I made it back to Kalaloch this fall, the campground where I started my full-timing vagabonding three years ago on September 1, 2016. So much has happened in that three years that trying to write about it has kind of stopped me in my tracks.
I can use my campsites then and now as a metaphor. The first campsite was tiny and dark, with my shiny new Alto 1743 tucked under a tree, in a site barely long enough to fit trailer and Subaru Outback 3.6R without jutting into the narrow road. I spent a lot of time worrying about my electricity and battery and ran the generator every other day because I was worried I would “run out” of juice by the end of seven days without hookups. I could barely hear the ocean, let alone see it from my little spot. But, still, I was free of leases, full-time work, and city life. My new chapter had started.
This fall, I turned into the Kalaloch campground and circled the left side loops looking for an ocean view spot. As I made the turn to the ocean view sites, a white SUV was just pulling out of a spot and I hit the brakes as I realized they were in motion. The woman in the passenger seat gave me the thumbs up, so I backed up to make sure that meant they were leaving and the site was mine to have. Yes, it did. Beautiful solar, a short but double-wide site that just fit my Alto and Subaru. I was in and unhitched in under 10 minutes, then I set up my chair in the sun with the beach as my view across the narrow road.
Three years ago, I had a vague idea of what I was going to do. I would go down the west coast, then hang out in the southwest for the winter before heading east in 2017. I was nervous about towing, despite the four months I’d spent moving campgrounds every week or so as I finished up my full-time job in Seattle. I was nervous about every new campground, worried about getting the Alto into a campsite, and I couldn’t figure out how to make my brain understand the whole backing up thing so I wasn’t doing that at all (thank you, Caravan Mover).
This September, I took the back road out of Salt Creek and drove down to Kalaloch with memories of driving that stretch of 101 with my dad on one trip and my nephew, Austin, on another. I didn’t stress out about logging trucks, tailgaters, and pickups that zoomed by me as soon as there was a legal passing lane. I went my own pace, my own rhythm. As I set up camp and then relaxed in the late afternoon soon, I wasn’t worried about a thing. I was just enjoying the beautiful sunset unfolding across the water.
In the last three years, I’ve gotten around a fair amount…
I’ve seen amazing places, from Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico to the Bay of Fundy tides in Nova Scotia, from the sites of civil rights marches in Alabama to a solo early morning kayak paddle in British Columbia. I’ve met so many people through my trailer’s Facebook group, and enjoyed rallies and impromptu gatherings with dozens of them. I’ve learned how to swap out my trailer battery, tell when my 7-pin needs replacing, found trailer mechanics in four different states, and washed my dirty clothes clean in more laundromats than I can count, including one that used to be a bank and featured the vault right next to the big-load washing machines.
But more than places and people, what I’ve learned is to ease up on the need to control outcomes and instead go with the flow (or at least try to). I’m still a project manager at heart and I still plan months ahead for the big arcs of my travel routes. But I am becoming more comfortable with what I can’t control (weather, available campsites, grocery stores, and bad drivers, for starters). I’ve learned the technical stuff I needed to figure things out: why my solar panels weren’t charging the battery (loose wires at the solar controller), how to troubleshoot a malfunctioning burner (by cleaning and reseating everything), and how to manage without hookups for weeks at a time (solar panels, a big battery, and a generator, if you’re curious).
Things I’d recommend to anyone thinking of full-timing or hitting the road for an extended period of time:
(1) An emergency fund (cash in the bank). When I broke my hand, I had enough money to cover a week in a hotel, where I could sleep and shower and watch TV and take painkillers as needed. And I had enough to cover the $1000 in medical bills that was my share of the cost over the next six months.
(2) Watch youtube videos about RVing. Watch everything from how to dump your tanks to “10 mistakes we made…” kind of videos. I got a ton of advice about not going too fast, driving too far in one day, and seeing the sights rather than ticking items off a list. Youtube is pretty good about suggesting videos based on what you’re watching so I just surfed from link to link many nights while I was prepping to pick up my trailer, soaking up all the advice and how-to stuff.
(3) Stay connected. As a solo vagabond, I have found I really need that connection back to family and friends, whether it’s facebook, text messages, or posts and comments on my website. I have two hotspots (ATT and Verizon), a WeBoost cell signal booster, and a Netgear MIMO antenna for the hotspots. Between those four pieces of equipment, I’ve only been completely shut out in 2-3 places in the last three years. While weekenders want to get away from it all, full-timers mostly need the opposite: we are so mobile in our lives that the thin signal of cell networks is what keeps us connected to all of you out there.
(3.1) Find your tribe. It turns out that Altoistes are my tribe. There’s something about people that fall in love with this tiny trailer that makes for great camping companions. I’ve camped with big groups of Alto owners and small groups and enjoyed myself every time. Next year’s plans include a lot of “social camping” to enjoy being with these friends more. Whatever path you take as a camper, find people to hang out with and make it a point to hang out with them on a semi-regular basis. Yeah, it can be a bit challenging as a vagabond, but it’s worth the effort, the planning ahead, and the waking up early in the dead of winter to score that summer campsite next to each other.
(4) Less is better. Less clothes, less shoes, less kitchen stuff. I’m constantly curating my possessions, seeing what I can do without because I don’t use it much or at all. I have lightened my load considerably over the past three years. I wouldn’t say I’m minimalist, but compared to what I had when I was living in a sticks-and-bricks place, I guess I am. Everything I own still fits into my trailer or car (although I have a few things stashed in PA and FL at friends’ houses, but even those would fit in trailer or car if they had to).
(5) Figure out what works for your camping style. Are you a glamper-camper or are you an off-grid-and-grill-everything kind of camper? I didn’t really have any idea what kind of camper I was going to be. It turns out I’m happiest as a mostly glamping camper. Lots of people cook outdoors 90% of the time; I don’t even own a grill any more so I cook inside all the time. (This might have been somewhat influenced by the months of rain I experienced my first winter!). When I started out, I wore normal clothes like you’d buy at Target or Kohl’s, but slowly I’ve converted to technical fabrics because I can hand-wash them and they dry quickly. Jeans? They take forever to dry and feel really cold and damp in wet weather, so I rarely wear them anymore. Five dollar quick-dry t-shirts on sale at Walmart? Yeah, I’m all over that now.
I found a picture the other day of my campsite in June 2016 and I literally did not have ANY of that stuff any more except for the Alto itself! I’ve changed out my ground cover, awning, chair, table, and footstool. Mostly, I figured out what worked for me as a solo traveler. The awning I have now, for example, is way easier and faster for me to put up and take down, and that is a huge factor, winning out over the better privacy of my original awning.
Making it back to Kalaloch this fall felt very much like I was closing the loop on the first chapter of my vagabond adventures. I can see how very different I am from the me of three years ago. I stepped so far out of my comfort zone I wasn’t sure what I was doing for the first year. I made mistakes, all of them fixable, and kept going. The second year was all about things breaking (phones, windshields, tire, hand, fan, and more) and how I dealt with setback after setback. And still I kept going. The third year was easier than the second, thankfully, and made me realize how much I enjoy being a vagabond, despite the challenges of a life in motion. I’m still learning pacing and timing and that the weather is never what the forecasters say it will be.
I’ve started my fourth year with a boatload of experience, some ideas of where I want to go, and I’m wide open to serendipity as I move through the weeks and months ahead. Maybe I’ll see you out there…
The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Hi Annie,
We purchased the same trailer you have in 2016. Do you have problems with getting flat tires? We did not in the beginning but are now. All of our flats have blown on the interstate. We have been told the tires are too small to drive over 65 MPH. I’m curious what your experience is? Thank you.
Are they trailer tires? I ran Carlisles for years with no issues. Most trailer tires can handle 65 mph. I also have. Tire pressure monitoring system that shows me tire pressure as well as temp inside the tire.
Could you post what awning you have now, that you love? Thanks so much and please keep posting as I’m loving your posts – my wife and I are considering joining your ‘tribe’ and purchasing an Alto Safari of our own.
Hi, Wesley, and thanks for reading my blog and leaving a comment. The Alto is a wonderful little trailer and the people who own them are pretty good folks. If you are on Facebook, there is an Altoistes group that is really helpful and fun.
The awning I have now is made by Safari Condo for their Alto line. They used to make it and stopped several years ago, offering the Pahaque awning instead (the one I first had). But then in 2018, they went back to their original design and I bought it right away because I had admired it on other Altos I’d camped with. It’s easy-peasy to set up and take down, especially for a solo camper.
Very sage advise here Annie, and your recommendations are spot on…a great distillation of your travel experiences. To me, your desire to embrace your new mode of living, to learn, to absorb, and then not hesitate to attempt, is an important life takeaway. It shows that anything is possible if you just open your mind and give it a go. Your words are thought provoking and the images are exceptional. New posts are always a highlight of my day, and your photography has inspired me to delve deeper into the craft. Creating compelling content is not easy, but you have the knack, so keep forging ahead so that we may all continue to enjoy.
Thank you so much for those kind words, Jim. You and Dale and the Curtises were, if you remember, the first Altoistes I met after I picked up Breeze, and that evening still warms my heart to think of it. Your mods, and trip reports, are always great to read and also gave me the spark to do a few little mods myself (avoiding electrical mods still, though!). Keep on traveling and writing!
Your life sounds pretty different from mine! W/the spouse, child, 2 dogs, 10 fish tanks (soon to be 2-3 though), and now 5, yes FIVE bantam chickens (whom I just love, *love*, LOVE!), I couldn’t be more grounded in one place. However, your wanderings allow me to vicariously enjoy the traveling life, and the ability to do it alone. I don’t think I would do it well solo, but who knows until you try?
There are days, though, where I wish I could pack up the 2 dogs and the chickens and just go on the road for awhile. Stop work, leave the stuff at home, drop responsibility for everybody but myself and those dogs and chickens. Well…, thinking about it… perhaps I’d just bring both dogs, and maybe only 2 of the 5 chickens. Or, well, since dogs and chickens in this family aren’t a great mix (the dogs know that my girls taste like chicken…), maybe I could bring just the 2 dogs. But hm…. just their stuff alone could fill a good part of a trailer! After thinking about it… to be more minimalist, perhaps the road trip would involve me and just one chicken. And maybe just for a month. 🙂
I bet that would be refreshing for everybody (except the dogs. They say they’d die without me. 😉 ) I’m glad you can do this for me.
Oh, my gosh, Janice, I was totally cracking up by the end of your comment! I don’t see how you would do it either, having to choose between dogs and chickens 🙂 I think one thing I really like about FB is that I can enjoy other lives and see how well those lives fit those people, as mine fits me. We’ll all change over time, it’s the journeys that are so interesting.
Remarkable statistics for your remarkable voyage Annie! I loved reading these reflections and am so proud of you, your resiliance, sense of adventure and boldness. Congratulations and much love, Peg
Annie – What a great look back and look forward at your adventures! There are so many awesome places to visit in America and you meet such interesting folks out there. Continue to learn, enjoy and really experience life!
Wonderful. Love you, Sis.
Just beautiful. Thank you Annie!
Annie, this was a lovely reminiscence. I always appreciate your honesty and introspection, your willingness to show vulnerability. I thought you had it all figured out when I first met you! I am still trying to work on balance in my life. I’m doing things I want to do, but still don’t have any Idea where we’ll be in a couple of years. Hope to see you down the road!
Hi Annie:
Compared to my now 11 months, I’m a newbie in comparison. I’m sure your insights have been inspirational to many of us Altoistes. You’ve provided some good advice to me along the way.
It’s hard not to be on a fast learning curve when towing and camping. Murphy’s Law is alive and well out on the open road and when things go a bit south, you deal with them with as little drama as possible. This year my biggest mishap was my kitchen window blowing out. Lesser mishaps involved my inverter/charger needing to be reset (which took me several hours and about 100 miles out of my way to figure out); a tire which needed replacing on my truck; and the struts on my (new) truck needing replacement. Other than these things, most everything went smoothly as I came to trust in the quality build of my Alto.
The first few months saw me going from place to place to place too often, and me not fully appreciating the here and now. But I wisened up and began slowing down and staying longer in most places and thus having more time to explore. I also began drifting more towards national forest campgrounds in lieu of dispersed camping. With the NP senior pass, the 50% fee reduction made it a wise choice of having a camping space, picnic table, and vault toilets. But I still enjoy dispersed camping on NF and BLM lands.
I’m considering taking the plunge and doing Alaska late spring and summer 2020. At the moment I’m quasi-considering trading in my F150 for the new Subaru Ascent. My truck towed my Alto without a sweat, and I used all of the back seat and truck bed with my stuff. But while the mileage was ok for a pick-up, I’m thinking that downsizing my tv might well work better for me. We’ll see.
Keep enjoying your journeys and be safe. walt. BTW, these pics are some of the best you’ve posted!
I appreciate your reflections as your journey continues to evolve. We’ll be out there someday!
Hi Annie. As always, we continue to enjoy your posts. Especially appreciate your metaphor, sharing your insights, word pictures, gorgeous well chosen photography and fabulous experiences since starting your transition from the ‘traditional, often times predictable life to the exciting twists and turns of your vagabond life.
Funny you mentioned NS Bay of Fundy tides. While on a road trip in line waiting for the ferry to head over to NS we saw our very first Alto SC.
We (3 adults, 3 bikes, 3 kayaks on roof rack, camping gear etc) packed into a Subaru quickly became intrigued by the Alto SC being towed by a Toyota Camry. Thankfully the French Canadians in the Alto were gracious enough to give a tour proving that huge smiles from onlookers really is a universal language as my French conversational skills are an embarrassment at best.
All this to say, thank you Annie for your willingness to share your experiences with such eloquence and insight. You Rock!
Be Well and enjoy, embrace all that Year #4 has for you, Bella and The Breeze.
– betty lou
Happy vagaversary! See you on the spring.
Well what’s a single loop when it seems you are doing a loop to loop. Hang on! The roller coaster you are on is just getting started apparently. I am not a roller coaster fan but my kids made me get on the one at Disney California. They were surprised when I agreed to go a second time just because I wanted to say I had done it once with my eyes wide open. Looks like you have your eyes open, breath under control, smile on, and face toward the sun lol and headed for that second loop. Thanks for bringing so many others along for the ride.
I always enjoy your posts. Well written. Great photography. But even more it’s giving us an insight into who you are. We had to sell our Alto but it is a strong positive community that I am glad brought you into my life. Happy travels.
You never cease to amaze Annie! You have provided motivation and inspiration to so many of us over the course of your travels. Your posts are always reflective and insightful, and illustrated with well chosen words, photos and quotations. This summer Robin and I got a taste of your lifestyle by finally taking a once-in-a-lifetime, 3 month, cross-country Alto odyssey. It was an unforgettably positive experience for us, but along the way I often marvelled at how you manage to create and share so much impressive content, and constructively contribute to so many conversations on the Alto FB groups. All while dealing with the limitations of life on the road and still taking the time to seek our amazing experiences and live in the moment during the experiences. I don’t know how you manage to do it all. I tip my Tilley hat to you with the deepest respect Annie!
Ah, Andrew, I’m blushing over here 😉 I followed your summer adventure closely, it was great to see Canada (and a bit of Alaska) through your and Robin’s travels. And now that I’m planning a Superior tour, I’m digging into her posts for campgrounds and other tidbits of useful information (like bug protection!) so your trip is helping me out. Maybe we will meet up in 2020, I’m starting to discuss an Ontario Alto-Gathering thing for late June… long way from NS, but maybe. And a tip of my tilley hat right back at you, my friend.
In 2 weeks I will be moving from my 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 car garage and 2 acre house to a one bedroom apartment in a CCRC. I am living in the midst of chaos – boxes overflowing with “stuff” that I think I will take and other boxes full of stuff I am giving away or putting out in the trash. I am also fixing up my house as it will be rented, dealing with my attorney about putting the house in a LLC to isolate it from everything else I own in case a renter wants to sue me over something. I think about your tiny trailer and think to myself- ok -get rid of more stuff – how many pairs of shoes, boots, coats, jackets, running shoes do I really need! A life time of memories of Mak – almost 50 years of marriage, 2 sons, 2 daughter-in-laws, and 3 grandchildren – what to keep for them – and do they really want it! Life is a journey and one thing I have learned is that one should travel light.
Oh, Mary, that is a LOT of work and downsizing to do. I hope you keep what speaks to your heart as far as memories go, whether it’s your life with Mak and family, or souvenirs, awards, etc. When in doubt, keep something for a while and then see. I hope the move itself goes smoothly and you have a lot less stress when it’s over. Hugs and good luck!
I joined the Altoistes FB group just as you were purchasing your Breeze and starting out as a real novice. It has been an absolute pleasure to follow your journey through your delightful blog with amazing photographs. How far you have come Annie! Thanks for sharing and looking forward to hearing about year 4 adventures!
Thanks, Jenny! I’m curious where Year 4 will go too, as I never quite see the pattern and direction until after its over and I reflect a bit o things.
Wonderful post. We also just completed three years and I’ve been working on an article about the things that have been toughest to deal with. Not that I want to be negative, but I think it’s helpful for people to be realistic about what this lifestyle entails, and there is so much you just don’t realize until you’re out there living it for a while.
Your lessons are spot on: the importance of making friends and staying connected, even if only just virtually, the value of Youtube, the joys of getting rid of excess crap, and the importance of maintaining a robust emergency fund. Like you, we have run into all manner of disasters and not having to worry about having the resources necessary to handle those issues saved our sanity.
Anyway, congratulations on 3 years on the road and recognizing all the things you’ve learned along the way. The learning process truly never ends and it’s always fascinating to hear about our fellow travelers’ experiences.
Safe travels!
Happy three years on the road! It’s definitely something I’ve thought about a lot, as people ask how hard it is and others assume it’s all unicorns and rainbows (and Chris Hemsworth photos!) but it’s more complicated than a simple “it’s great out here” answer. I’m looking forward to your post, I know it will be honest and humorous at the same time. I love your writing style!
I loved reading this post Annie, examining your 3-year Loop as a Vagabond. Your experiences, perseverance, beautiful writing & photos has given me reminders & perspectives on how to live fully with open-guidance. I look forward to your Blog postings as a light in my email box. Happy Journeying! Fondly, Joanna
Thank you, Joanna, for such a beautiful comment, I appreciate it. Letting others know our deeper thoughts comes with risks, but it’s the way to make our connections stronger. Hoping to see you next June when I’m up at Schodack for a few days.