February 2022 Canlife Correspondence, Our Almost Monthly Newsletter

A recap of our February 2022 Newsletter...

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In Northern Michigan, the end of February marks the beginning of mud season, when a sunny day turns the snow to a slushy mess, only to freeze again.  Sap starts moving in the sugar maples, birds gather at the feeder, and the sun accompanies us on later walks into the evening.  “The best you can hope for is only one mud season, and not two!” my father says after seeing many March thaws arrive, only to freeze out again with a blizzardy April.  It’s the way of the north country, and we’re pausing here with Hutch’s parents after a string of speaking gigs at RV Shows in the Midwest.  Change is on the horizon, and we are itching to be on the move with it! 

“Off-Grid Hawai’i” - This Month’s Featured Read 

The grays and muted colors of winter have us daydreaming about our recent travels without Hamlet in Hawai’i – 30 days, 3 islands, a wide array of off-grid lodging from campsites in the backcountry of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park to tiny glamping hales (cabins) sitting on the edge of the lava field.  We hiked, swam, lounged and explored, but left so much more to do on our next visit.  Want to plan your own off-grid Hawaiian adventure?  Read and watch more in our recent blog.

 

“Solar System Sizing Worksheet” - Our February Featured Resource!

In the spirit of “If you can’t find what you want, make it yourself,” we’re especially proud of our recent project, “Solar System Sizing Worksheet.”  This is the only FREE interactive resource of its kind that we’ve discovered anywhere.  This all-in-one resource helps you determine your off-grid power needs as well as plan out and order a solar panel system that will work for you.  We want to make this resource better and more useful, so please, give us your feedback.

  

Our NEW WEBSITE is also up and running!  It was time to catch up with the times and the new software, so we took the opportunity to give it a complete overhaul.  There’s so much here for the​ road life enthusiast, or even the curious, including: mobile living and working, DIY solar, deals & discounts, vintage camper restoration, national parks, finding volunteer opportunities on the road, and more.  We’ve geared many of our resources for the beginner, but there’s plenty for the more initiated as well.  Let us know what you think, what’s missing, and what you’d like to see in the future, too.  Contact us!

In Front of the Mic – A String of RV Shows in the Midwest

Whew, what a whirlwind of a month…we were Featured Speakers at 3 RV & Sports Shows and gave 33 seminars in 12 days!  It’s taken us a week to catch our breath, but all went well and we met thousands of enthusiastic people who are ready to hit the road.  This spring, we will be sharing fun stories from the road at a vintage camper rally in central Washington…and would love to come to your town someday!  We present various topics and do open houses at college campuses, public libraries, outdoor outfitters, and more.  Check out our Events Schedule for more information.

Warm Your Heart and Your Stomach:  

Heart Beet Chili - A Tasty New Recipe

We love to eat, and love to cook.  Recipes flit in and out of our lives, but the ones that stick around have three necessary qualities: delicious, easy to prepare outdoors or in, and made from whole foods.  Offering an added health benefit is always a bonus, plus it makes it easier to offer cheesy garlic bread on the side if the main dish is wholesome, right?  This delicious chili begins by roasting beets to a nice slightly blackened finish which adds a smoky edge to the natural sweetness of this amazing root vegetable.  We were itching to use our new Otzi Flat Pack Grill, so fired it up to make this favorite chili. 

Increase Your Charging Options for Your Solar Set Up - Bonus Blog for the Month

If you have an engine pulling your home around, then you have a built-in method to top off the home batteries no matter the weather.  DC to DC battery chargers are a more efficient way to take advantage of that engine, and a Dual Input DC to DC charger can take a solar panel in addition to that engine charge – which replaces the need for a solar charge controller.  We caught up with some fellow road warriors who shared their story about how they use their charger, as well as lessons learned during their installation.  We use one of these to run our ICECO Fridge!

 

Hitting the Road Earlier this Year?  Take Advantage of Unique Overnight Stays.

If you take off on your adventures before Memorial Day, many campgrounds will not yet be open for business.  Many Harvest Host locations are open year-round and would love to have you park it for the night in your RV.  We’ve really enjoyed being a part of the Harvest Host club, and if you’d like to give it a try at an annual discount, click here to save 15%!  It’s saved us a ton of money, time, and we love supporting local, family-owned businesses along our journeys.  It helps give a face to the place.

Winner of the $50 solar panel giveaway!!!

We gave away a gift certificate for a rigid panel to one lucky newsletter recipient who registered in January, but haven’t heard back from them yet.  If you got a separate email from us, it’s not a joke or a scam, just let us know that you plan to use the code – otherwise we’ll pass it along to another.  Be on the lookout for another code winner from anyone who signed up in February.  Thanks! 

What’s Around the Corner for March?  

After a nice, long visit with Hutch’s parents, and some minor modifications to our truck and camper, we’ll be hitting the road in mid-March…westward!  We’ll be wandering through parts of South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington that we’ve never seen.  Along the way, we’ll be testing out some new camping and RV gear (AirSkirts, Otzi, and Renogy) and doing some reviews.  

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See you on the road, and be sure to honk if you see Hamlet rolling through your town!