truckcamper | Mark Marano

#truckcamper

Why I Chose a Ford Transit van to convert into a camper #vanlife

in this (very) long article, i’ll explore why i chose a van for travel rather than another type of camper or rv, and go into the details of the various options i chose that i felt would be best for a campervan when i special ordered a custom built van. i’ll also go into details about the build and decisions i made there to keep things simple and lightweight. i compare my experiences with the van to the previous truck [...]

January 1, 2019

Florida • Palm Harbor

#camper #campervan #ford #fordtransit #homeonwheels #lifeontheroad #rv #rvlife #tinyhome #truck camper #truckcamper #van #vanlife #writing

sleeping under the stars time-lapse [some of the places i slept while living life on the road in 2012]

these are all the star-lapses i shot on the journey i took from chicagoland to california and then to florida, between september and november of 2012

November 18, 2016

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four years ago today [2012.11.14]

i woke up in the guest room at my friend's home in houston. it was nice to have more space than the camper and to have a real shower in the morning. and it was good to see them as i hadn't seen them much after they had moved to houston. i headed east to continue on the drive to florida. i drove most of the day and stopped to meet a friend for dinner who was living in lousiana. we ate at a local place in her town.. it had a nice feel to it and we chatted for a couple hours. it was good to see her and catch up. afterwards, i got on the road and continued east to mississippi, where i spent the night at a rest area.

on this day, i had driven to and through all of the contiguous states in the country that were west of the mississippi river. it had been a ten week long journey by myself, and it was really great to get to see a number of familiar faces on the way home from the west coast. i was almost back to florida and was looking forward to taking a break from driving so much.

,exploremore,adventuremobile,nature,truckcamper,journal,optoutside,rain,liveyouradventure,journey,homeonwheels,stayandwander,exploretocreate,rvlife,wanderlust,rv,hills,driving,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,blog,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,road,freedomvessel,writing

four years ago today [2012.11.11]

i woke up in the rain just west of the missouri border and headed in to explore a green spot on the map before heading south to the ozarks in arkansas on the not so direct route to oklahoma where i would spend the night. i stopped briefly at a park in the green area in missouri where it was really windy before continuing along the drive. i was surprised with steep hills in arkansas where i also encountered a lot of rain again. south of the ozarks, i hopped on the interstate west toward oklahoma and took a road down to a couple of green spots on the map. i found a wide area to the side of the road at one of the green spots where i decided to stop and spend the night. just after i got settled into the camper, i saw flashing lights behind my truck. i didn't really want to deal with being told i couldn't stay there or anything.. luckily they must've been pulling over another car as they left after a little while and didn't bother me. this is one of the times where i would've preferred to be in a large white van as it'd be less obvious than a camper (and i wouldn't have had to go out in the wet or cold morning either), though i'm grateful for being able to sleep in so many places undisturbed on my journey.

,exploremore,adventurelife,nature,truckcamper,journal,offroad,liveyouradventure,canyon,journey,freedomvessel,nationalpark,stayandwander,exploretocreate,wanderlust,optoutside,homeonwheels,starlapse,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,timelapse,vlog,roadtrip,blog,getoutside,nomadiclife,adventuremobile,stars,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,liveoutdoors,writing

four years ago today [2012.11.08]

i awoke overlooking the grand canyon. i recall it being a windy night as i photographed the stars over the moonlit canyon. as dawn broke, i explored the overlooks and saw the park in the morning light.. i hadn't had much time to see it when i arrived the afternoon before.

i then headed south a bit to sedona, and drove down the very bumpy and winding schnebly hill road. this rock road was the worst one on my trip.. i had driven it years before in a car (that was bottoming out) and an suv. i went back to visit as it was such a beautiful area.. though it felt different this time, and was not as exciting as my earlier times there. i had thought of photographing the stars off the rock road, though there were signs saying no camping and it was forecast to rain, so i headed to town for a meal with cactus fries and then kept going. i had photographed the stars there on previous trips (while sleeping uncomfortably in a car) so it wasn't too bad to skip it this trip. i drove north on arizona state route 89a and stopped at the oak creek vista to see the views of the canyon and winding roads below. it was pretty windy up there and rained when i was back on the road. i got on the interstate and made my way east to new mexico. rather than look for a spot on the side of the small road somewhere, i spent the night in a parking lot at a walmart i'd seen right off the interstate.. if this is the time i'm thinking, it was loud with the sounds of noisy diesel truck engines running all night not too far off in the distance. in the morning, i'd make my way over to taos to check out the earthships.

,homeonwheels,timelapse,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,journal,liveyouradventure,canyon,journey,freedomvessel,nationalpark,blog,exploretocreate,rvlife,wanderlust,optoutside,adventuremobile,starlapse,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,stayandwander,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,stars,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.11.05]

i slept in zion canyon under the stars spinning overhead.  i explored more of the park as i hadn't had much time after arriving the afternoon before.  it was a really amazing and beautiful place.  i went on a couple of short hikes in the canyon area and saw trees with brilliant yellow, orange, and red leaves before taking the tunnel east out of the park.  past the tunnel, i was surrounded by nice rock formations on the road toward the east entrance.

i drove back to arizona to check out the north rim of the grand canyon and got there with not much daylight left.  i made it to cape royal and angel's window as the sun was going down.  when i walked out to the first overlook, i remember being struck in awe.  it was so inspiring and magnificent to be there.  it was really silent, the light was beautiful, and there was no one else there.  it was a breathtaking experience.  i took it all in quickly and ran to the next spot before the sun went down.  after i was at the first spot for a little bit, a park ranger came by to say they were closing the main road out in a little while due to the recent fires.

i remember reading one of the signs that really opened my eyes up to how enormous the canyon actually was.  i don't remember the exact numbers it said, though when i read how many miles away some of the features or other side of the canyon was and that the large rock formation that looked like it was right there was also a couple miles away, i was struck in awe just as much as i was (if not more than) by the beauty when i first got out to the angel's window overlook.  it was really amazing how i perceived the sense of scale before and after knowing how far it really was.  i knew the grand canyon was big but wasn't thinking of it when i was memorized by its beauty.  when what looked like was right there was really far away, it meant the canyon and formations were really much deeper and grander than it had first appeared from where i stood.

after it was getting dark, i drove up a little to a nearby overlook where the parking lot was right by the edge, and i set up a time-lapse shot of the stars over the canyon below.

,camplife,adventuremobile,adventurelife,truckcamper,exploretocreate,journal,optoutside,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,freedomvessel,stayandwander,desert,exploremore,rvlife,wanderlust,rv,homeonwheels,driving,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,vlog,roadtrip,blog,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,road,writing

four years ago today [2012.11.02]

i woke up at a very crowded campground this morning and got on the road heading toward the desert. i saw countless windmills along both sides of the interstate.. it was great to see renewable energy becoming more prevalent. i went to palm desert and ended up in the el paseo shopping district where i stopped for a little bit. it was nice to step outside and feel the high energy of the desert heat. the upscale shops in the desert reminded me of when i had visited scottsdale years back. i loved the warm desert colors of all the architecture in palm desert. i looked back at what i wrote this day and it looks like it felt really amazing being in the desert.. some of what i wrote was "even at 89 or 90 degrees i wasn’t sweating! the energy here felt really high! it’s like a celebration of the love of the sun!” i think it felt good to relax in the warmth.. i think i was finally pretty much done with the work project that had dragged on for most of the trip too. after walking around the outdoor shops, i went over to the nearby campground i was staying at and checked in. the campground was filled with palm trees, lined down all the rows of rv spots, though it was a bit loud being right next to the interstate. i'd continue my desert exploration in the morning.

,homeonwheels,camplife,adventurelife,truckcamper,exploretocreate,journal,optoutside,coast,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,freedomvessel,blog,getoutside,exploremore,rvlife,wanderlust,rv,adventuremobile,driving,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,vlog,roadtrip,stayandwander,fog,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.30]

i woke up early parked on the streets of carmel-by-the-sea.. i think there was some noise at night or in the morning from a truck nearby, and i had wanted to leave before anyone noticed i was sleeping in the camper on the street.  i got a sub for breakfast and explored a small beach before going to point lobos.  when i got there, they said there was no entrance fee for walking or biking in but one for driving in.  i parked on the side of california route 1 near other cars a few hundred feet up, grabbed my folding bike and camera, and went in to explore.  it was pretty large and i spent a good while there before heading south.

it was a long day of driving and exploring.  i stopped at some spots in big sur.. it was quite beautiful there with many overlooks of the coast.  i saw a number of antique cars drive by when i was at one of them before heading to hearst castle.  the first friend i met in san francisco had told me it was a neat place to check out though the last tour of the day had already started when i got to the visitor center.  something told me to have a closer look at the photos and postcards in the gift shop when i was about to leave.  as i walked around there, my awareness was all of a sudden drawn to the girl at the cash register.  i felt her energy from where i stood and felt like i could feel what she was really communicating when i heard her speaking.  almost the instant i was drawn to her, she ran her hand through her hair to adjust it, and a split second later i decided i wouldn't talk to her and would get going to cambria.  although i didn't see it, something told me she did that to show me her ring.. i walked around for a few seconds before leaving and noticed she indeed did have something shiny on her left hand.  it was amazing to feel the connection and experience how quickly we can communicate at a higher level through feeling.

it was foggy in cambria.. i explored a spot by the water and checked out a couple empty lots of land that were for sale.  i thought perhaps i could get one to stay between my journeys though i wouldn't have been able to stay long term due to a water shortage in town.

,exploremore,camplife,nature,truckcamper,journal,optoutside,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,freedomvessel,nationalpark,campground,stayandwander,adventuremobile,rvlife,wanderlust,rv,exploretocreate,homeonwheels,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,blog,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.27]

i headed south to pinnacles national park and explored there before going to another campground near the park. i remember it being warm, in the 80's, during my hiking and exploration of the park. i went on a long trail around a lot of the park.. it was interesting to wander there and see its unique landscape. near the end of my hike, i found a cave which was pitch black in some parts. it was interesting to be walking through and not be able to see a thing, only hearing water running inside and feeling the cool air, as i found my way to the next room/area inside. it must be an amazing experience to be exploring some of the really large, deep caves in the world and turn off your lights and just sit and experience the silence and darkness in such a remote place.

the campground i went to had a whole section that was empty. i picked a spot out there and had the whole place to myself. i'd be staying a couple nights and working on the computer most of the time so it was nice to be somewhere quiet.

,exploremore,adventuremobile,adventurelife,truckcamper,exploretocreate,journal,liveyouradventure,journey,freedomvessel,nationalpark,roadtrippin,stayandwander,hyperlapse,rvlife,wanderlust,optoutside,homeonwheels,starlapse,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,timelapse,vlog,roadtrip,blog,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,stars,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.24]

the odometer on my truck crossed 20000 miles on the way to see the giant sequoias. before the visit to giant sequoia national park, i hadn't seen these massive trees in person. the trees had a different feel to them than the redwoods. my heart felt more connected to the redwoods, though i still loved being in the presence of these giants. exploring the park, i saw a little snow on the ground and on the distant mountains. at another spot in the park, it was interesting to see little bits of the ground on fire and learn that the trees need the fire as part of their growth (and when the fires were being put out by man, the the trees didn't reproduce or grow like they previously had).

after seeing some of the trees near the entrance of the park, i made my way into kings canyon and took the road all the way to the end. i explored, saw some waterfalls, and then found a spot to photograph the stars from inside the canyon before it got dark. it felt pretty remote being surrounded by nature in the canyon.. it was another amazing place to spend the night sleeping under the stars. i'm grateful for having chosen a self-contained rv that i could use to live life on the road from. i had thought of lots of different options, such as getting a motorhome and having a smaller car for wandering, or a truck with a tow-behind or fifth wheel camper, though none of these would've made it easy to stay in beautiful places in nature, nor would it have been fun to have to drive all the way back to the campground every day. with the truck camper, it was nice to just pick up and go from wherever i was. everything was there with me on my home on wheels and i didn't have to look back.

,exploremore,stars,adventurelife,nature,truckcamper,exploretocreate,journal,liveyouradventure,journey,roadtrippin,stayandwander,adventuremobile,fallfoliage,wanderlust,optoutside,homeonwheels,starlapse,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,timelapse,vlog,lake,roadtrip,blog,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,tahoe,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.21]

sleeping under the stars at lake tahoe, i woke up in the morning to explore a little before making my way to a campground not that far away. it was windy that day with small white crests on the lake’s water. along the highway to the campground i saw more yellow-leaved trees. it was nice to get to experience a bit of the fall weather after just having been in summer temperatures a couple or few days earlier. when checking in at the campground, the girl said we'd be getting a little snow though it wasn't going to stick. being that it'd be near or below freezing, i didn't leave my water hose hooked up overnight. the spot i stayed at was interesting.. it was a big parking area next to large rocks. i went for a bike ride to a pond at the campground and recall it being pretty cold. i don't recall what else i did.. perhaps i worked on the computer or just stayed inside the camper for warmth.

#lifeontheroad #homeiswhereyouparkit #truckcamper #journey #travel #roadtrip #journal #vlog #blog #city #urban #overlook #exploremore #getoutside #wanderlust #optoutside #exploretocreate #liveoutdoors #stayandwander #homeonwheels #liveyouradventure #roadtrippin #nomadiclife #freedomthinkers #adventurelife #discovertheroad #rvlife #freedomvessel #adventuremobile #adventureculture

four years ago today [2012.10.18]

having spent the night in a suburban area, i woke up before the sun rose and quietly left. to stay more discreet, i hadn't popped up the top of the camper.. this is one of the times where a plain looking van would've blended in better, though i didn't have any issue. i explored a little of the east side of the bay and then took one of the bridges back west. on my way to san francisco, i stopped at a hobby shop to replace the broken propellor for the model i crashed three days earlier. in san francisco i explored a few of the parks in the middle of the city that had nice panoramic views of the surrounding neighborhoods and city. i never knew these existed and hadn't seen them during my first visit. it was neat to check them out and explore somewhere a bit different than the typical tourist attractions. after seeing a few of them, i headed to a camera shop downtown to check out a used lens before meeting a friend who worked in town. i checked out the event venue where she worked and then we went to the source, a vegetarian restaurant, for dinner. while there, i ordered an elixir, divine guidance, and felt like i was receiving the guidance or inspiration during our great conversation. it was great to see my friend.. it had been years since we'd seen each other before that. i gave her a ride home back across the bay.. she said it was a safe area so i stayed in the camper on the street there (though didn't pop the top). before getting to sleep (and the next morning), i wrote some insights and feelings i was experiencing. it was awesome to feel more aware, present, in the moment, and be able to feel and understand more deeply.

,lifeontheroad,homeiswhereyouparkit,truckcamper,journey,travel,roadtrip,journal,vlog,blog,nature,coast,ocean,kiteaerialphotography,waves,timelapse,hyperlapse,exploremore,getoutside,wanderlust,optoutside,exploretocreate,liveoutdoors,stayandwander,homeonwheels,liveyouradventure,roadtrippin,nomadiclife,freedomthinkers,adventurelife,discovertheroad

four years ago today [2012.10.15]

waking to the sounds of the pacific ocean waves crashing into the rocks and cliff below was nice. i had breakfast and took some shots of the waves before continuing south to explore the coast. before stopping to explore a state park, i saw really beautiful rays of sunlight coming through the tunnel of trees that surrounded the pacific coast highway. at the park, i attempted to fly a radio controlled powered parachute model though only got it in the air for a few seconds before it crashed.. i was having difficulty hand-launching it and when it actually took flight, i think i quickly cut back on the throttle so it wouldn't go too high or far, and it went right into a tree. it was a bit disappointing that i had yet to have an actual flight (let alone get any photos with it) after having spent so long researching and building it. i had hoped to have an alternate option to kite aerial photography for when there wasn't enough wind to fly (this was before quadcopter drones were readily available).

after leaving the park, i found more spots along the coast to check out and saw whales in the distance from one of the overlooks. the coast was really beautiful.. i could've spent much more time there, though was going to my first campground in california that evening. on the way inland, i took a long, winding road through the hills in sonoma county. it was quite beautiful and desolate, yet also another fun drive with plenty of steep inclines and descents (and countless curves).. some of the slopes measured 7 or 8 degrees (a 14% or 16% grade). at times the truck was all of a sudden rapidly accelerating down the curves at near 60 mph.. the serene drive could quickly turn into one needing focused attention to keep the truck under control. near the end, i found a park with a view of lake sonoma where there was a lot of wind, so i grabbed my kite for a quick aerial photography flight.. having launched from a small lookout tower with no room to walk down the kite, i recall it being difficult to bring down with winds pulling so hard. afterwards, i drove a little further and spent the evening at a campground near cloverdale.

,mountain,exploremore,adventurelife,truckcamper,journal,roadtrippin,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,homeonwheels,blog,exploretocreate,wanderlust,optoutside,adventuremobile,starlapse,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,timelapse,vlog,roadtrip,stayandwander,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,stars,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,freedomthinkers,nature,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.12]

i awoke in the middle of the night on mount shasta.. i had a dream where it felt like someone was coming into my camper through the tent material and attacking me or something (or perhaps this was the dream that woke me a couple weeks earlier in an indian reservation.. whatever the exact dream on mount shasta was, i do recall it being strong and feeling like it was happening in real life and i woke up). i suppose the high energy of mount shasta was helping me work through my fears.. or i was picking up on the energy of those sleeping at the other side of the parking lot. earlier, i had heard one of them talking about some fears or energies they were facing. i got up, stopped my time-lapse, and drove to the spot i had seen just down the road on my way up. i'd thought of photographing the stars there (and may have wanted to wake up to move) so it all worked out that i was able to do so. in the morning, i shot a time-lapse of the sun revealing mount shasta before leaving. on the way down to lower elevation, i drove into the clouds. it was awesome to be sitting above the clouds while on the mountain.. it was sunny there and cloudy in the town and area below.

after stopping to check out some crystal bowls in town, i headed south and stopped at a trader joe's in redding. i remember the cashier being nice.. i didn't have lots of interactions with others on the road and it was good to encounter nice people when i did. i then headed west toward redwood national park. it was a long winding drive toward the coast and part of it was under construction.. i took a short cut through a narrow, winding, bumpy dirt road over the hills in an indian reservation. just outside there was the edge of the park. i was going to go down a road to part of the backcountry i'd researched, though the gate at the entrance was locked.. it looked like i had to have called ahead to get a key or code, or the hours/days open had changed or something, so i went to a nearby overlook. it was going to be dark soon so i parked on the side of the road a little further up and spent the night there. i'd be seeing the tall trees in the morning.

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four years ago today [2012.10.09]

i explored a little bit more of the dunes before heading inland.  i saw some vehicles driving up and over the dunes.. it looked like it would've been fun, though i'm not sure if taking my stock truck with the camper up on them would be the best idea (and i had a bit of a drive ahead of me that day).

i was on my way to crater lake national park, and then to california the next day.  i think i had first seen photos of crater lake not too long before taking this trip.. it may have been when i saw someone i knew from a long time ago post a picture on a social network.  it was one of those spots i never realized was there until i researched it after seeing what it looked like in the photo.. it then was on the back burner as a place to check out at some point.

i made it to crater lake with some daylight still left to explore.. at one of the first overlooks, i met a girl who had just decided to drive south from seattle or something with her dog.  we took pictures of each other with the lake in the background and chatted for a minute.. had i been more spontaneous, i could’ve asked if she wanted to explore together or join me for dinner, though i was thinking too much about seeing the park quickly before heading to california the following day.  after seeing some of the overlooks near the lake, i decided to drive all around the whole park and go all the way out to the pinnacles overlook.  it was dark by the time i made it back around.. i found an overlook where i could see a nice view of the lake and wizard island from my truck, and i set up a shot of the stars overnight.  i think it was here that i lost one of the ball heads for a tripod.. it was strange, there was no sign of it anywhere that night or the next morning.  luckily i had more than one and was still able to get a great shot.

,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,journal,water,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,roadtrippin,fromabove,ocean,exploretocreate,rvlife,wanderlust,optoutside,stayandwander,homeonwheels,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,blog,sand,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,lifeontheroad,beach,kiteaerialphotography,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.06]

i spent the day exploring the oregon coast. i could've stayed here for weeks or months.. there were so many beautiful overlooks to be seen and places to wander on the coast. i flew my kite at cannon beach and shortly after it was in the air, it went crashing into the ocean. thankfully, i had the waterproof gopro on it and not another camera. i fished the kite out of the waves and water (which was a good bit of effort if i recall), and i took it to a local kite shop to be sewn back up where the spar had poked through. i remember the guy there told a story of how his car broke down at cannon beach and he took that as a sign of where he should stay (when he was wandering without destination). later in the afternoon, on my way toward the next campground, i found a spot where i decided to record the waves coming in for a while. it was so nice to be by the water in someplace beautiful. i got to the campground, and was able to walk across the road from there right to the beach.. i watched the sun set and saw a winding path that you could take to drive down to the beach. either that evening or the next morning i decided i'd take it the next day.

,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,journal,water,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,roadtrippin,campground,ocean,adventuremobile,rvlife,wanderlust,optoutside,exploretocreate,homeonwheels,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,blog,stayandwander,sand,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,lifeontheroad,beach,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.03]

i noticed little bits of frost or ice on the ground when i woke up this morning in a quiet area that was part of olympic national park. it was a little exciting to see it, though having lived in florida half my life, i greatly preferred warmer temperatures. i headed back toward the coast and made it to the first campground by the ocean this day.

right behind the campground was a long path that led to the beach. when stepping onto the sand and walking towards the ocean, the beach seemed to go on forever before getting to the water. it was pretty amazing to experience walking a long way to the water (after a long walk to the sand) on a desolate beach with no one else around. the tide came in pretty far too as the waves washed ashore. i had never seen a beach so wide. i went back to the water again when the sun was going down. it was probably pretty chilly though nice to be surrounded by the ocean, beach, and wide open natural land. somewhere natural and beautiful on the water was definitely a place i could stay for a while. i had been looking forward to exploring the pacific coast on this journey and was glad to have discovered and experienced this spot.

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four years ago today [2012.09.30]

this was a slow day. i went with my friend to town in the morning for breakfast.. we were gonna spend a while at a local coffee shop in town, though had to cut the trip short when we remembered that we had left the neighbor's water running to fill the tank where my friend was housesitting. back there, i spent most of the day working on the computer and my friend ran a couple of errands. it was nice to get to use a real shower where my friend was housesitting, though i had to keep it short since their well had run dry or something that they had to borrow the water from the neighbors. it was a really beautiful area in this part of washington.. the mountain range was visible nearby and there was a rural feel to the homes that were just up the road from town.

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four years ago today [2012.09.27]

sleeping under the stars, i awoke in the forest to the sounds of the river below with a view of the cascades in the distance. it was amazing to wake up in such beautiful places in the middle of nature. this was definitely one of my favorite parts of living life on the road.

after leaving the forest, it was either pretty foggy or smoky. i headed west and spent a night at another campground before i'd be taking the ferry toward the coast the following day. i went for a walk and explored the path that went to a creek behind the campground while there. i had a nice wooded spot in the back, though it was a little loud being right by the interstate.. just a little bit different than the nice morning in the forest. if you live in a city or haven't been out to nature in a while, make some time to go soon.. it's so calming and healing, and just beautiful and amazing to be somewhere so peaceful, quiet, and natural.

,f150,exploremore,truckcamper,journal,park,water,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,roadtrippin,campground,bay,adventuremobile,rvlife,wanderlust,rv,homeonwheels,driving,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,vlog,roadtrip,blog,stayandwander,getoutside,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,fourwheelcampers,road,writing

four years ago today [2012.09.24]

waking up on the side of the road, i went for a ride shortly after the sun rose. there was a nice haze and fog in the early morning. i parked next to a field for breakfast and then headed over to a nearby park. i either took a nap or worked on the computer before going for a walk. after exploring the park and adjacent bridge, i headed over to the campground i'd be staying at for a couple of nights.

it looks like i spent a good number of nights at the campgrounds once i got to washington.. i don't recall if i needed to work a lot and was there for the internet and a place i could sleep undisturbed, or if i wanted to just check out the various campgrounds and see what life there would be like before heading to the coast to explore. it was probably a combination of both.. when planning my route to the west coast, i was thinking of heading towards most of the campgrounds as i made my way around.

,mountains,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,exploretocreate,journal,discovertheroad,park,trees,switchbacks,liveyouradventure,journey,offroad,stayandwander,dirtroad,hyperlapse,wanderlust,homeonwheels,driving,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,timelapse,vlog,roadtrip,blog,getoutside,liveoutdoors,switchback,lifeontheroad,road,writing

four years ago today [2012.09.21]

i left the campground and filled up one of the containers of propane for the first time. it'd be good to have it ready to go so i could easily switch it out if the current one ran out again when it was cold. i then headed back east towards the north cascades to sauk mountain. it was a bumpy, winding switchback dirt road up to the top. i don't remember if the girl i had run into a couple days before told me about it or if i had found out from someone else or just seen it on the map. it was pretty steep and a bit of journey to get up and down it. on the way up, i got 4.1 mpg and on the way down 44.4 mpg. on the way down, i had the truck in 2nd or 3rd gear in 4x4 low so i wouldn't have to brake most of the way. at the parking lot up top, i could see the peaks of nearby mountains over the top of the low clouds.

i then headed back west and north toward the canadian border. in the middle of the day i discovered that most of my electrical components were not received power. it was a friday and i didn't know if i'd be able to get ahold of the camper manufacturer or dealer. i had just bought a lot of refrigerated food, and ended up drinking a lot of carrot juice that day or the next. i didn't know what was wrong and if i was going to have to find some place to get it fixed while on my trip. luckily i heard back from the dealer the next day who said it might be the gfi switch that got bumped. i didn't even know there was a switch at the bottom of the breaker box, though it did the trick. something must've hit it on the way up or down the winding switchbacks. i ended up staying at a rest area a little south of the border, and wrote about my frustrations of being on the road (and life) that evening. there was certainly a bit of a learning experience to be had when traveling across the country in a camper.

#lifeontheroad #homeiswhereyouparkit #truckcamper #journey #travel #roadtrip #journal #vlog #blog #driving #road #nature #haze #smoke #mountains #cascades #trees #park #stars #starlapse #timelapse #exploremore #getoutside #wanderlust #exploretocreate #liveoutdoors #stayandwander #homeonwheels #liveyouradventure #discovertheroad

four years ago today [2012.09.18]

after spending a couple nights at the first campground on the trip, i was back on the road. i stopped at a town up the road, wenatchee, and discovered a nice little local grocery store. it had lots of healthy and specialty foods that i’d never seen before. i ended up trying quite a bit and liked most, if not all, of what i had discovered. there was a really nice girl who worked there that told me about a good hike to lake ann when i mentioned heading over to the north cascades national park. i didn’t end up going to that part of the park though it was nice to meet friendly people along my journey.

on the way to the park, i saw lots of haze and smoke from recent fires. when getting up into higher elevations, i began to find some breathtaking views of the mountains, some of which still had a little snow or ice on them. after leaving an overlook, i kept heading down the road to see what else i would find. i wanted to stop at a nice spot where i could photograph the stars over the mountains. i almost regretted leaving the area where i was as i wasn’t seeing anything for a while. a bit later, i found one spot along the side of the road a little later though it wasn’t quite what i was looking for.. less than ten minutes up the road, i found a nice spot overlooking ross lake just as the day was ending. i spent the night here sleeping under the stars.

#lifeontheroad #homeiswhereyouparkit #truckcamper #journey #travel #roadtrip #journal #vlog #blog #driving #nature #exploremore #getoutside #wanderlust #ontheroad #optoutside #roadtrippin #exploretocreate #liveoutdoors #stayandwander #camplife #homeonwheels #park #rvlife #adventurelife #discovertheroad #hyperlapse #nomadiclife #nationalforest #trees

four years ago today [2012.09.15]

i woke up this day at the rest stop just over the oregon border and explored some of eastern oregon. i had never been to this part of the state and it was very different than the northwestern part i'd previously seen.. it had a very dry feel to it like the states i had just been in. perhaps it was due to the drought that year, though there still seemed to be a different feeling in the air.. i recall signs of or the feel of old western culture like i'd seen in some places on the way there.

i drove through a national forest or two, and made a couple short stops there on my way to washington. the day before i had booked my first campground stay, and i made it almost all the way there after leaving oregon. i slept on the side of the road a little over half an hour away. after ten days on the road, it was going to be nice to take a little break the following day.

,camplife,nature,truckcamper,journal,ontheroad,park,liveyouradventure,waterfall,yellowstone,homeonwheels,nationalpark,blog,exploremore,rvlife,wanderlust,optoutside,geyser,exploretocreate,driving,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,vlog,roadtrippin,roadtrip,stayandwander,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,lifeontheroad,journey,writing

four years ago today [2012.09.12]

i woke up at dawn and headed into yellowstone national park. i think i was told it'd take eight hours to drive the whole loop though decided to do it anyway. i think i stopped at most of the main locations around the loop for at least a little bit. at one of the areas i decided to go on a hike down a trail where i only saw one other person. part of me was a little concerned as there could be bears in the area, though i had no encounters or issues. it ended up being nice exploring an area that felt pretty remote as most spots in the park had other tourists.

i made it around the loop and to old faithful around dusk. someone had said it wasn't going to be that long for it to go off, so i walked around and waited a bit. it was getting really cold and was pretty dark, though after having waited so long already, i figured i might as well stay as it couldn't be that much longer. i ended up waiting over an hour for it to go off. it was pretty neat and went really high in the air.

freezing after having waited so long for the old faithful geyser at yellowstone to off, i spent the night in the parking lot there. i think there were signs saying no overnight parking or camping or something, and i had seen buffalo wandering in a nearby parking lot, so i kept the top down and slept on the roll over couch rather than the bed over the cab. i was still on my first propane tank and had wondered how long it would last. this night, the coldest night of life on the road so far, i found out what happened when it ran out. in the middle of the night i woke up hearing the heater just clicking every so often like it was trying to start but not igniting. most of my bedding was up under the closed pop up top.. i only had one small blanket and it was below freezing outside. i didn't go outside to figure out how to switch out the tank and just tried to stay warm and make it through the night. the next morning, the temperature was well below freezing, something like 21 or 23 degrees.

badlands,bison,blog,buffalo,camper,camping,cave,driving,f150,fordf150,fourwheelcampers,homeiswhereyouparkit,hyperlapse,instagram,journal,journey,lifeontheroad,nationalpark,nature,overlook,park,roadtrip,rockformations,rv,starlapse,stars,timelapse,travel,truckcamper,vlog,wildlife,writing

four years ago today [2012.09.09]

on this morning i woke up on sheep mountain table in the badlands. i had spent the night sleeping under the stars with my camera photographing them all night. i explored the area a little more before continuing on my journey west. when planning the route toward washington, i decided to zig-zag my way across the map so i could visit all the northern states on the way there. this day i took a slight detour out of south dakota into nebraska. i would look for green spots on the map to go visit. after either having lunch or a bathroom break at one of these green spots in nebraska, i headed back to south dakota on the way towards wyoming.

while in nebraska, i learned that the google maps app on my old phone might know better than me. i had seen what looked like a shortcut that it wasn't telling me to take. when i attempted to follow this road, the dirt path went up a pretty steep hill in the middle of what seemed to be a field. i decided to try to follow it anyway as i had already started going that way.. i ended up having to put my truck into 4x4 low and then go up backwards back over the hill just to get out when i saw there wasn't a road or path on the other side.

i explored a couple places along my route in south dakota and decided to check out wind's cave national park when i saw it on the map. i took a tour in one of the caves, and then drove up through one of the nearby state parks where i saw some more buffalo that were also right on the road like in the badlands. i wanted to make my way towards devil's tower to photograph the stars over it, though i recall it being a bit of a drive and i think i was getting tired plus i didn't know if i was going to be able to find a spot with a good view that i could park at all night. i'm glad i decided to keep going and made it there.. when i arrived, i found a spot along the side of the road just outside the national monument with a clear shot of the tower.

#lifeontheroad #homeiswhereyouparkit #truckcamper #rv #camper #camping #journey #travel #roadtrip #journal #vlog #blog #fourwheelcampers #fourwheelcamper #fwc #fordf150 #ford #f150 #driving #road #westward #headingwest #goingwest #freedomthinkers #exploremore #wanderlust #ontheroad #getoutside #optoutside #roadtrippin #writing

four years ago today [2012.09.06]

on this day i was about to embark on a journey across the country, one without a date to return home.  my home would be my pop-up truck camper as i began life on the road.  it was a new chapter in this adventure called life.

summer was almost over.  i had been helping a friend with his startup company since i left florida the end of may, much longer than anticipated.  i wanted to get on the road west weeks earlier to have plenty of time to explore before it got too cold in the northern states.  i planned out the first 10 days from chicagoland to the first campground i'd be staying at in washington, and figured i'd make my way towards the coast after that, though had no other plans set in stone.

i felt i might not want to leave once i got to california.  i had been there once before, nearly a decade earlier.  i recall sensing the beautiful, relaxed feeling in the air when i first arrived.  it was quite unlike florida.. perhaps it was because i was on vacation someplace new, though there was still something about it that felt different.  the nature was quite striking and there was so much of it.  i'd been to washington and oregon a couple times after my first trip to california, and also appreciated the landscapes found there.  i was excited to be heading out west and getting to explore the middle states of the country i'd never yet seen.  something about the wide open land always called to me.

Full Tour of Four Wheel Campers Keystone pop-up truck camper (2011) including mods/hacks, slideshow

UPDATE: my camper has been sold. the Camper Dolly is available For Sale & my Camper Van is available For Sale.

** UPDATE ** read why i chose a Camper Van Conversion after having this truck camper here: markmarano.com/2019/01/01/why-i-chose-a-ford-transit-van-to-convert-into-a-camper-vanlife/

To watch on youtube, click on this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4oFCYPtEx8

This is a detailed tour + demo of the Keystone pop-up truck camper I had custom built by Four Wheel Campers in 2011. I go over all of the built-in features, custom added equipment, and modifications/hacks/tweaks I made to it. It is currently available for sale (in Florida) with a custom built dolly and tripod jacks. If you’d like to purchase it (or know someone who does), you can reach me by sending me a message at the following link:

markmarano.com/contact

UPDATE: my camper has been sold. the Camper Dolly is available For Sale & my Camper Van is available For Sale.

** UPDATE ** read why i chose a Camper Van Conversion after having this truck camper here: markmarano.com/2019/01/01/why-i-chose-a-ford-transit-van-to-convert-into-a-camper-vanlife/

Here’s a link to a very long, detailed article I wrote about why I chose this camper and truck after doing lots of research on various rv options:

markmarano.com/2012/01/11/why-i-chose-a-four-wheel-campers-keystone-truck-camper-and-a-4x4-ford-f-150-supercab-heavy-duty-truck-with-ecoboost

Here’s an interview I did with Truck Camper Magazine about my journeys in this truck camper:

truckcampermagazine.com/camper-lifestyle/mark-marano-roam-free

At these links you’ll find videos of my 72 day “life on the road” journey out west, from Chicagoland to California and then to Florida:

markmarano.com/what/truckcamperfilms/

youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYlEKn8xkNmVcJzBPGDznWUqHbu51wGC3

Here’s a faster version of all those videos combined into one:

youtu.be/kUVuTyxuVXU

Here are just the time-lapses (mostly of the stars) from the videos:

youtu.be/w02JSdm4bJw

This is a time-lapse video of the removal of the bolted-down camper from the truck:

youtu.be/zYlaydCjP7Q

More I’ve written about my truck camper and photos can be found here:

markmarano.com/what/truck-camper/

Sped-up 1 minute instagram versions of the truck camper life on the road videos can be found at the following link along with some writing about each day:

markmarano.com/what/truckcamper+instagram/

To see my photos, videos, writings, perspectives, etc, visit:

www.markmarano.com

here are details of the price and components it has:

markmarano.com/2017/03/11/2011-four-wheel-campers-keystone-pop-up-truck-camper-fully-loaded/

thanks for watching! please share with anyone who might be interested.

UPDATE: my camper has been sold. the Camper Dolly is available For Sale & my Camper Van is available For Sale.

** UPDATE ** read why i chose a Camper Van Conversion after having this truck camper here: markmarano.com/2019/01/01/why-i-chose-a-ford-transit-van-to-convert-into-a-camper-vanlife/

#truck camper #truckcamper

,homeonwheels,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,journal,water,liveyouradventure,journey,freedomvessel,blog,gulf,exploretocreate,rvlife,wanderlust,optoutside,adventuremobile,driving,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,stayandwander,sand,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,beach,writing

four years ago today [2012.11.16]

in a parking lot near the gulf in florida, i woke up this morning before dawn and continued driving east along the coast.  i saw the beautiful colors of the dawn sky while driving over a bridge, and briefly stopped at a little beach further up before the road would turn inland.  i then drove most of the day and made it home in the middle of the afternoon.

life on the road was a 72 day long journey and i ended up back in florida when it was over.  it was a fun adventure though i really wanted to have a home base, and after having left a beautiful community that felt like home in the summer, i also had longed for one to partake in.  i felt i'd find this back in florida.

for a long time i had wanted to take a long trip out west and get an rv.  it was awesome to see it actually happen.  it feels good to live your dreams and change your life.  if you're not where you want to be in life, simply change.  you may have to face things you are resisting, though once you feel them and embrace them, you'll see they really are no big deal and you can let them go, freeing up room for whatever is next in your journey.

it feels good to be done with these videos and free up the space for whatever is next in life.  for a long time, i wanted to make these, though something always got in the way, even if it was my own self.  in life we often get in our own way.  the way to stop doing it is to face whatever it is that's really there with an open heart.  we can heal our own lives.. often so much of what's happening in life that's getting in the way is really something pretty simple that we don't want to experience.  all we need to do is feel it, own it, and let it go.  the world we experience is simply a mirror of our own thoughts and feelings.  as we learn to face and experience what we're resisting, we can change how we're feeling.  as we change our feelings, we transform.  as we transform, the world we see transforms.  this is how we create the world we want to see and experience.. by simply changing how we're feeling.  you too can create the life or world you've been waiting for.. it all starts by changing what you're feeling within.

four years ago today [2012.11.13]

i spent the night in the guest room at my uncle and aunt's home in austin. after being in the small camper for many nights, it was nice to have a bit more space to move about. in the morning we went to a local place for breakfast, and i remember my uncle telling me about a comic book project he was working on. it was nice to see them and chat for a bit in the morning. i left in the middle of the day to meet a home builder in a town a little east of there whom specialized in concrete earth-sheltered homes. i saw one of the houses he had built and learned about the technique.

i then made my way over to the houston area where i met a couple friends. it had been a while since i'd seen them and it was nice to see them on my way back to florida. my friend showed me his delorean which he didn't have there when i had visited a few years earlier. it looked great.. he had kept it in really good condition. he told me a story of how he took it to a drive-thru and was stuck with his arm out the little window unable to get the big drink he ordered in. we had pizza for dinner and talked or watched tv for a little while, and i spent the night in their guest room. again, it was nice to get a little bit of a break from the small space of the camper.

,tumbleweed,exploremore,adventurelife,truckcamper,journal,optoutside,driving,liveyouradventure,journey,freedomvessel,rural,stayandwander,adventuremobile,wanderlust,rv,exploretocreate,homeonwheels,homeiswhereyouparkit,country,travel,vlog,roadtrip,blog,hay,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,road,writing

four years ago today [2012.11.10]

as the sun was rising, i woke up on the side of a dirt road just off u.s. highway 50 in eastern colorado. when driving east the night before, i remember going on a continual descent as i was leaving the rockies. this day was one of the longest days driving. i drove from the time i got up to the time i went to sleep, only making short stops to eat, use the bathroom, or get gas. it was a really long drive heading east across the whole state, though i got to see tumbleweed tumble across the country highway. when i stopped at dusk for the evening, i was only 10-15 miles from the missouri border, and it was almost exactly ten hours from when i had started in the morning.

somewhere in kansas, i got pulled over by a police officer or state trooper.. it was strange as i wasn't speeding (most of the time i'd only drive 50-55mph to get better gas mileage, though sometimes would go faster if i was on a descent or getting tired of driving or something). i asked if i had missed a stop sign or something.. he stopped me as he had read the digits on my license plate incorrectly when he was randomly checking it and thought it was an invalid plate. luckily it didn't take long for him to check my registration and verify it was valid.. i grabbed a clif bar and had a snack while i waited. some days on the road i would eat more than one bar or other little snacks to keep me going while driving or exploring and wouldn't really have actual meals. since i had a lot of time after it got dark early on these shorts days, i probably would at least make a sandwich or cook soup or something when stopping for the night. it was a little more difficult stopping early as more people would still be driving around as they were heading home from work or errands or whatnot, and i preferred not to be noticed sleeping on the sides of the road. luckily, i wasn't bothered and not too many people usually went by in the spots i stayed.

,homeonwheels,timelapse,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,journal,offroad,liveyouradventure,canyon,journey,freedomvessel,nationalpark,blog,exploretocreate,wanderlust,optoutside,adventuremobile,starlapse,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,stayandwander,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,stars,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.11.07]

i woke up in the middle of nowhere. the night before i had driven into grand staircase-escalante national monument. i wanted to check out an arch in the park and perhaps thought i could photograph the stars under it. when mapping my route, i figured i'd go through the park and make my way to arizona. after driving an hour down a long, bumpy, winding dirt road up, down, and around the park, sometimes right at the edge of steep cliffs, i came to a closed gate in the direction i wanted to go. i decided to spend the night there and head back in the morning. it was really cold this morning, in the 20's. previously having thought i would only have 30 more miles to the highway from where i woke up, i had to back track hours out of the way to get on the route to my next destination. i found cattle walking up a steep hill on my way out. close to the entrance i found the arch i hadn't seen in the pitch dark night.

after making it out, i drove through the neighboring kodachrome state park, which was quite beautiful.. i found a huge rock formation that i parked my truck next to for a photo. i decided to stop at bryce canyon to have another look as it was now on the way back. after, i drove through the same road i had the day before, and ended up seeing one section three times as i had passed through that area both on my way in and out of the grand canyon. had i known i couldn't make it through grand staircase-escalante, i probably would've changed the order of my itinerary or where i was going, though the experience was all part of the adventure and it was nice to get to see what i did. in arizona, i had a quick look at glen canyon dam and i was pleasantly surprised with a really nice view and drive going down echo cliffs via antelope pass. i made it to the south rim of the grand canyon in the afternoon with enough time to explore a little bit before the sun went down. i found a spot at an overlook where i could photograph the stars over the canyon. i remember waiting a little bit to pop the top as other cars were still in the parking lot, though finally did after a while and think others also spent the night there.

,homeonwheels,timelapse,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,journal,liveyouradventure,journey,freedomvessel,nationalpark,blog,desert,exploretocreate,rvlife,wanderlust,optoutside,adventuremobile,starlapse,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,stayandwander,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,stars,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.11.04]

i woke up in the mojave desert this morning.  i had backed into a small area i had seen off the side of the road the night before.  after a little bumpiness getting out, i went further into the desert to explore.  i saw joshua trees and shot a 360 degree rotating video clip like i had experimented with the day before.

i then continued along past the mojave and entered nevada.  i was on my way out of california.  this was day 60 of my journey of life on the road, and i had spent the past 3.5 weeks exploring california.  at some point i decided i was going back to florida.  i'd been wanting to find some land and it was expensive in california.  and the truck camper was feeling too small for full time living.. i think it would've been a big help if i had a better shower that i didn't have to set up each time i used it and wasn't carrying as much gear with me.  i also wanted to be part of a community again and knew people back in florida, including an old friend in need of help.

i had planned out a path zig-zagging my way through all the remaining contiguous states west of the mississippi that i hadn't yet taken my truck camper to.  i had to make it quickly as i was going to be flying to chicago to help my friend with his business after i got home.. at some point on my journey home he ended up pushing back the date as he was moving.  had i known ahead of time, i would've taken a little longer to travel back east.. like the journey west, i did find myself rushing to make it across the country.  some days i drove pretty much all day.

in nevada, i drove down part of the las vegas strip and i think i stopped for a sub after.  i then headed to zion national park.  i'd never been to utah and was excited to check it out.  i briefly passed through arizona on the way there though would be back the next day to explore it.  i made it to zion in the afternoon and explored during the little daylight that remained.  it was really beautiful and definitely one of the places i could've stayed longer.  i found a spot where i had a great view of the stars over one of the rock formations towering above where i was in the canyon below.

,homeonwheels,urban,camplife,adventurelife,truckcamper,exploretocreate,journal,optoutside,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,freedomvessel,blog,border,exploremore,rvlife,wanderlust,rv,adventuremobile,driving,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,vlog,roadtrip,stayandwander,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.11.01]

in the morning i headed to the southwesternmost point of the contiguous united states at international park. this border park was quite different than the one i'd seen earlier at the canadian border.. there were two large fences that ran along the border and it was very desolate and being actively patrolled. my family (whom watches the news and lives in fear) had told me about americans being be-headed in tijuana shortly before i was in southern california.. i think this led me to have the thought of what if someone would be shooting across the border from one of the buildings right there. i was a little worried and afraid as i walked the long road from the parking lot outside the park toward the beach.. it seemed to be a really long walk when i was on the part of the road that was a straight shot south to the border for half a mile. at some point, after nothing happening, i was totally fine and wasn't worried about anything happening to me, despite being right by the border for a while. it's funny how one little thought in the mind can make you feel like that, and how social conditioning and negative influences affect so many people without them even realizing it. as we continue to embrace and let go of our own programming, we discover true freedom and a sense of who we really are.

on the way to the border park, i had stopped to look at a shop that built a specialty camper roof for a couple suv's. i'd never seen one in person and wanted to check out what it was like.. i had written ahead of time though most of them weren't there and they didn't have a completed one that day so i could only see a bit of their building process. after going to the border park, i headed north to san diego along coronado island where i stopped for a little bit. i took the bridge into san diego and explored a garden near the zoo where i saw lots of unique desert plants. i then went to a park by the marina where i saw the sun set before meeting a friend who lived nearby for dinner.. it was nice to chat and catch up. after dinner, i drove a while up to a campground close to (or part of) the los angeles metro area.

four years ago today [2012.10.29]

i was on my way back to the coast this day.  i went up to santa cruz and checked out the little beach area for a bit.  it was nice to explore the coastal towns.. like in oregon, i felt i could just stay along the coast exploring for a while.  i made my way south on california route 1 to pacific grove to meet with brooks, the former owner of the online kite aerial photography shop.  i was purchasing one of his kits and had asked if i could meet him to pick it up as i didn't have a way to get mail on the road.  he was really nice.. we chatted briefly when i met him and he told me about point lobos and a place nearby where i could see the monarch butterflies.  i hadn't known about either.. i doubt i would've found the butterfly sanctuary without him telling me and may not have stopped at the green spot on the map where point lobos was had he not suggested it.

i went right over to the sanctuary afterwards, and then headed over to check out monterey.  i had heard it was nice and pacific grove was right next door to it.  the whole area was quite beautiful, with a coastal feel.  thinking about that, i was just looking at the map and it looks like i drove right by asilomar, where wayne dyer's movie the shift was filmed, and didn't even know it.. i probably was following directions or looking at the map and totally missed it.  i remember wayne dyer sharing the miracle of the monarch butterfly in one of his programs.. it was neat to get to see them in person.

from monterey, i drove along the coast back towards pacific grove to create a time-lapse of it as it was a beautiful drive.  it was very wet from the dense fog there.  i made my way over to carmel-by-the-sea, a quaint little town full of shops.  i went by the beach for a few minutes then found a spot to park in town.  as it was getting dark, i briefly walked around the area with the shops and then spent the night in my camper.  to stay discrete, i didn't pop up the top and kept quiet.  in places like this, especially as the days got shorter, i kept thinking how i'd blend in better and be less likely disturbed in a plain van.. luckily, no one bothered me in the camper.

#lifeontheroad #homeiswhereyouparkit #truckcamper #journey #travel #roadtrip #journal #vlog #blog #rv #driving #road #campground #camping #camplife #exploremore #getoutside #wanderlust #optoutside #exploretocreate #liveoutdoors #stayandwander #homeonwheels #liveyouradventure #nomadiclife #adventurelife #discovertheroad #adventuremobile #rvlife #freedomvessel

four years ago today [2012.10.26]

i woke up less than ten miles outside of sequoia national park, and was gonna start to make my way back towards the coast.  i had found a spot behind a large rock formation just next to the road.  it was nice to see the early morning sunlight on the nearby foothills on the drive west.  i saw a field of cotton and parts of the state i had never been to.. there was so much open space and land in california.  after driving through the middle of the state, i went to a campground not too far from the coast.

that morning i had stopped in fresno to check out the sportsmobile factory.. in thinking it'd be good to have much more room if i were going to stay on the road permanently, i thought about doing a custom conversion of a full length sprinter van.  it was nice to get a tour of the factory and see a little of how they made the vans into rv's or campers.

at the campground, i found a spot along the edge of the large area that was shaded by a row of trees.  it was nice that a lot of the campgrounds weren't full so i usually had a choice of where to park and would go look for something far from others so it'd be quiet, private, and more natural.

,lifeontheroad,homeiswhereyouparkit,truckcamper,journey,travel,roadtrip,journal,vlog,blog,f150,fourwheelcampers,camping,exploremore,getoutside,wanderlust,optoutside,exploretocreate,liveoutdoors,stayandwander,homeonwheels,liveyouradventure,roadtrippin,nomadiclife,adventurelife,discovertheroad,adventuremobile,campground,camplife,rvlife,freedomvessel

four years ago today [2012.10.23]

this morning i woke up at a campground and wasn't covered in snow like the day before.  it was nice to have experienced once but isn't something i'd like to do regularly.  one of the reasons living in chicago was tough for me were the long winters that lasted about half the year.  having lived half my life in florida, i certainly had a preference for what i enjoyed.

this day i went to have a look at a powered paraglider.  i didn't get to take a test flight though got a feel for what was involved.  the video they'd put together of why they fly was inspiring.  i'd been thinking of getting some sort of flying machine for a while and this was one of the safest ways to fly.  i didn't end up getting it as i didn't really have the room to be carrying it with me and it was pretty expensive.  i'd thought of putting it in front of the truck though he recommended otherwise.  i haven't thought of it in a while though still would be interested at some point in getting something.  i love the view from above and the open feel of flying in the air would be pretty amazing.

it was neat that i was able to easily check out things i was interested in along my journey.  so many of these manufacturers were out west making it impractical to go have a look at everything before living life on the road.  on this day i stopped at an rv dealer to check out a sprinter van rv as i had some time and was almost at the campground i'd be staying at.  i had thought about it as it would give me more room and i wouldn't to pop the top or run out in the cold weather to get to the camper every time, though i'd lose the 4x4 the truck had.  more recently i've thought about getting a van if i were to live life on the road again.  mercedes now sells the 4x4 sprinter in the u.s. too, so i'd have that as an option if i wanted to explore places where i'd need it.

i went to check out the river behind the campground i stayed at, and saw the sun set shortly after i'd arrived.  it was nice to have access to campgrounds along my exploration of california.  it was much easier to stay at one than have to go looking for a quiet spot in the middle of the night to stay.

,timelapse,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,exploretocreate,journal,roadtrippin,liveyouradventure,journey,homeonwheels,blog,fallfoliage,wanderlust,optoutside,tahoe,adventuremobile,starlapse,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,lake,roadtrip,stayandwander,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,stars,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.20]

after leaving san francisco the day before, i decided to go out to lake tahoe.  i was going to be checking out a custom truck camper manufacturer i had never seen before in person though it was the weekend so needed somewhere to hang around for a couple days.  a while back, a friend had shown me pictures of his trip to tahoe and told me how nice it was.. it was a bit of a spontaneous decision when i decided to head over there.  luckily, there were campgrounds near my route that were part of the network i had a membership to.  i woke up at the campground i stopped at the night before and headed east toward nevada.  the area near the campground i left had a nice feel to it if it's where i'm remembering.

lake tahoe and the nearby area was really beautiful.  i saw fall foliage at one of the spots i found.. the yellow-leaved trees across a field with mountain background were gorgeous.  they were so golden and a pleasant surprise this day.  i drove to the nevada side and explored a few spots by the lake.  while at one of them, a small beach if i recall, i got a call from an old friend who was really down, facing a break up and divorce.  i'd been wondering what i wanted to do on the road and had been missing a community.  i had left a really beautiful spiritual community i'd discovered that summer at the flowering heart center in chicagoland, and also missed some of the fun times hanging out or 'working' with the friend whose business i was help expand up there.  when my friend from florida called in need of help, i thought perhaps i'd head back there after exploring california.  i was also getting tired of driving so much and the camper was small for full time living, especially the times i didn't pop up the top.  i did see a lot of beautiful and stunning places along my journey, though i was a little lonely being by myself the whole time.  the few days i spent time with friends somewhere on the route were nice.

i drove around and explored the lake as dusk approached.  i went looking for a place i could photograph the stars over the water from.. i think i ended up driving far and backtracking, though found a nice spot.

,bridge,exploremore,adventurelife,truckcamper,journal,trees,coast,freedomthinkers,journey,seashore,roadtrippin,roadtrip,wanderlust,exploretocreate,homeonwheels,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,nature,vlog,ocean,blog,stayandwander,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,liveyouradventure,lifeontheroad,redwoods,nationalseashore,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.17]

i woke up in a parking lot on the point reyes peninsula and began exploring at dawn.  it was quite stunning to be somewhere so beautiful and experience the early morning light.  i wandered about the national seashore as the sun rose and discovered parts of it i never knew existed.  living life on the road was incredible when waking up in such magnificent places.. yes, there were challenges to living out of such a small space, though to get to stay in unique places and be right there during the most brilliant times of day was awesome and inspiring.  this world is really incredibly beautiful and filled with so many majestic places.. you only need to go wander and allow yourself to discover them.

after leaving point reyes, i followed california route 1's winding drive south on the cliffs.  i made some stops to take in the beautiful views on my way to muir woods.  while at muir woods national monument, i hiked a long trail past where all the tourists were and ended up at the panoramic highway before turning around.  on the way out of muir woods, i drove the panoramic highway the long way back to route 1, and then made my way toward sausalito and the marin headlands.  i barely fit the truck in the one parking spot i found on the street in sausalito and walked down to the shops and water for a bit.  at marin headlands, the golden hour light on the city and bridge was really nice as the sun was setting.

i then crossed the golden gate bridge and passed through san francisco on my way to meet a friend for dinner in alameda.  it was many years since i last saw him in college and he had grown and transformed quite a bit.  when it came up in the conversation, i liked how he described it as when he "found himself". it was great and inspiring to see him and learn of his success.  he'd been loving life in california and suggested places to check out.  after dinner, i drove to a nearby green spot on the map in hopes of finding a quiet place to park for the night.  it seemed to always be a challenge finding a spot when it was dark, especially in or near urban areas.  i ended up on the side of the road near homes and kept the top down.

,timelapse,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,journal,roadtrippin,trees,coast,freedomthinkers,journey,blog,hyperlapse,wanderlust,optoutside,exploretocreate,homeonwheels,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,stayandwander,talltrees,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,liveyouradventure,lifeontheroad,redwoods,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.14]

i explore the avenue of the giants when i woke up this morning.. it was really amazing and beautiful. i felt a connection to the trees when i hugged one, and was sad as i neared the end of the avenue of the giants. the giant redwood trees were so magnificent.. it's really sad that 96% of the trees that once stood are gone because of logging. i'm grateful that more people are becoming aware of the negative impact humans have had on the planet. as more of us learn of the harm that has been caused to nature because of society's need to continually consume more, we'll start to see great changes in how people are treating the environment. it's already begun to happen as consciousness has increased and more of us have started to focus on sustainability, collaboration, and simplicity over consumption, competition, and greed.

i headed south and got on california route 1 where it began at u.s. highway 101.. i took the long, winding road up, down, and around the hills toward the coast. somehow i made it the whole way when my truck was just about out of gas, and the gas station just before getting on route 1 had some issue.. either the pumps weren't working, they were out of gas, or i saw that it was a no name station and i didn't trust the quality of gas. it was a bit nerve-racking driving to the coast.. i didn't know how many more changes there'd be in elevation on the way there, and the truck drank a lot of gas going uphill. i don't recall how many miles the truck was saying were left on the tank.. it may have been in single digits or zero. i stopped at the first gas station on the map, a little community mart that happened to have one pump. it was the worst spot i ever got gas from with an ancient pump that was really dirty and may have been rusty. it had handwritten signs on it with the price and instructions. at $5 a gallon and 24.982 gallons, it was the most i ever spent on gas. i know i didn't have to fill it up, though i either wanted to see how low it really was or didn't really worry once i started the pump. on the coast, i saw nice views, explored a couple of spots, and spent the night at an overlook.

four years ago today [2012.10.11]

i woke up in california with the view of mount shasta out my window.  it was exciting to have made it there after five weeks of life on the road from chicagoland.  i got in my truck and headed towards mount shasta.. i took a road i saw on the map that looked like it went pretty well up the mountain.  i stopped on the way up at a spot with a great view of the top of the mountain, and then headed a little further to the parking lot at the end of the mountain road.  unlike some of my other mountain road experiences, this one was smooth and paved all the way to the top.. where it was wide open with a nice view.

i spent the day up there, just drinking in the silence and beauty.. at one point, i flew my kite for a bit but the wind died down so the flight was short (and it may have taken a while to clean up the mess of kite line if i recall). i moved my truck to the parking lot a few hundred feet down the road where i set up a time-lapse of the sun fading across mount shasta and the stars circling overnight.  it was nice that there were signs posted saying it was okay to camp for up to 72 hours.  a couple people in a vw van were also spending the night there.  it was really beautiful and serene being up on mount shasta.  it was a great first spot to visit in california.

this was another place that i hadn't heard of until a couple years before going on the trip.  it was there on the back burner or bucket list waiting for me to go on this journey across the country.  living life on the road or going on an extended road trip is a great way to see the country.  so many people go on short vacations and a lot of that time is wasted planning, packing, getting ready, waiting for flights, getting a rental car, going to a hotel, finding somewhere to eat, etc, etc.  traveling long term on the road can eliminate all of that and save a lot of money while allowing you to see so much more.  with today's technology, you could work online while traveling or find work on the road if you don't have enough saved up for the entire trip or want to continue longer (or permanently). it's totally doable and could be the adventure of a lifetime.

,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,journal,roadtrippin,water,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,waves,roadtrip,exploretocreate,wanderlust,optoutside,stayandwander,homeonwheels,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,ocean,blog,dunes,sand,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,lifeontheroad,cliffs,beach,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.08]

it was another day exploring the oregon coast. i took u.s. highway 101 south towards oregon dunes national recreational area and other spots that had sand dunes. i stopped at some overlooks along the way to see more of the cliffs, rock formations, and coast. one of the overlooks was near a lighthouse i'd seen during my first time to oregon though it was under construction this time. the sand dunes were pretty nice.. i had seen some of them on a previous trip to oregon and got to see more this time. it looks like i went to the campground a little earlier that afternoon. perhaps i had to do some work or it started raining or something. i went back to another spot in the dunes the following day before heading inland.

,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,journal,water,liveyouradventure,adventureculture,journey,roadtrippin,fromabove,ocean,rvlife,wanderlust,optoutside,exploretocreate,homeonwheels,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,blog,stayandwander,sand,getoutside,nomadiclife,liveoutdoors,lifeontheroad,beach,kiteaerialphotography,writing

four years ago today [2012.10.05]

i made it to oregon this day.  i decided i wanted to make it to california by 10/10 as that would be a year since i had picked up my camper.  i know in the big picture, it really wouldn't be too big a deal if i made it that day or not, though it felt like it'd be a good milestone to have made it to california in the first year of having my camper.

before leaving washington, i took my kite for a test flight on the beach after getting a new spar, and then i went to check out the alaskan campers.  i had never seen them in person and was interested as the whole hard top would pop up (compared to my camper which had tent material around the top section when it popped-up).. it'd feel more secure when parking in the middle of unknown places overnight.  it's funny, i had just happened to be researching them the day before and saw that they were located not too far out of the way from my route this day.  it's awesome when the universe brings all the pieces perfectly together like that.  there are no such things as random 'coincidences'.. at some level, everything is always in perfect order, and when you're aligned with your purpose, you'll notice more things start to effortlessly fall into place for ya.

oregon was pretty nice.  i think it was on this day on my way to the coast in the afternoon.. that after going around a curve at one point, the temperature just dropped quite noticeably, by like ten degrees or something.  it was a little crazy how much and how quickly weather could vary and change on the west coast.  i checked into a campground at seaside and drove over to the beach before settling in for the evening.  the beach was developed though the sand area itself was pretty large, and there was a boardwalk between the buildings and beach.  it felt like it'd be nice to just hang around and explore the various beach towns and stay on the coast for a while.

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four years ago today [2012.10.02]

back in the united states after taking the ferry to canada the day before, i headed toward the coast. i'd seen a sign somewhere pointing toward the northwesternmost point and decided to follow that. when i got to the parking lot and started hiking toward the coast i saw a sign warning of bears or another potentially dangerous animal that could be wandering the area. i felt a little concerned briefly as there was no one else there, though i invoked the divine and kept walking. by the time i made it to the water i had forgotten about the sign. it was quite spectacular to have made it to the pacific coast and neat to be at the northwesternmost point in the country. it was pretty foggy and wet there and nearby.

i headed back inland a bit and then made my way to explore some other natural areas, some of which were part of olympic national park, and found a couple spots with nice views of the pacific ocean. as it was getting dark i found a quiet spot to sleep off a small road that was part of the national park. i think there were warnings of the possibility of bears in the area though i didn't have any issues. it was good to find less traveled spots to sleep especially as the days were getting shorter and i'd be there longer during the night. it was nice to stay in a unique spot and not have to check in or out of a campground nor book a reservation.

,mountains,exploremore,nature,truckcamper,park,journal,ontheroad,camper,optoutside,water,liveyouradventure,journey,nationalpark,stayandwander,exploretocreate,rvlife,wanderlust,rv,homeonwheels,driving,homeiswhereyouparkit,travel,adventurelife,vlog,roadtrip,blog,getoutside,liveoutdoors,discovertheroad,lifeontheroad,writing

four years ago today [2012.09.29]

my friend and i went to olympic national park after heading in to town for breakfast. on the way up to hurricane ridge, we stopped at an overlook where a number of birds landed on my friend's arm and hand after she fed them pieces of a tortilla wrap. there was a nice panoramic view when we got up to the top at hurricane ridge. after taking it in for a little bit, we headed back to the nearby town and my friend showed me a spot by the water before we met one of her friend's. we had planned to go to a full moon celebration or something that my friend wanted to go to though ended up at her friend's bar for too long, so we went with her friend to visit a couple of his friends and play games instead. my friend offered to drive during our adventures that day.. it was a little weird to be in the passenger seat of my truck, but nice to have someone show me around the area (and get a little break from driving everywhere).

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four years ago today [2012.09.26]

after a couple nights camping by the bay, i decided to head back to the cascades. the morning was really foggy.. on the way east i went to a park that had an overlook to check out the view of the landscape below. i made a couple other stops to check out the river and mountain views on the way back toward the wilderness. i took the road all the way to cascade pass in north cascades national park. on my way in, i saw a nice overlook that had a view of some of the mountain range over the cascade river. i thought perhaps i'd stay there for a time-lapse of the stars later. when i got to cascade pass, i saw lots of snow or ice on parts of the mountains.

i don't recall if there was a sign at cascade pass saying no camping or if i didn't think the angle would be as good for a shot of the stars.. whatever the reason, i headed back to the spot i saw earlier in the forest and parked in the little area that was there on the side of the road shortly before it got dark. it was a little cloudy at first, though the clouds passed by after a while and i got a nice shot of the stars and moonlit mountains that night.

it was nice to have the truck camper.. it was a landscape photographer's best tool. i recall some of the times when i'd be all set up at spots like this for a shot of the stars overnight, i'd hear or see cars going by.. they'd still have to be making their way to wherever they were staying that evening and i was already set up for the night and didn't have to go anywhere. having a comfortable bed and all the basics with me everywhere i went was really nice.. i recall times in the past when i would sleep in the front seat of my car shooting the stars and it was quite uncomfortable (and the only amenities i might have with me would be a drink or snack, if i happened to remember to pack something). i also remember times being pretty tired and making a long drive home at night when i'd rather just be sleeping (and briefly drifting into sleep while driving). some sort of rv or camper is definitely the way to go exploring.

#lifeontheroad #homeiswhereyouparkit #truckcamper #journey #travel #roadtrip #journal #vlog #blog #driving #road #park #fourwheelcampers #f150 #sunset #bay #water #exploremore #getoutside #wanderlust #rv #rvlife #stayandwander #homeonwheels #liveyouradventure #discovertheroad #adventuremobile #adventureculture #roadtrippin #liveoutdoors

four years ago today [2012.09.23]

i left the campground and headed south a bit, exploring some spots along the water and stopping at some parks i found. one park had some nice trails and an overlook of the nearby area. after that one, i went down a winding road on a cliff by the water where i found a spot to stop for a nice view of the islands in the distance. a little later, i drove by some houses that had a great view of one of the bays.

i think i ended up pretty close to the campground i was going to stay at the following day and spent the night on the side of the road a couple miles away. if this is the night i'm thinking, it was part of an indian reservation (as was the campground), and i had a strange dream that woke me up in the middle of the night. if i remember, i think i thought that someone or something had come into my camper through the tent material to attack me.. i may have felt this as i was slipping between the dream world and physical world, and that's how i was interpreting the feelings in this reality. perhaps i was picking up on some of the energy nearby or something. a couple times like this (and times when i would sleep in places where bears or other large animals might be) led me to think i might be better off in a hard-top camper or van so i wouldn't have to worry about the possibility of anything getting in easily. it did feel pretty vulnerable spending the night asleep in random places where people or animals might find me. i often would invoke the divine and surround the truck and camper in white light or blessings before drifting off to sleep, and never had any actual issues during my journey.

#lifeontheroad #homeiswhereyouparkit #truckcamper #journey #travel #roadtrip #journal #vlog #blog #nature #exploremore #getoutside #camper #camping #roadtrippin #stayandwander #camplife #homeonwheels #rvlife #adventurelife #liveyouradventure #rv #campground #river #optoutside #freedomvessel #fourwheelcampers #fordf150 #ford #f150

four years ago today [2012.09.20]

i spent the day at a campground not too far from north cascades national park where i was exploring the day before. i did some laundry there and probably worked on the computer most of the day.. around this time of the trip i unexpectedly had to do a lot of work for a client who decided they wanted much more than they had originally specified for the web application i had built for them. it was quite frustrating to have this affect my trip and make me feel rushed while exploring places, though it was really nice to be able to work from almost anywhere i wanted. i spent a couple nights at this campground.. it certainly was much easier to get work done without having to go looking for somewhere to park that had a usable phone or internet connection. there were plenty of beautiful, quiet places i could've stayed for a while, though many, if not most, were without a signal. at the campground, i stayed at a nice spot in the shade under tall, thick trees. in the afternoon, i went for a walk and explored the creek that ran through the back.. i think this was the campground where i saw a yurt in person for the first time (i'd been told about them years earlier when i became interested in alternative homes or living options).

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four years ago today [2012.09.17]

i spent this day at the campground i arrived at the day before. i most likely worked on the computer or took it easy and rested in the camper. around dusk, i went for a walk down the path to the river. i probably cooked soup or pasta or something simple. living life on the road, i often ate cereal for breakfast (or sometimes oatmeal), and veggie wraps for lunch. as mini-meals, i would snack on bars, bean chips with salsa, apples with peanut butter, or something else i could easily eat between wanderings. i occasionally would stop for a sub with eggs and veggies or a veggie taco somewhere. i don't recall cooking too often, though it was nice to have the burners in the camper and be able to cook something simple when i did do so.

i'm looking back at what i wrote on this day, and it looks like i was realizing how much stuff i had brought with me. i do recall this first journey of life on the road being a bit ridiculous in the amounts of stuff i had with me. i honestly didn't know if i was coming back or for how long i'd be gone, so i had pretty much everything with me. i remember having to step over things or move multiple things around just to find what i was looking for. the journey the following year was much simpler as i didn't carry as much. minimalism in life, especially life on the road, is an enormous help. besides making it easier to find things, it frees up mental space of things you need to think about or take care of.

i know if i were to do life on the road again, it'd be much simpler this time around.. in the technological improvements alone, i'd need much less gear to be able to create the same kind of images and videos i did on this trip. when thinking about acquiring something new or keeping something old, have a look at how much you'll actually use it and consider if you really need it. if you're barely gonna use it, it's probably not worth getting or keeping around. it's also helpful to only keep something that's versatile with multiple uses. i used to have gear that was only for very specific types of shots that would take up so much space and just sit there for weeks, months, or longer.

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four years ago today [2012.09.14]

i woke up on the side of the road somewhere in idaho. i was on my way to the moon.. i would always joke with my mom and say i was going to the moon when she'd ask where i went or was going. this time i could really say it on my way to craters of the moon national monument. when planning the route west, i think as soon as i saw it on the map, i decided i had to go there just because of the name. i didn't look up anything about the park.. it just sounded interesting so i picked it. in fact, i think that's how i picked most of the places i went to.. they sounded interesting or were a green spot on the map somewhere in the general direction i was going, so i decided to check them out. i'm sure many people do a lot of research, planning, and reading up on reviews or tour guides, though it's often more fun to just go with what sounds or feels good.. it's more spontaneous, and is trusting the divine guidance that's been taking us all along this journey we call life anyhow.

just outside the national monument and preserve, i started to see some of the dark landscapes and it was unlike anything i'd seen before. it was neat to see how diverse the land is. the main loop of the park was closed as they were paving it or something so i started exploring a path near one of the parking areas that was open. it ended up being a couple hour hike by the time i made it up, down, and around the craters and back around the loop to the parking area.

i left and headed west toward oregon. i stopped at a rest area just over the border about 45 minutes before the sun went down and decided to spend the evening there. it was nice to just stay wherever i wanted rather than have to plan out or go looking for a campground or hotel. there was no need to check in, check out, carry or unpack a suitcase, make sure nothing was forgotten when packing back up, etc. at some points in my truck camper journeys it did take quite a while to get out to a rural area where i felt i wouldn't be disturbed, though it was a tradeoff for staying someplace free and being able to get up and go. my home was always with me wherever i went (or just down a trail).

#lifeontheroad #homeiswhereyouparkit #truckcamper #journey #travel #roadtrip #journal #vlog #blog #driving #nature #park #land #rocks #canyon #river #exploremore #getoutside #wanderlust #ontheroad #optoutside #roadtrippin #exploretocreate #liveoutdoors #stayandwander #camplife #homeonwheels #liveyouradventure #rvlife #nomadiclife

four years ago today [2012.09.11]

i checked out bighorn canyon national recreation area on my way back into wyoming. near one of the bends in the river, i tried to fly my kite to take some aerial photos, though the winds were too rough and threw the kite all around and onto the rocky ground. stubbornly, thinking the wind would change, i kept trying and ended up breaking a spar. i spent the night east of yellowstone near the buffalo bill dam. i never knew there was a dam or reservoir there.. it was nice discovering interesting places and memorable people along the journey. i remember the guy who worked at the visitor center being friendly and telling me about the buffalo in yellowstone when i said i was on my way there.

the detour to zig-zag from devil's tower to yellowstone via north dakota ended up taking an extra day and just about a whole tank of gas. this trip was back when gas was hovering close to or well over $4 a gallon depending where you were. some may wonder if it's worth spending a whole day driving and nearly $100 in gas just to briefly see an extra state when you don't know what you'll find, though it's all part of the adventure.. yes, perhaps some parts of the trip may not have been as exciting as others, though it's really how we're perceiving it. one could find beauty anywhere should one allow oneself to.

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four years ago today [2012.09.08]

parked on the side of a road somewhere in a national grassland, i woke up in the middle of the pitch dark night hearing strange animal noises and feeling weird energy, and it looked like the rear window of my camper was broken. it was pretty cold and i didn't want to get out of bed to look nor to write down the insights i felt. at some point, i awoke with an understanding of perception.. early that morning i had written "I woke up a couple hours ago with an understanding about the reflection through which we see ourselves being the same transparent mirror through which we’re seeing the world, though can’t quite remember the exact words right now." when daylight came, i saw the rear window of my camper door was intact and the only signs of animals were some cattle up on a hill across the road.

i recall it appearing like a lot of the national grassland was fenced off or being used for agriculture rather than a park or preserve, so i headed west toward the badlands instead of explore longer. after seeing a lot of the rock formations there, i drove down a dirt road surrounded by hundreds of bison. i then headed over to another little part further out on the map, sheep mountain table. it was a bumpy dirt road that led me to a much more desolate area where i only saw a couple other vehicles. i got out to take some photos and was standing near the edge of the cliff when the wind stopped. all of a sudden there was no sound at all, no sound of nature or man.. all that was left was complete, perfect silence, the voice of god. it was a truly amazing and beautiful experience that words cannot begin to describe. it was only my second full day on the trip and i had already discovered and felt the presence of god. i looked forward to whatever other peaceful places i might find on this journey.

nearby there was a high clearance vehicle road that went further into the park. i took it to the end where i set up a couple cameras for time-lapse shots of the sun fading across the badlands formations and the stars passing by. it was nice to be able to spend the night sleeping under the stars in what felt like such a remote place.

i’ve put together a youtube playlist of all the 2012 life on the road films in chronological order if you want to watch them one after another. here’s the link:

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYlEKn8xkNmVcJzBPGDznWUqHbu51wGC3

to see pictures from my truck camper journeys or read more about the adventure, visit this link:

markmarano.com/what/truck-camper

(you’ll need to scroll past all the videos as they’re also on that same page)

see the short one minute videos i’ll be posting on instagram (and read a little bit about each day), look here:

markmarano.com/what/truckcamper+instagram/

#truck camper #truckcamper #truckcamperfilms

life on the road [all 72 days, 2012.09.06-2012.11.16] @ 5x speed

this is a compilation of all 72 days of the journey i took from chicagoland to california and then to florida, from september 6th to november 16th in 2012. this is running at 5x the normal speed (otherwise it’d be around 19.5 hours long). it includes all of the following parts:

– from chicagoland to california [a five week adventure]
– life in california [three and a half weeks]
– from california to florida [just under two weeks]

[...]