One Year Anniversary of RV Life

Posted on August 12, 2019 by Dan+Yi

On August 12th last year, we moved into Samwise the Brave to embark on a journey around the 50 states. Throughout this year, we’ve spent considerable time soaking in where we are and planning where to go next. The places we explored, the borders we crossed, and the long travel days we kept each other company with our thoughts and anxieties and ideas — we never imagined one year of life could be this fulfilling and this energizing.

During a recent drive, we discussed a piece in Medium that said the cure to burnout is experiencing “profound and utter awe.” The most compelling example is the perspective shift astronauts gain after seeing the earth from space and feeling a “universal connectedness” that transforms how they think about their lives. Having just left the jaw-dropping scenery of Niagara Falls and Toronto and finding ourselves perched above the great blue strait between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan on the Mackinac Bridge, we couldn’t help but breathe a collective breath of awe.

This sense of awe has fed us and fueled us this year. Every mountain, canyon, and roaring waterfall. Every sunset, skyline, and capitol dome. Every week had something in store that amazed and renewed us. String 52 of those weeks together, and you get the opposite of burnout — a year of burnin.

Jockey’s Ridge, Outer Banks, NC (July 4, 2019)

In place of complacency, we now know the empowering feeling of taking deliberate steps toward goals we set ourselves. In place of spectating others or wishing to have done something, we now push each other to do it and not feel shame if it turns out it’s not something we enjoy doing. In place of seeking external validation, we try to keep the fire of what truly matters lit on the inside.

There are so many ways full-time RVing has strengthened us as people, as a married couple, and as citizens of this country. Looking forward to the next chapter of our life in Denver after we wrap up our journey next month, we’re grateful and excited to carry the fire into the future!

Seven Points Campground on Percy Priest Lake, TN

Preferred RV Resort Review: Camping in Pahrump, NV

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Dan+Yi

We really enjoyed our stay at the Preferred RV Resort! Here’s a look at why:

Camp Name	Preferred RV Resort
Location	Pahrump, NV
Club (GS, PA, KOA)	Passport America (2 weeks), Good Sam
Price	$475/month normal rate; PA $20/night
Site Type	Large gravel back-in, full hookups, space for car, mature tree
Bathrooms	Separate mens/womens, shower+ toilet stalls
Amenities	Heated indoor/outdoor pool with activities, indoor hot tub, common kitchen, entertainment room, pool, wood shop, sewing room, stained glass workshop, small fitness room Grounds: playground, horseshoes, cactus garden, koi ponds
Wi-Fi Quality	Medium speeds download/upload, enough to stream
Verizon Coverage	2-3 bars LTE, medium speeds
TV	Antenna, Las Vegas channels
Local Attractions	Pahrump Winery, Johnny’s (diner), Casinos Red Rock Canyon (45min), Las Vegas (1hr)
Bottom Line	Best value RV camp we’ve stayed at!

6 Months/Half-Year of Full-Time Travel

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Dan+Yi

Today marks 6 months since our “one day” became “day one,” as we set off in Samwise the Brave to fulfill our full-time RV dream years in the making. Coincidentally, it’s also “Winnebago Day” – 61 years since the iconic company began enabling families to venture outside and explore more, and we couldn’t find a more fitting occasion to cross this milestone.

We’ll never forget the sense of freedom and endless possibility that buoyed us as we started our journey westward. In these 6 months, we’ve crossed the country, traveled 20 states, visited 11 national parks, explored national monuments and public lands that we’d never heard of, celebrated friends’ weddings, and luxuriated in some of the best camp pools. Add to those adventures many other new experiences—creating a website, editing and sharing YouTube videos, blogging, learning how to use a DSLR camera, and setting up and working from a mobile home office—there’s no doubt that we’ve learned deeply about this digital nomad lifestyle, our country, and most of all ourselves.

Thousands of miles later, driving our home down the road still feels novel, and setting up camp in a new location brings a fresh sense of adventure. And while our living space has shrunk considerably, our appreciation and love for each other has grown. Above all, we’ve gained a real sense of being at home anywhere we are.

Today, we find ourselves under the Orlando sun for the HIMSS conference, but we can’t wait to be back in a week with Samwise, who is awaiting our return in Las Vegas. Here’s to the first 6 months of freedom, growth, and adventure, and what’s to come in the next!

Red Rock Canyon: Exploring the Las Vegas Desert Oasis

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Dan+Yi

Established in 1967, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area now encompasses 197,349 acres of land in Southern Nevada. In 1990, its status was changed from Red Rock Recreation Lands to a National Conservation Area. It was just the seventh to be designated in the country.

A short 17 miles from the glitz and glam of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, Red Rock Canyon is actually visible from there. But it is best experienced up close, as over 2 million visitors find out every year. In addition to its natural beauty, the park also features a particularly robust exhibit at the Visitor Center. Check it out before setting off on the 13 mile scenic loop.

Red Rock Canyon’s dramatic landscape developed through a fascinating geologic history. Over 600 million years, the land transformed from a seabed, to great sand dunes, to the Keystone Thrust we see today. It features colorful and jagged sandstone walls rising up to 3000 feet tall.

The natural environment is also an oasis in the desert, playing home to hundreds of species of plants and animals due to its perennial water supply and cooler temperatures. And while we weren’t lucky enough to see any desert tortoises, we did manage a couple of close encounters with two of the area’s more than 100 bird species.

Situated just a half hour from the bright lights and buzz of the Las Vegas Strip, Red Rock Canyon stands out as a natural refuge for residents and tourists alike.

Zion National Park: Explore and Learn

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Dan+Yi

Spend a few minutes with us exploring and learning about Zion National Park!

And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Established on November 19, 1919, Zion National Park preserves 146,597 acres of land in southwestern Utah. including Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles (24 km) long and up to 2,640 ft (800 m) deep.

Most of the rocks in Zion National Park are sedimentary rocks formed by pieces of older rocks that weathered, eroded, and deposited in layers between 110 and 270 million years ago. These rock layers reveal that in this distant past, Zion and the Colorado Plateau were near sea level, and were actually closer to the equator. Only in recent geologic time have the rock layers been uplifted and eroded to form the scenery of Zion National Park. Zion National Park includes mountains, canyons, buttes, mesas, monoliths, rivers, slot canyons, and natural arches.

Zion was the last of Utah’s Mighty 5 that we visited during our travels through the state, and we ended up with less time and energy than we’d hoped to explore this vast park. But with the time we had, we made our way up the Canyon Overlook Trail to take in Zion’s grandeur. We then made our way to Canyon Junction Bridge to see the sunset bathe the iconic Watchman in a warm glow as the Virgin River gently flowed below – a fitting end to our Mighty 5 tour.

On the Road to Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Dan+Yi

From Friday-Saturday, August 17-18, we made our way from from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to North Dakota. We went a little out of our way to visit the astonishing Dignity statue in Chamberlain. We’re so glad that we did, not only because the statue is a powerful addition to South Dakota’s collection of monuments and sculptures, but also because the road north traced part of the Native American Scenic Byway and the historic Lewis and Clark expedition, flanked by spectacular views of the Missouri River.

South Dakota rest stops’ signature teepee

It was nice to get off the interstate and take the scenic route as we cut a relatively straight path through South Dakota.

Driving along the Missouri River on the Native American Scenic Byway

After a one-night stop at a camp right off of Route 83, just south of the border with North Dakota, we finally made it to our 41st state! We were determined not to leave the Northern sister state of our cherished new home state of South Dakota for last. Interestingly, so many people on the road to 50 states leave North Dakota for last that there are specific souvenirs made for the occasion and even a “Best for Last Club” based in Fargo.

Adding North Dakota to our cross-country trip was a no brainer. We were taking the northern route (mostly I-90) across the country to Seattle, and wanted to visit as many new places and national parks as we could on our way. North Dakota is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and, as we witnessed along the route before reaching I-94, home to many sunflower farms — at times creating a sea of yellow as far as the eye could see. We later learned that sunflower viewing is something the state officially promotes, and the Route 83 we took north from the state line to Bismarck is listed on this official ND tourism map.

So many sunflowers!

Another goal we have for our travels is to visit state capitals, and Bismarck was squarely on our route to Teddy Roosevelt. Admittedly, I wasn’t very excited about seeing this one because my quick google search had shown images of what appeared to be a fairly bland office building – quite different from the typical domed structures. However, we were very pleasantly surprised to find that, while there was no dome in sight, the Capitol Building perched over a sprawling green field and floral arrangement of the state name, overlooking a campus reminiscent of the National Mall that included the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum, the state’s largest museum.

After a walk around the campus, we visited the Heritage Center and Museum, a modern and intriguing location offering exhibits covering the state’s history from the earliest geologic formation 600 million years ago, to the early Native American people, to the present day. It was a lot of history to take in, but we tried to experience as much as we could in an hour before hitting the road again!

North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum

From there, we drove about 100 miles to North Park Campground in Dickinson, our base camp for our time in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park area. We were greeted by Holly, a friendly campground staff member who kindly offered a golf cart ride around the campground so that we could select our site. Holly was formerly a schoolteacher in Utah for four years, and recommended visiting the state in the Fall because the weather is still great. We were glad to hear that since we’re already planning to spend time in Utah in the coming months! After choosing a nicely shaded site, we settled in for our first “extended” stay of our journey – a whopping four nights – and prepared for our visit to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. More on the park later, and as always, follow our Instagram for daily updates and join our email list for the latest blog posts.

Happy Trails,

Dan

Our Road Trip Planning Basics (with itinerary template)

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Dan+Yi

In the summer of 2012, Yi and I planned our first road trip together from New York City to Mt. Rushmore. Neither of us had ever planned or taken a road trip of this magnitude (3400+ miles roundtrip), so like any member of modern society, I turned to the all-powerful Google. Using a basic Google Sheet, I plotted out our route with the basic details laid out for each day: date, day, origin, destination, travel time, lodging, and a goal. Looking back at the spreadsheet now, I’m pleasantly surprised at how functional – though sloppy – it was for an initial effort.

Of course, we couldn’t iron out all the details from the outset. There were a lot of blank spaces under “lodging,” and on day one we decided to drive considerably farther than planned (to Cedar Point in Ohio – no regrets). But that’s part of the magic of road trips; you have the flexibility to shift things around spontaneously depending on where the road takes you on any given day. That’s also why it’s good to have a plan laid out to provide a framework and make sure you’re able to reach your “must see” destinations during the time allotted for your journey.

Cedar Point: The Roller Coaster Capital of the World, a worthy addition to any itinerary

Over the years, we’ve used this same basic template, with some modifications, to plan road trips ranging from a few days (Turbo Northeast Loop!) to several weeks, all over the United States, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. I’m not going to say this is the absolute “how to” template, but it has certainly worked for us. Right now, there are at least some people who, like us in 2012, are thinking of going on their first over the road adventure and wondering where to start. In the hopes that this can be of value, I’ve put together a simple template with a sample itinerary excerpted from our most recent travels. Click Here to View/Copy

Our Jucy “Campa” at the Wanaka, New Zealand campground (August 2016)

Start with the basic framework of your trip and ask some initial questions:

1. How much time do you have for your trip?
2. What is the farthest place you can reach in that time frame?
3. Where can you visit along the way?
4. If taking a round trip, is there a different route you can take back to see new sights?

Use another familiar tool, Google Maps, to plot out potential routes. You can then fill in the other details from there. You can even fill in details as you go. Planning and taking a successful road trip requires effort, especially for longer itineraries, but I promise that it is much simpler than it might seem and totally worth it!

Happy Trails,

Dan