Yes! We do use a cast iron pan and love it- one of the challenges is it stays hot for a long time (so you can’t put it away and start driving until it’s cool). It’s also a little heavy.
Thanks for the reality check! My partner and I will be starting our vanlife in March. We love your content, and have found so many helpful tips. Keep up the fantastic work and safe travels to you always. See you out there!
You guys have mentioned the office situation before. I was wondering about a set up of a lap desk like 30 and a wake up has, combined with noise canceling headphones and a directional microphone? Have you tried that, is the bathroom setup more comfortable? It does seem pretty critical for both people to have comfortable work environments.
So funny you say that! We just ordered a lap desk lol. It’s still a sound and space issue but if you pull out the drawer in the bathroom it does work. The problem with working on the bed is I wind up laying down and taking a nap 😂
7:30 I would go against washing and cooking in closed-in areas like a van because of condensation and the mold damage that condensation will cause. Also, cooked food will attract bugs and rodents into the van. For cooking, I'd do that outside. For cleaning, I'd use baking soda, white vinegar, and/or lemon juice in a closed up bucket or bag, let it sit until needed or when you have access to unlimited water to rinse them off. These ingredients are also Earth-friendly alternatives for cleaning. Also keep utensils very limited; such as one spoon, fork, knife, plate, bowl, cup, ect per person. Along with one non-stick pot, pan, and grill. Once you finish cooking, put any left overs into a tight-lid and reusable containers. Or cook enough where you both can finish it during that supper. You also have the option of eating out but why waste so much money? You can also supply your nourishments with bagged, canned, and boxed goods, granting if they are worthy to carry a nutritional value. But it's good to sin from time to time. Many blessings and safe travels.
Van life means slowing down and yes, working from parking lots. I've worked so many days this summer from the garden center parking lot at the Lowes in Brevard, NC. But being able to dip out and ride world-class mountain biking trails and visiting the local waterfalls is well worth it.
omg So at the start of the vid I'm like "This looks like the CB near me" then I realize omg they were in Palm beach!!!! wish I were watching your channel back then..... But I'm loving your channel! I've been binge watching all of your vids since I found it last night.
Thanks for sharing some honest views of van life. You guys must have a great relationship to pull it off. I know me and my partner would probably only last a week or two before completely getting on each other's last nerve in that small of a space. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
Good points! Sorry the dive didn’t work out, it has been so windy lately. Water too cold now for me! Do you ever eat at Cracker Barrel? Probably not many vegan options. Glad you find enough places to boondock around FL. Bradenton might have an ordinance, I haven’t ever looked it up, but both the closest Walmart and Elks Lodge do not allow overnight. Stay healthy and safe travels. Scritches to Orlando (funny he was way into a bath toward the end). ✌🏻
We do try to eat at Cracker Barrel every once in a while just to pay them back for all the times we’ve used their parking lot- though their vegan options are very very limited lol
Thank you for your honesty. The pressure of deciding where to park every night sucks and always having to worry about that “knock knock, this is the police or security,” is scary. I think to myself, “ how long am I going to have to stress about finding a safe place to park and sleep every night. Stay safe out there!
My husband does that! Plenty of parking with no one around, and he goes and parks right next to someone, with limited clearance on either side of the vehicle. I don't get it either.
I could not live, I think, in a van with a 12 gallon freshwater tank and an even smaller black water tank. I would definitely need a bigger fridge. Why didn’t Winnebago put in an induction cooktop since you have the Volta power system?
Im also like you guys that would like to go into cities, parking lots, street boondocking. Would a 24ft sprinter be too much? Can you guys have the same lifestyle if your van vas 24ft?
Personally we wouldn’t go over 21’. I think it would be tough to find a city parking spot and parallel park in something that’s 24’. It’s not to say you couldn’t make it work- but that 3 feet can make it a challenge. I’d see if you can rent a 24 foot van and drive it around and see how it maneuvers. Take a look at some of the cities you would love to boondock in and see how feasible it is. Our new van is under 20 feet so we know we won’t have any issues.
Hi guys Glad to see you again. Now your near my hometown of Ft Lauderdale. Hope when you get there you take a drive down Wilton Drive. I miss it so. While in Florida take a trip to Jupiter also on east coast. Sabastion beach area is a really nice beach area. Also in Ft Lauderdale , John Lloyd State Park is really cool when you enter the park the first parking area is where the gay guys and girls hang out and it can get very campy this time of the year. Lots of really great people and friends have been made there.
Have you guys considered staying at an RV park for a few months at a time? I find traveling for long periods of time a bit fatigueing. You have a lot of good points. Lou & Angie
We’re not the biggest fans of rv parks- we just haven’t had the best of experiences in them- packed in between big rigs with loud generators and such. We’re open to being convinced but for now we prefer to boondock.
@@ChadandPaul We are presently in an Rv park in broward county. As far as generators, none here. I guess since everyone is plugged in there is no-need. The rates for long stays are exceptional. Of course boondocking in your Class B is still the best price! Lou
Ditto.For me I remind myself ALL the Negatives living a traditional home base which lead myself living Van Life Independence / Mobile / Adventure / Never a Dull Moment and the List of Pros go on. Safe Travels Making Memories. 👍🚙🐶🤘
I enjoy watching your episodes. I will be going to the Tampa RV show. I want to look at the Thor Sequence with the cassette toilet. I think it would be more practical for me , more options to dump. This would be for vacation only. I could visit friends in other states and not have to inconvenience them too much. I could mooch camp in their driveway or something. I get some great ideas from watching your videos.
I used to laugh at Eric(Nomadic Fanatic;) would complain about people parking too close! Then camper van Kevin brought it up a couple of times and others did too. They all parked off by themselves and voila - some stranger vehicle would park sooo close. I often say (well, at the TV): it's the herd/pack mentality. Take care and be safe!
Thanks for your honest take(s) on vanlife. Chad, that outdoor cold shower did not look comfortable. I bet you can fix up a mean pot of chili on a cold winters night. Hope to see you'll live next week for Thanksgiving.
Keep up the good work gents! I have been slightly worried about the goings on in recent vids. I have not seen any donut runs in a while. :). Donuts make everything better!
Very interesting to do a really check to everyone ! It's quite the same on a sailboat... I don't have a cocktail in my hand everyday...but for the water it's not a big issue lol Good job guys :-) Séric :-)
Nice! I originally wanted to live on a sailboat, but Paul got wet feet (lol) so the van was a compromise. We’ll have to switch lives for a weekend sometime!
If I had to sleep in a Cracker Barrel and go to the beach daily, I’d be ok with that 👍🏼 Now the parking issue is not just you guys. It happens to us also, I feel your frustration 🤦🏼. I think your office is great for multi tasking 😂😂😂. Don’t worry the Vaccine is out. We literally have it in Baltimore but they are trying to figure out dispersal. Who gets it first and such. I love that floor plan and are coming to Tampa for the show to see them all and compare. You guys see the new Winnebago Ekko! I’m really digging it. Stay safe and great video 👍🏼
Yes we saw the ekko! Some things we liked somethings we didn’t. We’re always talking about upgrading but what we have really fits (most) of our needs...
We were just talking about that after seeing winnebago’s new promo. It’s something we’ve definitely considered but we’re not ready to give up our Volta lithium system...
You didn't mention this emotion but I would feel a bit vulnerable, too, if I had to turn my van over to someone for service & I knew my whole life was in it-- basically they knew and controlled almost everything about me. Ick! It's one thing to leave my car at the shop, but even then I clean out the glove box & console so no one can get my personal info, keys, etc. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid but I think I watched too many Criminal Minds episodes. LOL
That’s a very good point! We have security cams inside but most of the service centers have required us to turn them off or remove them, which definitely makes us feel uneasy
Bwhahaa my boyfriend says the same thing. He drives a Tahoe and we can park in the middle of an empty parking lot and as soon as we get out of the store, there are no less than two cars parked right next to us. Lmaoo like, why??? Why must they park so co-dependently ?🤣🤣🤣🤣
Chad, the stache looks great! Thought it was cute how you got Paul flustered at the end when you mentioned the skimpy bikini. 🤓 You guys are so cute together and balance each other out well. Love the videos!
I love the back office! Multipurpose! 😂 Do you both work full time business hours from the van? I’ll be doing that for awhile later this year. Wondering how hard it is finding good signal for vpn, conf calls, etc.
@@ChadandPaul you probably know Tyler n Tod? Their utube channel Off grid living... not saying u need to kiss each other like them, but still some "couple" stuff
I call it the sheep phenomenon. You could be out in the middle of a national forest and the only other camper for miles will find you and set-up camp right next to you. Just baffling. I think they feel safer somehow?
Try cooking with seasoned cast iron. Once it's seasoned you can wipe it clean or if needed, use a pad to scrape and then wipe clean.
Yes! We do use a cast iron pan and love it- one of the challenges is it stays hot for a long time (so you can’t put it away and start driving until it’s cool). It’s also a little heavy.
Great editing and video transitions. You guys leave me smiling.
Thanks for the reality check! My partner and I will be starting our vanlife in March. We love your content, and have found so many helpful tips. Keep up the fantastic work and safe travels to you always. See you out there!
❤️❤️❤️ thanks Derek!!!
Hope to see you on the road!!
So interesting seeing how your van life expertise and your interests/priorities evolved over the years. Would you ever go back to a larger van now?
Was thinking about getting a mini scuba tank set up, just for shore stuff.
They are getting better over the years
Such a cool idea!
That back office always cracks us up 😄😄 Must be quite a weird feeling to leave your whole home in a repair shop overnight...
Yeah it’s tough leaving your home in the hands of someone else
Both of you always post an interesting and informative video. Thanks for sharing your adventure.
Thanks don!
You guys have mentioned the office situation before. I was wondering about a set up of a lap desk like 30 and a wake up has, combined with noise canceling headphones and a directional microphone? Have you tried that, is the bathroom setup more comfortable? It does seem pretty critical for both people to have comfortable work environments.
So funny you say that! We just ordered a lap desk lol. It’s still a sound and space issue but if you pull out the drawer in the bathroom it does work. The problem with working on the bed is I wind up laying down and taking a nap 😂
Thanks for being real. Many don’t share the daily reality. Awesome video.
🙏
7:30 I would go against washing and cooking in closed-in areas like a van because of condensation and the mold damage that condensation will cause. Also, cooked food will attract bugs and rodents into the van. For cooking, I'd do that outside. For cleaning, I'd use baking soda, white vinegar, and/or lemon juice in a closed up bucket or bag, let it sit until needed or when you have access to unlimited water to rinse them off. These ingredients are also Earth-friendly alternatives for cleaning. Also keep utensils very limited; such as one spoon, fork, knife, plate, bowl, cup, ect per person. Along with one non-stick pot, pan, and grill. Once you finish cooking, put any left overs into a tight-lid and reusable containers. Or cook enough where you both can finish it during that supper. You also have the option of eating out but why waste so much money? You can also supply your nourishments with bagged, canned, and boxed goods, granting if they are worthy to carry a nutritional value. But it's good to sin from time to time. Many blessings and safe travels.
Thanks Robert. All great ideas- we’ll be doing some of these in our new van👍
@ 7:05 the dog isn't complaining thought!
Just found your channel. Love you guys and how real you are. This is very helpful for me as I’m setting out on my venture next year. And CUTE dog!!!
🙏
Was the bed system super comfortable in the travato the Winnebago beds in these always look so comfortable
Van life means slowing down and yes, working from parking lots. I've worked so many days this summer from the garden center parking lot at the Lowes in Brevard, NC. But being able to dip out and ride world-class mountain biking trails and visiting the local waterfalls is well worth it.
🤙🤙
Your pooch must have the cleanest nether region lick lick lick lick lick. I so enjoy your videos - keep them coming.
Hahaha always cleaning!
omg So at the start of the vid I'm like "This looks like the CB near me" then I realize omg they were in Palm beach!!!! wish I were watching your channel back then..... But I'm loving your channel! I've been binge watching all of your vids since I found it last night.
Awww thanks Tiffany! We do love a good cracker barrel
Thanks for sharing some honest views of van life. You guys must have a great relationship to pull it off. I know me and my partner would probably only last a week or two before completely getting on each other's last nerve in that small of a space. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
Haha if definitely takes work! Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
I just couldn’t do it. The water situation and not knowing where I’m going to find to sleep tonight would do me in.
It does take some getting used to! But I suppose it’s all part of the adventure.
Great video and perspective. Thank you for sharing the real life of #vanlife
🙏
I really liked the fun interaction between you two at the end! Keep it up.
Thanks Richard!
Happy Thanksgiving! I'm interested to see what you are doing to celebrate. (I know turkey is NOT on your menu.)
As usual, I enjoyed your comments.
Hehe. We’ll probably grab a huge box of Voodoo Donuts from Universal City Walk
Good points! Sorry the dive didn’t work out, it has been so windy lately. Water too cold now for me! Do you ever eat at Cracker Barrel? Probably not many vegan options. Glad you find enough places to boondock around FL. Bradenton might have an ordinance, I haven’t ever looked it up, but both the closest Walmart and Elks Lodge do not allow overnight. Stay healthy and safe travels. Scritches to Orlando (funny he was way into a bath toward the end). ✌🏻
We do try to eat at Cracker Barrel every once in a while just to pay them back for all the times we’ve used their parking lot- though their vegan options are very very limited lol
Thanks , enjoyed watching
Thanks Doug!
Thank you for your honesty. The pressure of deciding where to park every night sucks and always having to worry about that “knock knock, this is the police or security,” is scary. I think to myself, “ how long am I going to have to stress about finding a safe place to park and sleep every night. Stay safe out there!
Yeah it’s always in the back of our minds too- we do tend to be more conservative in choosing where we park.
I always learn something from you. Thanks. Have a nice Thanksgiving wherever that may be.
Thanks! You too jerry!
VERY GOOD video. Its honest and quite unique. Can you talk about condensation in a next video? Any humidity issues?
Good topic! Honestly, we really don't have any humidity or condensation issues. We also do our best to chase great weather.
Yessss! New music! LOL! Very interesting episode!
Hahaha it was time for a music change! Lol
Love you guys. Thanks for keeping it real. Ed from Armonk, NY.
My husband does that! Plenty of parking with no one around, and he goes and parks right next to someone, with limited clearance on either side of the vehicle. I don't get it either.
🤣
I could not live, I think, in a van with a 12 gallon freshwater tank and an even smaller black water tank. I would definitely need a bigger fridge. Why didn’t Winnebago put in an induction cooktop since you have the Volta power system?
That’s a very good question! And one we don’t have an answer to lol. I think inductions are standard in the 2022 version
Im also like you guys that would like to go into cities, parking lots, street boondocking. Would a 24ft sprinter be too much? Can you guys have the same lifestyle if your van vas 24ft?
Personally we wouldn’t go over 21’. I think it would be tough to find a city parking spot and parallel park in something that’s 24’. It’s not to say you couldn’t make it work- but that 3 feet can make it a challenge. I’d see if you can rent a 24 foot van and drive it around and see how it maneuvers. Take a look at some of the cities you would love to boondock in and see how feasible it is. Our new van is under 20 feet so we know we won’t have any issues.
Hi guys
Glad to see you again. Now your near my hometown of Ft Lauderdale. Hope when you get there you take a drive down Wilton Drive. I miss it so. While in Florida take a trip to Jupiter also on east coast. Sabastion beach area is a really nice beach area. Also in Ft Lauderdale , John Lloyd State Park is really cool when you enter the park the first parking area is where the gay guys and girls hang out and it can get very campy this time of the year. Lots of really great people and friends have been made there.
Thanks for the tips!! We’ll have to check them out! 🙏
Thanks for sharing. Have a Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Thank you!!
Have you guys considered staying at an RV park for a few months at a time? I find traveling for long periods of time a bit fatigueing.
You have a lot of good points.
Lou & Angie
We’re not the biggest fans of rv parks- we just haven’t had the best of experiences in them- packed in between big rigs with loud generators and such. We’re open to being convinced but for now we prefer to boondock.
@@ChadandPaul We are presently in an Rv park in broward county. As far as generators, none here. I guess since everyone is plugged in there is no-need. The rates for long stays are exceptional.
Of course boondocking in your Class B is still the best price!
Lou
Thanks for digging out the truth, it is a light for the day
🙏
Ditto.For me I remind myself ALL the Negatives living a traditional home base which lead myself living Van Life Independence / Mobile / Adventure / Never a Dull Moment and the List of Pros go on. Safe Travels Making Memories.
👍🚙🐶🤘
🤙
We find the 59G floorplan better for 2 of us working full time in the van.
Yes- we wish we had a proper table and workstation!
I enjoy watching your episodes. I will be going to the Tampa RV show. I want to look at the Thor Sequence with the cassette toilet. I think it would be more practical for me , more options to dump. This would be for vacation only. I could visit friends in other states and not have to inconvenience them too much. I could mooch camp in their driveway or something. I get some great ideas from watching your videos.
I’ve always been intrigued by the cassette toilette! Anxious to try one out one day, and see how many mistakes I can make dumping it haha
I used to laugh at Eric(Nomadic Fanatic;) would complain about people parking too close! Then camper van Kevin brought it up a couple of times and others did too. They all parked off by themselves and voila - some stranger vehicle would park sooo close. I often say (well, at the TV): it's the herd/pack mentality. Take care and be safe!
It happens all the time!! Such a strange phenomena
Thanks for your honest take(s) on vanlife. Chad, that outdoor cold shower did not look comfortable. I bet you can fix up a mean pot of chili on a cold winters night. Hope to see you'll live next week for Thanksgiving.
🙏 any excuse for us to eat a ton of food and record it! Haha
I love to travel and I love to come back home.
Yes, we do sometimes miss that feeling...
So cute
❤️
This really helps us deal with reality. 😎
hehehe
I assumed that if you stay at Cracker Barrel that the expectation was to eat there. Is that the norm?
We try to pay it back when we can, and Chad will often eat breakfast there.
I’m sitting in the park watching this. 5/6 empty parking spaces & of course the truck pulls in right next to me. I feel your pain! 😆
Always! Lol I just don’t get it!
Always! Lol I just don’t get it!
Safer in packs mentality.
@0:36 Who doesn't know how hard it is to get out of bed after the lights are low and the blanket is warm and toasty? #loveFernando
Haha so hard!
Keep up the good work gents! I have been slightly worried about the goings on in recent vids. I have not seen any donut runs in a while. :). Donuts make everything better!
🤣 oh they’re coming alright! Just wait for thanksgiving hehe
I was homeless once...people park next to you for cover from police, and the sun
Any chance you guys are headed West this winter?
Totally! We rarely longterm plan, so we may wake up one day and say “let’s head west!” Lol
Very interesting to do a really check to everyone ! It's quite the same on a sailboat... I don't have a cocktail in my hand everyday...but for the water it's not a big issue lol Good job guys :-) Séric :-)
Nice! I originally wanted to live on a sailboat, but Paul got wet feet (lol) so the van was a compromise. We’ll have to switch lives for a weekend sometime!
@@ChadandPaul why not ! It can be fun 🙂👍🌞⛵
If I had to sleep in a Cracker Barrel and go to the beach daily, I’d be ok with that 👍🏼
Now the parking issue is not just you guys. It happens to us also, I feel your frustration 🤦🏼. I think your office is great for multi tasking 😂😂😂.
Don’t worry the Vaccine is out. We literally have it in Baltimore but they are trying to figure out dispersal. Who gets it first and such.
I love that floor plan and are coming to Tampa for the show to see them all and compare. You guys see the new Winnebago Ekko! I’m really digging it. Stay safe and great video 👍🏼
Yes we saw the ekko! Some things we liked somethings we didn’t. We’re always talking about upgrading but what we have really fits (most) of our needs...
@@ChadandPaul it’s always a compromise with any RV ✌🏼
Cracker Barrel parking lots in Florida, taking note for January!
🤙🤙🤙
Thanks, great content
Namaste
🙏
Do you guys wish you had bought a bigger motor home? Is that a future plan?
We were just talking about that after seeing winnebago’s new promo. It’s something we’ve definitely considered but we’re not ready to give up our Volta lithium system...
You didn't mention this emotion but I would feel a bit vulnerable, too, if I had to turn my van over to someone for service & I knew my whole life was in it-- basically they knew and controlled almost everything about me. Ick! It's one thing to leave my car at the shop, but even then I clean out the glove box & console so no one can get my personal info, keys, etc. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid but I think I watched too many Criminal Minds episodes. LOL
That’s a very good point! We have security cams inside but most of the service centers have required us to turn them off or remove them, which definitely makes us feel uneasy
Bwhahaa my boyfriend says the same thing. He drives a Tahoe and we can park in the middle of an empty parking lot and as soon as we get out of the store, there are no less than two cars parked right next to us. Lmaoo like, why??? Why must they park so co-dependently ?🤣🤣🤣🤣
Haha it’s so true!
Chad, the stache looks great! Thought it was cute how you got Paul flustered at the end when you mentioned the skimpy bikini. 🤓 You guys are so cute together and balance each other out well. Love the videos!
❤️❤️ thanks Paul!
I love the back office! Multipurpose! 😂 Do you both work full time business hours from the van? I’ll be doing that for awhile later this year. Wondering how hard it is finding good signal for vpn, conf calls, etc.
Thanks Lorrie! We haven’t had any conned to city issues but we have redundancy- atnt hot spot, t mobile mofi, Verizon on our phones and a weboost
Great video! But, I could tell who's the conservative one Paul.. let Chad have his fun!!
😂
Wish you were more expressing your feelings and tenderness to one another... seems tensed sometimes.
#vanlifereality lol
@@ChadandPaul you probably know Tyler n Tod? Their utube channel Off grid living... not saying u need to kiss each other like them, but still some "couple" stuff
I call it the sheep phenomenon. You could be out in the middle of a national forest and the only other camper for miles will find you and set-up camp right next to you. Just baffling. I think they feel safer somehow?
It’s definitely some psychological phenomenon! Lol
Safety in numbers!
WTF 🤮