Nomads (whether we like it or not)

The moment we’ve been building to has finally arrived. Well, sort of.

If you’ve been following our journey on this blog or one of our other platforms, you know that we decided to abandon a life of sticks and bricks, buy a camper, and live life on the road full-time starting in 2025.

As of March 27th, we have officially moved out of our rental in Tennessee and hit the road, but not in the way we intended.

Read on for an update on our nomadic story and what has (already) gone awry.

Things to know:

Our lease in Tennessee ended on March 27th, leaving us to move or sell all of our things and hit the road. While this was the plan all along, one major component is missing.

Nomads without a camper

We’re big fans of watching people live out their dreams, especially when those dreams align with things we enjoy (like travel and beautiful scenery and adventure).

A final family portrait (on film) before saying goodbye to our house in Tennessee (bonus points if you spot Chowder).

While there are many approaches to a lifestyle of travel, most people share one thing in common–they opt for a home on wheels of some sort. From massive RVs to travel trailers to rooftop tents, practically every nomad we know centers their life around their go-anywhere home.

If you haven’t guessed by now, we are currently nomads without a camper, which you could read as “technically homeless.” That’s not particularly ideal nor is it how we anticipated this transition to full-time RVing going.

What’s going on with the camper?

We documented our process of choosing a camper that we thought would be ideal for us and the way in which we like to travel. To sum it up, we went with a custom flatbed truck camper.

When we opted for a custom camper, we accepted the inherent risks of going the custom route. Namely, that timelines can be unpredictable, and we were likely to encounter some challenges that larger manufacturers don’t often face.

So, while we didn’t anticipate being three (going on four) months behind schedule, we did know that delays were a distinct possibility.

Custom campers from small builders can experience different setbacks than campers from large manufacturers.

Without diving too deep into the details, that’s exactly what’s going on and why the camper is taking longer than predicted to complete–small business growing pains, material delays, and so on. Normal stuff that is mildly frustrating nonetheless!

Thankfully, we shouldn’t be waiting much longer. We project to pick up the camper within a month and hit the road immediately. Obviously, nothing is set in stone, and until the camper is mated to the truck, we are keeping our hopes leveled at a steady “fingers crossed.”

What are we doing in the meantime?

That is a great question. The plan right now is to split time between friends, family, and rentals. If that sounds a little chaotic, it’s because it is.

In an ideal world, we would have had an accurate timeline from the start. Being able to make arrangements ahead of time would have allowed us to rent an apartment or some other long-term solution that was more stable and cost-effective than our current options.

We’re in for a lot of this and avoiding eye contact with our bank accounts.

Unfortunately, that simply wasn’t the case, leaving us to bop around somewhat aimlessly for the foreseeable future. It’s our hope that we can keep this interim period as budget-friendly as possible because rental expenses can add up very quickly.

What about your travel plans?

Because we initially anticipated picking the camper up in January, we had put together a semblance of a route and began making travel arrangements for the first few months of the year.

With those plans now in shambles, we will have to adjust both our timelines and the areas we prioritize visiting. 

Alaska is the crown jewel of our itinerary this year, so it will take precedence. Depending on when the camper is actually completed, we may have to cut even more of our pre-Alaska plans to make it happen.

We’ll have plenty of adventures this year, but our plans have changed to accommodate for the delays.

Thankfully, our journey is dictated almost entirely by our desires and whims, so we can remain flexible and make the most of an uncertain situation. We just need to remind ourselves not to get in a rush as a result of the shifting timeline.

How are y’all holding up?

Our response to the delays and the less-than-ideal circumstances they have created has been as you would likely expect–a mixture of frustration, disappointment, and determination to make the most of something we can’t control.

We’ve been able to keep level heads and balance each other out. When one of us starts to get gloomy, the other is there to lift us up. We work well as a team like that.

Now that we are officially out of our house and wandering aimlessly, we actually feel quite a bit better. It’s almost like this time is a prequel to our real adventure–a bit of adversity that we have to endure to fully appreciate what’s to come.

Despite the disappointment and frustration, we’re making the most of this interim period.

We have never been good at staying in one place for long, and we were in Tennessee for 14 consecutive months (a new record for us). Being back in the chaotic world of the modern nomad feels like a relief, oddly enough.

The only real stress we have about the situation (other than the unknown of when the camper will be ready) is the potential for costs to balloon as we rely on short-term rentals to get by.

It feels as though we have been teasing our shift to full-time RVing for far too long, and now you know why. It was never our intention to draw this thing out and make it into some big, dramatic thing, but that’s just the way the cookie crumbles!

Hopefully, we will be giving you a tour of our custom home-on-wheels very soon. In the meantime, we appreciate you reading our blog, following along on Instagram, and checking us out on YouTube.

Speaking of, you can watch the video below if you’re interested in learning more about the current situation.

Happy trails!

- Riley + Hanna

What we dislike about our 2024 Ram 3500

With six months of everyday life under our belts with our 2024 Ram 3500, we figured we had enough experience to give y’all the inside scoop on what we love about the truck and what we think could be better. Since we already covered the good stuff, it’s time to dive into the negative side of things.

Thankfully, most of our complaints are minor annoyances. In fact, we feel compelled to tell you that this is our favorite vehicle to date, and we’ve had a lot. So, keep that in mind as you read through the list of things we wish were different about our 2024 Ram 3500.

Things to know:

After six months of ownership, we have a pretty good picture of the pros and cons of our 2024 Ram 3500. Here, we’ll cover what we think could be better–from minor annoyances to complete head-scratchers.

Get it together, Ram!

While we’re mostly joking, there are a few things about our Ram 3500 Big Horn with the high-output Cummins and long bed that could be better. We tend to be pretty positive people, so consider this an educational exercise more than us moaning the blues.

The long bed is long (who knew?)

We think of the 8’ bed on our Ram as a double-edged sword. We love the look and functionality of the long bed, but it sure is a pain in the rear to park.

She may be long, but she sure is pretty.

Of course, we knew that the turning radius and sheer size of the truck would be frustrating at times, so this didn’t catch us off guard. Still, it’s worth mentioning because Rams have notoriously poor turning, and we’re now experiencing it first-hand.

The bigger the screen, the harder they fall

If we had a biscuit for every time someone mentioned the “Tesla screen” in our truck, we could open a diner. Seriously, it’s always one of the first things people notice when they see the truck.

Why did Ram choose a vertical orientation where half of the screen is sometimes useless? We may never know.

While the large screen looks nice and gives the big old Ram a more modern appearance, we would prefer a smaller, more traditional screen for a number of reasons.

• We prefer buttons and knobs (Ram did a good job of giving essentials like climate control buttons, but still).

• It is a touch laggy at times.

• The vertical orientation is silly when most vehicle screens are horizontal.

• Vital things like Android Auto and vehicle cameras are only available on half the screen. Talk about a wasted opportunity.

Halogen headlights

Call us crazy, but halogen headlights on a truck that cost this much is pretty unacceptable in 2024. It’s not that the headlights on the Ram are atrocious, they’re simply not as bright or as clean as modern LED headlights.

Past a certain price point–say, $27–LED headlights should be standard on a new vehicle. Our Ram is no exception, and it’s simply absurd that a manufacturer would upcharge several thousand dollars for such a staple.

Modern diesel problems

As our first diesel vehicle, the Ram 3500 is an absolute beast and a joy to drive. Despite loving nearly everything about the truck–especially the powertrain–we were hesitant to take the leap into the world of diesels.

Why? Because of all the regulations and complex emission systems that come with it.

The dreaded DEF fill.

You’ll find horror stories galore about emission systems killing trucks, shortening their lifespans, choking their efficiency, and otherwise ruining what could be a great vehicle. Honestly, we were (and remain) a bit shaken by these anecdotes.

We’re hoping to avoid any modern diesel problems, and in the long term, we hope to see some change in how regulations are created and enforced. Fingers crossed.

Interior annoyances

The rest of our list features some truly minor annoyances and one that is not-so-minor. Given that the interior is where we spend most of our time on the road (you know, when driving), even little things can be frustrating.

Let’s start with the relatively small complaint we have about the interior of our Ram.

• The back floor has a massive hump in the middle. This prevents you from fully utilizing it, and other manufacturers (like Ford) have much better solutions.

• The subwoofer steals a lot of valuable storage space. We didn’t want the premium audio package, but here we are–wishing we could reclaim that valuable underseat storage!

• The steering wheel only adjusts up and down–no telescoping. This makes it difficult to get into a comfortable driving position.

The interior of the Ram Big Horn is nicely appointed, but it does have some serious downfalls.

Like we said–not too bad, just slightly annoying. There is one interior feature that deserves more attention, however–the center console.

We loved the center console in the Ford Super Duty. It had ample storage, a simple design, and a clever feature that allowed you to expand the cup holder capacity from two to four. We had only praise for it.

The Ram console, on the other hand, tries to be too clever. Rather than your traditional box with a lid and separate exterior storage and cup holder area, Ram thought it was a good idea to implement a sliding tray that covers a cavernous void.

Does this give you loads of storage space? Yes, it does. Is it unintuitive, overly complex, and squeaky as all get out? You bet!

Give us a traditional center console design or a bench seat, and our biggest gripe about the Ram 3500 interior disappears. It’s really that bad.

We hope we didn’t come across as negative Nellies in this blog because we really, truly love our Ram. If you would like to see a more in-depth look at what we like and dislike about the truck, we encourage you to check out the video below and subscribe to our YouTube channel. It would be much appreciated!

In the meantime, you can follow our impending adventures by following us on Instagram and checking in on this blog every Wednesday. We would love to connect with and learn from you as we embrace life as full-time RVers.

Until next time,
- Riley + Hanna

What we love about our Ram 3500

We’ve had our truck for over six months now, and while we thought it would be paired with our dreamer camper at this point, we’re grateful to have had a nice, long time to grow accustomed to driving without it.

Like any new vehicle, it took some time to adjust to the driving experience, quirks, and joys of our 2024 Ram 3500. After half a year, however, we feel like we have a pretty strong grasp of its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the things we like and dislike about it.

There’s no doubt that some of these pros and cons come down to personal preference, so don’t take our word as gold. With that in mind, let’s dive into what we love about our Ram 3500 Big Horn.

Things to know:

We’ve had our 2024 Ram 3500 Big Horn for over six months, and there are a handful of things that we absolutely love about it. Here, we’ll share our opinion on the best features of Ram trucks.

The best features of our Ram 3500

Is Cummins the best diesel engine?

We can’t say for sure, but we know we absolutely love it. Our Ram came equipped with the high-output 6.7L Cummins diesel engine, which is good for 420 horsepower and 1,075 pound-feet of torque. Yeah, that’s a lot!

Our truck has no shortage of power, that’s for sure.

The power is noticeable, especially on grades and when passing at highway speeds. The turbo spools, you hear that trademark diesel whistle, and next thing you know, you’re off like a rocket ship. It is addictive, and we love how it gives us a little extra boost on the highway to drive defensively and get out of questionable situations before they devolve.

While we don’t have the camper yet, we know that’s when we’ll truly appreciate the power of the Cummins. We can’t wait to experience it under load!

What gas mileage does a Ram 3500 get?

When people see our big ol’ truck and hear about our plans to travel full-time, one of the first questions is, “What kind of gas mileage do you get?”

This is a loaded question because it is affected by a variety of factors ranging from elevation and load to tire type and pressure. So, we can only give you our findings so far with the caveat that they are likely to change once we have the camper.

As is, we average between 18.5 and 20 miles per gallon on the highway. With mixed driving, we are around 15 to 16 mpg.

You don’t buy a big truck for the gas mileage, but we’re happy with our Ram’s efficiency so far.

What factors should you be aware of when interpreting those numbers? Our truck is factory height, but is equipped with aggressive all-terrain tires that are slightly larger than 35”. Most of our driving has been mostly unloaded, and we are on the East Coast where highway speeds are around 70 miles per hour.

While we did decrease our gas mileage by around 10% when we opted for much more aggressive tires, we are very happy with our Ram 3500 fuel economy so far, especially after driving Jeeps for so long!

Vehicle storage galore

Forget, for a moment, the 8’ bed this behemoth of a truck is equipped with. The interior alone has enough storage to transport a one-bedroom apartment, and we’re hardly exaggerating.

The cabin of our Ram 3500 has a generous center console, upper and lower glove boxes, in-floor storage boxes, underseat storage, and even a fold-flat floor (which we bought used). While we do have some complaints (looking at you, center console), the sheer volume of storage available in the cab is shocking.

Not only does this give us ample opportunity to transport all of Chowder’s very necessary and not at all excessive belongings, but it also gives Riley the opportunity to do what he loves–organize our lives. When we’re fully nomadic, all of this organized storage will be truly invaluable.

Interior comfort and styling

While we’re on the topic of the interior, we love both the design and functionality the cabin of the Ram 3500 offers. From silly things like loving the column shifter to more practical features like the adjustable headrests, there is a lot to like inside the Ram.

A few of the highlights are:

• The seats are phenomenal. They’re exceptionally comfortable, and make long drives more than bearable.

• The adjustable headrests contribute to the overall comfort of the seats.

• The interior is spacious and doesn’t feel claustrophobic, even after hours on the road.

• The dash is nicely appointed, and we appreciate the analog dials.

• The auxiliary switches allow for easy wiring and control of accessories.

How does the Ram 3500 drive?

Looking at the Ram from the exterior, you would assume it is cumbersome and difficult to drive thanks to its size and long wheelbase. In some ways, you would be correct.

Smooth enough to enjoy a Baconator on the go.

In many respects, however, the 3500 is a joy to drive. On the highway, it simply glides, making the miles fly by without beating you up over the course of hours. The visibility from the driver’s seat is also superb thanks to the redesigned mirrors, large windows, and suite of cameras.

Contributing to our positive driving impressions–particularly on the highway–is the exhaust brake. This feature provides additional braking power, helps hold your speed on steep descents, and should be a game-changer once the truck is equipped with a camper. It’s one of the top highlights of the truck overall.

The best-looking HD truck

Here’s where things get really subjective. We strongly feel that Ram makes the best-looking trucks in the HD segment. There, we said it–let the debate commence.

The exterior design of the Ram 3500 is aggressive and bold, with tall, strong shoulders, a looming grille, and a stance that appears ready to pounce. Factor in the new mirrors, and we think the styling is nearly perfect.

The Ram stylish is top-notch, if you ask us.

Shockingly, we even prefer the long bed. In the past, we thought they looked a little silly, but after experiencing the functionality of an 8’ bed and seeing the side profile of the 3500 every day, we’ve grown to adore it. Now, standard beds just don’t look quite right!

If it isn’t apparent by now, allow us to say it plainly–we LOVE our new Ram. While we do have a list of things we wish were different (tune in next week for that one), we are ecstatic about our choice and have no regrets so far. You can also check out the video below for a more in-depth look at everything we like (and dislike) about the truck.

With our camper nearing completion, the Ram will soon fulfill its purpose of being the foundation for our home on wheels. We can’t wait to see the finished product and share the results with you. It’s going to be epic!

Until then, feel free to drop your thoughts below, check out our adventures on Instagram and YouTube, and otherwise join us on this exciting journey of full-time travel we are about to embark on.

All our best,
- Riley + Hanna

Living in a camper - Stuff vs. experiences

Sell everything and live in a van if you want to truly experience life, right?

2024 was our first time living in a house together. Sure, we lived in apartments years prior, but nothing larger than a one-bedroom unit. Moving into a three-bedroom house was quite the change for us, and we feel like we learned a lot from it.

Apart from deciding that anything over a compact two-bedroom house is too big for us, we learned that we prefer quality over quantity, value intentional space over space for the sake of it, and would much rather fill our lives with experiences than things.

We don’t often sit still, but we appreciate the moments that came from it in 2024.

These observations have prompted many conversations about our priorities, the future, and how we want to live going forward. Through those conversations, one dichotomy keeps coming up–stuff vs. experiences.

Things to know:

While it’s a bit of a false dichotomy, the tension between accumulating things and opting for experiences does have some legitimacy. As we grapple with this age-old question, a few conclusions come to mind–and some of them pushed us toward full-time RVing.

Living a minimalist life with maximal fulfillment

If you have space, you’ll fill it

You’ve probably heard this adage before, and there’s certainly some truth to it. Riley’s dad has repeated it many times, and he’s quite the frugal minimalist by choice. There lies the key to this entire discussion–by choice.

It does seem to be human nature to accumulate, and the more space you have available, the more likely you are to collect things to fill it.

Take us, for example. Moving from a one-bedroom apartment to a three-bedroom house left us reeling. There was so much empty space that we didn’t know what to do, so we started to fill it with things.

We’re minimalist by nature, but still managed to fill our house with things.

We’re relatively practical by nature, so we didn’t buy a bunch of random junk–everything had a place and a purpose. The guest room needed a bed, nightstands, clothing rack, and rug. The office needed a desk, chair, and whiteboard. The living room needed a couch, side tables, and a TV stand.

I think you see where we’re going with this.

The things we filled our space with had a purpose, and we used them, but that doesn’t change the fact that increasing our available space prompted us to accumulate more stuff that we didn’t technically need.

Some things enrich your life

To this point, it may sound like we’re saying that having stuff is inherently negative, but that’s not at all what we believe. In fact, we think investing in (or splurging on) some things can greatly enrich your experience and your life.

When we used the term “false dichotomy” earlier, this is exactly what we were referring to. A lot of people–especially the influencer types–like to present all-or-nothing scenarios, especially when it comes to the whole “minimalist” lifestyle or “experiences over things” argument.

In truth, these things are not mutually exclusive. You can have things and experiences. Sometimes, things can actually facilitate experiences or make them more profound. So, it’s not an either/or proposition.

You don’t have to live like this (but it does have a certain appeal).

That said, we’re strong believers in being intentional with the things you choose to accumulate. Limiting the physical space you have to keep stuff in helps with this goal (see above), but it isn’t the end-all-be-all of the conversation.

You must be able to discern what contributes to a fulfilling life and what distracts from it. In our experience, this takes time, experimentation, and growth. You can’t snap your fingers and know that one thing will enrich your experience and one thing will detract from it. It is a skill that requires development.

A tool for every job (or the best tool is the one you have on you?)

If you have a goal to limit the amount of stuff you accumulate and to focus on things that enrich your experience, you’ll want to be intentional about what you buy and what you keep. While we rarely struggle with this concept, we have grappled with our approach to achieving it.

As it turns out, we have differing opinions on how to streamline our existence and ensure that our things are working for us, not against us.

Our high school math teacher used to say, “Keep it simple, stupid,” about once a class.

Hanna is more of a minimalist in the traditional sense. She prefers to only have a few items that she can rely on day in and day out to accomplish a variety of tasks. From work and productivity to hobbies and relaxation, she opts for fewer devices capable of multiple jobs. In other words, she prefers that her stuff be versatile.

You could say her approach to things is “the best tool for the job is the one you have with you.” An example of Hanna’s approach to minimalism would look like this:

• iPhone for music, media consumption, scheduling, calendar reminders, taking photos and videos, managing social media, and so on.

• MacBook for work, client calls, answering emails, designing resources, bookkeeping, and managing the business.

• Headphones for music and content consumption.

• Two notebooks–one for general note-taking and organization, the other for a more structured approach to scheduling and keeping life on track.

Riley has been leaning toward not necessarily minimizing the number of things he owns, but the purposes for which they are used. While he has flirted with this concept before, he’s finally on the verge of fully committing to it (thanks to very kind and supportive encouragement from Hanna). Call it exchanging convenience for purpose and distraction for intentionality.

What does this look like in practice? Rather than carry a do-it-all device (like a smartphone), he’d prefer to have a notebook for taking notes, a camera for taking photos, a “dumb” phone for making calls, and so on. You could say his approach is more along the lines of “there’s a tool for every job.” His daily interactions with things might look like this:

• Non-smartphone for texts and calls.

• Compact camera for walking around photos.

• DJI Osmo Pocket 3 for casual video.

• Sony A7IV for professional photo and video projects.

• MacBook for work, photo and video editing, answering emails, bookkeeping, and other productivity tasks.

• Two notebooks–one for general note-taking and creative inspiration, the other for more detailed planning and scheduling.

Quality vs. quantity - The (new) age-old debate

Growing up in the world of fast fashion, disposable plates, and bargain outlets has jaded many millennials and younger people on the whole “quantity vs. quality” debate. We are definitely in that boat.

At one point, the sudden ability to buy in bulk or opt for cheap imported goods was novel and a stark change from the vast majority of human history. Buying a pair of jeans for six cents (okay, a slight exaggeration there) was mind-blowing. It still is, if you think about it.

Give us good stuff over lots of stuff any day.

From clothes and trinkets to food and furniture, more isn’t always better. In fact, it’s often much worse. More people seem to be realizing this and trying to change, but without legitimate alternatives, executing that change is challenging.

We’re not here to sit on a high horse and claim we have it all figured out; we’re just expressing a preference for quality and a newfound appreciation of longevity. Owning something of heirloom quality used to be a point of pride, and we think it should be again.

Lately, we’ve made a concerted effort to invest in smaller amounts of quality goods rather than splurging on large quantities of subpar goods. Not only is the experience of using such items superior, but they will also last longer, they typically utilize better materials (natural fibers vs. plastic), and the companies producing them tend to be small businesses that are often based in and/or manufacturing in the United States.

All of those seem like pros to us, and we love to see the culture shifting back toward this version of purpose-based consumerism. Lucky for us, this mindset also coincides with the scaling back that living in a camper requires.

As you likely gathered, we’re not on a vendetta against purchasing things or owning stuff; rather, we’re committed to being thoughtful with our resources and space, investing in quality, only keeping what enriches our lives and enhances our experiences, and supporting small businesses that benefit our country and our culture.

This blog is a bit of a departure from our typical camper, truck, and travel talk, so we hope it didn’t throw you for too much of a loop. Sometimes, we like to explore the reasons behind our decisions–especially the big ones like moving into a camper full-time! We hope you don’t mind.

If you enjoyed it, please drop a comment below so we feel less insecure about it. The approval of others is the only thing that gives us confidence. Okay, not really, but we’d still appreciate your feedback and thoughts!

With full-time travel on the horizon (if our camper is ever completed), we’ll be sharing thoughts from the road, so be sure to check here every Wednesday for a new blog. You can also follow our adventures on Instagram, YouTube, and Patreon (for a more personal approach).

All the best,
- Riley + Hanna

Wheels and tires we trust on our full-time camper

We spent months finding the right truck to host our camper and act as our home. Ultimately, we think we found a great truck at a reasonable price (by 2020+ standards). Now, it’s time to equip it for the full-time adventure travel ahead.

When it comes to vehicle builds, we have quite a bit of experience. We’ve been outfitting overland-style vehicles for nearly a decade now, and we have developed a bit of a philosophy during that time.

Rule number one when building a vehicle for adventure travel is to start with the foundation–wheels and tires. So, that’s exactly what we did with our Ram 3500. Read on to see exactly what wheels and tires we opted for and our reasoning behind those decisions!

Things to know:

Wheels and tires are among the most important aspects of a vehicle build. They are your point of contact with the earth, making them integral to both performance and safety. That’s why we chose these wheels and tires for our full-time camper.

The best wheels and tires for an overland camper

Choosing wheels and tires for a camper

Before we reveal which wheels and tires we chose and why, we want to take a moment to dive into some of the important considerations when making this critical decision for your truck, camper, or overland rig.

Weight ratings

Wheels and tires can transform your truck’s appearance and performance.

Safety is paramount when selecting wheels and tires, and one of the key things to note when it comes to safety is the weight of your vehicle and the ratings assigned to your wheels and tires. Simply put, the weight rating of the wheels and tires should exceed the maximum weight of your vehicle.

If you are pushing the limits of your vehicle, you will want to do some research and calculations to determine how much weight you can safely carry and just how heavy your rig will be when fully loaded. This includes passengers, gear, water tanks, fuel, and so on.

With these numbers in mind, make sure that the wheel weight rating exceeds the poundage that will be placed on it at any given time. For example, if you plan to off-road your vehicle in situations where you might lift a tire, the other three wheels should have a combined weight rating that exceeds the weight of your rig!

The same principle applies to tires. When purchasing tires, you should be able to find information regarding the maximum load a tire can handle at maximum air pressure. Using the same logic as your wheel weight ratings, that maximum load should exceed the highest amount of weight that may be placed on that tire at any given time.

Tread type and your intended use

Being realistic about how you intend to use your vehicle should inform the type of wheels and tires you purchase. While there is something to be said for aesthetics, function should always trump looks in this decision-making process.

For those who plan to stick to highways and campgrounds, opting for a high-mileage tire that emphasizes longevity, fuel economy, quietness, and responsive steering is probably your best bet.

If you foresee yourself getting off-road, conquering rougher terrain, and encountering a variety of challenges, selecting tires with more aggressive tread and robust sidewalls is probably in your best interest. You may also benefit from larger tires on smaller wheels, as this increases traction, improves off-road comfort, and contributes to your ability to roll over mild obstacles with ease.

We love the aggressive tread design and sidewall of these Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T tires.

Nowadays, there are so many tire options that it can be overwhelming to sort through them all and find the right one for you. From street tires designed for hauling to hybrid tires that straddle the gap between mud-terrain and all-terrain, we’re truly spoiled for choice. So, do your research and select the tire that will serve you and your intended use best.

Wheels and tire sizing

In a world where bigger is almost always viewed as better, it can be tempting to opt for the biggest wheels and tires possible. After all, those campers on Instagram are rolling around on 42” military tires that look like they could conquer just about anything.

Unfortunately, there’s more to choosing a tire size than slapping the biggest and baddest option onto your rig. There are factors that limit the sizes you can realistically fit on your vehicle, as well as legitimate downsides to going too big.

Some factors to consider when tempted to buy bigger tires include:

• Clearance of suspension components. Larger tires almost always require a larger offset that pushes the tire out from the vehicle to avoid rubbing on suspension components, especially when turning.

• Suspension travel. If your tires are too big, you will undoubtedly experience rubbing (or worse) when making turns, absorbing bumps, or otherwise cycling your suspension.

• Additional wear and tear on your vehicle, including steering, suspension, and driveline components.

• Reduced fuel economy. Larger, more aggressive tires can cause your fuel economy to dip dramatically.

• Incorrect reading for your speedometer and odometer. Larger tires will require changes to your vehicle’s computer in order to accurately discern your speed and your distance covered.

• More rolling mass means worse acceleration, braking, and handling. In other words, it can be a safety hazard if you don’t compensate for these changes.

While there are other downsides of larger tires, the considerations above should be enough to give you pause and think seriously about the pros and cons of bigger sizes. Like most projects, changing one thing about your vehicle can cause a snowball effect, leading to a myriad of other things that need to be changed.

Our wheels and tires of choice for our HD truck and camper

The guide above is not comprehensive, nor was it intended to be. We just wanted to give you a little insight into our thought processes as we selected wheels and tires for our Ram 3500 and future camper.

That being said, let’s dive into the combo we chose, and what pushed us toward these particular wheels and tires.

If you ask us, these wheels and tires complement the Ram’s aggressive design perfectly.

Method Race Wheels 701-HD - Classic styling with great performance

The wheels we chose for this build are the Method Race Wheels 701-HD. Sized at 18x9 with an 18mm offset, these wheels are a gorgeous matte black color and what we think is a timeless design.

While the appearance of these wheels is top-notch (we’ve always loved the look of Method Wheels), it is the specifications that compelled us to purchase this particular model.

First, they are the HD model, meaning that they are designed specifically for heavy-duty applications. Numerically, this means that they have a weight rating of 4500 lbs per wheel while checking in at only 37.59 lbs a piece. That’s pretty darn impressive.

Secondly, they feature Method’s patented Bead Grip technology, which uses machined grooves and a large internal ridge to help secure the bead of the tire. In practice, this allows you to air down your tires with confidence, knowing that you aren’t going to blow your bead and lose all of the pressure from your tire.

While we may not push the limits of this truck like we did with our past Jeeps, we will be taking it off-road with a heavy camper on the back. The incredibly high weight rating and useful Bead Grip feature should allow us to conquer challenging conditions safely.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This is our third set of Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T tires for a reason!

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T - Third time's the charm

For tires, we opted for the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T in LT305/70R18 (just over 35” tall). This is our third set of Baja Boss A/T tires, and they have proven to be reliable, relatively quiet, durable, and high-performing regardless of climate or terrain.

In addition to the performance of these tires, we love the aggressive sidewall and the fact that they are made in the USA. With a load range of E and a maximum weight rating of 3,750 lbs at 65 psi, they will be plenty strong enough for our truck and camper.

While not light, the tires check in at a reasonable weight of 75 lbs, so we didn’t add much more rolling mass to the corners of the truck. The combined weight of the tires and wheels is around 113 lbs, making them quite manageable and easy to change in a pinch.

With a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty, the Baja Boss A/T have a long life for such an aggressive tire. They are also Severe Snow Service Rated, so we feel confident that we can handle any weather the winter throws at us.

For a more detailed look at our new wheels and tires, be sure to watch our YouTube video!

We have had our new wheels and tires on the truck for nearly three months now, and we are incredibly happy with them so far. While the camper is still in production, we have had opportunities to test the tires in multiple conditions, including slick Tennessee mud, light snow, highways, and so on.

As we put more miles on the combo–especially once the camper is completed–we will be sure to provide you with updates. In the meantime, be sure to check out our YouTube and Instagram, as well as our other blog posts. We would love to have you as a member of our little adventure community!

Feel free to drop a comment below sharing insight into your favorite wheels and tires, advice for full-time RVers, or just a friendly hello. We’d love to hear from you and get to know you!

- Riley + Hanna

PS. We’d like to shout out TrailBuilt Off-Road. While we don’t benefit from you shopping with them, we have a handful of friends who work there, and they have always treated us very well!

Our full-time RV hopes

We recently previewed the uncertainty we feel as we gear up to move into a camper full-time. While those hesitations are legitimate and guiding some of our preparation ahead of the big lifestyle shift, they aren’t what’s dominating our thoughts.

Instead, it’s our excitement that is setting the tone as the pickup day for our camper approaches. As nervous as we are about certain aspects of living in a tiny space on wheels, the feelings of anticipation and hope are much stronger.

That’s why we’re focusing on the hopes we have for the coming year(s). We have a feeling that this change is going to be good for us, and we’re sure we’ll have our share of memorable adventures along the way!

Things to know:

We’re going to be full-time RVers soon, and we couldn’t be more excited for that chapter of our lives to start. As we look forward to hitting the road full-time, these are the biggest hopes we have.

Full-time travel - What we’re looking forward to

Seeing friends and family

We have family scattered from Florida to Alaska, and plenty of friends and other family members everywhere in between. Traveling full-time will allow us to spend time with people we care about, make memories together, and have adventures we otherwise would never have the opportunity to share.

Gregg is one of our good friends. He often joins us for a week or two on trips. He also has a rad Jeep!

One of the best parts of this decision to be nomadic is that we can allocate as much time as we want to different areas of the country, giving us opportunities to see people for as long (or short) as they’ll have us. Now, that’s a blessing!

Visiting places new and old

Like most of you, we have an ever-expanding list of destinations we want to visit. From majestic views to quirky towns, our travel bucket list is filled to the brim with exciting places to see and exhilarating adventures to embrace. Becoming full-time RVers gives us the unique chance to start checking off a whole bunch of those must-see destinations and must-do activities.

Of course, it’s not all about the latest, greatest, and not-yet-seen. The more we travel and immerse ourselves in different parts of the world, the more we want to return to certain places. We have fallen in love with several small towns, mountain vistas, quaint campsites, and so on. Embracing the nomadic lifestyle lets us revisit those places and explore them to our heart’s content.

New destinations are always exciting, but we have plenty of past places we can’t wait to revisit—including the Oregon Coast!

Challenging ourselves

We have traveled enough–including in much more minimalist setups–to understand that life on the road is not always sunshine and rainbows. In fact, it can be downright miserable sometimes.

While we certainly hope that the majority of our days are positive, we want to face the bad ones head-on and view them as opportunities to grow, not as disappointments, deterrents, or failures.

That’s why we hope to challenge ourselves to become more resilient, self-reliant, optimistic, and adaptable. It may not be as rugged as settlers in wagons, but any great adventure is an opportunity to become a better, more rugged version of yourself, and we look forward to tackling ours together.

Breaking free from our norm

In late 2023, we made a commitment to our business. For years, we had been enjoying the fruits of our labors without pushing to expand or grow too much, but we knew we could only put off the inevitable for so long. So, we designated 2024 as the year to buckle down, put our noses to the grindstone, and really focus on giving our business a long overdue makeover.

A little more of this and a little less time spent in the office will do us some good.

Without going into too much detail, our efforts were rewarded, and the business excelled more than we could have hoped. That said, it consumed our lives. While intentional (and we’re certainly not complaining), our work-life balance skewed heavily toward work over the last 14 months.

We accomplished what we wanted to accomplish, and we’ll no doubt continue to push the momentum forward, but we’re ready to reestablish a bit of balance. Traveling full-time should help us do just that.

Embracing our creativity

Speaking of balancing the scales of work and fun, we are extremely excited to have more opportunities to embrace our creativity and the passions that stem from it. We’re both pretty bad at just chilling, so even our “fun” tends to have a touch of productivity to it. Our creative passions are no different.

Working outside ain’t half-bad when it’s something you want to do.

From documenting our adventures through photography to staying consistent on this blog, our YouTube channel, Patreon, Instagram, and all the other outlets where we can share our creative endeavors, we are ready to pour our hearts, talents, and time into things that we love.

Sharing it all with you

Our connected world has its downsides. Heck, we can’t tell you how many hours we’ve wasted consuming silly content or getting sucked into meaningless internet wormholes. That being said, there are some real advantages to social media and the like.

Apart from sharing our creative work and on-the-road experiences with all of you, platforms like YouTube and Instagram (and even this blog) allow us to meet, learn from, and share with all of you. It’s like having an expansive community of amazing people right at our fingertips, and that is pretty awesome.

Spoiler alert: we’ll even be at some industry events in the coming months where we might meet some of y’all for real–you know, like in person!

So, please feel free to engage with us, offer pointers, share your stories, and interact with ours. We’re new to the whole full-time travel thing, and we’ll take all the guidance you offer. If we’re lucky, we’ll make some good friends along the way!

- Riley + Hanna

January Roundup

The first month of 2025 has come and gone, and while we didn't spend it in a camper as we had planned, it was still an eventful and productive kickoff to the new year.

When we say there were highs and lows, we mean there were a lot of highs and lows for just 31 days. We expected January to be a laid-back time to transition into 2025 and bide our time as we waited for our camper to be completed.

Boy, were we wrong!

Things to know:

2025 is off to a hot start. Despite not being full-time RVers as we had planned, January was an eventful month full of highs and lows. From camper updates to traumatic injuries, the start of 2025 has been a rollercoaster of emotion and unexpected financial swings.

January roundup for (soon-to-be) full-time travelers

Full-time camper build updates

We are extremely disappointed that our camper is now two months delayed. However, we are tempering that disappointment with the hope that the wait will be worth it. We’re trying to think long-term, and we will gladly practice a little patience in exchange for an exceptional and quality camper.

Our truck is begging for a camper! Also, this is a shot from our first ever roll of film!

Thankfully, there have been a handful of updates that have helped us maintain our excitement and hope. Seeing even small amounts of progress lifts our spirits and keeps us focused on the good that is to come.

This month, we picked out colors for the cabinets, materials for the countertops, and fabrics for the cushions. We also settled on an integrated Starlink solution that should help us work full-time from the camper.

We can’t wait to share more updates (including actual photos and detailed information) very soon!

Our copywriting business booms

January 2025 was the most lucrative month of business we’ve ever had, and it was entirely unexpected. As you’ll see in a moment, this was a blessing we didn’t know we would benefit from so soon.

Not only did the business grow and thrive, but we also managed to sell our beloved two-door Jeep–a bittersweet necessity that unburdens us for the lifestyle shift on the horizon. Having this weight off our shoulders as our impending move to full-time RVing draws closer has been quite the relief.

Our two-door Wrangler is no more.

All in all, January was a phenomenal month for us in terms of income, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Unforeseen expenses add up

We mentioned traumatic injuries earlier, and as you undoubtedly know, those can be expensive.

Toward the end of the month, our pup, Chowder, tore his CCL. This ligament is most easily compared to the ACL in humans, meaning that it’s pretty darn important to his health and mobility.

Because he’s a young dog–not even three years old–it makes sense to have his knee surgically repaired. Between x-rays, consults, surgery, and recovery, this poses a huge financial burden in the coming weeks. Thank God for our big January, right?!

Lil Chowder boy done hurt himself.

On top of this particularly large and unexpected slew of expenses, we also had to pay our quarterly business taxes and purchase a new work laptop. We don’t typically include business expenses in our monthly roundups (not even on Patreon), but all of these things piled on at once!

We continued to explore our backyard

When we decided to move back to Tennessee, we committed ourselves to exploring the area often. It’s such a beautiful state that is absolutely packed with opportunities to hike, swim, off-road, and otherwise bask in the great outdoors.

It’s easy for us to fall into a routine and allow the mundane (work, the gym, etc.) to become all that we do. We didn’t want that to happen, especially because we planned to only live here for a year (you can throw in some bonus months as we wait for the camper).

So far, we’ve done a pretty good job of sticking to this goal, and January was no exception. Up until Chowder got hurt (near the end of the month), we were getting out and exploring, attending events, and seeing friends as often as feasible.

There’s nothing like a nice date night.

We went to the Garden of Lights at Rock City in Lookout Mountain, GA, tried new restaurants, and enjoyed a few of our favorite hikes. With Chowder’s recovery taking him out of the game for a while, we’ll see how we can adjust to stay active and adventurous.

It’s hard to believe the first month of 2025 is already over. Somehow, it both flew past and crawled by. We’ll keep you updated on the progress of the camper and Chowder’s health going forward, especially if you drop us a follow on Instagram!

In the meantime, feel free to engage with us in the comments below. We’d love to get to know you, learn from experienced full-time RVers, and grow our little community of adventurous souls.

- Riley + Hanna

Our full-time RV fears

Any dramatic shift in life comes with its share of hesitation and uncertainty. Heck, even minor changes can induce a certain level of anxiety.

When we decided to move into a camper full-time, we did so with a healthy dose of excitement and more than a spoonful of nerves. Call it measured optimism or a mix of yeehaw and whoa, Nelly.

As the time approaches for us to pack up our things and call our camper home, we’ve been trying to pinpoint exactly what our full-time RV fears are so that we can face them head-on.

What better way to explore those trepidations than by jotting them down and calling it a blog?

Things to know:

Moving into an RV is a daunting life change, and it comes with some pretty prominent fears. Here, we’re discussing the biggest concerns we have as we transition into full-time RV living.

Full-time travel challenges

We haven’t lived in a camper full-time (yet), but we have done multiple months in a row in a rooftop tent and nearly four straight months in a minimalist truck camper (Scout Kenai), so our list of perceived full-time travel challenges isn’t totally without context.

We’ve had many nights like this.

Still, we know this lifestyle will be an entirely different ballgame, so we’re looking forward to discovering new challenges along the way!

Working full-time on the road

We have to work full-time as we travel, which comes with a host of potential setbacks and frustrations. That makes this particular challenge a lot like opening a can of worms.

There’s no doubt we’ll dedicate future blogs to this topic because it deserves a dedicated space to be fully explored. For now, we’ll break our work-from-the-road dilemmas into some basic categories.

Connecting to the Internet on the road

Anyone who has spent time on the road–whether they have to work or not–has experienced the frustration that comes with limited or spotty connectivity. Whether you’re relying on mobile data or using satellite internet, there’s no such thing as a perfect solution.

We used Starlink on the road in 2023, and it served us well—but it isn’t perfect.

Because we rely on an internet connection nearly every day for our livelihoods, inconsistent access can be more than irritating–it can disrupt our ability to work and bring in an income.

We have enough travel experience to know that this is a big challenge, and while we’re taking steps to mitigate those issues, they are inevitable (to some degree).

Staying focused (and disciplined)

Look, travel is exciting. New places to see, activities to do, and food to eat can get you buzzing with anticipation. It’s part of what makes the nomadic life so appealing.

We have developed a healthy amount of discipline through our years of being self-employed, but we’d be lying if we said it was easy to remain focused in the face of such tempting distractions.

As we adapt to full-time travel and establish routines, this area of concern will surely fade (we hope).

Limited (office) space

For the last year and change, we have had ample space to stretch our legs, separate our work from our relaxation, and do our best to avoid feeling cooped up and cramped.

While the great outdoors will soon be our living room, there’s no question that our living space will be reduced dramatically. No dedicated offices, no individual desks, no dedicated computer monitors… you get the idea.

Cooking and counter space in a camper

We don’t want to project our experience with our previous truck bed camper to the camper we’ll be living in. They are totally different products intended for entirely different usages. They’re also not in the same price bracket.

The Scout Camper Kenai was stylish, rugged, and minimalistic, but counter space was severely limited.

That said, one of our biggest struggles in the Scout Kenai was the limited counter space for food prep and cooking. We had to change our approach to cooking and split up cooking duties so only one of us was in the “kitchen” at a time.

Not only was this frustrating and prone to messiness, but it also discouraged us from cooking as often as we normally do. If our camper is going to feel like home, we need to overcome this challenge and learn to be comfortable and efficient when cooking most of our meals.

Safety and security as nomads

We have a good amount of travel experience and know many people who RV full-time, so we know (logically) that it can be done safely and securely. Still, there is that voice in the back of our heads that questions how safe we actually are and causes a touch of paranoia. The lack of surety of what’s outside our door is enough to set us on edge.

There are inherent security risks in living on the road, but this particular challenge feels more like a mental hurdle than anything. We are confident that we will adapt to our new lifestyle without losing that valuable gut feeling that alerts us to danger.

Full-time travel and the bathroom

Call us divas; we can take it.

We’ve tried a variety of bathroom solutions while on the road. From digging holes to those fancy bags you get at REI, every option has pros and cons.

If you look carefully, you might spot a bathroom tent.

Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution, and that can be a frustrating barrier that prevents full-time RV life from feeling like a true home. While we think we’ve picked the most convenient option for this camper, even it has a downside–cost.

Full-time RV budgeting

It’s possible to save money with this non-traditional way of life, but it’s not easy. In fact, it can be downright hard, leading to the complete opposite–expenses can pile up real quick.

We’ve gotten a lot better at budgeting in recent years, and Riley has been keeping detailed records for quite some time now, so we know we can stay locked into a reasonable budget.

The question is, will the expenses of frequent travel, eating out, exploring new places, and otherwise leaning into our adventurous side overwhelm our desire to be disciplined? Only time will tell, but it’s bound to be an adjustment either way!

Water usage, hygiene, and relaxation

We’re clean people who enjoy a nice long shower to stay fresh and unwind after a long day. Given the limited water storage of our camper, standing under a steady stream of hot water for more than a few minutes simply isn’t practical.

Campgrounds and vacation rentals can occasionally supplement this lack of endless water, and we have no doubts that we’ll quickly adapt to this relatively minor inconvenience, but we’re also confident that it’ll be a challenge!

Despite our uncertainties, we have no doubt that embracing life on the road will be an exhilarating and rewarding experience for us. So, don’t let us fool you–we’re champing at the bit to pick up our camper and get this adventure underway.

Have you experienced any of these full-time RV fears? Do you have anything else we should worry about? If so, drop your knowledge in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you and welcome you to our little community.

If you’re interested in following our journey, you’re in the right place. We’ll be posting weekly blogs, as well as regular updates on YouTube and Instagram. For a more in-depth look into our life on the road, we even set up a Patreon.

Thanks for reading. We hope to see you on the road!

- Riley + Hanna

Top travel destinations we're going back to

Bucket lists are great, but what about those epic places you’ve already been to?

We think that some (okay, most) places deserve more than a checkmark next to their name, so we’re reflecting on a few of our favorite destinations and planning our return trips to them. After all, who doesn’t love an encore?

We’re firm believers in immersion. While it’s impossible to truly know an area without living there and calling it home, we like to try to go beyond the superficial tourist level and really dig in deep when we love a place. Otherwise, we leave feeling unfulfilled and craving more.

Take us back here, please!

This type of travel isn’t always possible, which is why we have a long list of places we want to return to and explore properly. For now, we’ll start with our top four favorite travel destinations that we will go back to (time and again).

Things to know:

We’ve been blessed to travel extensively around the good old USA, and we’ve found a few favorite places along the way. Based on those experiences, this is our list of our top travel destination in America that we’re definitely going back to!

Travel spots that keep calling us back

As we hit the road full-time in 2025, there are a handful of places that are pulling us back. We might not revisit them all this year, but you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll get to them all in the near future!

Ouray, Colorado

Ouray, CO, is the epitome of “small but mighty.”

The entire town may only encompass a few blocks, and half the roads may be unpaved, but this gem of the San Juan Mountains is a vibrant and thriving community that has an irresistible charm to it.

From the shockingly good eats and warm, welcoming local shops to the frequent community events and stunning scenery, there’s a lot to love about Ouray. No matter how many times we return, we find something new to admire about the town and its people.

We first visited Ouray when we eloped, and it was mostly by chance. We picked a photo of a gorgeous basin that we’d like to exchange vows beside, and it just happened to be nestled in the mountains outside of town. Needless to say, that kicked off our love affair with the area (known as the Switzerland of America), and the passion has only grown since.

It’s hard to top Colorado wildflower season.

Ouray has blessed us with free summer concerts beneath the stars, endless hiking and off-road driving trails to explore, hot coffee and scrumptious dining, and even a few wardrobe additions. We’ve traversed the main street a few dozen times, indulged in top-tier pizza, and felt our breath catch in our throats every time we paused to simply look at our surroundings.

It’s safe to say that–like a couple we met at a local campground–we’ll be returning to Ouray regularly for decades to come. Heck, we may just make it an annual pilgrimage for our anniversary!

Orcas Island, Washington

A while back, Hanna took a work-trade job at a resort on Orcas Island, WA. During that time, she spent her days building fences, harvesting apples, and making cider. She fell in love with the little island off the coast of Washington, and spent the next few years scheming to go back with Riley.

Lo and behold, we returned as a married couple in 2023. We camped at Moran State Park on the island, explored every corner we could get to (the island isn’t very big), and ate a whole bunch of delicious seafood.

A view of the West Sound from Orcas Island.

Orcas Island is quirky–as most island communities are–and that’s precisely what makes it so wonderful (well, that and the mind-blowing scenery).

Here, you can find local artists creating and selling their goods, mouthwatering cuisine, stunning views from atop the island’s mountains, and plenty of outdoor activities to keep you busy. No matter how long you stay, you’ll be clambering for more time when finally boarding the ferry to leave.

Stanley, Idaho

If it’s absolutely bonkers scenery you’re after, Stanley, ID, has to be on your list. While the town itself is even smaller than Ouray, there’s enough to sustain you (including one of the best bakeries you’ll ever visit) as you explore the surrounding Sawtooth Mountains.

What makes Stanley so unique? Simple–the practically infinite backcountry to explore. Whether you choose to spend your days wading in the Salmon River, traversing the endless forest roads, or enjoying a peaceful lake view, one thing is certain–you’ll be in constant awe of the beauty this area offers.

Stanley, ID, is home to some truly jaw-dropping scenery.

We only spent a few days here, and we’ve been longing to go back ever since. From camping on a small lake with jagged peaks rising abruptly just beyond the shore to stopping every five minutes along the twisting road that follows every curve of the gorgeous Salmon River, 48 hours somehow felt like both a blink and an eternity.

Next time, we plan to venture down a few more forest roads and find some breathtaking dispersed camping spots where we can settle in for a while.

North Cascades National Park, WA

It may be remote, but the journey to North Cascades National Park in Washington is worth the drive. With soaring peaks, unbelievable turquoise lakes, and old-growth forests that will leave you in awe, it is a one-of-a-kind landscape that draws you in and doesn’t let you go.

We spent a few days in North Cascades National Park in 2023, shortly after we purchased our first truck camper. We had grand plans for exploration, but made a few mistakes. We didn’t schedule enough time there, we weren’t familiar enough with our camper, and we didn’t plan our itinerary thoroughly enough to make the most of our visit.

PNW vibes, turquoise lakes, and epic mountains - what more could you ask for?

Adding to our own oversights, we experienced some troubles with our power system and internet, making delivering on work deadlines and keeping essential things powered (you know, like phones and the refrigerator). Ultimately, these issues (and the subsequent stress) were a wet blanket on our mood and our ability to hang out in the park longer.

We left feeling unfulfilled–like we didn’t get to fully experience the gorgeous landscape and unique experience it had to offer. We’ve made a pact to go back and right those wrongs, and we can’t wait to leave with nothing but smiles when we do!

Don’t get us wrong; this list could be a lot longer. We left plenty of fantastic bucket list spots off that we may dedicate a follow-up blog to–including places like Whitefish, MT, Sandpoint, ID, Death Valley National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park.

While we may not get to revisit these top four favorite places to visit in the USA this year, we have no doubt that we’ll return to them in the near future. When we do, we’ll be sure to share our experiences with you, give you insider insights into must-do activities and must-see sites, and collect GPS data on all of it!

If you made it this far, thanks for reading. We hope you’ll continue to follow along on our adventure blog, YouTube channel, Instagram, and so on. We love sharing our adventures with you and learning from you in return. Please feel free to drop a comment below and connect with us and our growing little community of travel enthusiasts and full-time RVers!

- Riley + Hanna

Our path to full-time travel

When it comes to people living unorthodox lifestyles–particularly full-time RVers, van lifers, and other nomadic folks–we can’t get enough. It’s amazing to see how people achieve the life they love, navigate the unique challenges of the road, and otherwise embrace full-time travel in a world of sticks and bricks.

As we draw inspiration from them, we thought sharing our own journey to this point might be a fun exercise. We wouldn’t necessarily call our path to full-time travel inspirational, but there’s no harm in laying it out for you to see!

Things to know:

We have a long history of traveling together. From tents to truck campers, we’ve traversed many miles and months on the road, and it has all led us here—to becoming full-time nomads.

From road trippers to full-time RVers

Like many who choose to travel full-time, our interest in the nomadic lifestyle started small. We didn’t jump straight from beach vacations and hotels to living in a camper; instead, the build to this moment was gradual.

The best way to document our journey is to give you a timeline from the early days of traveling together to now. It’s been quite the ride, so buckle up and enjoy!

Cold noses, warm hearts

Before we officially started dating, Riley dragged Hanna on a tent camping adventure in North Carolina. Little did we know that it would set the tone for our future together.

The year was 2016, and we had just reconnected after going our separate ways in college. Riley had been going to western NC with his family since childhood, and as a young adult, he still felt drawn to the area.

Rather than rental houses and hotels, he did what any broke college kid would do–bought a tent from K-Mart (yes, K-Mart) and traveled on the cheap.

After reuniting with Hanna, he had the grand idea to drag her on one of his ventures up I-75. So, we went and spent several nights in the mountains, sleeping as far apart in that little tent as possible.

We’ve been adventure buddies since day one.

We distinctly remember waking up with cold, wet noses from sleeping against opposite sides of the tent, the damp fabric walls pressed up against our faces. Neither of us was willing to break the ice and cross the line into something deeper than friendship.

In hindsight, it’s a hilarious and endearing story, and there’s no question that those adventurous college kids set us on a path for full-time travel today.

Shortly after this and similar trips, Hanna returned the favor. She convinced Riley to get on a plane (for the first time in his adult life) and go to Estes Park, CO. It was his first taste of the West, and he never looked back.

We had no clue what we were getting ourselves into when we flew to Colorado in the winter.

Big sky country and restlessness

By the time Riley got accepted into grad school, we were dating. So, when he decided to take his talents to the University of Montana, we had some decisions to make.

For the first year, he lived in Missoula, MT, while Hanna took up residence near Denver, CO. The long-term thing was difficult, but we both enjoyed experiencing the American West in full for the first time.

After the year apart, Hanna joined Riley in Montana, and we started planning our next steps together.

Our time in Montana only cemented our love for the West.

We weren’t ready to buy a home, and we didn’t really know where we wanted to be, so we did something radical–we bought a Jeep Wrangler, threw a rooftop tent on it, and decided to move into it indefinitely after Riley graduated.

While that didn’t last long–only about two months–it was our first taste of the lifestyle we could attain with a little effort, planning, and commitment.

Tearin’ it up in Tennessee

Our foray into adventure travel may have been brief, but it was just the beginning of our interest in overlanding and extended periods of life on the road. So, we tucked that experience in our back pocket, knowing full well that we would return to it in a more sustainable way in the future.

In the meantime, we decided to bide our time by moving to Tennessee and scratching our adventure itch in a different way–trail riding in Jeeps. This move coincided with Riley’s venture into aftermarket part design and manufacturing, so we bought a Jeep Gladiator as an R&D and marketing vehicle.

Our first stay in Tennessee was filled with days like this.

Equipped with a beastly new truck, we ran with a crew that enjoyed rock crawling, giving us our first exposure to the more extreme side of off-roading. While we still preferred camping (as evidenced by our refusal to ditch the rooftop tent), we enjoyed this new hobby for a year–especially when 2020 hit and we needed a way to stay sane while the whole world felt cooped up.

There and back again (to Montana)

Despite our good run in Tennessee, we craved the West. So, we packed up and headed back to Montana. Riley was still making Jeep parts, so we continued to find trails–this time with an emphasis on the camping at the end of the road.

Montana is a different ballgame from Tennessee in terms of remoteness, so we found ourselves pushing the limits of our backcountry experience. Here, we learned how to be a bit more self-reliant, plan for the worst, and be at home in the great, empty spaces.

You could say 2021 was the biggest shift from where we were to where we are now. Off-roading and camping evolved from hobbies into lifestyles. We knew then that we wanted to build our lives around this form of adventure.

When we got married in September of 2021, this passion for adventure travel was on full display. Instead of a traditional wedding and honeymoon, we lived in our Jeep Gladiator for three months.

Our elopement in Ouray, CO, was out of a fairytale (thanks, Tori of Come to Bliss)

We started in Montana, worked our way down to Ouray, CO, and then spent time in Utah before returning home. Along the way, we camped, explored trails, and eloped in the San Juan Mountains. It was the perfect way to start our marriage.

Even nomads get lost

Married life changed things for us–or so we thought.

Concerned by the trajectory of the world and wanting our new relationship stability to be reflected in our joint life, we decided we wanted to buy a house. Talk about poor timing.

In the post-pandemic market, prices started to soar. Unfortunately, we had already moved out of our apartment in Montana and headed back east in an attempt to find the perfect place to call home.

What followed was two years of biding time in Florida and escaping for a handful of months each year to retain our sanity. While it wasn’t the best use of our time or money–Florida is a long way from the western destinations we love–we made do and counted our blessings.

It didn’t take long for us to realize that the housing market wasn’t conducive to us buying and that we needed to come up with a different plan. Naturally, we went back to what we knew–pushing the limits of how long we could stay on the road at a time.

This prompted us to buy a Scout Camper Kenai–our foray into campers. While minimalist, this setup allowed us to live on the road for around four straight months, traversing from Florida to Washington, and then venturing throughout America.

Our Scout Camper Kenai took us to some unbelievable locations.

In the brief time we had the Scout, we covered over 20,000 miles, explored new places together, and even had the opportunity to represent Scout at Overland Expo East. It was a phenomenal camper, a wonderful experience, and a rewarding opportunity to get to know some rad folks in the industry.

Alas, all good things come to an end.

Returning to Tennessee and scheming for full-time travel

If you’re sensing a theme here, you catch on fast–we have a tendency to return to places we love, especially when we’re figuring out our next steps.

This second (and current) stint in Tennessee fits the bill. After two years in Florida where we paid rent despite being gone nearly half the time, we decided to commit to being in one place for an entire year–something that has been strangely difficult for us.

Tennessee is the perfect place for this phase of life, as it has loads of hiking and outdoor activities to keep our adventurous spirit satiated, a healthy helping of great food in nearby Chattanooga, and a reasonable cost of living compared to much of the country (especially western states).

In 2024, we committed to staying still (for us) and buckling down to advance our business and plan our next step thoroughly. While we flirted with home ownership again, the path forward for us soon became clear–we needed to embrace a full-time travel lifestyle now, or we would always have those lingering “what ifs.”

Round two in Tennessee has been pretty great!

From around August onward, we focused our efforts on determining what full-time RV setup would be best for us, calculating our budget, putting together a loose timeline, and frantically trying to get all our ducks in a row to kick off 2025 on the road.

While we haven’t quite made that goal–our camper is still in production at the time of writing this–we are a few weeks from being fully nomadic for the first time in our lives. Given the investment of time and money in this endeavor, it feels like the first time we’ll be embracing the travel lifestyle without the option of “falling back” on the security of an apartment or home base.

Our journey to this point seems chaotic, and it has certainly been filled with twists and turns. Looking back, however, it all makes sense. From the highs of finding new campsites to the lows of uncertainty, every inspiration and setback has played a part in leading us to this decision.

We’re excited about what this year (and the years to come) has in store, and we hope you’ll follow along as we learn by doing. Life is a big adventure, and we feel incredibly blessed to be on it together.

Feel free to drop a comment below or otherwise engage with our growing little community of wild spirits. We’re happy to have you, stoked to share our story with you, and hope to learn a lot from you as we head off into the unknown!

- Riley + Hanna

Get to know us

Howdy, y’all!

We’ve been at this whole blogging thing for a few months now, so it feels about time to offer a proper introduction of ourselves. Sure, you can check out our little bios on the website, but those are a far cry from thorough.

Don’t you fret; we’re not going to give you our life’s story–we’re pretty private folk and ain’t nobody got time for that anyhow.

Instead, we’ll keep things brief by giving you a little background on us as individuals and as a couple. Consider it the welcome mat to our lives. So, brush your boots off, make yourself comfortable, and stay awhile, why don’t you?

Things to know:

As we build our little community of adventurers, explorers, and full-time travelers, we want to take a moment to introduce ourselves on a deeper level, say howdy, and connect with all of you (the best we can on the internet).

Hey there, we’re the Woods

Hey, that’s us! This photo is from our self-shot engagement session on the Oregon coast.

A little bit about Riley

Riley is the curly-headed, red-bearded (though he mostly sports a mustache these days) leader of this ragtag bunch called the Woods.

Born in central Florida horse country and raised in a rural-turned-small-town-turned-big-town setting, he’s got a strange mix of good old American grit and civilized learning. For context, he grew up with a pet cow and went to graduate school for poetry–so, yeah.

Growing up, he was a bit of a sports star, excelling on the football field and (especially) the basketball court. While he remains active and passionate about fitness to this day, he had to fight to reclaim his physical health after falling ill as a kid.

In elementary and middle school, Riley battled an inflammatory disease that led to years of doctor visits and hospital stays. He was poked and prodded, ultimately undergoing a couple of major surgeries to give him a fighting chance.

Today, he’s healthy as an ox–talk about a comeback story.

Photo courtesy of Tori from Come to Bliss.

After his ordeal, Riley turned more to creative and intellectual endeavors. He started writing creatively and got heavily involved with a charity to help kids in similar positions to his own (you can check this out by clicking “Help the Kids” on our website).

From there, life was pretty straightforward. Finish high school, go to college, and then head off to grad school in Montana–a huge change that only deepened a love of adventure and travel for a lifelong Florida boy.

Now, Riley works full-time for our business, Boundless Copy, goes to the gym consistently, and still makes time for creative ventures like photography and writing!

Hanna’s hello

Born in Texas to a military man and his bride, Hanna moved around as a child before her family settled down in (you guessed it) central Florida.

A spunky young thing with an affinity for newsboy hats, Hanna thrived in her new home as she grew. You could find her outdoors at any given time, running around endlessly in the Florida sun.

As she entered her middle and high school years, her love of physical activity evolved into a passion for volleyball. Soon, she was leading her high school and travel teams to victory, and her hard work showed in the form of scholarship offers to play for smaller colleges in the state.

Hanna was no slouch in the classroom, either, excelling in academics despite her busy schedule. Ultimately, she chose to attend the University of Florida, exchanging her volleyball dreams for a spot in the prestigious journalism program (and a role on UF’s club volleyball team).

Hanna on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington.

While she did intern and work at several major Florida papers upon graduation–including the Orlando Sentinel and Tampa Bay Times–she quickly discovered her passion was in storytelling, not in breaking news.

So, she made a change and pursued her own path by founding Boundless Copy–the business we both work for today.

It is Hanna’s adventurous, ambitious spirit that drives us forward toward new experiences. Whether it’s conquering a bucket list hike or launching a new educational course, she has a fearless, go-get-’em attitude that is simply contagious.

Chowder’s story (the moment you’ve all been waiting for)

The most charismatic member of our little crew is Chowder, our Springer Spaniel. As sweet as he is floppy, Chowder came to us by chance one day.

We had talked about getting a dog–actually, Riley promised Hanna before we got married that we could eventually have a pup–but we weren’t actively looking for one.

On one of our many trips to western North Carolina, Riley and our friend Mike were out on a hike (Hanna was feeling under the weather and stayed back to rest). Lo and behold, there’s Chowder at the trailhead, full sploot in the dirt.

The photo Riley sent to Hanna from the trailhead.

He was with a family of four who were visiting the area from Florida, of all places. Chowder was the last of his litter, and the people who were supposed to adopt him had backed out at the last minute.

Naturally, Riley took this as a sign and exchanged phone numbers with the strangers at the trailhead. A few months later, we reconnected with them at a restaurant in Florida and left with our floppy new family member.

Chowder is an unusual Springer Spaniel. He’s laid back and mellow–not high-strung like many of his counterparts. He’s never met a person (or dog) he doesn’t like, is great with kids, and is as far from being an alpha as possible.

Most of all, he’s loyal to a fault. He is obsessed with Hanna, and when she’s not around, Riley will do. He’s the type of dog you could set loose outside, and he’d just sit there staring at you.

While he does have some downsides–he sheds, smells, and makes horrendous mouth sounds–he’s about as good a furry friend as you could ask for!

From our family to yours

We hope this little introduction helps you feel like you know us a touch better. While we’re relatively private people, sharing these glimpses of who we are with you is our way of rolling out the welcome mat and inviting you into our community.

We’ll definitely be sharing more insights with you in the coming months, but feel free to drop a comment below with any questions you might have. We’d love to connect with you and get to know you better, as well.

Another exceptional photo by Tori.

You can also give us a follow on Instagram and YouTube. Other than this blog, those are the two best platforms to see what we’re up to, engage with us, and get to know us better.

We hope to see some of y’all on the road in 2025!

- Riley + Hanna

Our 2025 full-time travel itinerary, bucket list, and New Year’s goals

Howdy, y’all!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a memorable New Year’s Eve. Since we try to post every Wednesday on this here blog (we fondly call it Wander Wednesday), we figured the first day of the new year falling mid-week was a sign.

So, we’re going to share our hopes, dreams, goals, and plans for 2025 with y’all. Hopefully, doing so will hold us accountable and inspire you to pursue your own big adventures over the next 12 months.

Things to know:

We’re traveling full-time in 2025, and there are a few locations (and activities) on our bucket lists that we can’t wait to check off.

2024 had a lot of this. Here’s to hoping 2025 has even more.

A new season of full-time travel

Not everything on this list will center around our lifestyle shift from homebodies to full-time RVers, but that change is an overarching theme that will surely color our experience this year. Embracing travel as our everyday reality instead of a temporary adventure is a challenge we’re looking forward to and can’t wait to share with you.

With that in mind, let’s kickoff this meandering little blog with some travel-forward thoughts.

Our 2025 travel plans

In the process of picking our camper (and now waiting for its completion), we’ve put a bit of thought into our itinerary for 2025. It’s still a vague calendar, and we can’t solidify any plans until our camper is in our possession, but here’s what we have so far:

• January - March: Florida (family) and the Southeast

• April - May: The Southwest (Arizona and Utah)

• June: The PNW (Oregon and Washington)

• July - September: Canada and Alaska

• October: The PNW (Washington Islands)

• November - December: Texas and back to Florida

It’s a packed schedule that’s subject to change, and we hope we planned enough time in each region to fully immerse and enjoy. If not, I guess we’ll have to run it back in 2026!

Expect the coming year to be filled with amazing views like this.

Our travel bucket list in 2025

While our full-time travel itinerary is dictated by many things–including friends, family, and a handful of events–some bucket list destinations also informed our loose plans. If you notice any glaring “must-see” omissions from our list, please drop a comment below–we don’t want to miss out on anything while we’re in these new-to-us locations!

• The San Juan Islands

• The Oregon coast

• California redwoods

• Jasper, Canada

• Denali

• Vancouver Island

• Moab (and nearby deserts)

Personal goals

Despite the somewhat overwhelming nature of planning out a year of travel, choosing destinations and building timelines is easy compared to setting personal goals. The prospect of full-time travel is new and unfamiliar, making it difficult for us to set clear goals in the context of the relative instability of not having a traditional home and lifestyle.

That said, we have a few personal goals that either transcend the uncertainty of our new lifestyle or apply directly to it.

• Date each other. We’ve found that it has become increasingly difficult to “date” like we did before work and life responsibilities increased. We want to be intentional about getting back to that romanticism in 2025.

• Workout on the road. We both hike regularly and go to the gym faithfully. This will undoubtedly be more difficult while traveling full-time (especially weight lifting), so we are exploring ways to facilitate physical fitness while on the road.

• Balancing work with other interests. We are blessed with the unique opportunity to work for ourselves in an industry that fits our strengths. Still, we want to carve out time (and mental capacity) for our other interests this year–photography, creative writing, reading, and so on.

• Stay in the moment. If there’s one thing we’re good at (especially Riley), it’s dreaming big. Unfortunately, those dreams sometimes distract from the amazing things we’re doing at the moment. This year, we’re going to root ourselves firmly in the moment and appreciate it fully.

Chowder is a big fan of life on the road. We think he’ll love every second of it.

Sharing it with all of you

While we have our private goals–as individuals, a couple, and business owners–we wanted to keep the resolutions shared here brief. Consider them a little taste of what we want to share with you during this year of travel. We hope you’ll hold us accountable and watch us flourish as a result!

What are your goals entering the new year? Do you have any bucket list destinations you’ll visit, lifestyle changes to make, or interpersonal growth to work toward? Drop them in a comment below, and we’ll give you a hearty dose of encouragement.

If you’d like to keep tabs on us as we pursue our full-time travel dreams in 2025, be sure to check back regularly for updates, follow our Instagram for consistent content, and visit our YouTube channel for in-depth looks at how life on the road is treating us.

- Riley + Hanna

Our camper of choice for full-time travel

If you’ve been reading our blog, you know that we’ve put a ton of time, effort, and thought into selecting a truck and a camper to act as our nomadic home in 2025. With full-time travel approaching quickly, we’ve finally landed on the type of camper that we’ll call home in the coming year(s).

While we can’t give you a grand reveal quite yet–the camper isn’t actually in our possession–we do want to give you a preview of the style of camper we chose and some of the key features it will have. We hope you’re as excited as we are because we are HYPED.

Things to know:

We’re traveling full-time in 2025, and we finally picked a camper to facilitate our new nomadic lifestyle. Read on for a preview—we think you’ll love it as much as we do!

The camper we chose for full-time travel

Our list of blogs we wrote to follow our decision-making process includes a lot of “Why we didn’t buy X.” While this process of elimination worked well for us, it did leave some of our friends and readers wondering what type of camper could possibly be left.

The answer? A flatbed camper.

What is a flatbed camper?

The bed on our Ram 3500 will soon go missing.

The concept of a flatbed camper echoes that of a slide-in truck camper. Both are intended to be mounted to the rear of the truck on a temporary or semi-permanent basis, allowing you to tote your home around with you wherever you go.

The primary difference is (you guessed it) that a flatbed camper requires a flatbed truck rather than your standard pickup bed. Flatbed campers are designed with a flat footprint that encompasses the entire surface area of the flatbed rather than being built to accommodate wheel wells and bedsides.

The benefits of flatbed campers

Flatbed campers are not as plentiful as slide-in campers, and there’s an obvious reason for that–consumer trucks come from the factory with boxed beds, making them by far the most common type of truck bed on the road. The demand for slide-in campers is simply much higher.

So, why go through the hassle of swapping to a flatbed and seeking out a flatbed camper manufacturer? The answer is simple–flatbed campers provide some notable advantages over their slide-in brethren, and those benefits appeal to us.

• More floor space. Because a flatbed camper uses the entirety of the flatbed footprint (rather than the space between the wheel wells), you have far more floor space to work with. This means a roomier interior that better facilitates moving around and navigating around your camping partners–a must for full-time living out of a truck camper.

• A more permanent solution than slide-in campers. While flatbed campers can technically be removed (just like slide-in options), they are typically designed to be semi-permanent. This makes them more of a cross between a removable camper and a true RV, and there are advantages to that, including plumbing into your vehicle’s electrical/fuel systems, using more secure mounting systems, and so on.

Why not buy a chassis-mounted camper?

If you choose to go the flatbed truck camper route, there is one primary alternative–a chassis-mounted camper that permanently mates to the frame of your truck. There are advantages of this style of camper, including one that is particularly compelling to us–a pass-through to the cab.

The option to use our truck for truck things is important to us.

In an ideal world, this is the route we would have gone. In many ways, it is preferable to us, but there were two key considerations that held us back from fully committing to a chassis-mounted camper–permanence and versatility.

• Permanence. We have plenty of experience with long-term travel, but we are still viewing this shift to full-time RVing as an experiment. It will last a minimum of a year, with the opportunity to stretch without limits. Because we aren’t committing to a longer period (3+ years), we wanted something semi-permanent that could be removed and sold separately from the truck, if necessary. This also gives us the option to change our camping setup should we desire.

• Versatility. A chassis-mounted camper is a camper through and through. By opting for a flatbed camper that can be removed, we can use the truck as a truck when needed. This grants us flexibility if we purchase a home or want to set up our camper as a home base for a prolonged period of time.

Our flatbed truck camper

Because flatbed campers are relatively rare, most options that are currently on the market fall into the custom or semi-custom categories. As a result, our search ended in choosing a pretty custom camper, and we’ve been working with the builder to achieve our end goal since making our decision.

We want to save the big reveal for when we actually pick up our camper (the excitement is building), but we’re happy to share a few of the main features with you here. Consider it a little preview of what’s to come!

• Open floor plan. We are prioritizing floor space and freedom of movement.

• Off-grid sustainability. We opted for plenty of power, water, and so on to stay off-grid for extended periods.

• Quality. We were willing to spend more for quality rather than opt for quantity and/or a lower price.

With our camper under construction and our 2025 travel itinerary in development, it’s safe to say that the coming months hold some significant changes and excitement for us. We can’t wait to share our adventure with you–from picking up our camper to visiting The Last Frontier. We hope you’ll follow along by reading our blog, checking us out on social media, and watching our YouTube videos!

Please feel free to drop a comment below. We love engaging with and learning from you!

- Riley + Hanna

Truck camper? Truck no!

The sun crests over the mountains to the east, illuminating a winding trail that leads down into this pristine valley. Four sides of craggy peaks surround a verdant meadow cut by a serene stream, and there we are, right in the middle of it.

We’re in our F-250 with a Scout Campers Kenai truck-bed camper. We absolutely love this setup. It’s rugged, nimble, and quite comfortable. It has taken us to some incredible locations, like the one I’ve described here.

So, the conclusion of this camper selection process seems pretty obvious–we’re getting another slide-in camper before we hit the road full-time, right?

Not so fast…

Things to know:

Buying a camper for full-time travel is a big decision. While we had a truck camper in the past (and LOVED it), we’re going a slightly different route this year.

We’re not buying a truck camper (well, kind of)

Our travel history points a strong finger toward a truck camper being the ideal camper for us. We’ve spent well over a year (I did the math) sleeping in rooftop tents and our minimalist Scout Camper. We have the experience, and we clearly have a preference.

Our Scout Camper took us on many adventures, including to the stunningly unique landscape of Craters of the Moon National Monument.

It may come as a surprise, then, that we are not getting another slide-in camper. Despite their many advantages, which I will happily dive into in a moment, there are a few deal-breaking compromises that deterred us from jumping head-first into a larger slide-in truck camper.

The benefits of slide-in truck campers

Let’s get one thing straight–we love truck campers. Sure, they have their shortcomings, but golly–there’s just something special about them. So, when we get to the reasons we’re not buying a slide-in camper, keep that in mind. We genuinely adore these mobile habitats.

What exactly do we love about them? I’m glad you asked. It’s a long and compelling list, and dadgum if it didn’t almost push us in that direction again.

• Mobility. Other than certain Class B RVs and vans, truck campers are likely the most mobile camper option out there. They don’t require that you tow anything, they can be quite compact. Throw in the wheelbase of a truck, and you have a pretty mobile package that allows you to navigate city streets and parking lots with relative ease.

• Capability. A slide-in camper is just about as capable as the truck it is on. If you have an extremely capable truck with a high degree of off-road ability, you’ll be able to take your camper practically anywhere. Just watch out for low branches!

• Removable. Setting up base camp or pausing travel for a while? Simply remove the camper, and you have a truck to use for all your daily driving needs. This is a tremendous benefit for those of us with only one vehicle, and while you may not remove it often when traveling, the option is worth noting.

• Upgrade the camper, the truck, or both. Unlike RVs, which are all-in-one units, truck campers allow you to separate the camper from the truck at any time, sell one or both, and upgrade as you see fit. So, if you outgrow your current camper or your truck has engine problems, you can easily change it up without selling the entire setup.

The argument against truck campers

If you’ve read the other blogs in this series, you can probably sense that we are most enthusiastic about truck campers. It’s fair, then, to question why we’re deciding against a slide-in truck camper.

The truth is, we came dadgum close to replicating our former truck camper build, just with something a bit bigger. When we got close to making that choice, there were a few key considerations that deterred us, ultimately steering us in a different direction.

As much as we loved our Scout Kenai, it did have some shortcomings.

Cramped interiors and minimal floor space

The greatest weakness of truck campers (in our humble opinion) is the fact that they sit between the wheel wells of a truck bed. This, along with the sides of the bed, severely limit floor space and interior room. While these compromises are fine for shorter trips (and the benefits arguably offset them entirely), they were a deal-breaker for us when considering full-time living.

The narrow walkway within the camper is reason enough to reconsider, especially if you have a rather sturdy pup that likes to stretch out as long as possible. So, blame this one on Chowder if you have to.

Difficult to use as a base camp

While you can technically remove most truck campers and use them as a base camp, the process is tedious and dangerous. Unless you are in a single location for quite some time, it’s unlikely that you will go through the hassle of removing and reloading the camper. This is not a huge concern of ours, but it is worth mentioning.

No pass-through to the cab

Because truck campers are not a single unit, there is no way to move from the camper to the truck without exiting. Again, this is not a tremendous negative to us, but it is a downside, especially if the weather is temperamental or, God forbid, you find yourself in a sketchy situation where safety is a concern.

There are better options (we think so, at least)

If you’re looking at our list of truck camper cons and thinking it looks awfully short and unconvincing, we agree with you. That’s why the camper we ended up buying is in the same family as a slide-in truck camper–call it a distant cousin.

Stay tuned for the final piece of this countdown to our new camper. We’re excited to share our new home with you and hope that you’ll follow along as we embrace the adventure of full-time travel in 2025.

In the meantime, please connect with us. We want nothing more than to grow our community, learn from those who have more experiences than us, and make some genuine connections along the way! Drop a comment below or follow us on your favorite social media platform. We’d love to have you join our little family.

Why we didn’t buy a travel trailer

Making the decision to become full-time nomads in 2025 was something Hanna and I took very seriously. While we have plenty of travel experience together, there’s a big difference between a few weeks or a couple of months and 365 days of life on the road. So, we wanted to make sure we chose the perfect (okay, there’s no such thing) camper for us.

We weighed a lot of factors during the decision-making process, and while travel trailers definitely have some compelling advantages over other RVs, we ultimately determined that it wasn’t the right route for us. If you find yourself in a similar situation, maybe our thoughts on travel trailers and why we ultimately didn’t buy one will be helpful to you!

Things to know:

Travel trailers offer a lot of advantages for full-time travels. From a built-in base camp to loads of living and storage space, the benefits are undeniable. So, why didn’t we choose to buy one?

Note: By the time you read this, we might already have a camper. Our intent is not to mislead you, we simply wrote these blogs well in advance!

A travel trailer wasn’t right for us - here’s why

For those of you who love travel trailers or don’t have the same priorities as us, keep in mind that this is our story. We actually love the idea of travel trailers and came awfully close to buying a few different models. At the end of the day, our opinions are heavily influenced by our lifestyle and preferences, so filter everything we say through your own experience!

Our history of go-anywhere travel has heavily influenced our camper search.

What we like about travel trailers

This blog may be about why we aren’t buying a travel trailer, but I think it’s important to acknowledge their strengths and admit that we were almost convinced to buy one. They have some real benefits, and they are a great choice for a lot of people. In fact, I’m sure that we would have been perfectly happy if we had decided to get one!

• Loads of living space, making it phenomenal for full-timers, remote workers, and those seeking a homey environment.

• Practically endless brands, models, sizes, floorplans, and features to choose from, allowing you to find a unit that is perfect for you and your family.

• Endless potential for customization, both internally and externally. You can add solar panels, renovate the interior, and otherwise outfit your travel trailer to suit your needs.

• Plenty of support for DIY projects, problem solving, and warranty work thanks to their popularity and widely-accepted use.

• Easy to use as a base camp because you can set up your “home” and have your tow vehicle free to go exploring.

I’m sure there are many other reasons to consider a travel trailer, making them even more compelling for a large portion of the population that is interested in part-time or full-time travel. That said, we determined that it wasn’t the right route for us, and this is why.

We don’t want to tow a trailer (I know, I know…)

We know that many fellow travelers have no issue towing their campers. From tiny teardrop campers to massive fifth-wheels, many adventurers tow their homes behind them with no issue. We deeply admire those people (hats off to you if you’re one of them), but while we have a bit of experience towing trailers, it’s not something that either of us enjoys.

This didn’t immediately rule out travel trailers for us because there are legitimate advantages to them that almost convinced us that it would be worth the sacrifice (more on that later). At the end of the day, though, we didn’t want to be tethered to a trailer and deal with the stress that often accompanies it. Not wanting to tow something around the country was factor number one in deterring us from purchasing a travel trailer.

We like to get off the beaten path

Our travel history consists largely of venturing farther into the backcountry than most RVs and campers can go. We’ve used Jeeps, rooftop tents, and overland-style truck campers to push ourselves into off-grid situations and try to escape the crowds. We love a good campground now and then, but we definitely prefer the boondocking in nature style of travel.

One of our favorite off-grid campsites that we frequently return to.

There are a handful of travel trailers designed to facilitate backcountry camping. Some are built with off-road suspension, feature high-quality fit and finish, and use durable build materials. Unfortunately, those campers tend to be very expensive. At the end of the day, you’re still pulling a trailer down a potentially dangerous road with limited pull-offs and turnarounds. That sounds like a recipe for disaster to us, and it wasn’t a risk we wanted to take.

The price (and quality) vary wildly

One of the most compelling aspects of travel trailers is that you can find something in your budget. Whether you have $10k or $150k, there is a camper out there for you. This is a huge advantage over RVs and other campers. It’s also something that made us hesitant.

Price and quality do not always go hand-in-hand. Sometimes, you can score an amazing product at a budget-friendly price, but those instances are few and far between. When it comes to travel trailers, it was extremely tempting for us to opt for a more budget-friendly camper, then allocate the savings toward other things.

The more campers we toured and the more research we did, however, the more we were unsure. Very few (if any) of the travel trailers on dealer lots inspired confidence. Most felt like they would suffer from quality issues if we dragged them down a rocky road. The higher quality options put some of those concerns to rest, but at much higher prices. All of this left a feeling of uncertainty in our guts that we just couldn’t shake.

Something stinks (it’s the black tank)

There are some advantages to traditional camper bathrooms that utilize a black tank. The residential feel of the bathroom is nice, the need to empty it only on occasion is arguably an advantage, and it’s the most common approach to when ya gotta go on the road. That said, we’ve never been interested in a black tank.

As people who like to go camping in the great outdoors, we don’t love the idea of being beckoned back to civilization by the need to dump our black tank. Sure, we’ll have freshwater and greywater tanks, but those aren’t quite as dire as a black tank. You can limit greywater use and refill your fresh water just about anywhere.

If you look closely, you can probably spot our bathroom tent. No shame!

The added maintenance is also not glamorous or appealing. We realize it’s not a big deal, but we would much rather use an alternative method–such as a dry-flush toilet–than mess with a black tank. Personal preference? Yep! A factor in our camper purchase? You betcha!

Home sweet home

While the plan is to travel full-time, we don’t know what the future holds. If we settle down and buy a house, it might be difficult to store a travel trailer on the property. These campers can be long, and without a suitable place to store them, you’re left paying for a spot in a storage yard. It may not be terribly expensive, but it is still an additional line on the balance sheet that we would rather avoid if the situation arises.

When we are traveling, we are confident that we will want to venture to more remote locations. If we want to go to some of our favorite spots located off of trails, what are we supposed to do with the camper–pay for a spot at a campground while we go sleep in a tent for a night or two? It creates logistical problems for us when we want to embrace the more exploratory side of adventure.

Don’t buy a travel trailer (if you’re us)

There are so many reasons to opt for a travel trailer as a full-time traveler or part-time camper. Many of the benefits of travel trailers really spoke to us. Because it will be our home for at least a year, a camper with adequate space to live, work, and relax is extremely important. The ability to leave the camper behind and take the truck into town or on a day trip is also really appealing. Even the financial side of the equation makes a compelling argument.

At the end of the day, though, we determined that a travel trailer just wasn’t right for us. It’s not because they aren’t great–they truly are, and many people are more than happy using them–but our lifestyle and priorities steered us in a different direction. We can’t wait to share with you exactly what camper we bought.

We’re hitting the road full-time in 2025, and we’d love for you to come along for the ride. Whether you follow our antics on social media, catch up with us on YouTube, or connect with us in the comments, we’re so glad you’re here. We can’t wait to share our journey with you and to continue growing and learning from this amazing community of fellow travelers!

- Riley + Hanna

Class C RVs - A passing grade, but not for us

In our hunt for the ideal full-time travel camper, we have considered darn near every possibility shy of a covered wagon. Along the way, Class C RVs crossed our minds, and I have to say, we were quite tempted by a handful of them.

At the end of the day (spoiler alert), we decided against the Class C route, but that doesn’t mean they’re without merit. In fact, we could very much see ourselves in a Class C at some point in our lives–especially a 4x4 converted option from U-Joint Offroad!

Things to know:

Class C RVs are a fantastic option for couples in our position, but we ultimately decided against purchasing one for our full-time travels.

Note: By the time you read this, we might already have a camper. Our intent is not to mislead you, we simply wrote these blogs well in advance!

Why we didn’t buy a Class C RV

We know several people, including some full-time travelers, who love their Class C RVs. To be honest, we get it–they have some compelling benefits that make them ideal for a lot of adventurers. In the name of full transparency, we almost reached out to a private seller regarding a 4x4 converted Class C but decided against it at the last moment.

In other words, we really like this class of RV. It just wasn’t quite right for us at the moment.

We bought a big old truck instead of an RV.

The benefits of Class C RVs

No one likes a negative Nelly (who is Nelly, anyway?), so we like to kick off these “why we didn’t buy X” blogs with the good stuff–what we like about a particular camper. Thankfully, it isn’t hard to find things to like about Class C RVs. They have a lot going for them, and they’re just about the perfect fit for some folks.

• Self-contained. There’s no need to exit the living area to get to the driver’s seat, and that is a definite benefit when the weather is sour, or safety is a concern. There’s also just something appealing about an all-in-one RV unit.

• Options, options, options. Several manufacturers produce Class C RVs, and most of them make multiple models. When choosing a chassis, engine, length, floorplan, and so on, you really are spoiled for choice.

• Ample living space and a dedicated bathroom. As full-time workers, we will spend a lot of time in our camper. While we’re no strangers to small spaces and making do with a minimalist setup, more living space sounds like a huge benefit to us. Throw in an actual bathroom with walls and a door, and you have a pretty solid case for selecting a Class C!

Class C-ya-later - What stopped us from getting a Class C RV

For all the amazing attributes of Class C RVs, there are a few key characteristics holding them back–for our lifestyle, at least. If we close our eyes and envision life in a Class C, we could picture a happy and fulfilling adventure, but there are a few sticking points that would prevent us from doing some things we love.

We opted against a Class C RV for many of the same reasons we chose a small slide-in camper two years ago.

Can’t C you off-road

The interior space of a Class C is a benefit, but the exterior size is not. As people who want to get off the beaten path and explore forest roads and rougher terrain, the sheer mass of a Class C RV is a detriment. They also tend to be built for asphalt, sporting dinky tires and lackluster suspension.

That leaves us with two options for exploring the way we enjoy. Option A is to tow a secondary vehicle and utilize it for off-road adventures. Option B is to invest in a 4x4 conversion from a company like U-Joint Offroad to make the RV more capable. Both options are expensive and add complexity to the situation, especially when there are off-the-shelf alternatives.

We were driving downtown

Hopefully, you sang the line above to the tune of Copeland’s “Walking Downtown.” If not, I’ll forgive you; it’s an obscure reference.

Because Class C RVs are a single unit, what you see is what you get. You can’t set up camp and then take your truck into town. If you take a break from traveling, you are stuck using your Class C as your primary vehicle–yikes!

No more two-door Jeep life for us.

The solution to this is, of course, to tow a daily driver vehicle. Unfortunately, this adds length, complexity, and expense. We do not plan to have a secondary vehicle when we travel, so we would be accepting our Class C as our only option–that’s a tough pill to swallow.

Solving for X

All of these Class B/Class C conversations are beginning to feel like algebra. For every camper we rule out, we get closer to solving for X–that mystery RV that’s just right for us. That’s the hope, anyway.

While we won’t be purchasing a Class C RV, we are closing in on the perfect camper for our full-time travels starting in 2025. What we’ve learned throughout this process is that every option includes a bit of compromise, and we think we’ve pinpointed which compromises we’re okay with. That said, we’re still young and impressionable.

So, drop your guidance below. Whether you’ve been a weekend warrior for a decade or a full-timer for a month, we want to hear your stories, insights, and opinions. Give us your horror stories, highlights, and must-know tips. We’re here to learn, and there’s no better teacher than you–our tight-knit community of adventurers!

No van life for us - Why we aren't buying a Class B RV

Hanna and I are many things. Young-ish, super hip, a tiny bit grungy, and well on our way to Instagram stardom. Okay, so maybe only one of those things is true (we’ll let you guess which), but we still seem like ideal candidates for #vanlife.

Truthfully, Class B RVs–including vans–are appealing. They are nimble, self-contained, easy to drive, get decent fuel economy, and the list goes on. So, why did we decide against becoming full-blown van lifers? I’ll tell you one thing: it wasn’t because of those “One Less Sprinter” bumper stickers (even though they are hilarious).

Things to know:

While vans are great for full-time travel, we decided against one for our full-time lifestyle. Here, we’ll discuss the pros and cons as we breakdown exactly why we didn’t buy a van.

Note: By the time you read this, we might already have a camper. Our intent is not to mislead you, we simply wrote these blogs well in advance!

The pros and cons of van life

Before we do a deep dive into our not-at-all-scientific approach to removing Class B RVs from the running, we have to come clean–Hanna actually owned and partially converted a van a few years ago. She did all the work herself, and it had loads of potential. When the pandemic hit and prices skyrocketed, she made the difficult decision to sell it and turn a tidy profit.

Hanna posing proudly with her empty Transit Van.

So, we have a tiny bit of van life experience, but not enough to be considered experts (or anything close to it). The majority of this list was based on the here and now–the evolution of our needs and our newfound direction.

Why vans are great

There’s a lot to love about Class B RVs and van conversions. Over the last several months, we’ve flirted with buying one to facilitate our adventurous life–we like them that much! From the easy driving experience to the I’m-on-an-adventure aesthetic, we have to admit that van life is pretty compelling.

As we listed out our top van life pros and cons, there were a handful of benefits that really stood out. Your list may look a little different, but we think these adVANtages really make vans special!

• They’re a single unit, meaning that you can go from sleeping to driving without ever leaving the RV. This is great for a number of reasons, including situations where safety or weather is a concern. It also gives the entire unit a roomier feeling (in our experience, anyway), thanks to the large windshield and open cockpit.

• They get better gas mileage than most (if not all) alternatives. They tend to be compact, aerodynamic, and more efficient. Some people report getting upwards of 20 mpg in certain vans, which goes a long way toward your range on a tank and definitely helps the budget!

• They can be customized. Whether you’re a DIY magician, an RV lot shopper, or someone who wants to order a custom van through a builder, the possibilities are practically endless. This helps you get what you want within your budget. That’s a lot of flexibility!

• Vans are compact, nimble, and have decent aftermarket support for things like suspension and bumpers. All of this means that they are better equipped than most of their RV counterparts to explore off the beaten path, push farther into the backcountry, and facilitate an off-grid camping experience.

Why van life isn’t for us

If that list of van life advantages (yes, I made the same pun. I’ll do it again, too) seems compelling, we’re right there with you. There’s a lot to love about vans, and we would definitely consider going the Class B RV route in the future. Right now, though, there are a few factors that pushed us in another direction.

Hanna in her partially-converted camper van. Photo Credit: Tori of Come to Bliss.

Vans are expensive

To be fair, nearly every RV route has the potential to get expensive. Due to the rising popularity of vans and the proliferation of high-end builders, vans tend to be excessively expensive–at least in our eyes. The bang for your buck just isn’t there, unless you heavily weight quality (which is fair).

When we went through our budgeting process, we compared the vans we liked against other options we could have for the same amount of money. That comparison really raised some eyebrows. For what many of the leading van builders are charging, we could have a pretty incredible truck-based camper, a gorgeous Class C RV, or a host of other really nice rigs. Alternatively, we could save a bit of money by choosing a less expensive camper and put the rest of the budget toward travel!

Let’s talk about bathrooms (‘cause why not?)

Campers and bathrooms are always a bit of a touchy subject. From black tanks to plastic bags, everyone has a different opinion of which is best, but I think we all agree on one thing–there is no perfect solution.

When it comes to Hanna and me, we value a private and semi-comfortable bathroom. I have some digestive issues (messed up pipes, we like to call them), so we have been on a multi-year quest to find the bathroom setup that works best for us when we’re on the road. What we’ve learned is we need to prioritize comfort and normalcy even if it means sacrificing a tiny bit of that wild, let’s-take-the-gnarly-trail spirit we tend to have.

All that is to say, vans often struggle to provide a legitimate bathroom for full-timers. Due to size constraints, they might have a little closet of a wet bath, but most rely on curtains or a turlet (if you’ve seen Impractical Jokers, you get this reference) in the open. We’re no longer about that life.

Hanna cruises past an outdoor store in her van.

A van is a van

My curse (one of many) is that I tend to overanalyze things to death. I think of contingency after contingency, nuance after nuance, and so on. Sometimes, I suffer from analysis paralysis, which drives Hanna banana-nut crazy. So, when choosing a camper, I couldn’t get the nagging questions of “what if” out of my head.

What if we want to leave the camper somewhere and drive into town? What if we stop traveling for a while and only have one car? What if we need to sell the camper, but the camper IS our vehicle?

These thoughts led to a semi-decisive conclusion–we needed something that could either separate from the camper, or we needed a camper that could tow a car.

Why we’re not doing van life

Despite a lengthy list of reasons to choose van life, it just isn’t for us (right now). I think we’ll always flirt with that lifestyle–maybe we’ll even embrace it one day–but we’re going in a different direction this time. With our emphasis on off-road capability, the ability to leave the camper behind, and outfitting our rig with a bathroom that works for us, the deck was stacked against van life. Most of them are just a touch too compact for what we want.

The big reveal (and I mean BIG) is coming soon. With full-time travel on the horizon, we have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure our camper will be ready to be our home by 2025. We hope you’ll stick around, continue checking out the blog, and follow along as we explore this beautiful country.

We also would love to learn from you! If you have camper, truck, or travel experience, please connect with us. From life-changing tips to something as simple as what plates won’t break as we rattle about on forest roads, every little insight helps!

- Riley + Hanna

We bought a truck!

It’s been a long time coming.

If you’ve been following along, you know we’ve been exploring the various considerations that go into making a major purchase–in this case, a one-ton truck platform for the camper that we’ll be living out of starting in 2025. If you haven’t read those ramblings yet, be sure to check them out as they document our journey to this moment–the big reveal.

We’ve picked and purchased our future home, and we have to say, it might be our favorite rig so far (and we’ve had way too many).

Introducing our 2024 Ram 3500 Big Horn.

Our 2024 Ram 3500 Big Horn.

Things to know:

We’ve finally landed on a truck for our full-time travels, and it sure is a doozy. It had to check some pretty specific boxes to fit the needs we foresee, but we feel confident that we found the perfect truck that works for us and landed (almost) within our budget.

Why we bought a RAM

It’s sure to be a controversial decision–the truck brand tribalism seems to be as strong as ever–but we bought a Ram. Here, we’ll detail the specifications of our new truck, as well as why we made the decision we did.

A detailed look at our new Ram

First things first, let’s lay out the specifics of the Ram we purchased. This foundation will provide context so we can dive into our thought processes as we made this massive decision for our new full-time RV lifestyle.

The Basics

Our Ram is a 2024 Ram 3500 with the Big Horn package. It is a crew cab with a long bed and single rear wheel–a shockingly rare combination, it seems (more long bed Rams come with dual rear wheels).

It is equipped with a high-output 6.7L Cummins diesel engine, 6-speed Aisin transmission, and (of course) a 4x4 transfer case.

The Packages

Outside of the Big Horn package (which is essentially a glorified Tradesman), our truck features a handful of upgrades and equipment packages. We didn’t have much interest in adding a bunch of features to our truck (more on that later), so we were more than happy with the additional options on this one.

On top of the Big Horn package and high-output engine, our truck came equipped with:

• Billet Silver Metallic paint

• Cloth bucket seats

• Towing Technology Group

• Night Edition package

• Level 1 Equipment Group

• Auxiliary Switches

• Clearance Lamps

• Side Steps

• 50-Gallon Fuel Tank

• Alpine Sound System

• Trailer Surround-View Camera System

The Ram may be huge, but it is still a capable rig.

Our thoughts on our Ram’s features

To be totally transparent, we were not looking for anything more than a base model. Our budget was the biggest factor in our search for a truck, and we would have been content with a bare-bones truck that fit our functional needs.

With that in mind, we have some initial thoughts on the options our truck came equipped with–including things we’re glad it has, wish it didn’t have, and might have opted for given the chance.

Features we love

Despite not personally selecting the options our Ram was equipped with, it does have a handful of packages that we’re grateful for. We didn’t seek them out, but given that the truck has them, we are happy to have them!

• Towing Technology Group. This package includes some very useful features. We personally love the Surround-View Camera System (great for tight spaces and parking), as well as the Blind-Spot Detection. Both of these features make navigating this massive machine just a little less stressful.

• Night Edition. Call us shallow, but we are glad our truck doesn’t have any chrome on it. The Night Edition package is practically useless (and there’s no way we’d choose it for over $4,000), but the painted bumpers and blacked-out trim are aesthetically pleasing.

• Level 1 Equipment Group. While we could do without most of the things included in this package, we do appreciate the power mirrors. Manually adjusting all four mirrors–including telescoping and folding them–gets old real quick, and this package eliminates that annoyance.

• Auxiliary Switches. Easy wiring and control of accessories? Sign us up!

• 50-Gallon Fuel Tank. 1,000-mile unloaded range. Do we need to say more?

Features we could do without

This section is going to be a little lengthy, so we won’t go into as much detail as we did in the one above. Just because a feature makes this list doesn’t mean it’s inherently bad or not worth the money; it just means that we don’t need it and wouldn’t pay for it if we optioned our truck from the factory.

• Night Edition. Do we like how it looks? Absolutely. Would we pay the premium for it if we were given the option? Absolutely not.

• 12-Inch Display. Does it look nifty? Yep, but we prefer a smaller screen with more physical buttons, dials, and knobs.

• Level 1 Equipment Group. Outside of those handy power mirrors, the majority of the features included in this package are not worth it to us.

• Alpine Sound System. This system sounds wonderful, but it is $600 and eliminates a substantial amount of storage space beneath the rear seat.

• Trailer Surround-View Camera System. This package is intended for those who tow often and want a (you guessed it) surround view of their trailer. At $1,000, it is just excessive–especially when you can find them online for less than half of that price.

• Premium Cloth Bucket Seats. Having a center console is nice, but we would have been happy with a bench seat.

Feature we wished we had

While we aren’t too picky, we would have liked it if a couple of additional features were included–especially with the ridiculous prices of trucks these days.

• An inverter. Okay, Ram–seriously?? What modern truck doesn’t have an inverter?

• LED headlights. If a truck costs more than about $5, it should come standard with LED headlights.

• Remote start. We know, we know–this particular feature is a bit “extra,” as the kids say. Still, it would be nice to let the diesel warm up before hopping into the cab.

• Heated seats. This is a Hanna specialty. She loves heated seats, and though we’ve rarely had them, she always appreciates it when we do.

It sure is a beautiful truck.

Why we chose Ram

Ultimately, we chose Ram because we preferred it to the other options after a few test drives and the price made sense. We got a great deal (as far as cars go these days) at about 25% off MSRP. Heck, Riley flew down to Florida just to snag it.

We will go into more detail in the future, including why we chose Ram over Ford. For now, we just wanted to introduce our new rig and move on to talking about campers. After all, that’s the next big purchase–we need a camper to pair with the truck!

If you have experience with full-time RV travel, diesel trucks, or simply want to share your insights and opinions, please drop a comment below. We’d love to hear from you and engage with our little travel community!

We can’t wait to share our journey with you. From selecting a truck and a camper to adjusting to life on the road, we’ll be documenting every aspect of our experience with full-time travel. We hope you’ll follow along!

- Riley + Hanna

Choosing a truck for full-time travel - Sizes and capacities

The bigger the truck, the better, right? This is America, after all!

All jokes aside, the size and capacities of our future home-on-wheels matter quite a bit. From cab size and bed length to towing and payload capabilities, the potential configurations are many, especially if you factor in the differences between the major manufacturers.

Some of these factors–namely the towing and payload ratings–are primarily dictated by how you intend to use the truck. Others–like interior space–are more up to personal preference.

In this post, we dive into our thoughts on truck sizes and capacities as we try to determine the perfect fit for our full-time travel starting in 2025.

Things to know:

With full-time travel on the horizon, we need to choose a truck that can help us thrive on the road. The capacities and size of the truck are integral parts of our decision-making process, as they determine what the vehicle is capable of and how well it can perform the jobs we ask it to do.

Note: By the time you read this, we might already have a truck. Our intent is not to mislead you, we simply wrote these blogs well in advance!

Picking a truck for full-time travel

If you are familiar with our history, you know that we have owned exactly one full-size truck–a Ford F-250 Tremor with the 7.3-liter “Godzilla” engine.

A fair question to ask is, “Why didn’t you just keep that truck?”

There are a few answers to that question, and they seem worth mentioning before diving into this facet of our decision-making process.

Our F-250 was a phenomenal truck, and we definitely miss it!

1. We didn’t plan to take the leap into full-time travel. We anticipated settling down this year and slowly building back up to part-time travel. We sold the Ford believing that our path was set, but it changed.

2. Even if we had kept the Ford, we might have needed to swap it for something else. More on that later in this blog and in blogs to come.

3. Because we thought we no longer needed the Ford, we wanted to sell it while the market was still relatively hot. We didn’t want to be stuck with an auto loan we no longer needed.

With that out of the way, let’s dive into our thoughts about truck sizes, capacities, and capabilities as we prepare to purchase a three-quarter or one-ton truck!

Interior space and overall length - comfort versus convenience

Because we like to venture off the beaten path, explore dirt roads, and occasionally tackle tough terrain, a smaller truck has some distinct advantages. The shorter the wheelbase, the better the turning radius (as a general rule), which is ideal for off-road adventures.

On the other hand, we know we will be traveling with all of our belongings and our pup, Chowder. Interior space is incredibly important for both storage and comfort. Unfortunately, larger cabs mean longer wheelbases–you see the dilemma.

Chowder is more than a little spoiled.

There are some ways to compromise. You can opt for an extended cab, which has half-doors and less space in the rear, choose the shortest possible bed length, or some combination of these options.

Given our circumstances and priorities, we decided that a crew cab was the right size for us (despite Riley’s dream of one day owning a single-cab truck). That left us with the bed size to determine the overall length of our truck.

Bed length - do you really need a long bed?

The major manufacturers offer two bed lengths on their HD trucks–standard and long. Standard tends to be around 6.5’ to 6.75’ depending on the brand, while long beds are 8’ or longer.

Many people can get away with a standard bed, especially if they are towing a trailer of reasonable weight. There are even plenty of truck campers that fit a standard bed and offer quite a bit of living space.

Keep in mind, though, that a longer bed equals a longer truck, which translates to more stability. If you are towing something extremely long and heavy, a longer truck has the advantage.

The same goes for larger truck campers–if you want to safely haul a big truck bed camper, you should probably opt for a long bed truck. They also tend to be more useful for work if you intend to use your truck outside of recreation.

Navigating tight trails in a big truck can be quite challenging, but the reward is worth it!

The downsides? Well, a long bed makes a truck much harder to turn and maneuver in tight spaces. From the trail to the parking lot, that extra length sneaks up on you and makes daily life a little more difficult and stressful.

Ultimately, we’re leaning toward a long bed because of the direction we think we’re going with our camper setup. If we were going a different route with the camper, we’d probably stick with a standard bed for the convenience.

Payload and towing capacity - just because you can…

…doesn’t mean you should. While we’re as red-blooded, stick-it-to-the-man as they come, we tend to abide by the payload and towing ratings of our vehicles. So, as we hunt for the perfect truck for our upcoming lifestyle shift, we want to make sure we’re buying one that can handle whatever challenges we throw at it.

If you’re buying a pull-behind or fifth-wheel, you’ll want to pay attention to both your payload and towing capacities.

The towing bit is obvious–you want to be safely under the limit your truck is rated for. The payload part of the equation is often overlooked–after all, you’re towing the camper, not loading it into the bed. However, a portion of the weight of your trailer is transferred to the truck, detracting from your payload. Called the hitch or pin weight, you need to account for this when loading up your truck (or in our case, purchasing one).

For truck bed campers, payload is the primary concern. Your truck is only rated to carry so much weight, and while you can compensate with things like airbags and helper springs, staying within factory limits is a good idea. This means factoring in you, your passengers (dogs included), gear, camper, and so on!

We’ve pushed the payload capacities of our Jeeps, and you can feel the effects.

These numbers can be affected by everything from the engine powering your truck to the trim level you choose. We are opting for a one-ton truck and low trim level to maximize our ratings.

What size truck do you need?

With all these things in mind, we feel relatively confident that the truck we’re searching for is a crew cab with a long bed and single rear wheel configuration. We fully recognize that this will hinder us off-road, but we want to ensure that we are just about maximizing the capabilities of our new truck without going overboard (buying a dually, for example).

What do you think–are we on the right track? Would you opt for a different configuration? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts, opinions, and pieces of advice–we’d love to learn from you and take your feedback into consideration as we make this huge decision.

Full-time travel is rapidly approaching, and we can’t wait to share every step of the journey with you. From choosing a truck and picking a camper to actually hitting the road and adjusting to our new lifestyle, we hope you’ll follow along and join our thriving little community of adventurers!

- Riley + Hanna

Picking the perfect camper for full-time travel

As the sun crests the mountains obscuring the eastern horizon, the valley lights with golden hues and warmth. Hanna and Chowder are already outside basking in the early morning rays, while I am slow to wake, the soft light filtering through the skylight in our camper.

From my cocoon of quilts, I hear the gentle murmur of the brook we camped alongside and the intermittent splash of Chowder welcoming the day with his exuberant puppy energy. I open the door and am greeted by the most idyllic Colorado scene you can imagine–towering peaks shaded with red and gray, a meadow only now bursting forth in springtime’s green, and Hanna relaxing by the stream, her body bundled in layers despite the cheery sun.

Things to know:

We’ll be full-time travelers in 2025, and we need to choose the right camper to facilitate this new lifestyle. Here, we explore the various types of campers and RVs we’re considering.

Note: By the time you read this, we might already have a camper. Our intent is not to mislead you, we simply wrote these blogs well in advance!

Our previous camper was a go-anywhere Scout Kenai mated with a Ford F-250 Tremor.

Choosing a camper for full-time travel

Hanna and I are no strangers to camping. Since reuniting post-college (we were high school semi-sweethearts, but that is a story for another time), we’ve traveled a lot. It started in an old Subaru Outback and a tent my mom bought from K-Mart (how’s that for a throwback?). It evolved into Jeeps and Walmart tents, then rooftop tents, and finally, a Scout Camper Kenai.

Every year, we pushed our travels farther. We stayed on the road longer, ventured deeper into the backcountry, and expanded our comfort zone bit by bit. With each passing adventure, we learned what worked for us and where we still needed to improve–both in terms of gear and our own limitations.

We craved the travel lifestyle, but we faced challenges. Unfortunately, we are not “trusta-farians” (a term a fellow traveler coined to describe trust fund kids choosing to live in vans). We have to work full-time, stay within a budget, and balance real-life with the grand adventure that is life on the road.

We spent months in our various rooftop tents before buying our first camper.

After our longest stint on the road to date–about four months living out of the aforementioned Scout Camper in 2023–we knew we had to make a change if we wanted to give full-time travel a real chance. So, we made the difficult decision to pause our wandering for the entirety of 2024 and focus on giving our business some long-overdue attention.

Now, we’re once again shifting our gaze to the great unknown. In 2025, we plan to hit the road for a full 12 months (as a trial period). In other words, we have a lot of planning and preparation to do between now and then, including determining what camper is right for us.

How we like to travel

As you might have gathered, Hanna and I are not averse to “roughing it.” Our travel origins include $20 tents and an upbeat attitude. While we’ve strayed from these humble beginnings as our experience (and budget) have grown, we’ve retained the adventurous spirit that spurred us on way back when.

We prefer to get off the beaten path, and while we are not against campgrounds (they actually have some wonderful benefits), we try to explore the backcountry by having capable vehicles and relatively self-sufficient camping setups. In the past, that has meant Jeeps and rooftop tents paired with basic battery systems and essential supplies.

Last year, it evolved into a Ford F250 Tremor and Scout Camper–a setup that felt luxurious to us. We were able to escape from civilization, propelled forward by big tires, four-wheel drive, and solar panels. Even that, though, had its limitations. The power system was lacking when we had to work full days (especially when the sun stubbornly hid behind clouds). The water was limited to a five-gallon can. The bathroom consisted of a curtain and a spartan camping toilet.

Our Scout Camper was amazing and very capable, but did have limitations.

We wouldn’t trade the experience for the world, and we love Scout and the team behind the brand with our whole hearts, but we knew we needed more if we were to travel full-time in a sustainable manner. So, we began our search.

Types of campers we considered

Because we’ve done a decent amount of traveling in a variety of ways, Hanna and I feel relatively confident in our likes and dislikes. While we haven’t tried every camper style known to man–almost none of them, actually–we have a general idea of how we like to travel, what we consider necessities, and things we don’t want to compromise on.

Class A and Class C RVs

We briefly considered what you might call “real RVs.” The list of benefits is pretty compelling, and when we sat down to make our list of pros and cons, it looked something like this.

Pros of RVs

• Self-contained

• Lots of living space

• Real bathrooms

• Huge selection

Cons of RVs

• Big

• Not very agile or off-road worthy

• Can be expensive

• Inseparable unit

• Questionable quality of “budget” options

Getting off the beaten path and having the capability to tackle rough terrain is important to us, so we quickly ruled out Class A and Class C RVs despite their very real advantages. Sure, there are some Class C motorhomes that can get to a lot of remote locations, but there’s another factor at play for us.

We will only have one vehicle. Not only are we not keen on the idea of towing a secondary vehicle, but we also have to consider our budget. It isn’t unlimited, and having two things with engines doesn’t bode well for the bank account. Throw in the possibility of pausing travel for any lengthy amount of time, and the idea of a Class C being our sole vehicle loses most of its appeal.

Class B RVs

Class B RVs are an interesting option. Hanna dabbled in building out a Ford Transit a few years ago, and the self-contained nature of this route is appealing. The ability to go from sleeping to driving is advantageous, and there’s no question that a lot of vans can be outfitted for rough roads. With well-appointed interiors that include a workspace, wet bath, and kitchen, they can also be great for full-time living.

We haven’t been so quick to rule this option out. It seems to fit several of our needs, and who doesn’t love a little #vanlife?

Van Life Pros

• Self-contained

• Customizable

• Compact for daily driving and trails

• Liveable interior

• Good fuel economy

Van Life Cons

• A little cramped

• Expensive (less bang for the buck)

• Not very versatile when not traveling

• Rarely have a full bathroom

Our pros and cons list for the Class B option is a bit more complex than it was for the Class A and C RVs. There’s a lot to discuss and think about there, and there’s no question that couples in similar situations to us have embraced van life and found ways to thrive on the road.

Truck Campers

From a purely “this pulls at our heartstrings” perspective, truck campers probably top the list. We love their aesthetic and the idea of being ultra-mobile. There’s also something nice about the simplicity of truck campers. They’re compact, easy to use, and nostalgic. Our brief stint in the Scout Campers Kenai plays a role here, too–we really enjoyed the four months we lived in that bare-bones camper.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though, and we know we need to be realistic about our full-time needs. When writing out our pros and cons of truck campers, we were a little surprised by how balanced the list was.

Truck Camper Pros

• Very capable and mobile

• Many options and styles

• Removable from the truck (and you have a truck!)

• Ability to upgrade the camper or truck without selling both

Truck Camper Cons

• Small interior

• Requires a hefty truck

• Difficult to use as a base camp

• No pass-through to the truck

Despite the shortcoming of truck campers–most notably, the lack of interior space–we think this option is very appealing. We like trucks, and having one that we can use when the camper is removed is a huge bonus.

Travel Trailers

Oh, travel trailers. What a complex relationship we have with you. There are many reasons to love travel trailers, and those reasons definitely make a strong case for full-timers. Still, there are some downsides that weighed heavily on our minds as we made our list of pros and cons.

Overall, we’re pretty torn on travel trailers. While we definitely see the advantages, we’re just not fully convinced that they’re for us.

Travel Trailer Pros

• Loads of options

• Pretty affordable

• Tons of interior space

• Excellent for use as a base camp

• Useable truck when camped

Travel Trailer Cons

• Questionable quality

• You have to TOW something

• Storage when not traveling

• Reduced mobility and off-road capability

• You have to tow something

Yes, I know I listed towing as a con TWICE. That’s how passionately we do not want to pull a camper. It cramps our style (camping off trails) and is unappealing from a travel perspective. Sure, travel trailers are phenomenal when you’re at camp and set up for a week or two, but we’re not sure the benefits outweigh that extra-large con for us.

Which camper should we buy?

There you have it–our pros and cons for every possible type of camper we’re considering. If we missed something, please let us know–we need all the help we can get!

The big question remains–which camper should we get? Right now, we are leaning heavily toward a truck camper. The mobility, ease of getting off the pavement, and ability to use the truck as a truck when not traveling are all compelling advantages to us. Factor in that we think they look cool, and you have (in our minds) a winning combination.

That said, we haven’t made any solid decisions yet. There’s still research to do, finances to sort out, and campers to tour. So, help us out–what camper should we buy? Did we miss any noteworthy pros and cons? Do you have experience with any of these campers?

Drop your knowledge below and share some suggestions. We’d really appreciate the guidance as we take this big step into a more nomadic lifestyle!

- Riley + Hanna