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A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Van Living (page 2 of 14)

Free Power – How Do We Get Sufficient Electricity to Camp Off-grid?

January 27, 2022 / / 30 Comments

Most of you already know that Mark, Maya, and I enjoy boondocking, also called wild or dry camping. This means we don’t utilize hook-ups (connection to electricity, water, and sewer), which are standard utilities at RV parks and most campgrounds. Not only is boondocking free (or affordable in official camping areas), but it provides us with privacy, space, and peace. We just love to spend our nights in solitude, surrounded by Mother Nature – a quiet environment, starry skies, the distant howl of coyotes.

Our RV has three tanks: fresh water for drinking, showering, dishes, and cooking; a “grey” tank to collect water going down the drains, and a “black” reservoir to collect contents from the toilet. We usually fill the fresh water tank and dump the others at dump stations. In Mexico, we buy our water at the “agua purificado” store. So, these essentials consist of the process “fill, use, dump, repeat.” But how about that other commodity called electricity? How do we collect and retain enough “juice” for our computer, lights, and few appliances? How do we manage to keep our devices charged when sitting still?

Ever since we owned our 35ft sailing catamaran Irie from 2007 to 2015, we have been fans of solar power. It allows us to be self-contained, free, and camp/anchor off the beaten path. If you are curious how that materializes in our current truck camper, Temp, please read on…

Mark and I recently installed an additional solar panel on the roof of our camper to augment the existing 160W panel that came with our “new” set-up. Last year, Mark built a 270Ah LifePO4 12V (Lithium) battery for Temp and we have been using that successfully for the past months. Our camper came with a Zamp Solar 160W roof-mounted solar panel and a Zamp Solar 30A PWM charge controller when we bought it last June. The charge controller does not work well with LifePO4 batteries, so changing that out was also on our to-do list to get the camper’s electrical system better prepared for full-time living.

We installed an additional 180W fixed solar panel from BougeRV (link here) to our existing roof rack. This avoided drilling new holes into the roof for the panel itself. We used the Z-bracket mounting hardware that BougeRV sells specifically for their panels, (see link here) which attached directly to the new 180W panel and then provided a horizontal surface to mount it on our roof rack. We also utilized their pass-thru gland for the new wiring into the camper from the roof (click link here), and received 30ft of 10AWG wire (see that link here).

Panel and accessories arrive

Unpacking the panel

Junction box

Inside junction box

Z-Brackets

30ft of 10AWG cable

Gland for camper roof

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Introducing Our New Home on Wheels & How Does a Truck Camper Compare to a Campervan?

November 18, 2021 / / 64 Comments

Mark, Maya, and I have been back on the road in this new-to-us camper for two months now. It’s time to properly introduce our new set-up. I haven’t done this earlier, because the post would be on the longer side (and require a lot of time to create), we have been contemplating a name for the two components, and I wanted to get a feel for our home on wheels first. Some of you might have been wondering how our changed living quarters are working out, why we swapped modes of transportation/accommodation, or how a truck camper compares to a campervan.

Meet T&T

Picking names is difficult for me – my book title, our dog, our previous sailboats, the marine product we invented and developed. The decision process takes ages and the label has to be fitting. Mark and I really liked the name of our campervan, Zesty, which we sold in April of this year. Once we finally found the right truck (which we bought after the slide-in camper), more naming was in order.

(Hover over or click on photos to read their captions in galleries.)

Thirsty without cargo
The tailgate had to be removed (and stored) to fit the camper in the truck bed.

For reasons you might guess, we have decided to call our black Ford F350 short-bed, extended cab, 4X4 gasoline pickup truck Thirsty. If you’ve followed our current expense reports, you would agree this is a suitable name for a vehicle of this caliber. Of course, our truck – like us – is thirsty for adventure and freedom as well.

Temp disconnected & rebuilding the truck camper frame in Newburyport, MA – take 1

It might come as a surprise that our nuCamp Cirrus 820 is not our ideal camper to take to South America. I’ll elaborate on why later, but we have been on the look-out for another truck camper (a Northstar Arrow U) for seven months. Because our current camper is supposed to be a temporary solution, the in-between version, we are calling it Temp. This particular brand and model – modern, streamlined, and fancy – was very tempting to buy and our #2 on the list. Add to that, that all campers can be temperamental… Since irony plays a big role in my life, I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually end up keeping Temp, needing to explain its name with sarcasm. There is a lot to love about him.

Rebuilding the truck camper frame at a Home Depot in Albuquerque, NM – take 2

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Goodbye, Westy! – Changing Gears

May 13, 2021 / / 84 Comments

Mark and I owned Zesty the Westy, our home on wheels, for almost four years. This 19ft converted Sprinter Westfalia van was imported from Germany into the US by Airstream in 2005. Only a few remain. They are very sought after, because of their unique design, plethora of amenities in a tiny space, facilitating layout, and quality components. They keep their value and, at an average of 22mpg, have decent fuel economy for an RV (recreational vehicle). We loved our set-up and couldn’t have asked for a more versatile, manageable, all-in-one camper to live and travel North America in. You can find an introduction to our Zesty in my post “Welcome, Westy!” here.

Us with our Zesty in California (before Maya)

Summer 2020, New England, USA

“Now that the camper is empty and clean, we might as well take photos in case we want sell it at some point,” I suggest to Mark.

“Good idea,” he responds. “Whenever that might be. But let’s do it up in Maine, where the view is better.”

Front and back seats
Front seats with arm rests down
The cockpit
The spacious dinette area
Lots of storage
The engine

He and I – and Maya – are committed to spending the summer in our “room above the garage” at my in-laws in Massachusetts, because of the pandemic, Mark’s parents needing help, and my goal to finish my travel memoir in 2020. 

For a couple of weeks, we move to Maine to help out family with home renovations. There, we remove (and wash) all the covers and spend a couple of hours turning Zesty inside out, opening cabinets, converting the dinette into a second bed, pulling our main bed out, swiveling chairs, and taking 300 photos of any set-up and conversion possible. I’m sure nobody here has seen the original interior of our van, since we kept every piece of cloth – even the arm rests – hidden and protected since the beginning!

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Encounters of the Human Kind – Making Friends in Baja

April 22, 2021 / / 53 Comments

Something magical happens once nomads venture across the border of the United States. It occurred to us in the past and then again, recently. As van dwellers and RVers for years in the US, we rarely connected with fellow travelers. Campers generally stay to themselves – especially during the pandemic – in familiar areas: RV parks and official campgrounds, which we don’t frequent, or out in the boonies, which we enjoy. Conversations are short and shallow. All this seems to change once we leave the country and are confronted with like-minded, universal travelers.

Bumping into friends – unexpectedly – at our Loreto campground

Kathi and Mary from Missouri, USA

It started with the Facebook group Talk Baja, where Kathi replied to one of my posts and we discovered that we both had entered Mexico on the same day, at the same border crossing. We even thought we’d seen each other’s vans along the eastern highway, Mex 5. Eventually, we shared a campground in San Ignacio and later in Mulegé.

The campground in San Ignacio, where we first met Kathi and Mary

Our acquaintance led to a few (masked) chats, the women buying and reading my travel memoir Plunge, and remaining in touch. They even invited us for a visit to their home in Missouri, which we considered on our journey back to the US East Coast. Due to our schedules, however, we never managed to spend quality time together. Yet.

(As always, hover over or click on the photos in the galleries to read their captions.)

Kathi and Mary bought a copy of Plunge in Mulege
Maya made friends in Mulege as well (see previous post); some of them gathered bones for all to chew on.

You can find Kathi’s Facebook page here and Mary’s here.

Ivan from Spain

One of our first evenings on a (rocky) beach in Baja, Mark, Maya, and I sat in our chairs enjoying the view, when a man purposefully walked towards us, masked. He appeared to be the only other camper at Papa Fernandez and had braved a mile of sinking-in-the-pebbles effort to reach us. We chatted, became friends, and met up several times afterwards, expectedly and unexpectedly. Ivan introduced other seasoned travelers to us in Mulegé, some of whom we ran into again later.

Ivan’s campsite at the opposite end of the Papa Fernandez beach
Early on – sitting on the beach where Ivan initially met us
Ivan joined us on this rocky beach south of Mulege – we are all sheltered from the strong north winds
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Tale of Two Towns – Mulegé & Loreto in Baja California Sur

April 15, 2021 / / 50 Comments

Mark, Maya, and I entered Baja California, Mexico, on February 1st 2021 in Zesty, without much of a plan. No surprise there! The main reason for our decision to cross the border was threefold: we needed a break from the US and its chaos, politics, and atmosphere, we aimed to find warmer weather, and we were both ready for a little “vacation” after all the hard work on my travel memoir Plunge.

Baja California, Mexico
Mulege & Loreto, Baja, Mexico

Other than that, we’d drive until we found 1) warmth or 2) an area that spoke to us. Number two came first in the form of Mulegé, a town off the beaten tourist track about 2/3 down the Baja peninsula on the Sea of Cortez side.

Why Mulegé?

Sometimes, when you find a place that touches your heart, it’s difficult to describe why. Mark and I drove through and stayed in this town – actually in the exact same campground – fifteen years ago on our journey south (which brought us all the way to Panama and back) in a truck camper with our dogs Kali and Darwin. But it didn’t leave an impression. Also, we had different goals of sightseeing and exploring back then, not hanging out and immersing ourselves.

The official name of Mulege is Heroica Mulege
Entrance to the town of Mulege from the highway, Mex 1
Local brewery
Colonial-looking beer store

Here’s what we liked about this little gem on our recent visit:

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Monthly Expenses – March 2021 (on the Baja Peninsula, Mexico)

April 12, 2021 / / 26 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

Pretty much the entire month of March, Mark, Maya, and I lived and traveled in Zesty in Baja California, Mexico. In general, life is cheaper south of the border, with the big exception of fuel. That’s why these final numbers were a bit surprising to me; I thought we’d do better. But, there were some unusual additions to our normal spending habits.

Sunrise at Playa La Perla
Our favorite campsite along Bahia Concepcion: Playa La Escondida
Laundry facilities at our campground in Loreto
Laundry prices – $1.50 per load of washing and $1.50 per load of drying
The only facilities at this $10 a night campground of Rancho Mil, an hour south of the US border, were trash, pit toilets, and cold showers.

One of them was the annual city tax for our camper, which ironically is rarely ever in Newburyport and when it is, it just sits on the driveway unused. We splurged on a whale tour, which was seriously worth the money – but not so much the effort getting there… Our annual Chase Sapphire Reserve visa card fee is always due in March. While this seems high, we get much more than $150 back in credits, points, and other benefits during a year of usage. We also had a wonderful dinner out for Mark’s 50th birthday.

One of the many whales approaching our little boat

The utility category is higher than usual, because we kept our affordable and discontinued AT&T plan in the US  ($35/ month for unlimited data use) while also buying a Mexican equivalent from Telcel for our time in Baja. The same happened with our dog, Maya. We needed new dog food in Mexico, which wasn’t a good idea (more about that in an upcoming blog) and which resulted in ordering better food that awaited us upon our return across the border.

Eating out(side) with our camping friends Sandie and Karsten from Germany
Free camping south of Mulege
Camped for free near Mesquite Canyon

On the flipside, groceries were affordable. We only bought enough for a few days at a time and ate out frequently. Based on that, I did expect the dining out category to be higher, especially since it includes a fancy (very!) delayed birthday meal for me, joined by our friends Sandie and Karsten. On my actual birthday (and book launch), our bubble of friends only had snacks to hold us over because nobody felt like cooking.

Free camping near Posada Concepcion
Calm morning walk
The settlement of Posada Concepcion
Free camping north of Loreto
Beach and view towards Loreto
More chances to do my favorite walk along Bahia Concepcion

While it sure adds up, camping appeared cheaper than anticipated as well. Half of the nights in Baja, we paid for Zesty to be parked at an official campground ($10 a night) or on the beach ($7 – $10/night), where Mexican concessionaries would collect their fees. I did bargain when we stayed longer in one place along Bahia Concepcion and we intermittently camped for free in Mexico and always once back in the US.

Free camping between Bahia Concepcion and Loreto
View over the bay
Maya enjoys being outdoors
Parked overnight (for free) at Villa Jesus and Maria on our drive back north
Free camping south of San Felipe

To see how fellow nomads Duwan and Greg made out in March, click here.

March 2021 Overview:

Camper (diesel: $184; city tax: $77):

Groceries:

Camping:

Bank charge (visa card):

Dining out:

Entertainment (whale tour):

Utilities (internet: $61; water: $9; prop: $6; Skype: $5):

Dog (food: $61; vet: $4):

Gifts (B-day dinner Mark):

Household:

Alcohol:

Clothing (flip flops):

Laundry:

 

TOTAL:

 

$261

$189

$162

$150

$97

$94

$81

$65

$50

$25

$8

$6

$6

———

$ 1,194

Compare this result to the one from last month – also in Baja California – here. Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Encounters of the Whale Kind

April 5, 2021 / / 44 Comments

The shallow Ojo de Liebre Lagoon (also called Scammon’s Lagoon) and the San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja California, Mexico, are the breeding grounds of the California gray whale, who migrate here every winter. Peak season to watch the adults and babies is from January through March. Ojo de Liebre (“hare eye lagoon”), a coastal lagoon near the town of Guerrero Negro, is a prime location to spot these humongous yet gentle creatures.

Whale and tail

Attempt One: Laguna Ojo de Liebre Campground

Sometime in February, Mark, Maya, and I drove 12 miles down a bumpy, gravel road past a salt mine to reach the departure point for whale watch tours ($50 per person) and set up camp for a few days.

Salt mine
Driving through one of the salt mines
Maya enjoys the scenery

It’s a beautiful location with lots of birds and trails to walk Maya – all for the price of 100 pesos ($5) for however long you’d like to stay. We could watch whale spouts through binoculars all day long. While a tad pricey for us, I decided to sign on for one of the tours, using birthday money from my parents.

Nice and quiet campsite at Ojo de Liebre (as long as it wasn’t too windy)
Maya dug out a shady hole in the dunes to rest
I could sit there and look for whales all day.
Frolicking Maya
Sunset over Ojo de Liebre

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Baja Bound (Part Two) – Beach Time!

March 23, 2021 / / 42 Comments

I’m running a little behind with my Baja blogs. Sorry! Blame my lack of internet. Or, just blame me. I haven’t felt like sitting behind my computer lately, or scanning thousands of new photos. I’ll get there. When time and WiFi availability allow. Soon. 😊

Who wants to sit inside, behind a computer, when this view can be had while relaxing outside?

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read the captions. My images are heavily resized for easier downloading and uploading; I apologize for their inferior quality.)

From West to East

The Baja California peninsula is relatively narrow, so it doesn’t take long to get from one side to the other. Mex 1 is the main “highway” in this part of Mexico. It predominantly runs along the coasts with a few zigzags back and forth. After our stop in Guerrero Negro, where I left off in a previous post, Zesty transported us through the narrow middle, past desolate landscapes, cacti, dry terrain, barren hills, and small settlements.

Many times, we are passed by cars and trucks who cross the solid yellow line. I waited for an incident right at the “no passing” sign…
Heading towards the east coast of Baja again – nobody cares about the “no passing” yellow line…
Approaching one of the military checkpoints, with a volcano in the background

We decided to stop in the oasis of San Ignacio, a lush and tropical reprieve from the desert that is Baja California. The town is exceptionally clean and well taken care of. Highlights are the town square and the mission, Misión San Ignacio Kadakaamán, which was founded by the Jesuit missionary Juan Bautista de Luyando in 1728.

Mission San Ignacio
The door was locked, but looked pretty cool!
View of downtown, seen from the mission
Downtown San Ignacio
Around the square
One of the restaurants around the town square
Walking back to the campground, five minutes from downtown, we often met roaming horses.
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Monthly Expenses – February 2021 (on the Baja Peninsula)

March 10, 2021 / / 29 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

Approaching Bahia Concepcion

The entire month of February, Mark, Maya, and I lived and traveled in Zesty in Baja California, Mexico. In general, life is cheaper south of the border, with the big exception of fuel. Even though we drive a campervan – some might call it an RV – we get 23 miles to the gallon. This is awesome fuel economy, especially compared to the 16mpg in our truck camper, fifteen  years ago, and to most other campers. Back in Arizona, diesel was cheap ($2.20/gallon), which meant we spent about $1 for every ten miles we drove. Here in Mexico, we pay double that ($4.50/gallon)!

Fuel station in Loreto
Out of fuel!

Another bigger-than-normal expense was the gift category. Mark had a special birthday on March 1st, but his main “present” was bought in February. More about that later. We also bought tourist cards upon entering the country.

Our camping/accommodation category is usually zero. In Mexico, we decided to take things a bit easier and more comfortable while at the same time supporting local businesses that are hit hard due to the pandemic. For the same reasons, we savored plenty of take-out and outdoor meals. We love street tacos, especially the fish ones!

Our favorite taco restaurant (so far) in Mulege
Street tacos on a bench in Mulege

The utilities category is also higher than other months, because we are paying for two data plans: the one from the US (which we are not using at all right now) and our Amigo plan (8GB for $25)  in Mexico, which comes in handy around towns. Staying at official campgrounds has allowed us to be frustrated with take advantage of intermittent WiFi. We are filling our fresh water tank up with agua purificada from water-dispensing stores, so we can keep drinking it instead of buying and refilling 5-gallon jugs. Doing the dishes and showering with “pure” water does feel a tad luxurious!

Camped at a rocky beach in Baja California “Norte” – Papa Fernandez
Lush campground in San Ignacio
Sunrise along Bahia Concepcion
Lush campground – Huerta Don Chano – in Mulege

February was a month of few expense categories and enjoying a quiet, basic lifestyle. This is reflected in our less-than-average total, despite the extra money for certain conveniences. I am a bit behind with my blog posts and – certainly – with my blog reading and commenting, but I happily blame the lack of internet for that, which has been blissful! 🙂

Laundry day in Mulege
This campground only has a (cold) washing machine, no dryer.

To see how our friends Duwan and Greg made out in February, click here.

February 2021 Overview:

Gifts (birthday Mark):

Camper (Mexican ins.: $143; diesel: $114; maint.: $17):

Groceries:

Camping:

Dining out:

Utilities (internet: $67; water: $11):

Customs & Immigration:

Alcohol:

Laundry:

 

TOTAL:

 

$277

$272

$196

$172

$86

$78

$61

$20

$5

———

$ 1,167

Sunrise over the Sea of Cortez

Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Baja Bound (Part One) – A Change of Scenery

February 24, 2021 / / 66 Comments

The Plan

Mark and I had been playing around with the idea of going to Baja California, Mexico, during the winter since the fall of 2020. But as long as I needed reliable internet every day (first to publish my book, then to promote it, on top of other jobs and blogging commitments), crossing the border was not going to happen.

As January approached and we found ourselves in an uninspiring, windy California desert that turned even more chilly from the moment the sun set (before 5pm), the desire to find warmer weather grew. Don’t forget our home measures only 80sq feet, so being able to live outside is a requirement. Whenever my live webinar/presentation for the Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) was delivered, we would leave the US for a chunk of time.

Except, the day after my “performance,” rumor had it that the border officials in Mexicali were cranking down on non-essential travel into their municipality. Would they turn us back if we crossed there, even when only driving through? We didn’t want to lie about our reason for visiting (saying that we were going to Mexico for dental work for example), besides, I’d just been to the dentist.

So we changed our plans, added a few more days to prepping our crossing, which now included an extra drive back east to a different border town after doing laundry, washing Zesty, and stocking up the van in Yuma, AZ, instead of El Centro, CA.

The interior of Baja California seen from the interior of Zesty

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read the captions. My photos are heavily resized for easier loading of the page.)

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