October 2023 Canlife Correspondence, Our Almost Monthly Newsletter

Balloon Fiesta - Volunteering Our Way Through the Ever-Growing Bucket List

I cannot remember the first time I saw someone's video showing the staggering number of brightly colored and uniquely shaped hot air balloons floating across a desert landscape.  Someone in their RV simply flung open their door to catch all the morning action at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.  At that same moment, it went on the bucket list.

You don't have to look really hard to find someone inspiring you to travel to a new destination, to keep adding to that bucket list.  But dreaming it and doing it, on a budget, are two different things entirely. 

As the premier ballooning event in the world, and Albuquerque's largest event, the Balloon Fiesta caters to a wide range of attendees, many of whom won't flinch at the VIP ticket and lodging prices, even to park their RV.  Folks can spend up to $250 per night for the pleasure of overlooking the launch field in the President's compound or a minimum of $50 per night for dry camping in the south lot (where we stayed).  No matter where you stay, act fast, because tickets go on sale January 10th at 9am (MT) and sell out within an hour or two tops.  

We cringe at paying more than $25 per night to camp anywhere, so we knew that we were never going to attend this event for more than a day unless we could boondock nearby.  Our new friends, Mina & Jerry, told us about volunteering at the event and all the great ways you could get involved.  We discovered that we could trade our time, work skills, positive attitude, and wide variety of experiences and still be able to take in as much of the Fiesta as we could handle.  And there is a lot over 9 days!  From dawn patrol, mass ascensions, morning and evening balloon glows, flying competitions, drone shows, sky divers, and the best fireworks we've ever seen...there was never a dull moment.  It truly exceeded our expectations all around!

Our volunteer work involved helping set up the tent camping area, Camp 505, which is about a 10-minute walk from the Fiesta grounds.  I wouldn't have thought that setting up and accessorizing 30 tents would take all day with 3 people, but we proved that it did.  With 3 sessions throughout the 9 day event, we changed over these 30 tents three different times. In between tent erecting days, we helped the Camp Director by covering during his mid-day break. 

With all of the balloon flights happening in the morning, we were able to take in the action as well as help on the Chase Crew for Team "Wild Fire" -- one of the hundreds of competition balloons in the event. Shari's college roommate, Christina, just happened to get involved with this crew during the Reno Balloon Festival and she got invited to come along.  Our days began with a 3:45 am alarm, and we made our way to the gates along with a crowd of tens of thousands other early birds.  

As part of the crew, we helped unload, layout, inflate, and launch the balloon as well as chase it down wherever the landing site might be -- remember there's no steering on a hot air balloon.  This too was a bucket list dream, even for Hutch who isn't exactly the best early riser.  The weather came in during the last day of the event and canceled the morning flights, so actually getting in the basket to fly remains on the list.  Maybe next year?! 

To volunteer at the Fiesta, check out the options!  The application is short and sweet and becomes available in early February 2024.

Find out the myriad of other ways you can put your skills to work while volunteering with your RV!  

"Volunteering is like getting a sun tan for your soul." 

~ ASU Alum 

NEW Video Series: 11 Years on the Road Q&A!

We've been getting some great questions, and we've been making some short videos to answer them. You'll want to tune in if you're at all curious about living on the road someday.  Send in your questions and we'll add it to our ever growing list.  We've just published our second question and answer.  We'll be recording one per week until the questions stop coming! 

Recipe of the Month: Spicy Pumpkin & Butternut Bisque

Sometime around August, Starbucks trolled out its pumpkin spice flavored lattes.  Even before the summer temperatures had cooled to any outfit that didn't involve flip flops and shorts, they were suggesting we start snuggling down with the flavors of Autumn. This is exactly like seeing Santa flying over the entryway to your local mega store two weeks before your kids have fully fleshed out their Halloween costumes.  

Well, this recipe is timely, seasonal, and is inspired by the fact that since we've entered New Mexico, we've been devouring chilies in every way you can consume them -- I highly recommend the I.V. drip!   We even fired up our OTZI Flame Grill to caramelize the squash and onions. Pair this scrumptiously hearty southwestern soup with our amazing Fry Bake Focaccia or Campfire Cornbread and you'll have an amazing harvest feast that won't get old even as the days get shorter and the real snuggle up times begin.  Enjoy the season, during the season!  

Get Ready for Winter Camping!  AirSkirts RV Insulation (aka Hamlet vs. Old Man Winter)

The weather is getting colder, but that shouldn't mean that you need to stop traveling and seeing the country in your rig.  Many long-time readers will remember this video where we tested the efficacy of these sturdy inflatable tubes under Hamlet's floor against a frigid northern Michigan February.  

We've used these tubes over the last two winters while we've been in colder climates.  They take about 20 minutes to install, but they help keep out those frigid breezes from robbing the heat right out of the floor and keep your RV plumbing from being damaged.  If it works on our 66 year old rig with almost ZERO insulation, imagine what it could do for you modern adventure wagon.  For full-timers or part-timers who like to hit the slopes, AirSkirts turn your rig into the perfect après ski venue.  To save $100 on your own custom kit, use our link and promo code "CANLIFE" at check out!

RV Hack of the Month: Turn Your Simple Stovetop Into an Oven

In many of our cooking demos and videos, we regularly feature our Banks Fry-Bake Pan.  https://frybake.com/ It's a durable, cast aluminum pan with a tight fitting, lightweight lid, so that you can do in it exactly what the name implies.  Like an outdoor Dutch oven you can use firewood or charcoal on top of the lid to create heat from above as from below.  

We also cook with this inside of Hamlet on our two-burner stove -- to sauté, to bake cakes, breads, pizzas (of course), and lots of other things.  Perusing our recipes listed on our blog, you'll find it mentioned everywhere.  We can't use hot coals on top in Hamlet, so that's when we get a little bit creative with our blow torch.  Yes, you read that right, we grab the standard propane, screw-on, click lighting blow torch that you would find in any hardware store.  Fire it up to add some heat to the lid or finish off the pumpkin bread in a hot minute. Our personal favorite is to use this when making nachos or pizza on the propane stove -- gotta melt that cheese!

The other wonder of the blow torch is the countless uses.  Lighting a fire certainly comes to mind. I mean, we aren't exactly using rubbing two sticks together for a spark, so the difference between a small lighter and a blow torch is only a matter of degree.  Often at campgrounds, the ubiquitous, green propane bottles are left only partially spent beside the dumpster.  We grab them up and put them in the line up.  Happy cooking, happy fire making!

Good News for the Environment! 

We are huge advocates for getting outside and moving our bodies in ways that makes us feel good.  And we've been super pleased to see the growing number of eBikes out there, especially among an older RV population.  Whatever helps us all get outside and move without having to fire-up the tow vehicle is a positive thing in our book.  All U.S. National Parks are open to eBikes, though some paths or trails are off-limits, so check with each park's regulation. 

This article about what one city in Canada is doing to help encourage more cycling commuting, via e-bike or traditional 10 speed, is super inspiring.  Imagine the impact if more cities across the globe encouraged this kind of transport?  With 901 km of cycling lanes in the city, Montreal is North America's cycling capital.  

Podcast Recommendation: Hidden Brain 

Hutch is an audiophile, loves his music, and loves to listen to podcasts while we drive, and gets completely sucked into pod world whether it's a storytelling show, deep dive of the outside world, US Supreme Court, or even gossip.  Shari prefers quiet time in the car, but can easily tune out most of the things Hutch enjoys if she's not into it.

 

One podcast we can fully agree upon is "Hidden Brain."  Steeped in the latest research, this podcast dives deeply into the many ways we think (and think about thinking) affect us on an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual level.  It's super smart, but you don't need a PhD in psychology or neuroscience to get into it.  

The episodes are so engaging and spark such great conversation for us that it often takes us 2-3 hours just to get through a single hour-long episode.  We constantly pause the show just to share our insights or some example from our own life experience.  It leads to some great tangents and new insights into each other, which makes the miles on the road simply fly by.  

This episode, You 2.0: Slow Down, really resonated with us.  While any readers will know that we like to drive slowly, this episode is really about the science of Savoring -- not just good meals but of the positive experiences in our lives.  We have a lot of lessons in our culture about how to avoid, confront, or manage the inevitable negative hardships that come our way, but why do we assume that we need no lessons in how to make the most of the good things as well. Check it out, and here's hoping your next drive or chore day makes you think more deeply.  

Parting Shots - Autumn in the Jemez Valley of New Mexico

Sunset from the Jemez Valley, NM

Cottonwoods Along the River

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