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!

Everyone who travels full-time has a vehicle filled with items they can’t seem to live without. We’re no different!

Over the last six years, we’ve learned a lot about how to travel, as well as how to adapt our “must-have list” for the kind of adventures we’ve planned. Additionally, we’ve figured out that what we carry largely depends on factors such as weight, size, usage, and vehicle requirements and limitations. Transitioning from a pickup truck with a rooftop tent to a camper van is a challenge that has proven that!

And if I’m being totally honest, most of our disagreements as a couple have centered on what to bring and what to leave behind. More on that later. 🤷‍♂️

That said, I believe sharing what we’ve learned is beneficial not only to those of you who might be planning your own road life adventure in the future, but also to those of you who are already traveling and might need other ideas or solutions today.

So let’s roll!

1. MacBook Pro

We can live without many things, but we can’t live without our computers since we aren’t retired and must keep running our online businesses. We’d be kaput without this very important tool for making money.

Additionally, to make work life easier, we now have a Starlink Mini and a monthly plan because other WiFi options or our T-Mobile hotspot are not always reliable in certain locations.

2. First Aid Kit

As a military veteran and survivalist, I prioritize being ready for any disaster or emergency, and having a proper FAK is critical. It can make the difference between life and death. This is what I carry everywhere.

Yes, it’s expensive, but what is your safety worth to you? It has almost everything needed to treat injuries, ranging from minor to major, that you could encounter.

3. Self-Protection Devices

This is a very sensitive subject, but for those who live and travel within the USA, it’s important to consider self-protection.1

If you don’t want to carry a firearm or deal with the legalities of traveling with one, I highly recommend the non-lethal Byrna SD Launcher, which is legal to carry and used in all 50 states and Canada. We purchased one, and it’s a great backup to a handgun.

We also carry a variety of knives, axes, and bear spray.

4. Survival Kit and Supplies

Along the lines of first aid and self-protection, every traveler should carry essential items in case their vehicle breaks down, they intend to hike or go off-road in the wilderness, or a natural disaster strikes.

Our minimal kit includes items to keep us hydrated and fed for 72 hours, as well as to keep us warm and dry in adverse weather conditions. Additionally, we have a roadside emergency kit and a basic set of tools, duct tape, zip ties, and an air compressor.

If you’d like my professional advice on preparing for disasters, dangers, and emergencies, please message me or comment below.

5. Tabletop Induction Plate

We didn’t want to use propane for cooking, so we have a tabletop induction plate that plugs into our 110-volt outlet to cook our meals. We also carry a MightyMo JetBoil system for a backup, a Ninja air fryer, and a small variety of cooking utensils. These items provide us with a nice range of meal options.

6. BougeRV CR45 Dual Fridge

Our camper van came equipped with a great Bodega fridge, but it doesn’t have enough space for everything we want to carry. Since we had previously purchased a BougeRV dual fridge, we decided to put this in our garage space for freezer items and extra food.

7. Cheap Portable Toilet

At first, I refused to use this included feature because it seemed unsanitary and gross in an enclosed space right next to our kitchen area, but I’m definitely glad we have it now, though we only use it at night and for liquids. It’s nothing fancy, but it serves the purpose, and it’s easy to dump.

8. 400 Watts Solar Panel + Bluetti AC180 w/solar panel

One of the best things our van builder installed was a 400-watt solar panel and battery system that charges as we drive, especially since our offshore battery charger almost caught fire by being plugged in all the time! Now we primarily use solar power, giving us the opportunity to boondock and save money.

We purchased the Bluetti AC180 power system when we had our truck and decided to keep it in our garage space in case we need extra power. It’s been an amazing product.

9. 20 Gallon Water Tank + 5 Gallon Scepter Can

Again, our van builder included the 20-gallon tank and sink system as part of the build and it’s been a huge asset! It makes life easier than hauling and using the two 5-gallon Scepter cans I used to have in the truck. However, I still carry one in our van garage for emergencies.

10. Rooftop HVAC + Portable Fan

It might seem like a luxury, but having air conditioning and heat has been critical, because even when we chase the best weather, there’s no guarantee there won’t be extremes — like the heat wave of south Texas in January and the arctic blast in south Flordia in February!

But we try to use the HVAC sparingly and now have a small 110V portable heater and fan that works for us as needed.

I know there are many van lifers and nomads who get by on much less, and if we were younger, I know we could, too. In fact, the first camper van we tried to purchase didn’t have many of these built-in luxuries, but since that fell through and our current van was equipped with some of these features (and was cheaper), we’re glad for them now.

Of course, we also have items like clothing and toiletries that are required, but everything else we carry is non-essential; we could live without it. Though Donetta would probably disagree.

Which brings me to that discussion. 🤦‍♂️

I’m a hardcore and overly obsessed minimalist. In my perfect world, I’d probably have only a single 27-gallon bucket filled with my essentials, along with my hiking backpack and a load-bearing survival vest with attachments, and maybe my guitar. All of my clothes (10-14 days' worth) fit in one small cabinet. I always think we could do with less, and my belief is just because we can haul it, it doesn’t mean we should.

You don’t need much to live in a van. However, there are two of us, and we are on different ends of the spectrum.

Donetta prefers a variety of clothing and shoe options, more cooking supplies, Scentsy warmers and fragrances, and personal entertainment items, and despite my idiotic lack of understanding for this, she’s not wrong for wanting to bring what she wants to make road life happier for herself. Obviously, we’re just wired differently, but I am grateful for her contributions to our world of ongoing madness. 😝

That said.

Deciding what you can’t live without is always a compromise, especially as a traveling couple. Both people should have an equal opportunity to bring what they want, and even though it’s not an easy process, it can be done with patience and understanding, which this guy is always striving to learn.

So how about you?

I’m really curious about what you can’t live without or what you’ve found useful for your full-time travel adventures. Please share your opinions below.

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I hate big cities.

They’re often filled with miles of traffic and rude people rushing to a job they hate, as well as restaurants and hotels price-gouging tourists because they’re in the middle of the action. Then there’s the overpriced paid parking no matter where you go or the street people harassing you for a dollar or the pollution killing your lungs.

All that stress and anxiety! It’s just not my thing.

But every so often, I discover a city that feels different or has a unique vibe that makes the rest of the unpleasantries pleasant.

Cleveland is a place I never expected to embrace.

For me, it’s not about the Browns or the Guardians, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or even my love for A Christmas Story — all things this city is certainly known for.

I think it’s about the people.

This town boasts a strong community of hardworking, blue-collar Americans who exude pride while continuing to support their beloved sports teams regardless of their win-loss record. Many of the folks I’ve talked with are down-to-earth, a genuine quality to appreciate in this day and age.

Perhaps my affection for The Forest City, as it’s called for the 24,000 acres of green space surrounding it, is also largely due to the cultural influence of European immigrants, evidenced by its architectural beauty and the diverse cuisines available throughout the city. As a Dutch-American, it certainly resonates within my soul.

Cleveland is an eclectic blend of some of the best things life has to offer.

Speaking of …

The Westside Market, with its broad range of fresh-cut meats, seafood, and produce, along with the endless plethora of breads, pastries, pierogis, cheeses, and other prepared food, will make you feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven. Never have I enjoyed such tasty delights in one place. It is easy to spend hours walking here, looking at all the delicacies it offers. You just gotta visit if you get the chance!

That’s not all.

One cannot discuss Cleveland without talking about beer. Great Lakes Brewing has perfected its craft and offers a wide selection that will make your mouth water. Their Vibacious Double IPA and Christmas Ale are among the best beers I’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking. The food is also worth mentioning.

For other amazing breweries in the area, I’d recommend Dark Room Brewing in Geneva and Eleven Three Brewing in Chardon. You can’t go wrong there either.

Right now, we’re completing our third road trip to Cleveland and Northeast Ohio (NEO) as we housesit for some of our best friends, and I can honestly say I never expected to fall in love with this part of the United States.

The wooded landscape is filled with towering trees and rolling hills. The weather is cool and mild for the beginning of summer. And the variety of wildlife scurries about in search of food as the rain trickles down. It’s a slower pace of life here. It feels so peaceful and welcoming. Maybe someday it could even be home.

The best part of these experiences, however, is being able to share them with the people you care about most: friends and family who bring you joy and a smile.

We would’ve never discovered this part of NEO without Brent and Michelle, who have always opened their home and their hearts to us since we met them. I’m glad they moved here and shared Ohio with us in the way they have.

As for the Rock Hall of Fame. Yeah, it’s a groovy experience and worth the visit if you love music and the artists who created it, but it pales in comparison to the rest.

Finally, the thing about road trips is you never know what you might find. Sometimes you go into it expecting it to be what it’s like in your mind, but soon discover it’s the complete opposite. That’s been Cleveland, Ohio, for us.

So as you plan your travels, keep an open mind. It might just change your life.

When I was a teenager, two of my friends and I decided to go swimming in a river not far from my home. It had been raining for days, and with the sunshine back and summer in full swing, we decided to get in the water.

The South Canadian River is a place we knew well. We had partied there hundreds of times in the summer, climbing to the top of the old bridge at night while being drunk, or noodling for catfish along the banks during the day. It was a place to escape and get high with friends, but it was also very dangerous for many reasons. Only we were young and believed the rules didn’t apply to us.

It almost cost us our lives.

Despite the quicksand and the fast-moving river, and the adults standing there telling us we shouldn’t attempt to swim, we ignored all the warnings. Within minutes, the calmer waters turned into an unstoppable force, dragging us to the deeper water under the bridge. We were good swimmers, but nothing could have prepared us for the moment we were violently taken under and forced against the loads of debris trapped around the bases of the bridge support columns.

It felt like being hit by a truck while being stabbed by dozens of sharp branches. I was trapped, almost out of breath, and it was then that I realized I was going to die. The only thing that saved me was remembering to stay calm.

So I felt my way around in the murky and strong currents, navigating a relentless patchwork of trees and garbage, while pulling myself upwards towards the top, and finally, before I lost the last bit of air in my body, I surfaced.

As I climbed to the top of the pile of debris smashed against the huge concrete base, I noticed that both my friends were stuck on other bridge columns. We were spent and scared as hell, but we were alive.

But the battle was far from over; we still had to make it back to shore.

After waiting what seemed like an eternity to regain our strength and composure, we figured out our best shot at survival was to pick a landing spot downriver and jump out into the raging water at a 45-degree angle while holding onto driftwood like a life preserver, hoping the current would carry us to our destination back on land. The three of us summoned the courage and leaped out in faith.

We cheated death and lived to talk about it.

…

When I think about how many times I’ve needlessly put myself in danger, it’s amazing I’m still alive, and as stupid as those decisions were - many I’d never choose to make again - those moments have also led me in overcoming some of the greatest challenges of my life. They’ve also left me with some very memorable stories!

Isn’t that the point of adventure, though? To experience those moments where we embrace the unknown, setting aside our fears to try something many people think is stupid, and hoping we don’t die in the process.

It seems foolish now to put ourselves in harm’s way to achieve something we’ve set our minds to, but then what would life be like without ever taking any risks?

Jeanne Baret. Ernest Shackleton. Amelia Earhart. Jacques Cousteau. Jenny Tough. Felix Baumgartner. Gerline Kaltenbrunner. Alex Honnold.

These are just a handful of courageous people, past and present, who set aside their fears to attempt the impossible for the sake of adventure and who have cemented their legacies in history. I admire them all for their daring feats, and I’d argue that without their accomplishments, we’d never believe the impossible is possible.

Still. I don’t have the guts to attempt the kinds of things they did.

I have no desire to push myself in that way anymore because I love life too much to take that kind of risk and I’m OK with that. However, I can still take other kinds of risks that make for great adventures and stories.

You can too!

…

As we age, we tend to make smarter decisions based on our life experiences, and more often than not, we’ll go out of our way to reduce our risk, which is understandable given how much we’ve learned since our youth. Yet I also believe doing so robs us of the adventures our hearts continue to seek and the stories we could be telling today. It often feels tragic that our “best days” are behind us.

Here’s my case in point.

In my conversations with older people from all walks of life, I rarely hear exciting tales of modern adventure. There’s no discussion about them doing something dangerous yesterday, unless it was forgetting to take a medication, nor is there any mention of them doing something exciting on the road less traveled. I can see no spark within their eyes as they strive to remain comfortable.

Then, when I ask them about their past, these same people will spend hours telling me about the harrowing adventure stories of their youth with such passion and energy that it’s intoxicating. The spark is reignited as they remember those days when they faced crazy challenges or came close to dying. They felt alive again.

It’s both funny and sad. Interesting really.

We spend our earliest days doing stupid things that are scary, yet exciting to the soul, but as we get older, we stop taking any risks, while our souls cry for more adventure.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

…

In The Dark Side of Van Life, I shared a bit of the drama we’ve experienced lately in our little world of travel. It really resonated with readers, which surprised me, and it was amazing to receive all the comments and advice! Interestingly, the responses that really stood out were from people who didn’t think it was worth the adventure.

I totally get it.

The thought of traveling in a wind-blown box all day, every day, with your significant other can seem a bit self-abusive, especially with the added stress of driving into a city under government siege or wondering if all the crazy ass drivers in Florida are going to kill you before the humidity does. It sounds risky, right? Of course, our challenges are nothing compared to the real dangers the adventurers mentioned above faced, but hey, we could still die.

However, how would we know if van life is worth it without ever trying it?

The same could be said for when we started our full-time travel adventure in 2020, when, despite all the warnings and dangers around us, we decided to go for it. People shook their heads, said we were stupid or irresponsible for going out in a pandemic, and feared it could potentially kill us or others.

In both instances, the risks were absolutely worth it.

Our road life adventure has been far from perfect, but we’ve faced some of the greatest challenges of our lives while making new, exciting memories almost every day, and rather than sitting around thinking about the past, we’re focused on the future. We’re still creating sparks. That’s a huge difference!

Now let’s talk about you.

I believe some of you are constantly dreaming about adventure and your soul is crying out to experience it, but you’ve convinced yourself that it’s not worth the risk and that it’s better to be safe than sorry. You’re letting fear control every decision about moving forward with your own story.

Here’s the irony in it all.

You can do everything possible to avoid the shitty consequences in life and still end up in a shitty situation. All the planning, preparation, and precautions won't guarantee you’ll be safe, and it certainly won’t keep you from dying eventually. So why not take those risks and enjoy this life to the fullest?

Here’s one thing you should also know.

Adventure doesn’t require you to be dangerous.

We often romanticize the idea that real adventure involves summiting the tallest mountains, jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, or rafting down a raging river, and though they are inspiring feats, you don’t have to put your life in harm’s way to make it count.

Adventure is what you make of it. The important thing to remember is to challenge yourself by doing something uncomfortable or difficult, or by achieving a goal you didn’t think was possible. That’s what matters and makes for a good story.

Now for the big question.

Maybe it’s finally time for you to take some risks before it’s too late.

With so many problems in our country right now that could prevent us from pursuing our dreams in the future, and with life getting shorter every day, it could be a great time to let go of the fears holding you back so you can experience the joy your soul longs for. And rather than thinking about all the bad things that could happen, start focusing on the good things that are likely to happen.

Going for it could will change your life. You owe it to yourself to try.

For me, living out the rest of my days just trying to be comfortable in the safe zone sounds boring, and I’d rather die pushing the limits of what I think is possible, rather than allow fear to keep me from experiencing more adventures. I want more incredible stories to tell. I hope you do, too.

Remember, the best days are not behind us if we don’t want them to be.

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Last week, I spent time thinking about all things writing, especially in relation to the growing discourse on AI use and the ongoing degradation of travel writing. When I came across this article from Between the Dots, it made me question the purpose and future of publications like Road Life Adventure.

The author discusses how the internet and the rise of travel influencers have changed the way we travel, as well as the demise of great resources like Lonely Planet. One quote in particular that really stood out to me was this:

Without a doubt, I have noticed a trend towards professionally curated and edited images, often accompanied by AI-generated writing that feels more like an inauthentic marketing message than heartfelt stories about adventure. It has become more about capturing likes than captivating an audience.

I have detested the standard kind of articles that many travel publications and writers have produced for years, the type of commoditized posts that simply reduce travel to a top ten list of places to see and check off, while pandering to the algorithms and search engine gods in order to be noticed. Sadly, I have also been guilty of these kinds of practices in the past, but I am fighting hard against them today.

During my time of contemplation, I fixated on whether travel writing in the future has any hope of sustainability or if it will be killed off by mass-produced content mostly created by machines, or destroyed by the dopamine hits provided by video. And there’s no denying that video killed the radio star!

It’s far easier for people these days to consume reels and shorts than to read a lengthy article, which is evidenced by the billions of views for travel-related videos and the insanely exponential growth of YouTube or TikTok. Humans are more inclined to be entertained by good-looking influencers on screen than to engage in the critical thinking required of diving into a good book, guide, or publication. This is not a slam on those who prefer video to reading, but a testament to how culture has changed since the internet’s inception.

Ultimately, this is why Donetta and I attempted to complement our writing endeavors and gain traction with our YouTube channel.

Yet as we tried to plan, film, edit, and publish our videos, it became quite overwhelming, and honestly, felt inauthentic because the focus was on entertaining viewers rather than inspiring them to step away from the screen to seek their own adventure. It also kept us from being present in the moment. So we put it on pause.

The same can be said for Instagram. We deleted our Road Life Adventure account because it was a stagnant recollection of mostly curated images designed to get likes.

Thankfully, millions of people love to read, which is good news, because we truly love writing about and sharing our experiences with you. Still, this leads me to ask an important question and to seek your input.

What compels you to want to read about travel?

I’m very curious as to what draws you in the most and makes you want to learn more, in addition to subscribing to any travel publication on Substack or other platforms.

Of course, it can be all of these, a combination, or none, but this poll feature doesn’t give me enough options, so I’ll concentrate on one thing. If you have additional input, I sincerely appreciate it if you drop it in the comments section below.

When I consider the enshitification of the travel and hospitality industry as a whole, paired with the demise of great writing and the increase of AI-produced content, it is extremely valuable to gather feedback. Donetta and I dream of building a future here and someday earning a living from travel writing and our Road Life Adventure brand, but we also don’t want it to become like every other curated experience online, either.

Is there a future in travel writing? Please tell us what you think.

Every person who responds and shares their input will be entered into a drawing for a free gift from our online store, which will also be getting a facelift, new products, and hand-drawn artwork made by yours truly soon.

Thank you for reading!

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I was scrolling through Substack recently when I came across a great note by Brandi Wiatrak. It had some great discussion in the comments as well and it really started me thinking. She was saying she doesn’t like sharing her article links on Facebook for the people she knows in real life - that it’s easier to write for strangers on the internet, basically.

I can 100% relate to that. I’m a fairly private person and I don’t necessarily want to bare my soul to people I know in real life. But sharing with people who don’t know me is much easier! I told her I used to have a blog many, many years ago, and not only did I name it something else, but I also didn’t put my real name anywhere on it. I wanted it to remain anonymous so that nobody could search and find my writings. I felt like it was easier to write about the things on my mind and be truly authentic if I didn’t have to worry about what people I knew were thinking of my words.

So what does this have to do with travel and why am I sharing this here?

I discovered early on in our travels that that’s one of the things I love about our lifestyle. Being able to go to a new place where nobody knows us and we don’t have to live up to any expectations, act a certain way, dress a certain way, or anything like that is so freeing. I kind of felt like I could truly be myself and even reinvent myself if I wanted to.

It was an amazing feeling. One that I didn’t even know I was missing.

While community is great and it’s amazing to be around friends, I think we sometimes end up in a rut and just do what’s expected of us, without bringing any sense of adventure or spontaneity. I love that our travels allow us to do just that. It’s not like I’m out there being a completely different person and I’m totally inauthentic when I’m around people I know, but the pressure to follow the status quo disappears when you’re around people you don’t know and will probably never see again. I feel like it truly opens your eyes to things you may not have seen or experienced before, when you don’t have to worry about what others think of you.

Do you feel that way as well? Whether it be with your writing or while you’re out exploring the world, do you get a sense that you can truly be yourself and feel a little freer when you’re writing for strangers, or when you’re in a place where nobody knows you? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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When I published my frustrations with van life earlier this year, I never expected it to resonate with so many people!

The responses we received were insightful and deeply appreciated, but we also we feel like we connected with a group of adventure travelers we’d love to meet in person someday as we continue our journey. There is so much we can learn from each other and having a community of kindred spirits is priceless. So thank you to everyone who has shared their thoughts so far.

…

As a writer, I used to struggle with the idea of being real because so often in society, we are taught to only share the good life with our readers. Afterall, the feel good stuff is what sells whether it’s about business, health, wealth, or travel. The idea is to make people believe in the fantasy and get them to buy into it. That just isn’t me.

While I never want to come across as pessimistic or negative, there is a reality of life where things don’t always go as planned, contrary to what those beautiful, glossy magazines or Instagram photos lead us to believe, and having traveled full-time for almost six years now, I can say the good life isn’t always so good.

Therefore, when we get the opportunity to share our experiences with you, we certainly want it to be honest and real because you deserve the truth, which is why I think this article did as well as it did.

But I don’t want the conversation to end there either.

In thinking about our overall experience so far, as well as some of the comments from readers, I don’t want it to come across as in I hate traveling because that’s not the truth either. I absolutely love being a digital nomad couple and having the freedom to explore no matter what the mode of transportation might be, even in times it feels uncomfortable or stressful, or when I’d really prefer a hybrid approach1 instead.

However, there are great benefits of van life, too.

In February for example, we visited Navarre Beach, Florida, while boondocking in a guy’s backyard only five minutes from the beach. We’d get up in the morning and drive over to the mostly empty parking lot to spend the day overlooking the ocean, while working from the comfort from the van. Aside from the gas and food we paid for anyway, this was all free. A hotel there would’ve easily cost $150 per night or more.

Thanks to Harvest Host, (affiliate link) we’ve crashed at breweries, farms, a military museum, and a church parking lot, mostly for free or from purchasing beer or food that we’d buy anyway. They haven’t all been epic experiences with great views or perks, most of those moments have been memorable and fun.

Along our routes, we’ve also camped at several state and national parks, all for less than $30 per night for full hookups and facilities, while being very close to beautiful places to explore. The most memorable ones this year so far were Quartz Mountain State Park in Oklahoma, E.G. Simmons Conservation Park in Florida, and Padre Island National Seashore in Texas. And that’s only a few.

So there is a huge benefit to van life in this way because you can easily find free or cheap places to stay that are close to epic destinations.

Aside from the angry and impatient drivers on the road, or the high winds blowing us around like paper and making my butthole pucker, traveling in the camper van has been mostly easy.

Unlike the bigger rigs or trailers, we can park in a standard parking spot, and when we figure out where we want to stop, the most difficult thing we do is getting the van level and plugging into shore power if we need it. It’s just that simple.

I certainly don’t miss having to shimmy myself under a hardshell tonneau cover and rooftop tent on the truck for what we need or lugging in a full rolling cart of supplies like we did while staying in hotels.

Living in the camper van has made my life a hell of a lot better in that respect, especially now that we’ve figured out what we need and where to store it.

I’m also very thankful for our van despite those challenges I wrote about before because without it, we probably would’ve had to settle down and live a conventional life, and I can’t even begin to think about how much that would suck!

When we started our journey, we lived in hotels and resorts, which were a lot cheaper then. Now, the standard rate in a fairly decent hotel is $100 per night, but if you want a better experience, those rates are a lot higher without any added benefits. Even our Hilton Vacation Club points don’t bring us the crazy value we used to get, which saved us thousands of dollars and earned us weeks of free stays between 2021-2024.

With the cost of everything rising and income fluctuating, the van provides a solid living option. Even if we couldn’t continue to drive around the United States full-time, we could park it at an RV resort like Southern Aire, and manage to survive in a nice community. Additionally, we could also rent out the van for income to offset the costs.

All that being said, there are bright sides to van life, and I don’t want everyone to think it’s horrible, because it’s not. It’s nowhere near perfect (nothing ever is) and there are those things I wish could be different, but I’m mostly glad that we took this leap of faith. We would’ve never known what van life was like if we didn’t do it, plus it gives us more content to write about and share. LOL!

In conclusion, I’d like to give you this advice if you’re thinking about going this route as a solo traveler or as a couple.

Spend the money and rent a camper van for at least a week or a month if you’re able. Take it somewhere where there are hills and wind, and do it without much planning in advance. Drive it on the highways and backroads. Cook in it and poop in it, preferably not at the same time. Park in a secluded place and close to railroad tracks. Pack only what you need and don’t take a shower for days. Then, you will have a small taste of what van life is like. Maybe this will be better in helping you decide.

As for us, we will continue on. We’ll get more comfortable with it and learn how to adapt as we go. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Thanks for reading! 🚐