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If you haven't heard of him, check out Truck House Life Alaska. He is a youtuber who lives in AK and does boondock. I'm sure he would be willing to suggest some areas to go.
Hello from Turkey. I am one of your international viewers. Every other year when I visit the US I rent an RV and travel. Learning a lot from you guys. I signed up for Alaska Postcard. Looking forward to your Alaska adventure.
Hi there! I'm so looking forward to both sending you postcards and finding out just how long it takes for them to arrive there! 😁 We just met some wonderful people from Belgium a couple of days ago who were doing the same thing. They were on an 8 week vacation and traveling the country. I almost spent some time in one of your airports on my way to Rwanda a few years ago but plans changed and we ended up with a layover in Germany instead. -J
The trick to being able to run Air Conditioning is to use DC units off the 12V instead of the 110 volt units that are typical. Most of them were designed for big diesel rigs. Plus not cooling the whole trailer - for example not cooling the bedroom during the day or the lounge during the night. Seen a few setups that managed. They are not cheap though. It probably would not hurt you to double your panels while keeping the same battery, from the looks of it your controllers and wiring would be sufficient to handle it. You would just have the cost of the panels themselves. Add them to the existing daisy-chain.
One issue with that stair rail. SOmeone can lock you in the RV with that and you'll be forced to pus hout the door window and attempt to open it. if they put a stick, even, in the bottom mount you won't be able to get out. Don't ask how I know this.
I have thought about this. We do have 2 emergency exits so as long as we can fit through those we can get out and undo the shenanigans…wouldn’t be easy but could be done! Not sure if my arm is long enough but the long skinny window to the left of the door can also have the screen opened from inside so I might be able to undo it that way. -J
After a strange day, including experiencing our first earthquake, it was such a joy to watch your video tonight! You guys packed so much into this one! It's nice to see Trinity settled in on the couch! I think she has a Bernese Mountain dog look, maybe mixed with lab. The White Sands visit was amazing, and it was so great that you got to bring Trinity along! It looked like the three of you had a great time! So glad the hand rail flip worked out! It was fun seeing our comment on that pop up on the screen! Have a great week! 🙂 🐕
So I'm guessing you're from the North East (no need to pin your actual location on here) with the earthquake info! Those are freaky! I've never experienced a big one, but when I lived in the Southern Tier of NY we felt one and then we felt a few in our RV while we were gate guarding. Soooo unsettling. At first I was like "No way" to the bernese mountain dog...then I saw the tan points. Now I can't unsee it. Hand rail flip worked sooo well! Thanks for the suggestion!! And thanks even more for the encouragement. -J
@SpiritBearDragon certainly could be. She is so unique. We have a Bernese mix in the family, and although he looks more like a German Shepard, he's got color markings on his face and legs similar to Trinity.
It would be nice! 😊 Especially with the Sun being lower to the horizon up there not to mention it can be super foggy, but I don't think it's in the budget or time-table this year. We did get our hands on some more battle born batteries (That I still need to install) so if we do have to rely on the generator more often at least we will have more time in-between charges. -J
Phew!!!! 😁 Loved seeing the F-16s. So - maybe you can confirm something for me....The USAF unmanned aircraft would consistently fly a pattern over the camping area. In my head they were using the RV's as simulated target practice. Was my head correct? After about the 4th pass one day I was like "Wait a second......" so after that I always gave a friendly wave to the drone so that hopefully some operator somewhere got a little smile. -J
We've got one of those (not installed yet) - but the amount of battery it would consume is a no-go without extra battery storage or more panels. Our air fryer takes 1% a minute and the AC draws more than that! 😂 But! We are aware of some super efficient models coming out soon! -J
@@luminousveiws Yeah, I don't know whether or not it uses less juice overall but it does prevent the surge off the top. We don't have enough batteries to use the standard rooftop AC for more than 20 minutes (not the exact figure) anyway so the soft start is currently sitting in a box. 😂 -J
@@josephcomings As an electrician I am telling you the total power load is so close to the same as to not matter. In fact if you look closely at your AC you might find it has a soft start built into it already. Most have something, but bigger is better!?
Joe don't look now but I think it is safe to say that you are a dog person now. Adding Brown Bag to our location list when we head back to White Sands. Trinity owns the couch now, you will never get it back. Can't wait to see what the DNA results are. Loved the addition of peeping Craig 8) - Kyle and Michelle
Hey fellow gate guarders! I have to catch up on your videos! We've been crazy busy over here my youtube watching schedule is falling behind. 🫣 If you like subs - Brown bag is a must! And if you stay at that boondocking spot...be aware of peeping Craig! 😂 -J
So great to see so much more from you more often. Pleased all your hard work on your Open Roading UA-cam channel is working!! Yay!! Roll on Alaska in June 🎉
You're going to need a bug net! The state bird is the mosquito! Make sure your screens on your windows are good! Mosquitoes are worse than the light when you are trying to go to sleep!
Nets are on the list! And I don't know if you follow us on IG...but the door screen already needs to be repaired because our girl decided to run through it. 😂 -J
I was super happy with this video too! 😁 UA-cam didn't think it was amazing apparently but oh well....I enjoyed it. LOL. And yes, Craig and Victoria are awesome and I'm so glad to have them as friends. We're truly blessed. -J
Great video. First, Trinity is a Best Dog Ever breed. Second, get yourself a heating blanket, put it on your bed and lay on top of it. They only draw 100 watts and you will never be cold. Third not bragging but 2 humans 2 dogs 16 gallons of water a week. Drinking, cooking, dishes, and washing.
I love the solar video! I went the Will Prowse direction with the 24 volt 200Amp hr. Lifepower 4 rack lithium battery ($1500)..a 3000 watt Growatt inverter (built in charge controller) for $750 and 4 used 305 panels from Santan Solar at $80 each. They produce 1200 watts at peak sunlight. I'll shut up now as I could easily text for an hour about this stuff..I love the off grid lifestyle. 😅
Hello, I so enjoy your videos and adventures on the road. My husband and I became full time RVers last fall. Looking forward to your adventure in Alaska and so happy you rescued Trinity. Blessings ❤
Trinity looks a lot like my girl Rosie, German Shepard mix, maybe some Rotti….my girl has Pit, boxer ,Rotti and German Shepherd. Very smart and loving. 😀
What a clear simple explanation of the solar! Would adding to the battery bank be useful? Or does your bank have ample capacity for the panels you already have? And I am sure you know all about the options, but watching you mess with the black tank issues.... Man, we loved our C-Head (Sadly now out of business) on our boat. Full time for 3 years and it was the best. Hard plumb the urine diverter into a tank and then the solid becomes easy easy easy to deal with... just sayin'... Maybe having a simple diverter composter toilet for use when the black tank is getting full?
We've considered a composting toilet but haven't pulled the trigger just yet. I know almost everyone who uses them loves them...we're just not there quite yet. 😂 As to the battery - we can add more batteries (and actually...we will be doing that before Alaska) but yes, once we do that it will be easy for us to "get behind" because it would take 2 days of full sun to get us back up to capacity if we start running it low. In a perfect world we'd add another panel to the roof as well. But it will be nice to be able to go an extra day of clouds. -J
Thanks for sharing your adventure! Ive been following you guys for about a month now. I am new to RV life. My family amd i are making a trip to see the western states. From New Mexico originally and lived in Texas for a bit. My wife still call H.E.B "heb" to get under the texans skin! Lol 😂
In joy your videos a lot but don’t comment often. Valterra makes a waste valve cap (T-1020-1) that I use to back fill my black tank to flush it you could use it to fill your portable and not have to hold it. Great videos keep up the great work. Thanks From Wisconsin 😊
Thanks for the tip! My only concern with that fitting is that my air vent is so tiny I'm afraid it won't be able to keep up with the macerator. But I should probably give it a try sometime because it would cut down on the gross factor! -J
I adopted my dog Boston from a reservation and used Wisdom Panel. You will be surprised at what they detect. I see Lab, Shepherd, Pit bull and some Rottweiler in Ms Trinity.
Another fantastic video from you guys! Signed up for the Post Card Club and really excited to see your journey to Alaska! Keep up the great work and have fun! (Appears that you have the fun part under control! ;)
Thanks so much! And I actually appreciate the reminder to have fun. Sometimes it's really easy to lose that in the grind of creating content along with our other side hustles, RV repairs etc. I'll make sure to have some fun tomorrow. 😁 -J
I do watch Wild RV Life! I know you guys are boondocking in the same location and both planning a Alaska trip will you guys be going together? I have enjoyed watching all of the adventures all of you guys have been doing and I am have been trying to get my husband interested. I don't know that I will convince him... city boy. We once rented a cabin at our nearby state park and I couldn't get most of them to leave the cabin. We had a storm come through and the electricity went out. Then they all came outside and we played games (Hillbilly golf was their favorite). Love that you guys adopted Trinity. I got my two a couple of years ago and they have changed my life, for the better of course. Always something going on with them, they keep me laughing and on alert - never know what they are going to get into next.
You caught us. 😂 Yes, a 2 RV caravan is the Alaska plan. I have to laugh because our RVs couldn't be more different. Super nice Brinkley and a nearly 20 year old Jayco that needs some love. But Craig and Victoria don't seem to be embarrassed to hang out with us so we're happy! I wasn't on board with the idea of RV life for quite a while. It took a lot of patience on Kalyns part and a lot of entertaining youtube videos for me to start seeing the potential. So...there's a chance! -J
I think Trinity is part Rottweiler. I also wanted to offer a suggestion for your windows. We used black contractor bags to cover our windows so we could sleep in the summer months in Alaska.
Great video. It’s all a compromise. There’s a dark side to solar that no one ever talks about. For roof mounted solar panels to do their thing one is going to have to park out in the sun. Here in the Midwest shady oak trees are my friends on a warm summer day. If the hardware is configured correctly one can charge up the batteries using a portable solar panel set, roof mounted solar panels and via a generator, all at the same time. Let the solar panels do their thing as the sun moves across the sky, then fire up the generator for an extra charging boost if needed.
For sure! We have to park in the sun to stay charged up. People who have their roof covered can get away with a little more shade. 😁 We only need our generator if we go more than a day or two without sun. (mostly because we don't use our AC unless we have hookups.) -J
Signed up for post cardbut would like a Rock Instead as it's a dream to see Alaska bur at 72 and 9 rescue dogs and too many cats to even think about anyway don't look like I'll make it . But it's OK they need me
More storage would be awesome! And it's in our 2024-2025 plan (I actually have the batteries, just need the time to build the frame and hook them all up!) But the primary point of this video was that to boondock comfortably you don't need a massive system. We've lived for 5 years on this setup. 640w solar / 300ah battery. So...Maybe we've just been unreasonable? I can't remember but I think we said in the video it becomes and issue when we have severely overcast and cold days - something we can generally avoid with travel, but when we can't....we have the backup generator to recharge our 300ah and start us back at 100%. As I write this we're sitting in Homer Alaska - we've been here for 10 days and it's been decently cloudy - I'm running my 2000w generator for the 3rd time in 10 days, and if I had turned off my Starlink every time we left the house or were sleeping I probably would have only run it twice. It's not ideal, per se, but adding a 400 generator to your smaller setup is more economical for many than adding $3000 worth of batteries and hardware. -J
Chena Lakes Recreation Area in North Pole. I’ll host you for a meal and show you around. River Park is prettier, but also buggier. Lake park is only slightly less pretty, but also slightly less buggy.
I think Trinity is shepherd/Rottweiler/Lab. You might think about trying a different diet if her gas is so bad. There may be some ingredients that she’s sensitive to. There are limited ingredient dog foods that tend to work well, at least they did for one of our pooches.
We've tried a couple of different foods but she's been farty since day 1. Thankfully the pro-biotics really do work super well! We've been getting a brand that is low on fillers. -J
I just checked by logging into my personal account and the save option was there. If your on a laptop/desktop it's the 3 dots on the bottom right below the title! So glad it was helpful! -J
Hey all, found you guys when you started doing gate watching. so you showed some prebiotic you are giving Trinity.. what was that. our 10 year old dog has the same gassy issue. haha... I love that you rescued her from here... she is such a good girl.
You had the same problem I had with my two huskies trying to do their DNA tests, but totally worth it to find out what your dog is. I use wooden match sticks with a little glue to hold the stick in place for any wood screw that strips..
Uneducated is all of our guesses. 😂 Love it! I never expected to see German Shepard in the comments but we've already had a few now of those so now I'm even more curious to see the results! -J
I can totally relate with the Boondocking dilemmas. I have been Boondocking out here in Arizona on BLM land since November this year, I finally bought a macerator pump and a water bladder for the back of the truck to replenish my water in my travel trailer. All those things were a total game changer. I am not the best at water conservation although I am getting better lol. Always love and enjoy your videos. Y’all just make me laugh. Can’t wait to see what the results are for Trinity. I think she may have some sort of hound dog in her possibly some Shepherd! She is truly living her best life with you.🐾❤️
Love the guesses for Trinity. I think you're the first one to mention Hound! I think there is a good shot there is some of that in her because of all the animals that will get her interested in a walk it's birds. There is something about ducks and birds that gets her riled up. We're right there with you on the water! There was some amazing person here in the comments that gets by on 16 gallons a week. That's called a day for us sometimes. 😂 -J
Trinity will have the mattress next, its only natural when a smart canine adopts their humans. Keep up the great content, you're becoming one of you tubes best channels. Safe travels you two!
LOL! I can't say that she hasn't tried! But the couch is basically entirely hers now. We have to ask permission to share it with her. I covered it in pillows yesterday to see what she'd do. She was a little confused at first and then just lay down across all 4 pillows like the diva that she is. 😂 Thanks so much for the encouragement. I so appreciate it. -J
When you were looking at the map, you had a book on the table, can you tell me what it is? Planning guide? Awesome we love your channel. Hope to meet up with yall one day
It's the Milepost guide. They come out with a new one every year and it's specific to Alaska. It actually had the map in it that was spread out as well. It's FULL of info. -J
Hi there! I love love your videos! They’re so real and down to earth and informative. I love Trinity adopted you! So cute. I love her eyebrows! I think she is Doberman and Labrador. And maybe Rottweiler. She IS beautiful!! My fur baby died two years ago. I’m on the lookout for another fur baby!! Thank you for your videos!
I really should. The thing is...I shouldn't have anyway since we have 2 tanks. When one is empty...you fill it. But aparently that is simply too much for me to keep track of. 🤦🏼♂️ -J
I've been amazed at all the shepherd guesses! Of all the breeds thats the one I see the least but ya'll saw that I should flip the rail over and I missed it so I'm not wagering any money against the guess! -J
What an amazingly informative video. I’m going to look into your macerator. It’s on my list of items to collect. My wife will have to guess on Trinity’s breed - I’m not so good at that. I just love Amazon shipments - even other peoples packages . 😂. Take care. Looking forward to Alaska. I’ll be taking notes as I’d like to do the same. One more thing, my heart was warmed when I saw Trinity on the couch - even before you said anything about it. You are a wonderfully warm hearted couple.
One other note on the macerator - If you're in a spot where you can dump your grays on the ground, it's helpful in getting the gray water further away from the rig. I usually only have 1 or 2 3" hoses on me but I can use a 50' garden hose and really get the gray water far away. -J
If you're talking Alaska - yeah, I'm expecting solar not to work out great especially since we have just the 2 panels and even when it's sunny there the angle of the sun isn't great. If you're talking in general - we hardly ever use the generator. -J
Shoot! I should have noted that! Yes, we have 3 Lithium Battleborn batteries. I've had no complaints about them but they are super expensive! If I was doing a setup from scratch I would always go lithium but I would check other battery companies before going with battleborn just because there may be companies out there that are just as good. I know that Craig's new batteries looked pretty sweet and he's got something like 900ah with just 2 large batteries and I think the warranty is as just good if not better than Battleborn. -J
I live in an RV parked in a metal building. I have 12 - 320watt solar panels and 800ah of lithium batteries. I can run the rooftop AC for about 7 hours or the House style window unit in the bedroom for about 15 hours. Solar is amazing, but it's still restrictive, even with as much power as I have.
You can also get all of this equipment for WAY less now. 200ah LiFePo4 battery is like $500, charge controllers are like $300, 2500watt AIMS Power LF(Low Frequency) series inverter(accept AC power to recharge batteries), if you can get them on sale, are like $500, ~300watt solar panels are $120 and the cabling you're looking at $150. A simple 500 amp shunt will measure battery capacity. You can get away with a High Frequency invert for half the cost if you don't need to run large inductive loads like air conditioning or air compressors; they can easily run a fridge and have lower overall power draw. My 2500watt AIMS power LF inverter draws 4 amps on it's own, but my 1200watt AIMS power high frequency inverter pulls like .5 amps. I run my fridge off the 1200watt, because I had a Renogy 3000 watt inverter and I went through 4 of them in 1 year, because they kept messing up. Lost two fridge loads of food. :(
Lots of awesome info here! Thanks. Keep an eye out, there are some RV AC units coming down the pike that take like 9amps to run. I didn't believe it until I saw one working in someone elses' rig. -J
Random question. Your portable dump tank, what size is it? I don't know if you said it during the video and I missed it. We're looking at getting one to use during our state park stays. Also, does it smell once it's closed up? We're pulling a small car so we could only put it in the back of the car to get it to the dump station but I don't want the car to start smelling like black tank lol.
Excellent questions. This wasn't my first choice in tanks but it was the largest one that I could get that would still fit between our hitch and the tailgate. The brands I liked better were usually about an inch too wide. This is the one we use: amzn.to/4cM8AMo I would NOT haul it full inside a car. I don't trust the hose attachment enough (as shown by the fact that I've replaced it with a DIY PVC solution that looks hideous. 😂 ) If it's empty and closed up I think you're good on smell as long as you keep the outside of it hosed off. I would be careful of it getting super hot though...I could see the heat forcing the seals open a bit to vent expanding air out possibly. I hope that helps! -J
@@OpenRoading that makes complete sense. I think we’ll just disconnect and dump once a week then like we’ve done in the past. We can usually stretch our black tank for two weeks but it’s a lot tougher with the 50 gallon grey. We’ve been wanting to get into more boondocking and have been looking at getting a small solar setup going. I spent days crunching the numbers and watching videos on how to figure out how much power we actually need lol. Luckily we also have an onboard 5500 watt generator to supplement so we can build little by little.
We're generally pretty warm in bed (we have some weighted blankets that keep the heat in quite well) it's the getting out of bed when the RV was 47 degrees that was the problem 😂 -J
This is a handy cap to connect the macerator hose to the honey wagon, so you don't have to put the hose inside and hold your nose. Works as long as you have an air vent (just don't stand near it. That's a great price for the macerator - I may have to do that. Thanks!
Nice! I've seen those but haven't wanted to try it on my tank because the air valve is super tiny. I may just have to give it a go sometime and see what happens. Worst thing that happens is me doing a remake of the famous dump station scene from the Robin Williams movie. 😂 -J
Updates! I bought an Onnais lock for my RV. Stellar deal and install was a charm! Loving it so far. I picked up a powered front lift jack (something us non-5th wheel folks need). Can't wait to give that a shot. Loving the homebrew battery setup. Now that systems like Jackery, Bluetti, Ecoflow, Anker, etc have solar+battery management systems, would you consider using one of those if you had to do it all over again? Finally-- my gut is telling me Rottweiler + Bluetick. Then again, I'm very wrong on these things. I thought our mutt was a German Shepherd/Whippet mix and he turned out to be Pit/Staffordshire/Husky
Oooo I like the Bluetick guess. That's a new one here in the comments! Glad you're loving the lock! We've continue to be super happy with ours. I thought i'd have to recharge the batteries by now but I haven't had to do that yet. I will probably do that within the next month or so just for kicks and giggles. We actually got pitched by Jackery recently but so far all I'm seeing from them are more portable systems. So at the moment I would still go with a built in system. What I love most about our setup is that it simply works. I don't have to switch any switches or worry about whether I'm using something thats 120v or 12v. Everything just works all the time. The one thing I WOULD do differently is I would have spent a lot more time figuring out a better installation system for the panels themselves. Ours our 100% fixed to the roof and tilt slightly to the rear. I would LOVE to have the ability to tilt them at minimum toward the front and also more toward the back So that i could get better efficiency in the winter....and in Alaska. I'm actually pretty sure my setup is going to struggle a LOT in Alaska simply due to the angle of the sun vs the angle of my panels. I have considered getting another charge controller and some sort of foldable panels that i can use to help charge our batteries, but as you know...storage is a bit of an issue for us so i'm thinking that probably won't happen before Alaska which is when we'd need it most. lol. -J
So, has Trinity had a chance to play with Leland and Maverick? I’d love to see that on a video. As for her breed, I’m thinking Rottweiler, pit bull, lab. I can’t wait to see her mix. Either way, she’s a beautiful dog! She’s really become family with you two. ❤❤
They will get the chance eventually. At the moment Trinity is not spayed and Leland and Maverick are "in tact." Trinity is just wrapping up her "heat cycle" (this has been a fun comment to write) so in order to make sure 3 dogs don't become 10....we opted to hold off on the introductions. 😂 -J
I had a good laugh with “heb” vs HEB… so keep them coming! My Trinity vote is Rottweiler and…. Shepard. Maybe a bit of lab too. So happy I found you all and happy you found Trinity!
😂 That grocery store will forever be burned in my memory. I agree on the Rotti and a lot of people are saying Shepard. I don't see that part so I'm really interested to see if so many are seeing something I'm completely missing. (Kinda like the handle on the RV I suppose. 😂) -J
I love how you were just keeping it real and I enjoyed the box opening montage! Okay so we have a dog named Cookie and she looks a lot like Trinity and she is part Chocolate Lab and part German Pinscher. That is my guess! So are you planning on having a postcard rally after you get back from Alaska, that would be a blast! 😁💗
You can't come unless you have a postcard! 😁 Our club is going to be relatively small and quite spread out (as far away as TURKEY!!!) - so I don't think that will work - but we are wanting to do a few meetups. And, at the moment, if we're ever nearby someone we do make an effort to hang out if we can! We've met two fantastic couples that way already. So...if you don't already follow us on IG - Kalyn keeps things pretty current on there so you'll know the approximate area we're in. (as opposed to on here where we are usually gone by the time you see the video). Also - if German Pinscher is in there I'm gonna try to remember give ya'll a shout out because you're the only comment I've seen with that guess. -J
Oh gosh! I totally didn't mean an exclusive rally! I was just thinking it might be nice to meet the people in person that help support your journey, and we could meet our favorite UA-camrs... Trinity and Cody.😂
Trinity looks like a Rottweiler/Shepherd cross. She also likely has some Pit Bull in the mix because just about every stray has some Pit in them these days. She could also be a Boxer/Lab mix. That's technically two guesses but maybe you'll let it slide.
Haha! Perfect! With the guesses coming in I really am getting more and more curious because when I look at each breed I can usually see where the guess is coming from! I'm also curious if she'll be a high percentage of anything in particular or just a crazy mishmash. -J
Trinity looks very similar to our dog that we got from a rescue shelter. Our boy is a terrier mix but there wasn't any specific info on what type of terrier. One hint about the eye masks. Don't expect them to block out 100% of the light if your eyes are open. You'll probably see light around the nose area or the sides. However, with your eyes closed, they should block out the light so that you can sleep in darkness. They take a while to get used to practice taking a nap with them.
Terrier! I haven't seen that in the guesses yet. That's super interesting! Love it! I'm intrigued by your suggestion with the eye mask. Do people complain about light coming in with their eyes open? I assumed you closed your eyes with them because I sleep with my eyes closed. I'd be worried that having my eyes open would scratch my eyeballs! 👀 -J
@@OpenRoading Amazon reviews often complain that the eye masks aren't 100% black out, but the directions should tell you that it blocks out the light where your eyes are which is what you want.
So many of ya'll seeing the shepard in her! I don't see it but as you know...I miss things that are right in front of my face so I'm certainly not going to say that you are wrong. 😂 Can't wait for the results! -J
We're Canadian's 🇨🇦 and this is our first time RVing in Texas. If it's wasn't for your video about H.E.B I would have made the same mistake and called it Heb 😂 Thanks for the butt save 😅
It may take what feels like forever, but if you guys keep this up, you oughta have a few hundred thousand subscribers in no time! Excited to see your travels on the way to Alaska.
Thanks so much. We've been in a bit of a lull right now where each video does worse than the last but we're gonna keep learning and plugging away! Anytime we get a little discouraged we just remember where the channel was a few months ago. -J
Nice! We're hoping to hit up some of the Canadian National Parks in May....but finding places to stay that early is gonna be challenging. Weekends fill up fast once the parks open so getting a spot for a full week is tough! -J
Funny. The wife and I am staying at Holloman AFB today in their FamCamp RV park in Alamogordo NM, stopped by for the misses to see White Sands National Park and to stop by Roswell UFO Museum at the end of our 18-day San Diego to Florida and back. We are primarily BoonDockers, I had to learn to use all the RV hookups like water and electric at all the base and public RV parks since we are not used to using electric for everything. Our rig (imperial outdoors X195) has 1080 Solar and 1280 batteries, 60 Gal Fresh and Grey tanks (No black - have a dry flush system). We actually thought of maybe going full time think to this trip, we have really enjoyed it. In the 4800miles we have travels so far, these last couple weeks, we have averaged 11.4mpg.
That's about where we are on MPG (10ish) and I love hookups....until it's time to leave. I get so used to just packing up like 2 things that when I have to add al the other fooferall we end up not leaving until lunch. 😂 -J
UA-cam education for the win. 😂 I literally had no idea what I was doing when we got the system in 2019 but between youtube and a super helpful couple of employees from Arizona Wind and Sun - I think we really got a good setup. I see a lot of setups where they have to manually hit switches when they plug in or if they want to use the 120v. etc. It's really nice that this system just works. There's no extra steps to remember to use it. That's what I love most. -J
Want a unique way to support the channel? Sign up for our Alaska Postcard Club for a handwritten hello this summer!
More info ---> www.openroading.com/postcardclub
If you haven't heard of him, check out Truck House Life Alaska. He is a youtuber who lives in AK and does boondock. I'm sure he would be willing to suggest some areas to go.
When you see the dog on the sofa and the parents on the floor, … just saying. Love the videos!
I’m all signed up. Looking forward to hearing from you.
@@rmlrl1971 That guy is made of strong stuff! -J
@@rmlrl1971Timmy is fun to watch.
A window in the macerator.....
Gives new meaning to the term "sh__ show".
💩 👀 😂
I think Trinity is part Rottweiler and perhaps Labrador. I think she is a beautiful dog.
I think there's a good shot that both of those answers are correct. But I'm no expert by any means so I'm really looking forward to the results! -J
I truly believe she is a Catahoula-at least partially.
I was thinking rotty and shepherd, but I'm changing my answer to: half dog and half canine. 😅
I agree, part Rotty… I have a rotty mix, so sweet. I’m glad these people kept her.
I vote Black and Tan and mix
Hello from Turkey. I am one of your international viewers. Every other year when I visit the US I rent an RV and travel. Learning a lot from you guys. I signed up for Alaska Postcard. Looking forward to your Alaska adventure.
Hi there! I'm so looking forward to both sending you postcards and finding out just how long it takes for them to arrive there! 😁
We just met some wonderful people from Belgium a couple of days ago who were doing the same thing. They were on an 8 week vacation and traveling the country.
I almost spent some time in one of your airports on my way to Rwanda a few years ago but plans changed and we ended up with a layover in Germany instead. -J
I say Trinity is 50% sweetheart and 50% good girl.
50% good girl is accurate… 😂😂😂😂😂
I think Trinity should be allowed on the couch. 💛
Oh she is....fully so if you couldn't tell by this video. 😂 -J
The trick to being able to run Air Conditioning is to use DC units off the 12V instead of the 110 volt units that are typical. Most of them were designed for big diesel rigs. Plus not cooling the whole trailer - for example not cooling the bedroom during the day or the lounge during the night. Seen a few setups that managed. They are not cheap though.
It probably would not hurt you to double your panels while keeping the same battery, from the looks of it your controllers and wiring would be sufficient to handle it. You would just have the cost of the panels themselves. Add them to the existing daisy-chain.
Oh for sure we could upgrade the system. We've got more roof space! It's just low down on the financial and time to install list at the moment. 😁 -J
I think Trinity is part Catahoula or Cur. She such a beautiful girl and I’m so glad you both took her in!
Cur is super high on my guess list as well! I have a friend who has a Cur and they are super similar. -J
MOPEKA propane tank sensors. They are fantastic. Always know your tank levels. I’ve had them for 5 years now. Work great.
My friend Mike had these! I need to grab a pair. So many things on the "need to grab list!" 😂 -J
One issue with that stair rail. SOmeone can lock you in the RV with that and you'll be forced to pus hout the door window and attempt to open it. if they put a stick, even, in the bottom mount you won't be able to get out. Don't ask how I know this.
I have thought about this. We do have 2 emergency exits so as long as we can fit through those we can get out and undo the shenanigans…wouldn’t be easy but could be done! Not sure if my arm is long enough but the long skinny window to the left of the door can also have the screen opened from inside so I might be able to undo it that way. -J
After a strange day, including experiencing our first earthquake, it was such a joy to watch your video tonight! You guys packed so much into this one! It's nice to see Trinity settled in on the couch! I think she has a Bernese Mountain dog look, maybe mixed with lab. The White Sands visit was amazing, and it was so great that you got to bring Trinity along! It looked like the three of you had a great time! So glad the hand rail flip worked out! It was fun seeing our comment on that pop up on the screen! Have a great week! 🙂 🐕
So I'm guessing you're from the North East (no need to pin your actual location on here) with the earthquake info! Those are freaky! I've never experienced a big one, but when I lived in the Southern Tier of NY we felt one and then we felt a few in our RV while we were gate guarding. Soooo unsettling.
At first I was like "No way" to the bernese mountain dog...then I saw the tan points. Now I can't unsee it.
Hand rail flip worked sooo well! Thanks for the suggestion!! And thanks even more for the encouragement. -J
I was thinking Rotty/Lab, maybe trace Bernese?
@@SpiritBearDragon Rottie is high on my list of possibilities and Kalyn has Lab high on hers. 😁 -J
@SpiritBearDragon certainly could be. She is so unique. We have a Bernese mix in the family, and although he looks more like a German Shepard, he's got color markings on his face and legs similar to Trinity.
Early in the video but I’m wondering if you are planning to expand your solar system before your trip to Alaska?
It would be nice! 😊 Especially with the Sun being lower to the horizon up there not to mention it can be super foggy, but I don't think it's in the budget or time-table this year.
We did get our hands on some more battle born batteries (That I still need to install) so if we do have to rely on the generator more often at least we will have more time in-between charges. -J
We were stationed at Holloman AFB a couple of times when my husband was in the Air Force. You pronounced Alamogordo perfectly.
Phew!!!! 😁 Loved seeing the F-16s.
So - maybe you can confirm something for me....The USAF unmanned aircraft would consistently fly a pattern over the camping area. In my head they were using the RV's as simulated target practice. Was my head correct?
After about the 4th pass one day I was like "Wait a second......" so after that I always gave a friendly wave to the drone so that hopefully some operator somewhere got a little smile. -J
Soft start for your AC.... Saves juice
We've got one of those (not installed yet) - but the amount of battery it would consume is a no-go without extra battery storage or more panels. Our air fryer takes 1% a minute and the AC draws more than that! 😂 But! We are aware of some super efficient models coming out soon! -J
I disagree. It just spreads out the starting surge to be longer. Same total power.
@@luminousveiws Yeah, I don't know whether or not it uses less juice overall but it does prevent the surge off the top. We don't have enough batteries to use the standard rooftop AC for more than 20 minutes (not the exact figure) anyway so the soft start is currently sitting in a box. 😂 -J
@@josephcomings As an electrician I am telling you the total power load is so close to the same as to not matter. In fact if you look closely at your AC you might find it has a soft start built into it already. Most have something, but bigger is better!?
Damn Joe, you need one of those more ride slide out in your basement. That’ll fix that mess.
Have considered them! Not in the budget yet. Too many more important things ahead of it. 😂 Life, right? -J
Joe don't look now but I think it is safe to say that you are a dog person now. Adding Brown Bag to our location list when we head back to White Sands. Trinity owns the couch now, you will never get it back. Can't wait to see what the DNA results are. Loved the addition of peeping Craig 8)
- Kyle and Michelle
Hey fellow gate guarders! I have to catch up on your videos! We've been crazy busy over here my youtube watching schedule is falling behind. 🫣
If you like subs - Brown bag is a must! And if you stay at that boondocking spot...be aware of peeping Craig! 😂 -J
Trinity made a great pick adopting you two! She looks so much more comfortable, and is showing who is in charge.
Yep. Her. 100%. 😁 -J
@@OpenRoading Did I miss what happened to bunny?
@@mattcrain7057 Bunny is still here! Just introverted out this week and avoided the camera. -J
Yep. She's pretty awesome. I don't have any guesses about her genes, but it might be a mix of awesome and chill. Great video.
Treats. All unpleasantries should be followed with lots of treats.
So great to see so much more from you more often. Pleased all your hard work on your Open Roading UA-cam channel is working!! Yay!! Roll on Alaska in June 🎉
Every week! We'll keep plugging away at this channel! -J
You're going to need a bug net! The state bird is the mosquito! Make sure your screens on your windows are good! Mosquitoes are worse than the light when you are trying to go to sleep!
Nets are on the list! And I don't know if you follow us on IG...but the door screen already needs to be repaired because our girl decided to run through it. 😂 -J
You folks are the regular folks dealing with camping life love you guys hey trinity that dog came to you guys for a reason lucky dog
That's what we are for sure. And yeah, we are lucky to have her for sure. -J
lived in Alaska for 3 years…and I wholeheartedly agree with a previous post…the mosquito is the Alaska State Bird
The mosquitos sound….fun. 😂 -J
One of your best videos. Great job! Craig and Victoria are great.
I was super happy with this video too! 😁 UA-cam didn't think it was amazing apparently but oh well....I enjoyed it. LOL.
And yes, Craig and Victoria are awesome and I'm so glad to have them as friends. We're truly blessed. -J
Rottweiler
I think there is some Rotti in her! We'll see! -J
Great video. First, Trinity is a Best Dog Ever breed.
Second, get yourself a heating blanket, put it on your bed and lay on top of it. They only draw 100 watts and you will never be cold.
Third not bragging but 2 humans 2 dogs 16 gallons of water a week. Drinking, cooking, dishes, and washing.
Brag away! That's impressive. I honestly don't think we will ever get better than 80 gallons over 7 days. 😂 -J
looks like my Badger pup…mostly Rottweiler
I love the solar video! I went the Will Prowse direction with the 24 volt 200Amp hr. Lifepower 4 rack lithium battery ($1500)..a 3000 watt Growatt inverter (built in charge controller) for $750 and 4 used 305 panels from Santan Solar at $80 each. They produce 1200 watts at peak sunlight. I'll shut up now as I could easily text for an hour about this stuff..I love the off grid lifestyle. 😅
Sounds like an awesome system! -J
Hello, I so enjoy your videos and adventures on the road. My husband and I became full time RVers last fall. Looking forward to your adventure in Alaska and so happy you rescued Trinity. Blessings ❤
Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know. 🤗
We're so happy to have Trinity as well! -J
Trinity looks a lot like my girl Rosie, German Shepard mix, maybe some Rotti….my girl has Pit, boxer ,Rotti and German Shepherd. Very smart and loving. 😀
Awesome mix. -J
What a clear simple explanation of the solar! Would adding to the battery bank be useful? Or does your bank have ample capacity for the panels you already have? And I am sure you know all about the options, but watching you mess with the black tank issues.... Man, we loved our C-Head (Sadly now out of business) on our boat. Full time for 3 years and it was the best. Hard plumb the urine diverter into a tank and then the solid becomes easy easy easy to deal with... just sayin'... Maybe having a simple diverter composter toilet for use when the black tank is getting full?
We've considered a composting toilet but haven't pulled the trigger just yet. I know almost everyone who uses them loves them...we're just not there quite yet. 😂
As to the battery - we can add more batteries (and actually...we will be doing that before Alaska) but yes, once we do that it will be easy for us to "get behind" because it would take 2 days of full sun to get us back up to capacity if we start running it low. In a perfect world we'd add another panel to the roof as well. But it will be nice to be able to go an extra day of clouds. -J
Thanks for sharing your adventure! Ive been following you guys for about a month now. I am new to RV life. My family amd i are making a trip to see the western states. From New Mexico originally and lived in Texas for a bit. My wife still call H.E.B "heb" to get under the texans skin! Lol 😂
That last sentence tells me that you're my kind of people. 😂 Enjoy the west! -J
In joy your videos a lot but don’t comment often. Valterra makes a waste valve cap (T-1020-1) that I use to back fill my black tank to flush it you could use it to fill your portable and not have to hold it. Great videos keep up the great work. Thanks From Wisconsin 😊
Thanks for the tip! My only concern with that fitting is that my air vent is so tiny I'm afraid it won't be able to keep up with the macerator. But I should probably give it a try sometime because it would cut down on the gross factor! -J
I adopted my dog Boston from a reservation and used Wisdom Panel. You will be surprised at what they detect.
I see Lab, Shepherd, Pit bull and some Rottweiler in Ms Trinity.
Love the guesses! -J
Another fantastic video from you guys! Signed up for the Post Card Club and really excited to see your journey to Alaska! Keep up the great work and have fun! (Appears that you have the fun part under control! ;)
Thanks so much! And I actually appreciate the reminder to have fun. Sometimes it's really easy to lose that in the grind of creating content along with our other side hustles, RV repairs etc. I'll make sure to have some fun tomorrow. 😁 -J
My guess on the breed would be Australian Shepherd, Rottweiler, & German Shepherd mix.
Love this. I would be happy with all those breeds wrapped up into one. -J
I do watch Wild RV Life! I know you guys are boondocking in the same location and both planning a Alaska trip will you guys be going together? I have enjoyed watching all of the adventures all of you guys have been doing and I am have been trying to get my husband interested. I don't know that I will convince him... city boy. We once rented a cabin at our nearby state park and I couldn't get most of them to leave the cabin. We had a storm come through and the electricity went out. Then they all came outside and we played games (Hillbilly golf was their favorite). Love that you guys adopted Trinity. I got my two a couple of years ago and they have changed my life, for the better of course. Always something going on with them, they keep me laughing and on alert - never know what they are going to get into next.
You caught us. 😂 Yes, a 2 RV caravan is the Alaska plan. I have to laugh because our RVs couldn't be more different. Super nice Brinkley and a nearly 20 year old Jayco that needs some love. But Craig and Victoria don't seem to be embarrassed to hang out with us so we're happy!
I wasn't on board with the idea of RV life for quite a while. It took a lot of patience on Kalyns part and a lot of entertaining youtube videos for me to start seeing the potential. So...there's a chance! -J
I think Trinity is part Rottweiler. I also wanted to offer a suggestion for your windows. We used black contractor bags to cover our windows so we could sleep in the summer months in Alaska.
I appreciate the tip! If we have trouble sleeping we will for sure either go that route or put reflectix in the windows to block everything out. -J
Great video. It’s all a compromise. There’s a dark side to solar that no one ever talks about. For roof mounted solar panels to do their thing one is going to have to park out in the sun. Here in the Midwest shady oak trees are my friends on a warm summer day. If the hardware is configured correctly one can charge up the batteries using a portable solar panel set, roof mounted solar panels and via a generator, all at the same time. Let the solar panels do their thing as the sun moves across the sky, then fire up the generator for an extra charging boost if needed.
For sure! We have to park in the sun to stay charged up. People who have their roof covered can get away with a little more shade. 😁 We only need our generator if we go more than a day or two without sun. (mostly because we don't use our AC unless we have hookups.) -J
Signed up for post cardbut would like a Rock Instead as it's a dream to see Alaska bur at 72 and 9 rescue dogs and too many cats to even think about anyway don't look like I'll make it . But it's OK they need me
I can't make a guarantee on that but I will see what I can do. -J
With reasonable use, even the heater, running out of battery power in one day isn't fun. You need more battery storage IMO.
More storage would be awesome! And it's in our 2024-2025 plan (I actually have the batteries, just need the time to build the frame and hook them all up!)
But the primary point of this video was that to boondock comfortably you don't need a massive system.
We've lived for 5 years on this setup. 640w solar / 300ah battery. So...Maybe we've just been unreasonable?
I can't remember but I think we said in the video it becomes and issue when we have severely overcast and cold days - something we can generally avoid with travel, but when we can't....we have the backup generator to recharge our 300ah and start us back at 100%.
As I write this we're sitting in Homer Alaska - we've been here for 10 days and it's been decently cloudy - I'm running my 2000w generator for the 3rd time in 10 days, and if I had turned off my Starlink every time we left the house or were sleeping I probably would have only run it twice. It's not ideal, per se, but adding a 400 generator to your smaller setup is more economical for many than adding $3000 worth of batteries and hardware. -J
Chena Lakes Recreation Area in North Pole. I’ll host you for a meal and show you around. River Park is prettier, but also buggier. Lake park is only slightly less pretty, but also slightly less buggy.
Less buggy is good! Keep track of us on IG! -J
I think Trinity is shepherd/Rottweiler/Lab. You might think about trying a different diet if her gas is so bad. There may be some ingredients that she’s sensitive to. There are limited ingredient dog foods that tend to work well, at least they did for one of our pooches.
We've tried a couple of different foods but she's been farty since day 1. Thankfully the pro-biotics really do work super well! We've been getting a brand that is low on fillers. -J
I absolutely love this video and I'm buying an RV in a few months. But for some reason, there isn't an option to save this video?
I just checked by logging into my personal account and the save option was there. If your on a laptop/desktop it's the 3 dots on the bottom right below the title!
So glad it was helpful! -J
Hey all, found you guys when you started doing gate watching. so you showed some prebiotic you are giving Trinity.. what was that. our 10 year old dog has the same gassy issue. haha... I love that you rescued her from here... she is such a good girl.
Haha! It took a few days to take full effect but boy does it work! amzn.to/3U2W3wJ -J
You had the same problem I had with my two huskies trying to do their DNA tests, but totally worth it to find out what your dog is. I use wooden match sticks with a little glue to hold the stick in place for any wood screw that strips..
Yeah - she was not having the bristles in her gums. lol! -J
OK my 100% uneducated guess if German Shepard with a mix of Black Lab .
Uneducated is all of our guesses. 😂 Love it! I never expected to see German Shepard in the comments but we've already had a few now of those so now I'm even more curious to see the results! -J
I can totally relate with the Boondocking dilemmas. I have been Boondocking out here in Arizona on BLM land since November this year, I finally bought a macerator pump and a water bladder for the back of the truck to replenish my water in my travel trailer. All those things were a total game changer. I am not the best at water conservation although I am getting better lol. Always love and enjoy your videos. Y’all just make me laugh. Can’t wait to see what the results are for Trinity. I think she may have some sort of hound dog in her possibly some Shepherd! She is truly living her best life with you.🐾❤️
Love the guesses for Trinity. I think you're the first one to mention Hound! I think there is a good shot there is some of that in her because of all the animals that will get her interested in a walk it's birds. There is something about ducks and birds that gets her riled up.
We're right there with you on the water! There was some amazing person here in the comments that gets by on 16 gallons a week. That's called a day for us sometimes. 😂 -J
She looks our dog Cash. I think she is part Rottweiler and German Shepherd.
She found her people. 😊
So many people with shepherd in the mix! I’m excited to find out! -J
I think she is a Doberman/Staffie/Shepherd cross. Nice dog!!!!
She is a catch for sure! -J
Trinity will have the mattress next, its only natural when a smart canine adopts their humans. Keep up the great content, you're becoming one of you tubes best channels. Safe travels you two!
LOL! I can't say that she hasn't tried! But the couch is basically entirely hers now. We have to ask permission to share it with her. I covered it in pillows yesterday to see what she'd do. She was a little confused at first and then just lay down across all 4 pillows like the diva that she is. 😂
Thanks so much for the encouragement. I so appreciate it. -J
When you were looking at the map, you had a book on the table, can you tell me what it is? Planning guide? Awesome we love your channel. Hope to meet up with yall one day
It's the Milepost guide. They come out with a new one every year and it's specific to Alaska. It actually had the map in it that was spread out as well. It's FULL of info. -J
Hi there! I love love your videos! They’re so real and down to earth and informative. I love Trinity adopted you! So cute. I love her eyebrows! I think she is Doberman and Labrador. And maybe Rottweiler. She IS beautiful!! My fur baby died two years ago. I’m on the lookout for another fur baby!! Thank you for your videos!
I'm so sorry for your loss 2 years ago. There's nothing that prepares you for it really. I hope the perfect animal finds you soon! -J
@@OpenRoading ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ thank you‼️
Great video! Trinity is so lucky! Thinking Rott/Lab mix!
Thanks! Love the guess! -J
She is a Husky/American Rottweiler mix, but 100% Sweetiepie.
No doubt about that last part! -J
Get yourself a Mopeka Propane Tank Gas Level Indicator. You will never run out again
I really should. The thing is...I shouldn't have anyway since we have 2 tanks. When one is empty...you fill it. But aparently that is simply too much for me to keep track of. 🤦🏼♂️ -J
I’m guessing Rottweiler, lab, German shepherd.
I've been amazed at all the shepherd guesses! Of all the breeds thats the one I see the least but ya'll saw that I should flip the rail over and I missed it so I'm not wagering any money against the guess! -J
What an amazingly informative video. I’m going to look into your macerator. It’s on my list of items to collect. My wife will have to guess on Trinity’s breed - I’m not so good at that. I just love Amazon shipments - even other peoples packages . 😂. Take care. Looking forward to Alaska. I’ll be taking notes as I’d like to do the same. One more thing, my heart was warmed when I saw Trinity on the couch - even before you said anything about it. You are a wonderfully warm hearted couple.
Hey Mike!
Yeah...Trinity won us over. Now the couch is hers and she's kind enough to let us use it occasionally. 😂 -J
One other note on the macerator - If you're in a spot where you can dump your grays on the ground, it's helpful in getting the gray water further away from the rig. I usually only have 1 or 2 3" hoses on me but I can use a 50' garden hose and really get the gray water far away. -J
i work in the oilfield and we use those cheap disposable latex gloves so we are not washing our hands every 5 minutes
That makes a lot sense! -J
You will use your generator more than your solar.. have extra gas cans for your generator..
If you're talking Alaska - yeah, I'm expecting solar not to work out great especially since we have just the 2 panels and even when it's sunny there the angle of the sun isn't great. If you're talking in general - we hardly ever use the generator. -J
youtube channel :diy solar power with will p , is the place for solar power learning
Thanks! -J
I didn’t hear you say what kind of batteries you have. Are they lithium?
Shoot! I should have noted that!
Yes, we have 3 Lithium Battleborn batteries. I've had no complaints about them but they are super expensive! If I was doing a setup from scratch I would always go lithium but I would check other battery companies before going with battleborn just because there may be companies out there that are just as good. I know that Craig's new batteries looked pretty sweet and he's got something like 900ah with just 2 large batteries and I think the warranty is as just good if not better than Battleborn. -J
Rottweiler and perhaps Chinese Shar Pei or Bernese Mountain Dog.
I will give you a shout out if Shar Pei shows up in the test! I'm pretty sure your the first one to suggest that as being in the mix somewhere! -J
I’m guessing Labrador, German shepherd, hound mix
Kalyn agrees with you on the lab and hound! I can't wait to see if anyone in here nailed it with their guess! -J
I think with those beautiful eyes, Trinity must be part Husky!
Her eyes are one of her defining features for sure! -J
there are currently ac that can run on 250 watts that can be run on a good solar setup or small gas generator
Nice! I know of a roof unit that's out that runs super quiet and on like 6-8 amps. Possibly the one you are referring to! -J
Rottweiler
Labrador retriever
American Pitbull
Beagle
Love this mix! -J
Rinsing the hose with grey water to prepare it for fresh water? cracking me up.
😂 I just wanna know if anyone thought I wasn't kidding. lol -J
I think Trinity is a husky / malamute x Kelpie. Bless her. .
I love this guess. -J
Where’s the rabbit at. I think I might have missed an episode.
Nope! You didn't miss anything. Cody was just introverting out for this episode. He's still taking his meds and running around the RV. ❤️ -J
I see you were camping beside the Wild RV Life!
We were indeed! A little bit more with them in the video before this one. 😀 -J
Those cold mornings mean you can snuggle more. lol enjoy your journey!
There we go!! -J
I live in an RV parked in a metal building. I have 12 - 320watt solar panels and 800ah of lithium batteries. I can run the rooftop AC for about 7 hours or the House style window unit in the bedroom for about 15 hours. Solar is amazing, but it's still restrictive, even with as much power as I have.
You can also get all of this equipment for WAY less now. 200ah LiFePo4 battery is like $500, charge controllers are like $300, 2500watt AIMS Power LF(Low Frequency) series inverter(accept AC power to recharge batteries), if you can get them on sale, are like $500, ~300watt solar panels are $120 and the cabling you're looking at $150. A simple 500 amp shunt will measure battery capacity. You can get away with a High Frequency invert for half the cost if you don't need to run large inductive loads like air conditioning or air compressors; they can easily run a fridge and have lower overall power draw. My 2500watt AIMS power LF inverter draws 4 amps on it's own, but my 1200watt AIMS power high frequency inverter pulls like .5 amps. I run my fridge off the 1200watt, because I had a Renogy 3000 watt inverter and I went through 4 of them in 1 year, because they kept messing up. Lost two fridge loads of food. :(
Lots of awesome info here! Thanks.
Keep an eye out, there are some RV AC units coming down the pike that take like 9amps to run. I didn't believe it until I saw one working in someone elses' rig. -J
You need a propane gauge system! they have Bluetooth systems.
I do. And I need to just go fill the first tank when it gets empty as opposed to waiting "just a day or two". 😂 -J
She is Rot and Lab. But honestly she is 100% good girl.
You are 100% correct on the second half! 😁 -J
Random question. Your portable dump tank, what size is it? I don't know if you said it during the video and I missed it.
We're looking at getting one to use during our state park stays. Also, does it smell once it's closed up? We're pulling a small car so we could only put it in the back of the car to get it to the dump station but I don't want the car to start smelling like black tank lol.
Excellent questions. This wasn't my first choice in tanks but it was the largest one that I could get that would still fit between our hitch and the tailgate. The brands I liked better were usually about an inch too wide.
This is the one we use: amzn.to/4cM8AMo
I would NOT haul it full inside a car. I don't trust the hose attachment enough (as shown by the fact that I've replaced it with a DIY PVC solution that looks hideous. 😂 )
If it's empty and closed up I think you're good on smell as long as you keep the outside of it hosed off. I would be careful of it getting super hot though...I could see the heat forcing the seals open a bit to vent expanding air out possibly. I hope that helps! -J
@@OpenRoading that makes complete sense. I think we’ll just disconnect and dump once a week then like we’ve done in the past. We can usually stretch our black tank for two weeks but it’s a lot tougher with the 50 gallon grey.
We’ve been wanting to get into more boondocking and have been looking at getting a small solar setup going. I spent days crunching the numbers and watching videos on how to figure out how much power we actually need lol. Luckily we also have an onboard 5500 watt generator to supplement so we can build little by little.
I had to subscribe again. This is a weekly issue now
That is so weird. I appreciate your persistence! -J
great stuff!!
Catahoula leopard dog with a black mouth cur dog
Cur is on my guess list too! -J
Electric blankets they use way less power.
We're generally pretty warm in bed (we have some weighted blankets that keep the heat in quite well) it's the getting out of bed when the RV was 47 degrees that was the problem 😂 -J
This is a handy cap to connect the macerator hose to the honey wagon, so you don't have to put the hose inside and hold your nose. Works as long as you have an air vent (just don't stand near it. That's a great price for the macerator - I may have to do that. Thanks!
Oh, and by "this", I mean: Valterra T1020-1VP Waste Valve Cap - 3" with Capped 3/4" GHT. $8.50 on Amazon
Nice! I've seen those but haven't wanted to try it on my tank because the air valve is super tiny. I may just have to give it a go sometime and see what happens. Worst thing that happens is me doing a remake of the famous dump station scene from the Robin Williams movie. 😂 -J
Updates! I bought an Onnais lock for my RV. Stellar deal and install was a charm! Loving it so far. I picked up a powered front lift jack (something us non-5th wheel folks need). Can't wait to give that a shot.
Loving the homebrew battery setup. Now that systems like Jackery, Bluetti, Ecoflow, Anker, etc have solar+battery management systems, would you consider using one of those if you had to do it all over again?
Finally-- my gut is telling me Rottweiler + Bluetick. Then again, I'm very wrong on these things. I thought our mutt was a German Shepherd/Whippet mix and he turned out to be Pit/Staffordshire/Husky
Oooo I like the Bluetick guess. That's a new one here in the comments!
Glad you're loving the lock! We've continue to be super happy with ours. I thought i'd have to recharge the batteries by now but I haven't had to do that yet. I will probably do that within the next month or so just for kicks and giggles.
We actually got pitched by Jackery recently but so far all I'm seeing from them are more portable systems. So at the moment I would still go with a built in system. What I love most about our setup is that it simply works. I don't have to switch any switches or worry about whether I'm using something thats 120v or 12v. Everything just works all the time.
The one thing I WOULD do differently is I would have spent a lot more time figuring out a better installation system for the panels themselves. Ours our 100% fixed to the roof and tilt slightly to the rear. I would LOVE to have the ability to tilt them at minimum toward the front and also more toward the back So that i could get better efficiency in the winter....and in Alaska. I'm actually pretty sure my setup is going to struggle a LOT in Alaska simply due to the angle of the sun vs the angle of my panels.
I have considered getting another charge controller and some sort of foldable panels that i can use to help charge our batteries, but as you know...storage is a bit of an issue for us so i'm thinking that probably won't happen before Alaska which is when we'd need it most. lol. -J
@@OpenRoading Very cool. I definitely appreciate the tech/upgrades/DIY content!
@@acatzr800 Just as long as you aren't relying on us for "How-To" you'll be good! 😂 Jerry Rig is my friend more often than he should be. lol -J
So, has Trinity had a chance to play with Leland and Maverick? I’d love to see that on a video. As for her breed, I’m thinking Rottweiler, pit bull, lab. I can’t wait to see her mix. Either way, she’s a beautiful dog! She’s really become family with you two. ❤❤
They will get the chance eventually. At the moment Trinity is not spayed and Leland and Maverick are "in tact." Trinity is just wrapping up her "heat cycle" (this has been a fun comment to write) so in order to make sure 3 dogs don't become 10....we opted to hold off on the introductions. 😂 -J
@@OpenRoading haha. Good call. Although they would be adorable puppies!
@@lauradomenico3264 for sure for sure! -J
I had a good laugh with “heb” vs HEB… so keep them coming!
My Trinity vote is Rottweiler and…. Shepard. Maybe a bit of lab too.
So happy I found you all and happy you found Trinity!
😂 That grocery store will forever be burned in my memory.
I agree on the Rotti and a lot of people are saying Shepard. I don't see that part so I'm really interested to see if so many are seeing something I'm completely missing. (Kinda like the handle on the RV I suppose. 😂) -J
@@OpenRoading how long will it take, do you know?
@@michelle_nolan 2-3 weeks (how's this for a delayed response) 😳 -J
Went sled riding at 115 degrees! A good time .
Oofta! That's hot! It seemed to me like the gypsum there wasn't great for sliding. Was it faster when it got hotter? -J
I love how you were just keeping it real and I enjoyed the box opening montage! Okay so we have a dog named Cookie and she looks a lot like Trinity and she is part Chocolate Lab and part German Pinscher. That is my guess! So are you planning on having a postcard rally after you get back from Alaska, that would be a blast! 😁💗
You can't come unless you have a postcard! 😁
Our club is going to be relatively small and quite spread out (as far away as TURKEY!!!) - so I don't think that will work - but we are wanting to do a few meetups. And, at the moment, if we're ever nearby someone we do make an effort to hang out if we can! We've met two fantastic couples that way already. So...if you don't already follow us on IG - Kalyn keeps things pretty current on there so you'll know the approximate area we're in. (as opposed to on here where we are usually gone by the time you see the video).
Also - if German Pinscher is in there I'm gonna try to remember give ya'll a shout out because you're the only comment I've seen with that guess. -J
Oh gosh! I totally didn't mean an exclusive rally! I was just thinking it might be nice to meet the people in person that help support your journey, and we could meet our favorite UA-camrs... Trinity and Cody.😂
@@DMRSIX We all know who the favorites are 😂 🐕🦺🐰
Trinity looks like a Rottweiler/Shepherd cross. She also likely has some Pit Bull in the mix because just about every stray has some Pit in them these days. She could also be a Boxer/Lab mix. That's technically two guesses but maybe you'll let it slide.
Haha! Perfect! With the guesses coming in I really am getting more and more curious because when I look at each breed I can usually see where the guess is coming from! I'm also curious if she'll be a high percentage of anything in particular or just a crazy mishmash. -J
Trinity looks very similar to our dog that we got from a rescue shelter. Our boy is a terrier mix but there wasn't any specific info on what type of terrier.
One hint about the eye masks. Don't expect them to block out 100% of the light if your eyes are open. You'll probably see light around the nose area or the sides. However, with your eyes closed, they should block out the light so that you can sleep in darkness. They take a while to get used to practice taking a nap with them.
Terrier! I haven't seen that in the guesses yet. That's super interesting! Love it!
I'm intrigued by your suggestion with the eye mask. Do people complain about light coming in with their eyes open? I assumed you closed your eyes with them because I sleep with my eyes closed. I'd be worried that having my eyes open would scratch my eyeballs! 👀 -J
@@OpenRoading Amazon reviews often complain that the eye masks aren't 100% black out, but the directions should tell you that it blocks out the light where your eyes are which is what you want.
@@juliebaird4156 Exactly! -J
Rottweiler and German Shepard
So many of ya'll seeing the shepard in her! I don't see it but as you know...I miss things that are right in front of my face so I'm certainly not going to say that you are wrong. 😂 Can't wait for the results! -J
U know how to do so much on your RV.
Trial and lots of error. LOL -J
She’s best doggie in the world breed.
No lies detected. -J
Shepherd/Rott is my guess.
This is probably the highest combo in this poll! I wouldn't be mad if that was the result. 😁 -J
She looks like she has some Rottweiler.
I agree! I think there is some Rotti in there somewhere. -J
We're Canadian's 🇨🇦 and this is our first time RVing in Texas. If it's wasn't for your video about H.E.B I would have made the same mistake and called it Heb 😂 Thanks for the butt save 😅
LOL!!!!!! You're welcome! It's a service we provide called "learn from our mistakes!" -J
😂
Muts
Part German Shepherd,Short hair
Really looking forward to finding out for sure! -J
She’s 100% love bug!
100% -J
It may take what feels like forever, but if you guys keep this up, you oughta have a few hundred thousand subscribers in no time!
Excited to see your travels on the way to Alaska.
Thanks so much. We've been in a bit of a lull right now where each video does worse than the last but we're gonna keep learning and plugging away! Anytime we get a little discouraged we just remember where the channel was a few months ago. -J
@@OpenRoading Yeah, keep your spirits high. This video kept us interested all the way through, so huge kudos!
@@leroiandmarie Thanks so much! -J
I think she's part Staffordshire terrier.
Ooooo!!! I could see that! -J
We’re hitting the Canadian border about the 1st of June. We have part of Montana and eastern Washington we want to explore before heading into Canada.
Nice! We're hoping to hit up some of the Canadian National Parks in May....but finding places to stay that early is gonna be challenging. Weekends fill up fast once the parks open so getting a spot for a full week is tough! -J
@@OpenRoading We’re saving Jasper and Banff for on the way back. Then to Glacier and into to Idaho for awhile
@@brucefranklin6765 Idaho is underrated! -J
Funny. The wife and I am staying at Holloman AFB today in their FamCamp RV park in Alamogordo NM, stopped by for the misses to see White Sands National Park and to stop by Roswell UFO Museum at the end of our 18-day San Diego to Florida and back. We are primarily BoonDockers, I had to learn to use all the RV hookups like water and electric at all the base and public RV parks since we are not used to using electric for everything. Our rig (imperial outdoors X195) has 1080 Solar and 1280 batteries, 60 Gal Fresh and Grey tanks (No black - have a dry flush system). We actually thought of maybe going full time think to this trip, we have really enjoyed it. In the 4800miles we have travels so far, these last couple weeks, we have averaged 11.4mpg.
That's about where we are on MPG (10ish) and I love hookups....until it's time to leave. I get so used to just packing up like 2 things that when I have to add al the other fooferall we end up not leaving until lunch. 😂 -J
Victron is an awesome choice.
UA-cam education for the win. 😂 I literally had no idea what I was doing when we got the system in 2019 but between youtube and a super helpful couple of employees from Arizona Wind and Sun - I think we really got a good setup.
I see a lot of setups where they have to manually hit switches when they plug in or if they want to use the 120v. etc. It's really nice that this system just works. There's no extra steps to remember to use it. That's what I love most. -J