May '24 Canlife Correspondence - Birds, Batteries, Badass Breakfast, & Aurora Borealis
RVing Through a Naturalist's Lens
While walking on a path marked "Jeffrey's Pine Loop" in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest that winds between Eastern California and Western Nevada, we looked up and all we saw were Ponderosa Pines -- massive trees of the eastern Sierra ridge with long needles, rich brown-orange bark, deeply cracked and flaking, and pine cones the size of small watermelons littered all over the ground. "What's a Jeffrey's Pine?" we thought. We pulled out the phone, searched and came up with a wonderful 3 minute video describing how to determine the difference. Gentle Jeffrey cones have soft edges, while their Prickly Ponderosa cousins will poke you when you pick them up. Eureka...a simple mnemonic, and easy to remember!
Back in 2010, an email popped into my work inbox, "Join us for the Wonder of Wetlands Workshop!" it enticed. As an outdoor educator working in North Carolina, I'd led more than a few kayaking expeditions to the lowlands of the Carolina coastal wetlands. I taught college students how to pack their boats, how to paddle them safely into a strong headwind, how to choose and set up a good camp above the hightide line...but I didn't know squat about the ecosystem we were enjoying. And suddenly, it hit me; I'd been using the natural environment as a classroom to teach only how to be there respectfully and safely -- I didn't understand how to learn the story of the landscape, let alone teach it.
I forwarded the email to Shari, thinking "maybe this is something we could do together?" She dug in further and discovered that this was just one of many workshops that the NC Environmental Education Program provided! There is a whole certification process and this workshop was just the gateway drug. For the next few months, we dived into wetlands, then forest ecology, birds, geology, Aldo Leopold and all his amazingness, and a few more concepts we've probably forgotten. Taking the time to complete this certification, attend Ranger programs at national and state parks, read interpretation signs wherever we go, and allowing our curiosity to be our guide, has forever changed how we engage with the natural world. Just ask our friends who join us on a short hike or paddle!
We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes -- something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then, and full of trigger itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves meant hunter's paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view.
- Aldo Leopold, "Thinking Like a Mountain," 1949
We can no longer see a natural area as we once did. We still enjoy the beauty, outdoor exercise, and all of the phenomenal things that simply being outside affords us, but we know there is so much more to experience. If you know where to look and what to look for, a new story of the landscape unfolds before your eyes and helps you answer the question of how a place was created, why it was preserved it for public enjoyment, why the ecosystem web is so fragile, and what makes it so special.
Since becoming certified, we have both volunteered with national park Environmental Education Programs and worked as Naturalist Educators. We spent several summers marching successive troops of whining 5th graders up a mountain in Washington to look at waterfalls and some really stunning lichen as well as kayaking alongside tourists while teaching them about the fascinating formation of the Gulf of Maine and its associated ecosystem.
How do you become a life-long learner of the natural world without having to go through an entire certification process? There are many ways to learn, even a little bit, by attending Ranger programs, watching videos, using naturalist apps, talking to locals, listening to podcasts, reading books, touring visitor centers, and more. Once you begin this journey, it becomes a habit...and before you know it, you too will become a self-proclaimed Nature Nerd!
As this journey has become so much a part of who we are, we are adding a recurring section to this newsletter to help you take a deep dive into the natural world. Each month, we will be sharing a new naturalist app or resource that we find particularly useful. For starters, if you are heading out on a national park road trip this summer, download our National Park Ecosystem Chart and check out the plethora of National Park Resources on our website!
Vintage Camper Trailers ONLINE Boot Camp -- August 23-24, 2024
For all you vintage enthusiasts diving into your own restoration, but don't know where to start...VCT Boot Camp might be just the inspiration you need! Oh, how we wish this would have been around in 2011, when we began working on Hamlet.
Meet experts from the around the country who will discuss everything from how to replace your vintage trailer axle, to the perfect vintage paint job, and much more about bringing these beauties from the past back to life.
While this will come as no surprise, we've been asked to present about RV solar and off-grid living with a vintage rig at this summit. Participation is free to all, but a small registration fee gets you access to all of the online content -- to watch and rewatch at your leisure! It's a pretty good deal, especially if you sign-up for the Early Bird VIP All Access Pass in June.
Check out all the details here!
Pre-Order AirSkirts & Save BIG!
We love promoting this unique brand, as they have one of the most creative solutions for an insulation problem that affects every RV, no matter the style or size of rig. With AirSkirts in place, you'll use less propane or electricity to heat or cool your rig, and just simply make RVing more comfortable during Mother Nature's weather extremes. Get an amazing deal on a custom kit for your RV with their summer pre-order SALE and you'll be ready for that fall or winter trip without even missing a beat!
Blog of the Month: Which LiFePO4 Battery Specs Meet Your Needs?
In the last 5 years, Lithium Iron Phosphate RV battery prices have come down by half! Yes, they are 50% less than they were in 2019! Every RVer who likes to camp off-the-grid is talking about about these powerful, energy dense, and lightweight batteries -- maybe it's time you got into the conversation so you can talk shop at the next rally? But there is not just one type of LiFePO4 battery, there are now dozens of options. Check out our latest blog to determine which size, style, and features you'll need to power your off-grid adventures.
Video of the Month: Maximize Solar Power on a Small Rig
Want an easy hack to MAXIMIZE RV battery charging with MINIMAL space for solar? It's a simple thing to turn a switch and send power when and where you want it. With the installation of 2 x $14 switches and a couple of fuses, we've vastly increased our ability to charge up our 100Ah LiFePO4 PRO batteries100Ah LiFePO4 PRO batteries. We simply can't believe we didn't do this sooner!
Naturalist Apps & Resources
Nature Nerds UNITE! Yeah, we get excited about birds, rocks, plants, lichens and all kinds of other things that slither across the trail, climb the cliffside, and generally muck about in this great big world of ours. Each month we'll be sharing a new app or resource to help you turn your phone or laptop into your own private nature guide. It will not only help you further enjoy the experience, it can help you remember where you saw that bird or tree last time!
Picture This is one of our favorite apps. Want to know what that plant, flower, or cone is? Take a picture in the app, or load one up once you've got cell service again, and instantly find out what it is. This app does more than just tell you the common name, Latin name, genus and species, it also gives you recommendations about how to plant it, its symbolism in art and literature, and sometimes even a poem dedicated to it. We love it, and for a small annual fee we can indulge our curiosity and learn more about the ecosystems we love to explore!
With Our Profits, We Support Non-Profits!
Recipe of the Month: Giant Puff Pancakes
Hutch got his first taste of "Giant Puff Pancakes" as an 8 year old during a sleep over at the Edison's house. The food this adventurous family served always seemed exotic, and this strange confection baked and served in a cast iron pan was no exception. The custardy texture doused with powdered sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice provides just the right balance of sweet and tangy!
We used to consider this tasty "breakfast souffle" as something fancy that we'd only make for special occasions, but we recently realized that we almost always have all the ingredients in our camper, it takes minutes to prepare, and it dirties very few dishes. It's now become a recipe that it has found it's way on to our breakfast menu a few times each month. Better yet, you don't even need to fire up the oven.
State Mottos: California
"Eureka!" This phrase famously quipped by Archimedes as he leapt from the bath and sprinted back to his workshop wearing nothing but a smile, is also the state motto of California. Initially referring to the great California gold rushes, "I found it!", now means so much more. We thought this quite fitting given that we've been soaking in hot springs all up and down California's famous Hwy 395 as of late.
This state is made up almost entirely of people who are from somewhere else. Even native born Californians, unless connecting back to first nations, can only count their generational ties with a couple of fingers. Yet, nearly 39 million people have found it, or something like it, here.
Shari, who claims central Orange County as her earliest home, needed to leave Southern Cal in order to find it; now as an adult gets to enjoy it with a new set of eyes and skills. While she camped a bit as a child, her parents are happy homebodies who take great pleasure in seeing the world through our eyes. And her mom is one of our biggest Facebook fans!
We revisited Yosemite National Park in California's Sierra Mountains last month. Having only ever been there in autumn, our visit this spring nearly blew our minds, as the waterfalls were pumping! Enjoy a quick tour of the impressive cascades that a big winter in the Sierras can create...
2024 Escapees Escapade: Rock Springs, Wyoming - June 16-21!
Coming up in June 2024 is the annual Escapees Escapade! This is the big event for all Escapees members and its sure to be an amazing time. If you have never attended an RV rally, Escapees and Xscapers events are some of the best. We highly recommend these crazy, fun groups of like-minded travelers. Become a member!
Parting Shots: Aurora Borealis in California!
Having only ever experienced the Aurora Borealis in Alaska/Canada, we were stoked to get to see it in a very different way during Mother's Day weekend when the largest solar storm in 20 years offered folks all over North America this incredible light show in the night sky! What a TREAT from Mother Nature.
About 20 miles west of Yosemite and deep in the Merced River Valley, we ventured a couple hundred yards from our campsite and captured these images with the help of our Google Pixel 8 PRO camera lens (astrophotography mode, 4 minute exposure) and a tripod. Learn more by following the Aurora Forecast and marvel at the incredible images taken by the members of this Aurora Borealis Facebook Group!
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