January 2022 Canlife Correspondence, Our Almost Monthly Newsletter

A recap of our January 2022 Newsletter...

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Barely three weeks into the new year and everyone is completely over looking back at 2021.  It’s all full-steam ahead, forgetting about the previous year; and in the middle of a pandemic, I get it.  But we are a little slower to let go of 2021, which on many levels was actually a pretty good year for us.   So, here’s a look back through our rear-view mirror, as well as some cool stuff coming up right around the corner.  

On January 1st, 2021 we awakened on the Gulf Coast of Texas, after an epic winter rainstorm nearly washed our shoes and welcome mat down the beach.  This New Year’s Day, we found ourselves on the shores of Kaua'i, without Hamlet {sad-face emoji} on a month-long winter exploration of the Hawaiian islands. 

In between these bookends, we've spent many months in the southwest reconnecting with some of our favorite haunts and discovering new ones.  We crossed the country to work for the summer as Sea Kayaking Guides & Naturalists with our friends at Sea Kayak Stonington on the coast of Maine.  We reconnected with many friends and family who we hadn’t seen since the before times!

2021 Highlights, Opportunities, & Challenges!

• Hutch turned the BIG 5-0 and completed his "50 Mile Something" (cycling, paddling, swimming and running in the Superstition Mountains of AZ) fundraiser to celebrate.  He made this event up because no other big events were happening…and he’s a bit crazy.  Thanks to so many generous donations from friends and family, we raised nearly $6500 for Feeding America!
  
  

• Within a month of this big accomplishment, we dealt with our first major medical emergency since being on the road.  Wilderness medical skills, emergency rooms, and surgery are never part of “Plan A” – but nice to have them there when you need them.  Hutch's wrist is still on the mend, but so much better.  Thanks for all the well-wishes!  

• Despite not having much use of one hand, we completed 2 major upgrades to our solar powered systems: 1. A complete solar system installation in Hamlet, and 2. A new, game-changing, refrigeration solution.  Along the way, we’ve also helped hundreds of people select and install solar powered systems in their own RVs, vans, and cabins. 

• Started working with a few new brands that we love – AirSkirts, ICECO, Harvest Hosts, and more.  Check out our Deals & Discounts page to get some sweet deals with our affiliate links and promo code.

• We planned, shot, and edited 10 videos involving everything from the 50-Mile event to gourmet outdoor cooking to installing flexible solar panels, and wrote more blogs and articles than we can remember!  Considering our very different working styles, doing this in a small space without killing each other, or filing for divorce, is a huge win!  Check out our YouTube channel, and if you haven’t already, please subscribe.  More to come this year.

• Officially started a mobile business, Freedom in a Can, LLC...and survived all of the silliness of starting up a business -- hiring accountants, registering with the appropriate state and federal entities, etc.  It's been challenging road, but a major learning experience.

• Explored much of the Texas’s Gulf Coast and Hill Country (our solar power sure came in handy when the grid went down due to the deep freeze in February), the mountains of northern Arizona, and some sweet spots in southern Utah in the spring, before crossing the Mighty Mississippi for the 12th time together on our way back to Maine for the summer.  23 states in total for 2021!

• Took Hamlet to see his cousins at the Vintage Camper Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. This museum has been on our bucket list for years and we finally got there.  Super cool visit if you are into RVing or all things vintage.
  
  

• Presented at RV shows both virtually in Michigan (from a Texas RV park) and in-person in Pennsylvania.  It sure felt good to see people face to face again at America’s Largest RV Show in Hershey, PA!  We’ll be returning to Michigan’s RV Show in just a few days…details below.
  
  

• Celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary by cycling 334.5 miles from Pittsburgh to DC along the GAP and C&O Towpath Trail.  Read about our big adventure in “Explore PA,” 2022, pp. 15-19.
  
  

• Spent a month in our “hometown” in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.  Visited some of our favorite people and old haunts, and helped Shari’s parents with a bunch of house and yard projects.
  
  

• Planned and embarked upon a month-long exploration of 3 Hawaiian islands for the winter holidays – Big Island, Kauai’i, and Maui.  We camped, glamped, snorkeled and backpacked our way around the islands – staying off-grid as much as humanly possible.  We’ll be writing several articles about our time in the islands in the coming months, so stay tuned as we share our insights, campground reviews, and more.

Video of the Month: “RV Solar: To DIY or Not“   

This recent video from our channel asks the essential questions that get you thinking about strategies for doing your own solar installation, or hiring a professional, or a little bit of both.  Be sure to reach out to us with any questions, or comments on anything to do with solar for your own RV — we love to help folks go solar.  

Article of the Month:  “But I’m Just Not an RV Guy!”  – How Hutch went from a tent-camping purist to the RV poster child.

As an outdoor educator who probably spent close to two months each year sleeping in a tent, I thought of myself as a Tent Guy. My wife, Shari, also loved tent adventures, but her life-altering plan of giving up our university jobs, house, and all of our stuff to travel the continent involved a bit more than just our favorite lightweight sleeping shelter.  Read more from our recent article in NorthWest RVing. 

In Front of the Mic:  Upcoming Seminars
We’ll be appearing at the upcoming RV and Camping Shows across the Midwest.  If you’re in the area stop by and introduce yourself!

• Grand Rapids, MI - January 20-23, 2022

• LaCrosse, WI - February 10-13, 2022

• Duluth, MN - February 17-20, 2022

Looking Forward…

There are as many reasons to look forward as there are to look backward.  We’ll be spending a good chunk of time with Hutch’s parents in northern Michigan in between RV shows this winter and always enjoy hanging out with them.  We also look forward to getting back out on the road in Hamlet before the snow even melts, with journeys to the west. 

See y'all on the road!   Honk if you see Hamlet roll through your town...