Traveling in Circles

Think Inside the Box (on wheels) | Tales from Technomadia

Subscribe by: Email / RSSTechnomads: Chris Dunphy & Cherie Ve Ard. Living at the intersection of Epic & Awesome - traveling, living, working and playing full-time in a small solar powered RV, embracing nomadic serendipity.

via www.technomadia.com

Click the link above to read a great blog post by fulltimers Chris and Cherie about the merits of living in your camper.

Quick tip for cell phones in remote areas

We discussed conserving resources in an earlier post, and we talked about solar universal chargers for cell phones, but what we failed to mention is the critical scenario of battery drain when your cell phone is constantly searching for a tower. 

A number of times while boondocking in remote locations we'd wake up in the middle of the night to hear that familiar annoying beep of a dying cell phone.  Knowing we had gone to bed with the phones fully charged, we  realized our phones were constantly searching for a signal and running their batteries down.  When in remote areas with low cell phone coverage, I'd suggest turning the phone off and keeping it handy for emergency use only. 

How we paid for a month long vacation by being in a movie

In an earlier post we discussed workamping options and some creative ways to afford a lengthy adventure on the road.  Geoff and I have been fortunate to be able to say that we have put a different twist on that entire scenario and have done something out of the norm.  We were able to take a month long vacation while working in a movie, and here’s how we did it.

A few years ago I was sitting in my home office in Michigan, looking out the window at the damp, chilly fall weather, and wishing I were elsewhere.  I decided to take a ‘virtual vacation’, something I did fairly often.  Having lived in Georgia for nearly three years, and missing the warm, Southern hospitality and great food, I started surfing online for tourism websites in Georgia. 

Savannah's Visitor Bureau was one of the first sites I went to. Already I was dreaming of Mrs Wilkes’ fried chicken and The Crab Shack’s low country seafood boil. 

Somehow I hopped from there to Georgia.org to further my ‘virtual vacation’ tour.  I stumbled across their Entertainment section where I saw a “Help Wanted Hotline”.  And there I saw it.  A helped wanted ad for featured extras for an HBO movie called “Warm Springs” being filmed in Georgia and starring Kenneth Branagh, Kathy Bates, and Cynthia Nixon. 

The submission information stated that they needed thin people to portray Polio patients, something I felt that I could do.  Photos had to be sent, and the deadline was quickly looming.  After doing some further digging on IMDB.com to verify that the production information was correct and to read more about the film, I told Geoff about the situation and told him that I wanted to give it a shot.

Geoff grabbed the digital camera and we quickly set up a photo shoot in our living room.  Professional photos weren’t required, nor was any prior acting experience.  After taking a few dozen photos, we sat down, selected a couple that were good and copied them to a USB stick.  A quick write up of my contact information and physical description, and a trip to the local drug store’s photo developing booth for a couple of 8x10s, and we were ready to mail everything.

Fortunately I chose to mail my envelope overnight with tracking information so I could verify when it arrived.  There was a slight mix up with the casting agency’s PO Box and it took a few phone calls to make sure my letter fell into the right hands, but it did.

I received a phone call from the casting agency that stated that the director wanted me- quickly- and inquired whether we could be there in two days.  We made arrangements for the dogs, hastily packed the camper for what was to be a week long adventure in the film industry, and hit the road the following day.

When we arrived on location I was told that more male extras were needed for the next week or so.  I figured Geoff might as well participate, as he’d be on location waiting with me on a daily basis any way.  Two incomes are better than one, and that way, a side trip to Savannah and Tybee Island could become a reality.

After the first week we were asked back for the following week.  Quick arrangements were made to ensure the dogs could remain with family and that Geoff’s schedule could be accommodated.  

Due to inclement weather, we had a four day break in the filming schedule.  A perfect time to make the drive to Savannah and Tybee , and as we had our camper with us, we opted to stay on Tybee at the River’s End campground.  A visit to Savannah isn’t complete without lunch at Mrs. Wilkes, dinner at The Crab Shack on Tybee, and a full tour of Savannah’s historic district.  We had even brought our inflatable 2-person kayak and squeezed in a day of fishing on the intracoastal waterway. 

Arriving back on location led us to another week of filming, and we were both asked to remain with the production for another couple of weeks and head to their next shoot location a few hours away.  We put in long hours, but a great deal of time was spent being hustled between wardrobe, makeup, and hair, being shuttled to the set, and then waiting until you’re needed.  We had a lot of time to socialize and make some lasting friendships.

On evenings where we wrapped early, a number of us would meet up at local street cafes or restaurants.  Invitations were extended to us for a couple of parties that were hosted by individuals involved with the production, and we had an amazing time throughout the entire process. 

Most states have their own film offices and help wanted departments, or you can apply directly with an extras casting agency.  From what I have seen, extras for a major production company are typically paid anywhere from $75.00-150.00 a day. Food and lodging were taken care of, and we had our camper for comfort in between shoots and on our off days. By the end of our adventure we had been gone for just shy of a month, had a couple of short side trips along the way, met some amazing people, and profited financially.  To this day, this experience remains one of my fondest memories.

 

Your favorite camping or road trip experience

We'd love to hear about your favorite camping or road trip experience.  Where did you go, who was with you, and what were some of the highlights from the adventure.

How to protect your home while you’re away on vacation - Part 2

In part 1 of this topic we addressed the serious issues of going on vacation and leaving your home for an extended period of time and dealing with risks from fire, flooding, and theft.  What to do in regarding to incoming mail and phone calls, how to handle yard maintenance, and addressing the care of house plants or a garden are a few of the other issues to contend with prior to leaving.

The easiest solution for us in regard to our mail was to have it forwarded to my parents.  My mom dutifully assisted us in going over the incoming mail a couple of times a week.  If there was a letter that sounded important, I’d have her open it to let me know what it was.  Prior to leaving I made sure every utility company and payee was set up on our online banking system so I could easily keep up with paying the bills back home.  All mail that we needed to keep was just put into a bag for me to sort and file when we returned home.  Because only first class mail is forwarded, all of our junk mail had been weeded out making this process much quicker.

For those of you who don’t have the option of having a family or friend assist you with mail there are a number of professional mail handling companies out there.  UPS Stores for example, offer a mailbox service giving you a real street address and 24 hour access to mail and package deliveries.  They’ll forward your mail, receive faxes, and can even email or text you when a package arrives.  

By far, the biggest hassle that we encountered in regard to our house during this entire trip planning process was with our home phone.  Because we have a home office with a land line, and haven’t yet fully made the switch to cellular, we needed to have all incoming phone calls forwarded to one of our mobile phones.  Successfully accomplishing this wound up being much more difficult than it ever should have been. 

Foolishly, this was one of the chores that I left until the day before we left.  We wanted to scale back on our phone plan to save money during the months we’d be gone, and we needed to add call forwarding, a service we had never utilized in the past.  When I called our phone carrier, I was told that adding the call forwarding would take 7-10 days to set up in their system and we needed to program the forwarded number via our home phone.  Uh oh! I knew that wasn’t going to work because we weren’t going to be home.

To get around that problem, I was told I could set up a “call find me” system through my voice mail. That might have worked, but when I switched package plans, I wasn’t told that voice mail would not be part of the new plan.  Needless to say, I thought I had everything programmed correctly, only to find out after that 7-10 day switch in their system none of our calls were being forwarded.

After hours and hours on the phone with our provider, their customer service and technical support departments, they assured me there was no way to program the cell number into the system for anything other than emergency use when there is trouble with the line.  At that point, my only solution was to have my dad make the drive out to the house to program our cell phone number into our call forwarding system.

This entire problem could have been eliminated had I either already had call forwarding on our phone, had I know the process would take so long to set up, or had we already ditched the land line.  We had expected a few snags here and there throughout the process, but this one took me by complete surprise because it sounded like such a simple chore.  Eh, live and learn.

Knowing we were going on the road for three months we left plants with family members, and weren’t concerned with keeping our driveway plowed.  During the summer months, lawn care companies can be hired to come by on a regular basis to mow, weed, and water.  If you have a garden that you need to leave unattended, check with a neighbor or friend and work out an exchange of crops for weeding and watering services. 

All of these issues can be taken care of given some insight and creative planning.  Don’t let little things like mail, phone calls, and yard maintenance prevent you from setting off on an adventure. 

    

How to protect your home while you’re away on vacation - Part 1

The number one concern a lot of people have when considering leaving on an extended vacation is problems that may arise with having their home vacant. When we decided to hit the road this winter we were faced with the same dilemma.  ‘Where to even begin’ and ‘what to do next’ filled out thoughts for weeks.  Our biggest concerns were: frozen pipes and flooding, fire, and theft or vandalism.

Living in Michigan, we’re faced with extremely cold winter temperatures.  Properly winterizing our house was on the top of our priority list.  This was something we had never done before, and we hadn’t the first clue what needed to be done other than knowing that we needed to drain the pipes.  Searching online for tips and pointers on how to do this came in extremely handy, especially in regard to our dishwasher and washing machine, two appliances that hadn’t even crossed our minds initially. 

The first thing we did was to shut off the power on the breaker to our electric water heater.  Next, we shut off the breaker that provides power to the pump for our primary water supply.  Every faucet was opened to make sure all the water was out of the lines, and every toilet was flushed to drain the water from its tank.  For each appliance that works with water, including our hot water heater, pressure tank, and geothermal system, all supply and discharge lines were disconnected from the water supply and drained.
 
We then took a wet/dry vacuum to remove all the water from the toilet bowls and tanks, and then forced compressed air through the main water supply line. Because our sinks have traps on them, as a final precautionary measure we poured a small amount of non-toxic, RV antifreeze down every drain, including the bathtubs and the toilet bowls via the tanks.

We sorely underestimated the time required for this entire project. Our house uses a geothermal system that requires water for heating, so we had to either schedule these tasks for our day of departure or stay in a freezing cold house with no running water.  The latter wasn’t an enjoyable option, so we chose to get all of this done and leave that evening to stay at a friend’s house.  If we had to do it again, we would be much better prepared ahead of time, but our entire vacation was rather a ‘fly by the seat of our pants’ adventure, and this was just another “live and learn” experience.

If winterizing your plumbing sounds like a daunting task, save yourself some hassle and call a plumber.  A knowledgeable plumber or general handy man should be able to have this job done relatively quickly, freeing you up for last minute packing and other tasks. 

If you live in a flood zone, make sure you are protected against such emergencies.  We had a sump pump installed in our basement when we built this house, so we knew that having shut off the main water supply, the only risk of flooding would be water from outside coming in.  Since we’re well above the water line here and don’t live in a flood zone, leaving the electrical circuit on to our sump pump made us confident that the risk of damage from water was almost nonexistent. The only scenario in which our basement would flood was if the house lost power completely, causing the sump pump not to run at the same time flooding water happened to come in from outside. The odds of that happening were so slim it was hardly worth dwelling on, but we did a quick check of the basement to ensure no cherished items were stored on the floor.  Visions of broken pipes and a flooded house is a stress you don’t need while on vacation. 

Inventorying household items room by room for insurance coverage is something we highly recommend for everyone, regardless of whether you are leaving your house vacant.  Having suffered the loss of a house fire in the past, we knew we needed to protect our assets better should a problem ever arise again. We used our digital camera to photograph and video tape the major contents of each room and made sure we each had a copy on our netbooks, as well as a copy on dvd that was left with family. Because we were cutting power to everything in our house except for the sump pump, fire from wiring within wasn’t a big concern of ours, and we knew fire caused by natural disaster couldn’t be prevented whether we were home or out having an adventure. 

While on vacation, we updated our whereabouts throughout our trip on various social media networks. Hundreds of people knew we were away from home and weren’t returning for months.  Unless you have neighbors or family keeping an eye on your place, or have an alarm system, be careful doing this.

Our contact information and the phone number of a local family member was left with two neighbors who assured us they would call immediately if they saw any traffic or anything out of the ordinary at our house. Being winter with snow on the ground made us confidant that anyone driving or walking down our driveway would leave tracks that would be easily spotted.  

When we returned home a few weeks ago, restoring power and water to the house went smoothly and quickly.  A mouse had taken up residence here in our absence, causing us a bit of hassle right off the bat. Disinfecting all counters, the refrigerator, desks, and cleaning the entire pantry and a few of the kitchen drawers had to be done immediately before unpacking.  Having known that we were leaving for months, we left very little in the house in regard to food items.  The mouse had gotten into a bird seed cake in the pantry and scattered seed shells throughout.  This rodent found it necessary to run around inside the fridge and freezer that had been emptied, scrubbed, and left open with a few sheets of newspaper inside to eliminate odors. Thankfully nothing else was chewed and destroyed, and when faced with leaving again, mousetraps will definitely be set prior to walking out the door.

If you have questions regarding coverage on your house and contents, please call your insurance agent. Discuss options on your policy in regard to flood, fire, and theft.  Know that riders may be required for computer equipment, antiques and collectibles, and jewelry over a certain value.  If you rent, by all means look into your renter’s policy to ensure your belongings are covered, and be aware that your landlord’s insurance policy only covers the dwelling, not your contents.  Ensuring your home stays safe while you’re gone can seem overwhelming, but with the help and advice from others you can head out and enjoy your vacation without worrying that your assets are protected.






 

How to conserve your resources when camping

When camping or boondocking for any length of time, conservation of resources becomes extremely important.  The main things to be concerned about are your water supply, propane, and battery life.

Because we enjoy the solitude of nature and love to listen to the wildlife, we don’t bring a generator with us.  Our Lance 845 truck camper has a 50 watt solar panel mounted to the roof to help recharge our Group 31 deep cycle battery.  This set-up is typically all we need to get by for a number of days without being plugged in, and without having to charge the camper battery via the truck battery.

During our three month road trip we put 10,801 miles on the truck.  Doing so much driving allowed us to recharge our Asus netbooks and our digital camera with a 12 volt DC to 120 volt AC inverter quite often.  We chose the Asus EEE PC 1005-HA-P netbook for a variety of reason, but one of the most critical feature for us is the 10.5 hour battery life it provides. The inverter was invaluable and we definitely couldn't have done without.

Universal solar chargers are a great option for charging cell phones, MP3 players, and digital cameras.  Three to five hours in the sun will provide up to an hour of talk time on a cell phone, and you never know when you may need to make an emergency phone call only to find out your cell phone battery is dead.

Inside the camper we made a simple change to assist with limiting the amount of battery usage.  Geoff installed touch lights throughout and we relied on these in the evening along with 3 small LED lanterns rather than run the house lights.  One mistake that we made however, was choosing touch lights with incandescent light bulbs rather than LED bulbs, and these went through batteries far too quickly.

For people who want lights outside their camper, we recently stumbled across these Solar Shoji Lanterns that fold flat for easy transport.  We're thinking about using some of them around the yard at home too. 

Because we were trying to go easy on propane use, we found it much easier when cooking to make one skillet meals rather than using 2 or 3 burners on the stove.  There were only two of us, but we cooked for four to ensure leftovers that could quickly be heated up the following day.

Gaiam.com carries a Sport Solar Oven that we'd love to try out.  We prefer to be outside as much as possible but cooking over a campfire isn’t always possible due to lack of firewood or burning bans.  This oven is said to require minimal sun and will cook a variety of food in two to four hours.  Crockpot cooking is something we love, and even though there are 12 volt crock pots available, it just isn’t a feasible option  for us when trying to limit battery use.

Because we were gone during the winter months and we camped in the desert at high elevations, nights were cold.  We kept the thermostat at a comfortable level but still noticed cold air around our windows.  This was easily remedied by draping a blanket or sweatshirt over the curtain valance to help insulate the camper.  We brought along a sleeping bag for emergencies (good thing- we needed it the one night we ran out of propane!) and made sure we had extra blankets.

Water consumption was a tricky thing for us to gauge in the beginning.  We relied on disposable cups that we’d reuse throughout the day and paper plates quite often to conserve on dish water.  To cut down further on dirty dishes, a variety of meals can be cooked in the oven or over a campfire in aluminum foil packets.

Showers were taken quickly with the hot water heater turned off as soon as we were through.  Wet wipes, soap, and washcloths eliminated the need to shower every day. For people who don't mind showering outdoors, there are convenient Solar Showers available that will heat four gallons of water in roughly three hours.  

There are numerous methods to conserve your resources when camping, and these are just a few examples.  In the three months we were gone, we ran out of fresh water once and propane once. Not bad for a learn-as-you-go experience. We'd love to hear from those of you who have other tips and pointers on conserving resources while camping.

Want a life on the road but don’t think you can afford it?

Up until last fall when we started planning for our lengthy vacation I had never heard of workamping.  I was unaware that workamping is now one of the fastest growing trends in the job market today.  Adults of all ages across the country are working in a variety of jobs typically in exchange for free camping with utilities and a wage or stipend. 

Amazing concept! 

While in Tucson, Arizona we camped in the Santa Catalina Mountains.  While there, we struck up a long, interesting conversation with the camp host. This gentleman was retired, as are many camp hosts, and drawing a retirement check and Social Security.  He owned no house, and no land.  His home consisted of a lengthy motorhome that towed his SUV.  In exchange for his time as a camp host he received a campsite, a generator for power, potable water, sewer hookups, and a weekly stipend to help cover additional expenses.  He was staying there for 6 months and then moving to Oregon to work for 6 months with a wildlife biologist assisting with ornithology.   

Ok, so you’re not retired and don’t draw Social Security?  Take Chris Dunphy & Cherie Ve Ard (and their cat Kiki), otherwise known as the Technomads, for instance.  They travel, live, work, and play in their RV as full-timers, and have been doing so for years.  Chris and Cherie have technology-based careers that easily allowed for a mobile life style.  While they're not necessarily "workampers", they have found a unique way to juggle full-time travel while maintaining a self-employed life style.

Or Bill and Cathy, another full time RVing couple who are not retired, don’t draw Social Security, and don’t have a pension.  What works for them is what they call their 4-2-4-2 plan.  They work for 4 months, travel for 2 months, work for 4 months and travel again for 2 months in various workamping scenarios. 

If you think that the only people with this type of freedom are couples without children, think again.  I recently stumbled across The Ticknor Tribe blog, and I am still amazed by a family of 13 (yes, THIRTEEN) traveling the country in an RV and living to tell about it.  To read about more families who have decided to hit the road while their children are still young, visit Families on the Road.

If you’re not self-employed, how exactly does one find these short-term work opportunities?  There are a variety of websites available such as Camphost.org, Recreation Resource Management, Volunteer.gov,  Workamper News, and Amazon.com to name a few.  Simply perform a search for your area of expertise (or camp host if you prefer) and the location you’re looking for.  Some people opt for jobs at camp stores doing retail sales, stocking shelves, or shipping, while others build nature trails, or act as guides.  Every holiday season Amazon.com hires thousands of workampers to work in their fulfillment and shipping departments.  If you don't mind long hours and hard labor, email workampers@amazon.com and give it a look.

Even if you’re not thinking about a full time RV lifestyle but want to offset the costs of an extended vacation, workamping may be the perfect way to do so.  

Don’t own a camper but still want to go ‘camping’?

Aside from the obvious tenting scenario there are many options available for people who want to experience camping but don’t yet own a camper.  Renting a camper is one option.  Just Google “camper rental” for a slew of websites such as Cruise America or Get RV.  Some of these companies rent travel trailers and motorhomes with a wide variety of lengths, floor plans and options with no special licensing required. 

A few considerations to look for when selecting a rental company:

• Your rental company should provide you with 24 hour roadside assistance should a problem arise. Your regular auto insurance is likely to provide an insurance binder, but check first to be certain.
• Make sure a checklist and orientation is provided.  You’ll want to make sure you are thoroughly familiar with how the camper operates inside and out.
• If you have pets, some companies have no problem with you bringing them but inquire whether a non-refundable pet deposit is required.
• Make sure you find out what the fees are for mileage and generator usage.  Quite often you are allowed so many miles per day and a set number of hours on the generator with fees for going over your quota.

Renting a camper not for you?  A lot of campgrounds across the country now offer cabin rentals.  While in Louisiana we stayed at Lake Fausse State Park.  They offer 16 beautiful cabins right on the bayou (3 are ADA handicap accessible) as well as a number of campsites ranging from primitive to improved.

KOA campgrounds offer Kamping Kabins in almost every one of their KOAs across North America.  Lodges are also available complete with bathrooms and kitchens.  You may even find Airstream rentals at a few locations.

Inquiring at your destination’s visitor bureau for the location of locally owned cabin or cottage rentals might provide you with a fantastic place to stay, many of which have a campground feel and have activities for kids. 

Still want to road trip but don’t have the budget for a rental camper or cabins?  Try Couchsurfing.  In a nutshell, Couchsurfing is a non-profit network that connects travelers across the globe.  Say you want to travel somewhere but don’t have the budget for motels, and want to learn more about the area from people who actually call it “home”.  Log onto Couchsurfing, search for availability on the dates you are looking for in that specific area, and contact the homeowners for specifics. 
 
We have personally hosted guests in our home on a couple of occasions, one of which was two young women fresh out of college biking from Wisconsin to Maine and Couchsurfing along the way.

On our 3 month road trip this winter we had a friend from Michigan meet us in Sedona, Arizona.  He did a combination of tenting, car camping, and Couchsurfing there and back. Some of his most memorable experiences were meeting new hosts, being welcomed into their homes, and sight seeing with them.  One couple in Missouri had dinner waiting for him when he arrived, and while in Las Vegas he was treated to a night out on the town visiting all the local hotspots.  Memories that couldn’t have been found any other way. 

There are host families who offer lodging for one or lodging for your entire family.  The web site offers a information specific to Couchsurfing with your family and also offers advice for safety.   Definitely something to look into whether you’re the one doing the traveling or the one hosting. 

 

It's National Park Week

It's National Park Week April 17-25 and entrance to all 392 National Parks is free!