time to golf)? You have options! Golf courses have restaurants, bars, and some even have spas.
Location: Tillamook, Oregon
Date visited: June 2019
What a fun Harvest Hosts stay! Tillamook is a charming town just off the gorgeous coast of Oregon. We parked here over the July 4th holiday, taking a day trip to nearby Seaside to celebrate. But you never have to leave Blue Heron if you don’t want to! There’s a wine bar and deli inside, plus bakery items and tons of yummy things to sample. Little ones (and little ones at heart) love the animals that live on the grounds.
Blue Heron allows a two-night stay, which is rare with Harvest Hosts.
Location: Hoodsport, Washington
Date visited: July 2019
One of the things I most love about Harvest Hosts is the way it gets us off the highway and onto roads we never would’ve seen otherwise. The route to and from Hoodsport Winery was incredible! We drove by these gorgeous Washington lakes and it was all I could do to keep my eyes on the road.
Location: Fargo, North Dakota
Date visited: July 2019
Our first night at a museum through Harvest Hosts, and we all had so much fun! Make sure you scroll for the video of two-year-old Caspian in a helicopter.
Dark Star Cellars was our last Harvest Hosts stay before the pandemic took hold. I visited without Eric, since he made an urgent trip to Seattle to be with his mom. Caspian and I were traveling by ourselves at the time.
I’ve always appreciated Harvest Hosts for momma time as a full-time RVer, and I really appreciated it this time. It was such a nice break. And something happened that never has: I loved every single wine I tasted. All eight.
My heart goes out to small wineries all over the country that have been impacted by COVID-19. I’m glad we could be there, even if our part was small.
So there you have it! A few of our favorite Harvest Hosts experiences in the western United States. We’d love to know about your personal favorites, so let us know in a comment!
Don’t leave without signing up for your Harvest Hosts membership! RVers who use our link receive 15% off.
-B
Source: 7 Favorite Harvest Hosts Experiences (West U.S. Edition)
The times, they are a-changin’. As Americans flock to the road in RVs, rejecting consumerism and embracing the value of experiences, RV campgrounds are filling up weeks in advance. And when you do find an open spot, it’s guaranteed to be more expensive than ever.
Enter Harvest Hosts, an experience-based RV camping option opening hundreds of unique locations to its members.
I run across few RVers these days who don’t know about Harvest Hosts. The company’s marketing strategy is stellar. But just because you’ve heard of it, doesn’t mean you’ve signed up.
We were late to the game, so I can relate. We just became members in March 2019 because Harvest Hosts didn’t match our travel rhythm before then.
But between March and December 2019, we stayed at 26 Harvest Hosts locations! In fact, out of all the places we stayed (private campgrounds, national parks, BLM land, etc.), we stayed at more Harvest Hosts locations than any other category.
We’re unabashed fans of this program. But that doesn’t necessarily help you with your decision of whether to sign up or not!
Let’s fix that. Now that I’ve experienced Harvest Hosts from coast to coast, I’m excited to share why Harvest Hosts is 100 percent worth it.
Note: This article includes our Harvest Hosts affiliate link. If you get excited about what we share here, we’d love it if you’d sign up via our link. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
We need to talk money first. If we don’t, then you’ll probably be wondering about cost the whole time you’re reading.
As of this writing, membership is normally $79/year, which gives you access to nearly 1,000 wineries, farms, museums, breweries–even a gator ranch on the Gulf coast. Our affiliate link will give you 15% off, so just over $67.
Sixty-seven dollars.
With our Harvest Hosts membership, we stayed at Agua Dulce Winery in Santa Clarita, California, close to Los Angeles. The closest private campground is $65/night for two people. Speaking purely in dollars and cents, you can see how your Harvest Hosts membership will pay for itself in a mere one or two nights.
I actually did an experiment in 2019. I valued our Harvest Hosts stays at $25/night. I picked this number solely because we prefer to pay no more than this when we pay for camping (which is rare). We all know $25/night is an unrealistically low expectation when we’re talking about campground prices across the country.
Anyway, $25/night value it was–for the purposes of my experiment. Then I took into account how much we spent patronizing each Harvest Hosts business–on wine tastings, tour tickets, and the like.
Even with my ridiculously low valuation, our Harvest Hosts membership paid for itself after 10 nights.
Now, there’s something we’ve left out of this conversation, something economists have struggled with for centuries. It’s easy to calculate the quantitative. But how do we value the qualitative?
How do you put a price tag on the feeling you get looking out on quiet fields with your loved ones? How do you count the joy of being surrounded by a group of adorable, curious alpacas? Or an evening out at a beautiful winery, with your home safely parked a short walk away?
I think these qualitative factors are worth a lot, and you should take them into account when deciding whether a Harvest Hosts membership is worth it for you.
Already convinced? Sign up for a Harvest Hosts membership now and receive 15% off.
In July 2019, there were 750 Harvest Hosts locations. Two new hosts were being added every day, so it’s no surprise that the host database is up to a whopping 950+ locations now!
It doesn’t matter where you’re traveling to, chances are there will be a Harvest Hosts location near you. We even got to stay at a farm in Ontario, Canada.
This goes back to the qualitative value I mentioned earlier. We have had some of our most memorable experiences through Harvest Hosts.
At Licon Dairy outside El Paso, we stepped out of our door in the morning and took a self-guided tour of an amazing petting zoo.
At Fly Creek Cider Mill in Cooperstown, New York,, we got to see the inner workings of a cider mill, feed ducks, eat delicious food, and Caspian had a beautiful lawn to play on with other kids. Plus, we were minutes from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which Eric had wanted to visit since childhood.
At Misty Acres Alpaca Farm in Maine, I got to purchase a beautiful scarf made from the wool of alpacas I had just met!
At The Yalaha Bootlegging Company in Florida, I tried award-winning moonshine and took some home that tasted like apples and cinnamon. Outside, Eddie served us some of the best barbecue we’ve ever had (and we LOVE our barbecue). And next door, Yalaha Bakery had the most delicious streusel. It was a stay filled with superlatives.
And at every stop, the people we meet are kind and hospitable. We get to learn about our hosts’ regions and businesses. And we’ve made friends with the RVers parked near us!
If you were a kid, would you rather stay at a private campground smushed between two RVs, or at a Gator Ranch where you get to hold a baby alligator? What about a farm where you get to eat fresh raspberries? Or a cheese company where you get to eat fresh grilled cheese for lunch?
Caspian, our son who just turned three, has had so many unique experiences right alongside us, thanks to Harvest Hosts.
Before you drive into the sunset with your new Harvest Hosts membership, there are a few caveats.
With almost no exceptions, Harvest Hosts locations are all dry camping. (I remember two wineries that offered electricity for a fee.)
The good news is you’re only staying one night, so you can recharge your batteries, dump, or fill the next day when you leave!
Harvest Hosts has a list of guidelines, and one is that you contact your host the day before you arrive. That way they can confirm they’re open and have room for you.
If you’re one of those RVers who wakes up in the morning not knowing where you’re going to sleep that night, then you may have trouble with this part!
With few exceptions, Harvest Hosts stays are for one night only. We have run across a couple of places that were fine with two nights.
The one-night limit is actually why we didn’t become Harvest Hosts members until 2019. When we had our 40-foot diesel RV, we stayed in one place for two weeks at a time.
This is essential. In return for a free place to stay, Harvest Hosts asks all members to patronize the business hosting them.
We have the golf add-on to our membership, but we’ve only stayed at one golf course because golf isn’t our thing! We also avoid breweries because neither of us drink beer. (Though if we do stay at a brewery, we can usually order food or grab some craft beer for a friend down the road.)
No matter your personal preferences, just be sure to patronize your host in some way while you’re there.
If you can answer yes to all four of those questions, then Harvest Hosts is probably a fit for you.
Harvest Hosts has deeply enriched our lives as full-time RVers. We recommend it to everyone. Once you’ve spent one night at a winery, farm, or museum, I think you’ll be hooked.
Don’t leave without signing up for your Harvest Hosts membership! RVers who use our link receive 15% off.
-B
Source: Is Harvest Hosts Worth It?
On February 21, 2019, we celebrated five years of full-time travel and started our sixth year embracing the nomadic lifestyle.
We lost our minds a bit, while simultaneously finding ourselves. We sold our 40-foot RV and found out its contents fit into a 5×8 U-Haul trailer. We moved into our Jeep Wrangler, crossed the southern border, and spent the next two months driving 2,000 miles through the interior of Mexico.
Though we threw around the idea of living out of our Jeep all year, we ended up buying a 2016 Winnebago View 24J. It was the exact model we had been eyeing, with tons of solar, and we knew it had been cared for by our friends at Famagogo.
And so began the most insane year of continental U.S. travel we’ve ever put ourselves through: a complete loop of the country through 32 states and Canada, with some unplanned detours along the way.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
This is the companion piece to “19 Favorite Moments of 2019, Our Sixth Year as Full-time RVers.” Make sure you read that article for tons of photos and our favorite experiences of a very full year.
Note: This article includes affiliate links. If you get excited about any of the products featured here, we’d love it if you’d shop via our links. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Three: Mexico, U.S.A., and Canada. (We traveled through Mexico with our Jeep, not RV.)
Thirty-two states, including a whopping 14 new states by RV (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maryland).
We had no intention of visiting New England at all this year, so that was a bit spontaneous.
150.
I should put this number, 150, into context. In my 2018 review, I described our 45 overnight stops as “breathtaking.” In relation to our travel pace up to that time, it was a whirlwind. But by May 20, we had already hit that number for 2019. And our pace wound up from there.
It’s so fun to see this list put together in one place. When you’re moving almost every day, your surroundings blur together a bit. There were definitely mornings when I woke up and didn’t know where I was at first.
But our Winnebago gives us so much flexibility, which results in variety. We’re branching out more than ever with the bizarre places we’re able to park and sleep, like a residential street in Burbank, California, around the corner from my brother’s apartment. (We were legal with the correct permit on our windshield!)
And as a sidenote, the above list reflects where we stayed with our Winnebago from March 9 onwards. When we lived out of our Jeep for the first 67 nights of 2019, we stayed at a mixture of wild camping spots, established campgrounds, Airbnbs, hotels, and family/friends’ homes on both sides of the border. We had several other nights in the Jeep throughout the year.
86/150.
Fifty-seven percent of our overnight spots in 2019 were free, or 86 out of 150 places. In 2018, we were at 48 percent.
95/150
This is a new stat we’ve pulled out for 2019. 2018 was the year we branched out and really started dry camping–with only 100-watts of solar from a suitcase.
Granted, we had 90 gallons of fresh water, 45 gallons for black water, and an astounding 70 gallons for grey water. I look back and realize how easy I had it, but it sure didn’t feel that way at the time.
Empowered by what we did in 2018, 2019 was our big year for dry camping. Sixty-three percent of our overnight stays were without hookups of any kind. (The remaining 37 percent were almost never full hookups.) Our Winnebago has 420-watts of solar, which is awesome for our electric needs.
Our tanks are a LOT smaller now (32 fresh/34 black/40 grey), but we’ve fine-tuned our conservation skills to make it work. Of course, it helps that we’re constantly on the move because we can easily work dumping and filling into our travel days.
Remember, we didn’t have an RV again until March 2019. While our year-over-year comparison for total amount spent won’t be perfect this time around, the monthly and daily averages definitely still stand!
Total: $3,328
We spent:
Monthly Average: $277 ($607 in 2018 and $710.46 in 2017)
Nightly Average: $9.12 ($19.96 in 2018 and $23.36 in 2017)
Most Costly Month: $656 in June
We were visiting our big kids in a part of northern California where camping options were limited. We stayed at a private campground in the city to be as close to them as possible!
Least Costly Month: $38 in December
We were in Texas for most of December, and were hosted by friends and family for most of the month.
Our second least costly month was September, when we were constantly on the move. Our total campground fees were $148. For the most part, we were moochdocking or staying at Harvest Hosts locations through our membership. As you might imagine, there are so many charming Harvest Hosts options in New York state and New England!
➡️ Become a Harvest Hosts member and receive $15 off your membership through our link
We try to include as many year-over-year comparisons in these annual reviews, but you’ll get the best comparison by reading each full review:
If you’ve been with us for a while, then you know our annual review usually include a recap of our route and adventures. However, since our 2019 mileage was dramatically different than ever before, I’d have to write a book to present our travels in the usual way. Instead, I’ve pulled out our 2019 highlights and presented them in a separate article.
If you have any questions about the full-time RV lifestyle, or our journey specifically, just leave a comment below!
-B
It’s been an incredible year–our sixth as full-time RVers. We’ve traveled so quickly that between work and family commitments, microblogging on Instagram has been most manageable! I’m excited to finally share these experiences with you here.
This is the companion piece to “2019 in Review: Stats and Camping Costs.” Make sure you read that article for a big picture view of our year.
And now, you’re in for a treat! We’re counting down from #19 to #1, with #1 being our top highlight of 2019. How many of these places have you visited?
Note: This article includes affiliate links. If you get excited about any of the products featured here, we’d love it if you’d shop via our links. This will encourage us to continue investing time in creating useful content!
Our lives were transformed when we downsized from a 40-foot RV to a 25-foot RV. Those 15 feet mean a completely new style of travel, especially when you have 420-watts of solar on the roof.
Our first bucket item with our new home was visiting Big Bend National Park on the border of Texas and Mexico. We knocked out a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail on Saturday and went back into the park on Sunday for Easter morning service. It was a beautiful time of worship and community, surrounded by stunning creation.
We stayed at Stillwell Ranch Store & RV Park outside Big Bend.
➡️ Keep reading: Off-road Adventures Through Big Bend National Park
Licon Dairy wasn’t our first stay as newly minted Harvest Hosts members, but it was one of our first. And, most significantly, it thrilled us and got us really excited about this program for RVers.
We woke up in the morning, stepped out of our front door, and took a self-guided tour of an amazing petting zoo. It was every two-year-old’s dream, and a privilege for me to have such a fun educational opportunity on our doorstep.
If you’ve read our Stats and Camping Costs report, then you know we ended up staying at more Harvest Hosts than any other camping category. Twenty-five total Harvest Hosts locations!
➡️ Keep reading: How a Harvest Hosts Membership Can Supercharge Your RV Adventures (an article I wrote for our friends at AdventureKT)
Building community on the road is essential if you’re going to make it long-term as a full-time RVer. We’re members of several RV-related organizations and have found friendship in so many circles, but the folks at RV Entrepreneur Summit are our inner circle.
We presented at the first two summits and hosted our annual campfire at the third, while attending more sessions than ever since we didn’t have to “worry” about speaking. (I do worry sometimes!)
In many ways, this was a difficult year at summit. We had lost a big client a couple of days earlier, and then the business-related sessions I attended were challenging. I realized I wasn’t where I wanted to be as a business owner, and I struggled to come to grips with that.
Of course, recognizing the need for change is the first step. Now nine months later, Eric and I are taking big steps to course-correct.
We will deeply miss attending the fourth RV Entrepreneur Summit in 2020. We just can’t make it work, route- and schedule-wise, with commitments we have in the western United States. We love you all. ❤️
Yes, you read that right. It took us over five years and more than 30 national park visits to actually stay at an RV campground in a national park! Two reasons for this: first, the length and size of our previous RV, and not wanting to navigate windy, narrow roads. Second, the lack of Internet connectivity, which we need for work.
But finally the stars aligned at Acadia National Park in Maine! We’re extremely maneuverable at 25-feet and Seawall Campground has great Internet.
It was so fun when our long-time RV friends, Eric Udell and Jeanette Hobbs, spent the night just a few sites down from us!
We also got to camp at Guadalupe Mountains National Park in December, which was a thrill.
My brother Adam and his wife Linia have lived in the Los Angeles area for years, but we’d never made it out to visit them. All it took was a printed city permit and a few dollars, and we were able to legally camp on the street just around the corner from their apartment.
While we weren’t sure we’d ever get out, with vehicles parked nearly up to our bumpers on either side, we had a lovely weekend in the area.
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Both Eric and I loved Cooperstown in our own ways. A baseball fan from childhood, Eric had always wanted to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame. For my part, I loved our Harvest Hosts stay at Fly Creek Cider Mill. But really, the whole town was just so charming. I could’ve stayed much longer.
➡️ Become a Harvest Hosts member and receive $15 off your membership through our link
I’m Canadian by birth and almost all my family lives north of the border. But for some reason, RVing in Canada always seemed intimidating, between Internet connectivity worries and the logistics of storing our weapons stateside before crossing.
But in 2019, we finally did it! From Buffalo, New York, we drove north of Toronto. We parked in a corner of my Grandpa’s apartment parking lot for a week of family reunion. While our actual driving time in Canada wasn’t extensive, we felt empowered for sure. We even got to use our Harvest Hosts membership!
Unless the border of Minnesota and Canada is home for you, you will never get to Voyageurs National Park unless you go out of your way…far, far out of your way.
Woodenfrog Campground was blissfully peaceful, and we had lakeside access just across from our site and down a short trail. After all the summer dry camping, I definitely washed my hair in the lake one night (with biodegradable hiker’s soap).
The national park itself is so beautiful. Most of it is water, so we took a boat tour and got to see bald eagles, a loon’s nest up close, and so much more.
The Sedona area has been a long-time favorite. Still needing to make up for our botched dry camping attempt in 2016, we went back to Coconino National Forest to find a wild camping spot. This time, we could drive much farther in with our shorter rig.
The pull-off we found was mind-blowing, and it was so fun to go bouncing on the trails with our Jeep whenever we wanted to go anywhere. We revisited the old mining town of Jerome (Haunted Hamburger!) and Caspian earned his first Junior Ranger badge at Tuzigoot National Monument.
Spending summer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has been on our list for years. Coming in from Apostle Islands in Wisconsin, our first exposure was to the much less-touristed western peninsula.
In late July, we found a spot at Ontonagon Township Park, and Lake Superior was literally our front yard. It was amazing.
This highlight of 2019 isn’t so much about the destination as the journey. Two times this year, we stayed at campgrounds we’ve been to in the past. Returning to the same place, we could reflect on how much we had changed.
Last time we were in Macon, Georgia, we went kicking and screaming. This time, it was a breath of fresh air, as we took a deep breath after our son Silas’s successful brain surgery. It’s all perspective.
Then, Sopchoppy, Florida. We hadn’t been to this tiny city park since 2014 when we were newbies. We’ve told so many people about it over the years, so we wondered whether we’d still love it. We did, though the 100% price increase in five years was a bit surprising. ????
2019 was our year of free camping. If you’ve already read our Stats and Camping Costs article, then you know 57 percent of our overnight spots in 2019 were free, or 86 out of 150 places.
Two free camping spots stand out: Bayside Campground in Navarre, Florida, and Raco Field on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Bayside Campground is an established campground with numbered sites that can be reserved online. The waterfront sites are about 20 feet from Blackwater Bay. Caspian and I had an amazing hike through the Wildlife Management Area in the morning. We couldn’t believe this find.
Another free camping spot we loved was Raco Field. To get to there, I slowly drove our RV over a single-lane dirt road. In a clearing, surrounded by trees, there was a concrete pad to park on. This cool place is located within sight of an abandoned air field.
Eric is from the Pacific Northwest, and he’s been telling me about the Oregon coast’s beauty for as long as I can remember. This year, we traveled most of Highway 101 up the California coast, and the entirety of the Oregon coast from Brookings to Astoria.
Our favorite campgrounds were Cape Blanco State Park (tidepooling, lighthouse, seclusion), Beachside State Recreation Site (perfect location between Yachats and Waldport), and Cape Lookout State Park (unbelievable coastal beauty outside of Tillamook).
➡️ Keep reading: RVer’s Guide to Oregon’s Beautiful Coast (another of my piece’s at AdventureKT)
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When visiting Washington D.C., you have to come to grips with the fact you’ll only be able to see a fraction of what you want to. We had an action-packed visit this time, with firsts for both Eric and me.
Our biggest adventure was walking the National Mall at night, doing a huge loop from the Lincoln Memorial across the water to the Jefferson Memorial, returning to the Lincoln. In between, we stopped at:
Electric scooter highly recommended, but be warned that parking is restricted by the Lincoln Memorial. Thirty-five-pound toddler in carrier = not recommended.
Other highlights included the National Zoo, National Museum of Natural History, Holocaust Museum (Eric went while Caspian and I were at Natural History), Washington Monument, and Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown.
We were in D.C. for three days.
In June, we spent a week wild camping in California’s Sierra National Forest. The south entrance to Yosemite National Park and the famous Mariposa Grove were only seven miles away.
Two-year-old Caspian did his first unaided two-mile hike in April. But he really upped the ante in June, with THREE two-mile hikes in five days.
➡️ Keep reading: 3 Unforgettable 2-Mile Hikes in Yosemite
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Dalrymple Park & Campground in Bayfield, Wisconsin, was one of my favorite overall stays in our six years of full-time RVing.
Caspian and I walked about half a mile to main street Bayfield every morning, where we got local coffee and pastries, played on the lakeside playground, and marveled at the beauty of the water and harbor. The weather played a starring role during our late July visit–it was absolutely perfect during our stay.
I could spend a whole summer right here.
Oh, I unashamedly love Disney World. I spent more than half of 2019 listening to podcast episodes, slaving over TouringPlans.com itineraries, and daydreaming in general.
We own a timeshare week in Kissimmee, so this was my fifth time visiting Disney World. But we’d always been spontaneous in our Disney visits, with next to no planning.
This time, we rope-dropped at least twice (meaning we were there at park opening), enjoyed dining reservations galore, explored multiple resorts just for fun, and generally did the whole thing up right.
It was so much fun to have our friends Eric and Tami Johnson of TechnoRV join us for a few days! They treated us to breakfast at Chef Mickey’s and chased Buzz Lightyear around Hollywood Studios with Caspian. We love spending time with them anywhere we are, but this was extra special.
I hope to write a full article with my Disney World tips in 2020! The magic is not overrated.
It may surprise you that our #1 highlight of 2019 was done sans RV. During the three months of the year we didn’t own an RV, we explored the interior of Mexico with our Jeep Wrangler.
The Sierra Gorda mountain range was especially exciting, as we spent a weekend off-grid with local overlanders we met through a forum called Overland Bound. They planned the whole trip for us and we had an amazing time thanks to their hospitality.
This was our shakedown trip to determine whether we’d love international overlanding as much as we expected.
We did. And our lives will be forever changed because of it.
A highlights-driven article was the only way to go, with a year as overwhelming as 2019.
But the highlights mask so much that has consumed our thoughts and prayers. In October, our son Silas was suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumor. Within two weeks, we had four cross-country flights from Virginia to California and back again, as we met with doctors and loved on our son. His 11-hour surgery was a beautiful success, though recovery continues.
And as I finish writing this on Dec. 30, Eric and I are celebrating the birth of our first grandchild, Maxon Elias. We look forward to being with Silas, Maxon, our daughter Arianna, and our son Javen in January.
In other news, we just announced our 2020 travel plans on Jeepsies, our blog about overlanding and off-roading. We typically share our travel plans here on RV Wanderlust, but you’ll understand more when you read.
If you have any questions at all about specific campgrounds, area activities, or anything from our travels, then just ask in a comment! I couldn’t include all the details above, but I’d be more than happy to elaborate for you.
Thanks for joining us on this journey.
-B
Source: 19 Favorite Moments of 2019, Our Sixth Year as Full-time RVers
A different sort of RV adventure – take your RV on a ferry. Different sights, save miles of driving!
Take Your RV On These 5 Bucket-List Ferry Trips
Taking your RV on a ferry elevates the average camping trip to something more exciting. These classic trips cross both domestic and international waters.
People keep asking how we get Internet on the road. This is how. Details at https://rvlifestyle.com/Togo #digitalnomad #internetforrvers #rvlifestyle #rvlife #togo
This is a great time for RVers and the next six weeks makes for some of the best camping all year, especially at America’s State Parks!
Best State Parks Across the U.S for Fall RVing
We know that RV Lifestyle Fellow Travelers LOVE state parks across the U.S. And why wouldn’t you? After all, there are more than 6,000 state park units across the nation. That means that while RVing, chances are you will find some beautiful locations. Of course, it means it can be challenging to p…
This is how all of us in Florida today are spending much of our time on this Labor Day #hurricanedorian
Here’s our list of the biggest lakes in the US and why you should visit them! https://rv Lifestyle.com/big lakes #rvlife #rvlifestyle #rvtrips #rvtravel #rving
We love lakes! Big lakes. Here are the biggest…and our favorites, with some fun facts for your exploration research
As Michiganders, we hold a special place in our hearts for the lakes of the U.S. and Canada. Of course, we’re especially partial to the Great Lakes, but there are many, many others. When it comes to sheer size of the bodies of water, the team at Travel Trivia recently broke down a list of the “7…
Keystone RV celebrates shipment of millionth RV
Keystone RV was founded in 1996, and the company’s president and CEO says it’s an unusual and remarkable milestone to reach in 23 years.
Thanks to all who showed up for our Meet & Greet in Florida this afternoon. It was so fun to get to know everyone and then do our live Ask Us Anything program with many if you participating! https://youtu.be/fSNwK_HcoWs
We’re having a meet and greet in Navarre Beach, Florida today and at 7PM EDT we’ll be live on our YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel. Come in by and hang out around our virtual campfire as we answer your questions live.
Ask Us Anything will be live from the beach tonight, coming to you from Navarre Beach, FL, where we’re having an in person meet and greet. Tune in, ask quest…
I love Chef Mary Jane Curry’s book. It teaches you how you can prepare the majority of your meals in advance or while on a camping adventure. : https://smallkitchenbigflavorsblog.wordpress.com
Food Musings from Chef MJ Curry
Here’s What RV Camping Looked Like 100 Years Ago
As Americans hit the road for Labor Day weekend, we salute the Tin Can Tourists—the DIY auto enthusiasts who started it all.
Are you ready to make “someday” come true today? It’s possible. Read this interview with one of the best personal coaches and motivators I’ve ever encountered! On the blog today https://rvlifestyle.com
Are you ready to make “someday” come true today? It’s possible. Read this interview with one of the best personal coaches and motivators I’ve ever encountered!
Expert Advice on Living the RV Dream
When it comes to RVing, so many people dream of “someday.” Someday when they retire and buy that RV, someday when they have enough money to hit the road, someday when the kids are grown and they can start traveling. Someday. Thing is, there is no guarantee that “someday” will ever come and t…
And if you are considering an RV rental, read this for a reality check. It includes some things to consider and to watch out for.
If you are testing out renting an RV with the idea you may purchase one, pay attention to this paragraph:
“If the goal of your trip is to scope out using an RV as part of your retirement plan, keep in mind that most Class C motor homes (average retail price, $89,000) don’t measure up in size and amenities to the bus-style, Class A RVs (averaging $180,000) that retirees favor. If you want a taste of that life, pay the extra for a Class A rental. El Monte and Road Bear offer these for about $2,000 to $3,000 a week, as do many independents.”
Fasten your seatbelts and take a week or two to test-drive the roving lifestyle.
Mary Jane Curry has a fabulous and easy recipe for peach pie perfect for RVers. Pick up some fresh peaches as you pass a local fruit stand and whip this up in the campground for desert!
Fresh peaches are in season, juicy and ripe and ideal to add to a salad, enjoy as a snack, cut in half, remove the pit/seed and grill as a side dish or create a delicious dessert to enjoy with friends or something yummy to take to a potluck. I came up with an easy fresh peach pie recipe that you can…
On a 49 mile stretch of I 75 in Southern GA just now, we saw dozens and dozens of utility vehicles headed to FL ahead of #dorian. We stopped counting at 100 such trucks. #rvlifestyle
Renting an RV may be a cheaper way to test it out as opposed to buying one but it’s not less expensive than a hotel. Still, it might be a perfect way to take a vacation or explore an area. This article mentions a few sources for rentals other than the biggies like Cruise America.
Where to rent an RV for an epic road trip
These peer-to-peer marketplaces let you rent everything from vintage Airstreams to burly camper vans.
5 of the Most Iconic RVs in TV and Film
Like cars, RVs can be characters too. Here are 5 iconic films or TV shows featuring a home on wheels!
RV travel with a dog is a lot of fun but it also presents a lot of challenges. Here’s the products and services that we rely on for Bo.
We’re dog people. If you know anything about us, you know that. Jennifer and I both grew up with dogs and since we married, we’ve always had a dog. When we started RVing in 2012, we had Tai, who was our third Norwegian Elkhound. When Tai passed away in 2015, we soon had Bo, our fourth Elkhound. On…
The tone is a bit of a downer but there are certainly points to consider. Traveling in an RV isn’t a ride off into the sunset of happily every after but it is a wonderful alternative if you go in with your eyes open.
13 Reasons You’ll Regret an RV in Retirement
RV-loving retirees talk about the downsides of spending retirement in a motorhome, travel trailer, fifth wheel or other recreational vehicle.
New podcast out today that examines a hot topic (carrying firearms in an RV), suggests that it’s time to revive CB Radio for travelers and digs into the major frustrations of RVers. Plus we answer a whole bunch of your questions including an announcement of a soon coming course we are putting together that can help you pay for your RV.
Frank Conversations about RV Frustrations
It’s time for some straight talk: The RV Lifestyle is not as idyllic as you may dream it is. At times it can be quite frustrating. We surveyed our RV Podcast Community and in this episode, we’re going to tell you what bugs RVers the most and what can be done about it! Plus, we’ll talk about ca…
Love this grass planted along the gulf shore to restore the dunes. Does anyone know it’s name?
This young couple went full-time RVing and learned how to live on the cheap. Plus they developed and monetized their creative abilities.
How A Tiny Teardrop Trailer Launched Two Artists’ Careers
When Jason and Jesse Strong first brought home their tiny red teardrop trailer, the couple had no idea the adventures they would share with it.
RV insurance can be complicated…and expensive. Here’s some inside advice and a way to shop around to find the best deal for you –
One of the topics that we are asked about a lot has to do with insurance for RVs. It’s an important question because if you make a mistake you can end up overpaying or not having enough coverage. It’s also a tough one to answer because there are so many variables — yet you want the best deal, …
Bo says Happy Dog Day. He lives the RV Lifestyle and the places he’s gone and the things he’s seen where do you think this is? Share a pic of your poo h somewhere fun! #rvlife #rvlifestyle #dogsofinstagram #nationaldogday
One of the things we love about the Emerald Coast of Florida’s Panhandle is the summer cloud formations out over the Gulf of Mexico. The sky is constantly changing with big puffy clouds and the lighting this time of year on the water is gorgeous. Oh yeah, on the week before Labor Day the beaches are pretty empty, too!! #rvlife #rvlifestyle #floridapanhandle #okaloosaisland
Wildfires are so common they hardly rate the news. This Alaska fire totally destroyed a nice RV park. Fortunately he has insurance and can rebuild.
‘Like it was never there’: Mat-Su RV Park destroyed in McKinley Fire
The RV park was not only a popular stop for tourists halfway between Anchorage and Denali, but it also provided running water and laundry services for Alaskans living in dry cabins nearby.Now all that
Emerald Coast Meet and Greet this Sunday? Jennifer and I (and Bo) are down on the Emerald Coast in the Florida panhandle for a couple of weeks. Anyone up for a meet and greet this Sunday, Sept. 1? We’d meet in a parking area of the Gulf Islands National Seashore at Navarre Beach, FL from 3-6PM CT, after which we’d head to a local restaurant and have dinner. Bring your RV, beach chairs and whatever refreshments you need. If you can make it, reply here and we’ll make it happen!
What RVers need to know about staying healthy, finding doctors and getting medical treatment on the road – https://rvlifestyle.com/tips-for-managing-health-care-while-rving/
Tips for Managing Health Care While RVing
Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in making sure our RVs are in tip-top shape before hitting the road that we let our own health become less of a priority. That is, until we’re far from home and it’s too late. Alas, some of you will no doubt will run into a health issue while RVing. I know we s…
The annual Upper Peninsula winter gathering of Fellow Travelers of the RV Lifestyle is on and ready for you to make your reservations! The dates will be January 9-12, 2020 In the Tahquamenon Falls Lower Falls Hemlock campground. This will be the sixth year we have gathered up there to play in the snow and hang together in the beautiful UP. This is an informal gathering, which means you have to make your own reservations with the Michigan DNR. Go to their website at https://midnrreservations.com/. Book the dates you want (some of us are coming Thursday, some are even staying over to Monday). After you make your reservation, be sure to join our special winter campout Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1697339513886451) and introduce yourself and tell us what site you booked. All communication, announcements, etc as we get close to the date will be done through that group. We’ll plan meals, firewood, activities, etc. through the group. Who says you can’t camp in the winter in the far north? This is always a highlight of the year for us and we can’t wait to see everyone!
Your Guide for RV Winter Living & Storage.
Valuable Tips & Info help you prepare for cold weather. Includes winterization instructions for full-time or part-time winter RV living.
It's FREE and there's no obligation...
Download your copy today.
A van, a bus, a boat and a Cat-sita?
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Our rough travel route rough through southern Ontario
Treasure Island.. or, Recursive Island?
This Gen-X Technomad was thrilled to find Rush beer!
Our only purchase that didn’t take Apple Pay – thankfully they took American cash.
Our summer 2022 van trip will now end up something like this.
No line at the Laundromat! And washing ALL our clothes!
While her humans can go naked.. Kiki still has to wear a harness.
Leaving my house behind and hitting the road!
An Oliver Travel Trail custom built for two.
A connected bus.
Our shuttlecraft.
So many memories…
Where to next? Wherever the current is taking us.
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Our Flexsteel 517 RV Captains Sets Peeling (2019)
Pro upholstery tip – choose your fabric to best match your cat.
We didn’t know a thing about hog rings before this project!
Blood loss is inevitable in this project.” data-large-file=”https://i1.wp.com/www.technomadia.com/uploads/2021/08/IMG_7560-1.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1″ data-medium-file=”https://i1.wp.com/www.technomadia.com/uploads/2021/08/IMG_7560-1.jpeg?fit=450%2C338&ssl=1″ data-orig-file=”https://i1.wp.com/www.technomadia.com/uploads/2021/08/IMG_7560-1.jpeg?fit=2000%2C1500&ssl=1″ data-orig-size=”2000,1500″ data-permalink=”https://www.technomadia.com/2021/08/two-weeks-exploring-the-blue-ridge-parkway/img_7560-1/” data-recalc-dims=”1″ height=”338″ loading=”lazy” src=”https://i1.wp.com/www.technomadia.com/uploads/2021/08/IMG_7560-1.jpeg?resize=450%2C338″ width=”450″></img></a><figcaption id=)
No shoulders and a lot of curves.</p>
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Blue Ridge Parkway with the 8 campgrounds marked (it’s amazingly difficult to find this.. so I mocked it up in Google Maps!)
Van or RV?
We don’t use it often, but our 
We used to tow a Mini Cooper behind our bus.