This summer we did something I never thought we’d do.

We slept in a Walmart parking lot.

This was not my first choice because it just felt weird, like we were some sort of vagrants or modern day hippies with limited options, which in reality isn’t entirely untrue, because when you’re living on a very tight and limited budget, there’s not always enough money to spend on RV parks or campgrounds. Especially when they start charging way more than it’s worth for a piece of grass! Therefore, you have to compromise.

So there I was, at the Walmart in Cody, Wyoming, asking the employees if people were allowed to sleep in the parking lot at night. Each location and every town has its own set of rules and in some places you can be given a ticket or arrested! I had no interest in getting a knock on our van at 3 a.m. by the police and handcuffed naked.

Thankfully, they said yes.

We were told to find a spot on the side next to the garden center and eventually we were joined by probably a dozen RVs and campers. I was still apprehensive, but since there were others living the dream alongside us, it felt a little safer to park, make dinner, and hang out for the night. I had no clue how it would go, but beggars can’t be choosers. This was it.

The next morning I woke up feeling happy and refreshed, and aside from hearing a couple of generators, the night was peaceful and uneventful.

Sleeping at Walmart no longer felt strange but liberating.

As crazy as it sounds, sleeping in a public space wasn’t as bad as I made it out to be in my mind, and the idea that we could camp in a variety of spots for free - with permission - became a new and exciting chapter in our book.

We have now stayed at several Walmarts, a LOVES station, hotel parking lots, a Bass Pro Shop, highway rest stops, and even an alleyway behind a VFW. More than that, we’ve also slept at privately owned but public spaces including breweries, distilleries, museums, farms, churches, and even along the highways and in the mountains on dispersed land.

Doing so has saved us hundreds of dollars every month!

While it’s been a good experience and no longer weird to sleep in parking lots, there's something else on my mind about this kind of lifestyle.

. . . 🚐 . . .

Because so many people can't afford housing, they're forced to live in vehicles to survive, and as a byproduct, more people are sleeping in public places. This, in turn, has caused local and state authorities to implement strict laws that prohibit them from doing so—resulting in steep fines, arrests, and in states like Tennessee, even felony charges!

I feel like this discussion is an entirely separate post, but it’s crazy to think people could be treated as criminals for sleeping in their vehicles.

And it’s not just public areas like parks or streets either. We’ve stayed in cities where it’s illegal to sleep in parking lots owned by private businesses, including Bass Pro Shop, Cabela’s, Cracker Barrel, and Walmart - all of which often allow travelers this opportunity.

Some of these local ordinances are understandable given the sheer number of homeless encampments and drug activities taking over cities and towns, but some of these laws extend far beyond endangerment.

That said, different considerations should be given to those of us living in vehicles who do so responsibly and peacefully in public places.

. . . 🚐 . . .

Overall, I really have liked the freedom we have to park almost anywhere to work, eat, and sleep, particularly when it’s free!

Camping out in public places is a viable option for those of us who travel full-time and operate on limited funds. It’s not as bad as you might think, and more often than not, I’ve felt safer in these spots than in a deserted, paid-for campground.

I hope cities and states will reconsider their laws, keeping in mind that even though we might be houseless, we’re not all necessarily homeless, nor are we always the same people who created the problems for these ordinances. Knowing this makes a difference.

As digital nomads, we appreciate a free stay, but that doesn’t mean we don’t spend money in their communities. We just choose to invest it wisely.

Finally, for those of you who also choose to sleep in public spaces or might be considering it: Please help keep it available for all of us by doing things right!

• Clean up after yourselves.

• Obey the posted laws.

• Respect the people around you.

• Ask for permission.

• Be a gracious visitor.

Because people are always watching. You can either help the situation or totally ruin it.

Remember that the freedom we have to stay in places for free is a privilege, not an expectation.

We hope to see you at Cracker Barrel!

Even though I wrote a post a couple of years ago about helpful apps while traveling, that was a generalized idea of things that can be helpful, and it was also before we started van life. I thought I’d write a little update and share specific ones that I use all the time now. (Each is linked so you can check them out - some to the App Store, some are referral links, and some are just the website.)

And if you have recommendations, I’m all ears. Or eyes. 😆

1. Google Maps

While I do have a paper atlas and love to use it to mark the roads we’ve traveled and the places we’ve been, hands down our most used app is Google Maps. We have a navigation system in our van, but we quickly discovered we didn’t like it, and we switched to using Google Maps from our phone. One of the things we love is the ability to see traffic conditions in real time. If our route turns red, we know it might be worth considering an alternate route. We also love to drive back roads and avoid interstates, so it helps us see what the time difference is if we choose the slower option. Sometimes it’s worth it, other times it’s not.

2. Gas Buddy

We have always paid attention to gas prices, and we try to look for the best deal, but with gas prices what they are today, we definitely use this app. We not only look for what gas station has the best deal around us, but we’ll also look ahead to the next town and beyond to see where the best place will be to fill up. Sometimes there’s a considerable difference in price between cities and especially between states.

3. Reminders

This one might be a surprise, but I am the queen of making lists, and I have lists for all kinds of things. If we’re heading to take a shower - I have a list of items I need to take with me, if we’re sleeping away from the van - I have a list of items to pack up and take in, if we’re going for a hike - I have a list to check to make sure we don’t forget something we need. I truly have lists for everything. 😂 I couldn’t live without my Reminders app!

4. iOverlander

This is mostly what we’ve been using to find where we want to camp for the night. It’s great at listing parking lots, dispersed camping, and even campgrounds if we want one. You can also find dump stations and water stations. Very useful for all of these necessities.

5. Harvest Hosts

We have a membership with HH, so in addition to iOverlander, we also use the HH app to find great places to stay. We try to find Boondockers Welcome spots as much as possible, as those are completely free to use, and we almost always meet really fun people who are hosting, but we also choose spots like breweries, farms, and museums and give our business to the establishment in trade for them allowing us to stay. It’s a fun way to travel, and we feel like we get a little more for our money than paying for a campground.

6. Planet Fitness

We recently purchased a PF Black Card membership so we can visit any PF and enjoy the amenities. We enjoy going in to ride a bike, take a walk, or even lift some weights for a while. We can use the showers and then enjoy a nice massage in the chairs or on the hydrobed before we leave.

7. Seek

Because we love to hike and enjoy nature, I love using the Seek app to identify plants, animals, flowers, birds….all the things! Every once in a while it doesn’t tell me what something is, but most of the time I can learn exactly what I’m looking at and save it in my observations even. It’s such a fun app to use! 🦢 🌺

8. AllTrails

Speaking of hiking, finding trails to hike on the AllTrails app is a must! I try to always plan out the route we’ll hike by selecting a hike and following the map. This way we don’t get lost and we know what to expect on the trail. And having the version that allows you to download the maps for use offline is a must for most areas because you can’t usually get a signal with your phone.

9. The Weather Channel

Paying attention to the weather is very important and I have notifications turned on with this app so if there’s anything we need to be aware of as we’re traveling through, it will tell us.

10. RoadTrippers

This is an app I enjoy using because it makes it fun to map out an itinerary. It will give you suggested things to see along the way and show you popular attractions so you can decide if something is worth stopping for or not. I also like to have this to show a map of what we’ve done for each leg of our travels. I haven’t used this since the beginning but since I started using it I’ve really enjoyed it!

Now we’d love to hear what your favorite travel apps are! Share in the comments what you like to use or recommend.

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I need to share it with those who have never heard it.

This will be one of the hardest posts I’ve ever written, and honestly, I hope it will make people uncomfortable, because sometimes we need it to learn valuable lessons. And as much as I want to avoid unpleasant conversations and not alienate readers, this is a conversation that must be had!

On December 7th, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched an attack on the United States of America at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaiʻi. Most of us know that history and how that forced us into World War II. But what many Americans don’t know is what happened to Japanese immigrants and even American-born citizens of Japanese ancestry.

Shortly after, Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. This “authorized the forced removal of all persons deemed a threat to national security," resulting in approximately 125,000 Japanese Americans being ripped from their homes and incarcerated without any due process.

The War Relocation Authority set up 10 permanent camps out west, with over 20 smaller camps throughout the country. Prisoners were sent to these concentration camps, dubbed “relocation centers” simply because they were of Japanese descent. They were only allowed to bring what they could carry.

Two-thirds of these prisoners were American citizens, with some having as little as 1/16 of Japanese ethnicity. These people lost their homes, businesses, and money—all confiscated by the government, totaling the equivalent of $2 to $5 billion in 2017 dollars.

When the war was over, they were provided $25 and a ticket home. Upon returning, most of these people discovered their houses were sold, businesses were gone, and any property was vandalized. There was nothing left.

Furthermore, the Japanese were so dehumanized that many could not reintegrate into society due to the hatred of white people, and even those Asians who served our country in World War II and bravely fought the enemy were treated with disgust and neglect.

Amache, or the Granada Relocation Center in Colorado, was the first incarceration camp we visited. We discovered it in 2020 during our backroads exploration by accident, and even though I knew about these camps, it was shocking to see the remains of this uneasy and gut-wrenching history.

But Minidoka National Historic Site really spoke to it!

Driving in toward the visitor center, we came across remnants of buildings and signs along Hunt Road and S 1400 E, including an Honor Roll of all the Japanese Americans who were sent to Minidoka but who would go on to serve our country in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (Rainbow Division), a segregated U.S. Army unit comprised almost entirely of Japanese Americans (Nisei). The 442nd would become the most decorated combat unit in all of World War II. Let that sink in.

The visitor center on the grounds is stunning. It’s a beautiful tribute to the 13,000 people who passed through or were imprisoned there, but also a painful reminder of what they endured. We cried walking through it.

As we talked with the Park Ranger, Midori Tanada, I couldn’t help but notice her last name was Japanese, and one I had seen on a wall, so I asked about her story and why she chose Minidoka as a place to work.

Midori’s great-grandparents, Shime and Gonichi Tanada, were among the prisoners housed at this concentration camp, and she believed it important to keep this history alive while honoring the memory of her family. Ms. Tanada, with such a graceful and kind spirit, shared some of her stories with us, ones we were grateful to hear.

The Minidoka Visitor Center allows you to read the history in some of the prisoners’ own words and gives a visual representation of what this concentration camp was like. It includes artifacts from those incarcerated, as well as those who taught there. They also offer walking tours of the grounds, along with history lessons and an interpretive trail.

For families and descendants, there’s even an annual Minidoka pilgrimage.

What keeps bringing me back to this Minidoka experience is what I continue to see happening in this country.

Immigrants are being ripped from their families and communities after being dehumanized by far-right extremists and a government that has made them scapegoats for its problems. White Americans who continue to demonize people of color and LGBTQ+ people help perpetuate the idea that some people are less deserving of dignity, freedom, and basic rights—an idea that has allowed innocent people to be imprisoned without due process or criminal charges.

This horrific history from World War II is repeating itself on a smaller scale.

As we’ve traveled this country and other countries over the past decade, we have learned the value of different cultures and the beauty of people from all walks of life. We have experienced generosity, friendliness, acceptance, and hospitality in ways that are indescribable. And we have discovered that most people, regardless of nationality or background, want the same things you and I do.

We want to be free to live as we want to live and to be respected and treated equally, as it’s written in this country’s constitution.

Please know my purpose is not to make any of our readers feel guilty or condemned, but to raise awareness of how we can be easily indoctrinated into believing a set of lies created by the government, politicians, and local authorities, and that propaganda is highly effective in creating fear about people not like us.

Just like those Japanese Americans were never guilty of doing anything nefarious toward our country in 1941, there are many innocent immigrants and other marginalized groups today who are wrongly accused, labeled as criminals, and sent away. We cannot continue to allow this to happen.

As citizens of the United States of America, we must not whitewash these types of historical events, nor should we shy away from these difficult conversations, because the future of our country depends on it.

We must all do our part to ensure the opportunity for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.

Lest we forget.

To learn more about Minidoka and the stories of those who were imprisoned, here are some valuable resources to guide you:

• Densho.org

• Minidoka.org

• Terminology

• Seattle Times Article

• Minidoka Honor Roll

We recently spent some time traveling all around the southwest corner of South Dakota. It wasn’t the first time we’d visited the area, but it was the first time we'd seen many of the things we visited. We drove through the area during our first year of traveling full-time and missed a lot of it for two reasons:

1. We had a pretty tight itinerary mapped out the first few months of our travels.

2. We didn’t even realize some of it was there!

So now that we’ve spent a lot more time in the area and traveled all around the Black Hills, I wanted to share our top recommendations if you head that way. Of course, whether or not this guide will help you with your travels depends on how you like to travel. We are always on the hunt for free (or at least low cost) things to see/do, we rarely go out to eat, and we look for the best (which means free if possible!) places to camp. So if that’s how you like to travel as well, this should be great for you!

So without further ado, these are the places we visited and the highlights of each area. If I’m being honest, I could probably write a whole post about each stop, so I’m going to try to keep it less wordy so it’s not too long. 😂

Hot Springs

Hot Springs is a cute little town. We had so much fun there! Centennial Park is a great spot to check out the Fall River Trail and the Hot Springs waterfall. There is a really nice path along the river where you can walk or maybe even ride your bike. If you hit it on the right day, you can also shop the local Farmers Market!

If you walk the downtown area, they have lots of cute little shops and boutiques to check out. My favorite are always the thrift shops, and we found several.

Wind Cave National Park

We are huge National Park nerds. In fact, we plan a lot of our travels around National Park locations. But the crazy thing is - when we first traveled to South Dakota, I had no idea this park even existed! And we practically drove right past it. 🤣 We didn’t make that error a second time.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if visiting this park would be all that beneficial this time because we didn’t have tickets for a cave tour and those sell out way in advance, which is one downside to traveling as we do and not having a set timeline where we know ahead of time exactly what date we might arrive somewhere. But by doing a little internet research, I discovered there’s quite a bit to see above ground too. So off we went to the park. Let me tell you - it was TOTALLY worth it!

This is a must-see park if you’re up in this region, and doing the scenic loop drive is also a must. The scenery is breathtaking, the wildlife is incredible, and you can explore all day long and never run out of things to see. There are even some great hikes along the way if you want to get out and stretch your legs a bit.

We stopped at the visitor center first to explore in there and get my passport book stamped (this is number 41 of the 63 official National Parks for us), and we spoke to a ranger to get information about the highlights of the park. She recommended doing the scenic loop in a clockwise direction, and that’s what we did. It’s absolutely beautiful!

Biggest thing to remember - leave the wildlife alone. Do not approach the bison, do not get close to them, and make sure you take your pictures from a distance.

Custer

This is such a fun town! We loved the vibe here and we think it’s a fantastic place. You can walk the downtown area and find tons of shops, art galleries, and restaurants, and you’ll also spot some bison statues and fun murals along the way. We even spotted a beautiful deer and her tiny little baby out our window one evening. And they were real - not statues! 😉😍

Something that was super popular here is ATV rental places. You can rent a side-by-side to explore the wilderness. We were tempted but decided to stay in our own vehicle. They have lots of options, plus it wasn’t a bad price either. Looked like tons of fun.

One stop you must make - especially if it’s the weekend - is the VFW. It’s open to anyone and they have a great vibe, great drinks, great staff, and (I think it’s Thursday through Saturday ) they have amazing meals you can order. The prices are incredible too!

We got steak tips and burnt ends, both with fries, and look at all the food we got! It was barely over $20! We visited with the bartender, Valerie, and she told us all about how she and her family make the food and the sauce, which they’re even bottling up to sell because it’s become so popular.

Custer State Park

It’s kind of funny because we didn’t even have this on our list of things to do, but after visiting with Valerie at the VFW for a while, she told us we must do the park. She said it’s an absolute must if you’re coming to South Dakota.

She wasn’t wrong. We were so glad we listened to her!

When you enter the park from Custer, you’ll start on Needles Highway, and you go through various tunnels along the drive. Some are smaller than others, and even the different maps you can find have different measurements. You should have seen us trying to make sure we’d fit before we got the first tunnel. 🤣 I even got out and walked through first to make sure all was good before James drove on through. Thankfully we cleared it with plenty of space.

Once you’re on the scenic loop, you’ll enjoy amazing views all the way around! There are lots of pull-offs where you can enjoy the view, there are hikes where you can get out and explore, and of course the road goes all around the park and all the way up to Mount Rushmore and back down into Custer.

If you haven’t visited Mount Rushmore, definitely add that to this list as well. We didn’t stop there on this trip because we’ve been there before, but it’s recommended.

Jewel Cave National Monument

This was another place that I wasn’t sure about ahead of time because we didn’t have tour tickets, but thankfully we risked it and showed up because they keep some in reserve to sell to walk-ups each day, and we got some!

There are a couple of different tours you can take. We just chose the short one that goes to the first main part of the cave. I think the longer one would be super cool, but we just didn’t have the time to wait until the time slots that were open and then also take a longer tour since we were moving on that day.

Even the short tour was fun and really cool. You get to go down about 200-300 feet to the “Target Room” where a ranger will explain all the things about Jewel Cave. It’s a fascinating place and it’s amazing to hear all about how the caves were discovered and how extensive they are. Seeing the “jewels” is pretty cool too!

Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway

On our travels through the area, we went up to Rapid City to take care of a few things (bigger city) and then up to Sturgis. We did hang out in Sturgis a couple of days - mostly to wait for the wind to die down before continuing on. Sturgis isn’t really our thing, but if you’re super into motorcycles, you would probably enjoy it. We did have a good time and checked it off the list now. haha!

Anyway, we wanted to do the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, so we started from Sturgis, took Highway 14A to Deadwood, and started the journey around. There are several places along the loop that are worth a stop. These are the ones we enjoyed!

Deadwood

Deadwood is a super fun little town that is a throwback to the Old West. Here you’ll find great shops to browse, lots of restaurants and even saloons to have a bite or a drink; there’s a reenactment of a shootout each day, and you can even see where Wild Bill Hickock was shot and then where Jack McCall was captured after shooting him. There are some local museums that have tons of amazing things to see, like the 76 Museum and the Adams Museum, and for those who like to gamble, there are plenty of casinos in town; plus, make sure to check out Dahl’s Chainsaw Art because there are some incredible pieces there.

This town is worth the stop even if you’re just passing through and don’t spend a ton of time here. It’s quite a bit of fun and pretty lively.

Lead

Lead (pronounced “leed”) is home to the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center where you can learn all about the Homestake gold mine. I wasn’t sure how interesting this might be, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. The visitor center has all kinds of information about the mine, and it’s fascinating to read, but looking out at the mine from the viewing platform - that’s pretty incredible! It looks so cool!

One of the most amazing stats about this place - “Until it ceased operations in 2001, the Homestake Mine was the largest and deepest gold mine in North America, yielding 41 million ounces of gold and 9 million ounces of silver over 126 years.” 😳

This is a free place to visit and definitely worth the stop.

Spearfish Canyon

Of course, the canyon itself is the biggest draw of the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, and it did not disappoint. It was beautiful at every turn!

We stopped at a few places like Old Spearfish Creek Dam, Roughlock Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. We even found a filming location for the movie “Dances With Wolves” - one of James’s favorite movies of all time. That was awesome. This scenic byway is definitely gorgeous and worth the time to drive the loop.

Spearfish

We didn’t do a lot in the town of Spearfish itself, but we did camp at the Spearfish City Campground, and it was a lovely stop. We really enjoyed our time there. If you are in the area, this is a campground we’d highly recommend.

Belle Fourche

When you’re looking at a map, this one is technically not in the Black Hills area, but it’s nearby, and it was amazing enough I have to mention it. Especially if you’re a van lifer or RVer and you like dispersed camping.

I had this town on my list of places to visit for two reasons: it has a monument marking the geographical center of the US, and it was on the way to Devils Tower for us, and that’s where we were headed next.

Since we were checking out the monument, we figured we’d see if there was somewhere nearby to camp for the night. I found some dispersed camping near Belle Fourche Reservoir, so we figured we’d go check it out. Oh my goodness, was it amazing! This place was incredible! I mean, look at the size of the space we had. And the next closest space was probably 100 yards or more away.

If you’re in the area and you like dispersed camping, this needs to be on the list.

That’s a wrap.

That completes our suggested list of places to visit when you’re visiting the Black Hills of South Dakota. There are SO many amazing things to do throughout this region. It just totally depends on what kinds of things you’re into. We love things that are nature-oriented and free, so that’s how we came up with this list. Not everything was free, but it was pretty low cost for all that we got to do and see.

Is there something that you’ve done in the area that you would recommend and should be added to the list? We’d love to hear it!

P.S. If you like what we write and it helps you with your travel adventure, please consider buying us a coffee to keep us caffeinated and writing.

Or even better … grab an annual subscription with extra perks for ONLY $30 per year. That’s less than a cup of coffee each month.

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6 years ago today, we officially sold our house and started our epic nomad journey.

In some ways, it has flown by, and in others, it feels like it's been a while. We've been blessed to do SO much in those six years and we've had incredible experiences. We've traveled different ways and pivoted many times, but we stayed on the road, and I'm so thankful for what we've been able to do.

Stats. Stats. And More Stats.

Here are a few stats that I came up with to celebrate the day:

⭐️ We only lacked a handful of states to hit all 50 when we first started, but now we've been to almost all 50 in the last 6 years! I think Delaware is the only one we've never gone back to since we first went there many years ago, so I guess we need to get over there. 😂

⭐️ We've been to 20 countries - some were before we became nomads, but many were after.

⭐️ We've visited 139 National Park sites (monuments, historical sites, etc.) and 41 of the official 63 National Parks.

⭐️ We've traveled in a pickup and stayed in hotels, and we purchased a timeshare and have stayed in resorts all over the place - even Paris! (and we've loved our timeshare despite the fact that many are opposed to them! lol!

⭐️ We have memberships with a couple of travel clubs that help us get huge discounts on places we've stayed. We purchased a rooftop tent and camped in that for a while, and then last September, we bought our travel van - what we're currently traveling in. It's all been so amazing!

⭐️ We're turning the map green (see below) by keeping track of the roads and counties we drive when we're meandering around a state.

I won't say that this lifestyle doesn't come with sacrifices - it definitely does. There are a lot of things we've given up in order to live this dream. But the things we've gotten in exchange for those sacrifices have been incredible.

We've made new friends across the country, seen beautiful mountains and gorgeous valleys, visited amazing beaches, observed incredible wildlife, watched incredible sunsets and sunrises, endured thunderstorms, and even raced across the country to beat an ice storm. We've hiked more trails/miles than I can count and enjoyed some amazing scenery.

We've traveled by bus, plane, train, ship, truck, and van. We've ridden bikes through Alaska as well as through the Everglades, and we've had fun on an ATV in the desert as well as the mountains of Alaska!

We've done some house and pet sitting, stayed with multiple friends to catch up and visit while having a great time together, and even traveled with friends!

And we've gone "home" for the holidays to be with our families - something that I truly treasure every year.

James and I dreamed of living this kind of life for over 10 years before we could make it a reality. And, I'm not going to lie, it's a lot harder currently than it was when we began in 2020. But I wouldn't change it for anything. I'm SO incredibly thankful for all that we've gotten to see and do together.

The joy I feel at getting to live this life is hard to explain. It's something I don't take for granted and something I'm truly thankful for every day.

And if you're still reading after that long spiel, I want to tell you how thankful we are for you guys. Truly, from the bottom of our hearts, we're so thankful you've come along for the ride with us, and we appreciate your support by checking out our page and liking posts or commenting with your thoughts. We treasure every one of those!

We can't wait to see what the future holds. We have no plans to stop traveling and will continue to do so until we can't or just don't want to anymore. Considering how much there is to see in the world, I can't imagine ever wanting to stop, though.

Thanks for being here for the Road Life Adventure we're on! ❤️

(And can I just say, finding pics to go with this post was SO hard because I found SO many I wanted to use!! lol!)

We started a series showing some of our stats each month to show you how possible it is and how affordable it can be to live the van life. You don’t have to be rich - you just have to know how to work it. 😉

Are there other things you’d like to see listed? Anything you’re wondering about? Let us know and we can add it to our month in review list.

Month in Review

Miles driven: ~2,500

States visited:

• Iowa

• Nebraska

• Wyoming

• Idaho

Longest drive day: 231 miles (June 9)

Shortest drive day: 6 miles (June 29)

Where we’re headed next:
We’re making our way toward the Boise/Meridian area for my company’s annual convention! 😍

Stays

• Visit with friends: 4 nights

• Nights in the van: 26

Of those 26 van nights:

• Campgrounds: 8 nights

• Harvest Hosts: 5 nights

• Parking lots (rest areas, big box stores, travel stations, etc.): 12 nights

• Dispersed camping: 1 night

Van Life Expenses

• Free nights: 22

• Campground costs: $142.79

• Savings with various discounts: $86.21

• Harvest Hosts expenditures: $108.43

  • (Donations, food, drinks, electricity)

• Average camping cost per night: $4.76

We spent more than usual on campgrounds this month because we chose to stay inside Yellowstone National Park. It was worth every penny!

Other Travel Expenses

• Groceries: ~$427

• Restaurants: ~$154

• Gas: ~$640

• Laundry: $20

• Entertainment & special attractions: $47

Total: About $1,539

Of course, we still have the regular monthly expenses that we’d have whether we lived in a traditional home or traveled full-time, so those aren’t included here.

Gas prices definitely played a role in our higher costs this month, and we also treated ourselves to eating out a little more often than usual.

Does this look like what you expected? Is there anything you’d like us to include in future monthly recaps? Let us know in the comments!

When you travel full-time like we do, spending money on extras has to be kept to a minimum. If you’re moving around a lot, it could be really easy to spend hundreds of dollars a month on food, drinks, attractions, museums, campgrounds, etc.

There is SO much out there that’s VERY expensive. 💰 😅

But there are also plenty of things that are inexpensive or even FREE! And let me tell you I’m the pro at finding free and cheap. 😏

So I figured I’d share my top 10 tips for saving money while traveling on a tight budget.

1. Do a Google search for “best free things to do in _____” for any town/city that you’re planning to spend time in. I’ve found some really cool things by doing this.

2. Purchase a North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association annual membership. It provides access to 1,500 institutions, including arts and history museums, botanical gardens, children’s museums, and more. It’s an upfront cost, but it saves hundreds of dollars over the year with that annual membership.

We’ve already saved $316 in museum visits this year by using that! They also have these for zoos, gardens, and science museums, so you can pick what you love and join. I want a zoo/garden one next.

3. If you can be self-sustained, don’t be afraid to boondock. Boondocking means camping without any hookups if you’re not familiar with the term. You can boondock in dispersed camping areas (federal land), rest areas (check state laws, as they vary), many big-box stores, travel stops, Cracker Barrel restaurants, and even hotels or hospitals sometimes. Asking permission is always ideal. Many places will let you park for free overnight as long as there aren’t laws restricting it.

And of course, Harvest Hosts is ideal for this as well. We have saved a ton with our membership and we love it! Please use our referral code to get a discount, which also helps us earn free time on our membership.

4. If you frequently use campgrounds, consider buying memberships that will save you money with discounts. Passport America offers an amazing 50% discount and you can find participating locations all over the country. There can be restrictions (weekends, holidays, peak season), but we’ve saved a ton with this membership. You can try it free for 4 months with our referral code.

Camping World offers its Good Sam program, and that’s one we’ve used a little. KOA has a membership, but its campgrounds are much pricier than those of many others. Just shop around and figure out what works best for you.

5. Use the GasBuddy app to plan for stops as much as possible. Sometimes the difference in gas prices from one town to the next can vary greatly. We got gas yesterday for $3.33 before we left town because the towns we would be going through were around $4.04 or more! (Honestly, we were SHOCKED to get that low of a price because we haven’t seen it below $4 anywhere in quite a while! It was a pleasant surprise!

6. Join gas station rewards programs. If you’re traveling all across the country, you’ll hit up all kinds of stations, so it’s nice to have them all. Some have better rewards than others, so know which ones will serve you best if you stop there. I have found Pilot and Love’s to be the best for fuel discounts.

7. Utilize brand rewards programs. Whether it’s a hotel chain you stick with or a credit card that offers travel credits, these types of things can save you tons of money.

We use Choice Hotels when we stay in a hotel because they’re budget-friendly, they’re everywhere typically, and they have different tiers so you can choose super cheap or splurge on a nicer place for the night. We also use a Capital One credit card to pay for everything. This accumulates points that we can use toward travel (or other things, but that’s how we choose to spend them). A few years ago, we almost completely paid for a trip to Alaska with credit card points. 🙌

If you want a Capital One card, we would love you forever if you use our referral link. We get extra points added to our account when you do!

8. 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐢. These places are a great way to enjoy a nice, quiet, and FREE place to work during the day.

9. 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝. You can find some cool stuff at thrift stores, including clothes, gadgets, and books! I found a pair of Chaco sandals for myself a couple of weeks ago for $1. Yep - one dollar. And they were in GREAT shape!

10. Make a meal plan and cook your own food. We always prefer to buy groceries (usually from Aldi, Walmart, and Sam’s) and make our own food. Eating out costs a fortune these days. And it’s so unhealthy to boot. Your waistline and your wallet will thank you for it.

That’s it! These are my top money-saving tips. Let me know if this helps you or gives you good ideas for saving! 🫶🏻

And if you have advice, what would you add to the list?

Leave a comment

Today, I’d like to share more about my experience and what I’ve learned so far from launching four websites on Fourthwall, especially because so many of you ask how we make money as we travel.

Overview

Fourthwall provides you with the opportunity to sell Made on Demand, dropshipped products through its partnership with Printful. You can also sell digital products and memberships, offer special perks and tiers for customers, and write posts with this platform. They even create a mobile app for your website’s members.

I’ll provide a snapshot of some important considerations.

Pricing

There are two pricing plans for Fourthwall: FREE and PRO ($19/month). As with any free plan, there are a few benefits you don’t get if you were going paid, but for this platform and what I get, that’s not a problem. At this moment, I don’t want or need the extras they offer, with the biggest factor being digital storage space and 24/7 priority support.

Design Capabilities

Out of the box, I really love the simplicity, yet effectiveness of their UX and UI. You can begin with a template (basic but good) and then customize the entire brand and appearance without any coding, in addition to rearranging or adding sections as needed. You can also create and save your own theme, which could be a valuable service or a source of passive income.

In my opinion, you have everything you need here to build your brand and it certainly compares with Shopify’s design features.

Promotions

It’s easy to add special promos, including product discounts, free shipping, membership discounts, gift cards, and giveaway links for freebies. These are all benefits that are important to customers and it’s easy to set up.

Memberships

This is where it gets really cool, especially since it’s included in the free plan and membership websites can be expensive to invest in. You can chat with members via the app, upload videos for everyone or members only, write posts for everyone or members only, create custom badges (we don’t need no stinking badges 😝), offer membership tiers and upsells, and protect certain offerings.

The only thing I don’t like about this post feature for articles. It’s clunky and unattractive, and not a good UX.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization seems to be shit these days, particularly with Google, which seems to play god with our livelihoods. I spent a decade building traffic to certain online properties only for it to be wiped out by updates and AI. That said.

Fourthwall provides basic options to improve your SEO, and with very little investment on my part, I’ve managed to rank in the top positions for certain product keywords and earn a handful of sales with NO promotion. If I spent more time on these properties, I think I could increase sales, which I plan on doing soon.

You can also add Google Analytics and tracking pixels into the mix.

Social Media Integration

While I personally hate social media and choose to spend very little time on these apps - which also likely hurts potential sales - you can connect to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, YouTube Shopping, Spotify, and more.

At first glance, these features seem like a great opportunity to build your brand, especially if you already have an established online audience. Who knows? Maybe I’ll try harder with social media, see how it goes, and do an update.

Professional Opinion about Fourthwall

In the last 20 years, I’ve used almost every platform for building websites and e-commerce websites — WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify, Squarespace, Wishlist Member, Udemy, and so on. Every platform has its pros and cons. Some excel in specific areas, while others do not. Some are free for basic features, and others require money up front.

In my experience, the best solutions are designed to make your life easier and earn you money as quickly as possible. They are easy to use out of the box, help you build your brand, and reduce friction for you and your audience.

Fourthwall does all of this!

With minimal effort on my part, I’ve launched four websites to test the features I’m most interested in. Each website probably took me a couple of hours to set up, customize, add products, and launch. I’ve made money and spent nothing, without dicking around with dumb stuff or frustration.

So is it worth it? 100% YES!!!

There are people who doubt the on-demand and dropshipping business model, yet businesses like House of Chingasos have become million-dollar businesses using it.

The problem is that most people don’t think through their brand or products. They don’t put in the work to make it a success. They load a few ideas, hope to make money online, and get mad when it doesn’t happen that way. You gotta work it, baby!

I was skeptical about using Fourthwall at first because I’ve made great money using Shopify and WooCommerce in the past, but honestly, I’d start with this platform. Test your product ideas, play around with your messaging and offerings, and see where it goes. Maybe you’ll make a million bucks, too.

My plan for these four websites (and a few other ideas) is to build and grow them and potentially sell a couple to someone interested in them over the next year.

Additionally, I’ll start offering consulting and design services to those who want to build their own online brand with Fourthwall but don’t have the time or expertise to do it themselves. Because why not? We all gotta make a living.

If you have questions or need help, let me know.

Now it’s time for me to go make some more money!

Check out my current projects at:

• www.101stairbornedivision.com

• www.roadlifeshop.com

• www.joesnuffy.com

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As we’ve traveled all around the country and even parts of Europe over the last six years, one of the things we’ve heard people say most is that they’d love to do what we’re doing. Some say they only dream of it, some say they plan to travel “one day,” and some say they’ll travel when they retire.

I think it’s amazing to have dreams about the life we want to live but in order to make those dreams a reality, you have to do more than dream. It will never come true if you aren’t taking steps to make it happen. And I’m not saying that all those people aren’t doing things to make it happen - just make sure you are if this is your dream. 😉

This will look different for everyone, depending on the standard of living you want to enjoy while you travel, how you want to travel, whether you can work remotely, and whether you have children… all of those things affect the decisions you make.

But one thing I would encourage you to do - don’t wait if you don’t have to. Don’t put it off if you can make it happen now.

I know that’s not possible for everyone. But if you can shuffle things around in your life and make it work - do it! I can’t recommend this lifestyle enough. It truly is amazing.

We only get one life to live and it goes by in the blink of an eye. We might think we’ll do a whole list of things when we retire, but what if we don’t make it there? We spoke to a lady a couple weeks ago who shared with us that she and her husband had big plans to travel all over once they retired….but they didn’t get that chance because he passed away suddenly before he retired. And we’ve heard that story many times over the years.

That’s not shared to make you live in fear of death coming too soon but just to make sure you know that we aren’t guaranteed a life beyond retirement. And honestly, based on the way I feel at the age of 54, I can’t imagine how difficult some things might get by the time I get to the standard retirement age of 67. 🤣 Our bodies aren’t as capable of doing things as we get older. (As a general rule, that is - some people defy the norm and do amazing things!)

We dreamed of living this lifestyle for over 10 years before we could make it a reality. We had to sacrifice a lot to make the dream come true and we gave up many things that most people probably think they couldn’t live without. But once we did it, we felt so free and we have loved this life!

It’s not always easy and there are plenty of challenges that get thrown our way - plenty, let me tell ya. But overall it’s been such a huge blessing. There is so much to explore, and I’m already freaking out about what little I’ve seen, how much there still is to see, and how many years (or days!) I might have left on the earth. So I plan to try to live every day to its fullest.

Will you join me in that?

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Several days ago, when we pulled out of Hay Springs toward Alliance in Nebraska, I was fully convinced our last moments together would likely be spent arguing with each other in the tan van careening down Highway 87 on a terrifying ride into oblivion. This is NOT what I envisioned for van life, nor the end of my life!

As extreme wind gusts blew us all over the road like tumbleweeds and a large swath of sand blacked out everything ahead, I understood how Dr. Jo Harding and Bill "The Extreme" Harding must have felt while driving into those Oklahoma tornadoes with cows flying around in the movie Twister.

I broke down mentally and prayed to every god I knew of and even the ones I didn’t.

This was not one of those Instagrammable moments that sell the idea of van life—unless a picture of me holding onto a steering wheel for dear life with a Kung-Fu grip, gritting my teeth to the point of snapping, and the look of sheer panic does it for you. Dare I mention the severe butt-puckering that left permanent indentions in the driver’s seat?

Call me a sissy or whatever else, but nothing scares the 💩 outta me more than driving a high-profile tin can into hurricane-force winds. Tossing hand grenades and blowing up tanks seems like child’s play compared to this kind of road life adventure.

Unfortunately, there’s no van life manual to explain the terror of driving 45 mph in brutal conditions as you struggle to keep your vehicle from tipping over while locals angrily speed past you and give you the middle finger. There’s no warning about how driving in bad weather like this, along with traffic and mountain climbs, will wipe you out physically and mentally — and increase your alcohol intake to alarming rates.

Maybe it’s just me, but as larger rigs shot by me like a rocket, I started to think perhaps I’m just not good enough to be the pilot of this ship and that it would be better to downsize to living in a Prius, which is more fuel efficient and isn’t a wind sail on wheels, or take up running with the bulls in Spain instead, because it might be safer. All real thoughts as I stared the Grim Reaper in the face.

But this isn’t the first time we’ve faced death while traveling in our truck or with our new camper van, and sadly, it probably won’t be the last.

Back in January, as we camped at Big Bend National Park for the second time, I was awake at 4:30 am one morning, thinking about survival and what we’d do in case of an emergency, like a fire. Moments later, I started to smell something awful, like wires burning. Then I saw smoke begin to fill the cabin.

Lo and behold, I spoke it into existence! (If only I could do that with money!!)

Within seconds, two fifty-somethings evacuated a bed four feet off the ground and escaped the van, unplugged the shore power, and started to grab what we could save. Thankfully, the burning stopped. As we “laughed” about our near-death experience, Donetta mentioned she was glad we weren’t naked. I was ambivalent about it. 🤷‍♂️ 😝

Anyway.

We soon discovered that the shore power battery charger, which had been plugged in all night, had overheated and almost caught on fire despite its safety mechanism. Despite it ending well, the damage was done. Even with a smoke detector and fire extinguisher now by our side, the PTSD from that incident keeps us from using the new charger unless it’s necessary, and every new weird smell, including farts, puts me on edge.

That said, there have been many sleepless nights of worry and anxiety for me.

It doesn’t help the fear when our daughter anxiously, yet jokingly, mentions that she could lose both parents at once because we’re always in the van traveling together. That really puts things in perspective. Thanks, Kayla! 😘

Perhaps for two people in love, who are as passionate about traveling and van life as we are, it could be a fitting way to end our journey together, but I’m not ready for a Thelma and Louise movie moment just yet.

Hopefully it won’t be this Wednesday either, when the Sturgis, South Dakota, winds are forecast to hit 60 mph, because I don’t want to die on hump day after all, unless, of course… well, never mind!

In all seriousness, it’s sobering to think about these dangerous possibilities, but also that I might just actually be stupid to worry about being crumpled up like a tuna can.

Am I the only person who suffers these kinds of crazy fears???

Please tell me.

It would be interesting to know if others feel the same.

P.S. I later found out that a couple of highways were closed due to extreme winds, and that high-profile vehicles were strongly advised to shelter in place.

If you’re anything like me, you have a list of gadgets that you love. Gadgets just make life easier, right? Okay, maybe saying we can’t live without them is a little too much, but these things definitely make life easier! Here are some of the things I definitely recommend having (not in any particular order):

1. Noise-Canceling Headphones

I love my headphones. There are fancier ones than these, I’m sure, but for those of us on a budget, these have been a fantastic set. They’re great at blocking out external noises, plus they have great sound. Sometimes James and I want to watch something on our laptops, but we have two different things to watch, so we can each put on our headphones and watch two different shows right next to each other. haha! Check out this set on Amazon.

2. USB Splitter

We have a USB port on our nightlight by our bed and this splitter has been super handy for plugging things in. I have a clock and a fan that are both USB-powered, so I can easily plug them into this and be good to go!

3. Clock

Speaking of my clock, this is a fantastic clock! I love that I can adjust the brightness, and it not only shows me the time but also the date and room temperature. This has come in super handy in our van when we want to know how hot or cold it is inside!

4. Mini Fan

This isn’t the same fan that we have (couldn’t find the exact one) but it’s very similar. This small type of fan is perfect for a small space. You can set it wherever you need and even hang it if you want. If you need to stay cool, check out this fan.

5. Headrest Hooks

These are perfect for hanging a tote or anything else you need handy. I love having my National Park tote bag hanging on the seat and ready to go when we visit NPS sites. ;) You can check them out here. (I love my tote, but it shows as unavailable now. This one is similar, though!)

6. Water Bottle Carrier

Not only is this great for carrying a water bottle when you want to go for a walk somewhere, but you can also put your phone and keys in the side pocket, and you’ve got everything you need! Super easy to wear and very comfortable. Unfortunately, the one we purchased isn’t showing as available, but this one is almost identical.

7. Mini Vacuum

These little vacuums are perfect for quickly cleaning up small spaces and keeping things tidy. Ours holds a charge for ages, too! Again, our model is currently unavailable, but this one looks very similar. Check it out here.

8. Phone & Watch Charger

These are great chargers. We each have our own and ended up with two different kinds but they’re both great! They both travel flat, so they’re great on the nightstand and on the go, too. You can shop the left option here and the right option here.

9. Mixpresso Single Serve Coffee Maker

This coffee maker has been fantastic for us! It’s compact and easy to fit in the cabinet, but it does a great job of brewing coffee. We have definitely loved having this on our travels. Check out the options here.

10. Dash Cam

Last but definitely not least, a dash cam. We keep one going while we’re driving. These days it’s nice to have that protection to show what’s going on in front of us at all times. We’re planning to add one to the back to record behind us as well. Here’s what we have currently.

Do you already have any of these gadgets? What would you add to the list?

Leave a comment

I remember the first time I talked with Nelson Jenkins while serving as a youth pastor (shocking, I know) in a small Oklahoma town called Kingfisher.

My church had partnered with a national company for a summer mission trip to Denver, Colorado, and somehow this fast-talking guy with a Boston accent found out we’d be there, got my phone number, and decided to call me to introduce himself. And for whatever reason, he thought we should get together when we all arrived. It was a bit odd and creepy, but it’s been said that God works in mysterious ways.

I was like, OK, whatever. Our conversation was good, though I was skeptical, and when we hung up, I mostly forgot about it.

On the day of our arrival, this goofy-looking older guy with an excited, ADHD-type behavior came up to me and gave me a hug. It was Nelson from Rochester, New York, and he boldly proclaimed all of our guys were gonna be bunk mates. Again, it felt weird, but I was new to ministry and figured this was how people did things, so I just shrugged it off because I was tired from a very long, stressful drive.

By the way, if you’ve never hauled a dozen junior high and high school kids in a 15-passenger church van for 680 miles, it will certainly test and stretch your faith!!!

Over the next few days, as my wife and I served alongside him, I really got to know Nelson. He had a wife and four children and was a devout Christian, but despite his seriousness about all things God, he was also like a 12-year-old boy, filled with energy and fun. We were constantly cracking jokes and doing things that ministers typically don’t do.

When we were asked to preach at a soup kitchen serving homeless people in the area, Nelson crafted an incredible sermon from scratch, while I, on the other hand, talked about how life sometimes kicks you in the balls, but you gotta keep going. The look on his horrified yet giggling face was priceless!

We were so different yet similar, and after a week, we had built a solid friendship.

Several months later, our paths would cross again at a national youth conference in North Carolina, where we met his wife for the first time. Somehow, we all just clicked, and it felt like we had been friends for decades.

Just like Donetta, Susie Jenkins was a quiet and straight-laced woman with a gentle spirit. Her demeanor was much different than Nelson’s, and I had to laugh that both of us guys had managed to marry the complete opposite of who we were.

During our time together in North Carolina, Donetta and I had mentioned we felt like leaving our church. We loved the youth and the people, but the new pastor was causing problems, and the joy of serving in Kingfisher was quickly eroding. Without missing a beat, both Jenkins looked at us and said,

“Why don’t you come to New York and stay with us until you find your next place to go?”

Keep in mind, I had only met Nelson once, we had known Susie for a few hours, and none of us had any clue if any of us were serial killers in some twisted religious cult. Now they are inviting my entire family to move across the country to live with them. OY!

And as good Christians do, we said we’d pray about it.

Weeks later, as we were literally considering their offer and had a call about this prospective move, I tried my best to make them aware of what they might be in for with the Dalman family, but they were undeterred. We asked questions. Asked more questions. Then we said YES. It was both scary and exciting to think about this adventure.

Only days later, I realized I had forgotten to mention the fifth member of our band, a Siberian Husky named Nikki. Ooops! That could be the deal breaker. They were still crazy enough to let us stay.

On January 3rd, 2004, we arrived in Walworth, New York, in a fully loaded Honda Passport after days of driving through snow and ice. It was like a grand homecoming, filled with joyful wonder and incredible excitement, as we were welcomed into their home and lives.

Because they had an in-law edition downstairs, with a separate living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom, it worked for us all. We gelled in a way that most families will never experience, and we had the ride of a lifetime.

And what was supposed to be a short stay turned into 14 months of fun.

I think Nelson is still getting counseling for that decision. LOL

. . . ♥️ . . .

While my days of ministry are long gone and I feel much differently about religion, without a doubt, I can say this friendship was a blessing orchestrated by a divine power that knew exactly what we needed and when we needed it. I’m truly grateful for it.

To this day, we are still close friends, and we spent last week with them at their parsonage in Meriden, Iowa, where Nelson is the pastor of Meriden EFC, and Susie continues to serve their community. They took us out to explore, stopping at Backdraft Bar & Grill in Holstein for some of the best pizza we’ve ever eaten, as well as the Regatta Grill in Storm Lake, where we enjoyed delicious wings and appetizers.1

I also might have gotten him fired!

One evening, the worship band was practicing in the church, and I told Nelson I should go in and test them by pretending to be a homeless person looking for food. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge prankster. He agreed with one condition — no cursing. The prank was on.

As I slowly walked into the sanctuary where they played, I started to dance slowly in a cosmic circle, waving my arms and swaying to the music, hoodie and hat over my head. I saw a woman smile before the guitarist and bassist looked at each other with eyes as big as softballs. Then someone said, “Nice interpretive dance; can we help you?”

In my worst redneck drunk voice possible, I responded.

“I’m hungry. Can you get me some food? I want a Big Mac. Can you get me a Happy Meal? Jesus said that all who are hungry and come to Him shall be fed!”

Silence. Wild stares. Fear in their eyes.

The guitar player asked me, “How did you get in here? Where are you from?”

I said, “Jesus sent me from the fields,” and as he reached for his phone or pistol, I started cracking up as Nelson came running up behind me, realizing it was his boss. Of course, it never occurred to me that this could be a bad decision on my part. Ask for forgiveness, am I right? We haven’t heard back from him since he preached on Sunday. Maybe they’ll be living in the tan van with us.

But what I really want to share is how much I love the Jenkins.

They adopted a bunch of misfits from Oklahoma and gave us a home, fed us meals, helped us when we were in pain, and loved us regardless of who we were. They have shown us a faith that is real and true, have been generous with everything they own, and have never judged me (remember, Donetta is a saint) for being who I am. In my lifetime experience, this is rare in the Christian world, despite that lifestyle being the very gospel that Jesus preached for His people to embody.

The Jenkins are not perfect. But they are close.

Well, except for Nelson.

That guy IS off the charts! 🤪

In all seriousness, we are fortunate to have them as friends, especially when real friendship is almost impossible to find these days, especially while living in a van. We appreciate them more than they know. We are lucky.

That said, I hope you have your own “Jenkins” in your lives, people who allow you to be yourself and will be there for you when you need it most, no questions asked, regardless of your beliefs or lifestyle. Who loves you no matter what.

If you don’t, I hope you find them.

And if you can’t, show up on Nelson and Susie’s doorstep. Tell them James the Great sent you for a Happy Meal and a hug. They’d love it. ♥️

I think a lot of people think you have to be wealthy to travel full-time, but it’s all in how you do it. I like to share some of our stats to show you how possible it is and how affordable it can be.

Are there other things you’d like to see listed? Anything you’re wondering about? Let us know and we can add it to our month in review list.

Month in Review

🛣️ Miles driven: ~1,200

📍States visited: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa

🚐 Longest drive day: 140 miles on 5/30

⏱️ Shortest drive day: 1 mile on 5/21 😂

😡 Disagreements: 3 and all his fault! 🤣

Stays

🏨 Hotel: 2 nights (which were free with credit card travel credit)

🏠 House sitting and staying with friends: 11 nights

🌖 Nights in the van: 18

Of those 18 nights...

🌲 Campgrounds: 3 nights

🅿️ Harvest Hosts: 14 nights

🛣️ Rest area: 1 night

Van Life Expenses

🆓 Free nights: 22

🌲 Campground costs: $60

💰 Savings with Passport America discount: $50

💵 Harvest Hosts expenditures: $78 (donations, food, drinks, electricity)

💵 Cost per night average for the month: $4.46

🛒 Groceries ~$520

🍽️ Restaurants ~$81.20 (this is higher than normal this month because we went out for our anniversary)

⛽️ Gas ~$320

🧺 Laundry $10.50

That totals about $1070. Not too shabby in my opinion! Of course, we have normal expenses we’d incur whether we’re traveling or in a traditional home, so those aren’t included here.

What do you think?

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Have you ever thought about starting a new business, had lots of ideas about what you could do, but then couldn’t decide which one to pursue because you liked them all?

Please tell me I’m not the only one!!!

If you’re anything like me, it’s really difficult to see so many opportunities in front of you only to realize you can’t chase every idea that comes to mind.

Believe me. I’ve tried.

Like a dog chasing its tail, it just never works. It only ends up in frustrating exhaustion.

I don’t think failure comes from a lack of passion or possibilities, but from not having enough time, money, energy, or resources to do it all. It’s just not possible.

Unless maybe you’re a unicorn.

. . . 🦄 . . .

At some point, you have to start letting go of the ideas because if you don’t, you’ll probably not end up achieving any of them. Of course, this means you will have to choose something.

But which one?

Trying to decide is another challenge altogether because analysis paralysis often creeps in, causing you to spend days, sometimes years, evaluating every single detail, along with the pros and cons of each idea.

It feels like some sort of damnable eternal misery.

Not that I’m speaking from experience.

I wish I could tell you there’s an easy formula for choosing the right business idea or deciding what to dedicate your time to, but despite all the popular opinions and advice out there, it’s just not that simple.

However, I can ask you a few questions to consider that I believe will help you.

. . . 🙋‍♂️ . . .

1. What are you obsessed with?

I like what Justin Welch wrote about in his article, Don’t Pick a Niche. Choose an Obsession, because when you’re obsessed with something, you’re way more likely to stick with it no matter what.

This has been true in my own life.

After chasing an endless array of business ideas for decades, the ones that achieved financial success came from my obsessions — ideas and interests that I had to pursue regardless of the outcome.

There’s a good chance you’re thinking of something right now. What is it?

2. What will people pay you for?

If you want to make money from your business, there has to be a market for whatever you’re selling, and the best ideas that do typically solve a difficult problem or fulfill a need for the right audience.

Before all the AI website generators and DIY templates, I made a lot of money designing and launching websites for clients, big and small. I was great at making their lives easier while helping them generate substantial online revenues. My work sold itself.

Remember, it can be a great idea, but if it can’t make money, it’s just a hobby.

3. What is your gut feeling about it?

Even though I said there needs to be a market for what you offer, sometimes the world isn’t ready for your offering yet. Maybe they don’t know they need it until you show it to them.

A perfect example was the iPod.

Steve Jobs knew in his gut this little music device would be life-changing, but there was no real market for the iPod when it was conceived. We all know now just how transformative it was!

Sometimes, you need to ignore market research and trust your gut. If I had ignored my feelings and listened to others, I’d be completely broke.

4. What will you stick with for 3-5 years?

I really hate this one because I’m a fire starter and not a firekeeper.

Statistics show that, on average, it takes at least 3 years for a business to become sustainable or profitable, though it can take much longer.

If you don’t see yourself staying with your business idea long enough because you get bored or lack patience, you should reconsider investing in it; otherwise, you’ll just waste time, money, and resources.

. . . 🔥 . . .

Honestly, we never truly know what will work. Sometimes it’s a gamble.

You can do the research, study the experts, dig into the marketplace, and ask people what they think, but sometimes success just comes down to dumb luck. As Tom Petty sang, “even the losers get lucky sometimes.”

Here’s what I do know.

If you have a strong desire to pursue an idea you believe in 100% AND you think you’ll have deep regrets for never doing it, it’s way better to try and fail than never try at all.

GO FOR IT.

I have seen business ideas that I thought were absolutely stupid make millions of dollars, while others I thought were brilliant make no money at all. It’s a 50-50 shot.

That said, the right business idea is the one you choose and try to make happen.

And if it doesn’t work out, you can always pick another from the list.

Besides the fact that I hate paying for yearly memberships on platforms, I have rarely found most apps or programs to be actually beneficial for travelers, and with so many options available for a variety of needs, those small expenses can really add up. It doesn’t take long before you’re spending hundreds of dollars per year on memberships.

But because I love my wife so much AND she promised me we could stay overnight at breweries, I thought, why not give it a whirl?

Here’s what we’ve learned so far.

How the Harvest Hosts program works.

Harvest Hosts is an app and platform that connects you with endless options for unique camping experiences all across North America. You can choose to park your rig at breweries, wineries, museums, farms, amusement parks, and everyday businesses. They also offer an add-on called Boondockers Welcome, which opens up even more properties owned by fellow travelers and adventure enthusiasts.

The way it works is simple.

Open the app on your laptop or mobile device while traveling and search for accommodation options in the area where you plan to be. You will often see plenty of listings that include the following:

• A short bio about the hosts

• Host rating and reviews

• Hours of availability and booking calendar

• Suitability and amenities

• Parking and arrival information

• Photos

• Additional night options

• Financial expectations

Have a question? No problem. You can message the host through the app.

Once you find a property you like, you check the availability, click Request Stay, and the platform does the rest for you.

If you are approved for the stay, you’ll receive a text and email message, along with any additional instructions or information you might need. If you are not approved, you’ll receive a notification that it’s been denied. Please know that not every place will accept you or accommodate your vehicle or setup due to size limitations, availability, or the business being closed.

Additionally, some hosts require advance booking, while others allow same-day booking until 5 pm. The downside to same-day requests is that it can sometimes take hours for the host to respond - or they may not respond at all, leaving you wondering whether you even have a place to camp for the night. But most respond within the hour.

Harvest Hosts is a paid membership service that offers three membership levels to choose from. We have the All Access level and got it for $143.20 in 2025.

Harvest Hosts also expects you to purchase a minimum of $30 of services or products from the business in which you are staying. (This does not include the Boondockers Welcome segment - more on that below.)

So has it all been worth it?

Our experience and opinion.

We became HH members in October of 2025, and since then we’ve stayed at 28 different places for 35 nights along our routes. 11 of these have been breweries. 🍺

All of our stays have been good experiences, and our top places so far, based on the overall experience, would be:

• Wire Road Brewing, Battlefield, Missouri

• Beans and Barley Brews, Ashkum, Illinois

• Honey Haven Farm, Ashland, Ohio

• Air Zoo Museum, Kalamazoo, Michigan

• River Getaway, Ceresco, Michigan - Boondockers Welcome

• Riverbend Retreat, Grand Rapids, Michigan - Boondockers Welcome

• Driftless Retreat, Ridgeway, Wisconsin - Boondockers Welcome

There have been a few places where we requested a stay but never received an answer from the hosts, or they took too long to respond, so we had to go with other options.

We have spent a total of $527.98 on food, drinks, electricity, and water with our hosts during this time, which averages $15 per night. Having spent zero dollars with eight Boondockers Welcome host stays has definitely kept that average low. We like that!

If we add it all together with the Harvest Hosts membership, that’s $671.18, or an average of $23.97 per night for our stays. Compare that to our average hotel rate of $80 or more per night, and this is an absolute win!

Now let me talk about Boondockers Welcome. This was a standalone company until Harvest Hosts acquired it in 2021, and it’s the part of the membership we are quickly starting to love.

Besides staying free, thanks to the hosts' generosity, some places have been beautiful and serene. Not only that, we have now made new friends with some wonderful hosts (see locations above). We had meaningful and memorable conversations with Carolyn, Doug and Melanie, Dave and Kathy, and Lauren and Farmer John. These moments are priceless to us.

All this being said.

YES!!! It has been worth it in our opinion.

Out of all the apps and programs we’ve signed up for, I think this one has been the best for us so far, and we will continue to use this membership as long as we travel.

If you think you’re interested, please do us a favor. Use our affiliate link if you purchase a Harvest Hosts membership. It gets you a discount and gives us an extra free month for each person who signs up, but regardless of any rewards, we definitely recommend it.

Thanks for reading!

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Usually I’m way more of a “glass half full” kind of person, and I don’t like to dwell on the negative, but some things just need to be shared.

As we work our way into summer, I thought I’d share a few tips for anyone who will be visiting a campground this season. You would think that most of these, if not all, would be common sense, but common sense seems to be missing in a lot of people these days. Did they forget to get in line when that was being handed out? 😜

Anyway, these are all things that we have personally experienced during our camping days, so I wanted to point them out as things you should definitely NOT do at a campground…

1. Don’t talk so loudly that the whole campground can hear you.

You might be having a great conversation with someone, but that doesn’t mean everyone in the entire campground wants to listen to it. 😉

I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been sitting at our campsite trying to enjoy the peacefulness of nature, only for some joker several campsites away to share their many stories very loudly. Some people are camping to get away from it all.

2. Don’t let your kids run around and play (loudly) in other people’s campsites.

I think it’s amazing to see so many families camping and I love that kids are out being active and enjoying the great outdoors. But that being said, they shouldn’t be running around in my campsite. Make sure the kids are playing in your own site or in the public areas designated for that - not other people’s sites.

3. Don’t let your dogs run off leash.

Your dog might be the center of your universe and a great pet for you - but that doesn’t mean it’s the center of other people’s universe. Some people aren’t dog people and some people have their own pets and don’t need your dog encroaching on their space. You might think your dog is friendly and would never do harm, but it’s an animal and animals can respond in ways you’d never imagine given the right circumstances. So always, always keep your dog leashed. Not only is it safe for all (including your dog!) but in most places it’s the law.

4. Don’t let your dogs yap nonstop.

I know dogs can see something that gets them excited or on edge and they’ll bark about it. That’s totally understandable. But when someone puts their dog outside and then proceeds to let them bark, and bark, and bark…that is SO annoying to all of us in the area. Nobody wants to listen to that. Again, we’re all trying to get out and enjoy some peacefulness in nature…don’t let your dogs ruin it, please.

5. Don’t leave dog poop behind.

It’s super simple. If you have a pet, you’re responsible for picking up its poop. Nobody else should have to do that and nobody wants to walk around watching out for landmines. 💩

6. Don’t play music loud enough for the entire campground to hear.

We camped out at a place once where there was a group at a campsite all the way across the campground and their music was turned up so loud that literally the entire campground was having to listen to it. I couldn’t believe their audacity.

I know some go out camping to have some fun and party a little - and there’s nothing wrong with that - but you still need to respect the fact that you’re not the only ones there. If you want to be that rowdy and loud, you might be better off finding a remote spot where there isn’t a campground full of other people.

7. Don’t walk through other people’s campsites.

Sometimes it might seem more convenient to cut through a campsite on the way to something else in the campground, but it’s considered very rude to walk through someone else’s site.

We’ve had several camping experiences where people kept walking back and forth through our campsite. It’s not that difficult to go around. I even read a story the other day from someone who said someone literally walked between their vehicle and their RV and came around the corner under the RV's awning. What?! Why on earth would anyone think it’s okay to get all up in someone’s space like that?

Stick to the paths and roads and don’t wander into other people’s space.

8. Don’t annoy campers with your phone volume up all the way.

One night, we had a guy come park himself in a chair right next to our site, then started watching videos on his phone with the volume all the way up. Listening to people using speaker phones in public is a big pet peeve of mine anyway, but when we’re sitting outside by the fire and trying to enjoy a peaceful evening watching the sunset, and then someone shows up and blares the news on his phone…that’s super frustrating.

Please be considerate if you’re in a public space that is right next to someone’s site. Not to mention they make headphones for a reason. 🙄

9. Don’t leave generators running 24/7.

No judgment on how people want to camp, but many of us are out camping because we want to enjoy the great outdoors and the peacefulness of nature. That means we’re sitting outside in the fresh air. If we have to listen to a loud generator, that definitely destroys that peace.

10. Don’t leave bright lights on outside all night.

If you need a motion detector light in case you need to go outside, that’s one thing, but if you have tons of lights strung all over your RV and campsite, it’s nice to have those turned off by a certain time of the evening. Especially if you’re in a dark sky area.

It’s fun to be able to sit and gaze at the stars while camping, but if lots of sites have tons of bright lights glowing, that makes it almost impossible to do that. Plus, those lights can shine brightly into someone else’s campsite, making it harder to sleep.

. . . ⛺️ . . .

There are definitely more things you can do to be a good neighbor to your fellow campers, but these are some of the top ones in our book.

Do you have pet peeves that you would add to this list?

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When Donetta started telling me last week that she found some cool things to do in Kalamazoo, Michigan, I really didn’t pay much attention because I was working, driving, or stupid, and all I heard was Harvest Hosts and the zoo.

Zoo??? Cool! I’m game.

I know she loves zoos and was excited to see some animals, and making her happy is the joy of my life, so I was really confused when we drove up to the listed address and saw … a military airplane!

Apparently, the Air Zoo was once called the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, and this I did not know, but one would think it was self-explanatory. But not to fret, because for my sake, it was going to be an epic experience.

If you didn’t know, I embrace everything military, especially when it’s related to World War II or aircraft. I have loved it since my dad took me to my first airshow and I learned about my mother’s wartime experience. And as a guy who served in the U.S. Army, it’s even more important to keep the history alive.

This was my kinda place.

But I’ve been to some of the best military museums in the country, and such a small place like this couldn’t stack up to the others.

Or so I thought.

The museum and the property itself were immaculate and very special.

Outside, you can walk a track that offers a variety of aircraft on display, including a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 and a McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II. The path is peaceful and fun to walk. They also have a memorial for the Guadalcanal Campaign, where you can sit and reflect, or enjoy a picnic.

We stayed for three nights on their grounds due to their Harvest Hosts opportunity, and I can say it was one of the best and quietest places to sleep. The parking lot is spacious and easy for vehicles of any size to park.

This was also during Memorial Day weekend, and the museum had volunteers place white crosses that lit up at night across the front lawn in perfect rows, like in national cemeteries. What a beautiful way to honor our heroes. 🇺🇸

Inside, the Air Zoo - well, that was totally unexpected!

As I walked in, I immediately noticed the pink P-40 Warhawk, one of the most prolific WWII fighters, hanging from the ceiling. I’ve seen a handful of P-40’s in my lifetime, but never a pink one. I thought someone had desecrated a priceless artifact.

Turns out this fighter belonged to Sue Parish, a member of the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) in World War II, and the wife of Pete Parish, a decorated WWII USMC pilot from the Pacific Theater. Both founded the Air Zoo museum in 1979.

The next thing I noticed was the museum staff.

Excited and welcoming, the front desk greeted us with such enthusiasm, something uncommon these days in any place you visit. Then we spoke with the museum volunteers on the floor, who were not only knowledgeable, but great to interact with. And not to miss a beat, the team that restores the aircraft and manages that part of the mission was wonderful, too. This seemed to be a very happy place to work.

I also met Doc.

He told me his real name, and I apologize for forgetting it. He said he was called that because he served in the U.S. Navy as a doctor during the Korean War. Doc had a warm smile and charisma about him that made me want to spend the day with him. I loved his woodland camo field jacket adorned with a variety of military patches, including one from the Royal Air Force.

The museum is impressive with its wide variety of static aircraft displays, including some of my personal WWII favorites like the North American B-25 Mitchell, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, and the Goodyear FG-1D Corsair. They also have a fully restored American Waco CG-4A Horsa glider, which is a nice treat not often found anymore.

For modern aircraft enthusiasts, Air Zoo also has the only two-seat SR-71 Blackbird in existence, as well as the famous Grumman F-14A Tomcat, a Blue Angels Grumman F11F-1 Tiger, and a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet.

It doesn’t stop there, however; they also have other military, passenger, and space aircraft to enjoy throughout the collection. Almost too much to see in a few hours.

And what Air Zoo might lack in those displays, they really make it up elsewhere!

It won’t take you long to notice how much thought and care went into the place, as you see the floor-to-ceiling masterpieces painted on the walls and how the visuals and theme bring the entire story to life. It was one of the best multi-sensory experiences I’ve encountered at an air museum.

The interactive learning opportunities, flight simulators, amusement rides, and educational classes are, in my opinion, one of the highlights of the museum. There are sections dedicated to the moon landing, space discovery, and even the birth of the comic book era. They also have a cafe with reasonable prices, not to mention a store filled with all kinds of things that made me want to cry like a kid at Christmas.

I also can’t forget the restoration wing of the operation.

Behind the museum is a large hangar filled with other aircraft and displays, but it also houses the shop where historical pieces are brought back to life. Seeing the team work on the last remaining SBD-1 Dauntless in the world was special, and it’s a great way to honor the memory of Ensign Herbert Welton McMinn, USNR, who perished in the crash.

Writing a review about the Air Zoo Museum just can’t do it justice. You have to go there and experience it for yourself.

I admit that when I was told about this place, I really didn’t have high expectations because we’ve been to some smaller museums, and as nice as they were, they just didn’t have much impact. I was blown away by Air Zoo and thankful we stopped!

As a military veteran and enthusiast, I recommend you add this to your list.

Thank you to the entire team there for what they do.

I still remember the first time I met Donetta Wikoff.

It was in the fall of 1986 during my Sophomore year. My girlfriend at the time, and her best friend, wanted to us to meet in the Western Heights Junior High bus parking lot before we went home for the day. She was 14 and a nice girl with a friendly smile, but other than that brief moment, we didn’t really connect beyond that.

It wasn’t until Donetta became a sophomore that I started to see her around school, but it was my senior year and upperclassmen didn’t normally fraternize with younger students because it wasn’t cool. Interestingly though, and for reasons I cannot explain other than I knew her, she started sitting at my lunch table with me and some of my friends. We were OK with it.

What’s even more perplexing was that this sweet and inncocent girl, who constantly earned straight A’s and was the teacher’s pet, had a desire to socialize with a troubled and rebellious stoner guy who hated most of his teachers. Why would such a good girl intentionally choose to spend time with such a bad boy? It was like we were Danny and Sandy from Grease.

It didn’t make any logical sense, but almost every single day, there we were, eating lunch together while sharing our lives in the most uncommon of friendships.

Donetta would listen to my crazy stories of drunkenness and debauchery, while she would share about her life and activities beyond school. She’d also tell me that she graded my papers for my science teacher and that I was smarter than that and could apply myself better. Some things never change! 😝

Eventually, our friendship grew stronger, and outside of school lunch.

We’d spend hours talking on the phone — when you actually had to dial the number and sit tethered to the wall with a landline. We talked about anything and everything. Nothing was off limits. Then during those moments I saw her in person, we’d often share a hug while keeping those conversations going, and despite being worlds apart in almost every way, I started to fall in love with her.

Only she had a boyfriend.

He was a guy whom she’d dated for a couple of years, but their relationship was on shaky ground. Donetta was unhappy and constantly talked about breaking up with him. Even though I had feelings for her and saw an opportunity to move in, I did what best friends do: I convinced her to give him another shot and try to make it work. And they did.

Now remember, I’m NOT a stellar student, and the sheer magnitude of my dumbass idea still has me scratching my head like some shaved ape. What was I thinking? 🤷‍♂️

Regardless, Donetta and I remained friends for the rest of the year, and then in May of 1988, I somehow managed to graduate, probably because my teachers hated me and figured it was easier to kick me out than to keep me there. It seemed our time together was finally over.

But fate would not have it.

After fighting so damn hard to leave Western Heights, and for another reason that cannot be explained, one of my buddies convinced me to go back to watch a high school football game with him in August. I guess we were bored.

As we climbed to the top of the bleachers, there was Donetta, looking beautiful in the stands with her perfectly poofy 80s hair and gorgeous smile! She ran over and gave me a hug. We reconnected in way that was electric and exciting. And now she was single.

Donetta asked us to join her and her friends at the high school dance afterward, which felt really awkward given we had graduated, but I wanted to see more of her, so we agreed to stop by. That’s when I told my friend one day she would be my girlfriend. He replied it would never happen and that she’d never go for a guy like me!

After the game, we arrived at the dance we should probably never have been at, but I found Donetta and her friends dancing on the floor and went to see her.

That’s when it happened.

The lights went down low, the DJ said it was time for a slow dance, and Cheap Trick’s The Flame started to play. She grabbed my hand and asked me to dance. As we embraced each other, we stared deeply into each other’s eyes, getting closer and closer until we kissed. 💋

It was one of the best nights of my entire life, and at some point, I asked her if she would be my girlfriend. She said YES!!

Only a week later, she broke it off.

She told me it was too soon after her two-year relationship with the other guy and that she needed time before committing again, and while I understood her reasons, I was absolutely devastated. I decided it was time for me to accept reality and move on.

Since I was still heartbroken and my 18th birthday was coming up, I decided to throw a big ass party at my house to help me get over it. I invited all my closest friends, bought more beer and alcohol than we could ever drink, and told them to show up when they were thirsty. Maybe this would help me start fresh and get over things.

Fate intervened again.

Donetta, along with my ex-girlfriend, decided to show up for the party. I don’t remember if I actually invited them or not, but there they were. Sometime later, in what felt like some weird intervention, my ex took me aside to my room and asked me to give Donetta another chance because she did want to be with me.

Wait! What???

I was so confused.

Then, like some perfectly orchestrated plan, Donetta walked back to my room, stood in the doorway, and asked if we could talk. She apologized. We talked. Then we kissed. A lot.

That was September 17, 1988. We’ve been together ever since.

Three months later, in what had to be the most romantic proposal ever as we sat on my parent’s couch watching TV, and at the wise old age of 18, I asked her to marry me. I didn’t really have a plan but I did have a $199 ring from Montgomery Wards and one hell of a mullet. And at her mature age of 16, with her beautiful blue eyes, she said yes.

Three years later we made it official.

We were married on May 25, 1991. ♥️

35 years ago today.

It seems highly unlikely that such young people, two high school sweethearts living on a prayer, could make it together, let alone 35 years as a married couple. But here we are!

Our road has not been an easy one.

We have endured difficult struggles, suffered through battles, and faced a lot of uncertainty in our relationship, yet our love for each other has remained strong, and it has kept us going through all the hardships.

Our marriage is not perfect either.

Some days, we butt heads like battling rams because we are both so damn stubborn, and quite frankly, I’m too dumb to see my mistakes or admit them. We fight, make up, and move on. Good times. Bad Times. Just like a Led Zeppelin song.

Which reminds me. Because we are so cool, our wedding songs were Thank You by Led Zeppelin and Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. 🤘

All that said, we have lived an epic life together, and I’m extremely fortunate that a woman could even love me like Donetta does. I think she’s the crazy one in our road life adventure together! She is wonderful and I love her.

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life.

The mother of my children. The keeper of my heart. The never ending voice of reason.

I hope we get many more days and epic adventures together!

Love,

James

When Donetta asked me if I wanted to go to The Ohio State Reformatory, I was less than enthusiastic about visiting a prison. I had worked in a jail as a detention officer a long time ago and had seen all I wanted to see about the locked-up life of a prisoner. But since it was free with our NARM membership,1 I submitted to her request.

Before our arrival, I was informed that this was the place where The Shawshank Redemption was filmed, and even though I only remember about two minutes of the movie, I thought it could be a cool experience to say I was there, so whatever.

Just another thing to check off the list!

Driving up to the location, you’d believe you were visiting some medieval castle resort. The outside was beautiful and welcoming. It was almost too inviting, calling you to come in while giving the sense that you might never leave. I was amazed and intrigued.

My first stop was the men’s room outside. That’s the gift of aging and driving more than 15 minutes after having two cups of coffee. It was a pleasant and uneventful moment.

Walking up to the reformatory, I could see two people peering out the windows. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman! Soon, I realized it was just a cardboard cutout, and I would not be meeting any celebrities today. Well, maybe. I’m not too certain, but I’ll get to that in a few.

As I entered the building, I felt something, something out of the ordinary.

The reformatory opened its doors in 1896, and it was designed to house younger inmates who committed lesser crimes, providing them with the opportunity to learn a trade and receive education that could "rehabilitate their lives. If they did well, they could be released after 18 months, and until the 1960s, the program was very successful.

Unfortunately, it would later become a maximum security prison and ultimately deteriorate under horrible conditions. Over 200 people would die there due to murder, suicide, accidents, and illness. Creepy!

The first levels of TOSR housed many artifacts discovered hidden within its walls and prison cells, and also provided a record of who was there and the prison's purpose. There were also a dozen rooms where the movie The Shawshank Redemption was filmed, filled with signed memorabilia from the writers, directors, and actors, as well as film props.

This was the lighter part of the self-guided tour, but from there it got dark really fast.

We would soon find ourselves in the bowels of the prison, a macabre labyrinth of rotting prisoner cells, solitary confinement hell holes, and eerie rooms where paranormal activities and hauntings have taken place. It all felt so sinister and evil — especially when I entered a haunted room and sat in a lone chair for who knows what.

The air was dank and everything was decayed.

The walls were peeling paint and seemed to be screaming of the tortures of the prisoners who were beaten or killed inside of them.

And that’s when I felt it: something painful inside me telling me it was time to go.

Turns out, I desperately needed a toilet.

I hated to leave Donetta alone in the dark recess of that prison, but there was no time to play the hero card. It was now or never. Wondering if I’d ever see her again, I sprinted down six flights of rickety stairs, past cells and interrogation holes, to reach my final destination. In the nick of time.

Together again, we explored the last eerie wing of the reformatory, where ParaPsyCon VI, a paranormal conference, was about to take place, and we possibly passed TV celebrities who chase Bigfoot and ghosts for a living.

Honestly, I don’t know, and I don’t care, because personally, I think it’s all hokey. Sorry!

After emerging from the reformatory, the sun warmly greeted us, we took our last photos, and climbed into the tan van for other adventures.

Overall, I was grateful for the experience at The Ohio State Reformatory. It was a mix of cool and creepy, set against the backdrop of Hollywood and horror. The staff was fantastic and the memories will last a lifetime. I would certainly do it again!

If you make it to Mansfield, Ohio, this place is a must.

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I don’t know how we find them.

Serendipity.

Providence.

Luck.

Whatever you want to call it, I’m grateful for each and every moment when these things happen, because they are special memories that cannot be manufactured by AI, nor orchestrated in advance. These are the types of stories that last a lifetime.

. . . 🌽 . . .

Honey Haven Farm grows the best sweet corn in all of Ohio. Possibly the world.

I don’t know that for certain because during my recent visit, there was no corn because it’s spring, but I read the reviews and met the owners who claim it is, and honestly it doesn’t matter because it was the people that impressed me!

A seventh-generation farm located in the countryside of Ashland, Ohio, it is owned by John Boyer, known in the community as Farmer John. It was passed on to him by his father, a WWII Veteran who flew C-47s for the airborne divisions, and the place where both men were born and raised.

Farmer John is as real as it comes.

This rugged man came riding up to us on a used four-wheeler as we checked into this Harvest Host spot for the night, while proudly displaying his OSU Buckeye pride and an obvious hard work ethic. We introduced ourselves, and within minutes, you could tell that Farmer John was a down-to-earth storyteller who could touch your soul.

We heard about the history of his farm, his youngest daughter taking over the family business, and how much he loved his work and community. We learned about their sweet corn and why it’s special, as well as their years of business ventures. He even gifted us a pint of pumpkin soft serve ice cream made on the farm.

Like a trusted family member, we were welcomed in and given free rein to explore.

His youngest daughter, Lauren, currently runs the farm and has expanded their business into the garden industry by offering plants, flowers, and herbs, while also raising a flock of 80 sheep. Filled with her own stories, she’s a confident and highly knowledgeable woman who exudes a strong work ethic and passion, just like her father.

John and Lauren are doing something right.

Most of their sales come from word-of-mouth marketing, with a little help from Facebook. The local garden business is growing rapidly, and customers from all over the world keep coming to enjoy the sweet corn and pumpkin patch, which reminds me of a special story I’d like to share.

Farmer John told me about a man he met last year. He noticed the guy had a picture on the wall of himself and his mother standing on John’s front porch. When asked about it, the man told John it had been taken when they visited the pumpkin patch, and that it was the last photo of his mother before she passed.

John looked around some more and noticed several additional photos of the man with family members, taken in the same spot. The man told John that he and his family had been visiting Honey Haven Farm since he was a child, and that they loved it so much that it had become a tradition.

Farmer John was floored. He never knew his farm had done something so special.

As we talked more, similar stories emerged about other families - grandparents, adults, children, grandchilren - coming out to his farm to pick pumpkins, play in the corn maze, and listen to music at the festival while eating homemade ice cream, year after year.

Generations of lives being touched by the farm!

I told John it’s interesting how so many city slickers will scratch and claw their way to the top in order to be rock stars with the dream of leaving an incredible legacy, yet one would never assume a simple country boy raised on an obscure rural farm in Ohio, milking cows and planting pumpkins, could ever reach the hearts of so many people.

To me, that is an impressive legacy, and he is a rockstar!

John’s eyes got a little teary, but I could also see a little twinkle in his eye, much like Santa Claus, and it was then that I knew this man had that kind of special magic.

Eventually we said our goodbyes and we parted ways.

I won’t forget the experience.

. . . 👨‍🌾 . . .

The stories that were shared were priceless to me. John and Lauren are great people with a great heart. And our stay was wonderful and quiet. We’d certainly go back.

We found Honey Haven Farms through our Harvest Host app1, and this is just one great lifetime experience made possible by this platform.

If you ever get to Ashland, Ohio, please be sure to go and visit the farm. Support what they do because they are hardworking Americans who care for their community and their customers. You don’t often find that anymore these days.

Maybe you’ll even discover the best sweet corn in the world!