Road trippin'

Setting up your living space

Setting up your mobile home effectively, depends entirely on the season. In the interest of anyone thinking of doing their’s during winter, I have compiled a list of the things I considered integral:

• A good, reliable sleeping bag. Ours kept you warm down to -37 degrees.

• A camping stove, kettle and thermos, for all you tea loving nomads.

• Hot water bottle: sounds senile, but it keeps those digits alive.

• Effective insulation: Hot water tank foil makes cheap and effective window covers; it doesn’t hurt to fill your side paneling and/or cupboards either.

Miscellaneous tips include:

• Hanging torches near the door incase you need to pop out in the middle of the night.

• Fill your iPod with lots of good music (there are only so many country songs you can enjoy…)

• Buy an extra battery so you can keep your laptop, camera and phones charged. If you have a fridge it’s almost imperative that you buy an insulator so you don’t kill your main one.

• Become one with Tupperware, both big and small. It’ll help keep your clothes organised and your girlfriends neurosis in check.

• Fold out chairs could be useful, but they’re not entirely necessary.

• Build or buy a roof rack! Ours is currently holding: a snowboard, a surfboard, two blow up boats, a cooler (which was once full of salmon), a Tupperware full of miscellaneous objects, our mechanical kit, fishing rods and associated accessories.

When to go

My romantic self wants to expound ideals that it’s completely up to you, but my pragmatic self recognises that this isn’t always the case. Personal and professional commitments often dictate a lot more than I’m willing to accept, but a lot less than most people are prepared to admit. An honest conversation with your boss might seem awkward at first, but he or she might surprise you with a six month sabbatical and a job when you return. If not, then don’t worry, good memories can be made at anytime of the year, anywhere. And besides, preconceptions can be the bulwark to discovering an interest that you never knew you had. If impatience hadn’t been our commanding emotion, it’s likely that we’d have waited until winter had passed before leaving - and what a shame that would have been.

In our experience autumn/winter is the absolute best time to start. By the time we made it to Vermont, so much snow had fallen that the whole state had been transformed into one huge ski school. Lucan became my snowboard instructor and I his student. It was just wonderful. The snow also meant that there weren’t too many people on the road, allowing us to stop, start and sleep wherever we wanted.

The downside to traveling in the ‘off-season’ can be closed roads, especially in National Parks. On the flip side, a downturn in tourism means that lots of hotspots go unmanned, and are therefore free, like Mount Rushmore. In the same vain, parking spaces don’t tend to incur a fee during the winter months, which is great for visiting major tourist attractions as well as cities.

There is a lot to be said for starting you trip in the North East, mostly because you can almost guarantee that the weather will only get progressively better the further South you drive. Needless to say, unless you’re taking your time, this tactic can make the return journey back up to Canada a little tough.

Saving money

Lots of people have asked me how I can afford to travel so much. Well the simple answer is: I work hard, save lots and I’m relatively sensible with money. It might help that I don’t drink, but when you consider the cost of hedonistic tastebuds, I imagine the weekly budgets aren’t all that different.

If I am to stay pertinent, then I’ll include travel tips that relate mostly to road-tripping, although I’m sure they have wider applications:

• Try and buy from the bulk food section rather than branded packages.

• Buy seasonally from local farm stands.

• Fill up your water jugs at gas stations, most places will allow you to fill your thermos too.

• When arriving at a new city seek out the bus tour companies, ask for a pamphlet and follow the route in your own car.

• Instead of hitting a cafe or a cinema when it rains, snuggle up under the covers and read a book or watch a movie on your laptop.

• Buy a National Park Pass. It’s gives you access to over 400 recreational areas across the US for just $80.

• Try and avoid eating out. The time has passed where Americans super-sized their portions, and so if you’re looking for something healthy and abundant, it’s going to cost you a pretty penny. It’s also worth remembering that lots of waiters rely on their tips for living, and so, if you can’t afford to be generous, maybe wait until you can.

The best tip for saving is the occasional splurge. If you constantly feel like you’re depriving yourself, you’ll forget to live in the moment and there’s nothing more depressing than that. So the next time you feel like eating out, or staying in NYC for ten days, do it! Just recognise that dried mung beans might have to become your best friend for a while.

Staying Clean and Lean

Grubby faces and lethargic muscles need look no further than YMCA. It has always been my understanding that this organisation only provides accommodation, but maybe that’s just the UK; because over in the States it’s where the young and old converge to get buff! In most cases, the centre will have a pool, a basic gym and classrooms; but then there are others which exceed all expectations by offering free weights, a sauna, tennis courts etc. At first we were paying between $5 and $10 a session until we learned that YMCA offers a free ‘day pass’ to prospective members, allowing full use of the facility. In some places this lasts a day, but in Hollywood you could ‘try out’ the machines for a full week, free of charge. Of course you could always buy an annual membership, but be warned, some are location specific and there are the odd few that require you to cancel your policy in person. (Hard to do if you’re on opposite sides of the country, or even world).

Eating Well

I’m not one for fast-food, nor am I a proponent of anything fried or sugary. I like my food fresh and healthy, preferably green, unless it’s fruit, in which case I’m totally indiscriminate. I’m a little more selective when it comes to meat though, favouring white over red, and using it only to supplement a bowl of vegetables every now and then. Fish on the other hand is consumed in great quantities, but it has to be ‘wild caught’ or Lucan will dismiss it as toxic. Quinoa, wild rice and farro are the foundations of most hearty salads I make, and will forever remain staples in my cupboards. So too will mung beans, chickpeas and garlic. If ever I find pure coconut water, I make sure to buy in bulk, same is true of avocados and fresh herbs, basil and mint especially. If given the option I will always chose organic, but I’m certainly not draconian about it. I am however, a fervent advocate of green powders, and try to drink one glass every single day. Ostensibly it might sounds like I have an expensive palette, but in reality, I spend far less than the average junk food junkie.

I understand that there are lots of travellers that subscribe to the ‘pot noodle’ school of thought, but really, there’s no need for it. Nor is there any reason to stock-pile hot dogs or pasta shells. What young road trippers often lack in money, they more than make up for in spare time and creativity. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are the perfect times to harness these qualities, so ditch the Doritos and get out that camping stove.

Gastronomic safaris like ours rely as heavily on the food as they do on the equipment that you pack. It’s worth noting at this point, that investing wisely and heavily at the beginning is always advisable, because once on the road, these purchases will pay you nothing but dividends. The best example of that for us is our fridge. The exchange of $1300 for fresh milk every morning, chilled vegetables and cold beer in the evening seemed like a no-brainer. Without it, there’s no chance we would have been able to buy, cook, and preserve a whole ham. Nor would we have been able to enjoy tuna sashimi for a month. (Props to the Vermont restauranteur for his kindness).

If you have the fridge, and it isn’t propane powered then I’ll assume you have a battery, in which case why not opt for a juicer? Thanks to my judicious boyfriend, we were able to find one that runs on 400 watts, making it the perfect size for our battery. Although it’s not massively powerful, it does make a mean carrot, ginger, lime and apple juice, which is the perfect complement to a hot Californian day. As with all of these machines, cleaning them is a headache, but so long as there’s a bathroom in sight, you should be all good.

For anyone considering doing this trip in winter, I would consider these indispensable: a camping stove, propane, a lighter, a kettle, a thermos, cast iron pots, spoons and a spatula. Other utensils might be nice, but they’re not entirely necessary.

Fridge staples:

- Milk

- Eggs

- Cottage cheese

- Avocado

Freezer staples

- Edamame beans

- Petite pois peas

- Fish fillets

Dry foods box:

You’ll appreciate this box three days into the wilderness

- Dried beans: mung, black, kidney, chickpeas

- Black or wild rice

- Quinoa

- Farro or rye

- Canned tuna

- Tomato paste and diced tomato

- Maple syrup (add it to milk, sprinkle a little nutmeg and you have a semi-naughty treat)

- Steel cut oats or Shredded Wheat (it has no added preservatives or sugar)

- Ryvita crackers

Condiments and dressings

- Spices, dried herbs, salt and pepper

- Wasabi

- Soy, ginger, sesame oil, chillis, garlic

- Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar

- Red wine vinegar

- Paprika, cumin, cayenne

- Balsamic vinegar

- Lime or lemon juice

Fruit and veg box

- Bananas, oranges and apples

- Garlic, sweet potatoes, carrots and onion

Cast iron creations

• Steam salmon over orange slices served with green beans

• Chilli: garlic, onion, butter, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, leeks, celery, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, paprika, chilli flakes, cinnamon, salt, pepper

• Ham joint cooked in apple cider, five bay leaves, ten cloves, one yellow onion, pepper corns, salt served with seeded mustard

• Steel cut oats, milk, crushed banana, sultanas and cinnamon

• Poached eggs on anything!

• Chicken pho: steamed chicken, organic chicken broth, glass noodles, chilis, bean shoots, spring onion, fresh coriander, fresh lime, red pepper

Salad ideas

• Apple, tuna, lettuce, cucumber, celery in yoghurt (served in a hot pitta pocket)

• Quinoa, apple, avocado, alfalfa, edamame and balsamic sautéed bacon

• Mung beans, farro, celery, avocado, red and green peppers and balsamic vinegar

• Chickpeas, tuna, butter beans, spinach, coriander and freshly squeezed lime

• Cous cous, paprika, cumin, cayenne, sundried tomatoes, red onion, sultanas, almonds (dressing: red wine vinegar, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cayenne)

• Artichoke hearts, avocado, jumbo prawns and lemon juice

• Tabbouleh: Bulgar wheat, finely diced onion, parsley, mint, tomatoes, garlic and lemon juice

• Black beans, kidney beans, avocado, rocket, orange, nectarine, sweetcorn, toasted pumpkin seeds, toasted coriander seeds

• Green beans, green peas, red onion, popped mustard seeds, chilli, garlic, lemon zest, fresh tarragon leaves

• Petite pois, new potatoes, basil pesto

• Steamed chicken, fresh basil, new potatoes, grated parmesan

Snacks

• Celery or carrots with cottage cheese

• Ryvita with smashed avocado, lemon juice and salt

• Ryvita with smoked salmon and hard boiled egg

• Toasted chickpeas in cumin

Wifi

Wifi - a magical tool that not only teaches us about the dangers of fast-food and globalisation, but, if made free, will automatically absolve that guilty party of their involvement. In this instance I’m talking about Starbucks and McDonalds: the mitigator of fatigue and the emancipator of hangovers - or so I’m told.

My affiliation has always been circumstantial at best: a Frapuccino was the recompense after a hard day at Uni; and a Happy Meal, the bargaining chip of my childhood, used by tired babysitters to engender a little cooperation. Although I still dabble in coffee, my last rendezvous with Ronald would have been almost thirteen years ago. Having said that, there’s nothing that a little cyber time can’t fix.

Without wifi, good recommendations would have been spoiled by convoluted directions; poor signage would have got us permanently lost and hidden spots would have remained an invisible treasure.

Thankfully, non of this happened to us. We managed to avoid a costly phone plan, by relying solely on the free internet provided by these two companies. My McAbstinence is still in place, but Lucan is a Big Mac, ten McNuggets and two strawberry milkshakes short of sober. Nevertheless, I think seven months of free internet for a few thousand calories is a good trade.

The point of this ramble I hear you ask? Well if like us, you don’t have a spare thousand dollars to drop on a data plan, then consider traversing this huge country without one. So long as you’re inconspicuous, you should’t have any problems browsing, nor should you feel obliged to buy something. Fortunately we learned early on that people in these places don’t care. Once ten people have bought a venti, the weeks internet subscription is paid for - so don’t worry.

Phones

This is a point of contention between Lucan and I, he argues that they are imperative, whereas I think with a little planning and a reliable vehicle you should be okay. When we first arrived in the States we did some shopping around, curious to know how much a data plan might cost. If I’m honest, they are an utter rip off. We failed to find a pay as you go scheme, and instead were offered a rolling contract that extorted $100 out of you a month. Since all we really needed was a data plan, this seemed ludicrous. We were also a little dubious about signing a contract, especially in America and even more so with a phone company. That sneaky small prints always seems to get you.

I won’t lie, there have been times when I would have appreciated a fully functional Google Maps, but then again, the offline version has served us just fine. Since we haven’t needed to ring or text anyone, Starbucks and McDonalds have been just fine for researching places. I will warn you though, a reliable car is essential. If you’re planning on trekking up snow-covered mountains or driving around barren canyons, you’ve either got to have supplies and faith in your vehicle or a phone to call services should you need them. Sleeping

It has taken me seven months to get accustomed to Lucan’s idea of a ‘prime sleeping spot’. For months I resisted his suggestions, arguing that the van was too conspicuous for a carpark and too suspicious for a suburban street. My scrupulous attitude turned farmland into forbidden territory and school districts into minefields, making it almost impossible for us to find somewhere safe to sleep. Ironically, my objections were so extensive that some nights Lucan drove until I was just too tired to argue and then he would pull up outside a house or slip neatly into a cornfield. For the most part this worked perfectly well, we would pull up at nine or ten and roll out just before six or seven. Please note, it was my proclivity for early mornings than necessitated such an early start, and not an angry request to leave, so don’t worry if you enjoy your slumber.

However, there was one night when we were woken up at 4am by a loud knock on the van door. Apparently a concerned neighbour had reported us half an hour earlier for ‘suspicious behaviour’. It still confounds me that anyone could see us. Not only were we very well hidden, it was the middle of absolutely nowhere AND it was three thirty in the morning. Nevertheless, the ‘cop’ that dealt with the call was extremely nice, and stayed for an hour just to chat (his doing, not ours). He recommended that we stay put and just leave as soon as we could, and that was that.

In the instances where there weren’t any corn fields, such as Chicago, Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City we took full advantage of 24 hour carparks. Not only did this mean that we got to park our van somewhere safe and secure during the day, it also meant that we could sleep in the middle of downtown for absolutely nothing. In the morning we would wake up, walk to a Starbucks, use the facilities and order a coffee, all before our ticket expired. In smaller or less interesting cities we slept in 24 hour Walmart carparks - legally. According to Lucan, the owner of Walmart is a keen road-tripper and has chosen to champion the cause by allowing campers to use his premises to park at night. It’s actually rather amusing in some towns where there are more RV’s than trucks. However, it’s worth remembering, this is only applicable in carparks owned exclusively by Walmart, if there is any chance they share it with another company, perhaps consider somewhere else - some security guards really resent kicking out ‘squatters’ and will threaten tickets.

I appreciate that this is a lot to swallow, and so I shall keep the conclusion brief:

“Buy a van, pack your things, and get going!!”