Outland Adventures

  Spring Campsite Essentials ⛺🌿 Tuesday, April 9 Spring camping is a little chaotic—and that’s exactly why we love it. One minute you’re soaking up sunshine in a t-shirt, and the next you’re digging out hoodies, blankets, and wondering if that cloud rolling in is “just a sprinkle” or a full-on downpour. Spring doesn’t play by the rules, especially when you’re living the RV life. But with the right setup, it can be one of the coziest, most rewarding seasons to camp. Here’s what we always keep on hand to make those unpredictable spring nights feel less like survival mode and more like a vibe. 🌙 Cozy Comes First When the sun drops, so does the temperature—fast. Even after a warm day, nights can get downright cold. We swear by: Extra blankets (the fluffier, the better) Warm hoodies and thick socks A heated blanket or electric throw (if you’ve got power) Hot water bottles for a low-tech, no-power option There’s nothing better than bundling up, listening to the quiet hum of the campgro...

  ❄️ Cold-Weather Camping: Cozy Tips & Gear We Love There’s something magical about cold-weather camping — the crunch of frost under your boots, the smell of woodsmoke drifting through crisp air, and the way coffee somehow tastes better when you can see your breath. We’ve camped through snow flurries, icy rain, and those sneaky “it’s 60° at noon but 25° by sundown” kind of nights. So trust us when we say: being cozy is an art form. Here’s how we stay toasty, cheerful, and (mostly) frostbite-free when temps drop: 1. Layer Like a Pro Forget fashion — think survival-chic. Merino wool base layers , flannel shirts , and a puffy jacket are our holy trinity. Amanda swears by fleece-lined leggings , while Chris has an ongoing love affair with thermal shirts that make him look like a mountain hermit. 2. Hot Drinks, Always Cocoa, coffee, cider — if it’s warm and steamy, we’re drinking it. Our secret weapon? A heavy-duty thermos that keeps drinks hot long enough to survive an...

 🎄 Full-Time RV Life & The Holidays: Staying Festive on the Road When you live full-time on the road, the holidays look a little different. No big house to decorate. No attic full of ornaments. No seven-foot tree (unless you count that one inflatable we thought would fit in the RV ... it didn’t). But different doesn’t mean less magical. Out here, holiday cheer comes in smaller packages—twinkling lights strung under the awning, cinnamon candles flickering on the counter, and maybe a wreath made from pinecones we found on a hike. Every mile brings a new kind of celebration, and that’s part of the charm. 🎁 Cozy Spaces, Big Spirit We’ve learned that it doesn’t take much to feel festive in a tiny space. A strand of fairy lights instantly turns the RV into a cozy winter nook. We hang stockings on the cabinet handles, play our favorite holiday playlist , and let the smell of hot cocoa fill the air. Amanda’s crafting magic usually comes into play here— mini wreaths , hand...

  🌦️ The Challenges of Camping in Every Season We’re Amanda & Chris, full-time travelers in Wildebeest, our 1990 Ford E350 shuttle bus conversion. As much as we love camping in every season, we’ve learned that each one brings its own quirks and challenges. Life on the road isn’t always picture-perfect — sometimes it’s muddy boots, sweaty nights, or frozen hoses. But those challenges? They’re part of the adventure. 🌸 Spring: Mud & Allergies Spring is beautiful, but it can also mean muddy campsites, unpredictable rain, and pollen covering everything (including our camp chairs). We’ve learned to always have tarps, good shoes, and allergy meds at the ready. ☀️ Summer: Heat & Crowds Summer is prime camping season, but it can be hot — really hot. Shade and fans become essential, and sometimes you have to get creative to beat the heat. Campgrounds are also busiest this time of year, which means more noise and less privacy. 🍂 Fall: Shorter Days & Chillier Nights ...

  🌿 The Joys of Camping in Every Season We’re Amanda & Chris, traveling full-time in Wildebeest , our 1990 Ford E350 shuttle bus conversion . One of the biggest surprises we’ve found on the road is just how different — and magical — camping feels in every season. The landscapes, the routines, even the way we connect with fellow campers all shift with the weather. Instead of chasing only “perfect” weather, we’ve learned to embrace the joys each season brings. 🌸 Spring: Fresh Starts The world feels like it’s waking up again — blooming flowers , longer days, and that perfect “not too hot, not too cold” air. Campgrounds start buzzing as travelers return, but it’s often still quiet enough to feel peaceful. Nothing beats that first campfire of the year with a chill in the air and a hoodie pulled tight. ☀️ Summer: Classic Camping Vibes Summer is what most people picture when they think of camping. Long days, swimming holes , cookouts , and kids riding bikes until the sun set...

  🚐 Top 10 Myths About Full-Time RV Life (and the Truth) We’re Amanda & Chris, traveling full-time in Wildebeest , our 1990 Ford E350 shuttle bus conversion . After a couple of years on the road, we’ve heard (and lived through) just about every assumption people make about full-time RV life. Some are hilarious, some are frustrating, and some have a little truth to them — but most are myths. Here are the top 10 misconceptions we hear the most (and the reality behind them): 1. Myth: RV Life is Just One Big Vacation Truth: It’s still life. We work, we clean, we budget, we stress. Yes, the scenery is better — but laundry still piles up. 2. Myth: You Need a Huge, Fancy RV to Go Full-Time Truth: Nope! Wildebeest is a 1990 shuttle bus conversion with quirks galore. It works for us because we made it ours — not because it’s shiny or new. Our previous rig? A 1991 Chevy G20... If it works for you it's the right RV. 3. Myth: Full-Time RVers Are Always on the Move Truth: We s...

  🚐 Full-Time RV Life: The Pros & Cons We’re Outland Adventures, aka Amanda & Chris, traveling full-time in Wildebeest, our 1990 Ford E350 shuttle bus conversion. What started as a leap into the unknown has turned into a lifestyle that’s equal parts adventure and challenge. Living in an RV full-time often sounds like a dream — and in many ways, it is. But like anything worth doing, it comes with its highs and lows. Here are some of the things we’ve learned along the way: 🌟 The Pros Freedom to Roam We’re not tied to one place. Mountains this month, lakes the next — we just point Wildebeest in the right direction and go. Changing Scenery Our backyard changes constantly. Cornfield sunsets, lakeside mornings, small-town main streets — no two weeks ever look the same. Simplicity Living small means less clutter and fewer distractions. Everything we own has a place and a purpose. Meeting Incredible People From campground neighbors to fellow workampers, we’ve met amaz...

  💀 The Nightmare Campground: A Cautionary (and Slightly Funny) Tale Hey y’all — Amanda & Chris here from Outland Adventures , coming at you with something a little different today. We just shared our dream campground , and now it’s time to explore the dark side — the kind of campground that makes you rethink everything. The one where you wake up and immediately start Googling where to go next. We’ve stayed at a few of these in our time. You know the type… 🐭 Filthy Bathrooms (If They're Even Open) Let’s start with the classic red flag: bathrooms that haven’t seen a mop since the Bush administration. Think: Muddy footprints, mystery puddles One flickering lightbulb A half-used roll of toilet paper dangling sadly from the wall Bonus points if they advertise “clean facilities” and then you walk in and immediately nope back out. 📶 Wi-Fi? You Mean... Lie-Fi? They said free Wi-Fi . What they meant was "You might get one bar if you stand near the dump...

  🚿 Campground Amenities Are Cool, But a Good Shower Is Everything Hey travelers, wanderers, and folks who’ve ever tried to wash their hair with half a jug of bottled water — it’s Amanda & Chris from Outland Adventures , and today we’re talking about something vital, underrated, and way too often disappointing: Campground amenities. Sure, we love a well-stocked camp store and a walking trail with surprise bunnies. We appreciate a friendly staff and picnic tables that don’t wobble. Wi-Fi that works ? Absolute gold. But let’s be honest. If we had to rank campground perks from “cool” to “life-changing,” there’s one that always rises to the top: 🚿 A clean, hot, high-pressure shower. 🧼 The Holy Grail of Campground Living When you live full-time in an RV — especially a converted 1990 shuttle bus like Wildebeest — showering becomes an adventure in itself. We’ve got our own off-grid hacks, sure. We do have a portable solar shower. And sometimes we sponge-bath it like pion...

  📱Behind the Scroll: The Real Life of Social Media on the Road Hey friends! It’s Amanda (with some Chris input, of course), here to pull back the curtain on a side of Outland Adventures we don’t always show: the behind-the-scenes of our social media life . You’ve seen the reels. The campground sunsets. The aesthetic coffee setups. The goofy RV fails and the quiet morning views. But what you don’t always see is… well, the chaos it takes to get those clips. Creating content while living full-time in a 1990 shuttle bus isn’t just fun — it’s also hilarious , exhausting , and 100% real . So here it is: the truth behind the scroll. 🎥 We Don’t Wake Up With a Camera in Our Face Despite what perfectly-lit morning reels would have you believe, we don’t wake up and immediately grab a camera. Most mornings start with: Chris stumbling toward the coffee like a sleep-deprived raccoon. Amanda checking messages with one eye open. A 10-minute debate about whether breakfast count...

  🌤️ Lazy Days at Camp: Why Doing Nothing is Sometimes Everything Hey friends — it’s Amanda & Chris from Outland Adventures , coming to you live from the most important part of the full-time RV lifestyle: the lazy day . You know the one. The sun’s warm but not too hot. The birds are doing their thing. Your to-do list is “maybe later.” Your biggest decision is whether to make coffee now or wait 15 more minutes just because you can. Yep — we’re talking about the gloriously slow , refreshingly quiet , do-nothing-all-day-and-feel-good-about-it kind of campground day. 🪑 What a Lazy Day Looks Like for Us We’re not sightseeing. We’re not working. We’re not filming, cleaning, organizing, fixing, uploading, dumping, driving, planning, or packing. We’re just… being . Here’s how a lazy day at camp usually unfolds in the Wildebeest: ☕ Coffee outside , in chairs that squeak slightly, facing whatever view we’ve got — trees, fields, fellow campers walking their chonky golden re...

  🔥 Campfire Chef Life: Our Favorite Outdoor Cooking Tips & Recipes Hey friends, and welcome back to Outland Adventures ! If you’ve ever caught the scent of bacon at a campground and immediately turned into a cartoon character floating through the air — you get it. There’s just something about cooking outdoors that hits different. Whether it’s propane stoves, cast iron over the fire, or the magic of foil-wrapped anything, meals made outside always seem to taste better — maybe it’s the fresh air, or maybe it’s just because Chris is the cook and Amanda insists on snacks while she supervises. So today, we’re sharing how we make outdoor cooking easy, delicious, and doable — plus a couple of favorite go-to recipes that even work on the road. 🍳 Outdoor Cooking, Outland Adventures Style We keep things simple, flexible, and packable . Our current setup includes: 1 propane stove  A portable cast iron grill grate A 17 inch Blackstone (yes, it’s heavy — yes, it’s ...

  🏕️ The Campground Next Door: Shoutout to the Great Neighbors We’ve Met on the Road Hey there, fellow travelers and tent-side philosophers! It’s Amanda & Chris from Outland Adventures , and today we’re getting a little sentimental (don’t worry, we’ll blame the campfire smoke). Because while RV life is full of gorgeous views and weird roadside attractions, one of the best parts of this lifestyle is something that rarely gets the spotlight: 🫶 Really great campground neighbors. Not the kind that blast music at 2 a.m. or let their dog poop on your rug mat (you know who you are) — we’re talking about the kind, helpful, hilarious folks who make this lifestyle feel like a real community. The ones who wave in the morning, chat by the fire, and lend you a wrench before you even realize you need one. 🧰 The Guy With Every Tool Ever Made There’s always one . He rolls in, sets up camp in eight minutes flat, and somehow has a spare part for your rig stashed under his stairs. ...

  🧭 Travel Day Prep with Outland Adventures What it really takes to hit the road with Wildebeest Hey friends! Amanda here — and today we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how we prep for a travel day in our 1990 Ford E350 shuttle bus conversion, Wildebeest . It’s not quite as easy as turning the key and heading out (though we wish it was). Every travel day takes some planning, packing, and patience — but we’ve got a routine down that works for us. ✨ The Night Before We like to keep our travel mornings as stress-free as possible. That means starting the prep the night before: 🧺 Tidy Up We hand-wash dishes, put away laundry, and make sure anything loose is packed or secured. Amanda clears craft projects and books, Chris puts away tech gear. 🧠 Route Planning Amanda dives into maps, apps, and notes like the GPS queen she is — checking for low bridges, construction, road closures, and whether there’s a good spot for fuel or a fun roadside stop. She also conf...

  🚐 Tiny Space, Big Life: Tips for Thriving in a Small Home on Wheels Hey again, friends of the road (and tiny house dreamers)! It’s Amanda & Chris here from Outland Adventures , and today we’re talking about something we get asked a lot : “How do you two live in such a small space and not drive each other crazy?” Short answer? We do drive each other a little crazy — but we’ve learned how to do it with love, coffee, and very clear drawer boundaries. 💀 Living full-time in Wildebeest , our converted 1990 E350 shuttle bus, means cozy quarters, creative storage, and figuring out how to make a home out of less than 100 square feet. It’s not always easy, but it is worth it. So here it is — our best, road-tested advice for living in a small space and actually thriving . 🧺 1. Everything Needs a Home (and a Backup Plan) In a tiny space, clutter multiplies fast. Every item should have a designated spot — not a vague “somewhere in that bin.” When something new comes in, somet...