November 2023 Canlife Correspondence, Our Almost Monthly Newsletter
"Let's open up a restaurant in Santa Fe!"
The characters of the 1996 Broadway Musical, "Rent," dream of an idyllic paradise far away from the cold, mean streets of the late '80's Alphabet City neighborhood in the East Village of New York. Indeed, sunny Santa Fe would be nice -- and it was. This city, with thousands of years of indigenous history before the Spanish first arrived nearly 500 years ago, is like no other we've explored before. It's an art city, a government city, a living monument to the Pueblo people, walkable, bikeable, without the same ubiquitous suburban sprawl serving the population of 75,000 people. It's a pretty small place, actually, and it defies definition but demands exploration. Art, here, is viewed as a public good, as important as public transit, bike lanes, rec centers, and libraries. From the wonderfully immersive Meow Wolf, to the Indian Arts and Culture Museum, where Shari grabbed the photo above, to the hundreds of galleries throughout town, something creative will make you stop and feel something.
And perhaps those characters from the musical would have been able to afford their rent in an idyllic Santa Fe, if they could have parked their rig at the Hyde Memorial State Park campsites for $10 / night? At this rate, this quaint little campground situated at 8,500 feet in the Sangre de Cristo range might be the least expensive way to visit this fabled capital city with thousands of years of history. The campground is less than 6 miles from downtown, quiet, and offered some good hours of solar gain and a clear shot to the sky for our Starlink. Talk about happy campers!
Inexpensive camping and boondocking in northern New Mexico is easy to find. For the past 6 weeks, we've been tootling around the mountains and mesas north of Albuquerque, and have found at least 5 beautiful campgrounds for $9-$20 per night. This frugality paid off when we wanted to indulge in some great meals out in Taos and Santa Fe, as well as a stay and soak at the Ojo Caliente Hot Springs Resort just outside of Espanola. Stay tuned, we'll be reviewing these campgrounds on The Dyrt, our favorite campground locator app.
"The wind whips through the canyons of the American Southwest, and there is no one to hear it but us -- a reminder of the 40,000 generations of thinking men and women who preceded us, about whom we know almost nothing, upon whom our civilization is based." ~ Carl Sagan
RV Hack of the Month: Vacuum Storage Bags for Off-Season Clothing
Folks often ask how how we store what we need in such a small space. In addition to being mindful of what we really need and some creative use of space, we have a few hacks to stretch our small space even further. By downsizing our off-season clothes in vacuum storage bags, then storing them in waterproof tubs, we not only reduce their volume by at least half, it also keeps them clean, dry, and mildew free. Works great for blankets, collapsible luggage, and even our parkas too. Add our tiny shop vac that we use for everything from deep cleaning to blowing up our AirSkirts in the winter, and we have our own built-in storage unit.
Recipe of the Month: Mushroom, Poblano, & Pesto Enchiladas with Chipotle Cream Sauce
Back in the early 90's and just outta college, Hutch slung burritos at a popular Mexican restaurant in Boulder, CO to make some money to support his triathlon habit. This delicious recipe is adapted from one of his favorite dishes on their menu, which he used to woo Shari during their first few months of dating. We made it for Thanksgiving this year, using our OTZI Grill whilst camping in the Taos, New Mexico area. Like any good meal, it's a bit time consuming, but worth every messy pot it takes!
Opt Outside on Black Friday
We sure do! 2015 doesn't seem that long ago, when REI radically broke from traditional retail store dogma and gave all their store and online employees the day off on Black Friday. They called it, Opt Outside, and it offered a reminder to spend our holidays a little differently than fighting over whatever at a department store. It was also a huge risk, putting their corporate and personal values above profit. Other retail chains must have thought they'd lost their mind, but it was a good idea and super consistent with the 70 year-old brand, as this deep dive explains. And of course, we've been REI Co-op members since 2000 -- when we registered for camping gear for our wedding.
But we want to also highlight that those values promote action on issues of climate change, outdoor access, and stewardship of our shared spaces. One action that is currently working through congress is the "Outdoor for All Act" which needs your support. Let's spend sometime making the outdoors a viable option for all of us!
Green Dreams & Holiday Sales!
Don't miss out on some awesome sales this holiday season from some of our favorite RV, camping, and outdoor brands! Along our journey, we've discovered some fantastic gear and services that have helped us live more sustainably, save a ton of money, and fit our tiny lifestyle. We became affiliates with some of these brands which are in line with our lifestyle goals and values to help spread the word about the great products and services they offer. These innovative companies are run by folks who love adventure as much as we do, with most being family-owned and/or started by women. Please use our links and promo codes to enjoy special holiday sales!
Black Friday often gets all the press, leaving the importance of Giving Tuesday in the dust. When you use our affiliate links and promo codes, you get a sweet discount and we get a small commission. Each year, we donate a portion of our affiliate proceeds to non-profit organizations that support youth education/development, sustainability, environmental education, and access to outdoor adventure.
Featured Video: Smart Accessories for Off-Grid Living
You've worked hard to build an efficient off-grid system, now it's time to automate some features to make it even more efficient and secure. With the Renogy ONE Core or Renogy ONE M1 monitor, you can add Smart Accessories to turn on/off appliances, monitor the inside temperature, or even sound an alarm and get a notification on your phone if someone unexpectedly opens a door or window. Check out our recent video and we'll show you how to install and program these accessories which integrate with both AC and DC appliances.
In Front of the Mic: Grand Rapids Camper, Travel, & RV Show, January 18-21, 2024
RV Show season is right around the corner. We'll be returning to some of our favorites next year and have added a couple new shows to our list. First up, we return to Hutch's home state of Michigan for the Grand Rapids RV Show produced by the fantastic staff at ShowSpan! We'll be facilitating 11 seminars over 4 days, so come join in the fun to learn about RV Solar 101, Gourmet Camp Cooking & Baking, RVing to Alaska, and more. Check out our Upcoming Seminars for details.
Parting Shot - Sunrise from our campsite at the Overlook Campground near Espanola, NM
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