April / May 2023 Canlife Correspondence , Our Almost Monthly Newsletter

We've always referred to this newsletter as "almost monthly" because we couldn't promise that life wasn't going to get in the way of a monthly deadline.  But, April 30th came and went in the middle of our Hamlet interior restoration.  Now that we're back on the road, and Hamlet is all fresh and shiny, we're catching up on our "other work." 

Hamlet Renovation 3.0

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss!"

This line from The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again!" resonates with us on Hamlet's most recent 65th Birthday renovation.  There's been just enough time in between projects that we've perhaps forgotten how much work is involved, and just how sore we become after holding an electric sander over our heads for hours on end.  While it's oh so easy to kvetch about middle-aged aging, we have to remember that we got sore even in our 40's when we first dived into bringing Hamlet back to life.  Hopefully we'll forget about our aching backs and tight hamstrings by the time he needs another spiff up, but who are we fooling now?

We've done some minor repairs before, slapped some new shellac in places, and completed one major exterior overhaul in 2020, but this month we finally tackled resurfacing the interior and replacing the vinyl tile floor.  But this won't be a big HGTV reveal because we've kept everything the same, only shinier -- new boss, old boss. 

The process was simple: remove everything, sand every wooden surface down with 80 grit sandpaper, repeat with150, repeat with 220, vacuum everything 3 times, remove dust with a wet rag and finally a tacky cloth.  Paint a thin layer of amber color shellac* over everything, then repeat, repeat, and repeat until you like how it looks!   Heat up old tile with heat gun, remove old tiles and lay down new.  Sounds pretty easy, right?  It only took us 9 days this time around.

*FUN FACTS about shellac!  It's made from the secretions of the female lac beetle in India and Thailand, and takes anywhere between 50,000 and 300,000 beetles to make 2.2 lbs. of shellac.  Considering that we used nearly a gallon of shellac, well, you can do the math.... but there's enough for us to maybe start calling Hamlet  "Beetlejuice!"  Now, that's what I call an "Uncle Bob Joke."

Here's to another decade of adventures in the newer, shinier, and oohhh so cute, Hamlet!

In Front of the Mic: June Seminar Schedule

June 8-11: Mount St Helens Vintage Camper Rally & Public Open House, Centralia-Chehalis, WA: 

We had such a blast at this rally last year, and are excited to return.  If you are in the Seattle or Portland area this June, come join us!  We'll be talking about our road life and sharing some fun stories from the road....as well as giving tours of our new and improved Hamlet.

June 16: Renogy Day's Live Streaming Event

We've been invited to join Renogy Solar for their 13th birthday!  This live stream event will celebrate another successful, sustainable, woman created and owned business. They tell us they'll be giving away some BIG prizes!!!  Tune in during their live event here.

Hamlet Visits with the Crew @ Renogy in Ontario, California

"If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine…it’s lethal." - Paul Cohela

While pulling up the vinyl floor tiles that we first installed 11 years ago, memories from those days of our former work routine flooded us -- the hectic pace we kept during those final months of preparation, the endless lists keeping us on track, and the release we felt when we finally hit the road.  Routines happen, and we still find ourselves sliding in and out of their flow, but all we have to do is hitch up and drive away from them now.

California Highlights: From Wildflowers to Wine

Shari grew up in southern California, suburban Los Angeles to be precise.  Even though she spent almost 30 years of her life in SoCal, and we've been back dozens of times, we're still finding new treasures -- some just over the hills from her hometown.  

• Who knew that Chino Hills State Park offers such a wild oasis in the middle of one of the most densely populated areas in the US?  
• Despite being the lowest elevation on the continent, cycling in Death Valley National Park still offers some challenging elevation -- especially when you aren't in cycling shape yet!  
• Waffles made on the grill are a thing, and they are as delicious as they look!  See this month's recipe! 
• The Monterey Bay Aquarium, is possibly the best indoor naturalist experience we've ever enjoyed.  
• When a friend offers you their San Francisco Giants tickets you say, "Yes, thanks!"  With dedicated ferries from the north bay right to the landing at Oracle Park, getting there is half of the fun.  The Giants won this match up with the Milwaukee Brewers.  
• You haven't been to Karaoke, until you've gone with my former classmate, Karen Kuo - the enthusiasm! 
• Despite all the fun we've had along the West Coast, the real show stopper is all the spring wildflowers!  

Full Circle: Revolve Wine

These two guys go back, way way back. Hutch first met Scott on his recruiting trip to Kenyon College in 1989 and their friendship developed over the many, many laps they swam together as members of the swimming team -- shout out to the D-Lane!

Over the years, careers, kids, and busy lives, these guys have proven that some of the closest friends aren't always those closest to us. Over the last 10 years, our nomadic wanderings have helped bridge some of that physical distance.

In 2008, he and a friend started making wine out of their garage. By 2013, they started selling their vintages under the name @revolvewine and moved into better facilities. That autumn we helped them put over 4.5 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Syrah grapes into barrels.

Now, he's moved onto their own vineyard just north of Sonoma Mountain, California, where their craft focuses on the whole process from soil to bottle. He offered space on the property where we could refurbish Hamlet's interior. There's truly nothing like restoring your vintage camper among the vintages!

We've enjoyed his wines in many beautiful places and with lovely people. Check out their lovely selection at revolvewine.com.


Recipe of the Month: Wood-Fired Waffles

Whether it's for a fancy dessert or an elegant Sunday Brunch, making Belgian waffles over the fire, or as we did this Easter Sunday over our OTZI Grill is well worth the labor.  They were are delicious as they looked!  Once your family tries this no-fail recipe, they will never be able to accept frozen or powder from a box waffles again! 

Featured Video: Product Review: How Efficient are Bifacial Solar Panels?

Bifacial solar panels can collect a solar charge from both sides.  While they do have a primary side, their backside can also collect the bounce of light particles as they pass through the clear panel.  Renogy claims they are up to 30% more efficient, and we got the chance to test their 220W bifacial panel on our pass through southern California.  Check out our video (and associated blog) for the details of our product review.

Featured Blog: Adding Solar Panels to an Existing System

Can you bump up the volume on your solar system?  Heck ya, you can!  This blog will cover a few technical specs that are important to consider if you're looking to grow your solar array.

Winner of our National Park Week Trivia Contest:  Rachel Gosses

Each April, we love to celebrate National Park Week

https://freedominacan1957.blogspot.com/2023/05/calling-all-us-national-park-nerds-out.html and Earth Week with some hard core National Park nerd out questions.  We had a tough crew of about a dozen competitors who were firing off their best answers to our toughest trivia test yet.  Our winner, Rachel Gosses, nudged out the competition to win this year's prize of an annual America the Beautiful Pass https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm and a year's subscription to The Dyrt PRO! https://thedyrt.com/promo/canlife  Have fun, Rachel, and thanks for everyone who played along!  If you missed out of the fun, Shari put together a blog https://freedominacan1957.blogspot.com/2023/05/calling-all-us-national-park-nerds-out.html with our 2023 trivia questions...and answers.

Coming Soon... Annual Canlife Camping Issue!

Each spring, we like to give a shout out to the outdoor and RV camping brands we use and love.  Each of these brands started as small, family-owned business and some have grown to become international companies.  Many are female owned too!  Stay tuned for this special issue, coming to your inbox soon.

Parting Shot: Point Arena Lighthouse, California 

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