We started a kickstarter project to help fund our band's tour:
www.kickstarter.com/projects/1064978423/the-shoot-dangs-represent-true-alaskan-music-big-t?ref=discovery
Please check it out and help us spread our energy and music from Alaska to the lower 48 and back up again this August!
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
3 years of Toyota motorhome living - how goes it???
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| 1989 Toyota Odyssey 4x4 (1 of only 6 ever made - I was lucky to come across it!) |
It's been a while and I've had several folks ask what's up, so here's an update. First, the Toyota 4x4 motorhome lives on! Although the V6 3.0 liter engine has a blown head gasket and is limping around, I'm currently in the process of installing a larger, custom V6 3.4 liter engine. It should boost my horsepower from 145 hp to 190 hp. 55 hp will make a huge difference driving "Nelly" all around Alaska.
I've done quite a bit of research, and Toyota's 3.4 L is a significant improvement in reliability, power, and fuel economy, so I should literally be a happy camper once the engine swap is complete by mid-April. It will also
be pretty sweet to have the capability to drive faster than 40 mph down the highway. Thanks all you patient people out there, I'm sure I've pissed you off at some point, but just remember... I'm not in a hurry cause' I'm already home.
We haven't had much of a winter in Alaska this year. It's been one of the warmest and least snowiest winters on record (warm ocean currents have not shifted much from last year, causing oddly warm weather patterns), and you can really see it in the mountains. Snowmachines are still not allowed in most of the public use areas due to lack of snow. People are still skiing, but it's pretty sad this year... even my interior RV garden (pictured below) was growing into mid-October this year, unbelievable!
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| Crow Creek Road, Girdwood, AK |
I've found Alaska to be an awesome place to live in a camper off-grid, however I have also noticed a lot of potential camping areas and public parking areas have been closing down the last 3 years, and I feel like I need to do my part by speaking up. There are a few other people out there living in vehicles and some people have been ruining the free camping spots, primarily by staying in one spot too long and then the spot is permanently blocked off or "No Camping/No Overnight Parking" signs are put in place.
One example of prime spots to stay the evening, but have closed do to excessive, multi-day camping:
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| Home for the night at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood - skiing and live music, yup! |
That is all. If we can all educate ourselves on being more responsible campers and stewards of the environment, then we will continue to enjoy free camping and no hassles in Anchorage and all around Alaska.
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| Another free overnight camping spot... I make sure to camp responsibly and move early the next morning so there are no issues. |
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| Kage & I at an abandoned gold mine in the Talkeetna Mountains. |
Kage and I recently returned from a trip to New Zealand and Fiji. We had an incredible time overseas and all I recall is a blur of incredible experiences: scuba diving, whitewater pack rafting, speed flying, paragliding, canyoning, hiking, caving, busking and played a few shows with our instruments, fire spinning, stopped by the Lord of the Rings "Shire/Hobbiton," oh... and consumed a healthy amount of lamb pies with an occasional salad. We bought a van (1992 Toyota HiAce diesel cow), converted the van into a fully self-contained camper (installed a toilet, sink, and fresh/grey water tanks) and toured both islands of New Zealand.
Below is a quick video of one of the adventures:
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| A Hobbit home in The Shire, Lord of the Rings movie set, New Zealand. |
Unfortunately, campervans have become the target for irresponsibility, as locals and police assume that campervans staying overnight without an onboard bathroom or porta-potty are leaving the toilet paper behind, when the reality is that day-hikers or sight-see'ers just passing by also leave behind trash and toilet paper.
The only way to camp for free in New Zealand these days is by obtaining a "Self-Contained" sticker from local auditors who inspect your van after you have installed a plumbed sink, sealed fresh water and waste water tanks, and a sealed porta-potty system (see pictures below).
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| Our fully-converted Toyota Hiace diesel van: plumbed a sink and freshwater/wastewater tanks, added a toilet behind the drivers seat. |
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| The required "Self-Contained" sticker you need to camp for free in New Zealand |
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| Kage with a celebration float after running the whitewater upstream on the Kawaru River, South Island, NZ. |
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| The "Embrace" sculpture burning at sunrise completely surrounded by over 50,000 people. Small-scale tornados were created from the intense heat produced by the fire! Unreal! Another beatiful moment at B.M. |
Another highlight of the year was getting to experience and participate in the Burning Man festival this past August/September, held in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. If you are open-minded and want a mind-blowing experience that you can't experience (to this magnitude) anywhere else in the world, then you absolutely have to go to Burning Man at some point in your life.
Over 50,000 people of all ages, all walks of life, all personalities and oddities, come together for a week in the Nevada desert to create Black Rock City. I read and heard how large and overwhelming this city becomes, and man did it live up to all the hype! I think I'm still residualy dancing over half a year later... and we're definitely going back this year!
What do you do at Burning Man? Well, I remember: riding on pirate ships across sand, climbing into a box of mirrors and losing all direction, chasing a flaming mechanical octopus, riding a bike through a tornado, camping with the owner of a pro baseball team, wandering from live show to live show with fire-blasting canons and stacks of speakers taller than a hotel - so much sound the hairs on your arms would stand up... and I made many great friends I'll know or remember for a long, long time. Incredible!
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| Taking a break somewhere in Black Rock City. It's hard to get lost when you can make anywhere your home. |
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| Kage and I playing pickin' some grindage' for passerbys. |
The Shoot Dangs! have had another awesome year of shows in ridiculously awesome places. Arctic Man, Tailgate Alaska, Salmonstock, Forest Fair, SnowFest, Trapper Creek Bluegrass Festival, Six Mile Creek Whitewater and Bluegrass Festival, I can't even remember them all! We had the opportunity to play shows at bars and music venues in Valdez, Homer, Denali, Talkeetna, Seward, Girdwood, Hope, Fairbanks, and Anchorage, and we'll be doing it again this summer! Thanks so much to the fans, friends, and strangers that encourage us to keep keepin' on!
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| Thanks to our friend Katxia for drawing (a tiny version) of our banner!! We love it! |
The band is also planning a fall tour from Alaska down to Burning Man 2015. We are hoping to take the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system and play shows along the southeast Alaska coastal towns (like Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Wrangell, etc) the last week of August. We'll be taking the Toyota motorhome down. Can't wait! Well, until next time... oh, and for a list of show dates, booking information or music samples, go to www.reverbnation.com/theshootdangs
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| A show at Down East Saloon, Homer, AK. |
Monday, March 10, 2014
Living off-grid interview by Nest Magazine
Here's a recent interview Kage and I had by Nest Magazine. You can find a much prettier version of the arcticle on Nest Magazine's website:
http://www.nest-mag.com/index.php/nests/tim-johnson
I hope this article helps or inspires someone, somehow. It'd be a lot easier to go about my own business and not spend any time writing or answering questions from people, but I think it's important to send back the positive energy and inspiration that so many people send out to me, so here's my odd way of doing it. Kage throws some great tips out there for women that are considering a similar lifestyle on the road. Thanks Inga for the interview:
Could you give me some information about your personal background? Who are you, what is your profession, where are you from, what are your hobbies, what do you wish for your life?
What happened that you've decided to move from the warm south to the cold north of the U.S.? From where came the idea to live off-grid all year in your camper?
Could you tell me something about your camper? Where have you found it? What add-ons have you added since you owned it?
You've named your camper "Pittsburgh Nelly". Where did this name came from?
I'm really enthusiastic about the fitting-out of your nest. What
impressed me most is the little in-house garden. How did the first
motorhome-grown salad taste?
I suppose the winter temperatures in Alaska are really cold and most of us aren't used to bear those. How do you get through the ice-cold nights in your motorhome? Any special tactics? Or probably longing for a warm shower?
I could imagine that many people that you meet while traveling are fascinated by your vehicle. What was the most beautiful or unexpected reaction to your motorhome and your unusual lifestyle?
I don't want to keep the new music video of your band "The Shoot Dangs" from our readers. I for one, am already a big fan. How do you combine the tour life with your life in the camper? Are you all living in your camper together while touring through Alaska?
How many miles have you driven with Pittsburgh Nelly on Alaska's roads?
What are you planning for the future? Still living in a van down by the river and sleep each night at a different place?
And finally, what does a nest (home) mean to you?
http://www.nest-mag.com/index.php/nests/tim-johnson
I hope this article helps or inspires someone, somehow. It'd be a lot easier to go about my own business and not spend any time writing or answering questions from people, but I think it's important to send back the positive energy and inspiration that so many people send out to me, so here's my odd way of doing it. Kage throws some great tips out there for women that are considering a similar lifestyle on the road. Thanks Inga for the interview:
Living in a van down by the river
The first step to living small, but big: move into something smaller!
Tim is from the warm south of the U.S. and
moved to the ice-cold north to realize his dream of living off-grid in a
motorhome. Together with his girlfriend Kage he travels on Alaska's
roads, showering in the gym, growing salad in the indoor garden, and
keeping warm with the help of a wood stove. True to the motto: "The 1st
step to living small, but BIG: move into something smaller!" In the
following interview Tim and Kage tell us about the life on the road and
in the cold.
Could you give me some information about your personal background? Who are you, what is your profession, where are you from, what are your hobbies, what do you wish for your life?
My name is Tim Johnson, friends call me Timmy. My
profession? Metaphorically “living out of the box”… while literally
“living in a box.” I guess my main income is based off of teaching
driving. I try to save every scary, hard-earned penny I make teaching driving and invest in life's many adventures & a sporadic life on the road. I’m nearly finished with a Masters degree in Environmental
Science/Isotope Hydrology, so I might not have to continue risking my
life with new driving students. There’s something sketchy about driving
down an icy Alaskan highway in January, with a brand new driver that
speaks no English and has horrible reflexes… but I supposed somebody’s
gotta do it.
I grew up in North Georgia’s Smokey Mountains.
Maybe you’ve seen the movie Deliverance? Them are my stompin’ grounds.
Spending time in an Alaskan bush cabin as a kid, I always found myself
dreaming of calling Alaska “home”. I finally moved to Alaska in 2002,
and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Some folks have a drinking problem. I have a “water
problem”, otherwise known as whitewater kayaking. Kayaking is the
backbone of my adventures in Alaska and around the globe. The summer in
Alaska is incredible for kayaking, where I can lose myself in deep,
remote, and unforgiving whitewater canyons. In the winter-time, I either
travel out of the USA to paddle (usually to New Zealand, my second
home) or I’ll hang around Alaska and ski, speed-fly, or snow machine. I
also enjoy picking the banjo in my free time, and try to do a show every
now and then with our band. My girlfriend, Kage, is also a banjo player
(she helped teach me a few new banjo skills), so we share the passion
for playing and creating music.
What do I wish for my life? Honestly, I wish to
learn everything I can from everything around me, and I hope to make a
positive impact in the people’s lives I interact with. I also aim to
create an environment that inspires adventure (within myself and
others), morphs dreams to reality, and leaves a positive footprint and a
bit of inspiration behind. I’m always grateful for the inspiration
other people give me, so I’m just attempting to return that energy.
What happened that you've decided to move from the warm south to the cold north of the U.S.? From where came the idea to live off-grid all year in your camper?
After spending time as a kid in the remote
wilderness of Lake Clark National Park, I just always knew I wanted to
call Alaska home… so I simply acted on my dreams. I never did like moving into new homes. It seemed I
had to move into a new apartment or home at least every year for 10
years straight, throughout Anchorage and Girdwood. Roommates would move
in or move out, and I would basically be forced to find a new home. I
had enough belongings to outfit an entire house, so every time I moved
it was a serious undertaking. I finally grew tired of moving all my
belongings around, so I decided to sell everything that was unnecessary,
and move into a small motorhome year-round. I was really concerned at
first, because I knew I would not have a designated place to park, and I
didn’t know how comfortable I would be throughout the cold winter
months.
As it turns out… if you think “out of the box”, life on the road
will more than accommodate you.
In an article about you, I've read that the reason you've moved to
Alaska was the dream of living in the wildest place on Earth. What is
the most fascinating thing about this rough nature?
The most fascinating aspect of Alaska is the raw
experience of untouched wilderness. I haven’t been anywhere else on
earth that feels so remote and wild, even within a short distance of the
city.
Could you tell me something about your camper? Where have you found it? What add-ons have you added since you owned it?
After the decision to live in a motorhome
full-time, my old man (Bob) & I were searching the internet for a
Toyota 4x4 motorhome, and my old man came across an ad for an extremely
rare (only 6 ever made) Toyota Odyssey 4-wheel drive motorhome in Los
Angeles, California. We both were looking for a 4x4 motorhome at the
time, and since I lived in Alaska (he lives in Georgia) and I was
planning on living full-time in the motorhome, I decided to buy the 4x4
motorhome… and he opted for a very rare Toyota Sunrader diesel 2-wheel
drive motorhome for his travels.
The Toyota Odyssey 4x4 has come a really long way
from its stock chassis. I have installed a wood stove & chimney,
along with solar panels, which allow me to live “off-grid” and not be
plugged into a power source for heat or electricity. If it’s cold, I
simply throw wood in the fire instead of relying on propane or a
generator. If I want to watch a movie or charge my phone, the solar
panels power the LED TV and recharge my phone. Pretty cool.
I also had to custom-build a kayak rack on the roof
to hold the kayaks, and added a couple of rocket boxes to store skis
& gear on the roof. I also added an 8-inch lift, 33” off-road
tires/rims, and a bull-bar/brush guard to protect the motorhome from a
wreck (since the brakes are stock Toyota 4-Runner brakes and are
severely underpowered). In the spring, summer, and fall, I have an
interior garden where I grow lettuce, green onions, and spices for an
off-grid food source.
My girlfriend quickly pointed out that my camper
looked like a sporty man-mobile, and even though I thought it looked
pretty sexy, she has definitely helped make the inside look a little
classier. I grew up in log cabins and always wanted a rustic, but
modern-twist cabin-look to my motorhome. Kage has helped envision
several interior designs and projects. The latest little project was
making ceiling beams using 100+ year old, grey-weathered wood from old
Alaskan gold mines. Looks pretty awesome! I sewed some custom,
super-thick winter curtains made of oven-mit fabric, which keeps the
heat trapped inside the single-pane windows in the winter time. Kage
sewed some faux-leather curtains for a little extra attitude in the
summer time.
You've named your camper "Pittsburgh Nelly". Where did this name came from?
Ah, I just couldn’t think of a better name. Nelly
just rolls of the tongue easily. Watch Chris Farley’s movie “Almost
Heros” and wait for the punch-line if you really want to find out…
The motorhome’s in-house garden is one of my
favorite features also. There is something about having living plants
and edible food growing in your car just makes it truly feel homey. The
salad is ain’t that bad either. We’ve had a couple of aphid problems
eating the lettuce, but whenever that’s under control it’s nice having
free, healthy meals and spices for cooking.
I suppose the winter temperatures in Alaska are really cold and most of us aren't used to bear those. How do you get through the ice-cold nights in your motorhome? Any special tactics? Or probably longing for a warm shower?
The Kimberly wood stove is the only reason we are
able to comfortably survive the winter in my motorhome. I keep the fire
stoked on the majority of the winter. Keeping the fire going cuts down
the condensation from cooking and breathing in such a small 110 square
foot living space. Even though the motorhome is not well-insulated at
all, the wood stove puts out enough heat to keep the home cozy. I do
have a built-in, 16,000 BTU propane furnace which we occasionally use to
quickly warm things up, but RV propane furnaces are not truly designed
to be used 24 hours a day, and have a tendency to fail.
Kage and I use each other for heat (which helps a
lot), but replacing cotton sheets with fleece blankets is my best advice
to staying toasty warm. We throw a big down comforter on top of those
fleece blankets on really cold nights, and although ice forms around
your face and pillow, you stay nice and warm. We typically just take
showers at the gym (a gym membership is a great thing!) or at friend’s
homes.
I could imagine that many people that you meet while traveling are fascinated by your vehicle. What was the most beautiful or unexpected reaction to your motorhome and your unusual lifestyle?
We get all kinds of great reactions to the
motorhome. Usually it’s an ear-to-ear grin, or someone beeps their horn
and gives a thumbs up. Sometimes people and businesses leave gifts of
food on the hood. In the winter, I run the wood stove basically all day,
so the motorhome drives around with a fire burning. I always get funny
reactions from people at red lights, because of the smoking chimney.
The craziest single reaction I had to the home was
this past November. It was about -20 degrees F outside and I had the
wood stove going. I went in to get some groceries for dinner, and while
shopping the grocery store intercom came on. The person speaking on the
intercom said “Attention! License plate “Y-RENT”… your RV is on
fire!!!!!!” I finished shopping (knowing everything was fine, as the
wood stove is air-tight), checked out at the register, and walked out of
the grocery store to see about 70 people pointing at my RV and it’s
smoking chimney (from the wood stove). Bystanders and fire fighters were
surrounding the motorhome, planning out what to do next. I walked up to
them and told them I just had a wood stove, and they all laughed and
went their own ways.
I don't want to keep the new music video of your band "The Shoot Dangs" from our readers. I for one, am already a big fan. How do you combine the tour life with your life in the camper? Are you all living in your camper together while touring through Alaska?
“The Shoot Dangs!” aren’t touring full-time in the
camper, but one of our band members is from Fairbanks, so when he comes
down to Anchorage for our shows, he usually sleeps in the RV’s guest
bed.
We just completed a Southeastern USA tour from
Georgia to Texas, but we didn’t bring my motorhome, just a tiny 1989
Toyota Corolla 4wd station wagon. We’re all close friends now, but next
time, we’re bringing the motorhome. This is the first real band I have
ever been in, and it’s been a lot of fun. We are planning a future tour
to play at Octoberfest in Germany (and all over Europe), then head over
to Tokyo, Japan next fall to play some shows. We’ll also be playing
around Alaska all winter/spring/summer long. Honestly, it’s a lot of fun
creating music and sharing it with people, there’s no other feeling
like it. Listening and playing music has always been a core part of my
life, and it’s awesome to contribute and give back to the music scene.
Kage's camping tricks for girls
Some girls are hesitant to live a life off the grid
that may cause your hygiene and beauty to be on the rocks. I try to
keep things really simple for myself. Having a fire going all night
sometimes leaves my face dry. To resolve this, I heat a pot of water to
steam over the stove, which warms my face. This water can also be used
to make coffee. I use a mist of rose water to wash my face. I have
apricot oil for my skin and hair, with a dash of concealer, and mascara -
if the day calls for it. I like to keep antibacterial oils for
remedies. Lemon, peppermint, and water mixed in a spritz is great for
car sickness on long trips or headaches. Try Rose, cypress, or
eucalyptus mixed with grape seed oil to deodorize armpits instead of a
deodorant. If I get smelly I use rose water to rinse, pat dry, and a
cotton ball application of rose oil over it. Rosemary mixed with a
lighter oil is great for a finish on your hair ends.
If the weather gets really cold it is good to have a
bag that insulates your shampoo and conditioner so that they do not
freeze. Some of you hair and skin care products can freeze or blow up!
This can be troublesome because when some products freeze, the water and
oil separate in the product and sometimes do not mix back together
again. A thick fabric or insulated bag keeps this from happening. It’s
nice to have it in a fabric that can be washed if you have product spill
out of the containers. I spoil myself and use a big towel when I shower
because I like having it for my whole body and long hair. The small
camping towels just don’t cut it for me.
If your hair looks too oily, I have a couple of
favorite hats I like to wear as often as I can or use a dry shampoo. You
can also use a huge makeup brush and use powder on your hair roots.
This works great for me because I’m a natural blonde. I have also
learned a nifty little hair duo where you part your hair on one side and
do a French braid with the front hair to the other side; leaving the
rest of your hair free.
Fashion clothes, outdoor gear, work clothes, and
play clothes. Getting your entire wardrobe in a small space is not easy
when you start out. You have to down size slowly. Eventually you learn
that having too much will bring you down. I like to keep in mind the
type of fabric I have and for what activity. Will it dry quickly and is
it warm? What I have found out to be most essential is: jacket, black
spandex leggings, spandex tank tops, fun dress, comfy long top, vest,
fashion scarfs, leg warmers, long johns, corduroys, favorite tee, wool
sweater, polypropylene hiking ‘zippy’ top, yoga pants, sweatshirt,
Carrhartt overalls, wool soxs, hats, running/hiking shoe, crocs, leather
boots, rubber boots, and a chicken costume with a tutu.
I pretty much have one of everything and make it
work for everything we do. I can fit all of this in a 2ft by 1.5ft space
and a small closet only 4 feet tall x 2 feet wide, except the chicken
costume; that goes in the Rocket Box on top of the camper. Tim built a
little wooden separator in the 2 ft x 1.5 ft. bin so it is easier for me
to stay organized and see what I have to work with. He also put in a
long body mirror on the inside of the bathroom door so that I can see
all of myself! In the winter we drain the water out of the camper pipes
and stop taking showers in the camper. This gives us extra space to
store large winter clothes, mukluks, and things in the shower that we
don’t typically use in the summer. We also have a little vertical shoe
compartment hanging up and that helps us keep gloves, hats, scarfs, snow
beacons, goggles, and cross country ski boots organized.
I clean with Windex, vinegar water, lemon, and
vodka. I try to stay away from chemicals as much as possible. Vodka
mixed with water cleans wonderfully in the winter because it doesn’t
freeze. I like to use a straw wicker broom when I can to keep dirt and
dog hair out. We also have a little vacuum that we will charge once in a
while with the solar panels. It’s nice to get everything vacuumed out
even when it’s cold. Maintaining a clean house on wheels is necessary if
you want to be able to actually drive around. We could use the free car
wash vacuums but we tend to be out of town often and I get a kick out
of vacuuming in the wilderness with no power lines around.
How many miles have you driven with Pittsburgh Nelly on Alaska's roads?
I’ve put about 30,000 miles on the Alaskan roads
and about 2,000 miles off-road so far, and hopefully those miles will
keep accumulating (as long as the little V6 3.0 engine keeps chugging
along). I don’t have a real winch yet, but I’ve had to use a come-along
hand winch to pull myself out of a couple mud holes and bogs (there are a
few crazy roads and trails to navigate up here if you’re playing in the
woods or camping).
The future? I guess a good plan today is better
than a perfect plan tomorrow. So today, I’m going to enjoy myself and
hopefully do the same tomorrow.
A nest, home, spread, or whatever you want to call
it is, more than anything, is an environment to call your own, where
comfort and familiarity are status quo. It provides a space to recharge
your being, refuel your body, and rest your mind. Everyone should
experience the privilege of their own NEST!
Thanks again Inga, see ya'll out there on the road, er river, er where ever...
- Timmy J.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Winter RV living in Alaska update...
Well, it’s been close to 2 years
now, living in my little motorhome, on the road nearly every night in a new
place, doing my best to live comfortably, healthy, and happily. There are moments that are very trying, like
coming home from a winter trip to find the couch and bed soaked with water and
frozen solid. And yes, it’s very
difficult to dry out a waterlogged bed and couch inside a 95 square foot
motorhome in the Alaskan winter… but it’s possible.
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| Tobias the wolf & "Nelly" - my 1989 Toyota Odyssey 4x4 motorhome... I wouldn't have it any other way |
Living in your vehicle can actually be quite comfortable. Instead of paying rent for an apartment every month, I decided to take out a small loan and pay the loan off over 3 years. This allowed me to actually buy my home, just like someone purchasing a normal house (except I have no property taxes & it's a much more affordable "mortgage" to pay by myself). And unless you have a large bank account, a trust fund, or want to work your life away every day for 30+ years (Despite what some folks might think, I have none of those, lol) this seemed the best way for me to live happily.
I’ve got to give props to my girlfriend Kage, who has also been living along with me on the road (and her husky Tobias). Being a man, the camper life isn’t too difficult, but for a woman, it’s an entirely different challenge. According to Kage, it is definitely more difficult to live in a camper full-time as a woman (where society expects you to still look good, as well as having to take care of feminine things), but she really does make it work somehow
I’ve got to give props to my girlfriend Kage, who has also been living along with me on the road (and her husky Tobias). Being a man, the camper life isn’t too difficult, but for a woman, it’s an entirely different challenge. According to Kage, it is definitely more difficult to live in a camper full-time as a woman (where society expects you to still look good, as well as having to take care of feminine things), but she really does make it work somehow
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| The lovely Kage (and yours truly) taking a break from playing music at a good friends house party in Girdwood |
The time
living on the road has been a lot of fun, and a big learning experience. I’ve met countless people that have
influenced my life and heard stories that have rearranged my perspectives on
life’s shenanigans. Most encounters have
been very positive and the RV has helped open windows of connections with
people that I would not have had otherwise.
As for the other end of the spectrum, I’ve only had a couple of run-ins
with people telling me to move on to another camping spot (literally only 2
times the last couple years).
I only had one fire truck called on me… I was shopping in
the grocery store and the intercom came on with a man saying, “License plate
Y-RENT, your vehicle is on fire.” I
finished shopping, checked out, and walked outside to see about 70 people
pointing at my RV and a fire truck with firefighters pulling up. I told the firefighters that I just had a
wood stove going inside the camper and everything was fine (I thought the
chimney would make it pretty obvious, but I guess some of the bystanders didn’t
know any better).
 | |
| The fire truck & "house of fire" situation at the grocery store |
Life has been busy, but awesome. Our band, " The Shoot Dangs! ", has been one of the more fun projects I've been involved with the last few years. We just recently finished a tour throughout the Southeastern United States, and it was an incredible (and ridiculous) time. I had the pleasure of touring with Kage, Josie, & Johnny Lungs. We actually just had a phone call this week from the founder of Arctic Man (a big 10,000+ person snowmachine/ski festival up in Alaska), and they are having us headline the festival Friday & Saturday, April 11th & 12th. We are STOKED!!!! Here's a few clips of band videos we put together quickly:
The Shoot Dangs! "Turbo"
The Shoot Dangs! "Cluster ####"
So, I figured I’d throw some
pointers for those that have decided or are considering a life full-time on the
road, because that is essentially the point of this whole blog thing. My biggest piece of advice… if you are
thinking about living full-time and think you can commit to it, GO FOR IT!!!!
You (probably, lol) won’t regret it! When
I first began searching the Internet, I couldn’t find hardly anything on advice
or tips for living in a camper in the winter full-time. And when I did find an article, the people
living in the camper had a permanent space to park with electricity, enabling
them to plug their RV in to an outlet every night to keep their electric space
heaters running, which I don’t have the option of doing.
So, here are some pointers to make
life more comfortable if you want to survive the winter in really cold climates
(also great advice for ski bums with campers):
1)
Have
a backup heat plan! I prefer a wood
stove and propane furnace combination.
 |
| The Kimberly wood stove (give me a shout if you want one, I can hook you up!) |
Having a wood stove allows you to heat and cook without
propane, oil, or electricity, which means you truly have an off-grid
setup. A wood stove will keep you warm,
the wood heat will dry the air out in the RV, which will help get rid of
condensation from breathing and cooking.
There are not many wood stoves out there that will work in an RV. I personally chose a Kimberly wood stove,
because it only weighs 56 lbs. and it’s extremely efficient. There are a few other companies out there
(such as Marine wood stoves, which are a little cheaper, but you get what you
pay for).
Propane heaters are awesome and most RVs come standard with
them. But the fan that runs the propane
furnace is extremely draining on your battery (most normal deep cycle 12v
batteries will only last about 8 hours).
Once you kill your battery, you lose your lights and heat, and you’ll
have to find a source of electricity to get a full charge again. Propane furnaces also fail often, and if your
only heater fails, you’re in big trouble.
2)
Get a
small, flushable porta-potty AND carry your water in.
Winterize your pipes, water heater, and water
pump. Drain your fresh water and waste
water tanks and kiss them goodbye for the winter. Believe me, it’s not worth trying to keep
them flowing. Pipes will crack, tanks
will break, and you will have a very expensive and time-consuming problem when
spring rolls around. Trust me, heat pads
and heat tape are not going to cut it, so don’t even try (they take way too
much electricity to keep things thawed, so they are useless in off-grid or
low-electricity situations).
Instead, buy a 5-gallon water container and carry all your
drinking and cooking water in by hand.
Set up your RV sink to drain directly into a 5 gallon bucket, then you
can just dump your dishwater at any gas/RV dump station. Get a gym membership or take showers at a friend’s
house. Get a small 5-gallon porta-potty
with a hand-pump flush system. Fill the
flush reservoir with RV antifreeze.
Believe me, you will definitely want a bathroom when it is cold outside,
not to mention, you can't just “go” anywhere when you’re in a city or neighborhood…
or else you risk making a bad reputation for yourself and start pissing people
off.
3)
Use
your shower as a closet
 | |
| In the winter, the shower becomes a closet for space-consuming winter clothes | . |
Since you won’t be taking showers in your camper throughout the winter,
you might as well utilize that space. I
put a strong shower bar across the shower to hang up heavy winter jackets and
pants. I also put a small set of drawers
to store winter items such as boots, gloves, hats, etc.
4)
Turn
your refrigerator/freezer off
Because of living in cold temperatures and often waking
up in cold temperatures, items in your refrigerator will freeze solid. Things will stay plenty cold enough without
having to use your propane refrigerator.
Sometimes I’ll keep ice cream or other frozen items in a storage box
outside of the camper.
5)
Leave
your cabinets cracked open at night
I’ve found that everything in your cabinets will freeze
unless the cabinets are left open, and able to absorb heat from the RV’s living
space. I always leave the bathroom door
open so it keeps shower/bathroom items from freezing solid.
6)
Put Reflectix
bubble foil and a rug down on your floor & have a good, warm pair of house
slippers or shoes.
 |
| The rug and Reflectix bubble foil under the rug make a HUGE difference in the winter. |
The floors of the RV are the coldest part, brutally
cold sometimes (because the floors or motorhomes are typically not
insulated). Placing Reflectix foil down
on the floor and putting a warm, shaggy rug over the foil will give your camper
a cozy feel and it will make the floor bearable to keep your feet on.
7)
Sew
custom curtains made of oven-mit material
The most inefficient part of RVs are the windows, which are
usually thin, single-pane windows. Go to
a fabric shop and get several yards of really thick, oven-mit fabric. Measure out your windows and cut and sew up some
custom curtains. If I did not have
really good, thick curtains on my windows, even with the wood stove, I would be
really cold. The drafts you feel from
the windows alone are pretty impressive, and curtains will help mollify that.
 |
| I used oven-mitt (thick waffle-like) fabric to sew custom winter curtains... these curtains help retain heat & the only cold drafts I get now are from beer. |
8)
Use
matches instead of lighters
Matches are the way to go for lighting the wood stove
and cooking. If it is really cold,
lights don’t work that great at all. And
if you don’t have any matches around, you’re going to be in trouble if you
can’t get that flint warm enough to get a stable flame going. Besides, matches are much cheaper.
9)
Open
vents while cooking and after you cook, immediately wash dishes!
Truth be told, cooking is the most difficult part (to
me) of living in a camper in the winter.
If you don’t crack open a vent so the condensation can escape, your
camper will quickly begin to accumulate ice and mold, although the wood stove
helps bake most of that condensation out.
Also, make sure to wash dishes the second you finish your meal, because
it gets much more difficult once they freeze… and you don’t want to carry any
more water into the camper than you have to.
10) Invest in solar panels
 |
| The solar panels ( two 30 watt panels for a total of 60 watts). You gain more electricity by mounting the panels at an angle similar to what I've done above (instead of flat on the roof). |
You are going to need a set of solar panels. Forget a generator. I don’t know why almost every RV I ever come
across is running a generator. I’m here
to tell you that a gas-powered generator is almost completely unnecessary. A good set of solar panels placed properly on
your roof (you want at least 60 watts, I’d like to have more one day) will give
you enough power every day (even cloudy days) to charge your cellphones, power
your lights all night, power the propane furnace for increments when the wood
stove isn’t running, and watch movies.
11) Treat yourself and install a LED flat
screen TV with built-in DVD player
Winters are long and dark in Alaska. I’m not a TV lovin’ person, but it is pretty
nice to get a nice fire going, make a cup of hot tea, and watch a movie. The new mini-flat screens are pretty nice and
they’re actually reasonably priced (I bought my for a little under $100 w/ the
shipping from the lower 48). Make sure
to get an L.E.D. and not an L.C.D. The
LCD (Liquid Crystal) will freeze in cold temperatures and you might ruin the
TV. The LED TVs are made of LED lights,
so there is nothing to really freeze.
The 19” screen seems to be about perfect for my small home.
12) Talk another person into keeping you warm!
 |
| Tobias is a little overkill for keeping us warm |
While living by yourself in a camper allows more space
and freedom, it sure is nice having another warm body around, ha. But seriously, it does keep you a lot warmer
at night if you’ve got your lady or your man by your side, so if they are up
for having an experience they’ll remember the rest of their lives, have them
move on board with you for a bit. And
believe me, you really get to know someone when you share a 10 ft. long living
space with them!
13) STAY ACTIVE!
 | |||
| Matt Peters about to finish the big ride down Huka Falls (I'm following shortly behind). He had his skirt ripped off and I had my paddle ripped outta my hand & shoes sucked off, that's one powerful hole! |
A little speed wing flight in Thompson Pass, AK
When it comes down to it, this is the reason I chose to
live the way I do… because living on the road naturally leads to an active life
style. You are always doing something,
going somewhere, or meeting somebody.
When you’re not working in the winter, it’s especially nice to get out
and recreate in the day or meet up with friends in the evening. This keeps you out of the camper and keeps
your environment fresh. I feel I
appreciate my home much more when I’ve been active all day or all night.
Well, that’s about it.
Everyone stay warm out there and I’ll get another report in sooner than
later,
Timmy
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
The Shoot Dangs! Our music video is finished!
Well, here it is, our band's first music video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGJIjvT0AB8
We're about to head out on a short tour, you can check out the bandpage for tour dates and locations.
www.facebook.com/theshootdangs
Hope to see some of ya'll out there!
Timmy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGJIjvT0AB8
We're about to head out on a short tour, you can check out the bandpage for tour dates and locations.
www.facebook.com/theshootdangs
Hope to see some of ya'll out there!
Timmy
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
An interview with Alaska Dispatch news... cool!
Laurel Andrews of Alaska Dispatch news recently sent me an email asking for an interview on living off-grid on wheels, so I figured why not? The article talks a little bit about what it's been like so far and what a few plans are to come. Not everything is entirely accurate, but it will give you an idea of how this lifestyle works (if you don't know already). Enjoy & here's the link!
http://alaskadispatch.com/article/20130417/tricked-out-mobile-home-offers-new-twist-grid-living-alaska
http://alaskadispatch.com/article/20130417/tricked-out-mobile-home-offers-new-twist-grid-living-alaska
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