Conker Camping

We had the pleasure to speak with Kate who has had quite the adventure camping with her kids and husband.  Being from Alaska, they are always down for an adventure.  Kate tells us about how they flew down from Alaska, bought a camper and truck, fixed it up and made it all the way back.  She also talks about some of the plans for the future.  You have to check this one out and hear these stories.  You can find her on Instagram @amercianglamping

We have been working together at Lake Eufaula Campground for almost 5 months.  Now that the Spring and Summer seasons are upon us, we are ready to tackle some of the big projects that are on the list, including renovations of the office and clubhouse space and the entrance sign to the campground.  Join us as we discuss our victories and our challenges of working together, our thought process for the campground improvements and changes, as well as where we are in the progress.  You can always follow us on Instagram @conkercamping for our daily recaps.

We had such a pleasure speaking with Red and TJ, a married couple who traveling across the United States in their Nu Camp Tab 400 travel trailer. We talked to them about why they chose the trailer they did, what they like about it and what they would change.  It is a bit different than the traditional class A class C RV's that some are more familiar with, but so fun!  In addition to their Nu Camp Trailer, we discuss some of their travels to Florida, and what they have planned in the future out of their home base in New Jersey.  You can find them on their YouTube Channel, where Red and TJ not only talk camper life, but travel advise and reviews about where they stay.  You can also check them out on Instagram @lovinglifehitchedup.

When planning a week long cross country trip, you can go with your closest friends, your family, or some random guy you met on the internet.  Joey chose the latter.  But we think it will work out.  Join us as we talk to Eric Fadie, formally of The Detroit Cast, now cohost of the podcast 2Hippies1Drunk, who has agreed to go with Joey to California this May to the Redwood Forest.  This podcast is the first time they have talked, but Joey has been a fan for years.  They discuss their travel plans, what they hope to get out of the trip, and get to know a bit more about each other.

This week we had the pleasure to interview Marianne Edwards.  She is the author of The Frugal Shunpiker’s Guides, a popular e-book series that guides you to the best free camping sites throughout the Southwestern United States.  You can find them on her site, here. She has been RVing for over 20 years and has become an industry expert in how to enjoy big travel on a small budget.

Marianne has been profiled in the New York Times and has contributed to many RV industry magazines and newsletters where she has shared her vast knowledge about finding free scenic RV camping on public lands.  We spoke with Marianne about her experiences, but also about the program and website she started, Boondockers Welcome.  She explains the program, how it works and the many benefits and success stories that have come from the service.  If you are looking for an affordable way to RV, Boondockers Welcome is the way to go.

It is so nice to find others that are in a similar situation.  Brent and Stacie Anderson are new owners of Hoffman Lake Campground in Warsaw, Indiana.  It was a pleasure speaking to Stacie as she shared her story of how they became owners of the campground, some of the challenges they face, and some of the exciting things that they have in store for the summer.  Their campground is a bit different than what we are used to in Alabama (at Lake Eufaula Campground), as they are only open from April to October, but that can come with it's own set of benefits and challenges.  One thing that is nice is being able to manage the staffing and take a break during the down time, since campground management is a 24/7 job.  It is also a good opportunity for them to do some improvements and maintenance.  Stacie has some awesome ideas about using her talents in crafts to put in the campground store, and has some great plans for the holiday weekends.  We are looking forward to seeing what they do-including tacos for Cinco de Mayo and banana splits for the 4th of July.  You can find them online at hoffmanlakecamp1964.com .

The pandemic changed the way we did a lot of things.  For Scott and Melissa have traveled the world, but never considered RV ownership.  In June of 2020, being unable to fly to get their son across the country, they took the 36 hour road trip and saw nothing but RVs.  That's when it hit them that maybe this is what they should be doing.  They can travel, and still enjoy the outdoors, but still be safe and adventurous.  After getting back from the trip and watching YouTube videos, Scott and Melissa went out to a RV dealership and bought the first class C on the lot.  As a couple that have never really been camping or known to make impulsive purchases, they talk about their thought process and decision making.  We talk to them about why they chose the RV they did, what they like and what they may be looking for different.  If you are considering the RV lifestyle, this is the perfect introduction to some of the basics of ownership.

You can follow their adventures on Instagram @rvrolling_withmj and check out their YouTube channel.

One of the big things when you go camping with kids it what to do when you get there.  You want to explore, but also take the opportunity to learn and discover more about the environment and the space that you have traveled to.  We had the best time talking to Erika McLemore.  Erika works for Tinkergarten but also has a strong focus in learning about and teaching your kids more regarding indigenous lands and history.  We discussed ways that you can research more about the history of the places you visit and the land that you are on.  Erika wrote a great post about this  here on the Tinkergarten website, and it references another page we discuss that were you can see the native land that you are on, which is native-land.ca. 

If you are looking for a great reference and resource on what to do with kids while you are camping or how to make the adventure more enjoyable, this is a good episode to check out!  You can follow Erika on Instagram @sitbymyfire to learn more!

Listen as we speak with Kaylee, who with her husband Steve, have been on the road for over a year with their two kids and a dog in their fifth wheel camper.  Although the lifestyle may come with some challenges, overall it has not been that big of a transition.  They were both able to keep their remote positions, an actual benefit once COVID hit, and then after getting the hang of home school, it seemed like this full time life was just fine for them.  You can follow Kaylee on Instagram at @exploringoutsidethe303 to see where they go next!

How does one acquire a campground, and why would you want to?  Join us, Beth and Joey, as we speak with Beth's parents, Karen and Rick who are the owners of Lake Eufaula Campground in Eufaula, Alabama.  They purchased the campground in 2014, and discuss why they choose campground life, what they learned along the way, and what they hope to continue to do in the future.  You can find out more about the campground at lakeeufaulacampground.com.