2WD Off-Roading is possible! But know what you're in for. Installing windows is pretty easy and we'll tell you how, the GoPro Hero 8 is reviewed, visiting Dogtown, checking out Foresty Forest, and is drunk sleeping illegal?

• Can you Off Road in a 2 Wheel Drive Van?

• Yes

• GoPro Hero 8 - https://amzn.to/31ZhuTp

• Experimental Features 
  

Dogtown, Gloucester, MA

• Babson and Anti-Gravity - Wikipedia
  

• A complicated issue. Here's one article from a lawyer on the topic: Sleeping it off. Can I get into trouble for sleeping drunk in my car?
  

• Give Foresty Forest a watch. A unique van build, amazing video footage, and the driest sense of humor this side of the Mojave. 

VENTILATE OR DIE! Yes, ventilation is very important. Also, all about Backup Cameras, should we have News?, A review of the GasOne Stove, a trip to Salem MA, the Avenza Maps App,  and Leveling for sleeping. 

• COVID-19: This the BEST resource https://vanlifers.co/pages/coronavirus 

• Plan for it - it's very important

• MaxAir - https://amzn.to/2EUUhK4

• GasOne Propane/Butane Stove - https://amzn.to/2PqUkPL

2021 Salem, MA Trip!

Curious Adventurer's Guild Facebook Group

Top 10 ways to save money in your van! Plus, a visit to the NV desert, a review of dog bowl sinks, a GREAT idea for saving your left arm, and a mystery tale in Cumberland, Maryland.

• COVID-19: This the BEST resource https://vanlifers.co/pages/coronavirus 
  

• Yeah, no idea what makes these the "top," but they might actually save you some money, and they're a list, so why not? 

• Aurora, NV

• A mid-19th century ghost town where Mark Twain first started writing.

Ok, you've given up on household air conditioning, what about those "AS SEEN ON TV" solutions? We discuss. We'll also visit an alien's grave, a ghost town, talk about black water, review a toaster, and tell you about Informed Delivery.

• COVID-19: This the BEST resource https://vanlifers.co/pages/coronavirus 
  

• None of these are Earth-shattering, but in some cases, they might be useful
  

• The "sponge and a fan" solution.
  

• Currant, NV

• A modern ghost town on US 6 in Nevada.

• Cemetery in Aurora, NV
  

• The complete story: Skeptoid: An Alien Buried in Texas

• Product Review: Coughlan's Camping Toaster

• https://amzn.to/2WPGY3M
  

The United States Postal Service will scan the outside of your mail and email it to you. Could be useful while you're on the road!

https://informeddelivery.usps.com/

Lots of questions about solar power, so this episode breaks format a bit and focuses on how solar works, what you need, and whether you really need it. Also, a visit to Fort Ransom, ND, an unsatisfying tale about Writing Rock, an introduction to Solar Expert Will Prowse, and AC in a Van?

• COVID-19: This the BEST resource https://vanlifers.co/pages/coronavirus 
  

• This is the equipment I'm using. There are many other excellent components, but these are what I'm using

Rich Solar 100W Monocrystalline Panel

• https://amzn.to/2Cwwzmg

Renogy 20amp MPPT Controller

• https://amzn.to/38VaXvU 
  

• Writing Rock - Where is it  

• Fort Ransom, ND

• State Park

• Resource Recommendation: Will Prowse, DIY Solar

Will is THE expert on solar setups. Watch a few of his videos and you'll know a lot.

YouTube 

Tim Campbell may have figured it out! Watch this video and see what you think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxpxg82UV3g 

We announce the winner of our contest, troubleshoot with Lord Occam, have an encounter at Standing Rock and point out the importance of brown signs.

COVID-19 is growing stronger, but we can still travel! We just need to do a few things different. We'll also discuss the important of ground wires, review a Dometic toilet, joyously recommend commercialtrucktrader.com, visit the Timberline Lodge and tell a boat ramp story. 

COVID-19: This the BEST resource https://vanlifers.co/pages/coronavirus 

• CONTEST WINNER: Brian from North Carolina! Congratulations!
  

• We'll have other contests in the future.
  

• A trip to Standing Rock turns into an encounter with the locals. 
  

• Brown Signs

• Take the time to stop and see things that "Historic Markers" or "Scenic View" signs are pointing to. It's a great way to learn about a place and take a moment to appreciate where you are. 

• Tech Talk: Lord Occam's Method 

• Lord Occam said "The simplest solution is likely correct." But every new piece of evidence requires you to apply it again. 
  

• The brackets are an odd shape, but if you're looking for a $30 solution to having a swing away table in your van, this might be the ticket.

COVID-19 is growing stronger, but we can still travel! We just need to do a few things different. We'll also discuss the important of ground wires, review a Dometic toilet, joyously recommend commercialtrucktrader.com, visit the Timberline Lodge and tell a boat ramp story. 

COVID-19: This the BEST resource https://vanlifers.co/pages/coronavirus 

CONTEST!!!! If you live in the US and e-mail me before July 7th, 2020 with a story or other item of interest that I can put in the podcast, you'll be entered to win a brand new PWM Solar Charge controller. Every entry will receive a Hook Waka Bang sticker. Your privacy will be respected - nothing shared, stored, folded, spindled or mutilated.

• Travel during COVID-19?

You can do it, but set your expectations and be a lot more self-contained. 

• Playing stupid games on abandoned coast guard bases isn't the smartest thing to do. 
  

• Commercial Truck Trader:  The BEST place to search for vans online. Truly an astounding display of vannage. 

• Tech Talk: Ground Wires

• Ground wires are just as important as the power wires. Take care of them. 
  

• Not quite like being in a house, but a perfectly reasonable solution. 

High top or low top? That IS the question this week, and while high tops have a lot of appeal, low tops have a place as well. We'll also visit Gillette Castle, the Oregon Coast, and review Ikea Eket and suggest American Van.

How can you secure your van? Not personal security, but keeping people out of your van! The Amazon Fire HD 8 has a cool secret, and Salvage One is an interesting place to visit in Chicago. Would like a free water pump? We tell you how. And FINALLY, and explanation for all the Aurora references. And we try Rock Auto and report back. COVID-19: This the BEST resource https://vanlifers.co/pages/coronavirus 

CONTEST!!!! If you live in the US and e-mail me before July 7th, 2020 with a story or other item of interest that I can put in the podcast, you'll be entered to win a brand new PWM Solar Charge controller. Every entry will receive a Hook Waka Bang sticker. Your privacy will be respected - nothing shared, stored, folded, spindled or mutilated.

• High-top or Low-top?

• It boils down to this: do you want to optimize living or driving/parking? 
  

• A trip to the Oregon Coast! Sort of. Florence to Astoria has some of the most picturesque driving the US. If you can see it.
  

• American Van:  A catalog of commercial vans that might have something just for you. 

• Tech Talk: Curtain Dividers 

The secret to hanging a curtain between the front and the back is a shower curtain tension rod. 

Eket is a different type of Ikea product, not made of MDF and it doesn't need hex wrenches! What's best is that it comes in different depths.  

• One of my favorite spots in New England, this castle was the home of William Gillette, creator of "Sherlock Holmes" as we know him. It's full of surprises. 

How can you secure your van? Not personal security, but keeping people out of your van! The Amazon Fire HD 8 has a cool secret, and Salvage One is an interesting place to visit in Chicago. Would like a free water pump? We tell you how. And FINALLY, and explanation for all the Aurora references. And we try Rock Auto and report back. 

• COVID-19: This the BEST resource https://vanlifers.co/pages/coronavirus 
  

• Keep your stuff out of site, hide small things, and learn a couple of tricks like kill switches, locking swivel seats, and chained steering wheels.
  

• The Auroras explained, finally. What does it mean? You'll have to listen to find out.  
  

• Rock Auto - more than just an annoying commercial. It's actually pretty great! 

• Tech Talk: Free Water Pump!

Ok, we'll spill the secret - your free water pump is... gravity. But it can be all you need. 

• Not really a review, but rather an interesting way to use it as an Alexa hub. 

What if you'd rather just buy a van? We talk about the realities, some of them harsh. We'll also review the Stanley Cook Kit (it's great!), talk about how to screw properly (really) and I'll tell the tale of what it's like on our Interstates now that COVID-19 is firmly with us.   

• COVID-19: This the BEST resource https://vanlifers.co/pages/coronavirus 
  

They're expensive.

RV Trader is a great place to start, to get an idea of prices, etc.  

Conversion Trader is focussed specifically on self-built vans. 

• Things are weird an eerie on the nation's interstates. Bring snacks. 
  

• Is it legal to tint your windows? Maybe? Sometimes. Could be. We discuss.
  

• Perhaps the very first "#vanlife" book, Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck. 
  

Don't just screw willy nilly into your van. Every hole is a potential problem, and it's a good idea to know how your drill works as well.  

• This is a great, compact, and flexible cooking solution perfect for vans.