January '24 Canlife Correspondence - Desert Dancing, Denali Dogs & Deep Cycle Batteries
"...but I'm even more scared NOT to go."
One of our audience members wrote to us after attending our recent _RVing to Alaska_ seminar. She left renewed in her search for an RV in which to explore North America. She's recently retired, divorced and taking stock of what she wants to do with her life; "I've often said that I'm scared to death to take the leap, but even more scared NOT to go." It's the middle of our winter RV show season, and we love that we get to make these types of connections with fellow and future RVers!
Fear and desire for change walk hand-in-hand, along the path to personal growth. When we look at what we have, we fear to seem ungrateful and selfish if we ask for more. Indeed, gratitude is a core tenet founded in the teachings of philosophy, religion, and the science of well-being. But this can also lull us into overvaluing what we have, and undervaluing what we might gain from doing something else. When we're more scared NOT to take the leap, we tip the balance to the unknown, and open the door to possibility. It is a leap we have to take if we're to see not only what's out there, but also what's in us that might rise to the occasion. How will we know, unless we are too scared to NOT do it?
As a confident person who occasionally stands on the expert podium, I often wonder if we appear to have it all figured out. Let me dissuade you of that illusion. Before we embarked on our Alaska trip in 2022, I was immersed in that push-pull of fear and excitement, and questioning everything I thought I knew about road life. While completely comfortable in backcountry wilderness areas, the distance from where we were to where we wanted to go was on another level of magnitude altogether, and then there's road conditions, car malfunctions, wildlife encounters with charismatic mega fauna, extreme weather, and everything else. And, I was also right there when we first left our home in the hands of renters and hit the road on September 3rd, 2012.
"You have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable." - Jim Steen
While Shari is somewhat unphased by my worries, she struggles with her own fears of the unknown. About 15 years ago, she began confronting her fear of deep and powerful water. Though she could swim practically before she could walk, she had a near drowning experience in the Pacific Ocean when she was 8 years old. The unknown abyss of the unseen bottom confronts her each and every time we unload the kayaks from our truck top carrier. But the fear of NOT suiting up for the paddle, be it for a casual afternoon paddle or a gear-intensive week in a remote wilderness area, compels her to push beyond that deep dark water and embrace the possibility of what we might find during that adventure. Embracing this deeply embedded fear every single time she gets in her kayak has opened us to some incredible and memorable adventures around the world -- from learning to SCUBA dive in the South Pacific to multi-day sea kayak camping expeditions in Alaska.
And here's the crazy thing, facing that fear isn't a one-time deal. It gets easier, for sure, but it's always with you. And, it tends to bubble up at times when you least expect it. But, facing it is a way of choosing one outcome over another. We have to get "comfortable with being uncomfortable," as my college swimming coach, Jim Steen, preached to us. This applies to a set of timed 100's, just as much as it does to showing up for your life.
And while we're on the subject of Alaska...
Seeking some travel inspiration for 2024? Check out our 15 Episode Video Series we made during our 5 months traveling from Washington State through British Columbia, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Alaska, and back. Each episode lasts between 2-6 minutes and is sure to inspire you to seek out a new adventure, whether you're planning on going all the way to Alaska or not.
Many RV manufacturers have started adding optional solar power packages to rigs designed for off-grid camping and overlanding. If you are new to solar, this terminology can be a bit overwhelming and confusing...as it is sometimes misleading. In this blog, we help you make sense of these terms, specs, and included components so you can determine if the system has what you need, or if you need to augment it to meet your energy demands.
Looking for an RV Show? We've got some upcoming speaking engagements in the southeast and we'd love to have you join us. This will be our first time speaking at these shows, so we'd love to see some friendly faces!
Chattanooga, Tennessee - February 9 - 11, sponsored by RV SuperShows
Raleigh, North Carolina - February 15 - 18, sponsored by NCRVDA Show
Birmingham, Alabama - February 23 - 25, sponsored by RV SuperShows
Like many RV owners who bought their RV's before the rapidly falling prices of deep cycle Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, Hutch's parents chose to invest in AGM batteries for their 2017 Winnebago Travel Trailer. While they've upgraded their system to charge from a 200W Solar Suitcase and a 20A DC to DC charger, they've not been able to take advantage of the newest generation of remote solar monitors, like the Renogy ONE Core...until now!
Renogy's "smart" Battery Shunt 300 connects any type of deep cycle battery to the Core monitor, wirelessly. You'll see your battery state of charge right on the home screen, as well as be able to take advantage of all the remote monitoring and smart home automation features that come with these little space age devices.
This new device is a game changer. Use our links above combined with promo code **CANLIFE** to get 10% off one of your own.
Energy Saving AirSkirts for your RV - Keep the Heat Inside & Pipes from Freezing!
Hamlet went to visit his vintage cousins over Thanksgiving in Taos, NM, at a funky yet beautiful campground/hotel called Hotel Luna Mystica which featured many restored vintage campers as hotel rooms (psst, there's also a cool brewery right next door...). It was absolutely beautiful weather, then the temperatures plummeted into the single digits. Normally, we would have just hitched up our wagon and driven south, but an important package was on the way and we had to stick around until it arrived. So out came our AirSkirts!
Taking only about 20 minutes to install, they help keep 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!
"I'm Just Not a Desert Person..."
So, when we hear people say, "I'm just not a desert person," we wonder if they've taken the time to really explore, or if they just cruised through on I-10 at 70 Mph? There's so much diversity among the 4 North American deserts; we've spent numerous seasons in the southwest, and continue to find fascinating places to explore.
This past December/January, we spent a few weeks exploring the Colorado River corridor (a boondocker's paradise!) which separates Arizona and California, the Mojave National Preserve, and simply couldn't resist a couple of nights at one of our favorite hot springs campground resorts near Death Valley National Park. Found this "delightful" one on The Dyrt PRO!
Dancing in the Desert & Xscapers New Year's Eve Meet Up!
While we've been members of Escapees (and Xscapers) for years now, we've simply never been nearby when one of their events was happening -- not the big Bash, nor a Convergence, Hop, or Meet Up. Some friends we made in Alaska back in 2022 invited us to join them at the New Year's Eve Meet Up in Quartzsite, AZ. We are so glad that we made the quick trip down from Lake Havasu as we truly had a blast!
What's the difference between these two communities? Xscapers (a younger sub-group of the Escapees RV Club) are Gen Xers who are typically still working part or full time and/or traveling with families. This event brought a nice blend of folks of all ages, walks of life, time on the road, and styles of rig. We're so glad we finally made it to one of their events, and made some more new friends. Wish we could have stayed for their Annual Bash, but our winter RV show season was calling!
When you join Escapees, you automatically become a member of both groups. And, it's much more than just an opportunity to meet and greet!
Recipe of the Month: Denali Dogs
If this fun creation doesn't make you yearn to drag out the grill and do some outdoor cooking, then I don't know what will. We adapted this recipe from something we might have cooked when we were in the boys and girls scouts way back in the late 1970's, but this time with plant-based sausage and homemade pizza dough. We made this created this recipe while camping in Denali State Park -- old school pigs-in-a-blanket meet Denali Dogs!
Parting Shot...Sand Art in the Mojave Desert
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