June '24 Canlife Correspondence -- Springtime in the Sierras, Summer Sales, Spring Rolls, and Solar 101!
Springtime in the Sierras: Hidden Gems Over 8000 Feet!
"Climb the mountains, and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you like sunshine into the trees!"
Just because this might be the most over quoted, and over used bon mots from John Muir, it doesn't make it any less true. We have climbed, paddled, cycled, soaked, and simply ambled through these Sierra Nevada Mountains and we heed their glad tidings and feel their peace. Y'all should really try it!
No matter how much we travel, we can never really see it all -- sometimes we just have to save something for next time, and the next time, and the next time. We've been through the Eastern Sierra region of California and Nevada at least 4 times prior to this spring. Sometimes it was snow that shut us down from crossing into higher elevations, forcing a southerly route back through the Mojave. Other times it was some work obligation that required us to simply boogie on through to an airport. Finally, this spring, we were able to link together the deep exploration of the treasures we've discovered in these stunning mountains.
"You know, I came here for one season after college to work as a ski instructor. My plans were to head back east as soon as the lifts closed, but I stayed into the summer...and well, that was about 35 years ago."
While in the cute mountain town of Mammoth Lakes, CA, we heard a version of this story more than once. Whether it's entirely accurate, or just a local legend that folks have adapted to fit their own narrative, is up for debate. What's not lore is just how beautiful this area is during the warmer months. Ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 feet, the numerous, accessible places to camp (and from which to base adventures all along the Eastern Sierra Mountains) are simply overwhelming.
As a college student in southern California, Shari rushed through this area on her way to ski trips in Mammoth or Tahoe with friends. In her world at the time, these mountains were a place that she only went to during the winter to recreate. Summertime was for the beach and winter was for the mountains. Good to know that some things change!
We explored alpine lakes (starting one paddle above 10,000 feet), hot springs, trails winding high into the mountains, streams too swollen with runoff to cross, a lake so saline that its only year-round residents are brine shrimp and alkali flies by the trillions. These are all areas we'd heard about, but never experienced first-hand.
When things got too hot down in the valleys, we could easily retreat to the higher elevations and enjoy the perfect sleeping temperatures and crystal clear night skies, not to mention a quick dip in waters that until that morning had existed in a more solid form.
While it might be easy to imagine that road life is like a permanent vacation (it is not), these periods of intentional wanderings certainly do make it feel that way.
For those who follow us on social media, you've seen our numerous images of these areas we've hiked, paddled, and soaked, but this is just a small collage to wet your appetite.
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity.” Our National Parks
Blog of the Month: LiFePO4 PRO Battery Extreme Testing!
How is the 100Ah / 200Ah PRO battery different from the other LiFePO4’s in Renogy’s line up? Having tested, installed, and used a variety of Renogy’s Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries over the years, we believe that they might have just thought of everything when they designed this new PRO battery. Having used it now for a few months in Hamlet, we can honestly say that we absolutely love it!
https://renogy.sjv.io/0Z5oXP
Built-in Bluetooth for easy monitoring with the Renogy ONE Core monitor. https://renogy.sjv.io/DKbgDG
Automatic self-heating function makes it a “no brainer” for winter camping, ski trips, or
even ice fishing.
High-quality EV-grade components and equipped with 60+ EV-grade BMS protection
to help monitor voltage, temperature, and current more accurately.
Active back-up protection, so there’s a second line of defense to ensure the safety of
battery, system, and users, even if other key components fail in the battery.
Components are enveloped in a fire-retardant casing which is ALSO waterproof, dust-proof, and corrosion resistant to protect it from the elements.
Vibration proof for those bumpy roads you’ll encounter while overlanding and boondocking in off-grid locations.
Equipped with mounting holes for brackets (sold separately) so that you can easily secure it to any surface in your RV, van, or truck.
All future firmware changes can be downloaded via the DC Home app using the OTA (over the air) feature, so you’ll always have the most updated version.
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!
You are never too young (or too old) to become a Bird Nerd! Ze Frank is one of the smartest and funniest naturalists we know. His videos are absolutely addicting but ahhh, let's say... not necessarily suitable for children. One of our favorites is....hummingbirds! If his videos are new to you, we are sorry...not sorry. Some other great ways to learn about birds while traveling through various ecosystems include:
iBird Pro
iBird Pro is a self-contained, take-anywhere-no-internet-required app that turns your iPhone into a field guide to birds of North America, the United Kingdom, and Hawaii. Currently only available for iPhone.
Cornell Lab Bird Academy
Take your birding skills to the next level with these series of courses from the house of birds, Cornell Lab. With courses designed for all levels of birding enthusiasts, you can choose your own adventures.
Picture Bird
The Picture Bird app is a smart bird identifier that can recognize any bird species by photo or sound. Simply take/upload a picture of a bird or record a bird's sound, and you can get everything you want to know about it.
In Front of the Mic
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!
We'll be returning to America's Largest RV Show for 5 days this September! With thousands of the latest RV models, camping gear, and even more people checking out what's new on the lot, it's always a fun event. We'll be giving 2 daily seminars about a couple of our favorite topics: "Tips & Tricks for Exploring America's National Parks " & "Six Simple Strategies to Reduce RV Travel Costs" Click here for seminar details. We hope you come on out and join us for this great show!
https://freedominacan1957.blogspot.com/2024/06/favorite-recipes-summertime-spring-rolls.html
During the hottest days of the summer, Hutch's mom used to set out a smorgasbord of chilled hard boiled eggs, pickles, apple slices, can of tuna, some cheese and crackers instead of something warm. While the fare has changed, the idea is as old as time. It's hot, and you want to eat something cool.
This summer, we'll be sharing some of our favorite no / low cook "cool down" recipes that are simple to prepare and won't heat up your RV during the hot summer months. Most require very minimal cooking, or no cooking at all. Here's one of our favorites: Summertime Spring Rolls!
"All For Our Country" - While this state motto needs some historical backstory, there is some confusion. It doesn't help that "Battle Born" is emblazoned on the state flag. So, which is it?
Both require just a little bit of context. Nevada, aka "the silver state" was admitted into the union during the height of the Civil War (1864), and during a fraught election year where Abraham Lincoln was seriously challenged by George McClellan. History buffs will remember McClellan as the former commander of the Grand Army of the Republic -- he and Lincoln did not see eye-to-eye.
Lincoln worried that he might need a few more electoral votes so pushed up the Nevada statehood voting timeline to bring them into the Union. Not only did he want help on election day, but the Emancipation Proclamation needed congressional votes and the Republican dominated state would help that get over the line. As it turns out Lincoln won the election in a landslide victory but the loyalty to the Union's cause demonstrated by Nevada's founders remains on their official documents. "Battle Born" might have a slightly better ring to it, but comes from the same context and conflict that gripped our nation during those years.
Nevada remains a place of confusion, and I'm not referring to its people; rather, I think most Americans just don't think about it except for Las Vegas or Reno. The vastness of both the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts are striking in their raw beauty, and the sheer isolation a person can feel while traveling through this beautiful place is startling. Highway 50, known as the "Loneliest Road in America," runs right through the middle. It's well worth an exploration, but like the state motto, it leaves scant clues that require us to dig deeper for greater understanding.
Pre-Order AirSkirts & Save BIG!
There's still time to save this summer with AirSkirts pre-order sale. As one of the most creative solutions for an insulation problem that affects every RV, no matter the style or size of rig, 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 and you'll be ready for that fall or winter trip without even missing a beat!
Grand Canyon and the River of Dreams
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Hutch has been dreaming about a float down the "Big Ditch" on the Colorado ever since he and his siblings made a pretend raft out of their couch as their parents cranked Ferde Grofé's "Grand Canyon Suite" on the old Hi-Fi stereo. In just a few days, he and a group of 13 others will be launching at Lee's Ferry for an adventure of a lifetime. Rest assured he'll be taking his cameras and journal so that he can overwhelm us all with stories and memories from this bucket list adventure!
Meanwhile, Shari will be enjoying some time in lovely Bend, Oregon doing yoga, hiking, cycling, and taking art classes while dog sitting for two of the coolest adventure dogs we know!
Parting Shots: Sunset Views from 4 Directions - Mono Lake, CA
While boondocking just above Mono Lake, we literally didn't know which way to look during sunset. These four images were taken in each compass direction from our spot for the night!
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