Welcome to Notes From The Road, a monthly recap of where we’ve been, what we’ve been up to, and the things we’ve enjoyed over the last 30 days.
April began at an idyllic campsite in Arizona and is ending at our property on Colorado’s Western Slope. It’s been a month filled with many of the unique ups and downs that come with full-time RV travel. We hope you enjoy this recap of the highs and lows that make this lifestyle rewarding & exciting on some days and challenging (though entirely worth it) on others.
When luck is on our side
At the start of April we made our way a few hours further north in Arizona. When we arrived at our destination we were surprised to find this popular area entirely unoccupied by other campers. It turned out the road had been closed due to heavy rain and had just recently opened back up. By a stroke of good luck we got to pick out a prime spot to enjoy for two weeks.
The glamorous side of this lifestyle
Not only did we get dibs on the perfect campsite, we also happened to be walking distance to a trailhead that offered miles of trails as well as access to some beautiful swimming holes. Thanks to some pretty ideal weather, we hiked nearly 30 miles each week of our stay.
The not so glamorous side
On our next travel day Mark discovered a tear in the tread of one of our trailer tires and decided we should probably get four new tires before continuing north through a long stretch of northern Arizona and southern Utah that offers few services. After spending the afternoon at a tire shop, Mark noticed something wasn’t right with the truck while driving to our next campsite. It turned out all of the bolts holding the two halves of the turbo together had come loose and fallen out. Our plan to spend one night in Flagstaff turned into three so that Mark could pull the turbo, clean it, repair it, and reinstall it; and while he was at it, do an oil change. Living on the road has turned him into an expert at field repairs.
We take these kind of days in stride knowing that no matter where or how you live, there are always highs and lows.
When nature isn’t so welcoming
Our next destination was Bluff, UT. We returned to a beautiful spot that we’ve previously enjoyed only to discover that we were near a lot of rattlesnake activity. Our plan to stay a week and enjoy one of our favorite areas in Utah was cut short when the risk felt too high and we decided we’d rather not tempt fate.
The strange dichotomy that is the comfort and responsibility of being Home
Returning to our property in Colorado is always met with a weird sense of both excitement and overwhelm. It’s the only time of the year that we stay in one place for more than two weeks. To be stationery for a month or more is such a nice change of pace. It allows us the chance to have packages delivered, work on projects, and not have to think about where we’re going next. But within days of our return, “should” becomes the dominate word in our vocabulary. We should organize our storage unit. We should sell this, that, and other things that aren’t getting used and taking up space. We should buy more gravel for the driveway and order supplies for weed mitigation and and and…the list goes on.
We love our property, it comes with a lot of perks and is phenomenally beautiful. It’s also a healthy reminder that the responsibility of owning anything comes with stress and expense. Living with less is a large part of why we love being nomads.
The joy of having nomad friends
April ended on a high note with our travel buds, Heather & Adam, dropping by to visit for a few days. You may recognize them from the several weeks we spent traveling together in Baja earlier this year. We’re so grateful for their friendship and the opportunity to spend some time together before they head to the Pacific Northwest for the summer.
MEDIA WE’VE ENJOYED THIS MONTH
Book
Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter
A lot of our time this year so far has been dedicated to forming healthier habits; with food, media, technology, and more. This book was just what I needed to help fuel our momentum. Author Michael Easter defines the “scarcity loop” that causes us to get addicted to everything from shopping to social media. It was a fascinating, informative, and empowering read.
Videos
We love well-told stories of people living unconventional lives. I enjoyed this video highlighting the 150,000 miles of world exploration, via bicycles, that Pierre Bouchard and Janick Lemieux have covered since 1990.
The more time we spend in Mexico, the more we try to incorporate the flavors of authentic Mexican food into our cooking. Chilaquiles con huevos is our favorite dish and a regular breakfast for us. I recently came across chef Saúl Montiel on You Tube and love seeing how he makes his favorite Mexican dishes.
Music
I love making playlists on Spotify. For years I’ve been adding songs we like to our “It’s All Good” playlist. It’s now 26 hours of tunes including everything from Led Zeppelin to Jack Johnson to Bob Marley. If you love filling your days with music like we do, you might enjoy giving it a listen!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, THESE ARE THE POSTS THAT WE SHARED IN April:
- A day in the life: relocating from Wickenburg to Wickenburg
- A-Z Guide to Full-time RV Living: Juggling a job with life on the road
- Bridging the gap between the person we are and the person we want to be
- Full-time Four Wheel Camper living with Heather & Adam
- A day in the life: why we plan our travel days conservatively
- A-Z Guide to Full-time RV Living: Know your Why
- A day in the life: run off by rattlesnakes
We have something really exciting in store for us in May and look forward to sharing more once things are under way! Let us know in the comments, what are you looking forward to in May? Whether it’s a simple pleasure or grand adventure, may your upcoming month contain some wonderful delights.
Cheers!
Michele & Mark
