September 2022 Canlife Correspondence, Our Almost Monthly Newsletter
“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.” ~ Douglas Adams
Just a month before our launch date in 2012, this quote by James Belasco & Ralph Stayer gave Hutch the nudge he needed to make the final leap of faith into the next chapter of our life; "Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have – and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up." Looking back 10 years later, it was a great trade.
On September 3rd, while enjoying our time in stunning Seward, Alaska and Kenai Fjords National Park, we officially celebrated our 10th Nomadiversary and 22nd Wedding Anniversary -- on the same day. It was intentional that we kicked off this solar powered, midlife-venture on the day that we exchanged our vows. Those days, both 10 and 22 years ago, are still etched into our brains. Driving away from our home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina during an epic thunderstorm to make our first RV stop at New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia, felt just as exciting and crazy as our first day as a married couple. Hard to believe there's been such a stretch of time between then and now, but we are so grateful for the journey!
Ten years living out of our 1957 vintage, canned-ham trailer (all 72 square feet) has truly been the best gift we have ever given ourselves. Since then, we've given up the things that don't really matter in life and have seen, experienced, and learned so much about our continent, ourselves, and our relationship that our decision to take a break from our careers, comfortable home, and community seems so natural now. But, if you'd told us 10 years ago that we'd celebrate this special day in Alaska (our 50th state) we would have said..."Ha, in our dreams!" We hope that you'll find some inspiration in our story to live out your own dreams, whatever they may be. Remember: “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin!" ~ T. Robbins
Featured Video: RVing to Alaska - Turnagain Arm to Whittier, Week 10
After many weeks of exploring and enjoying both the interior of northwestern Canada and Alaska, we reached the Gulf of Alaska, specifically the Turnagain Arm, southeast of Anchorage. While it rained more than the sun shined, this area is spectacularly beautiful with fascinating geology...and every "nice enough" day, we were out hiking, cycling, and kayaking.
We've gotten a bit behind with our "RVing to Alaska" video series due to some other big projects with looming deadlines and the Hershey RV Show, but be on the lookout for a whole lot more in October! Hutch has a mountain of video to sift through from the past month. If you are just joining us, you can watch this fun series on our YouTube channel to get a taste of what we've experienced week by week this summer.
Bucket List: See the Northern Lights in Alaska!
Check! Well, officially it was from an airplane, but it was a great first glimpse. While flying from Anchorage to Harrisburg for our seminars at America's Largest RV Show, we were greeted with this spectacle somewhere over the Gulf of Alaska, south of Valdez. We hope that this Aurora Borealis sighting will be the first of many as we travel back this fall through Yukon Territory and British Columbia!
Here's a couple of helpful resources for learning more about the Aurora Borealis:
Northern Lights Centre of Watson Lake, Yukon
Aurora Borealis Notifications Group
In Front of the Mic: Show Season Complete & Upcoming Seminars!
And, that's a wrap...America's Largest RV Show in Hershey, PA concluded our 2022 show season, and it did so with a bang! Many many thanks if you were among the 1000+ people who attended our seminars about Living on the Open Road AND Tips & Tricks for Exploring America's National Parks. And another BIG THANKS to all of our sponsoring brands for all the great prizes they contributed to our audience members: Renogy Solar, OTZI Adventure Gear, AirSkirts, ICECO, Harvest Hosts, The Dyrt PRO, and Escapees!
If you didn't win one of the prizes, but want to learn about some of the brands we love and use, check out our Deals & Discounts page on our website. https://freedominacan.com/our-favorite-brands
If you are currently in the market for an RV, check out our blog (with a downloadable "RV Show Shopping" spreadsheet that you can personalize). It may help you make the most of your next RV show and buy your first (or next) RV.
Want to participate in our future seminars? Check out our Seminar Schedule. We'll be presenting at 5 RV shows in 2023, with various seminar topics at each show. Hope to see you there! If you'd like us to come to your hometown library or college campus, reach out and we'll let you know if we'll be in the neighborhood.
AirSkirts Insulation
The greatest design feature about your RV, no matter the make or model, is also its greatest flaw when it comes to heating or cooling. Because it goes everywhere you want it to, rolling above the speed bumps and potholes of the world, the weather can surround it on all sides, above and below. Unlike a traditional home, there is no connection to the warm embrace of Mother Earth; this means a loss of efficiency, higher heating and cooling expenses, a greater reliance on fossil fuels and the possibility of frozen pipes. Since Hamlet has very little insulation (we added a bit during the restoration), this innovative product has been key to us staying warmer in the winter! Check out our video review and blog recently published in Northwest RVing. To save $100 off a custom AirSkirts kit for your RV, use our affiliate link and promo code "canlife" at checkout.
Good News for the Environment (& Your Pocketbook!): Congress Generates a Big Bump for American Solar!
Just last month, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act. What does this have to do with the environment? The legislation includes:
Production tax credits to help U.S. manufacturers accelerate production of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, and process key minerals.
$10 billion investment tax credit for new manufacturing facilities that make cleantech like EVs, wind turbines, and solar panels.
$500 million to use the Defense Production Act to speed manufacturing of things like heat pumps, as well as processing critical minerals.
$2 billion in grants to help automaker facilities transition to clean vehicle production.
Up to $20 billion in loans to construct new manufacturing facilities for clean vehicles.
incentives to 30% of the cost of installation on your home, 2nd home, off-grid cabin, boat, or RV for any system put into place before December 31st, 2025. Solar generators, like Renogy's LYCAN 5000, that are a part of this solar installation can be considered in this tax incentive.
Recipe of the Month: Loaded Baked Potato + Gorgonzola Soup
It's fall y'all...and boy has it gotten cold here in Alaska! For us, first frost = soup season. Now, this is no pasty bland potato soup -- it's hearty and packed with flavor, texture, and fiber. We baked the potatoes in our OTZI grill, roasted the veggies on top, and used our handy immersion blender to turn it into soup. Souper easy, fun, and filling!
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