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GLACIER NATIONAL PARK JUNE 2021
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CONTENTS
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MEET CHAD & TARA
A YEAR TO VOLUNTEER
From Changing Lanes
by Brian Newman
04
06
10
14
54
70
90
EDITOR'S
NUTS AND
RV GEAR
RV KITCHEN
ARE WE
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VOL.1, ISSUE 3
CONTENTS AUGUST 2021
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EDITOR'S LETTER
Welcome TO RV
04
RV CAMPING
H
CAMPING MAGAZINE!
i, I’m Mike from RVBlogger and the creator of RV Camping Magazine! We have a great lineup of exciting and beneficial articles this month!
In this issue, we meet Chad and Tara Florian, from Changing Lanes. Chad and Tara have been full-time RVers for over 3 and a half years. They have a fantastic YouTube channel with lots of “How To” and RV lifestyle videos. We had the chance to meet and interview them in this month’s issue. They have so much to share about their adventures on the road. We even learned about Chad’s other love interest and Tara’s acceptance of this love triangle. We also feature an article about Phil and Shar Roos from A Year to Volunteer (AY2V). They wanted to serve a purpose while they RV all around the country. And guess what? It’s turning into a movement! Check out our article about how they team up with RVers from all walks of life to make a real difference through volunteer work. Ever heard of a Skoolie? It’s a school bus that has been converted into an RV! And in this month’s RV Renovation section, we catch up with The Lost Bells who converted a school bus into a custom Class A motorhome. You’ll see how Colby and Emily Bell took advantage of the COVID Curfew, making a dream RV for their family of five! In our Are We There Yet? department, we meet Mr. and Mrs. Adventure, who have traveled around the world and the U.S. twice. They take us along on their epic journey through Glacier National Park! Drew and Brittany are accomplished hikers who take on some of Glacier’s backcountry trails head-on! The National RV Training Academy teaches us some valuable info in our Nuts and Bolts section. Sometimes you will notice that the extension cord connecting your RV to the shore power station can get very hot while in use, making it a potential fire hazard! The NRVTA is an excellent resource for all RVers. These guys are real pros, and they are committed to training people how to use their RVs safely! And finally, we will feature some delicious RV camping recipes that will save you time and money! We invite you to dive into the Magazine, take it all in, and share it with your friends! Mike and Susan at RVBlogger
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AUGUST 2021
S H I F T, C O N T R O L & ES CA P E TO RV L I F E
MAGAZINE
AUGUST 2021 VOL.1, ISSUE 3
EDITORIAL
EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR
SR. ART DIRECTOR
Susan McDonald Mike Scarpignato
DESIGN
Kelly Y. Lee
CONTRIBUTORS
Brian Newman, Phil and Shar Roos, Terri Nighswonger, NRVTA, Brittany and Drew Neumann, Emily Bell
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NUTS AND BOLTS
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HOW LONG IS TOO LONG?
F
rom time to time, RVers may end up at an RV park or moochdocking at someone's home when they discover the power cable is too short to reach the power source.
You will need an extension cord, but do you have to worry about its size? Yes, said Todd Henson, the lead instructor at the National RV Training Academy. RVers also need to be aware of how far they are from the power source. The closer the better. "Electrons take up space and there is extra weight to a power cord," he explained. "Think of electricity like a teenager gathering shopping carts in a parking lot. The more carts that have to be moved, the harder he has to work to push them along." It's the same thing with electricity because electrons have to be moved from Point A to Point B. "Although you can't see it happening, current is being moved along the cord from the power source to the RV," Todd explained. “When you add an extension cord to extend the power cable, the electricity has to go a further distance without dissipating along the way." As a general rule, the power cord for an RV – including the extension – should not be longer than 100 feet. And that really applies when the extension cord is not the same thickness as the power cable. "If you have a 50-amp power cord and buy another 50-amp cord, the maximum length of both cords together should not exceed 100 feet," said Todd. "With a power cord that long, I'd still be cautious to ensure I am still using all 50 amps in each section of the cord." The situation really gets complicated when people are moochdocking at someone's house and they don't have a dedicated RV outlet for the rig to connect.
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NUTS AND BOLTS
"Then, you're using a dog bone connector to reduce the 50-amp power cord so that it can pull electricity from a standard wall outlet," he added. "That's a huge no-no because it greatly limits the amount of power you can use in the rig."
“You will need an extension cord, but do you have to worry about its size?”
and through the rig's power cord. It's important to look at the carrying load of the extension cord. If it is designed for light-duty work, it can only accommodate 1,500 watts of power. But, the dog bone will reduce that power level even more.
In other words, don't think you can run both air conditioners, your microwave and other appliances at the same time.
For that reason, Todd recommends people avoid exceeding 1,200 watts of electricity as it passes through through the cords and the dog bone.
"A lot of people think it's okay to draw power by connecting the RV cord with a standard extension cord because they've never experienced any problems," Todd explained. "But, there are other people who have burned an extension cord in the process of mooch docking.
People still have to be careful using a dog bone to connect a 50-amp power cord to a 30-amp extension cord. There will still be a power loss from the outlet through the extension cord, through the dog bone
"Err on the side of safety by using the same size RVBLOGGER.COM
08
RV CAMPING cables, either 50-watt plus 50-watt or 30-watt plus 30-watt and, if you must use a dog bone to connect the RV cable to a dissimilar extension cord, keep the combined length below 100 feet -- and really limit the amount of power you use," he added. "Think about that teenager moving shopping carts. The more carts to move requires more effort and energy to go from Point A to Point B," said Todd. "If the electrons have to work harder to traverse a jerryrigged extension setup, that's when the cords get hot and start to melt, which could start a fire. "Sometimes the breaker will flip to cut off power; however, more often than not, the problem occurs at the dog bone and it bears the brunt of heat generated in the transfer and simply melts," he added. If you want to learn how to fix the majority of problems you’ll encounter on your rig, check out the programs offered by the National RV Training Academy. You can even find information about becoming a certified RV technician or inspector by visiting www.nrvta.com.
The National RV Training Academy
The National RV Training Academy is the premier licensed career school for RV Technicians and RV Inspectors and provide training for RV Owners. For more information about the National RV Training Academy, Call (903) 386-0444 or visit www.nrvta.com.
AUGUST 2021
RV GEAR
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RVER'S ESSENTIALS BY RVBLOGGER
I
t’s the little things that take RV camping to a whole new level of ease and comfort. I used to rough it when I was much younger. But now we want a much nicer and easier camping experience.
So, here are a few items that keep us nice and comfy so we can thoroughly enjoy RV camping!
RV Camping Patio Mat We really try to keep the inside of the RV as clean as possible. We just can’t stand the feeling of dirt or sand on our feet when we are in socks or barefoot inside the RV. So, we discovered these RV Camping patio mats which are great for creating an outside 9'x 12' patio that helps to keep us from tracking dirt or sand into the RV. It’s essential to have the camping mat if you ever camp at the beach or in a sandy area. It makes a huge difference in the sand. When combined with the Grassworx doormat listed above we are able to keep the inside of the RV cleaner for longer. It’s nice to get out of the bed in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and not feel sand or dirt on the floor.
Check out our Gear Buying Guide to see all the gear we use ourselves.>>>
AUGUST 2021
Universal Stove Top Cover I don’t know about you, but we definitely do not have enough countertop space in our RV. The sink is right next to the stove which leaves about 4" of countertop space. Yikes! Luckily, we found this stovetop cover and now we have a place to set up the coffee maker and toaster in the morning or a place to put our cups if we want to pour a soda. The great thing about this stovetop cover is that it is universal so you don’t have to guess if the stovetop cover will actually fit on your stove. We bought ours and used the template on the back to measure where to install the rubber cups that stick to the burner grates. It was very easy to install and now we have extra countertop space. And the rubber cups that hold it in place prevent it from squeaking too!
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Zero Gravity Lounge Chair Recliners These Zero Gravity Lounge Chairs have become our full-time chairs when we go camping. We have the other upright regular folding camping chairs, but they hurt my back because I would sink down into the chair. In an attempt to make myself more comfortable I would actually grab one of the dinette backrest pillows and sit on it while in my camping chair. Then one weekend we took all 4 of our camping chairs out of the RV and forgot to put them back. When we went camping all we had were the zero gravity chairs. Oh no! But that’s when the light bulb went on for me! I realized over the weekend that I could just use my zero gravity chair full time when we go camping and be much more comfortable. Not only are these chairs much more comfortable for sitting around the campfire but we took them to a concert at a Harvest Host Winery and to movie night at another campground. They are also awesome for star gazing! We definitely recommend these chairs!
Portable Folding Camping Table We absolutely love our camping table. We always set it up when we are sitting in front of the campfire at night and it holds our drinks, snacks, cell phones, and outdoor speaker. The lower shelf is great too for a flashlight or whatever else you need. We actually have the red and the black colored tables, but it is also available in Royal Blue. This is definitely an RVBlogger favorite!
GrassWorx Doormat Our RV floors used to get dirty pretty quickly. We almost always take our shoes off when we walk inside the RV, but we were still tracking some dirt inside. And then when we were barefoot or in socks inside the RV, we could feel that gritty feeling on the floors! So, we bought one of these grass style doormats and what a difference! These mats really do a great job scrubbing the dirt or sand off the bottom of our shoes. So, we end up sweeping and vacuuming the RV less often because it stays cleaner longer! It made a huge difference for us. It’s totally worth the minimal cost.
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RVBlogger.com
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KITCHEN
5 Easy RV RECIPES
U
nless you really like to cook, fixing a mouth-watering meal in your RV should not have to be difficult. Unless you have a dishwasher, you probably also have to wash dishes and dirtying up a bunch of pots and pans is likely not on your agenda. Most people who live in their RV also like to spend a lot of time outdoors so grilling is a great way to put a meal on the table in a short period of time. Of course, you can’t always grill so I’ve come up with five recipes that you can make with just a few pans in a very short amount of time.
BY TERRI NIGHSWONGER
About the Author
Terri and her husband Todd are full time RVers and work campers. They have been living full time in their RV for nearly three years with their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Newton, and their Minnie Australian Shepherd puppy, Remi. They are currently work camping along the shores of the beautiful Taylor River in Almont, CO and are enjoying the cool summer temperatures, as well as the abundance of hiking trails. They plan to enjoy the west until they head back to Texas for the winter. Writing is Terri’s passion but she also loves hiking, kayaking, walking her dogs and anything she can do outdoors.
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1. Ham and Cheese Sliders These are yummy and easy and can be made ahead of time. Use King’s Hawaiian Rolls or any kind of roll. I made them a few nights ago and used some, rather expensive, brioche slider buns They were so good! First, slice the buns in half horizontally and then then place the buns side by side in a baking dish. In between the slices, put ham and cheese (we like Swiss). You can make the sandwiches as thick as you like. We actually used turkey and Swiss this time. In a separate bowl mix together one stick of melted butter, 1 ½ tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 ½ tsp minced dried onion. You can also add 1 ½ tsp of poppy seeds. I used everything bagel mix just because I like it. Pour the mixture over the top of the rolls, making sure the dried onion is evenly distributed. Refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Add a side salad and you have a great meal.
2. Black Bean Turkey Chili This is definitely one of my go-to recipes on a chilly evening. I’ve been making it for so long I don’t need a recipe anymore. Just brown one pound of turkey, or you can use ground beef if you like. Add in onions and minced garlic if you like and cook until the turkey is cooked through and the onions are translucent. Add in one can of crushed tomatoes, ¼ cup salsa (Rotel will work too), and two cans of black beans, rinsed and drained. Add in 2 tbsp Chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer until you are ready to eat. Top with cheese, sour cream, onions, vinegar or whatever you like. Don’t forget the crackers on the side.
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3. Sausage and veggie one pan meal The nice thing about this recipe is you can use whatever vegetables are in season or that you like. Take one package of smoked sausage cut into ½ inch slices. Combine with vegetables which could include brussels sprouts, onion, summer squash, zucchini, yellow pepper, green pepper, mushrooms or tomato. Put sausage and vegetables on a greased cookie sheet. Drizzle with Greek vinaigrette and toss to coat. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and preheat broiler. Broil 3-4 minutes until lightly browned.
4. Lettuce Wraps This low-carb meal is a treat that you don’t have to go out for. It’s easy and delicious. Most recipes call for ground chicken but ground turkey can be used too. Just brown your meat in a little olive oil with 2 cloves of garlic and one onion. Once the meat is browned, add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha if you want a little kick. Next stir in the water chestnuts (8-ounce can drained and sliced) and the sliced green onions. Add kosher salt and pepper to taste. Wash the butter lettuce and carefully remove the leaves. Add the mixture to the lettuce and wrap like a burrito.
AUGUST 2021
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5. Tater Tot Casserole This is one easy recipe that you and the kids will love. In your skillet, brown one pound of hamburger. You can add onions, garlic and any other spices you like. I’m a big garlic fan so I always have a large jar of minced garlic in my fridge. Once the hamburger is browned, spoon it into the bottom of a 9X13 pan or a small one that fits your oven. Put grated cheese on top of the hamburger. Mix a can of cream of mushroom soup, or chicken soup if you like, with one can of water. Pour this mixture over the hamburger and cheese. Place tater tots in one layer on top of the mixture. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or longer, based on the directions for the tater tots.
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Chad & Tara FROM CHANGING LANES BY BRIAN NEWMAN
AUGUST 2021
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MEET CHAD AND TARA
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I
f your spouse came up to you and said, “let’s sell everything and become full-time RVers,” how would you react? Would you agree, politely disagree, or look for the best divorce attorney possible? When Chad Florian asked his wife Tara that question, she agreed. She even allowed him to keep his girlfriend Lucille (more on that later). Since neither one had any RV experience, they gave themselves a year to prepare for the next chapter in life. Chad was about to become an empty-nester with one daughter in college and another about to graduate high school. He also realized that the
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definition of the word “home” in his work-from-home I.T. consulting career didn’t negate homes with wheels. At the beginning of 2018, they packed up their toy hauler fifth wheel, strapped down Chad’s 2017 Indian Roadmaster, named Lucille (the “girlfriend”), and headed out. The couple
started their YouTube channel to document their journey for friends and family. Many of their videos show them taking a ride through scenic roadways, product features, DIY how-to instructional projects, great destinations, and others. Many times, you’ll see their Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie) Daisy AUGUST 2021
The channel evolved into the Changing Lanes RV Influencer source with over 180,000 subscribers.
doing her “perfect little angel” routine for the camera. The channel evolved into the Changing Lanes RV Influencer source with over 180,000 subscribers. The Florian’s website, Facebook, and Instagram sites add thousands of more loyal fans to that total as well. They even drew the
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attention of Grand Design, getting the opportunity to become promotional Brand Ambassadors for the RV manufacturer. We had the opportunity to chat with Chad and Tara about how they began the RV lifestyle, what the road’s been like, and what the future holds for them.
“If your spouse came up to you and said, “let’s sell everything and become full-time RVers,” how would you react? ” RVBLOGGER.COM
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“At the beginning of 2018, they packed up their toy hauler fifth wheel, strapped down Chad’s 2017 Indian Roadmaster, named Lucille (the “girlfriend”), and headed out. ”
WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START CHANGING LANES? WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING YOUTUBERS? During the year that Chad and I spent planning our full-time RV life, we also decided to look into creating a YouTube channel. We spent half the time framing out our new lifestyle. The rest of the time was devoted to learning, practicing, and editing videos. We thought it sounded like a fun way to share our travels with family and friends. Little did we know that it would grow into what it is today. One of our favorite things about being a YouTuber is when the two of us hear that we have helped others. It makes all of the work we put into our channel worth it.
AUGUST 2021
For example, health issues and chronic illness are a huge part of our lives. So we decided to share details about my health issues and struggle with Lyme Disease and other conditions. As a result, we receive messages and emails from people who suffer from illnesses inspired to get out and see the country (in the comforts of their RV). I love showing other chronically ill people there’s an alternative to staying trapped in the house. People tell us that they know what to do when finding a tick on their body because of our Lyme Disease Prevention tips videos. Knowing that our work has helped one person prevent a lifetime of suffering is very rewarding. We also receive numerous emails and messages
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from people we have helped in other ways. It is all gratifying and what keeps us going.
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN WHEN YOU BEGAN RVING? While Chad and I were very diligent in our research, we didn’t really grasp that living in an RV came with a never-ending to-do list. We are always trying to catch up on the many things that need maintenance or repairs. I do not think this would deter us, but we try to make sure that anyone who watches our content knows the continual work of properly
maintaining an RV.
WHAT ARE THE BEST RESOURCES THAT HAVE HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY? Definitely YouTube! The year we spent planning included a LOT of YouTube, blogs, etc. But nothing can beat just seeing lots of RVs. We were lucky to live near LazyDays in Tampa, FL, and could tour RVs anytime we wanted.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE RV CAMPING LOCATION, AND WHY? AUGUST 2021
Our absolute favorite place was Glacier National Park! The enormous beauty of that place gave us chills riding through it on our motorcycle. We have recently added Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park to our “favorites” list.
Chad and I have seen a lot of the United States and definitely have a few favorites. But, so far, our absolute favorite place was Glacier National Park! The enormous beauty of that place gave us chills riding through it on our motorcycle. We have recently added Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park to our “favorites” list.
HOW HAS FULL-TIME RVING CHANGED YOU AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD? In our travels, Chad and I have learned that just in the U.S.,
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there is so much diversity in both landscape and culture. We have seen so many amazing places and met so many amazing people on the road. We learned that people are generally good, and RVers, in particular, are a great bunch of helpful people.
DO YOU LIVE BY ANY PIECE OF ADVICE OR MOTTO?
“Many of their videos show them taking a ride through scenic roadways, product features, DIY how-to instructional projects, great destinations, and others.”
RVBLOGGER.COM
Roll with it! Literally and figuratively. RV life can have a lot of ups and downs. One day, you’re touring an amazing location that defies verbal explanation, and the very next day, you’re on the side of a busy highway with a blown tire.
How you deal with the downside of this life can be the difference between loving and hating RV life.
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RV CAMPING Things are going to happen. Stuff is going to break. When bad things happen, stay calm and solve one problem at a time. You will get through it, and it will be one of the best RV stories a few days later. Also, related to the above, be prepared. Know how to handle the most likely things to happen, like a blown tire, ahead of time. Have the right equipment and knowledge to deal with it.
we went to the Tampa RV Super Show and looked at a ton of RVs of every style. Just when we thought we had a handle on it, we would see an RV with a washer and dryer. Oh, yeah! We need that! Oh, wow! This one has a dishwasher...Ok, that can go on the nice-to-have list.
WHAT’S YOUR BEST ADVICE FOR NEWBIE RVERS?
WHAT MAKES YOUR GRAND DESIGN MOMENTUM 397TH FIFTH WHEEL THE BEST CHOICE FOR YOUR FULL-TIME RV LIFESTYLE?
Research, research, research before you pick the style of RV for you. Physically tour as many RVs as possible to get a good understanding of what is available and possible. When we first decided to make this jump,
When Chad and I first started looking at RVs, we knew we wanted a diesel Class A motorhome with a lift on the back for our motorcycle. We didn’t even entertain the idea of a towable at first. It was only
AUGUST 2021
after we realized it would take us longer to afford the type of Class A we needed (a tag axle diesel pusher comes with a hefty price tag) that we decided to take a look at toy haulers. The two of us were amazed at how spacious some of them were and questioned why we hadn’t
“When Chad and I first started looking at RVs, we knew we wanted a diesel Class A motorhome with a lift on the back for our motorcycle."
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“Health issues and chronic illness are a huge part of our lives.” looked at them sooner. We spent a long time looking at different manufacturers and models, ultimately deciding to go with Grand Design.
as many creature comforts of home as possible. So yes, our RV is large, but we are very comfortable (and haven’t missed any of our stuff from the house).
The reviews online about the customer service Grand Design provides is the primary reason we chose them. They also allow customers to order parts to fix any issues themselves, which was important to us. So we finally decided on the Momentum 397TH and haven’t regretted it once.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY WHILE RVING?
Check out the 2018 announcement of Changing Lanes becoming a Brand Ambassador for Grand Design! Since we were selling our house and living in the RV full-time indefinitely, we wanted to have
The whole journey has been so incredible; it is really difficult to point to just one thing. But, I think that the first night living in our RV had the most excitement. A year of planning to completely up-end our lives and live in a 400 square foot box seemed to culminate in that night. Finally, we had done all the preparation, checked all the boxes, and we were actually DOING IT!
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN THE LAST YEAR? We are both proud and
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astonished at the success of our YouTube channel’s growth. Over a year ago (July 2020), we hit 100,000 subscribers, and we were on track to hit 200,000 in a few months. In addition, we are very proud of the library of content and community we created on our channel.
We want to see everything we can in this beautiful country of ours, as well as Canada (via RV). But we also want to travel and even RV on other continents, trying out smaller RVs.
WHAT’S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?
We often wish we could teleport ourselves instantly to another
IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
AUGUST 2021
You can find all of our content on our Changing Lanes website. There’s a search feature and an extensive FAQ that we constantly update.
location. This thought usually occurs when we are far away and missing family and friends.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY FOR OUR VIEWERS TO CONNECT WITH AND LEARN FROM YOU? You can find all of our content on our Changing Lanes website. There’s a search feature and an extensive FAQ that we constantly update. In addition, you can reach
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MEET CHAD AND TARA
“We also want to travel and even RV on other continents, trying out smaller RVs.”
us through our Contact Page, on Facebook, and Instagram.
people realize traditional office jobs aren’t the only way.
Find Your Own Lane
Yet, what’s happening is they’re trading the slow-crawl commute back-and-forth to the office for the long lines and sold-out popular RV destinations like the National parks and tourist attractions. Essentially, they’re taking the off-ramp from one busy highway to another that’s
You may have heard of the “Great Resignation.” As employers open their offices up, over 4 million workers have quit their traditional jobs as of the beginning of July 2021. After a year of working from home, taking RV vacations, and spending time with their families,
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RV CAMPING
“Many times, you’ll see their Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie) Daisy doing her “perfect little angel” routine for the camera.”
equally bumper-to-bumper. Many campgrounds have RV length restrictions of up to 40-feet. High-end RV resorts allow the over 40 mammoths, but those premium campsites, perfectly manicured lawns, and Michelin-Star level restaurants come with a hefty nightly price tag. Not everyone is looking for that type of RV lifestyle.
If you read Chad and Tara’s FAQ section, one of the questions is, “do you ever have trouble finding a site for that giant RV?” Between the East and West Coasts, they stayed in 65 locations in 2020 without any issues. Some of it was BLM and COE (Army Corps of Engineering) public land, but a significant portion was at campgrounds, RV parks, and State parks.
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They are proud and astonished at the success of our YouTube channel’s growth. Over a year ago (July 2020), we hit 100,000 subscribers, and we were on track to hit 200,000 in a few months.
Tara tells her readers that she researches and calls each campground directly to confirm the online information. She uses RV Trip Wizard as her primary trip planner to find hidden gem campgrounds with plenty of campsites available. Keeping with their metaphor, instead of crawling in the same lane everybody else is in, they “change lanes” and find their own adventure.
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MEET CHAD AND TARA
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A YEAR
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RV CAMPING
TO
Volunteer
AUGUST 2021
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A YEAR TO VOLUNTEER
A Year to
Volunteer BY RVBLOGGER
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RV CAMPING
W
hen Shar and Phil Roos of Scottsdale, Arizona arrived at a decision in the summer of 2018 to retire, buy an RV, and embark on a purposefilled full-time RV adventure to all 50 states, they didn’t quite expect to have the impact they’ve seen after a year and half on the road. A year and a half into their journey, they have organized volunteer projects all over the country under their brand, A Year to Volunteer, giving over 18,500 volunteer hours to 15 state parks and nonprofits in 11 states. “And we’ve just gotten started!” says Shar. In the summer of 2018, Phil was retiring after a 36-year career in the U. S. Navy and Shar owned and operated an insurance and financial services agency. “I remember spending a fair amount of time reflecting on my career and wondering what my future
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had in store for me,” says Phil, a Captain who spent the majority of his career at sea operating and commanding ships. “I knew that I would not have been content just sitting in an office cubicle, relying on my Navy experience as a ‘Chapter Two’ career.” He recalled having a friend of his who, after retiring from the Navy himself, hiked the Appalachian Trail. “I was captivated by his hike and felt I needed to do something significant as well.” He considered riding a bicycle across the U.S. or possibly sailing around the world and he approached Shar with the latter idea. “Yeah, no!” said Shar almost immediately. “I loved the idea of doing something different, but a boat wasn’t going to be it.” So, Phil kept thinking, shifting his eye towards RVing. Meanwhile, Shar was growing increasingly unfulfilled at work. She loved helping and providing services to others, the primary reason she entered into her career field. “But gradually I realized that my happiest moments were not at the office, but when I would take time out of my day to read to elementary school kids.” Gradually, she folded volunteerism into her daily routine. Shar and Phil delivered meals for the Salvation Army, gave blood at the American Red Cross, and volunteered with their hometown of Scottsdale.
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Eventually, Shar applied to volunteer with a local hospice center within their memory care unit. “My task was to meet with a resident or two a week and I loved doing this!” says Shar. “What was striking though was that I had to go through a five-month application and screening process which was absolutely needed but weeded out many other potential volunteers. It was entirely worth it, but I was the only one. It was then I realized that many people would jump onto volunteer opportunities, if it was easy or if there was someone there to make the process as effortless as possible.” After a particularly difficult day at work, Shar came home and told Phil that she was onboard with the idea of retiring and buying an RV and traveling to all 50 states. “But let’s do it with purpose!” she told him. “Let’s visit and
“My task was to meet with a resident or two a week and I loved doing this!”
volunteer and in every state and we’ll blog about it. We’ll call it A Year to Volunteer!” And, the idea was born. Shar and Phil purchased a 42’ used 2007 Gulfstream Tour Master diesel coach in February 2019 and they immediately began renovating it for their full-time journey. They replaced the flooring, replaced several failing systems such as the leveling system and one of the air conditioners, and began taking small trips around Arizona to familiarize themselves with their future home. The next step was to install a large enough solar system to allow them to boondock where possible. “Living off grid was important to us,” says Phil. “We expected that, through our volunteer work, we’d likely have to boondock in parking lots etc. without any utilities. And that was how we met Tony.” AUGUST 2021
Tony Flammia came with a friend who gave Phil a solar installation quote. At the time, Tony was a full-time RV enthusiast who hosted several Facebook groups geared towards full-time RV family living. After learning about Shar and Phil’s plan, he offered to share their plan with his groups and introduce him to other RVers, including Phil and Stacy Farley of ‘You, Me, and the RV.” “I suppose it was at that moment we learned that a lot of RVers would love the chance to volunteer, but even though there were RV-friendly volunteer organizations out there, it was still reasonably difficult to find opportunities on the road,” recalls Phil. The idea and scope of A Year to Volunteer began to take shape and grow. Shar and Phil finally hit the road full-time in January of 2020 and through a friend of Phil’s, had learned about the plight of Florida
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A YEAR TO VOLUNTEER
Caverns State Park in Marianna, Florida. The park had been devastated by Hurricane Michael in 2018, flattening 90% of their tree canopy and destroying the park campground. Phil reached out to the park and asked them if they could use a hand and the park graciously accepted. Their first project was born and through the help of Tony, they began soliciting volunteers through his Facebook group and online through their YouTube and Instagram channels. “We couldn’t believe the response,” says Shar. “For that first project, we ended up with a total of 39 volunteers spread out over the three week project.” Volunteers came from all over the country. They initially parked on the campground roadway
and after clearing and preparing the campsites, backed in to the renovated spots. “In that first week,” recalls Shar, “we saw the impact we could have by helping parks or other organizations, and just how easy it was. So many RVers out there have tremendous capacity to help and only need someone to help them find opportunity.”
“For
At that first project in Florida, A Year to Volunteer provided Florida Caverns State Park with over 1600 volunteer hours and helped the park by renovating the campground, clearing debris, building 3 new equestrian RV sites, several primitive tent sites, a trail between a pavilion and scout camping area, and even planted new trees by the park entrance. “It was so heartwarming to have been a part
spread out
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that first project, we ended up with a total of 39 volunteers over the three week project.”
of the park’s rebirth,” says Shar. “We absolutely found our purpose after those first few weeks.” Since that first project, Shar and Phil have traveled to ten other states chasing their A Year to Volunteer (Y2V) 50 state goal, including Texas, Alabama, South Dakota, Indiana, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Montana, Wyoming, and Nebraska. In Texas they helped tear down a church’s school and activity building that had been damaged by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. In Alabama, they helped refurbish a campground store, build trails, and helped with other facilities at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville. “It was there that Covid-19 reared its ugly head,” remembers Phil. “No one was quite sure what was going to happen and national parks and
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RV CAMPING campgrounds were shutting down everywhere.” So, representatives from Alabama State Parks had an idea; to have Y2V shift over to a closed state park in northeast Alabama to help them renovate the entire park, a park that was shuttered in 2015 for budgetary reasons. Buck’s Pocket State Park, is a small park nestled in a deep ravine at the confluence of Dekalb, Marshall and Jackson counties along the South Sauty Creek, a small tributary that feeds into Guntersville Lake to the west. Since closing in 2015, the camp facilities and amenities had fallen victim to natural overgrowth, vandalism, and theft. “The park was in rough shape and Alabama Parks had begun the task of renovating the park for a midJune 2020 reopening,” says Phil. “A contractor rebuilt the campsite pads, electrical grid, and an ADA-compliant bathroom among several other needed projects, and we came in to do everything else,” he added. The Y2V crew, comprised of new and returning volunteers totaling just over 30 volunteers, parked in the refurbished campsites, and with the park’s newly hired manager, Jimmy Jones, spent six weeks clearing overgrowth, building and refurbishing the park’s trail system, and refreshing existing structures including the campground office, bathrooms, maintenance shed, and playground. “It was an amazing labor of love over those six weeks,” Shar says. “What I loved the most was that residents from
the surrounding communities heard about the work we were doing and came down in droves to see what we were doing. Buck’s Pocket was a huge draw to local tourism and it affected the community greatly when it was closed,” she adds. After giving 3200 volunteer hours to the park, witnessing the opening ceremony, and seeing reservations flood back in, the experience firmly cemented their Y2V vision of giving back. Over the following year, Shar and Phil have continued to crisscross the country, researching projects and providing volunteer opportunities to their fellow RVers. Through their Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram channels, they post opportunities, solicit volunteers, and share their progress. “We’ve also shaped our mission over the past year,” Shar AUGUST 2021
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says. “50 states is the goal but we’re often asked what the “year” in A Year to Volunteer means because we’re obviously taking more than a year.” The ‘year’ they describe, has a twofold purpose; to achieve a minimum of 365 volunteer work days on their journey while also inspiring others to give at least 365 days in their lifetime to volunteering. Phil adds, “Yep, after only 195 volunteer days and 11 states since we started, it’ll obviously take several years for us to achieve our goal and honestly, we’re not sure we’ll stop because we see the value of the work we’re doing. It’s also fun!” The ‘year’ they describe, has a twofold purpose; to achieve a minimum of 365 volunteer work days on their journey while also inspiring others to give at least 365 days in their lifetime to volunteering.
The couple also values the close friendships and experiences they have developed while on the road. “We’ve made so many friends along the way,” Shar says, “and we love seeing our volunteers meet up with each other on the road. We really do make friends for life!” So what’s next for the duo as they continue to travel, building fun RV-friendly projects around the
country? “Well, we really need to be better tourists,” Shar laughs. “We’re great at building projects but without a little prodding from friends, we’d drive right by Mount Rushmore!” As a result, they have shaped their routine to no more than two weeks per project with a minimum of two weeks in between. “This gives us time to see this beautiful country of ours and be normal RVers instead of rolling project managers!” Phil adds. “We love what we do but taking that cleansing breath in between our projects is also valuable.” “We really think that full-time RV life is a magical experience few have the chance to enjoy and adding the opportunity to volunteer occasionally along the way could really help fulfill so much need out there,” Shar suggests. A lot of that need exists at state park systems where, as they have seen on their journey, state parks are either underfunded, understaffed, or don’t have time to perform needed maintenance or upgrades. “That’s where we come in and with so many RVers enjoying state
“What I loved the most was that residents from the surrounding communities heard about the work we were doing and came down in droves to see what we were doing.” RVBLOGGER.COM
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parks, especially over the past year during Covid, it’s a natural fit to lend them a helping hand,” says Phil. Shar adds, “We really would love to see our program grow to include steadily more RVers! We read somewhere that there are approximately a million full-time RVers out there and could you imagine the impact we can have collectively if only a fraction volunteered?” If you’d like to learn a bit more about Shar and Phil and A Year to Volunteer, head over to their website at www.ayeartovolunteer. com where they share a
newsletter and post future projects. You can also follow their journey with the same name on their YouTube channel at www. youtube.com/ayeartovolunteer where they share progress videos and their experiences as they travel the country. If you are interested in volunteering with the two, you don’t need to be a full-time RVer or even own an RV. “We love having volunteers from all walks of life and circumstances join us on our projects and have had members of the local community join us on occasion,” Shar AUGUST 2021
“We love having volunteers from all walks of life and circumstances join us on our projects and have had members of the local community join us on occasion.” says. “It’s what truly makes our program fun and fully inclusive.” Feel free to reach out to Shar and Phil with your questions or comments at ayeartovolunteer@ gmail.com.
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HOT, STICKY & SWEATY IN YOUR RV? YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE. You have boondocked, guest-docked, or lot-docked on hot, humid nights. And before now, to stay cool, you needed a big, noisy gas generator (that kept you awake all night) to reliably activate your RV’s A/C units. Those days (and nights) are over! Now, you can start up your RV air conditioning easily, consistently and quietly with a SoftStartRV™ soft starter! Typically, a 2200-2500 series gas generator puts out 2.2-2.5 kilowatts of power and runs small and medium-sized appliances like dorm-style refrigerators, coffee makers, and small microwaves. With the SoftStartRV A/C power management system, you can use small gas generators like the Honda 2200i to power an RV’s A/C unit when you directly plug in your travel trailer.
Will SoftStartRV run my RV A/C on low power? Yes. A SoftStartRV high-performance soft starter powers up all RV A/Cs with smaller gensets – meaning less cost and less weight for your RV travels.
Key SoftStartRV advantages: • Start two A/Cs* on one 30-amp hook-up • Start one A/C with a small generator • Start your A/C on a 20-amp house circuit • Start your A/C with an onboard inverter * Requires one SoftStartRV unit per air conditioner.
The SoftStartRV is a smart, effective, lightweight, low-cost solution that keeps you cool and reduces the “clunking” compressor start-up noise. Its energy management technology reduces air conditioner start-up power demands by an amazing 70%. Since your Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) is always an issue, the SoftStartRV measures 6”x3”x3” and only weighs 2 pounds.
The best SoftStartRV features based on customer reviews • Starts RV A/Cs with a small generator (2200 series generators) • “Best In Industry” warranty included in the price • Small and light, barely affecting your CCC • FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the USA & Canada • Complete installation kit with all needed parts to fully integrate the product • Free online installation videos, guides and directions • LIVE tech support, real-time installation, and tech install ticket support • LED status lights: start, run, and fault • Built-In start capacitor • Waterproof case
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Typical 13.5 or 15K BTU RV air conditioners can jump to 52 amps at activation. The massive amount of power is like flooring your gas pedal on your motorhome. Doing this to the A/C snaps the compressor awake, kick starts the fan and other A/C components. That’s why you hear “thumps” and feel the trailer “shake” when the unit starts.
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ARE WE THERE YET?
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Mr. & Mrs. Adventure IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK BY BRIAN NEWMAN
O
n your quest to visit all 63 national parks or the 423 sites (monuments, historic landmarks, forests, etc.) protected by the National Park Service, how many of them can you mark on your RV sticker map? Have you visited the original ten yet? If you take U.S. Highway 89 North to U.S. Highway 2 East from Helena, Montana, for a little over 3 hours, you’ll come across Glacier National Park. #VanLife Influencer couple, Mr. and Mrs. Adventure, enjoyed their experience so much, they made Glacier National Park a must-see destination on their journey around the world twice. We’ll show you who this extraordinary couple is, how they entered the full-time campervan lifestyle, and highlights of their saga. You’ll also learn about the history of Glacier National Park, the fantastic activities you can find in the park, biodiversity, the unique landscapes, and why many fall in love with this park. So join us as we explore Glacier National Park with Mr. and Mrs. Adventure.
WHO ARE MR. AND MRS. ADVENTURE Brittany Rouille and Drew Neumann met at the University of Florida. Brittany’s french parents raised her in South Florida. Drew’s family hails from Ohio and Michigan. But if you ask Drew if he’s loyal to Michigan’s Maize and Blue or Ohio State’s Scarlet and Gray, he’ll probably respond with, “Go Gators.” After college, the couple moved to Los Angeles, California, since it offered great hiking trails, great #TentLife camping
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locations, and other outdoor life activities. They worked the regular 9-5 work week to support their true lifestyle. In February 2013, they created their website outside of social media to document their weekender camping lifestyle for their friends and family back east. Through their research, Brittany and Drew found a couple that used the “Mr. and Mrs.” branding format. To make the brand theirs, they needed to find that word that summed up what they do. At that moment where couples mentally sync up, there was only one word that echoed in both of their minds: Mr. and Mrs. Adventure.
ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? Brittany and Drew may not
have a lot in common with Jimi Hendrix (although you need to see Brittany’s ice-dyed hammock swing), but they have years of experience living the full-time campervan lifestyle. The first year out, they borrowed a 2000 Leisure Travel Free Spirit 210A from a family member of Drew’s and traveled the United States in 2015. From 2016-2018, five days after their wedding, Brittany and Drew took a two and a half year tour of Europe. They traveled through the Schengen Zone European and North Africa Countries. For the first few weeks, they rented a Dacia Dokker Campervan from KuKu Campers while in Iceland. Then, for their AUGUST 2021
From 20162018, five days after their wedding, Brittany and Drew took a two and a half year tour of Europe.
month in England, they rented a converted box truck camper named Hector from Quirky Campers. On the main continent, the couple bought a converted Ford Transit, dubbed Howeller. When they returned to the United States, they developed a significant following through their website and social media. You can find them on: • Their website and blog • YouTube Channel • Instagram • Friday Newsletter • Patreon
BUILDING THE PERFECT CLASS B MOTORHOME Instead of buying a ready-made
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Class B RV, Brittany and Drew decided it was time to convert their next campervan with the features and amenities they wanted. You can watch the entire building process from start to finish on their YouTube channel starting with Week 1 or watch the recap in Part 1 and Part 2 of the Grand Finale.
MR. AND MRS. ADVENTURE’S DIY CAMPERVAN SPECS RV’S NAME: Spirit of the Howeller (a.k.a. Spirit) CATEGORY: Class B Campervan AUTOMOTIVE CHASSIS: 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500 High Roof ENGINE: Mercedes-Benz 3.0L V6 Turbo Diesel DRIVE TYPE: Rear Wheel Drive
HORSEPOWER: 154 hp TORQUE: 280 lb./ft. LENGTH: 22 feet WHEELBASE: 170.3 inches GROSS WEIGHT: 9,990 pounds TOWING CAPACITY: 7,500 pounds CONVERSION BRAND: DIY FUEL, PLUMBING, AND ELECTRICAL FUEL: 25 gallons/ Propane: Built-in tank FRESH: 46 gallons BATHROOM: Built-in compost commode- 2.6 gallon liquid container & 5 gallon solids container ELECTRIC WATER HEATER: Bosch 2.5 gallon PLUMBING: Kitchen sink, Indoor & Outdoor Shower, Built-in triple water filter SOLAR SYSTEM: 450-watt panels,
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2,000-watt inverter, 450 Ah of lithium battery power storage, Bluetooth solar controller (upgraded from 300-watt panels and 276 Ah AGM gel batteries for the coach) SHORE POWER CONNECTION: 30-amp APPLIANCES, FURNITURE, AND FEATURES COOKING DEVICE: Dometic all-inone 3-burner stove and oven REFRIGERATOR: SnoMaster Expedition Series EX67D Double Door Fridge Freezer- 66 liter (30/36 split)
“Instead of buying a ready-made Class B RV, Brittany and Drew decided it was time to convert their next campervan with the features and amenities they wanted.”
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MASTER BED SIZE: Queen FRONT SOFA: Jackknife bed, Slideout tray for interior shower PRIMARY STORAGE: Above driver attic storage, below master bed garage with triple slideout bike rack ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Midcoach swing on slide door, single basin sink, one-piece countertop with folding extension, multiple kitchen shelves, bookshelf, large shirt wardrobe, overhead cabinetry, and magnetic spice rack. SLEEP: 3
HISTORY OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK Glacier National Park is known as the “Crown of the Continent.” The park’s geography results from the Farallon Tectonic Plate folding under the North American Plate 150 million years ago. That pressure pushed the land up, creating the mountains.
the scenic landscape and the Blackfoot Nation.
Archeologists performed glacier core studies finding paleolithic age (2.5 million years ago through 10,000 B.C.E.) fossils. Glacier was the eighth park to join the National Park System. Our 27th President, William Howard Taft, established it in 1910. One of the most prominent advocates for this piece of Montana land was George Bird Grinnell. Before the American Expansion, this area was home to the Blackfoot, Kootenai, Pend d’Oreille, and Salish Native American Nations. Early Europeans and Americans found the surrounding area rich with minerals and started mining operations. Once railroad companies laid tracks through Montana, mining increased. Grinnell did his best to protect AUGUST 2021
“Glacier National Park is known as the “Crown of the Continent.”
Since the National Park Service formation wouldn’t happen until 1916, the park’s first superintendent, Major William Logan, hired local homesteaders and trappers for those first years. Each man was assigned a portion of the park to patrol. They had to stop poaching, hunt large predators, fight fires, and look after game animals. They were a tough bunch that resided in remote cabins and worked in harsh conditions since very few trails existed. In 1910, and most of the early years, experts believe the park had over 150 glaciers among the mountains. Today around 25 still exist. However, climatologists speculate that the glaciers will be
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Instead of buying a readymade Class B RV, Brittany and Drew spent six months converting their next camper van with the features and amenities they wanted.
MR. AND MRS. ADVENTURE EXPLORE GLACIER NATIONAL PARK During their first trip to Glacier National Park, Brittany and Drew blogged about the two hiking trails they conquered in September 2015. Despite the Pandemic, their mid-August 2020 trip took them across the park on a scenic drive, a hike through a glacier, and enjoying a day at the lake. The couple documented this trip on their YouTube channel.
“These back-country trails were essentially Mountain Goat trails that would take them through some of the most incredible hidden gems in the park.” AUGUST 2021
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2015 TWO DAY TRIP After talking with the park rangers and some locals, Brittany and Drew discovered the two best hiking trails on the east side of Glacier National Park. These backcountry trails were essentially Mountain Goat trails that would take them through some of the most incredible hidden gems in the park.
DAY 1: DAWSONPITAMAKAN PASS TRAIL COUNTERCLOCKWISE
• Option 1: 15-mile hike + a 3-mile boat trip • Option 2: 18.8-mile loop • Trail Map Their day started at 7 a.m. Once they packed up for the day, Brittany and Drew checked in at Two Medicine Campground, one of the many on-site camping areas in the National Park. This campground sits in the southeastern section of the park. You can find more information and book your campsite on the Recreation.gov listing.
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They took the wooden bridge near campsite 100 that led into the park. Since they chose to start at Dawson Pass, the slight incline made the beginning of the trek easier than the steep incline to Pitamakan. Later, that steep incline would be an easy decline to finish the hike. The park introduced itself with a grand valley beyond imagination. The evergreen trees looked like a plush carpet that covered the valley. The mountains in the background framed it perfectly.
“The park introduced itself with a grand valley beyond imagination. The evergreen trees looked like a plush carpet that covered the valley.” Each one had its own personality with different hues, peak shape, and shadowing. Towards the back of the valley, they came to Old Man Lake. Its blue water reflected the sky above. Yet, this is where the first challenge appeared. The trail continued up a series of switchbacks that tested the endurance of these seasoned hikers. At the top, they made it to Dawson Pass. At over 7,600 feet, they were standing on the saddle between Mt. Helen and Filnsch Peak. Brittany and Drew took some time to enjoy the view of the valley they just hiked through and the neighboring one with Boy Lake. Before they moved on, they met up with a herd of Bighorn Sheep. This type of sheep is different from their livestock cousins. The Bighorn Sheep usually ignore people, but the Park Rangers tell visitors to avoid contact with them. Males can weigh more than 350 pounds, and they can easily break bones with their horns. As Mr. and Mrs. Adventure continued, they came to a clifflike section of the trail. At the top,
In 1910, and most of the early years, experts believe the park had over 150 glaciers among the mountains. Today around 25 still exist. However, climatologists speculate that the glaciers will be gone by 2030 (remember, it’s 2021, that’s nine years from now)
they spent a lot of time soaking in the view, taking advantage of the excellent photo-ops, and enjoying the day. It was easy to lose track of time, so they had to double-time it down the last few miles to catch the last boat at 5:30 p.m. to take them back. Otherwise, it would be another 4 miles around the lake. Brittany and Drew did make it on time, but the boat was at max capacity. However, since it was peak season, the boat did make an extra trip for those last-minute stragglers. With a 30-minute lunch break, the total hike time was eight and a half hours.
DAY 2: SHINGRILA - ICEBERG LAKE • 10-mile loop AUGUST 2021
• Map of the general area For this excursion, Brittany and Drew changed their basecamp north of Two Medicine to Many Glacier Campground. This campground is one of the most popular of the 13 locations, so check the campground's Reservation.gov listing for its current opening status and pick the campsite you want. Looking back at the experience now, Brittany and Drew don’t recommend taking this trail. There were some close calls on the hike since the unmaintained trail was filled with loose rocks and other hazards. They regretted not bringing ropes and other safety equipment. It was a unique experience, but knowing what they know now, the couple would avoid it.
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WHEN HIKING THESE RARELY USED BACK-COUNTRY TRAILS, YOU’LL SEE THINGS MOST OTHERS DON’T. THE PROBLEM IS, THEY’RE NOT MAINTAINED OR MONITORED. HOWEVER, EXPERIENCED HIKERS WITH THE PROPER EQUIPMENT, FIRST AID SUPPLIES, AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT WILL LET THE PARK RANGERS KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WHERE THEY’RE GOING IN CASE OF DISASTER. PARK RANGERS, BY POLICY, WILL ONLY TALK WITH YOU ABOUT MONITORED MAIN AND BACK-COUNTRY TRAILS THAT ARE ON THE MAP FOR SAFETY’S SAKE.
Some locals who knew about this little-used path told them about this trail. Brittany and Drew received directions but finding the correct goat path was the first challenge. They started for the Swiftcurrent Pass trailhead and kept a weather eye for the second small footbridge without a railing per the instructions. After the second one, they discovered the narrow path to continue the journey. Staying on the path was the next challenge. There was some guessing, backtracking, rock climbing for an overview, but eventually, they made it through the first leg of the hike. They learned the hard way: when climbing the rocky area of Chimney Glacier, stay to the right at the shaky spots and think your RVBLOGGER.COM
way through. At the top, Brittany and Drew found a rarely viewed scenery. The couple had a great vantage point of the highest peaks, and the rough patterns carved out from the glaciers. It looked like a giant clawed hand came out of the sky and raked its claws against the mountain as it removed a bowlshaped portion from the peak. On the way down, Brittany and Drew had their hiking skills tested. The slate shards, known as scree, created a slippery condition down a steep slope. They felt like they were surfing or skiing on shards more than walking. With their high-level hiking skills, they managed to make it down unharmed. (Next time, we’ll ask Brittany and Drew if the Bighorn
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Sheep they met at the top held up scorecards for their scree surfing abilities). Before they had their crash course in scree surfing, they had a chance to see Iceberg Lake. Once they made it down, they took some time to enjoy the mountain lake with the perfect blue water you would see in tropical destinations. Brittany described the scattered icebergs in the lake as jewels that floated in the turquoise-blue water. While Brittany enjoyed the peace and serenity of the environment around her, Drew had other plans. Stripped to his shorts, he dove into the 30°F glacial water. As you’ll see in the video, there were other people there to witness the event to verify this; bravery (yes, that’s the word we’ll use).
From that point on, the rest of the hike was a lot easier. They used the recognized trail others usually use to reach Iceberg Lake. The packeddown dirt and partially paved path were incomparably better to walk on after the challenges they just conquered. Yet the couple felt like they had joined a club of a select few that knew of the secret trail. For them, it was absolutely worth the effort to see and experience those hidden gems.
2020 TWO AND A HALF DAY TRIP When Brittany and Drew returned to Glacier National Park five years later, in mid-August 2020, they found that the COVID-19 Pandemic affected the park. The National Park Service shut down the entire east side. All of the campgrounds, except Fish Creek, were closed. Many western trails were open, AUGUST 2021
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but no one was allowed near Ghost Haunt since the Canadian Border was closed. During this trip, Mr. and Mrs. Adventure decided to spend the rest of the first day taking a scenic drive through the road that crosses through the park. The next day would be their hiking excursion on a trail loop they designed themselves, and the last day would be a relaxing day at one of the lakes.
entrance and stopped at the Apgar Visitor Center. For safety reasons, the Park Ranger had a table set up outside the building to answer questions.
• 50-miles one-way • Map of Going-to-the-Sun Road
Once they had their hiking plan, the couple decided to drive through the only road that cuts through the park. The Going-to-the-Sun Road (a.k.a. Sun Road), originally named the Transmountain Road, was supposed to have fifteen switchbacks as it climbed and descended the mountains. Instead, the road designers created “The Loop,” one massive switchback that avoids the road congestion multiple switchbacks make.
Brittany and Drew entered the National Park through the west
When the road opened on July 15, 1933, the engineers designed it
DAY 1: GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD SCENIC DRIVE
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where the mountain ridge called Logan Pass was the highest point, reaching 6,646 feet above sea level. The Adventure couple enjoyed their cruise down the road, stopping at many points to enjoy the diverse wildlife and the geologic marvels along the way. Brittany and Drew came upon the Weeping Wall. Glacial runoff creates a waterfall down the rock wall. The road builders added drains to prevent
“While Brittany enjoyed the peace and serenity of the environment around her, Drew had other plans. Stripped to his shorts, he dove into the 30°F glacial water.”
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Master Yoda said, “Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.” They may not have seen the movies until 2020, but they’ve been following the ways of the Jedi for years with the many adventures they’ve had.
DAY 2: GUNSIGHT PASS CUSTOM TRAIL LOOP • 17 miles (9 hours) • Map of the area At first, Brittany and Drew wanted to take a shuttle to the far end and hike the Highline Trail. Unfortunately, the trail was closed. It wasn’t a COVID-19 issue; instead, there was too much snow, and the avalanche risk was too high. Remember, this is the dead of summer. After some thought, the couple created their own trail loop
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“The Adventure couple enjoyed their cruise down the road, stopping at many points to enjoy the diverse wildlife and the geologic marvels along the way.”
by combining some different ones. They would start at Gunsight Pass Trailhead and hike counterclockwise. Some of the landmarks they would pass included Saint Mary Falls, Sunrift Gorge, and Siyeh Pass. To start right, they had to begin around 8 a.m. (actually 9). On the first leg of their hike, they saw a diverse wooded area of greenery with floral scents you couldn’t find in any box or essential oil. The next leg of their journey followed a river. The first landmark was Deadwood Falls. It’s about a 10-15 foot tall drop to the bottom, but the mist it creates makes a beautiful full arc rainbow. They crossed the railless swaying wooden bridge to continue forward. In 2015, the Reynolds Creek Fire
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shut down the Going-to-the-sun Road. Over 4,000 acres burned at that time. As Brittany and Drew continued their current hike, they could see the new growth and the dead trees that still stood from the fire. It allowed them to see how nature revitalizes itself after a disaster. Around 1:30 p.m., they hiked 10 miles already. They were about to hike up Going-to-the-Sun Mountain to take them 2,500 feet higher onto the Sexton Glacier. It was a good time to stop for lunch to refuel themselves for the most challenging part of the hike. Once they reached the edge of the snow level, Brittany and Drew attached their crampons and started using their hiking poles. Some of the people they encountered warned them about
people slipping, injury, and others were turning back because of how dangerous it can be walking through the snow and ice. Having the proper equipment like crampons and hiking poles makes hiking through ice and snow safe. Getting through the snow and a steady pace required some extra effort, but as Drew described it, the landscapes were magical. The couple saw forested valleys, jagged mountains, other glacial-covered peaks, and many other fascinating views in all directions. On the way down, the journey continued to offer nature at its finest. With a mile and a half to the finish line, they found evidence of a bear. As smart hikers, Brittany and Drew always bring bear spray with them; seeing bear scat on the trail reminded them why they
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kept their spray bottles close. At the end of the trail, they found out that they parked Spirit in the best location. When they reached the road, their campervan was right there waiting for them.
DAY 3: LAKE MCDONALD • Paddleboard rental and relaxing day • Map of the area
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Mr. and Mrs. Adventure is still on the American roads today.
Due to the U.S.- Canadian border closure, they have had to put their trip to Alaska on the back-burner. However, their sights are set on getting back to Europe as they just booked international flights. To see where they’re headed next, and follow their adventures, and VanLife escapades subscribe to their YouTube Channel, newsletter, website, Instagram, and Patreon sources. As you can see, Mr. and Mrs. Adventure took that leap of faith outside their comfort zone to go after those experiences and lifestyle in the prime of their life. Doing this made their lives richer and full of priceless memories. They hope their story and travels
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Mr. and Mrs. Adventure is still on the American roads today.
inspire others to pursue the life that’s right for them and find happiness doing it. Their secret is to spread kindness, live simply, and focus on experiences. Glacier National Park is entirely open, but entering the park requires reservations, and certain entrances are restricted to park pass holders. Go to the official website for more details. You can also learn more about safety protocols that are in place.
“Sometimes spending a relaxing day at a lake is just what they need.”
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here’s a drivable category of RV that doesn’t get the same level of coverage the Class A, B, or C’s get in the media, blogosphere, or other sources. While the Prevost bus frame gets the luxury and looks, this bus is the jealous Janet Brady (Marsha, Marsha, Marsha) commonly used to transport rowdy children back and forth to school. Every American knows the yellow International S-Series Harvester School Bus from their childhood. Yet, there’s a subculture in the RV World that uses their do-it-yourself (DIY) skills to convert retired buses into Class A RVs. You’ll find “Schoolies” all over the country with unique floorplans and decore of every length.
THE LOST BELLS SCHOOLIE CONVERSION
BY BRIAN NEWMAN
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Colby, Emily, Zoe (7), Crew (6), and Marley (2) Bell, known as The Lost Bells, made the most of the stay-at-home COVID-19 curfew by converting a Schoolie of their own. Join us as we take a tour of their 36 foot DIY schoolie, learn more about their incredible story, and more about what it takes to build a schoolie.
THE COLORS OF THE BELL FAMILY: TROPICAL BLUE, PINK, YELLOW, GREY, AND WHITE The Bells are master practitioners in NeuroLinguistic Programming and coach clients looking to uplevel their minds. Before they built their schoolie, neither one had any RV experience, but they loved to travel. In 2019, they spent seven months traveling to tropical locations staying at AirBnBs a month at a time. You can read about their adventures on their blog, The Lost Bells. Emily uses meditation and yoga as a way to center herself and alleviate the migraines she suffers regularly. Unfortunately, they had to return home to Utah due to the pink ribbon battle: breast cancer. Emily wrote a few articles about her struggle on her blog, but she’s currently working on a book about her healing journey.
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RVING BELL-STYLE Last spring when news of the Coronavirus spread across the world. The Bells international exploration plans were given a “TBD” label. To sate their travel desires, they decided to try out the RV lifestyle. After researching the many possibilities, the RV Industry offered, Colby and Emily couldn’t find a Class A motorhome that fit their needs. During their international exploration, The Bells rented out their six-bedroom house. For this chapter of their lives, they decided to become full-timers by selling the home. In March 2020, they found what they were looking for; a cleared-out school bus ready for an RV remodel.
EXTERIOR FEATURES The original owners of the Schoolie gave the Bells a great canvas to start their conversion. The side windows were already taken out, paneled, and replaced with RV windows. The previous owners increased the roof height by 21 inches for more headspace, making the total height 12 ½ feet with the roof deck. The exterior came two-toned with a white base and a grey accent on the lower walls. The seller already replaced the entry door with a secure RVstyle door handle.
2000 International 3800 S-Series Diesel Pusher School Bus
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•BODY MANUFACTURER: AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION CORPORATION (AMTRAN) •CHASSIS: INTERNATIONAL 3000 REAR ENGINE CONVENTIONAL CHASSIS • ENGINE: INTERNATIONAL 7.3L T444E V8 TURBO- 225 HP @ 560 LB./FT.* •TRANSMISSION: ALLISON AT545 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC •LENGTH: 36 FEET •HEIGHT: 12.25 FEET •WIDTH: 7.5 FEET •INTERIOR SPACE: AROUND 275 SQUARE FEET •BRAKES: AIR SYSTEM •INSULATION: SPRAY FOAM •R-VALUE: R-3.7 PER SQUARE INCH •FRESHWATER TANK: 150 GALLONS/ GREY TANK: 70 GALLONS/ COMPOST TOILET •SLEEP: 7 •ESTIMATED PROJECT COST: $50,000 •SCHOOLIE’S NAME: BUSSIE *Colby reflashed the ECM chip (the bus’s central computer) to increase the engine’s output up to 225 horsepower.
Unlike most school buses, American Transportation placed the emergency exit mid-coach on AUGUST 2021
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“During their international exploration, The Bells rented out their six-bedroom house. For this chapter of their lives, they decided to become full-timers by selling the home.”
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OPPOSITE: After Photo of living room/ kitchen
Colorado, miserable during the freezing temperatures of that March 2020 weekend. The bus was essentially a rolling shell, making the trip cold and loud. Yet Colby and Emily traveled the first miles every newbie has to drive to gain the RV lifestyle perspective.
INTERIOR DESIGN The contemporary interior design styling of the schoolie wasn’t put together by a high-priced consultant. Colby and Emily drew their inspiration from Pinterest. They used the monochrome white and grey exterior as base colors. The light wood ceiling, floors, and white walls keep the public space bright, harnessing natural light.
In the progress of the kitchen.
“They used the monochrome white and grey exterior as base colors.” the driver’s side of the vehicle. In addition, Colby and Emily added a third door on the rear door side to access the main storage space during their three-month remodel. The rear ladder leads up to the roof deck and a port in the rear master bedroom. The deck takes up the back half of the roof, making room for the living room
sunroof and solar panels that produce 1,340 watts of power.
INTERIOR FEATURES The bus was already stripped to the baseboards when The Bells bought the bus, saving time and money on demo. Unfortunately, without a heater installed, it made the 7-hour trip home from Denver, RVBLOGGER.COM
To give each bunk its unique quality, Emily uses different wallpapers to balance each child’s particular personality, brighten the space, and compliment each other. In addition, the bathroom has ceramic tile. Real tile adds a lot of weight to traditional Class A motorhomes, so you’ll see bathrooms and backsplashes with faux tile made from lightweight vinyl. Schoolies and Prevost Class A RVs don’t even flinch when it comes to ceramic tile’s added weight. The master bedroom has recessed lighting in the ceiling but is generally darker in nature. When Emily has a migraine flare, the low light space helps reduce her symptoms and promotes relaxation.
THE FLOORPLAN Schoolies generally have two different floorplans. The first is
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the split floorplan with the center aisle stretches from the front to the back. School buses use this floorplan with the seating. In RV floorplans, variations will cut the aisle short in the back for a full-width master bedroom. Other variations dog-leg the aisle to one side, allowing all-in-one bathrooms or different sections to have the space it needs. The Bells decided on the L-shaped floorplan. The mid-coach kitchen AUGUST 2021
uses a wall that’s perpendicular to the sidewalls. The advantage of this layout allows them to separate the public space from the private bedrooms and bathroom. The hallway between the two areas is on the door side of the bus.
THE DRIVER’S SECTION AND LIVING ROOM All of the components in the cockpit, including the seat, are the original equipment that came with
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the 2000 International S-Series school bus. However, Colby did add a backup camera and monitor to make backing up easier. Above the driver is a loft the kids use as a play area. So when they need to fuel their imaginations with a good book or play with their Legos® to explore new trails with their creativity, there’s a space for fun. The living room consists of two sofas on each side. The furniture pieces were originally from their sticks and bricks house. The initial plan was to add RV furniture, but they cover the front wheel wells, add comfortable seating, are long enough for sleeping, and perfectly
accent the contemporary interior design. As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” For a table, Colby and Emily set up a folding table between the two sofas. The sofas and table allow everyone to sit comfortably for meals, playing Candyland (shucks, I got the Molasses Swamp card), or simply enjoying each other’s company. There aren’t any installed TVs, but on the rare occasions anyone wants to watch something, the family pulls out their tablets or laptops.
THE KITCHEN In the RV world, storage space is a golden commodity; counter space is silver. RV veterans will AUGUST 2021
Before and after of driver side.
spend more money on a coach for extra storage and more extended countertops. RV designers and engineers will have many sleepless nights finding extra inches on new layouts. That’s one of the truly remarkable things about The Bell’s schoolie: the storage space in the kitchen is everywhere, and the countertops measure longer than many multimillion-dollar luxury Class A motorhomes. Not only will you find deep storage in the cabinets you see, but there’s plenty you don’t see. The bottom kickboards of the cabinets open up, and some floor panels open for storage too. The Bells had to raise the interior floors to
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avoid tripping hazards. Seeing an opportunity, they used the space between the floor and subfloor for more storage. There’s an extended pull-out pantry and even more cabinets in the hallway leading to the private section. The remodel took place during and after the April 2020 stay-at-home curfew. With the schools closed, Emily tapped the community by asking her high school shop teacher to add his woodworking skills to the pantry and other bus projects. The stove and oven combo run off of propane. The large farmhouse single-basin sink has a main faucet that extends out. The smaller of the two has a filter on it that purifies water for drinking. When the family traveled abroad, they became accustomed to living without a microwave or a dishwasher, so they didn’t add one.
THE BATHROOM
“Realizing it would be better to have a sink in the bathroom to encourage good hygiene habits for the kids, they added a small corner bathroom sink in the shower.”
The bathroom conserves hallway space by using a pocket door. The commode is a compost version by Separett (use the code LOSTBELLS for a discount code for a discount on your purchase), making the need for a black water tank unnecessary. The shower is large enough and tall enough for almost anyone to get really comfortable. The original plan was to use the kitchen sink as the bathroom sink. But, realizing it would be better to have a sink in the bathroom to encourage good hygiene habits for the kids, they added a small corner bathroom sink in the shower. RVBLOGGER.COM
The shower shares its space with the emergency exit door. At first, most people would think it odd, but it makes sense to consider double-entry travel trailers with a rear entry that leads into a bathroom. Besides avoiding a code violation, those second doors turn the bathroom into a mudroom. After a day of outdoor fun, no one wants to track mud into their clean coach. Having an entryway that leads into an easy-to-clean bathroom where you can peel off your mud-caked clothes and rinse off acts as an antechamber. Using a portable stair or ladder device makes it simple to get in and out. The shower has a water-efficient head that conserves water. In addition, Colby installed a tankless propane water heater, so all five of them don’t have to limit themselves to the quick “scrub-and-rinse” 3-minute shower. Instead, adults can have a complete shower of serenity, and the kids can get completely clean without worrying about running out of hot water. For climate control, the Bells installed a 10-liter diesel heater for heating the bus. In addition, the ductless Innova mini-split air conditioner located on the doorside wall in the hallway keeps the Schoolie cool with 12,000 BTUs of air-conditioned temperatures even if it’s in the triple-digits outside.
THE BUNKHOUSE Usually, a bunkhouse is in the rear of an RV. In the Bell’s case, the children’s bunks are between
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the bathroom and the rear master bedroom. On the door-side are two bunks for the girls, Marley and Zoe. Their son, Crew, has his bunk on the off-door side. Below him is a large chest of drawers for Colby and Emily and their combo washer and dryer. Under Marley’s bunk (the bottom) are three wooden cabinet panels. When you detach them from their Velcro, three baskets hold each of the kids’ clothes. Each bunk has shelving to store personal items and has safety gates to prevent falling. An underfloor space
stores off-season wardrobes and swimwear.
THE GARAGE AND MASTER SUITE The rear wall of the bunkhouse has a split door. The lower entrance leads to a garage area. The low ceiling toy hauler-like storage area holds large items like outdoor furniture and gear. A small section of the garage contains electrical equipment, mainly from Victron. In addition, Victron provides a mobile device app that allows Colby and Emily to AUGUST 2021
Rooftop deck
control the electronic components and monitor tank levels. The upper door leads to the queen-size bed for Mom and Dad to relax. Both the door side and off-door side have mediumsized cabinets for their items. The ceiling has a port that opens up. The roof is low enough where Colby and Emily can climb through the port to reach the rooftop deck.
TURNING A BUS INTO A SCHOOLIE RV As you can see, this schoolie is incredible. The planning, work,
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and financial costs put into The Bell’s school bus RV place it in one of the top designs. A quick search on the internet will show you how others have realized their Schoolie RV dreams. Some are more budget-friendly, while others are extravagant. If you’re thinking of building your own Schoolie RV, there’s some extra paperwork involved you have to take care of first. To drive a bus, you must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and follow the various state and federal laws about them. Buses titled RVs
no longer have the commercial driver’s license, insurance requirements, or other formal issues.
BEFORE YOU USE YOUR BUS AS AN RV, UNCLE SAM AND AUNT (YOUR DOMICILE STATE) MUST RECOGNIZE IT AS AN RV, NOT A BUS. During the research phase of your schoolie process, you need to start with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website. Find out what the requirements are to retitle a bus into an RV. Each state has its own process. Not RVBLOGGER.COM
More than enough storage and countertop space.
every office has the capabilities to retitle your bus. Your goal is to find a DMV that will do the paperwork, inspection, and other parts as close to a “one-stop-shop” as possible. When The Bells bought their schoolie, the previous owners completed the retitling process when they started the project. If you want to avoid the process yourself, you may find others looking to sell their retitled schoolie RVs that are unfinished. An unfinished retitled schoolie has an increased value because of the
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COMMON STATE REQUIREMENTS Your state’s DMV is the ultimate authority, but here are some common requirements you’ll see. Having the application and the website bookmarked for easy reference is a great strategy. BILL OF SALE: Simply put, you need a receipt of the purchase from the seller. It must have all of the correct information. Don’t guess on this; your DMV has a form or a list of required information that the receipt must have on it. CERTIFICATE OF WEIGHT: There are scales you can go to that will officially weigh your bus. Cat Scale provides this service for commercial trucks and buses all around the country. City dumps, truck stops, and truck service centers may offer official weighing too. When you’re looking around, you want to find out if they certify your weight. The DMV doesn’t have the capabilities. CURRENT TITLE: You must have the most recent title, and it must be clean of any liens or financing. If someone lost the title, you could have a salvage title drawn up, but make sure you get it certified by a notary or whatever other officiant your state requires. DRIVER’S LICENSE: Most states allow a standard Class A driver’s license to operate a noncommercial vehicle up to 26,000 pounds. If it’s 26,001 pounds, then
you’ll need a CDL. Some states lower that weight restriction. So, if you’re traveling in a state with a lower limit but registered in a 26,000-pound state, you’re good. INSPECTION: Some states require a DMV inspection specialist to perform a thorough inspection. Others may only ask for a list of photos of specific components. The location of the DMV may be far away. You don’t have your title or registration yet, but if pulled over, the original title, bill of sale, proof of insurance, and your application will count as proper paperwork as long as you’re heading straight to the proper DMV. MEET YOUR STATE’S DEFINITION OF AN RV: Some states are specific, while others are vague. Some have a few requirements, and others have higher standards. Look for these common permanently installed features: AUGUST 2021
• A designated sleeping space • Food preparation area • A cooking device with a fuel source • Installed refrigerator • Electrical system with a verifiable 110v outlet • A water source (tank or city water attachment) PHOTOS OF YOUR CONVERSION: Take pictures during the remodeling process. Focus on critical points like wiring points, plumbing joints, framing, insulation, and other critical components. The DMV inspector may want to see them. Inspectors don’t want to know the brand of refrigerator you have. They want to know how you installed it and if you installed it correctly. PROOF OF INSURANCE: Have your RV insurance in place before you head to the DMV. Even though you’re not titled as an RV yet, the insurance company will provide
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RV CAMPING still up in the air. To learn more about The Bells, make sure you subscribe to their blog, The Lost Bells, and their YouTube Channel, or find them on Instagram. On a personal note, Colby and Emily’s remodeling decisions made without any previous RV experience were extraordinary. Finding strategic storage under the floor, adding a long countertop, finding a good use for the emergency exit, and other multipurpose ideas are at decadelong veteran level mindsets.
you with the necessary coverage during this preliminary time while you’re in the remodeling phase.
GETTING LOST WITH THE BELLS When we wrote this article, The Bells returned from a 3-month stay in Cancun, Mexico, while Emily continued her healing treatments. During their trip abroad, they listed their “Whimsical Family Friendly Skoolie” on the peer-to-peer RV rental website, Outdoorsy. Located in St. George, Utah, their southwestern location puts them in one of the best locations for an RV vacation: • They’re less than an hour from Zion National Park • 2 hours away from Las Vegas • 2 ½ hours away from the Grand Canyon • 3 hours from the Grand Staircase-Escalante National
“The family plans to continue traveling abroad. As far as continuing the RV Lifestyle, that’s still up in the air.”
Monument • 3 hours from Arches National Park • 3 hours from Bryce Canyon National Park • 3 hours from Canyonland National Park
This author is the child of a mother diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis who lost the battle with Breast Cancer, so he has experience with the hardships the family went through during that time. The Bells may be lost geographically, but you’ll never find a nicer close-knit family full of strength and the desire to live life to the fullest.
The family plans to continue traveling abroad. As far as continuing the RV Lifestyle, that’s
About the Author
Although Brian Newman is from Motown, Brian Newman is a legacy RVer that grew up on I-75. He, his wife, and two working-class fur-babies have enjoyed the full-time RV lifestyle since 2017. Like John Madden, he hasn’t “worked” in years because he gets to write about his passion. When he’s not working, he supports his daughter’s dog rescue efforts and disability causes.
AUGUST 2021
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RV MASTERCLASS HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY THE RV LIFE NETWORK.
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Masterclass has been acquired by the RV Life Network, the companies announced recently.
RV Masterclass is the creation of lifestyle social media influencers Kyle and Olivia Brady (Drivin’ and Vibin)’, Rae and Jason Miller (Getaway Couple) and Tom and Cait Morton (Mortons on the Move). The educational RV Masterclass platform hosts 5 educational RV Masterclass Signature Courses on topics such as boondocking, full-time RVing and RV buying. RV Masterclass also promotes 15 additional courses from other well-known educators and influencers in the RV lifestyle industry on many different topics related to RVing and life on the road, such as, Full Time RV Finance by Chickery’s Travels and Buy the Right RV by Less Junk More Journey.
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“The courses align beautifully with our mission to help RVers dream of new adventures and provide them tools to journey with confidence."
“We look forward to adding the RV Masterclass courses to our RV LIFE Pro app,” said Patrick Buchanan, Industry Liaison and Product Manager of RV Life Network. “The courses align beautifully with our mission to help RVers dream of new adventures and provide them tools to journey with confidence. We are honored that the founders have entrusted us and look forward to releasing more courses in the future.” said Andy Robinowitz, CEO of RV Life. The companies said there will be no changes for current RV Masterclass course students. RV Life Network said it plans to expand RV Masterclass educational offerings in the future and offer the courses through it’s incredibly popular RV Life app. RV LIFE Network also features apps like RV LIFE Pro, RV Trip Wizard, Campground Reviews and others. The addition of RV Masterclass to the RV LIFE Network is the latest in a string of acquisitions for this rapidly growing company. This growing network of RV lifestyle resources aims to, as the company says, “make camping simple.”
AUGUST 2021
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