Freedom in a Can: Adventures with Hamlet

We are thrilled to have so many new folks join us for our midlife journey as well as this newsletter!   For those of you who haven't heard Hamlet's origin story, we thought we'd share a bit about our early days... On September 3, 2012 we took a deep breath, and made the first of many leaps of faith by pulling out of our driveway.  We had just quit our busy university careers, downsized our life, rented out our home, said goodbye to friends and colleagues, and hit the road in a restored 55 year old camper which Shari had purchased on eBay for $900.   That special day was our 12th wedding anniversary, and this midlife adventure was intended to be both a gift to ourselves and our marriage. Simply put, it was time for a change to something more sustainable, and drastically different.  We thought it would be for a year, maybe two at most. We often refer to everything in our crazy lil' lifestyle as #canlife. You may have heard of #vanlife, which came on the scene a couple of

The upper left coast of the contiguous 48 states is a moody place.  Wedged in between the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) and the north Pacific Ocean, the  Olympic Peninsula famously  offers a  dysfunctional interchange of fog, drizzle, and downpour, interrupted with fleeting moments of sunshine that recharges both our spiritual and physical batteries. But, the rain returns.  It's this rain that gives the park so much incredible life, and biomass, both in the forest and along the shores.  We've seen massive trees that contain multitudes (one study showed that a single Bigleaf maple contained over 2,500 pounds of lichen and moss -- when dried!!).  In Olympic National Park , we've also seen browsing Roosevelt elk in the Hoh Rainforest, Northern sea lions barking from the ledges, Ochre sea stars clinging to rocks below the tideline, the elusive Olympic marmot high up on Hurricane Ridge, Grey whales feeding near Cape Alava, and even my spirit animal, a river otter, swam right in front

Springtime in the Sierras: Hidden Gems Over 8000 Feet! "Climb the mountains, and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you like sunshine into the trees!"  Just because this might be the most over quoted, and over used bon mots from John Muir, it doesn't make it any less true.  We have climbed, paddled, cycled, soaked, and simply ambled through these Sierra Nevada Mountains and we heed their glad tidings and feel their peace.  Y'all should really try it!   No matter how much we travel, we can never really see it all -- sometimes we just have to save something for next time, and the next time, and the next time.  We've been through the Eastern Sierra region of California and Nevada at least 4 times prior to this spring.  Sometimes it was snow that shut us down from crossing into higher elevations, forcing a southerly route back through the Mojave.  Other times it was some work obligation that required us to simply boogie on through to an airport.

GLORIOUS GAZPACHO It's that time of year when the tomatoes in your garden and at the farmer's market are at their ripest.  They are dripping off the vine, begging to be picked at just the right moment.  So sweet and juicy, they become the cherry on top of your favorite salad, burger, or pasta.  But, they go fast if you don't use them immediately!  Just when they are starting to turn is the perfect time to make them into a tasty chilled soup that'll tantalize all of your senses. Shari set out to find the best gazpacho recipe in 2018, then has altered it over the years to make it even better. Each time she makes it, it's a bit different as it all depends on the quality of the fruit.  It's a possibility this is perfection in a bowl -- filled with sweet, tangy, spicy, and just enough texture to give it some toothiness. It's filling enough to make it a meal, or just serve it as an appetizer.  The best part?  Other than briefly blanching the tomatoes in boiling wa

The Scout We tie the boats to the Tamarisk trunks along the bank and follow the winding path up to the rocky ledge which offers us a better view of the river's features lying just around the corner.  We call this "scouting," where we make a plan for our run through a big rapid, get stoked about it, decide if it's over our heads, and generally ramp up the anxiety and/or fun of this adventure.   As we push the brush away from our faces, I hear the roar of the rapid increasing.  Reaching the top of the bench, the valley opens up below to reveal the maelstrom of the ancient ongoing battle carving out this magnificent place.  Current throws itself unrelentingly against rock and ever so slowly tears through the gradient, millimeter by painful millimeter.  This rapid is bigger than I thought and my heart leaps into my throat.  It 's not the first time my mind wishes for a little bit of the impossible. "I wish that I could somehow jump forward to the moment when we&#

SUMMERTIME SPRING ROLLS It's summertime!  But, s ometimes just the idea of heating up the RV kitchen while cooking is unbearable.  And, it's even too hot to cook outside.  When the temps hit the 90's, it's time to start thinking about delightfully cool dinners that aren't just another salad. It's not often that a 10 year old shares his favorite dish with us, and it makes it into our regular dinner repertoire.  These build-your-own rolls are fresh, crunchy, delicious, and require very little cooking.  Note: We don't provide quantities in this recipe, as everyone likes a little bit more of this or that. Feel free to get creative with this one -- our 10 year old friend Carter sure did! Ingredients Spring Roll Wrappers (3-4 per person) Rice Noodles Cabbage, finely shredded Green Onions, finely chopped Red, Orange, Yellow Bell Peppers, julienned Cucumbers, julienned Baked Marinated Sesame or Teriyaki Tofu (or cold meat of your choice), chunked or shredded The onl