As the third week of our journey comes to a close, we’ve already revised our itinerary four times. Between chasing powder and connecting with our environment, we’ve quickly learned that sometimes the “plan” just needs to be thrown out the window.
Our time in Jackson was no different. It ended up being a bit longer than expected, but we were deeply drawn into the lifestyle and overall vibe of the location. Vast open plains, roaming elk and, of course, the killer riding. Jackson is truly an outdoor enthusiast’s playground.
Life in our Airstream has been a welcome challenge and continuous adjustment. Overall, this way of life has taught us a few key things about making the most of all 23’ of our living space. We’ve become proficient at organization throughout life on the road. We’ve found that it is incredibly important for every item to have a spot and to be returned to its place after use. It’s amazing how quickly our space can feel messy, if we’re not careful. Not just every “thing” needs a spot, but every “one” needs a spot, as well. All four of us (yes, dogs included!) have each established our go-to nook in the trailer, and this simple practice makes the space feel much larger.
We’ve gotten a lot of questions about how we keep the Airstream functioning and comfortable in the cold temperatures and over the past few weeks we’ve acquired a few key pieces of knowledge that we’d love to share about Airstream living in the cold weather.
- Heated water hose: When you are lucky enough to find an RV campground with running water hookups, the heated hose is key.
- Ample amounts of propane: It’s important to keep track of your propane levels! We keep one propane tank shut off so that we know exactly when one is empty. As soon as it is empty, we are sure to fill it up immediately (or as soon as possible.) In the meantime, we switch to the other tank.
- Monitor temperatures: Don’t run the heat pump under about 35 degrees Fahrenheit. On the flip side, be sure to run the heat pump above about 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Solar panel: It’s awesome to have while boondocking, because it lets us reserve our power for heating.
- Bath/shower wipes: The lack of fresh water available due to freezing temperatures has lead us to discover the necessity of bath/shower wipes and dry shampoo.
Jackson couldn’t have felt more like a home away from home without the help of Fireside Resort. Their hospitality, flexibility and friendship made for a seamless stay.
A large part of our mission and life blueprint is to promote the nomadic lifestyle and help others discover their way to live #OutsideTheCubicle. We’ve spent a lot of time in Jackson connecting with new friends and finding our work-life balance.
Two companies in particular really helped make our time memorable: DogJax and Togwotee Adventures. We are incredibly grateful to our friends at DogJax for giving Ketut an opportunity to stretch his legs and play with other pups all day long. What a perfect opportunity for him to socialize and tire out. Oso is also grateful, given he had “only-child-day” for three straight days. We have never seen Ketut as tired as he was coming home from that doggy daycare – he nearly slept for an entire day.
Snowmobiling is a large part of the culture in Jackson. Having never tried it, we couldn’t wait to see what all the hoopla was about. We teamed up with our friends at Togwotee Adventures and spent the day exploring at Togwotee Pass! Our guide, TJ, was knowledgeable, incredibly friendly and an awesome guy to meet. He showed us some untouched powder fields and even helped search for the drone when it went missing in the middle of the woods. While we didn’t see any swamp donkeys (moose), we came away with some amazing memories— and even found the drone!
A large part of what makes our lifestyle unique is the ability to connect with so many different people everywhere we go. The world, while seemingly getting larger with each new place we explore, seems to be simultaneously shrinking. The six degrees of separation theory is really proving itself. More and more, we are met with friends in common, in the most unexpected ways. We have found that we seem to make some of our closest friendships through this round-about way of meeting people. Ranyon D’arge, a legend at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, is no exception. Welcoming from the moment we met him, he made us feel right at home in Jackson through secret pow stashes, delicious dinner at Teton Thai and the desire to spend more time with us. Together, we all journeyed back out to Togwotee Pass on Saturday for a day of ripping around on snowmobiles and snow bikes, boondocking and enjoying the sunshine. With Ryan being a former lacrosse player at Loyola, no Saturday in February is complete without streaming the Loyola Greyhounds lacrosse game. Even if it’s off 3G MiFi to your phone.
That night, we set up shop with an unobstructed view of the Tetons, made some cocktails and watched the sun set. Our morning was blessed with a beautiful sunrise, and with no one but moose around the next morning, we took off for Sun Valley, Idaho. The drive was barren, except for our pit-stop at Craters of the Moon. Did you know that there is such a place? Now you do! (Side note: Craters of the Moon is a designated dark-sky park, recognizing it as one of the best places in America to stargaze.)
We have a lot on the itinerary for next week! We’ll be in Sun Valley first, then off to Mt. Baker, then down to Crystal Mountain. We will be posting up there for at least a week to celebrate our birthdays. If anyone has recommendations on food spots or must-do’s, we’d love to hear from you!
