April 2022 Canlife Correspondence, Our Almost Monthly Newsletter
Oh, April, so much change all in one month...aren’t you the coolest? You’ve got Earth Week, and National Park Week and some other holidays that bring people together to celebrate and remember. On our journey westward through this month, we decided that we need more spring, and less of the winter that was stubbornly hanging on in Wyoming and Montana, so we headed south to the canyon country of Moab, UT. We had no idea April held another surprise for us, Moab Easter Jeep Safari! This place was crazy, jeeps, 4x4’s and campers everywhere. We felt extremely lucky to grab the last camping spot in one of the more popular BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campgrounds along the Colorado River just a few miles out of town. With so much hiking, and biking trails, kayaking opportunities, and 2 national parks, and a state park, we couldn’t imagine a better place to spend this special week.
No matter where you are on your journey through “America’s Greatest Idea,” whether you’ve been to just 1 National Park or dozens, this article in Northwest RVing will help you explore these parks through an ecological lens. Our 2nd installment in this series will come out in May. (AND if you don't already receive NW RVing's newsletter, sign up here.)
Far Out Fusion Burger - Recipe of the Month on The OTZI Grill
April makes us think of fresh food, with lots of bright flavors and crunch! And this burger recipe delivers all of this and more! We altered the original recipe acquired from our Mom, who got it from Lynn, to fit our needs and taste preferences. We encourage you to do the same, but we really love the “Beyond Beef'' plant-based ground burger. If you’ve wanted to give plant-based meats a try, this might be your gateway drug.
RV Lifestyle: Boondocking Buddies – the key things that keep us “out there” longer.
Off-the-grid, Dry-Camping, Boondocking, or just going camping, whatever you call it, getting out away from crowds and feeling like you have Mother Nature all to yourself can be so rewarding. The places we’ve seen, the people we’ve met, the adventures we’ve shared, keep us on the road in a search for what else is out there.
Some of our good friends have jumped into the camper life (part-time at least) and asked about our favorite boondocking gadgets and recommendations. Read our complete article here.
Solar Powered System – Watch this video for our system review and install -
ICECO 12V Fridge / Freezer, powered by an auxiliary battery in our truck bed, which is charged via a Renogy Dual Input DC to DC Charger (takes an engine and solar input) – see our review video here.
Otzi Grill – We’ve just added this grill to our bag of tricks, and love it. Fueled by wood or charcoal makes it versatile, the flat pack design helps it fit into our tiny life, and the multiple surfaces makes cooking amazing meals outside delicious! See the above video in the Recipe of the Month for a quick look.
Nemo Helio pressure shower & Bathroom Tent – We’ve tried many solutions and this has been our favorite, we can both get a decent shower on one 11 liter tank. You can see this set up in action through this link that takes you right to the moment in our “Virtual Open House” video.
Videos of the Month - Eclipse Solar Panel & Phoenix Power Station: A 2 for 1 Review
We all need a little backup once in a while. One of our solar strategies, which allows us to keep our system so small, is to have a little extra power in our back pocket. These two products work together to provide extra collection and storage of solar energy above and beyond Hamlet’s installed system. These two short videos will give you an idea of how we use them and how they perform.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
~ Mark Twain
Alaska Bound!
Now, who doesn't love one of the thousand of quips from the master travel writer himself? These words set the stage for our upcoming travels to our 50th state, Alaska, this summer! We are excited, curious, and maybe just a little nervous about the unknowns out there along the road, trail and waterway for us. We've already made friends with a couple of fellow travelers we met while camping in Moab, who live in the Yukon. We can never have too many friends, especially when driving the ALCAN Highway. While we've made a few reservations to some of the "must do" locations, we're still planning on rolling with it as we always do and letting curiosity guide us. Of course, we'll be taking a lot of photos, videos and sharing stories along the way, so be sure to follow us!
In Front of the Mic - Mt. Saint Helen’s Vintage Camper Rally
You may not believe this, but in our nearly 10 years in Hamlet, we’ve never been to a Vintage Camper Rally. We planned to in 2020, and then… well, you know. But this year, we’re bringing ourselves and a hopefully freshly polished Hamlet to the Mt. Saint Helen’s Vintage Camper Rally in Centralia WA, on May 6th - 8th. We’ll be sharing our story and advice about life on the road on Friday, May 6th at 3:30pm. Registration for the event is now closed, because over 100 trailers have already registered. But, the public is welcome to come and tour the vintages, Saturday, May 7th from 12 noon - 3:00 pm.
Also, as we mentioned in last month’s newsletter, the membership price for Boondockers Welcome is also increasing in May. Use THIS LINK to purchase your $50 annual membership before May! Prices will increase to $79, but your annual membership will remain at $50 if you keep it active.
Comments
Post a Comment