ARTICLE NAME | ROOTLESS LIVING | 1

LIVING

TRAVEL|WORK|EXPLORE ISSUE 1•JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

ROOTLESS

10FAVORITEBOONDOCKING

SPOTS5 REMOTE JOBS You Can Do With Almost No Experience Required

A FIXER UPPER INSPIRED FIFTH WHEELRV RENOVATION |

KEEP YOURDAYDREAM

MARC & TRICIA LEACH

CREATORSGOon

the Tim & Fin

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LOCATION SPOTLIGHTLOCATION SPOTLIGHT14PAGE

IN THIS ISSUE Designedwiththe adventurerinmind.

Single-use pouches are ideal for

packing into your backpack, gym

bag, purse, or even a pocket

Textured side for easier

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for a finished clean

Eco-friendly, natural ingredients

on a biodegradable material

Venture Wipes offer a convenient, full-body shower wipe in an easily carried pouch.

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Shop today at venturewipes.com or

6 | ROOTLESS LIVING | ARTICLE NAME TABLE OF CONTENTS | ROOTLESS LIVING | 7RV RENOVATION21PAGE

IN THIS ISSUE TABLE OF CONTENTS 8 | Kickstarter & Founding Members

9 | From the PublisherDemian Ross shares how the idea for Rootless Living came to life

11 | From the Editor

12 | Reader Photo

14 | Location SpotlightDry camping at Lone Rock, Utah

18 | Gear GuideSome of the things RVers wished they had when they started

21 | RV Renovation

24 | Work on the Road5 Remote Jobs You Can Do With Almost No Experience Required

26 | Keep Your DaydreamFind out how Marc and Tricia Leach started with what they had and created an amazing community with Keep Your Daydream

33 | Pinnacles National Park

37 | 10 Favorite Boondocking SpotsWe asked ten boondockers to share their favorite spots

51 | Creators On The GoTim & Fin the duo behind the hit YouTube series Tripped

54 | Upcoming EventsUpcoming Events, Rallies & Conferences

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8 | ROOTLESS LIVING | THE KICKSTART ROOTLESS LIVING | 9

PLATINU

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EMB

ERS FRO

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PUB

LISH

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PLATINUM MEMBERS

Shirley Smith

Barb Tomlin AKA BarbTUSA

Brandon & Addison Julian

Kim Gaskill

White Hat Ops

Sonya Schweitzer

Barry Eads

Jason Bagby

Kelly Noble Mirabella

Marc & Julie Bennett of RVLove.com

Laura Pence Atencio

David Blackmon

Jill SessaUltimate WP Help

Chris & Cherie of the Mobile Internet Resource Center

The Story Catcher

Erik Fisher

Marcia Hopper

Tom & Annie

John & Zorina Noland of Kickstand Bookkeeping

Jessica Garbarino

THE KICKSTARTWhen we announced the launch of a brand new digital nomad magazine

in November of 2019, we received an overwhelming response for the digital edition in the first 48 hours. Some of those subscribers asked if we would have a print edition as well. We had no plans to do a printed version of the magazine in 2020.

Those early requests got us thinking maybe we could do a Kickstarter for the print edition and allow a way for others to support the magazine.

The Kickstarter was FULLY FUNDED and we raised 115% of our goal.

We even had people buy digital subscriptions, even though they were free, because they wanted to see this magazine come to life. We offered a platinum level and you will see those generous supporters names to the left.

We are truly grateful to everyone who contributed and subscribed to the magazine before it’s official launch. It gave us a much needed kickstart for the printed version and confirmed our suspicions of the need and desire for a magazine all about the digital nomad lifestyle.

Thank you again to everyone who helped make the Kickstarter campaign such a success. We can’t wait until you’re holding your printed copies.

In 2016, when the idea of going full-time digital nomad hit me, I tried to find a resource that was all things digital nomad… there was nothing.

You could find business magazines and travel magazines, and of course RV magazines, but nothing that brought these three worlds together. At that moment I knew there was a need, but as someone who had never been a digital nomad I couldn’t even try to fill it.

Fast forward three years later and there still wasn’t a central source of information for aspiring or seasoned digital nomads. Something that covered all the aspects of the lifestyle, from WORKING, TRAVELING, and EXPLORING, as well as providing a COMMUNITY for digital nomads.

In 2018 I saw a quote that read “If we were meant to stay in one place we would have roots and not feet.” This stuck with me. From it, came the word ROOTLESS. It isn’t just about being a digital nomad, it’s also about getting UNstuck.

One of the things you learn by living the digital nomad life is; even though we have a lot of the same problems as those living in a bricks and sticks home, there is a real sense of freedom. It’s hard to explain, but it’s there for me and lots of others who no longer feel stuck. As I learn to live with less stuff, in a smaller space, my life doesn’t feel so heavy.

There is still an odd stigma about living in a RV, or a van, or globe trotting around the world. Either it’s for young people that haven’t started their career, or it’s for those who are retired. Nothing could be further from the truth. This lifestyle is readily available to anyone who wants it.

The goal of ROOTLESS LIVING is to be a resource to help teach people how to navigate the digital nomad lifestyle while inspiring and encouraging those who are already living it. We want this to be a resource for digital nomads, written by digital nomads.

I hope you will come along on the adventure with us.

Demian Ross@demianrossdemian@rootlessliving.com

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Cover photo: This photo was taken in Washington (July 2017) when we ended up at a locked gate. The road would have taken us to our very first boondocking spot.

Rootless Living Magazine Issue 1 | January/February 2020

Publisher Demian Ross

Editor Nikki Kirk

Contributors:Jeff Julian, Katie Gerkin, Patty Gill, Tamara David, Kristina Steffen, Deb Damm,

Marc & Tricia Leach, Sarah Ainsworth, Willie Suarez, Rae & Jason Miller, Alli Newton, Sean Torstenson, Reg & Kisch Neufeld, Andrew & Janelle Hooper,

Adam & Kathryn Frazer, Jack Huber, Jesse & Rachel Lyons, Nathan & Kelsey Kenny, Tim & Allison “Fin” Diemer

Advertising Information: sales@rootlessliving.com

Disclaimer: One of the great things about digital publications is the ability to link you directly to the products or services you want to hear more about. Some of the links in this issue are affiliate links where we earn commissions on goods or services you buy. These commissions help us to continue to publish the magazine. Rootless Living is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@rootlessliving.com

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PACK SMARTER.

" S Q U E E Z I N G I N T O C A R R Y - O N L U G G A G E

O R S A V I N G S P A C E I N Y O U R R V

W E ' V E B E E N T H E R E .

T H A T ' S W H Y W E C R E A T E D

C O M P R E S S I O N P A C K I N G C U B E S "

- @ T I M A N D F I N

W I T H T R I P P E D C O M P R E S S I O N C U B E S

W W W � T R I P P E D T R � � E � E � R � C O M

ROOTLESS LIVING | 11

I can still recall the long discussion we had about the idea of this magazine back in December of 2017. It had a different name at the time, but the premise was the same: A resource to help, inspire, and bring together this community of travelers who are redefining ‘normal’.

I’ve enjoyed getting to know all the collaborators you’ll see featured in this issue as well as the issues still to come. Bringing this magazine to life over the past few months has been the most amazing experience and it’s an honor to have you holding it in your hands.

If there’s one thing I wish we had when we started this journey back in June of 2017, it’s solar. We quickly found a love for boondocking and that’s one of the reasons we wanted to share some great spots with you in our first issue. Our budget was tight but we wanted to make boondocking happen so we purchased an affordable, if slightly loud, gas generator.

We didn’t let budgets stop us. And that is exactly the take away I hope you get from Marc & Tricia Leach. Just go, make it happen with what you have. The timing might not ever be right, so why wait any longer? We have enjoyed some of the most beautiful places with that now slightly rusty old generator. Someday we will be able to get solar installed, but we won’t let “someday” stop us from enjoying today.

Nikki Kirk@nikkirk7nikki@rootlessliving.com

FROM THE EDITOR

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READER PHOTO

Earn Extra Income

to Verified RentersRenting Your RV

at No Cost to You

.comGo toU.S. Air Force Thunderbirds at the 2019 Cleveland National Air Show

By Jeff Julian | @jeffjuliankc

Do you have an epic photo to share? Email us at collab@rootlessliving.com

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LONE ROCK UTAHLOCATION SPOTLIGHT | ROOTLESS LIVING | 15

Do you have a place you love so much you find yourself talking about it all the time and making

plans to return? For us, that place is Lone Rock, UT.

It sits on the Utah/Arizona border, just outside of Page, AZ, and offers primitive lakeside camping on Lake Powell. It’s a part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area operated by the National Parks Service.

I first found out about it from a fellow RVer’s post on Instagram. Luckily, they tagged the location of their beautiful, lakeside campsite and I quickly rearranged our travel plans to get us there.

There are no designated campsites, you just pick a spot that looks good to you and set up camp. On our first impromptu visit, we only stayed two nights before we had to head off to another reservation, but we enjoyed every minute of it.

We kayaked out to the Lone Rock, for which the park is named, and found a cave in the side of the rock. When we went back a year later, the water levels were much lower. While we weren’t able to walk into the cave this time, there was now a cool sandy beach out on the rock! There are plenty of canals and out-of-this-world rocks to explore off of the Lone Rock Campground. Many people who saw our photos thought we were in Greece!

Lone Rock Campground is reason enough to make the trip out west. However, the nearby adventures in Page, AZ will give you plenty of opportunity to make the trip even more memorable.

Iconic Horseshoe Bend is just 15 miles away in Page, AZ. For me it was a must see, however, there were a lot of crowds so plan accordingly. As of 2019, it now costs to park, $5 for motorcycles and $10 for passenger vehicles and RVs.

Antelope Canyon was another site we were eager to see. There are a few different tour options for both the Upper and Lower Canyon. We visited the Lower Canyon while we were there, but I would still love to see the Upper Canyon. Both are just 20 miles from Lone Rock. Costs vary by tour company but they run all day almost every day so no real pre-planning is needed.

Head 20 miles north into Utah and you will find the Toadstools Trail. This was one fun little hike with some really cool hoodoos at the end. It’s perfect for kids as the trail feels more like a race track than a hike. This one is free to park and hike.

Glen Canyon Float Tour, and for us, the Backhaul Service, offered some of the best kayaking we’ve ever done. If you don’t kayak and just want to float in a guided tour boat, grab the float tour. We originally booked a full-day tour but after talking to a fellow camper, we changed it to a half-day tour. It’s essentially the same tour, just slower and with more time at the stop.

The float tours take off from a location in Page, AZ and

Things To Do Near Page, AZ

LOCATION SPOTLIGHT

By Nikki Kirk

16 | ROOTLESS LIVING | LOCATION SPOTLIGHT

Lake Powell, Lone Rock Campground

ROOTLESS LIVING | 17

drives you to Glen Canyon Dam where you get on the large raft. After your float down the river, you disembark at Lees Ferry and board a bus back to your car. The backhaul service is something we learned about while on the float tour.

With the backhaul service, you bring all your gear, kayaks, and equipment to Lees Ferry and after everyone is off the raft from their tour, you load up and are brought back up river, however far up you’d like to go. You can then float down the river back to Lees Ferry.

You can also camp at one of the 5 primitive tent campgrounds on the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry. The backhaul service will even allow you to leave some supplies at a campground and then continue bringing you up the river with just your watercraft. These tours and services are seasonal and require pre-booking.

Lone Rock Beach Campground offers a dump station and seasonal, potable water, restrooms, and outdoor showers. While our AT&T service was spotty at best, we had 3 bars of Verizon LTE.

If dry camping or boondocking just isn’t your thing, nearby Wahweap RV & Campground offers 139 full hook-up sites in addition to many more amenities of a full-service campground. While it was just a little bit up the road, both our AT&T and Verizon internets were slow, with only 1 bar each.

To see more of our time at Lone Rock Beach, check out my YouTube video at youtube.com/NikkiKirk.

A hoodoo at Toadstools Trail Kayaking the Colorado River through Glen Canyon The Seahorse at Lower Antelope Canyon Campfire on the Beach at Lone Rock Campground

Inside the cave on Lone Rock

18 | ROOTLESS LIVING GEAR GUIDE | ROOTLESS LIVING | 19

GEAR GUIDEProducts RVers wish they had when starting out

When you start making the transition to digital nomading, the list of items you think you’re going to need may seem long. We asked full-time digital nomads what items they wish

they had when starting out. Here’s what they had to say.

TENERGY SORBI 1000ML AIR DEHUMIDIFIER WITH AIR PURIFYING FUNCTIONFight against odors, mold, and allergens with this light-weight portable dehumidifier. It works at a low noise level and can clear an area up to 200 sq ft making it ideal for RVers.

Just about everyone we asked agreed this was a must. With two independently controlled burners and a heavy-duty cooking surface, it’s

perfect for all your outdoor cooking.

BLACKSTONE TABLETOP 22 INCH PORTABLE GRILL

Leave your keys behind with this keyless entry handle. Easy installation makes this ideal for most Fifth Wheels, Travel Trailers, and Motorhomes.

KEYLESS DOOR ENTRY HANDLE WITH KEYPAD AND FOB

Prevent your RV from shifting and shaking with X-Chocks. These provide added stability to prevent the tires from shifting so you can sleep soundly when others are moving about.

X-CHOCK WHEEL STABILIZER

Super quiet, light-weight, and fuel efficient, this is the go-to for most RVers. It’s 120V inverter lets you run your computers, TV, fridge, and small kitchen appliances. If you need more power, two identical models can be paralleled with an optional cable for up to 4400 watts.

HONDA 2200 WATT SUPER QUIET PORTABLE INVERTER GENERATOR EU2200I

No more guessing how much propane is left in your tanks, this easy to read indicator lets you

know exactly when to refill your tank.

PROPANE TANK GAUGE LEVEL INDICATOR

Two 30,000 BTU cast aluminum burners focus heat upwards, giving you power to cook anything from eggs to Dutch oven meals. Detachable legs make it easy to store and you can use your existing propane tanks for one less thing to carry.

CAMP CHEF EXPLORER DOUBLE BURNER STOVE

At a sleek 31 lbs, Battle Born 100Ah 12v batteries weigh only 1/3 the weight of lead acid batteries. Plus, they last for more cycles,

charge faster, and can be charged and discharged repeatedly.

BATTLE BORN BATTERIES

Level your RV in 5 minutes or less with this kit. You only need one leveler per side and axle making it simple to place, drive up, and level.

ANDERSEN CAMPER LEVELER KIT, 2-PACK

“They make setting up so easy!”

“This opens up a lot more free camping locations where services aren’t available”

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RENOVATIONRVFIXER UPPER INSPIRED FIFTH WHEELBy Nikki Kirk

Mike and Katie Gerkin bought their 2008 Palomino Sabre fifth-wheel knowing they were going to

renovate it to fit the young family’s needs. Mike is a traveling nurse while Katie stays in the RV with the children and works as a freelance writer. The family follows Mike’s job and explores in the time between contracts.

The couple brought their fifth-wheel home in February 2019 and renovated the RV in their spare time. By August, with their house newly listed, they were ready to hit the road. “It was a lot of work, and we thoroughly enjoyed most of the process.” Katie said. “There were times where we would get frustrated and give up, then

come back with a clear head and usually got whatever we were struggling with completed.”

Before renovating the RV, Katie looked to Instagram and Pinterest for ideas. “I love natural wood and wanted to incorporate as much as possible without adding too much weight. Having two young kids, my husband and I were both worried about using white paint on the walls, so we went with grey. My style is to keep things simple and clean with some added textures.”

The couple had a decent amount of experience going into the project. Katie’s dad is a handy-man so she learned from him growing up and found a love for

22 | ROOTLESS LIVING | RV RENOVATION

painting and sanding. Mike loves woodworking and building. Together they did learn a few things as they went about renovating the RV. “The biggest hurdle we hit was that no wall in the RV is straight, so we had to learn how to correct it with the items we hand built.”

Mike & Katie made butcher block countertops throughout the RV as well as butcher block style trim on their slides. They also rearranged the kitchen layout and removed cabinets to suit their needs. “We removed the shower glass doors and built out a wooden step-in wall to go with a curtain.”

They painted, added vinyl plank peel and stick flooring, and built bunk beds for their kids. They’ve even changed some things post renovation as well. “We had originally built a daybed but recently changed it to a

couch.”

And then there’s the newest detail that caught my eye, sharpie shiplap. “We love projects, and as long as we stay conscientious of how much weight we add, we will keep finding projects along the way.”

As with any renovation project, there’s bound to be a few problems that arise. “We bought a projector screen and new speakers for our bedroom. We knew exactly what we wanted to do and went about drilling holes to wire everything from cabinet to plug. We didn’t take into account the fact that there would be wires running underneath the cabinet for the slide out.

“The first attempt at drilling was stopped quickly once a wire was discovered. We moved to the other side of the

ROOTLESS LIVING | 23

cabinet because surely that would be safe since the wire was on the other side. Except there was a wire there too! We caught it before we had any serious damage, but it is a very scary thing to hit wires and we were two for two!”

Follow Mike & Katie Gerkin on Instagram @rvsandtrees and at rvsandtrees.com

Do you have a renovation story you’d like to share? Email us at collab@rootlessliving.com

Before

After

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REMOTE JOBS5 You Can Do With Almost No Experience Required

Whether you’re looking to make a career change, grow a side hustle, or get a job you can do from anywhere; Here are 5 ways you can make money while digital nomading.

1. Amazon FBA Seller

Fulfilled By Amazon, or FBA means Amazon houses all inventory and ships orders directly to customers as well as handling all customer service issues. This makes it really easy for digital nomads to create an income through Retail Arbitrage.

Retail Arbitrage is essentially flipping products you can find at local retail stores (think Wal-Mart, TJ Maxx, Ross) and sell them online for a profit. This is how I have been making my income for the past 2 ½ years while living in an RV. Many successful sellers have started with as little as $200. I replaced my Los Angeles based salary in just 4 months working part-time hours.

The Selling Family is one of the best courses out there to learn from. Visit TheSellingFamily.com to learn more.

Experience Required: NoneSchedule: Varies based on how much you want to work.

2. Teach Children English

Through VIPKid, many digital nomads are teaching children English as a second language in China. Since the program is web based, you can teach from anywhere in the world and set your own schedule. Patty Gill (@gills_on_wheels) has been teaching for the past 6 months and loves it. “I would absolutely recommend it to others. It’s so much fun and so rewarding.”

Each class is a 25 minute, one-on-one, session with a child age 4-12. VIPKid offers their students’ full English immersion classes so there’s no need for you to speak Chinese. Base pay rates are $14 to $22 an hour. Plus, VIPKid recently made Glassdoor’s Top 10 Best Places to Work in 2020! Visit vipkid.com/teach to get started.

Experience Required: Bachelor’s Degree (in any field) + Experience working with children (in almost any form, from babysitter to camp counselor).Schedule: Varies, since you will be teaching children in Beijing, peak times are 5am - 8am EST.

3. Mystery Shopping

Mystery Shopping is often met with scepticism, but it can be a legitimate source of income for digital nomads. You can get paid to shop, dine, take tours, and sometimes it’s as easy as going into a store and snapping a photo of a product display. How much you earn is totally up to you and your schedule. You can be in it just for free meals, or earn a full-time income.

Being a digital nomad actually works in your favor as Tamara David points out, “There are so many more opportunities to try restaurants and stores that were not in our hometown before we started RVing full-time.” She’s even written a book to help Mystery Shoppers get started. Learn more from Tamara at simple-life-creations.com or grab her book on Amazon.

Experience Required: NoneSchedule: Varies based on how much you want to work.

4. Virtual Bookkeeping Business

Did you know you can start a virtual bookkeeping business, knowing absolutely NOTHING about bookkeeping? Well you can! After you learn how of course.

Bookkeeper Business Launch has an online educational course that not only teaches you the bookkeeping skills you’ll need but also how to build your business and the marketing skills to gain clients. You can earn up to $60 an hour all while working remotely and on your own schedule. Digital nomad, Kristina Steffen, took the course in November 2018 and signed her first two clients in January 2019.

To learn more visit learntobeabookkeeper.com. If you own a business that needs a professional bookkeeper work with Kristina at kristinasteffen.com.

Experience Required: NoneSchedule: Varies based on your client load and schedule you set. On average you’ll spend about 3-5 hours a month per client.

5. Become a Virtual Assistant

Transition your existing skills and know how into your own virtual assistant business! Odds are you already have a ton of skills and experience you can offer to another entrepreneur or business. By becoming a virtual assistant you are able to work remotely and provide your clients with a variety of different services from administrative, creative, technical, or online support.

What you don’t know how to do, you can learn! Deb Damm is a full-time RVer who transitioned her executive assistant job into an online virtual assistant career in January of 2019. She has clients on monthly retainers, and has been able to broaden the services she offers by learning new skills like Facebook Ads, content, and copy writing.

Learn how to launch your own Virtual Assistant business at thevirtualsavvy.com.

Experience Required: The skills you already have and are willing to learn!Schedule: Generally part-time Monday - Friday but varies based on the schedule you set with clients.

By Nikki Kirk

Want to receive a print edition of Rootless Living Magazine in the mail?

Head over to rootlessliving.comand grab your subscription today.

Please help us spread the word and let people know they can grab a FREE digital subscription as well.

@rootlesslivingmag

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KEEP YOURKEEP YOURDAYDREAMDAYDREAMYour Dreams Matter. Start Small. Start Now!

In May of 2016, Marc and Tricia Leach, along with their three children, hit the road for a six month, cross country tour. Within

minutes of their adventure beginning, they experienced their first snag … the dreaded flat tire.

If you’ve ever searched YouTube to learn about full-time RV living, odds are you’ve come across their channel, Keep Your Daydream. That six month tour turned into a three and a half year adventure and they’ve built up quite the following along the way. Over 240,000 subscribers tune in every Sunday to see what KYD is up to. They’ve also established the “KYD Insiders”, one of the best and strongest online communities.

There are a lot of people who jump into an RV and grab a camera with the hopes of having YouTube success, but that is not what Marc and Tricia set out to do. They simply wanted to document their journey and be able to share it with friends and family back home.

In 2015, Marc and Tricia had hopes of traveling the seas with their kids, but quickly learned a reliable internet connection for work wasn’t possible. Like most parents, they also had some concerns

By Demian Ross

KEEP YOUR DAYDREAM | ROOTLESS LIVING | 2928 | ROOTLESS LIVING

about removing their kids from school. Especially when their oldest daughter was in high school at the time. To their surprise, after a short family sailing trip, their daughter was okay with leaving high school and excited to spend time on the road. Tricia couldn’t get home fast enough to start planning the RV trip.

After looking at the flaws in their sailing plan and nitpicking the exact RV they would need in order for it to

work, they found themselves in a trap. This exact dream wasn’t anywhere close to reality, and after years went by, they realized the only reason they are not living their dream was a result of not compromising and doing what was possible right now.

“We spent about a decade talking about our dream and it evolved many times, but we really started picking up steam about two years before we left when we started

to make changes to the business.” Tricia said.

That’s when they realized it was time to unwrap the dream and really figure out what was at the core. The main goal was to spend time together as a family. You only get eighteen summers with your kids, and they were down to their last two before the kids started off for college. “If we don’t do something now that door is closing.” Tricia said.

That’s when they got serious. “What if we made some compromises in our dream. What if it didn’t look like “A” and we made it look like “Z”, but we could actually obtain it now.” said Tricia. “So we had to start small, start now. What could we pull with the truck we have now, what could we live on with what we have now. We started making some real shifts and

changes and that’s when life started going really fast.”

In May of 2015, they started working hard on shifting their business to run remotely and settled on a starting travel date of May 28, 2016. Marc owns a consulting business and had to start transitioning face-to-face meetings with clients to virtual meetings. “The rut we were stuck in is like so many entrepreneurs. We wanted to create a business and then someday you could sell it or have some sort of exit, or someday you retire, or someday you make enough money to do your dream.” Marc said. They were done putting off their dream for someday.

The next hurdle was making sure this was something the kids really wanted to do. Tricia admits to somewhat tricking the kids at first by using some good old parenting, “do you want peas or do you want carrots?” Rather than asking if they want to eat vegetables at all. The kids were involved in the decision making, choosing between options the parents were comfortable with.

They also sold it as a six month trip, after which the family would evaluate together and see if they wanted to continue. They asked the kids where they want to go. Their oldest wanted to visit New York, and their middle son wanted to go to the Lumberjack Festival in Hayward, Wisconsin.

The family had already moved into a rental home a few years before, so all that was left was downsizing their possessions and putting some items in storage. With work figured out, the kids are on board, and a trailer they could pull with the truck they already owned, they hit the road.

Marc & Tricia had zero experience pulling an RV. When I asked Marc if they had any prior experience, on a scale of 1-10, he rated it less than zero. So they too did what many people do, looked to YouTube to learn. In 2015 there were not a lot of RVers documenting their lifestyle. The desire to start a channel came from a place of wanting to share their experiences from day one, including that initial flat tire. They wanted to be honest and show the mistakes they made along the way. Recently, Marc had to do the

most epic walk of shame down a highway to grab a sewer hose that got away.

If you’ve never seen their videos, they have evolved a lot from 2016. They started with a shorter format and a lot of how to videos. Now in 2020, they have a weekly show that runs 22 to 27 minutes long and is released every Sunday at 7:00pm (CST). They have grown the channel to over 240,000 subscribers with seven seasons to date. For me, the most amazing thing they have accomplished is the community they’ve built with the KYD Insiders.

30 | ROOTLESS LIVING | KEEP YOUR DAYDREAM ROOTLESS LIVING | 31

The KYD Insiders are a private Facebook group you get access to when you become a KYD Patreon. If you’ve ever asked a newbie question in a Facebook RV group, you might be familiar with some of the scolding and hostility you can encounter. The KYD Insiders are different, a lot different. It’s one of the best groups I’ve seen, with none of the hostility when asking a question or sharing a mistake. I personally believe it’s one of the great byproducts of having a Patreon account, as people act different when they are paying to see extra content or supporting a channel.

The KYD community is where it’s at for Marc & Tricia. They share and get amazing feedback as well as hearing about the members’ lives and experiences. They have met and hosted small meetups and love being connected with their community.

Like so many travel content creators, Keep Your Daydream runs a few months behind from the time they documented the trip, to the time it’s released on YouTube. I am learning that if you are interested in creating content, this is actually a really smart way of doing it. You have time to edit at a pace that isn’t rushed and it allows you to have some time off from filming. This allows them to have quality time with their kids without the series taking over their lives.

They work hard to make sure the videos are exciting for both the family as a whole, and the community. Filming the series can be difficult and requires a lot of brain power to plan the videos. They still want to have an authentic experience while trying to figure out what to include.

Being open also allows the community to direct where

the channel content goes. When the community started asking questions about Class C motorhomes, they decided to take trips that included renting a Class C in New Zealand. They sold their first travel trailer and purchased a larger one. Then sold that one and purchased a new truck and fifth wheel toy hauler so they could understand and answer a lot of the questions that were coming in about these different types of RVs.

Marc was also very transparent that having a channel was a good tool to make sure they get out and actually experience things. While in Florida, for example, they made an effort to get out and do more than just spend three weeks on a beach. They made a point to go out and do activities they normally wouldn’t do.

Not everyone owns a business or has a remote job. People have careers that are landlocked, like a teacher or police officer, but Keep Your Daydream believes there’s still a way to carve out time for long weekends and summers to make memories. They want their community to understand, even if it’s in a trailer too small to haul your family around in, you’ll laugh at the mistakes you make and realize how much you’ve learned. You’ll be ready for when you retire and know what type of RV you want, know where you want to go, and have a lot of practice in the lifestyle.

Just waiting for the sake of waiting is going to deny you the opportunity to make memories together and deny you the opportunity to learn. Start with what you have and where you are at now.

Check out Marc & Tricia Leach at keepyourdaydream.com or by searching

Keep Your Daydream on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.

Special thanks to Battle Born Batteries for the epic drone photo.

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Look Where You're Going!Find and tour RV parks and campgrounds across the US.

3,123 videos, 33,745 photos, 16,049 parks.On your phone, tablet or PC... go to

www.CampgroundViews.com

Enjoy the Drive... Finding Camp is Easy

PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK

PARK PROFILE

CALIFORNIABy Sarah Ainsworth

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Pinnacles National Park in central California, may seem like a postage stamp park compared to its neighbors, Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon,

but it packs a lot of life into a small space. It offers a higher concentration of visible wildlife than I’ve seen anywhere other than Yellowstone. In a few hours in the park, we saw deer, rabbits, turkey, quail, bats, hawks, a variety of other birds, a coyote, and the rare California Red Legged Frog. The most famous resident of the park is the elusive California Condor, most likely to be seen on the western side of the park, soaring amongst the high peaks.

Pinnacles was made a national monument in 1908, and re-designated as a national park in 2013. Things to enjoy at the park include bird watching, star-gazing, hiking, and rock-climbing. Sensitive areas are closed seasonally to protect nesting raptors and the bat nursery. The caves at Pinnacles are home to 14 species of bat, including the largest maternity colony of Townsend bats between San Francisco and Mexico. Hikes in the park range from an easy 0.9 mile stroll to a strenuous 9.3 mile trail, and rock-climbing routes range from easy topropes to multi-pitch climbs.

Don’t miss the Moses Spring to Rim Trail Loop hike, through Bear Gulch Cave to the reservoir. Bring a flashlight and watch out for frogs on the trail! Bear Gulch

Cave was formed by talus boulders falling into narrow canyons and there’s plenty of patches of daylight to be had, so it’s not terrible for the claustrophobic or those afraid of the dark. There was water on the trail in September, prepare to get your feet wet if you hike there in spring.

A visit to the park can be done as a day trip from the Bay Area, but I recommend spending at least one or two nights there, if you can. The east side of the park is open 24/7 and offers tent, group, and RV sites, some with electrical hookups. There is a dump station, coin operated showers, and a swimming pool, which is open seasonally. Campfires are often restricted due to fire risk and camping is prohibited outside the designated campground.

There is a small visitor center and camp store located near the eastern entrance to the park, which is open daily from 10 am - 4 pm, and a nature center at Bear Gulch, open seasonally. The western entrance of the park is accessed by a steep narrow road; RVs, trailers, and large vehicles are not recommended. There are restrooms and water there, but no camping allowed. There is no thru-road inside the park connecting the east and west entrances.

More info can be found at nps.gov/pinn

Do you have a favorite State or National Park experience you’d like to share?

Email us at collab@rootlessliving.com

The author’s children pausing to take in the views along the Moses Spring Trail

A lone bat hangs on the roof of the Bear Gulch Cave The author’s children hiking through Bear Gulch Cave

Photographer and writer Sarah Ainsworth is a part-time nomad who used to travel solo in her Subaru, and now travels with her family in a camper. On Instagram, she shares her art and landscape photography on @sarahainsworthphotography, and her travel-with-kids stories on @ourimperfectadventure. Her website is sarahaphotography.com

The campground was full of deer, turkey, and quail

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Host new friends and camp for free!

Find out more information at boondockerswelcome.com/rootless

10FAVORITEBOONDOCKING

SPOTSFind out more information at boondockerswelcome.com

2

38 | ROOTLESS LIVING | 10 FAVORITE BOONDOCKING SPOTS

There is absolutely nothing around Twin Point Overlook inside of Grand Canyon National Park for 65 miles. You don’t need a 4x4 to get here, but a high clearance vehicle is a must. The best time of year to visit is September to mid-November. It can be too hot in the summer months and deep snow in the winter. If you encounter any rain at all, you will want to head back quickly or be prepared to wait for the ground to dry up.

Once you arrive, you will be rewarded with stunning beauty and amazing sunsets. The nearest Gas Station is in Bloomington, UT so bring as much fuel as you can for the 100 mile one way trip.

Twin Point Overlook, Grand Canyon National Park • AZGPS: 35.98484, -113.62953

Willie Suarez @TheLoneOverlander

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We loved our time spent at Hendricks Flat! The cell service was great and the location isn’t far from town, which are two big items for us since we still work full time and like to explore downtown areas. This location is big rig friendly considering we had no problem bringing our 42ft fifth wheel in or out. It’s about a quarter mile from the main road so note that you will still hear slight road noise during the day but it dies down at night.

This was a beautiful location to start gaze at night and hike in the mornings. You have a clear view of the Sawatch Mountain Range, which has three mountains in a row that are higher than 14,000 feet. It’s safe to say we loved our view here! This location is only 9 miles from the adorable downtown Salida (grab a beer at 146 Taphouse) and only 10 miles from Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort. We highly recommend spending a day at Mount Princeton soaking in the multiple hot spring pools they have!

Hendricks Flat, Salida • COGPS: 38.6405, -106.0783

Rae & Jason Miller @getaway_couple

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After driving through pistachio farms, you’ll travel 3 miles down a gravel, sometimes washboard road. There is a sharp left turn through a narrow cattle guard followed by a sharp right turn through a wash immediately after. The parking area offers room for 3-4 rigs and a clean pit toilet. If you scout ahead, you can decide how much further to take your rig for a more isolated spot along the road. There are no marked trails in the area which make it quite enjoyable to forge your own path to the mountainous peaks around you. Mornings will greet you with cows, rabbits, jack rabbits, and lizards. Nights provide you with incredibly clear skies and cool temperatures to sit around a campfire. If you enjoy solitude and creating your own adventure while hiking, this is the place for you.

Indian Bread Rocks • AZGPS: 32.240758, -109.506595

Alli Newton & Sean Torstenson @here.then.gone

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Joshua Tree National Park is, without question, a place we always look forward to revisiting. The diversity of terrain, beautifully unique vegetation such as Joshua Trees and Cholla Cacti, along with a wide variety of stunning rock formations, inspires a never-ending stream of “Wow!” and “Look at that!” If you are fortunate enough to visit during Spring, just inside the south entrance you’ll be treated to a vista of the desert alive and in bloom as far as the eye can see. Joshua Tree National Park is a spectacular exhibition of nature in many unique forms and it’s a real bonus to be able to free camp on BLM land right outside the south gate of the park. Cell coverage is solid with all major carriers. It’s only a twenty mile drive to the Coachella Valley for a wide variety of shopping, casinos, and restaurants should you want a break from your nature explorations.

Joshua Tree National Park • CAGPS: 33.674164, -115.803062

Reg & Kisch Neufeld

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Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) as seen from Moose Pass, Alaska.

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We instantly fell in love with Moose Pass, Alaska. It is a beautiful location on the Kenai Peninsula, surrounded by mountains and glaciers. It provides the perfect middle point to adventuring and exploring the peninsula while staying stationary. We were 30 minutes from Seward, took a day trip to Homer and another day trip to Kenai. It was so nice to set up camp and “rest” from travel while still being central enough to explore so many areas. The location was perfect to use our inflatable kayaks and for the kids to go swimming. Water planes took off and landed throughout the day right outside of our window and we were able to take a glacier tour on one as well. We were able to see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) for the first time. The cell service was

fantastic. There is no amenities on site. Moose Pass became our home away from home during our time in Alaska and it will always be a place look back fondly on.

Moose Pass • AKGPS: 60.501939, -149.371102

Andrew & Janelle Hooper @homewiththehoopers

5After four months on the road and many boondocking spots that we have called “home,” nothing has taken our breath away as much as Antelope Flats. With incredible views of the Tetons and about 15 spots to choose from, it is one of those places that you never want to leave.

Only around 30 minutes from the town of Jackson and Grand Teton National Park, Antelope Flats is a great homebase to explore everything the Tetons have to offer. On the drive up, you pass the famous Mormon Row barns and then drive on a relatively short, and not too rough, dirt road to reach the campground.

We loved spending all day hiking in the National Park or wandering around town and then coming home to a beautiful view. While the sites don’t offer much privacy, what they lack in privacy they make up for with pretty good Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint cell service. We’re already counting down the days until next summer when we can return!

 

Adam & Kathryn Frazer @adventuresofaplusk

Antelope Flats • WYGPS: 43.704389, -110.621972

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My wife and I camped in South Dakota once before, near Mount Rushmore, and enjoyed a day trip through the astonishing Badlands. When we drove to Sioux Falls, SD, for domicile reasons, we remembered seeing a couple of our favorite RV YouTubers camping on the edge of the cliffs overlooking one of the Badlands’ canyons and decided to check off this bucket list item.

When we arrived to the coordinates there were five other RV’s along a two-mile stretch – not totally isolated, but nearly. We set up camp across the dirt path, only 30 yards from the cliff’s edge, and stayed four glorious nights. There was a nearly constant 20 mph breeze, enough to keep the temperatures mild, and we were visited by sheep, elk and deer several times during our stay. The most startling phenomenon was being outside late at night under a moonless sky. Not only were there so many stars I couldn’t recognize constellations, but I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face!

We’re looking forward to another visit, the sooner the better. Limited Verizon cell coverage, zero coverage for AT&T.

The Badlands • SDGPS: 43.890474, 102.233892

Jack Huberwww.jackhuber.com

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Sierra Vista is one of the few boondocking spots that feels like you can have it all: stunning views, quiet, easy access cell signal, plenty of solar, and quick proximity to town.

The highlight is the backdrop of the Organ Mountains, its rocky formations dramatic against the blue sky during the day and burning red at sunset. Six privately spaced, big-rig accessible sites sit along a gravel trailhead road that’s better maintained than most campgrounds.

Four bars of Verizon LTE signal (20 down/35 up) allowed us to work while watching jackrabbits and roadrunners scamper behind our fifth wheel. After work, we enjoyed hiking trails in our backyard, White Sands National Park (45 minutes away), Bosque Brewing (15 minutes away), and authentic Mexican dining in Mesilla (20 minutes away).

Most nights, we listened to the yips of coyotes as we fell asleep. We think this is one of the best campsites in America, and anyone can enjoy it for free! 

Sierra Vista Campground, Las Cruces • NMGPS: 32.3227, -106.6306

Jesse & Rachael Lyons @thetasteforadvenuture

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This location was an absolute dream with sunsets you can’t beat.

You park on the hard packed sand and fall asleep listening to the waves crash against the shore. It’s right on the Gulf of Mexico and you can even try to surf the small waves. We loved walking along the beach and feeling the sand in our toes. The key with this spot is to enter on the Public Beach Access Road #1. You’ll drive until the pavement stops and come upon a small colorful shack. Turn left onto the beach and keep going past three wooden markers in the ground. Once past those markers, you are in the free parking area. We had two bars of both Verizon and AT&T service here.

There are no restrooms that we could find, but plenty of trash cans, so please be sure to leave your spot better than you found it!

 

Brazoria Beach, Surfside • TXGPS: 28.979707, -95.250320

Nathan & Kelsey Kenny@ourhomeontheroam

9

Carbella Recreation Site is one of the most beautiful boondocking sites we have had the pleasure of camping at.   It’s 20 minutes Northwest of Gardiner and the North entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Nestled in Paradise Valley it’s a hidden gem in the expansive state of Montana.  

We enjoyed fishing on the Yellowstone river, riding bikes, watching the massive elk herds, stargazing, and relaxing in the hammock.  The location is ideal for day trips into Yellowstone or exploring the Tom Miner Basin. The Verizon cell coverage was great for what we needed, answering emails and other basic computer tasks.  The site is pet friendly as long as you follow the rules, and offers a toilet and some picnic tables and grills.

We can’t wait to get back one day - there is still so much exploring to do!   

Carbella Recreation Site, Livingston • MT GPS: 45.203910, -110.897929

Andrew & Janelle Hooper @homewiththehoopers

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ARTICLE NAME | ROOTLESS LIVING | 5150 | ROOTLESS LIVING

CREATORS GOTwenty years ago, when you asked kids what they wanted to be when they grew up, they said professions

like an Astronaut, Fireman or a Doctor. Ask the same question today and a large number of kids will say they want to be YouTube stars.

Each month I am bringing you stories of digital nomads who decided to create content around their lifestyle and have found success doing so. Success can be a vague and ambiguous term which is really self-defined. However, as everyone we showcase in this Creators on the Go series will tell you, documenting their journey has helped their success.

onthe

Grab the LESS>MORE shirt at rootlessclothing.com @rootlessclothing

Do you have an amazing boondocking location you’d like to share?

Email us at collab@rootlessliving.com

This month I want to introduce you to Tim & Allison “Fin” Diemer. Tim & Fin are the creators and stars of the YouTube series Tripped and owners of Tripped Travel

Gear. I was able to sit down with them last month for episode 3 of the Rootless Living Podcast and I left inspired. Both by their work ethic in the craft of content creating, and by how transparent they are when it comes to creating videos for YouTube.

For Tim & Fin, the whole idea of travel started back when they were dating. They had talked about wanting to leave the corporate world and were actively saving money for a few years in order to do so. The couple married, and in 2015, quit their Chicago based jobs, setting out for what would end up being a ten month trip.

They started their journey, documenting the experience along the way. After leaving Chicago they headed to Germany for Oktoberfest, then road tripped to Croatia, and flew into Greece to visit Santorini and the Greek islands. Next, they headed to Poland where they visited with family, then traveled east to Istanbul and Dubai.

From Dubai, they traveled into Asia. Tim & Fin landed in the Philippines, where they met up with some friends who were also traveling. From there they visited the Southeast Asia region including: Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. They

took two months to drive on a motorbike from Saigon to Hanio.

Whew!

These world travelers weren’t done yet! From Asia they flew to New Zealand for a six week campervan trip. When they started to run low on money, they headed to Bali for two months of low cost living while beginning to interview for jobs back in the United States.

Needless to say, after this extended honeymoon, they had captured a lot of footage. Fin had always been into editing and creating short videos, but had very little experience creating extended content as a travel video series.

What I found most interesting was how they didn’t plan on editing or releasing videos until they got back from the trip. They realized the time constraints it would take to edit and upload a video each week would take away from enjoying the travel itself.

Fin quickly learned this style made it a little more difficult to get better at filming content, as she wasn’t really seeing the footage until months later. It did not allow for making quick changes to the style of filming, but they didn’t let that stop them from creating.

After that first trip, they realized they wanted a life around travel. Not just a life waiting for the next vacation. They needed something which allowed them to go where they wanted, when they wanted. After a year working back in the states, Tim & Fin purchased and renovated a Class A motorhome and set out from Florida to Alaska.

During this year of RV travel, Tim worked on building the Tripped Travel Gear brand on Amazon while Fin worked

Tim & FinCREATORS ON THE GOBy Demian Ross

CREATORS ON THE GO | ROOTLESS LIVING | 53

remotely. They captured more content, this time around their RV lifestyle, but quickly realized they wanted to travel outside of the United States again. Together the couple set a daily profit goal for the brand. Once they reached it, they knew Fin could quit her remote client work and both could focus on their business and create videos.

Tim & Fin are very transparent about their YouTube channel and business. They started the channel with the hope that it would offset a lot of the travel costs but learned pretty quickly that it wouldn’t be able to do so. Instead, the channel has helped them showcase the Tripped Travel Gear brand while answering the question all travel vloggers are asked, how can you afford to travel?

It took about ten months for Tim to build the business up to be able to quit his job. It took three years of creating content for the channel to reach its 10,000th subscriber. While the series might seem like they travel all the time, it’s really a highlight reel of their six weeks in Asia or four months in Mexico. Much like a television show, they capture the content in a short window of time allowing them to enjoy their lives without the everyday filming pressure.

Be sure to check out their video series about starting a YouTube travel channel and their journey from the beginning. You can find Tim & Fin at timandfintravel.com or by searching Tim & Fin on YouTube.

ARTICLE NAME | ROOTLESS LIVING | 5554 | ROOTLESS LIVING | UPCOMING EVENTS

JANUARY:Fleetwood Motorhome Association Eastern RallyJanuary 21-26 in Seffner, FL

The Nashville RV Super ShowJanuary 24-26 in Nashville, TN

Escapees RVers Boot Camp January 31 - February 3 in Congress, AZ

FEBRUARY:Austin RV ExpoFebruary 13-16 in Austin, TX

Alabama RV Super ShowFebruary 14-16 in Huntsville, AL

Entegra Club Owners Balloon FestivalFebruary 28 - March 1 in Lakeland, FL

MARCH:Grand Design RV Rally - Las VegasMarch 12-15 in Las Vegas, NV

MARCH: (CONTINUED)The RV Entrepreneur Summit March 19-22 in Guntersville, AL

FMCA’s 101st International ConventionMarch 26-29 in Tucson, AZ APRIL:Young Entrepreneur ConventionApril 4 in Ames, IA

Running Remote ConferenceApril 20-21 in Austin, TX

Golden Palms 6th Annual Vintage Trailer EventApril 22-26 in Hemet, CA

MAY:Spring Hall of Fame RV ShowApril 30 - May 3 in Elkhart, IN

Royale Coach Club RallyMay 3-8 in Asheville, NC

MAY: (CONTINUED)Freightliner Chassis Owners Club RallyMay 11-15 in Branson, MO

JUNE:Tennessee Good Sam RallyJune 11-14 in Lebanon, TN

Social Media Week Lima June 17-18 in Lima, OH

Escapees RV Club - 60th EscapadeJune 21-26 in Rock Springs, WY

CA

LEND

AR O

F EVEN

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UPCOMING EVENTS, RALLIES & CONFERENCES

Events listed are a courtesy to our readers with dates and details subject to change. For more information, contact the events directly.

If you want your next event listed here please email info@rootlessliving.com

Stay connected with fellow digital nomads at these 2020 events.

LISTEN TO THE ROOTLESS LIVING PODCAST TODAYON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLAYER.

Marc & Tricia

KEEP YOUR DAYDREAM

Tim & FinTRIPPED

Ben & RebeccaHIS & HERS VLOGS

GUESTS INCLUDE:

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WATER RES I S T AN T

SUNG LA S S E S POUCH

2 WATER BOT T L E HOLDERS

3 5 L � BR I NG EVERY TH I NG

A BACKPACK AS

FLEX IBLE AS

YOUR TRAVEL

PLANS .

www.trippedtravelgear.com

@timandfin

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