• Prevents trailer sway during emergency maneuvers, poor road conditions or heavy winds
• Activates brakes independently of driver and brake controller
• Easy plug-and-play installation; module mounts on trailer and plugs in 7-way
Rigorously tested, microprocessor technology precisely detects trailer movement and provides active alerts through the OneControl app.
Motion-sensing technology prevents sway by detecting trailer movements that are not controlled by your weight distribution hitch and applying the trailer brakes
While many of today's weight distributions have some sway protection, True Course protects drivers from movement outside the normal range.
The whole point of weight distribution is getting the correct amount of weight moved from the rear axles to the front axles of your vehicle. Current weight distribution hitches take an all-or-nothing approach: loaded or unloaded. Our composite LITEFLEX® bars make it possible to fine-tune your setup with just the pump of a handle.
Single
Composite bars are lighter-weight and 5x more flexible than steel, but with similar strength.
Our tapered composite spring bars made with LITEFLEX ® technology by Hendrickson cover 600 - 1,600 lb tongue weight. Preset head angle works for every setup pivot point eliminates noise and wear points Unload the bars by simply twisting the needle valve knob. Load the bars by pumping the handle until desired weight is transferred to the front axle. Pressure gauge to ensure a repeatable setup Setup is all done on the driver’s side.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD NEWS that makes you so excited and sad simultaneously? That’s what this publisher letter will be for me.
This is issue 24 of Rootless Living, and issue 25 -- our December 1, 2023 -- issue will be our last issue of Rootless Living magazine.
We are going to merge Rootless content into RV Today. RV Today will become the magazine for every type of RVer, whether you are looking to buy your first RV, are already a seasoned traveler, or are on the road sometimes, part-time or full-time.
As you know, Rootless Living was geared toward the full-time RVer, a tiny percentage of RV ownership. When we launched RV Today, it grew to double what Rootless Living was able to in three years and did that in less than a year.
It’s hard to get an exact number, but some sources report around 1,000,000 people living in an RV full time while working and traveling. On the other hand, 45 million RV owners and another 20-30 million households would love to buy an RV.
Even though I see the merger of Rootless Living with RV Today as a good thing, I have even better news. Starting in 2024, we will launch a new magazine catering to people wanting to escape for short trips and adventures. Be on the lookout for our latest magazine -- geared toward the weekend traveler -- called WKNDR. In the pages of WKNDR, we'll cover
adventures of all types for RVers and non-RVers alike. You'll get road trip ideas, read about Airbnbs, cabins, and tiny home rentals, and find the best hiking trails, parks, and more. We might even cover stories of renting RVs, and boats, going on cruises, and resort stays. Learn about unique spots to stop and visit and where to find the best food this country offers along your route.
As a Rootless Living subscriber, you can transfer your subscription to RV Today or WKNDR magazine. You will receive an email in the next few weeks asking which magazine you want to continue receiving. If you are already a subscriber to both Rootless Living and RV Today, we will automatically transfer your Rootless Living subscription to WKNDR magazine.
I hope you are as excited about this new path for both magazines as we are. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@ rvtoday.com.
Until the next (and our last issue), stay Rootless …
Demian Ross, Publisher @demianrossdemian@rootlessliving.com
As each issue of Rootless Living comes together, an organic theme tends to arise. In this issue, we explore the impacts of living small, including principles of slow travel and stoicism, strategies from a mental health professional for preparing to downsize, and organization tips from a mobile professional organizer. These are aspects of full-time travel and tiny living that we don’t typically cover, but they’re the real grit behind the lifestyle. I love the different perspectives that this issue brings to light and encourage you to reach out with your own! Email us at collab@rootlessliving.com to share your story.
Jess Stiles Managing EditorON THE COVER:
Kim and Marco Brugnoli love different locations and experiences as they travel full time. Keep up with their stays by following them on Instagram @away_everyday
Issue 24 • Oct/Nov 2023
Publisher: Demian Ross
Chief Editor: Nikki Kirk
Managing Editor: Jess Stiles
Editorial Assistant: L. Merredith
Art Director: Melinda Galjour
Operations Manager: Jamie May
Copy Editor: Kristin Skaggs
Advertising: sales@rootlessliving.com
@rootlessliving
/rootlessliving
@rootlessliving
ROOTLESS LIVING MAGAZINE PO Box 437, Jennings, OK 74038
Disclaimer: One of the great things about digital publications is the ability to link you directly to the products or services you want to hear more about. Some of the links in this issue are affiliate links where we earn commissions on goods or services you buy. These commissions help us to continue to publish the magazine. Rootless Living is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@rootlessliving.com
Copyright © 2023 Blue Compass Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited submissions.
Tal Nimrodi
Ori Haberman-Browns
Gretchen Watson
Megan Price
Adam and Chelsea Gibson
Tiffany Mitchell
Gwen Ram
Jayne Nell
Brandyn Shoemaker
Lauren Lynass
Amanda Pelser
Matt and Laurie DuShane
Amy Rupp
Josh Fuss
Roxanne and Gary Brooks
Xiomara Romero
Holly Radice
Shea Smith
Kim and Marco Brugnoli
Kym Tyson
Want to be a part of the next issue? Reach out to us at collab@rootlessliving.com
SHANNON MURRAY
@snorkelsandsnowpants
Sailing vs. RVing
Shannon and her partner, Bobby, are traveling the world together, one exciting destination at a time. Initially, their travel was mostly international, but recently they’ve discovered all that RVing has to offer.
Shannon posts tales of their journey on her website at snorkelsandsnowpants.com
@theboatnotes
Kidnapped by a Mexican Horse
Going back and forth between their RV and their 38-foot catamaran, Olivia and her family enjoy traveling all over the world. She enjoys sharing both the highs and lows of their incredible journey on her blog, theboatnotes.com
NICOLL DAVIS
@livingtinywithawolf
Valley of Fire State Park
Nicoll and her husband, Jake, travel full time with their two dogs and one wolfdog. She shares travel guides for their favorite destinations and tips for traveling full time while living tiny on her blog, livingtinywithawolf.com
ADAM AND KATHRYN FRAZER
@adventuresofaplusk
Hot Springs National Park
Adam, Kathryn, and Kona are an adventurous married couple and their pup living on the road in their self-converted Sprinter van! Find them driving all over, scoping out the best coffee shops, eating tacos and ice cream, and enjoying nature. For their detailed travel guides, check out adventuresofaplusk.com and their YouTube channel, adventuresofaplusk
“We
“It
“We
“Skooliepalooza
“I WANT TO encourage anyone who has dreamed about this lifestyle to try it!” This is what full-time nomad Tiffany Mitchell says when it comes to RVing. In 2021, she and her husband, Steve, packed their belongings into their 2018 Winnebago View 24D and set off with their son, Noah. “We decided to go full time for a few reasons. Our monthly expenses are lower, and we have family on both coasts, so this lifestyle makes it more comfortable to do extended visits with our loved ones across the country.” She also says their jobs benefit from travel because Steve is a musician, and she works remotely.
Working as a photographer and videographer, Tiffany has many other passions, too. She is a digital and traditional illustrator, with her most recent illustrations appearing in a cookbook called “Southern Lights.” She also does nail art and is in the process of starting a small side business designing and selling handmade press-on nails. “I worried that moving into the RV would strip away my creative interests, but that hasn’t been the case! I’m able to accomplish a lot in our 400-square-foot home on wheels.”
Tiffany said boondocking with friends above Telluride, Colorado, on Last Dollar Road is one of her top travel memories. “We were in the mountains, above the clouds, and it felt like we were on another planet. I remember sitting by the campfire next to our home on wheels at sunset, thinking, ‘I cannot believe this is our life.’”
The RVing lifestyle can be for anyone willing to grab it, and this is what Tiffany most wants to share. Though there’s always an adjustment period, she feels most RVs are just as equipped as sticksand-bricks houses, so moving into one is not as dramatic a transition as many may think. “The adventure is there for you whenever you decide to go for it!” she said. “We have zero regrets!”
For more on Tiffany’s adventures, check her out on Instagram and TikTok @tifforelie and YouTube @neatview
MANY FAMILIES START their full-time travel with a one- to two-year mission to see all the places and do all the things. We figured out rather quickly that this wasn’t going to work for us, and that our family would thrive best if we moved at a slower pace.
In October 2020, five days after having our son, our family of five moved into our 28-foot travel trailer. We were stationary, as I was still teaching at a local school and was required to live nearby despite working virtually. In June 2021, I resigned from my teaching position, and we hit the road with our 5- and 3-yearold daughters and our 9-month-old son.
Those first few months of stationary living were a blessing to our family because we were able to adjust to this new lifestyle in a familiar place. We didn’t have to worry about where we were going or what we
were doing, and we definitely didn’t feel pressured to meet a timeline of checking destinations and activities off our list. Sure, stationary living wasn’t the most exciting way to start off this rootless journey, but I really recommend it, especially for those with younger kids.
It wasn’t until June 2021, when we officially hit the road, that we realized we prefer to stay at locations for longer than four to five days. With small children, homeschooling, and working from the road, it just makes sense to us to take our travels nice and slow.
We don’t really make extensive plans—we have an overall idea of what area we want to be in and the activities we want to do as a family, but over time, we have also gotten comfortable with knowing those plans may change. In November 2021, for instance, we broke a leaf spring in Winslow, Arizona, on our way to Texas. After an extended stay in the area, we decided to turn around and head back to California for additional maintenance. Mechanical difficulties aside, I actually appreciate my newfound time freedom compared to the detail of a school schedule—it can be nice to leave things open!
Since we travel with three children, our plans are centered around them, and they love spending time with their grandparents. Our parents have been a blessing to us and have allowed us to moochdock at their houses, which means we can see extended family more often than we typically would.
We also use a Thousand Trails camping membership that allows us to stay at participating campgrounds for up to two weeks at a time without paying the campground’s nightly fee. This membership has really allowed us to make the lifestyle work financially, as the cost of our camping pass for the year is about as much as a weeklong stay at a private campground.
We have also enjoyed using this
membership for traveling slowly, because we meet other traveling families who also like to stay longer in a campground, and we’re able to build friendships, schedule playdates, and plan future meetups. Building and maintaining friendships on the road is crucial for sustainability, so this has been a huge plus.
Another benefit to slow travel is our ability to balance work, homeschooling, and regular life. There are so many moving pieces when you take your family on the road. In order to accomplish everything, it’s important to keep some type of structure. Staying at a location for two or more weeks at a time really allows our family to settle into the spot and get adjusted so we can
successfully accomplish all our other obligations. We make sure our locations have internet access by reading reviews or asking in social media groups. We also make sure the places we stay have plenty of outdoor spaces for the kids to explore, so we can have our space to get some work done quietly.
Slow travel isn’t everyone’s dream when they start traveling full time, but for our family, it is what has worked best. We’ve been able to evaluate our family’s needs, build relationships, and successfully work at the same time. When the kids are older, we may find ourselves moving a little faster, but for now we’ll keep our slow and steady pace.
Find
Gwen and her family on Instagram @roamwiththerams
By Shannon Murray
ARE YOU CONSIDERING a nomadic life, either on the road or by sea? We began our rootless lifestyle on a sailboat before transitioning to an RV. Both offer adventure and freedom, and both have unique pros and cons.
I will never forget splash day, when we dropped our boat in the water for the first time. We watched the sunset from the deck, and I was ready to sail the world! There’s a timeless allure to sailing that can’t be rivaled by RVing, but ultimately, we chose the full-time road trip life.
Of course, a big part of your experience is always going to depend on your rig—a truck camper versus a sleek catamaran is a very different comparison than a 40-year-old monohull versus a Class A motorhome, and we can’t cover all of that here. Let’s look at some other important factors that might affect your decision.
Weather is a factor for both boating and RVing, but it plays a far more crucial role in the water. You don’t plot an RV route by the day’s weather, but if you’re crossing from Florida to the Bahamas, it’s your number one concern.
Further, if you find yourself relying on your sails, as most sailors eventually will, you’re wholly at nature’s mercy. Of course, your sails can also be a lifesaver if your engine fails!
On our very first sailing trip, the engine overheated and we had to travel on wind alone. If the RV breaks down, you’re stuck until the tow truck arrives.
This depends on each boat and RV, but we had a 30-foot sailboat, and currently have a 35-foot travel trailer. While similar in size, there is so much more room in the trailer! We have a primary bedroom with a door, while the sailboat had a v-berth that was seriously cramped. The kitchen and living spaces are similar, but we also have an office in the trailer. Perhaps my favorite upgrade in the RV? The full bathroom, including a separate shower. On the boat, you could sit on the toilet, shower, and wash your hands in the sink simultaneously. The storage space is similar, and we’ve found it to be adequate in both.
One thing we didn’t consider until living aboard was that on a boat, there is nowhere to go. Your vessel is all there is, unless you want to climb into the dinghy and trail behind. We actually started calling it the “time out dinghy.” In the RV, it’s easy to get out and go for a walk if you need a little space.
Most people already know how to drive, but boating has its own set of rules and regulations that have to be learned. Boating licensing requirements vary by state, but we learned to boat in Florida, where a license isn’t required, so our training started the second we put her in the water.
Luckily, there is far less traffic in the water than you’ll encounter on the road, generally speaking. We’ve also found boaters to be more forgiving than other drivers.
One beauty of both RVing and sailing is the availability of free places to stay, whether you’re boondocking or mooring. While not all mooring is free, there are tons of options that are. The best boondocking sites are generally in the western states on public land, but it can be done in a Walmart parking lot too. Rates for RV parks and marinas vary widely. Boats generally dock by footage, whereas RVs have a flat fee regardless of size.
Boating, and especially sailing, is a physically demanding activity, and while it’s rewarding for some, it’s a struggle for others. I’m five feet tall, and it was frustrating to not be able to see over the cabin from the wheel, and to fight to raise the sails. I know I probably need to lift weights, but the biggest hurdle for me was the strength factor. Short of a blown tire, RVing is far more leisurely and really has no physical comparison to sailing.
According to some sources, RVs can depreciate as much as 50% within five years of ownership, while boats depreciate at a slower rate. Upkeep is everything, but there are 45-year-old sailboats selling for $30,000. In comparison, most RVs from the 1970s are worth less than $10,000. On the flipside, free boats abound, but good luck finding a free RV!
Fuel is another cost to consider. Whether it’s a motorhome or tow-behind, it takes a lot of gas or diesel to fuel a trip in an RV. Even with great fuel efficiency on our truck, we spend hundreds of dollars moving the rig each month. The sailboat, on the other hand, was phenomenal on fuel consumption. Between saving by sailing and the efficiency of the diesel engine, we only filled up every month or two.
Visit the 2024 Florida RV Supershow in January and the Miami International Boat Show in February. They’re just a few weeks apart and a few hours away from each other. Both are some of the largest shows of their kind, featuring thousands of rigs and boats for sale, along with educational lectures and social events.
Join a Facebook group related to a specific RV or boat make and model, where you can get honest feedback and learn about common issues. These types of groups helped us figure out what RV we didn’t want to buy, and gave us some critical boating help when we couldn’t figure out how to fill our water tank.
Rent an RV and stay on a boat for a week each! Find rentals on sites like Outdoorsy and Airbnb.
The goal of a nomadic life is freedom, and both full-time sailing and RVing offer more than most people will ever experience. But which one offers the most freedom? Well, boats can cross the world, bounce between countries, and be in the Bahamas today and Chile next month. RVing is tied to a country, or at the very least, a continent. Even driving the Pan-American Highway from Mexico to South America requires a ferry, due to an impassable section of jungle in Panama.
I’m thankful we were able to experience both sailing and RVing to determine which one resonated with us. We have been fortunate to visit a variety of unique destinations, and both lifestyles have kept us out in nature, which we love!
Find Shannon and Bobby on Instagram @snorkelsandsnowpants or at snorkelsandsnowpants.com
Our 2024 models are beginning to roll out of our factory and onto dealer lots. With a focus on style, comfort, and the best entertainment options, you may feel so at-home in your Newmar that you’ll forget to step outside. Whether you’re the adventurous type or perfectly at home staying in, the new lineup is full of coaches that are sure to fill you with excitement.
See the lineup rolling out at NewmarCorp.com
By Jayne Nell
Carolina from Iowa, I knew to expect a big change in the cost of living. In Iowa, I was renting a two-bedroom house for $750 a month. In Asheville, you would be hard pressed to find a studio or 1-bedroom for less than $1,400. Due to the lack of affordable housing in the area, many people resort to finding roommates online. While these methods can lead to positive experiences, I’ve sworn them off after a particularly dysfunctional roommate experience.
As I set out to find a new living situation, I toured many apartments that left much to be desired despite being far outside my price range. Morale was at an all-time low when I came across a Facebook Marketplace listing that caught my eye: “Bus for rent.” There was only one photo, and a very sparse description, but I messaged the seller anyway, crossing my fingers that it wasn’t a scam. Lo and behold, a real person was on the other end!
She introduced herself as the owner of the property where the bus resides, and explained that she was helping a friend rent it out. We hit it off immediately, and she invited me to come take a look at the bus. The big green bus, also known as Mariposa, was bright, spacious, and much more magnificent in person. The land adds to her charm, as she is nested on a beautiful homestead in the mountains 20 minutes north of Asheville. It was early spring when I moved in, and as I settled into my new home, the earth around me filled out with lush Appalachian greenery.
I’ve always dreamed of life on wheels, fantasizing about van and skoolie conversions for years with no follow-through—including some carefully-curated Pinterest boards. While I loved the idea of living a nomadic lifestyle, I also knew myself well enough to recognize that I value feeling rooted.
While I was immediately excited about renting the bus, I knew it wouldn’t come without challenges. There is a certain amount of adaptability required to live in a bus. There’s less space, limited electrical output, less temperature regulation, and definitely more bugs.
I had already downsized quite a bit before moving to Asheville and had been residing in mostly furnished places since, so I didn’t have to sacrifice too many things to make everything fit. The bus also has a surprising amount of storage, which is great. Still, with only about 300 square feet, you have to get a little creative.
Many people who live in vans, buses, and RVs are willing to sacrifice space in order to travel full time, but because I’m stationary, I experience other benefits of living small that make it worthwhile. The bus is my safe space and sanctuary where I can come home at the end of the day. I work a very people-oriented job managing a high-volume chiropractic clinic, which means interacting face-to-face with about 100 patients per day. I love my job, but the introvert in me desperately needs to come home to a quiet place and enjoy purposeful solitude.
I think of the bus as a little healing chrysalis. It’s peaceful and sweet, and it’s all mine. There are no roommates to tiptoe around; it’s just me, my dog, and the bus. I think the thing I love most is that the walls between myself and nature seem paper thin. I’m constantly accompanied by the chatter of birds outside my windows. At night I listen to the owls and the pack of coyotes
patrolling nearby. I feel immersed in nature, but with the luxury of running water and shelter. Being able to retreat from the hustle of modern life and the 9 to 5 and reset my nervous system is a gift I do not take for granted.
If you’re considering living in a bus, van, or RV, it’s wise to consider the pros and cons. One of the first questions I get is about the bathroom. My bus does not have a bathroom, but the rent I pay includes the full bath on the bottom level of the house. This was a big draw when I found the bus, because I was definitely not ready to sacrifice having a regular place to shower. Laundry is another big factor for people considering this lifestyle, and having laundry access through the house’s bathroom is another huge bonus in my situation. Some might balk at the idea of having to go outside to get to the restroom, but honestly, I find having to step outdoors and breathe fresh air more often is beneficial for my mood throughout the day.
All in all, I recommend figuring out what you can and can’t live without when it comes to living small. If you’re curious, but buying and converting your own RV feels out of reach, consider that there may be opportunities to rent spaces like this. Renting is also a great way to decide whether the lifestyle is right for you before fully committing. For me, living here has only made me feel more inclined and excited to own my own bus one day. But for the time I have her, Mariposa is everything I ever dreamed of and more.
Whether it’s a bus, van, boat, plane, or really big shoe, my only advice is to live in a space that feels inspiring. Life is too short to live in another stifling, generic, fluorescently-lit apartment complex.
Connect with Jayne on Instagram @jaynemckeon777
By Brandyn Shoemaker
STOICISM IS A philosophy emphasizing the importance of selfcontrol, wisdom, and resilience in adversity. Stoics believe the key to a happy life is not pursuing pleasure or avoiding pain, but cultivating tranquility and inner peace. They also believe it’s essential to understand that everything, including our lives, is temporary and constantly changing.
“Last Time” thinking is an easy way to apply this Stoic principle to everyday life—it involves reflecting on the fact that everything is temporary and constantly changing. Stoics believe it’s essential to understand that, eventually, you will do everything for the last time. You’ll walk your dog for the last time, play with your young kids for the last time, pull your camper for the last time, and so on. At some point, we will do everything for the last time.
Think about the last time you used a rotary phone, typed on a typewriter, played hopscotch, or used dial-up internet. Did you realize then that it would be the last time you did any of those things?
Mindfulness is so important for travelers, because we don’t want to fly through our experiences without fully appreciating them. It’s always in our power to stop and reflect on the fact that this may be our last time doing something, which can make the experience feel that much more valuable and special in the moment. So before we go on a hike, explore a new city, gaze up into the night sky, or check out of a campground, we can stop to appreciate that we may never again be in this exact
spot doing these exact things.
My family and I recently left Florida, and on one of our last days there, I went for a walk with my boys to soak in our surroundings before we left. We made a loop around the campground, and when we were almost back, we came across some “Dino Birds,” which is what we call sandhill cranes. If you’ve ever been to a campground in Central Florida, you’ve seen and definitely heard these birds.
Anyway, I made a point to stop and look at the birds, mentioning that it
could be the very last time we see the Dino Birds in person, and it made us appreciate seeing them so much more. Knowing it might be our last time seeing these birds or the last time we would be in Florida helped us stay in the moment so we could fully appreciate it.
When you get lost in your routine, you don’t always stop to appreciate what you’re doing. There’s always the thought that you’ll do it again someday. But being on the road allows you to stop and truly soak it all in. Even if you
have plans to come back, there’s no way to know for sure you’ll make it back. Next year’s travel plans could change.
Treating each trip like your last prevents you from taking anything for granted. Thinking in last time terms forces you to invest special significance in the experience, focusing all your attention on it. You’ll find yourself living in the moment. Instead of just going through the motions because you assume you’ll get to do it again, you’ll focus on what’s happening right now.
Traveling is a unique and fulfilling experience, but you can also use last time thinking in your daily life to help you appreciate the mundane. Stop what you’re doing at random times during your day to recognize that there will be a last time you do what you’re doing.
It can also be used as an extra boost of motivation. The next time you’re dreading a workout, remind yourself that there may come a time when you can’t work out. The next time your kids want to play with you but all you want to do is relax, remember that one day they’ll stop asking you to play.
It might seem like last time thinking is pretty negative, or even morbid, but it’s actually quite the opposite! Reflecting on the temporary nature of all things can help you enjoy the present moment. It creates a sense of urgency and importance that can help you fully engage with your experiences, and it can help you develop a deeper sense of gratitude and appreciation for life.
Follow Brandyn and his family on Instagram at @peaceloveandfamilyadventures
WITH HOUSING COSTS increasing and people realizing that they can live with very little, many people are transitioning to more minimalist living arrangements.
But even among alternative-lifestyle enthusiasts, there is a whole spectrum of people doing different things, and each method has pros and cons. Here, two of our readers share their perspectives—one is living small while staying stationary, and one is traveling full time.
OUR TRAILER LIFE looks a little different than a traditional full-time traveler’s, and we definitely think it has its perks! While we live in our Airstream travel trailer full time, we definitely don’t travel in it full time. Some may say we are breaking one of the basic RV rules, but we know it works for us.
Our “burrito,” as we like to call it, only gets taken out for a spin about two to three times per year. Before you call the trailer police on us, let’s talk through a few of the perks of living the trailer life this way.
Even though we’re settled down, we still get to enjoy the benefits of minimalist living. We still have only what we need, random purchases from Target don’t appear out of nowhere, and we get by just fine with the two of us and our fur baby.
About three months into moving to South Carolina, we were fortunate enough to stumble across a half-acre chunk of land that we purchased and now park our trailer on. We have done some wonderful long-term stays at RV parks, but it’s so nice coming home to the burrito and having a little privacy from the neighbors. Plus, we’re spared from smelling someone else’s black tank while trying to enjoy our morning coffee.
Being stationary has also given us time to invest in other aspects of minimalist living. We built a garden to grow most of our vegetables, we learned how to build an RV pad, we installed a pool, and we installed a sunshade to help with some of that South Carolina heat!
This next perk may sound a bit silly, but it’s been so nice to have reliable Wi-Fi! We know many full-time travelers have found means to make their remote jobs work, but having reliable Wi-Fi in the trailer has been a game-changer for us. We don’t have remote jobs, but even the ease of being able to stream a football game, work on the computer, or upload a YouTube video without having to worry about it crashing has been a nice perk of our current setup.
We currently use a T-Mobile 5G wireless router, and we’ve had no issues with it so far! We know this option doesn’t make sense for most full-time travelers, but for those who are stationary, we highly recommend it.
We also are no longer paying any
form of rent since we own our half-acre chunk of land. This has been a huge blessing because it has freed us up financially to be able to do some of the projects I mentioned above, plus explore the area a little bit.
We recognize that everyone’s setup and means for a setup are different, but given our current situation and lifestyle, this simply works best for us. I know some of you may be thinking, “They live in a trailer and don’t even use it!” But we do use it; it’s our home that we live in full time, and we have the added benefit of taking it with us when we choose to travel. To us, that’s a win-win.
SINCE 2019, MY husband, Jake, and I have been living our wildest dreams as full-time RV travelers. It all started with a 16-foot cargo trailer that we self-converted into our very own tiny home on wheels. We spent a summer building it out, then hit the open road in search of adventure. We’ve since upgraded to a spacious 28-foot Outdoors RV our friends call “the big house,” which is as roomy as it is cozy. Also, we triple tow, hauling two trailers behind our tow vehicle, which means we’re basically a train! At 65 feet long, our setup is longer than the average blue whale! But no matter the size of our mobile abode, the real magic lies in the destinations we’ve explored along the way. It’s been one of the most rewarding and adventurous experiences of my life.
Full-time RV life is no joke—it’s full of surprises, challenges, and unforgettable moments. But at the end of the day, we wouldn’t trade it for the world.
One of the best things about full-time RV travel is the flexibility and freedom. We love the fact that we can change our travel plans at the drop of a hat and go wherever our hearts desire. And since we’re not tied down to a traditional home, we can explore new places on a whim without having to worry about finding lodging or breaking the bank.
Speaking of saving money, full-time RV travel is also incredibly cost-effective. It’s cheaper than owning a
traditional home, and since we both work remotely, we don’t have to worry about commuting to an office. Plus, with the ability to explore our surroundings, we get to indulge in all our favorite outdoor activities, like dirt biking, hiking, and kayaking! We also love that our furry friends (two dogs and a wolf dog) are always by our side, making memories and adding excitement to our adventures.
Of course, full-time RV travel isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced is having such a long rig. Since we almost exclusively boondock, finding parking
spots can be a bit of a headache. And don’t even think about trying to back up! Despite the challenge of being so long, we embrace the arduous task of navigating unfamiliar locations in search of the most epic views our rig can actually get to.
Another challenge of living and traveling full time in an RV is maintaining relationships with family. With no permanent home base, it’s not uncommon to find ourselves hundreds or even thousands of miles away from our loved ones. Although we may not be able to see our families as often as we used to, thanks to Starlink, we have Wi-Fi wherever we go, allowing us to schedule regular video chats and keep each other up to date on our travels.
Adjusting to a constantly-changing routine can be tough, but it’s also one of the things we love most about full-time RV travel. Every day is an adventure, and we’ve learned to embrace the unexpected and enjoy the ride. While it may not be for everyone, full-time RV travel is a pretty awesome way to live, and we love it.
Full-time RV life is no joke —it’s full of surprises, challenges, and unforgettable moments. But at the end of the day, we wouldn’t trade it for the world.
FINDING A WAY to fund travel is essential, and there are many different ways to make the full-time lifestyle work for you. From creative businesses to seasonal gigs to unique side hustles, our readers reveal how they make money on the road.
@whynotwander2
“Workamping and farm life— Matt drives a semi from field to elevator and runs loads for 16-plus hours a day.”
@parkiesinlove
“We work seasonal jobs in national parks, and sometimes for the park service and the concessionaires. Here we are as seasonal interpretation park rangers.”
@rootedhomeopathy
“I work as a certified practical homeopath leading educational study groups and offering personal wellness consults.”
Here are other unique jobs from our readers:
• Human resources employee
• Design and create smallbatch, handmade clay earrings
• Nanny
• Travel nurse
• Podcaster
Share your job by emailing us at collab@rootlessliving.com
Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) have been a requirement on all passenger vehicles in the United States for over a decade. So, why aren’t these life-saving systems standard on all RVs?
TRAVELING HAS ALWAYS been one of our great loves. My husband, Gary, and I both worked full-time jobs, so traveling meant requesting time off, booking a plane ride, and sad goodbyes when dropping off our fur babies at the dog hotel. That all changed with the pandemic—we put our trips on hold and had to find new ways to travel.
My husband’s family loves RVing. I, on the other hand, had never even tent camped prior to owning our first RV. After the pandemic forced us to cancel several trips, we decided to give RVing a shot. Unfortunately, when we tried to find something to rent, we realized everyone else had had the same idea. We live in the Pacific Northwest, so of
course everyone had their campsites and RVs booked in advance. Long story short—if we wanted to RV that season, we would need to buy one.
We stumbled upon a 16-foot Airstream Bambi for sale and jumped at the chance. I worked from the road for a few months while we traveled with our dogs, exploring the region while Gary took a hiatus from the bar industry.
Then all of a sudden, our vacation was over, and we had to pack our bags, head home, and go back to work.
As 2022 rolled in, we found we had less time to travel in our RV because of work commitments, and we fell back into the daily grind. We decided to rent our Airstream out full time, but we wanted to take one big trip first, so we planned a 10-day Olympic Peninsula trip. We camped in the pouring rain
at Allens Bar Campground, blasted Fleetwood Mac, opened a bottle of wine, and scrolled on Instagram. That’s when we stumbled upon mobile vending units for sale by Nomad Custom Trailers in Ontario, Canada. They were partnering with Wanderlust Vintage Trailers, based in California, and were offering their mobile units stateside. At that moment, Sip Tap Tow was born.
Gary has been in the hospitality industry for decades, and he’s always dreamed of owning a brick-and-mortar bar. With our newfound love of RVing, though, owning a stationary bar didn’t seem practical. We thought, “Wouldn’t it be neat to have a bar experience that’s not confined to one spot? One where we could bring the experience to our clients?” We wanted to make our own rules. If there’s one lesson
the pandemic has taught us, it’s that life is short, and health and happiness are paramount. While on the road, we ordered our mobile bar trailer and began planning our business.
Nomad Custom Trailers built our vintage-inspired trailer bar from the ground up. We worked closely with the team to ensure our mobile bar had as many of the necessary bar amenities as possible and a workable flow to be able to handle high-volume events, such as weddings and corporate parties. Our trailer is equipped with two kegerators with three taps each, a refrigerator, an ice well, a three-compartment sink (with a hot water heater), a handwashing station, and plenty of storage and counter space.
The team executed our vision beyond our wildest imagination. It took about five months to get the trailer home and get our mobile bar business in full swing, and our dream has become a reality. Sip Tap Tow showcases everything we love about a high-quality bar and hospitality experience, and taps into the beauty of the great outdoors in a mobile, go-anywhere format.
We launched Sip Tap Tow in October 2022, and our calendar is filling up quickly! The event industry and
camping season are both usually busiest during the summer months, so we knew both income streams would be lucrative during peak season, enabling us to RV and enjoy the great outdoors during the non-peak season. We are fortunate that we have the flexibility to book events when and where we want and now have the freedom to RV at our leisure.
We have since purchased a second Airstream that is large enough to accommodate all of us—including our beautiful golden named Daisy and our energetic lab named Bodhi—which makes long trips more comfortable for all. We are fortunate to have found a way to be able to support our lifestyle on the road. Trailers can be versatile; they can be a vacation home, a workspace, a full-time home, and even a bar.
For more on Roxanne and Gary’s mobile bar, visit @siptaptow on Instagram. For more on their Airstream rental and adventures in that trailer, follow @dreaminofairstreamin
AFTER TRAVELING THE world for 22 years serving in the United States military, we decided to buy an RV and continue traveling to all the states this beautiful country has to offer.
I travel with my husband, Frank, and our small dog, Scooter, in a 27-foot Airstream travel trailer, and we are professional organizers. Of course, this wasn’t always the plan. My husband served in the
U.S. Navy, and I organized homes and planned moves for loved ones and friends throughout the years while also working in the medical field. My work experience of helping clients through life transitions combined with my life experience packing and moving to new places for 22 years led me to create Lilly’s Organizing, a professional organizing business.
As my husband approached retirement from the Navy, we decided to hit the road full time. It was an exciting and scary
adventure with so many uncertainties. What if another pandemic hits? What if the truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere? Even scarier, will we be able to make money on the road? These are questions that occasionally still weigh on us, but we stuck to our plans and started our adventure, relying on our faith in each other. Our journey through the U.S. began when we purchased our 200 square-foot home.
Although it took time to choose the right floor plan with enough space for us to be comfortable, we settled on the Airstream Flying Cloud. We’ve made minor changes to our tiny home to make it ours, but more importantly, we spent time on each space to ensure every item we owned had a home and fit perfectly. An essential aspect of living minimally is that every time we buy something new, we make room by donating older items we no longer need.
As with most RVs, storage is a bit tricky. Most of our cabinets and compartments have rounded backing due to the curvature of the Airstream shell. We measured each compartment at different heights, purchased containers that fit each space, and separated our belongings by category. Containers create a cleaner look, but
more importantly, they keep everything in place as we travel, in case a cabinet door pops open on the road. Our worst experience with this was when the pantry space where we keep our sauces popped open. A colorful mess was waiting for us at our next destination, with the floor covered in a barbeque mixture I would not care to see again.
Maintaining an organized home and having systems in place is important no matter where you live, but it’s even more essential in a tiny home where space is limited. Having a place for everything and everything in its place will not only give you peace of mind, but also allow for an easier and quicker cleanup process, giving you more time to enjoy the things you love.
Our adventure has taken us through 20 states so far—across the lower part of the U.S. from California to Florida, then heading north into New England—and we’ve relied heavily on
social media and online ads to spread the word of our travels and book clients for our organizing business in advance. Occasionally, we leave the Airstream behind and catch a flight if a client requests our services in another part of the country.
RVing is truly an experience I would recommend for everyone, even if it’s just a short trip to a nearby state park for the weekend. Our lifestyle has allowed us to explore some amazing places while making new lifelong friends and catching up with old ones. Our journey will continue to take us through this beautiful country, feeling free and enjoying what we love with the hopes we can inspire others, or at least help turn their space into an enjoyable, functional, and tranquil home.
Find Xiomara’s travels and organizing escapades on Instagram @lillys_organizing
FMCA Tech Connect+ is a benefit package that easily connects you to technology offers. We’ve worked hard to negotiate these plans for you, so you can spend less time reading the fine print and focus instead on doing what you love – RVing!
This package gives FMCA members exclusive access to special pricing on tech-related products from CellBooster.us, DISHForMyRV, WifiRanger, and Winegard, plus optional mobile data plan offers starting at $59.99 a month.
To learn more about Tech Connect+ and FMCA’s other amazing benefits, visit join.fmca.com/rvtoday/
$10 savings valid on new FMCA memberships only.
Must be an FMCA member to access. JOIN TODAY AND SAVE $10. Promo Code: RVTODAY
SCAN TO SEE MORE REASONS TO JOIN
THE NUMBER ONE question my partner and I received after telling our loved ones we planned to give up our lease in Denver and begin living nomadically was, “What about all of your stuff?” Over and over again, we got a version of this question. We laughed it off, letting people know we planned to sell everything we could and take the essentials with us, but a quiet anxiety began to build. The closer we got to our departure date, the more resistance I felt to letting go of my belongings. Even worse, I began to judge myself pretty harshly for caring so much about things like photographs, kitchen tools, and furniture.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and have been working in the mental health field since 2014. I’ve worked with nonprofit agencies and in residential facilities, and I’ve established a telehealth private practice doing somatic and holistic work, focusing on self-empowerment. Throughout my work, I have found that regardless of what a client wants to work on, there is almost always a whole lot underneath the conscious surface. So when I found myself struggling to let go of my things, I started to get curious
about what was actually behind the resistance.
As I reflected on why I was getting so worked up over my belongings, I started to recognize that my attachment was not so much to my possessions themselves, but more to what they represented. When I first moved to Denver, four years earlier, I had to start over. This was an intense period of growth, and as a young, single woman in a new city, acquiring simple things like my kitchen table or a couch took creativity and strength. This struggle and eventual empowerment shaped me in many ways, and letting go of these objects was starting to feel like letting go of myself.
Once I was able to understand what was actually going on, I could create space to let myself grieve. Grieving does not only occur after a death or a breakup; it happens when we have any transition in life, even if it is by our own choice. Finding a new job, growing out of friendships, and taking on a nomadic lifestyle can all lead to grief. Most of us are not taught how to grieve, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn and start to honor what we need to move through transitions. Here are some tips for creating space to grieve when starting your nomadic journey, or along the way.
Renting a storage unit was not an option for us, and our families lived on the other side of the country, so we knew we would have to part with almost everything. We sold or donated many of our belongings, but we were also able to give some items, like artwork, favorite books, and a well-loved baking dish, to friends. Knowing my sentimental belongings would be in good hands helped make parting with them more bearable and offered a fun connection to the people we would be saying goodbye to.
Writing can offer space for clarity. Try to reflect on the time you’ve spent in a place and what this time has meant to you. You can write about how you’ve grown and how you’ve struggled, and you can reflect on what your younger
self would think of who you are now and how far you’ve come. They would probably be pretty proud!
Ritual can be a powerful tool in letting go. The most important part of any ritual is setting an intention. Your intention will be unique to you, but can be as simple as “I will give myself space to mourn” or “I will allow myself to feel everything that comes as I say goodbye.” Once you have an intention, try to decide on a location that feels right, maybe in your current home or on a favorite hiking trail. Ask yourself, “What am I hoping to get out of this time?” or “What kind of energy do I want to feel?”
For my ritual, I set an intention to honor my growth. I decided to spend time propagating some of my plants (something I was feeling resistant to giving up). Before leaving, I was able to
give the propagations to friends as we said goodbye. This ritual was unique to who I am, and allowed me to feel closer to both myself and the people who had made my time in Denver so special.
When all was said and done, I also gave myself permission to keep the things that really mattered. Yes, it meant a little extra clutter and lugging along a stand mixer for a while, but rather than shaming myself or forcing myself to let go, I allowed myself to keep a few possessions that were not the most practical. Some things were naturally shed along the way, and others are still with us. You get to decide what is most important for you.
Digital nomads are often seen as minimalist, but the truth is, we all have attachments. Even if there’s no deeper meaning, we live in a society that generally celebrates having more, and this makes paring down a difficult process. In the therapeutic space, we often talk about finding the dialectic— the space where two things can be equally true at the same time. The process of letting go can reflect the same idea. We are so much more than the things we own and the places we’ve called home, but it’s okay if these things have become a part of your identity. Allow both to be true and you will start to find clarity in what really matters.
Find Holly on Instagram @wildroadtravels
MANAGING MONEY WHILE living on the road is a hot topic that everyone wonders about, and for good reason. How much does it cost? How can I save money? How can I make money? These are all valid questions that often come with rather broad and ambiguous answers.
We’re a newly married couple in our twenties who craved a life of more freedom and adventure. We’re not trust fund babies, we didn’t win the lottery, and we’d never gone RVing before. We saw families on social media who make full-time RVing work for them, and we thought, “If they can do it, we can do it.” Very quickly, we were mentally ready to sell our home, along with everything in it, and leave the only city we had ever lived in. We closed on the sale of our home in the summer of 2022, bought a camper, and hit the road full time.
Our initial plan was to build a career as content creators, which would give us the ability to work from anywhere. The catch was we were brand new to the world of content creation, with nothing to fall back on. The savings from selling our home would last for a while, but we knew we had to find a way to work while traveling in order to make this lifestyle work for us.
The cost of RVing truly depends on the way you travel. How often do you move? Are you going 50 miles or 500 miles? Are you boondocking for free on BLM land with no hookups, or do you stay in RV resorts with full hookups and amenities? Do you have memberships like Thousand Trails or Good Sam that provide discounts on campground fees? Do you go out to eat more often than you cook at home? All of these are huge factors in how much money is spent or saved on the road.
The main method we’ve found to make money while traveling is workamping. Campgrounds around the country offer various positions that pay hourly wages, comp your
campsite, and sometimes both. These jobs can be seasonal, contract, or annual. We have workamped in Northern California and in the Florida Keys. We use Facebook groups, workamper.com, Indeed, and other job search engines like coolworks.com to discover different workamping jobs. Another way we’ve found positions is by going to the websites of bigger campgrounds and resorts and browsing openings on the “Careers” page. We’ve even called campgrounds directly and asked for the hiring manager’s contact information to send them an email with our resumes.
Content creation is another stream of income we’ve been working toward. It’s a great opportunity for photographers, videographers, writers, and other creative professionals to make money using their talents. Marketing is
a huge industry and is continuing to get bigger every year. Being sponsored by brands, making user-generated content, generating revenue from ads and views, and collaborating with businesses is a fantastic way to make money. Of course, as long as you prioritize having a good internet connection, working remotely is another great option to create income while on the road.
Let’s talk about ways to save money. We like to eat at home, but there are definitely times where the convenience of eating at a restaurant, especially during or after a travel day, beats cooking our own meals. Most chain restaurants have apps that offer exclusive deals and have rewards programs. Looking up or calling local restaurants to inquire about specials is another way we’ve tried new places without paying a lot. We’re not afraid to try hole-in-the-wall restaurants or food trucks, and we try to stick to water for drinks and skip the pricey cocktails. For groceries, I like to shop weekly ads and BOGO deals, and clip coupons online and in store-specific apps.
Speaking of apps that save us money, GasBuddy is our go-to for finding the
most affordable diesel while traveling. They help you compare prices in real time, and there are also deals within the app that save an additional 5 to 20 cents per gallon if you have the GasBuddy card. Using GasBuddy saved us more than $80 from 2022 to 2023. Other gas stations, like Love’s, Sinclair, and Shell, have reward programs and app-exclusive savings on fuel.
There are several ways we save on RV stays. We are Good Sam members, which saves us 10% or more on thousands of campgrounds. They have an app that shows which campgrounds accept their discount. We compare pricing for campgrounds in an area by checking the Campendium app. We also book stays on Hipcamp, which is kind of like Airbnb for camping. We also have a Harvest Hosts membership that we like to use for overnight stops when we have multiple travel days in a row. These stays are typically limited to 24 hours, but don’t cost anything to book beyond your membership fee. Taking advantage of weekly and monthly rates when we know we’ll be in an area for an extended amount of time has saved us hundreds of dollars as well. For entertainment, we try to stick to activities that are free or inexpensive. There are tons of fun things to do that don’t cost an arm and a leg, including visiting parks, going to museums, taking bus tours, walking around a city or town, and going to the beach, festivals, farmers markets, and community events.
Keeping a budget is as important in a camper as it is in a house, if not more. In some ways, it feels like we are on vacation all the time, but we have to remember that this is our life now, and we must be responsible and disciplined with what we spend if we want to continue this lifestyle long term. The lifestyle can look too good to be true, and sometimes it feels that way, but it’s not impossible. Research, ask all the questions, get creative, and most importantly, have fun!
You can find more of Shea’s travels on Instagram @comfortable_freedom
By Olivia de Soria
WE WALKED THROUGH the border patrol office and began our spontaneous crossing from Texas to Mexico. I carried our 4-year-old, Emilia, on my back, and my husband, Adam, had our 1-year-old, Pepper, in the baby backpack. “It’s really muddy out there,” the officials warned us. But they didn’t really prepare us for the mire that engulfed us up to our knees. That would have required another bag of descriptive verbiage altogether; something like “quagmire slime trap,” or “deep, gooey sludge bog.” We began our trek through the slough, each step a feat of balance and strength as
I struggled to pull my foot from the mud without losing a boot or dropping a toddler.
There was a little jon boat at the river bank of the Rio Grande. The river was only a couple hundred feet across, but the current was strong. There were two men with the boat who gave us life jackets before we hopped on board.
Our family was taking a break from our usual life on the water, thinking a coast-to-coast RV trip would be a nice intermission from the constant stresses of sailing with children. My husband and I work remotely, digitally managing our gutter-cleaning company in Asheville, North Carolina,
and we rent our house on Airbnb to cover our travel expenses. We made it to the coast of California in our 20-foot Koala Super Lite travel trailer, and now we were on our journey back to the East Coast.
I read that Big Bend was a must-see, so I put it loosely on our itinerary. By the time we got to Texas, the campsite of my choice in Big Bend was booked, so I reserved the only remaining RV site in the entire park, at the Rio Grande Village Campground. As we drove from the entrance of the park toward the campground, hours ticked by. Big Bend is enormous! Most of the park is without cell service, but when we
finally saw a sign for the campground, I was able to pull up the map on our phone.
“Holy crap,” I exclaimed, ”I think the campground is in Mexico!”
Well, not quite, but it couldn’t be much closer. From the campground, a short bike ride to the Boquillas Canyon Overlook takes you past the customs border patrol office, where you can walk through some mud, paddle across the Rio Grande, and eat tacos in Mexico. Our family isn’t really the type to pass up an adventure like this, which is how we found ourselves on the jon boat.
After we loaded into the motorless skiff, our captains began to row across the wild current, and three minutes later, we climbed out of the boat and up the muddy embankment into Mexico, where a covered structure sheltered about 20 burros. Standing among their herd, an assembly of Mexican wranglers greeted us and loaded us up on two burros. A guide led us into the heart of Boquillas, clucking and smacking the donkeys’ bums to keep them moving. The scenery here is classic desert, the arid landscape dominated by ocotillo cactuses. In the summertime, temperatures can reach 120 degrees in the shade—but good luck finding any shade.
Boquillas is an isolated village with 300 inhabitants, and the closest town is three hours away by car. There are two restaurants, and no stores to speak of. Boquillas was founded as a mining town, and at its peak, there were fewer than 4,000 people. After 9/11, the border between Big Bend and Boquillas was closed, devastating the community, which mostly relied on the sprinkling of tourists that crossed from Big Bend. The population dwindled to a mere 19 families, until the border reopened in 2013. And now, tacos await the hungry mouths of Texan tourists. There’s nothing like a donkey ride in the Chihuahuan Desert to work up an appetite!
We parked our burros at the top of the dirt road and walked through town to browse the souvenirs. The street is lined with dusty cement structures, each with a table out front where locals await the arrival of tourists to shop their handmade goods. We bought a few things from our guide’s wife and walked back to the restaurant, where we ate the best tacos I’ve ever had.
The owner of the restaurant chatted with me about the livestock back at his farm a few miles away from town. Boquillas is a hopping metropolis compared to his acreage. He has to bring his donkeys to town to foal, or they are eaten by cougars. With our bellies full and batteries recharged,
I got an idea. I asked my guide if they had any horses, and when he confirmed, I asked, “Can I ride one?” He left and returned a few minutes later, horse in tow.
I’ve been riding horses my entire life. I trained horses in my more spritely years, and I never really put down the sport. So I rode the horse through the town and back, and then I handed the reins to my husband, who has accompanied me on many equine adventures. Adam flourishes in every athletic endeavor he undertakes, and usually on the first attempt. So it’s easy to overlook the fact that he doesn’t really have an equestrian background at all. I kind of forgot this in the excitement,
but before he mounted the horse, I did explain that the horses here were probably trained in the old school fashion, so Adam would need to pull back extra hard on the reins to get her to stop.
Well, Adam got his foot in the stirrup and clambered into the saddle, and not a moment passed before the horse took off at a gallop. I stood there in disbelief, yelling, “Pull back! Pull back!” Either he didn’t hear me, or he was too busy trying to stay in the saddle, because the horse was only gaining momentum.
The horse took my husband on a one-horse race through the middle of town, kicking up dust on the locals and their wares. I stood in shock, watching the dust settle as Adam disappeared into the horizon. Emilia looked up at me, not knowing whether or not to be
scared, and I realized the ridiculousness of the situation we were in. There I was in the middle of an isolated village in Mexico with my two young kids, unable to run after my husband who was just kidnapped by a horse. Our guide shook his head from side to side for a minute before sauntering after them.
As the minutes passed, I began to fear the worst. My kids were on the verge of panicking when my husband reappeared on the back of the horse, with our guide leading him back through the town.
He got down off the horse, blood dripping down his leg, and calmly recounted his Mexican joyride. The horse got about halfway through town when all the dogs in Boquillas simultaneously congregated and ran like
mad, snapping and barking at its heels. (Funny side note—most of these dogs were Chihuahuas, in the Chihuahuan Desert.) The horse continued to run at top speed, up to the barbed wire fence of her owner’s house, where she attempted to jump. Both horse and rider fell in a mess of dust, dogs, and barbed wire fencing.
Adam got back up, calmly fixed the toppled fence, walked over to the startled horse, and grabbed the reins. He was walking back through the town when he met up with our guide. We got back on our burros and made our way back to the river, where the motorless skiff carried us back to the mud pit. We left the locals of Boquillas with an entertaining story of some very silly gringos. Later that afternoon, in the comfort of our RV, we debriefed our adventure, and Emilia chimed in with her excitable narration of the event. Adam tended to his barbed wire wounds and recounted
the exhilaration and trepidation he felt going top speed on a horse with absolutely no control. Luckily, I had made sure Adam got his tetanus shot before this trip, and his wounds healed without infection.
The next morning, we awoke to a windy dawn and spotted a chestnut horse running wild through the campground. I recognized the brand on its hindquarters, and knew immediately where the horse had come from. A border outlaw! It trotted off, tail high and head bobbing up and down waggishly, no doubt energized from a cold swim across the swift currents of the Rio Grande.
To this day, Emilia still tells everyone she meets about the horse that took off with Daddy. “And then, the horse tried to jump over a babbed wire fence!” she says at the end of her tale. The mispronunciation of “barbed” really gives the story its finishing touch.
For more on Olivia’s adventures, follow her on Instagram @theboatnotes and on her blog at theboatnotes.com
PHOTOS BY MARCO BRU GNOLI
I’M FROM MICHIGAN and my husband is from Florida, so we ended up becoming snowbirds decades earlier than most! Before selling our home in Michigan and going full time, we had our usual overnight stops along the 1,300-mile route—mostly campgrounds right off the highway that cost more than we preferred to spend, especially because we were usually only there for about 12 hours.
In 2020, the prices of those RV parks rose even further, so we started searching for alternatives. We liked the idea of boondocking, but we thought it was more for people traveling out west, staying in the vast open desert—not for us. Then we happened upon Harvest Hosts, and our perception of boondocking was forever changed!
There are a few reasons we signed up, and affordability was at the top of the list. For less than the cost of two
nights at an RV park, you get a year of overnight stays! We also loved the array of hosts (more than 4,000 of them) across the United States, including farms, wineries, breweries, museums, and more! Harvest Hosts even offers a built-in route planner to help you find locations along your drive.
But the experiences are what we love most! We’ve helped farmers feed alpacas, taken a private distillery tour, gotten a sneak peek into making goat’s milk soap, hung out with award-winning competition horses, and seen how farmers are taking steps toward sustainable, odorless livestock farming.
While there are zero fees beyond your initial membership to book an overnight stay, you are encouraged to make a purchase to support the businesses you’re staying with when possible. And, honestly, these purchases usually feel like a treat—especially when we stayed at a dairy farm that makes its own ice cream!
These are some of our favorite Harvest Hosts stays, which we’re delighted to share with you.
AMBROSIA ORCHARD IS just 15 minutes from downtown Fort Wayne, which offers an abundance of parks, coffee shops, restaurants, and more.
Location: Right off Interstate 469, and easy to get to with a large fifth wheel
RV Parking Area: Nestled between a farm field and apple trees, there’s a large grassy area for RV parking. Even with two other large units staying there with us, there was plenty of room! If you’re hoping to use solar for your power source, you’ll have no problem charging your batteries in this full-sun location.
Experiences: If you enjoy hard cider or mead, this is the place for you—you can relax after a long drive day with more than 20 different local offerings. Want to treat yourself more? Choose a board game from their collection and relax outside in their patio area with a cookie or a slice of cheesecake. (The peanut butter cheesecake was so good that we had to grab a second slice for the road.) If you’re lucky, there may even be live music.
STABLE VIEW IS another favorite. It’s a stunning gathering place for events, as well as an active equestrian center. There are more than 800 acres of conserved land, equestrian events, and six barns full of gorgeous horses.
Location: Less than 10 minutes off of Interstate 20 down well-maintained and quiet country roads
RV Parking Area: This place is huge, with plenty of space for RVs. We’ve stayed here twice. The first time we opted for the boondocking experience (parking in a large gravel lot for a quick overnight stay). On our second stay, we paid
for water/sewer and electric hookups (yes, hookups are an option at some Harvest Hosts) and had a level site in front of one of the stables.
Experiences: There are plenty of farms with horses, but how often do you have a chance to stay at an equine training and event facility with competition horses? Here you can wake up to horses trotting outside your RV, talk to the owners and jockeys that care for and compete with them, peek inside the stables to meet the horses, or take a walk around the well-maintained grounds. If you’re lucky, you may even be able to watch an event—we saw them setting up the arena but were one day too early for the competition.
spot has goats, goat’s milk soaps and lotions, milk, yogurt, cheeses, a chance to play with goats, and a welcoming committee of the sweetest Great Pyrenees dogs! This quaint goat farm is committed to the health and happiness of its goats with practices designed to reduce their “hoof print.”
Location: An easy drive 15 minutes west of Interstate 75
RV Parking Area: As you turn down the small road leading to Serenity Acres, you might question your decision, but as soon as you enter the gates of the
farm you’ll be glad you kept driving! There’s a wide-open grassy area that still felt spacious with three other RVs staying overnight with us. Depending on where you park, you can get full sun to charge your solar system. There is also shade to stay cool, plus an option to park near the barn and upgrade to electric service.
Experiences:
When we arrived, we were offered a tour of the grounds. The friendly fellow who met us for the tour explained all of their practices, let us into the goat pens, introduced us to some of his favorite
goats, and showed us where they milk the goats! We were even invited to see the goats being milked in the morning, but we had to head out too early to take them up on the offer. While you’re there, you can stock up on all things goat’s milk—we bought nearly every scent of soap they offered! And the goat’s milk yogurt is amazing.
If you’ve ever thought, “Boondocking isn’t for me,” we want to encourage you to think again. With the variety of locations and experiences, Harvest Hosts spots will more than impress!
For more beautiful places to RV, follow Kim and Marco on Instagram @away_everyday
The Perfect One-Day Escape from Las Vegas
By Nicoll DavisARE YOU LOOKING for a desert escape that will leave you breathless? Look no further than Valley of Fire State Park, a mesmerizing wonderland just an hour away from the glittering lights and bustling city of Las Vegas.
This place is more than epic. We’ve visited twice, and we still can’t get enough of its vivid colors, dramatic panoramas, and unique rock formations.
But with about 46,000 acres of beauty to explore, it’s easy to feel a little lost! That’s why we’ve created the ultimate one-day guide to help you hit all the best spots and make the most of your time in the park.
This guide works best when you enter the park from the west entrance (coming from Las Vegas). Without further ado, here are the best things to do in Valley of Fire State Park:
For your first stop, let’s buzz on over to Beehives! And no, we’re not talking about actual beehives. The beehives are unique sandstone formations eroded by wind and water that look like giant beehives—which is why they’re so fun to explore! Climb around and check out the interesting textures.
Next, you’ll get on the scenic loop drive to check out three quick attractions, the first of which is the Fire Cave. Carved wildly into the region’s
characteristic red sandstone, this small but mighty cave is a favorite among photographers and nature enthusiasts.
The interplay of light and shadow, combined with the fiery red hues, make for some truly stunning shots. It’s no wonder this cave has become a popular spot for photographers looking to capture the beauty of Valley of Fire State Park.
Next, you’ll find a tiny parking area where you can catch a glimpse of Arch Rock. It may not be the biggest or baddest arch in the Southwest, but it’s still worth a quick photo stop. We have to admit we were a little underwhelmed when we first saw Arch Rock, but then we realized that it’s the intricate details and unique features that make it special.
• Day-use entry is $10 for Nevada residents and $15 for out-of-state visitors.
• Leave nature as you found it— please don’t remove or harm any plants, artifacts, or rocks.
• Don’t pet or feed any animals you encounter in the park.
• Pack out your trash.
• Stick to the roads and trails.
• Keep pets on a leash.
• Drones are not allowed.
• Cell service can be spotty, so download maps in advance or bring a physical map.
• Extreme heat can lead to closure of some areas.
The last stop on the scenic loop is Atlatl Rock. This towering red sandstone formation is home to some seriously cool petroglyphs. I felt like a real-life Indiana Jones exploring the rock face, trying to decipher the meaning behind the symbols.
Climb the metal staircase to get up close and personal with these incredible petroglyphs, which have been preserved for thousands of years. The intricate carvings etched into the rock are nothing short of amazing. It’s awe-inspiring to think that these ancient works of art have been preserved for so long, offering us a glimpse into the lives and cultures of those who came before us.
Buckle up! We’re getting off Valley of Fire Highway and heading to Mouse’s Tank Road. Make your way past the park’s visitor center, and you’ll find yourself on a winding road that offers some of the most stunning views of the rugged valley.
This stretch of road is one of the most scenic and picturesque routes in the park. It’s flanked by towering red sandstone formations and jagged rock formations that create a dramatic backdrop. You’ll find plenty of places to pull over and snap some Instagram-worthy photos.
Arch Rock
Pink Canyon, also known as Pastel Canyon, is a hidden gem in Valley of Fire State Park. It may not be marked on the map they give you at the entrance of the park, but don’t let that stop you! It’s a quick, scenic, beautiful hike. And here’s the real kicker—if you hike far enough into the canyon, it’ll actually take you to the backside of the Fire
Wave, which will be on your left. So if you want to knock out two hikes and only have to park once, this is how to do it.
To find Pink Canyon, stop at Wash No. 5 and hike off the road to the right.
One of the most popular attractions in Valley of Fire State Park is Fire Wave! It’s easy to see why this place draws a crowd. The sandstone formations have an almost mesmerizing effect that was created by wind erosion centuries ago, leaving behind these beautiful patterns that look like an ocean wave made out of fire.
The easy hike to this stunning geological phenomenon is about 1.5 miles and has less than 300 feet of elevation gain.
The last stop on Mouse’s Tank Road is the White Domes Trail. There is also a picnic area, making it a perfect place to stop and eat lunch. At 1.1 miles, this easy trail offers stunning rock formations and slot canyons to explore.
You’ll be greeted by towering red and white sandstone formations as you make your way along the trail, but the real magic happens when you reach the slot canyons. These narrow passageways through the rock formations are
absolutely breathtaking. You’ll feel like you’re in a completely different world! This trail is suitable for hikers of all experience levels.
When you get back to Valley of Fire Highway, take a left toward Elephant Rock, located near the east entrance of the park. The sheer size of the formation is incredible. It stands tall, seemingly defying gravity as if it’s been frozen in time.
The massive rock appears to have been carved with care, each curve and crevice carefully crafted by the hand of nature—it’s a must-see for any geologist or animal enthusiast. The rock formation is named Elephant Rock due to its uncanny resemblance to an elephant in profile view.
There are other short hikes and attractions throughout Valley of Fire. Depending on how much time you have, you may be able to add some to your one-day Valley of Fire itinerary.
Rainbow Vista Trail: Leads to a jaw-dropping overlook that offers a kaleidoscope of colors
Mouse’s Tank Trail: A mustdo for petroglyph lovers, with stunning red rock views
Petrified Log Loop: Take a trip back in time and explore the park’s ancient history
Valley of Fire boasts two established campgrounds that are first come, first served. To use the campsites, you’ll need to pay an additional fee at the campground.
Arch Rock Campground: Arch Rock Campground is an inexpensive place to stay when visiting Valley of Fire State Park. The 29 campsites are available seasonally and offer a variety of amenities, such as bathrooms, hookups, and campfire rings.
Atlatl Rock Campground: Atlatl Rock Campground is another excellent option, with 44 campsites available. Here you’ll find a mix of semi-primitive and RV sites, all equipped with water and power hookups.
Valley of Fire is a great place to explore, with tons of beautiful scenery to enjoy. I hope this guide has been helpful in preparing for your day trip to this stunning state park!
Nicoll and her husband, Jake, share their travels on Instagram @livingtinywithawolf
MOST NATIONAL PARKS are known for being an escape from civilization, but Hot Springs National Park is a bit unique.
Located right in the town of Hot Springs, Arkansas, this park has historic buildings, a brewery, mountainous scenery, geothermal features, and luxurious indoor activities, all within an urban setting. It’s unlike any other national park we’ve visited! In this article, I’m sharing everything you need to know before you go.
Hot Springs National Park is just an hour southwest of Little Rock, surrounded by the Ouachita Mountains. In 1832, the area became protected as the Hot Springs Reservation, making it the oldest park now managed by the National Park Service, before officially becoming a national park in 1921.
Thousands of years ago, the Caddo, Quapaw, and Choctaw tribes occupied this land and used it to quarry stone for tools, as well as to soak in its waters. And in more recent years, it was the site of Major League Baseball’s first spring training and a haven for gambling gangsters.
Hot Springs National Park is a great park to visit year-round, as there is always something to do, regardless of the weather. Winter brings colder temperatures, which make for a perfect soak in one of the bathhouses, while summer brings the highest crowds and hottest days, which can be remedied by hopping into one of the nearby lakes.
To get the best of both worlds, we’d suggest a late spring or early fall visit, when the weather is perfect and the trees on the nearby mountains are full of leaves, making for extra-scenic hiking!
Since the park is located within the city of Hot Springs, there are more lodging options to choose from compared to the more rural national parks.
The park has one official campground, the Gulpha Gorge Campground, with 40 campsites, all with electric hookups. This campground is first-come, first-served, so if you come during the busy summer season, you may have a tough time finding a spot.
Catherine’s Landing is another popular campground nearby, with additional amenities like a disc golf course and kayak rentals.
Want something a bit more luxurious? The historic Arlington Hotel is the largest hotel in Arkansas and has been around since 1875. They offer a thermal bathhouse, where you can bathe in the comfortable mineral waters.
• You can’t soak in the outdoor hot springs
• The park has 47 hot springs, with average temperatures of 143 degrees, and 850,000 gallons of hot, thermal water flowing every day. You’re probably imagining soaking in a hot spring in the middle of a peaceful forest. Unfortunately, you can only soak in the thermal waters at the Buckstaff and Quapaw bathhouses, which have a fee.
• The park is free
• There is no fee to enter the park.
• Dogs are allowed
• Unlike most national parks, where dogs are not allowed, you can bring your furry friend with you on all the trails.
One of the most iconic things to do in the park is walk Bathhouse Row, a stretch of Central Avenue with eight bathhouse buildings, all constructed between 1892 and 1923 to replace the original bathhouses, which were canvas and lumber tents.
Two of the bathhouses are still bathhouses, while many of them have gained a new purpose. One bathhouse is now a hotel, one is the visitor center and museum, one is a cultural center, one is a brewery, and one is a souvenir shop.
Each building is unique and beautiful, and we love walking around and admiring the architecture.
As mentioned before, you can’t soak in the water outdoors, but you can visit the two bathhouses, the Buckstaff Bathhouse and the Quapaw Bathhouse. Both offer different soaking options and spa services, which range in cost.
One of the more unique things to do in the park is drink the spring water! In fact, some people travel from far away with large jugs just to stock up on the clean, fresh water to enjoy back home.
You’ll find fountains throughout the park where you can fill up your own water bottle or jug. Be warned, though—while some are cold, the majority are warm, which may be an unexpected surprise!
Even though you can’t soak in the hot springs outdoors, you can touch them! There are two spots in the park where you can touch the water—the Display Spring, which is a small pool located behind the Maurice Bathhouse, and the Hot Water Cascade, which is the largest visible spring in the park. Located at the Arlington Lawn, this pool is very pretty, with greenery, two pools, and water cascading down rocks.
The Grand Promenade is a 0.5-mile, tree-lined brick pathway that goes behind Bathhouse Row. Along the way you’ll get to see hot springs bubbling and can even stop at a chess table to play a game! We suggest walking along Bathhouse Row in one direction and then taking the Grand Promenade back in the other direction.
One huge perk of Hot Springs National Park is that since it’s located in a town, you’ll have lots of dining options to fuel your adventures. Some of our favorite spots are Kollective Coffee and Tea for coffee and breakfast, Will’s Cinnamon Shop, Grateful Head Pizza, Mamoo’s Creamery, and Ohio Club, which is a former hangout for gangsters and baseball players.
The Superior Bathhouse Brewery is the first and only brewery in a national park, which is unique in itself, but what makes it even more special is that they use the thermal springs as their main ingredient! They also offer lots of food options, and you can enjoy it all in a historic bathhouse.
Hot Springs National Park is the oldest park now managed by the National Park Service.
47 Number of hot springs, with an average temperature of 143 degrees.
850,000 gallons of water flow from the springs every day.
The bathhouses might be the most popular thing to do in the park, but with the beautiful backdrop of the Ouachita Mountains, we also highly recommend going for a hike on the park’s 26 miles of trails!
• Goat Rock Trail (2.4 miles round trip) has great mountain views at the top!
• Sunset Trail (13 miles round trip) is the longest in the park and takes you through many of the park’s areas.
• Peak Trail (1.3 miles round trip) takes you to the base of the Hot Springs Mountain Tower.
• West Mountain Trail (2.4 miles round trip) has great views of the national park!
• Take a trolley tour
One fun way to learn more about the area’s history is to go on a trolley tour. These tours last 1.5 hours and you also get a mini water jug to fill up with spring water.
• Hot Springs Mountain Tower
The Hot Springs Mountain Tower is 216 feet tall and can provide views up to 140 miles! You can drive or hike to the base, and it costs less than $10 per person to go to the top of the tower.
Kathryn shares more travel destinations on Instagram and YouTube @adventuresofaplusk and at adventuresofaplusk.com
THOSE OF US who travel full time like to celebrate certain milestones and bucket list items—things like visiting every state, driving Route 66, and more. One of the biggest celebrations in our community is a Nomadiversary! What is a Nomadiversary? It’s the anniversary of pulling up roots and making the shift to a nomadic lifestyle. We’d like to congratulate everyone on the road, no matter how long it’s been.
NICOLL
@livingtinywithawolf
“September is four years for us!”
CALEB
@the_renegade_ramblers
“We celebrated our six-year Nomadiversary in May! Excited for many more adventures on the road!”
MIKE
@mike.and.ash
“We started RVing in May of 2021, making this past May our two-year Nomadiversary! The Rootless Living podcast was such an inspiration for us!”
XP 3.0 eBike, only $999! Light, Foldable, Fully Assembled.
MELISSA
@pennypinchingglobetrotter
“July marked six years of full-time travel.”
Share your Nomadiversary with us by emailing collab@rootlessliving.com, and we’ll feature you in an upcoming issue!
NANCE AND WADE SMITH
AND JAKE DAVIS
AND CRYSTAL BARNABY
AND ASHLEY LARSEN
Some of the most beautiful boondocking in southern Utah is just 30 minutes from Zion National Park. Situated within the JEM Trail circuit, you can take your pick from hiking, trail running, and mountain biking, or just set your chair out for relaxing views of beautiful multi-colored mesas.
Another great part about boondocking here is being close to Hurricane, which has grocery stores, hardware stores, and restaurants. The area also has service for any of the major carriers, and you can stay free for up to 14 days. Be sure to camp where there are designated spots. This area is not ideal for big rigs—I wouldn’t try to take a vehicle more than 25 feet long. The population was mostly vans, truck campers, and small trailers.
Conditions can depend on the time of year; if there was rain, there might be a few deep ruts, and in the heat of the summer, it can be very dusty and sandy. We found the shoulder months to be the perfect time to visit—in the spring, you’ll still get the snow-dusted mesas, and in the fall, you’ll have the cool, crisp air.
Contributor Kym Tyson @33_and_freeNipton, CA
35.31510, -115.55080
Covering 1.6 million acres, the Mojave National Preserve is the third largest unit in the national park system in the contiguous United States. This particular slice has a higher concentration of Joshua Trees than anywhere else on Earth. It’s secluded, harsh, and vast; and to sum it up, pure magic.
The site was big enough for any size rig, equipped with a picnic table and a large, shady Juniper tree. The cross, officially called the White Cross World War I Memorial, sits atop a boulder pile in full controversial glory—keeping the cross on public land was a heated topic that eventually made it to the Supreme Court.
My husband and I took turns going on a fourmile desert run on the Teutonia Peak Trail across the road, and the view from the top was breathtaking. We took a sunset walk down the road from our site and marveled at the darkling beetles and a juvenile Mojave rattlesnake. The Mojave National Preserve is a Dark Sky location, making it a gem for stargazing.
Contributor Olivia de Soria @theboatnotes
Real-life experiences told by guests that include reformed gangsters, comedians, actors, athletes, porn stars, politicians, and more.
Most leadership lessons, advice, and coaching flooding the marketplace are not speaking to women of color. Break down the challenges women of color face.
Shining light on true crime cases with a common theme— these killers are more alike than we think.
Life is hard. This podcast’s hosts talk honestly about the hard parts of life in hopes that everyone can live a bit lighter, braver, free-er, and less alone.
Jay Shetty’s purpose is to make wisdom go viral by having fascinating conversations with the most insightful people in the world.
Uncover the hidden side of what surrounds us. Who decides on vending machine snacks? How much is a 100-year-old elm tree on a suburban block worth, and to whom?
Historians interrogate the past and attempt to detangle the present. They’re distilling the entirety of human history—or as much as they can fit into about 50 minutes.
Podcasts are listed as a courtesy to our readers and compiled from recommendations in various social groups. If you have a podcast you think we should include, email us at collab@rootlessliving.com
Listen to stories from automotive history— stories behind cars and manufacturers, bitter racing rivalries, and how favorite classic cars came to be.
1. JOSHUA TREE RUMPL BLANKET
Part of the National Parks Collection, this blanket will keep you warm and cozy when temperatures drop. The insulation is made from 100% recycled materials, and the attached cape clip allows you to wear your blanket hands free.
2. CAMPING TRIPOD BOARD
This super-compact space saver allows you to connect branches in the shape of a tripod to cook over a fire. Plus, you can hang your pot on the attached chain. Set it up and get cooking!
3. RAIN PONCHO / EMERGENCY BLANKET HYBRID
These dual-purpose rain ponchos double as emergency blankets. And they're compact, so they're easy to carry with you everywhere.
4. LODGE 8-QT DUTCH OVEN
Get your favorite fall meals going with Lodge's deep dutch oven, perfect for those classic meals over the fire.
5. SKEETER LOG
The non-toxic and biodegradable skeeter log can be tossed into your fire to keep insects away. It repels bugs with a blend of naturally-repellent essential oils.
6. STOVE/HEATER COMBO
Campy Gear's portable Chubby heater runs off propane and can be used as both a heater and a stove. It's available in different models/sizes, as well as different colors.
7. STANLEY THERMOS
This classic thermos is a must-have for all your favorite hot beverages this fall. It's naturally BPA-free, too!
8. LIPPERT PATIO MAT
Elevate your outdoor space. This stylish and reversible patio mat is available in multiple sizes, and in colors including blue, gray, green, and terracotta.
For generations, campers have lived out their travel dreams with Keystone Cougar. Explore the award-winning 2023 floorplans featuring Amy Gray Signature Series interiors, iN-Command control systems, SMART TVs, on-demand hot water, SolarFlex Solar power, and now shipping with Dragonfly Energy Lithium-ion batteries.
