Freedom in a Can: Adventures with Hamlet

Lost Between Two "Fins" The boat slowly pulls out of the marina and blasts a quick toot of the horn, as much for the tourists and tradition as to alert other boats.  We motor past the breakwater and slowly pick up speed, cutting a clean V line through the calm morning sea.  Within seconds we're cruising, taking in the tree covered isles of the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve , from our seats in the stern.   Suddenly, the boat slows and everyone, even the children, jump up, fingers pointing, and scream, " FOCK! FOCK ! FOCK!"    “Did they just say…?” The boat isn't sinking, we haven’t hit a submerged ledge, no, all the excitement comes from the small group of harbor seals, “phoque,” which now surround the boat.  The French word for seal sounds exactly like the word that escapes my mouth when I bash my head into a low hanging branch... happens more than it should, really.   Now why didn’t my five years of French study cover s...

Escapade -- A Wicked Good Time! As I walked up to the microphone, I was sweating through my toes and wondering if I would remember any of the lyrics. I've played my guitar and sang for lots of folks, but it had been a LONG time in front of a crowd like this.  I looked out across a packed house, from a real stage with a huge sound system and blinked into those bright lights. I was the first act to go, and other than the hasty cram sessions, I hadn't picked up my guitar in months.  What was I doing?  I leaned into the mic, blabbed some nonsense until I could hear my guitar from the monitor and I struck the first chord.  No going back... It's a curious thing for two people who chose to live in a tiny rolling home, happiest when they're on a deserted road, parked in a quiet place next to a bubbling brook for the night, to suddenly find themselves in a very large crowd of people who all love to do similar things.  Wait, we like to be alone, but we also like to be tog...

  Want to GO SOLAR with your RV?    To celebrate Renogy's SWEET 16th Birthday, w e are GIVING AWAY  a Complete Renogy RV Solar Solution Kit to ONE lucky winner…AND helping you install it!    RV Solution Kit is worth $2750 retail, and fits perfectly on a large van, medium-sized travel trailer or truck camper, or small 5th wheel, skoolie, or Class C.  YOUR investment is around $300-$500 for additional materials.   OUR labor is completely FREE.   Please read ALL details below before responding.   Contact us immediately via email at freedominacan1957@gmail.com to be considered.   Winner will be chosen THIS Saturday, June 13!   We know this sounds too good to be true, but we’re FOR REALS, y’all!   Renogy  3.84Kw RV Solar Solution Kit  includes: 2 x 200W ShadowFlux Panel 1 x 50A DC to DC Charger with MPPT 1 x 300Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery 1 x Battery Shunt with 500A Monitor 1 x Renogy ONE Core Wireless...

Golf cart battery replacement doesn't have to be a nightmare, or cost you a fortune every 3 to 5 years.  In addition to getting you and your golf bag around the course faster than walking, these behemoths used to be the gold standard in off-grid RV living.  While many off-grid RVers back-in-the-day recommended that we invest in these beasts, these heavy batteries simply weren’t a good option for our small, vintage RV.  Weighing in at 80 pounds each, and needing to be watered regularly, a set of 4 can displace the same weight as your golfing buddy, Gary.   As a time tested technology, the older lead acid batteries perform just as they have for the past 50 years – but perhaps there’s a way to get your golf cart into the swing of the 21st century?  Now 4 of these batteries can be replaced by just 1 Lithium Iron Phosphate 48V Battery Kit which includes everything you need to get started! It all began with a family visit to my brother’s Bob’s cottage in Marylan...

Too Busy, Too Late. When we started Freedom in a Can, LLC as a business in 2021, we adopted the mantra “our lifestyle has to drive the business, not the other way around.” Our self-appointed “almost monthly” caveat gives us an out when life gets a little too crazy or when we are simply having too much fun.  April dished out plenty of the first, a little of the second . We hope you enjoy our April/May edition, chock full of insight...and fun news to boot! Oh, and don’t skip the next section because we’re giving away an ICECO 12V Fridge Freezer – the very same kind we installed 5 years ago...and absolutely LOVE! There’s this moment in “The Karate Kid,” when Daniel (all fresh-faced and satisfied) announces to his teacher, Mr. Miyagi, that he’s almost done painting the fence. Miyagi slowly sweeps his arm and Daniel’s gaze across the vastness of his backyard and replies, “whole fence.”  While recently cleaning out my Aunt’s house, her residence for 36 years, my cousin asked us...

The End of the Tour...For Now.  The television monitor flashed between fires, floods, a talking head,  missiles fired from naval warships, and explosions.    What was going on?    Oh, it’s just the nightly local news show, “Good Night L.A.” hovering above our head as we waited to board our red-eye flight back to North Carolina.    It took a bit of self-control to look away.   We  shuffled onto the plane, hoping to get some sleep, and wondered if there might be a better way to tuck the denizens of greater Los Angeles into bed without visions of disaster dancing in their heads. After a steady diet of news, it's no wonder why we don't all throw up our hands and say, "F@%K IT! Let's just go camping!"  Because fear sells, or so the nightly news assumes, and it’s in no short supply.  To paraphrase New Yorker cartoonist, David Sipress, our desire to stay informed is often in direct conflict with our desire to stay sane.  So, when...

ONE PAN OMELITTO Part omelet, part breakfast burrito, all delicious...this new one-pan creation that we created while camping on the Outer Banks of North Carolina this month is one that will likely work itself into our weekly breakfast repertoire.  Lower in carbs, higher in protein, this breakfast will easily get you through a morning hike or bike ride!   If you struggle with getting that perfect omelet fold, this recipe is for you.  The sweet potato  We hope you enjoy this hearty and tasty recipe! I ngredients 1 small sweet potato, shaved into thin slices (vegetable peeler) 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup onion, diced 1/4 cup black beans, drained 1 TBSP green chilies (canned or fresh)  1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated 1-2 tsp olive oil 1-2 TBSP cilantro, chopped Seasonings to taste: Salt & pepper, Tajin, onion powder, garlic powder, etc.  Toppings:  Salsa, avocado slices, sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt). Instructions Coat cast iron skillet or Banks F...

Converting an old school bus into a home-on-wheels might be one of the ultimate DIY projects.  Imagine bringing new life to a classic vehicle with all of its history, its space, and its endless possibilities!  As a blank canvas, the interior design can fully be your own and the electrical system can be a customizable work of art crafted by your own hands.  But, a skoolie renovation can be as awesome as it is intimidating!  Where to begin on such a complex project? Do you simply put as many solar panels as will fit on top of the bus, or set up a portable solar panel to plug into a port on the side of the bus?  You could just install what your fellow skoolie friend or favorite social media influencer put into their school bus conversion project.  But how do you know that it's the right size for YOU and how you want to live off-grid in YOUR bus?  This blog is designed to help you figure all of that out.  And, if your “bus” happens to be a van build, ...

"Freedom's just another word, for nothing left to lose," sings Janis Joplin in her famous version of the Kris Kristofferson song,"Me and Bobby McGee."   We call ourselves "Freedom in a Can" because it's what we found when we bid farewell to the life we'd been living prior to 2012 -- two good careers, a lovely house, a vibrant and loving community -- and hit the road with our "canned ham" vintage camper in tow.  We didn't lose our jobs, get evicted, declare bankruptcy, or fall victim to disease or injury; we were privileged to make this decision for ourselves when it suited us best.  That decision has now sustained us for the past 13+ years, amazingly in the same can, far beyond the year or two that we initially imagined.  Who knew that  this tiny tin can trailer built during the Eisenhower administration could manage the tens of t housands of miles we've hauled?  Honestly, when we view it all from 30,000 feet, it doesn't ...

Sometimes, it's just one little detail that opens up a whole world of understanding. Corals are both animals AND plants.  Let's just let that sink in for a sec...   This simple fact fundamentally shaped our experiences in the US Virgin Islands National Park and Biscayne Bay National Park this past month, especially on the water.  We are proud natural science nerds, but this story isn't just about a freaky little polyamorous relationship under the sea, it's about so much more! It was "Dr. Coral" himself at US Virgin Islands National Park on St John Island, who dropped this brain bomb on us at an evening "ranger" program during our first night at Cinnamon Bay, the only campground within the park.  While retired from the NPS, he remains active in coral health research and sharing his freaky knowledge about the Caribbean with tourists from all over the world.  We were so fascinated by his talk, we wanted to invite him out for a beer just so we could he...

You want to go solar so that you can enjoy camping in your RV off-the-grid, far away from crowded campgrounds and RV resorts!  We see some RVers build huge systems without a care in the world about adding significant weight, while others are concerned about how the extra pounds may affect their towing experience. Maybe this issue has never even occurred to you?   Regardless, with a few tricks up our sleeves to maximize energy production with limited space and solar equipment , you’ll likely be surprised by how little weight you need to add to your overall rig – especially if you replace the lead acid batteries that came with your rig with more modern LiFePO4 batteries !   First, it’s important to remember that solar power is scalable. Solar can power any size RV – from small Class B vans to moderately-sized travel trailers / motorhomes to full-scale luxury Class A off-grid homes on wheels.  If your daily energy needs are limited to lights, fans and charging...