November 2025 Canlife Correspondence - Slow Travel, Self-Heating Batteries, Stellar S'Mores, & Solar Tax Rebates!
Back in the Familiar & Strange...
There's this hike near the town of St Anthony on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland, and we can't get it out of our minds. It strikes exactly the right balance between input effort and visual payoff as it winds through green rolling hills, and towering cliffs above the sea. Like many hikes in the province, the views remain unobstructed by the quirky happenstance of soil biology, growing season, and ocean climate. The few trees that do grow along this boggy shore are stunted and stubborn. We summertime visitors only know the fleeting sunshine season while they scratch out a determined existence making the most of what they can. In the distance, islands and capes peek through ocean mist, and at the right time of year, icebergs float by on the Labrador current like moving skyscrapers.
Every corner and hilltop offers another chance to prove the inadequacy of our cameras. We see more whales, dolphins, and shore birds going about their daily routines from our lofty vantage point than we do other hikers, probably by three-fold. Nearly anywhere else, including our 48 contiguous states, a hike like this would be overrun with people, share a top slot among several top 10 lists, and have one helluva intimidating parking lot.
After 5 months of exploring new and practically deserted roads, hiking new trails, paddling new coves, and finding new corners of the world that we never even knew existed, returning to the U.S. feels abrupt, strange, and also familiar. When suddenly resubmerged with all the people living the fast-paced New England life, it's hard not to get caught up in it all. Passing through the familiar border crossing from St. Stephen, New Brunswick to Calais, Maine (pronounced kall-is), I suddenly felt the urge to put the pedal down and make some time.
This instinct to speed up in surroundings we've visited before is completely normal -- we all have places to be and things to do. With approximately 3 weeks to get from the border to Shari's parent's house in Boone, NC for the U.S. Thanksgiving week, we couldn't exactly wander in our familiar fashion, nor would there be many campgrounds open this late in the season. Neither could we resign ourselves to the slow lane on 1-95, unless absolutely necessary.
Our path which lead to the driveways of dear old friends, family members, and both new discoveries and old haunts was as memorable as it was unrepeatable. Some highlights from our journey down the eastern seaboard so far include:
- Downeast Maine. With roads that inspired the phrase "you can't get they-ah, from hear-ah," coastal Maine provided a nice soft landing after crossing the border. These are old stomping grounds for us, so we returned to favorite restaurants, attended a contradance in Bar Harbor, enjoyed live music and visiting old friends, and even discovered a new hike in Acadia National Park.
- Mystic, Connecticut. Known for its famous pizza and quirky draw bridge, we found that this tiny seaside village offers more than meets the eye. We had a great time visiting old friends who showed us all over the area and even hosted a brunch in our honor.
- Dambo's Trolls. We bagged a few more of these gentle, whimsical giants that frolic around the Rhode Island woods when no one is looking. These "trolls" are created from repurposed wood by artist Thomas Dambo and can be found all over the world.
- Cape May-Lewes Ferry. We simply can't get enough of traveling by ferry. Possibly the most interesting and perhaps the best way to avoid several way-too-busy Mid-Atlantic cities is to connect the Jersey Shore to the Delmarva Peninsula via the 1.25 hour ferry ride across Delaware Bay.
- Assateague Island National Seashore. The beautiful NPS site on the eastern shore of the Delmarva Peninsula opened back up just in time for us to camp on the beach for a few days surrounded by gorgeous sand dunes and the world famous pony residents wandering through the campground.
- Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park. Just in case you need an example of what courage looks like, spend a couple of hours at Harriet's birthplace in Maryland and dive into the history of this inspiring human -- then ask yourself what you've done for humanity lately.
- Outstanding Dreams Farm. Harvest Hosts overnight stops always come in clutch when campgrounds are closed for the season. We enjoyed a quiet night with several hosts as we made our way down the eastern seaboard. We truly enjoyed this alpaca farm on the western side of the Delmarva Peninsula in Maryland.
It's always enticing to spend more time exploring new destinations, but I guarantee that there are plenty more surprises left in the most familiar locations, if you follow the roads least traveled.
App of the Month: GiraffeG4 Tracking App Concerned about your RV overhead clearance on your next road trip? The helpful app displays the heights and GPS locations of potential "low clearance" hazards like bridges, trestles, and trees. The app will warn you with an alarm if the overhead clearance is too low for your vehicle to travel under safely, then it continues to measure the height of the obstacle until your vehicle is clear of it.
While traveling through the northeast, we stayed off the interstate and took in several new back roads and unique places during our trip south. We ran into several parkways where even our tiny Hamlet was too tall for the low bridges. Expert Advice: Put a permanent sticker on your dash with the height, width, and length of your entire rig (including toad, bike rack, boats up top, etc.)
We typically try to stay in warmer climates so we can spend more time outside. Some winters we’ve enjoyed the California coast, others we’ve explored the deserts of the southwest, and we spent one holiday season on the beach of Padre Island National Seashore in Texas. This winter? Well, read on...we have BIG plans!
Even with our attempts to avoid cold temperatures, we’ve always encountered some unexpected winter weather events along the way – the southwestern deserts froze in 2019, the two-week Texas “deep freeze” in 2021, and in winter 2025 we were hit with snowstorms, ice storms, and several weeks of below freezing temps in the southeast! Being able to roll with these changes is part of living life on the road, but it can be hard on both you and your deep cycle batteries. Learn more about how self-heating batteries are a complete winter game changer!
Inverter Charger Installation: A Step-by-Step Guide
Installing an inverter charger can be tricky to get your head around as this component requires quite a bit of new wiring, fusing, switches...and a full integration between your AC and DC systems. We taught our young friends, Erin and Jeremiah Steff, how to integrate a 3000W Renogy Inverter Charger into their own 2021 Forest River "Wolf Pup" and they ROCKED it! They can now power just about anything they want while off-grid. Let's take a deep dive into our step-by-step process...
Hurry...Solar Tax Rebates ENDING December 31!
We simply can't emphasize this enough...if you are considering solar as a more sustainable option for your RV or home, NOW is the time to dive in and just do it. The 30% solar tax rebates will end December 31st, 2025. Now, as always, we are happy to help anyone and everyone who wants to go solar and save a bundle of money.
We simply can't emphasize this enough...if you are considering solar as a more sustainable option for your RV or home, NOW is the time to dive in and just do it. The 30% solar tax rebates will end December 31st, 2025. Now, as always, we are happy to help anyone and everyone who wants to go solar and save a bundle of money.
Start with our Solar System Sizing Worksheet, then feel free to contact us directly. We've literally saved over $220K on camping fees since 2012 by being able to create our own power, whenever we need it.
Be sure to use our LINK and CANLIFE promo code for extra savings on your order if you choose Renogy Solar for your components!
You heard of Black Friday? Cyber Monday? Join us on Giving Tuesday!
In addition to volunteering our time with various organizations, we donate a portion of our affiliate proceeds to non-profit organizations that support youth education/development, sustainability, health, environmental education, and access to outdoor adventure.
By using our affiliate links and promo codes throughout the year you get a discount, we get a commission and we all get to help some great organizations do the good work.
Has your sweet tooth become more refined? Don’t get us wrong here. We’re not knocking the pure delight we felt as kids when we first tasted that warm, gooey, graham-cracker crunch. But maybe, just maybe, there are s’more ways to s’more. You know, for adults. Maybe it’s OK to crave savory flavors instead — or steer away from sugar altogether? Here are some fun new recipes we whipped up in Hamlet's test kitchen this autumn!
Our 2026 winter RV show season is right around the corner...and we are gearing up for our MOST AMBITIOUS season yet. We'll be traveling to the Midwest and Southeast for 6 shows in 9 weeks! Yikes!
Join us for discussions about some of our favorite subjects -- "Exploring America's National Parks" to "Sizing a Solar Powered System for your RV" and "Gourmet Camp Cooking & Baking" to "Six Simple Strategies for Reducing RV Travel Costs"...and more!
We'd love to see your smiling faces at some of our shows:
January
Grand Rapids, MI (Jan 15-18)
Charlotte, NC (Jan 23-25)
Dalton, GA (Jan 30- Feb 1)
February
Raleigh, NC (Feb 13-15)
Mobile, AL (Feb 20-22)
Birmingham, AL (Feb 27-Mar 1)
For complete show details, tickets, and seminar topics, check out our Upcoming Events.
Winter Camping Game Changer! AirSkirts Insulation
One of the great things about our work is the relationships we've developed with some of our brands. AirSkirts was just a small start-up when they reached out to us in 2021, right as we were starting up our LLC too. Since then we've been able to cross paths and get to know each other better and help each other grow.
It's time to start thinking about cold weather camping! Or maybe you want to head to the slopes with your RV for the week? We've had our AirSkirts since 2021 and when the temps drop into the 20's or below, we insulate between the ground and the bottom of Hamlet with these high quality air-filled tubes. The tubes come in different diameters and lengths, so are customized to fit your rig. They really cut down on heat loss, keep plumbing and batteries from freezing, and allow us to use much less propane. Overall, a complete winter game changer! Get $100 off a custom kit with our LINK and promo code CANLIFE.
Just a few weeks ago, we were in their neighborhood and swung by their busy little operation in southern Connecticut. We not only learned a bit more about how they are made, we got to see how they are customized to fit every rig out there! It's pretty cool...video to come soon.
Where Are You Heading Next?
This is officially our most asked question, and the month of December is going to be a FUN one for us! Currently in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC visiting family and friends, we are heading toward Florida tomorrow to explore 2 new national parks, as well as return to 2 others. Of America's 63 National Parks, we've now been to 55. The last 8 are not easy ones to reach as all involve relatively expensive flights and ferries. We'll finally be adding Dry Tortugas and the U.S. Virgin Islands national parks to our list! And, to make it even sweeter, we'll be celebrating the holidays with Hutch's dad and sister in the U.S. Virgin Islands! While in Florida, we also plan to return to both the Everglades and Biscayne national parks to explore more of these amazing water-based parks. Plan YOUR next national park RV road trip with our helpful resources!
Parting Shot: Autumn in Acadia National Park
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