Nomadic McDowells: A (Current) Day in the Life

Susanne is your driver for this post.

People often ask us what it's like to RV full time. Many seem to think that we explore national parks by day and roast s'mores over the campfire by night. That rosy image reflects our reality about 0.01% of the time.

In truth, living in an RV is a lot like living in a house, except that the RV moves and we have to go to a Laundromat if we want clean clothes.

To clarify what the RV lifestyle is like for us at this particular time, I thought I'd provide you with a day in the life glimpse of our lives on a regular weekday. It varies, of course. Sometimes we do take the entire day to see a national park. But more often than not, this is what it looks like:

6:30 AM: Nobody is up... except our feisty orange feline. Biscuit has arisen, and she's raring to go. Biscuit greets every new day with the frantic conviction that her humans will never wake up; her gut reaction is to meow and attack our feet until someone responds. Trent usually gets up first, soothes the cat, freshens up her food, eats breakfast, cracks open his laptop, and gets some work done while Sam and I are still asleep.

7:30 AM: If it's a running day for me, I go out for a run somewhere close to the RV. 

9 AM: Sam is usually up by now and watches some TV to help him ease into his day (current favorite shows: Cosmos, Fixer Upper, and Good Eats). I take a shower (hot, if we've remembered to turn on the hot water heater), make coffee (one of my favorite daily rituals), and prepare breakfast for myself and Sam.

10 AM: Trent "goes to work" - that is, he leaves the RV to find a quiet spot in the campground rec center or office. If we're at a site with full hookups, he'll check the tank levels and empty the gray and black tanks on his way out.

Sam and I get started with homeschooling. His daily tasks always include reading, writing, grammar, and math, though we don't spend much time on any one thing. That's the benefit of homeschooling: he can work on each task at his own pace, and if/when he gets tired, we move on.

While Sam tackles schoolwork, I blog (either for Nomadic McDowells or my running blog), update our social media accounts, communicate with my Beachbody clients, and facilitate my online geology class. 

Noonish: Sam wraps up his work. I make lunch for both of us. Nothing fancy. Sam's into smorgasbords these days, so he likes some combination of fruit, yogurt, crackers, and cheese. I typically have a salad or heat up leftovers from the night before. Trent usually comes back to the RV to make one of his special wraps: flour tortilla, peanut butter, and spinach. Mmmmm.

1 PM: On about half the days, Sam and I (and Trent, if he's not too swamped with work) go on a field trip to a park, the local library, or an area attraction (for instance, we went to the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the UFO Museum while here in Roswell, NM).

On other days, Sam comes up with a project and works on that while I get my own work done. His projects are almost always self-directed. So far he's set up a website, developed his own art business, read history books, painted, and started a coin collection.

Afternoons can get tricky because Trent and I always have work to do, whether that's for the companies we freelance for or blogging/social media. On one hand, we don't want to spend our entire nomadic existence on our computers, but the fact of the matter is that we aren't independently wealthy. The bills have to get paid.

4 PM: I start eyeing the beer in the fridge. Sam reads or plays a video game. Biscuit naps in preparation for another night of terrorizing her humans.

5 PM: We make dinner. We have a toaster oven and an InstantPot, and for the most part, these two appliances allow us to make anything we want. The InstantPot is nice because a) it's fast and b) we can program it and walk away.

6 PM: Dinner! We squeeze around our little RV table. It can get tight, especially if we've let clutter accumulate. We do eat outside sometimes, but between the heat and the bugs this summer, that hasn't been as appealing as it sounds. We anticipate dining in the great outdoors more as we get into fall.

7 PM to bedtime: If we're at a regular old, nothing-special-here site, we do what many other people do in the evenings: clean up, play with the cat, take walks, watch Netflix, text with friends, read, veg out. At our current location, we're basically situated in a large (but nicely maintained and landscaped) parking lot next to a busy road, so there's no huge incentive to commune with nature. If we're at a national park or some other particularly beautiful place, we'll spend more time outside.

So that's about it! Does anything surprise you? Anything you're still wondering about? For our fellow travelers/nomads, how does this compare to your daily schedule?

So You Want To Live In An RV: What Will You Need?

Trent and I have received a few questions lately to the effect of, "We're thinking about RVing full time. What should we bring?" Because space in an RV is so limited, it's important to think critically about what you need/want to haul and what you can/should leave behind (we now realize that even though we worked hard to bring only the necessities, we still brought too much!)

We've compiled a list of products that we purchased, use on a regular basis, and highly recommend to other RVers and would-be RVers. (Note: these links are Amazon affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase the product via the link, Amazon will toss us a few cents in loose change. Many digital nomads are using this as a way to generate a little extra income.) We've also briefly described what we use each product for and why we like it so much.

A disclaimer: We can only speak to what's worked well for our 29 foot Coachmen Freelander. Obviously, certain specific products (such as the RV cover) will not work for every type of rig. With RVs, one size does not fit all.

RV ELECTRONICS:

1. Progressive Industries EMS-PT30C Portable EMS RV Surge Protector - 30 Amp

• What it does: Protects our RV from a range of electrical issues and helps us monitor our amp draw so we know how close we are to our 30 amp limit.
• Why we like it: When selecting a camping site, we check the electric post with the surge protector BEFORE we set up everything else. This device lets us know everything is in working order and within acceptable limits. If not, we can select a new site before setting everything else up.

2. Camco 55501 PowerGrip 25' Cord with 30 AMP Male Standard/30 AMP Female Locking Adapter

• What it does: Works as an extension cord for our RV.
• Why we like it: It allows us to park farther away from the electrical post if we need to find level ground, better shade, or a nice view.

3. Camco 55175 18" PowerGrip Dogbone Electrical Adapter with Handle

• What it does: Allows us to hook our 30 amp RV to a 50 amp outlet.
• Why we like it: If the only site left is 50 amps, we could stay at that site. Also, sometimes the 50 amp outlet is in better condition than the 30 amp outlet on the same electric post. This device gives us a better chance of a good electrical hook-up.

4. Camco 55165 15M/30F 12" PowerGrip Dogbone Electrical Adapter with Handle

• What it does: Allows us to hook up our 30 amp RV to a standard household outlet.
• Why we like it: If we park in someone's driveway for the night, we can still get electricity to the RV.

WATER AND SEWER GEAR:

1. Camco 43051 20' Sidewinder Plastic Sewer Hose Support

• What it does: Keeps the gray and black water moving in the right direction and prevents, well, stagnation...
• Why we like it: Flexible yet sturdy.

2. Camco 40285 RV Green Disposable Dump Glove - 50 Pairs

• What it does: Protects our hands while we deal with the sewage tanks.
• Why we like it: Because nobody wants to touch poop water or contaminate the entire family.

3. Walex TOI-91799 Deodorizer

• What it does: Eliminates unseemly odors that emanate from the black tank.
• Why we like it: Because we'd rather not smell our toilet.

4. Camco 20123 Brass Water Wye Valve

• What it does: Bifurcates a single water outlet.
• Why we like it: With this valve, we can hook up both a freshwater hose and a hose for washing or flushing the tanks.

5. Camco 40043 TastePURE Water Filter with Flexible Hose Protector

• What it does: Helps clean/filter water from city water lines.
• Why we like it: Light, effective, easy to install, easy to store.

6. Camco 39062 Dual Flush Pro Holding Tank Rinser with Gate Valve

• What it does: Makes emptying the gray and black tanks easy and sanitary.
• Why we like it: Permits easy cleaning of the black tank to remove any remaining residue.

7. Camco 22783 TastePURE Drinking Water Hose (5/8"ID x 25') - Lead Free 

• What it does: Serves as designated hose for drinking water.
• Why we like it: A standard hose is not suitable for drinking water, and we like to drink water!

8. Camco 22505 90 Degree Hose Elbow - Lead Free

• What it does: Hooks up to your water intake and connects to the water hose.
• Why we like it: It allows the hose to run straight down and not out and down forcing the hose to bend. This reduces wear and tear on the hose.

9. Camco 39761 RhinoFLEX 15' RV Sewer Hose Kit with Swivel Fittings

• What it does: Hooks up to the sewage tanks (black and gray) and runs to the sewage dump.
• Why we like it: It's easy to connect and disconnect and compresses into a much smaller size for storage.

10. ETL 26781 White Body Spa Oxygenics Shower with 60" Hose 

• What it does: Maximizes water pressure while reducing excess use of water.
• Why we like it: You can press a knob to turn off the water flow while you're soaping up; easy to install.

RV MAINTENANCE:

1. ADCO 2509 Clear RV Windshield Cover

• What it does: Keeps the windshield covered while we're in camp and helps manage indoor air temperature.
• Why we like it: Easy to put on and take off; easy to store; relatively inexpensive.

2. Carrand 93210 Long Chenille Microfiber Wash Mop with 48" Extension Pole

• What it does: Allows you to gently wash your RV without use of a stepladder.
• Why we like it: Effective; inexpensive; eliminates risk of someone falling off a ladder and breaking something.

3. Bug Scrubber RV Car Aircraft Bug Remover

• What it does: Removes all of the bugs that attached themselves to your windshield as you were driving.
• Why we like it: It works! Bug guts are sticky and can be hard to remove.

4. Aero Cosmetics Wet or Waterless Car Wash Wax 16 oz.

• What it does: Gently removes the grime from the side of your RV without the need for water.
• Why we like it: It's good for fast, effective spot cleaning in camp - no hoses needed.

5. Aero Cosmetics Waterless Car Wash & Wax 128 oz.

• What it does: Same as above - just in a larger size.
• Why we like it: We use this product fairly often, so we like to carry the larger size with us.

6. Dicor 501LSW1 White Lap Sealant - 10.3 oz. 

• What it does: Easily repairs small rips, tears, and weathered areas on roof of RV.
• Why we like it: Easy to apply; quickly repairs potential leak points in roof.

7. Aero Cosmetics Tire Shine Protectant, 16oz 

• What it does: Protects tires from damaging UV rays.
• Why we like it: Easy to apply.

KITCHEN TOOLS AND APPLIANCES:

1. Camco 43753 Hardwood Stove Topper and Cutting Board

• What it does: Fits over the stove, thereby creating additional counter space for food prep and improving efficiency of the kitchen area.
• Why we like it: Sturdy; doesn't move while the RV is in motion (thanks to grippy material on the base of the board).

2. Melitta Coffee Maker, Porcelain 6 Cup Pour-Over Brewer

• What it does: Provides liquid of the gods to sleepy RVers.
• Why we like it: Easy to use; easy to clean.

3. Instant Pot IP-LUX50 6-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, 5Qt/900W

• What it does: Cooks everything from beans to rice to veggies to soups and stews to cheesecake - and in the fraction of time required by regular appliances.
• Why we like it: Fast, effective, and easy to clean and store.

4. Magic Bullet Blender, Small

• What it does: Blends single-serving smoothies and shakes.
• Why we like it: Small, easy to store, easy to clean.

IN CAMP:

1. Camco 42805 60" x 78" Handy Mat with Strap

• What it does: Reduces amount of dust and dirt carried into the RV.
• Why we like it: Helps maintain cleanliness of RV interior; inexpensive; colorful; easy to store.

2. Camco 44432 Wheel Chock

• What it does: Helps keep the RV from rolling away while parked. Whew!
• Why we like it: Light and inexpensive.

3. Tri-Lynx 00015 Lynx Levelers, (Pack of 10)

• What it does: Levels out your RV if you're parked on uneven ground.
• Why we like it: Light, easy to use, easy to clean and store.

4. Modkat Litter Box Kit

• What it does: Provides your cat with a relatively attractive, private place to use the facilities.
• Why we like it: It fits nicely in the cab of the RV (between the driver's and passenger's seats); reduces scatter of kitty litter throughout the rig; includes a reusable, sturdy liner.

Meals on the Road: InstantPot Lentils and Rice

I've mentioned in several previous posts that I am completely in love with the InstantPot. It's a pressure cooker that cooks dried stuff - like beans and rice! - quickly and effectively (and if you like, you can also employ it to saute, steam, and slow cook). Plus, you can use the InstantPot in the RV without worrying about short circuiting the electronics (disclaimer: don't hold me to this; check your amps).

Tonight I made a one-pot meal of lentils, rice, and veggies that took a total of ~30 minutes to prep and cook. It was filling, hearty, easy to make, and - major, major bonus - inexpensive.

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients

-1 cup uncooked brown rice

-1/2 cup dried green lentils (I assume red lentils would work, too)

-1.5 to 2 cups chopped veggies: I used mushrooms and peppers

-2 tsp olive oil

-Seasoning to taste

-1.5 cups water

Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients in the InstantPot. Yup, just dump 'em in.

2. Close the lid and lock it. Set the steam valve to the closed position. Press the "Manual" button and adjust the time to 23 - 25 minutes. (If you want to use larger dried beans, like black beans or pinto beans, add a few minutes to the time.)

3. Drink a beer and listen to a podcast. Personally, I'm really into No Meat Athlete and The Rich Roll Podcast right now. 

4. When the InstantPot is done cooking, let it sit for ~10 minutes before opening the lid.

5. Cross your fingers that everything cooked properly. In this case, it did.

6. Enjoy with other planty stuff of your choice. In this case, I paired the rice with some roasted butternut squash.

*Tip: Heat the water before adding it to the InstantPot. This will permit the InstantPot to seal more quickly.

RV Vegan?

Yes we are! 😜

Get it? 

It was a joke. A bad one. I blame the influence of Trent's side of the family. They have the best bad jokes ever.

Anyway, in a previous post I mentioned that we've adopted a vegan lifestyle. A "plant-based" lifestyle is a more accurate way to describe it, as a) we are currently using honey, b) I'm guessing we have some leather somewhere amongst our belongings, and c) our child is still eating some meat and cheese.

Back in the day - before we moved to the middle of nowhere in Montana and before we had Sam - Trent and I were vegetarians. If I recall correctly, Trent's reasons were primarily ethical, whereas my reasons were... Trent. He identified as vegetarian and so I wanted to do the same. The truth was, I could watch those horrible videos of animals being hurt and tortured and still think, "Hmm, if I weren't vegetarian, I could totally go for a hamburger."

In Montana we went back to eating meat. Finding fresh veggies and fruits in our tiny town was difficult, whereas finding fresh meat was easy. Everyone hunted. Everyone grilled. The meat was usually top quality. It smelled good. I got pregnant and hot dogs tasted divine (whereas vegetables were nausea-inducing). 

So for the past nine years, we've been omnivores, and to be quite honest, we didn't give a lot of thought to it. Sometimes we purchased grass-fed beef; sometimes we purchased whatever was on sale at Kroger. Sometimes we bought organic eggs; sometimes we didn't. It really varied. We ate a fairly healthy diet and had a "We're doing our best" mentality.

So what changed?

People usually adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet for one of three reasons: ethics (by questioning whether we have a right to raise and kill other animals for food), health (because plant based diets have been shown time and time again to be much healthier than meat based diets), or environment. For me, it was the environmental considerations that did it.

During the winter term that started in January of this year, I taught an Environmental Geology class. For every course I facilitate, I try to identify one or two themes that connect key concepts throughout the semester. This time the theme focused on individual actions: what can one person do to help cultivate a healthier planet?

I had my students use the Ecological Footprint Calculator to determine the number of Earths needed to support their habits and lifestyles as well as the tones of CO2 they produced each year. Most of them ended up with 4-5 planet earths and somewhere between 16 and 22 tones of CO2. 

Then we talked about what we could do to narrow the footprint.

Honestly, I thought I knew the answer already. I talked about reducing electricity use, conserving water, recycling, and walking or biking versus driving. I talked about the role that technology has started to play in conserving resources - the development of Energy Star appliances, for example. 

But when I sat down to put numbers to those calculations, I discovered that for kids living in rural mid-America, who don't travel that much and aren't driving enormous distances to work and school, whose water usage is a literal drop in the bucket compared to what's used for agriculture, none of those things made much of a dent. Even if my students were to make massive changes in these areas, their footprints would decrease by only a small percentage. Not to say that the efforts wouldn't be worthwhile... But I felt discouraged. I didn't want them to finish the class feeling hopeless about the future of the planet. 

Then I stumbled upon some articles about vegetarianism and veganism, and in reading them, I found out that adopting a plant-based diet is one of the most effective ways for an individual to ease up on the Earth. So much of our land is used to grow crops for animal agriculture, so much forest is cleared for said animal agriculture, and so much pollution is produced as a result of animal agriculture that I felt like I, especially as an earth scientist who loves and appreciates the earth and its resources and history, had the responsibility to change my own habits.

 

So on Earth day, we did. We officially went plant based (or plant powered, as I like to put it!) Trent has decided to eat vegan at home but will eat whatever strikes his tastebuds when we are out. As for Sam, he's never eaten a whole lot of meat, but he definitely likes cheese and yogurt. He's nine. He's old enough to make his own decisions about what he will and will not eat, and I don't want to force any ideas on him, especially because I don't want him to develop any issues around food. We will set an example and he can follow suit when and if he is ready.

Cooking vegan meals in the RV has been pretty easy so far. Breakfast is usually cereal, fruit, oatmeal, and/or smoothies. For lunch, we have sandwiches, veggies, hummus and carrots, wraps, or leftovers. Dinner has included spicy baked tofu, beans and rice with fixings (avocado, peppers, etc.), roasted eggplant and peppers, stews, veggie burgers, big salads, and stir fry. It's nice not having to worry about making room for and storing meat in our tiny fridge.

I feel really passionate about this issue, so I'll probably write about it periodically. I don't want to be annoying or fanatical. That said, if this issue is of any interest to you, I encourage you to watch the documentary Cowspiracy. It's currently available on Netflix and does a great job of presenting the facts.

On the Road, Day 2

We ended up leaving yesterday after all. Good thing, as most of our stuff was cleaned up, stocked away, and ready to go. We were eager to get on the road.

 

Our first stop on this journey (to nowhere in particular) is a four-day visit to the Mammoth Caves area of central Kentucky. We're at a lovely campground with full hookups (water, sewer, electricity), a swimming pool, laundry, etc. We've already met some of our neighbors, stocked up at the local IGA, run on the roads and trails surrounding the camp, and made some meals in our handy InstantPot (although my first attempt ended with me forgetting about it and leaving it outside in the pouring rain - it was fine, and the meal was delicious!)

 

We're using the next few weeks to learn more about Clark and his quirks - one being that his shower does not work properly - and decompress. I don't know about Trent, but for me, transitioning to this kind of lifestyle is going to take some adjustment. I typically like to have lists full of tasks that I can check off and feel proud of accomplishing. This way of life will also involve many tasks - lots of cleaning, lots of repairing and maintaining, lots of cooking, lots of working with my son - but without a traditional job, I know that I'll likely be a bit lost for a while.

I hope I can give myself the space to make that transition without judging myself. To help myself do that, I plan to do a lot of working out (running and Piyo), journaling, cooking, blogging, Instagramming, and seeing the sights. These are all things I love and that feel familiar and happy to me. 

 

On a totally different note: for the Biscuit fans out there, she seems to be doing really well. She loves all the vertical opportunities in the RV and enjoys climbing from the couch to the bunk and then down to the table and then back to the bed... She was a little freaked out when we first arrived, but now she's in full I Am The Queen Of My Domain mode.

 

"Put the phone down, human. You're embarrassing yourself once again." -Biscuit McDowell in a judgmental moment