Freedom in a Can: Adventures with Hamlet

Converting an old school bus into a home-on-wheels might be one of the ultimate DIY projects.  Imagine bringing new life to a classic vehicle with all of its history, its space, and its endless possibilities!  As a blank canvas, the interior design can fully be your own and the electrical system can be a customizable work of art crafted by your own hands.  But, a skoolie renovation can be as awesome as it is intimidating!  Where to begin on such a complex project? Do you simply put as many solar panels as will fit on top of the bus, or set up a portable solar panel to plug into a port on the side of the bus?  You could just install what your fellow skoolie friend or favorite social media influencer put into their school bus conversion project.  But how do you know that it's the right size for YOU and how you want to live off-grid in YOUR bus?  This blog is designed to help you figure all of that out.  And, if your “bus” happens to be a van build, ...

"Freedom's just another word, for nothing left to lose," sings Janis Joplin in her famous version of the Kris Kristofferson song,"Me and Bobby McGee."   We call ourselves "Freedom in a Can" because it's what we found when we bid farewell to the life we'd been living prior to 2012 -- two good careers, a lovely house, a vibrant and loving community -- and hit the road with our "canned ham" vintage camper in tow.  We didn't lose our jobs, get evicted, declare bankruptcy, or fall victim to disease or injury; we were privileged to make this decision for ourselves when it suited us best.  That decision has now sustained us for the past 13+ years, amazingly in the same can, far beyond the year or two that we initially imagined.  Who knew that  this tiny tin can trailer built during the Eisenhower administration could manage the tens of t housands of miles we've hauled?  Honestly, when we view it all from 30,000 feet, it doesn't ...

Sometimes, it's just one little detail that opens up a whole world of understanding. Corals are both animals AND plants.  Let's just let that sink in for a sec...   This simple fact fundamentally shaped our experiences in the US Virgin Islands National Park and Biscayne Bay National Park this past month, especially on the water.  We are proud natural science nerds, but this story isn't just about a freaky little polyamorous relationship under the sea, it's about so much more! It was "Dr. Coral" himself at US Virgin Islands National Park on St John Island, who dropped this brain bomb on us at an evening "ranger" program during our first night at Cinnamon Bay, the only campground within the park.  While retired from the NPS, he remains active in coral health research and sharing his freaky knowledge about the Caribbean with tourists from all over the world.  We were so fascinated by his talk, we wanted to invite him out for a beer just so we could he...

You want to go solar so that you can enjoy camping in your RV off-the-grid, far away from crowded campgrounds and RV resorts!  We see some RVers build huge systems without a care in the world about adding significant weight, while others are concerned about how the extra pounds may affect their towing experience. Maybe this issue has never even occurred to you?   Regardless, with a few tricks up our sleeves to maximize energy production with limited space and solar equipment , you’ll likely be surprised by how little weight you need to add to your overall rig – especially if you replace the lead acid batteries that came with your rig with more modern LiFePO4 batteries !   First, it’s important to remember that solar power is scalable. Solar can power any size RV – from small Class B vans to moderately-sized travel trailers / motorhomes to full-scale luxury Class A off-grid homes on wheels.  If your daily energy needs are limited to lights, fans and charging...

On a Mission to 57! America's 63 national parks are just a small part of the 433 sites managed by the U.S. National Park Service.  It's just a number, right?  Why should we spend so much of our time, energy, and resources getting to explore as many as we can?  Our previous total was 55, but in that number lies all the experien ces that we've had while exploring each park, which shape our lives and enrich our story. This winter, Dry Tortugas ( #56) and U.S. Virgin Islands National Parks ( #57) are new threads in that story.   Now, even the short-term reader of this newsletter couldn't fail to miss how we embrace the great joys of un-planned and slow wanderings.  But, these past couple of weeks have been more akin to a well-organized siege.   We started this mission during the summer, while boondocking at the northern end of the road along the North American east coast in the tiny Canadian village of Cartwright, Labrador . On e morning in late Ju...

Back in the Familiar & Strange... There's this hike near the town of St Anthony on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland, and we can't get it out of our minds.  It strikes exactly  the  right balance between  input   effort and visual payoff as it winds through green rolling hills, and towering cliffs above the sea.  Like many hikes in the province, the views remain unobstructed by the quirky happenstance of soil biology, growing season, and ocean climate.  The few trees that do grow along this boggy shore are stunted and stubborn.  We summertime visitors only know the fleeting sunshine season while they scratch out a determined existence making the most of what they can.  In the distance, islands and capes peek through ocean mist, and at the right time of year, icebergs float by on the Labrador current  like moving skyscrapers .   Every corner and hilltop offers another chance to prove the inadequacy of our cameras....