Time to hook it up and hit the road! Where we going? Stay tuned to find out.
Whether or not you're in the market, all full-time RVers have, at one point or another, started looking at other models, and have asked themselves that proverbial question: What do I actually want in a rig? Here at Freedom Rolling, we're no exception.
The first thing we consider is the year and size. Those big honkers may be all nice and fancy, but if you're going to be spending time in publicly owned parks or some open spot in the middle of nowhere, you're going to want a rig on the smaller side. A maximum of 40 feet is what the parks usually advertise, but about 30 feet or less is a good target. Even in the private sector, the smaller the rig, the easier of a time you'll have getting into almost any site, especially if a power pole is right next to it. While we're on size, weight is a very important factor. You need to be able to safely move the RV. Give yourself a couple thousand pounds of leeway for what your truck is rated, otherwise you may find yourself with suspension issues. The year of the vehicle can also be important, especially if you want to stay at private parks. Most have a "10-year rule" for RVs, where if your rig is more than 10 years old, they don't want you there unless you obtain special permission. Newer is not always better, though, as there was a period from 2020 to 2022 where rigs were very cheaply made in order to satisfy a demand, and some of those are already falling apart as of the time the article is written.
Enough about the outside; most of us who "window shop" want what's on the inside. Definitely start with counter space in the kitchen, because you'll likely have a slow cooker there almost every day. Can you fit that? Once that's done, consider the dining area. Is a desk important for you, or can you live with clogging up your dinner table with electronics and other activities? Going between the two, can you live with something akin to Jon Taffer's famous "butt funnel", or do you need a slide to give yourself some more room? Go room by room, and figure out what you want. Do you want a traditional bed, or is a bunk OK? How tall do you want the shower to be? Do you want a fireplace, or can you live with regular HVAC? How about how your refrigerator and water heater run? How do you get from place to place inside the rig? How much power and propane is all of this going to take, too?
Every single thing has its importance, and it's up to each of us to balance what we want, and what we're able to do in terms of both desire and cost. Sometimes, you're only able to find a truck that can pull a minimal amount, so you need a tiny rig. That's OK when you're starting out, because it's more manageable, and you can actually experience everything you want without being overwhelmed. Once you understand the joys of being out here full-time, then you can branch out and start to check off more of your wants. Nothing will be absolutely 100% perfect, there's always things that change as you go along.
So as you Follow your Internal Compass, be on the lookout for different things in a RV that may work for you.
Welcome to another review of craft beers brought to you by Freedom Rolling. Today, we look at three different breweries across the country and what they have to offer. As with every review, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
We start in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and the Fernson Brewing Company for one of their signature offerings, the Lion's Paw Lager. This particular brew comes in a delightful reddish amber color, and is a staple across bars offering craft brews in the Mount Rushmore state. Be prepared for a slightly sour taste when you first sip on this beer, but like with any good lager, the hops will come in later to give a more rounded taste. This may be a decent choice if you are in the area, and could be worth a shower if you happen to be staying for an extended period, but there are better brews to actively seek out when traveling the country.
Heading down south to Fort Worth, Texas, and the Martin House Brewing Company, we turn to the "Best Maid" sour pickle beer. Sours have started to find their place on many taproom lists, although this is one of the weirdest brews to ever try. The scent of pickles is very prevalent when first presented with the beer. The first taste is almost as if one took the liquid contents of a pickle jar and ran it through carbon dioxide pressure. Although we'll freely admit to not yet being to the point of enjoying sour beers, and the beer itself did not foam when poured which could lead to an adverse review, it doesn't seem like one to try again.
Heading back to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, we finally head to the Remedy Brewing Company, and one of their regular offerings, the Queen Bee Imperial Honey Cream Ale. As a lighter colored summer beer, Remedy advertises "a subtle honey sweetness", but there is nothing subtle about this one. The first smell and sip brings an overpowering sensation of honey to this particular brew. Once getting over that hurdle, it will not only leave the same powerful taste in your mouth, but the later stages of the brew will almost taste like cough syrup. Certain connoisseurs will enjoy the higher alcoholic content of 7.3% when compared to other beers of this type, but when looking for cream ales, there are many better choices even in this part of the country alone.
So as your Internal Compass takes you across the country, try some of the local craft beers as able, and see how they fare for you.
So you've arrived at your workamping gig for the next six months, possibly after traveling a thousand miles or more. Your ideal first step after setting up is one you may not like, but is necessary.
One of the most important expectations that they don't tell you in the job description, whether you're a camp host, store clerk, or something where you are in the public eye, is that you are an ambassador for the area you're staying. In order to provide the best experience for those who visit, especially in a bit of a "tourist trap", you need to know the area around you like it was the back of your hand. Take a drive around and know where everything is. Who offers what? Even if it's something that you sell where you are, always have a plan B ready. They might have to go somewhere else once, but they'll likely return once your place has restocked.
It's not just the private organizations you need to know, but also some of the public regulations. If you have a golf cart, are you going to be able to drive it around? Where are overflow visitors able to park and not park? Maybe you have some lakes or rivers near you; what are the fishing regulations in that area? Ages for licenses, license costs, and available stock are the most common questions, along with keep limits. You've probably planned this location months in advance, so you can always do a little research before you arrive. It might be a good alternative to constantly asking the question, "Are we there yet?"
If you're in a tourist trap, it's not just the local area you need to know, but the region as a whole. More often than not, someone is going to ask you how to get somewhere, and if you're in a remote area, it could even be a couple of states away. This is where being a full-time RVer is actually an advantage. You're already going to know how to get around, including truck routes. You may have even taken a trip where they want to go previously. Bank on that knowledge. And if you don't know it, it's a good idea to learn, because you'll probably use it for your next trip.
So as you Follow your Internal Compass, enhance it with the knowledge of what is around you when you reach your destination.
Not your average two hundred acre wood. When in zone 2, don't let grandma get out to walk around. Too hot? Too cold? Just right.
Welcome to the outskirts of Rapid City, South Dakota, home of Bear Country USA. First opened in 1972 by the Casey family and still owned by them to the day this is written, Bear Country USA is a seasonal half driving safari, half walking zoo holding several dozen different species of animals, including a safe raising ground for the black bear, which naturally has difficulty surviving in the wild. All ages are able to experience this property, and the different opportunities give something for everyone.
As you first enter the property, you are immediately whisked to the driving portion of the zoo. Drive through several fenced and cattle guarded sections to see elk, reindeer, wolves, and many of the other species that are already living in the wild in the area. Keep the windows closed as you go through, lest you meet up with one of these creatures. As you go through, you'll see mountain lions and black bears. There are a few bison along the way, but other attractions in the area will have them more prevalent. Once you get to the end, don't head out the exit yet! Instead, park and go to the walking section, where staff members play with the young bear cubs as they frolic while on display. Several other species are also able to be seen.
Bear Country USA seems on par with the cost of the larger zoos in the country, but this one is well worth it. The grounds are maintained very well, and you can tell that the seasonal staff has a lot of fun playing with the cubs. They are only open from April to November, and good luck being able to get around during the Sturgis festival. This might be worth the trip if you're a bear enthusiast, but if you happen to be kicking around the area, it's not too bad of a stop on your way towards Mount Rushmore. Just don't try to back up when you leave, because they have one-way spike strips on the ground.
So as you Follow your Internal Compass, take some time for a trip on the wild side.
Welcome to another review of craft beers brought to you by Freedom Rolling. Today, we look at three different breweries in South Dakota and what they have to offer. As with every review, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
Welcome to Sturgis South Dakota: Home of America's most famous August motorcycle rally, and right off the highway is the Sturgis Brewing Company, with one of their offerings being their Red Cut Red Amber ale. This particular brew has the smooth taste one would expect from the typical American Amber, with just a hint of hops to keep the taste buds excited. There were a couple of points during the tasting of this beer where it flirted with the line between smoothness and flatness, and although there have been plenty of other red and ambers we've come to enjoy more, Red Cut does pass as something drinkable.
Staying in the Black Hills of South Dakota, take a trip down to Rapid City and the Lost Cabin Beer Company. First starting in 2016, Lost Cabin has been brewing at both their primary city location, along with their new Beer Garden in Hill City. One of their most popular signature beers is the SoDank IPA. This moderately colored brew will give the strong taste of hops that you would expect from a typical IPA, but they have been able to balance it with a smoother taste that would allow someone in the middle of acquiring the taste for this type of beer to enjoy. Although perhaps not the best value for money, it isn't a bad choice for a special occasion in the area.
When one thinks of South Dakota, they may think of Mount Rushmore. Found in the city of Custer is the so-aptly named Mount Rushmore Brewing Company, with one of their regular beers being the Buffalo Snot stout. This particular brew brings a strong smell and taste of coffee to the drinker. However, as one would continue to enjoy this smooth, dark offering, the first impression may be deceiving as the coffee taste will diminish after the first sip, allowing even the connoisseur that does not enjoy coffee to want to have this beer again.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to Western South Dakota, try some of the local brews around you, but be cautious in what you choose.
One of the challenges for those of us living on the road is figuring out where to go next. For some road trippers, why not go to all of the lower 48?
For many road enthusiasts, the ultimate road trip is where you touch all of the lower 48 states. Some people have made a competition of trying to do it in 96 hours legally. There are others who like to try to set driving speed records but may have to wait for the statute of limitations to run out on their potential speeding fines. There are some who have taken the time to map out the route to make this possible. Perhaps there's also some debate about whether to just see all 48, or make a loop around and return to a particular destination along the route, which for the casual road tripper would seem a more plausible strategy.
If the goal is to visit all 48 states, you merely only need to go a little bit inside of the border, and not necessarily to a city. This will involve "clipping" a few states. Some take this to an extreme and use a driveway, but let's assume you want to stick to public roads. What are some good options? Needles, California is a good one, as you can go into the state from a city bridge, bypassing the "agriculture checkpoints" altogether. One good one we found was using Interstate 29 and State Highway 11 to clip North Dakota. The Four Corners monument is tempting, but out of the way and has a cost to it, so how about US routes 385 and 138 through Julesburg, Colorado? You'll pick up the other three easy enough on the basic route. There are a few others out there, just peruse a map.
In case any of you were wondering, Freedom Rolling doesn't have plans to do this sort of an adventure anytime soon, especially not against the clock. The subject just happened to come up during a forum discussion of road trips one day, and looking at a map. Draw it out yourself, and see what you come up with. Our original drawing is long gone, sadly, and was quite a bit inefficient, having to do some wackiness in order to reach Kentucky. The aforementioned "clips" were used, and perhaps we'll try drawing it our again in the future, though it looks like many other people and companies have taken quite a bit of time to optimize it.
So if your Internal Compass takes you on the road, and you don't know where to go, see it all.
A unique city park is out there waiting for zoologically-minded visitors.
Welcome to Garden City, Kansas and Finnup Park, home of the Lee Richardson Zoo. Owned and operated by the city's zoo department, this menagerie of several hundred species from around the world is a welcome destination for visitors of all ages throughout the entire year. Lee Richardson Zoo is unique in that it offers a choice of experiences, whether it be a traditional walk through the property at no cost to the visitor, or a safari-style drive for a small fee to help maintain the grounds.
Heading to this property was slightly unique in that, because it was done during the travel portion of this trip, we had the trailer in tow. After calling ahead, the staff was quite helpful in how we would be able to park to enjoy the zoo, although parking the "heart" elsewhere is recommended during peak times, as it is a small parking lot. Naturally the walking tour was experienced, and although we recommend taking a picture of the map as you walk in, all of the different sections of the zoo are well labeled, and both drivers and walkers are able to co-exist through the property quite harmoniously. To further help fund the zoo, various animal feeding opportunities are offered throughout the day while clearly publicly announced by loudspeaker and schedule.
At the end of the day, the experience at Lee Richardson Zoo is one that you would come to expect from an organization, whether private or public, that participates in this sort of activity. It may not necessarily be the sort of place that one would want to go out of their way to visit, especially when compared to some of the other major menageries across North America, but if you're crossing the country on either US routes 83, 50, or 400, it's not a bad spot to make a pit stop and enjoy the city, especially when the price cannot be beat for a large family.
So as you Follow Your Internal Compass to a particular destination, do take some time to see what's on the way. You may just find a hidden gem such as this.
Well folks, exactly two years ago as of the day this is published, we closed on selling the house and went full-time for good.
Since then, after two years, twelve trips (14 total), 27 states (31 total), and nearly 50,000 miles later, this has been quite the ride. Surprisingly we are still in the same trailer, although we've since switched vehicles and spent a good chunk of the time in a mobile home apartment attached to a workamping office. We're a long ways from when we were piling all the rest of what we had into the trailer and rushing to get it into storage so we could have somewhere to sleep, but we've since figured out what we need, what we don't, what works for us, and how we can enjoy our lives to the fullest.
Taking a look back even to the six month post, the one thing we've learned is that we really have to be able to fly by the seat of our pants. Configurations have changed a few times both inside and out as we discover what works for us, but that's the beauty of a house being on wheels: As the landscape outside changes, so do things inside. We've had to make some additional changes electronically, and though it seems for the better now, perhaps it will change in the future. We're finally OK with using the stove, but haven't touched the oven. The patio kitchen has had upgrades, fun for both of us to use.
So what's in store for the future? It'd be tough not to say "more of the same", but as of right now, that's what it will be. Figure out where to go next, plan it all out, and then live life in a different environment. We're not at the point where we want to settle on a couple of different places yet, but we do have some favorites. We've also met some wonderful people, and maybe they'll get a visit from us; who knows. That's the beauty of living on the road: We never know, and can do pretty much whatever, wherever.
So be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass as we continue on our journey through this great country of ours.
Trip thirteen found us at Arkalon Park in southwestern Kansas. Although owned by the city of Liberal, this park is situated on what was once the now-ghost town of Arkalon. Although there are still some dirt roads around to show what once was, the building material has since been recycled. While in transit to the next location, a two-night stay was had.
Grounds: The park is a few miles east of Liberal on US Highway 54. It's clearly marked from the highway, but will take a little bit of dirt road driving along with paved roads while crossing railroad tracks and a couple cattle guards. Freight trains do run nearby along a rail bridge. The city of Liberal is a good re-supply point. Be aware the park is seasonal, and only open from April to mid-October. In addition, the gates are locked between 10PM and 7AM.
Sites: Arkalon is a small city park with about 15 RV and 30 tent sites, along with day use. These may be reserved online, or paid with the camp host upon entering. The RV sites are electric and water only, with a single dump station available at the campground entrance. Tent sites are dry. RV sites are level concrete pads and a mix of pull-thru and back-in. There is a 14-day limit to stay, and the check-out time is a fairly late 4PM. Both 30 and 50 amp electric is offered, but there is an extra charge to use 50 amp.
Staff: There is a single camp host on site that has morning and evening hours, along with on-call. They are very friendly and accommodating for extenuating circumstances.
Amenities: Arkalon's amenities are minimal but available. There is a fishing pond for catch-and-release only, along with a sizable playground for the children. A couple of walking trails adorn the grounds. There is a bathhouse with metal toilets and push-button cold showers. Several pavilions, both near the playground and campsites, have picnic tables, fire pits, and grills. There are also several dumpsters around the grounds and, should the need arise, tornado shelters.
Atmosphere: Our visit to the park was around the beginning of the season, so it was fairly quiet with only a couple of campers, both tent and RV, around us. There are no quiet hours so a few events around the fire happened after the gates were closed, but otherwise uneventful. There was a children's event happening during the daytime and evening; they were quite respectful of the other campers.
Overall, Arkalon Park receives a 9 out a possible 10 rating. The price is one of the best for what is offered, and the city noticeably takes great pride in maintaining not only this park, but the entire city itself. This may not exactly be the best longer-term "destination", but if your Internal Compass takes you towards southwestern Kansas, make a few day stop in Liberal and Arkalon Park.
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