April '24 Canlife Correspondence -- Celebrations, City Camping, 12V Coolers, & Electric Cars

BIG Cities. An RVers Forbidden Fruit?

Could cities hold the new frontier of RVing adventures?  How can we take in all that a city offers without getting in a tight spot, or blowing our budget?  Just a few weeks ago, we explored the San Francisco area by foot, ferry, bus, and boat.  We hiked many miles around the city, climbed the Coit Tower, walked up and down Lombard Street, explored Alcatraz Island National Historic Park (on Hutch's bucket list since he was 8!), enjoyed lunch at a cafe, and laughed at Pier 39's resident sea lion clowns.  

Cities offer something we just can't get anywhere else -- historic buildings and sites, culture in the visual and performing arts, and a wide array of culinary delights to dazzle even the most jaded foodie.  While millions of people from all over the world tour the Golden City, most don't go there with an RV.  Why?

If you've ever driven a large rig of any size, you know that cities are not very friendly.  Large parking spaces are difficult to find (or super expensive), one-way streets, stop and go traffic with swarms of cars buzzing all around you like fighter jets, dead-end navigation nightmares, and don't get us started about private campgrounds at $150 per night for the privilege of sleeping next to a freeway.  We got in the habit of avoiding cities altogether because the juice just didn't seem worth the squeeze unless we happened to be visiting a friend or family member. But this year, we were determined to find a way!  

Our 3 Key Strategies & Resources for Exploring BIG Cities:

• Avoid Traffic Stress by Taking Public Transportation into the City
  In San Francisco we parked our rig in the Larkspur ferry landing -- it's huge and only $2 per parking space between 5am - 1pm, then free after 1pm and on weekends with a 24-hour parking limit.  Not even a bad place to sleep on the weekends.  We also caught the shuttle bus to Muir Woods NHP from the same parking lot, which saved us the nightmare (and expense) of parking in the park's overcrowded lots. 
  
  
• Seek Out Nearby State, County, or Federal Camping Areas
  While in Santa Fe, NM, we stayed at a nearby state park, only 6 miles from downtown, which offered a quiet campsite for only $10 a night.  Because they are supported with tax payer dollars, public camping areas are often very affordable when compared to privately-owned campgrounds.  Near Washington DC, there is at least one federal campground that is within walking distance to the Metro line.
  
  
• Use The Dyrt PRO, iOverlander, & Harvest Host Apps
  The Dyrt PRO (see Free Camping & Public Land features), iOverlander, and Harvest Hosts can lead you to some unexpected places to park for just one or two nights.  We've parked at rest areas, ocean overlooks, marinas, parking lots, breweries, wineries, and even quiet spots along the road.  A word of caution about Walmart in urban / suburban areas closer to big cities; many of them have removed overnight parking privileges -- so double check your apps or ask the customer service desk before you park for the night.

While the allure of cities might not hold us for more than a few nights, it's good to challenge ourselves and our comfort zone.  While we might have mentioned that we aren't city people,  it's fun to embrace the excitement of bagging a big city once in a while! 

National Parks - Celebrating America's Best Idea!
Greetings from Yosemite National Park, which was first set aside as a protected area (managed by the state of California) in 1864 -- 12 years prior to Yellowstone becoming America's first national park!  We've just wrapped up our annual National Park Week with another Trivia Contest.  Many thanks to everyone who chimed in...your participation makes this week a fun learning experience for ALL.  Big congratulations to our 7 winners!

• Donna won the America the Beautiful Annual Pass!
• Annie, Emily, Kevin, & Mel each won an annual membership to The Dyrt PRO!
• Carol & Rene each won an annual membership to Harvest Hosts! 

Didn't see our Trivia Contest on our social media (Facebook & Instagram)?  Check out our blog with questions (and answers) here!

**If you are planning a National Park Road Trip, check out our HUGE collection of great resources, apps, videos, podcasts, and more.**

But no temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite. Every rock in its walls seems to glow with life. Some lean back in majestic repose; others, absolutely sheer or nearly so for thousands of feet, advance beyond their companions in thoughtful attitudes, giving welcome to storms and calms alike, seemingly aware, yet heedless, of everything going on about them.

 - John Muir

The Dyrt Alert - Grab Hard to Find Sites at Popular Campgrounds!

It's fitting that we've spent National Park Week in one of the first national parks.  Yosemite is one of the most visited parks, and the crowds at the Tunnel View on a Saturday are as overwhelming as the demand for campsites.  We looked for an open campsite during the week, but as expected, EVERYTHING was fully booked for the next few months.  We now have a new secret weapon -- "Dyrt Alerts" that are included with our Dyrt PRO membership!  Get 30 Day Trial for Free!

Here's the deal. You create an alert for the specific dates and the campground(s) in which you want to stay.  Every 5 minutes, the Dyrt PRO scans the reservation database.  When it finds an opening, it sends you a text with a link to make a reservation.  If you are quick on the draw, you can be the first person to grab the site!  BOOM...you are in!

Since we were visiting friends in the Yosemite West Village, we thought we'd extend our time in the area and stay in the valley for a few days.  Within just a couple days, we had 5 nights of camping booked in one of the most coveted campgrounds in the valley!  Best of all, we didn't have to get online and constantly refresh our search -- The Dyrt Alert let us know when something came up.

It's a win-win-win!  With people making reservations as early as 6 months out, it's logical that a large number of people will have to cancel.  In order to encourage cancelations (rather than just no shows), the parks offer a partial refund up to 2 days out.  This prevents hundreds of empty campsites while there are hundreds of others wanting to be there. It allows us to remain flexible and spontaneous, and still visit some of America's most popular parks.  With a Dyrt PRO membership ($36 per year), you can set-up 4 FREE alerts per year, in addition to all of the other great features this app provides!  

3 Years WITHOUT Ice: How Our ICECO 12V Fridge / Freezer Allows Us to Just Chill!

For nearly 8 years, we tried to keep our food cold in a traditional ice chest cooler.  Not an issue in the winter, but during the summer it seemed that we'd be replacing ice every other day AND had to drain out the swamp that our cooler had become. Three years ago, we installed an ICECO 12V Fridge Freezer and have completely forgotten about those days of chasing down the next ice machine along our journey.  It's been a game changer -- allowing us to stay out there longer and keep our fresh food colder.  It's perfect for vanlife, RVers, or even weekend warriors who need a bit of extra cold food storage space. Check out our short review of this awesome cooler, and see our step-by-step installation video from 2021, where we installed a small LiFePO4 battery to power the fridge and a DC to DC charger to keep the battery topped up while we drive.  

Video of the Month: The Best 400W Lightweight Portable Solar Panel!

Portable panels are a great way to add additional solar power to your RV or camper without having to drill into your roof.  If you don't want to go through the trouble of permanently installing panels, or you simply you want to be able to camp in shade and put the panel out in the sun, then this is a really good strategy.  We've recently tested Renogy's 400W Lightweight Portable Solar Panel -- a great combination of high power and easy portability.  Check out how it works and what we learned in our product review.

Blog of the Month: Can Solar Panels Charge an Electric Car?

A few weeks ago, while camping on the shores of Lake Tahoe, our next door neighbor was pulling their Airstream with an electric truck and charging it on a 50A hook-up at the campground.  That conversation started us thinking about electric tow vehicles and how solar can play a crucial role in the future of more sustainable RVing. Here's a recent blog that may help you get your head around this idea.

Earth Day - Good News for the Planet!

Single-use plastics are simply out of control all around the world.  They are overloading our landfills, lining our forest roads, and have formed huge gyres the size of Texas in our oceans, where they hurt sea life.  

How can one person make a difference?  Making simple changes like reusing (or not using) Ziplock bags or plastic wrap, bringing your own grocery bags to the store, refilling reusable water bottles and coffee mugs, buying produce that isn't wrapped in plastic, etc., etc. are very easy ways to mitigate this enormous problem.  If we all pitch in, we can make a HUGE difference!  

The NOAA Fisheries 2024 Earth Day announcement highlights what can be done by large organizations, even those supported by federal dollars.  Check out their efforts to reduce / reclaim plastic waste from the constantly polluting fishing industry -- fishing nets, lines, buoys, and floats which strangle wildlife and wash up on beaches around the world.  It's not going to solve the issue alone, but it's a stepping stone to a place where more individuals, companies, and government agencies can work together to do more. What will YOU commit to doing in 2024?

Parting Shot

Hetch Hetchy - This is a beautiful part of Yosemite that few people visit. This stunning reservoir is also a place tainted with sadness. Here among the towering granite cliffs, the nascent environmental movement lost one of its early battles against development. Instead of a wandering stream among a broad green valley, we have a drinking water supply and power source for the Bay area. Boating or swimming is not allowed.  While it serves an important function and beautiful in its own way, it's a reminder of the trade offs we have to make to sustain ourselves, including some of our most stunning landscapes.  

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